Cherokeean/Herald (Rusk, Tex.), Vol. 153, No. 49, Ed. 1 Wednesday, January 29, 2003 Page: 1 of 16
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Ijerokeeaij/Herald
Texas' Oldest Weekly Newspaper - Established Feb. 27, 1850 as the Cherokee Sentinel
r
Fish Tales
Cold weather
couldn't dampen the
enthusiasm at Kids
Fishing Day.
See page 16
25 cents
Vol. 153, No. 49 -16 Pages Wednesday, January 29, 2003 Rusk, TX 75785
County commissioners address budget concerns
County hiring
freeze approved
Cherokee County Com-
missioners continued their
Monday morning meeting into
the afternoon to discuss ways
to raise funds to pay for the
referendum ordered salary
increases for employees of the
Cherokee County Sheriff's
Department. A meeting will be
called laier with each depart-
ment head to determine what
can be deducted from budgets
to help raise funds to pay for
the salary hikes.
During the Monday morn-
ing commissioners meeting a
hiring freeze was approved.
When a county employee leaves
county employment that posi-
tion cannot be filled unless
commissioners deem there is
an emergency. The department
head will meet with members
of the court to discuss the fea-
sibility of replacing a leaving
employee.
Funds in the Road and
Bridge Fund accumulated by
the lateral road tax cannot be
transferred to other accounts.
However, commissioners do
receive monies from the $10
hcense plate charge and from a
portion of the fines collected by
the justices of the peace. These
monie s can be tr ansferr e d out of
the road and bridge fund.
Commissioner Moody Glass
Jr. suggested that each com-
missioner think about loaning
the county $10,000 from then-
budget to go toward the raise
expenditures. "Then, this could
be adjusted with the next tax
rate," he said.
Mr, Glass suggested that the
county establish a capital pur-
chase freeze and to look at what
is being paid for software.
County Judge Chris Davis
suggested that the county
might be able to bid out software
purchases and that might save
some money. "We need to talk
with other counties, ' County
Auditor L.H. Crockett said.
"It scares people when we talk
about lay-offs and short work
weeks," Judge Davis said. "We
need to look at those jobs that
are not productive. They ought
to go first," he said.
Commissioners discussed
putting the county on a 32-hour
work week. The county policy
would have to be amended to
make a 32 hour week a full
week. Currently full-time
employees must work 35 hours
per week.
During this time commis-
sioners got into a discussion
concerning the fact that several
offices were already closed a
half a day on Fridays.
Mr. Crockett said, "They
claim they are working a full
week.'' Employees at the tax
office work until 6 p.m. Monday-
Thursday, thus giving them
the extra four hours to justify
closing on Friday afternoons,
he said.
If county employees are cut
to 32 hours, that would cost
employees $400-$500 monthly,
Kevin Pierce, Precinct 2 Com-
missioner, said.
Judge Davis said, "I had
rather send a few of them home
permanently."'
Cutting out the Jacksonville
andAlto sub-tax officeswas di s-
cussed at the meeting. Also the
county owns a building in Wells
that is only used for elections,
which could be closed.
Contractual services were
discussed. Currently the lawn
at the courthouse is contracted
out. The possibility of the jani-
torial service taking over lawn
care was discussed.
Increasing filing fees was
discussed.
Mr. Pierce said, "Freeze
on hiring is the only way we
are going to do any good. The
only way to make it work is to
get rid of people. We are talk-
ing major, major dollars. The
budget includes 56 4 percent
in salaries. Of that figure, 40
percent is actually salaries and
the remainder is fringes.
Constables cost the county
$160,000 and there are four of
them, a member of the court
said. "We need to look at their
budgets,'' they said. Constable
salaries range from $25,000 to
$26,000.
Early retirement packages
were also discussed. Mainte-
nance on deputy cars was also
discussed and the possibility of
the county providing oil change s
at county facihties rather than
deputies purchasing them at a
local service facility.
