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Daily Newspaper and Travel Guide
for Pecos Country of West Texas
Friday, September 5, 2003
Commissioners weigh approval of DeLay pact
By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer
PECOS, Fri., Sept. 5, 2003 -- Reeves County Commissioners will discuss the
ratification of a professional services contract between Reeves County
and Public Private Strategies, Inc., during the regular meeting scheduled
for 9:30 a.m., Monday.
The contract with Public-Private Strategies, Inc. involves the hiring
of lobbyist Randy DeLay on a 12-month contract at a total cost of $120,000.
DeLay help is being sought by the county in its effort to acquire inmates
for the 960-bed Reeves County Detention Center III project.
The new prison addition opened in March, but has not been able to add
any new U.S. Bureau of Prison inmates. County Judge Jimmy B. Galindo has
been seeking inmates from other sources within the federal government, along
with the state of Arizona, and announced plans to hire DeLay following a
meeting with the BOP officials in Washington on July 24.
DeLay is the brother of House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, and Galindo
said the county needs political influence in Washington to help get funds
appropriated for the RCDC. The county just made a bond payment on the prison
facility, which is cross-collateralized with the 1,000 -bed RCDC I and II
units, but faces additional bond payments later this year, along with a
$422,000 payment to the Town of Pecos City for construction of the South
Worsham water field.
"I understand we were not able to negotiate a contract with him on a
two or three month basis. We could only negotiate for a full year to get
his services," Galindo said during an Aug. 11 meeting of the commissioners
court. "Randy DeLay can represent our political interests better than anybody
else up there."
Commissioners will meet in the third floor courtroom on Monday and the
public is invited to attend.
Commissioners will discuss and take action on a grant from the Criminal
Justice Division of the Governor's Office for Reeves County Juvenile Detention
Center; property bids for property located at Block 2, Section 22, H&GN,
20 acres and Block 5, Section 26, H&GN, 40 acres.
The group will discuss and take action on inmate transportation crew
mileage; reports from various departments; budget amendments and line-item
transfers; personnel and salary changes (sheriff's department, juvenile
department and golf course); minutes from previous meetings and semi-monthly
bills.
Council hears police, fire, EMS budget requests
By SMOKEY BRIGGS
Staff Writer
PECOS, Fri., Sept. 5, 2003 -- The wishing continued last night as Pecos City
Council members worked through the second of two scheduled budget workshops
at City Hall.
Council members heard from the Municipal Court, Fire Marshal and the
City Parks and Utilities Departments on Wednesday night. Last night they
heard from the rest, including Ambulance Chief John Cravey, Main Street
Director Tom Rivera, Fire Chief Roy Pena, and Police Chief Clay McKinney.
Mayor Dot Stafford and Councilman Michael Benevides were not present.
The 'wish lists' built by the department heads are based on a balanced
budget built by Finance Director Sam Contreras.
"To present a balanced budget I made cuts across the board," Contreras
said.
"Out intent at the workshops was to learn priorities from our department
heads," Councilwoman Angelica Valenzuela said in an interview Friday morning.
"Now we have a better view of where we can cut and have it hurt the least."
Valenzuela said the city faced a tough situation no matter what happened
in the future regarding a $422,000 payment owed to the city by Reeves County.
Contreras said that his preliminary budget, from which the council and
department heads were working, assumed that the county would pay the bill.
Even if the county does pay the bill, as its share of construction of
the South Worsham water field, declining tax revenues and rising costs leave
the city with the choice of cutting services or raising taxes.
"We are trying not to raise taxes but we cannot cut services," Valenzuela
said.
Repeatedly during the evening session a council member would ask, "Is
this enough?" referring to an amount for a particular line item.
Nearly every time the answer from the department head was, "No."
For the Ambulance Service the most expensive request on the agenda was
a $1/hour raise requested by Chief Cravey.
Cravey explained to the council that in years past many of the volunteers
on the service were either self-employed or worked for employers who did
not let a volunteer running on an ambulance call affect his pay.
"Many of our volunteers have to go off the clock to make an ambulance
call and they are loosing a lot of money," he said.
Cravey said that it might help with the retention problem the service
is having. The service had 26 volunteers four years ago and today has only
12.
The raise would amount to an approximate $37,000 increase to the service's
payroll since the service is running about 37,000 hours each year, he said.
Collections was also a topic during the discussion with Medicaid, Medicare
and unpaid bills dating back 15 years all being cited as culprits in building
up the debt.
City Manager Carlos Yerena said that the city was discussing the matter
of back collections with a company that would go after the approximately
$700,000 owed the service for a contingency fee of 10 percent of all the
money collected.
Also arguing for a raise for his department was Police Chief Clay McKinney.
Among other requests he told the council that he was seeking a 50 cents
an hour raise for full-time employees and 25 cents an hour raise for part-time
employees.
The total cost for the raise if implemented would be $27,000.
McKinney said that the current starting pay for a police officer in Pecos
was $10.50 while the average in the area was $12.00 per hour.
"I know we are strapped for cash - but it amazes me that we are able to
keep the quality of officers that we have for what we can pay," he said.
McKinney also informed the council that the department was in dire need
of at least five new patrol cars reminding the council that the city has
skipped buying new cars for several years.
"It is beginning to catch up with us," he said.
Early vote totals for amendment election tops 80
PECOS, Fri., Sept. 5, 2003 -- A total of 80 people have voted early
by personal appearance as of Thursday, for the Sept. 13, Constitutional
Amendment election, while six other ballots have been returned by mail,
according to Reeves County Clerk Dianne O. Florez..
