Polk County Enterprise (Livingston, Tex.), Vol. 124, No. 101, Ed. 1 Sunday, December 17, 2006 Page: 1 of 54
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Polk County
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UPS 437-340 Price: 50 cents
On subdivision regulations
Public hearing possible
For Big Sandy ISD trustees
sjjtansfer policy among topics
By EMILY BANKS WOOTEN
News Editor
LIVINGSTON - Although no
more meetings will be held until
after the beginning of the year, a
number of questions of the Polk
County Facility Study Committee -
the group charged with developing
a general work plan and estimates
for the use and improvement of the
is slated to report on tax collec-
tions, transportation, facilities, the
Lone Star Investment Pool and
personnel.
The principals are expected to
report on enrollment, attendance,
activities and academics.
Other items on the agenda in-
clude approval of the expenditures
for December and the minutes of
the previous meeting.
LIVINGSTON - The Polk
County Commissioners’ Court will
consider scheduling a public hear-
ing on the revised subdivision
regulations to be adopted in Polk
County during its regular meeting
at 10 a.m. Tuesday.
Commissioners took action ear-
lier this month to move the Dec. 26
meeting to Tuesday due to the con-
flict with the Christmas holiday.
Commissioners will consider ap-
proval to submit an application for
a fiscal year 2006 Edi-Special Pro-
jects grant to restore the Polk
County Annex.
Action regarding the re-bid for
the purchase of 16 sheriffs de-
partment vehicles with the trade-in
of 10 used vehicles will be consid-
ered.
Commissioners will also con-
sider a Precinct 2 commissioner’s
request for approval of the capital
purchase of asphalt zipper from
HGAC, the state contract vendor,
noting exemption from the bidding
requirement, in the amount of
$01,450 to include approval of a
lease/purchase agreement with
Governmental Capital Corporation
for a term of five years.
Commissioners are slated to en-
ter into an executive session to con-
sult with an attorn.. and to deliber-
ate real propcity. Any action, how-
ever, will b taken upon return to
open session.
In old business, commissioners
are slated to consider action relat-
Principal retiring
GOODRICH - The Board of
Trustees of the Goodrich Independ-
ent School District accepted the
resignation of Elementary Principal
Betty Jackson following an execu-
tive session during its regular
Thursday. Jackson is retiring at the
end of February.
Other personnel related action
included the board’s approval to
employ Betty Keys to teach high
school science for the remainder of
the school year.
The board approved the audit en-
gagement letter for the 2006-2007
school year from Stephenson and
Trlicek.
Also approved was the athletic
handbook, which had been tabled
from August, September, October
and November.
Tax refunds fot the following
w'ere approved S2,647.x5 for Fam-
cor Oil It . $225 for Dev Lee and
Patricia Siiani, $225 for Tim and
Darlene Tucker and $5.03 for
Manuel Samaniego
Superintendent William Gorham
reported on tiie school holidays, the
arrival of the two new buses and
studies regarding the high school
parking lot.
Other business included approval
of the financial reports and the
minutes of the-Nov. 16 regular
meeting and Now 13 special called
meeting
Congressman announces during visit
Sales tax deduction extended
county-owned “Pedigo block” -
were answered by County Judge
John P. Thompson during the Dec.
I f meeting of the committee.
Having distanced himself from
the process since the committee’s
formation, emphasizing that he did
not want to be pad of the commit-
tee V decision-making process,
Thompson attended the recent
meeting at the committee’s request.
“In my opinion, this (the commit-
tee) is kind of a microcosm of our
county,” Thompson said, thanking
the committee for taking on the
challenge. “It’s very difficult to
come up with a plan that will sat-
isfy the voters of bur county.”
Committee member Ruth Bass
Hollenbeck inquired of the overall
plan and how the proposed judicial
center Tits with the courthouse.
“We really have two non-
connectcd plans being pursued at
different Speeds at different time
tables,” Thompson said.
