HomeMy WebLinkAboutPublicity Vol. 51 (Jan. 1990 - May 1993)/ � 1'q -3 / 6
B -CS, county offices, libraries to close
Offices in the city of Bryan and the
city of College Station will be closed on
Monday and Tuesday for the holidays.
College Station city offices will also be
closed on Wednesday.
There will be no pickup of residential
garbage, or recyclables in College Sta-
tion on Monday, Tuesday and Wednes-
day.
Collections will return to normal in
College Station for Thursday, Friday
and Saturday. However, there will be no
recycling pickup on the Tuesday route
until Jan. 8, due to the Jan. 1 holiday.
There will be collection of commercial
routes on Monday and Wednesday in
College Station..
The Bryan Public Library and the Col-
lege Station branch of the library will be
closed Monday and Tuesday.
Commercial garbage collection will
not change in Bryan. There will be no
residential pickup on Monday and
Tuesday.
The city of Bryan will collect garbage
for the regular Monday route on Wed-
nesday. The regular Tuesday route will
be collected on Thursday, the Thursday
route will be collected on Friday and the
Friday route will be collected on Satur-
day.
There will be no recycling collection
on Monday or Tuesday in Bryan.
Most Brazos County offices will be
closed Monday through Wednesday.
Emergency services including the sher-
iff s department will be open.
10
/"-?, 1 "1) � q 6
Masons want to build library in College Station
By Phillip Sulak
E staff writer
Although College Station voters turned
down a library on Dec. 8, it appears a
fraternal organization will bring a library
and a museum to the city soon.
Pete Normand, chairman of the Brazos
Valley Masonic Library and Museum As-
sociation, appeared before the College
Station Planning and Zoning Commis-
sion on Thursday to make a case for the
library to be given a conditional use per-
mit.
Fraternal lodges dre limited to com-
mercial zones by College Station's zoning
ordinance. But Normand explained why
the project should be seen as a library,
which is a conditional use in residential
areas.
"When most people think of a fraternal
lodge, they think of a dance hall that can
be rented out to college parties," Nor-
mand said. "Anyone who knows anything
about the Masons knows that is not the
case in this situation."
Normand said the library would feature
books dealing with the role of the Masons
in western culture, which he described as
the protection of the rights of the indivi-
duals.
Normand said part of the library would
be dedicated to architecture, geometry
and masonry, which are the roots of the
Masons.
W. D. "Bill" Fitch has offered property at
the intersection of Southwood Valley
Drive and Southwest Parkway. Normand
said the group plans to build a one -story,
residential -style building on the site.
Normand said he plans to come back to
the commission in January with a
request for a conditional -use permit.
Commission members asked Normand
to bring back a set of restrictions on the
building's use, with written assurances
that the library's meeting room would be
open to all groups meeting the library's
rules.
•
CS council
lowers some
garbage rates
The College Station City Council
lowered garbage rates from $18 to $15
per ton for the roll-off containers the city
picks up at apartment complexes and
businesses.
The Brazos Valley Solid Waste Man-
agement Agency charges $15 at the gate
Of the landfill, so in effect the city had
been charging itself more than it charges
private garbage collectors.
But Councilman Dick Birdwell asked
the staff to work with the BVSWMA to
raise fees for both the gate and roll -off
customers to $18.
"I'd like to get it so high nobody else can
afford it," Birdwell said.
City Manager Ron Ragland said the in-
crease would hurt the agency's ability to
compete with other landfills.
But Birdwell said after the meeting that
lowering the price would waste a resource
of Bryan and College Station, the two cit-
ies that make up the BVSWMA.
"Selling competitively is not a fair re-
turn to the city," Birdwell said after the
meeting.
If the agency allows other entities to
use the landfill, it will fill faster and an-
other landfill site will have to be found.
In other developments, the council ap-
proved an amendment doubling the
points awarded in its landscape ordin-
ance for large trees. The council also add-
ed another amendment that will give a
site a 10 percent discount on the total re-
quired landscape points if an irrigation
system is in place.
The 10 percent discount will allow the
College Station school district — which
had sought a change in the ordinance to
accommodate the new A&M Junior High
— to take about 1,700 points off its point
requirement.
CS council
hams it up
at meeting
By Phillip Sulak
Eagle staff writer
This little piggy went to mar-
ket; this little piggy stayed
home; this little piggy went to
the College Station City Coun-
cil meeting; and this ...
Wait a minute. That little pi-
ggy went where?
That's right. It was pork bar-
rel politics at the College Sta-
tion City Council on Thursday
■ Some garbage rates lowered, 2 A
night as a Vietnamese potbel-
lied pig made an appearance to
try to convince the council to
amend the city's animal con-
trol ordinance.
Tabitha, an 11- week -old pig,
seemed boared b_v the whole af-
fair. She slept through the
proceedings.
College Station residents re-
quested a change in the ordin-
ance that requires a special li-
cense for all livestock, includ-
ing pigs.
The amendment states that
potbellied pigs "by habit or by
training live in association with
humans." so they should be
treated as pets rather than
livestock.
Mayor Larry Ringer could not
resist the temptation to ham it
up.
"Any individual or pig in the
audience that would like to
come forward ?" Ringer asked
Please see Pig, 8A
Eagle photo by Dave McDermand
Councilman Fred Brown gets acquainted with a Vietnamese potbellied pig during Thursday's meeting.
Pig
From 1A
to open the public hearing on the
amendment.
Dr. Bruce Lawhorn, a professor
of large animal medicine and sur-
gery at Texas A &M University,
said at a public hearing on the
change that pigs are prone to cer-
tain diseases and need regular
vaccinations, much like dogs and
cats.
Cindy Sturtevant, owner of Ta-
bitha and a proprietor of the Rare
Gem Pet Ranch near Kurten,
which raises potbellied pigs, said
vaccinations were a good idea.
She also touted the pigs as pets.
" I have four in the house and
they get along with my five cocker
spaniels," Sturtevant said. "They
can get aggressive when they're
hungry, but they don't have many
teeth, so they can't hurt any-
thing."
The council approved the
amendment, with the provision it
take effect in February, after city
staffers determine what vac-
cinations the pigs would need.
la� / / ,-� /C/ 6
•
1-
CS councilman upset by school official's `pot shots' .
By Phillip Sulak
Eagle staff writer
The discussion of an amend-
ment to the College Station lands-
cape ordinance gave a College
Station City councilman a chance
to sound off about a College Sta-
tion school administrator's
critical comments Monday.
"We've been very responsive to
the school system," Councilman
Fred Brown said. "And we try to
work with them.
"So when we get pot shots in the
paper, it stings," Brown said.
"And I guess I'm addressing you,
Mr. Neal."
On Monday, David Neal, assis-
tant superintendent for business
affairs for the College Station
school district, said amendments
to the landscape ordinance did
not help the schools with regard
to the new A &M Junior High,
scheduled to open Jan. 2. The
comments were reported in Tues-
day's Eagle.
All building sites in College Sta-
tion must meet a landscape point
requirement based on the size of
the site. Points are accumulated
based on various plants and other
landscape features.
The council directed city staf-
fers in September — when the
schools sought an exemption to
the ordinance — to see if the or-
dinance could be amended. But
Neal said the amendment the
council is considering doesn't
help the school district much.
"We gain 600 points, but out of
17,000 that doesn't amount to a
hill of beans," Neal said.
The junior high site has a re-
quirement of 17,670 points, and
half of the points accrued must be
for trees.
The schools are 7,000 points
short in trees, and are having to
file a letter of credit with the city,
indicating they will spend the
money to come into compliance.
Neal answered Brown on Wed-
nesday by saying he had to an-
swer the media's questions Just
like the council did.
"The schools are trying to work
with the city," Neal said after the
meeting. "There are a lot of issues
that come up, and it doesn't make
any sense to antagonize the city."
The amendment to the ordin-
ance would double the points gi-
ven for large trees, double the
points for saving existing trees
and begin giving points for small
trees.
Under the amendment, the
schools would have to plant 35
large trees or 94 small trees to
meet ordinance standards. Under
the unamended ordinance, the
district would have to plant 70
large trees or 94 small trees.
The council will consider the
amendment today at its 7 p.m.
meeting.
Thg council will meet in the Col-
lege Station City Hall, 1101 Texas
Ave. South.
9
•
Council
From 2A
that the schools will bring the site
into compliance with landscape
requirements within four months.
Neal said the schools will spend
$25,000- $30,000 to comply with
the ordinance.
"And if you add the $27,000
we're spending on an irrigation
system, it's $50,000 to - 0 60,000,"
Neal said.
Neal said he thinks the city
Council to discuss
amendment to CS
zoning ordin,A.ce
By Phillip Sulak
Eagle staff writer
The College Station City Council will
discuss an amendment to the city's zon-
ing ordinance on landscape requirements
at a workshop on Wednesday. At an ear-
lier meeting, the council directed city
staff members to work on the landscape
requirements after the council denied a
variance to the College Station school dis-
trict for the new A &M Junior High
School.
But an official with the district said the
amendment won't help the new Junior
high.
"The changes didn't grant much relief,"
said David Neal, the assistant superin-
tendent for business affairs for College
Station schools. "We gained 600 points,
but out of 17,000 that doesn't amount to
a hill of beans."
All building sites in College Station
must meet a point requirement based on
the type and size of the building. The
schools originally were lacking 17,000
points.
The new school will not be in com-
pliance by Jan. 1, so the schools will have
to obtain an $80,000 letter of credit to
open Jan. 2.
The letter of credit is to assure the city
Please see Council, 3A
should allow points for an irr ga
tion system, since it enhances the
landscaping.
"I understand that if you start
making exceptions, you open the
door," Neal said. "But when you
have an ordinance that is so in-
flexible, you are going to have con-
flicts."
The council will hold a public
hearing, then_ vote on the
amendment at Thursday's meet-
ing.
In other school - related busi-
ness, the council will consider
approving beginning negotiations
for engineering services on the
closing of Holik Drive near the
Oakwood Middle School.
provements to Timber and Ander-
son streets when the street
closes.
The council on Thursday will
consider an amendment to the
city's animal control ordinance
that would allow Chinese and
Vietnamese potbellied pigs in the
city without a special livestock li-
cense.
The Council's workshop begins
at 4 p.m on Wednesday, with the
regular meeting at 7 p.m. on
Thursday.
Both meetings will be held in
the College Station City Hall,
1101 Texas Ave. South .
i The city will have to make im
/ 1.5), / 0 6P ) q 6
C
•
Greens Prairie Road changes names
Three of five county commissioners
• faced an almost empty courtroom Wed-
. nesday morning during a public hearing
on a proposal to change the name of
Greens Prairie Road between Texas 6 and
FM 2154 to Greens Prairie Road West.
Support staff, members of the County
Clerk's Office and two spectators in court
on an unrelated matter heard commis-
sioners Gary Norton, Milton Turner and
Randy Sims explain the need for the
change and then close the hearing about
two minutes later because no one asked
to speak.
County Judge R.J. "Dick" Holmgreen
and Commissioner Walter Wilcox were
absent from the hearing.
Greens Prairie Road is located in Nor-
ton's Pct. 1 and runs northeast to south-
. west from Rock Prairie Road to FM 2154
In Wellborn. Commissioners are contem-
plating the change to avoid confusing
emergency personnel and visitors, Nor -
ton said.
Greens Prairie Road east of Texas 6 lies
within the College Station city limits.
Brazos County 911 has assigned addres-
ses to each business and residence on
the east side beginning with HCA Green-
: leaf Hospital, which was given the street
number 100, Norton said.
Although four and five digit addresses
were assigned to west side residences
and businesses, people who aren't famil-
tar with the area can become lost follow-
; Ing the increasing street addresses on the
east side when they are looking for a west
side address, Norton said.
Norton said the only way to solve the
' problem is to distinguish the two sections
of road.
r
i1*ti /go
G
(W
0
Dallas voters decide on for
of city government Saturday
DALLAS_ Not long ago, Dallas
City Hall was controlled by weal-
thy businessmen whose hand-
picked candidates usually won
easy election as mayor or to the
city council.
Although tradition has changed
as indicated by the election of
Mayor Annette Strauss in 1987
and again in 1989, the pace
hasn't been fast enough for a
growing minority community,
which has pushed for a new
structure to make it easier to elect
blacks and Hispanics to the
council.
Only two of 11 current city
council members are black, and
there are no Hispanics, although
minorities are estimated to make
up more than half the city's popu-
lation.
The lack of minority rep-
resentation is one of a laundry list
Of complaints cited by community
leaders warning of growing racial
tension in the nation's eighth
largest city.
Voters will decide Saturday
whether to endorse a plan that
would divide the city into 14 sin-
gle- member council districts„
with a mayor elected at- large.
Some are warning that if the plan
is rejected, a racial climate
already made tense by concerns
over the police department will
deteriorate even further.
"The present system is not
working. Everybody admits that,"
said the Rev. Zan Holmes, an in-
fluential minister who supports
the plan.
"To deny an opportunity to cor-
rect the problem would send out a
terrible message to African.
Americans and Hispanics," Hol-
mes said.
The plan envisions five districts
with a population at least 60 per-
cent black with a sixth district
that is 60 percent Hispanic.
1A05
•
Local attorney to get award
for mobile video program
video program, the county attorney said.
That video will be shown before the
awards presentation.
The Enforcement initiative is one of
nine categories in which NCADD pre-
sents awards. The initiative award is gi-
ven to "police, prosecutors or judges who
have shown extra initiative in the deten-
tion, prosecution and adjudication of DUI
(driving under the influence) offenders or
who have established programs of pre-
vention or protection," said Dawn Lang-
ford, NCADD spokesman.
NCADD is a private nonprofit organiza-
tion working to reduce the incidence of
drunk driving and resulting accidents,
Langford said.
The award recognizes Kuboviak for his
work developing a viable mobile video
system, which mounts video cameras in
police patrol cars so officers can video-
tape drunk driving arrests.
Kuboviak and Bryan police officer Billy
Cooper began work on mobile video in
1987, and since then it has spread
throughout Texas and to law agencies a-
cross the country.
"One area that attracted us to Mr. Ku-
boviak was the number of people affected
by mobile video," said Langford, talking
about the increased number of DWI
arrests that resulted from mobile video
and the number of agencies adopting the
system.
Kuboviak said he was honored by the
award, but he said developing mobile
video to its current form was a group
effort. He was nominated by John G.
McKay Jr., alcohol programs manager for
the Texas Department of Highways and
Public Transportation. McKay is one of
the people Kuboviak lists as instrumental
in developing mobile video, and it's those
people for whom Kuboviak said he's ac-
cepting the award.
"I think the award shows that if people
are interested in a project or a problem,
they can find a solution to it," Kuboviak
said. "I think my role in it was I wouldn't
let the idea die."
The county attorney said he'll hold a
reception at the county courthouse from
1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Dec. 14 for police, county
and state officials who contributed to the
project.
"This is my way to tell everyone 'thank
you, "' he said.
By Jim Hiney
Eagle staff writer
The local prosecutor who helped
pioneer the use of video cameras in patrol
cars to fight drunk driving will be the
focus of a videotape
presentation Monday
afternoon when he ac-
- - -ts a national award.
unty Attorney Jim
,oviak will receive
e Enforcement Initia-
tive Award from the
National Commission
Against Drunk Driving KUBOVIAK
during the group's
sixth annual awards luncheon in Wa-
shington, D.C.
More than 500 people are expected to
attend the luncheon, which is part of
NCADD National Conference on Drunk
Driving Dec. 10 -11. Kuboviak will receive
the award from Terrance D. Schiavon,
NCADD executive director.
A crew from the NCADD was in Brazos
County a few months ago making a video
tape about Kuboviak and the mobile
c
19p1qb
Norton studies need for election administrator
By Jim Hiney
Eagle staff writer
Will an election administrator help Brazos
County avoid the type of election problems
that plagued the March 13 primaries and Nov.
6 general election?
That's the question Pct. 1 Commissioner
Gary Norton is asking himself and others
while he studies the feasibility of hiring
someone to run elections in the county.
Norton said he began thinking about hiring
an administrator after problems developed in
the primaries, but didn't start serious
research until more problems arose in the
general election.
He said he has spent about a month study-
ing advantages and disadvantages of hiring an
administrator, but that the research is still in
its infancy.
During the primaries, mechanical problems
slowed vote counting to a snail's pace. Humid-
ity caused ballots to swell so they were re-
jected by one counting machine, while a power
failure caused another to forget how many
votes it had counted.
The Republicans and Democrats ended up
Please see Election, 5A
through one office. Currently, the
weigh that out."
county voting machines free of
men.
Dect
duties are split between the
On the other side, the county
charge for their elections. An elec-
Democrats hold a 3 -2 advan
County Clerk's Office and Tax As-
already budgets money for all
tion administrator could be con-
tage on the committee, but tht
sessor- Collector's Office.
election - related activities and
tracted out to help other entities,
Republican Holmgreen said h4
From 1A
The Tax Assessor - Collector
personnel. That money and those
and the fees would help fund the
thinks picking a non - partisan
handles voter registration and all
personnel could be moved into the
office.
administrator wouldn't be diffi
connected activities while the
administrator's office, Norton
Maybe more important is that
cult.
sharing machinery and the Repu-
County Clerk oversees the rest of
said.
accountability for election prob-
There's another advantage tc
blicans didn't finish counting un-
the election.
But the question of the admin-
lems would lie in one office, Nor-
hiring an administrator tha
til 5:30 a.m.
An election administrator
istrator's salary arises, and
ton said. He said that hiring an
many people haven't considered
The general election wasn't
would do exactly what the title in-
neither Norton nor Holmgreen
administrator wouldn't end all
Norton sc' =. A ;'ull-time election
much better, with Republicans
fers — administrate elections.
know yet how much the county
election problems, but that the
administrator can take electior
and Democrats fighting over the
That includes everything relating
can afford to pay, or what amount
number and frequency would de-
education into the classroom
fact that about 1,850 Texas A &M
to elections, , from registering
would make the idea practical.
crease because all functions
teaching students at all level:
students who apparently inten-
voters to training election officials
"If you're going to get a compe-
would be in one office instead of
about the election process.
ded to register in Brazos County
and counting ballots.
tent person, you're going to have
two.
At the high school level, the
mistakenly registered in their
Cost is the first criteria Norton
to pay good dollars to keep them,"
It might also end cries of part-
administrator could help stu
home counties.
and County Judge R.J. "Dick"
Holmgreen said.
isanship during the elections.
dents organize school elections
Many of those students still
Holmgreen mention in relation to
The county also must find and
"The law requires an adminis -'
preparing them for the time thal
voted in Brazos County by signing
an election administrator.
fund additional office space and
trator not be a member of either
they begin voting in state anc
an affidavit that stated they in-
"The only concern I have is
equipment, Holmgreen said.
party," Holmgreen said.
national elections.
tended to register here.
cost," Holmgreen said. "I think it
Norton said he thinks the office
If the county decides to hire an
While his research is just be
There were also reports of vot-
would be acceptable if it didn't
could become almost self-
administrator, that person will be
ginning, Norton said he already
ing irregularities caused by lack of
cost the county too much. My
sufficient if the county contracts
chosen by the county's five-
favors the administrator system.
training for election judges.
only opposition is fiscal."
the administrator's services to the
member election committee,
Norton said he believes most of
Norton said that "if it's going to
cities of Bryan and College Station
composed of the county judge,
"I don't see the situation gettin€
the confusion could be averted if
create another bureaucracy that
and both school districts.
county clerk, tax assessor-
any better unless we do this," he
all election activities handled
creates expenditures, we want to
Those entiti �d ready use
collector and both party chair-
said.
Illtm I
•
Competitive prices needed
As an appointed city official, I normally
do not write letters to the editor; however,
the letter from Jim Gordon concerning
the city's mail-in pharmacy plan (Eagle,
Oct. 12) was so misleading as to require a
response. The city of College Station
strongly encourages purchasing from
local businesses, as long as the costs are
not higher than are available elsewhere.
The city's self - funded health plan covers
all city employees at taxpayer expense.
Employees are allowed tp cover their fa-
milies under the plan at their own ex-
pense.
The city of College Station never "coer-
ces employees to buy mail -in prescription
drugs." F1exRx is available to employees
and their families on a voluntary basis for
maintenance drugs in an attempt to hold
down escalating medical costs and to
provide the convenience of shopping by
mail. Our employees are aware that our
plan is self- insured. They have made
every attempt to manage the plan profes-
sionally by becoming cost - conscious
consumers. Their efforts keep costs down
for both employees and citizens. The fact
that F1exRx has captured one -third of
prescriptions purchased for the first 10
months of 1990 indicates that our local
pharmacies are not cost competitive in
some areas. F1exRx is not an exclusive
contract; local pharmacies are encour-
aged to compete for this service by offer-
ing prices equal to or better than out -of-
town suppliers. If there are any other
complaints about where these products
are bought, it should be directed at the
local vendors when their prices force our
employees to either pay a premium to
shop locally or buy from out -of -town ven-
dors.
WILLIAM P. HARRISON
executive director — finance
College Station
I ) 1/010()
The majority of the Bryan- College Station New Car Dealers recently donated a large sum of money to the Brazos Valley Museum. The donation
will be used toward the museum's current expansion project. Association president Fred Brown of Fred Brown Mazda BMW, presents the big
check to Dr. William Ritchie, fund drive chairman. Helping make the presentation are B -CS New Car Dealer Association members (left to right)
Paul Atkinson and Larry Bossier, Bossier Chrysler Dodge; Joe Stratta, Allen Honda; Bill Bennett, Tom Light Chevrolet; Wayne Thomas, Wayne
Thomas Volkswagen; Jeff McDonald, Allen Oldsmobile Cadillac Isuzu; Gary Stevenson and Richie Harris, Quality Pontiac Buick GMC; and Tom
Light, Tom Light Chevrolet.
ll' - 7IqJ
Employee productivity up, hours worked falls
The Associated Pres
WASHINGTON — American
workers' productivity climbed at
the fastest pace in two years dur-
ing the July- September quarter
but hours worked fell, the
government said Tuesday in a
sign that the economic slowdown
is forcing businesses to make do
with fewer employees.
"The good news is that produc-
tivity is up: the bad news is we're
in a recession," said economist
Michael K. Evans, a Washington -
based consultant.
In the third quarter, non -farm
productivity — output per hour of
work — advanced at a 1.6 percent
seasonally adjusted annual rate
compared with the previous
three -month period. It was the
third consecutive improvement
and the best pace since the July -
September quarter of 1988.
Productivity rose 0.3 percent in
the second quarter, fell 1.3 per-
cent in the first quarter and
dropped 2.5 percent in the fourth
quarter of last year.
However, the number of hours
worked edged down 0.1 percent in
the third quarter, the first decline
in more than four years. Econo-
mists say this shows that em-
ployers are coping with economic
sluggishness with layoffs, hiring
freezes and limits on overtime.
"What's happened here is that
in 1989 the economy was very
weak, but business optimism was
still strong and businesses didn't
lay off people," Evans said. "Pro-
ductivity has picked up because
they are laying off people who
should have been laid off last
year...
Despite the improvement, pro-
ductivity is still well below the
level needed to significantly boost
Americans' living standard, ac-
cording to most economists.
"It's better, but subpar," said
economist Allen Sinai of the Bos-
ton Co.
Increased productivity, or get-
ting each worker to produce more
during each hour of work, is vital
to increasing the nation's stan-
dard of living without inflation.
Non -farm productivity is in-
creasing at an average annual
pace of 0.2 percent so far this
year, compared with a 0.7 percent
decline for all of last year.
Since 1982, productivity growth
has averaged 1.6 percent a year —
better than the 1.2 percent aver-
age in the 1970s but far worse
than the 2.5 percent annual gain
posted from 1947 to 1967.
Sinai said manufacturing,
where productivity leapt at a 5.6
percent annual rate in the third
quarter compared with 2.6 per-
cent for all of last year, is making
impressive gains. However, pro-
ductivity growth in the service
sector, which accounts for a
much larger share of the econ-
omy, remains dismal, he said.
A fundamental improvement in
education, increased investment
in new technology and better
roads and other public infrastruc-
ture are needed in the long term
to improve services productivity,
Sinai said.
"In the meantime, the squeeze
of a recession will force services to
do more with less.... But that's a
... painful way to get productivity
growth up," he said.
Meanwhile, hourly labor costs,
a major indication of inflation for
businesses, shot up 4.5 percent
in the third quarter. That was an
improvement over the 5 percent
rate in the second quarter but still
worse than the 3.2 percent in-
crease for all of 1989.
Total business productivity, in-
cluding farming. rose 1.9 percent
in the third quarter.
0I4I10
•
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•
UNT chairman
found dead
DENTON (AP) — A University of
North Texas department chair-
man has been found slain at his
home.
Colleagues found Jack Milton
Starling, UNT's marketing de-
partment chairman. in a bathrobe
lying face down on his kitchen
floor. Police said Starling's co-
workers went to his home after he
did not appear at work Friday
morning.
"We've not been able to de-
termine the cause of death yet. All
we know is we've got a man in a
pool of blood," Denton Detective
Lonnie Flemming told the Fort
Worth Star - Telegram.
UNT professor Joe Welch, a
longtime friend of the victim, went
to Starling's house about 1:30
p.m. Friday after Starling missed
a lunch appointment.
"I looked through the window
and it was apparent that there
was nothing I could do for him, so
I called 911," Welch said.
I / C) /� q /,/ 0
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Buster Brown best choice
The best candidate for attorney general
is Sen. James E. "Buster" Brown from
Lake Jackson.
As a state senator since 1980, he has
passed legislation affecting criminal, en-
vironmental, consumer, and economic af-
fairs of the state. He did this in spite of
the fact that he is a member of the minor-
ity party. He has three times the legal ex-
perience of his opponent.
In the Senate, Buster helped pass
workers' comp reform. His opponent
sided with the personal injury trial law-
yers and fought reform all the way. Bus-
ter has pledged to appeal rulings by fed-
eral district judges that are unfair to Tex-
ans. His opponent has said he will be the
same kind of an attorney general as Jim
Mattox.
The choice is clear. I know Buster
Brown to be an honest, trustworthy, fair -
minded conservative. He deserves your
vote.
DICK BIRDWELL
College Station
Ogden strong values MR
I would like Steve Ogden to be my state
representative. There are many reasons:
his formal education (U.S. Naval Acad-
emy and Texas A &M University), busi-
ness experience, maturity and integrity,
to name but a few. I am especially pleased
that in a world of confusion and mixed
values, he is a strong family man.
Steve has a wife of 17 years, two teen-
agers and one pre- teen -ager. He has the
experience and understanding of rearing
children, of their educational problems
and needs, along with the anxieties of a
parent for a crime- and drug -free society.
His loving care for his family manifests it-
self in his desire to leave them clean
water to drink and clean air to breathe,
along with the blessings of a free and
economically sound society.
I want a representative who lives those
values every time he sees his children.
I urge you, along with me, to vote for
Steve Ogden.
FRED BROWN
Bryan
Employee turnover abottom -line issue
By Carol Kleiman
Knight - Ridder News Service
Worker turnover is a costly headache
for U.S. employers.
Despite a slow economy, downsizing,
layoffs and mergers, employees continue
to leave jobs they don't like, especially in
the service sector, where the fast -food in-
( ry has an annual turnover rate of
- rcent.
vim.. h year some 10 million Americans
c I�nge employers, the Labor Department
estimates. A study by the Merit Systems
Protection Board shows turnover for fed-
eral employees in 1987 was 11 percent;
for the private sector, it was 12 percent.
The cost to employers to replace a wor-
ker averages $3,000 for entry-level em-
ployees, $12,500 for professionals and
into the six figures for top executives.
"People can go to work for a host of
different companies," said Phillip H.
Alfus, vice president of Innkeeper's Man-
The cost to employers to replace a
worker averages $3,000 for entry-level
workers, $12,500 for professionals
and into six figures for executives.
agement Corp., an executive search firm
based in New York. "The average turnover
for hourly workers in the hotel industry is
102 percent.
"Management and the corporate philo-
sophy have to be directed at reducing
turnover with better human- resource
techniques and a strong human -
resource director."
Alfus says the bottom line is at stake.
"It costs around $3,000 to replace a wor-
ker," he said. "If you have a hotel with
200 employees and are turning them over
every year, you're talking $600,000 an-
nually."
Slowing the service sector's revolving
door also is critical because of its impact
on the morale of remaining employees,
customers and clients. Another factor is
a shortage of skilled workers to replace
them.
Turnover is "an increasing expense for
American corporations because it also
involves the loss of an experienced em-
ployee," said Thomas Horton, chairman
and chief executive of the American Man-
agement Association in New York. "One
would think with the skills shortages fac-
ing us, American corporations would be
doing something to retain their em-
ployees, but I see very few signs of this,
and it's regrettable."
"It's taken companies a number of
years to wake up to the fact they've spent
a lot of money and time identifying, re-
cruiting and developing people only to
have them leave because they're not well-
utilized or supported by managers," said
Marilyn Loden of San Francisco, presi-
Please see Turnover, 7C
lo/a4/yd
G
C
NCNB president dies of cance?'
The Associated Press
"We feel his absence intensely,"
NCNB Chairman Hugh McColl
said.
"The fact that we have been an-
ticipating, and dreading, this day
for more than a year in no way
makes it easier to accept. We have
lost someone who is very special
to us."
Kemp relinquished his day -to-
day responsibilities at NCNB a
year ago after undergoing brain
surgery.
Kemp led the company's expan-
sion to Texas in 1988, when it
bought the failed banks of the
First RepublicBank Corp. NCNB
later acquired the banks of San
Antonio -based National Banc- f
shares Corp. and is now Texas'
largest banking company.
Kemp, a native of Reidsville,
N.C., joined NCNB in 1967 as a
credit analyst and quickly advan-
ced in the company. By 1972 he
was a senior vice president and
National Division executive.
Kemp was promoted to execu-
tive vice president in 1975, took
over the North Carolina Banking
Group in 1977 and became presi-
dent of NCNB Corp. in October
1985.
He was active in service and ci-
vic organizations in both North
Carolina and Texas.
•
�Op d Jq6
E
G
CS City Council postpones meetings
due to members attending conference
By Phillip Sulak
Eagle staff wrfter
The College Station City Council will
not meet today or tomorrow while the ma-
jority of the council attends a Texas Mun-
icipal League conference in Corpus
Christi.
The city is paying for the trip, at $ 190
per council member. The conference will
last through Saturday. The City Secre-
tary's office said that Mayor Larry Ringer
and council members Dick Birdwell,
Nancy Crouch, Vernon Schneider, Jim
Gardner and Fred Brown are attending
the conference. Councilwoman Lynn
Mcllhaney will not attend.
Assistant City Manager Tom Brymer
said this is one of the two chances council
members have each year for professional
development. The other opportunity is
the TML spring conference.
Brymer said the conference allows
council members to attend workshops
dealing with everything from utilities to
the environment, public safety and econ-
omic development.
"It also gives the council members a
chance to meet council members from
other municipalities and discuss com-
mon problems," Brymer said. "That way
when something comes up, the city
doesn't have to reinvent the wheel."
Brymer said the conference will also
give the League a chance to set an agenda
for the next session of the Texas Legisla-
ture.
The TML is a non -profit organization of
Texas municipalities that represents the
interests of the cities on the state level.
No Bryan City Council members are at-
tending, but four members of the city
staff, including City Manager Ernie
Clark, are.
L
MHMR of Brazos Valley opens new office
By Kellye Norris
Eagle staff writer
Calling for renewed dedication to serv-
ing mentally disabled, officials with the
Mental Health and Mental Retardation
Authority of Brazos Valley on Friday un-
veiled a new office they said will make the
agency's mental health services more ac-
cessible to the community.
Officials said the new building at 804 S.
Texas Ave. in Bryan will consolidate
under one roof services that had been in
separate offices throughout the city. The
11,000- square -foot building that was
once the site of a Wyatt's cafeteria will
house psychologists, medical clinics and
other patient services as well as MHMR
administrative offices.
But Dennis Jones, commissioner of the
Texas Department said the new building
could improve the quality of the mental
health services as well as their acces-
sibility.
"I used to hate dedications, because I
felt that when we celebrated bricks and
mortar and fresh paint we ran the risk of
missing the real point," he said. "But I've
softened. I think the environment sends a
message to the staff and clients. The qua-
lity of service we expect from ourselves
will go up a notch."
More than 150 people including com-
munity leaders, political candidates and
MHMR staff and clients crowded under a
blue and white striped awning to cele-
brate the opening with speeches by in-
cluding Jones and state Sen. Kent Caper-
ton. Many toured the facility after th_-
formal ceremony was completed.
"Much effort, and I might add a lot of
blood, sweat and tears, have gone into
this moment," said local MHMR executive
director Leon Bawcom. "This is a culmin-
ation 38 years of ... working .. of the
hands and hearts of several hundred
people in this community to help those
people who cannot always help them-
selves."
Much of the remodeling was paid for
with a federal grant, officials said.
Caperton, D -Bryan, who championed
mental health issues during his 10 -year
stint in the Texas Legislature, told the
audience the state's committment to
helping the mentally disabled is stronger
than ever, and applauded efforts to
expand MHMR services into unserved
areas.
Jones, who termed the opening a
.. milestone event," said he is seeing posi-
tive changes in public attitudes toward
the mentally disabled, and said he be-
lieves that trend will continue into the
1990s.
"We don't want our services to just be
in the community," he said. "We want the
people we serve to be a part of the com-
munity."
"The time has come in Texas to put
child and adolescent services on the
map," Jones said.
The commissioner promised to fight for
increases in his department's annual
budget, which stands at $1.5 billion for
fiscal 1991. Local MHMR trustees in Au-
gust approved a $5.8 million allocation
for area programs, which included fund-
ing for several new programs.
Group starts drive ' to t to ch an e
way vie g y w the
e niro nme't
By Jade Boyd the ore ont of community consclous ' `kave little power to char a their
Eagle staff wdter ness `. 84d Mears. Lion. situa•
SE . Q's Catalyst conference drew 7,OOQ Mears said it's essential o draw the
The Texas Environmental Action Coali- studen`tsgho heard speeches from the poor and others into the ogee that
tion, a group of local residents and stu- dikes of Rbljert Redford, Ralph Nader, Ce- will lead to environmental c
dents, are leading a regional drive to 'sar Chave• d Jesse Jackson. g
change the wa "Anybody who is interes d is wet= ,
g y people view the Earth. At the conference, SEAC launched it's come," Mears said of TEAL, 'and we're
Lara Mears, the vice president of TEAC, "Corporate Accountability Campaign," going to bring them in.'
e group views the environment not which is aimed at "making universities
"green space," but also where and environmentally P onsible ronmental) responsible in their own TEAC is the SEAC member d the co-
eople live. urinating group for the Texas - ahoma
actions and utilizing them to inf uen ge 'region. Though SEAC w fo ed onl
For too long, Mears said, envir- the corporate world," stated a confererl4 y
onmental groups have been limited to progr ee years ago it boasts a m g list of
white upper middle -class males. She said The gos of the camp w sands and encompasses 2, 00s
'are ' t grou
a consensus of all economic and social reaching. The program stated that the
a.,
groups needs to work together to change canipai '`will "expose the roots of econ bears sal¢ th null =pro$t grou pecfa''
environmental attitudes in the world. omic, s , and environmental injustice lazes rovid
P ing �Qa' -to info on
That's what TEAC hopes to bring about in cor p
oi to and governmental decision ' its affiliates — how 1d `enlist mo' organ=
locally. In an effort to further the goal, 29 making" s well as "link the envir fu, bring in new members. choose issues
members of TEAC drove rental vans to onment and social injustices to unify and increase awareness.
the University of Illinois at Urbana- action a nst their common source at The group is aiming at getting a lobby -
Champaign on Oct. 5. every level." Ing voice on Capital Hill within the near
They attended a three -day conference Mears said the processes that drive en- future, and Mears said "it's for the grass -
sponsored by the international Student vironmental issues are linked at the rots, by the grassroots."
Environmental Action Coalition where social, economic and political levels, and Mears said TEAC hopes to draw 500 to
they met other environmentalists from a- a change in all arenas will be necessary to 1,000 environmentalists to A &M in Feb -
cross the country. change the way the environment is han- ruary or March for a regional conference
They also went to several seminars dled.
where young environmentalists learned She said, too often the poor suffer the ly t t conference. For more more Informa-
how ways to make the movement grow most from environmental harm; landfills tion about TEAC or SEAC, contact Lara
and how to push environmental issues to aren't put in suburbs. But the poor also Mears at 823 -6316.
L
lq q6,
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•
CS Council OKs
property tax rate
By Phillip Sulak
Eagle staff writer
The College Station City Council pas-
sed a 1990 property tax rate of 40 cents
per $ 100 of evaluation Thursday. The
rate is the same as last year's rate in Col-
lege Station.
The city is open to a rollback election
because of the one -half cent increase in
College Station's sales tax approved by
voters in May. The sales tax increase has
the effect of raising the 40 cent rate 67
percent above the rollback rate of 29
cents.
The rollback rate is figured as eight
percent over the effective rate. The effect-
ive rate is the rate needed to raise the
same amount of revenue as the previous
year.
The council approved the purchase of a
$500,000 computer system for the police
and fire departments, emergency medical
services and the city court.
The council approved an ordinance
amending City Cemetery rules. The new
rules mainly cleaned up confusing lan-
guage in the ordinance.
The council approved contracts with
the Brazos Valley Solid Waste Manage-
ment Agency and the Bryan - College Sta-
tion Economic Development Corp.
The rest of the meeting dealt with issu-
ing proclamations for Certified Public Ac-
countant's Week, Public Power Week,
Business Women's Week, Energy Aware-
ness Week, Red Ribbon Week (for drug
awareness), and National Collegiate Al-
cohol Awareness Week.
E%
I C . 11,40
No
J
A goose to the reporter
On the lighter side: correct terminology
would have helped save the day in the
piece "Here they come to save the day!" by
Phillip Sulak. The subtitle says "CS em-
ployees battle killer geese, snakes and
save the life of a drowning puppy." This is
confusing, for I don't think you really
mean "killer geese."
Overlooking this, I kept looking for
some mention of geese in the article —
none to be found! Only "baby chickens." I
don't remember ever seeing any chickens
at the park — only geese and ducks. It
avoids confusion and makes it much
clearer if the correct terms are used. A
baby chicken is a chick. A baby duck is a
duckling. A baby goose is a gosling. A
baby turkey is a poult.
Either the writer is unaware of the
proper terms or he thinks the reading
audience is ignorant and would not know
what the right terms meant. So he uses
the term "baby chicken" for a gosling,
which confuses everyone. I would prefer
gosling, but "baby goose" — ugh — would
have been much clearer.
Tighten up and communicate what is
actually meant.
D.L. HAMILTON
Bryan
•
101106
•
•
Thanks for the help
I would like to express heartfelt thanks
to the AppleTree employees and the city
of College Station electrical distribution
employees for all of their time, effort and
the many long hours they put into mak-
ing such a success of the benefit that was
planned for my husband, C.E. "Smokey"
Green, before he died. Also, our thanks go
to Joe D'Agastino, who donated his time
as auctioneer; the Hall of Fame Gang,
which played the music; all the vendors
and businesses who donated items for
the auction, especially AppleTree of
Houston for its large donation; Tharp
Printing and Bryan Printing, which prin-
ted the raffle tickets; and especially all
our family members and friends who
were so helpful. The benefit could not
have been such a success if it weren't for
each and every one of you.
A special thanks to Dr. John Hall and
the nurses at St. Joseph Hospital for all of
their support during Smokey's illness.
SHARON, KIMBERLY and BRITTANY
GREEN
Bryan
to / %I��'
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u
We should plant trees
Visitors to our twin cities cannot fail to
notice the discrepancy which exists be-
tween the private and public care for the
native flora. On the one hand, the over-
whelming majority of Bryan and College
Station residents have trees and other
plants growing in their property. On the
other, the lack of foresight of public offi-
cials and their unwillingness to plant
trees in public lands is appalling. The
consequence is that our roadways are
downright ugly. Indeed, the various ac-
cess roads to the two cities, the East By-
pass, and other open spaces look empty
and bare, denuded of plants. At a time
when a concern for the protection of the
environment is a sure indicator of the re-
lative quality of life in cities, the absence
of a program for the planting of trees in
public lands creates in our visitors an
unwelcome `first" impression of a local
population indifferent and ignorant, lack-
ing in public mindedness. Let us plant
trees and beautify our cities.
As in so many of the public issues fac-
ing us, It is not a lack of technical knowl-
edge and material resources but a lack of
value commitment that haunts us. It is
time to bring together the expertise we
have in our communities and Texas A &M
University to consider and offer solutions
to this problem. It is time for our citizenry
to rally around the native trees and other
flora, to insist on their use in public
lands, so as to begin the beautification of
our cities. It would be a wonderful legacy
for our children.
BEN AGUIRRE
College Station
C:
lob 1jqv
•
i
CS Council to set tax rate
By Phillip Sulak
Eagle staff writer
The College Station City Council is
scheduled to set the city's 1991 property
tax rate at Thursday's 7 p.m. council
meeting.
Public hearings have been held on the
proposed rate of 40 cents per $100 of
property evaluation, which is the same
rate the city is using now.
Although the property tax will not go
,up, the city is open for a rollback election
because of the one -half cent increase in
the sales tax rate approved by College
Station voters in May. The additional re-
venue gained from the higher sales tax
will be used primarily to lower College
Station utility rates.
The tax rate could get rolled back to 29
: cents, which is 8 percent above the effect-
; ive rate of 23 cents per $100 of property
evaluation.
The effective rate is the rate necessary
to raise the same amount of revenue as
last year.
Two College Station residents raised
the possibility of a rollback at the Coun-
cil's Sept. 26 meeting, but they would
need the signatures of 10 percent of the
city's approximately 30,000 registered
voters on a petition to call a rollback elec-
tion. That means around 3,000 voter's
signatures would be necessary to call a
rollback election.
The petition would have to be turned
into the city secretary within 90 days of
the Council passing the tax rate. The city
then has 20 days to verify the signatures.
If the signatures are verified, the city
would have to set a date for the rollback
election that was within 90 days of signa-
ture verification.
The Council will discuss the official no-
tice necessary to sell $4.8 million in uti-
lity bonds at Wednesday's workshop. The
sale of the bonds will not affect College
Station utility rates in the 1990 -91 fiscal
year. The sale of the bonds was figured
into the city's budget in advance.
The Council will hold its workshop
Wednesday at 4 p.m. and its regular ses-
sion Thursday at 7 p.m. Both meetings
will be in College Station City Hall, 1101
Texas Ave. S.
�
J
D
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In defense of lawyers
In response to Lee Cochran's Letter to
the Editor dated Monday, Sept. 10, I was
somewhat amused to read Mr. Cochran's
diatribe against the legal profession. I felt
that a response to clarify matters was
called for.
At this time of the year, with politics in
the air, a certain amount of lawyer -
bashing is inevitable. I believe it's obvious
that Mr. Cochran is a rabid supporter of
the non - lawyer candidate for state rep-
resentative and that his letter is merely
an opening salvo against my old friend
Jim James.
Unlike Mr. Cochran, I will be candid
enough to disclose that I intend to vote
for Jim James for state representative in
November. This is not because he is an
attorney, or because he is an Aggie or be-
cause he is a native of Brazos County, but
because I believe he is the best qualified
candidate to represent Brazos County in
the Legislature.
Mr. Cochran tends to obfuscate (his
word, not mine; I had to look it up) the
facts regarding attorneys and their role in
state government. In the first place, if an
attorney is in private practice, then he is
also in business and is therefore a busi-
nessman. While Mr. Cochran attacks
lawyers for wanting to make a profit, he
does not want to count them as "busi-
ness people" who are "inherently moti-
vated to reach a working agreement swif-
tly. Their language is more direct and
concise." Any lawyer worth his salt will
try and settle a case quickly, and if people
do not understand his language he will
not be in business for very long.
In the second place, the reason the
courts have been involved in the edu-
cation funding issue was because of the
total lack of leadership exhibited by Gov.
Bill Clements. I do not believe that oilmen
should be disqualified from office because
of Clements' incompetence.
PHILIP C. BANKS
Bryan
1qq1q6
Habitat begins 1 90 for '90' fund raiser
are members of national building and
construction organizations are working
on the second house. The local Habitat af-
filiate has raised about half the $25,000
needed for the house.
Tax deductible contributions may be
sent to Bryan- College Station Habitat for
Humanity, P.O. Box 13790, College Sta-
tion 77841. Coupons explaining the
campaign are appearing in the Eagle and
more information is available by calling
the Habitat office at 846 -7200. To hear a
short history of Habitat and the local af l-
liate, dial the Eagle's Infoline at 776 -5463
and enter the four -digit code H -O -M -E
(4663).
Habitat for Humanity was founded in
Americus, Ga., a 14 years ago to provide
simply, decent housing for those who
have no homes or live in substandard
housing. The local affiliate was founded
last year and completed its first home in
Bryan this summer.
The homes are built with volunteer
labor working under the supervision of
train builders. The family selected to live
in a Habitat home go through a screening
process and must agree to provide at
least 500 hours of labor to help build
their home.
The family purchases the home
through a no- interest loan from Habitat.
The money the family repays monthly is
used to help build other Habitat homes.
People wishing to donate materials or
time to help build a Habitat house should
call the Habitat office at 846 -7200.
By Robert C. Borden
Eagle opinions editor
Bryan- College Station Habitat for Hu-
manity has launched its second annual
fund raiser, the "90 for '90" campaign.
Habitat hopes to collect 90 cents from
each resident of the county during the
r , Those who can afford more are in-
.o give in multiples of 10, such as
d0 or $900.
The money will be used to finish paying
for the second local Habitat house under
construction at 804 Fairview Ave. in Col-
lege Station and to build a third house
scheduled to be started in Bryan in early
1991.
Texas A &M University students who
D11
Think about
N
I
ve
W,
inanew
l ight!
9 1,3 0) q0
Employers renew emphasis on writing skills
By Carol Kleiman
Knight - Ri dder News Service
for sales personnel, as essential for sup-
port staff as for supervisors and man-
agers.
Take a look at the classified ads and
you will see the change: Employers want
people with "good communication skills"
in jobs that range from clerical workers to
hospital administrators. They want peo-
ple who can read well, write clearly and
speak effectively in person and over the
phone.
"With the increasing problems of public
education and the high rate of illiteracy in
the nation, employers more and more are
asking for people with good communica-
tion skills," says Leon A. Farley, manag-
ing partner of the senior -level executive
search firm in San Francisco that bears
well, it means you can't think well. You
need to have a clear image of what you
want to say. Employers have come to real-
ize that if you can articulate a problem,
you've begun to solve it."
Lack of communication skills affects
the bottom line, corporations are finding.
"Companies are finally saying it's
costing us billions of dollars a year in
productivity losses because employees
don't know how to write or stand up and
give speeches," says Roger E. Flax, presi-
dent and chief executive officer of Motiva-
tional Systems, a West Orange, N.J.,
management and sales training firm that
trains some 50,000 people a year in
communication skills. "Today, it's not
what you say but how you say it. It's not
His recent survey of 200 corporate vice
presidents shows they spend more than
20 percent of their time writing business
communications. "That adds up to 11
workweeks a year," says Flax, who has a
doctorate in industrial and administra-
tive psychology. "Thirty-four percent say
the reports, letters and memos they
receive from their staff are unclear. And
41 percent rated the writing as weak or
poor. That's a waste of a lot of valuable
time and money on everyone's part."
Nan Kilkeary, head of Kilkeary Com-
munications in Chicago, who helps cor-
porations solve communication prob-
lems, says the major stumbling block is
"an inability to shape information that
CHICAGO — Just a decade ago, top
employers looked for workers with good
technical skills and stressed the impor-
tance of being expert at number crunch -
ing.
Today, that's not enough. The plethora
of information that must be communi-
cated makes the old arts of writing,
speaking and listening work necessities
and a part of many job descriptions.
These attributes are referred to by hu-
man resource managers as "good com-
munication skills," and the phrase has
become an employment buzzword. Many
call it the watchword of the job market of
the 1990s, as necessary for en0neer,c a.c
J
Sales tax increase
takes effect Monday
Shoppers in both Bryan and College
Station will be paying higher sales
taxes for the second time this year be-
ginning Monday as the local sales tax
rate reaches the maximum allowable
under state law.
Voters in both cit-
ies approved a half -
cent per dollar in-
crease earlier this
year. The increase
brings the tax rate to
8 1 /4 percent.
On July 1, the state IN
base for sales taxes
went up from 5 3 /4 Steve
cents on the dollar to Hill
6 1 /4 cents. Brazos
County charges an WRIFAMUM
additional half cent, while both cities
now charge 1 cents.
The other 1 cent of the cities' share
of taxes goes into their general funds.
Chris Ehrenberg, manager of Radio
Shack in Post Oak Mall, said the
change was easy in July and should be
tomorrow.
"We're completely computerized as
far as the sales tax goes," Ehrenberg
said, adding that the company's cor-
porate office handles the switchover.
"They dust send a patch through, and
when it changes, we're up and run-
ning. Providing that there's no com-
puter glitches, we'll be in good shape."
Other businesses, which might use
calculators or individual point -of -sale
computers instead of networks, will
have to change programs or simply
remember to key in new rates, Ehren-
berg said.
Most consumers were nonchalant
about the July tax change and proba-
bly will be this time as well, he said.
"I'd say most of them don't pay at-
tention. It doesn't slow anything down,
but you do get a few complainers for
about the first week," he said.
Those who would like new rate cards
or have questions about the tax in-
crease may call the State Comptroller
of Public Accounts at
1- 800 - 252 -5555.
Business Briefs
■The city of College Station received
a check for $238,661.79 from the
State Comptroller's Office in Sep-
tember, while the city of Bryan
received one for $241,714.53. Those
checks, the cities' shares of monthly
sales tax rebates, represent increases
of 1.44 percent for College Station and
13.07 percent for Bryan over the Sep-
tember 1989 payments. College Sta-
tion's year-to -date rebates, totaling
almost $3.0 million, are running 6.25
percent ahead of 1989, while Bryan's
$2.4 million is 2.71 percent ahead of
the same period in 1989.
qj3G H 6
Area's 3.3 percent jobless rate best in state
By Steve Hill
Eagle staff writer
As Bryan - College Station again
checked in with the state's lowest unem-
ployment rate, local business and edu-
cation leaders met Tuesday to discuss
the lack of skilled labor to fill certain posi-
tions in the area.
And although the area's 3.3 percent
unemployment rate for August was the
lowest for that month in a decade, Texas
Employment Commission Area Director
Walt Baker said his office would have no
trouble staffing a large manufacturer
moving into the area — even though
other area businesses have some difficu-
lty finding employees.
"If a plant wants to hire 300 people for
$6.50 an hour, we would have no trouble
filling those positions if they were train-
ing positions," Baker said. "We staffed
Texas Instruments when the unemploy-
ment rate was 3 percent in 1980 -81."
That's because there's still a large pool
of unemployed or underemployed
workers in the area, Baker said. That in-
cludes 2,000 people on the unemploy-
ment rolls in August, according to figures
released Tuesday for the state's 27
metropolitan statistical areas.
Where the problem occurs is for local
businesses seeking certain skills — such
as word processing or some mechanical
abilities. Small businesses are particu-
larly hard -hit when seeking workers em-
ployable at a certain level, said Baker and
Art King, president -elect of the Bryan-
College Station Chamber of Commerce.
Baker and King were among several
representatives of local businesses and
educational organizations who met
Tuesday to discuss possible joint pro-
grams. Such an effort could increase the
groups' efficiency and eliminate redun-
dancy in their efforts to meet labor needs
by business, the two said.
King said, "There's a possibility there,
maybe, for the chamber to get rep-
resentatives from each of those organiza-
tions together to see if there's some way
to coordinate efforts."
The initial meeting had no immediate
results, and King said the chamber had
yet to contact groups likely to be inter-
ested, adding, "We're going to see where
we can go from here."
"We're involved in it, and we're attempt-
ing to see if we can be of some assistance
to the groups who are working in the
problem," he said. "I think the schools
are aware of the problem; I think they're
trying to address it."
However, because money for education
Please see Rate, 3A
I�
From 1 A
is limited, he said, "It may be
necessary for businesses to take
more of an active role in the edu-
cational process."
Meanwhile, Baker said, the area
still oilers numerous jobs for ad-
ministrative and clerical workers
with word processing skills, elec-
tricians, plumbers and computer
operators, among others.
"Looking for a particular skill in
this unemployment market is
tough for some employers," he
said. "But we're certainly willing
to work with employers, educa-
to -° -nd other community leaders
kind of cooperative effort to
,s this issue."
Brazos Valley August Employment
Labor
Unemployment
County
Force
Employed
Unemployed
Percentage Rate
Brazos
60,800
58,800
2,000
3.3
Burleson
6,190
5,884
306
4.9
Grimes
10,131
9,877
365
3.6
Leon
5,996
5,766
290
4.8
Madison
4,848
4,660
188
3.9
Milam
9,327
8,812
515
5.5
Robertson
7,296
6,928
368
5.0
Washington
13,174
12,831
343
2.6
Eagle graphic by Robert C. Borden
Baker said total employment in
August was at 58,800, up from
58,500 in July and 57,700 from
August of 1989. The July unem-
ployment rate was 3.8, while in
August 1989 it was 4.8.
Total unemployment was do
to 2,000 from 2,300 in July a.
2,900 in August 1989.
The total civilian labor force in
both July and August — 60,800
— was up from the labor force of
60,600 a year ago.
Austin, with an unemployment
t te of 4.5 percent, had the state's
econd- lowest rate, followed by
5
4
C
U
a
3 J A S O N D J F M A M J J A
Eaale araahic by Robert C. Borden
Amarillo at 4.6 percent and Vic-
toria at 4.9 percent.
McAllen- Edinburg- Mission
again had the highest rate among
the state's 27 metropolitan statis-
tical areas at 15.9 percent.
The Texas rate fell from 7.2 per-
cent a year ago and 6.3 percent in
July to 5.9 percent in August. The
U.S. rate was 5.4 percent in Au-
gust — dowit from the 5.5 percent
rate in July, but up from the 5.1
percent rate of a year ago.
Washington County again had
the lowest rate in the Brazos Val-
ley at 2.6 percent, followed by
Brazos County's 3.3 rate. Brazos
County is the Bryan- College Sta-
tion MSA.
Milam County, with a 5.5 per-
cent rate, was the highest in the
eight -county TEC area encom-
passing the Brazos Valley.
CIP,(, Igo
Here they come to save the day!
CS employees battle killer
geese, snakes and save
the life of a drowning puppy
5- week -old Rottweiler puppy.
Westbrook found the puppy in a gallon
can of water, apparently lifeless. West-
brook tried turning the puppy upside
down to revive it, but to no avail.
He then began to perform mouth -to-
mouth ... er, mouth -to- muzzle resus-
citation, which revived the pup.
Not to be outdone, the city's forestry
department has two workers who save
chicks from snakes.
Forestry Superintendent Ross Albrecht
rescued a baby chicken from a five -foot
chicken snake in Central Park. Good
thing, too, because the chick population
in the park has reportedly dropped from
53 to four.
Bird - lovers will also be happy to know
Bob Hole of the forestry department also
saved a chick from a smaller snake.
Both snakes were captured and
released in some of the city's more remote
park areas.
The fourth hero is Erik Tschanz of the
Parks and Recreation Department.
Tschanz reported to Cy Miller Park near
the College Station Police Department,
where a woman had been harassed by
two killer geese.
Arriving at the crime scene, Tschanz
was able to apprehend one of the sus-
pects. The other escaped into the pond —
but only momentarily.
Tschanz found a boat and removed the
By Phillip Sulak
Eagle staff writer
It takes a special person to be a public
servant. But some of the employees at the
city of College Station may be serving
above and beyond the call of duty.
A perusal of the city's September em-
ployee newsletter included the heroic ex-
ploits of four of the city's finest.
^ efighter Rick Westbrook made the
etter for saving his girlfriend's
Save
From 1A
second fowl character. For his
efforts, Tschantz not only received
the praises of his co- workers, but
was also "decorated" by the goose
— in a rather smelly way.
So, be kind to your city em-
ployees. They kiss dogs and they
handle killer snakes and water
fowl without blinking.
They aren't afraid of you.
Please see Save, 3A
E
0 1 10 16� 0
ow
dross sales in Brazos County
up, better than state average
Gross sales in the Bryan-
College Station Metropolitan Sta-
tistical Area (Brazos County) were
12.5 percent higher in the first
quarter of 1990 than in the same
quarter of 1989,
according to fig-
ures released by
the State Comp-
troller of Public
Accounts.
That increase
was better than
the statewide
average increase
of 9.4 percent. S teve
Gross sales for H
the quarter
totaled $330.9
million in Brazos County, com-
pared to $294.1 million in 1989.
The most encouraging figure
may have been a 31.2 percent in-
crease in manufacturing sales -
from $30.9 million to $40.5 mil-
lion. Both the percentage jump
and the absolute increase in dol-
lars were among the largest in-
creases noted in the report.
Only total retail trade had a
higher absolute increase, rising
from $173.2 million to $190.0 mil-
lion - a 9.7 percent jump.
More good news showed in the
mining and construction fields.
Mining sales increased 49.9 per-
cent, from $3.0 million to $4.5
million, and construction rose
39.3 percent, from $8.5 million to
$11.8 million.
Financial- services sales also
rose dramatically in overall per-
centage, from $796,279 to $1.2
million, or 46.2 percent.
Within the retail trade category,
automotive sales were the biggest
gainer. In the first quarter of
1989, county auto dealers sold
$30.2 million worth of cars, while
that figure rose to $37.1 million in
the first quarter of 1990 - an in-
crease of 22.7 percent.
Clothing sales decreased by 0.4
percent, from $8.09 million to
$8.06 million, and liquor sales de-
creased by 3.9 percent, or from
$1.78 to $1.71 million. All other
categories of retail sales in-
creased.
Restaurant sales went up by
3.9 percent, building materials by
5.4 percent, general merchandise
by 11.9 percent, food store sales
by 3.9 percent, home furnishings
by 14.5 percent, drug stores by
4.2 percent and miscellaneous re-
tail stores by 12.7 percent.
Total wholesale trade also saw a
healthy increase of 12.6 percent
- from $23.6 million to $26.6 mil-
lion. Within that category, dura-
ble goods rose 15.6 percent and
nondurable goods rose 9.9 per-
cent.
Gross sales went down from
1989 to 1990 in several MSAs, in-
cluding Brownsville- Harlingen (by
8.9 percent), Beaumont -Port
Arthur (1.2 percent) and Corpus
Christi (23.4 percent).
Among 28 MSAs or Primary
MSAs, only Dallas (13.8 percent),
Houston (13.8 percent), San Ang-
elo (13.7 percent), Victoria (14.7
percent) and Brazoria (the Free -
port-Brazosport area, with 15.4
percent) had higher percentage
increases than Brazos County.
Business notes
■The Bryan- College Station
charter chapter of the American
Business Women's Association
will observe Saturday as Ameri-
can Business Women's Day. The
chapter will recognize the day by
sponsoring a community service
project for Phoebe's Home, a
shelter for abused and battered
women. The observance marks
the 41st anniversary of the
ABWA's founding.
■Rose Brunette of Navasota, a
Discovery Toys educational con-
sultant, recently attended the
company's 12th annual national
convention in Atlanta.
■Robert Albanese, professor
of management, has been named
as the first director of the new
Center of Human Resources
Management at Texas A &M's
business college.
■Recent Bryan- College Sta-
tion Chamber of Commerce
grand openings were held for the
Boys' and Girls' Clubs of the
Brazos Valley and Bossier
Chrysler - Plymouth - Dodge.
0 110q6I
•
L
Help appreciated
On Aug. 18, as I was coming into Bryan
(around 5 p.m.), my car stopped. I was to
be at the Ramada Inn to speak for
Women's Aglow at 5:45. There I was,
alone on George Bush Drive out by the
Texas A &M Swine Center, but a fine
young man stopped and took me to a
telephone at a filling station, waited until
I had contacted friends who could pick
me up, and then he left me. As I waited by
my car, five lovely people stopped to see if
they could be of any help. One gentle-
man, a law enforcement man, even tried
to fix my car. He could not do so, but he
did wait until my friends came, to be sure
all was OK.
How thankful I am for the kindness of
all, for my friends Joanne and Willis Gass
who picked me up, and for Mr. Gass, who
took care of my car while I was able to go
on to my speaking engagement. The good
Lord surely provided and protected, and I
say thanks to all who were so very kind in
your city.
ROSEMARY NE WMAN
Tomball
L
0 bot
� Good bosses
must learn
Management guiz
Check all the following that apply.
The last time that a subordinate made
a request that I should have refused, I ...
1. Responded before the subordinate
completed his /her request.
2. Did not give a simple, clear "no."
3. Got into an argument.
4. Encouraged the subordinate to per-
sist by qualifying my response.
5. Said "yes" after a lengthy discussion.
6. Got angry.
7. Did not give a reason.
8. Got into a discussion that ranged far
from the original request.
9. Tried to convince the subordinate
that he/she was wrong.
10. Reminded the subordinate that I
was the boss.
A check of any of these items suggests a
need to improve your method for saying
"no.
Gerald Graham is a professor at Wichita State Uni-
versity and a management consultant. Send ques-
tions to The Wichita Eagle, P.O. Box 820, Wichita,
Kan. 67201. He will answer representative ques-
tions in the newspaper but cannot respond to every
request.)
to sa y `no'
By Gerald Graham
Knight- Ri N S ervi c e
"Since we are redoing the offices, I
would like to request carpeting," said a
subordinate.
"No, carpeting will not be available," re-
sponded the supervisor.
When questioned about the quickness
of his response, the supervisor said: "We
can talk about it for two hours or we car..
talk about it for two minutes. The re-
sponse will still be 'no. "'
When you have to say "no," do not back
off, hedge or otherwise qualify your
statement, say consultants Pennie Myers
and Don Nance, of the Wichita State Uni-
versity Counseling Center, in their recen'
publication, "The Upset Workbook."
Many managers admit that they often
have trouble saying "no" to subordinates,
especially when the request appears
reasonable. Myers and Nance offer many
other practical suggestions for saying no:
■Listen all the way to the end of the
request before making a response.
■Consider cushioning statements to
soften the blow. For instance, "I appreci-
ate your feelings ... I understand your
position ... What you say does sound
reasonable."
■Decline the request with clear,
simple words such as "no ... it is not pos-
sible ... the budget will not permit ... I
cannot approve."
■Give a reason for saying no, but do
not argue the reason. If the person mak-
ing the request persists, simply respond,
"I understand you do not agree with my
reasons."
■If possible, say yes to some other op-
tion. For example: "I cannot approve a
two -day extension of your June vacation,
but you will be eligible for more vacation
time in September."
■Be prepared to say no again without
increasing the tension or reducing the
firmness in your voice.
Most people will accept a clear and
simple no if they perceive that you are
both understanding and firm.
Management guiz
Check all the following that apply.
The last time that a subordinate made
a request that I should have refused, I ...
1. Responded before the subordinate
completed his /her request.
2. Did not give a simple, clear "no."
3. Got into an argument.
4. Encouraged the subordinate to per-
sist by qualifying my response.
5. Said "yes" after a lengthy discussion.
6. Got angry.
7. Did not give a reason.
8. Got into a discussion that ranged far
from the original request.
9. Tried to convince the subordinate
that he/she was wrong.
10. Reminded the subordinate that I
was the boss.
A check of any of these items suggests a
need to improve your method for saying
"no.
Gerald Graham is a professor at Wichita State Uni-
versity and a management consultant. Send ques-
tions to The Wichita Eagle, P.O. Box 820, Wichita,
Kan. 67201. He will answer representative ques-
tions in the newspaper but cannot respond to every
request.)
L
E
Brazos Beautiful
seeks selections
for fall awards
Sy Phillip Sulak
E agle staff wri
Brazos Beautiful is looking for a few
good yards. And it wants to award home
owners who take the extra effort to make
their yards special.
The organization is seeking nomina-
tions for the Fall Residential Awards.
Betty Steelman, coordinator for the
awards, said an award committee will
visit all the nominated yards before
choosing a winner.
"The winners will receive a plaque and
a yard sign to identify the home as a win-
ner," Steelman said.
She said the committee will look at
landscaping and anything that adds color
to the yard.
"We look at a wide range of homes,"
Steelman said. "From the modest to the
large. The cost of the home has nothing to
do with it. Quite often the winners are
people who have done their own lands-
caping."
Steelman said nominations can come
from anywhere.
"Sometimes people who drive by a
house on a daily basis will nominate a
yard," Steelman said.
Diane Craig, executive coordinator for
Brazos Beautiful, said the contest gen-
erally gets good representaion from all
parts of town.
"There is a three -year rule," Craig said.
"If you won in the spring, you can't win
again for three - years."
Craig said the contest is a way to thank
people for taking pride in their yards.
Nominations can be mailed or dropped
by Brazos Beautiful, 7607 EastMark
Drive, Suite 250, College Station, Tex.,
77840. For more information, call
696 -5391.
Home owners can nominate them-
selves.
q�r2'1l0a
0
CS traffic light
to be moved today
Drivers may want to avoid the intersec-
tion of Holleman Drive and Texas Avenue
this morning. City workers will be moving
a traffic light as part of the road construc-
tion on Holleman.
Work is scheduled to begin at 8:30
a.m., and last until early afternoon.
The light standard at the southwest
corner of the intersection will be moved
several feet south to allow a right turn
lane to be added.
A College Station police officer will
direct traffic at the intersection while the
work is being done.
•
461 06
•
Water project expected to keep Houston on dry land
The Associated Press
HOUSTON — Helen Morales was
among 23,000 Houston residents who
saw their monthly water and sewage
bills climb to $100 this summer. And
city officials say it will get worse.
Regulators have ordered a 20 -year,
$2 billion water and sewer program to
control pollution and reduce use of well
" which is causing the ground to
k.
We have no choice," said Jack Gil -
rum, spokesman for Houston's utilities
department.
Houston has increased its rates 10
times in the last 16 years and now has
some of the highest rates in the nation,
a recent survey shows.
"Houston is not the only place that is
facing this ... and those that aren't fac-
ing it are going to face it," said Frank
Sturzl, executive director of the Texas
Municipal League.
Houston, the nation's largest city
without zoning, has grown without a
traditional unified water and sewer
system, relying for years on plentiful
rainfall, abundant, clean well water,
and a bayou system to carry waste
water.
Developers outside the city limits set
up hundreds of municipal utility dis-
tricts, with the expectation that the
neighborhoods would be annexed. Now
that many have been annexed, the re-
sulting water and sewer service has be-
come a patchwork of small systems
with limited interconnections.
"It's a fact that this city did not dedi-
cate the resources to properly design,
build and maintain adequate Infras-
tructure as far as utilities," said acting
utilities department Director C.J.
Smith.
"One of the things you learn in this
business is 'Pay me now or pay me
later,' " said Mike Marcotte, a former
Houston public -works department offi-
cial who now is director of Dallas Water
Utilities.
Houston's explosive growth during
the late 1970s and early 1980s exac-
erbated its water troubles.
The district was formed in 1975 to
stop overuse of underground water,
which was causing widespread ground
sinking. Since then, the city has dou-
bled its surface -water treatment capa-
city to 375 million gallons per day.
"Subsidence ... is not a big issue if
you're at 1,000 feet elevation, but at
elevation 25 that's a hell of a problem,"
Smith said.
The Subsidence District has deman-
ded that Houston gradually reduce re-
liance on groundwater from 100 per-
cent to 20 percent by 2010.
01C1100
Out of town shopping
The Eagle, which ran a "Yes B -CS"
' frustrates' car dealer
campaign to promote shopping locally,
has solicited out -of -town dealers in
Those wanting to make Bossier Do-
the past. Hampton said, but made a
dge sales manager Paul Atkinson see
conscious choice early in 1990 not to
red need say no more than two words:
do so any longer.
"We
buy local.
just decided that if an out -of-
Atkinson isn't against the idea, of
town dealer wants to run with us, we
course. But he's con-
will accept its ads, but we do not ac-
fused by what he sees
tively seek their business," she says.
"We
as an "unbelievable
would look like hypocrites."
mentality" among
Advertising representatives from
consumers and "talk-
o
KBTX -TV, which developed a "Buy
ing out of both sides
Brazos" campaign last year, were una-
of their mouth" by
vailable for comment.
the media.
Brown, president of the local chap-
He points to reports
ter of the New Car Dealer's Associa-
he purchases from a
Steve
tion, said he understands media
might have "a hard
service that show
situation, because
numerous local con- H
you have to be sensitive to the com-
sumers and even
munitys needs, but at the same time,
businesses purchas - LU MIN - 131=111
you have to be sensitive to your own
ing vehicle from out -of -town dealers.
needs and profits."
That's "frustrating" to local new car
That's also a good point for the
dealers, he says.
dealers themselves and consumers.
Except, he says, in some cases, like
Brown does advertise in Brazos
of those like College Station's Fred
County for his Navasota dealership,
Brown. In addition to having a Bryan
which he said provides 60 percent of
Mazda dealership, Brown sells Fords
his company's revenues.
and Mercuries in Navasota and Jeeps
Although Navasota is barely half an
in Killeen.
hour away, tax revenues from the
Atkinson, of course, has a fairly ob-
business still go to another city and
vious motive. He wants to sell as many
county, and that's something Atkin -
cars as possible. But he does bring up
son isn't happy about.
several good points about buying local-
"Of all the people who have got to be
ly, and both consumers and business
community minded, it's Fred Brown.
people might keep them in mind.
He's on the hot seat," said Atkinson.
First, buying local is not a black-
"But I'm not down on Fred so much as
and -white issue and often forces diffi-
on the customer who would go down
cult choices on those like the media
the road to save $176 ... if the guy
and dealers.
would have just called us, I would have
Brown, for instance, says he in-
matched that deal."
structs his sales force to not even
Consumers, too, have their own ob-
mention his Killeen Jeep dealership to
vious self- interest — that of saving
local customers who express interest
money. But if they look a bit harder
in a Jeep while at Brown's Mazda
locally, local dealers say they are will-
dealership in Bryan.
ing enough to make it worth the cus-
"It's a sensitive issue. I can't dictate
tomers' while.
to our customers, but it's something
Both Brown and Atkinson, who in-
we don't advertise and don't talk
sist there's no strife among local car
about, and of course, we don't bring
dealers over the issue, said they could
the vehicles down here to sell them,"
"absolutely" guarantee they would
he said. "The only advertising we do is
meet any out -of -town offer.
for our market area, but because we're
It's up to consumers to take advan-
so heavily influenced by cable TV,
tage of that offer by shopping around
viewers in this area will see our adver-
and giving local dealers a chance.
tising on Channel 6 (a Temple -area
It's also good for business when
station)."
Brown makes money in Navasota and
Another point is that every party in-
Killeen. Some of that comes back to
volved has its own self - interest. For in-
Brazos County, and a healthy compe-
stance, media obviously cannot afford
titor down the road usually strength -
to turn down advertisements from
ens a local market as well.
out -of -town car dealers.
And it's good for local media to take
40V Atkinson thinks media solicit such
in advertising dollars from out of town
ads too actively, but Laura Hampton,
— and even better when local dealers
advertising director for the Eagle, said
can still beat those out -of -town
that in the newspaper's case, it's not
dealers.
true.
TIO [ q 6
Children's home dedicates duplexes in CS
Teens from Presbyterian
home get shelter, education
in Christian environment
By Fiona Soltes
Eagle staff writer
It's a big move from a home for depen-
dent and neglected children to the real
world — but now Bryan- College Station is
a stop along the way.
With the help of the Home for Tran-
sitional Living on Brentwood Drive, teens
from the Presbyterian Children's Home in
Itasca can continue their education — all
bills paid — while easing into adulthood
in a Christian environment.
The home, actually two duplexes, was
dedicated during Sunday morning ser-
vices at First Presbyterian Church in
Bryan. An open house was held Sunday
afternoon, and about 50 people gathered
to see the units. Visitors included church
members, representatives from the Pres-
byterian Children's Home and Service
Agency, and a handful of Itasca students
who hoped that they, too, may live in the
duplexes after graduation.
"We want this to be a happy place,"
said Dr. Robert Leslie, pastor of First
Presbyterian Church, during the dedica-
tion. "We want there to be some dreaming
here. Sometimes the washer will over-
flow, the sink will stop up. But these are
things that happen in real life."
Lynn Dockery, one of four new inhabi-
tants, said, "Everyone's just real excited
about it. We don't have to worry about a
home or friends."
Dockery, 20, is studying forest man-
agement at Texas A &M University. She
lives with Francis Lockett, 19, who is
studying general courses at Blinn and
plans to go into business. Lockett's twin
brother, Frank, and Cecil Brummett, 20,
are living in the other duplex, and both
also are studying general, pre - business
courses at Blinn. All four spent at least
two semesters at Hill Junior College in
Hillsboro.
Although the idea is that the four will
find their way into the "real" world while
at the home, they will not be completely
left by themselves to do so. Gwynne Ash,
a graduate of Trinity University in San
Antonio, and a graduate student at A &M,
will live in one of the units, providing
emergency aid and transportation, and
acting as an adviser.
The fully furnished, two- bedroom, one -
bath duplexes were bought in part by a
grant from the Dansby -Grant Founda-
tion and the foundation of First Presby-
terian in Bryan. The children's home pro-
vides further education for qualified stu-
dents wherever they want to go, but the
duplexes are the first residential areas
actually designated to the program.
Bryan- College Station was chosen be-
cause of the diverse opportunities in the
area, including Texas A &M, Blinn College
and several vocational schools in the
area. The low unemployment rate, the
cultural experiences offered through the
university and the strong relationship be-
tween A &M Presbyterian Church in Col-
lege Station and First Presbyterian
Church in Bryan also were taken into
consideration, organizers said.
The Presbyterian Children's Home in
Itasca provides residential care for up to
50 teen -agers who live with cottage par-
ents, attend Itasca schools and attend
Presbyterian church. The home was
founded in 1905, began operations in
1906 and has grown to include an all-
boys residential area in San Antonio, a
family- services center in Dallas and pre-
ventive -care centers in McAllen and
Beaumont.
0 �q Iq 6)
S ataries paid new hires can lower company morale
By Gerald Graham
Knight - Ridder News Servic
Jean was understandably upset. "I've
been here for six years," she said, "and
I've just learned that they have hired a
new person for almost the same salary
that I'm making."
Salary compression the practice of hir-
ing new people at almost the same salar-
ies as experienced people is a common
and worrisome management practice.
Salary inversion the practice of hiring
new people at greater salaries than expe-
rienced employees is less common but an
even more crucial motivation destroyer.
It is, in my opinion, very difficult, if not
impossible, to justify salary inversion.
Such a practice drives off good, experi-
enced people. And it will be hard for those
who stay to maintain a long -term com-
mitment to the organization's goals.
Salary compression, on the other hand,
has been around for many years, and in
all probability, will remain. As a manager
said, "If we do not pay the going rate, we
simply will not be able to hire good peo-
ple." However, organizations can reduce
the sting of salary compression.
First, managers should openly discuss
salary strategies with present employees.
If you have to hire at near existing -staff
wages, let people know. Most will under-
stand the need to hire good, new people.
Second, educate workers about market
demands. If there is a short supply of cer-
tain skills, most people understand that
you have to pay competitive wages to at-
tract good people.
Third, grant higher wage increases to
your higher performing, experienced
people. Low performers, even though
they may have been with you for a few
years, should receive significantly small-
er increases. This allows you to get more
impact from the pool of dollars available
for salary increases.
Fourth, consider offering some type of
bonus or profit - sharing plan that will al-
low all workers to benefit from profitable
years.
Finally, do not use salary compression
as an excuse to avoid meaningful pay in-
creases for high - performing, long -term
employees.
Management Quiz
Indicate whether you "agree" or "dis-
agree" with the following:
1. Starting salaries that are higher
than salaries for experienced people is a
poor practice.
2. Managers should communicate sal-
ary strategies to all employees.
3. It may sometimes be necessary to
pay beginning salaries near those of peo-
ple with three to five years of experience.
4. Most employees understand the
need to pay high starting salaries when
needed skills are in short supply.
5. It is almost never a good practice to
pay higher salaries to beginning people
than you pay to comparable, experience
people.
6. Market conditions often make it im-
possible to grant significant pay in-
creases to long -term, high - performing
employees.
7. Bonuses and profit - sharing plans
help offset salary compression.
Although all authorities may not agree,
all statements are correct except No. 6,
which is incorrect.
Gerald Graham is a professor at Wichita State Uni-
versity and a management consultant. Send ques-
tions to The Wichita Eagle, P.O. Box 820, Wichita,
Kan. 67201.
qNq6)
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Council demotes
Dayton manager
HOUSTON — Dayton City
Council members voted to demote
the city manager and search for a
replacement with more profes-
sional credentials.
Jerry Gore, who has held the
city manager's job for a year, is
now Dayton's public works direc-
tor and building inspector. His
salary was cut $10,000 to
$25,000 annually.
The council voted unanimously
Tuesday night to demote Gore
after a lengthy closed -door ses-
sion.
Moreau said the city will search
for a successor who has both ex-
perience and a college degree in
city management.
A few weeks ago, city employees
jammed council chambers in
protest of efforts to terminate
Gore. Moreau said talk of an em-
ployee walkout subsided when
city workers learned Gore "would
still be boss over many of them."
91, Ho
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Postal Service plans
to slow delivery time
The Associated Press
WASHINGTON — A Postal Ser-
vice decision to slow delivery of
some first -class mail in the face of
a new rate increase "is going over
like a lead balloon," Postmaster
General Anthony M. Dank was
told Thursday.
Telling Americans that longer
delivery times for some mail re-
sults in improved service is
"doublespeak — it doesn't com-
pute, it doesn't jibe," Rep. Glenn
English, D- Okla., said at a hear-
ing by the House Government
Operations subcommittee on
government information
Frank said the payoff will be
-more consistent delivery time.
"'We asked the American people
-(in surveys) what good service is
-and they said it is getting it there
every time so they can count on
it," Frank said. The Postal Service
concluded that mail users want
speed but want consistency more.
Delaying some overnight de-
liveries will affect less than 5 per-
cent of first -class mail, he said.
"The result will be a win -win situ-
ation - improved mail service for
our customers and improved effi-
ciency for the Postal Service."
Frank said the change in over-
night deliveries was not begun as
a cost - saving measure and has
nothing to do with the pending
5 -cent increase in the price of a
first -class stamp.
Critics said many mail users
feel they will be getting less ser-
vice but paying more for it. "It's
going over like a lead balloon,"
said Rep. Frank Horton, R -N.Y.
On July 28, the Postal Service
reduced the number of non -local
overnight deliveries; starting later
this month, about 5 percent of let-
ters that now require two days for
delivery will require three.
Even with the changes, Frank
said, "We are committed to deliver
more than half of all the first -
class mail in this vast country
overnight."
The changes are taking effect
over objections of the consumer
advocate for the Postal Rate
Commission. Stephen A. Gold, di-
rector of that office, told'the sub-
committee the Postal Service
should have done a cost - benefit
analysis and tried to determine
how much speed mail users were
willing to forgo in the interest of
consistent delivery times.
Cary H. Baer, vice president of
the Readers Digest Association
Inc., which spends 5100 million a
year for U.S. postage, tentatively
endorsed the changes because of
their potential "to significantly
improve consistency of delivery
while having only modest impact
on speed."
q I _r) I q
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Crime Stoppers will
hold Jail -A -Thou at
College Station mall
By Chuck Squatriglia
Eagle staff writer
If you've ever wanted to have someone
arrested and tossed in )ail, now's your
chance.
The Brazos County Crime Stoppers will
hold its annual Jail -A -Thon Thursday
and Friday at Post Oak Mall between 10
a.m. and 6 p.m. For a mere $25, a police
officer will arrest anyone you want. Once
arrested, that person will be taken before
a ,Judge, who will set bond. The "suspect"
will then be put in a cell and given a tele-
phone to call as many friends as neces-
sary to raise the bail.
Proceeds will benefit the Brazos County
Crime Stoppers. Crime Stoppers is sup-
ported entirely by community donations,
and Jail -A -Thon is the organization's an-
nual fund - raising event.
"We don't receive any federal or state
funding," said Chris Kirk, Brazos County
Crime Stoppers coordinator. "We count
entirely on community support." All do-
nations are used to pay Crime Stoppers
rewards and to cover day -to -day operat-
ing expenses, Kirk said.
Last year's Jail -A -Thon raised about
$37,000. Crime Stoppers hopes to raise
at least $30,000 this year, Kirk said.
To have someone arrested, call Ramona
Hibbetts today at 693 -5775. Crime Stop-
pers volunteers also will be available at
Post Oak Mall Thursday and Friday to ar-
range arrests.
c
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Remember the price hikes
The recent rash of excuses offered by
the oil companies, from the producers to
the wholesalers, reminds me of the Path-
ological Liar character on Saturday Night
Live. Yeah, that's it! It is still difficult for
me to believe that price increases on a
product that has been produced, refined
and delivered are not pure profit, but
then I probably don't understand all the
"mitigating factors" involved. I also don't
understand why they feel the need to ex-
plain the price increases to us since they
have the right to charge whatever they
wish for their product in a free market so-
ciety. Maybe they are not sleeping too
well these days.
I would only suggest that we as con-
sumers remember those who seek to take
advantage of us during this recent
"crisis" and come up with a few reasons
of our own as to why we no longer
patronize these profiteers. Yeah, that's it!
MARK SCHOENEMANN
College Station
u
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Meter readers deserve kind word
Dear Ann Landers: You've said wanted to be meter readers.
a good word for waiters, maids,
bellboys, police officers, airline pi-
lots and garage mechanics. Now
will you give a hand to the m
abused people in -.
America — the
utility meter
readers.
My son Elmer
has been a meter
reader for two
years. He has
been harassed,
cussed out,
kicked, bitten Ann
and mugged. A Landers
few weeks ago a
husband came
home unexpectedly, saw Elmer in
the basement and mistook him
for his wife's lover. Elmer was
lucky to get out with his life.
People put all sorts of things
over their meters so the readers
can't get to them — heavy trash
cans, garden implements and
lawn furniture. They park their
cars in front of the meter and re-
fuse to move them. To top it all, if
the bill seems high they complain
their heads off and write dirty let-
ters to the management saying
the meter reader is off his nut.
Please say something in your
column to give these poor guys a
lift. They sure deserve it. — A
Richmond Mom
Dear Mom: I did my bit for
meter readers a few years back
when I printed a letter from a
housewife who liked to do her
housework in the nude. It seems
she was in the basement doing
her laundry and decided to take
off her housedress and throw it in
the washing machine. The woman
suddenly noticed the pipes over-
head were dripping, so she put on
her son's football helmet, which
was lying in the corner. There she
stood, naked as the day she was
born, when she heard a small
cough. The woman turned around
and stared straight into the face of
the meter reader. He looked com-
pletely bewildered, and all he
could say was, "I hope your team
wins, lady."
After that letter appeared in the
column, I had dozens of letters
from mothers who said their sons
had decided on a career. They
Sao
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Good job, Tim Stanfield
I would like to take this time to thank
the Eagle and especially Tim Stanfield for
the coverage he has given our team prd-
grams in the recreational sports column,„
Just about all the participants in our -
summer swim team and National Junior:
Tennis League got their names in the:
paper for their achievements. As I am'
sure you know, this can go a long way in
increasing children's self esteem and
their perceptions of themselves. As in-
struction supervisor, and having dealt
with children for 10 years, I feel these
small things we do for them perhaps help
keep them off the streets and keep them
involved in programs that will help to
make them valuable citizens of the fu-
ture.
I look forward to working with Tim and
the Eagle in the future.
CINDY SZABUNIEWICZ
College Station instruction supervisor
The Eagle – August 27, 1990
D
u
Solid waste cooperation
I firmly believe that our government
agencies — city, county and state —
should become more involved in the solu-
tion of our solid waste program. This is a
problem where politics should not be a
factor. As I talk with other concerned citi-
zens in our community, they feel the
same as I do about the lack of real coo -
peration between the city and county
governments in establishing a good solid
waste management program.
I visited with County Commissioner
Gary Norton and was disappointed to
learn that they are having difficulty in
getting involvement or cooperation from
the two cities in establishing a program.
The county has been working with Texas
A &M University; in fact, some of the A &M
faculty are members of a task force
formed by Brazos County to study our
problem and establish a recycling and
compost program for our community.
It seems to me that it's just common
sense for all four entities — Texas A &M,
Brazos County, Bryan and College Sta-
tion — to join efforts in making a feasibi-
lity study on implementing a solid waste
management program that would benefit
the whole community. This joint effort
would not only be cost efficient but could
be developed into a more effective pro-
gram.
I understand that the county, along
with A &M, has a task force in place and
all that is needed is to have the cities of I
Bryan °and College Station join in their
efforts.
Let's not wait until the Environmental
Protection Agency mandates our local
governments to implement a solid waste
program, which would end up being very
costly. I plead with our concerned citi-
zens of this community to let your voices
be heard to the council members of your
respective cities to join together with Bra-
zos County and Texas A &M University to
implement a good solid waste manage-
ment program.
CHARLES J. RAY
College Station
J
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Brazos Engineers lodges
complaints a gainst Bryan
By Phiilip Sulak
Eagle staff writer
The Brazos Engineers Associa-
tion says it is not getting a fair
deal on contracts from local
government entities. And at a
meeting Sunday, the group tar-
geted the city of Bryan for its first
attempt to change what members
see as unfair practices.
"The specifications of the new
procedure (to choose architects
and engineers,) are written to not
allow local engineers to bid fairly,"
said Steve Esmond, who wrote the
group's draft response to the
city's proposal. "There is no
reason we should not be allowed
to be given equal consideration."
Ten members of the BEA met
Sunday afternoon to air their
grievances. The Bryan City Coun-
cil will discuss the proposed
procedures for architect and con-
sulting engineers today at a 5
p.m. workshop meeting.
The BEA, which claims to be
made up of 28 engineering con-
sulting firtns in Brazos County,
says it will have members on
hand.
The draft response from the
BEA ' says the city staff in Bryan
has written an ordinance that:
■ Penalizes local firms;
■Provides no checks and bal-
ances for city staff evaluations;
■Allows the city staff to decide
randomly whether interviews
with prospective engineers are
necessary:
■ Is confusing, and;
■Gives no preference to local
firms.
Members of the BEA said they
have had problems ''getting city
contracts for some time.
"Six years ago I wrote off
Bryan," said Rick Robertson, a
Bryan civil engineer. "I tried again
about two years ' ago when 'buy
the Brazos Valley' started up. I
thought that might work."
. The BEA wants to add the sen-
tence, "Local Bryan /College Sta-
tion firms will be given preference
over out -of -town firms whenever
they are as qualified (as) or better
than an out -of -town firm," to the
ordinance proposed by city staf-
fers.
"We don't want favoritism, but
equality," Esmond said.
Engineers
From 1A
Members of the engineer's
group mentioned Houston, Dallas
and Austin as all having ordinan-
' ces requiring local consulting
firms be used when possible.
"The Chamber of Commerce es-
timates that money turns over
five to seven times in a commun-
ity," said William Berger, a Bryan
engineer. "What is the loss multi-
plier if that money is spent in Dal-
las and Houston? Not to mention
the tax base lost by engineering
firms that have left because they
couldn't get local work."
The BEA objects to a portion of
the proposed ordinance that
would allow only five firms — to be
chosen by the city staff' — to sub-
mit a Request for Qualifications.
The RFQ is supposed to be the
only standard the city can use in
determining which engineering
firm to hire. By state law, a bid
that includes a dollar figure is il-
legal.
"That's just another way for the
city staff' to exclude the local
firms," said Swikk1 Anderson, a
Bryan engineer.
When asked why the city would
want to exclude local firms. BEA
members said the city staff' was
trying to create a buffer between
Itself and the council.
"It's apparent to me the city
staff' is incapable of making an
evaluation (on engineers)," Es-
mond said. "They want the free-
dom of selecting a firm, but not be
held accountable.
Please see Engineers, 5A
"It's a lack accountability," said
Esmond. "They want to do it with-
out having to speak for their own
(city staffers) inapability."
Anderson said the group is not
a political action committee, but
wants to educate the public on
the situation.
"We are willing to educate those
people who are considering being
candidates," Anderson said.
"Maybe later on we'll get into that
(electing candidates.)
City Manager Ernie Clark,
whom several of the engineers
mentioned by name as part of
their complaints, was not availa-
ble for comment on Sunday.
Anderson claims local engi-
neers have the expertise to do just
about any consulting job in the
city.
There's 300 years of experience
In this room," said Anderson.
1p,(; h 6
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It's better to be a leader
than a `process manager'
By Gerald Graham
Knight - R idder News Service
Are today's managers more
concerned with process than
substance? Has the group re-
placed the individual in our or-
ganizations? Are we taking the
lead out of leadership?
Harvard University professor
Abraham Zaleznik, in his re-
cent book "The Managerial
Mystique," suggests "yes" as
the answer to these questions.
According to Zaleznik,
process managers concern
themselves too much with
"how." They want to influence
how decisions are made, how
managers communicate, how
to structure a department, how
to get consensus, how things
look. "If we go about this in the
right way," explained a process
manager, "we will likely get
good results."
Process managers coor-
dinate, control, manage, even
theorize. Because they tend to
be emotionally bland, process
managers come off as aloof, de-
tached, manipulative. In de-
scribing such a person, a fol-
lower said, "It is hard to get be-
hind our manager. We don't
know for sure what he stands
for. Nothing really seems to ex-
cite him."
Process managers often ig-
nore ideas, people, emotions
and direct talk. Rather, they
act on form in the hope that
substance will follow. Slogans,
formulas and appearances
take on too much importance.
By contrast, leaders are
more concerned with "what."
What decisions are made, what
is communicated, what ideas
are important, what goals to
pursue, and what to do to be
successful. "I don't care
whether it looks pretty," a
leader said. "Does it get re-
sults ?"
Active leaders gain commit-
ment by demonstrating compe-
tence. intellectual capacity, in-
tegrity. Followers recognize
these personal qualities, and
they respond with support,
hard work and loyalty.
Leaders face problems direc-
tly, assume responsibility for
their decisions and recognize
that individuals are the only
source of ideas and energy.
