The Albany News (Albany, Tex.), Vol. 118, No. 12, Ed. 1 Thursday, August 26, 1993 Page: 1 of 18
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_ The
Albany News
"Oldest Journalistic Venture West of the Brazos"
THURSDAY, AUGUST 26, 1993, ALBANY, TEXAS 76430
12 PAGES IN 1 SECTION
VOLUME NUMBER 118 NUMBER 12 PRICE 50$ PER COPY
School board okays $2.8 million
By Donnie A. Lucas
The Albany school board ap-
proved a $2.8 million budget for
the 1993-94 school year during a
special meeting held Monday, Au-
gust 23.
The board also renewed the
district's health insurance policy
with its current carrier and re-
viewed first-day enrollment fig-
ures.
The board passed the budget
with little fanfare after Superin-
tendent Ronnie Kincaid reviewed
th e docu m en t bri efly.
The budget includes total rev-
enues of $2,875,297 and expendi-
tures of $2,777,252, for a proposed
net surplus of $98,045.
Last year the board adopted a
budget of $2,805,018, but actually
ended the year with an amended
budget of $3,062,604. The majority
of the increase was the recently
completed addition to the junior
high building and remodeling of
the high school lab.
Building improvements for
1992-93 were listed at $263,029,
and only $17,000 is budgeted for
the upcoming year, accounting for
almost a $250,000 decrease.
Last year's building improve-
ment fund included $90,000 in ex:
penses for the high school baseball
field, but all of the cost was reim-
bursed by the Albany Booster Club.
The bid on the addition to the
junior high building, which in-
cluded three new technology
classrooms, was just over $ 145,000.
"Really, we are cutting about
$45,000 to $50,000 under last year's
budget when you take out the
buildingimprovements," said board
member Herb Hawkins.
Kincaid told the board that the
budget increases $1.5 million in
state funding, along with
$1,115,000 in local taxes.
Other local revenue tallied
$39,000, while federal funds ac-
counted for $117,424.
"The state says we will receive
$1.6 million," stated Kincaid. "But
I bui lt the budget on $ 1.5. Too many
times they haven't come through
like tney say they will, and they
may have our funding based on
more students than we will actually
be able to report."
The budget is based on a local
tax rate of $1.1509, the same as
lastyear'scombined rate of 18 cents
by the district and 97.09 cents
levied by the now defunct County
Education District.
A tax rate hearing is set for
August 30 at 7:30 p.m. The district
is required to conduct the hearing
since absorbing the 97 cents as-
A new setting...
.
.Si
Albany High School business
teacher Danitajohnston (up-
per photo, I) and Nell Bal»
liew work through a type-
writing exercise after local
classes moved into the new
building on the AHS/AJHS
campus earl ier th is week. The
building also houses jtbe
computer lab (lower photo),
being set up by'Supt. Ronnie
Kincaid and Denney faith.
In order to improve the
business and computer lab
facilities, the structure was
ear
begun after the 1992-93'
ended, it was completed just
■pfflH
? week into the school year.
sessed by the CED last year tech-
nically equates to the district
raising its rate over 500 percent.
The tax rate will actually be
voted on during another special
meeting scheduled for September
8.
Kincaid pointed out that the
expense budgetfor extra-curricular
activities was decreased \>y a net
total of $22,000.
Most of the cuts in extra-cur-
ricular monies were discussed by
the board early in the budget pro-
cess when teacher contracts were
being considered.
Kincaid expressed his apprecia-
tion to the teachers for "really
helping us find a lot of ways to save
in this year's budget: Eliminating
workbooks was a $10,000 savings
alone."
The district will be receiving
almost twice as much fundingfrpm
the federal government for the
Chapter I program. The fund in-
creased to $73,674. Kincaid said
that the difference was due to the
1990 census and that th« district
should continue to receive the
higher level of funding until the
next census,
The budget was unanimously
approved on a motion by Rob
Londerholm.
The board also approved a bid
from WeCTOGA Health Benefits
of Abilene to continue providing
group health coverage. The bid was
quoted at the same premium level
as last year.
The board first opened the bids
on August 16 and postponed a de-
cision until this week's meeting.
WeCTOGA originally bid an eight
percent increase, which was low-
ered to five percent last week.
Kincaid said that he received a
letter during the week stating that
premium rate of $12,920.76 would
remain the same through August
31, 1994.
