Commissioners Court Notes
Please note: All agenda items are considered PASSED unless indicated otherwise.
OPEN SESSION:
RESOLUTIONS
1. Consider and take necessary action to adopt a resolution proclaiming the month of October 2026, as “Domestic Violence Awareness Month” in Smith County.
2. Consider and take necessary action to adopt a resolution proclaiming the week of October 5-9, 2026, as “Manufacturing Week” in Smith County.
3. Consider and take necessary action to adopt a resolution proclaiming the week of October 4, 2026, as “Texas Extension Education Association Week” in Smith County.
4. Consider and take necessary action to adopt a resolution proclaiming the week of October 4, 2025, as “National 4-H Week” in Smith County.
PRESENTATION
5. Receive burn ban update from Fire Marshal Chad Hogue.
Comments:
Fire Marshal Chad Hogue reported that the burn ban was lifted on October 5, 2026, after nearly seven weeks. We received two to three inches of rain across the county, which dropped the Keetch-Byram Drought Index (KBDI) to 536. In the final week under the ban, there were 26 outdoor fire calls, with one warning issued and no citations. The county has returned to the standard Texas Commission on Environmental Quality outdoor burning rules.
COURT ORDERS
ROAD AND BRIDGE
6. Consider and take necessary action to accept the completion of the construction contract for the Roadway Improvements to CR 172 (FM 349 to FM 2493), with an underrun in the amount of $31,839.62, authorize the county judge to execute the Reconciliation Change Order, and authorize final payment to A. E. Shull & Company, Inc.
Comments:
We accepted the completion of the roadway improvements on County Road 172 from FM 349 to FM 2493, performed by A. E. Shull & Company, Inc. The original contract was $462,256.05. The final construction cost was $430,416.43, resulting in an underrun of $31,839.62. The majority of the savings came from TxDOT work at the southern end of the road at the FM 2493 intersection. TxDOT extended their grading and drainage work 400 feet into our roadway, which shortened the county contractor’s scope. The project improved 1.572 miles of county roadway.
SHERIFF’S OFFICE
7. Consider and take necessary action to reclassify the Sheriff’s Office position #127 from LE 342 Step 1 to LE 507 Step 1 (Investigator V 12+ years Advanced to CID Sgt. – Advanced) with an estimated net budgetary effect of $2,587.00 and authorize the county judge to sign all related documentation.
Comments:
We passed on this item. It is back on the agenda for next Tuesday, October 13.
8. Consider and take necessary action to approve a lease/purchase contract with Axon Enterprise, Inc. in the amount of $16,881.36 via BuyBoard Cooperative Purchasing Program for Tasers for the Sheriff’s Office and authorize the county judge to sign all related documentation.
Comments:
We approved a lease-purchase contract with Axon Enterprise, Inc. for $16,881.36 through the BuyBoard Cooperative Purchasing Program for tasers for the newly approved deputies who will provide judicial services at the courthouse. The cost is coming out of Fund 12 – Courthouse Security Fund.
COUNTY CLERK
9. Consider and take necessary action to approve a contract between Smith County and the Texas Department of Public Safety for Texas Conviction Reporting (TXCR) an Interlocal Cooperation Contract and authorize the county judge to sign all related documentation.
Comments:
We approved an interlocal cooperation contract with the Texas Department of Public Safety for the Texas Conviction Reporting (TXCR) system. DPS is moving from paper submission of convictions to real-time electronic submission statewide. Once signed, this gives the County Clerk’s office access to the TXCR portal. There is no budgetary impact on the county.
JUSTICE OF THE PEACE – PCT 1
10. Consider and take necessary action to approve a $5,400 part-time budget request for Justice of the Peace, Pct. 1.
Comments:
Judge Derrick Choice requested $5,400 for temporary part-time help in his office while a full-time clerk is out on extended medical leave and expected to return in January. The Auditor’s Office advised that the funds are already available in the department’s budget for payroll, so a transfer from contingency is not necessary right now. The Auditor will track the situation and can bring a transfer later in the fiscal year if needed. The part-time help is temporary and will end when the full-time employee returns. We approved the request.
COMMISSIONERS COURT
11. Consider and take necessary action to amend the On-Site Sewage Facility fee schedule to raise the commercial permit fee from $400 to $600 and authorize the county judge to sign all related documentation.
Comments:
We approved raising the commercial On-Site Sewage Facility permit fee from $400 to $600. Residential permits remain at $400. Trey Stanley, our Designated Representative, explained that commercial projects, such as RV parks, typically require multiple inspection trips because the work is done in stages, while a residential system is usually one inspection. He researched surrounding counties and found that $600 is in line with or below most of them. Several of us noted the positive feedback we’ve received from constituents about his professionalism and responsiveness. This change reflects the actual work involved while keeping the fee reasonable for taxpayers.
RECURRING BUSINESS
ROAD AND BRIDGE
12. Consider and take necessary action to authorize the county judge to sign the:
- Re-plat for Dove Ridge, Phase 2, Precinct 4, and
- Re-plat for The Stableford, Phase 1, Precinct 3.
