Feature Story

Conference Close-Up: Highlights from Galveston

December 9, 2019 by County Progress

“In a time when you may want to pull back, step it up!”

On the opening day of the 97th Annual County Judges and Commissioners Association of Texas Conference, Rep. Drew Darby offered the challenge above to some 300 members of Commissioners Court gathered at Galveston County’s Moody Gardens.

“County government is really the most important aspect of how we deliver services in this state,” Darby emphasized. “The State of Texas could not do anything without county government.”

Throughout the remainder of the Oct. 7-10 meeting, officials were taught how to continue in the midst of new regulations with a slate of educational courses developed around the conference theme, Strategies for Success.

Seasoned experts and officials with firsthand experience covered key areas including budgeting, the census and redistricting, subdivision regulations, public information, and cybersecurity. County Judges and Commissioners left the annual meeting armed with recommendations and takeaways to help them comply with new mandates and position their counties for the best possible outcome.

Senate Bill 2

“You’re going to have to start earlier and inform other departments. This is not a

Commissioners Court problem. This is a county problem.”

While there are still many unanswered questions regarding S.B. 2, Jim Allison, CJCAT general counsel, offered preliminary suggestions for preparing the 2020 county budget under new revenue caps.

Texas counties develop their budget using the guidelines spelled out under Chapter 111 of the Local Government Code. The process for proposing the tax rate is explained in Chapter 140 of the Local Government Code and Chapter 26 of the Tax Code. Commissioners Court votes on the county budget before adopting a tax rate. The new requirements will compress the deadlines and require careful coordination and systematic communication between the Commissioners Court, all county departments, and the public, Allison emphasized.

What Will Be My County’s Voter-Approval Rate?

The first step will be to determine your county’s voter-approval rate, Allison stated.

S.B. 2 renames the rollback tax rate as the voter-approval tax rate and renames the effective tax rate as the no-new-revenue tax rate. Under current law, voters in any taxing unit have the option to petition for a rollback election when the taxing unit adopts a total tax rate that includes an increase of more than 8 percent in the effective maintenance and operations rate. Under the new law, the standard voter-approval rate has been reduced from 8 percent to 3.5 percent, and mandatory elections will be required to exceed the 3.5 percent rate. However, there are several exceptions that can increase the rate.

A disaster declaration will reinstate the 8 percent cap for at least two years after the disaster declaration.
A county may increase its tax by $500,000 without an automatic election for this “de minimis” increase but can force a petition election if it exceeds an 8 percent increase.
Adjustments are allowed to the standard 3.5 percent cap for increased state inmate costs, indigent health care costs, county hospital costs (8 percent maximum), indigent defense costs (5 percent maximum), and unused increment rate (after 2020).

The Office of the Texas Comptroller is developing a truth-in-taxation form that will be used to calculate the voter-approval rate for the coming year. Most of the provisions of S.B. 2 are effective Jan. 1, 2020.

Is My County Maximizing All Revenue Sources?

Property taxes are the primary funding source for Texas counties, and S.B. 2 reduces this funding potential.

“Maximizing additional revenue sources will be essential,” Allison told officials. Counties should immediately begin an examination of all of their income categories. Specific suggestions include:

Review fine and fee collections, and determine if improvements can be made.
Study optional fees to determine potential increases.
Negotiate payments in lieu of taxes (PILOT) in your tax abatement agreements.
Urge the full prosecution of bond forfeitures.
Fully implement the Optional Motor Vehicle Registration Fee.

Begin Budgeting Early: What Are My County’s Unavoidable Costs?

Commissioners Courts must still fund essential services and absorb any increased costs of state-mandated services, Allison noted. It is not too early to begin tabulating these costs such as employee salaries, health care, fuel and materials, supplies, equipment (such as voting machines), equipment maintenance, etc.

Once the voter-approval rate has been determined and costs have been estimated, budget planners will be able to determine whether or not any potential revenue remains and communicate with county departments accordingly.

Explain Budget Limitations to Other County Departments and Evaluate Options

Most county departments have wish lists. However, revenue caps likely mean reality checks for most counties and the creation of dual lists: 1) items that can be afforded under the voter-approval rate, and 2) items that can be afforded under a voter-approved tax rate that exceeds the voter-approval rate. These items can be labeled in the budget at adoption or a subsequent budget amendment. This informs the departments and the public that these items will be eliminated or reduced if the tax rate is not approved.

