North & East Texas
Anderson County received a federal grant of $79,195 for equipment for the juvenile and sheriff’s departments.
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Angelina County accepted state grants for special court programs of $94,000 for a substance abuse re-entry program, $100,000 for drug court, and $32,000 for family court.
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Bell County Commissioners Court approved a resolution of support for development of a 50-unit apartment complex for senior citizens in Saledo by JES Development Co.
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Bosque County Commissioners Court appointed Judge-elect Dewey Ratliff to fill the unexpired term of Cole Word, who retired after 12 years. The Meridian Tribune said Ratliff, former county EMS coordinator, is the first Republican Judge for Bosque since the county was established in 1854.
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Gregg County Commissioners Court approved a payment of $511,100 as the county’s portion of a $5 million project for roads around East Texas Regional Airport. The project is primarily funded by the Federal Aviation Administration. Commissioners Court also approved the purchase of computer software for inventory from Records Consultants of San Antonio.
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Harrison County Commissioners Court approved a grant of $350,000 from the Texas Department of Agriculture to fund connection of water supply systems for Leigh and Karnack.
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Henderson County Commissioners Court approved the sale of property to Nautical Affordable Housing for $27,460, the amount of the tax judgment against the property, according to the Malakoff News. Nautical will remove an old nursing home and apartment building to allow for new development.
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Johnson County Commissioners Court approved a contract of $41,000 with RIO Steel and Tower for a tower to hold the $50,000 CASA weather radar unit that officials say will significantly improve public safety.
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Leon County Commissioners Court approved a contract with Southern Health Partners for inmate health care services, including a registered nurse several days a week at the jail.
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Limestone County Commissioners Court approved a contract with TxDOT Aviation for expansion of the airport. The county will provide funds for 10 percent of the $2.8 million project.
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Marion County Commissioners Court approved a contract with Champion EMS for $2,500 per month.
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Montgomery County Commissioners Court approved a tax increment financing policy to support and stimulate continued economic growth and to provide guidelines for developers and businesses.
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Nacogdoches County Judge Joe English resigned in March near the end of his second term to “accept a position with another county,” according to the Nacogdoches Daily Sentinel.
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Navarro County Commissioners Court voted to accept a donation of $250,000 from the Navarro Community Foundation for courthouse renovation.
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Panola County has its first female County Judge in its 167-year history, according to the Longview News-Journal. LeeAnn Jones, a 19-year veteran of the County Judge’s staff, was elected with 50.04 percent of the vote in the recent Republican primary to succeed David Anderson, who did not seek re-election. No Democrats filed for the office.
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Robertson County Commissioners Court approved a hazard mitigation plan to make the county eligible for federal grants and to help support applications for grants.
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Upshur County accepted $164,824 from oil pipeline company TransCanada for road use damages.
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Walker County opened its
$18 million state-of-the-art new jail of 75,000 square feet.
South Texas
Austin County Judge Carolyn Bilski was named Citizen of the Year by the Industry-West End Lions Club. Bilski, who is completing her fifth term, is the first female County Judge in Austin County, according to the New Ulm Enterprise. In other business, Commissioners Court also approved the county tax office’s new policy of not accepting cash.
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Brazoria County Judge E.J. (Joe) King, 70, who served as sheriff before being elected Judge in 2004, is retiring Dec. 31, according to the Houston Chronicle.
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Comal County Commissioners Court accepted the donation of 43 undeveloped acres for a park from the Helena Kleck Vivian Living Trust.
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Guadalupe County is relocating offices to its new justice center, a
$1.3 million project of the Koehler Co. that will complete the remodeling of a building that previously housed Economy Furniture. The total project, including the original purchase price of the building and an adjacent parking garage, was $14.5 million, according to the Seguin Gazette.
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Hays County Commissioners Court approved a grant of $25,000 for the Greater San Marcos Youth Council. Commissioners Court also accepted a grant of $8,799 from the National Rifle Association to purchase shotguns for each of the county’s constable offices.
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Jim Hogg County has a new Judge. Dr. Humberto Gonzalez was appointed to complete the unexpired term of the late Guadalupe Canales. Gonzalez will begin a four-year term Jan. 1, 2015, after his recent election to the post.
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Karnes County has a new interim County Judge after Judge Barbara Shaw resigned in March, according to the Karnes Countywide. Attorney Richard Butler, whose father Ted Butler was County Judge in 1959-63, was appointed interim Judge.
