County commissioners on Monday scrapped a possible agreement with Odessa-based Allegiance HR Solutions Group for naming rights to the Ector County Coliseum.

County Judge Susan Redford said the cost of changing things like signage, business cards, uniforms and promotional items would be too great to justify changing the coliseum's moniker to the Allegiance HR Event Center.

Allegiance marketing director Rebecca Greenfield said the company manages human resources operations for small to mid-sized companies, including payroll, benefits, safety and workers compensation. The agreement would have covered only naming rights, with the county keeping its maintenance responsibilities.

Redford took her disapproval one step further after the unanimous vote to take Allegiance's offer off the table, saying she wouldn't be in favor of any name change for the venue because local taxpayers are the ones who keep the Coliseum going.

"It's their Coliseum, and it should reflect that," Redford said after Monday's vote.

Roughnecks General Manager Harold Fuller, who's been working to broker a deal between the county and Allegiance, said the company offered to pay $527,500 for a 10-year naming rights lease, with $27,500 set aside the first year for signage and logo changes.

Fuller said he's been trying to get a naming rights agreement for the coliseum for the last four or five years but Allegiance has been the only company to come forward with an offer. Fuller said he began looking while he was president of business development for the Jackalopes and the county expressed interest in finding a naming rights candidate.

"We're going to go back to the commissioners and judge and discuss it further," Fuller said. "Hopefully in the future we can get it back on the agenda and get the name changed."

In other action, commissioners narrowly passed a bid offer from Odessa-based Standard Structures Inc. for a pre-engineered metal building that will eventually be the new Westside Senior Center. The county will pay SSI $49,912 about  $3,000 more than the lowest bidder's price.

Commissioners Barbara Graff and Greg Simmons voted no on the measure, with Redford breaking the tie.

"I'm for moving forward with the project, I just thought we should be paying less," Simmons said after the vote.

County building maintenance director O.C. Carrillo said he polled local contractors and no one had ever worked with Tyler Building Systems, the project's lowest bidder, so the county "didn't feel comfortable" pursuing that route.

Carrillo said the building should be ready to occupy by January 2009.

Commissioners also decided to pursue a settlement agreement with Ashley Mayfield, who's suing Ector County Sheriff Mark Donaldson and four others for alleged mistreatment after her November 2006 public intoxication arrest, which was later dismissed.

Redford said the county is "definitely not" admitting guilt on behalf of the Sheriff's Office by trying to reach an agreement with Mayfield, but it could be more cost-effective for the county to settle out of court. Redford would not disclose what the county's offer will be and said Donaldson will not face any kind of reprimand.

Mayfield alleges in her suit that Donaldson's deputies "set upon" her after she was taken to the Ector County Detention Center and asked to take out a nose piercing. Mayfield said she couldn't remove it and was subsequently "beaten and subjected to other indignities," the suit says.

Donaldson could not be reached for comment late Monday.

And fallout from Donna Jordan's successful civil rights lawsuit against the county continues.

Commissioners voted to put the county's counter lawsuit against St. Paul Travelers Insurance on hold pending "further information," Redford said.

St. Paul Travelers is asking a Midland federal judge to rule that it doesn't have to pay about $300,000 in fees for Donna Jordan's case, leaving taxpayers stuck with the bill. Redford said St. Paul claims it wasn't notified about the suit in adequate time, so they shouldn't have to pay.

Commissioners also approved:

>> Awards to Jason's Deli, Thai Spice, Odessa Regional Medical Center, Jack in the Box and Cavazos Elementary for outstanding efforts in food protection and conscientious sanitation practices.

>> A presentation and resolution from the U.S. Census Bureau about the 2010 Census.

>> Appointing Jefferson Corning as Precinct 4 constable.    

>> A hazard mitigation team list to participate with a consultant to develop a hazard mitigation plan for Odessa, Goldsmith and the county per a Federal Emergency Management Agency grant.

>> Placing a portable building outside the locker room for the Jackalopes coaches' office. The team would cover all costs.  

>> Bid and proposal specifications for office supplies, White-Pool House retaining wall replacement, a standard cab three-quarter-ton long bed work pickup, a standard cab half-ton long bed pickup, a crew cab three-quarter-ton long bed work pickup, a 15-passenger van and a cargo van.

>> Lone Star Libraries Grant contracts for 2007-'08. Grant funds of $15,840 would be applied to new books. 

>> Transferring $275 from office supplies to office furniture.

>> Transferring $7,454 from the general fund, building maintenance, departmental equipment to building maintenance, special departmental equipment.  

>> The Ector County Investment Report for the year ending Sept. 30, 2008.

>> The accounts payable fund requirements report for Nov. 10.

Commissioners tabled:

>> Modifying an operating agreement with Civigenics for jail management services. Repair work on plumbing in the county courthouse, where the Civigenics jail is located, has forced the management firm to relocate prisoners elsewhere. Civigenics pays the county for space in the courthouse daily depending on how many prisoners are housed there, so the company is asking for a 40 percent reduction in its rent payment.

AT A GLANCE:

>> What: Ector County Coliseum name change.

>> Who: Odessa-based Allegiance HR Solutions Group offered to pay the county $527,500 for a 10-year coliseum naming rights lease.

>> When: Commissioners pulled the offer off Monday's court agenda, citing prohibitive costs associated with changes to promotional items, logos, business cards, stationary and the like.

SPECIAL MEETING:

>> Commissioners will have a special meeting at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday in the courthouse annex to finalize Election Day results.