County survives another major weather event

County Judge John Gothia praised the county's road and bridge crews plus courthouse staff who worked during the record-setting snow storm and cold.

"We worked our way through another major event," he said Tuesday during a meeting of the Orange County Commissioners Court. "Everybody pulled together and kept things rolling."

The snow storm left five to nine inches of snow across the county on the early morning of January 21. That snowfall broke the 1960 snow which held second place in local snow. First place is in 1895 with an estimated 31 inches.

The snow left streets dangerous and law officials urged people to stay inside. The county and other entities and businesses closed for two to three days. Gothia said some of the county staff worked from home to get the payroll processed and other necessary business.

Employees in the county's road and bridge department were out working to make sure the county-maintained travelfares were safe for motorists. The crews put barricades up in some areas that were not safe.

Emergency Management Director Joel Ardoin and Deputy Director Leon George spent the night at the county's emergency operations center in case an emergency needed to be declared.

Also, the county is on the way toward getting the first public pickleball courts. The court approved having the purchasing agent advertise for bids to build two pickleball courts at Raymond Gould Park in Vidor.

Precinct 4 Commissioner Robert Viator, who oversees the park in his precinct, said he is getting the specs ready for the bidding process.

Viator said he does not play pickleball, which has become the fastest growing sport across the country. Judge Gothia said he has played it with his son. The sport has players holding a racket or paddle and hitting a plastic ball on a court. Two to four people can play. The sport, though, similar to other ones, has different balls, rackets, rules, and scoring than tennis, table tennis, or badminton.

The past couple of years, the commissioners court has agreed to spend an certain amount on recreation for county parks in each of the four precincts. Precinct 2 Commissioner Chris Sowell, who oversees Claiborne West Park, said that park may be getting pickleball courts in the future.

Commissioners Court Tuesday also approved dates for the next sales of fireworks. Fireworks may not legally be sold within city limits and the county sets dates based on days the state allows.

Orange County will allow fireworks to be sold from February 26 to midnight March 3 for Texas Independence Day; April 16 through midnight April 21, for San Jacinto Day; and Wednesday May 21 through Monday May 26 for Memorial Day.

The court approved the payment of bills including $93,805 from the special grants fund to Triangle Concrete Services for dirt and site work on the new Public Health Building being constructed on FM 1442 near the County Expo Center.