Cooke County commissioners approve proclamations, keep victim‑assistance pay as budgeted and set 35 mph on County Road 212

Cooke County Commissioners Court met in session and on the agenda approved two proclamations, kept the county’s victim assistance coordinator pay at the level previously set instead of authorizing a one‑year supplement from asset forfeiture funds, approved a 35 mph speed limit on County Road 212 in Precinct 2, and took several routine administrative actions including a budget transfer for EMS and authorization for quarterly Carter Blood Care drives in the library parking lot.

The court voted unanimously on a set of routine and contested items. After public proclamations honoring the 4‑H Youth Development Program and declaring October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month, the most contested discussion concerned a request from District Attorney John Warren to top up the salary of the county’s victim assistance coordinator after a grant that had funded part of the position expired.

Warren told the court that the coordinator, identified in the meeting as Cali, had lost roughly $20,000 in grant‑funded pay this year and that he had researched asset‑forfeiture law and was requesting permission to use $17,019 from the district attorney’s asset forfeiture account to restore salary for fiscal year 2026. “Cali does the work of two people,” Warren said, calling her a longtime employee and asking the court to make the position whole for one year while the office reapplies for grant funding.

Several commissioners objected to using forfeiture funds to augment a recurring salary on principle and as a matter of precedent. One commissioner said supplementing the position would “postpone the agony” of having to pick up the cost later and raised concerns about intra‑office pay equity if the supplement became expected. After extended discussion the court voted to leave the salary at the level the court set at its prior meeting rather than approve the requested supplement; the motion carried unanimously.

EMS appeared by Cooke County EMS Chief West Reed to request a $40,000 line‑item transfer from “extra help” to “collection expense” and a corresponding budget amendment; the court approved the transfer 5–0. Reed also sought guidance on timing for ordering a new ambulance and whether the county could order a remount now and, if later awarded a grant, reassign grant funds to a subsequently ordered new chassis. Staff reported that the vendor would allow the county to remain in line if it submitted an order now and later changed funding source if a grant were awarded; the court directed staff to proceed with ordering a remount and to use purchase‑order mechanisms so the county’s budget can be adjusted when grant results are known.

The court opened and closed a public hearing on reducing the speed limit on the full length of County Road 212 from FM 3164 to County Road 107 in Precinct 2, then approved a motion by Commissioner Snuggs, seconded by Commissioner Hart, to set the limit at 35 miles per hour. The motion passed unanimously.

Other administrative actions approved unanimously included: - Adoption of two proclamations: designation of National 4‑H Week and declaration of Domestic Violence Awareness Month; the judge read both proclamations and the court approved them by voice vote. - Approval of the consent agenda by single vote (no consent items were pulled for separate discussion). - Approval to allow Carter Blood Care to hold quarterly blood drives using the library parking lot without returning to court for each event. - A motion to share cost and labor as needed to repair a trench/long damage in the DPS parking lot using precinct road‑and‑bridge resources and materials; commissioners agreed to split cost and labor. - Approval of an Americans with Disabilities Act policy required for TxDOT grants and designation of the judge’s administrative assistant as the ADA coordinator/point of contact for county complaints, with the requirement that the coordinator monitor compliance and report as required by the policy.

The court recessed to an executive (closed) session; on return the court reported no action taken on matters discussed in closed session. The meeting adjourned at 11:37 a.m.

Votes at a glance - Proclamations (4‑H Week; Domestic Violence Awareness Month): motion to approve as read; second by Commissioner Arnn; voice vote; passed 5–0. - Consent agenda: motion by Commissioner Sikking to approve; second by Commissioner Snuggs; passed 5–0. - 2026 sheriff and constable fees (remain unchanged): motion to approve; passed 5–0. - EMS budget amendment — transfer $40,000 from extra help to collection expense and approve budget amendment: motion to approve; passed 5–0. - County Road 212 speed limit reduction to 35 mph: motion by Commissioner Snuggs; second by Commissioner Hart; passed 5–0. - District Attorney request to supplement victim assistance coordinator salary with $17,019 from asset forfeiture (FY26): Discussion; court voted to keep the salary at the previously set level (motion to leave as set), seconded by Commissioner Snuggs; passed 5–0 (no supplement approved). - Carter Blood Care quarterly blood drives in library parking lot: motion to approve; second by Commissioner Art; passed 5–0. - DPS parking lot trench repair — share cost/labor between precincts/road and bridge: motion to share cost; second by Commissioner Hallowell; passed 5–0. - ADA policy required for TxDOT grants and designation of county ADA coordinator (judge’s admin assistant): motion by Commissioner Hallowell; second by Commissioner Sikking; passed (voice vote; no roll call recorded).

Context and immediate implications The court’s decision not to use asset forfeiture funds to supplement the victim assistance coordinator’s salary preserves the county’s prior policy stance against supplementing ongoing salaries with temporary grant funds or forfeiture money. The EMS direction allows the county to place a remount order now to secure manufacturing queue position while retaining flexibility to apply grant funds later if awarded. The speed‑limit change responds to resident requests after recent paving and adjusts the default unposted county speed for that stretch.

Ending The court handled several routine operational items in a single session and deferred any payroll changes for the DA’s office pending future grant results. No final outcomes were reported from the closed executive session.