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Newspaper and Travel Guide
for Pecos Country of West Texas
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
P-B-T ‘recognized’ in TAKS results
Pecos-Barstow-Toyah ISD will be given an overall ‘recognized’ rating by the Texas Education Agency, after all but one of its campuses received the second-highest rating on the 2009-10 Texas Assessment of Knowledge Skills test.
“Preliminary scores show that all the campuses, except for one are recognized,” said P-B-T ISD Interim Superintendent Maxie Watts.
Watts said that it has been a few years since the district was “recognized.”
The only campus “not recognized” was Bessie Haynes Elementary School, which received an “Academically Acceptable” rating.
“This was because of the science scores, they were academically acceptable,” said Watts.
Watts said that part of the problem with the low science scores, may be the absence of a science lab.
“They will be getting a new science lab for next year and are putting a teacher in that science lab, that will help the students tremendously,” said Watts. “They will have an opportunity to have more hands-on experience in science and that in turn will improve the TAKS science scores,” he said.
“We just haven’t had a lab facility, but with one they can do more in-depth and be more hands-on,” Watts added
He said the 2009-10 results really look good, in spite of the turmoil that has been going on in the district.
“The people here have done an outstanding job,” said Watts. “This pays tribute to the teachers and administrators doing an excellent job, despite the things that have taken place.”
Watts is the second interim superintendent employed by the district in the past year, and the fourth overall since last June. Manny Espino resigned the position in July of 2009 and was replaced by interim superintendent Wayne Mitchell. He was replaced in December by former Kermit ISD superintendent Santos Lujan Jr., whose term lasted only two months.
Lujan resigned at the end of February after sparking controversy and protests by reassigning four P-B-T ISD administrators, including Crockett Middle School principal Steven Lucas and P-B-T ISD athletic director Chris Henson. Reports indicated that other Kermit ISD officials would be hired to fill the P-B-T positions, but a study of TAKS scores during Lujan’s tenure in Kermit showed P-B-T ISD schools had received nine more ‘recognized’ ratings than Kermit’s campuses during that eight-year time period.
Lujan was replaced by Watts as interim superintendent, who board members then voted to fire during an executive session following the May 8 school board election. That action failed when board member Paul Deishler left before the vote in open session, and the 3-3 tie allowed Watts to remain in the superintendent’s job.
Under TEA rules, for a campus to be “academically acceptable” 70 percent or greater meeting standard in Reading/ELA; in mathematics, 60 percent or greater meeting standard; science, 55 percent or greater meeting standard; social studies, 70 percent or greater meeting standard and writing 70 percent or greater meeting standard.
Recognized campuses need 80 percent or greater meeting standard, in Reading/ELA; 80 percent or greater meeting standard in mathematics; in science, 80 percent; social studies, 80 percent and writing, 80 percent.
To become an exemplary district or campus, there needs to be 90 percent or greater meeting standard in Reading, ELA; in mathematics, 90 percent or greater; in science, 90 percent or greater; in social studies, 90 percent or greater and writing, 90 percent or greater.
“There has to be 30 students tested for a subgroup to qualify,” said Watts.
Overall, test scores show that the district scored 94 percent in Reading/ELA; 84 percent in mathematics; 98 percent in social studies; 86 percent in science and 96 percent in writing.
Modern Study Club hears about Main Street Program
The Modern Study Club of Pecos met in April in the parlor of the First Christian Church for a program telling about the Downtown Historical District of Pecos, the events taking lace and future plans.
The thought-quote for the program was: “The next thing most like living one’s life over again seems to be a recollection of that life, making that recollections as durable as possible by putting it down in writing.” – Benjamin Franklin.
Presenter Debbie Thomas, Director of West of the Pecos Museum and President of the Main Street Committee showed a power point presentation to members and guests of the club.
She explained that the four local recipients of the bed tax are Chamber, Advertising/Tourism, West of the Pecos Museum and the Main Street Program. With a grant and money received from bed taxes the museum planted a new Lace Bark Elm tree in the courtyard to replace the loss of the non bearing mulberry, the sink hole was filled in, ice plants were planted and new furniture purchased.
