Cherokeean/Herald (Rusk, Tex.), Vol. 145, No. 6, Ed. 1 Thursday, March 11, 1993 Page: 1 of 22
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Alto:
Home of the
Caddoan Mounds
State Historic Site
Rusk:
Home of the
Jim Hogg State Historical Park
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Uterobeeaif/Herald
Texas' Oldest, Continuously Published Weekly Newspaper — Established Feb. 27,1850 as the Cherokee Sentinel
Rusk:
Home of the
Texas State Railroad
State Historical Park
Vol. 145. No. 6-12 Panes
Thursday. March 11, 1993
Rusk, Texas 75785 25 cents
Courthouse renovations are authorized
Cherokee County Commissioners
authorized the advertising of plans
Monday morning for renovation of
the Cherokee County Courthouse
to meet Americans with Disabili-
ties Act guidelines.
Commissioners discussed possible
application for a Norman Founda-
tion Grant with renovation of the
courthouse. Commissioner Bob
Gregg, Precinct 1, said he had talked
with members of the Foundation
and they might be interested in fi-
nancing part of the renovation.
Thisyear'scounty budget includes
$35,000 for payment of a contract
with Mike Leinback, county archi-
tect.
In the event any work is done on
the building, renovation will have
to meet with Texas Historical Com-
mission guidelines, County Judge
Craig Caldwell said.
Leinback said he did not see any
modifications of the outside of the
building to meet with the handi-
capped guidelines being considered.
Members of the court discussed
the need for a new roof for the court-
house as well as other maintenance
problems.
Commissioners will advertise for
bids to be opened on April 12.
With the ADA guidelines, the
courthouse will be handicapped ac-
cessible for disabled persons to park
their cars, come into the building
and use the restrooms, Leinback
said.
Computers discussions concerned
several areas of the agenda for the
meeting. Commissioners discussed
with Tax Assessor-Collector Linda
Beard the changing of the voter reg-
istration files from one computer
system to the county's AS400 sys-
tem.
She said that jury lists will be
picked from driver license lists and
voter registration lists. After driv-
ers licenses are added to the juiy
duty list, her office computer will be
filled.
If the voters list and driver li-
censes lists are added to the AS400
system in the courthouse, these
lints will be available for the sheriff
ana district clerk to pull jury liBts.
There willbe no cost for the change
over except for the purchase of com-
puter cable wires.
Commissioners approved the pay-
ment of $1,005 to Net Data for the
county's contract with the firm for
computer software maintenance, for
the remainder of the year. Christo-
pher Smith of Net Data reported to
the court that his firm would ask for
a contract of $67,000 for a five year
period. He discussed payment plans
and said his firms hopes to be able
to obtain funds to help counties
with payment of the plans.
The county's tax attorney dis-
cussed plans to ask for bids for the
sale of delinquent tax property. Sid
Danner of the Cherokee County
Appraisal District will meet with
taxing entities to coordinate those
entities with the county in the sale
of the properties.
In another matter, members of
the court agreed to advertise f r
IN
ACTING LEADERSHIP AT RUSK STATE HOSPTIAL Is under the direction of from
left Dr. David Self, acting superintendent; Frances Long, acting business
manager; and Ike Frazer, acting assistant superintendent. Dr. Self, clinical
director at the hospital, replaces Bob Arizpe, who was named San Antonio
superintendent effective March I? Arizpe has served a* acting superintendent
since the death of Superintendent Dr. Allen Chittenden. Business Manager
Frazer, assumed the acting assistant superintendent position and Mrs. Long, the
acting business manager position. -staff photo
RSH Substance Abuse
treatment unit closes
File deadline for local
elections is March 17
Rusk State Hospital will no longer
accept patients into the Substance
Abuse Treatment Unit effective
April 1. The closure of the unit is the
result of an agreement between the
Texas Department of Mental Health
and Mental Retardation and Texas
Commission on Alcohol and Drug
Abuse (TCADA) that will allow per-
sons with a single diagnosis of chemi-
cal dependency to receive services
provided through the TCADA. Dr.
David Self, acting superintendent,
explained that the hospital will con-
tinue to accept persons with a dual
diagnosis of substance abuse and
mental illness.