If the county determines that essential services cannot be maintained by a budget under the voter-approval rate, it may be necessary to call for a November election; at this point, a statutory timeline comes into effect, Allison emphasized. The county must make a decision on an election, adopt the budget, adopt the tax rate, and adopt an election order at least 71 days before the November general election, or by Aug. 21, 2020, Allison reported.

“This will require earlier budget and tax rate hearings,” he reiterated.

Educate the Public

County funds cannot be used to campaign for the approval of a higher tax rate, Allison reminded officials. However, county officials can educate the public on the county budget.

In the past, Commissioners Courts and sometimes other officials have shared the need for increased revenue using general terms: law enforcement, equipment maintenance, etc. However, Allison urged Judges and Commissioners to call upon officials countywide to explain the specific budget items that would only be fundable via a higher rate.

“We need everybody on deck,” Allison declared. “We need every elected official out there.” For example, the sheriff can offer details on what the higher rate would fund in the sheriff’s department, i.e. additional patrol cars or salary for additional deputies.

“We’re going to have to go to the voters with a specific list,” Allison continued. This is especially important because the language on the actual ballot will not list the items that will be funded by the higher rate; voters need to know before heading to the polls.

Should Our County Look at Financing Debt?

The Tax Code continues to exclude the debt service rate from the calculation of the voter-approval rate, Allison reminded officials. Although funding capital items such as equipment and vehicles through debt issuance will mean additional cost and higher taxes, it is an option when revenue caps and referendums are not feasible.

“The ramifications of S.B. 2 may seem overwhelming,” said Allison, especially since worksheets and guidelines are still under development. However, strategizing early will make the process a little more manageable.

As additional information becomes available, Allison will share sample orders and budget amendments on the county listservs and in County Progress Magazine.

Changes in Purchasing-Related Statutes of Special Interest to Counties

December 2, 2019 by County Progress

During the 86th Legislative Session, a number of laws passed that require specific actions to keep the county in compliance with purchasing-related statutes.

H.B. = House Bill
S.B. = Senate Bill

• H.B. 440 – governs use of unspent proceeds of issued general obligation bonds.
• H.B. 793 – amends H.B. 89 (2017) to limit the applicability of the prohibition on certain governmental contracts with companies that boycott Israel to a contract that is between a governmental entity and a company with 10 or more full-time employees and that has a
value of $100,000 or more to be paid wholly or partly from the entity’s public funds. The bill excludes a sole proprietorship as a company for purposes of this prohibition.
• H.B. 985 – a governmental entity awarding a public work contract funded with state money, including issuance of debt guaranteed by the state, may not prohibit, require, discourage, or encourage collective bargaining. Includes contractors and subcontractors.
• H.B. 1495 – authorization for the creation of a county ethics commission in certain counties. Required disclosures for certain contracts are described.
• H.B. 1999 – applies to a claim 1) for damages to a public building/public work arising from damage to or loss of real/personal property caused by an alleged construction defect to real property, 2) asserted by a governmental entity with an interest in the public building/public work affected by the alleged construction defect, including a governmental entity whose interest arose from the purchase of the affected public building/work after any relevant construction contract was entered into or activity performed, and 3) asserted against a contractor, subcontractor, supplier, or design professional. Entity may recover cost of inspection if damages are confirmed. Requires governmental entities, before filing suit in connection with an alleged construction defect, to submit a report to potential opposing parties and provide parties with an opportunity to inspect/correct.
• H.B. 2826 – provides detailed procedures to be followed for procurement of legal services using a contingent fee contract. Before the contract is effective, must receive attorney general approval or it is void.
• H.B. 2868 – adds interior design services to the list of professional services.
• H.B. 2899 – a contractor who enters into a contract with a governmental entity would not be civilly liable/responsible for the accuracy, adequacy, sufficiency, suitability, or feasibility of any project specifications and is not liable for any damage caused by 1) a defect in those project specifications, and 2) errors, omissions, or negligent acts of a governmental entity or a third party retained by a governmental entity (see many more requirements). Definitions are provided of the contracts covered by the change. Limitation on the contractor’s responsibility for certain defects is described. A governmental entity may not require that engineering or architectural services be performed to a level of professional skill and care beyond the level that would be provided by an ordinarily prudent engineer or architect with the same professional license or under the same or similar circumstances in a contract.
• H.B. 3834 – creates state-certified cybersecurity training programs. Describes certain county employees and contractors for which cybersecurity training is required.
• H.B. 4280 – counties may obtain grants for transportation projects in areas of the state affected by increased oil and gas production. Procedures are provided.
• S.B. 22 – a county may not enter into a taxpayer resource transaction with an abortion provider or an affiliate of an abortion provider.
• S.B. 65 – record retention requirements are described for contract solicitation documents.
• S.B. 753 – relates to wage requirements for community rehabilitation programs participating in the Texas Purchasing from People with Disabilities program.
• S.B. 1720 – relates to the threshold contract amount at which a county is required to engage in a competitive purchasing procedure for certain purchases by a county road engineer. Raises the bid limit from $25,000 to $50,000.
• S.B. 1978 – a governmental entity may not take any adverse action against any person based wholly or partly on the person’s membership in, affiliation with, or contribution, donation, or other support provided to a religious organization.
• S.B. 2100 and Proposition 10 – relates to retirement of service dogs owned by a county. This allows drug dogs to be adopted by the handler if they retire. If it is necessary to find a different owner when the animal is retired, it will have to go to a trained person through a bid process.
• H.B. 81 – relates to disclosure under the public information law of certain information related to parades, concerts, and other entertainment events open to the general public that are paid for with public funds. Violation voids the contract.
• S.B. 943 – relates to disclosure of certain contracting information under the public information law. Very specific information is added about disclosures including confidentiality and other matters.
• S.B. 944 – relates to public information on private devices, ownership of information, preservation of the information, and method of making public information requests.

