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"We had four companies respond to our request," said County Auditor Lynn
Owens, referring to the proposals sought by commissioners for phones at
the Reeves County Sheriff's Department, Reeves County Courthouse and the
Reeves County Detention Center.
Those making bids were Midessa Telephones of Odessa, GTE, AT&T and
Oilfield Phone Service of Pecos.
Two of the four firms had representatives on hand to outline the special
features their companies had to offer.
Edward Tersero, of Oilfield Phone Service of Pecos, outlined their
proposal, which was the lowest bid of the four.
"In our proposal we've come up with a 36-month lease agreement in which
you can purchase the system after that," said Tersero.
The Panasonic Digital Business System outlined is one of the most
modern, and has many features, according to Tersero.
"It will do basically anything you want it to do," said Tersero.
The other company represented at the meeting was Midessa.
Their fully digital system is implemented with mode maintenance,
according to a representative of that company.
His proposal included free training to personnel and could be maintained
without having to visit Pecos each time the system was down.
"About 90 percent of the time we can fix without even coming to Pecos,"
he said.
The court opted to calculate the phone systems' cost into next year's
budget, which should be finalized by the end of the month. Commissioners
said they will not make a final decision until the budget is implemented.
In other business during the afternoon portion on Monday's meeting, bids
for Emergency Response Team supplies was awarded to Thomas Archibald.
South West Ventures received the bid for Septic Tank System Installation
under a TCDP Contract on Phase III of the project.
The company had the low bid on the project, with the only other bidder
being Soil Conservation Contracts of Pecos.
South West's representatives were on hand to assure the court that they
would cooperate fully with everyone on the project.
"The county is required to provide $25,000 in matching funds or in-kind
services, but you need to talk to them about the services," said
Engineer Frank Spencer.
"I already talked to them and they agreed we could provide the in-kind
services," said County Judge Jimmy B. Galindo.
"We'll cooperate with everyone and we are looking forward to working
with you, even though we are a new company we have lots of experience,"
said the company's representative.
Offers to purchase property in Pecos were turned down.
The three properties included one which consisted of 480 acres located
north of Reeves County off of U.S. 285.
The purchase offer was from John Lanahan of El Paso in the amount of
$997. The property is currently worth $24,000 with a little over $4,154
in back taxes owed.
Lanahan was also the bidder for the other two properties, 824 S. Ash St.
and 1104 S. Hickory St. Both properties are delinquent in taxes.
The property at 824 S. Ash is an empty lot and Lanahan's bid was $141.
The one located on 1104 S. Hickory is composed of two empty lots with
the bid on that one being $456.
Tax-Assessor collector Elfida Zuniga was approved as the designated
officer for Reeves County to calculate the effective tax rate.
In reports from the various departments, Owens reported less
expenditures in the general fund and stated that the county is "doing
fairly well."
"This is a big turnaround to what we have been spending in the past,"
said Owens.
A bill addendum in the amount of $10,500 was approved along with the
regular bills in the afternoon session of the meeting. The bill was for
attorney Mario Gonzales of El Paso, who represented county court-at-law
judge Lee Green in his successful litigation against the county over the
level of his salary.
Randy Lozano was approved as a reserve deputy for the sheriff's
department.
In other personnel changes, Elva Villa will be employed at the sheriff's
department as a full-time employee at $14,000 per year; Pamela Bustillos
at the sheriff's department at $15,200 per year and Sam Gbutne Vorkpor
at the Reeves County Detention Center at $17,000 per year as a Health
Care Assistant.
EL PASO (AP) - Border Patrol agents pursuing a suspicious pickup truck
ended up exchanging shots across the Rio Grande with a suspected drug
smuggler, an agency spokesman says. No one was injured.
Agents began following the truck after spotting it early Sunday near
the Fabens Port of Entry, said spokesman Doug Mosier.
``It was in a notorious smuggling area, and was riding unusually low to
the ground, had fresh mud on the side of the camper shell and had its
windows painted black,'' he said.
The truck's driver failed to make a turn onto the river levee and
crashed through a gate. The driver abandoned the truck and «MD120»Column
1: vj expansion of 0.23 points at lines, 0.23 at par«MDNM»
started running south toward the Rio Grande.
Agents saw several other people on the Mexican side of the river, one
of whom began firing an automatic rifle at the officers.
The agents were forced to return fire with their pistols and a shotgun
to protect themselves, Mosier said.
