North & East Texas
Fannin County Commissioners Court selected Ince Engineering for breach analysis on 17 flood control reservoirs in the county.
Gregg County Commissioners Court approved tobacco settlement fund grants of $7,000 each to the Boys and Girls Club, Deaf Action Center, Junior Achievement, Newgate Methodist Mission, Windridge Equestrian Therapeutic Center and other nonprofits.
Hill County Commissioners Court voted to accept grants totaling $142,500 from the Texas Department of Public Safety and Sheriff’s Association of Texas for a remote records management system from EForce for the sheriff’s office.
Jefferson County Commissioners Court agreed to a contract of $298,677 with Tom-Mac Inc. to replace a bridge at the Lower Neches Valley Authority canal.
Kaufman County Commissioners Court approved creation of a position for juvenile case manager for each precinct’s justice of the peace office to combat “skyrocketing truancy problems,” according to the Terrell Tribune.
Liberty County Commissioners Court approved the purchase for $61,952 of a new dispatch radio system for the sheriff’s department from Kay’s Electronics of Beaumont.
Milam County Commissioners Court approved its annual agreement with Greater Rockdale E-Access Team (GREAT), which provides free computer and Internet access at various locations in Rockdale. The county’s annual fee is $3,000.
Montgomery County Commissioner Mike Meador was honored with the naming of an extension of FM 1484 (Airport Road in Conroe) as Mike Meador Parkway. “Commissioner Meador has been a dedicated public servant whose efforts in attracting state support for highway projects have been of great benefit to the region and the city,” Mayor Webb Melder said.
Nacogdoches County Commissioners Court approved five-year tax abatements for EXCO Resources, a Dallas-based oil and natural gas production company that plans to build an office building in Chireno.
Navarro County Commissioners Court approved $30,000 for the purchase of WeatherBug, a weather warning system, with donations from the Eady Charitable Trust and Navarro Community Foundation.
San Jacinto County accepted a donation of landscaping at the 100-year-old courthouse from Encore Azalea and Master Gardeners. “Beautiful landscape can add character and charm to any area, especially one of the historical significance such as the San Jacinto County Courthouse,” Buddy Lee of Encore Azalea told the San Jacinto News-Times.
Shelby County held dedication ceremonies for a bronze bust at the Windham Civic Center of Floyd A. (Dock) Watson, USAF veteran, county judge from 1991 to 2006, and former superintendent of schools for Tenaha ISD.
Upshur County received a state grant of $340,000 for Pritchett Water Supply Corp., and commissioners selected Hayes Engineering for engineering for the project.
Van Zandt County Commissioners Court selected Consolidated Refrigeration Technologies of Dallas to replace air conditioning in the courthouse for $56,829.
South Texas
Aransas County Commissioners Court voted to issue $5.5 million in certificates of obligation to fund a capital improvement plan, including several watershed projects to help solve flooding problems.
Bastrop County conducted ceremonies to install a new commissioner, Vivian Dildy, wife of former commissioner Lee Dildy, who died in May. She will serve Precinct 4 until the general election in November 2012.
Blanco County Commissioners Court authorized Sheriff Bill Elsbury to execute written contracts to gather stray livestock. “We have a severe problem with loose livestock,” Elsbury told the Blanco News. “When a cattle truck overturns…and we have to catch 22 head of loose cattle, we want our ‘contract cowboys’ to be adequately recompensed.”
Burnet County received a state grant of $747,455 to establish a Central Texas regional public defender office in cooperation with Llano and San Saba counties.
Chambers County Commissioners Court approved the purchase of video equipment for about $35,000 with state grants to link courtrooms to the jail to allow victims of sexual abuse to confront attackers without seeing them in person. “Some people are too traumatized to confront their (attacker) face-to-face,” assistant district attorney Eric Carcerano told the Winnie Hometown Press.
Colorado County Commissioners Court approved the purchase for $78,338 of new computer software from Net Data for the county’s four justice of the peace offices.
