Lamb County Commissioners took care of a 13-item agenda in short order Monday, Aug. 9, 2021.
Lamb County Judge James M. DeLoach presided for the business meeting. After calling the meeting to order, he gave the invocation, and led the pledges to the U.S. and Texas flags.
There was no one who wished to make a public comment about any of the agenda items, so the Consent Agenda items were addressed.
Minutes of the Aug. 2, 2021 meeting were considered to be in order for approval.
There were no budget and salary amendments and/or line-item transfers to be considered for action.
Bills presented by the County Auditor included $24,658.53 for Lamb County; and a total of $532,522.54 for Lamb Healthcare Center, for a grand total of $557,181.07, in bills to be paid.
The Lamb County Treasurer presented the payroll bills for consideration. They included the Lamb County payroll, ending July 30, 2021, in the amonut of $142,242.48; and the Lamb Healthcare Center payroll, ending July 31, in the amount of $184,538.95.
The departmental reports that were included in the commissioners’ packets, were to be considered for approval.
Lee Logan made the motion, which was seconded by Danny Short, to approve the consent agenda items, and the motion was unanimous to approve.
Commissioners approved the hiring of an auditing firm for the 2021-2022 fiscal year.
Judge DeLoach explained, that since the Littlefield firm of Webb, Webb and Wright, has resigned from the county’s auditing job, so there is a need to fill that position.
He recommended the firm of Doshier, Pickens, and Francis of Amarillo be hired, and the vote was unanimous.
Commissioners voted not to establish an Optional Fee of $1.50 for the Department of Motor Vehicles. Commissioner Kent Lewis made the motion, and Cory DeBerry seconded the motion to decline from adding an optional fee.
Commissioners voted to call a Special Constitutional Election on Nov. 2. 2021 for Lamb County.
Soil conservation work to be done in Precincts 3 and 4, was approved.
The work in Precinct 4 is to move some dirt, while the work in Precinct 3 is to change the flow of water near or at County Road 312.
Commissioners voted to receive a donation of road material for Precinct 3. Material from near a building in Littlefield, was moved out into the country.
Lamb County Treasurer Jerry Yarbrough requested the approval of the hiring of a fulltime employee in her office, and setting the salary.
She told the commissioners she is moving her part-time line, up to the full-time line, for the pay.
Kent Lewis made the motion and Cory DeBerry seconded the motion to approve the hiring. The motion carried unanimously.
Cindy Klein, chief executive officer at Lamb Healthcare Center appeared before the commissioners to discuss the hospital’s operations.
She explained that they have had eight in the hospital recently, but only one is still there now.
The hospital board of managers will be meeting next week.
A Patient Monitoring System has been installed, and some work has been done to make the televisions work.
She reported that a new cat scan will be arriving in October.
She said some of the employees who have retired, have been coming back to help, and another employee has planned to retire soon.
She said a Texas orgaization is pushing hospital employees to get vaccinations, but she will not demand that they do so, because she believes it should be the employee’s own decision to make.
At 10:30 a.m. Commissioners began conducting another budget work session