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Travis County Commissioners Court authorized $15 million for Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority to help finance the
$100 million Texas 45 Southwest tollway over a sensitive aquifer.
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Victoria County Commissioners Court voted to purchase software from IQM2 for live broadcasts on the county’s website of public meetings. “Our ultimate goal is to reduce cost and improve efficiency of county government and enhance our transparency and open government,” County Clerk Robert Cortez told the Victoria Advocate.
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Willacy County Commissioners Court approved a contract of approximately $1 million with Peacock General Contractors of Harlingen for Laguna Point Recreation Park, which will include a 200-foot fishing pier, playground, walking trail, conservation and habitat area, and a boardwalk. Funding includes $800,000 in state grants. Commissioners Court also approved $50,000 to help Lyford build four ball fields at the city’s park.
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Williamson County Commissioners Court voted to retain Prime Strategies and HNTB, both of Austin, for bond projects. Voters approved a $315 million bond package in November for roads and parks improvement. Prime Strategies will be general engineering consultant for road projects, and HNTB will be responsible for construction and administration. Commissioners Court also approved a total of $545,315 for fire departments, $20,000 for the fire chiefs association for training, and $165,000 for renovations at the Jonah Community Center.
West Texas
Andrews County Commissioners Court approved floor plans for the first commercial hangar at Andrews County Airport. The
$1.29 million project will provide a hangar for KCSI Aerial Patrol.
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Borden County Commissioners Court approved an agreement with the city of O’Donnell for rural fire protection.
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Collingsworth County Commissioners Court accepted the resignation of Sheriff Jerry Allen, according to the Wellington Leader. Kent Riley was appointed to replace Allen.
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Culberson County Commissioners Court approved remodeling of the Big Bend community action center to house the county’s food bank.
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Dawson County Commissioners Court approved a county grant of $10,000 for Lamesa’s Chicken Fried Steak Festival.
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Ector County Commissioners Court approved tax abatements for Invenergy, which has proposed a $120 million, 386 megawatt power plant near Goldsmith.
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El Paso County Commissioners Court approved Phase II of $17.2 million for a roadway that will connect Interstate 10 to the new Tornillo-Guadalupe Port of Entry. “The highway is a very important component of the port of entry,” Commissioner Vince Perez told the El Paso Times. “It’s ultimately the road that is going to help relieve traffic to I-10.”
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Gaines County Commissioners Court selected Sedalco Construction of Fort Worth as construction manager at risk for its $8.14 million law enforcement center with a 72-bed jail.
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Kerr County has a new County Judge. Commissioners appointed Judge-elect Tom Pollard, attorney, and he took the oath of office in March to replace Pat Tinley, who died in January. In other business, Kerr County Commissioners Court approved $3.8 million in certificates of obligation to fund several projects, including renovations of the exhibit hall and the indoor arena at Hill Country Youth Event Center, a new communications system for the sheriff’s office, and a new firehouse for Kerrville South. Commissioners Court also approved a 10-year agreement with the city of Kerrville for fire and EMS services.
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Moore County Commissioners Court approved a request by American Legion to construct a new shooting range primarily for members of the Boy Scouts and 4-H Club.
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Ochiltree County Commissioners Court approved the purchase of mobile data terminals for eight vehicles in the sheriff’s department for $16,149 from local merchant A Tech 4 U.
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Pecos County Commissioners Court approved tax abatements and a reinvestment zone for Recurrent Energy for 2,500 acres for a solar farm expected to generate 100 megawatts of electricity.
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Scurry County Commissioners Court approved two resolutions of support for housing tax credits with the Texas Housing Foundation for an affordable housing project.
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Ward County Commissioners Court approved an exchange of land with the Monahans Economic Development Council to acquire 12 acres for the proposed Ward County Events Center.
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Wheeler County Commissioners Court approved the purchase of a 2014 Ford ambulance for North Wheeler County EMS from Southwest Ambulance Sales of Garland for $159,271. Also, the Texas Commission on Jail Standards approved the county’s new law enforcement center.
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Wilbarger County Commissioners Court approved tax abatements for Fikes Wholesale, which plans to demolish a truck stop on U.S. Highway 287 and build a new $3.95 million travel center with a 24-hour restaurant.
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Wise County and Fort Worth-based Steele & Freeman Inc. received the 2013 Distinguished Building Award for the county’s branch campus of Weatherford College in the category of buildings in North Texas from $10 million to $30 million.
– Compiled by Garner Roberts