March 14, 2023
At their regular meeting on March 14, 2023, Caldwell County Commissioners:
- Voted to leave the burn ban off at the recommendation of Assistant Chief EMC Hank Alex with the Caldwell County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. Alex said the average KBDI is at 186 — still well below the drought threshold — but has been increasing by 5 to 11 points daily with things drying out. Rain is in the forecast at the end of this week and early next week.
- Approved a resolution required for the grant department’s application for an Other Victim Assistance Grant to support the Victim Services Department at the Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office
- Approved a resolution in support of legislation to create the Maxwell Municipal Utility District.
- Approved a resolution in support of legislation to add the powers of a municipal utility district to the Open R Freshwater Supply District.
- Approved a motion to open a new operating bank account for the Tax Assessor’s/Collector’s Office. The county auditor said separate operating bank accounts were common in larger counties and that it improves the bank reconciliation process.
- Approved an interlocal cooperation agreement between Hays and Caldwell counties for the improvement of a stretch of FM 2001 that runs through both counties. The FM 2001 East Project consists of proposed improvements for the approximate 2.541-mile corridor from Graef Road to southeast of SH 21, including construction of two travel lanes (one in each direction) with varying shoulders in the interim timeframe and the construction of two additional travel lanes in the ultimate timeframe (to be determined). Hays County will managing the process for acquiring project right-of-way and associated easements in Caldwell County. Caldwell County will provide assistance in negotiations with landowners as needed.
- Heard a report from Doucet Engineers, who noted that work on Biggs Road is now complete and the process to close out the project is in progress. Commissioners thanked Engineer David Clark for his diligence in managing the projects and bringing them to completion.
February 28, 2023
At their regular meeting on February 28, 2023, Caldwell County Commissioners:
- Approved a motion to leave the burn ban off. While conditions have become drier in the past couple of weeks, the Keetch-Byrum Drought Index remains more than 450 points below the threshold for drought.
- Passed a resolution approving a “2023 Criminal Justice Division Office of the Governor County Essential Services Grant” application to defray the costs associated with an upcoming murder trial.
- Passed a resolution supporting the enactment of legislation by the 88th Texas Legislature to authorize Caldwell County to require that owners microchip their dogs. No such legislation has been filed yet, but Senator Judith Zaffirini has indicated she would file the legislation on Caldwell County’s Behalf, Caldwell County Judge Hoppy Haden said. Approval of the legislation is a necessary precursor to that. The legislation would not require microchipping, it would simply allow counties to require microchipping, Commissioner Ed Theriot clarified.
- Approved a resolution supporting legislation to provide counties with wind and solar power facility siting authority. Haden said a number of counties are supporting such legislation because their counties are covered in windmills and it’s hard for them to attract tourists. He said we have “no fewer than five solar facilities in Caldwell County right now, with the smallest one taking up 1,000 acres. “We’re talking 5,000 acres of commercial land covered up with solar panels with no ability to do anything else with the land and it’s taking viable land out of agriculture,” Haden said.
- Amended the Chapter 381 Economic Development Agreement with Visionary Fiber Technologies to increase the rebate in years 6 and 7 of the 10-year agreement from 50% to 66%. The total incentive is estimated to go up by $47,000. The reason for the amendment is due to VFT making an additional $10 million investment into its company to build a new 6,800-square-foot building and is creating new jobs.
- Approved a form contract for the reimbursement of county-expended funds by sheriff’s office cadets in certain circumstances. The contract seeks to help prevent other agencies from poaching cadets who are training to be Caldwell County deputies.
- Heard an update on the Biggs Road project. The project engineer told commissioners on Tuesday that Biggs Road would be paved “either today or tomorrow.” The process to close out the project will begin afterward.
February 14, 2023
At their Tuesday, February 14 meeting of Caldwell County Commissioners Court, Commissioners:
- Voted to leave the burn ban off. Keetch-Byrum Drought Index numbers are incredibly low, with an average reading of 35 in Caldwell County. A reading of 575 indicates drought conditions are present. Caldwell County Homeland Security and Emergency Management Chief Hector Rangel said firefighters had responded to a few fires over the past week, including an outdoor burn in which tires, freezers, construction material and plastic toys were set ablaze. “Please don’t burn those items,” Rangel said. “It’s illegal.”
