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Glasscock County News
School Tax Triggers Roll-Back Election The GCISD Board of
Trustees approved a 2000-2001 budget of $4.7 million in expected expenditures
and projected revenues of $4.5 million at a special meeting Aug. 28. They then set a tax rate of $1.30 per $100
valuation, triggering an automatic tax rollback election. The effective tax
rate, the rate necessary to raise the same revenues as the past year, is
$1.13 per $100 valuation. The highest tax rate without a rollback election is
$1.19. The previous year’s tax rate was $1.45 per $100 on valuations which
were $69 million less than the current year’s $329 million. School Superintendent
Steve Long said this is a benchmark year, and the district’s making a
“greater tax effort” may allow it to keep more local money at home, but said
there is no guarantee that will happen. He also said the district needs extra
money to raise its reserves, which have been lowered to $1.5 million over the
last several years. He plans to provide
voters with more information prior to the election. The vote on the tax
rollback will take place at the General Election Nov. 7. If a rollback is
mandated in the election, it would change the tax rate from the proposed
$1.30 to $1.19. Long says the school district’s funding is 94 percent local,
4 percent federal, and 2 percent state. In a change from the
past, the meeting was opened with an invocation by Board President Jimmy
Eggemeyer, who said he hoped other board members would take their turn
delivering future invocations. November Election Nears; Mail-in Ballots Ready The General Election is Nov. 7,
2000. If you are not a registered
voter the deadline to register is Oct. l0, 2000. Applications for a ballot by mail
are being received at this time by the County Clerk. You are eligible to vote by mail if you
are over 65, disabled or if you are going to be absent from the county. To obtain an application come by or call
the County Clerk's Office. The last
day to receive applications for a ballot by mail will be Oct. 3l, 2000. Voting by personal appearance will
open Oct. 23, 2000 and will end Nov. 3, 2000. If you have any questions,
please call the County Clerk's Office (354-237l) or Wanda Forbis (354-2352). Most
County Employees Get Raises All county employees
except commissioners, sheriff, deputies, jail custodian, and constable should
soon receive pay increases of $100 per month. The raises are included in the
2000-2001 budget, which is scheduled for adoption Sept. 21. County commissioners gave no explanation
as to why they omitted themselves and some other positions from the pay
increases. Sheriff Royce Pruit had asked for a five percent raise for himself
and ten percent for his employees. According to County Treasurer Alan
Dierschke, the last raise for county employees was $50 per month in 1996. The court also raised
the salaries of Garden City Water System Manager Jim Havlak from $12,000 to
$15,000, and Water System Administrator Alan Dierschke from $4,500 to $6,000.
Commissioners cited more work due to meters added in Phase 3. Entomologist
Warren Multer was awarded a $250 annual increase in the part of his salary
which is paid by the county. All the salary
increases combined will cost the county $38,420 per year. Budgeted
county salaries for 2000-2001 include: County Judge, $32,620 (includes a
$10,000 state supplement); County Sheriff and Tax Collector, $31,700; Chief
Appraiser, $12,500; County/District Clerk, $27,500; Deputy County Clerk, $23,300;
County Treasurer, $22,200; County Commissioners, $19,200 each; County Justice
of the Peace, $15,600; County Judge’s Secretary $6,600; Sheriff’s Deputies,
$26,100 each; TAC Deputy [sheriff’s office/tax office personnel], $23,300;
TAC Deputy [tax office personnel], $21,800; Constable, $7,800; Courthouse
Custodian, $20,300; Road Crew salaries $320,000 (12 full-time employees, 3
part-time); County Agent Ag., $11,700 (county’s part of salary); County Agent
FCS, $9,200 (county’s part); County Agents’ Secretary, $19,200; one jail
custodian and three jailers, $1,200 each; Emergency Management Coordinator
$6,000 (job not currently filled); 911 and Sheriff Dispatcher $6,000
job not currently filled); three Fire Chiefs, $1,200 each; Entomologist,
$1,750 (county’s share of salary). Hearing Needed for County Tax Rate Hike The Glasscock County
Commissioners’ Court voted 3-1 (Schafer against) Sept. 11 to propose a
2000-2001 tax rate of .51, which is 7.96 percent above the effective rate of
.472396 and therefore requires a public hearing before the rate can be set.
