Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Budget And Public Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Parmer County approves fire-department payouts, bonds Friona subcontractor and signs two law-enforcement MOUs
Summary
The commissioners approved accounts payable, finalized payments to five volunteer fire departments totaling allocations by call volume, approved a bond to allow the City of Friona to act as tax-collection subcontractor, and authorized MOUs with the City of Farwell and the 27th Special Operations Wing at Cannon AFB.
Parmer County Commissioners Court approved routine financial disbursements and two memoranda of understanding affecting county public safety during its Dec. 9 meeting.
The court approved payment of accounts payable as presented by County Treasurer Sharon May. It also reviewed fire-call reports for Farwell (58 calls), Friona (64), Bovina (17), Lazbuddie (26) and Rhea-Hollene (3) and approved payouts by percentage: Farwell $13,809.53; Friona $15,238.09; Bovina $4,047.62; Lazbuddie $6,190.47; Rhea $714.29 (total calls = 168). Commissioners agreed the treasurer will distribute a standard reporting form for next year and that departments not using the approved form will forfeit payment.
The court approved bonding the City of Friona so it can serve as a subcontractor for the tax assessor-collector, replacing the Friona Chamber of Commerce and allowing the city to offer tax-collection services Monday–Friday rather than limited days previously.
On law-enforcement cooperation, Sheriff Eric Geske told the court the City of Farwell requested an agreement similar to one previously used with Friona to provide sheriff-department coverage when the city is short-staffed. The approved MOU calls for coverage every other weekend, from Friday at 5:00 p.m. to Monday at 8:00 a.m., at $55 per hour while the city is staffed only by its chief of police.
The court also approved an MOU with the 27th Special Operations Wing at Cannon Air Force Base to allow cooperative responses and training, including active-shooter exercises and chemical, radiological, nuclear and explosive training; it also permits the county to use CAFB military working dogs for explosives or drug detection. The sheriff noted the county jail held 24 inmates, 11 of whom were from Lamb County.
Judge Carrasco praised juvenile-probation staff after learning the juvenile-probation allocation had $36,303.16 remaining and that amount was returned to the county general account. With those items concluded, the court adjourned at 12:40 p.m.
