December 17, 2024 - The Shelby County Commissioners saw the swearing in of Shannon Metcalf to the office of Commissioner Precinct 2 and were updated that all $4.9 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding had been obligated during their meeting held December 11, 2024.
During the meeting Shannon Metcalf was the newly appointed Commissioner Precinct 2 to fill out the remaining term of Jimmy Lout who recently passed away and who was the Precinct 2 Commissioner for 22 years.
Judge Harbison administered the oath of office to Metcalf and the then took his seat with the other commissioners.
Ann Blackwell, County Treasurer, provided a financial report to the commissioners and she indicated all of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds had been allocated for specific purposes as was required by the act.
“We had another payment out of the American Rescue Plan is $160,066.25 that has a the cash balance of $747,319.78,” said Blackwell.
There are trailers which the commissioners have purchased she said she believed to be close to being ready. She also said the Huber Well Project is ongoing and then she gave an ARPA report.
“We have fully expended our ARPA grant, $4,909,178 with some pending payments, we have $747,319.78 pending. But, everything has been obligated, which is waiting for some equipment to come in and then we have one more administrative payment to GrantWorks,” said Blackwell.
Roscoe McSwain, Commissioner Precinct 1, moved to approved the officer’s report from Blackwell and a second was received by Stevie Smith, Commissioner 3.
Judge Harbison announced the county offices will be closing on Friday, December 20 for an hour-and-a-half between 12-noon and 1:30 for their annual county Christmas luncheon.
“The commissioners and I for five or six years, we do a barbecue luncheon over at the AgriLife for our officers and our employees and they really enjoy it so we're going to do that on the Friday before Christmas just to let y'all know we'll have it on the sign and in the public and everything,” said Judge Harbison.
The commissioners approved accepting a donation of concrete debris for Precinct 4 during the meeting and Tom Bellmyer, Commissioner Precinct 4, gave some background explanation of the origin of the donation.
“Had a local business that's done quite a renovation and expansion to their business, and part of it they did a quite a bit of demolition to an existing foundation. They reached out to me and asked me if I would like to have that because we use that material in a lot of washouts and debris and that type of thing.
Bellmyer elaborated that he informed the business that he would meet with the court and work to get it approved to accept that donation. He explained his crew would load the donated debris, and haul it to their stock yard and move it away from the business location.
Commissioner Bellmyer moved to accept the donation and a second was received from Commissioner McSwain.
The court considered changing the commissioner's court meeting dates of Wednesday, December the 25 and Wednesday, January 1, which are county holidays.
“Mr. Bellmyer and I went to some training last Wednesday and we discussed it and since we're off on Christmas Eve also we kind of thought about not even having a meeting on that week and then having our next meeting on the 31st,” said Judge Harbison.
In discussion it was determined they would have no meeting on Christmas week and have the last meeting of the year on New Year’s Eve.
Commissioner McSwain moved to cancel the Christmas week meeting and change it to December 31, and a second to his motion was given by Commissioner Metcalf.
During the Commissioners’ Court Reports portion of the meeting Judge Harbison announced the arrival of the furniture for the courtroom would be arriving the day after the meeting and she asked if the commissioners could assist when the furniture was delivered.
Sheriff’s Deputy Chief Chad Hooper was also present and agreed there were trustys at the jail who would be able to help.
Commissioner McSwain stated he and Commissioner Bellmyer were in Lufkin at the Mack truck dealership to finalize them the day before the meeting and one trailer had arrived while the others were expected very soon after that. Once the final trailer arrives, he said that bill could be paid and put behind them.
Commissioner Bellmyer remarked at how quickly the new apron for the driveway into the Justice of the Peace Precinct 1 office was completed and how much easier it is now to get in and out of the driveway.
“I thought that was a coordination that worked out well,” said Commissioner Bellmyer.
Commissioner McSwain added, “That was a very good move for the county to invest that, it was a very good investment, because we have the sidewalk back like it was supposed to be,” said Commissioner McSwain. “There’s no way we could have done that with our equipment with oil sand or asphalt. It was very professional and a very good investment.”
The meeting was adjourned at 9:51am.
Agenda items approved during the meeting include:
1. Minutes of the following meetings. November 6, 2024 Special Meeting; November 13, 2024 Regular Meeting; November 20, 2024 Special Meeting; November 27, 2024 Special Meeting. 2. Weekly Expenses. 3. Officers Report. 4. Donation of concrete construction debris for Precinct 4. 5. Commissioner’s Court meeting date of Wednesday, December 25, 2024 to Tuesday, December 31, 2024. 6. Adjourn.
Related Article: Metcalf Sworn-in as Commissioner Precinct 2
