A proclamation recognizing November as National Adoption Month was presented by Liberty County Judge Jay Knight to Cyndie Asbhire and Donna Hebert with the Liberty County Child Welfare Board during the Nov. 13 commissioners court meeting.
Knight, reading from the proclamation, stated that 104,000 children in the United States are in the foster care system and are waiting to be adopted.
In Liberty County, there are 167 children in foster care. Some of these children will be reunited with their families but others will be adopted in safe and loving homes. On Nov. 26, nine adoptions will take place at the Liberty Center inside Liberty City Hall, according to Abshire.
“That’s pretty awesome for a nice Christmas and Thanksgiving,” she said.
After the proclamation was presented, commissioners returned to a busy agenda that included an extension of the disaster declaration for Liberty County. Christa Beasley-Adams, coordinator for the Liberty County Office of Emergency Management, explained that the Trinity River will remain at the same level throughout the weekend. The river has been at flood stage for weeks due to heavy rains in the area and other parts of the state.
“All we can do now is monitor it at this point,” she said.
Commissioners also approved the county’s 10 percent funding match for two bridge replacement projects by the Texas Department of Transportation. The bridges – the Gaylor Creek bridge and the Menard Creek bridge – are in the northeast section of the county and were damaged during Hurricane Harvey.
The Gaylor Creek bridge, which has been closed since Harvey, is a project totaling $159,840 with the county’s 10 percent match at $15,984. The Menard Creek bridge replacement will cost the county $69,975 in a project totaling $699,750.
FEMA funding of $10,142 for road projects in Pct. 3 was approved by commissioners.
In other business, commissioners:
- Approved a $250 grant for Meals on Wheels with Interfaith Ministries;
- Named Lloyd Kirkham as a board member to the City of Dayton’s recently created tax increment reinvestment zone;
- Approved overtime pay for deputy county clerks related to recent elections;
- Approved the transfer of a 2018 Dodge Charger from Liberty County Pct. 4 Constable’s Office to Pct. 1 Constable’s Office;
- Approved the $8,170 purchase of a patrol vehicle for courthouse security;
- Approved subdivision regulations that were tabled from the last commissioners court meeting and discussed during a recent workshop;
- Approved a request for bids for a 2018 crew cab pickup truck for the sheriff’s office;
- Approved the $34,332 purchase of a 2018 Ford F-150 for the sheriff’s office;
- Approved the $42,960 purchase of eight in-car systems from Watch Guard for the sheriff’s office; and
- Approved bids with Classic Star (previously Hebert Distribution) and Whitener for gasoline and diesel for the county’s use.
Commissioners tabled an interlocal agreement with the City of Cleveland regarding a 2.42-acre tract of land on FM 1010 at the SH 105 bypass for a municipal facility.
“We need to table this item because action is still needed by the Cleveland City Council,” Knight explained.
By Vanesa Brashier, editor@bluebonnetnews.com