Commissioner Colby Shawn

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Commissioner Colby Shawn Proudly serving Wise County with integrity, transparency, and accountability.

Committed to building a safer and stronger future for the next generation. 940-683-4153 office

IMPORTANT GROUNDWATER UPDATE FOR WESTERN WISE COUNTYThe Upper Trinity Groundwater Conservation District Board voted unan...
31/08/2026

IMPORTANT GROUNDWATER UPDATE FOR WESTERN WISE COUNTY

The Upper Trinity Groundwater Conservation District Board voted unanimously Thursday night to approve new rules aimed at protecting groundwater across the district.

One of the most significant changes for Wise County increases the minimum tract size for a new groundwater well from 2 acres to 5 acres in areas where the aquifer is 60 feet thick or less. The area shown in red on the attached map covers much of western Wise County, including large portions of Precincts 2 and 4. The new tract size requirement will take effect January 1, 2027.

This requirement will apply to property subdivided after December 31, 2026. Property that has already been platted is not automatically changed by this new requirement.

As Wise County continues to grow, groundwater availability has become one of the most important issues facing the western part of our county. Many residents depend entirely on private wells, and development decisions made today can affect neighboring wells and our groundwater supply for generations.

The board also approved changes involving high-volume wells, groundwater studies, well spacing and other groundwater protections.

On July 17, Doug Shaw, General Manager of the Upper Trinity Groundwater Conservation District, addressed the Wise County Commissioners Court and explained the proposed rule changes. You can watch his full update to the Court at the link below. Click on Item 16 in the video index to jump directly to that portion of the meeting:

https://wisecountytx.new.swagit.com/videos/394494

I appreciate the Upper Trinity Groundwater Conservation District Board and staff for the time and careful consideration they put into these changes. This is an important step toward balancing continued growth with the need to protect the groundwater that current and future Wise County residents depend on.

You can view the interactive tract-size map and additional information here:

https://uppertrinitygcd.com/maps/

District rules and related documents:

https://uppertrinitygcd.com/rules/

Road Work Notice – Sunflower RoadPrecinct 4 crews will be working on Sunflower Road in the Paradise area tomorrow, Tuesd...
24/08/2026

Road Work Notice – Sunflower Road

Precinct 4 crews will be working on Sunflower Road in the Paradise area tomorrow, Tuesday, August 25. We will begin work after the morning school rush hour to help minimize traffic disruptions.

We will be placing a Chip & Seal overlay beginning in the 500 block of Sunflower Road, where we stopped last year, and working east to the Paradise city limits.

The roadway will be reduced to one lane in the area where crews are working. Traffic will also be temporarily stopped at the three-way stop intersection while we chip and seal through the intersection.

Please use caution, slow down, and watch for workers and heavy equipment in the roadway. We ask for your patience during the temporary closure and will work to get traffic moving again as quickly as possible.

We appreciate everyone’s patience while we work to preserve Sunflower Road.

Road Work Notice – CR 3470Precinct 4 crews will be working on CR 3470 in the Paradise area tomorrow, Monday, August 24.W...
23/08/2026

Road Work Notice – CR 3470

Precinct 4 crews will be working on CR 3470 in the Paradise area tomorrow, Monday, August 24.

We will be placing a Chip & Seal overlay on approximately two miles of CR 3470, beginning at CR 3355 and working west.

The roadway will be reduced to one lane in the area where crews are working. Please use caution, slow down, and watch for workers and heavy equipment in the roadway.

We appreciate everyone’s patience while we work to preserve CR 3470.

Proud to see the Criminal Interdiction Unit and the Wise County Sheriff’s Office recognized on a national level. Three n...
21/08/2026

Proud to see the Criminal Interdiction Unit and the Wise County Sheriff’s Office recognized on a national level. Three national awards is an incredible accomplishment and very well deserved. Congratulations to the entire team!

ROAD WORK NOTICE – FRESH OIL / 5 MPHPrecinct 4 crews will be applying primer oil to County Roads 3620, 3621, 3821, 3823,...
12/08/2026

ROAD WORK NOTICE – FRESH OIL / 5 MPH

Precinct 4 crews will be applying primer oil to County Roads 3620, 3621, 3821, 3823, 3825 and 3828 beginning Thursday, August 13, and continuing Monday, August 17. This is the Willow Point and Balsora area.

⚠️ PLEASE PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO THE POSTED 5 MPH SPEED LIMIT.

Signs will be in place warning motorists of FRESH OIL and a STRICT 5 MPH SPEED LIMIT. This oil will remain wet for approximately 48 hours after application.

It is extremely important that you slow down to 5 MPH when traveling across these roads. Driving faster than the posted speed can cause the oil to sling onto your vehicle. The 5 MPH speed limit is there not only for the safety of our crews, but also to greatly reduce the chance of oil getting on your vehicle.

Precinct 4 will not be responsible for cleaning oil from vehicles that travel through the work area, so please SLOW DOWN and obey the posted 5 MPH speed limit.

Once the primer oil has had time to properly cure, we will begin Chip & Seal operations next week on these roads.

We appreciate everyone's patience over the last few months as we have worked to completely rebuild these roadways. We are getting close to the finish line, and this is one of the final steps before the new driving surface is completed.

Please help us by slowing down, giving our crews room to work, and following the posted signs.

11/08/2026

Incredible job by everyone involved. It takes tremendous courage to run toward danger when every instinct tells you to run the other way. Proud of these guys and thankful for the way our first responders work together when it matters most.

Last week I was back in College Station where Class XI of the V.G. Young Institute of County Government Commissioners Co...
11/08/2026

Last week I was back in College Station where Class XI of the V.G. Young Institute of County Government Commissioners Court Leadership Academy met for the final time.

We finished our two-year program with another great week of learning, including visits to the Texas A&M Transportation Institute, Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service - TEEX Disaster City and the Texas A&M Forest Service State Emergency Operations Center. While at the Emergency Operations Center, we were able to see firsthand how they were tracking and coordinating resources for the Bear Hallow Fire burning in neighboring Jack County that day.

As a County Commissioner responsible for roads and bridges, and someone who has seen firsthand how quickly local government has to respond when disaster strikes, these were some very valuable visits and a great way to finish the program.

Looking back over the last two years, though, this academy has been about much more than learning the ins and outs of county government. It challenged us to approach leadership differently, step outside our comfort zones and become more intentional about how we communicate, work through conflict, solve problems and lead the people around us.

We covered a little bit of everything over the last two years. Media training, conflict resolution, leadership exercises that even included working with horses, and sessions focused on building and leading strong teams. We traveled to Washington, D.C., where we met with numerous federal agencies and learned firsthand how to navigate Washington and better advocate for the counties and communities we represent.

Some of the most valuable lessons didn't necessarily come from a classroom. They came from sitting around a table with 17 other County Judges and Commissioners from across Texas, talking about the challenges we each face, sharing ideas and learning from one another. The relationships and friendships I have built with this group over the last two years are priceless and will continue long after the academy is over.

Thursday night, we officially graduated in front of our colleagues, staff and leadership from Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service. I'm proud to have completed the program, but even more thankful for everything I get to bring home from it.

A huge thank you to the Wise County Commissioners Court for allowing me the opportunity to participate in this program. I am grateful they saw the value in allowing me to make that investment. My goal from the beginning has been to take what I've learned, the relationships I've built and the resources I've gained and put them to work serving the citizens of Wise County.

Address

PO BOX 899

76234

Telephone

+19403999492

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