Smith County budget won’t increase donations to non-profits

SMITH COUNTY – The 2026 proposed budget will keep property taxes the same, but organizations will receive the same amount as last year, according to a report from our news partner KETK.

The Smith County Historical Society is one of 15 organizations that currently get money from the county.

They receive a little more than $3,000, which goes to lawn and trash maintenance. At last week’s commissioners court meeting, they requested nearly $13,000 more to fix up Camp Ford.

“What we submitted was just the bare minimum of what’s needed to kind of keep the place safe for visitors,” Andy Bergfeld, president of the Historical Society, said.

Camp Ford is the largest POW camp west of the Mississippi during the Civil War. In the last 25 years, the camp has deteriorated, with fences down, signage cracked and fading. Bergfeld noted that the dead trees are not safe for visitors, as one tree fell on a bridge, closing the trail.

“I do see the needs. It’s not in good shape at all. We’re disappointed and I think even one of our commissioners said they were embarrassed about it,” commented Judge Neal Franklin, “… We had an increase in health insurance, an increase in jail food, and an increase in jail medical program.”

Ultimately, commissioners have decided to make no changes to their donation, citing a tight budget.