February 20, 2024 - The Shelby County Commissioners discussed several issues during their February 14, 2024 meeting and following their executive session announced the retirement of the assistant auditor and the 911 administrator.
Earlier in the meeting Ann Blackwell, County Treasurer discussed the weekly expenses with the commissioners.
Blackwell reported the down payment on the pugmill recently approved by the commissioners has been sent and the availability for the pugmill is now 20 weeks.
Commissioner Steve Smith moved to approve the weekly expenses and the motion was seconded by Commissioner Tom Bellmyer, the motion carried.
The commissioners omitted from the weekly expenses the bill relating to item 12 on the agenda, a bill from 96 Equipment for $11,500.
Blackwell gave the Officers’ report and Commissioner Tom Bellmyer moved to approve the officers report and journal entries, the motion was seconded by Commissioner Smith and the motion carried.
Constable Taylor Fanguy updated the court on the status of the 2023 Chevrolet Tahoe he is meant to receive. He reported the dealership in Caldwell where the vehicle is coming from has had it since last July and they couldn’t yet give him a solid date on delivery of the vehicle.
“We got them to basically separate the invoice, the dealership’s going to invoice us for the car, I’ve got the parts ordered and they’ll invoice us whenever those get in,” said Fanguy. “Del [Birdwell]’s gonna outfit it, or install everything.”
The commissioners reviewed a revised Investment Policy for Shelby County and Treasurer Blackwell gave them an explanation of the policy.
“I re-wrote this about four years ago, but I got some good information from my conference that I went to in November, my investment conference that gave me a resource to update this and just make it more up to date as far as how it’s written,” said Blackwell. “So, it basically has the same things that the other one had, only just a little bit more language in it.”
A motion was made by Commissioner Bellmyer to approve the Investment Policy for Shelby County and was seconded by Commissioner Jimmy Lout, the motion carried.
A motion by Commissioner Bellmyer to approve a resolution to designate the County Investment Officer for Shelby County and continue with the County Treasurer as the designated individual, the motion was seconded by Commissioner Smith, and the motion carried.
Commissioner Lout moved to acknowledge and record County Treasurer Certificate of Compliance with County Treasurer Continuing Education for 2023, and the motion was seconded by Commissioner Stevie Smith, the motion carried.
Commissioner Lout moved to acknowledge and record County Treasurer Certificate of Compliance with Continuing Education for County Investment Officer for 2023, and the motion was seconded by Commissioner Smith, the motion carried.
The commissioners considered the purchase of a 2014 shop built tank trailer for Road and Bridge Pct. 2 being paid from Fixed Assets.
Commissioner Lout moved to pay for the purchase out of fixed assets in the amount of $11,500 and the motion was seconded by Commissioner Smith, the motion carried.
The commissioners discussed a FY2024 line-Item transfer for the Emergency Watershed Protection Program payment. Commissioner Smith stated an issue that has come up as a result of the project in dealing with the phone company.
“In my opinion the project’s not complete and I’m not in favor of paying this, our share of this money right now,” said Smith.
According to Commissioner Smith, a phone line was destroyed by a trackhoe when the project began and this particular phone line runs between chicken houses and the owner’s home, which impacts the ability of the computers in the chicken house from communicating in the event of an emergency.
“I told them when they tore it up, ‘it’s going to have to be buried like it was when they got there,’” said Smith. “The first time they come out they just looped it through the pasture.”
Commissioner Smith described the phone line has been wrapped around fencing and has just been left laying in a ditch, contrary to his request for it be buried where it originally had been. He contends the project isn’t complete, in his opinion, until the phone line is back in the ground.
A motion by Commissioner Tom Bellmyer to go ahead and make the line-item transfer to get the funds ($906,038) in a single location while they work the background to get the phone line fixed until the 30 days come up and then they make a decision then, Commissioner Lout seconded the motion and the motion carried.
Commissioner Smith moved to record the Racial Profiling report for the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, and it was seconded by Commissioner Bellmyer and the motion carried.
Eric Garrett, President of Paxton Water Corporation updated the court on Jackson Well Project and invited everyone to the official opening of the facility. (Related article: Paxton Water Supply Celebrates Completion of Well Project.)
The meeting then adjourned into executive session and once it returned to open session, the commissioners presented two items that were discussed in executive session.
Commissioner Bellmyer stated there was discussion about two positions up for retirement including the assistant auditor and the 911 administrator for addressing. Both positions will be advertised.
No action was taken as none was necessary.
The meeting was then adjourned.
Officers reports for the month of January as presented by Ann Blackwell, County Treasurer:
Fees for the month of January 2024
Officers reports for the month of January 2024 as presented by Ann Blackwell, County Treasurer:
Debora Riley, Tax Assessor Collector - Property: $3,335,224.39; Motor Vehicle: $120,354.92; Total: $3,455,579.31
Jennifer Fountain, County Clerk - $32,301.76
Lori Oliver, District Clerk - $10,782.01
Donna Hughes, JP1 - $16,788.20
Marla Denby, JP2 - $861
Melba Rodgers, JP3 - $2,828.00
Dee Dee Green, JP4 - $3,282.60
Tracy Broadway, JP5 - $4,158.95
Zack Warr, Constable 1 - $880
Taylor Fanguy, Constable 4 - $260
Sheriff’s Fees - $4,686.80
Total of $3,532,858.63
Total investments of $19,190,696.73
Total interest earned on investments of $82,585.53
Agenda items approved during the meeting include:
1. Minutes of January 3, 2024 Special meeting, January 10, 2024 Regular meeting, January 17, 2024 Special meeting, January 24, 2024 Special meeting, January 31, 2024 Special meeting of the Shelby County Commissioner’s Court.
2. Pay weekly expenses.
3. Pay current Payroll.
4. Officers Report.
5. Revised Investment Policy for Shelby County.
6. Adopt Resolution of Annual Review of Investment Policy for Shelby County.
7. Adopt Resolution to designate County Investment Officer
8. Acknowledge and record County Treasurer Certificate of Compliance with County Treasurer Continuing Education for 2023
9. Acknowledge and record County Treasurer Certificate of Compliance with Continuing Education for County Investment Officer for 2023.
10. Purchase of a 2014 Shop Built Tank Trailer for Road and Bridge Pct 2 being paid out of Fixed Assets.
11. FY2024 Line-Item transfer for the Emergency Watershed Protection Program payment.
12. Record Racial Profiling report for the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office.
13. Adjourn.
