Terrell County commissioners approved a lease Friday allowing border wall contractor Fisher Sand & Gravel to use about 20 acres of the county airport for a staging area and worker housing.
The one-year agreement was approved despite significant opposition from residents who raised concerns about public safety, county resources, the influx of temporary workers and the company’s history.
Precinct 1 Commissioner Adam Johnson and Precinct 4 Commissioner Gene Chavez supported the agreement. Precinct 3 Commissioner Ele Hagelstein abstained because of a conflict of interest, while County Judge Dale Carruthers also abstained.
The project could bring an estimated 250 to 500 workers to Terrell County, which has a population of roughly 700. Sheriff’s officials raised concerns about the department’s ability to handle the increase, particularly with a county jail that has only seven beds.
Residents also questioned potential conflicts of interest involving county officials and Fisher Sand & Gravel. The Big Bend Sentinel previously asked county officials whether they had private agreements with the company. Carruthers said the information was private, while Johnson and Chavez did not answer the question.
Questions were also raised about whether county airport property must go through a competitive bidding process before being leased.
The county was approached by Fisher Sand & Gravel about using the airport property. A separate proposal to lease the entire airport for up to 20 years was not formally considered because commissioners determined it was substantially different from Fisher’s proposal.
The approval followed several meetings that drew both supporters and opponents of the project.
The information was first reported by journalist Sam Karas of the Big Bend Sentinel.
