Rains County Leader (Emory, Tex.), Vol. 109, No. 41, Ed. 1 Tuesday, March 25, 1997 Page: 1 of 16
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Bains Countu leader
I _
Your Hometown Newspaper Since 1887
EMORY, TEXAS -TUESDAY, MARCH 26,1987
Emory to apply for
another sewer grant
by JAXIE KING_________________
Hams County Leader staff
The Emory City Council held a
public hearing Tuesday night, Mar.
18th, in regards to the submission
of an application to the Texas Dept,
of Housing and Community Affairs
for a Texas Community Develop-
ment Program (TCDP) grant. Mike
Donnan from Hay ter Engineering
in Paris conducted the hearing. He
explained that 1997 will be a double
funding year (covering 1997 and
1998) so approximately 26 projects
will be funded instead of 13. The
City of Emory applied for this grant
last year but was number 44 on the
list; however, the fact that the city
applied will be in our favor. The
grant application asks for funding
for more sewer renovations and
manhole repair and replacement.
The maximum amount available is
$250,000, which the city would
have to match with $25,000.
When asked if an all-weather
road to the raw water pumps could
be added to the application, Donnan
said funds may be available from
die emergency needs grant the city
received to cover the cost of the
road.
Under citizens presentation and
comments, Richard Jennings asked
the council to consider some type of
recycling program since the plastics
recycling company on Hwy. 515 is
no longer accepting plastic and
cardboard. Mayor Rubye Mc-
Keown said the city plans to imple-
ment some kind of recycling pro-
gram sometime in the future and
would keep this in mind.
Carl and Martha Manley ad-
dressed the council concerning the
sewer odor at their home in the
Katy Addition. Mr. Manley stated
. that they bought their home in De-
cember of 1995 and have had prob-
lems with sewer odor almost con-
tinually, except when school is not
in session. When school starts up,
the odor returns. He noted that sev-
eral houses in the area are affected.
Manley added that the city sealed
the manhole that is near their house
and maybe that will help, but he
would like to see this problem taken
care of.
Public works director Maxie
Chester explained that the school is
adding chemicals at their lift station
but there is no way to tell if and
when they arc adding them. He said
the city has the right to require their
customers to pretreat their waste,
and they will check to see if the city
-already-has^an ordinance that cov-
ers this. If not, the council will pass
one. The engineer, Mike Donnan,
will do an inspection and report
back at the next council meeting.
The Manleys also brought up the
matter of the bad drainage problem
in the Katy Addition. Mr. Chester
said putting in one culvert and cut-
ting a ditch would help, but he
would need some help from the
county as the city doesn’t have the
equipment to do it properly. Don-
nan will also check out the drainage
problem and make a recommenda-
tion.
Bobby Sisk, who recently bought
the old Emory school (now know.i
as the Duffey Terrace Apartments),
spoke to the council. He said he is
not sure exactly what he is going to
do with the building, but one option
is to put it back into apartments. He
asked the council what it would
take to have separate water meters
installed for all 20 apartments. He.
was told that the cost is $550 per
meter, a figure that the council can-
not compromise on due to bonded
indebtedness requirements.
Sisk said he was thinking about
making the old football field behind
the apartments into an open-air am-
phitheatre or making a lake out of it
by damming up the creek at the
back of the property. He asked if he
needed the city’s permission to dam
up the creek. He was told no, but
that he would need the permission
of other landowners who would be
affected by the water backing up
onto their property.
The Texas Water Development
Board’s recommendation that the
City of Emory increase their water
rates was tabled for further study.
The mayor said they plan to hold a
workshop in the near future.
The council convened in execu-
tive session at 7:53 p.m. and recon-
vened in open session at 8:04 p.m.
at which time they voted to buy new
software for the computers and to
increase Curtis Reichle’s salary to
compensate him for a license he al-
ready has.
Maxie Chester gave the report of
work accomplished for the month
of February: eight water leaks re-
paired. two dead animals removed,
nine sewer lines cleaned, three fire
hydrants flushed, ten water turn-
ons, nine water turn-offs, six meters
changed out, six meter boxes and
lids replaced, six water/sewer lines
located, eight meter accuracy
checks and one sewer tap dug up.