- Authorized the sale of fireworks in the county for Texas Independence Day, excluding sticks and fins. The order expires midnight on March 2.
- Approved an outdoor music festival permit for Old Settlers Music Festival. The Festival is set to take place at its usual site in Dale from Thursday, April 20 through Sunday, April 23.
- Approved proclamations declaring February to be both Dating Violence Awareness Month for Teens and Young Adults and Black History Month.
- Approved a $175 rental rate for the county’s polling equipment.
- Took action related to a plan to transition to making use of the Lower Colorado River Authority’s Trunked Radio system. Commissioners approved an interlocal cooperation agreement between the County and the LCRA for radio equipment and services on December 27, 2022 and the equipment the county needs to make use of the LCRA’s system has been ordered, Caldwell County Judge Hoppy Haden said Tuesday in court. Commissioners approved a trio of actions related to the project, including a budget amendment to transfer $3.57 million of American Rescue Plan Act funding that will pay for the project, approval of the blanket purchase order, and payment of an $892,500 invoice for equipment that has been ordered. Read more about the project here.
- Heard an update on the Biggs Road Project from engineer David Clark of Doucet & Associates, who said it was nearing completion. Construction is expected to be complete by the middle or end of next week, he said, with paving occurring at the end of this week or early next week.
January 24, 2023
At their January 24, 2023 regular meeting, Caldwell County Commissioners:
- Voted to leave the burn ban off.
- Approved a proclamation declaring February to be Career and Technical Education Month.
- Approved the appointment of Natalio Ramos and Tony Collins as commissioners of Caldwell County Emergency Services District #2.
- Approved the appointment of Alicia Thornton and Alex Worthington to the Caldwell County Animal Control Advisory Committee.
- Approved a development agreement between the county and the Permian Highway Pipeline for a compressor site. Compressor stations are large industrial facilities that maintain the flow and pressure of natural gas by receiving gas from the pipeline, re-pressurizing it, and sending it back into the pipeline system. The Caldwell County site will be one of four installed along the pipeline that runs through the state that would supplement the two stations already in existence. Per terms of the development agreement, the site would be located along Jolly Road off FM 2720. The site would be obscured from view by fencing and would be set up in a way that doesn’t allow the noise level to exceed 55 decibels, which is conversation-level noise. The nearest home to the site is 500 feet away. The second-closest home is located 1,800 feet away. Kinder Morgan VP of Public Affairs Allen Fore said the extra infrastructure would support natural gas transport to Central Texas and the Hill Country, noting that the winter storm of 2021 had showcased the necessity of natural gas for helping prevent loss of power. Fore said it had been determined that placement of one of the four new stations in Caldwell County was necessary for logistics.
- Approved a $1 million donation from Kinder Morgan Texas Pipeline, LLC to the County. Half of the donation will be used to procure new dump trucks for the County’s unit road department, which will speed up the paving process. Approximately $300,000 of it will be split between Lockhart ISD, Luling ISD and Prairie Lea ISD, with the individual amounts awarded determined by the number of students enrolled in each district, and the remaining $200,000 will go toward the purchase of an ambulance.
- Approved a budget amendment that allows the county to use grant money it received from the state to purchase rifle-resistant body armor for 53 officers with the Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office and Caldwell County Constables’ offices. The amount of the grant totaled $42,804.15.
- Gave Grants Administrator Dennis Engelke the green light to submit applications for a trio of grants. The grants would allow for the construction of a gated truck stop facility that would give truck drivers a safe, secure place to stop and rest on SH 130, the preparation of the 2025-2030 FEMA-Approved Hazard Mitigation Plan (which will be necessary to receive grant money from FEMA for future projects), and funds for labor and overtime at the Caldwell County Jail.
- Approved a resolution that exempts property that will be used for the county’s new evacuation shelter in Luling from competitive bidding requirements and approves the purchase of the property.
- Heard an update on the Biggs Road Project. The wet weather has delayed the project, but riprap and guardrails should be installed later this week, with paving set to take place next week.