Myrna Grigsby of Albany was
present to correct a bid she had
presented from the Fortis Benefits
Group. She explained'to the board
that an incorrect multiplier was
used when calculating the bid, and
that the price of the premium would
be $14,900. She apologized for the
error.
The motion accepted the
WeCTOGA bid on a motion by Betsy
Parsons.
Kincaid also presented the board
with the enrollmentfigures for the
district since classes started. Atotal
of 567 students were enrolled as of
Monday, an increase of about 25
students over last year's opening
day count.
Re-enactment set Sept. 4-6
Labor Day weekend will find
i;Fort Griffin State Park covered
with Yankees trying to defend
against theinvasion ofConfederate
Cavalry, Infantry and Artillery.
The events will begin at 8:00
a m: Saturday and be completed by
£2.00 noon on Monday, .
According topaVJt superintend
dent Lester Galbreath, a new fea-
ture at this year's Civil War i*e-
enactment is a complete sound
system with a narrator to describe
•'all the action of combats, shOot-
oiits and other activities.
Several combat engagements
are scheduled throughout the
weekend, with a variety of other
events slated in-between, including
an 1860s ladies fashion show,
several civilian camp town shoot-
outs, arrests, ambushes and paiyroll
heists, live cavalry sabre and pistol
games, artillery demonstrations,
infantry drills, soldiers pay calls
anti much more.
Galbreath noted that several
'sutlers stores will bo operation
during the th^ee-day event, pro-
viding shoppers with an unusual
list of 19th century materials and
goods.
The Fort Griffin Garrison Ladies
will host a saloon and card parlor
patterned after the authentic Fort
Griffin "Queens of the Beautiful
Sin."
Although the living history
demonstrations will begin earlier,
the official events will start at 10:30 f
a.m. on Saturday with a gunfight-
ers shoot-out on the "Camptown
Street."
The first major battle — "Battle
of Valverde" — is set for 2:00 p.m.,
with formally scheduled events
occurringthroughoutthe afternoon
until the "striking of the colors" at
7:15 p.m.
Sunday's activities will beain
with a Civil War church servitiflat
10:00 a.m. The "Battle of Glorieta"
will take place at 2:00 p.m. Sunday
and the "Skirmish at Peralta" on
Monday at 10:30 a.m.
A more detailed agenda will be
published next week, but a com-
plete schedule can be obtained by
^calling the park at 762-3592.
TTiis very special event willgtW
visitors an opportunity to live a
unique piece of our heritage on the
very ground on which our forefa-
thers struggled and died to build a
future for us ta 'inherit'," said
Galbfeath.
Re-enactment groups pre-regis-
tered for the Labor Day weekend
include Old Fort Griffin Memorial
Regiment headquartered at the
park itself, 8th Texas Cavalry
(Terry's Texas Rangers) of Austin,
6th U.S. Cavalry of Fort Richardson
State Park, Kit Carson's 1st New
Mexico Infantry of Albuquerque,
6th U.S, Cavalry (dismounted) of
Temple, 173rd New York-Infantry
of Killeen, 12th Texas Infantry of
Garland, 19th Texas Infantry of
Midland, 11th Texas Cavalry (dis-
mounted) ofHouston, 1st Cherokee
Cavalry'flf Noble, Oklahoma,-and
C.S.A. Engineers of Chickasha,
Oklahoma. Several other units are
expected as well.
"While adults will enjoy the
fantasy of reliving a tragic but very
romantic period of our heritage,
school children in particular will
profit immensely from witnessing
an era that before was only a few
drab pages in a history book," said
Clay Patterson, 5th Texas Com-
mander and volunteer coordinator
for the Civil War project.
Water usage hits 1.7 million
Despite the continued volunteer
rotation of watering lawns and
gardens, the Albany water treat-
ment plant set a record for the
summer, processing 1.7 million
gallons on Monday, August 23.
According to City Manager
Bobby Russell, the city's two water
tanks were seriously depleted again
Monday morning, probably due to
routine Sunday afternoon water-
ing. The plant's attempt to fill the
tanks, plus high usage during the
day on Monday, resulted in the
record-setter.
"The 1.7 million gallonsthat was
processed on Monday is the abso-
lute capacity for the plant," said
the city manager.
Russell hoped that slightly cooler
temperatures and showers on
Tuesday would help the recovery
effort.
He added that the voluntary
curtailment and alternating of
outdoor watering has helped to a
large degree, but the plant is still
having trouble recovering at night.
