Polk County Enterprise (Livingston, Tex.), Vol. 113, No. 1, Ed. 1 Sunday, January 1, 1995 Page: 1 of 26
This newspaper is part of the collection entitled: Polk County Newspapers and was provided to The Portal to Texas History by the Livingston Municipal Library.
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Happy
New
Year!
Pol'
Southwest liicropubl ishing Inc55
ENTbirmaE
SUNDAY,
Jan. 1,1995
USPS 437-340 Price! 25 c«mi
Court ends '94
with resolutions
By SHERRI BURRIS
Enterprise Reporter
LIVINGSTON - During the
Polk County Commissioners’ Court
meeting Friday morning, County
Judge John Thompson invited the
public to attend the inaugurations
of the Alabama Coushatta Indian
Tribe’s principal and second chiefs.
Principal Chief Oscola Clayton
Sylestine and Second Chief Clem
Sylesline will be installed during a
ceremony that begins at 2 p.m.
Sunday in the Sundown Am-
phitheatre located on the reserva-
tion.
Indian dignitaries from
throughout the state and national,
state and county elected officials
are expected to address the crowd.
The traditional ceremony is free
and open to the publi<y~
Thompson and the commis-
sioners signed a resolution honor-
ing the principal chief. They also
signed resolutions honoring Dale
Pittman and supporting the Cham-
bers County narcotics task force.
Pittman has worked for the county
for 10 years in the environmental
department.
In other court business, commis-
sioners unanimously voted to delete
the request from Precinct 4 Con-
stable Marvin Taylor for additional
reserve deputies. The vote came af-
ter Taylor recommended the dele-
tion from the agenda.
Precinct 4 Commissioner R.R.
"Dick" Hubert asked fellow com-
missioners to allow one of his
employees to use vacation time
before the time is actually earned.
Hubert informed the court that one
his employees has undergone
several surgeries in the last couple
of months and has used all of his
sick leave and compensation time.
Hubert said the man needs an addi-
tional five days or so to recover
from his latest surgery. Hubert
asked the court to let the employee
use his vacation time so that he
would not miss a pay period.
Thompson said that since the
employee is not entitled to receive
his vacation time until May, the re-
quest violates county policy. "If we
change it, we will have to change it
for all 235 county employees,"
Thompson said. Thompson said he
would look into the legality of the
matter and inform the commis-
sioners al their next meeting.
Commissioners unanimously TTassity Baker
voted on two items that affect
county employees, mileage reim-
bursement and 1995 holidays.
County employees will be paid
an additional 1.5 cents per mile
beginning Monday. That brings
county mile reimbursement up to
the rate approved by the IRS, 29
cents per mile.
County employees will receive
the same number of holidays in
1995 as they did in 1994. The 1995
holiday schedule is as follows: Jan.
16, Martin Luther King Day; Feb.
20, President’s Day; April 14,
Good Friday; May 29, Memorial
Day; July 4, Independence Day;
Sept. 4, Labor Day; Oct. 9, Colum-
bus Day; Nov. 23 and 24,
Thanksgiving; Dec. 25 and 26,
Christmas; and Jan. 1, New Year’s.
Several routine items were voted
on. Commissioners unanimously
voted to approve bonds for elected
officials and set county court, coun-
ty court at law, justices of the peace
and commissioners court terms for
1995.
In fiscal matters, the county’s
1995 budget has money in it for
merit pay for county employees.
Elected officials and department
heads may determine how to dis-
perse the merit pay. They may use
the money to give across the board
raises to members of their depart-
ments or they may chose to dis-
perse the money based on merit
evaluations. Commissioners voted
to allow the department heads and
elected officials to carry forward
the merit pay into the next budget
year if needed.
Commissioners approved a bid
from Red Bam Builders Supply for
the purchase of a portable building
at the county’s landfill. Red Bam
submitted the lowest across the
board bid. The bid was approved
with the stipulation that the amount
of materials needed may be
reduced.
Memorial Medical Center of
Livingston was given approval to
advertise for the sale of surplus
hospital property. The bids will be
opened Jan. 19 and awarded Jan. 23
during the court’s regular session.
Thompson updated the court on
the Trinity River Bridge construc-
tion. Construction should begin in
February, he said.
Breaking away from traditional
court business, Thompson took a
few minutes to introduce Polk
County’s representative for the
Mrs. International Pageant Sherry
of Livingston win
TAKING THE OATH - District Judge John Martin adminis-
ters oaths of office to county officials elected in November
during a ceremony at noon Friday. Those taking oaths in-
cluded (front row, 1-r) Treasurer Cheryl Henry, Precinct 2 Jus-
tice of the Peace David Johnson, Precinct 4 Justice of the
Peace Howard Lilley, Precinct 4 Commissioner Dick Hubert,
Precinct 2 Commissioner Bobby Smith, County Judge John
Owners continue fight to regain control
ENTERPRISE PHOTO »Y GORDON USARRON
Thompson; (back row) District Attorney John Holleman, Dis-
trict Clerk Nell Lowe, County Clerk Barbara Middleton,
County Court at Law Judge Stephen Phillips, Tax Assessor-
Collector Bid Smith and Precinct 3 Justice of the Peace Har-
vey Stamper. Not pictured in Precinct 1 Justice of the Peace
Mary Placker.
