Lavaca County approves CDBG‑MIT signatories, related contract amendments and road funding steps; multiple routine items passed

County Judge Wayne Mudd and the Lavaca County Commissioners on May 12 approved county designations and contract amendments tied to a Community Development Block Grant Mitigation (CDBG‑MIT) program from the Texas General Land Office (GLO), advanced steps for several county road projects and passed a set of routine county business items.

The court voted to designate authorized county signatories for the GLO CDBG‑MIT contract (Contract No. 24‑065‑129‑E987) and to adopt the civil‑rights policies required for administering the grant. Commissioners also approved Amendment No. 1 to the county's grant administration services contract and Amendment No. 1 to the engineering services contract tied to the same GLO CDBG‑MIT program.

Why it matters: The GLO grant will fund road work identified by county staff as priorities and requires the county to document low‑to‑moderate‑income (LMI) eligibility and follow federal civil‑rights and procurement requirements. Judge Mudd told the court the funds are tied to recovery from Tropical Storm Harvey and said the grant process has been slow and bureaucratic but that the county secured additional funding after prolonged advocacy.

Key details

- Grant and projects: The county and its consultants are preparing surveys, environmental reviews and engineering work required by GLO before construction can start. Judge Mudd and other commissioners named County Road 1, County Road 211, County Road 3902/392 and County Road 461 as roads slated to receive funding under the program.

- Contract amendments: Commissioners approved Amendment No. 1 to the grant administration contract and Amendment No. 1 to the engineering contract for the CDBG‑MIT program, authorizing staff to proceed with administrative and engineering tasks needed to move design and bidding forward.

- Funding and timing: The court heard repeated cautions that federal processes and delays can affect project budgets and that bid prices from two years ago may not cover current material costs. Judge Mudd said the county will "go as far as we can" with available funds and must rely on survey and environmental work before construction.

- Oil and gas revenue for roads: The court approved applying oil‑and‑gas and miscellaneous permits revenue from the general fund toward each precinct's road repair account so permit revenues can be used to repair permit‑related road damage. County staff said this is a bookkeeping cleanup to ensure funds are available to fix roads damaged by permitted operations.

Routine land matters and other votes

The court approved multiple routine land and subdivision items, including certificates of exemption from subdivision requirements for individual property transfers and small tracts, disposition of a 0.65‑acre tract formerly identified as County Road 391D in Sweet Home, and a temporary extension on deadlines for concrete and labor projects on local county roads. A larger Reininger Family Living Trust subdivision application (423 acres into seven lots) was tabled pending clarification of private easements and attorney review.

Process and next steps

County staff and the court repeatedly emphasized that GLO requirements — including surveying, LMI documentation and environmental reviews — must be satisfied before construction. The court also authorized the County Judge and other signatories to execute the grant paperwork and instructed staff and contractors to coordinate the surveys and bidding so work can proceed when the grant conditions are met.

Votes at a glance (motions approved unless noted)

- Proclamation: Designate the City of Hallettsville a "tourism friendly community" (motion: Precinct 4; second: Precinct 3) — approved.

- Acknowledge Governor Greg Abbott's proclamation renewing the disaster proclamation concerning border security (motion: Precinct 2; second: Precinct 1) — approved.

- Approve bond for Dalton Lee, patrol deputy, Lavaca County Sheriff's Office (motion: Precinct 1; second: Precinct 2) — approved.

- Approve road closures for Sweet Home Fireman's Fest, May 16'May 17 (County Roads 391378C, 391E, 397) (motion: Precinct 3; second: Precinct 1) — approved.

- Disposition of real property (County Road 391D; 0.65 acre tract, Sweet Home) (motion: Precinct 3; second: Precinct not specified in transcript) — approved.

- Extend deadline for concrete and labor projects on local county roads in Precincts 1 and 3 to May 21, 2025 (motion: Precinct 3; second: Precinct 1) — approved.

- Certificate of exemption from subdivision requirements: Ryan Pope (motion: Precinct 3; second: Precinct 4) — approved.

- Certificate of exemption from subdivision requirements: Elizabeth Allen (motion: Precinct 1; second: Precinct 2) — approved.

- Certificate of exemption from subdivision requirements: Donald and Ruth Muir (motion: Precinct 1; second: Precinct 2) — approved.

- Certificate of exemption from subdivision requirements: Jeffrey Elliot Minkins (motion: Precinct 1; second: Precinct 3) — approved.

- Reininger Family Living Trust subdivision application (423 acres into seven lots) and private road use agreement — TABLED for attorney clarification and easement review (motion to table: Precinct 1; second: Precinct 3).

- Resolution: Designate authorized signatories for GLO CDBG‑MIT contract No. 24‑065‑129‑E987 (motion: Precinct 4; second: Precinct 3) — approved.

- Resolution: Adopt civil‑rights policies for GLO CDBG‑MIT (motion: Precinct 4; second: Precinct 3) — approved.

- Proclamation: Declare June as Lavaca County Fair Housing Month (motion: Precinct 3; second: Precinct 4) — approved.

- Amendment No. 1, Grant Administration Services contract (CDBG‑MIT) (motion: Precinct 2; second: Precinct 1) — approved.

- Amendment No. 1, Engineering Services contract (CDBG‑MIT) (motion: Precinct 2; second: Precinct 1) — approved.

- Apply oil & gas and miscellaneous permits revenue to precinct FMR revenue accounts for road reimbursement (motion: Precinct 2; second: Precinct 1) — approved.

- Acknowledge proclamation: Emergency Medical Services Week (May 18'May 24, 2025) (motion: Precinct 3; second: Precinct 4) — approved.

- Consent agenda (routine items as listed on meeting packet) (motion: Precinct 4; second: Precinct 3) — approved.

What commissioners said

Judge Mudd described the grant money as leftover Harvey recovery funds and acknowledged long delays. He told the court the county must meet federal requirements and that "we're gonna go as far as we can" with available funds while surveys and environmental work are completed. Commissioners repeatedly urged staff and contractors to keep momentum on surveys and cautioned that older bid prices may not cover current costs.

Ending

The court closed the business portion of the meeting after a short executive session and set the next meeting for May 27, 2025 (rescheduled for the Memorial Day week). Several county staff and contractors will continue working on surveys, LMI documentation and grant administration steps required by the GLO before construction can begin.