Lampasas County may offer monetary rewards or promote educational programs to counteract what several county commissioners have described as an increase in road sign vandalism and theft.

At Monday's Lampasas County Commissioners Court meeting, Precinct 3 Commissioner Lowell Ivey said the county-owned signs on County Roads 2600, 2800 and 2901 have been knocked over in recent weeks. Vandalism included damage to a "Stop Ahead" sign, he said, as well as to a marker warning that cross traffic at an intersection does not stop.

"If this continues, somebody's going to get badly hurt," Ivey said.

The commissioner also noted the recent theft of a sign indicating that a county-wide burn ban is in effect.

Precinct 4 Commissioner Jack B. Cox suggested a reward of $1,000 for those who provide law enforcement officials with tips about road sign vandals.

Cox added that he has asked new Lampasas Independent School District Superintendent Randall Hoyer to consider instituting an essay contest or other educational effort to inform high school students about the traffic dangers that can result from road sign theft and vandalism.

"There's no excuse for killing your friend or neighbor or whoever because you stole a stop sign, yield sign or any kind of informational sign," Cox said.

Sheriff David Whitis said a reward and/or public awareness campaign will be more effective than increased patrols alone. The Lampasas County sheriff's office in recent months has received an increased number of calls for service, Whitis said, and with three deputies per shift, the office cannot monitor every mile of county roadways at all times, he added.

In another traffic-related matter, Precinct 1 Commissioner Robert Vincent said he has ordered warning signs to place at a curve on Boys Ranch Road where multiple vehicular accidents have occurred in the last month. The safety signs will suggest driving at 20 miles per hour around the curve, although the speed limit there is 30 mph, Vincent said.

Boys Ranch Road received a new coating of rock not long ago, the commissioner added.

Also at the recent meeting, the Commissioners Court voted unanimously to give Hill Country Community Action Association $849. The grant will provide lunches from Feb. 1, 2010 to Jan. 31, 2011 to Lampasas County homebound residents served by the Meals on Wheels program.

In other business, commissioners reappointed Sue Zane Faulkner to a two-year term on the board of trustees for the Central Counties Center for Mental Health and Mental Retardation Services. The court also voted unanimously to reappoint Precinct 2 Commissioner Alex Wittenburg to a one-year term on the Lampasas Economic Development Corp. board.

Cox said he is working with County Attorney Larry Allison to develop a formal statement and disclaimer to allow the Adamsville Heritage Association to maintain the Lampasas River foot bridge on CR 2925.