Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to your Jefferson County Commissioner's Court meeting for Tuesday, January 28th, 2025. It's 10.30 a.m. We'll call this meeting of the Jefferson County Commissioner's Court to order. And as always, we'll begin with an invocation today led by Commissioner Willis, father by the pledge of allegiance led by Commissioner Erickson if you feel led to rise. We've been here a little bit. If you go over and come to this morning, hopefully we're so thankful that you're a great submersion renewed every morning. Please be with us as we make the best decision we possibly can for the citizens of Jefferson County. Please do go to County employees and their family. And please watch over all of our service spending when they're across the world at the message. We've prepared for your guidance and we just want to be ready. Amen. Please join me in the play. I'm a player of the ages to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. All right, well, again, our meeting is always with a time of public comment. If there's anyone in the audience who wishes to make public comment about any item that's on today's agenda, you may approach a lectern. If you're appearing remotely, you'll need to press star six time mutual hat. Hey man. I just encourage into the court. We just had a little winter storm. And I'm a first responder and this volunteer area in China area. It's very important that we can traverse the roads and stuff. And I want to commend our new commission of Brandon Willis for clearing the roads for us. And all the citizens, we don't have as good a road as people in the city of Beaumont. But Brandon did a good job. He made the rose passable for us, and every other citizen out there who don't have city services. So, Brian, then thank you for what you did for the citizens in pretty safe way. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Nern. Hey, no other comment? We'll move on to items under the agenda and we're going to begin with Adam E. Under County Auditor, considering approval of the resolution recognizing Harry Shopee for his 21 years and nine months of service to Jeff and County Auditor's office and wishing him well in his retirement and I heard him G. Under County commissioners to considering approval of the Revolution, recognizing Mr. Danny G. Walker for his years of service. Do you have anything, Kenny? Sheriff. I'm wishing him well in his retirement and I heard him G under County Commissioners to consider and approve a revolution recognizing Mr. Danny G Walker for his year to start his Jefferson County Sheriff's office. And wishing him well in his retirement to have emotional most two items. So moved. Exactly. Been moved and seconded any discussion. All in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Yes. Have it unanimously. And see who I've got first. Mr. Shopee, would you like to come up to the lectern? I'm going to read this resolution. Whereas Harry Shopee has devoted 21 years and nine months of his life serving the citizen of Jefferson County with pride and professionalism and has made an outstanding contribution to the Jefferson County Auditor's office. During his career with Jefferson County he served admirably in the capacity of a financial analyst and has had an instrumental role working with the Texas Indigent Defense Commission throughout the years. where it's much shopping through hard work and commitment to excellence, it's earned the respect of his colleagues in the citizen of Jefferson County, and it's made a significant contribution to the Jefferson County share of auditors. And he has recognized for his unselfish devotions coming good in the welfare of the citizens of Jefferson County and will be missed by his friends and co-workers. Now Now therefore be resolved by the members of the court that we do here by honor and command Mr. Shopee for his dedicated service as a valuable employee of the Jefferson County Auditor's Office and wishing him well in his retirement. Thank you. Good to meet you. Good to meet you. Good to meet you. Good to meet you. Good to meet you. Good to meet you. Good to meet you. Good to meet you. Good to meet you. Good to meet you. Good to meet you. Good to meet you. Good to meet you. Good to meet you. Good to meet you. Good to meet you. Good to meet you. Good to meet you. Good to meet you. Good to meet you. Good to meet you. Good to meet you. Good to meet you. Good to meet you. Good to meet you. Good to meet you. Good to meet you. Good to meet you. a special kind of person and when he came to work for us was when the Texas Indigent Defense Commission started that initial tracking and he took it on upon himself and just really became the expert and that's he's taken anything else that we give him and we're going to he's going to be greatly missed. Yeah. And well Fred, I want to I want to trump I want to trump your comments by telling him, I met Harry when I was 14 years old. I'm six and seven, and he was my boss at Mark Baskin and Josephson Shopping Center. Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, I'm gonna truck that and say that I'm that Harry, when his mama taught me school and say, Paul, look you're so there. I can't compete with the Lord. But, Harry, you know, you never know where you're gonna go in life. And when I got elected to this seat and I met you, man, I know we were in good hands. And you treated me like a young man that, you know, you had solved something to me, I guess, you know. And you're still the same person. You know, you come in and pull off. You always make sure you find me. I love you. And I appreciate you. You want to resign where I am today. But when you impact people at 14, they carry on to the rest of their life. Thank you. Thank you. I'm very humbled that you said that. We appreciate that. I'm just so humbled and blessed. It's bittersweet for me because I know a lot of people, talk to a lot of people, and Jefferson County is like my family. And that's how I feel about everybody. Everybody has always treated me with respect. I've tried to do the same. If somebody needed a hand, I wanted to try to help whoever it was. If I could, if not, I might have made a suggestion or gave an opinion, but hopefully everything worked out. We have a wonderful lot of auditors offices, you well know. I've been there a long time and worked with a lot of people and for hand in eye we graduated together at the mall. So we've known each other a long time. She said, but I feel, I feel so blessed. And I just want to thank the commissioners and the county for honoring me with this resolution. And I appreciate all the help that y'all have provided over the years and also the prior commissioners and county judges as well. And I just, I can't say enough to thank y'all for the wonderful opportunity. Patrick and Fran they hired me and I just it's hard to get through without maybe shedding a tear here but I just thank everybody and I feel really blessed and thank you for being my being part of being my family. That's it Well, I probably all right. My first year, Sandra Weed Bell, and my brother, Walter. All right. So, we've known him Walter. Well, I first met Harry. I probably shouldn't say anything. I was 13. Went to the bowling alley in Port Arthur to go bowling. And Harry was over there playing pinball. I was in both. I mean, tell you. He's their tellin' me. Harry, we have a flag that's rolled over this. That's very, very good. We're at that room with men going watch. And we pray you have a very year for that. Thank you. Just thank you for being here. Thank you, Jeff Scaly, not all employees. Thank you all. Thank was just a little bit of a good guy. I was just a little bit of a good guy. I was just a little bit of a good guy. I was just a little bit of a good guy. So I got into the bench. That's it. And... Captain Walker. Yeah. You'd like to come up. This Red Delusion, three-dress Danny Walker, has devoted 31 years and six months of his life serving the people of Jefferson County with pride and professionalism. And the dedicated is talents and pledged services as a correctional officer, patrol deputy, gang task force officer, internal affairs investigator, promoted into the rank of sergeant and captain captain overseeing the identification division, training division, patrol division, and marine division. He's also served as a member of the SWAT team and as a helicopter pilot. And through hard work and commitment to excellent, he's earned the respect and admiration of his colleagues and the citizens of Jefferson County and has made a significant contribution to the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office in being recognized for his unselfish defotions to the citizens of Jefferson County and to the county. We therefore as a Commissioner's Court resolved to honor you and commend you for your dedicated services, having been a long time valuable employee to Jefferson County. We wish you all the very best in your retirement. So I'll turn it over to Sheriff. So this is a real hard one. Den and I as careers we were baby police officers together. We started our careers neither of us had spouses or kids and now I see the kids and grandkids so when he called and told me he was retiring I'm like what? You're you're kidding. For me Danny you know most of you know how the stuff you just read, Judge. The important police work that he did. Hurricane Harvey. We had a lot of bad stuff going on. We couldn't get people out of nursing homes and we couldn't get to nursing homes to save people. Somehow Danny got black hawks. I don't know where he sees them, but they flew in with nurses, about 15 orians to port off the area, grows area to take care of people in a nursing home where they had water. I can stand up here and tell you story after story after story about the heroics throughout his career. The thing that stands out in my mind about Danny or the things that he did as a person, that to me that spills out the character of a person, he raised three daughters all by himself. I watched that for 35 years, how he got him ready for life. He didn't call in sick, he didn't miss work, but he made sure that he produced beautiful, successful women. And you can tell that. And so to me, the way a man nurtures his family, his kids, the way they take care of that, that one thing I think that God gives us, our legacy, the most important legacy, the way you take care of that, tells me everything I need to know about you as an individual. I'm going to miss him. He's