Orange County will have a change in who cleans the Courthouse and other county buildings after the Commissioners Court voted Tuesday to go with in-house janitors instead of a commercial janitorial company. Members Building Maintenance has been the commercial company cleaning the county buildings, but the Court previously gave it a 90-day notice terminating the contract effective October 1, 2018.
The motion that was approved Tuesday by a vote of 3 to 1 stipulated that the county would hire four full-time employees classified as NE-1 and one part-time employee. Commissioner Jody Crump cast the lone dissenting vote. Crump was the moving force when the county went to a commercial janitorial service.
Members used four janitors to clean the county buildings and would bring in a separate four-person crew to strip and wax the floors of the buildings on occasions. The cost of going with in-house janitorial employees will be about $200,000 for salaries, benefits, and cleaning supplies. The county paid Members $142,000 annually for its services.
Human Resources Director Lori Ardoin was authorized by the Commissioners to seek applications to fill the four full-time and one part-time position. The new janitors will start cleaning up beginning October 1.
Following the advice of their legal counsel Denise Gremillion the Commissioners approved waiving this year the $20 surcharge imposed on county employees that did not follow the county’s health insurance wellness program. The wellness program includes an annual physical for employees, taking part in positive wellness activities like walking or working out at a gym, and the cessation of smoking.
The Texas Attorney General’s office has ruled that counties cannot deduct from an employee’s salary because they did not participate in a wellness program. The discussion was maybe making it a reward for following the wellness program as opposed to a penalty for not participating would be better. The only requirement approved for the wellness plan next year would be the employee getting an annual physical.
The Commissioners Court approved purchasing new voting machines for the Election Administration paying the Nebraska company that makes the machines a lump sum of $73,165. The county originally wanted to finance the purchase over a couple years, but the company was going to invoke a power of attorney against the county and would impose Nebraska state law as part of the financial agreement. Election Administrator Tina Barrow said she will be calling the company this week to see when Orange County can receive the new voting machines.
At the close of the meeting former Orange mayor Essie Bellfield was recognized for her working to make Orange County safer. Sheriff Keith Merritt presented Bellfield with a pin notating her appointment as an honorary deputy with the Sheriff’s Office.
-Dan Perrine, KOGT-
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