The Commissioners Court discussed for about an hour Tuesday morning during a workshop what to do with several buildings that were seriously damaged in Tropical Storm Harvey. In Vidor the welfare office, known as the WIC Building, and the Sheriff’s substation were flooded in a special flood zone which makes it difficult to relocate to the same location.
County Judge Dean Crooks believes there is a consensus on the Court to move the WIC office and Sheriff’s substation to a new location. Crooks said, “Those are going to be real important to get set up.”
Commissioner Barry Burton has been in contact with Vidor School Superintendent Dr. Jay Killgo about the transfer of property from the Vidor School district to the county for relocating the two offices. The two acres of property is on Highway 12 next to the Vidor Middle School.
The Court seemed in agreement to rehab the office at the Claiborne West Park. Other buildings needing attention include the offices for the Precinct 2 Commissioner, Justice of the Peace, and Constable.
The final payment was approved Tuesday by the Commissioners Court to reimburse HDR for their work in helping prepare a master plan for the Orange County Courthouse. The $16,000 brings the total to about $45,000 which included HDR’s assistance to conduct an inspection of the foundation of the courthouse following Harvey.
John Dineen with HDR recommended to the Commissioners that they hold a workshop at the end of June to discuss the repairs to the marble façade on the front of the courthouse. Dineen added that Britt Barr with the Texas Historical Commission should be in attendance to get his input because the county is seeking a grant from the commission to help pay for the repairs to the historical structure.
County Maintenance Director Kurt Guidry described the current phone system at the Courthouse as having been installed in 1998, is getting old, and replacement parts are difficult to replace. One of the fiber boxes that help operate the system went out the last week in May at the courthouse leaving the main building with no phone service for several hours. Guidry got the Commissioners approval Tuesday to replace four of the fiber boxes at a cost of $2,569.40.
Employees with the county will get an extra day of holiday time in the year 2019. The Commissioners Court approved the holiday schedule for next calendar year on Tuesday. The county employees officially get 13 days off for holidays most years.
Christmas will be on a Wednesday in 2019, and the county normally likes to give the employees a long weekend for the Christmas holiday. The Court approved giving the employees off from work on Monday, December 23, to go with the normal holidays of December 24 and December 25 bringing the total holidays to fourteen. Commissioner Jody Crump cast the lone dissenting vote saying he wanted to take away another holiday during the year for giving the employees December 23 off and keep the total holidays at thirteen.
-Dan Perrine, KOGT-
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