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Midland County approves TAG‑funded surveillance system, accepts donated digital analyzer and a $500,000 grant for mobile command center
Summary
The commissioners approved several public‑safety purchases paid from Technology and Growth (TAG) funds, accepted a donated MX908 digital drug analyzer from the San Antonio Police Department and accepted a $500,000 Scarborough Foundation grant to buy a mobile command center.
The Midland County Commissioners Court on April 21 approved several public‑safety purchases and accepted a major private grant for sheriff’s office equipment.
Philip Parton, administrator with the Texas Anti‑Gang Center Permian Basin, told the court a Point Blank surveillance platform would be purchased “100% with TAG funds. No county funds are required.” The court approved the purchase by voice vote. The purchase amount recorded in the meeting packet was $222,442.48.
Parton also described an MX908 digital drug analyzer the city of San Antonio offered to transfer to the sheriff’s office. “It’s a digital drug analyzer that will do analysis of unknown items to a greater degree of accuracy than anything we’ve had before,” he said, noting the devices cost about $93,000 when purchased new. The court voted to accept the memorandum of understanding with San Antonio authorizing the transfer.
Lieutenant Hill with the sheriff’s administration explained a $500,000 donation from the Scarborough Foundation for a mobile command center. “Mobile command center will be used for any sort of… mass casualty event, any big deal if we’ve got protests, things like that,” Hill said, describing uses that include large crime‑scene coordination and sheltering personnel from weather. Hill told commissioners the total vehicle cost had been estimated higher in earlier planning and that staff will pursue additional grants or donations to close an approximately $270,000 funding gap.
The court also approved buying an equipment van to house TAG equipment and approved the jail’s request to purchase mattresses (estimated cost between $50,000 and $100,000) after Rebecca Thompson, a lieutenant at the jail, said the purchase was budgeted for the new jail.
All motions on the public‑safety items passed by voice vote. The court did not record roll‑call tallies in the public minutes included with the transcript.
Next steps: staff will finalize procurement documents, accept the MX908 under the signed MOU, and continue seeking additional funding sources for the mobile command center.
