Freestone County Commissioners met twice in the month of January 2025 to discuss and vote on several items.
One of the big topics had to do with the use of Admin Time for County employees. This issue has been top on the minds of Commissioners as many hours are being paid throughout the County.
“We can make a policy for what is allowed per employee,” explained District Attorney Brian Evans. “We need to make sure employees know when their hours are running low based on what’s allocated for in the budget.”
Sheriff Jeremy Shipley expressed his feelings, saying, “I feel like we are paying people more to be off work. I would prefer to pay them a little more per hour and have them at work.”
Commissioners discussed several different options for handling Admin Time (paid time off) for employees, and ultimately Commissioner Andy Bonner (Pct. 1) made a motion to allocate 24 hours of Admin Time for each County employee, per year, to be granted at the discretion of each department head.
“Let’s just try this first and see how it goes,” says Commissioner Bonner. “If we find this isn’t working well, we can make adjustments at that point.”
Commissioners voted unanimously to approve the motion.
Dew Volunteer Fire Department received a Texas A&M Foresty Service Grant in the amount of $20,000 for the purchase of firefighting clothing, gloves, jackets, and pants. The total amount for these items was $27,000 and the department requested the remaining $7,000 to be covered by the County. Commissioners voted unanimously to cover the cost of the safety gear.
Commissioners also voted to approve the following items during the month of January.
–Accept the only bid for the 2002 Dodge 1-Ton Flatbed Truck from Precinct 1 Road & Bridge in the amount of $3,625.
–Accept the only bid for the John Deere CX15 Mower from Precinct 1 Road & Bridge in the amount of $3,650.
–Accept the only bid for the 24’ Tandem Axle Gooseneck Flatbed Trailer from Precinct 1 Road & Bridge in the amount of $1,250.
–Accept a group package for the LeadsOnline program for the DA’s office, Sheriff’s office, and County Constables in the amount of $11,700.
–Accept JAVS Maintenance Contract for the County and District from March 1, 2025, through February 28, 2026.
–Going out for sealed bids to sell a 2012 TX Pride Dump Truck for Precinct 1 Road & Bridge.
Commissioners denied a request from a County landowner for an Easement of Necessity for a piece of land-locked property located in the Oakwood area.
The landowner explained that her family are hunters and when purchasing the property that was sold at auction, it was with the understanding that they would be able to access the property by way of permission granted by surrounding landowners, but there is one small piece of property they do not have access permission to. She was requesting that Commissioners grant an Easement of Necessity for Property so her family can install a gate in the fence to access their hunting land.
“This is not something we do,” explained Judge Linda Grant. “You need to take this before the District Court.”
A motion to deny the request was made and was unanimously agreed upon.
Lastly, Commissioners did their due diligence of monthly housekeeping by way of approving minutes from previous meetings, budget transfers and amendments, bill payment, payroll, reports from County offices, special road use agreements, contracts, permits, bonds, and education certificates of County officials and employes.
County Commissioners, presided over by County Judge Linda Grant, meet regularly on the first and third Wednesday of each month in the 2nd Floor Courtroom beginning at 9:00 a.m.
