You look in the mirror. You look at your attitude. You look at your words and actions. You look at the way people act toward you. You look at the scale. You look at your closet. You look at your failures. You look at your checkbook.
“ What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase?”
County Commissioners voted on Jan. 9 to do small fixes to the outdoor lighting and security cameras, and discussed a broader plan to upgrade the 90-year-old Young County Courthouse’s electrical and wireless internet systems, and with the last of the county’s share of federal COVID relief dollars. The Commissioners had planned to use some of the approximately $2 million of the American Rescue Plan Act funds left over from the COVID pandemic to relieve a potentially dangerous power load and persistent connectivity problems at the four-level courthouse, which was completed in 1932. “I fully believe we need to have this done,” County Judge Win Graham said. In the meantime, the Commissioners approved upgrades of about $6,000 for the six cameras and $5,000 for nine LED lights outside the courthouse. The repairs also included fixing the “panic buttons” throughout the courthouse - one of which recently failed in the 90th Judicial District courtroom when Judge Stephen Bristow pushed it and got no response, Assistant County Auditor Marsha Sumpter told the Commissioners. Judge Graham said the repairs should be part of broader upgrades that the commissioners have been contemplating since at least last year. “I feel like we need to upgrade the lighting, we need to rewire the courthouse,” he said. “I’m not sure it was designed for all the electrical assets we use.” Ms. Sumpter noted that the courthouse’s backup electrical system was operating at just 40 percent of capacity because of the massive electrical load. “It should not be below 60 percent,” she said. “It’s a huge drain, even with everything turned off. We don’t need to burn the courthouse down and that’s where we’re headed.” Precinct 3 Commissioner Stacey Rogers suggested getting a schematic of the electrical system and going out for bids for the new systems. “We need bids from people who deal with something this big and this old,” Precinct 4 Commissioner Jimmy Wiley said.
County Commissioners advised the county Historical Commission to appoint a board of directors to ensure the commission was meeting quorum requirements. The Commissioners Court was set to consider appointments of new members to the Historical Commission on Jan. 9, but tabled the agenda item after co-director Susan Smith presented them with the list of potential members. “I think it’s wonderful so many people want to be a part of the historical commission … but that’s too many people” to insure a quorum when the commission meets, Judge Win Graham said. Ms. Smith said commission membership should not be limited to allow any interested citizen to be part of the agency’s mission. “I think we need a working board for the historical commission,” Judge Graham said, suggesting that the board include “someone from Olney, someone from Graham, Newcastle, etcetera.”
County Clerk Kay Hardin abruptly announced her retirement at the Jan. 9 Commissioners Court meeting, just eight days after she was sworn in for a third term in office. Mrs. Hardin did not provide any details about her decision when she broke the news to the commissioners during the public comment period at the start of the meeting. She has served Young County since Jan. 1, 2015. State law allows the Commissioners Court to appoint a temporary County Clerk to fill the position until a special election can be held, County Judge Win Graham said. The special election most likely will be held during the November 2024 general election, although the commissioners planned to discuss their options in a special meeting, he said.
213 E. Main St.
PO Box 577
Olney, Texas 76374
Phone: (940) 564-5558
Fax: (940) 564-3992