The Alto Herald and The Wells News 'N Views (Alto, Tex.), Vol. 87, No. 6, Ed. 1 Thursday, June 17, 1982 Page: 1 of 10
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The Alto Herald
and
Established 1896
Vol. 87, No. 6
77ie Wells News 7V Views
Alio, Texas 75925 — Thursday, June 17,1982
15c Per Issue
10 Pages
Home of
'Jored Hill Plantation
SOME ALTO AREA children and their teachers from Vacation Bible School at First Baptist Church of Alto en-
joyed a picnic lunch last Friday on the shady lawn of the Old Mitchell House. The church is advertising for bids to
have the historic Alto landmark moved from the property. -photo by vivian toole
County Agent Resigns
At Commissioners Meeting Monday
Cherokee County Extension Agent
Johnnie McKay told members of the
County Commissioners Court Monday
morning that he plans to retire Aug
31 He reported at the regular com-
missioners’ meeting his intentions,
but said a letter of resignation would
be forthcoming
McKay was praised by members of
the court for the excellent job he had
done in heading the county extension
service as its agriculture agent.
McKay served as an associate coun-
ty agent from Jan. 10, 1955, to Sept 30,
1956 during Cherokee County Pilot
County Days. He left Cherokee County
for a six year tenure in Panola Coun-
ty, then another year in Houston
County before returning to Cherokee
County. He was appointed county
agent for Cherokee County in
February of 1962 and has served in
that capacity since
In another matter, McKay
distributed new Cherokee County long
range extension programs tor the
years 1982-87, compiled by his office.
During the regular session of the
commissioners' session, members
approved the purchase of Lot 14,
Block 158 of the City of Jacksonville
for $1,500 The property, now owned
by H.O. Clark, is 60 ft by 92.75 ft and
is adjacent to the Precinct 3 county
barn. Judge Orvan B. Jones explained
to the audience following an executive
session that the county had been using
the property free of charge for several
years, and now the owner has agreed
to make it available to the county for
purchase.
A pickup truck for Precinct 2 was
purchased from Pearman Motor Co.
at a cost of $7,863 93. The original
price of the truck is $8,163.93, but the
county will be allowed a $300 rebate
from Dodge, according to the bid.
Other bids were $7,968 from Pear-
man Chevrolet Co in Alto and
$8,746.23 from McRae Ford Co. of
Jacksonville
A bid from Plains Machinery Co. in
the amount of $6,311 72 for repair of a
grader in Precinct I was approved No
other bid was submitted.
Salary increases included in depar-
tment budgets were approved for Don
Cox, Precinct 1 employee and E C.
Morris of Precinct 4 staff Both men
were increased from $918 monthly to
$943, with increases effective June 16.
A resolution was presented at the
meeting from the Cherokee Bar
Association and signed by David R.
Sorrell, bar president, and Elmer C.
Beckworth Jr., chairman of the law
library committee.
The resolution states that the
library fees from district court cases
will be hiked from $3 per case to $6 per
case.
The county attorneys asked that books
including federal tax regulations,
Texas Register, C.C.H. Labor Law,
C.C.H Labor Cases, Bankruptcy Ser-
vice; Collier’s Bankruptcy, Personal
Injury and Transaction Guide be soid
from the law library and that
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puuiiMici a uc iiutiiicu uiat auuau »p-
tions be cancelled
County Clerk Fairy Upshaw
discussed with the commissioners
restoration of old deed records being
kept in her office.
Judge Jones reported that taxes
Ed Summers, a Kansas native has
been named administrator of Rusk
Memorial Hospital. Summers
assumed his duties at the hospital on
Monday.
He holds a bachelor's degree in
physical therapy from the University
of Kansas and master’s degree from
the University of Houston in ad-
ministration of health services.
