The Albany News (Albany, Tex.), Vol. 112, No. 23, Ed. 1 Thursday, November 19, 1987 Page: 1 of 39
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Albany News
"Oldest Journalistic Venture West ol the Brazos"
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 1987, ALBANY, TEXAS 76430
16 PAGES IN 2 SECTIONS
VOLUME NUMBER 112 NUMBER 23 PRICE 35< PER COPY
City studies financing of new fire truck
By Doaaie A. Lucas
City council members met with
a representative of a fire truck
manufacturing company and held
a lengthy discussion about the
purchase of a new truck in order
to comply with State of Board of
Insurance regulations, but put off
taking any action on the matter
until their December meeting.
Meeting in regular session last
Wednesday, November 11, the
council addressed the need for a
new pumper truck for the fire
department, as well as discussing
how the new $65,000 vehicle
would be paid for.
A representative from Grum
man Emergency Products Com
pany of Ft. Worth brought a new
fire truck for the council to in
spect and explained different
financing plans.
The city is required to purchase
a pumper truck before January 1.
or the State Board of Insurance
could double Albany's key rate
for fire insurance. The key rate is
used to calculate annual
premiums for local business and
residential fire insurance policies.
If the key rate were doubled.
all policy owners could expect a
large increase in their insurance
rates.
The cost of the truck shown to
the council by Grumman was
$67,500. The company presented
three lease/purchase financing
agreements ranging from $8,500
to $10,000 per year for a 10 year
period depending on the amount,
of down payment.
The city is being forced into
buying a new pumper because
the old unit has reached .'10 years
of age.
"The state will not give us
credit when a pumper reaches .'10
years old," explained Paul Lively,
Assistant City Manager.
"We don't have many options.
They won't give us credit for
refurbishing the old pumper and
the 1980 model booster wasn't
made to be converted to a
pumper."
Councilman Hugh Norman
asked why the city purchased the
booster truck in 1980 if it
wouldn't satisfy state re
quirements.
"We can put out 90 percent of
the fires with the booster truck as
far as practical fire fighting is
concerned," said City Manager
Liston Todd. "But the state re
(|uires that we have a pumper
truck — we do get some credit for
having the booster truck."
The pumper truck is designed
to be parked at a fire and con
nected to fire hydrants in order to
Albany Volunteer Fire Depart
ment, stated that he had looked
the truck over and felt it would
satisfy the needs of the city for
the next 30 years.
It was pointed out that the 1957
model pumper currently used by
the city is still in good working
order, but that once a truck
"We need to make people aware
that if we don't buy a new pumper
and the key rates go Up, the increase
in their insurance would pay
for the truck in just one year."
pump large amounts of water
very quickly. A booste or' k on
the other hand pumps wat« r from
its self contained tanks md is
helpful for putting . most small
fires or to get wat i,o a fire
while the pumper truck is being
hooked up.
Cliff Steddum, chief of the
ene
88$ .- . 9St -' v.
I
n
Preview preparations ...
Jann Todd (left) and Shelly Bartee (right) position the holiday wreath being given to all participating merchants
and businesses in Christmas Preview 87 planned this Saturday November 21 in downtown Albany Both local
retailers are members of the Merchants Activity Committee of the Chamber of Commerce and Mrs Bartee serves
on the decorating sub-committee that made and distributed the wreaths Christmas Preview 87 is a |Oint open
house to introduce special Christmas merchandise to area shoppers [Staff Photo
aches 30 years old credit is not
given by t.he state for the equip
ment.
The department plans to keep
the old pumper for a back up and
a hose truck.
"I really think you ought to
wait one more meeting to make a
decision," said Todd "The state is
going to go along with us as long
as w - have a truck on order iy
January I."
Lively and Todd were asked to
find as many prices on com
parable units as possible and pre
sent them at the December
meeting
The council also discussed the
matter of how the city would pay
for the new truck considering the
current, financial situation.
Budget Discussion
The council reviewed the city
financial status for th - first seven
months of the current fiscal year.
