The Panola Watchman (Carthage, Tex.), Vol. 122, No. 49, Ed. 1 Sunday, June 18, 1995 Page: 1 of 34
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he Banola Wlakchman
USPS 419720 telephone 903-693-7888 Carthage, T<
Volume 122, Number 49
Expanding courthouse may be too costly
Repairs alone could cost millions
Dowd named
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Staff photo by LAURA NEGRI
Tempers flare over agenda policy
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Stafr photo by LAURA NEGR 1
Please see I AKE page 6A
Kilpatrick hired as ER consultant
Please see DOWD page 6A
Please set PCH page 6A
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The options were results of an
extensive survey conducted by
KSA Engineers, of Longview,
during the last several weeks. Offi-
cials from Adams, Richardson, &
Fisher, KSA's architectural divi-
sion, presented their findings re-
lating to three possible solutions to
the county's spacing woes. All,
however, will necessitate approxi-
12
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' -
---
mately the same degree and cost of
renovations.
Option number one, as pre-
sented by KSA's architect, Armand
Fisher, involves moving service of-
fices such as the extension office
and highway patrol and other re-
lated offices from the courthouse to
an undecided off-site location. Also
to be moved would be the adult and
juvenile probation offices. Both the
Panola County Court-at-Law and
123rd District Court and their re-
lated offices would remain at the
old courthouse. Cost of a new
building for service offices com-
bined with courthouse renovation
expenses is approximately $3.2 to
3.5 million.
According to Fisher, this ap-
t
the water district in April has cost
the district $31.25.
Dowd submitted an itemized list
of charges for the month of May to
the water district board, which rc-
viewed the bill at Tuesday’s board
Sunday
June 18, 199!
5e
Hard work recognized
W.D. and Kitty Pitts of the Woods Community received the USDA
producers of the year award at Thursday's annual Agriculture
Appreciation Luncheon. For a complete story and pictures from the
banquet, see page 14A.
Fun and games
Former Panola College mascot Berri O'Neal coaches a gathering of wildcats, hornets, pirates, and other characters from area schools. O'Neal is
on the staff this summer of the Universal Cheerleading Association and taught the art of being a mascot to participants in the UCA's cheerleader
camp at Panola College this week. Above, a class in using props leads to a shoot-out.
7
/432
proach would be the least costly if
only minimum renovation work is
performed. It would not, however,
address long term space problems
or issues of life safety, security and
mechanical system performance.
Fisher noted that the building's air
conditioning and mechanical sys-
tems will have to be revamped un-
der all options.
In option two, all departments
remain at the present courthouse
Please see COUNTY page 6A
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By SHERRY KOONCE
Panola County's expansion plans
have brought to light more inade-
quacies at the existing courthouse
structure than just a shortage of
space.
In fact, to bring the 42 year-old
building up to today's building
standards will cost taxpayers ap-
proximately $2,125 million re-
gardless of whether additional
courthouse offices are adjoined to
the present location or built else-
where.
ang
sgeiij
and the conversation lasted ap
proximately "two or three min
utes."
On Tuesday county commis-
sioners were offered three possible
solutions to the overcrowding
problem but all three carried a
higher than expected price tag to
renovate the current structure.
Chief among the current
structures problems is lack of
storage space followed by a very
limited parking area.
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351
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By LAURA NEGRI
A policy change approved
Tuesday by the Panola County
Fresh Water Supply District will
make it easier for individuals to
have their names placed on the
board agendas. But tempers flared
and sparks flew while the subject
was discussed.
Board member Gerald Crawford
and local resident George Massey
both wanted to discuss the policy,
which had required individuals to
submit their proposed topics of dis-
cussion in writing, with a detailed
description of the subject. Both
stated they felt the requirement was
inconvenient for people with nine-
to-five jobs.
But what raised tempers at the
meeting was Massey's contention
he had been improperly denied a
place on the May 9 agenda by
board chairman Pete Kunkel.
Massey insisted he had fulfilled the
policy requirements to be placed on
the agenda; Kunkel maintained the
details given by Massey were not
sufficient to allow him a place.
The argument progressed to the
point that Larry Arnold, who with
Massey serves on the board of the
—=2M_
Hudson, who scarcely had time to
say anything about the proposal
before it was approved by board
members, who had already
reviewed the contract prior to the
meeting.
Approval came much harder for
the four stretcher beds destined for
the ambulatory surgery unit. Nurse
Jeanie Roggenbuck had requested
five stretcher beds and an eye bed,
a stretcher to be used for cataract
surgery. The annual budget
includes $26,000 for the stretchers
But board members balked at the
$24,000 pricetag, asking whether
the equipment was needed now,
when PGH's cash flow is a major
Boy Scout camp cove to the board
this week. His suggestion that the
signs be repainted to say, "No
fishing or boating when Scouts
using water" was unanimously ap-
proved by the board.
Arnold attempted to engage
Kunkel in a heated discussion of
the agenda policy after the May 9
meeting, and argued the issue again
on Tuesday
But board member Dickie Jacks
defended the policy, saying the re-
quirement allowed board members
to come to a meeting armed with
information on the topics to be dis-
cussed.
"It docs help if you know what’s
on the agenda," he said. "I wasn’t
on the board when it voted on this,
but I think it's a good rule."
Kunkel said the deadline for the
agenda Thursday noon before the
second Tuesday of each month -
gave the water district enough time
to have the agenda in the weekend
newspaper, informing the public of
the issues up for discussion.
