Polk County Enterprise (Livingston, Tex.), Vol. 121, No. 46, Ed. 1 Sunday, June 8, 2003 Page: 1 of 36
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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.mm
drafted
by Phillies
S— Erttarpriaa Sport*
Volume 121 Number 46
Polk Count’'
ENTERPRISE
The Dominant News and Advertising Source in Polk County_
lay
June 8,2003
UPS 437-340 Price: 50 cents
Federal funds allotted
for homeland security
By EMILY BANKS
News Editor
LIVINGSTON Local cmci-
genc> responders may soon feel
like thev \c entered the high-tech
world of James Bond, as a result of
federal funding that will be used to
purcliasc equipment that will fur-
ther enable the area to address
Homeland Seeuntv issues
In response to the events of Sept
11. 2001. and the efforts of Home-
land Security, many area jurisdic-
tions recently participated in a
Texas Domestic Preparedness As-
sessment to determine their capa-
bilities. as well as tite areas in
which they lack capabilities
As part of the assessment, the
Deep East Texas Council of Gov-
ernments (DETCOG) has divided
up into four sub-regions Polk
County is located in the southern
region, along with Trinity and San
Jacinto counties.
The individual jurisdictions were
rated upon completion of the as-
sessment and federal funding will
be awarded accordingly, to assist
ENTERPRISE PHOlO BY CORDON URAKRON
WATER CARNIVAL - Summer campers at Camp Cho-Yeh in Livingston enjoy the new 100-
foot water slide that was installed just in time for the camp's Water Carnival last week
More street work on Livingston's agenda
LIVINGSTON - Authorization
to award a contract foi the second
phase of improvements 10 Martin
1 uther King Drive will be consid-
ered durtttg' Tuesday s regular
meeting of the Livingston City
Council
flic contract, expected to be
awarded to Pinto Construction
which is doing other road work in
the city this summer, will utilize
SIX0 (Hit) in lexas Community
Development gr;uit funds
The council will also hear a re-
quest from citizens Otto Lyons and
Joe Jackson for street improve-
ments in the Greenfield area of
Livingston
An ad valorem property tax rate
and exemptions for 2003 will be
discussed but city officials tggjgatc
their recommendation will be that a
property tax not be implemented
this year
USD addresses maintenance
LIVINGSTON - Livingston In-
dependent School District trustees
will meet in a special-called session
Monday morning to consider re-
placement of the air-conditioning
system at Timber Creek Elemen-
tary School and to consider a
change order for additional asbes-
tos abatement.
At a special-called meeting on
May 30. the board awarded a con-
tract for asbestos abatement to ARS
Restoration in the amount of
$29,350 Trustees also awarded a
contract in the amount of $54,300
to Bonner Roofing for roofing of
the intermediate school gymna-
sium.
Monday’s meeting will begin at
7:15 a m. in the USD Administra-
tion Office.
County jobless rate declines
LIVINGSTON - Unemployment
rates in Deep East lexas fell nearly
across-the-board between March
and April, according to most recent
statistics released by the Texas
Workforce Commission (TWC).
Polk County s April unemplov-
ment rate is 6.4 percent, down
ilucc leiuiis of a percent fiom pie-
v ions month The April rate reflects
99.t persons unemployed out oi an
estimated labor force of 13.471
Polk County has the seventh
lowest late among the 12 member
counties of the Deep East Texas
Council of Governments (DET-
COG) - Angelina. Houston. Jasper
Nacogdoches. Newlon. Polk Sa-
bine Sail Augustine. San Jacinto
Shelbv. Trinity and Tyler. San
Augustine was the onlv DETCOG
countv where unemployment iosc
between March and April and that
rise was only 0.1 percent
Nacogdoches Countv has the
lowest unemployment rate in the
DETCOG area at 3.9 percent, down
04 percent from the previous
month, followed by Houston
County at 4.6 percent and San Ja-
cinto County at 4 7 percent New-
ton County has the highest unem-
ployment rate in die DETCOG area
at 14 I percent, although the rate is
1.5 lower than the previous month
Texas seasonally adjusted un-
employment rate dropped to 6 6 in
April from 6.7 percent in March,
according to the TWC
Education and health services
and leisure and hospitality led the
way in new jobs, with gains of
5,200 and 2.200 jobs, respectively
Total nonagricultural employment
in Texas fell by a modest 900 posi-
tions in April aflci a gain of 6.000
jobs m March
T am pleased with the decrease
in Texas unemployment rate in
April." said TWC Chair Diane
Rath. "However, the overall loss of
jobs in totai nonagricultural em-
ployment is disappointing after the
laine increase we saw last month.
