By Ginger Broomes

The Orange Leader

County treasurer Christy Khoury presented for review a direct deposit from the State Comptroller in the amount of $523,444.10, representing the ½-cent Sales and Use Allocation for March. That figure was an increase from previous months.

The Court approved the tax office’s April collection report, which showed collections in the amount of $2,866,094.66 for that month, with the county’s portion being $408,744.02. The figure was in line with years past.

Johnny Trahan, Commissioner of Precinct 1, was named as the replacement to fill Stephen Brint Carlton’s term on the Orange County Economic Corporation Board of Directors.

In discussing applying for a grant for bullet proof vests for the department, Sheriff Keith Merritt gave grim statistics of line of duty deaths nationally for officers

“There’s obviously a need for them,” Merritt said. “If you’ve seen the statistics, police officers’ line of duty deaths has increased 37% since the last year.”

The department has participated in this program for over 10 years. Each vest costs $771 each and lasts approximately five years, and the grant allows the department to get back half of that cost. The measure to apply for the grant was unanimously approved by the Court.

Reconvening after closed session with the assistant county attorney, the Court agreed to extend an offer to Dr. Calvin Parker of Orange, for the position of health authority for Orange County. The salary would be $1,500 per month and the term would run from June 1^st of this year until October 1, 2020. The position is not officially filled until Dr. Parker accepts.

The Democratic Orange County Primary Run-off Election for governor of Texas will be on May 22. Polling locations have changed and been combined by precinct as follows:

For questions about your polling place, contact the Election Office at 882-7973.