No one was arrested. But agents did confiscate 873 pounds of marijuana
valued at $700,000 and the truck, which was left on the U.S. side of the
river.
The Fabens port of entry is located about 20 miles southeast of El
Paso. It is one of several southeast of the city where major marijuana
seizures have occurred during the past several years.
"It sure has helped us a lot," said Red Bluff Water Power Control
District Manager Jim Ed Miller during the monthly meeting of the
governing body.
The water is measured by the United States Geological Service, according
to board members.
"We're happy to say that we feel better about this water report than we
did at first," said Miller, regarding the recent release of water.
"We'll be able to release what we've allotted, and still stay out of
trouble."
Board members noted that Red Bluff Lake's levels have been maintained at
reasonable amount since the New Mexico water release, which was done
under compliance with the 1946 Pecos River Compact.
In other business, board members voted to accept the cash disbursements
and accounts payable reports as presented. Manuel Lujan, Jr., who was
voted onto the board in May, asked who was the Texas Irrigation Council
and why were they being paid $1,600.
Board Secretary Lloyd Goodrich said that they were a lobbying
organization for water districts and that the $1,600 was an annual fee.
Board Member Theresa Walker asked Miller if all business with Camino
Contracting, who built the low-water crossing, was complete. Miller said
yes and that the district took back $15,000 from what the contracting
firm had billed the RBWPCD. Negotiations were conducted regarding the
company's failure to meet deadlines in construction of the nearly
$300,000 project.
During a financial review, Miller told the board that the district can
expect to receive some $853,000 in interest from the $3.8 million
settlement in 1989 of the lawsuit against New Mexico, for violation of
the Pecos River Compact.
Board members discussed putting the expected funds in a separate account
from other district funds so as, "to keep us in compliance," said
Randall Harman, board president.
William Monroe Kerr, Sr., attorney for the district, told the board that
the 1989 settlement requires that the funds be expended for irrigation
purposes only and the district would be setting itself up for criticism
if the money is mixed in with other funds.
No action taken on a contract renewal for the district with Sun West
Salt Corp. of Loving, N.M. Albert Wagner, president of the operation
that extracts salt deposits from Pecos River water in the Malaga Bend
for commercial use, was on hand for questions.
In other business, board members discussed negotiations with their
attorney to withdraw funds totalling $50,000, plus interest, from
Johnson and Partners for costs relating to the low-water crossing. The
money was deposited in connection with the 1994 lawsuit involving the
use of the road across the dam by oil company vehicles and equipment.
Sales tax rebates for August reflected a drop in Reeves County's retail
business for the quarter ended June 30, the state comptroller's office
reports.
While sales statewide continued to reflect a healthy economy with an
increase of 7.6 percent in rebates to cities, counties and special
districts over the first eight months, rebates to cities in Reeves
County dropped 16.92 percent in August.
Pecos' tax check fell 16.5 percent, from $81,529 to $68,006, while
declines were even sharper in Balmorhea and Toyah.
Other West Texas cities suffered similar decreases, including Andrews,
down 14.7 percent; Fort Stockton, down 11.9 percent, and Odessa down 6.1
percent. Midland was up slightly, while a nearly 50 percent increase
reported by Monahans was due to the city's 50 percent increase in its
local sales tax since last year.
Most of the state's major cities gained sales. Showing a higher rebate
were Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth and Arlington. San Antonio and Austin
held steady, while El Paso dropped 3.4 percent.
Reeves County Hospital District showed a loss of 13.56 percent.
August 1996 rebates (Collected on June sales)
(Source: Texas comptroller's office)
COUNTY/CITY RATE 1996 1995 CHANGE
ANDREWS
Andrews 1.0% $ 66,792 $78,301 Dn 14.69%
BREWSTER
Alpine 1.5% 58,573 56,859 Up 03.01%
CRANE
Crane 1.0% 18,169 18,775 Dn 03.22%
CULBERSON
Van Horn *1.5% 57,583 13,989 Up 311.63%
ECTOR
Odessa 1.0% 963,687 1,026,233 Dn 06.09%
HOWARD
Big Spring 2.0% 391,624 393,497 Dn 00.47%
MIDLAND
Midland 1.0% 1,171,804 1,157,072 Up 01.27%
PECOS
Ft Stockton 1.5% 79,079 89,735 Dn 11.87%
PRESIDIO
Marfa 1.0% 6,661 9,252 Dn 28.00%
Presidio 1.5% 10,192 12,844 Dn 20.64%
REEVES
Balmorhea 1.0% 815 1,263 Dn 35.45%
Pecos 1.5% 68,006 81,529 Dn 16.58%
Toyah 1.0% 639 819 Dn 22.03%
RCH Dist. 0.5% 24,193 27,993 Dn 13.56%
WARD
Monahans *1.5% 59,052 39,462 Up 49.57%
WINKLER
Kermit 1.0% 26,710 32,077 Dn 16.73%
Wink 1.0% 142 3,486 Dn 95.92%
New tax rate in effect
By PEGGY McCRACKEN
Executive Director Nellie Gomez said that fights, vandalism and
attempted arson have been common in one neighborhood at the HUD
apartments on Stafford Boulevard.
