The Baytown Sun (Baytown, Tex.), Vol. 66, No. 123, Ed. 1 Wednesday, March 23, 1988 Page: 1 of 20
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SADDAWARENESSWEEK
.
“TEEN-AGERS ARE Dying for a Drink” is the message being
Russell, senior; Kristen Corder, senior in charge of publicity;
and Heidi Lutz, sophomore, in honor of SADD Awareness Week.
(Sun staff photo by Carrie Pryor)
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_MORE THAN 70,000 READERS EVERY DAY_" _
Volume 66, No. 123 Telephone Number: 422-8302 Wednesday, March 23, 1988 Baytown, Texan 77520 25 Cents Per Copy
Bond issue on regents’ agenda
By DAVID MOHLMAN
Lee College Board of Regents will meet at 7:15 p.m. Wednesday to ’
consider calling an election for May 7 on the college’s proposed $5.5
million bond Issue.
The agenda includes discussion of facilities planning, as well as the
option to construct a new building and/or purchase real estate.
See related story Page 9-B
A 7 p.m. closed session on real estate and personnel will precede
the open meeting at Moody Center In Rundell Hall.
With an eager voice, LC President Vivian Blevins moved and talk-
ed quickly Tuesday night as she began a Board of Regents bond
workshop with an overhead projector presentation indicating why
the college needs the bond Issue.
Voters last approved an LC bond Issue 20 years ago and that
package totaled only $994,000, Blevins noted.
She said college officials believe the Board of Regents’ nine
workshops, special meetings and regular meetings since Jan. 14, all
open to the public, “have fulfilled the obligation to operate In an
above ground manner.”
Blevins cited safety, new laws and LC program changes as the
primary reasons for the proposed bond Issue.
The package includes $3.2 million to provide at least 35,000 square
feet of space for science and health care occupations Instruction.
Blevins acknowledged the board hasn’t decided if the college
should construct a building addition on campus or buy and modify
the 711W. Texas building.
In addition to 711W. Texas, Blevins said regents have studied other
buildings, including the First American Bank building, available,
since Citizens Bank and Trust Co. bought First American.
“There are several buildings In the area that are not possible, that
are not potential buildings for us,” she said.
The bond proposal also Includes $1.2 million for the library to
remove asbestos, renovate and increase space, create handicapped
access, add a small auditorium and automate the card catalog and
circulation records.
In addition, $400,000 is earmarked to remodel vocational
classrooms and laboratories, $110,000 to remodel more space for
remedial education classes, $100,000 to increase exterior lighting,
$350,000 to update the LC heating-ventilation-air conditioning system
and $110,000 to cover a patio east of Moler Hall.
A $5.5 million bond issue would increase taxes by $7.61 each year
on a 15-year payback or by $6.61 per year for a 20-year payback for
the owner of a $50,000 home with no exemptions, Blevins said.
Unless population suddenly Increases here, “what we’re asking for
Is going to meet our needs for about eight years, ’ ’ Blevins stated.
Baytown Chamber of Commerce officials have assembled in-
formation indicating Baytown’s total tax burden of $2,168 per $100
property valuation for 1986-87 is the highest among Texas' 50 largest
cities.
Blevins said Lee College’s current 13.75-cent tax rate accounts for
only a bit more than 6 percent of that burden.
She said other entities and their percentage of the tax burden in-
clude the city of Baytown, about 28 percent; the Baytown school
district, about ^4 percent; Harris County, about 12.5 percent; the
Harris County Hospital District, a little more than 6 percent; and
others, 3 percent.
Baytown tax dollars aren’t used for LC’s Texas Department of Cor-
rections program, which made a profit of $433,850 for 1986-87 or for
out-of-district campuses such as Liberty-Dayton and Anahuac,
which made a profit of $78,114 last year, Blevins said.
City officials to weigh West Main Bridge project options
ByBRUCE GUYNN
Baytown City Council is ex-
pected to discuss options concer-
ning the West Main Bridge pro-
ject during its regular meeting
at 6:30 p.m. Thursday.
City officials were informed
recently that the city’s share of
the West Main Bridge project
will increase from' $293,200 to
,$509,577 if the replacement
bridge is built at an elevation
higher than the current struc-
ture.
City officials requested a
higher elevation for the replace-
ment bridge to permit small
boat traffic on Goose Creek.
In a letter to city officials,
John C. ■'Holzwarth, design
engineer for District 12 of the
State Department of Highways
and Public Transportation,
notes that constructing the
replacement bridge at a higher
elevation will require more ex-
tensive roadway work.
The original estimated cost of
the project was $1,466,000 with
the city’s share to be 20 percent
or $293,200.
Baytown officials have
already paid $146,600.
