The Cochran County Commissioners Court met Thursday morning, addressing connectivity issues, taking inventory of two new EMS ambulances and receiving a safety award on behalf of the county.
With the general election slated for May, a pressing issue regarding internet connectivity in the activity building was visited multiple times during the meeting in hopes of solving the issue quickly.
Originally having internet connection thanks to a device located on the roof of the courthouse, the device was discovered broken after a severe dust storm two months ago.
Looking into solving the issue by replacing the device had been explained as difficult. It was further explained that the device that was needed to be replaced was on backorder from their service provider and from the actual company that builds the device.
Not knowing when or if it was even possible to get the device in before it was time for the election, the court and individuals from the elections office discussed their options.
After lengthy discussion it was determined that hard wiring the activity center would be the most reliable solution that would not be temporary.
The item was revisited once quotes were gathered from Windstream as there will be a cost for the process in addition to a monthly fee.
Commissioners in attendance were Timothy Robers, Eric Silhan and Reynaldo Morin and all three voted to move forward with addressing the internet issue with Windstream to hard-wire the activity building.
A representative from Frontier Ambulance Corporation spoke to the court about the two new EMS ambulances Morton and Cochran County took in last week.
With the aid of the Court, Frontier Ambulance and John Schmidt, the group began the process to acquire the two new ambulances in June of 2020.
Going through a FAST Grant offered by the Texas Agriculture Commission, the county ranked seventh among the applicants and approval was delayed until additional funds became available in July of 2021.
The grant was funded for $497,653 which included two F550 Type One units.
However, it was explained that Covid-19 impacted factory closures, supply shortages, and cost overrides which delayed the process until late 2022.
Finally receiving the units March 21, the ambulances are scheduled to serve Cochran County immediately.
Continuing with agenda items, the Texas Association of Counties Risk Management Pool Services had four representatives speak to the council and the individuals in attendance.
Offering services for counties throughout the state of Texas, each representative explained their specific roles and how they help different aspects of counties.
Ranging from cyber security, HR, IT and law enforcement, trainings and guidence in each respective field are offered.
Continuing with their presentation, the group stressed the importance of being prepared for unexpected issues and their services can provide preparation.
The TAC group also presented the court with a banner and plaque as they were awarded Cochran County the 2022 Safety Achievement Award.
A topic of discussion that took a considerable amount of time during the meeting was monthly pay being an issue in regard to bringing in new applicants for the Cochran County Sheriff’s Office.
Sheriff Jorge De La Cruz discussed the issue with the court as hiring in the law enforcement field has been a struggle for agencies across the state.
De La Cruz explained that shifting to bi-monthly or weekly could entice more applications and generate more interest in staying on.
Commissioner Silhan pushed back on the topic explaining that it would not change much in regard to pay and is more of a personal responsibility issue as the individual hired should budget properly Both points were re-iterated several times through the discussion.
In regard to adjusting the timing of pay, it was determined that it would have to be changed for all county employees.
It was also mentioned that a lot of adjustment would be needed as well as new software to accommodate the changes.
The way the commissioners meetings would need to be adjusted as they are required to approve all monthly bills and claims.
The TAC individuals in attendance also offered their insight as pay and timing of pay is one of their topics they handle.
The individuals shared that most counties they work with are at least on a bi-monthly schedule or something similar.
De La Cruz explained that he understood that any decision would take time and that he would like to see change down the road.
County Judge Pat Henry encouraged the court to table the item to allow for the county to gain more information on what it would take to make the change.
The court agreed to table the item. Silhan also suggested revisiting the topic during budget talks as it would allow a recent senate bill that could offer law enforcement agencies additional funding to be settled if passed around that time.