The Bastrop Advertiser and County News (Bastrop, Tex.), Vol. 138, No. 74, Ed. 1 Thursday, November 15, 1984 Page: 1 of 32
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TEXAS'
OLDEST
WEEKLY
NEWSPAPER
Pastrop Abircritser
Microfilm Center, Inc.
Box 45436
OloiWtg Mefo*S
LARGEST
CIRCULATION
IN
BASTROP
COUNTY
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Vol. 138,N
Dallas Tx 75235
UIIIMva
Bastrop, Texas
Thursday, November 15, 1984
Bastrop to vote on liquor
Bastrop voters will be asked next
April to decide if restaurants on
Main Street can sell beer and wine
with meals.
City Council Tuesday night
agreed to put the thorny issue
before the voters next Spring after
a Main Street restaurant owner re-
quested his business be allowed to
serve beer and wine to customers.
Sam Corbitt, owner of Bastrop
Station, came before the council to
ask that his restaurant be allowed
to serve beer and wine with din-
ner only. Corbitt said his restaurant
needs to serve alcoholic beverages
to compete with other restaurants
out on Highway 71. The measure
would bring more people to his
business and other establishments
on Main Street as well and is need-
ed to keep “downtown from dy-
ing,” he said.
But Mayor David Lock, Coun-
cilmembers Barbra Willis and
Henry Schuyler said they were
against allowing liquor on Main
Street.
. Bastrop outlawed businesses
from serving liquor on Main
because of the rowdiness, fighting
and drunks who wandered the
street after drinking in the three
bars that were located on Main
several years ago.
Willis said “1 remember those
days and I guess I’m biased by it.
A lady didn’t come to Bastrop on
a Saturday . If you didn’t get spat
Two establishments on Main
Street serve drinks now-one exist-
ed before the zoning rule was
adopted and the second is a private
club.
Councilman Stanley Smith said
the ordinance needs to be rewrit-
ten to allow public restaurants to
serve alcohol. This would prevent
the return of beer taverns and the
resulting problems, he said. It was
Smith who suggested putting the is-
sue to an election.
Kessler quits chief appraiser job
By Richard Goldsmith
After nine months at the job,
Chief Appraiser of the Bastrop
County Appraisal District Cliff
Kessler has resigned.
■;iWii.ii.imi tmmmm
mSSiammmm
Christina Valentine is accom- fjrst lady dogcatcher. Staff Pho-
panied by her own pooch as she to by Paula Gibson
makes rounds as Smithvilie’s
She s Pied Piper
of roving dog pack
A special meeting of the Ap-
praisal District Board is schedul-
ed for 7:30 p.m. Thursday (today)
to take up the matter of Kessler’s
resignation and to consider his
replacement.
Kessler said he is leaving without
pressure from the Board. “It was
my decision,” he said, “There
were just some personal things I
needed to account for.”
Kessler said he is leaving the of-
fice “running smoothly” and
“without hard feelings.”
He said he was offered and has
accepted a position with t)ie Travis
County Appraisal District. He will
be in charge of Real Property
Computations.
Hubert Linenberger, chairman
of the Appraisal Board, said the
Board was not planning to fire
Kessler and could have used more
notice to find a replacement.
Linenberger said he does not
know whether the Board will ac-
cept Kessler’s resignation Thurs-
day or not.
Kessler said his resignation is ef-
fective at the end of December.
Kessler’s nine months as chief
appraiser have been some of the
stormiest for the five-year-old Ap-
praisal District.
He took over last February as
Chief Appraiser after a little over
a year as an appraiser under then
Chief Appraiser Roy Humble, who
was forced to resign.
In Kessler’s nine months, the
Appraisal District reappraised pro-
perty improvements in Bastrop
County, a job that normally takes
up to two years. The reappraisal
caused a storm of protest from
some county residents because the
value of their homes jumped
dramatically as a result.
The value set on property by the
Appraisal District is used by the
school districts, the cities and the
county to tax residents.
The reappraisal undertaken by
Kessler was for improvements to
land only, not the land itself. “Im-
provements” include items such as
houses, fences, barns and roads.
Whoever suceeds Kessler will be
handed a hot potato because the
Appraisal District is scheduled to
begin reappraisal of land values
next year, a move that is likely to
outrage taxpayers even more.
A petition drive is still under way
to abolish the appraisal district
system which was created by the
Texas Legislature in 1979.
By Paula Gibson
Christina Valentine is a tall, wil-
lowy, attractive blonde with spar-
kling blue eyes and personality to
match. Although she could be a
model or secretary, the 31 year old
lady chose a job not many women
would even consider as (he new
Smithville city dog catcher.