It is recommended that you review all of the specific bills that relate to your county and that you work with your county or district attorney to get assistance in interpreting the requirements for implementation. Most of the laws are now in effect.

By Narita Holmes, MBA, CPA, CIA
Government Procurement and Compliance Consultant
Former Ector County Purchasing Agent

Sandra Bland Act

November 25, 2019 by County Progress

Prisoner Safety Measures Address At-Risk Inmates

The Sandra Bland Act, passed by the 85^th Texas Legislature, calls for a multitude of changes that are affecting and will affect Texas county jail operations and Minimum Jail Standards including education requirements, installation of specific equipment, and inmate access to health and mental health professionals.

Throughout the last several years, the Texas Commission on Jail Standards (Commission) and Texas counties have been working diligently to comply with the new mandates including the adoption of rules and procedures and completion of required training.

To view the statute and the bill analysis in full, go to http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/, click on (85)R, and key in S.B.1849.

One important element of the Sandra Bland Act includes a section on the “Safety of Prisoners.” The statute requires counties to:

give prisoners the ability to access a mental health professional at the jail through a telemental health service 24 hours a day;
give prisoners the ability to access a health professional at the jail or through a telehealth service 24 hours a day, or if a health professional is unavailable at the jail or through a telehealth service, provide for a prisoner to be transported to access a health professional; and
install automated electronic sensors or cameras to ensure accurate and timely in-person checks of cells or groups of cells confining at-risk individuals. The Legislature created an account titled the Prisoner Safety Fund, and counties that operate a jail that is 96 beds or less may apply for grants to assist in paying for the capital improvement upgrades, such as electronic sensors and possibly cameras.

The Commission has “been provided direction from the authors” that any funds that are left over after fulfilling the installation of sensors or cameras may be used to assist counties (96 beds or less) with the equipment for the other two mandates, but not the ongoing operational cost, reported Brandon Wood, executive director of the Commission.

The deadline for the Commission to adopt rules and procedures regarding these new requirements was Sept. 1, 2018. The county must comply with these new requirements by Sept. 1, 2020.

The Commission adopted rules §273.2(13) and (14) and §275.1, effective Aug. 26, 2018, which implement these components of the Sandra Bland Act as follows:

(13) provide procedures that shall give prisoners the ability to access a mental health professional at the jail through a telemental health service 24 hours a day and approved by the Commission by Aug. 31, 2020;
(14) provide procedures that shall give prisoners the ability to access a health professional at the jail or through a telehealth service 24 hours a day or, if a health professional is unavailable at the jail or through a telehealth service, provide for a prisoner to be transported to access a health professional and approved by the Commission by Aug. 31, 2020. HH

Time and Attention

November 18, 2019 by County Progress

Sheriffs Encourage Commissioners Court to Prioritize Jail Operations

Kelly Rowe learned a valuable lesson his first day on the job in the Lubbock County Sheriff’s Department back in 1999.

“When I first walked into the old Lubbock County Jail, which was built in 1931, I made a lot of notes to self,” recalled Rowe. “One of those notes was to tour the jail before accepting my next job. I accepted this job, and then I toured the jail. I walked into the darkest dungeon I ever saw. It was linear, dark and dirty.”