Comal County Commissioners Court approved the purchase for $5,000 each of four solar-powered “your speed” radar signs.
Fort Bend County officially opened its new justice center in Richmond, which includes 18 courtrooms, law library, and offices for district and county clerks and district attorney. J.E. Dunn Construction was general contractor. “This is a beautiful, well-designed building completed ahead of schedule and under budget,” Judge Bob Hebert told the Gulf Coast Tribune.
Goliad County received the 2011 Silver Leadership Circle Award from the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts for continued progress toward achieving financial transparency.
Harris County Commissioners Court approved the hiring of additional jailers after a year-end fiscal report on Feb. 28 showed the county spent $21 million in overtime pay for jailers.
Hays County Commissioners Court approved $1.6 million in improvements to the jail by D.L. Bandy Construction. Commissioners also approved the county’s role in the Plum Creek watershed protection plan. The creek failed TCEQ tests in 1998 and 2002 and was considered unsafe for swimming and other recreation in 2004.
Orange County Commissioners Court awarded a contract of $10.5 million to G&G Enterprises of Orange for an emergency shelter and county office building with 50,000 square feet. The county’s share of the project is $2.3 million.
San Patricio County Commissioners Court approved plans for a boat ramp, parking lot, and purchase of 55 acres near the Nueces River for an extension of La Fruta County Park. The county also received a state grant of $500,000 to repair, replace or build septic tanks for an estimated 100 residents.
West Texas
Crane County Commissioners Court approved the purchase of radio equipment for about $16,000 from Regional Interoperable Communication System to enable the sheriff’s office to communicate with other area cities during disaster response.
Culberson County received a grant of $130,000 through the Texas Border Sheriff’s Coalition for fuel and overtime pay for deputies while they work under the supervision of Texas Rangers.
Dawson County Commissioners Court approved $4,000 to equip a used military vehicle with fire-fighting equipment for the Ackerly VFD.
Eastland County received the 2011 Leadership Circle Silver Award from the state comptroller’s office for the financial transparency of the county website.
Hockley County Commissioners Court voted to participate in the prescription drug discount program of the National Association of Counties.
Kerr County was one of two counties to receive a safety award for 2010 from the Texas Association of Counties.
Lynn County received a safety award for 2010 from the Texas Association of Counties for “its involvement and commitment to safety in the workplace” and for “controlling workers’ compensation claims.”
Menard County Commissioners Court accepted a bid of $300,643 from Allen Keller Co. of Fredericksburg for a pavilion and restoration work at the Presidio de San Saba historical site.
Midland County Commissioners Court authorized Sheriff Gary Painter to auction gambling equipment seized during the past year to people who must sign a waiver saying they will not use the equipment for profit in the state.
Scurry County Commissioners Court approved a contract with Two Pro Management to operate the county’s nine-hole golf course for $173,575 for the remainder of 2011 and $275,000 for 2012. Commissioners also contracted with Lubbock-based N-com for fiber-optic lines from the courthouse to the new jail for $128,752.
Terry County Commissioners Court, after delaying plans for $4.3 million in courthouse renovations, approved plans for a smaller project of $2.4 million.
Throckmorton County completed the sale of its nursing home facility for $150,000 to Creative Solutions and Healthcare of Fort Worth.
Tom Green County was awarded a grant of $142,000 for radio equipment from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Wise County Commissioners Court selected EF Johnson Technologies of Irving to install for $1.47 million a new countywide radio system. Funding includes a grant of $498,000 from the North Central Texas Council of Governments.
CORRECTION:
The last entry in July’s news reviews contained an incorrect county citation. The item was taken from the Yoakum Herald, but should have referred to DeWitt County, not Yoakum County, as indicated. The correct version is as follows:
DeWitt County received a donation of $400,000 from ConocoPhillips to fund a project to convert more than 725,000 pages of deeds and oil and gas records to electronic format. The county contracted with Scantiva of Irving for the project.
