Hopkins County Civic Center will receive an upgrade to livestock pens at the facility with new panels. Manager Lonnie Fox was given the go ahead by the Commissioners Court to purchase $81,183.78 worth of panels from Priefert Ranch Equipment through TIPS contract.
Fox reported the panels are really needed to replace those at the Civic Center, which are estimated to be 30-40 years old. The purchase will make pens safer and get them up to the standards outlined by the fire marshal.
Chip Tully, vice president of sales and marketing for Priefert’s Mount Pleasant location, noted the pens are the same ones used when he was a kids involved in programs at the facility with livestock.
To make them the needed 6 feet tall they often have be turned up lengthwise and wire the edges together. The new panels will helps students and stock contractors will the Civic Center’s pens are safe for their livestock and up to standard, commissioners were told
The perimeter of the equestrian center needs to be redone. The panels used were of lighter, cheaper material and need upgrading and replacing.
Barker asked if the existing panels can be reused in some compacity, if they meet needed standards.
Fox reported that there are few available that would fall into that category. They likely will need to be scrapped. Bartley suggested they try selling old coral at a farm auction before trading them as scrap metal.
Fox said welcomes suggestions for options that will return money to the Civic Center.
The panels on the “short end” of the project are scheduled to be installed in March. Two weeks, with the weekend of July 10 between them, have been deliberately left open for the bigger installation project, according to Fox. Part of the project will include leveling of the ground where the panels will be installed, to make the pens safer and more functional.
County Auditor Shannah Aulsbrook said the Civic Center fund balance is very healthy. She recommended the Commissioners Court approve a budget amendment allowing for the purchase of panels from Priefert through the purchasing cooperative, which the county is a member of, and which does not require the county to go our for bids for the purchase. She also recommended approving the Civic Center spend and additional $5,000 from the facility fund balance to pay off the remaining balance owed for roof repairs on one building at the Civic Center complex. Paying off both would leave over $254,000 in the Civic Center fund balance, well over the $100,00 recommended for the to maintain at all times.
Additional Court Action
Aulsbrook also asked the Commissioners Court at the Jan. 25 meeting to approve two additional budget changes: moving the $2,947.50 check attained from the sale of equipment at auction into the Precinct 3 machinery and equipment funds, and to move funding from the tower line item into the Precinct 4 road building fund to repair the road into a radio tower that otherwise would not be repairs if not to make it accessible to emergency responders. Fire Marshal Andy Endsley explained that as is emergency personnel have to walk in order to access the leased property. The transfers and amendments were approved as recommended.
The Commissioners Court also approved requests from Farmers Electric Cooperative to construct electrical power distribution facilities that will cross County Road 2301, south of CR 2174 in Precinct 2; and CR 4128 east of CR 4131, and CR 4744 north of CR 7438, both in Precinct 4.
The court put on record a full exemption of Precinct 1 Constable Norman Colyer from a racial profiling report; agreed to County Treasurer Danny Davis’ request to approve a daily deposit report form which the County Clerk, District Clerk, and two Justices of the Peace’s offices will need to submit when turning in their daily deposits to the treasurer; request for a variance to the subdivision rules for easements on County Road 2174 to allow for a land swap between neighbors.
