The Odem-Edroy Times (Odem, Tex.), Vol. 42, No. 39, Ed. 1 Thursday, September 28, 1995 Page: 1 of 6
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“"Home Of The
Scrappin’ Owls!"
400
VOLUME XLII = THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 28,1995 = ODEM, TEXAS 78390 = 6 PAGES « NO. 39
Odem Edroy School District
Trustees Hold Public Hearing On Tax Rate-
Decision On Adoption Next Tuesday Night
DEPARTING OEISD BUSINESS MANAGER Preston Ingram was honored Wednesday with a reception
at the School District Offices. Presenting Ingram with a plaque commemorating his 8 years of
service to the District, is Trustee President Geneva Jackson. Ingram will assume a similar position
with the Burnet Consolidated School District, north of San Antonio. Attending the reception were
family, friends, Trustees, administrators and faculty. (Claudia Garcia Photo)
Commissioners:
Court Puts Finishing
Touches on '96 Budget
The Board of Trustees ot the
Odem-Edroy Independent School
District convened on Tuesday night
at the Odem High School Library to
consider a proposed tax rate for
the 1995-96 school year and to
hold a public hearing on the issue.
Charles Zepeda, Assistant
Superintendent for the District
recommended to the Board that
they adopt a tax rate of 1.275 per
hundred dollars valuation in order
to support the Districts 1995-96
budget of $6.1 million. The
recommended increase is .0165
above the current tax rate of
1.2585. To demonstrate the
Walter Hill joined two other
county officials along with
Engineer John Michael of Naismith
Engineers in Austin last Thursday
for a Texas Water Development
Board Meeting.
County Commissioners Fred
Nardini of Portland and Gordon
Porter of Aransas Pass were also
in attendance for the approval of
the planning application of the
county-wide water study from the
Water Assistance Fund.
The Texas Water
Development Board awarded a
$389,750 grant to San Patricio
County on September 21, 1995.
The grant will be funded through
the Research and Planning Fund.
In addition to the Board's grant,
San Patricio County is also
providing $29,750 in cash and
$21,500 in in-kind services.
Four Curtail Season
v Gins
Finishing
Harvest
A total of four San Patricio
County Gins have shut down for
the season another will be
finished this week and another
says they still have enough for
another couple of weeks.
Meantime the latest report, (as of
this Tuesday afternoon) places
the size of the cotton crop in San
Patricio County this season at
196,458 bales.
Shutting down within the last
week was OCOT Gin in Sinton,
producing only 193 bales since
last Tuesday's report. The total
for OCOt this years stands at
22,443 bales. Midway Gin reports
they have finished for the season
producing 2,524 bales in the last
week with a total of 25,397 for
the year. Midway and OCOT joined
Edroy and West Portland in calling
it a Season .
Meanwhile Taft Gin turned out
3,103 bales last week boosting
their annual total to 26,253 and
they report they still have a
couple of weeks of ginning left.
Coastal Plains Gin production last
week dropped to 635 bales and a
total of 17,980 bales for the year,
they also anticipate a few late
arrivals before shutting down.
Smith Gin is also slowing down
turning out only 501 bales last
week bringing their total so far, to
34,701 for the season. Gregory is
still up and running at full tilt
TDA Extends
Stalk Deadline
San Patricio/Aransas County
Extension Agent Rick Jahn has
reported Texas Department of
Agriculture officials have
extended the cotton stalk
destruction deadline from
September 25 until midnight,
October 1, 1995.
According to Jahn, the wide
spread rains associated with the
arrival of the cold front last week
triggered the extension.
Charitable Bingo Players who
frequented the 10 licensed Bingo
Charities in San Patricio County
during the Second Quarter (April,
May and June) of this year won
$243,036.00. Also reaping
benefits from those winnings
were the local governments of San
Patricio County and the City of
Ingleside.
San Patricio County and the
City of Ingleside have a gross-
receipts tax of 2.5 percent of the
impact of the increase on a home
owner whose residence is valued
at $50,000, District Business
Manager Preston Ingram told the
Board that the taxes on such a
home would increase by $9.00 a
year.
In terms of the amount of
additional revenue accruing to the
District as a result of the
increase, Ingram estimated that
the tax revenue would be up about
$16,000. However Zepeda added,
"that $16,000 increase will also
translate into an additional
$40,000 in state funds."
According to Zepeda a portion of
The $441,000 study will
examine the feasibility of
supplying the estimated 9,430
colonia residents with wastewater
service to nine areas (Aransas
Pass, Gregory, Doyle, Taft, Bethyl
Estates, St. Paul, city of Lakeside,
Lake City, and North Lakeshore
Gardens Hidden Acres) and
improving the existing water
service to seven areas (Aransas
Pass, Southeast Odem, Edroy, city
of Lakeside, Lake City, and North
Lakeshore Gardens Hidden Acres).
Most of the planning areas are
currently provided water service
by public or private water
systems.
