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Commissioners okay road funding

By PHILLIP WILLIAMS
Upshur County Commissioners Court on Tuesday (July 15) approved funding to purchase right-of-way for three road and bridge improvement projects being performed by the Texas Department of Transportation.

The county’s share of funding is $37,000 to $38,000 for the projects on Hwy. 155 south of Big Sandy, said County Judge Dean Fowler.

Plans call for making the road four lanes all the way to the Sabine River, and making both bridges at the river four lanes, Fowler said.

The three projects were described on the meeting agenda as “from Sabine River Relief Bridge to Union Pacific Railroad Overpass”; “At Union Pacific Railroad Overpass to South of Big Sandy; and “From Sabine River and Sabine River Relief to South of Big Sandy.”

In another matter Tuesday, the court tabled naming election judges and alternate judges for the term starting Aug. 1. County Democratic Chairman Jim Eitel and County Republican Chairwoman Brenda Patterson submitted names of those to be chosen. Eitel’s list did not designate the persons’ precincts, and he was not present.

Commissioners also Tuesday approved District Clerk Carolyn Bullock’s proposed purchase of a digital microfilm scanner from C.F. Biggs in Shreveport, La.

The total price for the machine and maintenance agreement is $6402.96, including $5807.96 for the machine itself.

Mrs. Bullock said her office’s current machine won’t print. The new machine will allow viewing and printing, she said. (She told The Mirror it will mainly help land men, but also aid persons wanting to print out old family records.)

In addition to obtaining a bid from Biggs, Mrs. Bullock told commissioners, she contacted Kodak about the possibility of repairing the machine. But she said someone else told her the current machine was obsolete, and County Auditor Gary Smith told commissioners he agreed.

The court approved the purchase from the county’s Records Management Fund.

In a separate vote, commissioners also approved Mrs. Bullock’s request to purchase three office chairs for about $420 from Home Depot in Longview.

In other business, commissioners retroactively approved using jail inmate labor on the Community Playground Project at the Gilmer Civic Center.

Sheriff Anthony Betterton told the commissioners he approved the work, but that law requires the court to authorize such inmate activities. As in this case, he said, work sometimes arises on the “spur of the moment,” not allowing time for the court to approve it in advance.

In other action Tuesday, the court reappointed Sharon Putman to a 2-year term on the Community HealthCORE Board of Trustees, which she chairs.

Commissioners also rejected a $1,000 bid on a property which was foreclosed for delinquent taxes—a half acre lot on Miller Street in Gilmer.

Near the beginning of the meeting, the court honored Deputy County Clerk Kaye Cain, who is marking her 30th anniversary working in the office.

County Clerk Peggy LaGrone presented her a plaque, and Fowler presented her a certificate in which he proclaimed Aug. 7 as “Kaye Cain Day.” The four commissioners lined up and all hugged the longtime deputy clerk.

Ms. Cain, who became emotional, said, “By the grace of God, I hung out this long.” She was honored with a reception across the hallway after the commissioners’ meeting.

During the meeting, Fowler noted that Ms. Cain had signed his and his wife Nan’s marriage license in 1983.

“And you’re still together,” Ms. Cain replied.

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