|
Daily Newspaper and Travel Guide
for Pecos Country of West Texas
Top Stories
Thursday, March 13, 2003
Council OKs emergency repairs to city water tanks
By JENNIFER GALVAN
Staff Writer
PECOS, Thurs., March 13, 2003 -- The Town of Pecos City Council approved
the authorization by Frank X. Spencer & Associates to prepare the plans
and specifications to replace the 250,000-gallon ground storage tank at
the Ward County Well Field, during their regular meeting this morning, and
also approved the refurbishment of two existing three million gallon tanks
at the city yard.
The preparing of the plans and specifications for the project will cost
the city $104,993, which is money that the Texas Water Development Board
appropriated for other water and sewer projects.
Frank X. Spencer & Associates employee, Edgardo Madrid, informed
the council that he had met with City Manager Carlos Yerena and that they
gone over an agreement. He also said that he had sent a copy of both Yerena
and City Attorney Scott Johnson.
"We tried to do some negotiation with them," Johnson said. "We did not
think that there would be a full time representative."
He said that they were requesting Spencer & Associates to go down
$15,000 but would only go down $4,000.
"It is an emergency item so we need to get this going," Johnson said.
"We will be saving a little bit of money."
City Utilities Director Octavio Garcia added that the storage tank out
at Ward County Well Field is in bad shape.
"The floor is about gone. We have patches all over the floor," Garcia
said. "And the sides are about to do the same."
During the last city council meeting the members were told by Spencer
that the well would need to be replaced as soon as possible seeing that
it is the town's main water source.
Councilman Michael Benavides made the motion to authorize Spencer's company
to prepare plans and specifications with Councilman Frank Sanchez seconding
it.
Council members approved the change order number one for Part D of the
ground storage tank and standpipes development of South Worsham Well Field
project.
The change order called for extending pipes and pad and the fencing.
Madrid said that in extending the pad around the water tank would help
keep the underlying soil from eroding away.
The addition of the fence was requested by Garcia who wanted it so that
his employees would have access to the tanks when farmers closed other fences,
Madrid said.
The change order was approved with Sanchez making the motion and Councilwoman
Angelica Valenzuela seconding it.
Town of Pecos City Health Inspector Alfredo Gomez, who was not able to
attend the morning council meeting due to a doctor's appointment, sent in
a letter providing the council with an update on local grocery stores La
Tienda and Bobs Thriftway.
In his letter, Gomez said that both stores are in compliance with health
regulations in maintaining their freezers at proper temperatures and have
a high level of cleanliness.
According to his letter, Gomez said that he has made at least six inspections
to both stores.
However, Valenzuela said that she was under the impression that the stores
were to install new freezers. She wanted to know whether that had been done.
"Our agreement was not to keep the same freezers," Valenzuela said.
Not knowing the situation of the freezers, Valenzuela asked that City
Secretary Connie Levario ask Mr. Gomez to give her a call.
Fenn Foods District Manager Robert Garcia was also unable to attend the
meeting due to a previously scheduled meeting in Colorado. Fenn operates
both Pecos stores.
In other action, the council awarded bids for pharmaceutical services
went to Professional Pharmacy. Mayor Dot Stafford said the other bidder,
Rediger's Pharmacy, submitted their proposal late.
The proposal was approved with Sanchez making the motion and Pro-Tem
Gerald Tellez seconding it. Valenzuela abstained from the motion since her
husband, Steve Valenzuela works at Professional Pharmacy.
During the public portion of the meeting, Pecos Police Chief Clay McKinney
told the council members that Police Department Community Officer Mike Balog
would like to give them an update on the skate board park.
Balog informed the council that local contractor Jeff Lindsay has offered
to donate labor and material for two skateboard parks.
"We are looking at a area located at Maxey Park and behind the Girl Scout
Hut," Balog said. The council discussed the first site during their meeting
two weeks ago, while the second site would be located in the 600 block of
South Park Street.
Balog added that Spencer had also offered to donate the design of the
parks.
In regards to the liability issue, he said that they would place signs
up and that Spencer being the engineer would also sign off on liability.
"With all the community support this project is coming together," Balog
said.
Madrid at this point stood before the council and informed them that
he had visited both sites and that he would also like to be involved in the
project.
"I personally would be willing to work and donate my time to help them,"
he said.
With that said the council applauded everyone for their support in the
project.
In response to a question on whether or not the park would be done by
the time school was out, Balog said, "Mr. Lindsay said that as soon as
we receive approval on the locations they could get started."
Becky Millan, the parent who started a petition asking for the support
of building a skateboard parks said that she was happy that it was all coming
together.
"The kids really needed this," she said. "I appreciated what you are
doing for the kids."
The approval of the locations has been scheduled for the next city council
meeting on March 27.
Many Thanks To The Dick Slack Family, Our Judges And The Friends Of The
Library For Their Support In Bringing This To The Readers And Writers.
Drug task force makes sweep following indictments
By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer
PECOS, Thurs., March 13, 2003 -- Trans Pecos Drug Task Force officers, along
with officers from other local agencies, were busy this morning serving
warrants on 60 sealed indictments, which included 35 individuals in Midland
County.
The Trans Pecos Drug Task Force, Reeves County Sheriff's Department,
Pecos Police Department, Midland County Sheriff's Office, Midland Police
Department, Texas Department of Public Safety, Aircraft Division, Andrews
County Sheriff's Department, Texas Highway Patrol and Culberson County assisted
in the operation.
"This was a five-month undercover operation," said Trans Pecos Drug Task
Force Lt. Larry Arredondo. "We called it 'Street Sweep.'"
Arredondo said that the agencies had cooperated to take numerous drugs
off the streets including, cocaine, methamphetamines, marijuana, crack cocaine
and heroin.
"These individuals will be charged with different things," said Arredondo.
"Some were marijuana, while others were other drug offenses."
The 'sweep' began at 6:30 a.m., today, in Midland County. "We were trying
to find 35 and serve them and found 26-27," said Arredondo.
"It was a successful operation and I appreciate all the assistance from
the other agencies," said Arredondo. "We work really well together and we
are really pleased at the outcome."
No arrests were reported in Reeves County. The names of those arrested
have not yet been released by Task Force officials.
Church of Christ scheduled series of guest lessons
PECOS, Thurs., March 13, 2003 -- The 4th and Bois D'Arc Church of Christ
will be hosting Eddie Whitten in a series of lessons, beginning at 10 a.m.,
Sunday.
The first lesson will be: "What is That to Thee" at 10 a.m. and will be
followed by two more Sunday lessons; at 11 a.m., "What Meaneth This?" and
at 6 p.m., "Rightly Dividing the Word."
Other lesson for the week are on Monday at 7 p.m., "The New Birth,";
Tuesday at 7 p.m., "Let the Lower Lights Be Burning; and Wednesday at 7
p.m., "But Who Are You?"
Weather
PECOS, Thurs., March 13, 2003 -- High Wednesday 91. Low this morning 58.
Forecast for tonight: Increasing clouds. Lows in the mid 40s. East winds
5 to 10 mph. Friday: Partly cloudy. Slight chance of thunderstorms. Highs
in the mid 80s. South winds 5 to 15 mph. The chance of rain is 20 percent.
Friday night: Mostly cloudy. Slight chance of thunderstorms. Lows in the
upper 40s. The chance of rain is 20 percent. Saturday: Partly cloudy. Highs
in the mid 80s. Sunday: Partly cloudy. Lows in the upper 40s. Highs in the
mid 80s.
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 2003 by Pecos Enterprise
|
