Duval County Picture (San Diego, Tex.), Vol. 7, No. 2, Ed. 1 Wednesday, January 15, 1992 Page: 1 of 6
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luual (Jaunty JHrtur*
Vd.7 No. 2
Wednesday, January 15,1992
San Diego, Texas
SDISD Comparison of Finances, 1990-91
$10,000,000
$8,000,000
$6,000,000
$4,000,000
$2,000,000
$0
($2,000,000) Revenues Expenditures
Deficit
Audit shows SDISD
on course on deficit
reduction efforts
SAN DIEGO - Local school
trustees, with the help of three
quarters of a million dollar state
increase in funding, are on their
way to resolving their deficit
problem.
The San Diego Independent
School District Board of Trus-
tees reviewed their financial gains
on Thursday, Jan 9, when they
adopted the district's audit for the
year ended Aug. 31,1991. It was
the first time in many years, said
Superintendent Elov Guera, that
the audit was completed on time.
"You have a clean opinion," a
spokesman with Perrin, Kollaja
& Co., certified public account-
ants told the board. "The deficits
are gone from the report."
While the deficits "are gone"
from the report, they are still with
the district. The district trimmed
$491,695 from the deficit but were
still in the red $330,109.
The CPA pointed out that the
district had exceeded its deficit
reduction goal by $280,000. The
district has adopted a plan to re-
tire the initial deficit of $821,804
in three years. The audit report
covered the first year of the plan.
"You have done real well,"
said the auditor, "but I don't think
you're out of the woods yet."
The district did little by way
of reducing costs. They spent
$7,848,789, only $21,232 less
than the previous board faulted
with creating the deficit.
Revenues were up however,
nearly $1 million. Local funds
rose by $105,164 and state fund-
ing went up $756,326.
The district paid off a
$639,000 note but had to borrow
another $465,000. Still they ended
the year with $204,958 in the
bank compared to a $187,995
overdraft left over by the previ-
ous board.
The auditors did not mention
any problems in detail and of-
fered no recommendations to the
board. These matters arc usually
SD council ponders
land swap proposal
SAN DIEGO - A land swap
between Duval and Jim Wells
counties has been mentioned as
a possible solution to the San Di-
ego's law enforcement problem.
The issue was discussed at the
San Diego City Council meeting
on Wednesday. Jan. 8.
Details of the idea were not
discussed nor was it revealed
who made the proposal but the
Hitturt learned that the issue
whs sired
Duval County Sheriff San-
tiago Barrera Jr. was on the coun-
cil's agenda to discuss the im-
plementation of the 9-1-1 emer-
gency system.
The council met with Barrera
behind closed doors even though
the matter did not appear as an
executive session item. It was
also pointed out to the council
that it did not involve personnel
or litigation.
In open session, Barrera told
the council that the city needed
"an effective police department"
By that he means, said Barrera,
that they must have 24-hour pa-
trols and dispatching capability.
"It's going to be hard," said
Barrera,"or you could disincor-
porate."
He also suggested that the
city could contribute money to
his department to provide the
needed vigilance but would still
be faced with patroling the Jim
Wells side of San Diego.
Mayor Amando Garcia said
a "reborderina" proposal could
solve that problem.
A source close to the issue
told the Hitturt this involved a
possible land swap whereby
Duval would give Jim Wells land
north or south of the city in ex-
change for the area within, the
San Diego city limits now in Jim
Wells County.
Such a proposal, if seriously
pursued, would require legisla-
tive action.
Barton charges sheriff will use
forfeiture funds for extra pay
revealed through a management
letter but no such letter was made
available.
The auditors did point out that
"student activity areas are a kind
of a thorn on the side.” They
added that while teachers and
campus administrators are not ac-
countants, "they can do better
without being accountants."
At a previous meeting audi-
tors had met behind closed doors
with the board to discuss this area
which the school attorney said
could involve litigation. No
mention was made of this prob-
lem at the Thursday meeting.
In other business, the board:
• adopted a Chapter I parent
involvement policy;
• tabled action on replacing
Esperanza Torres who resigned
as their representative on the
Duval r
• av----
ance bid to
Alice ft
$9,882;
• aUtliuniAfU wuyini iu duvci-
tise for bids to repairpart of the
Archie Parr roof;
• extended the auditor's con-
tract for another year, and
• hired Guadalupe Rodriguez
as a high school teacher.
