Tarrant County Commissioners Court

The contracts with Collin County to house juveniles are intended to address detention center overcrowding, a move officials call temporary.

The Tarrant County jail has struggled with staffing — a common problem in jails and prisons around the country.

Tarrant County commissioners voted to close the county rental and utility assistance department, after county staff said it was inefficient. Fort Worth's Center for Transforming Lives will replace it.

The two Democrats on the court did not attend last week's meeting. Commissioner Roderick Miles Jr. returned Monday, which allowed the vote to take place.

Commissioners Roderick Miles Jr. and Alisa Simmons were not in attendance at the Sept. 16 meeting. Despite having a majority, the Tarrant County Commissioners Court was unable to vote on adopting the new hospital tax rate, which was capped by the court at 16.50 cents per $100 earlier this month.

A Fort Worth federal judge ruled he has no authority to decide whether Tarrant County's new precinct map that favors Republicans disenfranchises voters of color in violation of the First Amendment. The other constitutional claims in a lawsuit filed by a group of Black and Latino voters against the county will still proceed.

Democratic Commissioners Roderick Miles Jr. and Alisa Simmons say the proposed tax rate is too low to keep up county services. Republicans passed a budget amendment that will slash their staff and travel funds, which could be reversed when they return.

A judge said the petitions didn't meet the necessary requirements to remove Tarrant County District Clerk Thomas Wilder. One petitioner has already appealed the dismissal.

Charles Hermes was arrested for clapping out of turn at a Tarrant County Commissioners Court meeting in January.

At the commissioners court’s Tuesday meeting, Democratic Commissioner Alisa Simmons proposed adding back some Election Day locations, as well as seven early voting sites across the county, primarily within Loop 820.

In recent years, Democrats and Republicans on the commissioners court have voted together on tax savings. Now, Democrats are warning the cuts are getting too close to the bone.

The vote from the Republican-led Tarrant County Commissioners Court came after over two hours of debate over whether and how to trim sites.