Process managers may try to
demand loyalty; leaders hardly
think about it.
PLOTTING STRATEGY
Indicate how you think your
subordinates would rate you
by circling the appropriate
statement in each pair.
My manager places more
emphasis on:
1. A. How decisions are
made.
...B. What decision is made.
2. A. How we communicate
with one another.
...B. What is communicated.
3. A. How we set goals.
...B. What the goals are.
4. A. Group consensus.
...B. Individual ideas.
5. A. Follower loyalty.
...B. Imaginative ideas.
6. A. Form.
...B. Substance.
7. A. Leading by authority.
...B. Leading by example.
8. A. Formal organizational
structure.
...B. Interpersonal re-
lationships.
Three or more "A" responses
suggests an inclination toward
process management.
Gerald Graham is a professor at Wi-
chita State University and a manage-
ment consultant. Send questions to
The Wichita Eagle, P.O. Box 820, Wi-
chita, Kan., 67201. He will answer rep-
resentative questions in the news-
paper but cannot respond to every
request.
� �:2_ (e, /,�/ 6)
•
Fred Brown Mazda BMW Receives Recognition
Fred Brown Mazda BMW was recently visited and observed by two
representatives of the Mazda corporation. Fred Brown Mazda was one of
12 locations selected throughout the United States due to their high
customer satisfaction rating. "The two representatives spent a lot of time
going over our service organization," said Randy Haynes, Service Man-
ager, "The thing that was unique to Fred Brown Mazda, that they did not
find at the other dealerships, was that we treat the Mazda customer and the
BMW customers exactly the same as far as service is concerned." Haynes
went on to explain that other dealerships that carry Mazda cars, along with
a second high -line model such as BMW, normally have dual service
departments. The service line is separated. This is not the case at Fred
Brown Mazda. "A customer, whether a Mazda customer or BMW cus-
tomer, receives the same level of treatment at Fred Brown," Haynes said.
This, he stated, is the probable reason for Fred Brown's extremely high
rating of customer satisfaction in comparison to the Mazda dealers
throughout the nation.
l I �1�
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Reserves mobilization may hit B -CS police, fire departments
By Jim Hiney
Eagle staff writer
Bryan Police and Fire Depart-
ment officials are scrambling to
determine how President Bush's
mobilization of military reserves
will affect their already short-
handed operations.
On the other side of town, a Col-
lege Station official said business
will continue as usual in that
city's Fire and Police Depart-
ments.
"We're in the process of trying
to determine how it (reserve mobi-
lization) would affect us," said
Bryan Police Sgt. Choya Walling.
"We've been operating shorthan-
ded all along, so if we lose anyone
It will hurt us."
Walling said he knows of at
lP.ast four officers in the reserves,
and a search is under way to find
out how many other officers
might be called out.
Once officials determine the
number of reservists in the de-
partment and which jobs could be
affected, they will be able to de-
velop a contingency plan, he said.
At least one and possibly three
Bryan firefighters are involved in
the military reserves and could be
called, said Mike Donoho, assis-
tant fire chief.
One man, a flight instructor, is
already on "alert" status, Donoho
said. Like Bryan Police, the Fire
Department can't spare many.
"If the government takes them
away, it could increase our over-
time," Donoho said.
Fire Department officials would
have to replace the men with off-
duty personnel to make sure each
shift is properly staffed, he said.
College Station Police and Fire
Department personnel shouldn't
be affected by Bush's call, said Ju-
lie Bailey, assistant personnel di-
rector for the city.
There aren't any reservists in
the Police Department, and only
two in the Fire Department, she
said.
"There would be no need for a
contingency plan because they
(fire department) can work
around two people," Bailey said.
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'cage pr:.. -.o c,, 'Dave McCermand
Texas A &M students Karl Radde and Brenda Bailey take their turns after waiting in
line with other Aggies at the TCA Cable office Wednesday afternoon.
Maroon wave hits B -
as students make return
By Kellye Norris College. Station, reclaiming apartments
Eagle staff writer and shops and other areas abandoned
during summer vacation. By Monday —
Just when you thought it was safe to the first day of the fall session — about
come out of your house, they're back. 41,000 are expected to invade.
For the past few days a maroon wave of And the takeover hasn't gone unno-
T- shirt -clad. box- toting Texas A &M stu-
dents has been sweeping into Bryan- Please see Students, 9A
Students
From 1A
ticed.
"I've lived here for 10 years, and
this is still amazing to me," said
College Station resident Bill Wal-
den as he watched three young
women lug lamps, rugs and books
from a small U -Haul trailor and a
compact car into a ground -floor
apartment.
"I was in the Army for five years,
and some of the maneuvers we
practiced didn't go this smooth,"
Walden said. "This is a well -
orchestrated bombardment."
No one and nothing, apparen-
tly, have been spared in this an-
nual assault.
Campus -area residents report
4
their daily drive -time to and from
jobs and errands has increased
several minutes since students
began moving back to town, and
many businesses note sales of
goods and services have risen
dramatically since mid - August.
"We started getting busy right
around the 11th or 12th, and
we've been busy ever since," said
TCA Cable Television general
manager Randy Rogers. "Since
Thursday or Friday of last week,
we've had pretty long lines at all
three of our locations."
Employees at Hasting's Books,
Music and Video in College Sta-
tion have noticed a rise in the
numer of video rental and casse-
tte and compact disc sales.
"It hasn't hit flood tide, but
we've been busier," said Hasting's
book department manager Clara
Conway.
Dinner -time demands at res-
braced themselves for the rush
with temporary or contract labor;
others have shifted permanent
employees to have more workers
available to ring up purchases or
take orders. A TCA supervisor es-
timated the wait to sign up for
cable service at about 15 minutes,
and Smith said the lunchtime
wait at the Deluxe and La Ta-
queria and Tortilla Factory, an-
other campus -area restaurant he
manages, is about 15 -20
minutes.
"This is something we're used
to, so it doesn't catch us off
guard," Albright said. "We do this
twice a year — once when they
come in and once when they
leave. We're prepared."
But while local merchants are
seeing green, at least one College
Station resident is seeing red. Or
maybe it's maroon. Either way,
she's steamed.
"I could find a good parking
taurants near campus have clim-
bed since the students began re-
turning, with some noticing as
much as a 50 percent increase in
customers during peak eating
hours.
"I have no idea exactly how
many more people we're seeing a
day now, but it's definitely enough
to notice," said Alan Smith, man-
ager of the Deluxe Burger Bar.
"We've picked up considerably at
dinner. They start in about 6
(p.m.) and go for about 2 /a to
three hours, steady."
Local utilities have also been hit
by the students' return. GTE pub-
lic affairs manager Bill Erwin,
who said his company has been
"extremely busy" in recent weeks,
said the number of phone -in and
in- person requests for telephone
service has more than doubled
during August.
In Bryan, requests to begin uti-
space at the mall, I could e'at
lunch anywhere and not have to
wait long, I didn't have to wait for
an appointment to get my hair
done," said a College Station
homemaker who refused to give
her name but admitted being
married to a University of Texas
graduate. "Now with all of thein
back, I'm going to spend a rot
more time just waiting."
Still, most Bryan- College Stz-
tion residents insisted the Aggies
are more of a blessing than -a
bother, and even the students
themselves are philispohiud
about the annual crunch they
cause.
"The way I look at it, this is goad
practice," said incoming A &M
freshman Mandy Burton as side
waited in a grocery store line. "I`m
' -ing to spend the rest of my lift;
j ing on something or someone,
I'd better start learning no�v
to be patient."
lity services have risen from a
norm of about 60 -80 per day to
between 180 -200, and last week
more than 2,800 work orders
were taken.
"We probably wouldn't average
that in a month," said College
Station utilities office manager
Bruce Albright.
Electricity demand has also
gone up with the Aggie popula-
tion.
"We usually experience our
peak usage toward the end of Au-
gust or the first of September,"
said Vicki Reim, division manager
for utility customer services in
Bryan. "A lot of that is due to the
number of students who have just
come back. But this is not a
critical increase. It's not more
than we can handle."
Merchants said the increased
demand hasn't necessarily meant
an increased wait for customers.
Many area businesses have
Brazos County runs lowest jobless rate string to 18
By Steve Hill
Eagle staff writer
Brazos County had the state's
lowest unemployment rate for the
18th consecutive month in July,
Texas Employment Commission
area director Walt Baker said
Tuesday.
The 3.8 percent unemployment
rate was more than a percentage
point lower than the 5.0 percent
rate for July 1989. In addition, a
higher total employment figure
than the same month last year
indicated a healthier local econ-
omy, Baker said.
Total employment was 57,500
in July 1989, and rose to 58,500
in July 1990. The total civilian
labor force also rose slightly in
that period, from 60,500 to
60,800.
"I just don't think there's any
doubt that our community is
healthier than a year ago," Baker
said.
He also said the state outlook is
much better. Although many
workers have left the state, ap-
parently frustrated by a more dif-
ficult economic situation than
they anticipated, employment is
higher and the unemployment
rate lower.
The state's total civilian labor
force was 8.58 million in July
1989, but fell to 8.53 million in
July 1990. Total employment rose
in that same period, however,
from 7.97 million to 7.99 million.
Baker said the local employ-
ment outlook is good as Texas
A &M University begins to gear up
for the fall semester.
Among the listings are the
standard openings in sales and
service jobs, secretaries, book-
keepers, auto mechanics, diesel
mechanics and health -care
workers.
The commission also had list-
ings for two welders, two forklift
operators, and two iron workers.
Perhaps the most unusual news
was the opening of 15 new posi-
tions in oilfield work, primarily for
workover and drilling jobs in Bur-
leson County and the Somerville
area.
Washington County again had
the lowest rate in the eight -
county Brazos Valley region ad-
ministered by Baker's office. The
county's 3.6 percent rate was just
ahead of Brazos County's 3.8 per-
cent.
Grimes and Madison counties
each had a 4.3 percent rate.
Austin had the state's second -
lowest unemployment rate at 4.9
percent, followed by Dallas and
Sherman- Denison at 5.3 percent
each.
Eagle graphic by Robert C. Borden
g1l0qo
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Ir
I A-d
The City
proudly
"Employ
llege Station
our star
the Year"
Top row left to right: Shirley Volk, Development Services; Ronnie Horcica, Police; Robert Hole,
Parks & Recreation; Jan Schwartz, Legal; Marcus Hunter,Streets; and Raymond Lopez, Fleet
Services. Front row left: Raymond Regmund, Public Utilities and Shirley Sicinski, Fire.
III 2I0°
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Mud Lot mired in difficulties
By Phillip Sulak
Eagle staff writer
The College Station City
Council will decide Aug. 23
whether to close the Mud Lot
parking area at Church and Na-
gle Streets.
The six -acre lot takes 600
cars off city streets, but it is
clearly in violation of a city or-
dinance that requires all park-
ing lots within the city to be
paved. The Mud Lot has a gravel
surface.
Skipper Harris runs the lot,
and he refuses to pay the
$250,000 to $300,000 it would
cost to pave it, because he does
not own the lot, and the owners
won't extend his lease beyond
the monthly contract he has.
"There's no way I can invest
that kind of money," Harris
said. "No one in their right mind
could."
Harris says he would spend
the money for improvments if he
could get a five -year lease. But
he doesn't think that will hap-
pen, and he understands why.
"The owners are eager to sell
the land, but they want the
right price," Harris said. "They
don't want to tie up the land in a
parking lot lease. It's too valua-
ble. I don't condemn them at
all."
The way Harris' lease reads,
he can be forced to move if the
owners give 30 days' notice.
The lot is owned by George
Boyett, Gladys Bourgeois and
W.C. Boyett, none of whom were
available for comment Friday.
The College Station Planning
and Zoning Commission has
already reviewed the situation
and is recommending that the
city council allow the lot to re-
main open, even if it is substan-
dard.
"It's the lesser of two evils,"
said Nancy Sawtelie, chairwo-
man of the commission. "The
tagie pnoto uy o -
The Mud Lot may have to be closed because its manager finds it too
expensive to pave, which a College Station ordinance requires.
commissioners want to be con-
sistent (in applyipg the ordin-
ance,) but they want to make
sure we don't make a worse
problem."
The problem would be return-
ing the Mud Lot to its previous
state. The lot used to be the site
of the Circle Drive -In Theater.
After the theater closed, main-
tenance was not kept up. As
Texas A &M University grew,
and parking became scarce,
people began to park in the lot
wherever they could. By the
early '80s, the lot had become
rutted, and during rainy periods
the lot became a quagmire.
The Mud Lot was born.
When the city threatened to
fence off the lot in 1985, the
owners came to Harris and ask-
ed him if he wanted to run It.
Harris did not say what he pays
to lease the land, but said it
covers the owners' property
taxes.
Jane Kee, College Station sen-
ior planner, said the council
must decide if the city can
handle 600 cars forced back
onto city streets.
"I won't try to second -guess
the council," Kee said. "It's a
'Catch -22' situation. Mr. Harris
can't get control of the lot and
make improvements. But the
city obviously doesn't want
those cars back on the street.
"Mr. Harris has been real will-
ing to work with us," Kee said.
"He's added wheel stops, gravel
and landscaping to the prop-
erty. It's _Just not economically
feasible for him to pave."
The council has two choices.
It can make Harris pave his lot
to meet city standards, which
will force Harris to close th° lot.
Or it can live with the lot and
have the satisfaction of knowing
the parking problem in North -
gate is not quite as bad as it
could be.
q0 (q
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On getting around
I read two letters in the paper today
with which I agree. Kelly Kissock has a
valid point about the sidewalks and
Kathryn Lindsay makes a point about the
trolley system.
I have lived in College Station for four
years and the first year I was here I wrote
a letter about the need for sidewalks
and /or bike paths. I am disabled and at
that time had to use an electric
get around and the lack sidewalks lim-
ited where I could go. I agree with the let-
ter from Kelly Kissock about the need for
providing these.
I have much improved to the point that
I don't have to use my scooter as much
and I was looking forward to getting to
ride the trolley when it was started. In the
last few months, I have improved so that I
could ride the trolley, only to be told that
it does not come down Southwest Park-
way, so I can't catch it in front of the
Oakwood Apartments, where I live. If I
want to ride I have to walk to the intersec-
tion of Holleman and Welsh. In order to
go that far, I would have to use the
scooter which can't be used on the trol-
ley.
I have been doing volunteer work in the
Bryan High School library for about a
year and a half. If the trolley was going
down my street, I could ride it this fall
and could continue to give the six hours
that I have been giving each week.
GERRY WHITLOCK
College Station
1 /
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TRAFFIC UPDATE
The following is a list of current
road improvement projects with
information on how they will af-
fect motorists.
Major Roadways
■ Construction crews are work-
ing on the main lanes of Texas 6
from the north end of Texas
Avenue to Benchley Road. Offi-
cials urge motorists to use ex-
treme caution at the intersection
of Texas 6 and OSR.
■Detours remain in place on
Texas 30 from Harvey Road to
Bird Pond Road.
■Construction crews are work-
ing on the entrance and exit
ramps on Texas 6 from Texas
Avenue south to FM 974. Officials
urge motorists to use extreme
caution in the area.
Brazos County Roads
■Crews will be clearing the
right -of -way on Shirley Road.
■Crews will be doing recon-
struction on Steep Hollow Road
from FM 1179 east for two miles.
■Crews will replace roadway
culverts on Weeden Loop Road.
The road will be closed Thursday
Aug. 9, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
■Crews will be seal coating
Benchley Oaks Road from OSR to
Mumford Road. Officials urge
motorists not to exceed 5 mph in
the area and to heed directions gi-
ven by flagmen.
■Crews will be doing recon-
struction work on Old Reliance
Road from the Bryan city limits to
Wallis Road.
Bryan
■ Crews are widening East 29th
Street between Carter Creek
Parkway and Rosemary Drive.
The job will take about two weeks.
Warning signs will be in place,
and officials urge motorists to use
extreme caution in the area.
■The streets in the Allen Forest
subdivision are under repair and
should done this week.
College Station
■Crews will be doing major re-
construction work on Dominik
Street and Francis Drive for the
next several months. Detours will
be in place along the two streets
and officials urge motorists to
travel with care and observe all
signs.
� � - 7 JC (11
Council to hear proposal for park corridor
By Phillip Sulak
Eagle staff writer
The College Station City Council will
hear a presentation on a master plan for
a Lincoln Center -Wayne Smith Park Cor-
ridor for the Southgate area of the city at
its 4 p.m. Wednesday meeting.
The preliminary plan calls for the addi-
tion of a Little League complex, tennis
courts, softball fields, a pavilion, two
gazebos and two social service buildings.
Eric Ploeger, assistant director of the
city's parks and recreation department,
said the council is only being asked to
approve the preliminary plan, not to sup-
ply funds.
"As community development funds be-
come available, they will be applied to the
plan, if the council accepts them,"
Ploeger said.
Ploeger stressed the city is not plan-
ning to ask for funds for this project on
the December bond election, and that the
city has no timetable to begin work on the
project.
The council will try to finalize the Capi-
tal Improvements Program on Wednes-
day. The council has reached a consen-
sus on a $16.1 million package to put be-
fore voters on Dec. 8. The bonds, if ap-
proved, will go toward roads, parks, a Col-
lege Station library, LoTrak, Wolf Pen
Creek and two municipal buildings.
At Thursday's 7 p.m. meeting the
council will consider an agreement with
the State of Texas ratifying the purchase
of right of way for the extension of FM
2818 to the East Bypass.
The city has paid $587,000 for the land.
One landowner, Anton Slafka, is resisting
the city's efforts to buy his parcel of land,
and the city has started condemnation
proceedings. The Brazos County Com-
missioners have ruled that Slafka should
receive $71,000 for the land, and the city
has deposited that amount with the court
registry pending an appeal.
The city is paying for the right of way
out of money from the sale of bonds ap-
proved by voters in 1984.
The council will also consider a resolu-
tion authorizing the mayor to sign an
agreement with Myrad Real Estate for the
extensions of Welsh Street and Rock
Prairie Road.
Elrey Ash, College Station director of
development, said the agreement would
have Myrad build the extension of Welsh,
starting at Rock Prairie and ending a few
hundred feet from where Welsh now
ends, at Deacon Drive in Southwood Val-
ley. Ash said the city is working with W. D.
Fitch, who owns the land where the re-
maining portion of Welsh would go, to get
the street completed.
Rock Prairie will be extended west, but
will not connect with Wellborn Road.
Myrad will spend an estimated
$284,000 on the two road projects. The
city owes Myrad about $100,000 for over-
size participation (the city pays the de-
veloper for building a road wider than re-
quired), and will hold the sum as col-
lateral in case the developer is unable to
complete the project.
The council meets in College Sta-
tion City Hall, 1101 Texas Ave.
4151°
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•
Controlling j*ealousy
and envy on the job
By Gary Dessler
Knight- Ridder News Service
Do your co- workers throw ver-
bal darts at you every time you get
a raise? Did the guy down the hall
stop talking to you after you got
your promotion?
Jealousy is a problem in the
workplace, says Frederick C.
Miner Jr., who presented a study
he recently conducted on the is-
sue in Personnel Journal. Jea-
lousy is similar to envy, but more
serious and tougher to manage,
Miner says.
Envious people are concerned
with a fair distribution of rewards
or benefits. They just want what
the other person received. They
feel slighted because they didn't
get it themselves and may be
moderately angry. To manage the
envious. give the person the same
benefit or explain how the distri-
bution was made.
Jealousy is much more intense.
The jealous person feels slighted
and loses self - esteem. He be-
comes very angry.
In his study, the researcher
found that most jealous people —
72 percent — try to convince the
person who created the situation
that the actions should be
stopped or that they were unfair.
But perhaps more worrisome for
businesses is the 45 percent
(some jealous people took more
than one approach) who tried to
undermine the person they re-
garded jealously or the person
who created the situation. They
spread rumors or harm the people
in other ways.
How can companies resolve a
Jealousy problem? You first have
to remember that the jealous per-
son has experienced a strong per-
sonal loss. Trying to pacify the
person on a superficial basis will
ignore the deep emotions in-
volved.
Some other points to keep in
mind include:
■ The person trying to resolve
the situation should be viewed as
neutral by all parties.
■The underlying issues aren't
the most apparent ones.
■Jealousy revolves around in-
terpersonal relationships and in-
dividual feelings, so solutions
can't be dictated.
■Don't assume that the
process ends when the resolution
em( ges — follow -up is essential.
You can write to Gary Dessler in care of
Business Monday, The Miami Herald, 1
Herald Plaza, Miami, Fla., 33132.
4131 q0
Zoning board issues permit for new bowling alley
By Phillip Sulak
Eagle staff writer
It's time to grab a ball and put on those
funny - looking shoes. College Station has
a new 40 -lane bowling alley on the way.
And the owners plan to have the whole
thing — which they said wasn't even con-
ceived three weeks ago — rolling in time
for the beginning of league play in Sep-
tember.
,
The Wolf Pen Family Recreation Center
is going into the old Lowe's hardware lo-
cation, between Southwest Parkway and
Holleman Drive, on the East Bypass. The
owners are Ernie and Martha Camp, who
own both University Bookstores and Ag-
gie Unlimited in Post Oak Mall.
The Camps received a conditional -use
permit for the bowling alley, which is in
the Wolf Pen Creek District, from the Col-
lege Station Zoning Board on Thursday
night. The Camps do not need the appro-
val of the College Station City Council,
and will start to work with two crews im-
mediately.
Mike Winkler, a local real estate agent
representing the Camps, said the bowling
alley is well suited for what the city pro-
poses to do with the Wolf Pen Creek cor-
ridor.
"This will be perfect for the passive or
active forms of recreation the council
envisions for the Wolf Pen Creek area,"
Winkler said.
Winkler said a state bowling tourna-
ment is planned for next year in the
Bryan - College Station area, and that if
the area didn't have a 40 -lane facility, the
tournament would go somewhere else.
The Camps would not say exactly how
much the project would cost.
"A bunch," Mrs. Camp replied. "We'll
know when the bills start rolling in."
%..s snow
local market is on upswing
A new compilation of real -
estate information from the
Bryan - College Station Board of
Realtors Multiple Listing Ser-
vice gives further indication that
the local realty
market may
have bottomed
out.
"We've all been
standing around
saying, 'When
are the good old
days going to be
back again?' and Steve
I think this re
port shows we're Hill
back to normal," pmuff-MOM
said Art King,
president of the MLS.
The service is a subsidiary cor-
poration to the Board of Realtors,
whose 199 members and 47 affi-
liates have access to MLS only
through the board.
For King, "normal" refers to
real- estate values before 1983,
when Brazos County's economic
boom reached its peak.
"I think these current prices are
real market prices," King said.
The MLS information indicates
an 11 percent rise in residential
sales for the first six months of
1990 over the same period in
1989, as well as a drop of 0.5 per-
cent in the median home price.
The information was compiled
from MLS computer listings by
Texas A &M University's Real Es-
tate Center.
The 1990 median home price
through June was $62,000, com-
pared to $62,300 during the same
period in 1989. In the first six
months of this year, 323 homes
were sold, compared to 291 last
year.
The listing is particularly useful
because it breaks down sales into
different zones throughout the
two cities. It shows that only three
of Bryan's 17 zones and three of
College Station's 11 zones had de-
creased sales.
In Bryan, those areas were in
the Copperfield subdivision (from
18 sales in 1989 to nine this year);
the area of Northwest Bryan
bounded by Texas Avenue, Texas
21, FM 2818 and Groesbeck
Street (from 10 sales in 1989 to
five this year); and the Briarcrest
Ridge -Pecan Ridge area (from two
sales last year to one this year).
iii
I i, Sales in College Station's
Southwood Valley area fell from
50 to 49. Sales in two zones
bounded by George Bush Drive on
the north, Texas Avenue on the
East, Southwest Parkway on the
South and Wellborn Road on the
west also fell — from 21 to 16 in
the eastern portion of that area
and from two to one in the
western portion, which begins at
Welsh Avenue.
Substantial sales increases in
Bryan were seen in the Oakwood -
Highland Park area (from four to
11), The Oaks (from nine to 16),
Rockwood Park (from seven to 12),
and the historic district near
downtown (from six to 18).
College Station's Emerald
Forest - Raintree - Windwood area,
which had sales of 14 homes in
the first half of 1989, has had 28
home sales this year.
Median-price changes varied
drastically from zone to zone.
They fell in eight of Bryan's 17
zones, but in only three of College
Station's 11 zones.
Those three in College Station
were among the top four zones in
that city in total sales — the Post
Oak Forest - College Hills area, the
Emerald Forest area and the zone
just south of A &M.
In Southwood Valley, the area
of heaviest sales, the median price
rose from $77,200 in 1989 to
$83,100 in 1990. In the Wood -
creek area, it rose from $160,000
to $176,000.
In Bryan's Oakwood area, the
median price fell from $46,500 to
$37,500. In the Briarcrest-
Memorial Forest Area, it fell from
$102,500 to $79,250.
Business notes
■The Small Business De-
velopment Center - Contract
Procurement Officeof the Bryan -
College Station Chamber of
Commerce will host a workshop
on personnel management on
Thursday at the College Station
Community Center. The three -
hour workshop, designed to assist
the business owner /manager,
will focus on leadership styles and
behavior, interviewing and hiring
techniques, employee motivation,
writing job descriptions and
communication skills. The 8:30
a.m. seminar costs $20 per parti-
cipant.
■Ed Wagoner, general man-
ager for the Texas Municipal
Power Agency, has received the
Distinguished Service Award from
the Texas Public Power Associa-
tion for outstanding leadership
and dedication to public power.
TMPA also received the System
Achievement Award for improved
service to customers and enhanc-
ing the prestige of public power,
TPPA officials announced.
■ Ernie Wright of Ernie Wright
Insurance attended the life -
insurance sales association Mil-
lion Dollar Roundtable's annual
meeting in San Francisco in June.
■The State Property Tax
Board has awarded certificates of
recognition to 26 county appra-
isal districts for outstanding ap-
praisal service during the 1989
tax year, including Brazos and M1-
lam counties.
Steve Hill is the Eagle's business editor.
C]
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`Billy Mac's' bar to open
at Easterwood terminal
By Jade Boyd
Eagle staff writer
Texas A &M University has ap-
plied to the Texas Alcoholic
Beverage Commission for permits
to open a bar called "Billy Mac's'
at the William A. McKenzie Ter-
minal at Easterwood Airport.
The bar will open on Aug. 16
and offer beer, wine and mixed
drinks. Patrons will have a view of
the airport runway, and the menu
will include breakfast, sandwi-
ches. steaks, salads and burgers.
Souvenirs will also be available.
Operating hours will be from 6
a.m. to 11:30 p.m. daily.
Robert Smith. A &M's vice
president for finance and admin-
istration, twice refused to com-
ment on the issue Monday and
didn't return several calls to his
office Tuesday.
In a statement released Tues-
day by the university. Smith said
the bar would "benefit all of
Bryan- College Station by signifi-
cantly upgrading airport ser-
vices."
The statement does not tell how
much money the university will
spend to enter the bar business.
The terminal was named for the
Texas A &M University System
Board of Regents Chairman Wil-
liam A. McKenzie, whose nick-
name is "Billy Mac."
Commercial boardings at the
airport have increased 20 percent
since the terminal opened in Feb-
ruary, according to A &M's state-
ment. The statement does not say
whether A &M conducted a mar-
ket study to determine if the bar
will be profitable.
The terminal is located on A &M
property, and if the TABC accepts
the permits. Billy Mac's will be-
come the first public bar on the
A &M campus.
A bar was opened in the faculty
Please see Bar, 11A
From 1 A
club, a members -only estab-
lishment on the 11th floor of
Rudder Tower, in February 1988.
Alcohol is also served in VIP boxes
at Kyle Field and in the regents
chambers in the west wing of the
Memorial Student Center.
Elmer Schneider, associate di-
rector of the University Police De-
partment, said he doesn't antici-
pate any problems if the bar
opens at the airport, because both
bartenders and patrons are more
aware of intoxication and drunk
driving laws than in the past.
Though it is technically illegal
for students to have alcohol in
public, they are allowed to have it
in their dormitory rooms if they
are 21 years old.
Schneider said, "If you're going
to allow them to do it, then they've
got to have a way to get it in
there."
Schneider said A &M officials
consider it acceptable for legal -
age students to take alcohol to
their rooms as long as it is con-
cealed and the container
unopened.
Drinking in public at A &M is a
class C misdemeanor, Schneider
said.
r�
7 /3il0o
•
4
Clarence `Smokey' Green
Funeral services for Clarence E. "Smokey"
Green, 42, of Bryan will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at
Hillier Funeral Chapel in Bryan. The Rev. Pete
Swink of New Life in Christ
Church will officiate.
Burial will be at Rest -Ever Me-
morial Garden Park.
Visiting hours are from 2 -10
p.m. today at Hillier Funeral
Home.
Green died Sunday at 1:05 p.m.
in Bryan.
He was born in San Angelo and GREEN
had lived in Bryan since the late
1960s. He was an electrical foreman for the city of
College Station.
Green served in the United States Marine Corp,
where he achieved the rank of sergeant.
He was a member of New Life in Christ Church.
Survivors include his wife, Sharon Green of
Bryan; two daughters, Kimberly Rachelle Green and
Brittany Nichole Green, both of Bryan; one brother,
Milborn Green of Bryan; one sister, Denise Green of
Houston; his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Green of
Bryan; his paternal grandmother, Allie Mae Schef-
Ilett of Bryan: and his maternal grandmother, Veda
Irene Cates of Bryan.
r7lA
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0
Trolleys need support
from the communities
Eagle Editorial Board
A week ago, several Eagle reporters
rode various routes of the new trolley
mass transit system. As reported in
the next day's paper, ridership was
low.
But for most of the people ques-
tioned, the trolleys were their only
way to get around town, to and from
work and to the shopping centers.
Without the buses, they might not be
able to work.
When people can get to work and
earn a paycheck, they are able to
contribute to society rather than live
off it. With the money they earn, peo-
ple can make the purchases they
need in our stores and businesses,
thus increasing the sales tax base of
the communities. Because for many
of the bus riders there is no other
transportation, it is obvious they will
spend most of that money locally.
The trolleys probably never will be
money- makers. Few mass transit
systems are. Many municipal ser-
vices don't make money. An awful lot
of municipal swimming pools and
golf courses are subsidized. Are they
worth the cost? Should they be shut
down?
The question we need to ask is not
how much the trolley system costs.
Instead, we should ask if the cost is
worth it. If it enhances the quality of
life for the residents of the commun-
ity, isn't that enough?
The trolleys may not be for every-
one and probably never will be full on
a regular basis. But they are an ex-
periment in meeting the needs of
some of our citizens and should be
given a chance to succeed.
Besides, they are a pleasant way to
relax and see the community. Why
not give them a try? You might see
Bryan - College Station from a new .
perspective. 4V
rl'a g
Civilian base workers to undergo drug tests
g
The Associated Press
SAN ANTONIO — Drug testing
could start next month for nearly
1,500 civilian workers at Kelly Air
Force Base who belong to a fed-
eral workers union, officials said.
The Air Force Logistics Com-
mand and the American Fed-
eration of Government Employees
signed an agreement allowing civi-
lian drug testing under certain
conditions for 70,000 union em-
ployees nationwide.
Some Kelly AFB workers could
be tested beginning Aug. 24
under the agreement, base offi-
cials said Thursday.
Antonio Salas, drug testing
program coordinator at Kelly, said
30 -day notices were distributed
Wednesday to about 1,450 "bar-
gaining- unit" employees at Kelly.
Kelly spokeswoman Phebe
Brown said those employees be-
come eligible for random drug
testing in 30 days; employees who
did not receive 30 -day notices are
not eligible.
Union officials said they were
satisfied with the agreement.
"It's the best we could get under
the circumstances," said Paul Pa-
lacio, president of AFGE Council
214.
Air Force guidelines call for test-
ing of employees applying for sen-
sitive positions; when reasonable
suspicion exists; after an accident
or mishap; if an employee vol-
unteers; randomly, for designated
Job categories; and for follow -up
testing.
Workers subject to random
urinalysis include those in safety -
critical Jobs such as medicine, se-
curity, and aircraft maintenance
and operations, according to the
Air Logistic Command headquar-
ters at Wright - Patterson Air Force
Base.
President Reagan issued an
executive order in 1986 providing
for the civilian drug - testing pro-
gram.
In January the Air Force began
testing eligible management and
professional employees, but the
program was halted in June after
a federal Judge in California is-
sued a temporary restraining or-
der in response to a lawsuit filed
by the union.
The Judge later lifted the order
but limited some provisions of
testing.
What i*n blue blazes ?
It's the annual return
of firefighters for A &M's
training school week
By Jade Boyd
Eagle staff writer
Longtime College Station residents
probably know it's fire school week at
Texas A &M University; Suburbans,
Ilazers and sedans from fire depart -
tents across the state are on the
— streets, and black smoke plumes rise
almost continually west of town.
What they might not realize is that
this is peripheral evidence of one of the
largest fire - training schools in the
world.
More than 2,300 firefighters — the
largest one -week total ever at the Texas
Engineering Extension Service's school
— are at A &M for the 61 st Annual Mun-
icipal Texas Firemen's Training School.
"We're bursting at the seams during
the municipal school," said Charles
Page, head of TEEX's Fire Protection
Training Division. Page said there
aren't enough campus classrooms in
Rudder Tower or the Memorial Student
Center, so some classes are being
taught at local hotels.
Twenty -seven courses are being
taught at this week's school, Page said.
Each has a 30 -hour curriculum that
includes classroom and hands -on
training.
There's almost too much going on at
the Brayton Firemen Training Field to,
see in a day.
Page said about 70 fire and rescue;.
projects are being simulated on thei'
62 -acre field. Every scenario from farm`
accidents to refinery fires is recreated
with as much realism as possible.
The trainees on the field represent 39
states and eight countries. They range
from novice volunteers to experienced
professionals.
Jan Stalder, who joined the Parker
Volunteer Fire Department near Plano
Please see Fires, 3A
Eagle photo by Peter Rocha
Firefighters at the 61 st annual Municipal Texas Firemen's Training School use the "heater treater" to learn to battle blazes.
In addition to the flames, firefighters also had to contend with a shallow pit of burning liquid.
•
C
Fire
From 1 A
in January, fought a "pump seal
fire" this week during her first fire
school.
The fire simulates conditions of
a blazing ofl -field fire. The fire-
fighters, working in teams with
several water hoses, move close
enough to the fire for someone to
reach in and close the valve that's
fueling the fire.
"It was so hot I felt like my mas-
cara was melting," Stalder said. "I
loved it. I want to do it again."
Stalder is one of five women on
the Parker VFD. The department's
training officer, Maggie Craddock,
attended her first A &M fire school
last year.
"I thought it was going to be too
hard, and I thought it was going to
be too difficult for women, but I
found out a lot of women come to
AM" Craddock said.
She said more women are vol-
unteer firefighters than people
might imagine.
"It beats ironing," Craddock
said.
Craddock and Stalder said male
firefighters have stronger upper
bodies, but since teamwork is the
key to putting out fires, the differ-
ence is negligible.
Parker VFD Chief Larry
McMenamy said the training pays
off when his people learn safer,
easier and faster ways to put out
fires.
Stalder's husband, Kelley, said
trainees learn to like the state -
of- the -art equipment available on
the fleld.
"When we go back, we've got to
convince him to buy us foam
equipment," he said, pointing to
McMenamy.
"It increases our wish list every
time we come," the chief said.
Page said the school wouldn't
be possible without equipment
donations and consignments
from industry. Instructors who
donate their time — and some-
times their vacations — are an-
other reason the school is affor-
dable to smaller VFDs like Par-
ker's, Page said.
The $340 fee per student can
also pay off for the residents of
urban departments, even if their
professional firefighters have
gone through classes at the fire
school before.
Kenny Butler, chief arson in-
vestigator in Harris County's 24th
District, said he's been to classes
at A &M 12 or 13 times.
Butler is taking a fire preven-
tion class, and he said that
though he's had it before, the re-
sidents in his district will get
lower insurance rates if he re-
takes it.
"You pick up tidbits here and
there," Butler said. "There's al-
ways something I'll forget."
tai
I .e4,� a5 191D
Sweeping away pollution
4
The The street sweeper came the e o er ,
the noise was deafening. The exhaust's
black smoke was polluting
I would rather have a few dead leaves. a
e
s tone or two, and an odd P paper
that I will sweep up.
JAN HARRIS
college Station
&Y
4) Area jobless rate best in state
l
By Steve Hill
Eagle staff writer
A surprisingly low number of
unemployed people in June gave
Bryan - College Station the state's
lowest unemployment rate for the
17th consecutive month.
The 3.9 percent rate was a full
percentage point below the state's
second - lowest rate, which was 4.9
percent in Austin. The June rate
for the Bryan - College Station Me-
tropolitan Statistical Area, or
Brazos County, was also almost a
full percentage point below the
June 1989 rate of 4.7 percent.
"That's a heck of a note for
June," said Walt Baker, area di-
rector for the Texas Employment
Commission. "I'm just real
pleased with these statistics."
Both the total civilian labor
force and the total number of
people employed in Brazos
County dropped during June be-
cause of a decrease in government
employment, primarily in schools
and at Texas A &M. Those num-
bers were 59,700 and 57,400, re-
Jobs
From 1A
spectively — down from 61,500
and 59,200 in May.
There were 2,300 unemployed
in the county in both May and
June. The May unemployment
rate was 3.7 percent.
A good indicator of an improv-
ing local economy, Baker said,
was that the commission filled
534 vacancies in June, compared
to 405 in June 1989. Both the
number of vacancies and vacan-
cies filled have increased locally
and statewide, he said.
"It's a nice thing to see ... The
Texas economy has slowly turned
the corner," Baker said. "That
very, very gradual change is really
healthy. It's the right way to go."
He also said, "I think things for
the job seeker are opening up a
bit."
There is a continuing need in
the area for mechanics, health -
services personnel, office workers,
maintenance workers and
groundskeepers, he said.
Many youth were able to find
employment in Brazos County
this summer through the Job
_�ounty was third at 4.0 percent
and Madison County had a 4.1
aercent rate.
Milam County, at 6.2 percent,
had the area's highest rate.
Statewide, the 6.3 percent job-
less rate for June increased from
the 6.2 percent reported in May.
3owever, it was down from the 7.0
6
5
4
3
J J A S O N D J F M A M J
Eagle graphic by Robert C. Borden
Training Partnership Act, which
helps students facing "economic
barriers" find summer employ-
ment. The program is a joint pro-
gram of the commission, the Bra-
zos Valley Private Industry Coun-
cil and school districts, he said.
Washington County again had
the area's lowest unemployment
rate at 3.3 percent. Grimes
Please see Jobs, 3A
percent reported in June 1989.
The state also reached an em-
ployment milestone last month
with more than 8 million people
on the job, the commission's Aus-
tin office reported.
Lubbock had the third- lowest
rate for June at 5.4 percent. The
state's highest rate was 15.7 per-
cent in McAllen- Pharr- Edinburg
— down from 17.0 percent in May.
Brownsville - Harlingen -San
Benito reported an 11.6 percent
rate, which was 26th among the
state's 27 metropolitan statistical
areas.
0
•
El
YI-4i 6\3 1110
Bravo, BVCASA training extensive
We recently completed an
training program at the Brazos Valley
substance Abuse
Council on Alcohol and Talk Hotline vol-
to qualify as Straigh
unteers. The intensive 400 hou
ug
mg acquainted us with f AIDS,
addiction, dysfunctional
suicide prevention, crisis intervenunity
troubled teen- agers, and the comet
resources available freferr s of ocal
The unselfish partic us their time to
professionals in giving workshops
present these educaVC�A has a won
was most gratifying a B tionship with area
derful working
professionals. The benefits we and the
from contact with th e will b retur-
people at BVCASA we hop our vol-
ned to the community through
unteer acti vities press our appreciation to
We wan orting
the city of College Station foWitho t the
the activities of V AS liege Station,
funding
pr o vided w ould probably be unable to
BVCASA s for vol-
continue training Prog
unteers and counselors - in ainmg
r7l , � 10 0
Bryan is ahead in
4 building p ermits ;
gp
CS lags from '89
Reports from the cities of Bryan and
College Station indicate Bryan still
remains slightly ahead of the 1989
pace for building permits, while Col-
lege Station is almost $4 million off
last year's pace.
Lower numbers of
new residential build-
ing permits and a
lack of public build- Ar,
ing projects are the
two keys to College
Station's lower figure.
A total of 197 per-
mits for $12.2 million
worth of projects had Steve
been issued through H
June 30, compared to
244 permits for $16.1
million in the first six months of 1989.
Eighty-two new residential permits
worth $9.2 million were issued for the
first half of 1990, compared to 87 per -
rr_its for $10.5 million in 1989. Two
public building permits for $3.5 mil-
lion were issued by June 30 of last
year, and none have been issued so far
this year.
Commercial remodel permits were
also down — from $1.5 million for the
first six months of 1989 to $504,908
this year — but five new commercial -
building permits for $1.2 million have
been issued this year, compared to
three for $143,124 in the same period
of 1989.
Increases in commercial and resi-
dential remodel permits and new
commercial permits mean Bryan has
issued $10.4 million worth of building
permits through June 30, compared to
$8.9 million in the same period in
1989.
There were 61 commercial remodel
permits for $4.4 million, up from 64 for
$3.1 million. The city issued 160 resi-
dential remodel permits for $1.6 mil-
lion, compared to 124 for $683,504 in
1989. Eight new commercial permits
for $1.2 million were issued, compared
to four for $740,600 last year.
Residential permits were issued at a
slower pace in Bryan. Through the
first six months of 1989, 50 permits for
$3.6 million had been issued, while
there have been 36 for $2.7 million so
far this year.
In College Station, both May and
June building permit totals were close
to last year's. In May, the city issued
27 permits for $2.5 million — includ-
ing two new commercial building per -
tmits for $609,730 — compared to 50
for $2.7 million in 1989.
In June, the city issued 40 permits
for $1.94 million, compared to 42 for
$1.97 million last year.
Bryan issued 239 permits for $1.8
million in May, compared to 259 for
$1.6 million in May 1989. June totals
were 322 permits for $2.7 million,
compared to 281 for $1.4 million last
year.
Commercial and residential remodel
permits made up the bulk of that in-
crease.
The total permit numbers for Bryan
are much higher because the city in-
cludes garage sale permits in its build- j
ing report, while College Station does
not.
OL
0orporation to help poor bui fd housing
By Steve Hill
Eagle staff writer
Housing problems are a sign
of deeper ones that the work of a
well- managed local community
development corporation can at
least partially curtail, special-
ists in the housing field say.
"It's sort of risky to focus on
housing problems without ad-
d. essing those problems that
caused them to exist," Charles
Graham, building construction
professor and associate director
of Texas A &M University's
Center for Urban Affairs, said.
"They (houses) didn't become di-
lapidated because people wan-
ted them to. They got that way
because there was no income."
That's why community de-
velopment corporations, or
Cr' are as much a question
o )mic development as ba-
stt - ..nan need, Graham said
recently.
A proposed Bryan- College
Station CDC would be a special
type of CDC — one for which
banks would commit loan funds
and administrative space and
support to a low - income hous-
ing program.
Symptoms of housing prob-
lems include high crime rates,
truancy and poor performance
in schools, which are all bad for
the economy, Graham said.
Recognition of the importance
of housing is only now growing
in Texas, he added.
"It's just in the past six
months that some major urban
areas are coming to grips with
urban housing problems," he
said. "It's good that we're on the
way from a minimal level of
consciousness to greater
awareness."
CDCs, which can focus not
only on housing but on other
economic issues, have become
c r on development bodies in
c arts of the country, par -
ti%%..-.iy on the cast coast, he
said.
Eagle photo by Dave McDermanc
Although Habitat for Humanity is helping build housing for the community, a bank community de
velopment corporation can help low- income residents as well. (From left) James Carter, Ernest Sims ant
Jim Collins Saturday donate their skills to build the Habitat house at 1402 Palasota.
Bank CDCs allow participat-
ing institutions to make equity
investments in real estate and
businesses that are not other-
wise permitted by bank regula-
tory agencies, according to an
article in the trade journal In-
dependent Banker in February
1989.
That means banks can be
more flexible with their in-
vestments, and Libby thinks
banks won't be taking risks that
way.
"The default rate on loans is
practically non - existent. If
banks look at the overall track
record of CDC lending, they
would see that it is really the
embodiment of sound banking
practice," she said.
Bryan- College Station ban-
kers have reacted positively to
initial suggestions for a local
housing bank CDC, said Kandy
Rose, a member of the Bryan
City Council.
Rose said proponents of the
plan are approaching the com-
munity's two largest banks —
First City, Texas and First
American — to see whether the
plan might be workable.
"We are going back to them
and see if they are willing to take
the lead ... we feel we owe that to
them," she said. "But right now,
we don't have a meeting time set
up.
"We have just seized on the
idea for our community. It
seems workable if we can get the
capital going."
Other factors are important,
Graham said.
There are five "key groups of
players," including government
agencies, lenders, entrepeneur:
(including developers and real
tors), philanthropists anc
community groups (such a.
churches or other non -profit or•
ganizations), and the commun
ity at large — particularly thost
in targeted neighborhoods.
"The key variable across al
five groups is information,
Graham said, including infor
mation on needs and possibl
solutions.
Public officials, includin
mayors and members of group
like the Bryan- College Statiol
Economic Development Cor
poration, must take a stanc
that "housing and communit,
development are a high priority
Please see CDC, 3.
� - 1
•
CDC
From 1A
and commit both resources and
political support to the idea.
Interestingly enough, Graham
said, the largest amount of Pol-
itical capital" rests among the
neighborhoods themselves, where
groups of interested citizens can
affect the development process by
organizing.
Libby said a "strong, competent
staff with a high degree of de-
velopment expertise and a very
,large commitment to goals of revi-
talizing economically distressed
communities" is an essential
characteristic of a good CDC.
Bryan- College Station has a de-
finite need for a CDC because of
the need for housing in the area,
Graham said.
A 1989 survey for the city of
Bryan, for instance, found that 50
percent of respondents in tar-
geted areas, primarily in North
Bryan and East Bryan, earned
less than $ 15,000 yearly, and an-
other 22 percent earned between
$ 15,000 and $24,999.
Twenty-one percent reported
the need for major repairs in their
nomes because of bad roofs,
structural problems or other
Problems.
Only 32 percent reported they.
could pay for a home costing more
than $40,000, while 36 percent
said they could afford no more
than $30,000.
Bryan- College Station "ought to
feel like it's a part of a much larger
scenario," one in which many
Texas communities are becoming
concerned enough about housing
to band together to seek legisla-
tive support in Austin and W
shington for housing solutions,
Graham said. _
Problems accompanying econ-
omic distress make greater
awareness of housing problems
inevitable, he said.
"In time, we're going to see city
leaders making it a priority
through both actions and words,"
he concluded.
The state of Massachusetts may
be the leader in forming effective
CDCs — partly because there has
been a historically large gap be-
tween housing costs and afforda-
bility for low- income groups, said
Pat Libby, executive director of
the Massachusetts Association of
Community Development Cor-
porations.
E
„ I/ / q 1qO
•
•
C
Crouch used $1,094
in campaign funds
Although unopposed, College Station
Councilwoman Nancy Crouch spent
$1,094.46 in her campaign for election to
Place 6 on the council in the May 5 elec-
tions.
Crouch said when she raised and spent
the majority of the money, she did not
know she was unopposed.
"If I had waited 'till the last filing day to
begin organizing,” Crouch said, "it might
have turned out that I was behind."
She also said she felt an obligation to
let the voters know about her candidacy.
Mayor Larry Ringer and Councilman
Dick Birdwell filed documents indicating
they spent no money on their campaigns,
Both men ran unopposed.
Vernon Schneider also ran unopposed,
but did not file the required documents.
E.
I II ( 0 112 •CI
TY OF COLLEGE STATION
ENERGY DIVISION
When shopping for an apartment, there are many options that need to be considered ... including
size, features, price, location and more. Living expenses associated with a dwelling should be a
prime concern.
Most apartment dwellers pay for their own utilities in addition to rent. The annual average cost of
utilities often amounts to between 15% and 30% of the rent. During the peaks of the heating and
cooling seasons, however, energy costs can soar to 50% or more of monthly rental payments.
3
Energy consumption is not solely based
on the thermal characteristics of a resi-
dence. People habits can greatly affect
a utility bill. Some people like cooler
homes. Some liketotake long hotshow-
ers. Some like the security of leaving
lights turned on.
In an effort to help you match your
lifestyle with a home you can enjoy, the
City of College Station has developed
Energy Efficiency Ratings for Col-
lege Station Apartments. Participating
apartments voluntarily allowed usto rate
their complexes on nine different char-
acteristics. We hope that it will help you
choose the apartment that is best suited
for you.
C
College Station
Energy Division
764 -3724
An Eagle Advertising Supplement Apartment & Condo Guide July 1990 Page 7
" ]),1 q b
E
C7
�
CS police set new tow -away
zones near Kyle Field in fall
In an effort to curb illegal parking during game
days of the 1990 football season, the College Station
Police Department has changed many no parking
zones near Kyle Field to tow away zones, officials
said. The no parking zones were established due to
low visibility situations, designated bike lanes, and
streets that are too narrow. Affected areas include
Wellborn Road, George Bush Drive and the seconda-
ry streets intersecting with George Bush Drive be-
tween Wellborn Road and Timber Street, officials
said.
The first two home football games, Sept. 15
against Southwest Louisiana and Sept. 22 against
the University of North Texas, will serve as warning
periods, and violators will receive written warnings.
During the later games on the schedule, vehicles will
be towed at the owner's expense and the owner will
be fined $15, officials reported.
r7I 0 6
E
c
c
Seat belts to be required
for employees on the* ob
From staff and wire reports
WASHINGTON — Thirty-five
million workers who drive on the
job will have to wear seat belts
under a regulation announced
Wednesday by Labor Secretary
Elizabeth Dole. Even business
people riding in taxis will have to
buckle up.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce
said the rule had the potential of
being "regulatory overkill." The
AF'L -CIO said it didn't go far
enough.
Under the rule, which will take
effect after a 120 -day comment
period and a possible hearing in
January, employers who fail to
make their workers use seat belts
could face fines of up to $10,000.
Dole told reporters she was un-
sure when the Occupational
Safety and Health Administration
will begin enforcing the rule.
She said the new rule could
save an estimated 685 lives a
year.
Because seat -belt use is man-
datory in Texas, and because
many companies and government
agencies already have mandatory
seat -belt policies, the new regula-
tion likely will have little local im-
pact.
"With our company, seat belt
use has been a requirement a long
time prior to the Texas law. It real-
ly won't affect us," said Les Red-
ding, service center manager for
GTE Southwest's South Central
division headquarters in Bryan.
"Seat -belt use is not only part of
our training, but it's re-
emphasized in safety meetings ....
they're just a mandatory re-
quirement throughout the com-
pany."
But Fred Krebs, manager of the
national Chamber of Commerce's
business - government policy de-
partment, said that it "seems to
me that it could be regulatory
overkill ... that it's perhaps a little
more nit - picking than one would
like to see from OSHA."
Krebs said his initial reaction
was that "there might be more
significant safety and health is-
sues that OSHA could be address-
ing.
The AFL -CIO, which represents
14.2 million union workers,
praised the new regulation but
said the standard also needs to
require vehicle inspection and
maintenance.
Since 1984, when states began
passing seat -belt laws, belt use
among the general public has
risen from 14 percent to 46 per-
cent, the secretary told reporters.
0
Recycling paper could
make money for A &M
By Jade Boyd
Eagle staff writer
As hot topics go, recycling is
rivaling Texas' summer heat.
At Texas A &M University, it's
being practiced in several of-
fices and departments, and it's
been discussed by both the
student and faculty senates.
"It's the right thing to do en-
vironmentally, and that's the
way we're approaching it," said
Bill Workman, transportation
manager at the A &M's Physical
Plant. "It's expensive from
every other standpoint."
However, an informal study
the plant's solid waste depart-
ment conducted suggests that
the university could make
money from recycling paper
products.
Ron Fontenot, the mainten-
ance foreman at the depart-
ment, said his crews collected,
baled and sold more than 21
tons of discarded cardboard
between March 14 and May 15.
"We picked up at some high -
volume areas where a lot of
cardboard is generated," Fon-
tenot said. He estimated that
about 30 percent of the card-
board waste on campus was
collected during the program at
locations like the Memorial
Student Center bookstore, var-
ious dining facilities and
A &M's main purchasing ware-
Please see Recycle, 4A
c
I
u
Recycle
From 1 A
house.
The cardboard was baled by
university workers and collected
for resale by Acco Paper Co. of
Austin, which had loaned the -
partment the baler. A portion
the profits were returned to the
school. Fontenot said it would
have cost about $15 to dump each
ton of cardboard at the College
Station landfill.
"There's where the big savings
is," he said.
Fontenot estimated that 65 -70
percent of the university's solid
waste is paper. Some of the paper
is worth considerably more than
cardboard, which is currently sell-
ing for $20 -$25 per ton.
Computer paper, old textbooks,
discarded catalogs, newspapers
and other paper items could all be
sold.
"Could" is the key word.
"The salvage industry is just be-
ing inundated (with collected
waste products)," said Workman.
"It has got to gear up to accept all
of this."
Workman said the market for
recyclables fluctuates weekly. Be-
fore the university starts a pro-
gram, he said, studies about po-
tential markets need to be con-
ducted. And that's just the begin-
ning.
"Who's going to collect it ?"
Workman said. "What do you do
with it when you've collected it?
We're going to need facilities to do
this.
If you've got 100 tons going in
every day then you've got to make
sure you've got 100 tons going
out," Workman said. "Otherwise,
you end up having take it all to
the landfill and that's not recy-
cling."
"We're just in the talking
phases right now," he said.
"There's a lot of work that needs
to be done."
But there is a high resale value
for certain grades of paper waste
that the university creates in high
volumes, and studies may show
that a profitable recycling pro-
gram could start with those pro-
ducts.
"Computer cards are gold,"
Workman said.
Fontenot said white ledger
paper currently brings $100 -$140
a ton. The current resale value of
computer paper is quoted in Re-
cycling Times, an industry news-
letter, as $190 -$210 a ton.
"Every building on campus has
computers," Fontenot said.
The cost of labor to collect the
paper would be a major consider-
ation, but university -wide guide-
lines on separating paper in of-
fices could solve most of the col-
lection headaches, Fontenot said.
He said a three -man crew spent
most of its time collecting and bal-
ing cardboard during the pilot
program.
If office workers separated
waste paper by quality, janitors
and garbage collectors wouldn't
have to spend their time sorting it
later, Fontenot pointed out.
"Everything would be a desktop
operation," he said.
1- 116q06
B -CS, Hunt sville may get park - and -ride lots
By Phillip Sulak
Eagle staff wrner
portation," McBeth said. "And we're ask-
ing for a grant of $1.2 million from the
Urban Mass Transit Administration."
McBeth said one lot is planned for
Huntsville, one for College Station and
two for Bryan. The College Station lot will
be located near the intersection of FM
2818 and Texas Avenue. The Bryan lots
will be at the intersection of FM 2818 and
Turkey Creek Road, and the intersection
of FM 2818 and Texas 21.
All of the lots will be built on existing
highway rights of way. McBeth said the
lots would add about 900 spaces, and
would be used to provide mobility, as well
as bus access.
"Not only can people park and ride the
bus within the Bryan- College Station
area, but people from the rural areas can
take one of the rural routes to the lot, and
transfer to a trolley," McBeth said. "And
someone could take a trolley to the lot
and transfer to the rural route and visit
some of the outlying towns."
McBeth said the lots also would be
used for park and ride during Texas A &M
University's football season.
After today's required public hearing,
the grant application will go to the UMTA
office in Fort Worth. If the application is
in order there, it will be sent to the Secre-
tary of Transportation in Washington,
D.C.
McBeth said he has believes the grant
will be approved and the lots completed
next March.
If the Brazos Transit System has its
way, Bryan- College Station and Hunts-
ville will be more accessible through the
addition of four park- and -ride parking
lots.
A public hearing will be held to discuss
the $1.6 million project at 10 a.m. today
' transit system office, on the East
;s about a half mile north of Texas
John McBeth, administrator for Brazos
Transit, said the funding for the project
will come from state and federal agencies.
"We've got $418,000 from the State De-
partment of Highways and Public Trans-
q151 z' U
C-v-iramm speaks I*n College Station
By Robert C. Borden
Eagle assistant city editor
The revolution started in Phi-
ladelphia in 1776 has been the
ideal for the world to emulate for
more than two centuries and it
continues today to be a guiding
force for freedom, Sen. Phil
Gramm said Wednesday.
Speaking at a Fourth of July ra-
lly in College Station's Central
Park, Gramm said, "The revo-
lution that occurred in this coun-
try was the only real revolution
that has occurred in the history of
mankind. Thomas Jefferson and
not Karl Marx is the real revo-
lutionary of our time and all
time."
He said, "The one ideal in , the
whole world that is held up to
what the world should be like ... is
what we have in America."
"We have the opportunity
within our lifetime to see all the
wor' e," Gramm said.
t` same time he was prafs-
ing�1om movements in many
parts of the world, Gramm war-
ned that America must not be-
come complacent.
"I he military has kept Ivan
from the gate and that has al-
lowed the natural superiority of
our system to emerge," Gramm
said. "If the lion and the lamb are
going to lie down together in the
world, it is important that we be
the lion."
Following his speech, Gramm
said he would prefer to wait a year
before talking about reducing
America's military forces. "I think
it will be easier for us to reduce
the size of our military than it will
be for the Soviets," Gramm said.
,, I wish we could have signed
agreements with the Soviets be-
fore we unilaterally reduce our
forces. Without agreements to
force them to do it they won't do
it."
But, he said, he doesn't oppose
military reductions in the future.
"In five years we can have a dra-
mat+ ^ally smaller military,"
Gr ;aid.
use the resources that
will`? ake available in an orderly
fashion ... it will unleash a wave of
creative genius the world has
never seen," the senator said.
"In the next decade we will have
the opportunity to beat the
swords into plowshares, which
will allow Americans to keep more
of what they earn and invest it in
the children who are our future.
That is the essence of America,"
Gramm said.
Gramm told the small but en-
thusiastic crowd, "The evidence of
the success of America is evident
in every family gathered here."
He told of his wife's grandfather,
who came from Japan to Hawaii
to work the sugar cane fields. His
son worked his way through col-
lege in Indiana before returning to
Hawaii, where he became the first
Asian- American to manage a su-
gar cane plantation.
And now, Gramm said, "My
wife, Wendy, heads the Commo-
dity Futures Trading Commission
and in that job she oversees the
trading of all commodities, includ-
ing sugar.
"What is unique about that
story is that there is nothing
unique about that story," Gramm
said.
"The source of the success of
America is that here ordinary
people like you and me found
more opportunity and freedom
than ever before. If we can keep
our freedom and all its essentials,
we can last forever."
Capping a morning filled with
patriotism, Gramm said, "I am
proud to say I am here to wave the
American flag, not to burn it."
After his speech, Gramm said
he anticipates the constitutional
amendment to ban desecration of
the American flag will be brought
up again in the next congressio-
nal session, despite its defeat in
both houses last month.
"There are still strong feelings
about it," Gramm said. "The issue
is whether the right to desecrate
the flag is essential to free speech.
I don't think so. For more than
200 years we've had free speech
and protected the flag."
In introducing Gramm, Cham-
ber of Commerce president Chris
Kling said, "I am proud to tell Sen.
Gramm that his hometown is still
a place that is proud to recite the
Pledge of Allegiance, to sing "The
Eagle photo by Dave McDermand
Phil Gramm speaks at a Fourth of July rally in College Station's
Central Park Wednesday.
Star- Spangled Banner" and to amendment. He said the World
respect the flag." War II photo that stands out
In opening remarks Wednes- most in his memory is of the
day, Maj. Gen. Al Jones, head Marines raising the flag on lwc
of the 377th Theater Army Jima.
Command in New Orleans, "From Yorktown to Panama,
thanked Gramm for his vote in
favor of the constitutional Please see Gramm, 7A
DIP
Gramm
From 1A
freedom loving Americans have
put on the uniform and fought
and died to keep those freedoms.
Freedom is not free," Jones said.
"Complacency with respect to
military readiness must not be
tolerated. I know and you know
that not all the folks in the world
wish us well," Jones said.
"Let us not be too quick to move
to mediocrity. Second place in any
military conflict is unacceptable,"
Jones said.
Wednesday morning began with
a children's parade through Cen-
tral Park, bikes streaming red,
white and blue bunting and bal-
loons. Members of American
Legion Post 159 in Bryan raised
the flag and Brylan Davis, presi-
dent of the Boys Club Keystones,
led the Pledge of Allegiance.
Jack Houston, "Texas' Newborn
Son," sang the national anthem
and closed the ceremonies with
his version of Lee Greenwood's
"God Bless the U.S.A."
In what must be an affirmation
of the freedoms granted all Ameri-
cans, two different protest groups
peaceably handed out fliers and
carried banners. One group called
on Gramm to support expansion
of East Texas' Big Thicket wilder-
ness area.
A second group, comprised of
Sam Dickenson and Virginia
Clark, passed out material com-
paring Gramm to Adolf Hitler.
One of their handouts read:
"A vote for Phil Gramm is a vote
for:
"... Building a strong economy
through military spending.
" ... Keeping decent people safe
from the victims of poverty
through stricter laws and build-
ing more prisons.
Protecting the symbols of
the state through law enforce-
ment."
In small type, the fliers said,
"These three principles were es-
sential elements of the Nazi Party
agenda when German citizens
voted. for Adolf Hitler in 1933. In
1990, a vote for Phil Gramm, will
help the Republican party carry
on the legacy."
At the bottom of the flier was a
swastika and the words, "Keep
the faith. Vote Republican."
Dickenson said, apparently
tongue in cheek, "We support Phil
Gramm and all his policies. We
support him to the death."
Dickenson said the swastika
"represents what happens when
you keep making turns to the
right."
Gramm made no comment on
Dickenson's and Clark's efforts.
r1l 300
c
L
J
/ * ' 1
u
Budget amendment
A balanced budget amendment is not,
as you suggest, a useless piece of legisla-
-ion. Neither is it a subterfuge. It is an
honest attempt by some politicians to
bring government spending under con -
trol. It is an attempt to stop mortgaging
the future of our children. The chances of
it passing by two- thirds of the Congress
are probably slim and none. However, the
attempt by Rep. Joe Barton and others in
Congress to pass such an amendment
should be applauded, not berated.
For more than 25 years Congress has
been unable to control spending. They
used to blame federal deficits on defense,
high unemployment and inflation. All
these have been reduced somewhat and
the deficits have continued.
Deficits are not a result of tax cuts.
Federal taxes, as a percent of income, are
higher now than they were 20 years ago.
Federal deficits are a result of the Con-
gress and the president being unwilling
o make hard decisions about spending.
A balanced budget amendment would
force the Congress to spend more time
setting spending priorities. Maybe they
would take a serious look at some of the
studies like the Grace Commission re-
port. Those who proposed new programs
would have to support revenue increases
or reductions in existing programs.
No doubt, some in Congress would try
to find ways around such an amendment.
The state also finds ways to circumvent
the state constitution balanced- budget
requirement. However it would be much
more effective than Gramm -Rudman in
getting our national finances in order.
The biggest inhibition to economic
growth in America is high interest rates.
Until we solve the federal deficit problem,
interest rates will continue to be high.
The balanced budget amendment is a
step in the right direction. Joe Barton is
to be congratulated for his efforts to bring
the amendment to a vote.
DICK BIRDWELL
College Station
OqR6
LI
•
E
Council awards construction contract
By Phillip Sulak
Eagle staff writer
The College Station City Council on
Thursday night awarded a $738,040.72
contract to Palasota Construction Com-
pany of Bryan to reconstruct Holleman
Drive between Texas Avenue and Wind-
ing Road.
The reconstruction will include street,
drainage and sidewalk improvements,
and the addition of a turn at the corner of
Holleman Drive and Texas Avenue.
A member of the city staff said the
council had examined the possibility of
LI
straightening Holleman Drive so cars
could cross Texas Avenue without having
to turn at a 45 degree angle, but that it
would be impractical for two reasons:
First, the land that would be needed is
part of a lot where the H -E -B food store
chain plans to build a supermarket.
H -E -B was not interested in the plan,
since it would shear off 12 -15 percent of
their lot.
The second problem was cost. The total
cost for moving utilitiy lines was esti-
mated at $1.3 million.
The Holleman reconstruction is sche-
duled to be completed in eight months. .
Xt
0000
4 OP
Fred Brown Mazda is breaking
new ground in customer service
with expanded service hours!
The Service Department will be
open Monday through Friday until
Midnight.
For more information on this
exciting breakthrough in expanded
customer service, call
776 -7600 TODRY!
MU
FRED B R
1300 Briarcrest 776 -7600
�P]
Oj 10 6
0 A Aq 0
Retail sales show
moderate rise
in Brazos County
A $48.1 million increase in total re-
tail sales spurred an increase of some
3.6 percent in gross sales for Brazos
County in 1989, but declines in
several other areas kept that figure
from being larger and
kept the area behind
average statewide
sales growth.
e. Gross sales in 1989
totaled some $1.4 bil-
lion for the Bryan-
College Station
Metropolitan Statis-
tical Area, compared
Steve to $1.35 billion in
Hill 1988.
For the entire state,
Riuman gross sales grew from
$380.4 billion in 1988 to $405.9 billion
in 1989, an increase of 6.7 percent.
In Brazos County, growth in retail
trade, financial services, services,
manufacturing and agricul-
ture /forestry highlighted the sales fig-
ures.
However, total wholesale trade
dropped by almost $7.4 million, from
$121.7 million to $114.4 million. Con-
struction fell by about the same
amount, from $68.0 million in 1988 to
$60.6 million in 1989.
Transportation and utilities sales
fell from $109.8 million to $107.3 mil-
lion, and mining sales fell from $17.9
million to $15.6 million.
The best news among figures
released Wednesday by the state's Of-
fice of the Comptroller was an in-
crease in total retail trade from $741.1
million in 1988 to $789.2 million in
1989. Among the biggest gains, both in
total dollars and percentages came in
general merchandise ($10.4 million, or
9.4 percent), restaurant sales ($8.5
million, or 9.0 percent) and automotive
,;--',-s ($8.7 million, or 6.8 percent).
General merchandise sales totaled
$120.3 million, while restaurant sales
were $102.6 million and automotive
sales were $138.1 million.
Gains also were registered in all
other retail -sales categories reported
by the comptroller - building mate-
rials, food stores, clothing, home fur-
nishings and drug stores - except
one. Liquor -store sales fell from $8.8
million in 1988 to $7.6 million in 1989.
Although sales growth in Bryan-
College Station lagged behind the rest
of the state, the figures weren't as
dismal as they were for some MSAs.
Gross sales actually declined from
1988 to 1989 in Beaumont -Port
Arthur (by 4.6 percent), Brownsville -
Harlingen (2.7 percent), Corpus
Christi (7.9 percent) and Odessa (.7
percent). The Brazoria Primary Metro-
politan Statistical Area posted a
whopping 17.6 percent decrease.
The comptroller had good news for
some nearby cities, including Houston
(where gross sales increased 6.9 per-
cent), Austin (7.6 percent) and Waco
(6.9 percent).
0�0
st in state
�7_
1
Some government workers left
the Bryan- College Station job
market and many students en-
tered it in May, raising the unem-
ployment rate slightly but leaving
the community with the lowest
rate among the state's metropoli-
tan areas.
Brazos County, or the Bryan-
College Station Metropolitan Sta-
tistical Area, had a 3.7 percent
jobless rate in May, up from 3.2
percent in April but down from
the 4.0 percent figure in May
1989.
The total civilian labor force was
61,500 in May, down from 62,600
in April and from 61,900 a year
ago.
Despite the drop in labor force
from a year ago, Walt Baker of the
Texas Employment Commission
said he thinks more workers are
coming to Texas because of steady
growth in the state.
"Maybe some folks are starting
to come back to Texas and viewing
Texas as a healthy place," he said.
igur
many government workers, espe-
cially those at Texas A &M and the
cities' school districts, took them-
selves off the market for the
summer. Workers not seeking
jobs are not counted as part of the
civilian labor force.
This May's figures appeared to
reflect that those workers had
already left the job market.
The difference is "not some-
thing I'm going to be concerned
about," Baker said.
Meanwhile, students who wer-
eri t looking for jobs during the
year entered the market in May,
sparking a rise in the jobless rate
that was anticipated and will
probably continue throughout
the early summer, Baker said.
The best employment outlook
will be for mechanics, clerical -
secretarial workers and those in
the health -care industry — areas
of consistent need in Bryan-
College Station, Baker said.
"For the rest of the market, it
will be normal attrition for the
summer," Baker said.
Brazos County's jobless rate
was lowest in the state for the
16th consecutive month. Lub-
bock had the second - lowest rate
at 4.6 percent, followed by Austin
at 4.8 percent, Victoria at 4.9 per-
cent, and Dallas at 5.2 percent.
McAllen- Edinburg Mission
again had the highest rate among
the state's 27 MSAs, but its 16.9
Please see Jobs, 7A
Jobs highest
Brownsville - Harlingen was next -
with an 11.2- percent rate.
Washington County, with a 3.3
percent rate, led the eight -county
From 1 A
Brazos Valley district. Madison
Force
County had a 3.5 percent rate.
Percentage Rate
ni
Mila County had the highest
percent figure was lower than the
unemployment rate in the Brazos
19.6 percent rate it had in April.
Valley at 6.3 percent.
Brazos Valley May
Employment
Labor
Unemployment
County
Force
Employed Unemployed
Percentage Rate
Brazos
61,500
59,200
2,300
3.7
Burleson
5,187
5,862
325
5.3
Grimes
10,321
9,884
437
4.2
Leon
5,952
5,600
352
5.9
Madison
4,781
4,613
168
3.5
Milani
9,390
8,799
591
6.3
Robertson
7,236
6,840
396
5.5
Washington
13,278
12,841
437
3.3
Eagle graphic by Hobert G. bordM
jobless Brazos rate be
00 By Steve Hill The smaller local labor force
Eagle staff writer may reflect only that last year's
f es were compiled before
Eagle graphic by Robert C. Borden
61151q0
�
High court
OKs drunk
driving
checkpoints
The Associated Press
WASHINGTON — Police seek-
ing to curb drunken driving do
not violate motorists' privacy
rights by stopping them at sobri-
ety checkpoints, the Supreme
Court ruled Thursday.
The 6 -3 decision upheld Michi-
gan's checkpoint program and, by
extension, similar operations in
most states.
"The balance of the state's in-
terest in preventing drunken driv-
ing .., and the degree of intrusion
upon individual motorists who
are briefly stopped weighs in favor
Please see Sobriety, 5A
0
Sobriety
From 1A
of the state program," Chief Jus-
tice William H. Rehnquist wrote
for the court.
The three dissenters said the
decision sacrificed individual lib-
erty in favor of a police tactic that
might not make any difference in
the fight against drunken driving.
In other decisions, the court:
■Ruled, 5 -4, in a Virginia case
that hospitals and nursing homes
may sue in federal court to chal-
lenge how a state -run Medicaid
program reimburses their costs.
■ Ruled unanimously in a case
from Massachusetts that the fed-
eral government may impose se-
vere fines against air polluters
even when regulators are slow to
decide on clean-air proposals.
■Allowed the Bush administra-
tion, by a 5 -4 vote in a Virginia
case, to limit how much welfare
aid some needy families receive.
The sobriety - checkpoint ruling
was hailed by various groups
seeking greater crackdowns on
drunken drivers, but was den-
ounced by the American Civil Lib-
erties Union.
Mickey Sadoli, national presi-
dent of Mothers Against Drunk
Driving, called the decision "a
great victory for all of us who care
about the safety of our loved ones
on the highways."
The chairman of the National
Transportation Safety Board, also
applauded the ruling but said,
"More needs to be done." He
called on states to allow police to
confiscate licenses on the spot if
motorists fail or refuse to take
chemical tests.
But the ruling will have no
effect in at least one state. Lou-
isiana State Police said Thursday
they are barred from setting up
sobriety checkpoints by their
state constitution, which affords
greater individual privacy than
does the federal Constitution.
Nadine Strosser, the ACLU's
general counsel, said the ruling
"is fundamentally wrong, both as
a matter of constitutional princi-
ple and as a matter of public po-
licy...
"This strikes at the heart of the
Fourth Amendment," which bans
unreasonable police searches and
seizures, Strosser said.
Writing for the court, Rehnquist
said, "No one can seriously dis-
pute the magnitude of the drun-
ken driving problem or the states'
Interest in eradicating it."
He said drunken drivers "cause
an annual death toll of over
25,000 and in the same time span
cause nearly one million personal
injuries and more than $5 billion
in property damage."
The court's dissenters,
however, cited statistics indicat-
ing that those figures have been
declining steadily.
"Conversely, the weight bearing
on the other scale — the measure
of the intrusion on motorists
stopped briefly at sobriety check-
points — is slight," Rehnquist
said.
He was joined by Justices
Byron R. White, Sandra Day
O'Connor, Antonin Scalia and An-
thony M. Kennedy. Justice Harry
A. Blackmun joined in the result
but not in Rehnquist's opinion.
The decision echoed President
Bush's stated concern about
drunken driving.
"It's as crippling as crack, as
random as gang violence, and it's
killing more kids than both com-
bined," the president said last
year as he noted that federal aid
was being given to promote the
use of sobriety checkpoints.
Justices William J. Brennan,
Thurgood Marshall and John
Paul Stevens dissented from
Thursday's ruling.
Calling sobriety checkpoints no
more than "elaborate and dis-
quieting publicity stunts," Ste-
vens said the net effect "on traffic
safety is infinitesimal and possi-
bly negative. This is a case that is
driven by nothing more than
symbolic state action — an insuf-
ficient justification for an other-
wise unreasonable program of
random seizures."
61 15J<1d
L IP ]
Reporter's personal agenda
calls for meals, travel, mail
A couple of weeks ago a letter to the
editor accused Eagle staff members of
having personal agendas. Although not
well known, the federal Journalism
Openness Act of 1983 requires hidden,
secret or personal agen-
das for operating as a
journalist.
I used to have a hid-
den agenda, but I mis-
placed it the last time I
moved. I had a secret
agenda once, too, but I
swallowed it when I got
pulled over for a speed-
ing ticket once and I Phi
can't remember any of S u l a k
it.
So, as a public service,
here's my personal agenda.
Agenda Item No. 1: Free meals. As a
journalist, and therefore able to put "vo-
lunteer" as my job on tax forms, it is my
intent to get as many of them as possible.
So far, I've gotten two cans of sodie water
and about a sandwich- and -a -half from a
couple of lunch -time Bryan City Council
meetings. I also got a plate of fajitas dur-
ing the Bryan council retreat to Carlos
(see Agenda Item No. 2). On the College
Station City Council retreat, I got a
sandwich.
As you can see, Bryan is slightly ahead
in the free food department. Will this af-
fect my reporting? Of course not, but I've
been meaning to do a story about the
face - eating slime monster living in Col-
lege Station's Central Park.
Agenda Item No. 2: Travel. I go
wherever either city council goes. So far
this has gotten me an exotic trip to Carlos
for the Bryan City Council retreat, an all -
expenses -paid jaunt to Steep Hollow for
the College Station council retreat and a
couple of trips to the bathroom. You'll be
happy to know that bathrooms in both
city halls are clean and that council
members are not conducting city busi-
ness behind closed doors, but are follow-
ing their own personal agendas.
Carlos is nice, but Donald Trump
hasn't gotten around to building a luxury
casino there.
College Station's retreat wasn't Lifes-
tyles of the Rich and Famous material,
either. Even though I did hit a couple of
golf balls with city staff, the hazards were
cows and their by- products instead of
sand and water.
I'm counting on next year's retreats be-
ing a little more snazzy. Say, Bedias.
Agenda Item No. 3 Not getting fired.
Actually, this is No. 1 on my wife's
agenda. She seems to have developed an
addiction to my pay check.
Agenda Item No. 4 Hate mail. I don't
get any and I'd like some. Every journalist
worth his salt gets hate mail, but I've
been unable to generate any as of yet.
My guess is that my subject matter is
too tame. I wonder if I write an article
about Elvis, like Robert Borden, or a story
about Merrill Green, like . Jenny Butler,
my hate mail will pick up. Maybe a story
saying Merrill Green is actually Elvis.
Agenda Item No. 5 TV time. I plan to
get in as many shots as possible when
Channel 3 is covering city council meet-
ings. Who knows when I might get dis-
covered. Of course, it also proves to my
editor that I actually attend council meet-
ings. I get the impression that after he
reads my stories, he thinks I go no place
'near them.
Agenda Item No. 6 Lose some weight.
Yes, I know this directly contradicts
Agenda Item No. 1, but I was noticing in
the footage of the last College Station City
Council there appeared to be a large
crowd, intently watching the meeting.
Then I noticed the crowd was me.
, t 2 11q 06
P
•
B -CS merchants
kill 2 Live Crew
album, tape sales
Now let me break it on down and tell the story
When they say 2 Live," your mama gets wor-
ried
When they speak of us, the negative get men-
tioned
But we don't care ... thanksfor your attention
An underground sound, talking (expletive) of
the street
Thatghetto style with a hard - ( expletive) beat
Our explicive (sic) lyrics tells it Like it is
If you don't like what I'm saying, get the (exple-
tive) out of here
By Steve Hill
Eagle staff writer
One gets the impression 2 Live Crew didn't
expect "Break It On Down" to be taken so seri-
ously.
Reacting to police requests In San Antonio.
the parent corporation for Hastings Music,
Books and Video ordered all its stores. includ-
ing those in Bryan and College Station, to
break down displays of 2 Live Crew albums
and stop selling them.
"We don't believe in censorship. We're
against it. But we pulled them this morning,
because we're trying to protect our em-
ployees," said Anise Tourk, manager of the
Manor East Mall Hastings.
The rap group has gained notoriety for its
"As Nasty As They Wanna Be" album, which a
Florida judge and a San Antonio assistant dis-
trict attorney have labeled "obscene" because
of its sexually explicit lyrics.
Two members of the band were arrested in
Florida after a concert last week, as was a Flor-
ida record -store owner who sold the album.
In San Antonio Tuesday, police detectives
Please see Crew, 9A
Hastings employee Marilee Rountree packs up records and tapes of
the rap group 2 Live Crew.
•
drew
From 1 A
began notifying record stores in
that city that the album had been
declared obscene and asking that
stores stop selling them.
Tourk said Hastings' parent
corporation wanted to examine its
legal options in the controversy,
but would like to be able to con-
tinue selling the album as it does
others with explicit lyrics — mark-
ing them with warning stickers
and allowing only those 18 and
older or accompanied by parents
of guardians to purchase them.
Tourk said his personal opinion
was one of abhorrence for what he
saw as censorship by authorities
iri San Antonio and Florida.
::'Who's to say what's going to
come next ?" he asked. "What's
the difference between that tape
and what you see in a rated R mo-
vie?
°"I don't like rap music, but why
are they focusing on it? It makes
you wonder ... is it a color issue ?"
He said he'd had no complaints
about the album and had, in fact,
seen several parents purchase the
albums for their children.
Hastings joined Record Bar,
which has a Post Oak Mall store,
as one of the chains to have pulled
the group's music.
-- A Record Bar corporate
"Adults in this country should be able to buy what they want to
buy. But pornographers are going to have to come under guide-
lines and laws, and these guys (2 Live Crew) are too."
—Steve Tunnell, KORA -FM disc jockey
spokeswoman said the company
broke down on 2 Live Crew "about
six weeks" ago, but didn't have
any comment on the reasons be-
cause "we've pretty much said
everything we have to say" to the
media on the issue.
Asked what the company line
was at that time, she said, "We
weren't really telling them any-
thing then, either."
She also said she didn't know if
the chain sold explicit works by
other artists.
At Camelot Music in Post Oak
Mall, an employee said 2 Live
Crew's edited versions of albums
are still sold and that no explicit
music is carried.
Digital Audio Concepts, a Bryan
music store, was closed late Wed-
nesday when called for reaction to
the San Antonio measures.
Tip -Top Records of Bryan,
however, still had 2 Live Crew's
records on sale Wednesday.
Tip -Top has a special section for
albums with explicit lyrics or spo-
ken portions, as well as labeling
and an "18 or over" rule.
Owner Tom Howard said, "I'd
just as soon not sell it, but the
other stores do."
He termed the music "pathetic,"
while his wife, Anita, called it "a
dirty shame." Tom Howard added,
however, "If they're going to do
that to 2 Live Crew, they're going
to have to do it to others as well."
He said there should be a fed-
eral law against such explicit lyr-
ics.
"They should be able to put out
clean music," he said of artists
such as Willie D, NWA and Too
Short, as well as heavy -metal
bands.
Steve Tunnell, a disc jockey at
KORA -FM in Bryan, said he was
"uncomfortable" with the arrest of
members of 2 Live Crew. Although
his 1989 appearance at a College
Station City Council meeting re-
sulted in the city's police depart-
ment requesting that stores regu-
late album sales to minors, Tun-
nell said censorship was not his'
intent.
"Adults in this country should
be able to buy what they want to
buy," he said. "But pornogra-
phers are going to have to come
under guidelines and laws, and
these guys (2 Live Crew) are too."
Although 2 Live Crew's work is
"Just the filthiest mess," Tunnell
said, "I never wanted anybody to
be pulled or censored."
65711,_?, /1 , 16
Texas' population expected to grow 7 percent
The Associated Press
WASHINGTON — Texas ranks
third in population among the 50
states and will still rank third in
the year 2000, even though the
state will have 1 million more
people by then, the government
estimated Monday.
The state saw population boom
by 21 percent between 1979 and
1988, outpacing the growth of
jobs. But economists at the
Commerce Department expect
total employment in Texas will
grow faster than population in the
next 10 years.
Texas' population, which was
16.8 million in 1988, is projected
to reach 18.1 million by the year
2000, an increase of 7.3 percent.
California is expected to jump
from 28.3 million in 1988 to 33.1
million by 2000 to stay No. 1. New
York is forecast to increase from
17.9 million to 18.5 million for the
No. 2 ranking.
The new Texas estimate for the
year 2000 is down from the
projection of 19.3 million the
same forecasters made five years
ago.
George Downey, the Commerce
Department economist who help-
ed make the Texas projections,
said forecasters in 1985 didn't
know how severely the oil bust
would affect the state.
"We were just starting to see the
problems then," Downey said.
Total employment is forecast to
increase 13.2 percent between
1988 and 2000.
Downey said the prediction that
Texas employment will rise faster
than its population is based on
the state returning to a normal
pattern of growth.
He said forecasters assume
states that have had boom
periods during recent years won't
sustain them either. For instance,
total employment in Massa-
chusetts, which swelled 24.2 per-
cent from 1979 to 1988, is fore-
cast to grow only 12.3 percent by
2000.
Total employment in all 50
states is forecast to grow 14.3
percent by 2000, the Commerce
Department said. Total U.S. popu-
lation is expected to rise 9 percent
to 267.7 million.
Per capita personal income is
forecast to increase from $11,716
in 1988 to $13,851 in 2000. Texas
is ranked 34th in per capita per-
sonal income and will switch
places with Iowa to 33rd by 2000,
the department said.
The department estimated total
personal income in Texas, in 1982
dollars, will grow nearly 27 per-
cent by 2000.
The projections were made by
the department's Bureau of
Economic Analysis. It began mak-
ing them more than 20 years for
the planning of long term
government projects, such as
dam construction.
Downey said the projections are
now used as comparisons b}
businesses, marketing services,
the Defense Department and
other government agencies.
J i
C
•
MADD charges
anger C S judge
By Chuck Squatriglia
Eagle staff writer
A College Station municipal
judge says he is outraged by ac-
cusations made against him by
the local chapter of MADD, but
the group's president said she will
not apologize.
In the June newsletter of Moth-
ers Against Drunk Driving, Flor-
ence Wagner, president of the
local chapter, said Judge Phil
Banks sent proportionately fewer
juveniles charged with possessing
alcohol to an alcohol education
course than any other municipal
judge in Bryan- College Station.
Banks says her figures are wrong.
The article says, "Why is it that
with 55 minors arrested in College
Station each month, Judge Phil
Banks can only manage to send
2 -4 of these kids to the ... alcohol
education course ... ? He sees the
largest percentage of these cases
in the city court."
The 55 minors arrested is an
average figure for the first five
months of 1990 and not the num-
ber of cases Banks heard. Accord-
ing to College Station police sta-
tistics, 275 minors received cita-
tions for possessing alcoholic
beverages between January and
May.
"What makes me so angry
about this article is that it is just a
lie," Banks said. "It paints me in a
false light.
"I have probably sent more
young people to this alcohol class
than any other municipal judge in
the county."
Figures provided to Banks by
Maurice Dennis, who designed
the alcohol education course,
seem to support Banks' claim.
Banks provided four memos sent
to him by Dennis, listing students
who have passed recent sessions
of the course. The memos also
state which municipal judge sent
each minor to the course.
Of the 21 minors in the course
offered Feb. 28 and March 1,
Banks sent eight students. Banks
sent three of 22 minors to the
March 19 -20 course, three of 20
to the April 16 -17 course and 10
of 23 to the April 30 -May 1 course.
Only in January did he not send a
minor to the course. However,
aside from January, Banks sent
more minors to the class than any
other municipal judge, according
to the documents.
Although Banks didn't send
anyone to the January course, he
sent an average of 4.8 minors to
the course during the five month
period, more than the 2 -4 Wagner
cited in her article.
At the heart of the debate over
how the figures should be read is
how the courses are scheduled.
Banks said he believed the figures
Dennis sent him were for two
months, meaning he sent 11 min-
ors to the course in March and 13
In April. Wagner said she believed
the figures covered four months.
Bryan Apperson, who teaches
the course, said the class is
offered as often as there are stu-
dents to fill it. The course needs
between 10 and 20 students, he
said. There were two courses
offered in March — the regularly
scheduled class on Feb. 28 and
March 1 and a second course
March 19 -20, he said. The second
course was offered because there
were too many students, he said.
All other courses were offered
once a month.
The course is taught on two
days and is five hours long. Stu-
dents are taught why alcohol is so
prevalent in society, how alcohol
advertising can influence young-
sters to drink, the effects of alco-
hol on the body, how alcohol af-
fects teen - alters, what the alcohol
laws are, the characteristics of al-
cohol and substance abuse, and
how to make informed decisions
about alcohol and alcohol con-
sumption.
Apperson also holds an exit in-
terview with each student. In
these interviews, Apperson said
he gets their feedback on the
course and evaluates each stu-
dent's need for further counsel-
ing. He said about 98 percent of
the students have positive things
to say about the course.
The course follows a discussion
format, Apperson said, which
makes students more receptive.
"It's an education thing," he
said. "It's not a spanking." Wag-
ner said the problem is not how
many minors Banks is sending to
the course. The problem, she
said, is that he sees the highest
number of cases yet sends the
Please see Banks, 11A
VON
1 -4
•
E
Banks
From 1 A
lowest percentage of minors to the
program.
"Why are only 15 percent (of
minors charged in College Sta-
tion) showing up in the course ?"
she asked.
Banks said one reason is that
many of the minors choose to ad-
mit guilt, pay $92 and avoid a
court date. He said of the average
of 55 minors arrested each
month, at least half choose this
route. Of the half that actually
show up in court, Banks said he
may see 20 of them at most. The
remaining cases are heard by
other judges.
Banks said that of the cases
that actually come before him, he
sends about one -half to the
course.
Wagner said allowing a minor to
pay the fine and not go to court is
a problem that needs to be
changed.
"The bond is so low that half of
these kids would rather pay than
go to court," she said. Banks
needs to raise his bond so "the
kids would rather go to court than
pay a high fine," she said.
Banks said the circumstances
under which each minor was is-
sued a citation depends heavily
upon the case's outcome. For ex-
ample, he said, if a minor who
reccivts a citation does not live in
the Bryan- College Station area,
he will recommend community
service or another form of pun-
ishment.
Wagner said she doesn't accept
this.
"If they can come here and
party, I don't see why they can't
take a course," she said. "The fact
that they are from out of town is
not an excuse."
She also said community ser-
vice is not a suitable punishment.
"Five hours of community ser-
vice?" she said. "Why not give
them five hours of a class that will
help them."
There are three methods of pun-
ishment for minors charged with
possessing alcohol, Banks said.
The judge can choose to defer ad-
judication, meaning the minor is
given six months probation but is
not convicted. The minor also can
be required to attend an alcohol
awareness course, or to perform
community service.
"There really isn't much of a big
stick we can use," Banks said.
The decision of how to punish a
minor should be left to the judge,
Banks said. Each judge must
judge each person on the merits
of the case, he said, adding that
Wagner is mad at him because he
won't "toe the line."
"I don't care if it's MADD, the
ACLU or the KKK," he said. "I
won't let anyone tell me how to
Judge a case."
CS City Council to hear reports on LoTrak project, park
The council will hear from J.T. Dunkin
and Associates of Dallas, landscape
architects for the Wolf Pen Creek Green-
belt Park, Phase I. The architects will pre-
sent the final plan for the first phase of
the park, which will include a lake and an
amphitheater.
The College Station Library will be on
the agenda again, as the library commit-
tee submits a new building proposal.
After the original project was presented,
the council instructed the committee to
rework the proposal. The council con-
sidered the original proposal too costly
and wanted the library site shifted from
Southwood Valley to the Wolf Pen Creex
Greenbelt area.
The council will discuss a report from
the Brazos Valley Development Council
on Operation Bootstrap, a program de-
signed to help communities start efforts
to help unemployed and underemployed
people become independent of the welfare
system.
The council will also discuss priorities
for the community development budget.
The city has approximately $1.2 million
in funds available for community de-
velopment, and will hold a public hearing
on the funds July 12.
The Wednesday workshop meeting will
be held at 4 p.m. and the Thursday regu-
lar meeting will be at 7 p.m. The Thurs-
day meeting will feature votes on two re-
zoning requests and the request of a res-
taurant at 108 College Main St. to sell
beer and wine.
Both meetings will be held in the coun-
cil chambers in the College Station City
Hall, 1101 Texas Ave. South.
