The Hopkins County Echo (Sulphur Springs, Tex.), Vol. 108, No. 8, Ed. 1 Friday, February 25, 1983 Page: 1 of 4
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(ABSORBED IHF. GAZETTE ( IK( Ul.ATION BY PURCHASE MAY 12, 19281
SULPHUR SPRINGS. TEXAS, FRIDAY, FEB. 25,1983.
.4 PAGES -15 CENTS PUBLISHED EVERY FRIDAY
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Board delays ruling on
Gilmer Street proposal
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U.I.L. winners
Sulphur Springs high school students captured second place In
the North Lamar-Parls Junior College invitational U.I.L.
practice meet Friday, Feb. 11. In the meet there were 24 schools
represented by 450 students competing in 17 events. North
Lamar won the meet with 140 total points, Sulphur Springs took
second with 75 and Atlanta captured third «yith 42 Vi points.
Winners from Sulphur Springs were, from the left, Karen Boles,
first' in poetry interpretation; Julie Parker, third in headline
writing; Rhonda Vandever, third in shorthand; Sharon Horton, yf
second in spelling; Freda Ross, third in shorthand; Phil
Gigante, first in duet acting; Dewayne Couch, best actor;
Stephanie Tyler, first in shorthand; and Sandy Hdrman, first in
duet acting.
•V. -stiff Photo
City will seek extension
By JOHN GORE /
News-Telegram Staff
Members of the Sulphur Springs City
Commission met in special session
Tuesday in City Hall to take necessary
steps to get the ball rolling '"on im-
provements at the waste water treatment
facility.
After a brief review and definition of
some major* problems, the council asked
Bill Ratliff, city engineer, to proceed with
a study, addressing what needs to be done
to correct the problems.
City Manager Travis Owens gave the
commissioners a brief report of his
meeting with officials of the En-
vironmental Protection Agency last
Friday in Dallas.
The EPA has cited Sulphur Springs for
falling to comply with permit
requirements and has given the city until
June 1, 1983 to complete construction of
necessary changes at the plant to bring it
within specifications.
"The EPA has given us until March 7 to
answer the citation,” Owens said. “I did
the best job I could to convey to the EPA
officials our frustration with the problem
and with EPA. I think they will work with
us if, on March 7, we can present them
with a definite plan of action to modify the
sewer plant and a basic timetable for
completion of that plan,” Owens added.
“The EPA is breathing down our necks
about industrial waste. We are going to
have to amend the present industrial users
ordinance and place additional penalties
on violators of the ordinance on top of the
surcharge,” Owens continued.
“I’ve got another meeting set up with
EPA March 4 in Dallas. At that time we
hope to be able to present them with a plan
of action and a timetable for completion. I
really think, if we can demonstrate we are
working to solve the problems, they will
work with us," Owens added.
“What we are trying to tell the EPA,”
Ratliff said, “is that we have been working
for some time to bring the plant within
compliance and are still trying to correct
the remaining problems.”
According to Ratliff, great strides were
made in 1982 to operate the plant within the
permit restrictions. For the first six
months of 1982 the plant failed to meet
requirements. However, during the last
six months of the year the plant was in
compliance four months and the two
months it was over the limit it was just
,barely over in a couple of catagories.
“But that has not solved the problems.
They stjU-n-wnain. The plant is still
overloaded ana, that overloading is going
to continue. ThX plant has got to be ex-
panded,” Ratliff pointed out.
Ratliff has alreffijv begun work on a
tenative schedule to ptosept to EPA March
4. According to the engineer, it would take
approximately three months to work up a
preliminary design and cost estipiates to
present to the city commission. He
estimates that it could take up to two
months for the city to decide on all phases
of the plan. He allowed three months to
educate the public on the need for the
project and to stage a bond election, if
necessary, to pay for the improvements,
four months to actually design the ex-
pansion and go out for bids and one year
for construction. <*■
“That puts us into the early part of
1985,” Ratliff said. “Which isn’t too bad by
EPA standards.” He pointed out that it
could take up to seven years if the EPA
was to fund the project.
“I think I have convinced them (EPA)
that June 1 is an unreasonable deadline for
us to meet,” Owens said. “If we can nail
this schedule down and present it to EPA, I
think they will buy it,” Owens stressed.
Commissioner-elect Norman Bedford
quizzed Ratliff about meeting the future
needs of the city rather than just
correcting the present problems.
“I think we have to plan for the future
growth of Sulphur Springs,” Bedford said.
“There was sorrife poor planning when the
present facility was built and that’s why
we are having problems now,” he added.
Ratliff explained that the study would
allow for future growth of the city.
“We will build in various growth options.
