The Bastrop Advertiser (Bastrop, Tex.), Vol. 137, No. 53, Ed. 1 Thursday, August 30, 1990 Page: 1 of 52
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Game
action
starting
I, p. 9
• Reserves train <. p 13
• 11-year-old injured 1, P. 2
• County borrows 1, P. 2
Pitching
for
kids
11, p. 1
®Iu> strop JVhiiertisrr
A
Texas* Oldest Weekly Newspaper
Since March 1, 1853
501
Vol. 137, No. 53
Sp
Two Sections, 22 Pages
Bastrop, Texas
Thursday, August 30,1990
Tips asked
on missing
woman, 24
A $10,000 reward is being of-
fered for information establishing
the fate of former Bastrop resi-
dent Cynthia Faye Parker, miss-
ing for two years and now
presumed dead.
Ms. Parker was a 24-year-old
white woman, five feet and four
inches in height and 115 pounds
when she disappeared. She had
long blond hair, blue eyes and a
butterfly tatoo on one shoulder.
Her parents, Ernest and Bar-
bara Parker, are offering $2500 to
anyone who can help lead
authorities to her whereabouts
and $7500 for assisting in the ar-
rest of the person or persons in-
volved in her disappearance or
death, according to Travis Coun-
ty Sheriff’s Detective Gary
Cutler.
Parkers’ mother said in July of
1988 that her daughter was hav-
ing trouble with her boyfriend
who had threatened to kill her.
When she spoke with her
daughter during the first part of
August 1988, Parker had moved in
with a friend to get away from her
boyfriend, Mrs. Parker said. The
boyfriend found her, and there
was a confrontation. Parker end-
ed by leaving with him, she
added.
Continued on Page 2, Section I
Comic dealer
gets 30 years
A former McDade area resi-
dent was sentenced to 30 years in
prison on drug charges Monday
in federal district court in Austin.
John Thomas McCusker, 46, a
dealer in rare comic books known
as “Comic Book John,” was found
guilty in April of possession with
intent to distribute LSD and con-
spiracy to distribute the
hallucinogenic drug.
After a raid on McCusker’s
residence south of the former Oak
Hill community in October 1989,
U.S. Drug Enforcement Ad-
ministration officials said he had
been under surveillance for two
years. They estimated McCusker
sold some 22,000 units of LSD dur-
Continued on Page 2, Section I
BACK TO SCHOOL
County aims
budget bullet
at sheriff, jail
■ ■ iMWliL
mPHP'
Advertiser Photo/Sherri Baker Bryant
As classes got underway this week, these Bastrop kindergarten pupils were eager for the 1990-91
school year.
Opening day
County districts report lower enrollment
First day school enrollments
were down slightly across
iastrop County, but school of-
ficials are optimistic that more
students will enroll between now
and Labor Day.
Bastrop reported 3,961 total
students compared to 4,041 last
year on the first day.
Smithville reported 1,231 and
Elgin had 2,122 on the first day.
Bastrop Superintendent Paul
Fleming expects to see the high
school enrollment increase by as
much as 40 students.
Elgin Superintendent Paul
Willis said overall enrollment
numbers have stayed steady for
the last three years with peak
enrollment by Christmas
reaching as high as 75 to 100 ex-
tra students.
State funds are based in part on
students attendance for all 175
days of the school year.
By Davis McAuley
In a move to pressure Bastrop
County Sheriff Con Keirsey into
renting jail cells soon, commis-
sioners suggested Monday the
sheriff’s law enforcement ac-
tivities could be slashed deeply
unless the jail earns enough
money.
Keirsey said he’s already
pushing as hard as possible for
agreements to house prisoners
from outside agencies.
If the sheriff rents as many
cells in the coming year as he ex-
pects, the county can meet its
other obligations without layoffs
in other departments and without
raising taxes more than eight per-
cent, said Precinct 2 Commis-
sioner Elaine Seidel.
“It’ll work if you house
prisoners,” Mrs. Seidel told
Keirsey during a Monday after-
noon budget discussion.
The plan outlined Monday mor-
ning by Mrs. Seidel calls for
budgeting roughly $1 million in
revenue from jail cell rent over
the coming year.
For spending purposes,
however, the money would be
budgeted for “contingencies” and
transferred through a series of
budget amendments during the
year to cover the pay and ex-
penses of law enforcement per-
sonnel and activities.
The budget for jail operations
would not be affected by the plan,
she said. But if jail rent fails to
appear in sufficient volume the
transfers would not be made,
possibly forcing layoffs.
Keirsey has repeatedly argued
during the current budget talks
that the county’s law enforcement
efforts are already understaffed
and calls for deputies have in-
creased 32 percent so far this
year over the same period in 1989.
“Who will answer the calls? ” if
patrol officers and investigators
are cut, Keirsey asked.
“Where do you suggest we get
the money?” replied Precinct 3
Commissioner Pat Meuth.
Faced with a $400,000 gap bet-
Continued on Page 2, Section I
Bastrop clears bonds
for water system plan
SISD proposes $1,17 tax rate
By Janice Butler
A 7.6 percent tax increase was
proposed by Smithville school
trustees Monday.
This will bring the tax rate to
$1,175 per $100 value and bring in
a revenue of approxiamately
$4,772,672, according to
Superintendent Jack Shanks.
Shanks said with expenditures
budgeted at $4,737,471 for the
coming year, the new tax rate will
leave $27,900 in a fund balance at
the end of the year.
SISD currently has a zero fund
balance, he said.
Shanks presented the board
with a chart of three scenarios
and asked trustees to choose.
A different tax rate and its ef-
fect on property taxes was the
basis for each scenario.
The board’s vote was
unananimous for the 7.6 percent
increase.
