Daily Newspaper and Travel Guide
for Pecos Country of West Texas
Opinion
Observations
By MacMcKinnon
Enterprise Publisher
Tuesday, October 20, 1998
McKinnon bids farewell
to residents of Pecos
As many people have probably heard by now, I'll be leaving
the Enterprise and Pecos this week.
I'm headed up north to Fort Morgan, Colorado where I'll be
publisher of the Fort Morgan Times, a six-day a week
newspaper which is part of the Denver Post.
Fort Morgan is about 66 miles northeast of Denver.
It is a great opportunity for my family and me, and we're
looking forward to it. Some people say we'll get really cold
but we can learn to deal with it much like we've learned to
deal with the heat here.
Hopefully, a new publisher will be named for Pecos in the
near future. In the meantime, my supervisor, Ned Cantwell
from Carlsbad, will be filling in as he has on a number of
occasions.
The decision to leave Pecos did not come easily as we've
spent and dedicated nine years to what has become our town
and our newspaper. We've made many wonderful friends, and
leaving those friends behind is difficult. However, many of
our friends have moved also, so now it is our time to be
moving on.
Many have asked what will happen to our newspaper. It will
continue on as it has for 111 years and will continue to be
a community booster and asset. Buckner News Alliance and its
owner, Phil Buckner, are dedicated to giving Pecos a good
newspaper. There is a great staff on hand, and leaving that
staff made my decision very diffcult.
Not only are they good, but they're friends and we're like
family at the newspaper, fighting occasionally of course,
but that happens in the best of families.
I've been very emotional about this whole thing so I'd
better get on with another subject.
People are asking what's going to happen to our town. Pecos
will continue on, but I believe major work needs to be done
to get it to grow. There needs to be a more positive
attitude. The 4A sales tax issue on the ballot Nov. 3 must
be passed if anything is going to happen.
Too often, we've left our future in the hands of others, and
this is an opportunity to direct our own destiny. We can't
keep living on grant money from the state and feds. That
kind of money is meant to be a means to an end, not an end
to a means, like welfare is.
Pecos has too much going for it for good things not to
happen. The problem is that Pecos is a secret, much like the
rest of West Texas. Just because there's not a lot of people
here, those in the rest of the world assume nothing is out
here.
Plus, county residents need to be sure to vote to retain the
optional county road system. This election was backed by
people who want to go back to the old political patronage
system, and that kind of thing is what the public dislikes
about government. Over the years, it has earned Reeves
County a bad name. We're just now beginning to get a good
reputation, and this could set us back.
Plus, going back to the old system is not efficient and thus
it will ultimately result in a tax increase.
I have great hope and faith that good things will happen
here. It will rain again.
As I have closed the past two chamber of commerce banquets
where I was master of ceremonies, let me close this final
column in the same fashion.
Adios, my friends.
OUR VIEW
Residents urged to vote for unit system
A very important issue is on the ballot for this upcoming
election, early voting for which started Monday.
That issue has to do with retaining the county road
maintenance operation the way it now exists. The current
situation has a road administrator overseeing road
maintenance on a priority basis for the entire county. That
system was created by a vote of the people in 1990.
Prior to that, each county commissioner had a maintenance
crew and equipment and took care of roads in their own
precinct. This was by its very nature expensive and was
subject to political considerations.
However, a petition signed by the required number of people
was filed and presented to the county commissioners
requesting an election on the issue. The issue on the ballot
will be for voters to mark for or against retaining the
current county unit road system.
We believe the road system as it now exists is the best it
can be. Road Administrator Russ Salcido and his crews have
done an excellent job and held the line on expenses even
though costs have escalated in recent years. In addition,
they've had extra duties asked of them and they have not
hesitated to do what is necessary.
From what we've been told, there have been some ill-advised
promises made if the county goes back to the old way of
doing things - having commissioners oversee their own roads.
People have supposedly been told this will create new jobs
and that the road and bridge tax on license plates will be
cut. Some people have even been told to vote only on the
road issue on the ballot.
Obviously, voters need to cast ballots on all issues. And
there is no way more jobs can be created or any taxes cut.
The fact is, if voters decide to go back to the old way of
doing things - having commissioners take care of roads in
their own precincts, a tax increase next year is almost
guaranteed.
There's an old saying - if it ain't broke, don't fix it. In
our mind, nothing is wrong with the current unit road system
under a road administrator.
For that reason, we encourage voters to vote "FOR" retaining
the current unit road system.
Whatever your choice, be sure to vote!
CRITIC'S CORNER
Kids feel uncertain, left out in divorce
The unwitting victims of divorce are the children. In the
disputes that arise leading to divorce, they are often
forgotten.
There's a new book entitled, "But....What About Me! (How it
feels to be a kid in Divorce)."
This book addresses some of the feelings the youngsters in a
split household have and the uncertainties they have to deal
with - where are they going to live, who will they live
with, etc.
It also addresses what they hear their parents and
grandparents say about each other. It's a very touching book
and one that needs to be read by adults involved in a
divorce.
The 52-page paperback book was written by Bonnie Doss,
illustrated by Jennifer Shroeder and published by BookMark
publishing earlier this year, costing $16.99. The ISBN
number is 0-9653895-8-8 and is available through Amazon
Books link on the Pecos Enterprise web page -
www.pecos.net/news or at your favorite book store or by
calling 512-992-5814.
Please don't forget the children!
