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COMANCHE – The old iron bridge over
Jimmys Creek on CR 103 near Sidney may have to stay where it is. It
had previously been planned for removal and to be placed over a draw
in the new DeLeon city park as a pedestrian bridge.
Fain McDaniel, chairman of the Comanche
County Historical Commission, told the Commissioners Court on Monday
that he had been advised by the Texas Department of Transportation
that the bridge has been deemed as “historical” and must be preserved
in place as is.
The Commissioners, Garry Steele and Bobby
Schuman in particular, were not pleased to learn of the designation
and expressed their intentions to try to continue with their plans to
replace the bridge with a new structure and to move the old bridge to
DeLeon.
All members of the Comanche County
Commissioners Court were present for their regular meeting on Monday,
February 26, in the County Courtroom.
Judge James Arthur conducted the meeting
with Commissioners Garry Steele (Pct. 1), Kenneth Feist (Pct. 2),
Bobby Schuman (Pct. 3) and Jimmy Dale Johnson (Pct. 4) participating,
along with County Clerk Ruby Lesley, County Auditor Joey Boswell.
County Treasurer Billy Ruth Rust and Sheriff Jeff Lambert.
After clarifying questions were answered,
Jimmy Dale Johnson moved to approve the reading of the minutes of the
prior meeting, seconded by Garry Steele, and approved by unanimous
vote.
Judge Terry McCall was present to make a
request to the Commissioners regarding the possible paving of six
tenths of a mile on CR 251. He offered to bear the cost of the asphalt
pavement and to provide caliche mined from his ranch. He added,
however, that he had been advised that road base with crushed rock
would be required for a good road.
Kenneth Feist offered to investigate the
situation and to work with Judge McCall on the possible paving
project. McCall thanked the Commissioners and left.
The next order of business involved the
presentation of the 2006 report on the activities of the County
Historical Commission.
Commission chairman Fain McDaniel
presented the report, which noted tours of historical sites and
museums for students and participation in historical re-enactment
programs. The Commission is also participating in efforts to preserve
railroad depot buildings in both DeLeon and Comanche, as well as the
restoration work on the old Cora Courthouse, Comanche County’s
original log cabin courthouse that has been relocated to the
courthouse square in Comanche.
The Commission receives $500 in funding
from Comanche County.
The Commission also plans to continue
work on the county history book project. McDaniel announced his
recommendation that Fredda Jones be appointed by Judge Arthur as
editor of the history book.
McDaniel then informed the Commissioners
about the bridge over Jimmys Creek on CR 103.
Judge Arthur brought in a copy of a
letter that he had sent to the Texas Department of Transportation in
February 2006 outlining the County’s plans to relocate the bridge.
(Mayor Danny Owen reports in his column
this week, however, that he has been informed by Larry Smith of TxDOT
that the old bridge will be relocated to the new DeLeon Festival
Gardens park. Your guess is as good as ours.)
McDaniels’ report, which will be filed
with the Texas Historical Commission, was approved by unanimous vote
on a motion by Garry Steele, seconded by Bobby Schuman.
A request by Bubba Anderson to discuss
the burn ban was passed when Anderson, once again, failed to show up
to present his request.
No representative from the Texas
Department of Public Safety was present to present to their request to
purchase radar equipment.
County Veterans Service Officer Truman
Childress met again with the Commissioners regarding his request for
the county to hire temporary help in his office to get the office
files reorganized and re-filed in new and improved folders. He was
requesting a person to work eight hours per week for three months on
the manual filing system.
The Commissioners discussed the pending
receipt of a computer system being provided by the Veterans
Administration. Garry Steele asked what work would be required to
properly utilize the computer system and Childress expressed
uncertainty. He added that the file reorganization needed to be
completed prior to taking on the computer system, and that the person
planned to be hired could help him get the computer set up and
functioning properly.
Garry Steele said he didn’t have a
problem with the three month temporary hire. Bobby Schuman offered a
motion to approve the hire. Kenneth Feist seconded and the vote of
approval was unanimous.
There was also discussion on some complaints that had been heard by
Commissioners regarding irregular office hours maintained at the
Veterans Service office. Childress noted that he made quite a few
house calls to veterans who are unable to make it to the office in
Comanche. He noted that it was hard for a one man, part time
operation, to cover the office on a regular basis.
Judge Arthur spoke on behalf of
Childress, the service he provides and the need for it to be
continued.
Margaret Dudley then spoke to the Commissioners to request use of the
Courthouse square on May 17-19 for the John Wesley Hardin Days
activities. She described the planned activities, which would include
the dedication of the recently renovated Old Cora log cabin
courthouse.
Dudley’s request was unanimously
approved. Potential conflicts with District Court activities were
discussed.
