Trinity County News 2

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By Tony Farkas
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GROVETON — An item on the agenda at the County Commissioners’ Court on Sept. 14 ended up being a leap of faith, but was intended to start the process for the county to look at new jail facilities.

Originally, Sheriff Woody Wallace placed items on the agenda to put up earnest money to purchase a 10-acre tract of land, as well as begin title search work on that property.

“We are in a bind at the jail — we have no place to keep criminals,” Wallace said. “I’m afraid that is going to create a chain reaction in the crime rate, one that (District Attorney Bennie Schiro) and I worked to get under control.”

The local jail was designed to hold only seven prisoners, and the county has been housing inmates at different facilities in the area. However, space has become a premium everywhere, and it’s becoming a large problem, Wallace said. Also, it costs up to $75 per day per prisoner housing them elsewhere.

“I need you all to seriously consider getting some land and let’s get the plans going,” Wallace said. 

Commissioner Neal Smith said that he would never support any new projects until the county paid itself out of debt, which is did two years ago.

“I’m ready to build a jail if we can afford it,” Smith said.

Smith said he had concerns about utilities in the Groveton area, and said there’s plenty of viable property in the Trinity area that can be used as a jail site.

Schiro said that jail space is getting to the point where the county soon will be desperate.

Commissioner Mike Loftin said that nothing can be done until the county comes up with a plan.

In the end, the court took no action, except to discuss appointing a committee to continue with the process.

In other business, the county:

• approved personnel action forms;
• gave its annual approval for the FY 2021-22 VINE service agreement;
• approved a resolution in support of the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas and its economic development plans;
• approved the purchase of a flatbed trailer;
• approved the purchase of a Kubota KX7-13 compact excavator;
• approved a donation of $1,000 from Jimmie Morgan for the maintenance of Reggie Lane;
• approved a bid of $2,505.01 for the sale of a 2004 pickup to Darrell Bennett;
• approved hiring Lisa Baker as the county grant writer/administrator at a salary of $32,000 per year. Smith voted against the hire;
• approved the use of $3,575 to install new security surveillance equipment in the Sheriff’s Office;

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FCCLA students who stepped up to help students are (starting at top, from left) Brianna Commiato, Lauren Lee, Makenzie White, Leo Conner, Audra Bolton, Samantha Smith, J.P. McLaughlin, Ryan Brister, Malacie Bolton, Grayson Robinson, Karlea Commiato, Josilin Jones, Mrs. Dubose, Easton Dyson, Collin Carlton WillieClede, Mason Jones, Sawyer Price, Rylan Thorne, Johnny Mikel, Cason Pyle and Kristin Fry.

Special to the News-Standard

CENTERVILLE — The Centerville FCCLA student group has adopted the Pre-K class this year. 

Students asked Emily Dubose, the Pre-K teacher, if she had $1,000 what would she buy for her classroom? She thought about the question and decided it would be an interactive sand table. 

She was then asked to go online and choose one, and being the considerate person she is, the cost of the table she found was well under the budget given. 

FCCLA students decided to surprise her and also bought a water table, sand and water play kits, a storage center for the play kits, and sand for the sand table. Needless to say, she and students were very excited and so appreciative of their gifts from the FCCLA students.

The acronym FCCLA stands for Family Career and Community Leaders of America. Here at Centerville our FCCLA members believe in community and take seriously their role as Centerville community leaders and are proud of their service to the school.

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Apple Springs runner Dakota Campbell looks for room during the Eagles’ 48-0 loss to Ovilla Christian on Sept. 10. (Photo by Tony Farkas/TCNS)

TCNS staff

It was a tough week for football as Trinity County teams — Apple Springs and Groveton — were held scoreless in their respective games.

The Apple Springs Eagles 6-man team fell to the Ovilla Christian Eagles 48-0 on Sept. 10. 

After a sustaining the opening drive down to the goal line of Ovilla, Apple Springs could not muster much offense, and the defense couldn’t stop the Ovilla running game.

Also, the Groveton Indians lost to the Joaquin Rams 62-0 on the road.

Thirty-five of Joaquin’s points came in the first half.

Apple Springs is to face Huntsville Alpha Omega JV at 6 p.m. Thursday. Groveton will host Shelbyville at 7:30 p.m. Friday.

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By Tony Farkas
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GROVETON — The Trinity County Commissioners’ Court got one step closer to approving its next budget.

The court discussed budget matters and request at a special meeting on Sept. 7, but took no action.

However, the court did submit its proposed tax rates, which will drop some; the proposed no-new revenue tax rate is $0.5309 per $100 valuation, and the proposed voter approval tax rate is $0.6023.

In 2020, the no-new-revenue tax rate was set at $0.6340 per $100 valuation, and the voter approval tax rate was $0.6328.

Additional revenue is expected, however, through a jump in property values and federal grants.

Commissioners also went through each department’s budget, but again took no action.

In other business, the county:

• approved bids for chip sealing Helmic-Apple Springs Road, Joe Bailey Road and Jim Butler Road, for a total estimated cost of $52,750;
• changed the name of a road in the Westwood Shores subdivision of Trinity from Winding Creek to Twisting Creek to avoid duplicate road names in the same postal area;
• approved the use of county equipment to remove dirt piles from Glenwood Cemetery for the association running the cemetery;
• approved an agreement with Lann Smith to repair drainage issues at 207 Port Blvd.;
• delayed enacting a burn ban until the Sept. 14 meeting;
• approved a resolution setting Nov. 2 as election day for Texas constitutional amendments; and
• approved the county’s holiday schedule for FY 2021-22, which now includes Juneteenth, and the Commissioners Court meeting schedule.