ORANGE —
Orange County leaders were honored today by the Deaf/Blind Multi-Handicapped Association of Texas during their weekly Commissioners Court meeting in the County Administration Building.
Precinct IV commissioners Jody Crump was absent because of illness.
Stacey Wiley from the Texas School for the Blind, and Paul Welch, president of the Deaf/Blind Multi-Handicapped Association of Texas, were on hand to accept a proclamation from the county designating June 2012 as “Helen Keller Deaf/Blind Awareness Month.”
During his remarks to the court, Wiley said, “Tens of thousands of Americans live with combined hearing and vision problems. People who are deaf/blind live and work in the mainstream of society, thanks to many factors, including their individual hard work and dedication, more access to assistive technology, and legislation supporting the rights of people with disabilities.”
“We are here today because the organization wants to honor employers who have taken the step to hire deaf or blind employees.” Wiley said as Welch handed a plaque to County Judge Carl Thibodeaux. “Orange County should be commended for helping multi-handicapped individuals participate more fully in community life, including Brett Simpson, who has a contract to operate the snack bar, Brett's Place, in the courthouse.”
Thibodeaux commended the commissioners on their support for awarding the contract to Simpson.
“Every one of them were very supportive and voted for it,” he said. “Brett has done a marvelous job and now has expanded his responsibilities to where he handles concessions in the County Administration Building and other county buildings.”
In other county business, the commissioners addressed a budget shortfall at the Mosquito Control District.
MCD employees had to start spraying early this year, in comparison with a normal year, because of the hatch of mosquitoes caused by unusually heavy rains in January and February.
MCD director Patrick Beebe last week told the commissioners the added labor and materials costs were not anticipated in the district's FY 2012 budget.
The commissioners transferred $122,119 from the contingency fund to the MCD's budgets for aerial spraying/chemicals, equipment rentals, overtime pay and miscellaneous fees and services.
The transfers included $13,619 that will be used to meet stricter rules set by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.
In other business, the commissioners accepted $344,068.676 direct deposit from the State Comptroller of Public Accounts, representing the April 2012 sales and use tax allocation.
County Treasurer Christy Khoury said April's check was considerably higher than last April, when the county received approximately $293,000. It also was about $2,000 more than what was projected for this April.
Local News
Related Photos
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Paul Welch (not pictured), president of the Deaf/Blind Multi-Handicapped Association of Texas, handed a plaque to County Judge Carl Thibodeaux because the organization wants to honor employers who have taken the step to hire deaf or blind employees. David Dubose, Pct 1, Owen Burton Pct. 2, County Judge Carl Thibodeaux, and John Dubose Pct. 3, are shown with the plaque the County recieved. Leader photo by Bobby Summers
Discussion
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