Wednesday, October 26, 2016 Volume 118 | Number 34 16 Pages www.herefordbrand.com $1
Week 8 Football Contest Winners
First place Second place Kristi Hollingsworth Wendell Burdine
Third place Dan Odell
Hereford BR ND
Schools approve measures for purchasing, charities By John Carson BRAND Managing Editor
The Hereford Independent School District (HISD) Board of Trustees passed a trio of resolutions during Monday’s regular meeting that deal with funds leaving the school system’s hands. Two specifically dealt with purchasing options, while the third was to tie up some loose legal ends of a situation many schools face – pass-through of public funds.
HISD Finance Director Rusty Ingram said. “The problem is Ingram said an audit student fundraisers for dilemma arises in causes. If that money is situations where students deposited into an HISD collect funds for a account, it then becomes charity, then turn it over public funds and cannot to the school for delivery be used for a charity.” to that charity. Ingram, trustees and The problem surfaces new Superintendent Sheri when the school deposits Blankenship agreed that those funds in a school students rallying for a bank account. cause and putting forth “The [state] the effort of fundraisers INGRAM constitution specifically were lessons and prohibits [public funds activities too valuable for] charitable contributions,” to cease or limit because of
legalities. Ingram assured trustees the presented resolutions would rectify that situation. “This resolution allows us to do that and still meet legal requirements,” he said. “This is an easy way to do that without getting into sticky situations if we don’t. “There will still be [passthrough] restrictions, but this fits for the charitable purposes.” The other two resolutions were also getting legal ducks in a row to allow HISD more options on
its purchasing power. Trustees approved resolutions to use both the PACE and TCPN purchasing cooperatives. Much like the state Buy Board, both co-ops provide preapproved, bidded supplies that allow entities to make purchases without a formal bidding process. “These allow us to meet the letter of the law and relieves us from the bid process when we use them,” Ingram said. “This PLEASE SEE HISD | 3A
Burn ban reinstated by split vote
Beating the clock
By John Carson BRAND Managing Editor
Photo by Bryan Hedrick/HISD
Hereford's Caleb Martinez (88) goes up to grab a 23-yard touchdown pass from Luke Nino as time expires in the first half of Friday's game against Palo Duro. Nino connected with Carlos Gallegos for a two-point conversion as the Herd knotted the game at 14-14. For more on the game, full game statistics and a preview of this week's game at Dumas, see Sports, page 7A.
Precinct 2 Commissioner Dale Artho cited potential A venerable voice problems in his area over of experience led the a ban. Deaf Smith County “I catch the most flak Commissioners from people Court to be better in my precinct safe than sorry about burn bans as a county– not roads,” he wide burn was said. “Most of reinstated during these people live Monday’s regular on farms and meeting. don’t have trash The ban became service. There will an agenda topic be lots of push at the request back in my area. SMITH of Precinct 1 “If the fire Commissioner marshal is not Pat Smith, who is calling for [a ban], ending his tenure then don’t invoke on the court after one.” being force to Artho added step down for that burn bans health reasons. result in trash A l t h o u g h collecting for County Judge D.J. those without Wagner admitted garbage service. “conditions are He also assured worse,” he added the court the that Fire Marshal people who have WAGNER Dean Turney said talked to him a ban was not “were smart warranted at this enough to know time. when to throw “Whether we a match” on put a ban back on something. or not, conditions While Artho are getting bad,” cited more Smith said. “If f a v o r a b l e we do nothing conditions for else, we need to burning in his remind folks to precinct, Precinct be careful when 3’s Mike Brumley ARTHO burning.” said that was not With Turnery true for the entire unable to attend the county. meeting, Smith’s request Rainfall totals readily resulted in commissioner show that different parts discussion that led to an of Deaf Smith County eventual split vote on reinstating the ban. PLEASE SEE BAN | 3A
Deaf Smith County Sheriff's Office: Top Issues
Butler’s issues deep problems Involvement a key for Reyna By John Carson BRAND Managing Editor
team or county.” He added that several of the recent applications received have been When asked to name the top issues “substandard” and there has been a facing the Deaf Smith County noticeable decrease in the number Sheriff’s Office (DSCSO) as he of people seeking entry-level law makes a run to retain that office, enforcement positions – jailers, Sheriff J. Dale Butler responded dispatchers, etc. – as a means of with three that obviously came moving up. from an incumbent. Citing budgetary constraints as Butler, who faces a challenge part of the problem, Butler was from Independent Fidel Reyna Jr. quick to admit personnel was a in the Nov. 8 election, specifically universal law enforcement woe. noted items that would be issues “It is getting harder and harder to someone who has run an to recruit,” he said. “There is a BUTLER elected law enforcement office – shortage of officers. It is hard personnel, jail and demand. to get quality that fits and is not “Personnel-wise, for some reason, it’s a too expensive. Everyone has the same hard sell,” Butler said. “We will not hire problem. someone who is not good for [the DSCSO] PLEASE SEE BUTLER | 3A
By John Carson BRAND Managing Editor
drug activity. Addressing drugs affects thefts, domestic violence and juvenile crime. For Independent challenger Fidel “If you can prevent theft, you have Reyna Jr., his run for Deaf Smith solved 50 percent of the crime County Sheriff boils down to problem.” a fundamental ideal of law A former DSCSO investigator enforcement – involvement. and retired Texas parole officer, Reyna is looking to unseat Reyna said the county’s current incumbent J. Dale Butler in the theft problem is the result of Nov. 8 general election. deputies “not knowing how to As his top issues facing Deaf operate” and being “unsure what Smith County Sheriff’s Office to do.” (DSCSO), Reyna’s list of five had To alleviate the problem, he four that were all crime related – said, if elected, training and patrol REYNA thefts, drug activity, juvenile crime procedures would be improved. and domestic violence. He also noted a lack of “A lot of those are interrelated,” Reyna cooperation between DSCSO and the public said. “Addressing domestic violence can that proves a continuing hindrance to have a large effect on juvenile crime and PLEASE SEE REYNA | 3A
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