Local News
Laptops for HCSD cars pondered
County Commissioners worried about associated costs
The Henderson County Sheriff’s Department will have to wait awhile before getting approval to purchase laptop computers for patrol vehicles.
The Henderson County Commissioners Court took no action Tuesday on a bid for 21 computers, balking at a $14,868 annual fee for wireless service and a $5,670 annual maintenance agreement. The cost of the laptops and the additional fees would be covered this year by a $97,598 grant.
“Our grant will cover everything we need this year,” county purchasing director Sherrie Carmichael said.
In October, the county received a $274,043 grant package from the Governor’s Division of Emergency Management through the Homeland Security Grant Program. In addition to the funds for the laptops, the county received $130,000 for a portable communication light tower, $40,000 for communications equipment and over $6,400 for medical first aid responder supplies.
Henderson County Sheriff’s Department Asst. Chief Deputy Tony Allison said at the time the department would mount the computers in its patrol cars.
“It will make the officers much more efficient and make our response time a lot better,” Allison said.
Allison said the laptops would enable deputies to file reports in the field rather than return to the sheriff’s office in Athens or the substations in Chandler and Seven Points.
Henderson County Judge David Holstein said the matter of the laptops should be taken to the Information Technology Committee to study the effects and cost of adding the additional computers.
“There are some issues that need to be addressed,” Holstein said.
Pct. 2 Commissioner Wade McKinney, who serves on the IT Committee, agreed.
“Given that there are nearly $21,000 in annual maintenance costs after its set up, there are quite a few things that need to be discussed before I’m ready to move on it,” McKinney said.
Pct. 4 Commissioner Jerry West said he is opposed to purchasing laptops that cost about $1,500 each.
Josh Brock of the IT department said the sheriff’s department picked the laptops because they were resistant to the intense Texas heat, dust and other conditions usually damaging to computers.
“The conditions aren’t different for a sheriff’s department vehicle than in a private vehicle,” West said.
“The difference is, these will seldom be removed from the vehicle,” Carmichael said.
Holstein said commissioners voted last year to apply for the grant, but beyond that, nothing has been approved.
“The court approved that we enter the grant application process. The grant application process was completed. Now we’re doing the economics on what it’s going to cost,” Holstein said.
“Approving this is jumping the gun,” McKinney said, “because we haven’t been able to do due diligence.”
In other action commissioners:
• approved a request from the Family Peace Project for the use of inmate labor;
• approved an interlocal agreement with the city of Berryville for animal control assistance;
• approved allocating the unused portion of capital credits from electric cooperatives within Henderson County for use by the county; and
• approved payment of bills in the amount of $405,668.
- Local News
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AEDC board approves two performance agreements
The Athens Economic Development Corporation Board of Directors approved two performance agreements on Thursday.
The proposed agreements with Abby Development and the Athens Jet Center are very similar, said AEDC President/CEO Brian Malone.
He said the agreement with Abby Development provides a maximum incentive of $75,000 for infrastructure. -
Local historic treasure recovered
Athens Masonic Lodge No. 165 recovered tokens from its past — both large and small — from a building it had once called its own.
Lodge Secretary Randy Daniel, who is Athens’ mayor, said members retrieved two time capsules last Saturday with the permission of the Ginger Murchison Foundation, the current owner of the building.
The lodge, he said, met on that corner, the southwest corner of the Henderson County Courthouse square, for about 75 years. -
Eustace FFA does well in Fort Worth, San Antonio
The Eustace FFA Show teams have been very busy since the beginning of the year with competitions at two major stock shows.
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Church News
Church News will run as items are received, based on available space. Items running in Church News will not be published in the Community Calendar.
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Tenth grade poetry
Athens Christian Preparatory makes writing a priority. Tenth grade students who had poems chosen for national publication are shown.
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Community Calendar
Community Calendar runs daily in the Review.
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On the right track
Eustace’s Justin Bersterman takes a handoff from Austin White as they practice their relay before the Athens High School Track Meet.
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Chamber optimistic about 2010
The Athens Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors are working to make 2010 a big year, according to Chamber Chairman Michael “Mo” Morrison.
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Scholarship available through HCRSPA
If your senior son or daughter plans to attend a college or university in the summer and/or fall, and pursue a program in which he or she will receive teacher certification, a major in education or a teaching degree in a subject area with teacher certification, then this scholarship is for you.
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Two injured after highway collision
Two people were injured Wednesday when a pickup truck driven by a 13-year-old boy attempted to drive across U.S. Highway 175, only to be struck by a west-bound motorist.
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AEDC board approves two performance agreements
