COLDSPRING — When Emergency Services District 2 was established by election last year, a 6,000-acre portion of the county was inadvertently left without protection.
ESD Treasurer Michael Smith said that the Texas Constitution states that if the area is not included within the boundaries of an ESD, emergency operations, such as fire departments and ambulance services, cannot respond to the area because the residents are not contributing to the funding of the ESD.
County Judge Fritz Faulkner said the Waterwood subdivision chose not to participate in the original ESD when it was created in the 1980s; when the residents of the subdivision created a second ESD last year, a portion of the population chose not to be part of it.
However, Faulkner disputed the interpretation of the statute Smith had cited.
While the first ESD works with the residents on becoming part of their service area, it petitioned the county to hire the ESD to provide services to the unserved area at a cost of $392 per month for 3 months.
Commissioner Mark Nettuno said that regardless of the law, the area would have been covered.
“No one will be left out,” he said.
In other business, the county:
- acknowledged the continuing education transcript for the Tax Assessor/Collector;
- approved granting office changes for the Constables and record-keeping, and allowing Rae Phillips to move into the former Environmental Officer’s space;
- approved awarding Charline Smith of the San Jacinto Senior Citizens Center with the Community Builder Award from Mount Moriah Masonic Lodge;
- approved continuing the contract for ACA reporting and tracking services;
- approved a slate of members for the Investment Committee, as well as the investment policy;
- approved transferring funds in the Sheriff’s Posse account to the Sheriff’s seized funds account;
- approved the use of office space in a county building for the Texas Department of Emergency Management;
- approved accepting 2/10 of a mile of road as county road;
- approved use of the emergency shelter for an emergency preparedness expo on April 26;
- approved a donation of $8,000 from Point Lookout West Inc. for asphalt work on Park Drive;
- approved the interlocal agreement with San Jacinto County ESD that includes 6,000 additional acres;
- approved an agreement with the ESD for buildings, maintenance and support;
- approved the preliminary plat for the Whitetail Ranch subdivision;
- approved county property as salvage;
- approved after-hours access to the Elections Administration building by the District Clerk;
- approved a resolution opposing elimination of the county-wide polling place program;
- approved computer equipment as surplus;
- approved an interlocal agreement with Jasper County; and
- approved the purchase of a surveillance trailer for $83,235.
