By Dawn Burleigh

The Orange Leader

 

A petition for the Orange County Hospital District was the topic of a public hearing on Tuesday.

Orange County Commissioners Court sent the petition to the Orange County Election Administration to verify the signatures after receiving the petition in mid-September.

According to Elections Administrator Tina Barrows, each signature was verified by name, address and date of birth.

“There were 164 signatures,” Barrows said. “Fifteen were found invalid. It met the requirements of 100 valid signatures.”

Orange County Judge Stephen Brint Carlton asked about the language of the petition and if it had been sent to the Texas Attorney General.

“The valid language is in the code for what is on the petition,” Barrows said. “It is up to the who draws it up if it goes to the Attorney General.”

Once the petition is found to be valid, an election must be set. The purpose of the Public Hearing was for citizens to voice a concern with the date of the election.

“This hearing is not to discuss the merits of a hospital district,” Carlton said. “It is to determine if the petition meets the requirements for an election.”

State statutes require the election to be held at least 62 days after the petition has been certified.

Election will be held on Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2017.

Early elections will be Monday, Dec. 4 – Friday, Dec. 8 and Monday, Dec. 11 – Friday, Dec. 15 from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. with extended hours on Tuesday, Dec. 5 and Dec. 12 from 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.

Locations for early voting will be at the Orange Public Library, Bridge City Public Works Building, Mauriceville Volunteer Fire Department, and Vidor ISD Administration Building.

Due to the destruction of Hurricane Harvey, several locations on Election day will be changed from the routine locations.

The wording for the proposition will read: The creation of the Orange County Hospital District and the levy of annual property taxes for hospital purposes at a rate not to exceed $0.18 cents each $100 valuation of all taxable property in the district.

If passed and proved by the voters, the commissioners of the district will be selected by voters, one from each precinct and one at large for a total of five commissioners on the board.