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Newspaper and Travel Guide
for Pecos Country of West Texas
Friday, March 05, 2010
Board OKs Lujan exit agreement, payment on 4-3 vote
By ROSIE FLORES
and
JON FULBRIGHT
Staff Writer
Pecos-Barstow-Toyah ISD board members approved an exit agreement with Santos Lujan on Tuesday night during a special meeting, voting by a 4-3 margin to release the former Kermit ISD superintendent who they had hired to fill the same job for the district late last year.
The board met in a special session, behind closed doors, on Tuesday, to discuss an “exit agreement” with Lujan, who submitted his resignation the previous week amidst protests from parents and students, after Lujan reassigned athletic director and head football coach Chris Henson and three other administrative personnel.
Board members met with the school’s attorney, Dorcas Green in an effort to reach an agreement with Lujan. The group met for about two hours in executive session, before coming out and announcing their decision.
School board president Lila Cerna, and members Randy Graham, Luis Juarez and Bubba Williams voted to accept the agreement, while board members Paul Deishler, John Granado and Clay McKinney voted against.
Cerna read out a statement during the open session. “Mr. Santos Lujan Jr. has announced his resignation as superintendent for the district and has asked the board to release him from his contract effective March 3. The board has voted to approve an exit agreement with Mr. Lujan. Although his time with the district was brief, the board of trustees commends Mr. Lujan for 39 years of service in Texas public schools.”
“It is important for our board, our school, and our community to move forward to seek a new leader for our students and the district. The board of trustees will begin a search for a new superintendent as quickly as possible. Mr. Conrad Arriola, assistant superintendent will oversee the day to day operations at this time. This statement will be the only statement made by the board regarding the exit agreement.
“I make a motion to approve the exit agreement with Santos Lujan and direct the board president to execute the exit agreement on behalf of the board,” said board vice-president Bubba Williams before the motion was approved on the 4-3 vote.
In their exit agreement, the district will have to pay Lujan the amount of $50,000 on or before March 15, less only those employment taxes, deductions or other withholdings that the district is required by law to withhold, except that in no event shall any teacher retirement or social security amounts be withheld.
Lujan will return the district vehicle and any other district property in his possession on or before March 5; personal property of Lujan in the possession of the district will likewise be returned to him on or before March 5.
The agreement states “The board and the district, individually and collectively agree to refrain from making negative comments regarding Lujan, his tenure or performance during his tenure to others. Lujan agrees to refrain from making negative comments regarding the district, its administration, its board of trustees, or any trustees individually.
“The district, its board of trustees, and any trustees individually and collectively, and Lujan specifically agree to refrain from making false statements or misrepresentations of fact regarding this agreement or the events leading up to its execution,” the agreement states.
Lujan’s reassignment of Henson, along with Steven Lucas and Sam Martinez, the principal and assistant principal at Crockett Middle School, and band director Heath Westphall, on Feb. 17 led to a protest two days later by about 250 Pecos High School students. It also came amid long-standing rumors that Lujan would be bringing a number of officials in the athletic department and elsewhere from Kermit ISD with him to Pecos, and that more school personnel would be losing their current jobs in the upcoming weeks.
Cerna told the Enterprise on Monday that there was no "board" discussion about bringing Kermit coaches over. “There was definitely a lot of discussion out there in the public,” she said.
Cerna also noted that Lujan was named Superintendent of the Year for Region 18 in 2005, and was one of the top 5 finalist for Superintendent of the Year for the state of Texas that same year.
A check by the Enterprise following the Feb. 17 reassignments found that state test scores for P-B-T ISD had been above those for Kermit ISD during Lujan’s tenure there as superintendent, with three Kermit ISD campuses over eight reporting cycles scoring above “Academically Acceptable” on the state TAAS and TAKS tests, compared to 13 campuses for P-B-T ISD during that same time period. Both districts had two campuses rated below “Academically Acceptable” during those eight reporting periods.
The board had been looking for a new superintendent last August, following the resignation of Manny Espino who had been with the district for three years. Espino left suddenly at the end of July, as part of a voluntary exit agreement similar to the one the board approved on Tuesday for Lujan.
Upon his resignation, the board had to enter in to an agreement with Espino, which included a lump sum payment of $48,555.00, less all applicable federal and state taxes and other lawful deductions, but without any deductions for teacher retirement or social security being required, in the form on a check made payable jointly to Espino and his attorneys, Adams, Lynch and Loftin, P.C., of Grapevine, Tx. The district and Espino agreed to be responsible for and pay for each of their respective attorneys’ fees incurred by the district and Espino in connection with the negotiation of this agreement.
The district also paid Espino $8,437 which represents the value of 18 days of unused vacation days, at the current daily rate of pay computed by dividing Espino’s annual salary by 240.