13. Receive pipe and/or utility line installation request (notice only):
- County Road 129, Cherokee County Electric Cooperative Association, road bore for fiber optic cable, Precinct 1,
- County Road 188 and 1353, Brightspeed, install fiber optic cable, Precinct 1,
- County Road 1178, Brightspeed, install fiber optic cable, Precinct 1,
- County Road 1110, Wright City Water Supply, install water line with road bore, Precinct 2,
- County Road 336 and 334, Fritcher Construction Services, install water line with road bore, Precinct 3,
- County Road 46, CenterPoint Energy, install gas line for service, Precinct 4, and
- County Road 1149, Oncor Electric, replace pole, Precinct 4.
Comments:
I asked County Engineer Frank Davis a question for the benefit of the public about these utility installation notices.
The Road and Bridge Department does not receive a yearly or multi-month master plan from fiber optic companies such as Brightspeed or Cherokee County Electric Cooperative. These companies are authorized to install fiber in certain areas, but the county only receives individual permits as the companies schedule specific projects. We do not have advance notice of what they plan to do over the next six months beyond the permits they submit.
On the timeline, the permits are typically valid for about six months. The actual start date depends on the company’s workload and the weather. In some cases, Road and Bridge has extended a permit when the company has not started within the original timeframe, provided the request still meets the requirements.
This helps explain why residents sometimes see work begin with relatively short notice—the county learns about specific installations when the permit comes in, not months in advance as part of a published plan.
AUDITOR’S OFFICE
14. Consider and take necessary action to approve and/or ratify payment of accounts, bills, payroll, transfer of funds, amendments, and health claims.
Comments:
We approved the weekly bill pay, which included these budget transfers:
Smaller Transfers
- IT Department: $25,713.07 moved from Miscellaneous Equipment to Equipment. The purchase order could not be split-coded.
- Indigent Healthcare: $17,125 moved from Contingency.
FY27 General Fund Budget Transfer — Total: $625,237
This transfer moved funds from various salary lines, fringe benefits, and capital contingency to fund public service agencies and correct departmental budget lines.
Sources
- HR Salary & Wages Full Time: $27,000
- JP2 Salary & Wages Full Time: $45,000
- JP2 Insurance Fringe: $8,500
- JP3 Salary Permanent Part Time: $20,000
- DA’s Office Salary & Wages Full Time: $65,000
- Judicial Services Insurance Fringe: $120,000
- Capital Contingency: $319,737
- Facility Services Salary & Wages Full Time: $80,000
- Facility Services Insurance Fringe: $46,839
- JP3 Salary & Wages Full Time: $20,000
- AgriLife Salary & Wages Full Time: $13,487
- AgriLife Insurance Fringe: $2,353
Public Service Agencies Funded
- Tyler Family Circle of Care
- Meals on Wheels: $50,000
- Andrews Center: $170,000
- Saint Paul Children’s Foundation: $5,000
- Alzheimer’s Alliance: $11,808
- Children’s Advocacy Center: $50,000
- Economic Development TDC: $75,000
- CASA: $50,000
- Historical Commission: $33,750
- Civil Air Patrol: $6,000
- PATH: $6,000
Auditor Tim Hollis explained that a large part of this transfer came from the Court’s late decision during the budget process to fund public service agencies with reserve money. The capital contingency account had been expected to go away, but funds were left in it for this purpose. There were also adjustments needed because of forecasting estimates and differences that appeared after the final pay scale was approved and after moving data between ClearGov and the budget spreadsheet. ClearGov was new this year and still has some kinks being worked out. Judicial Services fringe benefits, for example, had been budgeted for the full number of requested positions even though not all were approved, so those funds were pulled back and applied to the public service agencies.
SHERIFF’S OFFICE
15. Receive report on status of Smith County jail operations, inmate population, employee overtime, and employee vacancies.
Comments:
I asked about the emergency room visits, which have been elevated two weeks in a row. Chief Pinkerton explained that there are currently ten pregnant women in the jail; three have gone multiple times, and two had chest pains (one requiring a heart procedure).
During public comment, Delilah Reyanoso asked the Court to establish a committee to collect and report data on behavioral health needs in the jail, treatment delays, diversion services, and the full costs to local taxpayers. She specifically noted the forensic wait list and the new Andrews Center Behavioral Diversion Center.
The forensic wait list is the statewide list of inmates who have been found incompetent to stand trial because of mental illness. They stay in the county jail until a state hospital bed opens up. With 254 counties competing for the same limited beds, the wait can stretch for months. During that time, the county pays the higher daily cost of housing someone with serious mental health needs.
Chief Pinkerton stated that the daily cost to house an inmate with mental health issues averages about $165, compared with about $75 for an inmate without those issues. He noted that the forensic wait list is a statewide issue—Smith County’s submission is currently around number 500, with 38 people on the list. Judge Franklin indicated he will discuss the forensic wait list with our state representatives and is considering having Donna Henry work with the jail on compiling statistical data.
Commissioner John Moore was absent due to a death in his family. Please keep him and his family in your prayers.
ADJOURN