Tyler

By ADAM RUSSELL
Staff Writer

Smith County Commissioners passed on taking action that would standardize every county constable's vehicles during their regular Monday meeting in the Court house Annex.

The county has moved toward standardization practices, one of them being vehicle color, but questions were raised after commissioners approved purchasing all white county vehicles during a recent "fleet purchase," Commissioner JoAnn Fleming said.

Pct. 1 Constable Henry Jackson and Pct. 5 Constable Dennis Taylor's vehicles requested maroon and black vehicles, respectively.

Taylor said the different color schemes help differentiate constable vehicles from other precincts and law enforcement entities making it easier on constituents and asked that the commissioners give him a black vehicle.

Commissioner JoAnn Hampton objected to consideration of standardizing with either black or white constable vehicles because it disallowed other colors such as previously used green or Jackson's preference of maroon and that if the county was truly attempting to standardize it would go with a single color.

All vehicles of the same model cost the same, no matter the color.

Jackson said he would support either color but that standardizing to one would be fair.

Judge Joel Baker suggested the county should investigate the costs of identifying decals that are placed on county vehicles after purchase and if no additional cost is incurred the constables could choose their own decals that could be removed when the vehicle is no longer used by that constable.

Commissioners approved the following items:

Payment of accounts, bills, payroll, transfer of funds, and health claims including: discussing and approving various department budget transfers FY2008; consider acceptance of various non-general fund department budgets for 2008/2009; consider approval of budget transfer from General Operations Autopsies to JP 4 Autopsies in the amount of $1,500;

The court entered into executive session to seek and receive advice from the attorney for the following:

The court then re-enter public session but passed on the following:

Non-action items on the agenda included:

Presentation of Recognition/Certificate of Appreciation;