County budget approved with one dissenting vote

Though it was not unanimous, the Polk County Commissioners Court approved the proposed fiscal year 2027 budget during its Aug. 25 meeting with Precinct 2 Commissioner Mark DuBose casting the dissenting vote.

Precinct 2 Commissioner Jerry Cassity said he wanted everyone to get a raise. DuBose said he wanted to give the sheriff’s office more money.

“Who do you want to cut?” County Judge Sydney Murphy asked.

“I don’t see that we have to cut anyone. We have a healthy general fund,” DuBose said.

“You cannot use the general fund for salaries because that’s a recurring cost,” Murphy said.

“If you pull it from the general fund, you will not have a balanced budget and the county’s required to have a balanced budget,” Kari Miller, assistant to the county judge, said.

The Court approved ratifying the 2027 contribution rate for the Texas County & District Retirement System included in the fiscal year 2027 budget.

A building access license agreement with FiberLight LLC for the installation, operation and maintenance of fiber optic cable and associated equipment at the Polk County Courthouse in Livingston was approved, in addition to authorization for the county judge to execute the agreement.

The Court approved an amendment for the General Land Office Community Development Block Grant Regional Mitigation Contract Services between Polk County and David J. Waxman Inc. related to GLO Contract No. 24-065-044-E536.

A proposal from Lake Livingston Overhead Door LLC in the amount of $9,334 for the repair of a gate at Polk County Precinct 1 Road & Bridge, to be paid from the maintenance capital outlay-repair/replace buildings line item (budgeted funds), was approved.

The county investment policy, as presented by the county treasurer, was reviewed and approved.

The Court approved annual bids for road materials, the bulk purchase of limestone road base, material hauling, and oil, grease, gasoline and diesel and voted to rebid tires.

In personnel matters, the Court approved a request from the Texas Department of Public Safety for a temporary second office manager position for a two-month training period beginning Oct. 1 and a request from the human resource director for the payment of vacation time accrued by Kathleen Winter.

Fiscal year 2026 budget revisions and amendments, as presented by the county auditor’s office, were approved.

Annual informational reports were presented by Social Services Director Tammy Plattenburg and Veteran Services Officer Melissa Gates.

A proclamation recognizing his service was presented to Alexander Sanchez, the facility administrator of the IAH Adult Detention Facility. After six years in this role, Sanchez has received a promotion and will be transferring to a facility in the Rio Grande Valley.

Items on the consent agenda included:

• Approval of the minutes of the Aug. 11 and Aug. 21 meetings;
• Approval of the schedules of bills;
• Approval of an order designating surplus property;
• Receiving and recording personnel action forms submitted by elected officials since the last meeting;
• Receiving the county auditor’s monthly report, pursuant to Local Government Code Sec. 114.025;
• Receiving the county treasurer’s July 2026 monthly report;
• Adopting a resolution expressing intent to reimburse certain fiscal year 2027 expenditures (capital purchases) to be incurred by Polk County, Texas (reimbursement resolution);
• Approval of an order designating regular terms of commissioners court for fiscal year 2027;
• Approval of an order setting terms of the constitutional county court for fiscal year 2027;
• Approval of sheriff’s and constables’ fees effective Jan. 1, 2027, and direct notification to state comptroller, pursuant to Tex. Loc. Gov’t Code 118.131;
• Approval of an order accepting Easy Street and 12th Street in Paradise Acres Section 3, Precinct 2, as county roads and add to master street address guide;
• Approval of an update to the master street address guide;
• Receiving and recording the agreement between the Polk County criminal district attorney and Texas Board of Criminal Justice – Office of the Inspector General for the disposition of forfeited contraband pursuant to Chapter 59 of the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure;
• Approval of memorandums of understanding with the office of emergency management for local disaster preparedness (sheltering) with Goodrich ISD, Big Sandy ISD, Corrigan-Camden ISD, Livingston ISD, Leggett ISD and Onalaska ISD;
• Approval of a memorandum of agreement with Burke Center for the mental health deputy program;
• Accepting the Fund for Veterans’ Assistance grant from the Texas Veterans Commission in the amount of $235,000 for the 2026-2027 grant year;
• Accepting Funds for Housing for Texas Heroes grant from the Texas Veterans Commission in the amount of $100,000 for the 2026-2027 grant year; and
• Approval of an information technology request to purchase replacement laptops from technology rotation line item (budgeted funds) in the amount of $9,897.16.

Sonny Hathaway of Central Baptist Church opened the meeting with prayer.