The Commissioners Court is extending the predicted deadline for picking up debris because of Harvey from December 18 until the second week of January. Emergency Management Coordinator Ralph Valenciano addressed the Court Tuesday and said the contractors are roughly 95 percent complete removing debris from the right of ways in the county.
Ashbritt, the county’s contractor, has hauled over 354,000 cubic yards of debris to the Orange County Landfill in the 77 operational days they have been working. Added to that is the debris collected by TxDOT and the contractor for the City of Orange.
The Commissioners informed Valenciano they are still getting calls from citizens in the county who have only recently got back to their homes and are just now beginning to muck out their residences. Valenciano and the Commissioners agreed the recently activated hot line has been successful, but are also recommending citizens contact the Commissioner in the precinct where they live to help direct future pick up of debris.
Commissioner Barry Burton emphasized that only debris from homes being mucked out will be picked up. Contractors’ debris or new construction debris will not be picked up. The deadline will be January 14, 2018 for debris removal and for fees to be waived for citizens to bring debris from their residences to the Orange County landfill.
The Commissioners approved the court reporters in the two County Courts at Law to receive the same pay as visiting district court reporters. The pay will be $304 a day. The issue arose in that some visiting court reporters would not take half a day’s pay so refused to come to Orange County. Now all court reporters will get a full day’s pay no matter how long they work that day.
The Court approved three additional calendar dates for the retail sale of fireworks in Orange County. Three holiday periods when fireworks are popular will now be included in the order regulating the sale of fireworks. Texas Independence Day, the last part of February to March 2, San Jacinto Day, the week around April 21, and Memorial Day, the last week of May, will now see the retail sale of fireworks. Already approved dates for fireworks sale included the week around the Fourth of July and for the week leading up to the New Year.
The District Attorney’s office was approved a line item transfer to cover mileage for the attorneys to travel from the Convention and Expo Center, where their offices were moved after Harvey, to the Courthouse during the months of October and November. The transfer was for $1350.
The Commissioners approved Purchasing Agent Connie Cassidy to advertise for bids to purchase a maritime patrol boat using a 2017 Port Security Grant. Sheriff Keith Merritt is requesting the boat to replace a 2001 boat that is getting very difficult to operate by the Sheriff’s Office. Two Dodge Chargers from the Sheriff’s Office were among 23 items the Commissioners approved deleting from the inventory because of damage from the flooding by Harvey.
-Dan Perrine, KOGT-
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