|
Glasscock County News
County Raises Caliche, Hauling Fees
Glasscock County Commissioners, at their regular meeting Feb. 14 (Mark Halfmann absent), raised the prices it charges others for various materials and services, including those for caliche, equipment use and hauling. Commissioner Marck Schafer introduced the matter, saying the county should try to accommodate people, but shouldn’t lose money on the services it provides. He said the fees haven’t been changed since 1991, and cited increased costs to the county for fuel, equipment and labor. In the future, the county will continue to charge others only what it pays for various road-building materials (including $1 per yard for caliche), and will increase the cost of hauling from $2 per yard to $3 per yard. The cost for use of equipment (such as maintainers) will rise from $30 per hour to $45 per hour. Water will be sold by the truckload, and will go up from the current $45 to $54 per load in the large transport truck and from $20 to $36 per load in the smaller water truck. The price the county pays for water will also increase, to $22 per load in the large truck and $9 per load in the smaller, up from $15 and $6, respectively. Loss of Unused Indigent Health Care Dollars Possible The county court voted to spend $300 per year to join the Association of Rural Communities in Texas (ARCIT). That group is fighting bills before the Texas legislature which would redefine how counties may use the 8 percent of local tax dollars which each county is required to earmark for indigent health care each year. Currently, unspent monies in these funds may be spent at the discretion of county government. In Glasscock County, almost none of the funds are ever spent, and the total amount ($164,000 in the last fiscal year) is rolled into the county’s general operating fund at year’s end. According to Glasscock County Treasurer Alan Dierschke, one bill before the legislature would require that unspent indigent health care funds go to a state fund to support trauma centers in various hospitals. Another bill would require that at least six percent of each county’s fund be spent on indigent health care or the county would have to relax the criteria for qualifying for use of the funds in the next year. Schafer referred to the plans as “another Robin Hood.” On Jan. 18, the court voted to buy a used haul trailer in Odessa for $23,000. They plan to sell the existing trailer (after some repair) and other used county equipment. Commissioners agreed to compile a list of such equipment by the March meeting and to advertise for bids. The court passed a resolution recognizing the West Texas Centers for Mental Health and Mental Retardation as the dominant local authority and provider of services for mental health and mental retardation. The resolution asks the state to support the organization and to expand its role in the area. It also asks that House Bill 470 and Senate Bill 194 be given “intense scrutiny” with regard to their detrimental impact on rural counties. Historical Commission Appointed The commissioners appointed a county historical commission consisting of Randy Sanders, Janie Branham, Helen Wilkerson, Alan Dierschke and Pam Hughes. The court appointed Dierschke to chair that commission. They also appointed Hugh Schafer and Michael Hoch to the county tax appraisal board and suggested that group put Mitchell Jansa on its agricultural advisory board. Rick Harston was again appointed to the Region F Water Planning Group as a non-voting member. Dierschke reported that an attorney has not completed a review of proposed changes to the county’s employee handbook, but hopefully will have done so by next month’s meeting. (See related article, p.2) Courthouse Custodian Diane Havlak got permission to hire David Lorea of San Angelo to lower sprinklers in the courthouse lawn to ground level so mowers won’t hit them. The estimated cost was $400. Havlak said she wants to refinish the floors in the community center to improve their looks and durability. She intends to put four or five coats of wax on them and said she would need some help with the polisher, which she will borrow from the school. March 1 Deadline for Fire Truck Bednar reported that progress is being made toward getting a fire truck, which was donated by the U.S. Forest Service, into working order by a March 1 deadline. After that date, the Forest Service will reclaim the truck if it is not ready for use. Marck Schafer said that since few people know how to operate the truck, more need to be trained in its use, possibly including some school employees. Jimmy Strube asked if the school might be able to provide storage for the truck. Bednar said he would discuss the matter with School Superintendent Steve Long. After a closed session to discuss personnel matters, County Judge Wilburn Bednar said that county employees would be required to pay for any overuse of cell phones, and that the county dump/landfill would be open during all posted hours (10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday). The commissioners approved a contract with Perdue, Brandon, Fielder, Collins and Mott, LLP for collection of justice of the peace fines. The company will get 20 percent of collected fines that were dated before June 19, 1983. For those since that date, the company will add 30 percent to the fine for its collection, with the county getting the entire original fine.
