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Daily Newspaper and Travel Guide
for Pecos Country of West Texas
Top Stories
March 29, 2001
Annexation plan by city continues despite suit threat
By LEIA HOLLAND
Staff Writer
PECOS, March 29, 2001 - The Town of Pecos City Council authorized the
City Manager Carlos Yerena and the City Attorney Scott Johnson to proceed
with a proposed annexation process for the city, during a workshop held
at noon Wednesday at City Hall.
The step is the latest by the city as part of a plan to annex parcels
of land that are not part of Pecos, but are surrounded by other sections
of the city. A number of residents on those sections of land have threatened
to file lawsuits over the annexation plan.
During the meeting, Johnson explained to the council that the city needs
to put together a long-range annexation plan in order to allow the city
to grow.
"We're going to need a long-range plan for annexation," he said.
Johnson said that he and Yerena recommend that the council authorize
them to draft an annexation plan, adding that, "My suggestion is that the
council have more input."
Yerena explained that the state has a mandate that the city must have
an annexation plan, and told the council that having such a plan would
allow Pecos to better prepare for future annexations and where they could
provide city services to the community.
"We're preparing the city so we can continue to grow in an orderly manner,"
he said. "Because we want to reverse the trend of people leaving."
Yerena said that the annexation plan would help the city grow in the
future.
"We're talking about looking at long term growth," he said, adding,
"It gives us a greater chance to be eligible for and receive federal and
state grants."
Johnson said that there are some properties that the city would be able
to annex at this time that would be exempt from the long-range plan.
Yerena said that the city is going to continue to pursue annexing properties
under the exemption of areas that are less than 100 tracks of property.
Johnson explained to the council that the annexation process would begin
again, which would take about a year before any property is actually placed
inside to Pecos' city limits.
Yerena said that the city would need to study the tracks of property
under consideration, identify what needs to be annexed and then meet with
the council.
"At that point the council has to approve a resolution to hold public
meetings," he said.
During Wednesday's meeting, Yerena said that the city would probably
face litigation due to the proposed annexations.
"We're looking also at the fact that there's going to be litigation,"
he said.
Yerena said that by annexing the city would provide the property owners
water, sewer and disposal services at half the rate they are currently
charged, as well as fire and police protection.
He said that currently the county residence do have fire department
protection but not police protection.
"Areas outside the city limits do not receive that," he said.
During a Feb. 14 hearing on the city's annexation plan, local attorney
Walter Holcomb, representing several community members, told the council
that if they vote to continue the annexation plan, they should prepare
for a lawsuit.
Johnson said that the city would not respond to threats and told Holcomb
to begin the paperwork for the lawsuit.
Landowner Hugh Box told the council that the annexation would not help
businesses by adding more taxes.
"It's not really going to help businesses in Pecos," he said. "You wanted
Pecos to grow, we're going to have to clean it up."
Other residents who could be affected by annexation voiced concerns
that if the land that their animals are housed on becomes part of Pecos
they would be subject to tougher city ordinances.
Johnson said that a grandfather clause would go into effect once the
annexation ordinance was passed, and that any animals legally housed on
land right now could continue to be housed legally.
Radio station's format change moves country onto AM dial
By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer
PECOS, March 29, 2001 - Radio listeners tuned into something different
on one of their local stations today, thanks to a format change for Pecos'
local FM station.
"We decided to try something different," said KIUN/KTPX general manager
Bill Randall Cole about the new adult contemporary format for KTPX. The
station is now playing a music mix of 80's, 90s, and current adult contemporary
hits 24 hours a day at 98.3 FM.
"We've had a really nice response so far," said Cole.
For the country listeners who have been enjoying this music on that
station they can still listen to it at KIUN 1400 AM.
"The format that was on KTPX will be on KIUN and that goes on until
7 p.m.," said Cole. Spanish music is still played on KIUN nightly from
7-10.
Cole said the station was keeping their regular popular programs, such
as "The Hotline" and Pecos Talking.
"We're real excited about our new changes and welcome Kokie back as
well," said Cole.
Frank "Kokie" Apolinar will be hosting again at the station, with Tejano
music and oldies, along with taking requests.
He will be on the air on Saturdays and Sundays and after the baseball
games on Friday, according to Cole.
"This started last week and we've had a really good response," said
Cole. "The phone has been ringing with people responding and we welcome
all public comments," he said.
Another change at the station is the moving of the antennae to the hill
east of Barstow. "We have already filed with Federal Communications Commission
and most likely by summer will have their approval," said Cole.
"This is going to enable KTPX, in addition to reaching Pecos, Barstow
and Balmorhea, to cover Kermit, Monahans and that area east of here," said
Cole.
Cole said that they wanted to make KTPX more of a regional station.
"I think we'll be able to do that, to reach more listeners," he said.
