Shelby County Today

December 12, 2025 - Boil Water Notice for Joaquin Public Water Systems

Effecting the West Side of Joaquin

To all customers on the west side of town needs to boil their water prior to consumption (e.g., washing hands/face, brushing teeth, drinking, etc). Children, seniors, and persons with weakened immune systems are particularly vulnerable to harmful bacteria, and all customers should follow these directions).

To ensure destruction of all harmful bacteria and other microbes, water for drinking, cooking, and ice making should be boiled and cooled prior to use for drinking water or human consumption purposes. The water should be brought to a vigorous rolling boil and then boiled for two minutes.

In lieu of boiling, individuals may purchase bottled water or obtain water from some other suitable source for drinking water or human consumption purposes.

When it is no longer necessary to boil the water, the public water system officials will notify customers that the water is safe for drinking water or human consumption purposes.

Once the boil water notice is no longer in effect, the public water system will issue a notice to customers that rescinds the boil water notice in a manner similar to this notice.

Please share this information with all the other people who drink this water, especially those who may not have received this notice directly (for example, people in apartments, nursing homes, schools, and businesses). You can do this by posting this notice in a public place or distributing copies by hand or mail.

If you have questions concerning this matter, you may contact City of Joaquin at 936-269-3021 or 130 Steve Hughes Drive, Joaquin, TX 75954

December 11, 2025 - The Shelby County Commissioners covered several utility maintenance issues during their December 3, 2025 meeting, as well as discussing the need for a funeral home transport policy.

When the commissioners reviewed the weekly expenses and Ann Blackwell, County Treasurer, stated the county would be paying the funeral home bill from the previous week’s bills.

Commissioner Roscoe McSwain commented further on the payment of the policy and considering alterations to the county policy on funeral home expense.

“I’m fine with going ahead and paying that bill today, but I do want us to research and decide exactly what our policy is going to be and what we are going to pay and not going to pay,” said Commissioner McSwain.

Blackwell commented that once they do that all funeral homes, and Justices of the Peace can then be informed as to what the policy is.

“If a JP (Justice of the Peace) orders an autopsy, you know we may have an obligation that we have to pay the pickup, but if it’s a pickup from home or anywhere else we shouldn’t be involved in that,” said McSwain. “I don’t care if it’s beside the road or home, or the hospital, if it’s not an ordered autopsy pickup for transfer somewhere we ain’t the ones gonna pay to pickup no matter who you are, we shouldn’t be paying it.”

Commissioner Stevie Smith moved to pay the weekly expenses with the addition of the funeral home invoice from the previous week. A second was heard from Commissioner McSwain and the motion carried.

The commissioners reviewed the payroll and County Judge Allison Harbison asked Sheriff Gerald Corbell if the Sheriff’s Department is still 100% staffed.

“We’re short in dispatch, we had a full-time employee resign,” said Sheriff Corbell.

Sheriff Corbell stated the spouse of the dispatcher passed away, and it was necessary for the dispatcher to resign.

“We still have that vacancy and we’re still having to fill it with people that are on their days off or however we can,” said Sheriff Corbell.

Commissioner Tom Bellmyer moved to approve the payroll and Commissioner McSwain seconded the motion, which carried.

During the Commissioners Court Reports portion of the meeting Judge Harbison shared that the gas supply to the AgriLife building had inadvertently been shut off as other portions of the old Center Elementary School campus where the office is located were disconnected.

Judge Harbison said that a plan is underway by Isch Plumbing, Co. to reconnect the gas to the AgriLife building.

The HVAC at the Historic Courthouse was another issue that Judge Harbison brought to the attention of the commissioners and that it would be on the following meeting agenda and she said she had a quote at that time for around $19,000 to repair the HVAC system to resolve a leak issue. 

Ann Blackwell commented that all large events, such as weddings, have been canceled at the courthouse until the courthouse is in better shape.

Judge Harbison commented that people who are familiar with the building, such as the Daughters of the Republic of Texas, can utilize the building for the time being.

Commissioner McSwain commented that Casey Anderson has been working diligently on a slideshow for the upcoming county auction that they will be featuring on social media, and that it would be shareable. It was the commissioner’s opinion that social media would be how the county would reach “the people,” and he encouraged everyone to share the event. 

Commissioner Bellmyer stated that the contractor for the Huber water well had been to the site installing the electrical that is required and that it was projected to take a few days.

The contractor, Jeff Dean, who is going to be constructing the new Precinct 4 office should have a floor plan for review soon.

Commissioner Bellmyer confirmed with Sheriff Corbell that Southern Medical will begin servicing the Shelby County Jail, and they began to become acquainted with the facility on December 1.

Commissioner Smith announced the closure on Thursday, December 4, 2025, of CR 3267 between the Lone Cedar and Campti Communities.

