Archives for August 2010

Donley County’s budget will shrink slightly in fiscal year 2011, but a slightly higher tax rate will still be required to support it, according to documents on file in the County Clerk’s office.

The $1.9 million proposed budget is about $39,000 less than the budget that was approved for 2010, but the ad valorem value of property in the county has also declined by more than $2 million.

Information from the Donley Appraisal District reveals that the average taxable value of a residence homestead in Donley County last year was $32,821 compared to $31,055 this year.

Commissioners are proposing a total county tax rate of $0.557117 per $100 of taxable value, which is up from $0.527489 last year. The proposed rate would impose taxes of $173.01 on the average home compared to $173.13 last year.

The proposed budget forecasts that the county will receive $7,500 in taxes on automobile sales, which is up from the $5,000 that was budgeted last year.

The proposed budget expects lower revenues from the criminal cases in the county court, down $12,000; as well as less money from civil cases in county court, down $5,000.

The budget does not include any raises for county employees but does forecast spending about seven percent higher health insurance premiums for employees.

Savings in the proposed budget include $1,000 less for general office supplies, $15,000 less for insurance and bonds, $4,000 less for “miscellaneous,” and $1,799 less for services from the Donley Appraisal District.

The budget does include $5,000 for redrawing precinct lines in the redistricting that will follow the 2010 US Census, and commissioners have increased the line item for contingencies.

The county expects to collect about $725,810.03 from ad valorem taxes, which is up from $689,983.88 in last year’s budget.

Donley County Commissioners will hold hearings on the tax rate at 9 a.m. on September 7 and September 10.

A budget hearing will be held at 9 a.m. on September 13, and both the tax rate and the budget will be voted on by commissioners that day.

The Clarendon College Board of Regents approved a $9.097 million budget for fiscal year 2011 during their regular board meeting last Thursday, August 19.

The overall budget is about $270,000 higher than the current budget, and it includes a one percent raise for college employees.

CC President Bill Auvenshine said the budget reflects higher maintenance tax collections in Gray and Childress counties as well as more revenue expected from tuition and fees.
Only one citizen – Enterprise publisher Roger Estlack – attend the public budget hearing held immediately prior to the board meeting. He commented on the good done by taxes collected in Donley County and asked one question about how staff health benefits
were funded.

The college district tax rate will be discussed and set at the board’s regular meeting next month. College officials plan to adopt the effective tax rate, which will collect the same tax revenue currently being collected.

In other college business, regents: accepted a bid on delinquent tax property as presented by the Donley Appraisal District; accepted a proposal by the Texas Association of School Boards for property and casualty insurance; approved the grant-funded purchase of wind energy equipment; reviewed the college’s investment policy; received a request by Great Western Dining to increase its charges by four percent; and approved the revised policy manual, personnel handbook, and student handbook.

LUBBOCK – From feral hogs to the Gulf oil spill to irrigation practices, members of the South Central region of the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) recently covered a wide array of topics at an annual three-day meeting. The focus of the meeting was to update participants on NACD news, legislative outlooks and various conservation issues facing the region.

Soil and water conservation district board members from Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas meet each year to discuss issues and policies concerning soil and water conservation.

“We were excited to have the opportunity to host this year’s meeting,” said Scott Buckles, president of the Association of Texas Soil and Water Conservation Districts. “This meeting is about dissemination of information, discussing issues and updating members.”

NACD CEO Jeff Eisenberg and NACD president elect, Gene Schmidt, both stressed the influence a grassroots organization can have on legislative action. Schmidt mentioned the significant contribution agriculture makes to the American economy and commended conservation districts for their financial transparency.

“Dollars spent for conservation are among the most accountable dollars spent period,” Schmidt said. “We do have some friends in Washington (D.C.) and they are fighting for our cause but we must continue to stand up and speak out about conservation.”
Josh Winegarner, Texas Cattle Feeders Association director of government relations, spoke to the audience about upcoming Environmental Protection Agency agendas and regulations along with legislation concerning agriculture, conservation and environmental issues.

Participants heard reports on measures soil and water conservation districts in Louisiana are taking to combat the Deepwater Horizon oil leak and its impact on natural resources. An invasive species panel with members from all four states gave reports on various threats to natural resources from respective areas including Eastern Red Cedar trees and feral hogs.

“The ecological landscape of Texas is as diverse as the citizens so developing an idea of what is truly an invasive species is challenging,” said panel member Johnny Oswald, Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board – Water Quality Enhancement Program supervisor. “Feral hogs, Carrizo Cane Chinese Tallon, Giant Salvinia and salt cedar trees are on the top of most Texans list of invasive species. Hearing about other states’ challenges allows productive discussions to occur.”

Don Gohmert, state conservationist for USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Texas reported on NRCS programs and the continued need for more statewide conservation awareness.

In addition to the sessions, field trips to the USDA Agricultural Research Service Center in Lubbock and to a local cotton producer’s farm gave the participants the opportunity to see conservation practices and research in action.

“The sessions were extremely productive and having the meeting here in Lubbock gave folks a chance to see some things they might not normally see,” said Buckles, citing the above average rainfall causing higher projected cotton yields.
The group had the opportunity to visit with a cotton producer who is implementing conservation practices on his farms and is also using efficient irrigation technology to reduce water runoff..

The Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board is the lead agency for planning, implementing, and managing programs and practices for preventing and abating agricultural and silvicultural non-point source water pollution. The Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board also coordinates the programs of the state’s 216 soil and water conservation districts and administers a Water Supply Enhancement Program.
For more information about the Texas Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts visit http://www.tsswcb.state.tx.us/en/swcds/atswcd. For more information about NACD visit www.nacdnet.org/ or call (202) 547-NACD (6223).

The Hedley Independent School District maintained its rating as a “Recognized” district in the state’s accountability system this year.

A report in last week’s Enterprise incorrectly stated the school was listed as “Acceptable,” but Hedley was in fact “Recognized” by the Texas Education Agency
for the third year in a row.

The ratings are partly based on Texas Assessment of Knowledge & Skills (TAKS) scores.

On the TAKS across the district, Hedley had 98 percent of students pass the reading/English language arts portion of the test, up from 95 last year; 100 percent in writing, same as last year; 91 percent in social studies, up from 83 percent; 76 percent in mathematics, down from 78 percent; and 74 percent in science, up from 67 percent last year.

“The scores are never as high as we want them to be, but we’re happy that we raised scores in every subject except for math,” HISD Superintendent Eric Hough said.