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Newspaper and Travel Guide
for Pecos Country of West Texas
Friday, October 10, 2008
Commissioners $17m bond plan gets business support
Three propositions that are part of a $17 million bond issue proposed by Reeves County Commissioners are on the ballot for the November 4 elections, and local business leaders are hoping the voters will approve all of them.
Local businessman Leo Hung said that he decided to help out the Reeves County Commissioners and talk about the facts, because he believes that the three propositions will be good for the community and Reeves County.
The Reeves County Commissioners Court called a bond election for the issuance of bonds not to exceed $17.1 million for the construction, renovation, acquisition and equipment of parks, library facilities, offices, storage and other public business for the county. However, the county has been slow to release details on the plan, and the business group has stepped in to promote the three propositions to county voters.
A lot of groups are trying to promote this, because the county alone cannot do this, said Hung. Were trying to provide information on this and we as well are trying to inform the community on what these propositions will mean to our community.
Hung is planning to spend $9 million on a hotel, restaurant and entertainment center along Interstate 20 next to Reeves County Golf Course. Commissioners last year sold Hung property along I-20 that included three holes of the 14-hole course for his Paradise Plaza project.
Part of the bond issue would involve relocating those holes and adding four more holes to make the course a full 18-hole layout.
Nancy Martinez, who is working with Hung on the Paradise Plaza development, said that a lot of people ask, Why is the county focusing on these issues?
They reviewed all of the different possibilities and decided to focus on quality of life issues, said Martinez. Theyre important if we expect people to move to Reeves County and for it to grow, we need these types of things.
Martinez said that this would promote tourism and bring other types of tourism and more people in to the community.
A Texas Parks and Wildlife Department grant of $500,000 has been secured to aid in the development of the parks and golf course, according to the commissioners.
The maximum amount of the bond program will be $17.1 million and voters can vote for one, two or all three propositions.
To pay for the bond program, which will provide new and improved facilities and parks for all of Reeves County, the tax rate for debt service on the bonds is estimated to be no more than 16 cents per $100 valuation for all three proposals.
According to the brochure provided by Martinez, that would translate into additional taxes on a $50,000 home of $80 per year/$6.67 per month and on a $100,000 home of $160 per year/$13.33 per month.
As appraisals rise due to the increasing valuations, additional monies are generated and drive down taxes.
The brochure states: For example, the recent school bond election passed a 33-cent tax. However, that tax has decreased to 18 cents because of the increased valuations within the Pecos-Barstow-Toyah ISD.
Proposition 1 on the ballot will be for $12.4 million and will involve the golf course and a planned new sports complex, which Precinct 1 Commissioner Roy Alvarado said would be located on the south side of Maxey Park, where the current soccer field is located.
That would include new regulation sized ball fields; new bleachers, concession and bathrooms; dug outs; lighting, fencing, irrigation and landscaping; parking for 300 vehicles and a kids play area.
The soccer field would be replaced with a new field on the west side of Maxey Park, where the Pecos Senior League baseball field is currently located, Alvarado said.
The golf course improvements would include the seven new holes and installation of sand traps and water hazards; driving range improvements; pro shop with lockers, lounge, office and sales; covered pavilion area for outdoor parking; cart storage and maintenance facilities.
Other items included in Proposition 1 are at the Balmorhea Community Center. Parking lot improvements, a park with covered seating; play scape, jogging and walking trails and exercise stations would be put in.
Proposition 1 will also include the construction of a North Side Park and Fun Park splash park with water reclaim or re-use and water conservation features; play area; covered seating; jogging and walking trails; exercise stations and parking lot.
Proposition 2 would involve $4.4 million in bond money, which would will be for a new 13,000 square foot Reeves County Library to replace the current building at Fifth and Park streets.
Proposition 3 would be in the amount of $500,000 will be for the 4-H Grounds; upgrades and improvements to existing facilities; storage space; restrooms and vending area.
The county facilities were assessed by architects, engineers and county officials to determine the needs. Quality of Life issues are to be addressed by this bond program, according to the brochure.
