The Commissioners Court took no action Tuesday in appointing a member to the new Long-Term Disaster Recovery Board. Thursday night, however, there will be a meeting at the Orange County Convention and Expo Center to create a new Long-term Disaster Recovery Board for the county.
County Judge Brint Carlton explained that the previous Long-term Disaster Recovery Board was created after the flooding of the Sabine River in March of 2016. That board was composed of representatives from Orange, Jasper, and Newton Counties, but disbanded earlier last year. The proposed recovery board will be in conjunction with Jefferson and Hardin Counties. “We’re creating a new one with new board members,” Carlton concluded.
The Commissioners Court is working with County Attorney John Kimbrough to find a replacement for Assistant County Attorney Doug Manning who serves as the legal counsel for all the county’s elected officials. Manning is retiring and his last day is January 26. He informed the Commissioners Tuesday that about 20 percent of his job duties dealt with Commissioners Court items while the other 80 percent is business for his boss County Attorney Kimbrough’s office. The Court approved by a vote of 4-1 to have Kimbrough bring a recommendation for Manning’s replacement to the Court with a proposed salary for its consideration. Jody Crump cast the lone dissenting vote.
The Commissioners Court approved Tuesday reclassifying the director of the Parks Department and adding one new employee to the department. The Parks Department was placed under Sabrina Gray the director of the Convention and Expo Center last year. The action Tuesday will move Gray from an E-1 position to an E-2 with the same amount of years of service. The increase in salary will be paid for by Hotel Occupancy Tax funds.
The Supervisor of the Claiborne West Park is Mike Hale, and he said the Claiborne West Park reopened to the public on Monday. He requested an additional full-time employee to work at the park primarily doing mowing of the grounds there. Hale plans to advance a current part-time employee at the park to the full-time position and then will look to hire a part-time employee. Both the reclassification of Gray and the new full-time position with the Parks Department will be effective January 15.
Emergency Management Coordinator Ralph Valenciano reported that the county is 98 percent complete with the removal of debris from Tropical Storm Harvey. He believes the proposed deadline of January 15 to complete debris removal is still very possible.
Fallon Foster with the county’s AgriLife Extension Office introduced the new County Extension Agent Heston Henry (left) to the Commissioners. Henry is a graduate of Texas Tech University with a degree in interdisciplinary agriculture. He has an extensive background with the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service.
-Dan Perrine, KOGT-
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