The Bastrop County Times (Bastrop, Tex.), Vol. 87, No. 3, Ed. 1 Thursday, January 19, 1978 Page: 1 of 26
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SERVING: SMITHVILLE, BASTROP, ELGIN and ALL BASTROP COUNTY
VOL.87. NO. 3
FOUR SECTIONS. 26 PAGES
THURSDAY. JANUARY 19. 1978
Fleming Crisis To End
ELGIN—"1 think crisis would be
an accurate portrayal of what's
come up," said Fred Nyc, Fleming
Hospital Administrator in a tele-
phone interview concerning the
status of Fleming Hospital and the
recent board meeting.
"It's gotten down to the point
where unless we get a doctor in
pretty quick we're going to have
to. . .well..." Nye's voice trailed
off in obvious concern.
"Since Dr. Morris had a heart
attack the last week of October,
the census has gone down and
remained down." explained Nyc.
According to Nyc, maintaining
the census in the hospital is the
biggest problem they face.
Nyc did not have specific Figures
from the board meeting in front of
him but he estimated that the hos-
pital lost a couple of thousand
dollars in November 1977 due to a
drop in census.
The census went down further in
December 1977, so unless we can
get the census up to about 12
patients, we're not going to make
it," Nyc said. "We've been in
trouble all along.
"It's coming down to the nitty
gritty. There's not going to be any
more cash to operate under unless
we get more doctors in here."
emphasized Nyc.
He feels that this will be diffi-
cult since Fleming doesn't have new
facilities or other advantages to
attract more doctors.
Phil Overton, Dr. Morris' at-
torney, is handling the estate and
arrangements for a new doctor,
according to Nyc.
Overton originally scheduled a
private meeting for January 18 to
discuss the finances of Dr. Mor-
ris. Overton had to cancel this
meeting due to a funeral explained
Nvc.
Nyc said that Overton will be
setting up a new meeting at the
earliest possible date to discuss the
arrival of a new doctor and the stat-
EISD Votes Repairs
ELGIN—Six members of the El-
gin school board voted to secure
bids on recommendations made by
Dr. C. W. Thompson, superinten-
dent, for repairs on the elementary
school.
There were 22 people present
including board members for the
regular session held Jan. 17. 1978,
at 7:30 p.m.
Thompson stressed the import-
ance of completing repairs without
disrupting classroom procedure.
Thompson recommended and the
board agreed to complete the major-
ity of repairs during the summer of
1978.
The board approved to get bids
on the following:
Windows.
Window shades.
Store front doors.
Blackboards.
Renovation of lockers.
A tile floor and wainscotting up
five feet in baths.
Sidewalks.
Folding tables for the cafeteria.
New plumbing fixtures for the
baths including installation.
Pain, plaster, and pointing up
with in-house labor. (This item was
approved but with low priority.)
The board agreed to delay a
decision on the following until they
have additional information and
after hearing a report on conserv-
ing energy presented by Merle
Rea, a representative from Texas
Power and Light Company (TPL):
1. Suspending the ceiiing in
the hallways of both floors and four
additional rooms.
2. Electrical repairs which in-
clude additional circuits, additional
lighting in the corners of rooms and
halls and additional outside light-
ing.
The
estimated cost of these 12
areas is $54,529 according to
Thompson.
The board agreed to use in-
house labor for repairs whenever
possible.
At this time there is $150,000 in
savings on 30-day certificate
of deposit according to Thompson.
However he expects this money will
Gastro
us of the hospital.
"After the meeting they'll be
making a decision as to whether
the hospital remains open," he
added.
Nyc and a delegation recently
went to the Hallettsville hospital in
Hallettsville, Texas, to see their
facilities and possibly find a solu-
tion. Hallettsville established a
district and built their hospital this
year.
Nyc also confirmed that Denny
Thorpe was elected the new chief
of staff at Fleming Hospital.
Representative John Wilson is
going to meet with the hospital
steering committee on Jan. 24,
1978, for further discussion in the
agriculture department of the high
school, according to Mrs. Nancy
Graham, hospital board secretary.
Concerned citizens are urged to
attend.
Contracts Not Renewed
be spent for bills in March. April
and May of 1978.
Thompson said it was possible
that a loan might be necessary in
September but this will depend
See "EISD" on Page 2
Hospital
Sees Profit
At Hand
BASTROP—Jan. 12 Bastrop
Hospital Administrator Ben Snead
reported a loss to the hospital board
of $7,294.47 for October 1977 and
a projected loss of four thousand
dollars through November 1977 for
a total estimated operating loss of
$18,600 through November, howev-
er. while this is cause for concern
he urged the board not to be
alarmed. December's census and
January's projected census should
reduce the deficit considerably
and by February the hospital should
be back operating in the black.
