The Burnet County Commissioners Court recently directed County Judge Bryan Wilson to identify and contact nearby government entities that could be willing to join a local “391 Commission” to help the court stiffen its opposition to a proposed high-voltage electrical transmission line.
“I think it is the right thing to do,” Wilson said. “There are all kinds of complexities, but we are all working for the same thing.”
Texas Government Code Section 391 authorizes such a commission to bring local officials together to coordinate communication with state agencies to study critical issues. As such, the commission possesses no regulatory authority.
During the Feb. 10 meeting in Burnet at the county courthouse, 220 S. Pierce St., Pct. 1 Commissioner Jim Luther Jr., Pct. 2 Commissioner Damon Beierle; Pct. 3 Commissioner Chad Collier and Pct. 4 Commissioner Joe Don Dockery voted to let Wilson contact Llano County and city of Burnet officials, hoping they would agree to help the county form a 391 commission to oppose the installation of one 765 kilovolt transmission line supported by the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) and private firm Oncor.
If approved by the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT), the line would extend from the Bell County East to the Big Hill electrical station across a vast section of rural areas through several Texas counties, including the entire northern portion of Burnet County.
During several weeks before the meeting, the commissioners have heard several county residents voice their opposition to the line, mainly because of several health and safety concerns.
Burn Ban
Turning to another matter, after hearing from County Emer- gency Management Coordinator Derek Marchio, the court ordered a burn ban for county rural areas.
To justify the ban, Marchio told the court, the ice storm that recently afflicted the county left behind the increased presence of “dry dormant fuels.”
“We are looking at instances where firefighters would be fighting a fire in mud,” Marchio said.
Budget Finances
During her report, County Treasurer Karrie Crownover reported the county accrued a cash and investment balance of more than $71 million through the end of December 2025.
Also during the meeting, the court:
• Agreed to apply for a Texas Historical Commission grant of more than $496,000 to rehabilitate deteriorating sections parts of the county courthouse;
• Appointed Cary Johnson, Dr. Amy Van Dorfy and Charity Taber to the Burnet County Hospital Authority Board for a two-year term; and
• Agreed to contract attorney Philip Arnold at no more than $20,000 to serve as general counsel to the court; he will replace departed attorney Randy Leavitt.
