Powell Professional of West Texas, LLC, dba Guardian EMS, received approval for their contract renewal with Brown County at Monday morning’s commissioners’ court.
Ross Bradley, representing Guardian EMS, explained to the court that the current contract will expire January 1st. He stated that the contract submitted for consideration was basically the same contract as the one that has been in place for the past five years with the exception of a slight mathematical error, which had figured the monthly amount on a 10 month average rather than 12months.
The term of the contract is another five years with an option to renew twice for another 5 years each time.
Subsidy received by Guardian EMS in the fiscal year 2009-2010 totaled $133,488, a monthly amount of $10,800. This subsidy is to increase 3% ($324) according to the contract in November-December of 2011, which will be $11,124/month. This will be the first increase in 5 years according to Bradley.
In other matters on the agenda:
*Billy Murphy gave the annual Report for the Veteran’s Service Office which serves 9 counties having a population of 2843 Veterans, of which 1163 live outside of Brown County.
Veterans traveling to Brownwood for VA Health Clinic services, spend an average of $35 when they visit. These Veterans have a direct economic impact of $32,228 in direct sales tax recovery. On average a Veteran visits a clinic four times a year.
Veterans Services Office provided services to 1623 Brown County residents in the past 211 office work days.
*Commissioner Richard Gist, Precinct 3, presented a request on behalf of Zephyr ISD to make CR 281 into a one way street between FM 590 and FM 218 between the hours of 7:30-8:30am and 3:00-4:00pm when school is in session. He noted that he did not believe there are any negative impacts in this action.
“Traffic is limited at best in Zephyr anyway,” stated Gist who also pointed out that this action is being requested for the safety of the children while they are being dropped off and picked up for school.
The section of CR 281 that would be one way during these times is a two block portion directly in front of the school. An audience member stated his opinion that these one hour periods may confuse drivers, suggesting that the court consider possibly making the one way section in force 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. County Judge Ray West pointed out that there needs to be some type of barrier to make it inaccessible at these times.
Commissioners agreed and approved implementing a one way street during these two hours which would help the school immediately and that making a more permanent round the clock change could be considered at a future court meeting if the Zephyr ISD determined it was necessary.
Cost of signage was considered and determined that it would be minimal as the county has the means to make signs and will not have to order from an outside source.