By Phillip Sulak
Eagle staff writer
The College Station City Council will
hear from a variety of groups at its Wed-
nesday workshop session, most of them
seeking city dollars.
of Ziegler of the State Department
L ways and Public Transportation
ake a presentation regarding the
project. LoTrak would lower the
Southern Pacific Railroad tracks along
Wellborn Road. After the original presen-
tation of the plan, the council expressed
concern over the change in traffic pat-
terns.
College Station's expected financial
contribution to the project is estimated at
a minimum of $2 million, which will have
to be approved by College Station voters
in a bond election.
C
//o /CIO
Work together on waste
It is good to see our governing
agencies showing an interest in
solid waste management and
taking some steps in recognizing
the solid waste problem, as well as
initiating some action in the solu-
tion — recycling.
Currently, Brazos County is
considering a proposal, the city of
Bryan is considering hiring a pri-
vate company to begin a pilot re-
cycling program, and the city of
College Station is discussing and
planning a pilot recycling pro-
gram.
in seeking alternatives, county
officials are turning to one of the
county's prime resources, Texas
A&M University. The 10- member
committee, put together by
(county commissioners Randy)
Sims and (Gary) Norton, includes
experts in ecology, geology, ha-
zardous waste management and
finance. Many of these are A&M
professors, as well as local county
residents.
Why can't the governing bodies
of this community Join hands in
resolving a very serious problem
facing our community? I believe
the citizens of this community de-
serve to be properly represented
in this program. Why should the
taxpayers foot the bill for these
government agencies going in all
different directions for the solu-
tion of a problem of paramount
importance?
This community is blessed to
have such a fine university as
Texas A &M. The university has at
Its disposal vast knowledge, re-
sources and information that
would be very beneficial to a pro-
gram such as this. Dr. William
Mobley, president, has been one
of our leading citizens in the sup-
port and development of our
community.
If both cities and Brazos County
Join with Texas A &M to form a
task force to study and initiate a
program suitable for the whole
community, what a savings this
would be for taxpayers) I am sure
that with this Joint effort a more
effective and efficient program
could be developed.
CHARLES J. RAY
College Station
c '�q o
•
Thomas Park Pool
to close next week
Thomas Park Pool swimmers will have
to find a new spot to beat the heat next
week. The College Station pool will be
closed Monday through June 16 for
;maintenance.
The city's other two pools, Southwood
Valley pool in the Southwood Valley Ath-
letic Complex on Rock Prairie Road and
the Adamson Park pool in Bee Creek, .just
off Southwest Parkway, will both be oper-
ating at regular hours.
. Adamson pool will be open from noon
Co 1 p.m. for adult lap swimming and to
the general public from 1 -7:30 p.m.
Southwood pool will be open from 9 a.m.
to 7:30 p.m.
�/q lqo
E
Shop in Bryan - College Station
before buying out -of -town goods
Shopping is more than buying.
Any shopper can tell you that. It's a
hunting expedition to downtown
Bryan or a trip to a Bryan - College
Station shopping center or exper-
iencing the special pampering from
local store management that cares.
It's the thrill of the game of looking
for goods and services and walking
away saying, "Hey,I got my
money's worth."
Sometimes the shopping seems
more exciting out -of -town, and cer-
tainly no one will make every pur-
chase in Bryan - College Station. We
invite you to shop at home, however,
because....
$20 spent in a local restaurant...
... is used to pay the busboy, the
waitress and the manager
who buy groceries at a local
store
... who use it to buy advertising
with the local media
... who buy paper at the office
products store
... who then buy from YOU or
YOUR EMPLOYER
... who pay your salary.
A great deal of money that is used
to pave streets, develop parks and
pay policemen comes from sales tax.
Sales tax money that goes to other
cities does these things elsewhere.
Local businesses invest in the
Bryan - College Station Chamber of
Commerce, United Way, Brazos
Beautiful, Twin City Mission and
many other organizations that serve
the needs of our community.
We invite all local businesses to
follow the lead of the businesses
listed here and join together in mak-
ing Bryan - College Station a pros-
perous place to live. Our local busi-
nesses know that they must compete
for your business to deserve it.
�' &, /Gl v
HAZMAP helps public keep an eye on storms
University News Service
Staying high and dry during hurricane
season requires foresight — a visionary
map of sorts.
HAZMAP at Texas A &M University is a
computer program that churns out
graphics the person on the street can in-
terpret. It visually shows how high waters
will get in specifled areas at specified
times during a hurricane.
HAZMAP is customized for the Gulf of
Mexico and was tested against data from
Hurricane Carla in 1961 and Hurricane
Allen in 1980. But the computer program
can be adapted to any region simply by
altering the geographical data.
The program's predictive capabilities
appear "very accurate," said Kenneth
White, an A &M geographer who specia-
lizes in computer software packages
called geographic information systems.
White said HAZMAP's after -the -fact
predictions came within a foot of how
high water actually rose in given areas
during hurricanes Carla and Allen. It also
came within two hours of predicting
when that water rose.
Equally important, he said, is HAZ-
MAP's ability to communicate.
"The American public seems to re-
spond more to pictures than the written
or spoken word," White said. "And it is
our impression that the computer -
generated graphics have more credence
with the general public than hand -made
maps."
HAZMAP can focus on as large or as
small an area as the data will allow.
A typical HAZMAP graphic might show
the eastern end of Galveston Island. The
area's contour lines would be yellow, the
shoreline green and the roads, jetties and
seawall red. Strategic buildings in the
area would be designated by squares.
HAZMAP finds the contour line that
corresponds to a storm's given water
surge at a specified time and colors every-
thing below that contour line blue.
"In other words, HAZMAP gives you an
easy -to -read map that tells you what is in
danger of being under water and at what
time," White said.
HAZMAP represents the brainchild of
Laura Schornick, a systems engineer for
Digital Equipment Corporation. She as-
sembled the program in 1987 while at
A &M working on a master's degree in ge-
ography.
Schornick borrowed from the work of
Mahunnop Bunpapong, an oceanogra-
pher whose doctoral research at A &M
was published in 1985. Bunpapong con-
structed a numerical model defining the
variable heights of storm surge.
Schornick took Bunpapong's data and
merged it with contour lines, transporta-
tion channels and other data, resulting in
HAZMAP.
Nevertheless, White admitted HAZMAP
falls short of perfection.
The Bunpapong measures a bottom
line storm surge. It does not take into ac-
count wind fields, flood waters or existent
precipitation.
61jr 00
Libraries sponsor summer reading program
Summer doesn't have to mean a three -
month dry spell.
The Bryan and College Station public
libraries and the Bookmobile are offering
a variety of activities for children and
adults in the fifth annual Summer Read-
ing Program.
The program will beign with a petting
zoo at 9 a.m. Wednesday on the lawn of
the Bryan Public Library, 201 E. 26th St.
Animals for the zoo will be provided by
the Brazos County 4 -H Council.
Children also may draw their footprints
storytellers, plays, a hobby day, an exotic
bird exhibit, and speakers on such topics
as dog training, crime prevention and the
American flag.
When children join the Summer Read-
ing Club at either library, they get a "time
sheet" from the librarian and keep track
of the number of minutes they read. The
goal is for every child to read for five
hours during the summer, rather than a
number of books.
Bryan library.
"We believe that a goal of reading for
five hours will motivate more children to
read than asking them to commit to read-
ing a certain number of books," Mounce
said. "Recording minutes gives the slower
reader or the child who tackles the
thicker books an equal chance for suc-
cess.
"Children who have not learned to read
may participate by having a parent, a
friend or older sibling read to them," she
said.
'calk on the sidewalk and decorate the
nes as they please.
:r..,. . Wednesday throughout the
summer, the Bryan library will feature
Those who meet the five -hour goal will
receive a certificate, and those who read
for 10 or more hours will get a certificate
with a gold seal and a "grab bag" of sur-
prises, said librarian Clara Mounce of the
To join the Summer Reading Club, reg-
ister at the Bryan or College Station li-
brary or the Bookmobile.
Highways of the future concern institute
right there in the vehicle with the driver,
but what can we bring in that will not
overload his circuits ?" Bridges said.
Research concerning worldwide real -
time traffic signal controls, collision avoi-
dance systems, autonomous vehicle de-
velopment and traffic management
center evaluations is ongoing, he said.
Most of the focus in Texas is on the
general area of traffic management,
Bridges said. Traffic management
centers, already in operation in other
parts of the country, are being installed
in Houston and elsewhere this year, he
said.
Traffic centers will monitor and man-
age traffic signals and ramp signals,
Bridges said. The center can change the
traffic signal pattern in reaction to
extraordinary traffic patterns or to expe-
dite emergency vehicle response, he said.
Improved communication to drivers
would include changeable message signs
and an AM -radio advisory channel in the
beginning, Bridges added.
The study of state -of- the -art freeway
operation designs will yield a planning
manual for use in Texas, Bridges added.
The institute is also doing a slow -scan
mobile camera surveillance of the Dallas
North Central Expressway corridor re-
construction, he said.
The institute will be assisting in Dallas
with details like detours during construc-
tion to cut delays and other problems, in
addition to researching the expressway
control system to include light rail.
Overall, transportation developments
in the next five years will likely include
vehicles with some form of intelligence
such as navigation aids and digital com-
puters that register vehicle speed, classi-
fication and even destination, Bridges
said.
"By the latter '90s, the highways will be
talking back with things like routing in-
formation, location of congestion and
construction sites," Bridges said.
University News Service
Developing technology for 21 st- century
highways and automobiles is easy com-
pared to dealing with human complexi-
ties, said a transportation researcher ex-
amining such advanced technology
worldwide.
When the road starts talking back,
researchers need to know how much
conversation drivers can handle.
k "'emarkable improvements are ongoing
°hicle and roadway enhancement,
nore human factors work is needed,
s G. Sadler Bridges, associate director
of the Texas Transportation Institute at
Texas A &M University.
Bridges oversees continuing efforts of
the institute to explore advanced trans-
portation efforts funded by more than a
half million dollars from the State De-
partment of Highways and Public Trans-
portation over the past two years.
"We know we need more technology
r�
613100
E
C
Sales tax rebates
for May rise in
Bryan and CS
Sales -tax rebates in May jumped by , ,
more than 7 percent in both Bryan
and College Station from May 1989
and by 14.5 percent for Brazos
County, keeping both College Station
and Brazos County
ahead of last year's
pace and Bryan just
behind it.
College Station col-
lected a rebate of
$447,564.88 in May,
a 7.4 percent in-
crease from last .
year's May payment.
For the year to date, it Steve
has collected slightly Hill
more than $1.7 mil-
lion — an increase of pJamiplipf4r, =.
5.2 percent from 1989.
Brazos County's rebate was
$393,354.37, which brought its total
rebate for the year to some $1.4 million
— 12.3 percent ahead of the total given
back by the state through May of
1989.
Bryan's payment of $373,726.41
was 7.9 percent higher than last May's
payment, bringing its 1990 total to
some $1.4 million. That figure is 0.7
percent behind the first five payments
for 1989.
L "I-o
Big Mac attack
I am writing in reference to the
letter of Michael Worsham, pub-
lished in the April 19 Eagle. In his
letter, Mr. Worsham advises
readers to avoid McDonald's be-
cause of ozone depletion due to
the restaurant's food packaging in
foam containers.
The fact is that CFC's are not
used in the manufacture of
McDonald's containers. McDon-
ald's was the first food service or-
ganization to voluntarily phase
out the use of CFCs, beginning in
1987. The EPA Qilice of Air a4d
Radiation, in a letter of January
1988, states that the material
which is used in,the manufacture
of McDonald's foam is "part of the
solution to stratospheric ozone
depletion."
Additionally, there are other
advantages of McDonald's pack-
aging materials:
1. The packaging is manufac-
tured in a very sanitary manner,
is non - absorbent and does not
support bacterial growth.
2. Polystyrene foam is generally
environmentally superior to
manufacture than paper. Paper
mills consume more energy and
produce more waste water than
do polystyrene foam plants.
3. Polystyrene foam packaging
is safer and less expensive to in-
cinerate than paper, if incin-
eration is a chosen method of dis-
posal.
4. Polystyrene foam packaging
readily lends itself to recycling
and many products are produced
from this recycled packaging.
Regarding recycling generally,
in 1988 McDonald's used 63.6
million pounds of recycled paper
and is the largest user of recycled
paper in the industry. Recently,
McDonald's announced the
commitment to purchase $100
million -worth of recycled material
for use in construction and reno-
vation of its restaurants. This is in
addition to the recycled products
that it already purchases.
McDonald's has not, does not,
and will not use beef raised on
rain - forest land. As a matter of re-
cord, McDonald's in the U.S. uses
only U.S. -grown beef.
We invite readers to pick up a
copy of "McDonald's Packaging -
The Facts," a 20 -page booklet
printed on recycled paper, availa-
ble at all five McDonald's Restau-
rants in Bryan and College Sta-
tion.
PHILIP D. SPRINGER
McDonald's Owner,
Bryan- College Station
L "I-o
.5I3ol9a
Brush ordinance being ignored
The city of Bryan is struggling with a
backlog of logs, a bottleneck of brush, an
overload of limbs, a torrent of trees, a ...
you get the picture.
But before you race to the phone to call
the city and give them a piece of your
mind, better make sure your brush pile
meets city standards.
Chapter 23, Article II, Section 23 16 of
Bryan's solid waste code says tree trim-
mings to be picked up by the city's gar-
bage service must not exceed four feet in
Please see Digest, 3A
•
Digest
From 2A
length, must be baled, tied or
sacked, and not weigh more than
50 pounds.
Ed Ilschner, Bryan director of
public works, said people not fol-
lowing the regulations, combined
with a massive winter tree kill
caused by the cold weather, have
created a eight -week back load of
brush calls for the city's sanita-
tion department.
"If residents follow these guide-
lines, brush piles can be disposed
of with the regular solid waste
trucks," Ilschner said. "We only
have two vehicles capable of han-
dling the larger brush piles. That
means a five- to eight -week mini-
mum waiting period to service all
areas of Bryan."
Ilschner said the city will con-
tinue to pick up those brush piles
not meeting city standards, but
urged residents to comply with
the brush ordinance, to make the
cleanup quicker.
'61'�qq a
•
�1
CS lacking applicants
for city committees
The city of College Station is seeking
applicants for city committees.
The Co C Council
ents, but applicants
the appo ants
by June 8. Applications can be picked up
at the City Council office at the College
Station City Hall, 1101 South Texas Ave.
Interested residents can call 764 -3541.
Appointme b e made to the
C the Community
Cemetery
Center Board, the Energy Management
Board, the parks and Development Re cre a tio n Loan
and the Community
Board.
Also, the planning and Zoning Board,
the Zoning Board of Adjustments, the
Structural Standards/ Budding Codes
Board, the Community Appearance
Committee and the Electrical Examining
Board.
Also, the Historic Preservation Com-
mittee, the Joint Relief Finding Commit-
tee, the Easterwood Airport Zoning
Board, the Plumbing Appeals Board, and
the War on Drugs Committee.
•
•
Thank you A&M Junior High.
Last Tuesday my son, Hunter
Cole, received an award for "the
most improved 8th grade boy" at
A&M Junior High. This award
means so much to him and to me.
In 1988, Hunter's father King
Cole, former City Manager of Col-
lege Station, died after a long bout
with cancer. Hunter was angry,
hurt and rebellious. His seventh
grade school year was saved only
by the understanding and toler-
ance of then assistant Junior
High principal Lloyd Wasserman
and many of his teachers. During
the award's ceremony, Brad Lan-
caster, assistant principal, re-
ported that the only positive thing
about Hunter's seventh grade
year was that he passedi
During his eighth grade ycAu.
Hunter began changing. Through
his efforts and positive encour-
agement of all his teachers, espe-
d�y Mr. Lancaster, Mrs. At-
taway, Mrs. Browne - Schuler and
Susie Feldman, R.N., Hunter's
eighth grade year has been very
successful.
I am very grateful to the princi-
pals. teachers and staff of A&M
Junior High. It has been a won-
derful year for him. Thank you.
LEE COLE
College Station
5 � Iq o
•
A &M program offers hurricane safety guides
destructive. It provides protection and
recovery strategies that include evacua-
tion plans and tracking charts. The pub-
lication also lists additional publications
on hurricanes and hurricane awareness.
"Keys to Hurricane Safety" outlines
specific steps to be taken before, during
and after a threatening storm.
"Protecting your Boat against Severe
Weather" describes different ways to
moor or store boats and weighs the risks
associated with different storage loca-
tions.
"Hurricane Warning" uses the cartoon
character Owlte Skywarn to make chil-
dren aware of the dangers tornadoes,
floods and hurricanes pose.
Also available are results from a study
Texas A &M researchers conducted in
1980 with 381 Galveston Island residents
on responses to hurricane warnings. The
publication is entitled "Hurricane Watch
— Hurricane Warning — Why Don't Peo-
ple Listen ?"
proven particularly useful to emergency
management personnel and the news
media.
The study reports that people generally
do not know the difference between a
"watch" and a "warning" and that all
hurricanes classified higher than a "force
one" are perceived by the general public
to be "bad."
"The newcomers to our area have never
before been through a hurricane and
don't know what to expect," says Amy
Broussard, associate director of the Sea
Grant Program in Galveston. "On the
other hand, the longtime residents tend
to become more complacent,"
But these publications, Broussard
says, are aimed at everyone in hazardous
areas, whether or not they've experienced
a hurricane.
Many of Sea Grant's offerings are avail-
able in both English and Spanish.
Single copies of each publication may
be obtained by writing: Sea Grant College
Program, Texas A &M University, P. O.
Box 1675, Galveston, TX. 77553; or by
calling (409) 740 -4457. Price listings are
available for multiple copies.
University News Service
Hurricanes sweep people away — lit-
erally and figuratively.
But a little calm before the storm can
greatly enhance physical and emotional
security, say Texas A &M officials.
Six hurricane safety publications are
being offered free to the public through
Texas A &M Sea Grant College Pro -
i and Texas Marine Advisory Service
.�.Galveston in conjunction with the
start of hurricane "season" in June.
The publications attempt to minimize
loss of life and property while also curtail-
ing the fear that surrounds hurricanes.
They explain how tropical storms work
and offer suggestions on how to prepare
for and then recover from them.
"Evacuation and Contingency Zone"
maps specify escape routes and the time
it takes to evacuate an area. These maps
have been customized for Sabine Lake,
Galveston Bay, Matagorda, Corpus
0
Christi and Brownsville. Ten years later, the findings remain va-
"Texas Coast Hurricanes" reveals what lid and can be generalized to other coas-
hurricanes are and what makes them so tal areas, researchers say. They have
5 /a�-l90
CS needs utility bond issue, council told
By Phillip Sulak
Eagle staff writer
The city of College Station will
have to issue $11 million in utility
bonds over the next three years to
keep up with demand from Col-
lege Station residents, members
of the city staff told the City
Council on Wednesday.
City staffers at the council's
Wednesday afternoon meeting
outlined the purpose of the funds:
$2.6 million in water production
facilities to meet the estimated
1993 peak water usage; $2.8 mil-
lion for long - range waste water
sludge removal; $2.1 million for
water distribution, including im-
provements to the water system
east of the East Bypass; and $2.8
million for electric distribution.
The council agreed unani-
mously not to include the utility
bonds in the Oct. 13 general bond
election.
The bonds can be issued legally
without approval from voters be-
cause they are revenue bonds, not
general obligation bonds. The
bonds will be paid from utility re-
venues, not properly taxes.
"The danger is you won't have
water or sewer facilities if you
have any growth," said Ron Rag-
land, College Station city man-
ager. "It's an emergency
measure."
William Harrison, College Sta-
tion director for fiscal and human
resources said the impact on uti-
lity rates will not be immediate or
drastic.
"It will be factored into utilities
over three years," Harrison said.
Harrison said city staff will pre-
sent a more definite idea of how
utility rates would be affected to
the council within 30 days.
Voters earlier this month ap-
proved a measure to raise the city
sales tax by one -half percent and
cut utility rates by a correspond-
ing amount.
Larry Ringer, College Station
mayor, said the presentation
should not have been a surprise.
"The report from the Capital
Improvements Committee rec-
ommended not taking the utility
bonds before the voters," Ringer
said. "But it did outline our future
Please see Bonds, 2A
Bonds
From 1A
needs."
When asked how citizens were going to
react to a possible utility rate increase
after approving a sales tax increase that
was supposed to lower utility rates,
Ringer said, "I don't know."
"Until I know what impact (the bonds)
will have on utility rates, I won't know
how it will wash out between the decrease
and and increase," Ringer said.
Ringer said the size of the utility bond
issue is an open question, and that the
council hasn't committed itself to the $11
million proposed by the city staff.
The council also set Oct. 13 as the tar-
get date for the general bond election,
which is expected to include proposals for
funding a city library, street improve-
ments, and the city's share of the cost of
lowering Wellborn Road and the South-
ern Pacific railroad tracks into a ditch
from north of Villa Maria Road to just
north of FM 2818.
City staff had originally proposed Oct.
27, but that date is a home football week-
end for Texas A &M University. Mayor
Larry Ringer said it would difficult to find
election judges, and that traffic would
make it difficult for voters to get to the
Polls.
Councilmen Jim Gardner and Dick
Birdwell argued for a December date, but
Ringer said he had been getting com-
ments from the Texas A &M University
Board of Regents, accusing College Sta-
tion of dragging its feet on LoTrak, the
plan to lower the train tracks near the
Texas A &M campus. The council is sche-
duled to receive updated LoTrak and li-
brary proposals at its June 14 meeting.
�i� `klq
p F" -I
�,
AA,
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rip
� ]a3lq0
BROWN
BUREAU ELECTS BROWN: Fred
Brown was elected president of the
board of directors of the Better Busi-
ness Bureau of Brazos Valley, Inc., at
the organization's annual meeting,
held last month. Serving as 1990 -91
officers with Brown are Bill Erwin,
vice president; and Janice Ray, trea-
surer. David Stasny was retained as
the organization's counsel.
For information about the local unit
of the Better Business Bureau, call
823 -8148. The BBB office is located at
202 Varisco Building.
/a3 /r
Bienvinedos to our sister city delegation
Eagle Editorial Board
Welcome to Mayor Jesus Luis
Chapa of Zuazua and his dele-
gation from our sister city in Mex-
ico.
They arrive here today to begin
our new association with this city
approximately 20 miles north of
Monterrey.
This is the second visit from a
sister city delegation in a month.
Already we are beginning to see
plans for cultural exchange
taking shape with our sister city,
Kazan, in the Union of Soviet
Socialist Republics. We are also
seeing some domestic benefit.
Bryan and College Station are
presenting a united face in these
internationalism endeavors, act-
ing as one city. As we grow closer
to the rest of the world, it would
appear that we draw closer to
each other.
How much more important,
then, is this union with Zuazua
because of Mexico's proximity to
the United States? We share more
than a cultural and political heri-
tage. We share a continent.
Our continent is threatened by
poverty, the ecological crisis, edu-
cational system failures and
underdevelopment. While the se-
verity of these crises may vary
with the degrees of latitude, they
are, nevertheless, the same prob-
lems from the Port of Valdez to the
Gulf of Campeche, from the smog -
bound streets of Los Angeles to
the gray -brown horizons of Mex-
ico City, from the smugglers' pas-
ses in the Sierra Madre Occidental
to the back -alley canyons of De-
troit. A child in Bryan- College
Station cries no louder than an in-
fant of Zuazua. We breath the
same air, drink the same water,
walk the same land. We face the
same future.
Welcome then, to the rep-
resentatives of our sister city. We
hope their stay is entertaining
and enlightening. We hope this
will be an open avenue for further
contact and exchanges of culture
and ideas to our mutual under-
standing and benefit.
The members of the Eagle Editorial Board
are:
Dennis E. Thomas, publisher
David Crisp, managing editor
Rod Armstrong, finance director
Tim Sager, assistant managing editor
Don M. Fisher, opinions editor
Brad Owens, city editor
Robert C. Borden, assistant city editor
Gwynne Allen Elledge, news editor
Copyright 1990 by Worrell Enterprises
Inc. All rights reserved. All property rights
for the entire contents of this publication
shall by the property of Worrell Enter-
prises Inc. No part hereof may be rep-
roduced without prior written consent.
��a3l�d
Hubbard and
Garcia win
May Day 5K
Diane Hubbard and Jorge Garcia
were the top female and male runners
in the May Day 5K, which was run
Saturday in Southwood Valley as a
part of the yearlong Brazos Valley Fit-
ness Association's
outdoor recreation
sporting events.
Hubbard ran a 26:42,
,just ahead of Tam
Garland (26:46),
while Garcia easily
outdistanced second- a
place Danny Petty,
19:20 - 19:38.
Jessica Korme- Tim
link won the Stanfield
women's title in the
I OK run with a 50:46
and Marge Trenchman finished sec-
ond (55:49). Martin Littlefield won
the men's title, running a 37:37, and
A&M Consolidated senior Sam Hef-
fington was second (38:36).
Overall, 29 runners participated in
the lOK and 32 ran in the 5K. Race di-
rector Tony Scazzero again "pro-
vided" good weather, as he has done
for almost every BVFA event in 1990.
Complete results are in recreation
results. Many thanks to Scazzero for
getting the results to me Saturday. For
more information about upcoming
events, contact Scazzero at 764 -3736
or his assistant, Al Heaskew at
764 -3737.
5/1q/qa
Feds seize
Southwest
Savings
From staff and wire reports
DALLAS — Southwest Ej aving Association, Texas's third rgest '
thrift and the second of the con-
troversial 1988 bailout deals, was
taken over by government regula-
tors Friday in what analysts was
an admission of failure the first
time around.
The $5.5 billion asset thrift,
owned by the Caroline Hunt Trust
Estate, is the first of the South-
west plan institutions to fail.
The Office of Thrift Supervision
placed the Dallas -based institu-
tion under control of the Resolu-
tion Trust Corp. Both agencies
were created last year to clean up
the faltering thrift industry.
Southwest's 69 branches will
continue to operate, said Jim
Cooper, the RTC official placed in
charge of the thrift. It has two
branches in College Station, one
in Bryan, and one in Caldwell.
Local Southwest officials were
unavailable for comment late Fri-
day.
The OTC said Southwest had
liabilities of $5.6 billion and a
tangible capital -to- assets ratio of
minus 5.64 percent, far less than
the required 3 percent.
The OTS said Southwest was
operating in an "unsafe and un-
sound condition and had in-
curred losses that depleted sub-
stantially all of its capital, with no
prospect of replenishment with-
out federal assistance."
Please see Savings, 5A
Savings
From 1A
Moreover ... substantial capital
forbearances granted by regul
tors in 1988 no longer can b
counted as part of the institu
tion's regulatory capital, a facto
that contributed to the insol
vency," the agency said.
M. Danny Wail, who champs
oned the Southwest Plan deals a
head of the Federal Savings an
Loan Insurance Corp., said th
thrift's failure was not an indica.
tion of problems in the 14 other
deals.
"This is an exception from the
standpoint of the deals that were
done," Wall said by telephone
from his Washington, D.C., area
home. "It was early in the process
and as more time went on there
and elsewhere, we discovered the
problems were greater in institu-
tions in Texas and elsewhere than
we thought."
The structure of the 1988 deal
also contributed to Southwest's
downfall, most observers agreed.
"Although FSLIC guaranteed
approximately 60 percent of the
assets obtained through the con-
solidation, the assistance was in-
sufficient to offset the non-
performance of the non - covered
assets and the decline in market
value of real estate owned," the
OTC said.
"The thing never had a chance,"
said industry analyst Bert Ely,
because "when they did the deal,
they only covered the losses only
in the other four institutions and
they didn't cover it in Southwest
Savings."
On May 18, 1988, the original
Southwest Savings, owned by
Hunt's estate, took over four other
institutions: Lamar Savi A
sociation, City Savings and Loan
Association, Briercroft Savings
Association and Stockton Savings
Association. Hunt is a daughter of
billionaire oilman H.L. Hunt. She
is estimated to be worth about $1
billion.
a- At the time, the government
e provided $2 billion in assistance.
"The observation needs to be
r made that Southwest Savings it-
self needed help fairly soon after
the deal was made," said Wall,
who was forced out as head of the
s OTS in part because of congres-
d sional displeasure with the
e Southwest Plan deals.
"Clearly our view at the time we
made the decision was that there
were deep pockets at the parent,
and the deep pockets would
protect their investment," Wall
said. "They apparently have cho-
sen not to."
Estate officials did not return
telephone calls Friday night seek-
ing comment.
Under the Southwest Plan, re-
gulators led by Wall sought to bail
out failing institutions by bring-
ing in new investors and promis-
ing future assistance in return for
the investment. The deals were
defended as the best solution at
the time because of the insolvency
of the insurance fund.
In the meantime, the deals have
been attacked as too costly, with
the General Accounting Office
suggesting it would have been
cheaper to shut down a third of
the institutions and pay off depos-
itors.
Also Friday, the OTS placed
First Savings and Loan Associa-
tion of Borger and First Federal
Savings and Loan Association of
Conroe, in conservatorship and
sold Houston's Cornerstone Fed-
eral Savings Association to Great
Southwest Savings, also in Hous-
ton.
,6I13Iq 6
Students file suit against North Texas
challenging school's drug search policy
which prohibits unlawful search
and seizure.
"The university as a landlord
must observe the same laws as
landlords across the state and
country have to observe," Yang
said. "A student should not be
penalized for living in the dorms."
According to UNT housing
policies distributed to the 4,000
students at the school's eight
dorms, room searches can occur
if staff members see or smell what
they believe are illegal drugs.
They can also search rooms if
they receive a credible tip from a
resident, or have other criteria for
"strong suspicion," the news-
paper said.
"Residence hall staff assumes,
for purposes of these procedures,
that incense or clove cigarettes
are being used to conceal the use
of drugs and may enter a room,"
the policy states.
Student reaction has been
mixed. About 200 students and
faculty attended a protest rally in
February 1989. UNT's student
government initially opposed the
policy but reversed itself last fall,
and the student newspaper has
printed several negative editor-
ials.
Student Association President
Wade Duchene was elected last
month after campaigning to op-
pose the drug policy. "It was a ma-
jor plank in my platform," Du-
chene said.
"The dorm search policy is a
bad policy thought up by people
with good intentions. It's impor-
tant to get drugs off campus but
it's more important to support
constitutional rights," he said.
The issue will be brought up for
a vote again in the student asso-
ciation next semester, Duchene
said.
Paul Stevens, former associa-
tion president, said he supports
the policy. "I know America has a
serious drug problem," he said.
"Students have the right to a
drug -free environment."
Freshmen, who are required to
live in a dorm until they have
completed 30 semester hours,
have no choice, Hahn said. "We
have to sign a piece of paper that
says they're allowed to do this or
we can't live there. No American
can sign away their rights."
The Associat Press
DENTON — A group of students
at the University of North Texas
are challenging the constitutiona-
lity of a dormitory drug policy that
allows officials to search rooms
without a warrant.
"The university doesn't have a
right to enter my dorm without a
warrant or my permission," said
Jennifer Hahn, one of the four
plaintiffs in the federal class ac-
tion suit filed in Sherman. "This is
my home."
Six rooms have been searched
since the year -old policy was in-
stituted and four students were
suspended or quit school after
their rooms were searched for
drugs, Richard Rafes, UNT attor-
ney told the Fort Worth Star -
Telegram.
"Our ,job is to provide a healthy
educational environment," he
said. "We have to consider every-
one's rights."
Victor Yang, a Dallas attorney
representing the plaintiffs, said
the suit challenges the policy
under the Fourth Amendment,
Tense moments
end happily
at Easterwood
By Jenny Butler
Eagle staff writer
An American Airlines com-
muter airplane en route to Dal-
las from College Station retur-
ned safely to Easterwood Airport
Friday afternoon after the air-
craft developed a problem with
its hydraulic system.
American Eagle Flight 3778
had been airborne about 20
minutes when the flight atten-
dant notified the 29 passengers
the plane had a hydraulic prob-
lem and would return to College
Station, passengers said.
Bob Vick, vice president of
aviation for American Eagle in
Abilene, described the problem
as "a weakening of the hydraulic
system," but said the passen-
gers were not in danger.
The hydraulic system controls
the landing gears and wing
flaps, and assists in operation of
the rudder, he said. Vick com-
pared the loss of hydraulics to
the loss of power steering on a
car.
Pilot Doug Robertson notified
the Easterwood traffic control
tower of the emergency at 11:40
a.m., said Richard Arnold, asso-
ciate director of aviation at
Easterwood.
Officials called in ambulances
and rescue vehicles from the
airport, the College Station Fire
Department and Texas A &M
University to prepare for a crash
landing, but the plane landed
without incident at about noon
at the closed terminal, which
was closer, Arnold said.
Arnold said the aircraft was
forced to circle before landing to
burn off fuel and lighten the
plane for a possible crash land-
ing.
Passengers said the flight had
problems from the moment of
takeoff.
The Rev. Emilio Rosolen, 42,
an associate minister at St.
Mary's Catholic Church in Col-
lege Station, was en route to
New Jersey to visit his parents.
A veteran of two previous
crash landings, Rosolen said he
knew the flight had problems
immediately after takeoff.
Emilio Rosolen
"We felt sluggish — you could
feel something was wrong." he
said. " I was afraid this one would
be the end."
Rosolen described the passen-
gers' mood as frightened but
calm during the 20- minute re-
turn to College Station.
"I offered absolution to all that
were asking," Rosolen said. "We
did general absolution, which
the church permits in emer-
gency situations."
'When we took off, it was rea-
lly rough," said Karlease Clark,
35, an administrative planning
analyst at A &M. "Normally after
you take off, you make a really
wide turn. We didn't ever do
that. I kind of had a feeling
things weren't going right."
Clark, who was on her way to a
conference in Louisville, Ky.,
said the plane seemed to "hover"
in the air after it turned around
for the trip home.
"I was scared, but I tried not to
think about it," she said. "The
Father was making us feel a lot
more comfortable."
Jill Hubred, a 24- year -old gra-
duate student on her way to New
York City and Europe, said she
and her fellow passengers were
quiet during the return trip.
"Everybody was really cool,"
Hubred said. "They were scared,
but nobody was hysterical or
Please see Airplane, SA
Pilot Doug Robertson
Eagle photos by Bill Meeks
An American Airlines commuter plane taxies into the old Easterwood terminal Friday followed by an escort of rescue teams. The airplane
developed problems with its hydraulic system shortly after taking off and pilots returned the plane to the airport.
McKenzie terminal. American
Airplane Eagle was to assist in rebooking
nights.
From 1A Vick said the cause of the mal-
function had not yet been de-
termined, but that the aircraft
had no history of serious prob-
anything. We just did a lot of pray- lems. He said mechanics from
fog." Dallas were on their way to exam_
Arnold said that after leaving ine the plane.
the crippled plane, passengers "This is what we call one of
were taken by bus to the new those non - events," Vick said.
51� 00
Sales tax rebates up
in CS, down in Bryan
Sales tax rebates to the city of Col-
lege Stationand to Brazos County
have risen during the first quarter o
1990, but those to the city of Bryan
have fallen by 3.6 percent in the same
period, the state's
Comptroller ofPub-
lic Accounts has an-
nounced.
Bryan's rebate ofr.
$186,027.24 in early
April was down 9.89 - -
percent from the
$206,451.04 refun-
ded in April 1989.
The total of Steve
$985,318.43 given Hill
back during the first
four months of 1990
is down from the previous year's
$1,022,071.72.
College Station received a payment
of $268,727.53 in April, up 16.51 per-
cent from 1989's $230,645.45. For the
four -month period, the 1990 total is
$1,341,232.94 — up 4.5 percent from
the $1,283,536 refunded in 1989.
Brazos County received a check for
$199,985.39 in April, up 27.23 per-
cent from the $157,184.93 received in
April 1989. The year -to -date rebate
total of $1,048,218.45 is 11.44 percent
higher than the $940,589.46 sent
back last year.
1 6 �i r -. I ()
Vote Robinson
We are writing this letter as a recom-
mendation for Mrs. Lillian Jean Clark
Robinson for the Position College Station
School Board Trustee, Place 6 on May 5,
1990.
We have known Lillian quite well most
of our lives. She is extremely intelligent,
hard working and devoted to her com-
munity. She would be an excellent addi-
tion to the College Station School Board.
She is an outstanding young lady who
has done an outstanding ,Job at every-
thing in which she has been involved.
She is very competent in her area of work.
In addition to her very high level of com-
petence, proven ability and dedication to
her career, Mrs. Robinson is very person-
able, meets people well and works well
with her peers and employees. She is one
of the best liked persons in our commun-
ity. She is a very pleasant person and gets
along with people exceptionally well. She
will bend over backwards to help anyone.
Mrs. Robinson has a wide range of in-
terests and abilities. Her awards and affi-
liations include: Employee of the month
for the City of College Station, selected to
conduct a workshop on "Recreation in
the Minority Area", recognized for out-
standing community support by the Bra-
zos County Branch N.A.A.C.P., certified
at the National and State Level for Emer-
gency Management, Chamber of Com-
merce Outstanding Worker for the City of
College Station, member of "Making the
Grade" sponsored by the Brazos County
Extension Service, member of the 1990
Census Committee for the City of College
Station, certified Defensive Driving In-
structor, member of Art Council, member
of College Station Historical Committee,
and Notary Public. Mrs. Robinson is a
very well rounded leader in her field of in-
terest.
Lillian has the ability to master new
material quickly and is very efficient in
putting new ideas to work, She has some
very useful and innovative ideas and is
very thorough and pleasant to work with.
We consider her to be highly qualified for
the position on the College Station School
Board.
We think she would be a valuable asset
to the School District. We recommend
Mrs. Lillian Clark Robinson without re-
servations for a Position on the College
Station Independent School District
Board Place 6, May 5. Please get out and
vote. If elected, she will be the first Black
in the history of the College Station
School Board to be elected.
LARRYJOHNSON
President,
Concerned Helpers
of Intercommunity Efforts
(CHOICE)
5)O W,
r�
u
73-CS voters at polls for local elections
By Phillip Sulak
Eagle staff writer
Voters in Bryan and College
Station can help shape the future
directions of their cities and
schools today in school board, city
council and sales tax increase
elections.
Bryan has three city council
races on the ballot. Incumbent
Edward Aycox Sr., a retired
school administrator, faces busi-
■ Where to vote in your area, 2A
nessmen W.E. "Bill" Crutchfield
and Lonnie Stabler for Place 2. In-
cumbent Larry Catlin, an attor-
ney, is being opposed by business
owner Michael Stafford in Place 4;
and in Place 6 Rudy Schultz, Dale
Ison, Marc Hamlin, Floyd Wells
and Lloyd Joyce, are vying to take
the seat Bob Reese is vacating.
College Station has four races
on its ballot, with incumbents
Mayor Larry Ringer, Dick Birdwell
in Place 2 and Vernon Schneider
in Place 4, facing no opponents.
Newcomer Nancy Crouch, in
Place 6, also is unopposed.
Both cities also have measures
on the ballot that would allow the
city councils to raise sales taxes
by one -half of one percent. If pas-
sed, the city sales tax rate will be
1 1 /2 percent for Bryan and College
Please see Elections, 4A
i
Elections
From 1A
Station.
The Bryan City Council plans to
use the resulting increased re-
venue to lower property taxes. The
College Station City Council plans
to use the funds to lower utility
rates and to fund capital im-
provement projects.
Voters in six rural voting pre-
cincts of the county commis-
sioner precincts 1 and 4, will vote
today on the issue of forming
Rural Fire Prevention Districts. If
passed the districts will have the
authority to levy taxes for fire
protection purposes.
The voting precincts involved
are 1, 2 and 28 in the county
commissioner Precinct 1; and
precincts 3, 29, and 30 in county
commissioner Precinct 4.
Four school board seats, two in
each city, are on the line in to-
day's voting.
In College Station, Place 6 in-
cumbent Dan MacGilvray is chal-
lenged by Lillian Robinson and
Nancy Harvey. In the Place 7 race,
the three contenders are Rob
Schleider, Carol Wagner and
Linda Parrish.
In Bryan, two seats are open, as
six -year veterans Wendy Costa
and Herbert Wade are stepping
down.
Position 4 is being sought by
Hank Bird, David Stasny, Ryan
Holt and Glenn Dowling. In Post -
tton 5, the candidates are Irma
Cauley, Marilyn Canales and
John E. Sykes.
Z//; � 161 6
30 years of defending Brazos County
Civil Defense boss honored
for years of volunteering
in emergencies, disasters
By Chuck Squatriglia
Eagl staff writer
For 30 years, whenever there's been an
emergency or natural disaster, Brazos
County has looked to one man for he4p. -
ke Canglose.
nglose has been
mm head of the Brazos
County Civil Defense
for the past 30 years,
.and in all that time,
he's never been paid for
his work. Canglose is y
an appointed official,
but his services are vo- CAN&OSE
luntary.
On Friday, more than 30 frieftds and
10,
colleagues gathered at the Brazos Center
to thank Canglose for his work and cele-
brate his 30th year of service.
Canglose said his services are some-
thing he owes Brazos County.
"I feel that if you live in a community,
you owe something to that community,"
he said.
Canglose first was appointed to the
post in 1959 by then -County Judge W.C.
Davis.
" I took the job and I liked all of the peo-
ple so much I stayed," he said.
Over the years, Canglose has coordin-
ated relief efforts for every type of natural
disaster.
"He is respected for his knowledge of ci-
vil defense and his innovative ideas," Ju-
dge W.R. Vance said.
Current County Judge R.J. Holmgreen
said of Canglose, "He is a great asset to
our community. I think we would be
losers if he left."
Despite the high praise and plaque he
was awarded, Canglose remained
modest.
"You're honoring me. I haven't done
anything. It's you who have done it all,"
he said, motioning to the audience.
Canglose was referring to what he cal-
led excellent cooperation between com-
munity, university and law- enforcement
officials in times of emergency. He said all
emergencies are looked at as group pro-
blems, not individual problems. He com-
pared the communities and county agen-
cies to four brothers.
"If you hit one brother, you better whip
all four of us," he said.
Canglose didn't have any time to reflect
on his honor Friday evening. He had just
gotten home from the ceremony when he
was called back to work. Nine tornado
sightings were reported in Brazos County
on Friday evening, and officials again cal-
led upon Canglose for help.
"I walked in the house at about 6:20
and both phones were ringing off the
hook," he said. "It was just like old times
—back to work, the fun's over."
q/a 01N
Planting trees
to beautify CS
College Station will go out on a limb to
beautify itself when the city celebrates
Arbor Day with a tree - planting ceremony
on Friday.
The celebration will take place at 2 p.m.
at Westchester Park, 501 Rock Prairie
Road, in College Station. The park is next
to Rock Prairie Elementary.
James Hull, associate director of the
Texas Forest Service, will present a Tree
City USA flag to Larry Ringer, mayor of
College Station.
Ringer will present the Tree City flag to
Danny Stribling, principal of the Rock
Prairie Elementary, to fly over the school.
The ceremony will end with Arbor Day
songs and the tree planting.
q-j��J�b
C7
B -CS unemployment rate dips to 3.2%
By Steve Hill
Eagle staff writer
Bryan - College Station's
3.2- percent unemployment rate
in March was the lowest since Oc-
tober 1984 and the lowest for that
month since 1982, said Walt
Baker, director for the Bryan of-
fice of the Texas Employment
Commission.
Baker, who after the January
and March figures were released
predicted a "good" quarter for
employment in the area, said
Tuesday, "Let's make that 'great
quarter.'"
The March figure gave Bryan-
College Station an average of 3.5
percent unemployment for the
first three months of 1990 — bet-
ter than any first - quarter average
in the previous five years, when
Please see Rate, 6A
Eagle graphic by Hobert U. aorce i
L
U'
Rate
From 1A
currently underemployed.
He said an indication of that
came at the Job Information Fair
held by the Business Job Training
Alliance in Bryan earlier in this
month. Of the 144 visitors who
turned in general applications at
the fair, 106 (73.6 percent) had a
college degree.
Only two had less than a high
school diploma or had completed
a high - school equivalency course.
"That really speaks to the highly
educated, available labor force —
individuals within our current job
structure who are willing to step
up to better opportunities," he
said. "They're there and they're
willing."
the rate averaged between 4.5
percent (1985) and 6.3 percent
(1987).
According to commission statis-
tics, total employment and total
civilian labor force averages of
58,575 and 60,278, respectively,
were also the highest in six years.
Total unemployment, an aver-
age of 2,153 for each month of
1990 to date, was lower than in
any of the previous six years —
despite the presence of a larger
labor force.
Baker said that although there
are more workers employed in
Brazos County, or the Bryan-
College Station Metropolitan Sta-
tistal Area, employers who are
willing to "pay the price" can hire
qualified employees who may be
Lubbock had the second - lowest
Texas unemployment rate at 3.9
percent, while Austin was third at
4.1.
McAllen- Edinburg- Mission had
a 21.4- percent rate, the highest
among 27 Texas metropolitan sta-
tistical areas. Laredo was 26th at
11.4 percent and Brownsville -
Harlingen 25th at 10.8 percent.
In the Brazos Valley, Washing-
ton County again had the lowest
rate at 2.7 percent, while Madison
County tied Brazos County with a
3.2 percent rate.
The valley's highest rate was 5.9
percent, in Milam County.
The state's rate was 5.7 percent
in March, down from 7.0 percent
in February and 6.4 percent in
March 1989.
The U.S. rate was 5.4 percent in
March after being 5.8 percent in
February. In March 1989, the rate
was 5.2 percent.
5
F_ ------
NIF
4
3 MAMJ
JASOND J FM
Eagle graphic by Hobert U. aorce i
L
U'
Rate
From 1A
currently underemployed.
He said an indication of that
came at the Job Information Fair
held by the Business Job Training
Alliance in Bryan earlier in this
month. Of the 144 visitors who
turned in general applications at
the fair, 106 (73.6 percent) had a
college degree.
Only two had less than a high
school diploma or had completed
a high - school equivalency course.
"That really speaks to the highly
educated, available labor force —
individuals within our current job
structure who are willing to step
up to better opportunities," he
said. "They're there and they're
willing."
the rate averaged between 4.5
percent (1985) and 6.3 percent
(1987).
According to commission statis-
tics, total employment and total
civilian labor force averages of
58,575 and 60,278, respectively,
were also the highest in six years.
Total unemployment, an aver-
age of 2,153 for each month of
1990 to date, was lower than in
any of the previous six years —
despite the presence of a larger
labor force.
Baker said that although there
are more workers employed in
Brazos County, or the Bryan-
College Station Metropolitan Sta-
tistal Area, employers who are
willing to "pay the price" can hire
qualified employees who may be
Lubbock had the second - lowest
Texas unemployment rate at 3.9
percent, while Austin was third at
4.1.
McAllen- Edinburg- Mission had
a 21.4- percent rate, the highest
among 27 Texas metropolitan sta-
tistical areas. Laredo was 26th at
11.4 percent and Brownsville -
Harlingen 25th at 10.8 percent.
In the Brazos Valley, Washing-
ton County again had the lowest
rate at 2.7 percent, while Madison
County tied Brazos County with a
3.2 percent rate.
The valley's highest rate was 5.9
percent, in Milam County.
The state's rate was 5.7 percent
in March, down from 7.0 percent
in February and 6.4 percent in
March 1989.
The U.S. rate was 5.4 percent in
March after being 5.8 percent in
February. In March 1989, the rate
was 5.2 percent.
•
c
Brazos Valley March
Employment
Labor
Unemployment
County
Force
Employed Unemployed
Percentage Rate
Brazos
62,100
60,100
2,000
3.2
Burleson
6,119
5,799
320
5.2
Grimes
10,308
9,944
364
3.5
Leon
5,828
5,546
282
4,8'
-Madison
4,791
4,637
154
3.2
WW' m
9,252
8,702
550
5.9
Robertson
7,083
6,765
318
4.5
W � .hington 13,169
12,817
352
2.7'
Eagle graphic by Robert C. Borden
�]
S torm dumps 13 inC es o rain o a
chance of continued thunderstorms to- two Inmates to the Brazos County Jail af- streets, stalled cars and fallen telephone
By Chuck Squatrlyila B -CS Schools S.III be opeO, ter rising waters forced them to shut off and power lines were the most serious
Res ■ d fl ci with calls 6A day.
E�ds.ea+r�n« Several roads Into Caldwell were tm- electricity to the Burleson County Jail. A problems.
pasae e because of the rain. a Burleson dispatcher said the inmates should be re- A spokesmen with the Red Cross In
Floods rayaged much of the Brazos Val- pheric Administration. the area received C ourlty sheriffs office dispatcher said. turned today. Caldwell said all of the local motels were
ley on Tuesday as some areas received as 13.04 inches of rain between noon and 10 FM 188, FM 3068, FM 696 and FM 1382 No Injuries were reported In the area full and that five families were staying In
much as 13 inches of rain. but no Injuries p.m. Texas 21 in Caldwell was closed at south all wei shut down. as was the In- and no families were evacuated from a shelter set up in the First Baptist
were reported in the area. about 9:30 p.m., and a Department of tersectlon of P 60 and Texas 21 in they homes. a sheriffs department dls- Church le stn Life Center. Most of the
IN
Burleson County was hit hardest by public Safety dispatcher said people Deanvine. and about three miles of Texas patcher said. Sheriffs deputies received 15 people eying there were stranded
motorists. he said. adding that most fa-
the storm. Caldwell was essentially shut - can't get In or out of Caldwell." 36. reports of a tornado touching down about
down as flood waters ravaged the area. forced Burleson County Sher- 12 miles south of Caldwell. but none were Plsass ass Storm, GA
m traveler then
According to Johnny C. Kovar. • stringer The Naponal Weather Service on Toes' Flooding forced the disnatcher said. Flooded
for the National Oceanic and Atmos- day night was predicting a 40 perO=t Ifis Department *MCIala
St or m
From to
males forced out of their homes
found refuge with nelghbors or re.
lati've.
The Red Cross spokesman said
regional Red Cross officials from
San Antonio would be In the area
early today to provide assistance.
The Bryan-College Station area
received more than 3K Inches of
rain between 12 30 p.m. and Ill
p m Tuesday. with more than two
Inches falling between 7 p m and
7 30 p m. A tornado was reported
at 1801 Laura Lane In College
Station. but officials said the re.
port waa not confirmed. A storage
shed at that location was des.
troyed by high winds, a College
Station police dispatcher said.
The College Station police de.
partment receved so many calls
that off -duty officers were called
In and the entire night shift was
brought on early. a department
spokesman said.
Flood waters rose high enough
to briefly close Te 6 south of
College Station. Texas 21 from
Texas Avenue to Sims Street was
closed down. as was FM 2818
through Wellborn. a DPS dispat.
cher said. Flooding also caused
many amaller streets in the two
cities to be shut down. The DPS
did not receive any major -
accident cans, but did receve
numerous reports of cars in dit-
ches, Including a car reportedly
submerged in a ditch at the rail-
road crossing at the intersection
of Texas 21 and Texas Avenue.
A four -Inch gas pipe near the
Lanerald Park subdlvtsloa to Col-
lege Station broke, backing up
traffic for about an hour, but
strong winds eliminated the need
to evacuate the arm a College
Station police dispalrber acid.
Tie greatest problems in the
two cities were stalled cars. debris
In the streets and hooded houses.
No evacuatbns were necessary In
either city. and no igji tcs were
reported.ockiaL said.
Ed flaehner, Bryan's director of
public works. said most of the
boo" in Bryan was in the
northern part of the city, thou�i
flooding also was reported in tie
eastern and southern sections of
town.
"I've drtven most of our road
system and we had a lot of our
creek crossings under water.' he
said. 'This Is probably the
beAviest rain we've had In 10
years.
nschner said city crew were
busy barricading street crossings
early in the evening, and added
that sewer department workers
had reported a number of back-
ups in the sewage system because
of the heavy runoff.
Major flooding was the most
serious problem on the Texas
AAM University campus. A
University Poll" dispatcher said
they had received reports of cars
flooded up to their steering
wheels, although she could not
say where they were parked.
Several buildings also were repor-
tedly flooded. but again. officials
with the department could not
may which ones. Officials said that
some areas of campus were
covered with as much as three
feet of water..
- - - -- _ _ -_ -- _ - -- -- - -- _ — - -_ -- - Other counties in the Brazos , -- -
Valley received rain. but only
Robertson County reported any
flooding. A sheriffs department
dispatcher said many county
roads were flooded. and a few
power outages were reported.
Robertson County received 2.4
inches of rain by 6:30 p.m. and
Washington County received one
inch by 8:15 p m. Rainfall totals
for other counties in the area were
unavailable.
�lxa#v
Area Crime Stoppers take bite out of awards
Brazos County group
sweeps prizes, will
host 1991 conference
By Chuck Squatriglia
Eagle staff writer
Aside from sweeping the awards at the
annual state conference of the Texas
Crime Stoppers Program, the Brazos
County Crime Stoppers brought home
the greatest award of all: College Station
will host the 1991 conference.
Two other cities, Arlington and El Paso,
made bids for the conference, but College
Station won the honor Friday at the state
conference this year in Beaumont, De-
puty Chris Kirk of the Brazos County
Sheriffs office said. Representatives from
the Crime Stoppers program, the College
Station Chamber of Commerce and the
College Station Hilton presented the bid,
Kirk said.
Ramona Hibbetts said of the honor, "It
will be great. We will be bringing in Crime
Stoppers programs from all over the
state."
The conference definitely will be a boom
for the local economy. Hibbetts estimated
between 250 and 500 people will attend
the four -day conference. There are 196
Crime Stoppers programs in the state.
The program also won three other
awards during the four -day conference:
the Productivity Award for the greatest
cash value of recovered property in its
population size, the 1989 television com-
petition in association with KBTX -TV for
the Best Crime of the Week re- enactment
for the area's market size, and Kirk won
the Texas Best Award for coordinator of
the year.
"It was a clean sweep," said Ramona
Hibbetts, chairman of the board of the
program. "We wanted to go over to Sam's
and buy some brooms."
In reaction to his winning the Texas
Best Award, Kirk said, " I was really stun-
ned. We're very, very proud of these ac-
complishments. ... Everything we went
over there to accomplish we did."
Hibbetts said that after she nominated
Kirk for the award, she received 28 letters
seconding her nomination. Kirk was
praised in letters by Sen. Joe Barton,
Rep. Richard Smith, College Station
Mayor Larry Ringer, Bryan Mayor Marvin
Tate, and the leaders of law- enforcement
agencies throughout the area, she said.
"We're really proud of Chris," Hibbetts
said. "He's the epitome of what a coordin-
ator should be."
Kirk attributed the success of the pro-
gram to everyone involved in Crime Stop-
pers.
"Our board of directors worked hard
this year," he said. "Everyone within the
sheriffs department worked very hard
cooperating with the Bryan Police De-
partment, the College Station Police De-
partment and the University Police De-
partment to make the program very pro-
ductive."
Kirk singled out Sheriff Ronnie Miller
for special assistance in the program.
"Without Sheriff Miller's support and
cooperation the Crime Stoppers program
wouldn't be possible." He said the sheriff
allows his staff to work for both the sher-
iff s department and the Crime Stoppers
program.
Hibbetts said the success of the pro-
gram was due to the public's trust of the
Crime Stoppers system.
"We've won the confidence (of the pu-
blic)," she said. "It's a true community ef-
fort."
kIlaalyo
0
Gramm up
in arms
in B -CS
By Mia Moody
Eagle staff writer
For Sen. Phil Gramm, Satur-
day was Just a typical day with
the constituents — he shot up
some dummies, viewed an as-
sault practice drill, and talked
about the importance of law -
enforcement training in the
"war on drugs."
Mike Paulus, a Brazos County
deputy, allowed Gramm to
choose a weapon from a collec-
tion of types police often find in
drug busts.
Gramm proved to be a good
marksman: He shot the paper
human targets several times in
the heart.
In response to Paulus' com-
pliments on his shooting,
Gramm said, "That's one dealer
we won't see again. But I bet it
would have been a lot harder if
the target had been shooting
back."
Gramm, who was visiting
Bryan - College Station, said he
is alarmed at how often firearms
are involved in drug cases. He
said believes the Texas A &M
Law Enforcement and Security
Please see Gramm, 6A Gramm holds an MP -J machine gun at a SWAT exhibition Saturday,
Gramm
From 1 A
Training Division plays an impor-
tant role in fighting the "drug
war.'
The training division, one of 13
branches of the Texas Engineer-
ing Extension Service, trains
more than 4,000 international,
federal, state and local police each
year in criminal investigation and
Special Weapons and Tactics
(SWAT) procedures.
Because he doesn't get involved
in the actual dirty work of the
"drug war," Gramm said he sup-
ports legislation that would better
protect those who do.
"I sit behind a desk in the air
conditioning and don't get shot
at," he said. "But I support
tougher penalties for people who
commit crimes, to give law enfor-
cers the protection they deserve."
He said he helped introduce
federal legislation, to be voted on
later this year, that would give
anyone convicted of possessing
fire arms while committing a vio-
lent crime a 10 -year sentence
without parole and a 20 -year sen-
tence to anyone convicted of firing
a weapon with the intent to do
bodily harm. Those convicted of
murder using a weapon would
receive the death penalty, accord-
ing to the legislation.
The San Antonio SWAT team,
the College Station Police Special
Operation Response Team and
the Brazos County Sheriff's Office
performed two assault demon-
strations, the first being a police
assault on a bus.
4146
Ic
Planners to use computers to devise traffic routes
puter will assess "travel demand," based
on population projections and planned
future road projects.
"This meeting was really to agree on a
starting point for analysis on future re-
quirements," said George Dresser, plan-
ner /programmer manager at the Insti-
tute. "Now we'll identify the deficiencies
and figure out how to deal with them."
Dresser said he'll have a preliminary
long -range plan in June, and a final plan
in August. The long -range plan will re-
commend where new roads will be
needed and what roads will need to be
widened.
The study will include several roads al-
ready in the planning stages, including
Texas 47, connecting Texas 21 with Texas
60, and therefore connecting the A &M
Research Park and Easterwood Airport
with A &M's Riverside campus; an exten
sion of Woodcrest Drive, in Bryan'
Wheeler Ridge subdivision, which wou
connect Green Valley Drive with Texas
60, allowing traffic another route out of
the subdivision; and making Miller's
Lane in College Station an extension of
FM 2818, connecting Texas Avenue with
Texas 6.
By Phillip Sulak
Eagle staff writer
Local planners are turning to the com-
puter expertise of the Texas Transporta-
tion Institute to avoid future gridlock.
The Metropolitan Planning Organiza-
tion, made up of representatives of Bra-
zos County, Texas A &M University, Col-
lege Station, Bryan and the State De-
partment of Highways and Public Trans-
portation, met Tuesday afternoon to dis-
cuss future plans to keep traffic moving
in Brazos County.
The Transportation Institute's com-
( 10*40-f I n an effort to keep the cost of city property taxes
low, the City of College Station is proposing a 1/2%
increase in local sales tax. This will be placed on the
May 5 ballot for a vote. The increase, if passed, would
generate approximately $2,000,000 annually.
11M.M WAM#'] maffrm
►► The adoption of an additional one -half of one percent sales and
use tax within the city to be used to reduce the property tax rate."
Tax payers in College Station have one of the lowest property tax rates in
Texas. There is concern regarding our heavy dependence on utility rates to
finance general government services and the need to finance capital improvements,
therefore:
Proposed increase is to be used for
• Reduction in utility rates
• Financing street improvements
• Funding some capital projects without raising
property taxes
Issues to be onsidere
• As a university community, College Station provides
more than an average share of city services ( parks,
streets, fire and police protection) for many individuals
who pay no property tax or local utilities such as
on- campus students, visitors and others .
• A sales tax increase would spread the cost of
service to residents as well as non - residents.
• Competitive utility rates will help to promote
economic development.
• Sales tax is considered by many a regressive tax,
however, food and medicines are tax exempt.
Affect on local residents:
• The average college student will pay an estimated 500
in added sales tax per week or about the cost of one
soft drink.
• A household with a $40,000 annual income would
pay approximately 980 extra per week or $51 annually.
For an information packet call 764 -3768.
Local offices and schools
to close for Good Friday
Most Brazos County offices and
the county courthouse will be
closed Friday, in observance of
the Good Friday holiday.
Only the Youth Detention Cen-
ter and the County Sheriffs dis-
patch center will remain open. All
other offices, including both Dis-
trict and County attorney's office,
all three district courts and both
County Courts -at -Law, will be
closed the entire day.
Business will resume as usual
Monday morning.
Bryan and College Station pu-
blic school students and staff also
have the day off, resuming classes
on Monday. Classes will be dis-
missed at their regular times to-
day, according to spokesmen from
both districts.
Offices for the city of Bryan will
be open as usual on Good Friday.
Across town at the College Station
City Hall, offices will be closed,
but there will be trash pickup.
Classes at Texas A &M Univer-
sity will be held as usual, and of-
fices will be open.
e S � �U 0 �/I 1000
Bryan-.
�
rate.(
('40,
I./
ta it 4 % , sury � P CY
OWS
A survey of more than 50
apartment developments and
selected duplexes, triplexes and
four - plexes showed Bryan -
College Station occupancy rates
fell from 97 per-
cent in the fall of
1988 to 93 per-
cent in fall 1989,
a recent Real
Estate Trae re-
port said.
Real Estate
Trac is a service
of Branson
Research and Steve
Associates, Inc. Hi
of Bryan. The
survey has mon-
itored the apartment market in
the area for three years.
The report noted that in the
spring of 1987, the occupancy
rate in Bryan was 84 percent,
while the College Station rate was
92 percent, making the area aver-
agencies throughout the state
that total some $34.3 million. The
yearly grant program drew 512
funding requests for the program
year 1989. Grant applications for
the 1990 program year will be due
in July. More information is avai-
lable at (512) 320 -9507.
Business and education
Education is the key to Ameri-
can productivity, but many Amer-
icans lack even basic skills in
science and technology, a recent
opinion issued by the Electronic
Industries Association said.
Concluding that business will
need to concern itself with educa-
tional problems as much as edu-
cators will, an association official
noted that a major domestic
manufacturer recently documen-
ted these facts:
■of 180 workers given basic
skills tests before the company
age 89 percent. The growth of
Texas A &M contributed to the
high occupancy rate by fall 1988,
when Bryan had a 96.3 percent
occupancy rate and College Sta-
tion had a 97.8 percent rate. But
the opening of dormitories to
house 5,000 additional students
caused Bryan's occupancy rate to
fall to about 95 percent last fall
and College Station's to 90 per-
cent.
Summer rates in 1989 were 72
percent In Bryan and 56 percent
In College Station — a combined
rate of 62 percent. Spring rates
were 94 percent in Bryan, 93 per-
cent in College Station, and 93
percent combined.
The report was based on a range
of between 6,929 and 9,585 units
surveyed. The report noted that
occupancy rates generally should
be between 90 and 95 percent to
maintain a good balance between
total supply and demand.
began hiring for a new factory,
only 15 were able to do basic math
problems involving percentages,
decimals and simple bar charts.
■None of 12 technicians re-
sponsible for machine mainten-
ance and calibration at a semi-
conductor plant — including
some 20 -year veterans — were
Workshop set for Thursday
The Small Business Develop-
ment Center- Contract Pro-
curement Officewill host a work-
shop entitled "Computerizing a
Business" on Thursday from 8:30
to 11:30 a.m. at the College Sta-
tion Community Center. The cost
per participant is $15.
Cameron receives grant
The City of Cameron recently
was awarded a $500,000 grant
from the Texas Capital Fund
community block grant program
to finance the construction of a
new nursing home center. The
funding will result in the creation
of 43 jobs, said the state Depart-
ment of Commerce, which ad-
ministers the Texas Community
Development Program. The
Cameron grant is one of 185
awarded to cities, counties or
able to pass a five - question test
dealing with decimal problems.
■ More than half of 390 workers
in that semiconductor factory
scored below the seventh -grade
level in reading and math. Similar
results were found in tests of
3.000 job applicants at a cellular -
radio factory.
X15 �6
Heritage Tourism
O offers opportunity
to promote Brazos
u
The Heritage Tourism program
that will help promote the Brazos
Valley won't bring any direct
project funding to the area, but
provides a tremendous opportun-
ity for the val-
ley's community
leaders to begin
promoting tour-
ism - related
projects that
could be an -
economic boon
to the region.' "'
An area that Steve
includes Bryan
College Station, Hi
Calvert, Hearne,
Brenham, Inde-
pendence, Dime Box, Round Top,
Winedale, Navasota, Fayetteville,
Chappell Hill and Washington,
called the "Cotton Industry" re-
gion, is one of four areas of Texas
selected by a group of several
state agencies for participation in
the; program.
The agencies will offer those re-
gions technical support and con -
sulting for developing and pro-
moting new visitor attractions.
The agencies are being suppor-
ted ',by the National Trust for His-
toric Preservation, which serves
as a consultant to the agencies
and the communities in the four
chosen regions.
The trust is funding Heritage
Tourism through a National En-
dowment for the Arts grant, con-
tributions from states taking part
in the program, and matching
funds from corporations and
foundations.
nesday that the "Cotton Industry"
region was one of the winners,
said credit for the initiative goes to
Washington County civic leaders
who pushed the region's applica-
tion through.
Bell said she understood that
the local effort centers on a cotton
gin in Burton, west of Brenham.
The gin, visited four times in the
recent past by officials from the
Smithsonian Institution, has
been restored and will open later
in the year as an attraction.
She also said she will be con-
tacting local historical groups and
officials concerned with such is-
sues as restoring Bryan's down-
town and other historic areas for
input. Shell meet with Washing-
ton County leaders on Wednesday
to discuss ideas.
"This is a real positive thing,
but the details are still in the
dark," she said, adding that the
emphasis in the program is on
restoring and promoting histori-
cal structures and areas, particu-
larly in rural Texas. "But anytime
we can pull together and get some
focus on a project like this, it's to
everybody's benefit."
States will receive funding and
consultation worth approximately
double the $390,000 each contri-
butes over a three -year period, a
trust spokeswoman in Colorado
said Friday.
The trust has put together a
six-point process for tourism
development that helps commun-
ities identify their resources, in-
vestigate opportunities, develop
products, market those products,
and evaluate them. Its support
activities will range from finding
partners for community projects
to developing print and visual ad-
vertising campaigns .
i'c.ua5 u� etic:te� l alvii� F ;,„ � ii.
program are the Texas Depart-
ment of Commerce Tourism
Division, Texas Historical
Commission, State Department
Of Highways and Public Trans-
portation, Texas Parks and
Wildlife Department and two.
Texas A &M agencies — the De-
partment of Recreation and
Parks and the Center for His-
toric Resources.
In addition, local communities
and agencies must decide which
programs they would like to fund
and promote. That's where those
like Anne Bell, director of the
Convention and Visitor Bureau
of the Bryan- College Station
Chamber of Commerce, come in.
Bell, who like most local le of
was unaware of many
the program until informed Wed-
4Is1eo
•
The Citu of College Station solicits your
;
4,0 cooperation in compliance with our
recently revised sanitation ordinances.
•
For Regular Weekly Service
•
0 Use plastic bags only.
•
• Bundle small yard trimmings (not more than 50
•
pounds) with string or twine.
A
• Place refuse for collection after 5 a.m. on normal
•
service days.
•
.
Wrap all broken glass, needles, and other sharp items
:
in newspaper, placing them in the center of your trash
bag.
•
•
• If you are handicapped, you may qualify for front door
service. Please call the number below for further
information.
•'
For Special Pick -Ups Large brush piles, old
•
refrigerators, etc.)
• Call to schedule pick -up by mechanical loading
•
brush truck.
Set items behind the curb, not on the street.
Thank you for your support and
•
compliance with this ordinance.
For further information please call 764 -3690.
• ...... ............................... 0 • • • • • • • • • • 0 •,• • •'• •' • •
•'••..
11
or
NEW DIRECTIONS
by Fred Brown
"DRUG
FREE"
After the great showing for
the first Drug -Free Brazos Val-
ley parade and rally on March
31 that originated at College
Station City Hall and marched
to the Lincoln Center, I am really
enthusiastic about the inroads
that we are seeing in Drug
Education. Let's talk about what
it means for our kids to be drug
free:
D— DECISION
Each of you must make, if
you have not already, a
decision that you will be
drug free and that you will
serve as a role model for
your friends.
R— RESPONSIBILITY
You must take resnonsi
L!hty for your own deci-
sions and actions and
always be willing to stand
up for what you believe is
right.
U— UNIQUE
You must realize that every
on of you is unique. That
means that God made
each person different in
someway so thatwe could
serve some very special
purpose. It is your job to
discover what that pur-
pose is.
G— GIFTED
This is a part of being
unique. All of us are ig_fted
because we have all been
given special talents. God
expects us to use those
talents to make the world
better for our brothers and
sisters.
F— FAITHFUL
You must be faithful to
yourselves by never com-
promising your values.
Values are those things
you hold most important
in your lives. They repre-
sent what you stand for.
R— RESPECTFUL
You must first respect
yourself and when you
truly respect yourself, you
will show respect for all
other human beings.
E-- ENTHUSIASM
Always show enthusiam
for anything you do and
others will want to follow
your lead because you "
seem to be having so much
fun.
E— EDUCATION
Never forget, a good edu-
cation will open doors for
you that will allow you to
make a difference in this
world. So stay in school
and get good grades so
you will be in a position to
help others.
And what does that spell? Yes,
it spells DRUG FREEI But is
also spells a SUCCESSFUL
PERSON. If you follow all of
these rules, you will grow up to
be the leaders everyone wants
to follow and you will help to
make not only the BRAZOS
VALLEY DRUG FREE, but per-
haps the world.
NEW DIRECTIONS IS SPONSORED BY FRED BROWN MAZDA-
BMW who believes that Bryan - College Station progresses through
the enthusiastic volunteer actions of its citizens.
� a JAI 0
I ADVERTISEMENT I
4161q6
r�
'Brazos Valley to get share
of funds to promote tourism
The program is designed
to spark a local effort
to develop new attractions
-dy Phillip Sulak
Eagle staff wrfter
To the delight and surprise of area offi-
cials, the Brazos Valley will get a share of
$2.4 million from the National Trust for
Historic Preservation to help promote
tourism, Gov. Bill and First Lady Rita
'Clements announced Thursday.
"As its name implies, 'Heritage Tour-
ism' is aimed at merging history with the
travel industry," Clements said. "Its goal
is to help towns and cities develop their
historic and cultural attractions and, at
the same time, enhance national aware-
ness to the importance of preserving the
past for social and economic growth."
Reaction was favorable, if surprised.
"I really don't know that much about
it," said Bryan Mayor Marvin Tate. "I had
lunch with Mayor (Larry) Ringer, (of Col-
lege Station,) and he didn't say anything
to me, so I guess he didn't know either.
"But, it is outstanding news," Tate
said. "Anytime you get chosen for some-
thing like this, it has to have a positive ef-
fect."
Tate pointed out that Bryan is taking
steps toward historic preservation in
downtown and in the cities older homes.
"It's good news," said Ringer, when in-
formed of the honor. "Tourism is one of
those things that brings money to an area
without costing dollars to the cities."
"It's kind of like manna from heaven,"
said Reba Ragsdale, vice president of the
convention and visitor division of the
Bryan- College Station Chamber of Com-
merce. "We Just found out about it
yesterday, (Wednesday,) afternoon. We're
not sure how much money it will mean, if
any"
The area is being called the "Cotton In-
dustry," by the Texas Department of
Commerce's Tourism Bureau, and takes
in the cities of Bryan, College Station,
Brenham, Calvert, Chappell Hill, Dime
Box, Fayetteville, Hearne, Independence,
Lyons, Navasota, Washington and Wine -
dale- Roundtop.
The funds are being spent nationwide
and will come in the form of on -site tech-
nical assistance from the National Trust
as well as help from state and local agen-
cies. The program is being designed to
spark a grass -roots effort to develop new
visitor attractions.
Other Texas areas receiving assistance
will be Galveston Bay, El Paso, and what
is called the "LBJ Heartland," which in-
cludes the Hill Country region near the
Lyndon B. Johnson National Historic
Park.
Rita Clements said Texas was the top
choice of the National Trust for Historic
Preservation, and among only four states
chosen to participate.
E? I
q I I � (I C)
�J
40
Journalist Ellerbee comes home
to address library support group
By Kellye Norris
Eagle sta writer
She left the city as a quiet 5 -year-
old, but Saturday, journalist Linda El-
lerbee returned to her hometown with
a roar to help two local groups cele-
brate their 20th anniversaries.
More than 300 people, including
some of Ellerbee's longtime friends
and relatives, filed into Bryan Civic
Auditorium to hear the Bryan -born
writer and reporter recount the
22 -year Journalism career that has ta-
ken her from Alaska to New York. With
star - shaped silver earrings dangling,
the native Texan told the audience
that one of the first things she learned
as a child was that united did not
mean equal.
" I had a puzzle map of the United
States," Ellerbee said. "California was
Please see Ellerbee, 8A LINDA ELLERBEE
•
Eir
Ellerbee
From 1A
bent, Michigan was broken and if
you've seen one Dakota you've
seen 'em all. Texas, on the other
hand, didn't look like a thing in
the world but Texas. I felt sorry for
people who were only Americans."
Ellerbee's acerbic wit and ir-
reverent writing style helped her
earn a reputation as one of telev-
ision's best reporters. During her
career Ellerbee worked for Hous-
ton's KHOU -TV, Cable News Ne-
twork, NBC and ABC, where she
garnered an Emmy for her prime -
time historical series Our World.
Her 1986 bestseller And So It
Goes, which detailed what she
has called her "adventures in
television," was nominated for a
Pulitzer Prize, and her syndicated
weekly column of the same name
appears in more than 100 news-
papers nationwide.
Ellerbee left network television
in 1987 to form her own company,
Lucky Duck Productions, which
produces programs for network,
syndicated, cable and public
television.
Her homecoming marked the
platinum anniversary of the
founding of the Friends of the
Sterling C. Evans Library and the
opening of the Bryan Library's
current building. Saturday mar-
ked the first joint meeting of the
Friends of the Sterling C. Evans
Library and the Friends of the
Bryan Public Library.
"Books have always been a part
of my life," she said. "I was very
lucky growing up. I was intro-
duced to books early. People read
to me until they got so tired of
reading to me they taught me to
read. Any friend of a library is a
friend of mine."
Ellerbee said the United States'
rising illiteracy rate, which stands
now at about 30 percent, is of
such concern to her that she and
'the staff of her three - year -old
company, Lucky Duck Produc-
tions, are developing a program
she described as a "'Sesame
Street' for grown- ups."
"I'm a reader because I'm a
writer. If you can't read you can't
write, and if you can't write you
have to work for a living, and I
don't want to have to do that," she
said.
The former network anchor
lauded recent worldwide events,
including the fall of the Berlin
Wall, and urged others to con-
tinue to press for change.
"It is the duty of every citizen in
this country to keep his or her
mouth open," she said. "I'm a big
believer in speaking my mind. I
will grow old writing about what
goes on in this country.
"Change is one form of hope."
Ellerbee also defended her de-
cision to make several commer-
cials for a major coffee company, a
move that drew considerable cri-
ticism from fellow journalists as
well as her fans. Ellerbee, who
said she accepted the company's
offer to save her financially strap-
ped production company, said the
experience "was not one of my
proudest moments."
"The choice was all mine," she
said. "That company was my all -
American dream. I'd do it again if I
had to."
The commercials began run-
ning in mid -1989, and shortly af-
ter they appeared the Eagle drop-
ped Ellerbee's weekly column. The
Press currently runs Ellerbee's
"And So It Goes."
Saturday was declared "Linda
Ellerbee Day," and Bryan mayor
Marvin Tate and College Station
mayor Larry Ringer presented her
with a proclamation and a key to
the cities. State district Judge
Tom McDonald Jr. gave Ellerbee,
president of Lucky Duck Produc-
tions, a peeping duckling that the
judge promised was "hatched
right here."
Ellerbee apologized to the au-
dience for not closing her talk
with her trademark saying, "and
so it goes."
"But you'll forgive me if this
time I say, 'Gig'em! "'
4b lq�)
4inimum wage grows
45 -cent rise starts today,
but many working poor
will remain in poverty
Associated Press
NASHINGTON — The nation's mini-
mum wage increases for the first time in
nearly a decade today, but it won't lift mil -
lions of low -wage workers above the
poverty level.
The minimum wage, paid to about 3
million Americans, increases from $3.35
an hour to $3.80 and will go to $4.25 an
hour next April 1. The new law also esta-
blishes a subminimum training wage for
certain teen -age workers.
Critics say the increase should have
been greater.
"Right now, it's not at a level where
people can pull themselves out of
poverty," said Jo Ann Mort of the Amal-
gamated Clothing and Textile Workers
Union.
"When people hear minimum wage,
they think children working after school,
and that's not the reality of it. The reality
is that adults are trying to support fami-
lies on this," Mort said.
Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D- Mass.,
last week called the size of the increase a
"disgrace" and said he would push Co-
ngress next year to bring the wage to "a
level that is fair to millions of workers
who are being unfairly exploited now."
Kennedy blamed the size of the in-
crease on the Bush administration,
which vetoed a proposal last year to raise
the wage to $4.55 an hour.
The increase was "the best we could do
against an anti- worker administration
that refuses to do justice for America's
working poor," said Kennedy, chairman
of the Senate Labor and Human Resour-
ces Committee.
The administration considers the in-
crease an equitable boost that will result
in fewer jobs being lost than under the
$4.55 proposal, White House spokesman
Stephen Hart said.
Polls have shown a majority of Ameri-
cans support a minimum wage of at least
$5 an hour.
The minimum wage was established in
1938 as part of the first Fair Labor Stan-
dards Act. During its first 40 years, Co-
ngress acted six times to keep the rate at
about 50 percent of the average hourly
earnings of all non - supervisory em-
ployees.
The $3.35 rate, which equaled 48 per-
cent of the national average earnings in
1981, fell to an all -time low of 35 percent
of the nation's average earnings last year,
according to the AFL -CIO.
After today's increase, full -time mini-
mum- wage workers will still be $516 a
year short of what the government il-
gures it takes to support a family of two at
the poverty level and $4,796 below the
basic needs level for a family of four. The
government placed the poverty level for a
family of four at $12,700 in February.
Still, the boost in the minimum wage
Please see Wage, 3A
l
What the law will change...
WASHINGTON (AP) — Here
are key provisions of the legis-
lation Congress passed last
year to increase the minimum
wage to $4.25 an hour and es-
tablish a subminimum train-
ing wage for certain teen -age
workers. The measure takes ef-
fect today.
The rate
The minimum wage, $3.35
an hour since January 1981,
increases to $3.80 an hour to-
day and to $4.25 an hour on
April 1, 1991. An estimated 4
million Americans work for the
minimum wage.
Training wage
Workers ages 16 to 19 may
be paid a subminimum train-
ing wage for their first three
months in the work force and
for an additional 90 days if the
employer has a formal training
program. The training wage
will be $3.35 an hour when the
minimum wage rises to $3.80
an hour and $3.62 an hour
when the minimum wage rea-
ches $4.25 in 1991. Migrant
seasonal farmworkers are
exempt from the subminimum,
and the entire subminimum
provision expires in April 1993.
Wage-poverty level
After the increase, full-time
minimum wage workers would
still find themselves $516 a
year short of what it takes to
support one adult and one
child at the poverty level, ac-
cording to government figures.
Minimum wage workers would
be $4,796 below the basic
needs level for a family of four.
Tip credit
The wage employers are re-
quired to pay workers who
receive tips will increase from
40 percent of the minimum
wage to 45 percent of the min-
imum wage today. The law re-
quires that tips plus wages
must equal the minimum
hourly wage. The percentage
goes to 50 percent a year from
now.
Small business exemption
The level at which small bu-
sinesses are exempt from the
federal minimum wage in-
creases from $362,500 in gross
annual sales to $500,000.
Other exemptions
Hundreds of special exemp-
tions exist, such as for some
farm workers, including toba-
cco leaf harvesters, casual ba-
bysitters, newspaper delivery
workers, amusement park em-
ployees, wreath makers, em-
ployees at small radio stations
in cities with fewer than 25,000
residents and mollusk and
crustacean harvesters.
From 1 A
may help millions of other low -
paid workers. For instance, com-
panies paying $4 or $4.50 an hour
may decide to raise wages 45
cents to keep trained workers.
There are more than 11 million
Americans making less than
$4.50 an hour and nearly 15 mil-
lion making less than $5 an hour,
according to the Labor Depart-
ment.
Under the new law, workers
ages 16 to 19 may be paid a sub -
minimum training wage for their
first three months in the work
force and for an additional 90
days if the employer has a formal
training program.
The training wage will be $3.35
an hour when the minimum wage
rises to $3.80 an hour and $3.62
an hour when the minimum wage
reaches $4.25 next April. Migrant
seasonal farmworkers are exempt
from the subminimum and the
entire subminimum provision ex-
pires in April 1993.
The wage that employers are
required to pay workers who
receive tips will increase to 45
percent of the minimum wage,
providing that tips bring workers'
hourly pay to at least the mini-
mum. The percentage, which was
40 percent before today, goes to
50 percent a year from now.
3130110
D
CS poll aimed at improving city services
If you're a College Station residents,
don't be surprised if someone calls to find
out what you think about the city — it's
just College Station's way of finding out if
the city is providing satisfactory services.
Between Saturday and April 12 the Pu-
blic Policy Research Lab at Texas A &M
University will be calling about 500 resi-
dents in an effort to find out what the
concerns of College Station residents.
"The survey is for the city council and
for city staffers, so they can get citizens'
perceptions," said Peggy Calliham, Col-
lege Station's director of public relations
and marketing. "We're trying to find pro-
blem areas and see if the citizens are sat-
LOCAL DIGEST
The poll should only take 10 minutes
and all information will be confidential.
"We don't even ask your name," Calli-
ham said.
The poll is costing $6,000 and is being
conducted by the same people who con-
duct the Texas Poll, a statewide poll that
usually deals with politics.
The College Station poll will work for
balance between male and female, and
student and non - student respondents.
Tickets for the occasion are $20, and
can be purchased today at the commun-
ity center, located at 1300 George Bush
Drive.
Music for the evening will be provided
by the Pete Rodriguez Orchestra. Hors
d'oeuvres will be served and there will be
a cash bar.
Previous balls have funded the "Golden
Memories" video, a history of College Sta-
tion, and historical markers and plaques
for the city.
The dance will end at midnight.
+ed with city services."
he 40 questions are also an attempt to
a precedent for further polling efforts.
"We want to set a benchmark, so that
in four or five years when we poll again,
we'll know if we improved," Calliham
said.
She said the poll might keep the city
staff from getting too smug.
"Of course, we think we're doing a pre-
tty good job," Calliham said. "But we may
not be. We need to see what the citizens
think."
The poll will ask basic questions, such
as whether people are getting good, cour-
teous service from the city; if they want
growth for the city; and whether they vote
in city elections.
Calliham said the information will be
? used to market the city for tourism and to
s recruit new business.
`Gay'90s' ball to benefit CS
The '90s have arrived, and those want-
ing to celebrate should make their way to
the College Station Community Center
on Saturday night. But expect the 1890s.
At 8 p.m. on Saturday, the City of Col-
lege Station's grand ball will get under
way, using the theme, "The Gay '90s,
Bring Back the Romance." This will be
the third city ball to raise money for his-
torical projects in the city.
Gracie Calbert, supervisor for the
community center, said the decorations
for the dance will reflect the gay '90s
theme.
"We'll try to bring back the Victorian
Age," Calbert said. "It will be a dressy af-
fair. Men should wear a dark suit, or
maybe even a tux."
CS offers free smoke detectors
College Station citizens wanting the ex-
tra security of a smoke alarm can obtain
one free from the College Station Fire De-
partment.
The smoke detectors were given to the
city by a local hotel, after the hotel re-
placed them with newer models. The fire
department has replaced the old batter-
ies with new ones and the smoke detec-
tors are available to the public on a first -
come, first - served basis.
The fire department will install the
smoke detector free of charge. The fire
department also will provide a fire - safety
inspection if requested, and a booklet
outlining a proper fire - safety program.
Anyone wanting a smoke detector
should contact the fire marshal's office at
764 -3705.
•
3%30 %7 6
� 1 I 1_1
rim
� II
I
•
Texas is being
shortchanged
Texas behind 40 states
in capturing federal
dollars for its needy
The Associated Press
WASHINGTON — Texans received a
smaller slice of the federal dollar than all
but 10 other states last year, according to
a Census Bureau report Thursday.
State officials complain Texas is being
short- changed and the biggest losers are
the neediest — the homeless, hungry
children, poor elderly.
According to the Census Bureau, Texas
received nearly $55 billion in federal dol-
lars during the fiscal year that ended
Sept. 30. On a per capita basis, the state
ranked 40th, with each of the state's 16.8
million residents receiving $3,222 in
federal dollars.
The Census report covers about 83
percent of the federal budget, but ex-
cludes spending for interest on the
federal debt, foreign aid and money to bail
out the savings and loan industry, said
David Kellerman, chief of the Census
Bureau's federal finance staff.
The study broke spending into five
categories, with Texas falling toward the
bottom in per capita receipts of grants to
state and local governments, and in pay-
ments to individuals for such aid as
veterans benefits, Social Security, or
health care.
Texas ranked 47th in per capita spend
ing on grants to state and local govern—
ments, with a total of $6 billion; 24th in.
salaries and wages, with a total of $9.2'
billion; 46th in direct payments to indivi-
duals, with a total of $26 billion; 17th in
procurement contracts, most of it de-
fense related, with a total of $11 billion;
and 21st in all other areas, such as agri-
cultural subsidies and research grants,
Please see Funds, 4A
Funds
From 1 A
for a total of $2.4 billion.
Texas Comptroller Bob Bullock,
in a report released this month
based on 1988 census data, con-
tends Texas is being short-
changed by at least S2.4 billion a
year in federal aid.
"If Texas state government had
received the dollars we deserved
in 1988, federal money would
have surpassed the state sales tax
as the largest single source of
state revenue," the report said.
Part of the reason Texas fares so
poorly in capturing federal dollars
is the fault of federal policies, but
Texas could get 80 percent of the
$2.4 billion by changing state and
local policies and laws, Bullock's
report said.
Most of the $2.4 billion shortfall
is designed to help the state's
neediest citizens — the poor, the
elderly, hungry children, the
homeless, the unemployed and
the underemployed, the report
said.
"Most of the $2.4 billion in
federal money would not directly
ease the strain on the state's tax -
supported budget," the report
said, "but it would go to the root
causes of Texas' most critical pro-
blems — the vicious snarl of
poverty, welfare, crime and lost
opportunity which produces
tragedy and economic loss gener-
ation after generation."
Bullock's study found Texas
could qualify for $1.7 billion of the
$2.4 billion without raising addi-
tional matching money, which of-
ten is required to capture greater
federal dollars.
The report said Texas' greatest
opportunity to win more federal
aid lies in the area of state and lo-
cal government grants. In 1988,
those grants helped care for nurs-
ing home residents and the men-
tally retarded, and provided medi-
cal care for poor women and chil-
dren. Other uses included subsi-
dizing foster families and helping
disabled Texans.
-61agIg6
B - CS's 4.2% jobless rate best in state
v Steve Hill
le staff writer
February unemployment figures
released Tuesday by the Texas Employ-
ment Commission showed Bryan- College
Station had the lowest unemployment
rate in the state for the 13th consecutive
month.
The last time the Bryan - College Station
Metropolitan Statistical Area, or Brazos
County, didn't have the lowest rate in the
state was January 1989, when its 5.6
percent rate was behind Lubbock's 5.5
percent rate.
The area's 4.2 percent rate was almost
a full percentage point better than those
of Austin and Lubbock, which both had 5
percent rates. Walt Baker, director for the
commission in the Bryan- College Station
region, said the area's continued strong
showing bodes well for the next three
months, when outdoor employment is
likely to rise.
"We're feeling very positive as we ap-
proach spring. Spring is our best time,"
he said. "This is going to be a good quar-
ter."
Brazos County showed a rate of 4.8
P -cent for February 1989. However,
r said, Brazos County has added
C
some 900 jobs and lowered its number of
unemployed job- seekers from 2,900 a
year ago to 2,600 in February 1990.
The total civilian labor force for the area
is also up, from 60,600 a year ago to
61,200 last month.
There was a big jump in total unem-
ployment from January, when only 2,000
were unemployed, but Baker attributed
the rise primarily to the number of wor-
kers coming back into the market in late
January and February after stopping
their job searches during the holiday sea-
son and the semester break at Texas
A &M.
Hiring increases in government and re-
tail sectors were the main factors in the
higher number of jobs over the past year,
Baker said.
Several recent developments also are
promising for the local job market in the
next few months, he said, including the
anticipated enrollment increase at A &M,
the proposed special events center on the
campus, and the announcement of a new
H -E -B supermarket in College Station.
In addition, as warmer weather ap-
proaches, the area can anticipate in-
creases in hiring for construction and
landscaping, as well as other outdoor -
related retail work.
Jobs
From 1 A
down from 5.9 percent in Jan-
uary, but up from 5.6 percent in
February 1989.
Washington County again led
The demand for secretaries, book-
keepers, and accounting clerks is high
because it is tax season, he said, adding
that mechanics, diesel mechanics, truck
drivers and maintenance workers are
also in high demand.
The state's unemployment rate was 7.0
percent in February, up from 5.8 percent
in January, but down from 7.4 percent a
year ago.
The national rate *as 5.8 percent —
Please see Jobs, 7A
the Brazos Valley area with a 3.9
percent jobless rate. Milam Coun-
ty's 7.9- percent rate was the
highest in the eight- county Texas
Employment Commission region.
McAllen- Edinburg- Mission had
the highest unemployment rate
among the state's 27 metropolitan
statistical areas in February at
23.7 percent. Brownsville -
Harlingen was 26th with a rate of
12.6 percent.
