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Hardin County creates enterprise fund for courthouse café, directs property negotiations and ARPA spending
Summary
The Commissioners Court approved creation of an Enterprise Fund to operate a courthouse café with a $15,000 seed transfer, authorized the County Judge to negotiate purchase options for AgriLife Extension leased space and adjacent land, and agreed to allocate remaining ARPA funds including a $44,707.86 reimbursement for a January storm.
The Hardin County Commissioners Court on Dec. 10 voted to create an Enterprise Fund to operate an in-house Courthouse Café, authorize negotiations on property purchases related to the AgriLife Extension office, and to move remaining American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds toward eligible projects.
The court approved the Enterprise Fund budget and a transfer of $15,000 from General Fund contingency (010-401-800) to seed the enterprise (010-700-080). The measure authorizes the County Judge to order food, beverages, supplies and equipment as necessary and to employ part-time staff to operate the café. Commissioner Ernie Koch moved to create the fund; Commissioner Amanda Young seconded. The motion passed with unanimous support from Judge Wayne McDaniel and all commissioners.
The court also directed the County Judge to negotiate with Perry Andersen Properties LP to explore purchasing the leased space at 445 West Monroe that houses the AgriLife Extension office, and to explore buying about 20 acres of adjacent vacant land near the county-owned property at 440 West Monroe (the former Hardin County Hospital/Courthouse Annex). Commissioner Chris Kirkendall moved the direction; Commissioner Amanda Young seconded; the motion carried.
On ARPA spending, the court voted to use the remaining unallocated ARPA balance of $97,065.79 on one or more eligible projects. The court approved reimbursing the county $44,707.86 for the January storm (Aaron Tupper), with a firm reimbursement amount to be returned to the court at a later date and any remaining funds to be used for access control. Commissioner Chris Kirkendall moved the ARPA allocation; Commissioner Ernie Koch seconded; the court approved the direction.
Why it matters: the Enterprise Fund establishes a county-operated food-service function that will be funded and accounted for separately from the general fund; property negotiations and ARPA allocations may affect long-term county facilities planning and capital availability.
Next steps: the County Judge is authorized to negotiate purchase terms and to execute routine procurement for the café; the court will receive a follow-up with a firm reimbursement amount for the January storm and finalize ARPA allocations at a subsequent meeting.
