[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6388208,"mediaKeyId","2115150-29b289216fd4a210a3706f4e499c5959","parentId",2115150,"title","Votes at a glance: Tarrant County Commissioners Court, Jan. 14, 2025","audioSeconds",2773,"startMs",1065000,"endMs",3838000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2115150-29b289216fd4a210a3706f4e499c5959&start=1065&end=3838","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2115150-29b289216fd4a210a3706f4e499c5959/thumbnail_1065000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6388208/Tarrant-County/Texas/Votes-at-a-glance-Tarrant-County-Commissioners-Court-Jan-14-2025","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6388208-5f2bc0a4eece3eee6dfb12a784dc609d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771164391&Signature=PMlHHfJXPORPcJZhC9D-4wYssY4cttircfu3me3OmXXkWy8puFVpDihzAFYbtIOwOhL6sKlUtqRVeNDHLAQz2nA4mPsLNuN4awt6tCTL-hdllk2eQVlupWy6NB4KJdKnku8PFonPubFCSnQ03W2TGG4WBFb0C9u4XRgSIjbK0lnLAN2Vgdf0Wy~mGbnmOmSTAIfDA~ezjdjpREZpvxZiuQIV0JR9Y2z96HmgaMYAxftWSHYlvU5ioGLUr2XSQauKC9Tuvrn5RNfcd22I4X3pmZPaltIuyKpLc-i2GvAvM7epxqnhmipE~zkcoPy9qw1NXLtPStJJFY964Hw-ebuA~Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Tarrant County, TX","date","2025-01-16T00:16:49.613Z","article","The Tarrant County Commissioners Court took dozens of routine and substantive actions on Jan. 14. Below is a concise summary of recorded motions, votes and outcomes from items the court voted on during the meeting.

Key outcomes
- Proclamation: Ratified congratulatory resolution recognizing North Crowley High School as 2024 UIL 6A Division 1 state champions — motion ratified and passed unanimously.
- Resolution: Adopted a memorial resolution honoring the late Bill Hanna — passed unanimously.
- Proclamation: Received and filed proclamation recognizing Tarrant County’s 175th anniversary — passed unanimously.
- Consent agenda (as amended): Approved; passes unanimously.
- Out-of-state travel requests (item 10A1): Approved unanimously.
- Construction manager at-risk agreement (JPS air handling units, Batson-Cook): Approved unanimously.
- Notice of public meeting for Americold tax abatement (10A3): Notice approved unanimously (see separate article for details).
- Release of depository collateral (10B3): Approved unanimously; county auditor explained collateral release does not equate to county spending but reflects bank collateralization changes.
- Use of Tom Vandergriff Civil Courts Building for 2025 Region 11 Texas High School Mock Trial Competition (G1): Approved unanimously; court waived county facility fees as requested.
- Architectural and engineering services contract for Precinct 4 maintenance center (G5): Approved unanimously (see separate article).
- Letter of intent to Stillwater Capital LLC for Mansfield property (G6): Court denied the LOI; motion passed 3–2.
- Purchasing annual contracts, invoice payments, and permission to issue RFPs (L1-L3): Approved unanimously.
- Appointments to boards and commissions: Several internal liaison and board appointments were approved unanimously; examples: Commissioners Krause and Miles named to various county boards, Commissioner Miles appointed to IT steering committee, Commissioner Simmons to the Purchasing Agent Board and Mental Health Jail Diversion Center committee.

Votes and tallies (selected items)
- G6 (Mansfield LOI): Denied — vote 3 yes (to deny), 2 no.
- Multiple routine procurement and invoice approvals: passed by unanimous voice votes.
- Proclamations and honors: passed unanimously.

Notes and next steps
- Items removed from the consent agenda (10A3, 10B3, G5, G6) were discussed individually before being approved or denied as noted above.
- Where the court approved only a notice (for example the Americold tax abatement), final action will come at a later meeting after staff prepares and publishes required documentation and a hearing is held.

