Polk County News - Breakout

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By Emily Banks Wooten
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Polk County Fire Marshal John Fugate addressed the Polk County Commissioners Court during its regular meeting Tuesday regarding the drought index in relation to the upcoming July 4th fireworks season.

“Right now, I think we’re okay. Of course, in the future, in a couple of weeks, is another thing,” Fugate said. The Court approved the use of fireworks with the understanding that Fugate may come back as the holiday gets closer with a differing opinion.

Following an executive session to discuss the purchase of real property, the Court reconvened and approved the purchase of two tracts. The first tract is approximately 325 acres adjacent to the landfill on the north side. The Court approved purchasing the property for $5,500 per acre for a purchase price totaling $1,787,500 granting the adjacent landowner a 150-foot buffer. The second tract is the 300 block of North Beaty where the Habitat for Humanity ReSale Store and Anco Insurance are located. The Court approved purchasing the building and parking lot for $1,269,028.20. The county has been leasing a portion of the parking lot for some time. Both purchases will be made from the county’s general fund.

The Court reappointed County Judge Sydney Murphy and Precinct 1 Commissioner Guylene Robertson to serve on the Deep East Texas Council of Governments Board of Directors for the 2023-2024 term.

Action regarding the re-bid of #2023-11, for the removal and replacement of windows at the Dunbar Complex located at 1114 N. Dogwood Ave. in Livingston and the disposal of all debris, was approved. The Court approved moving forward with the project even though it will cost approximately $30,000 more than budgeted.

The Court approved an agreement with BDO USA, LLP for forensic auditing and forensic technology services for the Polk County Jail commissary account. County Auditor Louis Ploth emphasized that this service is being paid for by insurance money and not by the county.

A request from the Precinct 1 commissioner for an exemption from the Polk County RV Park regulations to permit two RVs on personal property for private use, per an affidavit from the landowner, was approved.

The Court approved a road and bridge equipment lease/purchase through Interlocal Purchasing Systems, thereby satisfying the competitive bidding requirements, pursuant to East Texas Mack Sales L.L.C. quotations for: the purchase of eight new 2024 Mack GR64F cab and chassis units (with M-drive, ox dumpbodies and pintle hitches) at $166,040 each with a 12-month trade allowance of $151,040 each unit, assuming each trade-in unit meets all trade terms, to be paid from the road and bridge capital leases fund; the trade/buyback of six 2023 and two 2022 Mack GR64F trucks at $126,000 each for the units currently leased by each road & bridge precinct, assuming each trade-in unit meets all trade terms; and a resolution authorizing execution of an agreement with Cadence Equipment Finance, a division of Cadence Bank, relating to the estimated June purchase of road and bridge equipment, eight new 2024 Mack GR64FR cab and chassis units equipped with dump bed (to include the trade-in of six 2023 units and two 2022 units and authorizing the county judge to execute said agreement/s on behalf of the county.

In personnel matters, the Court reviewed and approved personnel action form requests submitted by department heads since the last meeting and reviewed an authorized emergency hiring in the aging department. The Court also approved the governor’s bond and oath of office for Steven Hullihen, the appointed tax assessor-collector, for the term beginning June 1, 2023.

In related activity, the Court accepted a letter from Hullihen. “The Tax Assessor-Collectors of Texas Association’s Code of Ethics provides in part that the assessor-collector shall disclose any real or potential conflicts of interest. Therefore, I have prepared a statement that I would like entered into the minutes. First of all, as the interim tax assessor-collector, I will not run for office after the term for which I was appointed to office expires. All candidates who choose to run for office will have a fair opportunity to run in next year’s election. Also, my spouse is the office manager for the county tax collection law firm. Therefore, I will not participate in any discussion regarding the Linebarger Law Firm’s contract with the county, nor will I take part in any decision that is related to their office or firm. I would be happy to address any concerns of the Court.”

Fiscal year 2023 budget revisions and amendments, as presented by the county auditor’s

office, were approved.

In old business, the Court discussed and approved an amendment to the agreement with Integrated Prescription Management for indigent healthcare programs and tabled action on the fiscal year 2024 employee benefits, specifically, employee health coverage - major medical.

During information reports, the Court recognized the recipients of the Polk County Commissioners Court Bobby Smith Memorial Scholarship, sponsored by Linebarger Goggan Blair & Sampson. They are Neviah Hickox of Big Sandy ISD, Olivia Medina of Corrigan-Camden ISD, Alejandra Perez of Goodrich ISD, Kylie Valderez of Leggett ISD, Sierra Rains of Livingston ISD and Brady Smith of Onalaska ISD. They also recognized the recipients of the law enforcement scholarship, sponsored by Management & Training Corporation, operators of the lAH Secure Adult Detention Facility. They are Cooper Smith of Big Sandy ISD, Olivia Medina of Corrigan-Camden ISD, Pascual Flores of Goodrich ISD and Taylor Tolar of Livingston ISD.

