The Baytown Sun (Baytown, Tex.), Vol. 59, No. 203, Ed. 1 Thursday, June 25, 1981 Page: 1 of 33
thirty three pages : ill. ; page 18 x 12 in. Digitized from 35 mm. microfilm.View a full description of this newspaper.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
®f}t Paptoton fetm
OVER 60,000 READERS EVERY DAY
Volume 59, No. 203
Baytown, Texas 77520
Thursday, June 25, 1981
Telephone Number: 422-8302
20 Cents Per Copy
Crosby Trustees Approve
Double-Digit Salary Hikes
By JIM GOLDING
Devers Canal Renovation
To Benefit 150 Farmers
CROSBY (Sp) — Trustees unanimous-
ly voted to increase the salary of
Superintendent Thomas Mlksch to
$47,400 and raise salaries for staff
members in pay grades 7 through 13
(teachers and administrators) during a
special meeting Wednesday night.
Miksch’s salary includes a $15,000 sup-
plement to his state base salary of
$30,000 plus a $2,400 car allowance. His
overall salary will increase by 22 per-
cent ”r................. ■ -
His 1980 salary was $38,824 which in-
cluded a $10,600 supplement and a base
salary of $28,224.
ByTIM POTTER
DEVERS (Sp) - Of
ficials here are sketching
plans for extensive renova-
tion of the Devers Canal
Toabbut 156 rice farmers in
Liberty, Chambers and
southwest Jefferson coun
ties.
But the officials caution
that the project, which
would affect about 25,000
acres of rice farms, could
take years to become a
reality.
W.R. Clark, manager of
the Devers Canal System,
says it would be at least
three years before the
canal system could begin to
raise its share of the funds
necessary for the renova
tion.
As the plan exists now
the canal system and the
U.S. Soil Conservation Ser-
vice would team up to
replace one of two main
pumping stations along
with an old wooden water
trough that carries some of
the canal system’s water
System, which brings watey Clark estimates the project
iKmtridrau. '•’^^‘Iwouid cost about $1.5
million.
Besides being more
energy-efficient, he says a
new pumping station would
have greater capacity to
draw water from the Trjni
ty River and pump it to
farmers.
Pearce Street Journal -
Hugh’s Thrilled!
One of the happiest days
of Ford dealer Hugh
Wood’s recent life came
not when he showed off his
M0 domain, but rather a
lew days after a heavy
rain.
He drove by his old spot
and saw flooding waters.
He drove to the new place
to find it high and dry and
31 feet above sea level!
Nice goto’, Hugh ■
--FH
Because of
drought, the canal system
has required farmers this
year to cut back 5 percent
of their acreage in rice to
conserve water
But with increased pump-
ing capacity from a new
pumping station, the
farmers should be able to
return to farming all of
their land, Clark says.
The current pumping sta
tion, located about 9 miles
south of Liberty on the
Trinity River, was built in
the late 1920s or 1930s, he
says, and simply can’t keep
up. with farmers’ demand
for water. , / .
Having enough water at
the right time is critical to
growing rice. In fact, for
most of the growing season,
the rice crops are covered
with about a 4-inch flood of
water,
Johnny Broomas, the
last year’s Devers division manager
for the American Rice
Growers Co-op Association,
says during last jwar’s
drought, farmers had pro-
blems getting enough
water. They were asking
for water at the same time,
and the old pumping station
couldn’t handle the de-
mand, he says. *
Clark concedes the short-
(SeeDEVERS, Page2-A)
cent to $3,700 — $900 more than last
year’s total.
Trustees also set the assistant
superintendent's salary at $34,000 which
includes a supplement of $11,000 and a
$1,200 car allowance.
The assistant superintendent post is a
new position that was approved earlier
this year.
Trustees, on June 16, hired in-
termediate school principal John
Canady for the job. He was to begin his
duties in January 1982, but board
members voted to move up the date to
August 1,1981.
Other supplement increases were:
business manager — from $5,768 (1980
total) to $7,500;
Tax assessor - from $5,768 to$7,500;
Director of transportation - from
- from $4,620 to
Local supplements paid to teachers
with bachelor’s degrees were boosted
about 31 percent to $3,500, an increase of mrecior oi
$830 over the 1980 total. The base salary $5,287 to $7,000;
is $10,230. Director of transportation
$3,819 to $5,000;
The supplement for teachers with High school counselors. (2)
master’s degrees was raised byjra per- $4,620 to $6,000;
from
from
Junior high counselor
$6,000;
Diagnostician - from $3,640 to$4,800;
ESAA Facilitator - from $3,360 to
$4,400;
Assistant high school principal — from
$6,160 to $8,000;
Assistant junior high principal — from
$4,406 to $6,000;
Director of special education — from
$5,880 to $7,500;
High school principal - from $7,700 to
$10,000;
Junior high principal — from $6,160 to
$8,000;
Intermediate principal - from $4,620
to $6,000;
Elementary principal - from $4,928 to
$6,500;
Director of athletics - from $7,700 to
$9,500;
Director of music
from $7,342 to
$9,500.
