Burleson Star (Burleson, Tex.), Vol. 16, No. 50, Ed. 1 Thursday, April 9, 1981 Page: 1 of 32
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Discussion May Be Long
City Cleanup Campaign Begins
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Only eight items are on tonight’s
(Thursday) city council agenda—about
a third of the usual load—but a couple of
those items could result in considerable
debate and keep the meeting from
becoming unusually short.
The resolution closing a portion of
County Road 1017 between Alsbury
Boulevard and Renfro Street has
already sparked much debate, both by
the council and the planning commis-
sion.
Another item which is likely to
generate some discussion is a request
by the U.S. Postal Service for the
waiver of a street improvement agree-
ment the city has requested.
That request is not likely to be
granted, if the city holds to phst
policies, and that could open up a whole
new discussion since it is apparently
not clear whether or not the federal
government even has to have a building
permit to construct a new facility here.
THE CITY HAD requested the postal
service to sign an agreement commit-
ting it to participate in any future con-
struction of Haskew Street, which
would run on the south side of the new
building.
In general, the postal service desires
to comply with all city procedures, said
City Manager Mark Sowa, except for
the Haskew Street improvement agree-
ment which has been disapproved.
Normally such a problem would not
exist and probably won’t in the future
because of the problems the post office
tract have pointed out. The land sold to
the post office goes only to the proposed
street and not to the middle of it as is
the general practice. This prompted the
city to take action prohibiting the ap-
proval of smaller plats taken from a
large unplatted tract of land.
Otherwise, all land in a tract could be
sold only up to the proposed streets and
the city would eventually have to bear
all the cost of building the streets or set-
tle for congested, and possibly unsafe,
traffic patterns.
AT THIS TIME only a temporary
building permit for the foundation has
been issued by the city, but in dealing
with the government the city may lack
the “teeth” it normally has to enforce
its codes.
The street closing between Alsbury
and Renfro may not even get into the
discussion stage. The ordinance is on
the agenda for final reading, but may
be tabled if some sort of an agreement
hasn’t been worked out between St. Ann
Catholic Church and other property
owners in the area.
The church needs some type of access
for a parking lot; the city and a
homeowner on the street feel a through
street there is unsafe; and a developer
needs to regain the right of way in order
to develop three lots in the area.
A TEMPORARY SOLUTION offered
by the planning commission was to bar-
ricade the street between the two en-
trances to the church parking lot. That
would allow the church access to both
Renfro and Alsbury while a solution
See Council, Page 3A
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''A month-long cleanup campaign for the Burleson area Is
underway and will feature improvements and cleanup for the
city and fun and giveaways for the participants.
Highlighting the month of activities will be a massive
community-wide cleanup effort on May 2, complete with a
remote broadcast by a radio station, free tee-shirts and soft
drinks and treasure among the trash.
Hidden inside cans and other pieces of litter will be slips of
paper which can be redeemed at Warren Park for various
gift certificates. All business south of Loop 820 have been ask-
ed to donate prizes and hundreds of prizes will be given away.
The city will also be collecting aluminum cans and
newspapers at Warren Park on May 2 with prizes awarded
for those who bring in the most. Proceeds from the sale of the
cans and newspapers will go toward buying new equipment
for the parks department.
The cleanup campaign is a coordinated effort of the City of
Burleson and the Campfire organization. Many other
organizations are also participating, too.
A girl scout troop will plant hedges around the community
center and a cub scout pack will establish a bird sanctuary at
Chisenhall Park, for instance.
Campfire will obtain some 55 gallon drums and paint them
red, white and blue. The barrels will then be placed around
Chisenhall Park and used as trash cans.
Any other group wishing to participate in the beautification
and cleanup effort can contact Parks and Recreation Direc-
tor David Petika for more information.
The cleanup campaign is a regional project and cities
throughout the Metroplex are urged to participate by the
North Central Texas Council of Governments.
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New Home Water Tower Nourishes Dream, Industry
Building
Is Strong
New home construction remained
stable through the first quarter of 1961,
but taken as a whole, construction was
just about half of the total for the cor-
responding period of 1960.
Building permits for March were
9480,766, making the three-month total
for 1081 just under $2 million
($1,963,225). The 11 permits issued for
new homes raised the number of new
home starts to 39 for the year—the
same number as last year.
Last March, however, building per-
mits in excess of $1 million pushed the
first quarter total to more than $4
million. Besides the 19 new home per-
mits issued last March, a 1200,000 com-
mercial permit was issued for the con-
struction of a restaurant.