Twenty years later, Rowe is sheriff of Lubbock County, a member of the Texas Commission on Jail Standards, and the future 2021 president of the Sheriffs’ Association of Texas. As sheriff, Rowe oversees a $101 million, 1,512-bed jail that opened in 2010, where inmates are under direct supervision 24 hours a day via a contemporary podular design.

The Lubbock County Sheriff’s Department staff went to considerable lengths to communicate to the public and elected officials why a new jail was so critical for the safety of inmates, staff, and the overall community.

Jail Operations 101

In the 246 Texas counties that operate jails, the jail is both the county’s single largest budget item and its most significant liability.

Rowe and other Texas sheriffs strongly advocate that County Commissioners and Judges – those individuals who make decisions about jail funding and staffing issues – learn as much about their local jail operations as they can.

“I’m going to be blunt: The percentage of County Commissioners and Judges who have never toured their county’s jail will shock you,” said Waller County Sheriff R. Glenn Smith. “I would beg any newly elected Commissioner or County Judge to make that one of the first things on their to-do list. They should get familiar with what we’re doing.”

That recommendation is especially relevant given the large number of new County Commissioners and Judges who took office in 2019.

“They need to be educated about county jails, their operations, and their needs and requirements,” added longtime Robertson County Sheriff Gerald Yezak, immediate past president of the Sheriffs’ Association of Texas. Earlier this year, the Robertson County Commissioners Court issued certificates of obligation to fund a new $18.7 million sheriff’s office and 92-bed jail.

Staff Safety

Given the diversity of county jails in Texas, it should come as no surprise that a small percentage of them do not comply with the Texas Minimum Jail Standards.

“I’m not making excuses, but it’s hard to stay in compliance with 2019 thinking when you’ve got a facility that was based on 1980s thinking,” Smith shared. Waller County’s existing 110-bed jail was built in 1986 and is shaped like a maze, which makes inmate oversight and overall operations even more difficult than in a linear jail.

In November 2017, Waller County voters approved $39.5 million for a new sheriff’s office, court building, and jail that will double inmate capacity and is expected to open next year utilizing a design that incorporates an elevated indirect supervision model (see “design evolution” below).

“Instead of a jailer sitting in the control room looking at a camera aimed at a steel door, or walking by and looking through a 4-by-8-inch window once every hour, we will have a much more open atmosphere regarding observation and safe interaction,” Smith described. “That’s a massive change from what we have now, and I think it’s going to be better all-around for both inmates and staff.”

Rowe noted that many newer design enhancements improve not only the well-being of inmates, but also that of jail employees.

“When we gave tours of our new facility, I would always remind the public that despite the introduction of natural light, this isn’t a hotel,” Rowe said. “But our staff – the people who are here a lot longer than the inmates are – finds it a much more pleasant working environment.”

The average length of stay for inmates in Texas county jails is between 13 and 24 days, according to, Rowe, while some corrections officers work in the same facility for years.

Retaining quality employees at the county jail requires paying them a meaningful wage and giving them resources to keep them safe. Yezak recently equipped all of his jailers with body cameras and microphones to help mitigate the number of false allegations made by inmates about how jailers treat them. While taxpayers might balk at the money being spent on designing, staffing, and maintaining jails, he argued that keeping employees and inmates safe is imperative.

“All it takes in this business is one lawsuit to set you back financially for decades,” Yezak said. “The cost of properly funding a county jail, jail staffing, and jail technology can be minute compared to the payout on one single lawsuit. Every dollar invested in the county jail is a dollar invested against a lawsuit.”

Design Evolution

Jail design and operations have come a long way in Texas, even though the oldest jail in continuous operation in the United States is located in San Saba County; this facility opened in 1884 with space for up to 10 inmates.

“In older jails with long corridors, corrections officers can only see what is directly in front of them, and they are exclusively reactive to situations that arise with inmates,” Rowe explained. “With direct supervision, officers become almost exclusively proactive, and we’ve seen a significant reduction in vandalism in our jail because now inmates are never out of the officers’ sight.”

Many other existing Texas county jails were built in the 1970s and earlier based on design elements that included low ceilings, bar fronts, lack of natural lighting, and no air conditioning. The linear design which Rowe first encountered in Lubbock is common, resulting in limited observation of inmates who in turn are left to their own devices.