We will have a five-year, 10-year, 20-year,
maybe even a 30-year growth design. The
commissioners will have to decide which
plan they want to go with, based on what
the city can afford to do. How far ahead
you can build will depend on what you can
afford,” the engineer said.
Hospital bids
below estimate
By SUSAN McCARY
News-Telegram Staff
Ten bids for the addition and remodeling
of Hopkins County Memorial Hospital
were opened Thursday afternoon during a
meeting of the hospital district’s board of
directors in the hospital’s classroom.
Hospital Administrator Glenn Kenley
turned over the packets of bid documents
to Whit Phillips, architect for the project,
for opening and inspection before a group
of about 40 persons who crowded into the
room to hear the bids read.
In extremely close bidding, Hallman &
Keele Inc. of Garland appeared to be the
low Udder for the contract, with a total bid
of $1,933,366. Mid-Continent Constructors
Inc. of Oklahoma City handed in a total bid
of $1,936,412.
Other bidders with bids under $2 million
were Mit-Con Inc. of Sherman, $1,953,152;
Universal Construction Co. Inc. of Kansas
City, $1,970,829, and Audley Moore & Sons
Inc. Sulphur Springs, $1,995,245.
Other bidders were Bartex Inc.,
$2,070,202; Sam Binlon & Associates Inc.,
$2,006,650; Harry Brown Inc. $2,369,000;
Defqo (L. G. Lefler Inc.), $2,010,500, and
Arvol D. Hays Construction Co., $2,380,000.
After opening the bids Kenley thanked
the contractors’ representatives for their
bids and said the board would study the
bids and make a decision in a few days.
After the bid opening, Kenley said the
board members were “extremely pleased
with the bids. They came in under our
budget...we will be able to do all that we
have plans to do.”
The competitiveness of the bidding was
a bit of a suprise, but “very gratifying,”
according to Kenley.
The bid called for a base bid and two
alternates. The first alternate is. for
revisions to the existing hospital building
and the second is for elevator equipment, t
The bids call for a work schedule of
approximately 20 months for all of the
work, but Kenley anticipates the new
addition will be ready for the staff to move
into within 14 months after construction
begins. “We will move into the new section
before the remodeling work begins.”
The board is expected to award the
contract oh Monday or Tuesday. The
hospital board is awaiting the results of the
inquiry into the competentcy and financial
stability of the firms under consideration.
Once the bid is awarded, Kenley said
construction should begin in “two to three
weeks."
The hospital district board will open bids
for the construction of a laundry building
and equipment on March 17.
By JOHN GORE
News-Telegram Staff
There was great sound and fury in City
Hall Monday night when the Sulphur
Springs Planning and Zoning Commission
met to discuss the proposed “planned
development district’* on Gilmer Street,
but it signified nothing, to paraphase
Shakespeare. *
Proponents of both sides argued before
the commission for more than two hours
before the commissioners voted to end the
public hearing for the evening and con-
tinue it |p two weeks.
Attorney Coy Johnson, representing City
National Bank, which wants to build drive-
in tellers and a 24-hour teller at the
location, was the first to speak to the
commissioners.
The construction firm of Ardis, Tutt and
Puegh, which also is involved in the
planned development district rezoning
request, wants to build a professional
office building on the site in conjunction
with the banking facilities.
Johnson said the planned development
district would be an asset to the city.
“It would be to the town's advantange to
develop this property (in the 500 block of
Gilmer Street) in an orderly manner, such
as we are presenting here tonight. The
property is already zoned residential II
and is suitable for apartments right now,
but I don’t think it would be to the best
interests of the city to have low rent,
subsidised apartments on that piece of
property,” Johnson said.
"I’m aware, ai I’m sure you’re aware of
the past objections to rezoning this land,
but most of the property owners are for
this rezoning, while Mr. (Enos) Ashcroft is
against it. This property is going to
develop sometime. It would be a shame to
see it develop into apartments. There are
some who are continuing to drive a wedge
between the downtown shopping district
and the south business district. This would
help keep both districts viable. It would
help join the two business districts,”
Johnson added.
While Johnson was speaking, the
commissioners were looking over the site
plans for the planned development district
- The second planned development
district rezoning request to come before
the commissioners.
It was brought to Johnson’s attention
that the planned development district
might not meet the criteria for such zoning
because of size.
"I notice that this is not three acres of
land,” remarked board chairman Joe
Moore. “It appears to fall slightly short of
the requirement for a planned develop-
ment district which is three acres.”
The property in question, accoMng to
the site plan presented to the commission,
states that the property is 2.97 acres, or
three hundredths of an acre short of the
requirement.
“I think we are splitting hairs on that
point,” Johnson said. “The three-acre
requirement, in my opinion, is a guideline,
not a hard rule and besides we are talking
about three hundredths of acre which isn’t
much," he added.
