Trinity County News - Breakout

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By Tony Farkas
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GROVETON — While facemasks have been considered  necessary for personal safety, Trinity County Sheriff Woody Wallace feels masks are causing a safety concern.

At the Nov. 23 County Commissioners Court meeting, Wallace said he does not feel comfortable with people walking into a courtroom on an 80-degree day with a mask that covers their face.

“ I think it’s a safety concern, and it’s a safety concern to walk around the courthouse grounds with a mask on,” he said. “The only people in the world that I know of that wear masks are robbers.”

Wallace said he is asking for some sort of safety precaution to be put in place. 

“I don’t let my deputies wear a mask, because I don’t like someone walking down the street with a gun and a mask on,” he said. “COVID is pretty much over with, and the Supreme Court has decreed that some minimal standards be put in place, but nowhere does it say they must wear a mask.”

County Judge Doug Page said that in his courtroom, if someone comes in and feels they must wear a mask, the bailiff will take them outside to find out who they are.

However, County Attorney Colton Hay said that he has reviewed the order, and while the Sheriff has jurisdiction over security for the courthouse grounds, district judges set standards for activities within the courtroom itself.

“I think a suggestion to the district judge is about as far as you can go,” Hay said. “I don’t really know if there is any official action you can take right now.”

The county took no action, but did affirm that the Sheriff can take whatever steps necessary in his jurisdiction. Hay also said that courtroom concerns should be made in the form of a suggestion to the district judges.

In other business, the county:

•approved budget amendments for the past and current fiscal years;

•ended an agreement with iWorQ Public Works Services, which provides a software package, at a savings of $4,250 per year; and

•approved a request to seek a $7,266.67 grant for body cameras for law enforcement.

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On Nov. 6, opening day of Texas gun season, Kenneth Grant was hunting with his two grandsons — Colton and Aidan — on family-owned land in Trinity County. Colton, 12, harvested a nice eight-point buck while sitting on the stand with his Papaw; 20 minutes later, Aidan, 18, got a 10-point buck. Two brothers, two bucks, and one very proud Papaw. Courtesy photos by Kenneth Grant

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By Tony Farkas
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GROVETON — The Trinity County Commissioners Court gave its stamp of approval to a plan to balance out precincts.

Former County Attorney Joe Warner Bell, who was contracted by the county to redistrict based on the 2020 census figures, presented his plan at a public hearing held during the court’s regular meeting on Nov. 9.

Law dictates that all districts in a municipality must be of near-equal population, and not be heavily unbalanced regarding minority populations.

Bell’s efforts include moving an area north and west of Westwood Lake, and south of Highway 94, with small homesteads and the White Rock City Marina, will be moved from Precinct 2 into Precinct 3; and portions of the city of Groveton, including an area just north of the High School, a parcel of land between 94 and Sawmill Road, from Vickery Street to around Hickory Ridge Lane, and a parcel south of Old Railroad Street, east of Turner and Gunner streets and north of around Kickapoo Road, will be transferred from Precinct 3 to Precinct 4.

In a separate matter, the county took steps to begin the process of building a new jail.

After appointing a committee to study and collect information on jails, it has yet to meet, so the court approved a meeting of the jail committee for this week.

In other business, the county:

• held a public hearing and approved the abatement of eight nuisance properties in the Westwood Shores subdivision near Trinity;

•approved the sale of surplus items;

•approved the sale of tax resale properties submitted by the Trinity County Appraisal District;

•approved its vote for all candidates on the Trinity County Appraisal District ballot;

•approved a $1,000 donation to the Groveton Community Association for Christmas lights;

•approved the purchase of a flatbed trailer from the city of Groveton for $4,000;

•approved an additional $30,000 in funds for a road project on Jim Butler Road;

•approved a donation of $17,852 in road material from TxDOT; and

•approved the settlement agreement for $27,846 in a state opioid case.

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By Tony Farkas
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TRINITY — The Trinity City Council discussed the mechanical failures that put the city under another boil water notice.

At its regular meeting on Thursday, City Manager Steven Jones told the council that testing done by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality tested water at several locations, and in one area it found what was believed to be water fleas.

Jones said that everything has been flushed out as per TCEQ recommendations, but a second round of testing needs to be done before the notice is lifted.

“This wasn’t something we did, or didn’t do; we had a motor that failed,” he said. “We had an area (by the pumps) that was struck by lightning. In the meantime, a well began tripping off regularly, which caused an over-chlorination of the water, which caused the problems.”

Jones said he also has contact TCEQ to have an expert evaluate the water system, and there will be a company coming to evaluate the chlorinators. He also suggest the council consider a bulk purchase of inline backflow preventers to hand out to water customers.

In other business, the council:

• approved naming the private road for Wesley Tatom’s property to Johnnie Road;

• approved donating $1,500 to the Trinity Peninsula Chamber of Commerce for the annual Christmas event; and

• approved splitting the city’s vote for the Trinity County Appraisal District between Trinity candidates Monte Huffman and Kevin Searcy.