Snead reported to the board
that the increase of the minimum
wage from $2.30 to $2.65 an hour
will have a ripple effect as the
hospital will keep the spread the
same between supervisors and their
subordinates and make selective
increases in salaries that will in-
crease the man power costs of the
hospital about $400 per week.
January third, the Medical Care
survey people showed up for three
days and examined the hospital,
the pharmacy, the minutes of the
hospital board and the medical
records.
Due to illness and retirement a
deficiency existed in Registered
nurses coverage and was noted by
the survey. Snead reported that this
area has been attended to. A min-
or deficiency was noted when it
was discovered a bottle was im-
properly labled.
The examination and inspection
of the hospital was truly unexpect-
ed according to Snead and overall
the hospital was in good shape
as was the pharmacy.
The eaatbound lane of ttate highway 71 between Bastrop and Smithville
was the scene of a moving fire at a Glattron boat trailer and cargo burned
Sunday. Jan. 15 A tpoketman for the Glattron Boat Company *aid that the
ai>pro iniate value of the boat* ** 125.000 and the "very approiimate
vdlue of the nailer wa 15.000 It t* though thai pcrhsp* the brake* locking
up M the trailer pottiblly cauted the fire
SMITHVILLE—After a lengthy
executive session at their regular
monthly meeting last Monday
night, the school trustees voted
unanimously not to extend any
administration contracts. This vote
leaves Superintendent Mabe with
two years to serve on his contract.
The district's four principals: Bud
Ray of the primary school; Quinn
Schlortt of the secondary; Gene
Sampson of the junior high; and
Jimmy Stacy of the high school,
all remain with one year to serve on
their contracts.
With one year remaining in
force the board voted to leave
Coach Barry Poth, the boys' athletic
director's, contract as it is.
Randy Taylor, band director,
and Linda Goodenough, girls' ath-
letic director, were given one year
extensions on their contracts by
the unanimous vote of the trustees.
Teachers' contracts will be re-
viewed at the next monthly meeting
of the board.
Every member of the board came
up with proposed amendments to
the S.I.S.D. board's policy book.
Most of these proposed amend-
ments dealt with the duties of the
superintendent and the payment of
bills. These proposed changes will
be voted on at the February board
meeting.
Lawrence W. Wesson, the dis-
trict's tax assessor/collector,
recommended to the board that they
hire a tax collection agency that
would write letters, bring suit and
collect a percentage—15% seems
the standard—of the successful
collections. He recommended that
Smithville
Water Rate
Hiked
SMITHVILLE—Water rates
will go up from $3 to $4 soon.
The Light and Water Board ap-
proved Utility Manager B. W.
Wesson's recommendation for the
hike Monday night and author-
ized the matter to be presented
on ordinance form at next month's
meeting.
In other matters at the mostly
routine Light and Water and ad-
journed Council session, approval
was given for revisions in the city's
electrical code.
Manager Wesson's recommenda-
tion for incorporating "bits and
pieces from the Austin code" into
the city code currently being re-
written was approved.
Included in the recommenda-
tions is an increase in bonding
requirements from $500 to $5,000
and licensing fees to $100 initial
with $25 renewal.
The proposal will also set up a
system of masters, journeymen,
and apprentices' positions.
The matter received a verbal
approval with official action to come
when the revised city code is adopt-
ed.
The board also heard Mayor
Lawrence Skelley say that he had
committed the city to join the
group of cities and co-ops fighting
LCRA's recent $14-million rate
hike request.
In the council session. Earl Ham-
brick's salary as building official
was set at $200. Hambrick's recom-
mendation of non-conforming li-
censing of four trailer parks was
approved.
The council also did the follow-
ing:
•raised cemetery fee* to $50
per grave space and opening and
doting graves to SI00
•leased tommy Hancock hay
right* at the airnorl for 1.550.
•plated II ,000 in *«ving* account
for utc of the firemen'* petition
all taxing authorities that shared
the same base be invited to par-
ticipate. The board authorized
Mabe to arrange a meeting with
lawyer Gates Steen ol Austin. Steen
was recommended by the board's
attorney, J. C. Hinsley.
In other business:
•The board voted unanimously
to re-establish a building trades
course after they learned that a poll
of prospective students showed 17
were interested in the course if
offered.
•The election places and dates
were set as well as election judges
and clerks named for the upcoming
April 1 school trustee elections.
•On Superintendent Mabe's
recommendation the board agreed
to keep the pedal type sewing ma-
chine for the time being.
Texas Forest Service workers gather seedlings by hand to reduce the pos-
sibility of root damage caused by other handling methods. The Service
sells minimum orders of 100 pine seedlings off their windbreak list for
$10.(X) per 100 and 500 off their seedling list at the same price. Persons can
write Indian Mound Nursery, Texas Forest Service, P.O. Box 617. Alto,
Texas. 75925, or call (713)858-4202.
Farm Strike Support Sought
ELGIN—A plea was made to
an estimated two hundred Elgin
area people to support the farmer's
.■•M'ikv on Jan. 10 at a rallv held in
the S.P.J.S.T. Hall.
