Seminole Sentinel (Seminole, Tex.), Vol. 96, No. 97, Ed. 1 Wednesday, September 14, 2005 Page: 1 of 30
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Midweek
Edition
Seminole Sentinel __
WF 30 Pages, 3 Sections, 3 Inserts Wednesday, September 14,2005 Volume 96, Number 097 * wVr
A Look Inside
Today's Issue
91Sa Cute to Raines
County's OiCand
AgricuCture
‘Industries
A Look ImMa_
Gaines County
Agriculture
A Look
Baines Coanty /
OIL
Please See Sections B & C
for a Schedule of Events
and Information about
Gaines County Ag and Oil
SISD Enrollment
Numbers Up from
2004
See Page 2A
Local Weather
Wf 93/57*
Mostly sunny. Highs in the low 90s
and lows in the upper 50s.
87/56
Plenty of sun. Highs in the upper
80s and lows in the mid 50s.
f” 87/58
9/16
Partly cloudy, chance of a thunder-
storm.
?005 American Profile Hometown Content
Service
MEMBER
■2005
TC
TEXAS PRESS
ASSOCIATION
Seminole (Gaines County),
Texas 79360 ©2005
Commissioners
Receive Jail Update
By Dustin Wright
Sentinel Managing Editor
Gaines County Commissioners took less than
thirty minutes to go through 15 of the 16 items on
their agenda during a Monday morning regular
meeting, held by the Court in die Commissioners
Courtroom, inside the Gaines County Courthouse.
County Sheriff Jon Key's update on the Gaines
County Law Enforcement Center topped the day's
agenda, as he gave an update on the current hap-
penings at the 32-bunk facility, located in the 300
block of East Ave. A.
Key stated to Commissioners Monday morning
that the County is currently housing out 13 county
inmates at various facilities around the region, but
that the in-house population was near the 32:per-
son capacity, as 30 inmates were incarcerated at the
facility as of Monday morning.
"It appears that all of the 30 inmates that we
have currently are going to be with us for a while,"
stated Key to the Court. "So Tim Smith (Gaines
County Jail Administrator) and 1 got together and
we are looking at housing five more inmates out,
and should be in the process of transferring them
out soon.”
Key stated that the jail population as a whole
has been down for the past several months, but
has picked up with recent activity over the past few
weeks.
As of Tuesday morning, the Gaines County
Law Enforcement Center has processed 640 in-
mates through jail bookings in the 2005 calendar
year.
A facility needs analysis was conducted on the
Gaines County Law Enforcement Center, which
has been in operation by the county since January
of 1982.
The 32 bunk facility, has been running just
below capacity for some time, forcing the county to
transfer prisoners to other, facilities in order to com-
ply with the state's jail standards set for the facility.
Currently, the Gaines County Law Enforce-
ment Center, with it’s design capacity of 32 bunks,
has eight separation cells, 12 single cells, two mul-
tiple occupancy cells with a combined capacity of
12 inmates.
The intake area of the Law Enforcement
Center contains one holding cell with a six inmate
capacity, and a detoxification cell with a capacity of
five inmates.
Key also stated in a previous Court meeting, that
housing an inmate cost the County an estimated $38
per day.
Based on a 20 inmate example, it would cost the
county $22,800 for housing in a 30-day month.
The report recommended to County officials that
the county should have no less than a 96 bunk facility,
based upon the trends that have been studied by the
State Jail Commission. The study also stated that at
this present time, Gaines County should be operating
on a 59 bunk facility, for it's day to day operations.
'Their recommendation is that we do need to
either build on to our current jail, or look into building
a new facility, and that we increase it to at least 96
bunks" said Key.
The report took into consideration the county's
crime rate, as well as major highways passing through
the county boundaries, the county's production in oil
and gas, as well as cotton and peanuts, and the cur-
rent situation with the Gaines County Law Enforce-
ment Center.
Key stated that he, along with County Attorney
Sterling Harmon were in the process of finding the
proper legal channels for advertising for architects for
the facility, and that he would update the Commis-
sioners Court as often as possible.
In other action Monday, the Court approved the
advertisement of three cruisers for Gaines County
deputies, one of which will be purchased out-right,
while the other two will be purchased with the trade-
in of two current county vehicles.
Also, the Court approved of the out-right pur-
chase of a jail van for the Sheriffs office, as well as a
vehicle for the narcotics officer that works within the
department. —
Commissioners also set a Monday, September
21, 9 a.m. special meeting to vote on the proposed
tax rate for the 2005-06 fiscal year budget.
Proposed by the Court is a 32.8025 cent tax rate
for the 2006 budget, which is down an estimated four
cents from one year ago.
The fate will fund an estimated $13 million bud-
See Commissioners ... Page 2A
’Superior Achievement’
Seminole Schools Receive Highest Rating from
TEA on School FIRST Survey
Dplurin .Irtnoc
By Dustin Wright
Sentinel Managing Editor
Once again, Seminole ISD
received a "Superior Achievement"
rating from the Texas Education
Agency in the Financial Integrity
Rating System of Texas for the
2003-2004 fiscal year.
According
to 3
questionnaire
filled out by the
school district,
SISD fulfilled
19 of the 21
qualifications
on the financial
accountability
rating system.
A result
of Texas Senate Bill 218 of the
77th Texas Legislature, held in
2001, officially known as School
FIRST, the program was designed
to help improve the management
of Texas school districts' financial
resources.
Each school district is required
to hold a public hearing, similar to
SISD's public hearing Monday
night, to distribute a financial
management report that explains
the district's performance under
each of the 21 specific indicators
and the district's rating.
