Both Precinct 1 and 4 constables will now be able to have a total of five unpaid deputies, due to a motion passed during Monday’s Commissioners Court.

Precinct 1 Commissioner Gary Hollowell said he had spoken with both constables, Terry Gilbert for Precinct 1 and Dick Roth for Precinct 4, who agreed the number should be set at five.

“Those are unpaid positions which they may not ever fill, but it does give them some leeway,” said Hollowell. “It costs the county a bond and uniforms.”

Roth added the increase in deputies would also increase the “eyes and ears out there and on the road.”

“It allows us to have an extra set of people that can be trained to do the job so that if we’re not available...if there are things that need to be done, they will be available,” said Roth.

In a separate motion, commissioners also approved a rider for an unpaid deputy constable Precinct 4’s bond. A $1,500 bond was approved during the last court, but should have been for $2,000 instead, explained County Auditor Shelly Saunders.

Emergency Management Coordinator and Cooke County Fire Marshal Ray Fletcher recommended to commissioners that no change should be made to the current burn ban.

“We are slowly easing into the moderate drought category and heading for the severe if things don’t change pretty soon,” said Fletcher.

Although most residents are doing a good job adhering to the burn ban, Fletcher said there are still a few that just “don’t get it.”

“We’re dealing with those as we get those calls,” said Fletcher.

Ernie Brinkley, chairman of the Lake Ray Roberts Planning and Zoning Commission, came before commissioners to ask for help in contacting the Texas Department of Transportation for notification signs to be implemented in the area.

“At one time there were signs on all the black top/State road into the Lake Ray Roberts zoned area,” said Brinkley. “Most of them are now missing and we would just like Cooke County to contact the Texas Department of Transportation to replace those signs.”

Commissioners voted to approve the request and Cooke County Judge Bill Freeman said he had no problem in sending a letter concerning the request.

Lots 599, 600 and 601 of Lake Kiowa were approved for re-subdivision by commissioners upon the request of property owner Harold Beck.

Although Randy Smalls, community manager at Lake Kiowa, spoke to commissioners asking for the request to be denied, County Enforcement Officer Laura Blanton said the property met all clerical and requirements of the subdivision regulations.

As a result, commissioners voted to approve the re-subdivision of the lots.

Proposals for the construction of the Dixon Street Annex Building were opened and acknowledged by commissioners. However, Charlie Wilson told Freeman that she believed the proposals should have been read aloud.

Following a ten minute break, Freeman said he spoke with the county’s attorney who confirmed the proposals did not have to be read aloud.

Still, Freeman said although the court did not do anything wrong in this project, he would still go ahead and allow the proposals to be read.

They were as follows: Pete Durant and Associates, Inc. for $1,061,000, Aitken and Moore for $1,055,929.80, PBR for $1,194,325, B.J. Contractors for $877,525 and Fain for $1,055,517.

During an executive session, commissions voted to approve a one-time exemption of the personnel policy to authorize compensation for Barry Turner’s accrued vacation.

Other items approved during court included:

• a proclamation in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

• cell phone allowance for new Precinct 4 Constable Dick Roth.

• approval to accept a Lone Star Libraries Grant in the amount of $6,619 for the Cooke County Library.

• approval rescinding contract with ACS for the digitizing of records in the County Clerk’s Office.

• approval of a new contract with ACS for the digitizing of records in the County Clerk’s Office.

• approval of the 2009 Cooke County Investment Policy.

• approval to advertise for sealed bid for MC-250, MC-800, MC-3,000 Oil, AE-P Emulsified Primer, CRS-2 Emulsified Seal Coat, CRS-2H Emulsified Seal Coat Hot Weather, CSS-1S Emulsified Dust Control, CSS-1H Emulsified Fog Seal and AC-10, for a period of seven months beginning Feb. 10, 2009.