The Bastrop County Times (Smithville, Tex.), Vol. 84, No. 48, Ed. 1 Thursday, November 27, 1975 Page: 2 of 27
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THE BASTROP COUNTY TIMES, SMITHVJLLE, TEXAS 78957
PACE X
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 1975
hir*
inions
Free But Worthless
Earlier, this newspaper stated its intentions to take all neces-
sary action to acquire the records of public judicial proceedings
from the four Bastrop County Precincts'Justices of the Peace
That editorial comment brought no immediate response so we
took the first step in pressing for that information This was to
contact the Texas State Attorney General's Office to determine
what action could be taken
That office informed us that we should make written requests
to all four of the Justices for access to the information We were
told that the Justices would have ten days to notify us of when we
could have access or request the Attorney General s Office to
render a decision as to whether the information we requested was
indeed public We were also told that if no such question was rai.
ed that the information could be considered public
It sounded too easy at the time so I asked the Attorney
General's Office what would happen if the Justices did not com-
ply. "Oh, we have never had a case where a public official didn't
comply," was the answer
So we sent the letters, special delivery, requiring signatures
as proof of receipt And we waited
We did get a response from Precinct Justice of Elgin He
wrote back that his records would be available to us at any time
during regular business hours His records appear in this issue
and we thank him for his cooperation But the other three spaces
in this week's paper are empty The other three Justices did not
reply
It seemed that the time to get down to business had arrived
Wrong A call to the Attorney General's Office proved worthless.
Their answer can be fairly paraphrased a* Well,gee. that has
never happened before That 's quite a problem you have there,but
we really have no jurisdiction "
I want to make the position more clear, so I asked, "Does your
office, in its capacity as a law enforcement agency have jurisdic- ;
tion over a public official who is. in your own opinion, not comply-
ing with the law?"
"No", came the flat response
However they were happy to give out motvof their free and
so far worthless, advice. I was told that what I must do is to get
a "Writ of Mandamus " That is a legal term for an order from a
higher court (in this case District Judge Placke) to a lower court
(the Justices of the Peace) compelling that lower court to release
certain records to that higher court
"Can I just call the Judge and get this writ," I asked.
"You would probably be better off getting a lawyer."
So what it all boils down to is that if I want to force an elected
official to release certain information that the Attorney General's
Office and the County Attorney have both confirmed as being
public, I have to spend the money tb hire a lawyer
None of the public officials connected with this seem to be of
any mind to clean up their own house It seems a real pity that a
newspaper has to take the necessary action to get public official
to conduct the business of their office according to law But if
that's what it takes, then that's what we will do But there seems
also to be a rather casual attitude from people facing an election
year
%
ENUFF SAID
| Commissioners
Inspect Old
f Unsafe Bridge
BASTROP - The Bastrop
County Commissioners'
Court met in regular session
Monday, November 24. The
commissioners voted to pay
the county's dues in the Tex-
as Association of Counties,
but postponed any vote on al-
lowing county employees to
join the Travis County Credit
Union. Approval of the pro-
posal, discussed at the
court's last meeting, would
mean a greatly increased
load of paper work for the
County Clerk and Treasurer,
and the employees of Com-
missioners Wiley, Burns,
and Hendrix showed little in-
terest in joining.
I he court adjourned early
to make a trip to inspect the
Upper Piney Creek Bridge. It
has been proposed that the
bridge be closed since it has
fallen into such disrepair as
to become unsafe. It has
been substantially by-passed
by traffic in recent years in
favor of FM 1441.
I he commissioners' court
will hold its next regularly
scheduled meeting on Mori
day, December 8.
{Letters To The Editor\
Bastrop School Board
THANK YOU
I would like to thank
everyone who helped to
make the Bastrop County
Bicentennial Fair a success.
It took the cooperation of
many groups and people to
hold this county fair. The
Home Demonstration Clubs
of Bastrop County sponsored
the fair but much of the suc-
cess was due to the support
of the entire county.
