Polk County Enterprise (Livingston, Tex.), Vol. 119, No. 100, Ed. 1 Sunday, December 16, 2001 Page: 1 of 38
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Boys & Girls
Club
Campaign
launched
Volume 119 Number 100
Polk County
The Dominant News and Advertising Source in Polk County
Sunday
Dec. 16,2001
UPS 437-340 Price: 50 cents
Court eyes
bonds, bids
LIVINGSTON - Approval of a
blanket bond for Polk County re-
serve deputies is on the agenda for
the regular meeting of the Polk
County Commissioners’ Court at 9
a.m. Wednesday.
The court’s Dec. 25 meeting was
moved to Wednesday due to the
conflict with Christmas.
A bond for the tax assessor-
collector will also be approved.
Commissioners will consider ap-
proval of the issuance of a time
warrant for the purchase of sheriffs
department vehicles in an amount
not to exceed $248,646, at an inter-
est rate not to exceed 5.5 percent
with a maturity of no more than
three years.
A Precinct 1 commissioner's re-
quest to advertise for bids for the
purchase of a new or used wheel
excavator will be considered for
approval.
Renewal of a maternity services
agreement with UTMB of
Galveston will be considered for
approval, as will the county holiday
schedule for 2002.
An offer to purchase county tax
foreclosure property, • specifically,
7.40 acres of the J.W. Scates Sur-
vey, A-69, will be considered for
approval.
Commissioners will also con-
sider approval of an order agreeing
to the correction of TCDRS service
months and monetary credit for
employees included in an actuarial
study request in 2001.
An executive session is on the
agenda, at which time the court will
discuss personnel matters.
Other items on the agenda include
approval of the budget amendments,
personnel action forms, payment of
bills and minutes of the Nov. 11
meeting.
City ponders
video funds
ONALASKA - Consideration
and approval for funding from the
Texas Department of Public Safety
for video and recording equipment
for three patrol units is on the
agenda for a special called meeting
of the Onalaska City Council at 9
a.m. Tuesday.
OISD to consider
tuition contract end
_____| PHOTO BY GORDON UBABRON
THE SPIRIT OF THE SEASON - Surrounded by clothes and toys, Empty Stocking Fund
volunteer Georgann Patterson packs a sack to be given to a family for Christmas. Patterson and
nine other volunteers have been collecting items and packing them up for each member of over
200 needy families in Polk County.
Hearing among USD topics
LIVINGSTON - A hearing are!
report on the Academic Excellence
Indicator System (AEIS) tops the
agenda for Monday’s regular meet-
ing of the Livingston Independent
School District Board of Trustees.
The meeting will begin at 5:45
p.m. in the LISD Administration
Office on Hwy. 146 South.
Other items on the agenda include
a presentation from Communica-
tions Coordinator Gregg Faith and a
proclamation by the mayor for
Board Recognition Month in Janu-
ary.
Curriculum and instruction mat-
ters on the agenda include approval
of an Aides to Teachers Plan,
amending of the certified appraiser
list, textbook waivers and a report
Holiday activities on tap
LIVINGSTON - The calendar for the month of December is filling up
quickly, as a variety of holiday activities, sure to please people of all
ages, are scheduled throughout the month.
Here are a few:
•First United Methodist Church of Livingston will present
Christmas Fest 2001 at 6 p.m. today (Sunday). Handbell choirs will
present a pre-concert at 5:30 p.m. in the gathering area as people are
entering.
•First Baptist Church of Goodrich will present its Christmas
Cantata today (Sunday).
•Blanchard Baptist Church Adult Choir will present its
Christmas Cantata, “Mary Did You Know?” at 11 a.m. today
(Sunday).
•Leggett Elementary School will present “Christmas Across
America” at 7 p.m. Monday in the school cafeteria.
•Blanchard Baptist Church will hold a Candlelight Service at
6 p.m. Dec. 23. Everyone is welcome.
Shore seeks re-election
LONGVIEW - Grace Shore has
officially filed for re-election for the
State Board of Education District 8
seat.
Shore currently serves as the
chair of the State Board of Educa-
tion and chair of the Permanent
School Fund Committee. She was
appointed to the State Board of
Education in November 1997 by
then Gov. George W. Bush to fill
an unexpired term. Shore, a Repub-
lican, was elected to a full term of
office in November of 1998. She
was appointed chair in January
2001 by Gov. Rick Perry. Shore
previously served on the Commit-
tee on Instruction and was chair of
the Committee on Planning. Gov.
