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Daily Newspaper and Travel Guide
for Pecos Country of West Texas
Top Stories
Wednesday, September 25, 2002
Council keeps tax rate stable, OKs pay hikes
By JENNIFER GALVAN
Staff Writer
PECOS, Wed., Sept. 25, 2002 -- Town of Pecos City Council held a special
meeting on Tuesday in order to have the first readings for the 2003
fiscal year budget and tax ordinances, with the city's property tax
rate remaining at the same level as it was a year ago, while salaries
will be raised for city employees under the new budget that begins
next Tuesday.
The ordinance number 02-9-02 called for the levying of taxes for the use
of the support of the municipal government of the Town of Pecos City, providing
for the interest and sinking fund for the fiscal year 2002-2003 apportioning
each levy for its specific purpose.
This ordinance calls for a tax of .6967 cents on each $100 valuation of
property, which is unchanged from a year ago. Out of that, a total of .4593
cents on each $100 valuations of property will go the maintenance and operations
of the general government, while .2374 cents is designed for the Interest
and Sinking Fund, which goes towards retirement of the city's bond debt.
It was approved with Councilman Frank Sanchez making the motion and Councilwoman
Angelica Valenzuela seconding it.
During the public hearing for the 2002-2003 budget, council members were
told by City Manager Carlos Yerena that 50 cents an hour raise would be given
to all the employees beginning with the new fiscal year on Oct. 1.
Yerena said that the money would be coming out of each department's budget
and that all employees would also be getting five percent pay raises on their
employment anniversary date.
The city was able to maintain the current tax rate and approve salary
increases in part due to an increase of $4.3 million in Pecos' taxable valuations
this year. Total real estate and mineral valuations for the city this year
is just over $118 million, according to the figures released in July by Reeves
County Chief Appraiser Carol King Markham.
The budget ordinance, numbered 02-9-01, calls for it to be in effect October
1, 2002 to September 30, 2003. It also provides for a sinking fund for the
payment of the principal and interest and retirement of the bonded debt of
the city.
The ordinance was approved with Mayor ProTem Gerald Tellez making the
motion and Councilman Johnny Terrazas seconding it.
Yerena and Finance Director George Bejarano also informed the council
that several departments would also be receiving new trucks under the FY
2003 budget.
One of the new trucks would be given for the use of the city Parks Department,
one for the utilities director and the third one for the water department.
According to Yerena, Utilities Director Octavio Garcia will be giving
up his current truck for the use of city's animal control officer.
The Pecos Police Department will also be receiving three new cars from
the city.
According to Valenzuela the last vehicle was purchased three years ago.
The second and final readings of the tax and budget ordinances will be
held during the council's regularly scheduled meeting, set for 5:30 p.m.
Thursday in Council Chambers at City Hall.
After hearing the second readings of each of the two ordinances the council
will move on to discuss and consider the purchase of property located at
1102 E. Third St. and property located at 310 W. 13th St., according
to the council's agenda.
The awarding on the construction for the Town of Pecos City on Type I
sanitary landfill to Lindsay Western Construction Company will also be discussed
and considered by the council.
Approval for the minutes of the regular council meeting of September 12,
the accounts payable report, the municipal court monthly report of August,
the monthly tax collection report for August 2002 and of the Pecos Economic
Development Corporation budget will also be done during tomorrow's meeting.
The council will also hear two presentations, one from the Pecos Economic
Development Corporation and the second one from the Pecos Police Department's
Community Service Officer, Mike Balog.
The council members will also hear public comment and items that may be
place on the next agenda.
County contracts approved for detention of juveniles
By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer
PECOS, Wed., Sept. 25, 2002 -- Reeves County Commissioners approved contracts
between the county and other juvenile centers, approved payments to
the architect in charge of construction at the RCDC III site and approved
other items during their regular meeting held earlier this week.
The group approved contracts between Reeves County and Taylor County (Abilene)
Juvenile Center, Midland County Juvenile Center and Hays County (Dripping
Springs) Juvenile Center, for the detention of juvenile offenders.
Chief Juvenile Detention Officer Louise Moore told the group that the
Hays Juvenile Detention Center was a boot camp facility, which is why it
was a little bit more expensive. "We have one child placed there," said Moore.
Payments to LMD Architect were approved as presented.
The group also approved payment to Physicians Medical Network.
Tommy Duncan told the group that the physicians group had begun their
service in mid-July. "Since they came in we've been able to catch up with
treatment of the prisoners," said Duncan. "They got us caught up with dental
as well," he said.
Duncan said there was a tremendous improvement in the quality of health
care and the timely way they were taken care of.
"And it's $4.80 per mandate for inmates," said Reeves County Judge Jimmy
B. Galindo.
Duncan said the physicians group would reimburse the county for the employees.
"I'll talk to them, because I think the simplest way would be to pay them
the net."
"I appreciate all that they have done, I think they're excellent," said
Galindo. "I'd like you to communicate to PNA that we appreciate their services,
but until we get our mandate rate from BOP (U.S. Bureau of Prisons) we might
not be able to use them."
"Our client has to agree to pay us for that level of service," he said.
Duncan assured the group that PNA had been very helpful and that they
have gone out of their way to help and would probably do so in these circumstances
as well.
