[{"_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",6184464,"mediaKeyId","5090649-aa8fa451d4699fffd4116efac42b2d7b","parentId",5090649,"title","Hunt County emergency manager seeks money for 2026 hazard mitigation plan and other emergency needs","audioSeconds",989,"startMs",3505540,"endMs",4495255,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5090649-aa8fa451d4699fffd4116efac42b2d7b&start=3505&end=4495","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5090649-aa8fa451d4699fffd4116efac42b2d7b/thumbnail_3505540.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6184464/Hunt-County/Texas/Hunt-County-emergency-manager-seeks-money-for-2026-hazard-mitigation-plan-and-other-emergency-needs","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6184464-9d1285571300fac867e600803625f8a8/orig.mp4?Expires=1771087986&Signature=GxSZOJXSKBeS36bFEmyx3fLJKOitiAS2gt6Lgn8YqblKcNIukvZqpiCq0KPYSXqcN0QkrGIjo4EA9W~S6xNZzu~uqfV9PZVMqcTZC4KYW2cBVqledmPbPQWadXdX4ySjqWXSD1qOzpVfwXGczO4xqQPBRH3tcbnDdeqSNTWN32k2Iu5aCeYExKVnHXWTGbyMu4ekQ9ESydXuGnsz2GNnz-dWAKJJjZoL5r0VFjhxbaYKK2DRP3m71I3PzlTqI~4OJmIwl-cHNtg8cPEwabn7dWq9gVAR7URnF8yb8U0ijBSt0pSWq9ZUP-0ygPChlxqfY8~TD-ozUQLKlJgARDt21Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Hunt County, TX","date","2025-06-27T13:53:22Z","article","Richard Hill, director of Hunt County Homeland Security, presented the department’s budget items and several countywide emergency management issues at the June 27 commissioners court session, including an urgent need to prepare an updated hazard mitigation plan before the county’s current plan expires in mid‑2026.

Hill told commissioners the federal and state reimbursement programs for mitigation planning have changed; a private contractor now offers planning services and can help prepare a reimbursement grant application to the Texas General Land Office, which can reimburse up to $100,000. Hill said initial estimates from vendors place the total cost of the plan in the $150,000–$200,000 range and that the county would need to apportion net costs among municipalities and unincorporated areas if the grant does not fully cover expenses.

“If you do not have a current hazardous mitigation plan in effect and there is a presidential declared disaster in your area, you don't get any money,” Hill said, describing the federal requirement that an approved plan be in place to access certain post‑disaster funds. He urged early engagement with cities and other local entities to secure participation and budgeting for their shares.

Hill described additional items in his budget: a proposed training increase (from $5,000 to $7,500) and maintenance expenses for county generators bought with prior federal grant funds. He also raised a recently enacted state requirement — a statewide registry (referred to in the meeting as the STEERS program) — that will obligate emergency management offices to attempt outreach to registered residents with special needs during disasters; Hill said local policy and minimal contingency funds will be needed to implement outreach and response requirements.

On procurement and planning costs, Hill said the county’s prior hazard mitigation work came via the regional Council of Governments (COG) at little local direct cost; that federal/state funding for the COG role has ended and the COG position was eliminated, so private contractors now are being considered. He noted the TDEM (Texas Division of Emergency Management) must approve the county plan and FEMA also participates in validation for reimbursement eligibility.

