Polk County News - Breakout

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The Onalaska City Council will review and consider approval of a proposed tax rate for publication during a special called meeting at noon on Monday.

Several personnel action requests are on the agenda for the regular meeting of Council at 5 p.m. Tuesday.

Council is slated to accept the resignations of Officer Koriell Campbell and Court Clerk Tammy Seader and to approve the appointment of Macey George as court clerk.

Departmental reports will be presented on behalf of the police department, fire department, fire marshal/building inspector and library representative.

Other items on the agenda include approval of the minutes, vouchers and financial reports.

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From Enterprise Staff

Students in the Corrigan-Camden Independent School District returned to school Wednesday and the other school districts will resume this week. Leggett ISD students will return to school on Monday. Students in Onalaska ISD return Tuesday. Big Sandy, Chester, Livingston and Goodrich ISDs will resume on Wednesday.

As local students begin a new school year, the Texas Department of Transportation is calling on everyone to be extra cautious in school zones and around school buses to help keep them safe. Drivers are reminded to stay alert in school zones. They are chaotic before and after the bell rings each day and traffic congestion increases. Children might dash in and out of traffic, and unfortunately, crashes can and do happen.

While there were no serious injuries, there were six traffic crashes in school zones in 2022 in TxDOT’s nine-county Lufkin District which includes Polk County. Across the state, there were 746 traffic crashes in school zones, resulting in 23 serious injuries. The most common causes were driver inattention, speeding and failure to yield the right of way.

Driving near a school bus also requires close attention on the driver’s part. Across the state, there were seven people killed and 51 seriously injured last year in the 2,305 crashes involving a school bus. Driver inattention and speed were also the top factors in those crashes.

“We all experience increased traffic in the mornings and afternoons when school begins each year,” TxDOT Public Information Officer Rhonda Oaks said. “We urge drivers to reduce speed and stay alert in a school zone and near a school bus. Excited children don’t think about moving vehicles near the school or when they are exiting a school bus.”

TxDOT urges drivers to slow down, pay attention and follow all traffic laws to keep children safe and avoid costly fines and tickets as parents, teachers and students prepare for a new school year.

Be aware of these safety tips for driving in school zones:

•Traffic patterns around schools may have changed since last school year due to construction or new facilities.

•Stay alert and put your phone away. Using a handheld electronic device while driving in an active school zone is against the law.

•Stop and yield for people in crosswalks.

•Always obey school zone speed limit signs. Remember, traffic fines increase in school zones.

•Drop off and pick up your children in your school’s designated areas, not the middle of the street.

•Keep an eye on children gathered at bus stops.

•Watch for children who might dart across the street or between vehicles.

These are safety tips for drivers sharing the road with school buses:

•Follow at a safe distance, keeping in mind that school buses make frequent stops.

•Always stay alert for children around buses and remember that they may not always look for vehicles before crossing the street.

•Stop for flashing red lights or a stop sign on a school bus, regardless of which direction you’re headed. Continue your trip once the bus has moved, the flashing lights stop flashing or the bus driver signals it’s okay to pass. Violations can lead to a fine of up to $1,250 for a first offense.

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Any changes to the proposed fiscal year 2024 budget will be discussed by the Polk County Commissioners Court during its regular meeting at 10 a.m. Tuesday. Approval to advertise for the fiscal year 2024 annual bids will also be considered.

The Court will discuss and consider any necessary action relating to adoption of Fire Code-NFPA 1 Fire Code 2021 Edition.

Several requests from Sheriff Byron Lyons will be considered for approval. One is to pay all FLSA comp and holiday time accrued as of July 5, 2023 by telecommunication operators and jail staff in fiscal year 2023 using funds remaining in the jail salaries line item. The other is to pay all but 20 hours of equivalent comp time accrued as of July 5, 2023 by telecommunication operators and jail staff in fiscal year 2023 utilizing funds remaining in the jail salaries line item. An additional request is to transfer $30,000 from the jail salaries line item to the sheriff vehicle maintenance line item.

An executive session is on the agenda authorizing certain deliberations about officers and employees regarding the appointment, employment, evaluation, reassignment, duties, discipline or dismissal of a public officer or employee; or to hear a complaint or a charge against an officer or employee. Any action, however, will be taken upon return to open session.

In personnel matters, the Court will review and consider approval of personnel action form requests submitted by department heads since the last meeting and review any authorized emergency hirings.

Additionally, the Court will consider action on the fiscal year 2023 budget revisions and amendments as presented by the county auditor’s office.