Brazos Valley February Employment
Labor
Unemployment
County
Force
Employed
Unemployed
Percentage Rat
Brazos
61,200
58,600
2,600
4.2
Burleson
6,255
5,777
478
7.6
Grimes
10,443
9,869
574
5.5
Leon
5,947
5,560
387
6.5
Madison
4,828
4,611
217
4.5
Mitam
9,286
8,557
729
7.9
Robertson
7,096
6,643
453
6.4
Washington
13,176
12,656
520
3.9
Eagle graphic by Steve Hill
Eagle graphic by Robert C. Borden
r/a -5 -lq 6
Ellerbee to speak at local library meeting
By Kellye Norris
Eagle staff writer
Journalist Linda Ellerbee returns to
her roots Saturday to help two local
groups celebrate 20th anniversaries.
The Bryan native will address a joint
meeting of the Friends of the Sterling C.
Evans Library and the Friends of the
Bryan- College Station Public Library Sa-
turday at 3 p.m. at the Bryan Civic Audi-
torium, 800 S. Coulter Drive. Ellerbee
said she welcomed the chance to return
to her hometown to support an issue she
calls one of her "passions."
"Reading is very important to me," she
said. "Reading and writing are what
opened the world for me. I find it incredi-
ble that today one out of every five Ameri-
can adults cant read. Where is that going
to leave our society?"
Reading is so important to Ellerbee
that she and the staff of her three -year-
'Reading and writing are what opened the world for me. I find it increamie tnat
today one out of every five American adults can't read. Where is that going to
leave our society?'
— Linda Ellerbee
old company, Lucky Duck Productions,
are currently developing a program the
former network anchor described as a
"'Sesame Street' for grown- ups."
"Television is responsible, at least in
part, for (the illiteracy) problem," she
said. "It's payback time. Television has to
be part of the solution. We want to use
music, maybe some MTV -style presenta-
tions, and create something that will grab
people, get their attention so they will pay
attention and will learn to read."
Renowned for her acerbic wit and wry
writing, Ellerbee's 22 -year career in jour-
nalism included stints at Houston's
KHOU -TV, Cable News Network, NBC
and ABC, where she garnered an Emmy
for her prime -time historical series Our
World. Ellerbee fronted several documen-
taries and the award- winning late night
news program NBC News Overnight and
the news magazine Weekend. Her 1986
bestseller And So It Goes was nominated
for a Pulitzer Prize and is used in com-
munications classes in more than 30
universities and colleges across the
country. Ellerbee also writes a weekly
newspaper column, "And So It Goes" and
is a regular contributor to several na-
tional publications.
Ellerbee left network news in 1987 to
form Lucky Duck Productions, which
produces programs for network, syndi-
cated, cable and public television. Eller-
bee said she enjoys heading the company
but admits the decision to strike out on
her own was not an easy one.
"It's the American dream. I couldn't be
happier," she said. "But it's scary. I still
wake up in the middle of the night and
realize I don't have a salary. I'll sit up and
think, 'I quit my what ? "'
Ellerbee's talk will mark two platinum
anniversaries — both the Friends of the
Sterling C. Evans Library and the Bryan
Library building are 20 years old. Satur-
day's meeting also marks the first joint
gathering of the two Friends organiza-
tions. The groups support the city's li-
braries through volunteer work and fun-
draising activities, such as book sales
and exhibits.
•
b�
E P
CS council to discuss
tax abatement policy
By Phillip Sulak
Eagle staff w riter
The College Station City Coun-
cil will discuss tax abatement in
its regular Wednesday evening
workshop.
The item was added to the
agenda at the request of Coun-
cilman Dick Birdwell. Birdwell
said in his request that he favored
tax abatement in an effort to re-
cruit new industries to College
Station, but that he wanted a dis-
cussion to develop a policy on who
qualifies for an abatement.
The workshop will begin at 4
p.m. in the council chambers at
City Hall.
Birdwell's statement added that
a discussion should be held be-
cause abatement is controversial
in some parts of Texas.
A smoking ordinance will head
up the agenda of Thursday's 7
p.m. meeting.
The ordinance would be College
Station's first attempt to regulate
smoking. As it reads now, it would
require restaurants with a seating
capacity of more than 50 to have a
separate smoking area. No smok-
ing would be allowed in restaur-
ants with less than 50 seats.
Smoking also would be prohi-
bited in malls, except in areas ae-
signated as smoking areas and
walkways from one store to
another.
The council will also consider a
resolution to authorize the ap-
pointment of a task -force to re-
view the smoking ordinance. The
city council meets in the council
chambers, located in the College
Station City Hall at 1101 Texas
Ave. South. The public is invited
to attend and is allowed to speak.
4;Z4
•
u
CS police, court offer chance
to clear
By Fiona Soltes
Eagle staff writer
warrants, save money
You might as well just turn yourself in.
College Station police and Municipal
Court are encouraging people with out-
standing warrants to voluntarily come in
and take care of warrants without being
arrested during "Blue Light Special War-
rant Week," April 2 -6.
As an added incentive, all warrant
charges, which usually run in the hun-
dreds of dollars, and failure to appear
charges, an additional $117, will be
waived.
Police said they are hoping to clear
about 100 warrants during the week, sav-
ing considerable manpower for the de-
partment and money for the city.
"This is something that can work out
for everyone," said Lt. Mike Matthews.
"These people can take care of their , -var-
rants, and we don't have to take officers
off of the street to serve them when their
time could be better spent on other
crimes."
This is the third year College Station
has offered the program, and Matthews
said about 50 warrants were cleared dur-
ing last year's special.
"It wasn't a lot, but it was certainly
more than we would have gotten without
the week," he said.
College Station police will not actively
serve warrants during the week, but if a
person who has an outstanding warrant
Is stopped, he will be subject to arrest
and the full amount of the fees will have
to be paid. After April 6, the department
will aggressively pursue people with ocxt�
standing warrants.
To find out if there is an outstanding
warrant for your arrest, call the Munici-
pal Court at 764 -3693.
•
E
•
Police survey
to get opinions
on service, job
By Chuck Squatriglia
Eagle staff wrker
The College Station Police Department
wants to know how good a fob its doing,
and will survey 500 homes to find out.
The survey will ask citizens how they
feel about the current level of service pro-
vided by the department and what areas
should receive more attention, Officer
Corkey Sandel said.
"What we want to do is learn the atti-
tudes and opinions of the citizens regard-
ing the police department," he said. "We
want to see if our public image is good."
The surveys will be distributed during
Texas A &M University's Big Event on Sa-
turday when 100 students will visit ran-
domly selected homes, Sandel said.
All of the homes were scientifically cho-
sen using a random statistical sample,
Sandel said.
Sandel said he thinks the survey will be
beneficial to the police department.
"We think we're doing a good fob," he
said. "We want input from the public on
how we can do better because they are
the ones who pay our salary."
Any questions about the survey can be
directed to Officer Sandel at 764 -3605 be-
fore Saturday. If anyone has questions on
the day of the survey, they should call
764 -3608. The City of College Station will
also be conducting a separate telephone
survey at about the same time, he said.
Questions about this survey should be
directed to Peggy Callihan at 764 -3768.
311gpa
•
Four men charged
with s ex assault
By Chuck Squatriglia
Eagle staff writer
Four men were charged with
sexual assault Saturday in
connection with the Thursday
sexual assault of a College Sta-
tion woman.
The four men are: Ahmad
Hussein Aldirawi, 29, of 806 -C
Oran Circle in Bryan; Hussein
Khalil, 27, of 402 Nagle St., No.
214, in College Station; Ahmad
Youssef Noubani,. 27, of 1301
Harvey Road, No. 352, in Col-
lege Station; and Kassem Abd
Said, 29, of 804 -C Oran Circle
In Bryan.
Aldirawi, Khalil and Noubani
are Texas A &M University stu-
dents. They were arrested Fri-
day at about 4:54 p.m. without
incident by College Station po-
lice, a police spokesman said.
Said was arrested Saturday at
about 1:45 p.m. by College Sta-
tion police.
Each of the men was
released from Brazos County
Please see Arrest, 5A
i Arrest
From 1A
Jail Saturday on $ 10,000 bond.
The arrests stem from the sex-
ual assault of a College Station
woman which occurred between
12:30 and 4 a.m. Thursday. The
woman told police she was at a
College Station nightclub and left
with a man, who drove her to a
College Station apartment com-
plex. Once inside, they were
,joined by three more men. Two of
the men attacked the woman and
held her down while the other two
sexually assaulted her, police re-
ported. Following the assault, the
man she met at the club drove her
to her residence and dropped her
off, police reported.
A relative of the woman's took
her to St. Joseph Hospital at
about 4:25 a.m., where officials
called the police to report the as-
sault.
-�// IqO
H=E=B
� to open
in CS
•
C
By Steve Hill
Eagle staff writer
The H -E -B Grocery Co. may open a
superstore employing up to 300 workers
at the southwest corner of Texas Avenue
and Holleman in College Station, H -E -B
announced Friday.
The company has acquired a seven -
acre tract at the site, and could have a fa-
cility open by November.
Company spokesman Michael De La
Garza said, "It would be a superstore with
all the amenities one would normally find
in a superstore /drugstore combination.
The actual format hasn't been decided
yet, but it is anticipated to have almost all
the amenities."
Such stores generally range in size
from 40,000 to 55,000 square feet and
employ from 250 to 300 full -time and
part -time employees, he said.
"I think it could be along those same
lines, perhaps more in the higher end
than the lower end," De La Garza said.
Construction is expected to begin
sometime in the summer and be com-
pleted late in the year, perhaps as early
as November, he said.
The store will probably have a
deli /bakery combination, as well as a
pharmacy, and perhaps other specialty
departments, such as photo and video
sections.
The chain's officials were attracted to
College Station because of its growth po-
tential and the presence of Texas A &M,
De La Garza said, and found the com-
munity to have similarities to Austin and
San Marcos, both of which have large
universities and H -E -B locations nearby.
"To us it seems preferable and desira-
ble to serve a community that will only
grow bigger and stronger," he said. "We
see some very good possibilities."
Three major grocers are located within
1' /2 miles of the site on Texas Avenue, in-
cluding an Apple Tree in Culpepper Plaza
to the north, a Winn -Dixie at Southwest
Parkway and Texas, and a Kroger at FM
2818 and Texas.
Founded in Kerrville in 1905, the
H -E -B chain currently operates 170
groceries throughout the state, employ-
ing more than 30,000 Texans, the com-
pany said in a news release.
0
Buy Brazos
While area retailers
fight to keep customers,
residents are taking
bLlsi elsewhere
By Steve Hill
Eagle staff writer
When it comes to shopping,
Frankie Hitt of College Station
and Kathy Hall of Bryan know
their business.
Furniture? There's a low- prices
place in McGregor that delivers
anywhere in Texas, Hitt said while
taking a short break in the food
court at Post Oak Mall in College
Station recently.
Sam's Wholesale Club? On the
north side of U.S. 290 near Texas
6 in Houston. A true sore point
with Hitt, in fact.
"We'd really like it if they had a
Sam's in Bryan - College Station,"
she said. "They say you have to be
on a major highway, but there's
none in Tyler, and they have a
Sam's. So does Beaumont and
Waco and Lafayette, La."
When it comes to buying locally,
Hitt and Hall said, it is easy to
"basically find what you need."
But there's more clothing choice
in Dallas, they say. Gift shops are
more varied in larger cities. And
there's no Sam's in Brazos
County.
Shoppers and merchants face a
multitude of factors on the ques-
tion of buying locally — and most
of them boil down to money.
For Hitt and Hall, there's
another major factor. Both enjoy
getting out of town for the pure
pleasure of it.
Hall said, "We love to shop."
'MOST DON'T GIVE A DAMN'
Most people would prefer to
shop locally most or all of the time
— and the reason isn't loyalty, but
convenience, according to Larry
Gresham, a marketing professor
and associate director of the Cen-
ter for Retailing Studies at Texas
A &M.
"I think there are very few peo-
ple, myself included, who would
go to Houston, Austin, San An-
tonio of Dallas for items they can
Please see Brazos, 13A
65 industries
undersupplied
in Brazos County
By Steve Hill
Eagle si,.iff writer
A study conducted for the
Bryan- College Station Small
Business Development
System found 65 different
industries to be "undersup-
plied" in Bryan- College Sta-
tion when the area was
compared to similar U.S. ci-
ties.
Gail Macmillan, commun-
ity development coordinator
for the system, said the sur-
vey, though not comprehen-
sive, does serve as a good
indicator that some types of
products and services might
be needed in the area.
Among the 16 retail trades
found to be undersupplied
were hardware stores, men's
and women's clothing
stores, and luggage and
leather goods stores. Ser-
vices listed as in short sup-
ply were car washes, dry
cleaning plants, and telev-
ision repair services, among
others.
Business and professional
services in undersupply in-
cluded commercial artistry
and photofinishing.
Nineteen wholesale -trade
industries, including flor-
ists' wholesalers and sta-
tionery supplies whole-
salers, were listed.
Macmillan said some may
question why some women's
clothing stores have been
unable to survive locally;
she said the market may not
have been large enough to
support the types of clothing
sold and that management
may also have been an is-
sue.
The center also recently
conducted a survey of local
businesses on economic -
development issues. While
Please see Industry, 13A
31tll'�6
6
Brazos
From 1A
find in the Brazos Valley," Gre-
sham says. "That's counter to all
the logic of retail patronage."
But he says "Buying Brazos." as
consumers are urged to do in a lo-
cal television campaign, just isn't
part of most shoppers' logic.
"Frankly," Gresham says, "I
think most people don't give a
damn about that."
Shoppers don't spend much
time thinking about economic
development or boosting local tax
revenues, Gresham says.
What they are concerned with,
he says, is finding good prices,
specialized products and excel-
lent service.
"I like Armani suits and sport
coats," he said. "I can't afford
them very often, but I like them. I
just can't find them here. The
market is just not big enough to
warrant carrying those products."
Gresham cited other products
and services, such as Mercedes
and Volvo vehicles and upscale
restaurants, as being difficult to
support locally. The Buy Brazos
campaign, he said, "really doesn't
get at the root of the problem,
which is the availability of mer-
chandise."
Even KBTX -TV, which has
promoted the campaign since late
August, doesn't get all its pro-
ducts locally.
Some of its vehicles were part of
a barter agreement with a dealer
outside the Brazos Valley — a ma-
jor advertiser who approached the
station about the advertising-for -
vehicles trade.
Good advertising customers are
"difficult to turn down" from an
economic standpoint, said KBTX
sales manager John Boaz. But he
added, "All of the cars that we
Buying locally will only become
easy for consumers if business
makes the difficult long -term
commitments to customer service
and maintaining relationships
with consumers, Gresham said.
The issue is, in the end, com-
pletely based on economics —
both short -term and long -term,
purchase are locally bought ...
any purchases we make are local,
and we're very conscious of that."
Some consumers, like Darlene
Ward of Anderson and Wanda
Patterson and Cara Starkey of
Bryan, say they never shop out-
side the Brazos Valley.
"I come here (to Bryan- College
Station) for everything," Ward
said. "I find pretty much what I
need."
Others can't. Gresham said
Bryan- College Station will offer
what other larger cities offer when
it becomes one, and until then,
some consumers — both indivi-
duals and businesses — will have
to look elsewhere.
'NO REASON NOT TO KNOW MY
NAME'
Being competitive with outside
merchants is important, said
Maria Polites, general manager of
Post Oak Mall, because money
spent locally stays in the com-
munity.
It's difficult to gauge the "multi-
plier effect" of money spent, loca-
lly. Money "turns over" an average
of four times — or three or seven,
depending on who cites the fi-
gures. But local shoppers defin-
itely provide tax money that
comes back to the cities and
county in the form of sales -tax re-
bates. That money supports
roads, police, parks, and a host of
services that go back to the shop-
ping public.
Polites said she uses the four -
times turnover figure because it's
a nationally accepted estimate for
monetary turnover. With that in
mind, she said, it's easy to see
how one person spending $500
outside the community might
take money out of the local tax
base.
By the time that $500 has tur-
ned over four more times, the 1
percent sales tax rebate (on
$2,500) has turned into $25 for
the city where the money is spent.
The county receives another
and both regionally and nationa-
lly.
Gresham said Sam Walton, the
owner of Wal -Mart and Sam's, of-
fers incentives for his wholesale
buyers to find comparably- priced
American-made products. But
even with the extra effort, about
half of Walton's inventory is
$ 12.50 in rebate money.
As an active participant in local
economic - development efforts led
by the Chamber of Commerce and
others, Polites said, she has be-
gun making a conscious personal
and professional effort to buy lo-
cally.
She thinks consumers might
purchase more locally if they are
educated about the importance of
keeping money in the Brazos Val-
ley. However, she said, it might
take effort on their part as well.
"I think if people really do some
in -depth shopping locally ... they'-
re going to find some variety and
quality," she said.
They could also give local mer-
chants a chance to meet out -of-
town offers, particularly for high -
price items like automobiles, she
said.
But merchants have to offer
good prices and service, she said.
Clothing stores, for instance,
should notify customers when
something they might need or en-
joy comes in, perhaps already
having accessories ready to look
over when the customer comes in.
Gresham said, "There's no rea-
son a sales person in this area
shouldn't know my name when I
come in and what I bought last
time."
The opportunity to offer per-
sonalized service, he said, is the
single greatest advantage that lo-
cal business has.
Polites said businesses' primary
method of informing the public of
their offerings is advertising.
Promotional campaigns like the
"Brazos Bucks" program offered
by KBTX and participating "Buy
Brazos" advertisers might also
help, she said.
Businesses also could join
together to educate community
and business leaders and about
the benefits of buying locally, she
said — forming a speakers bureau
or starting some other sort of in-
formational campaign.
foreign-made.
Bryan- College Station is still
"about 200,000 people away"
from offering most of what large
cities offer, Gresham said.
"But it has improved dramatica-
lly," he said. "I've been here nine
years, and I've seen dramatic im-
provements every year."
A
•
Industry
From 1 A
rn
u
results are not yet complete, early
indications are that some 75 per-
cent of the more than 260 bu-
sinesses responding said supplies
and services they purchase in
large quantities are unavailable in
Bryan- College Station.
"That's one of the most interest-
ing findings of the survey to us,"
Macmillan said, adding that the
center will try to find out what
those supplies and services are.
Macmillan also said there are
many opportunities for local bu-
sinesses to sell to government
agencies. The Small Business
Development Center, a separate
Bryan- College Station Chamber
of Commerce organization, can
help them do that.
The center's Phyllis Nelson,
however, said local businesses
cant expect city, county, state or
federal agencies just to hand over
the money.
"Sure, it's important for our lo-
cal agencies to buy local if they
can. Both cities are mandated to
buy locally if possible ... but all
agencies are bound by law, and
those laws dictate how they pur-
chase," Nelson said. "You can do
business with an agency, but
you've got to be ready to be com-
petitive.
"You've got to have a quality
product, and you've got to de-
monstrate you are capable of de-
livery.... the bottom line is to be
low responsive bidder."
The center is offering a seminar
on March 29 to help businesses
understand how government
agencies purchase. Businesses
are sometimes reluctant to try
procuring government contracts,
Nelson said, because "they just
don't understand how the system
works, and unfortunately, any-
thing having to do with the
government has red tape attached
to it.
31
•
Council to discuss smoking ordinance, tax
By Robert C. Borden
Eags staff writer
College Station may become in large
part a designated no- smoking zone if
city council members approve proposed
ordinance requested last month by an-
ti sm oking advocates .
Council members will consider the
smoking ordinance when they meet in
orkshop session at 4 p.m. today and
;ain In regular session at 7 p.m.
"i hursday. Both meetings will be at Col-
lege Station City Hall.
Council members also will consider
adding a proposed one -half cent sales
tax increase to the May 5 city- school
election ballot, will hear a request to
close a portion of Holik Street near
Oakwood Middle School and will con-
sider employing an additional narcotics
investigator to be assigned to the Bra-
zos Valley Narcotics Trafficking Task
Force.
If the smoking ordinance is passed,
smoking will be prohibited in all public
places except tobacco shops, mall cor-
ridors, bars and designated smoking
areas in restaurants and theater lob-
bies. Smoking would be prohibited in
theaters, retail stores other than smoke
shops, sports arenas, elevators, librar-
ies, classrooms and lecture halls, pu-
blic conveyances such as taxis and
buses and health care facilities except
in designated rooms and areas.
Both Bryan and Texas A &M Univer-
sity have no- smoking policies. Dr.
James Rohack asked the council to
consider instituting such an ordinance
in College Station.
At both meetings, council members
will discuss the proposed sales -tax
hike. At today's meeting, they will con-
sider ways the money will be used. The
increase, which would add an esti-
mated $2 million to the city coffers each
year, would be offset by a correspond-
ing decrease in other city costs, such as
utility bills or property taxes.
If the council approves, the issue will
be put before the voters in May. Bryan
council members already have added a
similar increase to the Bryan ballot.
City leaders in both communities have
said it is important that voters in both
towns approve the tax before it is im-
plemented.
The College Station school district
has asked that Holik Street from Anna
Street to George Bush Drive be closed
to allow consolidation of Oakwood Mid-
dle School and the present A &M Junior
High School once the new Junior high
opens. School officials consider closing
the street a safety measure that would
allow both schools to be unified as one.
At Thursday's meeting, council
members will consider whether to hire
a third police officer to be assigned to
the current seven- member drug task
force.
•
New test can detect drug us e among workers
A simple computer -based test
to help employers tell whether
workers In safety- related jobs are
impaired by drugs, alcohol or
other factors is starting to move
from the laboratory to the work-
place.
It could provide an unusual in-
stance of a technical solution to a
vexing social problem — in this
case, the conflict between those
who want to screen out impaired
workers and those who say drug
testing is an Invasion of privacy.
The test, which operates much
like a video game and takes less
than a minute, measures the abi-
lity to perform tasks requiring fine
hand -eye coordination and quick
reaction time, like flying an air-
plane, driving a bus or operating a
crane.
The space agency and the Air
Force have used the technique as
a research tool, and it has been
used experimentally to detect
drunkenness in drivers.
Advocates say it is an ideal
practical way of testing workers in
jobs where safety is critical.
The test is far easier and
quicker than urinalysis and other
procedures used to determine
employee fitness. And because it
focuses on impairment rather
than on its cause, and on the abi-
lity to perform a job rather than
on the worker's life off the job, its
advocates say It answers the con-
TRENDS
cerns of those who object to drug
testing on the ground that it in-
vades workers' privacy.
Such objections have hampered
efforts to test the fitness of em-
ployees to perform safety- related
jobs and have prompted legal
challenges to new federal regula-
tions requiring random drug test-
ing for truck drivers, stalling the
Issue in the courts.
The new test is designed to as-
sess employees' fitness on the
spot, just before they begin work.
Advocates point out that the re-
sults of urine tests are usually not
known for days, during which im-
paired workers might cause acci-
dents.
Moreover, the computerized
test is said to detect impairment
from any cause — drugs, alcohol,
lack of sleep, emotional stress,
over -the- counter medicines, ill-
ness or anything else.
Some experts caution that the
test has not yet been widely
proved in practice, and even its
promoters say it raises questions
about how an employer might
react when a worker fails it.
But "for certain jobs, I think it's
the answer we've all been looking
for," said Lewis Maltby, the coor-
dinator of the American Civil
Liberties Union's national work-
ing group on civil liberties in the
workplace.
..We think it's terrific," he ad-
ded. "It's a way of providing public
safety in a way that's consistent
with all the civil liberties we think
are important."
The critical tracking test, as it is
called, requires the worker to
keep an electronic pointer dead
center on a comp s
The pointer continually strays
off course, requiring the worker to
adjust by moving a knob to bring
It back to the center. The pace of
the straying gradually acceler-
ates, and at some point the em-
ployee is no longer able to control
the pointer.
The longer employees can do so,
the better their psychomotor per-
formance, or hand -eye coordina-
tion and reaction time. Perfor-
mance on a given day is measured
by the computer against the wor-
ker's own normal performance,
established in earlier training
sessions.
The technique, developed in the
early 1960s, was used by the Na-
tional Aeronautics and Space
Administration to test the day -to-
day capabilities of volunteers who
lived for 90 days in a sealed test
chamber as part of the research
leading to the Skylab program.
The Air Force used it in experi-
ments investigating the ability of
Pilots to control a damaged plane.
Controlling a plane that is unsta-
ble and straining to go out of con-
trol is much like controlling a
pointer on a video screen.
And in an experiment spon-
sored by the National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration, the
technique was successfully used
to detect intoxicated drivers.
Now it is moving into its first
commercial application. Three
California companies — a tour
bus concern, a gasoline delivery
company and an operator of oil
tankers — are using the system to
examine drivers and ship opera-
tors.
The basic technology was deve-
loped by Systems Technology Inc.
of Hawthorne, Calif., and licensed
to Performance Factors Inc. of
Emeryville, Calif., which markets
It under the name Factor One.
•
Garbage response
Let me respond to the article
about College Station garbage
bags that was published in the
recent issue of "Keeping In
Touch." While I support most of
your concerns, particularly those
dealing with injury to the collec-
tors, I must suggest that you
have missed a point or two.
Plastic bags will riot properly
contain glass, metal, plastic,
wood or even cardboard that has
ragged edges. Such items easily
Puncture the bag, posing both
risk of injury and risk of scatter-
ing. Since much of the trash from
a household like mine with ram-
bunctious children in it consists
of fractured toys and kitchen-
ware, what am I to do with this
material?
Since my street is a major
thoroughfare for dogs and "trot
dogs" (two wheeled variety) and
since I must be at work at 7 a.m.
what am I to do about the fact
that plastic bags will not with-
stand either teeth or tires? Alth-
ough I have a reputation in the
area for taking direct action
when I see such vandalism, I
cannot sit at my curb until 9 a.m.
when the truck arrives without
losing my Jog. When the collec-
tors drop something, they are
fairly good at picking it up, but if
the mess is already on the
ground, they won't get near it.
What do I do about items that
are light - weight, unbroken, non-
toxic, not soggy, not smelly, not
ugly, but simple will not fit in a
30 gallon bag? A single curtain
rod, four feet long, comes to
mind, as do the dozen "Supreme"
Pizza boxes from my teenager's
birthday party and the styrofoarn
padding that was around my 21
cubic foot freezer.
The CSPD would be better em-
ployed in routing out the gangs
on the West Side than in ticket-
ing trash cans. The collectors can
simply refuse to pick up anything
that is sufficiently unwieldy or
rotten as to cause a threat to
their health and safety. I have no
problem in calling the City for
special attention if there is a
questionable item, but when the
regular route men assure me,
"Oh, no problem, this of truck'11
eat that couch in a sec'," I fail to
see the need for the recent em-
phasis on plastic bags.
DWIGHT SCOTT MILLER, SR.
College Station
3) 3 16i �
eus,
Creating `Silicon Valley'around BMCS
Old Bryan building
to incubate new firms
By Steve Hill
Eagle staff writer
An old municipal building on
Friday officially became the site
for three relatively new busines-
ses that may have great economic
potential for the Brazos Valley.
The Bryan Business and Tech-
nology Center, 127 E. 27th St., is
the new home for businesses that
may help Brazos County be the
center of the "next Silicon Valley,"
said Oliver Murphy of Lynntech, a
high -tech company with research
projects that could affect indus-
tries ranging from aerospace to
health care.
"I say that this will one day be
Aggie Valley," Murphy said. "We'll
stretch from here to Austin, from
here to San Antonio, and here to
Houston ... and we'll be the best
valley of all of them."
Murphy's analogy to other high -
tech regions on the East Coast
and West Coast drew appreciative
laughter from the group of busi-
ness and civic leaders, who also
were informed of projects on tap
for BCS Technology Inc. and RBC
Universal.
RBC's projects seemed to draw
the most enthusiastic response.
RBC president John Appleby, a
Texas A &M University electro-
chemist, told the group that his
company's technology allows re-
chargeable batteries to store 2 1 /2
times the energy of standard bat-
teries while using less expensive
and less dangerous materials.
No mercury and cadmium —
both harmful to the environment
when the batteries are discarded
— will go into the batteries, and
Appleby said lead -free batteries
also may be a realistic goal.
Please see Business, 3A
Business
From 1A
"The market for batteries is
something like $ 10 billion a year.
If one can come up with a better
battery, one should be able to
penetrate some or all of that mar-
ket," Appleby said.
BCS Technology will focus on
interdisciplinary research with
applications ranging from deve-
lopment of biosensors — instru-
ments used to determine the pre-
sence of antigens, for instance —
to battery and fuel -cell technology
similar to that of RBC's.
The center is intended to serve
as a business "incubator," provid-
ing a low -cost home for busines-
ses in their initial stages of
growth. The Bryan Development
Foundation is leasing the building
— a former city hall and police de-
partment — from the city and su-
bleasing to its high -tech tenants.
A small management fee and
rent charged to each company
takes care of taxes, insurance and
utilities as well as any conting-
ency costs, such as building im-
provements and common -use
equipment (photocopiers, for
example).
Louis Newman, president of the
foundation, said the incubator
has developed from the combined
efforts of several groups, includ-
ing the Bryan- College Station
Chamber of Commerce Economic
Development Committee, the Col-
lege Station Economic Develop-
ment Foundation, the city of
Bryan, Texas A &M's business
school and Texas Engineering
Experiment Station, and the
Small Business Development
Center.
The center will be used primar-
ily as a laboratory for start -up bu-
sinesses, which Newman said
Ideally will move into other facili-
ties in the area as they grow.
"This is just the start of what we
would hope to do," he said.
aI� 4Icl d
•
Recycling frenzy
Solid waste industry
suddenly overwhelmed
by nation's enthusiasm
r M
The Associated Press
CLAYTON, Mo. —The recycling
Industry, which quietly went
about its business for decades,
suddenly has been thrust into the
spotlight as everyone scrambles
to become "recycle friendly."
One industry report estimates
more than $2 billion will be spent
across the nation for recycling
equipment over the next five years
to keep up with the enormous in-
terest.
Two years ago, the National So-
lid Wastes Management AssociEt
tion featured only two recycling
waste trucks at its annual con-
vention. At the most recent con-
vention, there were 27 models.
Supermarkets are collecting
plastic grocery sacks for recy-
cling. Procter & Gamble Co., a
leading maker of consumer pro-
ducts, has started introducing
plastic and paper containers tak-
ing advantage of recycled mater-
ials.
Wal -Mart Stores Inc., a leading
retailer, has begun tagging shel-
ves to inform shoppers about re-
cycled materials and other envir-
onmentally conscious products.
"I have been in this business a
long time, and I have never seen
anything like what's going on to-
day," said John Veldt, a 20 -year
veteran of the recycling business
who runs the reclamation division
of Clayton, Mo. -based Jefferson
Smurfit Corp.
? For a century, the recycling in-
dustry has pretty much operated
on its own, chugging along on a
supply- meets -demand basis with
about 2,000 member companies
of the National Association of Re-
cycling Industries.
But the 1980s brought big
changes, most notably the invol-
vement of government, which
created unprecedented expansion
Opportunities.
"Generally, I think industry is
recognizing that recycling is Just
good business," said Richard Kel-
ler, a spokesman for the National
Recycling Coalition and chairman
of the group's subcommittee on
market development.
The government — at every level
— has become a major player in
supplying raw materials that need
to be recycled, mandating the use
of recycled products and buying
the products.
In the fall of 1986, 13 states had
legislation favoring the use of re-
cycled products. Today, that
number has grown to 34 with
laws affecting 17 out of every 20
Americans, the coalition says.
One measure of the market's
growth is the Official Recycled
Products Guide.
The first edition, published by
Robert Boulanger in April 1989,
listed 177 products made with re-
cycled materials, mostly paper
products. In nine months, the
number of listings has climbed to
1,500.
Keller remembers the days in
the early '80s when he could do
his seminars on developing mar-
kets for recycled items "in a phone
booth and have room left over."
"Today, everybody is in-
terested," he said.
al�3l��
[]
•
E� -
2 file in local elections
CS COUNCIL
_77
Vernon Schneider
Saying he wants to continue ef-
forts to improve the appearance of
the city, College Station City
Councilman
V e r n o n
Schneider filed
for re- election
to his Place 4
seat Thursday.
Schneider,
seeking his se-
cond term on
the council, SCHNEIDER
serves as coun
cil liaison to a city community-
appearance committee.
"The committee has made some
very good recommendations and
it is up to us on the council to fol-
low up on them," he said. Some of
the work is "catch -up" to improve
the appearance of developed
areas, he said.
"As new areas develop, we need
to take the necessary steps to
make sure they are going to con-
tribute to a very beautiful city in
the future."
Schneider praised cooperation
between College Station and
Bryan on economic development.
He also is pleased with plans for a
Joint solid -waste management
system, but is concerned about
the increasing amount of garbage
being produced.
"The amount of garbage is going
up, up. While we have the capa-
city (in the College Station land-
fill), it is Just a matter of time be-
fore regulations make it difficult
to get approval for a city dump,"
Schneider said. He said the citi-
zens of both cities are ready to be-
gin recycling efforts.
Schneider said he is happy with
the council's decision to switch
from Gulf States Utilities Co. to
the Texas Municipal Power
Agency as the source for the city's
power.
"While the benefits may not be
immediately visible, over the long
pull a user -owned utility puts us
in a position to control our des-
tiny," Schneider said. "That is
very important, not Only from a
financial standpoint but for qua-
lity of service."
The councilman said the city
needs to take steps to market the
city as a haven for senior citizens.
" I think College Station as a re-
tirement community has a lot to
offer and we're only beginning oi
that one."
Schneider is a distinguished
professor of agricultural econo-
mics at Texas A &M University. fie
and his wife, Nancy, have four
adult sons, David, Kirk, Mark and
Jon, and five granddaughters.
�/� � 11
Area police arrest five in vehicle thefts
By Chuck Squatrigiia
Eagle staff writer
Three vehicles valued at about $40,000
were stolen in Navasota in a 24 -hour per-
iod Tuesday, and local police have ar-
rested five people in connection with two
of the thefts.
Bryan police arrested three Bryan men
lk °sday afternoon in connection with
--ft of a 1990 Chevrolet S -10 Blazer
, lurtenburger Chevrolet, Bryan po-
lice Sergeant Chris Ferris said Wednes-
day.
All three of the men were being held in
Brazos County Jail on Wednesday night
pending arraignment today.
They will be transported to Navasota
today for questioning, according to Nava-
sota police detective Gloria Munoz.
Ferris said an officer on patrol saw the
vehicle in the 800 block of Cole Street
with three people in it. When they saw the
officer, the people in the vehicle fled on
foot and entered the grounds of the Bryan
Federal Prison Camp, where they were
caught by police and prison officials, Fer-
ris said.
On Tuesday, College Station police ar-
rested a Bryan man and a Bryan juvenile
in the 100 block of Welsh Ave. at about
6:49 a.m. in connection with the theft of a
1985 GMC pickup truck. The truck had
been reported stolen from a Navasota
convenience store at 6 a.m. Tuesday, a
police spokesman said.
Arrested were Sherman Devon Lockett,
17, of 912 Orleans St. in Bryan, and a
15- year -old Bryan juvenile.
Lockett was charged with unauthor-
ized use of a motor vehicle and was being
held in Brazos County Jail on Wednesday
night on $2500 bond.
The arrests stemmed from a report of
people tampering with a vehicle, a police
spokesman said Tuesday. Upon arriving
at the scene, the officer found two people
trying to free a pickup truck that was
stuck in mud. The officer reported the li-
cense number of the truck and dis-
covered that the vehicle had been repor-
ted stolen.
The third vehicle stolen is a black 1990
GMC extended cab Sierra pickup truck
with dual rear wheels, Munoz said. It was
stolen from Bluebonnet Motors and is va-
lued at $19,000.
,,� �Q P6,
1�
CS Council OK's vote
on sales tax increase
By Robert C. Borden
Eagle staff writer
Despite a plea from one mem-
ber, College Station City Council
members approved in principle
Wednesday evening a half -cent
increase in the city's sales tax,
though they agreed to determine
how the money will be used before
formally calling for a vote on the
measure.
Council members are expected
to place the sales tax hike on the
May 5 city- school ballot at their
March 8 regular meeting. The day
before, however, they will discuss
how the $2 million the increase
will bring in will be used.
Among the proposals are to re-
duce the amount of money trans-
ferred from the city's utility ac-
Please see Tax, 7A
c
Tax
From 1 A
count to the general fund, thus
reducing the amount utility cus-
tomers pay each month, or to use
it to reduce the amount voters will
be asked to fund through bond
sales for capital improvements.
Councilman Jim Gardner spoke
against the proposed sales tax in-
crease, calling it regressive and
saying it will put a heavier burden
on the people who can least afford
to pay it, even though most food
and medicine would be exempt
from the tax.
He said more than half the resi-
dents of the city are students at
Texas A &M University, many of
whom won't see any benefits from
lower utility or property tax rates.
Councilman Dick Birdwell
countered Gardner's argument,
calling utility rates regressive. He
said he favors using the lion's
share of the money generated by
the tax increase, which would
raise the tax to 8 cents on the dol-
lar, to lower utility rates.
City planner Jim Callaway said
if the entire amount is used in the
area of utilities rates could drop
almost 7 percent, meaning an an-
nual savings of $67 for the typical
single- family homeowner and
$911 for the average medium -
sized commercial user.
Another option would be to use
the money to help fund capital
improvement projects.
Mayor Larry Ringer and Coun-
cilman Dick Haddox said the
money could provide more ser-
vices, such as-parks, to the A &M
students who live on campus who
don't pay College Station property
taxes and utility bills.
Birdwell said he wants a prov-
ision in the call for the election
that would void the increase if the
citizens of Bryan fail to enact a
similar raise.
a /a"/) / <o
War on Drugs Committee
Second report
calls for change
of emphasis
By Robert C. Borden
Eagle staff writer
More emphasis must be placed
on providing treatment for sub -
tance abusers, education and law
enforcement if the war on drugs is
to be won locally, according to a
report presented to the College
Station City Council on Wednes-
day.
The second report of the
Bryan/College Station War on
Drugs Committee said more ef-
forts should be made to involve
young people in positive commun-
ity programs such as 4 -H and,
possibly, a YMCA.
An informal survey of high
school students in College Station
and Bryan indicates that 80 per-
cent of the students use alcohol at
least once a week and another
40 -60 percent use a non - alcohlic
drug at least once a week, accord-
ing to the report.
Committee chairman David
Branham said the local statistics
are similar to national studies
and to studies conducted by
Texas A &M researchers last year.
"The problem hasn't changed
since our first report" in Septem-
ber 1988, Branham said.
"Off campus, drugs of all types
are readily available for sale. Al-
cohol is inexpensive and is found
in most homes. Other drugs for
the occasional user are affordable
by almost every student, but
some addicts spend $200 to $300
per day," the report says.
Branham cited reports from the
police departments in both cities
as saying 80 percent of felony
crime is linked to drug use. He
said he is pleased that crime sta-
War
From 1 A
tistics for both Bryan and College
Station declined in 1989 to ap-
proximately 1987 levels, adding
that he hopes the trend contin-
ues.
The report says the substances
abused are, in descending order:
alcohol, marijuana, ampheta-
mines and methamphetamines,
crack cocaine, hallucinogens,
heroin, and prescription drugs. A
new drug, "ice," is appearing in
the area and has the potential to
be a greater threat than crack co-
caine, the report says.
The report says the street level
drug scene is more visible in min-
ority areas of Bryan, while in Col-
lege Station, "drug sellers and
users appear to be more sophisti-
cated and cautious, therefore
much less visible." In addition,
the report says, organized gang
activity is on the rise and some
cult activities are evident in the
area.
Branham praised efforts by lo-
cal black churches, which banded
together last fall for a community
anti -drug march and rally featur-
ing Lonise Bias, the mother of
basketball standout Len Bias,
who died of a cocaine overdose.
Branham also praised efforts by
the local schools to promote drug
education and awareness.
He said too many residents re-
fuse to accept the extent of the
problem locally.
The committee calls for deve-
lopment of a sliding -scale drug
abuse treatment center and addi-
tional funding for local agencies
providing such services.
Please see War, 7A
Candidates file for College Station mayor, council member
By Robert C. Borden
Eagle staff writer
College Station City Councilman Dick
Birdwell filed Wednesday for a second
term on the council, saying he hopes to
make a contribution to
several projects al-
ready under way.
Birdwell said he fa-
vors projects such as a
proposed independent
College Station Library
and a joint solid waste
management system
BIRDWELL with Bryan, but he has
reservations about the
way the projects have been presented.
"Two years ago, I was instrumental in
Increasing the modest amount we spend
on our library (a branch of the Bryan Li-
brary)," Birdwell said. "I'm all in favor of a
new library but I think the Library Com-
mittee is seeking something a little bigger
than we can afford."
The committee is recommending con-
struction of a two -story library on Rock
Prairie Road. The new library may be one
of the items on a capital improvements
bond issue to be presented to voters later
this year.
"I want to be in on deciding what we
ask the voters to approve," Birdwell said.
Although he favors combining solid
waste disposal efforts, he said he wants
to be sure College Station is compensated
fairly for use of its current landfill, which
would become the joint landfill under the
proposal to be considered by College Sta-
tion and Bryan councils next month.
In a related matter, Birdwell called for a
recycling effort that would extend the life
of the landfill and could provide financial
benefits to the city. "I have asked for a
staff' report on recycling and I'm waiting
to hear from them."
Birdwell also said he favors a pro - active
rather than a reactive approach to enfor-
cement of city codes. Under that ap-
proach, the city would seek out code vio-
lations and take action to see that the city
laws are followed. In many cases now, the
city reacts to code violations only when
complaints are made.
"I also am working to eliminate waste in
spending," Birdwell said, noting he
generally opposes hiring outside consul-
tants on all but major capital Improve-
ment projects.
He saio the biggest challenge facing the
city is drug abuse, saying more resources
need to be committed to fighting the pro-
blem.
Birdwell said the transfer from Gulf
States Utilities to the Texas Municipal
Power Agency "will have to be handled
very carefully."
"I don't anticipate any savings to rate
payers from the change," he said, noting
that there will be a restructuring of the
current billing structure, with some
users paying more than now and others
paying less.
"We'll have to handle that with kid
gloves," Birdwell said.
And, he said, he favors a proposed one -
half cent increase in the city's sales tax
only if there is a corresponding decrease
in the transfer of funds from the utility
department to the general fund, thus
lowering consumer's bills.
Birdwell is an engineering consultant.
He and his wife Joyce have five adult
children and six grandchildren.
Larry Ringer
Larry Ringer has filed for a third term
as College Station mayor, stating there
are projects underway he wants to see to
completion.
Ringer, who also ser-
ved as a city council °&
member for seven
years, said, "I have a'`
feeling there are things
to do and I can con-
tinue to be of service."
Among the projects
Ringer wants to see to RINGER
completion are the cl-
ty's switchover from purchasing electri-
city from Gulf States Utilities C 3mpany to
the Texas Municipal Power Agency, Wolf
Pen Creek development, community ap-
pearance and development of sidewalks
and other safety features for the city.
And, Ringer said, he wants to continue
working with other governmental bodies
In the county to develop greater coopera-
tion.
"Right now, we've got real good rela-
tions between the university, the two ci-
ties and the county and I'd like to see
those continue," Ringer said.
He pointed to joint economic develop-
ment between College Station and Bryan
as an area of personal pride. "Mayor
(Marvin) Tate (of Bryan) and I pushed for
that several years ago and I'm glad to see
it happening," Ringer said.
Ringer is a professor of statistics at
Texas A &M University. He and his wife
Jean have three children.
He said drug abuse may be the biggest
problem facing the community today.
"The biggest thing we've got to do is edu-
cation, to promote among the youth and
adults the idea that use of drugs is not
cool, it's harmful," he said. "We need to
enlist the support of the parents in fight-
ing this problem."
"We've got to have an atmosphere
where the use of drugs is not acceptable,"
he said.
•
'�'I/I11-0
C7
"C
Nancy Crouch
Local businesswoman Nancy Crouch
formally filed for the Place 6 seat on the
College Station City Council Tuesday.
Crouch, owner of Home Care Services,
announced her candidacy last week. She
Is seeking the seat now held by Council-
man Dick Haddox.
n
�IAOqo
r,
u
X
Lillian Robinson
Lillian Robinson, supervisor of the Lin-
coln Community Center, filed on Tuesday
to oppose incumbent Dan MacGilvray on
the College Station
school board.
Robinson, 42, of 910
Eleanor St., said she
hopes to strengthen
vocational programs if
elected to the board,
and also to reduce
truancy and what she T'
called an "alarming
dropout rate. ROBINSON
"There have been several dropouts in
my community," she said. "After a child
misses several days, it would be good for
a guidance person or a counselor to go
check on them."
Regarding vocational education, Ro-
binson called the school board's adoption
of the Good Cents student construction
program "a good step," but said the dis-
trict needs to institute vocational courses
dealing with electricity and plumbing.
"Those are skills that computers won't
take away," she said.
She said she favors assigning high -s-
chool students into college -bound and
non - college -bound tracks to ensure that
all graduates have a fob skill.
"Everybody's not oriented toward col-
lege," she said. "This way, people could
graduate from high school and start their
own business."
Robinson is a lifelong resident of Col-
lege Station, and has an 18- year -old son
at A &M Consolidated High School. She
holds a bachelor of science degree in
parks and recreation from Texas A &M
University, a bachelor of science in
speech from Mary Hardin- Baylor Univer-
sity, an associate of arts degree from
Blinn College, and did graduate work at
Florida State University.
She spent three years as a teacher in
the Brushy Day Care Center in Bryan, a
semester as a teacher's aide in the A &M
Consolidated Child Development Center,
and a semester as a junior -high teacher
in Madison, Fla.
Filing for the May 5 school board elec-
tion continues through March 21.
c
�Iaqmo
•
Council to hear
drug war report,
sales tax plan
By Robert C. Borden
Eagle staff wr iter
College Station City Council members
Will consider several bids and will hear a
report from the War on Drugs Committee
when they meet in workshop and regular
sessions Wednesday and Thursday.
The War on Drugs Committee report is
the opening item on the 4 p.m. Wednes-
day workshop agenda.
A status report on the so -called Lo-
Track Project to lower the railroad tracks
and Wellborn Road from Luther Street
north to the Bryan city limits also will be
presented. Plans call for the city to pur-
chase rights of way for the project.
Council members also will discuss a
plan to increase the city's sales tax, at the
same time reducing the property tax by a
corresponding amount. The question of
the tax may be put before the voters in
the May 5 city - school elections, which
council members formally will call when
they meet in regular session at 7 p.m.
Thursday. Both meetings are at City Hall.
At the Thursday session, council mem-
bers will consider awarding bids for site
improvements at Lions and Wayne Smith
parks. A total of $41,000 has been set
aside in Community Development Block
Grant funds for the project.
C7
,� I (g I 6
G
Local Give Five telethon
recruits 1 volunteers
By Chuck Squatriglia
Eagle staff writer
Saturday's first -ever volunteer
telethon recruited 1,905 people
who pledged 319,533 hours of
service to more than 120 organi-
zations, Penny Zent said Satur-
day.
Zent, who assisted with the
Give Five telethon, said these re-
sults almost doubled KAMU -TV's
goal of 1,000 people and 220,000
hours.
"It was just spectacular," Zent
said. "It couldn't have gone any
better if we'd wanted it to. We had
a great turnout all day."
Zent said those figures may in-
crease because many organiza-
tions had not tallied all of their re-
sults. The telethon was broadcast
from the KAMU studios, on the
Texas A &M University campus,
and from Post Oak Mall Saturday
from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
The purpose of the program was
to recruit people who would ple-
dge at least five hours of service to
the charity of their choice to help
make a difference in Bryan and
College Station.
During the telethon, 20 local
service organizations were pre-
sented, and viewers were asked to
pledge time to those groups or to
any other local charity organiza-
tion.
Zent attributed the success of
the evenen to the amount of plan-
ning that went into it.
"There was a lot of cooperation
by all of those involved," she said.
All costs incurred in broadcast-
ing Give Five were underwritten
by GTE, First American Bank and
the law firm of Caperton, Rogers
and Miller, P.C., Zent said.
The 20 organizations featured
were: AIDS Foundation of Brazos
Valley, American Cancer Society's
Brazos County Unit of the Ameri-
can Red Cross, Association for Re-
tarded Citizens, Boys Club of Bra-
zos County, Brazos Animal Cen-
ter, Brazos Food Bank Inc., Bra-
zos Valley Adult Literary Council,
Brazos Valley Community Action
Agency, Brazos Valley Rehabilita-
tion Center, Bryan Volunteers in
Public Schools, College Station
Volunteers in Public Schools,
Family Outreach of Bryan- College
Station, Girls Club of Brazos
County Inc., Habitat for Human-
ity, Hospice of Brazos County
Inc., Retired Senior Volunteer
Program, Sheltering Arms, Spe-
cial Olympics, Straight Talk Hot-
line and United Cerebral Palsy
Association of the Brazos Valley.
4g190
E
A
Fire hat to cowboy hat
College Station fire chief
says goodbye to the job
he's had for 17 years
High School in 1962, said lie is
ready to do something different
with his life.
"After I retire, I plan to fish and
farm on my land in Washington
County." Landua said. "Then I
will get a ,Job somewhere else in
this area."
Landua, who has been the Col -
_� ege Station fire chief for 17 years,
aid that when he began to work
for the department, lie faced the
biggest challenge of his life.
"The fire department had only
six full -time workers and two fire
trucks to serve College Station
and Texas A &M, which presented
many problems," Landua said.
"We worked on increasing our
force and we now have 75 full -
time workers."
Landua said that in 1977 the
department was faced with
another problem when a private
ambulance service in Bryan -
College Station went out of busi-
ness.
"The city manager at the time
decided that the College Station
Fire Department was capable of
providing emergency service for
the whole of Brazos County," he
said. "Two ambulances were de-
livered one morning and we star-
By Mia Moody
Eagle staff writer
The College Station fire chief
will trade in his fire hat and heavy
rubber boots for cowboy gear
when he retires in April after serv-
ing College Station for 28 years.
Douglas Landua, who has been
in the firefighting business since
he got out of A &M Consolidated
ted taking care of the county's
emergency problems the next
day."
Now the Bryan and College Sta-
tion fire departments take care of
their own medical emergencies
and their designated parts of the
county.
Landua's associates said they
have enjoyed working with him
and will miss him.
Charles Yeager, assistant fire
chief in training, said it will be
hard for someone else to fill Lan -
dua's position.
"Landua is a hard worker and
he is very open- minded," Yeager
said. "Whenever we have ideas for
changes he is always willing to
work with us in any way he can.
He is also a happy -go -lucky per-
son who is easy to work with."
Bill Shaer, emergency medical
service supervisor for the depart-
ment, said Landua is a caring
person.
"Landua has always been con-
cerned about giving College Sta-
tion citizens the best care they
can possible get," Shaer said. "Not
only is he a good chief, but he is a
good friend who is always willing
to help his associates."
Shaer said the department will
work to keep up the image that
Landua has established.
Before working for the College
Station Fire Department, Landua
was a fire marshal for Texas A &M
University for 11 years.
Landua's replacement hasn't
been announced.
Please see Chief, 9A
41� 00
L
c
Give Five
telethon
runs today
By Robert C. Borden
Eagle staff writer
A first -ever volunteer telethon
will be broadcast by KAMU -TV to-
day in a recruitment drive for lo-
cal civic and charity organiza-
tions.
The purpose of the telethon is to
recruit at least 1,000 volunteers
who can give five or more hours of
service to make a difference in the
community. The telethon will be
broadcast from the KAMU studios
at Texas A &M University and from
Post Oak Mall from 10 a.m. to 8
p.m. Saturday. KAMU may be
seen on Channel 15, locally on
TCA Cable Channel 4.
During the telethon, 21 local
service organizations will be fea-
tured and viewers will be invited
to pledge time to those groups or.
any other local charity group.
People wishing to pledge their
time should call 845 -5656 or
1- 800 - 733 -5268 toll free during
the telethon. Volunteers from the
organizations will staff the phone
bank at KAMU.
Entertainment scheduled at the
mall throughout the telethon in-
cludes Jack Leonard, 10 -11:30
a.m.: Annointed Angels, 11:30
a.m. -12:30 p.m.: Tim Rogers,
12:30 -2 p.m.: Ron Bryan Trio, 2 -4
p.m.: Karin Chavis, 4 -6 p.m.: and
Don Pope and Friends, 6 -8 p.m.
Ginny Stubbs, president of
Friends of KAMU, will be host at
the mall, assisted by KAMU pro-
gram director Rodger Lewis,
Sharon Colson and Martha
Mewis, marketing director of the
mall. The host at KAMU will be
Rod Zent, assisted by Penny Zent,
Al Powell and Elaine Hoyak.
The Give Five theme is a project
of the Independent Sector, a pri-
vate consortium of volunteer or-
ganizations based in Washington,
D.C., which urges people to give 5
Please see Five, 7A
Five
From 1A
percent of income and five hours
of their time to help make the
country a better place. Represen-
tatives of the Independent Sector
are interested in the success of
the telethon, Lewis said.
Groups with pledge forms
should take them by the KA-
MU-TV studios on Houston Street
on the A &M campus today, said
Penny Zent, KAMU development
director.
The 21 organizations to be fea-
tured on the telethon are AIDS
Foundation of Brazos Valley,
American Cancer Society's Brazos
County Unit, Brazos County Unit
of the American Red Cross, Asso-
ciation for Retarded Citizens,
Boys Club of Brazos County, Bra-
zos Animal Shelter, Brazos Food
Bank Inc., Brazos Valley Adult
Literacy Council, Brazos Valley
Community Action Agency, Bra-
zos Valley Rehabilitation Center,
Bryan Volunteers in Public
Schools, College Station Volun-
teers in Public Schools, Family
Outreach of Bryan - College Sta-
tion, Girls Club of Brazos County
Inc., Habitat for Humanity, Hos-
�l PO
E
No switch in train speed limit
Bryan City Council denies
RR speed change request,
sets fee for new zoning
terstate Commerce Commission."
But Clark indicated that the railroad
companies want to abide by the wishes of
the councils in both cities,
"How can we approve this request
when we don't have an ordinance,"
Councilwoman Kandy Rose asked.
"It's a matter of perception. Twenty-five
miles per hour doesn't seem like a lot in a
car but it does in a train," said Council-
man Larry Catlin. "This would almost be
doubling the present speed. For safety
purposes, 45 is just too fast."
Councilman Ed Aycox also questioned
the safety of the higher speed, noting that
a number of children routinely cross the
tracks in the area that would be included
in the higher speed.
After Councilman Ben Hardeman
withdrew his motion to approve the
request, which he said was made to get
the matter on the table for discussion,
Councilman Bob Reese moved to deny
the request.
"Whatever action we take doesn't mean
anything anyhow, but at least we will go
on the record opposing it," Reese said.
His motion passed by a 5 -1 vote, with
Rose opposing because of the lack of an
ordinance and Mayor Marvin Tate ab-
sent.
In other action, council members
created the new Planning and Zoning
Board from the former Planning Board
and set fees for the city's new zoning or-
dinance, which took effect Monday.
The new fee schedule is $200 for rezon-
ing applications; $75 for conditional use
permits; $25 for setback line encroach-
ments for homes five years or older; and
$75 for all other applications.
City officials said the fees are similar to
those being charged in College Station.
Following a 10- minute executive ses-
sion, council members agreed to meet in
special session at 11:30 a.m. Friday at
the Bryan Municipal Building to consider
appointments to the Zoning Board of Ad-
justment, which will hear appeals from
the Planning and Zoning Board.
Council members also formally called
the May 5 joint city - school elections and
agreed to pay Texas Voting Systems Inc.
$6,960 to conduct the balloting. The city
and Bryan school district alternate pay-
ing the costs of the elections and this is
the city's year to pay.
The area of Bryan eligible to participate
in the city's Downtown Loan Program
was expanded to include several sections:
the area from the railroad tracks east to
Washington Street, from 26th Street to
Martin Luther King Jr. Street; MLK to
18th Street between Main Street and the
alley between Bryan and Parker streets;
the area from the railroad tracks west to
Sterling Street north of 28th Street; and
from Sims to Sterling streets between the
tracks and 24th Street.
The city has about $200,000 to loan to
people who want to start up or continue
to do business within the downtown area.
Purpose of the program is to encourage
stable growth of the area.
And, council members agreed to give
$500 to the student government at Texas
A &M University to support the March 24
Big Event.
By Robert C. Borden
Eagle staff writer
Bryan City Council members on Mon-
day rejected a requested increase in the
speed limit for trains through much of
the city of Bryan — even though they le-
r Iv have no control over the speed at
i trains travel.
n K. Joiner, railroad coordinator for
a` of railroad systems including
Union Pacific and Southern Pacific which
travel through Bryan- College Station,
had requested an increase in the speed
limit from 25 miles per hour to 45 mph.
In his request, Joiner indicated the
higher speed limit would run from the ci-
ty's southern boundary with College Sta-
tion to Groesbeck Street just south of
downtown Bryan. The speed would re-
main at 25 mph through the downtown
area.
Bryan City Manager Ernie Clark said a
higher speed limit also is being requested
of the College Station council.
Bryan has no ordinance governing the
speed of trains through the city, although
College Station does. Clark said, "There is
a question whether the city can or can't
regulate the speed."
City Attorney Robert Andron agreed,
saying, "You cannot regulate the speed of
trains because that is covered by the In-
Q1�31ej0
Richard Smith goes to Austin
Prospective senator
buys 5 Austin offices
of Coldwell Banker
By Steve Hill
Eagle staff wrtter
College Station realtor and
prospective state senator Richard
Smith has acquired the five Aus-
tin affiliates of
Coldwell Ban-
ker, Smith an-
nounced Mon-
day. ?,
The acquisi-
tion, for an un-
disclosed sum,
will increase
the size of his
real- estate bu- SMITH
siness from 19 employees to more
than 120.
"When I first decided to become
part of Coldwell Banker in 1986, I
told them I wanted to be part of
their expansion plans in Central
Texas. Austin's close proximity to
Bryan- College Station makes this
a perfect fit," said Smith, a Repu-
blican who is retiring as a state
representative to run for the sen-
ate seat vacated by Kent Caperton
of Bryan.
Smith emphasized that he "will
be able to operate the company
from a headquarters in Bryan-
College Station."
He said the Austin area has
much in common with his home-
town, including a large state
payroll and "a major interest in
developing high -tech industry."
Long -term prospects for growth
are good in both areas, he said.
"Austin is a market that's very
attractive, and frankly, I never
thought I'd get it," Smith said.
The well- publicized problems of
the real - estate industry in Austin
haven't affected his new bran-
ches, he said, because the resi-
dential market has remained
steady — as it has in Bryan-
College Station — while the more
speculative commercial market
has had troubles.
He won't be involved in com-
mercial real estate, he said, be-
cause his franchise agreement
precludes it.
The proposed closing of Berg-
strom Air Force Base in Austin
shouldn't affect the five branches,
he said, because none are located
south of the Colorado River or
east of I -35, where Bergstrom is
located.
One of the branches is in Geor-
getown, which is located within
the 5th Senatorial District.
"So I'm sure the people there
will be pleased to have a senator
with a vested interest in the
community, beyond going to the
chamber banquet once a year,"
Smith said.
Combining politics and busi-
ness will depend on having "a
good organization and a good
staff," he said, adding that he
spent seven months in Austin in
1989 and was still had a success-
ful business year.
Coldwell Banker, which de-
scribes itself as "the nation's
largest full- service real estate
company," is part of the Sears
Financial Network and has some
1,300 offices worldwide.
J
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CS council OKs
contract to design
parks corridor
By Mia Moody
of the Eagle staff
The College Station City Council
on Thursday approved a labor con-
tract for the group that will design a
master plan for the corridor tp con-
nect the Lincoln Center to two other
parks in the area.
The council hired the Municipal
Development Group to develop a
plan for a green corridor to unite the
Lincoln Center, located at the inter-
section of Holleman Drive and
Eleanor Street, with Wayne Smith
Park and Fairview Park.
In other business, the council
presented a $20,000 check to the
Brazos Valley Council on Alcohol
and Substance Abuse, an organiza-
tion that offers a crisis hotline and
counseling.
The council approved a resolution
to allow the chief of police and the
Brazos County district attorney to
work together to dispose of forfeited
contraband. Money made from for-
feited contraband will go toward law
enforcement.
The council also designated Feb.
18 -24, 1990, as Engineer's Week.
Local engineers will sponsor pro-
grams for elementary and high
school students who wish to be-
come engineers.
The council discussed having a
no- smoking ordinance in College
Station, but took no action.
c 2 lg 1q
CS council OKs `green corridor' plan
By Robert C. Borden
of the Eagle staff
Development of a unified plan for the
area around the Lincoln Center was given
tentative approval by College Station City
Council members Wednesday afternoon.
Plans call for the development of a mas-
ter plan for a unified "green corridor"
from the center to nearby Wayne Smith
Park and beyond, to Fairview Park.
The area around the Lincoln Center at
AdWntersection of Holleman and Eleanor
Uc is will be the prime target of the
h 24 Big Event, an annual commun-
ity- service project of the student govern-
ment at Texas A &M University.
In the past, Aggies provided labor to
people who could afford the materials for
clean -up, fix -up efforts.
This year, though, the students want to
help an area in which the people cannot
afford to buy the needed materials, ac-
cording to Mitch White, chairman of the
Big Event committee.
Council members agreed to give stu-
dent government $2,000 to help defray
costs of the event and necessary publi-
city.
Dan Fette, director of community deve-
lopment for the city, said the city has be-
gun a "code sweep" through the area to
notify property owners of violations of city
code, such as junked vehicles, high
weeds and rubbish.
Fette also recommended that the
council consider amending its Commun-
ity Development Block Grant federal
funds budget to provide $3,000 - $5,000
for clean-up and demolition of dilapi-
dated structures in the area. A series of
public hearings will have to be held before
the budget can be amended.
At their 7 p.m. meeting today, council
members are expected to hire the Muni-
cipal Development Group of College Sta-
tion to development a master plan for the
Lincoln Center -Wayne Smith Park corri-
dor. The group will consider the best use
of the existing city-owned land in the
area, possible land acquisitions needed,
future recreational needs of the neigh-
borhood and other aspects of turning the
area into a cohesive green space.
At Wednesday's workshop meeting,
council members were given details of a
new program for billing utility customers.
Under the plan, the number of billing cy-
cles will double from the current four to
eight per month.
Bruce Albright, manager of the city uti-
lities office, said the switch will provide
better customer service and will better
use city staff time.
He said the change — which is expec-
ted to be made in July — will cut down on
the long lines of traffic through the
.drive- through payment windows at City
Hall on due dates.
The change also will spread the work-
load for the utlities office staff over a
greater number of days and will increase
the cash flow through the office.
The change will have little effect for 94
percent of the city's utility customers,
who will see bill due dates change by less
than five days. For 4 percent, the change
will involve from 6 -10 days and for 2 per-
cent, from 11 -15 days.
Special arrangements will be made for
the latter customers so they don't have
one vtry Short and one very long billing
cycle during the summer months. Al-
brigot "W.
The change will be made when the
number of city utility customers is at its
lowest', Albright said.
•
U 41
c
All trashed out:
Twin cities to share
landfills, reduce cos6
By Robert C. Borden
of the Eagle staff
A combined Bryan - College Station
landfill operation that could reduce mun-
icipal costs by 22 percent or more met
with unanimous support from the elected
councils from both cities Thursday night.
Both councils could vote on the crea-
tion of a new Brazos Valley Solid Waste
Management Agencv as early as next
month, with operations to begin at the
existing College Station landfill on Rock
Prairie Road east of Texas 6 in May.
Council members from both cities said
they want a major recycling effort to be a
part of the plan.
"I think the citizens are ready for recy-
cling and we should not wait for the citi-
zens to step forward and demand it,"
Bryan Councilman Ben Hardeman said.
College Station Councilman Vernon
Schneider agreed, saying, "'There is no
reason why Bryan - College Station
shouldn't be a leader in recycling."
By consolidating their landfills, the two
cities could save more than $3 million by
the year 2002, according to a report by
McDow and Associates, an engineering
firm hired last year to study the solid
waste needs of both cities.
The joint operation and its resultant
economies of scale would reduce the
dumping cost from slightly more than
$18 per ton now to $13.72 per ton, ac-
cording to the McDow report. The two ci-
ties dump some 100,000 tons of garbage
annually, and the amount disposed of per
person is climbing some 2.5 percent per
year, the report states.
Savings each day of operation could_
amount to almost $1,600 this year
more than $2,500 next year, the re
indicates.
If several smaller area cities and coun-
ties contract to use the joint landfill, the
cost could drop as low as $9.35 per ton,
McDow estimates.
Both cities would continue to operate
their own garbage collection services. The
savings wouldn't necessarily be passed
on to Bryan - College Station consumerA.
but could keep future increases in city
fees to a minimum, said Ed Ilschner,
Bryan's director of pt;blic works services.
Under the proposal, Bryan's landfill as-
sets estimated at $355,000 and College
Station's landfill assets estimated at
$625.000 would be transferred to the
new agency. Each city, using the
strength of their top bond ratings, would
be asked to sell $1 million in capital -
improvement bonds to finance necessary
improvements at the College Station
landfill.
The new agency would repay the cities
from money raised through dumping
fees.
The two cities would own the agency
jointly, and Brazos County could be in-
cluded. County Commissioner Randy
Sims expressed support for the proposal
Please see Trash, 8A
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•
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•
Trash
From 1A
after the meeting and said he will
suggest to his fellow commis-
sioners that the county go into
the agency as an equal partner
with the two cities.
Outlying counties and cities
would be customers, rather than
partners.
The agency's board of directors
would include the city manager
and a staff member from each
city. Mayors of both cities would
serve alternating two -year terms
on the board, which would meet
at least monthly during the first
year of operation and at least once
a quarter thereafter.
College Station's landfill would
be operated until it reaches capa-
city and then operations would be
moved to Bryan's landfill off
Sandy Point Road.
The dumping site in use at the
Bryan landfill will be full by May
or June, Ilschner said, and if the
joint agreement is not reached,
Bryan will have to begin preparing
a new disposal "cell" immediately.
The estimated $1 million cost of
closing off the existing area — in-
cluding installing clay and topsoil
caps, adding necessary drainage,
and landscaping — will be borne
by the city, not the new agency.
If the agreement is reached, the
new area at the Bryan landfill
won't be developed until the Col-
lege Station site reaches capacity.
The McDow report estimates
the College Station landfill will
reach capacity by the year 2012 at
the present rate; if the joint opera-
tion is approved, the landfill will
reach capacity by 2002. Major re-
cycling efforts could extend that
time significantly, Ilschner said.
As the first step in preparing for
the joint operation, College Sta-
tion began using Bryan's existing
cell last June so that it could be
filled and capped before stricter
Environmental Protection Agency
regulations take effect next year.
Both councils last year author-
ized hiring McDow and Associates
to study the situation and in-
structed city staffs to begin dis-
cussions leading to a joint landfill
agreement.
Already, many of the smaller
communities and counties in the
Brazos Valley are having difficulty
disposing of their solid waste be-
cause of increasing costs brought
on primarily by newer and stiffer
EPA regulations.
The Texas Department of
Health estimates that population
bases fewer than 50,000 can no
longer support a landfill opera-
tion. With that estimation, both
local cities barely make the mini-
mum projection.
Ilschner said cities and coun-
ties within 35 or 40 miles of
Bryan - College Station could find
It cost effective to contract to use
a joint local landfill.
College Station's Schneider said
he would prefer that the joint
operation be kept strictly a Brazos
County venture, although he said
he will keep an open mind on the
possibility of allowing other cities
and counties to use the facility for
a charge.
College Station Councilman
Dick Birdwell said he favors a
joint operation, but cautioned
against going into the plan with-
out adequate study by both cities.
He suggested allowing Bryan to
use the College Station landfill on
an interim basis until the matter
is studied further. No action was
taken on his proposal.
After discussion, both councils
voted unanimously to employ an
appraiser to determine the exact
value of both current landfill
operations and to instruct city
staffs to continue with their nego-
tiations.
Council members also agreed
that recycling must be a part of
any joint operation. College Sta-
tion Councilman Fred Brown
suggested that within six months
of the start of joint operations, a
pilot area be designated in each
city to study the feasibility of re-
cycling on a large -scale basis.
"That is something that needs
to be put on the front burner,"
Brown said.
B=CS Chamber told
of golden age to come
By Steve Hill
of the Eagle staff
A decade of volatility faces Bryan-
College Station and the rest of the world
in the 1990s, but those prepared for it
could take part in "a golden age of Ameri-
can economic prosperity," an economic
futurist said Tuesday.
Don Reynolds, president of 21st Cen-
tury Forecasting, told those gathered at
the annual meeting and banquet of the
Bryan- College Station Chamber of Com-
merce that changing technology and con-
sumer demands will drive the economy in
the coming decade. Among the scenarios
he expects are these:
■Available technologies in electronics
and biotechnology will allow business
people to communicate by two -way trans-
lating wristwatches and will help those
suffering from Alzheimer's disease in-
crease their memories by 300 to 400 per-
cent. "The hottest drug on campus in
2010," he said, 'will be students stealing
grandma's memory pills for final exams."
■Seventy percent of all new jobs in the
next decade will be in companies with
less than 200 employees. There is, he
said, "an entrepeneurial explosion in this
country the likes of which we've never
seen before" — much of it fueled by wo-
men and others facing dwindling mid -
management possibilities.
Please see Age, 9A
•
•
UMMW
From 1 A
■The number of entry-level
workers will decrease by half dur-
ing the '90s. Decreasing American
literacy rates could mean that up
to one -third of the work force will
be "incapable of being hired by
you," he told the audience.
■An aging group of baby -
boomers, facing up to the fact that
"Social Security maybe social and
may be secure, but it won't be for
them," will spark a U.S. savings
rate of 10 percent (compared to 2
percent in 1985). That will spur a
steep drop in interest rates.
Reynolds said.
■Oil prices will rise steadily. "The
greatest potential for an oil shock
on an up side that we've ever had"
now exists, he said.
■The "peace dividend" brought
on by falling Eastern European
governments will be painful for
Texans, including those with de-
fense- related research projects at
Texas A&M, but provides great
opportunity for the U.S. govern-
ment to retire some of its debt.
Time will be the currency of the
'90s, he said, and anyone with the
ability to save time for the con-
sumer will prosper.
As Bryan - College Station and
the rest of the country stand on
"the threshold of change,' he
said, the most important thing ci-
tizens can do is "provide a high -
quality, well- educated labor
force."
"Make sure your school dis-
tricts get what they're entitled to,"
Reynolds concluded.
0
C 11
Action against
landowners tops
council agenda
By Robert C. Borden
of the Eagle staff
College Station City Council
members will be asked Thursday
night to authorize the start of
condemnation proceedings
against some landowners along
the proposed extension of Millers
Lane.
Plans call for widening and ex-
tending Millers Lane from its in-
tersection with Texas Avenue to
the East Bypass, connecting with
the new overpass at Emerald
Parkway. The route will provide
direct access from FM 2818 to the
East Bypass.
The city legal department has
been unable to reach agreement
with several landowners or pur-
chase of the needed right -of -way
for the project, and council auth-
orization is needed to proceed
with condemnation proceedings.
Discussien of the project will
come at the council's regular
meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday at
City Hall.
At that meeting, council mem-
bers also will discuss a request
from the local affiliate of the Amer-
ican Heart Association for a city-
wide smoking ordinance.
A letter from Dr. Jim Rohack
notes that, while many busines-
ses voluntarily have restricted
smoking areas, the city has no or-
dinance requiring such restric-
tion. He submitted a model ordin-
ance from the Texas Department
of Health for council considera-
tion, noting that both Bryan and
Texas A &M University have insti-
tuted similar plans.
Council members also are ex-
pected to consider a revised mas-
ter preliminary plat for the pro-
posed Pebble Creeks development
south of Greens Prairie Road and
a master preliminary plat for
Emerald Forest phases 8 -11,
which would be located midway
between the current Emerald
Forest Development and the
Raintree subdivision.
Council members also will meet
in workshop session at 4 p.m. to-
day at City Hall, prior to a sche-
duled 5:30 p.m. meeting with
Bryan City Council members to
discuss a possible joint landfill
operation.
At the 4 p.m. session, council
members will consider giving
$2,000 to the student government
at Texas A&M University for its
upcoming annual Big Event
project.
Texas is going
back to work
State's unemployment rate
drops to its best in five years
The Associated Press
DALLAS — The state's monthly jobless
rate dipped in January to a five -year low
of 5.2 percent, but a government econo-
mist on Friday warned that few other po-
sitive indicators exist and sluggish
growth continues.
The unemployment rate compares with
December's 6.6 percent and with 7 per-
cent for January 1989. Nationwide, the
jobless rate held steady last month at 5.3
percent, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statis-
tics said.
"Texas' labor force history is one of vo-
latility," said Nic Santangelo, an econo-
mist in the bureau's Dallas regional of-
fice. "If you look at a chart I've got on my
wall, you look at a Texas unemployment
rate that looks like the Alps ... . Those
data don't suggest that level of improve-
ment."
Gov. Bill Clements, however, was en-
couraged.
"Clearly, this is wonderful and encour-
aging news for Texans who have worked
hard to turn our economy around. While
we still have a way to go, these reports
■ Nation's jobless rate stays steady, 1D
provide healthy evidence of a Texas econ-
omy that is diversifying and strengthen-
ing in vitality day by day," Clements said.
The state's January jobless rate was its
best monthly figure since June 1984,
when it stood at 4.7 percent, Santangelo
said. He agreed with Brad Sinkovic, a
Bureau of Labor Statistics economist in
Washington, who called the seasonally
adjusted data "statistically significant."
But Santangelo said few economic fac-
tors corroborated the improvement. A
six-month average of Texas jobless rates,
from June to December, was 6.8 percent,
with a 6.7- percent average for the last
three months of 1989.
'"The number of unemployed declined
and the number of employed grew, but
the labor force itself changed little" last
month, he said. 'The labor force is grow-
ing a little bit. That means the number of
people looking for work improved."
Please see Jobs, 4A
Jobs
From 1 A
But added Santangelo, , slug-
gish, slow growth is still with us
from 1989."
Sinkovic said 7,999,000 Texans
were working while 441,000 were
on jobless rolls last month, com-
pared with 7,866,000 and
557,000, respectively, in Decem-
ber. In January 1989, 7,824,000
Texans were working, with
592,000 jobless.
"Texans came out of the wood-
work looking for jobs," said San-
tangelo. "But if we look at indus-
try employment, we fell for all of
1989.11
Nationwide, the government
said the jobless rate held steady
for the eighth consecutive month
as the economy began the new
year by producing 275,000 new
jobs.
But Santangelo said that from
December 1989 to the same year -
ago period, 118,900 new jobs were
created in Texas.
'"That is a growth rate in new job
creation of 1.8 percent," he said.
"That is the same job growth rate
we have had now for seven to nine
months in Texas. And all but
2,700 of that number were in the
service industry and in the
government sector, with the rest
in manufacturing."
�
2nd dorm -hotel complex to open. in. Bryan
By Steve Hill
of the Eagle staff
California businessman Leonard Ross,
owner of University Tower in College Sta-
tion, plans to open a second private dor-
mitory-motel complex in Bryan at the
current site of the Bryan Inn.
Ross' company bought the old Ramada
Inn building at the corner of University
Drive and Texas Avenue in September
1988 from the FDIC and a group of six
Gulf Coast banks, which had taken over
the structure in a foreclosure. Remodel-
ing work on that first complex began in
April, and Texas A &M students started
oving in last August.
fhe fortunes of the building have tur-
ed around to the point that Ross is
ready for another venture, which also has
its roots in a foreclosure acquisition.
Ross' company bought the Holiday Inn at
2300 Texas Ave. in July 1987, and the
name was changed to the Bryan Inn after
Holiday Inn, Inc., canceled its agreement
with the hotel.
The new dorm, to be called The Forum,
will be part of what Ross calls the "func-
tional integration" of several of his local
properties. The properties will be tied
together through common services, such
as the dining facilities at University
Tower, which will be available to Forum
residents.
Residents at both facilities may soon be
able to bowl or eat at a discount at Chim-
Leonard Ross poses in front of the pool at his building, University Tower
ney Hill Shopping Center on University plex Ross plans to acquire. '
Drive, another Ross holding. They will Although some have dismissed the via -
also have the opportunity to obtain bility of the University Tower project,
summer lodging — both dorms will close
in the summer — at an apartment com- Please see Forum, 7A
Eagle photo by Dave McDermand
u
�
campus. =
Forum The dormitory section is separ-
ated from the hotel by a security
system that allows both hotel and
From 1 A dorm residents access to only cer-
tain parts of the complex.
Magnetic cards issued to all re-
Ross said he has been "extremely
pleased" with its first year. He
thinks the local environment is
unique — and ideal for what he
has in mind.
"I've always liked the feeling,
the spirit, the university, the way
the Bryan- College Station com-
munity relates with the univer-
sity, and the way the alumni sup-
port the university," he said.
'"This is the ideal environment for
encouraging an interplay between
alumni and students."
He said while occupancy rates
of the luxury-hotel portion of
University Tower have not been
high, the dormitory portion is
currently at 90 percent occu-
pancy. There is "no question" that
it will be full in the coming
academic year, he said, adding
that the hotel's business should
improve now that each of the 18
floors of the complex is ready for
use.
The hotel is already competitive
with others in booking conferen-
ces, he said. He predicted that
business will "mushroom" as cus-
tomers become aware of its offer-
ings, which include a dining faci-
lity and large upper -level confer-
ence suites with views of the A &M
sidents open security doors "to
various sections of the complex.'
Hotel residents, for instance, have
access to only their own floor, but
not to other guests' floors.
The tower has 200 dorm rooms
and 115 hotel rooms and suites.
The whirlwind renovation be-
tween April and August had the
property looking like a "construc-
tion war zone" for a brief period,
Ross said.
"I think it's amazing that - -we
had as many leases as we did, "`he
said.
The dormitory now offers anYn-
door pool, a weight and exercise
room, a volleyball pit, a computer
room with 14 Macintoshes and
IBM - compatibles, a game rood[, a
television room, spas and• a
cafeteria, among other amenities.
The Forum will also have a
weight and exercise room, a com-
puter room, a game room, and
study rooms, along with a "nice
courtyard and a nice pool.
said.
A private shuttle service will
take students to A&M from The
Forum, which will open in August
after renovation is complete, he
said.
C
a/al0 6
Brazos County's 911 system
put on temporary hold by GTE
By Elizabeth Sharp
of the Eagle staff
Brazos County residents may not get
better emergency communications ser-
vice until late summer or early fall.
Brazos County's Emergency Commun-
ications District board of directors lear-
ned Thursday that the target date to start
the enhanced 911 system is Nov. 14 —
eight months later than the March target
date agreed upon last September by GTE
and BCECD directors.
GTE officials, responding to the board's
collective conclusion that November is
too far in the future, has agreed to review
its implementation schedule and see if it
can start the system sooner.
'We are really unhappy about the slow
progress of this," said Fred Brown, board
member and College Station City Council
member, during Thursday's meeting. "I
think we need to have some immediate
action here. We have been charging the
residents of this county too long not to
have service from this."
In November 1987, county residents
approved a 6 percent surcharge on local
phone bills to fund the enhanced emer-
gency communications system for the
entire county.
Bryan and College Station residents al-
ready have basic 911 service, but rural
residents do not.
The enhanced system will allow police,
Tire and ambulance personnel to receive
emergency calls supplemented with
computer - generated information about
the caller.
With enhanced 911, the name, ad-
dress, telephone number and emergency
medical information about the residents
will appear on a computer screen.
Jeff Haislet, executive director of the
district, said it is not unusual for a dis-
trict to work two or three years to design
and implement enhanced 911 service.
Haislet said the district began collecting
revenues in March 1988.
"Nobody is dragging their feet, nobody,"
said Bill Erwin, public affairs manager for
GTE.
R.J. "Dick" Holmgreen, Brazos County
judge and BCECD board member, said he
believes the system could be operational
byJune orJuly.
Holmgreen said it would be easy to cast
blame, but "all involved have a little guilt
in the delay."
Erwin and Haislet attributed most of
the delay to the complexity of the data
base — the listings of streets and blocks
in the entire county.
The data base will be converted into
software that will provide the computer-
ized information on where each home in
Brazos County is and which agencies
serve the area.
Officials said it's important to take the
time necessary to make the data base ac-
curate and complete.
"The data base drives the system ... it is
the most important element," Haislet
said.
�lal�lo
New terminal
takes off with
few problems
By Steve Hill
of the Eagle staff
American Southeast Airlines manager
Kathy Hamel laughed as she remembered
the delighted reaction of one of the new
Easterwood Airport terminal's first pas-
sengers — Texas A &M President William
H. Mobley.
"He was saying, 'What do you think
about the new terminal? Isn't it great ?"
`, Hamel recalled about Mobley's pre -flight
visit to the William A. McKenzie'Terminal, ,
which opened to commercial flights,
Thursday.
ASA's 6:20 a.m. flight to Dallas — Mo
bley was on a later ASA flight — was the-
first to leave the airport, and Continental`
Express followed with a 6:50 flight to'
Houston.
Harry Raisor, A &M's director of avia -,
tion, said, "There's always the first-day-
jitters, the first -day mechanical pro
blems, and the first -day getting in each
other's way ... but things settled down
rather rapidly and became rather routine
by the end of the day."
Early passengers were greeted by re-
presentatives of the Bryan - College Sta -'
tion Chamber of Commerce, who passed'
out coffee, doughnuts and free comme-
morative T- shirts.
Visitors were also treated to cookies
and punch throughout the day in the
new facility.
Raisor said he heard only a few nega-
tive comments Thursday, primarily about'
the lack of restaurant and lounge facili -,
ties and about the charge for parking.
More common were complements on the
terminal's roominess, decor, view and
ample parking.
Raisor hopes the restaurant and
lounge will be completed by May. As for
the parking charge, he said, 'You've got
to give a little something to get something
nice."
Christine Lewis of Waco, visiting to pick
up a friend who flew in from Columbia,
Mo., by way of Houston, said, "This is a
nice terminal. It's kind of a surprise for a
terminal that has only commuter air-
lines."
Robert Tynan, director of labor -
management relations for the U.S. De
partment of Agriculture Food Safety &
Inspection Service, was also impressed.
-
He expects to 11 in in to College Stati
three or four times yearly from Washing-,
ton because of courses and meetings held
at the department's inspection school in
A &M's Research Park, and he said the
new terminal is a plus for the community.
"It shows that the community is in-
terested in promoting business and at-
tracting business. It shows their com-
mitment," he said.
Jones retires after 37 years of city service
By Robert C. Borden
of the Eagle staff
Dian Jones hopes it rains today.
"That way I can turn over and say, 'Isn't
this nice?"' Jones said.
Wednesday was Jones' last day after 37
years as an employee of the city of College
Station, including the past eight as city
secretary.
Noting she still will help finish "two or
three projects" for the city, Jones said on
Wednesday, "I'll be in and out, but not
tomorrow."
When Jones began working for the city
in July 1952, she could count her fellow
workers on the fingers of two hands — at
least she could if she added in four or five
toes.
"We were a new city, just a small town
really." When Jones began, College Sta-
tion was barely 14 years old as an incor-
porated city.
"The staff was a big family almost,"
Jones said, adding, "We were very sup-
portive of each other."
At first, Jones planned to work for the
city only for two years, while her hus-
band, Raymond Callaway Jones, finished
his degree at Texas A &M University.
When he finished, however, he went to
work with his parents in their Bryan
funeral home.
"I sort of stretched my two years into
37," Jones said with a laugh.
Jones was the first employee Ran Bos-
well hired after he became city manager.
Like the rest of the staff, Jones handled a
number of different tasks, such as issu-
ing building permits, collecting inspec-
Dian Jones, city secretary for College Station, is retiring after 37 years of city service
tion fees and parking ticket fines, filing
court records and handling accident re-
ports.
College Station then was using the old
city hall that now houses Cafe Eccel.
"The very first exciting thing I can
remember is when we got air condition-
ing," Jones said. "That was a great day for
all the staff."
"A &M students would come to City Hall
quite a bit," Jones said. "They'd come to
pay a parking ticket and next thing we
knew, they'd drop by and visit. They were
homesick and it was a place to visit.
"Of course," Jones said, "the fact we
had a couple of attractive single females
helped."
Over the years, Jones has served as
manager of the city utilities department,
citizen service representative and assis-
tant city secretary before being named to
the secretary's post in December 1981.
As city secretary, Jones administered
all municipal elections, keeping up with
changes in procedures and in election
laws and regulations. She also served as
registrar, maintaining birth and death
certificates. 'Prior to having Humana
Hospital, the most birth certificates I ever
had in a year was 100 or 101," Jones
said. "Now, we have between 900 and
1,000 births a year. It's really changed."
Jones also was responsible for posting
notices of city government meetings and
attended sessions of the City Council.
While Jones enjoyed meeting all the
people, she says she won't miss all the
paperwork.
"We have a customer service attitude
here," Jones said. "We try to make people
feel they are important, because they are
important.
"I've enjoyed seeing that attitude come
back. When I first started, we took a very
personal approach to people, very neigh-
borly," Jones said.
"It's just like any situation where
there's a greater number of people invol-
ved. You lose a lot of that personal touch.
You just can't know each other as well,
but I think we're working harder to res-
tore that personal touch," Jones said.
Over the years, Jones has worked with
eight mayors and four city managers.
"College Station always seemed to find
the type of leadership it needed when it
needed it," she said.
Now that she has retired, Jones plans
to work on her oil painting, a hobby she
started six years ago in a community
education class. And, grandson Cody, 10,
plans to keep Jones busy playing Nin-
tendo after school.
"My family even gave me a Nintendo
game for Christmas," she said.
Eagle photo by Dave McDermand
Joint meeting postponed
A joint meeting between College Station
political and economic development
leaders scheduled for Tuesday night has
been postponed indefinitely.
The College Station City Council had
been scheduled to meet with members of
the College Station Joint Economic Deve-
lopment Foundation at 6:30 p.m. Tues-
day to discuss the planned merger of lo-
cal economic development agencies.
The meeting will be rescheduled.
1130116
�J
•
CS city council set
to meet today with
economic group
The College Station City Coun-
cil will hold a joint meeting with
the College Station Economic
Development Foundation at 6:30
p.m. today in the College Station
City Hall.
Items on the agenda include a
status report and discussion re-
lating to the College Station
Economic Development Founda-
tion and the proposed merger of
local area economic organiza-
tions.
A closed session will be held to
discuss personnel, including the
president of the foundation.
1laql06
•
University advises air travelers
'ilniversity News Service
Easterwood Airport's new William A.
cKenzie Terminal will open for use by
commercial air services Thursday, and
Texas A&M University officials have a lo-
gistical reminder for passengers depart-
ing here before then on multi -day trips.
Air travelers leaving the airport prior to
#Thursday, but returning on or after that
date, who plan to leave vehicles at the
airport should be aware that they will de-
art from and arrive at different — and
nparatively distant — locations.
tese travelers are urged to consider
.— ernatives to leaving a vehicle at the
kirport, including being dropped off and
licked up at the airport by family, friends
or colleagues or using the available taxi
services.
Ample parking — paid on a per -hour or
per -day basis — is available at the new
1<erminal, but will not be operational until
'hursday. The new $4.5 million, two -
level facility is accessible from University
Drive.
In addition to the new
32,000 - square -foot terminal, recent im-
provements include changes in airport
infrastructure and runways.
Three commercial commuter carriers
currently serving Easterwood — Ameri-
can Eagle, Continental Express and ASA-
Delta — fly 19 round -trip flights to Dallas
and Houston each day, carrying some
60,000 passengers each year. In addition,
Aggie Notebook
there are more than 6,000 takeoffs and
landings by private planes each month.
A &M to host three institutes
The Woodrow Wilson National Fellow-
ship Foundation has selected Texas A&M
University to host three summer insti-
tutes for high school teachers, according
to the coordinator of one of the institutes.
Ninety high school teachers from
across the country will be chosen by
Texas A&M to participate in the presti-
gious institutes, said educational psycho-
logy professor James F. McNamara,
coordinator of the mathematics institute.
The selection process will focus on tea-
chers with distinguished careers in
teaching high school math and science,
he said.
"The intent of these institutes is to up-
date high school teachers on recent
scientific developments and new teaching
strategies in science, mathematics and
computer technology," McNamara said.
Merlin L. Peck, professor of chemistry,
and Robert B. Clark, professor of physics,
will coordinate the other two Texas A&M
Institutes.
The Woodrow Wilson National Fellow-
ship Foundation, located in Princeton,
N.J., sponsors teacher institutes in
several fields including the prestigious
Mellon Fellowships in the Humanities.
The foundation began in 1945 in honor of
the late U.S. president, American educa-
tor and former president of Princeton
University.
The Woodrow Wilson Institutes at
Texas A&M are examples of the new
Commitment to Education program
launched in late 1989 by university pre-
sident William H. Mobley, says William
Perry, associate dean of Texas A&M's Col-
lege of Science.
A&M was selected in August 1988 to
conduct its first Woodrow Wilson Insti-
tute in statistics, McNamara said. Due to
strong evaluations, the institution was
again tapped by the foundation for the
summer of 1989 to present two more in-
stitutes, he noted.
The school- university collaborative ef-
fort through the institutes, while repre-
sentative of the current Commitment to
Education program, shows how the
university has already been addressing
the problems facing education, said
McNamara, executive director of the .
Texas A &M School /University Research
Collaborative since its inception in 1987.
School districts nationally interested in
participating in these Texas A &M insti-
tutes should contact the institute direc-
tors.
3-
on Easterwood's new terminal
I J'2� PO
D
u
CS council rules charities
must disclose spending
Charities raising money in College Sta-
tion soon will have to disclose where the
money goes.
At the Thursday night meeting of the
College Station City Council, the council
passed an amendment to the existing or-
dinance that regulates charities and
temporary vendors. The amendment for-
ces charities to disclose how much
money goes to the charity itself, and how
much goes toward administrative costs.
The amendment also requires vendors
from out of town to carry a permit while
selling in the city.
Councilman Dick Birdwell asked how
the ordinance would affect charities such
as the Lions Club light -bulb sale and the
Girl Scouts' cookie sale.
Cathy Locke, city attorney for College
Station, said after the meeting that the
ordinance only restricts charities based
outside of Bryan- College Station. She
said the Girl Scouts and the Lions Club
would likely be local residents.
la4l0o
B -CS has state's best jobless rate
By Steve Hill
of the Eagle staff
A 3.6- percent unemploy-
ment rate for December in
Bryan - College Station again
gave the area the lowest fi-
gure in the Texas, closing
out an entire year as the
state leader in that depart-
ment.
