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Archive 2002

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Daily Newspaper and Travel Guide
for Pecos Country of West Texas

Top Stories

Tuesday, November 19, 2002

Commissioners approve budget, tax rate for '03

By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer

PECOS, Tues., Nov. 19, 2002 -- Reeves County Commissioners made a few adjustments in  staffing for one department, and then adopted the county's budget for  2003 and set the tax rate for the upcoming year Monday evening, during  the budget hearing held at the Reeves County courthouse.

Commissioners approved a budget of $5.7 million for 2003, down from the estimated $5.9 million budget for the 2002 fiscal year. At the same time, the commissioners voted to keep the current property tax rate at 40 cents per $100 valuation.

"The tax rate stays the same and everything else will essentially be the same," said Reeves County Judge Jimmy B. Galindo, who added that that the only major change was restructuring the Road and Bridges Department.

"We had to take seven positions out of Road and Bridges and place them elsewhere," said Galindo.

The seven positions will be transferred to the Reeves County Detention Center, which is scheduled to open its new 960-bed addition early next year. One of those seven will be retiring and other positions will be moved over to the RCDC, while the cost of those jobs will be shifted over from Road and Bridges to the county's General Fund.

"We had some individuals that went to the jailer's school and will now be employed at the RCDC," said Galindo.

Galindo called it a "cost-saving" move that needed to be done in order to balance the Road and Bridges Department budget, which was funded to support 17 workers during the 2002 fiscal year.

"This is what it takes to balance the Road and Bridges department budget," said Galindo. "There are certain needs that are needed at that department, that can be filled by individuals at the Road and Bridges department and it balances everything. So, it makes sense to consolidate some of those services."

Galindo said that the seven employees will be employed at the different sites, utilizing their "special talents."

"This is just one of those things that needs to be done in order to balance the budget," he said.

The department's estimated expenses for 2002, running through the end of the year, is $796,995, while the department's fund for this year was only $676,110. Under the estimated budget for 2003, Road and Bridge expenses will be $584,474, while the department's funding will be $605,864.

Funding is based on tax receipts, auto registration fees, collected traffic fines and interest on existing fund balances.

"We don't have the revenue coming in to the Road and Bridges Department to sustain a 17 person operation," he said. The change will leave the department with 10 employees.

"They do a great job, they do a lot of things and are always busy," said Galindo. "It's just one of those things that needs to be done."

There were no tax changes and everything else will stay the same, according to Galindo.

"The main thing right now, is the restructuring of the Road and Bridges Department," said Galindo. "I'm confident that Mr. (Supervisor Russ) Salcido will be able to handle the duties with the employees he has."

Christian Home needs food,  deliverers

By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer

PECOS, Tues., Nov. 19, 2002 -- With just over a week to go before Thanksgiving, the Pecos  Christian home's annual holiday dinner is also getting closer, and donations of  most  of the main dinner items are still being sought.

Turkeys, cranberry sauce, green beans, yams and desserts are still needed for the annual Thanksgiving Dinner, scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 28, at the Reeves County Civic Center.

The Christian Home sponsors the event both during Thanksgiving and Christmas, and director Bruce Dury said that the number of individuals that attend the Thanksgiving Day dinner has grown in recent years. He said between 250-300 people attended last year's event.

"Right now, we need everything, from turkeys to desserts, and time is running out," he said.

Dury said that a group of women from the local Catholic churches have volunteered to cook the turkeys this year, but that volunteers were still needed for deliveries outside the Civic Center.

Those deliveries will mainly be to the individuals on the Meals On Wheels list. "That's over 100 people," said Dury, since regular Meals on Wheels deliveries do not take place Thanksgiving Day.

Dury said that if anyone would like to volunteer they are asked to go to the Civic Center early next Thursday morning. "We need to have volunteers here by at least 10 a.m., because we want to do the home deliveries first," he said.

Dury said the dinner has been a success each year, and he feels confident the community will once again reach out and help.

"Everybody is always welcome to join us," he said.

Donations can be taken to the Christian Home, located at 1201 S. Elm Street or by calling 445-2049 and someone will pick up the items.

Christmas for the Kids' seeks funds to meet goal

By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer

PECOS, Tues., Nov. 19, 2002 -- Christmas gifts for some needy children in the community are closer  to reality, thanks to donations given to volunteers this past weekend. 

The "elves" who support Pecos' "Christmas for the Kids" program have been working hard to raise funds for the fund that will help children in the community enjoy the holiday season.

"We raised $1,704 this past weekend," said elf Sofia Baeza, one of the organizers for the Christmas for the Kids.

The group had a door-to-door fundraisers and several committees and groups in the community turned up to help the "happy elves."

"Our goal for this year is to raise $8,000, because the list of children and families that apply grows each year," said Baeza. "We just want to make Christmas a happy time for as many children as we can."

Christmas for the Kids will be taking applications until Friday, Nov. 29. "If anyone feels that they qualify for this program they can come by the sheriff's department and fill out an application or call us," said Baeza.

"Individuals will have to meet certain criteria and requirements in order to be a recipient," said Baeza.

"We provide the essential items such as shoes, clothes, jackets and we want to help every child that is on our list every year," she added. "We want to make it a `Happy Holiday,' for these less fortunate children in our community."

"We want to provide the essentials for as many children as possible, this Christmas season," said Baeza. "We want to help as many families as we can."

The group works hard every year to bring a brighter and happier Christmas to the children in the community by providing the essentials for them.

"We enjoy handing out those gifts on Christmas, to children who would otherwise not receive any," said Baeza.

Last year, Christmas for Kids helped out 511 children, with 173 families benefiting from the special project. This year, they already have 218 children whose families have applied and are eligible for the program.

"I have 21 newcomers, new applications from individuals that have never been served by the program and out of that there are 76 kids," said Baeza. "We also helped five families throughout the year that had lost all their belongings due to fires."

She said that the main goal of the group was to provide the best Christmas ever for the kids in our community.

"Since 1996, when we started this program, our community has always been there for us, I know it will be here again this year," she said.

For more information on the program call the Reeves County Sheriff's Office at 445-4901.

Flea market planned on Rodeo Grounds

PECOS, Tues., Nov. 19, 2002 -- Artwork, antiques, jewelry, clothes and more will be for sale at the first Pecos Peddler's Flea Market to be held beginning at 9 a.m., on Saturday on the grounds of the Buck Jackson Rodeo Arena, 1500 S. Cedar St.

Entry fee is $1 and a chance for drawings will be available. Children under 16 can come in free if accompanied by parents.

For more information contact the Pecos Area Chamber of Commerce at 915-445-2406.

Weather

PECOS, Tues., Nov. 19, 2002 -- High Monday 67. Low this morning 34. Forecast for tonight:   Mostly clear. Lows around 35. North winds 5 to 10 mph. Wednesday:   Mostly sunny. Highs 65 to 70. Northwest winds 5 to 10 mph. Wednesday night:   Clear. Lows around 35. Thursday:  Partly cloudy. Highs 65 to 70. Friday:   Mostly clear. Lows 35 to 40. Highs 65 to 70.



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Pecos Enterprise
York M. "Smokey" Briggs, Publisher
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324 S. Cedar St., Pecos, TX 79772
Phone 915-445-5475, FAX 915-445-4321
e-mail news@pecos.net

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Copyright 2002 by Pecos Enterprise