Saturday's Internet Edition, July 31, 2010.
|
|
|
- Trustees of Culberson County-Allamoore Independent School District met in special session last Wednesday evening. There was only one item on the meeting agenda - to evaluate the superintendent and grant him a contract extension or not.
All the district trustees were in attendance at this meeting. Trustee Lupe Alvarado, who has missed several meetings in a row, was there for this important session.
Trustees went into executive session to perform the annual evaluation of Superintendent Guillermo Mancha, Jr.
Once their evaluation was complete, trustees came back into open session and announced that Superintendent Mancha had received a satisfactory evaluation (226 of a possible 300).
Trustees opted not to discuss the particulars of the evaluation with Dr. Mancha at this time.
As a result of the satisfactory evaluation, Dr. Mancha became eligible to have his contract renewed or extended. Trustees voted 5 to 1 to grant Dr. Mancha a contract extension through the end of the 2013 school year.
The dissenting vote came from trustee John Clark. At the time of this vote, trustee Robert Morales was not present as he had to leave the meeting early.
And, because Dr. Mancha received a satisfactory evaluation from trustees, per his contract, he is also eligilbe for a contractual increase in salary which will take effect immediately.
Commissioners reject all bids after they come in too high
Culberson County commissioners met Monday evening and the first order of business was to look at construction bids received on two county grant projects.
On the positive side, the architect reported that bidding interest was better than in the past. On the bad side, all the bids were for more money than the county has in available grant funding.
The first bid was for the Youth Center completion and the construction of a Food Bank. The lowest bid was for $343,000 and the county only has $240,000 in grant funding.
Commissioners reluctantly rejected all the bids and asked the architect to re-bid the project after cutting or paring some items from the specifications.
Grant administrator Becky Brewster told commissioners that there is a time line on this grant because until it is completed, the county will not be able to apply for another one.
Additionally, County Judge Manuel Molinar told commissioners that the county is going to be awarded a grant in the amount of $44,500 which will be used to install the air conditioning at the Youth Center so that bid item can probably be removed.
Commissioners unanimously accepted the $44,500 grant and authorized the County Judge to sign it.
The other grant project which occupied commissioners attention was the proposal to build a new fire station on West Broadway.
But, as with the other bids received, they were all over the amount of funding the county has. In this instance, the lowest bid was for $243,000 and the county only has $190,000.
County Judge Molinar did report, however, that there is a strong possibility that the county will be getting more stimulus grant money in the spring which could be used on this project.
In the meantime, commissioners rejected the bids and asked the architect to rebid the project after making some specification changes.
With regard to the Texas Department of Transporation Border Colonia grant, comissioners authorized a request for a $113,888 draw but they want to withhold the payment to the contractor until they are completely satisfied with the work.
Grant administrator Becky Brewster told commissioners that she did not know if the state would do that, but she would ask.
The county is still holding back the 10% retainer on that project as well.
And, while on the subject of grants, commissioners learned that the Sheriff’s office has been awarded another grant in the amount of $129,500 to be used in his conduct of Operation Border Star.
Sheriff Oscar Carrillo told commissioners that grant funds will not be available until March. Sheriff Carrillo intends to purchase equipment and hire an officer with the funds.
Additionally, Sheriff Carrillo told commissioiners that he will be asking the Border Sheriff’s Coalition for additional funding as soon as possible.
Other matters which commissioners considered and actions taken at the meeting included the following:
* They heard the monthly report from Texas AgriLife Extension Agent Lainie Koch on her activities in the past month. These included the Trans-Pecos Big Buck Tournament recap as well as notification that the 61th Annual Culberson County Livestock Show will be held this coming weekend.
* Heard the monthly report from Nutrition Center manager Tencha Sanchez. Commissioners had no questions for Sanchez.
* Commissioners approved county holidays for 2010. County employees will get 16 holidays this year.
* At the request of County Judge Molinar, commissioners adopted a resolution to the State of Texas asking that a disaster declaration be called for in the county. This effort would assist county farmers and ranchers.
* They drew names and appointed these to a County Salary Grievance Committee subject to their acceptance.
* Commissioners also learned from County Judge Molinar that the county has been awarded an Energy Efficiency Conservation Grant in the amount of $23,030. Judge Molinar said the grant proceeds will purchase 6 energy efficient air conditioner units for the county. Commissioners accepted this grant.
* And, commissioners accepted the submitted monthly reports from various county offices and approved payment of bills and salaries amounting to $226,427.45.