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Daily Newspaper and Travel Guide
for Pecos Country of West Texas
Top Stories
Tuesday, August 14, 2001
Commissioners discuss redistricting plans
By LEIA HOLLAND
Staff Writer
PECOS, Tuesday, August 14, 2001 -- Reeves County Commissioners authorized
Manual Garza of the Orlando Rios Law Firm to print out detailed maps of
precinct redistricting plan A during the regular meeting yesterday in the
third floor courtroom at Reeves County Courthouse.
County Judge Jimmy Galindo and the other court members, except for Precinct
4 Commissioner Gilbert Rayos, discussed two possible plans for redistricting
that would evenly distribute the number of voters in each precinct.
Garza told the Commissioners that with the recent census the County
would have to determine if the number of voters in each of the four precincts
balances out.
"Every ten years because of the census you have to re-evaluate the precincts,"
he said.
Garza said that there are three basic standards that have to be met
while redistricting the precincts.
The first one is that all districts have to have roughly equal populations.
Second, all people should have the same voting rights while the third standard
deals with the fact that you can not use race as a strip to draw guidelines,
while other things such as schools, parks and hospitals must come into
play.
Currently, Reeves County has 36.85 percent deviation, which is more
than the 10 percent required by law to redistrict, according to Garza.
The deviation comes due to population changes in the precincts between
1990 and 2000.
For redistricting purposes, Garza recommended to the County that they
omit the prison population at the Reeves County Detention Center (RCDC)
but to add the population for funding purposes.
Garza showed the Commissioners the population of each precinct in the
alternative Plan A while explaining that ideally the population of each
district would be 3,009 residents
He explained that precinct one would have 3,011 people with a .07 percent
deviation.
Precinct two would have 3,007 with a .07 percent deviation.
Precinct three would have 3,005 with a .13 percent deviation while precinct
four would have 3,012 with a .1 percent deviation.
Galindo and the Commissioners discussed Plan A and decided to adjust
the lines between precinct two and four to make it more even. Some boundary
sections of Precinct 2 will be shifted into Precinct 4 to balance out the
populations.
All Commissioners and Galindo agreed that the plan would be good for
the county.
Garza said that he believes that the state would approve of the plan
for redistricting.
"I think the Justice Department would look favorably on this plan,"
he said. "It seems like a good plan."
Garza recalculated the deviation for the revised plan A for the Commissioners
and came up with a .37 percent deviation.
Commissioner David Castillo agreed that the revised plan A would work.
"That's very good (the .37 percent)," he said. "There's good representation
all across the county."
Garza explained that the Commissioners need to move on this plan quickly
in order to get all the paperwork pre-approved by the state.
"We want to make sure we get the plans pre-cleared before the deadline
to file," he said.
Garza said that the deadline to file for redistricting with the state
would be during the first of January 2002. The plan must be certified before
for the 2002 primary elections, which will be held in March.
The Commissioners decided not to vote to adopt the plan until Commissioner
Rayos has the chance to look over the plans.
The Commissioners will have a special meeting on Monday, Aug. 20 to
adopt the plan.
Prison phones, salary changes given approval
By LEIA HOLLAND
Staff Writer
PECOS, Tuesday, August 14, 2001 -- The Reeves County Commissioners
approved 16 additional phone lines to be added to the Reeves County Detention
Center during their regular meeting Monday in the third floor courtroom
of the Reeves County Courthouse.
County Judge Jimmy Galindo said that the RCDC has requested digital
phone lines for the prison at $41.69 per line per month.
The commissioners approved the added phone lines and Galindo explained
that Valor Telecommunications is currently working on connecting the RCDC,
the courthouse and the Reeves County Sheriff's Department to the same system
in order to keep all county locations better connected.
The commissioners also approved a contract with Protell Systems International,
Inc., for electronic monitoring devices for the county.
County Auditor Lynn Owens explained that the county uses the monitoring
devices for juvenile offenders.
"They're electronic monitoring devices for house arrest juvenile offenders,"
he said.
In other action, the commissioners took know action after hearing the
proposed 2002 RCDC budget during a budget workshop.