Hill also summarized department staffing and requested a limited equalization of certain pay lines (three positions) to align with county compensation changes in recent years; commissioners asked for detailed justification and noted the county’s tight budget situation. No procurement, contract award or budget appropriation was approved during the session; commissioners requested follow‑up information and indicated they would begin outreach to city managers to assess municipal participation in a shared mitigation plan cost.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Commissioners Court Regular Session 06/27/2025","oneSentenceSummary","Richard Hill, director of Hunt County Homeland Security, told commissioners the county must update its hazard mitigation plan and asked municipalities to share costs if outside grants fall short.","taxTitle","Hunt County, Texas","taxId",51030,"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},6184470,"Hunt County Child Welfare Board asks commissioners for $40,000 annual allocation",283,1763610,2047304,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5090649-aa8fa451d4699fffd4116efac42b2d7b&start=1763&end=2047","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5090649-aa8fa451d4699fffd4116efac42b2d7b/thumbnail_1763610.jpg","/articles/6184470/Hunt-County/Texas/Hunt-County-Child-Welfare-Board-asks-commissioners-for-40000-annual-allocation","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6184470-9c136695a758d9066ec7c418a0772ff4/orig.mp4?Expires=1771087986&Signature=KERHsDj5qoScvHg6tP8jSb4hhsfwk0EJWNrSUtKpcpJJm6ii4qSeCGpGJxtiJTY7lfMoFlURD1Rt89S35liYJuOdiNF91cHOmsR-9~ZpzH3zVWo6KDbOabDGvZsplZc0U16UpFNP5TFyYZ-HQhEbLhde7PqfT~zZ8e2FZg4qaUDJ~SdXK9Qn2jJ38tjdcCZbSA-ilon7u3DhBFWfWtxaw2WhjS1~cpFDysqhOR5~VdEor51WsOwsc44w0QCJsFF9Rvgr0Hx6SZhriBgdA52vN2Lw1wJhRiaO5lwRDnlJz0xgK5jcEafk6L5GQ2715fGJC2e8PkJg394nFLoFKRjkrg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At the June 27 Hunt County Commissioners Court meeting, Celeste Prather, representing the Hunt County Child Welfare Board, outlined the board’s spending and requested that the commissioners increase the county’s annual allocation from $20,000 (budgeted in 2015) to $40,000 to meet current needs.

Prather summarized the board’s role under Texas Department of Family and Protective Services guidance and described how local funds are used for items not covered by state or federal programs, including clothing, transportation, emergency moves, specialized medical and therapeutic care, school supplies, and the county’s “Rainbow Room” inventory. “Since that time, we have there have been no increases requested. Today in 2025, we respectfully request 40,000 annually to be allocated monthly to sustain the current projected needs for the youngest and most vulnerable citizens of your county,” Prather told the court.

Prather presented a one‑year expenditure total of $50,001.91 for April to April and broke the spending down by category: about $12,008.80 for the Rainbow Room; roughly $8,858 for medical expenses (including an out‑of‑state emergency dental procedure for a child placed in Arkansas); childcare, travel and move assistance; transportation; and targeted therapy when the state’s standard services did not meet a child’s needs.

She described changes that affect local spending levels: House Bill 567 (reducing removals by raising the threshold for neglect to “immediate danger”), the state’s community‑based care rollout and problems with the Empower case‑management system that, in her view, increased short‑term local expenditures. Prather said the board is largely volunteer‑run (seven volunteers) and that most county money goes directly to children and families rather than overhead.

Prather said the board has launched a school‑supply campaign to replace a statewide program that no longer operates in Hunt County; she estimated the school‑supply effort could cost about $8,000 and reported $3,000 pledged so far.

Commissioners asked about other funding sources and oversight: Prather said the board receives small private donations (churches and individuals) and is audited, with oversight from the state child welfare board. She also said the local body is established through the commissioners court rather than as an independent nonprofit. The commissioners did not take a funding vote at the session; they questioned budget lines and asked staff to provide follow‑up information as part of overall budget deliberations.