Employment in trade, transporta-
tion and utilities fell for the second
month in a row with a decline of
9.300 jobs ovei the month. Contin-
ued instability in the airline and
other travel-related industries con-
tributed to these losses
The continued loss of jobs in
trade, transportation and utilities is
reason for concern, but I am
pleased with the growth in some of
our other sectors.” said Cominis-
sioner for Labor T P O'Mahoney
"The gams in construction and
natural resources and mining art-
encouraging.''
Employment in construction in
creased by 2.000 positions in April,
topping the 1.6(X) new jobs created
in March Over the year. 5.700 jobs
have been added in tlus industry
for an annual growth rate of TO
percent Employment in natural
resources and mining grew by
1.000 jobs in April.
T also am somewhat heartened
by April s drop in unemployment,
said Commissioner for Employers
Ron Lehman Plenty of uncer-
tainty remains, through the fact that
most of our industries experienced
job growlh provides some reason
for guarded optimism."
Set JOBLESS pg. 4A
Other items on the agenda in-
clude discussion and possible ac-
tion on a proposed ordinance re-
scinding certain portions of the
International Eire Code and provid-
ing alternate regulations in their
place, a proposed cost of living
salary adjustment for city employ-
ees to be effective at the start of the
new- budget year on Oct 1 and re-
newal of a lease agreement be-
tween the city and Gold Star EMS
for dispatch space in the police
department
A change order for the Martin
Luther King phase two street im-
provement project, a payment of
$302,629 to Pinto Construction for
other street improvement work and
a final payment to Williams Paint-
ing and Sandblasting Co for refur-
bishing of a ground storage water
tank will also be considered
City Manager Sam Gordon is
scheduled to report on the May
meeting of the Sam Rayburn Mu-
nicipal Power Agency Board of
Directors present the fourth annual
review ol the Trade Days operation
and inform the council of a lour ot
city 'utilities on June 11 by the
Polk County Chamber ol Com-
merce Leadership Class
The council wil' go into closed
session to discuss tiic purchase of
real property, returning to open
session to take any necessary action
on tliat matter
Tuesday 's meeting will begin at
5 p in. in tire Council Chambers.
Livingston Citv Hall
Flooring, furniture
among Leggett topics
LEGGE IT - A special called
meeting of the Board of Trustees of
the Leggett Independent School
District is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.
Monday
The board will consider action on
a bid for flooring in the elementary
building, as well as bid proposals
for furniture in the new building
Commissioners reschedule
court meeting to Friday
with addressing Homeland Security
issues
Total federal funding to be allo-
cated to the entire 12-county DET-
COG region is $2,281,993 Of that
amount. $1,140,997 will be distrib-
uted in base grants to different ju-
risdictions The remaining
$1,140,997 will be evenly distrib-
uted to the tour sub-regions for
regional response to address Home-
land Seeuntv issues
Of the $1,140,997 to be distrib-
uted in base grants, Polk County
will receive $90,162. the City of
Livingston will receive $70,367;
the City of Onalaska will receive
$11,293. the City of Comgan will
receive $9,341; and the City of
Goodrich will receive $8,684
Representatives from the eligible
counties and cities within the
Southern Sub-Regional Task Group
(Polk. San Jacinto and Trinity
counties) met recently to reach a
consensus on the recommended
allocation of $285.249 25. the
southern sub-region’s portion of the
$1,140,997 that will be evenly dis-
tributed among the four DETCOG
sub-regions
Representatives from Polk
County. Trinity County. San Ja-
cinto County, the City of
Liv ingston, the City of Point Blank,
the City of Onalaska. the City of
Shepherd, the City of Goodrich, the
C ity of Groveton. the City of Cold-
spring and the City of Corrigan
attended.
