Commissioners hire emergency management coordinator

Milam County Commissioners placed a familiar face at the helm of emergency management during a meeting on Monday.

Commissioners unanimously approved the rehiring of Susan Reinders as Emergency Management Coordinator. Reinders retired from that post back in 2019. She will now return to the same job. 

County Judge Bill Whitmire said they interviewed several candidates but felt that bringing Reinders back on board would help to get emergency management back to where it needs to be before they bring in someone new or unfamiliar with the county. 

Commissioners also voted unanimously, with Commissioner Denman recused, to rescind their contract proposal to Mark McKibben. The Court had previously decided to offer him a contract that would pay him a flat rate per month to house dogs for the county. During the last meeting, McKibben spoke before the court and noted he refused to sign the contract because he was not involved in the discussions and felt he was already operating under a mutual agreement with the county. McKibben was absent from Monday’s meeting. 

Commissioners will now decide what to do with the $30,000 total they were set to pay him. 

During the meeting commissioners also recognized Stiles Patin of Thorndale for winning the 2023 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Grand Champion Steer from among the 1,900 entries at the show. 

In other business Commissioners also: heard a presentation on the Milam County CPS Board; accepted the resignation of Michael Moehling as Precinct 4 Constable and tabled an interim hire until their next meeting; approved the removal of approaches to the Bryant Station Bridge; approved payment methods for the Old Town Cameron Museum, and the appointments of Jack and Beth Brooks to the Milam County Historical Commission; approved a heavy load permit for Hog Creek Bridge; started negotiations for the purchase of land in Precinct 2; approved the purchase of LGS software for a cloud-based software program that will be compatible with the Sheriff’s Office for the County Clerk’s Office, District Clerk’s Office, Justice of the Peace offices, and District Attorney’s Office.