The board also heard a report
on the district’s TAAS score re-
sults. The local scores fell in every
subject, in every grade, accord-
ing to the report presented by
Curriculum Coordinator Ignacio
Salinas.
"You’re right, the scores are
not good," Salinas told board
members who expressed bewil-
derment and concern over the
report.
"I want us to become more
education minded as a board,"
said Trustee Tommy Molina. He
suggested the board adopt a plan
to improve scores, like they did to
resolve the deficit problem.
(Editor's Ncfte: Details of the
TAAS report will appear in next
week’s edition.)
SAN DIEGO - Duval County
Commissioner's approved a
$203,265 budget for the Sheriffs
Department to dispense funds
forfeited from drug dealers, the
vote was not without question,
with one commissioner voting
against.
"He overspent his budget
$101,000 last year," said Com-
missioner Richard Barton about
Sheriff Santiago Barrera Jr. "I •
don't see why he can't use this
money to offset those expendi-
tures."
Barton also raised issue with
Barrera's proposal to use $30,000
for a drug dog and for "overtime."
He alleged that it was a scheme to
give his people raises.
Tm not against them getting
raises but everyone should get
them," said Barton. "It was be-
cause of the sheriffs overspend-
ing that we can't give other em-
ployees raises."
Assistant District Attorney
Rudy Gutierrez told the court that
the law prohibited the county from
Caballero
withdraws
from race
FREER - A surprise last min-
ute withdrawal is the major
change that ocurrcd with the ex-
tension of the filing deadline for
the March 10 primaries. Duval
County Tax Collector Fernando
Caballero withdrew as a candi-
date on Friday, Jan. 10.
Caballero, said County Demo-
cratic Chairman Alicia G. Saenz,
withdrew as the deadline ap-
proached. Immediately after his
withdrawal, formerCounty Treas-
urer Zaragosa Gutierrez Jr. filed
in his {dace.
Gutierrez will face former Be-
navides City Councilman^
Gonzalo Garza for die position.
The only other change in
county races was the filing of
Laura Cude for constable in pre-
cinct four. He joins the incum-
bent Pedro Garza, Victor Laredo
See CABALLERO Page 3
\ m
Sheriff Barrera
using forfeiture funds "to offset
or decrease total salaries, ex-
penses, and allowances that the
agency . . . receives from the
commissioners court.. "
The funds must be used "solely
for law enforcement purposes."
The law also prohibits the
sheriff from awarding an increase
Commissioner Barton
in "salary, expense, or allowance
for an employee... who is budg-
eted by the commissioners court
. . . unless the commissioners
court... first approves the ex-
penditure."
The court did approve $30,000
for the drug dog and "overtime"
but it was unclear whether this
was enough to meet the law's
requirement of prior approval.
Barrera said the overtime pay
could not be considered raises
because it would be pay for extra
work beyond a deputy's present
job requirements. The overtime
would go for undercover work
usually done at night.
The sheriff said he did not
believe the overtime would ex-
ceed $1,600 for any one em-
ployee.
On questions by Barton, the
she riff said he planned to use some
of die funds to buy two new po-
lice cars. The other expenditures
involve:
• $26,000 for a computer sys-
tem;
• $44,119.25 for undercover
personnel;
• $22,059.75for an undercover
vehicle, inclusive of repairs and
maintenance;
• $22,059.75 for confidential
informants and drug buys;
• $14,706.50 in court costs
See BARTON Page 3
Prison land costs total $232,772
Improvements could exceed $2 million
Duval County Commission-
ers unanimously endorsed an ap-
plication to the Texas Department
of Criminal Justice for a state
prison to be located 2.3 miles
southeast of San Diego. The vote
came at the commissioners regu-
lar meeting on Monday, Jan. 13.
The resolution had actually
been approved on Thursday, Jan.
9, but was placed on the agenda
again so that it would have the
votes of all commissioners.
Commissioners Richard Barton
and Alejo Garcia were not at
Thursday's meeting.
The two, along with commis-
sioners Bob Lee and Noe Marti-
nez and County Judge Gilbeito
Uresti, all voted for the prison
proposal.
Details of the local cost of the
project also began to surface on
Thursday.
„ The land for the prison, which
would be donated to the state,
will cost $232,772.70 including
closing costs. The total area to be
pruchased would be 308.3 acres.
The bulk of the land would be
purchased from Corpus Christ!
