The Wylie News (Wylie, Tex.), Vol. 62, No. 12, Ed. 1 Wednesday, August 5, 2009 Page: 1 of 14
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WYLIE NEWS
© Copyright 2009 All rights reserved.
Volume 62 Issue 12 Wylie, Texas
Covering Wylie and the surrounding area since 1948
• Wednesday, August 5, 2009 • C&S Media Publications
972-442-5515 ujqlisnaujs*
2 Sections, 14 Pages 75 cents
Lower property values zap city's buffer
By Judy Truesdell
Staff Writer
j truesdell @ wylie news, com
Following its July 28 meeting, Wylie
City Council held the second work ses-
sion on the fiscal 2009-'10 budget.
City Manager Mindy Manson told the
council and other city officials that,
since the first work session two weeks
earlier, county tax rolls had been certi-
fied and area property valuation is
down.
As of June 26, preliminary tax valu-
ation was $2.26 million; as of July 27,
the valuation was $$2.22 million, an
almost 2 percent decrease, Manson
said, from where they were when work
began on the budget.
She also said planners had left a
"buffer" in the budget in the event that
property values did decrease, which
they did, resulting in a $430,000
impact.
Although Manson said that things
will be a "whole lot tougher" if the
same situation presents itself next year,
for now things aren't so bad. Steps
include the transfer of $37,000 from
the funds earmarked for non-profit
organizations to the summer concert
series.
Also, $100,000 will be transferred to
the Emergency Communications Fund
so that a tower can be built enabling
fire-rescue personnel and police to
communicate in all parts of the area by
radio.
The estimated fund balance as of
Sept. 30, 2010, would be a "still-
healthy" $8.45 million, according to
Manson. Financial Director Linda
Vaughan said that, as of Sept. 30 of this
year, the fund balance will be $9.2 mil-
lion.
Vaughan also told those present that
the cost to keep the city running for
one month is $1.8 million.
At the last work session, there was
discussion about cutting out or signifi-
cantly reducing the city's summer con-
cert series, and this topic was re-visited
at the second work session. Wylie
See COUNCIL page HA
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Wylie firefighters rest and prepare for cleanup after battling a house fire on Stone Road last week.
Photo hy Judy Truesdell
Vacant house burns on Stone Road
By Judy Truesdell
Staff Writer
jtruesdell@ wylienews. com
Wylie Fire-Rescue, backed up by several area
fire departments, battled a three-alarm fire in a
vacant house located at 508 Stone Rd. July 30.
Assistant Chief Noe Flores said the call came
in at 10 a.m. from a neighbor across the street,
who reported seeing fire next to the meter box.
Flores said when firefighters arrived on the
scene, they found the fire was mostly in the attic.
The fire was determined to be accidental,
either caused by a passing storm or an electrical
malfunction, Fire Marshal Steve Scddig said.
The Lavon, Parker and Murphy departments
sent trucks to assist. All off-duty firefighters and
extra Quints from Wylie were also called in.
Flores said.
'The assistance was strictly for manpower," he
said. "There wasn't the need for more water; we
just needed the extra manpower."
Three organizations covered the city while all
Wylie firefighters were engaged in fighting the
Stone Road fire. American Medical Response
covered the ambulance calls. Nevada and Piano
fire departments provided backup for city calls.
10 WISD
campuses
Exemplary
By Donnita Nesbit Fisher
Managing Editor
dfisher@ wylienews.com
Wylie ISD had returned to Recognized Texas
Education Agency status, with 10 campuses
rated Exemplary and four Recognized.
Three campuses were rated Academically
Acceptable. The Special Programs Center does
not receive a rating.
Exemplary campuses are: Wylie East High
School, Harrison Intermediate School, Akin,
Birmingham, Cox, Dodd, Groves, Hartman,
Smith and Whitt elementary schools.
Wylie High School, Davis Intermediate,
Draper Intermediate and Tibbals Elementary
School received the Recognized rating.
Burnett, Cooper and McMillan junior high
schools earned the Academically Acceptable rat-
ing.