Attendance
light at chamber
meeting
by JAXIE KING
Rains County Leader staff
For the first time in quite a while,
there was a light attendance for the
regular monthly meeting of the
board of directors of the Rains
County Area Chamber of Com-
merce on Thursday, March 20th, at
Emory City Hall during the noon
hour. No business was conducted
due to not having a quorum present.
Several items were discussed, in-
cluding the “welcome to Point”
signs, which have not been put up
due to it being too wet; the cham-
ber’s community Easter egg hunt
on Sat., March 29th; and Founder’s
Day activities.
A1 Hays from GlobeCom up-
dated the board on what his compa-
ny has to offer in the way of
Internet access. He was also going
to connect the chamber’s computer
to the Internet following the meet-
ing-
Ann Lieberman from Primerica
Financial Services also spoke to the
board about her company, which
has recently located in Emory at
103-A South Texas Street, includ-
ing a free financial needs analysis.
Few contested races
in city and school elections
The deadline for filing for a place
on the May 3rd city and school
elections passed last week, with few
contested races in the three cities
and school board.
Mickey Cooper is the only in-
cumbent to file for re-election in the
school trustee races, filing for Place
1 Brad Potts also filed for Place 1
Linda K. (Shaffner) Terry filed for
Place 2, currently held by Betty
Busby. Philip Alexander and Bruce
Feagin filed for Place 3, currently
held by David Niflo. These are all
three-year terms.
Incumbents Cay Frances House
and Mary Cain White filed for re-
election to the Emory City Council
Place 1 and 5, respectively. Johnny
Curley also filed for Place 5, and
Jerold Plumb filed for Place 3, cur-
rently held by Charles Kovar.
Incumbent Ted Romine, Pam
Ladymon and Lynn Cason have
filed for three at-large council
places at the City of Point. Two of
the places are currently held by Ted
Romine and C. B. Ainsworth. The
third place is the unexpired term of
Lynn Cason, who resigned.
At East Tawakoni, incumbents
Harry Laughfifti-Sina-A:-McBride
and Howard Clayton have filed for
re-election to Places 1, 2 and 4, re-
spectively. Pam Whitfield and Jeff
Doster have filed for the one-year
unexpired term of Bobby Farmer,
who resigned. All the other city
council places are two-year terms.
Applications for ballots by mail
will be accepted through April 25th.
Early voting by personal appear-
ance will be conducted April 14th
through 29th at each respective city
hall and at the school administra-
tion building.
Community
Easter egg hunt
All Rains County children from
toddiers through third grade are in-
vited to participate in the second
annual Easter egg hunt on Saturday,
March 29th, at 10:00 a.m., spon
sored by the Rains County Area
Chamber of Commerce. This event
will be held in the City Park.
Bring your Easter basket and en-
joy the fun!
DAVID NINO, President
i rfm
► • #
The dogwoods and other flowering trees are showing off their beautiful blossoms
all around Emory, heralding the official arrival of spring last week. The first day
of spring was followed by several beautiful, sunshiny days with temperatures in
the 80s Staff photo by Betty Adair
PRICE 35*
Son found
guilty in
murder of
father
by JAXIE KING
Rains County Leader staff
Rickey Dale Elliott was con-
victed of the murder of his father,
Jessie Leon Elliott, 55, and sen-
tenced to life in prison by a Rains
County jury last week. Jury selec-
tion began Monday, March 17, fol-
lowed by two days of testimony.
The jury deliberated only ten min-
utes before finding Rickey Elliott
guilty of murder and deliberated
thirty minutes during the punish-
ment phase. The jury also assessed
a $10,000 fine.
Jessie Elliott, who lived in the
Bright Star community, was report-
ed missing by his family on Dec.
27, 1995. The search for Mr. Elliott
began the next day, and his body
was located between 1:30 and 2:00
p.m. in a three-acre pond several
hundred yards from his home. He
appeared to have sustained a head
injury, and foul play was suspected.
The victim’s son, Rickey Dale
Elliott, 28, was picked up for ques-
tioning and soon became a major
suspect in the murder of his father.
He was later charged with murder
and a $50,000 bond set.
