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Glasscock County News
Apparently, No Raises for County Employees; Budget Again to Run at a Deficit
With no discussion, the Glasscock County Commissioners’ Court Sept. 9 declined to include pay raises for county employees in the 2002-03 budget. Several department heads had earlier requested raises for themselves and their staffs, and there had been some talk of an across-the-board raise, but in its latest work on the new budget, the court included no raises. As the budget stands now, the county will operate with a deficit of $190,000, with income of $2.3 million and expenditures of $2.5 million, and an additional $25,000 to $40,000 will have to be added to the budget for a new courthouse roof ($10,000 is already in the budget for courthouse repairs). All budget figures are and will remain tentative until the budget is formally adopted on Sept. 30. The tax rate will presumably be set at $.5288 (53 cents) for maintenance and operation plus five cents debt service for the community center totaling $.5788 per $100 valuation, up three percent from last year’s rate, and the maximum rate possible unless the county publishes notices and holds a public hearing. The effective rate is 56 cents. The county’s tax base has dropped $80 million from last year. The tax rate will be set Sept. 30. The county court has been working to trim the budget in the face of lower revenues and declining cash reserves. County Treasurer Alan Dierschke has said the county needs to raise its cash reserves. Commissioner Jimmy Strube said, “I don’t know where else to cut the budget; we’ve been cutting for 3 or 4 years.” Commissioner Michael Hoch said the court has cut padding and reduced the county’s deficit with this budget. Court Against Reducing Number of Maintainers In that regard, Commissioner Mark Halfmann again argued for cutting back to three maintainers (or two) instead of the usual four, but found little support for that idea from the court. Halfmann said the amount of paving that has been done should enable the county to eliminate some of the expensive maintainers and reduce some personnel costs. He said the county is now operating fine with one set of dump trucks. Halfmann had made the same argument for eliminating a maintainer two years ago, when it was his precinct’s turn for a new maintainer. He got no support for sharing maintainers then either, and so chose at that time to keep his old machine rather than buy a new one. (This year, it is Commissioner Hugh Schafer’s turn for a new machine, with $100,000 budgeted for it.) Hoch said, as he said two years ago, that he didn’t think having four bosses and three maintainers was workable. He said, “When we get further along, we can scale back, but right now, we would have to unitize to make it work.” He said the paving requires that a much better base be built than is necessary for unpaved roads, and building that base takes time and equipment. County Judge Wilburn Bednar agreed that having fewer maintainers would require that the county “ …unitize, and have someone in charge of all roads and prioritize where to use equipment.” Strube said, “We can probably cut back two to four years down the road.” Most County Road Paving Done Last month, commissioners gave this newsletter the following figures regarding the number of miles of paved and unpaved roads in each precinct: Precinct 1 (Strube) paved 45, unpaved 10, with no roads in Garden City; Precinct 2 (Halfmann) paved 33, unpaved 19, plus 2 paved and 1 unpaved in Garden City; Precinct 3 (Schafer) paved 23, unpaved 26, with some roads in Garden City; Precinct 4 (Hoch) paved 41, unpaved 19, with 4 miles paved in Garden City. But commissioners have never intended to pave every mile of county roads. At the court meeting Sept. 9, the commissioners said they want to pave only about 25 more miles. Strube plans 2 more miles; Halfmann plans 6 to 8 more; Schafer wants 6 more paved, and Hoch plans 9 more miles of paving.
Fall Festival Set in St. Lawrence
The annual St. Lawrence Fall Festival will be held Oct. 6 on the church grounds. A lunch of barbequed brisket, homemade German sausage and all the trimmings, with homemade cakes and pies for dessert, will be served from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at a cost of $7 for adults and $5 for children under 12. Sausage sandwiches, tea and dessert will be served from 5 - 6:30 p. m. Plates to go are available for the noon meal only. Uncooked sausage will be sold for $4 per pound beginning at 10 a.m. The Kountry Kitchen, featuring homemade baked and canned goods and local handcrafts, will open at 10:30 a.m. Game booths for kids will be open from 10:30 a.m. until 4 p.m. A concession stand will be open throughout the day. Bingo begins at noon and closes at 4 p.m.; an auction starts at 2 p.m. Raffle tickets will be sold for a handmade, queen-size quilt, a handmade tablecloth, a deer rifle, and a trip to Las Vegas. Drawings for these prizes will be held during the dance, and one does not have to be present to win. Michael Peterson will be the DJ at the dance, which begins at 7 and ends at 11 p.m. Tickets are $5 per person over 12.