The board voted unanimously to
allow individuals to telephone their
requests to Gosnell, Schieffer and
Neill, CPAs. the firm which han
Board questions
attorney’s bill
Being the lawyer for the Panola meeting
County Fresh Water Supply Dis- The charge of $31.25 is listed as
trict can be a lucrative business, if a telephone consultation with Negri
recent billing to the lake board arc on May 12. It is listed in combina-
any indication tain with an office consultation on
A five-minute conversation the same day with lake board
between attorney Steven Dowd and chairman Pete Kunkel. At Tues
Panola Watchman reporter Laura day's meeting, Kunkel said he had
Negri to clarify Dowd's billing to "stopped by his (Dowd's) office'
Panola County Taxpayers Associa-
tion, accused Kunkel of lying about
his reason: for refusing Massey a
place on the agenda.
"You just took it upon yourself
to take him off the agenda because
you didn't agree with him," Arnold
said. "You’re a liar."
"I followed the rules of the
board.” Kunkel said.
Massey accused Kunkel of pre-
venting him from exercising his
constitutional rights to free expres-
sion and said he was considering
pressing the matter in federal court.
Massey had sought a place on
the agenda in May to discuss deeds
for leased lots on the lake, and
signs at the Pirtle Boy Scout
Reservation on Lake Murvaul.
Kunkel said the lease lot issue
was already on the agenda, and that
Massey's terse description of the
second topic was not specific
enough. He attempted to contact
Massey to have him add more in
formation to his request, Kunkel
said, but Massey did not change the
wording
Massey provided more specific
wording this month and brought the
issue of changing the signs at the
dies records for the water district.
Kunkel said Thursday a form had
been created for requests to appear
on the agenda: individuals can call
in to have personnel at the CPA of-
fice fill out the form, or to request a
copy of the form lx- sent to them.
The finished form can also be
mailed or delivered by hand to the
CPA office.
All requests must have the indi-
vidual’s name and phone number,
Kunkel said.
The water district board is not
required by law to give places on
the agenda to individuals. many
boards allow public comment at
only one point dunng the meeting,
usually at the end, and only board
members may place items on the
agenda.
However, in Kunkel's year long
tenure as board president, he has
allowed public comment on every
issue on the agenda, and the board
has allowed individuals to request
an opportunity to address the
board
in other matters, the board ap-
district judge
Carthage attorney Steven Dowd tax attorney, working for Exxon
has been appointed as the new Co., U.S.A., and as assistant gen-
123rd District Judge. The appoint- eral counsel for Temple Inland
ment was announced Friday by the Forest Products Corporation. He
office of Gov. George Bush. was an associate with the firm of
The 123rd District serves both Meyer and Cribbs in Houston.
Panola and Shelby counties. The Other experience includes pri-
office has been vacant since Bennie vale general law practice in both
Boles stepped down Dec. 31, 1994. civil and criminal cases, and corpo-
Less than 18 months remain on rate representation.
Boles' unexpired term, which He is married to the former
comes up for election in 1996. Pamela Gayle Blacklock of Austin,
Dowd, 44, is a recent arrival in and the Dowds have two daughters:
Carthage. The family moved here Anna Lisa, a senior at Carthage
in 1992, when the Dowds High School, and Lydia, a fresh-
purchased Panola County Abstract man. Mrs. Dowd manages the ab-
and Title Co. from Leroy and stract company.
Addine LaSalle. Dowd said he is "deeply in-
A native of Tyler, Dowd gradu- debted" to Sen. Drew Nixon and
ated from Hawkins High School the office of Gov. Bush for the ap-
and attended the University of pointment.
Texas at Arlington and Austin Nixon had no comment on the
College in Sherman. He obtained a appointment Friday.
J.D. degree from Baylor University The race for district judge in
School of Law in 1975 and a 1996 could be heavily contested.
L.L.M. from Southern Methodist Three of the five potential nomi-
University School of Law in 1977. nees for the office who were inter-
He joined the bar in Texas 1975 viewed by the governor's office
and was also admitted to practice earlier this year — Democrats Bill
law before the U.S. District Court, Warren and Guy Griffin and Re-
Southern and Eastern Districts of publican Thomas Harris — have
Texas. told The Panola Watchman they
Dowd's legal experience in- may seek the office.
eludes many years as a corporate
the contract.
For $2,000 per month,
Kilpatrick will be on call 24 hours
a day, seven days a week, to
provide assistance to emergency
room physicians for patients
requiring surgery
By employing Kilpatrick as the
trauma surgeon consultant, PGH
hopes to qualify for designation as
a Level IV trauma center, a title
that could help the hospital qualify
for Medicare Disproportionate
Share funds from the federal
government.
"It's absolutely necessary that
we have someone in that position."
said hospital administrator Gary
F% A 3
,7 .
concern.
Roggenbuck explained why the
new beds were needed for the unit,
which requires the lighter stretchers
for moving patients. She reduced
her request to four stretcher beds at
a cost of $16,000. which was
approved
The business office also
received approval for a new
computer system, but only after
convincing board members the
purchase could not wait any longer
Hudson called the current computer
"obsolete," adding that the system
■ udde4
By LAURA NEGRI
Concerns about spending Panola
General Hospital's money wisely
caused the board of managers
Thursday to abandon the order of
business on the agenda for a
discussion on prioritizing
expenditures
The only spending item on the
agenda that passed without
discussion was a proposed contract
between PGH and Dr. Charles
Kilpatrick to provide services as an
emergency room trauma surgeon
consultant. While Kilpatrick, who
serves on the board, was out of the
room, the remaining board
members cheerfully voted to sign
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Leach, Ted. The Panola Watchman (Carthage, Tex.), Vol. 122, No. 49, Ed. 1 Sunday, June 18, 1995, newspaper, June 18, 1995; Carthage, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1541579/m1/1/?rotate=0: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Sammy Brown Library.