SAN ANTONIO – Over the past winter, oil prices dropped causing oil production to do the same in the Eagle Ford Shale Counties.
Caretakers of the oil money revenue for Dimmit County were prepared, learning from past experiences like the boom, and bust, in the 1970s and 1980s.
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That experience taught them how to prepare for the future, which is basically now.
The oil boom may have slowed but construction in Dimmit county is booming.
"Using the resources from the boom to make things happen, get caught up," said Ernest Flores III, director of Grants and Planning for the county.
Flores said one of the projects that has been on the books for decades is the courthouse annex, which construction started on just few weeks ago.
It will be 21,000 square feet and three stories tall.
Another project that is still being built, and is about 70 percent complete, is a new rodeo arena.
County officials traveled in state and out of state looking at structures to make sure they had the right plans.
"We kind of wanted to incorporate everything into it," Flores said.
The arena will not only host they annual Stock Show and Rodeo, but it will also be able to have concerts, graduations and other big events. They even attached a convention area.
Thanks to oil money they have a new skate park for the kids of the community. In town there is a lighted, covered basketball court with a pavilion that sits along side.
Out of town their county park now boasts two covered and lit basketball courts, enough room for outdoor exercise classes and a beach volley ball court.
There is also a little lake that will soon be able to teach kids the art of fishing, along with paddle boating.
"We are wanting to showcase Dimmit County not only for the oil boom but for the actual beauty of our community," Flores said.