Commissioner's Court January 29, 2026 Special Called Meeting

The Hood County Commissioner's Court held a special called meeting on January 29, 2026, primarily focused on the review and approval of concept plans for large-scale industrial developments, including data centers and power plants such as the Comanche Circle and Pacificico projects. The meeting featured extensive public commentary expressing concerns about environmental impacts, water usage, noise pollution, tax abatements, and the adequacy of submitted plans. Commissioners discussed the legal authority under Texas Local Government Code Chapter 231 Subchapter K to regulate development and protect the watershed, with debate over conditional approvals versus disapproval of concept plans. Motions to withdraw conditional approval of the Comanche Circle concept plan failed, and a moratorium on large-scale industrial development was discussed with a public hearing scheduled for February 10, 2026. Additionally, the court approved procurement actions including publishing RFQs for water and civil engineering services and transportation bond project engineering, awarded a fleet maintenance contract to Midas, authorized grant acceptance for facility upgrades, and approved on-call pay for jail transport officers. The court also rescinded a prior letter of support related to tax abatements for a project, reflecting community concerns about economic incentives for such developments. Overall, the meeting underscored the county's efforts to balance economic development with environmental stewardship and community welfare through regulatory oversight and procurement of expert services.