Van Zandt tax/vehicle office reports big increase in in-person transactions and asks for modest uniform funding

A presenter from the county tax/vehicle office (who identified herself during the workshop) told commissioners that calendar-year in-person transactions increased from 68,533 in 2024 to 84,165 year-to-date, or roughly 15,632 more transactions. She said the transaction volume is placing pressure on staff and that modest uniform spending would help citizens recognize county employees in the public counter environment.

The presenter said she had previously purchased shirts for staff out of pocket and has investigated local vendors that can produce branded shirts for roughly $20 per piece in bulk; the requested $1,200 line would cover shirts and possibly a jacket for each frontline staff member. She also noted ongoing training needs tied to state system changes and said staff have used available travel/conference budgets strategically to keep pace with regulatory changes.

The court did not act on the uniform request during the workshop and asked staff to include transaction volumes and any staffing metrics in follow-up budget materials.