There will be a new County Constable for Orange County beginning in June. The Commissioners Court on Tuesday approved the appointment of Jeremiah Gunter to replace Mark Jones as the County Constable for Precinct 2 after accepting Jones’ resignation.
Jones had been appointed to the position of constable in October 2018 to replace David Cagle who died suddenly the month before that. Commissioner Theresa Beauchamp from Precinct 2 informed the Court that Jones has several issues which were causing him to step down early from the position. Jones in fact did not run for the position during the Republican Primary earlier this year.
Gunter ran unopposed for the constable’s position in that primary and will not have an opponent in the general election later this year. Gunter will need to present a bond to the Commissioners Court at its next meeting on May 26 to officially be able to assume the position of County Constable for Precinct 2 on June 1.
The Commissioners re-appointed Dr. Calvin Parker as the Local Health Authority for Orange County. Dr. Parker’s current term expires at the end of June this year. He was reappointed for another two-year term beginning July 1 and running through June 30, 2022.
An extension of the Orange County Disaster Declaration because of the COVID pandemic was approved by the Commissioners Court. The declaration was extended to June 9, 2020 which will be the date of the next regular meeting of the Commissioners Court.
The Citizens’ Collection Center at the Orange County Landfill has not been charging for use of the county dump since the pandemic began. County Engineer Clark Slacum reminded the Commissioners that the fees were originally to start being charged again Tuesday, but had not been approved by the Court. The Commissioners voted to reinstate the fees being charged at the landfill beginning next Tuesday, May 19.
Slacum gave the monthly update on his Road and Bridge Department. The Court approved Slacum’s request to apply for a grant from the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT). The $250 million grant will be used statewide for road repairs.
Slacum said the county could be eligible for $177,217 from the TxDOT grant. He also was approved to submit the county’s Road Report to the state agency as part of the grant request.
Maintenance Director Kurt Guidry told the Commissioners work is progressing on several county buildings that were damaged by Harvey or Imelda. It will be a few more weeks before the building in Mauriceville is ready for Commissioner Beauchamp to have her office there.
Guidry’s department has been busy installing sneeze guards and other protective shields in county offices that are accessible to the public. County Judge John Gothia had some good news about a $2.2 million grant awarded to the county which will be used to pay for COVID-19 projects such as the installation of the protective screens.
May is Elder Abuse Month for Adult Protective Services. The Commissioners Court issued a proclamation recognizing the month of May as such.
-Dan Perrine, KOGT-
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