In the first meeting of the calendar year, the Ector County Commissioners’ Court has to fill two vacancies.
The first is for Ector County Medical Examiner’s Office chief investigator Ron Inge and the second is for Ector County Environmental Enforcement director Rickey George.
These agenda items and others will be heard at 10 a.m. Tuesday at the Ector County Administration Building Annex, located in Room 120 at 1010 E. Eighth St. in Odessa.
George told the Odessa American on Monday morning that he filed his letter of resignation on Dec. 1 and it took effect on Dec. 31. He said he has been contemplating retirement for awhile and believed 30 years in law enforcement was enough.
George spent about 13 years at the Odessa Police Department, about three years at a small police department around Austin and the last 13 years for Ector County.
“I feel really proud to accomplish everything that I did there,” George said about being director of environmental enforcement. “We created one of the best environmental enforcement units in the state. It was a good accomplishment that I felt good to retire on.”
George said he was asked by former Ector County Judge Susan Redford to revamp environmental enforcement.
George said his department’s work over the last decade has helped clean up Ector County, however, he explained one of the biggest problems that exists for environmental enforcement is the amount of pay.
“The worst part about that unit is that commissioners will never pay for investigators appropriately,” George said. “They will have a very difficult time recruiting people.”
Inge has been with the Ector County Medical Examiner’s Office since 2018. He previously worked for 25 years with OPD and retired as a lieutenant.
Newly sworn in Ector County Judge Dustin Fawcett said on Monday morning the Court will appoint interims for both of those positions and start the hiring process to fill those positions at a later date. Fawcett said he feels confident the medical examiner’s office will continue to run smoothly. He said he also feels confident about the future environmental enforcement.
The court will also:
>> Consider, discuss, and take any necessary action to approve a $1,751 donation from Tracey L. Killon for the Sheriff’s Office Animal Control Microchip Program.
>> Consider, discuss, and take any necessary action on MHRC Plans for N/2 of Lots 5 & 6, Block 5, Ranch Acres, (Prec. l), and authorize the County Judge to sign all documents associated with this agenda item.
>> Consider, discuss, and take any necessary action on Jerusalem Subdivision, being a plat of 40.0 acre tract out of Section 2, Block 42T-2-5, (Prec. 4), and authorize the County Judge to sign all documents associated with this agenda item.
>> Consider, discuss, and take any necessary action on Westcliff Green, a subdivision of 4.99 acres of land, in Section 13, Block 44,T-2-5, (Prec. l), and authorize the County Judge to sign all documents associated with this agenda item.
>> Consider, discuss, and take any necessary action to approve the increase in Limit & Coverage with respect to Crime, Cyber, Faithful Performance. Current policy per aforementioned type of coverage has a limit of $500,000 and a retention of $5K;these figures will increase to $lM and $10K respectively. $l0K represents l% of Limit of Coverage. Faithful Performance Insurance under Travelers Commercial Crime Coverage, more specifically CRI – 7126-0109 – Government Entity Crime Endorsement – Faithful Performance of Duty at an additional premium of $584 which represents an increase of $173 from current premium of $41I annually. (Blanket Coverage) Texas Government Code 51.302, [more specifically Chapter 1084, Acts of the 70th Legislature, Regular Session, 1987 (Article 7l5c, Vernon’s Texas Civil Statutes)] mandates that each District Clerk secure insurance to cover the district clerk and any deputy clerk against liabilities incurred through errors or omissions in the performance of official duties. It further stipulates if the policy or other coverage document provides coverage for other county officials, the amount of tile policy must be at least $1 million. This increase in Limit & Coverage will satisfy said requirement.
>> Discuss, consider, and take any necessary action to approve repairing a damaged fence and gate during the expansion of Cottonwood Road in Gardendale, Ector County, Texas (Prec. 2) and authorize the County Judge, County Clerk, and County Auditor to sign all documents associated with this agenda item.
>> Consider, discuss, and take any necessary action regarding not renewing the contract with Tyler and purchasing a subscription with CSS, and authorize the County Judge to sign all documents associated with this agenda item.
>> Consider, discuss, and take any necessary action to approve a line item transfer to General Fund, Non Department Judicial, Copier Lease, 001-220-5284 from Court Appointed Attorneys, 001-220-5325 for $6,059, and authorize the County Judge and County Clerk to sign all documents associated with this agenda item.
>> Consider, discuss, and take any necessary action regarding the cancellation of the Measurement and Verification Services from Johnson controls included under the Performance Contract, make that cancellation retroactive effective November 1,2022, and authorize the county Judge to sign on all documents associated with this agenda item.
>> Consider, discuss, and take any necessary action regarding the Ector County Monthly Treasurer’s Reports for October 2022 and November 2022 and authorize the County Judge and County Commissioners to sign all documents associated with this agenda item. In addition, requesting that the reports be archived with the official minutes of this meeting.
>> Consider, discuss, and take any necessary action to approve a budget amendment to Sales Tax Fund, Sheriff, Motor Vehicle Equipment, 005-360-5505 from Unreserved Fund Balance, 005-3310 for $107,266, and authorize the County Judge and County Clerk to sign all documents associated with this agenda item.
>> Consider, discuss, and take any necessary action to approve the Accounts Payable Fund Requirements Report for January 10th, 2023, and review County financial statements and reports.
