The Azle News

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Volume 64, Number Number 18 18

Azle News

Wednesday, October Wednesday, October 14, 14, 2015 2015

THE

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Influenza Q & A

Homecoming Highlights

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Council directs gas royalties to course improvements

A Royal Evening

Charter review committee planned BY CARLA NOAH STUTSMAN Now that the payoff of the debt associated with Cross Timbers Golf Course is imminent, Azle’s city leaders took a hard look at what to do with royalties generated by natural gas operations on the property. The royalties – which are much lower than in the fi rst few years of production at the course – were dedicated solely to the reduction of the golf course debt. On Aug. 15, the council passed an ordinance terminating deposits of gas royalty payments into the Golf Course Interest and Sinking Fund. But city staff came back to the council Wednesday, Oct. 7 to ask for direction about how future royalty payments are to be used and accounted for. The Aug. 15 ordinance directs that all future royalties from the gas wells at the golf course be deposited into the city’s general fund; staff, however, recommended those payments be accounted for in the Golf Course Fund and be set aside for future improvements to the golf course, along with any funds remaining in the interest and sinking fund upon fi nal payment of the debt. To back up its request, staff produced a number of photos of damage

and erosion of the course’s parking lot, cart paths, clubhouse roof and irrigation pump. There are also those unsightly – and very smelly – portable toilets. “Probably the chief complain we get from women at the course is about the portable toilets,” Lemin said. “Ask a woman if she’d rather go into one of those or a modern one...” The silence was deafening for a moment – until City Attorney Cara White pointed out that every female in council chambers was vehemently shaking her head to indicate a “NO” answer. “Previous council – but not this one – have instructed staff to put no money into the golf course until the debt is paid,” City Manager Craig Lemin told the council. “There are signifi cant needs – items that have been neglected quite a long time due to lack of funds. Now that the debt will be retired, the gas royalties represent a stream of revenue that would be a nice and easy way to set money aside to address those needs.” Lemin also pointed to the City of Fort Worth’s Rockwood Golf Course, which will be closed soon for a $5 million remodel. “That will be good for us in the short Seniors Stephanie Lopez and Trey Ramos were crowned Azle High School 2015 Homecoming Queen and King during halftime festivities Friday, Oct. 9. The Hornets beat Wichita Falls High School to make PLEASE SEE CHARTER, PAGE 3A. the evening complete. Photo by Carla Noah Stutsman

Highway 199 bridges on horizon BY CARLA NOAH STUTSMAN By the year 2018, it may actually become possible to drive from Azle to Lake Worth without driving on the service road or stopping at a signal light. The long-awaited overpasses spanning Hanger Cutoff Road/Tenderfoot Trail and Nine Mile Bridge Road on the Jacksboro Highway have been “placed on the cleared list and funding has been scheduled out of the 2017 Prop 1 fund,” according to Azle Mayor Pro Tem Bill Jones, who serves as Northwest Regional Representative

to the Tarrant Regional Transportation Coalition of the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG). “The section of Highway 199 from Nine Mile Bridge Road to Western Center Boulevard should start in 2017, and that includes both bridges,” Jones said in an email. “The section back to IH 820 has not yet been scheduled but is still in the 2040 plan.” Jones cited information from Texas Department of Transportation Fort Worth Engineer Brian Barth. According to Barth, NCTCOG is leading the study of SH 199 inside the

loop. The council went through a procurement process to hire a consultant to help them with the study, ultimately hiring the fi rm of Freese & Nichols (F&N). F&N and the NCTCOG are currently fi nalizing scope and completing negotiations, Barth said. “SH 199 from Western Center Boulevard to Nine Mile Bridge Road is shovel ready and we are planning to let that in FY 2017 using Proposition 1 funding,” Barth said in an email. “The bigger corridor back to IH 820 will be added to Mobility 2040 (the Region’s Long Range Plan) so that we can re-

Early voting set to begin Oct. 19 in general election BY CARLA NOAH STUTSMAN Voters statewide will head to the polls Tuesday, Nov. 3, to decide seven proposed constitutional amendments. Locally, there are no ballot measures for Azle residents in Tarrant County to decide; Parker County residents who live inside Emergency Services District 1, though, must decide whether or not to accept the Poolville area into the district. Early voting begins Monday, Oct. 19 and runs through Friday, Oct. 30.

