Commissioners continue outdoor burn ban

By LPR Staff
Editor/POST-REGISTER

An end to Caldwell County’s outdoor burning ban may be in sight.
Although the Caldwell County Commissioners voted on Monday to leave the ban in place, that vote could change as quickly as (to coin an appropriate phrase) Texas weather.
For several weeks, the Commissioners, acting on the advice of Emergency Managem

ent Coordinator Jim Parker, have been reluctant to ease the ban. However, the mild and moist spring weather has caused them to begin reconsidering.
“I’m getting calls from people in farming and ranching that need to burn so they can do their spring plants,” Commissioner Tom Bonn said. “But if you light a fire, you can’t guarantee that it’s going to burn out by the next day.”
The comment was in reference to a decision earlier this month to lift the ban, only to have it reinstated the next day.
“I’m also getting calls from ‘professional burners’ who haven’t been able to earn a living with the ban on,” Commissioner Charles Bullock said. “I want to make sure we’re being careful, but I want to also make sure we lift it as soon as we can.”
Because the Commissioners will not meet for another two weeks, if circumstances continue to be favorable toward lifting the ban, Caldwell County Judge HT Wright will do so under his authority and with the agreement of the Commissioners, and decision will be ratified by the rest of the Court during their next meeting.
Check with the Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office, the community volunteer fire departments or watch www.post-register.com for up-to-date information on the burn ban.
The next regular meeting of the Caldwell County Commissioners Court will be on Monday, April 14, 2008. The meetings begin at 9 a.m. in Room 100 of the Caldwell County Courthouse.