Shelby County targeted for rural broadband

• Shelby County targeted for rural broadband

Andrew Harmon, Assistant Executive Director of the Deep East Texas Council of Governments, outlines rural broadband development for Shelby County at the June 19 commissioners court meeting.

Rural broadband development has been prioritized for Shelby County.

“The broadband development office has notified me that they are interested in working with Shelby County, specifically,” Andrew Harmon, Assistant Executive Director of the Deep East Texas Council of Governments told commissioners at their June 19 meeting.

Harmon said with federal funding that’s going to be available, the agency wants to make Deep East Texas “a poster child for rural broadband success.”

The court approved applying for the technical assistance program and appointed County Judge Allison Harbison, Treasurer Ann Blackwell, Commissioner Roscoe McSwain, County Auditor Clint Porterfield, Casey Anderson, Chris Davis and Andrew Harmon to a broadband planning committee required to file an application, Donated Tanker Trailer McSwain requested approval for accepting a donated tanker trailer from the company the county purchases oil used in making oil sand for road repairs. The commissioner said the company wanted to remove their liability for the trailer. Due to its age, the company will no longer use it for highway transportation, but the county can use it for storage.

“So, it’s an asset to us and an asset to them,” said Mc-Swain. “When they deliver oil, they don’t have to wait for us to use it which may take three hours. They can dump it and drive off.”

Haul Truck Bids In a previous meeting, the court received one bid for the purchase of four haul trucks for the county’s road and bridge departments.

After reviewing the bid, McSwain said he learned in talking to the salesman the bid was for basic, “plain-ashe- could-get” truck to have the lowest bid,” McSwain said delivery of those trucks would not be until the end of the year or possibly the first of next year. But, he added, the dealer had already placed an order for four trucks with upgrades at an additional cost of $5,519.20 per truck for inventory that matched the county’s bid specs. Those trucks would be able in September.

The difference is dual exhaust, upgraded heavy-duty starter, heavier front axle and 16-ply upgraded tires. McSwain said the “it’s very much worth the $5,519 per upgrade per truck” and the trucks will be available three months earlier.

Judge Harbison pointed out that the county hasn’t purchased new haul trucks in decades. “We don’t buy these large trucks every day. This is a 20-year investment.”

McSwain also noted the funding is coming from the federal government. “This is not costing the taxpayers a dime,” he said.

Paxton Water Supply The court received a request from the Paxton Water Supply Corporation for a sanitary control easement to the public right of way on County Road 3182 to comply with requirements recommended by the Texas Commission of Environmental Quality.

“They’re trying to get their certification from the state,” County Attorney John Price said. “It’s a sanitary control easement that limits the use of the property covered by this from any type of use that would be environmentally unsound for the operation of the well itself.” The easement was approved.

In other business, the court approved soliciting bids for upgrades and modernization of the courthouse elevator and paying the weekly expenses and current payroll.