Investment policy adopted
By Melinda L. Lucas
Shackelford County passed a resolution to adopt an investment policy after a recommendation by county treasurer Tammy Brown and an explanation by Sam Vaughn of Ameriprise Financial.
Brown also requested that the commissioners adopt a broker list that includes Vaughn so that county funds can be invested in some other way besides CDs, which have paid out very little over the past few years.
Vaughn explained that taxpayer funds would be invested in very conservative instruments with “laddered” maturities every three to six months.
“Since I’ve been in office, we haven’t invested,” said Brown, “but we need to generate more revenue than CDs do. They don’t return much at all.”
Public Defender
County judge Robert Skelton, county attorney Rollin Rauschl, and Pct. 3 commissioner Lanham Martin all reported what they had learned since the last meeting about a proposal to establish a Big Country Regional Public Defender’s Office.
All are cautiously optimistic that participating in the “co-op” type office, with counties contributing on a case-percentage basis, will ultimately save the county money.
Commissioners voted to sign a resolution to support the plan, which does not obligate them until the project is approved and funded and then only on a year-to-year contract.
Rock Hill School
Commissioners agreed that Pct. 4 commissioner Cody Jordan can act as contractor for rehab and repairs on the Rock Hill school building near the Hamby community, which is now owned by the county and served as a voting site.
Jordan estimates that repairs will total around $38,000, but further action was tabled until he brings an itemized list to the next meeting.
Other Business
•The county-wide burn ban was extended for another 45 days, due to expire June 23 unless lifted before then.
•A motion passed to temporarily cover the rest of the upstairs windows in the JP building with painted plywood, as has been done recently with a couple of broken windows. The court hopes to eventually make permanent repairs or replace the windows.
•Skelton proposed that Rescue funding might be used to repave the Courthouse parking lot, and commissioners asked him to contact Karl Komatsu to find out what the next step might be and whether an engineer needs to become involved.
•The judge recommended that automated external defibrillators (AEDs) be purchased and installed at the Courthouse and JP office, as well as placing an additional one at the Law Enforcement Center. The court also approved the purchase of tourniquet devices for offices and county vehicles. Rescue funds will be used for the purchases, and training by Steven Hobbs will be arranged.
•Pct. 2 commissioner Ace Reames reported that the date that county workers were supposed to move equipment to the Caldwell Lane Bridge was delayed by rain.
•The March treasurers report was approved.