Espino and the district agree that the confidentiality of this agreement, including all facts and allegations associated with the agreement and related issues, will be maintained and not communicated to any person other than legal counsel for the parties, Espino’s wife, Espino’s tax advisor and or accountant, or as may be required by law, or as may be required to enforce this agreement, without the written consent of both of the parties.
Clements, Ray announce wedding plans in June
Mr. and Mrs. Richard Lynn Clements of Monahans announce the engagement of their daughter, Tamara Lynn Clements to Mr. Bryan Chad Ray, son of Mr. and Mrs. Garry Denman of Odessa, formerly of Monahans and the late Larry Don Ray.
The bride-elect is a 2002 graduate of Monahans High School. She graduated from Texas Tech University in May 2007 with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Finance and Economics.
She is employed with Amegy Bank in Houston as assistant vice-president commercial lending dept.
The prospective groom graduated from Monahans High School in 2001. He earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in accounting from Texas Tech University. He is a financial analyst for Hess Oil and Gas Company in Houston.
The bride-elect is the granddaughter of Pearline Lively of Monahans and the late Louis A. Lively, Robert and Mary Clements of Arlington.
The prospective groom is the grandson of Margaret Waldo of Ruidosa, N.M. and the late Don Waldo, Ronald Ray of Monahans and the late Wanda Ray.
The couple will exchange vows on June 12, in Midland.
The will make their home in Houston.
County judge, Precinct 2 primaries face runoffs
By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer
The two multi-candidate races in the Reeves County Democratic Primary election both remain undecided after Tuesday’s election, though one candidate came close to avoiding an April 13 runoff election.
One challenger and three incumbents won their two-person races in the other contested elections on the local ballot, while about 60 percent of primary voters opted to cast their ballots early this year.
Former Reeves County Commissioner Dr. W.J. Bang came within two percent of avoiding a runoff for Reeves County Judge, and will face incumbent Sam Contreras in the April 13 runoff election.
Dr. Bang received 1,163 votes to 680 for Contreras and 572 for the third candidate in the race, Al Gomez, who had lost a runoff to Contreras in the 2006 election.
Bang, who served two terms as Precinct 2 commissioner in the 1990s, said on Thursday that he plans to work on his goals that were outlined during his campaign, if he is elected county judge.
“I want to work on the issues that I have stated during the primary elections,” said Dr. Bang.
Bang said that he hoped to see unity in the county, “We need to all work together.”
Contreras left his election headquarters shortly after the results were announced on Tuesday night. He was out of town on Thursday, his secretary said, because his newborn baby was in the hospital.
Gomez said that he wanted to thank his wife, Mary Ann, along with his entire family, for working so hard during his campaign in his quest for the county judge’s seat.
“We will still be around to help the community, as we have always done,” said Gomez. “We will continue to finance charities and special causes dealing with kid’s projects,” he said.
Gomez said that he wants to offer his assistance in helping the community and Reeves County in any way.
The other race to be decided next month is the one for Reeves County Commissioner in Precinct 2. Of the five candidates, Kyle Taylor received the most votes, with 276, and will face incumbent Gabriel C. Martinez, who picked up 193 votes. The other three candidates were Ron Garcia, who received 111 votes; Paul S. Deishler, who had107 votes, and Mario Flores, who finished with 58 votes.
Contreras and Martinez were both first elected to the commissioner’s court in 2006, as was Ramiro ‘Ram’ Guerra, who lost his bid for a second term in a two-way race for Precinct 4 commissioner. Newcomer Tony Trujillo won the election against Guerra, with 383 votes to Guerra’s 247.
“I will have an open door policy and anyone that has any concerns, comments and suggestions can call me or come to my office at 310 S. Willow,” said Trujillo, who is unopposed in the November general election.
“I’m open to discussing any concerns that anyone might have, any issues regarding Reeves County,” said Trujillo.
He said that he plans to work with the other commissioners and the county judge to take Reeves County in a new direction.
“I plan to attend all the commissioner’s court meetings and plan to work in a new, positive way that will benefit everybody in Reeves County,” said Trujillo.
Incumbents won the other contested races. In the race for Reeves County Clerk’s position, incumbent Dianne O. Florez beat out challenger Connie Levario 1,566 votes to 795.
For Justice of the Peace Precinct 2, incumbent Jim Riley had 441 votes to Olga Lopez’ 306 votes, while in the race for Justice of the Peace Precinct 4, Heriberto “Eddy” Rodriguez beat out his opponent Jay Haney with 346 votes to 263 votes.
Running unopposed were the Reeves County Treasurer Linda Clark; Justice of the Peace Precinct No. 1, Cody West; Justice of the Peace Precinct No. 3 Rosendo L. Carrasco and county chairman, Bob Dean.
P-B-T office sets spring break hours
Pecos-Barstow-Toyah ISD will be closed for Spring Break Monday, March 15-March 19.
