Court approves architectural design agreement for Polk County Memorial Museum

By Emily Banks Wooten
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The Polk County Commissioners Court approved the Polk County Historical Commission’s agreement for architectural designs from Kerry Campbell for the Polk County Memorial Museum, to be funded by the historical commission, during its regular meeting Dec. 22. Although the Court normally meets on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month, the Dec. 26 meeting was moved to Dec. 22 due to the Christmas holiday.

The construction contract for the Onalaska Water Supply Corporation elevated storage tank and associated work was approved with the Polk County portion to be paid with American Rescue Plan Act funds.

The Court approved the Burke Center’s application on behalf of Polk County for a mental health grant which, if awarded, would provide the opportunity to hire four mental health deputies and would fund 75% of the cost, with the remaining 25% being funded by the sheriff’s asset forfeiture funds.

Only one bid was received for the fiscal year 2021 Texas Department of Agriculture Community Development Block Grant water project, TDA Contract No. CDV21-0368, and it was double the estimated cost, so the Court opted to reject the bid and rebid it.

No bids were received for Bid No. 2024-12 for the roof replacement at 321 N. Beatty Ave. so the Court approved rebidding it as well. Regarding Bid No. 2024-13 for improvements to the Polk County College and Commerce Center, three bids were received and the Court approved the low bid which was from TRW Construction of Livingston.

The Court approved updating the Polk County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan, to be funded by General Land Office Contract No. 22-130-033-E029, authorized the Office of Emergency Management to issue a request for proposals to procure a contractor and appointed Emergency Management Coordinator Courtney Comstock, Grants and Contracts Coordinator Jessica Hutchins and Precinct 4 Commissioner Jerry Cassity to be the scoring committee.

An update to the 9-1-1 addressing policy was approved to streamline it and make it clearer and more consistent with the other DETCOG counties.

In personnel matters, the Court reviewed and approved personnel action form requests submitted by department heads since the last meeting and also approved delaying the end-of-year rollback of equivalent compensatory time until after the work schedule and time reporting policy is updated.

Fiscal year 2024 budget revisions and amendments as presented by the county auditor’s office were approved.

The Polk County Safety Committee’s “Excellence in Safety Award” for fiscal year 2023 was presented to Nicole Fischer who works in the county’s maintenance and engineering department.

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In old business, the Court approved the minutes of the Nov. 28 regular meeting.

Items on the consent agenda included:

Approval of the minutes of the Dec. 12 regular meeting;

Approval of the schedules of bills;

Approval of an order designating surplus property;

Receipt of the county auditor’s monthly report pursuant to Local Government Code Sec. 114.025;

Receipt and recording of personnel action forms submitted by elected officials since the last meeting;

Approval of an update to the master street address guide;

Transferring the hot check restitution bank account from the district attorney’s office to the county treasurer;

Approval of the district clerk’s request to add CASA and Polk County Veterans Program to the juror donation program; and

Receipt of the county treasurer’s monthly reports for October and November.