HENDERSON COUNTY–Jan. 23, Henderson County Commissioners’ Court heard a Section 3 compliance presentation for a Texas Community Development Block Grant relating to Crescent Heights Water Supply Corp., which is finishing up a water project to expand its service in the area between Athens and Cross Roads.
The Section 3 program requires that recipients of certain U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) financial assistance, in the greatest extent possible, provide training, employment, contracting and other economic opportunities to low and very low-income people, especially recipients of government assistance for housing, and to businesses that provide economic opportunities to low and very low-income people, according to HUD’s website.
The presentation was led by Traylor & Associates Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Wesley Traylor, who said the $350,000 grant project is funded by HUD, is administered through the Texas Department of Agriculture and is nearly complete.
The project has taken about four years, County Judge Wade McKinney said, and was impacted by materials shortages during the pandemic and at one point had to be scaled back. The county ensured that expenses were met with county money, McKinney continued.
Traylor, whose company is administering the grant at the local level, said the required presentation fulfills federal Section 3 requirements geared toward low and moderate-income residents, which he explained is below the county’s threshold for median income.
Traylor continued that the project must serve at least 51% of low-income residents among the totality of those affected. Of its total, the water project serves about 56% low-income residents, Traylor reported, and is therefore in compliance.
In other business, the court:
• Approved a request by the Henderson County Tax Assessor-Collector for refunding overpaid taxes, issuing 11 checks worth $40,873.57.
• Updated a State Emergency Radio Infrastructure (SERI) grant resolution which deals with obtaining handheld radios for volunteer firefighters for emergency response.
• Approved a Memorandum of Understanding with the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Statewide Interoperability Office related to the Texas Statewide Interoperability Channel Plan (TSICP).
• Approved a Notice of Election for March 5, 2024, as a joint Democratic and Republican primary.
• Approved accepting the Racial Profiling Report from the Henderson County Attorney’s Office for filing purposes only.
• Approved the Henderson County Investment Policy for 2024.
• Approved a request for Sheriff’s Office Investigator Dustin Smith to travel to Hoover, Ala., for training at the National Computer Forensics Institute.
• Took no action on an Interlocal Agreement between the Sheriff’s Office and the Fire Chiefs Association of Henderson County for Emergency Service Communications, with the court waiting on more information.
• Approved a Care and Coordination Agreement between Henderson County and the Andrews Center.
• Approved entering into an Interlocal Agreement with the City of Dallas for the Internet Crimes against Children’s Task Force.
• Approved applying for the fiscal year 2025 Body-Worn Camera Grant Program.
• Reappointed Cliff Smith and Matt Tyler and appointed Casey Watson to replace Christy Turner to the Henderson County Regional Fair Park Board of Commissioners, with term ending Jan. 31, 2026.
• Approved an agreement with Tool Cemetery Association to blade and overlay the road inside the cemetery, located in Precinct 1.
• Failed for lack of second, a motion to move position RB-210 from pay grade 410 to pay grade 411, Step 9, Precinct 2.
• Approved an agreement for donation of materials for roads in Henderson County and Release of Liability, Precinct 3.
• Appointed Clay Martin to the Emergency Services District 7 Board of Commissioners, with a term ending Dec. 31, 2025.