The Hopkins County Echo (Sulphur Springs, Tex.), Vol. 105, No. 23, Ed. 1 Friday, June 6, 1980 Page: 1 of 6
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VOl. 105—NO. 23.
(ABSORBED THE GAZETTE CIRCULATION BY PURCHASE MAY 12. 1928)
SULPHUR SPRINGS, TEXAS, FRIDAY, JUNE 6,1980.
fi PAGES -10 CENTS PUBLISHED EVERY FRIDAY
City okays new power rate
Sulphur Springs City Commissioners
appointed a new public works director,
approved new electric rates, approved
new cab rates and re-affirmed an earlier
action to leave the concession at Pacific
Park in the hands of Julius Pitts at their
meeting Tuesday night.
Bill Farler was named as public works
director after the commission approved
the recommendation of Interim City
Manager Travis Owens.
Owens said that the Street, Sanitation,
Parks and Recreation, Water and Sewer
Distribution, Inspection and Purchasing
Departments would be under Farler’s
control.
■ On second and final reading, the city
approved the rate increase for Texas
Power & Light Company and on first
reading approved an increase in taxi
rates.
Under that new taxi rate schedule, the
charge for Zone 1 — an area bounded on
the east by Lamar Street, one the west by
League Street, on the south by Kyle and
Bellview Streets and on the north by the
Saint Louis and Southwestern Railroad -
trill increase to $2.
For Zone 2 - outside the Zone 1 area and
bounded on the south by Industrial Drive,
Loop 301 and SH-19 on the west — the rate
would be $2.90; and for Zone 3 — all areas
west of SH-19, east and north of Loop 301
and south and east of 1-30 — the rate would
be $3.50.
The ordinance will come up for final
reading and a public hearing 30 days after
initial reading and the rates will not go into
effect until after final approval.
Don McLarry told the commissioners
that the increased rates were necessary
due to increased costs of gasoline.
The new taxi service began operation on
Monday.
A report from Kindle Stone &
Associates, Inc., consulting engineers, was
received by the commissioners.
The report indicated that the majority of
the problems at the Waste Water Treat-
ment Plant are due to industrial wastes.
City Attorney Tommy Allison is to
prepare a letter that will give the 10 or 12
No surprises' for school officials
Mixed news
in test results
By JOEWOOSLEY
News-Telegram Staff
Trustees of the Sulphur Springs In-
dependent School District at a special noon
meeting Monday were provided with
aggregated scores of the Texas
Assessment of Basic Skills tests given to
fifth and ninth grade students. Dan
Durham, assistant superintendent, and
Patsy Bolton, elementary supervisor,*'
offered charts and appropriate in-
terpretations as the summary reports
were reviewed.
There were bright spots in the report as
well as obvious weak points, but, overall,
Durham indicated no surprises. He said he
believed that when state-wide reports are
released it will reveal that Sulphur Springs
students tested will show their per-
formance ranks well with others in
comparison.
Durham said the TABS tests will give
teachers and students a foundation on
which to work.
“This is a step forward despite
criticisms that have been heard or
possibly will be heard," Durham said,
apparently referring to a critical article in
the Texas Monthly magazine.
He noted that the criterion-referenced
tests measure performance against stated
criteria.
One of the highlights of the summary
report showed that all of the fifth grade
students (247) had acceptable handwriting
skills. Percentage-wise, 98 percent showed
a mastery in spelling, 72 percent in punc-
tuation, 96 percent in capitalization, 79
percent in correct English usuage, 87
percent in sentence structure, and 94
percent in commonly used forms. The test
revealed that only six had failed to master
spelling.
While the fifth graders performed at
near normal levels in math for an “okay"
rating, three of the 12 tested areas in-
dicated weakness. Only 24 percent, or 59
students, were listed as mastering
geometric terms, figures, 37 Interpret
Place Value, and 27 percent Identify
Equivalent Fractions.
In the other areas, such as addition,
subtraction and division, they performed
well. They also did well in word problems,
units of measures, graphs and sequence
numbers.
Fiscal problems that plague world
leaders were reflected in the math tests for
the ninth grade students. The summary
report showed that 106 of the 226 students
tested had difficulty with the area cap-
tioned Solve Personal Finance Problems.
Only 52 percent mastered this skill.
Overall, 184 of the students, or 81 percent,
mastered the 11 tested areas. Forty-two
did not.
In the reading section, 180 students, or 79
percent, show they had mastered the
skills. Forty-eight did not. The weakest
area for the students in reading involved
distinguishing fact and non-fact.