School Restricts High School Drivers
At the Feb. 14 GCISD board meeting (Doug Schaefer absent), Secondary School Principal John Petree reported that he has restricted high school students’ driving during school hours for one month due to “spiraling discipline problems.” Beginning Feb. 15, students will be allowed to drive to school, but their vehicles must remain parked until 4 p.m. They will be allowed to walk off campus, if not tardy on their return, and will walk, not drive, to the school’s “complex” building. The board extended the contracts of Counselor Jan Holland, Petree and Elementary School Principal Ken Hoskins for one year and added $1,000 to each of their salaries. Petree reported that both the high school and the junior high school won their divisions at the Texas Math and Science Coaches Association meet held Feb. 12 in Garden City. Enrollment in PK – 6 was 152, down six since last month; in grades 7 – 12, enrollment is 144, down one.
In The Spotlight
• Garden City Bearkat and Lady Kats basketball teams have entered post-season play. The Lady Kats won the Bi-district title by defeating Aspermont 48-37 in Post Feb. 14. Their next game, for the Area title, will be against Spur or Ropes at a place and time to be decided. The Bearkats will meet Paducah for Bi-district Feb. 21 at 8 p.m. in Post.
• Three GCHS athletes recently received honorable mention honors on the Texas Six-Man Coaches Association’s all-state football team. They are sophomore quarterback Alex Halfmann, senior runningback Trey Hillger, and senior lineman Wade Machicek.
• David Hartley Meyer graduated from Texas Tech Dec. 18, 2004 with a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture and Natural Sciences. He is the son of Gerry Hartley Short and grandson of Virginia Hartley and the late Jack Hartley.
• Jessica Hoch, daughter of Michael and Melissa Hoch, has been named to the Dean's List for the fall semester at Southwestern University in Georgetown. Jessica, a 2004 graduate of Garden City High School and a freshman chemistry major, is also a member of the Southwestern University Lady Pirate basketball team.
• Cade Halfmann, a Glasscock County 4-H member, exhibited a first place heavy weight Wether goat in the Wether Goat Show at the 2005 Southwestern Exposition and Livestock Show in Ft. Worth.
• Megan Niehues was recently nominated from GCISD’s gifted and talented program for recognition by the Region 18 Educational Service Center. Megan, a GCHS senior, is the daughter of Rory and Tibby Niehues.
County Proposes Personnel Manual Changes The Glasscock County Commissioners’ Court proposed several changes to the county’s personnel manual in a special session Jan. 18. If the revised manual is formally approved and put into effect, among the changes will be that employees who are paid by the hour will earn one and a half times their usual pay for overtime, and compensatory time will no longer be used to offset overtime hours. Road crew employees’ regular hours will be from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. with 30 minutes for lunch. Commissioners stressed that the lunch break is to be taken at the job site. Other elected officials may set different hours for their departments. In the past, the road crew has been given 11 holidays each year, while the courthouse was given 14. Commissioner Marck Schafer said he thought the road crew should have the same number of holidays as any other employee, and no one disagreed. The court set the following road crew holidays for 2005: Dec. 30, 2005 or Jan. 2, 2006, Mar. 25 and 28, May 30, July 4, Sept. 5, Nov. 11, Nov. 24 and 25, Dec. 26, 27, 28, 29 and 30. Courthouse holidays for 2005 are: Dec. 30, 2005 or Jan. 2, 2006, Jan. 17, Feb 21, Mar. 25 and 28, May 30, July 4, Sept. 5, Oct. 10, Nov. 11, Nov. 24 and 25, Dec. 26 and 27. Tax Office holidays for 2005 were unavailable at publication time and may differ from courthouse holidays. In addition to the 14 paid holidays, county employees also get 10 days paid vacation and 5 sick days (sick days can be carried over) each year. The proposed personnel manual has been sent to an attorney for review before being officially adopted.
Cloud Seeding Figures Record Increase
According to Archie Ruiz of the Texas Weather Modification Association, his data show that Glasscock County’s 12.75 inch rainfall from the end of March through September 2004 was 1.40 inches above normal. He attributes the11 percent increase to the county’s cloud seeding program. Glasscock Groundwater Conservation District Manager Rick Harston reported the data to the GGCD’s board of directors at its meeting Feb. 15 (Kenneth Braden and Mike Hughes absent). The county’s total 2004 rainfall as measured by the GGCD’s rain gauge network was 26.28 inches. Rainfall data taken from 35 rain gauges around the county is reported monthly to the water district. Harston reported that the district’s auditor, Anna Thomas of San Angelo, is increasing her fee from $1,400 to $2,800, primarily because of increased complexity in auditing requirements. Board members asked Harston to “shop around” to determine if there is another auditor who will do the job for less, saying the increased fee seemed steep for the relatively small amount of money involved in the district’s operation.
