The Olney City Council chamber was filled with citizens on Sept. 8 as councilmembers held a budget workshop for the upcoming fiscal year. Residents turned out in force to hear debate over the city’s spending priorities, particularly for the Olney Police Department, which saw key line items restored after earlier proposals had cut them.
Olney residents will see a lower city property tax rate in the coming year after the City Council voted Aug. 25 to reduce the rate to $0.862126 per $100 of valuation for the 2026 fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1.
Olney City Administrator Simon Dwyer - a reserve Young County sheriff ’s deputy and instructor - told the Enterprise on Aug. 25 he has discussed the idea of of bolstering the Olney Police Department’s ranks with Young County sheriff ’s deputies following the resignation of OPD Chief Dan Birbeck in May.
![Chamber members present for the Back-to-School Mix and Mingle [L-R]: Secretary Jonathan Rogers, Executive Director Kimberly Smith, President Tatum Wiley, board members Sammy Livingston and Dan Branum. Photo by Will Sadler](https://www.olneyenterprise.com/sites/olneyenterprise.com/files/styles/teaser/public/ab082ae955_Ar00102002.jpg?itok=xz1lM-xz)
The Olney Chamber of Commerce [OCC] hosted a back-to-school mingle for Chamber members, with the goal of giving members time to socialize after a busy couple of weeks since school began, Chamber executive director Kimberly Smith said.
213 E. Main St.
PO Box 577
Olney, Texas 76374
Phone: (940) 564-5558
Fax: (940) 564-3992