WASHINGTON CO. COMMISSIONERS PASS RESOLUTION FOR LICENSE PLATE READERS ON HIGHWAY 105, FM 50

  

Washington County Commissioners on Tuesday adopted a resolution of support for the sheriff’s office to work with the state to install automated license plate recognition cameras on two major roads.

Sheriff Trey Holleway said the sheriff’s office needed the court’s resolution in order to proceed with its application and ultimately receive authorization from TxDOT to place the Flock Safety cameras on Highway 105 at the county line and on FM 50 in the Independence area.  He said applications have already been completed with DPS for access to the International Justice and Public Safety Network (Nlets) and the Texas Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (TLETS) for the license plate recognition.

Holleway said the cameras are vehicle-centric, not people-centric, and that they will allow the sheriff’s office to track and receive alerts for vehicles it is searching for.

According to Holleway, the sheriff’s office will maintain query rights and alert rights, but the actual retention of data is the company’s responsibility.  The cameras were approved in the sheriff’s office’s budget, but Holleway said the final purchase and contract were pending this resolution. 

When asked by Commissioner Misti Hartstack Corn about the reason for these particular camera locations as opposed to putting them on Highway 290 or Highway 36, Holleway said these are in conjunction with plans from the state to install cameras along other key roads in the county.  He added that the state is utilizing the same camera system.

In other business on Tuesday, the court:

• Approved a contract with Moeller Electric, LLC to install emergency generators at the Expo, Expo Annex and EMS Station No. 3 in Burton.  Facilities Manager Bobby Branham said the county will pay 10 percent of the total contract cost of $603,650, with the rest being covered by grant funding.
• Awarded the county’s bank depository contract and sub-depository contract to Brenham National Bank.  
• Appointed Mark Rosenbaum as a trustee to serve on the Texas Emergency Services Retirement System (TESRS) Local Board for the Washington County Volunteer Fire Department Association.
• Approved a right-of-way permit application for Run for the Youth of Washington County’s Blue Bell Fun Run on Saturday, March 21^st.
• Approved a subdivision variance request for a land division fronting FM 1155 North in Precinct 1, consisting of 14 acres.

Click here to view the agenda packet for Tuesday's meeting.