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Harrison County Commissioners approve routine finances, bank contract and $285,000 jail elevator upgrade
Summary
At the April 8 Commissioners Court meeting, officials approved line-item transfers, payment of bills, payroll, multiple contracts including a bank depository award and a business-associate agreement for OPEB valuation, a Motor Vehicle Crime Prevention Authority grant application and a budget amendment of approximately $285,000 for immediate jail elevator repairs.
Harrison County Commissioners on April 8 approved a slate of routine financial and administrative items and authorized a budget amendment to repair a courthouse jail elevator whose estimated cost rose during deliberations.
The court voted unanimously on several items: an $18,104.75 line-item transfer; payment of regular bills with a $30 correction (total $302,275.46); payroll for March 28, 2025; ratification of a $20,435.84 refund to the Texas Juvenile Justice Department; and a $16,000 (approx.) OPEB actuarial contract with Gabriel Rotor Smith and Company (GRS) for FY25–26.
Purchasing agent Darla Haines said one qualifying bid was received for RFP 2025-01 and recommended awarding the county depository and subdepository contract to Texas Bank and Trust; the court approved the award 5–0. The court also approved an interlocal animal shelter agreement with the city of Marshall, private road issuance orders No. 88 and No. 89, and a mining agreement with Brett Meisenheimer for clay and gravel to support county road work.
Grant and public-safety items: Lieutenant Hayes reported the county will apply for a Motor Vehicle Crime Prevention Authority grant of $112,250 (county match first year $22,450); the court approved submission of the resolution and application.
Jail elevator and budget amendment: Brad Thomas, county maintenance supervisor, explained repeated elevator failures and supplied an updated cost estimate that rose from $100–115,000 to approximately $285,000. The commissioners authorized the repair and approved a budget amendment to move funds from permanent-improvement reserves into the current budget; motion passed 5–0.
Financial snapshot: Auditor Charlene Haynes said the county's unaudited fund balance as of February 2025 was $45,028,884, with general fund collections of $22,849,170 and notable public-safety related expenditures driving some FY25 increases.
Votes at a glance (selected items, all votes recorded as shown): - Line-item transfers (approve transfer of $18,104.75): passed 5–0. - Payment of regular bills (corrected to $302,275.46): passed 5–0. - Payroll 03/28/2025: passed 5–0. - Refund to Texas Juvenile Justice Department ($20,435.84): ratified 5–0. - GRS OPEB actuarial services (approx. $16,000): approved 5–0. - Bank depository award to Texas Bank and Trust (RFP 2025-01): approved 5–0. - Animal shelter interlocal agreement with City of Marshall: approved 5–0. - Private Road Issuance Nos. 88 and 89: each approved 5–0. - Mining agreement with Brett Meisenheimer: approved 5–0. - MVCPA grant resolution and application ($112,250): approved 5–0. - Jail elevator upgrade and budget amendment (~$285,000): approved 5–0.
The court adjourned at 10:46 a.m. on April 8, 2025.