Commissioner Hugh Schafer had made a previous motion to propose a rate of 3
percent above the effective rate, but the motion died for lack of a second.
The proposed rate is the highest possible without a tax rollback election. The county’s taxable
valuations are $334 million, up from $252 million last year when the county’s
tax rate was .624363 per $100 valuation. County Treasurer Alan Dierschke estimates that
even though the tax rate would increase, actual taxes paid under the new rate
would be $45 lower on an average house than under last year’s tax rate; $7
lower on an acre of ranchland, and $41 less on an average acre of irrigated
cropland. On Sept. 21 at 9 a.m.,
the court will hold a public hearing on the proposed 2000-2001 budget in the
county courtroom, and is expected to adopt a budget that will project $2.4
million in expenses and $2 million in revenues. The public hearing on
the proposed tax rate is expected to be at 9 a.m. on Sept. 25, also in the
county courtroom. The tentative date for actually setting the tax rate is
Sept. 28. Also on Sept. 21, the court is expected to approve a new budget for the Garden City Water System consisting of $54,000 in expected income and $54,159 in projected expenses. Community Center Bonds Issued The court authorized
issuance and sale of Limited Tax Permanent Improvement Bonds in the aggregate
principal amount of $825,000 for the construction of a community center. In a negotiated private placement, Texas
Independent Bankers has agreed with Southwest Securities, acting on the
county’s behalf, to purchase the seven-year bonds at an interest rate of 5.35
percent. With 30 days notice, the bonds are callable at any time, in any
amount, with no penalty. The commissioners’ court will set the tax rate for
the bond debt in the near future. That rate will be reset in each year of
indebtedness, as tax valuations fluctuate. EMS Chairperson a Possibility County Judge Wilburn
Bednar told the court that the Emergency Medical Service (EMS) personnel want
the county to hire an EMS Chairperson.
He gave the court a statement of job requirements and a job
description, both written by EMS volunteers, who suggested a salary of $500
per month for the position. No action
was taken. Odds and Ends The county increased
its budget for medical insurance by $125,000 to cover employee premiums for
the next year, and has budgeted $20,000 for possible legal expenses. A new
Chevrolet pickup ($24,490) was recently purchased from Wheeler Motor Co. for
agriculture extension agent Steve Sturtz (his former pickup is being used by
the county road crew). A $3,500 copier for the county treasurer/water system
administrator was bought with funds from the Garden City Water District. New
chilled, reverse-osmosis water fountains to be installed in the courthouse
and in the sheriff’s office will cost a combined $1,790, and will replace
bottled water, which has been costing about $120 per month. Vote Light on Bond Issue With a reputation for large voter turnouts,
Glasscock County managed only 35 percent in the recent bond election. Of 768
registered voters, 268 voted. The issuance of $825,000 in bonds for
construction of a community center was approved, with 145 votes for, and 123
against. By precinct, including early voting, the
numbers were: Precinct One 39 for, 23 against; Precinct Two 44 for, 33
against; Precinct Three 16 for, 33 against; Precinct Four 45 for, 31 against;
by mail votes were 1 for, 3 against, and one disqualified. Forty percent of the registered voters voted
in Precinct One, 40 percent in Precinct Two, 25 percent in Precinct Three,
and 34 percent in Precinct Four. The tax rate for the bond indebtedness is to
be set in the near future. GCISD Changes Elementary Retention
Policy The GCISD School Board
approved a change in the retention and promotion policy for grades 1 – 8 at
its regular meeting Sept. 11. Beginning this year, students will be required
to have a 70 or above overall average, receive a 70 or above in language arts
and math, and pass either social studies or science. Under the previous
policy, students had to have an average of 70 in all subjects, and 70 or
above in any three of language arts, math, science and social studies. Elementary Principal Brad Jones said he and
Secondary Principal Faith Scott felt the policy needed strengthening,
especially in language arts and math, due to increasingly difficult state requirements. Jones said summer school is an option if a
subject is failed. The closed campus issue was not discussed. Board Member Brad Avery said he thought the board was to re-evaluate it at the Sept. 11 meeting. Superintendent Steve Long said the closed campus was to have a 30-day trial. Board Member Mike Hillger said he would like the matter on the next agenda. Secondary Principal Faith Scott reported no problems with the closed campus, saying she was alternating which group goes to the cafeteria first, things are orderly and there is plenty of food. Concurrent Classes Valuable School
