Brown County Commissioners held their first meeting of the New Year Tuesday morning, January 4, and had two agenda items pertaining to voting equipment.

One item dealt with the old Hart rotary dial voting machines.  Larry Franks, Elections Administrator, asked that the 107 items of equipment be declared as surplus.  Commissioners Court voted 5-0 in favor of declaring the equipment as surplus.

It was pointed out that the equipment can’t be sold, due to proprietary stipulations by the Hart company.  Hart is scheduled to pick up the old equipment to then be destroyed.  Commissioner Joel Kelton wanted to see the original contract before commissioners vote on releasing the equipment to be destroyed.

The other agenda item presented by Mr. Franks was for approval of accepting and signing the Resolution for the reimbursement for auditable voting machines grant.  Commissioners Court voted 5-0 to approve.

In other business, County Sheriff Vance Hill presented several employee change requests (mainly in the county jail) which were approved by Commissioners.

Commissioners also approved three recent donations to the Sheriff’s Department.  Those included a $5,000 donation from Judge Cavanaugh, a $10,000 donation from the Stephen and Mary Birch Foundation and a $500 donation from Food Plaza.

The sheriff also reported a total of 141 inmates currently jailed (as of January 4) at the Brown County Law Enforcement Center.