County changes process for pauper funerals

The Trinity County Commissioners Court proclaimed April as Sexual Assault Awareness Month, along with Whitney Burran, executive director of Family Crisis Center of East Texas, and Rana Wingo and Tracy Stoudt of SAAFE House.

By Tony Farkas
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GROVETON — The Trinity County Commissioners Court approved changes to the pauper funeral application, something that was said to have been necessary for some time.

Lisa Rogers, County Judge Danny Martin’s administrative assistant, presented a revised version of an application at the April 11 regular meeting of the court.

Rogers said the application had not been updated since its approval in 2017, and did not contain much information about finances, as there were no questions about assets or bank accounts.

She said she compared Trinity County’s application to six other counties, and found that while Trinity’s was one page, other counties had multiple pages.

If the county does provide funds, it would be for cremation only, and applicants will not be able to add extra funds for a full funeral, Rogers said, adding that the reasoning was that if an applicant can pay extra, they could pay it all.

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In other business, the county:

•proclaimed April as Sexual Assault Awareness Month and Child Abuse Prevention Month;

•approved an application for a pauper funeral payment;

•approved a budget amendment for acceptance of funds from a settlement in an opioid case;

•approved parking county equipment on private property in Precinct 3;

•approved a $3,000 donation from RDGK Holding for roadwork in Precinct 1; and

•approved the purchase of 1,200 acres of land on Chita Cemetery Road at $3,500 an acre for a material facility for Precinct 1.