Frio County commissioners approve permits, contracts and grants; discuss road equipment shortages

Frio County Commissioners Court on Jan. 2025 approved multiple routine permits, purchases and contracts and discussed persistent road-maintenance problems and equipment shortages that commissioners said are straining county crews.

The court voted to approve a $5,862.92 estimate from Alvarado Emergency Lighting to retrofit windows on a jail transport van (unit 6339); accept a $2,000 donation from Adam Construction for the sheriff’s office; grant a permit to a midstream company to install a gas line on County Road 3401 (Magnum Lane); approve two separate culvert purchases for County Road 1660 (Black Creek/Wax Creek Road) totaling $8,735; authorize two 4-inch poly waterlines on County Road 3401; approve two local repair vendors for as‑needed diesel and vehicle work; approve an EMS substation renovation contract; and accept a GLO resilience grant award. The court also authorized an engagement letter with Crowe LLP for cybersecurity consulting and approved hiring Lone Star Strategy Group LLC to apply for the state and local cybersecurity mitigation grant.

The court’s actions mostly passed on unanimous voice votes or with the documented tallies. Road and bridge issues drew the heaviest sustained discussion: commissioners and the county road administrator described multiple graders out of service, understaffing for equipment operators, and demands on roads from oil‑field traffic. Commissioners agreed to pursue more training for equipment operators, prioritize specific project sites and continue work on a project list to guide reconstruction and base repairs.

The votes mattered because they fund and permit work that county staff said is needed for public safety, emergency response and routine operations. The sheriff’s office said the van retrofit is required to maintain inmate security during…