Election Results Canvassed, Victims Services Agreement Approved
Hopkins County Commissioners Court, during a special called meeting Friday morning, gave approval for Precinct 3 Commissioner Wade Bartley to begin the process to purchase 10 acres of land. Commissioners also canvassed the election results and approved an agreement to provide victim services.
Property Proposal
Bartley, following a 13 minute executive session, explained that Precinct 3 is currently and has been leasing the land for several years for precinct work. It is located wih frontage on County Roads 3564 and 3602. It’s held in an estate, owned by two brothers, one who owns 1 acre of land and one who owns the other 9 acres.
“The family is to the point of liquidations. The brothers live in Louisiana and Florida,” Bartley said.
Bartley proposed purchasing the land for $4,000 per acre in two contracts. The county would seek bids from local banks to make the purchase, then the purchase would be paid out of the Precinct 3 budget over the next 7 years. Bartley said a title company and surveyor were on standby, ready to begin the process, if given approval, with the deal wrapped up by the end of the year. The fee to the title company would be $1,500.
The Precinct 3 Commissioner said his plan would be to use some of the materials salvaged from the county building which is slated to be torn down on Rosemont and Houston Street in December to build an equipment shed on the property.
The request from Bartley was seconded by Barker and received unanimous approval of those present to start the contract process; Precinct 2 Commissioner Greg Anglin was not in attendance at the meeting.
Newsom noted the court would be asked again to vote on the measure for approval of funding source and when the deed is ready.
SAVNS Agreement
The Commissioners Court also gave approval to renew a “participating entity services agreement” for the Statewide Automated Victim Notification Service.
The county receives a grant each year to provide victims services, but the county is required to sign a contract allowing a company to provide these services, County Auditor Shannah Aulsbrook explained. The provided services are 100 percent grant funded with no funding match required from the county, they just require court approval.
Canvassing Election Returns
County Clerk Tracy Smith presented the election returns from the Nov. 5 Constitutional Amendments Election to be officially canvassed by the Commissioners Court.
Smith reported 3,683 total ballots cast in Hopkins County. That’s over 15 percent of the registered voters casting ballots, a good turn out considering voting is traditionally low during years Constitutional Amendments are on the ballot. She noted there were five other entities — the City of Sulphur Springs, City of Cumby, Cumby ISD, North Hopkins ISD and Lake Fork Water Supply — conducting elections as well, however, which could account for the uptick.
Of the 12 voting locations, the most ballots were cast at League Street Church of Christ and Hopkins County Courthouse. Registered Hopkins County voters were able to cast ballots at any voting location, not necessarily the one located nearest to their address.
Smith said the election went well thanks to the work of her staff and the election judges and clerks at each location.
