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Lavaca County approves $322,007.63 in SB 22 funds for sheriff's equipment, approves routine county business
Summary
Lavaca County Commissioners on June 24 authorized $322,007.63 in Senate Bill 22 grant purchases for the sheriff's office's tasers, body and in-car cameras, and two Ford trucks, and approved routine personnel and lease matters during a short meeting.
Lavaca County Commissioners voted June 24 to spend $322,007.63 in Senate Bill 22 law-enforcement salary assistance funds on equipment and vehicles for the sheriff's office, the county's judge said.
Chief J.R. Peters told the court the grant permits raises or purchases of safety equipment; he proposed replacing decade-old TASER units, upgrading body and in-car cameras and purchasing two Ford F-150 trucks and the installation labor. "In reference to SB 22... it is allowable in the grant to purchase... to use the money to give raises or purchase safety equipment for the employees," Peters said.
The judge said the county adjusted salaries last summer to meet SB 22 eligibility and remains in a budget cycle with additional salary requests expected. "We had to adjust our salaries accordingly, which we did last summer," the judge said, adding that equipment purchases would help bring the sheriff's department up to speed.
The motion approved by the court itemized the purchases as read into the record: installation labor to outfit 12 in-car cameras (listed as $10,600), replacement TASER units (listed as $73,743.81), body and in-car camera equipment and deployment (listed as $136,426), and two 2023 Ford F-150 XL trucks (listed as $101,993.50), for a total the court recorded as $322,007.63 and 31¢. Chief Peters described the proposed body-camera model change from the older EL400 system to an EL5 deployment with longer warranties and larger storage and said Victoria Communications would perform installation while equipment would be purchased through Motorola.
Commissioners also handled several routine items in a short agenda. The court approved a bond for George Sierra as a transport deputy for the sheriff's office; designated Deborah Shevshik, the county tax assessor-collector, to calculate the 2024 no-new-revenue and voter-approval tax rates; and approved a previously tabled lease agreement between Lavaca County and Matrix Petroleum for about one acre of land. The court acknowledged Gov. Greg Abbott's proclamation declaring a state of disaster for listed counties due to Tropical Storm Alberto; commissioners said they had seen limited local damage but would log incidents if found.
Votes at a glance - Bond for George Sierra (transport deputy): motion made by Precinct 1, second Precinct 2; outcome: approved by voice vote. - Designate tax assessor-collector (Deborah Shevshik) to calculate 2024 tax rates: motion made by Precinct 1, second Precinct 2; outcome: approved by voice vote. - Lease agreement with Matrix Petroleum (~1 acre): motion made by Precinct 3, second Precinct 4; outcome: approved by voice vote. - Acknowledge Gov. Abbott disaster proclamation: motion made by Precinct 1, second Precinct 2; outcome: approved by voice vote. - SB 22 purchase orders (equipment, installation, two trucks): motion made by Precinct 3, second Precinct 4; outcome: approved by voice vote.
The court moved through a consent agenda and adjourned; the next meeting was scheduled for July 8.
