Creation Of Hopkins County Homeland Security Department, CID Trucks Approved
Sheriff’s Investigators Are Getting New Trucks; Chip Seal Bid Rejected
Hopkins County now has a homeland security department, effective Monday, when the Commissioners Court approved reorganization of divisions within the county fire department. Hopkins County Commissioners Court also approved a couple of new CID trucks for the sheriff’s office and considered a bid for chip seal.
Homeland Security Office
Hopkins County Fire Chief Andy Endsley asked the Commissioner Court to allow for the creation of the Hopkins County Homeland Security department, a department within the fire department.
Endsley noted the topic had been discussed during budget work sessions. he said there were multiple reasons for the creation of a homeland security office.
Consolidation of multiple departments within HCFD will help streamline the departments under one homeland security umbrella. Endsley noted the fire marshal is already in the environmental enforcement and litter abatement division. Emergency management and the “health department,”which the Local Health Authority falls under, would also be included in the Homeland Security department
It will also make obtaining certain information from other officials easier too. For instance, when the county asks for information about “flood control dams and lakes in the southern part of the county,” county employees are denied that information; they have been told the information is available only to a homeland security department.
Having a Homeland Security department would also allow Hopkins County to apply for grants the county is currently not eligible to seek.
Precinct 3 Commissioner Wade Bartley said it was his understanding one grant the county would able to apply for would be funding to help with disposal of used tires.
Endsley said local officials have reached out to Hunt County officials, who already have a homeland security office, who spent about half a day going over the “ins and outs” in creation of a county homeland security department.
“I feel this opens another door for us for possible grants for the future,” Precinct 1 Commissioner Mickey Barker said.
The Commissioners Court unanimously approved the motion from Barker, seconded by Bartley, to create a county homeland security department.
CID Vehicles
The court was asked to consider approving bids for two new pickup trucks for the Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office‘s Criminal Investigations Division. Brian Toliver Ford submitted the only bid, for two 2020 Ford-150 4x4s, at a selling price of $33,889 each,or $67,778 for both. The business plans to give HCSO a $15,000 trade-in credit for a 2017 Ford Explorer and a $24,000 trade-in credit for a 2017 F-150. That would leave $28,778 HCSO would owe for both units. HCSO plans to use forfeiture funds for the purchases, Hopkins County Auditor Shannah Aulsbrook told the Commissioners Court.
HCSO Chief Deputy Tanner Crump noted that HCSO receives a government discount, which will allow the department to purchase the vehicles at a discounted rate. When vehicles are traded in HCSO receives wholesale value for the general public.
“That creates less of a gap between the purchase price and the trade in value, in this case, about 36 months. So, if we trade those units in, the idea is that we save money on vehicle maintenance and it should cost us about $8,000-$9,000 to drive each vehicle for 36 months, in theory. We are doing it out of our forfeiture account now, but, in turn will hopefully save the county vehicle maintenance cost,” Crump said.
Doing this should also help keep administrative and CID vehicles “in better condition than what we are used to in the past, which was using old patrol vehicles or seizures that we got from the cases.”
Precinct 3 Commissioner Wade Bartley made the motion, which was seconded by Precinct 4 Commissioner Joe Price then unanimously approved by the court, to accept the bid from Toliver for CID trucks.
“This is a big step for us,” Hopkins County Judge Robert Newsom noted.
Chip Seal Bid
The county also sought and only received one bid for chip sealing for road and bridges, to be provided on an as-needed basis at the request of individual commissioners for their precincts. Scott Paving Inc. submitted the only bid, for $5.54 per square yard, for chip sealing.
Precinct 1 Commissioner Mickey Barker recommended to “go out for rebid,” with a goal of obtaining additional competitive bids.
Aulsbrook noted the county would need to reject the current bid then open the bid process again.
Barker made the motion, which was seconded by Precinct 2 Commissioner Greg Anglin and unanimously approved by the court, to reject the bid.
