With inflation on the rise, the Ector County Commissioner’s Court is already looking ahead to the 2022-2023 budget cycle.
Ector County Judge Debi Hays asked all Ector County elected officials and county departments to start putting together their requests, especially when it comes to vehicles and equipment.
The current budget cycle will remain in effect until the end of September.
“I would ask if you try to at least get equipment and vehicle requests to us as soon as you can, so we can try to address that as a court,” Hays said during Tuesday’s regularly scheduled commissioner’s court meeting. “… We can help you get what you need sooner and it not be on back order until 2024 or 2025.”
Hays used the Ector County Sheriff’s Office as an example as it took the county’s law enforcement agency a year and a half to receive its new patrol units.
Don Stringer, the Ector County commissioner for Precinct 3, said he hopes the county can be ahead of the curve when it comes to purchasing new vehicles and equipment.
“Anytime you are in an ordering cycle, you want to be the first one in,” Stringer said. “If we can get the department heads to go ahead and get on board and start going through preparing for the budget cycle and get us the wish list that they are going to need, the sooner we can get with purchasing and fulfill those desires.”
The way the county goes about purchasing vehicles and equipment might slightly change.
Greg Simmons, the Ector County commissioner for Precinct 2, said the county has looked at the bid numbers and typically chose the lowest bid. However, he said not only should the county look at price, but how timely will those vehicles or equipment be awarded to the county.
“The key needs to be what’s the cheapest one that can provide it in a certain time frame,” Simmons said. “The way we are bidding them might need to change this year. Just because somebody tells us that they can get it to us for this price, if they can’t get it to us for nine months or a year, the price doesn’t really matter.
“Maybe the way we are bidding it needs to change to say ‘within the next 90 days for delivery what would be the prices.’”
The county approved to table the revision on the anti-discrimination and harassment policy for Ector County.
For about a little over an hour, the commissioners met in executive session. The only agenda item the commissioners took action on from executive session was to allow the elections office to fill a vacant position.
The court also:
>> Approved a proclamation in support of declaring June 2022 as Elder Abuse Awareness Month.
>> Approved the need to hire temporary services to assist in the day to day operations of the Public Works Traffic Department due to many employees being out on leave.
>> Approved the award on the Highway Material bid, Asphalt Patching Material.
>> Approved the CTIF Seal Coat Project for 2022; and to approve a budget amendment to CERTZ Grant, Improvements and Construction, 093-840-5509 and to Grantee Contribution, 093-4175 for $95,960.
>> Approved the proposal specifications Life, Accidental Death and Dismemberment and Supplemental Life Insurance (Proposal #22-06-14-01).
>> Approved the Mobile Imaging Services with Symphony Diagnostic Services No. 1, LLC, DBA TridentCare for the Ector County Jail Medical.
>> Approved the Amendment No. 1 to Contract No. HHS001057600018 between The Department of State Health Services (DSHS) and Ector County Health Department.
>> Approved the Amendment No. 4 to Contract No. HHS000119700006 between The Department of State Health Services (DSHS) and Ector County Health Department.
>> Approved a proposed agreement and an amendment to agreement between Ringling Bros. – Barnum & Bailey Combined Shows Inc. a Delaware Corporation and Ector County Coliseum and Exhibition Center for the purpose of “Disney on Ice Show.”
>> Approved the FMH Foundation Grant Contract for the Ector County Sheriff’s Office CSI Crime Scene Scanner.
>> Approved the revised Procurement Policies and Procedures including Policy Exemptions.
>> Approved the Replat of a portion of Lot 3 and Lots 4 & 5, Block 1, Ranchette Addition a Subdivision of Ector County, Texas (Precinct 1).
>> Approved the Consent Agenda: Sales Tax Fund, Road Department, Grantee Contribution, 005-810-6398 from Contract Services, 005-810-5309 for $95,960. A line item transfer to General Fund, Animal Control, Educational Travel, 001-361-5161 for $700 from Office Supplies, 001-361-5171 for $250, and from Uniform Supplies, 001-361-5176 for $450. A line item transfer to General Fund, JP #2, Other Insurance, 001-202-5375 for $178 and to Professional Dues & Fees, 001-202-5302 for $190 from Educational Travel, 001-202-5161 for $368.
>> Approved the Ector County Investment Report for the quarter ending March 31, 2022.
>> Approved the Accounts Payable Fund Requirements Report for May 24, 2022 to review County financial statements and reports.