Summers and his wife, Sandra are
members of the Presbyterian church
The new hospital administrator
says he likes small towns, as he grew
up in one at Clay Center, Kansas
were not coming in as fast as had been
anticipated with some $98,000 still out
in tax revenue budgeted to the general
fund and $85,000 in tax revenue
budgeted for road and bridge.
Most of these taxes will come before
taxes become delinquent, but the
county will lose part of its deposit in-
terest budgeted into the anticipated
county funds.
Jones reported he thought the $235
price per book to be restored was cer-
tainly a good price. The company will
reproduce the books, bind them and
make permanent records, as well as
microfilm the instruments.
Another company had told him that
they would only make photostatic
copied books for the $235 per book.
Action concerning restoration of the
deed records was tabled until the
county budget hearing on July 12.
Judge Jones reported to com-
missioners that the Cherokee County
Appraisai District Budget naa Deen
received and the county assessment
would be $140,642 The 1982
assessment had been $33,000 per quar-
ter and that $35,160 quarterly had
been estimated for the next
assessment
Following graduation from high
school, he served as a VISTA volun-
teer in Puerto Rico and later in New
York.
After VISTA days, Summers
received his bachelor's degree and
practiced for some four years in
Houston He then completed his
master’s degree and was employed
with the Institute for Rehabilitation
Research in Houston.
He says he wants to insure quality
care for the patients at the hospital
and make the hospital a medical
facility that all the citizenry of Rusk
can be proud
Administrator Is Named
Alto Objects to Hike
Alto Mayor Jack Mertz and mem-
bers of the Alto Council have signed
letters of protest concerning a recent
letter to them from United Gas
Pipeline Co. giving notice of ap-
plication for higher gas rates effective
July 1.
The mayor and council wrote letters
to the company, Rep Sam B Hall and
Senators Lioyd M. Bentsen and John
G. Tower concerning the rate hike.
A letter was also mailed to Kenneth
P Plumb, secretary of the Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission,
along with copies of the four other let-
ters.
In the letter to Plumb, city fathers
said they were writing the letter to
protest the proposed rate increase of
natural gas sold to the City of Alto
Natural Gas Co. by United Gas Pipe
Line Co.
The letters to Hall. Bentsen, Tower
and the company stated:
“We are a small town of 1,200 who
own and operate their own gas system
with gas being furnished by United
Gas Pipe Line Company,
“Attached is a letter from United
Gas Pipe Line advising that they are
seeking a rate increase If approved,
this will be the second rate increase
this year The first increase was 4095
per MCF, the second will be 3343 per
MCF or a total increase of .7438 per
MCF thus far this year
“We are certainly for the free en-
terprise system and we would like to
see that corporations and investors
get a fair return on their investments,
but the energy producing area is way
out of control. Other businesses and
some labor unions are making efforts
to control excess spending and
operate more efficiently, which has
aided the administration in reducing
the inflation rate, but the energy
people continue on their merry way,
raising prices at every opportunity.
“To illustrate how devastating gas
rates have become: Gas rates were
.4620 MCF in 1974...since then, we
have been besieged with price in-
creases, as many as four increases
per year Present rate with latest
suggested increase will be $4.1710 per
MCF
AISD Sets
Agenda
Trustees for the Alto ISD will meet
at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the high
school library to discuss personnel
matters, select a member to
represent the district on the joint
committee for Region VII, approve
loans for two buses and approve time
warrants for the new field house
The board is expected to accept
resignations for Judith Kirkland and
Lillian Landrum. Replacement will
be employed at the meeting.
Superintendent John Cook will
report on paving at the school com-
plex, summer projects, construction
progress at the new field house, report
from the Cherokee County Central
Appraisal District and a refund for
unemployment insurance in the
amount of $700
The board will discuss a contract
with Region VII for media services at a
cost to the district of $1 per ADA.
Under the heading of old business
the board will hear a report concer-
ning repairs of the high school roof,
approve on the second reading a
policy for payroll dates and discuss
proposal by the Cold Springs
Methodist Church concerning tran-
sfer of school owned property to the
church.
