The Commissioners Court met Tuesday with only three members attending. The consequence was that several items were tabled for action later when there would be a full Court present.
Discussion of future legal representation for the Commissioners was tabled. The current legal counsel for the Commissioners Court is Assistant County Attorney Doug Manning who is retiring from the county on January 26.
Two agenda items concerning the Commissioners recently moving the Parks Department under the supervision of Sabrina Gray with the Convention and Expo Center were tabled. Commissioner John Gothia wanted to discuss reclassifying Gray’s position as well as approving additional personnel for the Parks Department.
Although no action was taken on those items, the Park’s personnel has been busy working to get Claiborne West Park back into operation. Gray informed the Commissioners that the park should be open to the public as of Monday, January 8. The Parks Department will start taking reservations now for use of the facilities at Claiborne West Park for events at the park beginning on March 1.
Emergency Management Coordinator Ralph Valenciano was not able to attend the meeting, as a result two items concerning his office had no action taken. One of the items was approval for Valenciano and his deputy Leon George to travel out of state to attend the National Hurricane Conference in Orlando, Florida in late March.
The Pride and Progress Program between Orange County and the City of Vidor was approved for renewal by the Commissioners Court. Vidor Mayor Robert Viator, Jr. spoke on the tax abatements approved in December by the Vidor City Council in the wake of Harvey. The program was initiated by Vidor in 2016 to help promote new housing projects in the city.
The Commissioners Court approved a couple contracts. A contract for the provision of grant administration services for the county was approved after some minor changes were made by Attorney Manning. Dr. Edward Gripon had his contract approved with the county to provide psychiatric services to the inmates at the Orange County Jail.
Captain Dennis Marlow with the Sheriff’s Office commented on the savings and benefits for the county in a new Centurion Elite alerting system to be installed in the Courthouse to replace an old system that has reached its end of life cycle. Marlow said the cost is $26,192, but the county is saving about six thousand dollars and will be able to incorporate the Justices of the Peace 2 and 3 offices and the Vidor sub-courthouse complex into the new security system. The county will also get eight thousand dollars for the trade-in of existing equipment from the old system.
-Dan Perrine, KOGT-
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