City of Kress

City of Kress KRESS, TX. Kress, on U.S. Highway 87 in Southern Swisher County.

Friends and neighbors here in Kress and across Swisher County —I just received an email from the White House this aftern...
09/04/2026

Friends and neighbors here in Kress and across Swisher County —

I just received an email from the White House this afternoon. President Trump signed two Executive Orders today aimed at America’s farmers and ranchers. I wanted our local cattle folks, small processors, and farm families to see them first.
What they do, in plain talk:

1. Fair competition and more market access for American meat producers This one is about giving ranchers a fairer shot against the big packers and opening the door for more of our own product to be processed and sold across state lines.

• Stronger enforcement of the Packers and Stockyards Act so producers aren’t squeezed by monopolistic practices
• A USDA “one-stop shop” to help small and very small processors get inspection options and training
• Easier interstate sales for eligible state-inspected meat while keeping food-safety standards
• A new “Strengthening Processing for U.S. Ranchers” loan program for small and regional processors

Read the fact sheet #1:

https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2026/09/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-promotes-fair-competition-in-livestock-markets-and-expands-market-access-for-american-meat-producers/

2. Supporting America’s ranchers This one is a whole-of-government push to stand behind the people who raise the cattle.

• 90-day review of federal rules that hurt ranchers’ bottom line and market access
• Action on gray wolves and Mexican wolves (delisting/downlisting review, plus better predator-loss compensation and clearer rules on lethal removal when needed)
• Review of country-of-origin labeling on beef
• Continues the push on grazing access, tax treatment for family operations, and rebuilding the U.S. herd

Read the fact sheet #2:

https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2026/09/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-supports-americas-ranchers/

Out here in Kress, TX, ranching isn’t a talking point — it’s our neighbors, our kids’ future, and a big part of how this county eats and works. When processing is concentrated and small operators can’t sell across the state line without jumping through hoops, that hits Swisher County just like it hits the rest of rural America.

I’m sharing this so our producers can read it themselves, ask questions, and use whatever tools actually help. If you’re a rancher or small processor and this raises something we should be tracking at the city or county level, reach out.

Johnny Taylor
Mayor
City of Kress, Texas

How Texas highway right of way actually works — and why the State doesn’t pay you back for sprinklers and sidewalks that...
09/03/2026

How Texas highway right of way actually works — and why the State doesn’t pay you back for sprinklers and sidewalks that were sitting in it.

A lot of folks in Kress and across Texas get sideways with TxDOT or the State after a highway project because of one thing: they treated the strip between their fence (or yard) and the pavement like it was still theirs.

It usually isn’t. Here’s the plain version.

What right of way is:

The highway right of way (ROW) is the strip of land the State of Texas — through TxDOT — acquired for the road, shoulders, drainage, utilities, safety clear zones, and future work. That land is dedicated to public highway use. TxDOT either owns it in fee simple (the State holds title) or holds a permanent easement that gives the State the right to use it for highway purposes. Either way, it is not private yard. 

Why you aren’t taxed on that strip while you use it
Property the State owns is exempt from local property taxes. Appraisal districts generally do not put dedicated highway ROW on your tax bill as part of your private lot. You pay taxes on the land you still own and control. The State still lets adjoining owners use that strip in limited ways — mow it, keep it neat, sometimes farm or landscape it under an agreement — without charging you taxes on it. That is the deal: you get to use it, you don’t pay tax on it, but you do not own it and you do not get to treat it like private property. 

TxDOT even has written programs for this: agricultural use agreements, permission to mow or bale hay, and landscape/roadside maintenance agreements with cities or owners. Those are permissions. They can be limited or ended when the State needs the ground. 

What happens when the State builds a project on that ROW:

If the work is on existing State right of way and the State (or TxDOT) paid for the project, that land already belongs to the State for highway purposes. Private improvements that were sitting in the ROW when the project started — irrigation lines and sprinkler heads, privately poured sidewalks, decorative rock, extra concrete, fences that drifted into the ROW — were placed on public land.

The State is not required to reimburse you for tearing those items out or replacing them. You generally cannot recover damages from the State for improvements that were in the right of way. Encroachments on State ROW are not protected the way improvements on your private lot are. Adverse possession does not run against the State. Unauthorized or unpermitted items can be removed. Putting sprinklers or a sidewalk in the ROW is at the owner’s risk. 

