Commissioners opt to keep burn ban

Cherokee County’s current burn ban was discussed and commissioners voted to continue the ban during regular session Tuesday, Sept. 24.

“We’ve got a long county, 66 miles long, I think, or thereabouts, and we get rain on one end but we don’t get rain on the other,” County Judge Chris Davis stated. “Rain is spotty in one place and no rain in another. The KBDI (Keetch-Byram Drought Index) is still very, very high. A fire could start and burn, especially in the north end of the county.”

The tax rate, which has remained at 59.5 cents per $100 valuation for the past two years, was again set as the tax rate for the 2019-2020 fiscal year.

Election workers, which had previously been covered under general liability, were placed under workman’s compensation coverage. The cost for the action amounts to $33 annually for the 100 people.

Commissioners approved a single utility request from Craft Turney for a road bore on CR 1905. Precinct 4 Commissioner Billy McCutcheon announced the reopening of CR 4416, stating the project was complete. The road had been closed almost 90 days during construction of a new boat ramp, the laying of new asphalt and due to insufficient space for vehicles to turn around.

In other business, commissioners approved:

- an audit on all Chapter 59 Forfeiture Funds;

- special budgets, including Special Revenue Fund, Law Enforcement Education, DA, Sheriff LEF and Constables LEF;

- the resignation, or non-renewal of services, of Cherokee County Environmental Services;

- the transfer of a truck from the Sheriff’s Office to Precinct 3;

- a budget amendment request from Precinct 3 to transfer $5,600 from Sundry to Grease and Gasoline and $4,250 from Sundry to Tires, Tubes and Repair;

- trading in a CAT 318 Excavator and purchasing a new backhoe for Precinct 4; and

- the consent agenda which included, approval of lots 1-4 of the Weidner Addition in Block No. 14 of the Jose Pineda survey Abstract No. 40 and the Juan Crisostonio Pineda survey, Abstract No. 668-No Roads; Jack White’s Constable 2 monthly report; and the authorizing of bill payment, payroll and transfer of funds.

Cherokee County commissioners also signed a proclamation declaring the week of Oct. 7-11 Texas Extension Education Week.

Marylyn Bennett and Susie Blackmon, members of the Ponta TEEA Club, were present to speak to the proclamation.

“The mission of the TEEA, the Texas Extension Education Association, is to work with the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service to strengthen and enrich families through educational pro-grams, leadership development and community service,” Bennett stated. “Among our community service activities are financial contributions to 4-H scholarships, Alto VFD, Gallatin VFD, Alto School Fund, canned goods to HOPE, items to Child Protective Services and quilt raffle to sup-port the historic Central High building, to name a few.”

Bennett noted that Cherokee County has two clubs. Ponta, which meets the second Tuesday of each month at 4 p.m. at Ponta Baptist Church on Highway 110, and Central High, which meets the third Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. at Central High building on FM 851.

The Texas AgriLife Extension Service in Rusk can be reached by calling (903) 683-5416.