Cherokeean Herald (Rusk, Tex.), Vol. 158, No. 36, Ed. 1 Wednesday, October 31, 2007 Page: 6 of 20
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Page 6A - Cljerokeeaij Herald of Rusk, Texas - Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Water group approves
16 recommendations
County Judge Chris Davis represents Cherokee
County on long-range planning
ANRA.
By Bob Bowman
Special Contributor
Directors of the East Texas Re-
gional Water Planning Group ap-
proved 16 recommendations for a
new round of planning for 20 coun-
ties in the region.
Representing Cherokee County
at the meeting was County Judge
Chris Davis, a recently-namedboard
member.
The recommendations were out-
lined by engineering consultant
Gary Graham of Beaumont during
a regularly- scheduled meeting when
in Nacogdoches.
Recommendations include:
• A review of population, water
demands and supplies, and the
proposal of new water management
strategies
• Anew review of water conserva-
tion strategies.
• An examination of a Texas Wa-
ter Development Board (TWDB)
study on electrical generation with
amendments to the new East Texas
water plan
• Completion of a study comp aring
TWDB and Texas Commission on
Environmental Quality databases
for small water suppliers in an at-
tempt to reconcile differences.
• A review of new TWDB work
on environmental resources with
possible amendments to the East
Texas plan.
• The updating of groundwater
availability for the Gulf Coast
aquifer.
• A study of environmental pro-
tection strategies for wetlands and
fresh Water associated with bays
and estuaries
• The evaluation of the effects of
in-stream environmental flows on
water planning
• A review of alternatives for
capturing, treating and storing
flood flows
• A review of water boches im-
pacted by water quality and the
impact on surface water treatment
facilities
• A study of the role of reusing
water in water conservation strate-
gies
• The study of the impact of envi-
16 nominees submitted
for new basin
ronmental flows on existing water
rights permits
• A review of groundwater man-
agement predictive data
• Consideration of the formation
of groundwater conservation dis-
tricts in areas uncovered by existing
districts
• A review and updating of agri-
culture water needs
• The refinement of groundwater
availability imp acted by water qual-
ity and geographic restrictions
The planning group also sug-
gested 16 nominees to the TWDB's
new river basin and bay area stake
holders committee.
Nominated were Mel Swoboda,
agriculture and irrigation; Josh W.
David, free-range livestock; David
Alders, concentrateclanimalfeeding;
George Goehringer; recreational wa-
ter usage; Mike Norris, municipali-
ties; Jerry D. Nichols, soil andwater
conservation; Darla Smith, refining;
Olan Webb, chemical manufactur-
ing; Dale Peddy, electrical genera-
tion; Mike Harborclt, paper products
or timber ; Wade Butler, commercial
fishermen; John D. Stover, public
interest groups; Kelley Holcomb,
regional water planning; Walter
Glenn, groundwater conservation
(list rid s: Jerry Clark, river authori-
ties; and Dr. Matthew McBroom,
environmental interests.
The planning group also acknowl-
edged receipt of the resignation
of the Deep East Texas Council of
Governments of Jasper as its ad-
ministrative agent and authorized
the group's executive committee to
begin the proce ss of negotiation with
a new agent.
The group's next meeting will be
Jan. 9 in Nacogdoches.
The group serves all or parts of
Anderson, Angelina, Cherokee, Har-
din, Henderson, Houston, Jasper,
Jefferson, Nacogdoches, Newton,
Orange, Panola, Polk, Rusk, Sabine,
San Augustirté, Shelby, Smith, Trin-
ity and Tyler counties.
continued from pg. 1A
ley Authority did not realize the
full impact of the amendment that
they approved last year,'' said Sen.
Nichols. "Now that they realize it,
they voted unanimously (Oct. 18)
to amend it."
LNVA attorneys are working this
week on a new draft. "We can't give
an exact time line (of when the draft
will be completed),'' said Dr. Brian
Babin, chairman of the basin study
committee for LNVA, "What I want
the draft to say, in layman's terms,
is that we want the participants to
get the water they have been pay-
ing for."'
Kenneth Renneau, general man-
ager ofANRA, saicl it is possible that
the amendment will be written in
such a way that all parties will be
satisfied. If that is the case, then
TCEQ will allow municipalities to
with chaw their letters of opposition
to TCEQ.
"By applying to amend a 1963
permit, which everyone is happy
with, they started an administra-
tive procedure at TCEQ,"' saicl Mr.
Renneau.
If the revised amendment is not
accepted by municipalities in the
northern basin, then TCEQ will
have to decide whether the three-
person commission will hear a
contested case.
" The commission meet s twice each
month, and they would review it to
see if it meets the standards,'' saicl
Terry Clawson, TCEQ mecha rela-
tions manager.
