DeWitt Commissioners approve County Sheriff’s Department Grant Fund expenditures

The DeWitt County Commissioner’s Court approved expenditures from the DeWitt County Sheriff’s Department Grant Fund at the April 22 meeting.

This fund is a part of Senate Bill 22 which establishes a grant program that will provide financial assistance to sheriff’s departments, constable’s offices, and district and county attorney’s office in eligible counties.

“The Senate 22 Bill funds are going to be used to retain our employees, that’s where a portion of that is going towards,” DeWitt County Sheriff Carl Bowen said.

“This was born out of a necessity of addressing the underservice of rural counties. While we are fortunate here in that the court has been able to take care of our needs, this is not necessarily true in the western and southern part of the state. There’s a statewide, and more importantly, a nationwide shortage of law enforcement officers, so this is an effort to address those needs and to help put rural counties on a more level playing field with the larger urban areas.”

The amount of the grant is $350,000.

“ $40,000 ( of this grant) will go towards increasing salaries for our deputies,” Judge Daryll Fowler said. “$50,000 will go towards jailer’s salaries.”

An appropriation of $92,000 will also go towards motor vehicles. Other safety equipment will be approximately $104,000. Radio equipment will be $30,000.

Other items on the agenda included:

• Dr. Cynthia Orozco and Tincia Seginski were appointed to the DeWitt County Historical Commission for the 2023-24 term of service.

• A proclamation establishing April 28 through May 5 as 2024 Soil and Water Stewardship Week was approved.

• A memorandum of understanding between DeWitt County and Health Shield Educational Services was approved. This is to conduct an emergency medical service program.

• A permit application from Burlington Resources Oil and Gas Company LP was approved for the installation of a temporary water line along Chris House Rd. and Schendel Rd. in Precinct 3 was approved. There will also be installations of a temporary water line from BROGC on Muschalek Rd, Klein Rd, and Gruenau Rd.

• A permit application from Select Water Solutions LLC was approved for the installation of a temporary water line along Nathan Mueller Rd. in Precinct 3. SWS is also installing a temporary water line along Maron Rd. and Roeder Ranch Rd.

• The next DeWitt County Commissioner’s Court meeting has been moved from May 27 to May 30 at 9 a.m. to accommodate Memorial Day.