Ending: The court moved through routine business, approved capital planning and standard procurement actions, and split 3–2 on a contested Mansfield land LOI; several items will return for future consideration.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Commissioners Court","oneSentenceSummary","Summary of formal actions and votes taken at the Jan. 14 Commissioners Court meeting including proclamations, contract approvals, procedural notices and appointments.","taxTitle","Tarrant County, Texas","taxId",2718,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6388213,"Court notices public hearing on Americold tax abatement after resident questions public benefit",76,2736000,2812000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2115150-29b289216fd4a210a3706f4e499c5959&start=2736&end=2812","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2115150-29b289216fd4a210a3706f4e499c5959/thumbnail_2736000.jpg","/articles/6388213/Tarrant-County/Texas/Court-notices-public-hearing-on-Americold-tax-abatement-after-resident-questions-public-benefit","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6388213-ad3f7b27953be889da581cb09e0e215c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771164391&Signature=laJkrPXWdEyQswk7WUSuFYezY7D06qIffgZOvUft7JE~kQpi07Ailau~oNSFWwUNS5cP7pXlkb57xolKLeLM1MMVbdaHy3Wgl4jNR3WIgz8~iS8eGmjt2AkllHvqg~LHyJuwmVgMknZLEbUjD5pb179ORWXFzVJx01rlUTeNElzy9IQIdnUEibO3sKdhAVmyN4fKkmWDlqseZqShtGvEIW3qGv5eeg1n7rPrVq5R3L43CBWb--ENx3zzyWNM3O1VOW0nSq8fyRETpDOe4hQGEDFXBEMMBdmZD76g94UwqTwIstlzAJcIQJMR-UXkFGp2ei2eoMZNnem9l4QmJRpEhw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The court on Jan. 14 approved notice that it will consider a tax abatement agreement with Americold Realty Trust Inc. for expansion of a cold storage facility on Blue Mountain Road. The item was pulled from the consent agenda and noticed for a future meeting; the notice passed unanimously.

Public comment and staff response
Linda Hanratty, who identified herself as a Tarrant County taxpayer, asked the court to explain the taxpayer benefit of a 50% seven-year tax abatement for the proposed Americold expansion and whether the company was required to create new jobs. Hanratty asked whether the facility would expand absent the abatement and whether the abatement would create an unfair advantage for Americold versus local competitors. She said frequent abatements were a contributor to rising property taxes.
County staff clarified that the current action was a required notice that the proposed agreement will be considered at a future meeting (staff cited Feb. 18 as the likely date). No final abatement agreement was approved Jan. 14; the court only approved the public-noticing step required by law.

What happens next
Staff will present the proposed abatement agreement at the scheduled public hearing, with documentation intended to show the projected taxpayer benefit, job commitments (if any) and other terms. Residents who asked questions at the Jan. 14 hearing can comment again when the matter is considered for approval.

Ending: The court approved the required public notice to consider the Americold tax abatement at a future meeting; substantive terms and any vote on an abatement will occur after public notice and review.","The Commissioners Court moved a notice to publish a public meeting about a proposed seven-year, 50% tax abatement for Americold Realty Trust Inc.'s cold storage expansion; a resident asked how the abatement benefits taxpayers and whether jobs were required.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6388218,"Commissioners approve design contract for Precinct 4 maintenance center; deny Mansfield land letter of intent",460,3096000,3556000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2115150-29b289216fd4a210a3706f4e499c5959&start=3096&end=3556","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2115150-29b289216fd4a210a3706f4e499c5959/thumbnail_3096000.jpg","/articles/6388218/Tarrant-County/Texas/Commissioners-approve-design-contract-for-Precinct-4-maintenance-center-deny-Mansfield-land-letter-of-intent","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6388218-fe079afec9ca493f9a2ac0e81c326dee/orig.mp4?Expires=1771164391&Signature=g3zeikfYEa5v0oA-mHk-fx~4rGMUZVyYSOqCP04Y3yxDrMRVi8-peF2JNz3PyTaAqTcyZDPNe5rr6kuYuR5buAcgqpK0BH~c7fdhHC~7upx4l5NeYkYGc7MUI5rxMcuJ2q2cRKT6ZWjEhmsFB5K0aVQu4DcEIN3bho-CvWqGQfhlsXHFaMWGo-iuEQXW~QdiM3To8t17Ct13cmv2jQQl0XdayqV80zVU48~jdoQZqvtDk5BY5zwyZPa6FUxxxJc9eypTH~WGOw6oN0k3p3Hy5Ki-s9Wj~JfyOVMwOjzuOdFePJzAbk3Sc9zX2EHe0ih-N8IQorQIlKqI9s3CuTZQJA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Commissioners Court on Jan. 14 approved a professional services contract for architectural and engineering design work on a new Precinct 4 road and bridge maintenance center and discussed the sequencing of design and land acquisition. The court later denied a developer's letter of intent to sell 5.7 acres in Mansfield for a new Mansfield sub-courthouse.