"We hoped that when school
started, there might be a slight
drop in water usage, but we haven't
noticed any significant difference,"
he continued.
Albany residents are being asked
to continue the rotation systenf
until further notice.
Currently, residents on the south
and east side of U.S. Highway 180,
and the east side of U.S. 283 are
asked to water on even numbered
days of the month.
Residents on the north and west
side ofthe high way, including Rose
Addition, should water on odd
numbered days.
Commissioners approve audit, renew insurance
By Melinda L. Lucas
The Shackelford County com-
missioners approved the 1992
county audit, renewed their em-
ployee health insurance with Blue
Cross-Blue Shield, and heard an
update on the rural fire
department's new equipment dur-
ing a regular meeting on Monday,
August 23.
After the morning business
session, the elected officials met
again that aflerndtfn for a budget
workshop.
Annual Audit
Jim Cotter of James H. Cotter,
Neff & Company presented the
1992 audit, declaring a "clean
opinion" of the county's finances.
The accountant reported that
he had obtained a "general test" in
all departments. "It's impossible to
say that everything is perfect
without looking at every single
entry," he stated. "I probably look
at more than a lot of auditors do
because I don't want any problems
down the line."
Cotter stated that the cash on
hand at the end of 1992 totaled
$479,841, including FEMA disas-
ter assistance in/the amount of
$78,193, and $£*6,852 from the
Performance Reward Program.
The county took in $1,725,727
during the year and spent
$1,776,316 for a "loss" of $50,589.
Cotter remarked that he would
like to begin preliminary work on
the 1993 audit before the end ofthe
ear in order to complete the report
iy-March or April. >
The audit was approved on a
motion by Jimmy Brooks, seconded
5
by R.P. Mitchell.
Insurance Renewal
Insurance agent Shirley Chap-
man presented figures for renew-
ing the county's health coverage
with Blue Cross-Blue Shield of
-Texas, citing an increase of 15.1
percent if the current plan was re-
adopted.
She reported that the county
had paid $97,674 in premiums,
including deductions from em-
ployees' salaries for family mem-
bers. The county pays each
employee's premium as a benefit.
Chapman stated that Blue
Cross-Blue Shield had already paid
out $63,794 in claims so far, and
when added to the claims currently
being processed, the figure totaled
$91,847.
The current plan is based on a
$300 deductible and $1,000 coin-
surance maximum. Rates would
increase from $218 for an indi vidual
to $250.
The commissioners opted to raise
the coinsurance maximum to
$2,000, keeping the $300 deductible
for a monthly premium for an in-
dividual of $242.81 and dropping
the increase to about 11 percent.
The motion was made by Fred
Coulter and seconded by Brooks.
Fire Truck Update
Jim Law of the Shackelford
County Rural Fire Department
informed the commissioners that
the department had received a
2-1/2 ton all-wheel drive Ford truck
purchased for $5,750 from the
Texas Forestry Service.
The vehicle, which came
equipped with a tank, motor and
hoses; arrived last Thursday and
has already been in use for one
range fire.
Law stated that the truck has
11,000 actual miles, and although
it needed some minor work, is,in
good condition.
"We hope to buy another large
truck soon and contract with some
more of the ranchers to keep our
smaller trucks on site," he said.
"That way we'll have a faster re-
sponse time to some ofthe outlying
parts of the county."
Firefighting vehicles are already
kept on the Nail and Reames
ranches.
Sheriff Larry Bonner noted that
the rural fire department's funds
are very low followingthe purchase
of the truck.
Commissioner Brooks reported
that the Moran Fire Department
had equipped a five-ton GI truck
purchased from the Forestry Ser-
vice several months ago with a
1,400 gallon tank.
Bro6ks is currently in the process
of rebuilding a 2-1/2 ton "bobtail"
tank truck from an old dump truck
at a cost of approximately $5,000.
The vehicle will be used by the
Moran RFD.
The commissioners voted to give
$100 from each precinct and the
general fund for a total of $500 to
the Moran fire department, In ad-
dition, Commissioner W.O. Mc-
Keever donated $500 each from
the precinct four fund to the
Lueders and Hamby fire depart-
ments for their assistance in
(See County, pg. 12)
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Lucas, Donnie A. The Albany News (Albany, Tex.), Vol. 118, No. 12, Ed. 1 Thursday, August 26, 1993, newspaper, August 26, 1993; Albany, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth412581/m1/1/: accessed July 8, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting The Old Jail Art Center.