All patients will be treated on a
general psychiatric unit.
"As the hospital makes these
changes, our staff will be working
closely with judges and sheriff de-
partments to assure them we will
continue to serve patients with a
dual diagnosis of substance abuse
and psychiatric problems," Self said.
The hospital will continue to pro-
vide services to patients accepted
under the chemical dependency code
through August.
On Friday, March 19, the hospital
will have a seminar forjudges, sher-
iff department personnel and other
staff involved with the civil commit-
ment process. The hospital staff
hopes to make the transition as
smooth as possible and assist in an
orderly change of responsibility for
those patients seeking substance
abuse treatment.
Employees working in the Sub-
stance Abuse Unit will be assigned
jobs in other treatment programs
within the hospital.
Rusk State Hospital is a facility of
the Texas Department of Mental
Health and Mental Retardation and
serves 28 East Texas counties in-
cluding Anderson, Angelina, Cham-
bers, Cherokee, Gregg, Hardin, Har-
ris, Harrison, Houston, Jasper,
Jefferson, Liberty, Marion, Mont-
gomery, Nacogdoches, Newton, Or-
ange, Panola, Polk, Rusk, Sabine,
San Augustine, San Jacinto, Shelby,
Trinity, Tyler, Usphur and Walker.
Filing for places on area city and
school election ballots will continue
through March 17.
Those who have asked for places
on the May 1 ballots include:
Rusk City Election
Mayor-Rusk Incumbent Mayor
Mike Crysup is opposed by Mack
Henderson, former councilman.
District 1-- Incumbent Jerry Th-
ompson is opposed by Jimmy Lee
Hugghins. Candidate Jackie Woody
withdrew from the race.
District 2-- Incumbent Walter
Session is unopposed.
Rusk ISD Board of Trustees
Jan Pate and David Murray are
unopposed in their bid for re-elec-
tion.
Alto City Election
Mayor-Incumbent Mayor James
Grammer is unopposed.
Council-Two at large city coun-
cil positions are up for election. The
Rev. Herman Martin has filed as a
candidate. Incumbents Terry Black
and Verna lee Arnold have not indi-
cated they will seek re-election.
Alto ISD Board of Trustees
Incumbent Mike Low has filed for
re-election. The other incumbent
Bobby Jones has not filed.
Wells City Election
Incumbent Don Carver has asked
for re-election. Incumbent Tony
McKnight has not submitted his
name as a candidate for re-election.
In addition to McKnight's and
Carver's position, a one-year unex-
pired term of Roy Burroughs is up
for election.
Wells ISD Board of Trustees
Three places on the Wells School
board are up for election May 1.
Terms of Floyd Cartwright, Hank
Bloom and William Bailey expire.
No one has asked for a position on
the ballot.
Rusk State Hospital
will host judges seminar
Alto City Council
sets utility policy
County judges, sheriffs and other
county staff and mental health men-
tal retardation center personnel
from the 28-county East Texas Gulf
Coast Region will be at Rusk State
Hospital Friday, March 19 to at-
tend a seminar sponsored by the
hospital and the Volunteer Council
for Rusk State Hospital.
The seminar begins at 8:30 a.m.
in the hospital's chapel auditorium
with registration and will include
presentations by Texas Depart-
ment of Mental Health administra-
tion staff and RSH staff.
The seminar will conclude at 3:30
p.m.
The seminar will provide an in-
formation sharing time to discuss
the change in commitment proce-
dure for persons being served at
RSH. MHMR has begun phasing
out treating single-diagnosed sub-
stance abusers in state mental hos-
pitals. County judges and sheriff
departments have been notified of
the changes and will attend the
seminar to learn the types of admis-
sion that will continue at Rusk State
Hospital.
"We want the seminar to be an
opportunity for all people involved
in the admission process to share
information, ask questions and to
understand the changing role of
Rusk State Hospital and the Texas
Commission on Alcohol and Drug
Abuse," said Dr. David Self, acting
superintendent.
"We realize that there are many
recently elected officials in the 28-
county area and this seminar will
give them an opportunity to visit
RSH and to meet the people in-
volved in the admission, treatment
and follow-up services," added Dr.
Self.