The ninth graders showed 73 percent, or
167 students, had mastered spelling,
punctuation, capitalization, English
usage, sentence structure and commonly
used terms in writing, but their writing
samples struck different chords. Only 82
percent had acceptable handwriting. In
the organization of ideas testing, seven
percent ranked highly, 66 percent at the
acceptable level, and 26 percent at the low
range.
Durham told the trustees that in-service
training in August would be attuned to
addressing the weak points and making
teachers aware to emphasize possible
areas to accommodate materials to be
tested.
Under the state law, the third grade
students will be added to the TABS tests
next year. Some educators have expressed
the belief that the legislature may even-
tually require competency skills for
graduates. Others believe that the com-
petency requirements will be left to the
local boards.
"’ Parents of the students who took the
tests and have not seen the results will be
invited to confer with counselors in
August. The individual test results are
confidential, but students and parents may
inspect them as well as teachers directly
concerned.
Mrs. Bolton said that results of the TABS
were discussed with a group of teachers
representative of the grades one through
nine and a series of suggestions and
recommendations were offered to bring
about improvements.
One of the recommendations is to offer a
unit on solving personal financial
problems in an effort to bolster one weak
point observed in the testing. Remedial
reading programs at the high school level
also are being considered.
In addition to the report on the TABS
results, the board members approved a
motion to purchase uniforms for the Blue
Blazes at a cost of $135.99 per unit (total
about $6,800), authorized the inclusion of
the Community Players in the Community
Education program, and scheduled June
17-18 study sessions to work on the school
budget.
Jan Blake, Mr. and Mrs. John Gore,
Joseph McCorkle and Mrs. Gene Poe
represented the Community Players at the
meeting, which was presided over by
board president Patsy Johnson.
Water
capacity
boost set
With water usage going up and up,
Sulphur Springs city officials have
decided to expand the present water
treatment facility to increase the
output of the plant.
“We are selling a lot more water
now," said city manager Travis Owens.
“The city is growing and since we have
added some other communities on our
water lines we felt we needed the ex-
pansion to keep up with growth,”
added.
Presently, during peak water use
periods such as the summer, water
consumption is running at or above the
four million gallons a day mark, ac-
cording to the city manager — and that
four million gallons is just about the
plant’s current limit.
“We never know when an industry
might move into the area and create a
new demand for water. We are trying to
keep pace with future needs," Owens
said.
When completed, the new floculator
and clarifier will provide an addition
one million gallons of water to the
system capadty-
industries who are reportedly causing
most of the problems four months to
present the city with a pre-treatment plan
and a definite construction schedule for a
pre-treatment facility.
Should industries not be in compliance
with the requirements to complete their
facilities on time, there could be penalties
and fines levied.
Julius Pitts, who has had the concession
at Pacific Park since June 21,1977 had his
services renewed at the meeting after a
complaint was filed by Jackie Blount who
owns Jolly Jacks, a snack bar-concession
stand just north of Pacific Park.
Commissioners were told that Pitts had
not been meeting certain standards but
had brought his operation into compliance.
The commission then decided that as
Pitti does utilize city paid electricity for
the operation of his stand, that a fee should
be assessed.
After a lengthy discussion, the com-
missioners decided to require a payment
of $150 per vehicle per season per park for
concessionaires.
I
Concepts
outlined
on YMCA
By JAN BLAKE
News-Telegram Staff
“A ‘Y’ is two things — people and
programs,” Jerry Haroldson, personnel
marketing manager for the Young Men’s
Christian Association, said here Monday.
Haroldson was in Sulphur Springs to
address a group interested in getting a
continuous recreation program started in
Hopkins County. The national association
assists in getting programs started and
helps with ideas and direction after a local
YMCAisandirway.
“A YMCA is a lot of different things to a
lot of different people,” Haroldson said to
the group of about 30 on hand. Within the
group were representatives of the
Ministerial Alliance, school board, city
government, alcohol abuse program
workers, members of the Hopkins County
Chamber of Commerce, news media
representatives, personnel from the city’s
Parks and Recreation Department and
members of other local clubs and
organizations.
“The YMCA is in the family business;
doing things together as a family,"
Haroldson said.
Haroldson emphasized that a YMCA is
for all ages of both sexes. “Most of our
programs now are coeducational,” he
said.
“We are also a Christian organization.
This does not mean only Christians can
belong. But the moral values of
Christianity are taught as a part of our
programs,” Haroldson emphasized.
YMCAs do not need much of a facility to
begin a program, according to Haroldson.
