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PECOS, March 19, 1997 - Pecos City Council on Tuesday appointed a
committee to work out a schedule for repair and replacement of
deteriorated sanitary sewer lines, requested an update on hydrological
studies in the proposed South Worsham water field and set a meeting with
Texas Natural Resources Conservation Commission officials to discuss the
landfill's future during their Monday evening meeting.
The council also recessed a discussion of city manager applicants until
5:30 p.m. today.
City Secretary Geneva Martinez said the council plans to discuss
applicants in executive session and then vote in open session.
They needed more background information on the finalists than was
available Tuesday, she said.
Engineer Frank Spencer showed a videotape of the interior of sewer lines
on Third Street and in North Pecos, which show separated lines, missing
pipe, cavities that allow sewage to flow into the water table, and
breaks that allow inflows of water from the water table and runoff from
rains.
He recommended replacing 4,500 feet and 13 manholes under Third Street,
which is a state highway (Business I-20).
Spencer's assistant, Abidur Khan, reported that the survey began in
1994, after the state cited the city for an overflowing wastewater
treatment plant caused by runoff.
Smoke tests were done to determine where breaks in the line occur, and a
video camera was run inside the sewer to pinpoint the problems.
Some liners are deteriorating, and in some places no sewer pipe exists,
he said.
Further camera work needs to be done in all the lines, which must first
be cleaned by a vacuum process, he said.
Khan said it is impossible to get the camera into some lines because
they are either blocked or the camera falls into a hole.
Out of 19 segments of line, they were able to clean only 13, Khan said.
"In six, we couldn't run the TV camera."
He recommended replacing six-inch lines rather than trying to run the TV
camera in them, because they are too small to accommodate it.
Spencer estimated the cost to put the sewer lines and treatment plant
into compliance will cost $5 million.
The schedule must be approved and submitted to TNRCC by April 25, he
said.
Spencer also reported on work in the water well fields serving the city.
Geraghty & Miller conducted a detailed hydrogeologic study of the
Worsham and Ward County well fields to determine their long-term
prospects.
They found 58,486 acre-feet of reserves in the two fields, which should
last the city 14 years. Overall ground water quality does not meet
municipal water standards.
To assure a 50-year water supply, an additional 190,000 acre feet of
reserves is needed.
Councilman Randy Graham proposed drilling test holes in the Worsham
field to increase the reserves while the city seeks to obtain a grant to
develop a new field, dubbed South Worsham.
The council asked for an update on hydrology tests in the South Worsham
field before making a decision how to proceed.
Spencer reported that the landfill site meets the requirements for an
arid exemption because the average annual rainfall is less than the 25
inches allowed by the TNRCC, there is no evidence of groundwater
contamination in the present trench, and average disposal is less than
20 tons a day.
TNRCC officials were invited to attend the March 27 meeting to answer
questions on Type IV landfill requirements to help the council decide
whether to continue with the Type IV permit or close the landfill and
transfer all trash to Charter Waste's landfill near Penwell.
PECOS, March 19, 1997 - Pecos-Barstow-Toyah school board members will
not be discussing the Pecos High School dress code issue at their
upcoming monthly board meeting.
P-B-T ISD Superintendent Mario Sotelo said he and spokesperson for the
parents group protesting the revised dress code, Louis Matta, decided
"to take a different route."
A letter requesting that the parents group be on the agenda was
submitted and received, Sotelo said, but after meeting Monday both he
and Matta agreed to for a group of parents, teachers and administrators
to rethink the dress code.
Matta was unavailable for comments prior to press time, as was one other
member of the parents group, regarding what was discussed at Tuesday
night's group meeting.
During their meeting, at 6 p.m. Thursday, board members will discuss
options for the old West Pecos Gym and warehouse.
In December of 1990 the gym was found to be unsafe for recreational use
and closed to the public, although the option to demolish has been
turned down in previous years.
A proposal to do away with the adjacent warehouse will be discussed by
board members.
