[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-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],{"_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",6271217,"mediaKeyId","3029352-03d64787b4e6abf07488100313a1adc2","parentId",3029352,"title","Wichita County Commissioners approve routine purchases, terminate burn ban and take bids under advisement","audioSeconds",4075,"startMs",1183000,"endMs",5258000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3029352-03d64787b4e6abf07488100313a1adc2&start=1183&end=5258","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3029352-03d64787b4e6abf07488100313a1adc2/thumbnail_1183000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6271217/Wichita-County/Texas/Wichita-County-Commissioners-approve-routine-purchases-terminate-burn-ban-and-take-bids-under-advisement","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6271217-50be2c55998b1e5b4b19730ffe7f191e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771144529&Signature=VttzqI7ZRQtEtnAqA4DTB8l56Bn6Oyz8qjF347ybruuX6dZx6p1cqs88HZYlXRuQfj1kQOVVAHXXofCdKLFB926ENzmHTjkdEep-0VHxe60~SVkMRAhLiaWyOALKV6do8RIIRhs1a93EaCfylVji7vd2JUWpVAEhyF78FUcAYvfpjj0jDJb8zUHPh4Unh9GP1nE-~3e5n3ttJ6k5tYYOPnPE7c4rc~ARlyBpn4Fi7L64p57WEzBsvj71pjv~xqvE9~4RFahVRA02uovp9rVRY15TB-G7bQiTLRDUqkp-qKMJ0odxbnbvv0kSqYQp32YcGcC-GbZE4xR1Krf~45v1lA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Wichita County, TX","date","2025-04-17T01:02:16.32Z","article","Wichita County Commissioners on Tuesday approved several routine agenda items, awarded multiple procurement actions and ended the county burn ban.

The court approved the consent agenda (12 items) as amended and approved a variety of subsequent items by voice vote. Notable actions taken by the commissioners included:

- Approve Enterprise Fleet Management quote for a 2025 Chevrolet Silverado for the sheriff’s office in the amount of $50,759.70 plus $470 delivery/administration fees to be paid from anticipated unspent Senate Bill 2022 funds (motion by Commissioner Mueller, seconded by Commissioner Watts; motion carried 5-0).

- Approve Myers Patriot Construction proposal for an additional $14,950 for the Wichita County Auto Park Annex rear driveway; funds to come from previously allocated permanent improvement funds (motion by Commissioner Regent, seconded by Commissioner Buchanan; motion carried 5-0).

- Terminate the county burn ban effective immediately (motion carried 5-0); county staff said volunteer fire chiefs had been consulted and recent rain forecasts supported lifting the restriction.

- Take road-material and culvert bids under advisement and return with recommendations at a later date. Bids were opened and reviewed for crushed rock, asphalt-related products and galvanized culverts; several vendors submitted origin or delivered pricing and some line items received no bids (motion to take bids under advisement carried 5-0).

- Approve DigiCS security-systems quote not to exceed $89,928 to be paid from the Justice Court building security fund with any deficit to be covered from general-fund contingency (approved following closed session under Texas Government Code §551.089; motion carried 5-0).

Other routine actions included approval of minutes from the April 8 regular session, verification and ordering of regular bills and payroll disbursement instructions, and ratification of a construction contingency savings item described during the consent discussion.

Motions carried unanimously unless noted. Several agenda items were discussed briefly by department representatives; bids and longer procurement items were taken under advisement so staff can gather more information and return specific recommendations to the court.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Commissioner's Court 4/15/2025","oneSentenceSummary","At the April 15 meeting the court approved the consent agenda, several procurement items including a sheriff's office vehicle and a construction change order, ended the county burn ban, and took road-material and culvert bids under advisement.","taxTitle","Wichita County, Texas","taxId",2723,"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},6271222,"Wichita County hires consultant for employee health plan RFP, creates benefits committee",1182,3330000,4512000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3029352-03d64787b4e6abf07488100313a1adc2&start=3330&end=4512","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3029352-03d64787b4e6abf07488100313a1adc2/thumbnail_3330000.jpg","/articles/6271222/Wichita-County/Texas/Wichita-County-hires-consultant-for-employee-health-plan-RFP-creates-benefits-committee","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6271222-c3b159643b7106a4f0ae4ac56f3d615b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771144529&Signature=dNhpYy-vRbZ46d6B86Sg~MqTAtTWJEYnfeEkbjJMNOMc6Vla63z6fIaWR1PECkRNwvImPoRPsK-Y0qDySkULvYrYXiZBioFUy7qvs6Pvx8orv3AAQQryAiTOaQFWcW5ZMEx3lomv8DCgeNoWyqplVIBIMtdJpqEv58jtmbZpVl0Sry4L-4L7L0RLhx8n2TdDrHkHDnZMHZIRRSt15AcAgX4I1YG3RYLFSSOvqQ9sRNAwcwi3CtIfUkMeoVF-iFALuyEhMgq29acw46pGjToFwdc8YqM~JG2dYuWXHHFglSJacem2N-5yT5~w6niENOnhYRmCq0xS4KuZ3UmFb6fiqA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Wichita County Commissioners on Tuesday authorized a consultant to help design a request for proposals for the county’s employee health insurance program and approved a committee to develop and evaluate options.

The court voted 5-0 to authorize the county judge to sign a consultant agreement with Health IQ LLC and to approve payment of up to $25,000 from Department 409 for creation of an RFP and related services. Commissioners also approved the formation of an employee benefits committee consisting of County Auditor Matt Davis, Collector Tom Smythe, First Assistant Auditor Mike Sloan, Benefits Coordinator Sonia Labrie, Ryan Sudall from the county clerk’s office and Sergeant Eric Wish of the sheriff’s office.