Fuel Spill Update
Barker noted the county has still not received any monetary compensation from the fuel company for damages sustained to county roads during cleanup clean-up efforts at Turkey Creek, where a six inch pipeline ruptured on Oct. 3, 2019, causing the diesel to run into the nearby waterway. The pipeline was shut down and mitigation was started to contain the diesel. An earthen dam was constructed downstream to contain the spill 1.7 miles down Turkey Creek, which was mostly dry aside from a few water pockets.
“It’s been almost a year now and we have still not received any funds,” Barker said.
Newsom asked if the matter had been discussed with the county attorney. Barker affirmed she had been in one meeting with officials when the matter was discussed.
Bivins Man Jailed On Firearm Charge
A 64-year-old Bivins man was arrested on a firearm charge Tuesday night near the Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office in Sulphur Springs.
Sulphur Springs Police Officers Victor Reyna and Francisco Castro stopped a Kia Optima at 9:32 p.m. Sept. 15 on Houston Street at Rosemont Street for no license plate lights. The driver, George Russell McClain, “showed suspicious activity by not knowing where he is going and where he is coming from,” the officers alleged in arrest reports.
McClain reportedly gave officers permission to search the car. A firearm was found in the vehicle.
A computer check showed the man to be a convicted felon. McClain was issued a citation for the equipment violation and was arrested at 9:54 p.m. Sept. 15 on a third-degree felony unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon charge; the car was impounded.
McClain remained in Hopkins County jail Wednesday morning, Sept. 16. Bond on the charge was set at $10,000, according to jail reports.
KSSTRadio.com publishes Sulphur Springs Police Department reports and news. The Police Department is located at 125 Davis St., Sulphur Springs, Texas. Non-emergency calls can be made to (903) 885-7602.
If you have an emergency dial 9-1-1.
The Sulphur Springs Police Department continues to serve its citizens with pride in its overall mission and will strive to provide the best possible police force in the 21st century.
If you have an emergency, dial 9-1-1
The Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office is located at 298 Rosemont Sulphur Springs, TX 75482. You can reach them for non-emergency matters at (903) 438-4040.
47th Annual Christmas Joys And Heart Smart Nutrition
By Johanna Hicks, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, Family & Community Health Agent, Hopkins County
Most people don’t enjoy reading information about health and wellness. My husband always tells me that people would rather be entertained. Perhaps that’s why the Christmas Joys program is so popular, and it’s like pulling teeth to get people to register for the diabetes series. However, this column will provide a little of both – education and something fun!
Let’s talk cholesterol. Several things affect cholesterol levels. Not all factors can be controlled, but individuals can take an active role to lower cholesterol. Here are some risk factors that you CAN control:
- Diet – Foods high in saturated fat, trans fatty acids and cholesterol can make your level go up. Cholesterol in food matters, but saturated fat and trans fats are the main culprit. Cholesterol is found in animal products. A friend and colleague always said, “If it has a mother, it has cholesterol.” Reducing foods with trans fats (found most often in commercial baked goods, hard margarines, some shortenings, and fried foods) can help lower your blood cholesterol. Increasing fiber in the diet can also help.
- Weight – Being overweight tends to increase our cholesterol and is a factor for heart disease. Lose weight to help lower LDL (lousy/bad cholesterol.)
- Physical activity – Not being physically active is a risk factor for heart disease, but regular physical activity can help raise HDL (happy/good cholesterol.) The goal is 30 minutes most days of the week, if not all days.
- Smoking – Cigarette smoking can increase your risk of heart disease. Vaping has also been shown to cause damage to lungs. When smokers quit, the benefits start adding up. Twenty minutes after quitting, the heart rate and blood pressure drop. Two hours after quitting, the carbon monoxide level in the blood drops to normal. Two weeks to three months after quitting, circulation improves and lung function increases. One to nine months after quitting, coughing and shortness of breath decrease. One year after quitting, excess risk of coronary heart disease is half that of a smoker’s. Five to fifteen years after quitting, stroke risk is reduced and ten years after quitting, lung cancer death rate is about hale that of a continuing smoker. (information from Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas)
There are some risk factors that cannot be changed:
- Heredity: High blood cholesterol can run in your family. Your genes, to a certain point, can determine how much cholesterol your body makes naturally.