A public hearing 6n the propos-
ed tax increase is set for Thurs-
day, September 6 beginning at 7
p.m. in the school administration
building.
In other board business, a
$105,545 loan was approved to
cover current maintenance ex-
penses until tax revenues are col-
lected later this fall.
“This is a 12-month loan we
take each year to take care of the
maintenance until taxes are col-
lected in October,” business
manager Becky Bunte said.
Doors close for
Monday holiday
For the Labor Day holiday
Monday, Sept. 3 business of-
fices for the Bastrop Adver-
tiser will be closed. As a con-
sequence the deadline to sub-
mit classified advertising for
the Thursday, Sept. 6 edition
will be moved back to 4 p.m.
Friday, Aug. 31.
Classified advertising
deadline for the Monday, Sept.
3 edition regains noon Friday,
Aug. 31.
Bastrop County Courthouse
offices will also be closed Mon-
day for Labor Day.
Bastrop city officials said Ci-
ty Hall will be closed the same
day.
All city calls will be directed
to 321-3941 for emergencies on-
ly, said City Secretary JoAnn
Wilcoxen.
BFI garbage service will be
unchanged, she said.
BISD proposes $1,21 tax rate
Bastrop school trustees propos-
ed a fraction under eight percent
tax increase Tuesday. This action
“sets the ceiling,” on the amount
school taxes can increase this
year, explained Trustee Ray
Long.
This will bring the tax rate to
$1.2174 per $100 value and balance
the 1990-91 budget of $13.1 million.
Superintendent Paul Fleming
said it is possible to lower the
amount of the increase at the
hearing, but it cannot be raised.
The budget assumes average
daily attendance in the coming
year will equal last year, he said.
According to Fleming, 3,961
students enrolled on the first day
of school Monday. Last year the
first day attendance was 4,041, but
by October attendance rose to
4,250, he said.
Fleming said it is possible to
over budget. “It’s too soon to tell
anything right now,” he said.
“It (the budget) looks like the
largest expenditures are on
education and I’m satisfied with
it,” trustee Evelyn Weilert said.
President Verlin Callahan
blamed the drop in property
value for the especially tight
budget.
Trustees voted unanimously on
the proposed increase.
A public hearing on the propos-
ed tax increase is scheduled for
Tuesday, September 11 beginning
at 8p.m. in die Lecture Hall of the
high school.
Bastrop’s city council sold $1.25
million in water system revenue
bonds Tuesday at an interest rate
of 7.75 percent to an investor
group including First Southwest
Co. and First National Bank of
Bastrop.
The bond funds are earmarked
to drill a new water well in the
Camp Swift area, pipe the water
to town and finance other im-
provements in the distribution
system.
The Dean Whittier Reynolds,
Inc. firm offered to buy the bonds
for an average interest rate of 7.88
percent.
Tax exempt municipal bonds
were bringing an average rate of
7.33 percent early in August but
recently have averaged 7.8 per-
cent, said the city’s financial
advisor.
Interest charges will cost $1.12
million over the life of the bonds.
City Manager Henry Cunn-
ingham Jr. has said the bonds can
be repaid without raising water
and wastewater rates.
In other business Tuesday city
engineer Joel Wilkinson said fur-
ther talks with the Texas Water
Commission will be required
before moving ahead with a pro-
posal to connect up to nine Thhi-
tian Village subdivision homes to
city sewer service.
City water and wastewater
director Mike Fisher estimated
that nine homes on Kukui Court,
Puna and Mauna Lba streets
could be connected for an average
cost of $5,763 each.
The water commission has con-
cerns about the city’s ability and
Continued on Page 2, Section I
Chief appraiser resigns
BHS’s best to study environment
By Janice Butler
Environmental science will be
offered at Bastrop High School
this year as part of the Gifted and
Talented Program mandated by
the State of Texas. .
According to Assistant
Superintendent of Instruction Dr.
Sheila Mills, 45 students are
enrolled in the program and they
will investigate and research
areas which have affected the
planet and its inhabitants.
Mills said the studies are bas-
ed cm personal interests and can
range from William
Shakespeare’s, “Hamlet,” his
character’s tragic ending and its
relationship within the environ-
ment, to the study of present
water quality and its effect on the
environment.
“There is a vast possibility for
the students to explore,” she said.
Students are tested in part, on
elaboration, originality, flexibili-
ty and fluency before being ac-
cepted in the gifted program,
Mills said. 80 hours of certified
quality work, including some
After six years as the official
charged with appraising all
Bastrop County property for tax
purposes, Lorraine Perry is
quitting.
Her resignation, effective Oct.
31, was accepted Aug. 23 by the
Bastrop County Appraisal
District board of directors.
“It’s not going to be easy to fill
her shoes,” said board chairman
Hubert Linenberger. “Nobody
(on the board) wanted her to
leave”
Mrs. Perry was tax appraiser
and collector tor the Elgin school
district before joining the central
appraisal district as Chief
Appraiser.
“After six years she wants a
rest,” Linenberger said. “It’s not
an easy job.’
earlier this year, “but I wouldn’t
accept her resignation,” he add-
ed. The appraisal district board
will advertise for applications to
fill the vacancy, Linenberger
said.
At the same he praised Mrs.
Perry’s performance as chief ap-
Continued on Page 2, Section I
Continued on Page 2, Section I from
Mrs. Perry tried to step down
om the $49,000-a-year job
INDEX
Business......
...I, p. 10
Classified....
Coming Up.
Deaths........
...U;P. 4
.p. I, p. 3
Letters........
People........
Sports........
4
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McAuley, Davis. The Bastrop Advertiser (Bastrop, Tex.), Vol. 137, No. 53, Ed. 1 Thursday, August 30, 1990, newspaper, August 30, 1990; Bastrop, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth736348/m1/1/: accessed July 9, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Bastrop Public Library.