Kelly Fristoe, president of Health IQ LLC, presented to the court and urged a deliberate, data-driven procurement that examines plan design, pharmacy benefit-manager practices, direct-provider contracting and total cost transparency. “When you know better, you can do better,” Fristoe told the court, arguing the county could pursue options that lower costs while improving employee access and outcomes.

County officials explained the urgency: the county spends roughly $5 million annually on health premiums and the benefits renewal cycle means proposals must be in hand well before the county’s September 1 renewal deadline. Fristoe proposed a timetable that would return RFP responses by late July and support a selection process for a plan effective Jan. 1, 2026.

Commissioners discussed the need for specialized expertise to draft a comprehensive RFP and to review complex vendor contracts. The consultant will help craft the RFP, structure outcome-based evaluation criteria, and assist in reviewing contract terms that can shift costs to employers and employees. The court emphasized the consultant’s role is not a criticism of current services from the Association of Counties pool but an effort to evaluate alternatives and fiduciary responsibilities.

The employee benefits committee — approved 5-0 — will conduct detailed pre-bid work, serve as an internal review body and reduce the number of times the full commissioners court must post and hold public sessions on detailed technical matters.

The court also discussed potential pilot or direct-contracting models used elsewhere and indicated a preference for an RFP that rewards price transparency and measurable value to plan participants.","The court authorized up to $25,000 to contract with Health IQ LLC to develop a request for proposals for the county's employee health insurance and created a multi-office employee benefits committee to guide the process toward a target renewal decision date.",{"_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},6271224,"Wichita County approves digital jury-pay system from Tyler Technologies",1682,1369000,3051000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3029352-03d64787b4e6abf07488100313a1adc2&start=1369&end=3051","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3029352-03d64787b4e6abf07488100313a1adc2/thumbnail_1369000.jpg","/articles/6271224/Wichita-County/Texas/Wichita-County-approves-digital-jury-pay-system-from-Tyler-Technologies","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6271224-21acbfc681b3711e9634bfef1083a739/orig.mp4?Expires=1771144529&Signature=A1uGlbgdGu50UUnfo9e5Ay6OZ4PNSeb00blHdqOrNWpIGlKfMhaVoXedvP99xeFB5pqp0j1uN6-V~uroJpaYv37002k8sPD5Z0yGZaCcNrw~WN7XW3XbwzJxDmhdIkmeggl8DGosR5r3AodjifZ5S2YMHnO~m~LDwvJLFD6ndcAFAQ1NPAZ67MWbiLojXN43uGt5818hfjKFxTCyWhc2GBiFf4MbDQ2Jlzi-GN2QViyQO9NxTYUFWnUTlOYsDkLyfrv5ytvZxgJpmK6V-e8OvnKb6vHu2Rk2ya3GMfzqhbbIt1gNVOImkEnctNVCeVwdahVOPvdTeahhVRwHzaW6OA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Wichita County Commissioners on Tuesday approved a Tyler Technologies payments system intended to speed juror disbursements and reduce unclaimed checks.

The court voted 5-0 to accept a Tyler Technologies quote for $14,125 to implement a jury-pay disbursement product integrated with the county’s jury-management workflow. The purchase will be paid from a non-departmental line (1004090), with the county judge authorized to sign the agreement.

County and Tyler officials said mailed checks cause delays, returned mail and staff time spent responding to calls about lost checks. Heath Rosenstein, senior account executive at Tyler Technologies, told the court that digital disbursements eliminate routing and account numbers printed on paper checks and deliver an immediate text or email notifying jurors their funds are available. “Checks are a little bit slow nowadays,” Rosenstein said. “Lost checks in the mail ... affect our staff because we're having to stop what we're doing, take the phone call, answer it, and then get back on the train.”

Rosenstein described options jurors could use after receiving the payment notification: an issued debit card, instant transfer to a bank account, ACH, PayPal or Venmo, or a paper check on request. He said the system also automates returning funds the court does not claim to the county after the statutory unclaimed-funds period, and can be used for other county disbursements such as election-worker pay or emergency relief.

The vendor estimated the county’s first-year cost at about $14,125 based on the county’s anticipated payment volume (Tyler also proposed a per-disbursement cost estimated between $1.25 and $1.50). Rosenstein and county staff said existing historical unclaimed funds (unredeemed jury checks) would cover much of the initial cost: the presenter said Wichita County has roughly 3,000 outstanding checks from 2023 and prior that total more than $30,000.

Commissioners asked about implementation timing and cost controls. Rosenstein said implementation typically takes about 120–150 days after the court approves the agreement. County staff said the auditor’s office will track expenditures and that the first years’ net cost would be offset by funds the county currently remits as unclaimed property.

The court’s approval follows a demonstration and question-and-answer session in which staff raised reconciliation, fraud-reduction and constituent-service benefits.

The contract and the vendor materials note the system can also be expanded to pay election workers or other program disbursements, with separate account lines and cards if the court elects to add those functions later.","After a presentation on payment delays, the commissioners approved a $14,125 Tyler Technologies contract to switch juror payments from mailed checks to a digital disbursement system intended to reduce lost checks, fraud risk and staff time.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Wichita County Commissioners approve routine purchases, terminate burn ban and take bids under advisement

Wichita County hires consultant for employee health plan RFP, creates benefits committee

Wichita County approves digital jury-pay system from Tyler Technologies