[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6562560,"mediaKeyId","3273950-a4087953bffaf7a0d1b10c88d1782062","parentId",3273950,"title","Resident urges more hydrants, building code and staffed fire protection; county explains burn‑ban index","audioSeconds",337,"startMs",65000,"endMs",402000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3273950-a4087953bffaf7a0d1b10c88d1782062&start=65&end=402","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3273950-a4087953bffaf7a0d1b10c88d1782062/thumbnail_65000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6562560/San-Patricio-County/Texas/Resident-urges-more-hydrants-building-code-and-staffed-fire-protection-county-explains-burnban-index","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6562560-16e60d72a758310a6e1fbbda1dc836f0/orig.mp4?Expires=1771096898&Signature=FgSFLfLQ0HOMQBa7h5Eh2NrM0P2fjwsIBDoL8j10MAeGwE8RJat3lmjst4srT7Ha9vIFnGmbfSnG~-xRAV0rGgCTHzmB7lugOwDaH06ZlbWSh1BLaz1WB54TBdSMANAxmezC8Kp0pAtdDsUe1GjE-acXC2UT2iLrJviXLcXksgqPrnDU2dYDwMBmDqtp0djm5jr9tUXelQRKuroaKgiGnBVmaJo29qZz88brJWwZJJQq69HXAQuHAMZOvmYumo--kCEKfgidDDvXgz12DD7YRzK4SRpTlGaDNwusN7v5Ho8xSegIPd-0chfcgaIgZpBrCKvD8ItKWM2V39pYiiwjAA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","San Patricio","date","2025-05-12T00:00:00Z","article","A resident of St. Paul, Edna Cavazos, used the court’s public‑comment period to press for more fire protection and stronger housing standards for her precinct, saying growth has outpaced infrastructure and that her area has “only four fire hydrants” and multiple dilapidated buildings.

“Fun fact number 1 is that we have only four fire hydrants out there,” Cavazos said, and later asked the court for three specific items: a building code for rural areas, additional fire hydrants and a professionally staffed fire department in Sinton that would benefit nearby communities.

Cavazos also said about 15% of St. Paul’s population is over 65 and living alone, and that travel times from the volunteer fire department to some addresses are eight to nine minutes depending on the route.

Why it matters: Cavazos framed her comments as community‑safety concerns; the court’s public record shows county staff later addressed fire‑risk policy and infrastructure variables that affect whether a burn ban can be lifted.

County fire staff (identified in the meeting as Scott) addressed repeated public questions about why a county burn ban remains in effect despite recent rain. Scott said the county uses a quantitative fire‑risk index and that a threshold value of 575 indicates high probability of fire spread. He showed a county map noting areas above the threshold (orange) and areas near it (yellow), and said while parts of the county have received enough rain to lower the index, the central and southern areas remain above the threshold.

“So we can’t take part of the county out of a burn ban and leave part of the county in,” Scott said, explaining that until the index falls below the threshold across the county, the burn ban must remain in place.

Court and staff also noted volunteer fire‑department distances and asked property owners to cooperate with county outreach on hydrants and other safety measures. No formal county action to add a building code, staff a municipal fire department, or add hydrants was taken at the meeting; Cavazos’s requests were preserved in the public record for potential follow up.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","San Patricio - Commissioners Court - May 12, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","A St. Paul resident told the Commissioners Court the community has only four fire hydrants, several dilapidated structures and volunteer fire response times she described as eight to nine minutes and urged adoption of a building code and a staffed Sinton fire department.","taxTitle","San Patricio County, Texas","taxId",69592,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6562565,"San Patricio County hears timeline, permitting and easement hurdles for $25 million GLO mitigation package",653,1013000,1666000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3273950-a4087953bffaf7a0d1b10c88d1782062&start=1013&end=1666","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3273950-a4087953bffaf7a0d1b10c88d1782062/thumbnail_1013000.jpg","/articles/6562565/San-Patricio-County/Texas/San-Patricio-County-hears-timeline-permitting-and-easement-hurdles-for-25-million-GLO-mitigation-package","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6562565-ceb880ade446b393374ffd5b81ec2592/orig.mp4?Expires=1771096898&Signature=Yrv1gybzMQ-dFwfwCmhS7LzsF~kxBJcxOHLv2nBbdw7NGfTRhEWFM5FhFhVCud2q-h2J9seeIlhZKFM3UWjua5kNzNTz5bNWDg~Fm9Dnsvolk9ShGWogFwKbYFD~9rcEXmwyhYWRi~eLHA1fDY0UxYpXhpSSTnQA~EzWPfD5wQSM~xKWheQ47buLq7-W0l3UjhjFKq~0OdZzNx6TF78R~CWkXQWu2eack9RzJ7ZLdFYwkthyDGqX-u8pi5DA2NJBN~rQd0Tj~JIBMIa19QMNLpP7RsVz7EKjkqyjEv4N2JJOr3HdH263yVN2doPtDlQ89Uh~JB3ToJB6CKgmYJbLQQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","San Patricio County Commissioners Court on the record received a presentation on the county’s two active Texas General Land Office (GLO) mitigation grants and a new $25 million CDBG‑MIT method‑of‑distribution (MOD) award, and heard that right‑of‑entry, wetlands and flood‑plain permitting pose schedule risk.

