Polk County Enterprise (Livingston, Tex.), Vol. 119, No. 19, Ed. 1 Thursday, March 8, 2001 Page: 1 of 22
This newspaper is part of the collection entitled: Polk County Newspapers and was provided to The Portal to Texas History by the Livingston Municipal Library.
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Good luck,
Hornets!
Polk County
ENTEr
Volume 119 Number 19
The Dominant News anu /\uvernsing source in Polk County
UPS 437-340 Price: 50 cents
City plans removal
of two traffic lights
LIVINGSTON -- There will soon
be two less traffic signals in Liv-
ingston -- those on North Washing-
ton at Feagin and South Washing-
ton at Garner.
Several months ago, the Living-
ston City Council asked for a Texas
Department of Transportation
(TxDOT) study of traffic signals in
the city, specifically zeroing in on
the necessity of signals at the en-
trance to Pineborough Shopping
Center on U.S. 190 West, dubbed
the “Whataburger” light by the
council, and the lights on Business
59 (North and South Washington)
at Feagin and Gamer streets.
While TxDOT maintains the
U.S. 190 light is needed and that its
function will improve once the
signalization work now under way
is complete, the study indicated the
Gamer and Feagin street signals are
not necessary,
During a special-called meeting
Tuesday night, the city council, by
a split vote, decided to remove the
Gamer and Feagin street signals.
They will be replaced with stop
signs on the side streets.
The feeling was nearly unani-
mous on removal of the Gamer
Street light, with its interminable
protected left turn cycle mentioned
among its more annoying features.
Councilman Kenneth Parkhill,
who cast the only dissenting vote
against the signal's removal, said
that, although the protected left turn
cycle is not needed, he feels the
light is necessary to help people
turn left onto South Washington
from Garner Street, especially when
the late afternoon son makes it dif-
ficult to see, and to slow truck traf-
fic coming into town from the
south. On a motion by Councilman
Bill Watson, seconded by Council-
man Gene Bush, the counci} voted
3-1 to ask TxDOT to remove the
signal. Councilman L.C. Johnson
was absent from the meeting.
The vote was more divided when
it came to removal of the Feagin
Street signal. An attempt to remove
that light several years ago was
dropped after several residents, pri-
marily senior citizens, indicated the
signal was needed. No citizens came
iOrwafu io aeicnu inc ngni inis
time.
Councilman Scott Simpson ex-
pressed concern that, while the sig-
nal may not be needed now, it may
be in die future with continued de-
velopment along the bypass feeder
roads. City Manager Sam Gordon
said the city could request that the
signal be reinstated if it later be-
comes necessary.
Bush noted that the signal’s re-
moval may turn North Washington
into a drag strip for young motor-
ists. Police enforcement would be
necessary.
While no one on the council
seemed eager to make the motion to
remove the Feagin Street signal,
Simpson did so and received a sec-
ond from Watson. Those two coun-
cilmen voted for the motion, with
Parkhill voting against and Bush
abstaining from the vote.
Tower ordinance
Other items on the agenda
Tuesday's special-called meeting
iurtudurf continued discussion of a
proposed ordinance that would regu-
late telecommunications towers in
the city, proposed repairs to Miss
Effie’s Cottage and the first of two
public hearings on an annexation
request
The telecommunications tower
ordinance was first discussed at last
month’s regular council meeting, at
which time local businessman
James Bergman and Sean St. John
of American Tower Corp. (ATC)
suggested that foe city get some
technological advice before enacting
the ordinance.
Bergman expressed another con-
cern, u well. Working under exist-
ing regulations, he entered into an
agreement with a major telecom-
munications company last July to
construct a 180-foot tower near foe
intersection of Calhoun and Wash-
ington streets. The company plans
vested a large amount of money in
the studies and permitting require-
ments necessary for the project,
which is to be completed by this
July. That tower would not meet
the criteria in the ordinance being
considered by the city.
Last month, the consensus of the
council was that Bergman can build
his tower if obtains a building per-
mit prior to passage of the city
ordinance.
