Jack County commissioners approve consent agenda, authorize $10,000 hire and remove Guthrie Lane from 911; Oliver objects to radios purchase

The Jack County Commissioners Court on April 13 approved a series of consent and administrative items including a budget allowance for a part‑time hire, changes to 911 addressing and a letter supporting a historical marker at First United Methodist Church of Jacksboro.

County Judge Brian Keith Umphress moved to approve all accounts and claims submitted; the motion was seconded by Commissioner Henry Birdwell Jr. and the court recorded the action as passing (tally recorded as 4-0). Commissioner Gary Oliver said he did not support payment for the purchase of Motorola radios that were included in related paperwork. The record notes Oliver’s objection while the accounts-and-claims motion was approved.

The court then considered the consent agenda, which listed approval of the March 23 minutes; acceptance of tax assessor/collector reports for March 2026; reception of the judge’s continuing education certificates; approval of 911 addressing for Stone Oak Preserve Lane, High Mesa Lane, Saddle Creek Lane and Preserve Ranch Lane; proclamations recognizing April as Child Abuse Awareness Month and STOMP (item f, the STOMP proclamation, was removed from the consent agenda to be heard at a later meeting); acceptance of revised resolutions for Criminal Justice and Homeland Security grants; addition of Real Vision Imaging to i3Verticals for the Justice of the Peace office; a budget amendment related to Motorola radios for the sheriff’s office; acceptance of extension activity and travel reports; and an engagement letter with MWH Group, P.C.

Judge Umphress moved to approve the consent agenda with item (f) deferred; the motion was seconded by Commissioner Henry Birdwell Jr. The transcript records that Commissioner Gary Oliver voted against the consent-agenda motion; the clerk’s note in the minutes includes an inconsistent parenthetical marking, but the court record shows the consent agenda passed with Oliver opposing the motion (tally recorded in the minutes as 3-1). The deferred item (f) will be placed on a future agenda.

Other actions taken in the meeting included a motion by Commissioner Terry Ward, seconded by Commissioner Gary Oliver, to provide a letter of support to the Texas Historical Commission for a marker and medallion at First United Methodist Church of Jacksboro; that motion passed, recorded as 4-0. Commissioner Ward also moved to remove Guthrie Lane from 911 addressing; Judge Umphress seconded and the motion passed 4-0. Judge Umphress moved to allow $10,000 for hiring a part‑time position in the Tax Assessor‑Collector’s office; Commissioner Ward seconded and the motion passed 4-0.

A motion by Commissioner Ward to approve the purchase of a new CAD (computer-aided dispatch) software system for the sheriff’s office was made but died for lack of a second and was tabled; no purchase was approved.

Public input included a public‑forum presentation by Jason Johnson on behalf of the Jacksboro Education Foundation describing the organization’s work to support Jacksboro ISD students. Department heads provided informational reports: Sheriff T‑Bob Hauger discussed an upcoming legislative meeting; Macaul Johnson summarized recent grant meetings and public-records activity; Justice of the Peace Jessica Bailey reported on cases. No formal actions were taken on those reports.

The court adjourned at 1:01 p.m.

What’s next: The STOMP proclamation (item f) was deferred to the next meeting; the CAD software purchase remains tabled pending further action.