- Age and gender: As men and women age, cholesterol levels tend to rise. Before menopause, women have lower total cholesterol levels than men of the same age. After menopause, women’s LDL levels tend to rise.
So let’s change the things we can, and manage the things we can’t. That being heart smart!
47th Annual Christmas Joys
Calls have already been coming in about the annual Extension Christmas Joys holiday program. COVID-19 has really played havoc on Extension face-to-face programming! However, my volunteers and I have come up with a solution that we think will work! We have located a facility where we can socially distance and offer a third session to accommodate individuals. So, take note of the changes and be sure to call to reserve a seat:
- What: 47th annual Extension Christmas Joys
- When: Monday, Nov. 9, 2020
- Where: ROC (Recreation Outreach Center) 115 Putman St.
- Time: 10:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m., 5:30 p.m.
- Cost: $5 for adults and teens
Call 903-885-3443 to reserve a seat. We must have a name and phone number for each reserved seat. Attendance will be limited to 40 per session.
The theme is “What I Really Want for Christmas” and will feature 4 presenters, booklets of all the ideas demonstrated, recipes, goody bags, and door prizes. Now that’s fun!
Closing Thought
A smile is an inexpensive way to improve your looks. — Andy Rooney
Contact Johanna Hicks, B.S., M.Ed., Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Office, P.O. Box 518, 1200-B W. Houston St, Sulphur Springs, TX, 75483; 903-885-3443; or [email protected]
Lady Cats Volleyball Comes Up Just Short At Greenville In Season Opener, 3-2
The Greenville Lady Lions just squeaked by the Sulphur Springs Lady Cats Volleyball Team, 3-2 in a competitive five-set match that marked the season opener for both teams late Tuesday afternoon, September 15, in Greenville.
The Lady Cats got off to a fine start taking a solid, 25-17 win in set one. Sadie Washburn and Addison Wall were strong at the net in that set.
Then, the Lady Lions rallied back taking the next two sets, 19-25 and 21-25. The Lady Cats seemed to lag behind the Lady Lions for a great deal of the fourth set, before working their way into a 20-20 tie. They evened the match at 2-2 with a 25-22 set four win. Washburn, Brooklyn Burnside and Nylah Lindley all had key kills in the set.
In the drama filled fifth set race to 15, the Lady Cats jumped out to a 5-1 lead, only to see the Lady Lions battle back to tie the set 7-7. The set was also tied at 9-9 and 10-10. The Lady Lions then took four big points and were able to close out the match with a 15-11 set five win.
The Lady Cats are 0-1 for the season. They play next on Friday at Frisco Heritage. The Lady Cats’ home opener will take place Saturday afternoon at 4:30 p.m. as Paris comes to town.
Free COVID-19 Testing Offered At Civic Center
Free COVID-19 testing is offered at the Hopkins County Regional Civic Center daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Saturday, September 19, 2020, according to Hopkins County/Sulphur Springs Emergency Management officials.
Since testing resumed at the Civic Center on Sept. 7, 380 tests have been performed at the Civic Center. The tests are molecular swab tests.
Symptoms or direct exposure are not required for testing. Children can be tested, provided they are accompanied by a parent or guardian. Registration for testing is conducted online at GoGetTested.com. Scroll down to register.
All available free testing sites, including the Civic Center in Sulphur Springs, are listed on the website by location, along with the number of tests available for a given day, along with the estimated wait times in line upon arrival and for return of test results. As of Tuesday afternoon, the average turnaround time from testing to results was about 1 1/2 days (35.4 hours).
The HC/SSEM reported there were no new positive cases of COVID-19 reported for Hopkins County on Sept. 15, so the active case count remains 62. So far this month, there have been 38 new cases.
There also were no additional recoveries reported on Sept. 15, only 23 recoveries reported earlier this month. Overall, 219 of the 281 Hopkins County residents who have had a lab-confirmed test result since mid-March have recovered from COVID-19.
