WASHINGTON COUNTY, BRENHAM TO REPAIR COMMUNICATIONS TOWER

  

Washington County and the City of Brenham will join forces to repair a communications tower that has been struck by lightning.

The Washington County Commissioners Court approved an inter-local agreement with the city during their meeting today (Tuesday) to repair the tower on Longwood Drive.

The tower, which is used by both the city and the county, has been struck by lightning twice in the last three years. Flooding last spring also caused damage to the generator. The agreement covers costs related to preventative measures, including internal and external grounding for the tower.

The city and the county will split the $94,000 cost of the repairs and maintenance. Washington County Judge John Brieden says the city is working to get FEMA grants to help reduce the cost.

The commissioners also approved the public assistance sub-grant from the Texas Division of Emergency Management to help pay for road damages from the May 2016 storm. The grant is in the amount of $49,179, of which the county will have to pay $16,391.

The grant is one of many awarded to the county to help with the flooding repairs. "There's going to be a lot more of these coming" said Bryan Ruemke, Washington County’s Office of Emergency Management Coordinator.

Also during the meeting the commissioners:

• Approved the sale of fireworks during the Memorial Day period. The sale period begins May 24th and ends May 29th.
• Approved the County Clerk to use archive funds to preserve birth record books. County Clerk Beth Rothermel says the money will be used help repair a number of delayed birth records from the late 1800s and early 1900s.
• Approved applications for grant funds under the Homeland Security Grant Program for 2017. The program funds a range of emergency preparedness activities and purchases. The county is asking for funds the sheriff's office with active shooter situation equipment, equipment for the county dispatch center, and additional radios for EMS, sheriff's office, and volunteer fire departments.
• Approved the final plat for the Hoppers Lane Subdivision of HWY 290 in Precinct 3.