After a four-year hiatus due to the fire, the courthouse lawn will once again be the site for Round-up activities in 2025, Mason’s County Commissioners approved Monday, March 24. Chamber of Commerce director Heather Harrell and Chamber President Raci Hernandez made the decision to again use the lawn for vendors and activities for the annual event, which had been held on the Courthouse lawn every year before the fire in 2021. The Chamber also offered Mason County a courtesy membership to the Chamber of Commerce, which the Court accepted.
Commissioners approved April as Child Abuse Awareness and Prevention Month. Representatives from the Mason’s Child Welfare Board and Bluebonnet CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates), Jennifer Moneyhon, Terri Reardon, and Lisa Goehmann, presented the proclamation to the Court. The group also announced their annual hamburger fundraiser and Easter egg hunt on Palm Sunday, April 13. Goehmann, Executive Director of Bluebonnet CASA, said their organization serves the five counties that make up the 452nd judicial district and has had 90 cases in the past year. CASA is a national volunteer movement “to advocate for the best interest of abused and neglected children involved in the court system, and to facilitate placement of these children in safe, loving and permanent homes as quickly as possible,” according to its website. The entire CASA organization served 18,208 children in 2024, Goehmann said.
As was announced at the previous Commissioner’s Court, longtime County Clerk Pam Beam will retire June 30. Beam has served as Clerk for 18 years, and worked for the County for the 10 years previous to being elected County Clerk. She started her career as a part time employee back when her parents worked for the County as live-in jailers, she said. On Monday, commissioners approved a notice to appoint advertising for a person to fill the unexpired term. Ads for the position will run in the Mason News March 26 and April 9, and applications will be due April 17. The Court will interview for the Clerk position on April 28, said County Judge Sheree Hardin.
As plans for the Mason Airport progress, commissioners approved a “letter of interest” for the construction of an Automated Weather Observing System (AWOS). This system, which provides weather information for pilots using the airport, will be incorporated into the Airport Layout Plan (ALP) the county is pursuing. Cost to the county for the system would be $100,000, as it is eligible for the Texas Department of Transportation (TXDOT)’s RAMP grant. “It’s a big concern for pilots that we don’t have a weather station,” said Commissioner Dave Underwood, who is taking the lead for the Commissioners on the airport project. Pilots flying into Mason currently check Brady and Llano’s weather stations to try and determine the weather in Mason, he said. Commissioners also approved a quote to install a Virtower Airport Operations Tracking System at the Mason Airport. This system will provide data on each plane that lands or flies over the Mason Airport, and how long a plane has been parked at the airport. In addition to safety and security benefits, this data will help the County apply for TXDOT grants, Underwood said. Cost for the system, also eligible for the RAMP grant, is $500 per month.
The fuel system at the Airport is also being updated on April 2 to enable a chip-reading payment system. No fuel will be sold that day, Judge Hardin said.
For the Road and Bridge Department, Commissioners approved the purchase of a new tire machine and balancer for a total cost of $10,750, which will be paid for with Certificates of Obligations (COs). Department Supervisor Chris Magee said they will be able to service tires for other county department vehicles with the new equipment.
Sheriff Joe Lancaster received approval to purchase a new sign for the Mason County Sheriff’s Office. All About Signs in San Angelo will make the sign for $3706.54, plus $2,250 for installation for a total cost of $5956.54. Monies for this will come from the contingency fund, said Judge Hardin. Sheriff Lancaster also received approval to purchase 14 new radios from Mission Communications for his office and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) for a cost of $44,400. A donation from the Lion’s Club is expected to defray the cost by $15,000, he said.
Commissioners ratified the approval of the purchase of two vehicles for the Sheriff’s department using Senate Bill 22 funds, for purposes of transparency. Commissioners also gave approval for the Sheriff to sell about 200 feet of scrap copper wire to a salvage yard in Brady, which he said should bring about $1,800, to be refunded to the County.
A former employee was re-hired by the County as a full time jailer dispatcher at a salary of $21 per hour. Two jailer/dispatchers received their jailers certification and a raise of one dollar per hour funded by SB22, going from $21 to $22 per hour, per commissioners approval.
Judge Hardin announced that the County had successfully met the Dec. 2024 deadline for allocating all of their American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds. The county allocated $17,948 of ARPA funds in 2024 and spent $18,706. They also received $782 in interest, leaving an ending balance of $24, she said.
A bill which asks for Mason County to be able to collect Hotel Occupancy Taxes should go before the Texas Legislature next week, Judge Hardin announced. She will attend the session to present the County’s request, she said.
Commissioners determined that no action is required on a request by the American Legion to enlarge their building which is now used as a museum. The county granted the American Legion a 99 year lease for the lot the building sits on in 1948, but the building is owned by the organization, said Judge Hardin. The American Legion has the authority to make any changes to the building, commissioners agreed.
