Election recap
Grimes County Election Administrator Rachel Walker said number almost doubled from the 2021 election.
Walker said they had about 3,409 voters participate in the election which is approximately 17% of the total registered voters in Grimes County (19,915).
“I am excited to say that we had six students participate from Iola,” said Walker. “That was really cool for me. I have been really pushing for all our schools to have high school students participate in the election process and Alec Pointer who is on the board there in Iola, he helped bring in about six students to come work across four different locations.”
Walker said the presiding judges that worked with the students had a really good experience and she would like to encourage more students to participate from other district as well including Richards, Anderson- Shiro and Navasota. Walker explained students must be at least age 16 and do get paid for working.
The agenda item stated, “Present official canvass results from the November 7, 2023 Constitutional Amendments Election.” Commissioner Chad Mallet questioned if the court is able to take action since the agenda wording doesn’t include action.
Grimes County Attorney, Jon C. Fultz addressed the concern. “It really depends on the urgency. Obviously in a best-case scenario it [agenda item] would say present and take action or to receive and take action, but because it says ‘present’ obviously there is no surprise I would think to the members of the public who would be interested in this item. So that would be the question if you take action, were folks advised to be here because you might take action. My preference would obviously be that it would be otherwise, but if there is some urgency, I think it would be understandable to take action if you had to.”
Walker said she was required to present the election results to Commissioners Court for canvassing by Nov. 20, then submit the results of the canvassing to the Secretary of State.
Commissioners approved the election results.
Chamber partnership
Navasota Grimes County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Lucy Ybarra provided an annual update to commissioners. Grimes County supports The Chamber with yearly funding.
Ybarra began her position with The Chamber Jan. 1. She said her primary focus in her first year is member services. “One of the things we did this year especially starting in the first quarter, is really focus on chamber services for our current members. How can we help them more? How can we advocate for them, so they get the biggest bang for their buck?”
One of the areas Ybarra said was lacking is local trainings and developments. The Chamber partnered with the Grimes County Informational Technology department, the Nerd Bee and Texas A&M University to host a cyber security training for chamber members and non-members as long as they paid for lunch. Over 80 people attended the training.
“Services like that and events like that are where you are going to see a lot of attention being paid to in 2024, continuing that trend from 23,” explained Ybarra.
Chamber by the numbers
So far in 2023, The Chamber has 352 members including over 50 new members added throughout the year.
There have been 16 ribbon cuttings, four grand openings and three businesses honored as Business of the Quarter.
The Chamber also hosted numerous large events. Ybarra said the State of the City that is hosted for the City of Navasota had its largest attendance with over 120 people.
During the annual chamber banquet, Ybarra said over $20,000 was raised and put back into economic development and chamber services. “A lot of our free marketing, advertising and things that you see on social media was sponsored and paid for with that chamber banquet fund,” said Ybarra. The event was also the largest attended with 372 attendees.
Another highlight of the banquet Ybarra said she is proud of and bragged to Judge Joe Fauth and Commissioner Barbara Walker about is the banquet was utilizing local businesses. “This was our first banquet as a chamber to 100% fund it from only Grimes County businesses and services. Everything that you saw, used, ate, drank – even your liquor guys – all came from Grimes County businesses. So, I am very proud to be able to put that money back into the service industries that we have.”
The Navasota Grimes County Chamber of Commerce Realtor’s Breakfast had 124 attendees and was hosted in Plantersville.
“If you notice, some of the things we are doing is trying to stretch those [events] into the county,” said Ybarra. “We want people coming in that are going to be moving here or developing to see what the entire county has to offer, so we actually featured Iola ISD and Richards ISD and let them brag about what they have going on. Richards ISD passed their first successful bond since 1954 and Iola ISD.”
New chamber programs
New chamber programs added throughout the year include the Workforce Wednesday radio show on Willy 98.7 where several guests are brought in to discuss work-related topics including how to prepare for a job, interview techniques, preparing a resume, important questions to ask employers etc. The segment also helps employers learn how to reach employee candidates.
Other topics discussed throughout the year include the effects propositions have on Grimes County and the Grime County workforce – such as protecting the right to farm. Special guests have included TX Farm Bureau Local Chapter President Gary Moriaty, State Representative Kyle Kacal, Laurie Glaymeyer with Ellwood Texas Forge, Rail & Rye owner Chris Tucker and more.
Sexual Assault Resource Team Lindsey Leblanc and Caroline Adams Leblanc began by thanking the commissioners. “First, I just want to thank you guys for helping formulate two years ago when the legislation said that we needed to put additional protocols and bylaws and all of those check boxes in place, and we appreciate your support. We also appreciate the support of all of our entities that are involved in our team. We could not do this team, this work, without them – without our law enforcement, our district attorneys, MHMR, our nurses, that is all very vital to the work we are doing here in Grimes County.”
Leblanc said there were not any notable trends over the last two years in Grimes County. “The most interesting data is there was a pretty steep increase of about 65% from the first reporting period which was October 2021 to Sept. 2022 then from Oct. 2022 to Sept. 2023. Grimes County saw an increase in reports and investigations from that time period to the next.”
“I think that is a great testament to what the team is accomplishing by making sure that reports are handled and that survivors are getting the care that they need,” said Leblanc.
Deck the halls
Grimes County Commissioners approved a Grimes County 4-H project to decorate the doors in the hallway at the Grimes County Business and Justice Center.
Judge Fauth said he informed Grimes County AgriLife representative, Kyla Moeller, of restrictions to ensure the doors are not damaged. Other departments want to be involved in the holiday cheer, so the motion included allowing additional doorways to be decorated at the historical Grimes County Courthouse, Road and Bridge department and the Grimes County Pct. 3&4 annex.
Other action
• Approved the acceptance of donated guns from Grimes County True Blue Foundation.
• Approved All-Stat Portable as a new x-ray provider for Grimes County Jail.
• Approved surplus auction list.
• Approved variance for Lot 35 of Plantation Lakes Subdivision, Section 3, Block 1 to install a water well.
• Approved Third Reinstatement of the Interlocal Agreement for the Construction, Acquisition, Implementation, Operation and Maintenance of Brazos Valley Wide Area Communications System.
• Approved a sanitary sewer easement at the Iola Annex for the City of Iola.
• Approved reappointment of Kyle Eppler and Matthew Julian for new four-year terms on the Bluebonnet GCD Board of Directors, beginning January 1, 2024.
• Approved Tax Roll for 2023 in the amount of $22,711,576.75.
• Approved County enrollment in TAC Cybersecurity Course for the 2023-2024 year. View the complete commissioners court video at https://grimescountytx.granicus. com/ViewPublisher. php?view_id=1.