Published: October 24, 2009 11:18 am      

New fees, demolition orders on agenda

The Johnson County Commissioners Court plans to consider an increased medical examiner’s fee and orders to demolish houses near the Guinn Justice Center in Cleburne at a regular meeting Monday.

The commissioners will consider new orders for asbestos abatement and demolition of properties located at the 400 block of West Chambers Street.

The county owned land is being cleared for possible expansions.

“Eventually that whole block there will be more of a county campus than anything else,” said Precinct 2 Commissioner John Matthews. “They’re already abandoned, and we’ve already gotten the necessary permits from the city, we just have to go through and finalize with the subcontractor who is doing the work and approving that action.”

A master plan is still to be completed, Matthews said, but site preparation must be finished first. Demolition costs for the three orders listed on Monday’s agenda total $28,256.

County Judge Roger Harmon said the court is going to build a new adult probation building provided they can work out a price for the school gymnasium behind the Guinn Justice Center.

“If we don’t strike a deal there, we’ll just build out behind the old gym,” he said. “A part of that area there will be made into a parking lot and for right now, the rest of it will just be a grassy, real neat looking park area for future expansion of the county.”

The county entered an agreement with the Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s office last year to provide the service for Johnson County, and the court will decide whether to adopt a 3 percent increase in fees for services, Harmon said.

The commissioners will also continue to discuss the architectural design, financial program requirements and other details concerning the adult probation building, the old band hall for Precinct 1 Justice of the Peace offices, and the third floor expansion of the Guinn Justice Center.

A letter from “Keep Cleburne Beautiful” requesting permission to help decorate the Johnson County Courthouse lawn for the Whistle Stop Christmas event beginning Nov. 24, will be considered.

In presentations, Harmon will award longtime county employees and proclaim Red Ribbon Week and Home Care Month.

The court meets at 9 a.m. Monday morning in Room 201 of the Johnson County Courthouse at 2 Main St. in Cleburne.