Editor: Shannon Cottongame
September 7, 2023
The Hill County Commissioners Court issued an amended request for qualifications from firms capable of handling high-performance design/build projects during a meeting Tuesday, August 29.
Earlier in the month, the court approved seeking proposals from companies as the county considers its future needs to accommodate growth.
The court’s latest action expands the list of proposed projects. County Judge Justin Lewis said that he would rather have too much on the list than not enough as the county considers its options.
The county will seek proposals for expanding the sheriff’s office, constructing annex facilities in precincts 3 and 4 and renovating current Community Supervision and Corrections Department offices at the Covington Street annex if that department moves to new space at the sheriff’s office.
The county is currently exploring its options for engineering and architectural services, with construction companies to be considered later if projects move forward. Proposals are due by Friday, October 6.
In other action, the court accepted a state grant to fund the county’s crime victim coordinator position. The county applies for the grant each year from the Office of the Attorney General to fund the mandated position.
The court approved memorandums of understanding between the sheriff’s office and Blum and Covington school districts. The agreements outline communication and coordination efforts between the department and school law enforcement personnel.
A communication systems agreement was approved with Mertens Volunteer Fire Department to allow the department to utilize the county’s new public safety radio system.
A contract between the Hill County Juvenile Probation Department and Collin County was approved, which will add another county to the list of residential facilities that can be contacted when the county needs to place a juvenile offender.
The meeting concluded with a budget workshop, and Lewis said that the budget was being reviewed for any mistakes or necessary adjustments before its adoption.
Questions about a few of the Evergreen Solutions proposals regarding employee pay were being looked into before the document is finalized. The court voted to utilize Evergreen’s proposals for employee wages subject to any final amendments that are deemed necessary.
The court briefly discussed the April 8, 2024, total solar eclipse as work continues to determine how much overtime pay to place in departments’ budgets with the new overtime system in place in the coming fiscal year. With departments throughout the area making their own plans to prepare for eclipse crowds, the county will need to have its employees on call in case there is an issue and outside help is not available.
Lewis pointed out that most schools in the county have agreed not to hold classes that day to limit the number of issues that may occur and added difficulty with traffic in the county. He encouraged any districts that have not yet called school off to reconsider.
The Lakelander 