Sunday's Internet Edition, July 20, 2008.
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Leader-Press correspondent -
GATESVILLE – Grimes Crossing, near Copperas Cove, was the main topic of discussion on the Monday Commissioner Court agenda in Coryell County.
Commissioner Jack Wall said the issue has been simmering since 1996 when the Texas Department of Transportation, Burlington Northern Railway and the county began discussions about upgrading the grade crossing along Grimes Road. The road is engineered so that two railroad crossings are required when one might suffice, Wall said.
Wall had the issue put on the agenda so the court could get an update on the project, but County Attorney Edwin Powell said in spite of having sent a contract to TxDOT six months ago, the TxDot personnel are unable to find it.
“I just am beginning to have very little faith in TxDOT,” Powell said. “I’ll find another copy of the contract and send it to them ‘return receipt requested’ and we’ll start all over,” he said.
Wall proposed no action but said he would stay on top of the matter with Powell to try to get the work scheduled and done.
County Clerk Barbara Simpson said she had deposited $1,700 into the county’s general fund and would be using the money to purchase soft side ballot boxes. “These old steel ballot boxes are too heavy for some of our election workers to handle,” she said.
The funds were deposited from the county’s political parties, both of which paid a prescribed amount to the county clerk for her office’s work during the past primary election. State law prescribes the payments and denotes how the funds may be spent, Mrs. Simpson said. The funds may only be used for the purchase of election equipment.
County Judge John A. Hull reported the county’s tax appraisal district had issued the new tax roll for 2004-2005, which has grown by more than $200 million.
“This report says our tax base is $1,310,482,311 this year,” Hull said. “That’s a little bit more than last year when it was just a bit more than $1.1 billion.”
The total tax base in Coryell County equals $1,857,621,423, but that total number has to be decreased by agricultural value because agricultural land is taxed at a different rate.
During the budget workshop the court heard from county road and bridge supervisor Larry Roberts, who said his budget is slightly higher than last year and most of that increase comes in fuel cost hikes.
Roberts said he has budgeted to replace some pieces of heavy equipment but some of that cost can be offset by the sale of used equipment. Roberts’ list included two motor graders, two dump trucks, two pick-ups and two shredders.
Roberts also requested funds that would allow him to hire part time help for the county during peak months. He said if he could hire part time operators to mow and do other simple tasks, that could free up his skilled workers to spend more time on paving projects and jobs which require skilled craftsmen.
Roberts’ 2005 budget proposes roughly a $65,000 increase over his budget for 2004.
Commissioners also discussed the possibility of remodeling the Gatesville annex building to provide more office space.
“That’s going to be very expensive,” Commissioner Kyle Pruitt said. “We need to investigate this to see if remodeling is the best way or if it would cost us less to build a new building. We need more space in this courthouse,” he said.
Judge Hull said the county’s victim-witness coordinator’s office and adult probation are about the only offices that could be moved from the courthouse without creating additional expense and other problems.