Commissioners approve ‘Passport Fair’

Ector County Commissioners approved a request during their Thursday meeting from the District Clerk to schedule a Passport Fair on March 24.

Commissioners approved the item 3-0. Precinct 2 Commissioner Greg Simmons arrived to the meeting after the item was passed due to an earlier meeting and Precinct 1 Commissioner Eddy Shelton was out of town.

The Passport Fair will be from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. March 24 at the Ector County Courthouse, 300 N. Grant Ave, offering people a chance outside of regular business hours to apply for a passport.

Webster told the court the volume of passport applications increases in Ector County and nationwide in preparation for summer vacations, and the number is trending upward.

“March is usually a high mark because spring break falls in there,” Webster told the court. “We want to let people know, hey, here’s another day you have. You can bring in your kids without them missing school, you don’t have to miss work, you can come in and it’ll be convenient to you and it’ll help diverse some of that heavy traffic we’ve got in that very crowded, tiny courthouse.”

Webster told the court that on a regular business day in March, the District Clerk’s office handles between 80 and 150 passport applicants a day as they do other business, and is expecting to handle between 200 and 300 applicants during the Passport Fair.

The District Clerk’s office will take walk-ins during the Passport Fair and people are also able to schedule appointments for applications ahead of time online at www.co.ector.tx.us/district.clerk. Applicants are advised to arrive at least 15 minutes ahead of their appointment time to avoid losing their appointment and being placed in the queue with other walk-in customers.

Webster said people are also advised to apply for their passports ahead of time, because the $25 passport execution fee set by the U.S. Department of State will be raised to $35 on April 2.

Commissioners also approved the payment of two hours of overtime pay for deputy clerks working the Passport Fair, with the other two hours to be paid in compensation time. Also approved was a line item tracking mechanism to track the passport fees that go into the general fund.

The commissioners’ court also approved setting up passport photo services in the District Clerk’s office for a $10 fee. Webster said this service will be available starting Monday.

IN OTHER BUSINESS, COMMISSIONERS:

• Accepted a donation of a 3-year-old canine to the Ector County Sheriff’s Office Canine Unit.
• Approved a proposed burn ban in Ector County, which will last 90 days.
• Approved a proposed transfer of title to Unit No. 1047, Sheriff’s Office Vehicle, 2015 Chevrolet Tahoe 4 x 2 Police — VIN No. 1GNLC2EC4FR575734, in connection with the settlement of an auto claim — traveler’s insurance.
• Approved the proposed third party authorization for special waste disposal with Republic Services.
• Approved the proposed submission of the 2017 SCAAP Application with the U.S. Department of Justice.
• Approved a request to hire road maintenance technician II at a 732-05.
• Approved a request to hire traffic technician II at a step 5 due to previous experience with State of Texas Agency and to approve a proposed account expenditure line item transfer to sign shop FMLR fund, salaries, full time for $3,172, social security taxes for $243, retirement for $551, workers compensation for $91 and unemployment for $5 from sign materials and supplies for $4,062.
• Approved a request to move a legal secretary from a 110-01 to a 110-02.
• Accepted a right of way along the south side of East 56th Street from Billy Hext Road toward East Loop 338 from Arco Environmental Remediation LLC.
• Approved a proposed replat of the north half of the west half of Lot 3, Block 1, Chaparral Addition, Second Filing.
• Approved to take action on Lazy “L” Estates A Subdivision of 10.11 Acres located in Section 4, Block 43, T-2-S, T&P RY Co. Survey.
• Approved a proposed line item transfer to jail expansion project, county advertising from improvements and construction in the amount of $524.
• Approved a proposed budget amendment to general fund, district attorney, witness travel & expense and to general fund, state reimburse witness travel for $14,000.
• Approved a proposed budget amendment to capital projects fund, interest earnings and to software maintenance contracts in the amount of $150.
• Received the accounts payable fund requirements report for March 8, 2018.