Wood County Commissioners Court
Court names E.T. Shadbolt interim Constable, Precinct 3
By JOHN SPARKS

 

Meeting in regular session Friday, April 18, the Wood County Commissioners Court appointed Edward Shadbolt to serve as interim Constable, Precinct-3 and approved the purchase of a used pickup with a dump bed for use by the Precinct-4 Road & Bridge crew.

Commissioner Jerry Gaskill, Precinct-2 was not in attendance at the meeting.
 

Edward T. Shadbolt, who was recently elected to the post of Constable, Precinct-2, was appointed by commissioners to serve out the remainder of the term (through the end of 2008) of former Precinct-3 Constable David Betts. That post is vacant and will be filled in a contested election in the November general election. Shadbolt will not begin his official duties as Constable in precinct-2 until January 1, 2009 and is thus available to serve in the interim precinct-3 post.
 

Commissioners approved a motion by Jerry Galloway, Commissioner Precinct-4 to buy a used pickup with dump bed which will be used by his road crew. Commissioners approved the purchase at a cost of $25,300. The court also approved a resolution which would authorize each commissioner to dispose of or purchase equipment at the Vaughan Auction in Canton on Thursday, April 24.
 

At the recommendation of Roy Don Shipp, Commissioner, Precinct 1, the court authorized the advertising for bids for a used self-propelled soil stabilization mixer. Previous bids were deemed too high by Shipp. The new bids will be opened May 28 and the award date will be May 30.
 

The Public Facilities Department and the Information Technology Department were formally placed under the supervision and direction of the Wood County Judge’s office. The two departments had been under the direction of individual commissioners.
 

The court also agreed to accept a bid for tax foreclosed property. The single lot which sold for $1,601.00, was described as lot 7, block 1 Malone Subdivision in Quitman. Quitman ISD received $186 while the county received $500.26.
 

In other action, commissioners approved:
- payroll of $242,276.84.
- employee/dependent health claims of $42,885.12.
- claims of $275,873.07.
- a proclamation designating April as “Fair Housing Month.”
- a revision to the appointment of the labor standards officer for a Ramey Water Supply grant project.
- payment of overtime from the WC Sheriff’s forfeiture fund for hours related to narcotics investigation.
- reserve deputy time report for first quarter (January-194 hours, February-187 hours, March-262 hours)
-appointment of Sally Hopkins, Mineola, to the Wood County Child Protection Board.
- FY 2009 VINE contract with APPRISS (crime victim notification system funded by state).
- the tabling of two items for future consideration (VINE maintenance contract and the renewal options for oil sand and/or road oil alternate awardees).
There were no personnel actions taken at the meeting.
 

The next regular meeting of the Wood County Commissioners Court will be Friday, May 2 at 10 a.m. A special meeting of the court can be called with 72-hours public notice.