County inches closer to budget
By SHARON KERR Staff Writer

Jasper County Commissioners are on track to approve the 2008 proposed budget and the 2007 property tax rate at a special session Monday, Sept. 17, beginning with a budget hearing at 3 p.m.

At the regular Commissioners' Court meeting Sept. 10, the court made minor adjustments and corrections; the budget still stands at $13,045,821, according to County Auditor Dru Miller.

It is a balanced budget based on the effective tax rate of .1316/$100 for the road and bridge special fund and .5337/$100 for the general fund, a total of .6653/$100. The rollback rate could have been as high as .7164/$100.

"I believe we are the only county (in Texas) this year with a budget using the effective tax rate," County Judge Mark Allen told the court. Allen also announced that he had reconsidered his budget request for an increase from $8,000 to $12,000 in travel allowance for his office. He proposed to give up half his increase if the court would take that $2,000 and divide it equally as a $200 raise in pay to the 10 sheriff's deputies.

The court agreed, but had to add enough money from the contingency fund to cover the resulting increase in workman's comp, social security, holiday and retirement benefits, another $200+.

Other adjustments included an additional $10,000 for the sheriff's department towards replacing a vehicle that was wrecked, $19,000 budgeted to cover several county employees who are expected to retire soon, an additional $4,500 in the district attorney's budget to correct an error in posting; other corrections and expenses from the contingency fund.

Other salary corrections and adjustments to the sheriff and county jail budget will be shifted within the sheriff's budget.

Medical Camp

Carlene Womack, executive director of ETHAN (East Texas Health Access Network), announced that Jasper will hold a medical camp Saturday, Dec. 1, at the Community Church on South Wheeler, and asked commissioners to volunteer their time and help promote it.

The medical camp has volunteer doctors, nurses, and staff who perform free health screenings to anyone who shows up.

"This is for everyone in Jasper and even other counties," Womack said. "The very poor have access to services through Medicaid, but this camp is for the working poor, who do not have access otherwise.

"They either aren't insured or don't want to take time off and can't afford the doctor visit. This medical camp gives them an opportunity (for testing and screening), and if they are uninsured we try to get them into a low-cost or no-cost program for medical care or prescriptions."

The camp screens for things like hypertension, osteoporosis, glaucoma, cholesterol, diabetes, breast exams, and a one-on-one consultation with a physician. Volunteer doctors come from all over Texas and other states, including specialists like cardiologists and gynecologists.

Womack said a high percentage of those screened for hypertension last year had it, and that the importance of catching such a diagnosis and treating it before it results in a hospital stay is well worth the cost of the medical camp.

"Jasper County is well above the state rate in hypertension. If it gets to the point that chest pain results in a two-day hospital stay, that costs on average $12,000," Womack said. "If we can catch problems at the medical camp we can save the city and county money down the road."

The court agreed to provide inmate labor and other volunteers to help set up the facility with privacy sheeting, tables, and equipment, and take it down after the event.

They expect to see 500 people at the event, which begins at 8:30 a.m. and takes patients up until 2:30 p.m.

JP and court expenses

The county approved two uses of the Justices of the Peace technology fund; ordering about $600 in equipment for Pct. 5 JP Brett Holloway to begin video arraignments, and ordering a fax line inside the jail to facilitate video arraignment for all the JPs.

The technology fund accrues from fees collected by the JP courts and can only be used for technology that supports or enhances those courts. Because the fax line will also benefit and be used jailors, the court agreed to split the bill for the fax line so that the technology fund pays for the base line, and the sheriff's communication budget pays the long distance.

Four of the six JPs were present to ask the court to increase funding for all jury pools.

"When we made our budget proposal (last year), we didn't take into account that we would have a misdemeanor prosecutor and more court dates," said Pct. 3 JP Susan Ratcliff.

The JPs said they are now also processing more credit card cases, and that small claims court has increased the amount they can hear from $5,000 to $10,000.

Not only has the increased docket required more jury calls and jury payments, but additional postage to send jury summons as well.

The JPs asked for $2,500 for the jury expense (it was $1,000), and $200 extra for postage per court.

"We do 10 - 15 cases a day with our prosecutor, but we're still looking at June before we're caught up. The reason we need more money is that we're finally getting these cases into court and processed," Ratcliff said.

Constables duties

All civil process papers will be routed directly to constables for service; the process has already begun and transition will be complete by Oct. 1.

"The legal paperwork coming through the courts is growing. If the six constables agree to pick up the burden, this takes a load off the sheriff," Allen said.

On a separate agenda item, the court agreed to increase fees for papers served to be more in line with what surrounding counties charge.

County repairs

Contractor Robert Hoehn reported that completed repairs to the Jasper County Courthouse included painting, awnings, and that the work on the clock tower would begin Monday, Sept. 17.

The court approved a 30- year shingle roof to repair the Department of Human Services building in Kirbyville.

Hoehn is also to bid roof repairs to the county annex building, and was directed to discuss with the insurance company the omission of the expenses of removing and remounting air conditioners in the process.

County Roads List

County Tax Assessor Bobby Biscamp presented bills for the county road inserts for 2006, part of the process mandated by the state to finalize a list of county maintained roads.

After a complete survey and a resolution process for disputed roads, the commissioners double-checked corrections and unanimously approved the revised insert which will go in the 2007 tax notices.

City property plat

Jasper city manager Alan Grindstaff presented a plan to have the entire city platted at an expense of $114,000, and asked the county to assume one-third of the burden of that cost. Grindstaff said that the school board would also be asked to assume a third.

Grindstaff explained that in the process of researching property ownership for the purpose of filing code violations, Fire Marshal Stephen Williamson found that large portions of the city were not on the tax rolls.

Estimates are that by having the city and one mile beyond the city limits platted, they could recover an extra half a million dollars in tax revenue.

Jasper County Clerk Debbie Newmans confirmed, "If people don't file deeds, we have no way to know it, and if they do file and then don't take that across the street to the appraisal district, they won't know either."

Grindstaff showed the commissioners a map with major sections marked out. "Look at all the property they don't have identified," he said. "It's not fair that these homes and businesses are not paying taxes."

Grindstaff said when the city is re-platted, Tax Assessor David Luther said he would treat the properties added to the tax rolls as new construction; the city will not seek years of delinquent taxes.

"If there is property that cannot be identified, the city (at their expense) will go through the courts to acquire the land, sell it, and get it back on the tax rolls," said Grindstaff.

The county will have up to two fiscal years to pay their portion of the plat expense, by which time the estimated increase in tax revenue should cover the cost.

Other business

Ed Few was approved by the county as director of Jasper County Development District #1.

The county drew names from volunteers to serve on the sick leave pool committee and approved Danny White to replace Kim Toal, who moved.

The county approved Belinda Durham to serve on the Jasper-Newton Public Health District Board.

Agenda for Sept. 17

The county tabled several items to be considered at the special session Monday, Sept. 17, including preliminary approval of Tiger Creek Estates, Section 3, and a request from Bill McGraw to discontinue a portion of County Road 707 in Precinct 4.

The court just went though a state-mandated process of surveying and certifying all the county roads, including a period during which residents could dispute roads claimed by the county.

Allen said the the firm of Allison and Bass, who prepared the official Jasper County maps, will review the McGraw's request, and commissioners said they would like to see the section of road for themselves before making a decision.

Three bids were opened at the Sept. 10 meeting for the construction of the Pct. 4 county barn. A committee consisting of Pct. 4 Commissioner Vance Moss, Pct. 3 Commissioner Willie Stark and County Auditor Dru Miller will evaluate the bids and make recommendations Monday, Sept. 17.