Commissioners renew agreement with banks for hospital move
Milam County Commissioners voted to renew their lease agreement with area banks to allow for a move of county offices out of downtown Cameron on March 9.
Commissioners voted to renew their lease agreement with area banks that would allow them to trade several properties presently occupied by county offices in exchange for the old Little River Hospital building and property. The previous lease agreement expired and the renewed lease will last six months and has no other changes made to it.
Young had artist’s renditions of what the outside and entry to the new building would look like. He said that security will be a main function in the new facility with each office having access only through checking in at the front desk and being buzzed in.
Young said that so far the county has spent $97,482.50 on the plans for the building and that those plans are 80 percent complete. He said that another $20,000 will probably be spent on those plans.
The plans are supposed to be finished by the first of May and will then be sent out for bids.
The county signed the original lease agreement for the 8.5-acre complex in October of 2019.
Young said he has looked into using solar power to provide electricity to the complex.
“We can power the whole facility with solar,” he said. “In the back of the hospital there is a large parking area. What we would do is build covered parking and put solar panels on top of it. That will cost a lot of money. We can buy the panels and after seven years it would be paid off and then there would be no electricity cost for 13 years until the panels need to be replaced.”
There is also a rental option for the solar panels. There was no decision made on this topic during the meeting.
During the meeting Young presented a video for the audience with several county residents who are in favor of the move to the hospital.
In other economic development news the court also heard from Whinstone’s Chad Harris about progress being made at their site on the former Alcoa property.
He said Whinstone has hired 100 employees and they are nine months ahead of schedule. Harris said he hopes they will be fully operational and hooked up to go live in 30 days.
Young also discussed the upcoming 2020 Census and how important it will be for Milam County. Young implored everyone to fill it out so that the county is adequately represented with respect to federal money and congressional representation, saying Texas is in line to get three more seats in Washington.
The court also approved a contract with Grantworks to administer $1.3 million in grant funds to help buyout properties in Rockdale that have repeatedly flooded. At least seven homes are expected to be part of the buyout.
All homes will be at fair market value pre-Hurricane Harvey. The program is 100 percent federally funded and costs Milam County nothing.
In other business the court also: took the first step in establishing a tax abatement for Whinstone when they approved sending public notices out regarding the creation of a reinvestment zone for Whinstone; held a public hearing creating a reinvestment zone for a solar project in Yarrellton; approved a lease agreement for the Milam County Sheriff’s Office to lease vehicles through Classic; and approved grant funds, subdivision variances, and the purchase of a 2018 John Deere road grader for Precinct 3.