Early voting by personal appearance for the Nov. 4 election will begin Oct. 20, until Oct. 31, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. until 5 p.m.
Early voting will be taking place at the Pecos Community Center, 5th and Oak Street.
The applications requesting a ballot by mail can be made either by calling the county clerks office at 432-445-5467 or by going by the clerks office. The qualifications for requesting a ballot by mail must be one of the following: must be 65 years of age or over; be disabled; expected absence from the county and confinement in jail.
The deadline for the county clerk to receive an application requesting a ballot by mail will be Oct. 28.
WD President Travland sets Fall board meeting
Catherine Travaland of Pecos, Western District President of the Texas Federation of Womens Clubs, will be conducting the 49th Fall Board Meeting on Saturday, Oct. 11, in the Odessa Regional Medical Center Conference Room, in Odessa.
Special guests will be Marjorie Williamson of Horseshoe Bay, TFWC State President and Dorothy Roberts of Corpus Christi, TFWC President-Elect. These ladies will be keynote speakers during the event.
Sylvia Villa of Midland, Community and Justice Liaison for Safe Place, will be speaking on domestic-awareness and prevention.
President Travlands theme is Women Volunteers With Vision and her special project is Childrens Issues. In lieu of door prizes the Western District attendees are asked to bring packets for the women and children at Safe Place.
Reservations are required for continental breakfast and lunch. Call 432-445-3516 for more information.
President Travland serves through The Modern Study Club of Pecos, a club in good standing of the Western District of the Texas Federation of Womens Clubs, with headquarters in Austin, in association with the General Federation of Womens Clubs with headquarters in Washington, D.C.
The two-year tenure of President Travland began in may 2008 and will conclude May 2018.
PEDC hears dueling requests over lots from home builders
Two home builders seeking the same two lots in the central part of Pecos was the subject of discussion for the Pecos Economic Development Corp. on Wednesday, during their regular meeting, and board members will discuss the matter again on Monday, during a special noon meeting at City Hall.
Antonio Briones, who is the process of building six new single-family homes in the Morris Addition, in the 800 block between Washington and Adams Street, and representatives of First Service, a company doing work for the Pecos-Barstow-Toyah ISD, talked with the council about two of the remaining lots in the 19-lot section, located near the corner of Cowan and Washington streets.
Executive director Robert Tobias said he was contacted last week by local realtor Reccia Pigman about First Services desire to acquire the two lots for 1,500-square foot homes that would initially be used by its employees. However, Tobias and city attorney Scott Johnson noted that under the contract signed with Briones, the builder has first right of refusal on any of the remaining lots.
The way I take it is if you get another offer from a third party, Mr. Briones has a right to match it or not match it, but he has that right, Johnson said.
The current contract between Briones, the PEDC and the Town of Pecos City requires the builder to pay $2,500 per lot. Johnson said if First Choice makes a higher offer for any of the lots, Briones would have to meet that price.
I dont know if this is as bonafied an offer or not, but thats the first step, and Mr. Briones gets his right of refusal. Thats the second step, Johnson said.
These people are ready to start building immediately, Pigman said. Time is of the essence.
She said they had hoped to move the request before the City Council in their Thursday meeting, and that First Service wanted to complete the homes by Nov. 15. But they were told that since Briones had right of first refusal, he would have to be given adequate time to match the offer, before any bid could go before the council.
However, Briones told the PEDC board he didnt want to share the site of the remaining lots, in the 700 block between Washington and Adams streets, with another builder.
If you all do give them the lots, you can take all the lots and Ill find different lots, he said. I dont want competition in that area, and if I have to, Ill just go into private business. Twenty-five hundred isnt much, but you can find other lots for $2,500
Briones has already taken an option on five of the 19 remaining lots two of which are in the 700 block, on the east side of Morris Street. Under the terms of his agreement, if he were to match a bid on the other two lots, he would have to begin construction within 90 days and complete homes within six months.
What I understood is the 19 are going to be committed to me if I decided to build other houses, Briones said.
