County to repair animal shelter in Leggett

By Emily Banks Wooten
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The Polk County Commissioners Court discussed and approved making repairs to the animal shelter in Leggett during its regular meeting Tuesday, determining that funding for the repairs would come from the maintenance budget.

“The structure needs some pretty serious repairs. It’s about to fall in around them,” Precinct 3 Commissioner Milt Purvis said, commenting that all that’s needed is a restroom and an office for the staff and volunteers to do their paperwork.

Carl Feren addressed the Court regarding the animal shelter during the portion of the meeting designated for public comments. He said that he has been working with an organization for some time called Secondhand Pups and that the City of Livingston has a shelter. Feren suggested combining the two shelters instead of spending money to repair the one in Leggett.

Precinct 2 Commissioner Ronnie Vincent commented that occasionally space is needed for larger animals such as horses, cows or other livestock.

“The Court has said they would like to form an animal control committee again,” County Judge Sydney Murphy said.

Also discussed was the status of the Polk County Tax Office parking lot in Livingston in which the city owns 40% and the county owns 60%.

“The people in Livingston are wanting more parking and better parking. I talked to (Livingston City Manager) Billy Sol Wiggins. They want us to either deed them our part or else help pay for it,” Purvis said. Following some discussion, the Court approved deeding it to the city with the agreement that if the use changes, it would revert back to the county.

An order to establish new annual application procedures for enrolling charitable entities in the juror donation program was approved.

An agreement between Polk County and the Deep East Texas Council of Governments to participate in the regional emergency notification project was also approved.

A sheriff’s request to pay out FLSA and holiday hours accrued by the telecommunication operators in fiscal year 2022 utilizing funds remaining in the salaries line item was approved. In related activity, the Court also approved a sheriff’s request to pay out FLSA and equivalent comp hours accrued by jail staff in fiscal year 2022 utilizing funds remaining in the salaries line item.

The Court approved the annual bids for the purchase of: Precinct 1 road materials; Precinct 2 road materials; Precinct 3 road materials; Precinct 4 road materials; bulk purchase of limestone road base; tires; oil, grease, gasoline and diesel; pest control services; motor grader blades; and material hauling.

In personnel matters, the Court reviewed and approved personnel action from requests submitted since the last meeting and reviewed three authorized emergency hirings, two at the sheriff’s office and one in environmental enforcement. They also reviewed and approved the personnel management system update.

Fiscal year 2022 budget revisions and amendments, as presented by the county auditor’s office, were approved.

Items on the consent agenda included:

•Approval of the minutes of the Aug. 23 meeting;

•Approval of the schedules of bills;

•Approval of an order designating surplus property;

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•Approval to add Kenneth Leon Burnley as a reserve deputy constable for the Precinct 2 constable’s office;

Approval of a resolution to submit an application to the office of the governor’s public safety office for fiscal year 2023 bullet-resistant shield grant program;

Ratification of a grant award and authorization of the county judge to execute contract number 2215184 with the office of the attorney general for sheriff’s victim coordinator and liaison grant program for 2022-2023;

Ratification of a grant award and authorization of the county judge to execute contract number 2215176 with the office of the attorney general for district attorney victim coordinator and liaison grant program for 2022-2023;

Approval of election judges and alternates for a one-year term beginning Aug. 1, 2022 as requested by the county clerk;

Acceptance of the 2023 retiree plan rates (TLIC medical and retiree Rxcare prescription coverages) from Texas Association of Counties, Silver Choice;

Approval of a renewal agreement with Integrated Data Services for county clerk’s imaging software maintenance for fiscal year 2023;

Approval of an agreement for professional appraisal services between Polk County and WT Appraisal Inc. for school land property;

Approval of an amendment to the contract between Polk County and Mitchell Funeral Home;

Approval of an agreement with the City of Livingston for firefighting services;

Approval of renewal of a memorandum of understanding with Deep East Texas Council of Governments Family and Youth Success Program;

Approval of the use of $1,406.40 from information technology capital outlay repair/replace IT equipment (budgeted funds) for firewall hardware; and

Ratification and recording of the corrected certificate of exemption to exempt from county subdivision regulations the development of Abstract 593 William White Survey (177.54 acres) located in Precinct 2 and consisting of 16 tracts all over 10 acres with individual access to existing public roads with no other common areas and/or streets.

Robert Murphy, pastor of the First Baptist Church of Providence, opened the meeting with prayer.