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Daily Newspaper and Travel Guide
for Pecos Country of West Texas
Friday, January 16, 2004
Board approves $1.1 million field, gym projects
By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer
PECOS, Fri., Jan. 16, 2004 -- Pecos High School football players may be
playing on a brand new field this fall, and first through third graders
may be playing inside a new facility in the near future, after board
members approved the installation of an artificial turf field and a new
gym during their regular board meeting held last evening.
After a lengthy discussion, Pecos-Barstow-Toyah ISD board members
voted 4-3 to install artificial turf at Eagle Stadium, an item that
drew controversy when first proposed in November. However, all board
members agreed on installing new "structure" coat on the existing track
at the high school, and the construction of a gym for Austin Elementary
School.
Board member Paul Deishler made the motion to approve the turf, with
board members Chip Flores, Steve Valenzuela and board president Billie
Sadler voting in favor of it.
Board members Amy Miller, Crissy Martinez and Lila Cerna voted
against the turf, stating that there were other items that were more
important to the district and that needed looking into.
Total cost for the three projects will come to just under $1.1
million.
Several community members were on hand to voice their opinions both
for and against the construction of the costly item.
Architect Jeff Bresee had made a presentation to the board during
the November meeting, when the proposal to install artificial turf at
the football, baseball and softball fields at the high school was
tabled. Bresee was on hand again at Thursday's meeting to answer
questions.
Walter Holland, a teacher at Pecos High School, read a letter to the
board from local Texas State Teacher's Association president, Jamie
Crisp.
The letter read in part:
"Our opposition is not to the improvement of an athletic facility,
rather to the basic philosophy of spending so much money on
extracurricular activities while the administration continues to say
the faculties will have be cut even more next year due to reduced
enrollment and income.
"As you all know class sizes have risen for nearly all teachers at
every level in the district. With larger classes teachers have less
individual time for students and have a heavier load of paperwork. In
the classroom some students and athletes are voicing their unsolicited
opposition to this proposal.
"It just doesn't make sense to them. Faculty and students alike
think the money could be better spent: in classrooms that need new
desks and paint; on campus grounds that need improvement; for
technology updating; to keep more teachers and lower class sizes; to
give all personnel a raise and the list is endless."
PHS teacher and softball coach Tammy Walls provided the board with
data supporting the benefits of extracurricular activities.
"It does improve success," said Walls.
She provided board members with data gathered on the importance and
the many benefits of extracurricular activities.
"The role of sports in youth development, Carnegie Corporation, New
York, is one great example," Walls said. "In a report of a meeting in
March 1996, found that evidence showed that the involvement of young
people in sports produces multiple benefits for them. At their best,
sports programs promote responsible social behaviors and greater
academic success, confidence in one's physical abilities, an
appreciation of personal health and fitness, and strong social bonds
with individuals and institutions. Teachers attribute these results to
the discipline and work ethic that sports require."
"In a survey of 4,800 high school students in March 1995, the
Minnesota State High School League found that 91 percent of them said
students who participate in school activities tend to be school leaders
and role models; 92 percent said that participation in school
activities provides an opportunity not found in a regular classroom
setting to develop self-discipline," said coach Walls.
"I could go on about the many benefits and the many data that has
been gathered on the benefits of extracurricular activities," said
coach Walls. "Any time you upgrade a facility used by so many kids, you
can't go wrong."
Prior to the November meeting, Superintendent Don Love said the
artificial turf field would cost about $550,000, but the cost would be
balanced over 10 years due to a reduction of one field maintenance
position with the district and the reduced cost of watering and
fertilizing the field. He added that both the football team and the
Pecos Eagle Band would be able to practice on the artificial turf
during the week, instead of on other fields or in the Eagle Stadium
parking lot to avoid excess wear on the stadium's grass field.
P-B-T Athletic Director and head football coach Patrick Willis said
that his athletes could practice anywhere, but that he wanted the board
members to do what was best for the kids. "Whether it's for the
classroom or athletics," said Willis. "I'm for the turf, but like I
said, we can practice anywhere, but I do think this is a big benefit to
the kids."
Local resident Jim Breese asked some questions about the turf, such
as whether the kids would need different shoes. He also asked Bresee
and school officials about a lot of the costs in the proposal that he
said looked duplicated and the amount of money it would cost annually
to take care of the field.
Willis said that the athletes would be using the same shoes, while
upkeep of the field was put at $2,000 per year. Maintenance costs for
the current grass field were put at $8,800 annually.
