Wood County Commissioners Court
Dump truck bids rejected; Violence/women grant sought

 

Meeting Friday, February 8 in regular session, Wood County Commissioners accepted the recommendation to reject all bids for a new dump truck and approved a request by the district attorney’s office to seek a federal grant for violence against women for the next fiscal year.

Commissioner Gaskill asked commissioners to reject all bids for a new dump truck for his precinct-2 road and bridge crew. In his analysis of the nine bids opened at the January 25 meeting of the court, five did not meet the specifications and the remaining four bids, ranging in price from $59,625 to $57,010 were deemed to be too high. The low bid was submitted by Peters Chevrolet of Longview. Gaskill indicated he planned to seek acquisition of a used dump truck.
 

Responding to significant increases in criminal cases involving domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking commissioners approved the submission of a grant application for federal funds for the “Wood County Domestic Services Project,” a program to aid victims of violence against women. If approved the grant would help fund protection and services for victims of such crimes in the 2008-2009 fiscal year.
 

In another matter, Criminal District Attorney Jim Wheeler sought and received approval from the court for acceptance of a Fund 421 grant award of $50,000 from the Office of the Governor to continue funding for local cases involving sexual abuse, family violence and cases involving child victims. Commissioners also approved a resolution to submit application for a continuation of funds for the next fiscal year.
 

At the request of the Hawkins City Council, the court appointed Neal Duncan, Hawkins to the board of directors of the Wood County Industrial Commission.
 

In other action, the Commissioners approved:
- Payment of claims in the amount of $323,618.81.
- Payroll in the amount of $254,591.07.
- Employee/dependent health claims of $34,591.07.
- Tax sale of property (one lot) in precinct-1 with Yantis ISD receiving $1,189.32 and the county $439.88.
- Interlocal agreement with City of Mineola for R&B services and materials from precinct-2.
- Sponsoring Sharon Water Supply Corporation for 2009-2010 TCDP application.
- Appointment of Vickie Walker as Labor Standards Officer for TCDP Contract.
In personnel matters, the court approved:
- Adam Ray Dowell, step increase, Laborer II, precinct-1 R&B, from $12.42/hour to $14.15/hour.
- Donna Denise Estes, new hire, part-time, elections clerk, Elections Administrator, $8.50/hour.
- Jenetta Marie McNeal, reduction in force, secretary, community supervision and corrections department, $27,330/year.
- Rusty Lynn Owens, removal from payroll, deputy sheriff, WCSO, $16.31/hour.
- Randy V. Selman, new hire, emergency management coordinator and safety officer, County Judge’s Office $36,156/year.
 

The next regular meeting of the Wood County Commissioners Court will be Friday, February, 22, 2008 at 10 a.m. A special meeting of the court can be called with 72-hour public notice.