He is also responsible for the cost of installing electric utilities on his lots to the east of Morris Street. The PEDC paid the cost for electric installation on lots to the west of Morris Street.
Im just trying to be sensitive to Mr. Briones. He was the first one to come in here before anyone else, Tobias told Pigman. Im just trying to be fair to all.
Board members said part of the problem is the land is still owned by the city, even though requests for lots go through the PEDC board, and asked Tobias to talk to the city about selling the remaining lots to the PEDC.
Board members ended up tabling any action until Mondays special meeting, and earlier tabled action on any new appointments to the 4A or 4B PEDC board, until the next regular meeting at the end of the month.
Along with the lot discussion, the board also plans to hear a plan to combine use of the citys hotel-motel occupancy and venue taxes under a Pecos Convention and Visitors Bureau during their next meeting. Joe Keese, representing several of the entities that receive funds from the citys bed tax, presented the proposal to the citys Bed Tax Committee last week.
The plan would relocated Pecos Chamber of Commerce and Pecos Main Street operations within the CVB, and allow all venue tax revenues to be put towards remodeling of the Buck Jackson Rodeo Arena and the Reeves County Civic Center.
Keese working with P-B-T kids as part of new DARE program
Learning, fun and games are all a part of the curriculum set out for the D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Program) students who have been participating in the program.
Im taking them class by class and right now, I am working with the fifth graders and the kindergarteners, said Olga Keese, D.A.R.E. Officer for the Pecos-Barstow-Toyah ISD.
Keese began working as the Pecos-Barstow-Toyah ISD D.A.R.E., a program that was reintroduced to the school district at the beginning of the school year.
D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education), is a police officer-led series of classroom lessons that teaches children from kindergarten through 12th grade how to resist peer pressure and live productive drug and violence-free lives.
Keese excitedly outlined the many events that she has planned for her classes.
The class is actually 10 weeks and at the end of the 10 weeks, the fifth graders will have a graduation ceremony, said Keese.
She said that the program would be filled with learning, fun, games and competition.
The classes will have a competition every week, said Keese. This program will help the teachers, the school and the community, she said.
The class that wins the competition each week, gets their picture taken with the teacher, the D.A.R.E. Officer and the principal and the picture will appear in the local newspaper. The group will have a chance to carry the D.A.R.E. mascot, Daren throughout the day, have a table in the cafeteria decorated for them and enjoy lunch with the officer and they will also enjoy ice cream in the afternoon, courtesy of La Tienda Thriftway.
Every class has a color and the competitions will vary every week, according to Keese.
For example, the competition this week, was best attendance; next week, will be the class with the least tardies; the week after, Eagle Prints and then Red Ribbon and Food Drive, said Keese.
The food drive collection will be donated to the church food bank, which is in dire need of donations.
There are nine classrooms and each class takes the course on a different day, according to Keese.
Other competitions will include the best behaved in the cafeteria and a Toy Drive.
All of these competitions help them learn responsibility, but also helps the school and community, said Keese.
The competition helps the school with the tardiness and absenteeism; the food drive helps the community, along with the Toy Drive and the best behaved in the cafeteria helps the teachers, according to Keese.
Keese trained for the program for two weeks before the start of the school year in Douglas, Ariz. and was at the top of her group.
I even won a medal, said Keese proudly. The training was really intense, but I received some good compliments from the instructor, she said.
The group consisted of 21 officers, from nine different states.
The students attending her class have really been enjoying it and talked about the things that they have learned so far. This weeks class winner was the class from Rita Gilbreath.
Katarina Carrasco said that she learned to always resist doing drugs.
I learned that you need to respect everyone, said Michael Vasquez.
Diana Contreras said that she learned that we need to concentrate on the community and keep it clean. Jimmy Gomez said that if you see gangs, call someone and Brandon Armendariz said stay away from drugs, they are bad for you.
Cassidey Hager that you need to respect others, because if you dont, they wont respect you back.
Joe Ray Nunez said that people shouldnt smoke, it messes up your lungs and Ryan Fuentez stated, dont drink, theyll put you in jail.
