Portland News (Portland, Tex.), Vol. 15, No. 30, Ed. 1 Thursday, July 24, 1980 Page: 1 of 13
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POR TLAND
Dedicated To The Best Interests
Of Portland
"Gem Citv Of The Gulf1"
Portland. Texas 78374, Thursday. July 24, 1980
Volume XV - Fourteen Pasts - He 30
NEWS
City Faces Facts
Budget Study
Brings Gloom
There was a gloomy at-
mosphere at city hall Tuesday
night as city council members
Schottl Taxes
No Interest In
Public Hearing
There were no residents pre-
sent and no questions brought
forth at a public hearing held
by the G-P 1SD board of
trustees Thursday night con-
cerning the increase in school
taxes for the 1980-81 school
year.
The proposed budget calls for
a 7». per cent increase in ad
valor urn taxes
The 1980-81 budget of
$7,068,335 is an increase of
$901,347 over the 1979-80 budget
of $6,166,988
Salary Increases account for
$618,584 of the hike This in-
cludes a reduction in teacher-
student ratio.
Outside contract services are
up by $101,785; supplies.
$61,484. other expenses,
$52,922; and capital outlay,
$71,070 Debt service is down by
$4,498
Assessed taxable valuation is
$371,345,000 A 100 per cent col-
lection of the tax roll would br-
ing in $2,710,818 for the
operating fund, and $406,480 for
interest and the sinking fund.
This would make the total taxes
collectable (based on 96 per
cent I $2,994,526
The estimated enrollment for
September is 4.300 students, an
increase of about 175 to 200 over
the previous year
Net cost per pupil will be
$1,543.92 with the state picking
up $884 of the amount, and the
school district coming in with
$659.87
met in their first workshop ses-
sion to formulate the 1980-81
budget.
City Manager Bill lewis
painted a picture of city
finances which immediately in-
dicated that additional revenue
would have to be raised to pro-
vide the necessary funding to
provide city services.
lewis explained that the city
staff had slashed requests from
department heads to provide
the most austere budget possi-
ble and that there still was a
gap of about $160,000 m making
it a balanced budget.
The city will not know the ex-
act amount of taxes that will be
collected off this year’s tax
rolls until the tax roll is cer-
tified; however, an estimate
made by city staff is about
$800,000
“This is not enough to pay the
See BUDGET, Page 7
Watering Schedule
The 2ti-inch downpour
the city experienced Tues-
day evening surely helped,
but the water shortage pro-
blem has not been
eliminated, City Manager
BUI 1-ewi* said yesterday.
The schedule for water-
ing lawns and shrubbery,
and for washing of vehicles
remains in effect until fur-
ther notice.
On the east side of
Highway 181. residents ran
water between 7 and 11
a.m. on Tuesdays, and on
the west side of the
highway, watering Is per-
mitted between 7 and 11
a.m. on Wednesdays.
An emergency city or-
dinance was passed July 1$
which is in effect for II
days. The ordinance sets
(he times and days for
watering and vehicle
washing.
Cotton Crop Hit
bains which fell Tuesday
afternoon damaged an already
drought ravaged cottoo crop in
San Patricio County, and while
«the extent of the damage was
not yet determined Thursday
morning, farmers and glnners
alike are w orried it may be the
final (ouch which could wipe
out some crops.
After months of drought and
high temperatures, the unex-
pected rains were definitely
bad news Only an estimated
‘ ten percent of approximately
115.000 acres of cotton planted
tn this county has been
harvested. As much as 2W in-
’ ches were reported
"With the drought, the crop
was set real low to the ground,
and mud splashing on it is
never good." County Agent
Mike Kothrock said. “The yield
is going to be reduced, no doubt
about it," Rock rock said, ad-
ding that “tile quality and
grade is also going to be hurt ”
Strong winds in some areas ad-
ded to the damage, and
farmers are wondering if even
a return to the hot sunny
weather will help much.
Hot, dry weather has allowed
the cotton harvest to get into
high gear duimg the past week,
as San Patricio County Gins
reported processing almost
6.000 bales. Actually, the
week’s total of 5,995 bales
boosted the total to date to 6,065
bales. Some of the gins are
already working round the
clock, while others are prepar-
ing to.
As of noon Tuesday most of
the gins had received cotton;,
and the comnments were pret-
ty much the same, "staple is
short, quality is fair, cotton is
miking low, and the gins are
finding a lot of trash in the cot-
ton." Estimates of crop yield
seem to liave settled on an
average of about half-bale to
the acre
For Portland
Sales Tax Rebate
Up Over Last Year
San Patricio County cities
received $38,866 44 in sales tax
rebates for June, according to
information released by the
■ state comptrollers office
recently This was $2,145 91 leas
than was rebated for the same
period in 1979, or a drop of ap-
proximately five percent.
Statewide the comptrollers of-
fice said the rebates were up
about 6 6 percent.