During the morning session,
commissioners approved a
guaranteed maximum price
proposal from Sedalco on the
Cherokee County Jail and
Renovation Project, The price
to construct the jad expansion
is $3,404,344: Commissioners
also approved two alternate
bids of $29,071 for security
and $128,286 for rerooñng
the current facility. Another
alternate bid was tabled untd
Please see BUDGET, pg. 6
Alto council
discusses
dangerous
intersection
Highway 69, FM 851
at the root of several
recent accidents
Safety was the main focus ofMonday
night's special Alto City Councd. Chief
Charles Barron and Margaret; Little
discussed the dangerous intersection
of Highway 69 and FM 851, which has
been the Scene of many accidents in
recent years.
One of the most recent involved Bob
Richardson, who was struck by a car
while crossing the highway on his
scooter. Mr. Richardson continues to
recover from his injuries in a Lufkin
hospital.
Mrs, Little cited heavy traffic and
blind spots as major contributors to
the number of accidents in the area.
"Something needs to be done," she
told the council. Chief Barron said
that in 2002, 15 percent of the city's
accidents occurred in or around this
intersection. He told the councd he
wants to send a letter to the Texas
Department of Transportation to ask
them to evaluate the area. One of his
suggestions is to extend the turn lane
from in front of the school to the four-
way stop, and possibly further south
on Highway 69.
He said TxDOT wdl have to come
to Alto and perform a traffic survey
and have their engineers evaluate
the area. Mayor Terry Black signed
the letter, which the chief will send
to TxDOT.
On Feb. 10 the city will have ara dar
speed checker posted in the city. The
trailer wdl be up for approximately
one to two weeks.
In other business, the councd voted
Please see ALTO, pg. 6
Bombs Away
Antique cannon ball causes panic attack
By Amy Halbert
Cherokeean/Herald Staff
Those who say nothing exciting
ever happens in a small town were
proven wrong Thursday night when
a bomb squad from Barksdale Air
Force Base in Shreveport rolled
into town to dispose of a suspi-
cious object.
The drama began Thursday
morning when E.J. Nentwig
decided to donate an old cannon
ball he'd found on his property
years ago to the Norman Museum.
The museum was closed, but Louise
Morriss of the Rusk Chamber of
Commerce said he could bring it
by her office and she would get it
to the museum.
Mr. Nentwig found the cannon
ball about five years ago on his
property in the Bulah community
whde he was grading a dirt road.
After that, the cannon resided on
his patio for about three more
years.
Afraid that the grandkids might
decide it would be fun to whack the
cannon ball with a hammer. Mr.
Nentwig moved it to the garage,
out of the reach of curious little
hands.
About a week ago, a friend was
visiting and told Mr. Nentwig that
the cannon ball was probably from
the .Civil War and that he should
consider donating it to Rusk's
Norman Museum, Little did he
know the commotion this particu-
lar donation would cause.
Mrs. Morriss contacted Norman
Museumvolunteer GlenMiller, who
was excited about the prospective
addition to the museum. It wasn't
untd a casual observer mentioned
the possibdity of the cannon ball
being live that panic ensued.
Calls were made. The Explosive
Ordinance Disposal (EOD) team
at Barksdale Air Force Base was
contacted, then dispatched to Rusk.
1
A member of the EOD team carefully places the cannon ball in a small hole so it can be safely detonated.
The team included three EOD team members, a representative from the law office, two public affairs
officers and an on-site field commander.
And through it all, the cannon ball
remained in a plastic bucket in the
breakroom atthe chamber, oblivious
to all the commotion it had caused.
An afternoon chamber board meet-
ing was just wrapping up when six
Rusk policemen entered and advised
everyone to leave.
At the end of the workday, the
E OD team was st i l l enroute to Rusk.
They arrived without much fanfare
at about 8:30 p.m. Team members
examined the coconut-sized cannon
ball and determined that there was
no way to know whether or not the
ball actually contained live ammo,
so they decided to destroy it. The
EOD team transported the rusting
ball to the shooting range on the Ato y
highway to destroy it,
The team, escorted by members
of the Rusk Police Department,
drove to the back of the property
and started to work. While one
EOD team member assembled four
blocks of the explosivo G4, other team
member scouted for a location to dig
a holefor the cannon ball. They chose
a large dirt mound, and dug a hole
approximately one foot deep. The
ball was then placed in the hole with
the explosives. Onlookers were then
given the signal to go back to the
road.
