The Bastrop County Times (Smithville, Tex.), Vol. 86, No. 47, Ed. 1 Thursday, November 24, 1977 Page: 1 of 20
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SERVING: SMITHVILLE, BASTROP, ELGIN and ALL BASTROP COUNTY
VOL.86. NO. 47 TWO SECTIONS, 18 PAGES
THURSDAY. NOVEMBER 24, 1977
Health Care Under Fire
by J. P. Powers
BASTROP COUNTY -- Jhe U.S.
Department of Health Education
and Welfare made the final pro-
visional interpretations on their
health planning proposal, Tuesday,
Nov. 22. This proposal will now be
put before Congress for approval,
or rejection. If this proposal,
formally referred to as Public Law
#96341, is passed by the legislature
and signed by President Carter,
rural hospitals will suffer a severe
cutback in patient care facilities.
This bill is an attempt by HEW
to impose formulized criteria on
individual hospitals regarding what
services they may offer, and how
much of an individual service
(i.e., the obstetrics ward) they can
perform.
For clarificatin and local impact
regarding this proposal the TIMES
spoke with Bastrop Hospital Ad-
ministrator Ben Snead.
Snead told the TIMES that the
proposal would require all hos-
pitals to maintain an 80% occupan-
cy rate at all times, or cut back on
the number of beds in the hospital,
until that arbitrary percentage is
reached. Snead stated that he felt
that as far as the Bastrop Hospital
occupation of 75%. If these "statis-
tics" are not applicable, the ward
may be reduced until they are shut
down altogether.
The proposal also lowers the
number of beds per thousand
people from the current 6 per thou-
sand in Texas to 4 per thousand.
Which is basically a closing of over
17,000 beds throughout the state,
most of which, by the nature of
the proposal, will be in rural
areas.
Snead told the TIMES that this
socialization of health care will
only serve to lower the standards
that we are used to. No one wants
to be treated as a percentage point
Council Predicts
when they are in need of hospital
care.
The proposal will next move
to the U.S. House of Repre-
sentatives which would be the best
place to stop its progress. Should
this bill become law, the consumer
or "patient" will be the one to
suffer the effects; for according to
Snead. it's a lot cheaper to go to
the community hospital, than to go
to the "big city" hospital. Snead
concluded with a point which is
more personal than medical, but
is a major factor in hospital care,
"when you're close to home" he
said, "that's where your family
and friends are," and sometimes
that is what counts.
Taxes To Increase
SMITHVILLE - City taxes are
going up next year.
That seems to be the conclusion
of the council following Monday
night's preliminary look at next
year's finances.
Mayor Lawrence Skelley conclud-
ed that one or more of three
actions must occur for a balanced
the
county. A
Smithville
was concerned, an occupancy rate budget: revised evaluation of real
of 60% - to - 70/o is all they could prQpertyi increasing the $1.20 per
handle without expanding. $100 evaluation base, or increasing
Snead explained that of the 25 the 25 per cent base.
beds in the Bastrop Hospital, 23 Ske„ noted that Smithville
of these are reserved for specific enj thg ,owest {ax rate of the
functions. A certain number are
reserved for obstetrics, including
one for women in labor, 2 are set
aside for patients with infectious
diseases, and 16 are semi-private
beds which take~into account men
beds which take into account men.
women, and children, who should
not be put into the same rooms.
This leaves 2 open beds, and what-
ever room is left over when pa-
tients in the 16 semi-private beds
are arranged by nature of illness
and need.
Baker, Lane
Join TIMES
Staff
BASTROP - Today Nancy Cath-
erman, associate publisher of the
TIMES, announced the appoint-
Snead said that in the case of ment of Douglas D. Baker, Jr.,
an epidemic or flu outbreak the as editor; and his wife, Pat Lane
hospital has to have a number of as production manager.
beds available or turn the patient Baker is a graduate of Southern
away at the door. He continued Methodist University where he
stating that the HEW proposal does majored in political science and his-
not take into account for "peak" tory. For the last several years he
seasons of demand on the hospital,
meaning those times of year when
people are most prone to become
ill.
