County addresses taxes, SO vehicles, dump trailers

• Debra Riley, County Tax-Assessor Collector, reported calculated 2024 tax rates to commissioners at the court’s August 7 meeting.

Debra Riley, County Tax-Assessor Collector, presented Shelby County Commissioners with information concerning the calculated 2024 tax rates at the court’s August 7 meeting.

Riley said collections as of July 31 were $12,436,432 for 2023 taxes on an adopted rate of 0.5965-percent. “This includes our current and our delinquent tax for the general fund and the special road and bridge fund.” Riley said the 2023 combined collection rate was 99-percent.

Addressed 2024 rates, Riley said, “Your no new revenue rate comes in at 0.663022 (percent), and our voter approval rate comes in at 0.695652.”

Following discussion, the court approved retaining the local optional fees, which are already at the maximum allowed, for the calendar year 2025.

Riley also requested approval for renewing the yearly contract with Computer Information Concepts for software in her office in use since 2013 at a cost of $4,600 annually.

“I use it for my payout,” Riley said. “I take my collection software and import it into this CIC. And that helps me distribute out to the entities. It’s worked out very well.”

Dump Trailers

The court received two bids for the four belly dump trailers, one for each precinct. Brazos Trailers of Dallas bid for $34,850 per trailer totaling $140,360 including applicable fees and Performance Truck in Lufkin with a bid of $49,295 per trailer, for a sum of $197,986.32.

After lengthy discussion on the difference in price and specifications, the bid from Brazos Trailers was disqualified because specifications did not meet bid requests. Specifically, that the trailers must be equipped with aluminum wheels and airride suspension.

The bid was subsequently awarded to Performance Truck.

Cellphone-based radios

In the previous week’s meeting, on the recommendation of Constable Josh Tipton, the court approved purchasing six cellphone-based radios as an experiment to determine their viability in relieving communication problems.

The plan was to allocate four of the radios to three of the constables’ offices and two to the sheriff ’s office. After County Judge Allison Harbison conferred with all the constables, the court decided instead to distribute the radios to the five county constables and the deputy constable in Pct. 5.

Sheriff ’s Office Vehicles

After previous discussion of purchasing new vehicles for the sheriff ’s office, Chief Deputy Chad Hooper presented the court with a finalized request for four Ford F-150s.

“They only make the police model in a four door with the 3.5 twin turbo, and these are 4-wheel drives, so I believe this is exactly what we want,” Hooper said.

The request was approved by the court, with County Auditor Clint Porterfield pointing out that the SB 22 grant funds the purchase will be made with has a balance of $292,000 which has to be obligated or spent by Sept. 30. Bids for the trucks will be due Aug. 26, to be opened on Aug. 28th.

Commissioner’s Reports

As an addition to the regular agenda, a scheduled time for commissioner’s reports on items of interest was added. Reports will be for informational purposes only and any necessary action will be placed on a future agenda.

Comm. Roscoe Mc-Swain reported that the build date for the recently approved haul trucks has been pushed back until the middle of September. He also noted that signs outlining prohibited items in dumpsters available at each county barn have arrived and will be installed soon. McSwain said that he will be installing a camera system to monitor the dumpsters as well.

In other business, the court approved paying the weekly expenses.