What is necessary, he said, is to have one
full-time director who would be hired and
fired by the local board. It is ideal to start
with a multi-purpose room, an office and
an outdoor pool, he said, “but not essen-
tial. You can start with just a playing field
and the use of the city pool.”
YMCA directives suggest starting a
three-year program with $100,000,
Haroldson said — a figure which startled
his audience.
Haroldson went on to break down the
$100,000 figure as “...a pledge of $100 from
1,000 people or $50 from 2,000 people.” He
suggested an “optimum figure” of $33,000
a year for operational expenses,
equivalent to 600 people pledging $50 a
year over the three-year growth program.
Haroldson’s only expressed reservation
as to having a YMCA in Sulphur Springs
was the city’s relatively small population.
Sulphur Springs “is on the borderline” as
far as head-count is concerned in the
YMCA system, he said.
Yet, he stressed, “Size is not really all
that important," citing the example of
Rockwall County (the smallest county in
Texas). “They wanted a ‘Y’ and they got
one because of the dedication of a few
community leaders. They now have a fully
operational and active program.”
In response to a question of what the
national group takes in revenue from local
organizations, Haroldson said, “The
YMCA gets three precent of the generated
income. Federal grants are not included.”
Haroldson wears a T-shirt with a
statement: “Jerry loves other people’s
kids.” “This is an important part of
working with the YMCA. It feels good to
give a kid a hug.”
Charles Kurkjian, leader of the local
group, said he hopes “all the people of
Sulphur Springs will give a kid a hug by
supporting a YMCA here.”
those interested in working toward a
YMCA program in Sulphur Springs are
invited to the next meeting, scheduled for
Monday, June 16, Kurkjian said. The
meeting will be held in the municipal room
at City HaO at 7 p.m.
.
Downtown blaze
Firefighters work to extinguish a blaze at BJ's Dress Wear at
126 Main St. Saturday afternoon. The fire was reported at 5:20
p.m. by policemen. Fire Marshal Jerry Bolding said that
damages would run about $20,000 to $30,000 to the contents of the
business and approximately $10,000 to $15,000 to the building.
-Staff Photo
Blaze damages shop
on downtown square
A light bulb in a storage area has been
tenatively identified as the cause of the
fire at BJ’s Dress Wear at 126 Main
Saturday afternoon, according to Fire
Marshal Jerry Bolding.
Bolding said Monday morning that the
fire caused somewherq between $20,000
and $30,000 in damage to the contents of
the store operated by Tina Cloudous and
Jeannie Lakey of Greenville.
The building, owned by Mooney Enlow,
had somewhere between $10,000 and
$15,000 in damages according to Bolding.
"It was mostly superficial damage,”
Bolding said of the building’s damage.
“The reason we didn’t have any more
damage to the other businesses was
because we had a good firewall,” he said.
Carothers Brothers, located next door to
the dress shop, reported only light smoke
damage.
Firemen were on duty for over an hour
although Bolding said that the fire was
controlled within the first few minutes of
the blaze.
The fire was discovered by Sulphur
Springs Patrolmen J. Paul Sides, Gary
Littrell and Cpl. Clovis Harbor. They were
on routine patrol when they noticed smoke
coming from the building.
Firemen were concerned about the
possibility of the windows blowing out
when they first arrived.
As firemen broke out those windows,
others were attempting to enter the rear of
the store through a barricaded door on
Gilmer Street.
“Luckily the fire was in the middle and
after we got those cracked windows out of
the way, the first 150 gallons of water went
right on the fire," Bolding said.
Damage to the first floor of the building
and its contents were rated as being heavy
with only heat, smoke and water damage
to the second floor of the building.
Bolding said the fire is still under in-
vestigation.
Construction lags but upturn seen
A duplex and a one-family residence
carried the new construction load in
Sulphur Springs in May as Joe Cerretani,
city building inspector, recorded the least
active month of the calendar year here. It
was about $1,000 less than in January,
which was hampered weatherwise.
Although the total building permits
amounted to only $124,811 in May, the
year’s total moved past the $1.5 million
mark. Through the first five months of
1980, permitted construction has totaled
$1,522,210 in Sulphur Springs.
The only totally new construction in May
were for a duplex costing $60,000 for
Jeanette Pickett, 937 Jefferson St., and a
house for Jonny Thomas, 821 Carter St.,
listed at $26,000.
Other permits were for repairs, signs
and fences. They were issued to:
Paul Stewart, 401 Gilmer St., $300.
