Substation approved for City of Shepherd
San Jacinto News- Times - December 2009

COLDSPRING – A substation for the sheriff’s department was approved by San Jacinto County Commissioners’ Court Friday. The inter-local agreement between the county and the City of Shepherd, which was approved by Shepherd City Council members last Monday night, authorizes the San Jacinto County Sheriff’s Department to rent a FEMA trailer, purchased by the city, for use as a substation. According to the terms of the contract, the sheriff’s department will pay the city $1 a year for the property. The city will provide water and sewer service and the sheriff’s department will pay for electricity and internet connection, as well as pay for any major renovations to the trailer. The trailer is located behind Shepherd City Hall on city property. Friday, Dec. 18, the inter-local agreement was carried before San Jacinto County Commissioners’ Court where it was approved but not by all. “I’m not against the sheriff’s department. I just want to know how much it is going to cost county taxpayers to set up a county offi ce on city property when there is already plenty of county property for a substation for the sheriff,” San Jacinto County Pct. 1 Commissioner Laddie McAnally said following the meeting. McAnally wasn’t sure why the sheriff couldn’t have an offi ce in the Pct. 2 Annex, but said the county owns land in the City of Shepherd where one of two trailers the county purchased from FEMA could be set up. “That way the county wouldn’t be putting money out on something that doesn’t belong to the county,” McAnally said. “No one could say how much it is going to cost to set the offi ce up, how much it will cost for insurance or where the money is coming from. We’re going about it the wrong way and not thinking it through before voting,” McAnally said. “No one has any answers.” The substation will be manned as needed, according to San Jacinto County Judge Fritz Faulkner. “It’s not guaranteed to be full-time,” Faulkner said. “It will provide an offi ce where interviews, statements and reports can be written.” Before the offi ce is operable, electricity must be installed, according to Faulkner who added the offi ce should be open after the fi rst of the year. In other business, commissioners adopted the Internal Revenue Service’s 2010 Standard Mileage Rates of .50-cents per mile. The mileage rate is to become effective Jan. 1. Commissioners approved eight inter-governmental agreements with local water utility companies. The inter-governmental agreement gives the county authority to receive and distribute Hurricane Ike federal grant money for the use of installing generators. Generators will be installed in 150 Water Supply Corporation, Camilla Water Supply Corporation, Dodge-Oakhurst Water Supply, Mercy Water Supply Corporation, Point Blank and Stephens creek Water Supply Corporation, Riverside Water Supply Corporation, Waterwood Municipal Utility District and San Jacinto County Water Supply.