Portland News (Portland, Tex.), Vol. 20, No. 13, Ed. 1 Thursday, March 27, 1986 Page: 1 of 18
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I
On Retirement
♦
On Sunday, Northshore Country
Club will again be the focal point as
the club hosts the Pioneer Days
golf tournament.
TWENTY-SEVEN YEARS OF SERVICE - Retiring firefighter
Horace Prather receives congratulations from his colleagues on his
retiremnent. (NEWS photo)
Gregory
Gets Audit
An audit of the financial records of
the city of Gregory shows the city
has made great gains since Mayor
Tino Zambrano first took office 10
years ago, that city’s auditor told
Gregory City Council Monday.
However, in presenting a report of
the city’s financial condition to coun-
cil, Ray Harris of Harris and Havins
told council some qualifications re-
main attached to the city audit.
The city does not adhere to
generally accepted accounting prin-
ciples in failing to maintain a record
of fixed assets or a record of proper-
ty, plants and equipment owned by
its enterprise fund, the auditor
noted.
In addition, the city has no record
of inventories of supplies and
materials on hand and control ac-
counts on its delinquent ad valorem
taxes receivable prior to 1984 have
not been recorded, he said.
“These things can be done, but in
some cases you don’t have the per-
sonnel to do it,” Harris told council.
In briefing council on his audit,
Harris attributed several gains in
the city to Zambrano’s leadership in
the past 10 years. Zambrano will
retire from city government next
month after serving as mayor for 10
years.
“Assets total $1,482,995. Of that,
$1,140,731 is fixed assets,” the
auditor said, noting that figure com-
pares favorably to the city’s record
10 years ago.
“This attests to some part what he
(Zambrano) has accomplished,”
Harris said.
More than $950,000 received by the
city in grant monies also can be at-
tributed to Zambrano’s leadership,
the auditor noted.
Harris told council the city’s
general fund took in $29,000 more in
revenues than it paid out in expenses
in 1985-86 while the water and sewer
fund also finished the year in the
black. Overall, “you were $76,000 to
the good at the end of the year,” he
said, adding, “I’m real proud to pre-
sent this report. It attests a little to
the accomplishments of the mayor
and his administration.”
In other action Monday, Gregory
City Council received seven pro-
posals from engineering firms for
See GREGORY, Page 18
additional or excess coverage. The
policy expires as of March 1 and the
present bid quote is good until April
7.
The primary policy expires in
September therefore the county is
not totally vulnerable at this point
concerning liability insurance.
“Well, that leaves us naked on se-
cond base,” Judge J.M. Edmondson
said.
“Does our past history confirm
that we need that extra $1 million
coverage?” Commissioner Carl
Duncan queried.
“It’s not our past history but it’s
the way the courts have been awar-
ding suits,” County Auditor George
Hernandez said.
“That extra $1 million coverage
really wouldn’t help at all after a
See INSURANCE, Page 18
an early morning fun run
originating at Memorial Park, the
site of this year’s festival. Other
events Saturday include a parade,
chili cookoff, fishing tournament
and a tennis tournament, enter-
tainment, an old-fashioned cowboy
Olympics and a country-western
dance. In addition, festival-goers
will be able to visit and shop at a
variety of food, drink, games and
crafts booths.
500 percent' increase in the premium
price...roughly.”
Last year the county paid $7,850
for the additional $1 million
coverage for all departments. The
bid received Monday for the $1
million policy was for $35,250.
“I suggest you table this matter
because the company is also using
the stipulation the county up its
automobile insurance to $1 million
from $500,000 and I don’t have a bid
price on that right now,” Satter-
white explained.
“I know it’s a lot of money but
some can’t even get insurance for
any price,” Satterwhite added. “I
can’t see how you can afford to pay
that but I’m not a commissioner.”
The umbrella liability policy is a
secondary policy from the primary
$1 million coverage; in otherwords
Registration is still open for all
Pioneer Days activities. For infor-
mation, call the chamber office at
643-2475 or contact the individual
event chairman. Events and
chairmen are as follows: Parade,
Artilla Patton; booths, Ann Allen
and Sandy Charnetski; chili
cookoff, Hoke Smith; entertain-
ment, Mickey Mitchell; tennis
tournament, Oak Ridge Health and
Racquet Club; style show, Patrice
Worsham; golf tournament,
James Black; dance, Bobby
Sablatura; cowboy Olympics,
Portland Jaycees; fun run,
Kiwanis Club-Jim Weir; fishing
tournament, Biscuit Wheels; auc-
tion, Betty Gilpin.
For Insurance
County Faced With Rising Costs
The county’s umbrella liability
policy is up for renewal but for a
pretty penny. Because of all the re-
cent monetary awardals in courts
over liability suits against different
entities, insurance companies
across the nation are increasing
their premiums on a huge scale in-
cluding the companies serving San
Patricio County.
