Judge announces food drive between county, city

After the regularly scheduled agenda was completed during Tuesday’s Commissioners Court meeting, Ector County Judge Debi Hays announced a food drive to benefit Jesus House.

Hays said the drive would be a competition between Ector County and the City of Odessa.

The food drive started on Tuesday and will last the next two weeks. Hays said donations can include canned and dry goods.

“We are going to try to make this a fun event,” Hays said. “We are starting this event today (Tuesday) until July 26 to try to help fill that pantry.”

On the regularly scheduled agenda, the Ector County Commissioners court discussed various items.

Agenda items include recognizing and presenting Madison Guerrero, Britton Morrow and Carson Nevill with plaques for creating the winning design and slogan for the Ector County Health Department Outreach Mobile Unit.

Guerrero, Morrow and Nevill posed with photos of the commissioners and county judge. Ector County Health Department Director Brandy Garcia said the mobile unit is scheduled to be wrapped and a ribbon cutting is set for July 28.

“Being in this position and I know the four commissioners are extremely excited about having a local unit that is going to go out in our community to talk about diabetes to talk about COVID to talk about immunization and a multitude of other health concerns that we have with our community,” Hays said during the meeting. “I’m excited and proud of these three individuals.”

The health department also accepted donations from several agencies within Ector County for the Ector County Health Department’s July Back to School Immunization Clinics.

Garcia ran through a list of donated items that included free haircuts, gift cards, skate passes and bikes.

“Last week on Thursday, we had probably 10 vendors in the parking lot,” Garcia said during the meeting. “We had a really good turnout and we gave out about 60 vaccinations. We plan on doing that every Thursday for the month of July.”

To start the meeting, Oxy Project Manager Steven Scannapieco presented to the commissioners about a Low Carbon Ventures for road improvements on County Road 307 (South Wheeler Road). Commissioners approved the proposal.

In addition to the road improvements, Scannapieco said there would also be a fiber optic cable above ground.

Greg Simmons, the Commissioner for Precinct 2, asked Scannapieco why the fiber optic cable would be above ground instead of below ground. Scannapieco said with the amount of underground pipes that it’s more cost effective to run the fiber optic cable above ground.

Commissioners tabled a SOV (Statement of Values) for submission to Travelers Insurance Group in partnership with USI Insurance Services.

A rumor circulating about housing illegal aliens was squashed by a representative from an investment company during the commissioners meeting. The representative said they don’t know how the rumor got started but the properties are for mobile home units.

Commissioners approved four proposals for mobile home units. Two of the mobile home units are located at 3740 N. Vega Avenue and 3735 N. Vega Avenue. The other two mobile home units are located at 8749 W. Kassidy Street and 8735 W. Kassidy Street.

The commissioners meet in executive session to discuss legal matters, real estates issues and transactions, and personnel matters. Commissioners approved the revision for the harassment policy.

The court also:

>> Approved to accept a $1,000 donation for the Ector County Senior Centers.

>> Approved to accept a $600 donation from the Torres Family for the Ector County Sheriff’s Office.

>> Approved necessary action regarding Change Order #1 and #2 for the West Apple Street Road Project.

>> Approved necessary action regarding a software subscription purchase agreement for DebtBook for GASB 87 Compliance.

>> Approved necessary action regarding the proposed amendment to the End User License Agreement and Professional Services Agreement between Ector County and Tyler Technologies, Inc. to add 5 additional users for Odyssey Online-Licensed Software to be used by the Office of Attorney General.

>> Approved necessary action regarding a proposed renewal of the Interlocal Agreement between the Office of the Attorney General and Ector County, for the purpose of issuing 15 licenses to the Office of the Attorney General allowing the Texas Attorney General’s Title IV-D Child Support Office to access the County Odyssey Case Management System.

>> Approved necessary action regarding a request to reclassify the position of Computer Technician Elections to Elections Technician.

>> Approved necessary action on a 50-Foot Utility Easement located in Lot 2 & 3, Block 1, Law Enforcement Center as described in Cabinet A, Page 114-A, Ector County, Texas.

>> Approved necessary action on BJD Addition Replat of Lot 3, Block 1 DC Townsend Addition IV as described in Cabinet C, Page 48D Ector County Plat Records, Ector County, Texas (Precinct 4).

>> Approved necessary action on Fig Street Acres being a Replat of Lot 3, Block 30, Pleasant Farms Subdivision, 3rd Filing a subdivision of 9.24 acres of land in Section 47, Block 43, T-3-S, T&P RY Company Survey, Ector County, Texas (Precinct 4).

>> Approved the following proposed Consent Agenda: Approved a line item transfer to General Fund, Non Departmental, Professional Services, 001-950-5307 from Other General Expense, 001-950-5402 for $133,345. Approved a line item transfer to General Fund, Non Departmental Financial, Contract Services, 001-320-5309 for $4,600 from Appraisal District Contract, 001-320-5274 for $4,500 and from Office Supplies, 001-320-5171 for $100.

>> Approved the Ector County Monthly Treasurer’s Reports for March 2022, April 2022 and May 2022.

>> Approved a budget amendment to General Fund, Cemetery, Dept Furniture & Equipment, 001-720-5199 for $2,920, to Grounds Maintenance Supplies, 001-720-5248 for $365 from Unreserved Fund Balance, 001-3310 for $3,285.

>> Approved the Accounts Payable Fund Requirements Report for July 12, 2022 to review County financial statements and reports.