COMMISSIONERS COURT 02 24 10

LIBERTY COUNTY COMMISSIONERS SPENT MORE THAN AN HOUR WORKING THROUGH THEIR RATHER LENGTHY AGENDA YESTERDAY MORNING. BACK ON THE AGENDA AGAIN, WAS THE ISSUE OF SALARIES FOR THE STAFF OF THE 253^RD DISTRICT COURT. COMMISSIONERS APPROVED AN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN CHAMBERS AND LIBERTY COUNTY FOR SALARIES AND BENEFITS OF THE JUDGE CHAP CAIN'S COURT REPORTER, COORDINATOR, AND BAILIFF. LIBERTY COUNTY JUDGE PHIL FITZGERALD SAID HE WOULD STILL LIKE TO SEE ACTUAL AMOUNTS OF WHAT THE SALARIES ARE FOR EACH POSITION AND HAVE SOMEONE ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY AND SIGN OFF ON THAT FIGURE. ANOTHER CONSIDERATION, ACCORDING TO COUNTY ATTORNEY WES HINCH, IS THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT IS PAID TO THE COURT BAILIFF. HE SAID THAT QUESTION WAS BROUGHT UP BY OFFICIALS IN CHAMBERS COUNTY. STATE LAW HAS ALREADY ESTABLISHED IT, THE BAILIFF SHALL NOT BE PAID MORE THAN THE CHIEF DEPUTY IN THE COUNTY HE OR SHE SERVES. HOWEVER, THAT LAW DOES NOT CLARIFY WHICH COUNTY, IN THE CASE WHERE MORE THAN ONE COUNTY IS COVERED BY A DISTRICT COURT. THOSE ISSUES WILL STILL HAVE TO BE RESOLVED AS THE COURT MOVES CLOSER TO SETTLING THE SALARY ISSUES FOR STAFF  OF THE 253^RD DISTRICT COURT. THIS DOES NOT INVOLVE THE JUDGES SALARY, ONLY STAFF. IN OTHER ACTION, FOLLOWING AN EXECUTIVE SESSION, LIBERTY COUNTY COMMISSIONERS VOTED TO PAY A CLAIM FROM DAYTON RESIDENT DAVID PARKER OF OVER $4300 FOR CATTLE IMPROPERLY IMPOUNDED AND SOLD BY THE COUNTY’S SO CALLED "CONTRACT COWBOY". ACCORDING TO DAVID PARKER THE INCIDENT WAS A COUPLE OF YEARS BACK AND THAT PARTICULAR PERSON HAS SINCE LEFT THE COUNTY EMPLOY. FINALLY, COMMISSIONERS APPROVED THE APPOINTMENT OF PATTI ATKINS OF HULL TO TRI-COUNTY MH-MR BOARD OF TRUSTEES TO FILL THE UNEXPIRED TERM OF JACK HARTEL.