Another store rumor

- South Rotan -

The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation has an Architectural Barriers Project Details page listed for Dollar General Store in Rotan, registration date 4/30/2024.

The site for the store is listed as 500 South McKinley. As best as I can figure, that would be catty-corner to the John Deere House (United Ag & Turf) as you're leaving town going south.

Fisher County Appraisal District has all that property on both sides of the highway, as well as McKinley, belonging to the Rivers and the Rotan Gin.

I don't know if it's real or like that alcohol license application that was posted in the newspaper for Family Dollar last November. That, of course, never came to pass. Maybe they just do a big group licensing packet and don't even look at the addresses. 

June 10 is listed as the start date. There is no activity at this time. October 10, 2024 is the projected finish date.

The estimated cost is $850,000 for a 12,480 square foot building.

Shut the front door

- Fisher Co Courthouse -

Well, you don't really have to, it closes automatically. But it's nice to have the front door to the courthouse functioning.

That was a pretty fast turnaround from when county clerk Pat Thomson said "Fix the damn doors!" in commissioners court to when citizens were able to use the front entrance again.

A new ramp was put in for wheelchair accessibility, or if you don't feel like walking up stairs.

This was a good deed.

Ruidoso to hold virtual meeting this afternoon

- Ruidoso horses -

Ruidoso is 350 miles to our west, but a lot of people from this area visit or have vacation homes there.

The Village of Ruidoso will have a virtual community meeting today at 5:30 p.m. The meeting ID and code for joining is listed in the link.

The meeting is meant to be an opportunity for residents to engage with local officials, ask questions, and get updates on community matters, including the ongoing South Fork and Salt Fire situations.

Photo: feral horses near the Arrowhead Motel in Ruidoso, New Mexico, July 2022.

Rotan roads in the news

Don't miss the KTXS news clip from June 20 where Karina Hollingsworth interviewed Ginger Gentry, Eula Gentry (hope I'm right, let me know if I'm not) and Inez Reese about pot holes in Rotan city streets. Eula and Inez had me laughing, those women should have their own show. Super gals!

School board elections 2024

Rotan Independent School District has issued a notice of deadline to file an application for individuals seeking a seat on the school board. This is required for placement on the November general election ballot. Four members have expiring seats: Klay McWilliams, Monica Carrillo, Matt Preston and Frankie Gonzalez. Filing dates are July 20 to August 19; filing hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Thursday. The return address for filing is 102 North McKinley Avenue, Rotan.

Roby Consolidated Independent School District has three members with expiring terms: Chris Estes, Danny Carrion and Carter Edmondson. Filing dates have not been posted to the website.

Hamlin ISD has one member whose term will expire this year, Norman Pond. No filing dates have been posted on the website.

Hermleigh ISD does not list terms of service for board members on its website (a state requirement). Members listed are Larry Don Nachlinger, John Pence, David Digby, Kasey Nachlinger and Gerald Rodriguez. The Hermleigh ISD Board of Trustees unofficial site indicates that Joe Roemisch and Alan Culp resigned from the board on April 3, and that Larry Don Nachlinger resigned as board president on June 3. John Pence was then voted president. The June 17 board agenda lists actions to fill board vacancies. No filing dates have been posted to the school website.

The Roscoe ISD board does not have any expiring terms this year. Members are Jerad Alford, Eloy Herrera, Kenneth Hope, David Pantoja, Allen Richburg, Marcial Saenz and Drew Moses.

Trent ISD does not have dates for member terms of service on their website (a state requirement). Members are Robert Barnhill, Cecil Gillespie, Paula King, Bubba Rohrobough and Diane Gillespie. No filing dates have been posted on the school website.

Texas Education Code states that all school districts are to post board members and dates of terms on their website. School boards are also required to place agendas on the website 72 hours before meetings, and to place meeting minutes on the website afterward. They are held to the same public meeting rules as state, county and city authorities.

All the above schools are Fisher County taxing entities.

July public sales 2024

All sales are at the county courthouses unless otherwise stated. Please verify information and times on notices. Some sales have a multiple hour span for begin time. An example of that is "the sale will begin between the hours of 1 p.m. and 4 p.m.".

Nolan County: Trustee Sale in Sweetwater for the property at 1403 East 13th Street, July 2, 10 a.m.; Perdue Brandon sheriff sale, July 2, 2 p.m.

Jones County: Trustee Sale in Anson for the property at 7386 FM 1226, Hawley, 1 p.m.; Perdue Brandon sheriff sale, July 2, 10 a.m.

Scurry County: Trustee Sale in Snyder for the property at 3502 44th Street, 1 p.m. and one for 2607 35th Street, also at 1 p.m.

Perdue Brandon has sheriffs sales for 21 counties in July.

Texas Communities Group has several ongoing tax resale properties. 

The closest local ones are for Loraine, but those end tonight. 

Colorado City has one that ends July 16.

There are two properties in Stamford. There is no cut-off date shown on the website.

There's one property in Rule, also with no cut-off date listed.

A little public meeting notices audit

In September 2023, during the 88th Texas Legislative Session, HB 3440 was made a law. It amended a Texas Statute regarding Government Code 551.056(b), now requiring government entities to post meeting times, agendas and minutes on the internet, if they maintain a website.

In Fisher County, the County Commissioners Court and the Brazos G Water Planning Group both comply with the new law.

The City of Rotan, the Fisher County Appraisal District and the Fisher County Hospital Board all have websites, but do not post the meeting times and agendas 72 hours beforehand. The City of Rotan and the Fisher CAD also do not post the meeting minutes afterward.

The City of Roby does not maintain a website, so they are not subject to the new law.

Another provision of the new ruling is that offices that post meeting times and agendas on their website only have to have the physical (paper) notice available to the public during business hours.

The new ruling can be observed in the Texas Municipal League 2024 publication, Handbook for Mayors and Council Members, page 35.

House up for auction in Sweetwater

802 Crescent in Sweetwater has an ongoing auction, which started yesterday and ends tomorrow, June 12. The current bid is $70,000. 

It's a 3 bedroom, 2 bath home in a desirable neighborhood on the north side of town. Property taxes run about $3,000, which is average for this area.

This is a bank owned, foreclosed residence.

Source: auctions.com, via Zillow.

Coming up: June muddin'

- June 2024 Mud Bog -

The next Red Dirt Mud Bog will be Saturday, June 15, at the Rotan Rodeo Grounds, west of town, on FM 611.

Gates open at 11 a.m. Admission is $10, twelve and under get in free. There will be a tractor pull when the gates open.

The bogging will begin at noon and there will be a dance that night at 8 p.m.

Flyer can be found on the company facebook page.