News

The city of Breckenridge has awarded its construction contract bid for the first phase of its wastewater treatment plant improvements utilizing funds from the Cleanwater State Revolving Fund. 

The contract was awarded to Purcell Contracting, LLC from Meridian, out of six bid submissions. The proposals were opened Thursday, Aug. 28 and a scoring committee composed of city staff reviewed them per the Competitively Sealed Proposal (CSP) criteria.

The Breckenridge Police Department will be equipped with new body cameras after receiving a grant for the purchase of the equipment.

The Breckenridge City Commission authorized applying for the Criminal Justice Division grant through Gov. Greg Abbott’s office Tuesday, Feb. 4 with the deadline for application Thursday, Feb. 13. 

City Manager Cynthia Northrop announced at the Tuesday, Oct. 14 meeting that they received the grant, administered by the governor’s Public Safety Office (PSO).

Jacob Wayne Spencer, the Breckenridge man accused of hiring a man to kill his stepfather, was sentenced in federal court Tuesday.

Spencer, 45, accepted a plea deal for possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number, one of two charges he was indicted for May 22. While also being indicted for possession of an unregistered and unserialized firearm, he only pleaded guilty to the single charge.

A new state law is in place that requires all school buses in Texas to be equipped with three-point lap and shoulder seatbelts, regardless of production year. Breckenridge ISD has begun the process of getting into compliance with the law. 

Through Senate Bill 546, Texas school districts must either retrofit their current buses with seatbelts, get rid of them and get new buses or declare that it’s not in the budget to be able to do it. 

The City of Breckenridge received $179,092.44 in local sales tax revenue for October, a 1.65% increase over the same period last year, according to figures released Thursday, Oct. 9, by Acting Texas Comptroller Kelly Hancock. 

The Breckenridge City Commission will be considering a pair of items concerning the Breckenridge Fire Department’s current location and potential future new fire station.

The commission is holding a trio of public hearings at their next meeting regarding matters of the city’s code of ordinances. The most substantial matter is the consideration of replating the property where the Breckenridge Fire Department currently resides.  

The Stephens County burn ban has been extended an additional 90 days from the date it was originally set to expire, as drought conditions have reached high levels.

The burn ban was first enacted for 90 days beginning Monday, July 21 during a special meeting of the Stephens County Commissioners Court. With the initial ban set to expire Tuesday, Oct. 21, the court approved the 90 day extension recommended by Breckenridge Fire Chief and Stephens County Fire Marshal Malcolm Bufkin. 

Early voting is quickly approaching for the November election, with just over a week away for Stephens County residents to vote on 17 constitutional amendments and a BISD bond. 

Early voting in the election will take place from Monday, Oct. 20 through Friday, Oct. 31 in the first floor hallway of the Stephens County Courthouse. 

Jacob Wayne Spencer, the Breckenridge man accused of orchestrating a murder-for-hire plot targeting his stepfather, is set to be sentenced next week in federal court on a charge stemming from the alleged conspiracy.

Spencer, 45, accepted a plea deal for possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number, one of two charges he was indicted for May 22. While also being indicted for possession of an unregistered and unserialized firearm, he only pleaded guilty to the single charge.

The second week of October will be Free College Application Week throughout the state where admission application fees will be waived for Texas residents.

This year, the free application week will be held from Oct. 13-19. The week was created by Senate Bill 2231 during the 89th Texas Legislative Session for all public colleges and universities for all residents who apply through ApplyTexas to undergraduate programs.