The Record Newspapers - Hometown News For Orange County, Texas

Corbin Erway presented commissioners with a petition requesting action against commercial vehicles speeding on Four Oaks Ranch Road in Vidor. Erway said the posted speed is 15 mph but he estimates most commercial vehicles are driving at speeds up to 60 mph. He said there are only four to five houses on the street, but there are 12 children aged 8 and under. He is very concerned a child will be injured if the problem is not corrected.

Commissioners couldn’t comment because the matter wasn’t an agenda item, but County Judge Carl Thibodeaux accepted the petition.

Sheriff Keith Merritt was talking with Erway after commissioners’ court.

Some of the agenda items covered in Monday’s court session include:

Connie Cassidy, the county purchasing agent was authorized to advertise for sealed bids on three seized items that will not be in the current auction because the county doesn’t have title to them. Sealed bids will be accepted for a 2001 Chrysler 300, 2000 Pontiac Sunfire and a 2007 covered trailer.

County policy was changed concerning reinstatement of benefits and seniority. Employees rehired before July 1, 2013 will have their seniority and benefits restored after 24 months of additional continuous service. Rehires as of July 1, 2013, will not be entitled to reinstatement of benefits or seniority of any previous service and will receive the same benefits as any new hire.

Part time employees are any employee in a position with normal work hours of 29 hours or less per week. Part time employees are not eligible for county benefits. All regular part time employees must be placed on TCDRS retirement regardless of the number of hours worked per week, effective July 1, 2013.

Commissioners also gave Enterprise Liquids Pipeline LLC permission to conduct a survey near the airport. They had previously given permission for the survey, but this request covers to tracts of land acquired by the county since that permission was granted.

They also gave Wood Group Mustang permission for a geological drill to determine geological make-up of the area of the proposed Shell Pipeline Company LP Westward Ho Project.