The Commissioner Court Tuesday approved a reinvestment zone for a 13-acre tract of land in the extra-territorial jurisdiction of Bridge City. The reinvestment zone is necessary for the county to grant potential tax abatement or other incentives to prospects moving to the location. Jessica Hill the Executive Director of the Orange County Economic Development Corporation said she and her predecessor Bobby Fillyaw have been in discussions with a prospect since last year about the property off of Highway 62. Hill indicated that an announcement of the prospect could come in the next few weeks and should be a nice little project for the county.
The Court heard only from Road and Bridge Engineer Clark Slacum during a public hearing concerning placing parking restrictions on Fish Farm Road by the Emergency Services District #4 fire station. Slacum asked for no parking signs be installed on both sides of the road by the fire station. Slacum stated the ESD requested the restrictions and that the no parking should cover from property lines on either side of the fire station and across the street from the west property line to approximately the driveway a distance of about 125 feet which should provide enough access for the emergency vehicles coming and going. The Commissioners approved Slacum’s recommendation. Fines for violating the no parking restriction could be as high as $200 for each offense.
Representatives with the Texas Division of Emergency Management or TDEM gave a presentation to the Commissioners Court Tuesday concerning a Long Term Recovery Program following the flooding during March in the county from the Sabine River. Denise Treadwell and Courtney Goss reported the county lost 526 single family homes and 13 mobile homes to the floods. They encouraged Orange County to join with Newton and Jasper Counties in creating a three county committee to pool resources of money, manpower, and material. TDEM recommends the committee be formed to address the recovery from this disaster and be in place to handle any future emergencies.
The Court approved April as Mental Health Awareness Month in 2016. The Commissioners also approved a proclamation recognizing Thursday, May 5, as the National Day of Prayer in Orange County. There will be a local observance and community prayer on Thursday, May 5, on the Courthouse lawn at 12 Noon.
-Dan Perrine, KOGT-
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