Good morning everyone and welcome you to Jefferson County Commissioner's Court meeting for January 14th 2025. It is 10.31 a.m. We'll call this meeting the Commissioner's Court to order. As always, we'll begin with an indication in the Pledge of Allegiance today led by Commissioner Senegal and offered. And if you feel that, please rise. Please, by your hand, having Father, I'll just offer this prayer for the people that are suffering. So tragically for the fires of California and all the tragedies across the world, as that you give your underlying grace and will that they survive this. We we pray for the citizens of Jefferson County and we ask that you continue to bless this county and the leadership of this county, all elected officials and their families. We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen. Say, play a few units. Play a few units. Play a few units. Play a few units. Say, play a few units. Play a few units. Play a few units. and and the Republic for which it stands, one nation, and another God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. All right, well, begin our meeting today as always with the time of public comment. If there's anyone in the court room who wishes to make a comment on any item that's on today's agenda, you may approach the lectern. If you're attending remotely, you'll need to press start 6 to unmute your line. Hearing none, we'll close this time of public comment. Today we only have one item under purchasing, which is to consider an approved execute receiving file of renewal. For term contract, for inmate clothing, it supplies for Jefferson County for one year renewal with Agnes Applied Company, Bob Barker Company, Inc. Charm Techs and Victory Supply LLC. For the period from January 29th, 2025, January 28th, 2026. With pricing increases due to production, labor, and shipping cost increases are shown on the tax runate. Do I have motion on those? I've been moved and seconded by commissioners all for the senate all any discussion All in favor say aye Any opposed The I have it under county auditor we have several items out of May is to consider and approve budget amendment the Concentral preaching to for additional cost for a vehicle in the amount of $6,407 Adam B is considering approve the budget amendment for Beaumont maintenance for a placement of a van for the carbon and the amount of $52,358. Adam C is considering a approval subversive agreement with Texas A&M Forest Service in the amount of $9,514,945. For the Texas community, while fire defense Grant and to authorize the county judge to accept the award and approve all related grant documents. And if they consider to approve the subrecipiting agreement with Texas A&M Forest Service in the amount $124,310 for the Texas Community wildfire defense grant and authorize county judge to accept the award and improve all related grant documents. Out of me is to consider improve elimination of one account clerk position grade 40 with budget of $49,608 with the tax office and improve increasing the budgeted amount for financial manager grade 71 by $122 $122 to be budgeted at $99,306 to consider an approving increasing budgeted amount for four senior account clerk positions grade 41 to 56,792 in order to provide equity with all like positions total increase for these four positions will be $11,508 and to consider an approved reclassing and account Technician grade 53. To a senior accounting Technician grade 56 for an increase of $3,734 to be budgeted $73,000 to approve reclassing an account Clark's decision grade 40. With a budget of $49,608 to a senior secretary grade 45 position for an increase of $5,392 to be budgeted at $55,000 and that in fact, these changes will have an estimated annual savings of $53,000 including changes. fringes. Adam F. F. F. F. you receive and file a renewal of Title IV, each child welfare and legal services contract for the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services with the renewal date of October 1st, 2024 through September 30th, 2025. Adam G. is a consider and approved electronic disbursement for $179,978.94 to the state controller for the annual governmental transfer of Rejoction County local provider participation fund for the fiscal year 2025 graduate medical education program advance. At a M H it's considered approved electronic disbursement for $410,301.73 to LaSalle for revenue received from entities for inmate housing. And itemized regular county bills check numbers, 524-579 through 524-782, do have emotional most items under auditing Moves by Commissioner senator. Go on second second by Commissioner Eric shun I don't have one question and that's on the reclass Is that normal I would normal process? I know we we do to changes, but the reclass that's the first time That That's my question is it's going to fight us in any other department. No, I looked at that and this are positions that are that we're doing. They're very there's no other ones and that similar are like the senior secretary this the position the amount that she was requesting to be budgeted is within the same amount and similar positions in other departments. So I don't foresee the couple of her positions are very, they were the only other one would have been in my office. We don't own the accounting technician. So I think, and then the financial manager, her financial manager is still, even with this, is still budgeted less than my financial manager's in my office. And you all have approved reclases in the past as long as there are significant savings. Not reclases. Okay, then. Okay, then. Okay. Alright. Okay, so that man for the The corporation off $50,000 of that net of trade-in. Not so much trade-in something in. The old ones. Yes, that was on that quote. That's how much trading something in. The old one. Yes, that was on that quote. That was on at one time on the ARPA, but because of the delay as we got to the end, we went ahead and pulled it off to make some of the other changes. And so, that's why we never did get it purchased because that we couldn't get it in time. Where we are in those vans through who are we ordering it to It's the same