The next discussion concerned a request
by Garland Williams to close a private road near Proctor Lake.
Williams was unable to attend the meeting due to illness.
Bobby Schuman noted that County Attorney
Charles Williams (presumably not related) had advised him that the
road was not an official county road and therefore not within the
purview of the Commissioners Court.
County Clerk Ruby Lesley distributed plat
documents and maps for the Foley Addition dating to 1962, 1964 and
1975. The roadway in question did not seem to be shown on the original
plat maps.
The matter was passed without taking any formal action.
County Clerk Ruby Lesley discussed
planning for the May 12 local elections, noting the various entities
and voting locations involved.
Lesley noted that she had been advised by
the Secretary of State’s office last Thursday that a state
Constitutional Amendment Election would also be held on the same date,
which complicated her planning for the election.
Garry Steele made a motion, seconded by
Jimmy Dale Johnson, to consolidate the voting precincts as per
Lesley’s recommendations.
The approved list of five polling places
included the Comanche High School Gymnasium, the Proctor Community
Center, the Gustine City Hall, the Sidney Baptist Church and the
DeLeon City Hall.
The next discussion involved County Fire
Marshall Chris Hill and his needs for a used vehicle to take to fire
investigations and his job duties. Various used county vehicle options
were discussed.
Garry Steele and Bobby Schuman expressed
concerns regarding the number of times the Fire Marshall has been
requested. Steele suggested that there was a need for someone to act
as a gatekeeper for dispatching the Fire Marshall, limiting his
activities only to those where arson investigation is needed.
Hill’s dual peace officer certification was also discussed. He works
part time as a reserve police officer for the City of Comanche. The
establishment of the County Fire Marshall office as an authorized
agency in which Hill’s peace officer certification would also be
carried in currently in process.
There was brief discussion of a plumbing
problem at the Department of Human Services Annex.
Bobby Schuman asked the Commissioners if
they wished to have an employee once again stationed at the Precinct 3
dump site near Proctor. Schuman noted that illegal dumping continues
to be a problem, both in unapproved materials and not paying dump
fees.
Schuman said he was thinking about
employing a person to work at the site for 16 hours a week. Jimmy Dale
Johnson and Garry Steele both suggested that Schuman do what he needs
to do. Joey Boswell and Billy Ruth Rust discussed budget and personnel
related issues in a part time worker. Garry Steele offered his opinion
that the dump fees collected would largely offset the additional
personnel costs involved.
Schuman indicated that he was leaning
toward employing a part time dump gatekeeper.
Judge Arthur distributed a list of events
planned for the County Courthouse Square as prepared by the Comanche
Chamber of Commerce. Garry Steele, seconded by Bobby Schuman, made a
motion, subsequently approved on unanimous vote, to approve the events
list.
Ruby Lesley distributed interlocal
agreements for the May 12 local elections with the City of Comanche,
Comanche Independent School District, and Comanche County Consolidated
Hospital District.
Bobby Schuman moved to approve the
agreements. Jimmy Dale Johnson seconded and the vote of approval was
unanimous.
Lesley noted that since there was now
going to be a state constitutional amendment election, that similar
agreements would need to be made between the County and the City of
DeLeon and the DeLeon Independent School District.
Chief Sheriffs Deputy Chris Pounds
presented the 2006 Sheriff’s Office Annual Racial Profiling Report to
the Commissioners.
Pounds noted that there had been no
complaints regarding racial profiling received during the year, and
then reviewed the voluminous statistics contained in the 32 page
report.
Jimmy Dale Johnson stated that it sounded
like an excellent report. Garry Steele and Bobby Schuman stated their
agreement. Bobby Schuman offered a motion to acknowledge the report,
received a second by Garry Steele and passed on a unanimous vote.
Sheriff Jeff Lambert advised the
Commissioners that the Texas Association of Counties, which provides
liability insurance coverage for the county, had requested that
Comanche County advise them of its strip search policy. Apparently
strip searches had caused lawsuits in other counties and TAC was
moving to address the issue with their other insured counties.
Lambert said he had already responded to
the TAC request.
Lambert noted that he had ordered a new
tray warmer for the jail kitchen at a cost of around $5,000. He said
the existing unit was worn out from top to bottom. Garry Steele said
the existing unit was purchased when Shiloh Garmon was Sheriff and was
15-20 years old.
Lambert said the current year prisoner
housing revenues were running ahead of the previous year’s total. The
jail operated at a small profit in the prior year.
Officers reports were distributed and
discussed. The reports were unanimously approved. Both regular and
emergency budget amendments were approved. Accounts payable due and
owing in the amount of $102,109.96 were also approved for payment. |
