County inches foward with Rita housing
By SHARON KERR Staff Writer

Jasper County Commissioners' Court continued to inch forward on the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) grants to replace homes for residents devastated by Hurricane Rita.

Commissioners opened sealed bids for manufactured housing. Only two bids were received for turn-key installation of homes. The housing is required to meet a number of specifications, including wheel-chair accessibility.

Twin Lakes bid an average cost of $64,350, and McDonald's Mobile Homes bid an average of $41,500. Up to 17 homes were actually bid individually, because each site had different requirements for everything from leveling to utility hook-ups.

Commissioners moved to accept McDonald's bid, but the matter is far from resolved. Michael Hunter of Hunter and Hunter reported that they will need the state to approve the requested time extension, and to screen a second round of applicants because several have dropped out.

Hunter later told The Jasper Newsboy that he will have a press release detailing the application requirements in time for publication in the March 28 paper.

In other business, the court heard from the Jasper Lakes Area Humane Society requesting a budget allocation for an animal shelter to be jointly owned by the county and city of Jasper (see related story.)

The court approved the Pac Sun maintenance contract, Precinct #3 Constable Ronnie Hutchison's annual report on racial profiling, and the annual request to use the courthouse for the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life event Friday, April 27.

Precinct #4 Commissioner Vance Moss requested and the court granted an extension on exempting the bidding process for material, concrete, rebar, rock and necessary items for repair of roads and bridges damaged by flooding.

The court decided to research feasibility of constructing a set of THangers at Jasper Bell Field Airport and put the item back on the docket later. No bids were received for installing high speed internet service at the airport.