Thank you. Good morning ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to your Jefferson County Commission's court meeting for Tuesday, May 6, 2025. It's 10.30 AM. We'll call this meeting to order. And as always, we'll begin our meeting with an indication today led by Commissioner Willeth. Followed by the pledge of allegiance led by Commissioner Erickson, if you feel that derives. We're going to come to you today, hopefully before you and we derives. and throughout this country for French watchover, our service members, that they're strolling about internationally and domestically. For French watchover, all this, you can say, what do you say for French watchover? Please join me in the play. Our play, I believe, is the flag of the United States of America into the Republic for which it stands one nation under God, individual, with whatever being in may approach the lecture. and I've got an signing up sheet from Mr. David Smith, Mr. Susan LeBlanc, Mr. Deane Oliver, and Olivia, excuse me. And I would note that for purposes of if anyone is here on item B under County Commissioner's Court which relates to appointments to the Jefferson County Drainage District number six board that Mr. Runtie has withdrawn his name from consideration for the position so that will not be decided today for that particular position on drainage district sick will just be voting on the other four members who are appointees. So if there's anyone who wishes to make public comment you may approach the lectern. And if you'd state your name please ma'am. Good morning, gentlemen. I'm Susan Leblanc. Yes, I was here for the Dr. Nj District 6. So that means we don't really need to comment. Does that mean that... No, you can comment if you wish to, but it won't be decided today. Okay, okay. I'm curious about is Chuck Kiker still going to be removed since Mr. Runtie took his name off? That's not something that can be committed on today. It'll be voted on in another meeting and we can't give advisory opinions because it's going to take three members of the court in order to make a decision about who it is. Just by way of background, there is nothing in the law that created at the state level the drainage district that requires appointees to be from specific precincts. For instance, if there were three members of the court that decided that they want every single member to breathe from precinct wine, those three members could control those appointments to that board. And so obviously what would happen is there would be a tendency, a suspect or at least a potential, maybe not a tendency, but a potential for all of the spending of the tax dollars to be spent in free-saint-warn for flood control project. This court, for years before I got here in 2007, had a custom with respect to different board to they appoint the membership of for instance the navigation district, the emergency services district, things like that. It has had a custom of us allowing each individual member of the court to make their own decision to make sure that every area of the county is represented and the decisions are made by that board. And so that is a custom. It is not the law. It's a custom in practice. So as I said, is it's going to take three members of the court to decide who is going to be the appointee, but Mr. Kikers term will expire by operation of the law. Oh so that's that's the reason why he's being removed because it how many what is their term of serving? I can't remember if it's two or three two two they're reapp Okay. That was my question. Well, you know, a lot of things came up on Facebook and we all know everything on Facebook is true, right? So I thought I would come and make sure I understand what's going on. And so, but he could be reappointed. Is that the case? He could be. And I've explained to other people before, I had two appointments to this board. Right. Precinct two had no appointments. A six or eight, nine months ago, Commissioner Erickson approached me. It said, you know, half of my precinct is in drainage district seven. Half of my precinct is paying taxes and precinct in D.D. 6 right but we have no representation on the board and I had to agree with them it just makes sense so as a result I gave him one of my two appointments and you know I think that I would have to have the right to have someone from that precinct on that board but that's my opinion. Okay but because Chuck Kikker does not live in precinct two is that the issue is that part of the issue? I don't know. I mean, obviously, since he doesn't live in two, if he's reappointed, precinct two would have no representation on the board. Right, but his livelihood is in precinct two. And so, who knows drainage better than a farmer, especially a rice farmer, because they have to fix their land where that water drains or they won't have rice or whatever they're farming. So I think he's been a good representation for Presec 2. So I know the community's kind of up in air about it and everybody was coming. Look who showed up. David left. But, you know, I just want y'all to know our concerns and how do we know is there any way that we could have any input into who's