Bell County commissioners approve consent agenda including multiple grant submissions, boiler contract and land purchase

Bell County Commissioners Court approved a consent agenda on Feb. 3, 2025, that authorized multiple grant applications to the Office of the Governor, a boiler replacement contract for the historic courthouse and the purchase of a roughly 5.99-acre tract in the City of Belton.

The consent agenda items included grant submissions for specialty courts ($105,572.70, no local match), criminal justice communications and equipment ($54,587.51, no match), rifle-resistant body armor ($32,204.72, no match), SWAT equipment modernization ($24,252, no match), the General Victims Assistance Program ($162,903.20 with a $44,585.95 match), juvenile justice prevention ($81,600, no match), mental health court related funding ($280,112.08, no match) and a Veterans Treatment Court grant ($108,791.79, no match). Each grant named Bell County Judge as the designated authorized official for submission to the Office of the Governor as described in the agenda text.

Also on the consent agenda, the court authorized the County Judge to execute a BuyBoard Purchasing Cooperative contract (Contract No. 7Twenty-twenty3) for boiler replacement at the historic courthouse at a cost “not to exceed $106,210” with funding to be approved through an appropriate budget amendment. The court approved authorizing the County Judge to execute a contract to purchase a tract described in the agenda as Lot 2, Block 1 of the ISD second edition replat in the City of Belton, Bell County, Texas, containing approximately 5.99 acres (instrument number 2024049148, Official Public Records of Bell County, Texas).

The court considered the consent agenda as a single motion. Commissioner Wilson made the motion to approve and Commissioner Snyder seconded. The court carried the motion by voice vote with all members indicating “aye.” The agenda text and clerk’s summary list Bell County Judge as the designated authorized official for the listed grant applications and the BuyBoard contract.

Votes at a glance - Consent agenda (multiple grants, boiler contract, land purchase): Motion to approve by Commissioner Wilson; second by Commissioner Snyder; outcome: approved by voice vote. Specific grant amounts and match requirements are listed in the agenda and were presented as part of the consent packet.

Why this matters The approved grants seek state funding for law-enforcement equipment, court-related programs and victim services with little or no local match required for most items; approval allows staff to move forward with formal submission and positions Bell County to receive state-administered program funds if awarded. The boiler contract and land purchase authorize the county to proceed with procurement and property acquisition steps subject to budget amendments and executed contracts.