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Daily Newspaper and Travel Guide
for Pecos Country of West Texas
Tuesday, August 12, 2003
Commissioners asked to start search for new agents
By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer
PECOS, Tues., Aug. 12, 2003 -- Reeves County Commissioners discussed getting
a new county extension agent and a family and consumer sciences coordinator
for the county during their regular meeting, held Monday morning at the
Reeves County Courthouse.
Brenda Rue, District Extension Director, was on hand to discuss the positions
and the responsibilities of both agents for Reeves County.
"We're considering moving forward to open the positions," said Reeves
County Judge Jimmy B. Galindo.
The extension agent position has been vacant since the beginning of the
year, while the family and consumer sciences post has been open since last
summer. Galindo said that earlier this spring there were a number of budget
cuts at the state level and the state froze this hiring.
"We're waiting for the outcome of the Texas Legislative Session to move
forward," said Galindo. "As partners with them we have gotten this position
funded."
Rue said that other counties had had the position cut, but that the funding
for Reeves County to have both positions was approved.
"It's very important that we maintain an extension position in Reeves
County, both the agriculture and the ASC," said Rue. "They did not touch
those two positions."
Rue said that they felt that the agents were very important in the West
Texas area.
"The county extension agent brings researched information in your city
pertaining to agriculture," she said. "Issues such as information on cattle,
livestock, farming and horticulture."
Pest control and anything pertaining to agriculture will be researched
and information provided on by the county extension agent.
The family and consumer sciences agent will bring information and help
with issues pertaining to the family, financial issues, Better Living for
Texas, programming on diabetes, education and child education. "The agent
will also provide information on clothing and youth," said Rue.
"We see a very important need to improve youth activities," said Rue.
"There's a lot of money put aside in correctional youth, so it's equally
important to invest money in youth opportunities."
Reeves County is responsible for paying the county extension agent a
particular sum of money, according to Galindo.
Rue said that the county was responsible for a third of the funding and
the state would fund the other two-thirds.
"What we contributed was $10,000 and also fund the administrative assistant,"
said Galindo. "The total is about $50,000."
The court will need to submit a letter to open the county extension positions
on agriculture and consumer science to new applicants.
Rue said that graduates from universities such as New Mexico, Texas Tech
and Texas A&M are now going out into the work force. "We like to select
individuals from these colleges, because they do major in this," said Rue.
Rue said that the position could possibly be filled by November and that
Reeves County was welcome to participate in the selection process. "You
also need to be comfortable with the individual that is selected for this
position," she said.
In other action, Reeves County Tax Assessor-Collector Elfida Zuniga was
approved to calculate the effective tax rate.
Zuniga reported to the court that the exemptions would remain the same
and the two payment option plan for paying taxes was still available.
"We met our goal for tax collection, which we had estimated at 93 percent,"
said Zuniga. "I believe last year it was 94 percent," she said.
"Our values were down some this year with real estate and minerals, but
the railroad stock went up," said Zuniga.
Commissioners also approved a property bid at 1100 S. Pecan St. for $750
and a grant for the Criminal Justice Department.
"This is the third year we utilize this grant," said county auditor Lynn
Owens.
The grant is for $10,920 and the county has a fund match of $1,113.
An agreement between Reeves County and ProTELL Systems was approved.
"This is to provide electronic monitoring for the youth at home," said Owens.
Reeves County has an agreement with Hays County Juvenile Center for the
past two years and will continue to utilize their services. "We have an
existing contract with them, one for substance abuse and one for sexual
abuse," said Owens.
Cost for utilizing the facility will be $94 per day for the substance
abuse and $104 for the sexual abuse. "That's a $6 increase for the substance
abuse," said Owens. "We had one detainee there and have not had to use Reeves
County money for it, because we had a grant," he said.
Payments to different construction providers for the Reeves County Detention
Center III were approved.
Final payment to ACME Electric Company in the amount of $180,754 was
approved. "All the documentation for closure was there, all the figures
checked out and it was approved by both the architect and Carothers Construction
(who was in charge of the construction at the new facility)," said Owens.
Final payments were also approved for ABCO Fire Protection in the amount
of $32,837; ISI Detention Contracting Group in the amount of $101, 641 and
Jarratt Dirt Work in the amount of $17,521.
A change order for Carothers Construction was approved. "There was a
savings on the project on the Guaranteed Maximum Price," said Galindo.
The Guaranteed Maximum Price on the facility had been estimated at $30.3
million, but the price was actually $29.6 million. "That's a savings of
$647,809," said Galindo.
That sum will be split 70-30, between Reeves County and Carothers Construction,
with Carothers Construction receiving $194,342 and Reeves County $453,466.