Oakridge in hands of federal trustee
By SHERRI BURRIS
Enterprise Reporter
LIVINGSTON - Owners of an
embattled local water company
continue their fight to regain con-
trol of the company.
Local owners of Oakridge Water
Company lost control of the busi-
ness when PLS Water Company
bought Oakridge’s $1.4 million
debt. The company was pul into
receivership Oct. 18 on orders from
State District Judge Sharolyn
Wood. A judge appoints a receiver
as an impartial party to oversee the
business dealings of a company
while the business is in litigation.
Wood also signed a temporary
restraining order to prevent Oak-
ridge management from removing
company records.
To stop foreclosure proceedings
Oakridge owners filed Chapter 11
bankruptcy and Dec. 22 a federal
court order issued by Judge Wil-
liam Greendyke removed the
receiver and placed the business in
the hands of a bankruptcy trustee.
Charles Long, the lawyer
representing the trustee, said in a
telephone interview Thursday after-
noon that the role of the trustee will
be to study the financial situation of
the company and report the find-
ings back to the federal court.
Long gave no time frame for the
findings to be reported.
Local owners of Oakridge say
they were not happy with the
receiver and feel the appointment
of the trustee will give them time to
submit a reorganization plan to the
bankruptcy court.
The order from Greendyke
removing the receiver states, "...the
Estates of Vemery Enterprises, Inc.
and East Texas Hydrotechnology,
Inc (Oakridge Water Company) are
subject to potential losses if the
receiver .... is not directed by this
Court to surrender promptly the
properties of these Estates in his
possession or control and the threat
of these losses is immediate and
potentially irreparable..."
The lawyer representing East
Texas Hydrotechnology filed a
response stating the reasons he
believed the receiver should be
removed. The response states:
* "Since his tenure began, the
Receiver has been ‘reimbursed’ ap-
proximately $9,000 in petty cash
and has no receipt to back up these
expenditures."
* "The Receiver has spent ap-
proximately $18,000 on security."
* "The Receiver has paid... him-
self $10,000."
* "The Receiver has failed to bill
consumers for consumption."
* "The Receiver has failed to
keep records as required by the
regulatory agencies."
Long said the receiver was not
removed by Greendyke for the
reasons stated in the response, but
he was removed by a statute which
automatically removes a receiver
when a company files Chapter 11
bankruptcy.
The turnover began Dec. 22 and
is substantially complete at this
time, local owners of Oakridge
said.
vmiij/cuij' ivwiw. -------«—*
Also the year of'disappearing1 dumpsters, growing pains
Voter cards get workout in '94
represent the county in San An-
See DOGS pg. 4A
LIVINGSTON - 1994 may have
been considered an "off1 year for
elections nationally, but it seemed
like a year of constant elections
around here.
While politics dominated, there
was also plenty happening outside
the polls. It was the year the county
finally got out of the hospital busi-
ness, area schools searched for
ways to ease growing pains and the
county "dumpsters" disappeared.
There was fire, there was ice,
there was rain - lots of rain.
Here are some of the highlights
and "lowlights" of the year.
January
As the year began, the county
still had 25 garbage disposal sites
and officials had a brief three
months left to figure out how to
comply with new solid waste dis-
posal laws. The commissioners’
court hired an engineer to draw up
designs for collection and/or trans-
fer stations, the latter needed if the
county opted to have its garbage
shipped elsewhere.
Commissioners got an earful
from residents who came to court
to express their displeasure at the
district judges’ decision not to
reappoint Dianne Bass as county
auditor.
The deadline for filing for can-
didacy in the March primary elec-
tions passed in January. The fact
that neither of the two commis-
sioners up for re-election drew an
opponent •• with commissioner
races traditionally among the hot-
test in the county - could have in-
dicated a quiet election. That was
not to be.
With the county long hoping to
get out of the hospital business, the
Polk County Memorial Hospital
board and commissioners began
reviewing requests for proposals
for the lease or sale of the local
equipment purchases. Renovation
of the district's 46-year-old'gym-
nasium would have to wait awhile.
Renovations were also in the fu-
ture for the Livingston ISD. A
federal lawsuit was filed against the
hospital.
Goodric
enter rt me man tr oobmn mm
MRS. LIVINGSTON - Sherry Canity Baker will repreient
Polk County in the Mr». International Pageant to be conducted
in San Antonio Feb. 18 and 19. County Judge John Thompaon
crown* Baker at the commislionen’ court meeting Friday
morning.