Regular items such as Paul Harvey and ABC News will be aired by the
station, according to Cole.
"We welcome comments and hope everyone enjoys this new changes," said
Cole. "We're excited," he said.
Pecos radio listeners still have one area FM station playing country
music, in KKLY at 97.3 FM. That station went on the air in December 1999
and is licensed to Pecos, but has its antenna located near Pyote to reach
Monahans, Kermit and Fort Stockton and has its studios in Midland. The
signals for other area stations often have problems getting into the Pecos
Valley, but three other country music stations _ KNFM (92.3 FM), KGEE (99.9
FM), and KWMW (105.1 FM) _ also can be heard at times during the day and
night in Pecos.
PHA to weigh land donation for golf course
By LEIA HOLLAND
Staff Writer
PECOS, March 29, 2001 - The Pecos Housing Authority (PHA) Board of Commissioners
is scheduled to discuss deeding some property to Reeves County during the
regular meeting at 5 p.m., on Friday at the administration office on Teague
Drive.
County Judge Jimmy Galindo is scheduled to attend the meeting, where
the board will discuss collaboration with the Reeves County Commissioners
Court to deed some of the PHA property to be utilized for expansion of
the Reeves County Golf Course.
The county has been discussing the project for some time now and would
need the PHA land located on the south side of Interstate 20 to expand
the golf course from its current 11-hole layout to a full 18-hole golf
course.
The Board will also discuss collaborating with the Texas Migrant Council,
Inc., in bringing the day care building on East 10th Street
up to standards to allow that to be used for the Migrant Summer Program.
The Board will also discuss the probability of modifying that building
to be used as a year round day care/Head Start Program Center.
Also attending the meeting will be the Panhandle Regional Director for
the Texas Migrant Council, Inc., Ernastina Gomez
In unfinished business, the board is scheduled to discuss updates on
capital funds used for various projects such as the Orange Street sidewalks
and parking, the Second Street sprinkler system, fencing the administration
office and bids to purchase a mid-size van for administration operations.
The board is also scheduled to discuss matters for the Pecos Farm Labor
Housing.
For the FLH portion of the meeting the board will discuss the Rural
Rental Housing Association Membership lease and application.
In other business the board will consider the monthly reports for both
the PHA and the FLH as well as approving the minutes of previous meetings.
School board to get building project update
PECOS, March 29, 2001 - Pecos-Barstow-Toyah ISD board members will discuss
a building project and hold an executive session with the school district's
attorney during during a special meeting at noon on Friday.
The group will meet in the P-B-T boardroom, 1304 S. Park St., and everyone
is invited to attend the open portion of the meeting.
School board members during open session will be provided a drawing
update on the CATE building and authorize solicitation of competitive sealed
proposals and discuss and approve textbook committee recommendations.
Board members will then meet in closed session to discuss personnel
or hear complaints against personnel or for a private consultation with
the board's attorney.
They will return to open session and take action, if any, on items discussed
in closed session.
WIPP transport update hearing scheduled today
PECOS, March 29, 2001 - A meeting will be held from 4 to 5 p.m. today at
City Hall in Pecos to give local officials, residents and emergency responders
and update on the planned transportation of radioactive waste to the Waste
Isolation Pilot Plant near Carlsbad, N.M.
Radiactive waste head to the WIPP site is scheduled to begin traveling
through Pecos later this year. Mike Rutherford, with the Texas Department
of H ealth and Anthony Buck with the Texas Department of Public Safety
in Austin will brief local residents on the current plans for handling
those shipments.
The meeting will be held in the Town of Pecos City Council chambers
at City Hall.
CitiFinancial staff holding closing event
PECOS, March 29, 2001 - Former and present customers of CitiFinancial are
invited to join the staff for refreshments on their last day of operation,
Friday, March 30.
The group will be having refreshments throughout the day at the office
located at 201 S. Oak St.
"I just want to thank all the customers and everyone in the community
and invite them to join us," said manager Rosa Guerrero.
Obituary
Grace Bryant
Weather
PECOS, March 29, 2001 - High Wednesday 63. Low this morning 43. Forecast
for tonight: Mostly cloudy. Low in the mid 40s. Southeast wind 5 to 10
mph. Friday: Mostly cloudy morning: Otherwise partly cloudy. High in the
mid 60s. North wind 5 to 15 mph. Friday night: Partly cloudy. Low in the
lower 40s. Saturday and Sunday: Partly cloudy. Lows in the lower 40s. Highs
in the mid 60s to near 70.
Pecos Enterprise
York M. "Smokey" Briggs, Publisher
Division of Buckner News Alliance, Inc.
324 S. Cedar St., Pecos, TX 79772
Phone 915-445-5475, FAX 915-445-4321
e-mail news@pecos.net
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Copyright 2000 by Pecos Enterprise
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