County Court Sets Employee Holidays
Meeting in regular session Feb. 11, the Glasscock County Commissioners’ Court set employee holidays for 2008. For courthouse employees, holidays are: New Year’s Day, Jan. 1; MLK Day, Jan. 21; President’s Day, Feb. 18; Good Friday, March 21; Memorial Day, May 26; Independence Day, July 4; Labor Day, Sept. 1; Columbus Day, Oct. 13; Veteran’s Day, Nov. 11; Thanksgiving, Nov. 27, 28; Christmas, Dec. 24, 25, 26.
Employees who work on the road crews have the following holidays: Jan. 1, March 21, May 26, July 4, Sept. 1, Nov. 27, 28, Dec 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30, 31.
At the request of Deputy Sheriff Keith Burnett, the court agreed to pay for 5 volunteer fire department personnel to attend a workshop dealing with prescribed rangeland burning sponsored by the Texas A & M Experiment Station. The workshop is Feb. 21 – 23 in Sonora, and costs $395 per person, including lodging and meals. Burnett said it is important that the volunteer group know how to properly use a backfire as a method of controlling wildfires, saying it can be one of the most effective tools.
Volunteers termed ‘Awesome’
Burnett praised the county’s volunteers, and county workmen, describing how many have quickly responded to recent wildfires, dropping their personal matters to serve. He said the county has “…awesome people and good equipment.” He said the volunteer fire departments’ communications equipment is working well, including the radios in maintainers.
He also spoke highly of Howard County’s quick help in fighting fires in northern Glasscock County.
The court voiced its appreciation for all the county volunteers, in both the fire department and emergency medical service, and extended its appreciation to Howard County as well.
Stipends for county volunteers, discussed as a possibility on Jan. 22, were not on the Feb. 11 court agenda, and were not discussed. Also, there was no mention of whether stipends have been discussed with the county’s volunteer groups.
Major Sewer Line Break
On a different note, Burnett reported a major sewer line leak under the jail, which is going to cost more than $8,000 to repair. A cast-iron pipe under the concrete floor will be replaced with PVC, along with several other replacements. Whitmore’s Plumbing of Big Spring will do the work, beginning in two weeks.
County Treasurer/County Historical Commission member Alan Dierschke reported that once again, Glasscock County was denied funding for courthouse restoration. The state historical commission awarded $56,5 million to fund 14 projects and has a reserve fund of $4.5 million. Applications for the state money may be submitted again in two years.