Rusk State Hospital is a facility of
the Texas Department of Mental
Health and Mental Retardation and
serves 28 East Texas counties in-
cluding Anderson, Angelina, Cham-
bers, Cherokee, Gregg, Hardin,
Harris, Harrison, Houston, Jasper,
Jefferson, Liberty, Marion, Mont-
gomery, Nacogdoches, Newton, Or-
ange, Panola, Polk, Rusk, Sabine,
San Augustine, San Jacinto, Shelby,
Trinity, "tyler, Usphur and Walker.
A new city policy concerning util-
ity installations for water and sewer
connections was approved at the
Monday night meeting of the Alto
City Council. Natural gas connec-
tions policy was tabled until farther
study could be done. The new,
stricter policies will effect only new
construction within the city limits.
Water Connection
1. Water meter will be installed
as close as practical to the city water
main.
2. The city will provide pipe to the
meter, the meter, a cut off valve on
the supply side and a cut off valve on
the user side.
3. All pipe used will be approved
by the city.
4. The installation from the meter
to the point of connection to the
house proper will be inspected by
the city prior to the covering of the
ditch.
Sewer Connection
1. The city will make the sewer
tap.
2. The owner of the property shall
use only pipe approved by the city.
3. The pipe to the user shall be
inspected by the city prior to cover-
ing.
Natural Gas Connection to be
approved at a later date.
Approved water pipe: 200 PSI
PVC, Galvanized pipe or black iron
pipe 200 PSI PVC is recommended.
Approved sewer pipe: no less than
4" schedule 35 sewer and drain.
No two or more connections al-
•,See Alto City p. 1U
persons interested in serving on the
Anderson Cherokee County Out-
reach Clinic Board. The board will
be composed of two persons from
Cherokee County, two from the City
of Jacksonville and four from Ander-
son County.
Commissioners tabled a proposal
by Judge Caldwell to ask State
Comptroller John Sharp and his
staff to do a Performance Review
for the county.
Commissioner Gregg said "This
looks like it might be a group of
head hunters and this could be a
disruptive process. The only county
in the state to consider this has
been Bastrop and they have with-
drawn. I don't think we are in the
position to do this and we need to
get the history of this procedure
and wait until some other counties
have tried it," Gregg said
• See County, p.l
County, bank reach
agreement in dispute
Cherokee County and Citizens 1st
Bank have finally agreed that a
disputed contract would be extended
until March 23.
This agreement was reached af-
ter County Judge Craig Caldwell
called a special meeting of the Com-
missioners Court March 3 to dis-
cuss the contract.
The County's two year depository
contract with Citizens 1st expired
Feb. 19. The contract had been made
effective February 11, 1991, for a
period of two years.
The county had previously adver-
tised for bids, which were rejected
on Feb. 8.
Bank President James I. Perkins
met with the commissioners at the
special meeting and expressed sur-
prise of the misunderstanding.
"We have not been contacted by
any county officials to discuss this
matter," Perkins said. He noted that
the bank's first knowledge of any
disagreement was when the public-
ity of the meeting was announced,
Perkins said.
In his prepared statement,
Perkins said, "Some two to three
weeks ago our bank announced its
position to the appropriate county
officials that the depository contract
terminated at the end of the two
years, beingFeb. 19. Since that time,
no county official contacted us and
disagreed with us in the matter.
"That is why we were surprised to
know of this meeting and dismayed
in the manner that it was publicly
announced," Perkins' statement
said.
"We do not believe that this laók of
communication, the manner in
which this meeting was announced
nor having this meeting appropri-
ately reflects the over 30 years this
1 See County IBank, p. 12
Calendar: News Briefs
Riders Club
sponsors rodeo
The annual Rusk Riders Club
Rodeo is planned for Friday and
Saturday at the Rodeo Arena on
FM 343, Rusk. The event is a Clas-
sic Rodeo Co. show and money will
be added for each event. Show time
is 8 p.m. A youth calf scramble will
be included in the events each
evening.
Books are open from 4 to 10 p.m.
March 8. Additional information is
available from 903/938-5362.
Spelling Bee
for seniors is slated
Senior spelling Bee will be held at
12;30 p.m. March 30 at the Rusk
Civic Center. The Scripps Howard
Spelling Books and entty forms are
available now at the Center. Win-
ners of the Spelling Bee will com-
pete in the project wide Spelling
Bee in Palestine.