• Sheriff’s Offi ce North Patrol Division, 6651 Lake Worth Boulevard, Lake Worth • Eagle Mountain-Saginaw ISD Administration Building 6, Training Room, 1200 Old Decatur Road, Saginaw • White Settlement Public Library, 8215 White Settlement Road, White Settlement Tarrant County voters may vote at any early voting site in the county. For a complete list, point your browser to http://access.tarrantcounty.com/content/ dam/main/elections/2015/November/ Sched_1115_Nov_.pdf. Mail applications and ballots to Tarrant County Elections, P.O. Box 961011, Fort Worth, Texas 76161-0011 For Express Courier Delivery: Tarrant County Elections, 2700 Premier St., Fort Worth, Texas 76111-3011 Fax: 817-831-6118 Email: votebymail@tarrantcounty. com

Tarrant early voting Tarrant County early voting locations will be open from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday, Oct. 19-23 and Monday through Wednesday, Oct. 2628; 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24 and Thursday and Friday, Oct. 29-30; and 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 25. Tarrant County early voting sites in or near Azle include: • B.J. Clark Annex, Room 4, 603 Parker early voting Southeast Parkway, Azle All Parker County early voting loca-

evaluate the corridor based on current NCTCOG – has caused a few “on again, off again” situations where SH and future transportation needs.” 199 is concerned, but he’s been fairly certain for a couple of months the A long time coming Nobody could be happier about the project will happen at least by 2017. He’s been waiting for an offi cial annews than State Representative Charlie Geren, who represents District 99. nouncement, and now that Barth has “It’s been a long time coming, and accomplished that, Geren’s all smiles. “First, Proposition 7 has to pass,” he I’m excited about it,” Geren said Monday. “We hope to get it moved cautioned, but assuming that happens, up even more, into 2016, but at least he’s optimistic the work will begin on by the end of 2017 we’ll have our the overpasses by early 2017 if not sooner. bridges back.” “It’s been hard keeping it quiet,” the Geren explained that working with two large agencies – TxDOT and State Rep said.

Boyd Road Crash

tions will be open 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday, Oct. 19 through Friday, Oct. 23; and 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday, Oct. 26 through Friday, Oct. 30; voters may vote early ONLY at Parker County Courthouse Annex, 1112 Santa Fe Drive, Weatherford in the Annex Kitchen from 7 a.m.7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24 and from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 25. Early voting sites in Parker County include: • Azle Masonic Lodge, 257 W. Main Street, Azle • Springtown City Hall, 200 N. Main St., Springtown • Aledo Community Center, 104 Robinson Court, Aledo • Peaster Fire Department, 221 Judd Street, Peaster • Old Brock ISD Administration Building, 100 Grindstone Road, Brock • Willow Park Municipal Building, 516 Ranch House Road, Willow Park Applications for ballots by mail may

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This Week in Azle History

‘Shovel-ready’ project set to begin in 2017 – or sooner

Three people were injured Saturday, Oct. 10, in a crash in the 600 block of Boyd Road. John Clifton Watkins, 55, of Weatherford, was driving a silver 2015 Volkswagen Passat with a passenger, 53-yearold Cheryl D. Watkins, southbound in the right lane. Breeana Lynn Boepple, 26, of Grand Prairie, was northbound in a white 2001 Ford F Series pickup and was attempting to turn left. With traffi c at the intersection of Boyd Road and SH 199 backed up, other drivers created a gap for Boepple to turn through – but she did not see the Watkins’ and they did not see her until the two vehicles collided. All three were transported to Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital PLEASE SEE VOTERS, PAGE 2A. Azle with non-life-threatening injuries. Photo by Carla Noah Stutsman

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1 Years Ago Last October, Tarrant County Commissioners Court issued a burn ban and ruled that it would remain in place until January.

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$1 Azle, Texas 76020


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