Only one commercial permit was
issued this March and it was a small
one for a $20,000 metal office and
workshop.
In all 43 permits were issued last
month, but 20 of them were for fences
and didn’t add substantially to the total.
The fence permits had a combined
vaulation of $13,266.
Other permits included four residen-
tial remodeling for $14,000; four
garages and other buildings for $5,600;
« rimming pool for 610,200; an add-on to
Crestmont Baptist Church for $15,000;
and one miscellaneous permit for
$1,100.
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Old City Tower Has New Life
BY JODY GUTHRIE
D. E. Beals is a man with a respect
for the past and a belief in the future.
Eight years ago he bought the old city
water tower and had it moved from
downtown Burleson to his land south of
town. :i
“I suppose sentiment was my origi-
nal reason for wanting it,” Beals said.
No doubt there are others who
watched the tower built in the spring of
1938 that share in this nostalgia. The
population of Burleson at that time was
750.
Today the 50,000 gallon tank, opera-
tional since December, serves Bay
Plastics and is the foundation of plans
for a large commercial and residential
development.
The tower, in storage until three
years ago, is within walking distance of
Beals’ house, giving rise to speculation
that, as well as feeding water to the
land below, it also nourishes a few
dreams.
Beals and his wife, Jewell, have lived
at 100 Pleasant View Court since mov-
ing to Burleson from Fort Worth in 1969.
THEIR HOME, BUILT 00 what was
once known as Eakin HiU, looks out
over Pleasant Manor Ranch. Renamed
Jewell Hill after Mrs. Beal, it rises 92
feet above Village Creek to an elevation
of almost 800 feet.
Once a fully working ranch, the land
presently supports some farming inter-
ests butts now at the center of a major
expansion project.
Beals, owner of Beals Mechanical
Contractors, Inc., and BMCI Corpora-
tion, told of plans for a 3(10 plus acre
development
The area concerned runs in a general
direction from Chisenhall Park south to
the microwave tower, then east to just
short of Interstate 35 and back north to
behind Norwood Elementary.
Three residential sections, Pleasant
Manor Estates, Jewell Hills and Colon-
ial Hills, have been mapped out.
A TEMPERED ENTHUSIASM
comes through asu the businessman
speaks of his accomplishments to date.
Two major projects of his Fort Worth
based mechanical contracting com-
pany were the Continental National
Bank and Southwestern Bell Telephone
Company buildings. The company has
been in the construction business since
1945.
In talking to him, one gets the feeling
that however pleased he is with his past
achievements, Beals’ challenges for the
future lie in land development.
As one of four major investors in Bay
Plastics, Beals has a strong Interest in
its production and growth. Beals and
his partners, Bob Younger, Abner
Smith, and Paul Dodson have plans to
expand the plant.
As with any business, a reliable
source of water is a determining factor
in its success.
TWO WELLS, DRILLED to a depth
of 650 feet into the Paluxy Water Table,
service the water tank. The force from
the compacted sands of this water table
alone Is capable of sending water 100
feet up the pipe unaided by a pump. A
proposed 800 foot well to die Trinity
Table will also add to the reserves
Running from the tower is 2,000 feet
of water1 pipe with six-inch lines feeding
off an eight-inch main. In order to reach
Bay Plastics, it was necessary to tunnel
under the railroad tracks. In accord-
ance with state regulations, a pro-
tective sleeve covers this section of
P TT>e line crosses Dobson at Bay Plas-
tics and runs south for 250 feet. Plans
for future streets determined laying of
the pipe and the placing of two already
operational fire hydrants.
Along each side of the railroad is 581
acres set asfde for the proposed South
Burleson Restricted Commercial and’
Industrial Park. Lone Star Gas will
provide natural gas froth a existing
nigh pressure main. V
A SPUR WAS ADDED to the railroad
by the developers In order to serve the
industrial concern.
This commercial area is designed to
provide a buffer zone between the
railroad and residential sections.
Beals stressed that “nothing is
planned that would be objectionable to
a residential area. Just quiet, dean
industry.”
Below the hill, some 18 acres lying
along Village Creek has been set aside
for the purpose of a recreational area,
tentatively named Beals Park. All
development in this flood plain is
restricted to recreational and light
commercial building.
