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If approved by all three entities, the consolidation would provide one
central location for early voting and election day balloting.
Mayor Dot Stafford, a member of the committee that made a recommendation
on the location, budget and staff, said all agreed that the Pecos
Community Center at 506 S. Oak Street would be the ideal location.
The budget calls for $8,000 to be paid to a part-time elections
coordinator, plus $4,500 for election workers.
The $17,500 total budget would be split three ways, with the city
getting $1,000 credit for use of the community center.
Stafford said a small office in the center can be used by the
coordinator.
Consulting with election administrators in other counties, the committee
drew up a job description for the coordinator, who would be responsible
to the election designee of the governing bodies.
He or she would serve as the early voting clerk for the May election,
supervising election judges and clerks, performing all duties mandated
by law governing elections.
A high school diploma or GED diploma, plus knowledge or previous
experience in elections would be required of the coordinator, who must
be mentally alert and physically mobile.
Administrative guidelines call for rotation of accounting between the
three entities, with each entity responsible for preparing their own
Order of Election, application for place on the ballot and drawing for
ballot listings.
Election supplies on hand will be shared, and future purchases will be
made according to the consolidated budget.
Under the plan, joint elections are to be conducted, but the ballots
will list candidates for each entity on separate pages.
Stafford said the committee recommended the contract between the
entities expire on June 30, 1997 so that consolidation can be dissolved
if it does not work out to the satisfaction of all parties.
"I don't think we'll be saving money, but it will be convenient for our
constituents," Stafford said. "We all decided the community center would
be ideally situated, both for parking and security."
Voting boxes have to be locked up each night, she said, and they can be
stored in the Pecos Police Department, which is next door.
In other business today, five Barstow officials met with the council to
request help with animal control.
City Secretary Jo Allgood said Barstow is a dumping ground for unwanted
pets, and they have a large number of strays. The council is willing to
pass an ordinance "to suit the situation," she said.
Councilman Danny Rodriguez said that rabies in skunks is also a problem
in Texas, and "We might be ahead if we start doing something for the
future. We asked (city Health and Sanitation Director) Armando Gil to
see how much it would cost. Since Barstow is already buying water, we
are willing to put that on the water bill - maybe just until they can
get the problem under control."
Gil said that his animal control officer is already overloaded and the
pound is full of animals every day.
"If you are willing to put in money to build on to the pound and maybe
hire help and buy extra equipment, maybe she could handle it," Gil said.
Councilman Ricky Herrera asked if extra employees transferred from the
closed landfill could handle the job, but Gil said they have all
resigned to work elsewhere.
And, he said, the animal control officer must be certified. "They do
carry a weapon," he said.
Rodriguez asked about using police reserves, but Chief Troy Moore said
they all have other jobs. And none are certified animal control officers.
"If you do hire someone part time, you will have to get them a vehicle,"
Gil said. "Carmen Mendoza is on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Sometimes she is called to Balmorhea on dog bites only."
Barstow Mayor Abram Flores said the main problem is stray dogs and dogs
that need to be put to sleep. A periodic sweep to pick them up might be
enough, he said.
The town does not have a dog tag ordinance, but the Ward County deputy
stationed in Barstow could point out the dogs that need to be picked up
and destroyed, Flores said.
City Attorney Scott Johnson said picking up strays in Barstow would
probably be legal, but "I question whether we can collect fines. That
would be something they would have to handle, probably through the
justice of the peace."
Gil suggested the Barstow deputy pick up the animals and bring them to
the Pecos pound, as does Reeves County Sheriff's Deputy Floyd Estrada in
Balmorhea.
"We could store the animals temporarily for the three-day holding period
and put them to sleep," Gil said.
Stafford asked Gil to get together with Councilman Rodriguez and Barstow
officials to work out a feasible solution, reporting back to the council
at their Oct. 24 meeting.
Frank Spencer & Associates won the engineering contract and Carlos
Colina-Vargas the administrative contract for replacement for part of
the Ward County water field transmission line, which is funded by a
$200,800 grant.
