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Jones County commissioners approve property sales, excavator purchase and juvenile services contract; approve racial‑profiling reports and dispatch overtime
Summary
At its Feb. 23 meeting, the Jones County Commissioners Court approved several tax‑parcel sales, purchased a 2019 excavator for Precinct 3 using ARPA funds, approved a contract for juvenile residential services, adopted SB22 grant budget amendments and approved racial‑profiling reports for the constable and sheriff's office. Several infrastructure and solar project items were discussed with no action.
The Jones County Commissioners Court met Feb. 23, 2026, in regular session and approved a slate of routine and operational items, including multiple tax‑parcel sales, a heavy‑equipment purchase using federal relief funds, and a contract for juvenile residential services.
The court approved three bids for county tax parcels: Raveendranath Choutapalli’s $2,577 bid for R55961 (court costs $1,916.65); Alan Pitts’s $36,194 bid for R10880 (court costs $1,530.94); and Alan Pitts’s $25,879 bid for R25772. Commissioners also voted to rescind an earlier approval for a bid by Raveendranath Choutapalli on parcel R24720. Motions to approve these sales were entered by Commissioners Spalding, Vivian, and Collett at various points and were recorded as passing by the court.
On equipment, the court approved purchasing a used 2019 Caterpillar excavator for Precinct 3 from Warren Cat for $125,000.00. The purchase includes a 36‑inch bucket and thumb attachment and is to be paid from ARPA funds. Commissioner Collett moved the measure; Commissioner Vivian seconded and the motion passed unanimously among commissioners present.
Commissioners approved the purchase of a 2011 Ford F‑350 from Commissioner Roy Spalding for $8,000 to be used in Precinct 1, to be paid with ARPA funds. Commissioner Spalding abstained from that vote; other commissioners voted to approve the purchase.
The court approved a contract with Youth Opportunity Investments, LLC, doing business as Rockdale Youth Academy, to provide secure long‑term residential services for juvenile offenders. The contract was approved on a motion by Commissioner Vivian and second by Commissioner Spalding.
On budgeting and grants, the court approved two SB22 2026 budget amendments: one for a law enforcement grant and another for a county attorney grant. The minutes list the sponsoring motions and indicate both amendments passed; exhibits H and I are referenced for details.
The court also approved both the Jones County Constable and the Jones County Sheriff’s Office racial‑profiling reports as presented and approved paid overtime for dispatchers to cover open positions. The Treasurer’s report and payment of the county’s presented bills were approved during the session.
Several agenda items were discussed but not acted on, including a disaster declaration for DR 4416 and related FEMA and TDEM paperwork, multiple proposed solar project road‑use and easement agreements (Jones City Solar, Anson Solar Center 2, Tiger Solar, Funston Solar), a road improvement and crossing agreement with Lone Star Transmission LLC, and updates and procedural matters regarding the proposed Lancium LLC data center project and potential tax‑abatement procedures.
Duff Young filed a public participation form and the Extension Office submitted materials for the court’s review, according to the minutes. The court adjourned following a motion by Commissioner Spraberry and a second by Commissioner Spalding.
The minutes record motions, seconders and general vote outcomes but do not include verbatim discussion or direct quotes. Exhibits referenced in the minutes (A–L) are cited for supporting documents including bid details, vendor quotes and the submitted reports.