Following the TCEQ board meet-
ing, the contested case would be
referred to the State Office of Ad-
ministrative Hearings (SOAH), a
quasi-juchcial agency established
to handle disputes between state
agencies. Once SOAH makes a
recommendation, TCEQcanrubber
stamp the proposal, accept a por-
tion of it or make a different ruhng
altogether.
Dr. Babin feels optimistic that the
revised amendment will meet the
approval ofANRA and p ar ticip ating
municipalities in the Lake Columbia
project.
Mr. Renneau is also hopeful but
guarded. "My question (to LNVA)
is simply this: If you realize right
now you are causing grief in the miel
and north basin, why not withdraw
the application?''
LNVA and ANRA also disagree
over the issue of water rights vs.
contractual rights.
Municipalities which are partici-
pating in the Lake Columbia project
hold contractual rights expressed
in terms of a percentage of owner-
ship.
"Water rights, on the other hand,
means that ANRAs permit from the
state woulclbe spht, for instance, be-
tween ANRA and LNVA," explained
Mr. Renneau. "Each would have a
percentage of water stated in the
permit,
"It's as if you and someone else
have joint ownership rights in your
home,'' he saicl. "Your needs and
your vision for your home may be
different from the other owner.''
ANRA board members feel that
contractual rights are as enforceable
as water rights, but avoids the dif-
ficulties of joint ownership.
When the disagreement between
ANRA and LNVAreachecl its pinna-
cle earlier this month, LNVA saicl it
submitted the original amendment
to TCEQ at the request of Homeland
Security, the FBI and the U.S. Coast
Guard. However, LNVA declined to
elaborate on the connection between
Homeland Security and LNVAs need
for more water.
ANRA and many municipalities
in the Lake Columbia project think
that invoking Homeland Security is
a smokescreen to control the water
and clehver it to a massive petro-
chemical industrial base in the
Beaumont-Port Arthur area.
Before the Neches River meets
the Gulf of Mexico, it splinters into
a network of 400 miles of canals
constructed in the 1940s to irrigate
rice farms. As rice farming declines,
agricultural land is transformed into
industrial uses.
"Trying to get water under the
guise of Homeland Security is not
the right thing to clo or the truthful
thing to clo,'' saicl state Rep. Chuck
Hopson, (D-Jacksonville), who also
attended the Oct. 22 meeting. ""I
think it was a really good thing
that we got people from LNVA with
ANRA and have a chalog going. It
was a very positive meeting, and
ANRA got to air some things that
had been building.''
Cherokee County Judge Chris
Davis agrees.
"LNVAwas trying to pull a sneaky
fast one on us and change those
old water rights so that industrial
needs would be met before residen-
tial needs. If this amendment had
passed, it would have given them
control of the whole basin."
Judge Davis also agrees with Sen.
Nichols that LNVA's board of direc-
tors chcl not understand the scope or
impact of the proposed amendment.
"I hope we caught this problem in
time."
Dr. Babin tolcl the Cherokeean
Herald that LNVA has been "in the
water business" since 1913.
"We have provicleclfor agricultural
and industrial use with water rights
and those who are junior to us," he
saicl. "We have never had a water
call, and we have always provided
water that We promised to sell."
He suggested that the timing of
this issue may have something to
clo with Dallas and that city's long
term water plan. "They have filed a
petition to contest our amendment,"
he saicl.
Dr. Babin saicl it would be a "big
mistake" for ANRAto sell any water
rights to Dallas and allow water to
be transferred out of the basin. "The
pohtical reality is that East Texas
can't stave this off much longer, " he
saicl. " The best thing we can clo is cut
the best deal we can to control our
water, our natural resources."
Rusk City Manager Mike Mur-
ray, who attended the meeting with
Mayor Angela Raiborn, saicl he was
glaclthe two opposingwater districts
had an opportunity to speak face to
face Oct. 22.
"It was a really good meeting, and
I appreciate the hard work of Sen,
Nichols and Rep. Hopson to try and
reach a compromise.''
He saicl the disagreement of con-
tractual rights vs. water rights may
prove to be a point that neither side
is wilhng to negotiate.
"As I understand it, ANRA has
offered almost 40 percent, of con-
tractual rights to LNVA," he saicl.
"However, they chcl not use the term
'contractual rights' in the meeting.
They seem focused on obtaining
water rights with inherent right
to water."
The original LNVA amendment
didn't pass the smell test, saicl Mr.
Murray, and that is why the city of
Rusk submitted a letter of protest
to TCEQ.
Approximately 20 attended the
meeting in Jacksonville at the Nor-
man Activity Center, and included
city officials from Whitehouse,
Troup, Jacksonville and Rusk.
