Marion County Judge Leward LaFleur ended 2024 by saying “Thank You” to Greg Peeler for all that he did during the week-long power outage during the summer.
LaFleur also presented Peeler with a flag which was flown over the Alamo during the last Commissioners Court meeting of 2023.
“When I got a visit from Greg asking what we needed last summer he simply asked ‘What do you need?’,” said LaFleur. “Then he picked up the phone and ordered a generator like he was ordering a hamburger, to get the water back up and running in the one of the most selfless acts I’ve ever witnessed.
“He then ordered enough water for every Marion County citizen to sustain themselves for at least four days, and contacted a gentleman in Longview to deliver refrigerated trucks of ice to Jefferson. All of this was done out of his own pocket, without any request for reimbursement. He made it possible for us to get through those first few days until the Texas National Guard could arrive. I don’t know how we could have gotten through those first 72 hours with out the generosity and selflessness of Greg Peeler,” LaFleur said.
In other business, Commissioners received updates from AgriLife Extension Agent Doug Weir on his office’s 2023 youth activities, and from Ted McKinnon on grant funding for the Cypress River Airport.
They finished up the meeting with approving the end of year transfers/amendments from the County Auditor; approved the 2024 Employee Handbook; approved the 2024 mileage rate; approved an agreement for Juvenile Services; approved shared services agreement with City; and a postage meter renewal for the Tax Office.
Commissioners also met in executive session on a real estate matter, and authorized LaFleur to negotiate on the matter. No further details were publicly available.