Brown County Commissioners met Monday morning with all members present and Commissioner Joel Kelton presiding in the absence of County Judge Paul Lilly.  Most of the business conducted dealt with various agreements between the county and other local government entities pertaining to the county jail, dispatch services and equipment for the facility.

Commissioners approved, on a 4-0 vote, a 10-year Inter Local Agreement for dispatch services as presented by County Emergency Management Coordinator Darrell Johnston.  (shown in the photo addressing Commissioners)

Commissioners approved, on a 4-0 vote, a 10-year agreement with the City of Brownwood governing the operation of the joint Law Enforcement Center and usage of the County Jail.  Part of the agreement involves transferring ownership for half of the building to be owned by the City of Brownwood, the other half by the county.  The number of jail beds guaranteed for the City to use goes from 12 to 3 at a rate of $35 per inmate per day as presented by Sheriff Vance Hill.

Commissioners approved, on a 4-0 vote, a 13 page Inter Local Cooperation Agreement with the Lower Colorado River Authority for radio services and equipment as presented by Sheriff Hill.

Commissioners approved, on a 4-0 vote, authorizing the County to enter into a Scope of Work, terms and conditions, with Lower Colorado River Authority for the countywide radio project, as presented by Sheriff Hill.

Commissioners approved, on a 4-0 vote, an Interagency Communications Site Lease Agreement between Brown County and Texas DPS allowing radio communications equipment to be placed on a tower in May operated by DPS, as presented by Sheriff Hill.

Commissioners approved, on a 4-0 vote, a request from Sheriff Hill to purchase three additional cameras at a cost just over $4,000 to upgrade digital camera coverage of the jail security system.

An agenda item to consider entering into a contract with Mason County to house Mason County inmates was not acted on as the Sheriff had questions regarding a portion of the contract.

In other business:

• Commissioners left the Burn Ban off at this time.
• Heard a report on Covid-19 in Brown County from Lisa Dick of the Brownwood/Brown County Health Department.  She reported that Brown County is “in a little better place” since her last report to commissioners.  She reported no hospitalizations as of Friday and 67 active cases.
• Commissioners approved, on a 4-0 vote, renewals of three county loans, two with Texas Bank and one with Citizens National Bank.  The loans are for election equipment, road graders and trucks.
• Commissioners briefly discussed an ongoing issue of Jail Museum parking.   A representative with the museum told commissioners parking is congested and that some who park there are not visiting the museum.  The problem will be discussed more through coordination with the State Historical Commission and City of Brownwood.