Documents

Leon County has responded to a Texas Public Information Act (PIA) request dated January 7, 2026, regarding communications involving certain county officials and identified entities for the period June 1, 2023 through the present. Summary of what the letter says The county acknowledges receipt of the request and states it conducted a reasonable search for responsive records. The county says some responsive records are being withheld under exceptions to disclosure, including: Attorney-client privilege (Texas Government Code §552.107) for confidential communications involving legal counsel. Economic development information (Texas Government Code §552.131), related to ongoing or prospective economic development negotiations. Internal advice and deliberations (Texas Government Code §552.111) connected to policymaking and decision-making processes. The letter specifically states that some withheld information involves discussions and negotiations related to: Potential tax abatements Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILOTs) Reinvestment zones Other incentive-related matters The county indicates it has requested a ruling from the Texas Attorney General to determine what may be withheld and what must be released. Non-exempt information, and any additional information required after the Attorney General’s ruling, will be released later. Why This Matters Public statements from county leadership have suggested that no tax abatements or incentive deals are being pursued. This letter confirms that the county is withholding information specifically because it relates to active or prospective negotiations involving abatements and incentives. ...

Leon County Precinct 4 Commissioner and Marquez Volunteer Fire Department Fire Chief Thomas Jefferson (TJ) Foley sent a letter to multiple state and federal officials expressing strong opposition to the proposed Kahla Project and similar large-scale industrial energy developments in Leon County. Recipients include the Governor of Texas, U.S. Senators, U.S. Congressman, state legislators, TXDOT offices, and statewide fire and fire marshal associations. Summary of the Letter In the letter, Commissioner Foley: ...

Leon County Judge Byron Ryder sent an email on January 17, 2026 to multiple state and federal officials regarding the proposed data center near Marquez, Texas. Summary of the Email In the message, Judge Ryder states that: On November 4, 2025, representatives from Belltown Power entered his office at the Leon County Courthouse and informed him they had options on land near Marquez, Texas, to build a data center. This was the first time he had heard of the plan. Leon County currently has several solar farms but no data centers. Residents in the proposed Marquez area are strongly opposed to the project. Major concerns include: Large water usage Large power usage Potential health impacts Loss of agricultural land Possible harm to cattle, calves, and hay production Judge Ryder explicitly asks that no incentives be offered at the state or national level for this project. He states that not all economic development is good development and requests a timely response. Why This Matters This email shows that the county judge has directly communicated opposition to offering incentives for the proposed data center and has documented community concerns to higher-level officials. ...

The document linked below is the project plan titled “Project Kahla” that was provided to the Leon County Judge during a meeting with representatives from Belltown Power. This is not a document created by the county. It is a developer-provided project plan and is being shared here for transparency and public awareness. What this document is A project overview provided by Belltown Power Shared directly with the County Judge Intended to describe the proposed Kahla project at a high level What this document is not It is not an approved permit It is not a finalized agreement It does not represent a decision by the county Download the document 👉 Download: Project Kahla – Leon County (PDF) ...