Terry County Commissioners Court met on Monday morning May 22, 2023, in a regularly scheduled meeting. After the call to order, invocation and pledges the Court began on the agenda. There was no public comment and Court approved the last meeting’s minutes. Next, they reviewed and paid the bills for the county.
Moving on to item 4, the Court took the necessary action in extending the contract between the County Treasurers’ Office and Lone Star State Bank (LSSB). With this extension of the contract, it will be valid when Prosperity Bank takes full ownership of LSSB. According to Commissioner Mike Swain, who has been the liaison between the County and the banks, said, “I found out from a lawyer from a different bank that this is supposed to take effect as early as the 6th of June (2023)… supposed to have all the paperwork from the Security Exchange Commission.” The Court approved the contract extension.
The Court moved on to items 5 and 6, which were similar. Item 5 was to review and consider taking action in adding stop signs and or stop light devices to the intersection of North Cedar (CR 505) and East Bynum Street (CR 430) in Terry County, Texas. Item 6 was to review and consider taking action to consider working with TxDOT on a safety recommendation for the intersection of County Road 230 and County Road 525 in Terry County, Texas. In recent weeks, there have been accidents in those particular intersections, and one of the accidents caused a fatality.
Meadow senior Wes Woodard was killed in a head-on accident on May 1, 2023, at the CR 230 & CR 525 intersection. Texas DPS said 18-year-old Wes Woodard of Meadow was traveling eastbound in a 2016 Chevy Silverado on CR 230 on the westbound side of the roadway, and 60-year-old Antonio Aleman of Hondo Texas was traveling westbound in a 2017 Forn F-250 on CR 230 on the westbound side. Aleman took evasive action to the left to avoid collision with Woodard at the exact time, Woodard took evasive action to his right. Both vehicles collided head-on on the roadway with Woodard’s vehicle coming to a rest facing east on the south side of the road, and Aleman’s F-250 coming to a rest facing east on the eastbound side of CR 230. According to DPS, Woodard died at the scene and it was unknown if he was wearing a seatbelt. Aleman sustained moderate injuries and was transported to University Medical Center in Lubbock, and he was wearing his seatbelt.
The other accident at North Cedar and East Bynum involved a maroon (1998-2003) Ford F-150 single cab driven by Daniel Tapia, he was heading north on North Cedar and failed to yield the right away at the East Bynum & North Cedar intersection. The other maroon late model four-door Ford F-150 driven by Brownfield Municipal Judge David Cox and his wife Debbie as the passenger was traveling through the intersection going east when it was hit (t-boned) on the passenger side. The four-door F-150 would roll into the northeast corner field and would come to a rest on its wheels facing north. The single-cab F-150 would spin around in the intersection and would come to rest facing southeast. Two ambulances were called to the scene. David Cox was transported to a Lubbock hospital with unknown injuries and Tapia was treated at the scene.
According to Terry County Judge Tony Serbantez, TxDOT is to come out Thursday, May 25, 2023, to evaluate the N. Cedar and E. Bynum intersection and give recommendations as to how to make the intersection safer. The Court also approved working with TxDOT on safety recommendations for the CR 230 & CR 525 intersection. Both items were approved for TxDOT to help with safety recommendations.
The Court went into Executive Session and was held in accordance with the Texas Government Code to discuss matters as they may relate to Texas Government Code 551.071(1) (Consultation with Attorney about pending or contemplated
litigation or settlement offers); Texas Government Code 551.071(2) (Consultation with Attorney when the Attorney’s obligation under the Texas Disciplinary Rule of Professional Conduct of the State Bar of Texas conflicts with Chapter 551 of the Texas Government Code). There was no action taken.
All four County Commissioners, County Judge, and County Clerk were present. The County Auditor was absent. The next meeting is scheduled for Monday, June 12, 2023, at 9:00 am in the Commissioners Court Room in the basement of the Terry County Courthouse.
Below are pics of the intersection on the agenda:
