Spending limits for Cooke County officials approved

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Abigail’s Arms Women’s Center Executive Director Kim Cook, right, received a proclamation from County Judge John Roane during Monday’s regular commissioners’ court meeting declaring June “National Domestic Violence Awareness Month.” Staff photo by Greg Russell

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June 12, 2012

Spending limits for Cooke County officials approved

By GREG RUSSELL, Register Staff Writer Gainesville Daily Register The Daily Register Tue Jun 12, 2012, 08:35 AM CDT

Gainesville — Designated spending limits for county officials landed in the list of approved items during Monday’s regular commissioners’ court meeting.

Commissioners used government code standards in setting limits for the county attorney and county sheriff, plus constables in Precincts 1 and 4. All four positions will held by newly elected officials, following November elections. And in accordance with Section 130.908 of the Texas Local Government Code, the commissioners’ court agreed Monday to approve any line item expenditure by the four exiting incumbent officers — and grant them access to only 25 percent of their departmental budgets for fiscal year 2012-13, since they will only serve their offices for a portion of the fiscal year. Any exception to that allowance will require court approval.

Other meeting highlights:

• Commissioners approved an expense of $6,600 — set to be matched by City of Gainesville officials — for the purchase of a $13,000 artificial Christmas tree intended for placement on the Cooke County Courthouse lawn. Lynette Pettigrew of the Gainesville Main Street Program formally requested the expense during Monday’s meeting. The tree is expected to be used for the next 10 years during the holidays, and County Judge John Roane said the co-purchase will produce a savings for the county during that interval.

• Commissioners approved a proclamation recognizing June as “National Domestic Violence Awareness Month.” Kim Cook of the Abigail’s Arms women’s crisis center visited Monday’s meeting and received a copy of the proclamation.

• Commissioners approved a transfer of funds from the county’s information technology budget to the county’s Texas AgriLife Extension program budget for the purchase of two new computer systems as part of the county’s participation in a Texas A&M cost share program.

• Commissioners approved these consent agenda items: fiscal year 2012 budget amendments; monthly bills; payroll and all related expenses; a rescinding of Lexis-Nexis contracts to provide online Texas law book access for the Cooke County Law Library, County Court at Law, and the 235th District judge. (approved 05-29-12); a rescinding of the cancellation of the Cooke County Law Library West Law Patron Access contract; sheriff’s office/jail bonds; the indigent burial of Jimmy Roach; an interlocal agreement with Moss Lake Volunteer Fire Department; a memorandum of agreement between NTCRAC and Cooke County EMS concerning an emergency medical task force responder; acceptance of an insurance settlement for a Cooke County Sheriff’s Office 2012 Ford Explorer that was damaged in an accident; the FY11 rebate check from Office Depot in the amount of $1,895.97; an interlocal participation agreement and resolution to join the purchasing cooperative maintained through the Brazos Valley Council of Governments; an interlocal participation agreement and resolution to join the purchasing cooperative maintained through the National Intergovernmental Purchasing Alliance Company; and out-of-state travel expenses for Jennifer Johnson-Spence, library director, so that she may attend the 2012 Internet Librarian Conference in Monterey, Calif., from Oct. 21-25, 2012.