All four Jefferson County commissioners talked about a variety of topics, including industries looking at coming to the county, during the Jefferson County Commissioners Leadership Breakfast by the Greater Port Arthur Chamber of Commerce on April 23 at the Robert A. “Bob” Bowers Civic Center.
Attending the breakfast were Pct. 1 Commissioner Brandon Willis, Pct. 2 Commissioner Cary Erickson, Pct. 3 Commissioner Michael “Shane” Sinegal and Pct. 4 Commissioner Everette “Bo” Alfred. County Judge Jeff Branick was unable to attend.
According to emcee Deborah Drago, Industrial Account executive for Entergy Texas, the four commissioners have more than 42 years of service to the county.
“Judge Branick wanted me to know your commissioners’ ability to work to together despite differing political affiliations, they align and vote together 99.9% of the time,” said Drago. “He also wanted you to know their diligence, their ability to work with their constituents and their accessibility.”
Drago noted, according to Branick, each commissioner is conservative with his budget and they are all protective of the citizens as cashpayers — evidenced by the county’s tax rate, which is the eighth lowest of the 254 Texas counties.
Claire Jackson, manager of Community Relations for Motiva Port Arthur Manufacting Complex, and Carol Hebert, Refinery Public Affairs manager for Valero Port Arthur, served on the panel to ask questions.
The first question went to Alfred: “What are the roles and responsibilities of a county commissioner?”
He said one of his major roles is approving the budget, county tax rate and contracts of purchased items.
“Also, to make sure that we have all in the rural area roads, the ditches and the bridges are all functioning,” Alfred said. “Right now, we can’t say functioning well because of all the work is going on around with the interstate system, but it’s a plus.”
Alfred said, sometimes people miss things that are important, such as hurricanes.
“Each of us have a precinct. Our job is to make sure we get that precinct up and going,” he said. “And No. 1 and most important is that we get the industries up and going in our county. It is paramount because we live in Jefferson County and we drive the energy of this country to the great degree.”
Erickson was asked about an update on the state prison system in his precinct, but noted the county does not have anything to do with the state prison system other than to get them to pick up their prisoners.
“Every day we hold a prisoner in our county jail, it costs the citizens of Jefferson County,” he said. “We work very hard to make sure the state takes responsibilities seriously and that we get the prisoners from Jefferson County there.”
Erickson noted activity at the old Al Price State Correctional Facility, located on U.S. 69, which is now home to the Dream Center of Southeast Texas, which moved in 2018. He said the county invested $6 million of American Rescue Plan Act money into renovating the building into a diversion center.
Erickson added a diversion center is a place where people with mental, behavioral and/or health issues, some reside to stay focused on lawful living and staying out of jail.
“That where they don’t need to be,” he added. “We need to expend our resources at that jail on real criminals. These folks just need some help.”
According to Erickson, at the diverson center, an individual can spend 3-10 days and get the help they “actually need.” He hopes it’s up and running in 18 months or so and has been effective in Harris and Bexar counties.
Sinegal was asked about the county’s role in elections.
“Elections are important, but I want to remind everyone that politics are local,” he said. “People need to get out an vote.”
According to Sinegal, who echoed the 99.9% agreement rate among the commissioners court, it’s always what’s best for the citizens.
“We have a very conservative board,” he said.”It seems to be a dirty word in national and state politics.”
Sinegal added his vote affects not only his precinct, but the entire county. “I take that very seriously,” he said.
Willis, the newest member of the court after he was elected in November 2024, was asked about what studies are required when a project comes into the county.
“It depends on the project,” he replied. “Jefferson County is very fortunate to have the industries it has. Industry is hot right now with the administration currently in place in Washington D.C. and a lot of people have been waiting on that and it’s very competitive out there.”
He said the county is able to offer tax abatements and services to companies, but applying for a tax abatement is a “rigous process”
“We don’t just hand out tax abatements,” Willis stated. “You’ve got to show that you’re going to employ local people, which I think is very, very important coming from an accountable workforce development background.”
Willis urged officials from local industries to hire more local people to work because they’ll spend their money in Jefferson County.
“Those abatments are very important, a very important tools if we land an industrial project and we get a lot of local people to work there. That is huge economic news for our area.”
Alfred was asked about how often major project requests come across his desk, like $50 million-plus projects.
He said the court gets about 10-12 large major project requests a year.
“They have to deal with some things and tangibles that will benefit citizens of Jefferson County,” Alfred siad. “But it has to have those other other carrots that are stated, ‘Local, local, local.’ That means jobs.”
He said the county’s tax abatement policy deals with local vendors and hiring minorities.
Sinegal, asked what determines if a project is a good fit for Jefferson County, said one of the first things is feedback from business leaders.
“Location has something to do with it,” he said. “We’ve been very friendly to industry. It helped us to not feel the hardness of a recession, that God fobid, that we have another one.”
According to Sinegal, industries are saving Southeast Texas and, estimated in the past several years, there has been about $100 billion in expansion and different facilities coming online.”
He highlighted that most of the project are in his precinct, which includes Posrt Arthur, Sabine Pass and most of south Jefferson County.
Erickson told Sinegal he must’ve not driven up U.S. 69 towards Walmart, lately, because “we got a lot going on right here in Mid-County.”
According to Erickson, everytime the commissioners attend a county commissioners’ conference, Jefferson County is the “envy of many other places in the state and in the nation.”
“When it comes to abatements, yes, we still have to offer abatements, because we’re still competing statewide and nationwide, and sometimes worldwide for these plants,” he said.
Erickson noted the commissioners court had a recent workshop to discuss the county’s abatement policy and to make revisions to it.
“Us working together to make sure we have approved a policy, and a go-get-it attitude for business, has made us an envy of the other states in some cases,” he added.
Alfred stated companies choose Jefferson County, over other places in the state, because of its longtime skilled labor force, education, natural waterways and the interstate system.
“Those things are all attributes,” he said.
The commissioner noted Jefferson County also has the best fishing and the best food, while taking care of its natural resources in the process.
— Dannie Oliveaux