PBT-ISD Administration Office will be open on Monday, March 15, from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. for deadline for write-in candidates to file declarations of write-in candidacy for school board election.
Tuesday, March 16,m the office will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., for deadline for a candidate to withdraw from the school board election.
Declaration of write-in candidacy and certificate of withdrawal forms can be found at the following link: HYPERLINK "http://www.sos.state.tx.us/elections/forms/index.shtml" http://www.sos.state.tx.us/elections/forms/index.shtml.
Police probe weekend vandalism, burglary cases
Pecos police are investigating a series of tire slashings reported by west side residents over the past week, along with the burglary of a downtown business over the weekend, in which about $4,000 in cash and jewelry were stolen.
Police Chief Clay McKinney said the burglary was reported at 8:41 a.m. on Monday in a building at 121 W. Second Street. Bill Cooksey, who operates a jewelry repair service in the adjacent office, said a number of items along with a money bag containing cash, were taken from the rear of the building.
Two men’s watches, sterling silver neck chains, gold chains, a Lady Liberty gold coin ring, two wedding sets and one loose diamond were among the items stolen. McKinney said the value estimate on the stolen merchandise were for the cash and items excepting the diamond.
He said entry was gained through a rear window of the building, and that police currently have no suspects in the break-in.
The tire slashings have been reported on Washington and Jefferson streets. McKinney said one incident was reported on Sunday at 2:51 p.m., where one tire on a car and one on a pickup were slashed in the 1600 block of Jefferson Street, while a report received by police on Wednesday at 8:25 p.m. involved the left rear tire of a vehicle that had been slashed. McKinney added that while the report wasn’t made until this week, the incident is also believed to have happened over the weekend.
Another tire slashing reportedly occurred in the 1700 block of Washington Street, but no report on that incident was available from police on Thursday.
RCH board hears complaint over ER procedures
By JON FULBRIGHT
Staff Writer
Reeves Country Hospital District board members listed to a complaint by the daughters of a longtime Pecos resident who died last year following complications from spinal meningitis, while rejecting an oil and gas lease bid on land owned by the district in Loving County, during the board’s monthly meeting on Feb. 23 in the hospital’s classroom.
Esmeralda Torres and Bernadette Lopez spoke to board members about their mother, Sylvia Portillo, who died on March 1, 2009 at Medical Center Hospital in Odessa. Torres said their mother was suffering from meningitis, which caused septicemia to set in at the time she was brought to the hospital’s emergency room on Feb. 8, 2009.
“During this time she was admitted to a room in this state,” Torres said. “We feel she should have been stabilized before she was sent to the room.”
The sisters criticized the ER physician on duty at the hospital at that time, saying he was slow to inform their family physician, and that their mother’s records were not sent with her when she was transferred by Pecos EMS to Odessa, where the meningitis was diagnosed. They said Portillo went into cardiac arrest shortly after arriving there, and while she was revived never recovered and died three weeks later.
“If this has been caught in the first hour, that’s the most important part,” Lopez said. “I truly believe she would be here today.”
The sisters asked the hospital board to review their ER procedures and asked for better treatment from hospital officials.
Board president Linda Gholson said because their complaint was part of public comments and not an agenda item, they couldn’t comment on the situation outside of a formal grievance hearing. “We certainly don’t want to cause any problems,” she said.
“We never received a complaint on this,” said hospital chief of staff Dr. W.J. Bang, who added the medical staff would review the incident.
The board would later meet for about 40 minutes in executive session, but took no action other than to reject the oil and gas lease offer involving seven sections of land in Loving County. Earlier, they approved monthly bills, and set the May 8 Reeves County Hospital District board election, along with approving the election worker list.
Voting for the 2010 election will be held at the Pecos Community Center, 508 S. Oak St., and early voting would be from April 26 to May 4. The Precinct 1 and 3 seats held by Brenda McKinney and Jim Breese and the at-large seat held by Leo Hung are the three up for election for new two-year terms this May.
Voters go with incumbents in area primaries
By JON FULBRIGHT
Staff Writer
Voters in Reeves County and the surrounding area went mostly with the incumbents in Tuesday’s primaries for regional races. But one challenger from Pecos did win his home county, while falling short elsewhere in a bid for a state senate seat.
County voters went for local candidate Luis Juarez over incumbent Sen. Carlos Uresti by a little over 200 votes, with Juarez, currently a member of the Pecos-Barstow-Toyah ISD school board, receiving 1,179 votes to 968 for Uresti. However, the San Antonio native won re-nomination district-wide with 25,890 votes to 8,232 for Juarez.
Uresti will face Republican Dick Bowen in the November election Bowen won over Robert Sol Mayer by a 14,011 to 5,049 vote margin in District 19, and in Reeves County Bown won by a 16-2 margin over Mayer.