The city of Sinton, as well as
other incorporated municipalities,
have joined with the county in the
long-term planning grant.
having ginned 3,875 bales in the
last week running their total up to
a healthy 25,262 bales so far.
Hartzendorf Gin in Sinton says
their waiting on a few stragglers
A San Patricio County Grand
Jury has returned twenty-two
indictments charging twenty-five
individuals with crimes ranging
from Murder to Unauthorized Use
of a Motor Vehicle.
Charged with Murder was a 24
year-old Corpus Christi resident
Jose Francisco Torres. Stevan
Pena, 17, of Aransas Pass was
indicted for Aggravated Assault
with a Deadly Weapon and Rene
Adame Jr., 22, of Taft was
determined to be a Repeat Felony
Offender and was indicted on
charges of Aggravated Assault and
Unlawful Possession of a Firearm
by a Felon.
Seven were named in drug
related indictments. Indicted for
Possession of a Controlled
Substance were 47 year-old
Patricia Bledsoe McCann of
Portland; 36 year-old Thomas Riley
prizes won by Bingo players within
their jurisdictions. The two local
entities received a total of
$6,904.09 as did the State of
Texas which also collects at 2.5
percent gross receipts tax on
Bingo prizes. Of the tax funds
received locally, San Patricio
County got $6,196.19 and the City
of Ingleside collected $707.99.
State wide, Texas cities (128)
and Countys (67) shared in some
$2.7 million in Prize fees.
the formula used by the state in
funding education is the tax rate
levied by the District. There is,
said Zepeda "an optimum tax rate
for each district which provides
for a maximum allocation of state
funds. If the tax rate falls below
that optimum level, state
allocations will fall. If on the other
hand, the tax rate accedes the
optimum level the proportion of
the state funding is adversely
affected."
In support of his
recommendation, Zepeda observed
that with the massive changes in
public education in Texas, as a
result of Senate Bill 1, the "hand-
writing on the wall" clearly
indicates that by September of
1996, there will be substantial
increase in teachers salaries
mandated by the State. Such a
raise is anticipated to be in the
four to six percent range. Zepeda
said that it is imperative that
planning for that event begin now.
He also observed that long
considered plans for major
maintenance projects on existing
facilities plus hopes for new
facilities in some areas, must be
considered at this time because in
some cases, further delays could
only increase costs for many of
the more pressing needs.
The public hearing was
adjourned with no action being
taken by the Trustees. They have,
however, called for a meeting at
7:00 p m. on Tuesday, October 3,
1995, at the Odem High School
Library, for the purpose adopting a
tax rate for the next year.
to close out the season. Last week
they rolled out a scant 5 bails
bring the total this season to
15,402. They expect to be through
most any day now.
Eaton, also of Portland; and 49
year-old Carmen Campos Salinas
of Corpus Christi. Charges of
Felony Possession of Marijuana
were leveled at Natividad Galvan,
45, of Rio Hondo Texas; Eloy
Guzman, 25, and Blanca Estella
Guzman, 28, both of Rio Grande
City; and Agapito Ramires
Gonzalez, 25, of Weslaco.
Five Indictments for Felony
Driving While Intoxicated were
returned against Benino Torres,
32, of Sinton; Ronald William
Spencer, 30, of Ingleside; Mark
Anthony Ruiz, 24, of Odem;
Alfonso Morquecho Rodriguez, 29,
of Edroy; and John William Pogue
III, 47 of Runqe Texas.
Named in four indictments
charging Unauthorized Absence
from A Community Correctional
Facility were Benadro Jasso Lara,
20, of Sinton; Charles Ray Kenney,
20, of Aransas Pass; Enrique
Menchaca Garcia, 23 of Beeville
and Jose Francisco Baez, 39 of
Corpus Christi.
Other indictments charged
Tony O. Sosa, 19, and Phillip
Garcia, 20, both of Odem, with
Burglary. Hubert H. Carver, 59,
of Robstown was indicted for
Felony Theft. Juan Villarreal, 20,
of Portland was indicted for
Retaliation, and both Johnny Lugo
Jr., 19, of Odem, and Daniel
Gonzales, 18, of Sinton were
indicted for Unauthorized Use of a
Vehicle.
The San Patricio County
Commissioners Court put some
final "touches" on the 1996
budget at their weekly meeting
Monday. In addressing two
supplemental agenda items, the
Court voted to leave unchanged,
existing exemptions to be
permitted for homesteads and for
homestead residents over 65
years of age. The Court also
decided against adopting
percentage discounts on taxes
paid before January 1, 1996.
Principal portions of the 1996
budget were adopted late last
Wednesday afternoon, after a
presentation from Tim
Merriweather, a securities and
4-H Achievement
Night Saturday
The annual San Patricio and
Aransas Counties 4-H
Achievement Night has been
scheduled for Saturday, September
30th at the Sinton High School
Cafeteria. The yearly event will
begin at 6:30 p.m. with a covered
dish dinner.
Approximately 250 4-H
Awards will be presented to 4-H
members and leaders. Recognition
will also be given to two
Outstanding 4-H Leaders, selected
by the County 4-H Council.