The meeting record shows no formal appropriation during this session; the request will be considered as part of the county’s broader budget process.","Celeste Prather, representing the Hunt County Child Welfare Board, presented a year‑long accounting of local child welfare expenditures and asked the county to raise annual funding from $20,000 to $40,000 to cover services the board provides for children not eligible for other public funding.",{"_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},6184476,"Hunt County judge asks commissioners to fund part‑time clerk for new juvenile diversion mandate",857,96645,954254,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5090649-aa8fa451d4699fffd4116efac42b2d7b&start=96&end=954","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5090649-aa8fa451d4699fffd4116efac42b2d7b/thumbnail_96645.jpg","/articles/6184476/Hunt-County/Texas/Hunt-County-judge-asks-commissioners-to-fund-parttime-clerk-for-new-juvenile-diversion-mandate","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6184476-b992b0b8d7ea65c741ed85fa482a71f7/orig.mp4?Expires=1771087986&Signature=AHjBXjQ~PtY5lcm9KMaUs70~nG6VoLjHtL9XBuZeAz2vb7Ctx2RiYt58k9GfBHr9NFsgSnSmJOmuDVXVrXjx1A4iw4hwWiZ0cnGyYTp39WoQyKV09q1b1yPDvb~gHPTy4VUl2lvUE9sg0q0I8mA2KR0FGSNezqk-qw7e7bRGqKd3xBXwXiesbeaPuIE-TA5gd0NEQ8hq2-6rmaT8qF~dE8hsoR1Ra8~5U~GL5L4JHzTvzpogPo38fcaoQvyV3k1KKmj3vAn5eTplA82FCXWutA2St8N18v-m5hDADGZ4DSUfn09Wt8dJFCldKa0f589~8sydLTgTiRfEeRTZCMgqaQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Judge Stovall called a special session of the Hunt County Commissioners Court on June 27, 2025, to hear budget presentations. Clay, a court official who oversees juvenile diversion work in the county’s magistrate court, told the court an unfunded state mandate requires a local administrator to build and monitor diversion plans for juveniles and asked commissioners to fund a part‑time position to backfill clerks and support the new workload.

Clay said the state mandate requires diversion be offered immediately to juveniles charged with Class C offenses committed before their 17th birthday and that a plan must be written, monitored and, when completed successfully, kept out of the regular court record. “We have an additional unfunded mandate from the, from the state of the juvenile diversion program,” Clay said. He told commissioners the work of building and overseeing diversion plans cannot be handled in existing court records systems and must be tracked separately.

The request was framed as a staffing backfill rather than a new full‑time hire: “I only want a part time person now,” Clay said, and later estimated a part‑time position at about 25 hours per week. Commissioners and staff discussed pay ranges and funding: one commissioner said part‑time pay might run $15–$20 per hour; the court discussed that would translate roughly to a $20,000 annual cost if the position remained under the county’s part‑time hour limits.

Clay provided court workload figures to illustrate rising demand: he reported total case openings last year of 1,945 with 1,248 closings (closure rates are tracked as a success metric), and noted juvenile caseloads were increasing compared with prior years. He said the court has been using remote appearance technology to reduce continuances and reach out‑of‑area counsel, but that when clerks must move from the public counter to court administrative tasks the front counter is effectively closed and service to the public suffers.

Commissioners asked whether diversion statistics appear in their standard reports; Clay said diversion work is tracked outside the county’s main case system and will not show up in routine automated reports unless a matter proceeds to court. He told commissioners he had explored state and federal grant opportunities but did not know whether the county had applied and said a county grant writer position could help secure personnel funding in the future.

No formal vote was taken on the staffing request during the session. The discussion closed with commissioners asking budget and staffing questions and seeking cost estimates to weigh against other county priorities during a year when the county faces a reported $2.5 million budget gap.

The commissioners later adjourned the meeting at 10:48 a.m.","A Hunt County court official told commissioners the state-required juvenile diversion program, effective Jan. 1, 2025, has increased local court workload and asked the commissioners to fund a part‑time backfill to maintain court operations and language access.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Hunt County emergency manager seeks money for 2026 hazard mitigation plan and other emergency needs

Hunt County Child Welfare Board asks commissioners for $40,000 annual allocation

Hunt County judge asks commissioners to fund part‑time clerk for new juvenile diversion mandate