The Bastrop Advertiser (Bastrop, Tex.), Vol. 156, No. 52, Ed. 1 Saturday, August 29, 2009 Page: 3 of 12
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Saturday, August 29, 2009
Wni JBastrop Hdncrtiscr • Page A3
HEALTH
New VA clinic for veterans
BY CYNDI WRIGHT
Editor
Military veterans in the area may be glad to
learn that they have a new Veterans Health Ad-
ministration outreach clinic in the neighboring
city of La Grange, set to hold a grand opening on
Thursday, Sept. 3 at 10 a.m.
The clinic will help relieve crowding at the
Austin clinic, according to VA spokesperson Ne-
lia Schrum.
"Austin is our largest growth area," Schrum
said. "We have outgrown our space in the Austin
clinic. We would like to encourage our Smith-
ville and Bastrop veterans to check out this new
clinic."
Schrum said a new facility is planned for the
Austin area in 2012.
Congressmen Lloyd Doggett and Ruben Hi-
nojosa were instrumental in getting the new
clinic to La Grange, Schrum said.
"We have a big emphasis on having servic-
es available where our veterans live," Schrum
said.
Doggett will be the keynote speaker at the
grand opening of the La Grange clinic at 890 E.
Travis St. in La Grange.
"Our veterans have earned timely, compas-
sionate, high quality care," Doggett said. "Re-
sponding to the many veterans who contacted
me, I am pleased our local veterans will finally
be able to get local care. I strongly supported the
largest increase in the VA's budget in its histo-
ry, and my goal has been to secure some of this
funding for us locally. Our responsibility to those
who have served in uniform does not end when
the uniform comes off."
Staff at the rural outreach medical clinic be-
gan seeing patients on Aug. 3. Projections are
for more than 800 veterans to be seen for prima-
ry care and women's health service by the clinic
staff during the first year of operation.
The clinic is part of the Central Texas Veter-
ans Health Care System (CTVHCS) and is oper-
ated for the VA through a contract with Sterling
Medical Associates Incorporated.
The new clinic supports the VA's program to
"We have outgrown our space in the
Austin clinic. We would like to
encourage our Smithville and Bastrop
veterans to check out this new clinic."
— Nelia Schrum, VA spokesperson
expand health care to the nation's veterans and
s funded by a grant awarded this year by the
VA's Office of Rural Health. Schrum said local
veterans are encouraged to attend the grand
opening. The phone number at the clinic is (979)
968-5878.
Transport to Temple
The Central Texas Veterans Health Care
System is set to implement a shuttle route from
the La Grange VA clinic to the Olin E. Teague
VA Medical Center in Temple.
The shuttle service will run Monday through
Friday to assist veterans scheduled for specialty
health care appointments or tests at the Temple
hospital. The transportation service is provided
free of cost to veterans.
The VA is currently looking for volunteer
drivers to assist with this program.
All volunteer drivers will receive specific
training provided by the VA.
"Our drivers throughout Central Texas find
that volunteering to take a veteran to medical
appointments is very rewarding," said Sherry
Hughes, the chief of voluntary service for the
CTVHCS. "Some veterans would not be able to
come to the hospital without the volunteer driv-
ers because the veteran is no longer driving due to
physical reasons or doesn't have transportation."
Hughes said that veterans are welcome to
use the shuttle service for convenience, too.
If you would like to volunteer or know of
someone who would be interested in volunteer-
ing, call Hughes at 1-800-423-2111, ext. 42893.
Feeling light-headed
\
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Staff photo by Terry Hagerty
Corinne Evans sported a colorful balloon while welcoming active duty soldiers to Americar
Legion Post 533's Military Family Day last weekend. The legion provided food and entertain-
ment to those military personnel about to be deployed overseas, Evans is a volunteer with the
legion's ladies auxiliary.
JUDGE: Eskew enjoys creating solutions as
he tries to make a difference from the bench
tion to go back into private
practice.
"I felt that I wanted to
be involved in solving the
problem rather than just
advocating for one person,"
Eskew said, when asked
why he sought the position.
"I enjoy creating solutions
for people rather than sim-
ply being an advocate."
Eskew is married with
two school age children; he
attends church and coaches
soccer in Bastrop.
A 'calling'
Having to deal with
people when they are "at
their worst" could start to
take a toll on someone after
15 years.
"You can't imagine
what you hear in that
courtroom," Eskew said.
"Neglect of children that
has to do with substance
abuse, infants that test
positive for illegal drugs,
children that are sexually
abused..." he trails off.
Eskew said he wrestles
with not taking it all home
at the end of the day, but
that it helps feeling like
he has a "calling" to do his
work, day in and day out.
Then he laughs.
'Well, actually, it's the
voters who decide whether
or not that's my calling,"
Eskew said in an aside.
"But I never doubt when I
go to work that I can make
a difference. I get revived
from that idea."
Rewards and challenges
Eskew said that one of
the most rewarding things
about his job was "creating
solutions that bring peace
in people's lives."
"A lot of people come in
here, and it's a really rough
time for them," Eskew said.
"It's not easy to resolve
when someone else is try-
ing to force something on
them or taking a side that
is against what they want.
It's my job to hear what
they're going through and
come up with a solution.
I've had people come up to
me months or sometimes
years later saying a deci-
sion I made helped their
situation and I find that
very rewarding."
Eskew said the most
challenging thing about his
job is knowing he must at
BENTON ESKEW
judge presiding
Staff photo by Jacqueline Davis
Judge Benton Eskew oversees a wide variety of cases as Judge of the
County Court at Law.
times make people unhap-
py by his decisions.
