The Commissioners Court ordered Tuesday a special election for the possible creation of a Hospital District in Orange County to be held Tuesday, December 19. The Court held a public hearing earlier in the afternoon to receive information from Elections Administrator Tina Barrow that the submitted petition had the necessary 100 signatures and met all the guidelines concerned calling for the election.
Barrow confirmed the petition had 149 certified signatures on it. The Commissioners needed to follow certain election regulations regarding when to call the election. The date could not be held sooner than 62 days from the certification of the petition or later than 78 days. Early voting for the Hospital District election will be begin December 4 and will conclude December 15.
If voters approve the creation of the Hospital District it will cover all of Orange County. Five temporary directors will be appointed by the Commissioners Court to the proposed Hospital District. The maximum tax rate to be voted on at the creation may not exceed 18 cents per $100 valuation of all taxable property. No increase to this amount will be allowed without approval from the registered voters of the Hospital District. If the Hospital District is formed the directors would eventually be elected on a rotating basis every two years with one from each commissioner precinct and one from the county at large.
Flooding from Harvey has affected six polling locations in the county. The Raymond Gould Community Center which is also an early voting location was damaged. It will be replaced by the Vidor Independent School District Administration Building at 120 E. Bolivar. The other locations and precincts are:
Precinct #2 From: West Orange-Stark Middle School
To: Orange Public Library
Precinct #5 From: Trinity Baptist Church
To: Orange Public Library
Precinct #7 From: National Guard Armory
To: St. Francis Catholic Church
Precinct #18 From: Oak Forest Elementary School
To: Vidor Junior High
Precinct #19 From: Raymond Gould Community Center
To: Vidor Junior High
Precinct #23 From: Orangefield High School
To: First Christian Church, Orangefield
The Commissioners approved extending the period for no fees to be charged at the county landfill until October 17 to allow citizens to bring their storm debris. The Court approved an agreement with the Texas Department of Transportation to help remove debris in Orange County. TxDOT will remove the debris from properties and take it to a designated location at the Orange County Landfill. The county will then take that debris as well as debris in other designated locations for Ashbritt and the City of Orange to the Newton County landfill.
An amendment to the contract with Ashbritt was delayed approval until next week. It needs to be amended by Tuesday, October 10. The Commissioners have agreed to meet Monday afternoon, October 9, to consider approving the amendment which is being revised.
Joel Ardoin presented the Commissioners Court Tuesday a Private Property Debris Removal plan which they approved. This will allow contractors for the county to pick up debris on private roads on a case-by-case basis. Ardoin informed the Commissioners that there are 197 private roads in the county, and they have not been surveyed for debris on them. The Commissioners and Ardoin indicated that will be a priority with all of them in the next few weeks to survey those roads for debris.
Commissioners Johnny Trahan and Barry Burton have worked with a committee to review pay for county employees during emergencies and disaster declarations. There are two plans the committee is considering, one used by Jefferson County and another submitted months ago by then Emergency Management Coordinator Charlie Cox. Trahan and Burton said they believe they could have a final recommendation for the whole Commissioners Court at next week’s Court meeting.
Road and Bridge Engineer Clark Slacum received permission Tuesday to replace two vehicles in his department. The first was a F-250 pickup truck which was flooded during Harvey when it was being used to transport needed persons to the Courthouse. The vehicle was insured so the bulk of the more than $30,000 replacement will be covered by insurance.
The Commissioner Court also approved Slacum to purchase a new Gradall Excavator for $246,763. This is a smaller version gradall to replace a broken one in the Road and Bridge Department and will be purchased with an existing contract for the county.
During the time for closing comments, Commissioner Burton informed the Court that he had toured the Courthouse twice in the last two weeks, and the news is not good. Damage from Harvey is more severe than first thought and could delay any renovations to the marble façade on the front of the building.
The week of October 1-7 was recognized by the Commissioners as National 4-H Week. (Above) AgriLife Coordinator Fallon Foster, AgriLife Agent Tommy Byers, and 4-H student Stashia Dempsey from Bridge City Intermediate School received the proclamation from the Commissioners Court. Foster said there are about 100 children countywide in the 4-H program.
-Dan Perrine, KOGT-
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