not just an employee. He's my friend. With all the stuff that sheriffs go through, sheriffing, I'm using it as a verb. He would call me and say, hey, how is my friend doing? Not how the sheriffs doing. How's my friend doing. That's invaluable. And so for police officers, we take a lot of hits. And so when you find someone who is kind and just good to the core, it's tough to lose those people. And so when I tell you, yeah, we're going to miss the police stuff. We're going to miss, you know, the black hawks and how he secures that waterway. You'll see a lot of people in this room, the Coast Guard and a lot of people across our county are here to celebrate Danny because of all the work. I'm celebrating him because I want him to go and enjoy whatever time God gives him left to enjoy his grandkids. I can tell you stories about him showing, I could have grew up together. So I can tell you him showing up with his daughters and prom dress is getting on buses and we search in everybody before they drive off in a party bus. Remember that? To make sure there was no alcohol or weapons or anything. And I'm sure the girls remember some of those stories. And so for me, it's a bitter, sweet occasion. I'm not just going to miss him, but the county is losing a valuable employee. And so I just want to say thank you for the friendship. Thank you for the service of Gerson County and just thank you for the love. Thank you. Thank you. A couple of things that I want to mention. I want to say how do my mom and dad are watching from Jasper, my daughters, they couldn't be here. And I appreciate the efforts that this place has provided our family for so many years, not just me, but since 1955. And it has been a quite a ride. You know, as I walk up to this building, I remember the days when I was just these kids age, these three, four years old walking up here with my grandfather and remembering this place. So these halls have been a part of my life, all my life, and a part of my family's life. And it's a it's a real different feeling when you walk away from something that you have always known as your norm. So it's going to be a little different for our family to not walk these halls or a part of our family to not walk these halls as an employee. But it has served us well and we appreciate being able to serve the community the way that we've been able to. I want to recognize people that were here my wife and Michelle and my daughter Carol over there with a baby, my son and law Dylan and the Coast Guard back there on the back row guys that I get to work with every day. Some of the chief Chris Robin over at Groves. I see him now as a chief. He was one of my cadets in the academy. I mean, that's man, that just, man, that makes me so proud, you know, to see those kind of accomplishments of the guys that I've gotten to work with. So for that, if I miss anybody, I apologize, but I appreciate the efforts that this place has given us for so many years. Thank you, Judge. Thank you. I promise to my fake Rolex, dude. It's coming. Troy Tucker. Troy Tucker. Alright. I certainly want to give everyone the opportunity to stay if you want to listen to the rest of the agenda. If you want to exit now, you may do so. Oh, here. It's a big head. It's a big head. It's a big head. I'm going to move on to item done to purchasing. Item A is considered to approve specifications for an IFB for term contract for end-makes. Choose for Jefferson County, out in B to discuss and possibly approve the purchasing agent to enter into contract and negotiations for request for statement of qualifications for engineering services for the Texas Department of Agriculture, Texas Community Development Block Grant. Grant funding, pursuant to chapter 262, the Texas Local Government co-the County Parts in the, and two Code of Federal Regulations, section 200.318.3227. NMD is considering a privy execute receiving file of renewal for a term contract for motor fuel for Jefferson County for a fourth and final one year renewal with Sputtle Law from March 8th, 2025 to March 7th, 2026, percentage chapter 262, the Texas local government code. The County purchasing act and two code to federal regulation section 200.318, through 326. And to me, it's considered an approved execute receiving file of renewal for HVAC, maintenance repair and emergency service for Jefferson County facilities. For a second and final one year renewal with industrial commercial and mechanical from March 5th, 2025 to March 4th, 2026, percent to chapter two, the Texas local government code. The County Partition Action 200 code of Federal Regulation 6 and 200.318 through 326. I'm kind of a message considering a pretty vex to receive and file of contract extension for limestone, Morocco, asphalt for definitely county with Vulcan contract from materials, L.F.D. for an additional 120 days to expire on June 26th of 2025. Item G is considering a approved execute received file in agreement with CEPS for the Portnages Tower, UPS, maintenance and the amount of $1,981.46. Item H is considered a Preventsky received file of professional services agreement with QED, airport and aviation consultants for an independent fee estimate for airfield lighting system engineering design and bidding services for Jackbrook's