Wharton Journal-Spectator (Wharton, Tex.), Vol. 123, No. 54, Ed. 1 Saturday, July 7, 2012 Page: 3 of 12
This newspaper is part of the collection entitled: Texas Digital Newspaper Program and was provided to The Portal to Texas History by the Wharton County Library.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
journal-spectator.com
Wharton Journal-Spectator, Saturday, July 7, 2012
A3
County hopes to offer raises in '13
2012 was a great year for
Wharton County as together
we overcame an existing
$540,000 revenue deficit, a
$124,000 increase in employ-
ee insurance premiums, and
began tapering down some
$300,000 in unused employee
benefit liabilities without
raising taxes or instituting
furloughs, layoffs, etc.
Such remarkable achieve-
ments stemmed from contin-
ued conservative spending,
workforce reduction through
voluntary attrition, and the
commitment of our dedicated
county employees to do more
with less.
With judicious planning
and reasonable revenue
gains, your county officials
hope to offer a meaning-
ful and long-overdue 2013
employee pay raise, our first
since 3 percent was provided
back in 2009.
Please note that any form
of 2013 pay increase will not
increase taxes.
Again, it would be im-
practical to raise taxes and
increase salaries in the same
year. A 5 percent pay increase
in 2013 will require approxi-
mately $452,000, and your
elected representatives will
not raise taxes to get there.
With no tax increase,
the needed funds will come
from these existing revenue
streams:
• $65,000 will come
through one-time budgetary
cuts in six county depart-
ments. These six line-item
reductions were one time
2012 capital purchases that
have since been made.
• $75,000 will come from
continued increases in com-
missions, county services,
and estimated state fees of
office that have annually gen-
erated more revenues than
anticipated.
• $70,000 will come from a
surplus in our General Fund
that resulted from 2012 bud-
getary cuts and county-wide
reductions in workforce.
• $70,000 will come by re-
ducing our current $170,000
contingency fine-item back
to the pre-2012 level of
$100,000. Contingency funds
are statutorily reserved for
unforeseen non-emergency
expenditures such as when
one of our jails air-condition-
ing units recently went out.
• Based on preliminary
figures generated by our
Central Appraisal District,
we should derive approxi-
mately $75,000 from new
county-wide property valu-
ations. This is new property,
not raising existing property
values.
• $160,000 will come from
an 8.5% increase in 2013
county sales tax revenues.
As of June, Wharton County
sales tax receipts are 25.4
percent higher than the pre-
vious 12 month period which
marks two consecutive years
of increases.
An expiring 2013 tax
abatement will also provide a
$140,000 boost to coming tax
receipts.
In addition to a 5 percent
county-wide salary increase,
your elected officials are also
hoping to provide TCLEOSE
Certificate Pay to our Sher-
iff’s Office and Jail staff.
Through hours of extra-
curricular training, a number
of our local law enforcement
personnel have attained ad-
vanced skills in Child Abuse
Prevention and Investiga-
tion, Crime Scene Investiga-
tion, Asset Forfeiture, and a
number of other public safety
and protection disciplines.
At present, our Wharton
County Sheriff’s Office is the
only county law enforcement
agency not providing Certifi-
cate Pay. Certificate Pay ben-
efits will cost approximately
$45,000 annually.
My fellow citizens, when
all the figures are crunched,
our Wharton County should
have the needed 2013 reve-
nues to fund both a 5 percent
employee raise and the law
enforcement certificate pay
with no increase in taxes to
get us there.
These increased earnings
are well-deserved and will
hopefully keep our highly
qualified staff from heading
off to higher-paying jobs in
neighboring counties.
For those concerned about
the unexpected, our 2013
budget does include fund-
ing for a projected 9 percent
increase in employee health
insurance benefits; a pos-
sible $10,500 increase in our
county’s contribution to the
Central Appraisal District;
a $75,000 petroleum reserve
for sudden fuel increases; and
$100,000 in contingency for
unforeseen non-emergency
expenses.
As your county judge, I
want to assure each of you
that your locally elected
officials continue to remain
conservative in our spend-
ing, committed to keeping
local taxes manageable, and
always striving to provide the
best in county services.
