Commissioners take next step in moving process

Milam County Commissioners took the next step toward moving county offices out of Cameron during a teleconference meeting on April 13.

Commissioners voted unanimously to go out for bids to find out the cost of renovating the former Little River Hospital building in Cameron and converting it into offices for the county.

“We have hired Stan Graves of ArchiTexas to do our plans for proposed county annex,” Milam County Judge Steve Young said. “Plans are now complete and it is time to go out for bids.

Young said the plans have all been sent to commissioners and the county has spent $146,000 so far on the plans. 

“I think the thing to do at this point is to send the plans out for bid,” he said. “Then we will know where we are on the cost. It isn’t going to hurt us to go out for bid.”

Anyone interested in bidding on the project can visit the county’s website to find bid specifications at milamcounty.net.

Commissioners voted to renew their lease agreement with area banks during the March 9 meeting. The 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. 

MCSO vehicles

Commissioners also approved a request for funding to replace vehicles for the Milam County Sheriff’s Office during the meeting. They approved issuing tax notes through Citizens National Bank at an interest rate of 1.988 percent in order to purchase vehicles for the MCSO.

Sheriff Chris White said the department looks to purchase 11 vehicles in over the next three years and it will take seven years to pay them all off at a total cost of roughly $500,000. 

The county originally looked at leasing vehicles, but elected to purchase instead to take advantage of credits toward their 3.5 percent capped tax increase. No tax levy will be necessary to pay off the vehicles. 

The commissioners also approved the reimbursement to the Sheriff’s Office for using their own forfeiture funds to make the initial payment on the vehicles.

Bea’s Kitchen

Young also had some good and bad news for commissioners about Bea’s Kitchen.

“As you all know the William’s Foundation has been the primary supporter of Bea’s Kitchen over these many years,” he said. “The Williams Foundation let me know that they were not going to fund it this year due to their stock portfolio being adversely affected by the stock decline.”

The Williams Foundation usually provides $80,000 annually to Bea’s Kitchen.

Young said he reached out to the Central Texas Council of Governments and Hill Country Community Action and the two will combine forces to keep the kitchen open and operating.

He said Bea’s Kitchen currently serves about 100 people a day. It has been closed since around March 18 due to the Shelter in Place orders. Bea’s Kitchen held its first meal handout on April 9 and served around 125 seniors two weeks worth of frozen meals through a drive-up system.

COVID-19

Commissioners were also updated on COVID-19 during the meeting. 

Young said there are currently eight cases in the county. The latest patient came up over the weekend. Three people have recovered and five are recovering or are expected to. 

Young also indicated that the peak in Texas is expected to hit around April 24. 

There will be a conference call later this week with all school superintendents here to discuss how to approach the rest of the school year. 

Commissioners could look to extend the Shelter in Place orders through May 19 during their meeting on April 27. 

In other business commissioners also voted to allow each department or precinct head to decide on employee paid leave; approved the hiring of Allison and Bass to file an application for TIFF grant funds to fix roadways; tabled a request to close County Road 202A; approved the purchase of a motor grader for Precinct 4 at a cost of $238,000; and accepted certificates of completion for Commissioners Jeff Muegge, John Fisher and Opey Watkins for training.