Tyler County News - Breakout

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GALVESTON – The Regional Healthcare Preparedness Coalition is a preparedness committee of the Southeast Texas Regional Advisory Council which provides collaborative planning and response to emergencies in a multi-disciplinary approach to preserve medical infrastructure for the region.

At the 2022 Regional Preparedness Symposium held Nov. 2-4 in Galveston, Tyler County Hospital received the Regional Healthcare Preparedness Coalition Excellence in Preparedness Award for the small hospital division.

The coalition began when several facilities in the Houston Medical Center joined together to face major events as a group of facilities as opposed to individually.

Today the Regional Healthcare Preparedness Coalition is made up of 25 counties divided into five corridors with Tyler County being part of the North Corridor.

Annually, Southeast Texas Regional Advisory Council and the Regional Healthcare Preparedness Coalition host a Regional Preparedness Symposium that brings together our region as well as many others for a time of learning and networking. At this annual event, an award is presented to one small, one medium and one large facility in our 25 counties for exhibiting excellence and commitment to comprehensive emergency management in their regional community. Each facility is scored on two tiers. The first one includes their participation in training, facility reporting, meeting attendance and drill participation.

Secondly, the facility is scored based on their commitment to enhancing preparedness at their facility in at least three of six areas. These areas include leadership support, emergency management contribution, community involvement, innovation, planning and other.

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By Chris Edwards
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IVANHOE – In her monthly report to the Ivanhoe City Council at its regular meeting last Thursday, Ivanhoe Mayor Cathy Bennett addressed the results of the recent election, and the transitioning phase for the city’s leadership.

Bennett lost her bid for re-election to Skip Blackstone, who has served on the council for a term. Blackstone’s unfinished term will necessitate the appointment of a councilmember to fill it, which will be on the December meeting agenda, Bennett said, along with Blackstone’s swearing-in.

Bennett congratulated Blackstone, and said she was grateful for being able to serve the city in various capacities for 14 years, and added she is “absolutely ready to retire.”

Along with Blackstone, Bennett congratulated councilmember Will Warren for winning re-election and new councilmember Carolyn Williams, for her willingness to step up and serve the community.

Bennett said she and Blackstone are working together closely to get all of the details wrapped up for the transitioning of leadership.

One resource she noted for the newly elected city leaders is a January training session hosted by the Texas Municipal League, which can be done online, at the cost of $75 per participant. She said the training is “very beneficial,” and said that it would be of benefit to those who have taken it prior, as well.

In other election news, Bennett said the city will conduct its election canvassing on Nov. 22.

Also in her report, Bennett addressed topics that were brought up at a townhall meeting held last month. Several of the topics, she said, will be addressed by the council going forward, but one topic she addressed, pertaining to the pay rate of the city’s Marshal’s Office, should be looked at and addressed during the budget planning time, she said. “We already set a budget,” she added.

One topic that came up on Thursday’s agenda dealt with a permit application from a property owner who requested to bring in a Derksen-built building to use as a habitable building.

Councilmember David Herrington spoke about the issue, and said the structure does not match the International Building Code specifics as an inhabitable space, due to ceiling clearance.

“We do not have anything on the books about this type of structure,” Herrington said, and added there are no ordinances regulating the type of structure in question.

Some discussion ensued about the structure, and the councilmembers agreed to look into the matter further.

In another agenda item, council voted to approve grant administration for the city’s Community Development Block Grant funds for the 2023-24 application cycle.

Councilmember Tommy Morris spoke about the matter, and said that the committee sent out five proposals to firms for grant administration.

Morris said on point system, the committee awarded Lankford the most points, and council voted to name Lankford the grant administrator for the coming cycle.

The firm was the city’s grant administration firm for the previous two cycles, Herrington noted.

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By Chris Edwards
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TYLER COUNTY – This week might see an increase in turkey and dressing consumption among most folks, but right around the corner, next week to be exact, is the countywide Christmas celebration.

