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After some unexpected audience participation in the two previous meetings of the Llano County Commissioners Court, Judge Wayne Brascom opened Monday morning’s meeting with a brief review of the court’s rules. Pointing out that the public is invited as spectators, and must have permission to participate, he said the court “is not a forum for accusations or insults,” and that the court has authority to remove a disruptive audience member or even to issue a contempt citation.

Chief Deputy John Neff reported that the sheriff’s office has been able to find a supplier who will outfit all its patrol cars (plus two city vehicles as part of an interlocal agreement) with new audio/video equipment and archive software for just $1,400 more than the amount of a grant for that purpose.

The court approved a grant of $5,000 from the hotel/motel tax to help the Lake Buchanan Conservation Corp. stock the lake with hybrid striped bass. Over the past four years, the LBCC has released more than five million fish into the lake.

The court also approved matching funds from the hotel/motel tax for Llano County lodgings who wish to advertise in the 101 Fun Things to do in the Highland Lakes or the Texas Hill Country magazine. The fund currently has a balance of $121,000.00, which must be spent promoting tourism in Llano County.

Jail Administrator Donny Stewart reported that the county jail had passed state inspection for the 13th consecutive year, but pointed out that the jail had been operating at 90 percent capacity during recent weeks, and that the county had been forced to send some inmates to Burnet. Llano County has cells for 48 men, for 8 women and for 5 “special needs” prisoners, including violent offenders; the women’s cells, particularly, have been filled to capacity this year. Stewart suggested that the county consider expanding the jail sometime in the near future.

Chief Juvenile Probation Officer Mark Bittner and his department were recognized by the court for returning $16,170.29 unused from their 2008-2009 budget. He explained that his department had saved the county money by working with juvenile offenders here in Llano County, instead of sending them to a juvenile detention center (at about $100 a day) in Kerrville or Bell County. “If we can keep them here without jeopardizing the community,” Bittner said, “We’ll do it, and we’ll save a lot of money.”

Judge Brascom proposed that $8,000 of the returned funds be used to provide a marked vehicle for probation officers to use on visitations, pointing out that officers would be safer in a recognizable vehicle, and that providing a vehicle would improve morale while saving the county money over the $.50 per mile reimbursement currently in effect for the use of private vehicles. The commissioner voted to approve the funds.

Terri Thompson, of the Air Evac Lifeteam, made a brief presentation explaining the company’s helicopter service to big-city hospitals. One of the company’s 19 Texas bases is located in Marble Falls, and its helicopters provide air transport to patients from accident scenes or rural hospitals. Thompson mentioned the annual memberships available for local residents at just $60 per family; members are entitled to air transport at no cost in the event of an emergency. Judge Brascom pointed out that the company now has 1,039 household members in Llano County, and said, “We think it’s a great asset to the county.” He also pointed out that the turnaround area at the new boat ramp on Lake Buchanan was designed to serve as an emergency helipad, and suggested to Emergency Management Coordinator Ron Moore, that landing sites be included on the county’s 911 map.

Library Director Dian Ray reported that library staff was “getting used to the Apollo software system.” She also reported that the Bluffton History program at Lakeshore Library had been filled to capacity, and that the program would be repeated at the Llano Library on March 16th. And she invited the public to attend the library’s soup supper at 5 p.m. this Thursday.

The commissioners voted to approve the purchase of two mobile radios at $2,500 apiece for the sheriff’s department, and to accept the donation of road material from the FM 2900 construction project (FM 2900 in Kingsland will be undergoing a complete re-construction from the bridge to Hwy 1431).

One agenda item that caused some discussion was the nomination of former commissioner Duane Stueven to serve on the citizens’ advisory panel to hear appeals and variance requests related to the floodplain ordinance. Audience members Brad Shaw and Mark Stephenson both urged the court to consider other willing candidates who had not been so closely associated with the county government. The commissioners agreed, and removed that item from the agenda.

Judge Brascom reported that the closing of River Oaks Drive in Kingsland (for culvert repairs) had been postponed due to recent rains, and also noted that the county continues to work with FEMA to produce a more accurate floodplain map, using the 1935 flood as the “100-year” benchmark.