Since it's inception, SISD has
not had lower than a "Superior
Achievement" rating, which is the
highest rating that the TEA gives in
the rating system.
Board members, along with
Superintendent Doug Harriman,
gave a plaque of appreciation
to State Representative Delwin
Jones (R) of Lubbock, who
represents Gaines County and
District 83 in the Texas House of
Representatives, for his dedicated
service to SISD and Gaines County
voters in the recent 79th Legislative
Session and two special sessions
called by Governor Rick Perry for
school finance reform.
District 83 includes portions
of Lubbock County, as well as
Hockley, Cochran, Yoakum and
Gaines Counties.
"We want to express our
appreciation to Representative
Jones. He did what a representative
should do, he represented those
who elected him," said Harriman
during the presentation.
"Because of Rep. Jones and a
few other representatives, bills that
were not good for pubic education
and for the children of Texas were
not passed into law. What he
did in Austin took courage and
strong resolve to do what is best
for kids."
In other action Monday night,
Board Trustees approved of the
purchase of property, casualty,
auto and school board liability
insurance by Trident Insurance
Services, which is offered by
Moore-Haralson Insurance
Agency.
The premium for the district
was quoted at $139,642, which is
an estimated $13,000 down from
one year ago, according to SISD
Business Manager Johnny Hill.
Board members also approved
See Schools...Page 2A
Sentinel Photo/Dutln Wright
NEW VOTING MACHINES
Caines County Clerk Vicki Phillips (left) shows Seminole ISD Board
Trustees and others In attendance at Monday night's meeting, how the
new electronic voting machines will work. The County recently received
the machines and will be using them, along with paper ballots, during the
upcoming November Constitutional Amendment elections. Phillips stated
to the board that she has been trying to get the word out about the new
machines and hopes that the hassle free voting'machine will draw more
Gaines County voters to the polls.
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WEST TEXAS SUNRISE
ThJfarh
Sentinel Photo/Blake Ovard
fly morning sun just peeks over the horizon for the start of new day
for West Texans Tuesday morning, as the nighttime sky and clouds top off
a picture perfect morning that those in the Semiole area, as well as those
on the South Plains and Permian Basin are accustomed to. Temperatures
have been in the low to mid 90's for the past several days, and occasional
thunderstorms have rolled through the area. Weather forecasters are call-
ing for similar weather conditions for the remainder of the week.
Council Encourages Citizens
tel Help with Hurricane
Katrina Relief Needs
Blake Ovard
Seminole Sentinel
The Seminole City Council
held it’s regularly scheduled meet-
ing on Monday, September, the
12th in the Council Chambers. The
meeting was called to order at 7:02
p.m. by Mayor Mike Carter.
City Administrator Tommy
Phillips addressed the Council,
giving an update on the baseball
/softball complex, and the pro-
posed schedule for accepting bids
for the irrigation system.
City Administrator Phillips
also gave the update on a de-
molition that was to take place at
203 SW Avenue H. As part of his
report, Phillips reported that there
seemed to be some discrepancy
between siblings as to who ac-
tually owned the property, and
the city decided to wait on the
outcome of that discourse to start
demolition of the property.
In the mean time, some
unknown person, or persons
went into the structure and did
considerable damage to the prop^
erty. Because of the extent of the
damage, the City Administrator
thought it best to go ahead and
demolish the structure.
There were no corrections to
the minutes from the last meeting,
and the minutes were accepted.
The Council paid the bills in two
different motions.
There was expected to be a
presentation from County Clerk
Vicki Phillips regarding the new
county voting equipment, but s ie
was held up at the school borrd
meeting.
The Council then condu< ted
the first hearing on the fiscal year
2005-2006 tax rate, and gave a
call for comments. There were no
comments.
The Council also unanimous-
ly re-appointed Hilton Nolen to
See Council...Page 3A
Wright Words... Cotton
Pickin’Goobers?
By Dustin Wright
Sentinel Managing Editor
Ever since word broke a few weeks ago that the NCAA was thinking
of forcing a change in the mascots of those universities that portrayed
Native Americans, several colleges have been to find another mascot
for their sporting teams, and 1 got to thinking of what could happen to
our beloved Seminole Indians mascot.
In a story produced by this writer in this publication, SISD
Superintendent Doug Harriman stated that he would not insist a change
in Seminole's mascot name, until the University. Interscholastic League
made Texas schools do so. ,
Although, I didn't feel that Seminole Indian fans would have to learn
to love a new mascot name, our minds Were put to ease in a news story
produced in the Sunday edition of the Lubbock Aualanche-Joumal.
On the front page of the second section, 1 saw a headline that stated
that NCAA school? were fighting back against the governing organization,
and acquiring the blessing of the local Native American tribes for the
usage of their Native American nicknames.
Already, the Florida Nation of the Seminole Indian Tribe has given
their blessing for Florida State University to continue the usage of their
"Seminoles" nickname, and were even quoted by a tribe spokesman as
"proud to be associated with Florida State and all of it's activities." v
See Wright Words...Page 3A
As you know, ‘Katrina* left in its wake suffering above and beyond anything we could ever imagine. Our hearts go out to the
many thousands of families who have lost their homes, jobs, business, family and friends. Please join us in our fund raising
efforts for the month of September. Call or come by and tell us you want to donate to the ‘Katrina Relief Fund* today!
All proceeds will be donated to the American Red Cross.
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Wright, Dustin. Seminole Sentinel (Seminole, Tex.), Vol. 96, No. 97, Ed. 1 Wednesday, September 14, 2005, newspaper, September 14, 2005; Seminole, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth825006/m1/1/: accessed May 7, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Gaines County Library.