While linear layouts still have a limited place in modern jail design, more effective design strategies increase observation and safety for jailers and inmates. They include:

Indirect supervision podular designs, in which jailers are positioned outside cells at a fixed station surrounded by housing units. The layout creates an intimidating “fish-bowl effect,” as jailers may feel watched by inmates.
Elevated indirect supervision wraps housing around elevated jailers. Supervision into the cells is excellent, and one-way glass precludes inmates from knowing when the station is staffed.
Direct supervision podular is, by far, the most effective, since jailers are located within the housing unit, Rowe said. This design strategy allows staff to interact with inmates and deter inmate misbehavior before it escalates.

Inmate Demographics

Many older jails were designed to accommodate an inmate population comprised of about 10 percent women, a statistic that held steady for decades. As that percentage increases, Texas jail architects recommend designing jails to accommodate a female population of 20 percent or more of capacity.

Of the 92 beds in the new Robertson County Jail opening in October 2020, 19 of them are designated for women, which accounts for about 21 percent of total available inmate capacity.

“When I first started working here at the Robertson County Sheriff’s office, it was a rare occurrence when we had a female inmate in jail,” Yezak observed. “When a woman would get arrested, generally she bonded out the next day. Now, I can’t tell you the last time we didn’t have female inmates.”

The death of Sandra Bland, a 28-year-old inmate who committed suicide in the Waller County jail in 2015 while in a holding cell, led to the passage of the state’s Sandra Bland Act, which mandates jails divert inmates with mental health and substance abuse issues toward treatment.

Before the law even took effect in 2017, Smith said Waller County transitioned to the electronic monitoring of inmates and installed more cameras. The new facility, currently under construction, will assist inmates with physical and mental health issues via telemental and telehealth services, which allow inmates to remotely access professional assistance via video visitation located in the housing units.

“Jails are the largest mental institutions in this country,” Smith stated. “An overwhelming percentage of people in jails have some kind of mental trauma going on. Just being in jail can cause mental stress. But I’m convinced the mental health of our inmates will be better in our new facility.”

Approximately 700 inmates in Texas county jails are awaiting acceptance into a state mental facility, according to Yezak, who accepts the duty to care for those inmates, even if by default.

“As county sheriffs, our responsibility is to house human life,” he emphasized. “We have the responsibility to keep inmates safe. It’s one of the biggest responsibilities there is in our society.”

That responsibility is what drives Yezak and his peers to encourage County Commissioners and Judges to make local jails a priority.

“Maybe we could assemble a panel of sheriffs with tenure and the Jail Commission and give a short presentation on jails at the County Judges and Commissioners conferences,” Yezak continued. “We are partners with the Judges and Commissioners in the success of county jail operations, and it works best for the people we serve when we all work together.” HH

Charles Goodman, AIA, CCHP, has been leading people since the early 1990s in the development of correctional projects for counties, states, the federal government and the Department of Defense. With nearly 30 years of experience as a justice architect, Goodman brings a wealth of design knowledge in virtually all areas of corrections. He has the unique qualifier of Certified Healthcare Professional, which provides an increased understanding of healthcare and mental healthcare needs in a correctional environment.

Flint Britton, Facilities Planner, RAS, began his 24 years of detention experience working for the Texas Commission on Jail Standards. As a planner he routinely met with county officials and architects to discuss the county’s needs and recommend solutions, and he reviewed over 200 jail plans representing 70 counties for compliance with the Texas Jail and Texas Accessibility Standards. His responsibilities include performing studies, FNAs, programming, and the planning of sheriff’s offices and jails.

By Charles Goodman and Flint Britton

Veterans Day 2019

November 11, 2019 by County Progress

Serving on the Seas

The motto of the U.S. Coast Guard is Semper Paratus, or Always Ready. On two separate occasions, a young Martin Nash and his fellow guardsmen were passengers on a seaplane tender bound for Vietnam to operate river gunboats.

“We had a job to do,” recalled Nash, Tyler County Commissioner, “and we were going to do it.”

The 255-foot long seaplane tender with four small boats attached to the base made it halfway between Midway Island and Vietnam before breaking down. The transport boat, built in 1950, was towed to Japan for repair. Three months later, Nash was aboard the same tender bound for Vietnam a second time.

“The boat broke down again,” Nash recounted, “and we returned to Japan.” This time around, Nash was ordered to return to his previous ocean station.

A Very Low Number

Martin Nash graduated from Beaumont’s Monsignor Kelly Catholic High School in 1968.