Shirley Babb, tax assessor collector
will present her monthly report at the
meeting.
“The majority of us are for fewer
Government controls, but the feeling
is now that you put us into this
situation, so now you should make an
effort to get us out.
“As our elected representative, we
are asking that you take whatever ac-
tion is necessary to relieve your con-
stituents of the ororus burden of in-
creasing energy prices. ’ ’
Wells City Retains
Firm To Collect $$$
In a tie vote, broken only by the
mayor casting a ballot, Wells aider-
men accepted the law firm of Dendy
and Longino as representatives in the
collection of back taxes owed the city.
The action came during the
regularly scheduled city meeting
Monday evening. Voting for the hiring
of the firm were William Durham and
Tom Ed Doss. Voting against were
Floyd Cartwright and Louis “Slim”
Williams. Because Alderman James
Seymore was absent, Mayor C.W.
Williams had to break the tie and he
voted to hire the firm.
Council members heard a report
from Charles Thomas of the Angelina
and Neches River Authority concer-
ning its study of waste water
requirements and also heard G and W
Sanitation representatives. John
Tatum and Ed Wilson, discuss trash
pickup in the city
In other business, the C'ty Council
voted to send letters to owners of un-
sanitary lots to enlist their
cooperation in cleaning up their
property, voted to repair a city dump
truck and decided that a street main-
tenance project would be carried on
with the help of CETA employees
presently working for the city in a
summer program
TABS Report Given
Wells School Board trustees heard a
report on the Texas Assessment of
Basic Skills test given at the end of the
school year to students in the third,
fifth and ninth grades at its regular
board meeting Monday evening
The TABS test measures basic
skills in mathematics, reading and
writing.
The third grade excelled in solving
word problems, multiplying whole
numbers and identification of values
of money. A problem for the students
was subtraction of whole numbers In
reading, students scored 100 per cent
in following written directions and
placed high on recalling facts and
details, recognition of words through
phonic analysis and recogmzation of
words by sight. Third graders also
scored 100 per cent in spelling on the
writing section of the test and also on
the capitalization section Good
scores were shown in correct English
usage
Fifth graders scored 92 per cent on
multiplying and dividing whole num-
bers and also on reading and inter-
preting charts and graphs They also
scored high on adding, subtracting
whole numbers, finding total dollar
amount and correci change and
determining distance and location on
maps Thp group’s lowest score was
in solving personal finance problems.
In reading, the students were highest
in following written directions and in
the use of reference skills and the use
of maps and charts And, in spelling
the group scored a % per cent
Results from the ninth grade tests
indicated 100 per cent in the addition
of whole numbers and high scores in
subtraction and multiplication of
whole numbers and in interpretation
of graphs The lowest math score
came in interpreting place value In
reading, 100 per cent was scored in
using context clues with high scores in
following written directions, using in-
dex maps and charts and in iden-
tification of character feelings In
writing, there were high scores in
spelling, capitalization, sentence
structure and commonly used forms
Of the 84 students tested in the three
grades none placed in the illegible
category in handwriting
In other business, board members
approved the Five Year Accreditation
Update and the Needs and Goals for
the Second Cycle of the Five Year Ac-
creditation Plan
J.,:
FIRE FIGHTING PRACTICE-Wells Volunteer Fire Department
members were on hand to practice fire fighting techniques when some
old roofing shingles were burned recently at Wells Lumber and Har-
dware. Manning the hoses, left to right, are Volunteer Fire Chief
Terry Jackson and volunteers Pam Jacobs and Ray Bradfield
-photo by diana speer
CCAD Directors Accept New Budget; Less Than Last Year
Cherokee County Appraisal District
directors accepted a 1983 proposed
district budget totaling some $520,640
at a meeting Thursday afternoon. The
proposed budget will be mailed to all
taxing units within the district. A
budget hearing and approval of the
budget will be held prior to Sept. 15
The 1982 budget totaled $547,595.
