WASHINGTON CO. COMMISSIONERS TO CONSIDER INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT FOR DPS CRIME LAB SERVICES

  

Washington County is seeking to enter into a collaborative effort with three area counties for a dedicated drug analyst at the DPS Crime Laboratory.

On Tuesday, Washington County Commissioners will vote on an interlocal agreement between the county and DPS for crime lab services.  Through the agreement, Washington, Austin, Fayette and Lee counties will pay DPS for the salary and benefits of one drug analyst at the Austin crime lab, who will be assigned to the analysis of drugs for the four counties.

Washington County will pay DPS directly, and all other counties in the agreement will reimburse Washington County.  Each county will pay the percentage of costs equaling the average of their number of cases sent to the DPS lab over the prior three years.

The total not-to-exceed cost of the four-year contract is $353,026, covering the employee’s salary, equipment and operational costs.

Also on Tuesday, commissioners will receive a presentation honoring the late Eddie Harrison, former Buffalo Soldier, City of Brenham Municipal Court Judge and heritage preservationist.

In other items, commissioners will consider:

• Executive session discussion with an attorney regarding Chappell Hill Sausage Company v. La Llanura Properties, LLC and Washington County, Cause No. 36689.
• Accepting a donation from the Chappell Hill Chamber of Commerce for the EMS Department.
• Action on the donation of a flag pole and flags from the local chapter of Woodmen Life for the Washington County Engineering and Development Services facility. The court will also consider accepting the donation of the services of Styers Concrete and Construction, Inc. to install the flag pole at the facility.
• Approving resolutions to designate authorized signatories for the 2021 Texas CDBG program and adopt required CDBG civil rights policies.
• The county engineer’s recommendation to accept a seal coating bid for a contract period beginning Tuesday and ending April 30, 2023.
• A proclamation declaring April as Fair Housing Month.
• A final plat for a land development fronting FM 1371, creating a residential subdivision of six lots, Chappell Ranchette Estates in Precinct 2.
• A formal notice from Industry Telephone Company for a road bore on Koether Road for the underground placement of buried ducts and handholes in Precinct 4.
• A 60-day extension of 17.5 excess vacation hours for Edward Ortega with the sheriff’s office.

Commissioners will meet Tuesday at 9 a.m. at the Washington County Courthouse.