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Brewster County commissioners approve road rename, VA license, $10,000 sheriff grant and tourism gratuity policy
Summary
At its July 9 meeting, the Brewster County Commissioners Court approved renaming a privately owned road to Horned Toad Hill, granted a revocable license to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs El Paso Vet Center for office use, ratified a $10,000 Yarborough Foundation grant for sheriff's tires, and adopted a tourism gratuity reimbursement policy; several routine bills were also approved with vendor-specific recusals noted.
Brewster County Commissioners Court met July 9, 2024, in Alpine and approved a set of routine and programmatic items, including a roadway name change, a revocable license for veterans services, a $10,000 grant for sheriff's vehicle tires and a tourism gratuity reimbursement policy.
Judge Greg P. Henington called the meeting to order at 9:31 a.m. and led opening formalities. He presented the June 25, 2024 minutes; Commissioner Ruben Ortega moved to approve them and Commissioner Sara Allen Colando seconded. The motion passed unanimously.
Kayse Muratori, the county 9-1-1 GIS coordinator, asked the court to rename a privately owned roadway listed in the 9-1-1 MSAG database as "Humate Road" (between Gate 2 Road and Ice Cream Mountain Loop) to "Horned Toad Hill" to prevent confusion with access to the Humate Mine. Judge Henington moved to approve the change; Commissioner Ortega seconded and the motion passed 5-0.
The court approved a revocable license allowing the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs El Paso Vet Center to use Brewster County office facilities identified in the agenda as "707" for counseling and other veteran services. Commissioner Ortega moved to approve the license; Commissioner Mo Morrow seconded, and the motion carried 5-0.
Judge Henington presented ratification of a $10,000 grant agreement from The Yarborough Foundation to purchase tires for the Sheriff's Department. Commissioner Morrow moved to ratify the grant, Commissioner Ortega seconded, and the motion passed 5-0.
Assistant Auditor Paty Seanz presented the general bills and walk-ins. The court approved the bills after a motion by Commissioner Ortega and a second by Commissioner Colando. The transcript records two vendor-specific recusals: Commissioner Ortega abstained on matters relating to Pinnacle Propane and Commissioner Westermann abstained on matters relating to Branding West; the court otherwise approved the bills as presented.
Robert Alvarez, executive director of Brewster County Tourism, gave a general update on travel shows, marketing and visitation. He and Judge Henington presented a proposed gratuity reimbursement policy for small-group tourism activities; Commissioner Morrow moved to adopt the policy, Commissioner Ortega seconded, and the motion passed 5-0.
Superintendent Frenchie Causey presented the Road & Bridge Department report; no permits or contracts were approved during the item. The court also noted that the jail generator project is complete and that the county cybersecurity project is in Phase 1.
The meeting record notes the absence of Emergency Management Coordinator James Etchinson due to training. The court read the statutory notice for a possible executive session under Chapter 551, Government Code of Texas, scheduled its next regular meeting for July 23, 2024 at 9:30 a.m., and adjourned at 10:16 a.m.
The court recognized Superintendent Frenchie Causey's upcoming retirement and commended the Brewster County Sheriff's Department for apprehending a suspected arsonist; no further official action on those recognitions was recorded.
