Saturday's Internet Edition, May 17, 2008.
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| Santa arrives on winninig float.... Santa arrived in town last Saturday evening atop the winning float in this year’s Annual Lighted Christmas Parade. This annual event hearlds in the Christmas season in our town and this year’s winning float was entered by The Pack-West Texas. |
- Culberson County Commissioners met Monday morning and, after some discussion, agreed to sell a building which the county has been leasing to Applied Chemical Magnesias (ACM).
Actually, the lease agreement which the county had with ACM expired in February of 2005 and since that time was supposed to be paying monthly rental payments.
According to County Attorney Steve Mitchell, the rentals now amount to approximately $25,000. Mitchell further stated that commissioners had basically three options with regard to the building - sell it, lease it again or ask ACM to vacant.
Bob McCreeless, president of ACM, was on hand to state that ACM thought they had purchased the building once the lease was up. This premise was based on improvements which they had made as well as lease payments made.
McCreeless stated that ACM had lost it’s Controller and Attorney during this time frame and that may have caused some of the confusion. The rest was caused by the county not notifying ACM of rentals due for over two year.
ACM, last week, paid the county $7,500 pending a resolution of the situation.
County Judge Manuel Molinar suggested that ACM pay ann additional $7,500 to the county and the county would then sell the building to ACM for the $15,000 and monies already paid.
Commissioners also stipulated that ACM become responsible for city provided water, sewer, and garbage services if they are not already paying them.
McCreeless agreed to the deal and County Attorney Steve Mitchell will draw up the paperwork for Judge Molinar to sign on behalf of the county once the balance of the $15,000 is received.
The representative of EL Paso’s Planned Parenthood appeared before commissioners, again, to ask them to consider going in with them and Hudspeth County for a $650,000 grant to provide services to both counties. The grant application is due next week.
She explained that they already have a Clinic in Hudspeth County and wanted to provide added services in Culberson.
LaDelle Bates, administrator for the local hospital, managed by Preferred Management Corporation, was on hand to state that their analysis of the proposed grant and the services to be offered would impact the hospital negatively. She further added, “We at the hospital and Preferred are opposed to your participation in this grant.”
After some discussion, during which the Planned Parenthood representative presented the grant projects concept as a win-win situation for the county, commissioners ultimately nixed the county’s participation in the proposed grant.
Sheriff Oscar Carrillo came before commissioners to give a report on Operation Border Star. He reported that he had been allocated some $42,000 to participate in the operation which ran from October 24th through December 1st.
He reported that his officers took part in the operation for 24 days and in that time they put in $10,519 in overtime and issued 311 citations while patrolling some additional 7,891 miles.
The results of the effort are that the county brought in an added $54,425 in fines, had 18 arrests and apprehended 8 illegals.
He further reported that he was going to have to turn back nearly $30,000 of the money which went unused during the operation.
A rub for commissioners is the overtime which sheriffs deputies are putting in. The county has to pay it and then has to wait for a month or two to get reimbursed. At about $12,000 a month, it does not take many months for the county to get in a bind.
Sheriff Carrillo told commissioners you will get your money, adding “Please don’t hamstring us from participating in these operations simply because you are delayed in getting your money. You’ll get it!”
Commissioners approved up to 40 hours of overtime per pay period for the sheriff’s department and they will reexamine the subject in February.
Before leaving, Carrillo also told commissioners that he still has some $61,000 in Operation Linebacker money which he’ll lose if not spent by December 31st.
He told commissioners, “I’d like to purchase two Polaris type units, that will hold up to four people, to supplement the off road units we already have. Commissioners approved the purchases with the understanding that they will be paid for out of Linebacker funds.
With regard to other matters which commissioners considered during the meeting, the following actions were taken:
* Approved payment of a bill to Badillo Construction which was over and above the $16,0000+ already paid to him for work done at the County Barn. The bill was for some $7,000+.
* Commissioners approved spending some $9,000 for self-contained air conditioning and heating units for the Clerks office. The existing system simply does not heat and cool her office adequately.
* Commissioners opted to make no changes to the existing county retirement plan for this year and authorized County Judge Molinar to sign the document.
* After accepting continuing education hours from the treasurer and commissioners, they approved the submitted monthly reports.
* And, the approved payment of bills and salaries amounting to $219,759 before adjourning the session.
Tomorrow is last day to sign up for contest
If you are into decorating your home for the Christmas season, then you will want to take part in the city’s “Residential Decorating Contest.”
The contest will be held on Monday, December 17th when the judging will be held that night.
To enter the contest, you must submit an entry form, found on page 2 of this issue, no later than Friday, December 14th.
Winners of the contest will be announced on Tuesday, December 18th.
Winners will receive cash prizes for the top four homes entered. Prizes will be as follows: 1st Place - $200; 2nd Place - $150; 3rd Place - $100; and 4th Place - $50. The prize money is donated by the Town of Van Horn.
For further information, call the Convention Center staff, Brenda Hinojos or Patricia Golden, at 283-2682.
Sunday, December 16th
3:00 p.m.
Karen Young Memorial Auditorium
"Everyone Is Cordially Invited To Attend"