Other items on the March 20 agenda include:
- recognize swim team and view video tape made with underwater camera;
- Region 18 Education Service Center Board of Directors' election
- telephone system update;
- discuss/action requiring all material for consideration of action to
be delivered with board books, otherwise it will not be considered until
the next meeting;
- discuss enhanced curriculum;
- discuss/action textbook committee recommendations;
- discuss/action Policy Update 52;
- discuss/action 1996-97 budget amendments;
- discuss/action band uniform bids;
- executive session to discuss personnel and hear complaints against
personnel and consider evaluations of teachers;
- discuss/action extension of superintendent's contract;
- discuss/action renewal of administrators' contracts;
- discuss/action professional personnel contracts and
- discuss/action salaries for special education and AEP substitute aides.
PECOS, March 19, 1997 - Last-minute candidates have added their names to
the May elections in city, hospital and school board, with the filing
deadline in all area races set for 5 p.m. today.
The Town of Pecos City Council race became contested Monday when the
three council incumbents got their first challenger for new two-year
terms.
Carlos Campos has filed for a seat on the Pecos City Council, said City
Secretary Geneva Martinez. Campos is the lone challenger for incumbents
Randy Graham, Gerald Tellez Jr. and Elvia Reynolds.
The Balmorhea city council election also got a new candidate, as
incumbent Janell Ward has tossed her hat in the ring for re-election.
However, that race remains uncontested, as the only other challenger is
Richard Hoefs.
Kathy Haynes, Norma Jean Redwine and Ward are the three incumbents whose
two-year terms expire in May. Haynes and Redwine had not filed for new
two-year terms as of this morning.
The Balmorhea school board and Toyah City Council races are the other
two contested area elections, as of noon today.
In the Toyah City Council race, four persons are seeking the three
available seats.
Vying for those positions are incumbents Diana Tollett and Rose Barnes,
who are joined by challengers Jana McHorse and Howard Dennett.
Bart Sanchez who currently holds the third position on the council is up
for election, but has not put in is bid for re-election.
All three seats are 2-year terms.
The Balmorhea ISD election became contested on Monday, when Reyes
Castillo joined incumbents, Paul Matta and James Garlick in seeking
three-year terms on the board.
In Barstow the only filers so far are incumbents Olga Abila, Lucio
Florez and Salvador Villalobos. The three are seeking new two-year terms
on the city council.
In the Pecos-Barstow-Toyah ISD election, Hugh Box and Steve Armstrong
are the only ones to file. Both are seeking three-year terms.
In the election for Reeves County Hospital board, Precinct 2 and
Precinct 4 incumbents Marcella Lovett and Jeannette Alligood are seeking
new two-year terms, and were unopposed as of noon today.
PECOS, March 19, 1997 - Reeves County Hospital District on Tuesday
became the first local taxing entity to formally join the tax incentive
effort spearheaded by the Pecos Chamber of Commerce economic development
committee.
Bob Curry, who presented an incentive proposal to the board in their
regular session, said the plan is the first in Texas to be done by a
citizens' group instead of by a taxing entity.
"That speaks well for the taxing entities," Curry said. Each entity
named committee members from the community to represent them.
Curry asked the board to consider the plan, make any changes they deem
necessary and vote on it in a later meeting. He encouraged directors to
contact committee members with any questions they may have before the
vote so they can do the research and have answers ready.
"This is for existing businesses in the community...and to attract new
business," Curry said. "But the main thing we are concentrating on is
existing businesses to add equipment or whatever."
Pete Reyes, who was appointed by hospital board member Chel Flores, said
the committee tried to work out a deal that would include the county,
hospital and cities.
"We tried to make it where we have a package we didn't have before," he
said. "Where they could go through it in one day without having the
economic committee trying to get together to build up something quick."
The school is not allowed to participate because of state funding, he
said, "but they will know the school is interested in our community,
too."
Dick Alligood said the resolution adopted by the board states they are
willing to participate.
"The guidelines are for a two-year period. They will be renewed every
two years," he said. "Any applicant that applies for a tax incentive
will have to contract directly with you as a governing body"
Greg Luna, who made the motion to participate, said he has some
questions about the plan, and one is about the two-year contract period.
Alligood commended members of the committee, who spent a lot of time
working on the plan.
"I highly recommend you commend them for their efforts," he told the
board.
"We are appreciative they were willing to serve and then that they
fulfilled their obligation," said board president Jeannette Alligood.
The board also voted unanimously to invest idle funds in TexPool, a
state investment group that is currently paying 5.4-to-6 percent
interest.
