The Light and Champion (Center, Tex.), Vol. 138, No. 40, Ed. 1 Tuesday, May 19, 2015 Page: 2 of 14
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2AI 1
The Light
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• School board trustees approved the follow-
ing hires: Nikki Clark, fifth grade math/ science
teacher, Center Intermediate School (CIS); Ra-
chel Fisher, kindergarten teacher, F.L. Moffett
Primary School (FLM); Paul Harvey, ag mechan-
ics teacher, Center High School (CHS); Morgen
Huss, kindergarten teacher, FLM; and Arianna
Rodriguez, teacher/coach, CHS.
• School board trustees approved the resigna-
tions of: Valarie Batdorf, FLM teacher; Chassie
Bentley, CHS teacher; Melissa Fentress, FLM
teacher; Shelli Haley, CHS special education re-
source aide; Katina Hubbard, CIS instructional
aide; Stephanie Morgan, Center Middle School
(CMS) teacher; Hillary Parris, CHS teacher; and
Andrea West, CIS teacher.
• School board trustees approved the retire-
ment of Betty Cook, CIS teacher.
• School board trustees authorized the ad-
ministration to solicit proposals to relocate the
district’s transportation facility and operations
center.
• School board trustees approved to extend
the depository contract to Shelby Savings Bank
for Sept. 1, 2015 - Aug. 31, 2017. The district sent
out five proposals to area banks. Shelby Savings
Bank was the only one to send in a proposal. The
district has been with the bank for 20-plus years.
Total Depth
17,500
13,537
13,413
13,289
insurance
W5ENCY
officials step up and get
control of a problem that
will continue to only get
worse unless something
is done.”
Johnson met with Cen-
ter City Manager Chad
Nehring in April to ad-
dress the animal situation.
According to Johnson,
Nehring asked she sub-
mit a proposal to Center
City Council members of-
fering a plan of action for
the situation.
“I recently submitted
a proposal outlining my
suggestions, as request-
ed by Mr. Nehring,” said
Johnson. “I am awaiting
a response. The proposal,
I feel, is very reasonable.
The city can actually use
the PAWS funds that are
available to renovate the
holding tanks or upgrade
it, which I mentioned in
the proposal. I think that
utilizing the funds to get
an up-to-date or a more
sufficient place for the
animals to be is a smart
choice to do. That is what
I believe.”
As of press time Mon-
day, Johnson had not re-
ceived a response from
the city regarding the
proposal.
Nehring did not con-
firm recipet of the propos-
al or if the proposal would
be presented to the coun-
cil as an agenda item.
Nehring did say, “When
a county-wide animal plan
is developed with practical
funding alternatives, any
participation by the city
could be evaluated during
News Dav
www.lightandchampion.com
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5/14/2015 NOT AVAILABLE YET XTO ENERGY INC. (945936)
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three animals leaving to-
day for rescue homes that
were picked up by him
(Jack). I carried a large
amount of the food I was
donated to Jack for the
animals he picks up,” said
Johnson.
Johnson said the donat-
ed food is available for the
dogs of Shelby County.
She added that if an indi-
vidual is caring for a stray
animal at their home, she
will give them food to feed
the animal (s).
“I urge citizens who are
attempting to house and
feed stray animals to con-
tact me,” said Johnson. “I
will help with food and a
rescue home if needed. I
know it gets very costly. I
think that what everyone
does not realize is that
there are so many citizens
in Shelby County who are
burdened with stray ani-
mals. There is a desperate
need for animal control. I
will not stop helping the
animals. I will not.”
Johnson said that the
donated items she has
received have strictly
come from organizations
and businesses outside of
Shelby County. She stated
only residents in Shelby
County have stepped up
to offer help.
“Not one single busi-
ness in this county has
stepped up to offer sup-
plies, food, help with
medical - nothing,” said
Johnson. “Everything has
come from either hard
working Shelby County
citizens who recognize
with Jack and the city to
help these animals.”
