Liberty County is taking steps to fill the unexpired term of the late Pct. 4 Commissioner Leon Wilson, who passed away earlier this month after a courageous battle with cancer. During the Commissioners Court meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 26, one of the key agenda items was the approval of an Interview Performance Review Committee to oversee the selection process.
The committee, comprised of Liberty County officials or their designees—including the Sheriff, Treasurer, Attorney, Auditor, and Purchasing Agent—will be tasked with reviewing applications, identifying the most qualified candidates, and conducting interviews. From there, a shortlist of applicants will be presented to County Judge Jay Knight, who holds the final hiring authority.
Judge Knight emphasized that while the decision ultimately rests with him, he intends to consult with the Commissioners Court for their input before making the appointment.
County Attorney Matt Poston outlined the anticipated timeline, estimating the process will take two to three months.
“We have no hard deadline,” Poston said told Bluebonnet News after the meeting, “but we need to do it as quickly as possible for practical reasons. The court needs all five persons seated.”
Poston also detailed the qualifications for the role. Candidates must reside in the Pct. 4 jurisdiction and ideally possess management experience and a strong connection to the community.
“We would like someone who has been here a while and knows the lay of the land,” he added.
Addressing concerns from Dayton residents about the committee’s composition, which is lacking a single representative from the Dayton community, Poston acknowledged the feedback but clarified that the committee members are elected to county-wide positions, ensuring the process serves the county’s overall interests.
“This is supposed to be a position that is concerned with the county’s interest as a whole, not just the precinct,” he said. “We all want the best in the world for Dayton and all our communities.”
There are two years remaining on Wilson’s unexpired four-year term. Interested candidates can learn more about the position by contacting Assistant County Attorney Kathrine McCarty at kathrine.mccarty@co.liberty.tx.us.
LIBERTY COUNTY ALLOCATES ARPA FUNDS FOR HULL FRESH WATER DISTRICT
In other business during the Nov. 26 meeting, Liberty County Commissioners Court discussed the Hull Fresh Water District’s (HFWD) water well project. The county has committed $800,000 in remaining American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to the initiative, with HFWD responsible for covering the remaining $558,625 of the project’s cost.
LJA, the engineering firm hired by the county, has approved the recommendation of the contract for the project. However, commissioners emphasized the need to confirm that HFWD has secured its portion of the funding before moving forward.
Daisetta City Councilwoman Cindy Burchfield, representing HFWD, assured commissioners that the district is actively working on funding. She explained that HFWD has been approved for a 15-year loan with a 6 percent interest rate, but the terms would require a rate increase for water customers. To avoid that, the district is pursuing a loan with better terms from a local bank.
Burchfield added that she will work on finalizing a resolution to secure the funding in time for the money to be allocated by the ARPA deadline of Dec. 31.
Commissioners tabled any action on the project until the funding is secured. It is expected that the project will be approved at one of two meetings commissioners court will have in December.
OTHER BUSINESS
Liberty County Commissioners Court approved several measures to address the county’s growing needs.
A grant administrator position, funded in the previous budget, was reassigned to the permitting department. With Pct. 4 Commissioner Leon Wilson’s passing, oversight of the permitting department was transferred to Pct. 2 Commissioner Greg Arthur, who has an education and background in engineering.
Commissioners also approved an $8,600 expenditure to build an additional service window at the Cleveland annex for the tax assessor-collector’s office. This upgrade will provide a fourth working station to better accommodate the Cleveland area’s rapid growth. Tax Assessor-Collector Ricky Brown announced that a new hire has already been secured for the position. The contractor will be McDowell Construction.
In another move, the court reallocated some remaining ARPA funds to purchase new patrol vehicles for the sheriff’s office.
The court also approved engineering recommendations from LJA regarding subdivision and development regulations for the county’s drainage plan.
“As y’all know, LJA is seriously working on our drainage study and plan,” said Judge Knight.
Fire service contracts were also approved with various emergency services departments to ensure coverage in Liberty County’s unincorporated areas. The contracts include services from North Liberty County, Plum Grove, Woodpecker, Kenefick, Moss Bluff, City of Cleveland, Devers, Dayton, Liberty, Tarkington, Liberty County Firefighters Association, and Emergency Services Districts 2, 3, and 7.