Courthouse gets Security System
The court voted to hire Guardian Securities to install a courthouse security system at a cost of $11,300. The system will provide several alarm buttons throughout the building which will be wirelessly connected to the sheriffs’ office radio dispatch system, plus smoke alarms which will trigger the same emergency response. The system is being paid for by a $12,000 fund built by fees collected in the clerk’s office for several years. The fund is state-mandated and earmarked for courthouse security.
Commissioners voted to add $5 to the clerk’s office recording fee, bringing the total to $14 for the first page; subsequent pages remain at $2. The state recently made the increase a county option.
County Adds Dollars to Reserves
County Treasurer Alan Dierschke told the Glasscock County Commissioners’ Court Oct. 14 that the county was able to put $166,000 into its reserves at the end of fiscal year 2003. Those reserves now total $465,000, Dierschke said. He reported that he was also able to put $42,000 into the interest and sinking fund reserves for the community center debt, bringing that total to $143,000, almost enough for one full payment on the debt. This means that the county may be able to pay off the community center bond sooner than planned.
Dierschke said the Garden City Water System ended the fiscal year with a $6,500 loss, due to a $16,000 expense for the water storage tower. He said the system now has $54,000 in reserve.
Donations, Volunteers Help with Cemetery Fence
Joe Calverley showed commissioners a drawing of the new fence, entrance and gates that the cemetery fence committee plans to build on the southern boundary of the Garden City cemetery. The fence is to be made of pipe, with an entrance of four rock columns and a metal arch with the cemetery name above. Plans include a double gate and single gate at the main entrance, plus a new service entrance and road at the far east side of the property.
Calverley said the pipe, sandblasting, priming and painting and most of the labor of installation has been donated. She said the committee hopes to complete the project within the $2,000 allotted in this year’s county budget, but isn’t sure of all expenses at this time. T he court approved the cemetery committee’s plans, and authorized it to proceed with the project.
In other action, the court voted to leave the county’s retirement plan unchanged for the coming year; decided to advertise for bids on galvanized metal roofs for the courthouse and the old jail and to advertise for bids on a new pickup for Steve Sturtz. The bids will be opened at the court meeting Nov. 10.