Counselor Doug Conner told the board that concurrent classes are “like
winning the lottery.” He said a
student can graduate from college in two and a half to three years with the
help of these classes, which give both high school and college credit. With
the average annual cost at state colleges $12,000, he said concurrent classes
could translate easily into a $10,000 savings. He reported that 12 kids at
GCHS are now taking 13 college hours apiece. Conner said the rumor that students entering
college as sophomore can’t get scholarships is not true. He said scholarships
go to first year students, not just to freshmen. He reminded parents that a student must pass
the TASP test, which is administered by the colleges, before being admitted
to college in Texas. If one scores high enough on the high school TAAS test,
he is exempt from the TASP. Moment of Silence to Continue Observing a moment of silence before football
games will apparently continue, though the GCISD board would prefer the
traditional prayer. The law still allows a spoken prayer before “solemn
occasions” such as school board meeting and graduation. The board authorized Long to adjust rent for
employee housing as improvements are made to the houses. The objective is to
ultimately have the school housing pay for itself. The board also
approved purchase of an air conditioning unit from Linda Frysak for $1,000,
discussed the possible purchase of a mobile home from Keith Stone, and asked
Long to check into the condition of the metal tennis building and loose
boards on a playground slide. GCHS Receives ‘Exemplary’ Status Garden City High
School has again been awarded the state’s “Exemplary” status, the highest possible,
for its scores in the spring, 2000, TAAS testing. To achieve this ranking, at least 90 percent of eligible
students must pass the reading, writing and math test, there must be no more
than a 1 percent dropout rate, and attendance must be at least 94 percent. The elementary school
earned the second highest status of “Recognized.” This level of achievement requires at least 80 percent passing
each subject area, a 3.5 percent or less dropout rate, and at least a 94
percent attendance rate. The district as a
whole merited a “Recognized” status, prompting School Counselor Doug Conner
to say, “It doesn’t get any better than this!” Conner presented the
results as part of his state Academic Excellence Indicator System report to
the GCISD School Board at its meeting Sept. 11. He said criticisms of the state’s TAAS testing in programs such
as “60 Minutes” are nothing more than political attacks aimed at Governor
George W. Bush. Conner called the TAAS
test “a good instrument,” and agreed with Board President Jimmy Eggemeyer,
who said, “the TAAS tests things that we should be teaching anyway.” He and
Secondary School Principal Faith Scott agreed that no one is pressed to
“teach the test,” though they said it does present some stress for teachers.
Scott said other indicators, including SAT and ACT scores, should also be
considered to understand how well Texas students are doing, and to see that
no one area or test is over-emphasized. Conner said Texas is
the only state to require that all three high school math classes be above
the algebra level, saying algebra is a third level class in many states. He
also said Texas has risen from twenty-eighth to number one or two nationally
in overall educational performance. Conner spoke of the
constant changes in TAAS testing requirements (such as fewer exemptions for
immigrants) which seem to keep the elementary school from Exemplary status.
But he said, “Nothing they change will change how good we are and what we
do.” Pecan Seminar Set
The 2000 Permian Basin Pecan Seminar will be
Saturday, Sept. 23 at the Sims Orchard in Gardendale from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Topics include: pecan tee management in the
home landscape, pecan nut casebearer control, hickory shuckworm and pecan
weevil control, pecan orchard revitalization, prepare it with pecans, and
pecan grading and marketing. The cost is $15 per person prior to Sept. 19,
and $20 at the door. The fee includes educational materials and a barbecue
lunch. Persons with pesticide applicator’s certification with the Texas
Department of Agriculture will receive three CEU’s. For more information, call 915/498 –4071 or
686-4700. Water
District Lowers Tax Rate The Board of Directors
of the Glasscock County Underground Water Conservation District on Sept. 12
lowered its tax rate to .033018 per $100 valuation from last year’s .042242.