Matthew Ruiz and Edward Orona summed it up by saying, Dont do drugs, they can mess with your mind and be drug free.
Cities, RCH see drop in October rebate checks
Sales tax receipts were down for all three cities in Reeves County in October for the first time in more than 18 months, according to figures released on Wednesday by the Texas Comptrollers office.
Pecos, Balmorhea and Toyah all received smaller checks this month than they did in October of 2007, according to the figures from Texas Comptroller Susan Combs office, though tax receipts for all three remain up overall for the first 10 months of 2008.
Pecos received $144,150 from its 1 1/2-cent share of the states 8 1/4-cent sales tax, down 11.57 percent from last years $163,015 total. Overall for 2008, the city has gotten $1,590,580 back in tax receipts, a 28.99 percent increase from the $1,233,082 last year. Of the October numbers, one sixth of the total, or $26,025, go to the Pecos Economic Development Corp. for its operations.
Balmorheas 1 1/2-cent sales tax brought in $3,010 back this month, a 5.55 drop from last years $3,187. Overall in 2008, the city has gotten $31,380.64 back from Austin, up 16.22 percent from last years $26,999 total. Toyahs October check for $831 was down 59.95 percent from last years $2,076, while for the year the city has gotten $9,079 back from the comptrollers office, a 5.25 percent increase from the $8625 it had gotten back for the first 10 months of last year.
Also reporting lower numbers for October was the Reeves County Hospital District. Its 1/2-cent sales tax brought in $89,034 this month, a 4.77 decline from last years $93,498. Overall, the hospital has gotten $949,561.01 back from Austin, up 45.90 percent from last years $650,826, and will likely go over the $1 million mark in tax rebates for the year in November, just one year after Pecos annual sales tax receipt totals passed the $1 million mark for the first time.
Across the area this month, most other towns continue to report double-digit increases in their tax rebate checks.
Midlands check from its 1 1/2-cent sales tax was just under $3.1 million up 13.33 percent from last year, and was the largest single check sent out for the area. Overall for 2008, the city has seen a 13.81 percent rise in its sales tax totals. Odessas 1 1/4-cent share of the states sales tax share brought in $2.03 million, an increase of 12.79 percent, while for the year, Odessa is up 11.76 percent.
For other cities collecting the 1 1/2-cent sales tax, Alpine received a $97,389 check, which was up 14.99 percent. Overall, Alpine is up 8.31 percent in tax rebates from 2007. Crane received a check for $58,139, up 11.81 percent, while the city is up 18.40 percent for the year. Lamesa got a $95,605 check back this month, which was up 10.84 percent, and its 2008 total is up 12.67 percent. Seminole received a check for $102,108, which was up 17.88 percent from last October, while overall, its 2008 totals are up 10.02 percent.
Among cities collecting a one-cent sales tax Kermit received $51,514, which was down 26.51 percent from last year. The city is up overall for 2008 by 6.43 percent. Wickett received a $13,298 check, down 21.93 percent this month, but for the year the total is up 46.21 percent; Wink received a check for $14,882, up 90.47 percent for the month, and the overall 2008 total is up by 98.02 percent; and Pyote, received an $2,230 check this month, a 4.05 percent increase, and the city is up 28.43 percent for the year.
For area cities collecting a 1 3/4-cent sales tax, Andrews received a check for $391,454, a 46.26 percent increase for the month, while its nine-month total is up 18.87 percent. Marfa got a check for $18,945, which was up 17.32 percent, and for the year the city is up 7.93 percent, and Van Horn got a check for $30,293, which was down 10.20 percent from a year ago. Van Horn is down 2.41 percent for all of 2008.
