By Suzette Connell

The Blanco County Commissioners Court met for a Special Meeting on November 27 at 9:00AM in the Johnson City Courthouse in order to discuss five items on the agenda. The meeting began with approval of minutes of the prior meetings.

Commissioner Sultemeier then asked the court to allow a replat of Lot 6, Block 3, Pedernales Place Unit 2 subdivision (a total of ten acres) to be ‘Lots A, B, and C’, stating that “all the proper paperwork is in order.” Kathy Strickland, in attendance at the meeting, commented that “Pedernales Place, Unit 2, has a public water system, and therefore lots can go down to three acres.” After asking for any questions or concerns, a motion was made and approved to allow the replat.

Consideration was then given to a proposal for funding of predator control using certain Texas Parks and Wildlife funds. “Actually what they want to do is use some funds that are collected under the annual license renewal for Parks and Wildlife. This is a resolution in support of that request,” commented Judge Guthrie. A $3.00 fee is to be added to hunting licenses and used to offset costs in predator control. “Currently we pay $14,000 a year for predator control,” Guthrie said. In additional comments, Sultemeier pointed out that he has spoken with several wildlife people and they are “very much in support of predator control as that’s where a lot of their money is going to”. Each commissioner was required to sign the resolution after the motion was approved.

The final item on the court agenda concerned the increase in the cost of transportation of decedents to the Travis County Medical Examiner. Guthrie explained that he has received letters from Crofts Funeral Home and copies of letters from the Medical Examiner’s Office saying that the Medical Examiner’s Office will no longer assist funeral homes, when they arrive at the Medical Examiner’s Office, in loading or unloading bodies. This will require the funeral homes to hire additional helpers. Crofts Funeral Home estimates this will cost an additional one hundred dollars per trip for the workers. “We currently pay $150 for this service,” said Guthrie “and I suggest that we increase the fee to $250, the same as Burnet County is already paying, in order to offset an estimated one hundred [dollar] charge.” Commissioner Wood recommended that the court raise the fee to $300 in order to offset fuel charges and made the motion to raise the fee. Commissioner Sultemeir expressed concern at the $300 fee. The motion was approved.

Outstanding bills were discussed and approved.

The meeting adjourned, and then Judge Guthrie proposed lifting the burn ban for 72 hours, beginning Thursday morning at 8:00AM. The court agreed.