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Grimes County department heads report: 9-1-1 addressing, solid waste work, veterans services and emergency management updates
Summary
Department heads gave monthly reports covering 9-1-1/GIS addressing and permitting, solid waste and cleanup plans, veteran services caseload and training, and emergency management grant updates and radio-shelter damage.
Grimes County department heads delivered monthly reports at a Commissioners Court meeting in April 2025 covering 9-1-1 addressing, solid waste operations, child-welfare payment transitions, veteran services, and emergency management preparedness.
Why it matters: The reports provide operational detail on public-safety addressing, environmental permitting and solid-waste services, veteran benefit assistance and county emergency planning ahead of hurricane season. Several items require follow-up or funding decisions: a damaged radio shelter used for county radio equipment, continuing reimbursement work on flood and hurricane grants, and scheduled community cleanup events.
Highlights from department reports - Veterans services: Jay Lafferty, Grimes County veteran service officer, said his office handled 13 in-person veteran visits and 18 phone contacts in March and described services as primarily claims assistance: "the main thing that we do is assist veterans with their claims and their dependents with their parts of the claims or service connected disabilities," he told the court. Lafferty also attended annual training and noted availability of resources for veterans involving benefits and appeals.
- 9-1-1 / GIS and Environmental: Kathleen (Kat) reported 208 new addresses assigned since Jan. 1 and 82 citizen address requests; she said the county has opened 81 new on-site sewage facility (OSSF) permits and completed 71 inspections through March. Solid-waste work included sign repairs and camera installation at Whitehall and other sites; the county has scheduled tire and bulky-waste cleanup events for May 17 at multiple sites.
- Emergency Management: newly installed Emergency Management Coordinator Dionne Bumpas described ongoing work to complete April and May flood reimbursements and Hurricane Burrell grants, and said she submitted a grant request for radios for emergency coordinators and constables offices. Bumpas reported the countys radio shelter in Anderson has extensive water and wall damage and "the entire floor needs to be replaced," creating a priority repair she will return to the court with quotes and bids. She also noted a hurricane preparedness workshop scheduled for that evening and upcoming trainings and exercises.
- Facilities and construction: Facilities Director Rodney Floyd said construction and interior work on the Justice Center addition is progressing toward a projected completion in June; he noted a planned four-hour power outage to install a new 600-volt breaker that will not affect the jail's power supply.
Ending: County leaders encouraged residents to use scheduled cleanup events and to report illegal dumping (including tire dumping) with license-plate information for enforcement. Emergency Management and Facilities committed to return with repair bids for the radio shelter and to keep the court updated on grant reimbursements and hurricane-preparedness outreach.