Why it matters: Commissioners debated whether a design contract should proceed before the county had finalized a site. Commissioner concerns focused on process order, available seed money and the potential perception of partisan interference in project approvals.

What the court approved and discussed
- The court unanimously approved the professional services contract with Park Hill for architectural and engineering work on the new Precinct 4 maintenance center. County staff told the court they would first develop design documents (DDs) and that site selection could follow; staff estimated the DD phase would take about three months.
- Facilities staff said the project has seed funding of about $10.83 million and that estimated construction costs are roughly $18 million with soft costs bringing the total near $21 million; staff said that budget includes land acquisition funds.

Mansfield letter of intent denied 3–2
- The court voted 3–2 to deny a developer’s proposed letter of intent (LOI) from Stillwater Capital LLC for 5.7 acres at the northeast corner of Heritage Parkway and Regency Parkway in Mansfield. The motion to deny passed after commissioners exchanged sharp remarks about process and partisan politics surrounding priorities for a Mansfield sub-courthouse and a Precinct 4 project.
- Commissioner discussion referenced prior votes on the Mansfield site and the urgency of acquiring land while prices rise. One commissioner said the court had “seed money” set aside for the Mansfield sub-courthouse and criticized political obstruction; other members said previous votes had defeated the purchase and questioned the timing.

What happens next
County staff said they are “aggressively looking” for property, will refine site options with Precinct 4, and plan to advance design documents in parallel with site negotiations. The Mansfield LOI denial does not prevent staff from seeking other parcels; officials said they will bring future acquisition actions back to the court for vote.

Ending: The court approved the design contract and budget framework for the maintenance center, while rejecting the specific Mansfield LOI after a 3–2 vote; staff will continue site work and return with further recommendations and any purchase proposals for court approval.","Court approved architectural/engineering services for a new Precinct 4 maintenance center and discussed project sequencing and funding; it denied a developer's letter of intent for Mansfield land for a related sub-courthouse purchase 3–2 after debate over process and fairness.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6388223,"Tarrant County officials brief court after two in-custody deaths; families and advocates press for independent probe",2551,2704000,5255000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2115150-29b289216fd4a210a3706f4e499c5959&start=2704&end=5255","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2115150-29b289216fd4a210a3706f4e499c5959/thumbnail_2704000.jpg","/articles/6388223/Tarrant-County/Texas/Tarrant-County-officials-brief-court-after-two-in-custody-deaths-families-and-advocates-press-for-independent-probe","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6388223-ec81901a19858b2e22889276e1bf2df6/orig.mp4?Expires=1771164391&Signature=fkPpoI5cvVTJzHiDWMenlZK6sCgV8lMGZ1mgmUuLIquxOhUjdqwldTiqBBkcZLsqRn1OXBmbcAYBXEdfynE6WPs610l~ZDAagno6Jc55XD51v6NNC44clVNjJ5SXhrUL3IPHC9NkkmnMot-3w34kuYLkIO1WQQ30sCxMxygFaN5eAnHBQc5H7kRhrov~~5nGVw7e-Jiga9jvqPx2~tzj7G7KKSuFuFx-IbaHvq4w1gdXQ2NJhPpE3yHYvW7pSBGlsRUBNikHaTuZIbI9P~Tsr9OZD680cq9ccaKi~QoxSSfxdI9kwQHSGHclNNFzoLdTCMv2C-Bt2VcH9eKq-q22HA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Tarrant County officials briefed the Commissioners Court on Jan. 14 about two people who died while in custody in December, drawing heavily attended public comment from family members and advocacy groups calling for independent investigations and immediate policy changes.

