A motion picture company received approval Monday from Ector County Commissioners to film on county property near Meteor Crater Road.
Italian producers and directors are focusing on “the lives of men who work lonely jobs,” with the oilfield being one of those jobs, Director of Convention and Visitors Bureau Lawanna Lambert said.
“They’ve done some other stuff like cargo ships and research facilities and things like that, but they think the oilfield is the main part of their film,” Lambert told commissioners.
Lambert said one of the reasons the company requested to film near Meteor Crater Road was because pumpjacks can be seen in the distance and a “lonely stretch of nothing” headed toward the meteor crater were areas they were looking to film. The film is titled “Film Di Confine,” she said.
INMATE AGREEMENT
Commissioners also approved another interlocal agreement for the housing and care of inmates, this time with Parker County, adding to the list of jails the county has partnered with due to capacity issues. This is the seventh agreement of its kind.
Ector County Sheriff Mike Griffis said the same private company that runs the McLennan County jail, which they already have an interlocal agreement with, runs the Parker County jail. The Parker County agreement logistically makes more sense for the sheriff’s office to partner with since it is closer in proximity. While the Parker County jail is closer, Griffis said only paper-ready inmates who have been sentenced and are awaiting transport to a Texas Department of Criminal Justice facility.
The county recently approved a surveying and an engineering study to look at the possibility of an expansion to the Ector County jail, but Griffis said they are still in the beginning stages. How the expansion would be funded is still being discussed, as well. Griffis said he expects it will be a two- to three-year process.
In the meantime, the county will continue transporting inmates to partnering jails in order to stay compliant with Texas Commission on Jail standards. The jail’s capacity is 667 and as of Monday, Griffis said they had 593 inmates with about 200 inmates in other facilities.
A donation of a trained canine to the sheriff’s office was also approved Monday by commissioners.
IN OTHER BUSINESS
After returning from executive session, commissioners voted to make an offer on a vacant lot near the Ector County Coliseum, Precinct 2 Commissioner Greg Simmons said. The property would be used for storage if purchased by the county, he said.
A 2-3 vote by commissioners shot down a request from the Ector County Extension Office to post a sign on the glass front at the entrances to the Ector County Courthouse Administration Building, or annex. The sign was asked to provide notice to the public that no animals be allowed inside with the exception that service animals specifically trained to aid a person with a disability were welcome.
Safety/Risk Coordinator Sam Brijalba said the sign was requested because someone wanted to bring one of their animals to one of the meetings on a regular basis. Precinct 3 Commissioner Dale Childers said it was his understanding it had been a problem with 4-H.
“I’d prefer not to clutter the windows anymore than they already are. There’s half a dozen postings out there,” Precinct 1 Commissioner Eddy Shelton said.
Brijalba said he was informed putting the item on the agenda was just a courtesy. A motion to approve was made by Childers and seconded by Precinct 4 Commissioner Armando Rodriguez. Commissioners Shelton, Simmons and County Judge Ron Eckert voted against the item.
All other agenda items were unanimously approved by commissioners.
