The Commissioners Court voted unanimously Tuesday to advance the proposed Loop 299 project from the alternate list to the approval list with the Texas Highway Commission. Commissioner Jody Crump admitted he is an advocate of the so called Vidor Loop, but added Tuesday’s action does not commit the county spending any funds on building the proposed TxDOT roadway. Crump wants to see the economic impact study before making a final decision on the project, and this will advance the project forward for the purpose of such a study without it being binding to the county.
The cities of Vidor and Orange have already passed resolutions saying they oppose the county financing a TxDOT roadway at the present time. Bridge City was expected to pass a similar resolution Tuesday evening.
At the close of the Commissioners Court meeting 11 different people used the time for citizens’ comments to voice their opinions on the Vidor Loop project. More of them, including John Backer (above), said they were against the proposed project than those speaking in favor of it, but there were at least a couple of citizens who might favor such a project for economic development as long as it would not raise taxes in the county dramatically. One even recommended a countywide vote before the Commissioners give their final approval to funding the project.
Orange County Meals on Wheels will be getting some vans from the county Transportation Department to be used to feed seniors and disabled citizens for free. The Commissioners Court got the okay Tuesday from Assistant County Attorney Doug Manning that it could donate the county’s vans which were being used already to help with the deliveries of meals for the Meals on Wheels program.
The Commissioners Court is asking citizens to volunteer to serve on the County Board of Park Commissioners. The seven-member board has been vacant for awhile. Persons wanting to serve on the park board should give their name to the office of County Judge Brint Carlton by this Friday, October 14.
At the next Commissioners Court meeting each of the five members of the Court will name a nominee for the board. Two other names will be drawn randomly from those submitted to the judge’s office to fill the seven positions.
In other business the Commissioners approved rejecting all bids for road material and requested purchasing agent Connie Cassidy to re-bid the road materials. The Court held a workshop Tuesday before the regular meeting to hear a presentation from Fleetmatics about a GPS system that could be used primarily for vehicles in the Road and Bridge Department. No action was taken by the Commissioners at the workshop.
-Dan Perrine, KOGT-
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