Hopkins County Commissioners Court appointed 2 to the Civic Center Board, approved SART Team recommendations, and noted that an agricultural lease had been re-signed. Also during the regular court meeting Monday, Jan. 9, 2023, Fire Marshal Andy Endsley gave an update about a public health nuisance abatement case.
At the recommendation of Hopkins County Regional Civic Center Manager Lonnie Fox, Hopkins County Commissioners Court appointed Chris Voorhees to represent Precinct 1 and Jason Tully to represent Precinct 3 on the Civic Center Board of Directors.
“I talked to Jason Tully. He was excited to be able to do that,” Precinct 3 Commissioner Wade Bartley noted.
Precinct 2 Commissioner Greg Anglin noted for the record that he had signed and paid the annual agricultural lease agreement with the City of Sulphur Springs. The property, located within the old Thermo coal mine which the city now owns, has a large supply of sand which his precinct crews procure and mix with oil on county roads. Although used primarily by Precinct 2, the sand is available and used to some extent by all precincts.
The City of Sulphur Springs helps the county out by allowing the precinct crews to get sand from the pile at the discounted rate of $2 per year. The fee has already been paid, Anglin noted.
The Commissioners Court also approved a resolution reappointing six members from Hopkins County to the Regional Sexual Assault Response Team: Mary Ferguson with SAFE-T, 8th Judicial District Attorney Will Ramsay, Hopkins County Sheriff Lewis Tatum, Sulphur Springs Police Chief Jason Ricketson, Sexual Assault Examiner Nurse Kim Basinger and Donna Pendleton with Health and Human Services Commission for prevention as well , or a designee appointed by the team member.
Also appointed to the team representing other areas outside the county were Delta County Sheriff Charla Singleton, Franklin County Sheriff Ricky Jones, Lauren Fleming with Northeast Texas Child Advocacy Center, Kenny Stillwagoner with Cooper ISD police, Amy Dykes with Lakes Region Mental Health authority and Cassidy Cameron with CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital-Sulphur Springs, or these individuals’ designees.
Assistant District Attorney Jodi Haney Cox noted that NETCAC “handle a lot of our cases” and Fleming does a lot of outreach at schools. Thus, the DA’s office proposed adding her to the list to assist in prevention efforts. She asked that the hospital representative be added so there is someone on staff who knows the SART process and can help. A lot of the individuals whose cases are prosecuted by the district attorney’s office do visit the hospital for examination; having a team member at the hospital can help with that process.
The SART team works to reduce the incidence of sexual assault, hold offenders accountable and to help heal victims.
Hopkins County Fire Marshal Andy Endsley also before the meeting adjourned reported the public health nuisance situation tabled at last week’s meeting had been taken care of. Previously, the property owner was issued a citation and given 10 days to put in a new septic system; if he did not do so, he and the Local Health Authority, Dr. Darrell Pierce, recommended the man continue being cited until it situation was corrected. It was also recommended that county pay for the work, but a lien be placed on the property until the property owner paid off the cost.
During last week’s Commissioners Court meeting, Endsley advised the property owner in Precinct 2 had contacted a contractor who planned to put in the system as soon as the weather was dry enough to do so. The Commissioners Court, then opted to table the matter until this week, giving the property owner time to have the work performed, weather permitting.
At the Monday, Jan. 9, 2022, Commissioners Court meeting, Endsley reported that the new system was installed last week, and Kristy Springfield, the HCFD representative who conducts those inspections, approved it Friday. The fire marshal told the Commissioners that the citation was still pending in the Justice of the Peace Court, and what happened regarding the fine would be up to that judge.
The Commissioners Court also approved the consent agenda, which included minutes from two meetings in November and two work sessions in December; and a request from Farmers Electric Cooperative to construct electrical power distribution facilities across County Road 4714, northeast of FM 2653 in Precinct 4. The board also approved payment of bills, revenues and expenses, payroll and financial statements presented.
