The Odem-Edroy Times (Odem, Tex.), Vol. 23, No. 38, Ed. 1 Thursday, September 19, 1974 Page: 1 of 4
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Commissioners Differ
In Following Budgets
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A check into county ex-
penditure records show two of
San Patricio County’s four
commissioners had overspent
their eight-month 1974 road and
bridge budgets by the end of
August.
At the same time, the two
other commissioners were
showing a fund balance, not
including revenue sharing
funds, in excess of $185,000
each.
The great contrast in money
handling by the four com-
missioners came to light
during a Sept. 9 public budget
hearing when county resident
Dave Odem asked com-
missioner R. G. Kindle of
Ingleside how much he was
overspent on his budget this
year.
Kindle answered by claiming
he was overspent only for the
month of August, not for the
first eight months of the year.
A check of county records,
however, show Kindle is
$35,550.45 over his budget for
the first eight months of the
year. He spent $12,260.89
during August which was
actually below his monthly
budget of $13,750.
Kindle’s Precinct Four
budget shows him to be
$11,729.83 under his budget on
expenditure of revenue sharing
road and bridge budget during
the first eight months is C. F.
Spiekerman of Odem who was
overspent $2,452.86 by Aug. 31.
Spiekerman underspent his
August budget by over $3,200
and is under his 1974 revenue
sharing budget by $2,765 or
slightly more than he is over in
his general road budget.
Showing the most con-
servatism is Glenn Dorris of
Mathis who underspent his 1974
road and bridge budget by over
$63,000, underspent his revenue
sharing budget by $17,600,
shows a road and bridge fund
balance of over $199,500 and a
revenue sharing fund balance
of over $26,200.
Commissioner Joe Zapata of
Sinton falls inbetween his co-
workers. Zapata has un-
derspent his 1974 road and
bridge fund by $39,563.25, but
overspent his revenue sharing
budget by $7,007.11.
Zapata’s records show a 1974
road and bridge fund balance
of over $185,415, but a revenue
fund balance of only $178.99.
........... The county’s general
0perating budget was over-
spent $52,605.92 by the end of
funds. He has a 1974 balance of
$36,681.52 in road and bridge
funds and $18,915.93 in revenue
sharing funds.
Thus, the commissioner
from the east side of the county
has spent an average of $18,193
per month this year in road and
bridge funds, but has only an
average of $9,170 left for each
remaining month of 1974.
Due to weather, however,
much of the road and bridge
work is done in the spring and
summer with a smaller
amount of it accomplished
during the often wet months of
September through December.
Also overspending his 1974
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Off The
Beaten Path
By Maiy Cornett Winebmner
“ESTABLISHED JUNE 25, 1948”
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ODEM, TEXAS 78370, THORSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 1974
FOUR PAGES - NO. 38
ODEM'S WEATHER
September 11-17
Observer: David Tewes
Walter Bateman
Date
High
Low
Sept. 11
93
76
Sept. 12
84
74
Sept. 13
80
70
Sept. 14
85
66
Sept. 15
88
70
Sept. 16
92
72
Sept. 17
92
75
School Board Calls For
Cancellation Of Certificate
■
IRMA CHAPA junior student
at A&l University, has been
elected cheerleader for the
second consecutive year for the
Javelina team. She will be
cheering in Monterrey, Mexico
Saturday, Sept. 21 when the
Javelinas will be opposing
Monterrey Tech. Miss Chapa is
majoring in P. E. with a minor
in sociology. She is a graduate
of Odem High School. Her
parents are Mr. and Mrs. Steve
Chapa.
I rode with an angel of mercy
on a Continental bus Saturday
afternoon.
Soon after the bus was out of
the city limits of Corpus Christi
we came upon a car that was
burning on the shoulder of the
highway. The driver pulled
over to the side of the road and
in a split moment had the bus
fire extinguisher out and
headed back to lend assistance.
He failed to save the car, but he
did get there in time to prevent
the explosion of the gas tank.
The act of mercy on the part
of the bus driver was one of a
number of nice things I ex-
perienced on my trip to Corpus
Christi. I got started just right
the afternoon before by being
offered a ride to Corpus by a
friend who knew the bus I had
planned to ride into Corpus
Christi would be late because
of the high water on the high-
ways. Since the friend was
going into the city on business,
I was glad to ’’catch a ride”
there.
