Jail expansion and courthouse annex coming


This past week in the outskirts of the Black Creek Metroplex, we accumulated 4.1 inches of rain and brought our yearly total up to 7.3 inches. Last year at this time, we had only gotten 4.4 inches total for the year. We doin alright but, could use a steady dose going into the Summer months. Didn’t get any hail cause I put my vehicles under cover. Had I left them out, we’d a been tore up. You’re welcome.
The District Judge and the County Court at Law Judge and the Treasurer came up with a new method of paying Jurors. In the past, Jurors were paid by check and the paperwork involved with writing checks and accounting for the returned checks became an accounting nightmare. Now, Jurors will be paid cash upon the completion of their service. This will be done through the Treasurer’s Office and should eliminate the paperwork problems.
Another problem that was addressed was credit card accountability. Instead of having only a couple of credit cards available to the various departments within the County, each Department Head and Elected Official will have their own card issued to their office and will be responsible for its use. Saves us from driving to Hondo and signing out the card whenever we need to replenish supplies in our building and taking it back to Hondo. The Auditor and Treasurer agreed that this will be a better method of credit card use.
The purchase of a water truck was approved for Precinct 4 and we should have it in our inventory of equipment in the next couple of weeks. We have set May the 14th as a start date for re-paving CR 5710.
We also had a Workshop after Commissioners Court and the Jail Expansion and Courthouse Annex were discussed. Discussed were the various options and methods of paying for the new construction (the need has already been determined). There are several steps to take prior to digging dirt and one of them involves public meetings and information explaining these methods.
In a nutshell and in laymans terms, we are going to be able to build these additions without a tax increase. Retiring current debt prior to incurring more debt, the increase in our tax base, the infusion of some money from our Reserves and our history of being fiscally conservative will allow us to accomplish this. We all agree that Public Meetings are a must so when these are scheduled I hope there will be a lotta folks at these meetings.
Been a tough week. Judge Schuchart lost his mother and our previous County Judge, Jim Barden, lost his wife. My condolences to each of these men. Mamas are tough to lose and when that stabilizing, load bearing support we refer to as our wife is no longer by our side, I would assume that life becomes more of a challenge. Our prayer is that the Lord will strengthen and comfort the families of these men.
Hope everyone enjoyed the family gatherings while celebrating Resurrection Sunday. Aint figured out yet how bunnies and eggs come into play but, it’s a tradition and the sad part is that this has become the focus of the Easter Holiday.
Been a difficult year for the die hard Spurs fans. Just aint used to being on the edge of the playoff envelope with each game moving them up or down a couple notches in the playoff picture but, Sandy and the Barreras and the Outlaws are holding fast. I think they will make it through the first round. I also think Pop is a great coach but, he oughta shut up and coach. I also think that our President should shut up and run the country. Willie….only 126 days.