Ector County commissioners moved with alacrity and apparent delight Tuesday to dedicate more than a quarter of the $16.1 million in federal money that they received in May to defray the county’s pandemic-related revenue losses last year.
With $4.5 million used to blot out 2020’s red ink, the court then OK’d paying $1 million from the American Rescue Plan Act dough to install technology facilitating virtual hearings in the county’s nine criminal courts and commissioners’ court.
Having sought the technology two weeks ago, District Attorney Dusty Gallivan said the action was very welcome, adding, “This will upgrade technology in the courtrooms and allow us to have more efficient remote hearings.”
Precinct 2 Commissioner Greg Simmons, who was ill, took part virtually.
In other business in the 10 a.m. session in the 1010 E. Eighth St. annex building, the commissioners passed a resolution calling the Nov. 2 state constitutional amendments election, approved the early voting schedule and appointed early voting election clerks. Early voting will be from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 18-22, during the same hours from Oct. 25-27 and from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Oct. 28-29, all in Room 104 at the annex.
The court on a 4-1 vote enacted the county’s 2021-22 holiday schedule for its 760 employees after Precinct 4 Commissioner Armando Rodriguez’s motion was not seconded to add Columbus Day and Cinco de Mayo to the county’s list of 12 paid holidays.
Rodriguez said Columbus Day and Cinco de Mayo should also be holidays “not just as days off work but more to learn why we’re having them.”
Jan Sprawls Cooksey of Odessa came to the podium to say she was not against adding those holidays, but they shouldn’t be scheduled without first considering “how much it would cost the county.”
Insuranceman and minister Gene Collins asked for Juneteenth, or June 19, to be made a holiday, too. “We need to learn a lot so we can go forward,” Collins said, explaining that the observance of President Lincoln’s Jan. 1, 1863, signing of the Emancipation Proclamation should be a community-wide event.
“We are much stronger together.”
The commissioners also:
- Withdrew consideration of closing 46th Street at the county coliseum for a fireworks display from 9 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Sept. 3.
- Approved the emergency communication district’s 2021-22 budget.
- Withdrew consideration of the Area Agency on Aging’s 2021-22 budget.
- Approved Health Department Director Brandy Garcia’s bid to raise the annual fees for her mobile unit to $150, mobile re-inspections for suspended permits to $50, on-site sewage facility re-inspections to $100 and restaurant re-inspections to $50.
- OK’d the court’s 2021-22 schedule with Precinct 1 Commissioner Mike Gardner winning assent to consider holding an afternoon or evening meeting once per quarter next year to make it more convenient for citizens to attend.
- Tabled consideration of giving paid quarantine leave for peace officers and detention officers in the sheriff’s office, noting that the plan was authorized in state legislation passed this year but that its personnel ramifications must be reviewed.
- Allocated $7,200 for jurors’ supplies and expenses.
- Approved a $6,500 expenditure for 70th District Court office supplies.
