At today’s meeting, Brown County Commissioners voted to renew the County’s ambulance contract with the current provider Lifeguard Ambulance Service.  The process to issue a new contract began in February when a Request for Proposal was made available to several ambulance service providers.  After studying the several proposals submitted, it was determined that the current provider Lifeguard has the best proposal.  The Commissioners vote to renew Lifeguard’s contract includes a County subsidy of $253,395.   The renewal with Lifeguard is contingent upon approval from the cities of Brownwood, Bangs, and Early.

The Commissioners Court also held an open Public Hearing on the issue of establishing a County-wide Polling Place system for elections, beginning next year.  In a County-wide Polling Place system, anyone registered to vote in Brown County would be able to vote at any polling place in the County, not just the one nearest their residence, as shown on the voter’s registration card.  The County intended to implement that system in the most recent election in November, only to learn at the last minute that the County did not have the proper approval from the Texas Secretary of State.  Today’s open public hearing was a necessary step in that approval process.  No one from the public showed up to speak on the matter.  Brown County Election Administrator Brenda Arp will now proceed with the application process with the Secretary of State office in Austin.

In other business today, the Commissioners:

*** Approved a plat for a new subdivision to be called The Ranches at Century Oaks.  The subdivision will be built in northern Brown County, just south of the May community, west of Highway 183 and near County Road 417.

*** Voted to abandon an alley in Zephyr on County Road 279.

*** Voted to designate a parking spot on the west side of the Courthouse by the handicap ramp for Combat Wounded Purple Heart Recipients.

*** Heard a presentation and accepted a report from LorAnn Newman concerning data from the Sexual Assault Response Team.

*** Took no action on a burn ban, leaving the current No Burn Ban off.