No doubt about it. Tropical Storm Harvey is the elephant in the room for the top story in Jefferson County in 2017.

For instance, the first meeting following Harvey served as a forum of information on disaster recovery.

County Judge Jeff Branick said a number of congressmen and senators, Gov. Greg Abbott and state officials toured the area after Hurricane Harvey hit. They told the judge and the Jefferson County Commissioners Court the county would get what it needs for recovery.

At the following week’s meeting, it was thought preliminarily houses built from 1960s – 1980s — prior to the requirement of building at the base flood elevation plus one foot — wouldn’t be able to be raised, particularly those on a slab. Therefore, new construction would be required. It was later discovered mass construction wouldn’t be needed.

In the midst of recovery, however, the commissioners court gave county employees a 3 percent pay raise. They also approved a tax rate and budget for the 2017-2018 year.

In early October, Branick said the county moved from one debris truck for each of the four precincts to 28 trucks picking up debris. In fact, 5,196 cubic feet of debris was picked up that Saturday the judge called a record.

Later in the month, Allison Nathan Getz, tax assessor-collector said in accordance with the Property Tax Code, taxpayers who sustained property damage as a result of a declared natural disaster may be eligible to split their property tax payments into four equal interest free installments, to be paid by Jan. 31, May 31 and July 31.

Also during the month of October Branick said 6,000 Federal Emergency Management Agency trailers scheduled for Jefferson County. He said the 6,000 trailers were authorized for those who are eligible. He didn’t have an arrival date but some were sent to South-County and some to northern portion of the county.

Commissioners approved the former Al Price State Juvenile facility on Highway 69

with a commercial list lease between themselves and Beaumont Dream Center and Harbor House.

Mike Conner, a spokesman with the Beaumont Dream Center said plans are to develop the correctional facility that has been vacant for several years into a state of the art recovery center. The work will be done through the Los Angeles Dream Center.

Steven Stafford, engineering superintendent for the county, said FEMA contractors and 11 county staff members were working as teams in the county. They started work at the end of that previous week and completed their work early of the next week. The list was comprised of 800 structures.

Allison Nathan Getz, tax-assessor collector for Jefferson County, meanwhile, said there were numerous hotels and motels delinquent in paying their taxes. At the top of the list, however, was the Holiday Inn Park Central in Port Arthur that was nine months delinquent and $45,000 in arrears. The hotel paid their bill that week.

The Jefferson County Commissioners Court said they needed more information at a November meeting before they could make a decision.

The resolution was to approve issuing a blanket permit for placement of FEMA RVs in areas below base flood elevation. The item was eventually tabled.

The Jefferson County Commissioners Court approved a six-year property tax abatement agreement between the county and Dow Chemical.

Prior to Harvey landing, the Jefferson County Commissioners Court approved the reclassification for some top positions at the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office.

Branick said the office was “a little top heavy” and Sheriff Zena Stephens wanted to move the personnel to different departments. He added that he hasn’t heard any resistance to the changes from departmental personnel outside of some comments on the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Association website.

Stephens said she wants to streamline the JCSO.

The commissioners approved the creation of the proposed Lone Star Coastal National Recreation Area.

The LSCNRA is a federal bill to establish the recreation area to conserve, protect and promote the economic benefits of natural, cultural and recreational resources within a delineated Texas coastal area.

The court, furthermore, approved an interlocal agreement between the county, the city of Nederland, and the Nederland Economic Development Corporation regarding development of The Landing frontage property at Jack Brooks Regional Airport.

They also contemplated amending the sale of fireworks in the county.

The Texas Legislature allows fireworks to be sold on Texas Independence Day, San Jacinto Day and Memorial Day since Dec. 7, 2015. The commissioners court, however, stated they found it is in the best interest of the county to now restrict those sale of fireworks.

Fireworks can be sold only from the beginning of June 24 ending at 12 a.m. on July 4 and beginning on Dec. 20 and ending at 12 a.m. of January 1 of the year following.

The commissioners court approved an abatement for Seahawk Landing — dormitories built at Lamar State College-Port Arthur.

Terms of the abatement are for five years at 100 percent for $3.9 million.

A proclamation was read celebrating the Port Neches-Groves Indians 2017 5-A state championship in baseball in July. The Indians made their way through the playoffs and defeated Grapevine 4-2 to win the championship.

Lastly, the Jefferson County Commissioners Court approved an interlocal agreement between he Port Arthur ISD and Precinct 2 Constable Christopher Bates to perform ASAP services at their regular meeting on Monday afternoon in Beaumont.

The Absent Student Assistance Project is a community-based collaborative designed to increase school attendance rates of students in Port Arthur Independent School District, according to their website.

The ILA read the District wants Bates’ office to authorize and direct nine deputies to devote 100 percent of their working time per week to ASAP.