The Terry County Commissioners Court met Monday morning, Aug. 10, 2026, for its regularly scheduled meeting. Following the call to order, invocation and pledges, commissioners approved the minutes from the previous meeting and authorized payment of the county’s bills before moving on to the remaining items on the agenda.a.
First, they reviewed and considered approving monthly reports from some of the county offices.
Terry County Justice Court Reports Nearly $41,000 in July Activity
The Terry County Justice Court, under Judge Angie P. Garza, reported a total of $40,992.43 in court activity for July 2026. Of that amount, $37,153.60 was monetary collections, including $25,032.80 in direct deposits, $4,727.50 in cash, $4,637.30 in checks, and $2,756 in money orders.
The court also recorded $3,838.83 in non-monetary activity during the month. That total included $3,103.83 in jail credit, $370 in community service, $359 classified as indigent, and $6 waived. The figures were included in the Justice Court’s July 2026 Commissioners Report.
Terry County Sheriff’s Office Releases July Activity Report
The Terry County Sheriff’s Office handled 176 calls for service during July 2026, including 11 emergency calls, 164 non-emergency calls, and one misdial. The department reported 11 offenses during the month, with nine cleared, resulting in an 82 percent clearance rate. Reported offenses included assault causing bodily injury involving a family or household member, credit/debit card abuse, unlawful carrying of a weapon, marijuana possession, possession of a controlled substance, theft, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and DWI. The report also listed $18,994 in stolen property, with no property recovery reported for the month.
The Sheriff’s Office also reported 13 arrests during July, while the Terry County Jail maintained an average daily population of 98 inmates. Jail housing generated $86,710 in monthly income, with total combined income for the month reaching $87,920.25. Monthly office and jail expenses totaled $31,956.56, while 8,380 meals were served at an average cost of $1.58 per meal. The department also completed 41 transports, seven school or training assignments and eight investigations during the month.
Terry County Judge’s Office Reports July Court Activity
The Terry County Judge’s Office reported a busy month of court activity for July 2026, with 11 new criminal cases filed and 13 criminal cases disposed of. The County Court also disposed of 12 civil cases, while no new civil cases were filed during the month. In probate matters, six new cases were filed, and four probate cases were heard. The criminal receipt report also showed $1,282.50 in fees and fines collected during July.
The criminal cases filed during the month covered a range of offenses, including marijuana possession, unlawful restraint, assault causing bodily injury involving a family member, criminal trespass, possession of a controlled substance, DWI, and evading arrest or detention. The report also documented civil case dispositions and probate activity handled through the Terry County Court during the month.
The Court approved all offices’ reports.
Next, the Court approved the Terry County Auditor’s 2nd quarter investment report.
Moving on to the next item of business, the Court heard from Terry County Clerk Kim Carter about the County Clerk seeking an interlocal agreement with DPS for the TXCR Interface
Terry County Commissioners considered an Interlocal Cooperation Contract between the County Clerk’s Office and the Texas Department of Public Safety involving the TXCR interface for background-related purposes. The agreement is designed to allow the County Clerk’s Office to work with DPS through the state’s criminal records system and provide the necessary connection for authorized background information and related record processing.
The contract would establish the terms under which the county and DPS cooperate in using the TXCR interface, helping ensure that criminal history information used for background purposes is accessed and handled through the proper state system. The item was presented as part of the county’s ongoing administrative and records responsibilities.
The next item of business, the Court would review and approve the Fiscal Year 2026 Interlocal Agreement involving the High Plains Regional Public Defender’s Office and the Texas Indigent Defense Commission. The agreement relates to the county’s participation in the regional public defender program, which provides legal representation for eligible defendants who are unable to afford an attorney.
The interlocal agreement outlines the county’s continued cooperation with the regional office for indigent defense services during FY2026. By participating in the program, Terry County can work with other participating counties and the Texas Indigent Defense Commission to help meet its constitutional responsibility to provide legal counsel for qualifying defendants in criminal cases.
The Court then approved a budget adjustment to provide additional funding for the purchase of aviation fuel at the Terry County Airport. County Auditor Sabrina Bandy told commissioners that fuel usage at the airport has increased significantly with the addition of new tenants and businesses. According to Bandy, aviation fuel use is now roughly twice what the county has seen in recent years, prompting the budget adjustment to keep up with increased demand.
In the final item of business, commissioners reviewed whether to reinstate a countywide burn ban. The previous burn ban was lifted in late June after Terry County received significant rainfall, but conditions have since begun to dry out in portions of the county. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, the southeastern portion of Terry County is currently experiencing no drought conditions, while much of the central portion is considered abnormally dry and the northwestern portion is classified in moderate drought. After reviewing the conditions, the Court voted to renew and approve a burn ban for Terry County.
