Nathan Straus
Jacksonville Daily Progress
JACKSONVILLE —
The Cherokee County Development District No. 1 Board, reconstituted during the June 28 Cherokee County Commissioners’ Court meeting, was broken down again Monday as county commissioners rescinded their approved appointments. Pct. 3 Commissioner Katherine Pinotti, who had said in a previous interview she was glad to see the board reformed, said she requested the item be put on Monday’s agenda.
“The people who were appointed were not eligible to serve,” Pinotti said. “Two didn’t live in the county and two had conflicts of interest.”
She said former board members Harold Palmer and Stewart Meisenheimer didn’t live in Cherokee County, as required by local government code 383.042, and others, such as Monty Shank, had no desire to be on the board and weren’t notified of their own appointments beforehand.
“Monty didn’t know he had been appointed till he read about it in the paper,” Pinotti said. “The people of Eagle’s Bluff won that victory.”
Pct. 1 Commissioner Kelly Traylor said nonqualified candidates were appointed June 28.
“Upon further research we determined these candidates did not meet all the necessary qualifications to serve,” Traylor said. “It will be up to the community of the district to present the commissioners’ court with candidates. Those have certain qualifications they must meet.”
Traylor said these include posting a bond of $10,000, taking an oath of office and being a legal resident of the county. He added the original list of appointments was presented at the court through County Judge Chris Davis.
Davis did not return calls made to his office at press time.
The County Development District No. 1 is based at Eagle’s Bluff Country Club near Bullard. Palmer said in a previous interview it fell by the wayside after its original inception and became inactive for several years.
This board was reformed and rescinded by unanimous votes, according to county records.
All other items on the agenda passed, except for a request from Pinotti to authorize P2 Emulsions, Inc., as a sole source vendor. Pinotti said this would be for a road preservative approved by the Texas Department of Transportation. She also said she needs permission from the court in order to use more than $50,000 of this product each fiscal year.
“We can’t go out for bids on it because they’re the only ones that have it,” Pinotti said.
She added a similar product, a chip sealant for roads, costs $40,000 per mile of road, while she said she spent $32,000 for a five-mile stretch of road with P2 Emulsions’ sealant.
“I had bid on it but Pct. 2 Commissioner Kevin Pierce said he was afraid he would be locked into using that, so I withdrew it,” Pinotti said.
Pierce did not return calls made to his office at press time.
In addition to regular requests for utility lines and the consent agenda, including May and June court minutes, Constable Pct. 2 Jack White’s monthly report and the payment of bills, the following items were approved:
• Request to imposition of optional fees for Road and Bridge on vehicle registration, a recurring agenda item for an additional $10 fee on vehicle registrations.
• Helping America Vote Act supplemental funding approval under the existing General HAVA Compliance grant in the amount of $54,963, to be handled by County Judge Chris Davis’ office to upgrade voting equipment, Traylor said.
• Approval of agreement with Lexis Nexis Accurit to provide access for Constable Pct. 2 Jack White. White said this will be used to locate people and property for a flat fee of up to $50 worth of inquiries a month. White added this will result in between eight and 10 inquiries.
• Proposals for Construction Manager at Risk Berry and Clay Construction for four projects, including a new Justice of the Peace office in New Summerfield, county jail renovations and Americans with Disabilities Act compliance for the jail and the Jacksonville tax office location. Proposals were opened July 22.
Commissioners’ Court meetings are held the second and fourth Monday of each month in the county courtroom in the county courthouse in Rusk at 10 a.m. They are open to the public, though there are no times for public comment on each agenda.
