The case of the missing air monitor in Freestone county was finally closed Monday when commissioners voted unanimously to abandon the project.

On a motion by Luke Ward, seconded by Stanley Gregory, commissioners decided to "not spend any money on an air monitor".

The issue has been ongoing for about two years, and money was actually budgeted twice to purchase an air monitor, but high costs and lack of a definite direction led to Monday's vote.

Estimate to install an air monitor is $140,000, with an additional $40,000 per year maintenance costs.

The item placed on any commissioners court agenda over the past year guaranteed a packed house, fairly equally split "for" and "against" the project, with both sides commenting, sometimes heatedly, and presenting evidence to back up their beliefs.

On Monday, commissioners heard from Scott Swiggard of Golden Specialty Consultants of Houston, who gave the court his opinion of the process necessary to address air concerns in the county. He said the county should have a "systematic approach that results in a project's logical development that includes efficient use of resources, transparency of intent and direction, soundness of project conclusions and proper documentation.”

Basically, Swiggard said the county should have a more definite plan, including an answer to the question, "What would we do with the information an air monitor would provide?"-- -a question commissioners have asked several times.

The obvious answer to that would be to submit the information to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, or TCEQ. However, in a statement read Monday by county judge Linda Grant, received from state representative Byron Cook, TCEQ says that, because of prevailing winds, the air monitor located in Corsicana accurately records air quality in Freestone county, and those records show there is no problem.

Judge Grant also said that the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, is releasing new regulations in June, and that could mean changes in air quality guidelines.

Also at Monday's meet, commissioners voted to approve Christensen Estates plat, lots 1, 2, 3, and 4 in the Wildwood subdivision, pending an okay from county clerk Mary White, and a request made by precinct four justice of the peace Shirley Mays for additional funding for part time help was approved by commissioners in the amount of $5,000.