regional airport in the amount of $7,800, which is 90% funded by the FAA Airport Improvement Program Grant. In the next grant application and budgeted funds, Persona 1-2-2-6-2, Texas Local Government Code of County Purchasing Act 2, Code of Federal Regulation Section 200.318-326. This is an accordance with the discretionary exemption as authorized by local government code Section 262.024A4 for personal or professional services. Item I is considered to improve, execute a chapter 262. The taxed water development board contract. Number 20,00012634. Persona to chapter 262. The taxed water development board contract. Number 20,00012634 two, six, three, four. First I want to chapter two, 62, the Texas Law and Government Code, the qualified bitter determinations for elevation work and voluntary elevation agreements with Jane B. Nvenue and Exello homes at 9900 Windsor Road Greg Gayler and Fayette Bell Gayler at 10263 Windsor Road an amount not to exceed 256,838 $8.. Craig Gillery and Fay Bell Gillery and Excelo Holmes in amount not to exceed $237,188 in one cent. Patrick and Lauren Raffcliff for property located at 10, 112 Windsoror Road, the Mount Not to Exceed 209, $852.60, Pet and Lauren Raffcliff and Excelo Homes, and then the Mount Not to Exceed 219, $399.51. William Taver and Rebecca Taver for property located at 14876 Boone, Dox Road, and a mountain I'd to exceed 233,000, $10 and 16 cents. And William Tabern, Rebecca Tabern, Excel, and Holmes, and a mountain I'd to exceed 213,3,360,16, all of those who pursuant to contractor qualification for residential home elevations for HMA, T-Tex water development board and building resilient infrastructure and communities disaster funding recipient pursuant to chapter 262 technical local government code the County Parks and Act and two code of federal regulations sections 200.318-326 and item Q is to consider and approve execute receive file disposition of salvage properties authorized by local government code section 263.1523 broken or obsolete items. Do I have a motion on the items under I'm not sure if it's a person who is in the position to be in the position to be in the position to be in the position to be Any opposed? Yes, have it. Under county auditor, we have several items. I'd may as you receive and file a subrecipient agreement with Texas A&M Forest Service in the amount of $9,514,914,914,914,945,945, for the Texas Community Wildfire Defense Grant. Item B is receiving file of subrecipient agreement with Texas A and M4 servers and the amount of $124,310 for the Texas community while FIER defense grant. Item C is regular county bills. Check numbers 524-783-525-056. Item D is to approve a budget amendment for MIS for contract the contract for the Sypher Security Resources, and the amount of $59,207. We are recovered out of me. Out of the assets, we're concerned to approve electronic disbursement for $1,841,093.54 to the state comptroller for the first half of the Intergovernmental Transfer for Indigent Healthcare. And out of G is regular county bills check numbers 525-059 through 525-167. So item C was for the period last week. Item G is for the period today. Do I have a motion on the item's under audit? that emotional, let me ask for any question. Yes, sir. On item F. Do we need to be moving on that right now? Yes, we do. It's time for the, we're about to do that GTS, and to the email yesterday that we're emailing all claims. They'll be up to date, and I'm asking this to keep me up get that right. I'm not going to be able to get that right. I'm not going to be able to get that right. I'm not going to be able to get that right. I'm not going to be able to get that right. I'm not going to be able to get that right. I'm not going to be able to get that right. I'm not going to be able to get that right. I'm not going to be able to get that right. motion. It's moved and Seconded my commissioners all for it and Senegal any discussion All in favor say aye Aye any opposed. Yeah, I have it Under county commissioners we have several items that may consider possibly proven authorized county judge execute the annual certification of long government property for the United States under C Museum for the MK 16 torpedo and display it veteran memorial park. And a B is considered possibly approved or receive and file a resolution for the application for grant number 511602 to the state homeland security program for Jefferson County election security. And a C is considered possibly approved and authorized county executive D without warranty from Jefferson County. To the Port of Port of Author Port author navigation district of Jefferson County for a portion of two lots to accommodate the construction of a new fire station pursuant to local government code section 262.204 and 205. Item D is considered impossible to approve a resolution to extend the disaster declaration signed on 115 25 pursuant to government code section 418.108. Out of me is considering possibly a approval resolution to approve the grant application number 186902Z row to the Office of the Governor of Criminal Justice Division by the Jackson County Family Intervention Recovery Service for Funding, fiscal year 2025, 2026. Out of math consider and possibly approve a resolution for the