County suing to break Pecos Energy deal
By SHARON KERR Staff Writer

After an unexpectedly lengthy executive session on Friday, the Jasper County Commissioners' Court voted to proceed with a lawsuit to terminate the county's contract with Pecos Renewable Energy.

The court convened in regular session at 9 a.m. Feb. 8 and immediately withdrew for an executive session that county judge Mark Allen said would "be just a few minutes, folks, and we'll be right back."

More than half an hour later, the commissioners returned and, without further discussion, voted unanimously to have attorney Brad Miller file the lawsuit in Pecos County.

At the heart of the matter is property given to Jasper County for the purpose of earning income for the school system. Where mineral rights once paid school bills (until the oil played out), now there is competition by developers for best locations for wind farms.

Pecos Renewable Energy took an option for exploration and development, but they have made little progress whereas development is proceeding all around the lands owned by Jasper County.

Mental health

In other business, Susan Rushing of the Burke Center asked the court to consider joining with 11 other counties to try for state funding for a regional psychiatric health facility.

"When someone now has a mental health crisis, an officer must pick them up and take them to the hospital and wait hours for them to be medically cleared before they can be transported," Rushing said.

That's only the beginning, according to Rushing. If Rusk is full, officers have had to take people as far as El Paso to find a bed.

"Chicago is closer," Rushing said, "but we have to take them wherever we can find a place in Texas."

Allen said he once had to take a patient to Abilene when he was a deputy.

Rushing said in the last legislative session, "the cry was heard" and $82 million was appropriated for competitive grants to build five or six regional facilities.

Rushing asked the county to commit to budgeting $15,000 as part of the matching funding if this region is approved for one of the facilities, which would likely be located in Lufkin.

"It will save the county in terms of deputies' time and wear and tear on vehicles for transport," Rushing explained.

Jasper Police Chief Todd Hunter told the court that driving to Lufkin is a twohour turnaround, versus taking a patient elsewhere on (at least) an eight-hour turnaround, and that will help keep officers on the street in Jasper.

Precinct 1 Commissioner Charles Shofner asked if the $15,000 was a one-time expense, but Rushing said it would be an ongoing budget item.

Jack Jett, chief deputy for the Jasper County Sheriff's Office, said that he has been tracking expenses for patient transport for about six months and can show where the county has spent 254 man-hours and logged more than 10,000 miles in transport alone, "and that's not counting the hospital time and medical expenses to get them cleared before transport."

Hunter agreed that $15,000 was a bargain. "It really will make a difference. We have these calls one or two times a week.

"It's not uncommon for there not to be a bed in the entire state," Hunter said. "There are times we've had to place people who are mentally unstable in the jail and that's not an optimal solution."

The court voted unanimously to give the Burke Center a resolution stating that they are willing to include the matching funds of $15,000 per year beginning in next year's budget, if the region wins the grant.

Marina enforcement The court unanimously approved a request from Sam Rayburn Marina to authorize state and local law enforcement agencies to enforce safety rules regarding buoys.

Last summer, constables ran into situations where jet skis were buzzing beaches and chasing people out of the water; before Monday's vote, it was up to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to recognize and enforce the safety regulations.

The measure will include all water areas marked with safety buoys within the county, including Westwood, Twin Dikes and Ebenezer. It allows game wardens, constables and law officers to enforce safety rules.

NET Data

Bill Moser, Tory Humphries and Dallas Osburn of NET Data made a presentation to a packed courtroom for their software program designed to integrate many county functions from law enforcement to clerical duties. Several justices of the peace, constables, district and county clerks, and representatives of the police and sheriff's office attended.

The company currently serves 70 Texas counties and 24 cities with a package that includes installation, maintenance, training, customer support, and collection services, including allowing people to pay over the internet.

The NET Data package links 36 state agencies from the jail standards board to Emergency Managment, from TxDOT to property taxes. Moser said his integrated system is more reliable and more secure than other systems.

District Court Coordinator Sharon Miller it would be like adding an extra clerk to the office. She currently sends out 400 notices manually for docket calls for Jasper alone.

The court voted unanimously to allow NET Data to set up a county-wide demonstration, but before a new system like this can be purchased, it would have to go through the competitive bid process.

Other business

The court gave preliminary approval to the plat for a new subdivision for 12 houses across from the elementary school in Buna. The developer is Jon Angell; several builders have expressed interest in the lots.

Plans will be available for the public to view and comment on before the court votes on final approval in March.

The court approved Jim Hughes of Texas Financial Center to solicit county employees for an optional dental insurance program. If he enrolls 51 percent of the county employees, the plan can be a pre-tax payroll deduction.

County grant-writer David Waxman gave an update on the projects and contract status of the $2.6 in grants for roads and bridges and debris removal.