There are a lot of events on tap for the weekend of Friday – Saturday, Dec. 2-3, and according to Tyler County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Holly Wells, there are some new (and fun) features to add to old traditions with the Chamber’s annual Christmas celebration.

Wells spotlighted the “Jolly Jeep Jingle” Jeep show, which will take place on Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the Courthouse Square. Also, according to Wells, a “battle of the beards” contest will take place on Friday, in addition to a full slate of fun for the whole family, around the Courthouse Square.

The “Battle of the Beards Christmas Edition Santa Beard Contest” will determine who in Tyler County has the best Santa beard, Wells said.

All beards are welcome, and participants can register at www.tylercountycoc.com.

Another contest that will be new to the festivities is the “Ugly Sweater Contest,” which will also be judged on Friday, along with the beard contest.

The Friday festivities, which will last from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. will include the vendors, and a whole realm of fun on the courthouse grounds, including a full array of Christmas lights, an appearance by Santa Claus, a live Nativity scene, bounce house for the children and Christmas selections played by area high school band students.

For the Jolly Jeep Jingle is a showing of vehicles, devoted exclusively to Jeeps. The Chamber is calling all Jeeps to be a part of this inaugural event.

For participants, the entry fee is a new, unwrapped toy donation, which will go to the county’s Child Welfare Board in its efforts to deliver toys to children who are in need of a jolly Christmas.

There will be a prize to the best-decorated Christmas Jeep, and while plans are still being finalized on some of the festivities, those who take in the Jeep show on Saturday can stroll downtown shops and vendors along the Courthouse Square after enjoying the Rotary Club of Woodville’s annual Pancakes with Santa breakfast at the St. Paul’s Episcopal Church fellowship hall, which begins at 8 a.m.

Along with the Jolly Jeep Jingle, the Chamber is looking for some interested musicians to jam out on the Courthouse lawn during the event and has an open invite to pickers and singers to come and join in the fun, as sound will be provided.

During the Saturday fun, there will be a cookie sale in the Wesley Center at the Woodville Methodist Church, beginning at 1 p.m. and a sneak peek of the reinvigorated Allan Shivers Library and Museum, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Museum will also be open to the public on Friday, as well.

There will also be Christmas fun on Saturday evening out at Heritage Village, with the annual Twilight Tour. Gates will open at 5 p.m. for that annual event. Out in Ivanhoe, the city’s awesome lighted boat parade will begin at 6 p.m.

The Chamber is actively looking for food and craft vendors for both days of the event. Vendor spaces are available for the cost of $40 for one day or $70 for both days for food vendors and $25 for one day for craft vendors, or $40 for both days.

The spaces are 10’x10’  and a 10’x20’ can be obtained for double the price. For food vendors, they are required to get the $10 food permit from the City of Woodville, and payment and registration can be obtained through the Chamber’s website, www.tylercountycoc.com. Food vendors can choose to pay separately on the website, and the Chamber will acquire a permit on the vendor’s behalf, to be issued the day of the event.

According to the Chamber, vendors need to be aware that electricity may or may not be available, so please prepare your booth accordingly, especially if you are set up for Friday evening as it will be dark.

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By Tony Farkas
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GROVETON — The junior high/high school campus is relatively safe from intruders based on an audit conducted recently by ESC Region 6.

Superintendent Jim Dillard informed the Groveton ISD School Board at the regular meeting on Thursday that when the audit was done, and as soon as they were on campus, they were stopped by administration.

He told the board that ESC Region 6 will hold an audit at a later date for the elementary school campus.

The audit was part of an ongoing focus on school security, and schools across the state are complying with new requirements from the state, which include audits.

Dillard said there will be new ones coming from the next session of the Legislature.

In other business, the board:

•recognized the efforts of the girls’ cross country team in reaching the state tournament;

•discussed the district’s Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas rating, which was the highest score of 100, or superior; and

•discussed the method of evaluation of the superintendent, whose contract is up for review in December.