Ike Stevens, N. Moore St., $200.
First Presbyterian Church, 129 College
St., $4,000.
First Baptist Church, 124 College St.,
$3,000.
Billy Calhoun, 633 Sunset St., $30.
Delvin Fitzgerald, 601 Whitworth St.,
$3,000.
Tony Abercrombie, 629 Tate St., $650.
Laura Finney, 1000 Whitworth St.,
$3,750.
Viola Perry, 310 Calvert St., $3,750.
Oma Hart, 207 Front St., $1,784.
Lillie Williams, 328 Front St., $1,325.
Goldie May Searcy, 220 Ross St., $3,750.
Agnes Merrell, 209 Front St., $2,550.
Jeannette Hoover, 609 Lamar St., $3,750.
Leona Harrison, 721 Fuller St., $2,972.
Jimmy Goldsmith, 547 Texas St., $2,200.
Henry Keller, 108 Morris Dr., $1,500.
Louis Betz, 704 Jefferson St., $300.
Cerretani has been watching a decline in
interest rates and is hoping for a turn-
around in construction, which he believes
will come with a freeing of money for
loans.
As the new month began, he was looking
over architect Charles Muller’s plans for a
new education building for First
Presbyterian Church. The 40-by-96-foot
building is proposed to be located to the
rear of the lot on which the former manse
(now used for the Sunday School) is
situated. The old manse would be razed
after the new building is constructed,
Cerretani has been told.
The building inspector said several other
residential-type constructions are ex-
pected to be permitted early this month.
Tax board reviews fund status
Members of the Hopkins County Tax
Appraisal District (HCTAD) were in-
formed at their meeting in the Sulphur
Springs Library Thursday that a total of
$22,222 has been formally committed to
their budget and that 17 applications have
been received for the position of chief tax
appraiser.
Chairman Ray Johnson told board
members G.V. Hughes, P.J. Ponder, Joe
Bob Burgin and Ed Stevens that letters
have been received from the City of
Sulphur Springs, Sulphur Springs In-
dependent School District, Hopkins
County, Miller Grove Independent School
District and the City of Cumby committing
themselves to their shares of the funding of
the board’s $30,000 budget for the period of
July through December, 1960.
The board agreed to have Johnson send
letters seeking formal action to grant the
remaining funding to the HCTAD. Those
letters will be sent to the Como-Pickton
Independent School District, Saltillo In-
dependent School District, Sulphur Bluff
Independent School District, City of Como,
North Hopkins Independent School
District and Cumby Independent School
District.
Hughes said that the Saltillo ISD had
voted to approve the funding although no
letter has been received by the HCTAD.
A discussion of whether the various
taxing entities would have to pay the entire
amount at one time or in payments was
brought up and it was decided that the
entities would be able to pay in thirds as
long as the payments were in advance.
Johnson told the members of the HCTAD
that each should become a spokesman for
the group and explain its functions to the
people of Hopkins County at every op-
portunity.
“Our job is to comply with the Property
Tax Code,” he said, “to raise all ap-
praisals to market value. We have nothing
to do with the tax assessments or collec-
ting taxes.”
Following a discussion of whether the
Hopkins County Hospital District should
be included in the $30,000 budget, it was
decided that as the hospital district does
levy a tax it should be included and a letter
will be sent to the hospital board as well as
to a levy district in the northern part of
Hopkins County. The amount that each is
to pay toward the budget will be based on
the amount of taxes levied by the district.
Board members expressed concern that
there had been no bids for the bank
depository of the HCTAD.
Ponder said that he was concerned about
the federal grand jury subpoenas being a
cause of the lack of response but Hughes
said that the deadline for submitting bids
was June 8 and that the banks might be
waiting until closer to that deadline to
submit their bids.
Of the 17 applications for chief tax ap-
praiser, Johnson told the board members
that there were several good applicants
and that the applications needed to be
narrowed down to four or five before in-
terviews could be scheduled.
The board then convened into executive
session to consider those applications.
Taxing agency
opens search
The job of finding the right man for the
position of Chief Tax Appraiser of the
Hopkins County Tax Appraisal District
(HCTAD) has begun in earnest with the
first of die 19 remaining candidates
interviewed Wednesday night
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Keys, Clarke & Woosley, Joe. The Hopkins County Echo (Sulphur Springs, Tex.), Vol. 105, No. 23, Ed. 1 Friday, June 6, 1980, newspaper, June 6, 1980; Sulphur Springs, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth780656/m1/1/: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Hopkins County Genealogical Society.