The Bastrop Advertiser and County News (Bastrop, Tex.), No. 77, Ed. 1 Thursday, November 25, 1982 Page: 1 of 18
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And County News
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TEXAS' OLDEST WEEKLY NEWSPAPER
THURSDAY EDITION
hMahlishfd March I, 1853
Thursday, November 25,1982
Number 78
Councilmen investigating
SV police probe underway Victoria holding firm
Smithville’s city council
is investigating the person-
nel and operations of the
Police Department in the
wake of several
resignations and public
complaints regarding the
department. A resolution
was passed and approved
at the Nov. 18 meeting
allowing for this study
which will be completed no
later than Jan. 31, 1983.
On Nov. 8, at the regular
city council meeting, the
council was confronted
with serious complaints
about the police depar-
tment in an executive
session, in which
“dissatisfaction was ex-
pressed questioning the ef-
ficiency, effectiveness and
the propriety of depar-
tmental operations and the
conduct of various of-
ficers," according to the
resolution.
The resolution con-
tinues: "the council has
received complaints from
police departmental per-
sonnel about serious in-
tradepartmental conflict
and discontent and coun-
ter-allegation among the
personnel, charging a
variety of cases of
inadequate performance,
misconduct and im-
proprieties of departmen-
tal operations and the con-
duct of various officers.”
However, "fio one has
come forward with either
sworn testimony or hard
evidence to substantiate
these allegations.”
The council
acknowledged its respon-
sibility to both the person-
nel in the police depar-
tment and to the citizenry
of Smithville to take
decisive action. “It is our
responsibility to get the
real problems identified,
solutions implemented,
and an atmosphere
established, in which
police work can go for-
ward.” The council
promises to make a
thorough evaluation of all
complaints now known or
made known to the council
before Dec. 31.
By Feb. 15, “a thorough
departmental appraisal
will be made in conjun-
ction with an appraisal of
each employee’s perfor-
mance. This will be
followed with appropriate
developmental correction,
disciplinary action or ter-
mination as dictated by the
facts.”
The next step will be to
develop and adopt by Mar-
ch 29, 1983:
•specific job description
and qualifications
•a performance ap-
praisal system
•salary schedule to
reward performance and
qualifications
•plan for equipment and
facilities.
No Public Statements
Any resignation offered
before Dec. 15 will be ac-
cepted without prejudice,
it continues, adding “at
the request of the council,
the mayor will issue a
specific order to all depar-
tmental personnel,
prohibiting any public
statements regarding
departmental operations
or personnel, past or
present, pending com-
pletion of this
evaluation.”
In recent years the
Smithville Police Depar-
tment has been embroiled
in several controversies,
including the firing of one-
time police chief Bill
Nesteroff. There is also a
case pending in federal
court by several ex-officers
against the city. The city
has spent over $35,000 on
the case, which has never
come to trial.
Throughout the last five
years there remained a
group of citizens who
complain about the cost of
the department, and in
almost every council elec-
tion the cost has been an
issue. However, the depar-
tment has also been defen-
ded by the mayor and
council.
Personnel
At present, the depar-
tment is made up of Chief
Frank Calabrese, and full-
time officers Paul Bradley,
Jim Armstrong and Jerry
Falcon. Ted Fajkus has
just started on a part-time
basis, and David Gann’s
been hired as a temporary-
officer until he’s certified
on Nov. 30. Dispatchers
include Virginia Fulmer,
Steve Burns, Louise
Massey, Delores Burns and
Dixie Patterson.
Resignations
Full-time sergeant Son-
ny Brookshire informed
the council at the Nov. 8
meeting that he would be
leaving, and formally
resigned Nov. 12. H.O.
“Boo” Girndt, apart-timp
officer, turned his equip-
ment into the city Monday,
and stated that he would
mail in his resignation,
Mrs. Caldwell said.
“No one can issue any
statements until this is over
with,” Mrs. Caldwell
stressed, ‘‘otherwise!
they’ll be in trouble.” The
resolution is, of course, a
matter of public record. *
buys CitizensStateBank
Victoria Bankshares,
Inc. plans to buy Citizens
State Bank of Bastrop. If
plans are completed, the
takeover would occur next
April or May.
Victoria Bankshares,
Inc. and Bastrop Ban-
cshares, Inc. have agreed
to a plan of merger, accor-
ding to an announcement
Tuesday. Under the
proposed plan, Victoria
Bankshares, Inc., a multi-
bank holding company,
would acquire all of the
outstanding shares of
Bastrop Bancshares, Inc.,
a one-bank holding com-
pany for $2,000,000.00 in
cash.
Bastrop Bancshares,
Inc. is the parent company
of Citizens State Bank of
Bastrop established in
1909. On September 30,
1982, Citizens State Bank
listed total assets of
$20,821,000.00, deposits
of $18,446,000.00 and
stockholder’s equity of
$1,691,000.00. Victoria
Bankshares, Inc. listed
assets of $848,933,000.00
and deposits of
$702,214,000.00 on Sep-
tember 30,1982.