January 10, 2023
At their January 10, 2023 regular meeting, Caldwell County commissioners:
- Voted to leave the burn ban off. Caldwell County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management Chief Hector Rangel noted that grass was dry and winds had been high, however, contributing to a few grass fires that had occurred since Jan. 1. The fires were attributed to causes ranging from a mower blade striking a rock, causing a spark to unsupervised burning brush piles. Those conducting burns were asked to leave a 25-foot radius around their burn piles and keep plenty of water on hand.
- Approved a proclamation recognizing former Pct. 4 Justice of the Peace Raymond DeLeon for 20 years of service to Caldwell County, who recently retired from his post. DeLeon thanked the county for allowing him to serve for two decades and said he would continue his public service to the community as an educator with Lockhart ISD. Judge Yvette Morales won election to his former seat in November.
- Approved the appointment of the new Caldwell County Animal Control Advisory Committee. The committee will be tasked with discussing potential ways to improve animal control in Caldwell County and bring recommendations to commissioners. Carol Jones, Jan Brown, Christina Arias and Caldwell County Animal Control Officer Carl Townsend will serve on the committee.
- Approved a few beginning-of-the-year housekeeping items. Pct. 1 Commissioner BJ Westmoreland will serve as Judge Pro Tem. Commissioners will continue to hold regular meetings on second and fourth Tuesdays at 9 a.m. on the second floor of the Caldwell County Courthouse in 2023.
- Approved the increase in the number of part-time reserve deputy constables in Pct. 4 from 10 to 14. The new deputies will provide a law enforcement presence at Lockhart ISD’s three elementary schools and at Pride High School to satisfy an agreement with the school district, which will compensate the county for the cost of the additional personnel.
- Heard an update on the Biggs Road Project from engineer David Clark, who said wet weather had delayed progress on the project but that work would continue this week with backfilling. Following that, guardrails and riprap will be put in place before paving. Completion of construction is expected by the end of January. See a detailed report here.
December 27, 2022
At their December 27 regular meeting, Caldwell County commissioners:
- Voted to leave the burn ban off at the recommendation of Caldwell County Homeland Security and Emergency Management, noting that Keetch-Byrum Drought Index levels continue to be well below the drought threshold after a spell of dry cold weather. But exercise caution while burning, says Assistant Chief EMC Hank Alex, who said firefighters had responded to three structure fires and three brush fires over the Christmas holiday. "We're looking good, but we do have some dry grass out there," Alex said.
- Approved proclamations recognizing Pct. 4 Commissioner Joe Roland and Pct. 2 Commissioner Barbara Shelton, whose successors will be sworn in and take over at the first meeting of the new year. Roland, who chose not to seek re-election, will be succeeded by Dyral Thomas. Caldwell County Judge Hoppy Haden presented him with a plaque honoring him for 32 years of service to the court. Roland, who served on eight commissioners courts, thanked his fellow commissioners for putting up with him. "It's been our pleasure, commissioner," Haden said. Commissioner Shelton, whose four-year term expires in January, will be succeeded by Rusty Horne. "Her dedication to her job was obvious," Haden said before presenting her with a plaque.
- Approved an interlocal cooperation agreement between the County and the LCRA for radio equipment and services.
- Approved the Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office’s participation in the Texas LESO program, also known as the 1033 program, for the potential procurement of Department of Defense surplus. “It’s something we do every year,” Haden said. “We occasionally get access to surplus equipment. We have a couple of large all-terrain vehicles that we got at no cost. This is just approval to continue that program should something come available.”
- Enjoyed their third annual visit from a rogue paper wasp that fluttered past commissioners during a discussion item. No commissioners were stung this time. In 2020, the county judge was stung when Commissioner Ed Theriot struck a wasp but unintentionally caused the flying insect to collide with his face. In 2021, the judge avoided injury when the bug explored the dais but flew away without incident.
December 13, 2022
At their December 13 regular meeting, Caldwell County commissioners:
- Voted to leave the burn ban off.
- Voted to approve a December fireworks order that restricts the sale or use of fireworks in Caldwell County by prohibiting selling or shooting fireworks with sticks and fins through the Christmas and New Year’s holidays. The order expires Jan. 1 or when the Texas Forest Service determines drought conditions exist, whichever is earlier.
