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The Jasper County Commissioners Court convened on Monday and discussed among other things, the need for a nurse at the county jail.
Sheriff Mitchel Newman has said the nurse is needed to not only make sure inmates take their prescriptions but also to handle minor medical problems or complaints. To that end, Jasper County is now negotiating with several firms to provide that service.
In other action, the commissioners heard a report from Chief Deputy Scotty Duncan regarding the operation of the jail and the housing of inmates for neighboring counties.
Duncan said inmate population was averaging 100 inmates per day and that in May a total of $36,960 was paid by other entities to house inmates. Those fees included $15,360 from Newton County, $10,520 from Sabine County, and $11,080 from Tyler County.
The Jasper County Commissioners Court met in a Regular Session on Monday, December 21, 2020, and covered the following agenda items:
In Law enforcement, Sheriff Mitchell Newman requested the Court to consider paying off the Sheriffâs Office employees accrued compensation time from the Prisoner Reimbursement Fund. The Court voted to pay the accrued compensation in the amount of $43,874.93.
Concluding law enforcement business, Sheriff Newman presented the Sheriffâs monthly Jail Report. For the month of November, the jail invoiced Newton County in the amount of $12,360, Sabine County $3,080, and Tyler County $9,920 for a total of $ 25,360.
The Court then heard a report from the AgriLife Extension Office on their 2020 activities. Brock Fry and Cindy VanDevender gave an update on how they have adapted their programs through COVID. VanDevender held several virtual classes, including Master Of Memory, which has moved to a statewide program. Unfortunately, they had to cancel the
A Jasper City Councilman has spoken out in favor of continuing the recently implemented tradition of lighting the Courthouse for Christmas. District 1 Councilman Anderson Land, Jr. released a statement on Friday in which he said âDuring this time of year when spirits need lifting, I feel the Courthouse lighting would be just the thing to lift the spirits of the citizens of the City and County of Jasper.â
It was learned just after Thanksgiving that local businesswoman Tressy Morgan, who has organized the lighting project for the last few years, would not be able to do the project this year because she says the Jasper County Commissioners Court will not give her $5,000.00 that is needed to pay for the equipment rental and also to pay workers to cover the exterior of the more than 28,000 square feet of the Courthouse and the old County Jail combined.