Commissioners approved personnel and salary changes. At the Reeves County
Detention Center, Constance Olson, from infirmary to custody property officer,
no salary change, for budget control purposes; Gbutue Vorkpor, Paul Coker,
Rodolfo Rios and Maria Uranga, from infirmary to custody, foreign medical
graduates, no salary change; Pete Garcia III, Benjamin Madrid and Ricardo
Salgado, from infirmary to custody, no salary changes; Ellen Kimble promoted
to emergency medical technician at $27,248; Criselda Gochicoa RN-II at $40,000
per year; Shonah Lozano promoted to licensed vocational nurse II at $28,001;
Lee Serrano, promoted to Food Service Director at $41,000 per year; Pilar
Contreras, Landscape III moved to Central Warden III; Omero Pando, maintenance
foreman I at $26,000; Angel Carrasco, from custody to facility department
maintenance officer III; Luis Natividad promoted to COII at $24,000; Enrique
Mata, Jr., COII, $24,000; Mike Molinar, COII at $24,000 and Chris Matta promoted
to shift lieutenant at $31,500.
New hires at the facility, as Correctional Officers I at $19,000 per year
included: Francisco J. Ramirez, Martin Duenas, Albert Guzman, Vanessa Hernandez,
Rhonda James, Ernestine Long, Betsy Lopez, Veronica Natividad, Jesus Ornelas,
Jennifer Sotelo, Joe Torres, Guadalupe Ybarra, Theodore Cabral, Theresa Herrera,
Anthony Casillas, Rocky Mata, Armando Marin, Joe Mendoza, Jacob Mora, Santiago
Ortega, Jeffrey Perkins, MaryAnn Sandoval, Antonio Soto and Arizona Rooney.
Bishop to speak at Methodists' annual Harvest Day
By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer
PECOS, Wed., Sept. 25, 2002 -- First United Methodist Church members invite
friends and guests to their 49th Annual Harvest Day celebration
this Sunday, Sept. 27, with Bishop David Max Whitfield scheduled as
the event's morning worship guest speaker.
Harvest Day will also be Heritage Sunday, to honor church members who
have been participating in the life of the church for more than 50 years.
These individuals include Catherine Jones, who has been a member of the Pecos
church for more than 80 years, and Elizabeth McCree, who joined the church
76 years ago. Others to be honored are Pearl Barker, Mary Farnum, Bonnie
Green, David Smith, Edna Stanton and Dagmah Wynne, who have all been members
for more than 60 years, as well as 50-plus-year members Patsy Bowles, Lloyd
Goodrich, Irene Holm, Mary Miller, Emmett Miller and Emma Shepherd.
Harvest Day was begun in the fall of 1954 by Pecos Methodists who saw
a need to celebrate and give thanks for the harvest of crops. Although farming
is no longer the mainstay of church families, members have continued the
tradition of Harvest Day as a special thanksgiving for their material blessings.
A luncheon has traditionally followed the Harvest Day morning worship service,
and a special offering is taken for a specific fund or project.
"This is a time for worshiping, singing, feasting and visiting with old
and new friends," said pastor Bruce Abbott. "We hope to have many guests
to share in this day of celebration."
Bishop Whitfield was raised in Arkansas by devoted United Methodist parents.
His undergraduate degree is from Arkansas State University where he graduated
in 1966. This degree was followed by two post-graduate degrees: a Master
of Divinity from Perkins School of Theology in 1969, and a Doctor of Ministry
from Princeton Theological Seminary in 1983.
Whitfield was elected to the Episcopacy of The United Methodist Church
in July 2000. He currently serves as the Episcopal leader of the Northwest
Texas/New Mexico area, and prior to his election, served for seven years
as a District Superintendent in the North Arkansas Conference.
His distinguished national experience includes his service on the General
Board of Global Ministries, the National Shalom Zone Committee and the General
Commission on Religion and Race. He was a member of his conference's General
Conference delegation in 1992 and 2000.
A veteran of parish ministry, Whitfield has served congregations in a
retirement development, a university community, and the rural delta. He has
been director of a cooperative parish, overseen three building programs,
and was a Field Instructor for Perkins School of Theology for five years.
He and his wife, Valerie, have five grown children, along with their spouses
and five grandchildren.
Car wash to help raise funds for Herrera family
PECOS, Wed., Sept. 25, 2002 -- A car wash will be held beginning at 9
a.m., Thursday, at the Gibson True Value Parking lot.
The fundraiser is sponsored by the classmates of Jaime Herrera, who is
currently at Covenant Hospital in Lubbock, following a vehicle accident last
Friday east of Pecos.
The event is by donations. Individuals can donate whatever amount they
wish to help Herrera's family with medical expenses. Herrera was flown to
Lubbock after suffering critical injuries in the one-vehicle rollover.
Weather
PECOS, Wed., Sept. 25, 2002 -- High Tuesday 84. Low this morning 54. Forecast
for tonight: Clear. Lows in the mid 50s. East winds 5 to 10 mph. Thursday:
Sunny. Highs in the mid 90s. East winds 5 to 10 mph. Thursday night:
Clear. Lows 55 to 60. Friday: Partly cloudy. Highs in the lower 90s.
Saturday: Partly cloudy. Lows 55 to 60. Highs in the mid 90s.
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 2002 by Pecos Enterprise
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