Phillip Spenrath is the
county judge of Wharton
County. His column appears
on the first Saturday of each
month. He can he reached at
judge. spenrath@co. wharton.
tx.us.
KONVICKA
BACKHOE
SERVICE
Septic Systems,
Cleanup Work, Leveling
Licensed Septic System Installer
532-2200
or 533-1815
PGOLD BUYING FAIlT
Hospital Volunteers of Wharton
will sponsor this event on
Tuesday, July 10, 2012, from
11 a.m. - 2 p.m. in the classrooms
of Gulf Coast Medical Center.
Sell your any carat yellow or
white gold jewelry, watches,
dental gold, etc., and be paid on
the spot! Most stones can be
removed from jewelry.
y f ,vjK
, L * ’ »
- j
I
WHARTON
ETERINARY CL
1Q%3!
OFF!
All Equine
Vaccinations!
V ISP
Wharton veterinary Clinic
phone: 532-1431 1518 Hwy. 60S Wharton, Texas 77488
:am »_
East Bernard]
COMMUNITY CALENDAR
Volunteer Fire Department
Saturday, July 7
• Barbecue sandwich fund-
raiser, hosted by Boling Youth
Football League, will be from
11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at FM 1301
and FM 442, Boling. Delivery
is available for large orders.
Irene Arriaga, 533-4717.
Monday, July 9
• Pre-school story time
(ages 1-5) is from 9:30 to 10
a.m. at the Wharton County
Library, Central Branch, 1920
N. Fulton St., Wharton. 532-
8080.
• Alateen meets at 4 p.m.
at Victory in Jesus Recovery
Center, 218 N. Houston St.,
Wharton. John Williams, 533-
2319.
Tuesday, July 10
• Wharton County Vet-
erans Service office will be
open from 7:30 a.m. to noon
and 12:30 to 4 p.m. at 1017
N. Alabama Road, Wharton.
532-1311.
• UH-Coastal Plains Small
Business Development Cen-
ter representative will be in
Wharton from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
at the Wharton Economic De-
velopment Corp. office, 1944
N. Fulton St., Wharton. For
appointments, call 979-320-
4085.
• Pre-school story time is
from 10 to 10:30 a.m. at the
Wharton County Library,
East Bernard Branch, 746
Clubside Drive, East Ber-
nard. 335-6142.
• Pilot Club of Wharton
meets at noon at the Whar-
ton County Library, Dittman-
Merka Room, 1920 N. Fulton
St., Wharton. Krista Spano,
533-0982.
• Tech Tuesday, an as-
sistance program for basic
computer skills and more, is
from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Whar-
ton County Library, Central
Branch, 1920 N. Fulton St.,
Wharton. 532-8080.
Wednesday, July 11
• Wharton County Vet-
erans Service office will be
open from 7:30 a.m. to noon
and 12:30 to 4 p.m. at 1017
N. Alabama Road, Wharton.
532-1311.
• Family story time is from
9:30 to 10 a.m. at the Whar-
ton County Library, Central
Branch, 1920 N. Fulton St.,
Wharton. 532-8080.
• Matagorda Episcopal
Hospital Outreach Program
(MEHOP) Mobile Medical
Clinic is open from 9:30 a.m.
to noon and 1 to 4 p.m. in
the St. Thomas Thift Center
parking lot, 416 W. Milam St.,
Wharton. 877-705-2008.
• Rotary Club of Wharton
meets at noon at the Wharton
Civic Center, O’Quinn Meet-
ing Room, 1924 N. Fulton St.,
Wharton, www.whartonrota-
ryclub.com.
• Domestic violence sup-
port group meets from 5:30
to 6:30 p.m. at the Wharton
Women’s Crisis Center, 116 E.
Burleson St., Wharton. 531-
1300.
Thursday, July 12
• Wharton Lions Club
meets at noon at Hinze’s Bar-
B-Q, 8229 U.S. 59, Wharton.
Sue Boyette, 281-782-7759.
• Fraternal Order of the
Eagles No. 4507 meets at 7
p.m. at Joe’s Place, County
Road 138, Wharton. Keith
Stolle, 979-559-2919.
