Groveton takes no action of law enforcement

GROVETON — The Groveton City Council has not yet committed to any path regarding full-time city law enforcement after deciding to end its contract with the Trinity County Sheriff’s Office in June.

City Secretary Dorrie Cotton said that at the July meeting, no decision was made; however, they will check with the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement for the status of the city’s license.

In a statement on Facebook, Sheriff Woody Wallace assured the residents of Groveton the Sheriff’s Office will continue to respond to every emergency; however, there no longer will be a deputy dedicated to the city, as the loss of funding means the loss of two deputies. That will increase response time to calls.

He also said that his office will not provide animal control or ordinance enforcement as it had in the past.

This will not affect security at Groveton ISD, he said, as there is a separate agreement that has off-duty deputies providing security, and the district is a Guardian District.

“I want the public to know this decision was made with very little notice to the SO and without having a transition plan, and as a result, the responsibility for emergency law enforcement services shifted back to the SO without any additional funding or manpower,” he said.

Wallace said the explanation discussed publicly is that the city people pay county taxes and should therefore receive service; however, he pointed out that people inside the city limits pay city taxes which are intended to provide city services.

To help clarify the city’s position, Council Member Autumn Persons released a statement to address the City of Groveton’s decision to end the agreement.

She said that each month, the city was paying $12,969.17 for the Sheriff’s Office to provide additional patrol services. However, the residents of Groveton already pay county taxes, just like every other resident of Trinity County, which contribute toward funding the Sheriff’s Office. In addition, Groveton residents also pay city taxes. We are already contributing our share toward those services.

Other communities, including the City of Apple Springs, the Communities of Centerville, Glendale, Friday, Woodlake, Nigton, and the surrounding lake communities such as Lake L, Lakewood, Westwood, Hawg Heaven, and others, are not required to pay an additional $12,000-plus per month for the Sheriff’s Office to respond within their areas.

“If a Groveton resident calls the Sheriff’s Office, they are required to respond just as they would for any other Trinity County resident,” she said. “This is a legal obligation and is already funded through the taxes paid by residents throughout the county and city.”

Other points made in the statement include:

• The Texas Municipal League, which provides guidance regarding municipal operations and city statutes, advised that the interlocal agreement did not allow the Sheriff’s Department to enforce city ordinances, affecting any additional income to the city.
• Persons, as well as Mayor Hayden Lee, did not vote for disbanding the police department; that was done by a prior council.
• When reviewing reports from the previous year, items that were not the responsibility of the city were removed, including inmate transports and calls that occurred outside the Groveton city limits. That showed the average call volume was two to three calls per day, including animal-related calls. Lee did attempt to negotiate a reduced cost for services; however, that option was not accepted. The agreement was presented as an all-or-nothing arrangement.
• There are infrastructure needs, such as roads, water and sewer, within the city that must remain a priority for the residents of Groveton.

“As a council, we carefully considered the financial realities and what could realistically be accomplished under the agreement,” she said in the statement. “We have a deep respect for law enforcement and for the important work performed by the Trinity County Sheriff’s Office. Their role is necessary and valued. However, as a city, we cannot afford to pay for the same services twice.”

In other business discussed in the July meeting, the council:

• discussed replacing street signs; waiting on a quote from TDCJ;
• discussed sending information to atty to begin collecting on damages;
• approved replacing flooring in library;
• approved a camera survey of current well at a maximum cost of $15,000;
• discussed a lease agreement with Groveton Hardware for use of the road; and
• discussed creating a maintenance log for city-owned property.