The proposal also effects individ-
ual wards of a hospital, such as
obstetrics. The guideline for the
three hospitals in this county for newspaper production
obstetrics, according to the lang- several Dallas weeklies.
uage of the proposal, is at least The Baker-Lanes will be making
500 births annually and a yearly their home in Bastrop.
has edited the ICONOCLAST,
city weekly in Dallas.
TIMES production manager
Pat Lane is a graduate of the
University of Texas where she
majored in history. Prior to join-
ing the TIMES she managed
work on
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SMITHVILLK'S OLDEST CITIZEN - Mrs. Kuby Wine pins a corsage on
Cunnie Williams, Smithville'* oldest citizen, Aunt Cannic will he 102 years
old on Nov .10, She still lives at 4(H) Hill Street in the home she and her first
husband bought in 1919.
Aunt t'anni# had (hue thildien mid her only surviving child, Kehenti
Martin who is Hi, lives ill a fioine behind lief, Aunt
( aANla's mental mid physital condition ire relatively good (or her
advail' id als M«l hearing Ik Impaired but slu is I lot deaf |)g«. to hi
till Ills Sl»t dtlK lids M|l"'l i ' "III I Ml ttilfcillg
11 ape> bin Inlay A win I annie | tM| ('MM IU
three towns in
$16,000 home
would only be taxed $48. according
to Skelley. In Bastrop a similar
dwelling would be taxed $64.
In Elgin it would be taxed $72.
"We're in a shaded area where
it is costing us more to do business
than there is income," he said.
"I'm so disappointed to see that
no one from the community showed
up to help us with this," the mayor
commented to near empty council
chambers.
Several matters were discussed
in general with very little specif-
ic figures mentioned.
"We're getting to the point
where I hope some capital improve-
ments can'tte' tnade on' duf "totting ~
stock in streets and alleys," Skelley
reported. He said much of the
city equipment is welded and is a
"struggle to keep together."
One of the city's highest budget
items, the police department, ap-
pears headed for a record figure
this next year.
The police have requested to be
placed on a 40-hour week with
compensation time for holidays,
overtime for anytime over 40
hours, plus a $100 increase in the
base pay.
Also, a $1,000 radar unit is
being considered for purchase, in
addition to a trade-in or major
repair to the Plymouth patrol
car.
Officer Raleigh Measom report-
ed to the council that the pay
increase was absolutely necessary.
"There's no way anyone on the
council could survive on our sal-
ary," he said.
See "Budget," Page 2
Faulty
Buses
Grounded
SMITHVILLE -- With six out of
twelve buses belonging to the
school district out of service, the
board of trustees met to consider
the situation in a called session
Friday evening.
Bus maintenance problems
have plagued the board for many
years; the rough roads over which
many of the buses must travel
have only added to those problems.
Last week two board members,
Joyce Klutts and Aileen Rinehart,
made an impromptu inspection of
several buses after hearing a com-
plaint about bus #8.
Bus #8. a 54-passenger school
bus, is used daily to run a route
and was used recently to trans-
port band members to UIL com-
petition in Round Rock.
Upon inspection bus #8 was found
to have slick tires, a loose seat,
glass broken out of emergency
exit and a faulty steering wheel.
In addition when the steering wheel
was lilted up to the dashboard,
brakes and clutch rose up from their
mountings.
According it* Mrs. Rinehart,
she asked bus personnel to take bus
out servite immediately, al
thoiigli It was slated (mi a run
that day. I lit. hits was then moved
Im (lit uiaiiiit iian< t ait.a
m
PHOTO COURTESY OF TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE
Discipline Policy Reviewed
fci * " Mus*"
Hag*
SMITHVILLE - The regular
monthly meeting of the Smithville
School Board was held Monday
night, Nov. 21. The meeting was
highliehted bv a heated discussion
of corporal punishment in the
schools.
The discussion was triggered
by a parents' allegation that his
child was struck by a teacher for
failure to complete a homework
assignment. The parent said that he
was cognizant of a discipline prob-
lem in the schools but felt that this
particular instance did not fall
into that category, and added that
his child was a "better-than-
average" student in that particular
subject.
Board member Aileen Rinehart
read from the Smithville School
district guidelines that "corporal
punishment is alright when no other
form of punishment is effective."