crime victims clearing house. Grantment grant number 2103214 for the Jefferson County Crime Victims Assistance Center. We cover that of G. Item age is to consider and possibly approve the appointment of Matthew Cook at the Egyptian County having the finance committee to serve in the place of Commissioner Brandon Willis which is a citizen's an appointment of Judge Brandon but it's actually an appointment of Commissioner Willis or maybe or Mr. Goodson here. That's right there. Is that my... or maybe or am I Mr. Goodson here? That's my point, but that is the point. We will make a community issues. Okay, very good. All right. Do I have motion of those items under for a second? I've been moved in seconded by Commissioner Jerrickson and Willis, any discussion? No discussion, but Fran, did we get a check from one of those, remember we were a question of check from several cities and we got the check in. On the diversion center, the, yes, we have got a check. Yeah, I'm with this. We got check yeah they're no longer in the main I'm worried about one did I get a motion to say yes all in favor say aye any opposed yeah I have it under Sheriff's Department, I, the mayor is considered positively approved a resolution authorized candidate to execute a grant application with the office of the governor. To the 2025-26 project, safe neighborhood's grant with no matching funds required. And the bid is considered remending the fiscal year 2025-26 LATPA contract number 5358401 and the SHSPR contract number 5409701 Homeland Security grants to correct a clerical mistake by adding the grant numbers for both resolutions previously approved by the court. So moved by Commissioner Hall for the second and by Commissioner Senegal. They need to sketch all in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Yes, have it. In under engineering department we have one item. Next, we receive and file another vehicle permit number one, dash OW dash 25 and road use agreement between Jefferson County and Exxon, mobile low carbon solutions, on-chill or storage L.O.C. for the purpose of transporting equipment along Green Pine and Goliath Road and Laughon Road, located in pre-tanks 1 and 4. Do that motion on that? So moved. So moved by Commissioner Alfred II about Commissioner Willis. Any discussion? No, no discussion. I just want to let it be known to the public This is a normal occurrence whenever there's a pipeline worker anybody else working and go through engineering And that's to protect the counties interest in the roads that they go down where they would pay for them I'm making sure everything is clarified and we want to thank the engineering department because you guys stay on top of that okay thank you All right all in favor say aye any up up yes have it under management information systems we have two items Adam a it's considering possibly a proof changing the dough name domain name for Jefferson County, Jefferson County TX.gov. We're all Jefferson County email and web addresses effective 128, 20, 25. And item B, it's considering possible approved execute, receive and file a resolution to approve and advocate state and local government, cyber security grant number 535901 from the Office of the Governor Criminal Justice Division for Fiscal Year 2026 for the Management Information Systems Department. Do I have motion on those two out of it? So I'm going to move it. I've been moved and seconded by Commissioner Erickson and Senegal. I need discussion. Yes, George. Uh, whatever changes in domain is that case sensitive. I'll see you guys top of the letter. Just open everyone's. All right. OK. And that's going to change all of our email addresses and everything. So the public needs to be aware if they're trying to get in touch with us. But we'll send something out on that or put something on the website. Excuse me. You need to come to the mic please. Yeah, the email address that the county can still reaches the jet.exe.us that will still work for here in the mail for indefinitely but for right now you're out you're outgoing email will welcome from the new email address So and this is a requirement to get us in line with all local government entities because of a grant the grant Yes, sir in the first 12 will still be the employee's name as well dot. Yeah, first name less first name that Yep, it's only thing that will change the last part. Thank you. Any other discussion? All in favor say aye. Any opposed? Yes, have it. Under county treasurer, we have a couple items out of May as you receive final investments scheduled for December 2024, including the year-to-date total earnings on county funds out of beads that are approved. Quarterly report and wire for state pool fees in the amount of $285,257 and 11 cents to have a motion on the other side. So moved and seconded by Commissioner Derrick and willest any discussion. All in favor say aye. Any opposed? Yeah, having undercrime lab, we're only gonna cover item A because item B was approved by the commission or court during budget hearings. Item A is considered in principle approved a revolution for the crime lab to apply for the 2026 Paul Coverdale forensic science improvement grant which if a water would provide funds for necessary travel and training for forensic personnel in