Harston Makes Annual GGCD Report
Glasscock Groundwater Conservation District Manager Rick Harston presented the district’s annual report to the board of directors at its meeting Jan. 18. During fiscal year 2004, the district performed 97 water analyses, 30 mineral analyses and 67 coliform analyses. The average cost per water analysis was $17. Of the 74 water level monitoring wells in the network, 72 of them were measured. Seventeen new water wells were permitted, and all wells drilled complied with district spacing, drilling and construction standards. No abandoned, unplugged or uncapped water wells were reported. There were no investigations of complaints of possible contamination from oil and gas production, no complaints filed with the Texas Railroad Commission, and no unplugged abandoned oil and gas wells reported to that commission. One producer used the Topcon mapping equipment to map 140 acres, and the laser plane leveling equipment was used eight times. Harston reported cash on hand in the General Fund as $182,460 at the end of fiscal year 2004. In 2003, GGCD received $129,312 from all sources, and received $136,597 from all sources in 2004.
EQIP Sign-up Ends March 18
Farmers and ranchers in Texas must sign up for 2005 funding in the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) by the close of business March 18, according to the USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). In 2005, Texas will receive approximately $64 million in EQIP financial assistance funds and approximately $5.5 million in ground and surface water EQIP funds. EQIP was reauthorized in the 2002 Farm Bill to provide a voluntary conservation program that promotes agricultural production and environmental quality. It offers financial and technical help to eligible participants who install or implement structural and/or management practices on eligible agricultural land. Additional information and access to ranking criteria, practices and cost share rates for EQIP may be found at www.tx.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/. For more information, contact Mark Ramirez at the Sterling City NRCS field office (325) 378-3971 or (800) 962-9369.
Briefly
• Glasscock County Senior Citizens will meet March 1 and March 15.
• Boy Scout Troop #113 thanks the community for its support of its recent food drive. The troop collected 140 canned goods and $65, all of which was donated to the West Texas Food Bank.
• March 7 is the filing deadline for the May 7 school board election to fill two positions now held by Jimmy Eggemeyer and Karla Hoelscher. Write-in candidates can file until March 14. The last day to register to vote in the election is April 7, and early voting begins April 20 through May 3. Currently, no one has filed for the positions.
• Mark Frysak, after completing a six-month training course at Odessa College, is now a certified law enforcement official. Mark thanks those who supported and encouraged him during the training.
• An Easter Sunrise Service will be held at the cross located east of Garden City on Hwy. 158 on Sunday, March 27.
• A community “Seder Meal” will be celebrated at the Community Center Thursday, March 24 at 6:30 p.m. Those attending are asked to bring a salad, vegetable or dessert. For more information call Pastor Steve Paris, 354-2609.
From the Schoolhouse
Honor Rolls Announced (Third Six Weeks 2004)
Elementary School • All A’s: Hugo Almazan, Brooklyn Batla, Mikaela Garza, Hope Halfmann, Carlie Hollingsworth, Megan Hughes, Marley Braswell, Holly Halfmann, Brazos Hirt, Kadden Kothmann, Antonio Ramirez, Brandon Gartman, Ashley Halfmann, Cody Halfmann, Kellan Kirkland, Jessica Martinez, Lexie Schaefer, Kaitlyn Braswell, Brody Halfmann, Austin Hoelscher, Sarah Hoelscher, Agatha Koethler, Izamar Ocon, Peyton Schaefer, Shanna Halfmann, Cassie Hirt, Jessi Jones, Shelby Schwartz, Hayden Halfmann, Heather Havlak, Brian Hirt, Katelyn Hoelscher, Samantha Kellermeier, Aaron Long, Dylan Lowery, Ian Schaefer, M’Call Schaefer.
