The county will be taking a loan from Wells Fargo to help cover expenses for the next two to three months at the Orange County Courthouse. The Commissioners Court approved Tuesday authorizing the issuance of $8 million in a loan.
The action required the recommendation of County Auditor Pennee Schmitt which she gave. County Treasurer Christy Khoury had been investigating the best deals for the county and determined the best option was with Wells Fargo to pay a total interest rate of 3.4865 percent. County Judge Dean Crooks said the total $8 million may not be necessary, the county might need less, and will not need more.
Khoury indicated with the approval from the Court it will take about four weeks to process the loan with Wells Fargo. The funds will probably be needed by November 20 so it will be tight getting the funds in time to make the county’s payroll.
The county’s general fund was impacted by expenditures caused by Tropical Storm Harvey. The county does not expect to start receiving significant revenues from citizens paying their property taxes until after the start of the new year in January.
The treasurer assured the Commissioners that there would be no penalty if the county paid back the loan early. The Commissioners Court and the treasurer hope to have the loan paid off by January 15, 2019.
Properties that are taken by the county because of delinquent taxes will be sold in online auctions in the future. Steve Bird with the law firm that handles the collection of delinquent taxes for the county has worked with the county Tax Assessor-Collector Karen Fisher to get the properties sold in a more efficient manner.
Fisher said there are ten properties that could be sold through the online auctions similar to how the county currently sells its surplus items. The Commissioners questioned whether all the properties would need to be sold online and how long they would be available for purchase online.
Danielle Nettles who works with Bird said Fisher as Tax Assessor-Collector could determine which properties would be put up for auction, and if Fisher became dissatisfied with the results of the auction she could pull all the properties off and the county could return to selling them the way it currently does.
The Commissioners Court approved using the online auction method to sell the trust properties with only Commissioner Jody Crump opposing the motion. The properties will go up for auction the first Tuesday of each month.
Still doing things the old fashion way the Commissioners approved Tuesday the sale of trust properties at the recommendation of Fisher. All seven properties, six in Orange and one in Vidor, received bids for purchase totaling almost $18,000. Fisher then announced her office was sending out the tax statements to county property owners this week. In the next few day citizens should be receiving the statements giving what they will owe in property taxes next year.
The Commissioners Court took no action Tuesday on an agreement with the LaBiche Architectural Group. Counsel for the Court Denise Gremillion asked for a delay in considering the agreement to allow her more time to review a 28-page document from LaBiche concerning its proposals for repairing the marble façade on the Orange County Courthouse. Gremillion indicated she should be prepared by the next meeting of the Commissioners.
Orange County Sheriff Keith Merritt got approval from the Court to purchase a Transcend Tactical Robot for his department using drug forfeiture funds. Merritt stated the robot will be utilized in SWAT situations and be available to local law enforcement when needed. The robot will cost $19,050.
The Sheriff’s Office donated several pieces of K-9 equipment from its inventory to the Vidor Police Department. Merritt reminded that his department does not have any canines at this time. Mayor Robert Viator, Jr. was present at the meeting. He thanked the sheriff and the county for the items.
Emergency Management Coordinator Joel Ardoin informed the Commissioners that after Tropical Storm Harvey there were about 600 families in temporary housing or FEMA trailers. Ardoin indicated there still over 400 families in the county needing the temporary housing. The Commissioners Court approved a request by the Texas General Land Office of a six month extension to the temporary housing program.
-Dan Perrine, KOGT-
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