Commissioners May Delay Reappointment Of ESD No. 2 Board
By ADRIENNE GRAHAM
Staff Writer
Smith County commissioners may delay reappointing members of the Emergency Services District No. 2 board, pending a budgetary presentation from board members later this month.
The board members’ terms officially expired Dec. 31, and all five members are up for re-appointment. But commissioners want to hear more about the board’s long- and short-term plans for the district’s nearly $4 million budget before making those re-appointments.
“I have requested that the ESD No. 2 board make a presentation to the Commissioners Court on Jan. 14 and to provide a written status report of the ESD No. 2 plan and timeline to implement budgetary procedures and accountability measures,” Commissioner JoAnn Fleming said.
She understands that both the district and the board are now, she said.
“Long-range planning for training and capital investments in equipment and facilities takes time, but a status report regarding both district-wide and fire department-level budgetary and operational guidelines to match money with mission is needed,” she said.
The entity has a budget of $3.97 million for fiscal year 2007-08, from which $322,271 has been set aside to fund each of the 11 volunteer fire departments including Arp VFD, Bullard VFD, Chapel Hill VFD, Dixie VFD, Flint-Gresham VFD, Jackson Heights VFD, Noonday VFD, Red Springs VFD, Troup VFD, Whitehouse VFD and Winona VFD.
The five-member board, which includes chair Jim Carlyle, Teresa Campbell, Orvice Rozell, Alan Adams and Sara Maynard, was appointed by commissioners in 2007.
Mrs. Fleming said it’s the court’s duty to provide some oversight, because the board is appointed, not elected.
“The size of the very first budget and tax rate shocked a lot of people,” Mrs. Fleming said. “During the campaign to build voter support for formation of the district, those speaking in support frequently used a tax rate of 3 to 5 cents (per $100 in property valuation) as an estimate of how much it would cost taxpayers.”
But the board set the tax rate at 8.5 cents per $100 in valuation.
“And since then, comments regarding spending, and the initial reluctance to comply with a recent Open Records request for invoices raised some eyebrows, including mine,” Mrs. Fleming said.
Board member Teresa Campbell did comply with that request, which was made by the Tyler Morning Telegraph.
Still, it’s best to confront such issues up front, Mrs. Fleming contends.
“While I very much appreciate the willingness of everyone to volunteer for such responsibility, it is time that we all get on the same page when it comes to transparency and accountability,” she says.
Mrs. Fleming will likely request the court put off those re-appointments until after the Jan. 14 Commissioners Court meeting.
Commissioners are not scheduled to address the issue of the county’s contract with the Humane Society of East Texas on Monday.
Commissioners meet at 9 a.m. on the first floor of the Smith County Courthouse Annex, 200 E. Ferguson St.
Other items to be considered for approval on Monday include:
Payment of bills and payroll, transfers of funds, health claims and budget transfers.
Utility and pipe line installation requests.
Easements.
A presentation from PATH on the Homeless Coalition and the Balance of State Continuum of Care program.
Commitment letter to act as a service provider for that program.
Treasurer/auditor report for December.
Minutes and tapes for December.
Granting Purchasing Director Kelli Davis authority to sign equipment rental agreements.
Securities.
Changes to the qualifying criteria for indigent health care.
A report on property tax collections.
Commissioners will hold executive sessions on some legal matters, including their contract with HGR Contractors, drainage concerns from property owners on some private roads, and acceptance of maintenance of some existing subdivision roads.
Staff Writer
Smith County commissioners may delay reappointing members of the Emergency Services District No. 2 board, pending a budgetary presentation from board members later this month.
The board members’ terms officially expired Dec. 31, and all five members are up for re-appointment. But commissioners want to hear more about the board’s long- and short-term plans for the district’s nearly $4 million budget before making those re-appointments.
“I have requested that the ESD No. 2 board make a presentation to the Commissioners Court on Jan. 14 and to provide a written status report of the ESD No. 2 plan and timeline to implement budgetary procedures and accountability measures,” Commissioner JoAnn Fleming said.
She understands that both the district and the board are now, she said.
“Long-range planning for training and capital investments in equipment and facilities takes time, but a status report regarding both district-wide and fire department-level budgetary and operational guidelines to match money with mission is needed,” she said.
The entity has a budget of $3.97 million for fiscal year 2007-08, from which $322,271 has been set aside to fund each of the 11 volunteer fire departments including Arp VFD, Bullard VFD, Chapel Hill VFD, Dixie VFD, Flint-Gresham VFD, Jackson Heights VFD, Noonday VFD, Red Springs VFD, Troup VFD, Whitehouse VFD and Winona VFD.
The five-member board, which includes chair Jim Carlyle, Teresa Campbell, Orvice Rozell, Alan Adams and Sara Maynard, was appointed by commissioners in 2007.
Mrs. Fleming said it’s the court’s duty to provide some oversight, because the board is appointed, not elected.
“The size of the very first budget and tax rate shocked a lot of people,” Mrs. Fleming said. “During the campaign to build voter support for formation of the district, those speaking in support frequently used a tax rate of 3 to 5 cents (per $100 in property valuation) as an estimate of how much it would cost taxpayers.”
But the board set the tax rate at 8.5 cents per $100 in valuation.
“And since then, comments regarding spending, and the initial reluctance to comply with a recent Open Records request for invoices raised some eyebrows, including mine,” Mrs. Fleming said.
Board member Teresa Campbell did comply with that request, which was made by the Tyler Morning Telegraph.
Still, it’s best to confront such issues up front, Mrs. Fleming contends.
“While I very much appreciate the willingness of everyone to volunteer for such responsibility, it is time that we all get on the same page when it comes to transparency and accountability,” she says.
Mrs. Fleming will likely request the court put off those re-appointments until after the Jan. 14 Commissioners Court meeting.
Commissioners are not scheduled to address the issue of the county’s contract with the Humane Society of East Texas on Monday.
Commissioners meet at 9 a.m. on the first floor of the Smith County Courthouse Annex, 200 E. Ferguson St.
Other items to be considered for approval on Monday include:
Commissioners will hold executive sessions on some legal matters, including their contract with HGR Contractors, drainage concerns from property owners on some private roads, and acceptance of maintenance of some existing subdivision roads.
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