Saragosa, Texas
Unincorporated community in Reeves County · Not an incorporated municipality
About Saragosa
Saragosa is a small town in Reeves County, Texas, United States. According to the Handbook of Texas, the community had an estimated population of 185 in 2000.
Saragosa has a post office with the ZIP code 79780.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How Saragosa is governed
Saragosa appears to be an unincorporated community or a census-designated place, so it may have no city government of its own — services usually come from Reeves County and its elected officials. The chart below is a generic template; readers can correct it if Saragosa does have local officials.
Form of government not yet listed.
0 of 14 positions listed. Gray dashed boxes are placeholders waiting for a name.
Residents of Saragosa
Registered voters elect the officials below.
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Mayor
Executive
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The city's chief elected official. Presides over the executive branch, proposes the budget and represents the city.
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City Manager / Administrator
Executive
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The professional administrator who runs day-to-day operations (in some cities appointed by the council instead of the mayor).
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Police Chief
Administration & departments
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Leads the police department.
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Fire Chief
Administration & departments
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Leads the fire and emergency services department.
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Public Works Director
Administration & departments
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Streets, water, sewer, and city buildings.
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Finance Director
Administration & departments
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The budget, taxes, and city accounts.
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Planning & Zoning Director
Administration & departments
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Land use, zoning, building permits.
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Parks & Recreation Director
Administration & departments
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Parks, programs, and public facilities.
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City Council
Legislative
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The elected body that passes ordinances, sets the tax rate and approves the budget.
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City Clerk
Administration & departments
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Keeps the official records, runs meeting agendas and, often, local elections.
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City Attorney
Administration & departments
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The city's lawyer; advises officials and prosecutes ordinance violations.
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Boards & Commissions
Legislative
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Citizen advisory bodies, such as planning, zoning appeals and library boards.
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Municipal Court
Judicial
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Hears traffic, ordinance and other minor cases.
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Municipal Judge
Judicial
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Presides over the municipal court.
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Looking for your county, state and federal representatives too? See who represents 79780 or everyone in Texas.
History
The community was first settled in 1880 when fifteen families established themselves along Toyah Creek. Antonio Matta built his horse ranch headquarters in the area. A post office opened in 1884, but closed in 1891. The post office was reestablished in 1900. In 1909, the plat for Saragosa was filed at the Reeves County courthouse. With the arrival of the Pecos Valley Southern Railway two years later, Saragosa became a shipping point for alfalfa, cotton, and fruits. By 1925, the community had a population of approximately 25. That number rose to 150 in 1931, but soon declined to around 25 in the mid-1930s. In 1938, Saragosa's school district consolidated with nearby Pecos. Throughout the 1940s, the community was home to four businesses and sixty residents. There were nine businesses in Saragosa at the end of the 1950s. The population peaked at around 380 in 1960. In 1968, Saragosa Elementary School closed and students were bussed to an elementary school in Pecos. The population stood at 173 in 1970 and rose slightly to 183 by the late 1980s, where it remained relatively stable during the remainder of the twentieth century.
1987 tornado
On May 22, 1987, a multi-vortex, F4 tornado struck Saragosa. The half-mile wide tornado destroyed eighty percent of the community, killing 30 and injuring 121. The storm caused $1.5 million in damage. Most of Saragosa had been rebuilt by the early 1990s. The city had previously been hit by tornadoes in 1938 and 1964.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.