New constable for Precinct 2

  The court unanimously appointed Gary Majors constable for Precinct 2, filling the position vacated when Constable Ruben Davis died in October. Majors has been with the Precinct 2 constable office for 22 years. He lives with his wife and child in Missouri City. Majors’ term will run until November 2018. Davis had been a Fort Bend constable for 20 years, following a 21-year career with the Houston Police Department.

CDBG program funds made available

  The court unanimously approved a 1-year working agreement with Fort Bend Community Revitalization Projects to administer the county’s Community Development Block Grant program. The county received $231,000 from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to fund the program, which performs home repairs for low- to moderate-income homeowners. The budgeted amount includes $41,250 in salary and travel expenses for the program’s executive director. Of the remaining amount, $96,000 will go toward repair roofs, $47,000 toward interior repair projects and the $40,000 toward exterior repair projects. The remaining funds are earmarked for professional fees, lead testing, financial contract services, and a small amount for supplies. The agreement calls for improvements to be made on at least 40 houses. To qualify for funds, a house must be a single-family home and the owner’s primary residence. Each house approved for assistance will be allotted up to $5,000 for roof and interior work.

Nearly $300,000 to fight HIV

  The commissioners accepted a grant in the amount of $288,722 from the Texas Department of State Health Services for HIV prevention. The money will fund efforts to combat the spread of HIV through the testing of high-risk priority populations, and will pay for health education and support services for those infected with HIV. Other services funded by the grant include mental health counseling and substance abuse treatment for high-risk populations.