Chevron Phillips donates to help local small businesses

The largesse of Chevron Phillips and the new Golden Triangle Polymers plant was on display again as the company donated $200,000 to Orange County Commissioners Court for a new "Local First" program.

The money will go to the Orange County Economic Development Corporation to help local small businesses get into line to sell to the company and its contractors as the $8.5 billion construction project gets into full swing.

Last week at the ceremonial groundbreaking for the new plant, Chevron Phillips gave $1.3 million to Lamar State College Orange for equipment to train workers at the plant.

Heather Betancourt with Golden Triangle Polymers told commissioners this is the first Local First project the company has set up. She said Chevron Phillips wants to use Orange County and Golden Triangle businesses and vendors and the program will help educate them on how to get business.

She said the Orange County EDC has worked to support local businesses and Chevron Phillips wants to help that effort. The company estimates the new plant will have an economic impact of $50 billion during the next 20 years.

"We certainly appreciate your assistance," County Judge John Gothia said.

Chevron Phillips has been working with Workforce Solutions of Southeast Texas in the hiring process for the plant's construction.

Golden Triangle Polymers Company is a joint venture between Chevron Phillips and QatarEnergy, with CP Chem having 51 percent and QatarEnergy 49 percent.

In other county business, commissioners approved the county participating with the Texas General Land Office for a "vessel turn-in program" in April.

Under the program, people with dilapidated boats up to 26-feet long may bring in the vessels and trailers to the county for proper disposal in a landfill.

The dates will be April 18, 20, 22, 25, 27, and 29 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the county's trash collection station at 11265 FM 1442 near the County Expo Center.

Judge Gothia said the county collected a disposed of a number of vessels for citizens. The disposal project helps keep the vessels from being abandoned in yards or along waterways, where they can become hazards for boaters.

In other business, the court voted to restrict parking at Raymond Gould Park in Vidor during the hours of 10 p.m. to 5 p.m. Precinct 4 Commissioner Robert Viator, whose precinct includes that park and community center, originally asked for the restricted citizens parking at all county parks, which would include Bluebird off Simmons Drive in Orange, plus Claiborne West Park along Interstate 10.

However, the gates at Claiborne West Park are closed at night and Precinct 1 Commissioner Johnny Trahan, who oversees Bluebird, was reluctant to set the parking hours. Instead, the court agreed to apply the parking rules for Raymond Gould Park.

The county will make signs informing people of the parking regulations and then deputies will be able to ticket violators.