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Glasscock County News
Central Air for Courthouse Probable
County Judge Wilburn Bednar on Aug. 9 gave the commissioners’ court an estimate in excess of $27,000 to have central air conditioning and heating installed in the county courthouse. His figures, from a company that would do the mechanical work ($23,000) and one that would handle the electrical work ($4,000), did not include putting the drop ceiling back in place after the system’s installation. Commissioner Hugh Schafer suggested the court wait until that charge could be included, and allow for the work in the next fiscal year’s budget, which will begin Oct. 1. Commissioner Jimmy Strube said he would also like a bid from a company in Greenwood before a decision is made. The county is not legally required to take competitive bids for amounts under $25,000.
County May Reduce Number of Maintainers The court discussed buying and selling maintainers, because the guaranteed buy-back agreement for the machine in Precinct Four is near expiration. Precinct Four Commissioner Michael Hoch said to keep options open, the court should get bids to determine what the maintainer would bring if sold outright. He said selling the machine might bring more money than exercising the buy-back on it. He indicated that the commissioners are considering a move to only one maintainer for two precincts, rather than one in each precinct. Commissioners approved Sheriff Royce Pruit’s request for an increase in the fees his office charges for serving various papers. The increases will be effective Jan. 1. The fees range from $50 for subpoenas, summons, etc. to $100 for all writs.
Hollingsworth Hired as Secretary The court hired Tracy Hollingsworth as the part-time secretary to the two county extension agents, and authorized the agents to investigate cell phone plans to find the one which best meets their need for two phones. The court also approved purchase of coated wire, adjustable shelving for office closets in the community center. Judge Bednar told the court he had received al letter from Andrew “Guy” Bonnette, requesting $200. According to Bednar, Bonnette, 46, who is serving time in prison, said he needs the money to buy supplies for a leather-working course. No one at the meeting knew why he is in prison. Bednar said Bonnette lived in Glasscock County and attended school here for some time. Commissioners said the county is not allowed to contribute money to individuals, but were willing to see if the local Lion’s Club and/or churches might be willing to provide some assistance. Hoch asked for a copy of Bonnette’s letter to use in that regard. In other action, the court: voted to leave the county’s vehicle registration fees unchanged, with no added optional fees; agreed to contribute $200 to the Howard-Glasscock Old Settlers Reunion; approved an audit contract with the same San Angelo accounting firm; decided to continue membership in the Texas Civil Justice League at a cost of $200 per year, and in a 30-minute closed session, discussed problems with some county personnel not observing working hours. The court will meet Aug. 19 at 9 a.m. to begin work on its 2004-2005 budget.
Homecoming Events Announced
Garden City’s All-School Homecoming Reunion begins at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 25, with lunch at noon in the school cafeteria. Open to all ex-students, spouses, teachers and friends, the dress is casual and the cost is $10 per person for a meal provided by Kenneth Blanek Catering. For reservations or more information, contact Emma Schafer at 354-2227, Wanda Moore at 354-2439, Bonetta Bednar at 397-2221 or Barbara Ratliff at 354-2307. Reservations need to be made by Monday, Sept. 20
School District Eyes $6.3 Million Budget
School Superintendent Steve Long presented his proposed 2004-2005 budget at the GCISD board meeting Aug. 9. Using a tax rate of $1.42 per $100 valuation for budget calculations, Long projected total revenues of approximately $6,366,907 and estimated expenditures of $6,330,758. Local funds in excess of $6 million account for 94 percent of the $6.3 million budget, with federal dollars ($182,000) providing 3 percent and state monies ($172,000) kicking in only 2.5 percent. Long said the tax rate will likely be set in the range of $1.36 to $1.42 per $100 valuation, lower than the current maximum rate of $1.50, since the county’s valuations are up almost $6 million this year. The school board will set the new tax rate on Aug. 30 at 7 p.m. after a public hearing at 6 p.m. Robin Hood Takes a Toll The school district will send $2.8 million, more than 45 percent of the total budget, to other schools in WADA payments, as required by the state’s “Robin Hood Plan” of school wealth redistribution. Other items in the proposed budget, which individually account for more than one percent of the total, are: Instruction (teachers salaries and benefits) $1.9 million (31%); Principals (including office staff, benefits, etc.) $196,000 (3%); Transportation $264,000 (4%); Extra-curricular $139,000 (2%); Superintendent’s office, including benefits, office staff, etc.) $277,000 (4%); Maintenance $519,000 (7.5%) and Construction $100,000 (1.45%). The district had reserves of $3 million at the end of the 2003-2004 fiscal year. Long said he doesn’t yet have the reserve figure for the current year.