STEEL FROM THE original 80 feet
legs of the water tower was used to
build a bridge across the creek. The tire
runners which cross the expanse create
a unique structure. The bridge is cur-
rently for the personal use of the Beals
when the low water crossing is
impassable.
See Water Tower, Page 8A
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32 PAGES IN 3 SECTIONS
THURSDAY
EDITION
Vd. 16 No. 50
April 9, 1981
Miss Cleburne
Pageant Winners
IK.
•ALLAS, TX 75245
TAR
For Mod Dodvory
295-0486
m
Average Bill To Increase $2,14
Lone Star Gas Asks
For Rate Increase
Burle*on girls took two of the crown* Saturday night at the Mi** Cleburne Beauty
Pageant. Kellie Rodgers (1) won the title Little Miss Cleburne and Karen Wilson
took the Senior Miss Cleburne crown. Mis* Rodgers, 12, a fifth grader at Mound
Elementary, h the daughter of Pam Rodgers of Burleson and W.V. Rodgers of
Fart Worth. Miss Wilson, 15, is a freshman at Burleson High School and is the
daughter of Mrs. Jessie Hawthorne and Robert Wilson, both of Burleson.
Star Photoo
Lone Star Gas Company this week fil-
ed «m application for • rate increase
with the City of Burleson.
Mhe new rates, if approved without
fmrage by the Burleson City Council,
would result in an estimated annual
. rtvwiue increase of $52,555 for Lone
Star’s Burleson distribution system.
According to Lone Star Gas represen-
tative Adrian.Albus, the higher rates
wbuld boast the average residential
customer’s monthly bill in Burleson by
about $2.14. Based on the current rate, a
residential customer who uses an
average of 8,000 cubic feet of gas per
month pays $26.15 for gas service,
Albus said. Under the requested rate,
that same customer would pay $28.29,
be said.
Commercial gas customers’ rates
would also increase under the re-
quested rate schedule.
THE NEW RATES WOULD give the
gas company an estimated 8.79 percent
return on its Burleson Investment, ac-
cording to a summary of revenues, ex-
penses and income filed with the City of
Burleson. Presently the company is
receiving a 5.17 percent return, accor-
ding to those figures.
Lone Star has also filed with the city
an application for a temporary rate in-
crease to go into effect on May 13.
Those rates would stay in effect for as
long as 120 days or until the time the
final rates are determined.
The company’s last rate Increase for
the Burleson system was in July, 1979.
“Since that time, every business, in-
cluding Lone Star,' has experienced In-
creased operating expenses,” said
Albus. “Unlike other businesses that
can raise their prices as expenses go
up, we must apply to the city council for
a rate increase,” he added.
“NO ONE LIKES RISING prices,”
Albus continued, “but any business
must earn enough money to meet
operating expenses and still achieve a
reasonable profit.”
According to the Lone Star represen-
tative, even with the increased rates,
Lone Star would still have one of the
“lowest average operating costs per
customer when compared to any of the
other major gas utilities in Texas.”
Lone Star’s applications, filed Tues-
day afternoon, won’t be on tonight’s
(Thursday) council agenda, but are ex-
pected to be considered at the April 23
council meeting.
UNLIKE OTHER utilities, which
routinely file an application for a rate
increase with the council but expect to
have a final determination made by a
state regulatory agency, the city and
ine uric* uu u
has been to offei
one requested,
discourage an
Lone Star have managed to reach their
own settlements to the prat without
relying on tbe Texas Railroad Commis-
sion.
If the city follows the same pattern is
It has to the put, action will probably
be taken which will delay tbe decision
for up to 120 days. During that time, (f
past performance holds up, the city
staff will study the gas company’s re-
quest and eventually a smaller rate hf
crease will be offered to the company.
The trick to this type of negotiation
> to offer a rate lower than the
but high enough to
appeal to the TRC.
However, according to Lone Star, this
means more frequent requests for rate
increases than if the company were
granted the Increase it feels It needs.
LONE STAR HAS provided a $9,000
surety bond to repay customers any
overcharges during the temporary rate
period, providing that request is
granted by the council. Customers
could be overcharged if the city grants
the temporary rate Increase at a higher
rate than is eventually swarded to the
gas company.
In the put, however, the city has
generally not put temporary rate in-
creases into effect.
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Moody, James. Burleson Star (Burleson, Tex.), Vol. 16, No. 50, Ed. 1 Thursday, April 9, 1981, newspaper, April 9, 1981; Burleson, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth761207/m1/1/?q=architectural+drawings: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Burleson Public Library.