Johnson added animal
control is the responsibil-
ity of a city.
“Animals left uncared
for spread mange, ring-
worms and other diseases
that our children can pick
up while out playing in the
dirt,” said Johnson. “So
many people I have talked
with told me they moved
to Shelby County to retire
and enjoy life. They told
me that they had no idea
the animal situation was
the way it really is here
before they relocated to
this area. That is just piti-
ful. This is the responsi-
bility of our city - any city.
Animal control is a must.
“Several residents of
Timpson recently who
were concerned about an
animal contacted me. The
City of Timpson has been
so helpful in responding
and tending to animal
concerns that arise there.
I cannot thank the city
enough for being so re-
sponsive and monitoring
the animals in their city.
This is the way it should.
They have been abso-
lutely wonderful and have
kept me informed on this
particular situation.”
Shelby County resi-
dents needing assistance
with food for stray ani-
mals; business or indi-
viduals wanting to donate
items or food or to provide
a foster home for rescue
dogs may reach Johnson
by email at wilmaj85053@
yahoo.com.
the severity of this situa-
tion and want to help or
businesses and organiza-
tions outside of Shelby
County.
I am so very grateful
for the people who have
stepped up and shown
support. I just wish there
was more. I cannot thank
Dr. Mark Jousan enough
for his support in car-
ing for the rescue dogs I
bring to his office. It does
not matter what I call him
with or what time. He
just says, ‘Come on Mrs.
Johnson. I will help you.’
His office cares for these
animals. They even name
them a lot of times...
they are just amazing
people who help me so
very much and I will for-
ever be thankful for their
kindness.”
Johnson said a recent
letter to the editor pub-
lished in the Tuesday,
May 12 edition of the
Light and Champion was
very disturbing to her.
The letter is available on
the Light and Champion
website.
“The letter was very
disturbing to me,” said
Johnson. “I feel there is
a personal vendetta that
goes back with the HSUS
(Humane Society of the
United States) that direct-
ly affected the individual.
In my opinion the claim
is used each time anyone
tries to help the animals
on the streets of Shelby
County. I have no clue
what that claim is talking
about and I do not want to
be a part of it. In my opin-
ion instead of being so
harsh, maybe individuals
needs to start volunteer-
ing to help foster animals
and help save a life.
“In regards to com-
ments in the letter, John-
son said, “I feel I was
specifically pointed out
because I am the only one
that has come forward
in regards to helping the
animals. The letter stated,
they are up to the same
thing. I have no idea what
that is in reference to and
I am very offended.
“This isn’t about the
HSUS to me or about what
anyone’s personal ven-
detta is. This is about sav-
ing our community from
diseases; helping animals
get off the streets; provid-
ing a good home for them
and get them the care
they need. Treat them hu-
maneley. Everything else
is just irrelevant. I know
at one particular time, ev-
eryone was very misled
in regards to the animals
here and it just needs to
come to a halt and stop.
Helping an animal is help-
ing an animal. Don’t sit
back and complain - do
something to help. There
are many people in Shelby
County who love animals
and want to help. There
are just a select few who
use their personal agenda
to attack others who try
to help animals. And I
will stand strong through
this. It will not faze me
the least. I will continue
to save the animals; work
3
prohibit
things.”
Trustee Traci Wil-
loughby said the district
has talked about the im-
provements and it’s time
to do something.
Although he agreed
with immediate plans at
the CMS and CIS gyms,
trustee Dan Wilkins said
the district’s response to
some needs was knee-
jerk and that he wanted
to see proposals flushed
out some more.
A preliminary study
also shows that land the
district already owns on
Malone Drive could han-
dle a new school.
The board has an ini-
tial rendering of what the
school could look like,
but it is still very early in
that planning phase.
“What (the render-
ing) tells me is that it can
be done over there, that
we can use that property
to make significant im-
provements in the form
of a new school using
new and old existing in
that area to meet our fu-
ture needs,” Hockenber-
ry said.