Items on the consent agenda include:

•Approve minutes of the July 25 regular meeting;

•Approve schedules of bills;

•Receive and record personnel action form requests submitted by elected officials since the last meeting;

•Approve memorandum of understanding with Polk Central Appraisal District to provide support during a time of natural or manmade disaster to include mapping services;

•Approve request from District Attorney Shelly Bush Sitton for asset forfeiture expenditure of seized property not to exceed $435 for training expenses;

•Approve re-appointment of Rachel Drake to Burke Center Board of Trustees for a two-year term beginning Sept. 1, 2023;

•Terminate memorandum of understanding between Polk County and Precinct 1 Constable Scott Hughes approved on March 24, 2020 to provide constable reserve deputy patrol in Precinct 1;

Terminate memorandum of understanding between Polk County and Precinct 1 Constable Scott Hughes approved on March 8, 2022 regarding the monthly salary of Beau Price; and

Receive and record the 258th and 411th district judges’ orders setting the fiscal year compensation for the county auditor, assistant auditors, court reporters, court coordinators, bailiffs and labor pool staff pursuant to Local Government Code.

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By Emily Banks Wooten
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Based on a review of the drought index as well as the recommendations of the Texas Forest Service, the Polk County Fire Marshal and the Polk County Emergency Management Coordinator, the Polk County Commissioners Court approved extending the burn ban for an additional 30 days during its regular meeting July 25.

Additionally, the Court approved making an exception for those who have permits from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), who are following TCEQ guidelines with regard to the type of equipment they are using to burn.

The Court approved reinstating the county’s life safety code NFPA 101 (National Fire Protection Association).

Action regarding Glover Road was considered and approved, specifically, approval to purchase the right of way for the Glover Road extension and authorization of a request for proposals for construction of the road. Union Pacific has agreed to fund the purchase of the property but for the sake of expediting payment to the owners, the Court approved purchasing the property, to be reimbursed by Union Pacific at a later date. Additionally, Union Pacific has agreed to collaborate with the Texas Department of Transportation on the closures for Glover Road and Frank Road at a total cost of $560,625.

Requests for proposals for disaster debris monitoring and consulting were discussed, with the Court approving KDF Enterprises as the primary and DRC Emergency Services as the secondary. County Judge Sydney Murphy noted that the total cost for Hurricane Ike in 2008 was $3,197,890 and the total cost for the tornado in 2020 was $19,801,649.

With the recent acquisition of the building at 321 North Beatty Ave. in Livingston, the Court needed to have agreements in place for the continued lease of the building to Anco Insurance and Habitat for Humanity. Following some discussion, the Court approved maintaining the existing lease agreements for a three-year term with exit clauses for either side.

Requests for variance from the Polk County Subdivision Regulation Design Standards Phases 1-6 of Magnolia Creek Ranch, located in Precinct 2, were approved as follows: Section 7.17, plat requirements, requiring that plats for developments of this size be prepared at a scale no smaller than one inch equals 200 feet; Section 12.8, road construction specifications, requiring all road intersections that are not at a 90-degree angle to have a rounded curve with no less than 25-foot radius; and Appendix S, minimum 175-foot centerline radius requirement.

The Court approved advertising for a request for bids for maintainer repair for Precinct 4 Road and Bridge.

Although the Court was slated to enter into an executive session to deliberate personnel, the item was tabled until the next meeting due to the absence of Precinct 3 Commissioner Milt Purvis.

In personnel matters, the Court reviewed and approved personnel action form requests submitted by department heads since the last meeting, noting that the environmental enforcement officer rescinded his resignation. Additionally, the Court was apprised of one authorized emergency hiring in the maintenance department.

Fiscal year 2023 budget revisions, as presented by the county auditor’s office, were approved.

Items on the consent agenda included0:

Approval of the minutes of the July 11 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 last meeting;

Approval of an update to the master street address guide;

Approval of the renewal of the lease agreement between Polk County and Mitchell Funeral Home;

Approval to file a claim with state comptroller, pursuant to Government Code Sec. 61.0015(B), for reimbursement of a portion of the juror fees paid by Polk County during the period of April 1 through June 30, 2023;

Approval of “no change” in county road and bridge fee ($10) and child safety fee ($1.50) authorized by the Texas Transportation Code, Sec. 502.401-502.403;

Acceptance of the Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) Program;

Acceptance of the donation of a framed Houston Astros jersey from River Oaks Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram for the sheriff’s office;

Receipt of the county treasurer’s monthly report for June 2023;

Receipt of the county treasurer’s fiscal year 2023 third quarter report; and

Approval of Precinct 1 Constable Scott Hughes’ request to appoint Chuck Cotton and Justin Amundsen to reserve deputy constable.

Tyler Epstein addressed the Court during the portion of the meeting earmarked for

public comments, voicing his concern regarding San Francisco Road in Precinct 1.

Pastor Joel McMahon of First Methodist Church of Livingston opened the meeting with

prayer.