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September 6, 2008

County to amend construction contract, hold hearing on tax rate

By Kelly Young

kyoung@jacksonvilleprogress.com

Members of the Cherokee County Commissioners’ Court will gather at the Rusk courthouse Monday morning to officially approve amendments to the county’s contract with Garrett & Associates. The changes would remove the renovation of the old police department building in Jacksonville from the county’s construction plans.

The county had originally decided to pursue three capital improvements projects — the restoration of the police station, the construction of a new evidence room at the Cherokee County Jail and the conversion of the drive-through at the justice of the peace’s office in Alto into a courtroom — but scrapped the Jacksonville project after acquiring other buildings in town which officials said will better suit their needs.

Removal of the Jacksonville project will drop the price of construction by more than $300,000, down from the $998,321 guaranteed maximum price the county agreed to in July.

In further efforts to decrease the projects’ cost, County Judge Chris Davis said the construction manager will engage in “value engineering” in order to build the remaining two projects, especially the Alto work, as cheaply as is safely possible. Davis expects construction to begin not long after the contract is signed.

Action will also be considered to change the precinct boundary of Voting Box 38 to allow three new buildings purchased by the county to be used as offices by the constable and justice of the peace of Precinct 3. The buildings are currently located in Precinct 4, and the change will move the boundary eastward by one block.

No voters will be affected by the change. The new boundaries, if a change is passed by the court, would take effect Oct. 1.

The first of the county’s two public hearings regarding the tax rate will be held Monday for the purpose of receiving community input on the proposed rate of 58 cents per $100 of valuation — a drop of three cents from last year. The court will also take action to call a special meeting at 10 a.m. Friday, Sept. 12, in order to hold the second public hearing and to vote to set the tax rate.

A budget of $19,762,916 for Fiscal Year 2008-2009 was passed last month at the previous meeting of the commissioners’ court. That budget included an extra $1 million in fuel and road materials to help offset the escalating prices of those materials and a 5-percent pay increase for all county employees.

Murphy George has offered the county a small metal building in Alto and the land it occupies. The county will take action Monday to accept the gift by approving a special warrant gift deed. Davis said it is unknown at this time how the new building will be used.

Other agenda items include:

• considering laying utility lines in each precinct;

• the monthly report from James Campbell, sheriff;

• the monthly report from Ricky Moore, license and weight officer;

• the monthly report from L.H. Crockett, county auditor;

• approval of bids for the sale of used equipment;

• approval for the county auditor to obtain bids for the annual requirements — fuel, road material, office supplies, etc.;

• approval of a contract between the county and Carlisle ISD for conducting an election in November;

• approval of the payment for compensatory time as of Aug. 15;

• approval of a resolution between the county and the County Information Resources Agency to develop justice system software;

• approval of the minutes from previous meetings; and

• paying the bills.

The Cherokee County Commissioner’s Court regularly meets at 10 a.m. the second and fourth Monday of each month, at the county courthouse. The public is invited to attend all meetings.

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