BEAUMONT — The Jefferson County commissioners recognized Mental Health Awareness Month by hearing a presentation from members of the Spindletop Center.

Spindletop Center community outreach team leader Dexter Phillips said some in the community still feel the affects of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder following Hurricane and Tropical Storm Harvey.

“The second Tuesday of every month, we have a location in Port Arthur open for community outreach,” Phillips said. “We call them Community Coffee Talks.”

Spindletop Center Public Relations and Marketing Administrator Lane Fortenberry said the center is spreading the word by doing radio and television hits, buying billboard space and handing out flyers.

“We’re doing everything we can,” Fortenberry said. “We have yard signs as well as our social media accounts. We want to make sure everyone is aware of these.”

The community outreach events are open to the public. To check locations and dates for a Community Coffee Talk, call 409-839-2265.

 

Courthouse chiller outage

The commissioners approved the payment of a temporary chiller for the fee of $18,000 a month.

“The feeling is, we are down to one chiller,” “If that one goes out, we’re in trouble. The earliest we are looking at is mid May. The latest is June. The chiller that broke is going to get replaced.”

Heading into the warmer months of the year, the commissioners agreed to rent the chiller until a new one could be shipped.

 

Jerry Ware Terminal money

The commissioners accepted a grant from One Star Foundation and Rebuild Texas in the amount of $81,180 to retrofit windows at the Jerry Ware Terminal at the airport. Precinct 2 Commissioner Brent Weaver said the current windows are the ones put in when the terminal was built in the 1950s.

“This is part of the process to go through and harden the building first,” Weaver said. “In all of the storms, the airport was the centerpiece for all of the emergency personnel in the evacuations. This is a big step forward.”