group that's been with the Trumps, the dumb Trumps. Okay, it stills before. All right. Under regular county bills, I know you're checking there. Couple of several checks made to Spital and Spital. Who is that? They're. They're our guests and D so. All right. Any other discussion? All in favor say aye. Any opposed? Yeah, it's having under county commissioners. And it may consider in fact, we approve the re-employment of Robert lotapointing by Commissioner Senegal and Daniel Hidalgo, appointed by Commissioner Erickson, his commissioners, Rejection County Emergency Services District number five, percent of the detections seven, 75, 0303-04-A of the Texas Health and Safety Cov, and a bid to receive and file the oath of office and officer statement for Sheriff Zena Stevens. Item C is considered possibly proven authorized county judge to execute demolition waiver for the city of Beaumont for an unsafe structure at 2925 M.A.R.L. and Beaumont, Texas, which will need to discuss that item with the county attorney. Item D is considered possibly proven authorized an author of Sheriff's Stevens to execute an agreed order with TCEQ regarding enforcement action in the Jefferson County Correctional Facility of the Undercase number 2024-094 PSTE. Item E is to receive and file agreed order with TCEQ signed by Sheriff's Stevens on January 7, 2025. And that same calls number as in item D, item F is to authorize the kind of just to execute a notice of intent to submit all documents necessary for permitting under the stormwater management plan. And item G is considering possibly approving allowing the one I'm be able to construct two concrete pads on the midway at Dogget Park for so it's planned submitted and for so into terms the existing contract for the least whichever county. Do I have motion on those out? Some of them. I'm a second. And seconded by Commissioner Sparrowson and Senator Gal Discussion. before we go anywhere we want on G We want the engineer to Basically update us and make sure that it follows all protocol In y'all's packet there is there were some some documents The he submitted a written request To to put in two concrete pads so we've got two little areas that are kind of like utility islands out there and they're flush with the current asphalt. And they kind of accumulate stuff. And anyway, they were wanting to get these up off of the ground a little bit. So that's all this is. taking those those little utility pads there's electrical box and a plumbing box and so according to this his you know what he's proposing he will have an electrician that will raise the electrical boxes he'll have a plumber that will raise the plumbing boxes these are like eight eight by 14 concrete pads. You can see on the pictures that he submitted kind of what they've already, you know, kind of what they've installed. They started installing when we stopped and said you've got to make formal request. And so that's what they're doing. They're making the formal request. And just as a note, they had already the last picture in your packet is a picture of the pads that they built back in 2008, I believe. 2008, they built a bunch of these pads in the food area. So, that's all they want to do is they just want to do two more of these things. And so we've looked at what they're proposing. We're okay with it. I think Commissioner Alfred is absolutely correct. I think what we need to do is what I would propose is we get Greg and one of his guys out there when they're installing these things when they're raising up the electrical and when they're raising up the plumbing that we have our people out there looking at it and making sure it's with code. But other than that, I'm okay with these. I'm okay with these with putting things in. Yeah, I think the problem we had back in 2008 was that when there was a heavy rain, the water was getting down into the electrical conduit and there were no serves. It was sharding out and stuff. So you're right. Well, and I think we're having the same problem. These things kind of get a little underwater plus all the dirt from the ag barns blow onto these things. And then the boxes get full of dirt and everything. So we just like to bring them up six or eight inches. So anyone? Thank you. And Miss Kennedy under Adam C, when I was reviewing the document before court, it had a indemnity agreement in there to the City of Beaumont, which we can't legally sign. So, do we need to just scratch that out or do we need to remove this from the agenda and Do another agreement put it back on for next week Okay, well if we can scratch it out and do it that'll be fine All right any other discussion All in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed? The aye is having under risk management. We have two items. Item A is to approve receiving file of the public executed public official of the bond for Kate Carroll, Texas, the collector, Brandon, and well as commission to precinct one and every core mayor, Const precinct 6. Adam B is considered and possibly a proof of the Confucian bond renewal for the following elected and appointed officials. Javon Smith-Pollard, Brian Werner, Fran Lee, Zina Stevens, Michael Senegal, oh no. Christopher Bay, Jean Winston, Deb Clark, and Robert Bobby Adams. Do you have a motion on those items? I'm not a real man. I've been moved and seconded. All in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed? The aye has a haven. And under tax office, I have to make it consider improving the Ronius or overpayment property tax refund to combine hospitality LLC in the amount of $9,200 in accordance with property tax code section 31.1.1 You have motion on that? Second. And moved and seconded in any discussion? All in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Yes. Have it under engineering department. We have two items. How to make it is to consider and possibly approve minor replat of highway 124 Rodriguez edition of 5.114 acre of land and track 1 and 2. Out of the L Hampshire Survey, abstract number 667 Jefferson County Texas located off highway 124 and precinct number 3, which have met all of Jefferson County's planning requirements. And