The Court also receive notice of a public hearing from the City of Livingston scheduled for June 13 regarding the annexation of 34.04 acres of the M.L. Choate A-15 and

Bridger Hobbs A-327 surveys at 617 FM 350 South.

Tyler Epstein and Billy Lambeth addressed the Court during the portion of the meeting reserved for public comment.

Items on the consent agenda included:

Approval of the minutes of the May 30 regular meeting;

Approval of the schedules of bills;

Approval of an order designating surplus property;

Receive and record personnel action forms submitted by elected officials since the last meeting;

Approval of the renewal of an interlocal agreement with Texas Association of Counties risk management pool and application for provision of insurance coverages to include workers compensation, auto (physical damage and liability) and general public officials, law enforcement liabilities;

Approval of the renewal of the host agency agreement with Motivation Education & Training NSRC (Met) for the senior community service employment program for July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2024;

Approval of the lease agreement renewing supplemental county parking at 321 N. Beatty Ave.;

Approval of an amended and restated memorandum of understanding with the Piney Wood Lakes Chapter of the Texas Master Naturalists, the East Texas Electric Cooperative, Inc. and Polk County for the beneficial management of natural resources at the East Texas Electric Cooperative Hydroelectric Plant Gazebo;

Approval of an amendment to the funding agreement with the Texas Historical Commission for the Polk County Courthouse restoration grant;

Receive donation from the Polk County Higher Education & Technology Foundation equivalent to the Polk County Commerce Center property insurance renewal;

Approval of the submittal of a request to the state comptroller for unclaimed rural electric cooperative capital credits;

Acceptance of the fiscal year 2023 indigent defense formula grant No. 212-23-187;

Approval of a road use agreement between Polk County Precinct 4 and Umbriel (H. Brown Inc.); and

Rescinding the order abandoning San Francisco in Precinct 1 and adding it to the master street address guide.

Sheriff Byron Lyons opened the meeting with prayer.

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By Emily Banks Wooten
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Dr. Milton ThielDr. Milton D. Thiel, a local veterinarian and Rotarian, recently provided a program for the Rotary Club of Livingston in which he discussed changes at his former clinic as well as new drugs that are available for veterinary issues.

After owning Arena Veterinary Clinic for many years, Thiel sold the practice to Dr. James D. Darden and is now semi-retired.

“There’s been a few changes at Arena Veterinary Clinic since changing ownership. You could say it’s gone into the 21st century,” Thiel said, adding that a lot of things in human medicine have made their way over to veterinary medicine.

Thiel explained how new technology allows the veterinarians to prepare slides to view stool samples and other things and that they can even count the number of parasite eggs.

“It’s in color and pretty amazing,” he said, adding that they can also now do needle aspirates to investigate tumors, lumps and bumps.

“We can now send it over the internet and know within a few hours what it is, whereas previously we had to put it in a box and mail it somewhere and in about 14 days we could find out what it was,” Thiel said.

“Also, with the new lab equipment that Dr. Darden’s brought in, such as digital X-rays, it makes diagnostics a whole lot easier,” Thiel said.

Segueing into the new drugs that are available for veterinary use, Thiel said there is one that has been out for a while called Cytopoint that is a monoclonal antibody. He said there is an enzyme that causes inflammation in dogs and Cytopoint works against the enzyme to neutralize it. He said it is an injection that lasts 4-8 weeks and that it is effective against canine atrophy, but not flea allergies or food allergies.

He said another is Apoquel and that it comes in tablet form and is a synthetic tyrosinase inhibitor. He said it only lasts for 24 hours, so he tells his patients to give it to the pet at night so they both can get some rest from the itching.

Thiel said the newest one is called Solensia, that it is another monoclonal antibody and that it works for osteoarthritis in cats. He said it is a shot that is given once a month and that approximately 77% of cat owners report improvement in their cat’s mobility after the shot. “This is a pretty significant breakthrough. We didn’t have anything for arthritis in cats,” he said.

“Over at Texas A&M there’s a doctor doing some research to figure out how to get the body to treat urinary tract infections. This researcher has found that copper has an adverse effect on bacteria so he’s trying to figure out how to get more copper in the urine,” Thiel said.
“I’ve heard old-timers talk about swallowing pennies, so maybe there’s something to it.”

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From Enterprise Staff

Fellowship in the Pines Church in Ace has begun holding a monthly food pantry in which they give out food to Polk County residents from 10 a.m. to noon on the third Thursday of each month.

