Hardin County commissioners approve routine financial measures, accept sexual-assault response team report and set Dec. 9 public hearing

Hardin County Commissioners Court met at 10:01 a.m. on Nov. 25, 2025 and approved routine minutes, budget and procurement items, accepted a multidisciplinary sexual-assault response team report required by state law, and set a Dec. 9 public hearing on a property-variance request.

The court voted to approve the minutes of the Nov. 18, 2025 special meeting and accepted a cash statement presented by County Treasurer Deborah McWilliams, who asked the court to “release me the liability of $2,098,144.06” and reported total cash funds of $19,086,870.04. The court also authorized payment of county bills after County Auditor Candice McKinney presented preapproved expenditures and payroll totals, including a grand total of payroll transfers of $2,285,950.89.

The court adopted Resolution 35-25 to cast 365 votes for listed candidates representing local school districts and approved Resolution 36-25 recognizing the week of Dec. 7, 2025 as “Tree of Angels” week at the request of Hardin County Victims Assistance Center leadership. Charles Marshall of the Southeast Texas Regional Planning Commission presented a draft 2026 address for commissioners to review.

On public-safety and records matters, the court approved a memorandum of understanding with Jefferson County requested by the sheriff’s office and accepted a required report from the county’s multidisciplinary response team on investigations of adult sexual assault for the period Aug. 2023 through July 31, 2025, submitted under section 351.257 of the Local Government Code. Lisa Brocker, identified in the transcript as director of the Hardin County Transitions Assistance Center, summarized collaboration with law enforcement, the district attorney’s office and victim-services providers and said the team will continue to seek improvements in mental-health counseling, medical examinations and victim compensation support. A commissioner asked whether data tie perpetrators to mental-health history; Brocker said she would research available statistics.

The court approved several procurement and contract items: authorization to solicit sealed bids for sale of old metal floors; renewal of a dietitian contract between Hardin County Health Services WIC and Michelle Miller (credentials listed in the transcript as “RDN LD IVCLC”) with a 5% increase to add lactation-consultant services; purchase of a 2025 Ford F-150 XLT for the adult probation department for $52,950 via cooperative purchasing; and sale of a 2023 Chevrolet assigned to adult probation for $32,500. The court also authorized contract THMAS-23-92001 with CoFile for preservation of civil dockets and minute books for $28,840.35, to be paid from the district preservation fund with 50% due on pickup and the balance at project completion.

On land-use items the court tabled consideration of a replat of 2.674 acres in Beaumont Colony Central after a county-attorney issue and directed staff to send required neighborhood notices. The court set a public hearing for Dec. 9 at 10 a.m. to receive comments on a variance request by J.L. Durell for 383 French Road in Longestown and instructed staff to send notice letters to neighboring properties.

Personnel and budget adjustments included a $1,000 FY26 budget transfer to move equipment-rental funds from the county attorney to the district attorney’s office to cover a printer/copier transfer, and approval of an updated epidemiology-manager job description after the health director said the state will assume full responsibility for infectious-disease investigations beginning Dec. 1, with county health services in a supporting role.

The court closed with an announcement inviting the public to the county’s annual Christmas tree lighting next Tuesday at 5 p.m. and disposed of the day’s business.