County Progress regrets the error. H – Compiled by Garner Roberts
8newreviews-1,383
North & East Texas
Fannin County Commissioners Court selected Ince Engineering for breach analysis on 17 flood control reservoirs in the county.
Gregg County Commissioners Court approved tobacco settlement fund grants of $7,000 each to the Boys and Girls Club, Deaf Action Center, Junior Achievement, Newgate Methodist Mission, Windridge Equestrian Therapeutic Center and other nonprofits.
Hill County Commissioners Court voted to accept grants totaling $142,500 from the Texas Department of Public Safety and Sheriff’s Association of Texas for a remote records management system from EForce for the sheriff’s office.
Jefferson County Commissioners Court agreed to a contract of $298,677 with Tom-Mac Inc. to replace a bridge at the Lower Neches Valley Authority canal.
Kaufman County Commissioners Court approved creation of a position for juvenile case manager for each precinct’s justice of the peace office to combat “skyrocketing truancy problems,” according to the Terrell Tribune.
Liberty County Commissioners Court approved the purchase for $61,952 of a new dispatch radio system for the sheriff’s department from Kay’s Electronics of Beaumont.
Milam County Commissioners Court approved its annual agreement with Greater Rockdale E-Access Team (GREAT), which provides free computer and Internet access at various locations in Rockdale. The county’s annual fee is $3,000.
Montgomery County Commissioner Mike Meador was honored with the naming of an extension of FM 1484 (Airport Road in Conroe) as Mike Meador Parkway. “Commissioner Meador has been a dedicated public servant whose efforts in attracting state support for highway projects have been of great benefit to the region and the city,” Mayor Webb Melder said.
Nacogdoches County Commissioners Court approved five-year tax abatements for EXCO Resources, a Dallas-based oil and natural gas production company that plans to build an office building in Chireno.
Navarro County Commissioners Court approved $30,000 for the purchase of WeatherBug, a weather warning system, with donations from the Eady Charitable Trust and Navarro Community Foundation.
San Jacinto County accepted a donation of landscaping at the 100-year-old courthouse from Encore Azalea and Master Gardeners. “Beautiful landscape can add character and charm to any area, especially one of the historical significance such as the San Jacinto County Courthouse,” Buddy Lee of Encore Azalea told the San Jacinto News-Times.
Shelby County held dedication ceremonies for a bronze bust at the Windham Civic Center of Floyd A. (Dock) Watson, USAF veteran, county judge from 1991 to 2006, and former superintendent of schools for Tenaha ISD.
Upshur County received a state grant of $340,000 for Pritchett Water Supply Corp., and commissioners selected Hayes Engineering for engineering for the project.
Van Zandt County Commissioners Court selected Consolidated Refrigeration Technologies of Dallas to replace air conditioning in the courthouse for $56,829.
South Texas
Aransas County Commissioners Court voted to issue $5.5 million in certificates of obligation to fund a capital improvement plan, including several watershed projects to help solve flooding problems.
Bastrop County conducted ceremonies to install a new commissioner, Vivian Dildy, wife of former commissioner Lee Dildy, who died in May. She will serve Precinct 4 until the general election in November 2012.
Blanco County Commissioners Court authorized Sheriff Bill Elsbury to execute written contracts to gather stray livestock. “We have a severe problem with loose livestock,” Elsbury told the Blanco News. “When a cattle truck overturns…and we have to catch 22 head of loose cattle, we want our ‘contract cowboys’ to be adequately recompensed.”
Burnet County received a state grant of $747,455 to establish a Central Texas regional public defender office in cooperation with Llano and San Saba counties.
Chambers County Commissioners Court approved the purchase of video equipment for about $35,000 with state grants to link courtrooms to the jail to allow victims of sexual abuse to confront attackers without seeing them in person. “Some people are too traumatized to confront their (attacker) face-to-face,” assistant district attorney Eric Carcerano told the Winnie Hometown Press.
Colorado County Commissioners Court approved the purchase for $78,338 of new computer software from Net Data for the county’s four justice of the peace offices.
