COUNTY COMMISSIONERS WORK THROUGH LENGTHY AGENDA

  

Washington County Commissioners had a busy agenda at their meeting today (Tuesday).

Commissioners approved the 50/50 cost sharing of a water well tank at the new Washington Volunteer Fire Department station. The large tank will allow the volunteers to refill their fire trucks quickly, and will also be used by the county Road and Bridge Department to refill their trucks.  Commissioner Kirk Hanath said that this would be a huge benefit to the residents in the Washington area.

Commissioners also approved the purchase of a fourth 911 Dispatch console.  The $65,000 cost of the console will be reimbursed by a Homeland Security Grant.

Commissioners rescinded the recent awarding of the bid on the county jail inmate payphone service.  One of the bidders objected to the bid process, and when the County Attorney Renee Mueller looked into it, she agree.  She found that one of the bids was received late, and that the specifications listed for the bid were vague.  Commissioners voted to re-advertise for bids and open them on January 4th.

Commissioners also approved the appointment of James Chisolm of Texas Star Winery in Chappell Hill to the Hotel Occupancy Tax Board.  They also voted for the five people they nominated in November for the County Tax Appraisal District Board of Directors.  Those candidates are John Schaer, Charles Gaskamp, Johanna Fatheree, and Leslie Boehnemann Jr. and Joe Antkowiak.

Commissioners awarded the annual bids for supplies and services for the Road and Bridge Department.  Included in the bids was the annual gasoline and diesel award for all the county departments.  Kolkhorst Petroleum was awarded the bulk delivery contract for the Road and Bridge Department.  Sonoco/Stipes was awarded the Fleet contract for all the other departments.  Commissioners authorized the re-bidding for steel products for Road and Bridge due to the only bid received coming in 10 minutes late.

Commissioners also approved a number of agreements.  They granted the County Clerk authority to contract with the County’s Democratic and Republican Parties for the Primary Election in March of next year.  They also renewed the interlocal agreement with Grimes County for the occasional housing of Washington County prisoners in the Grimes County Jail.  Commissioners also approved the lease contracts for four tracts of school land located in Tom Green County.  The bids were awarded in October, and now the signed contracts have been received along with the first year payments.