Shelby County Today

February 4, 2022 - The Shelby County Commissioners have approved a project to move forward with repairs to the Shelby County Jail plumbing system at a cost of $75,000.

Gary Adams, DRG Architects; was accompanied by Mark Dawson, Whitaker Plumbing Inc.; and structural engineer David Wood.

"[Mark Dawson] met over there with us this morning, we have a game plan," said Adams. "It all works around being able to move the prisoners. Mr. [Don] Moore, [Jail Administrator], has found places for the misguided, so it's a coordination effort."

Adams explained the basic plan is to cut the floor, remove the prisoners, cut out the floor completely, repair the plumbing, replace the floor and return the prisoners. While working on what repairs they know are necessary, further investigation will be performed to see what else might be in need of repair.

The initial repair and replacement of a particular cast iron pipe is expected to cost between $8,000 to $10,000, according to Dawson. An addition to that project would be at a cost of $60,000 to cut out more concrete down the remainder of the hallway and dig out dirt at a depth of five feet.

Dawson said he has been working with a company, Bannister Plumbing, that does what is called a "reline." Without disruption to the flooring, a flexible, pliable, pipe is pulled through the pipe and with epoxy is the equivalent of installing PVC pipe within existing pipe. The cost of the re-line is $75,000 and Dawson advised the commissioners take that option.

"This is an emergency situation, so I think you don't have to do the bid process and engineering and stuff," said Dawson.

According to Dawson, the relining can be started on February 14, 2022, and he expects the work to take a week to complete the job and would allow for the concrete to remain sealed without exposing anyone to the dirt.

Tom Bellmyer, Commissioner Precinct 4, asked about the process of installing the reliner.

"This reliner process requires that 40% of the pipe be in place, so if the top 40% is still there then as long as we can get something through, which they've already ran a camera through," said Dawson. "So I'm comfortable we can get something through and then it creates back to the original size. 75 foot of this is four inch and 75 foot of it is six inch."

Roscoe McSwain, Commissioner Precinct 1, expressed enthusiasm at the prospect of being able to use the reliner instead of having to perform a lot more invasive tasks in repairing the plumbing.

"I know it's a lot more money but I definitely, you don't have to sell it to me, I'd rather do the whole line for $70,000 or $75,000 as to piece this together and in our minds we know the camera came from the road end too and also had issues," said McSwain. "We're not going to fix it with one cut, it's going to be keep adding $10,000-$15,000."

Dawson said the material used to reline the pipes is schedule 40, which is the same as pipes used on new installations. He said the price of the relining shocked him, because he expected it to be higher.

Adams shared Moore has located a temporary place to hold the inmates while the repair work is in progress.

"We've found some that will take them, but we don't have the contracts in place yet," said Moore. "Harrison County's the only contract that we have. We have found a place to take four or five here and for or five there. If we had to do it today, I've got 10 I'd have to move, but I'd have to have interagency agreement in place, so they will take a few but I've got to have the agreements in place first."

Sheriff Kevin Windham asked Dawson to comment on the possibilities involving the void beneath the jail as to what it might be in relation to a high pressure leak and drainage.

Dawson described a project in a donut shop in Carthage where a camera was used to survey the situation beneath the foundation and they were under the impression the issue was only with a small section of pipe around four feet in length.

"We wound up replacing 38 foot of sewer pipe in a 36 foot wide building, so we had to go one foot outside [the structure] both ways," said Dawson. "If we had just started off with this reline, it would have been a whole better deal."

Very similarly to the Shelby County Jail, there was a void when a camera was used to survey; however, when that project moved forward they discovered mud rather than a void.

A motion carried to proceed with Whitaker Plumbing to get the emergency problem fixed.

McSwain commented he thinks it very wise to do the repair in the method presented, and if it's successful he believes the other side of the jail should be completed in the same way to be finished with the project.

He feels completing both sides of the needed repairs for $150,000 would be very reasonable.

Ann Blackwell, County Treasurer, presented the commissioners with a interlocal cooperation contract for FTA (Failure to Appear) program with the Texas Department of Public Safety.

"The [Justice of the Peace] have always used Omnibase to report to DPS unpaid tickets to get a hold on their driver's license, I mean they've done that ever since I've been here, I've never seen one of these either," said Blackwell.

Blackwell explained the cost used to be $30 with $20 going to the state, $6 to Omnibase and $4 to the county. It has now been reduced to just $10 with Omnibase getting $6 and the county getting $4, and the agreement is for five years

"It's the FTA program we probably should have had all along, but I don't think any of us knew that," said Blackwell.

A motion carried to approved the Interlocal Cooperation Contract for FTA Program with DPS.

A motion carried by the commissioners to close 4968’ of County Road 2230.

"We've been talking about doing this for the last couple years and we're finally going to take action and stop maintenance on this road and barricade it," said Commissioner McSwain. "2230 is by the new feed mill, and it goes all the way over to [CR] 1006 and the precinct line is the bridge in the middle of this road."

McSwain continued by explaining both Precinct 1 and Precinct 2 have maintained the roadway.

"That road is impassable now, it's a waste of money to continue to try to upkeep that road. The only land owner on that road from distance to distance we're closing is Red River Timber company," said McSwain.

He said the timber company will be glad for it to be closed because the bridge has been a constant trash dumping area.

The motion was to discontinue maintenance on the road, and abandon the proposed distance of the road, and at the distance measured where CR 1006 turns and crosses the bridge to Clever Creek the county is going to keep 100 feet of that road and 100 feet past Matt Gordon's house to turn equipment around. The roadway will be barricaded there with no exceptions. The motion carried.

The meeting adjourned at 10:14am.

Agenda items approved during the meeting include:
1. Pay weekly expenses.
2. Current payroll.
3. Closing 4968’ of County Road 2230.
4. Repair the current sewer issue at the County Jail.
5. Interlocal Cooperation Contract for FTA Program with DPS.
6. Pct. 2 Commissioner to auction off John Deere Brush Cutter / Belly Dump Trailer/Shop Built 3 axle Gooseneck Trailer on Purple Wave.
7. Pct. 2 Commissioner to purchase a Massey Ferguson Tractor from Jarvis Equipment, and a mower from Bane Equipment.
8. Adjourn.

February 3, 2022 - The Center square was the scene of a two-vehicle crash Thursday night, February 3, 2022.

Center Police officers, assisted by the Texas Department of Public Safety, investigated the crash on San Augustine Street that occurred sometime before 9:30pm.

A black 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee driven by a female driver had been eastbound on San Augustine Street at a speed excessive for the square when, as it entered the square, it struck a pickup truck in a parking spot. The pickup truck was a black 2010 Ford F-150 which remained at the location where it was struck.

The Jeep continued to the other end of San Augustine Street just before the intersection with Shelbyville Street where it came to a halt and the driver fled on foot.

No injuries were reported at the time of the incident, and the driver of the Jeep was not immediately located. The Jeep was towed from the scene.

The crash is under investigation by Center Police Officer Jerry Payne and he was assisted with the investigation by Officer Brian Wright.

February 3, 2022 - Shelby County offices will open at 10am tomorrow, Friday, February 4 due to possible inclement weather conditions.

February 3, 2022 - Center ISD will have a 2 hour delayed start to school tomorrow, Friday, February 4, 2022. We will continue to monitor roads and the weather throughout the night. If something changes, we will notify you immediately. Continue to monitor local media, our web-site and social media pages.