The parent responded that his child
had not received any previous
punishment, only a warning from
the teacher that if assignments
were not completed that she would
be physically punished.
Smithville School Superintendent
George Mabe commented that ac-'
cording to the guidelines set up
by the local board punishment for
schoolwork is left to the discretion
of the teacher, but continued, stat-
ing that he does not condone
corporal punishment for incomplete
assignments. The entire board
agreed with Mabe's sentiments.
At this point, principal of grades
4 - 6. Ouinn Schlortt stood up and
informed the board that they might
take a "different" notion about
corporal punishment for incomplete
assignments if they heard all the
facts from "both sides." The board
took Schlortt up on his statement,
and entered into executive session
to discuss the matter with the
parents of the child, the teacher in
volvadi and Sthlorii remaining in
the 4 lost d meeting
Sometime during tlie est t uilve
session Miutliaii was fufceii ill and
passed out An ambulant u was
tailed im ibt mt-siMig and she »as
rushed to Dr. Weishuhn's clinic.
Shortly thereafter the board learned
that Rinehart had only suffered a
"narcoleptic attack" and after
treatment by the doctor was re-
leased immediately.
After Rinehart was taken to the
clinic, the board resumed its
executive session. A few moments
later the regular meeting was con-
tinued and the board reported that
it would form a committee to look
into the issue of corporal punish-
ment, specifically where schoolwork
was concerned. The committee
consists of board member Carroll
"Bubba" Smith, Mabe, the four
principals and teacher represent-
atives from each of the four schools.
That committee held its inaugural
meeting the next morning and
Smith told the TIMES that they
(the committee) were going to work
quickly to resolve what he referred
to as a "grey area" in the discipline
guidelines drawn up by the board.
In other action the board heard
Mr. Jerry Cook's request to hold
the upcoming band marathon in
the old gym. building. After a
discussion of the possible inconven-
iences that might arise with the use
See "Discipline," Page 2
Weather Tops Agenda
BASTROP - A special meeting
of the Bastrop City Council was
called Nov. 16 to discuss a clause
pertaining to road blacktopping
in the Curbow Construction Com-
pany contract with the city. Board
members were concerned that the
blacktopping might be done when
the weather conditions were not
right.
The temperature should be at
least 50 degrees and climbing when
the blacktop is put down. A rep-
resentative of the Curbow Co.
assured the board that the black-
topping would be done only when
the weather conditions are right.
The cost of installing water taps
in Bastrop was also brought up
by the council. Utilities Superinten-
dent Billy Evans presented the
board with cost-to-the-city figures,
not including labor, for tap installa-
tion and sewer installation.
Evans explained to the board
that the current installation cost to
the consumer does not neaflv
reflect the cost fo the city. The
proposed costs which are under
< onsideration are as follows!
V# inch tap currently costs i/S io
install, I vans' pioposed n>sl would
laist the pine to I inch lan
tUlieiilly Mr*, pmuosnj t|W)
I III' li !a|' lUiittiil) |i'i\ piopostd
$500; 4 inch sewer and b inch
sewer now at $25 each, proposed
$125 and $175 respectively.
Evans stressed that these figures
are only material costs for installa-
tion and do not include labor. The
board took the matter into consider-
ation, but has taken no action as of
vet.
Bears
Take
Bi-District
BASTROP -- With a 16-0 victory
over Boling Friday night the
Bastrop Bears progressed to reg-
ional play.
Friday evening in Scguin's
Matador Stadium, the Bears will
meet San Antonio Rundolph, Ihe
Ho Hawks, who are 10 I for tin-
season, progressed to regional play
after defeating Hondo H 0.
Ki> koff is set for 7; 10 p.m.
Student oit salt! minis will go
mii sain f'M II No adult pie
sab ticket* will Irs available AM
gal# lu Ms will bt t J (Hi
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Baker, Douglas. The Bastrop County Times (Smithville, Tex.), Vol. 86, No. 47, Ed. 1 Thursday, November 24, 1977, newspaper, November 24, 1977; Smithville, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth602159/m1/1/: accessed June 10, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Bastrop Public Library.