Recognizing the growing need for mental health services in Denton County, we’re partnering with Denton County Behavioral Health, Denton County Housing and Homelessness, and the United Way of Denton County to explore a Mental Health and Diversion Center pilot. The program would give law enforcement an alternative to jail by connecting low-level, nonviolent offenders experiencing mental health challenges with the care and services they need.
The implementation of this pilot program would require state funding support. That is why we are working with industry leaders to assist in developing a strategic plan leading up to the upcoming Texas legislative session.
I look forward to keeping you updated on this important initiative and our progress along the way.
Denton County Earns Five National Awards
The National Association of Counties (NACo) recognized Denton County with five achievement awards for projects in the past year – the most since 2022.
We were recognized in the Criminal Justice and Public Safety category for our regional fire and EMS model. We developed the Denton County Emergency Response area to modernize and coordinate fire and EMS services across unincorporated areas experiencing rapid population growth.
In Financial Management, we received recognition for the modernization of our budget procedures. With our growing operations, we have experienced a rapid increase in budget amendments, which are reviewed each week by Commissioners Court and the Budget Office. To better support this growth, we implemented a new system and updated our budget control policy to allow greater category-level flexibility while maintaining strong budget control oversight.
For Personnel Management, Employment and Training, we launched ROAR (Recruitment, Onboarding and Retention) in our Tax Office, under the leadership of our Tax Assessor-Collector Dawn Waye, to address high turnover, inconsistent onboarding, and training gaps. The reforms significantly reduced vacancy levels and strengthened employee engagement as well as training.Â
In Risk and Emergency Management, our Office of Emergency Management developed a progressive training and exercise program to strengthen continuity of government and regional coordination amid rapid population growth and increasing operational complexity.
And, lastly, in Civic Education and Public Information, we were recognized for launching the Denton County Conversations podcast featuring interviews with different county officials and employees across a broad range of topics. The more than 30 podcasts to date are available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and on our website here: www.dentoncounty.gov.
Denton County has garnered a total of 11 NACo achievement awards since we started submitting projects in 2022.
Nonprofit of the Year
Congratulations to the Cross Timbers Family YMCA for being named the 2025 Nonprofit of the Year during the recent 20th annual Unity Luncheon.
Jason Walter, who has served as executive director for 15 years, expressed his excitement at winning the award a second time – the first in 2012.
This year’s Legacy Award was presented to Jordan Drake, CEO of Special Abilities of North Texas, which serves adults with developmental disabilities.
The annual Unity Luncheon is a collaborative effort between the Flower Mound Chamber of Commerce, the Lewisville Area Chamber of Commerce, and the Highland Village Business Association. This year’s event, held at the Hilton Garden Inn in Lewisville, was made possible through the generous support of the Rotary Clubs of Flower Mound, Cross Timbers, Highland Village, Lewisville Morning, and Lewisville Noon, along with other community partners.
2026-27 Budget Review Underway
As we balance the 2027 economic forecast with the rapid growth Denton County continues to experience, our Commissioners Court remains focused on the bottom line – ensuring our taxpayers receive the lowest possible property tax rate.
We have been fortunate to see ongoing development, which offsets the increasing costs of everything from fuel, equipment and other supplies to having the trained workforce to provide quality services.
Strengthening our emergency response and managing our rapid growth are the main initiatives going into the new fiscal year, which begins on Oct. 1, 2026.
As we go through the 2026-27 budget process this month into September, rest assured that we will continue to provide transparency and fiscally sound practices for which we have received numerous awards.
You are welcome to attend our Commissioners Court meetings at 10 a.m. on Aug. 18 for the presentation of the recommended budget and at 10 a.m. on Sept. 22 for the public hearings on the proposed tax rate and proposed budget. Our proposed budget will be available on our website at www.dentoncounty.gov.
Connect With Us: If you have any questions or comments, please let me hear from you. My email is [email protected], and my office number is 940-349-2820. For more information, register for my newsletter at Dentoncounty.gov/countyjudgenewslettersignup.
