Port Aransas South Jetty (Port Aransas, Tex.), Vol. 8, No. 30, Ed. 1 Thursday, January 25, 1979 Page: 1 of 8
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PORT ARANSAS
A
SOOTH JETTY
^-*
VOLUME 8 - NO. 30 - PRICE 20 CENTS
(946-020)
ON MUSTANG ISLAND, TEXAS
THURSDAY, JANUARY 25, 1979
City Tightens
Animal Law
The City Council, last week,
passed the final reading of an
amendment to the Animal Control
Ordinance that would put the
financial bite on dog owners who
allow their pets to run loose. The
previous ordinance provided for
the animals to be caught and
impounded.
The amendment, obviously aim-
ed at the growing number of
wandering dogs in town, allows
the Animal Control Officer, or any
Police Officer, to issue a notice of
violation to the owner or keeper of
an animal at large. A guilty plea
results in a minimum fine of $10,
with each subsequent offense to
result in a fine double the amount
of the previous one paid, up to a
maximum of $200. A plea of Not
Guilty will result in a criminal
trial, with the same system of
fines working on a finding of
guilty.
Under the ordinance animals
may not “run at large”. Running
at large is defined as being un-
leashed on streets, sidewalks or
public grounds, or on the resi-
dence, lot or lands of any person
other than the owner of the
animal. The ordinance also ap-
plies to cats.
In addition, a notice of violation
may be issued for an animal that
does not have a current rabies
vaccination.
The first two readings of the
ordinance brought no comment
from the public at the council
meetings, but following this final
reading, there was considerable
discussion and some opposition
before the council voted to make
the ordinance law. One objector
indicated that a petition against
the ordinance may be forthcom-
ing.
In other council action at last
week’s meeting, the recently
enacted amendment to the De-
velopment Performance Standards
Ordinance was discussed by local
realtor Suzanna Reeder who was
opposed to the requirement that a
duplex residence be sited on a lot
having a minimum of 7,000
square feet. She felt this was too
restrictive. The council authorized
the Planning Board to review this
requirement while maintianing the
ordinance in effect.
In appointing Ken Williams to
the Council recently, to fill the
vacancy created by Foy Stiewig on
his resignation, a seat became
vacant on the Planning Board.
The council appointed local build-
er and developer Bob Hutcldson
to fill the unexpired seat.
The Council passed the second
of three required readings of two
other ordinances. One would
change the date of the regular
monthly council meeting from the
second Tuesday of the month to
the third Thursday of each month.
The meeting time will continue to
be at 7 p.m. in City Hall. The
council workshop will begin the
same evening at b p.m.
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c. j. plummer photo
School Board
Moving Ahead
With Pool Plan
The School Board, last week
authorized former board member
Bruce Furlow to move ahead with
recommendations for selection of
an architect-engineer to provide
preliminary plans and cost esti-
mates for construction of a
swimming pool to be added to the
nearly complete new $2 million
secondary school structure. An
indoor pool had originally been
planned as part of the building
program, but funds were too short
to provide the type of facility
sought.
The Board now is considering
construction of a competition size
pool that would allow for a school
swimming team, as well as serve
as a community recreation facility.
With the added dimension of
using the pool as a community
facility, the School Board intends
to approach the City Council for
some form of cost-sharing in the
construction and operation of the
facility. But, according to board
member Charles Zahn, Jr., the
board will make no formal contact
with the City until it has some
firm plans and cost estimates. He
added that the present intention
for a schedule in developing plans
and meeting with City repre-
sentatives could result in a bond
issue election about mid-summer
1979. He said that the amount of
the projected bond issue could not
be determined at this time
because of the unknown costs and
extent of possible City partici-
pation.
In other business, the School
Board called its annual election of
trustees for April 7, 1979. Four of
the seven board members have
expiring seats this year. They arc
Andy Mora, Bobby Nelson, R. H.
Smith and George Harris. Re-
maining on the board with
another year of their two-year
terms to serve are Sharon
Cameron, Duncan Neblctt and
Charles Zahn, Jr. None of the
members with expiring scats have
vet announced that they will run
for re-election.
The Board also acted to provide
Superintendant Joe Searcy with a
threc-vear contract beginning July
1, at which time his initial
contract with the District will be
terminated. Searcy’s salary was
also raised from $30,(XX) per vear
to $32,500 per year on the
effective date of the new contract.
The early move to provide a new
contract for Searcy is viewed as a
vote of confidence for the superin-
tendant who was hired last year.
Two additional members were
added to the teaching staff by the
Board. Carol Brundrett will fill the
Special Education slot and Bar-
bara Furlow will teach 4th grade,
a class that was split because of
the large number of students.
Suit Over Ferry
Landing Finally
Goes To Trial
Trial began last week in Judge
Walter Dunham’s 2Kth District
Court over who really owns the
land that is occupied by the Port
Aransas ferry landing and the
area that is occupied by tanks be-
longing to the local water district
near the landing.
Charles Orr. of California,
represented by Max Luther and
John Barnhart, finally brought the
more than 10 year-old suit to trial
last week against the following
defendants: the State of Texas,
Nueces County Navigation District
No. 1, Nueces County, Nueces
County Water Control and Im-
provement District No. 4, and
Central Power and Light Co.
Orr claims that the land occu-
pied by the defendants actually
belongs to him because it is land
that has accreted in the Ship
Channel adjacent to land that he
owns. He is suing for recovery of
the land and $1 million in
damages. Defendants cite their
claim on the land to be a 1950
patent of the land from the State
to the Navigation District, and, in
the alternative, are citing the 3.5.
and 10 year statutes of limi-
tations. Users of the land have
easement from the Navigation
District.
The case was in court all last
week, and Friday evening was
continued at the judge’s conven-
ience, as he is now sitting in
Kingsville it is estimated that
once it begins again, the trial will
take at least one more week of
court time.
Defendants are countering Orr’s
claim with numerous old maps,
air photos and documents, as well
as witnesses who have known the
various dredging jobs that have
taken place through the historx ot
the Corpus Christi Ship Channel.
to Is.
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Frishman, Steve. Port Aransas South Jetty (Port Aransas, Tex.), Vol. 8, No. 30, Ed. 1 Thursday, January 25, 1979, newspaper, January 25, 1979; Port Aransas, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth601431/m1/1/: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Ellis Memorial Library.