Extension Secretary Job Available
The Glasscock County Commissioners’ Court has made the extension office secretary's job part-time, and has authorized hiring someone to fill that position. The job will be for a base of four hours daily, five days per week, at a salary of $9.50 per hour. There are no county benefits such as paid holidays, paid vacation, insurance or retirement. The county has budgeted $12,000 per year for the job, allowing some extra hours to be worked if necessary. It should be noted that if this job is returned to full-time status in the future, the part-time employee would have to re-apply and compete with other applicants at that time. Those interested in the job should pick up an application and job description from Steve Sturtz or from the county clerk’s office. Applications must be turned in to Sturtz or to the clerk’s office no later than noon on Sept. 20.
County May File Suit Against Roofer
After checking with its attorney, Glasscock County will apparently file suit against West Texas Roofing for improper installation of the courthouse roof in 1994. County Treasurer Alan Dierschke told the court that three independent roofers have said the roof was improperly installed. The court is faced with immediately replacing the roof, which is leaking badly. Dierschke is hopeful that an historically accurate roof can be put into place, with the cost counting toward the county’s $200,000 in-kind portion of an eventual historic restoration of the courthouse. The court accepted a bid (the only one submitted) from Warren CAT in the amount of $31,850 for a rubber-tire loader. The county has two other loaders; the oldest is at the north landfill and used weekly to cover trash. The court discussed buying a new lawn mower for Douglas Plagens' use and will determine what to do at a later date. In discussing the county’s financial problems, Commissioner Jimmy Strube suggested a bond issue "a few years from now" if the county needs to raise approximately $200,000 in matching funds for a courthouse restoration. He said a bond issue would give voters an option of whether to restore the courthouse or not. Dierschke said that unless monies are put back before the restoration, a bond may be necessary to raise the necessary matching funds. Commissioner Michael Hoch mentioned the possibility of certificates of obligation as a method of financing future county needs. But County Judge Wilburn Bednar said he thought such certificates were a bad idea, since they are not voted on, and generally “stick in people’s craw.” Two agenda items died for lack of a spokesperson, and no explanation was given. One item was regarding “citizens’ concern about the half-time status of the extension service’s secretary," and the other was “citizens’ concern regarding budgeting of road maintenance equipment needs pertaining to increased paved roads and declining caliche roads."
Caregivers' Needs Often Overlooked
Several programs of benefit to Glasscock County residents are available through the Area Agency on Aging (AAA) of the Permian Basin. These were presented to the local senior citizens by Raynetta Williams at the group's meeting Sept. 3. Williams, a caregiver specialist with AAA, described in depth the Family Caregiver Support Program. She defined a "caregiver" as an individual who is caring for a person over 60 who requires assistance in the home. She said caregivers often overlook their own welfare in the effort to care for someone else. The program provides caregivers information about various resources, education and training to meet an individual's specific needs, support group development, networking with other caregivers, respite services (temporary relief services for caregivers), stress and time management, plus financial and legal information. Internet Sites Provide Information Williams said local residents may access several sites on the Internet to get information and assistance regarding caregiving, as well as other matters of concern. Among Internet sites Williams mentioned is the National Alliance for Caregiving at www.caregiving.org, which provides links to many other useful sites. For those who do not have home Internet access, public-use computers with that access are available in the Community Center, along with a full listing of caregiver Internet sites. For a subscription to "Senior Insights," the AAA's newsletter, more information on caregivers’ support, or on topics related to aging, contact AAA at 915/563-1061 or 800/491-4636.