If the replacement bridge is.
constructed at a higher eleva-
tion, the cost would increase to
$1,728,225 and the city’s share
would rise to $509,577, according
to revised estimates.
The city has the option of going
back to the original plan, mean-
ing its share would remain at
$293,200.
In other business, council is
expected to award a $125,000
contract to Bemis Co. Inc. for
the' purchase of plastic garbage
bags.
The company submitted the
lower of two bids.
At its Feb. 25 meeting, council
rejected bids for 2 mil bags
because of cost considerations.
Council agreed to rewrite the
bid specifications to provide for
1.75 mil bags.
Cost to the city would be about
$4.50 per roll.
The city has sold garbage bags
for $3.50 per roll and there was
some discussion at the Feb. 25
meeting about maintaining this
price even if the cost increases.
City officials are proposing to
purchase 29,718 rolls and this
supply is expected to last one
year.
Council is also expected to
discuss the sale of the remaining
$3,640,000 in 1981 city bonds.
At its March 10 meeting, coun-
cil discussed the sale of these
bonds, partially to fund projects
to be done in conjunction with
Harris County.
These projects include a new
north-south thoroughfare bet-
ween Baker Road and Roll-
ingbrook Drive.
Of the remaining $3,640,000 in
unsold bonds, $1,140,000 are ear-
marked for street projects while
$1,620,000 are designated for
drainage improvements.
In other action, council will
discuss possible revision of the
industrial district policy.
Current industrial district con-
tracts provide for collection of 35
percent of the total tax amount
that would be paid if the industry
was entirely within the city
limits.
A proposal would increase this
percentage to 40 percent.
Council is also expected to
award a contract for computer
equipment to IBM.'
City Council is also expected
to:
-I-Discuss annexation of The
Landing at Cedar Bayou, a
manufactured home subdivi-
sion, and adjacent property.
+Consider revision of an or-
dinance to provide water deposit
alternatives for owners of apart-
ments, mobile home parks,
multi-family dwellings and com-
mercial establishments.
+Award a contract to Texas
Integrated Technologies for
upgrading police department
computers.
+Receive a plan for sludge
utilization.
+Hear the city manager’s
report.
+Hold a work session at 6:15
p.m. to discuss appointments to
the Auto Wrecker Committee.
4-Hold an executive session to
discuss pending litigation per-
taining to Brownwood.
Lynchburg group discouraged by Bio Waste hearing postponement
By BRUCE GUYNN
Company officials expressed satisfac-
tion while Lynchburg area represen-
tatives expressed resignation over the
postponement of a hearing on Bio Waste
Management Co.’s application for a
permit to operate an infectious waste in-
cineration facility on Decker Drive.
The hearing was set to start Tuesday
in Council Chambers at Baytown City
Hall.
But late Tuesday morning, R.V,
Smith, a hearing examiner with the
Texas Department of Health, postponed
the hearing until 9:30 a.m. May 24.
Attorneys for Bio Waste requested a
90-day postponement of the hearing.
“We basically were being propelled
into this thing without an opportunity
for discovery,” explained Joe Stuckey,
an attorney for Bio Waste.
Smith instructed all parties to provide
each other with lists of their prospective
witnesses.________
Stuart McKenty, president of Bio
Waste, said the postponement'of the
hearing protects some of the company’s
rights.
State Rep. Tony Polumbo said he
could agree to the postponement if the
company would shut down during the in-
terim.
However, McKenty said this would be
tantamount to saying the company is
doing something wrong.
Jim Ashley, corporate attorney for
Bio Waste, noted that no" government
agency has ever cited the company for
doing any thing wrong.
Roy Cutbirth, president of Lynchburg
Area Environmental Relief Committee
Inc., a citizens’ group opposing the per-
mit application, said the postponement
would have been easier to accept if the
company had shut down in the interim.
But Cutbirth said, “Another 60 days,
Lord willing, we will make it.”
“We are still going to be in there battl-
ing for our rights,” Cutbirth said.
Donna Klein, an attorney for the
group, said Lynchburg area residents
are concerned about the substances be-
ing emitted by the facility.
Although Ms. Klein said she is disap-
pointed the hearing has been postponed,
she said it will allow the company to get
a list of prospective adversary
witnesses — something it is entitled to-
receive.
David Melasky, assistant Harris
County attorney, said he is disappointed
the postponement wasn’t just for 30
days.
But he said this is reflective of the
state’s budget crunch which has left the
health department with only two hear-
ing examiners.
Stuckey said Bio Waste began opera-
tion five years ago, but not with the
specific equipment subject to this ap-
plication.
Company officials were informed in
1986 a permit was needed to operate.
Pearce Street Journal - -
Hidden beauty
You aren’t the only one in hard
luck.
