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June 27, 2018 | P
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Hereford BRAND Volume 117 | Number 102 WHAT'S INSIDE
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Proudly Serving The High Plains Since 1901
City to add pavilion to Dameron Park landscape By John Carson BRAND Managing Editor
Chamber seeks help for July 3 fireworks Page 3
Stocking gives boost to Panhandle fisheries Page 5
Dameron Park remains in the spotlight for the Hereford City Commission as more improvements will continue to come its way. Commissioners gave their approval to the construction of a covered pavilion at the park during the June 18 regular meeting. “This is going to be a great addition to the park and community,” Hereford City Manager Rick Hanna said. “It is something that has been needed out there for a while. I’m glad we’re finally getting it done.”
A pavilion no less than identical to the one behind the first tee at John Pitman Golf Course will be built at Dameron Park after approval was given by the Hereford City Commission on June 18. BRAND/John Carson The pavilion will be virtually identical to the one behind the first tee at John Pitman Golf Course. Like the golf course pavilion, the one at Dameron will be covered with a ce-
ment floor and be wired for electricity and audio. Hanna said decisions are being made on the actual size with hopes being the Dameron model will be larger.
At the minimum, Hanna said the park pavilion would be the same size as the one at the golf course. The pavilion is the third time Dameron Park has been the subject of board
FORECAST
Today
By John Carson BRAND Managing Editor
Sunny High: 99º Low: 70º FIRE WEATHER WATCH
Sunny High: 99º Low: 70º
Friday
Mostly Sunny/Wind High: 98º Low: 70º
Saturday
Partly Cloudy High: 95º Low: 68º
Sunday
Mostly Cloudy High: 92º Low: 66º
Monday
Partly Cloudy High: 93º Low: 67º
Tuesday
Mostly Sunny High: 95º Low: 67º
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
PLEASE SEE CITY | 3
Trustees chipping away at balance
College roommates take Tierra Blanca Classic Page 7
Thursday
discussion and/or action in the past three months. Citizens from San Jose Catholic Church made a presentation about the addition of a permanent
The new surface for the track at Whiteface Stadium awaits installation after it was determined that more than mere resurfacing was needed to repair the oval. BRAND/John Carson
Verdict is new track
By John Carson BRAND Managing Editor
Any hopes being held out that work on the track at Whiteface Stadium would not be as extensive as feared have been dashed. What began as a hopeful repair project – although contingencies had been made for the worst – went the other way after crews began work just four days after school ended. More detailed examination of the track – particularly in several After one school withdrew from the Whiteface Invitational because of track condiproblematic areas – re- tions, almost $325,000 was approved to potentially replace the track's subsurface, which had become water damaged, uneven, cracked and creating ongoing and growBRAND/John Carson PLEASE SEE TRACK | 6 ing situations with the rubberized surface and foundation base.
© 2018 Hereford BRAND A division of Roberts Publishing Group
What was an impressive fund balance a year ago continues to take its fair share of hits as the Hereford Independent School District (HISD) Board of Trustees sliced off several more portions during its June 18 meeting. The meeting, normally the fourth Monday of each month, was moved to the third Monday for the third consecutive month. Having technically already passed a significant bump in price, trustees officially approved $763,142.40 more than the original $4 million appropriated in November for renovation of Tierra Blanca Elementary School (TBES). Trustees had given their OK to the increase when they approved a maximum project construction INGRAM price in May of $4.763 million, but followed legal advice to approve the addition separately. While board members knew that was coming, they were less aware of another $1 million-plus in appropriations that were made. A 2 percent raise for teachers, administrators and the superintendent was approved, as was an increase in the HISD starting teacher salary from $41,000-$41,500 per year. Although officials admitted that even with the increase, HISD starting salary is considerably lower than others in the region and the raise would effectively be offset by potential increases in health insurance, the raise package totaled another $430,000 taken from the fund balance. Trustees were also forced to put $604,000 into a foodservice fund balance to satisfy Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) requirements for foodservice fund reserves. As districts must maintain two months of operating expenses in reserve, as mandated by the Texas Education Agency (TEA), the same holds true via TDA via foodservice PLEASE SEE TRUSTEES | 6
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