The Canadian Record (Canadian, Tex.), Vol. 118, No. 16, Ed. 1 Thursday, April 17, 2008 Page: 6 of 36

THURSDAY 1 "7 APRIL 2DDB
NEWS PAGE
THE CANADIAN RECORD
Cemetery improvements presented to Hemphill County Commissioners
Cemetery Administrator Lena (Possum)
Jahnel proposed a wish list for projects need-
ed at Edith Ford Memorial Cemetery during
Hemphill County Commissioners Court's
Monday morning meeting. The review in-
cluded immediate concerns, long range needs
and beautification projects submitted by the
Hemphill County Cemetery Association with
assistance from the Historical Committee.
The first item was the purchase of a new
map of the Edith Ford Addition that Jahnel
said would help reconcile discrepancies be-
tween two older maps which are difficult to
read. She also identified some monuments
that need to be reset or leveled, a need for
debris next to the cemetery building to be
removed, fence and gate repair, repair of the
new roads, and removal of invasive plantings
and dead trees.
The Court directed Jahnel to commission
the topographic map and to check on the cost
of having one done for the whole cemetery.
She was also asked to prepare a planting
guideline policy to insure that no evergreens
or invasive plantings are placed on lots and
that trees are planted within the parameters
to avoid overcrowding.
At Jahnel's request, Commissioners com-
mitted $5,000 for the establishment of a me-
morial fund to identify and mark as many
unmarked graves as possible. The public will
be asked to match the money. Jahnel said she
would initiate a newspaper story about the
project with ads to follow up n an effort to
raise the matching money and to pursue as
many leads as possible for grave 'dentifica-
tion.
Other long range plans included posting
cemetery street signs made by the County
on poles donated by the City, placing markers
to more easily identify blocks, and a survey
of outlying cemeteries—Eller Flat, Prairie
Dell and Glazier.
Future goals for beautification were item-
zed: a map house and garden area ncorpo-
rating memorial stones, a main entrance
arch and gate, tree plantings, and flag poles
stationed along streets for flag placement on
appropriate holidays. Commissioners noted
that they will keep the projects in mind when
planning the budget for the next fiscal year.
Architect Pat Ford of Rogers-Ford, L.C.
tabulated for the Court the six bids received
for the County Annex Building for temporar-
ly housing the library. Commercial Industri-
al Builders of Amarillo submitted the lowest
bid at $1.24 million and Minnix Commercial
Construction had the highest at $1.63 million.
"These are not apples to apples," Ford said of
the bids and he asked the Court to table any
action until he could contact each bidder for
an explanation of two particulars he said they
did not cover n their presentations: a break-
down of the bids and nformation about the
metal building.
When asked what he thought the cost of
the Annex should be, Ford said approximate-
ly $900,000, which does not include kitchen
Informational
Meeting
Canadian Main Street Improvements Project
City Hall
3:00 P.M. to 6:00 P.M.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
An Informational Meeting will be held from 3:00 P.M. till
6:00 P.M. in the Auditorium of City Hall on Thursday,
April 24, 2008. The purpose of this meeting is to inform
interested parties of the construction activities to take place
as a result of the Canadian Main Street Improvements
Project. Business owners located on Main Street are
encouraged to attend as this project may temporarily limit
access to businesses located in this area. Representatives
from the Texas Department of Transportation and the City
of Canadian will be available to answer questions
regarding the project.
equipment, library shelving for the tempo-
rary setup, landscaping and the final retrofit
of the office space when the library moves
back to the WCTU Building. The Court will
have a called meeting to consider Ford's rec-
ommendations.
Also submitting bids were A&S General
Contractors, Inc. - $1.5 million; Don Mason
Builders - $1.5 million; Missouri Valley, Inc. -
$1.61 million; and Panhandle Steel Buildings,
Inc. - $1,344 million.
Interim Community Development Di-
rector Jackie McPherson presented data
regarding David Tubb's Superior Shooting
and his request to purchase 140' north of
the facility for expansion. The EDC recom-
mended in a letter presented that the sale of
the property be allowed. A 10-year-old com-
pany with national status, Superior Shoot-
ng manufactures and markets a broad line
of specialized ammunition, shooting acces-
sories and custom-made firearms, including
catalog and internet sales, custom orders and
major development projects with the Depart-
ment of Defense.
Tubb said he cannot purchase property to-
ward the railroad track. Commissioner John
Ramp noted that this is the last parcel of land
that can be sold toward the Wagon Bridge.
The Court agreed to have the area surveyed
and will go through the bidding process by
advertising the lot for sale.