appointed or anything like that? Well, I think that y'all have all, I know the Commissioner Erickson's got phone calls. I've gotten emails and phone calls. And so you know that's the way your input works. But you know I also expect the Commissioner Erickson is going to want to be loyal to his precinct. Right. Making sure that his precinct is represented on the board. Oh we really want that, you know. So thank you so much. But I do want to say to Mr. Senegal, I've called your office before. I just want to say publicly thank you for what you do for your constituents. We can see it's in your heart and you really do work for them good. Thank you for your time gentlemen. Thank you. Okay, ma'am. Mr. Smith? Yes sir. Go right ahead. My name is David Smith. I live in Fennette. I have concerns about Dr. Dessertic 6. They're kind of a loose cannon. They kind of do what they want to do regardless of what people is good for the people. Whenever you're trying to fix drainage, you don't start at the top and think everything's going to work out and go on down. They went clean the North Park, the Taylors Bile out and dropped it all the water on but made no way for it to get out. They made Fennette and Hampshire a retention pot. We flood now more than any other time in history. We need a board that can control the drainage district and I don't see that representation up there that is looking out good for the people of Jefferson County. They know how to spend money, but all their projects do not work out the way they're intended. Like I say, we've got where they're flooding us out. And I just like someone on the board that knows a little bit about drainage. And not just going to take what the manager says and say, OK, that's the way it's going to work. It hasn't worked that way. It's got a solid trouble. And it can't be undone. So as you make these appointments, I don't care what their title is or what they know, but I need them to know something about drainage to help us get better. Because you brought the water down to Fennett and Habsford, but until I open up the bottom in and get the water out, they're just moving the flood from one place to the other. And right now, where the one's being flooded in his cost and the steered, thank you for your time. Thank you. Dean O'Livier? I'm up. Oh, okay. I thought it was the end. I'm sorry, Mr. Olivier. Yes, sir. I'm a lifelong resident of Fnett. And I want to thank you for allowing me a time to speak this morning. I want to avoid my concern in this pleasure on the change being made today to the James District Six Board of Directors. A current sitting board member, Chuck Kiker, who has a lifetime of knowledge about how water flows and drains in Jefferson County is being replaced by this commissioners court. I fully understand that as an elected official you have the ability and the authority to make political appointments to the D.D. Six Board of Directors. However in this instance, I ask that you look past making a political appointment and do what is in the best interest of the citizens of Jefferson County, especially those citizens in the rural parts of the county that have suffered from more than one flood. Thank you. Thank you. Is there anyone else who wishes to comment on on any other other items on the agenda? Or anyone who wishes to come in on this item? Yes, sir My reason for being here this morning is and is to support Chuck Kiker. Okay, thanks, sir. Any further comment? All right, it's time for public. I'm going to go to the phone. Just to see if there's anyone appearing by telephone this morning. Otherwise, if you so, you'll need to press R6 to unmute your line. OK. Hearing none, we'll close this time of public comment. And we will go a little bit out of order today. And we'll go to item A under County Commission. It's considered possibly approved proclamation for national travel and tourism week. Do I have a motion on that item? Some moves to move about Commissioner Alfred, seconded by Commissioner Senegal and any discussion. All in favor say aye. Any opposed? Yeah, I have it. And we'll have our traveling tourism committee up here. And this proclamation reads, whereas travelers in the economic powerhouse for every state and destination across the country with an economic output of $2.9 trillion supporting 15 million American jobs and whereas travel spending supports vibrant and safe communities in Jefferson County and across the United States by generating $9.2 billion in state and local tax revenue in 2024 to support essential services such as education and emergency response, public safety and more. And where I travel enables success for all industries, including manufacturing, agriculture, defense, healthcare and more by driving sales growth, innovation, education and operations. The power, our economy, our nation and Jefferson county taxes. Whereas, Travel and Jefferson County provides economic benefits for the county, employing 5,400 individuals and generating 18.9 million dollars in local tax receipts and $674 million in total direct spending. We're at America's travel industry cannot be globally competitive without maximizing growth and leisure, business