The announcement was
made jointly by P.K.
Stubblefield, Victoria
Bankshares,1' Inc.,
President, Carroll N.
Sullivan, Jr., President of
Bastrop Bancshares, Inc.
and Steve D. Rivers,
President of Citizens State
Bank of Bastrop.
Stockholders
The proposed merger is
subject to the approval of
Bastrop Bancshares, Inc.’s
stockholders and
regulatory authorities.
“We have a long-
standing admiration for
this bank, it’s - Directors
and Officers,” Stub-
blefield said, adding that
the growth potential of
Bastrop and the expanding
Austin areas were factors
in seeking the merger.
Sullivan said, “We expect
substantial economic
growth in the Bastrop area
and this merger will give
Citizens Bank the added
expertise and capital
strength to effectively ser-
ve our customers. Victoria
Bankshares is a highly
respected holding com-
pany that is known for it’s
expertise in non-
metropolitan markets,
while allowing individual
banks to tailor operations
to their market’s needs. ”
Rivers said “Our present
management and staff will
be assisted in offering
more specified and special
banking services. We have
known and worked with
Victoria Bankshares’
people and look forward to
this closer relationship to
benefit our area, our
customers and our bank
staff.”
Victoria Bankshares has
12 member banks and 3
financial service com-
panies, all located in an
area bordered by Austin,
Houston, Corpus Christi
and San Antonio, known
as the Texas Crossroads.
Victoria Bankshares has 4
other bank mergers pen-
ding with American
National Bank, Bay City,
Texas; Cibolo State Bank,
Cibolo, Texas; the First
National Bank of
Ingleside, Ingleside, Texas
and Bank of Commerce-
Point Comfort, Point
Comfort, Texas. The Cor-
poration’s stock, symbol
VICT, is listed on the Over
the Counter market by
NASDAQ, the Nationwide
Network of The National
Associations of Securities
Continued on Page 11
py<i
Dump truck
blocks lane
Two arrested
in ice heist here
A substantial but un-
specified amount of money
was stolen from C&G
Grocery in a burglary last
week
Bastrop Police Chief
Adell Powell said that
burglars apparently broke
through the front window
to get inside. Once there,
they look a substantial
amount of money from a
the burglary that was
discovered early Wed-
nesday.
The night before, police
had arrested two Austin
men who were caught as
suspects in the break-in of
an ice machine at the
Hilltop Grocery. Powell
said that 11 bags of ice w ere
taken.
The arrested men were
Patrick Craig Baird and
.>• 7l
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Jimmie Jones leads the combined choir of several day night. Clergymen and congregations from all
churches In a hymn at the community Thanksgiving over Bastrop converged in the church for the joint
service held in Bastrop’s First Baptist Church Mon- Christian service. Staff photo by Eric Williams.
A 28-year-old Austin
woman escaped injury
when the gravel truck she
was driving went out of
control, wiping out a
phone booth and knock-
ing over a utility pole on
Highway 71 in Smithville
Tuesday morning.
Smithville Police Chief
Frank Calabrese said that
workers from the City of
Smithville, the Texas High-
way Department, the fire
department and the tele-
phone and electricity com-
panies were called to the
scene.
The accident occurred
when Modessa Bechelli lost
control of the empty west-
bound tractor trailer rig she
was driving at the Y where
Highway 71 and 4th Street
come together.
Calabrese said the cab
on the truck, owned by
Dean Ward Trucking of
New Braunfels, was severe-
ly damaged, and power
was shut off to a small
section of Smithville tem-
porarily.
Calabrese said one lane
was kept open to traffic
during the cleanup opera-
tions that took approxi-
mately 45 minutes to com-
plete.
hiding place. Powell said Bobby R. Hunter. Baird
the burglars left the cash was released this Tuesday
register untouched. Head- after posting $5,000 bond
ded that there was nothing while Hunter remained in
else taken from the store in the Bastrop County Jail.
New Bastrop garbage system gets rolling on Monday
Browning-Ferris Indus-
tries is prepared to take
Tax notices promised soon
Tax notices should be on
the way soon for most
Bastrop County property.
While the Bastrop and
Smithville Independent
School Districts have both
mailed out- their tax noti-
ces, the county’s other tax-
ing entities are lagging a
little behind.
Barbara Brinkmeyer, the
county’s new tax assessor-
collector, said that the ma-
jority of the county tax
notices should be in the
mail by the end of the
week.
Bastrop City Secretary
Artie McLaurin said that
she hopes to have the city
tax notices out by Dec. 15,
and Smithville City Secre-
tary Gwen Cladwell said
she expects to have the
Smithville notices in the
mail by sometime in the
middle of the week.
The tax notices are due
on the date received, but
there is no penalty until
after Jan. 31.
Taxpayers who don’t
pay until Feb. 1 will be
assessed a 7 percent penal-
ty, which will increase each
month under the rigid new
structure enacted under the
Texas Property Tax Code.
