Short deadline vexes leaders

By Raymond V. Whelan • Daily Tribune Staff Writer

BURNET - Some Burnet County commissioners are not happy with a Friday deadline to review the first draft of two proposed agreements related to a private-public jail.

The documents need to be delivered to the state Attorney General’s Office before the weekend. A consultant has advised the commissioners they must raise funds for the new jail through the sale of revenue bonds to mutual fund managers and private investors before November, when the bond market typically slows down.

“It’s not right,” said Precinct 2 Commissioner Russell Graeter, who expressed his irritation with the brief time allowed for the commissioners to study both documents.

Precinct 1 Commissioner Bill Neve echoed Graeter’s concern about the Friday deadline. He said Burnet County Sheriff’s Office officials might have to interrupt their normal schedule to give opinions on the design and development contract, which runs about 40 pages.

“It’s a lot of burden on the Sheriff’s Department,” Neve added.

The county has been working with Southwestern Corrections LLC, which will design, develop, manage and operate the proposed jail near the Ellen Halbert Unit for Women, a state correctional facility.

“These are very important documents,” County Judge Donna Klaeger said during the commissioners meeting Tuesday.

The commissioners received the first draft of the operation and management contract and the first draft of the design and development contract for the new jail from their financial adviser Monday, Klaeger added.

C3, the commissioners’ financial consultant on jail expansion, asked the commissioners to pore over both contracts and forward them to the attorney general by Friday.

County Auditor Kevin Smith said the commissioners could still propose amendments to both contracts after they forward them to the attorney general.

After hearing from Smith, the commissioners agreed to call a special meeting to consider the contracts 11 a.m. Friday at the Burnet County Courthouse Annex North, Burnet, 1701 E. Polk St.

Also related to the new jail, the county will forward a general certificate report detailing the creation of the Burnet County Public Finance Corp. to the attorney general by Friday, Klaeger said.

“It will be the most complete demographic report for Burnet County,” Klaeger added.

The corporation will oversee the Southwestern LLC administration of the new jail, as well as the sale of revenue bonds, officials have said.

Before turning to other matters, the commissioners approved a $4,000 contract with Conestoga Rovers and Associates to conduct an environmental site assessment of the vacant 75 acres set aside for the new jail. The assessment on the Halbert land transferred to the county by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice will take about three weeks, officials said.

Turning to another matter, the commissioners agreed to retain the current list of non-profit agencies seeking donations from jurors. District Clerk Dana DeBerry told the commissioners jurors who finish a trial may donate all or part of their pay to non-profit agencies listed on their payment record.

State law requires the district clerk to list the Burnet County Child Welfare Board and the Texas Crime Victims Fund as possible recipients of juror donations, DeBerry said.

Other agencies currently listed on a juror’s payment record include Court Appointed Special Advocates, Hill Country Children’s Advocacy, the Helping Center, the Family Crisis Center, Local Victims Services, LA Care and the 33rd Judicial Victims Service.

DeBerry reminded the commissioners they had the authority to shorten the list of agencies, except for the child welfare board and the state crime victims fund.

“I’m not going to be the one to tell somebody they can’t be on this list,” Neve said.

Precinct 3 Commissioner Ronny Hibler, Precinct 4 Commissioner Joe Don Dockery, Graeter and Neve voted to keep the current list.

Klaeger voted to continue listing the two agencies required by law and to rotate other agencies or provide for a random selection of other agencies onto the list.

DeBerry told the commissioners jurors donated more than $8,660 to non-profit agencies last fiscal year, including $3,204 to the Hill Country group and $1,562 to CASA.

In other business, Klaeger announced Burnet County has received the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting from the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada for its comprehensive annual financial report.

Neve announced the same association has given Smith its Award of Financial Reporting Achievement for the 15th straight year. Also, Neve added, the State Auditors Association named Smith as their president last week.

Also during the meeting, the commissioners:

n Recognized Archie Hollingsworth from the Burnet County Sheriff’s Department for 21 years of service and several other county employees for their years of service.

n Approved a revised $6,000 contract with Williamson Burnet County Opportunities Inc. to provide the Meals on Wheels Senior Nutrition Program for Burnet County.

n Approved the formation of a Burnet County Recycling Committee to provide clean, recyclable materials to Interface Recycling.

n Recognized Judge Gil Jones from the 33rd state District Court; Burnet Consolidated Independent School District nurse Tina Jones; and Burnet Fire Marshal John Erskine for their work with the Shattered Dreams Program, sponsored by the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission to discourage underage drinking.

n Recognized Jack Colley from the Governor’s Division of Emergency Management for assistance to Burnet County during the June flood.

n Proclaimed National Friends of the Library Week for Oct. 22-27.

n Approved the use of the Burnet County supply building by the city of Burnet for the annual Christmas Tree Forest.

n Approved a request from the Sheriff’s Department to apply for a $77,000 grant from the Capital Area Planning Council of Governments and the 2007 Homeland Security Grant Program for three backup generators for power sites and a repeater control station.

n Introduced Larry Fox, the new county subdivisions director.

raymond@thepicayune.com

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Short deadline vexes leaders