School Requests Waiver on Class Size
The GCISD School Board on Sept. 9 approved a request to the Texas Education Agency for a maximum class size waiver for the first grade, which would allow a student-teacher ratio of 24 to 1. Without a waiver, the largest ratio allowed is 22 to 1. According to the compliance plan filed with the request, the first grade total was 24 on Sept. 6, above the expected number of 22 estimated at the end of the last school year. However, the overall campus enrollment had declined 11 percent since September 2001. The plan states that one teacher is teaching the district's 24 first graders with the support of at least one district staff member during reading/language arts, math and science/social studies. The plan continues by saying a waiver will allow the school to see if this class continues to grow, declines like the campus trend, or stabilizes above 24. If necessary, the school will also have to apply for a waiver in the spring semester. Elementary School Principal Brad Jones reported to the board that the first grade is doing well overall. Elementary Enrollment Down 11 Percent Jones reported an enrollment of 150 in K-6, down 18 from this time last year, and 153 in grades 7-12, down by 2 students. Long said the school had cash reserves of $2.6 million at last year's audit, and should have $3 million at this year’s. The school now has a sign-in sheet for those who want to speak to the board in its open forum, and a group will need to designate a spokesperson. Long said the new Bearkat bus is doing well, and that the old one was sold to O"Donnell for $12,000. Garden City will host the elementary school UIL meet on Dec. 3. It will be a one-day event beginning at 8 a.m., with ready-writing done ahead at each school's home campus.
Underground Water District Raises Taxes
After holding a public hearing which no one from the public attended, the Glasscock Underground Water Conservation District's Board of Directors set the district's new tax rate at .034806 at its regular meeting Aug. 20. The effective rate, that necessary to raise the same revenue as the year before, was .032258. The board approved a 2003 budget of $133,000, based on expected revenues of that same amount. The board decided to buy a new pickup from Jim Bass Ford to replace one with 82,000 miles. The bid was slightly below that of Ivey Motor. The pickup's $16,000 cost will come from the 2002 budget, creating a deficit of $18,000 that will be taken from the district's reserves, leaving reserves of $134,000. Major items in the new budget include $58,000 in salaries, $27,000 for weather modification, $13,000 in insurance, $7,000 for travel, $6,000 for electricity, and $5,000 for office supplies and equipment. Phillips New GUWCD Director The board cancelled a directors' election, since no position was contested. John Phillips will replace Zane Eoff, who chose not to run again, as the director from Precinct 4 and incumbent Larry Wheat will remain the director from Precinct 3. All five planes in West Texas Weather Modification Association's fleet are now operational and stationed in Big Lake, Ozona, Midland and two in San Angelo. In July, the planes logged 79 hours of flight time, 33 of which were flown by the Midland plane.
School Tax Rate Hits State Cap
GCISD's school board on Aug. 29 approved a budget for 2002-2003 with expenditures of $5.8 million, and revenues approximately $27,000 higher. Revenues are approximately $200,000 less than last year. After a public hearing, which no members of the public attended, the board voted to raise the school tax rate from $1.309 per $100 valuation to the state maximum of $1.50. School Superintendent Steve Long reported that the school owes Presidio $200,000 in WADA payments from 1998-99. He said he wasn't sure how the error was made, but it has been thoroughly researched, and the school does owe the money. The $200,000 will have to come from the school's reserves, which will then stand at approximately $2.4 million. Long: School in Good Financial Shape Long said the school district is in good financial shape, and that it will be one of few districts operating on a balanced budget. Long revised some of the budget percentages he had given the board previously, saying that WADA (monies sent out of the district) takes 46 percent of the budget rather than the 55 percent he reported earlier. Also, the superintendent's expenses are 4 percent of the budget rather than 2 percent. Instruction takes 28 percent, the principals' expenses take 3 percent, transportation accounts for 3 percent, maintenance takes 8 percent, and all other expenses combined take an additional 8 percent. In other action, the board approved the Gifted and Talented policy for the coming year. Kids in grades K-6 who qualify will spend 45 minutes per week working in the program. Secondary School Principal Faith Scott said most schools have about two percent of their students qualify for the GT program, but here, the number is five percent. Micki Wesley is the GT teacher. Long reported that school counselor Doug Connors will work only half-time this year.
