Wednesday, September 24, 1997
Area news roundup
Baird sets $2 million school bond vote for Nov. 8
BAIRD -- By a 6-1 vote, the Baird school board has set Nov.
8 for a $2.1 million school bond election.
The proposal calls for a new $1.5 million elementary school
and $600,000 to renovate the high school gym.
Trustees also set a tax rate of $1.06 per $100 valuation --
down four cents from the current rate.
In other business, the board:
-- Voted against supporting efforts to gain a Texas Youth Council
facility in Baird. Trustees based their vote on the possibility
of a sudden influx of students -- 300 or more -- which they said
would overwhelm school facilities.
-- Eliminated blanket tax abatements. Future abatements will
be considered case-by-case.
School tax up in Gorman
GORMAN -- The Gorman Independent School District has approved
a new property tax rate of slightly more than $1.20 per $100 valuation,
representing an increase of slightly less that 10 cents over the
current year.
The action was taken during a public meeting Monday.
Sommers named new chief
RANGER -- Louis H. Sommers has been named police and fire commissioner
by Mayor Billy Guess.
Sommers fills the vacancy left by David Snyder, who resigned
several weeks ago when his family moved.
"I'll be honest and will use a little common sense,"
Sommers said, in reaction to his appointment.
In other business, city commissioners:
-- Followed the recommendation of the Ranger Economic Development
Corp., approving a $62,052 grant to a business to help purchase
a downtown building. The business will hire three or four workers.
-- Agreed to deposit a returned $40,164 check that was refused
by engineer Carl O'Neal. O'Neal won a lawsuit against Ranger after
he was terminated. Now, according to a letter to the commission,
O'Neal is seeking $56,573.
"We can't let this go on. Somebody needs to get this straight,"
Commissioner Eddie Wallace said.
-- Denied a rate increase request by Waste Management Inc.,
the city's sanitation service, citing "poor management in
Ranger."
Also, it was announced that the municipal judge will start
collecting a $3 security fee on all misdemeanor convictions. According
to a new state law, the money must be used for security measures
such as metal detectors, security hardware and training.
Stephens County adopts a lower budget
BRECKENRIDGE -- Stephens County Commissioners have adopted
a $2,957,000 budget for 1998. The new budget is $13,000 less than
the 1997 budget.
No citizens appeared for Tuesday's public hearing during which
the budget was adopted. The tax rate also has been set at 46 cents
per $100 valuation.
Commissioners also accepted an audit of the county's 1996 books.
In other action, a petition was approved requesting that the
Texas Department of Transportation install a stop or caution light
at the intersection of U.S. Highway 180 and FM 3201. The intersection
is near the local Wal-Mart store and has been the scene of several
accidents.
Five nominees to the Stephens County Appraisal District also
were named by commissioners. The nominees are: C.O. Thompson Jr.,
Jerry Toland, David Duggan, David Thompson, and Curt McClaymond.
County offers $25,000 for store venture
COLORADO CITY -- Mitchell County Commissioners agreed Tuesday
to provide up to $25,000 to help purchase property involved in
the ALCO chain store development project in Colorado City.
County Judge Ray Mayo said the joint project with the city
could create 30 jobs and increase the local tax base.
The variety store may be constructed in the 2000 block of Hickory.
Mayo noted the money would be transferred only upon the closing
of an agreement with ALCO.
In other business, commissioners agreed to purchase right-of-way
from the state on the Interstate 20 access road to the new Covenant
Community housing project for $600.
This will connect the access road to the housing area, Mayo
said. As part of the arrangement, the county voted to deed two
county-owned lots to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
Work is under way on the 72-unit housing project for which
three model homes are open for viewing.
Eastland lowers tax rate a bit more
EASTLAND -- Eastland City commissioners lowered taxes a bit
more Tuesday from the rate they set at an earlier meeting.
Commissioners set the new rate at 57.7 cents per $100 valuation,
down from the 57.9 cents they proposed earlier.
City Secretary Susie Quinn said figures were not all in at
the last meeting.
The new tax rate represents a cent and a half drop from the
current rate of 59.2 cents.
Commissioners also voted to close an alley so the old Higginbotham-Bartlett
Co. building can be sold. When the building was constructed many
years ago, it was built across an alley. The lumber company is
building a much larger store on East Main Street.
In other business:
-- The city manager was authorized to purchase a pneumatic
roller, an asphalt spreader and a bucket truck from a used equipment
auction. The city was unsuccessful in obtaining bids to pave several
streets with donated asphalt millings, so the city will do the
work itself.
-- The city agreed to pay half the cost now for fireworks to
be set off Nov. 8 during Eastland's 100th birthday party.
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Copyright ©1997,
Abilene Reporter-News / Texnews / E.W. Scripps Publications
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