Think ahead to the Fall of
1976. Plan your entries now.
if you have any suggestions
please let us know.
Thank you for your
interest and support
Mrs. Clara Curtis
Bastrop County Extension
Agent
•Bastrop County and Municipal Records!
Bastrop County
Justice of Peace
PCT. 1 - BASTROP
No Response
PCT. 2 -- SMITHVILLE
No Response
PCT. 3 -- ROCKNE
No Response
PCT. 4 -- ELGIN
Mike Batch; Disorderly con-
duct, $50,50
Robert D, Brent; Speeding
$26.50; Failure to appear,
$26.50
James M. Pratt; Speeding
$42.50
Ellea E. Langham; Speed-
ing, $46.50
Carole L. Cramm; Speeding.
$32.50
Jerry D. Fleming; Speeding,
$28.50
Miiton S. Magness; Speed-
ing, $54.50
David C. Ramerez; Hunting
out of season, $50.50
Rebecca B. Webster;
Speeding, $32.50
Donald N. Banks; Speeding,
$32.50
Jack A Corien; Speeding,
Speeding, $32.50
Linda L. Poplin; Speeding.
$28.50
Richard D. Jones; Speeding.
$26.50
Donald L. Simpson; Speed
ing. $28,50
Darrell Jackson; Speeding.
$46.50
Tak K Chuen; Speeding,
$28.50; Failure to ap-
pear. $28.50
Billy Washington; Speeding,
$27.50; Failure to ap-
pear, $27.50
Charles Simpson; Speeding.
$24.50
Kathleen M. Crowe; Speed-
ing. $24.50
Harold O. Arbogust; Speed-
ing, $32.50
James M. Briers; Speeding,
$44.50
Jerry D. Reese; Speeding,
$22.50; Failure to ap-
pear, $22.50
Sheriff
ARRESTS'
Milton Jerry Hodges.
Bastrop; Misdemeanor
possession of marijuana,
$300.00 bond
Timothy Dean Bains,
Bastrop; Misdemeanor
possession of marijuana,
fz
^ ", K'c'mmtu
4i i i in v>
VOL 84, NO 48. NOVEMBER 27, 1975
The Bastrop County Times is published every Thursday in
Smithville Texas, by Tex Print Corporation, 2G5 East Third
Street owned by Todd Publications, fnc . William K Todd,
President Second ' lass postage paid at Smithville, Texas
78957
WILLIAM K TODD
TOM SHAM I Y
P H SMITH
DEMI PRENTI.s
TIMES STAFF
DAVID VYVJALA
NANCY YOUNG
DONNA GLENN
SUSAN GUEDRY
GEORGIA ZIATS
SUBSCRIPTION RATES
$5 50 -- per year (52 issues}
13 00 -- 6 months (26 issues;
Publisher
Editor
News Kditor
County Reporter
>r,iphi< •> Layout
Composition
Composition
Composition
Classified Ads
DEAD! INI On
Noon Monday I
rtiling awl New
Publication
$300.00 surety bond
Gary David Kuehn, Austin;
Misdemeanor possession
of marijuana, $300.00
personal bond
Ciuy Frank Bartosch, Freer.
Felony DW1
Albert van Mach. Smith-
ville; DWI. released due
to illness
Hosie Mackev, Tavlor,
DWI. $300.00 personal
bond
Jackie W. Randall. Cedar
Creek: DWI, $300.00
personal bond
Marriage Licenses
Jerry Gailon Joiner and
Loune Franklin.
Pedro Garcia Hernandez and
Rose Maria Tovar
Divorces Granted
None
Municipal Courts:
Bastrop
Brian Keith Alexander;
Muffler violation
defective, $17.50
Antonio Chan-nan Wong;
Speeding 70/55, $32.50
Lee R. I'anyar; Drive on
wrong side of road
accident. $12.50
Gary R. Davis; Exhibition
of acceleration, $17.50;
Failure to display DL,
$17.50
Lynn Ann Johnson; Improp-
er start from parked
position -- backed into
car, $22.50
Richard Clinton Rucker;
Public intoxication.
