WASHINGTON CO. COMMISSIONERS APPROVE NEW VEHICLES FOR SHERIFF’S OFFICE THROUGH STATE GRANT FUNDING

  

Washington County Commissioners today (Tuesday) authorized the purchase of new vehicles for the sheriff’s office using grant funding established by the state for rural law enforcement agencies.

The sheriff’s office will receive five 2023 Chevrolet Tahoes, purchased from Caldwell Country Chevrolet at a total of $241,000. 

Jail Chief Deputy Eric Hensley said the vehicles are for the office’s transport division to replace 2017 models.  He said this cost is just for the vehicles themselves, as a separate agenda item will be needed next week to purchase upfitting for the vehicles.

Through Senate Bill 22, passed in the 88^th Texas Legislature, the state is able to provide financial assistance to eligible sheriff’s offices, constable’s offices, and county and district attorney’s offices.  The agencies must serve counties or jurisdictions with overall populations of 300,000 or less.

According to County Auditor Shawna Hollis, the sheriff’s office is receiving $350,000 through the grant program.  The county and district attorney’s offices are each getting $175,000, while the constable’s offices – collectively, not individually – are receiving $26,572 in total.

According to the Texas Comptroller’s Office website, sheriff’s offices can use the money to increase salaries, hire additional deputies or staff, and purchase vehicles, firearms and safety equipment.  Prosecutor’s offices can use the funding for salaries or more staff.  Constable’s offices can only use the grant to go toward salaries.

Also at today’s meeting, commissioners proceeded with the sale of land on the property where EMS Station No. 2 is located, in order to accommodate TxDOT’s Highway 290 cloverleaf project. Commissioners moved to authorize County Judge John Durrenberger as the county’s designated representative to execute closing documents with the State of Texas, via the Texas Transportation Commission, for the sale of a parcel of land on the EMS station property at 1875 Highway 290 West. 

EMS Director Kevin Deramus said TxDOT is widening the highway in front of the EMS building, and they need the extra space for concrete and monument signage work, as well as to move some of the station’s driveway entrance.

Commissioner Kirk Hanath said the state’s original offer for the land was $249,000, but Deramus and County Engineer Wesley Stolz met with Hanath to discuss the EMS parking lot and the engineering that would need to be done to readjust it because of the TxDOT project.  A counter-offer from the state came in at $348,000.  Hanath thanked Stolz and Deramus for their work in helping to achieve that higher total, saying it “benefitted us a great deal.”

First Assistant County Attorney Kacie Murphy said this item allows the county judge to sign closing documents, as the title company needed to ensure that whoever was signing those documents had the authority to do so.  Hanath said once that is done, paperwork can be signed and the county can move forward.

In other EMS business, commissioners approved an amendment to the department’s rate structure to increase charge rates. 

Deramus said the last time the department increased the rates that are billed to insurance companies was in September 2021, and it currently has the lowest rates out of eight agencies that neighbor Washington County, including adjacent counties and some further out such as Robertson and Leon.  He said this change will put EMS right on with the statewide average, as recommended by the department’s billing company, EMS Management and Consultants.

Deramus stressed that this does not impact Washington County residents, as the county waives copays for patients who live in the county, though non-county residents may see slightly higher bills than before.  He does not expect revenue to increase by much, but the main purpose of the change is to help the county receive more reimbursement from insurance companies during contract negotiations involved with the Independent Dispute Resolution (IDR) process.

The court also approved a contract with J. Mendoza Tree Services for county-wide debris cleanup from the May 17^th declared disaster.  The contract is for $2,800 per day at an expected total of 10 days.  Stolz said the Federal Emergency Management Agency will reimburse the county 75 percent of its expenses in relation to the cleanup.

In addition, commissioners accepted the bid of Triple T Refrigeration for $18,460 to replace an A/C unit at the county jail.  Hensley said the unit being replaced is a 2006 model that has “completely bit the dust.”  The purchase will come from the county’s reserve funds. 

In other business, the court:

• Agreed to go out for bids for a full-color LED outdoor monument sign and cabinet cover at the Washington County Expo, using hotel occupancy tax reserve funds.  Expo Director Harrison Williams said this is to replace the LED portion of the sign.  Hanath said HOT funds cannot be used to build a new sign, but they can go toward working on the existing sign.  Bids will be due at 10 a.m. on August 22^nd and accepted on August 27^th.
• Terminated the county’s contract with Linebarger Goggan Blair & Sampson, LLP for the collection of delinquent taxes and approved a contingent fee contract with Perdue Brandon Fielder Collins & Mott, LLP for the collection of delinquent government receivables owed to the county.
• Approved a resolution to adopt a 20 percent collection penalty to defray the cost of collection of delinquent taxes, penalties and interest due and unpaid as of April 1, 2025 and each year thereafter for delinquent personal property accounts, and as of July 1, 2025 and each year thereafter for all other delinquent accounts.  The 20 percent penalty would be on top of the delinquent amount owed.  Leslie Schkade, partner with Perdue Brandon, said this allows the firm to collect personal property taxes in April rather than waiting until July, allowing it more time to focus on those taxes before real property is turned over in July.
• Approved updated jail medical job descriptions.  Jail Chief Deputy Eric Hensley said the update is to include language in the position descriptions outlining weekend shifts and what their adjusted pay rates would be in comparison to the base rate. 
• Approved a subdivision variance request for a land division fronting Hohenwalde School Road, consisting of 24.49 acres in Precinct 4.