Focusing on the technological
aspects of the ordinance, city offi-
cials received input from Bergman
and St. John. City Attorney
Gaffney Phillips said that among
St. John’s suggestions was that it
made at least as easy for owners to
make changes in existing towers as
to construct new towers. That, he
said, would encourage better use of
existing towers and discourage pro-
liferation of new towers. In specify-
ing the distance requirements, Phil-
lips suggested that the city have its
engineers determine how far a tower
should be from a residence or from
another tower.
ATC’s plans have been sent to
the Engineer Terry Brannon and
work on the technical aspects of the
ordinance will continue.
While not action was taken, the
location of Bergman’s tower was
called into question by residents
Jerry and Mona Marsh, who live
next door to the proposed tower
location.
Bergman indicated last month
that he had the Marshes’ consent on
the project, but the Marshes con-
tend they knew nothing of the proj-
ect until they read about it ih the
newspaper following last month’s
council meeting.
“Julie [Bergman’s wife] and
James are good neighbors; this isn’t
a personal thing,” Jerry Marsh said,
and Bergman agreed. Still, the
Marshes were adamant that they did
See TOWER pg. 6A
miwirKist rnuiu by linua j a cubs
HORNET PRIDE -- Goodrich fan Joyce Croff says it all following the Hornet’s 82-73 wiii'over
Fannidel in the Region IV Semi-Final State Tournament in Georgetown. The win advances
Goodrich to the UEL State Tournament today (Thursday). They will be playing Nazareth for the
Division II Championship at 8:30 a.m.
Gaming may be in reservation's future
By EMILY BANKS
News Editor
LIVINGSTON - Gaming may be
in the not too distant future for foe
Alabama-Coushatta Indian Reserva-
tion, as foe tribe is backing pro-
posed state legislation that would
allow three of Texas’ Native
American tribes to have legal gam-
ing on existing reservations.
Additionally, the Deep East
Texas Council of Governments
(DETCOG) recently passed a reso-
lution supporting the proposed eco-
nomic development efforts of the
Alabama-Coushatta tribe, as well as
passage of proposed legislation.
The resolution further suites that
DETCOG supports the creation of
jobs associated with the proposed
economic development efforts, as
the unemployment rate on the res-
ervation, tike much of Deep East
Texas, is higher than the state aver-
age.
The resolution was passed during
the February DETCOG meeting
following a request from the Ala-
bama-Coushatta tribe.
Appearing before DETCOG,
Kevin Battise, chairman of the
tribal council, said his tribe ap-
proved pursuing the matter in a
1999 referendum election and wants
to see gaming-based economic de-
velopment occur, if it can be done
legally.
Battise told DETCOG the Ala-
bama-Coushatta tribe is considering
bringing in high-stakes bingo and
eight-liner machines.
In recent legislative activity,
House Bill 514 - relating to a de-
fense to certain gambling-related
offenses for gaming activity con-
ducted by an Indian tribe -- passed
the House Jurisprudence Committee
and is currently in the House Cal-
endars Committee, awaiting a date
for appearance on the House floor.
HB 514 was authored by Suite
Rep. Juan Hinojosa (D-McAllen).
Sen. Eliot Shapleigh (D-El Paso)
filed a similar bill - Senate Bill
253 -- in the Texas Senate. SB 253
is currently in the Senate Criminal
Justice Committee.
If passed, the legislation would
allow the Alabama-Coushatta Indi-
ans in Polk County, the Tigua In-
dians in El Paso County and the
Kickapoo Indians in Maverick
County to have gaming operations
on existing reservations.
Gaming operations are permissi-
ble for federally-recognized tribes
under the Indian Gaming Regula-
tory Act.
Mnrice*. Bcfgmai
hat already in-
OLD YOUTH CENTER GYM — The gymnasium building at the old Livingston Youth Center
gymnasium on South Washington Street, unused for the past several years, was tom down this
week by the Livingston Parks and Recreation Department. Built by community volunteers in the
early 1950s, the gym and swimming pool were operated by the Rotary, Lions and Pilot clubs
for nearly four decades.
According to background on HB
514, Indian tribes in Texas that
have established gaming operations
on their reservations have had suc-
cess in generating revenue for tribes
and the surrounding area’s econ-
omy. Revenues generated by casi-
nos have enabled tribes to pay off
debts, provide housing and social
services for tribe members and re-
duce unemployment.