$27.50; Disorderly con-
duct. $27.;>U
Smithville
Bastrop,
Smith
- pro
D. C Brown, Jr
Speeding $17 50
Steven A Bcatcher,
vilie. Loud muffler
bation
Paul C Jacobs. Smithville;
Unsafe backinc - $22 50
Gene A Hilgers, Austin;
Speeding $15.00
Richard E Rodriquez
Elatonia, Public Intoxica-
tion - 125 00
Dixie L. Scheetz,Smithville,
Failure to control speed -
$22 50
E L Roberts. Houston; No
valid drivers license
$15.00
from Page 1
the bids on the cafetei i.i equip
ment for- the new cafeteria in
from Page I
street paving to meet any
curb and gutter installed by a
property owner made clear
the necessity for C in Man-
ager Bill Cox to investigate
further the implication of
that offer and report back to
the council. Hie council
members also made mention
of the increasingly apparent
need tor the council to sched-
ule more regular meetings
than the traditional twelve
per year. Leaving the propo-
sal for meeting twice month-
ly open for further discus
sion. the council adjourned
until its next regular meeting
Monday, Decembers.
the junior high school had
come in too high, arid that he
wouid endeavor to make ap
propriate cuts in consultation
with the cafeteria staff Evans"
application for mm ■ food a s
sistance funds from the Texas
Education Agencv to help in
the purchase of this equipment
seemed to have met with sue
cess The agency Indicated
that it could provide 75'" of
the purchase price on the tow
bid, an amount intheneighboi
hood of $30,000
With no further business to
attend to, the board adjourned
until its next meetinii on i it-
day, November 25 when bids
on the new construction awl
remodelling planned for the
district will be opened
LCRA Surcharge
from Page 1
Elgin
Gary Earl Voight, Elgin;
Speeding 47/35, $20 00
Gloria Peschel Sky, Elgin,
Fail to yield ROW while
backing, $27 50
Mark Wayne Southwell, Elgin;
Speeding 57/35, $20.00
Alice McNiel Baker; Unsafe
backing -- accident, $27 50
Arthur Lee Benford. Public
intoxication $27 ri0
Harvey Scott Fall to control
vehicle - hit unloading
truck, $27.50
."tie Shropshire Weiss; Cross
double stripe to park on op-
posite of street, $17 50
mers' representatives could
discuss their response to the
Authority's proposals.
Charlie Bium, recently re-
tired as I ity Manager of
Brenham. presented the rec-
ommbndations of the whole-
sale customers' executive
board as to the matter. Blum
stated that there is ^little
doubt that LCRA is in serious
financial disturbance, but
that it was, in the opinion of
the board, in the customers'
best interest to keep LCRA in
a healthy financial condition
so as to maintain service and
to keep the Authority in a
good position in the bond
market. Although some of
the problems were undoubt-
edly not created by the man-
agement of the LCRA. The
board recommended going a-
long with the temporary sur-
charge, preferring that to a
oermanent rate increase
However, the board favored
stipulating that the LCRA
submit to (and pay
internal operations
ysis to be made bv
for) an
anal-
a firm
Elgin School Board
. from Page I
proach used in high school
I nglish and recommended
application of that appproach
to Social Studies. Jack Flinn
reported on the progress of
the construction at the new-
high school.
On the recommendation
NOTICE
n.e C ommisjtioners ( ourt of Bastrop County by
authority of Section 21.084 of the I ex«s Water
( ode has panned an order to regulate private
sewage futilities in Bastrop County, Texas,1*
Licensing, registration and inspection is required
for nil new or modified systems. Applications
must be made before beginning construction,
Penalty (or violations of (bis ordinance range
from $10 to $200 per day.
