Parmer County Commissioner report for June 13
The County Commissioners met Monday June 13 in Farwell. The annual audit was approved. County Judge Trey Ellis said the county now has five months capital in reserve, down from nine months this time last year.
A discussion was held on indigent healthcare solutions. Judge Ellis said a recent jail inmate spent several days in an Amarillo Hospital and the resulting bill was $26,000. A mediator managed to get the charges reduced to $2,600 but the county still has to provide needed medical assistance to inmates.
The commissioners are considering an Affordable Health Care Act reporting and tracking service available through the Texas Association of Counties (TAC) for county employees. They are also hiring a consulting firm, Charlie Howell of Allen, Texas, to help write a request for bid on replacing the courthouse and hail security systems. The present systems are analog and a lightning strike several months ago knocked out most of the security system. It will need to be replaced.
District Court Judge Gordon Green had asked the commissioners to allow him discretion in payment to interpreters during a murder trial that began this week. They approved his request.
Conservation work for Ricky Barnett in Precinct 1 was approved. Sheriff Randy Geries reported the Sheriff’s Office has a new Chevrolet Tahoe patrol vehicle.