Johnson went on to explain that the
property in question was a “very valuable
piece of property” and would develop
sometime in the future.
“It is too valuable a piece of property to
just let sit. It will be developed. I hope you
will allow the property to be developed in
an orderly fashion rather than apart-
ments," Johnson said.
Steve Puegh, of Ardis, Tutt and Puegh
told the commissioners, “We want to build
what we have proposed, but if we can’t
we’ll have to do something with the
property. Gilmer Street is going to go
commercial. It is just a matter of time.
You have the opportunity to put something
nicethere.”
Two lqndowners adjacent to the
proposed planned development district
stated that they were in favor of the
project.
Johnson presented a petition to the
commissioners with a dozen or more
names of property owners who weTe in
favor of the rezoning request. \
E.L. Ashcroft Jr. and E.L. Ashcroft III,
differed greatly with Johnson’s asses -
ment of the planned development district.
Ashcroft III told the commission he fe t
the rezoning would be spot zoning and a
flagrant violation of zoning ordinances.
“Besides,” he said, “it does not meet the
requirements for a planned development
district. It is not three acres. Fair is fair.
Their own application doesn’t show three
acres. It would have an adverse affect on
the neighborhood. There are old widows
who live in that area and if you vote for this
plan you would be hurting those women. It
would destroy the neighborhood,” he
stated.
“There is something a little bit sour
about this whole project,” Ends Ashcroft
Jr. declared when he took his turn to speak
to the commissioners.
“We have a list of 14 property owners
whorare against this project and we ask
that this be voted down. We have an ad-
ditional 19 others who live in the vicinity
who are against it,” Ashcroft said.
He also contended it was spot zoning and
that the project would cause even more
traffic problems on Gilmer.
“It is not happening to you,” Ashcroft
told the commissioners. “It is happening
to us. This would disrupt our lives. We
want tokeep things the way they are."
Ashcroft also charged that the planned
development would not benefit the general
welfare. "It isn’t for everyone. It is just so
these two people can make money,” he
said.
After all the arguments from both sides
and rebuttals, the commissioners voted to
continue the public hearing in two weeks.
The commissioners felt they could not
make a proper decision on the matter as
there were still some unanswered
questions in theircollective mind.
They instructed City National Bank and
Ardis, Tutt and Puegh to return to the
planning and zoning commission in two
weeks with approval from the State
Highway Department for a left turn lane
on Gilmer, and to show on the plans that
there would be no left turn onto Gilmer
from the facility, the details of the
proposed landscaping of the project, an
indication in writing that the building
would be within fire zone limits, and proof
that the property is at least 3 acres.
After a brief recess, the commission
reconvened to discuss the remainder of the
agenda.
Four seeking
ISD positions
A contest was assured Monday in the
annual trustee election in the Sulphur
Springs Independent School District when
a fourth candidate filed for a ballot
position. There are three open positions in
the Saturday, April 2, election. .
George Poulos, who finished third in a
four-man field for two trustee posts last
year, filed to run again. He gained 120
votes in 1982, 67 behind the second place
candidate.
Earlier, incumbent trustees Paul Tip-
ping, Johnny Dobson and Judy Gilreath
filed for new terms.
The April election will be held in Travis
Elementary School on Garrison Avenue.
Deadline for filing for ballot positions is
30 days in advance of the April 2 election.
Area courts dispose of 28 cases
Two youths
face fines
Two Sulphur Springs High School
students pleaded guilty Monday in Eighth
District Court to burglary of a building and
were assessed fines in excess of $25,000.
Richard Tuley and Glenn Mitchell
waived their rights to a jury trial and
pleaded guilty to several counts of
burglary of a building before Judge Lanny
Ramsay Monday afternoon.
Tuley and Mitchell has been accused of
stealing computer equipment from the
* high school, among other crimes.
Tuley was given a 10-year probated
sentence and assessed a fine of $12,987.56.
Mitchell alsowas given a 10-year probated
sentence and assessed a fine of $12,567.21.
In other court business, Stephen Ewing
Betts pleaded guilty to seven counts of
burglary of a habitation. Police had ac-
cused Betts of being the burglar they had
dubbed the “Panty Bandit.”
Betts waived his right to Indictment by a
Hopkins County Grand Jury and trial to
plead guilty before Judge Ramsay.
He was assessed six, eight-year sen-
tences in the Texas Department of
Corrections and a 10-year probation in the
seventh case. „
The eight-year sentences will run con-
currently. He also was fined $1,000 and
ordered to pay restitution of $814.50.
As an additional condition*of the
probation, Betts had to agree to seek
psychiatric help.
