County Commissioners: Deadline for fire departments to apply for federal grants nears [Mineral Wells Index, Texas]

Dec. 28--PALO PINTO -- Interim Emergency Management Coordinator Charlie Sims informed Palo Pinto County commissioners Tuesday that Jan. 13 is set as the cutoff date for paperwork from entities involved in April's Possum Kingdom Complex Fires.

Last week, Sims and county representatives met with Texas Department of Public Safety's Denton District Coordinator Sherri Copeland to discuss Federal Emergency Management Administration's Fire Management Assistance Grants.

To help offset costs during FEMA declared disasters, FMAG funds are available for any authorized entity -- fire department, law enforcement and others. The PK Complex Fire FMAG is available for entities, which were not commissioned as part of the Texas Intrastate Fire Mutual Aid System, according to Sims. The group set Jan. 13 as the grant cut off for PK Complex paperwork, which must be turned in to Palo Pinto County Judge David Nicklas' office, located in the courthouse at 520 Oak St., Palo Pinto, TX 76484.

Sims said state and local authorities will review the documents and forward them to a FEMA site to be stationed at the PK East Volunteer Fire Department.

Once this is completed, he said they will move forward on FMAG assistance for fire departments, law enforcement and entities helping with the 101 Ranch Fire.

Sims said the county is pursuing additional funds, which may be available from April 6 through Aug. 29.

Also at Tuesday's meeting, Sims proposed that Robert Coker, who assisted Steve Perdue as a reserve deputy fire marshal, continue to serve in that volunteer capacity. He also proposed appointing Carey McAliley as a fire investigator, also a volunteer job.

Commissioners tabled action on this to check into whether bonds needed to be set on volunteer reservists.

Sims offered the county fire and emergency management monthly report. He said between Nov. 23 and Dec. 23 county fire departments responded to three wildland fire calls, one hazardous material response, one structural fire in Lone Camp, five emergency medical service responses and 11 other responses.

Since his appointment as interim fire marshal and emergency management coordinator, Sims has conducted an inventory of county equipment. He said he is looking for a mobile repeater, perhaps in a vehicle, and other communication devices and added a fuel trailer, capable of holding 600 gallons of diesel and 400 gallons of gasoline, to the county's inventory.

In other business, commissioners:

--Took nominations and made appointments for three Emergency Services District board positions expiring Jan. 1, after some discussion Tuesday.

Santo Volunteer Fire Department Chief Marvin Slimp, who Precinct 4 Commissioner Jeff Fryer nominated to the ESD board, said the board is "getting stagnant."

"We need new people on this board. A lot of laws have changed and I think this board has to change," he said.

Sims explained that the board primarily serves as a collecting and distributing agency for fire department and EMS funds.

"It could require training for each department, but we haven't so far," Sims added.

Slimp said the board needs to be more progressive "to put our county in the 21st Century."

"There is money available for training," he added. "In the PK Complex we found a lot of people didn't have training."

Despite Slimp's admonition for change, commissioners reappointed Charlie Sims and Aubrey Worsham to the Palo Pinto County ESD board. The court also appointed Mineral Wells Volunteer Fire Department Assistant Chief Lynn Reasoner to fill the ESD board place left by Perdue.

--Approved the sheriff's department's monthly report, including: receiving 42 civil papers; issuing 94 tickets and 41 warnings; making 531 calls for service and 58 arrests; driving 48,305 miles; and booking 92 inmates.

--Approved County Auditor Sharon Allen's monthly report. Allen reported that as of last Thursday, the county had $2.169 million in revenue and $2.227 million in expenses, with about 25 percent of 2011 property taxes in.

--Approved the public works' monthly report. Director David McDonald said he issued six permits for new buildings in November, totaling $1,700 in county fees collected, and received one complaint.

--Opened nine bid proposals for twice-weekly janitorial services at the county annex in Mineral Wells. Commissioners delayed approval to check into three similar bids -- one of $395 per month and two of $400 per month each. Bids ranged up to $2,200 per month to clean the Mineral Wells offices.

--Further discussed Texas Association of County insurance safety report and possibly making a policy regarding the use of space heaters in county buildings. At the early December meeting, commissioners heard the safety report TAC conducted, which cited several space heaters under desks.

After checking with TAC, Allen said its position is "you shouldn't be using space heaters." On the other hand, she said that space heaters are not excluded property in an insurance claim, unless TAC finds them a serious issue in a safety report. She said the association is willing to help the county on a policy and safety guidelines. County Clerk Janette Green said she checked and all space heaters used in her office are UL rated and will automatically shut off if touched or knocked over.

--Approval a contract with Southwest Data Solutions for use of a tax-collection software package and authorized letter of termination, effective April 30, for a similar service, provided by NetData.

--Ratified a termination letter to EZNetPay for credit card payment services for tax and auto departments, effective Feb. 24.

--Heard a report from Precinct 2 Commissioner Louis Ragle on maintaining or repairing Butler Point Road, just off Rock Creek Loop at Possum Kingdom Lake. Ragle explained that the road joins a county road and is full of pot holes.

He said the 10 to 11 residents are frustrated that no entity involved in the Brazos River Authority sale of land at PK Lake has yet claimed maintenance of the road. Ragle said he could take care of the road while looking into who the road belongs to, especially since runoff from the county road likely caused the current condition of Butler Point Road.

--Called an executive session to discuss possible real estate opportunity, but took no action.

___

(c)2011 the Mineral Wells Index (Mineral Wells, Texas)

Visit the Mineral Wells Index (Mineral Wells, Texas) at www.mineralwellsindex.com

Distributed by MCT Information Services