Commissioners seek new grant
$350,000 grant would replace 9 miles of water lines near Lake Stryker
BY GLORIA JENNINGS STAFF WRITER

Cherokee County will make application for a grant to help finance improvements for the Lake Stryker Water Corporation through the Texas Department of Community Development Program Small Towns Environment Program (STEP). Martha Drake of GrantWorks and a group of citizens from the water corporation met with members of the commissioners court Monday morning.

The application is for a $350,000 self-help grant. The water corporation will provide its matching funds through community labor. Plans are to replace nine miles of water lines with three and four inch lines. The improvement will serve 10 additional households. There are 39 volunteers to help with the water system renovation. The county will be notified in June if the project is approved for funding.

In addition to approving the grant application, commissioners also voted to serve as the water system's representative in the application and authorized Judge Chris Davis to sign all necessary instruments on behalf of the county.

In another matter, commissioners approved the collection of court costs to provide child safety funds. The revenue will go into the general fund and be distributed to child safety projects.

Commissioners accepted a check for $4,000 from Petro- Quest Energy, LLC for Precinct 3 road damages.

Commissioners approved the consolidation of voting precincts and polling places for the special amendment election scheduled for Saturday, May 12. There will be nine locations with sites to be announced.

An interlocal agreement between Precinct 4 and the City of Reklaw was approved.

In another matter, the removal of the non-directional beacon at the Cherokee County Airport was approved. This is a radio frequency beacon and is not being used.

The county will sponsor a clean-up day April 21. Dumpsters will be available at all four county barns and at the Cherokee County Airport.

Sheriff James Campbell and County Attorney Craig Caldwell presented monthly reports.

Consent agenda items approved included the auditor's monthly report, Constable Pct. 1 report; plats in lots 1 and 2 of Block 1 of the Gaylord's subdivision and Meadow View Estates; expenses for three members of the historical commission to attend a conference at Lakeway April 12-14; Patsy Lassiter to attend the county investment officer training seminar in Corpus Christi June 5-8; Gordon LeMaire to attend the criminal appeals conference in Austin May 8-11; health unit employees to attend annual immunization and Cocasa training in Tyler May 26 and the Pandemic Influenza conference in Tyler April 10-11; Mary Monkress to attend Rural Association for Court Administration conference in Tyler April 17-20; and Linda Little to attend the Texas Association of Counties seminar April 24 in Tyler.

The next meeting of the commissioners court will be at 10 a.m. Monday, April 23, in the county courtroom.

Attending the Monday meeting were Judge Davis; Commissioners Mary Gregg, Kevin Pierce, Moody Glass III and Byron Underwood; County Clerk Laverne Lusk; and County Auditor L.H. Crockett.