The Terry County Commissioners Court held its regularly scheduled meeting on Monday morning, March 24, 2025. During the meeting, they addressed typical business matters, approved certain items, and rejected others. After the invocation, the pledges, and a public comment period (which had no participants), the Court approved the minutes from the March 10th meeting and authorized payment of the bills. Following this, they decided to skip item #4 and move directly to item #5, which involved reviewing and considering the authorization of fireworks sales in Terry County for San Jacinto Day.
In Texas, you can legally sell fireworks during specific periods for holidays, including Texas Independence Day, San Jacinto Day, Cinco de Mayo, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Diwali, and Christmas/New Year’s Day. Here’s a breakdown of the fireworks sale periods in Texas: Texas Independence Day: February 25 to midnight on March 2; San Jacinto Day: April 16 to midnight on April 21; Cinco de Mayo: May 1 to midnight on May 5 (only at locations not more than 100 miles from the Texas-Mexico border); Memorial Day: Wednesday before the last Monday in May to midnight on the last Monday in May; Independence Day: June 24 to midnight on July 4; Diwali: October 26 to midnight on November 1; and Christmas/New Year’s Day: December 20 to midnight on January 1.
In Texas, there are seven designated holidays when fireworks can be sold. However, only two of these holidays do not require firework retailers to secure a permit from the county commissioners’ court. These holidays are Independence Day (July 4th) and Christmas/New Year’s Day. If a retailer wishes to sell fireworks on any of the other holidays, they must obtain approval from the county where they plan to sell. During a recent meeting, Mandy Kumpe of Fireworks Inc., which was previously known as Mike and Wanda’s Fireworks, was present.
Kumpe addressed the Court, explaining that her business had successfully held firework sales during a Memorial Day holiday, which is included on their list for approval. After Kumpe spoke, Commissioner Martin Lefevere said, “As dry as it is right now, I can’t approve it. I have 57 acres right north of my house with grass that tall, and I have cows on it and I’m drawed up every day that someone will throw a cigarette out, and with fireworks… I can’t leave the house. They’re out there all night long.”
Commissioner Richard Cavozos said, ” I agree. If it were wet it would be different. It’s just hard to do right now.”
Kumpe then told the Court, “The only thing I would say on that, and please understand, is that they can get them from other counties, so that can still happen. The only difference is that y’all get the tax dollars from us.”
Terry County Judge Tont Serbantez weighed in on the discussion and said, “We do know other counties aren’t doing it” and Lafevere jumped in and said, “I talked to a commissioner of Lubbock County… they’re not doing it.” Judge Serbantez continued to say, “This has been changed… before, for us to have it (talking about the sale and use of fireworks) it was automatic that we (County Judges) had to disapprove of it. Now it’s gotta come from the commissioners court. It keeps changing.”
Judge Serbantez commented on the recent changes made by the Texas 88th Legislature in 2023, which revised the law to empower the Texas Department of Insurance to oversee the sale and use of fireworks in Texas. Additionally, county commissioners now have the discretion to determine whether to allow fireworks sales for specific holidays, including Texas Independence Day, San Jacinto Day, Memorial Day, and Diwali. Previously, the county judge held the authority to permit or prohibit the sale and use of fireworks.
Judge Serbantez went on to say, “There are factors.. . a lot of factors that go into this.” He did encourage Kumpe to come back, saying, “You might come back again for other(holidays) if conditions are right and might do it then.” To note, Terry County is not currently in a burn ban. A motion was made by Commissioner Cavozos and seconded by Commissioner Lefevere to prohibit the sale and use of fireworks for the San Jacinto Holiday, and was passed.
The Court then went back to item #4, which was to have a presentation on and about the Terry County Senior Community Center. David Casarez, a member of the Senior Citizen Board spoke on behalf of the senior center. According to Casarez, the senior center had already gone through “two quarters” of the funds that the county donates.
He told the Court, “the issue in not bad management, it’s just everything is really out of hand as far as we used to get a lot of donations through churches and individuals and that has kinda just stopped.”
Casarez discussed how inflation has contributed to rising food costs. He explained to the court that the county subsidized $55,000, while the City of Brownfield contributed an additional $15,000 for utilities. There is also a $20,000 grant provided, and the center has received $19,000 for rentals. In total, this amounts to $109,000 in income.
Casarez informed the court that running the center costs an average of $192,000 per year. He expressed concern about the number of people being fed each day, approximately 100, and the fact that many of them do not pay for their meals. According to his calculations, around 65% of the individuals do not pay, which results in a weekly deficit of about $1,300. This means the center is facing an annual shortfall of approximately $67,000. “I know we are supposed to be self-sustained… there’s no way,” said Casarez.
Casarez informed the Court that Betty Charlebois, the director of the center, had come to receive the third quarter funding, which amounts to approximately $13,750. He recounted asking Charlebois, “What will you do once you spend this $13,000? What happens when you go through all the funds in the next two months?” According to Casarez, Charlebois replied, “We’ve always survived.” However, he told the Court, “It’s not that we’ve always survived… things are out of control right now.” The discussion continued around the financial issues facing the center. Judge Serbantez suggested that an outside auditor could be brought in to evaluate all the applicants and the center’s operations. After further discussion, Judge Serbantez told Casarez that the Court would take this under advisement and that no immediate action was necessary.
The Court then went on to approve the purchase of a 2025 Kubota Track Loader (SVL75-3HFWC) Skid Steer for $68,844.77 from Buy Board for Precinct-2 using Road and Bridge funds.
Also the Court approved the applications of soil conservation work located at the northwest corner of section 118, near the intersection of FM 403 and CR 490.
The meeting was adjourned. The next meeting is slated for April 14, 2025 at 9:00 am the Terry County Couthouse.
