WTAW - Interviews

This podcast contains comments from the May 30, 2023 Brazos County commission meeting.

Homeowners in a suburban development northeast of Bryan attended two Brazos County commission meetings in May attempting to get the county to replace a washed out culvert the homeowners believe is the county's responsibility.

Following the second round of public comments on May 30, county judge Duane Peters and the commission's general counsel Bruce Erratt told the group that there is no record that the culvert on Greenleaf Lane in the Rustic Oaks development is the county's responsibility.

One of the homeowners, Amy Cahill, contends that the portion of Greenleaf Lane that the county accepted in May of 1988 included the culvert. And Cahill said five original residents recalled seeing county employees dragging materials onto the culvert on at least two occasions.

Erratt said he and two county engineers spent hours researching the road since it was first brought to their attention in 2017.

Erratt and Peters told the affected homeowners that it is a crime for county resources to be used to repair a private road.

Peters brought up a past example when he was a commissioner of a county road employee losing their job when they fixed a privately owned road.

This podcast contains comments from the May 30, 2023 Brazos County commission meeting.

In Brazos County during 2022, there were 222 cases of abuse, neglect, and/or exploitation of elderly and disabled victims.

That is one of the statistics in a proclamation issued during Tuesday's county commission meeting designating June as elder abuse awareness month.

Click HERE to read and download the proclamation that was issued during the May 30, 2023 Brazos County commission meeting.

Receiving the proclamation, the supervisor of the Bryan office of adult protective services said people "know more about child protective services" and don't realize that adult protective services "is a real thing".

Markesha Lamar also said "People hear APS and they think that we come in and we want to take residents out of their homes. But we do what we can to keep them in the community, ensure their safety and provide them with services."

Derika Bailey, Branch Manager of the Bryan + College Station Public Library System, visits with WTAW's Scott DeLucia about the summer kickoff parties, the youth summer reading program, adult summer programs, and more during her appearance on The Infomaniacs.

State Representative John Raney of Bryan visits with WTAW's Scott DeLucia about the Texas House's decision to go home early, school vouchers, teacher pay, the possibility of another special session, and more during his appearance on The Infomaniacs.

This podcast is a visit with Brazos County commissioner Chuck Konderla and WTAW's Bill Oliver.

Twice during May, Brazos County commissioners modified requirements to get a mass gathering permit.

Commissioner Chuck Konderla said changes were approved during the May 9 meeting following what was advertised as a "trail ride" in a pasture along Andert Road south of Wixon Valley in April.

Konderla said the April event, which was supposed to have fewer than 500 attendees, drew as many as 1,000.

Konderla heard reports of people staying as late as 4 a.m. blocking the road, "excessive speeding up and down the (county) road in ATV's, the drunkenness", "fistfights in the middle of the road", and hearing loud and "very profane music".

Konderla said party organizers did not have the proper permits when they held an event at the same location May 20.

Konderla said turnout was a couple of dozen.

Konderla thanked a "large enforcement presence" on May 20 that included the sheriff's and precinct two constable offices.

During the commission's meeting on May 30, the permit application was modified again to allow the sheriff's office to use drones to record overhead video of the event.

Click HERE to read and download the mass gathering permit application that was approved at the May 30, 2023 Brazos County commission meeting.

Requirements also include:

• Filing an application at least 45 days prior to the event, paying a non-refundable $300 dollar application fee, a minimum $250 dollar health inspection fee, and a minimum $250 dollar fire marshal inspection fee.
• A hearing will be held no later than ten days prior to the event and the following representative will be available to attend if necessary.
• Provide a certified copy of the agreement between the promoter and the property owner.
• List of the name and address of each performer and of their agent who has agreed to appear at the mass gathering including a description of the terms of the agreement.
• Financial statement reflecting the funds being supplied to finance the mass gathering and each person supplying the funds.
• Describe the steps taken to ensure that minimum standards of health and sanitation will be maintained during the gathering.
• Describe the steps taken to ensure the physical health/safety of the persons attending.
• Describe the preparation taken to provide adequate medical and nursing care.
• Describe how attendance will be limited to the maximum number stated in the event description.
• Describe the preparations you will take to provide traffic control.
• Describe the steps you will take to ensure that the mass gathering will be conducted in an orderly manner.
• Describe the preparations you will take to supervise minors who may attend the mass gathering:
• Identify the location on the grounds where the promoter or a representative will be available at all times during the event.

College Station Mayor John Nichols visits with WTAW's Scott DeLucia about College Station's sewer trunk line project, impact fees, raised medians in Wellborn, a potential College Station ISD bond, budget priorities, and more during his appearance on The Infomaniacs.

Theresa Mangapora, Executive Director of the Brazos Valley Food Bank, visits with WTAW's Scott DeLucia about KBTX's Summer Hunger Campaign, the increase of people in need, types of food needed, and more during her appearance on The Infomaniacs.

Susan Ballabina, Senior Vice President and Chief External Affairs Officer at Texas A&M University, visits with WTAW's Scott DeLucia about the university's mission to connect with the community, The Garden's birthday party, Aggie Park, the preferred access agreement with the City of College Station, summer camps and events on campus, the future Aplin Center, and more during her appearance on The Infomaniacs.

Annual Memorial Day ceremony at Earl Graham Post #159 featuring guest speaker, Lieutenant General John B. Sylvester.

Pat McIntyre from College Station Utilities visits with WTAW's Scott DeLucia about a new text program, communicating during outages, a new substation, and more during his appearance on The Infomaniacs.