For the year to date,
however, county cities are run-
ning 16 percent ahead of last
year, with rebates totaling
$545,310.61 compared to
$468,652.21 in 1979 Statewide,
rebates this year are just
slightly ahead of the 13 percent
inflation rate reported by the
federal government, the comp-
trollers office said
The rebates are for the op
tional one-percent city sales
tax collected with the sate sales
tax collected by merchants and
businesses and rebated on a
monthly basis by the comp
troller's office to the cities
where it is collected.
In June, five cities, Mathis.
(Mem, Sinton, Portland and In-
gleside received rebates topp
ing last year. However,
Gregory. Taft and Aransas
Pass received less, pulling the
overall rebate below 1979.
Mathis showed an increase of
$873.84 i V percent) to post the
best mark for June. Odem was
up $756 46 ($8 percent); Sinton
up $71$.8$ (10 percent);
Portland up $46886 (5 per-
cent). and Ingleside. up $325 40
(13 percent i Gregory was
down $1085 40; Taft dropped
$1842.4$; and Aransas Pass was
down $2,357.33
For the year all county cities
except Gregory and Odem
showed increase* Gregory was
virtually the same as in 1979,
decreasing $23.23, while Odem
dropped $2.144 86 (11 percent)
for the year to date
Portland had the biggest in-
crease dollar wise followed by
Ingleside, Aransas Pass. Sin-
See REBATE, Page 7
The Odem-Edroy area seems
to have the earliest cotton, with
Snuth Coop Gin, west of Odem,
reporting 1789 bales last week,
for a total of 1841 to date. A cou-
ple of hundred more bales are
on the lot, and the gin is in full
swing.
Edroy Coop Gin at Edroy is
operating on a 24-hour day, and
has received 1724 bales to date,
1719 of them during the past
week.
Hartzendorf gin, near Sinton,
has received 692 bales to dale
They expected to start
operating full swing, around
the clock, Tuesday night, and a
similar situation exists at the
San Pat gin between Sinton and
Taft, where 659 bales have been
received and ginning was ex-
pected to get into full swing by
Wednesday.
West Portland gin reported
535 bales to up the total to date
to 545, and reports just really
getting started.” Midway Gin
has received 333 bales, 330 of
them during the past week
Here again, reports state the
harvest Is just getting under-
way. Some growers in the area
said this week that they were
just now getting defoliating
completed. The gin at West Sin-
ton is just getting started,
handling 115 bales to date, and
is expecting their peak next
week.
At Mathis, Porter Gin reports
ginning just getting underway,
with 81 bales handled, all dur-
See CROP, Page 7
The Rains ('ante, Briefly
It was a long hot dry spell, but the 2' > inch ram that hit the city Tuesday evening went a long
way to give some relief to parched lawns, shrubbery and the cracked ground in general.
Memorial drainage ditch, shown here as it goes under Moore Avenue, had a brisk flow
within minutes of the beginning ol the torrential downpour (NEWS Photo)
Season Tickets
Now On Sale
Season tickets for the G-P Wildcats 1960 football season
are on sale at the school district administration building at
Gregory' lor those persons who had season tickets last year
1-ast season's ticket holders have through Aug. 15 to
make their purchase. Tickets must be bought in person.
A season ticket book is $12.50 for the five games to be
played in Wildcat Stadium.
Parents of varsity team members who do not have
season tickets will have first choice in the purchase of tickets
Aug. 18 and 19.
On Aug. 20, remaining tickets will go on sale on a first
come, first served basis.
Tickets may be purchased between 8 a.m. and 5 p in
Monday through Friday.
Meeting In Austin Today
Alternate Dump Site Sought
Possibility of pinpointing an
alternate site for the dumping
of dredge spoil from the Corpus
Chnsti ship channel will be one
of the main topics of discussion
today (Thursday i at a meeting
to be held in Austin
Representatives of Senators
John Tower and Lloyd
Bentsen. various federal
agencies involved with the
dump site, and from the
governor's office will attend
This was one of a number of
actions that were discussed
Monday night at a meeting of
the Coastal Bend Land
Preservation Association at
Taft First Methodist Church.
Stanley Webb III of Odem,
chairman of the Association's
alternate site committee, said
that four alternates to dumping
the dredge on farmland two
miles west of Portland are
being explored
He noted that one of the
proposals was to pipe the spoil
to the gulf and disperse it
there The contaminated top
two feet of the dredge would be
placed on land now owned by
the Corpus Christ! Navigation
District for storage purpose
Tne dredge going to the gulf
would tie virgin unconlain-
Give'Em A Chance,
Move Over A Little
When the city fire siren sounds, volunteer firemen must
respond from various parts of the city
This is done in their private vehicles, most with just the
precaution of blinking caution lights. Some have installed, at
their own expense, rotating lights on top of vehicles.
