Volume 64, Number Number 15 15
Azle News
Wednesday, September 23, 2015
THE
www.azlenews.net
Daily texts could win AHS $10K Page 5A
Take the Lake Fri.
Frogs with hooves! Page 1B
Page 10A
City to repave South Stewart at bridge
Bridge Nearing Completion – Paving Next
BY CARLA NOAH STUTSMAN Construction on the South Stewart Street bridge over Ash Creek is coming along nicely. In fact, Val Lopez, spokesman for the Texas Department of Transportation, said the agency is “optimistic” that the bridge could reopen to vehicular traffi c prior to its offi cial projected completion date of early 2016. That is, of course, contingent upon continued good weather. Apparently, the city of Azle is optimistic, as well. Work on the new South Stewart Street Bridge over Ash Creek is progressing well, thanks largely to near-perfect weather. The city plans to repave both sides of the bridge before opening it to the public. Photo by Carla Noah Stutsman
Four-armed Attack
PLEASE SEE PAVING, PAGE 2A.
Railroad Commission says 2nd well didn’t cause quakes Decision contradicts SMU’s findings...again BY CARLA NOAH STUTSMAN recommended EnerVest’s well also be Twice now, Texas Railroad Com- permitted to continue operation. Meanwhile, Reno Mayor Lynda mission examiners have contradicted the research and conclusions of a team Stokes wonders when the next earthof scientists led by Southern Method- quake will occur. Yet, she says she’s not surprised in ist University. the least. In August, TRC examiners recom“You know, we have an unbiased mended a disposal well operated by XTO Energy, a subsidiary of Exxon- study researched by experts – scienMobil, be allowed to continue operat- tists – but the Railroad Commission ing in spite of the SMU team’s fi nding brings in their own people with their that the well’s operation likely played own bias with information they paid a role in causing a swarm of earth- for, and that’s the one we’re going to quakes in the Azle and Reno area late go by?” Stokes said. “It’s a giant slap in the face to all Texans.” 2013 to early 2014. The second well identifi ed in a Stokes believes there are ways to restudy published in Nature Communi- cycle the waste water generated by gas cations by the SMU team is operated well operations, but “it’s expensive by EnerVest, an oil and gas company and they don’t want to do it.” So that water is injected into the based in Houston. Now, TRC examiners have said earth, where, in places like Reno and there is insuffi cient evidence that oil Azle, fault lines slip due to injection and gas activity caused the quakes and on one side and extraction on the oth-
er, she said. She also wonders about the quality – and quantity – of groundwater as a result of waste water injection. “What’s going to happen when we turn on the tap and nothing comes out?” Stokes asked. “We need water – we can’t live without it. We could live without oil and gas if we have to.” Calling the hearings that led to the TRC’s decision to allow the XTO and EnerVest wells to continue to operate a farce, Stokes says she’s “absolutely furious. We should all remember exactly this when it’s time to elect Railroad Commissioners again,” adding that the damage they can do between now and then is enormous. “Our only voice is our vote”. An SMU spokesperson said, “SMU’s seismology team stands by its research and does not comment on public policy.”
City adopts budget, raises tax, water, and sewer rates BY CARLA NOAH STUTSMAN Not a single citizen of Azle spoke – either for or against – at the fi nal public hearing Tuesday, Sept. 15 when members of the Azle city council considered the Fiscal Year 2015-2016 budget, tax rate and water and sewer base rates. When that hearing was done, the council adopted those three items as presented. The budget The FY 2015-2016 budget, as adopted, provides for the following appropriations to provide for expenses/ expenditures: • General Fund: $8,894,050 • Debt Service Fund: $952,007 • Utility Fund: $7,387,768 • Golf Course Fund: $995,928 Lady Hornet volleyball senior Hannah Walker does not really have • Stormwater Fund: $250,501 four arms – even though it might have helped Azle in a loss to • Street Maintenance Fund: Brewer Sept. 18 in White Settlement. Photo by Mark K. Campbell
Follow us on Twitter @TheAzleNews
This Week in Azle History
$761,000 • Court Security Fund: $5,000 • Court Technology Fund: $6,750 • Hotel/Motel Tax Fund: $1,800 • Capital Project Fund: $700,000 • Water and Sewer Capital Project Fund: $460,000 The total allocation of all funds for the FY 2015-2016 budget is $20,414,804. Tax rate Council then voted to approve a tax rate increase from $0.6680 for FY 2014-2015 to $0.6795 – an increase of $0.0115 (1.15 cents) per $100 of valuation on real property. Of the total tax rate, $0.5415 will be allocated to operations and maintenance (O&M), with the remaining $0.1380 going to debt service. The tax rate is $0.0129 more than the effective tax rate of $0.6666; it is
$0.0265 below the roll back rate of $0.7060. The effective tax rate is the rate that would have to be applied to the current values in order to raise the same amount of revenue it raised the previous year. The roll back rate is the rate at which the city becomes subject to a tax rollback election at which local voters may reduce the tax levy increase to an eight-percent increase. The 2.93 percent increase in the tax rate will result in the owner of a home valued at $100,000 seeing an average increase of $11.50 on their next tax bill, while the owner of a home valued at $200,000 will see an average increase of $23 for the year for maintenance and operations. PLEASE SEE WATER, PAGE 2A.
Like The Azle News on Facebook
15 Years Ago In September 2000, the city council voted to rebuke and censure city manager Jim Walker for “failing to safeguard the public trust” after a major water leak.
20 pages plus supplements
$1 Azle, Texas 76020