County schedules October bulk, tire cleanup event
Grimes County residents will have the opportunity to make their communities a cleaner, more attractive place to live, thanks to action taken by Grimes County Commissioners at their Wednesday, July 20 Regular Meeting. Commissioners approved an Interlocal Agreement with the Brazos Valley Council of Governments (BVCOG) for a Solid Waste Grant and authorized the county judge as signatory.
County 9-1-1 Addressing/ Environmental Coordinator Kat Lee told commissioners, “We were awarded a solid waste grant from BVCOG which are funds that come from TCEQ (Texas Commission of Environmental Quality). We were awarded $12,300. This will be for a three-week cleanup event that will start the first weekend in October.”
Roll-off containers will be stationed at Stoneham and Whitehall waste collection sites Oct. 1-2 with a tire trailer at Stoneham, followed by Iola and Bedias on Oct. 8-9 and in Anderson Oct. 15-16.
Lee continued, “We are partnering with the City of Bedias. They are going to supply us with personnel to man our site. We don’t have a big enough site in Bedias to house a tire trailer and the open tops and have them contained inside the fence. Bedias is going to provide us with personnel that will be around the clock, 24 hours a day through the weekend. We’re going to have our first tire trailer there and we’re excited about that. We’ll have roll-off containers there as well.”
The event will wrap up with both a roll-off and tire trailer in Anderson. According to Lee, the event will follow the regular hours of operation established for each collection site.
Bulk items not accepted are appliances, pressurized containers such as propane tanks, or electronics. At present, there is a limit of five tires per family. She added that tractor tires and rims will be accepted.
Good health, cost savings
Commissioners also approved enrollment in the County Specific Incentive Wellness Program for Grimes County employees sponsored by TAC (Texas Association of Counties). According to Ashley Cureton, Wellness Consultant with TAC, the voluntary program focuses on preventive care to reduce claim costs. There is no cost to the County or employees to participate as the expectation is that the improved health of the risk pool could eventually lower premiums.
Taking advantage of a free annual exam, participating in a tobacco cessation program or engaging in physical activity are activities which earn employee rewards that can be redeemed in a variety of ways such as paid time off, gift cards, prize drawings or a savings contribution.
Commissioner Barbara Walker noted that such a program was in place when she was first elected and she enjoyed the friendly exercise competition between co-workers and offices. According to Cureton, the program is in place in a large number of Texas counties.
Other court action: •Approved Consent
•Approved Consent Agenda items which the treasurer’s list of claims and bills, payroll, and budget amendments and/or lineitem transfers.
•Received the Grimes County Ag Extension quarterly report from agent Kyla Gladson.
•Approved the standard mileage rates as issued by the Internal Revenue Service effective July 1 through the remainder of 2022 as follows: 62.5 cents per mile for business miles, 22 cents per mile for medical or moving purposes and 14 cents per mile driven in service of charitable organizations.
•Postpone to Aug. 3 approval of appointment of Election Judges, Alternates and Central County/Early Voting Ballot Board staff for the 2022-2023 election season.
•Approved sole source letter for Hart InterCivic, allowing Grimes County Elections to use ARPA funds to purchase DUO-GO/ADA add-ons for election equipment.
•Approved Stanley Convergent Security, Inc., as sole source to rewire jail lock and intercom systems, a requirement for the ARPA funding process.
•Approved 17 computer-related surplus items for auction.
•Approved Road & Bridge to go out for bids on annual contracts for contract hauling, contract bridge labor, tree trimming, limestone base, fuel, contract mowing and culverts.
•Approved awarding contract hauling to Heise Trucking, LLC effective July 1, 2022, through September 30, 2022.
•Approved action related to Holland Ridge Subdivision, clarifying that Wild Ridge Lane is a private road and not under County maintenance and release of the maintenance bond.
•Approved appointing Bert Miller to the BVCOG board of directors for the term Oct. 1, 2022, through Sept. 30, 2025.
•Approved a sealed bid project for an additional 100 feet of septic line with a grinder and pump for the Grimes County Justice and Business Center and will also benefit the Animal Shelter allow for potential county growth.
Burn Ban: The burn ban remains in place.