PAGE 4A - THE ROCKPORT PILOT - SATURDAY, MAY 30, 2020

• • • • • County sidelines • • • • •Action taken by Aransas County commissioners at their regular

meeting Tuesday, May 26 and not reported elsewhere, included:• APPROVED the consent agenda, which included: the min-

utes from the May 11 regular meeting; allowing Aransas County Elections Administrator Michele Carew to accept a donation of 18 locally sewn face masks from Aransas County PPE Sewing Relief Group, to be given to election day and early voting clerks for their personal use during upcoming elections; and an official public bond rider expiration date change on policy for Justice of the Peace Judge Diana Rinche McGinnis.

• APPROVED 1st Quarter 2020 report for the Rockport Cultural Arts District.

• APPROVED authorizing Road & Bridge to advertise a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the purchase of a front-end loader (estimat-ed at less than $200,000), and street sweeper (estimated at about $50,000). Those expenses are not budgeted, and will be funded from 2016 certificates of obligation.

• APPROVED awarding bid to GrantWorks for grant admin-istration services for Aransas County for the 2020 Texas County Transportation Infrastructure Funds administered by the Texas Department of Transportation.

• APPROVED authorizing County Judge C.H. “Burt” Mills to sign the contract with Grant Connection providing grant administra-tion services for the Bay Shore Drive Restore Act project.

• APPROVED authorizing Judge Mills to sign contract with Mott MacDonald for final engineering on Bay Shore Drive Shoreline Resiliency Project. Funding will be through the Restore Act Bucket 1 through Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ).

• APPROVED authorizing Judge Mills to sign contract with Mott MacDonald for preliminary engineering and United States Corps of Engineers permit for Shoreline Resiliency Project-Fulton Beach Road extended north from Mesquite Street to the Kon Tiki Condos. Funding through Coastal Management Program Grant.

• APPROVED authorizing Judge Mills to sign a lease agreement with Stewart Legacy Group, LLC, a long-term land lease on airport property, for land upon which exists a box hangar it is purchasing from current land lease tenants, Donald D. and Jeanette K. Rae.

• APPROVED authorizing Judge Mills to sign a lease termina-tion letter for Donald D. and Jeanette K. Rae, on their existing land lease of airport property, contingent upon full execution of a long-term lease agreement covering the same land with Stewart Legacy Group, LLC.

• APPROVED the April 2020 treasurer’s report.• APPROVED Resolution #R-11-2020, a Resolution approving

Aransas County’s Investment Policy (yearly review).• APPROVED Resolution #R-12-2020, a Resolution appoint-

ing County Treasurer Alma Cartwright as investment officer to invest Aransas County’s funds in accordance with the foregoing Investment Policy.

• APPROVED Resolution #R-13-2020, a Resolution acknowl-edging the broker/dealers list as being authorized to provide ser-vices as required to Aransas County.

• APPROVED Judge Mills to sign request for capital credits from the state for the Unclaimed Property Capital for Counties and to allocate any such funds received, to the Literacy Programs offered at the Aransas County Public Library per Local Government Code 381.004.

• APPROVED authorizing Cartwright to sign a promissory note, disbursement request and authorization, and notice of final agree-ment between Aransas County and Prosperity Bank for the automat-ic extension of the expiration date for one year on the Irrevocable Standby Letter of Credit #1973 from Prosperity Bank to TCEQ. The extension goes through June 1, 2021.

• APPROVED the extension of Rental Support to South Texas Family Planning & Health Corporation in the amount of $990 per month, for the period of July 1, 2020 to June 30, 2021, to be paid out of the Health Care Sales Tax (HCST) Fund.

• APPROVED authorizing Judge Mills to enter into and sign the renewal agreement with the Texas Association of Counties for Employee Health Insurance for the 2020-2021 plan year. The county chose Option A, with the county taking the credits (savings) in the renewal.

• APPROVED authorizing Judge Mills to sign Healthy County Specific Incentive Program (CSI), Option 2. That option is noting the county is interested in learning more about a CSI.

• APPROVED budget line item transfers and amendments.• APPROVED accounts payable and payroll/payroll liabilities.• HE ARD reports from commissioners, elected officials and

department heads.

