Jasper County Commissioners Court

The Jasper County Commissioners Court met in a Special Session on Wednesday, April 9, 2025 and covered the following agenda items:

First, the Court heard from Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Larry Pulliam, Jr. regarding a $1,000.00 donation from the Christus Jasper Memorial Hospital Auxiliary volunteer group. The Court voted to accept the donation on behalf of the Sheriff’s Office and authorized it to be placed in the Sheriff’s uniform budget line as requested, thanking the Auxiliary for the donation and for what they do to comfort patients and their families.

Next, the Court approved a private donation from Ms. Renee O’Carolcess of Woodville, Texas, in the amount of $200.00 to be utilized by the Sheriff’s Office for K-9 operations.

In other business, the Court voted to authorize the Sheriff’s Office and Jasper County’s six Constable’s Offices to trade in forfeited or county-owned firearms to acquire new duty weapons or other operational safety equipment in accordance with the law.

Concluding law enforcement business, the Court discussed the possibility of providing in-kind site preparation and parking lot construction services with county-owned heavy equipment and personnel as the local match to assist with the construction of a multi-discipline training facility located on U.S. Highway 190 east of the City of Jasper.

The Court voted to assist with the project in partnership with the Jasper Independent School District, the Deep East Texas College & Career Academy, the City of Jasper, Emergency Services District #4 and Lamar State College – Port Arthur.

Currently, a fire training facility has already been constructed with ongoing training for local volunteer fire departments and future firemen in the Fire Academy, but the Training Facility Committee, comprised of members from the partnership jurisdictions, is in hopes of expanding the training grounds to include expanded fire training, classrooms, a law enforcement firearms and driving course area, commercial driver’s license training and electrical lineman training to meet the future career needs of Jasper County and the Southeast Texas region.

The committee has been working to obtain funding for the proposed project through Congressionally authorized grants with Congressman Brian Babin’s office, as well as assistance through other philanthropic foundations in the region.

In grant related matters, the Court voted to authorize the engineering firm of Goodwin-Lasiter-Strong out of Lufkin to publish for bids for the Homer Community Center in Precinct 1, which will be funded through the Texas General Land Office Community Development Grant Mitigation program.

The Court then heard from Mr. Tod Lawlis of the Jasper County Historical Museum and the Jasper County Historical Commission, who advised that the Historical Museum was planning a Jasper County Heritage Festival to begin in May of 2026 to be held on the Courthouse Square.  Mr. Lawlis advised that the festival would be historically themed with activities reminiscent of days gone by in early Jasper County history.

Although the festival is still in the planning stages, the Court was favorable to hosting the event at the Courthouse and advised to bring the project back to discuss and approve when a firm date was established.

The Court then voted to approve the board of director changes requested by the Jasper County Historical Commission, including the addition of Lindsey Cox and Druscilla Miller to the roster of volunteer board members.

Next, the Court heard from County Clerk Holly Thomas who requested consent to utilize the company Kofile out of Dallas, Texas, to perform professional commercial document scanning services to entirely digitize her deed records going all the way back to Jasper County’s origins.  The Court approved the request in the amount of $522,499.22 which is to be funded through a dedicated Records Preservation Fund restricted for use in preserving county records.

The Court thanked Mrs. Thomas for her efforts to fully digitize the records within her office for future preservation and easier access by the public.

In other business, the Court heard from Mr. John Pace of First Insurance Services of Jasper, who presented the renewal for Jasper County’s auto, liability and property insurance coverage, which the Court approved.  The Court thanked Mr. Pace for all that he and First Insurance Services does to assist Jasper County on a regular basis.

The Court then considered a request from the South East Texas Regional Planning Commission’s 9-1-1 department to approve the designation of Private Road 6337 at the proposed Gralivia Development in Precinct 1.

In other road and bridge matters, the Court accepted bids and awarded contracts for construction pipe, road material, oil and fuel for use by the Precinct Commissioners, with many winning vendors from Jasper County including Bill L. Dover, Inc., Coburns, Rural Pipe, Lakeway and Hollis Tire.  The Court also voted to extend the airport fuel contract with Sun Coast to allow the future bid processes to be synchronized with all other materials and fuel contract cycles.

Next, the Court voted to authorize a courtesy car policy for Jasper County’s Bell Field Airport for pilot and passenger vehicle access due to the increases in air traffic at the airport.  The car and policy would be overseen by Precinct 2 Commissioner Kevin Holloway and Airport Manager Chris Ruiz.

Concluding business, the Court voted to authorize a change in the funding source for the District Attorney’s Office Executive Assistant position to come from the Texas state prosecutor’s grant budget line instead of utilizing funding from the Senate Bill 22 law enforcement and prosecutor grant fund.

The Court also welcomed a special guest and friend of Jasper County that arrived, Retired Newton County Judge Truman Dougharty, who was in town and visiting the Courthouse.

That covers it for this Court meeting.  Have a great weekend and as always, feel free to give me a call if you need anything my way.

Mark Allen, County Judge

Jasper County, Texas