Briefly
• GCISD is taking applications until Aug. 13 for a cafeteria position. Call Kay Chandler, 354-2230, for more information.
• Glasscock County’s Senior Citizens will meet Aug. 17. Bring snack foods. On Sept. 7, the meal will be potluck. September is the month for election of officers for the new year so please try to attend. All meetings start at 6 p.m.
• The county 4-H Achievement Banquet is set for Aug. 15 at 5:30 p.m. in the Community Center. All 4-H members, their parents, immediate family members and adult volunteers are invited. A meal will be served, and each 4-H family is asked to bring a dessert. The banquet is a time for 4-H members to be recognized for their work and participation in the program.
• Piano lessons are being offered by Leroy Moore in Garden City at the First Methodist Church. Lessons for children or adults will be given on Mondays and Tuesdays beginning Aug. 16. Call Karen Wheeler, 397-2753, to schedule a lesson time or for more information.
• County rainfall data dating back to 1912 is available online at the Glasscock Underground Water Conservation District’s web site: www.angelfire.com/tx/gcuwd. As of Aug. 9, with 20 of the district’s 30 rain gauges having been reported for July, the county’s average rainfall has been measured at 1.43 inches for July and 10.99 inches for the year. For the previous five years, the district’s data shows the following annual total inches of rainfall: 2003, 13.18; 2002, 15.22; 2001, 13.2; 2000, 14.54 and 1999, 10.53.
• Wayne and Linda Cypert thank everyone for the cards, calls and visits after Wayne’s knee surgery. He plans to have surgery on the other knee either Sept. 3 or 17, so be sure to check your fuel tanks before then.
• Anyone interested in weather will find the following web sites helpful: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), http://www.noaa.gov for all sorts of weather information -- look under the home page menu for topics including weather radar and drought information; National Weather Service in Midland, http://www.srh.noaa.gov/maf/, Weather Underground, www.wunderground.com for lots of weather information, including forecasts and radar which can be animated to show cloud movement; Intellicast, http://www.intellicast.com for more good weather information, www.texaswaterinfo.net for a link to the Texas Palmer Drought Severity Index, and the West Texas Weather Modification Association at www.wtwma.com.
• There will be a public tax hearing Aug. 30 at 6 p.m. in the school administration building. At 7 p.m. that same evening, the GCISD Board will meet in special session to set the 2004-2005 tax rate.
Texas Workforce Network Computer Available
The Texas Workforce Network of Big Spring has placed a computer in the extension office in Garden City for local employers and job seekers to use. Much valuable information can be obtained from the Texas Workforce Commission’s website, www.twc.state.tx.us. You may also call the staff at the Workforce Network at 1-800-749-8373. A new comprehensive online job resource, www.workinTexas.com, has been added. Registering on this site is simple and will benefit employers as well as job seekers. Job seekers will be able to enter skills, browse available jobs and send references for qualified positions. Employers will be able to browse qualified job seekers, contact applicants and post job openings.
School Hires Two Teachers’ Aides
The GCISD Board, meeting in regular session Aug. 9 with Jimmy Eggemeyer absent, hired Candy Jones and Paula Dalton as teachers’ aides. They also approved Texas Cooperative Extension personnel Warren Multer, Charlene Belew and Randal Rakowitz as adjunct faculty. The board approved participating in the Texas Cooperative Purchasing Network, a no-cost regional network designed to help schools get better prices. An option to partner with the Hico school district for WADA payment in the coming year was discussed. School Superintendent Steve Long says Hico has a tax rate of $1.55 per $100 valuation. If GCISD’s $2.8 million WADA payment isn’t sent to a partner school, it has to be sent to Austin. Long said two school vans each have over 100,000 miles and need to be replaced. He said he would like to get a Suburban and maybe a four-door pickup. He said the small yellow buses could be used instead of vans for some things. He also noted $100,000 that he has budgeted for building improvements for the coming year, and said there might be a need for a new vocational shop. Long reported that there are 37 kids participating in the new six-man football program. A list of six-man rule variations is available at the school for fans who are unfamiliar with how the game differs from the more common NCAA rules. Long said bus stops are to be graveled so buses can pull off the road to pick up kids.