Each department presented the court with their budgets while the commissioners
asked questions about each item.
The commissioners did approve all personnel and salary changes that
were presented to them for their approval, involving workers at the RCDC,
the Road and Bridge Department and the Reeves County Library.
Those changes include Amy Rodriguez as part-time temporary library employee,
who began at the library on August 3 and will average 20 hours per week
at $5.15 per hour.
Saul Gonzales was hired as a full-time Roadway Maintenance Tech III
under the Road and Bridge Department. His starting salary is $21,736 per
year and will also be utilized under the Addressing and Maintenance for
911 at $11.65 an hour effective immediately.
Gilbert Rayos, Jr., was hired as a full-time Roadway Maintenance Tech
I under the Road and Bridge Department. His starting salary is $17,513.60
per year effective immediately.
The RCDC promoted and hired numerous people including Javier Ortiz who
was promoted to Correctional Officer II with a salary of $24,000 per year,
which will become effective on Sept. 1.
Jennifer Fuentes was promoted to Medical Clerk II with a salary of $24,000
per year, which will become effective on Sept. 1.
Jo Ann Lira was promoted to Administrative Assistant II with a salary
of $24,000 per year, which will become effective on Sept. 1.
Joshua Goodman was promoted to Correctional Officer II with a salary
of $24,000 per year, which will effective on Sept. 1.
Joshua Pogue was promoted to Correctional Officer II with a salary of
$24,000 per year, which will become effective on Sept. 1.
Alice Tidwell was promoted to Food Service Administrator Assistant with
a salary of $31,500 per year, which will become effective on Aug. 18.
Veronica Guzman was promoted to Correctional Officer II with a salary
of $24,000 per year, which will become effective on Sept. 1.
Maricella Acosta was promoted to Correctional Officer II with a salary
of $24,000 per year, which will become effective on Sept. 1.
Mike Balog has been hired as a Correctional Officer II with a salary
of $24,000 per year, which was effective on July 30.
Samuel Contreras has been hired as a Correctional Officer I with a salary
of $19,000 per year effective immediately.
Jose Mendoza has been hired as a Correctional Officer I with a salary
of $19,000 per year effective immediately.
Oscar Rodriguez has been hired as a Correctional Officer I with a salary
of $19,000 per year effective immediately.
Anita Balog has been hired as a Correctional Officer I with a salary
of $19,000 per year effective immediately.
Charley Oates has been hired as a Correctional Officer I with a salary
of $19,000 per year effective immediately.
Lauraalicia Garcia has been hired as a Correctional Officer I with a
salary of $19,000 per year effective immediately.
Patricia Dickenson Garcia has been hired as a Correctional Officer I
with a salary of $19,000 per year effective immediately.
Christian Reyes has been hired as a Correctional Officer I with a salary
of $19,000 per year effective immediately.
Enedino Gonzalez has been hired as a Correctional Officer I with a salary
of $19,000 per year effective immediately.
Pedro Reyes has been hired as a Correctional Officer I with a salary
of $19,000 per year effective immediately.
Maria Guzman was hired as a Correctional Officer I with a salary of
$19,000 per year effective immediately.
Rosario Cervantez has been hired as a Correctional Officer I with a
salary $19,000 per year effective immediately.
Red Bluff selects Hartman to replace Miller
By JON FULBRIGHT
Staff Writer
PECOS, Tuesday, August 14, 2001 -- Red Bluff Water Power Control Board
President Randall Hartman was elected managing director for the district
on Monday by board members, during their regular monthly meeting in Pecos.
Hartman's appointment was made following the resignation of Red Bluff
General Manager Jim Ed Miller for health reasons two months ago, though
his resignation wasn't formally accepted until Monday. The position of
managing direction will take the place of the general manager's post and
Hartman's selection came following a 30 minute closed session by the board
to discuss the vacancy.
Under the motion, made by board member Lloyd Goodrich, seconded by Charlotte
Wilcox and approved unanimously, Hartman will receive an annual salary
of $48,000, while paying for his own telephone and transportation costs.
