Notes from Presidio County Commissioners Court Meeting March 3, 2016

Presidio County Commissioners Court Special Meeting, March 3rd, 2016. 9 AM, Presidio County Annex, Presidio, TX

County Attorney John Fowlkes present

Present: Commissioners Hernandez, Aranda, Judge Guevara

Commissioner-Elect Brenda Silva Bentley

Convene at 9:17 AM

Judge reviews several rules of Commissioners Court regarding public comments and commentary by guests during court proceedings.

Public Comments:

Mayor Ferguson: 

Had a meeting with county atty about properties on 67 N of Presidio. Fencing, etc

Also pursuing ambulance funding, will visit with City of Marfa to see how things are going.

Ferguson advocates for gentleman who wants to buy ice plant building in Presidio. (Rejected twice by commissioners court after executive sessions)

Judge says that meeting with Marfa mayor on Tues March 8th for ESD would be great. Mayor Ferguson says he will not be in town, but it interested.

Fowlkes says that County can adopt an ordinance to force landowners on 67 to erect fencing along highway. Texas Transportation Code provides for this if County adopts ordinance. Would affect all landowners with disabled vehicles, salvage yards, etc.

Aranda says that it has been an issue, if City of Presidio could run water service up to there it would be an easy way to get people to fence the areas. Ferguson says it will take quite a bit of time but that process is in the works. Aranda says that getting all that done at once would be the best way to do it. Fowlkes says that a county/city committee could be convened and could institute the fencing requirement. 

Should not be that hard to fix.

Hernandez says that he is concerned with the old mobile homes more than a fence. Fowlkes says that the fence could block the view, that's what it would be for. Hernandez is pretty sure that fence would not block that view. Wants to know if the County could go beyond a fence and actually remove the stuff. Fowlkes says highly unlikely that County could force anyone to do certain things with their land other than what is prescribed.

Aranda says that water service to the area will really help influence that area and cleaning it up. 

Gracie Parras: wants to address executive session for item 4

Transport people for jail go on transport, county is reimbursed. Then employees get paid. There is money already sitting there. Right now they are not getting paid. Asks commissioners to please fix whatever problems there are so that they can go on doing their jobs and get paid on time.

Kaija Valkonen: asks for consideration of wants by employees before commissioners decide.  Lot of times while employees are working for Marshals they use up their own comp time. Ben that way since about 2012. Ask for consideration when decision is made, wants commissioners to know they are trying to help with comp time hours, not trying to do anything wrong.

Sheriff Dominguez: he would prefer that commissioners remain in open session. He thinks his ample yes have the right to be in that session. This will be fixed today. Judge agrees that it will be fixed today. Sheriff says OK, just wants to be sure that it is fair. Judge says that's what we're here for and it will be. Sheriff says OK.

Judge Guevara: announcements: Courthouse Dome hours: flexibility for dome hours during spring break. Working with city of Marfa. Guided tours for dome for the week of spring break for most of the day long each weekday.

Judge talks about Larry Lunsford: re: golf course proposal. He has meet with well drillers from Alpine, meeting with other experts about golf course infrastructure, sprinkler systems etc. Judge met with him yesterday. Golf Association met with him. Things have gone well so far. Hernandez wants to make sure that golf association has been included. Progress on proposal is ongoing. 

Judge announces that everyone is working hard to get the Stonegarden grants fixed up and corrective action plan submitted. Hopefully very soon so that paging system can be fixed up and running properly and we can be compliance for grant funding.

Executive session at 9:40 AM. Gracie Parras and Sheriff stay for session.

Reconvene into regular session at 10:45 AM

Item 6- 

Action: Judge Guevara makes motion for Presidio County to pay $15 per hour for jail transport and record on time sheet hours. Any time sheet revisions, additions will go though County. Seconded by Hernandez.

Motion carries

Line item transfers: approved.

Bills: includes school training for jail training for Brittany Fox and Gracie Parras in Huntsville. 

Judge Guevara has training to pay for as well. 

Approved.

Adjourn at 10:49 AM