By Nathan Straus
nstraus@jacksonvilleprogress.com
Cherokee County commissioners voted Monday to buy several trucks for precincts 1 and 3. The decision came at the regularly scheduled commissioners court meeting in the Rusk courthouse.
Precinct 1 Commissioner Kelly Traylor said the new vehicles are needed because the current ones are old.
“We’re updating our fleet,” Traylor said.
A total of four trucks was purchased for a final cost of $114,492.
Bill McRae Ford in Jacksonville and Pearman Motor Co. in Alto, a Dodge dealer, were both selected. Of the four different kinds of trucks McRae offered, the court chose a 2010 F250 3/4 Ton 4-door Supercab 4x4; one for Precinct 1 and one for Precinct 3. These will cost the county $23,250 each.
One Dodge truck was chosen for each of the two precincts requesting trucks. The 2010 3500 Quad ST, 4x4 Chassis from Pearman was picked at $33,996.
Other items approved at the meeting were:
• Road bores for county roads 3405 and 4701 were approved.
• Kevin Pierce, Precinct 2 commissioner, was approved to assist Wells Independent School District on a bus turn around at 1252 County Road 2825. Pierce said this is necessary because the buses have difficulty moving through the turn around.
• The county will try to obtain Texas Election Administration Management Compatibility Grant funding for the county’s tax assessor. County Judge Chris Davis said this money will go toward use of electronic voter identification.
• Appointment of Janet Bierbower to administer the county’s sick leave pool. Davis said she will donate her own sick leave time for those with a catastrophic illness.
• The contract between the county and County Information Resources Agency for maintaining the county’s Web site and e-mails was renewed. Davis said this simply renews the contract for the site, and no changes will be made to it.
• Approval of the consent agenda, including Precinct 1 Constable Lynn Kelley’s report and authorizing the payment of the bills.
No executive session was entered during the meeting and the commissioners adjourned after approval of the consent agenda.