Councilman Gerald Tellez Jr. asked water superintendent Octavio Garcia
about sewer gas escaping into buildings downtown.
Garcia said he checked out some complaints and found problems with the
plumbing. He said water evaporates from sewer traps in unused lines,
allowing sewer gas to enter the building.
When the gas smell is outside, city crews use deodorizers and clean the
lines, he said. "If it is inside, it is their traps. If you open a
manhole, there is always a smell. It is going to go up anywhere it can."
Spencer said most of the problem is with floor drains that are seldom
used.
In discussing accounts payable, Stafford asked about a bill for $314
from Swiss Clock Inn for housing a family displaced by a recent mercury
spill.
Gil said the city will be reimbursed by the Environmental Protection
Agency for about $20,000 in expenses.
Mercury contaminated one house and several yards in the 700 block of
South Oak Street, after children found the liquid in a storeroom and
played with it for about two weeks.
Herrera asked Gil about mosquito spraying, which Gil said was stopped
two days ago.
"We have some areas that are grassy that have mosquitoes," Gil said.
Herrera said he and friends talking outside his house were attacked by
mosquitoes last night.
"We go by the calls coming in," Gil said. "They are down to zero. We can
start spraying again."
The council adopted a resolution supporting Tom Haywood's Senate bill
that would rebate 5 percent of lottery ticket proceeds to counties and
cities. Pecos would receive 2½ percent of sales within the city limits,
with the county getting a like amount.
Sales outside the city limits would net the county 5 percent.
At Rodriguez's request, Stafford set a monthly meeting between all
department heads, herself and one councilman to discuss operations.
Rodriguez said the Pecos Youth Commission will attend a mini-convention
at the Region 18 Service Center in Midland next week.
PECOS, October 10, 1996 - If you're having problems with your dumpsters
or extra trash in your alleys, be patient and the problems will
eventually get solved, according to Town of Pecos City Finance Director
Steve McCormick.
He said the new company hired to handle the city's trash collection,
WesTex Waste Services, Inc. is doing their best to try to solve the
problems that are arising.
"We've been getting some complaints, but they expected to receive
some," said McCormick. "We've also been receiving some compliments about
them."
"There are certain dumpsters that are getting fuller, and they are
trying to weed out which alleys are in need of extras," said McCormick.
"The ones that are getting fuller faster will be receiving new ones,"
he said.
McCormick stated that another problem the company is having here is
that some old dumpsters are rotted out from the bottom.
"They had about 36 dumpsters that were all rotted out at the bottom and
they were afraid to use them," said McCormick. "Those 36 will be
replaced with new ones."
The new dumpsters were to arrive today and would be placed in the
appropriate alleyways.
Town of Pecos City contracted with WesTex Waste Disposal Services, Inc.
for solid waste pickup and disposal recently. The company took over
local trash collection on Sept. 30.
In the contract, WT Waste was to purchase about 160 dumpsters costing
$48,000 and build a transfer station if the 90-day trial period proves
satisfactory.
The contract runs out at the end of December, but the contract states
that notice needs to be given 30 days prior to its end, so McCormick
said, "The council will have to decide something by the end of
November."
City employees are working for WT Waste on a lease basis during the
trial period. They would have first priority for five truck driving jobs
with the company should the five-year contract be ratified.
Local Department of Public Safety Trooper John Henley issued the
citation as a result of the accident, which occurred just after 4:30
a.m. when a trailer being hauled by a 1995 GMC conventional truck
tractor rolled over one-quarter time.
Driver of the Watkins Motorline truck, Richard Pigg, 54, of Mesquite,
was eastbound at I-20 mile post 45 when he allowed the truck tractor and
the two trailers he was hauling to drift off the road to the right side,
according to Henley.
The driver over-corrected to the left, causing the second tow unit to
overturn. Both trailers came to rest facing east with the rear unit on
its right side across the left lane of I-20 and the first in an upright
position.
