WASHINGTON CO. COMMISSIONERS TO SEEK BIDS FOR EMERGENCY GENERATOR PROJECT

  

Washington County Commissioners today (Tuesday) agreed to advertise and seek bids from contractors for an emergency power generator project.

The county has received grant funding through the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Hazard Mitigation Grant Program to put in emergency generators at the Washington County Expo Event Center and the Burton EMS station. 

Emergency Management Coordinator Bryan Ruemke said getting to this point has been a lengthy process, but he is relieved to now be able to proceed.

Ruemke said the cost for the two generators on the Expo side of the project comes out to about $500,000, with the county expecting to pay $50,000 of that, depending on if there are any price increases.  The cost for the EMS station generator is roughly $36,000.

Bids will be due to the county by Thursday, December 4^th at 10 a.m., and the county will choose its preferred bids on Tuesday, December 16^th.

In other business at today’s meeting, commissioners approved the official bond for Travis Semora to serve in the office of Precinct 2 Justice of the Peace.  After the meeting, Semora was sworn in to the position. 

Semora was appointed last week to serve out the unexpired term of Judge Douglas Cone, who has declared his candidacy for county judge.  Members of the court thanked Judge Cone, who was present at the meeting but did not share any comments, for his three decades of service in the role.  Semora said he appreciates the confidence of the commissioners court and is grateful for this opportunity.

Semora brings over 28 years of experience in law enforcement, including 24 years with the Houston Police Department.  He also served with the Kerr County Sheriff’s Office and the Austin County Sheriff’s Office.  From 2007 to 2015, he completed three deployments to Afghanistan as a Law Enforcement Professional, where he assisted in training Afghan Border Police and advised Afghan intelligence commanders on insurgent investigations.

County Judge John Durrenberger said the county is confident in Semora’s qualifications and his “commitment to fair, impartial, and efficient administration of justice.”

Also today, commissioners:

• Held workshop discussion on the county’s branding, including the county seal and logo, as well as a job description for chief of staff and a leadership evaluation form.
• Heard the EMS Department’s third quarter report.