E.C. Commissioners table appointing new members to Levee Board

ELLIS COUNTY – The Ellis County Commissioners accepted the resignation of Jeff Johnson as member for Levee #2 Board of Directors at a commissioners court meeting earlier this month.

“I can’t begin to say and appreciate Mr. Johnson for his service on that board after 32 years,” Ellis County Judge Todd Little said.

Commissioners also accepted the resignations of Jason Toomey, James Toomey and Bill Downey, who were members of the Levee #3 Board of Directors.

While an item was on the agenda to name new appointees to these boards, Commissioner Pct. 1 Randy Stinson requested the items be tabled.

There was a discussion and action item to name Steve Johnson, Ricky Williams, Macon Bodle, Gary Threadgill and/or Scott Hatch the Levee #2 Board, and Steven Beakley, Carrie Chan Twining and/or Mr. Steven Twining to the Levee #3 Board.

Stinson said there was a person missing on the Levee #3 Board list, which was his reason for requesting that item be tabled.

Stinson said he had some questions on the other “that we may need to talk about,” it was not clear on what “the other” he was referring to.

He went on to add, “This is nothing to do with the Levee Board, it is to do with who sits on the levee board.”

“We don’t actually control these boards, we just appoint,” Stinson said, also pointing out, “A husband and a wife want to be put on the board, and I only have three people who have applied to be on there, so I pretty much know how that vote is going to go when it comes to who is the president.

“And when it comes to how we spend the money on the levee, I am needing a little information from legal on that where I can derive that can actually happen.”

The items were discussed in the executive session at the end of the meeting, and no action was taken.

An item for the annual UT Southwestern Medical Center Mobile Mammography Service Agreement was on the agenda for approval. Human Resources Department Director Theresa Taylor said this was the fifth year US Southwestern brought their Mammography bus.

“We have about 22 ladies each year who participate in this, so I think it is a great opportunity for our women to have their annual screening,” she said. “They don’t have to leave work and it takes 10 to 15 minutes maximum and it costs nothing for the county and the employees.”

The commissioners approved the item unanimously.