A changing of the guard will take place Monday during the next commissioners’ court as County Judge Ron Eckert will hand off Ector County’s top administrative position to Debi Hays.
The meeting is at 10 a.m. in the commissioners’ courtroom located in the Ector County Administration building annex, 1010 E. Eighth St.
Eckert’s resignation was announced in the meeting agenda, which was released more than a week before the meeting. He will be leaving to begin a new job as vice president and general counsel at a local gas and oil service company. He did not seek re-election.
The decision to leave was made following commissioner’s rejecting Eckert’s proposal to pursue taking on $85 million of debt for a new courthouse, which only Eckert and Precinct 1 Commissioner Eddy Shelton supported.
“When I couldn’t solve the problem, what more sense does it make to stay?” Eckert said previously. “It’s better to get out in time for the next judge to put her own stamp on the budget.”
Hays will be coming into the position a little more than a month before she has to submit a budget for the 2019 fiscal year, and said she is feeling positive coming into the position, calling the budget her No. 1 priority.
I work better under pressure and with constant challenges on the blackboard,” Hays said previously. “Let’s make a to-do list and let’s mark them off.”
Hays became the de facto next County Judge after besting Chris Fostel in the March Republican primary, and not having a Democratic challenger to run against in November.
Also during the meeting, Missi Walden will be appointed to Precinct 2 Justice of the Peace, a position she was elected to following the May runoff where she beat Matt Stringer to fill the vacant seat.
IN OTHER BUSINESS, COMMISSIONERS
- Will present a Certificate of Completion to Precinct 1 Commissioner Eddy Shelton for County Commissioners Court Leadership Academy Class VII from V.G. Young Institute of County Government.
- Will consider a proposed ban of rockets with sticks and missiles with fins for the 4th of July fireworks season.
- Will accept a donation of $85,000 from Bustin for Badges for the Sheriff’s Office.
- Will accept a donation of $1,000 from Adriana and Marcos Lujan for the purchase of a tactical vest for the Sheriff’s Office.
- Will consider a proposed resolution adopting a temporary 207 (k) exemption two-week work period of 86 hours and to compensate overtime with paid overtime after 86 hours for jailers, but retaining the current 207 (k) exemption work period of 28 days and overtime earned after 171 hours with overtime paid in the form of compensatory time off for all other law enforcement.
- Will appoint Gus Ortega to the Board of Trustees for Permian Basin Community Centers for a two-year term running from June 27, 2018 to June 26, 2020.
- Will consider the competitive proposal and contract for the roof repair—phase 1 project.
- Will consider the evidence/forensics building competitive sealed proposal specifications.
- Will consider the Ector County Law Enforcement Center—tilt skillets to be purchased with the jail expansion funds—special departmental equipment, and authorize a budget amendment from jail expansion funds, improvements and construction to jail expansion funds, special departmental equipment in the amount of $30,007.
- Will consider the proposal/letter of agreement for the ECLEC—abandoned vehicle and forensics storage building with JSA Architects to be funded from jail expansion fund, professional services for $42,000.
- Will consider the proposed AIA change order No. 8 for the jail additions and renovations project.
- Will consider a proposed amendment to the Lexis Advance Subscription Agreement between LexisNexis and Ector County, for research services for the County Law Library.
- Will consider a proposed interlocal agreement between the Office of the Attorney General and Ector County, for the purposes of issuing 10 licenses to the Office of the Attorney General for the purpose of allowing the Office of the Attorney General to access the County Odyssey Integrated Courts and Justice System.
- Will consider the proposed Angel Subdivision being 50.1 acres out of section 18, block 43, T-2-S, T&P RY. CO. Survey.
- Will consider a requested letter of support for a grant proposal to be submitted by Permian Basin Community Centers for a matching grant for justice-involved individuals as directed by Senate Bill 292.
- Will consider the proposed replat of lot 5, block 2, Brown Industrial sites, having a tract site of 5.05 acres.
- Will consider the proposed replat of 8.05 acres out of tract 9, Belmont Acres.
- Will consider the proposed replat of lot 8, block 3, Pleasant Farms subdivision, first filing.
- Will receive the Accounts Payable Fund Requirements Report for June 11, 2018.
