The Polk County Commissioners Court approved action relating to expenditures from maintenance capital outlay buildings (budgeted funds) for three different projects during its regular meeting Tuesday.
The Court approved a $26,429 bid from McWilliams and Son to replace the gas heat package unit at the Polk County Jail, approved a payment of $74,900 to McWilliam and Son for replacing the boilers at the jail for hot water and heating and approved a bid from DP Floor Care & Interior to replace the flooring in the Buddy J. Purvis Building in Corrigan.
A bid for the demolition and restoration of properties in the Hurricane Harvey buyout program was approved, as was notice to proceed.
The Court ratified acceptance of State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Award No. 5031001 from the Office of the Governor. This is an $80,000 grant that IT Director Casey Lowrie applied for and was awarded.
A bid packet for the replacement of three air conditioning units at the Polk County Jail was approved for advertising.
Additionally, the Court approved rejecting all bids received for the replacement of a generator at the Dunbar Complex.
In personnel matters, the Court approved personnel action form requests submitted by department heads since the last meeting; approved a sheriff’s request to pay out the remaining balance of accrued holiday hours earned by telecommunications staff as of Jan. 1; and approved a request to reclassify one full-time maintenance position to two part-time positions.
Fiscal year 2025 budget revisions and amendments, as presented by the county auditor’s office, were approved.
In old business, the Court approved the minutes of the Nov. 12 regular meeting.
Items on the consent agenda included:
- Approval of the minutes of the Dec. 10 regular meeting;
- 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 county auditor’s monthly report, pursuant to Local Government Code Sec. 114.025;
- Receiving county treasurer’s monthly reports for September, October and November 2024;
- Receiving county treasurer’s 4th quarter fiscal year 2024 report;
- Approval of bonds for elected officials with terms that began Jan. 1;
- Receiving and recording annual certification report for the equitable sharing agreement between the Polk County sheriff and the Department of Justice;
- Approval to file a claim with the state comptroller, pursuant to Government Code Sec. 61.0015(B) for reimbursement of a portion of the juror fees paid by Polk County during the period from Oct. 1, 2024 through Dec. 31, 2024;
- Approval of the district clerk’s request to add Camp Cho-Yeh to the juror donation program;
- Increasing the petty cash fund for the county clerk’s office by $200 to accommodate two new clerk positions;
- Approval of an amended agreement for engineering services with Goodwin Lasiter Inc. to implement Phases 1 and 2 of the Polk County Dallardsville Segno WSC Generator Project funded by hazard mitigation grant program disaster recovery 4485-0126;
- Approval of an amended agreement for grant administration services with Langford Community Management Services to implement Scope 2 of the Polk County Dallardsville Segno WSC Generator Project, funded by hazard mitigation grant program disaster recovery 4485-0126;
- Ratifying fiscal year 2025 contract extension 23-1000824-3 between Polk County Aging Department and Deep East Texas Council of Governments for Older American Act Program (congregate and home delivered meals);
- Approval of contract renewal with Appriss Inc. to provide a statewide automated victim notification service;
- Approval of an interlocal agreement renewing services with Harris County for postmortem examinations; Ratify retainer agreement with Allison Bass & Magee LLP regarding civil action No. 24-0778 in the judicial district court of Polk County;
- Approval of an engagement letter with Axley & Rode for fiscal year 2024 jail commissary audit; and
- Approval of an amended list provided by Sheriff Byron Lyons relating to use of county inmate labor for civic purposes, pursuant to Article 43.10 of the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure.
Mr. and Mrs. White, residents of Precinct 4, addressed the Court during the public comments portion of the meeting about their road, commenting that it is the worst it has ever been.
Reid Hawthorn of Central Baptist Church opened the meeting with prayer.
