There were many smiles and hugs Tuesday as veteran Dallas County Commissioner John Wiley Price returned to Commissioners Court following a two-month trial in federal court.
Jurors acquitted Price Friday of the most serious bribery charges in his corruption trial.
"It feels good just to be back where the people placed me to begin with," Price said.
Price was reelected twice since the corruption investigation first became public with raids and search warrants executed in 2011.
Price's county aide Dapheny Fain was found not guilty by the jury of charges that she lied to the FBI in 2011 in the same Commissioners Court chamber where Tuesday's meeting was held.
Fain received flowers from supporters instead of a search warrant Tuesday.
Price was anxious to jump back into county business in an 8 a.m. hearing about the Vista Technologies Fulgham Road tire recycling plant near Interstate 45.
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County officials said an 11-day tire fire occurred at the site in March. They also complained about standing water in tires that are stored outdoors, which can breed disease-carrying mosquitoes.
Price said health concerns about the site must be addressed, but officials also want tire recycling available as an option to illegal dumping of tires in Dallas County.
"We're wanting to work with them to help abate a nuisance that's in our community," Price said.
A lawyer representing Vista said the company will cooperate with county requests.
Price said he tried to keep on top of county business early in the morning or in the evening during the federal court trial. But he saw new people among county staff members at Tuesday's meeting who'd been hired while he was away. And he asked for two-week delays for additional study on some issues posted for a vote Tuesday.
"There's quite a few things to catch up on, but I'm going to catch up on them," Price said.
The federal court jury deadlocked Friday on income tax evasion charges against Price and Fain. Prosecutors could retry the tax charges with a new jury. The judge gave prosecutors four weeks to make their decision. A spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney's Office in Dallas said no decision has been made yet.
Price said he will focus on Dallas County business and let his lawyers focus on the tax accusations.
