Ector County commissioners voted unanimously Tuesday to extend the local declaration of local disaster related to wildfires.
Ector County Judge Debi Hays said after Tuesday’s meeting the declaration doesn’t have an end date.
Hays explained the commissioners will have to vote again to end the declaration, but she said that won’t happen until after wildfire season is over.
“There is no end date to it until we get through the fire season and then we will put it back on the agenda for it to no longer be in effect,” Hays said.
Commissioners previously approved a 90-day burn ban in Ector County on March 22.
The National Integrated Drought Information System website indicates that Ector County experienced the eighth driest March over the past 128 years. The website also detailed Ector County is facing its fifth driest year to date over the past 128 years.
Commissioners also heard a presentation from GCC Permian, LLC, on a request for a tax abatement application in Ector County. GCC Permian, LLC, is asking for a 10-year abatement as it expands its current cement plant located at 16501 West Murphy Street. The commissioner only heard a presentation about the tax abatement application. They didn’t take any action on the matter.
Luis Carlos Arias, the vice president for Expansion Projects for GCC, spoke to commissioners about the expansion at the site in Ector County. Arias said the expansion would include a kiln, roll mill, finish mill, cement storage, raw material storage and silo. The proposed construction would last about two years and could cost between $350 million to $500 million.
Commissioner of Precinct 3 Don Stringer asked Arias if operations would continue through construction of the proposed expansion. Arias responded that operations would have to continue throughout construction.
Arias said the expansion would lead to five to 10 permanent jobs at the cement plant. He said most of those jobs would be in the quarry. Commissioner of Precinct 1 Mike Gardner asked Arias the life expectancy of the quarry. Arias said he believes the quarry can last more than 50 years.
GCC has eight cement plants with five in the United States and three in Mexico. The five cement plants in the United States include Odessa, Pueblo, Colo., Rapid City, S.D., Tijeras, N.M., and Three Forks, Mont. With the expansion, Arias said he expects the Odessa cement plant to triple its capacity.
“This is going to be our biggest plant,” Arias said during the commissioners meeting. “This is going to be our most modernized plant.”
The commissioners met in executive session for nearly 45 minutes, but no action was taken.
The court also:
- Approved a proclamation declaring April 24 – 30, 2022 as National Crime Victims’ Rights Week.
- Approved the City of Odessa Fire Rescue proposal to conduct a Community Risk Assessment to include Ector County in this joint risk assessment in the amount of $3,000.
- Approved to accept a $100 Donation from Kenneth Haynes for the Ector County Sheriff’s Office.
- Approved repairing fence and gate damaged due to the expansion of Cottonwood Road in Gardendale.
- Approved the repair for Unit #943 a Caterpillar Motor Grater in the amount of $84,796.76 and pay out of line item account 002-810-5251.
- Approved the cancellation of the present leased copier at the Ector County Wellness Clinic.
- Approved options on total loss designation per travelers regarding Unit #996 – Ector County Post-Sentence Monitoring – 2013 Toyota Tundra CrewMax – License # CCD7299 – VIN #5TFEY5F13DX144568 and requesting to declare this item as “Salvage Property” and dispose of said item per Section 263.151 and remove it from county inventory.
- Approved Notice of General Primary Joint Runoff Election, Early Voting Schedule, and Ector County Vote Centers for Joint Primary Runoff Election for May 24.
- Approved the County Infrastructure Fund Grant (CTIF) 2022 Seal Coat Bid request (Bid #22-05-09-01).
- Approved the proposal specifications on Abatement of Junked Vehicles.
- Approved the commission percentages for Vending Machine Services.
- Approved Change Order #1 for 67th Street Improvements PO #37849.
- Approved the 3-year contract renewal of Tyler Technologies Odyssey SAAS.
- Approved an application for Texas State Library Accreditation.
- Approved an Agreement for Supplemental Staffing between Ector County Detention Center/Ector County Sheriff’s Office and First Choice Medical Staffing LLC.
- Approved a contract with AMS (Automated Merchant Systems) as the credit card processor for transactions made with Tyler Eagle Recorder.
- Approved a Replat of Lot 4, Block 3, Youngville Subdivision, Ector County, Texas (Precinct 1).
- Approved the total lost revenue of $10 million in accordance with American Rescue Plan Funds Final Rule approved by the US Treasury.
- Approved a budget amendment to Jail Expansion Fund, Professional Services, 047-420-5307 from Unreserved Fund Balance, 047-3310 for $1,445.
