The Rio Grande Herald (Rio Grande City, Tex.), Vol. 80, No. 5, Ed. 1 Thursday, December 21, 1989 Page: 1 of 12
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THE RIO GRANDE HERALD
Published weekly In Rio Grande City. Tern, every Thursday by The Rk^Crande Publishing Co.
H.E.B.
Inserts
Inside
tiftPS 466-200
Vol. 80, No. 5, Thursday, December 21, 1989
25 Cents
1
ec
County Receives Good
Audit Report For 1987-88
The Roma Gladiators are pictured above in a hard-fought battle with the Edinburg
Bobcats on Friday night. Edinburg emerged with a 72-67 win on their home court.
(See story on Page 6 for more details).
Group Gains Permission To
Conduct Detention Study
By KENNETH ROBERTS
N-Group Securities, Inc., a
financing firm from Houston,
received authorization from the
County Commissioners on Friday
to conduct a feasibility study
concerning the possibility of
constructing, with their own funds,
a 750-bcd detention facility in Starr
County.
Alter Friday afternoon's meeting.
County Judge J.M. Martinez, Jr.,
told The Rio Grande Herald, "Wc
voted for them to work on a
feasibility study and proposal to sec
if it meets with the court's
approval."
Martinez said that if the project
comes to full realization, it would
mean that "We're letting somebody
put up the money, build it, and
then hand it over to us, while all
along the county would exercise
management control over it. This
could mean S275,000 a year in
extra revenue to the county. This
would be at the minimum Si.25
per head (inmate)."
Michael Graham ol N-Group
Securities told The Herald on
Tuesday, "Wc Iccl that there is a
need in that area lor a 750-bcd jail
to incarcerate Texas federal
prisoners Wc need a finely honed
feasibility study."
Graham indicated. "The court has
given us permission to spend
N-Group's money for a study of the
needs for prison space tor federal
prisoners within the Texas
boundary, to sec if we can justify
building a detention center."
Graham said, N-Group's money
would be spent in building the jail.
This could mean (if the project
comes to lull realization) as many
as 200 iobs and as much as S20
million in new cash for the
community, in construction alone.
It could be the large i nev taxpayer
in town."
Gr.iham cmpha*iz«4 that a final
decision on the project will await
the results of a feasibility study. He
(See DETENTION, Page 5)
BY KENNETH ROBERTS
Starr County was die beneficiary
Df a highly favorable audit report
for the 1987-88 fiscal year, as a
McAllen CPA made his
presentation to the County
Commissioners on Friday
aoncerning the county's financial
picture lor that period.
McAllen CPA John Mitchell
said, "The report has been ready for
three months. If rehired, wc will
have the 1988-89 report in your
hands by June 30, 1990."
Mitchell stressed, "The report is
extremely favorable; one of the
most favorable reports that Starr
County has had...The county was
found to be in the black for that
period (from Oct. 1, 1987 through
ept. 30, 1988) by a combined
Mai of $354,000; $22,000 in the
General Fund and S332,CKX) in the
Road and Bridge Fund."
vluchell indicated, "The Gas
System and Bridge, after adding
back depreciation, has a positive
total of S43.000. This leads to a
combined total of $397,(XX)."
The CPA stressed, "The county
is doing a much better job.
Combining the General Fund and
Road and Bridge Fund, as of Sept.
30,1988, th. combined surplus was
$265,(XX)."
Mitchell noted that "bonded debt
(lias system and bridge fund and
RGCCISD Trustees Receive
Positive Audit Report
By KENNETH ROBERTS
The Rio Grande City C1SD
received a positive overall
evaluation in the 1988-89 Audit
Report that was heard and approved
by the district's board of trustees on
Monday.
The trustees approved the report
presented by Rio Grande City CPA
Jose A Hinojosa of the Johnson,
Ewing, Hinojosa and Cron
accounting firm.