"The most I can get locally is 3.4 to 4 percent," said chief executive
officer Terry Andris.
Another contract that will save money - $31,000 in the first year - is
with CIC's asset internet management program.
"This is a program where, rather than have a maintenance agreement on 50
or so different pieces of equipment, you consolidate them under asset
management and get a 20 percent discount," Andris said.
Not only does it save money on maintenance agreements, it saves staff
time in dealing with individual vendors, he said. To get service, the
staff notifies CIC, and they deal with the vendor. CIC has access to
information nationwide that allows them to get the best price on parts,
he said.
Jim Bullard, vice president regional services for Lubbock Methodist
Hospital System, said they introduced the system four or five years ago
and were able to save almost every facility in the system money.
"Nobody dropped out," he said, although simple notification is all that
is required to drop out of the plan.
Andris said finances for February looked good, but March has been slow.
"But it looks good, with our doctors, and with citizens using our
hospital care," said Marcella Lovett.
Andris said the board has saved about $200,000 by re-negotiating
contracts, such as the pharmacy and emergency room services.
Alligood said indigent care is costing the hospital more since federal
welfare reform took effect.
"They may be saving federal dollars, but they are spending local
dollars," she said.
Andris proposed re-negotiating the worker's compensation insurance plan.
Changing from RCH Protect to TML would save $22,000 per year, he said.
Alligood said that the hospital district is the only local entity that
must hold an election if no races are contested. She suggested directors
contact their legislators to seek a change in state law allowing the
hospital district to not hold an election in such an instance.
As of today, only Alligood and Lovett have filed for the board in the
May 3 election. The filing deadline is 5 p.m.
PECOS, March 19, 1997 - Gabriel Gonzales should serve two years
probation, pay up to $3,600 in medical bills for Ruben Mendoza, a 143rd
District Court jury decided this morning.
The jury found Gonzales guilty of aggravated assault on Mendoza about
1:30 a.m. today, after deliberating 2½ hours.
Mendoza testified Tuesday that a Gonzales hit him in the head with a
shovel on July 21 in a fight between two groups at the Eddy Street car
wash. He and his sister, Lupe Mendoza, were knocked unconscious and left
bleeding in the street.
An allegation in the indictment that the assault was gang related was
dismissed before the question went to the jury.
PECOS, March 19, 1997 - Federal court jurors on Tuesday found Julea
Simpson guilty of importing and possessing a controlled substance,
flunitrazepam, but cleared her of possession with intent to distribute
the drug.
Her co-defendant, Michael Christopher, testified for the defense after
being granted immunity by the government. His testimony cannot be used
against him at trial.
Simpson, 19, and Christopher, both of Fort Worth, were arrested Nov.
22, 1996.
PECOS, March 19, 1997 - A Crime Stoppers reward is being offered for
information leading to the arrest and indictment of the persons
responsible for a local convenient store robbery.
Kelly Davis, Criminal Investigator for the Pecos Police Department, did
not indicated the amount of money taken Sunday when a white male suspect
took a cash register from the counter of the Uncle's Convenience Store,
located at 210 E. Third St.
Police responded Sunday about 8:10 p.m. to a panic alarm.
This came after three white males arrived in a small, Nissan pickup,
beige in color with a brown or reddish stripe running along each side,
Davis said.
They stopped at gas pump #5, according to a report by Patrolman Felipe
Villalobos, when a female clerk stepped out to help them operate the
pump.
When she went back into the store, one of the men walked in and
threatened the employee and asked her to step back. The man proceeded to
take the cash register from the store counter, according to police
reports.
He was described by Davis as being in his late 20s or early 30s and
having medium dark hair with a goatee and thin sideburns. He was wearing
a camouflage cap and was of a thin to medium build.
The police investigator said the suspect was not armed but verbally
threatened the female before taking the store register.
Witnesses described one of the other men as having a small bald spot
with shaggy long hair and a mustache. He was wearing a maroon,
long-sleeve pullover sweater with a hood.
Information on the crime can be forwarded to Crime Stoppers at 445-4911.
Callers will remain anonymous.
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Copyright 1997 by Pecos Enterprise
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324 S. Cedar St., Pecos, TX 79772
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