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Daily Newspaper and Travel Guide
for Pecos Country of West Texas
Monday, April 28, 2003
County to auction surplus items at flea market
By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer
PECOS, Mon., April 28, 2003 -- Surplus items from different county offices
will be for sale during the Pecos Peddlers Open Air Flea Market, scheduled
for May.
Pecos Area Chamber of Commerce Director Linda Gholson was on hand during
this morning's Reeves County Commissioners Court meeting to talk to the
commissioners about the flea market.
"Last November, we held our first flea market and it was considered a
success," said Gholson. "This year, we thought we could make it a little
bigger and have been asking the entities, that if they have anything they
don't need or want to include it in our flea market during the auction portion
of the event."
Gholson explained that this year the group would include an auction during
the flea market. "We have already lined up an auctioneer and clerks," she
said.
She said that 19 vendors had participated at November's flea market,
and 600 people had walked through the gates to browse. "We charged a $1
per person and had 600 come through," she said.
"We had talked about auctioning off county surplus equipment about a
month and a half ago, when Debbie Thomas approached me about the county
participating," said Reeves County Judge Jimmy B. Galindo. "I talked to
Mr. (county auditor Lynn) Owens and we talked about the legalities," he
said.
Galindo said that the county would have to declare the items surplus
and publish them in the newspaper.
"We're very excited and trying to get more people involved to make it
bigger," said Gholson. "That's why we came up with this auction idea, and
getting all the entities involved."
"The more enthusiasm we get the more people we can bring in to Pecos,"
said Gholson.
Gholson said that the event would be publicized throughout West Texas
in different newspapers, such as the Thrifty Nickel out of Odessa.
"We'll have our regular vendors and the event is scheduled for Saturday,
May 17," said Gholson. "We'll only have one concession stand, manned by
the rodeo committee."
"We have three departments that already have items that they want declared
surplus and want to auction off," said Galindo.
He said that other departments had items that they wanted added to the
list and that they will have another meeting before May 17, where they could
declare them surplus and include them in the auction's list.
"We can itemize all the stuff and still declare them salvage at next meeting,"
said Owens. "There's about 10-15 vehicles the sheriff told me about."
Owens said that the vehicles that the Task Force have do not have be
declared surplus because they don't belong to the county.
"They assured me it can be done, that we can auction off all that stuff,
as long as we have a list," said Gholson.
"We plan to furnish the auctioneer, the clerks and everything, for a fee
of course," said Gholson.
Gholson said that the 15 percent would go towards paying for the auctioneer
and everyone else involved in the auction. "That will pay for all expenses,"
she said.
"We just ask that you bring all those items to the Civic Center," said
Gholson. "We've ordered a beautiful day, with no wind or anything," she
said.
"Speaking about the civic center, how did things work out at the prom?"
asked commissioner precinct 2 Norman Hill.
Gholson said that things went very well Saturday and that she hadn't heard
of any problems. "We had a slight communication problem on Friday, but we
re-worded the agreement and we have that taken care of," she said.
Commissioners told RCDC III project finished
By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer
PECOS, Mon., April 28, 2003 -- Construction at the site of Reeves County
Detention Center III has been completed with just a few minor punch-list
items to take care of, Reeves County Commissioners were told this morning.
This report came from Carothers Construction who was in charge of construction
at the prison facility, during the regular meeting of Commissioner's Court
at the Reeves County Courthouse.
"We have reached a point and time of departure from Pecos and would like
to thank the county," said Gerald Talley with Carothers Construction. "We
hope we did a good job for the county and that they're happy with our services."
"This will be a process that you phase out and there will still be several
items to take care of as you slowly close out," said Reeves County Judge
Jimmy B. Galindo. "We had asked Carothers to do a summary and re-cap of
everything, so that we can go through it as we finish and close out this
project."
Talley told the court that he would have final figures and that Carothers
employees, along with the architect, would meet with the officials. "I'll
put those numbers together by that time," said Talley.
Talley said that there were some contractors that had not met certain
requirements and advised the county to not pay their retainage.
"I have made it very simple for those contractors and told them specifically
what they needed to have and what is required," said Talley. "I'm just giving
you this information because we won't release retainage until that happens."
Talley said that he expected to meet with some of those contractors and
make a final assessment and see punch-items were not in compliance.