She stated that the Judge Roy Bean Replica and Mesquite House both received new roofs; a new porch and signs were made for JRB Replica. The Eclipse Windmill was completely overhauled by Gary Oden who volunteered his time and all new wood. He used the original metal that was on the windmill. The Juvenile Probationers scrapped paint from the fountain so that it could be refurbished. Nine new concrete benches and a refurbished table are placed about the Park area.
Mrs. Thomas said the brick area has been doubled, that grass from Houston had been planted and it was in place prior to Night in Old Pecos. The caboose has been moved to the South side of the Depot and plans are in the mill to make it more of a tourist attraction. Six antique light poles have been erected in the historic downtown area around the museum and depot. Flag stone from the Reynolds Cattle Company has been placed for a trail around trees located behind the JRB Replica and two flower beds have been planted at the Mesquite House.
Phase I is completed and Phase II halfway done, according to Mrs. Thomas. Plans not completed are for public restrooms to be built and the fence moved to allow the courtyard and museum to be closed off during events such as Night In Old Pecos placing signs on native plants; planting fine screw bean trees and the Windmill Square Stage to be repositioned and rebuilt.
President Margie Williamson conducted the business meeting. The collect was led by Etta Bradley and Pledges to the United States of America and Texas Flags were led by Paula Fuller.
The minutes of February 24 and April 7 meetings were read by Secretary Catherine Travland.
Treasurer Betty Lee presented a statement of club finances.
Under correspondence, a card of thanks, for our donation of a goat, was read from Heifer International, and a note was read from Sib Higginbotham.
Scholarship Chairman Margie Williams said she has talked to several teachers and is working on selecting this year’s scholarship recipient.
Paula Fuller, Federation Counselor, reported that as of the end of January, $16,454.90 was donated to the GFWC Haiti Disaster Relief Fund. Monies collected will be sent to five established International Affairs Partners: CARE, Heifer International, Plan USA, Save the Children and 2009.
The Modern Study Club of Pecos received District Awards presented at the TFWC Western District 50th Fall Board Meeting are as follows: Outstanding Americanism, 2nd place; Home Life/Helping Hands, 2nd place; Resource Conservation, 1st place; Creative Arts, 1st place; Home Life/Focus on Health, 2nd place; Reaching Out Internationally, 1st place; Public Affairs/Focus on Community Safety, 2nd place; Arts in the Community, 1st place; Public Relations/Communications, 2nd place and Outstanding Club Program, 1st place.
Catherine Travland received TFWC Awards presented at the TFWC 113th Annual Spring Convention at Corpus Christi as follows: Outstanding District Chairman’s Narrative, GFWC TFWC Fundraising, 2nd place; Outstanding District Chairman’s Narrative, Leadership, 2nd place; Outstanding District Chairman’s Narrative, GFWC Education Department/Focus on Literacy, 1st place.
The club voted to send memorials to the Alma Van Sickle Scholarship Fund of Western District in the amount of $25.00 each for longtime club member Nan Cate and for Donald Morton, husband of clubmember Joyce Morton. It was also noted that $25.00 memorials was given in honor of Nan Cate by Sib and Bill Higginbotham.
President Williamson reminded those present to bring their dues to the next meeting.
Roll call was answered by responding to the question – What would benefit the Pecos Downtown Historical District?
The bi-monthly project for this meeting was to support the General Federation of Women’s Clubs Community Improvement Program.
Hostesses Etta Bradley and Pearl Gustafson served delicious refreshments to club members and guests Debra Thomas and Sib Higginbotham.
PHS’ 2010 graduating class receives diplomas
Pecos High School’s class of 2010 received their diplomas Friday night, and heard from their top grads and from a past PHS grad during commencement ceremonies.
A total of 111 student received their diplomas from PHS principal Cindy Duke at the end of the 90-minute ceremony, and following speeches by valedictorian Aaron Lujan, salutatorian Richard Dutchover and guest speaker Rhonda White Pelton, a 1991 PHS grad who currently works as a chemical engineer for Dow Chemical in Houston.
