The Caldwell County Fiscal Court met on Tuesday morning, Jan. 10 for its regularly scheduled meeting and agenda items included approval of the sheriff’s office budget, fees and several appointments.
This was newly-sworn in Caldwell County Judge-Executive Kota Young’s first fiscal court meeting in his new role, after serving as mayor for the city of Princeton. He told fiscal court members that he was excited to work with them.
The fiscal court approved the fourth quarter spending for the sheriff’s office in 2022 as well as the 2023 estimated fee budget and annual order setting maximum salaries. The budget is projected to be roughly $18,000 more this year.
Young presented four executive orders for board appointments. He asked to appoint Princeton Mayor Brock Thomas to the City County Park Board and reappoint Roy Gene Rogers to the City County Park Board. Young also asked to appoint Thomas and former Caldwell County Judge-Executive Larry Curling to the Industrial Development Authority. The fiscal court approved all appointments.
The fiscal court also took care of a few housekeeping items at the meeting, such as approval of the fiscal court employees, which it must do every year. It also approved the treasurer’s transfers and paid the bills.
Jailer Willie Nelson asked the fiscal court to approve purchase of a new stove for the jail. He said the current stove, which has been at the jail for a long time, is no longer in proper working order. Jail staff cooks three meals a day for themselves, so the stove is a necessity. He found one to purchase for $2,934 and the fiscal court approved the purchase.
Emergency Manager Joey McCaslin said he is still waiting on finalization of a grant to purchase weather sirens. While the exact spots are yet to be determined, one will be in Fredonia, one will be on Highway 293 and one will be at the fire station in Princeton.
This was also the first fiscal court meeting for newly sworn in Caldwell County Clerk Jennifer Watson Hale. She shared with the fiscal court that she was headed to a meeting for county clerks later that day where there would be samples of the new e-poll books the state is requiring. The state will pay for the first year’s subscription of the e-poll books, but the county will have to purchase the actual books.
Hale said she will take notes during the meeting and come back to the fiscal court with a recommendation on the best book system to purchase. There are only four approved by the state. She also shared that counties are required to let the state know by March what system they will be using, so it will need to make a quick decision.
Once it has decided, Hale wants to take some of the election committee to see the e-books being demonstrated. She told members of the fiscal court they were welcome to come along as well.
Anyone interested in addressing the fiscal court at its Jan. 24 meeting should contact the judge-executive’s office no later than noon on Friday, Jan. 20.
