Atascosa County commissioners approve grant-funded mental health contract, personnel actions and re-bid for water system project

Atascosa County Commissioners Court convened April 27 and approved a slate of routine business including a grant-funded contract for mental-health court services, several personnel hires and promotions, permit and plat approvals, and authorization to re-advertise bids for a water-system improvement project.

The court voted to contract with Camino Real to provide mental-health services for the county’s mental-health court through Sept. 30, 2026. Judge Dillingham presented the agreement and said the work will be fully funded through an awarded grant; the motion to approve the contract was made by Commissioner Gillespie and seconded by Commissioner Bowen and carried by the court.

Coastal Bend College presentation and workforce focus
Dr. Lisa Castaneda, representing Coastal Bend College and speaking on behalf of President Zachary Suarez, told the court the college is prioritizing development of a local workforce pipeline, strengthening student retention and success, expanding dual-credit offerings with partner ISDs, and developing STEM pathways in partnership with Texas A&M Kingsville. She said the college is pursuing a bachelor of applied science partnership with Del Mar College and promoting a "Coastal Bend College Promise" that would make tuition free for students in partner communities.

Routine personnel and payroll approvals
The court approved a large group of personnel actions brought by department heads and the sheriff’s office. Approved actions included hiring Gabriela Garcia as a DPS receptionist at $21.15 per hour; hiring Kimberly Hines as a deputy tax assessor clerk at $23.27 per hour; hiring Terrence Joseph Mathis as a juvenile supervision officer 3 at $21.11 per hour; promotions and tier adjustments in the sheriff’s office (including Daniel Gonzales to sergeant investigator and Isaac Orpiza to corporal); and the hire of Clarissa Mendez as a corrections officer (tier 3). Start dates, pay rates and budget line items were read into the record for each action. The motions to approve personnel items were moved and carried by the court.

The court also approved routine financial items: authorization to submit the county’s annual unclaimed property capital-credits submission under Texas law and the disbursement of $10,500 from the pretrial diversion miscellaneous fund (line item 05340625) to CSCD for services in Atascosa County. Payroll claims noted in the meeting included claim #17 for $34,460.06 and claim #75 for $809,155.27; the court approved bills and payroll.

Land use, permits and water-project bidding
Britney Van Curren of the county’s rural development office brought forward multiple right-of-way and roadboard permits for Frontier Communications and Spectrum Gulf LLC in Precinct 2, and recommended approval of final plats including Sandia Acres Subdivision and the 6 Points Addition; the court approved those permits and plats by motion.

On the El Oso Water Supply Corporation project, county staff reported the water-board rejected the single bid received because it substantially exceeded the project budget. The court authorized re-advertisement and solicitation of sealed bids for the El Oso water-plant system improvement project, which is funded through the Texas Department of Agriculture Community Development Block Grant program (CDV23-0227).

HR policy and public-defense items
Human-resources staff presented several policy updates the court approved: adding a 90-day probation statement to personnel policies, changing the visitors policy to cover all non-employee visitors of any age (and pets), shifting new-hire physical-exam costs to the county budget rather than candidates, and adding a county "do not hire" list process tied to policy or legal violations. The court also accepted the public defender oversight board’s recommendation to appoint Stephanie Graham Esparza as interim chief public defender with an $8,000 annual interim stipend until a permanent chief is hired. The county will apply for a 2027 Indigent Defense Improvement Grant through the Texas Indigent Defense Commission; staff said the TIDC typically funds two-thirds of eligible costs with counties making up one-third.

What happens next
The court set its next meeting for Monday, May 11, 2026. Several items referenced for future consideration (including real-estate matters) were held for a later meeting. The court adjourned after brief commissioner comments, including recognition of a long-serving employee who is departing.

All votes recorded during the session were carried by the court as stated on the record with absent commissioners noted; where specific budget-line numbers, claim numbers or start dates were read into the record, the court made those items part of the motions it approved.