Courthouse Gets New Phone System
The Glasscock County Commissioners’ Court (Mark Halfmann absent) on Jan. 12 approved purchase of a new telephone system for the county courthouse at a cost of $1,631. The system will mean that phones in the offices of county judge, justice of the peace, county/district clerk and county treasurer will be connected to those in the tax office and sheriff’s department.
When the new system is activated, calls can be transferred from one office to another and phone messages can be accessed from another location, among other improvements. One of the major features will be that various data can be sent from law enforcement’s in-car computers not only to the sheriff’s department, but also to the JP’s office and the clerk’s office, eliminating the need for those offices to re-enter data necessary for fines, court dates, etc. The system is being purchased from ATS Telcom in Big Spring.
Community Center Break-in
Sheriff Keith Burnett reported that a break-in occurred at the Glasscock County Community Center over the weekend, with money being taken from the Extension Service offices. Burnett said the building was unlocked during the weekend so people could care for livestock show animals at varying hours.
He said the perpetrators removed acoustic ceiling tiles in the hallway and went into the locked Extension Service offices from the ceiling, breaking a hallway trophy case in the process. Since the county owns the building, Burnett asked the commissioners’ court whether they wanted to press charges (felony). Burnett said he has three suspects, whom he did not name, none of whom are juveniles (two are high school seniors and one is a college freshman).
After discussion, County Judge Wilburn Bednar said he would take responsibility for handling the matter, including determining punishment.
County Buys Drug Dog
County commissioners agreed to pay Concho County $4,000 owed for Deputy Sheriff Todd Dean’s drug dog. This means the dog will belong to Glasscock County, with Dean having the option of buying the dog back for $4,000 if he leaves or is terminated from his job with Glasscock County while the dog is still in service.
Burnett said it would cost the county approximately $15,000 to buy a similarly trained dog and pay for a handler’s training. Burnett said the dog does a great job, and he thinks marijuana presence at the school has dropped because of him. He also said Dean is always willing to bring the dog out for use in backing up other officers. He said the dog is two years old and should have four more years of service time.
Funds for the dog’s purchase will come from the county’s contingency fund, since Burnett said his department’s discretionary funds are gone. But he reminded the court how much new money the department is bringing in as a result of traffic tickets. County Treasurer Alan Dierschke agreed with the increase in income. He said he will send almost as much in traffic fines and fees to the state comptroller for the most recent quarter as he usually sends in a year.
Big $’s to House Murder Suspect
Burnett said it is costing Glasscock County $1,000 per month to keep murder suspect Rodney Mason in jail in Reagan County. So far, he said the county has spent $10,000 for Mason’s housing. Burnett said District Judge Robert Moore has not yet set a trial date. Mason is the suspect in a murder committed last year on Highway 137 in Glasscock County just south of Martin County.
The court discussed appointments to the county historical commission, and Dierschke told the court he was willing to serve on the commission, but did not want to chair it any longer. He recommended that member Mary Jo Cope become the chair. Other commission members are Dodie Mills and Laura Huitt. The court reappointed those members and decided to ask Wanda Moore to serve as well. None of the appointees except Dierschke have said if they will serve.
The court voted to add 30 minutes per day to Wanda Roberts’ hours as landfill/dump ground supervisor, giving her 30 hours per week and a full-time job with benefits. Bednar, Commissioner Michael Hoch and others spoke of the good job she does.
Extension Agents Overview 2008 Programs
The county’s Extension Service agents gave overviews of their programs in 2008. Rebel Royall said his swine program has benefited several families and will continue for another year. He is planning a range management program. He said 56 kids participated in the 2009 livestock show with a few being newcomers. He said the show’s sale was down only about $2,000, which he said was good, considering the economy.
Warren Multer said the court already knows most of his work, and that 2008 was a tough crop year, without as many studies as he had planned.
Charlene Belew said the local 4-H program is still recognized as one of the best in the state. In answer to a question from Bednar, the agents guessed that 4-H brought in $50,000 in scholarships last year.
Belew described three programs she coordinated with the school. In “Walk Across the Moon,” a competition with grades from Headstart through six, which encourages physical activity, students and teachers walked a total of 8,013 miles. This competition will be repeated in 2009 during March, April and May. Another program with third graders emphasized nutrition and physical activity will also continue another year. Belew said she coordinated the program with Phyllis Byrne, who then taught the curriculum to her class. (She said Byrne quit drinking soft drinks and lost 20 pounds.)
Another program was a one-day agriculture safety event aimed at giving youth an introduction to safety concepts related to rural living, with topics such as safety related to snakes, seat belts, tractors, sun, insects, landscapes, fires, chemicals minor and emergency care, stray animal, rodent and varmint safety. Local volunteers dealt with the various topics.
Commissioners set the 2009 holiday schedule for county employees. Courthouse offices will have holidays on Jan 1 and 19; Feb. 16, April 10, May 25, Sept. 7, Oct. 12, Nov. 11, 26 and 27, Dec. 24 and 25. The county road crew will have holidays Jan. 1, April 10, May 25, Sept. 7, Nov. 26, 27, and Dec. 24, 25 and 28 – 31.