Comal County Commissioners Court approved the purchase for $5,000 each of four solar-powered “your speed” radar signs.
Fort Bend County officially opened its new justice center in Richmond, which includes 18 courtrooms, law library, and offices for district and county clerks and district attorney. J.E. Dunn Construction was general contractor. “This is a beautiful, well-designed building completed ahead of schedule and under budget,” Judge Bob Hebert told the Gulf Coast Tribune.
Goliad County received the 2011 Silver Leadership Circle Award from the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts for continued progress toward achieving financial transparency.
Harris County Commissioners Court approved the hiring of additional jailers after a year-end fiscal report on Feb. 28 showed the county spent $21 million in overtime pay for jailers.
Hays County Commissioners Court approved $1.6 million in improvements to the jail by D.L. Bandy Construction. Commissioners also approved the county’s role in the Plum Creek watershed protection plan. The creek failed TCEQ tests in 1998 and 2002 and was considered unsafe for swimming and other recreation in 2004.
Orange County Commissioners Court awarded a contract of $10.5 million to G&G Enterprises of Orange for an emergency shelter and county office building with 50,000 square feet. The county’s share of the project is $2.3 million.
San Patricio County Commissioners Court approved plans for a boat ramp, parking lot, and purchase of 55 acres near the Nueces River for an extension of La Fruta County Park. The county also received a state grant of $500,000 to repair, replace or build septic tanks for an estimated 100 residents.
West Texas
Crane County Commissioners Court approved the purchase of radio equipment for about $16,000 from Regional Interoperable Communication System to enable the sheriff’s office to communicate with other area cities during disaster response.
Culberson County received a grant of $130,000 through the Texas Border Sheriff’s Coalition for fuel and overtime pay for deputies while they work under the supervision of Texas Rangers.
Dawson County Commissioners Court approved $4,000 to equip a used military vehicle with fire-fighting equipment for the Ackerly VFD.
Eastland County received the 2011 Leadership Circle Silver Award from the state comptroller’s office for the financial transparency of the county website.
Hockley County Commissioners Court voted to participate in the prescription drug discount program of the National Association of Counties.
Kerr County was one of two counties to receive a safety award for 2010 from the Texas Association of Counties.
Lynn County received a safety award for 2010 from the Texas Association of Counties for “its involvement and commitment to safety in the workplace” and for “controlling workers’ compensation claims.”
Menard County Commissioners Court accepted a bid of $300,643 from Allen Keller Co. of Fredericksburg for a pavilion and restoration work at the Presidio de San Saba historical site.
Midland County Commissioners Court authorized Sheriff Gary Painter to auction gambling equipment seized during the past year to people who must sign a waiver saying they will not use the equipment for profit in the state.
Scurry County Commissioners Court approved a contract with Two Pro Management to operate the county’s nine-hole golf course for $173,575 for the remainder of 2011 and $275,000 for 2012. Commissioners also contracted with Lubbock-based N-com for fiber-optic lines from the courthouse to the new jail for $128,752.
Terry County Commissioners Court, after delaying plans for $4.3 million in courthouse renovations, approved plans for a smaller project of $2.4 million.
Throckmorton County completed the sale of its nursing home facility for $150,000 to Creative Solutions and Healthcare of Fort Worth.
Tom Green County was awarded a grant of $142,000 for radio equipment from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Wise County Commissioners Court selected EF Johnson Technologies of Irving to install for $1.47 million a new countywide radio system. Funding includes a grant of $498,000 from the North Central Texas Council of Governments.
CORRECTION:
The last entry in July’s news reviews contained an incorrect county citation. The item was taken from the Yoakum Herald, but should have referred to DeWitt County, not Yoakum County, as indicated. The correct version is as follows:
DeWitt County received a donation of $400,000 from ConocoPhillips to fund a project to convert more than 725,000 pages of deeds and oil and gas records to electronic format. The county contracted with Scantiva of Irving for the project.
County Progress regrets the error. H – Compiled by Garner Roberts