The Dallas County Board of Supervisors met in regular session Tuesday.
At the meeting, the Board approved payroll change notices for the sheriff’s office and emergency medical services and secondary roads departments. An employee handbook addendum and financial policy amendment were then approved. Human Resources Director Erin Freeman says this is to cleanup language after suggestions from the Department of Justice in the fiscal year 2013 audit. It’s in regards to tracking time for employees who are working on federal grant applications, along with other minor changes.
A public hearing in regards to a Consolidated Communications phone services proposal was then set for March 1st at 9:30am. IT Director Todd Noah recommends an agreement with Consolidated Communications and says it will cost the County $20 less per month than their current contract.
A vehicle purchase request for the environmental health department was then discussed. Director Ted Truwin says he obtained three bids for the vehicle and recommended purchasing a 2016 Ram pickup from Adel Chrysler at a cost of $28,000, minus a $17,000 trade-in value for a 2011 Dodge Dakota. The purchase was approved as recommended.
The Board then held a public hearing in regards to the second reading of an amendment to the airport ordinance. This repeals and replaces the current ordinance in regards to height restrictions in the area and land use. Matt Ferrier with Bolton and Menk says this is to comply with Federal Aviation Administration regulations. This will help allow the Perry Municipal Airport shift their current runway to the southwest and extend it to 5,000 by 500 foot, compared to the current 4,000 foot runway. When the runway is shifted in direction, 150th Street will need to be closed for construction. County Engineer Al Miller says he plans to meet with Perry representatives to discuss road alternatives for when that project moves forward. Supervisor Kim Chapman asked Miller to present these options before the third reading of the ordinance amendment is approved. The second reading was approved, with the third reading set for the March 1st Supervisors meeting at 10am.
A request from the City of Dexter to dissolve a 28E agreement for law enforcement services was then discussed. The agreement was originally filed with the Secretary of State in August of 2015 and the dissolution is due to the City’s financial hardship. Once a resolution is received by the County from the City of Dexter the agreement will be dissolved.
The Supervisors then reviewed the County budget. The Board reviewed the budget during a special meeting Friday but amendments have since been made for the mental health and regional mental health departments. The budget when then approved for publication and a public hearing to review it was set for Tuesday March 8th at 7pm.
A paving contract with Manatt’s Inc. for the county road F31 paving contract was then approved in the amount of $4,111,989. The project is expected to be completed by late summer or early fall.
Architect Jerry Purdy with Design Alliance then told the Board they are still in the process of moving the emergency management office to the human services campus. The project is expected to go out for bid in the coming weeks. Progress is also being made with the dispatch center portion of the building.
The tenth, eleventh and twelfth pay applications for the human services campus renovation project were then approved in the amounts of $91,464, $133,741 and $76,518 respectively. Purdy says the County continues to retain around $372,000 of the total project cost. Purdy said they have completed an on-site inspection of the punch list items and several of them remain incomplete, therefore the County continues to retain some of the funds owed to Larson and Larson Construction. Purdy and Noah plan to visit the campus this week to take a look at the punch list items and check for completion.