I was not present due to attendance at the V.G. Young Institute for County Government Newly Elected Judges and Commissioners Conference in College Station at the Texas A&M Conference Center. The dates for the Conference were January 14 – 17. I am required to have 16 Continuing Education Credit Hours each year and this conference met those requirements.

Please note: All agenda items are considered PASSED unless indicated otherwise.

OPEN SESSION:
RESOLUTIONS 
1. Discuss and take necessary action to adopt a resolution proclaiming January 18, 2025, as “Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Founders’ Day” in Smith County.
 
COURT ORDERS 
COMMISSIONERS COURT 
2. Consider and take necessary action to make an appointment to the City of Lindale Reinvestment Zone #3 Board for a two-year term from January 1, 2025, to December 31, 2026, and authorize the county judge to sign all necessary documentation. 
 
Comments: Appointed Commissioner J. Scott Herod 
 
3. Consider and take necessary action to make an appointment to the Tyler Metropolitan Planning Organization Policy Committee and authorize the county judge to sign all related documentation. 
 
Comments: Appointed Commissioner Christina Drewry
 
4. Consider and take necessary action to reappoint representatives to the Andrews Center Board of Directors Position #1 and Position #2 for a two-year term ending October 31, 2026, and authorize the county judge to sign all related documentation.
 
Comments: Re-appointed Brittany Nichols and Keith Youngblood

FIRE MARSHAL/EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
5. Consider and take necessary action to authorize the Purchasing Department to advertise, solicit, and receive sealed proposals for RFP-15-25 Smith County Multi-Jurisdictional Mitigation Action Plan.
 
Comments: Mitigation Action Plan will be reimbursed by a $100,000 Grant from the General Land Office. Brandon Moore, Emergency Management Coordinator, commented that this plan will open us up for more grants. The action will allow for receiving proposals for a plan.

SHERIFF’S OFFICE 

6. Receive the 2024 Smith County Sheriff’s Office Racial Profiling Report in accordance with Texas Code of Criminal Procedure, Chapter 2B. 
 
Comments: Sheriff’s Office reports 8,335 stops for 2024. 
Limited stats from report:
Location: 35.70% of stops were on a State Highway and 24.20% were on a US Highway
Ethnicity: 47.70% of stops were White, 27.81% were Black and 22.69% were Hispanic/Latino
Gender: 66.78% of stops were Male and 33.14% were Female
Reason for stop: 58.99% were for Moving Traffic Violations and 39.53% were for Vehicle Traffic Violations
 
No vote required. Receive only.
 
(I did not get a separate copy of the report prior to my Commissioners Court report going out. Please request a full copy of the Sheriff’s Office Racial Profiling Report if you are interested.)

RECURRING BUSINESS
COMMISSIONERS COURT 
7. Receive monthly reports from Smith County departments. 
Comments: No questions or comments were made regarding the reports that were submitted. There were no presentations of reports by department heads. Reports that were included in the agenda packet were from Animal Control, Pretrial Release & Personal Bond Office, Judicial Compliance, Facility Services, and Veterans Services.  It is my hope that the public gets to hear about these reports during the Commissioner Court meetings. 

ROAD AND BRIDGE 
8. Consider and take necessary action to authorize the county judge to sign the: 
a. Re-Plat, East Shore Estates, Unit 7, Precinct 2, 
b. Re-Plat, Emerald Bay Lake Subdivision, Unit 1B, Precinct 1; and 
c. Final Plat, Adoni Acres, Precinct 3. 
 
 9. Receive pipe and/or utility line installation request ):
a. County Road 1346, Lawley Contracting LLC, road bore for aerial fiber optic cable, Precinct 4, 
b. County Road 4122, Oncor Electric LLC, upgrade utility pole and lines, 
c. County Road 122, Frontier Communications, road bore for buried fiber optic cable with pedestals and vaults, Precinct 1, 
d. County Road 2187, 2188, 2193, 2324, 2328, 2277, Frontier Communications, road bore for buried fiber optic cable with pedestals and vaults, Precinct 2, 
e. County Road 2171, 2319, 2317, 2172, 2330, road bore for buried fiber optic cable with pedestals and vaults, Precinct 2, 
f. County Road 137, 314, 1333, 1272, Frontier Communications, road bore for buried fiber optic cable with pedestals and vaults, Precinct 1; and
g. County Road 1298, 1246, road bore for buried fiber optic cable with pedestals and vaults, Precinct 1. 
Comments:
A “notice only” item does not require a vote.

AUDITOR’S OFFICE 
10. Consider and take necessary action to approve and/or ratify payment of accounts, bills, payroll, transfer of funds, amendments, and health claims. 
Comments: Judge Franklin explained that there were two items for transfer: from the IT dept there was a capital expenditure for computer equipment in the amount of $930 transferred to misc equipment for two chairs needed for new employees and a divider to split an office. There was also a transfer for facilities improvement fund contingency that goes to building improvements for $35,000. These funds were needed to cover the cost of asbestos abatement for the demolition of the Gulf States building.

EXECUTIVE SESSION: For purposes permitted by Texas Government Code, Chapter 551, entitled Open Meetings, Sections 55 l.071, 55 l.072, 551.073, 551.074, 551.0745, 551.075, and 551.076. The Commissioners Court reserves the right to exercise its discretion and may convene in executive session as authorized by the Texas Government Code, Section 551.071, et seq., on any of the items listed on its formal or briefing agendas. 

551.071 CONSULTATION WITH ATTORNEY 
 
11. Deliberation and consultation with attorney regarding, Hughes et al v. Smith County, Cause No. 6:23-CV-00344. 
 
Comments: Discussion; No Action Taken

ADJOURN