and international bound, end bound travelers, increasing travel too and within the United States, travel to our economy to a more prosperous future and connect America. And we're at travelers in the central industry and we must continue to communicate that growing travel leads to economic growth, benefits, businesses, and fostering mutual understanding, and its well-connectionation, therefore be it resolved by the Commissioner's Court that we proclaim made forth through 10th at National Travel and Tourism Week in Jefferson County and urge the citizen to enter into the County County joy in us in recognizing the impacts that the industry has in our community. Sign this day by the members of the Commission's Court in Cathy. We are so glad you're here. I always like to take a minute and remind everyone that when you have a traveler come into your area, they are bringing in the money they make and wherever they work outside of our county, whether it's England or whether it's Hardwood County or Florida. And so what does that do? That just helps our taxes. So the more we get from outside, the better we are with our taxes. So I always like to remind people of that because they'll say, well why do we want people to come in? Well, you know, we want to tell people about it, but the bottom line is what do you connoisse in our taxes? So I'm really excited to have Jesse Davis and Victoria Schultz and our industrious JCTC leader, Tammy Kutser, and she's also the director of the Port Arthur Convention and Visitor Bureau here with us today. And I just want to thank you all with the Court for always supporting tourism in Jefferson County. I could not do anything. My staff couldn't do it unless we have you behind us and we would appreciate that. Thank you so much. Ms. Cotsley. Good morning. Tammy Cuts are the Convention of Visitor Bureau Director of Report Arthur and the JCTC Chair. I wanted to also say thank you so much to the commissioners court for allowing the JCTC to assist in giving out grants to our tourism partners in Jefferson County. It's really important that we use the hotel tax for the betterment of tourism and the hotel industry. And you as our leaders, letting us assist with that process is great. And we appreciate that. The county hotel tax, you know, is continues to be strong. The city hotel tax continues to be strong. So the more tourism partners we can help, the better off we all are. And we also also wanna say thank you to Kathy and her staff. They are our county visitor center. And they are the ones that are, when people stop their faces and them sending people throughout the county is so important to us. So thank you. Thank you, Ms. Kassin. And we have some gifts for you. And we have popcorn for everyone. So make sure and get it. and I'm telling you it's best to only have. It's said, well, you get just one of things. You got to go ahead. And. know and we have popcorn for everyone so make sure and get it and I'm telling you it's best to over half. It's a way you get just one of my packages and in these packages I'm gonna take the secret away a little bit but everybody loves our county shirts that one of our local distributors made for us and so we've taken that image and made a poster out of it and it's really pretty so I think I want to say I mean, Chad that I want to say, Tammy does a great job of South Carolina and I know y'all are really well represented and I want to just make a announcement that just last week, the judge questioned Texas Paul's in wildlife about doing a parking lot for that bird, that bird watching station that we a of people don't know about. Texas is on an athletic association. I couldn't say that word. So parking lot on 87, hopefully we can get that done and paid for out of some other funds, but that's gonna be a big plus cause a lot of people don't understand. Thousands of people go watch birds. I think Judge do a dokelo dux, cause he had duckies. But that's in the process we haven't got the money. It may not happen, but it's something that he brought to the table as we can work on. Thank you. If y'all have not been to Sabine Woods, located on the way out to Sea Rim State Park, it is owned by Texas, or at the logical society, and managed by our local golden triangle, Audubon Society. And it is internationally recognized as a birding site. And because it is on the migratory flyway, and any given day, especially during migration season, there are cars on both sides of the roads which isn't exactly a safe thing but they're off the road but thank you Judge for continuing to help us with that project. And I'm going to throw this in. I worked a travel show this weekend at the mid-post birding festival and that was a topic of conversation about how awesome that place is and I was able to tell them, well, there's some good stuff coming, hopefully. So I'm just giving you a little hint. All right. And I do think that Texas Trail initiative that's being held headed up by Mr. Sean is I have seen her in Austin every trip I've made during the legislative session She's working real hard and I'm pretty sure that the federal legislation to designate that area It will bring