Hinojosa led off his presentation
to die board by saying, "As in the
past, we arc able to give you a
clean, unqualified opinion."
Hinojosa stressed, "The General
Fund is the one that you control
100 percent and the one that
generates the most revenue."
Hinojosa told the trustees, "You
have a fund balance you can count
on of approximately S2,571,000.
You are expecting to spend almost
$1.8 million of this (on various
projects in 1989-90), which leaves
you approximately $780,000."
Hinojosa indicated that Total
Assets m the General Fund totaled
$6,686,270, with total liabilities
amounting to $3,084,281. The
total unreserved fund balance
amounted to $3,560,457.
Hinojosa indicated that
receivables showed a $376,000
increase from the previous year.
Noting the total of $518,883 in
Receivables "Due from Other
Funds", Hinojosa suggested, "By
expediting federal reports, you may
be able to increase your total of due
from other funds."
He indicated, "Liabilities are
mostly very close to what they
were the previous year."
Hinojosa indicated that the total
revenues originally budgeted for
1988-89 were $21, 211,429, with
actual total revenues amounting to
$21,130,507, resulting in a total
unfavorable variance of $80,922.
Total expenditures were
originally budgeted at $25,970,643.
Actual expenditures amounted to
S22,643,596, resulting in a
favorable variance ol $3,327,047.
Hinojosa said, "You have excess
revenues over expenditures of
(approximately) $1,501,000."
In conclusion, Hinojosa said,
"You are still in a very sound
financial position. Your budget was
properly managed throughout the
year. You all did a fine job. Some
of the reserves that you had carried
over from the previous year."
Hinojosa made recommendauons
in seven areas where improvements
need to be made. In many of the
areas, he said, "better coordination
(See AUDIT, Page 9)
Cuellar, Ouellette Named
1st Team All-Valley
The Rio Grande City Rattler football team was
represented on the 1989 All-Valley team by two
players. Pictured above are senior offensive Ruard Javier
Cuellar, left, and senior linebacker Richard Ouellette.
Senior offensive guard Javier
Cuellar and senior linebacker
Richard Ouellette of Rio Grande
City High School have been named
to the first team of the All-Valley
high school football squad for
1989.
Rattler Head Football Coach
Jorge Pena emphasized, "This is a
great honor for both players and for
Rio Grande City High School
Cuellar, who weighs 185 pounds,
was a key player in the Rio Grande
City offensive line that repeatedly
dominated opposing defenses,
which enabled the Rattlers to finish
the season with the most productive
offensive attack in District 31-5A
Coach Pena said of Cuellar,
"Javier was the best offensive guard
in the Valley; a real good
onc-on-one blocker He had a lot of
intensity, which is what you need
He always accepted the challenge.
general obligation) were reduced by
$90,000. Lease purchase of
obligations were reduced by
$105,(XX) to just over $50,000."
Auditor Jose Guadalupe Villarreal
emphasized, We're gelling out of
debt without losing the surplus in
the budget."
Alter the meeting, County Judge
J.M. Marline/, Jr told The Rio
Grande Herald, "All the
commissioners and department
heads deserve credit for this great
report. We expect the report for the
following year to be as good or
belter."
Mitchell indicated, "The Criminal
Justice Division (at the state level),
as well as us, found some
improvements that needed to be
made in the Task Force, as far as
ihe stipulations for the grant were
made." He was referring to the
Tri-County Drug Abuse Task
Flores To
Football
Former Oakland/L.A. Raiders
Football Head Coach Tom Flores,
who is now the President and
General Manager of the Seattle
Seahawks, will be this year's Rio
Grande City High School Football
Banquet speaker.
The annual banquet, sponsored by
the Rio Grande City Quarterback
Club, will honor the 1989 varsity
Rattler football team.
This year's banquet will be held
at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Jan.
20,1990 at the Multi-Purpose
Center across from the Auditorium
on the old Fort Ringgold campus.
