During its regular meeting Tuesday, the Polk County Commissioners Court approved a request from the Livingston Volunteer Fire Department to convey certain county-owned real property as follows: the portion of Block 1 underlying Fire Station No. 1 to the City of Livingston and approximately 17.896 acres of the fireman’s training field property (the portion of the 21.25-acre tract located north of the U.S. 190 right-of-way) to the Livingston Volunteer Fire Department.
Precinct 3 Commissioner Milt Purvis presided over the meeting in the absence of County Judge Sydney Murphy.
“Alan Cook with the Livingston Volunteer Fire Department has submitted a request for the Court to consider the conveyance of certain county-owned property. With continued population growth within the city and county, along with increased call volume, the city may eventually transition from a volunteer fire department to a paid department. In anticipation of future operational needs and potential facility expansion, the fire department is making these requests,” Purvis said, asking Cook if he had anything to add.
“It stands on its merit, but in the long term, if we do transition from volunteer to paid, any expansion that may have to occur on those two facilities would be easier with only one entity involved. It would be easier than trying to have the fire department and/or city along with the county trying to get whatever may happen on that. It’s a process to streamline and we’ve been pretty much maintaining those grounds for the last 49 years. Nothing’s going to change. Nothing about any of it at all. The only reason is to try and set things in place if later on it gets to that point,” Cook said.
A compensation resolution for Polk County personnel who worked during the county-declared Winter Storm Fern disaster period was approved. HR determined that approximately 40 employees worked throughout the disaster period.
The Court approved an order authorizing the sale of fireworks during the Texas Independence Day period of Feb. 25 through midnight March 2.
Two resolutions were discussed and approved – one supporting legislation to exempt Texas counties from the state hotel occupancy tax and the other supporting legislation to improve county road infrastructure and safety.
At the request of IT Director Casey Lowrie, the Court approved participation in a no-cost information security pilot program offered through the Texas Association of Counties.
In personnel matters, the Court approved personnel action form requests submitted by department heads since the last meeting.
Fiscal year 2026 budget revisions and amendments, as presented by the county auditor’s office, were approved.
In old business, the Court approved an offer to purchase tax foreclosed property, specifically, 4.34 acres of Tract 39 of Abstract 68 of the R.W. Russel Survey (Cause #T12-135) in Precinct 3.
Commenting that the district attorney’s office handles a lot more than criminal cases, District Attorney Shelly Sitton presented an informational report to the Court primarily focused on criminal cases, case clearance rates, policies that have been changed and the need to hold a workshop with the Court to discuss issues and seek input.
Items on the consent agenda included:
Sonny Hathway from Central Baptist Church opened the meeting with prayer.
