NEW BOSTON, Texas-Bowie County Commissioners agreed Monday to plans for the Amtrak station in downtown Texarkana, Texas, to build a metal fence for passenger security.
Bowie County Judge James Carlow told commissioners at their monthly meeting that the fence will be constructed in two separate portions-one will be 8 to 10 feet tall and about 70 to 100 feet long while the other, which will be near the county's correctional center jail property, will be the same height but 25 feet long.
The fence's purpose will be to keep vagrants and panhandlers from accosting the station's passengers as they wait to buy train tickets and board Amtrak trains.
Upon listening to Amtrak's plans, commissioners approved of the fence, which will be built and maintained by Amtrak.
Commissioners then agreed to reject all submitted bids to repair Plantation Road and Bent Tree Road in Precinct 2 after hearing Precinct 2 Commissioner Tom Whitten say thst more time will be needed to concentrate on better repair specifications.
Commissioners also agreed to approve an application to receive a $57,500 Fiscal Year 2017-18 Community Supervision Correctional Department Specialized Domestic Violence Grant.
Bowie County Chief Adult Probation Officer Jack Pappas told commissioners that state's grant contribution will be $37,500 for this fiscal year while his office will provide the other $20,000, to pay for a community supervision officer's position.
Besides the CSCD Specialized DV Grant, commissioners approved applying for the state's $255,420 Fiscal Year 2017-18 Drug Court Grant. Pappas said the grant will pay for a judge, two community supervision officers, a drug counselor and a drug court investigator.
In other business, commissioners agreed to have the county judge as well as the mayors of Wake Village, Hooks, Nash, DeKalb, Maud, Redwater, Leary and Red Lick jointly prepare a five-year update on the county's Hazardous Mitigation Action Plan as well as appoint a hazardous mitigation coordinator to coordinate all aspects of the update.
