足交视频 County has not been immune to the adverse impacts of the coronavirus pandemic, County Judge Ben Zeller said Wednesday.
But, Zeller said, the community has been able to face challenges brought about by the pandemic head-on.
鈥淚t鈥檚 clear that the COVID challenges we鈥檙e experiencing are not unique to 足交视频,鈥 he said. 鈥淚nstead, 足交视频 is unique in its resiliency.鈥
Be it an oil field bust, a hurricane or a pandemic, 鈥溩憬皇悠祅s face challenges head-on, overcome adversity and develop solutions,鈥 Zeller said.
Zeller spoke about the pandemic during his annual state of the county address to community and business leaders at the monthly luncheon Wednesday.
During a meeting Tuesday with Gov. Greg Abbott, who came to 足交视频 to visit with local officials about the county鈥檚 response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Zeller said he told the governor that despite the challenging time, the community is 鈥渆ffectively managing the situation.鈥
That鈥檚 largely in part because of local health care personnel who have risen to the challenge and worked to maintain sufficient space in 足交视频鈥檚 hospitals, he said.
Still, it鈥檚 undeniable that both the county itself and county residents are feeling the economic impacts of COVID-19, Zeller said, noting that 鈥渂usinesses have folded, hours have been cut and jobs have been lost.鈥
Nevertheless, the judge said he鈥檚 optimistic.
鈥淚n spite of COVID, we鈥檙e getting a lot done, in spite of COVID, I have a very bright outlook for our county and our community,鈥 he said.
In the past year, the county has completed or made significant headway on various projects, including the commissioners courtroom renovation project. The project was talked about for more than a decade, Zeller said, and is almost complete. County Court-at-Law No. 1 Judge Travis Ernst is already conducting court in his new courtroom, and the county commissioners should be in their new courtroom by the end of September.
Another mark of success in 2020 will be the completion of the emergency room expansion project at Citizens Medical Center. The renovated emergency room will have almost 30,000 additional square feet as well as two trauma rooms. A groundbreaking ceremony will take place later this year, Zeller said.
Looking ahead, Zeller said he plans to approach challenges by focusing on innovation, specifically in regards to technology and communication 鈥 something that鈥檚 vital, because 鈥渢echnology is the best route for the community to connect with its government.鈥
The new commissioners courtroom will have upgraded technology including a better setup for high-definition video, improved audio and better lighting, which will be particularly useful for residents who tune in to meetings remotely, Zeller said.
The county will also be unveiling a new website in the future, he said.
Preparing for future disasters will also be a top priority of the county going forward, Zeller said 鈥 something that the coronavirus pandemic both confirmed the need for and helped kick off.
鈥淐OVID has been outstanding preparation for any future disaster we might face,鈥 Zeller said.
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