"In other words, we came in under budget," said Owens. "Carothers has
applied for a third of it, which is $64,781," he said.
New hires for the county included: Diane Tersero in the tax assessor-collector's
office at $20,000 per year and Amanda Matta as a part-time employee at the
Reeves County Library at $5.25 per hour for 171/2 hours per week.
Drugs, stolen items found in south side raid
By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer
PECOS, Tues., Aug. 12, 2003 -- A large quantity of illegal drugs and numerous
stolen items were confiscated Monday evening by officers from the Pecos
Police Department at a home on the south side of town.
One person was arrested as a result of the raid, which occurred at approximately
7:07 p.m., and involved the seizure of both heroin and cocaine from the
residence.
According to Pecos Police, officer executed a search warrant at the home
of Ruben Barreno, 2217 S. Hackberry St.
"During the search of the residence, officers found inside of Barreno's
bedroom 65 balloons, which contained a substance believed to be black tar
heroin," said Pecos Police Investigator Paul Deishler.
Each balloon weighed approximately one gram and the street value of this
heroin has been estimated at approximately $26,000, according to Deishler.
"We also found several balloons, which contained a smaller amount of
a substance to be heroin," said Deishler.
Also found inside the bedroom, was an undetermined quantity of a substance
believed to be cocaine.
"Officers also located various types of men's and women's jewelry, which
is believed to be stolen property," said Deishler. The items included a
number of watches, along with earrings and other assorted jewelry.
Deishler said that among the items found were also different types of
power tools, a weed eater and other types of assorted tools, which are also
believed to be stolen.
Officers completed their search of the residence and the investigation
is continuing. Charges will be filed on Barreno, 52, of Pecos, according
to Deishler.
If anyone is missing jewelry, power tools, or assorted tools contact
Lt. Kelly Davis or Investigator Olga Lopez at the Criminal Justice Center
to identify the property.
"If you have a photograph of your jewelry or some other type of identification
please bring it with you," said Deishler.
He added that serial numbers would help in identifying the stolen items
so they can be returned to their owners.
Barstow given grants to buy fire equipment
PECOS, Tues., Aug. 12, 2003 -- The Texas Forest Service has awarded the
Barstow Volunteer Fire Department two cost sharing grants totaling $4,150
for purchase of equipment through the Rural Volunteer Fire Department Assistance
Program.
The Barstow VFD was given a $1,000 grant for purchase of computer equipment
and a grant for $3,150 to purchased two self-contained breathing apparatus.
The funds come out of the rural program, also known as the 2604 Program,
which is a $15 million cost-sharing program funded by contributions from
the insurance industry and administered by the Texas Forest Service.
According to Joe Fox, program manager with the TFS in Bryan, over $14.4
in grants for equipment and training have been awarded under the 2604 Program
since Sept. 1 of last year. "Requests for $80.7 million in assistance have
already been received, and additional requests are likely," Fox said. "These
requests clearly indicate that the 2604 Program addresses an unmet need
of the state's volunteer fire departments. The program will obviously have
a backlog of requests for several years."
The requests by the Barstow VFD were approved in June, and the checks
totaling $4,150 were sent to the fire department last month.
Season ticket sales for Eagles football underway
PECOS, Tues., Aug. 12, 2003 -- Pecos Eagle season tickets have gone on
sale for the five originally scheduled 2003 home games, for fans wanting
to renew their tickets from last year.
The tickets are $25 each and are for the home games on Sept 4 against
Alpine; Sept. 25 versus Crane; Oct. 10 against Kermit, Oct. 24 against Monahans
and Nov. 7 against Midland Greenwood. The just-added Aug. 29 game against
Midland Christian is not currently part of the season ticket package.
Season ticket holders from 2002 will have until Aug. 22 to reclaim their
seasons. Season tickets for the rest of the general public will go on sale
on Aug. 25 at the Pecos-Barstow-Toyah ISD business office, 1302 S. Park
St. For further information, contact the business office at 447-7204.
Weather
PECOS, Tues., Aug. 12, 2003 -- High Monday 107. Low this morning 79. Forecast
for tonight: Partly cloudy with isolated showers and thunderstorms. Lows
in the lower 60s. East winds 5 to 15 mph. Wednesday: Partly cloudy with
isolated thunderstorms. Highs in the mid 80s. Northeast winds 5 to 15 mph.
Wednesday night: Partly cloudy with a 20 percent chance of thunderstorms.
Lows near 60. Thursday: Partly cloudy with a chance of thunderstorms. Highs
in the mid 80s. The chance of rain 30 percent.
Obituaries
Beverly Burton, Janie Rodriguez, Cipriano Dominguez, Cypriano Gomez and Ermine E. Hourigan
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 2003 by Pecos Enterprise
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