County to work on swine flu

Ector County is getting ready to deal with H1N1 — more commonly referred to as swine flu.

On Monday, county commissioners authorized the county health department to apply for $115,800 in grant money from the Texas Department of State Health Services.

While the federal government is supplying the vaccine to be used by the county starting in October, Gino Solla, health department director, said the state money would pay for the cost of administering the vaccine, which could include contracting with an outside agency to provide about four temporary nurses to go along with the four the health department now has.

While the Ector County Independent School District and private physicians are also expected to provide vaccines, Solla said the help would be needed.

 “We’ll probably get an overflow of people wanting a vaccination from us,” he said after Monday’s meeting. “We’ll need clinical help for that.”

The shots would be given in addition to the regular flu shots the county already plans to administer, Solla said.

So far, Solla said eight people in Ector County have been diagnosed with H1N1.

“None of them have been critical or caused great illness,” he said.

The county is preparing for demand for the vaccine to be comparable to that of 2004, when extra demand for influenza vaccine was met by a shortage from the company that manufactures it, Solla said. But he didn’t know how many doses of the vaccine would be needed in the county.

Swine flu shots should become available in October, about a month after regular flu shots, Solla said.

The county also approved two extra half-days off for its workers in the coming fiscal year. Employees will be able to leave early Nov. 25, the day before Thanksgiving, and Dec. 23, the day before a two-day Christmas break.

County Judge Susan Redford said it was a good gesture in light of employees not getting cost-of-living raises during the fiscal year.

“In all reality that happens anyway, so lets make it legit,” she said of workers leaving early before holidays.

Commissioner Greg Simmons was the only commissioner to vote against the measure.

“The federal government has 10 paid holidays. We’re up to 14 now,” he said. “We do provide vacation time. If they want to have three days off at Thanksgiving, that’s what vacation time is for.”

In other action, commissioners approved:

>> Tabling discussion on selection of a fuel vendor for the county. Simmons said commissioners had to review two bids because of uncertainty of which one was lower. One bid offered a percentage discount, while the other offered a straight price.

>> The introduction of Michael Clawson as the new county extension agent.

>> Appointing Dinorah Zentner as Ector County Responsible Reporting Entity representative for Medicare, Medicaid and State Children’s Health Insurance Program Act of 2007.

>> Polling places for the Nov. 3 state constitutional amendment election.

>> Adopting Texas Senate Bill 1675, which allows jurors to donate all or part of their pay from jury duty to crime victims, child welfare boards, child abuse prevention and other funds.

>> Taking no action on House Bill 2833, which relates to building code standards of unincorporated areas of certain counties.

>> Accepting the donation of a 2006 Chevrolet Impala from the city of Odessa to the Ector County Sheriff’s Office and placing the vehicle on county insurance.

>> A submitted contract from H&K Armored Services Inc. for armored car services.

>> An elderly and disabled contract with West Texas Opportunities.

>> A one-year contract extension with Elms, Faris & Company for auditing services.

>> A contract with state health services for Triple O funds for public health education in fiscal year 2009-2010.

>> A sprinkler service renewal with SimplexGrinnell.

>> A vendor agreement for fiscal year 2009-2010 with the Permian Basin Area on Aging for continuation of meals at senior centers.

>> Adopting a 2009-2010 commissioners court schedule and county employee holiday schedule.

>> Taking no action on possible changes to ProCare RX benefits.

>> The revised Ector County Substance Abuse policy.

>> A $100,000 budget amendment from senior citizens grantee contribution from unreserved fund balance.

Commissioners approve tax rate

>> County commissioners voted to propose a tax rate of 35.8 cents per $100 property tax valuation for fiscal year 2009-2010. The amount is the same as the rate for the current fiscal year.

Annette Snowden, deputy county auditor, has said that the amount a person would pay in taxes depends on the value of his or her home. If a $100,000 home increased by $10,000 in value, they would pay an additional $35 in county taxes.

Because it’s below the effective rate of 36.25 cents that keeps county tax revenue the same as the current fiscal year, no public hearings were scheduled.

A final vote is scheduled for the commissioners Sept. 14 meeting.