Grimes County court issues letter of intent for two ambulances, approves DPS interlocal contracts and several operational expenditures

Grimes County Commissioners Court on Wednesday approved a letter of intent to purchase two ambulances, authorized interlocal agreements with the Texas Department of Public Safety and approved multiple administrative items including funding for an IT server for the county’s new Justice Annex and the closure of a portion of County Road 413.

The court voted 4–0 with one abstention to issue a letter of intent for two ambulances as part of an ongoing discussion with St. Joseph EMS about replacing an aging fleet. During the meeting a St. Joseph representative said the price for a new ambulance is about $450,000 each.

The purchase discussion centered on timing, financing and a new state grant program. County and hospital officials discussed House Bill 3000, a recently enacted state program that will provide up to $350,000 per qualified county toward rural ambulance purchases, but commissioners were warned the statute limits one county award per rural ambulance provider each fiscal year. County officials said that even if the county receives the grant it would still face a gap and likely need to provide additional subsidy to sustain local ambulance service.

Why it matters: The county’s ambulances average about a decade of service and local officials said gradual replacement and a long-term subsidy plan will be required to keep services running. Commissioners asked staff to pursue placement on the manufacturer’s waiting list and to consider replacement pacing as part of upcoming budget discussions.

The court also approved two interlocal cooperation contracts with the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) that formalize the working relationship between DPS troopers and Grimes County for an administrative position and for the use of county office space. Both agreements had been drafted by DPS and reviewed by the county attorney. Commissioners discussed the need for a third, separate agreement to clarify the employment and reporting arrangement for a county-provided driver’s license clerk; staff said a short supplemental agreement or a revision to the current documents would be prepared and returned to the court.

IT and facilities actions: The court authorized…