County Judge Justin Lewis (R) set up microphones in the Courtroom
Get them in your movie before they can get you in theirs. – Ken Kesey, author of One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest
Hillsboro – Court recordings that can’t be heard, records that can’t be found – it’s all part of a confusing game that crumbles in the face of any honest and forthright request.
The Hill County Commissioners’ Court is scrambling to maintain an even strain.
For instance, in a special meeting called for 8:30 am on Tuesday, May 29, County Judge Justin Lewis corrected a chronic problem with videos provided by the Emergency Management Coordinator in which the audio portion is inaudible.
He set up an impressive bevy of goose-necked condenser microphones on tables he personally arranged previous to the meeting.
The innovation revealed an interesting set of facts. First order of business included a re-bid of a single entry in which the purchasers sought prices on auto tires.
Judge Lewis said it didn’t seem quite right, so one of the County Commissioners immediately moved for a renewed request for proposals. The motion carried unanimously.
The tribunal set a new speed limit on three miles of newly paved County Roads of 35 miles per hour, as requested by the contractor in order to cut down on wear and tear on the new surface.
And so, it came as some kind of surprise when The Legendary renewed a request for annual reports required by state law of improvements and maintenance to the road system by the Road Commissioners acting as ex officio supervisors.
No one has heard of any such thing, including the Commissioners. A public information act request pending for many days is still active with the County Clerk.
Precinct 1 County Commissioner Montgomery said he will look into the request. He said he has never known of any such requirement.
The matter is part and parcel of a shift from the traditional method of running the road commission voters demanded in a special election that carried the question 61% to 39%. County Commissioners scrapped the resulting change to a “unit system” of operation in which a civil engineer is responsible for all improvement and maintenance after one biennial through yet another ballot question.
In this audio, one may hear the action taken by the Court through a series of motions:
And the floggings will continue until morale improves.
- The Legendary