It, was noted that the city has
shown a net. loss of over $85,000
for the period
"I know that we are going to
have to purchase the fir** truck;
w>" don't have any options, but
how are we going to pay for it?"
asked councilman Eddie Bartee.
Bartee suggested that the city
request donations from various
sources, using surplus funds
amounting to $18,000 left over
from bonds used to repair the city
water plant and possibly placing a
sticker on monthly water bills
asking for donations
"What we need is to make peo
pie aware that if we don't buy a
new pumper and the key rates go
up. the increase in insurance to
the citizens would pay for the
truck in just one year."
Dinty Bowman agreed that the
public would probably help pay
for the new truck 'We just need
to get publicity out on it."
The council also looked at the
trash department, which has been
losing an average of $800 per
month since the fiscal year began
in April.
The was some discussion of con
trading for trash services, but
most of the council wanted to
keep the local department
"I want to keep our own trawi
department, but we need to keep
it in the black," said Glenn Pic
quet.
There was discussion of raising
either the trash charge or the
water minimum charge on th*
monthly city bills, but no action
was taken.
The matters of the budget and
the trash rates were placed on th*-
(See City council pg 3-Ai
'Preview '87' set this weekend
By Carol Lackey
Albany merchants are busy
preparing for "Christmas Pre
view '87," a joint open house for
all participating businesses to in
troduce special Christmas mer
chandise to local shoppers.
"Christmas Preview '87" has
been set for Saturday, November
21. The day will feature special
promotions and refreshments at
most retail merchants. Entertain
ment for t.he afternoon has also
been planned.
"Saturday will be a great day to
greet the Christmas season in
Albany," said Donnie Lucas,
chairman of the Merchant's Ac-
tivity Committee of the Albany
Chamber of Commerce.
A group of choir students from
the Albany schools plans to sing
Christmas carols along the side
walks of downtown Albany Satur
day afternoon. "This should really
get everyone in the Christmas
spirit," Lucas said. "The carolers
will stroll along the sidewalks,
and perhaps in some of the
stores."
"I feel that most downtown
merchants are putting forth a lot
of extra effort to make Saturday a
very special day," said Vickie Hal
bert, committee member. I think
Albany shoppers will be truly
amazed at the selection in our
local stores."
The preview is also open to non
retail businesses this year.
Businesses participating in the
promotional event will receive a
permanent Christmas wreath for
their door, which would normally
retail for more than the $10 par
ticipat.ion fee charged to mer
chants. The wreaths will decorate
the doors of the participating
merchants throughout tin- season
and will provide a coordinated
look throughout the downtown
area.
We have several rion retail
businesses participating this
year, which really helps the pro
ject," Lucas said "This is a good
way for downtown businesses,
whether retail or service
oriented, to participate in
'Christmas Preview '87'."
Downtown businesses partici
pat'ng in the holiday ev« nt ir
elude Neese Antiques. The Ha
Stop, WeaverOates Pharmacy
The Corner, Erline s Specialty
Shop and Halbert's Country Em
porium
Others include The Collectior
Specialties, Olney Savings, City
Grocery, Thrift Mart Super
market, The First National RanK
of Albany, The Albany Neus and
Western Auto Associate Store
Also, Mott's, Heavenly 111 u
sions, Hise Furniture, Webb ana
Webb, Inc., Hollister's. West
Texas Utilities, Dr J. E. Mikeska
anrl James H. Cotter, Neff and Co.
Concert tickets available
By Doanie A. Lucas
The Old Jail Art Center began
taking reservations this week for
"A Celebration of Christmas
1987," which will feature a con
cert by the Texas Baroque
Ensemble, and a buffet gala open
ing of two new exhibitions at the
center on December 12.
The special celebration will
begin with a lecture on art at 4:00
p.m. at the art center, followed by
the performance of the baroque
ensemble and choir at 6:00 p.m. at
the Ma.-heu, Memoiiai Presbv
terian Church.