He talked of the courthouse pres-
ervation program previously ad-
ministered by the Texas Historical
Commission whereby the state leg-
islature, earmarked funding that was
awarded to counties based on an
application process and point sys-
tem. Although the legislature
agreed to fund S80 million during
the last round, purview of the fund-
ing since changed hands, falling
under the auspices of the Texas
Department of Transportation and
not boding well for courthouse
preservation.
Thompson did indicate that he
has high hopes that the program
will be funded again when the leg-
islature convenes in January.
“We wanted to move the court
functions across the block with the
proper security and. reepnsoltdate
the non-court-related personnef at
the courthouse,” Thompson said,
clarifying the court's original intent
for a proposed judicial center.
“Can we do this in a vacuum?”
Committee member Dick Grant
asked.
“I don’t see where one^has to do
with the other,” Thompson said,
adding, “The whole idea is to try to
get as much of what we do as
county government together.”
Committee member Diane
Harlan inquired as to the future of
the cun-ent district courtroom if a
judicial center is constructed
“It could be a commissioners’
courtroom, it could be a back-up
district courtroom, it could be a
jury voir dire room, it could be a lot
of things,” Thompson said.
“Who makes the decision which
departments go across the street
and who determines how much
space they need?” Committee
member Judy Cochran asked.
“There are recognized national
standards that I assume we’ll use,”
Thompson said.
Recent work of committee
Having met with numerous archi-
tects, designers, planners and con-
sultants over the course of the
summer and fall, the committee
was poised to take action on space
study proposals submitted by two
architectural firms - White Rock
Studio of Dallas and Hesters and
Sanders of Lufkin - during its Nov.
27 meeting, but tabled action on the
proposals following a 5-4 vote.
Kurt Neubeck, a pre-design spe-
cialist with Page Southerland Page,
met with the committee on Dec. 4
and discussed the merits of pre-
design decision-making, emphasiz-
ing that the impact of decisions is
greatest at the beginning of a pro-
ject.
He pointed out the requirements
of pre-design, including a vision
session, research, interactive work •
sessions, organization and analysis,
an executive review, subsequent
reviews, a documented vision and
an operational plan.
“To do this right, these are things
you have to go through.” Neubeck
said.
Confusion over the committee’s
charge seemed to surface at the
Dec. 4 meeting, as did the realiza-
tion that there seemed to be more
unknown factors than known ones.
For example, the committee
agreed on the process for decision-
making. However, numerous other
concepts were identified as un-
knowns, including a master
plan/facility strategy (what should
go where and why); population
projections and the effect on facil-
ity needs; industry standards (such
as peers, state of the art and trends);
and a facility program.
Other unknowns included a proc-
ess for community input, participa-
tion and buy-in; an objective analy-
sis of voter priorities; and a scope,
schedule and budget.
History of committee ,
The committee was appointed by
the Polk County Commissioners’
Court in April to study the county-
owned Livingston Block 17, also
known as “the Pedigo block.”
The committee recommended
July 25 that the county build “a
new, secure and much-needed judi-
cial center to meet the county’s
current and future needs.”
The committee’s recommenda-
tion for achieving that goal was to
retain the property, retain the Ford
Building (on the northwest corner
of the block) and the Greer Build-
ing (on the northeast corner of the
block) and to demolish the four *
inner buildings.
On Aug 8, the court approved
retaining the group and giving it a
new charge.
The court asked the group to pro-
ceed with its review and to develop ,
a general work plan for the block, • '
including estimates of all recom-
mended work. Understanding that
certain costs will be incurred in the
development process, the court has
also requested an estimated budget
for limited, projected costs. ".
At that time, the county judge
asked the committee to determine
what the county should do with the
block and how to do it, as well as to
explore financing options.