Applications and information may be obtained
from the County Department of Health and
> I' O Box 802, Bastrop, Texas,
78602.
of Superintendent
Thompson, the board ap-
proved the following for
membership on the text-
book committee for the fol-
lowing vcar: Dr. Thompson
(required by law). Ken
Leach, Joan DeLuca.
Barbara Schult/, Paul
Walker, Darcelfe Duke, Jane
Daniel, Rosemary Perkins,
and Claudia Murphy. This
committee will consider the
Momentary Math and Spell
ing books up for adoption
this ensuing year.
After authorizing the Su-
peintendent to secure prices
on kitchen elbine; for the
Home Economics classroom
in the new high school, the
board recessed to executive
session to consider (he hiring
of the remainder of the
teachers for the FSA pro-
gram. Hie board will have its
next regular meeting on
Tuesday, December 16.
chosen by LCRA from a list
of three such firms submit-
ted by the wholesale custom-
ers. In addition, the board
recommended that the forty-
one customers as a group
commission a fiscal man
agement study of the Au-
thority's financial opera-
tions. Blum mentioned that
the management of LCRA
had responded favorably to
both proposals in tentative
talks with the executive
board.
After brief discussion, in
which the opinion was ex-
pressed that mild weather
had had more to do with de-
creased consumption than
conservation efforts, the cus-
tomers' representatives
agreed to take the proposals
of the executive board back
to their respective city coun-
cils or boards of directors.
Both Mayor Crawford of
Smithville and ( ity Manager
Cox of Bastrop raised impor-
tant points in the discussion
especially in regard to the
obvious management prob-
lems of the Authority Blum
thanked the representatives
for presenting a united front
to the management of LCRA
and urged them to doAvhat-
ever possible to expedite
response to the board's pro-
posals. The cities and coop-
eratives served by LCRA will
respond individually to
LCRA on (he subject of the
surcharge and the new
method of calculating fuel
costs. Nevertheless, the out-
come of the meeting seemed
to promise that the wholesale
customers stood some
chance of gaining improve
merits in service as a result
of their unified action.
W.E.I.H.M
B\ P R Smith
«n last week's Times, an article appeared concerning the pre
valance of dog poisoning in Smithville through the years As a
result of that article, we were contacted this week by a resident
of the same general area as the Sehlitzkus family who have
lost four dogs in less than three years as a result of poisonings
who Informed u.s that several do*s in that area have been shot rt
cently, as well It seems that someone has been prowling the
streets with a 22 rifle and pot-shooting at dogs
This informant was not speaking from hearsay - her own dog
had been shot some weeks ago, Thellttledot' still carries th«
bullet in her body, as the veterinarian felt it would not be wise to
try to remove it yet
Although this dog owner was extremely upset over the wound
ing of her pet of many years, she was even more upset over the
fact that a five year-old child was playing with the animal when
the shot was fired
"Since the bullet fabed to exit, the shot must have been fired
from quite a distanci awav she related adding that the snipei
must either be quite a marksman or must not have cared a whole
lot who or what he hit The latter assumption seems more likely
We asked Smithville Police Chief Lee Derning about the dog
shootings and he denied knowing of any instances except the one
reported above But the lady indicated, when speaking to me, that
many other such shootings had occurred in her area, particularly
during the time when the street lights and tennis court lights had
been shot out
The Texas Highway Department has requestedof Smithvilleof
finals information concerning water and electric lines which ar>-
laid near the intersection of Marburger Street and Highway 71.