Early voting will continue through Tuesday in the Reeves County Courthouse
lobby, between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. While today is the final day to apply for
mail ballots for next Saturday's election.
A total of 13 ballots had been mailed out for the amendment election,
according to the County Clerk's office.
For questions concerning the election contact Dianne O. Florez, Reeves
County Clerk, at 445-5467.
Police Report
EDITOR'S NOTE: Information contained in the Police Report
is obtained from reports filed by the Pecos Police Department, Reeves County
Sheriff's Office, or other officers of those agencies. The serving of warrants
by an officer for outstanding fines of either traffic citations, animal control
violations or other court costs are considered arrests and will be printed
as such unless indicated that the fines were paid. In such instances we
will indicate payment and release.
***
Richard Dominguez, 46, was arrested for public intoxication at 8:23 a.m.,
on Sept. 2, in the 700 Block of West Sixth Street.
***
Tiffany Garcia, 20, was arrested for possession of a controlled substance
(cocaine), State Jail Felony and possession of a controlled substance (marijuana)
a Class B Misdemeanor, at 11 p.m., Sept. 2, in the 500 block of South Elm
Street.
***
Martin Hard, 33, was arrested for Public Intoxication, at 7 p.m., Sept.
2, at the Kwik Stop at Third and Eddy streets.
***
Steve Hignojos Garcia, 39,was arrested on a warrant for Criminal Trespass,
a Class B Misdemeanor, 11:30 p.m., Sept. 3. He turned himself in at the
Criminal Justice Center.
***
Matthew Armendariz, 22, was arrested on a warrant for theft, over $20
and under $50, at 7:34 p.m., Aug. 20, at La Tienda, 810 S. Eddy St.
***
Sergio Cerna, was arrested on a warrant for Public Intoxication, at 11:27
p.m., Aug. 31, at the corner of Sixth and Pine streets.
***
Javier Saenz, 21, was arrested on two warrants, for Minor in Possession,
at 8:32 p.m., Aug. 30,at the corner of Washington and Park streets.
***
Adam Machuca, 30, was arrested on a Capias Pro Fine Warrant.
***
Robert Jimenez, 23, was arrested for No Driver's License, 5th Offense,
three warrants for Violation Failure to Appear; Possession of Alcohol Beverage,
Open Container; No Driver's License, 4th Offense and No Liability Insurance,
at 1:42, p.m., on Aug. 29, at La Tienda, 810 S. Eddy St.
***
Scott Forrest James, 24, was arrested for Possession of Marijuana, Class
B Misdemeanor, at 1:53 p.m., on Aug. 29, on Interstate 20 westbound at mile
marker 32, during a routine traffic stop.
***
Christopher Marchan, 20, was arrested for Possession of a Controlled
Substance (marijuana) under two ounces and Possession of a Controlled Substance,
(cocaine) under one gram, a State Jail Felony, at 8:17 p.m., Aug. 28, in
the 500 block of South Elm Street.
***
Adan Mata, 21, was arrested on a warrant for Minor In Possession (third
offense), at 9:05 p.m., Aug. 28, in the 1300 block of Washington Street.
***
Daniel Aguilar, 41, on warrants for Possession of an Alcoholic Beverage
(Open Container), a warrant for Violation Failure to Appear and Assault
under the Family Violence Act, at 8 p.m., Aug. 27, in the 1300 block of
Cypress Street.
***
Victor Sandoval, 26, was arrested on a warrant for Family Violence Act,
at 8:42 p.m., Aug. 27, at the Reeves County Sheriff's Office.
***
Isaac Granado, 21, was arrested on a Capias Pro-Fine Warrant for No Insurance;
Capias Pro-Fine Warrant for parking in a Fire Lane; Evading Arrest/Detention
in a Motor Vehicle (State Jail Felony) and Aggravated Assault on a Public
Servant, a First Degree Felony, at 6:02 p.m., on Aug. 17.
***
Michael Lee Abila, 18, was arrested for Evading Arrest/Detention, (Class
B Misdemeanor), at 6:02 p.m., on Aug. 17, in the 500 block of Irene Street.
***
Ricardo Tavarez, was arrested for Outstanding DPS warrants for No Liability
Insurance, Failure to Appear, at 9:33 p.m., on Aug. 15, at the corner of
14th and Cedar streets.
***
Arthur Gallegos, was arrested for Public Intoxication at 3:03 a.m., Aug.
16, in the 1800 block of West Fifth streets.
***
Carlos Duenas, 18, was arrested for Assault under the Family Violence
Act, a Class A Misdemeanor, at 6:45 p.m., on Aug. 2.
Weather
PECOS, Fri., Sept. 5, 2003 -- High Thurs. 94. Low this morning 64. Forecast
for tonight: Partly cloudy with an isolated shower or thunderstorm. Lows
in the mid 60s. East winds near 10 mph. Sat.: Partly cloudy. A slight chance
of thunderstorms in the afternoon. Highs in the mid 90s. South winds near
10 mph. Sat. night: Partly cloudy. A 20 percent chance of thunderstorms.
Lows in the mid 60s. South winds near 10 mph. Sun.: Partly cloudy with a
slight chance of thunderstorms. Highs near 90. SE winds 10 to 15 mph. Sun.
night: Partly cloudy with a slight chance of thunderstorms. Lows in the
mid 60s. Monday: Partly cloudy with a 20
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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