Lankford Community Management Services consultant Jessica Day Down told the court the county has two active mitigation projects — channel improvements on two identified sites — and that the MOD contract covers about a dozen additional drainage, road and water‑system projects totaling roughly $25.9 million. Day Down said the currently active mitigation grant has an expiration tied to a prior extension and that GLO has refused additional extensions for that contract; the MOD award carries its own timeline and allows limited extensions.

Why it matters: the projects are intended to reduce flooding and repair drainage and infrastructure across the county, including work in Taft, Lake City, Ingleside and other communities. Delays in acquisition, environmental review or permits could push construction well beyond the county’s preferred schedule.

Day Down and Alyssa Bickford of Lankford said the county is now in the acquisition and environmental review phases on the active mitigation grants and in the early environmental review and engineering procurement phases for the MOD contract. They described several recurring issues that consume time: obtaining right‑of‑entry or easements from long‑distance or difficult‑to‑locate landowners; coordination with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) on nationwide permits when work may affect wetlands or river crossings; historical‑resources review and tribal consultation; and flood‑plain permitting and Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) coordination for water and wastewater work.

“Given where we are, we would need to be ready to bid this month,” Day Down said of the active mitigation work, then added the county is not ready to bid because survey access and right‑of‑entry packets remain outstanding. She asked the court to help contact property owners so survey and easement work can proceed.

County grant manager Melanie Cooper told the court Lankford’s team and her office have sent packets to landowners three times and held two public meetings; she said a small number of parcels show title records with no identifiable owners, which may require eminent‑domain procedures and legal services. Cooper asked the court to approve procurement of legal services for eminent domain where necessary.

On the new MOD award, Day Down described a set of projects that include a water‑tower mixing and heating system replacement in Odum, a $6 million Peter Swell project (noted as likely requiring USACE coordination and possibly an archeological study), pavement and drainage improvements, and other site‑specific ditching, culvert and bulkhead repairs. She said most projects qualified as low‑to‑moderate income (LMI) projects under GLO rules; approximately 15% of the MOD award was designated as “urgent need.”

Engineering procurement and contract award: the court considered awarding a single countywide engineering contract to perform project information, development and design for the MOD projects. Melanie Cooper reported the scoring committee ranked the top firms and the court voted to award RFP 2020‑5‑2 to Heff Engineering (motion carried). Cooper said one contract will reduce administrative burden on county staff; several commissioners raised concerns that using two firms might speed delivery but complicate audits and contract administration.

Administrative costs and contract amendment: the court considered Amendment No. 2 to the existing grant administration contract with Lankford for the MOD program, which would increase administrative fees up to the 6% maximum allowed by the grant. Several commissioners asked whether Lankford could reduce its administrative rate by 1 percentage point; Lankford said they would relay the request to their principal. The court voted to withdraw the pending motion and table the amendment while staff follows up on the administrative‑fee question.

Signatures, civil‑rights policies and related start‑up documents: the court approved a resolution designating authorized signatories for construction and financial documents required to begin reimbursement activity under the MOD contract, and approved county civil‑rights policies required by GLO. Cooper said those startup documents are required for reimbursement eligibility and for contract execution. The court added Commissioner Zagorski as an authorized signatory to the list.

Next steps and timing: Lankford advised the court it has one year from contract execution to complete environmental reviews for the MOD work and will attempt to parcel out design and environmental work to allow bidding on cleared projects while design continues on others. Day Down said early coordination with USACE, TxDOT and TCEQ will be important and that the county should expect some projects to require extensive permitting and potentially archaeological surveys.