The relatively new program is already serving approximately 86 families but is required to get to a 100-family minimum to qualify to continue the program.

Fellowship in the Pines Church is located at 1936 FM 2610.

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The Polk County Commissioners Court will discuss the status of the drought index in Polk County and consider any action regarding the use of fireworks for the July 4th firework season during its regular meeting at 10 a.m. Tuesday.

The appointment of two Polk County elected officials to serve on the Deep East Texas Council of Governments Board of Directors for the 2024-2025 term will be considered.

Action regarding the re-bid of #2023-11, for the removal and replacement of windows at the Dunbar Complex located at 1114 N. Dogwood Ave. in Livingston and the disposal of all debris, will also be considered.

The Court will consider approval of an agreement with BDO USA, LLP for forensic auditing and forensic technology services.

A request from the Precinct 1 commissioner for an exemption from the Polk County RV Park regulations to permit two RVs on personal property for private use, per an affidavit from the landowner, will be discussed and considered for approval.

The Court will consider approval of a road and bridge equipment lease/purchase through Interlocal Purchasing Systems, thereby satisfying the competitive bidding requirements, pursuant to East Texas Mack Sales L.L.C. quotations for:

The purchase of eight new 2024 Mack GR64F cab and chassis units (with M-drive, ox dumpbodies and pintle hitches) at $166,040 each with a 12-month trade allowance of $151,040 each unit, assuming each trade-in unit meets all trade terms, to be paid from the road and bridge capital leases fund;

The trade/buyback of six 2023 and two 2022 Mack GR64F trucks at $126,000 each for the units currently leased by each road & bridge precinct, assuming each trade-in unit meets all trade terms; and

A resolution authorizing execution of an agreement with Cadence Equipment Finance, a division of Cadence Bank, relating to the estimated June purchase of road and bridge equipment, eight new 2024 Mack GR64FR cab and chassis units equipped with dump bed (to include the trade-in of six 2023 units and two 2022 units and authorizing the county judge to execute said agreement/s on behalf of the county.

An executive session is on the agenda for the Court to discuss and consider action regarding the purchase of real property. Any action, however, will be taken upon return to open session.

In personnel matters, the Court will review and consider personnel action form requests submitted by department heads since the last meeting and review any authorized emergency hirings. The Court will also approve the governor’s bond and oath of office for the appointed tax

assessor-collector for the term beginning June 1, 2023.

Fiscal year 2023 budget revisions and amendments, as presented by the county auditor’s

Office, will be considered for approval.

In old business, the Court will discuss and consider approval of an amendment to the agreement with Integrated Prescription Management for indigent healthcare programs and will also discuss and consider any necessary action regarding the fiscal year 2024 employee benefits, specifically, employee health coverage - major medical.

During information reports, the Court will recognize the recipients of the Polk County Commissioners Court Bobby Smith Memorial Scholarship, sponsored by Linebarger Goggan Blair & Sampson, and the recipients of the law enforcement scholarship, sponsored by Management & Training Corporation, operators of the lAH Secure Adult Detention Facility.

The Court will also receive notice of a public hearing from the City of Livingston scheduled for June 13 regarding the annexation of 34.04 acres of the M.L. Choate A-15 and

Bridger Hobbs A-327 surveys at 617 FM 350 South.

Items on the consent agenda include:

Approve minutes of the May 30 regular meeting;

Approve the schedules of bills;

Approve an order designating surplus property;

Receive and record personnel action forms submitted by elected officials since the last meeting;

Approve renewal of interlocal agreement with Texas Association of Counties risk management pool and application for provision of insurance coverages to include workers compensation, auto (physical damage and liability) and general public officials, law enforcement liabilities;

Approve renewal of the host agency agreement with Motivation Education & Training NSRC (Met) for the senior community service employment program for July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2024;

Approve the lease agreement renewing supplemental county parking at 321 N. Beatty Ave.;

Approve an amended and restated memorandum of understanding with the Piney Wood Lakes Chapter of the Texas Master Naturalists, the East Texas Electric Cooperative, Inc. and Polk County for the beneficial management of natural resources at the East Texas Electric Cooperative Hydroelectric Plant Gazebo;

Approve an amendment to the funding agreement with the Texas Historical Commission for the Polk County Courthouse restoration grant;

Receive donation from the Polk County Higher Education & Technology Foundation equivalent to the Polk County Commerce Center property insurance renewal;

Approve the submittal of a request to the state comptroller for unclaimed rural electric cooperative capital credits;

Accept fiscal year 2023 indigent defense formula grant No. 212-23-187;

Approve a road use agreement between Polk County Precinct 4 and Umbriel (H. Brown Inc.); and

Rescind the order abandoning San Francisco in Precinct 1 and add it to the master street address guide.