Airport Manager Don Parker said he
had not received the EDC job creation grant
of $25,000 for his aircraft repair business.
There was some confusion among the Com-
missioners about the original ntent of the
funding. Commissioner Lynard Schafer and
Joe Schaef said they were under the impres-
sion that Parker's contract was to be $36,000
a year, $18,000 of which was to be County
money and the rest EDC money, with the
overage of $7,000 (from the $25,000) to com-
pensate the county for their portion.
After determining that the whole amount
of $25,000 had been contracted to Parker, the
Court agreed that the total, which had been
disbursed by the EDC to the Treasurer's Of-
fice, could be written in a lump sum check to
him for hil aircraft repair business.
i other bus ess, the Court:
•Opted not to create a Sick Leave Pool at
the request of Sheriff Gary Henderson who
had provided information about other coun-
try's policies in an earlier meeting.
•Approved the Sheriff's request to pur-
chase with Emergency Management funds a
FEMA trailer at a cost of $3,000. Henderson
traveled to Fort Worth to see the trailer and
said it could be used as a command center
during an emergency. The unit will be stored
at the former Juvenile Fac ity.
•Were informed by General Manager Ja-
net Guthrie that the Hemphill County Under-
ground Water Conservation District office
with its staff of three is moving to 912 S. 2nd.
The HCUWCD will eventually be housed in
the new Annex Build ing, which will serve as
the location of the library during the renova-
tion of the WCTU Building. She expressed
appreciation of the Court's support n pro-
viding their former office space in the old jail
building.
•Granted a request by Extension Agent
Kyle Barnett for a donation of $500 to pro-
vide a charter bus for extended Panhandle
tours during the Texas County Agricultural
Agents Association Annual Meeting and Pro-
fessional Improvement Conference scheduled
for August 2-6 in Amarillo.
•Accepted a bid of $28,872 from Culber-
son Stowers in Pampa for the purchase of a
pick-up for the Extension Office.
•Approved a bid of $1,675 for the sale of
an Extension Office goose neck trailer to Dan
Cornett. Brandon Dukes of Miami submitted
a bid for $515.
•Agreed to replace a post and cable fence
with 260 feet of guardrail to help prevent li-
eu rs ion onto the airport.
•Granted a request by Librarian April
Dillon for up to $2,110 in funding to supple-
ment a Texas Book Festival Grant of $1,250
for staffing the summer youth program.
•Agreed to advertise for the sale of three
belly dump trailers from Precinct 3 and 4
and one blade from Precinct 4. Bids will be
opened at the May 12 th meeting.
•Renewed the Victim Information &
Notification Everyday program at a cost of
$5,728.
•Approved a letter outlining the Natural
Resources Conservation Service's mainte-
nance plan for the Upper Washita Watershed.
•Opted to table until the May 12th meet-
ng, the removal of the burn ban which has
10-20 days remaining.
•Accepted a bid for sealcoating from E.D.
Baker for $214,177. Lewis Construction Com-
pany submitted a bid of $229,716.
•Approved the 1 ring of Ray Rollmann as
a road hand for Precinct 4.
•Extended the third year of the 3-year
option for Hack Coffee's maintenance con-
tract at Edith Ford Memorial Cemetery and
agreed to a $3,000 increase, making the con-
tract total $24,707. Coffee said the work had
increased, as well as fuel costs.
•Approved, at the request of County-Dis-
trict Clerk Brenda Perrin, a bill for $370 from
General Fund to Michael Gardiner, CPA, for
work on assessing the tax status of closed-out
cases.
•Were informed by the County Clerk that
repairs of bent pins needed on voting ma-
chines were not under warranty and would
cost $500 each, plus $60 shipping. Perrin said
she plans to monitor at which polling places
machines and media chips are used and will
have test ballots run before the machines are
stored.
•Agreed to start the procedure of closing
County Road 9, a pasture road, at the request of
Melvin Walser who wants to make it private.
Those present were Judge Steven Van-
diver, Commissioners Ed Culver, Joe Schaef,
Lynard Schafer and John Ramp, County-
District Clerk Brenda Perrin, Sheriff Gary
Henderson, Sally Henderson, Gayle Hay-
good, Lena Jahnel, Gena Tubb, Cornelia Var-
nell, Don Parker, Jackie McPherson, David
Tubb, Janet Guthrie, Dwight Brandt, Oscar
Ostos, April Dillon, Hack Coffee, Pat Ford,
Kyle Barnett and Record reporter Cathy
Ricketts.