Sinton Independent Insurance
Agent Jack Satterwhite presented
Commissioners Court Monday mor-
ning with the only bid he was able to
receive from an insurance company
for an additional $1 million
coverage.
“We finally got a commercial bid
in after advertising,” Satterwhite
began. “It’s for $1 million combined-
single coverage on an occurance
basis instead of claim. There was a
Pioneer Days Plans Well Under Way
With the Chamber of Com-
merce’s annual Portland Pioneer
Days festival little more than one
week away, local residents who
have not yet done so still have an
opportunity to participate in the
event, chamber officials said.
Activities at this year’s festival
will get under way Friday, April 4,
with a style show and dinner at
Northshore Country Club.
On Saturday, events open with
City Honors Horace Prather
The city of Portland and the
Portland Volunteer Fire Depart-
ment Monday will honor a long-
time firefighter here on his retire-
ment.
Horace Prather — who joined
the local volunteer fire department
in 1959 and has served as a
fireman, truck captain, training of-
ficer and chaplain for several
years — is retiring from the local
department this month. In his
honor, Mayor Bobby Whittington
last week signed a proclamation
proclaiming Monday to be
“Horace Prather Day” here.
Prather said he is honored by the
city’s recognition of him but said
he believed serving on the
volunteer fire department was his
duty to the city.
“I felt it saved the town some
money and somebody had to do it,”
he said of his y.ears of service to the
PVFD. “It’s just something that
has to be done. The city couldn’t af-
ford a paid department.”
Prather said he has seen
Portland change greatly in his
See PRATHER, Page 18
S
SPRING BREAK FUN - Robert O'Guin, 14, of Portland tries out the
slide at Memorial Park Tuesday afternoon. O'Guin and his friends
were enjoying the park on their spring break holiday. (NEWS photo)
Election '86
f
LEONATINER
Tiner Seeks
Forum Airs
)
In the city of Gregory, only four
persons had voted absentee, while
the city of Portland had received 38
absentee votes.
Absentee balloting began March
. 17 and continues through Tuesday
in the three local elections. In the
G-PISD race, voters may cast ear-
ly ballots at the administration
building. In the Portland city elec-
tion, early voting is being con-
ducted at Portland City Hall while
Gregory City Hall is the polling
place for absentee voters the
Gregory city election. Absentee
voting is being conducted between
8 a.m. and 5 p.m. weekdays in each
of the three elections.
Again April 3
Community Cablesystems of
Portland will air the Portland
Lions Club-sponsored forum at 7
p.m. Thursday, April 3 on its cable
channel, Studio Portland.
The two-hour forum features
statements by candidates for city
and school district offices as well
as a question-and-answer period
with the audience.
Voter Registration
Ends April 3
For Primaries
April 3 is the last day to register
to vote in the May 3 Republican
and Democratic primaries.
Postage-paid postcard applica-
tions are available from the San
Patricio County annex here in
Portland.
Forms also may be obtained
from the San Patricio County voter
registrar’s office in Sinton and
from Department of Public Safety
drivers license offices throughout
the state.
*
W
The county clerk candidate has
been a resident of Ingleside for the
past 20 years. She is married to
Robert Doyle Tiner and has three
children.
Mrs. Tiner has served as city
secretary and tax assessor-
collector for the city of Ingleside
for the past eight years. During
that period she served as acting ci-
ty manager on three different oc-
casions. She has also worked as a
clerk at the San Patricio County
Courthouse in the Agriculture
Stabilization Conservation Service
office.
Seif Resigns
From Race
The Rev. Linn Self this week an-
nounced he is dropping out of the
race in the Gregory-Portland
school district board of trustees
election.
Self, who was unable to attend
several forums last week because
of church revival activities, said he
is resigning from the race
“because I feel there are several
good people running for office
already.”
The former candidate said he ap-
preciates the support he has
received to date.
Because ballots have already
been printed and since absentee
voting has begun, Self’s name,
which is first on the ballot, will not
be removed from ballots, a G-PISD
spokesman said.
Early Voting Continues
Forty-seven persons had cast
‘ .bsentee ballots in the Gregory-
Portland school district board of
trustees election as of Wednesday
morning.
Jilt -
.ft
Mrs. Tiner said that due to her
'past experience in business affairs
and local government she is a well-
qualified candidate for the position
|Of county clerk.
. If elected, she pledged to run the
county clerk office in the most effi-
cient, professional and cost-
effective way possible.”
Clerk Office
Leona Tiner of Ingleside has an-
nounced her candidacy for San
Patricio county clerk in the May 3
Democratic Primary.
