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FISHING ORANGE COUNTY

Capt. Dickie Colburn Page 1B

Sports

OUTDOORS

Kaz’s Korner

Capt. Chuck Uzzle

Evy’s Cajun Kitchen

Hunting & Fishing

Commentary Page 2B

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County Record

Vol. 56 No. 53

The Community Newspaper of Orange, Texas

Week of Wednesday, April 29, 2015

WO ordinances create difference of opinion

David Ball

For The Record

There were some differences of opinion from some landlords after the West Orange City Council approved some ordinances relating to rental properties at their meeting on April 13. The first ordinance regarded landlords could be responsible

Friends of the Orange Depot Volunteers of the Friends of the Orange Depot, the non-profit organization formed to restore the Southern Pacific Depot at Green and Eleventh Street, will be out in their booth at Art in the Park, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, May 2 in Stark Park.They encourage residents to stop by their booth to find out the status of the fundraising effort and learn some of the plans for the museum which will be installed inside the depot after the renovation is completed. The multi-purpose facility will not only hold artifacts and history of the four industries that propelled Orange in the 20th century- railroad transportation, timber, shipbuilding and petrochemicals- but the museum areas will be able to be transformed into special events and conferences. visitors to the F.O.O.D. booth will be able to view some of the plans. Donations and engraved bricks at $50 and $100 will be encouraged to help the organization reach its goals. Special items also for sale at the booth will be Tshirts; wine and beer glasses bearing a hand painted F.O.O.D. logo can be special ordered from the artist and volunteer, Sue Ryder; bags of notecards bearing train art designed by local school children who participated in a contest last fall; and signed books of The Train Stopped in Orange, written by the group’s founder and former Orange resident, Carrie Woliver. The booth will be located across from the Stark Museum on Green Avenue.Further information can be obtained from Carol Sims, chairman of the event, at 883-6297, or the website www.orangetxdepot.org.

to annually register and meet inspection requirements for rental properties or face a penalty after an ordinance was passed at McDonald the regular meeting of the West Orange City Council on April 13. The approval was unanimous by the council. The agenda item read, “An ordinance of the city of West Orange, Texas establishing annual registration and inspection requirements for owners of residential rental property;

providing for a penalty for the violation of this ordinance; providing for repealing, savings and severability clauses; providing for an effective date of this ordinance.” Also passed was an ordinance regulating garbage disposal in the city and providing a penalty for violations. Pete Amy owns some rental properties in West Orange and he’s also president of the West Orange-Cove CISD. He said he is working on circulating a petition for a resolution to overturn the two ordinances. He said if the the requirements are followed correctly, most cities require 35 percent who voted in the previ-

ous election held to get on a petition. Citizens also didn’t know about the meeting on April 13 where they would pass the two ordinances, Amy said. “I don’t know how many signatures I need to have. It needs to be done in a certain date

range. I’ve contacted a number of people who oppose them (the ordinances). I don’t think it will be a problem getting any signatures,” he said. Amy said citizens have previously presented a number of options to not be in arrears for garbage. He said residents are

required to pay an upfront deposit. The city says they will ask landlords to notify them if a tenant moves out. “I don’t think they (the city) tried everything (different options),” Amy said. “It will be

WO Page 3A

OHA settles out of court with whistle-blower Staff Report

For The Record

The Board of Commissioners of the Housing Authority of the City of Orange voted to settle a whistle-blower claim out of court on Tuesday, April 21. The claim was asserted by ex-executive director, Tanya Wilson, according to a press release from the OHA. “The core of Ms. Wilson’s claims was her alleged contact with representatives of the regional office of the United States Department of Housing & Urban Development and the Office of Inspector General as

housing developments that were being undertaken by the Housing Authority of the City of Orange and other matters arising during the prior administration at the housing authority,” the release read. “Neither HUD or OIG have challenged the housing developments now underway by the housing authority, and HUD has approved three housing development projects in Orange and another project is pending HUD approval in West Orange.” Terms of the settlement agreement were approved in-

OHA SETTLES Page 3A

Willow Bend Apartments on Sikes Road in Orange is nearly complete. The Housing Authority of the City of Orange voted to settle a whistle-blower’s claim out of court on Tuesday, April 21.

Outgoing city administrator, Joe Parkhurst, standing, shows new city administrator, Robbie Hood, some of the ins and outs of the job at Pinehurst City Hall on Tuesday. Hood was hired April 7 and his first day on the job was on April 20. Parkhurst will retire on May 1. RECORD PHOTO: David Ball

Hood on the job New Pinehurst Administrator takes over David Ball

For The Record

Robbie Hood, the new city administrator for the city of Pinehurst, is already on the job and learning some new ropes. Hood started on Monday, April 20. He was hired to the position on April 7. He was previously city manager for the city of Linden, Texas. “I’ve been meeting lots of people,” Hood said. “I’m becoming acquainted with the surroundings, riding with department heads and meeting with the Storm Water Management Program Coalition.” More specifically, he attended a press conference for

the Deepwater Horizon settlement at the Orange Riverfront Pavilion, checking out water department facilities working on an ordinance with the coalition to soon bring before the city council. “I like to see local agreements. There may be boundaries with city limit signs, but there’s no boundaries in helping each other,” Hood said. “It’s very important for me to meet department heads and know their daily activities. We can build off what (outgoing city administrator) Mr. (Joe) Parkhurst and the council have done. He built an outstanding city here.” For instance, Parkhurst instituted a Scada system

which allows water department personnel to look at ground and elevated water levels. Later this week Hood will be meeting with the Lunch Bunch and riding along with the street department to see which ones need resurfacing. “At budget time, you don’t know what people need if you’re not with them. I’m part of the team. It means a lot to see what they (departments) have,” he said. Another goal for Hood is to bring some businesses to town. “I want to see some stuff here. We have low taxes and low crime. Those are attributes that attract business,” he said.

County expands O’field water services David Ball

For The Record

Some residents in Orangefield and Bridge City may be able to obtain some water and sewer service for their subdivision. The Orange County Commissioners Court approved expanding the Orangefield Water Supply Corporation’s water and sewer into Victory Gardens at their meeting on April 27. County Judge Brint Carlton

and Precinct 1 Commissioner were absent from the meeting. Jody Crump, Precinct 4 commissioner, chaired the DUBOSE meeting. Several months, at the request of then Precinct 3 Commissioner John Dubose, OWSC sponsored a field survey for interest in ex-

panding our water and sewer service in the Victory Gardens Subdivision, according to Joe Morton, interim general manager of the OWSC. “The primary reason for the request was the implementation plan for TMDL for Adams Bayou, Cow Bayou and their tributaries. This plan will be implemented by local stakeholders, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board, Sabine

River Authority of Texas, and other organizations,” he said. The ultimate goal of this implementation plan is to restore the contact recreation, aquatic life, and general uses of the subject waterways. The TMDL report identified a combination of point and nonpoint sources that contribute to the impairments. Nonpoint sources of pollution in the watershed include failing Onsite Sewage Facilities and other sources such as pastures,

forests and urban runoff. The best long-term solution for failing OSSFs would be to replace them with connections to a Wast Water Treatment Facility. Where that is not possible due to logistics or expense, the failing OSSFs must be repaired, replaced or upgraded. There is a qualifying condition of first time water and sewer services, for the funding from USDA, which helps to

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