- Welcomed a special presentation by Capital Area Rapid Transit System’s (CARTS) Dave Marsh, who welcomed Commissioner Pct. 2-elect Rusty Horne to the CARTS board and thanked outgoing Commissioner Barbara Shelton for her service as a member of the board of directors. Shelton said it had been a pleasure to work with CARTS and help citizens. County Judge Hoppy Haden remarked that Shelton attended every class, made it to every vendor booth at every conference and took her job very seriously, and said her work on the CARTS board was just one example of that.
- Denied the approval of a $3,000 donation to Keep Lockhart Beautiful for Christmas lights, and recommended they request a donation from the Caldwell County Community Services Foundation.
- Tabled taking action on the appointment of a Caldwell County Animal Control Advisory Committee. Commissioner Ed Theriot said issues related to stray animals in Caldwell County are on the rise and that a lot of the reason for that has to do with increasing population in the rural parts of the county. The county plans to create a committee that will examine these issues and find options to help mitigate the problem. A discussion/action item regarding the potential appointment of a committee will be placed on the Dec. 27 agenda.
- Approved a lease agreement between Aqua Water Supply Company and Caldwell County, which will rent the company’s old office building on FM 1185 for $10 per month. The building will house the offices of Justice of the Peace Pct. 4 and Caldwell County Constable’s Office Pct. 4, as well as serve as a satellite office for the Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office.
- Heard an update on the Biggs Road project from Engineer David Clark, who said the wet weather had created a bit of water and mud on the site. He said crews were expected to pump the site out and complete backfill later this week, provided the rain subsided. He also said the road could reopen once the road had been backfilled and the base and guardrail was installed. Paving will be scheduled after the road base is complete. Clark anticipates final walkthrough will take place in the first part of January.
- Approved a motion directing county staff to negotiate with LCRA and bring back a proposed contract for communication systems for consideration by the court. Motorola Solutions currently handles the county’s radios and towers, but deputies have reported occasions on which they have been unable to communicate with dispatch and have had to use their cell phones to communicate, including when inside buildings and in certain parts of the county. Deputies who addressed the court said they had each previously worked for sheriff’s offices that were on the LCRA system and had much better success with those radios.
November 22, 2022
At a regular meeting on November 22, 2022, Commissioners:
- Heard an announcement from Pct. 1 Commissioner BJ Westmoreland, who reported that the Lockhart ISD Board of Trustees had approved an interlocal cooperation agreement between Caldwell County and Lockhart ISD for law enforcement services at a called meeting on Monday, November 21. Commissioners had previously approved the county’s side of the agreement at a called meeting on November 17. Deputies from Constable Pct. 4 will provide a law enforcement presence by way of an armed peace officer at elementary schools located within the district and Pride High School. Lockhart Junior High School and Lockhart High School have School Resource Officers made available through the Lockhart Police Department who serve those campuses. Read the terms of the agreement here.
- Unanimously voted to leave the burn ban off at the recommendation of Caldwell County Homeland Security and Emergency Management Chief EMC Hector Rangel. Rangel had a couple of additional notes for commissioners and the general public. He said the National Weather Service had reported that a dry period was expected to resume on Saturday, and urged the public to get their brush burning done while conditions were favorable. He also advised people who use heat lamps to keep their livestock warm to avoid placing the lamps close to wooden structures such as decks because of the obvious fire risk.
- Approved an interlocal cooperation agreement between Caldwell County and the Texas Division of Emergency Management allowing for the use of County radio equipment by TDEM County Liaison Officer Mark Mayberry. The County will loan a Motorola APX4000 Mobile Radio with Lapel Microphone and Charger to TDEM. , TDEM assigned the liaison officer to Caldwell County as part of a statewide effort to provide more comprehensive state support for Texas communities, and improve emergency management capabilities locally and statewide.
- Approved the appointment of a selection committee to score the request for proposals for IT managed services for the county. Comprising the committee will be County Judge Haden, PCT 1 Commissioner BJ Westmoreland, Grants Administrator Dennis Engelke, County Auditor Danie Teltow, and Purchasing 1st Assistant Gabi Balboa.
- Approved the canvass of the November general election. Of a total 25,149 registered voters in Caldwell County, 11,417 total ballots were cast – a 45.40% turnout. Full official results will be posted on the County Elections website.
