November 10, 2020 Hood County Commissioners' Court

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The Hood County Commissioners' Court met on November 10, 2020, and approved routine matters including the consent agenda, invoice payments totaling over $606,000, and a $159,861.86 unclaimed property deposit from the Texas comptroller. The court authorized several agreements and contracts, including federal election security funding, a voter registration digitization project, and an emergency management memorandum with Lapan ISD, while approving a free cybersecurity assessment by the Department of Homeland Security. The court also addressed personnel and operational matters, such as cancelling an employee luncheon in favor of virtual gift card drawings and revising the county safety handbook. A proposed game room regulations ordinance failed to achieve the required three votes for approval, and commissioners voted to initiate notice procedures for a tax abatement reinvestment zone related to the West Camp Solar Project.

• Call to order and invocationsThe meeting was called to order at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, November 10, 2020, in the Hood County District Justice Center. After the scheduled pastor was unavailable, a county official delivered the invocation and led the pledges of allegiance.
• Hood County employee luncheon cancellation and alternative plansThe planned November 19 employee luncheon was cancelled due to health and safety concerns, but virtual gift card drawings will proceed with prize distributions to staff.
• Consent agenda approvalThe consent agenda was approved without objection by commissioners.
• Fiscal year 2020 and 2021 invoice paymentsThe auditor's office reviewed and recommended payment of invoices totaling $18,840.30 for FY 2020 and $588,032.40 for FY 2021.
• Hood County accident prevention plan and safety handbook revisionThe safety committee completed a revision of the Hood County safety handbook, which had not been updated in approximately 10 years. The new accident prevention plan and policies document will replace the outdated handbook.
• Texas comptroller unclaimed property check depositThe county received a $159,861.86 check from the Texas comptroller for unclaimed property and approved its deposit into Fund 55.
• 2020 Help America Vote Act election security subgrant authorizationThe county approved authorization for the county judge to e-sign the 2020 HAVA election security subgrant agreement providing up to $120,000 in federal funds with a required 20% local match of $16,000 (on $80,000 base).
• District attorney office cell phone devicesTwo cell phones requested for newly hired district attorney staff were found to be unnecessary as the county already had two unused existing lines with available devices.
• Homeland Security CISA vulnerability and risk assessmentThe county approved a free security assessment by the Department of Homeland Security Cyber Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) scheduled for Friday to evaluate county computer systems.
• Voter registration digital conversion contract authorizationThe county authorized the county judge to sign a contract with DataBank for conversion of paper voter registration files to digital format, funded by 2018 HAVA subgrant state match and cybersecurity grant funds.
• Justice Benefits Inc. contract authorization for ad litem fee recoveryThe county approved a contract with Justice Benefits Inc. to investigate and report employee compensation and ad litem fees for CPS cases, enabling recovery of 78% of qualifying revenues.
• Regional aging advisory committee re-nominationTrish Reiner was re-nominated to serve a second three-year term (2021–2023) on the Council of Governments regional aging advisory committee.
• Memorandum of understanding with Lapan ISD for emergency management servicesHood County approved a memorandum of understanding with Lapan Independent School District for emergency management services coordination, required by the Texas School Safety Center for audit compliance.
• Hood County game room regulations ordinance tablingSheriff's office presented proposed game room regulations ordinance to address illegal gambling and associated criminal activity but requested tabling pending commissioner review of the new document.
• Hood County Game Room Regulations—Motion and DiscussionCommissioners debated approval of a comprehensive game room ordinance that had been developed with Tarrant County and the Sheriff's Office.
• Hood County Game Room Regulations—Vote and ResultThe motion to approve the game room regulations failed to achieve the required three votes.
• West Camp Solar Project—Executive Session and Reinvestment Zone MotionCommissioners reconvened from executive session and voted to initiate notice procedures for a tax abatement reinvestment zone related to the West Camp Solar Project.