Bush appointed her to represent the
State Board of Education on the
Texas Special Education Continu-
ing Advisory Committee.
Shore, of Longview, is the co-
owner of TEC Well Service, Inc.
and is a former public school math
teacher. She holds a bachelor's de-
gree in education from the Univer-
sity of North Texas and a master's
degree in education from Stephen F.
Austin State University. She has
also served on a state textbook re-
view committee.
Shore also is a member of the
Association of Energy Service
Companies and was Gov. Bush’s
appointee to the Interstate Oil and
Gas Compact Commission. Shore
has been active in the Republican
Party, serving as District 1 state
Republican executive committee-
woman, former president of the
Republican Women of Gregg
County, a patron of the Texas Fed-
eration of Republican Women, and
a regent of the National Federation
of Republican Women. She also
has-been a delegate of five state
Republican Party conventions.
Shore and her husband Ron have
been married for 41 years and have
three adult sons, Stephen, Michael
and Kenneth.
Shore represents the following
counties which comprise State
Board of Education District 8: An-
gelina, Cass, Gregg, Hardin,
Harrison, Jasper, Liberty, Marion,
Nacogdoches, Newton, Orange,
Panola, Polk, Rusk, Sabine, San
Augustine, San Jacinto, Shelby,
Trinity, Tyler, Montgomery, Mor-
ris, Smith and Bowie counties.
on an option extended year program
for grades kindergarten through six.
There will be an update on con-
struction projects, including value
engineering for the old junior high
gym projects; a five-year mainte-
nance plan update and a fall athletic
report.
Trustees will consider approval of
bids on groundskeeping, buses and
surplus vehicles; budget amend-
ments; the Quarterly Invest-
ment/Tax Report and a personal
property donation.
Changing the date of the January
board meeting, the sale of delin-
quent tax properties and student
overnight trip requests will also be
considered.
Superintendent Janet Morris is
See SCHOLARSHIPS pg. 2A
ONALASKA - A request to Liv-
ingston 1SD for the termination of
the second and remaining year of
the tuition contract between the two
districts at the end of the current
school year will be considered for
approval by the Board of Trustees
of the Onalaska Independent School
District during its regular meeting
at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday.
A transition plan for the current
OISD high school tuition students
from LISD to OISD, effective for
fall 2003, will also be considered
for approval.
In related activity, the board will
also consider approval of the educa-
tion of the current eighth-graders as
ninth-graders in OISD for the up-
coming school year.
A report on incidents of student
violence or criminal behavior for
the 2000-2001 school year will be
presented.
Extension of the legal contract
with Schwartz & Eichelbaum that
ends Dec. 31, 2002 will be consid-
ered for approval, as will the addi-
tion of district instructional aide to
the teacher plan.
The board will consider approval
of a location on school property for
the metal building and will also
consider approval of changing the
January board meeting date from
Jan. 15 to Jan. 22.
Offers to purchase county tax
foreclosure property, specifically
Lots 1 and 64 of Block 16 of Para-
dise Acres No. 2 and Lot 30 of
Block 3 of Bridgeview, will be con-
sidered for approval.
An executive session is on the
agenda, at which time the board
will deliberate personnel and real
property.
During administrative reports,
Superintendent Kerry Cowart will
apprise the board of the following:
election results for the Polk Central
Appraisal District Board of Direc-
tors; notification of a sex offender,
instrucuonal aides and assignments;
Level II assessment of team per-
formance for board; and a high
school building site sign.
Elementary School Principal
Keith Smith and Middle School
Principal D’Wana Bryant will re-
port on enrollment, attendance and
school happenings.
Cumculum/Technology Director
Rhonda Scholwinski will provide
an update on the Children Internet
Protection Act.
Board members are slated to pres-
ent certificates for recognized per-
formance to each of the principals.
Other items on the agenda include
approval of the tax report, state-
ment of accounts and payment of
bills and minutes of the Nov 13,
Nov. 26, Nov. 29 and Dec. 4 meet-
ings.
Big Sandy clarifies
senior classification
GRACE SHORE
seeks return to state
board
GISD audit
approved
GOODRICH - The school dis-
trict’s annual audit for the year end-
ing Aug. 31 was approved by the
Board of Trustees of the Goodrich
Independent School District during
its regular meeting Thursday.
