Monitor Photo/Jody Vincik
Child advocates of all stripes join Henderson County Commissioners’ Court to mark April 2’s proclamation for Child Abuse Awareness and Prevention Month, including Karen Bertoni (front row, left to right), Nicole Chap, Bridgette Chairez, Kim Johnson, Jenny Palmer, Cayce Shue, Casie Darter, Breanna Rogers, Patricia Whitley, Sheila Davis, Ginger Ford, Krystal Tackett, Debbie Stanley, Susan Randall, Kim Williams, Krystal Davis, April Baugh, Amanda Sharp, Clint Davis, Maria Rameriz and Leslie Saunders, as well as Keith Loper (back row, left to right), Meagan Hogan, Dustin Smith, Jerry Moore, Eduardo Gonzalez, Botie Hillhouse, Chuck McHam, Mark Richardson, Wade McKinney, Wendy Spivey and Scott Tuley.

HENDERSON COUNTY—Henderson County Commissioners’ Court voted April 2 to proclaim this month as Child Abuse Awareness and Prevention Month.
“We’re here supporting the children across Henderson County, and it takes a community, it takes a village to do this,” said Henderson County HELP Center CEO Leslie Saunders.
CASA (Court-Appointed Special Advocate) of Trinity Valley Executive Director Keith Loper shared that he’s “grateful for the support the court and the community provides for us.”
Said Saunders of the HELP Center, “These ladies, day in and day out, are the boots on the ground taking care of these victims.” She also read the proclamation, which included a passage that “child maltreatment is a community problem.”
In fiscal year 2023 in Henderson County, Saunders stated from the proclamation, there were 894 state Child Protective Services investigations, 231 children were served by CASA of Trinity Valley and 471 children received services at Maggie’s House Child Advocacy Center.
“Our numbers, they’re heartbreaking,” Precinct 2 Commissioner Scott Tuley remarked.
The court also approved a clarification of the term of the 1982 agreement with the Henderson County Hospital Authority and an agreement for an extension of terms. UT Health Athens CEO Buddy Daniels said it’s a land lease involving a triangle of property near UT Health Athens Hospital, where State Highway 19 meets State Loop 7.
There, Daniels continued, UT Health plans to construct a professional office building, for which he said preliminary plans involve a three-story, 60,000 square-feet building costing $30 million-$35 million.
Daniels said UT Health’s partners have outgrown their facilities (which they lease from UT Health) and need more room, with added services from other providers to be included. The land lease to integrate the improvements into its language would be extended to Dec. 31, 2099, Daniels informed the court, to comply with what he said are builders’ requests to have such leases last at least 75 years.
Precinct 3 Commissioner Chuck McHam said the construction and expanded care plans would “keep doctors here.”
In other business, the court:
• Approved a Henderson County Tax Assessor-Collector request to refund overpaid taxes, issuing eight checks totaling $47,208.65.
• Approved a request to allow the Precinct 1 constable’s office to carry the commission for the 173rd State District Court’s bailiff, which County Judge Wade McKinney said had been carried by Precinct 4.
• Approved a request for labor and equipment use from Willow Springs Cemetery, as a historical cemetery pursuant to state law, located between Cross Roads and Athens in Precinct 1.
• Approved a donation of $3,178.32 for five loads of Flex Base material for the Willow Springs Cemetery Road, from Ellis Exploration (which Precinct 1 Commissioner Wendy Spivey said is an oil company that often uses the route).
• Approved a four-year interlocal cooperation agreement between the county and the City of Star Harbor for labor and equipment use, which Spivey said is an extension of services.
• Approved a right-of-way permit for Charter Spectrum to install fiber-optic cable and associated utilities along County Roads 3300, 3302, 3405, 3406, 3407, 3409, 3410, 3436 and 4811, located in Precinct 3.
• Approved 2024 budget amendments dealing with jail and vehicle issues, according to County Auditor Ann Marie Monk.
• Approved paying fiscal year 2023 bills of $350.
• Approved paying fiscal year 2024 bills of $335,776.02.
• Approved awarding the county’s 2024 bulk fuel services bid to Eagle Fuel.