He will also purchase his own insurance, but will be compensated by the
district.
The item was one of several covered by the board, including discussions
on salt cedar spaying contracts, an update on the Malaga Bend salt alleviation
plan and the possible need for addition water for Pecos County Water Irrigation
Districts 2 and 3 at Imperial Reservoir.
The salt cedar spraying contract is an interlocal agreement with Ward
County Irrigation District No. 1 in Barstow, in which Red Bluff will borrow
up to $300,000 at a 7 percent interest rate from WCID #1 to fund continued
spraying of the herbicide Arsenal on salt cedars along the Pecos River.
Board members originally discussed the item during a special meeting on
August 2.
The Pecos River has been sprayed to kill salt cedars in most areas between
Red Bluff Dam and the Interstate 20 crossing, and the new funds will allow
for spraying south of I-20 towards Imperial Reservoir and Girvin.
"Everybody (the other area water districts) to my knowledge have approved
it," Hartman said. "Technically, Red Bluff could have gone ahead and done
it an assessed it on them, but that's not the way to do it."
On the Malaga Bend project, Hartman said Sun West Salt Co., formerly
Loving Salt Co., is already in the process of building ponds to hold the
water to be pumped from the salt spring at Malaga Bend. The number of ponds
is higher than what was first planned, Hartman said, with around 16 to
be built to handle the water, which will be evaporated and the salt then
mined by Sun West.
Hartman said Sun West and the district are still waiting for final approval
from New Mexico for the final contract. "Pierre Levy is the head man in
the water department, and there may be some legitimate reasons for the
delay. He's said he just has had time yet," Hartman said.
"The contract is written up and ready. We just have to sign then," Hartman
said. The pumping is expected to extract 290 tons of salt per day from
the Pecos River, and as part of the contract, the district will have to
set up salt measurement devices above and below Malaga Bend.
Approval is also needed from the Pecos River Compact Commissioners and
the U.S. Supreme Court, but the board was told the court would go along
with the recommendations of the Special Water Master for the Pecos River
on amending the manual for the contract.
Under the agreement, New Mexico's mandatory water release to Texas will
decrease by 640 acre/feet a year, but Hartman said, "It's well worth it
if it gives up better water."
Water supplies are getting tight right now overall, the board was told.
Red Bluff Lake was down to 35,000 acre/feet, 15,000 feet above the lake's
minimum required level, and Pecos County farmers are asking for addition
releases to Imperial Reservoir.
"Is there enough water in the reservoir to finish Imperial?" Wilcox
asked, and Hartman said, "I don't think so. They just called me and told
me they didn't think they had enough to finish it out."
Pecos County Irrigation Districts 2 and 3 still had a little over 4,200
acre/feet in water allotment due at the beginning of the month, and overall
9,082 acre/feet remained as of Sept. 1 in the 2001 water allotment.
Crockett football equipment date moved to Friday
PECOS, Tuesday, August 14, 2001 -- The date for Crockett Middle School
seventh and eighth grade football players to pick up their equipment has
been changed from Thursday to Friday, from 6 to 8 p.m., at the Crockett
Middle School locker room on the west side of the building.
Equipment pick-up for Crockett Middle School girls volleyball players
will still by on Thursday, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Crockett gym. All girls
must have physical forms filled out and returned before they can be issued
equipment.
Weather
PECOS, Tuesday, August 14, 2001 -- High Monday 99. Low this morning 71.
Forecast for tonight: Partly cloudy. Low in the lower 70s. Southeast wind
5 to 15 mph. Wednesday: Partly cloudy. High around 100. Southwest wind
5 to 15 mph. Wednesday night: Partly cloudy with a 20 percent chance of
showers and thunderstorms. Low in the lower 70s. Thursday and Friday: Partly
cloudy with a chance of showers and thunderstorms. Lows around 70. Highs
90 to 95.
Obituaries
Sherry Lee Brantley and Estephen Lopez, Sr.
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
Associated Press text, photo, graphic, audio and/or video material shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium.
Copyright 2000 by Pecos Enterprise
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