Lujan, who was introduced by his mother, Olga, mixed humor into his speech to the Class of 2010. He told the graduates, “Let us rewind a couple of years to that very first day of Kindergarten. To our parent’s eternal regret, we are no longer the sweet, little, innocent children that our parent’s saw off to school that day. No, we stand here today as mature, granted not-so-innocent, young adults.
“Seated here in front of me is the future of this nation. In this group of roughly 120 students are doctors, lawyers, executives, artists, sports professionals; you fill in the rest. Friends, we are at the cusp of the greatest and most profound time of our lives,” Lujan said.
He later asked the seniors to shake hands with the people on either side of them. “What is the point of this? Well, chances are, you will never see that person again. It will be hard to part with friends that we have grown to appreciate so dearly- friends that we have known since elementary school and have grown to appreciate so much. However, a friend will always be there to pick you up when you fall, but a best friend will always be there to have a good laugh at you… and then pick you up. These are the kind that last forever. I extend my thanks to my own group of friends.”
Lujan would later tell the group, along with their parents and other family members, “In the words of Mahatma Gandhi, I quote my personal mantra. “A man is but a product of his thoughts; what he thinks, he becomes.” We are not here out of shear luck. We are here because we saw ourselves getting up, walking across this very stage, receiving this diploma, and beginning the most profound chapter of our existence. We are here because we wanted to grasp this goal so passionately that we stopped at nothing to attain it. And we did indeed achieve it. That, Class of 2010, is what we should be proud of!”
Dutchover was introduced by Pecos-Barstow-Toyah ISD athletic director Chris Henson. He told the crowd, “We have spent so many days waking up early, getting to class on time, dealing with our class work, our teachers, and last but certainly not least getting into trouble every now and then. Once we receive this diploma, we will be done with our Pecos High School career..”
Dutchover thanks teachers at PHS and other campuses for helping him over the years, and later said, “Sometimes, one door closes and another opens, however sometimes that door also closes. But there is still a window that can be used to keep moving forward.
We are all going to go through many experiences in life, some good and some bad, but all that matters is that we learn from the choices we make.”
“Each and every single one of us has earned the right to walk this stage and accept our diplomas,” he concluded. “So let's end our high school careers right by enjoying this time, and officially dedicating our lives to finding a way to get through all of the life’s doors and windows. Good luck, good night, and God Bless. “
Pelton, who was the 1990 Golden Girl of the Old West and later attended Prairie View A&M, said she remembered her own graduation from PHS 19 years ago.
“I felt relief, excitement, and pride. I felt relief that the all the tests, finals, and studying was finally over, I felt pride that I had reached this milestone, which some in my family, and even some of my friends, had never been able to enjoy. The hard work and sacrifices that they had made to make this moment possible for me, made me proud because it made them proud.”
“Amid all these wonderful feelings and emotions, there was another feeling in the back corner of my mind, in that small, secret place, behind the new clothes, new hair-do, under the cap and gown and tassels, there was that little four letter word – F-E-A-R.
I am about to be ‘on my own’.,” Pelton continued. “The day I have wished for so many times – “I am finally 18” – I am Free!!! I am my own boss. No one can tell me what to do anymore. How Awesome is that?
“Maybe not all of you, but I know that some of you “feel me”. You understand where I coming from, and you are feeling it.”
“The journey begins today, Friday, May 28, 2010, at this small school, in this small town.
It is from this starting point that you begin your journey to do great things,” she said. “Here in this school, in this town, you have received everything you need to be successful on your journey. – Yes, YOUR journey. Each of you will take different roads on YOUR journey. That is why you have continually been told not to follow the crowd, or “be like everyone else”. The road you are destined to travel is unique. It is “your own”. You will encounter different obstacles and different joys. The unique experiences you have had right here have equipped you with the tools to overcome the obstacles and magnify the joys.”
Pelton’s husband, Michael and their two children, 8-year-olf Niara, and 6-year-old Michael Jonathan, also made the trip to Pecos to attend the ceremony. She said because of the three-day Memorial Day weekend, the family was also getting to see other family members still in Pecos before having to return to Houston.
