Meeting with no electrical power to the courthouse due to Monday’s storm damage, the Shelby County Commissioners’ Court gave approval to an outside organization to file for refunds of Indigent Health Care expenditures for the county. Local attorney Stephen Shires’ practice includes the firm Disability Needs which will assist in filing the tedious paperwork with the federal government.

 

County Judge Allison Harbison says the county has not made an attempt to seek these monies for years. She added the county primarily deals with qualifying applicants.

 

Disability Needs’ fee will be 33 percent of indigent refunds collected. Commissioners agreed to begin the services upon approval by County Attorney Gary Rholes of a trial six-month agreement with Shires, and re-evaluate for a possible annual contract.

 

In other business, Shelby County’s finances received a ‘clean bill of health’ from Axley & Rode CPA’s. Eric Carver was on hand to present the news on the FY2014 external audit report.

 

One item of business that died on Monday’s agenda without action was adopting a resolution in support of putting in a weigh and inspection station south of Nacogdoches and the state paying the costs of adding an additional 13 troopers to the region.

 

There was no discussion by commissioners.

 

Judge Harbison said she was asked by Nacogdoches County Judge Mike Perry to see if the county would support the issue.

 

Approval was given to:

 

·       A surety bond for Barbara Walton for appointment as assistant treasurer.

 

·       Accepted $4,000 donation from Devon Energy to the sheriff’s department. Sheriff Willis Blackwell said the money would go toward purchasing night-vision body cameras for deputies.

 

·       Re-appointment of Judge Allison Harbison and appointment of County Treasurer Ann Blackwell to the DETCOG Board of Directors.