HENDERSON COUNTY–Henderson County Commissioners’ Court approved an interlocal agreement with Mabank ISD to use county employees and equipment to assist in building a road at Lakeview Elementary in Gun Barrel City to help with congestion while picking up students Nov. 22.
Precinct 2 Commissioner Scott Tuley said the school currently stages student pickups off Harbor Point Road “and it’s really kind of a mess. They’ve (Mabank ISD) kind of done everything they possibly can to alleviate traffic build-up.” Tuley said the school board and Superintendent Brad Koskelin have talked with the City of Gun Barrel City and have met with the Texas Department of Transportation.
Tuley said another nearby road, Heritage Parkway, will funnel traffic to a new pickup point “because it doesn’t have that much traffic on it.” A new roadway will turn west off Heritage Parkway, Tuley added, for which the county will provide excavation. Mabank ISD will supply the road materials while Tuley said he believed either the school district or Gun Barrel City will provide the culvert.
County Judge Wade McKinney said Mabank ISD is a subdivision of the State of Texas and is eligible for these agreements.
The court also approved amending the county’s contract with Southern Health Partners for inmate medical services in the Henderson County Jail. Sheriff Botie Hillhouse told the court the move contractually adds a second medical technician for packing and distributing medication and extends dental services to inmates.
Both contract amendments will cost more than $48,000, Hillhouse said. The dentist will come every two months at $2,500 per regular visit, the sheriff stated.
The sheriff said a dentist contacted him and offered his services at the jail instead of the previous arrangement of transporting inmates to another local dentist, which McKinney said “reduces the need to transport which is always a risk and a cost and also gets them (inmates) seen in a quicker, more efficient fashion to handle those needs.”
In other business, the court:
• Approved annual enrollment of county employees into the Texas Association of Counties’ 2023 cybersecurity training course, which McKinney said is mandated by state law.
• Approved a facility needs assessment contract with Level 5 Architecture of Mansfield for an initial review of design services for the Henderson County Senior Citizens Center, funded by American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) federal money distributed to the county.
• Approved a right-of-way permit for Oncor Electric Delivery to put in lines and poles on Old River Road and part of Key Ranch Loop, located in Precinct 1.
• Approved the replat of two lots into one at the Waterboard subdivision, located in Precinct 1.
• Approved the payment of fiscal year 2022 bills in the amount of $117,820.17.
• Approved the payment of fiscal year 2023 bills in the amount of $1,826.
Also, during its Nov. 29 meeting, the court:
• Approved interlocal agreements for the county’s Crimes Against Children Task Force with the City of Tool for five years, the City of Log Cabin for one year and Brownsboro ISD for five years.
• Approved a right-of-way permit for West Cedar Creek Municipal Utility District to install a sewer line along Key Ranch Road, located in Precinct 1.
• Approved the payment of fiscal year 2022 bills in the amount of $147,456.70.
• Approved the payment of fiscal year 2023 bills in the amount of $350.