Van Zandt County commissioners approve contracts and ARPA-funded tech upgrades; authorize courthouse cost estimate and ambulance grant submission

At a meeting of the Van Zandt County Commissioners Court, members moved through routine and project matters, approving a series of administrative and capital actions and authorizing next steps on several grant and equipment projects.

County Judge cited the Texas Open Meetings Act to justify holding today’s meeting after weather-related closures and said there were no public comments. The court then addressed items on the agenda including elections contracts, animal-services funding, courthouse restoration costing, ambulance-grant application authority, radio-tower generator alarms and a dispatch software upgrade.

Elections: With the county elections administrator (Shannon) present, the court approved authorizing the elections administrator to enter standard, state-issued joint contracts with the Van Zandt County Democratic and Republican parties to administer the 2026 primary elections under Chapter 172 of the Texas Election Code. Shannon said the county bills the parties for ballot paper (0.54 cents per ballot), may charge up to $5 per device rental (typically $2.50 per party per device) and applies a 10% administration fee; the county remains responsible for early-voting costs and any county-paid polling-place rental fees. Shannon committed to provide a spreadsheet of estimated costs and a post-election accounting to the auditor and treasurer.

Animal services payments: The court considered recurring delays in payments to the Animal Protection League, which provides low-cost spay/neuter services and requires county funds in advance to honor a 50% discount. Staff reported the standing contract payment is $1,200 per month (roughly $14,400 annually) and that service volumes vary (50 procedures in November, 71 in December were cited). Commissioners discussed paying the contract quarterly to reduce monthly processing shortfalls; a motion to move to quarterly payments was made, seconded and approved.

Courthouse restoration costing: Commissioners authorized the county judge to sign a proposal from Riddle & Goodnight for an updated opinion of probable cost to support a 2026 Texas Historical Commission grant application. The firm’s fee for the updated costing was presented as $10,560; commissioners discussed the scope (a whole-building cost spreadsheet aligned with the grant form), inclusion of a proposed second stairwell to meet ADA access requirements for the 4th and 5th floors, and how architecture fees and contingencies would be shown in the estimate. Commissioners noted the county used Riddle & Goodnight’s prior 2024 estimate and that using the same firm reduces duplication of effort; the motion to authorize the proposal passed.

Ambulance grant (HB3000): The court authorized the county judge to submit an application for the HB3000 rural ambulance service grant program, which the court said could provide up to $250,000 to acquire an additional ambulance unit. The court discussed application timing (deadline and expected instructions) and noted that accepting an award would be optional if terms proved burdensome; the motion to authorize submission passed.

Radio towers and dispatch upgrades: The court approved proposals to wire five county radio towers so generator “dry-contact” alarms reach the remote network manager; the work includes Sabre Industries (wiring) and Lofton Equipment (generator configuration). Commissioners explained an existing Ethernet/Modbus interface is incompatible with the county’s remote manager and that hardwired contacts are required. Funding for the work was drawn from an ARPA interest account; commissioners said remaining ARPA interest funds would be used conservatively for maintenance after final acceptance.

Dispatch AVL upgrade: Commissioners approved upgrading the county’s AVL/dispatch software with Southern Software so GPS data from the radio system becomes available to dispatch consoles and cannot be turned off by removing a USB device. The upgrade was discussed as a county safety and asset-tracking measure; the court approved the expenditure and directed it be paid from ARPA interest funds.

Other business: The court tabled a change order and a clinic proposal to future meetings, approved a corrected Ricoh USA copier contract, adopted a resolution requesting the state reallocate a small portion of the state motor fuels tax to county road funds, approved a limited fireworks-sale resolution for the Texas Independence Day period (subject to rescission if burn conditions change), and approved the consent agenda. Finally, the court announced it would move into a closed executive session under the cited statutory authority.

What’s next: Several items will return to a future agenda (including the L3 Harris radio change order and the Canton clinic); staff were directed to provide more detailed cost spreadsheets for elections and to bring the Riddle & Goodnight estimate and Komatsu’s input to a future public presentation.