Salaries represent about 80 percent of
the district’s Instruction budget of $6
million.
Miksch estimated that the total
district budget including construction
costs will be about $14 million.
With all salary increases and other ex-
penses considered, Mlksch said a tax
rate increase will not be required.
However, a possible 8-cent hike to 36
cents In the Interest and sinking fund
rate will be needed.
Mlksch estimated that with the in-
crease in salaries and other expenses, a
$250,000 balance will remain in the
budget at the end of fiscal year 1981-82.
About $747,000 will be available to the
district through state funds.
However, Miksch pointed out the
district will be hurt by the elimination of
the state refund on lost revenue from
homestead and agricultural exemptions.
Miksch said the district ranked about
13th out of 21 Harris County school
districts in bachelor’s degree salary
levels, but even with the increases, the
ranking will drop.
-------"“W”'-----*---
Lindsay Wants Court To Oppose Alien Camp
By SHAWN BALTHROP
HOUSTON (Sp) - Harris
County Judge Jon Lindsay
was to ask Commissioners
Court Thursday to oppose
Force Base as a detention federal government to use
center for aliens
In asking for a resolution
to that effect, Lindsay joins
other Harris County groups
--------J aaanKj v/uumy gi uupa cues opposition iroin tiar-
the use of Ellington Air in opposing any plan by the ris County residents to the
use of the base as a refugee
the base as a detention
center,
In his resolution, Lindsay
cites opposition from Har-
LP Adjustment Board
To Be Named July 1
JOANNE JONES plans for
a Friday event.,. Loretta
Pearce bids her old job
good-bye and steps Into
new position as well as a
new role.
John Szalwlnski has
rude awakening .. Mack
Cook doesn’t want to be the
only one calling Dodie
Richardson by her real first
name, Dolores.
Tim Madanskl brings in
some Jaycee news .. The
Rev. Jesse M. Judice Is the
new pastor at St. John
C a t h o 1 tc Ch u r c h
.. .Leonard Stasney pops in
to say hello.
Louise Johnson takes up
juggling .. Brenda Miller
Is enjoying her new cat
., .E.B. and Mary Travis
vacation in Louisiana
.. Andy Muldrow gets a
new sound In his truck.
E.C. "Smokey” Wood
keeps delivering an unusual
column .,, Bob Merchant
talks about mowing needs.
By FRIEDA BEATY
LA PORTE (Sp) - In a
work session Wednesday
night, La Porte City Council
agreed to put an ordinance
on the agenda for the next
meeting July 1 to create the
Board of Adjustments and
make appointments to the
board.
Proposed members of the
board Include Sidney
Grant, Bill Thompson, Ed
Matuszak, Robert Daniel
and Andy Wilson
Mayor J.J. Meza also re-
additional citizens they felt
would be qualified to serve
on the board.
The council had original-
ly drawn up an ordinance
which would have had a
member representing each
district in the city, but a
state law requires the
board to have five
members and four alter
nates. *
The council also heard
from Nathan B. Crawford,
Gary Davis and J.P. Nor-
ton, residents of the Lomax
area who claimed nothing
has been done about
drainage in their area since
January.
$15.5 Million Site
Sought For Courts
The council suggested the
quested the council add any residents meet with the city
administration, Entex of-
ficials and the Creekmont
subdivision developers to
solve the problem which
originates in a drainage
(SeeLP, Page 2-A)
SUN (DIAL
HOUSTON (Sp) - Harris County Building
Superintendent J.E. McCain is expected to ask the
Commissioners Court Thursday to consider building a
$15.5 million district court annex.
He is also expected to ask the court to seek County At-
torney Mike Driscoll’s opinion on whether district
courts can legally share courtrooms.
Those recommendations are the outgrowth of Mc-
Cain's report on the possibility of sharing courtrooms
In housing the five new civil district judges scheduled
to take office this year.
In his report, McCain quotes from a 1979 study done
by Dr. F. Michael Wong of Space Management Con-
sultants.
In that study, Wong states that unless the district
court judges voluntarily agree to share courtrooms, "it
would take legislative action, and perhaps a constitu-
tional amendment,” to require them to do so.
Wong also added that trying to adapt a shared-
courtroom system to the county’s present faculties
“fan be extremely costly, disruptive and unworkable”
and present major relocation amj renovation problems.
At the same time, Wong said that designing a new
building in the shared-courtroom concept could result
In long-run savings to the county in building, operating
and maintenance costs.
Based on that study, McCain in his report suggests
that the court seek a legal opinion on whether or not
criminal and civU district courts can be shared.
The superintendent also asks the Commissioners
Court to consider building an eight-story court
building, at a cost of »15.5-milllon, on the lot north of the
present Criminal Courts Building.
