Llano County corrects land use document error

County attorney's office to see two new position

Llano County Commissioners Court recently agreed to approve a plat amendment to correct two clerical mistakes.

Those mistakes could sound real minor. But nothing pertaining to land use is trivial.

Last September, the plat was recorded as “The Timber Lakes Subdivision” in Burnet County.

Wrong county. Wrong name. “It was a scrivener error,” Pct. 2 Commissioner Linda Raschke said.

During its April 15 special meeting in Llano at the county courthouse, the court fixed the error.

Now, the plat is recorded as “The Preserve at Shadow Lake” in Llano County.

Also during the special meeting, the commissioners conferred with Llano County Attorney Dwain K. Rogers for several minutes to review recent legislation and a pending lawsuit during an executive session.

After the session, the commissioners voted 5-0 to approve two additional part-time investigators for the county attorney.

Rogers confirmed that a grant authorized by Senate Bill 22 would finance the new positions, as well as Llano County fiscal year 2024 funds set aside for the county attorney office.

The 88th Legislature approved SB 22 last September. Through the Texas Comptroller, the bill provides financial assistance to constables, district and county attorneys and sheriffs to “ensure professional law enforcement and legal representation of the people’s interests throughout the state,” according to officials.

And, the bill requires the comptroller to award grants of more than $100,000 to law enforcement agencies in “eligible counties” with a population of less than 300,000.

According to the 2020 U.S. Census Bureau, the Llano County population is more than 22,500.

Also after the executive session, the commissioners voted unanimously to hire “outside counsel” to represent Llano County Elections Administrator Andrea Wilson in a civil rights lawsuit filed by Dr. Laura Pressley and four others against Jane Nelson and four others.

Pressley (an ardent vote-fraud activist) and Robert Bagwell, Teresa Soll, Thomas L. Korkmas and Madelyn Highsmith filed a lawsuit last month in the U.S.

District Court headed by Judge Robert Pitman for the Western District of Texas Austin Division.

The lawsuit claims Texas Secretary of State Jane Nelson; Texas Secretary of State Elections Division Director Christina Adkins; Williamson County Elections Administrator Bridgette Escobedo; Bell County Elections Administrator Desi Roberts and Wilson authorized the use of computer software to generate operation of “random unique identifier/ballot trackers" during the primary election last month.

According to the suit, use of such equipment risks voters to exposure of personal information, including how they voted, without their knowledge or consent and violates federal and state law.

“It is not appropriate for others to use, possess or have access to (voter) information enabling them to breach ballot secrecy for in-person voters in Texas,” the suit claims.

Judge Pitman denied a request from the plaintiffs for an emergency temporary restraining order and injunction on the defendants late last month.

Monday, Wilson declined to comment about the matter to The Highlander.