See FACILITY pg. 2A
ENTERPRISE PHOTO SY VICKI COKER
TWILIGHT THURSDAYS OFFER DOWNTOWN LATE SHOPPING - Families have the
opportunity to eat and enjoy shopping together during the Twilight Thursdays sponsored by the
Livingston Specialty Merchants Guild. Each Thursday in December downtown shops and res-
taurants have been staying open until 8 p.m. Enjoying dinner in a downtown caf6 are (1-r) Milie
McClure, Ray Komow and Sharon Braashaw.
DALLARDSVILLE - The trans-
fer policy will be considered by the
Board of Trustees of the Big Sandy
Independent School District during
its regular meeting at 6:30 p.m.
Monday.
The board will also consider the
adoption process for the school
calendar and the superintendent
appraisal process.
The Academic Excellence Indi-
cator Skills report will be pre-
sented.
The board will consider action on
a tax refund for FAMCOR Oil Inc.
The board will also review Pol-
icy Update No. 79.
An executive session is on the
agenda, at which time the board is
slated to consult with an attorney
and deliberate personnel.
Any action, however, will be
taken upon return to open session.
Superintendent Kenneth Graham
LIVINGSTON - Texas families
will once again be able to deduct
the state and local sales taxes
they’ve paid throughout the year on
their federal tax returns.
U.S. Congressman Kevin Brady
(R-The Woodlands), author of the
recently restored sales tax deduc-
tion, highlighted the bill’s passage
and what it means for Texas busi-
nesses and taxpayers while visiting
at a local furniture store in
Livingston Wednesday.
The sales tax deduction saves
Texans $1 billion a year in tax re-
lief.
“It’s an issue of fairness that
Texas families be able to deduct
every penny of state and local sales
tax they pay throughout the year
from their federal tax bill, espe-
cially when families in most states
are deducting their state income
taxes,” Brady said.
Sales tax savings add up. Ac-
cording to the Internal Revenue
Service, a Texas family of four
with an income between $.30,000
and $40,000 is able to deduct $730
from their taxes - plus local sales
taxes and sales tux paid on large
purchases like boats, cars, home
appliances and home-building ma-
terials.
Help for universities
The tax extenders bill contained
another provision authored by
Brady to support higher education
institutions in Texas. The bill ex-
tends permanently the current IRS
exception for the state’s Permanent
University Fund (PUF) from the
tax-exempt bond arbitrage rules.
Since the 1930s, Texas public
universities have issued tax-exempt
bonds payable from the PUF to
finance capital projects that have
enabled the universities to provide
superior educations to their stu-
dents. The provision recently
passed preserves this valuable tool
for Texas public universities, giv-
ing them access to about $100 mil-
lion in funding for capital projects
each year.
Additional savings
The bill also contains several
See BILL pg. 2A
ing to the fiscal year 2007 line item
budget for Polk County road sign-
age and to consider a maintenance
agreement request for an agreement
w ith East Texas DSL.
A lease agreement with Molly
Locke for office space located in
the M.G. Reily Humanitarian
Building in Corrigan will be con-
sidered for renewal.
Commissioners will consider ap-
proval of the budget revisions as
presented by the county auditor and
the budget amendments as submit-
ted and reviewed by the court-
appointed committee.
Other items on the agenda in-
clude approval of the personnel
action forms, schedule of bills and
minutes of the Dec. 12 regular
meeting.
The meeting will begin at 10 a.m.
in the commissioners’ courtroom
on the third floor of the Polk
County Courthouse.
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ENTERPRISE PHOTO BY
ROOFING WORK CONTINUES - Workers under contract with the county are shown putting
a new roof on the Polk County Office Annex in the 600 block of East Church. The roofing
project is just one phase of a multi-phase project in which renovations are being done at the
county annex.
Two non-connected plans being pursued
Judge fields facility group questions
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White, Barbara. Polk County Enterprise (Livingston, Tex.), Vol. 124, No. 101, Ed. 1 Sunday, December 17, 2006, newspaper, December 17, 2006; Livingston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth788309/m1/1/: accessed June 27, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Livingston Municipal Library.