Commissioners honor longtime employee on retirement
Milam County Commissioners recognized a longtime Milam County Emergency Management Coordinator Susan Reinders for her years of service during their meeting Monday, Dec. 23.
Reinders retired at the end of the year.
Commissioners honored her with a plaque and reception during the meeting.
“On behalf of the commissioners court we want to recognize Susan for 15 years of service,” Commissioner Jeff Muegge said. “I’ve known Susan a long time. It was very interesting to sit down at the first FEMA meeting and they were talking abbreviations and letters and numbers and I’m lost. She is writing stuff down and answering questions. Thank God she was there to cover me. We have been having these disasters for about four years and still going on. Thank you for all you’ve done.”
Commissioner Opey Watkins said that Reinders has gotten Milam County thousands and thousands of dollars through her work with FEMA.
“She has always been there and on the job,” Commissioner John Fisher said. “She also took care of all this telephone stuff.”
“She always has stuff ready and that helps us out,” Commissioner Donald Shuffield said. “It is overwhelming dealing with FEMA and what she does to get us our money is appreciated.”
Commissioners also held a public hearing regarding proposed tax abatement guidelines. There was no one wanting to comment. They then adopted those guidelines.
After a short executive session, they appointed Steven Wise and Bob Wilson to serve on the Post Oak Savannah Groundwater Conservation District Board of Directors.
Young also gave an update on economic development to the court, giving a review of all that happened in 2019 including the addition of several solar projects and two tech companies.
“Right now Milam County is the largest bitcoin mining county in the United States with Bitmain and Whinestone,” Young said. “With all the things coming with solar we are clearly the largest solar producer in the state. This is all new for us. With the green technology and artificial intelligence it puts us on the cutting edge of technology. This will bring new young people to the county.”
He also updated the court on the clean up of the Thrasher property in Rockdale saying it was going good and all the work should be complete in the coming months.
In other business commissioners also: voted for Muegge to be Judge Pro-Tem; approved spending over $307,000 for a new road grader for Precinct 1; approved utility installations; approved memorandums of understanding the all the county fire departments; and approved several subdivision variances.