Saturday's Internet Edition, May 17, 2008.
|
| Construction about to start.... Engineers have surveyed and marked the location of the city’s new water line into town from the airport, to be funded with grant money. With this phase completed, can construction be far behind? |
- Culberson County commissioners met Monday morning and right off the bat, heard Sheriff Oscar Carrillo say that he “needed to be able to contract with folks to transport Mental Health/Mental Retardation clients out of Van Horn.”
Sheriff Carrillo told commissioners that “the transportation of these clients doesn’t always come during normal business hours and I need the flexibility to contract with approved folks to move them.”
Carrillo also said, “I need this same flexibility when we transport clients to the hospital and they need security services.”
MHMR representatives were present to report that they have no funds to cover the cost of this transportation. LaDelle Bates, hospital administrator, was present and she told commissioners that “the hospital does not the trained staff to handle these types of security problems.”
Following the discussion, commissioners agreed to continue paying these contract folks $60 per call out plus per diem. The sheriff will provide the county with a list of the qualified folks, both make and female, who will be performing these contract duties.
While Sheriff Carrillo had the floor, he asked commissioners, in executive session, to approve the hiring of another staffer. Upon reconvening in open session, commissioners approved the hiring as recommended.
Before leaving, Sheriff Carrillo provided commissioners with an update on Operation Linebacker and Operation Border Star operations which his department had taken part in. As a result of these operations, which saw projected expenditures of $27,090, Sheriff Carrillo told commissioners that the projected revenues amounted to $49,525.
He also reported that his department had applied for another $135,000 in grant funding for Operation Border Star and that it had been approved. These funds will pay for two of our deputies and Border Star activities.
And, before surrendering the floor, Sheriff Carrillo recommended the commissioners approve an agreement with Swanson Inmate Commissary. The court approved the request and authorized the creation of the checking account wit Manuel Urias and the County Auditor as signatories.
With respect to other matters considered by commissioners during the Monday meeting, the following actions were taken:
* Authorized grant administrator Becky Brewster to proceed with noncompetitive negotiations for contractor services on the Youth Center grant, Phase II. That phase will construct the basketball court facility but does not have enough money in the grant to do all the work.
* Approved an agreement with Pitney-Bowes for postage machines in the clerk’s office, the tax assessors office, the auditor’s office and the office of J.P. 1. The cost will be $180 per month, or $2,160 per year.
* Approved employee bonds as presented.
* Approved a policy proposed by County Auditor Mark Cabezuela which will require adherence to county policy or explain why they are not being adhered to. Additionally, all county funds must now go through the county treasurer.
* They accepted continuing education hours as submitted by County Clerk Linda McDonald.
* After hearing a presentation from the Texas Department of State Health Services, commissioners appointed Dr. John Thomas as the Local Health Authority for Culberson County.
* Commissioners tabled action on a contract for collection of unpaid fines and court costs for J.P. 1 because it called for approval of on order that was not on the meeting agenda.
* They approved the transfer of money from the building maintenance line into the treasurers office salary line to cover making her part-time employee a full time employee.
* Approved a contract in the amount of $375 per month with Martha Corrales Janitorial Services to clean the Adult Probation and Department of State Health Services offices. Since the state now pays the county rent on these facilities, they felt the county should pick up the tab on the service.
* They approved the closing of some county offices for the March 4th primary election so as not to interfere with the conduct of the election.
* Commissioners approved an order banning any burning in the county for 90 days. The order was approved due to the extremely dry conditions which now persist in the county.
* They approved declaring as surplus, scrap metal at the county barn It will be sold or determined to have no value and salvaged properly.
* After approving budget amendments as recommended by County Judge Molinar and Auditor Mark Cabezuela, they approved the submitted monthly reports as presented.
* And, they approved payment of monthly bills and payroll amounting to $174,823.28. Payrolls accounted for $122,190.88 of that sum, while monthly bills accounted for the remaining $52,642.40.
Column One
By Dawn Simpson
Happy Valentines Day! I thought the following seemed very appropriate for this special day. So don’t just read it. Take it to ‘heart’ as well. Enjoy those you love today and everyday.
Author Unknown
If I knew it would be the last time
That I’d see you fall asleep,
I would tuck you in more tightly
And pray the Lord, your soul to keep.
If I knew it would be the last time
That I see you walk out the door,
I would give you a hug and kiss
And call you back for one more.
If I knew it would be the last time,
I could spare an extra minute
To stop and say “I love you,”
Instead of assuming you would know.
If I knew it would be the last time
I would be there to share your day,
Well, I’m sure you’ll have so many more,
So I can let just this one slip away.
For surely there’s always tomorrow
To make up for an oversight,
And we always get a second chance
To make everything just right.
There will always be another day
To say “I love you,”
And certainly there’s another chance
To say “Anything I can do?”
But just in case I might be wrong,
And today is all I get,
I’d like to say how much I love you
And I hope we never forget.
Tomorrow is not promised to anyone,
Young or old alike,
And today may be the last chance
You get to hold your love one tight.
So if you’re waiting for tomorrow,
Why not do it today?
For if tomorrow never comes,
You’ll surely regret the day,
That you didn’t take that extra time
For a smile, a hug, or a kiss
And you were too busy to grant someone,
What turned out to bet heir one last wish.
So hold your loved ones close today,
And whisper in their ear,
Tell them how much you love them
And that you’ll always hold them dear.
Take time to say “I’m sorry,”
“Please forgive me,” “Thank you,”
And if tomorrow never comes,
You’ll have no regrets about today.
COMMUNITY CALENDAR
February 14th - Valentine’s Day. Clark Hotel Historical Museum Board of Directors is slated to meet this evening at 6 p.m. at the Clark Hotel Museum. Van Horn Lady Eagles softball team plays in the Andrews Tournament today.
February 15th - Van Horn Lady Eagles softball team continues play in the Andrews Tournament. Van Horn JV baseball team plays Presidio in Presidio today at 4:30 p.m.
February 16th - Van Horn Lady Eagles softball team continues play in the Andrews Tournament.
February 17th - Attend the church of your choice.
February 18th - President’s Day Holiday.
February 19th - Members of the Van Horn Rotary Club are slated to meet today at noon at Chuy’s Restaurant. The Van Horn Lady Eagles softball team plays McCamey here today at 5 p.m. The Van Horn City Council is scheduled to meet this evening at 7 p.m. at City Hall.
February 20th - Nothing scheduled at press time.