Pecos played on one artificial turf field during the past season,
at Lubbock High. Other school districts in West Texas with artificial
turf fields include Abilene, Amarillo, Andrews, Brownwood, Denver City,
Odessa, San Angelo and Sweetwater.
Al Gomez, president of the Pecos Area Chamber of Commerce, spoke on
behalf of the turf. He told board members that the chamber had taken a
vote and that they all had supported the construction of the new field.
Monte Hunter, with Hunter Corral Architects, provided the board with
an estimate of how much the field, the installation of new structure on
the track and the construction of the Austin Elementary School Gym.
Cost for the artificial turf field was set at $548,800; cost for the
structure coat on existing track is $44,800 and cost for the
construction of the elementary school gym, was estimated at $491,000.
"I'm all for a state of the art field, but we'd like a state of the
art school," said board member Amy Miller. "I've received calls and
teachers and community members brought up things that we needed, such
as science labs, updated libraries."
"I know we received a list of needs, but are they prioritized," said
Miller. "Have they done a needs assessment recently to find out what
needs to be taken care of first?"
"We did do a needs assessment, back in 1999, with Monte," said Love.
"In 1999, we broke it down to one, two, three and four," said
Hunter. "The district has taken care of completely of one and two and
most of three."
Hunter told the group that no school districts have ever gone on and
taken care of priority number four, which means it's the most costly,
time-consuming and something that isn't entirely vital to the district.
"We just did level one and two and half of the three," said Hunter.
Re-assessments are usually done between five and seven years,
according to Hunter. "Midland-Odessa does re-assessments every five
years," he said.
"I think the time to projects like these, is during the budgeting
process," said Miller.
Miller questioned why the need for a gym at the Austin Elementary
School campus.
"I can tell you why, the weather, we're in West Texas where there is
a lot of dust and dirt," said board president Billie Sadler.
"Also, when it's raining like today, there is no place for them to
go when they should be in P.E.," added Austin Elementary School
principal Cindy Duke.
The gym will be a normal size gym for elementary school children.
Students currently are forced to spend physical education periods in
the school's hallways during bad weather conditions.
"Is that going to be attached to the main building?" asked board
member Paul Deishler.
"The way I have it set up, it's stand alone," said Hunter. "It
doesn't save any money when you attach it to the building," he said.
"The gym will be big enough to hold one or two classes at a time,"
said Hunter.
Method of procurement for the projects was recommended that it be
done as competitive sealed proposals. "That's what we usually do on
these type of projects," said Hunter.
'Meet the Candidates' event set for tonight
PECOS, Fri., Jan. 16, 2004 -- Local candidates, along with area Rep.
Pete Gallego, are scheduled to talk to voters tonight, during a Meet
the Candidates Chili Supper sponsored by the Reeves County Democratic
Party, beginning at 7 p.m. at the Reeves County Civic Center.
According to Democratic Party Chairman Bobby Dean, the event will
serve two purposes. One is to allow the candidates to draw for their
position on the March 9 primary ballot as well as speak to the public
and make their plan for their respective potential offices known.
Second, the dinner will act as a fundraiser for the candidates in the
regular election with any of the revenue brought in over the cost of
the event itself.
Dean said the candidates will draw numbers that will not only
dictate their position on the ballot, but also their speaking order for
tonight's forum. All of the candidates are invited to come and speak
tonight, but it is not known if the candidates in the uncontested races
will come or if they do, it is not known if they will speak, according
to Dean.
The schedule for tonight's event is to feed everyone first, then
hold the drawings around 7:30 p.m. Speakers will be allowed five
minutes to make their position known.
According to Dean this is the third or fourth election cycle that
the meet the candidates type of forum has been utilized.
"The drawing has to be held by midnight tonight, but the speeches
have been added to allow the public the chance to hear the candidates'
position on the issues," Dean said.
The admission at the door will be $5, and Dean is expecting the
meeting to run around two hours.
In the only county-wide local election, Jeffrey P. Baeza will
challenge current Reeves County Sheriff Arnulfo "Andy" Gomez, who has
been the sheriff for the past 11 years. Voters in Precincts 1 and 3
will also be deciding commissioner's races, and voters in Reeves, Ward
and Loving counties will cast ballots in a contested race for 143rd
District Attorney.
In the Precinct 1 race, incumbent Felipe Arredondo is seeking a
fourth term in office and will face four challengers: Rogelio "Roy"
Alvarado, "Chel" Florez, Armando "Mondie" Granado and Robert C.