“I had a very low draft number,” Nash shared, “and with the TET Offensive going, they were drafting people like crazy. I had a lot of friends rated 4F. They would change them from to 4F to 1A, and they would be gone.” Level 4F meant “registrant not qualified for military service,” and 1A indicated “available for military service.”

The Tet Offensive, launched in January 1968, was a series of surprise, coordinated attacks by the Vietcong, rebel forces sponsored by North Vietnam, and North Vietnamese forces on major cities in South Vietnam and scores of other cities, towns and hamlets.

Anticipating his eventual draft, Nash applied for admission into the U.S. Coast Guard thinking perhaps this route would spare him from Vietnam; he scored quite well on the Coast Guard admission test. Before he knew it, Nash found himself in California – where training included cutting off all of his hair – and then on his way to Hawaii.

Nineteen-year-old Nash, who had never been out of the Lone Star State prior to his enlistment, was assigned to the USCG Chautauqua based out of Honolulu. The ship was dispatched halfway between Midway Island and Vietnam and charged with directing air traffic to Vietnam. Other duties on Nash’s ocean station included periodic search and rescue missions and ocean graphic services.

Eventually, Nash was ordered to return to Hawaii where he was trained to operate gunboats on rivers in Vietnam. After two failed attempts to transport Nash’s group of guardsmen to Vietnam, Nash returned to his original post for another year or so.

He was eventually sent to Sabine Pass for two years of search and rescue. Nash was discharged from active duty after four years, and he remained in the U.S. Coast Guard Reserve for an additional two years.

“It was an interesting six years,” Nash described. “I did not see combat, but many of my friends did.”

Memorable experiences included searching for a downed plane out of Hawaii, sailing through rough waters in a tycoon near Alaska, and rescuing passengers from a sinking boat off of Sabine Pass. Nash sailed in hurricane conditions and was part of crews that conducted inspections.

While Nash said the six years of service were personally rewarding, the public’s reaction to returning soldiers and those stationed stateside, as Nash was in Sabine Pass, was disheartening. In fact, Nash does not have any individual photos of himself in uniform, as he was not comfortable wearing the Coast Guard insignia in public.

“It was difficult being in the military at that time,” Nash explained. “During the Vietnam era, we were not loved at home. You hid the fact that you were in the service. And that was hard for me.

“My heart goes out to the Vietnam veterans,” he continued. “They are heroes, and you can’t imagine what it was like for them when they came home.”

Following Nash’s discharge, he was fortunate enough to find a company that was hiring veterans: Southwestern Bell.

“I was able to slip in,” Nash said, “and I stayed for 30 years.”

He worked for Southwestern Bell in Orange and Beaumont before the company transferred him to Woodville in Tyler County. After retirement, Nash owned a construction company for four-five years before being elected as Tyler County Commissioner in 2005.

“My family has been very service-oriented,” Nash commented. “That is one of the reasons I am doing what I am doing today.”

Patriotic Spirit

One facet of Tyler County that Nash is particularly proud of is the community’s dedication to its veterans; having experienced the opposite during the Vietnam years, Nash is thankful for the county’s sense of patriotism.

“We try and take care of our veterans here in Tyler County,” Nash emphasized. “Veterans are a big part of our population.”

Tyler County operates a Veterans Service Office staffed by a veterans service officer and an administrative assistant/van scheduler. The office is currently open 20 hours each week and provides a variety of services to veterans including counseling on benefits and eligibility; assistance in completing forms and submitting claims for benefits; referrals to support services within the county and beyond; and assistance with scheduling and rescheduling medical appointments.

The county also operates a transportation service using volunteer drivers to take county veterans to their appointments at DeBakey V.A. Medical Center in Houston.

“All they have to do is pick up the phone and call,” Nash said.

The van was purchased by local veterans organizations, and expenses are covered by the Department of Veterans Affairs.

“This service is extremely valuable to our veterans who are unable to travel to Houston any other way,” remarked Kay Timme, special projects coordinator for the Tyler County Judge’s office. Timme’s father, a 93-year-old WWII veteran born and raised in Tyler County, returns to the area every year to take part in Veterans Day programs in both Woodville and Warren.

“Our citizens are very patriotic,” Nash observed, “and they look out for those who served.”

For more information about veterans services in Texas, go to https://www.tvc.texas.gov/.

By Julie Anderson

Editor

Prisoner Safety Measures Address At-Risk Inmates

Sheriffs Encourage Commissioners Court to Prioritize Jail Operations

Serving on the Seas

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