The briefing featured a presentation from the Tarrant County Sheriff's Office and health partners. Sheriff’s office spokespersons said both deaths remain under active investigation. “All protocols were followed by Tarrant County Sheriff's Office personnel,” the sheriff’s briefing said, adding that clinical teams and emergency responders performed life-saving measures on scene.

Why it matters: Public speakers — including family members of those who died — said county processes failed relatives and called for outside scrutiny. The court heard multiple accounts alleging delays or denials of medical care, and commenters said internal investigations and settlement spending have not delivered accountability.

What officials told the court
- The sheriff's office said both cases are under active investigation, that emergency medical procedures were performed, and that results from the medical examiner and other investigative steps could take months. The briefing said one of the decedents was seen by medical staff “on nine occasions” in four days while in custody and that emergency resuscitation efforts lasted more than 40 minutes.
- Zillia Ball, executive vice president for behavioral and correctional health at JPS Health, described how medical access is arranged inside the jail: intake screening by registered nurses, on-site clinics, triage of requests via tablet or officer referral, and a pharmacy available 24/7. Ball said inmates may refuse care and that care decisions follow clinical protocols.
- MHMR representatives described the intake and referral process for behavioral health: screening at booking, database checks used to identify prior care, and multiple touch points (booking, classification, medical) that can prompt MHMR involvement.

Family accounts and public comment
Family members and community advocates disputed parts of the briefings and gave eyewitness or family accounts that contradicted county descriptions. Darren Yancey, who identified himself as the brother of Mason (Mason Yancey), read messages from his brother shortly before his death and said Mason had called “begging me to get him out of jail saying that he needed to get to the hospital.” A cellmate’s account read to the court described staff laughter during an apparent seizure and a prolonged period in which the inmate lay motionless.

Advocates and health professionals called for transparency and outside review. Bishop T.D. Kirkland and multiple speakers urged an outside civil-rights or Department of Justice review; other commenters recommended adopting recommendations from the National Institute of Corrections report previously provided to the court.

Courtroom exchanges and administration response
Commissioner Alyssa Simmons pressed for more aggressive transparency and said the court must “take seriously the high number of deaths occurring in this jail.” Court members and health partners acknowledged limits on what could be disclosed while investigations are active but the court’s discussion repeatedly returned to whether families and the public have adequate access to records and how families can escalate concerns about medical care.

What remains unresolved
- The medical examiner’s reports for the two December deaths had not been released at the time of the briefing; county officials said those reports and other forensic work could take months.
- Multiple speakers urged the court to require or request an independent external investigation rather than internal review; the sheriff’s office said investigations involve multiple agencies but did not announce such a third-party civil-rights probe during the meeting.

Ending: Commissioners acknowledged the depth of community concern and said staff and partners would continue to brief the court. Family members and advocates said they will continue to press for open records and outside review.

","Sheriff's office, JPS Health and MHMR brief the Commissioners Court after two in-custody deaths in December; families and advocates pressed for outside investigations and named policy failures including missed medical care and information gaps.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Votes at a glance: Tarrant County Commissioners Court, Jan. 14, 2025

Court notices public hearing on Americold tax abatement after resident questions public benefit

Commissioners approve design contract for Precinct 4 maintenance center; deny Mansfield land letter of intent

Tarrant County officials brief court after two in-custody deaths; families and advocates press for independent probe