The Commissioners Court approved Tuesday entering into a 40-year lease with the Orangefield Water Supply Corporation for property near FM 1442 by the Orange County Convention and Expo Center. County Engineer Clark Slacum has been representing Orange County in negotiations with the Orangefield Water Supply Corporation. Slacum indicated the Orangefield Water Supply Corporation wants to expand its services to the northwest and would like to build an elevated water tower and a water well with a generator in the vicinity of the Expo Center. Slacum said there is county property near the detention pond that would be suitable for them. Commissioners approved a motion that would lease the property for the elevated water storage tank and the water well, it was also stipulated that the county would ask, but not insist, on free water being provided for the Expo Center as part of the 40-year lease agreement. The Orangefield Water Supply Corporation was expected to meet Tuesday evening to consider the lease agreement.
Funds for indigent health care and criminal defense were addressed by the Commissioners Court Tuesday. The contract with the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston was renewed for another year to provide specialized care and other medical treatment for Orange County indigents. County Judge Brint Carlton indicated the county spent over $400,000 last year on indigent health care. The Court also approved a resolution for the Indigent Defense Grant Program which will make Orange County eligible to receive grants from the Texas Indigent Defense Commission for indigent criminal defense services.
Tax Assessor Collector Lynda Gunstream presented the Commissioners Court with her office’s end of the fiscal year collection report summary. Gunstream informed the Court that the Tax Office collected $133,617,909.46 during the tax year which represented a 97.36 percent collection rate. Gunstream said this was a slightly better percentage of collection than last tax year.
The Commissioners approved keeping a calendar year as the implementation date for the cafeteria plan of benefits for county employees. Discussions during the budget meetings gave the impression that the benefits might be switched to the fiscal year which was the reason for Tuesday’s action. County Attorney Doug Manning spoke to the Commissioners Court in favor of keeping the cafeteria plan on the calendar year, January to December, instead of changing to the fiscal year of October to September. Manning said there were a number of reasons to stay with the calendar year since it has the blessing of the Internal Revenue Service, it would allow for easier sign up for county employees, and that it is the system the county has used the past 18 years or as long as he had been with the county. Manning also pointed out that changing to the fiscal year would give the county about 10 days to make a complete change in the plan.
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