Payroll will cost the district some
$310,230, compared to $310,935 for the
year 1982 Of the payroll proposed
budgeted expenses a total of $279,380
will go towards salaries, compared to
$280,225 in 1982 The lower salary total
is credited to the fact that one em-
ployee will be eliminated and another
will be transferred to head the tax
collection program with her salary
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Retirement will remain at the same
$19,650 as budgeted in 1982.
Hospitalization insurance will be in-
creased from $7,560 to $9,450; work-
man compensation will be decreased
from $1,750 to $1,250 and unem-
ployment insurance will be decreased
from $1,750 to $500
In the contracted services division,
budgeted items will increase from
$106,410 to $111,260. Itemized entries
show computer services increased
from $26,000 to $30,000; professional
services from $49,760 to $55,760; audit
from $1,500 to $1,750; board of review
decreased from $3,000 to $1,500; legal
fees went down from $2,500 to $500;
deed records services remained at
$4,000; custodian services at $4,250;
utilities arc increased from $5,250 to
$8,250; telephone increased from
$4,750 to $5,250, but building rent for
$5,400 in 1982 was eliminated in 1983
because the agency will be in its new
quarters at the site of the present
Rusk Federal Building.
The building has been purchased for
$140,000 with $43,000 down payment in
1982 and another $25,500 budgeted for
the 1983 budget. The building is to be
paid ouit in four years from purchase.
A total of $2,500 for leased equip-
ment was budgeted both in 1982 and
1983
Maintenance budget was increased
from $1,950 to $3,900 showing building
maintenance increased from $1,000 to
$2,500, machinery and equipment
maintenance from $500 to $750 and
service contracts increased from $450
to $650.
Insurance for blanket bonds and
automobiles will remain at $3,250.
Bond insurance will be increased
from $1,250 to $2,250 and automobile
insurance decreased from $2,000 to
$1,000.
Automobiles and allowances will be
decreased from $34,900 to $32,000 A
breakdown of the entry shows leased
autos decreased from $17,650 to
$11,000 and employee auto allowances
increased from $4,800 to $13,500.
These changes result from Sid Dan-
ner, chief appraiser, not using a
leased automobile, but having an auto
allowance during 1983. Auto main-
tenance decreased from $1,500 in 1982
to $1,000 in 1983. gasoline, oil and tires
were decreased from $10,950 in 1982 to
$6,500 in 1983.
Employees travel expenses were
decreased from $5,000 to $3,500; direc-
tors expenses remained at $500; sub-
scriptions and dues increased from
$950 to $1,000; and statutory adver-
tising remained at $250
Office supplies and expenses were
decreased from $30,000 to $19,000 in
1983
Furniture and fixtures were
decreased from $1,500 to $1,000 and
machinery and equipment were
decreased from $4,950 to $750
The proposed budget in 1982
estimated state revenue received by
the district would total $10,000 No
state monies were allocated by the
legislature for appraisal Histrirt after
1982
County line district costs were in-
creased from $26,000 to $30,000 These
funds are costs of appraisal work for
portions of Independent School
Districts for Wells, Maydelle and
Troup that lie outside Cherokee Coun-
ty The three districts pay the entire
cost of the out of county appraisal
work with all other appraisal work
divided proportionately among the
various districts
The $43,000 used tor a down
payment on the Rusk Federal
Building in 1982 was carry-over from
1981, leaving a budgeted hilling
amount of $468,595
The taxing units estimated com-
bined billing for 1983 should run
$490,640
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The Alto Herald and The Wells News 'N Views (Alto, Tex.), Vol. 87, No. 6, Ed. 1 Thursday, June 17, 1982, newspaper, June 17, 1982; Alto, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth844003/m1/1/: accessed April 19, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Stella Hill Memorial Library.