There were three patients in the COVID-19 unit at CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital-Sulphur Springs, one more than on Monday, Sept. 14. County officials last week reported CARES Act funding funneled through the county was used for the purchase of two additional ventilators and a testing machine for the hospital.
According to the Sept. 15 Texas Health and Human Services report, two employees at Carriage House Manor continued to have COVID-19 on Sept. 1, the most recent data available. No residents at any of the Sulphur Springs nursing home facilities had tested positive for COVID-19 from March-Sept. 1.
There were no active COVID-19 cases in either employees or residents reported at Sulphur Springs assisted living facilities as of Sept. 1, according to the Sept. 15 HHS report.
No active COVID-19 cases were reported Sept. 14 at Sulphur Springs child care centers, according to the Sept. 15 HHS report.
Lady Cats Cross Country Finishes 3rd, Wildcats 12th or 13th at First Meet of the Season at Hallsville Last Friday
The Lady Cats Cross Country Team finished 3rd and the Wildcats were around 12th or 13th at the teams’ first meet of the season at the XC Invitational in Hallsville Friday. The teams competed in heats. When results of the heats were combined, the Lady Cats trailed only Jacksonville and Lufkin. The Lady Cats were second in their heat. Lady Cats freshman Hailey Schultz was the team’s top finisher ending up second in the heat. Laney Hurst was next with a sixth place finish in the heat. Then came Kenia Herrera, sophomore Rebekah Stanley, sophomore Emily Soto, Maurie Flecker and Makayla Jimmerson. Considering that one top girls’ runner did not compete, Sulphur Springs Cross Country Coach Ross Hicks said he was very encouraged. For the Wildcats, a top runner Camden Fuller started the race but could not finish. Top Wildcats finishers were junior Evan Patrick, Alex Flecker, Alex Diasdado, Johnathan Scott and Hector Hernandez. The Wildcats were 5th in their heat and either 12th or 13th overall, according to Coach Hicks. The Wildcats and Lady Cats compete next at the Pine Tree Puddle Jump at Lear Park in Longview on Friday.
KSST is proud to be the official Wildcat and Lady Cat Station. We broadcast Sulphur Springs ISD games year round live on radio. When allowed, we also broadcast games via our YouTube channel.
Lady Cats Volleyball Has Season Opener and Wildcats Team Tennis Also in Action on Game Day Tuesday
The Lady Cats Volleyball Team opens the regular season with a non-district road match against former district foe Greenville on this game day Tuesday (September 15). There will be JV and Freshman games starting at 4:30 p.m. in Greenville with the Varsity match set to start at 5:30 p.m. The Lady Cats have had a hard time defeating Greenville the past two seasons and that trend continued during scrimmage games Saturday in Sulphur Springs. The Lady Cats last defeated Greenville in 2017. Lady Cats Coach Bailey Dorner is in her second season as Head Coach. The Lady Cats had a record of 24-18 last season.
The Wildcats Team Tennis Squad takes on mighty Texas High in a district match in Texarkana on this game day Tuesday afternoon at 4 p.m. The Wildcats come in 2-0 for the young season and 1-0 in district play after picking up a forfeit win against Mount Pleasant last week. Friday the Wildcats won a non-district match at Greenville, 13-6.
KSST is proud to be the official Wildcat and Lady Cat Station. We broadcast Sulphur Springs ISD games year round live on radio. When allowed, we also broadcast games via our YouTube channel.
Chapter 313 Agreement Sought From SSISD For Bright Arrow Solar, LLC
Sulphur Springs Independent School District Board of Trustees Monday evening received an application from a group seeking a Chapter 313 agreement for Bright Arrow Solar LLC, a proposed solar farm which would be located in the northwestern part of SSISD.
As is procedure in such matters, the 6 school trustees present reported signed an acknowledgement declaring no conflict of interest in the solar project. Craig Roberts was absent from the meeting.
The school board then approved an agreement to retain attorneys and consultants to assist in the review and processing of the application submitted for an appraised value limitation on qualified property for Bright Arrow Solar LLC, in accordance with Chapter 313 of Texas Tax Code. Powell, Youngblood & Taylor has represented the district in legal matters related to all Chapter 313 agreements sought thus far from SSISD for solar farms.
