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Freestone County commissioners met July 3 and discussed purchasing security cameras for the new Tax Office. Dan Cerroni, an account executive with a company called Verkada, gave a presentation on the Verkada security camera system to be used for the new tax office, and possibly to be used in other areas of the county later; and the price of the system.
Ninety-five percent of their issues are resolved remotely, Cerroni said, and the company responds by phone within 30 seconds. Support is included in the price. There are two prices, the hardware cost, which has a 10-year warranty, and the license cost, which can be for one year, three years, five years or 10 years. If a new camera is needed, one will be shipped within 48 hours. Ultimately, the court voted to table the item at this time.
Also concerning the new tax office, Tax Assessor-Collector Dan Ralstin told the court the current parking lot striping at the former chiropractic building is very faded.
He said he would like to make the parking lot one way for safety, considering the size of vehicles now.
He got a bid on re-striping the parking lot, including four shared spaces with adjacent business Hallmark Insurance.
So in a shared agreement, the county would pay $1,300 for the entire re-striping job, and State Farm Insurance would reimburse the county $400 toward the total.
ROAD USE AGREEMENT
In another matter, the court heard a report from County Judge Linda Grant about possibly renewing the Road Use Agreements with Watkins, the company installing gas pipelines under Freestone County roads, every 90 days, which she has been discussing with County Attorney Brian Evans.
“We’re still working on that,” she noted, so in the meantime, the court approved the current agreement, which requires $200,000. If any damage is done to the roads, Watkins would have to make the repairs.
UPDATE ON RACES IN COTTON GIN In a separate matter, concerning a proposed mass gathering of people who plan to watch races at a property in Cotton Gin, the court members learned that the state already has rules in place to monitor mass gatherings such as these. When the group gives the court its proposal to approve a mass gathering on the Cotton Gin property to hold races, the court may consider the proposal and if not all information is provided, the court may deny holding the event.
A man at the meeting named Gene Reynolds said he found an advertisement on the Internet for a similar event at the Cotton Gin location scheduled for July 13.
Nearby landowner William Shelton said he went to a recent event and counted 700 cars.
Precinct 3 Commissioner Lloyd Lane said he had spoken to two deputies who had gone to the most recent event and had arrested a few attendees for marijuana possession.
Precinct 4 Commissioner Clyde Ridge Jr. said, “People have property rights. If they’re doing whatever it is and correcting it; doing it by the law, getting the permits, getting everything done, no matter who they are; if they’re doing it the right way, that’s fine. We’re not targeting anyone. We’re just trying to say, ‘This is for our county.’
“No disruption of public service,” said Precinct 2 Commissioner Will McSwane.
“Health and safety is what we’re looking at,” Grant said.
“I believe the sheriff and everyone is aware, and they always do try to facilitate all that,” Grant told Shelton, “but I appreciate you bringing it to us for us to talk about again because we haven’t had one in a long time.”
OTHER ACTION ITEMS On other subjects, the commissioners agreed to:
• Take no action to enact a burn ban at this time;
• Designate Tax Assessor- Collector Dan Ralstin to calculate the no-new-revenue tax and voter approval rates;
• The court approved tabling the following items: amending subdivision regulations and considering the possibility of paying all employees through direct deposit; and
• Although a budget workshop was on the agenda, Grant simply said that the county is beginning to get the information together, and next Wednesday, July 10, the court would begin talking about it.
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