Dr. Babin saiclhe jokeel with Kath-
leen Jackson, LNVA vice-president,
in the car on the 165-mile chive from
Beaumont to Jacksonville. "I tolcl
her, 'We may need some body guards
when we go in. "
"I think they left the meeting
knowing they had stirred up some
issues," saicl Mr. Renneau. "We will
review (the revised amendment)
with an open mincl."
Local issues will be on Nov. 6 ballot
Alto, Jacksonville will decide school bond issues; Rusk will consider change in sales tax
Early voting concludes Fri-
day for the Tuesday constitu-
tional amendment election.
At press deadline Tuesday,
approximately 646 persons
had cast ballots. Turnout is
expected to be low because
it is not a presidential elec-
tion year.
Persons wishing to vote
early may clo so from 8
a. m. - 5 p. m. at the Cherokee
County Clerk's office in the
courthouse in Rusk; A. Frank
Smith United Methodist
Church in Alto; and the Se-
nior Citizens Center across
from Discount Center in Jack-
sonville. Those wishing to
vote are askeel to bring their
voter registration or a chiver's
license for identification.
Voters will be askeel to con-
sider 16 Texas Constitutional
amendments. The amend-
ments range from issuance of
Prop. 4
continued from pg. 1A
$2.1 million has been spent on
roofing," saicl Kevin Gentry,
director of plant operations at
RSH. "In the almost 23 years
that I have been here, the
roofs are in the best conchtion
I have seen."
Other capital improvements
since 2004 include a new fire
alarm system featuring a
state-of-the-art addressable
system with fire protection
sprinklers in two patient
builchngs.
"Five of our eight primary
patient use buildings are
now equipped with Approved
Automatic Sprinkler Systems
throughout."
The hospital is currently
upgrading equipment like
water heaters and installing
computer-based energy man-
agement systems to control
A/C and heating in all build-
ings.
State Rep. Chuck Hopson
(D-Jacksonville) saicl he took
advantage of the opportunity
to vote early last week and
cast a ballot in support of
Prop. 4.
"A lot of things got thrown
in together (in that proposi-
tion)," he saicl, referring to
HR 36, which outlined the
components of Prop. 4- Eleven
different state agencies will
receive a portion of the bond
project, from the Texas Parks
& Wildlife Dept. to the Texas
Youth Commission and De-
partment of State Health
Services.
Lewie Byers, president of
Texas National Bank of Rusk
and Rusk Economic Develop-
ment Board member, feels
that Proposition 4 is not an
issue that voters should have
to vote for.
"If the departments named
in the proposition need the
money, the legislature should
have the will to pass a bill to
fund the se expenditures," saicl
Mr. Byers.
Since interest on the bonds
will have to be paid, the cost
of paying for those items will
cost more than paying for the
improvements from the state's
cash reserves. More than $8
billion dollars went unspent
from the treasury at the end
of the legislative session this
year. Near Alto at Cadcloan
Mounds State Historic Site,
money from Prop. 4 would be
used to replace fences, reno-
vate builchngs, replace the
primary electrical distribu-
tion system and replace the
emergency generator for chent
residences on the property.
On or about Jan. 1, 2008,
Caclcloan Mounds will be
transferreclfrom TP WD to the
Texas Historical Commission.
For more information on Prop.
4:, go to www.proposition4.
org.
bonds for various projects to
clarification of home equity
loans proceeds and denial of
jail bond.
Also voters will be askeel
to approve a Rusk sales tax
economic development cor-
poration change and bond
issues for Alto ISD and Jack-
sonville ISD.
Persons living in the city
limits of Rusk will be askeel
to approve a switch from a
4A Economic Development
Corporation to a 4B Economic
Development Corporation.
If the ballot proposition is
not approved to switch, the
4A corporation will remain
in effect.
The election is being called
because a 4B corporation can
spend the half-cent sales tax
for a larger variety of econom-
ic development projects.
With voter approval the
half-cent sales tax can be
used for retail business in-
centives, sports and athletic
facilities, entertainment,
tourist and convention facili-
ties, publicparks anclrelatecl
El Camino Real
open space improvement,
affordable housing, water
supply and conservation
programs.
Projects for 4Acorporation
expenditures that can be
used for 4B projects include
manufacturing and indus-
trial facilities, research and
development facilities, recy-
cling facilities, chstribution
centers, small warehouse
facilities and distribution
centers, military facilities,
primary job training facili-
ties, corporate headquarter
facilities, job training classes,
career centers, telephone call
centers and business infra-
structure.
The Alto ISD election seeks
approval of the issuance of
86.3 million school building
bonds for construction, acqui-
sition and equipment of an
elementary school building
in AISD.
The Jacksonville ISD elec-
tion seeks approval of issu-
ance of school bonds for the
construction of a $19 million
elementary school.
Where do I vote
in Cherokee County?
