The Commissioners Court adopted the county budget for next fiscal year Tuesday in a split vote. The vote was 3 to 2 to adopt the budget. The Court unanimously adopted the tax rate of $0.542 per $100 value for next year.
County Judge Dean Crooks was joined by Commissioners Johnny Trahan and John Gothia in approving a revised budget completed that morning by County Auditor Pennee Schmitt. The biggest question was the designating of restricted funds from money in the general fund. County Treasurer Christy Khoury was asked to present information on banking options to separate the restricted funds from the general fund money at the next Commissioners Court meeting.
The differing point for Commissioner Barry Burton (left) was he could not see the promised cuts from next year’s budget that were made because of reduced revenues for the county. Burton stated that although the budget for next year is less than the current year’s budget, compared to actual expenditures made this year to operate the county minus expenses caused by Harvey debris removal, next year’s budget is about 8 million dollars higher. He thought more cuts could have been made in operating expenses in the budget. Jody Crump (right) cast the other dissenting vote.
Attorney Steve Bird with the firm that handles the collection of delinquent taxes for the county spoke to the Commissioners. Bird voiced the move towards using online auctions for selling trust properties. He said the auctions would help move the transferring of the trust properties back onto the tax rolls faster. Currently the county has 37 trust properties.
The Commissioners approved paying the bills for the week. This included $3,604 to AshBritt Environmental for debris removal and $1,115 to Waste Management for taking the debris to the Newton County Landfill. Wendorf, Beward, & Partners were paid $101,204 for their administrative work to secure FEMA and Community Development Block Grant funding for Hurricane Harvey recovery.
Emergency Management Coordinator Joel Ardoin informed the Court that the county is still due to get about $2.8 million in reimbursement from FEMA in October for storm debris removal. Two other reimbursements will take a little longer. Ardoin said the county is looking at a total of $5.7 million in federal reimbursements.
Lori Ardoin shared some good news about the new A Slice of Orange County TX app is now available for download. By downloading the Slice app it connects the user with a full directory of county departments and services, provides information on how to register vehicles, apply for a marriage license, get a birth or death certificate. All kinds of other information are available with the phone app. Persons can download the Slice app through the App Store at apple.com or through Google Play at play.google.com.
At the close of the meeting Patrick Beebe with Mosquito Control District assured the Commissioners Court and those attending the meeting that his department is using all its resources to attack the recent influx of mosquitoes. Beebe said all seven spray trucks are working daily to kill mosquitoes. The Mosquito Control’s airplane is flying when the weather permits.
Currently, the mosquitoes are primarily salt marsh and rice field species of the insect. Beebe said these species fortunately do not normally transmit diseases to humans, but they are very aggressive and will bite during the day and the night.
-Dan Perrine, KOGT-
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