Commissioners approve final Sabre tower payments and shift ARPA funds to Trot Communications to finish radio system

Van Zandt County Commissioners Court approved the final invoice payments to Sabre Industries for radio tower construction and voted to move roughly $50,000 in encumbered ARPA funds from Sabre to Trot Communications to cover remaining expenses through Sept. 30, 2025.

The action advances the county’s long-delayed radio system project and reallocates existing ARPA money rather than adding new county appropriations.

The court voted to pay five invoices from Sabre Industries, each for $10,000, representing withheld amounts released after project completion. “There are 5 invoices in the packet, $10,000 each… a total of $50,000,” the county judge stated when introducing the item. Staff confirmed the payments will be made from previously encumbered ARPA funds.

Separately, the court considered moving funds that remained on a Sabre purchase order and a vendor credit to Trot Communications to pay for services and equipment needed to get the system operational. Staff told the court there was a remaining PO balance (originally about $40,000) plus a vendor credit from Sabre, leaving roughly an additional $20,000–$30,000 available; the total identified for transfer to Trot was about $50,000. “That money is available to us, and what I would like to do is move it over to Trot Communications,” staff said. Commissioners approved the transfer by voice vote.

Staff said the county is more than a year behind schedule on fully activating the system and that final work with Trot Communications is expected to carry the county through Sept. 30, 2025. The funds moved are encumbered ARPA dollars; staff said the transfer does not require new taxpayer funds.

Both the final payments to Sabre Industries and the transfer to Trot were approved by the court without recorded roll-call tallies; motions passed by voice vote.