Commissioners repeatedly asked staff to push for landowner cooperation on right‑of‑entry packets and easements to avoid more time‑consuming acquisition steps. Lankford and county staff said they will continue outreach, complete environmental pre‑screening and proceed with procurement steps already underway.","County grant manager and Lankford Community Management Services updated the Commissioners Court on two active GLO mitigation grants and a new $25 million method-of-distribution (MOD) award, outlining environmental, right-of-way and permitting steps that could delay bidding and construction.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6562556,"Votes at a glance: San Patricio County Commissioners Court actions and approvals",2093,707000,2800000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3273950-a4087953bffaf7a0d1b10c88d1782062&start=707&end=2800","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3273950-a4087953bffaf7a0d1b10c88d1782062/thumbnail_707000.jpg","/articles/6562556/San-Patricio-County/Texas/Votes-at-a-glance-San-Patricio-County-Commissioners-Court-actions-and-approvals","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6562556-a16e54062b12e128060959a2a6a9d5ed/orig.mp4?Expires=1771096898&Signature=fo7PNRcs6xHgzRGc4~s9nZMlZv3theHc9y6a67C-~wkeoA6cODUJU6K9fuj-Z~A0E2tJCuRMzasrDkLAl9xCQUBuugMsgl11AS3KNBj-ejsik2F5q~Lczy2DKzOisNo9ZA16nkihJ4dhTkJ8O3G8NHqbSi2lMdtGfSLdeKQumUmJHABzIcveAVRisRXl0hANZhRy0BXdj0jetNzE2wOD4wMcM0lnECdjH4EdXgjanrOmcIXFoxfiTzQ8jHlQX3PPrHa0ZcJwCnzj0wDkLMRwadfEYEYYysZvONBZAd7R9PC8rFBxMOOwfC6FreSQiLTfjSmxlAGmtH6q5qTZcBzU0w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The following is a concise list of motions and outcomes recorded during the San Patricio County Commissioners Court meeting.

- Approval of minutes for the May 2 meeting: Motion carried.

- Claims: Court approved all claims against San Patricio County, including the addition of a purchase order/invoice from South Texas Restaurant Equipment Inc. for a dishwasher for the sheriff’s jail (five months outstanding). Motion carried.

- Budget transfers: Court approved transfers for Precinct 2 (capital improvements to building repairs and maintenance) and for Constable Precinct 5 (equipment repairs and supplies to furniture/equipment; postage to insurance/bonds/premiums). Motion carried.

- Financial reports: Treasurer’s April 2025 sales tax, investments and monthly reports were accepted and recorded.

- Consent items: Court accepted and recorded deputation for Anya Aguilar (deputy county clerk) and tax assessor‑collector monthly statements, and accepted TxDOT CTIF grant reimbursement funds (CTIF 2020 grant) of $469,387; staff noted the grant is reimbursement‑based and fund balances for Fund 25 and bond accounts are now zero.

- GLO CDBG‑MIT / MOD items:
• Approved a resolution designating authorized signatures for construction and financial documents required for the MOD program; court added Commissioner Zagorski to the signature list. Motion carried.
• Adopted civil‑rights policies required by GLO for the CDBG‑MIT/MOD program. Motion carried.
• Considered Amendment No. 2 to the Lankford administration services contract (increase to administrative cost up to 6%): motion withdrawn and item tabled pending vendor response on fee adjustment.
• Awarded RFP 2020‑5‑2 for professional engineering services for the MOD projects to Heff Engineering (single‑contract award). Motion carried.

- Other grants and resolutions:
• Adopted a proclamation declaring April as Fair Housing Month in San Patricio County. Motion carried.
• Authorized application for the Amy Young Barrier Removal program (ramps/barrier removal for disabled residents). Motion carried.
• Authorized application for the HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME) for tenant‑based rental assistance and homeowner reconstruction assistance (two programs under HOME). Motion carried.

- IT / security procurements:
• Approved purchase and installation of gate access integration and three‑door logic access for Precinct 1 yards/offices; recommended vendor B and R Telephone LLC, $12,253.78 (vendor terms noted). Motion carried.
• Approved access gate, point‑to‑point network and camera for Precinct 3 Odum yard/office; recommended vendor B and R Telephone LLC and associated purchases; motion carried.

- Personnel and human resources: Court approved a multi‑item personnel slate (new hires, terminations, salary changes and status changes) covering positions across the district attorney’s office, jail, road & bridge, juvenile services and administrative offices; motions carried unanimously.

- Budget workshop: Court held a 2026 budget workshop reviewing staff instructions, timeline and forms for department budget submissions; staff said presentations would begin the week of June 9 and the proposed budget filing deadline remains August 15.

No executive‑session actions were reported. Several items (notably the Lankford amendment) were tabled for follow‑up.","The court approved minutes, claims (including a dishwasher for the sheriff’s jail), several grant resolutions, procurement awards, personnel actions and moved several grant‑administration matters to follow‑up or tabled status.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Resident urges more hydrants, building code and staffed fire protection; county explains burn‑ban index

San Patricio County hears timeline, permitting and easement hurdles for $25 million GLO mitigation package

Votes at a glance: San Patricio County Commissioners Court actions and approvals