Bell County Commissioner Tim Brown announced that he would seek a seventh and final term on the Commissioners Court in the March 2018 Republican primary. Brown made the announcement from the Commissioner’s Court on Sept. 18.

“Protecting our quality of life while building for the future has always been and continues to be my goal,” Brown said.

He pointed to several accomplishments achieved by Bell County government during the 23 years in which he has served, including the renovations of the historic Bell County courthouse, the construction of the Justice Complex and county jail on Loop 121 and “state-of-the-art technology” throughout the county government.

“We have done all of this while maintaining the lowest property tax in central Texas,” he said.

He thanked other officials and Bell County staff for their work to improve the infrastructure of the county, increase efficiencies in every Bell County department and maintaining a AA+ bond rating. “This is the same bond rating that the federal government,” he said, adding  that “very few counties can boast this high of a rating.”

“We have an incredibly talented and dedicated family of county officials and employees and it has been my honor to work with these people,” he said. “We have forged strong relationships with leaders and officials at every level of government and with community leaders, volunteers and just plain good people who give so much here at home.”

First elected in 1994, Brown said he sees the county continuing to address the same issues as those he campaigned for in his first election.

“They’re just on a much larger scale,” he said, pointing to water, transportation, public safety, growth management and the mandate to hold down the cost of government.

Brown was born and raised in Bell County, graduating from Belton High School before attending Texas A&M. As an Aggie, he received his undergraduate degree in Environmental Design and a Master’s Degree in Land Development. Prior to his stint as a public servant, Brown worked as an independent designer.

Brown was first elected county commissioner in 1994, the same year that then-Governor George W. Bush won his first term as head of state.

Brown has led the charge on the establishment of the Clearwater Underground Water Conservation District. The commissioner is also one of the founders and two-term president of North America’s Super Corridor Coalition, a group created to address infrastructure needs in response to the passage of NAFTA. Brown also helped coordinate local governments to provide funding to get the U.S. 190 upgrade started with the Texas Department of Transportation.

A lifelong Republican, Brown told that audience that he has maintained a strong fiscal responsibility by working with the commissioners’ court to maintain a steady tax rate, while providing more services.

“Bell County is continuing to be one of the fastest growing counties in the state,” he said. “With Interstate 14 now a reality, we must prepare to become a new crossroads for Texas’ economy and military preparedness.”

Brown said he will be hosting a campaign launch event in October.

He will present more information about how Bell County can address these important issues through his campaign website, www.BrownForBellCounty.com