'The last time we had a
rate that low was in Decem-
ber of 1984," said Walt
Baker, director for the Bryan
office of the Texas Employ-
ment Commission.
He added that part of the
reason for the low rate was
the number of people taking
themselves out of the job
market. Figures for both to-
tal employment — 58,100
Jobless
From 1 A
themselves out of the job market.
..Normally, your labor force
shows a marked increase in
November because so many peo-
ple are looking for seasonal work,
but by mid - December, if you don't
workers — and the total civi-
lian labor force — 60,300 —
dropped from the November
totals.
November's survey, con-
ducted by the U.S. Bureau of
Labor Statistics, showed
58,700 people employed out
of a total civilian labor force
of 61,300.
The bureau conducts the
monthly surveys of a num-
ber of U.S. households,
Baker said. Respondents tell
the bureau if they are no
longer seeking work despite
being unemployed, and by
the second week of Decem-
ber, when the survey was
taken, many had taken
Please see Jobless, 4A
have a job, you often give up seek-
ing holiday jobs," he said.
Baker said that Bryan- College
Station, after having the lowest
unemployment rate in each
month of 1989, is in a "good posi-
tion" to continue maintaining a
"healthy" rate throughout 1990.
All of the state's 27 Standard
Metropolitan Statistical areas
went down in both unemploy-
ment rates and work force in
December, he said.
6
Eagle graphic by Robert C. Borden
Lubbock again had the second
lowest rate at 4.3 percent, while
Austin was at 4.4 percent.
On the high end, McAllen -
Edinburg- Mission had a 16.8 per-
cent unemployment rate and
Laredo was at 11.6 percent.
The state was at 5.8 percent,
down from 6.9 in November and
6.2 percent in December 1988.
The U.S. rate was 5.1 percent
after being 5.2 percent in Novem-
ber and 5.0 percent in December
1988.
Washington County again led
the eight -county Brazos Valley
district with a 3.1 percent unem-
ployment rate, while Madison
County was at 3.4 percent. Bra-
zos County — counted as the
Bryan- College Station SMSA —
was third at 3.6 percent.
J
D J F M A M J J A S O N D
/�) lib
'I, ,, I H 6
D
4W
u
Complaining employees can hurt career
By Gary Dessier
Knight - Ridder News Service
A study just reported in the
Academy of Management Journal
confirms what some employees
have discovered to their dismay:
Filing a grievance against your
boss can be hazardous to your
career.
The study was conducted be-
cause earlier studies had sug-
gested a measurable and unfa-
vorable relationship between grie-
vance activity and performance
evaluations.
Based on their experiences and
on prior research, the study's
authors hypothesized that em-
ployees who file grievances
against their supervisors would,
subsequently, get lower evalua-
tions. And, these researchers
said, that would especially be the
case if the employee won his or
her grievance.
The study took place in a pu-
blic- sector organization and in-
volved 173 employees who had (1)
filed grievances and (2) been eva-
luated by the supervisors whu
they filed against. Data was col-
lected on each employee's evalua-
tion (the year they filed and the
year after), and on the nature of
the grievance and whether the
employee won or not. Other in-
formation — on absenteeism, for
instance — also was obtained.
As the number of grievances an
employee filed against a superv-
isor increased within a period, the
performance - evaluation score as-
signed to that employee declined.
Furthermore, as the number of
positive outcomes increased (as
the employee won more of the
grievances) the evaluation assig-
ned to that employee declined
even more.
Grievances filed against organi-
zational policies (rather than
against the supervisor) didn't eli-
cit negative evaluations. Furth-
ermore, filing grievances against a
supervisor seemed to have a nega-
tive impact on evaluations both in
the period during which the grie-
vance was filed as well as one year
after, the study found.
In a way, the findings aren't too
surprising, but they are a bit de-
pressing. One purpose for grie-
vance procedures in both union
and non -union firms is to guard
against unfair treatment.
0 1 06
Es
L
Bryan council to discuss
improvements to bypass
By Robert C. Borden
of the Eagle staff
Plans for adding new ramps and inter-
changes to the East Bypass will be pre-
sented to the Bryan City Council at its re-
gular meeting at 5:30 p.m. Monday.
D.D. Williamson of the State Depart-
ment of Highways and Public Transporta-
tion will discuss plans for adding ramps
at Woodville Road and Reliance Road in
Bryan and building an interchange at
Southwest Parkway in College Station.
New ramps at current interchanges
also will be added, changing from the
present "button- hook" to "slip ramps" in
anticipation of making the Bypass fron-
tage roads one -way when the projects are
finished in about two and one -half years
after contracts are awarded, Williamson
said Saturday. The slip ramps will pro-
vide a smoother angle of entrance for one -
way traffic, Williamson said.
Other work calls for rebuilding da-
maged curbing and reconstructing the
base and surface of the frontage road.
Williamson said the cost of the projects
will be paid by the state. The work is con-
sidered a safety measure in an effort to
cut down on the number of accidents
along the frontage road, he said.
During the past three years, there have
I been some 360 accidents on the frontage
roads, he said. 'We estimate we can cut
that number by 25 percent," Williamson
said.
Although the new ramps will be built
during the project, they will not be used
until the one -way restrictions go into ef-
fect when all the work is complete, Wil-
liamson said.
At Monday's meeting, Bryan council
members will be asked to pass a resolu-
tion supporting the shift to one -way fron-
tage roads.
In other business, council members
will consider establishing guidelines for a
Downtown Facade Loan Program with
$25,000 in Community Development
federal funds.
Under proposed guidelines, owners in
the central business district may apply
for loans of $2,500 to $10,000 to improve
the exteriors of their buildings. Roof re-
pairs can be included as long at least half
the loan is used for the facade work. The
loans are for up to five years.
Exterior renovation for buildings 50
years old or older must be approved by
the Texas Historical Commission.
Work has to begin within 30 days of
loan approval and must be finished
within 180 days. Half the loan will be paid
when the work is 50 percent complete,
with the remainder paid upon completion
of the project.
C7
l /
u
Ell
Amtrak to begin
daily B -CS runs to
Houston, Dallas
By Steve Hill
of the Eagle staff
The Texas Eagle will stop briefly in Col-
lege Station today, marking the start of
daily Amtrak service between Dallas and
Houston.
An inaugural northbound train for Dal-
las will leave Houston at 9 a.m. and arrive
in College Station at 11 a.m. It will arrive
in Dallas at 3:15 p.m., carrying a number
of invited guests.
Mayors Larry Ringer of College Station
and Marvin Tate of Bryan, as well as
Bryan - College Station Chamber of Com-
merce President Chris Kling and Amtrak
representatives, will make brief remarks.
The Texas Eagle service, which pre-
viously alternated northbound and
southbound trains through College Sta-
tion six days weekly, now will stop in the
city with trains going once daily in each
direction. Northbound trains for Dallas,
continuing through St. Louis and other
cities before terminating in Chicago, will
arrive daily at 11 a.m.
Southbound trains will arrive at 5:40
p.m. and will terminate in Houston at
8:15 p.m.
Amtrak has a toll -free number for fare
and scheduling questions. The number is
1- 800 - USA -RAIL.
Current fares for a round -trip ticket be-
tween College Station and Dallas, accord-
ing to an Amtrak representative, are $41.
Round -trip tickets to Houston are $26.
1 hq 1 , 11D
3-
Solid -waste solutions
B -CS officials seek ways to consolidate garbage
By Elizabeth Sharp
of the Eagle staff
Consolidation of the Bryan and College
Station solid -waste management
systems is anticipated in the near future
as officials from both cities explore ways
to combine resources.
Both cities have solid -waste manage-
-t systems in compliance with federal
ards. Their plan for consolidation
consideration of possible waste-
sposal alternatives is seemingly on a
slower timetable than one being sought
by Brazos County officials, who either
face closing the county's landfill or up-
grading it by late 1991.
Leaders from both cities and the
county addressed problems they face
with solid waste — garbage — during a
Thursday meeting of the county's League
of Women Voters.
Ed Ilschner, public -works director in
Bryan, and Tom Brymer, assistant city
manager in College Station, joined
county commissioners Randy Sims and
Gary Norton in detailing area efforts to so-
lve garbage problems.
Ilschner said officials from both cities
are in the process of negotiations that will
combine their efforts in garbage disposal
— a move that could come within the
`Our volume (of garbage) is such that
it is not economically feasible to up-
grade (the landfill).'
— Randy Sims
The joint effort will save taxpayers
money and could lead the cities to enter
into a regional effort that within three or
more years could see alternative methods
of waste disposal.
Ilschner told the group that there is
., not one simple, correct, utopian solution
for the solid -waste problem."
City officials have contacted officials in
Brazos County and the six other counties
in the Brazos Valley seeking input as to
whether each would be willing to support
a regional landfill.
Brazos County is interested in a re-
gional landfill. It is something Sims and
Norton have discussed since they took of-
fice last January.
Both say they are against taking costly
steps to upgrade the county's landfill for
county waste only.
"Our volume (of garbage) is such that it
is not economically feasible to upgrade
(the landfill)," Sims said. Sims said they
are talking with officials from the Brazos
Valley Development Council in putting
together a regional solid -waste manage-
ment program.
Federal regulations require all Type 2
landfills — such as Brazos County's — be
upgraded or closed as early as August
1991, although the Environmental
Protection Agency has yet to release a de-
finitive deadline.
Norton and Sims have created a citi-
zen's committee charged with looking at
the county's solid -waste management
system and recommending solutions,
which may include a regional recycling
center to reduce the amount of solid
waste placed in the ground.
All four local leaders agreed that recy-
cling and other alternative methods of
waste disposal is in Brazos County's fu-
ture and the three main governmental
entities are willing to work together to
that end.
As Norton said, "it is highly possible to
recycle 95 percent of what is put in the
ground today."
It remains to be seen if the timetables,
one forced upon the county and one to be
chosen by the cities, allow the entities to
find a common solution.
year.
i I Tic
0
Editorial
CS city council saw through
Gulf States' utility proposal
Eagle Editorial Board
College Station city council members
did well Jan.l l in recognizing that the
lowest price is not always the best deal.
In this case, College Station's decision
to join the Texas Municipal Power Asso-
ciation, which includes Bryan, will cost
ratepayers a little more money. It would
have been easy to look at the $36 million
in savings Gulf States Utilities promised
during the next 10 years and to "take
the money and run."
That would have been the wrong
choice.
First, Gulf States' promise was based
on their figures, and as Councilman
Fred Brown pointed out before the vote,
"Gulf States' figures change every time
you talk to them."
Second, Gulf States has a tarnished
reputation stemming from its heavy -
handed rate -hike efforts of three years
ago. When regulators told the utility
giant its increase request was too high,
Gulf States petulantly threatened bank-
ruptcy if it did not get what it wanted.
That kind of behavior is not conducive
to trust.
The city had no guarantee that Gulf
States would not go to federal regulators
next year and seek another 97- percent
increase after College Station bought
the low- priced promise.
College Station, like Bryan, is now a
voting member of its electric company,
not just a customer. The city will have
some say in what happens to its rates
and services. Further, this strengthens
the link between the two cities.
Congratulations to the council for
looking beyond the price tag to the qua-
lity of service and assured accountabi-
lity of its electricity supplier.
The Opinions page is intended to provide a
forum for the discussion of current issues. The
Eagle seeks, encourages and publishes a variety
of views. Opinions expressed are those of the
writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of
the Eagle. The opinions of the Eagle Editorial
Board run are labeled "Editorial ". The members
of the Eagle Editorial Board are:
Dennis E. Thomas, publisher
W.O. Cawley Jr., managing editor
Don M. Fisher, opinions editor
Rod Armstrong, finance director
Tim Sager, assistant managing editor
Brad Owens, city editor
Robert C. Borden, assistant city editor
Gwynne Elledge, news editor
Copyright 1989 by Worrell Enterprises Inc. All
rights reserved. All property rights for the entire
contents of this publication shall by the property
of Worrell Enterprises Inc. No part hereof may be
reproduced without prior written consent.
Guest Commentary columns are solicited by
the Eagle Editorial Board. Unsolicited columns
will not be considered and will be returned to the
author.
Readers are encouraged to voice their opin-
ions through letters to the editor. Letters must be
signed and must Include the writer's address and
daytime telephone number. Letters should total
no more than 300 words and may be edited If
they violate this maximum. Letters are not edited
for spelling, grammar nor style. Mail letters to:
Letters to the Editor, The Eagle, P.O. Box 3000,
Bryan, Texas, 77805.
1 / , 1 lq
Judge finds Hearne not at fault in Lastor case
By Ross Nethery
of the Eagle staff
FRANKLIN — A $288,772 judgement
against the city of Hearne was overturned
Wednesday by a district judge who said
no laws were violated when former city
manager Dorothy Jo Lastor was fired.
The ruling reverses a verdict returned
by a Robertson County jury in November
after a five -day trial. The jury made the
award after deciding the city had violated
the state whistleblowers act when Lastor
was fired on Nov. 22, 1988. Lastor had
claimed she was fired, at least in part , be-
cause she told Hearne's police chief that
the council had violated the state's Open
Meetings Act during a 1988 executive
session in which no record was kept.
During the city council hearing in
which Lastor was fired, then -city control-
ler Floyd Hafley — who replaced Lastor as
city manager — testified that he had
heard Lastor remark that the meeting
was illegal. During testimony at the trial,
several council members said Hafley's
statements were a part of the reason Las-
tor was fired.
The whistleblowers act states that an
employee can't be fired for reporting a vio-
lation of the law.
However, Judge Robert Stem ruled
Wednesday that there had been no viola-
tion of the Open Meetings Act, meaning
there couldn't have been a violation of the
whistleblowers act.
Since the jury's award was based on a
violation of the whistleblowers act, the
verdict was overturned.
Following is a summary of the events
leading to Stem's ruling:
■During a city council meeting in
June 1988, Lastor, Hafley and the city
secretary were asked to leave council
chambers so council members could
meet privately. As they were leaving the
room, Mayor Billy McDaniel asked that
the tape recorder be shut off, prompting
Lastor's comment that the council was
violating the Open Meetings Act, which
requires a tape recording or certified
agenda to be kept during all executive
sessions.
■The following day, McDaniel pre-
pared a certified agenda for the closed
session, which was included in a sealed
packet with other records from the meet-
ing.
■During the trial, Stem examined the
packet from the closed session and found
that the certified agenda did meet the re-
quirements of the Open Meetings Act.
However, that information was not given
to the jury, which later ruled in Lastor's
favor.
Stem made the ruling in a letter after
considering arguments presented by
both sides during a Jan. 8 hearing. A
copy of the letter was not available on
Thursday.
"The most important thing about what
the court has done is that it has vindi-
cated the officials of the city of Hearne,"
said Art Walker, the Austin attorney re-
presenting the city. "'Their big claim was
that turning off the tape recorder was
somehow an evil thing done by the coun-
cil, but the law doesn't require a tape re-
cording, just a certified agenda."
Lastor's attorney, Bryan Russ Jr., said
he will appeal the ruling to the 10th
Court of Appeals in Waco.
J
'I1("Na
School board delays `Good Cents' project
By Jenny Butler
of the Eagle staff
College Station school board trustees
threw a wrench into a joint school/city
house - building plan Monday night, say-
ing they need more facts on the school
district's liability in the project.
The board voted to table action on a
"Good Cents" contract presented by re-
presentatives of the city and school dis-
trict after trustees Gerald Bratton and
Sherman Click said they wanted more in-
formation.
In the "Good Cents" project, students
from A &M Consolidated High School
would buy a lot and build a home with
f' $85,000 lent to the district at no interest
from the city. The students would build
energy - saving features into the home,
which the city could use as a demonstra-
tion home for a year.
Charlie Shear, energy manager for the
city of College Station, said the city wants
to use the "Good Cents" project to teach
builders how to build energy- saving
homes.
The school district would keep any pro-
fits made on the house, but also would be
responsible for any financial loss. Insur-
ance, liability and maintaining and mar-
keting the home would fall into the dis-
trict's area of responsibility.
After Trustee Larry Linder moved to ac-
cept the agreement upon review by attor-
neys, Bratton told board members that
the district almost took a loss several
years ago when students built three
homes.
"I think we're premature to make a de-
cision right at this moment." he said. "I'm
not prepared to vote tonight."
Click said he was concerned that the
student project might upset local buil-
ders, and that the city would demon-
strate the home for a year.
"When we finish with it, it will not be a
new house," Click said. "It'll be an old
house."
The board denied a parent's request
that his 4- year -old child be admitted into
kindergarten in the fall, though she will
not be five years old until after Sept. 1,
the legal cut -off date.
Board members said they would not
grant the request because it would set
precedent for future cases, possibly forc-
ing them to accept any child whose par-
ents apply for an age waiver.
..If we were to grant your request, in es-
sence we would have to grant every other
similar request," Trustee Dan MacGilvray
told the father, an Egyptian graduate
student.
The board voted to negotiate with Kling
Engineering & Surveying to conduct a
survey of the Oakwood /A &M Junior High
campus as a first step toward the Oak-
wood renovation, and approved a color
scheme for the new junior high.
MacGilvray told the board he wants to
move the district back into planning for
the proposed Brazos Valley magnet high
school for math and science. He said he
will ask the magnet school's steering
committee to formally request that a
member of the College Station board
serve on the steering committee.
Last spring, the College Station school
board opted not to join the Bryan school
district and Texas A &M University in the
project. Board members, asked to make a
$60,000 commitment to the magnet
school, said too many questions re-
mained unanswered to justify the ex-
pense.
He said he believes the school's new
grant request will have better results
than last year's unsuccessful proposal,
because the school now has a building
and a survey of community interest.
"With those things out of the way, they
feel their proposal to the Department of
Education will be greatly enhanced,"
MacGilvray said. "I think it's an idea ...
that's got a lot of community support."
J
1114116
TMPA reaches milestone
The Texas Municipal Power
Agency reached a 4 million hour
milestone for safe work hours at mid-
night Dec. 31, the company reported
Jan. 8, making it the nation's safety
leader for public utilities.
The agency has not had a lost -time
accident since Sept. 4, 1986. It
received several national, regional and
state awards during 1989 for its safety
achievements.
It leads a category of 324 companies
involved in gas and electricity prov-
ision, water works, communications,
gas production and distribution, and
natural gas transmission.
The agency provides electricity to
member cities Bryan, Denton, Garland
and Greenville, and will also begin
supplying College Station in 1992.
The agency said its achievements
are indicative of "high standards in the
workplace that are vital to safe and
productive utility operations," which
in turn allow it to provide power at a
lower cost to its member cities..
Ell
1 1 140b
•
•
E ,
Amtrak on track in
effort to support self
N.Y. Times News Service
CHICAGO — For most of its 19
years, Amtrak has been regarded
as a kind of lost cause.
Its trains were derided as unre-
liable, its service and food as pri-
mitive and its budget as a drain
on the federal treasury.
But the national railroad ap-
pears — at last — to be moving in
the right direction.
Revenues and service have
shown a slow but substantial im-
provement.
Passenger complaints are
down. And the reliance on federal
money has steadily declined.
Fares and other revenues now
account for 72 cents of every dol-
lar spent by Amtrak, up from only
40 cents in 1980.
Last week, after Amtrak repor-
ted record income of $1.3 billion
for 1989, W. Graham Claytor Jr.,
the system's president, even pre-
dicted that Amtrak might be able
to cover all of its operating costs,
something that no national rail-
road system in the world does
now, by the year 2000.
Even critics of the railroad say
they have been impressed. "Three
years ago, I would have said they
never would have made it," said
Stephen Moore, an economist
with the Heritage Foundation, the
conservative public - policy insti-
tute that has opposed the federal
subsidies.
Amtrak, or the National Rail-
road Passenger Corp., was
created by Congress to take over
the nation's failing passenger
lines.
Slowly, the managers of this
patched- together network im-
proved service, overhauled the
reservation and ticketing system,
advertised aggressively and un-
dertook tough cost controls.
Indeed, Amtrak's major obsta-
cle in recent years has been its
inability to meet demand.
While ridership in 1988 reached
an all -time high of 21.5 million,
gains have come slowly because
the system is at or near capacity.
Because the overworked fleet
does not have enough cars and
equipment, breakdowns are fre-
quent.
While the Transportation De-
partment tries to shape a new na-
tional transportation policy. Am-
trak's success has given added
'Three years ago, l would have
said they never would have
made It.'
— Stephen Moore
credibility to those who say that
trains must be part of any plan.
Advocacy groups like the Na-
tional Association of Railroad
Passengers say the federal
government needs to make a long-
term commitment to passenger
railroads and enable Amtrak to
introduce new technology.
Over all, inter -city trains still
account for only a small fraction,
probably less than 5 percent, of
the transportation market.
But in some areas, trains play a
much larger role.
In the Northeast corridor,
where Amtrak carries more than
11 million passengers annually —
accounting for more than half of
Amtrak's total ridership — trains
are competitive, even essential.
On many legs of the Washing -
ton-to- Boston corridor, flying is
not even an alternative.
Claytor and others predict that
Amtrak can become more compe-
titive in other congested corri-
dors, including some in California
and the Midwest.
At Issue in the debate over
transportation policy is the need
for taxpayer dollars.
If Claytor is going to see Amtrak
break even by the year 2000, he
nays, he will need to hold down
costs, including Increasing de-
mands from Amtrak workers, and
count on federal subsidies to
cover anticipated operating los-
ses.
Last year, the federal subsidy
was $584 million.
More important, he said, he was
counting on Congress to make in-
vestments in the equipment and
technology needed to increase the
speed and frequency of some
trains and expand routes.
At a minimum, he says, Amtrak
needs $100 million a year in new
investments, about half of which
must come from Congress. He
hopes to borrow the balance on
the private market.
Last year, Congress granted
Amtrak $80 million for capital
spending, beyond its operating
subsidy.
i )alqo
CS council OKs rezoning lot
on Texas Ave. for strip center
By Phillip Sulak
of the Eagle staff
''bile the main event was College Sta-
joining the Texas Municipal Power
acy, other action did occur at Thurs-
day night's City Council meeting.
The council approved a rezoning for the
southwest corner of Texas Avenue and
Holleman Drive, an area of some 18
acres. The plot will be the site of a strip
center the size of Culpepper Plaza, ac-
cording to Roy Hammons, an engineer for
Culpepper Properties.
Councilman Jim Gardner spoke
against the rezoning, saying the city
needed to discourage strip centers, not
help them.
'We need to keep from 'Bryan - izing'
Texas Avenue and turning it into a strip
center," he said. The council also ap-
proved rezoning for three lots on Jane
Street just north of University Drive. Ori-
ginally, the council had a 3 -3 vote on the
rezoning in December.
Realtor Pat Siegert, speaking for the re-
zoning, said the neighborhood was in fa-
vor of the rezoning.
"The neighborhood has become drug-
infested, and this will promote positive
development," Siegert said. 'The resi-
dents see it as a good candidate for com-
mercial development."
Siegert said the Dallas -based restaur-
ant chain, The Black -Eyed Pea, has a site
plan that would fit the restaurant and
adequate parking on the three lots.
"And it will save the trees in the area,"
he said.
The council also donated a lot at 804
Fairview St. to Habitat for Humanity.
That organization will build a home there
for a low- income family.
I 1 1 - 2 [ 6
Need for office communications stressed
By Steve Hill
of the Eagle staff
Joan Rivers may be out, but, "Can we
talk ?" may be in as more manager realize
the bottom -line benefits of improved
communications with workers, a com-
munications professional told a Brazos
Office
From 2A
giant Hewlett- Packard, told the
local IABC chapter that employee -
attitude research has established
a strong link between various
types of organizational communi-
cations and employee satisfac-
tion.
While many intuitively realize
the benefits of good communica-
tion, he said, properly handled
scientific research is just begin-
ning to establish the links that
"speak to managers in their
terms." Among the Hewlett -
Packard findings, he said, are
these:
■The most preferred information
sources for employees are imme-
diate supervisors and interoffice
memos, while the least preferred
are mass media, co- workers and
valley group Thursday.
Brad Whitworth, chairman of the In-
ternational Association of Business
Communicators and manager of em-
ployee communications for electronics
"the grapevine...
■The most effective information
sources, however, are local publi-
cations and in -house publica-
tions, while supervisors rank fifth
out of 11 sources. That means or-
ganizations should work more on
improving supervisor -
communication effectiveness, he
said.
■Five keys to good business
communication are regular per-
formance feedback, performance -
appraisal fairness, problem reso-
lution, one -on -one communica-
tion and manager accessibility.
■Employees who are most satis-
fied with those five parts of com-
munication also tend to be most
satisfied with salary, job security,
working relationships and man-
agement in general, among other
things.
As American business attempts
to improve its competitiveness, he
said, more managers will realize
the importance of training in such
areas as interpersonal communt-
Please see Office, 3A
cations and such practices as
"management by walking
around."
Communications professionals
— such as employee - relations
and public - relations specialists —
will benefit from the improved
credibility such research brings to
their positions, Whitworth added.
Research he and others are do-
ing, he said, hasn't yet "proven"
the link between worker satisfac-
tion and productivity, but said,
"In another year or two, I may be
able to tell you more."
C
College Station 1 I 1 1 10 6
announces five city
personnel changes
�J
•
i
The city of College Station announced
five personnel changes Wednesday in its
departments of parks and recreation,
development services
and public services.
Eric Ploeger is the
new assistant parks
and recreation direc-
tor, replacing Tony
Cisneros, who moved h:
to Bryan's parks de-
partment.
Ploeger has been PLOEGER
with the city since
1977 as an urban forester.
Mark Smith moves from his position as
assistant city engineer to assistant direc-
tor of public services.
In his new job, Smith will be responsi-
ble for maintenance of streets and drain-
age.
Replacing Smith as assistant city eng-
ineer will be Veronica Morgan, formerly a
SMITH
MORGAN
HESTER KEATING
project manager in the engineering de-
partment, where she has served since
1988.
Her new duties include review of deve-
lopment projects, flood -plain manage-
ment and implementation of capital
projects.
Mike Hester is the new landfill manager
for College Station. Hester previously
served as one of the city's project man-
agers for the engineering department.
Hester will be responsible for planning,
developing and operating the solid -waste
disposal facilities in College Station.
Deborah L. Keating will become a
project manager for streets and drainage
in the engineering division of College Sta-
tion.
She previously has been a consulting
engineer in Austin, San Antonio and Col-
lege Station.
1 111 196
r
CS council leans
toward financing
student -built house
By Phillip Sulak
of the Eagle staff
'Ibe College Station City Council
likely will provide $88,000 to Col-
lege Station schools to build he
energy- efficient home as part f t
city's "Good Cents" energy -
conservation project and the A&M
Consolidated High School voca-
tional education program.
At its Wednesday afternoon meet-
ing, the council heard from Charlie
Shear, energy manager for College
Station, who said the home would
serve as an example of an energy-
efficient dwelling.
,, It will promote energy awareness
and the city's 'Good Cents' buil-
ders," Shear said. "It will also bene
fit students who might eventually
be home builders, or even just own
homes."
c o uncil members informally ex-
pressed approval for the plan on
Wednesday, and the item is on the
agenda for today's 7 p.m. council
meeting at City Hall.
Shear said that if the project fails
at any point in the process, the
school district would be required to
refund all of the money. Also, the
school district will reimburse the
city after the house is sold.
Alonzo Wood, representing the
school district's vocational -
education program, said the district
already has built and sold three
homes, and hopes the approval of
the funds will encourage enroll-
ment in vocational- education clas-
ses. But building- trades students
are not the only ones involved in the
building process.
"Home- economics students will
be involved in making drapes,"
Wood said. 'The vocational agricul-
ture classes will help in the lands-
caping, and the journalism classes
can help in the promotion."
Wood said he hopes any profit re-
sulting from the sale of the house
can go toward future vocational -
education projects.
The school district still has to hire
a teacher with building experience
to oversee the project, and the
school district will have to approve
the project next week at its meeting.
The council also heard from D.D.
Williamson of the State Department
of Highways and Public Transporta-
tion, who discussed plans to make
the frontage roads along the East
Bypass one -way within the next
three years.
The plan will not be implemented
until two other projects are com-
pleted. FM 2818 will be extended
across Texas Avenue, through an
undeveloped area, to the East By-
pass, where it will join Emerald
Parkway, and an overpass will be
built across the East Bypass at
Southwest Parkway.
'We had 144 accidents between
January and November of 1989,"
Williamson said. "And 305 acci-
dents in the past three years."
Williamson estimated that acci-
dents would decrease by 25 percent
due to the changes.
He said he planned to talk to the
Bryan City Council about the
change to one -way and how it will
affect that city as soon as he could
get on their agenda.
1 110 , 1 qo
L
CS council to consider funding student -built home
The College Station City Council will
meet at 4 p.m. today to deal with a short
agenda, including consideration of fund-
ing for a College Station school's plan to
build an energy- efficient home.
The home would be built according to
the specifications of College Station's
"Good Cents" energy- efficiency program,
by the vocational- education program at
A&M Consolidated High School. Dian
Jones, city secretary for College Station,
s- " the city would provide $85,000 for
uction and $3,000 for promotion.
drool district would reimburse the
city for the construction costs when the
home is sold.
The vocational- education program is
designed to give students experience in a
trade.
The council also will hear from the
State Department of Highways and Pu-
blic Transportation. The highway de-
partment asked permission to have a re-
presentative explain to the council the
proposed ramp relocations and the Sou-
thwest Parkway overpass on the East By-
pass.
The council also will meet at 7 p.m.
Thursday to reconsider a proposed rezon-
ing for three lots on Jane Street imme-
diately north of University Drive from
administrative - professional to general
commercial. At the Dec. 14 meeting, the
council split 3 -3 on the issue.
The council will hear a request from
Culpepper Properties for the rezoning of
eight tracts of land, at the southwest cor-
ner of Texas Avenue and Holleman Drive,
from single - family and apartment to
general commercial.
The council also will consider a resolu-
tion authorizing the mayor of College Sta-
tion to execute an agreement to join the
Texas Municipal Power Agency, currently
made up of the cities of Bryan, Denton,
Garland and Greenville.
r.�
•
LJ
jn�
Family Doctors Lose
Favor —When It Pays
E MPLOYEES may be more
willing to save money on
doctor visits than em-
ployers think —and to dump their
good old family physicians in the
process.
The popular labor - relations im-
age at a time of exploding medi-
cal expenses is that of employers
trying to shift costs to workers,
who in turn fight to keep as many
benefits as possible. But a new
study by National Research
Corp., a health -care research firm
in Lincoln, Neb., suggests that
many employees may be more
flexible than previously thought.
In a nationwide survey of 1,000
adults, National Research found
41% would be willing to choose a
doctor from a list approved by
their employer in exchange for a
lower insurance premium. That's
up from 28% just two years ago.
In response to a similar ques-
tion, 32% said they would be will-
ing to select a physician from a
list supplied by a hospital if they
could save 10 % on the cost of an
office visit.
"Health costs are starting to
hit people's pocketbooks," says
Joyce Jensen, a senior vice presi-
dent at National Research. "Their
premiums and deductibles are go-
ing up." While many patients still
take a money- is -no- object attitude
toward specialists or surgeons,
she says, they are growing more
receptive to saving money at the
general - practitioner level.
In effect, Ms. Jensen says,
"they're telling their family doc-
tors, 'You're good, but you're not
that good.' "
A�W : &v��I"J.
Fir , _9 f r
I l
u
•
•
Setting Fees by Getting
Inside Doctors' Heads
A S INCREASES in doctors'
fees outpace increases in
hospital charges, insurers
and employers are focusing more
of their cost - cutting efforts on
physician reimbursement.
A fee schedule developed by
Medirisk, a health -care consulting
firm in Norcross, Ga., indicates
companies may be able to save as
much as 77c on physician charges
by using information on what doc-
tors are willing to accept to nego-
tiate lower fees.
The Medirisk fee schedule
stems from the company's survey
of 100 health- maintenance organi-
zations and preferred - provider or-
ganizations in 32 states with about
120,000 physicians under contract.
The managed -care plans were
asked what fees they were willing
to accept for 100 procedures, from
an office visit to a coronary by-
pass. The data show, for instance,
that in a single market, some
physicians were willing to accept
$3,600 for a particular knee opera-
tion, while others were willing to
take only $1,200.
Such data can be an important
tool for insurers and employers.
Protective Life Insurance Co. in
Birmingham, Ala., began using
Medirisk's findings in October as
a basis for reducing physician
payments in pathology and radiol-
ogy, says Gene Miller, vice presi-
dent for group operations. "It be-
gins. to impress upon doctors the
fact that you may negotiate fees,"
he says.
M
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•
n
u
a neutra
se men,'
-oil mar
a long.
l Iranian
Iras that
A, came
ber 1988,
rarily to
1 24 mil-
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was pro-
Ian -engi-
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Ace then
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troleum.
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ly if pe-
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Id a ff a ir s CHICAGO— Commonwealth Edison Co.
the late- said Chicago moved to end its 42 -year fran-
Lukman chiee agreement for electric service signed
st meet with the utility company in 1948.
Under the terms of the agreement,
which expires Dec. 31, 1990, the city also
told Edison it intends to buy the utility.
Both moves, which launch a formal rene-
gotiation process, were expected.
Nevertheless, they come on the heels of
major setbacks for the utility from the
state supreme court and state commerce
commission: setting aside a $480 million
rate increase slated for this year and re-
quiring the refund of about 6290 million in
illegal rates collected last year.
Mayor Richard M. Daley has appointed
lawyer Robert A. Helman, co-chairman of
the management committee of Mayer
Brown & Platt, to head a six - person team
of major city aides that will negotiate any
future agreement with Edison. The City
Council is also scheduled to hold commu-
nity hearings on the issue.
The city and the utility have been under
heavy fire from community and environ-
mental activists for Edison's heavy invest-
ment in nuclear power plant construction.
That building program gave the eight mil-
lion residential and commercial Edison I
customers some of the highest utility bills
in the country. Some 70% of Edison power
comes from its nuclear plants.
A prior mayoral task force recom-
mended a variety of options for the city,
flounced
Lagos.
ew posi-
.eded as
surgeon
!t.
ether Ni-
1 by the
1.6 mil-
s a light
Id in the
as been
of joint -
A Euro-
led pay -
tPPlying
iker
3aCts
Hyundai
Garden
242,972
exhaust
cars to
named chief operating officer bl k;
ings bank. Mr. Trimble, 47 years old,
sumes the post from Roy Abercromb
who remains president and chief executi
officer. Mr. Trimble retains his position
chief financial officer. Additionally, Har
G. McDonnold was named to the new po
tion of executive vice president.
McDonnold, 50, was formerly senior A
President and head of American Feder
retail banking/ operations group.
BRISTOL -MYERS SQUIBB Co. (Ne
York) — William T. Comer was nam
president of the Bristol -Myers Pharmace
tical Research and Bristol -Myers Squi
Licensing Group, a new post. He had
executive vice president of the Bristol -M
ers Science & Technology Group. Ed ga
Haber remains president of the Squibb I
stitute for Pharmaceutical Research. Th
health -care products company was forme
by the merger of Bristol -Myers Co. an
Squibb Corp, last summer.
STAR BANC Corp. (Cincinnati) —Je an
Patrice Harrington, executive director o
the Cincinnati Youth Collaborative, w
elected a director of this bank. She fills
vacancy on the board left by Laurence L
Davis, who resigned.
Chicago Acts to End
42 -Year Agreement
With Electric Utility
A
WI l uauxpL
To Clothing Maker
Mr
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By P ETER PAE
Staff Reporter of THE WALL STeEE r Jounx
Heck's Inc., citing mounting loss
amid stiff competition, said it agreed
sell its core discount retail business in
move that removes it from consumer r
tailing.
The Nitro, W. Va., retailer, once a higl
flying regional discount chain, said
signed a letter of intent to sell 55 reta
stores in six states, mostly in West Vi;
ginia, to closely held Jordache Enterprise
Inc. of New York, a clothing manufacture
commonly known for its Jordache blu
jeans. Terms weren't disclosed.
If the transaction is completed, Heck'
would be left with its only profitable busi
ness, the Steel City automotive product,
division, a wholesaler of car accessories
That business had a pretax profit in th(
fiscal year ended last February of $1.8 mil
lion on revenue of $30.3 million, or aboul
one -tenth of revenue Heck's generated be•
fore entering bankruptcy -law proceedings
in March 1987.
The company filed for court protection
from creditors after a series of financial
embarrassments. Early in 1986, the re-
tailer, through a gross miscalculation, pro-
jected a big profit for the just ended year.
But, weeks later when the error was dis-
covered, the profit vanished. Ultimately,
Heck's reported a $4.5 million loss for
1985.
Its deteriorating financial condition led
one investment group, which had proposed
a $145 million buy -out in L%7 ' to withdraw
the offer. A month later the retailer filed
for bankruptcy -law protection.
Started in 1959 by three West Virginia
businessmen, Heck's grew swiftly and, at
its peak, operated 158 stores in nine states
that generated nearly 5500 million in an-
nual sales. But the company's discount re-
tail concept unraveled as bigger discount
chains, such as K mart Corp, and Wal-
Mart Stores Inc., lured away customers.
Heck's steadily shed its retail opera-
tions while under federal bankruptcy -law
protection. Although the company emerged
from bankruptcy -law proceedings last Oc-
tober with 55 stores, renamed the Take 10
)iscount Club, sales at the new organiza-
ion continued to slide. Most recently, the
•etailer reported an $8 million loss in the
bird quarter, ended Nov. 25, which it
ermed "unacceptable."
For Jordache Enterprises, a family run
lothing business with $600 million in an-
ual revenue, the acquisition if completed
could mark its first attempt at operating a
?tail chain. Avi Nakash, Jordache vice
resident, said the company would keep
bout 2070 of the current management and
range the way the stores merchandise the
'oducts.
"If this succeeds we'll want to buy
ore (retail clothineI stores ^ Mr ,v�I . h
rr
mir
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11
E
O
Problems with cable changes
The arrangement of Television Chan-
nels for 1990 recently published by TCA
Cable has some serious flaws for those
who appreciate Christian and Family
programing. The Family Channel has
been moved from Channel 12 to Chan-
nel 33 leaving no Christian Network
programing for those subscribers who
only receive Channels 2 through 13.
The Trinity Broadcasting Network has
been moved from Channel 35 to Chan-
nel 38 making it inaccessible to those
who only receive Channels 2 through
36. Those who disapprove of these
changes should make their feelings
known by calling TCA at 846 -2229.
They are very gracious and welcome
subscriber's input.
J.T. LAWHON
College Station
•
115M0
E
•
Survey:
CS residents will pay
for library expansion
By Luis M. Gomez
of the Eagle staff
College Station residents are in favor of
expanding the city library, and most
would be willing to pay higher taxes to
fund the endeavor, according to a survey
conducted by the city.
Charlie Shear, energy manager for the
city, said the study shows that 55 percent
of those who responded to the survey said
space rented for the present library
doesn't fulfill the city's needs. He said 22
percent feel the facility is adequate and
21 percent gave no response.
The study also asked whether residents
would support revenue increases for li-
brary expansion, which Shear said could
mean additional sales or property taxes.
He said 61 percent of respondents would
approve of such increases, 22 percent
wouldn't and 16 percent had no opinion.
Shear said College Station's library
committee will formally present the re-
sults of the survey to the City Council,
which then will decide what — if anything
— should be done next.
College Station presently leases a one
story, 5,000- square -foot building at 2551
S. Texas Ave. for its library.
Shear said 14 percent of the 1,427
property owners who received the survey
responded, as did 11 percent of 82 com-
mercial- property owners, 9 percent of
164 multi - family owners and 4 percent of
500 rental utility customers.
The property owners who received the
survey represent 25 percent of those who
own property in College Station.
�51civ
Major crimes dro • 22 in 1 989
-., lade Boyd ties took some of the case
of the Eagle staff load from Miller's three inves-
Brazos County recorded a
22 percent drop in major
crimes in 1989, and Sheriff
Ronnie Miller said the num-
bers reflect changes in his of-
fice and increased crime
awareness in rural neighbor -
oods.
F w7he sheriffs office is start -
ing its fifth year without an
increase in personnel, and
Miller said rather than ask
for more deputies in 1989, he
reassigned existing personnel
to increase the number of de-
puties on patrol.
Additionally, patrol depu-
�
J
•
tigators by handling some
BRAZOS COUNTY CRIME
minor investigative work.
This shift freed the detec
tives to concentrate on the
county's number one crime
-
problem — burglary.
Thirty
10
4
-five percent fewer
-60%
burglaries were reported in
4
3
-25%
Brazos County in 1989 as
--
opposed to 1988, when more
47
63
+34%
than half the number of ma-
jor crimes reported were
290
188
-35%
burglaries.
With more time to devote to
RENA
162
142
-12%
burglaries, investigators were
t
24
21
-13%
free to pursue cases further,
i
540 421 - 22%
Please see Crime, 7A
Eagle graphic by Kevin Dunn
Crime
From 1 A
as evidenced by the arrest of five
suspected "fences" last month.
Those arrests resulted from a
Joint investigation of a major
burglary ring that operated for the
past several months in northern
Brazos and southern Robertson
counties.
"I was hoping for an 8 percent
decrease, and I thought I'd be
lucky to get 10 percent," Miller
said.
Miller also attributes the drop
in burglaries to the formation of
34 Neighborhood Watch groups in
the last 1 years.
'We've got an eyes and ears ne-
twork out there," Miller said of
Neighborhood Watch, a commun-
ity -based program in which
neighbors look out for each oth-
er's property.
Miller said the program is espe-
cially effective in rural areas
where there is little commercial or
incidental traffic.
Assault showed the only in-
crease among the seven major
crime categories, which also in-
clude murder, rape, robbery,
burglary, theft and car theft.
Miller said most of the 35 per-
cent increase in both mis-
demeanor and felony assaults oc-
curred in the Brazos County Jail,
which was overcrowded for most
of last year.
The sheriff said tempers are
short among inmates in the jail,
resulting in more attacks against
jailers and other inmates.
Miller said he expects to break
ground soon on a new facility that
should relieve some of the pres-
sure in the jail.
Overall, the sheriff said he was
very pleased with 1989's crime
statistics, though he said there is
one drawback.
'"The only thing I could worry
about is whether we could beat it
in 1990, "he said.
I I L j .
`Vicious' flu bug expected to bite B=CS soon
By Kellye Norris
of the Eagle staff
The influenza epidemic that has al-
ready claimed more than 75 lives across
Texas and sent thousands more to hospi-
tals could hit the Bryan- College Station
area within the next few weeks, triggering
what doctors say could be the worst out-
break of the disease in this area in several
years.
"It's not that bad here right now, but it
has the potential to get worse," said Dr.
John Quarles, associate professor of mi-
crobiology at the Texas A&M University
College of Medicine.
The Centers for Disease Control in At-
lanta has reported large -scale outbreaks
in about a dozen metropolitan areas, in-
cluding Houston and Dallas, where hos-
pitals have been overwhelmed with flu
sufferers. Although an exact count of lo-
cal cases was not available early this
week, hospitals here reported a "signifi-
cant" number of flu patients during the
New Year's weekend but said there were
no problems treating them.
"Weave seen some cases through the
emergency room, but the staff tells me
there hasn't really been a big influx," said
Patrice Pope, community relations coor-
dinator for St. Joseph Hospital and
Health Center in Bryan. "It's not causing
any great problem. It's nothing like it is
(in Dallas)."
But some health professionals say that
positive picture could change soon. Al-
ready clinics and private doctors offices
are seeing as many as 70 people a day
complaining of flu -like symptoms, includ-
Please see Flu, 2C
Flu
From 1 C
ing of flu -like symptoms, includ-
ing a dry, hacking cough, body
aches and a fever of up to 102 or
103 degrees in adults.
"At least 30 percent of the peo-
ple we're seeing here, probably
closer to 40 percent, come in with
flu symptoms," said family practf-
cfoner Dr. Richard Smith of Scott
and White Clinic in College Sta-
tion. "And that's not counting the
phone calls. I estimate we were
getting around 25 phone calls a
day here over the weekend."
Quarles and other doctors ex-
pect the number of flu cases to in-
crease when Texas A &M stu-
dents, many of whom are from ci-
ties where the flu has reached
epidemic proportions, return in
mid - January for the spring
semester.
"It could start to show an in-
crease in the younger kids sooner,
though, now that they're back in
school," Quarles said. "Some of
them took trips during their vaca-
tion to some of the cities that are
seeing more flu cases and were
exposed to the flu, and now they'll
be bringing th^se viruses into the
class."
Both Bryan and College Station
schools reported a slightly higher
absentee rate Tuesday, the first
class day after the two -week
Christmas break. But officials in
both cities said they could not
pinpoint the reason for the ab-
sences, and Quarles said it could
take "about a week to get a pretty
good idea of how it's going to affect
the little ones.
'The virus has an incubation
period of about two to three days,
so it will take a few days to get bet-
ter handle on how hard it's going
to hit the schools."
Young children, the elderly and
those with chronic diseases such
as diabetes are especially suscep-
tible to the flu, and doctors re-
commend that people in these
high risk groups get flu shots,
which are available through clin-
ics and private physicians, as
soon as possible. Quarles esti-
mated the shots are about 80 per-
cent effective in the general popu-
lation. Physicians can also pre-
scribe amantidine, a pill or elixir
that provides limited protection.
"It se - -- -, to be fairly effective,
but re �re mixed and it does
not give the kind of long -term
immunity you get with a flu shot,"
Richards said.
Richards also said antibiotics,
which are often used to fight
diseases caused by bacteria, are
useless against the influenza
virus.
Although doctors say high
numbers of flu cases are logged
virtually every year, most say the
virus behind the current out-
break seems to be causing unu-
sually severe symptoms.
'This is a particularly vicious
strain," Richards said. "I've seen
people, young people, literally
brought to their knees by the
muscle aches in their legs. I am
very, very worried."
While some doctors are bracing
for the worst — health officials es-
timate as many as half of all
Bryan- College Station residents
could eventually catch the flu —
they say they believe area medical
facilities will be able to meet pa-
tients' needs.
"Generally, I think we'll be okay,
although I do foresee the potential
for problems, depending on how
widespread this becomes," Ri-
chards said. "We could be taxing
our system. That's why any pre-
ventative steps people can take
right now are important."
/Q) 19 4;/1 / � I
Hance stumps in LS against state income tax
By David Elliot
of the Eagle staff
All of the candidates running for gover-
nor frown upon the idea of a state income
tax, but Republican Kent Hance says he
dislikes the idea more
than his opponents.
Hance, who flew into
College Station's
Easterwood Airport for
a quick campaign stop
Thursday afternoon, uy
left no doubt that be-
tween now and the +�
March 13 primary, he HANCE
will continue to base
his campaign on opposition to a state in-
come tax — an idea state lawmakers have
never seriously considered.
"The cornerstone of our program since
August 15 when we first announced is to
ban income taxes," Hance said. "Is the
income tax a threat? It is a threat. The
highest - ranking Democrat in the state of
Texas has called for an income tax."
Lt. Gov. Bill Hobby, who is not seeking
re- election, has suggested that law-
makers consider lowering the sales tax
and imposing an income tax.
Hance acknowledged that none of his
well -known opponents in the GOP pri-
mary — Clayton Williams, Tom Luce and
Jack Rains — favors an income tax. Also
in the GOP race is Royce Owens, who has
not widely publicized his stance on the
issue.
"All of them say they oppose it, but
none of them want to ban it," Hance said.
`The cornerstone of our program since August 15 when we first announced is
to ban income taxes. Is the income tax a threat? It is a threat. The highest -
ranking Democrat in the state of Texas has called for an income tax.'
—Kent Hance
"Any time someone wants to leave the
door open, it means they may want to
consider it at a later time."
On the Democratic side, all well -known
candidates also say they oppose a state
income tax. One candidate, Attorney
General Jim Mattox, is campaigning on
the slogan, "Lottery yes, Income tax no."
Also in the race for the Democratic no-
mination are former Gov. Mark White,
state Treasurer Ann Richards and Earl
Hawkins, an unknown candidate from
Hawkins.
Bills calling for a state income tax have
been introduced every regular legislative
session this decade, but none have emer-
ged from committee. The Texas House
twice has approved legislation that would
ban such a tax, but the Senate has de-
clined to follow suit.
Hance, making his third public visit to
College Station since declaring his candi-
dacy, unveiled "Project 90: Jobs for
Texas," an economic plan that he said
would stimulate the state's economy with
$77 million in tax cuts and aggressive
promotion of the state's friendly business
climate.
The chairman of the Texas Railraod
Commission is making a three - day swing
around the state to tout his plan. Wed-
nesday he flew to Lubbock, Midland,
Odessa, Abilene and Wichita Falls.
Thursday he traveled to Tyler, Longview,
Nacogdoches, Waco and Austin, in addi-
tion to College Station. Today his itiner-
ary takes him to San Antonio, Victoria,
Harlingen and Corpus Christi.
Hance's plan consists of three sections
— tax cuts, including a "tax -free start
program" that would suspend the state
franchise tax for the first year for new bu-
siness investments; business incentives,
including the ban on a state income tax;
and 'workforce development," including
efforts to sell the state's business atmos-
phere.
In his appearance here, Hance hinted
that he enjoys the support of powerful
Republican leaders from this area. Wil-
liams and Rains, both Aggies, are actively
cultivating the rich Republican political
landscape.
He said in February he will release a list
of local elected officials who are backing
him. Although the names of U.S. Sen.
Phil Gramm and state Rep. Richard
Smith won't be on that list, he said he
`would be willing for him (Smith) to cast
the only vote in the election. In fact, I
would be willing to allow either Richard
Smith or Phil Gramm to cast the only vote
in the election."
Smith, who arrived at Easterwood Air-
port just in time to see Hance, said he is
staying on the fence in the race for now as
he conducts his campaign for the Texas
Senate.
"I'm pretty much staying neutral," he
said. "I go to all of their functions."
Hance, who polls have shown slipping
behind Williams and then coming back,
discussed his qualifications and strategy
in the governor's race.
Comparing himself with President
Bush, Hance said he served longer in Co-
ngress than Bush, served longer as a
Railroad Commissioner than Bush ser-
ved as U.S. ambassador to the United Na-
tions, and served longer as a state sena-
tor than Bush served as ambassador to
China or director of the Central Intelli-
gence Agency.
"People can think back to the George
Bush campaign," Hance said. "George
Bush was the most qualified person to
ever run for president and everyone ack-
nowledged it."
Hance said he is confident about his
position in the GOP primary.
"We're in good shape," he said. "I'm the
one candidate who has saved my money.
We will start our advertising next week."
Two of Hance's opponents, Williams
and Luce, have invested heavily in telev-
ision spots and have seen corresponding
Increases in their name identification.
Rains, like Hance, has reserved much of
his capital for last - minute television blit-
zes.
Growth Widespread
w ` . exas' economic growth during
fiscal 1989 was widespread
throughout most regions of the
state and most industries.
The Border was the fastest -
growing of the six economic regions in
Texas during fiscal 1989. The Gulf Coast
ranked a strong second. Houston led the
state's cities in job growth. In all, the Gulf
Coast's major cities accounted for more
than one -third of all new Texas jobs.
But growth was widespread through-
out most of the state. Five of six Texas
regions and 20 of the state's 28
metropolitan areas gained jobs.
Employment reached record levels in
four regions -the Border, the Central
Corridor, the Metroplex and East Texas.
Only the Plains, hurt by oil company
consolidations, failed to add new jobs.
Manufacturing growth, the main en-
gine of Texas' economy in fiscal 1988,
remained important in some areas.
Maquiladora - related activity- manufac
turing of components along with related
trucking and warehousing opera-
tions- prospered along the Border.
Petrochemicals, metals, plastics and
electronics industries expanded on the
Gulf Coast. And new high -tech plant
locations and expansions continued in
the Central Corridor.
But overall, manufacturing took a
back seat to more rapid and diverse
growth in other industries. Twin plant
expansions in Mexico spurred sharp in-
creases in motor freight transportation
and warehousing along the Border. Air
transportation and telecommunications
operations centered around the Dallas -
Fort Worth Airport led growth in the
Metroplex.
Weakened by the downturn in con-
struction and real estate in fiscal 1988,
trade staged a strong comeback in the
Border, Gulf Coast and Metroplex.
Service industries scored the highest job
growth in all regions except the Border.
And government hiring picked up dra-
matically in all regions except the
Metroplex.
Booming Border: Border firms servicing
Mexican maquiladoras enjoyed strong
Metro area jobs
While some metropolitan areas in Texas have more
jobs than ever before, others have experienced a net
decline in employment.
(Ranked by percent change in nonfarm jobs)
Percent Change Employment,
change` in jobs' Aug. `89
Laredo
5.2
2,000
40,400
Brazoria
4.2
2,500
61,700
Texarkana
4.0
1,800
46,300
El Paso
3.4
6,600
198,500
McAllen /Edinburg /Mission
3.0
2,900
99,100
Houston
2.7
39,400
1,477,900
Victoria
2.6
700
27,900
Brownsville /Harlingen
2.5
1,700
70,300
Bryan /College Station
2.4
1,200
50,400
Beaumont/Port Arthur
2.4
3,200
135,500
Corpus Christi
2.3
2,900
126,700
Fort Worth /Arlington
2.3
12,300
538,000
Texas
2.0
134,800
6,812,200
Lubbock
1.9
1,800
95,900
Killeen/Temple
1.7
1,200
72,400
San Antonio
1.4
6,900
505,800
Waco
1.1
900
80,000
Tyler
0.7
400
60,600
Austin
0.5
1,800
354,100
Longview /Marshall
0.5
300
66,600
Dallas
0.4
5,100
1,351,300
Abilene
0.0
0
49,500
Galveston
-0.3
-200
72,700
Amarillo
-0.5
-400
76,600
Wichita Falls
-0.6
-300
50,300
San Angelo
-0.8
-300
36,100
Midland
-1.8
-800
44,000
Odessa
-2.5
-1,100
42,300
Sherman /Denison
-2.6
-1,000
36,800
`August 1988 to August 1989
SOURCES: Texas E,npWymem comnisslon and
Bob BLdw comptroller of Pubic Account&
growth in 1989. And Border retailers
prospered due to a more stable peso
and lowered Mexican trade restrictions
See page 8
1g0.)
I t FISCAL NOTES November 1989 7
4.0 percent gain. And although manu- new jobs in fiscal 1989, building on a
facturing and oil and gas extraction em- strong high -tech base. Homegrown Dell
ployment declined slightly, Tyler and Computer alone added more than 500
Longview- Marshall still netted some new employees.
lobs, with impressive gains in education See page 10
and health services.
Central Corridor expands: Gulf Coast
Although growth was
dampened by continued
weakness in construction,
Texarkana
real estate and banking,
Corpus
the Central Corridor econ-
Annual 5
omy still expanded in
percent 4
1989, with all major cities
change
e xcept
Austin setting new
Galveston
employment records.
3
Health, business, educa-
700
tional and other service
2
industries increased their
1
hiring. Employment at
1,477,900
state - supported universi-
0
ties, state agencies and
72,700
public schools also rose
-1
sharply. Manufacturing
activity remained strong,
with new jobs concentrat-
ed in high -tech industries
such as computers and
electronics.
Bryan - College Station
J r Beaumon
Port Artht
Houston
Brazoria•
Galveston
ictona
s Christi
Metropolitan
Texarkana
Beaumont/
Corpus
areas
Brazoria
Houston
Victoria
Port Arthur
7
Galveston
Change in
jobs
2,500
39,400
700
3,200
2,900
-200
August 1989
employment
61,700
1,477,900
J r Beaumon
Port Artht
Houston
Brazoria•
Galveston
ictona
s Christi
Metropolitan
Texarkana
Beaumont/
Corpus
areas
Brazoria
Houston
Victoria
Port Arthur
Christi
Galveston
Change in
jobs
2,500
39,400
700
3,200
2,900
-200
August 1989
employment
61,700
1,477,900
27,900
135,500
126,700
72,700
was the fastest - growing
Central Corridor co u- ' August 1988 to August 1989
nity, with job gains of 2.4
percent. Area manufac-
turers of cabinets and aluminum win -
dows expanded operations, and Texas
A&M responded to record - breaking en-
rollment by adding about 400 faculty
and staff.
Other cities in the region experienced
more moderate growth. San Antonio
and Austin nudged toward recovery
from their real estate recessions, with
fast -paced job gains in services and gov-
ernment more than offsetting continued
losses in construction.
San Antonio added 6,900 new jobs in
fiscal 1989. The $170 million Sea World
theme park, with 2.9 million visitors in
its first season, expanded San Antonio's
$1.2 billion tourist industry. San
Antonio also attracted firms with
Mexican maquiladora ties, such as
Bausch & Lomb, which moved its U.S.
sunglasses assembly plant to San
Antonio. The plant will employ 1,000
within three years.
The Austin economy created 1,800
SOURCE: Bob Bullock, Comptroller of Public Accounts.
East Texas
Texarkana
Longview/
Marshall e
Tyler 40
Annual 4
percent
change' 3
2
1
0
Metropolitan
areas Texarkan
Tyler
Longview/
Marshall
Change in
jobs ' 1,800
400
300
August 1989 46,300
employment
60,600
66,600
August 1988 to August 1989
SOURCE: Bob Bullock. Comptroller of Public Accounts.
FISCAL NOTES, November 1989 9
FISCAL NOTES, November 1989 9
W
L
(awl
Central
Corridor
• Waco
Killeen/
• Temple 1
Austin •
• Bryan/- College
Station
San Antonio
•
-
Bryan/
Metropolitan
areas
College
Station
Killeen/
Temple
San
Antonio
Waco
I Austin
Change in
jobs
1,200
1,200
6,900
900
1,800
August 1989
50,400
72,400
505,800
80,000
354,100
employment
August 1988 to August 1989 SOURCE: Bob Bullock, Comptroller of Public Accounts.
10 November 1989, FISCAL NOTES
Killeen- Temple experienced solid
gains in services, trade and manufactur-
ing. The Scott & White Hospital com-
plex; a new credit institution, the
Student Loan Marketing Association;
plastics and furniture manufacturers,
and a Texas Department of Corrections
facility expansion all contributed to
Killeen - Temple growth.
Waco's economy benefited from man-
ufacturing relocations and expansions,
as well as increased government activi-
ty. After a corporate buyout, Chrysler
Technologies, an aircraft modification
and instrument manufacturing firm, be-
gan relocating personnel from Richard-
son to Waco.
Other Waco manufacturers flourished,
including makers of processed foods,
sportswear, guided missiles and contact
lens solutions. And a regional distribu-
tion center for military exchanges in-
creased federal government employ-
ment.
Metroplex hits new heights: With im-
pressive growth in airline transportation,
telecommunications and telemarketing
and business and health services, the
Metroplex broke nonfarm employment
records. But the pace of growth was
slow in comparison to the region's
boom years in the early 1980s.
Heavy cuts in federal defense spend-
ing slowed job gains in the Metroplex'
defense industries, and the real estate
slump brought further layoffs in the
area's construction industry.
But Fort Worth - Arlington still gained
12,300 jobs in fiscal 1989, a solid 2.3
percent rise. Construction employment
leveled off and the opening of the Parks
in Arlington Mall fostered new trade
jobs after a two -year slowdown.
The Dallas -Fort Worth Airport was an-
other focal point for economic growth,
as American Airlines expanded their
transportation facilities, and both
American Airlines and GTE increased
teiemarketing services located near the
airport.
Dallas gained 5,100 additional jobs in
the year, despite continued weakness
in its construction industry and a slow-
down in defense - related manufacturing.
And Dallas' long -term prospects
brightened. The area was confirmed as
the site of the superconducting super -
collider, GTE announced a major con-
solidation of its operations to Dallas and
Fujitsu, another telecommunications gi-
ant, announced the development of a
major office, research and manufactur-
ing complex in Richardson.
While Fort Worth and Dallas were im-
proving, the Sherman - Denison economy
suffered a downward swing. The area
was hurt by a manufacturing slowdown
at the local Texas Instruments plant, and
a takeover of the Katy Railroad, head-
quartered in Denison, by Union Pacific
that shifted about 300 railroad employ-
ees to Nebraska.
Plains lagging: In fiscal 1989, the
Plains region benefited from a good
year for agriculture and solid job growth
in health and educational services and
local and state government.
Overal! manufacturing employment
remained steady. And although it is
now expected to stabilize at current lev-
els, oil and gas extraction employment
fell throughout the region in early 1989.
The Lubbock economy, relatively in-
dependent from oil and gas, added
1,800 nonfarm jobs over the year, most-
ly in manufacturing, state government
and health services. Other major cities
more dependent on the energy industry
fared less well.
"We get numerous calls from state em-
ployees who say: 'Please, please, help
us, "' Roome told the Austin American-
Statesman.
Wilson's bill would permit smoking
only in designated areas wherever the
public gathers. Such gathering places
would include "a service line, cashier
area, over- the - counter sales area or
common traffic area" as well as office
buildings and in restaurants seating
more than 25 customers.
The measure would allow designated
smoking areas in government buildings.
But the Texas Medical Association House
of Delegates is expected to oppose that
Provision.
In November, the TMA announced it
would encourage the state to establish
smoke -free environments in all tax_
supported buildings.
Lawmakers
to debate bill
on smoking
The Associated Press
AUSTIN — When Texas lawmakers
convene next week, they will have to con-
sider a bill that would restrict smoking in
public places throughout the state.
The measure filed by state Rep. Ron
Wilson, D- Houston, permits designated
smoking areas under certain circum-
stances. Similar laws are already in place
in cities such as Houston, Dallas and
Austin.
Some states have laws which restrict
smoking, including New York, Iowa, Ohio
and Minnesota, according to Amy Roome,
director of communications for the Amer-
ican Heart Association Texas Affiliate.
The Wilson bill, Roome said, is similar
to a measure that state Sen. Chet
Brooks, D- Pasadena, is expected to file
on
behalf of the Heart Association and the
Texas chapters of the American Cancer
Society and American Lung Association.
The three groups announced in Sep-
tember that they have formed a coalition
to push for restrictions• on smoking in
Texas.
During the last legislative session, a
Brooks - sponsored bill restricting smok-
ing in public places passed the Senate
but died in the House.
The three agencies did have some suc-
cess during the last session, convincing
the Legislature to pass legislation that
raises the minimum legal age for the pur-
chase of cigarettes from 16 to 18.
"I think legislators were looking at the
least controversial of the two measures,"
Roome said. "The age of purchase bill was
seen as protection of our youth. But
when it comes to clean indoor air
measures, the Legislature traditionally
has left that to local governments."
Aus *in's restrictions on smoking do not
apply to state -owned buildings, including
the Capitol. Smoking is limited to desig-
nated areas in a few state buildings, but
those decisions are made by agency di-
rectors.
"We get numerous calls from state em-
ployees who say: 'Please, please, help
us, "' Roome told the Austin American-
Statesman.
Wilson's bill would permit smoking
only in designated areas wherever the
public gathers. Such gathering places
would include "a service line, cashier
area, over- the - counter sales area or
common traffic area" as well as office
buildings and in restaurants seating
more than 25 customers.
The measure would allow designated
smoking areas in government buildings.
But the Texas Medical Association House
of Delegates is expected to oppose that
Provision.
In November, the TMA announced it
would encourage the state to establish
smoke -free environments in all tax_
supported buildings.
0
r
•
.r
Rain, traffic jam greet
students at new campus
By Jenny Butler
Eagle staff writer
Hundreds of Bryan- College Station
students reported to new classrooms
Wednesday, but school officials said wet
weather caused most of the confusion.
Parents of many College Station Junior
High School students found themselves
in a half - mile -long queue of cars on Rio
Grande Street as they tried to drop off
their children at the new campus at on
Rock Prairie Road.
"We had more cars than we presumed
we'd have," said J.P. Irving, traffic safety
superintendent for the city of College Sta-
tion. "Everybody was on Rio Grande
Street."
Irving and Principal Alan Stolt said
they had expected heavy traffic because
the layout of the campus is unfamiliar to
many residents, and because' many
north -side parents were not aware that
their children now can ride the bus at no
charge.
With the addition of a steady rain, the
lines of cars grew longer and moved
slower. Irving, who monitored Wednes-
day's traffic, said he saw only one child
walking to school.
Please see Campus, 5A
ir
Campus
l am.
u
u
C11
From 1 A
"A lot of pedestrian traffic
turned to vehicular traffic," he
said.
"It's all new to everybody," Stolt
said. "It was kind of like the first
day of school in the fall. But we
really believe by Monday things
Will be squared away.
"We just hope parents will take
things in stride and be patient."
Irving said the traffic flow will
improve when crews paint a
center left -turn lane down the
length of Rock'Prairte Road some-
time during the next two weeks.
City traffic engineers also sug-
gested that to beat the traffic jam,
parents take an alternate route to
the school. Instead of turning
onto Rio Grande from Deacon, Irv-
ing suggests driving west on Dea-
con to Wellborn Road, then turn
south on Wellborn and left on
North Graham Street.
North Graham ends at the in-
tersection of North Graham and
Regal Row, which is a pedestrian
drop -off point, Irving said. Chil-
dren can cross a small creek via a
pedestrian bridge and enter the
school from the west side.
To leave the drop -off point, turn
right on Regal Row and right
again on Arnold Street, which will
become North Graham.
Aside from traffic problems,
Stolt said the day went smoothly
for students and teachers.
"By the end of the day, (stu-
dents) were getting around real
well," he said. "By Thursday or
Friday, they'll probably know this
place better than we do."
In Bryan, fifth- graders spent
their first day in the newly re-
modeled Stephen F. Austin
Middle School. The fifth grade will
spend the spring semester in SFA
while Lamar School is being reno-
vated.
Principal Judy Hughson cre-
dited teachers' planning and a
student orientation session for a
smooth first day.
"It just went superbly, as if we
had been here always," Hughson
said. "We found rooms and we
found lockers and we found the
cafeteria.
"We were snug and warm inside
here, and we had school all day,"
she said. "The only thing that
could have been better was the
weather."
C7
Attorneys say safety programs
help Bryan, CS avoid lawsuits
Eagle staff writer
What good does it do to fight city hall?
In East St. Louis, Ill., you could win
— lock, stock and basement.
The family of a man who received bra in
damage when he was beaten by anothe
Inmate in the East St. Louis City Jail suc
cessfully sued the city for negligence. Be
C cruse the city was unable to pay th
ttlement, a judge recently awarded the
untly city hall.
Nothing near that magnitude has hap-
pened in Bryan or College Station, and
city attorneys in the two cities say it isn't
likely.
"The city of Bryan has worked hard to
avoid problems," said Robert Andron,
Bryan city attorney. "We've done a good
Job on risk management and safety
awareness."
College Station City Attorney Cathy
Locke feels the same way.
'We have a sophisticated city council
that spends money on the right things,"
she said.
But both Andron and Locke know
they've been lucky so far.
"We have our share of lawsuits," An-
dron says. "There are several active, right
now."
Andron said cities get sued because
they usually don't go bankrupt and they
can't leave town. And people think cities
have deep pockets.
The city of Bryan is self- insured, mean-
ing the city — not an insurance company
it —pays all claims.
Andron said state law limits a city's
liability to $500,000, unless there is
r gross negligence. He explained gross neg-
ligence as having such a large disregard
for safety, the negligence ca be con-
e strued to be willful.
Locke said College Station pays all
claims under $10,000. Anything above
that figure is paid by the city's insurance
policies.
"We've been very lucky, knock wood,"
said Locke. "We have about one lawsuit ' a
year. "
Locke credited good training programs
In the fire and police departments and
top -notch street and planning depart_
ments for keeping the ci ty out of the
courtroom.
Locke said some cities are forced to pay
large settlements because they are in
states where the legislatures have done
away with much of the immunity still en-
Joyed by Texas cities.
Locke mentioned the states of Califor_
nia and New York as two states that have t
done away with broad immunities for cit-
ies. Los Angeles spent $30 million to b
cover lawsuits in the 1989 -90 fiscal year
and New York, N.Y, pays out between d
$150 million and $200 million a year on
settlements.
Texas cities generally have immunity
from lawsuits unless the police, fire and
street departments of a city are involved.
Since the city of Bryan doesn't have in-
surance, Andron said he thought the city
would resort to a bond issue if the city
faced a huge lawsuit settlement.
"But we don't like for the city to be
sued," Andron warned. "It is our job to
vigorously defend the city. And we will
pursue all remedies possible for frivolous
lawsuits.
While Andron credits the city staff with
keeping the city out of legal trouble, he
also said he thinks geography makes a
difference.
"Part of the answer may be that larger
cities are impersonal, " Andron said. "And
Juries reflect the people of the area. Peo-
ple in this area are pretty stable and have
good common sense."
Andron said when cities do end up in
court, the municipality usually has one
strike against it.
"Everyone hates government unless 1
the government - can do something for
hem, or against their neighbor," Andro
said. "They want us to stop their neigh-
or's dog from barking, but they don't
want us saying anything about their
og
l
1 1 4 � &/,I I
AG says drug testing of law officers unlawful
A Robertson attorney asked
for the ruling after talking with
the sheriff about random testing
From staff and wire reports
AUSTIN — Random drug testing of law
officers would violate the Texas Constitu-
tion unless a "compelling governmental ob-
jective" is shown, according to an attorney
general's opinion released today.
"We need not address the issue of ran-
dom testing under the federal Constitution
... we believe that the Texas Constitution
prohibits the practice," said the opinion.
The opinion, dated Dec. 27, was signed
by then - Attorney General Jim Mattox. He
was replaced by Dan Morales, who was
sworn into office on Wednesday.
The opinion was requested by Jimmie
McCullough, Robertson County attorney,
who asked about the authority of a sheriffs
department to require its deputies and
jailers to submit to random drug testing by
means of urine samples.
McCullough said he requested the opin-
ion after a conversation with Sheriff Lee
Scott Hurley on whether the sheriff could
impose random drug tests on employees to
ensure that sheriffs department and jail
employees were drug -free.
"It was somewhat out of curiosity,"
McCullough said. "If we had an employee
who was using drugs, then we've got a
problem. We have no reason to believe that
is happening now, but certainly one of the
ways to keep that from happening is to
have drug testing."
McCullough said he had received infor-
mation several months ago that jail in-
mates on a work - release program were
sneaking drugs into the'jail on weekends,
but that more stringent searches had ap-
parently solved the problem.
Mattox said, "The Texas constitutional
guarantee of privacy would be violated by
random urine testing of deputy sheriffs and
jailers for the presence of drugs where no
compelling governmental objective for the
testing has been shown."
There appears to be "a trend" in lower
federal appellate courts to approve random
urine testing of police officers, Mattox said,
but the U.S. Supreme Court has not
upheld such testing.
When polygraph examinations of Texas
Department of Mental Health and Mental
Retardation employees were challenged,
Mattox said, the Texas Supreme Court
ruled they violated the employee's right of
privacy.
"The intrusiveness of urine testing is of a
somewhat different nature from that of a
polygraph examination, but in our opinion,
the former is at least as intrusive as the lat-
ter," Mattox said in the opinion.
IN 10 1
�
No winners in war
I read with keen interest and hearty
agreement your editorial of Dec. 18 re-
garding the possible war with Iraq.
As one of the many who served in Viet-
nam. I identified with the points you
made about the true nature of war. War
Is truly one of the saddest and most grue-
some failures of the human society to
deal with our complicated presence on
Earth.
We should all urge our president, Con-
gress and leaders in general to avoid or
forbid the firing of the first shot.
There are no winners in a war, only
people left living to deal with leftover tur-
moil and memories of what is destined to
be a war of futility and frustration.
ROBERT M. WORLEY
Bryan
C7
E
Council tables contract to purchase 75 acres
The College Station City Council on
Thursday tabled a contract that would
have bought 75 acres adjacent to the
Brazos Valley Solid Waste Management
Agency's landfill on Rock Prairie Road.
The BVSWMA is recommending the
land be bought to store dirt removed from
the landfill. The price of the land, which is
owned by G. Kenny Mallard Jr. and Ann
O'Neal Mallard, is about $ 150,000.
Councilman Dick Birdwell moved to
table the contract, saying he would like to
')CAL DIGEST
see the engineering study before the pur-
chase was approved.
A engineering study by McDow and As-
sociates recommended buying the land.
The agency's other alternatives are to not
dig as deep, or store the dirt in a flood
plain that runs through the landfill site.
Joe LaBeau, College Station's director
of public services, said the study found
both those options would shorten the life
of the site.
2 Consol students in All -State Choir
Two juniors from A &M Consolidated
High School have sung their way into the
Texas Music Educators Association's All -
State Choir.
Three other Consol High students were
named as choir and All -State Band alter-
nate performers.
Juniors Kristine Cornwell and Alex
CORNWELL MEDLOCK
Medlock will travel to San Antonio to per-
form at the TMEA's convention Feb. 9 in
the Convention Center auditorium. Sen-
ior Ryan Anderson, the alternate, will fill
in at the concert if Cornwell or Medlock
are unable to perform.
Sophomore Alexa Bontrager and senior
Nicole Knutson were chosen as alter-
nates for the TMEA All -State Band, which
also will perform during the Feb. 9 con-
vention.
Cornwell has earned several choir -
related honors, including All- Region and
All -Area choirs in 1990 and this year. She
belongs to the French Club, was a fresh-
man cheerleader, and participated in vol-
leyball and track during her freshman
year.
Medlock has earned places on All -
Region and All -Area choirs during each of
his high school years, and now serves as
vice president of the choir. He has been a
cast member of two musicals at Consol
High. His other activities include cross -
country track and tennis as a freshman.
Agency may help keep families warm
Low - income households facing cash
shortages during the cold winter may be
able to find help at the Brazos Valley
Community Action Agency, an agency
spokeswoman said.
Vancy Mayes, the BVCAA's associate
administrator for special services, said
those households with children or elderly
or handicapped persons that face "ener-
gy- related crises or emergencies" may
qualify for special Energy Crisis Program
funds.
Applicants must have a household in-'
come of 110 percent or less of the 1990
federal poverty income guidelines. They
must also have at least one United States
citizen or legal alien in the household.
Terry Smith, BVCAA emergency assis-
tance coordinator, said poverty guide-
lines vary depending on family size and
income level.
Renters and homeowners are eligible
for the program.
Residents of Brazos, Burleson, Grimes,
Madison and Robertson counties may
call 823 -5226 to schedule an appoint-
ment to discuss the program with an offi-
cial. Applications are taken by appoint-
ment only Monday through Friday during
9 a.m. to noon and 1 -5 p.m. at the Kraft
Building, 307 S. Main in Bryan, Mayes
said.
is
'I,_)_OI1r
Spiraling costs, lack of coverage
lead to crisis in health care system
Editor's note: Health care costs in the United States
are rising dramatically, but as many as 37 million
Americans have no insurance to pay them. For
many of those with insurance, it is not enough to
cover their medical needs. The first of a four -part
series, "Unhealthy Insurance," examines how the
crisis in health insurance has affected everyday
lives.
By Deborah Mesce
The Associated Press
Karin Allen doesn't go to the doctor for
routine checkups anymore. She's afraid
her health insurance premiums will rise
and her employer will cancel the policy.
Little A.J. Muter can't even get Insurance.
He was born prematurely and because of
his ensuing health problems. he "maxed
out" on a $250.000 lifetime benefit cap.
"Nobody will touch him because he has a
pre - existing condition," says his mother,
Cindy Miller.
Karen Andrusyshyn and her husband.
John, left the United States for his native
Canada and Its national health care pro-
gram after he developed malignant melan-
oma and amassed $4.000 in uncovered
doctors' bills. "If I wanted to go back to the
United States. I wouldn't because of the
health care system," Mrs. Andrusyshyn
said. "I don't ever want to live in fear again."
They, like many Americans, took their
health insurance for granted. But when
they needed It. it wasn't enough.
Health care spending in the United
States was estimated to exceed $600 billion
in 1990, about 12 percent of the nation's
U N ALTH m
Y
teF R 4ae�t!s ter sw es �s 9x
1 PI l oom ■■■
- J r. - R �u■■■ ■
■o■■■■■■
INSURANCE
gross national product.
But with Medicaid now covering fewer
than half of those living in poverty and
health care costs growing twice as fast as
general inflation, as many as 37 million
Americans are without insurance today.
Estimates of those with Inadequate insur-
ance range from 20 million to 100 million.
Meanwhile, health insurance companies
have been watching their benefit payouts
outpace their revenues from premiums.
Over the last year, many companies have
strengthened the financial position of their
health insurance units and have seen their
profits improve, according to A.M. Best, a
New Jersey company that monitors the in-
dustry.
The Bush administration, lawmakers In
Congress and the industry Itself recognize
that the nation's health care system is in
crisis, but they are far from agreement on
what to do. The proposals range from tin-
kering around the edges of the current
system to full- fledged national health in-
surance.
Three out of five Americans favor national
health insurance, even if it means raising
taxes, according to an Associated Press poll
taken last month by ICR Survey Research
Group.
But the Bush administration rejects that
option.
Health and Human Services Secretary
Louis Sullivan. who is leading a Domestic
Policy Council review of the health -care
system, has said "those who call for a radi-
cal revamping of our health care system —
suggesting nationalized medicine — are
mistaken." Everyone should be able to get
needed medical care, he says, but the cur-
rent mix of public programs and private in-
surance should remain.
The American Medical Association last
year proposed expanding Medicaid, the
health insurance program for the poor, and
requiring employers to provide health in-
surance to full -time workers. Its plan also
would create state risk pools to provide
group Insurance policies for the medically
uninsurable, small businesses and others
unable to afford coverage under the current
system.
An array of other proposals has been put
forth, by the industry, health care groups,
and major unions. They each share one
Please see Insurance, 2E
•
xiin�.�.rance
•,r __y whit — iear that she
may lose her insurance, all be-
tamity member a lifetime maxi- minute he crossed the border,"
mum benefit of $250,000.
cause she had to have spinal sur-
"We thought we were covered,"
Mrs' Andrus sh
y yn said.
From 1 E
gery In December 1988.
Six months after the $19,000
Mrs. Miller said.
The Canadian program, funded
operation, her employer's Mon-
thly
But then their second son, by taxes, Is held up as a model by
whom they call A.J. for Andrew advocates of a national health
premium increased from
common element — the desire to around $400 to $743 for the three
James, was born 15 weeks pre -
care program In the United
stem the spiraling cost of health people on the plan, she said. Allen
care.
mature with under - developed
lungs, no Immune
States.
From 1980 through 1989, me-
was the only one of the three who
had filed an claims,
system and
weighing only about a pound and
Despite various treatments and
g
sur eries in Montreal. Andrusy-
dical costs rose 117 percent, while Y
"I'm in danger of losing my in-
the consumer price index for
a half. When he went home In
November 1989 at three
shyn died In October 1989.
all surance If we get another rate in-
goods rose 57 percent, according crease," Ms. Allen said.
to
months
old, he needed nursing care at
For the time being, Mrs. Andru-
s y sh yn plans to continue
the Labor Department. A Health Insurance Association
"Public opinion 1s heating up
breathing special equipment treatments ever hnd
living in
Canada. "The medical system is
fast on this subject," said Sen.
of America study of 2,621 bust-
hours. Y
the deciding factor," she said.
John D. Rockefeller, D- W.Va.,
nesses found that monthly group
Ygr P
health insurance
B Y April 1990, he had
John Kevin Sleczkiewlcz has a
premiums for
who headed the Pepper Commis conventional plans averaged $268
exhausted his lifetime benefits.
Now,
different story. After a lifetime of
sion, a bipartisan national task for a family in 1989 and $119 for
tha
force that recommended
he is uninsurable, she said.
Fund - raising by
kidney problems and four years of
dialysis, the 42-
afive-
year, billion plan to five-
g
antee health
an individual.
"I have been scared away from
their local
church and community bust-
year -old father of
two had a transplant in the spring
care for all Amert-
seeing a doctor for
nesses raised $12,000. The cou-
of 1989.
mss
"The American people believe
preventive
medicine," Ms. Allen said. "
ple also learned of a state program
But the following September,
health insurance is too expensive,
good Is having health insurance
when the premiums
o card. But to e-
his job Westerly. R.I., machinist lost the
that it's too hard to obtain, that
It's too hard to keep once have
skyrocket
after one or two claims? The
main eligible, they have to keep
their income low live , pay-
ance — when his company was
you
It. People are dwelling on these
safety net I thought I had just
Isn't there."
and
check to paycheck," she said.
bought out.
problems and they're makin g
Sixty one
"You think you have some se-
Medicare covers people with ad-
them very vocal," he said.
The
percent of small
businesses don't offer any insur
curity there, and then it's all
vanced stages of kidney disease,
including
Industry's answer, to a
large extent, is called "managed
ance at all, according to a 1989
wiped out," she said. "It could
happen to anyone."
the cost th a transplant,
but it covers only the first
care." Insurers are looking more
HIAA survey. And nearly half of
the employees who are
Mrs. Andrus sh
y yn, 45, also be-
year of
maintenance medication, he said.
closely at the need for certain me-
uninsured
work for
lieves she and her late husband,
yet patients may need to take
decal
decal treatments before p ay i n g
companies that have
fewer than 25 workers.
John, were "caught In the cracks"
these costly anti - rejection drugs
benefits. They also are pr ty
g
HIAA has
of the American health care
for the rest of their lives.
Incentives — lower costs — to
people who used doctors and fact-
proposed a plan
expanding coverage for small
business. No
system.
Andrusyshyn had put off going
His wife had to quit her job to
end one with health
lities that agree to accept pre-
one would be ex-
cluded as a high medical
to the doctor to have a mole
benefits. But
even when she found one, It
arranged fees'
The most common
risk.
Employees would have to meet
checked because he hadn't yet
worked the
Would not cover his medical
arrange-
ments are health maintenance
pre - existing condition restrictions
only once, if
required year at a
Reno, Nev., casino to be eligible
his
Medicare for one co S when his
Medicare
organizations, or HMOs, which
so they changed jobs
they could not fall under that
for its Insurance plan, she said.
June, h e s fact ended last
was facing a monthly bill
Provide comprehensive health
care at a fixed periodic payment,
re-
striction again.
When he h
had surgery, he was
Insured under the
ot$80 0 for the anti- rejection drug
cyclosporine.
and preferred physician provider
The plan also called for states to
set up pools to finance
plan, but the
coverage was minimal and left the
He
organizations, in which articl-
P
pants are required to go to doctors
coverage
for those who have or likel will
couple with a $4,000 doctor's bill,
Mrs. Andrus sh
said he's been getting the
drug from people who have swit-
who agree to accept lower fees In
have high medical bills. Twenty-
four
Y Yn said.
h to of
ched to the capsule form, but his
return for a certain volume of
states now have high-risk
pools for the medically
S upply
ford the medical s stem
Is beginning to run out.
patients.
uninsura-
ble
made too much money for
"The health care system in this
Most Americans are insured
under policies subsidized by their
It also called for an expansion of
Medicaid
caid and weren't old enough for country is nowhere near what
Medicare," she said. people who don't
employers. This system appears
coverage for the poor
and near poor.
use It think It
Frustrated, they packed up is." Sleczkiewfcz said.
to work best for workers at large
companies.
Cindy and Tim Miller of Wa- children, left unpaid
For other workers, the potential
Ms. p' a 50 -year -old Ken-
stngtor
medical
bash, Ind., were insured under bi'' and head of a medical problem locks headed for Canada. Into a job, or at least limits
the policy provided by her em- J d
secretary for a small
floor -c, . ag business, lives
been born there, so he options.
ployer, the Wabash Count Hos- w,
their
petal. The insurance gave each national health a "the
/�510 i
O
I NAMES AND FACES
Organizations
■The Boys and Girls Club of the
Brazos Valley on Thursday gave
Ronald E. Hale the Man -Youth
Award, the organ-
ization's highest
honor.
Hale, an execu-
tive vice presi-
dent at First City,
Texas — Bryan,
served as the
club's chief ad-
ministrator from
the club's open- HALE
ing in 1959 until 1966.
The award is given in recognition
of long -term support of the Boys
and Girls Club and for dedication to
the club's purpose of supporting
youth in the community. The last
recipient was Sen. Phil Gramm.
who was honored in 1989.
In announcing the award, board
President Ron Schmidt praised
Hale for his role in helping to estab-
lish the club, and for his commit-
ment to its development.
"Any time he's been asked to
help. lie's come through, and the
club's members have always been
his first concern." Schmidt said.
Before coming to Bryan. Hale was
the executive director of the Bovs'
Chub in Camden, Ark. After seven
years in Bryan. he spent a year in
Dallas as the assistant regional di-
rector for Boys' Clubs of America.
The club also installed its 1991
officers and directors on Thursday.
They include John Willingham.
president; Phil Crowe, first vice
president; Dr. Tommy Davis, sec-
ond vice president: Darlene Ni-
chols, secretary; and Woody
Thompson, treasurer.
1
WE�f ���IN National Health Care Spending
MERE Total health care spending comprises public and private spending. In 1960, national health
NEEMEN /EREE expenditures constituted 5.3% of the gross national product (GNP), reaching 11.1% in 1988.
Total Spending In Billions Of Dollars
Per
All enrolled
[Year edicare Spending
persons
(millions)
Benefit
payments
(millions)
Enrollees age
65 and older
( millions)
Benefit
payments
(millions)
1980
28.5
$ 33.9
25.5
$ 29.4
1981
29.1
41.2
26.1
35.9
1982
29.5
49.2
26.5
42.6
1983
30.1
55.6
27.1
48.4
1984
30.5
60.9
27.6
53.6
1985
1987
69.5
28.2
61.5
L 31.1
1986
31.8.
74.1
28.8
65.4
1987
32.4
79.8
29.4
70.7
1988
32.9
85.5
29.9
76.1
Maim care Financing Adminis[r
Medicaid Spending
aeon, Nabona, neam txpend,ture Accounts,
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bureau of Data Management and Strategy
�J
K
Annual
Total annual
Fiscal
recipients
benefits paid
year
(millions)
(millions)
1980
21.6
$ 23.3
1981
22.0
27.2
1982
21.6
29.4
1983
21.6
32.4
1984
21.6
33.9
1985
21.8
37.5
1986
22.5
41.1
1987
23.2
52.1
1988
22.9
48.7
aeon, Nabona, neam txpend,ture Accounts,
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Bureau of Data Management and Strategy
�J
K
One Blue Cross and Blue Shield
plan in West Virginia did not fare
as well as the others last year. The
Charleston -based plan went
bankrupt and its business was
taken over by another Blue Cross
and Blue Shield plan.
Wood said the plan's failure was
not representative of the Blue
Cross system but was due to diffi-
cult financial times in the state.
Over the past decade, the 20
largest providers of health insur-
ance have averaged an underwrit-
ing profit of slightly less than 1
percent of total premiums sold,
HIAA's Schramm said.
"We've always been the section
of the insurance industry that's
operated on the thinnest margin,"
he said.
To protect that margin and to
compete with each other, insur-
ance companies are investing
heavily in managed care systems.
Aetna has spent $400 million
over the past five years to develop
managed care programs. Its
neighbor and competitor, The
Travelers Corp., plans to spend $1
billion by 1995 doing the same
thing.
A survey by the Health Insur-
ance Association of America
found that in 1989 nearly 23 per-
cent of those covered under em-
ployer- sponsored health insur-
ance were members of a HMO and
another 32 percent were covered
by a preferred provider organiza-
tion.
In a HMO, participants pay a
flat fee that entitles them to a
wide -range of comprehensive
health care services by physicians
either employed by the HMO or
work on a contractual basis for it.
The fee is fixed, and does not fluc-
tuate. if a person seeks medical
care more frequently. More than
13 percent of all Americans were
enrolled in 591 HMOs at the end
of 1989, with plans in every state
In preferred provider organiza-
tions, consumers are asked to
visit doctors that agree to accept
fees set by the plan. In exchange,
the plans steer patients to the
participating doctors. There often
is a financial penalty for con-
sumers who use doctors that do
not participate. For instance,
there could be a higher deducti-
ble, forcing the consumer to pay
more out -of- pocket for health
care.
The industry also is relying
more on second opinions to en-
sure that there really is a need for
the particular. medical treatment
someone is seeking.
The managed care system, still
evolving, has encountered some
opposition, and has had its share
of glitches. Many workers balk at
the idea, especially young moth-
ers and the elderly, who are more
likely to want personal re-
lationships with their doctors.
"There's a quiet rebellion going
on against the quality of the care
that's being delivered," said Her-
bert Goodfriend, an independent
insurance -Industry analyst.
"Some people feel forced into
these ' programe by their em-
ployers."
NEXT: Canadl's national health insur-
ance program.
except Alaska and Mississippi,
HIAA said. i i
`Managed Care' is insurers' answer
to nation's rising healt o.,c+�
Editor's note:The health insurance in-
dusiry is sometimes pictured as the
villain as premiums increase and cover-
age is cut back. But the industry is facing
its own financial crisis. The second part
of a four -part series, "Unhealthy Insur-
ance," examines the industry's answer
to the health insurance dilemma: man-
aged care.
By Peter Viles
The Associated Press
HARTFORD, Conn. — At Aetna
Life & Casualty, the actuaries and
claims adjusters have been joined
by a new army of insurance ex-
perts: some 1,300 staff doctors,
dentists, nurses and social
workers.
Aetna's medically trained staf-
fers do not practice medicine in
the usual sense. In the company's
drive to control the cost of health
care, their job is to review the
treatment given to millions of Ae-
tna policyholders.
Like most other large insurers,
Aetna is under pressure to do
something — anything — to slow
the increase in the cost of health
care, which has doubled in the
past decade.
Americans last year spent more
than $600 billion on health care.-
The Health Insurance Association
of America estimates that private
insurers pay about 32 percent of
that total bill.
At the same time, the industry
reports that it is paying out more
in benefits than it receives in
premiums.
"The high cost of insurance is
driven by the high cost of medical
care," says Carl Schramm, the
HIAA's exe -t ve director. "Health
Insuranc is exactly what
hospital; doctors make it
cost." "
_ s
A survey by the Health Insur-
ance Association of America
found that in 1989 nearly 23
percent of those covered
under employer- sponsored
health insurance were mem-
bers of a HMO and another 32
percent were covered by a pre-
ferred provid or g an i za tion.