A buffet reception will be held
after the concert at the art center
to mark the opening of two ne
exhibits.
Tickets for the concert,
members preview and buffet
were available Tuesday, Novem
ber 17, for members of the Old
Jail Art Center and the
Presbyterian Church. Tickets art-
free to members of the two loca
institution However, guests of
members other than immediate
family and the general public will
See Old Jail pg 8 A)
Annual bazaar planned Saturday
By Donna Barranger
Beginning at 10:00 a.m. Saturday,
November 21, the Educational
Building of Matthews Memorial
Presbyterian Church will contain
all the sights of a child's Christ
mas and all the smells of a tradi
tional Thanksgiving feast.
The meal, which has been
served by the ladies of the church
for over 85 years, will consist of
baked turkey and traditional
Southern dressing, gravy, can
died sweet potatoes, green beans,
cranberry relish, hot buttered
rolls and an assortment of
homemade pies. The cost of the
plate will be $5 for adults and $3
for children.
Sponsored by the Sallie Mat
thews Circle of the church, who
last year celebrated 100 years of
the women 's work within the
church, the bazaar will feature a
food booth of baked good* and
casseroles and a variety store
booth containing miscellaneous
items and handicrafts.
Handmade Krismons will be
featured, as well as a booklet
published last year, entitled
1886-1986 One Hundred Years of
the Ladies of Matthews Memorial.
Pre s b y te nan Church . The
booklet will sell for $2.50. and in
eludes articles by Mrs. E.M Con
rad of the group's history from
1886 193b and by Irene Wylie
chronicling the years from
1936-1966. The original cover was
designed by Circle secretary. Bar
bra Clack and incorporates the
front of the church with the sym
bol for Presbyterian women
which represents the basic Chris
tian committments and respon
sibilities of women first and
foremost to Christ, then to family,
congregation, community and
world in the light of the cross.
The shaded circles on the cover
design remind the women of the
changes the Circle has undergone
in its 100 year history. It began in
1886 as a Missionary Society,
then another group was formed in
1936; soon after, a third group
was begun. In the 1960s the three
groups united into one, and
adopted the name of the Sallie
Matthews Circle The ladies of
the Circle always end their
meetings with the traditional miz
pah blessing: "May the Lord
watch between Me and Thee,
when we are absent from One
Another
As in past years, all the
members of the circle work
together to organize the Bazaar
This year. Susan Waller heads
the decorating committee to
recreate "A Child's Christmas
with the use of antique and cur
rent toys and primary colors
Sonona Teinert and Melissa
Williams head the kitchen com
mittee. Liz Green. Ruby Latham.
Piper Jones. Sharon Matthews
and Vada Key wilj coordinate the
food booth
"We want to invite everyone to
come and eat with us on Satur
day," said Sally Ann Harrison, the
group's president. We are look
ing forward to this year s Bazaar
It will be a good time of fun and
fellowship for everyone
In the past year, the Circle has
supported The Albany Minis
terial Alliance, the Mexican In
dian Training Center in Mexico,
non profit Christian radio station
KGNZ of Abilene the Abilene
Pregnancy Counseling Center
the Presbyterian Home, the
Abilene Salvation Army Buffaio
Gap Presbyterian encampment,
and the Albany Chest, according
to treasurer Florence Lynch
Local tradition .
K C Jon«i l tt and Tom Humbet ngnt were on hand Tuesday evening
to H*ip members of the Soli'V Ma'thews Circle of the Mattisews Memorial
"resbyter an Church decorate foi the annual Christmas bajaar te' for Hsu
Satu'day the doors will oo*" at 10 00 a m with the troditionai turkey
on d dressing dinner to be served Oeqmn m«j at II 00 a m S aH PhoK?
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Lucas, Donnie A. The Albany News (Albany, Tex.), Vol. 112, No. 23, Ed. 1 Thursday, November 19, 1987, newspaper, November 19, 1987; Albany, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth401439/m1/1/: accessed June 24, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting The Old Jail Art Center.