PYT has assisted the district in drafting of all legal documents relating to the completion of an Agreement for Limitation on Appraised Value under Chapter 313 of the Texas Tax Code, including submission of all documents to the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts as required. The firm utilizes expert consulting services of Region 12 Education Service Center for a school finance impact study. All fees for legal services and the impact study come from the $75,000 application fee the Chapter 313 applicant is required to pay.
The completed application is to be submitted to the Comptroller, once all portions are determined to be complete and correct. The Comptroller then would determined whether the project qualifies for a Chapter 313 tax agreement. Total investment for the project is cited at $275 million.
The request is for a 10-year limitation on taxable property value for maintenance and operations purposes, but would be fully taxable on the interest and sinking (debt service) portion of the tax rate, according to the proposal submitted to the SSISD school board Monday.
If the application is approved by Feb. 2021, the proposed project would be for a 300 MW/AC facility, with construction projected to begin in June 2021 and be completed by December 2022.
Bright Arrow Solar LLC, according to the proposal submitted to the school district, will be comprised of approximately 867,000 photovoltaic panels and 85 central inverters and is being developed by RWE Renewables Americas, LLC.
Up to 300 people could be employed during the construction process. The project is to be completed and begin commercial operations on Dec. 31, 2022. Once constructed, however, 2 qualifying full-time employees would be hired to maintain the solar farm. The district would be required to waive the 10 job minimum required for Chapter 313 agreements. The project would be valued at $25 million beginning in 2023 and would fully go back on the tax rolls in 2033.
Supplemental payments, which are not subject to recapture, may be made to the district in lieu of taxation. The statutory maximum would be $100 per average daily attendance per year. Depending on the net tax benefit, the district could potentially receive supplemental payments for up to 15 years. If the district has an ADA of 4,069.421, that could generate up to $406,942 a year, for a potential supplemental payment of up to $6,104,131 over a 15-year period, according to data provided.
The district only agreed Monday to accept and review the application for completeness, so that it can be submitted to Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. Should the review period take more than 150 days, the superintendent is authorized to extend the review period. Once the Comptroller’s findings are returned. The district then will be asked consider approving the tax incentive for the project.
As has been the case with the Solemio solar project proposed in Arbala and Hopkins Energy solar project planned in Dike, KE Andrews will represent the project developers, listed in the application as RWE Renewables, a company with an Austin address.
The project developer also plans to ask Hopkins County Commissioners Court and Hopkins County Hospital District to consider granting tax abatements for 2023-2032, if the project is developed in Hopkins County.
If a Comptroller approved Chapter 313 agreement is not approved for Hopkins County, RWE Renewables would funnel funding planned for the project to another area, likely one of several states in which the business has previously successfully constructed solar projects.
Hopkins County Tax Rate, Budget Approved
Hopkins County Commissioners Court Monday unanimously approved the adoption of the tax rate, salaries for elected officials, and the 2020-21 budget as proposed on Sept. 14.
The Commissioners Court approved a 2 percent salary increase for elected officials and all county employees, as well as an additional $25 in longevity pay for employees after they have been with the county for two year. The raises and longevity increases are within what County Judge Robert Newsom Robert Newsom calls a “conservative budget.”
A public hearing for the proposed 2020-21 county budget, a balanced budget, was conducted.
Auditor Shannah Aulsbrook submitted a few changes to the originally proposed county budget, which was posted on the county website.
After adjustments for monthly expenses, the Civic Center Manager requested the facility’s machinery and equipment budget be changed from $8,000 to $8,600 and the special projects fund increase from $56,000 to $64,892, Aulsbrook reported.
“Also, I had a change on the Elections budget for the software maintenance. Proposed was $18,880 and her invoices that are coming in showed that she needed more, so we raised it to $20,366,” Aulsbrook reported.
“We have purchased some additional equipment,” County Clerk Tracy Smith said.
Aulsbrook said the changes are still within the county budget for 2020-21.
