Ector County Commissioners tabled an item to send newly-elected justices of the peace for Precinct 3 and 4 to attend educational training in December before taking office in January 2023 during a special meeting Thursday.
Ector County Judge Debi Hays said over the phone on Tuesday afternoon the training is broken up into three parts with the first starting in December. Hays said the commissioners need to discuss this item as Bill Bowen and Elizabeth Baeza — justice of peace for Precinct 3 and Precinct 4, respectively — wouldn’t be considered county employees until they are sworn in.
Bowen, a Republican, defeated Democrat Gerardo Arzate 3,886 to 1,773 or 68.67% to 31.33% during the general election on Nov. 8 for the Precinct 3 seat. Bowen is set to replace Woody Kupper.
Baeza, a Democrat, won the Precinct 4 seat after she defeated Alford Littleton and Jesse M. Porras III during the March primary. Baeza finished with 423 votes (53.95%), while Littleton collected 217 votes (27.68%) and Porras had 144 votes (18.37%). Baeza will replace Eddy Spivey.
Ector County Commissioner Precinct 4 Armando Rodriguez made a motion to table the item until the next meeting Dec. 6. It was seconded by Ector County Commissioner Precinct 2 Greg Simmons.
Rodriguez said he had some questions about it since neither JP-elect was a county employee yet.
Rodriguez and Simmons said they don’t recall having sent JP-elects to training before they became county employees. Simmons said he wanted to check the libaility since they won’t be county employees and won’t be under the county’s coverage if something were to happen while they were traveling.
“I think it’s just a matter of finding out what kind of liabiltiy we have for them not being actually employees at the time … they go. … I don’t recall ever having anybody travel before they’ve been sworn in,” Simmons said.
The court also:
>> Canvassed the vote totals for the General Election held Nov. 8. Elections Administrator Lisa Sertuche said they had a total of 25,623 voters cast ballots out of a total of 83,521 registered voters, which gave the county a 30.68 percent turnout. Sertuche said it was a lower percentage compared to 2018.
Commissioners voted 4-0 to accept the vote totals.
>> Approved taking any necessary action to approve a request for donation to repair two pool tables for the Northside Senior Center.
>> Approved accepting a $600 donation from Ironman Specialty Fluids, LLC for the Northside Senior Center.
>> Kept the county holiday schedule as it was posted. Hays said they had received phone calls asking the schedule to be changed because school won’t start again until Jan. 3. New Year’s Day is on a Sunday.
>> Approved a fuel flowage fee per gallon increase to $0.20 based upon the contract between Ector County and the FBO at Schlemeyer Field Airport, and authorize the County Judge to sign all documents associated with this agenda item.
>> Tabled an Administrative Services Agreement, Contract No: 76-415069, between UMR, Inc. and Ector County and to ratify the County Judges’ signature.
>> Approved the Subrecipient Agreement with Greater Gardendale Water Supply Corporation for the Gardendale Ector County Project and authorize the County Judge to sign.
>> Approved the renewal with VSP (Vision Service Plan).
>> Approved the revision of the Procurement and Procurement Card (PCard) Policies and Procedures and authorize the County Judge and other county officials to sign all documents associated with this agenda item.
>> Approved the FY 2023 budget amendment to Sales Tax Fund, Planning and Development, Departmental Furniture and Equipment, 005025-5199 for $3,840, to Subscriptions, 005-0255207 for $4,695 from Unreserved Fund Balance, 005-3310 for $8,535.
>> Approved the FY 2023 budget amendment to General Fund, Sheriff, Law Enforcement Supplies, 001-360-5183, for $17,160, to Special Department Equipment, 001-360-5507 for $9,883 and to Donated Revenues, 001-4171 for $27,043.
>> Approved the attached FY 2023 budget amendment for the increase in liability insurance premiums.
>> Approved Accounts Payable Fund Requirements Report for Nov. 17, 2022 to review County financial statements and reports.
>> Postponed a public hearing conducted by the Commissioners Court regarding the proposed Subdivision and Manufactured Home Rental Community Regulations for Ector County, Texas (“Regulations”) until a special meeting at 10 a.m. Nov. 21. The Regulations may be: (a) reviewed and copied during regular business hours at the office of Eddie Landrum, Jr., the Director of the Planning and Development Department of Ector County, Texas, in the Ector County Administration Building Annex located at 1010 East 8th Street, Odessa, Texas 79761 (telephone 432498-4241); and (b) reviewed and downloaded from the County’s internet website at www. co.ector.tx.us.