District Attorney Jim Chapman’s office
disposed of 28 cases the second week of
February, one of which involved a two-day
trial.
Glenn Sprague of Sulphur Springs was
found guilty by a Delta County jury on a
charge of burglary of a habitation.
Sprague had been charged in the
November 1982 burglary of the “Heritage
House” northwest of Cooper.
The jury, M .the end of the second day,
spent 30 minutes in deliberation before
rendering the guilty verdict and just over
an hour in determining the punishment
Sprague should receive. The jury voted for
30 years in the Texas Department of
Corrections.
Chapman said he was more than
pleased with the verdict of 30 years, and
that a big part of the decision by the jury
was due to the excellent work by Assistant
District Attorney Frank Long in his first
major trial since he joined the DA’s staff.
Other case dispositions in Delta County
included guilty pleas by Wesley Earl
Stover of Windom, who pleaded guilty to a
charge of burglary of a building, theft over
$200 and burglary of a vehicle.
Eighth Judicial District Judge Lanny
Ramsay assessed a seven-year probated
sentence in each of the cases to be served
concurrently, ordered a fine of $1,000 be
paid and ordered restitution of $250 be
made to the victims.
John A. Morgan and his brother Daivd
A. Morgan, both of Seagoville, pleaded
guilty to three charges of burglary of a
habitation each. Judge Ramsay assessed a
10-year probated sentence in each of those
cases, ordered fines totaling $3,000 be paid
by each of the defendants and restitution of
$5,906 be paid by each of the two brothers.
Steve Earl Patterson of Cooper pleaded
guilty to a charge of burglary of a vehicle,
burglary of a building and theft over $200.
Judge Ramsay assessed punishment at a
seven-year probated sentence in each of
the cases to be served concurrently, or-
dered a fine of $1,000 be paid and that
restitution of $250 be paid to the victims.
Kevin Thomas Yates of tlallas was
assessed a 10-year probated sentence to be
served concurrently in each of three cases
of burglary of a habitation. Additionally, a
fine of $1,000 in each case must be paid and
restitution amounting to $5,908 was
assessed in the three cases as well.
In Franklin County, Terry Wayne
Sparks of Mount Vernon, pleaded guilty to
three charges of burglary of a habitation.
Judge Ramsay assessed a 15-year term in
TDC in each of the cases, to be served
concurrently, in addition to the revocation
of probation for burglary of a habitation
Sparks had been assessed late last year.
Sparks was assessed a seven-year term in
TOC to be served concurrently with the
other convictions in this revocation
hearing.
Kenneth Michael Case of Winnsboro
pleaded guilty in three burglary of
habitation charges and was assessed a 15-
year term in TDC, He pleaded true in a
revocation of probation hearing and was
assessed a 10-year sentence in TDC on that
case, All four of the convictions are to run
concurrently.
Donald Ray Wesson of Sulphur Springs
pleaded guilty to a charge of felony theft.
He was assessed a four-year term in TDC.
Michael Henderson of Mount Vernon
pleaded guilty to three charges of burglary
of a habitation. Judge Ramsay assessed
punishment at 15-year in TDC in each of
the three cases, to be served concurrently.
Most '82 property taxes paid
Hopkins County's property owners paid
89 percent of their current 1982 (axes
before the deadline passed.
The collections amounted to
$2,088,181.42, according to a figures
released by Jeff Taylor, county tax
collector, who rated the payments “real
good.”
Altogether, Taylor’s office collected
$3,327,210.51 in taxes for the county, the
Hopkins County Hospital District, the City
of Como, and the Sulphur Bluff, Saltillo,
Miller Grove, Cjimby and North Hopkins
school districts.
The tax collections for the hospital
district amounted to $549,631.14.
The City of Como’s tax collections
climbed to $12,785.74.
Tax collections for the school districts
included:' North Hopkins $256,394.57,
Sulphur Bluff $211,822.11, Cumby
$70,249.12, Miller Grove $69,502.01, and
Saltillo $68,844.40.
The Sulphur Springs and Como-Pickton
school districts collect their own taxes, as
Uo^s the Cityof Cumby. ft
Tfirough January, tax collections for the
Sulphur Springs Independent School
District had amounted to $1,871,329, or 78.3
percent of the budgeted $2,389,754, based
on a valuation of $448,948,849, a tax rate of
$.5323 and 100 percent collection.
Como-Pickton school district tax
coUerfons have been reported good, but a
current figure was not immediately
available.
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Keys, Clarke & Woosley, Joe. The Hopkins County Echo (Sulphur Springs, Tex.), Vol. 108, No. 8, Ed. 1 Friday, February 25, 1983, newspaper, February 25, 1983; Sulphur Springs, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth781150/m1/1/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Hopkins County Genealogical Society.