7a.m. - 7p.m. on Nov. 6
Voters may cast ballots at:
•Box 10: Northeast Rusk, Civic
Center, Euclid Street
•Box 11: East Rusk, Blounts Cha-
pel Church, U.S. Highway 84
•Box 12: North Rusk, Gallatin
Community Center, FM 768
•Box 13: North Maydelle, Fire
Station, Highway 84
•Box 14: Southeast Jacksonville,
Corinth Baptist Church, Turney
•Box 15: Ward 3, Jacksonville,
Tyler Street Baptist Church, 910
Tyler St.
•Box 16: Dialville, Dialville Meth-
odist Church, CR 1611 offFM 347
•Box 23: South Rusk, Salem
Baptist Church, FM 241, Rusk
•Box 24: Rusk, Cherokee Civic
Theatre Annex (Shrine Building)
Sixth Street
•Box25: Wells Fire Station, U.S.
Highway 69 S.
•Box 26: East Alto, County Barn,
FM 851
•Box 27: West Alto, Fire Station,
Highway 21
•Box 28: South Maydelle, As-
sembly of God Church, U.S.
Highway 84
•Box 29: Forest Baptist Church,
FM 1911 and CR 2754
•Box 32 Mount Selman Baptist
Church, CR 3941 off U.S. High-
way 69
•Box 33: Reese Community
Center, Highway 175
•Box 34: Mixon First Baptist
Church, Corner FM 177 and FM
3012
•Box 35: Cove Springs Commu-
nity Church, Highway 175
•Box 36: SW Jacksonville, New
Hope Baptist Church, FM 747 S.
•Box 37: Mount Haven CME
Church, Highway 747 N.
•Box 38: Ward 2 Jacksonville
Activity Center, Peoples Street
•Box 42: Ward 1 Jacksonville, Old
Elberta School, MLK Drive
•Box 43: Ward 4 Jacksonville
Public Library, 502 S. Jackson
•Box 44: Northeast Jacksonville,
Tecula Baptist Church, CR 4113
•Box 45: New Summerfield, city
hall, Highway 110
•Box 46: Pleasant Hill, Blackjack
Baptist Church, Highway 110
•Box 47: Ponta First Baptist
Church, Highway 110
•Box 48: Concord Presbyterian
Church, CR 4705 offFM 856.
For more information, call the
county clerk at (903) 683-2350.
continued from pg. 3A
the woods kicking off the first clay of
the regular cleer season. It sounds hke
a good place for the ladies to go while
the men are hunting. I know the
laches from the Methodist Church will
be clown there selhng cookbooks and
crystal bracelets.
I clon't even want to think about a
pecan. I've been picking out pecans all
week. My hands are sore and nobody
will help me, My mother-in-law al-
ways says she is going to help, but she
never does. She helps eat them and
that's about it for her part. I wonder
if the law found her in my deep freeze
would they believe she just fell in try-
ing to steal pecans? The wife hardly
aclcls pecans in the stuff she bakes
because the boys clon't like them. I
wonder when anybody around here is
going to start worrying about what I
like. I might just take my pecans and
sell them at the Pecan Festival.
Alto High School Senior Matthew
Barnes and Ag Teacher John Griffith
spent the week in Indianapolis, Incl. at
the National FFA Convention. Mat-
thew is the Texas Area 9 FFA Presi-
dent and represents 125 schools. We
are very proucl of Matthew's accom-
plishments in FFA and we are lucky
to have him representing Alto as our
Area 9 FFA president. I watched
some of the National FFA Convention
on the RFD Channel and I was very
impressed with the cahber of young
people and the great speakers they
had on the program. A big thanks to
John Griffith for going the extra mils
each year teaching and working with
our kicls.
The Alto Schools celebrated Reel Rib-
bon Week last week with many activi-
ties focusing on keeping kicls off chugs.
The Alto Middle School student council
got into the spirit of the week by creat-
ing a mock graveyard depicting grave
markers with epitaphs of unfortunate
souls who used chugs. Other activities
included chess-up clays and prizes in
drawings for students wearing reel rib-
bons. Reel Ribbon week is a national
week of awareness for students to
learn the clangers involved with chugs.
I guess this is about enough news
for the mincl to absorb in one sitting. I
didn't even talk about the Yellowjack-
ets or the Powder Puff Football game.
I'm sure they'll be covered somewhere
else in the paper. Keep the news com-
ing and I II try and make room for it.
I'll see ya next week! And remember.
Use what talents you have: The
woods would be very silent if no
birds sang there except those who
sang the best.
K
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Whitehead, Marie. Cherokeean Herald (Rusk, Tex.), Vol. 158, No. 36, Ed. 1 Wednesday, October 31, 2007, newspaper, October 31, 2007; Rusk, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth152806/m1/6/: accessed April 25, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Singletary Memorial Library.