Council updated on infrastructure, street repair jobs
Street projects, street renaming and street traffic controls were topics for the Town of Pecos City Council on Thursday, as part of a 3˝-hour meeting at City Hall.
Members were given a review of the current work on city streets and other infrastructure projects by city public works director Edgardo Madrid, and decided to let city officials make the decisions on locating speed bumps on streets. The action came after the council heard from Eloy Herrera on plans to place speed bumps near the Pecos Head Start building on East 10th Street.
The council also tabled a request by the family of former Municipal Court Judge Amanario Ramon to rename Texas Street after Ramon, while offering to name a new street next to a new motel on the south side of town after the judge, who died two years ago.
Madrid went over the current infrastructure projects the city is involved with, including the construction or repaving of five streets scheduled to get underway this month, at a cost of just over $168,000. The city will repave Rancho Road, Mary, Elizabeth and Lincoln Streets and build a one-block extension of Scott Street to provide access to the new Hampton Inn from the Interstate 20 south service road.
He said crews are working to patch potholes on other streets, but have been taken off that at times recently to assist the city’s water and sewer department with line break repairs.
“We had to transfer funds from one department to another because of some problems,” he said, citing recent problems with the in-town booster station for the water system. “We took the money out of funds to fix a ground water storage tank.”
He said the water department is working to upgrade the electrical system at the booster station, and were doing repairs on the tank to fix problems with a sinkhole and with structure problems with the tank’s roof.
Sanitation Department crews are currently working on digging out a new pit for commercial waste, which Madrid said is about 45 percent done, while Parks Department workers were finishing up repairs on the city’s Athletic Pool, which opened this past Saturday and will stay open through Aug. 8.
Madrid also said the city is in the early stages of construction of its new wastewater treatment plant, while repairs were made to one berm at the current facility, and a reinforcement berm was put in to make sure untreated water from the plant is not reaching the Pecos River.
He said the berms were put in to satisfy the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality after wet areas were found outside the plant’s ponds, but tests showed the water was not being discharged from the plant.
Other future projects include the construction of new larger 24-inch sewer lines along Seventh Street and in the area around the West of the Pecos Rodeo Grounds, and that the city is either using funds through current grants, or seeking future grant funding for those projects.
The speed bump request for the Head Start area was discussed in April, and on Thursday Herrera, who supervises the city’s street department, went over the options for East 10th Street.
He said in talking to TxDOT and other officials, there is no one standard for speed bumps, while city attorney Scott Johnson said the Texas Municipal League is opposed to them, because of liability issues.
Mayor Venetta Seals said the city received a letter from Greater Opportunities of the Permian Basin in support of putting the speed bumps on 10th Street, noting that the Head Start program serves 95 children in two buildings at the site.
“I think the idea the council had was to keep them in school areas and in the parks, not in every area,” Johnson said.
“I’d like to personally get out of the speed bump business, and put it all on the city staff,” said councilman Frank Sanchez. “If someone has a problem, they can come to the council.”
Councilman Cody West added he’d like to see residents of an area be required to come to the council with a petition before any future decisions are made. “I like the idea of a certain percentage of residents saying ‘yes’ they do want it,” he said, noting that some residents south of Pecos High School have objected to the speed bumps placed along Jefferson Street last year.
Elma Nichols, who made the original request to install speed bumps on 10th Street, said getting a petition there might be harder because residents are always moving in and out of the Pecos Housing Authority’s East Side Apartments, which are located next to the Head Start buildings.
Johnson recommended any new speed bump installation should be up to the city staff and require 75 percent of nearby residents to approve the action. Council members approved that, and gave city staff the right to proceed at their discretion with installing the 10th Street speed bumps on either side of the Head Start buildings.
Torres said the request on renaming Texas Street came from Amanario Roman’s niece, who lives in Austin. He said he told her that changing one of the main streets on the west side of town would require significant changes to the city’s 911 emergency response system, as well as forcing address changes by residents and businesses on the street. That would include Reeves County Hospital, which would have to notify federal officials for Medicare reimbursement purposes
“She replied that because Mr. Ramon served for many years as a municipal court judge, justice of the peace and in other positions she wanted that street renamed,” he said.