For cities collecting the maximum two-cent sales tax, Fort Stockton received $236,532 this month, up 23.43 percent, while the city is up 37.47 percent overall this year. Big Spring received $491,731, a 20.38 percent rise for the month, while overall the citys total is up by 12.76 percent increase for the year. Monahans received a check for $153,675, which was up 39.22 percent from last October, while the citys increase for 2008 is 21.68 percent. Grandfalls got a $2,912 check, up 34.82 percent for the month, and the city is up 15.48 percent for the year, while Presidio received $28,565 this month from Austin, up 3.19 percent from last October. The city is down 1.82 percent for all of 2008, and figures to see that deficit grow in November and December, when the sales tax numbers from the time period affected by the recent Rio Grande flooding that closed the International Bridge to Ojinaga begins to affect its monthly report.
Statewide, Combs office sent out rebate checks totaling $305.2 million, compared with the $300.9 million rebated last year, an increase of 1.42 percent. Houstons check for $36.2 million again was the largest single check and was down 2.35 percent from last year, while Dallas check was next, at $16.4 million, which was down 0.98 percent from last year.
Keese working with kids on D.A.R.E. program
Learning, fun and games are all a part of the curriculum set out for the D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Program) students who have been participating in the program.
Im taking them class by class and right now, I am working with the fifth graders and the kindergarteners, said Olga Keese, D.A.R.E. Officer for the Pecos-Barstow-Toyah ISD.
Keese began working at the beginning of the school year as the districts D.A.R.E., a program that was recently reintroduced to the P-B-T ISD.
D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education), is a police officer-led series of classroom lessons that teaches children from kindergarten through 12th grade how to resist peer pressure and live productive drug and violence-free lives.
Keese excitedly outlined the many events that she has planned for her classes.
The class is actually 10 weeks and at the end of the 10 weeks, the fifth graders will have a graduation ceremony, she said.
Keese said that the program would be filled with learning, fun, games and competition.
The classes will have a competition every week, said Keese. This program will help the teachers, the school and the community, she said.
The class that wins the competition each week, gets their picture taken with the teacher, the D.A.R.E. Officer and the principal and the picture will appear in the local newspaper. The group will have a chance to carry the D.A.R.E. mascot, Daren throughout the day, have a table in the cafeteria decorated for them and enjoy lunch with the officer and they will also enjoy ice cream in the afternoon, courtesy of La Tienda Thirftway.
Every class has a color and the competitions will vary every week, according to Keese.
For example, the competition this week, was best attendance; next week, will be the class with the least tardies; the week after, Eagle Prints and then Red Ribbon and Food Drive, she said.
The food drive collection will be donated to the church food bank, which is in dire need of donations.
There are nine classrooms and each class takes the course on a different day, according to Keese.
Other competitions will include the best behaved in the cafeteria and a Toy Drive.
All of these competitions help them learn responsibility, but also helps the school and community, said Keese.
She added that the competition helps the school with the tardiness and absenteeism; the food drive helps the community, along with the Toy Drive and the best behaved in the cafeteria helps the teachers.
Keese trained for the program for two weeks before the start of the school year in Douglas, Ariz. and was at the top of her group.
I even won a medal, said Keese proudly. The training was really intense, but I received some good compliments from the instructor.
The group consisted of 21 officers, from nine different states.
The students attending her class have really been enjoying it and talked about the things that they have learned so far. This weeks class winner was the class from Rita Gilbreath.
Katarina Carrasco said that she learned to always resist doing drugs.
I learned that you need to respect everyone, said Michael Vasquez.
Diana Contreras said that she learned that we need to concentrate on the community and keep it clean.
Jimmy Gomez said that if you see gangs, call someone and Brandon Armendariz said stay away from drugs, they are bad for you.
Cassidey Hager that you need to respect others, because if you dont, they wont respect you back.
Joe Ray Nunez said that people shouldnt smoke, it messes up your lungs and Ryan Fuentez stated, dont drink, theyll put you in jail.
Matthew Ruiz and Edward Orona summed it up by saying, Dont do drugs, they can mess with your mind and be drug free.
Pecos Enterprise
York M. "Smokey" Briggs, Publisher
324 S. Cedar St., Pecos, TX 79772
Phone 432-445-5475, FAX 432-445-4321
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 2003-04 by Pecos Enterprise
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