Elgin and the Elgin In-
dependent School District
received certified tax rolls
Monday night, and have
yet to set their tax rate, so
the tax statements there
will have to wait for that the appraisal district, which
decision. he said “has a good staff
According to officials of but not enough people.”
the Basfrop County Ap-
praisal District, the rolls
were difficult to prepare in
the Elgin area because of
problems with the tax rolls
they started with.
Dr. Paul Willis, superin-
tendent of Elgin schools,
told the Appraisal District
Board of Review Monday
night that he and the
trustees of the EISD had
discovered a number of
inequalities in looking over
a draft of their tax rolls. He
added that many of these
had been pointed out and
Corrected, but he feels like
the complete roll needs a
thorough examination. He
said if the most blatant
inequalities have been ta-
ken care of,'the listing is
adequate for taxing this
year, but asked the board
to make sure that a reap-
praisal be done before next
year.
Roy Humble, assistant
chief appraiser for the ap-
praisal district, said that the
district is going to add two
more appraisers to its staff
during the coming year
and expects to complete a
reappraisal of the Elgin
area property within the
first six months of the year.
Willis said that his criti-
cism of the tax rolls should
not bejaken as criticism of
over the collection of gar-
bage next week in Bastrop
with little disruption in ei-
ther business or residential
services, officials say.
As under City of Bastrop
collection procedures, BFI
crews will pick up residen-
tial garbage on Monday,
Tuesday, Thursday and
Friday. However, many re-
sidents will likely have their
garbage collection days
changed from Monday
and Thursday to Tuesday
and Friday pickup or vice
versa.
According to a press
release from BFI, the resi-
dential section west of Pe-
can Street, including both
sides of Pecan, will be
picked up Monday and
Thursday. The residential
section east of Pecan Street
will be picked up on Tues-
day and Friday.
Jack Clement, a major
accounts manager for the
huge waste disposal firm,
said that very large garbage
hems, such as large used
appliances and construc-
tion debris would be picked
up on an as-needed basis
with a special truck should
it become necessary.
Business pickups will be
made on Monday, Wed-
nesday and Friday, Cle-
ment said.
Receptacles
Clement said BFI will
begin delivering the large
receptacles to hold garbage
for commercial users this
weekend, and plans to
start the service Monday.
Residential customer ser-
Continuedon Page4
lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll^
Lena....new lady of the lake district
But watch out later
By Ellen Moore
Not everyone would
want one for a pet, but’
Jesse Tucker swears by his,
and Lena, the Javelina,
sticks by him. Lena’s been
in his care since she was a
young whatever a baby
javelina is called, and
now follows him around
likeadog.
In fact, she may think
sheisadog, Jesse says.
Lena joined his
menagerie of dogs, cats,,
chickens and turkeys out in
Lake Bastrop Acres, when
the person who brought
her back from a dove hun-
ting trip in South Texas
decided he couldn’t take
care of her properly. She
was about two to three
weeks old “and a baby,
sure enough.”
Jesse promptly put her
on milk and she thrived.
Now, at about three mon-
ths, “she eats everything a
dog will eat, cornbread,
hamburger meat, scraps.”
She also roots in porcine
fashion for pine needles
and different grasses.
While she faithfully fol-
lows Jesse around when-
ever he goes, she turns to-
Boots, a Pickapoo
mongrel for nurturing.
“She uses her just like a't
mama,” Jesse explains.
“And that mama dog takes
good care of her.” Lena
also puts up with a playful
terrier named Penny, who
at one year is much smaller
than the sturdy Lena. Pen-
ny takes great delight in
chewing on Lena’s ears
and making running
dives at her. So far, Lena
just grunts and keeps
moving. One can only
speculate how she’ll
behave when she weighs 30
pounds.
“They’re vicious on the
range, of course,” Jesse
said, “there’s no question
of that. But I don’t think
she will attack us. She’s
like a snake. Sometimes I
tease her a little, and any
hand movement, she
follows.”
Tucker reports that
Lena never leaves his yard,
except to follow him to a
neighbor, and when he’s
busy, she goes to the door
and asks his wife Jewel to
let her in. Jewel does.
She’s quite cute now,
despite her bristly coat
“which puts you in mind of
a porcupine,” according to
Tucker, and her
protruding little snout.
And, Tucker claims, he
can make her happy just by
scratching her back. “She
sure loves that - just like
any other hog.”
-‘
3*
jfc&ggSa,
rM
Nothing could be finer than the out-
door diner provided for Lena The
Javelina out in the garden estates of
Lake Bastrop Acres. Lena Is cute now
but what happens when she gets older
and bigger? Photo by Robert Hoover.
/
I
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Williams, Eric. The Bastrop Advertiser and County News (Bastrop, Tex.), No. 77, Ed. 1 Thursday, November 25, 1982, newspaper, November 25, 1982; Bastrop, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth735472/m1/1/: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Bastrop Public Library.