Hardin County Commissioners approve routine minutes, budgets, purchases, appointments and resolutions

Hardin County Commissioners Court approved a package of routine business, budget amendments, purchases and appointments during its regular session, including minutes approvals, vendor payments, a groundwater board appointment, three proclamations related to victims and abuse awareness, and several vehicle and equipment purchases.

The court voted on motions to approve minutes and county financial statements, accept a board resignation and make an appointment to the Southeast Texas Groundwater Conservation District, authorize fireworks sales for a specified five-day period, adopt three resolutions from the county’s crime victim services program, and approve purchases and invoice payments funded from grant or budgeted lines.

The approvals allow county staff to pay invoices and complete planned procurements. They include a budget transfer to buy 32 mobile data terminals for the sheriff’s office using opioid settlement funds, payment of engineering and environmental invoices tied to local road and GLO-funded projects, and purchases of two SUVs for county use — one funded by a mental-health liaison grant and one for the county motor pool. The court also accepted a donation of a commercial cooler for the courthouse café.

Key votes and administrative actions at a glance (motions as recorded):

- Approve minutes of the March 11, 2025 regular and special meetings. Motion by Commissioner Young; second by Commissioner Cook. Outcome: motion passes.

- Accept and release the county treasurer’s listed liabilities and approve the cash statement presented by County Treasurer Deborah McWilliams. Motion by Commissioner Kirkendall; second by Commissioner Cooper. Outcome: motion passes.

- Authorize payment of county bills and transfers as presented by County Auditor Angela Gore (expenditures and transfers totaling $2,055,924.27; gross payroll $654,153.98). Motion by Commissioner Cook; second by Commissioner Young. Outcome: motion passes.

- Approve a plat variance and replat (Woodcrest Subdivision, Lots 5A/5B/6A/7A) requested by Calvin Gautier of S and C Builders LLC. Motion by Commissioner Cook; second by Commissioner Perfendahl. Outcome: motion passes.

- Accept resignation of Sam Ashworth from the Southeast Texas Groundwater Conservation District and appoint Paul Andrews to fill the remainder of the term ending 12/31/2027. Motion by Commissioner Young; second by Commissioner Kirkendall. Outcome: motion passes; appointment effective immediately.

- Adopt Resolution 10-25 proclaiming April as child abuse and (as recorded) “****** assault awareness month.” Motion by Commissioner Kuykendahl; second by Commissioner Young. Outcome: motion passes.

- Adopt Resolution 11-25 (recorded as proclaiming April to be “Start by Believing Day”). Motion by Commissioner Young; second by Commissioner Cook. Outcome: motion passes 4 to 1 (as recorded).

- Adopt Resolution 12-25 proclaiming the week of April 6–12, 2025 as Crime Victims Rights Week. Motion by Commissioner Young; second by Commissioner Cook. Outcome: motion passes.

- Authorize sale of retail fireworks for the Santa Center Day period beginning 04/16/2025 and ending 04/21/2025. Motion by Commissioner Kirkendall; second by Commissioner Cooper. Outcome: motion passes.

- Approve an internal budget transfer in the opioid settlement fund to purchase mobile data terminals and vehicle docking stations for the sheriff’s office: transfer $30,000 from medical supplies and $6,200 from equipment into minor equipment and supplies (total $36,200) to fund replacement mobile data terminals (32 units reported). Motion by Commissioner Young; second by Commissioner Cooper. Outcome: motion passes.

- Pay Hydrex Environmental invoice 24-662 in the amount of $2,500 for preparation and submission of environmental documentation tied to GLO contract number 20-065-147-C857 (Saratoga Road Improvements). Motion by Commissioner Kuykendahl; second by Commissioner Cook. Outcome: motion passes.

- Adopt Resolution 13-25 authorizing submission of one or more applications to the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program under disaster referenced in the transcript as “Doctor 47 81” and committing matching funds not to exceed 25% of accepted awards. Motion by Commissioner Young; second by Commissioner Cooper. Outcome: motion passes.

- Authorize the county judge to execute Amendment 5 to the interlocal cooperation contract with Spindletop Center for the Mental Health Liaison Program (to incorporate a vehicle into the grant budget). Motion by Commissioner KerkenDahl (recorded spelling); second by Commissioner Cooper. Outcome: motion passes.

- Approve purchase of a 02/2024 Ford Expedition (price recorded $61,926.20) for the Spindletop mental health liaison grant, procured through the BuyBoard cooperative purchasing program; invoice handled through Silverby Fleet/Lakeway Chevrolet as reported. Motion by Commissioner Kergendahl; second by Commissioner Cook. Outcome: motion passes.

- Approve purchase of a 02/2025 Chevrolet Traverse (price recorded $37,536.70) for assignment to the county motor pool; amend FY25 budget to create a BuyBoard fee line item and transfer $300. Motion by Commissioner Kuykendahl; second by Commissioner Cooper. Outcome: motion passes.

- Authorize Change Order No. 1 with Construction Managers of Southeast Texas for courthouse veil and renovations (ARPA-funded): net contract decrease of $1,950 (abatement and grout line adjustments). Motion by Commissioner [recorded motion]; second by Commissioner Cook. Outcome: motion passes.

- Pay invoice 2501030 in the amount of $10,244.50 to Levins Engineering and Design LLC for engineering services related to Cooks Lake Road drainage project (paid from the April 26 severe-weather storm engineering line). Motion by Commissioner Young; second by Commissioner Kuykendahl. Outcome: motion passes.

- Accept donation of a True Brindale DDM-26-LD cooler (serial number ending 8458503) from a Subway in Lumberton for use in the courthouse café. Motion by Commissioner Young; second by Commissioner Cook. Outcome: motion passes.

- Amend the County Attorney supplement budget: transfer $1,500 from miscellaneous and $1,300 from office supplies into a new travel/training line (total $2,800). Motion by Commissioner Kirkendall; second by Commissioner Cooper. Outcome: motion passes.

The court adjourned after approving these items.

Several motions and approvals were recorded by voice vote without a numerical roll call in the transcript; where the court recorded a numerical tally, it is noted above (Resolution 11-25 recorded as passing 4–1).