• A Average: Isaiah Enriquez, Emily Glass, Karen Hernandez, Bailey Matschek, Talia Mier, Christopher Reed- Murphy, Tristin Rodriguez, Hope Allen, Vanessa Barco, Araceli Bocanegra, Ty Halfmann, Daeley Havlak, Maddie Hoelscher, Rico Mier, Ismael Ramirez, Brylie Schaefer, Amie Lopez, Shawn Walker, Miguel Bocanegra, Craig Wheeler, Sarah Avery, Blayne Batla, Britni Cook, Reggie Halfmann, Taylor Hughes, Michael Lopez, Katy Multer, Jessica Olveda, Brett Chudej, Rachel Hirt, Leticia Ramirez, Brittney Schniers.
BPA news:
Seventeen Garden City students advanced from regional events to the state Business Professional of America competition in March. Results from regional contest, in which 31 students competed, were: Fundamental Accounting – Erin Hirt, 5th place; Advanced Accounting – Megan Niehues, 1st, Timothy Schniers, 2nd; Computerized Accounting – Amanda Hirt, 1st, Cory Multer, 2nd; Spreadsheet – Colton Schwartz, 1st, Taylor Niehues, 2nd; Keyboarding – Mikela Barton, 1st, Amy Multer, 3rd, Brittney Chudej, 4th, Fundamental Word – Julie Hirt, 1st, Eric Hirt, 3rd; Advanced Word – Krystal Sullivan, 4th, Brandi Halfmann, 6th; Desktop Publishing – K’Lann Niehues, 2nd; Basic Office Systems – Kayla Medrano, 2nd, Whitney Kellermeier, 5th, Michelle Gonzalez, 6th; Advanced Office – Kati Gully, 1st, Tyler Bednar, 2nd; Medical Office- Marisa Schwartz, 3rd; Database – Viviana Gamboa, 2nd; Administrative Support Team – Amanda Hirt, Megan Niehues, Tyler Bednar, Taylor Niehues, 4th; PC Servicing & Troubleshooting – Trey Hillger, 3rd, Colby Hirt, 5th; Presentation Management Team – Cade Halfmann, Evan Jansa, 3rd. Jerry Cannon, Cory Richardson and Reta Bell were the coaches.
Dates to Remember:
Feb. 21: Boys Bi-District basketball game versus Paducah at Post at 8 p.m. Feb. 25-26: Ozona Tennis Tournament Feb. 26: Bearkat Relays- varsity boys and girls, junior high boys and girls March 1: McCamey Golf Tournament – girls March 2: Robert Lee Golf Tournament – boys March 5: Roscoe Track Meet- high school girls and boys March 7: Sands Golf Tournament (at Lamesa) boys and girls March 7 – 11: Spring Break March 18-19: Irion County Tennis Tournament
Obituaries
• Jack Clifford Newland, 85, died Jan. 30 at the Crane Memorial Hospital and was buried in Crane County Cemetery. He was born March 12, 1919 in Midland to Mae Belle Fine and Cliff Newland. He married Bonnell Bryans in Garden City. He served in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II, spending more than three years in the South Pacific. He worked for Gulf Oil for over 46 years and was a member of the First Baptist Church of Crane. He is survived by his wife, two sons and daughters-in-law, James K. Newland and Sharon of Southlake, TX and Vance and Carolyn Newland of Duncanville; five grandchildren, Amy and Cliff of Southlake and Zachary, Rachel and Rebecca of Duncanville, and a niece, Sue Folk of Odessa. He was predeceased by his sister, Mrs. O.F. Blank.
• Norma Ruth Roche, 78, died Feb. 6 in Florence, TX. and was buried in Garden City Cemetery. She was born June 15, 1926 in Big Spring and was raised and educated in Garden City, being the valedictorian of her GCHS class. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree form the University of Texas in 1948 and became a teacher. She married Warren Roche in 1950 in Austin. She taught school in Killeen and Florence for a number of years, spending most of her married life on a ranch in Williamson County, TX. She was a member of the Faith Family Church in Georgetown, where she taught Sunday school. Survivors include her husband; her sons Dr. Rocky Roche and Robin Roche, both of Florence and Randel Roche of Georgetown; a daughter, Delsa Stafford of Florence; a sister, Millie Cunningham of The Woodlands and 10 grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, Harry Calverley and Anna Ruby Hardy and her stepfather, J.W. Hardy. The family suggests memorials to the Garden City Cemetery Fund, P.O. Box 98 or to the First Baptist Church of Garden City, P.O. Box 177, G.C., 79739.
Next Issue Date and Deadline
The next issue of the Glasscock County News will be March 16. The deadline for that issue is March 14, 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
|
|
|
