Update from Judge Duhon: WINTER STORM AFTERMATH 2-19-21

Hopefully everyone had a chance to thaw out a little bit today as the temperatures warmed up slightly. Please keep in mind we are expecting one more hard freeze tonight with temperature in the mid 20’s, so continue to take whatever precautions may be needed to protect your property and your animals.

Some good news to report - I just got back from the Brookshire library where I surveyed some of the damage with Waller County construction manager Danny Roth and although we had some pipes break in the ceiling and about 2 inches of water through most of the building, all of the books were spared and we did not lose any of them or any of the equipment in the main library area. We already have a restoration company on scene with fans and dehumidifiers to make sure the books are protected. With some remediation, new flooring, and some drywall work the Brookshire library will be back in business at some point.

Although we did not have any heat in the courthouse this morning, commissioners court did conduct its court meeting at 10 am. This was our meeting that was originally scheduled for Wednesday, our normal day for Court. I appreciate Commissioner Kendrick Jones, Commissioner Justin Beckendorff, Commissioner Walter Smith, Cindy Jones, Elizabeth Dorsey, and Debbie Hollan for being part of our “skeleton crew” to get the meeting done... Everyone bundled up for the meeting, which was good because I think it was actually colder inside the Courthouse than outside where the sun was shining.
Commissioner Amsler was not present as he had family business to attend to.

After tonight, temperatures will warm this weekend into the 60’s, so hopefully everyone will get a chance to catch their breath and warm up.

Please keep this in mind - some of you may still have pipes that are frozen and as they thaw out over the next couple of days you may find additional water leaks. Be careful if you leave your home unattended with the water on because if the leaks occur while you’re not there you could have more damage than necessary. If you are not sure whether all of your pipes are unfrozen yet, it might be best to shut off the water to the house if you are gone and then turn it on slowly when you are present so you can watch for leaks as your pipes are re-pressurized after everything has thawed.