The Hill County Commissioners Court met in regular session Tuesday, February 24 and heard from concerned residents as tax abatement negotiations continue with the Nexus data center project near Hubbard.
Commissioners approved a reinvestment zone for the data center at a February 10 meeting, laying the groundwork for a possible future tax abatement agreement.
Linda Polley said her family has owned land in Hill County for generations and expressed concern about what she described as a continued push for development without sufficient regard for potential adverse impacts. She urged the court to reconsider offering tax incentives and abatements for projects such as wind turbines, solar farms and data centers, which she said could diminish property values and have long-term negative effects on the county.
Polley also raised concerns about the tax abatement negotiations, characterizing the process as lacking transparency. She called on the court to stop approving abatements for projects she believes are harmful and voiced appreciation for Commissioner Jim Holcomb, saying he is the voice on the court who realizes the detriment of solar, wind and data center projects.
Amy Teal questioned the need for a tax abatement related to the proposed data center, stating her belief that the company intends to build in Hill County regardless of whether incentives are granted. She told commissioners that if the project will proceed without an abatement, the county should not move forward with negotiations.
Teal said granting an abatement would allow a large corporation to retain significant funds while residents continue to pay their own property taxes without similar relief. She also raised concerns about water usage during ongoing drought conditions in Texas and said the court’s decision would affect the entire county, not just the Hubbard area, and could set a precedent for future data center developments.
She urged the court to table the matter and hold a well-publicized public hearing at a time more accessible to working residents. Teal also asked commissioners to ensure the county’s elections administrator complies with public records requests in a timely manner.
Jeff Mashburn said that he has an extensive background in energy projects in Texas and across the United States and previously worked in the solar and wind industry. He told the court that concerns about tax abatements stem in part from what he described as a lack of representation and transparency, particularly once reinvestment zones are established and negotiations move into closed session. He said many renewable energy projects were planned regardless of whether abatements were granted and stated that taxpayers have been treated unfairly by what he characterized as tens of millions of dollars in incentives while school districts later seek voter approval for bond measures.
Mashburn also said he has experience working on data centers with a large engineering firm and raised technical and infrastructure questions about the proposed Nexus project. He asked whether on-site power generation would be connected to the electric grid and how potential faults could affect the broader system, and he questioned how water needs would be addressed. He said those issues should be answered before the county considers a tax abatement and added that, from a financial standpoint, many taxpayers are frustrated with the process.
Commissioners continued discussing tax abatement negotiations in a closed session and took no action when open session resumed.
Another resident spoke in open forum about road conditions. Joe Price told the court that he has a small farm off of HCR 2401 North near Peoria and the road needs maintenance.
Moving on to the regular agenda, the court approved seeking bids for county supplies. Bids will be requested in several categories, including fuel and road and bridge materials and services. Contracts will be effective for one year beginning April 1.
The court approved Kathy Smith as the county’s designated Texas Commission on Environmental Quality representative related to on-site sewage inspections. Development Services Director John Crawson said that the position has become necessary as the county grows, and he will continue offering assistance as needed.
County Judge Shane Brassell said that this is in line with the county’s goal to have more than one person trained to do a specific job.
The court approved an agreement with the City of Hillsboro that would allow Hill County Emergency Management Coordinator Chris Jackson to serve as the city’s emergency management coordinator. Jackson said that the arrangement makes sense, as his office already responds to emergencies in the city limits.
The city will compensate the county for Jackson serving in the role, which is currently a duty assigned to the police chief. The agreement will not be formalized until the Hillsboro City Council votes on the proposal.
Commissioners approved the cancellation of a portion of the plat of the Pioneers Cove Subdivision. An individual who owns multiple properties in the subdivision requested that a portion of Linda Lee Crossing that was never constructed be canceled and the road vacated. The original plat was filed in 1950.
In other action, the court also approved implementing a 35 mile-per-hour speed limit on HCR 3422, approved an agreement that allows CareFlite to access the county’s public safety radio system, and approved a previously budgeted purchase of backup radios for the sheriff’s office dispatch center.
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