Cooke County — Cooke County Commissioners’ Court took action to send the Cooke County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) by approving the document by a unanimous vote during the Monday morning regular meeting.

Cooke County Emergency Management Coordinator and Fire Marshall Ray Fletcher addressed the court with the request to approve the resolution adopting the Cooke County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan. Fletcher said the 262-page document addresses natural hazards such as tornadoes, drought, flooding and wildfires and focuses on reducing the impact of these natural disasters on the human environment and community. The plan was prepared in accordance with FEMA requirements and is a cooperative effort between Cooke County, the cities of Callisburg, Gainesville, Lindsay, Muenster, Valley View and the town of Oak Ridge and the Texoma Council of Governments (TCOG).

Fletcher said the cities are also taking this plan to their city councils to be approved before it is sent to FEMA.

Fletcher acknowledged TCOG Emergency Planner Stephanie Davidson and Criminal Justice and Emergency Planning Program Manager CJ Durbin-Higgins for their work on the plan.

Fletcher said that once the plan is approved by FEMA, the county will be eligible to apply for FEMA grants to assist with taking preventative measures to avoid and lessen damage from future disasters that may occur in this area.

The court unanimously approved setting the speed limit for 35 mph for the entire length of County Road 343.

Pct. 3 Commissioner Al Smith said the speed limit is currently 55 mph for the eight-mile stretch of road and for safety purposes the speed limit needs to be lowered. Smith said the road has many turns and some very hazardous conditions for large trucks and wide loads and it has experienced the brunt of the oil field development with thousands of semi trucks running on it.

“The citizens there are very concerned about the safety and the speed being traveled and we’ve talked about it and we think that perhaps lowering the speed limit to 35 mph will perhaps help and give us some safer conditions,” Smith noted.

He said it is fairly extensive and expensive to lower the speed limit but he will meet with TxDOT to take the next step some time this week.

Members unanimously approved project agreements with the United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resource Conservation Service for road and bridges in Pct. 2 and Pct. 4.

Pct. 2 Cooke County Commissioner Steve Key said the flood detention structure, the dam, has been separated from the rest of the project and acknowledged the presence of Darrell Willis of the Department of Agriculture and his help on the project.

Key said as soon as the court approves this item the bids can be let and crews can come in and remove some grit from the abundant creeks and do some work that’s desperately needed from a drainage standpoint in Pct. 2.

The agreements consist of works of improvements which include the repairs to the slope slides for erosion protection and embankment stabilization and debris removal/disposal on multiple sites in the county and damages identified by damage survey reports.

Members also unanimously approved an operations and maintenance agreement with the United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resource Conservation Service for the Elm Fork Site 7A (DSR 2009-4-1) located in Pct. 4.

Pct. 4 Cooke County Commissioner Leon Klement said this agreement separates the flood detention structure from the rest of the project and includes flood detention service repairs.

The plan covers all structural measures that are constructed under the Emergency Watershed Protection Program and will be carried out for the life of the structural measure. Maintenance is work performed to keep works of improvement in, or restore them to their original physical and functional condition.

Members of the court voted unanimously to approve a special agenda item brought by Cooke County Commissioner Pct. 1 Gary Hollowell for the purchase of a John Deere tractor. Hollowell requested to exempt the tractor purchase from the bid process.

Cooke County Judge John Roane noted this was “a day for proclamations” as he acknowledged and then read three proclamations before the court.

The court proclaimed May 16 to 22 as Emergency Medical Services Week in Cooke County. Emergency Medical Services Director Kevin Grant and several EMS employees received the proclamation from Judge Roane.

National Motorcycle Safety and Awareness Month in Cooke County was proclaimed during the meeting. Motorcycle enthusiasts Ed Underwood and Kim Copeland of Valley View accepted the proclamation. Underwood encouraged drivers to “be safe and watch for motorcycles.”

The court also proclaimed May 22 to 28 as Safe Boating Week in Cooke County. U.S. Coast Guard Flotilla Commander Tommie Kirksmith Newman and Immediate Past Flotilla Commander Ned Newman accepted the proclamation from Judge Roane.

Roane reported on the restoration of the Cooke County Courthouse. For safety purposes, the contractors are limiting the number of people allowed inside the Courthouse and hard hats must be worn by those who enter the doors.

Roane said that demolition is now taking place with some of the walls and flooring being removed. Some of the railing inside is being raised to meet OSHA standards. Roane and several other people will be taking another trip to Johnson County, which has a sister courthouse, to have some of their questions answered and to insure that they are following the guidelines and regulations set down by the Texas Historical Commission.

Court members voted unanimously to approve the minutes of the regular meetings for May 26 and May 12 and the monthly reports.

Members also unanimously approved the corrected March 2010 Cooke County Library monthly report.

The court approved the consent agenda items which included: FY 2010 budget amendments; monthly bills; payroll and all related expenses; property coverage insurance renewal through the Texas Association of Counties; Sheriff’s Office bonds; contract with Woodbine Water Supply for the installation of a fresh water line located at 615 CR 187; permitting the City of Callisburg to repair and install a fresh water line on CR 113; accepting the We The People: More Perfect Union Grant for $290 for the Cooke County Library.

All members of the court attended the meeting.