Jail issues to go before voters in 2025

By Tony Farkas
[email protected]

GROVETON — It will cost county taxpayers $100,000 to begin the process for a jail bond election, which will be held sometime in 2025.

At the Aug. 13 Trinity County Commissioners Court meeting, County Judge Danny Martin said during budget discussions the county needs to budget the funds to hire consultants.

Martin said that the plan is to issue $16 million in construction bonds, and he has found a company that will buy those at 3.5 percent for 20 years. He also said that if that passes, then the county will then put forth another bond measure for operation costs.

Should the bonds be approved by the voters, the county plans a 60-bed jail to house men and women prisoners, with the hope of renting out empty beds to surrounding counties, Martin said. It would take 2 ½ to 3 years to build.

Commissioner Neal Smith said he had concerns about placement, as the city of Groveton did not have the water or sewer capacity to add such a facility.

All the gathered information was to be presented to the county’s jail committee for its review.

In other business, the county:

• discussed additional funds requested by the county’s fire departments for more funding to be included in the budget for the next fiscal year;

• appointed Mark Jones as acting Precinct 3 Constable to replace Carl Casey, who retired for health reasons. Jones was to assume the title in January, having defeated Casey in the March primary;

• approved personnel actions forms;

• approved budget amendments;

• declared office equipment and vehicles as surplus;

• hired GLS for engineering services to update the county’s subdivision regulations;

• tabled approval of a maintenance agreement for the county HVAC systems as costs were deemed too high;

• tabled bid awards for road materials purchase and delivery to seek additional bids;

• approved the purchase of 22 portable radios for the Sheriff’s Office at a cost of $92,000, to be paid by capital outlay funds and SB 22 grant funds;

• approved just over $23,000 in disaster-related expenditures;

• approved adding a cancellation fee to the list of Sheriff’s Office and Constable fees for service;

• approved county road and bridge fees for FY 2025; and

• approved a $450 fee for removal of trees in the Westwood Shores subdivision.