Officially called an animal con-
trol officer, a dog catcher’s duties
are varied and sometimes strenu-
ous, and for Christina there are no
exceptions. “I love animals and
working with animals and thought
I’d give it a try,” she explained.
“I’ve been sore since I started the
job from lifting animals into the
truck, but I’ve only been working
three weeks.”
She heard about the job opening
from her husband, police officer
J.R. Valentine. Christina works a
40 hour week, but her hours vary
“with when and how much the
animals are moving around.”
Since there was no one to train her,
she is learning on her own. “I
prefer to use a more sensitive ap-
proach when I’m trying to catch a
stray,” she commented. “The
meat market gives me bones, so I
use them to ‘bribe’ the animal up
to my vehicle.” Christina is also
authorized to use a stick with a
noose on the end and will only use
her tranquilizer gun as a last resort.
Although she spends the majori-
ty of her working day checking on
stray reports and picking up animal
carcasses for disposal, Christina
doesn’t do her job alone. Her own
dog, DaBucha. accompanies her on
her daily rounds. "Many times
animals are afraid of humans, but
sometimes the animal will come
right up to me if they see him,”
she emphasized. “Plus. I don't get
too lonely with him around.”
Christina added that DaBucha was
a stray himself until she and her
husband adopted him.
The most rewarding part of
Christina’s job is when an animal
she picked up is adopted. “Since
Tve been working, we’ve hatfsix
adoptions in 2Vi weeks,” she ex-
claimed excitedly. “I’ve had good
success as far as adoptions go.”
She would like to start an active
adoption program soon, and no-
tices are regularly posted on the
Smithville cable network. An
animal is held for 72 hours, there-
after becoming property of the city,
and then Christina attempts to get
her chargesadopted. “If I have a
cute puppy^reven take them in the
truck with me so people can see
what they could have,” she ex-
plained.
Caring for animals impounded
Continued on Page 2, Section I
Smithville Council
seeks master plan
With only Robert Smith dissent-
ing, Smithville Councilmen Mon-
day night applied for a federal-state
grant to hire professionals to draw
a master plan for the city.
“This grant won’t be for a
master plan but we will do the main
elements of one,” said Rudy Ruiz,
the city’s grant consultant.
The grant would be for $15,000
to $25,000, he said, and work
would include population projec-
tions, economic development, land
use, housing, public facilities and
parks-recreation studies of what the
city needs and will need.
Smithville needs such a plan to
prepare for orderly growth for the
next five to 15 years, said Mayor
W.R. Davison. Also, said the
mayor, “We’ve been practically
told if you don’t have a master plan
you can stop applying for grants. ”
Last year the city got a $500,000
grant to upgrade its water system
Smith said a lot of studies are
never used or do not lead to action.
He cited numerous studies about
the Austin Auport as an example.
Ruiz saiffro’il present the city’s
application to the Texas Depart-
ment of Community Affairs for
review Dec. 15.
290 crash kills man
A Lexington man died Saturday
of massive internal injuries
suffered in a head on collision near
McDade on Highway 290.
The accident happened about
5:15 p.m. Saturday one mile west
of McDade.
Jerry Burns, 50, of Lexington,
was declared dead at Lee Memorial
Hospital in Giddings at 8:15 p.m.
Highway Trooper David Outon
said Burns probably would have
survived the crash if he had been
wearing a seatbelt. Burns suffered
internal injuries when he was
thrown against the steering wheel
of his car.
Burns was westbound on 290
when his 1979 pickup crossed over
into the eastbound lane and struck
a 1972 Ford LTD.
Driver of the LTD, J.B. Jerrell,
47, of San Antonio, and his pas-
senger, Marshall Wortham, 17,
also of San Antonio, were both
taken to Brackenridge Hospital in
Austin by Bastrop Ambulance.
Jerrell was admitted to the inten-
sive care unit at Brackenridge.
Wortham was treated and released.
Elgin Jaws of Life were used at
the wreck to free the victims.
Outon said he is investigating the
possibility the accident is alcohol
related. No charges have been filed
however.
Councilmen also gave Smithville
Ambulance Service another two-
year franchise with no change in
the city subsidy of $12,500.
The Council also agreed to put
the City Hall Annex, also called the
Light & Power Building, up for
sale with a minimum bid accepted
of $35,000. Smithville publisher
Bill Bishop has said he is in-
terested .
The Council also warned Ted
Fajkus to keep two blocks of 7th
Avenue open in the Mt, Pleasant
section. The street runs through
Fajkus’ property and he said he
might like to develop house lots.
But Davison and area residents
said the street has been used by the
public for 40 years and therefore
has passed into the public domain
even though it is not an official city
street.