Friday, July 13
• Matagorda Episcopal
Hospital Outreach Program
(MEHOP) Mobile Medical
Clinic is open from 9:30 a.m.
to 3 p.m. in the St. Thomas
Thift Center parking lot, 416
W. Milam St., Wharton. 877-
705-2008.
• Al-Anon meets at 7 p.m.
at Victory in Jesus Recovery
Center, 218 N. Houston St.,
Wharton. John Williams, 533-
2319.
• Alcoholics Anonymous/
Narcotics Anonymous meets
at 7 p.m. at Victory in Je-
sus Recovery Center, 218 N.
Houston St., Wharton. John
Williams, 533-2319.
Saturday, July 14
• Author Ann See Roy, a
former Boling resident, will
have a book siging for two
books: Pain, Pain, Pain ...
Still So Much Pain and Her
In-Laws, from 2 to 4 p.m. at
Milam Street Coffee Shop/
Wall 2 Wall Books, 200 W. Mi-
lam St., Wharton. 282-9771.
Sunday, July 15
• Wharton Knights of Co-
lumbus will have a barbecue
fundraiser from 11 a.m. to 1
p.m. at the KC Hall, 2820 N.
Fulton St., Wharton. This is
a presale, meat only, drive-
through event. Deadline to
purchase tickets is Wednes-
day, July 11. Richard Zahn,
533-0428.
• Community calendar is
published every week. To add
or change a listing, contact
Managing Editor Keith Ma-
gee at kmagee@journal-spec-
tator.com.
tf-tUea Gluchen ^binne/i
Sunday, July 8th
Serving 11:00 am -1:30 pm
American Legion Hall
East Bernard, Texas
Auction Starts at 12:00 Noon
Pastries
Pot Luck Raffle
Ring Toss
Call Traditions Chevrolet
TODAY!
for a FREE A/C cnspection
before you hit the road.
The 4th of July is almost here and the heat is on!
Come in toTraditions Chevrolet for a
FREE Multipoint A/C Inspection!
Protect your vehicle and your family, call us today!
TRADITIONS ★ 1 -800-388-2414
Visit us at www.journal-spectator.com
Choosing Quality Rehab Programs Close to Home.
HAKT0N
NURSING AND'
REHA1IOT&T10N CiNIiR
If you or a loved one are in need
of a rehabilitation program,
choosing a quality Team is very
important. Our Rehab Staff has
more than 60 years of experience
in Physical, Occupational, and
Speech Therapy services. Our
patients at Wharton Nursing
and Rehab are provided a
comprehensive therapy program
under the direction of their
physician and Rehab Team.
From left: David Kwan - Physical Therapist, 26 years
Tarsha Gee - Rehab Technician - 2 years • Fred Reupert -
PTA, Rehab Director -15 years • Janie Gonzales, COTA,
18 years • Melissa Strasner - Speech Therapist, 5 years
If your hospitalization should take you outside of the Wharton area, be sure to
let your physician know you wish to return CLOSE TO HOME to complete
your rehab program. Our qualified therapy staff can provide programs for
orthopedic needs, post-stroke, neurological, as well as general therapy
programs. Your healing process could be quicker and easier if you are closer
to home and have family and/or friends close by to assist with your recovery
process. Our goal is to get you to your maximum functioning level, and have
you return to your home!!
Our Therapy Services are also available to the community on an outpatient
basis. Please give us a call with any questions, or if we can be of any assistance.
Again, we thank you for remembering Wharton Nursing and Rehab for your
Skilled Nursing and Therapy needs.
Wharton Nursing and Rehabilitation Center
1220 Sunny Lane, Wharton, TX 77488 • Phone 979.532-5020 Fax: 979.532.8853
www.whartonnursing. corn
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Matching Search Results
View four places within this issue that match your search.Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Newspaper.
Wallace, Bill. Wharton Journal-Spectator (Wharton, Tex.), Vol. 123, No. 54, Ed. 1 Saturday, July 7, 2012, newspaper, July 7, 2012; Wharton, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth658021/m1/3/?q=b-58: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Wharton County Library.