Wednesday's Internet Edition, September 08, 2010.
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| Western Bank holds ribbon cutting.... Officers, directors and employees of Western Bank officially opened their new building at 1800 West Broadway on Tuesday with an Open House. Guests and locals were treated to a western barbecue meal and the opportunity to tour the new banking facility. |
- At the City Council meeting Tuesday evening, City Comptroller/Internal Auditor Fran Malafronte offered her report on areas she has improved upon since being named to the post.
Malafronte’s actions seem to be bringing the city into the 21st century by streamlining and computerizing a multitude of areas heretofore being handled manually.
Malafronte reported that she has computerized the Hotel Occupancy Tax, making it much easier to track what motels are paying, if they are paying and if they are paying accurately.
She also reported that she has computerized the LULAC Medical Transportation reports and billing. This makes daily and monthly records keeping and reporting much simpler, and it computerizes the monthly billing process.
The building permit process has also been computerized, making it easier to track building permits year to year and the data is now automatically fed to the Culberson County Appraisal District.
Malafronte reported that she has also, with the assistance of the gas staff, computerized all their reporting to the Railroad Commission of Texas.
Additionally, she reported that she is now able to track fuel purchases by vehicle and can tell which vehicles use fuel and how much and compare it to prior years.
And, she has also assisted the Van Horn Economic Development Corporation by computerizing the general ledger and cash disbursements journal for them. Additionally, she how has computerized their bank reconciliations as well.
Malafronte also reported that she has assisted the Boys and Girls Clubs of Rural West Texas by computerizing all of their general ledger, income statements and profit and loss statements for the past two years.
In addition, Malafronte has also computerized city sales tax receipts, to track that revenue source on a monthly basis; she has computerized the weekly sewerage treatment facility to track influent and effluent; and she has computerized golf course memberships, making them all fall due on January 1st.
But, perhaps the most significant things Malafronte has accomplished involve revenue audit studies for water revenue for years 2005-2007; gas revenues for 2006-2007; an audit of the Hudspeth County Water District; and an audit of fuel purchased comparing 2007 to 2008.
What these audits revealed was eye-opening to council members. With regard to water revenue, she found commercial accounts were being billed with an incorrect meter factor which accounted for over $160,000 in missing revenue. After the factors were corrected, it netted the town approximately $80,000 in 2008 alone.
With regard to the gas audit, she also found incorrect gas metering factors being used there which made it appear as if the city was selling less gas than it was buying. However, this is impossible since the city does not have a gas storage facility. The net revenue gain through 2008 was some $103,000.
The Hudspeth County Water District audit revealed that the system has been out of compliance since 2004. She found some $14,414 which was owed to the town and has since been paid. And, according to Malafronte, it costs Van Horn more to pump the water than Hudspeth County is being billed on a monthly basis.
And, lastly, the fuel purchased audit revealed that the town has used 5,800 gallons less fuel in 2008 than it did in 2007, saving the city some $14,500.
A very good report for being in the position for slightly more than 6 months.
Roll over accident claims one life last Saturday
On Saturday, January 31, 2009 a Culberson County Sheriff’s deputy attempted to initiate a traffic stop on West Broadway for a minor traffic violation.
The violator, operating a green passenger vehicle failed to pull over and sped away. The pursuit ended near Michigan Flat, 13 miles east of Van Horn, when the green passenger vehicle rolled over several times ejecting the two occupants.
The driver, identified as 27 year old Celso Alvarez Martinez, of Honduras, died at the scene. His passenger, 48 year old Felix Mendoza Salinas, of Mexico, was transported to El Paso’s Thomason General Hospital, with sever head injuries.
“Why did they run from police is what we are attempting to determine,” said Sheriff Oscar Carrillo.
“What has been determined is the driver has an extensive history of apprehensions by Border Patrol and a history of running from law enforcement,” according to Sheriff Carrillo. “Additionally,” Carrillo noted, “We suspect alcohol may have been a factor in the incident.”
Investigation continues.