County's Cash Reserves Continue Decline
Figures, which Glasscock County Treasurer Alan Dierschke supplied for the commissioners court on Aug. 20, show that the county's cash reserves have been generally headed downward since 1997. At that time, the county had reserves of $926,000, and Dierschke estimates reserves at the end of 2002 will be $288,000. Cash reserves for other years in the period were: 1998, $815,000; 1999, $831,000; 2000, $690,000 and 2001, $326,000. The figures show that road crew and insurance expenses take most of the county's budget. Based on figures from Oct. 1, 2000 to Sept. 30, 2001, the road crew expenses accounted for 42 percent (figures rounded), while insurance took 21 percent. The sheriff's and tax collector's expenses took 9 percent, county commissioners and the county/district clerk's expenses were 4 percent apiece. The extension service took 3 percent. At 2 percent each were general expenses, county judge, appraisal district, trappers, jail department, and courthouse. The county treasurer, emergency services, landfill, custodian, justice of the peace and constable each accounted for 1 percent. Ad valorem taxes provided 82 percent of the county's general fund revenues, with auto registration bringing in 7 percent.
Economist Discusses Ag Issues
The Glasscock County, Reagan/Upton/Crockett/Irion County Farm Service Agencies and the Texas Cooperative Extension Service hosted a meeting Sept. 5 in the Community Center attended by some 75 agriculture producers. County Executive Directors John Mark Kinnibrugh and Jim Bob Solsberry discussed portions of the 2002 Farm Bill and answered producers’ questions. Bill Thompson, an economist with the Extension Service, showed producers how to use the service’s on-line Base and Yield Update Option Analyzer, and gave some of his thoughts and opinions regarding the farm bill. He said the bill may change dramatically in future years, since the annual sign-up feature means that funding can be cut in any year. He said the EQIP program "has a bull's eye on it,” and that "budget hawks" would try to lower its funds due to EQIP's huge increase in this farm bill. He thinks the CRP program is in good shape. Thompson said stiff water quality regulations from EPA, especially regarding confined livestock, are coming soon. He also said that payment limit rules are likely to be tightened in the future. Thompson said the national media usually don't report that commodities are only 18 percent of the 2002 Farm Bill, while 72 percent goes to food programs. He said agriculture accounts for only 1 percent of the federal budget, while 65 percent goes to human resources (Medicare, Social Security, etc.).
FCS Agent Will Probably be Hired
County Agent Steve Sturtz said Sept. 9 at the regular meeting of the Glasscock County Commissioners’ Court, that, as far as he knows, Charlene Belew will accept the job of Extension Agent for Family and Consumer Science. He said all the necessary paperwork with the Extension Service has to be completed, and that may take up to 40 days. The court had voted at a special meeting Aug. 20 to hire Belew at a county-paid salary of $11,500, with the understanding that the extension office’s secretary’s job would be reduced to half-time with no benefits. The motion, made by Commissioner Hugh Schafer and seconded by Commissioner Jimmy Strube, was “ to open up the FCS job with $11,500 pay and a half-time secretary.” With Commissioner Michael Hoch absent, and County Judge Wilburn Bednar not voting, the vote was two for the motion (Strube and Schafer) and one opposed (Halfmann). Bednar said he was sure that Hoch supported hiring Belew and reducing the secretary’s job, even though Hoch could not attend the meeting. Halfmann later explained that since two items were worded as one motion, and his vote opposed might be misinterpreted, he wanted to clarify that he was voting against decreasing the secretary’s job to half-time, not voting against hiring Belew. Schafer said saving money on the secretary would help offset the cost of the new agent. Strube said, “With future revenues decreasing in the county, we can’t plan on increased funds for these type positions.” He said increased use of computers has lessened the amount of paperwork in offices. Sturtz, Halfmann Favor Full-time Secretary Both Halfmann and Sturtz spoke against reducing the secretary’s job, with Halfmann saying the county will not fully benefit from Belew’s abilities if she is used as a secretary. And Sturtz tried again