The new rate is three percent above the effective rate. District Manager Rick
Harston reported an increase in taxable valuations from last year of
approximately $83.5 million. In addition, the board adopted a new budget
which raises employees’ salaries by five percent. Harston’s salary will be
$31,500 and District Secretary Donna Donica’s is $19,950. The budget estimates revenues of $120,225 and
expenditures of $123,892. If there is an actual budget overage at the end of
the fiscal year, it will come from the district’s reserves, which now total
$140,000. The board also voted
to begin the process of getting its enabling legislation modified to prepare
for the possible future annexation of other areas. Among the proposed
modifications are: changing the district’s name to Glasscock Groundwater
Conservation District, and changing directors’ terms from two to four years.
Additional language will also be suggested regarding legal validation and
confirmation of the district’s actions. Briefly
• Gary
Jones has filed as a write-in candidate for Glasscock County
Commissioner, Precinct 3 in the November General Election. Jones will oppose
incumbent Hugh Schafer. • The Big Spring Humane Society has plenty of
adoptable pets ready for good homes. Most have been neutered and vaccinated.
The shelter, which does not euthanize animals, welcomes various donations,
such as pet food or bedding, and of course, cash. For more information, call
the shelter at 267-7832, or Margaret Lloyd at 267-5646. Lloyd always reminds,
“We deliver!” • A Spanish class is being taught every
Wednesday at 4 p.m. at the Baptist church by Linn Hughes. The class is open to all adults in the
community. For more information, call
Bobbie McDaniel, 354-2392. • The Glasscock County Historical Committee says thank you to those who sent letters of support for
the Courthouse Restoration Project. The personal letters are an important
part of the grant application submitted to the Texas Historical Commission.
Announcement of grant recipients will be Oct. 27. • Senior
Citizens will meet at 3 p.m. Sept. 19 for games and snacks. The regular
October meeting (potluck) will be Oct. 3 at 6 p.m. • The Glasscock County Technology Committee is developing a page of block ads for local businesses
on the county's website. If you would like your business listed on this page,
mail your business card or information to P.O. 299 Garden City, TX 79739. If
you have a website for your local business, send your address to
s-sturtz@tamu.edu and it will be linked from the county site.The address for
the county website is http://glasscockcountytx.com/ • A
Homecoming meal will be served by the junior class before the game
Friday, Sept. 15 from 5 to 7:30 p.m. in the school cafeteria. A hamburger, chips, beans, cobbler, and
iced tea –- all for $5! • Report
Card Day will be Sept. 27 at the school. A new feature locally, the
special day is designed to encourage parents to meet with their kids’
teachers, especially those who teach the child’s lowest subjects. Times and
more details will be sent from the school. •
The Bearkat Booster Club will meet Sept. 18
at 6 p.m. in the school cafeteria to watch the previous Friday night’s
game film. Fall Festival
Approaches
The annual St. Lawrence Fall Festival will be
held Sunday, Oct. 1 on the grounds of St. Thomas Church in St. Lawrence. Lunch, served from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., consists
of homemade German sausage, barbecue brisket and all the trimmings, plus
homemade pies and cakes. Plates to go will be served at the noon meal only.
Cost of the noon meal is $6 for adults and $4 for children under 12. Sausage sandwiches, dessert and iced tea
will be served from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Uncooked
German sausage will be sold for $3.50 per pound beginning at 10 a.m. The
Kountry Kitchen, featuring homemade baked and canned goods, opens at 10:30
a.m. Various handcrafts will be for sale, and refreshments will be available.
Bingo will be played from noon until 4 p.m., and several children’s booths
with balloons, grab bag, spin-a-wheel, etc., will open at 10:30 a.m. An auction will begin at 2 p.m. with
cotton bales and many other items being sold. Items being raffled include a
Las Vegas vacation, a deer rifle and a handmade quilt. A dance, with Disk Jockey Michael Peterson,
will be held from 7 to 11 p.m., with tickets $5 per person, 12 years and
older. The festival is a fundraiser
for St. Thomas Church. For more information, call Martha Schwartz at
915/397-2268. Beef Cattle Symposium A
West Texas beef cattle symposium is scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 19 at the
Howard County Jr. College Dorothy Garrett Coliseum. The program begins with registration at 8 a.m. Included on the agenda are such topics as
market outlook for beef, internet marketing and buying of cattle, keys to
profitability for the row crop producer, making stocker cattle operations
work for you, a producer panel and a question and answer period. The program
will conclude with a lunch sponsored by Friona Industries. In The
Spotlight
•
Garden City High School (grades 7 – 12) has been named
“Exemplary,” Garden City Elementary
School “Recognized” and the district as a whole “Recognized” by the Texas
Education Agency in its accountability rating for 2000. The ratings are the
two highest given by the agency. • The
GCHS cheerleading squad won a third place in the Battle of the Cheerleaders
dance category in Big Spring competing against area schools. • Chelsea
Schwartz will compete at the Mike Beauty Talent Expo in Dallas in
November. Also, Chelsea and her dance partner were among 20 finalists to
compete at the Permian Basin Fair Talent Show. During the summer, she
competed as Miss Teen Abilene in the Miss Teen Texas pageant, placing 22nd
overall of 44 contestants, and competed in the National Our Diamond Miss
pageant. V.