He said the district is
also looking at climate
control in the school
gyms, but that project is
further down the line.
future, and not at a loca-
tion not already in the
district’s footprint.
Improvements to the
middle and intermediate
school gyms and score-
boards are projects that
can start soon. There’s
a chance the improve-
ments will be finished by
the time school starts on
Aug. 24.
New bleachers
Replacing the bleach-
ers at Center Intermedi-
ate School (CIS) and Cen-
ter Middle School (CMS)
will set the district back
roughly $159,000.
CIS costs are estimat-
ed at $68,212 with seat-
ing for 584. The district
would utilize both sides
of the gym for seating.
The superintendent
estimated costs at CMS
at $79,861 with seating
for 669. There are some
add-on options, including
adding about 50 corner
seats for $8,000 more and
another row of 43 seats
for $11,000 more.
He said the CMS gym
sometimes seats 800-900.
He suggested the district
could use the leftover
rollaway stands from
CIS if additional seating
is needed at the middle
school.
Both gyms are used
for sporting events and
instructional classes.
Future growth
Hockenberry said
all of the projects work
within an overall future
district plan.
He noted additional in-
formation is still needed
on several projects be-
fore the district can move
forward. Architects and
engineers were expect-
ed on campuses Friday
and Monday to hammer
down some details.
The superintendent
said he would have
firmer numbers on proj-
ects like the high school
locker room and field
house and tennis courts
in about two weeks.
Trustees talked about
a track at CMS, but that
project was not included
on the approved list.
“We really need a lot
of information, a lot more
information, before I can
even speculate putting a
track over there,” Hock-
enberry told trustees.
“That’s a costly endeavor
because of where has to
be, grade...it may be one
of the projects that are
prohibited right now and
may have to be included
in a project on down the
line. It’s going to cost a
lot of money and could
would help the district
in the future if there’s a
larger program on the
table.”
Projects include: ren-
ovation of the middle
and intermediate school
locker rooms and gyms
to include new bleachers;
scoreboards for the high,
intermediate and middle
schools and Roughrider
Stadium; construction of
a free standing middle
school weight room that
fits into a future new
school model; renovate
the high school locker
room areas including the
field house; and the ad-
dition of four new tennis
courts at the high school.
The projects, Hock-
enberry said, are based
on facility improvement
plans from 2013 and
2015, along with conver-
sations with board trust-
ees and district leaders.
He said the sequence
of projects is based pri-
marily on safety and
conditions of current
infrastructure.
“This proposal is a
starting point,” he said.
He noted the project
list was created with the
understanding that a new
school will be built at the
Malone Drive campus
site at some point in the
budget deliberations as
any city funding would in-
volve increasing taxes or
creating new fines or fees.
Based on past council ac-
tions, the city would likely
be receptive to working
with other area entities or
organizations to develop
a partnership to improve
these services.”
Johnson’s proposal
suggests enforced city
ordinances for rabies vac-
cinations, tethering law
and a leash law. Johnson’s
proposal suggests the es-
tablishment of an enforce-
ment system that includes
warnings, increasing
fines and collections for
pet owners who do not fol-
low the law. The proposal
suggests that the City of
Center pays a set monthly
fee in the amount of $500
for veterinarian services
that the animals require.
Johnson added that fines
collected from pet own-
ers who do not adhere to
the laws could be used for
animal medical services.
Johnson also stated in
the proposal that the city
approve and pursue the
use of volunteer hours for
animal care by utilizing in-
mates housed at the Shel-
by County jail, individuals
performing community
service and local volun-
teers. The full proposal
is available at www.light-
andchampion.com.
Johnson said she close-
ly works with city dog-
catcher Jack Burrows.
“Jack and I work to-
gether well. In fact, I have
■jo
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Dolan, Leah. The Light and Champion (Center, Tex.), Vol. 138, No. 40, Ed. 1 Tuesday, May 19, 2015, newspaper, May 19, 2015; Center, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1278952/m1/2/?q=music: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Fannie Brown Booth Memorial Library.