County delays funding request

By Tony Farkas
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COLDSPRING — A request for $38,000 for the Waterwood Volunteer Fire Department was delayed for two weeks while the county researches the request.

At the regular county meeting on June 1, Tim McGrath of the WVFD request funds to purchase an offroad UTV with a 300-gallon capacity foam system, which should be available under the auspices of American Rescue Plan Act.

McGrath said the department does not have any such capabilities.

“There’s a potential this year to be very dry with very high wildland fire danger, and we have no capability to access land on narrow roads or in forest-like conditions,” he said. “Neighboring department have the equipment, but the resulting delay is 30-45 minutes. We need the ability to respond to events quickly.”

However, the court questioned whether the department had actually applied for the funds, instead of approaching the court itself, and also whether there were other avenues for funding the request.

Judge Fritz Faulkner said that some research was needed in order to see if the fire department qualified for the grant funds, and the court tabled the motion.

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In other business, the court:

• approved a lot split for property owned by Arica Pitts located on Snowhill Road;

• tabled a vote on the installation of a septic system at the animal shelter;

• discussed a presentation from Nancy Windham from the Texas Forest Country Partnership;

• approved a method of distribution of grant funds for DETCOG-area counties;

• approved bond renewals for the County Judge’s Office and the District Attorney’s Office;

• approved designating old county equipment as salvage; and

• approved changing the designated payee for grant funds from Mercy to 150 water system.