Jefferson County commissioners approve contracts, home buyouts and correct tax‑abatement dates

Jefferson County Commissioners Court members voted Thursday to approve a series of purchasing contracts, electronic disbursements, personnel hires and a ministerial correction to a tax‑abatement agreement.

The court approved a package of purchasing actions that included an Invitation for Proposal for renovations at the Jefferson County Diversion Center (line item awards listed in the agenda) and amendments tied to construction work at Jack Brooks Regional Airport. County staff said the airport contractor exceeded the project schedule, so the county is extending construction‑administration services for roughly 109 days and increasing the Garver LLC contract by $70,000, from $317,400 to $387,400. A separate amendment adds on‑site resident project representative services and raises that line from $374,000 to $474,032; staff said those costs will be covered by liquidated damages assessed against the project contractor, Bristow LLC. "We did assess liquidated damages to Bristow," a county staff member said, adding that the net adjustment reduced the overall project by about $272,000 compared with earlier estimates.

The court also approved a change order with Central Square Technologies LLC to add training for a Naviline interface for $2,880, bringing that agreement to $200,110.07, and authorized disposal of county scrap metal property with proceeds to be returned to county funds.

Under the county auditor report the court authorized several electronic disbursements and wire transfers. The motions approved $2,136,236.66 to the state comptroller for an intergovernmental transfer tied to the Local Provider Participation Fund (hospital augmented reimbursement), $39,301.70 for an IGT related to an uncompensated care demonstration, and two GLO CDBG Hurricane Harvey home‑buyout wire transfers of $58,421.70 (5220 Roberts Road) and $289,564.97 (10015 Jason Court). A payment of $394,062.33 to LaSalle for inmate housing revenue and an American Rescue Plan Act advance funding request of $242,120 for seniors nutrition services were also listed. "This is the, they do a mandatory, payment based on their net patient revenue," Fran, a county staff member, said when asked whether the hospital funds were sourced from the hospital LPPF contributions. The court record shows the items passed by voice vote; no roll‑call tallies appear in the transcript.

The court approved personnel actions to hire Lester Wilson as chief deputy constable and Gloria Gonzales as deputy constable for Precinct 6. That motion was moved by Commissioner Alford and seconded by Commissioner Senegall and passed by voice vote.

On a separate agenda item the court opened and immediately closed a public hearing to correct a ministerial error in a previously approved tax‑abatement agreement with Energy Transfer Spindletop LLC; the amendment clarifies that construction for phases 1 and 2 must be completed and that construction on phase 3 must begin by Dec. 31, 2025. The body then voted to authorize the county judge to execute the amended agreement, which the clerk recorded as approved by voice vote.

The court also approved the Phase 2 MS4 annual report for drainage permit TXR440000 and authorized the county judge to execute and file the report.

Before adjourning to closed session, commissioners made community announcements — including a reminder to follow the Jefferson County Office of Emergency Management and sheriff's pages for TxDOT road closure reports and an election reminder for a Groves runoff — and then recessed into closed session.

Actions taken at the meeting were routine procurement approvals, grant‑funded home buyouts and administrative corrections; the transcript records approvals by voice vote without roll‑call counts. Further administrative follow‑up or execution of documents (county judge signature, contract amendments) was authorized where noted.