Walker County Commissioners Court approved allowing the HEARTS Veterans Museum of Texas to use “conference center” in marketing the county Storm Shelter during a special session Monday morning at the courthouse.

The five-member court — County Judge Danny Pierce and commissioners B.J. Gaines Jr., Robert Artery, Bobby Warren and Tim Paulsel — voted to allow the shelter at 455 State Highway 75 North to be marketed as a conference center by contract with the county for public use during the times it is not being utilized for emergency use.

The HEARTS Veterans Museum is in charge of leasing the 9,000 square-foot main room of the shelter, which covers 14,300 square feet.

The shelter’s main room can be divided into four smaller rooms for different events such as weddings or meetings.

Pierce said the HEARTS Museum will market the shelter as the HEARTS Veterans Museum complex.

“What conflicts with conference center is that each group that leases or rents this facilty for a conference or other use, also has to sign a disclosure that in the event of a catastrophic event anywhere in the state of Texas, we would have to open the shelter,” Pierce said. “That’s the reason they have to sign a disclosure that it could be taken over for FEMA purposes at any time.

“The storm shelter will always be known as the Walker County Storm Shelter. That will be only sign on it. This is just for marketing purposes.

“They can book conferences in advance, but they also have to sign a disclosure that they may have to vacant at any time.”

Pierce said the main thing with the shelter is that the cost of the utilities are covered.

The county has a 75-25 agreement with the HEARTS Museum.

The court also discussed possibly seeking Hotel Occupancy Tax money from the City of Huntsville to help cover the cost of utilities.

County Criminal District Attorney David Weeks said he would look into the legality of the county using the HOT funds.

Also Monday, the court:

• Approved minutes for Feb. 9, 2009.

• Approved real estate lease.

• Approved proclamation 2009-03 Severe Weather Awareness Week.

• Approve bill paying.

• Passed on renewal of flood insurance policy with American Bankers Insurance Co. at a premium of $2,035 for Option A or $2,200 for Option B from budgeted funds.

• Approved budget adjustments for FY 09.

•Approved claims/invoices submitted for payment.

• Held public hearing on the replat of Tracts 10 of the Bobby J. & Thomas O'Bannon Lands, in A-692, the I. & G. N. Railroad Co. Survey on O'Bannon Ranch Road.

• Denied replat of Tract 10 of the Bobby J. & Thomas O'Bannon Lands, in A-692, the I. & G. N. Railroad Co. Survey on O'Bannon Ranch Road.

• Held public hearing on the replat of Lot 14 of Lake Forest Estates, A-1 the Ethan Allen League on Starlite Drive and McMillian Road.

• Approved the replat of Lot 14 of Lake Forest Estates, A-1 the Ethan Allen League on Starlite Drive and McMillian Road.

• Approved monthly Commissioners' Court Reports for the months of February 2008 thru December 2008.

• Approved variance on the Drew Slack Management Corp, Inc. 3.296 Acre Subdivision, in A-14, the J. Crane Survey.

• Approved Utility Installation Request by Oneok Arbuckle Pipeline, LLC on Old Chapel Road

• Approved 911 Interlocal Agreement with H-GAC.

• Approved allowing the HEARTS Museum to utilize the title “conference center” in marketing the Storm Shelter by contract with the county for public use during the times it is not being utilized for emergency use.

• Passed on the ability to purchase Fly Ash Type C.

• Approved flood insurance for the Annex in the amount of $2,035.00 (Option A) for one year for $350,000 coverage for building and contents from American Bankers Insurance Co. of Florida

• Passed on Fly Ash for Road & Bridge Precinct 2.