I stayed over night with my
sister-in-law, and we had a real
nice visit-the first time we had
time for such a visit in a long
time.
Saturday morning I went for
an eye test to get my new
glasses, and I was highly
pleased to find that my eyes
are in much better condition
See PATH, Page 2
August for the first eight
months with $321,840
remaining to be spent from a
$1,187,200 budget.
The balance for all county
funds fell from $1,709,994 at the
first of August to $1,581,873 at
the end of August. The county’s
bonded debts totaled $1,175,000.
Rainfall observations are for
24 hour periods ending at 7:00
a.m.
Minimum-maximum tem-
peratures are taken at mid-
night daily.
COMMENTS
A combination of an upper
level low and cool front set the
stage for locally heavy thun-
derstorms. These storms
produced gusty winds and
brilliant electrical displays.
The school board has called
for the cancellation of the
Free Lunch Eligibility
Income Announced
Free meals are provided for
students in the Odem public
schools when the family in-
come is at or below the
eligibility scale set by the
school, said Supt. C. L. West.
The free lunch eligibility
scale is as follows: Family
size, 1-family annual income,
$0-2330; Family size, 2-family
annual income, $0-3060;
Family size, 3-family annual
income $0-3790; Family size, 4-
family annual income, $0-4510;
Family size, 5-family annual
income, $0-5150; Family size, 6-
family annual income, $0-5850;
Family size, 7-family annual
income, $0-6450; Family size, 8-
family annual income, $0-7050;
Family size, 9-family annual
income, $0-7610; Family size,
10-family annual income, $0-
8150; Family size, 11-family
annual income, $0-8690; and
Family size, 12-family annual
income, $0-9230.
Eligibility determination is
made on a family basis, that is
all the children in the same
family attending schools under
the jurisdiction of the same
school food authority are to
receive the same benefits, said
West. And no child will be
discriminated against because
of his race, sex, color or
See LUNCH, Page 2
Publisher’s
Comments
by j.f.t.
If inflation is to be controlled,
big government must curb its
spending. Government at all
levels must comply with this
request of the President and
his economic advisers if we are
to make any type of return to
normalcy.
Perhaps the folks in our San
Patricio County courthouse
failed to hear these pleas of our
leaders. For a year now, it
seems, there has been con-
tinual bickering about wages,
expenses and allowances.
There has been no stopping
the requests from all areas.
And it all reminds us so much
of the situation that our
Federal government ex-
periences from the
bureaucrats in the various
agencies. . . many not needed
at all, but there squabbling for
another buck from the hard-
pressed taxpayers.
See COMMENTS, Page 2
Adult Education
Program Begins
Record Flood Strikes
Papalote Creek Area
The community of Papalote,
located about 10 miles north of
Sinton in Bee County, was
deluged by heavy rainstorms
last Friday which resulted in
loss of property to most
residents.
Unofficial reports of rainfall
range from 13 to 17 inches
which caused flooding and
necessitated many persons
being evacuated by boat and
helicopter.
Mrs. Gladys Bobbitt, 79, lives
in a mobile home in Papalote
with her sister, Mrs. Eunice
Williams, 76, who is confined to
a wheelchair.
Mrs. Bobbitt said flood
waters were seeping into her
home and she was attempting
to put personal belongings out
of the water’s reach when
someone informed the Bee
County sheriff’s office that she
and her sister were stranded.
Sheriff Jack Robinson made a
call to the Naval Air Station in
Beeville and requested a
helicopter to rescue them.
Mrs. Williams was taken
from her home by helicopter in
a bosun’s chair to the Mick
Fish' Farm where she was
transferred to a stretcher and
taken by ambulance to a
Beeville hospital.
Mrs. Bobbitt was the next
to leave by helicopter.
She reported it was a most
frightening ride. She said she
moved to Papalote in 1922 and
this was the first time flooding
of this degree had been ex-
perienced there.
Others who suffered loss
from the flood waters were
Maurice and Walter Gerder, E.
D. Dubose, Nelson Miller,
George Diamond, Robert
Carlisle, Bob Mick, Travis
Bobbitt and Vernon
Newcomer.
It was also reported that Abe
Katz, who owns property in San
Patricio and Bee counties, lost
20 beef cows and calves and
about one-half of his baled hay
in two barns.