the crime lab and for purchase of drug reference materials and consumable supplies used in seas, drug analysis and required no matching funds by the county. Do I have emotional in that out? So moved. So moved. Moved in second about commissioners, all for it in Senegal. Any discussion? All in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Yes, have it. And lastly we have risk management. Item A is to consider and possibly approve commercial property insurance with Lexington lead carry effective February 1st 2025 for annual premium not to exceed $2 million, $413,388 out of B is to consider and possibly approve Borelar and machinery insurance with the heart for the Dean Boerler, effective February 1st, 2025, for an annual premium not to exceed $32,803. And I'm seeing it's considered impossible to approve government crime insurance with great American insurance company, effective February 1st, 2025, for an annual premium not to exceed $5919. And D is considered impossible to approve fiber liability insurance with crumb and forster. Effective February 1, 2025 for an annual premium not to exceed $37,660.75. Item E is considered impossible to prevent access workers compensationess, workers' compensation insurance with Midwest, employer, and education relief. Infective February 1st, 2025 for an annual premium of $217,765. An item that fits the Center of Positive Preve, approved aircraft liability insurance, Westchester Fire Insurance Company, effective February 1st, 2025 for an annual premium not to exceed $141,526. Do I have motion on those? Somebody? It's up. It's moved by Commissioner Erickson, seconded by Commissioner Senegal, any discussion? Not just a question, Judge. And I know it may have come before us before. And that is, it's like a week before the insurance expire. From now on, we get this earlier, get an opportunity that adjusted in things of that nature. Well, you know, Commissioner, we were supposed to get this last week, obviously, which this first storm. It wasn't on the agenda last week. But the other thing you always have to, what's that? It wasn't on the agenda last week. The workshop. The workshop, yes sir. And the other thing, just remember too, that the later we wait on some of these things, sometimes the better our renewal can be. So it's kind of a, you want to get as much information as you can to give to those carriers. Okay. All right. Any other discussion? All of the favourites they are. All right. Any opposed? The I have it and that completes our regular agenda. Is there any member of the court that wishes to bring anything to the attention of the public without our taking action? Judge, I just wanted to know we heard some complimentary words from Mr. Darden on Precinct 1, but I've heard a lot from several citizens in the various precincts about how we did and how we were proactive in getting ready for that storm. It's not something we don't hear blizzard warning very often in Jefferson County and I know one of my guys helped text dot actually plow Highway 69 all the way up from from Jimmy Johnson Boulevard all the way up to I-10 and back to help keep that open. So everybody did their part in the cities, did their part. I know people were working hard and the emergency services and everywhere. So I think it's it's good for all of us to come together and keep that going. And I got compliments to go all the way around all the road bridge commissioners here who lent their assistance using a rising their equipment to keep the road safe and assisting TechStyle where in that area that area and text out actually brought in from snow removal equipment from Abelene and but they still needed help from some of our road and bridge precincts and did a great job to share itself did a great job out there and the members of the public I was able to go home at night and sleep in my bed between coming up but coming up. But when I was out on the roadways coming to work or going home, people were driving sensibly. And I'm not driving. Or not driving. And I drove up North Twin City Highway at 28 miles an hour and didn't have any problems. And everybody else was driving very sensibly. As a matter of fact, the only vehicles I saw spinning out were Beaumont police cars. And so everybody did a great job and we didn't have any major issues other than I tend being closed for a while because of an accident and everybody handled the well and of course energy did a great job keeping everybody power on and responding those few. I think the first morning we had 216 outages the next morning we had about 493 but they got on real quick and got them restored very quickly and so everybody did a great job and I think the tech did a much better position, dealing with these issues than we were back in 2021. Yeah, I never thought we'd be able to use a road equipment. The road equipment, a clear snow, but true Southeast Texas fashion always got it not. Hey, we've created all this snow plow. That's right. People. still putting more into budget this year. Just in case. Everybody else is still voting over. Is there any other elected official wishes to bring anything to the attention of the public without our taking action. It's not, we thank you all so very much for being here today and we are adjourned.