Gregg County Jail one item for commissioners

Gregg County Commissioners approved a salary re-alignment in the Sheriff 's Office that will allow the jail to have a jailer nurse on staff.

Sheriff Maxey Cerliano appeared before the commission Monday requesting the salaries of three jailer positions be dropped to entry level.

"That will give us enough funding for a jailer nurse position in the jail," Cerliano said.

He noted this was not a new position and the money is in the current budget.

Commissioners also approved the expenditure of $25,000 for appliances for the jail kitchen and laundry facilities.

Cerliano said the county has taken care of inmate meals for almost three year.

"Under the contract we had with Aramark we were paying $2.35 a day per inmate," he said. "Today our cost is $1.92 per day per inmate."

Cerliano said the county jail serves about 2,700 meals daily.

Gregg County has joined the rest of the state in proclaiming April as "Fair Housing Month."

County Judge Bill Stoudt said the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) and the Office of Rural Community Affairs (ORCA) will join other agencies and organizations throughout the state in celebrating the 1968 passage of landmark fair housing legislation by observing "National Fair Housing Month."

The Fair Housing Act, established by Congress in 1968, prohibits discrimination in the financing, rent or sale of any dwelling based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. Amendments to the Act in 1988 extended protection against housing discrimination based on disability or familial status.

The following year, the Texas Legislature solidified its commitment to fair housing with the Texas Fair Housing Act of 1989, which offered protection for apartment renters and homeowners.

TDHCA and ORCA share in Texas' state housing program administration responsibilities. TDHCA administers programs that support the construction, rehabilitation, and preservation of housing affordable to low-income Texans. ORCA administers programs that provide for infrastructure such as water and sewer lines that support housing developments in rural areas.

Stoudt said TDHCA is Texas' lead agency responsible for affordable housing, public and energy assistance programs, among other activities. activities.

The Department annually administers funds in excess of $400 million, the majority of which is derived from mortgage revenue bond financing and refinancing, federal grants, and federal tax credits.

ORCA was created by the 77th Legislature to facilitate and focus the State's health, economic development, and community development programs targeting rural communities in Texas. ORCA's programs and services support health care delivery in rural Texas, and address rural community planning activities, and housing and public facility needs such as sewer, water system, road, drainage improvements, and disaster relief funds. ORCA is the door to Texas government for rural citizens.

Recently Gregg County received an ORCA grant to assist with the rural water project in White Oak.

"I think by approving the proclamation we're showing support for an organization that has helped us in the past and hopefully will again in the future," Stoudt said.

Along the same lines, commissioners approved a proclamation declaring March 30 "Women in Longview Day."

On March 30 women throughout East Texas will celebrate the 19th annual event.

Events will be held at Maude Cobb Convention Center 8 a. m. to 1:15 p.m.

Women in Longview is a group dedicated to improving the status of all area women by applauding the achievements of women and supporting their endeavors. Women in Longview Day allows women of all backgrounds the opportunity to network and interact with other women and be informed about current topics of concern specifically in their personal, social and economic lives. It is also an opportunity for men to develop a more realistic appreciation of the roles and abilities of women today.

In other business, commissioners approved resolution supporting a grant application for $80,000 to the Office of the Governor, Criminal Justice Division to fund the Violence Against Women Prosecution Program.

"If approved, this will be the ninth year of the project," Stoudt said.

In other business, commissioners approved:

 A request to assist the city of White Oak with a draining problem in the city park;

 A request for Utility Works to place a four-inch water line with the right-of-way of Old Hwy. 1235 in Pct. 3;

 A request for Gas Solutions to place a six-inch poly gas line with the right-of-way of Cox Dairy Road in Pct. 3;

 A request to use inmate labor to assist the

Longview/Greggton Rotary CLub with some manual labor.