Sunday's Internet Edition, July 20, 2008.
|
| A "Hot Dog" Fest.... The Van Horn Junior High school staff put on a hot dog festival for students and parents Tuesday evening in an effort to give parents the opportunity to meet teachers and staff and to encourage them to become more involved in their students lives and activities. |
- Trustees of Culberson County Independent School District met Monday evening with what to do about the repair and renovation project uppermost in their minds.
Right off the bat, Edward McCormick, of McCormick Architects, appeared before trustees and reported that he had met with contractor Lupe Alvarado concerning the project.
McCormick told trustees that after the meeting, both he and the contractor had reached agreement on what was best for the project and the school district.
McCormick recommended that trustees do three things: 1) Keep the same contractor on the project; 2) Grant the contractor an additional 120 days to complete the project; and 3) Award him an additional $15,000 to complete the project.
At an earlier meeting of trustees, it was reported that the contractor would get a licensed roofing contractor to finish the roofing and that it would require an additional $392,000 change order.
Citizen John Clark attempted to ask a question regarding why the amount had changed from $392,000 to $15,000 but his request to ask the question was completely ignored by trustees.
A citizen, Paul Blankenburg, asked to speak and told trustees that it seemed to him like the board should not give any additional money or time and instead seek a remedy through the bonding company.
He was told by the architect that experience has shown that pursuing this action would cost the school district dearly in attorney costs and added contractor costs.
Before taking action on the recommendation, trustees asked their attorney Steve Mitchell about the proposal and he recommended that he discuss any legalities with them in executive session under the attorney-client privilege section of the law.
Based upon this comment, trustees went behind closed doors to hold the executive session and in that session they met with their attorney and architect Edward McCormick.
Following the closed door session, trustees noted that the architect would exercise much closer supervision of the project and the contractor. And, the contractor will utilize the services of a qualified roofing adviser to make sure that the roofing is applied correctly so that it would be guaranteed by the company.
That being said, trustees unanimously approved the project change order as recommended by the architect as the best option available under the circumstances.
They approved keeping Lupe Alvarado as the contractor; They gave him a time extension to finish the project until February 11, 2008; and they awarded him an additional $15,000 to finish the project.
The architect told trustees that, realistically, the project should be completed in 30 days or less.
With regard to other matters considered by trustees during the Monday session, the following actions were taken:
* Approved the district’s Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas report for the fiscal year 2005-2006. The district only had to “No” results to the 21 question report. The “No” answers were for: The percent of operating expenditures expended for instruction more than 54%; and Was the administrative cost ratio less than the standard in state law. Superintendent Anne Pemberton told trustees that, “I am very proud of this report and the superior rating we received.”
* Trustees approved soliciting bids to sell an older school bus.
* They approved a Texas Association of School Boards (TASB) Policy Update as recommended.
* Trustees tabled action on holding a TASB Budget Workshop.
* Trustees approved the nomination of Edwin Easley, Don Collins, John Jones, Manuel Molinar and Matthew Molinar to be directors of the Culberson County Appraisal District.
* Trustees also approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with El Paso Electric Company to take part in a SCORE program. The program will work toward improving energy efficiency in school districts.
* Trustees, upon the recommendation of Superintendent Anne Pemberton, approved the district’s 2007-2008 Appraisal Calendar and appraisers.
* They also approved a Joint Election Agreement, to ratify the district’s rollback tax rate, with Hudspeth County since some Hudspeth County voters are within the school district’s boundaries.
* Approved payment of bills and salaries.
* Learned that enrollment within the district stood at 554 on October 12th. That breaks down as follows: Van Horn High School - 184; Van Horn Junior High - 120; and Eagle Elementary - 250.
* Heard reports from principals Mike Barrandey (VHHS) and John Fabela (VHJH) and Dean of Students Dolores Upchurch (Eagle Elementary).
Repair opportunities abound
Van Horn city councilmen met Tuesday evening and learned that opportunities abound to repair water wells and equipment. And that translates into unexpected expenses.
Utilities Superintendent Raquel Mendez told council members right off that the city’s major water producing well at the airport was down. It has already cost the city $2,000 just to pull the pump in order to determine the problem.
Mendez went on to say that George Snyder has looked at the pump and it is expected to take some $13,603 in parts, $500 in freight, and $4,500 in labor to get the water well up and running. She also noted that it is expected to take about 2 weeks to get the parts in and installed.
Mendez reported that the other well at the airport is still producing water but that the city well needs to be fixed since the other well provides water to Sierra Blanca as well.
Council members approved the repairs noting that water is one thing we can’t do without here.
Mendez also reported that the estimate for rebuilding the engine in her pickup is $2,149. The pickup is in El Paso because no one locally wanted to do the work.
After discussion, council approved spending the money to fix the pickup.
Mendez then proceeded to tell councilmen that one of the water pumps on the Sierra Blanca water system needs to be repaired before it fails completely. The cost estimate to repair it is $820.
Council approved the repairs to the older pump before it fails noting that preventative maintenance can prolong its live.
And, Mendez also reported problems with both the primary and backup trash trucks. It seems the primary trash truck is having electrical problems and does not maintain proper air pressure.
The backup trash truck is having Power Take Off (PTO) problems and needs to be looked at.
Council approved having the trucks repaired.
And before getting off repairs, council learned that the new transportation bus (propane powered), purchased in March 2006 and with less than 50,000 miles on it, has a blown engine.
The cost to replace it ranges at $5,800 for rebuilding to $6,658 for a new one.
Council members voted to proceed with the new engine and to make sure that we are doing proper maintenance on the vehicle.
With regard to other matters considered by council during the meeting, the following actions were taken:
* Learned that the Boys and Girls Clubs of Rural West Texas is down to two with the formal closing of the Club in Marfa. Council also learned that the local Club has been successful in raising some donations to help with operational costs. And, learned that there has been no work on grant applications which will fund the clubs.
* Council learned that the cost estimate to repair street lights is about $182 per light and currently the city has 38 lights out. Apparently, the problem is not with the bulbs but with a ballast. Council members asked Utilities Superintendent Mendez to look for alternate lighting sources to replace the poles, globes and lights that might be more efficient and less costly.
* Council learned that the Texas Railroad Commission will be conducting it’s annual inspection of the gas company operation next week. Gas company personnel reported that they were ready.
* Council members approved the 2007 tax roll as reported by the Culberson County Appraisal District.
* Council members tabled the acceptance of bids on the grant approved water project that will bring a new line into town from the airport.
* They approved renewal of a transportation program vendor agreement with the Area Agency on Aging, but declined to approve renewal on an agreement with TALX Employee Services to handle city unemployment situations.
* They approved casting the city ballot, evenly distributed, for 5 Culberson County Appraisal District directors. The 5 nominees are Edwin Easley, Don Collins, John Jones, Manuel Molinar and Matthew Molinar.
* They also approved an increase in utility deposits for folks who have demonstrated bad credit with the city.
* Approved payment of bills amounting to $172,679.35.
* And, after approving payment for road work on Desert Street and two other streets, council went behind closed doors for an executive session before adjourning.