- Heard a report on the status of ongoing GLO infrastructure county road projects. The project to repair Biggs Road remains on track for mid-December completion. The concrete construction on the box culvert is complete. Crews will focus on the road subgrade next week. Engineer David Clark said there had been no new issues with traffic control or neighbors. The certificate of construction completion for the improvements on Political, Black Ankle and Witter Roads is circulating for signatures, he added.
November 17, 2022
At a called meeting on November 17, 2022, Commissioners:
- Approved an interlocal cooperation agreement between Caldwell County, the Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office and the Lockhart Police Department for law enforcement services. As part of the agreement, the County will assign its deputies to provide law enforcement services for the city when requested by the Lockhart city manager or Lockhart’s city police chief provided the county has personnel available. The County will cover deputy overtime as it is accrued but will bill the City monthly for services rendered. Read the terms of the agreement here.
- Approved an interlocal cooperation agreement between Caldwell County and the Lockhart ISD for law enforcement services. Deputies from Constable Pct. 4 will provide a law enforcement presence by way of an armed peace officer at elementary schools located within the district and Pride High School. Lockhart Junior High School and Lockhart High School have School Resource Officers made available through the Lockhart Police Department who serve those campuses. Read the terms of the agreement here.
- Authorized Constable Pct. 4 to appoint additional reserve deputies without further approval from commissioners.
November 8, 2022
At their November 8, 2022 meeting, Commissioners:
- Voted to keep the burn ban, which had been lifted two days earlier, off.
- Approved a motion to allow Caldwell County Judge Hoppy Haden to enter into negotiations with Aqua Water Supply Corporation for office space located at 2990 FM 1185 in Lytton Springs. If an agreement can be reached, the building would provide office space for Justice of the Peace Pct. 4, Constable Pct. 4 and would serve as a satellite sheriff’s office. Judge Haden said the building needs minimal remodeling and that the move would free up helpful office space on Main Street in Lockhart.
- Approved charging a $400 inspection fee for mass gathering permits. Haden said he had asked counsel to look into instituting a fee and had discovered a number of surrounding counties were charging up to $400 for such permits. The inspection and approval process involves a lot of departments and consumes a large quantity of man hours, the judge noted. Commissioner BJ Westmoreland agreed that the size of events taking place in the county more than justified the charge. The new inspection fee was approved unanimously.
- Received a status update on the ongoing project to replace the culvert crossing on Biggs Road. Engineer David Clark said the project was ahead of schedule and should still finish up in mid-December. He also noted there had been no further vandalism to traffic control boards in the area, adding that they were still keeping an eye on it.
- Denied a Chapter 381 Economic Development agreement to a company involved with Project Exodus, but left the door open for future negotiations. The company’s identity was not disclosed due to a non-disclosure agreement that is typical of economic development projects.
October 27, 2022
At a special meeting held Thursday, Caldwell County Commissioners voted unanimously to approve an agreement between the county and PHI Health Air for membership into the PHI Cares Program. PHI Cares covers the uninsured or otherwise uncovered portion of the flight charges that may be incurred by people living in the county who require emergency air medical transportation on a PHI aircraft. The county will pay an annual membership cost for the program that covers each household in the county, with the cities of Luling and Lockhart paying for their portions of the membership. Each membership covers each individual member of the household who is a resident of Caldwell County, except for any person in the household who is a recipient of Medicaid benefits. Read the full agreement with the county here.
October 25, 2022
At their October 25, 2022 meeting, Commissioners:
- Voted to keep the burn ban on.
- Reappointed Tom Owen as the director of the Plum Creek Conservation District.
- Approved a $900 donation request from Caldwell-Travis Soil & Conservation District for Fiscal Year 2023.
- Approved the adoption of a HUD Uniform Relocation Assistance Plan related to the Evacuation Shelter Project in Luling. Caldwell County received funding assistance from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development under the General Land Office – Mitigation program for a Hurricane Evacuation Center to be developed within the county. The County has initiated their Uniform Relocation Assistance (URA) Plan to assist any persons or businesses that were displaced as a part of this federally funded project. The Initiation of Negotiation date is June 14, 2022, based on the County’s decision to select the approximate location in Luling occurring on this date. If you believe that you have been displaced as a result of this project, please contact Caldwell County at the contact information below and provide documentation showing legal occupancy (i.e., lease, utility bill) as of the ION date established. For additional information regarding this notice, please contact Caldwell County Grant Administrator Dennis Engelke at (512) 359-4686. Click here to read the full URA plan.