Our azaleas are the most
beautiful in town.
The trouble is - they’re in the
back yard where you can’t see
them. _fh
Scant unemployment rise here
Around town
MELANIE DOUCETTE is
recuperating from surgery at
Gulf Coast Hospital, and can
have visitors.
Kappas now call Lynn White
“Mr. Baytown” . . . Mark
Knight is a proud new uncle .. .
Julie Hanson is looking forward
to braces.
Baytown Little Theater actors
Jeanie Maxwell, Gordon
Gallatin, Will Myers, Angela
Maxwell, Terry Proctor and
Janine Williams appeared on
Channel 26’s “A Current Affair.”
Korkie Smith is thoughtful and
calls a friend. .. Sheron Stickler
is looking marvelous . . . Susan
Tolleson is busy with lots of pro-
jects . . . Cathy Vidrine is proud
of her son Marcus.
Sharon Brock has a new name
for her husband .. . John and
Edmund Jennings enjoy
baseball season.
By ELAINE RICHARDS
Unemployment in Baytown in-
creased only slightly during
February, according to the
Texas Employment Commis-
sion.
Baytown’s jobless rate for
February was 12.7 percent, up
one-half percent from January’s
12.2 percent,
Out of a work force of 30,398,
some 3,850 Baytonians were
unemployed in February, com-
pared to 3,693 unemployed out of
a January work force of 30,196.
John Kruse, a TEC labor
market analyst, said the rise
was foreseen earlier this month
when statewide unemployment
went up 0.3 percent. However he
added that the month-to-month
changes, although not encourag-
ing, are not as indicative as
trends over a longer span of
time.
Last month’s 12.7 rate shows
improvement over February
1987, when Baytown’s unemploy-
ment rate reached 15.1 percent.
“The main thing to keep in
mind is to look at these figures
over a long span of time,” Kruse
said. "Earlier 1987 was worse
than latter 1987; however,
unemployment rates are still
very high.”
Unemployment in other coun-
ties in the area rose as well, with
the exception of Liberty County,
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which experienced a slight
decrease.
Listed below are employment
figures for surrounding areas
and the state, with the previous
month’s figures in parantheses:
+Harris County — labor
force, 1,391,429 (1,384,477);
unemployed, 116,393 (111,634);
percentage, 8.4 (8.1).
+Chambers County — labor
force, 8,190 (8,197); unemployed,
809 (803); percentage9.9 (9.8).
+Liberty County — labor
force, 21,712 (21,711);
unemployed, 2,575 (2,607);
percentage, 11.9(12.0).
-(-Houston Metropolitan
Statistical Area (includes
Baytown) — labor force,
1,582,100 (1,574,400);
unemployed, 131,900 (126,700);
percentage, 8.3 (8.0).
-(-Texas — -labor force,
8,210,200 (8,161,700);
unemployed, 717,700 ( 682,500);
percentage, 8.7 (8.4).
McAllen-Edinburg-Mission
once again had the state’s
highest unemployment rate
among metropolitan areas —
20.2 percent — while Bryan-
College Station had the lowest
rate — 5.5 percent.
Nationally, the jobless rate
went down a percentage point to
6.2 in February from 6.3 in
January.
Its time to advertise in the
SPRING YARD
& GARDEN EDITION
Coniine March 29,1988
Call 422-8302
HOMETOWN COMMANDER
GORDON LANNOU Jr., commanding officer of
the USS Petrel, is greeted by family and friends
from Baytown when his ship arrived Tuesday at
Galveston. With him, from left, are parents Gor-
don and Viola Lannou, father-in-law Thomas Knox
and Robert E: Lee Principal Henry Armstrong.
More coverage of “The Petrel Adventure” by Jim
Kyle will appear in The Sun’s weekend edition.
(Sun staff photo by Jim Kyle)
Classified...............7-8-B
Comics/Crossword........6-A
Dimension................7-A
Markets..................6-B
Movies......-............6-B
Obituaries.. ..s...........5-A
School Menrn............KM
Sports...................1-3-B
Teen Times...............8-A
Television...............10-B
Sun dial
WEATHER
WEDNESDAY'NIGHT: Part-
ly cloudy becoming cloudy by
morning with a low
temperature in the low 60s.
Thursday: Cloudy to partly
cloudy with a high
temperature near 80. From 8
a.m. Tuesday to 8 a m.
Wednesday: Low of 62, high of
73 were recorded.
UajjtoUm &un
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Brown, Leon. The Baytown Sun (Baytown, Tex.), Vol. 66, No. 123, Ed. 1 Wednesday, March 23, 1988, newspaper, March 23, 1988; Baytown, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1051801/m1/1/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Sterling Municipal Library.