__-ich ISD voters rejected a
bond issue in 1993 and the OISD
Board of Trustees began 1994 by
looking for other ways to fund
needed renovations. The board
authorised the administration to
seek $190,000 in loans to fund con-
struction of a new kitchen, renova-
tion of the existing cafeteria and
LISD alleging 13 violations of the
Americans with Disabilities Act
(ADA). Compliance work had al-
ready begun, with the total bill to
make the district's facilities acces-
sible to the handicapped estimated
to be $1.4 million.
The LISD, in the interim, was
searching for a new superintendent.
Toward the end of the month, the
board selected Ron Preston, former
Henrietta ISD superintendent, to
head the district.
The Onalaska ISD board ap-
proved a new three-year contract
for Superintendent John Leonard,
who had served as OISD superin-
tendent for the previous two years.
A hair length dispute in the Big
Sandy ISD moved to the U.S. Cir-
cuit Court of Appeals, with a hear-
ing set for February. In 1993, U.S.
District Judge William Wayne Jus-
tice had ruled that male Indian stu-
dents could wear their hair long due
to certain religious beliefs.
The Leggett ISD board voted to
install a security system following
several break-ins and losses es-
timated at $11,000.
About 40 youngsters and a few
adults picketed Livingston City
Hall, then moved inside for the city
council’s January meeting to
protest closure of the Happy Days
club. The club, they said, was un-
fairly blamed for skirmishes which
occurred after youngsters had left
the establishment. One such inci-
dent had occurred on New Year’s
Eve, resulting in six teens being
jailed and another detained by
police.
An 18-wheeler struck a car and
both careened into gas pumps at
Stubby's Exxon in Corrigan, caus-
ing a fiery explosion that claimed
the lives of three people.
The local Red Cross and Salva-
tion Army pitched in to help raise
money for victims of a massive
earthquake in California.
A ' wrong place, wrong time"
award should go to the two burglars
who broke into Central Baptist
Church while a business meeting,
attended by the police chief and a
detective, was in progress.
February
The death of Chief Kina. Robert
Fulton Batlise, marked the end of
an era at the Alabama-Coushatta
Indian Reservation. He had served
as chief of the tribe for 58 years.
John West, president and chief
executive office of First National
Bank, was named Polk Countian of
the Year at the 58th annual Polk
County Chamber of Commerce
Banquet. The chamber also
presented community service
awards to Bob Armentrout, Leon
Bailey, Gaffney Phillips and Bill
Webb.
Jill Wright emerged from
pageant competition to win the title
of Miss Polk County for 1994.
Early voting began for the March
8 Democratic and Republican
primary elections, as more elec-
tions loomed. February was also
the month that area school boards,
city councils and utility district
boards called their elections, slated
for May 7.
Polk Countians awoke Feb. 10 to
one of the worst ice storms in
recent years. Ice-laden limbs fell
onto power lines, causing some
20,000 customers to be without
electric ity in fivc counties served
by Sam Houston Electric Coopera-
tive and about a third of the City of
Livingston’s electricity customers
were without power for several
hours.
It was a good year for basketball
teams.
The Big Sandy Lady Wildcats
won the Class 1A Area champion-
ship and advanced to the Region III
tournament, finishing the season
with a 27-5 record. The Goodrich
Hornets advanced to the state
Region II tournament, beating
Tenaha 104-92 in the first round,
but losing in the second round to
Kamack.
An estimated 500 people showed
up at a meeting to discuss a "mys-
tery illness" which is alleged to
have affected up to 115 residents
within a 20-mile radius of the town
Officials from the Texas Depart-
' See "UNSOLVED" pg. 4A
LISD early voting
begins this Monday
I!
UVINOSTON - Early votini
for the special-called Jan. 2
Livingston Independent School
District trustee election begins
Monday, Jan. 2.
Early voting continues through
Jan. 17 in the LISD Central Ad-
ministration Building.
The election, called to fill the
vacancy left by the resignation last
summer of Trustee Bob Dockens,
has drawn four candidates: Orval
Barger, Corky Evans, Dolores
Guinn and Johnny Robinson.
Polls on eloction day, Saturday.
Jan. 21, will be open from 7 a.m.
until 7 p.m. in the Livingston City
Hall Auditorium.
Chamber relocates
L1VINOSTON - The Polk
County Chamber of Commerce will
begin 1995 in a new location.
The chamber office will open
Tuesday, Jan. 3, at 505 N. Drew in
Livingston.
Chamber Executive Director
Beverly Whitten said the new
building, which is being leased, is
considerably larger than the pre-
vious chamber office on West
Church Street She said she is ex-
cited about the move, adding, "We
are very grateful for the extra
room."
4
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White, Barbara. Polk County Enterprise (Livingston, Tex.), Vol. 113, No. 1, Ed. 1 Sunday, January 1, 1995, newspaper, January 1, 1995; Livingston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth790569/m1/1/?q=%22%22~1: accessed August 15, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Livingston Municipal Library.