Precinct 2 County Commissioner Theresa Beauchamp announced Tuesday at the Commissioners Court meeting she would not be seeking a second term next year. Beauchamp said she would complete the remaining months on her term before stepping down at the end of 2022.
Beauchamp won a very close election by only a handful of votes over incumbent Precinct 2 Commissioner Barry Burton in 2018. Beauchamp’s mother Marcelle Adams was the first woman to serve on the Orange County Commissioners Court also in Precinct 2 from 1987 to 1994.
During the period for citizens comments Chris Sowell from Mauriceville thanked Beauchamp for her service to the Mauriceville area. Sowell then announced his candidacy for the position of Precinct 2 County Commissioner. Sowell joins Shawn Hare who announced earlier in November as a candidate to replace Beauchamp as County Commissioner.
The front of the Orange County Courthouse has had a facelift, which is a temporary fix. Maintenance Director Kurt Guidry and his crew painted the brick on the facade of the Courthouse to help seal the building from the weather.
Guidry matched the paint color with that of the marble that makes up most of the façade above the front entrance of the Courthouse. He later used a stencil to then paint a silver “O” on the painted brink to complete the word Orange next to County Courthouse at the top of the façade. Guidry joked that it is good looking from afar, but actually it is far from good looking.
Architect Dohn LaBiche is working with grant administrator Melinda Smith of Traylor and Associates to get the marble replaced on the façade. Winds and rain from Hurricane Laura caused a section of marble to come loose from the historic structure in 2020.
Guidry presented some good news to the Commissioners Court with a $250,000 check from the Texas Association of Counties. The funds are for supplemental insurance funds as a result of damage from Laura.
County Road and Bridge Engineer Corey Oldbury had some disappointing news for the Court when he updated them on the repairs to the historic swing bridge on West Roundbunch Road. Oldbury informed the Commissioners that the contractors working to restore the bridge still hope to install a new motorized winch to operate the bridge this week, but it will be another two weeks before all of the repairs are completed. The bridge has been closed to vehicular traffic since October 21.
-Dan Perrine, KOGT-
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