Water District Buys Flow Meter
Glasscock Underground Water Conservation District Manager Rick Harston reported to the district’s board of directors July 20 that he bought a flow meter for the district in order to be able to measure output from water wells. It will measure from 30 to 300 gallons per minute. Check with Harston regarding its private use. The district recently paid $13,000 as the second half of its annual share of the continuing weather modification effort operated by the West Texas Weather Modification Association. Harston says all WTWMA planes are operational. He also reported that Dale Bates, who Harston said has been central to the weather modification program for eight or nine years, has retired due to illness. The GUWCD directors were meeting in regular session (Dennis Seidenberger absent). No meeting was held in June, due to lack of a quorum.
In The Spotlight
• Megan Niehues participated in the Global Young Leaders Conference from July 18 – 29 in Washington, D.C. and New York City. GYLC is a unique leadership development program for secondary school students from around the world who have demonstrated leadership potential and scholastic merit. Niehues was among 350 scholars selected from to attend the conference.
• Roger Alvarado recently graduated from Texas State Technical College in Sweetwater with a degree in Automotive Technology. He was named to “Who’s Who” among TSTC students. Alvarado, a 2002 graduate of GCHS, is the son of Jaime and Cecilia Alvarado and is employed by Star Tech in Big Spring.
• Dylan Lowery recently made the Big Spring Little League All-Star team for 11 and 12-year-olds, and Ruben Mier made the 9 and 10-year-olds All-Star team.
• Cory Multer competed July 27 – 31 at the National Junior Olympics in Eugene, OR.
• Bearkat Excellence Awards for Spring, 2003-2004 were announced by Secondary School Principal John Petree at the GCISD Board meeting Aug. 9. The winners are: seventh graders Cole Schwartz and Britton Avery; eighth graders Whitney Kellermeier and Juan Zuniga; freshmen K’Lann Niehues and Blaine Walker; sophomores Tracy Eggemeyer and Cory Multer; juniors Robert Lopez and Megan Niehues, and seniors Allison Jansa and Leslie Jansa.
SWCD to Hold Director Election
The Glasscock County Soil and Water Conservation District will hold an election Oct. 12 to elect a board member for Subdivision Four. The seat is currently held by Hubert Frerich. To be eligible, one must: 1) reside in Glasscock County 2) own agricultural land in Subdivision Four 3) be actively engaged in farming or animal husbandry and 4) be 18 years of age or older. Those interested in running for the seat must complete a form, available at the county extension office, before Aug. 30. For more information call Shirley Braden at 397-2401.
Obituaries
Onita Fields of Big Spring died April 25 at Mountain View Lodge following a long illness and was buried at the Bronte Cemetery. She was born in 1910 in Mills County to Herbert Charles and Emma Boyd White. The family came to Tankersley on Spring Creek in Tom Green County in a covered wagon. She married W.A. Fields in 1948; he preceded her in death in 1973. The Fields lived in Garden City from 1961 to 1966. She lived most of her life in the Bronte and San Angelo area, moving to Big Spring 16 years ago. She was a devoted member of the Church of Christ all her life, and was a retired nurse’s aide. She is survived by one daughter, Trilby Giles of Big Spring; one granddaughter, Jo Linda Cypert and husband Wayne, of Garden City; four great-grandchildren, Ed Wayne Cypert, Leasa Lowery and husband Kenny all of Garden City, Richard Cypert of Big Spring and Kristen Jones of Alice; five great-great grandchildren, four sisters, and a number of nieces and nephews.
Zora Lou Houston Winslow, 77, of Duncan, Oklahoma, died recently and was buried in Midland. She graduated from Garden City High School in 1944. She was predeceased by two sisters, Eleanor Poe and Sue Carson, and a brother, Bernard (Dan) Houston. She is survived by Janis and Fred Houston and a son, Don Winslow and his wife, Karla, and two grandchildren.
Davelyn June McGill Neidhardt of Lindsay, TX, died July 27 following a courageous battle with breast cancer, and was buried at Elm Grove Cemetery in Alpine. She was born in San Angelo on June 1, 1947, to David and Dora Mae McGill. She grew up in Hovey, TX, attending Alpine High School and Sul Ross State University. She married Jimmy Neidhardt in 1967. She taught mathematics and took great pride in developing her students’ skills in that area. She is survived by her husband, Jimmy; a son, Tanner; sisters Mary Alice Burnett and Sixie Jo Davis; other family members and friends.
Next Issue Date and Deadline
The next issue of the Glasscock County News will be Sept.15. The deadline for that issue is Sept.13, but earlier material is helpful. Send information to: P.O. Box 98, Garden City, TX 79739; phone or fax: 432/354-2221; 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: 432/354-2221; e-mail: gcnews201@aol.com; web site: glasscockcountynews.com
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