Local voters were in line with the rest of the area in the 23rd Congressional District election, where incumbent Ciro Rodriguez won re-nomination in his quest for a third term as 23rd District rep, by a 1,432-540 margin over challenger Miguel Ortiz. Overall in the district, Rodriguez picked up 34,027 votes to 6,787 for Ortiz.
He’ll face either Republican Will Hurd, who placed first in a field of five candidates on Tuesday, or Francisco “Quico” Canseco, who was second and qualified for the April 13 runoff election.
Canseco, a former city councilman from San Antonio picked up six votes in Reeves County to eight for Robert (Doc) Lowery, who was third district-wide with 6,358 votes out of 28,683 cast. Hurd finished fourth among Reeves County voters with three votes, while Mike Kueber had five votes and the other candidate in the primary, Joseph Mack “Doc” Gould, picked up two votes.
In the other regional race, State Rep. Pete Gallego had no challenger in the Democratic Primary for a new two-year term. He’ll face Thomas (T.C.) Kincaid, Jr. in November, after he defeated Yolanda Sotelo Garza in the Republican Primary. Kincaid got 3,693 votes to 1,110 for Garza in the 74th District, while in Reeves County, Kincaid won by a 23-5 vote margin.
In the governor’s race, Democrat Bill White avoided a runoff by winning over 50 percent of the vote statewide in a field of seven candidates, but in Reeves County, the former Houston mayor received just over 39 percent of the vote, picking up 731 votes. Farouk Shami, the millionaire businessman who spent the most money of any of the seven Democratic hopefuls, finished second across the state, but third in Reeves County, with his 459 votes trailing Felix (Rodriguez) Alvarado, who picked up 480 votes.
On the Republican side, Gov. Rick Perry got 27 votes in Reeves County, to 10 for Debra Medina and seven for Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison. Perry, who replaced George W. Bush as governor in 2001, was able to avoid a runoff in seeking his third full term as Texas governor, picking up just over 50 percent of the vote in Tuesday’s primary.
In the other contested primary races, Linda Chavez-Thompson picked up 1,223 votes to 236 for Ronnie Earle and 199 for Marc Katz in the race for lieutenant governor, and statewide, Chavez-Thompson was able to avoid a runoff by getting 313,626 of the just under 600,000 votes cast.
In the race for Texas Land Commissioner, Hector Uribe picked up 1,176 votes to 524 for Bill Burton in Reeves County, while scoring a narrower win across the state, with just over 291,000 votes to just under 273,000 for Burton.
The race for Texas Agriculture Commissioner was the closest of any Reeves County election, with Hank Gilbert picking up 784 votes to 781 for Richard “Kinky” Friedman, the writer-singer who ran for governor as an independent in 2006. Statewide, Gilbert won with just over 310,000 votes to just under 283,000 for Friedman.
Alvarado receives Student of Year honor
By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer
Pecos High School senior Elias Alvarado was named the Student of the Year 2009, by the Pecos Chamber of Commerce, during its annual Awards Banquet last month at the Reeves County Civic Center.
Alvarado, the son of Roy and Rosalina Alvarado, was one of three Pecos High School students were nominated for Student of the Year, and introduced during the Feb. 18 banquet. Alexander Dominguez, the son of Epifanio and Belia Dominguez and Aaron Lujan the son of Manuel Lujan and Olga Lujan, were this year’s other two nominees.
“I’d like to thank my mom, dad, family and friends for always supporting me in everything I do,” said Alvarado, after receiving his award from P-B-T Superintendent Santos Lujan. “I also want to thank all the teachers that helped me in getting to where I am today academically. Lastly, I would like to thank Mrs. (PHS teacher Katie) Henson for being a great role model for my senior year. She’s really someone to look up too,” he said.
Alvarado has been a member of the Mighty Eagle Marching and Concert Band for the past four years, receiving numerous awards; four years with Campus Crimestoppers and currently serves as President; four years on Student Council and currently serves as President; member of the One Act Play’s main cast for three years; competes in UIL in literary criticism, informative and persuasive speaking and current events; tennis for three years, earning his letterman for his improvement, determination and sportsmanship during his matches. He helped to raise canned foods, clothing, water and toiletries for the victims of the Presidio flood. He also helped to raise money for Hurricane Katrina victims and walked and donated money for Relay for Life.
Alvarado is a member of the National Honor Society and has completed several college courses through Odessa College. He is a member of the Business Professionals of America, has worked the past four summers at Tropical Snow and this past summer he was also a summer employee at Professional Pharmacy.
He has been accepted to UTPB where he wants to major in business management and minor in culinary arts at the Culinary Academy in Austin. He wants to own his own restaurant and be its head chef.
Pecos Enterprise
York M. "Smokey" Briggs, Publisher
324 S. Cedar St., Pecos, TX 79772
Phone 432-445-5475, FAX 432-445-4321
e-mail news@pecos.net
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