Canton and Van Zandt County could have a new Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post established in the near future following a presentation made to the VZC Commissioners Court during its regular meeting April 27.

Dan Curtis, a member of the VZC Veterans Memorial Board, shared information about the proposed new VFW Post during the 30-minute open session of the commissioners’ court. Curtis was introduced by VZC Pct. 2 Commissioner Virgil Melton Jr.

“I am a new director on the VZC Veterans Memorial Board,” said Curtis to the commissioners’ court. “The bottom line is that we need an active VFW Post in Canton. It will serve anyone in VZC. I have been encouraged by our district and our state to get this started here. We have around 32 veterans signed up so far and we need to have 35 signed up to send in the charter to the district, state, and nationally in Indianapolis. I am proud to have the opportunity to get this started. There are a lot of veterans in VZC.”

Curtis invited those interested in learning more about the proposed new VFW Post to attend a public meeting scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday, May 12, upstairs at the American National Bank of Texas located on State Highway 243 in Canton.

There will be meetings held at that time and location on the second Thursday of each month, according to Curtis.

“I am anticipating that we will have well over 35 veterans to sign up at that meeting,” pointed out Curtis. “We will put in our provisional charter. Once we get chartered, we can legally get started. One of our first orders of business involves the VZC First Responders Banquet scheduled for October this year. This VFW Post will be about community service and families. We will be looking for projects to do in order to help our veterans and their families in VZC. We want to do this for the long term.” No action was taken by the commissioners’ court following Curtis’ presentation.

For more information about the proposed non-smoking and non-alcohol VFW Post in Canton, contact Curtis at 620-786- 9896 or e-mail him at 8dancurtis8@gmail.com.

In other business during the April 27 regular meeting, the commissioners’ court approved a new VZC ordinance regulating game rooms as authorized by Local Government Code Chapter 234 following a presentation by VZC Criminal District Attorney Tonda Curry.

“This is essentially the same ordinance that we discussed during a workshop three to four weeks ago,” said Curry to the commissioners’ court. “At that workshop, there were a couple of issues that the commissioners’ court brought up that involved changes in the proposal. There will be a $15 fee per machine in a licensed game room. There will be a $1,000 application fee. It is my recommendation that we adopt an ordinance of some kind regarding this issue. I have done some research that involved checking in with other counties regarding their ordinances. I believe this proposed ordinance will best fit VZC.”

According to the new ordinance, game rooms will have restricted hours of operation from 8 a.m. to 1 a.m. “That is a TABC (Texas Alcohol Beverage Commission) rule,” pointed out Curry.

The VZC criminal district attorney emphasized that under the new ordinance, VZC Fire Marshal Sean Davis will serve as the overseer.

“I have already been contacted by a company that they are coming in to place five machines everywhere that they can put them, and they are planning to start this in the next two weeks,” pointed out Curry.

The 21-page VZC Game Room Regulation Ordinance features sections dealing with Authority to Regulate; Administration; Area Covered by the Regulations; Definitions; Application; Grounds for Denial, Revocation, or Suspension of a Game Room Permit; Appeal Hearings; Game Room Operation during Pendency of Appeals to District Court; Reapplication; Permit Renewal, Permit Fee Levied, Amount, Payment; Contents of a Game Room Permit; Penalty for Operating without a Game Room Permit; Effect; Inspection by a Peace Officer; Game Room Sign and Name Tags Required; Transparent and Uncovered Windows and Doors Required; Hours of Operation; Display of a Game Room Permit, Recordkeeping; Prohibited Employment; Distancing Restrictions; Game Room Memberships; Machines Located in a Game Room; Illegal Machines; Injunction and Civil Penalty; Effect of Civil Penalty; Cumulative Effect; and Severability Clause.

The motion to approve the new VZC Game Room Regulation Ordinance was made by VZC Pct. 3 Commissioner Keith Pearson and seconded by VZC Pct. 1 Commissioner Chad LaPrade prior to unanimous approval by the commissioners’ court.

Following a recommendation by VZC Human Resource Director Jessica Deville, the commissioners’ court approved the enrollment of all VZC employees to take the 2022 Cybersecurity Compliance course through the Texas Association of Counties (TAC).

A bond in the amount of $5,000 for VZC Assistant Auditor Lisa Hutcherson was approved by the commissioners’ court.

After a recommendation by Melton, the commissioners’ court approved the installation of ‘No Thru Truck’ signs on VZCR 2150.

Following separate recommendations by Melton, the subdivisions located at Medlin Farms (VZCR 2807), Meadowview North (FM 1256) and Meadowview South (FM 1256), all located in VZC Pct. 2, were approved by the commissioners’ court.

A series of fiscal year 2022 budget amendments were approved by the commissioners’ court.

The March 2022 Financial & Investment Report of the VZC Treasurer’s office was approved and entered into the minutes of the commissioners’ court.

Monthly reports submitted by various offices and Departments of VZC government were approved and entered into the minutes of the commissioners’ court.

The commissioners’ court approved the minutes of the April 13 meeting as well as the VZC bills as they were submitted and ratified.

No action was taken by the commissioners’ court following a closed executive session at the end of their April 27 meeting.

The next regular meeting of the VZC Commissioners Court is scheduled for 9 a.m. Wednesday, May 11, in the VZC Courthouse.