Construction has begun on a monument being built by the Texas Department of Transportation at the intersection of State Highway 36 and Business 36 that will feature a 229-foot limestone wall about 4.5 feet tall surrounded by landscaping that will consist of trees and perennial plants.

Coryell County leaders and consultants Natural Resources Solutions have big plans for significant roadwork funding and are awaiting the next step from the Texas General Land Office that could result in a substantial amount of money being funneled toward local street improvements.

After Coryell County - along with every other Texas applicant - was shut out from funding from the U.S. Forest Service for a Community Wildfire Defense Grant - representatives of the Texas A&M Forest Service, local fire departments, county leaders, Fort Cavazos personnel and Natural Reso…

While keeping construction costs for the future Leon Street Annex appears to be a priority for the Coryell County judge and each member of the commissioners court, a discussion about the topic during the May 9 commissioners court meeting revealed some differences in approach.

The Coryell County Commissioners Court is scheduled to discuss ways to fund a nearly $370,000 request from the Coryell County Sheriff's Office to purchase body cameras and in-car video systems to replace ones which have become obsolete.

Gatesville city leaders recently approved a project that will cost just over $1.53 million to replace water and wastewater lines on Lovers Lane, which will also impact traffic to Gatesville Independent School District buildings.

After a discussion about how to properly make a donation of county property, the Coryell County Commissioners Court approved the donation of an old file cabinet and two chairs from the old jail to the Coryell County Museum and Historical Center at a recent meeting.

With Coryell County potentially in line to receive significant grant funding of up to tens of millions of dollars for road improvements and to address low-water crossings, county leaders discussed ways to make sure money is efficiently being paid to contractors during the process.

The city of Gatesville will soon have a new piece of equipment to help with road improvements after the Gatesville City Council approved the purchase of a sheepsfoot roller.

The retirement of Cheri Shepherd, director of Gatesville's Convention and Visitors Bureau, has created a void in management of the Gatesville Civic Center which Interim City Manager Bill Parry is attempting to resolve.

The Gatesville City Council voted to deny a distribution cost recovery factor rate request by Texas-New Mexico Power Company, and authorized Herrera Law Firm & Associates to represent the city's interests in this manner before the Public Utilities Commission.

The city of Gatesville received a positive review in its annual fiscal audit and has a net position of $22.6 million for the most recent fiscal year - an increase of more than $2 million from the previous year.

Frustrations with changes to a county road led a local resident to appear during the public forum of the April 25 meeting of the Coryell County Commissioners Court to voice his concerns.

The approval of an interlocal agreement between Gatesville Independent School District, Coryell County and the Texas Department of Public Safety will allow the DPS to temporarily base seven troopers and a business manager at the Gatesville Primary School.

County leaders are seeking ways to reduce the budget of the proposed Leon Street Annex, which is scheduled to house some of the county's justice of the peace offices as well as the 440th district court.

The Coryell County Commissioners Court approved a guaranteed maximum price (GMP) of nearly $4.8 million for a 47-bed jail expansion at 510 Leon St. that had been presented by the contractor Butler-Cohen.

The Coryell County Commissioners Court recently voted to make the county clerk's office the official custodian for all audio recordings of the commissioners court.

Although requested to appear before the Gatesville City Council providing an update every two weeks until work is complete, Josiah Wilson, owner of a house at 2006 Bridge St. that has been declared substandard by the city, did not appear at the April 11 Council meeting.

After receiving a guaranteed maximum price that was $476,098 higher than anticipated for the expansion of the Coryell County Jail , the Coryell County Commissioners Court will have a special meeting at 9 a.m. Monday, April 17 to discuss possible solutions.

While Coryell County is awaiting the possibility of receiving millions of dollars in grants to fund road improvement projects, it also faces the likelihood of having to wait until it receives those funds.

The Gatesville City Council is taking another look at city manager candidates after finalist James Fisher abruptly withdrew himself from pursuit of the position on March 31.

The Coryell County Commissioners Court discussed a dilemma in which it will have to walk a fine line — and likely get outside help — in managing contracts for road improvements that must be completed within the next two years in order to qualify for state administered federal funding.

The Coryell County Commissioners Court approved plans at its March 14 meeting for a subdivision in the Oglesby area — Twin Caverns Ranch — that could add nearly 600 homes to what has been a small, rural part of the county.

The Gatesville City Council, working in consultation with Strategic Government Resources, have named the four finalists for the Gatesville city manager position, announcing them in a March 14 news release.

Based on the progress made, the Gatesville City Council granted leniency to one person regarding a substandard structure and imposed fines on another for a lack of progress.

Questions about road access to the future Firefly RV Park as well as whether to require the business to meet subdivision requirements led to plenty of discussion were resolved with the approval of a variance on Feb. 28 by the Coryell County Commissioners Court.

Several Oglesby area residents voiced their concerns about a proposed 592 house subdivision - now identified as Twin Caverns Ranch - that they say will have a negative impact on current property owners.