One item on Monday’s Brown County Commissioner’s Court agenda has a special place in many people’s hearts, Veterans’ assistance. Billy Murphey with Brown County Veterans Services briefed the court regarding a grant proposal for the Veteran’s Assistance Fund.
This grant is awarded to charitable organizations, Veterans Service Organizations or local government agencies in order to address nine areas of concern for veterans and their families. These areas are transportation to medical facilities, counseling for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), housing, assistance for homeless veterans, and family and child services. The grant is mainly funded by a Texas Lottery Scratch-off game, Veteran’s Cash. The game was introduced November 11, 2009 and its sales have provided over $4 million to the Texas Veterans Commission Fund for Veterans’ Assistance.
Murphey brought this grant to the court’s attention because he stated he usually has about $3000/year in donations to be able to assist Veterans in very small amounts, such as $20 for groceries or gas, etc. This grant money would mean possibly $10,000, which would greatly increase the amount of help the Brown County Veterans Services could offer to a larger number of Veterans needing help.
The grant did not require a resolution, however, Murphey did ask the Commissioners for their support and a letter of support to send with his grant application, which he hoped would help the county to receive the grant monies.
Other matters on the agenda included:
*Sharon Furgeson asked the court for approval of an additional $5865 to cover restoration of archive books that were not included in the original bid for restoring archive books. This total restoration effort will now total $17,365. There is currently $43,000 in the budgeted fund for this need. The Commissioners unanimously approved this additional amount to be added for the restoration project.
*Commissioners approved a request by Krista Johnson to temporarily close “Thrill Hill” for an event, which would only cause 1 hour of inconvenience to residents and users of this road, CR 553 on March 20, 2010 between 9 and 10 am that morning.
*Commissioners also approved a Tax Resale Deed to Steve Brindle for Lot 208, Section B, Shamrock Shores Addition. There was a bid for $400, which was approved. There is a debt of $1283 on this property, of which, only about $400 was taxes owed, the rest was attorney fees and etc.