Although no purpose for the inquiry was included in the re
quest Smithville officials feel that the department must be re
considering the placing of some type of traffic control signal at
that intersection
Chief Denunt' learned recently the Highway Department is
somewhat reluctant to place traffic lights wherever requested
they cost approximately $30,000 total to install This amount in
eludes engine-ring and review rusts ofmur-.e as well as urt>;>.
contraction and material cost
Under the circumstances, I suppose we'll just have to b
patient and take hope in the fact that the matter is still under
study
The City of Smithville was requested to pa* for the chains used
to attach am raft to the tie-downs on the new airport apron, md
the request *.«•• di tcusswl at .ome length dunnr the V vein be:
City Council meeting After considerable debate it was decided
that the city would purchase the $80 worth of chain. although
George Gantt had, according to Mayor Crawford , agreed to furnish
all tiedowns tf the city would construct the apron
After reading in the Times that council had 'reluctantly' agreed
to pay for the chains. Martin Goebel (Gantt's partner in aircraft
sales at the airport> stormed into Mayor Crawford'*office and
told him to forget it' I'll pay for the - chain' "
And he did
State Representative and Mrs John Wilson stopped by the
Times office Monday in response to the article on school
taxation
Wilson stated that he was of the firm opinion that the state had
placed unbearable burdens on local school districts and the citi-
zens therein with the passage of the Governor's Education Bill
While Wilson stated that reevaluation mav help individualdts
tncts to some extent he felt that the ultimate solution to qua!
ity education for all districts must be handled on a state wide
level by the Fexas Legislature, and promised to work toward this
end
Within three days time, Smithville received visits from its
State Representative and its United States Congressman Where
are you. Senators Patman, Bentsen and Tower '
Utility Commission
Adopts New Rules
AUSTIN The Public Utility
Commission of Texas, in its
day long public meeting No-
vember 17, adopted procedural
rules for the conduct of com-
mission operations and
announced the hiring of addi-
tional top level personnel. The
meeting was attended by ap-
proximately 125 persons,
many of whom offered testi-
mony and suggestions regard
ing the operational regula
tions Both consumer and util-
ity company interests were
represented at the hearing
The rules adopted by the
commission established pro-
cedures for conducting its
responsibilities as a regula-
tory agency of the state The
rules Included procedures for
hearings concerning licensing
and rate setting, applications
for Certificates of Conven-
ience and Necessity, commis-
sion bulletins and organiza-
tion, and methods of reporting
quarterly assessments
The commission hired a
Chief Engineer, who will serve
us Director of the Engineering
and Enforcement Division, and
a Director of the Economic
Research Division
Robert Thomus Sweatman
of Ft Worth, a Registered
Professional Engineer and
twelve-year employee ofTex-
as Electric Service Company
will be the new Chief
Engineer. He holds a Bachelor
of Science degree In electrical
engineering from Texas AAM
University. Sweatman, who Is
J5, has served recently as
executive staff assistant
advising corporate staff, dlvl
son and local managers in
matters of utility finance, fuel
management, and con
atructlon.
The new Director of
Economic Research is Dr
Caroline M Smith, Associate
Professor of Management at
Virginia Polytechnic Institute
She has served as a consultant
to local governments, the
Virginia Municipal League,
and the Association of
Counties in electric power
rate negotiations. Shealsode-
signed a '^ad forecasting
system for the San Antonio
City Public Service Board
Smith earned her bachelor de
gree at the College ofWilllam
and Mary in 1967, her master's
degree from Old Dominion
University in 1967, and her
doctorate in management from
the University of Texas in
1974 She is 31,
The commission also adopt-
ed a budget and agreed to
publish its newly adopted rules
and make them available upon
request.
Griesenbeck
Honored
By T.A.R.C,
Hv unanimous decision of the
representatives of ihetwen ty
four regional councils in Tex
as. County Judge Jack K
Griesenbeck, out going presi-
dent of the Texas Assocl ation
of Regional Councils, If. to be
supported by that group for
membership on the National
Association of Regions I Conn-
ells Judge Grlesenb'c'Ck has
served «s president of the
group for the past twu and a
half years The action was tak
en at the Governor's Confer-
ence, held the week of Novem
tier 17 in Austin <
>«• t , n
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Shapley, Tom. The Bastrop County Times (Smithville, Tex.), Vol. 84, No. 48, Ed. 1 Thursday, November 27, 1975, newspaper, November 27, 1975; Smithville, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth290811/m1/2/: accessed April 27, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Bastrop Public Library.