County discusses hit to finances

GROVETON – While discussing the Trinity County financial picture, the Commissioners Court discussed a seemingly huge drop in funds from a National Forest grant at the April 22 meeting.

Commissioner Tommy Park said according to figures he received, the county budgeted $29,000 for this fiscal year from the grant, but was informed that the county would receive only $7,100, half of which would go to the schools.

“We need to look at this,” Park said. “If this is the new normal, we need to rethink our budget.”

County Judge Danny Martin said it looks like the cuts at the federal level have impacted all of East Texas.

In other business, the county:

• proclaimed April as Fair Housing Month;
• approved a bond renewal for District Attorney Bennie Schiro;
• approved disaster-related claims;
• approved budget amendments; and
• approved paying the fees to remove trees on a piece of property in Westwood Shores.