The Commissioners Court appointed a committee on Tuesday to review the recommendations of the Policy and Grievance Committee to reinstate two policies that were eliminated about five years ago. The committee will review the Maternal and Paternal Leave Policy and the Catastrophic Leave Policy.
Both were done away with by a previous Commissioners Court. Human Resource Director Lori Ardoin suggested at a workshop last week that a committee could review the Catastrophic Leave Policy in particular.
Commissioners Theresa Beauchamp and Kirk Roccaforte served on a committee that interviewed applicants for the Records Management Director position. The Commissioners said the four finalists were all very well qualified, and Katrina Smith was their recommendation to be appointed to fill the position. The Commissioners Court unanimously confirmed the appointment of Smith who has served twenty years as a clerk with the City of Vidor. The previous director Regina Cameron retired at the end of January after more than twenty years in that department.
A replacement sound system for the 128th District Court was approved for purchase. The cost of the sound system will come out of capital outlay and a line item transfer approved earlier in February by the Commissioners Court.
Sheriff Keith Merritt presented his department’s 2019 Year End Totals to the Commissioners. The totals included reports from all five divisions in the Sheriff’s Office: Patrol-Dispatch; Investigations; Support; Correctional; and Special Services. Merritt and the captains over each division were applauded by the Commissioners and those attending the meeting for their excellent service to the county.
The Environmental Health and Code Compliance Department was approved to apply for a $70,000 grant from the U. S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Deputy Director James Scales of the department indicated the grant will be used to hire a new position in the department to make it more in compliance with nine standards established by the FDA.
The Orange County Airport will host another Fly-In on April 25. The event last year was a huge success according to Airport Supervisor Missy Pillsbury. More than 45 aircraft flew in for last year’s event which was attended by over 900 people. The Commissioners approved 95 gallons of aviation fuel as compensation for three special aircraft to be flown in for the event.
At the opening of the meeting Maintenance Director Kurt Guidry gave an update on the work being done on the Commissioner’s office on Highway 62 in Mauriceville. Guidry said the contractor is laying the new floor for the building and should be completed with that by this week. A new floor was necessary to prevent the spread of any mold in the building.
Claiborne West Park has reopened to the public. The restrooms at the Pavilions are now functioning. County Judge John Gothia echoed the rest of the Commissioners Court by asking when the portable toilets at the park can be removed. Purchasing Agent Connie Cassidy said she would speak to Parks Director Sabrina Gray about expediting the removal of the port-a-potties.
The next meeting of the Commissioners Court will be March 10. The normal Tuesday, March 3, meeting has been cancelled because of the election scheduled for that day.
-Dan Perrine, KOGT-
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