North & East Texas
Cooke County Commissioners Court approved the purchase of 14 AEDs (automated external defibrillators) for up to $20,000 for several county offices.
Coryell County Commissioners Court approved a grant through the Texas Indigent Defense Commission to hire a mental health coordinator for the pretrial services department and to train attorneys assigned to work with defendants with mental health problems. Commissioners also agreed to purchase a nearby building from Extraco Banks to relieve overcrowding in the courthouse, and lease a quarter of the space back to the bank to continue its Gatesville operations.
Denton County Commissioners Court committed $21.5 million for design and construction of a two-lane service road of 7.8 miles for the Dallas North Tollway extension to the Grayson County line.
Franklin County Commissioners Court approved new security systems for the east and west courthouse annex buildings from C&R Services for $2,217.
Grayson County Commissioners Court agreed to spend another $270,000 to complete a hangar at the North Texas Regional Airport. The commissioners court already committed $1.2 million to the project.
Henderson County Commissioners Court approved a contract of $17,500 with Vision Internet to build and manage a new website for the county.
Hopkins County Commissioners Court approved a $60,000 contract with DRG Architects to begin plans for a new jail.
Johnson County received a donation of $25,000 for its emergency operations center from Chesapeake Energy Company. The gift will be used to purchase and install new audiovisual equipment for first responders.
Leon County has a new commissioner for Precinct 4. David Grimes, former Normangee ISD school board member, was appointed to replace Dean Player, who resigned.
Limestone County Commissioners Court honored the 2013 state champions in Texas Class 3A girls basketball from Mexia High School.
Madison County Commissioners Court approved upgrades at the jail costing more than $381,000, including $238,732 for a new security system.
McLennan County Commissioners Court approved the purchase for $19,146 of 19 M4 Patrolmans Carbine rifles for the sheriff’s office “to help them more safely confront heavily armed suspects.”
Milam County Commissioners Court approved tax abatements for Charlotte Pipe and Foundry, which plans a major expansion of its facility in Cameron.
Morris County Commissioners Court approved the rewiring of the computer network in the courthouse and jail. Wiring for the current infrastructure was done in 1999, according to the Daingerfield-Steel County Bee.
Rusk County Commissioners Court approved access for the sheriff’s department at $2,848 annually to LEADS, an online database of information on stolen property and items being sold nationwide at pawn shops and scrap dealers.
Upshur County Commissioners Court approved the price of $395,000 from MMI General Contractors of Weatherford for courthouse renovations.
South Texas
Brazoria County Commissioners Court approved tax abatements for Artland Louisiana and Performance Contractors, companies that plan to build a $6 million pipe fabrication facility of 40,000 square feet in Rosharon. The facility will have 45 full-time employees.
Comal County Judge Sherman Krause received the Community Builder Award from the New Braunfels Masonic Lodge 1109. “I never wanted to be in public service for the accolades that come with it,” Krause said. “I wanted to be in public service to better our community.”
Fort Bend County Commissioners Court approved an agreement with Brazoria County to share the cost of a new bridge on CR522 over Cedar Creek. Each county will pay half of the cost of $560,000.
Frio County Commissioners Court awarded a contract of $397,775 to Henock Construction for a new community center.
Guadalupe County Commissioners Court approved contracts with Koehler Company for capital improvement projects totaling
$7.34 million. Commissioners also approved an $8.5 million bond issue to refinance and enlarge AmeriTex Pipe and Products in Seguin.
Hays County Commissioners Court approved a 16-month contract with Correct Care Services of Nashville for $1.135 million for medical services for inmates and detainees at the Hays County jail. The county also received the Gold Leadership Circle Award for financial transparency from the Texas comptroller and opened a new building for Precinct 2.
Kendall County Commissioners Court selected Houston-based Pinnacle Medical Management to conduct the county’s mandatory drug and alcohol testing for commercial driver’s licenses as required by the U.S. Department of Transportation.
La Salle County offices returned to the courthouse for the first time in three years after completion of a multi-million dollar restoration project.
Medina County Commissioners Court approved the purchase of water from a ranch on CR 540 to use in road work for $20 per load in a truck under 5,000 gallons and $30 per load in a larger truck.
Orange County emergency management conducted a class for first responders on improvised explosive devices, including a live fire demonstration.
San Patricio County Commissioners Court reached agreement with Voestalpine for a three-phase project with a total investment of up to $700 million with 150 jobs. Commissioners also approved an additional $5,000 homestead tax exemption for residents 65 years of age and older.
West Texas
Andrews County Commissioners Court approved a bid of $333,108 from West Texas Concrete and Metal Buildings of Seagraves for construction of a community center in southwest Andrews. Commissioners also approved the purchase of new security cameras and other equipment for the jail for $49,801 from Guardian Security and 5.65 acres of land for $40,000 for a 4-H shooting range.
Childress County Commissioners Court approved a K-9 unit for the sheriff’s office, the first for the county since 2006.
Clay County Commissioners Court approved a change in the county’s bank depository account to Wells Fargo Bank with a four-year agreement.
Culberson County Commissioners Court approved a bid from PC Net Services to replace computer software at the Boys and Girls Club and several county offices.
Ector County Commissioners Court heard a report from its health department director that illegal dumping citations increased from 65 in 2011 to 487 in 2012 (570 tons of waste removed in 2011, 2,375 tons in 2012). “I think the situation is getting somewhat worse with the influx of people,” director Gino Solla told the Odessa American.
Gray County Commissioners Court toured a new hangar at Perry Lefors Airfield. Judge Richard Peet told the Pampa News that “the new hangar could serve as a financial boon to Gray County by helping to attract new business and industry.”
Hockley County Commissioners Court approved a bid of $1.38 million from GKS Commercial of Lubbock for new roofs for 10 county buildings, including the hospital and courthouse, and expanded two tax increment financing zones.
Howard County Commissioners Court approved the purchase of software for several county offices – including the county and district clerk, county and district court, auditor and treasurer – for $620,000 from Tyler Technologies.
Midland County Commissioners Court approved the purchase of three ambulances and a fire truck for the city of Midland for a total of $1.1 million, half of the $2.2 million the city paid for the vacated courthouse. Commissioner Randy Prude said the city needed the vehicles because of population growth. County Judge Mike Bradford told the Midland Reporter-Telegram, “We live in a community, and so we are happy to do this for our colleagues at the city.”
Parker County Commissioners Court awarded a construction contract of $8.5 million for the final phase of the Ric Williamson Memorial Highway to Ed Bell Construction Company and authorized transportation bond funds of up to $1.1 million to improve drainage of SH 199 and SH 51 in Springtown.
Runnels County Commissioners Court approved the replacement of six bridges by the Texas Department of Transportation. The county will provide three percent of the cost.
Terry County completed renovations to its courthouse. The 18-month project, including enhanced security features, by Joe Grimes & Associates cost $3.2 million.
– Compiled by Garner Roberts