Please see CANNON, pg. 6
Rep. Chuck Hopson outlines proposed legislation for 78th session
78th legislative
session ends June 2
The 78th session of the Texas
Legislature is just starting its
second full week, and already
the bill hopper is brimming with
proposed bills to be referred to
committee.
Chuck Hopson, who j-epre-
sents District 11, has several
bills in various stages of refer-
ral which he hopes to get passe J
before the final gavel falls on
the session June 2.
• HB 277: This proposed
piece of legislation will help
protect consumers who make
purchases with credit cards.
Under the terms of the Omni-
bus Privacy bill, a business may
notprint a cashregister receipt
which displays a customer 's full
account number.
"Many people leave gas and
restaurant receipts behind,
allowing others to assume
their identity and make bogus
purchases," said Rep. Hopson.
"Businesses would be required
to delete a portion of a per son's
credit or debit card number to
prevent identity theft."
This bill was pre-filed Dec.
10, 2002, and awaits referral
to committee, Additionally, the
bill re quires creditor s to provide
police with false applications
for credit made by an identity
thief, and it also establishes
penalties for per sons who traffic
in social security numbers and
credit card statements.
HB 103: People who
receive any type of alcohol-
related conviction will pay
about $100 more. Under the
terms of this proposed legisla-
tion, the extra money collected
will be deposited in the county
treasury and earmarked for
county law enforcement to
purchase new equipment. Rep.
Hopson jointly authored this
bill with Rep. Dennis Bonnen
of Angleton.
• HB 167: This bill may
receive a resounding round of
applause for its silence. Rep.
Hopson, along with Rep. Mark
Homer (D-Paris) are proposing
legislative action to permit a
minute of silent meditation
each day at public schools. The
bill is modeled after legislation
approved in Virginia.
• HB 252: Highway etiquette
wdl be addressed in thislegisla -
tion as Rep.: Hopson proposes
a law dealing with emergency
vehicles such as ambulances
and law enforcement vehicles-
Drivers will be required to
vacate the lane closest to an
emergency vehicle when trav-
elling on a highway with two or
more lanes in the same direc-
tion of the emergency vehicle.
Also , drivers wdl be required to
reduce their speed by 20 m.p.h.
below the posted speed limit, if
the posted area is 25 m.p.h. or
more. The bill is co-authored
by Rep.Bonnen.
• 78R 2849: Native Texans
can show their pride with spe-
cial license plates, if this piece
of legislation is passed.
"At this time, this bill is
awaiting a draft from the Leg-
islative Council," said Rep.
Hopson. He would like to see
the proceeds from this hcense
plate benefit the Department
of Pubhc Safety's victims ser-
vices department. The bill
will likely be filed with the
clerk next week.
• 78R HR: The state motto
is "the friendly state," the state
bird is the mockingbird and the
state tree is the pecan. On Jan.
17, Rep. Hopson submitted to
the Legislative Council a house
resolution which would declare
the Texas State Radroad as the
official radroad of Texas.
"It's a very appropriate des-
ignation for one of the state's
treasures," said Rep. Hopson
• 78R 2030: Rusk County will
be able to set up a water dis-
trict if this piece of legislation
is passed. The bdl defines the
administrative powers, duties
andoperation of a groundwater
conservation district which will
manage groundwater resources
and have taxing authority.
• 78 R HR: Rep. Hopson
will submit house resolutions
for Rusk County and Panola
County setting aside legisla-
tive days in Austin for citizens
of those cities to be honored as
they observe legislative action
from the House gallery.
Another resolution will honor
fallen Sheriff Deputy Bobby
Franks of Houston County,
who died in the line of duty
Dec. 23, 2002.
Officials with Rep. Hopson's
office indicate the list of house
Please see LEGISLATION, pg. 6
C IV K
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Whitehead, Marie. Cherokeean/Herald (Rusk, Tex.), Vol. 153, No. 49, Ed. 1 Wednesday, January 29, 2003, newspaper, January 29, 2003; Rusk, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth152554/m1/1/: accessed April 26, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Singletary Memorial Library.