Henderson County, Texas Henderson County, Texas

This interview was recorded Wednesday, Sept. 8, at the Henderson County Courthouse Annex.

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Henderson County Commissioners Court approved the tax rate and 2022 budget Tuesday morning. Henderson County Judge Wade McKinney discussed the budget and provided a COVID-19 update in this week's County Report.

I. Budget and Tax Rate (:28)

Tuesday, Henderson County Commissioners approved the 2022 budget of $46,723,499. They also approved the a tax rate of .446487 per $100 valuation.

That tax rate is .0156 -- or about a penny and a half -- lower than last year.

"We keep our rate flat and steady to better serve the public," said Judge McKinney.

Commissioners Court did look to add funding to law enforcement during this budget cycle.

"Not only investing in facilities but also investing in the personnel," said Judge McKinney.

The new budget calls for nearly $1.8 million in additional spending at the Sheriff's Office by adding two new investigators, two new deputies, and four jailors as well as increased pay for current employees.

The additional money is to help retain good officers in Henderson County and to make becoming a peace officer more attractive.

The County will also be investing money into the facility, particularly the jail.

"To have quality law enforcement, quality facilities, you have to make these investments," Judge McKinney said.

In addition, Commissioners approved adding a crime victims coordinator to the Henderson County District Attorney's Office.

II. COVID-19 Update (18:34)

COVID-19 statistics continue to go up across the board in the region that includes Henderson County. Testing, hospitalizations, and fatalities are all on the rise.

Patients hospitalized with COVID-19 in our region went over 800 patients for the first time this past weekend. (Henderson County is part of Trauma Service Area G (TSA-G), which serves Tyler/Longview and includes about 968,000 people.)

"It's really never been higher," Judge McKinney said.

The one bright spot is that vaccinations have stayed steady with more than 1,000 shots given each week in Henderson County over the past six weeks.

The following interview was recorded Wednesday, Aug. 11, at the Henderson County Courthouse Annex.

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This week's County Report with Judge Wade McKinney focuses on COVID-19.

I. Current Stats (:38)

As of this recording, there were 438 COVID-19 patients hospitalized in TSA-G. Henderson County is part of Trauma Service Area G (TSA-G), which serves Tyler/Longview and includes about 960,000 people.

Hospitalizations in the region have increased by 158 patients in the past six days. Prior to this, the fastest increase in hospitalizations in our region was a 141-patient jump in the 14 days from Dec. 24 to Jan. 7.

"When you look at the accelerated rate of hospitalizations across the region, it is arguably worse in that aspect than it ever has been," said Judge McKinney.

In addition to the COVID-19 surge, hospitals are also dealing with staffing shortages and an increase in non-COVID illnesses.

II. Emergency Management Committee (9:30)

The Henderson County Emergency Management Committee has been meeting weekly about COVID-19 issues. These meetings have at times included representatives from UT Health East Texas and State Rep. Keith Bell's office.

Judge McKinney said there is very little the County can do in direct response to the current surge.

"The Governor's Executive Order ties the hands of any local government or official from imposing restrictions of any type to help meet the needs of the pandemic," said Judge McKinney.

The Judge said the County can help by working with UT Health East Texas regarding personnel retention.

"To be sure that our hospital system here stays very strong," he said.

The County has also started working with the Hospital Authority Board to make sure there's a system in place for the County to be able to send some of the federal ARPA money to the hospital for personnel.

In addition, Fire Marshal Shane Renberg has been in contact with local VFDs to ensure they have access to masks and gloves.

III. Governor's Actions (16:30)

Gov. Greg Abbott did announce a series of actions this week aimed at COVID-19.


Using staffing agencies to find out-of-state medical personnel to help hospitals
Asking hospitals to voluntarily postpone elective medical procedures
Opening more antibody treatment centers
Increasing vaccine availability

IV. Vaccinations (21:04)

While the idea of COVID-19 vaccinations has become controversial, political and medical leaders around the state are urging Texans to get the vaccine.

During a NET Health press conference on Monday, officials from both UT Health East Texas and Christus Mother Francis both said that 95 percent of the COVID-19 patients in their hospitals were unvaccinated.

Here in Henderson County, there has been a jump in the number of people getting vaccinated with more than two thousand getting their shot in the past two weeks. That's at the highest level since March.

Judge McKinney said that vaccinations have become readily available. By far the favorite vaccination source in Henderson County is the local pharmacy.

FEMA is updating its National Flood Insurance Program pricing for the first time in 50 years, "so policyholders can make more informed decisions on the purchase of adequate insurance and on mitigation actions to protect against the perils of flooding."

To explain what that means, we talk with Henderson County Floodplain Administrator Joy Kimbrough.

In this week's County Report, Henderson County Judge Wade McKinney talks about the border dispute with Kaufman County, COVID-19 vaccinations, and ARPA with Michael V. Hannigan.

I. Border Dispute (1:13)

II. COVID Update ( 9:08)

III. ARPA Update (24:20)

This interview was recorded at the Henderson County Justice Center on Wednesday, July 21, 2021.

