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Trinity County to seek grant assistance

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Trinity County Commissioners (from left) Tommy Park, Neal Smith, County Judge Doug Page, Mike Loftin and Steven Truss stand with Charlene Martin, a specialist with the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services on June 22 as the county proclaimed June as Elder Abuse Prevention Month.  (Photo by Tony Farkas/TCNS)Trinity County Commissioners (from left) Tommy Park, Neal Smith, County Judge Doug Page, Mike Loftin and Steven Truss stand with Charlene Martin, a specialist with the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services on June 22 as the county proclaimed June as Elder Abuse Prevention Month. (Photo by Tony Farkas/TCNS)

By Tony Farkas
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GROVETON — In the wake of the reception of unanticipated funds, Trinity County will now seek to hire its own grant administrator to help manage all of its grants, as well as seek new funds for county projects.

The County Commissioner’s Court approved the measure at its June 22 regular meeting.

The position will answer to County Treasurer Bob Dockens, who said that if everything works as it is supposed to, there could be some good-sized checks coming to the county.

The county decided to hire it own, instead of using grant writing services, in order to save funds. Dockens said that in the course of their researching a grant-writing position, they found that  using such services are more expensive — at 10 percent of the grant amount — than a paid position.

The position will pay between $30,000 to $32,000 annually, according to Dockens.

The county also voted to rescind its requests for seeking grant services.

The discussion was spurred by the county’s receipt of around $619,000 in funds it was unaware of, and the court discussed how to spend them. The county approved giving each road district $100,000, as well as for a proposed shortfall in the Sheriff’s Office budget and to pay for a cabling project.

In a separate matter, the county received during its public forum the resignation of Precinct 1 Constable Jeremy Alexander.

Alexander said he is accepting a position in the private sector, citing the low pay he is receiving as constable.

In other business, the county:

  • approved an official bond for Precinct 3 Constable Carl Casey;
  • approved staying with the county’s current health benefits plan through the Texas Association of Counties;
  • proclaimed June as Elder Abuse Prevention Month;
  • appointed County Treasurer Bob Dockens as the county’s representative on the board of Deep East Texas Council of Governments;
  • approved a cabling and security wall installation project to improve internet speed and security at the Sheriff’s Office; and
  • approved an annual report to the Trinity County Grand Jury regarding roads maintained by the county in each precinct, even though Commissioner Neal Smith pointed out that the report contained inconsistencies and errors. He said the county needed to get an accurate account and measurements of roads the county maintains.

Photo by Tony Farkas/TCNS

Trinity County Commissioners (from left) Tommy Park, Neal Smith, County Judge Doug Page, Mike Loftin and Steven Truss stand with Charlene Martin, a specialist with the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services on June 22 as the county proclaimed June as Elder Abuse Prevention Month. 

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