Natividad. In the open election for the Precinct 3 seat on the
commissioners' court, there are nine candidates: Abel Baeza, Lisa Lopez
Boicourt, Rosendo Galindo, Jimmy Gallego, Saul Herrera, Manuel "Manny"
Lopez, Joel Madrid, Joseph Peter Rodriguez and Bailey Wheeless.
In the D.A.'s race, two-term incumbent Randall Reynolds will face
former district attorney Hal Upchurch in the March 9 election.
All local candidates in Reeves County have filed to run in the
Democratic primary.
Rains continue in area, weekend weather to be colder
By BRENDEN BRIGGS
Staff Writer
PECOS, Fri., Jan. 16, 2004 -- An upper level "trough" that will be
moving through over the next few days, has been the source for the
precipitation that the Trans Pecos region has been seeing since late
Wednesday night.
The rainfall in Pecos is nearing the one-inch mark late this
morning, and comes after 2003 went down in the books as the 10th time
in the past 11 years the city has recorded below-average rainfall. The
city received just over the 10.99 inch predicted average by the
National Weather Service in 2002, but was three inches below that total
in 2003.
KPTX has reported precipitation totals of 0.85 inches for this
system, and the Texas A&M Experiment Station seven miles west of
town has reported around 0.78 inches. Various reports from around town
and father south give estimates from one half of an inch up to just
over one inch. According to Kyle Taylor with the experiment station,
most of the heavier rain fell in the area from Interstate 20 south, to
around the Verhalen area.
The National Weather Service in Midland estimates the area's chances
for rain today at 60 percent, and tonight's chances are 40 percent for
precipitation. Saturday the forecast for the second half of the stock
show is 20 percent for both the daytime and the evening.
The current weather system is basically a "V" shaped section of cold
air that is cutting into the warm air near the ground. As the warm air
rises, or is pushed out by the drooping cold air trough, the water in
the colder air is agitated and falls in the form of rain.
The trough will equate to lower temperatures in the region over the
next few days as it moves through, with a slight chance to produce
additional rainfall as it passes.
According to forecaster with the NWS, Douglas Cain, the system is
trapping the warm moist air near the ground, giving Pecos the feel of
some of the more tropical or costal communities. This will change in
the future as dry air will follow this system through the area after
the cold front passes by the end of the weekend.
Banks, government closed on Monday
PECOS, Fri., Jan. 16, 2004 -- Schools, government offices and both
local banks will be closed on Monday, in observance of the birthday Dr.
Martin Luther King Jr.
King's birthday was Thursday, but is celebrated as one of the
national Monday holidays. Along with P-B-T ISD schools, city, state and
federal offices will also be closed, and there will be no mail delivery
by the U.S. Postal Service. All offices will reopen for regular
business on Tuesday.
The Pecos Enterprise office will be open for regular hours, and the
paper will publish as normal on Monday.
Financial aid info for students offered at PHS
PECOS, Fri., Jan. 16, 2004 -- Financial Aid Night will be held at 6
p.m., Tuesday at the Pecos High School Cafeteria.
The program will be presented by Jim Glossbrenner of the
Panhandle-Plains Higher Education Authority.
There will be a drawing for a $100 scholarship. Everyone is
encouraged to attend the workshop to gain important information on
student financial aid.
The event is sponsored by PHS Counselors Eva Arriola and Pat Cobos.
For more information call 447-7229.
Weather
PECOS, Fri., Jan. 16, 2004 -- High Thurs. 58. Low this morning 52.
Rainfall last 24 hours downtown at KIUN radio .52 inch. Forecast for
tonight: Cloudy with a 40 percent chance of rain. Patchy fog after
midnight. Lows near 40. SW winds near 10 mph shifting to the west after
midnight. Sat.: Mostly cloudy with a 20 percent chance of rain. Highs
near 50. NW winds 10 to 20 mph. Sat. night: Mostly cloudy with a 20
percent chance of rain. Lows near 30. NW winds 10 to 15 mph.
Pecos Enterprise
York M. "Smokey" Briggs, Publisher
Division of Buckner News Alliance, Inc.
324 S. Cedar St., Pecos, TX 79772
Phone 432-445-5475, FAX 432-445-4321
e-mail news@pecos.net
Associated Press text, photo, graphic, audio and/or video material shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium.
Copyright 2003 by Pecos Enterprise
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