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This week, Henderson County Sheriff Botie Hillhouse discusses a murder case, a crack cocaine arrest, and rising COVID-19 numbers in the jail.
I. Stats (:32)

There are 450 currently in the jail with 110 of those contract inmates. The average for the jail hit 400 for the first time.

II. Murder (1:15)

On July 16, Jason Charles Smalley, 46, was arrested following the death of Stoney Conley, 32, and charged with Murder.

The two men were at a residence in the 3800 block of Oakridge Road in Athens smoking methamphetamines in a vehicle. Smalley told police they thought they saw someone near a shed, so he ran into the residence and retrieved a .22 caliber firearm. He then began shooting several rounds towards a person he said he could only see from the waist down.

As he approached the body, Smalley said he realized it was Conley. He tried to hide the weapon and called authorities.

Sheriff Hillhouse said there could be additional charges filed.

III. Crack Cocaine Arrest (5:55)

Sheriff Hillhouse described how Deputy Luke Rachel apprehended a convicted felon with a substantial amount of crack cocaine and a loaded 9mm handgun last week.

The deputy noticed two dark objects being thrown from a window prior to stopping a vehicle for a traffic violation. The objects turned out to be a handgun with nine rounds in the clip and a Nike bag with two plastic baggies containing a large amount of crack cocaine.

A passenger in the vehicle, Hasani Pariall, 32, was arrested and charged with tampering with physical evidence for disposing of the items prior to the stop, manufacturing and delivery for the crack cocaine, and unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.

Sheriff Hillhouse said there was about 150 grams of crack cocaine, which is a substantial amount.

"Our main problem here is meth," he said, "but this just goes to show there's still other drugs out here and in large amounts."

The Sheriff went on to explain how cocaine gets turned into crack.

IV. COVID in the Jail (11:31)

Sheriff Hillhouse reported there are 44 jail inmates and two jailers who have tested positive for COVID. Twelve of the jail dormitories are in quarantine.

To put these numbers in perspective, this outbreak matches the largest during the pandemic.

"It hit us hard here in the jail, all of a sudden, in the past week or so," he said. "Luckily right now everybody is doing OK, but I do have a lot of cases."

Sheriff Hillhouse said many of the protocols put in place during the pandemic are still in place, including having trustees clean the jail twice a day. The only difference is visitation has resumed.

"But there's really no contact between the inmate population and their loved ones," he said. "It's all through a glass."

Sheriff Hillhouse said the focus is containing the virus and getting the inmates over the COVID.

This interview was recorded at the Henderson County Courthouse Annex on Wednesday, July 14.

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This week's guest on the County Report is Pct. 1 Commissioner Wendy Spivey. She is a sixth-generation Henderson County resident and is the first woman elected to Commissioners Court in 60 years.

County politics run in her family. Her great-great-grandfather Marshall Kinabrew was the mayor of Athens in the late 1880s and her grandfather, Leo Kinabrew, was Pct. 1 Commissioner in the 1960s and 1970s.

Although Commissioner Spivey has only been in office since January, she ran the Pct. 1 barn for a couple of years due to the passing of Commissioner Ken Hayes and an injury to Commissioner Scotty Thomas. Because of that, she has more experience than many first-year commissioners.

"I've learned from two of the best," she said.

I. Learning (4:47)

While she has experience running the precinct barn, being a part of Commissioners Court is a new experience for Commissioner Spivey.

"That is one thing I did not do when I was the administrative assistant," she said, "is come to court and sit up there as Commissioner and do the budgets."

"I'm looking forward to learning," she said.

II. Why Become Commissioner? (6:15)

Commissioner Spivey said she had never considered running for Commissioner until Scotty Thomas suggested she'd do a good job.

"I prayed about it and prayed about it for eight months before I just felt like the good Lord told me 'You can do this,'" she said. "And I'm so glad I did because I feel like this is something I am supposed to be doing."

III. Biggest Precinct (7:47)

Pct. 1 is physically the biggest precinct in the county. It is more than double the size of the smallest precinct, which is Pct. 2.

"Pct. 1 has 201,845 acres," she said, "and Pct. 2 has 87,000 acres."

The physical size of the precincts can be so different because they are drawn to balance the population.

One of the ways the precinct deals with such a wide area is by identifying which roads handle the most traffic.

"We're trying to redo those roads first," Commissioner Spivey said.

The precinct has also purchased a new piece of equipment -- a Bomag -- to get longer-lasting roads.

IV. Broadband (14:14)

Commissioner Spivey identified internet infrastructure as one of the challenges facing Henderson County.

"Out in the rural part of the county we don't have very good reception," she said, "and that's a challenge."

V. Protecting Taxpayer Dollars (16:03)

Commissioner Spivey also highlighted fiscal responsibility as an important challenge for the county.

"We want to spend the taxpayer's dollars wisely," she said.

Commissioner Spivey also talked about the importance of connecting with her constituents and listening to the voters.

Commissioner Spivey finished the interview by highlighting her staff.

"They do a splendid job and I couldn't ask for a better group to represent Pct. 1," she said.