The board also approved an audi-
tor engagement letter with Stephen-
son & Trlicek of LaGrange to con-
duct the annual school district audit,
extending the two-year contract for
one year through Aug. 31, 2003.
Policy Update No. 67 of the
Texas Association of School Boards
policy manual was approved.
Following an executive session,
the board accepted the resignation of
high school history teacher Loretta
Lawson, who is retiring after 37
years. The board approved the em-
ployment of James Walsh to fill
the vacancy.
Superintendent James Boyce re-
ported on several items. Regarding
an update on the building projects,
he said the new track is 90-95 per-
cent complete. When weather per-
mits, the rubber surfacing will be
installed. Boyce said the new floor,
bleachers and gallery seating have
been installed in the gym and that
the new administration building is
complete.
He reported that students will be
dismissed for (he Christmas holi-
days at noon Thursday and that the
faculty and staff has an in-service
day on Friday. Everyone will return
on Jan. 7.
A band concert is slated for 5:30
p.m. Wednesday and the elementary
school will put on its holiday pro-
gram at 8:45 a.m. Thursday.
Boyce distributed the superinten-
dent's evaluation form and due dates
to the board.
DALLARDSVILLE - A policy
classifying seniors was approved by
the Board of \ ustees of the Big
Sandy Independent School District
during its regular meeting Monday.
The policy clarifies the fact that
to be classified as a senior, the stu-
dent must have completed a mini-
mum of six semesters and have 15
credifs.
The 2000-2001 financial audit re-
port was approved as presented. The
board also approved a contract for
the 2002 financial audit with John
R. Pechaeck.
The board approved blood borne
pathogens policy and procedures rnd
also discussed a concurrent college
credit policy.
An interlocal agreement with
Polk County was approved.
The board looked at Texas Asso-
ciation of School Boards (TASB)
Policy Update No. 66 and was re-
minded of board training on Feb. 4,
in which TASB representatives will
come down and facilitate a goal-
setting session.
Superintendent Darrell Myers
presented the financial report, re-
See COMPUTERS pg. 2A
Have you
received your
911 address?
LIVINGSTON - Polk County
has completed 911 addressing for
residents living in the county’s
unincorporated areas -• rural areas
in the county that do not fall
within the city limits of any of
the local towns.
If you reside in an unincorpo-
rated, or rural, portion of Polk
County and have not received
your 911 physical address, please
contact Polk County 911 Rural
Addressing at (936)327-6809 or
1-888-730-3729.
You may call Monday through
Friday between the hours of 8
a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 5
p.m. to obtain your new 911
physical address.
Additionally, if your residence
or business is located on a state
highway, please check with the
local office of the Texas Depart-
ment of Transportation for right
of way distance concerning the
posting of your address numbers.
Leggett to continue
in food services plan
LEGGETT - Participation in the
Region VI Education Service Cen-
ter Food Service Cooperative for
the 2002-2003 school year was
approved by the Board of Trustees
of the Leggett Independent School
District during its regular meeting
Thursday.
The board discussed proposals for
a fence behind the cafeteria, but
took no action.
Although the board was slated to
consider action on administrative
site based decision-making proce-
dures, a campus improvement plan,
a crisis management plan and a
Renaissance implementation plan.
all four items were tabled until the
January meeting.
Following an executive session,
the board approved the employment
of Velma Jefferson as a cafeteria
worker.
While in executive session, the
board discussed Coach Terry
Young’s grievance concerning the
bus driver for the North Glen route.
However, no action was taken re-
garding the matter.
Other business included approval
of the budget amendments, payment
of outstanding bills and minutes of
the previous meeting.
ENTnntlK PHOTO IV GOP DON UtAPPON
OVERFLOW -- Heavy rains last week sent Tempe Creek off FM 350 South out of its banks
Wednesday and caused damage elsewhere in the county. The dam on Lake Donna in Indian
Springs washed out Wednesday, sending water downstream toward Double Lakes and Wilson
Lake, where at least one road buckled due to the water, according to sheriffs department
reports. More rain was forecast to fall on already saturated ground this weekend.
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White, Barbara. Polk County Enterprise (Livingston, Tex.), Vol. 119, No. 100, Ed. 1 Sunday, December 16, 2001, newspaper, December 16, 2001; Livingston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth789062/m1/1/: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Livingston Municipal Library.