At today’s regularly-scheduled meeting, the Ellis County Commissioners’ Court approved seven different contracts for various types of road-building materials. The bidding process took place in January and February, with more than 30 vendors requesting the bid package. Eleven vendors submitted bids, along with material samples, which were tested by the County Engineer’s Office. Results of the testing were reviewed by the Commissioners.

Contracts were awarded as follows:

1. Recycled flex base to CJ & Sons Trucking
2. Limestone flex base to TXI Operations, LP
3. Naturally graded gravel, unscreened, Precinct 3 only, to Central Sand and Gravel
4. Limestone patch, Precincts 1, 2, and 4, to Hanson Aggregates
5. Hot mix asphalt to APAC Texas, Inc.
6. Recycled concrete flex base to Big City Crushed Concrete
7. Pea gravel, Precinct 3 only, to Trinity Materials

Commissioners also approved the Early Voting schedules for both the May 29, 2012 Primary Election (May 14, 2012 through May 25, 2012) and the July 31, 2012 Primary Run-off Election (July 23, 2012 through July 27, 2012).   Both the Democratic and the Republican Parties will be served by the schedule.

A complete schedule with polling locations will be posted on the Ellis County website at www.co.ellis.tx.us.

In other business, Commissioners:

• Took no action on a possible ban on outdoor burning;
• Approved an interlocal agreement with the City of Maypearl for mobile access to the Texas Law Enforcement Telecommunications system;
• Approved an agreement with Alpha Testing, Inc. for industry-standard geotechnical and engineering testing;
• Held a short executive session to discuss authorizing the Ellis County and District Attorney’s Office to file a civil lawsuit against Joel Thomas Bruce for damages to a bridge located on Armstrong Road;
• Entered into an administrative agreement with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to resolve all matters concerning Petroleum Storage Tank Facility Number 66678 in Precinct 4;
• Approved interlocal agreements with Midlothian ISD and the City of Red Oak.