Cherokeean Herald (Rusk, Tex.), Vol. 156, No. 52, Ed. 1 Wednesday, February 15, 2006 Page: 3 of 16
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OPINION
LETTERS POLICY
All submissions must contain the writer's name, address
and zip, along with a daytime telephone number so we may
contact you with clarification or confirmation. We will not print
letters that contain incorrect information or allegations deemed
libelous, nor will be publish form letters or copies intended for
mass distribution to other publications. The shorter the letter,
the better its chances for publication; we reserve the right to
edit letters for space. Deadline is Friday at 3 p.m.
Send letters to: herald@mediactr.com, FAX to (903) 683-5104
or mail to P.O. Box 475, Rusk. Texas, 75785.
Cherokeean
HERALD
Wednesday, Februa
Cherokee Civic Theatre
expresses gratitude
for renovations
DEBRA RICHARDS
Jacksonville
On behalf of the board of
directors and members of the
Cherokee Civic Theatre, I would
like to extend our thanks to
those people and organizations
that contributed to the recent
renovations of our facade, lobby,
rest-rooms and office areas.
First, our thanks go to Warden
Todd Foxworth who helped
guide us through the process of
applying for a community work
project from the Texas Depart-
ment of Criminal Justice,
The Warden has been a pro-
active addition to our commu-
nity by supporting these projects
that have helped improve our
downtown, parks and other
areas in the county. We would
also like to thank him for pro-
viding us with such a great
crew when we know that there
were other requests for their
time. Next, thanks are due
to TDCJ officer Rick Bobbitt
and his crew of five workers,
who brought so much talent
and experience to this project.
Their enthusiasm to do a great
job and their willingness to take
the extra steps needed to make
everything special resulted in a
finishedproduct that surpassed
our hopes.
Last,, and certainly not least,
our thanks to the Rusk Chamber
of Commerce which providedthe
grant funding that enabled OCT
to purchase the supplies and
equipment necessary for these
renovations. We hope that the
chamber membership particu-
larly enjoys our fresh new look
because it was their generosity
that got the ball rolling to make
it all possible.
The Cherokee Theatre build-
ing will be 60 years old this
December. With its Art Deco
styling from the 1940s, it is
truly an architectural jewel for
the entire community to enjoy.
This Grand Lady needs special
care to maintain the style to
which she was envisioned, and
on her behalf, we want to thank
everyone who made this 'face-
liff such a success!
Debrci Richards is the presi-
dent of the Cherokee Civic
Theatre.
RUSK ROTARY CLUB
Bob McNatt discusses Fall
of the Bastille
By Louraiseal McDonald
Special Contributor
Bob McNattwas speakerfortheJan.
25 meeting of the Rusk Rotary Club at
the Southern Cherokee Federal Credit
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EDITORIAL
City manager undermines KOA sale
with derogatory news interview
Rusk City Manager Kevin Bowden aired the
city's KOA laundry last Friday in a news
story which appeared in the Tyler Morning
Telegraph. The headline reads, "Rusk likely to
sell undeveloped site at loss," and the story discusses
the $600,000 the city invested in the proposed KOA
campground and how the city manager thinks the city
is making a mistake to sell it.
Excerpts from Mr. Bowden's
interview include:
• "We're shooting ourselves
in the foot on this. We're going
to take a $200,000 loss on it, not
counting the value of the land.
It's like we're losing everything."
• "If we sell the land, it's a one-
time shot. It always seems that
Rusk is on the cusp of growth.
Some way, it has always been hindered,"
Voters have sent messages to city hall twice on
the KOA issue with their ballots. Rusk Mayor Suzann
McCarty defeated incumbent Mayor Charles Horton,
who supported the completion of the KOA, by a large
margin. Then in a referendum held last September,
voters, again by a large margin, instructed their city
leaders to sell or lease the campground and get out
of the RV business.
What part of these two elections does Mr. Bowden
not understand?
As the Rusk city manager, he is not an elected
official. He is not getting paid to make policies and
pontificate his opinions. He is an employee of the
City of Rusk, and as such, serves at the pleasure of
Terre Gonzalez
the mayor and council.
We find Mr. Bowden's comments in the Tyler news-
paperto be highly inappropriate, and so do many other
business leaders polled prior to this editorial. It is a
slap in the face to the voters, an insult to the council
and insubordinate to the mayor for this city employee
to keep pressing for an issue that the voters have
already decided. His comments belittle the efforts of
all chamber of commerce members and other business
people who continue to work, voluntarily, to bring about
economic development to our area.
What prospective business person will come into the
city and agree to pay the asking price of the property
when the city manager says the KOA site is losing
value? Rusk does not need a spokesman like Mr.
Bowden, who seems bent on undermining the city's
bargaining position on a potential sale.
Mr, Bowden provided the Tyler newspaper with
figures on potential income. "The park could have
made as much as $319,000 a year in profits."
Wrong.
There's a difference between "gross" and "net,"
which most people understand.
If the city grossed $319,000, there are expenses like
salaries, upkeep, utilities and a 10 percent fee to KOA.
What's left over is the net. Mr. Bowden also seems to
have forgotten that the city didn't have enough money
to complete the park, and was looking at a $300,000
to $600,000 loan from Austin Bank. With all these
expenses, we projected that the park would net slightly
more than $30,000 - not $319,000.
If the $500,000 recreation fund had been left alone,
it would have earned about that much in interest.
Mr. Bowden is on the wrong side of the voters'
will on the KOA issue. And there have been other
miscalculations and missteps in his three years as
city manager.
-Mr. Bowden originally estimated the KOA camp-
ground could be completed for $250,000. New
estimates place the cost at more than $1 million to
meet KOA standards.
-Mr. Bowden has dallied and failed to obtain an
appraisal on the KOA site, despite instructions from
the council last fall that he get one.
-Mr. Bowden presented cost estimates to pave a
parking lot near downtown. He only looked at the first
page of the contractor's document. The second page
contained the total cost, and Mr. Bowden's estimates
to the council were off by more than $10,000. He has
since been removed from spear-heading the project
because he alienated so many people.
-Mr. Bowden recently miscalculated the number of
payments the city owed for a bulldozer, and the council
had to scramble to locate an unbudgeted $10,000 for
the unexpected expense.
For the $42,000 salary plus $6,000 car allowance
it pays, the city deserves a loyal employee to serve in
the capacity of city manager - one who is an effective
spokesman, can handle complex budgeting issues
(not fuzzy math) and is efficient in follow-through and
time management.
Sadly, Mr. Bowden's arrogance makes him a loose
cannon, and it is time for the council to take decisive
action. Either revoke his privilege of being a spokes-
man for the council or ask Mr. Bowden to take his
talents elsewhere.
Union. He told the story of the Fall of
the Bastille. On July 14,1789, an angry
crowd stormed and destroyed the Bas-
tille prison. The Bastille represented the
ancient regime for most Parisian people.
After the war, the people kept pieces of
the prison as souvenirs. This event set
the stage for the Revolution.
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Whitehead, Marie. Cherokeean Herald (Rusk, Tex.), Vol. 156, No. 52, Ed. 1 Wednesday, February 15, 2006, newspaper, February 15, 2006; Rusk, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth152718/m1/3/?q=cherokeean: accessed March 19, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Singletary Memorial Library.