Commissioners approve bids, personnel actions and equipment purchases; several agenda items tabled

Lavaca County Commissioners Court on Feb. 24 approved a package of routine procurement, personnel and asset actions while tabling several items that need further work, the court said.

The court voted to advertise for county gravel bids and approved motions to certify subdivision exemptions, accept a sheriff’s deputy bond, approve a mineral division order, buy heavy equipment, permit out-of-state travel for precinct equipment inspection, declare an ambulance surplus and extend the county’s depository contract. The court also approved renewal of liability coverages through the county risk pool. Several agenda items — including a TxDOT sidewalk project at the county annex, a memorandum of understanding with Gulf Bend Center and selection of engineers for the Texas Community Development Grant Fund program — were tabled for later consideration.

The motions approved by the court included: advertising for gravel (post oak pit run, post oak screen, 1½-inch and down with red binder); certificates of exemption from subdivision requirements for Terry Loomsman and Tim Strode; approving the oath/bond for Andreas Saenz as a Lavaca County deputy assigned as patrol/warrant deputy; approving a division order with Baytex Energy for two well sites; approving purchase of a 2022 Caterpillar tractor-loader-backhoe (VIN/stock referenced at the meeting) for Precinct 3 for $87,001.57; approving out-of-state travel for Precinct 2 equipment inspection per county policy section 16.02.004; declaring a 2020 Chevrolet 3/0 5-hundred ambulance (VIN 1GB3YTEYOLF255145) as surplus for EMS; extending the county depository contract with Peoples State Bank through 07/13/2027 under Local Government Code §116.021; and approving renewal of auto liability, auto physical damage, general liability, public officials liability and law-enforcement liability coverages through the county risk management pool for fiscal year 2025–26.

Where recorded, votes were unanimous. On the depository-contract extension Precincts 1, 2 and 4 voted yes; Precinct 3 and the judge abstained because of family ties to the bank. Several items were explicitly tabled for more information and possible special-call meetings: the TxDOT sidewalk at the county annex (item 11), an MOU with Gulf Bend Center on transportation-cost reimbursement (item 12), and the professional-services award for the Texas Community Development Grant Fund program (item 13).

The court moved the remaining agenda items into the consent agenda and adjourned after noting it expects a regular meeting on March 10 and possibly one or more special-call meetings before then.