The question, then, is how to
limit the increase in those costs.
Insurance companies are mov-
ing away from traditional health
insurance plans in which people
visit the doctors of their choice
and the insurance company then
pays most of the bill with no ques-
tions asked.
"I tend to believe that 10 to 20
percent of the medical' services
performed are at least questiona-
ble and probably unnecessary,"
said Keith Stevenson, an Aetna
vice president.
Aetna, like many of its competi-
tors, have begun to aggressively
monitor medical treatments, an
approach generally referred to as
"managed care."
For consumers, this usually
means second opinions for non -
emergency surgery, membership
in health maintenance organizes.
tions, or HMOs, or appointments
with physicians specilled by the
insurer.
- The recent rapid growth of
inanaged care plans reflects the
recognition by major employers
and insurers that ways must be
found to reduce costs while assur-
ing that patients get appropriate
care," the HIAA said in its 1990
review of health insurance data.
"Insurers increasingly recognize
that traditional fee - for - service in-
demnity plans do not provide me-
chanisms to contain costs."
The Value Line Investment Sur-
vey, predicted in its Dec. 14 issue
that "cost- control through man-
aged care operations will likely be
the emphasis of the '90s."
Industry analysts say managed
care has succeeded only slightly
in holding down costs.
"What they're talking about is
really a small part of the costs,"
said Ron Pollack, executive direc-
tor of Families USA Foundation.
"I'm not saying that's unimpor-
tant. But in terms of the big battle
that's necessary to get costs
down. they're exerting very little
control."
Thin criticism comes as the life
and health insurance industry
faces serious questions about its
ilnancial soundness, largely be-
cause of the Industry's heavy ex-
posure to the ailing real estate
Market.
Aetna announced in October a
restructuring plan to tighten
JperauOns and save up to $95
r– a year. The cost: 2,600
i q
1
1
"The insurance industry is in a
down cycle," Denise A. Petsis, an
analyst with Argus Research
Corp., said at the time. "There's
very little room right now to im.
prove revenue, so what they're
trying to do is hold the line on
costs."
Blue Cross and Blue Shield As-
sociation, the largest financer of
health care with 73 plans cover-
ing about 71 million Americans
nationwide, is nearing the end of
an "up cycle," said Leonard E.
Wood 111, senior vice president for
marketing. But beginning in
1992. the group expects to start a
three -year downward slide, when
it will have to dip into reserves
built up in the previous cycle, he
said.
Unlike other private insurance
companies, the non - profit asso-
ciation is owned by its customers,
much like a mutual company.
Wood said the commercial in-
dustry moves in similar cycles,
only the cycles last longer and
start later. Generally, he said.
"most commercial companies do
not make a lot of money on health
insurance.... Most v° t as a way
to get other busine h as life
Insurance. * J
1 131 h I
19
•
G leave CS
complex without heat
By Phillip Sulak
Eagle staff writer
Crews were fighting the clock
and the thermometer Wednesday
so that residents of a College Sta-
tion apartment complex would
not have to spend a second night
in the cold.
But a temporary victory turned
into a cold defeat.
The Southgate Village Apart-
ments on Luther Street went
without natural gas on Tuesday
and Wednesday nights because of
leaks. The management of the
government - subsidized housing
complex said heaters and stoves
would be out of commission until
some time today, at best.
The management of the com-
plex had expected the gas to be
turned back on Wednesday night.
But after the original leak was
fixed, tests revealed more leaks.
A spokesperson for the complex
said Wednesday night that no
more work would be done until
this morning.
The city of College Station and
the Brazos County Chapter of the
American Red Cross set up a
temporary shelter in Lincoln
Center on Eleanor Street to house
residents Wednesday night.
The center is located across a
creek and a field from the apart-
ment complex. The Red Cross had
made arrangements for 150 peo-
ple to sleep and 400 people to eat
at the Lincoln Center on Wednes-
day night.
"We got a call from Janice
Burke (Southgate's manager), at
about 9 a.m_, said Steve Beachy,
College Station's director of parks
and recreation Wednesday. "We
told her to call the Red Cross and
that we would provide the facili-
ties."
Beachy, who also manages the
city's emergency plan, said the
apartment staff surveyed South-
gate Village residents Wednesday
afternoon, looking for people who
would be interested in spending
the night in the Lincoln Center.
The stall' found 100 people who
Please see Leak, 5A
•
D
Leak
From 1A
said they would sleep in the city's
facility.
"It's not luxurious, but it's
warm," Beachy said.
Bill Thomas, executive director
of the local Red Cross, said his
agency was ready.
"We have blankets and coats to
pass out," Thomas said. "McDon-
ald's has called in extra crews to
make sure everybody gets fed."
Thomas said a nurse would be
on duty at the center in case of an
emergency. He said Civil Defense
and the Army Reserve were pro-
viding cots for people wanting to
spend the night in the center.
"This could be a lot worse,"
Thomas said. "It's just a cold
snap."
Weather forecasters were pre-
dicting lows in the upper 20s
Wednesday night.
Ann Marie Hall, a property
supervisor for Byran Properties,
the Austin -based company that
owns Southgate Village, said the
leak was discovered Tuesday
afternoon by a workman who
smelled the gas.
Workers had finished working
on the leak by 6 p.m. Wednesday,
but were still awaiting city in-
spection crews to approve the
work. The inspection turned up
more bad news when additional
leaks were found.
The gas problems of the past
few days are not the first ones the
complex has had with utilities.
In 1984, residents couldn't cook
or take hot baths for seven days
while gas leaks were being re-
paired. In 1985, residents went
without gas for 17 days because of
leaks. And in 1986, electricity
service to the complex was cut off
by the city of College Station for
three hours after management
failed to pay the bill.
Red Cross officials Bill Thomas (seated), Dean Dyer and Margaret Beauchamp get ready for the expected
influx of people from Southgate Village into the Lincoln Center gym Wednesday.
(13i ICI r
C:
Major crimp
in county at
11 -year low
t3y Chuck Squatrtgtta
Eagle staff writer
Sheriff Ronnie Miller is
worried.
With 348 crimes reported
in 1990, major crime in
rural Brazos County
is at its
lowest point since 1979,
That's good news, but Mil -
■Campus crime down, 5A
ler said it creates
pressure
for him and his department.
®
" I have dreaded r3ight-
mares about it coming back
up." he said. "Last year I
didn't think we could beat
1 989, and now I'm worried
about 1991. It's going to be
tough."
Overall, major crime fell
17
percent from 421
offenses in 1989 to 348 in
1990. Major crime includes
murder, rape, robbery, as-
sault, burglary, theft and
vehicle thefts. There
have
been no murders in rural
Brazos County since
1988,
and four rapes were report-
ed in both 1989 and 1990.
Other categories of major
crime fell between 11 per-
cent and 66 percent.
Rural Brazos County's
statistics do not include
Bryan, College Station
or
Texas A &M Universitv,
where police keep their own
Please see Low, 5A
Low
From 1 A
statistics. According to the 1990
census, 14,404 of Brazos
County's 121,862 residents live
outside of Bryan and College Sta-
tion.
Changes in violent crime statis-
tics were relatively small. Robbery
fell from three in 1989 to one in
1990 and assaults dropped from
63 in 1989 to 56 last year. Of the
assaults, six were aggravated
offenses, meaning a weapon or se-
rious injury was involved, the
sheriff said. The remainder were
misdemeanor assaults, most the
result of brawls or domestic dis-
turbances, Miller said. Two of the
four sexual assaults reported last
year were aggravated offenses, he
said.
Of all property crimes, thefts
showed the greatest declines. Ve-
hicle thefts dropped 57 percent,
from 21 in 1989 to nine in 1990.
Thefts of other items fell from 142
in 1989 to 112 in 1990, a drop of
21 percent. Of these thefts, 29
were felonies — those items
valued at more than $750. Several
of the felony thefts were livestock
or farm equipment thefts, Miller
said.
There were 22 fewer burglaries
in 1990 than in 1989, when there
OFFENSE/YEAR
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1981
1988
1989
1990' <i
Murder
2
2
3
1
0
0
2
3
1
3
0
0
Rape
1
4
6
7
5,
2
8
7
7
10
4
4
Robbery
2
2
5
7
4
5
4
4
2
4
3
1
Assau it
39
22
65
56
60
107
69
62
46
47
63
56 "
Burglary
125
187
234
158
160
188
200
229
274
290
188
166
Theft
Unauthorized
use of M/V
106
10
121
18
169
33
187
21
227
26
147
23
349
15
158
30
153
21
162
24
142
21
112
9
TOTAL
Eaqle araohic by Anth,n r:r,..
285
1..e
356
515
437
482
472
447
493
504
540
421
348
were 188. Of the 166 burglaries
reported in 1990, 50 were build-
ing burglaries, 88 were homes
and 28 were vehicles. The majori-
ty of building burglaries occurred
at rental storage facilities, the
sheriff said.
Most property crime in the
county occurs while people are at
work, Miller said.
The sheriff attributed the de-
cline to three factors:
■Deputies have been making
increased patrols of the county.
■More Brazos County resi-
dents are taking part in Neigh-
borhood Watch programs and
taking other measures to protect
themselves from crime. There are
54 Neighborhood Watch neigh-
borhoods in rural Brazos County,
and Miller said most of the county
participates in the program.
"Our major benefit over the past
two years has been the Neighbor-
hood Watch program being our
eyes and ears during the day,"
Miller said.
■Investigators have been clear-
ing cases faster and getting cri-
minals off the street before they
can commit more crimes, Miller
said. Investigators have received
more tips through Crime Stop-
Source: Brazos County Sheriff's Department
pers and have been able to close
more cases, he said.
In the past year, Crime Stop-
pers tips have resulted in the
arrest of 101 people and the clear-
ing of 95 cases. Tips also have re-
sulted in the recovery of $56,015
worth of stolen property and the
seizure of $41,245 worth of nar-
cotics. Last year, $ 13,125 in re-
wards were paid.
J
7
C
University Police reports
decline in major crimes
By Chuck Squatriglia
Eagle staff writer
University Police officials were
pleasantly surprised by what they
found after reviewing their 1990
crime statistics.
"This is the first year all major
crimes have diminished," said
Bob Wiatt, director of the Uni-
versity Police. Major crimes fell 27
percent, from 1,072 reported in
1989 to 779 reported in 1990.
Major crimes include murder,
rape, robbery, aggravated assault,
burglary, theft and motor vehicle
theft. There were no murders in
1989 or 1990, and other categor-
ies of major crimes fell by between
22 percent and 83 percent.
The greatest decline came in
aggravated assaults, which' fell
from 12 in 1989 to just two in
1990, a drop of 83 percent.
Two rapes were reported in
1990, one fewer than in 1989, and
there was just one robbery last
year, also one fewer than in 1989.
Wiatt said all reported rapes in
1989 and 1990 were date rapes
and that rape is the most under-
reported of all crimes.
Property crimes also decreased.
There were 691 reported thefts in
1990, 22 percent fewer than in
1989. Most of these thefts were
backpacks and purses left un-
attended in dining halls or at the
library, Wiatt said.
Burglary declined 45 percent
from 117 in 1989 to 64 in 1990, t
and motor vehicle thefts fell from
47 in 1989 to 19 last year. Wiatt
attributed the decrease in burg-
laries to the fact that students
and faculty are beginning to real- a
ize they can become a victim and a
are starting to lock office and Ii
dormitory room doors when leav- n
ing.
"It's just that simple," he said.
"Many off these crimes are crimes
Of opportunity. If you lock the
door and diminish the opportun-
ity, the thief will go elsewhere."
Wiatt cited increased foot patrol
of the campus as a leading reason
for the decline in crime. Thirty se-
curity officers do nothing but pa-
trol campus on foot and increase
the department's presence, he
said. In addition, the depart-
ment's 42 police officers are en-
couraged to "park, walk and talk,"
meaning they are to park their pa-
trol cars and walk around cam-
Pus, talking with students and fa-
culty in an effort to increase
safety and prevent crime, Wiatt
said.
The department's increased pa-
trol of campus has already proven
effective: A motorcycle theft ring
based in Mexico was broken up in
early November when an officer
Positioned atop a building over-
looking a parking lot witnessed a
theft. Several other people have
been arrested after officers spot-
ted them breaking into cars, Wiatt
said.
Wiatt also cited the depart-
ment's crime prevention unit with
increasing public awareness of
crime and campus and with
prompting both students and fa-
culty to take crime - prevention
measures.
"They pound away with the fact
hat Texas A &M is not an Alice in
Wonderland environment," Wiatt
said of his two crime prevention
officers. "It's part of the real world
and I think that concept is being
bsorbed by both the students
nd the faculty. It's a growing rea-
zation that college campuses are
of pure, sanctified environments
here crime does not occur."
1-111-111
N.J. governor vetoes 'smokers
The Associated Press
TRENTON, N.J. — Gov. Jim
Florio on Thursday vetoed a
"smokers' rights" bill that would
have prohibited employers from
discriminating against workers
because of their off-the -job smok-
ing habits.
Smoking is not a constitutional
right and "it would be uncons-
cionable to give any type of legal
sanction to an addiction respon-
sible for so much harm," Florio
said.
The bill, passed last year by
overwhelming margins in both
the Assembly and Senate, would
have elevated discrimination
against smokers to the same level
as laws banning discrimination
on the basis of race, sex or
national origin.
It would have made it illegal for
an employer to fire workers be-
cause of off -the -job smoking
habits or to consider the habit
when making personnel de-
cisions.
Proponents say smokers need
protection because a growing
number of people have been de-
nied jobs because of their habit.
Opponents say health concerns
rights' bill
are more important, and that
smoking does not deserve the
same protection given other civil
rights.
"It's just too bad that the gov-
ernor did not see the real issue:
privacy rights," said Edward Mar -
tone, executive director of the New
Jersey chapter of the American
Civil Liberties Union.
Sheila Banks, spokeswoman for
Philip Morris USA, the tobacco
giant that supported the bill, said,
"There are companies that may
want to get rid of people who are
too fat, too thin, or have
cholesterol counts they think are
too high. This is just the tip of the
iceberg."
State Sen. Francis McMani-
mon, sponsor of the bill, said he is
seriously considering pushing for
an override of Florio's veto.
Stuart G. Finch, president of
the New Jersey Division of the
American Cancer Society, said,
"We recognize that Gov. Florio is
showing sound leadership in this
area and with 5,400 new cases of
lung cancer in New Jersey and
4,900 expected deaths, we hope
our state legislators follow his ex-
ample...
9N /0 (
•
Economy forces
Pier 1 to slow
down expansion
FORT WORTH (AP) — The poor
retail economy is forcing Pier 1
Imports Inc. to slow down its ex-
pansion and lay off some h,ad-
quarters staff, the company said
Tuesday.
The company has been the na-
tion's fastest - growing home fur-
nishings retailer, growing from
265 to 570 stores since 1985, and
plans to have 1,000 stores by
2000.
Company officials earlier pre-
dicted a natural slowdown in the
growth pattern. But they said
Tuesday that the recession and
war's effect on consumers slowed
revenues to where only 25 new
Pier 1 stores will be built this year.
"It's down considerably from
what we would have earlier anti-
cipated for this year," said Robert
Herndon, Pier 1's chief financial
officer.
He said company leaders had
not settled on a precise number of
new stores until the decision that
prompted Tuesday's announce-
0
9/011
1�t
t
Board to discuss user policy for CS park
By Phillip Sulak
Eagle staff w riter
biology professor, has said the
race will harm a rare orchid.
The race was approved the
board on Jan. 8. Wilson protested
the planned course for the race,
saying it threatened the splranth-
ese parksli, or Navasota ladies
tresses. The wildflower is on the
federal endangered species list.
Thurlow and Steve Beachy, Col-
lege Station's director of parks
and recreation. have rerouted the
racecourse in an effort to avoid
harming the plant's habitat.
Wilson said he will be at Tues-
day's meeting to plead his case
again. He said the board is taking
the city's only nature area and al-
lowing it to be used for a recrea-
tional use.
The board will also hold a public
hearing on the development of the
city's newest park, Woodcreek
Park, located in the subdivision of
the same name in southeast Col-
lege Station.
The board will meet at 7 p.m. in
the City Council Chambers, lo-
cated in the College Station City
Hall, 1101 Texas Ave. South.
The College Station Parks and
Recreation Board on Tuesday will
discuss the user policy for Lick
Creek Park.
The discussion is expected to
center on an off -road bicycle race
scheduled for March 3. The race,
the Lick Creek Challenge, is being
organized by Ken Thurlow, the
owner of Aggieland Cycling and
Fitness.
But Hugh Wilson, a Texas A &M
6 2-11 _�) Iq
CS residents voice concerns on Lick Creek Park race
By Phillip Sulak
Eagle staff writer
would hurt the habitat of an orchid on
the endangered species list.
Zipser read from the established goals
of Lick Creek Park to make his point to
the board.
He said the goals stated that the park
was established to protect the habitat of
endangered species and to provide oppor-
tunities for outdoor education and re-
creation.
"The board needs to be farsighted,"
Zipser said. "There is a growing demand
for nature areas. Once you destroy an
area, you can't bring it back."
John Compton, a former parks board
member, told the board the park is a
unique place.
"The city has catered well to the sports
people," Compton said. "If you are into
natural parks, you are out of luck."
Compton warned the race would bring
publicity to the park, and that the nature
areas would soon have to contend with
motorcycles as well as bikes.
Mike Moses, a member of the local
chapter of the Sierra Club, told the board
the effect of bikes on nature areas is not
just a local problem.
"The area is not suited for a race."
Moses said. "Develop it by leaving it
alone."
There were differing degrees of sup-
port for letting the park be developed
more.
Jeff Runge, speaking for the biking in-
terests, said he agreed with much of what
was being said about preserving the area.
"Most of the damage is done by people
riding bikes on trails meant for hiking,"
Runge said. "You should set aside part of
the park to be untouched."
Bill Harris told the board the park
should be used by as many people as
possible.
"A wilderness area does not serve the
community to a great extent," Harris
said. "There is plenty of post oak savan-
nah around that doesn't lend itself to the
community."
Sharon Colson, the board's chair, said
she needed time to absorb the informa-
tion she had gathered at the meeting and
suggested the entire board come back in
March with their viewpoints.
Colson said the race should not be con-
sidered a precedent, but a pilot, to see if a
bike race is a viable use for the park.
The race is still on in Lick Creek Park,
but the College Station Parks and Recrea-
tion Board heard testimony on Tuesday
Indicating that some College Station re-
sidents are concerned by the race plans.
But the board decided to withhold
Judgment on a policy outlining how the
park should be used until it could de-
termine how the race would affect the
park.
he board will meet next on March 5 —
days after the race.
- 'The Audubon Society's highest prior-
ity this year is Lick Creek Park," said Ed
Zipser, a vice president of the Rio Brazos
Chapter of the Audubon Society. "We are
committed to assisting in the de-
velopment of the potential of the park as a
natural area for public use."
The parks board has approved an off -
road bicycle race in January for the
550 -acre park, located in southeast Col-
lege Station, to take place on March 3.
Only one Texas A &M biology professor
voiced dissent at that time, saying the
race, dubbed the Lick Creek Challenge,
E r
CS library unlikely
to be on May ballot
By Phillip Sulak
'Eagle staff writer
Saddam Hussein inflicted a ca-
sualty in College Station on Wed-
nesday night, as the College Sta-
tion City Council decided not to
put a proposal for a new library on
May's ballot.
"I can't get into this idea, with
the war going on and the economy
like it is, of taking (a bond propo-
sal) back to the voters," said
Councilman Fred Brown. "It
would be terrible timing."
A $2.5 million library proposal
was defeated by seven votes in the
December bond election. Several
council members suggested on
the night of the defeat that a re-
vised version of the library might
be presented on the same ballot
as the city council elections in
May.
Mayor Larry Ringer agreed with
Brown's assessment of the li-
brary's chances in May. He said
that if the war wasn't on, if the
economy was better and if the
council could come up with a
different package, then maybe a
library proposal could pass.
Councilman Dick Birdwell was
the only council member to speak
for the library.
" I feel different about the library
than I do about LoTrak," Birdwell
said. "It ended up about 50 -50."
LoTrak, the plan to lower the
Southern Pacific tracks along
Wellborn Road, lost 60 percent to
40 percent in the December elec-
tion.
Birdwell wanted to put the li-
brary on the ballot with three
changes from the proposal that
was defeated in December.
Birdwell said the council could
take out an option on a library
site. He reasoned that would ap-
pease those who didn't want to
vote for a library without knowing
a location.
Birdwell said the library could
remain a part of the Bryan library
system, eliminating criticism that
a College Station library would di-
vide the community.
And Birdwell said the council
could lower costs by eliminating a
$350,000 automation system.
But other council members said
they had received too much nega-
tive feedback to risk another bond
proposal.
"I've talked to a lot of people,"
said Councilwoman Lynn Mell
haney. "If we put it back on, I
don't think it will be defeated by
only seven votes. If we lose twice,
Please see Library, 9A
MIA,
CJ
The options, he said, would
need more right -of -way than orig-
�
Library
inally required, would hinder ac-
cessibility to commercial property
in Southgate and would require
From 1A
the destruction of work done in
LoTrak's first phase.
The council also heard a pre -
it will be hard to bring back."
sentation of planned street and
Other council members agreed
sidewalk work funded by the vic-
with McIlhaney's assessment.
tory of the street bond proposal in
"I was talking to some people in
the December election.
the office before coming here,"
Ringer, with the consensus of
said Councilman Vernon
the council, instructed the staff to
Schneider. "They said 'Don't you
conduct a traffic count on several
know what no means? "
streets slated for work and to con -
The council heard a presen-
struct computer models that
tation on LoTrak from Carol Zei-
would show the effects of several
gler, district engineer for the State
street extensions.
Department of Highways and
Welsh Street, north of Holleman
Public Transportation.
Drive, was one of the streets con -
Zeigler's presentation was al-
sidered for extension. Birdwell
most identical to the one he gave
first suggested the study, even
to the Bryan City Council in Jan-
though he realized it would be
uary, explaining how the project
unpopular with residents in the
would look now that College Sta-
neighborhood.
tion is not participating.
" I understand it's controversial,
All three options would termin-
but we have a bottleneck," Bird -
ate the divided highway at George
well said.
Bush Drive; the difference in the
Welsh is an active north -south
options concerns the routing of
street between Holleman and
the southbound lane of Wellborn
Southwood Valley, but at Holle-
and the railroads through the
man it narrows and eventually
George Bush - Wellborn intersec-
ends before reaching Bush.
tion.
The computer model would
Zeigler also presented three
show how traffic would be affected
other options, illustrating what
if the street was put through to
would have to be done if the
would be extended south
Bush.
project
in the future, after the shortened
version of LoTrak is complete.
0
�J
•
CS Council approves
oil recycling program
The College Station City Council on
Thursday voted to crank up a new oil
recycling program.
The Brazos Valley Solid Waste Man-
agement Agency will be applying for a
$50,000 grant to establish Project
ROSE — Recycle Oil Save Energy.
Dennis Smith, an administrative as-
sistant in the public service depart-
ment, told the council that the Envir-
onmental Protection Agency estimates
that 61 percent of the crankcase oil
bought in stores is disposed of im-
properly.
Project ROSE will provide containers
for oil, which will be picked up at the
curb by the city's regular garbage col -
lectors. The oil will then be stored at
the waste agency's landfill until it is
sold to a recycler.
Most of the grant money will go for
the containers and for racks on city
garbage trucks to hold the containers.
Part of the money will go to the state
of Alabama, where the project origin-
ated. Smith said the agency will pay a
small fee for rights to use the name,
logo and marketing plan of the Ala-
bama program.
Smith said he hopes the city can
start the project in May or June.
The Bryan City Council approved
the same plan on Monday.
ali&l�►
Webb announces he'll run
for CS council Place 5 seat
By Phillip Sulak
Eagle staff writer
John C. Webb, a College Station at-
torney, announced Friday that he will
seek Place 5 on the College Station
City Council.
Webb is seeking to
replace Councilman
Jim Gardner, who
u;
said he plans to run
for re- election.
Filing for candi-
dates in the May 4
city and school elec-
tions in Bryan and
College Station be- WEBB
gins Monday.
Webb said he does not have a special
agenda or pet projects, but is running
because of his "long -range interests in
the area."
Webb said his experience as an at-
torney, coupled with management
skills associated with founding and
operating the law firm of West, Adam,
Webb & Allbritton will be help him
make informed and objective de-
cisions.
Webb is a native of Navasota. He has
degrees in business administration
and law from Baylor University.
He is an alumni of Leadership Bra-
zos and a member of the Bryan -
College Station Chamber of Com-
merce. He attends the First Baptist
Church of College Station.
Gardner defeated Webb for Place 5 in
1987 by a vote of 1,065 -831.
City council filing
begins on Monday
Filing for seats on the Bryan and
College Station city councils will begin
Monday.
The council and school board elec-
tions will be held on May 4.
Places 1, 3, and 5, along with the
mayor's seat are this on year's ballot in
Bryan.
Mayor Marvin Tate, Place 1 incum-
bent Hank McQuaide, Place 3 incum-
bent Ben Hardeman and Place 5 in-
cumbent Kandy Rose all said they plan
to run for re- election.
Places 1, 3 and 5 are up for election
in College Station.
Place 1 incumbent Fred Brown,
Place 3 incumbent Lynn Mcllhaney
and Place 5 incumbent Jim Gardner
said they plan to run for re- election.
Attorney John C. Webb announced
Friday that he will also seek Gardner's
seat.
Candidates can file for the Bryan
City Council from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m,
Monday- Friday, in the city secretary's
office, located on the first floor of the
Bryan Municipal Building, 300 S.
Texas Ave.
Candidates can file for the College
Station City Council in the city secre-
tary's office in College Station City Hall
from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday- Friday.
The city hall is located at 1101 Texas
Ave. South.
Filing ends March 20.
Williams family moves
into new Habitat home
By Roland Martin
Eagle staff writer
Janice Williams said she still
can't believe she is the owner of
her own home.
More than 50 people were on
hand Sunday to see the keys to a
new three- bedroom home han-
ded to the single mother of three
children by the Bryan- College
Station Habitat for Humanity.
The organization's purpose is to
build simple, decent housing for
low- income families in Bryan and
College Station.
The dedication of the new home
comes almost six months after
the first Habitat home was built
for a Bryan family.
Williams, who had previously
lived in an apartment in Bryan,
said she is thankful for the vol-
unteers who built the home.
"It is a new house and a good
environment o raise my family,"
she said. Williams said her chil-
dren — Jay and Candis, both age
four, and Erica, seven — are also
happy to have a house and a yard
to play in.
Williams said she was alerted to
Habitat four months ago when a
friend told her about the organi-
zation. She said she filled out the
application and went through to
the process and was lucky to have
been chosen for the home. Wil-
liams said the family would begin
moving into the home Sunday
afternoon.
Williams and her family had to
agree to invest 500 hours of their
time into the construction of the
home as a down payment. They
will also have 'to make monthly
payments on a no- interest loan
from Habitat to pay back the cost
of the house, which was built for
$25,000. Those funds will be used
to buy materials to construct an-
other home for another needy
family.
College Station Mayor Larry
Ringer, who was on hand for the
dedication, said he was glad that
community development officials
recommended donating the land
to Habitat and that the city coun-
cil approved the proposal. He said
the volunteer spirit exemplified by
the organization is what the twin
cities are all about.
"It's a trademark sign of what
Please see Habitat, 3A
Eagle photo by Peter Roche
Janice Williams and her children, Erica (in back), Candig and Jay
were presented with a new home and a cake by Habitat for Hu-
manity at a ceremony Sunday afternoon.
Habitat
From 1A
our two cities are doing and the
kind of people we have," Ringer
said.
Trish Burk, president of Habi-
tat, said the organization is look-
ing for a lot on which to build their
next home. She said they are talk-
ing to several area realtors and
banks, but have not received an
offer.
She said the building of the new
homes will alternate between
Bryan and College Station.
Burk said they are also looking
for commitments from area busi-
nesses similar to the one provided
the First City Texas -Bryan. She
said the bank has pledged $ 1,000
for three years to the organiza-
tion. First City also offered to have
one of its representatives work
with the banking community and
the Habitat board of directors.
Burk said Habitat Interna-
tional, will celebrate its 15th an-
niversary by dispersing 15 -20
workers to cities across the
United States to help local organi-
zations build housing for the
needy. She said they will be in
Bryan the last week of June to
"blitz- build" a home in a week.
"We are hoping that the com-
munity and local businesses will
get together to make that blitz
building a reality," Burk said.
She said Habitat is in dire need
of services and in -kind donations
from area businesses.
The Homebuilders Association
has already agreed to train vol-
unteers to build the houses. It will
also supervise the building of the
house. She said Habitat will be in
need of child care, food, funds,
materials and housing for the
workers when they arrive in town.
For more information, contact
the Habitat for Humanity office at
846 -7200.
fqav/Gr
D
Incumbents, accountant seek
seats on CS, Bryan councils
By Phillip Sulak
Eagle staff writer
Incumbents Fred Brown and Lynn
McIlhaney have filed for re- election to the
College Station City Council.
Across town, Rudy Schultz will chal-
lenge for Place 3 on the Bryan City Coun-
the city council and school board elec-
ons will be held on May 4.
McIlhaney filed Monday for her fifth
term on the council, having served two
terms from 1982 -86 and two more terms
from 1987 to the present.
McIlhaney, a homemaker, said she will
work for closer relationships with College
Station schools and Texas A &M Universi-
ty if re- elected. She said the entities must
work together to serve area residents
more effectively and efficiently.
Brown, who is the councilman for Place
1 and the mayor pro -tem, filed Tuesday
for his fourth term on the council.
Brown said he is working to form a
committee of representatives from the
city, school district and Texas A &M to
provide better comprehensive planning
for College Station.
"It's a way for everyone to maximize
their resources," Brown said.
Brown also said he would like the city
to use fewer outside consultants. The city
BROWN
MCILHANEY
should use local firms if hiring a consul-
tant is unavoidable, he said.
Brown owns auto dealerships in Bryan,
Navasota and Killeen.
John Webb, a College Station attorney,
filed on Monday for Place 5, which is oc-
cupied by Jim Gardner.
Gardner has said he plans to file for re-
election.
Schultz, an accountant with the Texas
Agricultural Experiment Station, is mak-
ing his second attempt for the Bryan
council. He finished third in a six-
candidate race for Place 6 in the 1990 city
elections. He could not be reached for
comment Tuesday night.
The Place 3 seat is occupied by Ben
Hardeman, who has said he plans to run
for re- election.
Filings for city elections will continue
until March 20. Candidates in College
Station can file at the College Station City
Hail, 1101 Texas Ave. South. Candidates
In Bryan can file in the Bryan Municipal
Building, 300 S. Texas Ave.
SCHULTZ
•
c
•
Texas Avenue
to be closed for
annual footrace
By Chuck Squatriglia
Eagle staff writer
Texas Avenue will be closed on Satur-
day morning for the annual Straight Shot
footrace, but race officials don't expect
serious traffic problems.
Texas Avenue between East 29th Street
In Bryan and FM 2818 in College Station
will be closed at 7:45 a.m. Saturday to all
north- and southbound traffic, said Tony
Scazzero, race director.
Police officers will be positioned at ma-
jor intersections to allow east- and west-
bound traffic to cross Texas Avenue as
runners allow, he said. The officers will be
posted at Coulter Drive, Carson Street,
Villa Maria Road, North Avenue, Uni-
versity Drive, George Bush Drive, Holle-
man Drive and Southwest Parkway.
Race officials will follow the runners,
opening streets as the race progresses,
Scazzero said. The following streets are
expected to open at the following times:
■East 29th Street at 8:15 a.m.
■Coulter Drive at 8:20 a.m.
■Carson Street at 8:25 a.m.
■Villa Maria Road at 8:35 a.m.
■North Avenue at 8:45 a.m.
■University Drive at 8:55 a.m.
■George Bush Drive at 9:15 a.m.
■Holleman Drive at 9:20 a.m.
■Southwest Parkwayat 9:30 a.m.
Scazzero said the race is expected to
end by 9:30 a.m.
"We should be completely reopened,
including Texas Avenue, at 9:35 a.m.," he
said.
"Last year, hardly anyone noticed be-
cause we got up and down fast," he said.
"Obviously, you can see we're making a
real effort to inconvenience people as
little as possible."
,;�Ial Iii
County jobles � rate st state's lowest despite increase
By Teri Walley
Eagle business editor
The good news is that Brazos County
still has the lowest unemployment rate of
the cities in Texas. The bad news is that
the county's unemployment rate rose
from 3.6 percent in December to 4.2 per-
cent in January.
The unemployment rate is also up from
January 1990, with the percentage of the
county's unemployed going from 3.4 per-
cent one year ago to 4.2 percent this year.
Wait Baker, area director of the Texas
Employment Commission, attributes the
December -to -January slump to several
factors. Workers hired to handle the
Christmas rush have been laid off, and
employers for outdoor jobs such as con-
struction and landscaping haven't star-
ted hiring for spring.
The slump in the employment rate from
January 1990 to last month is attributa-
ble to another factor — the increase in
the county's population.
"I'm not upset that the unemployment
rate is higher than it was a year ago be-
cause people are coming back to Texas,"
Baker said. "For a long time we were on
the tail end of the dog (of the nation's
economy), but now the rest of the nation
is hurting and people are coming back to
the Sun Belt, looking for an opportunity."
According to TEC statistics, the
county's civilian labor force for January
was 59,600, about 500 more than for
January 1990. Those 500 people are dir-
ectly reflected in the unemployment rate.
In January, 2,500 were unemployed and
a year ago, 2,000 were unemployed. The
total number of employed people was
stable at 57,100 for January 1990 and
1991.
Brazos County has had the state's
lowest unemployment rate for 24 conse-
cutive months, and the January rate is
well below the state and national rates.
For January, 6.9 percent of Texas
workers were unemployed and 7 percent
of the national workforce were out of
work. One year ago, 5.8 percent of the
state's workers and 5.9 percent of the na-
tion's workers were unemployed.
Texas also suffered a slump from
December to January, with 6.5 percent of
the state looking for work.
The nation's figures took a sharper
turn from December to January, with the
national unemployment rate leaping
from 5.9 percent in December to 7 per-
cent in January.
Baker said Brazos County is insulated
from dramatic drops in employment be-
cause of "the strength and stability of our
government employment."
He cited the county and city govern-
ments, public schools, Texas A &M Uni-
versity and its extensions as stabilizing
factors.
Baker cautioned that although
government employment has cushioned
Brazos County so far, the area can anti-
cipate "biting the bullet" if the Texas Leg-
islature makes the funding cuts it has
planned.
"Obviously, because of the large num-
ber of government employees we have,
large cuts in funding have the potential to
impact us," Baker said.
Please see Jobless, 5A
JoDiess
From 1A
On the other hand, he said he
hopes the Legislature will realize
the importance of the university
to attracting industry to Texas.
A &M is "absolutely essential," he
said, supplying "bright young
people" to employers and provid-
ing technological support to busi-
ness.
" I think because of how much of
our funds are associated with
state employment and how very
Important to the state Texas A &M
University is, we will feel the im-
pact less than other places,"
Baker said, "because I believe our
legislative offices will make sure
that the tremendous asset of
Brazos Valley January Employment
Eagle graphic by Robert C. Borden
A &M's academic research to the
state continues to be funded in a
sound manner."
The rest of the Brazos Valley
mirrors the Brazos Valley, with
more people out of work since
December. Burleson County was
the only valley county that re-
mained unchanged, with the
unemployment rate 5.3 percent
for both December and January.
Washington County was the
only area in the Brazos Valley to
hire more workers. The unem-
ployment rate dropped from 3
percent in December to 2.7 per-
cent in January, with 338 unem-
ployed people in a total workforce
of 12,419.
Both Leon and Robertson
counties had significant increases
in their unemployment rates.
While Leon's unemployment rate
shot from 4.9 percent to 6.3,
Robertson's rate went even higher
— from 5.7 percent to 7.4 percent
from December to January.
Grimes. Milam and Madison
counties lost employment, but
less significantly.
Grimes's unemployment rate
climbed from 4.2 percent to 4.8.
Madison's from 3.5 to 4.1 percent
and Milam from 5.5 to 6.0 per-
cent.
Labor
County
Force
Employed
Unemployed
Unemployment
Percentage Rat(
Brazos
59,600
57,100
2,500
4.2
Burleson
5,693
5,392
301
5.3
Grimes
10,721
10,209
512
4.8
Leon
Madison
5,788
4,784
5,424
4,589
364
6.3
Milam
8,726
8,204
195
522
4.1
6.0
Robertson
5,962
5,522
440
7
Washington
12,419
12,081
338
2
Eagle graphic by Robert C. Borden
A &M's academic research to the
state continues to be funded in a
sound manner."
The rest of the Brazos Valley
mirrors the Brazos Valley, with
more people out of work since
December. Burleson County was
the only valley county that re-
mained unchanged, with the
unemployment rate 5.3 percent
for both December and January.
Washington County was the
only area in the Brazos Valley to
hire more workers. The unem-
ployment rate dropped from 3
percent in December to 2.7 per-
cent in January, with 338 unem-
ployed people in a total workforce
of 12,419.
Both Leon and Robertson
counties had significant increases
in their unemployment rates.
While Leon's unemployment rate
shot from 4.9 percent to 6.3,
Robertson's rate went even higher
— from 5.7 percent to 7.4 percent
from December to January.
Grimes. Milam and Madison
counties lost employment, but
less significantly.
Grimes's unemployment rate
climbed from 4.2 percent to 4.8.
Madison's from 3.5 to 4.1 percent
and Milam from 5.5 to 6.0 per-
cent.
,;� /aI lei r
Race route changed to avoid rare orchid
y Phillip Sulak
Eagle staff wrtter
Sunday's Lick Creek Challenge bicycle
race may feature thrills, chills and spills,
but it probably will not include protests
from environmental groups.
Bike racers and representatives of local
environmental groups reached a com-
promise during a Monday night meeting.
The riders are getting a race without con-
troversy, and the environmentalists are
getting guarantees that damage to the
park will be minimal.
The meeting also resulted in the form-
ing of FOLC (Friends of Lick Creek),
which includes representatives of envir-
onmental groups as well as bicycle en-
thusiasts.
The race has generated controversy
since it was approved by the College Sta-
tion Parks and Recreation Board in Jan-
uary. Hugh Wilson, a Texas A &M Uni-
versity biology professor, told the board
the race would endanger Navasota
Ladies' Tresses, an orchid protected
under the Federal Endangered Species
Act.
Environmental groups, including the
Sierra Club and the Texas Environmental
Action Coalition, backed Wilson and be-
gan discussions on how to block the race.
Steve Beachy, director of College Sta-
tion's parks and recreation department,
worked with race organizers to change
the course, avoiding areas where the or-
chid was growing. Beachy said he worked
from a map provided by Wilson that
showed the location for each plant in the
park.
But Wilson said at a Feb. 20 envir-
onmental meeting that the race course
still endangered the flower.
Ken Thurlow, manager of Aggieland
Cycling and Fitness and a race organizer,
said after that meeting that Wilson had
been uncooperative and that were no
plans to change the course.
But Monday night, the course changed
again.
"We worked out all our problems,"
Thurlow said Tuesday at the park. "We
agreed that all sides will work together to
keep the park going.'
Thurlow said he has promised this will
be the last race in Lick Creek.
"I'll try to find some private land to hold
the race on next year," Thurlow said. "I'd
like to keep it in College Station and keep
money coming into the community."
Thurlow has promised to donate the
proceeds of the race to the College Station
parks department with the stipulation
that the money be used to protect the
park's natural features.
"That money should be used to build
signs to route bikes away from the sensi-
tive areas of the park," Thurlow said.
The parks board probably will talk at
the board's Tuesday meeting about how
the race affected the park, Beachy said.
The FOLC will meet March 18, and the
group is asking the parks board to not set
new guidelines for use of the park until
after that meeting.
"We want them to delay a decision until
we've had adequate input," said Gary
Varner, a Texas A &M philosophy profes-
sor and a vice president in the Brazos
Sierra Club. "It won't be possible for all
the groups who are part of the different
organizations to get input from their
members until then."
Beachy said he didn't think there
Please see Race, 3A
Eagle photo by Peter Roche
College Station director of Parks and Recreation Steve Beachy explains the course
for Sunday's Lick Creek Challenge off -road bike race to (from left) Jeff Renfrow, Mar-
cie Rodgers, Michael Worsham, Curtis Bingham and W. B. "Bill" Lancaster.
From 1A
would be a problem with waiting
for input.
"I think it will be more than a
.month before the board can work
out a long -range policy," Beachy
said. "This will probably be an
ongoing topic until something is
agreed upon."
The board toured the park
Tuesday, as Beachy, a major in
the Army National Guard, led his
troops on a four -mile hike around
the planned course. The tour fea-
tured the fording of a stream and
several excursions through mud -
holes.
Sharon Colson, who chairs the
parks board, said after the walk
that the board would review the
situation after the race.
"But we don't intend to walk
every step of the course," Colson
said.
The series of races will begin at
noon. To get to the park, go east
from the East Bypass on Rock
Prairie Road about 4 1 /2 miles.
J
�)l /7 1 (
� Work begins
on extension of
FM 2818 in CS
"We're rebuilding and adding ramps
along the East Loop," Zeigler said. "There
will be something done at every inter-
change."
The highway department is moving the
on- and off -ramps along the bypass fur-
ther away from the interchanges to re-
lieve congestion. New ramps will be built
at Old Reliance and Woodville roads to
ease the switch to one -way roads, Zeigler
said.
The biggest part of the bypass project
will be construction of a bridge over the
East Bypass at Southwest Parkway. City
crews are working on the utility reloca-
tions necessary for that part of the
project. -
The Southwest Parkway bridge will re-
quire the street on the west side of the
bypass to be moved 130 feet to the south.
The move is necessary so that the bridge
will meet with Raintree Drive as it leaves
the Raintree subdivision.
The finished interchange will include
four ramps.
"The movements will be like the inter-
change at Highway 30," Zeigler said.
Zeigler estimated the whole East By-
pass project will be finished in the sum-
mer of 1992.
"The last phase will be actually turning
the access roads to one - way," Zeigler
said.
By Phillip Sulak
Eagle staff writer
This spring, along with the green and
blue of fresh foliage and blooming wild-
flowers, local drivers will be seeing lots of
orange — on warning flags and traffic py-
lons at road construction projects.
Preliminary work has begun on the ex-
tension of FM 2818 in College Station,
which will connect the road with the East
Bypass at Emerald Parkway.
"We've had the pre- construction meet-
ing," said David McCannon, an assistant
resident engineer with the State Depart-
ment of Highways and Public Transporta-
tion in Brenham. "The documents are be-
ing processed."
The Brenham office is handling the
project to even the work load divided
among the Bryan District's five offices.
McCannon said the contractor had not
broken ground on the project, mainly be-
cause because of the weather.
"The work going on out there is mainly
utility relocation," McCannon said.
"There are water, sewer and power lines
that need to be replaced by the city. The
phone company and Lone Star (Gas) also
are working out there."
McCannon said construction work
should begin for the FM 2818 project by
the end of March. The project is sched-
uled to take 160 working days. The road
should be completed between December
of this year and the summer of 1992,
McCannon said, depending on the
weather.
"A working day is Monday through
Saturday, when you can get seven hours
of continuous work in," McCannon ex-
plained.
College Station workers will shift the
end of Emerald Parkway to the north to
meet the extension of FM 2818. The city
is about one -third of the way through the
project, said Deborah Keating, a project
engineer with the city of College Station.
But the FM 2818 construction is not
the only project in the area.
The East Bypass will be the center of
activity, as the highway department pre-
pares to make the access roads one -way.
"We're rebuilding and adding ramps
along the East Loop," Zeigler said. "There
will be something done at every inter-
change."
The highway department is moving the
on- and off -ramps along the bypass fur-
ther away from the interchanges to re-
lieve congestion. New ramps will be built
at Old Reliance and Woodville roads to
ease the switch to one -way roads, Zeigler
said.
The biggest part of the bypass project
will be construction of a bridge over the
East Bypass at Southwest Parkway. City
crews are working on the utility reloca-
tions necessary for that part of the
project. -
The Southwest Parkway bridge will re-
quire the street on the west side of the
bypass to be moved 130 feet to the south.
The move is necessary so that the bridge
will meet with Raintree Drive as it leaves
the Raintree subdivision.
The finished interchange will include
four ramps.
"The movements will be like the inter-
change at Highway 30," Zeigler said.
Zeigler estimated the whole East By-
pass project will be finished in the sum-
mer of 1992.
"The last phase will be actually turning
the access roads to one - way," Zeigler
said.
3Ig Ic
EP
Time to remove yellow ribbon
Eagle Editorial Board
Last Saturday's giant yellow ribbon
event was a success. Bryan- College
Station earned a place in the Guiness
Book of Records by tying a miles -long
yellow ribbon around the twin com-
munities in celebration of the victory
in the Middle East and in support of
America's troops.
It was a ,joyous occasion and hun-
dreds of people participated.
But now, less than a week later,
the tattered and bedraggled ribbon
has become an eyesore and, at some
points, a danger to passing moto-
rists.
Those who organized the special
event should now see that every foot
of the ribbon is removed and dis-
posed of properly. The people who
helped put it up should be concerned
about the appearance and safety of
the community and should help take
the ribbon down.
City & State
3/11/91 (p. 6)
0
Attracting cream of the crop
By DAN MILLER
n an era of declining resources
for state and local government
and increased citizen demands for
services, America's need for public
servants who are qualified, creative
and talented is more acute than
ever.
And yet, it has never been tougher
to retain effec-
tive and sea-
soned adminis-
trators or
especially, to
attract the best
and brightest
to enter gov-
ernment for the
first time.
So what is
Miler the toughest
barrier to ex-
cellence in
public service? Is it the dismal pay
relative to the private sector? Is it
the inflexibility of work rules and
the denial of management rights?
How about the lack of anything re-
sembling a recruiting program for
the public sector?
Answers: No, no and no.
The biggest barrier to excellence
in government service is the nega-
tive image of government itself.
Publisher's memo
That's one of the key findings in a
superb new report from the Illinois
Commission on the Future of Public
Service, the first follow -up in the
nation to Paul Volcker's 1989 re-
port from the National Commission
on Public Service.
Although the report focuses on Il-
linois state government, the unpleas-
ant image of public service in Illinois
government is just as prevalent in
cities, counties and special jurisdic-
tions throughout the country.
And the report acknowledges un-
flinchingly that there's substance to
that unpleasant image.
Jean Franczyk, co- author of the
report with Ron Litke, writes that
many individuals were drawn to
public service to make a difference.
But they soon are worn down and
out by "bureaucratic inflexibility,
unenlightened demands from offi-
cials and citizens, limited control
over personnel decisions, limited re-
sources and seemingly endless pa-
perwork."
The negative image of government
is only the biggest barrier to excel-
lence. Other factors loom large as
well, including a personnel code
that favors a rigid, non - productive
work structure at the expense of
modern management techniques,
such as project teams. Indeed, even
if the personnel code weren't an ob-
stacle, middle- and upper -level
managers receive inadequate con-
tinuing education for their jobs.
Low pay also is a problem, as is de
facto exclusion of minorities and
women from the upper echelons of
management and the absence of re-
cruitment tactics.
"What the guy or woman at the
top of government has to do is sig-
nal with both words and actions
that creativity, spirit and talent are
more than welcome in government,"
said Elizabeth Hollander, director
of the project and the former plan-
ning commissioner of Chicago.
Ms. Hollander eloquently argues
for other solutions to the problem of
building excellence in public service,
and I'll be glad to send a copy of her
report, which was underwritten by
the Chicago Community Trust, to any
reader who requests one.
But the basic message is that pub-
lic servants themselves must take on
the responsibility "to restructure
and renew both the practice and the
ideals of public service."
L
E�
0
New owner to close
3 United Citizen sites
By Teri Walley
Eagle business editor
First American Bank of Bryan
will close two of the former United
Citizens bank locations on April 1
and will close a third when a new
facility is built to replace it.
According to a letter sent to
former United Citizens cus-
tomers, First American will no
longer operate facilities at 1501
Texas Ave. South and 1200 Briar -
crest Drive beginning April 1.
The former UCB facility at 2202
Longmire Drive in College Station
will continue to operate until a
new full- service facility is built on
the northeast corner of Texas
Avenue and FM 2818.
According to marketing director
Winnie Garner, construction on
the College Station bank will be-
gin in a couple of months. The
building is scheduled to be com-
pleted in December.
First American bought the
troubled United Citizens from the
FDIC Feb. 28. First American as-
sumed $53 million in deposits
and bought about $48.4 million in
assets at a discount of $4.995 mil-
lion, according to the FDIC.
First American will close its
Please see Close, 2A
Close
From 1 A
L
drive - through bank at 27th and Houston
streets in downtown Bryan when it opens
a new full - service facility a couple of
blocks away. Construction is under way
on that building.
According to Garner, First American
did not purchase the UCB buildings and
they now belong to the FDIC.
As of April 1, First American customers
will be able to bank at:
■ 1 1 1 1 Briarcrest Drive, Bryan;
■ 1660 Briarcrest Drive (convenience
center), Bryan;
027th and Houston streets, Bryan;
0 71 University Drive, College Station:
■2292 Longmire Drive, College Sta-
tion.
llgp
0
0
0
More candidates needed
A review of the record of the College
Station City Council demonstrates the
need for stronger candidates before the
Wednesday filing deadline.
The last bond issue indicates that the
council is not in touch with College Sta-
tion citizens.
BOB NIEMANN
College Station
3 1 loll �
O
L
Redistricting apt to split
county's representation
By Junda Woo
Eagle staff writer
AUSTIN — Brazos County won't
come out of the redistricting
process in one piece, a key law-
maker said Monday.
Prominent residents told a
House panel they'd like to keep
the county whole during redis-
tricting, the once -a- decade re-
drawing of election district lines.
"As presently constituted, it has
the comfort of familiarity and ease
of practice," said Frank Vandiver,
former Texas A &M president and
director of the Mosher Institute
for Defense Studies, in a letter to
the lawmakers.
County Judge R.J. Holmgreen,
who said he represented the Bra-
zos County Commissioners
Court, told the lawmakers local
interests are presented best if the
county is united.
County Treasurer Sandie Wal-
ker and Peter McIntyre, a physics
professor and Texas A &M Uni-
versity and super collider booster,
also want the county in one piece.
"We're not going to be able to do
that," said House Redistricting
Chairman Tom Uher, D -Bay City.
Please see Districts, 7A
House bill would transfer
$2.2 million from CSISD
By Junda Woo
Eagle staff writer
AUSTIN — The House version of
the school- finance bill would take
$2.2 million from College Station
schools next year, the superin-
tendent said.
"That hurts," said Superinten-
dent Ray Chancellor.
Nothing is certain yet; the edu-
cation legislation, which passed
the House earlier this month, may
be changed considerably this
week in a House - Senate confer-
ence committee. Lawmakers are
working to beat an April I court
deadline to make school finance
fair.
The Senate's version would take
$66,000 from College Station
schools, Chancellor said.
"That's why it's very difficult to
plan anything right now," he said.
The school board has postponed
ambitious construction and re-
modeling plans until money mat-
ters are settled.
In addition, Chancellor is keep-
Ing a wary eye on how lawmakers
deal with bonded debt. Again,
nothing is certain.
But College Station schools will
suffer if any of the money set
aside for paying off the district's
high debt is siphoned off to poorer
schools. That's a distinct possi-
bility.
Bryan's schools, in contrast,
would gain $1.5 million to $2 mtl-
lion under the House legislation,
said Superintendent Guy Gorden.
Administrators haven't calcu-
lated the bill's full implications,
though, because the legislation is
so apt to change, Gorden said.
No Brazos Valley lawmakers
serve on the conference commit-
tee, but both chambers will have
to approve the compromise bill
once the committee approves It.
Among the Brazos Valley dele-
gation, Reps. Steve Ogden,
R -Bryan, Kevin Brady, R -The
Woodlands, and Dan Kubiak,
D- Rockdale, voted against last
week's House bill. Sen. Jim Tur-
ner voted for the Senate bill.
L
Districts
From 1A
Brazos County holds 7,000 more
people than a state rep-
resentative's district should, he
noted.
But Uher gave no indication
about how the county will be di-
vided. Rep. Steve Ogden,
R -Bryan, has said some of the
county may be shaved off into a
district to the west.
U.S. Rep. Joe Barton, R- Texas,
told Uher's committee he'd like
his district to continue to include
A &M and the super collider. But
the 6th Congressional district
Barton represents has 145,000
people more than the state's new
districts will comprise and must
be reduced.
Barton said he will run for re-
election from Ellis County, where
he lives now and where the col -
lider is being built.
"There has been some talk in
the papers that I'm going to move
or something like that. Well, I'm
not," he said.
At the same time Barton, an
A &M graduate, doesn't want to
lose his A &M constituency.
Also pleading to keep most of
his current constituency was
state Rep. Kevin Brady, R -The
Woodlands. More than any other
Brazos Valley district, Brady's will
be hacked; it is 13 percent over
ideal size.
"Leon, Madison and Grimes
counties, from my experience, are
homogenous in many ways," said
Brady. "There is little justification
for cutting them up."
In addition, Brady asked that
Montgomery County be less splin-
tered. The county has two state
representatives and three state
senators.
About a dozen citizens of Ma-
dison and Leon counties asked
that their counties also. be kept
whole.
"It's hard enough to get con-
sideration for our county by
goverment agencies because of
our small size," said Gene Douget,
president of the Centerville
Chamber of Commerce. "We ask
you to keep us with others of simi-
lar rural interests."
Committee Vice Chairman Del-
win Jones, R- Lubbock, said he'd
like to group areas with common
Interests. But under law, legisla-
tors have more responsibility to
make sure minority -group mem-
bers wield voting power, he said.
O
•
•
Last - minute hopefuls
fill out election ballot
By Phillip Sulak
Eagle staff writer
As filing for local school board
and city council races ended
Wednesday, a late surge of candi-
dates produced contested races
for all seats on the Bryan and Col-
lege Station city councils in the
May 4 election.
Three of the four positions on
the Bryan and College Station
school boards also will be con-
tested.
Four of the council candidates
— W.E. 'Bill" Crutchfield, Lonnie
Stabler, Pete Palasota and Jean
Williamson — have sought local
elected office before. They have a
combined 0 -13 record.
The Bryan City Council races
include contests for the mayor's
seat and three other council posi-
tions.
Marvin Tate and Palasota will
face off in the mayor's race.
Councilman Hank McQuaide in
Place 1 is opposed by Crutchfield.
Rudy Schultz is challenging
Place 3 Councilman Ben Harde-
man.
Place 5 Councilwoman Kandy
Rose will face Stabler.
Both Bryan school board races
will be contested. The race for
Place 6 on the board pits incum-
bent Nancy Pride against Allan
Hanson.
Sharyn Galvin and Bill Birdwell
are running to replace Travis
Bryan Jr. on Place 7 on the school
board. Bryan is not seeking re-
election.
In the College Station council
election, incumbent Fred Brown
will face Archie Ward Julien for
Place 1 —maybe.
City Secretary Connie Hooks
said Julien had filed the neces-
sary petition with the names of 30
people, but she could verify only
15 names as registered College
Station voters.
The city charter requires the
signatures of 25 voters registered
in College Station for a candidate
to get his name on the ballot.
Incumbent Lynn McIlhaney will
take on Williamson for Place 3. In-
cumbent Jim Gardner and John
C. Webb are vying for Place 5 on
the College Station panel.
Sherman Click faces no oppo-
sition for Place 1 on the College
Station school board, while Clair
Nixon and Greg Stiles will battle it
out for Place 2. Incumbent Dr.
Ken Matthews is not seeking re-
election in Place 2.
Residents have until April 4 to
register to vote in the election.
Absentee voting will be April
15 -30 in both cities.
3/,�_ / /0
Party chairmen want county's district lines intact
By Ross Nethery
Eagle assistant city editor
The chairmen of the Brazos
County Democratic and Republi-
can parties teamed up Wednes-
day to call on state legislators to
keep the county intact and in the
Sixth Congressional District
when they redistrict the state.
Republican Party chairman
Rodger Lewis and Democratic
chairman Bill McGuire, speaking
at a press conference at the
chamber of commerce office on
University Drive in College Sta-
tion, said they support requests
made in a petition being circu-
lated by Candace Carrabba of Col-
lege Station.
The petition calls for Brazos
County to be left intact as a single
legislative district; to remain se-
parate from any congressional
district in which most of the popu-
lation would be residents of a sin-
gle urban county; to remain in the
same district with counties that
have similar economic, social,
agricultural and other interests,
such as Hood, Johnson, Ellis,
Hill, Navarro, Limestone, Frees- by the same person who rep -
tone, Leon and Madison counties; resents Ellis County.
and to be represented in Congress The petition says that "Ellis ai A
Brazos counties have a unique
bond in the Superconducting
Super Collider project. The SSC
will be located in Ellis County and
vast technical expertise will be
provided by Texas A &M Universi-
ty in Brazos County."
Carrabba, who printed 10,000
copies of the petition at her own
expense, said she is hoping to get
at least 5,000 signatures. She
said the petitions will be given to
Sen. Bob Glasgow, Rep. Tom Uher
and Sen. Eddie Bernice Johnson,
members of legislative subcom-
mittees on redistricting.
The petitions are being distrib-
uted at all University Book Stores,
at Aggie Unlimited in the Post Oak
Mall and at Wolf Pen Creek
Bowling Alley on the feeder road
south of Post Oak Mall.
Carrabba said there will also be
petitions at a table in the Texas
A &M Memorial Student Center on
Friday and from Monday through
March 28.
She said she started the peti-
tion after hearing people talk
Please see Lines, 5A
Eagle photo by Dave MoDermand
Brazos County GOP Chairman Rodger Lewis (left), county Democratic
Party Chairman Bill McGuire and B -CS Chamber of Commerce Presi-
dent Art King said Wednesday that they want Brazos County left where
it is when legislative district lines are redrawn this year.
Lines
From 1A
about what could happen to Bra-
zos County during redistricting.
" I found out about some resolu-
tions that had already been sent
(by governmental bodies)," she
said, "and I thought, 'Why not
have the people voice their opin-
ions, too?
Resolutions similar to the peti-
tion have been passed by the
Bryan and College Station city
councils and by the Bryan -
College Station Board of Realtors.
Art King, president of the
chamber, said the chamber's
board of directors considered vot-
ing to support the petition, but
decided to wait to see what other
options there may be.
Lewis and McGuire said, it was
the first time in their memory that
the chairmen of the two parties
had teamed up on anything, but
that redistricting is an important
enough issue to justify putting
aside political differences.
Both said the county would be
better off it it remained the popu-
lation center of a congressional
district.
"in political circles, obviously if
You're that largest county in the
district, you have more say in
what goes on," Lewis said.
"Splitting up Brazos County
would water down our influence,"
McGuire said.
Carrabba said she hopes to pre-
sent some of the completed peti-
tions to the House Redistricting
Committee during a public hear-
ing Saturday at 10:30 a.m. on the
second floor of the Houston City
Hall.
•
•
Gardner should be re- elected
I am writing to support the re- election
of Councilman Jim Gardner to Place 5 of
the College Station City Council. His op-
ponent is a lawyer who indicated that he
had no special agenda or projects, but
had "long -range interests in the area." As
a voter, I believe those seeking public of-
fice should have an announced agenda
and be willing to state it clearly; other-
wise, voters are denied an informed
choice.
In our area, the expansion of an eco-
nomic infrastructure that generates new
wealth rather than recycles it is critical.
Voters can support this effort in many
ways. We can elect to school boards can-
didates with an agenda of academic excel-
lence. We can elect to city councils those
committed to enhancing the community,
particularly the infrastructure (streets,
water, sewer), the parks, and the vitality
of neighborhoods.
In the latter case, Gardner's perfor-
mance has been strong, honest, effective
and forthright. Clearly he has an agenda
and debates it openly. He has made an
enormous contribution to the quality of
this community, particularly to those of
us with small children who use the j=ks
and recreation facilities.
Most importantly, Gardner has coinsis-
tently and conscientiously provided Col-
lege Station citizens the important infor-
mation required to make informed de-
cisions on matters of city government.'
For this, he deserves our strong support
during his re- election campaign.
MIKE CRONAN
College Station
41
0
Graduate student will be candidate for C '
S council seat
By Phillip Sulak
Eagle staff writer
Archie Julien, who filed for Place 1 on
the College Station City Council just be-
fore the 5 p.m, filing deadline on Wednes-
day, found out Thursday that he will be a
candidate.
m City Secretary Connie Hooks
ed the signatures on Julien's peti-
tion, she found that only 15 of the 30
People signing his petition were re-
gistered to vote in College Station as of
November 1990.
The College Station city charter re-
quires a candidate to have a petition
signed by 25 registered voters before the
candidate's name can be placed on the
ballot.
Hooks said Wednesday night that she
would check the remaining signatures on
Thursday with the Brazos County Clerk's
office.
The clerk's office found that 12 of the
people signing had registered to vote in
College Station since November, giving
him 27 valid signatures.
Julien, a Texas A &M electrical engi-
neering graduate student, will face in-
cumbent Fred Brown, a local car dealer.
•
3�2,4 / 0 1
Ail Weil 1 Brazos Bu counti
nHUuar.*M C5, � y '�aaM'�IMfM O W+'aJ , r
TRC has granted 201
horizontal drilling
permits for Burleson
and 24 for Brazos
By Teri Walley
Eagie business editor
f k�
A year ago, horizontal drilling
was little more than a pipe dream.
The technology was new. Permits
had been issued in Brazos and
Burleson counties , b ut few hori-
"
wells actually had been
zontal all
drilled.
;. > ..:.
The sounds were the rumblings
before the earthquake.
'
k r
By the end of February. 201
horizontal permits had been
granted by the Texas Railroad
4
Commission for Burleson County
,,.
and 24 had been granted for Bra-
,�
zos County.
The only county to have more
horizontal drilling Permits than
Burleson is Frio County, south-
a
west of San Antonia, with 494
3
permits.
The tate has issued a total tal of
2,672 permits for horizontal wells.
'�
•;'>
r ----- --^""�
Burleson County has com-
pleted 74 wells and 685 horizontal
wells have been completed across
the state.
Emil Ogden, of College Station's
Ogden Resources, said his com-
pany has plans to drill three horl-
.w
zontal wells in Brazos. County,
�
Ogden's first wells since 1985.
Eagle photo by Dave MUDermand
Derrickman Steva
in hangs by a chain as he makes his way up the 156 - foot - tall oil
rk near the Little Brazos River on Texas 2 •
Please see Well, 2A
Well
From 1 A
Drilling on the first of the wells, which
will be about a mile west of Bryan, should
get under way by June.
"We haven't drilled hardly anything in
four years," Ogden said. "We've been
maintaining our producing wells."
He said he and his son, state Rep. Steve
Ogden, have three more horizontal wells
in the planning stages.
Bob Baker, owner of Baker Exploration
Co., said his company is also planning
horizontal wells, but plans are contingent
on oil prices.
"A lot of us in the business are nervous
that prices are going to fall," he said.
Baker said it would not be worthwhile
to drill If oil prices drop below $18 per
barrel. On Friday, sweet light crude was
selling for $20.35 on the New York
Exchange.
"The courthouse is full of landmen
looking for leases," Ogden said.
Part of the reason, he said, is because
oil prices have been climbing for the last
year.
"The price of oil has to stay above $20 a
barrel to keep this — I don't want to call it
a 'boom,' let's call it 'increased activity' —
going," Ogden said. "I'd prefer it to be at
$23 a barrel."
Baker Exploration has been leasing
property for the past year and a half with
an eye toward horizontal drilling, Baker
said.
"Horizontal drilling is a good, valid
technique, but it's hard to go out and
spend a million dollars if you're not com-
fortable with the return," he said.
Baker and Ogden said a horizontal well
costs at least $1 million to drill. If prob-
lems occur on a well, costs run up to $1.5
million or more in a hurry.
"It's not for amateurs," Ogden said.
A vertical well, the "old way," as some
are beginning to call it, costs about half a
million dollars to drill.
Ogden's company has been buying up
leases for the past year and has about
9,000 acres leased. Ogden Resources has
one horizontal well permitted.
Despite the costs, Ogden and Neil
Lemon, supervisor for Horizon Direc-
tional Systems, agree that horizontal is
the future for oil wells.
Lemon and Horizon are drilling a well
on Texas 21 West for Hinton Drilling Co.
of Mount Pleasant. Lemon said he helped
develop the horizontal drilling technique.
In the horizontal technique, the oilmen
drill down to the Austin chalk layer,
7,000 to 10,000 feet below the Earth's
surface. Then the driller turns the tool to
follow the chalk layer, which is only about
30 feet thick. The drillers try to stay near
the center of the chalk to avoid hitting the
ash above or the shale below. The tech-
nique requires skill and computers to
figure the angle at which the chalk
slants.
The payoff to drilling horizontally is
that drillers cut across many fractures in
the Earth that contain the oil, instead of
maybe hitting — or missing — one verti-
cally.
Ernest Bruchez, an attorney specializ-
ing in oil, gas and minerals, said lately
he's seen substantial interest and activity
in horizontal drilling, particularly in Bur-
leson County.
"It's going to spill over into Brazos," he
said.
Some of the bigger ones he's encoun-
tered have been Coastal Oil & Gas Corp.
and Union Pacific Resources Co.
Other leases in recent weeks have been
purchased by Threshold Exploration Inc.,
R.C. Fullerton, Ventana Exploration Inc.,
The Williams Partnership and Keith D.
Graham.
0
C
4.
Eagle photo by Mike C. Mulvey
Max Alleger, a Texas A &M wildlife and fisheries graduate student, attempts to save some of the fish in
a branch of Bee Creek. The fish began dying Monday morning after 15,000 gallons of water from the
pool at the Pepper Tree Apartments were dumped into the city's storm water drainage system.
Fish die in Bee Creek following
influx of chlorinated pool water
By Phillip Sulak
Eagle staff writer
Officials with the Texas Water
Commission are trying to
determine if 15,000 gallons of
water pumped from a pool at a
College Station apartment com-
plex caused a fish kill in a
branch of Bee Creek.
The company repairing the
pool at the Pepper Tree Apart-
ments pumped the water into
the parking lot, where it ran into
the streets, down the gutter and
eventually into the creek, which
crosses under Longmire Street
and Texas Avenue between FM
2818 and Deacon Street.
Gary Mobley, the owner of
Mobley Pools, said he was only
following instructions from the
city of College Station s in-
spection division.
"I was doing been what I've
been told to do," Mobley said.
"Now I'll do what ever I'm told to
do, again. I'm a get -along guy."
The dead fish were first no-
ticed around 10:45 a.m. on
Monday, by two General Tele-
phone employees.
Rodney Greer and Andy Dun-
can were working in front of the
Pepper Tree parking lot on
Longmire when they saw a lot of
water going by. The workmen
moved up the street to another
site on Longmire and crossed a
bridge over the creek.
The workmen noticed dead
fish and flagged down a passing
police officer, who contacted the
city's fire department.
City crews, using equipment
from the street department, at-
tempted to isolate the conta-
minated area by building ear-
then dams on the west side of
Please see Fish, 7A
3/ . �2_ (, Iq I
Fish
From 1 A
Longmire and the east side of
Texas Ave. The dams were fin-
ished by 11:30 a.m.
The city contacted the Texas
Water Commission and Joy Wat-
son, a commission field in-
vestigator was on the scene by 3
p.m.
The portion of the stream be-
tween the two dams contained
various species of dead and dying
fish. Graduate students from the
Wildlife and Fisheries Science
Department at Texas A &M said
the fish were bullhead catfish,
mosquito fish, green sunfish and
red shiners.
The water that pooled behind
the Texas Avenue dam appeared
milky, which Lt. Terry Thigpen of
the College Station Fire Depart-
ment said could be caused by
chlorine.
"This isn't a hazard to people,
but I am concerned about the
wildlife coming out of the woods
and eating the fish," Thigpen said.
The creek runs next to the heav-
ily wooded Longmire Park.
Watson made an inspection of
the area east of the dam on Texas
and found more dead or dying
fish. The culvert under the bridge
at Texas Avenue was filled with
the strong odor of chlorine.
"We won't know what killed the
fish until we get the water sam-
ples back," Watson said after her
inspection.
Watson said that under state
law the area must be returned to
its original condition. The state
will not tell someone how to do
that, she said, and suggested that
Mobley hire a consultant to devise
the best way to clean up the con-
tamination — if it turns out to be
Mobley's fault.
A statement from the city of Col-
lege Station said Mobley was fol-
lowing what had been a common
practice for many years, but that
the ultimate responsibility lay
with Mobley's company.
"The Plumbing Code states that
a person cannot discharge any-
thing potentially harmful in the
city sanitary sewer system," the
statement reads. "According to
city officials, however, it has been
a common practice for many
years throughout the community
and the state to discharge uncon-
taminated swimming pool water
Into the storm water system be-
cause it has not been recognized
as detrimental. However, it Is the
responsibility of the persons mak-
ing the disposal to inspect the
water to determine if It is not con-
taminated prior to disposal."
The city's statement says the
city will attempt to establish new
regulations for the disposal of
pool water.
Neal Coates, an assistant city
attorney, said the city was not in
violation of state or federal rules.
The city does not allow pool water
into the sanitary sewer system,
because the city must take chlor-
ine out of the water before return-
ing water to a stream, Coates
said.
Taking chlorine out of the
system adds to the city's sewage
treatment costs.
Mobley said he was ready to
pump the water out of the creek
on Monday, but that Watson had
told him not to until the water
tests had come back.
"I hope my insurance covers it,"
Mobley said. "But I'll do whatever
is necessary to get it done."
The test results are expected
today.
Josephine Hancock, the man-
ager of the apartment complex
said she didn't think the water in
the pool was at fault.
"It's the same water the kids
swim in every day," Hancock said.
"I don't see how it could hurt the
fish.
"But, I guess it depends on
what the city says," she said.
Watson said the water commis-
sion would like the cleanup done
as soon as possible, to prevent
further contamination that might
occur during a rain storm.
•
•
C
CS Council incumbents
should be kept in office
Eagle Editorial Board
The Eagle begins its endorsements
in the May 4 city- school elections
with a look at the College Station
races.
All but one candidate in the con-
tested local races were interviewed by
members of the Eagle Editorial
Board, with endorsements based on
majority vote of the board. These en-
dorsements should be taken as only
one source of information in deciding
how to vote on May 4. Other sources
include campaign literature, candi-
date forums and the Voters Guide
prepared by the League of Women
Voters, which will appear in the April
23 edition of the Eagle.
Absentee balloting in both cities
begins Monday and continues
through May 1. Bryan absentee votes
may be cast at the city's Municipal
Building. In College Station, absen-
tee voting will be at City Hall. Recent
changes in the election code allow
any registered voter to cast an early
ballot.
In questioning the candidates, we
looked at experience, vision, concrete
examples of ways to make the cities
or schools better and other factors
that might be considered when the
voters go to the polls.
We will look at Bryan races on
Monday.
Here are our endorsements in the
College Station City Council election:
■ Place 1 — Incumbent Fred
Brown vs. Archie Julien. Although
we encourage a broad participation
In city government, we feel that,
when the incumbent is doing a good
job, there is no reason to turn him
out without evidence that a new-
comer could do better. Brown has
several years experience on the
council and knows the ins and outs
of city government. He should be re-
turned to the council. He is the first
council member to seek alternative
ways to fund the city's share of the
LoTrak transportation expansion
project. He also calls for merging the
College Station and Bryan fire and
police efforts, a move that can work
to the benefit of the two communi-
ties. While it is good to see A &M stu-
dents interested in the local com-
munity, Julien's approach to the
council — he says he does not intend
to campaign vigorously — seems off
base and not worthy of serious con-
sideration.
■ Place 3 — Incumbent Lynn
McIlhaney vs. Jean B. Williamson.
Again, the incumbent has done a
good job and has a thorough knowl-
edge of the operations of City govern-
ment. She deserves to be re- elected.
We would urge her to follow Brown's
example and look for new and inno-
vative ways to solve the problems fac-
ing the city in coming years.
■ Place 5 — Incumbent Jim
Gardner vs. John Webb. With his ex-
perience both as a city planner and
as a city councilman, Gardner gets
our nod. We may not want a whole
council of Jim Gardners, but it is
good to have somebody who serves as
a guardian against what could be-
come a dangerously unanimous
council. Webb is young, bright and
eager to serve his community. We
wish he had chosen to run against
somebody else because we think he
could be an asset to the council.
411&lql
Court to consider making cities easier targets for suits
The Associated Press
WASHINGTON — The Supreme
Court Monday said it will consider
an appeal from the widow of a
Texas man who suffocated while
working in a sewer line near Kil-
leen.
The high court's decision could
make cities become easier targets
for federal lawsuits filed when
municipal workers are killed or in-
jured on the job.
The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of
Appeals last November threw out
the suit by Mary Jo Collins, whose
husband, Larry Michael Collins,
died in 1988 trying to unclog a
sewer pipeline in Harker Heights
in central Texas.
Mrs. Collins sued under a key
19th Century civil rights law, ac-
cusing the city of deliberate in-
difference to the safety of its
workers.
She said the city failed to train
its employees adequately and did
not provide safety equipment or
even warnings about the hazards
of working in a sewer line.
The city was aware of the dang-
ers, she said, since Collins'
supervisor a few months earlier
had passed out while working in
the sewers.
Also, she said the city was ig-
noring a state law that requires all
employers — public and private —
to protect the safety of their
workers.
But the 5th Circuit court dis-
missed the suit because, it said,
Mrs. Collins had failed to show
the city engaged in "an abuse of
government power."
The appeals court said a city s
negligence or deliberate in-
difference to the safety of em-
ployees is not automatically the
same thing as an abuse of
government power.
The appeals court relied heavily
on a 1989 Supreme Court ruling
that said citizens can win federal
civil rights suits against local
governments if they can prove
they were injured by a city's de-
liberate indifference in training its
employees.
In that case from Ohio, police al-
legedly failed to provide medical
help for an arrested woman who
collapsed in custody.
The high court said then for the
first time that a local government
may be forced to pay damages
under federal law when a valid
official policy is subverted by
Inadequate training of city
workers.
The 5th Circuit court said the
standard for holding a city ac-
countable under federal civil
rights law is different when a
municipal employee, rather than
an ordinary citizen, is doing the
suing.
The appeals court said the Col-
lins case is not one in which the
city restrains an individual's lib-
erty so that the citizen is unable
to care for himself or herself.
Also, the appeals court said, the
city's alleged misconduct is not an
abuse of government authority
because the conduct is not "of a
uniquely government character."
A private employer could have en-
gaged in the same alleged mis-
conduct, the appeals court said.
The case is Collins vs. Harker
Heights, 90 -1279.
v
Morales says state faces `property tax revolt'
ing education conference sponsored by
the Texas Agricultural Extension Service.
The state tends to pass on the task of
paying for new programs to the local
governments, Morales said. And local
entities usually only have one method to
pay, he said. Property taxes.
After the speech, Morales said there is
a misconception that Texas has a low tax
rate.
"if you add the local tax burden to the
state taxes, we rank in the top 10," Mor-
ales said. "Unless we recognize this prob-
lem, stop it, and reverse it, we are going to
see rollback efforts across the state."
Morales said he is pleased that both
Gov. Ann Richards and Lt. Gov. Bob Bul-
lock understand the problem and are
working to make sure the state picks up a
bigger share of costs.
Bullock favors an income tax, which
Morales said the citizens of the state are
not ready to accept. Richards favors a
state property tax, Morales said.
"The bottom line is that the state must
respect the jurisdictional integrity of local
governments," Morales said. "The way we
are acting now is irresponsible."
By Phillip Sulak
Eagle staff writer
Attorney General Dan Morales Wed-
nesday told a room full of county trea-
surers that the state is headed for a
,. property tax revolt."
"Most Texans believe as I do, that the
state should stop mandating programs
that the state will not pay for," Morales
said.
Morales spoke in Texas A &M's Memo-
rial Student Center to about 200 county
treasurers, who are in town for a continu-
Morales said he is preparing a defense
of the school financing plan recently
signed by Richards.
Morales said he has not heard of a chal-
lenge to the new plan, but that he feels an
obligation to be prepared.
" I believe thz f state) Supreme Court is
impressed with the Legislature's work,"
Morales said. " I believe they will look
favorably on it."
A worst -case scenario would have the
courts allowing the state to operate the
schools under the new plan for a few
years, to see how it works, Morales said.
4110(
0
Bill could cost
county 90 %
share of fines
By Scot Walker
Eagle staff writer
D
C
Brazos County officials are worried the
county will lose hundreds of thousands of
dollars if a bill introduced in the Texas
House by Rep. Bill Carter, R -Fort Worth,
becomes law.
House Bill 2431 would earmark for
state use 90 percent of all fines levied by
justices of the peace for citations issued
by state agencies. Under current law,
money collected by justices of the peace
for citations issued by state agencies goes
to the county in which the offense occurs.
The Department of Public Safety and
the Texas A &M University Police De-
partment are both state agencies.
Carter said Wednesday he has decided
to delay the bill while he talks with
counties and courts to make it more pala-
table to them. He said he doesn't want to
do anything to make counties lose
money.
He also was not optimistic about the
bill's chances of passing before the ses-
sion ends May 27.
"It's late," he said. "I don't know."
The bill is in a subcommitee of the
House Committee on County Affairs.
Brazos County Auditor Sharon Fairchild
has informed state Rep. Steve Ogden,
R -Bryan, and state Sen. Jim Turner,
D- Crockett that if the bill became law it
would have a major impact on the
county.
If such a law had been in effect in 1990,
the county would have sent $380,400 to
the state, while keeping only $42,300,
Walker said.
The county pays $519,600 a year to
administer eight justice of the peace of-
fices.
Fairchild said the county would not be
able to afford to employ the clerks in the
magistrates' offices, and that their work-
load would fall on someone else.
She said the bill also would increase
the county's paperwork load, because it
would have to keep track of money col-
lected and sent to the state.
Eagle Austin correspondent Junda Woo contrib-
uted to this story.
lc;� /9 )
Council, board candidates give
final
pi tches in televised debate
By Phillip Sulak
Eagle staff wrtter
It was television worth watching, but 1
will be up to the voters Saturday to decid
which candidate is the one worth votin
for.
Candidates for the Bryan and Colleg e
Station city council and school boar d
elections appeared on KAMU -TV Wed
nesday, giving voters a last look at the is
sues.
Bryan Mayor Marvin Tate and chal-
lenger Pete Palasota provided the most
- citement.
alasota said It was obvious Tate was
prepared to give 100 percent to the
mayor's job, noting Tate had attempted to
get the athletic director's job at the Uni-
versity of North Texas.
Tate said he is "110 percent involved"
in Bryan and that Palasota's charge was
ridiculous considering the amount of
time Tate had contributed to the com-
munity.
The Place 5 race on the Bryan City
Council provided some sparks as incum-
bent Kandy Rose and challenger Lonnie
Stabler disagreed over the city's recycling
efforts.
Stabler said the city could be making
money on recycling.
Rose said that the city was prudent in
setting up a pilot project before jumping
into recycling full force. She said there
are warehouses full of recyclables in
Houston and Dallas because of a lack of
markets.
Stabler, who owns a sign company,
said he has made money recycling plas-
tics In the past few years and that the city
can, too.
Councilman Hank McQuaide, the in-
cumbent in Place 1 on the Bryan council,
was on the panel by himself because chal-
'er W.E. "Bill" Crutchfield did not ap-
McQuaide said economic de-
velopment is the main issue facing the
city and that tax abatement is a tool the
city should consider, even though he'd
t prefer if the city didn't use it.
e Councilman Ben Hardeman, the In-
g cumbent for Place 3 on the Bryan coun-
cil, also appeared alone because chal-
lenger Rudy Schultz did not appear. Har-
deman said the city should be willing to
offer a break on utility rates as well as
taxes. The city should be willing to inter
mediate between a land owner and a new
business, if it Is necessary to bring a new
industry into Bryan, Hardeman said.
Archie Ward Julien, the challenger for
Place 1 in College Station, said he felt
cheated because he is paying excessive
utilities to subsidize the low tax rates in
College Station. He said his voice isn't be-
ing heard, because the council continues
to pursue LoTrak when the voters have
overwhelmingly rejected it.
Councilman Fred Brown, the incum-
bent in Place 1, said the utility rates In
College Station have been lowered 17
percent in three years and will be lowered
again when the city begins buying Its
power from the Texas Municipal Power
Agency in 1992.
Brown said the council's efforts on Lo-
Trak are focused on making sure that
when the project is built, it won't be a
burden on the city's traffic pattern.
Councilwoman Lynn McIlhaney, the
Incumbent in Place 3 on the College Sta-
tion council, said the city would benefit
from new growth, which would help pay
for the expansion of city services. Mcll-
haney said she favors the use of tax
abatements — in certain cases — to draw
new business.
Challenger Jean Williamson said tax
abatements are a bribe and that the city
can recruit industry with College Sta-
tion's quality of life.
John Webb, the challenger for Place 5
on the College Station council, said his
opponent, incumbent Jim Gardner .
tends to go against the flow, which can be
destructive to the council's cohesion.
Gardner, the only council member to
vote against the city's abatement policy,
said abatement is not necessary for
growth in College Station. The city has
other inducements, such as zoning and
good schools, to offer to industry, he said.
Nancy Pride, the incumbent in Place 6
on the Bryan school board, said changes
in the school district — neighborhood
schools and certified instructors for art
and physical education — were reasons
she should be re- elected.
Challenger Allen Hanson said the
school board needs to get moving on re-
cruiting a new superintendent to replace
Guy Gorden , whose contract expires in
1993. Hanson said the board must
choose a superintendent who will set a
pattern of leadership for the '90s.
Bill Birdwell, who Is vying with Sharon
Galvin for Place 7 on the Bryan school
board, said education could be improved
by teaching parenting skills. He said any
new funding the district received should
be spent In that area.
Galvin called for the expansion of a
program at Bowie Elementary , where
four "parent service" days are held during
the school year, thereby involving par-
ents in education.
Clair Nixon and Greg Stiles, the candi-
dates for Place 2 on the College Station
school board, both touted their capabili-
ties in dealing with the expected loss of
state funds.
Nixon, an accounting professor at
Texas A &M University, said the district
should put emphasis on the teachers
running the schools instead of admin-
istrators.
Stiles, an investment broker, said the
district could take advantage of the prox-
imity of Texas A &M's College of Edu-
cation.
CS City Council approves road improvements to be finished in 1993
By Phillip Sulak
Eagle staff wr(ter
The College Station City Council on
Wednesday approved five road projects to
be completed in 1993.
The council approved improvements
for Krenek Tap, Rock Prairie and Sebesta
roads, Marion Pugh Drive and Welsh
Street on a 6 -1 vote.
Councilman Dick Birdwell wanted the
council to also consider extending Welsh
to George Bush Drive. The street ends at
Angus Street, one block south of Bush.
Councilman Fred Brown, knowing the
'political ramifications of making a resi-
dential street an artery for north- south .
traffic, noted that Birdwell didn't have to
worry about re- election when he made
the proposal.
" I was against it then and I'm against it
now," Brown said.
Birdwell said he brought it up because
the city needed to look at solving a major
traffic problem — north -south access.
"I understand how controversial it is in
terms of that neighborhood," Birdwell .
said. "We're not here to consider one
neighborhood, but the whole city.
"I know how people feel, but at some
point in time we ought to bite the bullet
and do it," Birdwell said. "But not at this
cost."
City staffers estimate that the exten-
sion would cost $970,000, including
$310,000 for right -of -way acquisition.
Birdwell said he doubted that the land
needed would cost that much.
Staffers estimate that extending the
street and widening it to 38 feet would
disturb 76 lots and require the removal of
six houses.
Other council members worried about
the political costs.
"if it costs $900,000, that's about $1 for
each phone call we'll get," quipped Mayor
Larry Ringer.
The Krenek Tap project will cost an es-
timated $1 million and improve the en-
trance to the city's Central Park.
The Rock Prairie project will cost an es-
timated $900,000 and extend the road to
Wellborn Road.
The Marion Pugh project will cost an
estimated $500,000 and will extend the
street from George Bush to Holleman
Drive.
Welsh will get funds, but only for an ex-
tension to Rock Prairie Road.
The Sebesta Road project will cost an
estimated $900,000 and will improve the
road, which may lead to a planned Col-
lege Station elementary school.
The schools have not made the Sebesta
Road site official, but the city will pur-
chase right -of -way and then determine
what type of road to build, based on the
school district's plans.
The roads are being improved with
bond money approved by College Station
voters in December.
�i � / � C �
it
c
c
Putting B=CS in separate
p e
districts is a te rr i ble Idea
Eagle Editorial Board
For more than 100 years, since the
infancy of Texas A &M University,
College Station and Bryan have been
inexorably linked by common pasts
and futures.
Now, in the opening salvo of what
may become a bitter battle that will
be settled only in the courts, a legis-
lative subcommittee has recom-
mended that the two cities be placed
in separate congressional districts.
Under the plan approved Wednes-
day by the Senate redistricting sub-
committee, Bryan would switch from
the 6th Congressional District of Joe
Barton to the 11 th District of Chet
Edwards of Waco. College Station
would move from Barton's district to
the 8th District now represented by
Jack Fields of Houston.
The plan makes no sense. Despite
duplicated governments and ser-
vices, the two cities in reality are one.
It is hard to tell when one moves from
Bryan to College Station or back
again. The Legislature would be fool-
ish to deliberately add to the confu-
sion many Texans already have over
who their representatives are.
We are starting to join forces for
economic development and for shar-
ing public services. One Chamber of
Commerce serves both cities. Bryan
is as dependent on Texas A &M Uni-
versity as is College Station. The new
George Bush Presidential Library will
benefit both cities, as will the revita-
lized Texas World Speedway.
Quite simply, we are far more alike
than we are different.
Any plan that fairly redistricts the
state needs to take this into account.
We must remain united in our goals,
our dreams, and our representation.
10, s M / C'I I
NAACP wants
S1
c r
By Kelll Levey
and Phil Sulak
Eagle staff writers
Local NAACP President Carey Cauley said
Friday that his group will ask the Bryan City
Council and school board this summer to es-
tablish single- member elective districts.
"We don't want another Dallas, but we
want adequate representation," Cauley said.
The council and school board are not rep-
resentative of the community's demographic
face. The 1990 census shows 17 percent of
Bryan's residents are black and 20 percent
are Hispanic. But minorities comprise 48
percent of the school district's students.
Only one member of a minority group —
Councilman Ed Aycox, who is black — sits on
either board. The 13 other members of the
Bryan council and school board are Anglo
men.
No Hispanics or blacks have been elected
to the school board since 1980.
Cauley said a committee of the local chap-
ter of the National Association for the Advan-
cement of Colored People should be ready to
make a presentation within 60 -90 days. He
said his group had not been working with the
Hispanic community, but that he hoped that
they could get together on the subject.
"To try and create a community without
including that 37 percent is like claiming
we're going to build the best car in town and
leaving out the motor or the wheels or some-
thing," said Daniel Hernandez, a Texas A &M
University attorney who served on the Bryan
Please see Districts, 7A
c
•
L
c
Districts
From 1 A
council from 1976 -77 and lost a
lace for the school board in 1989.
- "I think there is definitely
movement in the black and His-
panic community," Hernandez
said. "They expect something to
be done within the next year."
Hernandez said he isn't as con-
cerned with the ethnicity of the
council and school board mem-
bers as with the areas of town
they represent.
"Most of them live on the east
side of town, within a certain
area," he said.
None of the councilmen or
trustees live west of Texas Avenue
or north of Texas 21 except
Trustee James Bradford, who
lives just north of the College Sta-
tion city limit.
Hernandez would not rule out a
lawsuit similar to one being
waged in Dallas, where the city
has spent over $1 million on legal
fees. Members of the black com-
munity filed the suit, contending
that minorities are underrepre-
sented on the Dallas City Council.
Hernandez said he won't be the
one to file suit.
"I hope that it's not a lawsuit
that brings this about," he said. "I
hope it happens because the
leadership realizes this is what's
best for the community."
If a suit is filed, the plaintiffs
must prove the community meets
three criteria set by the U.S. Su-
preme Court:
■Minority groups must be
large enough and geographically
compact enough to enable the
groups to be able to win a single -
member district.
■The minorities must be politi-
cally cohesive.
■Bloc voting by the majority
must be shown to have defeated
minority candidates.
With 37 percent of the popula-
tion, most of it concentrated in
north and west Bryan, the minor-
ity community is large enough to
win in single- member districts.
Hernandez said black and His-
panic neighborhoods tend to vote
for the same candidates, which
could prove political cohesion.
Other blacks and Hispanics say
there is a need for better minority
representation, but wonder if
people in the community are con-
cerned enough about the situa-
tion to want single- member dis-
tricts.
"I think I hear that there is in-
terest in this subject," said Helen
Chavarria, who served on the
Bryan council from 1987 -89. "But
It is not a hot issue, only some-
thing on people's minds."
Chavarria urged blacks and
Hispanics to be more vocal.
"If the minority community
wants single- member districts,
now is the time to come forward
and make their feelings known,"
Chavarria said.
The single- member district is-
sue may surface for discussion
during the school board's June
workshop.
Allan Hanson and Bill Birdwell,
the school trustees elected this
night.
"The one thing Daniel and I
agreed on is we don't want a law-
suit, we don't want to create fac-
tions here because that's just go-
ing to tear apart any efforts we're
making," he said, adding that he
wants to implement changes in
the Parent - Teacher Organization
and cheerleader selection proces-
ses to encourage more participa-
tion from minorities.
Birdwell and Hanson both
stated during their campaigns
they favored single- member dis-
tricts to provide equal rep-
resentation to people from all so-
cioeconomic and racial groups.
"I think we should have single -
member districts," Birdwell said
and at -large systems. In a 5 -2
system, five members would be
elected from specific wards, with
two elected at- large.
Dallas tried a 10 -4 -1 plan that
had 10 single- member district
representatives, four members
elected from larger regions of the
city, and the mayor elected at-
large.