The group discussed interoper-
able communications, command
and control vehicles and
liazmat/command and control re-
sponse trailers and approved the
following equipment:
• For Polk County «•- $202,249.25
for the purchase of a self-
contained mobile command and
control vehicle that will be
equipped with the following, four
work stations each with VHF
high and low band radio capabili-
ties. computer terminals at each
station, each networked with the
following software - computer-
aided maintenance for emer-
gence operations (CAMEO), in-
cident command software (ICS)
and GIS mapping software (Map-
info or arcview) with current
maps of live tn-county sub-
region. a weather station: mobile
cell phones, a mobile fax and
satellite telephone system (to be
used only when uecessarv); a
conference room with television
and video cassette recorder with
network computer terminals for
docking stations; dry marker
boards on cabinet fronts and
walls; a generator, lights and
telescoping antennas, GPS (mo-
bile) and eight VHF high band
hand-held radios
• For Trinity County — $40.(KX) for
the purchase of. and the equip-
ment for. a 2 2-foot ha/mat re-
sponse/command and control
trailer The trailer will consist of
an eight-foot command area with
one work station, equipped the
same as the larger vehicle vyork
stations. The remaining 14 feel
will be for storage of response
hazmat equipment.
• For San Jacinto County --
$40,000 for the purchase o£ and
tlie equipment for. a 22-foot
hazmat response/command and
control trailer. The trailer will
consist of an eight-foot command
area with one work station,
equipped the same as the larger
vehicle work stations. The re-
maining 14 feet will be for stor-
age of response hazmat equip-
ment.
Each county agreed to housing
and maintaining the equipment
The two hazmat trailers will also
serve as small command and con-
trol units that will be fully-
equipped to handle terrorist re-
sponse for CBNRF. (chemical, bio-
logical, nuclear, radiological or
explosive) incidents
The equipment is expected to ar-
rive later this summer
Onalaska council to eye
overtime pay, patrol car
ONALASKA - Overtime pay for
officers working July 4 will be con-
sidered for possible approval by the
Onalaska Citv C ouncil during its
regular meeting at 7 p m Tuesday
Council will consider approval of
an application for a patrol car to be
donated with advertisements on the
side of it
A street project on Commercial
Avenue will be considered for ap-
proval
Council will consider possible
approval to authorize the fire de-
partment to go out for bids for a
tmek and for a chassis and body
Extending the moratorium on
billboards will be considered for
action
Council will also consider ap-
proval of a variance for a setback
line for Karen Boncy in Kickapoo
Forest subdivision
Reports will be presented on the
police department, fire department
and library
Other items on the agenda in-
clude approval of the minutes
payment of vouchers and financial
reports
LIVINGSTON - During a spe-
cial called meeting Thursday, the
Polk County Commissioners' Court
rescinded previous court action and
rescheduled the June 10 court
meeting for 10 a m June 13
Tlie cliangc in dale was due to a
conflict with the North and East
Texas County Judges and Commis-
sioners Association's annual con-
ference.
ENTEni’RISE PHOTO IV GORDON I .BARRON
TOMATO SEASON - George Brooks picks tomatoes in his garden while “Jack Scarecrow'
stands guard Brooks: and his wife Iva Bell built Jack to discourage a flock of mockingbirds
that were using their garden as a restaurant The menu includes tomatoes, squash, beans ami
peas.
*r
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White, Barbara. Polk County Enterprise (Livingston, Tex.), Vol. 121, No. 46, Ed. 1 Sunday, June 8, 2003, newspaper, June 8, 2003; Livingston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth820615/m1/1/?q=1966+yearbook+north+texas+state+university: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Livingston Municipal Library.