Pharmacist Clemente Garcia. He
has offered to sell 254.41 acres
for $700 an acre for a total cost of
$178,087. San Diego Justice of
the Peace Am ado Garcia is will-
ing to sell 53.923 acres at $900 an
acre for a total of $48,530.70.
The county has also paid
$1,000 in earnest money to each
seller to secure a six month op-
tion. Both men made it clear they
did not wish to sell to the county
for any other purpose and if the
prison bid fails, the land sale is
off.
Purchase of the land would be
accomplished through certificates
of obhgation most likely by the
First State Bank of San Diego.
Revenue bonds would finance
the approximately $2,179,705
needed in site improvements.
These would include:
• $950,000 for two new water
wells and an elevated storage tank;
• $160,000 for water lines to
connect wells to the site;
• $20,000 for right-of-way for
wells And water lines;
• $380,000 to connect the
prison to the San Diego sewer
plant some 3.5 miles away;
• $40,000 for two lift stations;
• $7,500 to bore under FM
1329;
• $12,050 for right of way for
sewer pipeline;
• $400,000 to upgrade the
existing sewer plant; and
• $198,155 in "contingincies".
All costs are only estimates
and would only be incurred if the
prison were awarded to the
county. County consultants have
said the revenue braids would be
paid from user fees charged to the
prison.
SD firemen hold back on mass resignation
SAN DIEGO - A threatened
mass resignation of the local vol-
unteer fire department was fore-
stalled when the San Diego City
Council called for a special meet-
ing fo air their grievances.
The meeting will be held Mon-
day, Jan. 20, at 7:00 p.m. at the
city's new fire station.
Some 15 members of the fire
department had signed a letter of
resignation to be presented to the
council if their "conditions" were
not met They were requesting
that:
• the present office of the fire
marshall be relocated to another
area other than the fire station;
• they be allowed to conduct
meetings at the fire station for the
purpose of training; and
• that the council provide
"some kind of incentive" for
members of the volunteer fire
department.
The firemen appeared before
the city council on Wednesday,
Jan. 8, and voiced the first two of
these concerns but withheld the
letter of resignation after Mayor
Amando Garcia suggested a spe-
cial meeting on the issue.
"Okay," said Richard Yaeger
a spokesman for the firemen, "If
the fire marshall stays away."
"I don't think that is very pro-
fessional," Mayor Garcia told
Yaeger.
Fire Chief Damacio Suarez
said the firemen believe that the
fire station "was supposed to be
ours." He said Fire Marshall
Gilbert Perez had his (Suarez')
office.
Suarez told the council Perez'
desk should be moved elsewhere
so that his department could hold
meetings at the fire station. He
* q
1
San Diego Fire Chief Damacio Suarez (at left) is joined by other firemen in presenting
"conditions* to city council.
said they had been meeting at a
local restaurant.
"Maybe we should pull out the
police department,'' said Coun-
cilwoman Delia Ibanez. The po-
lice department occupies an of-
fice at the fire station.
Suarez said that was not the
solution, that Perez should be
moved. Ibanez responded she felt
the fire marshall should be lo-
cated at the fire station.
• "We built you an $80,000 fire
station and we thought you would
be happy." Ibanez told the fire-
men.
"We were betteroffhere," said
Suarez referring to the old station
next to city hall which had been
condemned as unsafe.
"It sounds to me this is a per-
sonality clash," said Councilman
Ignacio Salinas.
Perez said other volunteers
were prepared to come foreward
if the firemen resigned. He said
the firemen were taking tins ac-
tion because he would report the
activities at the fire sation to the
mayor and council and the fire-
men did not like him doing that,
hi other business, die council
agreed to "solicit" applications
from persons interested in filling
a vacancy on the council. Solici-
tation notices will be posted at
various public places in the dty.
The council also gave the go
ahead for staff to begin process-
ing another 15 housing applica-
tions. The city still has $47,000
available for that purpose.
Housing pfogram coordinator
Adrians Elizondo said the city
had $52,466 in delinquent hous-
ing loans. Most were over a year
in arrears and "some of them have
|\JCD Ol -*■ Z >
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Cardenas, Alfredo E. Duval County Picture (San Diego, Tex.), Vol. 7, No. 2, Ed. 1 Wednesday, January 15, 1992, newspaper, January 15, 1992; San Diego, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1006357/m1/1/: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; .