I'm biased, actually receiving file of utility permit between Jefferson County and AT&T communications for the purpose constructing, maintaining, or repairing the utility or common carrier line for distribution of buried fiber optic cable at Diamond D.S. State located precinct number one. Do I have much on those eyes? Some move. Been moved and seconded any discussion. All in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Yeah, I have it. And that completes our regular agenda. Is there anything any member of the in an elected official official? Which is bringing the attention to the public without our taking action? I would make sure that we pass this on to the public and all of our county departments and employees. Be sure to get prepared for some cold weather. We are getting the word a real cold weather coming in so especially those department heads and different ones at our Outline buildings to make sure that we do our weatherization and be prepared because it's supposed to be cold Then it was and if I remember correctly, they're not expecting any rain with it. It's so far So you people don't know how to drive. When you just say, I think that's right. The judge, you don't mean women, right? You're talking about, yeah. Judge, I just wanted to commend Commissioner Alfred. He spoke yesterday at the B. Will Beaumont event where Exxon Mobile is partnering with MD Anderson Cancer Center. And they're going to be donated $10 million over the next 10 years as part of a basically an education and preventive Cancer Prevention Program. They had a pilot project in Baytown and his commissioner said they went from the little B to the big B And it's not gonna just help Beaumont, but I think it going to benefit all of Southeast Texas. We're very very happy that Indy Anderson is partnering with Exxon Mobile. We've got any number of industry people around here who contribute to the well-being of our citizens and we certainly appreciate that partnership. Yes and part of that's going to be that they're going to be putting up Sun shades for skin cancer in various areas and public places around in and around Boma and They are going to be doing Health education programs smoking and tobacco cessation programs and what else commissions like five things with. Yeah, you know, what the hell the eating is going to be a place in our four-hour food bank which spands and hit all parts of the county. So it's a real plus for the community. This is the second one, the second initiative done in the state of Texas. The first was as you see it in the little B and not in the big B. It would be a sweet act to make sure they know it. Carol? Yes, real quick, a public safety issue. I-10, they're going to begin tearing down Boyd Road this weekend. So I-10, really both East and Westbound will be closed. It will be a nightmare. If you're going to Houston, you will be diverted onto 124 all the way to highway 73. If you try to cross over to 365, that is a narrow entry point, getting onto I-10 and so the traffic's gonna be backed up there. We've been in meeting with TechStyle.com, Commissioner was there. So please, if you're going Westbound, and even at some point eastbound, because they have to tear boy road down traffic on either side of interstate 10 is going to be shut down and slow, slow traffic. We're gonna have extra security out there, but anytime we do that, or the highway department does that, we have our share of accidents and fatalities and stuff. And so I just want to we're going to try to get a lot of messaging out. And so please remind your family members if you can go out of town this weekend and not go out to do that. But highway nine year 124 for sure. Yeah. They're going to start construction. Is it Friday? at about 7 p.m. Friday they're going to totally start demolition on the the crossover. They're hoping to do both sides in one weekend. That's going to be dependent on a lot of things. We just talked about whether and whether. And so again if you don't have to go anywhere in that area, you know, if you have time to hang out on the interstake, that's one thing, but it is going to be bad. Yeah, if you think Highway 90, which I've been taking since I started construction, if you're going west, you can either go Highway 90 and take highway 61 over to Anowac. You can go on to 146 and take that over in the bay down or you can follow highway 90 all the way in to loop 16 and add to in in Houston. And it's not bad. The only reason you need to take 146 is if you encounter a train on the other side of the Liberty Dayton area. But still let me be quicker if you go over there and hit Luke 99 Going down highway 90 if you want to completely go around Houston And so they're gonna cross people over at Smith Road right to 124 and so if you're on our 10 you will be in in traffic coming across major drive and all that stuff trying to get you out of there. Chef, I want to thank you and your staff being there and also putting those two nuggets in about making sure that the people that's working at traffic control are working at it. Because it can get to be very, very, very hankover there. Really, we have a lot of individuals who live, residents that live over there. And we are closing some of those neighborhoods on Old Gilbert where people cut across. Those families complain about it. And so they're going to have barricades and stuff. So you will not be able to go flying through people's neighborhoods. Exactly. So again, if you can avoid that area, please do so. Thank you. OK. So if I may, since the commissioners brought it up, Mr. Gully was supposed to help me get a resolution together to present today to formally recognize sexons, okay gracious offer with the B. Well, but I'll probably have that on the agenda next week if he can get with me. Great. Any other elected officials that have anything? All right. Well, we thank each and every one of you for being here today. And Yelstay saved this week. And I'd probably die as for the ding-in. I had my phone on silence, but I installed a new security system at home, and I can't silence it for some reason. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Bye.