That is why you hear the same story after a widening, overlay, or drainage job: “They tore up my yard and my sprinklers and won’t pay.” If those items were inside the ROW line, the State’s position is that they were never yours to keep there permanently.

What you should do in Kress:

• Get a copy of your deed and a survey that shows the actual ROW line, not just where the fence or grass starts.
• Ask the Swisher County Appraisal District how your taxable acreage is drawn relative to the highway.
• Do not put irrigation, sidewalks, or permanent landscaping in the ROW without a written permit or agreement from TxDOT.
• If a project is coming, walk the line with the contractor or TxDOT inspector and photograph what is clearly on your private property versus what is in the State strip.

This is how Texas highway right of way has worked for a long time. The State lets you use the strip and does not tax you on it. When the State later needs that same strip for a project it paid for, the land is already the State’s — and private sprinklers and sidewalks that were in it are not something you can bill the State to replace.

If you have a specific lot in Kress and want to know where the line actually sits, bring the deed and survey call the Lubbock TxDOT district. Better to know the line now than after the blades show up.

Johnny Taylor
Mayor, City of Kress, Texas

City of Kress Community UpdateKress families,Swisher County Judge Michael Clawson has notified school officials that he ...
09/02/2026

City of Kress Community Update

Kress families,

Swisher County Judge Michael Clawson has notified school officials that he will not authorize a special exemption for homecoming bonfires this year.
The reasons are straightforward: extreme heat, very dry conditions, and the countywide burn ban that remains in effect. Judge Clawson asked that this information be shared with school officials, class sponsors, and anyone planning homecoming activities. He also asked us all to keep praying for rain.
This is a responsible call. Protecting students, families, property, and our volunteer firefighters has to come first. At the same time, it is disappointing — especially for our students and seniors who look forward to that tradition every year.

Homecoming can still be special. The spirit of Kress Pride does not require a bonfire. Let’s support our kids, enjoy the other activities, and look after one another while these dry conditions last.

Stay safe.

Mayor Johnny Taylor
City of Kress, Texas

The City of Kress sends our deepest condolences to Hale Center and the Hale Center ISD family on the loss of a young per...
08/27/2026

The City of Kress sends our deepest condolences to Hale Center and the Hale Center ISD family on the loss of a young person who was a special part of their community.

Our hearts and prayers are with the family, friends, students, staff, and everyone touched by this loss. Neighboring towns feel this kind of heartbreak together. May you find comfort in the love surrounding you.

— City of Kress
Mayor Johnny Taylor

KCBD story in comments ⬇️

UPDATE: Mr. Bobo is headed home!! Owner has been located. Mr. Bobo was excited to hear he is going home. This guy is SUP...
08/20/2026

UPDATE: Mr. Bobo is headed home!! Owner has been located. Mr. Bobo was excited to hear he is going home.

This guy is SUPER friendly. He has a collar that says Mr. Bobo. Mr. Bobo would like to go home after visiting the kids at the school. He jumped into the car of a parent while picking up kids. Please reach out to the City of Kress to claim him. 806-684-2525

08/13/2026

City of Kress Council Meeting 08-12-2026
View this agenda and other full agendas in PDF format:
https://cityofkress.com/agendas
Council meetings are currently held at the following location:
Kress Senior Citizen Center
302 Skipworth Ave
Kress, TX 79052
For more information, visit the City's website CityofKress.com.
Open Records
https://cityofkress.com/open-records

08/12/2026

City of Kress City Council Meeting – 08/12/2026

View this agenda and other full agendas in PDF format:
https://cityofkress.com/agendas

As the legislative branch of the City of Kress government under the Texas Open Meetings Act (TOMA); which governs open meetings and closed sessions, the City Council holds open public meetings where local laws, policies, and basic decisions for the city are discussed and decided. All budget meetings are open to the public and . The City Council may enter a Closed Meeting Session to discuss sensitive matters in private. During a Closed Meeting no formal actions or votes can occur.

Council meetings are currently held at the following location:
Kress Senior Citizen Center
302 Skipworth Ave
Kress, TX 79052
City Council Public Meetings take place monthly. Special meetings may be added.
Notices for all public meetings, along with agendas, are posted 72 hours in advance of the meeting. They can been reviewed in person at City Hall and online.
Public meetings are broadcast live on the City of Kress page day of the meeting. The broadcast may experience internet connection issues. Video On Demand (VOD), recorded uninterrupted video(s) that can be watched anytime, are posted no later than 72 hours or three complete business days after meeting has concluded. VODs will remain posted for at least 365 days.
Current and past Council Meeting agenda may be viewed online. Open records request are welcomed. For more information, visit the City's website CityofKress.com.