"Some decisions I'm re-
quired to make, and will
make, will make people un-
happy," Eskew said. "My
personality, though, is the
type that always wants to
make people happy."
Eskew said the effects
of substance abuse perme-
ated every aspect of his
job.
"If we had guaranteed
ways of curing substance
abuse, my job would be a
lot easier," Eskew said.
Looking back over the
many cases Eskew has
handled, he said the best
ones were the ones were
children were removed
from abusive situations and
placed in good families.
"The kids come up and
hit my gavel and that's
what makes it official,"
Benton said with a smile.
Family Law Practice**
Divorce, Custody, Adoptions
Mediation Services
fed I. Oliver
Attorney at Law
1012 Hwy 21 E., Bastrop
512-308-1769/512-988-0075
*U of Texas School of Law 1970
*Board Certified Family Law (17 yrs)**
* Admin Judge - Special Ed (15 yrs)
*Past President of Austin Family Law Mediation Assoc.
**Mot Board Certified Texas Board Legal Specialization
$1.094.002
$1.948.553
$3.042.555
$549.197.667
>0.5540 / $100
$3.045.722
$520.614.981
).58502 / $100
2009 Property Tax Rates in City of Bastrop
This notice concerns 2009 property tax rates for City of Bastrop. It presents information about three
tax rates. Last year's tax rate is the actual rate the taxing unit used to determine property taxes last
year. This year's effective tax rate would impose the same total taxes as last year if you compare
properties taxed in both years. This year's rollback tax rate is the highest tax rate the taxing unit can
set before taxpayers can start tax rollback procedures. In each case these rates are found by dividing
the total amount of taxes by the tax base (the total value of taxable property) with adjustments as
required by state law. The rates are given per $100 of property value.
Last year's tax rate:
Last year's operating taxes
Last year's debt taxes
Last year's total taxes
Last year's total tax base
Last year's total tax rate $
This year's effective tax rate:
Last year's adjusted taxes
(after subtracting taxes on lost property)
+ This year's adjusted tax base
(after subtracting taxes on lost property)
= This year's effective tax rate
(Maximum rate unless unit publishes notices and holds hearings.)
This year's rollback tax rate:
Last year's adjusted operating taxes
(after subtracting taxes on lost property
and adjusting for any transferred function,
tax increment financing, state criminal
justice mandate, and/or enhanced indigent
health care expenditures)
: This year's adjusted tax base
= This year's effective operating rate
x 1.08 = this year's maximum operating rate
+ This year's debt rate
= This year's total rollback rate
Statement of Increase/Decrease
If C ity of Bastrop adopts a 2009 tax rate equal to the effective tax rate of $0.58502 per $ 100 of value,
taxes would increase compared to 2008 taxes by $168.667.
Schedule A - Unencumbered Fund Balances
The following estimated balances will be left in the unit's property tax accounts at the end of the
fiscal year. These balances are not encumbered by a corresponding debt obligation.
Type of Property Tax Fund Balance
GO Debt Service Fund $989,190
Schedule B - 2009 Debt Serv ice
This unit plans to pay the following amounts for long-term debts that are secured by property taxes. These
amounts will be paid from property tax revenues (or additional sales tax revenues, if applicable).
$1.095.140
$520.614.981
121036/$100
).22719 / $100
3.36431 / $100
3.59150/$100
Description of Debt
Principal or Contract
Payment to be Paid
from Property Taxes
Interest to be
Paid from
Property Taxes
Other Amounts
to be Paid
Total
Payment
G O. Series 1997
$330,000
$52,501
$0
$382,250
G O. Series 1999
$75,000
$18,000
$0
$93,000
G.O. Series 2001
$140,000
$105,060
$500
$245,560
G O. Series 2002
$115,000
$86,642
$500
$202,142
Comb. Tax &
Revenue C.O. 2003
$11,713
$11,550
$0
$23,263
G.O. Series 2004
$115,000
$104,088
$500
$219,588
G.O. Series 2005
$100,000
$77,437
$500
$177,937
G.O. Series 2006
$15,000
$13,462
$0
$28,462
G.O. Series 2007
$45,000
$47,022
$0
$92,022
Comb. Tax &
Revenue C.O. 2006
$95,000
$20,636
$500
$116,136
Tax Notes 2006
$30,000
$4,899
$0
$34,899
Comb. Tax &
Revenue C.O. 2007
$85,000
$88,577
$0
$173,577
Tax Notes 2008
$110,000
$13,770
$0
$123,770
G.O. Series 2008
$10,000
$97,060
$500
$107,560
PPAD, Series 2005
$93,013
$9,290
$0
$102,303
Total required for 2009 debt service $2.122.469
- Amount (if any) paid from funds listed in Schedule A $3.503
- Amount (if any) paid from other resources $0
- Excess collections last year $0
= Total to be paid from taxes in 2009 $2.118.966
+ Amount added in anticipation that the unit will collect
only 100% of its taxes in 2009 $0
= Total Debt Levy $2.118.966
This notice contains a summary of actual effective and rollback tax rates' calculations. You can
inspect a copy of the full calculations at 904 Main Street, Bastrop, Texas 78602. Name of person
preparing this notice: Karla Stovall. Title: Finance Director. Date prepared: August 10, 2009.
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Wright, Cyndi. The Bastrop Advertiser (Bastrop, Tex.), Vol. 156, No. 52, Ed. 1 Saturday, August 29, 2009, newspaper, August 29, 2009; Bastrop, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth252609/m1/3/: accessed May 5, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Bastrop Public Library.