Sulphur Springs News-Telegram (Sulphur Springs, Tex.), Vol. 102, No. 134, Ed. 1 Thursday, June 5, 1980 Page: 10 of 20
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i
10—THE NEWS-TELEGRAM, Sulphur Spring*, T»xo«, Thursday, June 5,1980.
The Civic Center
Misunderstandings cited as reason for difficulties
The Hopkins County Regional Civic Center was
developed through a wide-spread spirit of
cooperation. Ironically, efforts to complete a number
of phases of the project are being met with some
feelings of devisiveness.
Misunderstandings and misinformation are the
causes most often cited by members of the-Civic
Center board of directors for the current condition of
unrest.
“The Civic Center is one of the great cooperative
efforts that has been done in this county,” says Mrs.
Coy Johnson, a member of the board and one of the
many who worked to develop the facility.
Board members believe current difficulties stem
from confusion as to financing and the role of the
center as a total entertainment unit for all of Hopkins.
County.
“The auditorium and stage should be flexible,”
Mrs. Bill Hager notes. “The stage has been used for
everything from 4-H to pageants and speakers. (■
People from all over the county are planning to attend
the Community Concerts which will have professional
entertainers who are expecting to have a professional
stage to work on.”
A question apparently most asked of the board
members is why are three sets of curtains needed?
.. And why are they costing so much?
Members of the volunteer board explain that the
main, or traveler, curtain will cross the front of the
stage and will open either to the sides or straight up.
The loft of the stage was constructed to accommodate
this type of curtain.
A second curtain can make the stage less deep
while giving workers an option of setting up a dif-
ferent scene backstage while performers are working
upstage.
The third curtain circles the backstage area. It will
cover the back wall and allow walking and storage
space to be hidden from view.
Included in the curtain package are valances and
side legs. The valances are necessary to cover lights
that will be used to illuminate the back part of the
stage. Due to the size of the stage, front lighting only
has been deemed insufficient. During a recent dance
recital complaints forwarded to the board included
not being able to see the performers on the back row.
The curtains are also expected to improve acoustics
in the auditorium.
The projected cost of outfitting the stage with
curtains is $93,000. This cost includes $73,000 for the
permanent rigging, plus $20,000 for the three flame-
proof curtains, according to the members of the Civic
Center’s board.
The county also is in the process of bidding steel
work to support curtains and catwalks.
Bids for the steel work have been sought for opening
June 13, at which time cost figures will be known and
final plans can be considered.
Bruce Fielden, a board member and Sulphur Bluff
school superintendent, recalled a time 10 years ago.
“Our curtains for the stage at the Bluff, that are only
about 20-by-20 feet, cost us $600 ten years ago. And
that was using home people sewing the material and
hanging it ourselves. No telling how much it would
cost now.”
Questions also have been asked about a movie
screen.
Board members note that the difference in cost
between a transparent screen an one that is opaque is
in the area of from $200 to $300. The transparent
screen would allow projection from behind as well as
from the front, thus permitting a wider variation in
uses and mood changes, the planners note.
The curtains will allow the screen to be used in a
variety of sizes. In comparison with the size of the^
-•-auditorium, the screen is not considered too large by
the board members.
“We are trying to look into the future so that things
will not be out-dated before they are put up,” Mrs.
Johnson said.
The cost of the screen is estifnated at $5,000.
Development plans being proposed also include an
electrical package. Power demands for various
functions at the Civic Center have exceeded original
expectations, board members note. Thus an additonal
transformer is included, they note.
One board spokesman noted that when Don
Williams performed during the Fall Festival last
year, much of his own professional lighting system!
this could not be used due to the size of the present
transformer.
The cost of the additional transformer is expected
to be about $20,000.
An, example of costs savings expected from ad-
ditions was given for the Dairy Festival operation:
light rental, $340; installation by an electrician who
volunteers most of his time, $300; a dimmer board
rented from ETSU, $90, plus volunteer time and gas in
picking up the unit.
Other cost savings mentioned that will be alleviated
when the stage is complete included one or two rolls of
plastic to cover the backstage area at $300 each.
Those costs would be similar for any rental use of
the center, board members note.
The proposed dimmer board is one that can be
added to electrically as necessary. The lights needed
for the stage, “are the bare minimum,” according to
the planners.
Fielden said he believes that part of the confusion
has come from the belief that county roads and
bridges will be neglected in order to pay off Cer-
tificates of Obligation (CO’s) which are proposed for
financing the improvements. "This is just not so,” he
said.