The citation charged Pigg with failing to drive in a single lane.
Henley said there were no injuries, "only property damage."
By MARI MALDONADO
Staff Writer
PECOS, October 10, 1996 - Reeves County Appraisal District's Board of
Directors were told the district was, "doing well in the (budget)
categories," during a short session held by the board Wednesday
afternoon.
No questions were raised by board members during the overview of the
Expenses and Balances Report for the past quarter. Expenses for July
came in at $28,579.50, for August at $10,654.51 and for September at
$9,535.08.
July's expense sheet showed a legal fee of $342 to Calame, Linegarber,
Graham and Pena, according to Chief Appraiser Carol King Markham, who
added that September's report had an ad expense for $11.25 for a
classified ad for certified appraiser.
The balance for the district's money market account at First National
Bank of Pecos was calculated at $77,892.37 for the final month of the
quarter, with $5,175.96 in the checking account. Interest earned was
reported at $198.38 for the month.
The budget report described balances of: $1,500 for Plant Property and
Equipment; $18,533.50 for Contract Appraisal Costs; $5,257.26 for
Occupancy Costs; $21,347.85 for Operating Costs; $3,537.66 for Vehicle
Costs; $31,660.00 for Payroll Costs and $12,068.13 for Payroll, Taxes
and Employee Benefits.
The nine month expense total for the district was put at $144,453.66.
All taxing entities have made their third quarter payments, and Reeves
County Water Improvement District #2 is paid out for the year, the board
was told.
All reports were approved unanimously with minimal discussion.
Board members approved allowing Markham to attend an Oil and Gas course
in Odessa to gain 50 hours credit in a three-day period.
Reecia Pigman and Charles Mitchell were appointed by unanimous vote to
fill the two vacant positions left on the Appraisal Review Board. Jeff
Stephens will continue to serve on the ARB, said Markham.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Information contained in the Police Report is obtained
from reports filed by the Pecos Police Department, Reeves County
Sheriff's Office, Texas Department of Public Safety, or other agencies;
and from interviews with officers of those agencies.
Edmundo Saenz was arrested by police during a traffic stop in the 300
block of Peach Street on Sept. 24. He was charged with having no
driver's license, no insurance and tampering with a serial number.
-----
Antonio R. Ochoa was served a warrant for outstanding fines at the Town
of Pecos City Municipal Court, in the 500 block of Oak Street, just
before lunch on Sept. 24.
-----
A sheriffs office warrant was served by police to Gabriel Acosta when he
was arrested at the corner of North Cedar and "B" streets on Sept. 25.
He was charged with deadly conduct, probation violation. Police were
checking into a report of subjects fighting when they questioned Acosta.
Acosta's age and address were not given.
-----
Lee Jay Davis was arrested on a warrant for terroristic threat by police
on Sept. 26 in the 1600 block of South Eddy Street. His age and address
were not indicated.
-----
Police took into custody a male juvenile on a charge of taking a motor
vehicle without the proper authorization. Police said the vehicle was
taken from the Rodeo Grounds parking lot on Sept. 26.
-----
A female juvenile was taken into custody by police for assault causing
bodily injury on Sept. 27, following an incident at the Crockett Middle
School campus.
-----
Guadalupe Bustamante was arrested by police after being served a warrant
for theft from a person. She taken into custody at the Anchor West
Foods, Inc. facility on Sept. 27. Her age and address were not available.
-----
On Sept. 27, Lawrence Burleson, cashier for Flying J Travel Plaza,
reported to police that an unknown subject in a truck tractor drove off
without paying for gas. The incident occurred about 2 a.m.
-----
Jesus Martinez, 18, 915 S. Cherry St., was arrested by police for public
intoxication, evading detention, resisting arrest and having an
outstanding warrant for nonpayment of fines. The arrest was made on
Sept. 27, just before midnight, in the 1200 block of Plum Street.