"Agriculture is in danger of
losing everything," said Craig
Bryant, cattleman for 10 years.
Bryant and Fred Lundgren,
an Elgin farmer, met with Govern-
or Briscoe for three and a half
hours on January 10.
According to Bryant, Briscoe
supports agriculture and its goals to
obtain 100 per cent parity.
Bryant, Orlan Watson, a farmer
from the Panhandle, and Arnold
Paulson, president of National
Organization for Raw Material,
Inc. (NORM), appealed to the old-
er generation to join the strike to
enable the younger generation to
keep their heritage.
Bryant said, "It is estimated that
by 1980 there will be 500 farmers
and ranchers left."
Watson emphasized that farmers
and cattlemen have chosen their
occupation in agriculture.
"Things are moving. We've got
a lot of people going to Washington.
We need your support either phys-
ically or mentally."
Paulson, the keynote speaker
for the rally, said, "All of your
investments, pensions, and retire-
ment funds are not in the bank."
Farmers have had to borrow
money since farm prices have
dropped slowly for 22 years while
Sheriff Arrests
Couple with
264 Pounds
of Marijuana
Sheriff I. R. "Nig" Hoskins and
company Monday night arrested
a Bastrop County man and his wife
at their home for felony possession
of 264 pounds of marijuana.
The Sheriff and his Elgin Deputy
were accompanied by six Austin
police officers and two Department
of Public Safety officers who visited
the house south of Elgin with a
search warrant. According to Sher-
iff Hoskins he had a tip from one
of his informants that there was
marijuana at the house.
Officers arrested 34-year-old
Clay Silbernagel and released
25-year-old Barbara Silbernagel
at the scene, with instructions to
report to the courthouse Tuesday.
Tuesday the couple were each
charged with felony po**eb*ii n ol
marijuana and felony po**e**iori (if
hathith Hall wa* tel at 110,000
for each charge, totaling 120,000
each
industry's have increased. "If they
lose, you lose your life savings,"
Paulson warned.
Banking, the biggest business in
the country has "got us by the
jugular vein and it's going to tear
this whole country," said Paulson.
Paulson explained that he did
not mean local banks, but rather
money creators and the federal
reserve system. According to him
these are the people who profit
from borrowing.
Paulson believes that interest is
the biggest inflation factor—specif-
ically hidden interest.
"We've become their (money
creators) slaves and your enemy is
the federal reserve," asserted
Paulson.
Paulson feels that American
agriculture is fighting the money
system and its control of people.
Agriculture is seeking 100 per-
cent parity—a balance of payment
and trade between rural and ur-
ban areas, explained Paulson.
Paulson questions the fact that
the mathematicians who were able
lo predict the time and spot for
landing a man 011 the moon with
little error, cannot predict an econ-
omic budget.
"The people who learn how the
system works, don't light it. They
join it," accused Paulson.
The 1977 inheritance tax will
steal the estates away from heirs,
said Paulson.
The common people are in danger
of losing their rights and their
freedom, he warned.
Paulson used the story of Nos-
tradamus to illustrate the need ol
support.
A boy asked Nostradamus, a
prophet, to guess what was in his
mind.
"A bird," said Nostradamus.
"Is it alive or dead?" asked the
boy.
"That power lies in your hands,"
replied the prophet.
—Times Photo
Large crowd listens to Farm Strike speakers.
Records Kept Anywhere
SMITHVILLE—In a called meet-
ing Wednesday, January llth,
the Smithville Independent School
Board of Trustees heard their
lawyer, J. C. Hinsley council that
so long as the board approves
expenditures, "it doesn't matter
where district books are kept... as
long as they are kept," and avail-
able for inspection.
Other matters covered in that
meeting were:
•Payment was slopped and the
lease cancelled on a copy machine.
•The superintendent was author-
ized to advertise for bids for a re-
conditioned offset duplicating ma-
chine.
•Approved, after e ecullve
st stion, 1 hi hiring of I .eon Brown
at parting innnirniNo but driver
at $250 per month.
•Also approved payment of two
invoices from Hays County Gravel
Co. for cement for tennis courts
totaling $3,579.38 to take advantage
of a $62.25 discount if paid by Jan.
15.1978.
"Jamboree 78"
Thursday, January 19, the
Jamboree Committee will meet at
7:30 p.m. in the council chambers
of Smithville City Hall,
All those interested in working
with this year's Jamboree are
urged lo attend.
I lie three day fetlival, held
annually in Smithville, hat been
tel for March 10. II and April I,
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Baker, Douglas. The Bastrop County Times (Bastrop, Tex.), Vol. 87, No. 3, Ed. 1 Thursday, January 19, 1978, newspaper, January 19, 1978; Bastrop, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth335122/m1/1/: accessed April 23, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Bastrop Public Library.