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January 9, 2019 | P
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Hereford BRAND Volume 118 | Number 51
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WHAT'S INSIDE
Police Blotter Page 2
Summer drought hits local quail population
Clock's ticking
canvasses) from 2010-19; annual budgets for fiscal years 2015-16, 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2018-19; and independent audits of annual budgets for fiscal years 2014-15, 2015-16, 2016-17 and 2017-18. According to Texas Government, Administrative and Water codes, the requested records are part of public information that all governmental bodies – which SJWA is by confirmation of the Texas Office of Attorney GenPLEASE SEE SJWA | 3
PLEASE SEE BOND | 3
Lady Whitefaces rally late to beat Clovis Page 7
FORECAST
Today
Partly Cloudy High: 53º Low: 34º
Thursday
Partly Cloudy High: 64º Low: 38º
Friday
Showers High: 51º Low: 30º
Saturday
Sunday
AM Snow Showers High: 50º Low: 29º
Monday
Partly Cloudy High: 53º Low: 33º
Tuesday
Cloudy High: 59º Low: 36º
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INDEX Page 2......Public Record Page 3...................News Page 4................Opinion Page 5..............Outdoors Page 6...................News Page 7..................Sports Page 8................Religion Page 9...........Classifieds Page 10................Sports
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SJWA served FOI requests After repeated efforts to contact San Jose Water Authority officials have been ignored, the Hereford BRAND formally served five Freedom of Information requests to the water district on Monday, Jan. 7. BRAND/John Carson By John Carson BRAND Managing Editor
With officials continuing to avoid contact and comment over apparent violations of state open record laws, Deaf Smith County Fresh Water Supply District No. 1 – locally known as the San Jose Water Authority (SJWA) – is now facing a legal timeline concerning the release of public records. Faced with consistent SJWA efforts to keep confirmed and admitted public information con-
cealed, as well as ongoing tactics by SJWA officials to evade contact, the Hereford BRAND officially served the SJWA Board of Supervisors and custodian of records Mona Hernandez with Freedom of Information (FOI) requests for five separate public records Monday. The records specifically requested were meeting agendas from 2000-19; meeting minutes from 2000-19; all public information pertaining to board elections (calls, cancellations, results and
By John Carson BRAND Managing Editor
Since local voters approved their first school bond in more than 45 years in November, there has been a lack of noticeably visible action pertaining to the $22.4 million measure. However, just because something cannot be seen does not mean things are not happening. From a public perception, Hereford Independent School District (HISD) heard from its financial advisor in November, then relayed a tentative list of initial bond projects during December. Other than that, the appearance is little more has been taking place. As HISD Superintendent Sheri Blankenship noted when presenting the tentative project list, “Remember, we have to sell the bonds before we spend the money.” Getting the bonds and bond package ready for sale is the behind-thescenes hubbub at the current time. In November, HISD financial advisor Vince Viaille of Specialized Public Finance, presented the board of trustees with a timeline that would have a bond package for approval ready for the Feb. 25 meeting. According to Viaille, he would negotiate interest rates with a trio of interested underwriters on the morning of Feb. 25 before reaching an agreement and presenting the plan to the board that night. Theoretically, Viaille said Monday interest-rate negotiations could take place at any time once a first set of legal hoops have been cleared. Prior to any attempt to negotiate interest rates or sell the bonds, Viaille said a prospectus disclosing details of HISD
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Mostly Sunny High: 52º Low: 28º
Unseen efforts line up bond
Gas prices expected to see 2019 increase From Contributed Sources
Enjoy it while you can, officials are saying, as gas prices dipped below the $1.70 mark over the weekend in Hereford. Gasoline prices have been making a steady decline over the past several months, but petroleum officials are warning those prices are likely to see a noticeably uptick during the course of the new year.
GasBuddy predicted Monday that 2019 will feature a yearly national average of $2.70 per gallon, representing a 3 cent drop versus 2018, but warns that the national average could surge to over $3 per gallon as soon as May. Some highlights from GasBuddy’s 2019 Fuel Price Outlook include: • The nation’s yearly gasoline bill will fall to PLEASE SEE GAS | 3
Gas prices dipped below the $1.70 mark early this week in Hereford, but experts are predicting prices to rise for 2019. BRAND/John Carson
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