• Upon occasion, other drivers not knowing of the
emergency situation involved have failed to give the right-of-
way, and in some instances collisions were barely averted
City Manager Hill laiwis asks all residents to be on the
watch for such vehicles, especially upon hearing the fire
siren, and to provide them the right-of-way
These volunteers are giving of their time freely to offer
the residents fire protection At times, they risk their lives in
saving private property They deserve your consideration,"
he said
For Life Pak .>
J**l Beil (right), president ot Portland State Bank, hands a check (or MS0 on behalf oi the
bank to Frank Wright, police department paramedic The money is to assist defray cost ol a
Lite Pek J Ilia sustaining system lor the Portland ambulance operated by the police depart
menl With this contribution, the goal is in sight lor the purchase Wright noted, howevor,
that contributions continue to be needed to put the protect over the top He can be contacted
through the police dispatcher (NEWS Photo)
nated clay
Other proposals currently
under consideration by the
committee are not to a point
where they can be discussed
Such premature public
discussion could possibly
jeapordize the effort, Webb
said
The Soil Conservation
Agency is actively engaged in
seeking out an alternate site,
he noted
Possibility of another site
available for the dump is the
subject of a letter that is being
sent to the U S. Army Corps of
Engineers, prime agency
concerned with establishment
of such a site, by State
Representative Leroy Wietlng,
Webb announced
"Some leads are being put
together and we should have
something concrete to offer at
the next meeting,” Webb told
the group
The Association will meet at
8:30 p m Monday. July 28. at
the Kiva Hut at Taft
Van Hilliard, of Alice,
speaking for the political
action committee, said that a
meeting with U S
Representative Joy Wyatt had
beer, a "good meeting ” Wyatt
met with representatives of the
Corps of Engineers who told
him that they would be willing
to change the dump site if a
suitable alternate site could be
found
“Our recommendations for
an alternate site should get
back to Wyatt, who will go with
them to the Corps of
Engineers." Hilliard
explained
He also noted that a letter
and a packet of material on the
problem of possible dumping of
dredge on farmland had gone
to each U. S Congressman
from Texas
A packet of material has
gone to the President and a
similar package will be sent to
Republican candidate Ronald
Reagan. Hilliard noted
Woody Jones of Corpus
Christi. chairman of the legal
affairs committee, said that
the signatories of the articles of
incorporation to be filed in
Austin for the nonprofit
Association were Ben Gallant,
and Randy Reddick, Tom
Reding and Mary Syma of
Taft II is being asked that
contributions to the
Association be tax exempt;
however, Jones said he was
doubtful if the Internal
Revenue Service would
approve such consideration.
Jones said that he had been
in contact with the Pacific
Land Federation in
Sacramento, Calif , which is a
nonprofit group that enters into
disputes such as the dump
problem here He noted that
the group has interest in the
fight being made, and that they
have been successful in similar
undertakings
■See DUMP, Page 7
Come Sing With I s
G-P Community Chorus
Looks For New Members
Come sing with us!
Anyone is invited to join the
Gregory-Portland Community
Chorus, if they are 18 or older
i not attending high school l and
like to sing. No auditions re-
quired.
Revised plans call for the
chorus to begin Ian iking perfor-
mances with organizations,
clubs or other groups who are
interested in having the chorus
sing at a meeting, banquet or
other function.
Bookings will be accepted for
performances in the fall of thus
year Any organization in-
terested should contact I aura
Adams at 643-7405
Persons interested in joining
the chorus as a singer may con-
tact Deany Glover at 643-2753
or Ann Crane at 643-5346 for ad-
ditional information
New members and interested
persons are encouraged to at-
tend the meeting at 7 29 p.m
Monday, Aug. 4. at First Bap-
tist Church choir room.
"If you really want to be an ac-
tive, entertaining part of
Gregory and Portland, now is
the time. You will be glad you
did and so will we,” a
spokesman said
A special message, Issued by
chorus president, Carolyn
Turner, advised, “It is im-
perative that 'all' present
members of the chorus be in at-
tendance at the meeting Mon-
day, July 28.” Melva Sebesta,
chorus director, will be present
and organizational plans will
be completed
First Baptist Offers
‘Mother's Day Out'
First Baptist Day School will
begin a Mother's Day Out
program Thursday, Sept 4, at
E'irst Baptist Day School.
Wildcat and Daniel Moore
The program will meet from
9 30 am to 2 30 pm each
Thursday ol the month with the
exception of holidays Children
from the ages of three months
through
served
four years will be
The program will serve 41
children with six workers and
will lie offered on a first come
first served basis Registration
will be held Friday, July 25 A
small fee will be charged to
cover expenses
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Leveen, Paul D. Portland News (Portland, Tex.), Vol. 15, No. 30, Ed. 1 Thursday, July 24, 1980, newspaper, July 24, 1980; Taft, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth871986/m1/1/: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Bell/Whittington Public Library.