The Odem-Edroy Times (Odem, Tex.), Vol. 39, No. 41, Ed. 1 Thursday, October 13, 1988 Page: 1 of 6
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Volume XXXIX
Thursday, October 13, 1988 — 6 Pages — No. 41
30*
"Established
June 25, 1948"
Odem, Texas 78390
District Opts For Request
, To Extend AHERA Deadline
The Board of Trustees for the
Odem-Edroy Independent School
District approved a deferral request
to be submitted to the Texas Depart-
ment of Health regarding an
Asbestos Hazard Emergency
Response Act (AHERA) deadline.
Congress passed the act to get
districts to remove asbestos
material from school buildings and
to require districts to submit a
management plan to the state by an
Oct. 12 deadline.
The school district made an effort
to submit a plan to manage asbestos
before the deadline, but ran into a
delay resulting from submission of
material for lab analysis.
The district employed Kiser
Engineering to conduct an in-
spection of the Odem-Edroy schools.
Kiser inspectors found suspicious
material in some piping in the school
cafeteria as well as some wiring at
the maintenance warehouse.
Samples were taken from the pip-
ing and wiring and are currently be-
ing analyzed in an EPA certified lab
to determine whether they contain
asbestos materials.
Kiser was also employed by the
district to develop a management
plan as well as to train maintenance
personnel to prevent disruption of
the suspicious material.
Kiser promises the district that it
will have a management plan to sub-
mit to the state by March 13, 1989.
This forces the district to request a
deferral to push the deadline from
October to May 9,1989.
If a management plan is not sub-
mitted by the deadline, the district
can be forced to pay penalties of up
to $5,000 per day for every violation.
According to Adminstrative Assi-
sant P.M. Troutman, the material in
the cafeteria and maintenance
warehouse are being contained and
pose no threat to students or person-
nel.
The board approved the deferral
request to be submitted to the Texas
Department of Health.
The board then heard reports from
several district officials including a
report from Troutman concerning
the district’s federal lunch program
enrollment.
According to Troutman, 67 per-
cent of the student population is
enrolled in the program. The figure
exceeds the 60 percent category that
allows for further reimbursement
from federal monies.
Also presenting a report to the
board was Tax Collector Esperanza
Juarez, who said that total collection
for the month of September was
$50,621.64. Delinquent taxes for
September total $6,328.10.
Also at Tuesday’s meeting, the
board received bids for the purchase
of cafeteria tables. Board members
See AHERA, Page 6
Commissioners Accept Completed
Coastal Bend Restitution Center
The San Patricio County Commis-
sioners’ Court conducted an in-
spection tour on Monday of the
Coastal Bend Regional Restitution
Center and accepted the facility as
complete from the contractors.
The 52-bed facility will be opera-
tional by the end of the week and will
house non-violent offenders making
restitution to society as working,
productive citizens.
The restitution center will prepare
residents for job hunting and will
help them look for employment.
Residents of the facility pay their
own room and board for 25 percent
of their income or $10 per day,
whichever is more. According to
Steve Morsch, Director of the
Coastal Bend Restitution Center, the
residents will perform most of the
building’s maintenance and upkeep.
“Five potential clients are cur-
rently being screened,” said Direc-
tor Steve Morsch. “An undetermin-
The San Patricio Historical Com-
mission held its October meeting
Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. in the
Blackland Museum located in Taft.
Both before and after the meeting,
members of the association and
guests were encouraged to browse
through the museum which has a
number of interesting items in-
cluding a mechanical chair which
runs on tracks and functions as an
elevator for those who do not want to
climb the building’s steep stairs.
The museum also has a charming
exhibit of a 1920’s style house and
) blacksmith shop. The exhibit’s
bathroom seemed quite realistic
with its old sink, standing bathtub
complete with dummy in a bub-
blebath made of foam packing and a
gravity flow toilet.
The blacksmith shop had many
blacksmith tools, a hanging lantern
and a taped recording of a man tell-
ing jokes and making general con-
versation as he worked in his shop.
The museum also has a nice ex-
hibit of South Texas rocks and
minerals as well as an impressive
arrowhead collection.
During the meeting Keith Guthrie,
chairman of the Historical Commis-
sion, gave a short history of the
museum as follows.
The building was built in 1922 and
By Rosalie Brown
The various aspects involved in
the creation of an Emergency Ser-
vices District will be discussed at a
public meeting Monday at 7 p.m. at
the Community Room of the Com-
mercial State Bank in Sinton.
The meeting was called by Com-
munity concerns to provide informa-
\ tion to citizens of the Sinton, Odem
and Taft school districts, the area
proposed for an ESD.