Tickets are now available from
any Quarterback Club member or at
Force.
Villarreal said, "The sheriff and
Lalo Saenz (Field Commander ol
the Task Force) have gotten
together with the state on these
things and taken care of tliem. .As
far as I know, the sherifl and Mr
Saenz are in full compliance now."
The commissioners present,
Amando Pena and Eloy Garza,
along with Judge Martinez, voted to
approve the report as presented by
Muchcll.
A short time later, a motion by
Pena to rehire Mitchell at the same
fee to carry out the audit for
1988-89 passed without dissent.
Judge Martinez noted, "Lovctt,
Underwood, Neuhaus, and Webb is
offering to refinance the 1985
refunding bonds at a lower interest
rate. This could save the county
more than SI(X),(XX) over the life of
(See COUNTY, Page 5)
Speak At
Banquet
the following locations: the law
offices of Nye, Garza and Montalvo
at 111 E. Main or the Rio Grande
City Athletic Office.
Persons outside the Rio Grande
City/Starr County area who arc
interested in attending the banquet
may call Baldcmar Garza, Banquet
Chairman at 487-3405, or Club
President Dr. Roberto Margo at
487-3623.
The 52-year-old Fresn^,
California native has a total of 29
years experience in the National
Football League; having spent 10
years as a player, seven seasons as
an assistant coach and was head
(See FLORES, Page 12)
Cold Weather Causes
Little Crop Damage
Starr County was visited by
sub-freezing cold in the middle of
last week and again over the
weekend, bul vegetable crops still
in the field escaped serious damage
That is the assessment oflered by
Robert Peterson, the general
manager of Starr Produce. Peterson
said, It took the peppers and
tomatoes, but we had very few left
in the fields, less than one percent
of the total crops planted."
Peterson added, We were out
Friday harvesting lettuce. It (the
cold weather) burned the tender
crops which we were through with
anyway, bul the letluce and celery
weren't hurt at all. We. were still
making a U.S. grade number one
with lettuce on Friday."
Rio Grande City weather observer
Frank Anderson recorded a low
temperature of 25 degrees at his
residence on Wednesday morning,
Dec. 13 After the passage of
another Arctic front, Anderson
recorded low temperatures of 28
degrees on Saturday morning and 33
degrees on Sunday morning.
Peterson noted, "Our thcrmoicrs
registered 27 degrees," on
Wednesday morning, Dec. 13.
The bigger the challenge, the more
enthusiastic he got."
Pena added about Cuellar, His
cxplosivencss is his strongest
physical attribute. He was
extremely quick off the ball, with
the quickest start that I've ever seen
by an offensive lineman."
Senior linebacker Richard
Ouellette, who weighs 185 pounds,
finished the 1989 season with 203
total tackles, 113 of which were
solo tackles He also registered two
pass interceptions, three fumble
recoveries, and seven tacklcs of
enemy running backs behind the
line of scrimmage.
Coach Pena said of Ouellette,
Richard had more tackles than
anyone else in the Valley. He
played whether he was hurt or not."
Pena complimented Ouellette by
saying, "His ability to get to the
(See TEAM, Page 9)
HERALD GAINS NEW SUBSCRIBER- Mr. and Mrs.
R„el Roy" Cantu of Rio Grande City are the parents of
a son, Justin, who was born on Tuesday, Dec. 12 at
11:47 a.m. at Starr County Memorial Hospital. Justin,
who weighed 6 pounds. 2 ounces, is pictured above
with his mother, Rio Grande Herald Advertising
Manager Rosie ( anlu. The attending physician was Dr.
Antonio Falcon Rio Grande ( ity.
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Roberts, Kenneth. The Rio Grande Herald (Rio Grande City, Tex.), Vol. 80, No. 5, Ed. 1 Thursday, December 21, 1989, newspaper, December 21, 1989; Edinburg, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth195216/m1/1/: accessed May 6, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Rio Grande City Public Library.