Commissioner writes legislation
The Chambers County Commissioners Court reads a proclamation declaring April as Child Abuse Prevention and Awareness Month during the April 8 meeting. In attendance are Jo McGinnis and Jessica Martinez with Bridgehaven’s Children’s Advocacy Center. Pictured are Commissioners Ryan Dagley, Tommy Hammond, Jimmy Gore, Mark Tice and County Judge Jimmy Sylvia.
Chambers County Commissioners Court reads a proclamation declaring Apil 7-13 as Public Health Week. In attendance are Chambers County Public Health Department employees alongside Health Services Director Mary Beth Bess and Deputy Director Kevin Crump. Pictured are Commissioners Ryan Dagley, Tommy Hammond, Jimmy Gore, Mark Tice and County Judge Jimmy Sylvia.
ANAHUAC— With talks of new developments and ports coming in, a commissioner wrote a new piece of legislation, which may significantly impact Chambers County if passed.
The Chambers County Commissioners Court held a meeting on Tuesday, April 8 discussing legislation and Health Services funding.
Commissioner Pct. 4 Ryan Dagley wrote House Bill 4605, sponsored by Texas House District 23 Rep. Terri Leo Wilson. The bill is currently in the House Transportation Committee.
“I looked up and did the best I could to write a house bill and submitted that to Representative Wilson’s office,” Dagley said. “She’s been gracious to carry the bill.”
The bill was written to give more authority to the commissioners to regulate roadway routes to help mitigate the increase in roadway traffic, specifically to designate a truck route.
“Essentially all it does is gives unincorporated counties the same rights as cities do to create truck routes along state highways, if we so choose, and it follows the same process,” Dagley said.
HB 4605 states that commissioners “shall consult with the Texas Department of Transportation, port authorities, regional planning organizations, and trucking industry before recommending the designation of a route.”
The bill also states when making the recommendation, the commissioners will consider the proximity of the route to ports, transportation hubs and intermodal facilities.
They will also consider existing roadway conditions, infrastructure and capacity to support oversize and overweight vehicles. Additionally, they will consider traffic safety concerns, environmental impacts and potential for economic development.
The bill designates the responsibility of installing signage and allocating money from the state highway fund for maintenance of the designated route to TxDOT.
HB 4605 designates the responsibility of enforcing requirements related to the designated route to the Department of Public Safety.
If passed, the legislation would take effect Sept. 1 of this year.
“It was mainly geared towards west Chambers County and a few problem areas we have, but this new highlighted area on 1663, it would be a great benefit to the Hankamer area especially,” Dagley said.
Mary Beth Bess, director of Health Services for the Chambers County Public Health Department, spoke to the commissioners about funding the warehouse renovation and expansion project after funding from grants was abruptly cut.
On the national level, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services cut funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, resulting in many state and local grants being cut for health services around the country.
The county health department received grants from the Texas Department of State Health Services, which were cut on March 24.
These grants were originally for COVID-19 relief but were rewritten in 2023 to allow for generalized funding.
The department has one grant remaining, which is unrelated to the other grants. The remaining grant, the Public Health Infrastructure Grant, ends in 2027.
Bess explained that the warehouse project originally began to better support the growth within the county and to “enhance capabilities from our emergency perspective.”
Prior to the funding cuts, the warehouse project was underway with $83,057.50 spent. At 9.35% completion, the court approved allocating $805,592.50 in funds to the warehouse project.
Commissioners also presented a pair of proclamations declaring April as Child Abuse Prevention and Awareness Month and declaring Apil 7-13 as Public Health Week.