“I’ve been thinking,” says Freestone County Sheriff Jeremy Shipley. “I’m a local taxpayer too, and I don’t want my money going toward cable for inmates, so I’ve come up with another option to provide them with the service.”
Sheriff Shipley continues, “We can use the profits from the money inmates pay for commissary items to pay for the cable bill. This way they are paying for their own cable; and money is not coming from tax payer dollars.”
County Commissioner Mike Daniel made a motion to approve this plan with Clyde Ridge giving the second at a regularly scheduled Commissioners Court meeting held Wednesday, July 5, 2017. Andy Bonner also voted in favor, but Craig Oakes voted against.
During the Comments from the Public section of the meeting, County Auditor Donna Williams spoke to the court, saying the following, “I am here speaking for myself, not as County Auditor. I believe that the travel allowance provided for 12 elected officials is extravagant and that mileage logs should be implemented to determine proper mileage reimbursement. I feel like these allowances are salary bonuses for a select few.”
Community resident Pat Wiggins also stood, saying “I want to echo what Donna has said. Last year, when these elected officials were asked to keep a mileage log and they refused; and I overheard conversations about them not willing to give up excess money, I was very disappointed.”
Following regular ‘housekeeping chores,’ such as approving minutes from previous meetings, bill payment, budget transfers and amendments, and accepting reports from various county offices, commissioners were presented with a presentation by Donald Kelm on the Freestone County Extension Service summary of education programming.
Next they unanimously approve the following items:
–Continue medical insurance through the TAC Health and Employee Benefits Pool which will have a 6.25% increase, roughly $38 per person.
–To go out for bids for a new work pickup each for precincts 2 and 3.
–To send a request to the State of Texas to lower the speed limit on FM 2570 from 75 down to 65 or lower.
–To leave the burn ban off for the time being due to recent rains.
–To sell or destroy several pieces of damaged furniture and electronics that no longer work, that have been in storage for a long while.
Regularly scheduled meetings for Commissioners Court are held on the first and third Wednesday of each month, beginning at 9:00 a.m. on the second floor of the courthouse.
Meetings can be viewed online on YouTube or the County’s website page, www.co.freestone.tx.us.