The community is welcomed to sign up to participate in public comments to address the council and community. Citizens must sign-up day of the meeting and before the meeting starts. The City Council shall follow the order of which the agenda has listed for public comments. Citizens of our community that have signed up for public comments will be called in the order of which they signed up on the list.
The City Council is not permitted to respond to comments or questions from the public on items not listed on the Regular Agenda. Responses are limited to a statement on specific factual information, a recitation of existing policy or direction to staff to place the subject on the agenda for a future city meeting. The use of vulgar, profane, inflammatory, or defamatory language is not permitted. Speakers shall not make personal, impertinent, profane or slanderous remarks.
https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/sites/default/files/files/divisions/open-government/openmeetings_hb.pdf

Open Records
https://cityofkress.com/open-records
As part of the City of Kress Transparency and Texas Public Information Act all residents are welcome to request information available to the public, some exceptions exist. The City is required to withhold certain types of information by statute and information that is confidential by law. The Texas Public Information Act does not require the City of Kress to create new information, to do legal research, or to answer questions.

In preparing a request, please read: Texas Public Information Act Handbook PDF

In Texas, under the Texas Public Information Act (PIA) (Texas Government Code, Chapter 552), governmental bodies are not required to compile or create new documents or information to respond to a public records request if the requested information does not already exist. The PIA specifically mandates that requests must be for existing records or information. Here are the key points:
• No Obligation to Create New Documents: A governmental body is not required to generate new information, compile data, or create a document that does not already exist to fulfill a public information request. The request must pertain to records or information already in existence at the time of the request.
• No Requirement to Answer Questions or Perform Research: The PIA does not obligate agencies to answer questions, perform legal research, or produce new analyses in response to a request. The focus is on providing access to existing records.
• Scope of the Request: Requestors should provide a detailed description of the existing records they seek, as agencies may seek clarification if the request is vague or could result in a large volume of documents. If the requested information does not exist in the form requested, the agency is not required to create it.
• Exceptions and Limitations: If the requested information is confidential or exempt under the PIA or other laws, the governmental body may withhold it, but it must request a ruling from the Office of the Attorney General if it believes an exception applies, unless a prior ruling covers the same information.
• Practical Implications: Agencies may charge for costs associated with locating, compiling, and reproducing existing records, but these charges are regulated by the Office of the Attorney General. If no responsive records exist, the agency will typically notify the requestor that no documents meet the request criteria.
For example, if a requestor asks for a report summarizing data that the agency has not already compiled, the agency is not obligated to create such a report. However, if the raw data exists in agency records, the agency must provide access to those records, subject to any applicable exemptions.
If you need further assistance with a specific public information request, you can contact the Office of the Attorney General’s Open Government Hotline at (512) 478-6736 or toll-free at 1-877-673-6839, or refer to the agency’s public information officer for guidance.
The City of Kress shall promptly produce public information in response to an open records request. Promptly means the city may take a reasonable amount of time to produce the information, but may not delay (Gov’t Code 552.221(a); see Open Records Decision No. 467 at 6 - 1987). It is a common misconception that a governmental body may wait ten business days before releasing the information. In fact, as discussed above, the requirement is to produce information “promptly.” What constitutes a reasonable amount of time depends on the facts in each case. The volume of information requested is highly relevant to what constitutes a reasonable period of time (Open Records Decision No. 467 at 6 (1987).
All request must be written or typed, the City's preferred method is to bring the request to city hall in person. Please provide a detailed description of the information you are requesting and include your name and address, phone number, dated and signed.

In Person request:
City Hall
308 Skipworth Ave.
Kress, TX 79052

Our online portal is now available to make it easy to register your pet. It is a City Ordinance requirement. This helps ...
07/23/2026

Our online portal is now available to make it easy to register your pet. It is a City Ordinance requirement. This helps with accountability. There has been an uptick in reported dogs roaming. This will help with knowing where dogs belong and maintain safety in our community.

Link can be found ⬇️

https://cityofkress.com

Address

308 Skipworth Avenue
Kress, TX
79052

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 12pm
Tuesday 1pm - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 12pm
Thursday 1pm - 5pm
Friday 8am - 12pm

Telephone

+18066842525

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