Schroyer vs. Glasscock County Filed Veronica Schroyer’s lawsuit
against Glasscock County has been filed in the U.S. District Court for the
Northern District of Texas, San Angelo Division. The following is taken from
documents filed with the U.S. District Court on July 14,2000 (Schroyer’s) and
Aug. 7, 2000 (Glasscock County’s). According to
Plaintiff’s [Schroyer’s] Statement of Facts, Schroyer’s job duties as
Emergency Management Coordinator for Glasscock County required her to answer
911 calls on the first ring, 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, 365 days per
year, except for 5 hours on Wednesday evenings. However, Plaintiff states
that if a call ever came in during that five-hour period and was not answered
by Plaintiff, she was held responsible. According to Plaintiff, she
complained verbally to the Glasscock County Commissioners’ Court on April ---
, 2000 [no specific date is in court document] regarding her working
situation, that she was not compensated for overtime, and that she put her
specific complaint in writing to the Glasscock County Commissioners’ Court on
April 13, 2000. Plaintiff further states that the Commissioners’ Court sent
her a letter on April 14 stating that her job as EMC was terminated effective
April 10. Plaintiff further
states that from July 1, 1993 through April 10, 2000, Glasscock County paid
her $1,050 per month with no compensation for hours in excess of 40 per week,
and that she was required to work in excess of 120 hours per week. Plaintiff
states that the payments were less than the minimum wage and overtime
compensation prescribed by law.
Plaintiff also states that Defendant posted notices and sent
interoffice memoranda explaining that federal wage and hour laws were
applicable to Defendant’s employees. Plaintiff states that
she is entitled to compensation in accordance with the Fair Labor Standards
Act of the United States Code for unpaid overtime compensation, and an equal
sum as liquidated damages, plus pre and post-judgment interest, attorney’s
fees and court costs. Plaintiff asks for a jury trial. Defendant [Glasscock
County] asks that Plaintiff’s claims in all things be denied. Defendant further lists as its affirmative
defenses: Defendant is immune pursuant to the Eleventh Amendment of the U.S.
Constitution’s doctrine of sovereign immunity; Defendant is not subject to
the Fair Labor Standards Act; Plaintiff is exempt under the administrative
employee exemption; Plaintiff is not required to pay on-call wages; Plaintiff
has failed to accurately calculate her wage rate and compensation; Plaintiff
seeks damages for a time greater than is allow by the US Code; Plaintiff
failed to exhaust administrative remedies and Plaintiff has failed to
mitigate damages. Defendant asks that
all Plaintiff’s claims be denied; that the demand for jury be struck, and
that attorney fees and costs be awarded to Defendant. Editor’s Note: According to the projected timetable
for the action, no trial in this matter is likely before mid-2001. From the Schoolhouse
Cross Country Meets: GCHS tracksters placed
four team members in the top ten at the meet in Odessa with Michelle Fuchs
winning a first place. At the meet in San Angelo, the team placed fifth, with
Michelle Fuchs placing first, and Logan Willis medaling. Partial High School Football
Schedule:
*District Games Partial Jr. High Football
Schedule:
About This Publication The next issue will be Oct. 11. The
deadline for that issue is Oct.
9. The Glasscock County News is published by Joe Melanie Calverley, P.
O. Box 98, Garden City, TX, 79739.
Phone or Fax: 915/354-2221; e-mail: gcnews201@aol.com. Website: http://wscope.com/glasscock/ |
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