on Sept. 9 at the court’s regular meeting to build a case for a full-time secretary by presenting a position analysis questionnaire which the extension service requires for the secretary’ position, detailing lengthy duties and responsibilities for the job. He also supplied the court with a listing of the responsibilities for himself, Warren Multer, and the new FCS agent. Sturtz also referred to a letter from Extension Service District Director Charles Neeb, which clarifies his position regarding the secretary’s job. Commissioners on Aug. 20 were told, in an apparent misunderstanding, that Neeb had said a half-time secretary would be adequate for the job. But his letter of Aug.23 stated that he felt the job required a full-time person. The court, however, did not change its mind, and will advertise for a part-time secretary. Halfmann said he would favor reconsidering the job’s status in six months or a year, if the extension agents can sufficiently document workload and show that a full-time secretary is needed. The court agreed with Sturtz that the secretary’s job should be filled with the understanding that if it should go back to a full-time job in the future, it will be opened up again, and the part-time person hired now will have to compete with new applicants for the job at that time. There was informal agreement that the county would pay Donitta Coats to help out in the extension office until a new secretary is hired. (See announcement of job opening on page 2.) The court also declined to purchase a new pickup to replace Sturtz’ two-year–old one, which has approximately 109,000 miles. Strube said, “All of us run pickups past 100,000 miles; we can run this one for another year.” The court added $3,000 to the agent's repair fund, for a total of $10,000, to take care of additional maintenance on the pickup. Halfmann said if Sturtz has to keep his pickup another year, the county should also postpone purchase of a new maintainer.
Community Planning Meeting Defines Needs
At a meeting Aug. 27, approximately 25 Glasscock County residents defined the top ten needs or issues of concern in the county as: lack of water, landowner water rights, fire department, rural health care, daycare, define community assets, housing development, job creation for youth, crop diversification (tie), awareness of funding sources (tie), and lack of jobs. Twenty-one other needs/concerns were also identified. (A complete list is available from the Extension office.) Gene Theodori, Ph.D. conducted the meeting as part of the Texas Cooperative Extension Service's Community Based Comprehensive Planning Program, which is designed to "build, strengthen and support community and economic structures.” Theodori is an extension specialist for community development, and his program is being piloted in five communities that listed community and economic development as a priority issue in their Texas Community Futures Forum and Action Plan 2000-03, also sponsored by the Extension Service. According to Extension Agent Steve Sturtz, the next step will be to meet again to form work groups and begin an action phase to address some of the items over the course of next year.
In The Spotlight
• Brad Jones, GCISD’s elementary school principal, was recently named District 18 President-elect for the Texas Elementary Principals and Supervisors Association. He has served as a TEPSA district officer since 2000. Jones received his Masters of Education from Sul Ross State University in 1998.
• GCISD's Students of the Month for September "have demonstrated excellence in leadership, citizenship, academics and school spirit." They are: second grader Andrew Hicks, son of Johnny and Robin Hicks; Adriana Ramirez, fifth grade daughter of Tony and Elsa Ramirez; seventh grader Clint Brem, son of Gerry and Holly Brem, and Josh Schmitz, senior, son of Randy and Melissa Schmitz.
• The Glasscock County 9-10 year-old All Star baseball team won the Iraan tourney in August by beating Crane, Iraan, and McCamey. Marcus Cook hit a homerun, and along with Josh Colunga and Dylan Lowery, was named to the All-tournament team. Dylan was named Most Valuable Player of the tournament, and had earlier made the National League All Star team in Big Spring. Other team members were: Brett Chudej, Marcus Dalton, Hayden Halfmann, Lane Halfmann, Brian Hirt, Dylan Jansa, Jordan Jost, Jessie Montes, Ian Schaefer, Landon Wesley and Johnathan Young. Coaches: Kenny Lowery and Steven Jost, assisted by Wade Wesley and Brian Cook.