MAC McKINNON
YOUR VIEW
Cafeteria fiasco upsets visiting family members
To The Editor:
This letter is in regards to an incident that happened to
one of my family members this past Homecoming. My sister and
her husband are former residents of Pecos and both graduated
from Pecos High School. They decided to visit for Homecoming
and brought their three children along.
My sister and the children wanted to surprise my
five-year-old son who is enrolled at Pecos Kindergarten by
going to eat lunch with him on Homecoming Friday. My sister
and the children went through the lunch line and by the time
they got to the cashier my five-year-old nephew already had
his tray in front of him. My sister asked how much was her
total for the three trays. The cafeteria worker asked if
their names were on the list. My sister said no she had not
signed in at the desk. The cafeteria worker asked my sister
if she had called the cafeteria by phone that morning to
order the trays. My sister explained that she was from out
of town and that she was here for Homecoming festivities and
was unaware that she was supposed to call. The cafeteria
supervisor then said, "I'm sorry, but you can't have those
trays. Everything is already accounted for."
My sister again explained her circumstances, but they still
did not let them have the trays and one of the workers took
the tray that had already been served and handed to my
five-year-old nephew.
Needless to say, my nephew was in tears and my sister and
other two older children were in shock at the events taking
place. My sister did try to talk to principal Anna
Hernandez, but she was out for lunch. She also went to the
administration building, but it was also closed for lunch.
Later she was able to get a hold of the Cafeteria
Administrator, Helen Miller by phone.
She explained what had happened to Ms. Miller. Ms. Miller
did apologize, however, she did go on to say that the
cafeteria workers did have to follow policy and procedure. I
understand about policy and procedure, but there is an
exception to every rule. I can't believe that there were
ABSOLUTELY NO extra trays. Most of the women working in
these cafeterias have many years of experience and should
know to be prepared.
I feel that since they knew it was Friday, Homecoming, and
Hamburger day they should have been better prepared. Not
only that, most of these cafeteria workers eat the lunch
prepared there at the school. I feel that if they were
really that tight on food, they should have at least
sacrificed their lunch for a visiting child, because a
five-year-old is not going to understand why he couldn't eat
lunch with cousin.
I am embarrassed and very upset that this could happen in
this community. I hope that no one else has to go through
the emotional turmoil my family suffered.
Name Withheld By Request
Visiting family loses pet cat in Pecos
To The Editor:
We had made an overnight stop in Pecos at the Motel 6 last
Friday night, October 2. We departed early the following
morning on our return to Phoenix. We had our pet cat, an 18
month old spayed female, gray with a white belly, with us.
We stopped for gas in Van Horn and found that our cat had
escaped from the vehicle we were towing. We believe that she
got out at the Motel 6, obviously unnoticed.
We called Motel 6, posted a reward and requested their help.
They were most accommodating but have had no information.
We've tried many times to get in touch with Tom, the animal
control officer, and he is yet to return any of our several
calls. Also, we were told that he routinely kills and dumps
cats but kennels dogs waiting for the owners to claim them.
We request your help. Please request that Tom give Stacy or
me a call at 602 569-0242 to see if he has any knowledge of
our little cat. Also, we express concern over the treatment
of cats.
Any help you afford will be deeply appreciated.
Regards, Stacy, Charlie and
Devon Schrader (5 yrs. old)
Unit road system will save taxpayers money
To The Editor:
From what I read in Mr. Arredondo's letter, I learn two
things. First, he will sign a petition before knowing all
the facts about what is being petitioned. Second, any
monetary saving that the county can generate is "a bad
thing."
I can remember when the old system was brought under the
light of public scrutiny the commissioners, at that time,
when discussing what they did for the county to earn their
pay, it seemed to me that all they did was take care of
roads. When the voters voted for the unit road system the
commissioners miraculously keep their jobs since they must
do other things.
The amount of equipment maintained by the county road system
was also reduced; the amount of personnel necessary to
maintain the county road system was also reduced. As pointed
out by Mac McKinnon, the county has been mapped for 911 use
by EMS, which has improved the safety of county occupants,
and was done under budget.
Politics of rewarding political supporters with county road
jobs has been removed apparently making it hard for some
people to get elected since they have nothing to offer
supporters.
I believe that any savings that the Reeves County
Commissioners Court can obtain for the residents of this
county means that they are doing their jobs in spending
county tax receipts. The tax base of Reeves County is
dwindling, even if Mr. Arredondo has not noticed, which
means that our elected officials are going to have to work
smarter in handling the slowly shrinking tax dollar.
I feel that this is where Mr. Arredondo should devote his
time instead of returning the county to an era of political
favoritism and increased expense. If this is really Mr.
Arredondo's belief perhaps his constituents should rethink
his reelection.
Garrett S. Timmins
Pecos, Texas
Other cemeteries in town require care
To The Editor:
I recently came across a note that one of my family members
brought home from school. The note came from Crockett Middle
School. It was in reference to the National Make a
Difference Day. The school is asking for people to volunteer
to help out in cleaning the Fairview Cemetery located on
Eddy Street. Now, my question is, what about the other
cemeteries.
Just because Fairview Cemetery is located on Pecos Main
Street does not mean that it should be the only one being
attended to. I hope that there will be other groups who
are recruiting volunteers to clean the other cemeteries.
This project is a good idea, but every cemetery should
receive the same care. I hope I am wrong to think that
this community is only willing to improve a certain part
of this town.
Name Withheld By Request
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Pecos Enterprise
Mac McKinnon, 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 1998 by Pecos Enterprise
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