An Adult Basic and Con-
tinuing Education Program
has been incorporated in the
Odem school system for the
first time this fall.
The organizational meeting
was held Thursday night of last
week With the first in-
structional meeting held from 7
to 9 p.m. Tuesday of this week.
The program is on a four-
level basis with the first level
for those adults who have
never had academic training to
those who have completed
third grade. The second level is
for those who have had fourth,
fifth and sixth grade training.
The third level is for those who
have had as much as seven or
eight grades of education, and
the fourth level carries them
through high school.
The program is federal-
funded and is open to any adult
who wishes to further his or her
education.
Mrs. Roy Underwood is the
director and there are six
teachers, with Miss Alice Gray
and Miss Linda Chapa, first
level; Mrs. Kenneth Stein,
second level; Mrs. Bert Roper,
third level; and Mrs. C. K.
Street and Mrs. Lydia Romero,
fourth level instructors.
A total of 124 adults covering
the four levels are enrolled in
the program. Classes on all
levels will be held from 7 to 9
p.m. each Tuesday and
Thursday.
Odem High Elects Officers
The student body of Odem
High School recently elected
class officers and student
council representatives for the
1974-75 school year. According
to Wilbert L. Treybig, principal
:
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.
THE STOPPERS. This is the Odem defensive squad termed
by Coach Bobby Davis as turning out "a great effort" against
the Premont Cowboys. He said you couldn't have asked "for
a better defense." From left are (front five) David Lilly,
Amando Soto, Tommy Rangel, Ken Easley, Rod
Rothlisberger, (back row) Junior Adamez, Johnny O'Canas,
Johnny Haines, Joe Galvan, David Smith and Greg Dokken.
(Times photo)
of Odem High School, the
following students were
elected:
Senior Class: Dalia Vargas,
president; Junior Adamez,
vice-president; Mindy Chapa,
secretary; Belia Martinez,
treasurer; Billie Sue Hunter,
reporter; Diana Garcia,
parliamentarian; Amando
Soto and Mary Alice Martinez,
student council represen-
tatives.
Junior Class: Melda
Benavidez, president; Diana
Mancias, vice-president; Rosie
Ortiz, secretary, Mary
Martinez, treasurer; Dora
Bargas, parliamentarian;
Jeannie Barber, reporter;
Norma Garza and Efrain
Aleman, student council
representatives.
Sophomore Class: Margie
Garza, president; Emilio
Ortiz, vice-president;
Esperanza Pesina, secretary;
Joan Atkinson, treasurer;
David Payne, reporter ; Hector
Riviera, parliamentarian;
Irma Cisneros and Mark
Aleman, student council
representatives.
Freshman Class: Diego
Chapa, president; Nelda
Chapa, vice-president; Francis
Perez, secretarysNelda
Gutierrez, treasurer; Tonya
Bain, reporter; Sherry Grant,
parliamentarian Velma Veliz
and Lloyd Pirtle, student
council representatives.
teaching certificate of Walter
Hugh Bateman, who left the
faculty without giving proper
notice.
Bateman was employed as a
biology and science teacher
and an assistant coach on
August 12. Two days later the
superintendent, C. L. West,
signed the contract having
certified that Bateman held a
state certificate and that he
had taught in the schools which
he had listed on his application.
His recommendations were
good from those schools.
Bateman taught his
Assignment for three days and
attended the 5-day in-service
training as required. On
August 29 Bateman called the
high school principal and told
him that he was resigning,
since his business partner had
died and he was taking over the
business (International Sports
Improvement Service in Waco,
Texas). When requested by the
high school principal to contact
Supt. C. L. West, Bateman
informed the principal that he
did not have time to see West.
But he did submit a written
resignation which was
received Sept. 3.
The board took action on the
matter in its next regular
meeting, authorizing the
superintendent to request
Baptist Budget
Committee Named
First Baptist Church has
named its budget committee
for 1975-76 with the following
committeemen listed:
Frank Oelschlegel Mrs. Rosa
Haines, Mrs. Nona Mae
Mohrmann, Charles
Kuykendall, Roy Whiteley and
Gilbert Oelschlegel.
FFA Elect
Officers
In a recent meeting of the
Odem Chapter of the Future
Farmers of America officers
for the ensuring year were
elected, with Ronnie Guzman
named president.