Currently, federal law recognizes
only certain Indian tribes in Texas
that are allowed to conduct gaming
operations.
If approved by the House and the
Senate, the law would go into effect
immediately.
“The prospects of winning sup-
port from both the full House and
Senate appear promising. No organ-
See TIGUA pg. 6A
Club pledges
shy of goal
LIVINGSTON - A tittle over
$31,000 has been raised during the
pledge campaign for the Boys &
Girls Club of Polk County, a little
shy of the club’s $50,000 goal.
Money raised during the pledge
campaign goes toward the annual
o^-rating expenses, which for the
POlk County club is $106,000.
The club is supported by private
contributions and receives no gov-
ernment funding. Every dollar raised
for the Boys & Girls Club of Polk
County stays in Polk County.
The pledge campaign began Jan.
15 and is slated to conclude March
15, however, as the capital cam-
paign - which will fund construc-
tion of a facility for the Boys ft
Girls Club of Polk County - is
slated to begin March IS.
Since the inception of the club in
October 2000. the club has met at
the First United Methodist Church
of Livingston. Although it has
See YOUTH pg. 2A
Commissioners
meet Friday
LIVINGSTON - The early vot-
ing schedule for the May 5 special
election will be considered for ap-
proval by the Polk County Com-
missioners’ Court at 9 ajn. Friday.
The Match 13 meeting of foe
court was rescheduled for Friday due
to a conflict with congressional
meetings on the 1-69 project
The May 5 special election is foe
bond election in which voters will
consider approval of the renovation
of the existing courthouse and an-
nex, implementation of a 911 cen-
tral dispatch center in the basement
of the existing courthouse building
and construction of a judicial center.
The total cost of the project is
$20,263,080.
The project is part of a plan to
address overcrowding at the court-
house and future growth in the
county.
A proposal for consulting serv-
ices for expansion of the landfill
will be considered for approval.'
Commissioners will also con-
sider approval of several items re-
quested by the waste management
administrator, including:
•adoption of a new landfill sched-
ule of rates;
•adoption of a new contract con-
tainer schedule of rates;
•authorization of municipal solid
waste permit No. 1384A permitting
schedule and related items;
•municipal solid waste permit
No. 1384A conceptual landfill de-
sign and related items;
•execution of waste
training agreement with
tute for infrastructure
mental development
items;
•authorization to proceed with
MSW permit No. 1384 administra-
tive permit modification and related
items.
Commissioners will consider
necessary action relating to initiat-
ing the process for credit card pay-
ment of county fees, fines and
taxes.
A request from Banner Oil LTD
for a drilling commencement vari-
ance under the oil gas lease of Polk
County school land will be consid-
ered.
Commissioners will consider ap-
proval to advertise for bids for the
purchase of a new motorgrader for
Precinct 1, with foe sale or trade-in
of a used motorgrader.
An interlocal agreement with the
City of Corrigan feu- firefighting
services will be considered.
See COURT pg. 2A
Candidate
announcements
being accepted
LIVINGSTON - The Polk
County Enterprise is accepting
announcements from those who
have filed for candidacy in the
May 5 school board and city
council elections. Announce-
ments must be received in our of-
fice no later than 5 p.m. Monday,
March 26.
Announcements may be pre-
pared by the candidate in advance
and submitted to the newspaper
or a candidate may contact the
Enterprise for an interview.
These one-time political an-
nouncements are considered news
stories. There is no charge and
the announcements are subject to
editing.
We prefer to run a picture of
the candidate with the announce-
ment. For editorial purposes, we
will picture only the candidate,
although pictures which include
the candidate’s family may be
used in paid political advertise-
ments.
Those who already have a suit-
able photograph may submit it
for publication with their
nouncement. For those who do
not have a photo, the Enterprise
staff will be available to take pic-
tures of candidates for use in
nouncements and advertisements
which are to run in any Polk
County Publishing Co. publica-
tion.
V
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White, Barbara. Polk County Enterprise (Livingston, Tex.), Vol. 119, No. 19, Ed. 1 Thursday, March 8, 2001, newspaper, March 8, 2001; Livingston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth819933/m1/1/?q=%22Texas+Press+Association%22: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Livingston Municipal Library.