McLemore retires from volunteering as deputy constable
By SHARON KERR Staff Writer

Jasper County Commissioners Court met last Wednesday, Aug. 29, to consider on action several items.

Precinct 2 Constable Ralph Nichols reported that Deputy Constable Robert McLemore would retire as of Sept. 1, after being disabled in an accident.

Nichols said McLemore was letting his license lapse and would no longer be a law officer for the state of Texas.

"Robert has donated thousands of hours to Jasper County," Nichols said. The court asked how long McLemore had served. "Since 1992," Nichols replied, "15 years."

The court voted unanimously to declare McLemore an officially retired Jasper County peace officer.

"It's an honor that he has earned, and it means that he can continue to carry a gun and could arrest someone, though it's doubtful that he would under the circumstances," Allen explained.

Nichols said he has no replacement in mind at this time.

In other business, the court considered how to update justices of the peace courtrooms and procedures to best utilize technology funds.

For Precinct 4 JP Joe Wilkinson, the court authorized expenditures for a new copier and for a dropdown screen.

Precinct 2 Commissioner Roy Parker questioned whether the wording of the technology fund grant allowed for this expenditure, which is to be used for technology "exclusively" for the JPs.

County Judge Mark Allen said the district attorney's office utilizes power point presentations and needed the screen. "It's to the benefit of the jury and the judge's understanding of the case," Allen said.

County Auditor Dru Miller suggested that Wilkinson research different vendors because the maintenance contract for the proposed copier was higher than the county typically pays.

In considering Precinct 2 JP Freddie Miller's request for a fax line inside the jail to accommodate video arraignments, the court determined that email would probably be less expensive and require a one-time purchase of an inexpensive ($80-$150) allin one machine that can scan the documents Miller needs to receive for arraignment.

Miller reported that the system whereby he can do arraignments from his home, office, or anywhere he has an internet connection are working well.

"The only time I had to come to the jail was for a man who was hard of hearing, and for an emergency protective order," Miller said. "It really helped the other night when we had a pregnant woman at the jail and wanted to get her arraigned and out quickly."

Miller is the pilot program; equipment is on order for other JPs to be able to take advantage of this technology.

The court also accepted $7,500 for a road easement agreement between Stephens and Johnson Operating Company and Jasper County.