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Archive 2003

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Daily Newspaper and Travel Guide
for Pecos Country of West Texas

Friday, October 24, 2003

FLH apartment rental plan given go-ahead

By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer

PECOS, Fri., Oct. 24, 2003 -- Twenty-five apartments at the Farm Labor Housing Unit were approved for rental to ineligibles in the community after the change was approved by a federal official prior to Thursday evening's monthly Pecos Housing Authority Board meeting.

The group discussed the authorization letter from John Perkins, Community Development Specialist for USDA, giving the PHA board the authority to rent the 25 units for a period not to exceed one year.

"We're going to start advertising to let people know that those 25 units will be available for rent to the public," said Nellie Gomez, PHA Director.

Gomez said that no one has lived in those units since Aug. 2, when all the farm workers left. "We have 56 units out there and now 25 of those will be made available to non-eligibles, in the off-season," said Gomez.

All the apartments on West County Road were vacated on June 1, to make them available to the farm workers who live in Pecos during the summer season. "Everyone moved out in August and before that we had to vacate all the apartments to make them available to them," she said.

Gomez said that the apartments need to be rented out to generate funds for operation at the Farm Labor Housing units. The lack of rent income from the apartments for nine months out of the year has caused a financial drain on the FLH finances.

"Funding for the Farm Labor Housing is really low and not generating any money at this time," said Gomez. "We don't have any applicants and nobody has been interested in renting out the units, but we want them to know that they will be available now," she said.

In conjunction, the group received approval from Perkins to draw $5,000 from the reserve to meet operating expenses for the next few months at the apartment complex.

Applications for the rental apartments can be picked up at the Pecos Housing Authority offices, 2320 Teague Drive. Apartments are available in two bedrooms for $210 or one-bedroom units for $190, with a $100 deposit.

In other action on Thursday, the board approved the 2004 budget as presented and the audit for 2003 for the Farm Labor Housing.

The audit for 20002 and the 2004 Annual Agency Plan for the Pecos Housing Authority were approved. "They also approved the new updated personnel policy and reviewed the Ethics Referral Manual put out by the Attorney General's Office," said Gomez.

The 2004 budget and subsidy calendar was approved as submitted along with the monthly reports.

"It was a really good meeting," said Gomez.

RCDC lease payment votes commissioners' agenda

PECOS, Fri., Oct. 24, 2003 -- The 1999 and 2001 lease payments for the Reeves County Detention Center and additional Reeves County Detention Center payments to Naman, Howell, Smith and Lee and Maximus, Inc., will be topics of discussion during the regular Reeves County Commissioners Court meeting scheduled for Monday.

The group will meet at 10 a.m., Monday, in the third floor courtroom and the public is invited to attend.

The discussion comes as commissioners are awaiting the result of a request for lease-management bids on the 2,960-bed prison, which are due by next Friday. The county has run into financial trouble meeting payments on the prison, after the newest 960-bed addition opened in March, but failed to receive the prisoners needed to fund the construction bond payments.

Commissioners will also discuss and take action on Indigent Defense Grant resolution; security alarm system proposal for Reeves County Library; Reeves County health insurance funding; Carothers Construction change order No. 8; Carothers Construction request for payment No. 21-RCDC bond funds; settlement agreement with N.C. Sturgeon, Inc.-RCDC; disclosure service contract to meet Sec. Rule 15c2-12 and a Panasonic DP Copier for the District Clerk's Office.

Regular agenda items include: reports from various departments; budget amendments and line-item transfers; personnel and salary changes (RCDC, county court at law, library, juvenile center and the district clerk's office); minutes from previous meetings and semi-monthly bills.

Council seeks info on future PEDC plans

By BRENDEN BRIGGS
Staff Writer

PECOS, Fri., Oct. 24, 2003 -- Town of Pecos City Council members sought more information about activities of the Pecos Economic Development Corp., and approved a final change to the city's sick leave guidelines on Thursday, during their regular meeting in council chambers at City Hall.

The PEDC discussion came as the council reviewed the submitted budget for the corporation for the upcoming year. PEDC President Gary Ward was on hand to answer any questions about the proposed expenditures.

Councilwoman Angelica Valenzuela said that she was concerned about the late submission of the budget, due to the fact she had not had time to review the proposal. Ward apologized for the late delivery, and stated that he had been very busy talking with prospective business and was running a little late because of that.

Councilman Danny Rodriguez ask whether there were any new projects for the PEDC on the horizon. "We have three new projects specifically, but I need to make sure there is actual interest in the businesses coming to Pecos before I say any thing," Ward replied.

Councilwoman Valenzuela then asked whether they could call an executive session to further discuss the prospects that the PEDC was looking at. City Attorney Scott Johnson said that he was not sure if that could qualify for an executive session but that they could call a workshop to elaborate on the projects.