Jay Garner, Public Health Pro-
gram Administrator of Region 8,
will present information in regard to
the new legislation that allows the
formation of emergency services
districts, according to Don Floyd,
EMS director for S.A.V.E.S. Region
8 covers most of South Texas.
The commissioners’ court has ac-
cepted a petition with the required
number of names for the calling of
an election in January, and has set a
^ public hearing in the District Cour-
:i .
ed number of residents will be in by
the end of the week or first part of
next week.”
The commissioners accepted the
building as complete on the recom-
mendation of Naismith Engineers
and Adult Probation Director Dana
Hendrick.
Hendrick thanked the commis-
sioners for their support and help in
building the facility.
County Judge J.M. Edmondson in
turn credited Hendrick with
originating the idea for the Coastal
Bend Regional Restitution Center
and for getting the project off the
ground. The court instructed the
director to include his name along
with others on the dedication plaque
to be placed on the side of the
building.
Also during the meeting, the com-
missioners conducted a public hear-
ing to receive input on the selection
it housed several companies such as
the Coleman/Fulton Pasture Com-
pany, two banks, a doctor’s office, a
dentist’s office and a barber shop.
Later the building was sold to Tom
Reding who leased it to a dollar
store. Reding sold the building to a
group called the Blackland Museum
Association.
In the last few years, Dr. John
Tunnel and a number of others have
made improvements on the
museum. Currently, they are work-
ing on the building’s upstairs— fix-
ing floors and ceilings. Guthrie said,
“All that was possible to preserve,
we have preserved.”
Eventually the museum members
hope to turn the old lodge meeting
room into a community room with a
kitchen.
Guthrie also discussed The San
Pat Cemetery (The Old Cemetery on
the Hill) project which will probably
begin sometime this month. With the
help of Archeologist Herman Smith,
the commission hopes to locate old
unmarked graves in the cemetery
by cutting off the top layers of soil in
designated areas.
Guthrie had a go ahead resolution
signed by San Patricio city officials
and the San Patricio Restoration
Society. At the meeting Guthrie
See MUSEUM, Page 6
troom on Nov. 4 at 1:30 p.m. as part
of the routine for setting up an ESD.
Dr. Glenn Burk, Community Con-
cerns chairman, urges the public to
attend the Monday night meeting to
have a full knowledge of the present
situation and to be prepared to vote
on the new proposal expected to be
presented in January.
The proposed election covers only
emergency medical services. While
the legislation allows for fire ser-
vices also, the three cities have
volunteer fire departments that are
operating successfully. However,
the ambulance services are having
staffing problems, according to in-
formation provided at a recent
meeting of the steering comittee of
Community Concerns.
If an ESD is formed, it will be tax
supported, and the commissioners’
court will appoint the directors who
will oversee the operation.
of a project for the 1988 Community
Development Block Grant Program
of the Texas Department of Com-
merce.
The court decided that the con-
struction of a proposed juvenile
detention facility would be an ap-
propriate project selection for the
grant.
Also at Monday’s meeting,
Juvenile Probation Director Mary
Ann Perez-Johnson presented a
status report concerning the deten-
tion facility.
See CENTER. Page 6
County
Adopts
Budget
The San Patricio County Commis-
sioners’ Court recently adopted the
budget for 1989 as well as a tax rate.
The court agreed on 1989 tax rates
for San Patricio County which in-
clude .3128 per $100 valuation for
general fund; .0590, road and bridge
fund; .0115, road bond fund; .0050,
road and bridge, interest and sink-
ing fund; .0117, precinct, interest
and sinking fund. Total tax rate for
the county will be .4000 per $100
valuation.
Commissioner Gordon Porter
made the motion to adopt the budget
and tax rates which was seconded by
Glenn Dorris. The motion carried by
3 to 2 vote with commissioners Joe
Zapata and Carl Duncan voting
against.
Commissioner Duncan went on the
record as voting against the budget
for several reasons. The first was
that County Extension Agent’s
salaries had been cut when every
other county employee had received
a 5 Dercent increase.
Also, Duncan had not approved of
County Judge J.M. Edmondson’s
method of getting an additional
$6,000 annually, bringing his total
salary increase to 25 percent.
The judge had gone to the Salary
Grievance Committee without infor-
ming the commissioners about his
intent to protest his salary. Also, the
right of a county judge to go before a
grievance committee is ques-
tionable.
Duncan also disapproved of the
fact that the Sheriff’s Department
requests for additional personnel
and vehicles were disregarded in the
budget process.
Homcoming
Activities
Scheduled
The Odem Owls have a number of
activities scheduled for their 1988-89
Homecoming.
The Burning of the “O” is schedul-
ed for Thursday October 13 at 6:45
p.m. in the Elementary School
Playground.
