What to watch: The Midland County Commissioners Court will meet at 9 a.m. Tuesday, May 5, to continue a privately-built road-standards debate it has had multiple times in the last six months, consider terminating two long-running jail vendor contracts, and hold a public hearing scheduled for a proposed speed-limit drop from 55 to 45 mph on West County Road 30.

Key points:

  • Privately built road standards: The court will continue its discussion from the previous April 21 meeting. Commissioners will consider authorizing the Public Works and Road and Bridge departments to update the county’s subdivision regulations regarding road construction standards. The court may also act on variance requests it previously chose not to consider.

These discussions revolve around privately built public roads. During the April 21 meeting, one developer told the court that paving would cost roughly 10 times more and that his lots could sell for about $40,000, compared with about $80,000 for nearby paved developments.

The court has not yet held a public discussion on the cost comparison between what developers are requesting and what the county requires. Some commissioners have stated that their reasoning for voting against issuing variances is that the county may take over the road in the future. However, the county is not obligated to take over a privately built road. If residents ask the county to absorb a privately built road, the county can decline.

  • Speed-limit hearing: The court will hold a public hearing and then consider action for a proposed change of the speed limit on West County Road 30 between FM 1788 and the Midland County line, from 55 mph to 45 mph. The county has been steadily adjusting county road speed and parking restrictions over the last six months.
  • Jail contract terminations: Commissioners may consider terminating county jail-related contracts with Securus Technologies and Touch Pay Holdings. Securus is one of the country’s largest providers of inmate phone, tablet, and electronic-messaging services. Touch Pay is the deposit and kiosk processor that lets families load money onto inmate accounts to pay for those services and for commissary.
  • Federal programs: The court may authorize a Department of Defense Law Enforcement Support Office (LESO) application. LESO transfers excess U.S. military property, office equipment, and clothing to local law enforcement at no cost beyond shipping, including night vision, weapons, and armored vehicles.

Commissioners will also consider accepting a $12,605 federal Justice Assistance Grant that the Sheriff’s or District Attorney’s Office could use for equipment or technology. They may also ratify the county’s participation in the new National Opioids Settlement. Texas’ opioid abatement law will restrict whatever the county receives to treatment, recovery, and prevention spending.

  • Future Interstate 27: The court may consider adopting three resolutions of support for the Future Interstate 27 corridor. Future I-27 is the federally designated upgrade of the Ports-to-Plains corridor extending existing I-27 from Lubbock south to Lamesa, with one branch through Midland and one through Big Spring.
  • Medicare refund: The court will consider submitting documents to Rep. August Pfluger and federal agencies to request assistance in obtaining a Medicare refund of funds owed to the County. Counties most often run into Medicare reimbursement disputes around inmate medical care. Federal rules allow reimbursement for certain off-site hospital stays of jail inmates.
  • Executive Assistant: The court will consider allowing Johnson to hire an Executive Assistant at a higher salary. The pay structure for county employees has been a recurring fault line in this court for nearly a year.