Briefly
• CORRECTION: In the August issue of this newsletter, we reported that the county commissioners discussed purchase of property east of the post office, but took no action. In fact, the commissioners voted to purchase three lots there for $1,000 each.
• Everyone is invited to the school on Report Card Night, Oct. 1, which is also Open House. The National Honor Society and Beta Club will sponsor a pancake supper from 5 - 7 p.m.
• Glasscock County’s Senior Citizens will meet Sept. 16, and are asked to bring finger/snack foods. The Oct.1 meeting will be potluck. Anyone 50 and over is invited to join us on these dates at 6 p.m. at the Senior Citizens Building.
• Homecoming festivities will be Sept. 27-28. Make your reservations by Sept. 16 for the catered barbeque meal at noon on Sept 28. Call Bonnie Cox Bednar, 397-2221, or Wanda Wilkerson Moore, 354-2439. A meal will also be served before the game on Sept. 27 in the school cafeteria from 5 to 7 p.m., and the school library will be open for those who want to visit afterward.
• The community choir, which will present a Christmas cantata, is now 39 voices strong and represents all churches in the county, according to Donna Donica. If you would like to join, the first practice is Oct.13 at 6 p.m. at the First Baptist Church. For more information, call Donica at home, 354-2626 or at work, 354-2430.
Round-up for Rehab Begins
Butch and Tammy Halfmann are the local community chairmen of the Forty-third Round-up for Rehab, a year-round program that provides friends in the agriculture industry an opportunity to show their support of West Texas Rehab with several special auctions scheduled in the fall. Cattle sales will be Sept. 19 at Producers Livestock Auction in San Angelo and Sept. 24 at Abilene Auction. Specialty sales (all animals) are also scheduled in Coleman and Junction in October. You may participate by: donating livestock to a sale in your area; making a cash gift to WTRC; or attending one of the sales and joining the bidding. Since 1953, West Texas Rehab’s mission has been to improve the quality of life for every person who enters its doors – regardless of their financial circumstances. A private, non-profit organization that treats more than 21,000 patients each year, WTRC has outpatient facilities in Abilene, San Angelo and Ozona. Primary services include adult and pediatric physical, occupational and speech therapies, audiology, industrial rehabilitation, orthotics/prosthetics, hospice care and home medical equipment. Its fully-certified/licensed staff and state-of-the-art equipment and facilities make it one of the premiere physical rehabilitation organizations in the nation. For additional information, contact your local chairmen, or WTRC-Abilene 915-793-3507; San Angelo 915-223-6300; Ozona 915-392-9872.
From the Schoolhouse
BEARKAT FANS by Nancy Hillger
The Bearkat Booster Club will meet every Monday night that follows a varsity football game at 6 p.m. in the school cafeteria to review the game film. Everyone is welcome. Thanks to everyone who purchased caps, decals, T-shirts or signed up to be a member of the booster club. Your support is wonderful. Did you notice the new sign on Highway 33 across from the Baptist Church? One of the club’s projects for this year, it was designed by Pam Hughes. Good job, Pam!
Odds & Ends:
• School Pictures -- elementary school Sept. 17; high school Sept. 18.
• Homecoming Bonfire: Sept. 26.
• Open House (Report Card Night): Oct. 1 with pancake supper served 5 to 7 p.m.
• School holiday: Oct. 7.
Next Issue Date and Deadline
The next issue of the Glasscock County News will be Oct 16. The deadline for that issue is Oct. 14, but earlier material is helpful. Send information to: P.O. Box 98, Garden City, TX 79739; phone or fax: 915/354-2221; e-mail: gcnews201@aol.com. 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; web site: http://wscope.com/glasscock/
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