Elected to serve with him
were Junior Adamez, vice-
president; Amando Soto,
secretary; Loel Rhyne,
treasurer; Hector Nunez,
reporter; and Ramon Rivera,
sentinel.
Topics which were discussed
were the point system set by
the executive committee of the
Chapter and dues to be paid by
the members. Dues were set at
$4 per year, and the point
system and amount of dues
were both passed by the vote of
the chapter.
Full Slate Of
Games Logged
This Week
There will be a full slate of
Football games for Odem fans
this week with the key game
being the Varsity encounter
with the Banquete Bulldogs
Friday night at Owl stadium.
Game time is 8:00 P.M. The
Banquete Odem game is
always and exciting affair and
Odem fans are urged to be on
hand to pull for the Owls.
Football action will get under
way at Owl Stadium on
Thursday evening when the
Odem 7th Grade Owelets take
on the Banquete 7th Graders at
5:30. This will be followed by
the Owlet 8th Graders vs.
Banquete at 6:30 and following
that game the Odem Owl JV
will take on the Banquete JV
team. Come out and pull for
these future Owls.
cancellation of Bateman’s
teaching certificate. West has
submitted a request to the
Commissioner of Education for
such cancellation to be made
under Subchapter B, Sec.
13.046, circumstance number 3
of the Texas Education Code,
Bulletin 721.
See BOARD, Page 2
City Passes
Ordinance
In a recent business meeting
the city of Odem voted that
water taps can be made on any
existing waterline inside or
outside the city limits but no
line extensions can be made
from the main water lines for
tappeing.
This decision was made
following a long discussion of
the matter when Aaron Ward
and his attorney Curtis Dyer
came asking for water taps for
wards property in Bethel
Estates. He was granted the
right to so tap the main line.
Seaton Draws Second
Charge, Larger Bond
Former Sinton police officer
John Seaton remains in San
Patricio County Jail under
$12,500 bond following an un-
successful attempt to get a
$10,000 bond lowered.
Seaton was arrested at his
home in Corpus Christi Sept.
10, charged with the June 29
burglary of Stanley’s Sporting
Goods Store in Sinton and
jailed under a $10,000 bond.
Seaton went before District
Judge John Miller Sept. 12 with
a plea to get his bond lowered.
The request was denied by
Miller and minutes later
Seaton was charged with a
second burglary which added
another 2,500 to his bond.
Shortly after the hearing,
San Patricio County Deputy
Leroy Moody charged Seaton
with burglary of South Texas
Trailer Sales, located between
Sinton and Odem, and raised
the ex-lawman’s bond to
$12,500.
Seaton, 30, joined the Sinton
police force April 11. He was
fired Aug. 16 by City Manager
and Acting Police Chief Walter
Hill while still serving a
probationary period and after
Hill received several com-
plaints about Seaton’s conduct
and actions.
The Sept. 12 hearing was
moved to the county courtroom
due to a conflict with
availability of the district
courtroom. About 20 spectators
and interested persons at-
tended with Mrs. Seaton seated
in the front row with the
couple’s three sons, ages
seven, five and three months.
Seaton was seated next to his
attorney, Tom McDowell of
Corpus Christi, with arms
crossed over his chest, face
expressionless and wearing an
orange jump suit.
District Attorney John Flinn
called Sheriff Wayne Hitt,
Texas Ranger Jim Peters and
Ralph Russell, security
manager at K-Mart in Corpus
Christi, to the stand. McDowell
called Seaton and his wife.
Hitt said there were several
burglaries on or about June 29,
all appeared to be professional
and “I would not feel secure in
holding the suspect under a
See SEATON, Page 2
JOHN SEATON, former Sinton police officer, leaves the San'
Patricio County courthouse elevator enroute to a district
court hearing. Seaton's attorney had filed a writ of habeas
corpus in an unsuccessful attempt to get Seaton's bond
lowered. Trailing Seaton off the elevator leading to the
county jail is San Patricio Sheriff's Deputy Pete Anzaldua.
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Winebrenner, Mary Cornett. The Odem-Edroy Times (Odem, Tex.), Vol. 23, No. 38, Ed. 1 Thursday, September 19, 1974, newspaper, September 19, 1974; Odem, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1047605/m1/1/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Odem Public Library.