WASHINGTON COUNTY COMMISSIONERS MEETING RECAP (11/12)
The Washington County Commissioners Court is getting the ball rolling on renovating the grounds at the Washington County Courthouse.
Commissioners approved an agreement with Terralab Landscape Architects at their meeting on Tuesday for professional design services and consultation.
The agreement is for $92,690.
The estimated budget for the project is $1.02 million, with the general contractor's estimated scope of work coming out to $966,125, and the remainder being performed by county maintenance and the Engineering and Development Services Department.
Among the items on the scope of work were:
Demolition and Salvaging for monuments, historical signage, and existing “red” pavers
Demolition of existing pedestrian pavements throughout the site, as well as, landscape, and sick/dying trees
Grading and Drainage improvements
New pedestrian pavements, retaining/seat walls, a “Heroes and Hstory” plaza, and making it Americans With Disabilities Act compliance
Site lighting improvements
Synthetic turf and gravel areas for public use
Landscape and irrigation overhaul.
In other business:
The Commissioners unanimously approved allowing retiring Sheriff Otto Hanak to purchase his service weapon for the cost of $1. Hanak has served Washington County for the last 27 years as a Texas Ranger, D.A. Investigator, and has been Sheriff since 2013. Due to state law, the County cannot gift him the firearm, so they let him purchase it for the same price as Sheriff J.W. Jankowski when he retired.
Commissioners also accepted a donation from Joyce Moore, who donated four ledger books from Wiede and Son Store. Wiede and Son was located on FM 2621 in the Sandy Hill community. The books are dated between 1906-1913. Moore donated them to the county to help preserve history.
The Commissioners also approved the County Engineering and Development Department going out for bids for contracts for Right of Way Mowing, Road Materials, Contract Hauling, and Emergency Debri Removal.
The contracts are for one year from January 1 to December 31 of 2025. Bids will be due on December 5 at 10am, and awarded at the Commissioners meeting on December 17.
Buy Brenham is what we always hear. Then the commissioners go to Houston to find landscapers instead of using local landscaping companies to beautify our town square. I guess it’s do as I say not as I do. I definitely think that spending $92,000 is absolutely absurd. I’m wondering if this is a good old boy contract? Who locally has ties to the company???
I could not agree with this comment more, why would we spend this much money with an outside firm when we have some really great local companies that do this type of work? What in the world are the commissioners thinking?
The owner of Floyds Lounge is a partner in this Landscaping business they hired. So technically, employing someone from brenham
Very much agree
Who locally has ties to this company? You can find out anything now days if you look in the right places.
Regarding the closed courthouse doors, I believe a large showing of concerned citizens at the next commisioners’ court meeting where we respectfully present our concerns would have more of an impact on their decision whether or not to open the doors than editorializing here in the comment section. They need to publicly put on record their actual reason for maintaining the current condition.
Excuse me….you approve over a million dollars for landscaping the courthouse but when we ask about fixing our roads we’re told there’s no money for that.
I think we need to get rid of every commissioner and the judge. They don’t have an ounce of sense.
RDS
Agreed, ride some of the streets instead of sitting in meetings and you all may agree to repair the streets as well.
I can’t believe the Fire Marshal allows the court house doors to remain locked ?
For what reason ?
This is as big of a hazard as you can get !
Have any of you elected officials ever considered this ? How would you evacuate the courthouse in the event of a fire with 3 of 4 doors locked ??
Yes unlock the doors. Handicap go thru alot of pain going up and down steps and long hall ways. You have inflicted alot of pain on citizens doing business at courthouse for what reason. You have knee and back surgery and try getting a lic handicap sticker for your car and see how you feel. I don’t remember anyone asking public input.
All doors of the courthouse need to be open like in the past. The older people are not going to do their business online so they come in and many have problems with the stairs and cannot walk the length of the building to get to the elevator. The stairs are a major Liability hazard being so steep. The county is in for a major lawsuit if something is not done to the inside and quick. The elevator also needs to be over hauled, it is so slow, takes so long to get from floor to floor. If they are worried about security, hire a security guard, there used to be one there.
Make it a rule that all county offices are open from 8-5. It almost takes an act of Congress to get in the Tax Office as they are always in staff devolopment or closed. When they are open, the ones that work there are so rude and have no idea what’s going on.
Wake up commissioners, I don’t think the county is in a position to pay when an elderly person falls, nor do they want the negative feedback. We don’t need the Courthouse to get the reputation the Brenham hospital has.
“We don’t need the Courthouse to get the reputation the Brenham hospital has.”
I need to chime in and say that I have never had a bad experience at the Brenham hospital. I am not sure what reputation you are talking about but in my dealings with the hospital, the staff has always been kind, friendly, and helpful. Sometimes the ER has been a bit slow, but there is usually a reason for that, besides that the hospital itself has always been a good experience.
I agree, those that complain need to get into healthcare themselves!!!!!
Unlock the doors of the courthouse. The elderly have a hard time with the steep stairs and the elevator is at the far entrance that is locked. Hire a guard if security is the problem. Thank you.
Amen!
I agree 100% that the doors need to be unlocked. It has been long enough!!!
Great suggestion
I agree. It’s the county judge. I contacted his office about it. I was told it was state law that the doors be locked during court. I asked where I could find this law. I was told someone would let me know. They never did. Also no other courthouse in surrounding counties lock there doors. Also we don’t have court 8 hours a day, 5 days a week. Our solution is to get rid of the judge.