The following is a compi-lation of pertinent information (not used in separate stories) received from Federal, state and local authorities, as well as other sources, to inform the public about issues regarding the local impact from Coronavirus (COVID-19). Information received since the previous edi-tion will be published in chrono-logical order in this space in each edition.

The Pilot began this process with the March 18 edition

The Pilot will post import-ant information on its website (www.rockportpilot.com) and Facebook page as it is received.

•••

Gov. Abbott announcesadditional services andactivities that can open

under Phase II(Tuesday, May 26)

Gov. Greg Abbott issued a proclamation expanding addi-tional services and activities that can open under Phase II of the state’s plan to safely and strate-gically open. With this procla-mation, water parks, recreational sport programs for adults, driver education programs, and food-court dining areas within shop-ping malls can begin operations with limited occupancy or regu-lations to protect the health and safety of Texans.

Beginning Friday, May 29, water parks can open but must limit their occupancy to 25% of normal operating limits. Components of these water parks that have video arcades must remain closed. Starting Sunday, May 31, recreational sports programs for adults can resume, but games and simi-lar competitions may not begin until June 15. Driver education programs can resume operations immediately.

Food-court dining areas within shopping malls can also immediately resume operations, but malls are encouraged to des-ignate one or more individuals who are responsible for ensur-ing health and safety practices are followed, including: limit-ing tables to six individuals; maintaining a six-feet distance between individuals sitting at different tables; cleaning and disinfecting tables between uses; and ensuring no condi-ments or other items are left on tables between customer uses.

•••

Gov. Abbott, HHSC announce $3.6 million to connect nursing facility residents and families

(Wednesday, May 27)

Gov. Greg Abbott and the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) announced $3.6 million in fund-ing for nursing facilities to pur-chase tablets, webcams, and headphones to connect residents with their loved ones during the COVID-19 pandemic. Texas is encouraging nursing facility providers to submit applications to HHSC to receive up to $3,000 in federal funding per facility for purchasing communication technology devices.

“This program will help Texans in nursing homes stay connected to their loved ones while protecting the health and safety of our most vulnerable populations,” said Gov. Abbott. “As we continue to respond to COVID-19 and mitigate the spread of this virus, we are com-mitted to developing effective strategies that protect Texans while keeping them connected.”

HHSC is allocating Civil Money Penalty (CMP) funds for this project. The Centers for

Coronavirus: News releases

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Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) imposes CMPs against Medicare- or Medicaid-certified nursing facilities found out of compliance with federal require-ments. CMP funds can be used for projects and activities that benefit nursing facility residents by improving their quality of care or quality of life.

Any Texas nursing facili-ty can apply for this funding. Purchased devices must be cleaned and disinfected between every use by a resident.

HHSC also has encouraged facilities to implement a com-munication plan to help fami-lies, residents, and others stay informed and connected, noting they are legally obligated to maintain privacy and HIPAA protections.

•••

Gov. Abbott provides update about COVID-19 surge response in Amarillo

(Wednesday, May 27)

Gov. Greg Abbott today held a press conference to provide an update on the COVID-19 surge response efforts in Amarillo. The Governor discussed the state’s ongoing collaboration with local and federal leaders to address COVID-19 hot spots within the Amarillo area, and outlined the data on hospital-izations, testing, fatalities, and positivity rates that demon-strate the success of the surge response teams in containing and mitigating further spread of this virus. The Governor noted that there is ongoing testing in meat processing plants in the Amarillo area that could result in a spike in cases, and that the surge response teams will respond with the same proven strategies.

Gov. Abbott announced the formation of surge response teams May 5. These teams serve nursing homes, packing plants, and other facilities that expe-rience flare ups of COVID-19 by providing personal protec-tive equipment, testing supplies, onsite staffing, and assessment assistance.

“Here in Texas, we have implemented a strategy that enables Texans to get back to work while mitigating further spread of COVID-19,” said Gov. Abbott. “Amarillo is an example of this strategy in action, and our surge response teams have done a tremendous job in containing hot spots.