- Voted to categorize election workers as part-time county employees. Human Resources Director Bob Bush referred to the move as a “bookkeeping move they needed to clean up.” The move means that workers would have taxes withheld from their paychecks and would have to complete a background check as is required by county employees. The motion was approved 3-1 with Commissioner Barbara Shelton voting no.
- Voted to appoint Clemente Verastegui as Pct. 1 Constable for the duration of the term of longtime Constable Smitty Terrell, who died in September. Verastegui, who has been a Caldwell County employee since 2019, is a corporal with the Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office’s civil division, and prior to that, he worked for the county as a bailiff. He will hold dual commissions, working in his current capacity for the sheriff’s office and as Precinct 1 Constable for the remainder of his term, which expires December 31, 2024. The motion was approved 3-1 with Commissioner Shelton voting no.
October 11, 2022
At their Oct. 11 regular meeting, commissioners:
- Voted unanimously to keep the burn ban on.
- Approved proclamations declaring October Manufacturer’s Month and Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
- Authorized Grants Administrator Dennis Engelke to move forward with finalizing a grant that will outfit 57 officers with the Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office and Caldwell County constables’ offices with custom-fit rifle-resistant body armor units. Read the full press release here.
- Approved the employee holiday schedule for 2023.
- Heard an update on ongoing road projects in Caldwell County. As of the morning of the meeting, work had been completed on Political, Black Ankle and Witter roads. With those finished, crews were scheduled to begin work on the Biggs Road project on Oct. 17. Message boards have been installed and are on site. Work on that project is scheduled for completion by early December. Click here for map, click here for written directions.
October 3, 2022
At a special meeting of the Caldwell County Commissioners Court, Commissioners approved an order declaring unopposed candidates elected to office in the 2022 November General Election.
- Juanita Allen, for District Clerk
- Teresa Rodriguez, for County Clerk
- Angela Meuth Rawlinson, for County Treasurer
- Rusty Home, for County Commissioner Precinct 2
- Matt Kiely, for Justice of the Peace Precinct 1
- Shanna Conley, for Justice of the Peace Precinct 2
- Anita Deleon, for Justice of the Peace Precinct 3
September 27, 2022
- Caldwell County Commissioners reinstated the burn ban at the recommendation of the Caldwell County Office of Emergency Management.
- Commissioners signed a proclamation for National 4-H Week celebrating the 4-H Youth Development Program of the Texas A&M Agrilife Extension Service for 115 years of providing experienced-based education and a proclamation honoring the Texas Extension Education Association
- Commissioners approved a resolution authorizing the Caldwell County Grant Program for Community Action-Meals on Wheels Rural Capital Area
- The Caldwell County clerk will handle elections administrator duties for the 2022 November election following action taken in Commissioners Court. In the absence of an elections administrator, the county clerk is statutorily the official responsible for coordinating elections and other administrative duties pertaining to that role. The elections administrator role became vacant earlier this month when the person who previously occupied the position resigned, citing health reasons.
- Commissioners approved shifting elections administrative duties to the county clerk as well as other housekeeping items associated with ensuring a fair election, including establishing temporary branch polling places, fixing the compensation for election workers, appointing precinct election judges and approving a central counting manager, assistant manager, tabulation supervisor and assistant tabulation supervisor.
- Commissioners voted to continue holding regular bimonthly commissioners court meetings on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month.
- Commissioners voted to table deciding on approving an interlocal cooperation agreement between the county and the LCRA for radio services.
- Commissioners discussed whether to amend the Caldwell County siting ordinance to designate the land upon which the 130 Environmental Park sits as the only land upon which a landfill is permitted. The siting ordinance currently designates a gravel pit in a different area of the county as the site on which a landfill can be built. Changing it to the land upon which the current landfill is located would prevent the construction of future landfills in the county. No action was taken on the item.
- Commissioners approved a resolution with the 130 Environmental Park expressing support for its revised permit application with the TCEQ that increases its daily operating hours and adds Saturdays to its schedule in exchange for numerous concessions designed to enhance residents’ access to the landfill and the landfill’s contributions to quality-of-life enhancements for county residents.