He said that a delivery truck struck a bridge railing and that it was in need of repair. Commissioner Smith said the project was planned to start in the morning following the meeting and that it was projected to last for eight hours until completion.

Agenda items approved during the meeting include:

1. Pay weekly expenses.
2. Pay current Payroll.
3. Adjourn at 9:51am.

December 11, 2025 - Stevie Smith, Commissioner Precinct 3, announces that CR 3801 half a mile from U.S. Highway 84 is closed for repair Thursday, December 11, 2025.

This section of roadway will remain closed until repairs are made to both a water line and the road itself.

December 10, 2025 - The Shelby County Commissioners updated the sick leave policy, shortening the employment time before an employee can participate in the sick leave pool Wednesday November 26, 2025. 

The sick leave policy originally required someone be employed continuously for 12 months before being eligible for participation in the pool, and through their action the commissioners reduced that time period by nine months.

Roscoe McSwain, Commissioner Precinct 1, described what changes he felt were necessary to the Sick Leave Pool policy.

“Our policy at this time says that you have to be employed a year prior to sign-up and that’s unfortunate for people that get hired January, February, March or something, because that same year they missed the sign-up, and they have to wait nearly two years,” said McSwain. “My proposal is to change it to, if you’re hired before October 1, you’re at 90 days and your still matched, you’ll be able to sign up instead of having to get hung in a trap of waiting nearly two years.”

Shelby County Judge Allison Harbison verbalized the change the sick pool policy “Eligibility” section to reflect at least three months instead of 12 months and the second page of the policy under “Enrollment and Contributions to the Pool” to at least three months instead of 12 months. Commissioner McSwain moved in response to Judge Harbison’s statement and Shannon Metcalf, Commissioner Precinct 2, seconded the motion and it carried.

The commissioners decided to move forward with the implementation of credit/debit card machines at Justice of the Peace offices as a preferred method of payment for those offices.

The commissioners discussed adding the credit card payment machines to the Justice of the Peace offices and the possibility of moving on to a card, check or money order only payment policy eliminating the cash payment option

Allison Harbison, Shelby County Judge, said that she has spoken to several of the Justices of the Peace and that they were in favor of making the change.

Ann Blackwell, County Treasurer, commented on her favor for the implementation of the policy.

“I think we need to put the credit card machines in the offices and give them that ability, because every one of them say that people come in with cards all the time,” said Blackwell. 

Blackwell didn’t think it would be likely that cash could be eliminated; however, cutting the amount down that’s handled would be very likely 

“Let’s work toward cutting down on so much cash, that’s got to help us in appearing that we’re trying to do something to move toward clearing up this audit finding that we have every year,” said Blackwell.

John Price, County Attorney, agreed with Jim Allison, general council for the Texas Association of Counties, in that there’s no clear authority on whether a county can adopt a completely cashless policy.

“To me, I would be a little uncomfortable adopting a cashless policy until we have something a little more definitive such as maybe an Attorney General’s opinion, which we can certainly request,” said Price.

Tom Bellmyer, Commissioner Precinct 4, moved to contact a credit card vendor to set the credit card system up, meet with the JP’s and train them and set a time to go live. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Metcalf and the motion carried.

John Pope, Shelby County Constable Precinct 5, introduced the donation of two WatchGuard 4RE camera systems from Montgomery County Police Department to the commissioners and described how the donation came to pass.

“It’s the same camera system that me and the Sheriff’s Office is running,” said Constable Pope.

Constable Pope said that the law enforcement in Montgomery County had advertised in their local newspaper they had equipment to donate and Constable Pope made contact.

“He said he was looking for small departments and he got it ok’d and he ended up giving us two of them instead of one in case we needed parts or something for one,” said Pope.

Commissioner Bellmyer moved to accept the donation and Stevie Smith, Commissioner Precinct 3, seconded the motion after which carried.

When the commissioners examined the weekly expenses during the meeting, there were three charges from a local funeral home that would have been for picking up deceased individuals. Commissioner McSwain wanted clarification on what one of the charges was for, because it wasn’t immediately clear the charge indicated a pickup of an individual that was being transported for an autopsy. The county is normally charged only if someone is picked up and an autopsy is necessary for investigation purposes.

Commissioner McSwain move to approve paying the weekly expenses with the exception of invoice 237626 to allow for further study. His motion was seconded by Commissioner Metcalf, and the motion carried.

Agenda items approved during the meeting include:

1. Weekly Expenses.
2. Donation of two Watch Guard 4RE camera systems from Montgomery County Police Department for Constable Pct. 5.
3. Add credit card payment ability to the JP offices and moving to a card, check or money order only payment system and eliminating cash payment option.
4. Update the Sick Leave Pool policy.
5. Adjourn 10:23am.