Hernandez called those type of
plans "totally unacceptable," be-
cause they would still tend to di-
lute minority representation. He
1 - prefers seven single- member dis-
tricts.
"I think it's the way to go," Her-
nandez said. "I think it's going to
happen: it's just a matter of
rwhen."
month, said they would like to see
more minorities get involved.
"I think there's really a need
and real opportunity right now to
get good minority rep-
resentation," Hanson said. "My
main concern and questions are,
'Are they committed? Will they
step forward ?'
"I think there's a perception
lamong minorities] that it
wouldn't do them any good to get
involved because nobody's going
to listen to them anyway," he
said. "But after talking to the
other board members and to peo-
ple in the community, I really
don't think that's founded."
Birdwell said he discussed the
topic with Hernandez Thursday
during a League of Women Voters
forum in mid - April. "I think those
lines should be drawn, and that's
the tough part."
If single- member districts are
adopted, there are several plans
from which to choose.
All involve dividing the city or
district into areas and electing re-
sidents of those areas. In one
scenario, residents of each area
would elect their own area rep-
resentatives to the council or
school board.
In another, area rep-
resentatives would be elected by
all the voters in the city or school
district.
Some cities and districts have a
combination of single- member
I I C1 I
•
s
New plan puts
BMCS in same
House district
By Junda Woo
Eagle staff writer
AUSTIN — Brazos County
voters who don't live within
Bryan- College Station city lines
could soon find themselves with a
new state representative.
A redistricting plan slated for
House approval today leaves
Bryan- College Station in the dis-
trict of Rep. Steve Ogden,
R -Bryan.
But the rest of the county, cur-
rently in Ogden's district, would
go to Rep. Dan Kubiak, D -Rock-
dale.
In earlier plans, a slice of north-
ern Brazos County would have
gone to Kubiak.
"I don't like it," said Art King,
Chamber of Commerce president.
King said many people work in
College Station but live outside it,
in southern Brazos County. "It
just makes sense that those peo-
ple that have one representative
at work should have the same
representative when they're
home."
Redistricting Chairman Tom
Uher said the new configuration
took shape after lawmakers . jug-
gled South Texas districts to
create another Hispanic seat
there.
"Changing South Texas creates
a ripple effect across the state,"
Uher said.
Ogden was reasonably happy
with the plan, which would force
as many as 20 incumbents to run
against each other. Ogden would
represent about 7,000 fewer peo-
ple than under other proposals,
though.
"I can live with this," he said.
"But I want to represent as many
people in Bryan- College Station
as I possibly can."
Kubiak also said he liked the
plan, although he'd prefer to hold
onto Robertson and Waller
counties. Besides the piece of
Brazos County, the plan gives him
Milam, Burleson, Lee, Washing-
ton and Austin counties.
Rep. Kevin Brady, R -The Wood-
lands, would retain Grimes and
Madison counties as well as part
of Montgomery County. He would
lose Leon and Houston counties,
but take Waller County from Ku-
biak.
Redistricting
proposal not
good to Sims
By Jim Hiney
Eagle staff wrtter
County commissioners expect-
ed precinct lines to change be-
cause of redistricting, but Pct. 3
Commissioner Randy Sims didn't
expect the first proposal from the
county's consultant to make him
a commissioner without a pre-
cinct.
According to the proposal sub-
mitted by the Austin law firm of
Bickerstaff, Heath and Smiley,
Sims' home on Sweetbriar Drive
in Bryan would be located in Pct.
4. "Proposal 'A' completely reap-
portions me right out of my pre-
cinct," Sims said.
Commissioners must approve a
redistricting plan that meets U.S.
Justice Department approval by
the end of the year. State and fed-
eral guidelines require that each
precinct contain equal population
and that minority precincts main-
tain at least the same minority
populations as they have now.
It's not likely that the final re-
districting plan will knock any
commissioner out of his precinct.
Sims, County Judge R.J. "Dick"
Holmgreen and Pct. 1 Commis-
sioner Gary Norton expressed
similar views about the first pro-
posal.
"It's not acceptable," Holm -
green said. "I don't think we
should redistrict a man out of his
precinct, not with all of the aven-
ues we have to take."
Pct. 4 Commissioner Milton
Turner said he doesn't have an
opinion about the proposal be-
cause he hasn't studied it
thoroughly. Pct. 2 Commissioner
Walter Wilcox couldn't be reached
Sims
From 1A
for comment.
Holmgreen stressed that Steve
Bickerstaff, a partner in the Aus-
tin lawfirm, has only submitted
one proposal. Bickerstaff will
probably submit six or seven
more before commissioners ap-
prove a plan, Holmgreen said.
Bickerstaff couldn't be reached
for comment.
Sims said that being moved out
of his precinct wasn't what dis-
tressed him most about the pro-
posal. Commissioners suggested
during a meeting on April 11
several possible ways to redistrict
the county, but Bickerstaff sub-
mitted Just one proposal, Sims
said.
That proposal moved boundary
lines in all four commissioner
precincts to equalize populations
in two adjoining precincts.
6 1,- �, -)- � (I (
I think it's the long way around
the simple solution," Norton said.
According to census figures
Bickerstaff provided commis-
sioners on April 11, 121,862 peo-
ple live in Brazos County. Divid-
ing the population by four, Bick-
erstaff said ideally 30,466 people
should live in each commis-
sioner's precinct.
Pct. 1, with 35,491 residents, is
the largest precinct and is 16.5
percent larger than the ideal size,
Bickerstaff said. Pct. 4, with
26,803 residents, is the smallest
precinct and is 12 percent smaller
than the ideal size, he said. Pct. 1
is the southern part of the county
and Pct. 4 is the western sector.
Pct. 2 and Pct. 3 are close to
ideal size, Bickerstaff said. Pct. 2
has 29,349 residents and is 3.7
percent smaller than ideal size.
Pct. 2 has 30,219 residents and is
0.8 percent smaller than ideal.
Norton and Sims said they be-
lieve the first proposal should
have taken the simplest route —
moving the Pct. 4 line south to
take in more Pct. 1 residents.
Please see Sims, 9A
6 )),) I,/, I
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9
Barton threatens
red istricting suit
By Ross Nethery
Eagle assistant city editor
Rep. Joe Barton is threatening
to drag the state into federal court
if the Legislature approves a re-
districting plan that drastically
alters his congressional district.
Barton, R- Ennis, said a war
chest he is building was originally
intended for his reelection cam-
paign, but that it will bankroll a
court battle if a "partisan redis-
tricting plan" is approved.
A Senate subcommittee gave its
nod last week to a plan putting
Bryan and College Station into
different congressional districts
and removing both cities from
Barton's 6th Congressional Dis-
trict. Bryan would go into the
11th District, represented by
freshman Chet Edwards, D -Waco,
and College Station into the 8th
District, represented by Jack
Fields, R- Humble.
Barton, meanwhile, would get
to keep just two precincts in
Ennis, his hometown.
"They don't quite come down
the block I live on," he said, "but
my grocery store, my church, my
bank, my congressional office and
my campaign office would all be in
another district."
Barton's new district would en-
circle Fort Worth in Tarrant
County, and contain parts of
Johnson and Parker counties. It
► Barton introduces balanced
budget amen dments. 2A
would leave him with about
490,000 new constituents, and
about 75,000 of the 705,000 peo-
ple he now represents.
"It is the worst partisan political
map possible," he said.
Senate Redistricting Chairwo-
man Eddie Bernice Johnson said
the proposal is "an incumbency
protection plan," and Barton said
his proposed new district
wouldn't have another incumbent
congressman.
"But I never asked that I be giv-
en a safe district," he said. "I've
really tried to keep traditional
boundaries like they are, even if
that would make it a more Demo-
cratic district."
Barton said he isn't upset that
the Democrat - controlled Legisla-
ture is trying to protect incum-
bent Democrats, but he said there
is no legitimate reason for split-
ting communities like Bryan-
College Station, Ennis, Victoria
and Amarillo.
"There was no consideration of
county lines or city lines, , he said.
"I think the Democrats are kid-
ding themselves if they think they
can draw these screwy things and
not be held accountable at the
polling place, much less in the
courthouse."
House
From to
lawmakers whose districts would
get carved up. As many as 24 in-
cumbents would have to run
against each other.
Lawmakers made vulnerable by
the plan grew increasingly des-
perate as the night wore on.
"Please, members, give me a
chance to continue to represent
my district. My fate is in your
hands this evening," said Rep.
Glenn Repp, R- Duncanville, be-
fore his amendment was tabled,
88 -56.
Redistricting is a once -a- decade
redrawing of election district lines
to match population shifts. Bra-
zos County has constituted the
14th District, but the county
gained residents during the
1980s, so some of its territory will
go into a different district.
Democratic and Republican
Party chairmen in Brazos County
oppose fragmenting the county's
representation. It's easiest for
voters to work with a single legis-
lator, they believe.
Art King, president of the
Bryan- College Station Chamber
of Commerce, has noted that the
plan could inconvenience those
who work in College Station but
live outside it.
The House was expected to give
the plan final approval late Tues-
day or early this morning. The
Senate is all but certain to vote for
the House map; traditionally, the
two chambers rubber -stamp each
others' designs.
When first unveiled on the floor,
the plan would have forced Ogden
and Kubiak to run against each
other. Uher quickly labeled that
.. a mistake" and fixed it. The new
map loops around Ogden's home
to include him in the 14th Dis-
trict.
Throughout the debate, Repub-
licans complained of gerryman-
dering. Districts were variously
described as a "fishtail," "finger"
and "cobra."
The plan also drew grumbles
from minority -group lawmakers,
who said it dilutes their voting
strength. Despite a population
boom, Hispanics would gain only
two seats in the 150 - member
House. A court challenge by min-
ority groups or Republicans is al-
most inevitable.
In other action Tuesday:
■The House agreed with Sen-
ate amendments to a bill ensuring
approval of a Burleson Memorial
Hospital bond sale. The House's
142 -0 action sent the bill to the
governor.
■ With little-debate, the House
tentatively approved bills prop-
ping up the workers' compensa-
tion system and toughening
drunken - driving laws.
The DWI bill, backed by House
leaders, would let police officers
take the licenses of those who fail
or refuse to take a breath test.
Thirty other states have such a
system, called automatic license
revocation.
■The Senate OK'd a House -
passed bill letting the Texas A &M
University System Board of Re-
gents lease five acres of the main
campus to the A &M Development
Foundation.
■The House approved a bill let-
ting grandparents put grandchil-
dren on their group health insur-
ance policies.
J
t5- ) 0-Y ) I ri I
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House bill
costs Ogden
rural voters
By Junda Woo
Eagle staff writer
AUSTIN — The House passed a
redistricting plan early this morn-
ing that would give 24,000 Brazos
County voters a new state rep-
resentative.
In a debate lasting more than
nine hours, members picked at a
redistricting plan that would cut
rural areas of the county out of
the district of Rep. Steve Ogden,
R -Bryan.
Most rural residents would fall
in the district of Rep. Dan Kubiak,
D- Rockdale.
Ogden was reasonably happy
with the proposed district but
voted against the bill.
"It's a straight party-line vote,"
he said. "That plan is bad for Re-
publicans."
In the 90 -57 vote, Ogden, Kevin
Brady, R -The Woodlands, and
Kubiak all voted against the plan.
Ogden, Brady and other Repub-
licans voted as a bloc throughout
the night for changes in the map.
Though Democrats control the
House, Republican votes tipped
the scale for amendments by Dal-
las, Houston, El Paso and Port
Arthur lawmakers.
House Redistricting Chairman
Tom Uher did fend off a dozen
other amendments, mostly by
Please see House, 9A
L l / 1)
� You just got to have style to survive
I've been working the city hall beat for.
more than a year now. While the majority
of the time something interesting is going
on, there are times when it can get bor-
ing.
10- The meetings tend to
run together and so do
my stories. I've been
thinking of changing my
— if you can call it
- to keep my work _
irg. asting.
Possibly I can write
some of my stories
about the council as phi
some of our fine sports
writers would. S u l a k
The City Council, led
by a strong frontal attack
featuring the parliamentary maneuvers of
Mayor Fritz Freling, defeated a group of
homeowners 6 -1 on Monday.
The homeowners, 0 -2 for the year, will
regroup and come backfor a rematch next
week.
"We didn't get the crowd support we
expected," said Mitch Shaw, leader of the
homeowners. "Also their attorneys kept
beating our attorneys to the punch. "
Well, maybe not.
You know, detective novelists seem to
have a lot of fun:
Councilman Nick Nora wore a rug tack-
ler than the kind you flnd on the floor of
most San Franciscofiop houses.
He chain- smoked Pall -Malls like they
were going out of style. Actually they had
been out of style for 20 years, but Nora
continued to buy four packs a day at the
Handi -Pak on Finfeather.
Nora had a rule against buying more
cigarettes than he could smoke in one day.
"No," he replied to the mayor's request
for votes against the nuclear waste dump.
"That dump is more trouble than a
blonde with a sob story and a two -beer
buzz, "Nora told the council.
Apparently his fellow council members
had taken their medication for a change.
They agreed with him.
Uhhh ... no.
Of course, being a movie critic would be
Interesting as well.
Councilwoman Nell Fenwick was
superbly cast as the crusader for the
homeless. Her monologue in defense of the
soup kitchen reminded me of Anne Ban -
croft's performance in the "Miracle Work-
er.
Mayor Don Murray can't seem to shake
his typecasting. Once again he portrayed
a heartless villain, bent on making money
for afew ruthless individuals.
Maybe he should try stretching himself
in his next meeting by voting not to bull-
doze the orphanage to make room for a
new mall.
I think I'm on to something here. Better
yet, a drive - in movie critic)
The only problem would be that every
meeting review would be about the same:
No breasts, no blood, but a 23 on the
vomit meter. Also a 24 on the snooze
meter.
Ordinance fu, tabling fu, plat fu, rezon-
ingfu and road repairfu.
Gratuitous executive session, gratuitous
approval of the minutes and gratuitous
National Florists Week.
Drive -in academy awards for City Man-
ager Dwayne Doby for saying "No com-
ment," and to Parks and Recreation chief
Bob Beattiefor saying "Are you sure those
flowers are endangered ?"
Three stars. Phil says check you later.
Phillip Sulak covers city government for the Eagle.
•
�I�al
O
■College Station attorney Alfred Leh -
tonen, owner of Polo Club Apartments,
on June 10 donated a 19 -inch Magnavox
color television with a built -in VCR to the
College Station Police Department.
Lt. Bernie Kapella said the television
will be used in the department's crime
prevention and recruiting programs.
College Station
■ The city of College Station has hon-
ored three groups and one individual for
their efforts to make the city more attrac-
tive.
The city honored the students, parents
and faculty of Rock Prairie Elementary
School for their efforts to "Cultivate the
Prairie."
The 52- year -old A &M Garden Club was
recognized for its continuing service to
the community. The club is active in Ar-
bor Day activities and helps maintain the
College Station City Cemetery. The club
built the fountain in the cemetery.
Redstone Apartments, managed by the
Lexford M. Company, was recognized for
landscaping improvements.
Jelena Djuric was recognized for her
work on the city's Community Appear-
ance Committee. She served on the
committee from 1980 -90, serving as
chair and vice- chair. Some of her projects
include planting crepe myrtles at A &M
Consolidated High School and the Adopt -
a -Spot program.
El
&1191 ,q i
City hall keys spark
dispute in Somerville
By Ross Nethery
Eagle assistant city editor
SOMERVILLE — A city council
that found itself locked out of city
hall took the first step toward re-
claiming its power Tuesday night
when it voted to reduce the re-
sponsibilities of the city adminis-
trator.
The Somerville council didn't
specify how it planned to restruc-
ture administrator David Lo-
zano's job, disappointing an over-
flow crowd of more than 60 people
that waited 2 1 /2 hours in the heat
and humidity while the council
discussed Lozano in closed ses-
sion.
When the council reconvened
after the closed session, it quickly
passed a motion to amend the city
administrator's ordinance to re-
duce the duties of the city admin-
istrator.
A member of the audience
asked what that meant, and new
mayor Tanya Roush said the
council would meet again later to
hash out specific changes in Lo-
zano's job description.
Roush, who won office in the
May 4 election, called a special
meeting for Tuesday night after
trying unsuccessfully since
taking office to get a key to city
hall.
Lozano had the locks changed
after the election, allowing the
council access only to the council
chambers, and not into the city of-
fices where ordinances, minutes
from previous meetings and other
records are kept.
Roush said Monday that it was
especially infuriating since city
staff members, including police
officers and the janitor, could get
into the building.
During the meeting, Lozano
said locks at city hall are changed
whenever the city gets a new em-
ployee or new council. He said the
decision not to give keys to coun-
cil members was an administra-
tive one based on the fact that
Somerville mayor Tanya Roush and city administrator David Lozano
attend the city council meeting held before the council convened in
closed session to discuss reducing Lozano's responsibilities.
several items had recently dis- protection of the governing body
appeared from city hall, including of the city of Somerville."
minutes from council meetings. He said cit re d were av it
In a memo to Roush dated June
7, Lozano said the decision "was
made for the protection of the
city's properties and also for the
y cor s a -
able for council members during
business hours.
Please see Council, 4A
Eagle photo by Peter Roche
Council
From 1A
Several council members said
they believed the memo implied
the council was responsible for
the missing items, when those
items were actually taken before
the May 4 election.
Councilman Robert Woods said
it appeared the council had been
singled out for exclusion by Lo-
zano, since previous councils had
keys to city hall.
"I don't like the idea of being
locked out of city offices," Woods
said. "Not that I need or want to
come in here at night, but I'm a
part of the city offices and I should
have the right to come in."
Roush drew applause from the
crowd when she told Lozano, "You
singled one group out, and you
singled the group out that was
elected by the people."
Lozano said in his memo that
he would accept any decision the
council made and that he believed
it should be on the city council
agenda.
But Lozano, who sets the
agenda for council meetings, ad-
mitted he hadn't put the item on
the agenda for a regular meeting
scheduled for today.
Roush said Monday that when
she couldn't get the problem put
on the agenda, she called her own
meeting, and also decided to ad-
dress Lozano's responsibilities as
city administrator.
The council eventually passed a
motion allowing Lozano to change
the locks, but requiring that
council members be given keys.
Roush said Lozano's responsi-
bilities were discussed because
the city administrator ordinance
— Lozano's Job description — ap-
peared to give him powers that
state laws reserved specifically for
the mayor.
For example, the ordinance
calls for Lozano to act as the city's
budget officer, responsible for
preparing a budget and submit-
ting it to the council.
Under state law, in mayor -
council cities, the mayor handles
many administrative decisions
and serves as budget officer.
Somerville is a mayor - council city
under the terms of the city char-
ter.
The alternative is a council -
manager city, in which a city
manager runs the city under the
policy direction of the council.
�Ixm (
0 CS Council
orders land
condemned
By Phillip Sulak
Eagle staff writer
The College Station City Council on
Thursday directed city staffers to begin
condemnation proceedings against W.D.
Fitch so the city can extend Welsh
Avenue.
The Council wanted to act quickly to
get the street open in time for the start of
the school year. The extension of Welsh
will improve access to College Station
Junior High and Rock Prairie Elemen-
tary, both located on Rock Prairie Road.
The city and Fitch have been feuding
over the Welsh extension most of the
year. The city wanted Fitch to pay for the
extension, in accordance with a policy
that has developers pay for streets
through areas that are being developed.
Fitch, who developed most of south
College Station over the past two dec-
ades, refused to pay for the street, telling
the Council that he could not recoup his
costs.
Meanwhile, Myrad Inc., which owns
the development next to Fitch's land on
Welsh, was ready to build the portion of
Welsh that would run through its prop-
erty. To avoid drainage problems, Myrad
engineers wanted to build the street at
the same time as Fitch.
In May, city staffers and Fitch finally
worked out an agreement for the city and
-the developer to split the costs of the
street.
But Fitch hasn't signed the agreement.
City Engineer David Pullen told council
members that he has been unable to
reach Fitch. City Attorney Cathy Locke
said she heard Fitch was in Wise County.
Fitch could not be reached Thursday
night for comment.
The Council directed city staffers to be-
gin condemnation proceedings in an at-
tempt to take the right of way on Fitch's
property and let Myrad build the entire
Welsh extension. The city would then pay
Myrad for building the section of road ad-
Jacent to Fitch's land.
J q I
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Council rejects
sewer extension
By Phillip Sulak
Eagle staff writer
The College Station City Council re-
jected a $140,000 sewer extension
Thursday after city staffers told the
Council the extension would serve only
four customers.
- All four of the customers — Curry
Plumbing and Winslow Paint and Body
on Graham Road and the Courtney
'Building and the old Wickes Lumber
building on FM 2818 — are in the city li-
mits, but are on septic systems.
Councilman Dick Birdwell moved to re-
ject a contract with Pate & Pate of Hunts-
ville to build the sewer extension, saying
the citizens of College Station shouldn't
pay to connect four businesses to the
city's sewer system.
Councilman Vernon Schneider asked if
the city was legally obligated to extend
sewer service.
City Attorney Cathy Locke said the only
legal recourse the businesses would have
would be to de -annex the properties from
the city. She thought that would be un-
likely because the businesses would lose
other city services such as electricity.
The measure passed unanimously, but
.Mayor Larry Ringer directed city staffers
to contact the businesses and attempt to
work out an arrangement for the city and
the businesses would share costs.
The Council also approved the com-
munity development budget for the next
year. The city will spend $ 100,000 for five
public- service agencies and $670,000 for
the rest of the city's community de-
Oelopment budget, including administra-
tion, road maintenance housing renova-
tion and other projects. The Council fol-
lowed the recommendations of the
Bryan- College Station Joint Relief Fund-
: ing Committee in allocating the S 100,000
for public service.
� � 1(h I
•
CS looking for new flood - control plan
possible for residents to maintain them.
City Engineer David Pullen suggested
making changes in the city's drainage
policy and clarifying restrictions on what
can be built in flood plains. He also sug-
gested the city specify that it would only
take care of concrete surfaces, mayor ero-
sion and flood control, with property
owners controlling weeds and being re-
sponsible for maintaining the overall ap-
pearance of the drainage way.
Brymer said the council should con-
sider a bond- funded capital improvement
program to improve drainage areas
enough that property owners would be
able to maintain them.
Brymer brought up the possibility of a
drainage utility, where properties are as-
sessed a fee based on how much runoff
they produce, but one council member
quickly balked at the idea.
"That's Just a lot of work to collect more
money," said Councilman Dick Birdwell.
"If we need the money we ought to ,Just
raise taxes."
City staffers in Bryan are working on a
drainage utility education program.
Mayor Larry Ringer instructed the Col-
lege Station staff to look at ways to carry
out some of the suggestions.
City staffers also presented a study on
the University Drive corridor, making
recommendations on zoning changes and
addressing aesthetics in the last undeve-
loped entrance to the city.
The study recommends creating of a
new zoning category — business com-
mercial — which would prohibit busi-
nesses the council members consider
unsightly, such as tire stores, garages,
gas stations and convenience stores.
The council will officially accept the re-
port at today's 7 p.m. meeting.
The council meets at the College Sta-
tion City Hall, 1101 Texas Ave. S.
By Phillip Sulak
Eagle staff writer
The city of College Station is looking for
new ways to control flooding without
draining the city budget.
City staffers on Wednesday night pre-
sented the council with possible solu-
Uons to problems with the city's drainage
sy
oblem is the perception by some
4 peo that the city maintains all drain-
age right of ways, said Assistant City
Manager Tom Brymer. City ordinances
require property owners to maintain
drainage areas.
Some property owners build their back
fences too far into the drainage ditch,
blocking the flow of water, Brymer said,
but added, "We don't have an ordinance
saying they can't do that."
He said erosion had made some drain-
age ditches so steep it was practically im-
7/(._� fq /
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•
CS Council approves most proposals
contained in University Drive study
By Phillip Sulak
Eagle staff writ
The College Station City Council on
Thursday approved most of the recom-
mendations in a study of the University
Drive corridor.
Council members voted 4 -3 against
amending the study to zone two Universi
ty Drive lots less restrictively than rec-
ommended by the study. Council mem-
bers Dick Birdwell and Fred Brown want-
ed to amend the study and zone the two
lots at the intersection of University and
the East Bypass as C -1, allowing any
kind of commercial development. The
study recommended the two lots be
zoned C -B, which prohibits convenience
stores and gas stations.
Councilwoman Lynn McIlhaney said
the change would defeat the purpose of
study, which she said was to protect the
aesthetics of the last undeveloped corri-
dor leading into the city.
The amendment failed, with Mayor
Larry Ringer joining Brown and Birdwell.
Council members Jim Gardner, Vernon
Schneider and Nancy Crouch joined
McIlhaney.
The council did disagree with one of the
study's recommendations — zoning the
northwest corner of Robins Loop Drive
and University for admininistrative-
professional, instead of for apartments.
City staffers will now design ordinances
to carry out the recommendations of the
study.
The council also approved a council -
relations policy, which outlines re-
lationships between the council and city
staffers, the media and each other.
The policy includes the Ephebic Oath, a
preamble suggested by Gardner, which
was used by the young men of ancient
Athens:
■ We will never bring disgrace to this,
our City, by any act of dishonesty or cow-
ardice; we will fight for our ideals and
sacred things of the City, both alone and
with many; we will revere and obey the
City's laws and do our best to incite a like
respect and reverence in those about us;
we will strive unceasingly to quicken the
public's sense of civic duty; and thus in
all the ways we will strive to transmit this
City not only not less but greater, better,
and more beautiful than it was transmit-
ted to us.
I i ( (
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C
Ignoring local gang activity
doesn't make it disappear
Eagle Editorial Board
Wishing gangs away won't make
them disappear, and ignoring their
impact on the community won't re-
duce the number of crimes they
commit.
On today's front page, the Eagle
begins a report on gangs operating on
the streets of Bryan and College Sta-
tion. Reporters Scot Walker and
Chuck Squatriglia have spent
months interviewing law enforce-
ment officers, other experts and gang
members themselves, trying to pin
down the extent of the gang problem
locally.
What they learned is not pretty,
but it is important that all of us
understand what is happening here
at home. Gangs no longer are a prob-
lem only of big cities. Bryan officials
would prefer that the media not re-
port on gang activity, afraid that the
resultant publicity promotes gang
activities and encourages impres-
sionable youth to join a gang.
We disagree. It's true that repeated
accounts of every move every gang
makes in competition with others
could lead to stepped -up gang acti-
vity. Publicity can be its own reward
for young people who turn to crime to
find a sense of belonging and self -
worth. The media should handle stor-
ies about gangs with care; the last
thing we want to do is encourage
them.
But combatting gang activity is not
something that can be left solely in
the hands of the police. Parents,
schools, churches, businesses, the
cities, the county, the courts and,
most importantly, every individual in
the community must work together
to make the streets safe for our chil-
dren and for all of us.
According to reports by the Brazos
County Juvenile Services Depart-
ment and the Texas Attorney Gen-
eral's Office; -1 -5 gangs are operating
in College Station and Bryan, about
half of them involved in selling drugs.
Ten percent of the major crimes
committed locally by youth can be
traced to these gangs.
Placing an exact number on mem-
bership is difficult, but the county's
Juvenile service department esti-
mates that at least 100 young people
are involved. A local jailer indicates at
least 30 adults jailed in the past 30
months are gang members. While
most of these individuals are from
Brazos County, law enforcement offi-
cials are seeing more and more gang
members from big cities active here.
The first local gang was identified
in 1966, but the numbers have in-
creased rapidly in the past five years.
College Station Police Sgt. Larry
Johnson said, "When people think of
gangs, they think of drive -by shoot-
ings. That's why people don't think
we have a gang problem here. But we
do.
While not all gang members are in-
volved in violence and crime, a signif-
icant number are. A member of Col-
lege Station's Organized Crime Posse
gang said, "Criminal activity is an
everyday thing, even if it's just fight-
ing after school or fighting on week-
ends. Say you want to party on Fri-
day and Saturday, you got to do some
crime to get money."
Sometimes, he said, gang members
beat up others, just for the hell of it.
"You just try 'em, see if they can
handle it," he said.
Gangs are a problem without an
easy solution. As more and more of
our citizens are bereft of the Ameri-
can dream and the promises it holds,
the temptation to turn to gang mem-
bership as a way to solve the inequi-
ties of life grows stronger. Just as the
problems that created gang activity
didn't develop overnight, neither will
the solutions.
One thing is certain. Ignoring the
situation is not the answer.
As College Station's Johnson said,
"I hope that people don't take the
same attitude that people took before
the drug problem started, [when] all
of a sudden we woke up in the middle
of a briar patch.
"It doesn't go away if you ignore it
and say it's not there."
i All society must work
to solve gang problem
By Chuck Squatriglia
and Scot Walker
Eagle staff writers
C
People with experience work-
ing with gangs say police in
Bryan and College Station are
doing much of what should be
done to deal with the area's
growing gang problem.
But experts agree that youth
gangs are not exclusively a law
enforcement problem. Rather,
they are a symptom of a much
larger social problem, requiring
the attention of all segments of
the community.
Law enforcement officers from
California and criminologists
who study gangs say communi-
ties need to take the offensive
before gangs gain a foothold.
"Early in the game, you've got
to get on it hard and heavy,"
said Sgt. Wesley McBride, a
member of the Los Angeles
County Sheriffs Department
gang unit for 18 years.
Law enforcement alone, no
matter how strict, cannot solve
the problem. One study found
Youth Gangs: Incarceration Isn't Working
Among gang members
incarcerated and released:
E] 13% ended gang
involvement
10% became less
involved
77% were just as
involved or more
involved
Gangs in B -CS
Conclusion of a Three -Part Series
Inside
The DARE program 4A
that 77 percent of gang mem-
bers who were jailed either in-
creased their involvement or
continued at the same level.
Only 13 percent quit gangs alto-
gether.
"I think what communities
are going to have to do is recog-
nize that this is a community -
wide problem," said Elizabeth
McConnell, a criminal justice
professor and gang researcher
at Southwest Texas State Uni-
versity.
"It's not a problem for the
schools," she said. "It's not a
problem for the police. It's not a
problem just for the juvenile
courts or social services. It's a
problem that requires all of
Please see Gang, 4A
New law targets gang crime
By Scot Walker
and.Chuck Squatriglia
Eagle staff writers
AUSTIN — A new state law
that targets gangs who commit
crimes will take effect Sept. 1.
The bill, sponsored by Rep.
Mario Gallegos, D- Houston,
passed the House and Senate
unanimously. Gov. Ann Rich-
ards let the bill become law
without her signature.
Under the new law, the pen-
alty for a crime committed by, or
for, a criminal street gang would
Increase to the next highest
category. For example, a third-
degree felony committed as part
of gang activity will be punisha-
ble as a second - degree felony.
Among the crimes covered by
the law are murder, capital
murder, aggravated robbery
and aggravated assault.
The penalty would not be
raised if the crime already is
punishable as a first- degree,
capital or aggravated felony. A
first- degree felony is punishable
by five years to life in prison.
The bill defines a gang as a
group of three or more people
who have a common identifying
sign or symbol and who regular-
ly associate in order to commit
criminal activity.
The bill originally included
other, less severe crimes, such
as criminal mischief. Gallegos
said he agreed to delete those
crimes "to avoid filling our
prisons."
Gallegos said he doesn't see
his bill as a cure -all to the gang
problem, but said it will help.
"I think it sends a message to
those persons belonging to
criminal street gangs that ...
we're not going to put up with
it," he said. "This would allow a
law enforcement agency to go
Please see Bill, 4A
JRCE: "Gangs in Texas Cities." a report by the Texas Attorney
l �
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Gang
From 1 A
these segments to pull together,
to work together to solve it."
Building self - esteem
One of the most successful tac-
tics locally is the Drug Abuse Re-
sistance Education prograrn. In
the program, police and teachers
work together to instill self -
esteem in students. Low self -
esteem is a common trait among
drug users and youth gang mem-
bers.
Community policing, which re-
duces the distance between police
and citizens, is another effective
intervention measure. Commun-
ity policing includes:
■Bicycle patrols. Bryan police
have a 16- officer, three- bicycle
unit patrolling the city, including
high -crime areas. Police say the
patrols have resulted in 43
arrests since February and have
increased police visibility.
■Foot patrols. College Station
police patrolling the area bor-
dered by Nevada Street, Wellborn
Road, George Bush Drive and
Dexter Street are encouraged to
spend at least one hour a day
walking through neighboncc; s,
meeting residents and busi_:_ -;;s
owners.
■Police substations in high -
crime areas. Bryan police have a
substation at Mockingbird Run
Apartments; College Station
police have one at Southgate
Village Apartments. Police say the
stations increase communication
with the residents and decrease
crime.
Although incarceration seldom
rehabilitates gang members, ex-
perts say strict law enforcement
and high police visibility are cru-
cial.
"The police should make it very
uncomfortable to be a gang mem-
ber," McBride said. "No tolerance.
We've found that once you get to
know them and take away their
anonymity, they're very un-
comfortable with that."
A `no tolerance' approach
The "no tolerance" approach in-
cludes frequent raids on drug -
trafficking areas by the Bryan
police and local drug enforcement
agents. Bryan Police Sgt. Choya
Walling said the raids serve two
purposes: They get drug dealers
off the streets and they disrupt
the drug trade in the area.
Bryan Chief Charles Phelps
said attacking the drug problem
also helps alleviate the gang prob-
lem.
"The root of the problem is
drugs," Phelps said. "It usually
boils down to that. We are attack-
ing that problem daily. So, by
that, we're fighting the gang prob-
lem."
People who study gangs agree
that the first line of defense for
prevention is the home. Brazos
County Juvenile Services officials
believe family dysfunction is the
leading cause of youth gang
membership.
Statistics show that most gang
members come from mother-
dominated homes — in which the
father is either absent or is a weak
role model — and families where
the children are either ignored or
have little discipline or superv-
ision. About 25 percent of the
children in the United States live
in single - parent homes, yet 80
percent of referrals to the Texas
Youth Commission come from
those homes.
"These kids want to belong to
something," McBride said. "They
don't have a family, so they belong
to the gang. The gang becomes a
surrogate family."
What schools should do
Despite these efforts, experts
say more can be done.
Police and sociologists say that
because children spend so much
time at school, teachers and
school officials have the oppor-
tunity to teach the disadvantages
of gang membership.
College Station's largest gang,
the Organized Crime Posse, ap-
peared in the summer of 1988.
During the 1988 -89 school year,
teachers and administrators at
A &M Consolidated High School
noticed students wearing OCP in-
signia and logos.
Although law enforcement offi-
cials praise the district for its
handling of OCP, school officials
declined to discuss gangs beyond
issuing a prepared statement:
"College Station school admin-
istrators have taken a no-
tolerance approach to gang activi-
ties. We believe gangs are not ap-
propriate in schools, and gang ac-
tivities will not be tolerated within
the school environment.
"That is the approach we have
taken in the past, and that's the
approach we will continue to
take."
College Station police Sgt. Larry
Johnson said school officials re-
� 'J
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fused to allow OCP members to
wear "colors" — T- shirts, hats or
bandannas — thus stripping
them of gang identity. Students
refused to allow their schools to
be taken over by gangs and rallied
behind the administration, he
said.
"The gang members were made
outcasts by the students who did
not want their school associated
with gangs," Johnson said. "I
think that shut a lot of it down —
it wasn't cool to be in a gang. I
think the school district went a
long way toward keeping [OCP]
from bec3ming a problem."
CSISD spokeswoman Peggy
Crittenden did say that when
school officials identify a student
as a member of a gang, the stu-
dent's parents are notified.
However, schools should not
expel those children, gang re-
searcher McConnell said.
"All you've done then is com-
pound the problem because
you've put the kid on the street,
which gives him more time to en-
gage in gang activity," she said.
Schools should work with chil-
dren and parents to provide
counseling and remedial edu-
cation, McBride said.
"Put some resources to those
troubled kids," he said. "Offer
some serious counseling with the
entire family. The entire family
must be involved."
Bryan and College Station have
many programs to help keep kids
off the street, such as the Boys'
and Girls' Club of Brazos Valley,
the North Bryan Community
Center and the Lincoln Center.
Local schools offer vocational
training and the Texas Employ-
ment Commission offers job train-
ing.
Vocational and job training may
be one of the most effective meth-
ods for getting kids away from
gangs once they are involved. A
1988 study of Milwaukee gang
members found that only a full -
time job would convince the
youths, ages 13 -17, to leave their
gangs.
What more can be done
Despite these efforts, experts
say more can be done.
Local police'need to develop a
method of sharing information
about gangs, McBride and others
say.
"They should first of all make
sure they have an intelligence
network between their agencies
because there will be migration
between the cities," said Natalie
Salazar, director of the Commun-
ity Reclamation Project in Los An-
geles.
Local police say they share
some information about gangs,
but admit the system needs im-
provement.
"Those of us who have taken an
interest keep in touch with each
other," said CSPD's Johnson. "If
we see something new or another
sign, we pass it on to other agen-
cies. The problem hasn't gotten
big enough for us to form a task
force yet. Right now, we're just
sharing information."
Brazos County Jail administra-
tor Ron Huddleston keeps a list of
gang members he has identified
who come through the jail. He
said local law enforcement offi-
cials have access to the list, which
he wants to computerize.
He said some jail administra-
tors in other counties compile
similar lists, but that no statewide
gang intelligence file exists.
"Maybe the 50 largest jails
could get together a computer
Me," he said. "We'd have a hell of
an intelligence file."
Salazar and McBride said police
need to work closely with the pub-
lic to eradicate gangs. They said
police should encourage citizens
to look for and report signs of
gang activity. Police should seek
help from businesses. churches
and community groups in donat-
ing paint and labor to cover gang
graffiti. This reduces gang identi-
fication and lets gangs know they
will not be tolerated.
McConnell said schools should
keep recreation facilities open in
the summer. She also said
schools and parks should provide
adult supervision at recreation
facilities to keep gangs from
taking over.
"That way, rather than saying,
'School's out; you're on your own
for the summer, so do what you
want to do and get in all the
trouble you can,' you provide a
recreation facility for those kids
who might be drawn to a gang be-
cause they have nothing else to
do," she said. "It provides them
with a legitimate alternative."
McBride said the best way to
combat gangs is to intervene be-
fore they form.
"We've found out that that's
what hurt us [in L.A.] — political
denial of a gang problem — be-
cause then you don't put any re-
sources toward it," she said. "It
gives them a chance to ferment, to
grow within the community. If
you suspect there is something
out there, you better put resour-
ces to it early in the game.
"A little money up front will
keep you from having to spend big
money behind it."
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Bill
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after the leaders of street gangs
and bring them to Justice.
"California has had a law like
this one on the books for about
five years, but they have had a
gang problem a lot longer. The
People from L.A. told me that if
they had had this law earlier, they
could have curbed some of that
East L.A. stuff."
Gallegos said he plans to confer
with Attorney General Dan Mor-
ales about writing more legisla-
tion to target gangs.
q [_� I r i
Gunman sprays bulletsl'onto park crowd
Police say it's a `miracle'
nobody killed in incident
By Chuck Squatriglia
Eagle staff writer
A man armed with semi - automatic pis-
tols opened fire on a group of people in a
College Station park early Saturday morn-
ing, injuring six.
The drive -by shooting occurred at Wayne
Smith Park, Montclair at Luther streets, at
about 12:30 a.m., College Station Lt. Mike
Patterson said. About a dozen people were
at the park at the time, he said. Bryan
police arrested two men near 28th and
Sims streets in Bryan minutes later.
Authorities on Saturday charged Aaron
Lamart Johnson, 17, of 1012 E. 29th St. in
Bryan, and Derrick Lamar Weatherspoon,
20, of 120 Ridge Creek Apt. 210 in College
Station, with six counts of aggravated as-
sault each. They remained in Brazos
County Jail Saturday night in lieu of
$60,000 bail each.
Witnesses told police they were at the
park when someone in a tan Chevrolet
Blazer began shooting at the crowd from
Montclair Street, Patterson said. The truck
fled westbound on Luther Street toward
Wellborn Road, Patterson said.
College Station police en route to the
park saw the truck and noted its license
plate and general description, Patterson
said. When the victims told police that the
truck contained the gunman, the officers
notified Bryan authorities, Patterson said.
Bryan officers stopped the truck near
28th and Sims street and arrested the two
men inside. Bryan officers found a 9mm
semi - automatic pistol and a .22- caliber
semi - automatic pistol on Sims Street near
where police arrested the men, Patterson
said.
Police have dusted the weapons for fing-
erprints, but comparison tests with finger-
prints of those arrested were not completed
Saturday night, Patterson said.
Police do not believe the shooting was
gang - related, Patterson said; they believe i
stemmed from a Thursday night argument
about the girlfriend of one of the arrester
men's and a victim or someone in the
crowd.
Victims and witnesses could not be
reached for comment on Saturday.
Paramedics took three victims to Hu
mana Hospital- Brazos Valley for treatmen
and two to St. Joseph Hospital; the sixth re
fused treatment, Patterson said. Injured it
the shooting were:
■Shalonda Bloom, 17, 134 Luther St
Apt. 232 in College Station. Doctors treater
her for a gunshot wound to the right eaj
Please see Shooting, 4A
Shooting
From 1 A
and released her Saturday.
■ Winstonia Bloom, 21, 134
Luther St. Apt. 172 in College Sta-
tion. She suffered a gunshot
wound to the back and was
released following treatment Sat-
urday.
■Lewis Freeman, 19, 803 -C
Lisa St. in Bryan. He was shot
twice in the right leg and re-
mained in stable condition at the
hospital Saturday afternoon.
■Eric Pratt, 18, 104 Sterling
St. in College Station. He suffered
a single gunshot wound to the
right leg and was released from
St. Joseph Hospital on Saturday.
■James Stewart, 22, 415
Thompson St. in College Station.
Doctors at St. Joseph treated him
for a single gunshot wound to the
left forearm and released him
Saturday.
■Richard Young, 22, 1100
Georgia St. in College Station. He
was grazed in the forehead by a
bullet and refused medical treat-
ment.
Patterson said the victims were
lucky they didn't suffer more seri-
ous injuries.
"The real miracle of it is the
superficiality of the wounds," he
said. "One girl got hit in the ear.
Two inches' difference in either
direction could have killed her."
914 h t
Favoritism can devastate departments
it is, of course, normal for man-
agers to like some of their subord-
inates more than others. And
many managers may not even be
aware that they are perceived as
showing favoritism.
However, favoritism can dev-
astate a department. Morale is
likely to suffer and resentment is
sure to increase when managers
subjectively favor a few. But coop-
eration and teamwork suffer even
more. Cliques and divided de-
partments are almost always
harmful side effects of favoritism.
Even in departments where
people previously worked well
together as a team, management
favoritism can shatter essential
teamwork in a matter of weeks.
Some very good employees typi-
cally will quit or leave the depart-
ment.
"Why should I work so hard
when someone else works half as
hard and gets more apprecia-
tion?" one employee said after
quitting.
Because favoritism is such a
personal act, few employees will
actually communicate with their
managers about it. Yet, em-
ployees will gripe to one another.
It is a manager's responsibility
to be sensitive to the need for ob-
jectivity. This does not mean that
all employees should be treated
exactly equally. Rather, objecti-
vity means that, when managers
allocate scarce resources to their
departments, they should allocate
on the basis of performance
rather than personal likes or dis-
likes.
Managers get very little help in
detecting "favoritism" as a source
of problems. However, because
the potential harm is so great,
effective managers guard against
this natural human tendency.
By Gerald Graham
Knight- Ridder Newspaper
"Hey, I'm the manager," he
shrugged, "I don't see that as a
problem." However, most em-
ployees disagree. Favoritism, ac-
cording to some studies, is a ma-
jor reason managers fail to gain
their employees' respect.
Managers may show favoritism
in varied ways. For example, I
have heard the following: "Her
favorites get the best assignments
although many others are just as
good.'
"Whenever we get a new piece of
equipment, we know who is going
to get it."
"Some people get privileges far
beyond what they deserve."
"He asks the same people to go
to lunch with him most of the
time."
"A few people are always first to
hear the latest."
House approves plan to split B=CS
By Junda Woo
Eagle staff writer
AUSTIN — In a last - minute move, the Texas
House on Wednesday approved a redistricting
plan that splits Brazos County into two U.S.
congressional districts — one based in Hous-
ton and the other in Dallas — and divides the
rest of the Brazos Valley among five con-
gressmen.
Brazos County's legislators had wanted to
keep the county in a single district so resi-
dents would have more clout with their con-
gressman. According to a map approved by a
House committee Monday night, Brazos
County's congressman would have been Jack
Fields, R- Humble.
But Redistricting Chairman Tom Uher
pushed through a complete substitute that
places north Brazos County in the district of
Rep. John Bryant, D- Dallas.
Under the plan, Bryant's district would in-
clude county voting precincts 3 -6, 14, 16. 18.
19, 25, 38, and parts of 7, 15, and 17. It would
include roughly everything north of Coulter
Drive in Bryan.
The rest of the county would go to Fields.
Please see House, 7A
House
From 1A
"The north part of my county is
going to be represented by
someone in Dallas, 250 miles
away ?" asked Rep. Steve Ogden.
R- Bryan. And Fields. Ogden
noted, lives about 100 miles away
in the suburbs of north Houston.
Uher told Ogden to look on the
bright side.
"When there is more than one
congressman you have an advan-
tage," Uher said. "You have more
people to go to. You have two out-
standing congressmen that, I
think, will be able to do a lot of
things for Brazos County."
The legislation was approved,
72 -63, and now goes to the Sen-
ate.
Voting fell largely along party
lines, with Republicans against
the plan because they say it's til-
ted to help Democrats and doesn't
help minorities as much as it
could.
But Republican Kevin Brady of
The Woodlands voted for the map
because of Uher's last- minute
change. The revised map would
make Montgomery County, which
Brady represents, almost whole.
Other plans had carved the
county much more.
Rep. Dan Kubiak, D- Rockdale,
voted for the plan not because he
liked it, he said, but to get it mov-
ing through the Legislature.
"No sense in killing it," Kubiak
said.
A dismayed Ogden worried that
Brazos County interests wouldn't
be represented by big -city law-
makers.
"This is an incumbency protec-
tion plan, that's all it is," Ogden
said, referring to Bryant.
Bryant and two other Con-
gressman have been tussling over
representation of the Dallas area.
Brazos County's current U.S. rep-
resentative, Joe Barton, R- Ennis,
lost the fight and got a much
smaller district wrapping around
one edge of suburban Dallas. A
GOP amendment keeping Brazos
County in Barton's district was
defeated.
Though Barton spokesman
Craig Murphy has said the con-
gressman still hopes to keep Bra-
zos County, that prospect no
longer seems likely.
Whatever map legislators ap-
prove is almost certain to be chal-
lenged in court, noted Fields
campaign manager Toy Wood.
"But he would be very happy to
have A &M in his district." she
said. "We have a very conservative
constituency, and my under-
standing is Brazos County is a
very conservative area."
Here are the congressmen who
would represent other Brazos Val-
ley counties:
■U.S. Rep. John Bryant,
D- Dallas: Robertson County.
■U.S. Rep. Jack Fields,
R- Humble, Washington County.
■U.S. Rep. Greg Laughlin,
D -West Columbia, Burleson
County.
■U.S. Rep. Charles Wilson,
D- Lufkin, Leon, Madison and
Grimes counties.
■U.S. Rep. Chet Edwards,
D -Waco, Mtlam County.
�111�q
C
(40W
•
Eagle's publisher names
editor, managing editor
Publisher Terry Hall has announced
the appointments of Tim Sager as editor
and David Moneypenny as managing edi-
tor of the Bryan- College Station Eagle.
Sager's appointment is effective Monday,
while Moneypenny will assume his re-
sponsibilities on Sept. 9.
Sager, 39, started his career at the
Eagle in 1984 in advertising and moved to
the editorial department in 1985 as a
copy editor. Since then he has also
worked as wire editor, news editor, copy
desk chief, features editor, assistant
managing editor, and managing editor. In
1990 he served as interim editor for two
months.
"My chief goal will be to preserve the
high quality of the Eagle's newsroom staff
and editorial product," Sager said. "Over
the past several years, this newspaper's
staffers have routinely won more major
awards than many papers twice our size.
"In addition to honors from the Dallas
Press Club, the Austin Headliners Foun-
dation and the Associated Press Manag-
ing Editors Association, the Eagle was
voted the best Texas daily with under
50,000 circulation in a poll of the state's
editors and journalism professors. This is
a tradition of excellence that I plan to
continue."
In 1990, Sager won first place in head-
line writing in the Associated Press
Managing Editors annual competition.
Sager earned a bachelor of science degree
in journalism at Texas A &M University,
where he also worked on the school
newspaper, The Battalion, as a staff
writer, copy editor and opinions page edi-
tor.
Moneypenny, 30, is assistant manag-
ing editor at The Daily Progress in Char-
lottesville, Va. He has a bachelor's degree
in journalism and Spanish from Utah
State University.
Prior to working for the Charlottesville
newspaper, he was managing editor of
The York Town Crier and The Poquoson
Post in Yorktown, Va.. assistant manag-
ing editor of the Suffolk News Herald in
Suffolk, Va., and a city hall reporter for
The News Journal in Radford, Va. Before
moving to Virginia, he worked as a staff
writer for the Salt Lake Cit_v bureau of the
Associated Press.
Moneypenny has won 12 awards in the
past three years from the Virginia Press
Association for investigative reporting,
news writing, newspaper design, feature
writing, editorial writing and sports fea-
ture writing. He also won several writing
awards in Utah.
Moneypenny was born in Parkersburg.
W. Va., and grew up in Grovetown, Ga.
MONEYPENNY
SAGER
� 0 Z 141
L
•
Barton hopeful his district
will retain Brazos County
From staff and wire reports
U.S. Rep. Joe Barton says he is "75 -80 percent"
sure he will remain Brazos County's congressman
after the redistricting fight is over, despite a plan
passed by the House Wednesday that would split the
county into districts represented by Dallas Demo-
crat John Bryant and Humble Republican Jack
Barton
From 1A
protect incumbent Democrats.
Rep. Kent Grusendorf, R -Ar-
lington. called the Democratic -
backed plan "uncouth, torturous
and bizarre."
But the bill's author, Rep. Tom
Uher. D -Bay City, said it was fair
and non - partisan, and "reflects
the values and contributions of
our congressmen."
The House sent the measure to
the Senate on a 74 -65 vote.
Under the plan, Bryant's dis-
trict would include Brazos County
voting precincts 3 -6, 14, 16, 18,
19, 25, 38 and parts of 7. 15 and
17. It would include roughly
everything north of Coulter Drive
in Bryan.
Fields.
"Of course, the voters will have the final say in who
their congressman is," Barton said Wednesday, "but
I think I will have the opportunity to be on the bal-
lot."
The House passed the plan over opposition from
Republicans who said the proposal was designed to
Please see Barton, 4A
The rest of the county would go
to Fields.
The rules of the Texas Senate
will allow a coalition of minority
and Republican lawmakers to
hold up consideration of the
Democratic plan, Barton said.
But the Democrats have enough
votes to stop the Republican plan,
which would leave Brazos County
in Barton's Sixth Congressional
District, he said.
Eleven state senators can hold
up legislation by just not showing
up. There are only 31 senators,
and two- thirds of them must be
on hand for the Senate to con-
sider business.
"I think this will end up in
court," Barton said.
Barton is convinced the law is
on his side. A redistricting bill
offered by Teel Bivins, R- Amarillo,
maximizes minority voting
strength in accordance with the
1982 Voting Rights Act, Barton
said.
"The Democratic plan doesn't
maximize that strength and it
won't be approved by the Justice
Department." Barton said. "It will
never become law."
The House- approved plan
would have Barton relegated to a
portion of his home county. Ellis.
with his district speading east to
take portions of Tarrant. Johnson
and Parker counties.
Here are the congressmen who
would represent other Brazos Val-
ley counties:
■Rep. John Bryan. D- Dallas:
Robertson County.
■Rep. Jack Fields, R- Humble:
Washington County.
■Rep. Greg Laughlin, D -West
Colombia: Burleson County.
■Rep. Charles Wilson, D -Luf-
kin: Leon. Madison and Grimes
counties.
■Rep. Chet Edwards. D -Waco:
Milam County.
Republicans said the House -
adopted plan would split 132
communities and 39 counties In
order to benefit Democrats.
Rep. Steve Ogden. R -Bryan,
said the plan is an "injustice to
the citizens of Texas in general
and the people of Brazos County
in particular."
Eagle reporter Phil Sulak contributed to
this report.
'� i I I
EIF
•
CS park should have a curfew
My husband and 1 live near Wayne
Smith Park, unlike parks in other College
Station neighborhoods, does not have a
curfew. We often are kept awake all night
by noise, including loud music, hone um-
a nd gunshots. We keep the b edside be-
ber to the police right by Y he shoot-
cause we have to call so oft o would p ob-
ing incident a few weeks ago c was
ably have been prevented
enforced in the Park. Midnight is too late
to be "playing" in the park. it is ridiculous
that residents cannot get a good night's
sleep because of the noise.
MRS. TOM HECK
College Station
BVCASA gets
federal grants
to fig drugs
By Phillip Sulak
Eagle staff w
u
•
Saying the war on drugs is not yet a
complete victory, U.S. Rep. Joe Barton,
R- Ennis, came to Bryan Wednesday to
announce three grants totaling $182.500
for the Brazos Valley Council on Alcohol
and Substance Abuse.
"I am pleased that BVCASA will be able
to continue the very important fight
against drug abuse," Barton said. "I have
worked hard to see these grants be awar-
ded. It is good to see that work paying off
as the funds get out to the front lines of
the drug war."
The war on drugs will not be quick or
easy, Barton said.
"We have to make a decade -long com-
mitment," he said. "It will have to be a
systematic county -by- county, city -by-
city, precinct -by- precinct struggle."
After announcing the awards, Barton
rode in a Bryan police car to 807 Hall St.
to witness the demolition of a crack
house by Bryan city employees.
Barton congratulated the Bryan City
Council for taking an.active role in the
war on drugs.
"This sends a strong signal that citi-
zens aren't just going to look the other
way," Barton said.
The grants that Barton announced
come from federal dollars funneled
through the Texas Commission on Alco-
hol and Drug Abuse.
A grant for $76,000 will allow BVCASA
to continue its New Beginnings program,
which provides education intervention
for adolescents. The program works with
the juvenile services divisions of six
counties and provides group programs
for area schools.
A second grant provides $72,500 for
community education in the six - county
area BVCASA serves. Mary Mattingly, di-
rector of BVCASA, said the funds pay for
distribution of information and referrals
to other agencies. The funds also help
fund the agency's hot line, which offers
free counseling on drugs.
The third grant provides $34,000 for a
new program that will be conducted with
the Adult Probation departments of the
six - county BVCASA area. The new pro-
gram is designed to help women on pro-
bation who have been identified as having
a drug or alchohoi problem. The program
also will provide services to the children
of those women.
BVCASA serves Brazos, Burleson,
Grimes, Leon, Madison and Robertson
counties.
�Imqf
Judge decides
redistricting
plan unlawful
By Eduardo Montes
The Associated P
EDINBURG — A judge Thurs-
day declared the state's redistrict-
ing maps unconstitutional be-
cause they violate minority voting
rights and ordered officials to
draw up new plans.
Judge Mario E. Ramirez of the
332nd District Court said voting
boundaries for the House and
Senate as well as the state's Con-
gressional and Board of Edu-
cation districts must be scrapped
because they are based on faulty
census data.
"As it stands now officially,
without adjustment, the 1990
federal census is an inaccurate
count of the Texas population in
general and, to an even signifi-
cantly greater extent, of the His-
panic and Black populations, of
the Slate," Ramirez said.
He ordered the state to draw up
new plans based on adjusted cen-
sus figures that would compen-
sate for the undercount. The
plans are to be submitted to the
court by Sept. 30.
Texas Attorney General Dan
Morales said the state will appeal
Ramirez' decision.
"We agree that the U.S. Census
Bureau undercounted the popu-
lation of Texas, specifically the
minority population of Texas,"
Morales said. "We aggressively
pursued a readjustment of the
official census based on the ac-
knowledged undercount. We con-
tinue to pursue release of the offi-
cial undercount numbers and an
official readjustment of the num-
bers."
But right now, "Texas lacks the
capacity to establish valid census
numbers for a self - adjustment
that would withstand a federal
court challenge," Morales said.
Attorneys for several South
Texas residents, who filed a suit
saying they were not counted in
the census, had petitioned Ra-
mirez to issue the preliminary in-
junction to force legislators to,
create new voting boundaries. 1V
The suit, which goes to court
Oct. 1, says the plans approved by
the Legislature dilute minority
E n ting strength because they rely
inaccurate census data for
apportionment.
The census missed 500,000 to
600,000 Texans, especially minor-
ities, in its final tally.
Ci
WELCOME
CITY OF
COLLEGE STATION
EMPLOYEES
Kroger now accepts your
Health Benefits Prescription Plan.
Visit one of these convenient locations:
Kroger Pharmacy Kroger Pharmacy
2104 Texas Ave. 2412 Texas Ave.
Bryan, TX College Station, TX
409 - 779 -7648 409 - 693 -9976
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10 a.m. - 7 p.m. Sunday
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1 0
v
in
0i2_�2_/01
Eagle photo by Terl Walley
Charles Freeman waits on Thursday in the McKenzie Terminal at Easterwood Airport for his wife to return from a trip to New York.
Freeman says his family has flown directly from Easterwood for the past 10 years.
ra
c soaring at new terminal
Easterwood reports 20% rise
in passenger count in August
By Teri Walley
Eagle business editor
Since the new terminal opened at
Easterwood Airport last year, commercial
traffic through the airport has taken off.
According to figures from the airport,
79,101 passengers flew into and out of
Easterwood during 1990, a 10 percent
increase in emplanements over 1989,
when the 72,134 passengers used
Easterwood.
The McKenzie Terminal opened in Feb-
ruary 1990. So far this year, 51,514 pas-
sengers have used the terminal. Of those,
7,224 used the terminal in August, a 20
percent increase over August 1990, when
7,079 passengers used the terminal.
F The three airlines serving Easterwood,
Continental Express, American Eagle
and Atlantic Southeast Airlines, which is
'ivision of Delta, have not added any
i flights to the airport schedule.
Most of the flights going in and out of
there are full," said Hilda Wertz, a travel
agent for DogGone Travel.
More and more people would rather fly
from Easterwood and catch a connecting
flight in Houston or Austin than drive to
the bigger cities. Part of the reason is that
if a passenger uses the airlines serving
Easterwood for the entire flight, ticket
prices are the same whether the cus-
tomer leaves from Easterwood or one of
the bigger airports.
"We try to encourage them to go out of
here," Wertz said. "If you buy a ticket
from American, and you're riding Ameri-
can the whole way, then most of the time
you can go out of here just as cheap for
the most of the market. You can go out of
here for the same price as Austin or
Houston."
Easterwood isn't a bargain for people
wanting to end their flight in Houston or
Dallas, according to Adventure Travel
agent Tyleen Glasshoff.
"It costs as much to fly from College
Station to Dallas or Houston as it does to
go further away," Glasshoff said.
With a two -week advance notice, the
cheapest round -trip ticket to Dallas from
College Station is $95. Without notice,
the tickets can cost up to $140.
Those prices are in sharp contrast to
AmTrak, which charges between $27 and
$52 round -trip from College Station to
Dallas, and as low as $20 each way for a
trip to Houston.
"If they [the airlines] would get compe-
titive on their prices, they would get a lot
more business," Glasshoff said. "Busi-
nessmen don't have all day to sit on a
train."
Glasshoff said that she gets a surpris-
ing number of inquiries from busi-
nesspeople wanting to fly to one of the
two cities, but that many balk at paying
the prices.
Because more and more local busi-
nesspeople are traveling to the major tit-
les, the three airlines would be smart to
lower their ticket prices to attract busi-
ness customers, she said.
But for a longer flight, the hassles of
driving two hours to Houston or Austin,
fighting traffic and finding parking isn't
worth it, Wertz and Glasshoff agreed.
"After spending so many hours on a
plane, and then still having to drive two
hours to get home ... when you get off
the plane here, you drive 15 minutes
maybe and you're home," Wertz said.
Charles Freeman agrees. Freeman was
in the McKenzie Terminal Thursday
afternoon, waiting for his wife to arrive
from New York.
"In the last 10 years, fares have gotten
low enough that you can fly to Dallas or
Houston and make the connection for the
same price," Freeman said.
One drawback to flying from Easter -
wood, Wertz said, is that a number of
would -be passengers are nervous about
flying in small planes. However, she said,
many of the planes flying in and out of
Easterwood are now at least 31 feet long.
[a
C S will turn lot into recycling center
By Phillip Sulak
Eagle staff writer
The College Station City Council on Wed-
nesday took a step toward recycling in con-
junction with Junction Five -O -Five.
The council agreed to a plan to build a drop -
off recycling center in the vacant lot north of
the Cafe Eccell parking lot on Wellborn Road.
The city will foot the bill, but it will be oper-
ated by Junction Five -O -Five, a nonprofit or-
ganization providing job training for people
with disabilities. The organization will provide
a portable building and a baling machine for
the recyclables.
Joe LaBeau, the city's director of public ser-
vices, said the drop -off center in the Northgate
area is important because it is the only area
that will not be a part of the city's curbside re-
cycling effort. City staffers have said the
streets in Northgate are not wide enough for
trucks to get through, since so many cars park
on streets in the area.
The citywide recycling project is expected to
start in February.
The city is building the recycling center to
provide a better environment for the workers
and eliminate an eyesore for passing moto-
rists, who see nothing but stacks of plastic
bags waiting to be shipped to a recycler.
The project is expected to cost about
$55,000.
"I don't see how we can do anything but
build the facility," said Councilman Fred
Brown said. "We'll be having a double impact.
We'll help Junction Five -O -Five and the city at
the same time."
Brown also suggested that the city honor
Donnie Anz, who started the recycling center
behind his restaurant and allowed Junction
Five -O -Five to operate it in his parking lot.
Mayor Larry Ringer said building a new re-
cycling center would allow the city to control
the hours of the complex. Now, people can
drop off recyclables 24 hours a day.
Councilman Dick Birdwell suggested that
the project take the place of citywide recycling.
The drop -off center is doing more business
and doing it cheaper, Birdwell said.
The council will meet in a regular session
today at 7 p.m, in the College Station City Hall,
110 1 Texas Ave. S.
j 16 1
Ell
College Station police dept.
now 11th accredited in state
By Kelly Brown
Eagle staff writer
College Station police administrator
Corkey Sandel recently has been giving so-
licited advice on policy - making to depart-
ments across the country, including some
in metropolitian cities.
The reason small and large agencies
alike are turning to the mid -sized College
Station Police Department is that it just
became the 11 th city in Texas — and the
195th nationally — to receive accreditation
from the Commission on Accreditation for
Law Enforcement Agencies.
Three administrators from the police de-
partment, including Chief Michael Strope
and Sandel, and three city officials, includ-
ing the mayor and city manager, attended
the official awarding of accreditation last
weekend by the commission in Savannah,
Ga.
The commission, made up of patrol offi-
cers, sheriffs deputies and other law agen-
cies, has become nationally recognized
over the past 12 years as selecting only the
"cream of the crop" for admission by re-
quiring compliance with more than 924
law enforcement standards geared toward
the customer service aspect of police work.
More than 5,000 agencies worldwide are
eligible to apply, but few actually succeed
in a process that often takes years. For Col-
lege Station, the only accredited agency in
Brazos County, it's taken nearly five years.
"This isn't the kind of deal where once we
get it, we'll hang a plaque on the wall and
forget about all the things we worked so
hard to attain," said Sandel, the depart-
ment's accreditation manager. 'We will
continue to strive to meet and exceed the
standards. It takes time and commitment,
but we want to be in that professional sta-
tus because for too long we were in a voca-
tional status."
Departments must renew accreditation
every five years through the same process.
The admissions process costs about
$11,000.
The cost and the hard work will not only
keep the department in "excellent shape,"
but will benefit the community as well,
Strope said.
The department will receive at least
$8,000 annually in reduced liability insur-
ance costs and is now eligible for selective
governmental grants.
Recruitment also is blossoming, as
shown recently when 450 people applied
for an entry-level patrol position. Three
years ago, when accreditation still was far
off, the department averaged 70 applicants
for that position, Strope said.
/I/,-) / / C1 I
� OT says 106,000 jobs could be
lost without road bill
Texas could lose 4,098 jobs and $68.3 million
By Lawrence L. Knutson
The Associated Press
WASHINGTON — About 106,000 jobs
around the country could be lost by
year's end if Congress doesn't act quickly
to restore the flow of federal highway and
transit money to the states, the Bush
administration projects.
The potential job losses come as the
country is trying to pull itself out of
ession and fighting the highest unem-
7ment rates in five years.
.:alifornia faces the biggest losses, ac-
cording to the estimates, made available
by the Transportation Department. Texas
could lose more than 4,000 jobs. Many
other states would be affected to some
degree.
And things could worsen.
The American Association of Highway
and Transportation Officials projects a
loss of 409,000 jobs throughout the
economy if highway spending is not
quickly restored.
It estimates that the ripple effect could
reach $27.8 billion in terms of lost pro-
ductivity, contracts and employment op-
portunities. It says these effects would
take about a year to be fully felt.
Tom Larsen, head of the Federal High-
way Administration, said his agency es-
timates worst -case job losses in the
600,000 range if spending authority is
not restored soon.
Congress is struggling to pass highway
and transit authorization legislation to
replace the five -year bill that expired
Sept. 30. Without the authority to spend
highway money, some $1.7 billion in aid
to states cannot be allocated for the final
quarter of 1991.
So far agreement has been reached on
the overall dimensions of the measure,
pegging spending at $151 billion over six
years. But differences remain on a host of
major and minor provisions. Congres-
sional leaders have vowed, however, to
reach a compromise before adjourning
next week for the rest of the year.
Trying to increase pressure on Con-
gress to pass a bill, the Transportation
Department on Wednesday issued a four -
page document illustrating what it called
a "crisis" situation. Delays in passing leg-
islation have created "a drag on economic
recovery," the department said.
Without the legislation, the document
said, "14,000 lane -miles of pavement
would not be rehabilitated, 1,700 lane -
miles of capacity would not be added and
1,000 bridges would not be rehabili-
tated."
Larsen said that there is some con-
struction money available from previous
years but that it is split into various ac-
counts, such as highways and bridges.
Thus, he said, the impact varies from
state to state with some experiencing
little difficulty while others are facing a
virtual "construction meltdown."
"it would be hard not to characterize
this as a very serious matter given the re-
cent character of the economy," Larsen
said.
According to the estimates, states with
large -scale spending programs and many
jobs at stake include Michigan, $112. 7
million and 6,762 jobs; Illinois, $101 mil-
lion and 8,080 jobs; Missouri, $73 million
and 4,380 jobs; Iowa, $70.8 million and
4,428 jobs; Texas, $68.3 million and
4,098 jobs; Alabama, $61.4 million and
3,690 jobs, Wisconsin, $60 million and
3,600 jobs; Louisiana, $53.3 million and
3,188 jobs; Colorado, $52 million and
3,720 jobs; Alabama, $48 million and
2,880 jobs.
B -CS has lowest rate
of unemployment in
Texas for 33 months
By Teri Walley
Eagle business editor
For the 33rd month in a row, Bryan-
College Station led the state in October
with the lowest unemployment rate for
any metropolitan area.
While the unemployment rate climbed
slightly — from 3.6 percent in September
to 3.8 in October, the actual number of
employed also increased, from 58,800 in
September to 61,600 in October.
The number of October employed —
61,600 — actually exceeds the combined
number of employed and unemployed in
September — 61,000. About 2,400 people
were unemployed in October, compared
with 2,200 in September.
Bryan- College Station had 64,000 in
the total work force in October, compared
with 6 1, 000 in September.
The area's unemployment rate fell well
below the state and national averages.
The Texas unemployment rate for Oc-
tober was 7.2 percent, with 616,100 look-
ing for work. The state has a total work
force of about 8.5 million people. About
7.917 million are employed. One year
ago, the state's unemployment was 5.3
percent. At that time, 7.961 million peo-
ple were working.
The nation as a whole had an unem-
ployment rate of 6.4 percent. A year ago,
the national unemployment rate was 5.4
percent.
Amarillo and Austin tied for second -
lowest unemployment rate, with 5.3 per-
cent of their work forces looking for work.
In October, Amarillo had 5,000 jobless
people out of 94,900, and Austin had
23,400 out of work out of 443,100.
McAllen- Edinburg - Mission had the
highest unemployment rate of any
metropolitan area, with 18.6 percent
unemployed. That translates into 30,000
people out of 161,600 looking for a job.
Brazos Valley
Unemployment rates in cities across
the Brazos Valley climbed, but for the
most part, changes were moderate.
In Burleson County, unemployment
climbed from 5.1 percent in September to
6 percent in October. The total labor force
dropped by 26 people, but the number of
employed grew by 51.
In Grimes County, unemployment
grew from 3.8 percent to 4.4 percent.
About 481 people were jobless in October.
The labor force grew by about 54 people,
while the number of employed dropped
by 16.
In Leon County, 6 percent of the labor
force was jobless in October, compared
with 5.5 percent in September. That
translates into 346 jobless Leon County
residents. The total work force declined
by 63 people, but the number of em-
ployed dropped by 90.
In Madison County, the unemployment
rate remained almost steady, dropping
from 3.2 percent to 3.1 percent. The
number of unemployed dropped from 157
to 147; the number in the work force de-
clined by 19.
In Milam County, the unemployment
rate dropped from 5.4 percent to 4.8 per-
cent, with 416 people looking from work
in October.
The number in the work force dropped
from 8,693 in September to 8,616 in Oc-
tober.
Robertson County's unemployment is
traditionally high, moving from 6.2 per-
cent in September to 7.3 percent in Oc-
tober, but the actual number of unem-
ployed roughly equals that of Grimes,
Washington and Milam counties.
The county had 441 people unem-
Please see Figures, 9A
Figures
From 2A
ployed in October, out of 6,047
people in the county's work force.
The number in the work force
climbed by 107 since September.
The number of employed dropped
by 33.
Washington County traditional-
ly has the lowest unemployment
rate in the Brazos Valley, with 3.4
percent in October. However, the
number of unemployed still
equals that of other counties with
smaller work forces. In October,
446 people in Washington County
were out of work.
The work force grew by 103,
while the number of employed de-
clined by only five people, from
12,592 in September to 12,587 in
October.
Brazos vote counting system under study
The Secretary of State's Office
decertified the current system
Infrared beams scan the paper ballots like store
scanners scan the bar codes on products, he said.
Among the system's advantages, Optech reads
400 ballots per minute and can read different sized
ballots, and ballots don't have to be aligned the same
way before entering the machine, said Bonnie Cuel-
lar, another Business Records Corp. representative.
Cuellar said she believes the county needs two
vote counting machines to handle elections, and
recommended a $100,000 system she said would
meet the county's election needs for the next 10
years.
Business Records Corp, makes a similar system
that counts 200 ballots per minute, Cuellar said,
and would cost about $70,000.
Holmgreen, a member of the 10- person elections
committee, said he was impressed by the system but
Is hesitant to spend the money.
He said he also is concerned that changing to
paper ballots would confuse voters who have grown
accustomed to punch cards.
The Secretary of State's Office didn't decertify all
punch card systems. Brazos County could resume
using a punch card system as long as officials pur-
chase a new counting system, Holmgreen said.
Officials have received preliminary price quota-
tions of $15,000 to $20,000 for a new punch card
counting system, he said.
"If that lasts us for four years, that's about $5,000
per year," he said.
The optical scanning systems from Business Re-
cords Corp. would cost $7,000 - $10.000 per year,
Holmgreen said.
Both county political party chairmen are also on
the elections committee. Rodger Lewis, county Re-
publican Party chairman, said he likes the optical
scanning system.
Regardless of what system the county buys, Lewis
said he hopes commissioners consider more than
the bottom line.
"I hope we take an option that will last for perhaps
a decade instead of something that's a quick flx," he
said. Bill McGuire, county Democratic Party chair-
man, said he also was concerned about switching
from punch cards and about the optical scanning
system's cost.
"We're living in hard times," he said. "Every time
the county has to spend more money, it comes out of
taxpayers' pockets."
The elections committee includes representatives
from Brazos County, the cities of Bryan and College
Station, both political parties and the League of
Women Voters.
Committee members are scheduled to meet next
week to discuss a new voting system before making
their recommendation to county commissioners.
Commissioners must have an acceptable system in
place before the March primaries.
By Jim Hiney
Eagle staff writer
Members of the Brazos County Elections Commit-
tee on Friday looked at a possible replacement for
the county's vote counting system, which has been
decertified by the Texas Secretary of State's Office.
Committee members made up about two -thirds of
a group that saw a demonstration of an optical
scanning system, called Optech, that uses paper
ballots. The Texas Secretary of State's office decerti-
fied the county's punch card system because it
didn't provide an audit trail and because of its age.
An audit trail is a means by which officials can de-
termine what happens during vote counting proce-
dures on election night. The county has used punch
cards for about 20 years and the voting equipment
now in use is about 10 years old, said County Judge
R.J. "Dick" Holmgreen.
Optech, manufactured by Dallas -based Business
Records Corp., is the third voting system viewed by
the committee. It works on the same principle as
scanners at grocery store checkout stands, said
Larry Solansky, a Business Records Corp. rep-
resentative.
G
C�� 115-lq
�
•
•
Chain, chain, chain
More national chains will be moving
into Bryan - College Station during
1993.
Sam's Club plans to open Feb. 3
with a brand -new building on Texas 6
at University Avenue. Nate Catron
has been moved from Sam's in Waco to
take over as general manager in Col-
lege Station.
Target, a national discount chain,
will open in College Station by the end
of the summer. The store will be on
Texas Avenue near Holleman Drive.
Pancho's Mexican Buffet will be
offering its all -you- can-eat fare by
mid - January. The new restaurant,
famous for its flagpole service, will be
in College Station in Culpepper Plaza.
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•
KBTX -TV sues Speedway
By Teri Walley
Eagle business editor
Brazos Broadcasting has
joined a growing list of vendors
filing lawsuits and mechanics
liens against Ishin Speed Sport
for unpaid bills.
Brazos Broadcasting, parent
company of KBTX -TV, is ask-
ing Ishin, the company that
owns Texas World Speedway,
for $6,096. Brazos Broadcast-
ing claims that the money is
owed for goods sold on Sept. 21
and afterward.
Ishin, through its attorney,
filed documents denying that it
owes Brazos Broadcasting
money.
Vendors, ranging from
Young Brothers Construction
to Bugge Plumbing, have filed
mechanics liens against the
speedway asking for about $1
million in unpaid bills.
Ishin canceled an auto race
scheduled for the speedway
Dec. 14 -15. Dr. Dick Respess,
president of Ishin, said he can-
celed because the race didn't
attract enough drivers.
Vendors claim that the race
was canceled because Mike
Bosworth, owner of the Quail
Co. in Dallas, filed for receiver-
ship of the speedway.
Cq / glqa�
• Not ce.
Junction 505 Recycling Center
is moving to 4410 College Main
(Formerly Front Porch Cafe). :
The site located behind
Cafe Eccel on
Wellborn Road will close
effective
February 18, 1992.
� - a a 0 0 a 0 0 2 a a a 0 a a 0 0 a 0 0 a a a 0 0 a a 0 0 a a 0 0 0 a a a 0 0 0 a 0 a 0 a a a a J
C7
lqlq�L
•
Part of Raintree Drive to close
Raintree Drive at the east frontage road
of the East Bypass in College Station will
be closed for about four months while
crews realign the road.
® Traffic will be detoured to the south of
the intersection and signs will be in place
to direct motorists. The road is being re-
aligned for a future overpass connecting
Raintree Drive with Southwest Parkway
on the west side of the Bypass.
The work is part of a larger project to
provide one -way frontage roads along the
East Bypass between FM 2818 and Rock
Prairie Road.
,?_04a)__"
Economist predicts slow growth
Q, year for oryanmui
By TERI WALLEY
Eagle staff writer
Interest rates are as low as they are going to get,
but will probably stay down through the November
election, a Texas A &M economist said Wednesday.
Jared Hazleton and other experts in various areas
of economic development read the tea leaves for
Bryan- College Station business leaders Wednesday
and predicted a slow growth year.
Hazleton is director of business and economic
research for Texas A &M University.
Compared with predictions for the rest of the na-
tion, Bryan- College Station's future looks rosy.
The Texas economy as a whole has flattened out,
Hazleton said. It lacks the problems of a New Hamp-
shire, but it's not booming either.
"Our problem has been that the U.S. economy has
stagnated and caused ours to stagnate," Hazleton
said. "But we're not in a recession. We're holding
our own."
Businessmen will have more problems to face
when the Legislature convenes in 1993. Recurring
themes will be health care, public education,
workers' compensation, lawsuit abuse and general
economic development, said Larry Milner, presi-
dent of the Texas Chamber of Commerce.
Bryan- College Station won't be able to count on
Texas A &M University to provide future growth,
said James B. Bond, deputy chancellor for external
affairs at A &M.
Major building projects will slow down by the late
)iiege w
1990s, he said.
Growth that does occur will be on the west side.
Some projects in various stages include a general
aviation project at Easterwood Airport, several ad-
ditions to the veterinary school, a proposed special
events center and the George Bush Library.
Plans are also in the works to connect the River-
side campus to Easterwood via a new Texas 47 and
to expand FM 60 to four lanes, he said.
Hazleton predicted that the Texas economy will
improve slightly during 1992.
Two industries are sagging in Texas: oil and gas
and petrochemicals, Hazleton said. Growth in 1990
and 1991 was concentrated on the Gulf Coast, partic-
ularly in the Beaumont, Port Arthur and Houston
areas, he said. That growth has reached the near sa-
turation point.
"We're at the top of the cycle," he said. "Overca-
pacity is starting to show up."
Empty commercial space will continue to be a
problem, but the housing market, both for Texas
overall and for Bryan- College Station, will improve.
The Bryan- College Station economy is like a May-
tag washer and Hazleton like the repairman, he said.
"No one ever calls," he said. "There's not a lot of
exciting things to tell you about the Bryan - College
Station economy."
Hazelton said the number of jobs in Bryan - College
Station increased by about 1,300 last year, but that
Please see SLOW,page A2
Slow
4iIow
From Al
government and services accoun-
ted for most of those.
And the cities' low unemploy-
ment rate isn't necessarily good,
he said. A low rate comes in one of
two ways: Either a city is boom.
ing or people leave when they're
out of work, Hazleton said.
At the low end of the pay scale,
students fill a lot of the jobs. At
the higher end, most white collar
workers leave town if they can't
find employment, he said.
"We're not generating the kinds
of jobs we should be satisfied
with," he said.
Health care from two fronts will
be a major issue for Bryan- College
Station. For businessmen, a ma-
jor cost will be employee health
care. From another angle, Bryan -
College Station could be poised to
become a major regional health
care center.
r,inpivyers pay an average of
$3,400 per year, per employee in
health care premiums. At the
current rate of increase, by the
year 2000 employers will pay
$22,000 per employee, Milner said.
Elmer Ellis, president of the
East Texas Medical Center, out-
lined his strategies for turning
Tyler into a regional medical
center in the late 1970s and early
1980s. Part of that came as small
rural hospitals and clinics began
closing, he said.
Health care has the potential to
become a major Bryan- College
Station industry, Ellis said. Bra-
zos County shares some of the
characteristics of Tyler, such as
proximity to a major metropoli-
tan area and nearby rural
counties.
The East Texas Medical Center
has nine hospitals in its complex,
including hospitals in Mount
Vernon, Rusk and Athens. Popu-
lations in those towns range from
about 11,000 to 2,000.
•
C
AW's Big Event searching
for volunteers and projects
The Big Event, a Texas A &M Uni.
versity Student Government -spon-
sored activity in which Aggies spend a
day assisting in a variety of projects
around Bryan - College Station, is now
seeking participants and projects.
This year's Big Event is scheduled
for April 4.
Individuals and groups have until
March 9 to complete a Big Event parti-
cipation application. Participants will
be asked to indicate the number of in-
dividuals who will help and whether
or not they or their group will donate
equipment or funds.
Organizations or individuals with
projects suitable for the volunteers are
being asked to complete a form by
Nfarch 9. The information requested
icludes the type of project or help de-
.:_red, an estimate of the number of
Volunteers needed to complete the
- ork and directions to the work site.
Both forms are available from
&M's Student Government Office in
: oom 127 of the Student Services
Yuilding. For more information, call
_; : -3051.
r�
_�, l �Z_e / 6?Q.
Texas World Speedway NASCAR race hits skids
By JADE BOYD
Eagle staff writer
Local businessmen who were thinking
of asking for a court- ordered payment of
outstanding bills from the proceeds of the
next race at Texas World Speedway will
have to think again.
The reopened speedway's first NAS-
CAR race, planned for March 22, has been
postponed, said Denise Bierscwale, pub-
lic relations director for the College Sta-
tion racetrack.
Bierscwale said a new date is being ne-
gotiated, and blamed recent rains for de-
lays in track repairs.
Marvin Barsky, a vice president with
Los Angeles -based Ishin USA, announced
the proposed March 22 race on Jan. 28.
At the time, he said Ishin Speed Sport,
an Ishin USA subsidiary that owns the
track, planned to pay most of its debts
within 10 days. As of December, at least a
dozen companies had filed lawsuits or
liens against the track claiming they
were owed more than $1 million com-
bined.
Some companies have been paid re-
cently. However, settlements have yet to
be reached with the two contractors who
claim the largest losses.
Young Brothers Construction in Bryan
has filed suit for more than $532,000 plus
interest, according to the company's at-
torney, Billy Payne of Bryan. And Bugge
Plumbing. Inc. in Bryan has filed a lien
against the track for more than $35,000.
Owner John Bugge said Wednesday
that about a dozen local companies who
performed work at the track last year are
considering legal action that would force
the racetrack to pay them directly from
the proceeds of the next race.
Bugge said he decided to consider the
action after learning that the track's
management had recently formed a new
corporation.
According to the Secretary of State's of-
fice, Texas World Speedway Inc. was
formed on Jan. 28. The track's owners
apparently control at least three corpora-
tions, none of which are publicly held,
according to the U.S. Securities and
Exchange Commission. The corporations
have not operated in Texas long enough
for the Secretary of State's office to list
their directors and officers. They are
Ishin Speed Sport Inc., Ishin Speedway
Inc. and Texas World Speedway Inc.
"In my judgment, one way that you can
frustrate people is to pull the plug on the
corporation [and create a new corpora-
tion]," Payne said. "It is a vehicle that, if
skillfully utilized, can keep people from
being paid for work they've already done.
"It's a shell game. This is tragic for our
community, in my opinion, for these
People to come in and get all of these local
people to do work for them with promises
of payments that weren't kept."
Ishin owner Shigeru Hasegawa bought
the track a year ago for an estimated $8
million. Ishin said it planned to spend $5
million renovating the dilapidated track,
but Barsky said the repairs have cost al-
most $10 million. Most of the repairs
were directed by Dr. Dick Respess, a for-
mer general manager of the track who
was relieved of his duties on Jan. 23
pending reassignment.
Hasegawa was named general man-
ager, but Barsky said Jan. 28 that he
would be "taking responsibility for the
track if [Hasegawa is] not here."
Barsky did not return calls this week
and Bierscwale refused to comment on
legal or financial matters of the track.
Attorneys at Hughs and Luce, the Dal-
las -based law firm representing the
track, also refused comment, referring all
questions to San Francisco attorney Jim
Hartnett.
At least one Bryan company that has
filed suit against Ishin was partially paid
last week. Larry Catlin, the Bryan attor-
ney representing Newman Printing
Company Inc., said that about a third of
the $45,000 owed to the printer was paid
last week.
Catlin said Newman is the only com-
pany that he's aware of that has received
a court judgment affirming how much it
is owed. Ishin did not contest Newman's
claim.
"We have certain agreements in so far
as what action we agreed to forgo for
them to pay us the third now," Catlin
said. "I really don't think it would be
proper for me to say what we agreed to do
or not do until they have paid us the rest
of the money."
The former general contractor at the
track, Michael Bosworth, has filed suit
claiming that the track owes him more
than $280,000. Barsky said Jan. 28 that he
hoped to settle Bosworth's case quickly
so that the Dallas -based contractor could
return as the general contractor for the
remaining repairs at the track. Hartnett
said Wednesday that negotiations with
Bosworth were "going quite smooth."
Bosworth could not be reached for
comment Wednesday. He said earlier this
month that he was familiar with some of
the work that remained to be done at the
track, and that he didn't know whether it
could be completed before March 22.
Bierscwale played down the postponed
race on Wednesday.
Owen Kearns Jr., public relations di-
rector for NASCAR's Western Opera-
tions, said Texas World Speedway "has
elected not to run the race on March 22.
"It was their decision. That's not to say
that there won't be a race in the future,
but one is not scheduled," he said.
C2_ / �z q / q 2-.,
0 CS electric
Irate drop
4
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a
By PHILLIP SULAK
Eagle staff writer
Electric rates in College Station will
probably go down on March 1. But the
question the College Station City Council
will answer today is when a higher de-
mand charge will take effect, and what
that charge will be.
Council members discussed the city's
rate structure Wednesday at their work-
shop session.
The council has been planning to lower
rates by 4.6 percent since September,
when council members discussed the
1991.92 budget.
® The council decided in October to pass
on to customers 60 percent of the $2.2 mil-
lion it will save this year by switching its
power supplier from Gulf States Utilities
to the four cities that make up the Texas
Municipal Power Association. The other
$880,000 will go to establish programs to
help keep the city's electrical rates com-
petitive in the future.
But the council has never decided ex-
actly how to pass on the higher demand
cost that resulted from switching to
TMPA.
College Station has to pay a demand
charge to TMPA for a guarantee that
there will be enough power to supply Col-
lege Station during the city's peak
periods. The charge is higher under
TMPA, and the city eventually will pass
on that cost to the customers.
City staff members are recommending
that the increase be passed along slowly,
with an education period built to teach
load management to customers who
would be affected by the increase in the
load charge.
But Councilman Dick Birdwell said
that increasing the load charge now is
the only way to get customers to practice
load management.
The council is scheduled to vote on the
electrical rate scale today during the reg-
ular council session at 7 p.m. in the Col-
lege Station City Hall, 1101 Texas Ave. S.
-2// 8 Iq ;L
A &M salaries rank 3rd among state schools
By KARA BOUNDS
Eagle staff writer
Texas A &M professors average the
third highest faculty salaries in the state
public higher education system, the
Texas Higher Education Coordinating
Board reported recently.
A &M's first three faculty ranks —
professor, associate professor, and assis-
tant professor — will earn an average of
$50,243 in the 1991 -92 academic school
year, the report said.
Corresponding faculty members at the
University of Texas Austin will earn
$55,113, and those at UT -Dallas will earn
$50,582. The A &M salary averages are
higher than those at the University of
Houston — $49,950; UH -Clear Lake —
$46,755; UT- Arlington — $44,438; and
Texas Tech University — $44,334.
Average annual salaries for professors,
associate professors and assitant profes-
sors in state public universities were
$44,305 in the 1990 -91 academic year and a
budgeted $45,254 for the 1991 -92 academic
year.
State public university professors are
budgeted to average $56,297 salaries this
academic year, while associate profes-
sors will average $41,314, assistant
professors will average $35,047, instruc-
tors will average $26,126, lecturers will
average $23,140 and teaching assistants
will average $14,523, the report said
The report also listed the budgeted
average salaries for each faculty position
at A &M for the 1991.92 academic year:
$61,852 for professors, $44,840 for associ-
ate professors, $37,207 for assistant
professors, $29,704 for instructors, $25,427
for lecturers and $16,251 for teaching as-
sistants.
Salaries for A &M's first three ranks in-
creased 2.3 percent from the 1990 -91 aca-
demic year, the report showed. That is
higher than the 2.1 percent average in-
crease for the top three ranks of all the
public state universities, but lower than
the 2.6 percent average salary increase
for the same positions at UT- Austin and
the 2.4 percent increase at UT- Dallas.
Faculty salaries for the top three ranks
for other A &M system schools also in-
creased in the 1991 -92 academic year, the
report showed. Average budgeted salar-
ies for this academic year increased 3.2
percent at Corpus Christi State Universi-
ty, from $36,518 to $37,688; at Laredo State
University, 7.7 percent from $36,993 to
$39,849; at Prairie View A &M University,
1.5 percent from $37,227 to $37,777; at Tar -
leton State University, 1.9 percent, from
$36,043 to $36,732; at Texas A &I Universi-
ty, 1.9 percent from $37,871 to $38,600; at
A &M- Galveston, 1.5 percent from $39,872
to $40,459; and at West Texas State Uni-
versity, 0.7 percent from $35,589 to
$35,870.
al��flga-
Cities return TCA p rop osa ls CSpasses o
By MILLIP SULAK
Eagle staff writer
Like an impatient suitor, TCA Cable on Thursday
sent the cities of Bryan and College Station an early
Valentine's Day present — a proposal for a long-
term relationship.
But the cities said TCA was getting too serious too
fast, and sent the offer back unread.
The offer was a 226 -page franchise proposal de-
livered to the two city secretary's offices on Thurs-
day afternoon. The cities promptly returned them.
"We are not in position to look at proposals," said
Bryan's interim city manager, Mary Kaye Moore.
"We're sending them back."
"Under the Cable Act, we can't accept the propo-
sals at the wrong time," said Linda Piwonka, Col-
lege Station's director of management services. "If
we do, it's no longer a formal process, but an infor-
mal process," and the cities would have less control.
"This is an attempt to create a tactical error," she
said.
But TCA's attorney, Mark Palchick, said the cities
legally accepted the proposals.
"Under the Communications Act and city law,
they have accepted the document," Palchick said.
"They can't reject it."
"Dream on," said College Station City Attorney
Cathy Locke. "I think not."
Meanwhile, the College Station City Council on
Thursday unanimously passed a multi- channel ser-
vice provider ordinance setting standards for all
multi- channel providers that use city rights of way.
The multi- channel services may request waivers
from some of the requirements.
The Bryan City Council will consider the proposal
the ordinance later this month.
Larry Monroe, the cable consultant hired by the
Bryan and College Station city councils, said TCA's
proposal was not legally submitted because the cit-
ies had not yet requested a proposal.
