Friday's Internet Edition, July 04, 2008.
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| Artists concept drawing of the proposed EDC Apartment Complex. (Photo courtesy of AdventGX) |
- Trustees of Culberson County-Allamoore Independent School District spent much of last week reviewing the nearly 50 applications they had received for the Athletic Director/Head Football Coach position they were seeking.
Following the application review process, trustees narrowed the field down to about eight candidates and spent the weekend interviewing candidates.
At Monday’s board meeting, they made their selection official. Trustees extended a contract to Jose Salinas to be our next Athletic Director/Head Football coach.
Salinas will be coming to Van Horn as soon as he is released by his present school district to begin the process of assembling coaching staff for all Eagle athletic programs.
Salinas will be coming to Van Horn from a 1-A school district in the Texas valley near Lyford where he has been serving as AD and head football coach. Salinas has over 18 years experience as a coach/head coach and is optimistic about turning the Van Horn program around.
Additionally, he is a certified math teacher and he will be teaching some math classes here as well. Salinas is married and his wife is also a certified math teacher and business computer technology teacher.
Trustees are pleased that Salinas has accepted the AD position. Outgoing Athletic Director Paul Uranga will become Athletic Coordinator/Trainer and will be assisting Salinas with some of his duties.
During Monday’s meeting, trustees also accepted some resignations from the High School Counselor and from Mr. B.O. Buchhorn who is going to retire.
During the meeting, trustees also rehired teachers and staff and made a determination to let some go. The list of hires and those let go was not made available to the Advocate by press time and will be reported later.
Superintendent Anne Pemberton reported that she has the 3rd and 5th grade reading TAKS results back and they are pretty good. The 3rd grade reading passing percentage was 83%, far above last years figure. The 5th grade reading passing rate was 64%, again ahead of last year’s figures.
Those were the only TAKS results she had other than to report that at the high school, we have more than 5 and less than 10 seniors that must still pass the math or science portion of the TAKS in order to graduate. They’ll have one more opportunity to take the tests in April.
With regard to other agenda items considered at Monday’s meeting, the following actions were taken:
* Discussed instituting a Science First and a Driver’s Education program at the high school. Trustees approved of the concept but await further information.
* Trustees opened vehicle bids from three suppliers. Since the bids were very close, trustees opted to talk with each vendor and take the vehicles with the best delivery time.
* Trustees considered a proposed change order on the concession stand/restrooms at the baseball field. They approved changing the location of the concession stand/restrooms to the north side of the field in the vicinity of the north dugout.
* They approved a change order regarding the new science tables for the science labs to get the tables with the proper height as required.
* Trustees discussed some possible wording changes to the district policy manuel.
* They approved the sale of property which the Appraisal District reports will get it back on the tax rolls. The other taxing entities have already approved the sale.
* Trustees also approved bills and salaries amounting to $825,129.56. Of that sum, $382,397.59 was for salaries and related expense, $115,066.88 was for interest and sinking expense, and $327,665.09 was for monthly bills.
* After hearing principal reports from the various campuses, trustees learned that enrollment in the district stands at 576. That breaks down as follows: Van Horn High School - 129; Van Horn Junior High - 131; and Eagle Elementary - 256.
Trustees have scheduled another meeting for Monday, April 2nd, to finish out the agenda which had to be changed in the interest of time.
EDC directors determined to find apartment complex financing
Directors of Van Horn’s Economic Development Corporation (EDC) met Tuesday afternoon and voted to seek funding to build a 20-unit apartment complex here.
The directors had several months ago voted to financially back the proposed project however lending institutions wanted firm construction estimates before they would talk specifics.
So, directors set about getting firm construction estimates utilizing a construction management firm out of Fredicksburg.
And, what they further learned was that for construction economy, the project would have to be done all together. Originally, they concept was construct 3 units (12 apartments) and then come back and construct 2 more units at a later date. Now, the complex will have 5 units (20 apartments) all built as a single project.
The firm construction estimate for the project was projected to come in at $1.250 million and the firm construction estimates as compiled by the management firm came in at $1.255 million. That amounts to $68 per square foot.
Jose Quintana, of AdventGX who is assisting the EDC in finding lenders, took the construction numbers and put them into revised cash flow projections and these numbers are what they will take to lenders.
EDC directors voted Tuesday to proceed with the effort to attract lenders for the project. Jose Quintana told directors that they are looking at three lenders right now and the prospects are good that at least one of them will finance the project.
What directors will be looking for is financing $1.25 million over a 30 year period. They hope to get an interest rate of 8.5% or better.
The construction management firm estimates that construction could begin within 60 days of receipt of a loan commitment and the entire project could be completed within 10-12 months.
EDC directors still believe the apartment complex is needed in Van Horn to fill a critical need for rental property. And, while this project is ongoing, the EDC directors will continue their attempt to find a buyer for the complex.
EDC directors include Laura Barragan, Sam Bhakta, Paul Blankenburg, Becky Brewster, Susie Hinojos, Larry Simpson, and Linda Tarango. EDC executive director is Jeff McCoy.