Eleven Incentive Trophies will
be presented to deserving 4-H
members. Among the several
requirements for these awards
are that a 4-H member must
carry the same project two years
and complete a 4-H recordbook of
merit.
Mistress of Ceremonies for
the evening will be Nicole Green,
Chairman of the County 4-H
Council. Nicole is a member of the
Rockinq O 4-H Club and is the
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. E. H.
Green, III.
investment advisor from Austin.
In a series of votes on the budget
the court adopted a General Fund
Budget of $8,072,164; a Debt
Service Budget of $1,103,194, and
a Road and Bridge Budget of
$1,080,203. Having accepted the
budget at $10,255,561, the Court
then established the tax rates to
accommodate the budget. The tax
rate for the General Fund was set
at 0.4265 per $100 valuation; the
Road and Bridge Fund tax rate was
set at 0.0575 per $100 valuation,
and the tax rate for the Debt
Service Fund which includes
Limited Permanent Improvement
Bonds, Limited Road and Bridge
Bonds and Unlimited Road Bonds
was set at 0.0580 per $100
valuation. The total ad valorem tax
rate approved was .5420 per $100
valuation.
In a different sort of
presentation at this weeks'
meeting, the Court heard from
Tony Ceja, a Loaned Executive to
the United Way of The Coastal
Bend, from DuPont. Ceja was
there to echo a plea to the Court
made last week Terry Webster the
local United Way Coordinator. It
was last week that Webster asked
the Court to rescind its demand
that the United Way pay a $125
set up charge which would allow
United Way donations to be
deducted directly from County
Employee salaries if they
requested it. The Courts order
also demanded a twenty-five cent
fee per month for each individual
deduction for the United Way.
Needless to say the DuPont
Executive plead the same case. By
the time he had detailed the
amount of United Way Funds
annually returned to San Patricio
County and their impact on area
citizens, the Court acceded to the
request and unanimously voted to
rescind it's earlier assessment
demand. County employees may
now donate to the United Way
through direct salary deductions
knowing that every last cent will,
in fact, be going to the United
Way.
Precinct #4 Commissioner
Gordon Porter took particular
pleasure in addressing an agenda
item dealing with the T.P.
McCampbell Airport, which is in
his precinct. Long a promoter of
development at the Ingleside
Airport, Porter asked that the
Court approve a landowner's
acknowledgement aid
subordination agreement between
National Tank Leasing and TNT
Aviation (a tenant at the Airport)
for the installation of a fuel
system at the Airport and that
Judge Miller be authorized to sign
the agreement upon behalf of the
County •
Benefits Scholarships
Rotary To
Hold Waffle
Supper Friday
The Sinton Rotary Club will
host its 2nd Annual Waffle
Supper Friday evening prior to the
Sinton-Odem district football game
at Pirate Stadium.
The supper is set for Sinton
High School Cafeteria from 5 p.m.
’til 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $4 for
adults and $2 for children (under
12).
Proceeds for the event go
toward enriching the numerous
scholarship programs sponsored
by the club for both Odem and
Sinton High Seniors.
The event was held in Odem
last year and termed a
"tremendous success" according
to President Anthony Garza.
Numerous businessmen from the
city of Odem are members of the
Sinton Club.
NO CHANCE OF GOING EAST on county roads north of Odem earlier this week when these derailed
railway cars blocked the right-of-way along U.S. 77 for several hours while railroad crews tried to
sort the mess out. There were apparently no injuries associated with the mishap. (Claudia Garcia
Photo).
$389,750 Grant Awarded
To San Patricio County
County Receives Gross
Receipts Tax On Bingo
Crop Report
A A . it'-'
COTTON BALES
THIS I
WEEK | TOTAL
TOTAL LAST
WEEK
EDROY CO-OP GIN
GREGORY GIN 3,875
HARTZENDORF GI&^C - 5
MIDWAY GIN & GRAIN CO-OP m> 2,524;
| 19&2 |
OCOT INC.
; ; |
I TAFT GIN & SEED
| < i ' I |* i | l
IllilillMITH GIN CO-OP
UilnMOfjjn
EST PORTLAND 5
kMJmS .lib. 1
193
Jr ill
3,103
I
501
JK1I
■iMI
25,262 |
1,387
15,420 I 15,415
. Iliil I
25,397 ■
‘Tr T
COASTAL PLAINS Gill 1/ f 035 ' 17,980 ' 47,345
'On nm ry%ihrf 1
sa mnf ■
22,443 I 22,250
|7|iPrr~ »—|
26,753 | 23,150
34,701 j 34,200
, ; % * P M: n* 1;
8,700 |
!J::, vn , .
S. P. Grand Jury Returns
Twenty-Two Indictments
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McElhaney, Jim. The Odem-Edroy Times (Odem, Tex.), Vol. 42, No. 39, Ed. 1 Thursday, September 28, 1995, newspaper, September 28, 1995; Sinton, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1055423/m1/1/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Odem Public Library.