He stressed that proposed financing payouts would
come fran the county’s general fund and not from the
road and bridge fund. Presently 3.5 cents of the
county tax rate is used to retire the original bond used
as the county’s contribution to the Civic Center.
Board members also believe that financing is at-
tractive at this time. Eight percent interest rates
were first proposed for the future CO’Sr “Due to the
efforts of Judge (Joe R.) Pogue, that interest rate is
now down to seven percent, Fielden said. “And due to
the sinking debt, the same 3.5 cents will cover the cost
of the new CO’s.”
According to Fielden this means thgt out of the
current taxes, the people of Hopkins County will pay
3.5 cents per $100 property valuation.
“It is true that the county will need a new tax office
and a new jail and to rennovate the inside of the
courthouse," said Fielden. "But at the present time
the board feels that the average individual doesn’t
have a need of the jail facilities and would like to have
a place other than the jail to spend their evenings. ”
Mrs. Johnson, who was an active participant in
acquiring the Community Concerts series, noted,
“We sold out that 1,500 seat auditorium in less than
one day. The goal for the patron drive was $4,000 and
we got close to $9,000. People gave to be able to have
better entertainers that just the cost of the tickets
would allow. I think that proves that people here are
eager for entertainment,” she said.
Fielden said, “the board has concentrated all its
efforts in the past on the arena. We have managed to
get the needed pen panels, curtains and other
requested items. The much-needed ventilation
system for the arena is also a part of this complete
package. Now I think it is time to do a little something
for the auditorium.”
“Unless we get that ventilation system, there won’t
be an}’ shows in the arena this summer. It will just be
too hot for the livestock,” said board member Charles
Helm.
’“You just don’t build something that fine and that
big and leave it unfinished,” Mrs. Hager said.
.
M'i ': & ■.
Extra credit for fun
TtK summer sessions, sponsored by the Sulphur Springs High
School homemaking department are well underway. The morning
sessions this week were devoted to homemaking students working
with chitdren. In the afternoons, the students moved over to
sewing ciasses. On the left is Marrion Wade, daughter of Mr. and
Mrs. Larry James Wade consulting with Michelle Moore,
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Sunny Moore and Carol West, daughter
of Mr. and Mrs. Marry West. The class members will receive one
quarter credit for the summer session.
(--J ’ 1
People
in the News
Jan Blake - Page Editor
DEAR CHRISTIAN FRIENDS,
Was Smith Gilley really representing you when:
He voted against House Bill 678 to increase the penalty for prostitution (4-6-77)?
He voted against prohibiting the use of your tax money for abortion (Record Vote No. 5
1:08 P.M. 4-29-79)?
He voted far a proposal to legalize bingo (the third greatest source of income for gambling
interest in the U.S., Senate Joint resolution No. 18 4-25-79)?
And failed to support the measure allowing silent prayer in schools.
If this voting record makes you angry, there is something you can do about it...
VOTE SATURDAY FOR LOWELL CABLE For STATE REPRESENTATIVE
Jr*-
Rev. and Mrs. Doug Palmer Rev. and Mrs. Ted White Rev. and Mrs. Rick Blue Rev. and Mrs. Ernest Hinze Rev. and Mrs. Jerry Pirkle
Rev. and Mrs. J.E. Wilkinson Rev. and Mrs. Ralph Carroll Rev. and Mrs. Marvin McDaniel Rev. and Mrs. Carl Coleman Rev. and Mrs. Vaughn Myers
Ron Rogers
Raymond Turner
R.L Ward
......I
Mr. & Mrs. Dale Killough
Mr. & Mrs. Wilbur Mandrell Scott Babb
Mr. & Mrs. Steve Break Milton Babb, Jr.
Mr. & Mrs. Martin Atherton James W. Hickman
Mr. & Mrs. Elbert Freemon Betty Hickman
G.0. Jones
D.G. Brumit
C.R. Unch
C.C. Trchumterlin Caroline Dibert
V.L Vaughn R.G. Vanderwilt
H.W. Harrison
M.H. Hendrick C.T. Edwards
J.W. Gainer
Joann Harrison
Martin Dooley
Mike Douglas
Rickey Conner
Tom Green
Ray Dooley
This Ad Paid For, In Part, By Tho Above Concerned Citizens of Hunt County
Pol Ad Pd. For By Chad Cable Star ImK Safpkw Spnegs. Ta» 75482
•‘/A V
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Keys, Clarke. Sulphur Springs News-Telegram (Sulphur Springs, Tex.), Vol. 102, No. 134, Ed. 1 Thursday, June 5, 1980, newspaper, June 5, 1980; Sulphur Springs, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth823855/m1/10/: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Hopkins County Genealogical Society.