A collective bargaining agreement with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office Employee Association could be forth coming the first week of September. The Commissioners Court on Tuesday approved extending the preimpact deadline for the current collective bargaining agreement with the Association.
County Judge John Gothia has presented the county’s offer to the Sheriff’s Office Employee Association for their vote. The deadline extension to Tuesday, September 7, at 10:00 AM will allow the Commissioners to consider the collective bargaining agreement if approved by the Association in the budget which should be considered for approval at their September 14 meeting.
Orange County Emergency Management Coordinator Joel Ardoin updated the Court on the latest COVID-19 numbers. Ardoin indicated there are 811 new cases of the Coronavirus reported for citizens in the county.
One of those new cases is County Commissioner Robert Viator who missed Tuesday’s meeting. It was mentioned at the start of the meeting that Viator did receive infusion treatment at the recently opened Infusion Center in Beaumont.
The Commissioners Court approved a two-year lease agreement with Lakewood Management for an office to house the new Orange County Health Services department. The lease will be for $2,900 a month.
Health Services Director Jennifer Haney said the new location is in Vidor and will balance the services already being offered at a similar office on Strickland Drive on the east side of the county. Haney added she is looking into establishing satellite offices in Mauriceville and Bridge City.
A change was approved in the county’s portion of dependent care payment percentage for active county employees. The Sheriff’s Office employees already have a 60/40 breakdown for dependent care with the county paying the larger percentage while other county employees had a 50/50 breakdown for their dependent care.
The action on Tuesday by the Court raised the county’s portion for other county employees’ dependent care to the same 60 percent. Judge Gothia said the change will add $80,000 to the annual budget which he still favors.
-Dan Perrine, KOGT-
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