Third mortuary added to county rotation
At the Oct. 6 Regular Meeting of Grimes County Commissioners Court, commissioners approved Pct. 3 Justice of the Peace Mark Laughlin’s request to add Third Coast Mortuary to the rotation list of county providers for transport services. Third Coast Mortuary is located on FM 1774 and is owned by Marshall White.
Judge Laughlin said, “We feel like we need to add another person because we’ve had some changes and our standard funeral homes are not able to respond all the time when we need them. It’s left us on the scene for a couple of hours in the middle of the night trying to figure out what we need to do and who we can get.”
Jury donation to include vets
Complying with Senate Bill 456 which amended portions of Section 61.003 of the Texas Government Code, commissioners approved revising the jury pay donation form for all county courts to include county veteran’s services.
Effective Sept. 1, jurors may donate jury service pay to (1) Compensation of Victims of Crime, (2) Child Welfare Board of Grimes County, (3) Expenses Incurred From Detaining juveniles Alleged To Have Engaged in Delinquent Conduct, or (4) Grimes County Veteran’s Service Office.
Juror compensation is calculated at $10 for each day impaneled for jury selection and $40 per day after the first day serving as a juror.
Controlled burn of county building tabled
After a 45-minute “heated” discussion, commissioners tabled approval of the Donation of Real Property for Educational Purposes form allowing Grimes County to donate a county-owned building at 10802 Spur 234 to the Whitehall Community Volunteer Fire Department (WCVFD) for a controlled burn training exercise. According to County Judge Joe Fauth the community building on the site is dilapidated and unsalvageable and donating it for a structure fire training exercise could save the County $10,000-$12,000 in demolition costs.
Whitehall Fire Chief Freeman Vickers was present to discuss the unique nature of this exercise and the risks involved.
The item was tabled to Oct. 20 after County Attorney Jon C. Fultz urged amending the agreement to require Emergency Management Services Coordinator David Lilly to be on-site during the training exercises, aerial photos be taken to assure the correct building is burned as well as establishing a notification process once the weather is conducive for the exercise.
Fultz said, “There is real risk here and I don’t want it to be on the taxpayers’ back.”
Commissioners court may be viewed in its entirety at www.facebook.com/Grimes-CountyCourtHouse.
Other court action:
•Approved Consent Agenda items which included a waterline installation permit for Wickson Creek on CR 150 and authorize the county judge as signatory, the treasurer’s list of claims and bills, payroll, the treasurer’s Monthly Report, and budget amendments and/or line-item transfers.
•Approved a proclamation designating the month of October 2021 as Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
•Received a Navasota Grimes Chamber of Commerce update and approved renewing the contract for Economic Development Services between Grimes County and the NGC Chamber of Commerce and authorize the county judge as signatory.
•Received a report from Facilities Maintenance/Project Manager Al Peeler on work at the Grimes County jail and the Grimes County Justice Center. With 154 rain days and delays in the supply chain, the anticipated move-in is mid-November.
•Approved renewal of the Auto Theft Task Force Agreement with Montgomery County.
•Approved renewal of Health Services Agreement for jail services with Southern Health Partners and the price increase.
•After a public hearing with no comments against, approved the replat of King Oaks, Section 3, Lots 447, 448 in Pct. 1.
•Tabled until Oct. 20, selecting a name for the new public road to the Grimes County Justice and Business Center.
•Tabled the Brazos ridge plat on SH 30 in Pct. 2.
•Approved the plat of the Independent Acres subdivision on CR 413 in Pct. 3.
•Ratified a Special Road Use & Indemnification for Axios Entergy Services to plug an existing well on CR 168 in Pct. 1.
•Received the Road & Bridge report.
•Approved a Resolution to receive the Grant for Indigent Defense Program and authorize the county judge as signatory.
•Approved the contract with GrantWorks for the American Rescue Plan Act Administration Services and authorize the county judge as signatory.
Burn Ban: The burn ban was lifted..