City of Point
spring
clean-up week
The City of Point will have their
annual Spring Clean Up, March 29,
1997, through April 5, 1997. The
dumpsters will be placed on Locust
Street, at the former phone com-
pany’s pole yard. If any of the el-
derly residents have large items that
needs to be taken to the dumpster’s
and are unable to get it there, con-
tact City Hall at 598-3296 between
7:30 a m. and 4:00 p.m. Monday
through Friday. No tires,
batteries, refrigerators, or air
conditioners, or any item with
freon are to be put in the
dumpsters. You must have a
certificate from a licensed person
showing that the freon has been
removed. The gate will be open
from 8:00 a m. to 5:00 p.m. each
day.
Teaming up for economic growth
Facts and figures tell the story. On
Tuesday, March 11, the Rains County
Commissioners’ Court viewed records
from the courthouse and tax office con-
cerning the county’s declining taxable
value and the consistent rise in the com-
bined tax rate. Figures show that within the
past ten-year period our county has
dropped over one-third of its taxable value.
These economic indicators are causing
concern throughout Rains County.
The major cause for the large drop in the
tax base comes from a decline in gas and
oil values. Taxable value of oil and gas
peaked in 1986 at $160,000,00; however,
it currently stands at approximately
$26,000,000. This represents a loss of
approximately $134,000,000. This loss,
combined with constant increases in oper-
ative costs of our local governmental
offices, schools, fire department, law
enforcement, and community service enti-
ties, is causing our individual taxes to sky-
rocket.
Even though new homes are constantly
being built on Lake Fork and Lake
Tawakoni, citizens of Rains County cannot
expect these homes to offset the entire
$134,000,000 loss in taxable value.
Business owners, homeowners, and indi-
viduals throughoui the county arc being
surveyed and interviewed in an effort to
inform citizens and to search for ways to
resolve this situation.
Possible solutions to our problem may
include, but not be limited to, the follow-
ing:
•Retention and expansion of existing
businesses.
•Tourism and promotion of tourism. (We
are in a hot spot.) Studies show that Lake
Fork alone brought in $27,000,000 in a
one-year period to a three-county area.
•Encourage new business and/or indus-
try to locate in Rains County.
•Continue to build and maintain excel-
lent county roads that will encourage the
buying and building of new homes.
Former County Judge Joe Ray
Dougherty was instrumental in re-
searching, compiling figures, and present-
ing these facts to the commissioners court.
In response to his presentation, Dougherty
received a standing ovation from the
commissioners. Dougherty is an avid sup-
porter of the Rains County Area Chamber
of Commerce as well as Eagle Fest and the
Rains County Economic Growth. Inc.
Reported
$350
$300
RAINS COUNTY TAX BASE
1986 / 1996
Ralna County * tax baa* haa dacraaaad
approximately $106 million over a ten-year period.
$350
$300
$250
$200
1986 ’87 '88 '89 '90 ’91 '92 '93 '94 '95 '96
values X 1.000.000 Series 2
Graph compliments of Earnest Cain
In million*
$180
RAINS ISD MINERAL VALUE
1986 / 1996
Rain* County * mineral value* dropped
approximately $134 million In ten year*.
1986 '87 '88 ’89 '90 '91 '92 '93
VALUE X 1.000.000 Series 2
Graph comphments of Earnest Coin
'94 95 96
RAINS CO. ISD TAX RATE vs TAX BASE
1986 /1996
Aa the tax base drops approximately $108 million, the
echool tax rate I* forced up from approximately 67* to $1.56.
TAX RATE TAX BASE____
$2.00 j
$320,000,000
$1.50
$1.00
1986 '87 '88 ’89 ’90 '91 '92 '93 '94 '95 '96
—I— Series 2 ~Seriea 3
Tax Sate Tax Bate
TAX RATE X 1 - TAX BASE X 1,000.000
Graph components of Earnest Cain
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Hill, Earl Clyde, Jr. Rains County Leader (Emory, Tex.), Vol. 109, No. 41, Ed. 1 Tuesday, March 25, 1997, newspaper, March 25, 1997; Emory, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth765154/m1/1/: accessed June 27, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Rains County Library.