Hardin County OKs ALPR agreement, Flock cameras purchase and electronic evidence system; awards debris contracts

Hardin County commissioners on April 22 approved a multiple-use agreement with the Texas Department of Transportation to allow installation of automated license-plate recognition (ALPR) cameras on state right of way and authorized a $20,000 invoice to Flock Safety to buy cameras and software under the Project Safe Neighborhoods grant.

The court voted to let the county judge sign resolution 20-25, authorizing the ALPR agreement at TxDOT locations; Sheriff Davis requested the move. Commissioners also authorized payment of invoice INV60269 to Flock Group Inc., doing business as Flock Safety, using Project Safe Neighborhoods grant funding, with no county match required.

The measures are part of a package of public-safety and administrative approvals at the meeting. Commissioners also authorized subscriptions and master order forms so the district attorney and county attorney can adopt Atseen LLC’s ICON Fighter cloud software to allow secure electronic transfer of criminal cases and digital evidence to prosecutors and to enable secure electronic discovery sharing with defense counsel. The court approved a fiscal-year transfer totaling $13,500 out of the commissioner's case-management line, splitting $6,750 each to the two prosecutors for software purchase and renewals.

On emergency preparedness, the court accepted the evaluation committee’s recommendation to award emergency disaster debris removal contracts to DRC Emergency Services (ranked No. 1) and CTC Disaster Response, Inc. (ranked No. 2). The court separately approved an award for debris monitoring services; the procurement summary listed Thompson Consulting Services among respondents. The awards follow formal proposal openings and a recommendation from an evaluation committee that included Commissioner Young, Emergency Management Coordinator Aaron Tupprey and Grants Coordinator Clay Woodward.

County auditor Candace McKinney presented a set of FY2024 budget reclassifications and GASB-compliance bookkeeping adjustments that the court approved. McKinney outlined multiple reclassifications: creating lease proceeds and subscription revenue line items, moving expenditures from software license and support to principal subscription software lines across several offices (commissioners court, justice court technology, law library, tax office, county attorney, district attorney, floodplain and sheriff’s office) and accounting for a local match to road-and-bridge storm-recovery funds. McKinney told the court the adjustments are bookkeeping entries required under Governmental Accounting Standards Board rules.

Other approved items included: appointment of Melinda Smith as labor standards officer (and John Besterio as alternate) for a Texas General Land Office Community Development Block Grant infrastructure contract; adoption of several resolutions including an amended Project Safe Neighborhoods grant application (amount not to exceed $50,000) to the Office of the Governor Criminal Justice Division; and routine finance actions (minutes, claims cancellation, cash statements and vendor payments).

In nonagenda discussion the court announced a public meeting hosted by ACE Green Recycling at Silsbee (Sylvie) High School Auditorium on April 29 at 6 p.m. The meeting is intended to allow the public to ask questions about proposed battery-recycling technology and emergency response; city and school officials are expected to attend. Commissioners said ACE Green Recycling previously discussed a possible tax abatement and has not yet submitted abatement paperwork or a contract to the county.

Votes at a glance: minutes (Apr. 8, 2025) — approved; cancel registered claims and approve cash statement — approved; authorize payment of county bills (total expenditures presented $1,812,499.68) — approved; FY2024 budget amendments and GASB reclassifications — approved; adopt/amend Project Safe Neighborhoods grant resolution (not to exceed $50,000) — approved; adopt Older Americans Month proclamation and other CDBG-related resolutions — approved; appoint labor standards officer and alternate for CDBG contract 20-065-145-C857 — approved; adopt resolution authorizing ALPR agreement with TxDOT (resolution 20-25) — approved; authorize payment to Flock Safety INV60269 ($20,000) from grant funds — approved; authorize ICON Fighter cloud subscriptions and FY25 transfer ($13,500 total) to prosecutors — approved; accept awards/recommendations for emergency debris removal and debris monitoring services (DRC Emergency Services; CTC Disaster Response; Thompson Consulting) — approved; execute contract for statewide automated victim notification service with Syllogistics Gov Inc. (no cost to county) — approved; courthouse change orders (lead piping replacement, asbestos abatement credit noted) and parking-lot sealcoating change order ($3,795 and $7,800 respectively) — approved; approve surplus property sales via Renee Bates Auctioneers Inc. and sale of equipment (truck, patcher, tractor, mower) — approved; preliminary plat for Crestwood Heights Phase 1 (Lots 1–19) — approved; set public hearing for variance request for property at 3495 Highway 327 in Silsbee for May 13 at 9:30 a.m. — set.

The court’s actions were procedural approvals and contract authorizations; no denied motions were recorded. Several items were noted as administrative or bookkeeping in nature, and some approvals (for example, the ALPR-TxDOT agreement and the Flock purchase) rely on state or grant funding sources and existing interagency agreements. Commissioners said the ICON Fighter system will reduce physical evidence transfers and speed secure digital discovery sharing with defense counsel.

Hardin County Judge and commissioners adjourned following the announcements; the court will reconvene at its next regular session or at scheduled public hearings referenced above.