There were so many silver and
maroon balloons at last Friday’s
Bastrop Bears Homecoming foot-
ball game (a loss to Westlake af-
ter a spirited fight) that this
youth looks like he has a high
balloon hat. Staff Photo by Jack
Fraser
How big a change in solid Democratic vote?
Does the win by Ronald Reagan
and ultra conservative Phil Gramm
here last week spell the end to the
solid Democratic voting block of
Bastrop County?
When Reagan swept the county
in his re-election it was only the
third time in history a Republican
presidential candidate carried
Bastrop County. Oldtimers say
Gramm was the first Republican
Senate candidate ever to carry the
county even though he won by only
13 votes. In neighboring counties.
Democrat Bill Patman, who once
represented Bastrop County, lost
his seat in Congress.
Democrats blame the loss on the
popularity of Reagan and the ob-
vious weakness of Walter Mon-
dale. The Democrats don’t think
the vote indicates a shift to the
GOP by local voters, but attribute
the loss to Reagan’s popularity.
Chairwoman of the Bastrop
County Democratic Party Linda
Potter said the voters haven't
shifted to the GOP but simply
“didn’t want to risk changing
presidents at this point.”
“I think the vote also indicates
the people are looking for strong
leadership:” she said. “The peo-:
pie in this county are Democrats
and they want to vote for the
Democratic candidate.”
County Judge Jack Griesenbeck
said voters have not switched par-
ties and the problem Democrats are
having “will take care of itself.
Fomier Democratic Party Chair-
man Stanley Smith said “I think
there's some changes in the coun-
ty. but they’re not that significant
at this point. The win won’t mean
that much at the local level.”
Smith did say he thinks the caucus
plan used by democratc in Texas
for Presidential nominations should
be changed to a direct primary.
Local Republicans on the other
hand believe the Reagan win and
the success by Gramm does in-
dicate a shift by voters. Some
Republicans are more cautious in
this belief than others.
Walter “Jelly” Steymann is not
one of the cautious Republicans.
“You can't say Bastrop County
is Democratic anymore. It’s up in
the air now,” he said.
“Once the ice is broken, that
opens the gate. We're gonna go for
every office in Bastrop County next
City aide protests firing
Bastrop City Councilmembers
spent nearly an hour in closed ses-
sion with attorney Roy Rutland
Tuesday night to discuss the firing
of former Deputy Tax Clerk and
Municipal Court Clerk Jeanette
Downs.
Downs was fired in October by
City Secretary Artie McLaurin.
Downs said she was fired
because she took a day to observe
a religious holiday and has filed a
complaint with the Texas Commis-
sion on Human Rights,
She is asking for back pay of
$600 — which covers the three
weeks it took her to find another
job — and for her employment
record to be cleared because she
said “I’ve never been fired
before.”
Downs belongs to the
Worldwide Church of God. a
religion that observes the Hebrew
holidays.
She said she gave three months
notice that she needed to take off
Oct. 27 to observe the "Feast of
Trumpets.” But when she remind-
ed McLaurin a few days before the
holiday, she said she was told she
wouldn't have a job when she came
back.
She took the holiday anyway ai
was fired. - '
election.” Steymann said.
Longtime Republican Lillian
Howard was more circumspect in
her assessment of the election.
“It doesn't mean a shift in voter
preference. It means the voters are
more educated and less likely to
vote the straight ticket. I think the
voters are going to be more inclin-
ed to vote for the person rather than
the party,” she said.
But she said the Reagan-Gramm
win is not likely to open the
Democrats up on the local level
because the Republican win is bas-
ed largely on Reagan's popularity.
Nan Olsen, who chaired
Reagan's campaign in the county,
said she doesn't believe the elec-
tion means a shift in voter pref
ference. However she went so far
as to say the election results might
mean. that Bast tod Countv voters
ir
ed about voting Republican may be
seeing that their day-to-day
philosophy is not far from the
philosophy of Some Republican
candidates ... I would hope they
keep an open mind in the future,”
she said.
Rev. Jesse Knighten said he
thought the Republicans could have
won a justice of the peace or county
commissioner seat in the Nov. 6
election and they’ will run more
local candidates next time.
Potter said the Democrats “will
have to start organizing and can't
rely on the ‘we've always been
Democratic thing’ anymore.”
Potter said the Democrats will
also have to guard against
Republicans running <
Democratic
would
I
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Goldsmith, Richard. The Bastrop Advertiser and County News (Bastrop, Tex.), Vol. 138, No. 74, Ed. 1 Thursday, November 15, 1984, newspaper, November 15, 1984; Bastrop, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth746738/m1/1/: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Bastrop Public Library.