McCain also suggests the court consider designing
that building with the shared-courtroom concept In
_____(See ANNEX, Page 2-A)
site
That resolution also
states that there are other
and better uses for the
base, such as conversion to
a general aviation facility
to help alleviate the traffic
burden at Hobby and
Houston Intercontinental
airports
Lindsay also added in the
resolution that using the
base as a detention center
would lower area property
values, overburden school
districts, and cause an in
crease in the crime rate.
The county judge will
also ask the court to ap-
prove a resolution asking The regular session ended, majority of taxing units or
f»AV Rill rioiTiOnto f A mil nn Kniunvnr KaIaha 14 mamma 4a __mi_____i _
Gov. Bill Clements to put on
the agenda for the special
session of the Legislature a
bill setting up a special fund
for suburban roads
House Bill 2131, which Court to request several
was sponsored by Rep. Ed
Emmett, R-Klngwood,
would put aside $60 million
dollars for the upkeep and
improvement of important
suburban roads located in
non-incorporafed counties.
That bill would also call a
study to set up the suburban
road plan, to be paid for en
tirely by the state. The
state would also pay 90 per
cent of the -costs of
renovating those suburban
roads, with the other 10 per
cent paid by the county
the House and the Senate
State Affairs Committee
however, before it came to
a vote on the Senate floor
County Tax Assessor
Collector Carl Smith will
also ask the Commissioners
changes in the Property
Tax Reform Act when it
comes up for revision in the
special Legislative session
July 13.
Smith will ask that the
revision, also known as the
Peveto Bill after its sponsor
Rep. Wayne Peveto, D-
Orange, be changed
make only those persons
who are elected officers of a
taxing unit eligible to serve
on the board of directors
The resolution will also
ask that the margin re-
to a
The bill was passed by qulred to disapprove
budgets of Board action be
changed from a two-thirds
voting entitlements
simple majority.
Smith will also request
that the deadline for
homestead exemptions be
extended, to account for
older persons,"hs well as the
disabled and veterans, who
might not come under the
exemption In the original
Peveto bill.
County Flood Control
Director Jim Green will ask
commissioners to authorize
setting up a district securi-
to ty service to take the place
of the independent services
the district now employs.
Green says that by set-
ting up the department's
own security, the district
will both save money and
have better security at its
equipment camps, ln-
(See ALIEN, Pags^)
Classified.......
.. 2-5D
WEATHER
Comics...........
PARTLY CLOUDY
Dimension.......
...ID
skies will persist
Editorial.........
...4A
through Friday with a
Entertainment..,.
..1-3B
chance of daytime
Markets.......t..
,...6C
thundershowers, some
Movie Theaters...
.. 2B
heavy. Probability of
Obituaries.......^
...6C
rain will be 20 percent
Police News. ....
\. 2A
Thursday night and 30
Sports...........
}.1-2C
percent Friday. Thurs-
Television Log..,.
.. 4B
day night's low will be In
TIDES FRIDAY
HIGH: 5:23 a m., 4:20
p.m.
LOW: 10:27 a m., 11:38
the low 70s. Friday's
high willbenearOO.
FRIDAY
SUNRISE:«:23 a.m.
p.m.
—r
SUNSET: 8:26p.m.
-I- -
Levee Responsibility
Joint Session Topic
ANAHUAC (Sp) -
Chambers County Commis-
sioners Court and board
members of the Chambers-
Llberty Counties Navlga
tion District will meet In a
joint session Friday to
discuss which entity has the
responsibility to maintain
the levee at Buns Beach
The meeting is set for
3:39 p m. in the county
courthouse ih Anahuac
At Monday's Commis-
sioners Court, Precinct 3 but never executed
the fevee has washed away
County Judge Alma Lois
Turner said she doesn’t
believe the county has the
financial responsibility to
repair the levee.
Mrs. Turner said the
county has Invested money
In the levee In the past but
questioned the county's
legal right to make repairs.
In the 1960s, Mrs. Turner
said, a lease of the levee to
the county was prepared
Commissioner E.B
"Booster" Stephenson
reported that a
A BROTHER CAN LIGHTEN ANY TASK
The levee Is used to hold
back irrigation waters used
of|by area farmers
SIX-YEAR-OLD Nathan Cottsn, right, leads his Mg
brother, Travis, 8, some muscle power in keeping their
family’s yard at 1901 Sierra neatly manicured. Tbeae
CJ.:7T7r.:»
HI IAU MCI
Ukerty, Ti
uimmm
227-7590
Century Savings
energetic boys are the eons of Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth
Cottap.
(Sun staff photo by Angle Bracey)
I . 0AS.Ytsjn.M4pm
4IJW Tsms 427
'-Mil
*
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Newspaper.
Brown, Leon. The Baytown Sun (Baytown, Tex.), Vol. 59, No. 203, Ed. 1 Thursday, June 25, 1981, newspaper, June 25, 1981; Baytown, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1019579/m1/1/: accessed July 12, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Sterling Municipal Library.