much more travel and tourism to those marshes is going to pass, hopefully, relatively soon at the federal level. All right, moving on to items under purchasing. We have one item. I imagine considering a proof execute received and file a change order number two to IFB, projection county dog at park, midway rehabilitation with Texas materials for additional quantities directed to at-built conditions reduced geotechnical testing and ad manhole repair in the amount of $10,777.41 bringing the total amount from 1 million 517,000 42 dollars 80 cents to 1 million 527,820 21 cents. The emotional net I second and moved and seconded any discussion. It's a question. It says reduce. But I'm seeing an increase. Well, the reflection just the this is just rectifying all the quantities of some hit a little higher some, some get a little lower. So it's the actual as built quantities. And this will be the last, I mean, the thing is built. So, okay. Yeah, I think they just reduced the geotech. The geotech, okay. Yeah, they just didn't spend that whole pot of money. And so they had these other things we had. So you just made a swap off? Yeah, you just, you just do a little bit of swap off and you know, we're still well over 200,000 dollars under the budget that we had set. So again, this is just a very final, just rectifying the quantities. You know, there were, you know, one of the quantities is always a subgrade repair. You repairs. If you find soft spots, we make an estimate that may over. This is just a very into construction. You're just rectifying all the quantities. Any other comment? All in favor say aye. Any opposed? Yeah, it's having on the county auditor. auditor. I may it's considered approved budget transfer for the district clerk for cost of collections module from Tyler Technologies, the amount of the cost is to be reimbursed from Lineburner, Gargan Blair at Samson LLP in the amount of $10,000. Out of bid, it's considered approved budget transfer for road bridge pre-tank 1 for the cost of the metal building. Item C is considered approved electronic disbursement for $1,249.64 to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice for May Insurance Reimbursement. and of D is to regular county bills. Check number five, two, seven, eight, nine, zero, through five, two, eight, oh, three, three. What period is it? the . . . . . . . . 05 to 8048, which is a typographical error on the original that's being corrected from 3-3. Item efforts consider improving budget transfer for the share for replacement of 2 vehicles in the amount of $65,000 and item G is considered approved by the transfer for the crime lab for additional cost to outsource testing in the amount of $100,000. They have emotional and those items under auditing. Some moved. Second. Loved and seconded discussion. All in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Yes, have it. Under Commissioner's Court, we've already done item A. Item C, D, E, and F will be tabled until the documents are prepared more precisely. Item B is to consider and approve the reappointment for the Jefferson County Drainage District number six of Mr. Josh Allen appointed by me, Mr. Bernie Daly, who appointed back commissioner Willis, Mr. Anthony Tony Malley, the third appointed back commissioner offered, Mr. Chut Gilbert, who appointed back commissioner offered. Do I have a motion on those? Some of them moved and seconded discussion. All in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Yes, have it under road bridge precinct four. We have one item eight, a considering possible improvement order to authorize the Commissioner precinct four to modify a playstop and yield signage within the green acre subdivision within precinct four, so Texas Transportation Code chapter two, 51, do I have motion on that? So move, second. And move it in second and any discussion? No, only discussion. I'll thank the engineering department for doing this study and making sure we did. It was a request from the citizens over there because of yield signs, we're making any need some stop signs but thank you for your department for it. Thank you. Any other discussion? All in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Yeah, it's having it under a county treasure. I had a maize to receive a filing investment schedule for March 2025, including year-to-date total earnings on county funds. Do I have a motion on that? Oh, second. I've been moved and seconded in any discussion. All in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Yeah, it's having under Sheriff's Department. We have one added to consider and approve out-of-state travel for Nathan Staggs to attend the training at the National Computer for Instic Institute in Hoover, Alabama From June 2nd 2025 to June 6th 2025 there will be no cost of Jeff and County for this training As all expenses will be fully recovered by the National Computer Forensic Institute to have a motion on that So move second then moved and seconded by commissioners Alfred and any discussion All in favor say aye Hi any opposed Yeah, so have it under county agri life extension. We have one out of which is to Receiving file the certificate