|
COMANCHE -- The Commissioners Court met
on Monday, March 12, with all members present. They made short work of
an agenda that did not have many controversial items.
Judge James Arthur presided with
Commissioners Garry Steele, Kenneth Feist, Bobby Arthur and Jimmy Dale
Johnson participating. Other county officials present included County
Clerk Ruby Lesley, County Auditor Joey Boswell, County Tax
Assessor/Collector Gay Green and Sheriff Jeff Lambert.
The first item of non-routine business
involved Ginger Dudley seeking permission for the Comanche Economic
Development Corporation to assist in a project involving the
construction of a new hotel just outside the city limits of Comanche.
Dudley explained that for the EDC to use
its funds in an unincorporated area, state law requires the granting
of permission by the Commissioners Court. Bobby Schuman made a motion
to approve the request, Kenneth Feist seconded and the vote of
approval was unanimous.
Commissioners discussed a situation
involving a county road which was misnumbered in the official county
road map. CR 214 has been carried on the official map of county roads
as CR 314.
The misnumbering had led one area
resident to question the Commissioners why they were abandoning the
county road. Commissioners suggested that Ruby Lesley work to get the
road number corrected in the official map book. Needed grading on the
same roadway was also discussed.
The Commissioners also acted unanimously
on a motion by Kenneth Feist for the county to accept improvements and
a slight rerouting made by Frank Volleman to County Road 252 to
facilitate a dairy operation.
The Commissioners voted unanimously on a
Garry Steele motion to approve the appointment of Fredda Jones as the
editor of the Comanche County History Book project.
The Commissioners unanimously approved
another Garry Steele motion to adopt a proclamation declaring March
18-24 as National Agriculture Week in Texas.
The Commissioners discussed an offer by
Cled Heathington to allow area fire departments to use an irrigation
well on his Duster area property for refilling their tankers. Jimmy
Dale Johnson said he had agreed to grade an access road and turnaround
area next to Heathington's well.
Garry Steele made a motion to approve the
work, pending verification by the County Attorney that it doesn't
violate state laws involving public work on private lands. The motion
was unanimously approved.
Gay Green next presented a voter signature verified petition calling
of a local option election for the sale of beer and wine for off
premises consumption in the City of Comanche.
Green reported that 272 signatures had
been verified with 141 needed to be valid.
Bobby Schuman offered a motion to order
the election for May 12, Kenneth Feist seconded and the vote of
approval was unanimous.
Joey Boswell next requested the
Commissioners to approve the county advertising for depository bids on
a two and four year basis. Commissioners unanimously approved his
request on a motion by Jimmy Dale Johnson, seconded by Bobby Schuman.
The next order of business involved the
approval of a joint election agreement with the City of Gustine. Garry
Steele asked Ruby Lesley if all cities were being charged the same
amount and was told that was the case. He then offered a motion to
approve the joint election agreement, Kenneth Feist seconded and the
vote of approval was unanimous.
The Court then declared a break. During
the break, Garry Steele informed the reporter that the matter of the
bridge over Jimmy's Creek on CR 103 being declared as historically
significant and not allowed to be moved has been resolved. Steele said
the matter was a bit of miscommunication that was reported during the
previous Commissioners meeting.
Steele said that the relocation of the
bridge (for pedestrian-only use at the new city park) to DeLeon was
still on track. County Historical Commission chairman Fain McDaniel
had informed Steele in the prior two weeks that there might even be
funds available from the State Historical Commission to pay for new
bridge timbers that are needed prior to its being placed in service in
DeLeon.
Following the break, Sheriff Jeff Lambert
said he did not have a whole lot to report. He discussed the used
Chevrolet Blazer that County Fire Marshall Chris Hill plans to repair
and use in his duties, plans to advertise for bids on a new pickup for
the Sheriff’s Office and that the juvenile probation department
desires to make use of a used Chevrolet Caprice for their department.
Lambert noted that he and Garry Steele
had a meeting planned for the following day with Kurt Meyer and other
hospital personnel regarding county inmate medical expenses.
Lambert also reported on the prisoner
escape that had occurred on the prior Tuesday. Lambert said the
Sheriff’s Office believe the Gillespie County inmate acted alone.
The escapee climbed up a chain link fence
in the outdoor exercise area and through the razor wire at the top,
thereby gaining access to the jail rooftop. He left a bloody trail
across the roof to where he slid down a drain spout to the ground
level.
The escape was observed by a jailer and
an alarm was sounded. The inmate's total time of freedom was reported
to be only seven minutes. Lambert joked that as he was running after
the prisoner, the time seemed a lot longer than seven minutes. He and
Deputy Investigator Duane Fuquay apprehended the prisoner.
Lambert noted that additional razor wire
would be installed in the fenced outdoor area.
The Commissioners and County Judge
remarked that the jailers and the law enforcement officers all did a
good job in dealing with the escape. The need for documentation and
establishing standard procedures to be followed in the instance of an
escape was discussed.
The Commissioners then approved various
budget amendments, accounts payable due and owing of $138,067.74, and
the payment of salaries and related benefits due prior to their next
regular meeting set for March 26. |