The Rusk Spelling bee is spon-
sored by Southwestern Electric Ser-
vice Co., Southern Cherokee Fed-
eral Credit Union, First State Bank
and Citizens lBt Bank.
Entrants must be at least 60
years of age on Jan. 1. Deadline for
entering is March 16. Winner will
receive cash prizes as well as
plaques. Information is available at
903/683-2196.
MEETING IS SCHEDULED-
Euclid Lodge No. 45 AF and AM
will have a called meeting at 7 p.m.
Saturday, March 13 to present a
50-year membership pin. Dinner
will be at 6 p.m. This is an open
meeting and the public is invited.
Alto Lions Giant Flea
Market set for Saturday
A combination Flea Market-Ga-
rage Sale will be held from 8 a.m. to
4 p.m. Saturday in the Alto Liona
Club building on Highway 21, down-
town Alto. A mcgor fund raiser for
the Alto Lions, the sale will feature
typical garage sale items, plus an-
tiques, treasures and "junk" accord-
ing to Lions spokesmen.
They will be serving breakfast
tacos from 8 to 11 a.m. and hot dogs,
fajitas and cold drinks from 11 a.m.
to 4 p.m.
Donations are still needed for
items to be included in the sale that
will help to pay off the costs to
repair the air conditioning/heating
system incurred last fall.
Donations of all kinds can be
brought to the Lions Club building
anytime after lunch on Friday, up
until 8 or 9 p.m. Lion members will
pick up any donations by calling
868-3500 days and 858-2231 after 6
p.m. according to Lions Club Presi-
dent Jeff Fatheree.
BASEBALL/SOFTBALL-Re-
member SummerBaseball and Girls
Softball Registration is from 9 a.m.
to noon every Saturday through
April 3, at the boys consession stand.
Registration forms are available
there as well as Dr. Jerry Ocker's
office, Monday through Thursday.
Payment is due when form is turned
in.
ALTO YOUTH BASEBALL-It's
time for parents to start planning for
their children to take part in Alto
Youth Baseball for grades K-8. Stu-
dents in those grades will be bring-
ing registration forms home the week
of March 23. For more information
contact Randy Low at (409) 858-
3331.
SENIORS' DANCE SET-The
Jacksonville Senior Center will hold
a Seniors' Dance from 7 to 9:30 p.m.
this Friday. There will be live enter-
tainment and refreshments. Persons
55 and over are invited to attend.
The Center is on South Bolton across
from Discount City. Admission is $3
per person, $5 a couple. For more
information call Lucy Lee at (903)
586-1696 from noon to 4 p.m. week-
days.
MEETING IS SCHEDULED-
Make It Happen Committee mem-
bers will meet at 5:15 p.m. Thurs-
day at the Rusk Chamber of Com-
merce, according to Carol Stovall,
chairman. Plans are being formu-
lated for the annual Rusk Fair on
the Square. The meeting is open to
all interested persons.
COMMODITIES WILL BE
ISSUED-Distribution of Surplus
Commodities is scheduled for regu-
lar times Thursday. W. R. Meador,
coordinator of the project, says com-
modities vail be distributed at regu-
lar locations.
DANCE/HAMBURGER 8UP-
PER--A dance will be held Friday,
March 12 in the Wells Auditorium
from 8 to midnight. Tim Reynolds
will sing. Tickets are $5 in advance
and $6 at the door. There will be a
hamburger supper for $3 a plate,
beside the auditorium, at 6:30 p.m.
Proceeds will go to Homecoming
Candidate, Mandy Glover.
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE-
Rusk Chamber of Commerce Board
of Directors will meet at noon Mon-
day, March 16 at the Rusk Civic
Center. The dutch treat lunch is
catered by Courthouse Cafeteria.
Chamber President Wayne Plants
urges all directors to attend.
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Cherokeean/Herald (Rusk, Tex.), Vol. 145, No. 6, Ed. 1 Thursday, March 11, 1993, newspaper, March 11, 1993; Rusk, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth152102/m1/1/: accessed April 19, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Singletary Memorial Library.