Commissioners Okay New Roof, Pickup
The Glasscock County Commissioners’ Court, meeting in regular session Nov. 10, accepted bids for new roofs for both the county courthouse and the old jail. The sole bid for the roofing was from Hartmann Roofing in the amount of $23,500 for the courthouse and $10,274 for the old jail. The material is to be galvanized metal. No one at the meeting knew whether the roofs would meet Texas State Historical Commission standards. Commissioner Michael Hoch said that historically accurate roofs might triple the cost.
The winning bid for a pickup, to be used by the county’s agricultural extension agent, was $28,636 from Bob Brock. The pickup is to be a one-ton Ford diesel crew cab.
Salary Increase for Extension Secretary
The court agreed to make an exception to the standard part-time employees pay of $9.50 per hour and raise Jacque Schaefer’s salary to $10 per hour, effective Nov. 16. Schaefer is the secretary in the Texas Cooperative Extension office. Ag agent Steve Sturtz requested the raise, saying she has done an excellent job during the year she has worked in the office. He said even with the raise, the cost of regular hours and overtime as needed would still be within the $12,000 the court had budgeted for the job.
Sturtz told the court that background checks for volunteers who work with 4-H youth would be necessary in the future. He said they will cost $6 per person for the 15 volunteers who have not previously had checks done by either a church or school.
Grant Monies Provide Technology Equipment
Sturtz said the local school’s TIF grant has provided a 10 ft. by 10 ft. motorized projection screen for the community center. He plans to have it mounted in the large meeting room. Sturtz said that grant has also provided a computer, plus T-3 wireless Internet connections for that building and will provide a camera, which will enable distance learning from the center.
County Judge Wilburn Bednar told the commissioners they each should contact Boyd Latham with Capital Appraisal for an explanation of the situation regarding a lawsuit that some area counties have filed against oil companies. The suit claims that the companies under-reported the value of minerals, thus depriving the counties of tax revenues. Glasscock County commissioners have been trying to get information regarding whether the county should join the suit.
The court discussed spending $500 per year to hire former state representative Bob Turner as a consultant. Commissioner Mark Halfmann said Turner is for “the little guys,” can pull strings and has lots of leverage in Austin. No action was taken.
Joe Melanie Calverley reported that memorial donations have been sent for use at the Garden City Cemetery, and she will ask County Treasurer Alan Dierschke to set up a separate cemetery fund for those monies. She commended Halfmann and his county crew for the work they have already done at the cemetery.
A county employee Christmas party will be scheduled later, with Dierschke and County Clerk Rebecca Batla in charge.