Wood County commissioners received an update on the county’s projects being funded by the American Rescue Plan Act during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The projects include rural broadband expansion, county jail improvements and a septic recovery station.

The report showed that as of Feb. 1, the West Fork broadband project was completed, the Cartwright project is in the customer install phase and expected to be completed in a month, and the Lake Holbrook mainline project and Lake Lydia mainline projects are complete.

Precinct One projects are expected to be completed in six months.

The Gulf Shores project is to be added next.

The jail improvement plans are being reviewed by county and state officials.

Development of construction bid documents takes about 60 days starting Feb. 1.

Revised total for the jail project is $4,547,917.

Some of the work is already underway, such as replacing air conditioning units and a water line.

The septic receiving station being built in conjunction with the city of Mineola should have designs provided to the city and the county by the end of the month with construction bidding anticipated in March.

Commissioners approved an amendment officially renaming the project as a septic receiving station rather than the brand name, by which it had been referenced.

Approval was given to the Craft Meadows subdivision in Precinct 3 off County Road 2195. The nine lots are all 1.6 acres or larger, and all face the county road.

Commissioner Russell Acker noted that the problem the county is running into is rural water systems nearing capacity to supply water to new subdivisions.

Commissioners approved a surface use agreement with TTK Energy in Quitman for county-owned land in Precinct One of 113 acres.

Commissioners acknowledged the hiring of Stephen Nichols as a deputy with the sheriff’s department.

Friday’s meeting was held early due to commissioners leaving for a conference on Sunday evening.