Several audience members at Thursday’s meeting were in opposition to the name change, and Seals said. “I’ve already received several phone calls not wanting Texas Street to be renamed. … I think every city in Texas should have a Texas Street.”
Madrid said that with the current construction of the new Comfort Suites along the north I-20 service road, a new street running behind the hotel between Cactus and Teague Street was tentatively scheduled to be added to the city’s plat.
“We are working with the surveyor on the street,” Madrid said, adding that he can bring the final layout back to the council when the plan for the new street is sent back by the surveyor.”
“I’d like to see if the family will approve this. I think it’s a good idea,” said Sanchez, who then made a motion to table the item for discussion later, pending a reply on the offer from Ramon’s family.
Councilman Joe Keese added the city should probably look at developing a policy on renaming streets for future use, to clarify who qualifies for having a street renamed for them and what type of streets qualify to be renamed without creating complications for residents and businesses on that street. “It’s like the speed bumps. If we start doing it for one, we’re opening up a Pandora’s Box,” Keese said.
City to study earlier date for health insurance bids
Town of Pecos City officials will look at getting bids for the city’s health insurance plan before drawing up their budget for the 2010-11 fiscal year, and City Council members will get a report on where the leftover funds go from the city’s recent surplus payments into their insurance plan, members decided during their meeting on Thursday at City Hall.
The decisions were made following a discussion about how the city handles its health insurance and how it is funded, which included an explanation by Rick Holder of RH Associates, the company currently holding the contract with Pecos to provide insurance for city employees. The issue was brought up by new city councilman Joe Keese, who wanted to know why just over $1 million was set aside for the city’s insurance.
“I’d just like to step back and see. It’s not a sacred cow,” he said. “It’s still a dedicated budget item and a large part of our revenue stream.”
Holder explained that the city uses a ‘stop loss’ plan, in which a total is set beyond which the city won’t pay out, if claims exceed the fund’s total. If the claims come in under that total, the money goes back to the city. “You only pay out what your claims are,” he said, adding that any individual claims over $25,000 trigger a supplemental insurance plan.
“I have no problem beating Blue Cross, because this is the best way to do health insurance,” Holder said, adding that Pecos current has one of the best medical benefit plans of any governmental agency in the area.
He said Pecos currently allows city workers and their dependants to be on the plan at a flat rate of $125 a month, and that there are currently 117 employees and 205 dependants on the plan. “That’s quite a benefit, so the city actually has 322 employees, not 117 when you add it all up,” he said.
“We went for Blue Cross-Blue Shield and they were going up 10 percent every year,” said councilman Danny Rodriguez, who told Holder he’s been involved with selecting insurance providers with either the city or the Pecos-Barstow-Toyah ISD for two decades, as well as being an employee of Reeves County. “I’ve been at three places, with the city, with the county and with the schools, and the city is showing how good it’s plan is,” he said.
Former councilwoman Bernadette Lopez, who also was at Thursday’s meeting, said the $125 flat fee for the city compares with the current P-B-T ISD rates of $367 per employee, $300 for spousal coverage and $210 per child. “The city’s flat $125 fee with RH has health, dental and vision. With Blue Cross, I have to get a separate vision plan and a dental plan,” said Lopez, who is employed as a teacher at Pecos High School.
Holder said while the city has funded its stop-loss plan at just over $1 million, eight months into the current fiscal year it’s only paid out a little over $300,000 in claims.
“The last two years your (claims) have gone down, so we’re going in the right direction,” he said.
Keese said the health insurance set-aside is about 20 percent of the city’s overall budget. “This is an item that deserves review annually,” he said
“We do review it annually,” councilman Frank Sanchez said, while Keese noted that the insurance plan is renewed each year in October, a month after the city sets its budget.
“Shouldn’t we know going into the budget what it is?” he said. “That’s my only point. This is a huge item and we need to look at it before the budget.”