of completion for commissioner Brandon well as for completing the commissioners court leadership academy class number 11 and their presentation by Mr. Tyler Fitzgerald of Agra Life Extension to have much on that eye. So moved and second. Second. Okay, I'll move and second it any discussion. All in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Right. Mr. Fitzgerald? I think they just wanted proof that Commissioner Willis went and got to see the use hours there. But a quick little presentation I was asked by Dr. Peter McGill with the VGD Young Institute of County Government to present the certificate of completion. For more than 50 years of VG Young Institute of County Government has served local governments since 2005, the Institute, a part of Texas A&M, AgriLife Extension Service, has offered the Commissioner's Court Leadership Academy, known as the CCLA, to further enhance the professionalism, broadened the knowledge, and enriched the experience of county judges and commissioners in Texas. The CCLA involves four sessions over two year period, three three day sessions in Texas counties and one seven day session in Washington, D.C. Presentations, workshops, discussions, and networking opportunities during the sessions guide participants through dialects, leadership topics. Topics are carefully selected and developed in a Tom Lee and relevant to county judges and commissioners. Continuing education credits are reported to Texas County Judges and Commissioners Association following each session. This certificate of a completion to commission of Brandon Willis for 13 and a quarter hours of education and training. So great. You're going to have to bring it up to it. Thank you. You can stop private with that. No, no, we're going to stop calling for work today. You know it. I know, right? I want to say for those of you who are not familiar with that, he just read that I'm not going to stop private with that. No, no, we're going to stop probably for Rick again. You know it. I'll tell you got smart. I know, right. I want to say for those of you not familiar with that, he just read that list off. But this is an invaluable opportunity to go be with other commissioners and county judges from other places. And I've got to tell you, Jefferson County's in good shape. I mean, we got a lot of taxes coming in from industry, whereas there's a lot of counties out there that they go fight over the last dollar on the table. And they literally do that. So, just want to be a better asset to the county and for the people in the county. So I was really excited to be accepted into that program and I'm looking forward to completing it. Thank you. Okay, I am a underhuman resource is going to be tabled because we had a glitch with apparently a lightning strike that knocked out our system or there it took the MIS people time to get it up and so in order to comply with the open meeting jack we had to put off our workshops so we'll try to do that next week on the personnel policies and procedures. Under emergency management, we want to have one item. Consider possible improvement authorized county judge actually receive a filing application for grant funding by the emergency management office for local emergency planning committee grant funding for 2024, 25, and the Texas Commission on environmental quality. Do I have a motion on that? So moved. And moved in second in my commission, is Eric, and I think all they need discussion. All in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Yeah, I have it. And under engineering department, we have two items to, out of May, it's excuse for seeing file of pipeline permit number O2P2520 Jefferson County and energy transfer partners crew LLC intended for the purpose of pipeline maintenance on old sour like road located in Jefferson County, breaching number one and item B is consider approved ratify receiving file material cost expense check for construction projects OPE 2401 24 and a 1-0W 24 and road use agreement from Texas Eastern Transmission LP Enbridge project for road grant damages and the Egyptian County precinct forward. Do I have motion on those two at? So moved. Second. Move the commissioner off for a second. My commissioner will. It's any discussion? No. All in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Any aye. Second moves by Commissioner Alfred second by Commissioner Willis any discussion All in favor say aye Uh-huh in your vote Yeah, it's haven't and that completes our regular agenda. Is there any member of the court or any elected official that wishes to bring anything To the attention the public without our taking action Judge I would have this to bring to the court and it's very important today anyway we're going to get quite a bit of rain but the road conditions in Jefferson County we have a lot of pain before we get the real love that we will get once they complete these construction please be careful because we have major major road construction is going on as text I gave us an update at the lunching last Friday. Please be careful. Yes. Anything further? All right. There's nothing further. Thank you all for being here today. We are adjourned.