Mrs. Tiner is a graduate of
Gregory-Portland High School,
Durhams Business College and
Texas Computer Operator School.
Upon graduating from T.C.O.,
Mrs. Tiner taught a course in basic
computer programming.
ill
Quality Of Life Vs. Growth
Candidates in the April 5 Gregory-
Portland school district board of
trustees election Thursday again ad-
dressed the issues of teacher morale
and financial problems here as they
spoke to voters.
In the forum sponsored by the San
Patricio Federation of Republican
Women and the G-P chapter of the
Texas State Teachers Association,
eight of 11 candidates talked about
their reasons for seeking election
and answered questions from the au-
dience. Candidates Bob Mitchell,
Linn Self and Alton Ezell did not at-
inkey leadership.”
Fred Ryman, a Portland native,
said his principal concern is con-
tinued academic excellence.
However, “I do have another con-
cern,” he said, addressing the issue
of House Bill 72 and the state’s im-
pact on the local district. “If you can
control a child’s education, you con-
trol his future,” the candidate said.
“Parents must maintain some con-
trol.”
Carole Breed addressed the issue
of teacher morale and the district’s
instructional management system,
creasing tax base.
“Portland is caught up in the
energy crunch,” the mayor said in
explanation, adding “I’ve never
been against business coming into
Portland. But I’m not going to sit up
there and vote to ruin zoning and
turn this town into a Stink-adena. I
am for a controlled community.”
Addressing the issue of a recent
controversial City Council vote to re-
ject a special use permit on Highway
181 at Buddy Ganem Drive, Whit-
tington said, “you can go out and get
tax base but if you don’t control it, it
won’t be Portland anymore. It won’t
be pretty and clean. I’m interested
See COUNCIL, Page 18
we’re going to have trouble keeping
the quality of life as it is because the
burden will fall increasingly on the
homeowner,” she concluded.
In a brief question-and-answer
period following, both mayoral can-
didates were questioned by voters.
Asked by one man why he should
serve four terms, Whittington
replied, “if the people of Portland
think I’m doing a good job, they can
elect me from now to eternity.”
Whittington also was pressed to
explain why new businesses con-
sistently come into Portland and
close their doors "at a fairly rapid
rate” and what he would do to
develop an atmosphere of an in-
tend.
Candidate Jim Williams said elec-
tion issues “have to do with students
and teachers.” Teachers’ salaries,
internal equity and freedom of ex-
pression are other issues voters
should address, he said.
Also, “we need to evaluate the
district communications committee
and we need to work toward balanc-
ing the budget,” he noted, adding, “I
represent no special interest group,
but I propose interaction with each
group. The solution is not in the
mechanics of the school district but
Whittington also told voters he will
be a fair mayor and will strive to
keep the city financially stable.
In her address to voters, however,
Chisholm suggested the, city’s
record should be attributed to coun-
cil as a team. The mayoral can-
didate also expressed concern for
the city’s growth potential.
Noting she has been on City Coun-
cil for eight years, Chisholm said,
“personally I think we’ve done a
good job. During that time, we’ve in-
creased the city’s potential for
growth.”
Today, she said, Portland has the
potential to grow to 23,000. However,
"unless we exercise that potential,
Chisholm, Whittington Debate Issues
Mayor Bobby Whittington
Thursday asked voters in the April 5
mayoral election to consider his past
record when voicing their selection
for mayor at the ballot box while
challenger Alice Chisholm asked
voters to address the issue of
growth.
Noting that he has served the city
of Portland as councilman or as
mayor for the past 14 years, Whit-
tington pointed to the quality of life
in Portland as proof that he has done
a good job.
“The quality of life in Portland is
super,” Whittington said, adding, “if
elected, I will work to keep it that
way.”
G-P Candidates Square Off
which she called unmanageable.
“For leaders of the district to
understand teachers’ problems,
they should spend a day, or better
yet a week, substitute teaching,”
Breed suggested.
Breed also criticized the district’s
administration for failing to “con-
vince the community of its
rightness.”
Candidate Jack Kunkle said he is
seeking election because of “my
deep concern about the future of G-
PISD.” Pointing to his extensive
See G-PISD, Page 18
Portland N ews
7\'
&
Volume XX - Thursday, March 27, 1986
Portland, Texas 78374 — 18 Pages — No. 13
Dedicated To The Best Interests Of Portland
"Gem City Of The Gulf”
35 C+ Tax
SB
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Castleberry, Linda. Portland News (Portland, Tex.), Vol. 20, No. 13, Ed. 1 Thursday, March 27, 1986, newspaper, March 27, 1986; Portland, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1304308/m1/1/?rotate=270: accessed June 24, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Bell/Whittington Public Library.