“The only fund that we may need to discuss is road and bridge. It’s within budget by $926. We’re bringing in more than what’s budgeted. We need to discuss later on the rollover, whether we are going to continue that. I know y’all wanted to continue it this year, but moving forward, we need to talk about that.”
“This budget will raise more money from property taxes from last year’s budget. The amount of $425,410, which is a 3.4 percent increase from last year’s budget. All of the funds are within budget,” Aulsbrook.
Precinct 3 Commissioner Wade Bartley pointed out and Aulsbrook affirmed the increase in projected overall tax revenues is not due to an increase in the tax rate, but can be attributed to an increase in property values, which the commissioners court and county other elected county officials have no control over.
Bartley made the motion, which was seconded by Precinct 1 Commission Mickey Barker, to approve the budget as proposed with the noted revisions. The measure received unanimous approval of all 4 commissioners and the county judge.
The Commissioners Court also unanimously approved on the motion by Precinct 2 Commissioner Greg Anglin and a second by Bartley, to adopt a 2020-21 county tax rate of $0.624892 per $100 property value, as recommended by County Tax Collector/Assessor Debbie Mitchell.
The county will allocate $0.546892 of that tax for maintenance and operations and the remaining $0.078 toward principal and interest on debts. As mentioned by Aulsbrook, that tax rate will remain the same, but will generate more in revenues than during the 2019-2020 year.
CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital-Sulphur Springs Appoints New Healthcare Foundation Director
By Holly Ragan, Market Development, CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Sulphur Springs, [email protected]
Sulphur Springs, Texas, September 15, 2020 – CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Sulphur Springs and the Board of Directors of Hopkins County Healthcare Foundation is pleased to announce the appointment of Shannon Barker as the organization’s Foundation Director. Hopkins County Healthcare Foundation is a non-profit dedicated to fundraising in support of patient care of CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Sulphur Springs and the residents of Hopkins County.
“We’re exceptionally pleased that Shannon has taken on this leadership role,” said Paul Harvey, Administrator of CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Sulphur Springs. “Her infectious enthusiasm and commitment to building relationships throughout the Sulphur Springs community is important and at the core of everything we do.”
CHRISTUS Health Vice President of Philanthropy for Northeast Texas, Louisiana and Southeast Texas, Scott Fossey shared, “Shannon’s innate nature to develop genuine relationships throughout Hopkins county coupled with her desire to share the latest innovative projects of our CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Sulphur Springs will give the community opportunity to support important health care initiatives that will benefit the patients and families of this region for decades.”
“Speaking on behalf of the Hopkins County Health Care Foundation Board, we are truly excited about Shannon’s vision and excitement to raise funds for our local hospital,” said Leesa Toliver, Foundation Board Chair. “We are all committed to partnering with Shannon to build on the past successes of fundraising so our local hospital will continue to offer exceptional health care to the people of our community.”
Shannon Barker and her family moved to Sulphur Springs in 2016 and fell in love with the community that welcomed them warmly. She immediately pursued service with local organizations: Mother’s Culture Club, PTO at Travis Primary and Sulphur Springs ISD strategic planning.
With an early career in workforce development consulting, Shannon has studied interpersonal behavior across corporate and altruistic America, leading improvement efforts and contributing on various projects with both Fortune 500 companies and government organizations.
Shannon earned her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Communication Studies at TCU in Fort Worth. Post collegiate, Shannon served as the Business Manager and Senior Consultant for a boutique-consulting firm in the Dallas-Fort Worth area with clients spanning the country and many abroad.
Shannon believes, “Finding, fostering and cultivating rich communication with persons who care about the wellness of Sulphur Springs and the progress of this community [will be] key.” The Director of the Hopkins County Health Care Foundation position is the perfect fit to continue that work and utilize her skills in event planning, relationship development and community building. She is delighted to step into a position and team that is already highly functioning and successful and hopes to carry on the work and legacy of the people that have come before her.
About Hopkins County Health Care Foundation
Health Care Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization established in 1997 and was organized to secure funds from individuals, businesses and corporations, to provide, promote, maintain and improve the continual growth of CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Sulphur Springs.
