The Hardin County Commissioners Court took action on mostly housekeeping items and approving bids, along with recognition of several county employees at their Sept. 27 meeting.
The court approved County Treasurer Deborah McWilliams’ request to open an interest-bearing account at PNC Bank for the Tax Assessor's Office to be titled “HC Tax Office Fees.”
The court approved authorization to Purchasing Agent Misty Sims’ to solicit bids for motor fuel, oil and lubricants for all Road and Bridge Departments and emergency generators; and for bids for 1 by 3 inch crushed concrete and 3 by 5 inch crushed concrete for all Road and Bridge Departments.
Commissioners approved a recommendation from the evaluation committee for Pubic Management and Traylor and Associates as the first and second selections as grant manager/administrator for the Community Development Block Grant-Mitigation (CDBG-MIT) funding. Also, they approved the recommendation for Whitley Oliver Engineering LLC and Schaumburg & Polk Inc. as the first and second selections for engineering services for the CDBG-MIT.
They approved to amend a real property lease agreement between Hardin County and the City of Sour Lake for office space located at 615 State Highway 105 West in Sour Lake for the Pct. 3 County Commissioner Office and Pct. 4 Justice of the Peace Court.
Also approved was an agreement for the Statewide Automated Victim Notification Service (SAVNS) Contract with Appriss Insights LLC for the continued configuration, operation, maintenance, and support of the Victim Information and Notification Everyday (VINE) system.
Commissioners approved a resolution certifying the county has made Grant to Nutrition and Services for Seniors, an organization that provides home-delivered meals to homebound persons in the County who are elderly and/or have a disability; and certifying the county has approved the organization’s accounting system.
Teresa Meyers, a supervision officer for the Hardin County Juvenile Probation Department, retired after 18 years of service.
Years of Service certificates, including some from 2020 and 2021, were presented to employees.
Recognized for 5 years of service in 2020 were Brandy Hart, Pct. 5 Justice of the Peace; District Clerk Dana Hogg; Marie Cooper, Juvenile Probation Department; and Scott Rodrigues, Tax Assessor-Collectors Office.
For 2021, ReJena Bolton, Health Services Department; Ashley Baldwin, Tax Assessor-Collectors Office; and Candice Cline, Maintenance Department were recognized for 5 years of service.
Pct. 2 Commissioner Chris Kirkendall and 356th Judicial District Court Judge Steve Thomas were recognized for 10 years; Sabrina Mangum, Hardin County Sheriff’s Office, for 15 years and Debbie Yancy, Tax Assessor-Collectors Office, for 35 years.
For 2022, recognized for 5 years of services were Ramsey Droddy and Virgil Weaver, HCSO; for 10 years were Rhonda Asher, Bonnie Cooper and Rebecca Watts, Tax Assessor-Collectors Office; for 15 years was Donna Glenn, Adult Probation Office; for 20 years was Dale Williford, District Attorney’s Office; and for 25 years was Pct. 1 Commissioner L.W. Cooper Jr.
In other action, the court approved:
• Reappointed McWilliams as the county’s investment officer according to the Hardin County Investment Policy.
• Outside detention contract with Johnson County.
• Application for Indigent Defense Formula Grant for Fiscal Year 2023.
• Two replats were requested by Floodplain Administrator Alex Parker.
• Resolution declaring October 2022 as Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
• Pay Mustang Caterpillar $13,133.00 for work/repairs on Caterpillar Motor Grader for the Road and Bridge No. 4.
• Sims’ request to purchase DeptBook Software related to Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB 87) requirements for $9,750 per year utilizing the National Cooperative Purchasing Alliance Contract.
• Application for the Walmart Community Grant to be utilized for the annual Courthouse Christmas Tree Lighting Event on Dec. 6.