A male juvenile was also taken into custody for evading detention and
resisting arrest at this time, police reported.
-----
Eliseo Lujan, 17, 2106 S. Hackberry St., was arrested by police for
public intoxication and failing to identify himself to a peace officer
in the 800 block of South Ash Street on Sept. 28, about 1:30 a.m. He was
later served a warrant in jail for assault causing bodily injury.
-----
Police arrested Javier Benavides, 19, of Odessa, for public intoxication
and for an outstanding warrant for theft over $20 and under $500 on
Sept. 28 in the 800 block of South Oak Street.
-----
On Sept. 28, about 1:30 a.m., police arrested Elisar Saucedo Madrid, 19,
of Odessa, in the 800 block of South Oak Street for public intoxication.
He was also served an outstanding warrant out of Ector County for theft.
-----
DWI, first offense, was the charge brought against Armin Payen Tavarez,
34, 617 S. Mulberry St., on Sept. 29, about 3 a.m., in the 800 block of
East Sixth Street.
-----
Marci Rogers reported to police that sometime between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m.
on Sept. 30, her purse was taken from her vehicle while it was parked
outside the First Baptist Church, in the 500 block of South Hickory
Street.
-----
On Oct. 1, police arrested Adan Valles Medina, 38, 2029 Ivey St., for
DWI, third offense, after he refused to submit to a breathalizer test in
the 600 block of West Seventh Street.
-----
William Gochicoa was arrested on a warrant for possession of cocaine on
Oct. 2. His age, address and place of arrest were not indicated.
-----
A warrant service for the Midland County Sheriffs Department was
conducted by police Oct. 2, about 3 p.m., when officers served Jodi
Enmon Matta, 31, 107 N. Cedar St., in the 500 block of South Oak Street.
She was charged with theft over $500 and under $1500, theft by
repetition.
-----
Santiago Fuentez was arrested for possession of drug paraphernalia at
the corner of Seventh and Almond streets Oct. 3. His age and address
were not given.
-----
Robert Ybarra was arrested at Wal-Mart by police for theft, Class B
Misdemeanor on Oct. 3, 12:20 p.m. His age and address were not available.
-----
Pablo Munoz was arrested Oct. 3, about 2 a.m., for driving with a
suspended license near the 1200 block of South Cedar Street. He was also
charged by police with having a child under three years old unrestrained
by a seat belt. His age and address were not indicated.
-----
Florence M. Natividad, 34, was arrested for public intoxication in the
900 block of South Ash Street on Oct. 4, about 3 a.m.
Ben Boyd Lewis, 84, of Fayetteville, died Monday, Oct. 7 at Rochier
Heights Nursing Center.
A memorial service is set for Saturday at 4 p.m. at Moore's Chapel in
Fayetteville, Ark., with Jack Harriman officiating.
Lewis was born Sept. 2, 1912 in Pattonville, Tx., was a farmer and a
former member of the Carpenters Union. He played football for Paris
Junior College in Paris, Tx., and worked as a ship builder during World
War II.
He was a former member of the Lamar Ave. Church of Christ in Paris and
attended the Gilford Baptist Church in Dallas, where he was a member of
the Sunday School Class. He had been a longtime resident of Dallas.
Survivors include his wife, Lida Rolan Turner Lewis of Fayetteville,
Ark; one son, Dr. Tom Tandy Lewis of Ladysmith, Wisc.; two daughters,
Madge Frances Davidson of Abilene, Mille Sue Nelms of Fayetteville; a
sister, Helen Bell of Pecos; six grandchildren and three
great-grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to the Council
on Aging, New Building Fund, 1 North School, Fayetteville, Ark. 72701.
High Wednesday 93, low last night 55. Tonight, fair. Low around 55.
Southeast wind 5-15 mph. Friday, sunny. High around 90. South wind 10-20
mph.
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_
Copyright 1996 by Pecos Enterprise
Division of Buckner News Alliance, Inc.
324 S. Cedar St., Pecos, TX 79772
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