The council approved the first reading of the change to the city employee manual that will allow individuals to accumulate up to 90 days of sick leave, approximately ten years worth of paid leave. This would allow employees to be paid for the entire three months of leave allowed before their situation is reviewed to determine if employment will be continued.

The council also heard the revenue reports from the various municipal departments and discussed tax roll issues during their Thursday meeting

The council approved accounts payable totalling $336,304 for the month. Included in that total are repair bills for the Criminal Justice Center to fix a air conditioner drain leak and an engineering bill from Frank Spencer and Assoc that drew interest from the council.

As for the leak, councilman Frank Sanchez asked whether the repairs to the A/C might be under warranty, but Police Chief Paul McKinney assured him that all possible warranties had been checked to see if they could cover the repair but they had run out.

Rodriguez then asked City Manager Carlos Yerena about how the progress on the South Worsham Water Field was going and whether this month's bill from Spencer might be the last. Yerena said he doubted that this would complete the fees for the construction of the field.

The municipal court report stated that it brought in $11,151 to the city in fines levied in court cases during the month of September. That figure is slightly less than the amount of revenue brought in last year for the same time period. For the year on the whole, last year fines issued by the police department totaled about $20,000 dollars more than those posted this year.

The Juvenile Court reported a caseload of six juveniles last month. Of those two were for probation violations, two were for contempt of magistrate, and one for theft over $500 and one for unauthorized use of a motor vehicle.

The council also heard the monthly tax report from tax assessor-collector Lydia Prieto. Prieto reminded the council that this would be the last month of tax collection for the 2003 fiscal year. The report showed that the city collected $16,462 for the month of September, and $908,097 in total collections for the year.

The council then unanimously approved the 2003 tax roll totals for the city. With real estate taxes coming in at $597,101, mineral taxes reaching $95,136 and personal taxes yielding $93,361 to the city's coffers, the Town of Pecos City is looking at a total tax roll of $785,600 for the 2003 fiscal year.

Next the council discussed errors and corrections for the previous tax collections. The adjustments stem from various miscalculations or overcharges from clerical errors, late exemption filing, resale of foreclosed, tax refunds and deleted properties. For the 2002 fiscal year the total is $2,697 owed to the city, but that is offset by corrections from previous years that have the city owing $10,026 back to certain taxpayers, bringing the total owed by the city to $7,329.

Pecos Rotary Club members were on hand to ask the city council for a few favors. First, club members asked the city to knock down a wall that was not being used for anything to allow spectators better access to the tree lighting ceremony that will be held in December. Rotary members also asked the city to bring out some bleachers for the lighting to allow the kids to be a little less crowed during the ceremony.

The club also asked the city's permission to install a plaque in the park to acknowledge the citizens that contribute to this years fund raiser to add more lights to the tree. Each strand will sell for $10 and those individuals with the highest donations with have their names engraved on the plaque. The council approved all three items.

Standard Time back in effect this weekend

PECOS, Fri., Oct. 24, 2003 -- Everyone is reminded that they will gain an extra hour on Sunday morning, when clocks will be turned back one hour, during Daylight Savings Time.

The time is forwarded one hour during the Spring and back one hour in the Fall. This year the time will change on Saturday night at 2 a.m.

The change will mean earlier sunsets, but for students going to school, it will also mean boarding buses in the daylight in most cases, instead of before sunrise, as has been the case over the past few weeks.

Daylight Savings Time is observed throughout the United States, with the exception of Arizona and the eastern half of Indiana. Standard Time will continue across the country until the first weekend of April 2004.

Clinic set Sunday for barrel racing

PECOS, Fri., Oct. 24, 2003 -- A barrel racing clinic will be held beginning at 3 p.m., Sunday at the Buck Jackson Rodeo Arena.

The event is presented by local barrel racer Lisa Fernandes, and everyone is invited to attend.

Basketball game referees needed

PECOS, Fri., Oct. 24, 2003 -- Referees are being sought for junior high and sub-varsity high school basketball games between late November and early February.

Anyone interesting in officiating boys or girls games should call coach Joe Flores, daytime at 447-7220 and evenings at 445-2721.

Weather

PECOS, Fri., Oct. 24, 2003 -- High Thursday 93. Low this morning 49. Forecast for tonight: Partly cloudy. Lows near 50. North winds 15 to 25 mph. Saturday: Partly cloudy. Cooler. Highs 65 to 70. North winds 15 to 25 mph shifting to the northeast 10 to 15 mph in the afternoon. Saturday night: Partly cloudy in the evening then clearing. Lows near 40. Northeast winds 10 to 20 mph. Sunday: Mostly sunny. Highs near 70. North winds 10 to 15 mph. Sunday night: Mostly clear. Lows in the mid 40s. Monday: Mostly sunny. Highs in the mid 70s. Monday night: Mostly clear. Lows in the mid 40s to the lower 50s.



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Pecos Enterprise
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