"We gave the contractors 30 days for the completion and six to eight
contractors did not do that and some went in to the next month," said Talley.
"They are all responsible for the architect's and management services extra
fees, under the certificate of completion," he said.
Talley said that the contractor that totally completed his part of the
services was R.W. Jones and they would be receiving their retainage and
would not be penalized.
"We gave them until April 14 to stop activity, so that the county could
take over and some of the contractors did not meet the deadline," said Talley.
"Those contractors will have to pay for having the architect and the management
services on-site to oversee the completion," he said.
"Once the prison is complete, does that mean jail standards has approved
it or are we still awaiting approval," said commissioner precinct 3 Herman
Tarin.
"No, jail standards has already approved it," said RCDC Warden Rudy Franco.
"We'll continue to work closely with the county, there are always a few
small items that need to be completed, or are not working just right," said
Talley. "Even if I'm not here, I'll be keeping in touch or coming over if
I have to," he said.
Talley said that once Carothers completes a construction job, they continue
to monitor the facility to make sure everything is working properly and
that all punch-items are corrected. "We'll also protect the county from
third party's making any claims and will make sure all the suppliers have
been paid," he said.
County Auditor Lynn Owens said that the extra fees imposed would not
sit well with the sub-contractors. "They may file an arbitration or something,
I just don't think they're going to like it," he said.
"Carothers and the construction contract were very specific and they
have already been put on notice," said Galindo.
"Is it spelled out in the contract?" said Tarin.
"Yes, it was in the original contract, and I have already spoken to them,"
said Talley. "I'll work closely with you on that as well."
Talley said that he thought architect Lorraine Dailey and the county
had been very lenient with those contractors.
Franco said that Carothers had worked really well with the facility staff
and the county. "You always find little things that need fixing after we
move in, but if we keep communicating and work together as we have everything
will be fine," said Franco.
Franco said that he didn't foresee any problems and expected Carothers
full cooperation.
The commissioners approved several payments and change orders to the
construction crew including LMD architect's request for payment invoice
No. 284 in the amount of $20,009. "This is for additional services from
April 1-15," said Owens.
LMD's request for payment No. 285 in the amount of $11,027. "Again, this
will come out of the contractors that did not complete the services when
they were supposed to," said Owens.
Jarratt Dirt Work and Paving request for payment No. 5, in the amount
of $2,403; Carothers Construction, $17,936, a change order approved by the
court at the last meeting and another one in the same amount for additional
services cost; Acme, a decrease of $1,016 and a change order for ISI Detention
in the amount of $2,409.
The group approved Pitney Bowes to replace existing mailing postage meter
with new model under State of Texas procurement policy. "We got a new meter
not long ago and it will be a $9 decrease in payment," said Owens.
Commissioners approved a property bid of $2,000 for property located
at 812 S. Plum and agreements between the Reeves County Juvenile Department
and the Pecos-Barstow-Toyah ISD and the Balmorhea ISD Boards.
Book fair planned for Bessie Haynes
PECOS, Mon., April 28, 2003 -- Bessie Haynes Elementary School is sponsoring
a Scholastic Book Fair, beginning Monday, May 5, through Friday, May 8.
Hours will be from 8:30 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. and 1-3:30p.m. On May 9,
hours will be 8:30 a.m. until 11:30 a.m., in Room 11.
Come and view the wide selection of books, posters, cd roms and crafts.
Harry Potter merchandise will also be available.
Enrich your child's vocabulary, imagination and reading skills with books
from the book fair.
Weather
PECOS, Mon., April 28, 2003 -- High Sun.y 95. Low this morning 57. Forecast
for tonight: Partly cloudy with a 20 percent chance of rain and thunderstorms.
Some storms may be severe with large hail and damaging winds. Lows in the
upper 50s. SE winds 15 to 25 mph Diminishing to 5 to 15 mph after midnight.
Tues.: Partly cloudy. Highs in the upper 90s. West winds 10 to 20 mph. Tues.
night: Mostly clear. Lows in the mid 50s. Wed.: Mostly sunny. Highs in the
mid 90s.
Obituaries
Delia Guerrero and Ben Sanchez
Pecos Enterprise
York M. "Smokey" Briggs, Publisher
Division of Buckner News Alliance, Inc.
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 2003 by Pecos Enterprise
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