The Canadian Record (Canadian, Tex.), Vol. 115, No. 33, Ed. 1 Thursday, August 18, 2005 Page: 4 of 40
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THURSDAY 18 AUGUST 2005
NEWS PAGE
THE CANADIAN RECORD
xDO Hazard Elimination advisory
comm ittee tours Hemph ill tree s tes
Members of the Hemphill County Hazard
Elimination Committee joined with Texas
Department of Transportation (TxDOT)
representatives last Friday, August 12 to
review eaeh tree targeted for removal under
a safety program proposed last year by the
Amarillo District office. The original plan
would have involved removal of nearly 1,200
trees along Highways 60 and 83 in a five-county
area—most of them in Roberts and Hemphill
counties.
Local committee members attending were
John Ramp, Remelle Farrar, Salem Abraham,
and John McGarr. TxDOT representatives
were Area Engineer Kenneth Corse, whose
tree removal plan inspired widespre ad protests
a year ago, and Public Information Officer Paul
Braun.
The prospect of losing so many old-growth
trees ignited a firestorm of controversy that
spread to elected officials in Austin, and led
to the formation of a citizens' committee to
advise TxDOT in its review and revision of the
highway safety plan. The committee met with
TxDOT three times during the past year.
At the last meeting, District Engineer Mark
Tomlinson presented a modified plan that re-
duced the number of trees to be removed by
over ninety percent. This was accomplished
by a closer examination of traffic flow patterns
and the proposed addition of five and a half
miles of roadside barriers specifically designed
to protect trees. The proposal also includes
plans to renovate outdated culverts, to modify
dangerous slopes along the highway right of
way and to relocate dangerous man-made fixed
objects.
In that revised proposal, Hemphill County
would have lost fifty-six trees,.
Committee members joined TxDOT for
an on-the-ground, tree-by-tree review Friday
following general discussion at City Hall. The
group traveled on US 83 from the Lipscomb
County line to the Wheeler County Line and
on US 60 from the Lipscomb County line to the
junction with Highway 83. At each site, Corse
explained the problem with the specific tree
in question from his agency's perspective. The
committee then discussed how the removal of
the tree would impact the larger environmental
context.
Inmany cases, trees slated for removal were
part of a larger group of trees or were close to
other single trees that posed no danger. Oth-
ers had grown up in culverts that were slated
for renewal or were located on curves. Some
of the trees were deformed or were bushy
shoots growing from the stump of an older tree.
Several others were so close to driveways and
ranch gates that placing barriers around the
tree would adversely affeet the landowner.
The general consensus of committee mem-
bers was that the removal of thirty-eight of
the targeted trees did not adversely affect the
aesthetics of the area;
In thirteen cases* Corse agreed with the
committee's objections, consenting to place
safety barriers around those trees, ten ofwhich
are located on US 83 from Canadian to the
Wheeler County line. Most of those are on the
east side of the highway.
During the tour, the group spent extra time
discussing the area along Highway 83 from the
Oasis Truck Stop to the Municipal Golf Course.
Five trees are slated for removal there. If the
speed limit were lowered, those trees would be
saved.
The group also discussed the dangerous
intersection of Highways 60 and 83, as evident
from the deep sets of tire tracks running up the
sand hill, and suggested lowering the speed
limit to improve safety. In response, Corse ex-
plained that County Commissioners must first
request a TxDOT traffic speed survey. Com-
missioner Ramp agreed to present that request
at the next meeting of the Court.
At the conclusion of the tour, the group spent
some additional time discussing how to best ex-
plain their decisions to the community. Every-
one agreed that simply looking at; a picture or
a PowerPoint presentation was ineffective and
incomplete.
Community Development Director Remelle
Farrar proposed that a date be set for a bus
tour of the designated trees for those who are
interested. The date and time of this tour will
be announced in The Canadian Record when
that information is available.
As promised, TxDOT will hold a public
meeting prior to finalization of the safety plan.
Input from the community will be encouraged
and accepted at that time. Actual removal of
trees will not begin until the late fall or early
winter of2005.
IE IN
ATI 01
To learn more about the proposed safety
plan, contact TxDOTPIO Paul Braun in
Amarillo at (806)356-3256 or bye-mail at
pbraunl (Bdot.state.tx.us. For local information,
please contact either Remelle Farrar at (806)323-
6234. or John McGarr at (806)323-5555.
Sign-up for Online Banking
Wellington State Bank is proud to announce
Online Banking for all our customers starting
August 23rd. Each branch will be having a sign
up day to activate your online banking, along
with instructions to assist you. Please contact
one of our local Banking Centers in
Wellington, Canadian, Childress, Memphis,
or Wheeler to verify the day and time.
Canadian Banking: Center sign up day is
August 30th from 1 lam till 7pm in the lobby.
Wheeler • Memphis • Childress • Wellington
Canadian (Banking Center
105% Fifth 806-323-9711
=2)
MEMBER FDIC
Notice of Public Hearing
On Tax Increase
Last year, the Hemphill County property tax rate
was $ 0.428240. That rate raised $ 4,551,066.35, a
portion of which was used to fund operations such
as County Government Operations and Building
County roads and bridges.
This year, Hemphill County is proposing a property
tax rate of $ 0.343040. That rate would raise
$ 4,931,516.52, which is $ 380,450.17 more than
taxes imposed last year.
There will be two public hearings to consider that
increase. The first public hearing will be held on
August 29, 2005 at 10:00 a.m. in the
Commissioner's Court Room. The second hearing
will be held on September 7, 2005 at 8:30 a.m. in the
Commissioner's Court Room.
You have a right to attend the hearings and make
comments. You are encouraged to attend and make
comments if you wish.
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Brown, Laurie Ezzell. The Canadian Record (Canadian, Tex.), Vol. 115, No. 33, Ed. 1 Thursday, August 18, 2005, newspaper, August 18, 2005; Canadian, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth220694/m1/4/: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Hemphill County Library.