“What you’re really asking is to go out and get bids before the budget process,” said city manager Joseph Torres.
“I’d like to have something on hand before the budget workshop, so we know where we’re going and what we’re going to spend,” Keese said.
“I have a different take,” Rodriguez said. “It seems to me if the budget is $1 million and you don’t use it, you have it, but you can’t predict claims. It happens overnight.
“However we do it before or after, it still has to be budgeted,” he said.
“Our plan helps us retain employees,” Torres said. “We’ve basically frozen wages three out of the last four years, and if we didn’t have that benefit, I wouldn’t have the workforce I have here.”
City attorney Scott Johnson said the timing on the bid process should be something looked at by the city’s insurance committee. “They should probably convene and decide which is the most provincial time to bid out the insurance,” he said.
Councilman Cody West then asked city finance director Ysidro Renteria Jr. how much leftover money the city had from the insurance fund, with claims coming in under the budgeted amount in recent years.
“We’ve got $100,000 right now,” he said.
“We had $600,000 in claims and $1 million in the account. Where did the money go?” Keese said.
Renteria said the 2009-10 year is the first time the city had budgeted $1 million, and that the previous budget had only allocated $850,000 for the stop-loss plan.
That still left about a $250,000 gap, based on the 2009-10 numbers provided at Thursday’s meeting and the total amount of claims reported by Holder for the 2009-10 fiscal year. Renteria said on Tuesday he would get the corrected figures together for the Enterprise, but couldn’t release them without the authorization of Torres, who was out of the office on Tuesday.
Council members ended up tabled the any action on the health insurance plan, the contract schedule and its financing, until the matter could be studied by the insurance committee, which will present its recommendations to the council.
“Councilman Keese did have a good idea,” Sanchez said. “We should synchronize the plan with our budget.”
Truck blamed for zapping Barstow power
Residents of Barstow experienced a power outage Sunday afternoon after a truck struck a power pole, breaking it in half, and then leaving the scene before being chased down by Ward County Commissioner Julian Florez.
According to the service call sheet from the Ward County Sheriff’s Department, one of two water hauler trucks leaving the water station at the intersection of Pecos and Mackey streets struck the pole around 3 p.m. Sunday afternoon.
Both trucks left the area, but were followed by Florez, the Precinct 1 commissioner who lives in Barstow and had come to the scene after noting the power loss and the damaged pole.
“The trucks were really trying to get away, since they both crossed the railroad tracks when the warning lights were flashing, and the second truck barely cleared the crossing arms as they dropped for an oncoming train,” Florez said.
The commissioner followed the vehicles west into Pecos, and the trucks were stopped at Hwy 17 near the Interstate 20 intersection, One returned to Barstow after the driver admitted to hitting the pole.
According to Florez, the trucks are operated by Reliable Transport of Odessa.
Power was restored by Texas-New Mexico Power about two and a half hours after the incident.
Investigating DPS Trooper Daniel Leyva reported in a brief telephone contact with The News the driver, Victor Lopez of Odessa, was cited for Failure to Comply with Requirements on Striking a Fixed Object.
The outage was the second Sunday in a row part of the area has been left without power. Residents in the Balmorhea, Saragosa and Verhalen area lost power for 16 hours on May 23, when severe thunderstorms that spawned at least one tornado snapped power poles in Southern Reeves County.
Gomez celebrates first birthday
Gavin Lee Gomez celebrated his first birthday on May 22.
Many of his friends and family members joined him on this joyous occasion.
Spongebob Square Pants was his party theme and involved a Spongebob jumping balloon, face painting, games and a Spongebob pińata.
Food and drinks were provided by family and the Spongebob cake was provided by his mother.
Gomez received many gifts including clothes, learning toys and a swimming pool. His actual birthday was on May 23.
Gomez is the son of Denise Chabarria-Gomez and Jaime O. Gomez, Jr.
Grandparents are Connie Orona and Jaime Orona and Rosemary and Jacinto Chabarria.
Pecos Enterprise
York M. "Smokey" Briggs, Publisher
324 S. Cedar St., Pecos, TX 79772
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