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 transports. Road and Bridge staff said culverts and water/gas permits are part of ongoing corridor work where new utility activity is underway.

Sheriff Pedro Peter Salinas told the court the transport van retrofit purchases are intended to ensure inmate security during transport and make the vehicle fully operational. “We did make a transport van purchase, and now we need to just cover the safety equipment that is required to maintain the inmate security in there,” Salinas said during the item.

Crystal Marquez, Frio County auditor, said the county will enter an engagement letter with Crowe LLP after a cybersecurity incident the county reported last summer. Marquez said the county had a phishing incident involving an employee and that the engagement is meant to provide digital forensics and remediation support; the arrangement would also allow the firm to represent the county if downstream recipients opened an infected email. “We had an employee receive an email, and they opened it, and the phishing started,” Marquez said.

Samson Rodriguez, representing Lone Star Strategy Group, described the state and local cybersecurity mitigation grant that the firm would apply for on the county’s behalf. Rodriguez said the mitigation phase requires a minimum $10,000 request and a 20% local match, and that there is no stated upper limit on awards. “This grant…would support cybersecurity efforts to address imminent cybersecurity threats to protect the county’s information,” Rodriguez said.

Judge Rochelle Camacho told the court the county had received notice of an award under the Texas General Land Office (GLO) Community Development Block Grant Mitigation — Resilient Communities Program for $220,000. The judge said the county must produce a land‑use plan and related documents to meet program requirements and that staff will work with GLO to complete the paperwork and start the project planning.

Road and bridge administrators and several commissioners spent roughly 30 minutes discussing equipment, staffing and how to sequence reconstruction versus temporary repairs. Commissioners described two graders out of service and a fleet of eight graders countywide with varying availability; one commissioner said, “Two is not enough” for the busiest precincts with heavy oil‑field traffic. Road staff said some graders are awaiting parts and that crews are clearing trees, replacing culverts and building base to reduce future maintenance needs. Commissioners asked staff to schedule operator training—possibly on a weekend—to increase the pool of qualified equipment operators.

The court approved the EMS substation renovation contract with Lowe’s Home Remodeling LLC (contractor named in packet) to move the EMS crew out of FEMA trailers into renovated space; the contract listed a completion date of March 1. Commissioners said the contractor has completed comparable USDA renovation work in the county and that the bid came in well under the $35,000 allocation.

Votes at a glance (motions recorded on the agenda): - Item 1 — Approve estimate from Alvarado Emergency Lighting for $5,862.92 to retrofit windows on jail transport van Unit 6339; motion passed (mover recorded in the meeting). - Item 2 — Accept donation of $2,000 from Adam Construction to the Frio County Sheriff’s Office; motion passed (mover recorded in the meeting). - Item 3 — Approve gas line permit for a midstream company to install up to a 16‑inch gas line on County Road 3401 (Magnum Lane); motion passed (mover recorded in the meeting). - Item 4 — Approve Jesse’s Auto Service and Ortiz Diesel Repair for vehicle repairs as needed (as‑needed vendor authorization); motion passed (vote recorded as 3 in favor, 2 abstentions). - Item 6 — Approve estimate for culverts to be installed on County Road 1660 (Black Creek/Wax Creek Road) for $4,635; motion passed. - Item 7 — Approve estimate for additional culverts on County Road 1660 (Black Creek Road) for $4,100; motion passed. - Item 8 — Approve waterline permit to Select Water Solutions LLC for two 4‑inch poly water lines on County Road 3401; motion passed. - Item 11 — Budget amendment to reflect insurance proceeds (discussion: staff identified an error and pulled the item for later consideration). - Item 12 — Approve construction contract for Dilley EMS Substation renovation (contractor Lowe’s Home Remodeling LLC); motion passed. - Item 13 — Approve GLO contract number 23160067E951 (Community Development Block Grant Mitigation — Resilient Communities Program) for $220,000; motion passed. - Item (cybersecurity) — Enter into engagement letter with Crowe LLP for cybersecurity consulting and digital forensics; motion passed. - Item (cybersecurity grant application) — Approve Lone Star Strategy Group LLC to apply for the state and local cybersecurity mitigation grant (FY2026); motion passed.

Background and next steps: staff said they will follow up with the General Land Office to finalize the GLO contract and begin planning, bring the corrected budget amendment back at a future court, move forward with the EMS renovation and schedule operator training and project‑list site visits for road work. Commissioners asked staff to document project priorities and to return updates to a future commissioners court meeting.

Ending: The court adjourned after a final general‑discussion exchange confirming plans for site visits, training and returning the budget amendment with corrected numbers at a later date.