Cindy Montoya, her children and their friends created most of the
problems, two of the tenants told the board. Montoya appeared before the
board in May to plead for time to ready a house to move into and
promised she would not leave her children alone in the interim.
The board granted her three months, cautioning her that she must abide
by the terms of her lease, which prohibits any non-family members or
troublemakers living there.
Neighbors testified that Montoya did not eject her 18-year-old daughter
as promised; that the girls' boyfriends have causeed trouble at the
apartments; that she has left the children there while she works in
Odessa; and that she battles constantly with neighbors.
Montoya asked for more time to find another place to live, but the board
held her to her promise to move out and gave her a Friday deadline. She
became angry, threatening to get chairman Frank Perea off the board and
to hire a lawyer and take the board to court.
Mr. and Mrs. Arturo Marruffo, Wanda Capriotti and Mrs. Manuel Vasquez
also received notice of eviction, but said they have tried to get along
with their neighbors and to control their children.
The board told two of Mrs. Vasquez's sons and Capriotti's daughters that
they will cause their families to lose their homes if they continue to
cause problems.
Gomez said she has 16 vacant apartments that will be renovated for
occupancy. Some vacancies resulted from completion of handicap
apartments, which tenants are moving into.
The units were classified as "standard" on HUD's annual assessment, with
a score of 88.23.
"The only thing we fell below on was turnover of apartments," Gomez said.
She reported applications have been submitted for a $2.5 million grant
to renovate additional apartments, $75,000 for the resident council and
$65,000 for drug abuse prevention.
In other action, the council recently sent four children to the Genesis
Camp, with council coordinator Felix Guajardo and his wife as sponsors.
Gomez said she had found several different policies on yard care and
could not tell which one is current. The board agreed to charge each
tenant $3 per month year-round for yard care and watering.
The mayor of Pecos will appoint a tenant to serve on the board, Perea
said.
In the Farm Labor Housing meeting, the board accepted the $800 bid of
John A. Blakeway of Fort Worth to audit books for the fiscal year 1995.
He submitted the only proposal.
Gomez reported she learned about FLH policies, maintenance and the
latest techniques in a recent seminar in Corpus Christi.
"We will start implementing the new policies," she said.
Migrant laborers are expected to stay through most of September, she
said.
Jesse Hogan, 62, of Snyder died Sunday, Aug. 11, 1996. Memorial services
will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Lake Buchanan. Cook-Walden Funeral Home
of Austin is in charge of arrangements.
He is survived by one son, Jerry Hogan; one daughter, Marla Permenter,
one brother, Jim Hogan; and five grandchildren.
Marriages for June, as filed with the Reeves County Clerk's office:
Pablo Fuentes Gonzales and Elma Garcia Calba
Kasey Neil Taylor and Jessica Renee Brijalba
Gilberto Sotelo Abila and Patricia Vejil Windham
Amilcar Avalos Flores and Sylvia Abila Gurule
Enrique Dominguez and Monique Ann Dominguez
Divorces granted in June, as reported by the Reeves County Clerk's
office:
James Bryan Barfield and Mary Sue Dieshler Barfield
Pablo Rodriguez and Yolanda Rodriguez
James Welton Blackwell and Tana Kay Chandler Blackwell
Maria Margarita Carrasco and Luis Joe Carrasco
Abel Iniquez and Sylvia Patricia Iniquez
Manuel Nunez and Elizabeth Hernandez Nunez
Elsa Martinez and Alvaro B. Leos
Rains were reported in the mid-Atlantic states and along the Gulf Coast
this morning. Tonight's area forecast: Fair, low in the mid 60s.
Southeast wind 5-10 mph. Wednesday, sunny. High near 100. South wind
5-15 mph.
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Copyright 1996 by Pecos Enterprise
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