"We have made these strides due to the focus
on engagement and active learning by students,"
said Superintendent Dr. H, John Fuller. "We
have also spent several years aligning our local
curriculum with the state's curriculum to assure
that we are teaching the appropriate lessons at
the appropriate times."
Dr. T.J. Farler, assistant superintendent for
curriculum and instruction, said the district's
focus has been on individual student learning.
"Our goal was to increase achievement for
each and every student," Farler said. "In partic-
ular, the instructional staff (teachers, instruction-
al specialists, administrators, and
curriculum/instructional team) designed learn-
ing experiences that met the needs and interests
of the learners. We are very pleased with our
academic results and will continue to enhance
See JUNIOR page 4A
LAKE LAVON
Water Ural
Normal 492 IL
As of 08/03/09 490.29 ft.
Lakk Jim Chapman
Local arborist comes out on top
Trust, training important for tree-climbers' everyday tasks
Inside
Wylie's own Joey Riley
takes over for a recovering
Mickey Gilley in Branson, Mo.
page 7A
Wylie High grad Ashley N.
Speller, now in the Air Force,
recently participated in
"Northern Edge." page 10A
Area Briefs 2A
Classifieds 3B
Obituaries 4A
Opinion 9A
Real Estate 2B
Sports IB
By Judy Truesdell
Staff Writer
jtruesdell@wyli enews. com
Once again, Wylie's Miguel
Pastenes, a foreman with Arborilogical
Services on Steel Road, has represent-
ed the Texas chapter of the
International Society of Arboriculture
at the International Tree Climbing
Championship.
The competition was held this-year
in Providence, R.I. July 24 and 25; 52
men and women representing 14 coun-
tries competed in the event.
Pastenes placed first in the Men's
Secured Footlock competition and sec-
ond in the Men's Belayed Speed
Climb.
It was the 18th time Arborilogical
Services has won the state champi-
onship and sent a competitor to the
international event; they won first
place 17 times and competed once
more when they were the first runner-
up and the other competitor couldn't
compete.
In the footlock competition, the
climber must get up a 50-foot rope
using two different methods and then
ring a bell at the top; the climber holds
the rope with his hands and raises his
feet up near his chest to bite on the
rope and advance up the rope three to
five feet with each bite.
Steve Houser, an owner of
Arborilogical Services and one of
Pastenes' trainers, provided more
insight into the impressive nature of
Pastenes' showing.
"It is important to note that he won
first place ... and was half a second
from a new world-record time! He is
faster than anyone for this event."
Competitors in the belayed speed-
climbing contest are timed as they race
See WYLIE page HA
Courtesy photo
Miguel Pastenes hoists his tree-
climhing trophy.
St. Anthony opposes inclusion in historic district
City tables
matter for now
By Judy Truesdell
Staff Writer
j trues dell @ wylienews. com
At its July 28 meeting, Wylie City
Council voted to neither accept nor
overturn Planning and Zoning's rec-
ommendation regarding widening the
area to be considered the Downtown
Historic District.
Council instructed City Manager
Mindy Manson to direct staff members
to educate those who had expressed
opposition to being included in the dis-
trict as to what it would really mean.
Council will revisit the issue on Aug.
25.
Planning Director Renae Ollie
reminded those present that the council
had previously voted to expand the
Downtown Historic District to include
property on Ballard Avenue north of
Brown Street up to approximately 419
North Ballard on the west and Block I,
Tract 48 of the Truett Abstract on the
east.
She said that city staff members arc
periodically approached by developers
with an interest in commercial devel-
opment along North Ballard from
Brown, north to the city limit.
She said staff has been "cautious" to
support any request that may be con-
strued as "spot zoning"; therefore,
extension of the historic district to the
north seemed to be in the best interest
of the community.
See EXPANSION page HA
J?
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Engbrock, Chad B. The Wylie News (Wylie, Tex.), Vol. 62, No. 12, Ed. 1 Wednesday, August 5, 2009, newspaper, August 5, 2009; Wylie, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth619576/m1/1/: accessed April 24, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Smith Public Library.