On Friday October 14, the high
school will hold a pep rally beginn-
ing at 2:55 p.m. in Owl Stadium.
The Homecoming Queen presenta-
tion will take place at 7:30 Friday
evening followed by the Homecom-
ing Game at 8 p.m. in Owl Stadium.
After the game, the high school
will hold a Homecoming Dance in
the High School Patio Area.
And on Saturday October 15 the
Booster Club will hold its All Sports
Booster Club Barbeque in the School
Cafeteria from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m.
Historical Commission
HoldsTour Of Museum
ESD Meeting Called
By Community Concerns
mm.
$ wm
MOCK ELECTIONS- Odem Junior High students will have the opportunity to vote for president this
year. Mock elections, sponsored by the Journalism Department, have sparked an interest in politics as
well as ideology debates among students. Registering to vote last Thursday, (right) Chris Nunez and
(left) Tana Vargas, are learing about the American election process. (James Pease photo)
Absentee Voting On Weekends
Absentee voting will be held in the Courthouse everyday from Wednes-
day, October 19th, until Friday, November 8th, at 5:00 p.m. The hours for
voting are from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Hours
for both Sundays (October 23 and 30) are 12:00 noon until5:00p.m.
You do not need to give a reason for voting absentee in person. Any
registered voter of San Patricio County can vote at the Courthouse during
that period.
If you are over 65 years of age or are disabled, you may request an ap-
plication to vote by mail, by either writing to Dottie Maley, County Clerk,
P.O. Box 578, Sinton, TX 78387, or phoning the County Clerk, Office at 364-
2490. This application must be received in the mail in the County Clerk’s
Office by November 1st.
Students or other voters who are temporarily living outside of the Coun-
ty, and who will not be in the County on Election Day, may request a
ballot to be mailed to an address outside of the County.
If you have moved from another county within 90 days of the date of the
Election, and you are not yet qualified to vote in San Patricio County, you
may vote a Limited Ballot by voting at the Courthouse. If you apply for
the Limited Ballot by mail, be sure to state the date you moved to San
Patricio County when you request the application.
If you have any questions, please contact the County Clerk’s Office.
Farm Bureau
To Hold
Convention
Plans were recently completed for
the San Patricio County Farm
Bureau annual convention accor-
ding to an announcement by Charles
Ellis, president.
He said the meeting, which
culminates the year’s activities for
the local farm organization, will be
held Saturday Oct. 15 at the Sinton
High School Cafeteria in Sinton. A
barbeque supper beginning at 6 p.m.
will precede the business meeting.
Guest speaker for the evening will
be Dr. Quenton R. Dokken, ex-
ecutive director of Texas State
Aquarium Association. Dr. Dokken
See CONVENTION, Page 6
OxyChem Plans VCM Plant
Occidental Chemical Corporation
last Thursday announced plans to
construct a vinyl chloride monomer
(VCM) plant at its chloro-alkali
facility in Ingleside.
The $100 million VCM plant will
employ 1,000 construction and
engineering workers and will pro-
vide 110 permanent jobs upon com-
pletion of the facility.
Construction of the vinyl chloride
monomer plant is scheduled to begin
during the second quarter of 1989
and is due for completion within 18
months.
The plant will produce annually
one billion pounds of VCM, which is
a raw material used in the manufac-
ture of the compound polyvinyl
chloride (PVC).
Occidental Chemical, largest
marketer of polyvinyl chloride, sup-
plies the compound to produce floor
tiles, residential and commercial
pipe, bottles and wire insulation.
Annoucement of the plant’s con-
struction came during the formal
dedication of the chlor-alkali facili-
ty. The plant, purchased from Du-
Pont in September of 1987, will supp-
ly the chorine used to make VCM.
Also during the dedication, J.
Roger Hirl, president of Occidental
Petroleum subsidiary OxyChem,’
reported on the construction
schedule of a $40 million ethylene
dichloride (EDC) on-site plant,
which will supply ethylene to pro-
duce VCM.
“The Corpus Christi plant plays an
important role in our strategy of
See PLANT, Page 6
THREE FINALISTS have been chosen to compete for 1988 Homecoming Queen. They are (l-r) Odem
High School students Lisa Rodriguez, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Pedro G. Rodriguez; Toni Benavidez,
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Antonio Benavidez Jr.; and Kerri Lesmeister, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ralph
R. Lesmeister. (James Pease photo)
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Aguilar, Rebecca & Hall, Page. The Odem-Edroy Times (Odem, Tex.), Vol. 39, No. 41, Ed. 1 Thursday, October 13, 1988, newspaper, October 13, 1988; Sinton, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1051333/m1/1/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Odem Public Library.