Monroe delivered College Station's copies back to
TCA's office in Bryan, along with a letter stating
that the city did not receive the proposal.
The letter said the cities would not be ready to ac-
cept a proposal until:
■ A regulatory ordinance was passed.
■A historic review and analysis of TCA's com-
pliance record was completed.
■The cities completed a needs assessment.
"It's a cute trick by the company," Monroe said.
"We cautioned the cities about this at our very first
meeting."
Palchick denied that TCA was trying any tricks,
but accused Monroe and the city staff of a few.
"They could only have two reasons for [trying to
reject the proposal]," Palchick said. "Either they are
afraid they won't have enough time to review the
proposal in four months, or they want to abrogate
our renewal rights."
Monroe said that historically the acceptance of a
Please see ORDINANCE,page A3
Ordinance
From Al
proposal is the beginning of nego-
tiations on the franchise agree-
ment, and that under the Cable
Act, the city has only four months
to perform a preliminary assess-
ment of its intent to renew or
deny the proposal. The city does
not want that clock to begin until
it has all the information it needs
to make that assessment, he said.
If the cities had accepted the
company's proposal before the
regulatory ordinance was passed,
the company could claim that its
franchise was not subject to the
ordinance, Monroe said.
There was no doubt in Monroe's
mind that TCA deliberately tried
an end run around the proposed
ordinance.
TCA wanted to short - circuit
several parts of the ordinance,
Monroe said, including the part
that defines gross revenues as all
cable profits.
TCA claims gross revenues
should only include money from
basic cable service and the pre-
mium channels. The cities' defin-
ition would include profits from
commercials and pay - per -view
movies.
Palchick said that TCA merely
took the cities at their word: That
TCA was doing a good job and
that the cities would be willing to
give the company waivers from
the ordinance.
l
Eagle photo/ Peter Rocha
Cable consultant Larry Monroe and CS city employee
Mark Skocypec return TCA Cable's proposal Thursday.
C
B=CS may ask
He said the ordinance would:
■Increase the franchise fee
from 2 percent to 5 percent of
TCA's gross profits. According to
the cities' budgets, the cable com-
pany paid about $130,000 in the
1992 budget year in franchise fees.
The increase could mean TCA
would pay $325,000 a year.
■Impose fees for pay - per -view
movies by adding pay -per -view
movie revenues to the definition
Of gross revenues.
■Impose fees on businesses
that advertise on cable by adding
advertising revenues to the defin-
ition of gross revenues.
■Mandate 60 channels.
■Require that cable be availa-
ble to all houses in the two cities.
■Mandate that TCA build an
office in College Station, even
though TCA's office is only a few
hundred yards from the Bryan -
College Station border.
"The basic thrust of the ordi-
nance is good," Rogers said. "It
provides a level playing field and
the ground rules for future cable
companies. What we're opposed
to, in a nutshell, is that the ordi-
nance will increase costs without
improving the product."
Rogers said he did not know
how the ordinance would affect
cable rates.
Linda Piwonka, College Sta-
tion's executive director of man-
agement services, said no one
knows how the ordinance will of
fect costs.
"We're not at a point where he
can say that there will be in-
creased costs," said Piwonka,
Please see CABLE ,page A3
TCA to add
26 channels
By PHILLIP SULAK
Eagle staff writer
Tired of watching the same old
34 channels? Think that you could
find something to watch if you
had 60 channels?
The city councils of Bryan and
College Station are considering
an ordinance that would require
multi - channel services here to
provide 60 channels. The ordi-
nance, written by city staff mem-
bers and Municon, the consultant
hired by the councils, would regu-
late all multi - channel services in
the two cities.
TCA Cable, the only multi-
channel service at present, says
the ordinance would raise cable
rates without improving quality.
"Going to 60 channels is the
least of our worries," said Randy
Rogers, general manager of the
Bryan - College Station office of
TCA Cable. "We're looking at a
150 percent increase in the fran-
chise fee."
The College Station City Coun-
cil will discuss the ordinance at
its meeting today and is sched-
uled to vote on the ordinance
Thursday.
The Bryan City Council is ex-
pected to consider the ordinance
at its Feb. 24 meeting.
Rogers said the increased fran-
chise fee in the proposed ordi-
nance is essentially a tax on cable
subscribers because the money
can be added to the two cities'
general funds. Rogers also said
TCA probably would expand to 60
channels within four years, even
if it is not required to do so.
Rogers favors an ordinance to
regulate cable companies, but he
said the ordinance proposed by
the cities will end up costing the
customers.
He said the ordinance would:
■Increase the franchise fee
from 2 percent to 5 percent of
TCA's gross profits. According to
the cities' budgets, the cable com-
pany paid about $130,000 in the
1992 budget year in franchise fees.
The increase could mean TCA
would pay $325,000 a year.
■Impose fees for pay - per -view
movies by adding pay -per -view
movie revenues to the definition
Of gross revenues.
■Impose fees on businesses
that advertise on cable by adding
advertising revenues to the defin-
ition of gross revenues.
■Mandate 60 channels.
■Require that cable be availa-
ble to all houses in the two cities.
■Mandate that TCA build an
office in College Station, even
though TCA's office is only a few
hundred yards from the Bryan -
College Station border.
"The basic thrust of the ordi-
nance is good," Rogers said. "It
provides a level playing field and
the ground rules for future cable
companies. What we're opposed
to, in a nutshell, is that the ordi-
nance will increase costs without
improving the product."
Rogers said he did not know
how the ordinance would affect
cable rates.
Linda Piwonka, College Sta-
tion's executive director of man-
agement services, said no one
knows how the ordinance will of
fect costs.
"We're not at a point where he
can say that there will be in-
creased costs," said Piwonka,
Please see CABLE ,page A3
Eir
0
Cable
From Al
who is leading the city's cable ne-
gotiations. "We won't ask for
their [franchise] proposal until
after the public hearings are
over."
Franchise fees, channel re-
quirements and other require-
ments spelled out by the ordi-
nance may or may not be in the
franchise agreement, Piwonka
said.
The franchise agreement will
outline exactly what the cable
company must provide during the
term of agreement, she said.
"What we are trying to do is set
a standard that will cover what is
available in the industry now and
what will be available in the fu-
ture," Piwonka said. "But we ex-
pect the providers to come in and
tell us what is feasible and we ex-
pect the community to tell us
what it wants. That's how we'll
work out the franchise agree-
ment."
But Rogers sees the new ordi-
nance as the standard that the
cable providers will have to meet.
Once it becomes law, there is no
guarantee the city won't put all
the requirements in the ordi-
nance into the franchise agree-
ment, he said.
Piwonka describes the fran-
chise agreement as a business
deal, with the cable company us-
ing public right of way to make
money.
"They're basically renting pub-
lic lands," she said.
The ordinance would require a
cable company to provide an
emergency warning system to all
residents, Rogers said.
"I don't believe our customers
even want that service," he said.
Rogers estimated that it would
cost about $100 per household to
add a warning system.
The ordinance is expected to
regulate the cities' cable systems
for about 15 years, Piwonka said.
It is likely that the warning tech.
nology will become more availa-
ble and less expensive during that
time, she said.
Piwonka said the cities have a
good relationship with TCA and
that all indications are that the
company is doing a better than
average job. But she thinks the
cities must protect their right to
future requirements.
"If we don't put the restrictions
in the law, then we have no way to
control our cable service," Piw-
onka said.
09
,�/ � I q-?
I
•
High -speed rail firm says it has cash
The Associated Press
AUSTIN — The group which
won the franchise to build a 200
mph "bullet" train in Texas on
Friday gave the State High -Speed
Rail Authority documents to cer-
tify that it has $10 million cash in
place for the project.
A check for $290,384 also was
presented to cover the final pay-
ment on the rail authority's 1992
annual budget, which under the
franchise agreement must be
funded by the license holder.
"We view today's actions as an-
other encouraging sign of pro-
gress on this important project,"
said Bob Neely, executive director
of the rail authority.
The Texas High -Speed Rail
Corp., a French - American group,
proposes to build the superfast
train lines to link Dallas -Fort
Worth, Houston, San Antonio and
Austin.
David Rece, chief operating
officer of the corporation, also
announced Friday that the com-
pany has opened its Texas head-
quarters with offices in San An-
tonio.
•
•
4
,PJWIV x P T, >1
CS city staff will present
road annexation proposals
College Station City Council mem-
bers on Friday will hear three propo-
sals on the possible annexation of
property along South Graham Road.
City staff members are recommend-
ing that the city annex the businesses
clustered at the west end of the road,
giving the city additional revenues
from utility sales and property taxes.
They also recommend that the city
take only the 1,000 feet of right -of -way
along the road that is required by state
law.
The council will have a public hear-
ing on the annexation at 4 p.m. in the
College Station City Hall, 1101 Texas
Ave. S.
If the council decides to add only
those properties asking for annexa-
tion, the project would be a money -
loser, and the city would create a prob-
lem for emergency service crews, who
would have to figure out what's in the
city and what isn't.
If the council takes the entire road,
located between Texas 6 and Wellborn
Road, it would mean a net gain of
$21,000 a year in revenues. But the city
would face opposition from property
owners who do not want to be part of
the city.
All the .proposals assume that the
city will not improve the street to city
standards. Road improvements would
add about $900,000 to the project.
CS takes it
s step
on road
to annexation,
By PHILLIP SULAK
Eagle staff writer
Members of the College Station City
Cot7ncil on Friday directed the city staff
to prepare an ordinance to annex all the
businesses along the west end of South
Graham Road.
The council also directed the staff to
begin the annexation process for the en-
tire length of the road, which stretches
from Texas 6 to Wellborn Road.
The council appears ready to take on
the task of bringing the road up to city
standards, which would cost an esti-
mated $1.2 million.
Will Botts, the owner of O.I. Industries,
located at the northwest corner of the
Wellborn and Graham Roads, was the
first to petition the city for annexation.
Botts said he needs city water and sewer
service before he can expand.
But not everyone on the road shares
Botts' enthusiasm to be part of College
Station. Lynn Elliott, owner of Lometa
Petroleum, told the council on Friday he
didn't want to be in the city.
"I don't need city services and I don't
need the additional costs of being in the
city," said Elliott, whose business is on
South Graham Road.
If the city really wanted development,
it would leave the road outside the city,
Elliott said.
"Increased costs reduces de-
velopment," he said.
But Councilman Fred Brown said the
investment will be good for the city.
Staff figures on the cost of providing
service to the area did not include the
possibility of additional residential de-
velopment. A large area of open field se-
parates the city limits from South Gra-
ham Road. Because there is a junior high
and an elementary school in the area,
residential development is expected.
"We were going to be in the city sooner
or later," Elliott said after the meeting.
"If it's done this way, it's acceptable.
Provided the council directs staff to use
discretion because we are an industrial
area and not treat us like a residential
development.
"We don't want to be invited to the
party and end up paying for it," he said.
The staff will also have to find a way to
fund the project. Brazos County has
pledged about $200,000 for the road im-
provement, but that still leaves the city
over $1 million short.
City Finance Director Glenn Schroeder
said the city has about $1 million in un-
sold bonds available for road projects.
L
J
Public not given a chance
to voice opinions on prison
I am not happy about the possibility of
having a 2,250 -bed maximum security
prison built on the outskirts of my town,
but then again the economic and political
powers of Bryan - College Station have not
made much of an effort to ask my opin-
ion. Instead, the Economic Development
Corporation has been busy making sure
that business and community leaders
favor the idea of building a prison in our
community, and that the taxpayers of
Brazos County will provide more than
$2.2 million in perks to attract the state to
build the prison here. But the average cit-
izens were not consulted.
The only public hearing on the issue on
Dec. 9 was not well attended. However,
since the hearing was not well pub-
licized, it is not clear what the poor at-
tendance meant. On Dec. 10 Bryan Coun-
cilman Hank McQuaide said it would be
impossible to schedule another hearing.
Without such a well - publicized hearing,
the Economic Development Corporation
should not be assuring the state agencies
that the prison proposal has the support
of the citizenry of Bryan- College Station.
Supposedly, the prison will have a
beneficial impact on the economy of the
•
community; I think the benefits have
been exaggerated. It was reported that
most of the upper -level employees will be
brought in from elsewhere — most of the
jobs for local workers will not be high -
paying jobs. I am also concerned that lo-
cating a maximum security prison here
will have a negative impact on the image
of our community and the quality of life.
Industries may not be favorably disposed
to locating in a town with a maximum se-
curity prison. It may even have a nega-
tive impact on attendance at Texas A &M
University as parents look to send their
children to a safer campus.
I am displeased that citizens were cut
out of the loop in making a decision that
will have a major impact on our commu-
nity.
DIANE S. KAPLAN
College Station
r�
i
Photo finish
Eagle photo/ BHI Meeks
Bruce Robinson, representing Texas A &M University, takes the checkered Phil Springer, at right, owner of McDonald's in College Station, took second
flag in a sack race Friday afternoon commemorating a new crosswalk traffic place. The signal was installed as an effort between A &M, McDonald's, the
signal installed at the intersection of Spence Street and University Drive. City of College Station and the Texas Department of Transportation.
� i ity delays proposed recycling center
By Alysia Woods
The Battalion
success that in recent months it has become un-
controllable and overcrowded. Not only is the
site filled with recyclables, but several resi-
A local organization that employs disabled
people may have to close the book on the pos-
sibility of a new recycling center behind Cafe
Eccell.
The city of College Station continues to de-
lay construction of the center due to Northgate
residential complaints and actions by the Plan-
ning and Zoning Commission.
Junction 505 presently operates a recycling
site behind Cafe Eccell at 101 Church Ave.
The site has become such a tremendous
O Battalion editorial about recycling
site /Page 11
dents use the site as a place to drop off trash.
Paul Fagan, director of Junction 505, locat-
ed at 4410 College Main in Bryan, said if city
officials decide to close the site and cancel
plans to build a new center, at least 13 disabled
persons would be out of a job.
Fagan said plans for a new site were origi-
nally proposed by the city of College Station.
"When we began this recycling program, it
was with the anticipation that we would soon
have a controlled center," Fagan said. "Now
we're very concerned about the poor percep-
tion of the site and we don't feel we would
have that problem if we had a new site."
Joe LaBeau, director of public services for
the City of College Station, said public dis-
agreement has been one of the reasons the
plans may fall through.
"Nearby property owners recently came to
a Planning and Zoning Commission meeting
See Debate /Page 12
Debate escalates over recycling site
Continued from Page 1
and expressed opposition to it (the
site)," said LaBeau. "They (the
Planning and Zoning Commis-
sion) voted against development
of the site so now there's a lot of
uncertainty."
Fagan said, however, that in
the time the center has been oper-
ating, he has known of "only two
complaints, but a thousand com-
pliments."
The proposed center would in-
clude a fence, lighting, and specif-
ic hours in which people could
drop off recyclables such as alu-
minum, newspaper and plastic.
The center, which Fagan estimat-
ed as costing between $50,000 and
$60,000, would be controlled by
Junction 505 employees during
operating hours.
A new center would reduce
costs of the organization because
employees would not have to
spend time sorting through the re-
cyclables and separating them like
they have to do now, Fagan said.
The land the site is located on
is owned by the city, but leased to
Cafe Eccell owner Donnie Anz.
Anz, along with city officials, en-
couraged Junction 505 to begin the
recycling program last year. Both
Anz and Fagan said they are un-
sure about the future of the recy-
cling site, as well as the future of
Junction 505.
Anz said city officials want
Junction 505 to give up the site.
He said he believes the city is
stalling Junction 505 so it will run
out of money and give up hope of
a new recycling center.
"At this moment they (city of-
ficials) are fudging," Anz said.
College Station Sanitation Su-
perintendent Jim Smith'said the
city is trying to help the organiza-
tion.
"We're trying to support Junc-
tion 505 in every way we can, but
there is a possibility that it (the
site) might be shut down," Smith
said.
Smith said the proposed site
has not really been delayed a Iong
time, and he hopes something will
be worked out before the spring.
Peggy Calliham, director of
public relations for the city, said
the city is presently working on
several projects related to recy-
clin�.
There may come a time
where the center may not be the
best way to collect the recy-
clables," Calliham said. "I think
-it's a community education prob-
lem that we have on recycling."
"It will get resolved - I lust
can't tell you how or when."
Calliham said the city's sanita-
tion department is involved in
other recycling issues, such as fu-
ture plans for curbside pick -up for
recyclables.
LaBeau said, however, that
within the next couple of weeks a
decision will be made to either ap-
peal the Planning and Zoning
Commission's decision, or to seek
an alternate site for the recycling
center.
9
S
Co
17
A
•
•
Rail board votes to accept
bullet train franchise plan
AUSTIN — The Texas High -Speed
Rail Authority voted 6-1 Wednesday to
accept a franchise agreement with
Texas TGV that could result in a bullet
train system connecting the state's
major cities by the turn of the century.
Board members met for more than
` eight hours — including five hours
• spent in executive session — before
accepting the 50 -year agreement.
Railroad Commissioner Bob
- Krueger was the lone dissenter on the
High -Speed Rail Authority. He called
the bullet train "a beautiful piece of
technology," but said it wouldn't work
• : in Texas.
Construction of the system must be-
gin by May 27, 1997 and the first route
• — connecting Houston, Dallas, Dallas -
Fort Worth Airport and Fort Worth —
must begin by Dec. 31,1998.
One year from that date, the train
must include service in San Antonio
and Austin. Representatives from
Bryan- College Station and Waco have
asked the corporation to consider ad-
ding stations in their cities.
14/6/ S1 . ) 1 6- o
%' /
And thus far, the economics are not
there. Nor is the consistency of statement
and purpose that we would want from al
consortium seeking a 50 -year monopoly
on a $6.8 billion franchise.
Technology can have its special allure.
But in the end, most people prefer that
government look not for glimmering
visions but for simple truth, and that it
commit its dollars and powers not to al-
lure but to plain old common sense.
And that, I believe, is what we need to
apply in considering a franchise agree-
ment for high speed rail.
■ Bob Krueger is a member of the Texas Railroad
Commission and the Texas High -Speed Rail Au-
thority.
1
%?.21G2
- Texas must accept truth not promises
about high -speed rail
By BOB KRUEGER
Special to the Eagle
It's painful to watch a glimmering,
hoped -for vision disappear. But that is
happening as the Jan. 31 deadline ap-
proaches for concluding a franchise
agreement between the Texas High -Speed
Rail Authority and Texas TGV to build a
high -speed rail system linking Houston,
Dallas-Fort Worth, Austin, Waco, Bryan -
College Station and San Antonio. Put
simply, I doubt that this system, as now
planned, will be built.
I'd like to see high -speed rail come to
Texas — if it can come under its own
steam, be cost - competitive and not re-
quire large direct or indirect public sub-
sidies. But that seems impossible.
Some brief history:
The Legislature charged the Texas
Turnpike Authority to undertake a pre-
liminary study of the feasibility of high-
speed rail in Texas. The resulting report
gave a green light that recommended fur-
ther study and state financial assistance.
The Legislature responded, both to the
report and to taxpayer fears of gigantic
government- sponsored projects that
would be clumsily designed, uneconomic
and a drain on resources; and fears of
regulatory myopia that would allow pri-
vate picking of the public purse in the
fashion of savings and loan scandals.
In the preamble to the Texas High -
Speed Rail Act, the Legislature stated
that "it is not in the public interest that a
high -speed rail facility be built, financed
or operated by the public sector." The Act
created a nine- member High -Speed Rail
Authority to determine who should be
given the right to build, maintain and
operate such a system.
Only two groups applied: FasTrac and
Texas TGV. The main difference between
the two was that FasTrac stated up front
that they would require a public - private
partnership, while Texas TGV presented
itself as a pure free - enterprise venture,
free of the need or taint of government
involvement.
The Authority (of which I was not then
a member) voted 9 -0 to grant Texas TGV
the franchise. But the "order" awarding
the franchise, and signed by the nine
members, required the execution of a ful-
ler, written franchise agreement between
the two parties by Jan. 31, 1992; other-
wise, "the franchise awarded shall ter-
minate."
And here begins the rub. The order
states, "In no manner, event or term may
this order be superseded or amended by
the franchise agreement."
Yet Texas TGV is now seeking to
amend the order and to withdraw from
several commitments made in sworn tes-
timony during the competition.
Three examples stand out:
■ On numerous occasions, Bill Agee,
chairman of the board of Morrison Knud-
sen, the Idaho -based construction firm
that is the managing director of the Texas
TGV consortium, indicated that Texas
TGV, if chosen, would promptly raise
about $170 million (less than 3 percent of
the estimated cost of the total project).
Texas TGV appeared to be doing well.
The Nov. 6 Houston Chronicle reported
that their spokesman, Ben Barnes, told
Houston business leaders that "the first
$170 million could be in place by March
1992, well ahead of a December 1992 dead-
line set by the state."
Imagine the surprise of Authority
members to receive letters on Dec. 6 and
Dec. 17 from Stephen Grant, senior vice
president of Morrison Knudsen, saying
that without the U.S. Congress repealing
a limit on issuing tax -free bonds for high-
speed rail, Texas TGV had virtually no
hope of raising the $170 million equity
which, only a month before, Barnes had
stated was ahead of schedule.
■ Grant's letters are even more sur-
prising because the reason given for
Texas TGV's inability to raise the prom-
ised equity — the need to lift a cap on is-
suance of tax -free bonds for high -speed
rail — was twice specifically said by Agee
to be unnecessary.
Further, Grant's letter of Dec. 17 bor-
rows the language used by his competi-
tor, FasTrac, saying that Texas TGV
seeks "the sort of public - private partner-
ship which I believe the Texas Legisla-
ture contemplated when it passed the
Act."
■ When seeking the franchise, Texas
TGV needed to predict high ridership
figures to justify potentially profitable
operations. Texas TGV estimated that in
nine years 62 percent of all current air
traffic between Dallas' Love and Hous-
ton's Hobby airports would switch to rail.
Even harder to believe, they estimated
that, by then, 71 percent of those people
who would pass through DFW Airport on
their way to a further destination would
prefer going to DFW Airport by train
rather than by plane.
Once arriving at a central rail station
at DFW, these passengers would then
have to find their way to their proper gate
at one of DFW's four distant terminals.
Why passengers would prefer this to
walking down the corridor from one con-
necting flight to another was unex-
plained.
Even more extraordinary is the mon-
umental assumption that the major in-
terstate airlines would prefer to have
their customers ride a train to flying
their planes. Houston, San Antonio and
Austin rank No. 1, 3 and 4 as origination
points or destinations for all flights in
and out of DFW. Who could reasonably
expect American and Delta to give up 71
percent, or any portion, of their first,
third and fourth markets voluntarily?
Like many Texans, I love the thought of
getting on a train in downtown San An-
tonio, having a civilized breakfast and
arriving one hour and 20 minutes later in
downtown Dallas, instead of competing
for a crowded seat, where I munch pean-
uts with my coffee as I fly to Love Field.
But I love it only at an equal price.
❑t
•
A'i -IL
A &M has power outage
Approximately 20 -30 percent of Texas
A &M University's main campus experi-
enced y a Power outage earlThursday
Albert Baxter Jr, superintendent of
&
A M's power plant, said the outage be-
gan at 2:13 p.m. when the No. 5 ge -
nerator shut down. That affected fiv or
six feeder lines that serve about one -
quarter of the main campus.
Baxter said most buildings had at
least partial power by 3 p.m., and that
full power was restored by 4 p.
The University Physical Plant staff is
investigating the cause of the outage.
Baxter said campus maintenance
Protects might have been a factor.
Po w Ea
s kP�zy
`Sound - alike'
• charity maybe
pale likeness
By ANTON RIECHER
Eagle staff writer
The letter to Cleo McLarty of
Bryan in October said help was ur-
gently, desperately needed to battle
one of America's leading killers —
cancer.
It asked that McLarty serve as a
volunteer to visit up to five neigh-
bors and friends in the Glen Eagles
area and solicit contributions to the
1991 Bryan Area Door -to -Door
Cancer Drive — either that or send
a $10, $15 or $25 donation.
Two things about the letter
caught the attention of the occu-
pant at the McLarty address. One,
her first impression that it was
In
out a charity /A4
from the American Cancer Society
was wrong. The charity soliciting
donations was the Cancer Fund of
America of Knoxville, Tenn.
And two, "Cleo" McLarty is not
the recipient's real name.
Several years ago, a friend used
the joke name "Cleo" on a gift sub-
scription to a national magazine
presented to E.C. McLarty. Along
with the magazines, the McLarty
household began receiving a bar-
rage of mail seeking charitable do-
nations from the imaginary Cleo.
McLarty — the real McLarty —
forwarded the Cancer Fund letter
to the Bryan - College Station Eagle
out of concern that contributors
might confuse the long - distance
pitch from Tennessee with fund-
raising efforts by the local chapter
of the American Cancer Society.
Officials with the Cancer Society,
Better Business Bureau and Texas
attorney general's office share
McLarty's concern that "sound -
alike" charities are siphoning off
dollars needed by nationally re-
spected groups.
Pick a disease and the Better
Business Bureau's Philanthropic
Advisory Service can provide the
names of a sound -alike that does
not meet its standards for chari-
table solicitations.
Did you contribute to the well -
known American Heart Associa-
tion, which passed muster, or to the
American Heart Disease Preven-
tion Foundation, cited for nine vio-
lations of the standards? One of
those violations was that too little
of its funds go to heart disease pre-
vention.
Did you give to Alternative Can-
cer Research, Pacific West Cancer
Research Institute or Walker Can-
cer Research Institute? If so, little
of your money went to research.
These, together with Cancer Fund
of America and Heart Disease Pre-
vention Foundation, are clients of
Watson & Hughey Co., a profes-
sional fund- raising firm.
In 1990, a state district court in
Dallas County fined Cancer Fund
of America $40,000 to be given to a
charity deemed "legitimate" by the
attorney general. The fine was for
the fund's part in a deceptive
sweepstakes solicitation organized
by Watson & Hughey. The court
ordered Watson & Hughey to pay
$90,000 in court costs and legal fees
in an agreed settlement.
Ten other states later reached a
$2.1 million agreed settlement with
Please see CHARITY,page A5
•
Charity
From Al
the company on similar charges.
American Cancer Society field
representative Phyllis Davis said
her office regularly receives calls
from people responding to the type
of letter received by McLarty.
The question invariably asked is
'Vby can't I give this money I've
collected to your office instead of
endorsing a check to this Cancer
Fund in Knoxville ?" Davis said.
Only then do these surprised
folks learn that the group they are
being solicited by is not part of the
American Cancer Society, she said.
The last few years have seen a
proliferation of groups claiming to
fight cancer, said Stephen S. Clark,
president of American Cancer So-
ciety's Texas Division.
"Many of these groups have
names similar to the American
Cancer Society's, use similar
national addresses and similar
logos," Clark said. "It is no wonder
that consumers can be confused
about where their money is going."
The Philanthropic Advisory Ser-
vice takes no official position on
Cancer Fund of America. As of Au-
gust, the service included Cancer
Fund on a list of 49 charities under
the heading "Evaluation in Pro-
gress." Other names on the list in-
clude the United Negro College
Fund and the United States Olym-
pic Committee.
Bryan - College Station Better
Business Bureau executive man-
ager Larry Lightfoot reports that
the last completed evaluation for
Cancer Fund of America was for
the fiscal year ending December
1988. Out of a total income of $7.7
million, the fund's fund- raising
costs ate up $3.8 million. Program
services including mailing and
promotional materials cost $2.1
million.
Management and general expen-
ses accounted for $648,107 spent by
the Cancer Fund. Only $1.089 i4il-
Please see CHARITY,page A8
u
C.
•
Charity
From A5
lion went to supporting the Cancer
Fund's charitable purpose.
Pete Fennelly, public information
director for Cancer Fund, defended
the budget as being appropriate for
the start -up year of a new organiza-
tion.
Cancer Fund has provided the
Better Business Bureau with
budget figures for its 1990 budget
of $15.7 million, Fennelly said. Of
that amount, 42.2 percent went to
direct patient aid, 29.9 percent to
education, 21.9 percent to fund
raising and 3 percent on manage-
ment.
The Philanthropic Advisory Ser-
vice considers 50 percent as an ab-
solute minimum acceptable ratio of
commitment to total receipts.
In Texas, the state budget for the
American Cancer Society for the
fiscal year ending in August was
$18.7 million. The Cancer Society's
national budget for the fiscal year
ending in August was $367.7 mil -
lion with $282.4 million going to
research, public and professional
education, patient services and
community services.
Management and fund raising
costs totaled $86.3 million.
Fennelly said the American Can-
cer Society has also been criticized
for its ratio of financial commit-
ments to total receipts. He cited a
recent issue of Forbes magazine,
which reported that only 42 percent
of the American Cancer Society's
funds go to doing the job for which
the organization was created.
Forbes did note, however, that
the low commitment ratio for the
Cancer Society was because "affi-
hated groups may be kicking funds
up to the national organization, as
the Cancer Society's local affiliates
are." Such special cases are exempt
from the advisory service's 50 per-
cent rule.
Fennelly also argued that the
Cancer Fund and the Cancer So-
ciety have different missions. The
major portion of each Cancer So-
ciety dollar goes to research. The
Cancer Fund helps families deal
with the high cost of caring for can-
cer victims, he said.
"The American Cancer Society's
funding goes to research, but by the
time someone gets cancer, it's too
late for research," Fennelly said.
"For the family, dealing with can-
cer can be financially devastating."
Cancer Fund provides special
dietary products, underpads for
bedding, potty chairs and other
items that a cancer patient may
need. In Texas, Cancer Fund con-
tributes to 19 hospices and 52
patients in 65 communities, Fenne-
lly said.
The Cancer Fund - supported hos-
pice or patient located closest to
Bryan- College Station is in Hous-
ton, Fennelly said.
Davis, with the American Cancer
Society, said the local chapter con-
tributed at least $129,000 in
patient services for two Brazos
County cancer patients in the past
year. It also funded more than
$400,000 in research at Texas A&M
University this year.
The major financial connection
between Cancer Fund and Bryan -
College Station is through Tele-
systems, a Houston -based tele-
phone solicitation company with a
branch office in a Bryan shopping
center. Telesystems hires part -time
workers to staff telephone banks
soliciting out -of -state contribu-
tions.
An attorney for Telesystems said
Cancer Fund is only one of 200
clients using its service. Other
clients include the American Lung
Association, the American Red
Cross and the American Cancer So-
ciety.
The episode that earned Watson
& Hughey and Cancer Fund
national notoriety involved mis-
leading letters mailed in 1988 and
1989 to residents in 10 states noti-
fying them they had won in a
$5,000 sweepstakes. Winners sim-
ply had to mail $5 to the company.
When winners returned the let-
ter and a "winner's release form,"
they received their prizes, which
ranged from 10 cents to 40 cents.
Watson & Hughey solicited in
Texas for Cancer Fund and the fol-
lowing clients: American Heart
Disease Prevention Foundation,
Pacific West Cancer Fund,
National Emergency Medical Asso-
ciation-National Heart Research
Project, Adopt -A -Pet, Project Cure-
The Center for Alternative Cancer
Research, Walker Cancer
Research, United Cancer Council
and Little Orphans.
Sound -alike charities may copy
traditional American Cancer So-
ciety approaches such as the ten
warning signs of cancer, but the so-
ciety's trademark remains unique,
society spokeswoman Davis said.
People should always look for the
Cancer Society sword before mak-
ing their donations.
"Our new slogan is 'Nothing is
mightier than the sword,' " Davis
said.
// qlq
C
C
Local police
warn about
phone scar
By ANTON RIECHER
Eagle staff writer
The salesman on the tele-
phone was insistent. Busi-
nessman Jesse Flores was
urged to support law en-
forcement in his community
by buying an ad in a special
publication to benefit the
Texas Department of Public
Safety.
Flores refused.
He was suspicious because
the salesman, who claimed to
be a DPS trooper, tried to
high- pressure him. The
salesman wouldn't accept his
explanation that contribu-
tions to local law enforcement
are a budgeted expenaav for
his company.
The definite tip -off was
that the alleged "trooper"
cursed and hung up.
The next day, Flores
received a call from a
different man, who offered
ads in the same publication.
When he mentioned the ear-
lier call, the salesman passed
off the incident by saying,
"Well, we've all heard those
kinds of words."
According to police, a lot of
people have heard a pitch like
this. Only the law enforce-
ment or public safety agency
has been changed to protect
the grifter. Flores said his
guard was up because Bryan
city officials had advised local
merchants to beware solici-
tors selling advertisements
for a fictitious firefighters'
yearbook.
Larry Lightfoot, manager
of the Better Business Bu-
reau of Brazos County, re-
ported that one group solicit-
ing locally claimed the money
would go to the families of
slain police officers. Other so-
licitors claim to be collecting
for insurance and training of
officers.
"If they offer to send a run-
ner over to pick up the money
right away, watch out,"
Lightfoot said.
Sgt. Choya Walling of the
Bryan Police Department
said Bryan police don't solicit
money for any cause by tele-
phone. If someone calls want-
ing money and claiming to be
a Bryan officer, call the
police, Walling said.
The easiest way to check
the legitimacy of solicitors is
to ask for a number to return
the call, said Bryan Police
Sgt. Dale Cuthbertson. An il-
legal operator will be reluc-
tant to give that number
away.
Never give a credit card
number to anyone who called
you first, Cuthbertson said.
And check to see if the dona-
tion you are making is tax
deductible.
•
C
�
College Station, CSISD join
forces to offer class on drugs
By KELLI LEVEY
Eagle staff writer
The city and school district of
College Station are joining McDon-
ald's this month to offer a class that
may help parents help their fifth -
through ninth- graders keep their
New Year's resolutions.
The parent -to- parent drug pre-
vention workshop trains and
equips parents to deal with their
children and teach other parents to
do the same.
The program uses the "Parent to
Parent" video -based training
system designed to give average
parents the skills, knowledge, atti-
tudes and abilities necessary to get
their children to adulthood without
alcohol or drug use or abuse. The
program also emphasizes a parent's
legal rights and responsibilities to
maintain the health and safety of
dependent children.
"It's a great time for parents to
start this, especially if the kids get
caught drinking over the holidays,"
said Mary Sue Rabe, the school dis-
trict's drug education coordinator.
"But it's not just for responding to
problems of kids who already use
drugs or alcohol. It's also good pre-
vention. It's good for keeping that
from ever happening."
Lt. Bernie Kapella of the College
Station police department begins
teaching a class Thursday that will
be held from 7 -9 p.m. each Thurs-
day for four weeks. The classes will
be conducted at the College Station
Police Department, 2611 -A Texas
Ave. S.
Mary Sue Rabe will teach a class
on Tuesdays and Thursdays begin-
ning Jan. 14 in the administration
board room at 1812 Welsh Ave. The
three -hour classes — from 9 a.m. to
noon — will continue for four
weeks.
For more information, call Rabe
at 764 -5400.
CS man to Qet home thanks to church citv
By BILL WALL I Working together will be the church, the
ag e7staff writer city of College Station and HUD through the
Community Development Block Grant pro-
Hammers will ring out and saws will buzz grain-
this summer on Oney Hervey Road in Col- "We are trying to provide a model for
lege Station. other communities as well as the govern-
Senior high school students from A &M ment as to how the government, local busi-
United Methodist Church of College Station nesses and non - profit organizations might
and other volunteers, in cooperation with cooperate," Dornbush said. "There's been a
the city of College Station and the U.S. De- lot of talk about cooperation between the
partment of Housing and Urban De- public and private sectors, and we're taking
velopment, will build a house on a lot do- it one step further: the public, private and
nated to the church in 1985 by Dick Hervey. non - profit."
The foundation work will be done and the Dornbush said he hopes other churches
plumbing roughed in by June 27 — in time also will get into the program.
for the youths to work on the project June 28 "If one church can do that this summer,
to July 3. why can't 200 do it next summer ?" Dorn-
A&M Methodist, as a non - profit organiza- bush said.
tion, will join the city and the federal hous- Jo Carroll, community development ad-
ing agency in a public - private partnership ministrator for the city of College Station,
to provide a house for a low- income person said the federal government does not allow
who fails to qualify for other housing assis- cities to use block grant funds for new con -
tance. struction on their own. The only way the
What makes the effort unusual for this city can build new homes is through a non -
area is that the house will be built with co- Profit organization.
operation between the private and public It was Dornbush who conceived of the
sectors, said Scott Dornbush, associate min- idea for the cooperative project as he pon-
ister of A &M United Methodist. dered talk about the need for the private and
public sectors to cooperate.
"I just got to thinking that the church here
does a unique [house - building] project, and
maybe we can get the government and
church to work together on it," Dornbush
said.
A &M Methodist built a house for a needy
person in 1991 using volunteer labor from
the church's youth department and other
church members. Local businesses donated
supplies and labor and offered other sup-
plies at a reduced rate.
Since the church planned to build a simi-
lar house, Dornbush decided to explore the
possibility of getting help from the govern-
ment. Both the church and the city gave
their blessing to the proposal.
This type of project is cost effective for
each entity, Dornbush said. The church can
build a house for about $25,000, Dornbush
said. Randall Pitcock, rehabilitation coor-
dinator for community development for the
city of College Station, said it costs the city
about $30,000 to build a house from federal
funds.
The cost could rise to about $40,000 if the
Please see HOME, page A6
Ef
Home
From Al
city had to buy a lot, Carroll said.
Costs are considerably lower on
the church project because the
church can solicit donations of
labor, money and goods and ser-
vices, Dornbush said.
The city council also agreed to
match dollar - for - dollar, up to
$20,000, what the church raises
for the project. The city funds
come from Housing and Urban
Development money given to Col-
lege Station as a Community De-
velopment Block Grant, Pitcock
said.
Dornbush said that, with the
matching funds and donations,
their house will be built for about
$25,000.
The city of College Station
helped select a person to live in
the house. The city wanted to help
the individual, a man in his 80s
and living in a rental home, be-
cause he did not qualify for help
through community de-
velopment, Pitcock said.
The home the man is renting is
beyond repair, he didn't want to
go to a nursing home or retire-
ment community, and condemn-
ing the property would put the
man out on the street, Carroll
said.
"We really can't assist people
who live in dilapidated rental
structures without the owner's
participation," Pitcock said, not-
ing that the owners said they are
not financially able to participate
in doing anything to the struc-
ture.
"A &M United Methodist
Church has come up with a solu-
tion for at least one [such per-
son,]" Pitcock said.
Dornbush said the church plans
to build such a house every other
year. "They'll have to pay their
bills and insurance and such, but
other than that, it will be free,"
Dornbush said.
The individual to occupy the
home built this summer will add
what money and labor he can to
the project. "He will be present
and interacting with the kids as
they build it," Dornbush said.
This cooperative effort does not
compete with Habitat for Hu-
manity, another non - profit organ-
ization dedicated to providing
housing to the needy, Dornbush
said. Habitat works with people
who can afford to buy their homes
through a no- interest loan.
"The people that we seek are
people who have fallen through
all the cracks, and, for circum-
stances beyond their control,
there's nobody that can help
them," Dornbush said.
Eagle photo/ Michael Mulvey
College Station Mayor Larry Ringer, Dustin Griffin, one of the students who will build bush, associate minister of A &M United Methodist Church stand on the site of a
the house, Randall Pitcock, CS rehabilitation coordinator for community de- home to be built on Oney Hervey Road with the help of A &M United Methodist, the
velopment, Jo Carroll, CS community development administrator and Scott Dorn- city of College Station and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
N7 1 A
c
•
In Town &Teas
6 t h ld workS f
in police department
p p
Members of the College Station City
Council will take a road trip down
Texas Avenue on Wednesday to 'hold
their workshop at the College Station
Police Department.
The council will get the grand tour
of the facility and hear a presentation
from police officials concerning work-
load and personnel estimates and a
consolidated police -fire dispatch.
The workshop will be at 4 p.m. at
2611 -A Texas Ave. S.
Council members Thursday will
hear a presentation on possible traffic
improvements in the Tarrow Drive -
University Drive area.
The city's consultant for the project,
Joseph Blaschke, recommends that:
■Tarnow and East Tarrow drives
become one -way streets.
■Traffic signals be installed at the
intersection of East Tarrow and Uni-
versity drives and at the intersection
of Spring Loop /Lincoln Avenue and
University.
■The city of College Station, in the
near future, consider a new road, con-
necting Lincoln with University. The
new street would be an extension of
East Tarrow.
■In the more distant future, the city
should consider realigning Lincoln, so
that it connects to Walton Drive and
the main entrance to Texas A &M.
Thursday's meeting will be at 7 p.m.
in College Station City Hall, 11o1
Texas Ave. S.
$25,000 for permit violations
compliance.
There was no fencing, no landscaping and a fail-
ure to maintain the road leading to the site, Pullen
Members of the College Station City Council sent said.
a message Thursday to oil production companies do- On Dec. 11, Pullen said, the city and a company
ing business within the city limits: Obey the ordi- representative reached agreement on a $25,000 fine
nances or pay the consequences. for the violations. The violations could have cost the
The council unanimously approved a $25,000 fine company more than $80,000, he said.
against Chesapeake Energy Corp. for violations of a Still, the company made no improvements, he
permit the council issued to the company in May said, until the past week, when fencing and lands -
1992. The council mandated that the company post a caping was added. Pullen said he expected the com-
$250,000 security bond for re- permitting the well for pany to be in compliance by the end of the week.
another year. The company had not paid the fine levied in
City Engineer David Pullen stated in memoran- December, Pullen said.
dum to the council that it should consider a $1 mil- Chesapeake officials admitted to being lax and
lion performance bond, which would be forfeited to said they were doing everything to come into com-
the city if the company did not comply with their pliance. They also said that their understanding
permit. from members of the city staff was that the $25,000
"We had an agreement," said Councilman Fred fine would be waived if the company came into
Brown. "We welcomed you into the community and compliance.
we expected you to abide by our ordinances. You Mayor Larry Ringer accused the Chesapeake offi-
provided false promises and showed no regard for cials of saying that city staffers were reneging on a
our ordinances." deal.
Pullen told the council that until recently that the "Apparently this company was not concerned
well site, near the East Bypass between the Raintree
and Emerald Forest subdivisions, had been out of Please see FINE, page A2
•
CS council fines firm
By PHILLIP SULAK
Eagle staff writer
l�:
B urgla ry
0
in CS c KATY H L
Eagle staff writer
The rate of vehicle and building
burglaries reported during the
first quarter of 1993 in College
Station rose by more than 100
percent over the same period last
year.
The first- quarter crime statis-
tics for 1993 — January, February
and March — revealed a nearly
CS
From Al
burglaries jumped from 56 in the
first quarter of 1992 to 115 during
the same period this year. Burg-
laries of habitations showed a les-
ser increase of 69 percent.
"We expected an increase but
. its taken a bigger jump than
we expected," College Station
police spokesman Lt. Wayne On-
stott said last week.
Onstott said he couldn't pin-
point a single reason for the in-
crease; however, a general in-
crease in criminal activities may
have contributed. He said addi-
tional activity keeps officers from
patrolling the streets; patrolling
is believed to deter crime.
Of the increase in building
burglaries, Onstott said storage
sheds appeared to be the hardest
hit. He suggested residents plan-
ning to store their belongings lo-
cate a facility with on -site secur-
ity.
Common sense is one of the best
tools against vehicle burglaries,
rat u
i1mi Ea-
e sa
109 pe cent increase in building
burglaries and 105 percent jump
in vehicle burglaries over the
same three -month period in 1992.
The statistics, recently released
by the department, indicated a
total of 48 building burglaries
were reported for the first quarter
of 1993, compared to 23 the year
before; and the number of vehicle
Please see CS, page A9
he saw.
Onstott advises automobile
owners to lock their vehicles and
take valuable items with them
when the vehicle is left un-
attended.
Bryan police spokesman Sgt.
Dale Cuthbertson agreed.
"Things left in a vehicle are
open game for burglars," he said,
noting the most common type of
burglary today is the "smash -and-
grab" technique in which the
burglar breaks out a window to
get at something of value inside.
Vehicles parked at apartment
complexes, shopping malls and
sporting events, anywhere there
is a high concentration of auto-
mobiles, are particularly vulner-
able.
Items such as radios, cellular
phones and purses should be tak-
en out or concealed when a vehi-
cle is parked, Cuthbertson said.
"Out of sight is out of mind," he
added.
His department saw a 21 per-
cent increase in vehicle burglar-
ies during the first quarter of 1993
— from 73 during that time last
year to 88 this year. The year -to-
date total jumped in April with
about 60 additional vehicle burg-
laries reported before the end of
the month, said Bryan police
Crime Analyst Linda Rieger.
Cuthbertson also suggested au-
tomobile owners plan ahead to
combat vehicle burglaries.
He advises residents to shop
around for vehicles that have
proven to be difficult to break in
to. Another suggestion was to
purchase dash - mounted stereo
equipment that can be taken out
when the vehicle is parked. And,
regardless of how the system is
mounted, the owner should en-
grave his driver's license number
and state of residence on any
stereo equipment before it is in-
stalled. Such markings help to
identify the equipment should it
be stolen, he said.
Cuthbertson said it is also
critical that people abandon the
idea that burglary is something
that only happens to someone
else.
"What the criminal hopes for is
the attitude that it won't happen
to me," he said of unsuspecting
and often careless automobile
owners.
"Unfortunately, we become the
someone else."
L�
0 r 0
CS councilwoman
courses
first level of institute's courses
College Station councilwoman Lynn
Mcllhaney is one of the first three elected
officials in Texas to complete the first
level of continuing education courses
offered through the Texas Municipal
League Institute. McIlhaney and the two
other people, each of whom has com-
pleted 42 hours of courses, will be recog-
nized on July 24 at the Association of
Mayors, Council and Commissioners In-
stitute in Plano. They will also be men-
tioned in a forthcoming issue of the
Texas Municipal League's magazine.
The institute allows one credit for each
50- minute course on community issues it
sponsors.
It's Like This
Margaret Ann Zipp
MCILHANEY
Wolf Pen Creek Amphitheater's grand opening Friday 1 0
Summ¢rSchedu le
Here's the lineup of entertainment
planned for this summer at the Wolf
Pen Creek Amphitheater:
June 10 — Concert, Susanna Sharpe
and the Samba Police,
July 3 - College Station Lions Club
and Post Oak Mall fireworks display.
July 9 — Movie, "The Princess
Bride."
July 18 — Concert, Joe Orsak and
the Special F /X.
July 29 — Concert, Miss Molly and
the Whips.
Aug. 6 —Movie, "Hook."
Aug. 21 — Concert, Johnny Dee and
the Rocket 88's with the Rockafellas.
Aug. 28 — Concert, Worn Out Souls.
Sept. 17 — Concert, Dealers Choice.
Eaple photo/ Dave McDermand I
Workers apply finishing touches to the Wolf Pen Creek Amphitheater, which is College Station's newest outdoor entertainment venue.
A
Let SAMCLu M9 � 3 � t h 3 �
c-o-ncerts be in
■
By JIM BUTLER 9
Eagle staff writer
"If the good Lord's willing, and the creek don't rise" has been
more than a light- hearted qualifier for the College Station Parks
and Recreation Department staff any time the subject of the Wolf
Pen Creek Amphitheater came up. It's been a fervent prayer, and
one not always receiving a a positive response.
But those bridges, so to speak, have been crossed, and the new
performance venue will have its official grand opening Friday, ap-
propriately heralding Memorial Day weekend, the tra-
ditional beginning of the outdoors season.
Gates will open at 6:30 p.m. with Joe Orsak and Tim
McGraw providing introductory music. Featured per-
former will be country music star Joe Diffie. The grand
finale will include a fireworks display. Free tickets will
be distributed by KORA radio at various locations this
week.
The amphitheater was originally scheduled to open
March 26, but rain forced construction delays. Specta-
tors at the Brazos Valley Symphony Orchestra Pops
concert on May 1 got a special preview of the facility
and a feel for what a marvelous setting the amphith-
eater is.
"This is the most important cultural structure to be
built since Rudder Auditorium in 1970," said Franz
Krager, artistic director and conductor of the orchestra.
"It is a beautiful place to play."
Completely surrounded by water, Wolf Pen Creek
Amphitheater is located between Colgate and Holleman
Streets in College Station. The park is part of an exten-
sive development that will eventually stretch from
Texas Avenue to the East Bypass.
The grounds seat about 5,000 people on a sloped, gra
ssy area. Rest rooms and a concession stand are located
at the rear of the seating area.
Except for a small area for the handicapped on Col Oak Mall on
gate Holleman Stree Parking av aila b l e
illnot be allowed in the
Sears warehouse lot.
Spectators will not be allowed to bring food or drinks,
ice chests, pets, lawn chairs, beach umbrellas, guns,
radios (unless earphone attached), cooking devices,
cameras or recorders. Insect repellent should be ap-
plied before entering park. A designated area will be
provided for wheelchairs and strollers. Bicycles must
be left outside the gates.
Food and drink (alcoholic and non - alcoholic) will be
sold at the park. A limited number of beach lawn chairs
will be available for rent.
"The rules were a lot looser for the Pops concert be-
cause that is traditionally an event where people bring
picnic baskets," said Peggy Calliham, public relations and market-
ing manager for College Station.
Wolf Pen Creek Amphitheater was designed as a public facility
and is intended to be used by a wide variety of groups. Rental fees
depend on the classification of the reserving party with higher fees
on weekends than weekdays. Rental classifications are private
(such as wedding or reunion, no public invited), non - commercial
and non - fund - raising (no admission charge, open to public), non-
commercial fund - raising, commercial, professional and political.
For reservation information, call the College Station Parks and
Recreation Department at 764 -3773.
F]
College Station
police figuring
program's success
BJ "TY HALL
EaglAtaff writer
NIblidcuj Kb 3 i , qq 3
College Station police late Sunday were
still calculating the success of Saturday's
"Alcohol Task Force" directed at youths
with alcohol.
The task force, which followed an
afternoon graduation ceremony at A &M
Consolidated High School, hit the streets
about 9 p.m. Saturday and worked into
the early morning hours Sunday. The
plain - clothed officers cited at least three
teens for possession of alcohol and two
adults for furnishing minors with alco-
hol, said Sgt. Dan Jones.
A final tally and further details sur-
rounding the task force activities will be
available when all of the related reports
are completed, he added.
The officers focused their efforts on
areas known for teen traffic and reports
of loud parties, Jones said.
Outside Wolf Pen Bowling Center, 7500
E. Bypass, at about 11 p.m. the officers
found beer in a pickup truck there and
cited an 18- year -old occupant for posses-
sion of alcohol, Jones said.
Less than an hour later, task force offi-
cers outside Arbor Square Apartments,
1700 Southwest Parkway, found an
apartment full of alcohol and minors. The
youth were spilling onto the balcony of
the apartment and inside the officers
found "too many empty (beer) cans to
count," an assortment of bottled liquor
and a bathtub full of ice and beer, he said.
One teen who tried to hide an open can
of beer in a sink there was issued was
cited for possession of alcohol, Jones
said.
Just after midnight and a few blocks
away at another apartment complex on
Southwest Parkway, police located a sec-
ond party — a high school graduation
party.
One 19- year -old guest there was cited
for minor in possession of alcohol and
two residents of the apartment were is-
sued citations for furnishing alcohol to a
minor, Jones said. Bryan police did not
report any significant graduation- related
criminal activity.
J
Amphitheater needs to
rethink public policies
Well, the new Wolf Pen Creek
Amphitheater has now had it's
Grand Opening Gala. On May 28,
the first concert with Joe Diffie
was put on in the not quite com-
plete amphitheater.
My wife and I attended the
opening ceremonies and concert.
I must confess I was impressed by
the general layout and landscap-
ing of the whole area. It is indeed
going to be a beautiful park.
As we walked into the theater
we realized that we would have to
do some climbing to get up the
hill. As we got up to the chair ren-
tals, we saw that the chairs are
N� the type with short legs. My wife
cannot use one of those because of
a medical problem. But fortunate-
ly there were a few full-size chairs
OC' for people who needed them, so
v we rented those.
We knew that the concert would
probably be rather loud, so we
were sitting near the back, far be-
hind the audio consoles in the
center. That gave us perhaps 50 to
100 feet of open space in front of
us.
Then we were told by a couple
of the security personnel that we
would have to move back to the
�-- concrete walk. They rationalized
that we were blocking the view of
people behind us. As a matter of
fact, there were not enough people
at the concert to completely fill
the area, and it was obvious that
there would be a wide open area
of green grass up to the walk for
the whole concert. We were told
rather rudely we must move, and
move we did with everyone else
who had a full-size chair.
The concert started and it was
very good from what we could
hear. However, we, of course,
couldn't see anything. The open
green grass area in front of us be-
came the traffic area for everyone
walking across for food and
drinks. There was a constant flow
of people parading in front of us,
and so we couldn't see. We left
early.
I think that College Station has
a good idea with the WPC con-
cept. But it's pretty obvious that
only the young and able need at-
tend under the current manage-
ment. I wonder if anyone is going
to file complaints under the fed-
eral disabilities act about how
people with problems are treated
at WPC. I sure hope that the man-
agement takes a hard look at its
Policies for future events. It
would be a shame for such a beau-
tiful facility as WPC to start off
with a negative reputation.
GREGORY R. JONES
Bryan
n
Board to discuss master plan
The College Station Parks and Rec-
reation Board will discuss the possi-
bility of adopting a Parks Master Plan
during tonight's meeting.
The Parks Master Plan, if adopted,
will outline long -term goals for the
College Station Parks and Recreation
Department. The plan would be de-
veloped by the Parks and Recreation
Board and staff members and would
take about a year and a half to com-
plete.
A proposed limit of 65 decibels for
the Wolf Pen Creek Amphitheater will
also be discussed and voted on during
�— the meeting. The amphitheater offi-
cially opened on May 28.
3� The Wolf Pen Grand Opening Gala
report will also be presented during
the meeting, at 7 tonight in the Central
Park Conference Room, 1000 Krenek
Tap Road.
CS police to ask council
for�dditional officers
wCbWJO , y� `I' is �� .
The College Station Police Depart-
ment on Thursday will ask the City
Council for permission to hire addi-
tional officers to compensate for ex-
pected resignations.
The request will be discussed and
possibly voted on during Thursday's
College Station City Council meeting
at 7 p.m. in the council chambers of
City Hall, 1101 Texas Ave.
If approved, the program will allow
the department to hire three officers
over the council's self-imposed 70 -of-
ficer limit.
Police officials estimate that they
have a turnover rate of nine officers
per year. Because it takes nine to 12
months to train an officer, they esti-
mate needing three extra officers to
keep them at the allotted level.
The department currently employs
69 officers and is in the process of hir-
ing one more.
Also on the agenda is discussion of
the already approved Eleanor Street
Extension project. The project calls for
street and drainage improvements to
be made on Eleanor and Montclair
streets. These renovations will allow
easier access to Lincoln Park.
The awarding of a construction con-
tract to Young Brothers Inc. of Bryan
will allow construction to begin on
July 1. The project is expected to be
completed 90 days later at an esti-
mated cost of about $108,000.
In closed session, the TCA Cable
Franchise negotiation report will be
discussed. This report comes from the
College Station City Council manage-
ment director and explains the pro-
gress that is being made with the ne-
gotiations.
J
CS police get OK to
hire more officers
""
flit By TANYA SASSER
Eagle staff writer
The College Station City Council on
Thursday approved a program which
will allow the police department to hire
additional officers to compensate for ex-
pected annual resignations.
Under the approved plan, the depart
ment will be able to hire three officers
over the city's 70- officer limit.
Police officials estimate they have a
turnover rate of nine officers per year.
Since it takes nine to 12 months to train
an officer, the department needs about
three extra officers each year to keep
then�at the allotted level.
The department now has 69 officers
and is in the process of hiring one more.
The council awarded a contract to
Young Brothers Inc. of Bryan for comple-
tion of the Eleanor Street Extension
project.
This project calls for street and drain-
age improvements to be made on Eleanor
and Montclair streets. The renovations
are designed to allow easier access to
Lincoln Park.
Construction, estimated . by Young
Brothers Inc. to cost about $108,000, will
begin July 1 and should be completed
within 90 days.
Council members approved a request
from Myrad Real Estate to rezone Lot 2,
Block 2, Westchester Park II from me-
dium- density apartments to single fami-
ly.
Some College Station residents voiced
their approval of the change, saying that
the proposal would make the land, near
Rock Prairie Elementary School, more
consistent with the adjacent land, which
is primarily occupied by single -family
homes.
The council went into executive ses-
sion, according to the agenda, to discuss
the TCA Cable Franchise negotiation re-
port. The report from the council's man-
agement director charted the progress of
negotiations between the city and TCA
Cable for a new franchise agreement.
No action was taken concerning the
franchise.
J
�7
College Station joins list
of Texas Torch Run cities
The city of College Station has been
chosen to participate in the historic
Texas Torch Run, the longest run in
U.S. Olympic Festival history.
College Station is one of 58 Texas cit-
ies to be selected for inclusion in the
4,600 -mile route that will lead to the
opening ceremonies of the U.S. Olym-
pic Festival '93. The festival will be in
San Antonio's Alamodome on July 23.
The torch will be carried through
College Station by 21 area residents on
K"June 22 between noon and 1 p.m. Run-
`' ners will carry an Olympic flame as
4,000 Texans are expected to partici-
pate in the run, which began Sunday
q in Austin and is expected to last 41
,.days.
The run will begin at Advantage
Rent -A -Car, 1710 S. Texas Ave. Parti-
cipants will run south on Texas
Avenue and then west on Southwest
Parkway. The run will end on South-
west Parkway and Shadowood Drive
c where the torch will be put back in a
miners lamp and transported to Fort
Worth.
The deadline for entry was May 1,
but everyone is welcome to watch the
College Station residents participat-
ing.
J
7
Bryan council
OKs rate"hike
for Lone Star
By KARA BOUNDS
Eagle staff writer
Bryan residents will soon be
paying more for their gas when
Lone Star Gas Co. implements its
first rate increase since 1985.
The increase was approved by
the Bryan City Council during its
meeting Tuesday evening.
In a letter to the council, Gary
Thigpen, Lone Star district man-
ager, said the increase "is intend-
ed to allow Lone Star Gas Com-
pany the recovery of its expenses
and also to provide Lone Star with
the opportunity to earn a fair and
reasonable rate of return upon the
investment in the Bryan distribu-
tion system."
Rather than charging two
different base rates for winter and
summer months, Lone Star will
charge a constant rate of $28.76 for
all 12 months.
This will result in a base in-
crease of $2.66 from the current
$26.10 during the winter, and a
base increase of $6.16 from the
current $22.60 during the sum-
mer.
Commercial customers will
also be charged a constant base
rate. A base rate increase to
$227.53 will be $10.49 over the cur-
rent winter rate of $217.04 and
$30.35 over the current summer
rate of $197.18.
Public schools, which were
Previously charged as a separate
category, will now be charged
under the commercial rate.
Other increases will take place
in charges for inauguration of
service, returned checks and col-
lection.
Lone Star estimates that it will
receive an annual revenue in-
crease from Bryan and College
Station combined of more than
$803,105 — or 11.79 percent —
after the changes are implemen-
ted. This includes a $58,768 in-
crease in service charges and a
$741,232 rate increase for the two
cities.
The rate increases will be
effective on Feb. 24.
The College Station City Coun-
cil is scheduled to consider a
similar from Lone Star at
fr
Other increases will
take place in charges
for inauguration of ser-
vice, returned checks
and collection,
its 7 p.m. meeting Thursday at
1101 Texas Ave.
In other business, the council
the board passed the first reading
of an ordinance to change the zon-
ing classification of a 1.83 -acre
tract of land from agricultural.
open to retail.
The land is at the southeast
corner of FM 158 and FM 1179, a-
cross from Allen Academy.
The ordinance resulted from a
request to the Planning and Zon-
ing Commission by Ray V. Han-
sen to build a service sta-
tion /mini -mart on the property.
City Planner Ray Shanaa said
that if the ordinance is approved
upon its second reading, the land
will be rezoned and Hansen will
be free to submit his site plans to
the commission.
C
Consent agenda approved by
the council include:
■Using $30,000 in Community
Development Block Grant funds
for the Sterling Park Square
Project. The money will provide
sidewalks, utility mains and curb
and gutters for the area, sur-
rounded by Sterling Avenue, 15th
Street, Simms Avenue and Four-
teenth Street. The project will re-
place dilapidated units with new
units for low income families on
waiting lists for assistance.
■ Dividing $316,800 of 1993 -94
Community Development Block
Grant Public Service funds
among 12 volunteer agencies in
Bryan and College Station. In-
cluded is a $23,863 job training
project in College Station.
■Authorizing the mayor to
sign an agreement to allow the
Post Oak Mall Lions Club to use
the facilities at Coulter Airfield
for an air show July 3 -4.
E.
J �te._g1)
co nc approves bond sale
The College Station City Council
unanimously approved the sale of
$5.85 million in city bonds Wednesday
to fund sewer and electric projects.
Of the $5.85 million, $3.7 million is
being issued to extend and improve
the city's existing sanitary sewer
system and $1 million is to extend and
improve the electric light and power
system. The amount for electric
projects was increased from the
$600,000 originally proposed.
The remaining $1.15 million is for
advance refunding of outstanding
bonds and for the costs of issuing the
bonds.
The council also approved the ad-
vance refunding of a little more than
$1 million in 1985 bonds, which is es-
timated to save the city about $178,000
over the next seven years or about
$25,000 a year.
The council's regular meeting will
begin at 7 p.m. today at 1101 Texas
Ave.
CS Council
grants gas
rate increase
By KELLI LEVEY
Eagle staff writer
;xn 1H°F3
For the first time m eight years,
College Station residents will see
higher rates on their Lone Star
Gas bills.
The College Station City Coun-
cil unanimously granted a rate
increase Thursday that will cost
the city's residents an additional
$340,000 a year. The increases will
go into effect Feb. 24, 1994.
Residential rates will increase
from seasonal rates of $6.50 a
month during the winter and
$4.50 a month during the summer
to a flat $8 a month. Commercial
rates will increase from $10.50 a
month during the winter and
$6.50 a month during the summer
to $14 a month.
The Bryan City Council ap-
proved a similar request Tuesday
night.
Lone Star expects a revenue in-
crease of more than $803,105 — or
11.79 percent — from the cities'
rate hikes. About $340,000 will
come from College Station, the
rest from Bryan.
Service charges from both cit-
ies will generate about $59,000,
and rate increases will generate
about $741,000.
In January, Lone Star re-
quested a combined increase for
Bryan and College Station resi-
dents and businesses that would
total about $1.2 million annually.
The cities hired Reed -Stowe & Co.
to review and analyze the request
and based on the review and ne-
gotiations with Lone Star, trim
med the increase to $800,000 a
year.
During Wednesday's council
workshop, Councilman Hub Ken -
nady requested a comparison of
average residential and commer-
cial bills in surrounding simi-
larly -sized communities. The
chart included College Station's
previous and proposed rates,
Abilene, Arlington, Georgetown,
Killeen, San Angelo, Temple and
Waco.
College Station's average com-
mercial bill before the increase,
$217.04, was the lowest of the
group and the residential bill,
$26.10, was higher only than
Waco's $26.03. College Station's
new average commercial bill,
$234.11, was still the lowest of the
group and the residential bill,
$26.65, was higher only than the
city's former rate, Waco's and
Abilene's $26.58.
Gary Thigpen, district manager
for Lone Star Gas, said College
Station is still in the lower end of
the more than 500 communities
the company serves statewide.
Iri Thursday's 20- minute meet-
ing, the council also rezoned a
2 -acre lot in Westchester Park
from commercial to single - family
residential. The property, boun-
Please see GAS, page A7
Gas
From Al
Jed by Rock Prairie Road and
Victoria Avenue, is adjacent to
Rock Prairie Elementary and its
park.
Judy Cook, an area resident,
said she feared a convenience
store would open on the location
and would possibly sell alcoholic
beverages. That would be inap-
propriate, she said, because the
property is close to the elemen-
tary and to College Station Junior
High School.
Besides, she said, properties on
Wellborn Road and on Rio Grande
that are zoned commercial are
within a half -mile of the area in
question.
The council also approved utili-
ty and development agreements
with Toys "R" Us — Nytex, Inc.
and Post Oak Square Ltd. and a
request by College Station Noon
Lions Club to waive fees and
police and fire costs for a July 4
community celebration at Wolf
Pen Creek Amphitheater.
Toys 'R Us coming to soon -to -be renovated center
CS officials seeking
better access to mall
BV KELLI LEVEY
2e taff writer
A Toys 'R Us store is slated to
open on Harvey Road west of Post
Oak Mall — maybe in time for
Christmas — and College Station
city officials are trying to im-
prove access between the shop-
ping center and the mall.
The national toy store will be
one of two new features of the
renovated Post Oak Square Shop-
ping Center adjacent to the mall
at Harvey Road and Texas 6.
Houston -based Bernstein In-
vestments, which recently bought
Post Oak Square, plans to reno-
vate the shopping center and
expand it from 118,220 to 140,000
square feet.
Almost a third of the property
will be demolished and renovated
to house the 31,958 -square-foot
Toys 'R Us store. A
32,040- square -foot Hobby Lobby
arts and crafts store will open in
the site of a former grocery store.
Post Oak Square officials have
already signed an agreement for
access between their center and
the mall. Though no specific
plans have been drawn for a
driveway, it most likely would be
built behind the existing Caven-
der's Boot City location.
The Planning and Zoning
Commission approved the final
plat for the project in mid - April.
The city council approved it a
month later on the condition that
Toys 'R Us enter into a de-
velopment agreement with the
city to obtain cross access be-
tween Post Oak Square and Post
Oak Mall.
City council members dis-
cussed the possibility of a drive-
way between the new store and
the mall last Wednesday, while
discussing proposed development
and utility agreements between
the toy store and the Post Oak
Square.
"The only way the city could
force that [joint access agree-
ment] would be to condemn that
portion and make it a public joint
access rather than a private joint
access," said Roxanne Nemcik,
assistant city attorney. "Post Oak
Square already dedicated their
portion, it's just the mall that's
not agreeing to it."
Nemcik said in doing so, the
city would be forced to bear the
cost of condemning the property
and buying the land.
Mall General Manager Ann
Kyle said any agreement would
have to be reached with manage-
ment of the mall and of each de-
partment store within the mall.
She said the decision to reject the
agreement was made by rep-
resentatives of CBL & Associates,
Inc. in Chatanooga, Tenn., which
owns, developed and manages the
mall.
"I guess if they were seriously
going to do it, they'd have to pre-
sent some kind of drawings and
information about how it would
affect the existing traffic pat-
terns," Kyle said. "And we'd have
to answer questions like — would
we need additional parking —
that sort of thing.
"[The city] asked them about a
year ago and they asked them as
recently as three months ago and
they said no, so I doubt they're go-
ing to change their minds."
City Manager Ron Ragland ad-
vised the council to wait before
taking any action.
"They might decide to open that
up so the Toys 'R Us traffic can go
over to the mall," Ragland said.
Councilman Hub Kennady said
any further discussion of the
project should occur in closed
session.
Wa. - & W, ' D I I q ( 1
':u
' 112, �
Roads
From Al
tion department officials that
converting the 14 -mile stretch of
frontage roads will be safer in the
long run.
The three -year average for ac-
cidents along the area of frontage
roads affected by the changeover
is 138 per year. Changing to one -
way frontage roads usually pro-
duces a 20 percent reduction in
accidents, Texas Transportation
Institute research data states.
For the East Bypass frontage
roads, that means about 27 fewer
accidents every year.
For police and fire officials, the
problem with one -way frontage
roads is longer response times to
emergency calls. However, that
increase will be timed in seconds,
not minutes.
"I'm encouraged by the reports
I've already received that it's not
going to dramatically increase the
response times, but we're going to
study it further," Bryan Fire
Chief Jim Bland said.
Bryan firefighters have an
emergency response time of four
minutes or less to 90 percent of
the city, Bland said. For some of
the more distant fringes of the
city, that response time increases
to nearly seven minutes.
In Bryan, the frontage road
switch will have its greatest im-
pact on response times to Briar -
crest Valley between Briarcrest
Drive and Boonville Road, Bland
said. The nearest fire station is on
Briarcrest Drive across from the
Brazos Center.
Firefighters are timing the new
frontage road route to prepare for
the switch, Bland said. For the
most isolated area in Briarcrest
Valley, the increase in response
time is still less than a minute.
In College Station proper, re-
sponse times range from four to
4% minutes, said Fire Chief Bill
Kennedy. To the Pebble Creek
area, response time is eight
minutes or more, prompting con-
struction of a new fire station to
begin operations early next year
near the Shennandoah subdiv-
ision.
The new East Bypass inter-
change at Emerald Parkway and
Southwest Parkway, scheduled to
open shortly before the frontage
road switch, should eliminate
many of the route problems that
would increase response time to
subdivisions such as Raintree,
Kennedy said.
A proposal to relocate College
Station's two existing fire stations
was made with the pending fron-
tage road changes in mind, Ken-
nedy said. Once all three new sta-
tions are in place, the average re-
sponse for the most distant area
served will drop to 4 % minutes.
"As our stations get on line, our
lives will get a whole lot better,
but for the time being these by-
pass rule changes are going to
cause us some concern," Kennedy
said.
Police response time depends
on officers in patrol cars covering
assigned beats. Both police chiefs
anticipate the switch will have
some effect on response times but
not as severe as with the fire de-
partment.
Fire and police officials for both
cities reject the possibility of
emergency vehicles traveling
against the traffic on the frontage
roads in anything but extreme
disaster.
"We would be putting the citi-
zens at risk, plus the risk to our
own personnel," Bland said. "And
if we don't get there, we can't help
anybody."
Eagle photo/ Michael Mulvey
The temporary two -way traffic signs that have marked the frontage roads on the East Bypass for 20 years
will soon be removed and the traffic on the roads will be changed to one -way.
BmCS working to make road
change -over accident free
By ANTON RIECHER
Eagle staff writer
The paradox of converting traffic on East
Bypass frontage roads to one -way is that the
benefit of fewer accidents in the long run is at
the short -term risk of more head -on colli-
sions, officials said.
Bryan and College Station police will pa-
trol the frontage roads in greater numbers
during the two week switch -over in Septem-
ber. College Station police chief Ed Feldman
said the timing of the switch scares him.
"I think there's probably a football game or
two here in College Station [in September]),"
Feldman said. "There are an awful lot of peo-
ple who the last time they were here there
was two -way traffic on those feeder roads."
Bryan Police Chief Lee Freeman said his
department is also concerned about the in-
creased risk of head -on collisions involving
drivers confused about the switch.
"That possibility always exists," Freeman
said. "But I think the [transportation] de-
partment and the city of Bryan are trying to
put on a good education program for the pub-
lic to let them know this is coming."
Frontage roads along Texas 6, from FM
2818 in north Bryan to Rock Prairie Road in
south College Station, will change to one -way
traffic, Texas Department of Transportation
officials announced this month.
Peak traffic along portions of the frontage
roads is about 16,000 vehicles a day.
After the changeover, only northbound
traffic will use the east frontage road; south-
bound traffic will use the west frontage road.
The changeover will be done in three sec-
tions and will take about two weeks.
Both police chiefs agree with transporta-
Please see ROADS, page A4
3u� �0 1 LCICI?) W 0)
3 -CS police take complaints about noise serioulsy
IIA
By ANTON RIECHER
Eagle staff writer
Adrian Zurok expected a warning when
;ollege Station police arrived one weekend
norning after a neighbor's complaint
bout too much noise from her party.
Instead, Zurok got a ticket. The charge
vas disorderly conduct, a Texas penal code
violation that normally carries a $125 fine
or a first offense in College Station's mun-
cipal court.
"Disorderly conduct is an extremely
)ffensive term, considering the kind of sit-
uation it involved," Zurok said. "It's insult-
ing to the person getting the ticket."
Noise ordinance violation is the fourth
most answered police call in College Sta-
iP11 -1)
tion. An average of more than 40 citations
for disorderly conduct by noise are written
each month, said Janie Nash, College Sta-
tion municipal court administrator.
She estimated that 15 to 20 percent of
those citations are contested in court.
Zurok asked that the Eagle not use her
real name. The party at her Southwood
home was not a racuous college blowout,
she claimed, but a friendly get - together to
honor a visiting student from Burkina
Faso on receiving his doctorate at Texas
A &M.
People talking in the front yard were the
loudest source of noise, Zurok said. The
stereo volume was low enough that two of
Zurok's family members were fast asleep.
Regardless of the early hour — 2 a.m. — the
noise was much too low to disturb the
neighbors, she said.
The officer disagreed. Zurok said she
plans to contest the ticket in municipal
court.
In Bryan, the standard fine for a first
offense noise violation is $125 to $130. Noise
violations involving animals, car stereos or
loud parties filed with the Bryan municipal
court totaled 35 for 1992, said municipal
court administrator Hilda Ferris.
"They've [College Station] got a problem
we don't — students," Ferris said.
Writing a ticket for disorderly conduct
by noise without a warning is up to an offi-
cer's discretion in College Station, a police
spokesman said. But, according to that
spokesman's counterpart in Bryan, noise
violations there are almost always handled
by giving a warning first. s
In College Station, an officer who
receives no cooperation at the scene of a
complaint or who has been at the same ad-
dress on previous occasions is free to issue
a citation without a warning, said Officer
Barry Wilkerson.
"But if he gets to an area where it's not
real excessive and the people are cordial —
'I'm sorry, we didn't realize; we'll turn it
down' — there's not a hard and fast rule
about when he has to issue," Wilkerson
said.
Like College Station, Bryan police have
no rigid policy on giving warnings about
Please see NOISE, page A3
•-
Noise
From Al
noise. But Choya Walling, Bryan
police public information officer,
said it is common practice for a
warning to be given on a first
offense.
Police in both cities complain
that loud noise calls take officers
away from more important du-
ties. In College Station, loud noise
complaints are highest during
football season when Texas A &M
is playing at home.
"We may be working major ac-
cidents, assaults, whatever," Wil-
kerson said. "Loud parties cannot
be our highest priority because
victim offenses have to come
first."
From personal experience,
Wilkerson said the worst noise
violation incident he could re-
member was a party for an Eng-
lish rugby team visiting Texas
A &M. Nearly 80 people crammed
into a 60 foot long, 10 foot wide
travel trailer at a local trailer
park.
In Bryan, Walling and assistant
to the city manager John James
are working with college fraterni-
ties to try to head off problems
that arise when parties get too
loud, Walling said.
Neither department uses sound
or decibel meters on a routine
basis to check noise violations.
Instead, the cities rely on the
judgment of the officer based on
what would be annoying to a
"reasonable person."
A neighbor with a nervous con-
dition might be more sensitive
than most, but the city "would not
require someone to adjust their
conduct to fit within that person's
purview of the situation," said
Bryan deputy city attorney Tho-
mas Johnson.
Another difference between the
two cities is that a noise violation
in Bryan is potentially more ex-
pensive than in College Station.
Police in Bryan can issue a cita-
tion under the city noise ordi-
nance or the Texas penal code —
disorderly conduct by noise.
"The penal code requires an
element of intentionally or know-
ingly committing the offense,"
Johnson said. Under the city or-
dinance, simple negligence is
enough to prove guilt.
The penal code violation is pun-
ishable by a fine of up to $500. The
Bryan city ordinance carries a
maximum fine of $1,000, Johnson
said.
In College Station, the city
prosecutes all noise violations us-
ing the Texas penal code, said as-
sistant city attorney Cheryl
Rayner. The city ordinance
governing excessive noise is
undergoing revision, she said.
Zurok said it annoyed her that
whoever complained to police did
not contact her first. But Bryan
police spokesman Walling
suggests that the best time for
neighbors to get together about a
party is before, not during.
"My suggestion for a person
having a party is to check with
the neighbors in advance and in-
vite them to call if it gets too
loud," Walling said.
In return, the neighbors might
actually cut the party host some
slack on the amount of noise they
will tolerate, Walling said. The
host assumes responsibility for
the volume without involving the
police, he said.
The first visit from police about
excessive noise is rarely the last,
Walling said.
"Once you make a neighbor
mad, and drive them to the point
of picking up the phone and call-
ing us, then the next time it's not
going to take nearly as much
noise to call," Walling said.
tCS may ask A &M for help
College Station City 6ounc mem-
bers may ask Texas A&M University
to help pay for a fire station at Easter -
,wood Airport when they meet in
iworkshop session at 4 p.m. today at
city hall.
: Recent guidelines of the Federal
, Aviation Administration require
�Easterwood to have on -site emergency
and fire equipment. College Station
provides fire service to the A&M cam-
pus, including the airport, but is not
remunerated by the university. Cur-
rently, Easterwood is served primarily
by the Central Fire Station located on
Texas and Gilcrest avenues on the east
side of the A &M campus.
A &M owns the airport, but receives
financial assistance from the cities of
Bryan and College Station and Brazos
County. A &M officials are asking Col-
lege Station to build a fire station at
the airport to meet the FAA require-
ments. A fire station there also could
serve the western parts of the city.
A third fire station is in the design
stages for the Shenandoah subdivision
to service the developing area south of
town. Some consideration has been
given to moving the Central Fire Sta-
tion to the area of the Wolf Pen Creek
corridor to provide faster response
times to many parts of the city. Coun-
cil members may look at the possi-
bility of relocating Fire Station No. 2,
now on Rio Grande Street near FM
2818, to Easterwood. Relocating the
two existing fire stations and adding
the third south of town would give fire
trucks approximately equal response
time to every part of the city.
r
C
Fill holes or put up� bas ketball goals
CS officials seek help from
residents on fund allocations
By KELLI LEVEY
Eagle st aff writer
College Station city officials want some
help in choosing between chuck holes
and basketball goals.
The Bryan and College Station city
councils have both allocated next year's
Community Development Block Grant
funds, effective Oct. 1. College Station
will hold two public hearings before rec-
ommending specific projects within each
category.
"We want them here because they live
there and they know what they need,"
said Jo Carroll, College Station's com-
munity development administrator.
w They might say, 'That's fine that you
ant to make those improvements at the
Lincoln Center, but we really need street
lights over here,' or'We've got this really
bad road over in this part of town.' We
want to know what they need."
The hearings will begin at 6 p.m.
Thursday at College Hills Baptist
Church, 712 Churchill St., and at 6:30 p.m.
July 12 at the Lincoln Center, 1000
Eleanor St. Call 764 -3778 for information.
The College Station City Council will
approve the final recommendations in
late July or early August.
Bryan has already completed that
process.
The block grants, allocated annually by
the Department of Housing and Urban
Development, are designed to help cor-
rect years of neglect in low- to moderate -
income neighborhoods. Because they
have populations above 50,000, Bryan and
College Station automatically qualify for
money based on a formula of average in-
come, number of substandard homes and
Board's Recommendations
BRYAN
Health for All .............. ........................$36,850
Rape Crisis Center ..... ........................$25,000
N. Bryan Comm. Center .....................$24,900
BISD-PEP .................... ........................$25,700
Lutheran Social Services ...................$23,000
Bluebonnet Girl Scouts ......................$18,000
Total............. ............................... $153,450
Here are recommendations by Bryan- College Station Joint Relief Funding Re-
view Committee for funding public service activities through both cities' 1993 -94
Community Development Block Grant.
COLLEGE STATION
Health for All .............. ........................$13,150
Phoebe's Home ........... ........................$31,072
Junction Five-0-Five . ........................$23,000
Brazos Food Bank ....... ........................$24,265
IvU-M-ECI ................. ........................$28,000
Elder- Aid ..................... ........................$20,000
CS Public Services ..... ........................$23,863
Total ..................... .......................$163, 350
Total funds available .. .......................$316,800
housing costs.
Both cities allocated 15 percent of the
total funding, the highest amount al-
lowed, to public services„ Of the total
$316,800, Bryan contributed $153,450 and
College Station contributed $163,350.
The Bryan- College Station Joint Relief
Funding Review Committee held a hear-
ing on June 7 to review and select 11 pub-
lic agencies proposed for funding with
CDBG funds. On June 9 the committee
set the agencies' proposed funding levels.
Other projects that both cities allocated
funds for include administration
($204,600 in Bryan and $217,800 in College
Station); housing assistance ($350,000 in
Bryan and $200,000 in College Station);
and Brazos Food Bank ($50,000 in Bryan
and $24,265 in College Station).
Bryan's portion is for a new facility,
while College Station's is for operating
expenses.
he S ot House ac�ated $40,000 to
a facility $94, 5 763 for ciq�e or refurbish
Parks improvements• ,488 to improve
and
the Sadie Thomas pool NorBryan,
including a water slide and a tube slide;
$25,000 for curb cuts, ramps and signs
downtown to improve handicapped ac.
cessibility; and $47,699 for facade loans to
downtown property owners.
College Station's additional allotments
include $23,863 for a youth apprentice-
ship program to start next summer.
$200,000 for "option relocation" that al
lows low- income homeowners to move to
new neighborhoods; $200,000 for public
facilities improvements; $60,000 for code
enforcement in low - income areas; $7,500
for neighborhood improvement cam.
paigns, the largest of which is the 'Big
Event" with Texas A &M University; and
$60,000 for demolition and clearance of
vacant structures.
CS to seek A &M's
i nur5d�c�
By ROBERT C. BORDEN
Eagle staff writer
Texas A &M officials will be asked to
give the city of College Station a proposal
concerning crash and fire rescue service
to university -owned Easterwood Airport.
College Station City Council members
listened Wednesday to various proposals
for such service, most of which center
around relocating the city's present Fire
Station No. 2 from Rio Grande Drive to
the airport. They will make a formal
request for an A &M proposal when they
meet at 7 p.m. today at city hall.
Under new Federal Aviation Adminis-
tration regulations, the airport must
have emergency service and certified
emergency personnel available to reach
the middle of any active runway within 3
minutes. Although the airport does have
an old emergency fire vehicle on site, it is
operated by student workers and part -
time employees, many of whom are off -
duty College Station firefighters.
College Station Fire Chief William
Kennedy said it would be difficult to re-
quire students to take the almost 100
hours of specialized training needed to be
certified. Fourteen city firefighters
already are certified.
Officials said that locating a city fire
station at the airport in a joint venture
would allow the university to meet the
federal requirements and would help in
the city's relocation of fire stations to bet-
help in fire rescue
Cost of a new station and
necessary equipment at
Easterwood is estimated at
some $1.34 million.
ter serve the entire community.
Since 1971, College Station has pro-
vided fire and ambulance service to A &M
at no charge to the university. One of the
areas council members want the uni-
versity to look at is possible compensa-
tion for this service. City officials esti-
mate cost of the service to A &M is $2.2
million annually, or 11 percent of the
city's general operating fund budget.
Cost of a new station and necessary
equipment at Easterwood is estimated at
some $1.34 million. About $825,000 of that
would be for the crash/fire rescue opera-
tions needed for the airport and the re-
maining $510,000 for basic city emer-
gency service. An FAA grant could pay 90
percent of the crash/fire rescue construc-
tion and equipment cost. Annual operat-
ing costs are estimated at $393,000 for
crash /fire rescue for the airport and
$810,000 for the basic city service. The
city would transfer the $810,000 cost from
a closed Station 2 if it is relocated to the
airport.
service at airport
Varioeis proposals by A &M and city
staff were presented at Wednesday's
council workshop on how to fund a new
station:
■ College Station would pick up the
entire cost, which would require a tax in-
crease 9f about 3.5 cents per $100 asEiessed
valuation. This is the least desirable op-
tion according to Mayor Larry Ringer.
■ A &M would pay for the cost of build-
ing and equipping the crash/fire rescue
portion of a new station and College Sta-
tion would pay for the remaining portion
of the cost, which would necessitate
about a 0.5 cent tax hike.
■ A &M would construct and operate a
joint crash/fire rescue -basic fire service
station at no cost to the city, thus saving
College Station the $810,000 in annual
operating costs for Station 2, which
would be closed. Although this option is
unlikely, it could save city taxpayers
some 6.75 cents per $100 valuation on
their tax rate.
■ A &M would privatize fire service,
leaving College Station to cover only the
city and none of the A &M campus.
■ Since Easterwood serves the entire
area, other governmental entities, such
as Bryan, Brazos County and surround-
ing communities and counties would be
asked to contribute to the cost of the
emergency service at Easterwood. In-
creased emergency protection would al-
low larger aircraft to land at Easterwood
on a regular basis, creating an economic
boost for the entire area, Kennedy said.
By ROBERT C. BORDEN
Eagle staff writer
College Station City Council members
have started looking at the cost of provid-
ing various city services with an eye
toward implementing some new fees and
raising others as a way to help fund oper-
ations in the future.
Under the cost of service concept, peo-
ple who use city facilities or personnel
are expected to pay for that service. Some
fees already exist, but may need to be
raised to cover the actual cost of service,
and there are other fees to be considered,
council members agreed.
Council members instructed the city
staff Thursday to work on a proposed fee
structure to help pay for three new em-
ployees for the development services de-
partment, which handles such areas as
zoning requests, land plats, building in-
spections.
At Wednesday's council workshop,
City Manager Ron Ragland said, "If we
don't look at impact fees and assessments
we will have to look at raising taxes."
Such a measure is something council
members are reluctant to do.
The city basically has several ways to
raise money to pay for services, includ-
ing sales taxes, outside income such as
federal monies, property taxes and fees
and assessments. The city has little con-
trol over income from the-1 percent city
sales tax other than to encourage busi-
ness development and Ragland said the
prospect for increased federal assistance
doesn't look good.
Although College Station has one of the
lowest property taxes of comparable cit-
ies in the state at slightly more than 41
cents per $100 assessed valuation, com-
bined taxes for city residents are high be-
cause of high school taxes. Any signifi-
cant increase in the city's property tax
would not be popular, council members
agreed.
"That means we need to take a hard
look at fees and assessments," Ragland
said.
Council members discussed cost of
providing service such as performed by
the development staff, which often
spends hours on projects for which the
MWS
' n(VAq JW t{ i -13
city receibes little or no remuneration.
According to staff projections, an in-
crease in existing fees and addition of
some new fees would pay almost $24,000
of the $81,000 to be spent to hire the three
new employees. New charges could in-
clude site plan review fees and building
code appeal fees, while the cost for re-
questing rezoning, preliminary and final
plats and conditional use permits could
be raised, according to a draft report pre-
sented to the council on Wednesday.
Another $56,500 could come from rais-
ing and adding fees charged to the Com-
munity Development Block Grant pro-
gram.
City officials say the three additional
workers are needed to maintain the level
of customer service residents have come
to expect. Although the development staff
is handling a work load equal to what it
did in 1983 at the height of the growth
spurt, it is four workers under the staff
size at that time.
The vote to hire the three employees
now passed 5.1, with Councilman Hub
Kennady dissenting because he wanted a
new fee structure in place before they
were hired and felt the decision should be
made during the regular budget process
later this summer. Councilman Vernon
Schneider was absent.
"I applaud the cost of service concept.
That's the big picture," Kennady said.
On Wednesday, council member Nancy
Crouch also said she supports the cost of
service idea to a point, noting that her
mother who lives in Duncanville is ex-
pected to pay $15 every time she takes
part in a group activity in a facility built
by the city of Dallas.
"I wouldn't want to see us start charg-
ing to use our parks," Crouch said.
In other business, council members
conducted two public hearings, including
one to rezone four tracts of land owned by
Crouch and her husband on Cooner
Street at Jane Street to commercial use.
Some of the parcels may be sold to add to
a commercial tract at Texas Avenue and
Cooner Street that will be the site of a
new Super 8 Motel. Crouch did not take
part in the hearing or the vote. The re-
zoning passed 5-0.
Counci a It lks new fe
h igher fees
r
Bryan pair faces charges
for unlicensed day care
By JIM NINEY � 1,A ct
Eagle staff writer , ' X J
A Bryan woman who pleaded guilty to running an
unlicensed day care center in 1989 was recently ac-
cused of the same crime.
Carolyn San Angelo, 42, and her husband, 46 -year-
old Phil San Angelo, were both arrested June 25 and
charged with running an unlicensed day -care
center. Phil San Angelo also was charged with re-
sisting arrest.
The two were released later that day after posting
55,000 bail each.
According to an affidavit filed by the Brazos
County Attorney's office, two officials with the
Texas Department of Protective and Regulatory
Services and an investigator from the county attor-
ney's office visited the San Angelos' home June 24
and found her caring for three of her own children
and 13 other children, all under the age of 14.
The Texas Department of Human Services sought
and was granted a permanent injunction in 1989
prohibiting Carolyn San Angelo from operating a
child care facility out of her home, 1508 Una St., un-
less she received a license or registration from DHS,
according to the affidavit.
That meant Carolyn San Angelo couldn't care for
more than three children at a time who were not her
own unless she received a state license or registra-
tion.
DHS obtained the injunction after Carolyn San
Angelo pleaded guilty in March 1989 to running an
unlicensed daycare center, County Attorney Jim
Kuboviak said.
She was sentenced to 180 days probation and fined
$500.
Kuboviak declined comment on the San Angelos'
pending case.
The Texas Department of Protective and Regu-
latory Services, which includes the day -care licens-
ing division that was part of DHS in 1989, received
several complaints about Carolyn San Angelo ear-
lier this year and asked Kuboviak's office to in-
vestigate, said Mary Brock, a child care licensing
representative.
Brock, who visited the San Angelos' home June 24
with her supervisor and an investigator from Kiibo-
viak's office, said she couldn't discuss who made the
complaints or the nature of the complaints.
If convicted of running an unlicensed day -care
center, the San Angelos face up to 180 days in jail
and a fine of up to $1,500.
Carolyn San Angelo could face civil penalties if
it's found that she violated the 1989 injunction order.
Brock said she doesn't know if the state will seek ci-
vil action against Carolyn San Angelo.
� A &M should fund its fair �
share of Easterwood fire station
Eagle Editorial Board
Texas A &M University needs an
emergency fire and rescue service
for its Easterwood Airport. College
Station needs to replace its Fire Sta-
tion No. 2. It only makes sense the
two entities get together and share
the costs of building and operating a
joint station.
To that end, university and city
staff members have been discussing
the issue for some months and now
the College Station Council has
asked A &M regents for a formal pro-
posal for such a venture.
There are many questions to be an-
swered and details to be worked out,
but the city and A &M seem to be
moving in the right direction. Per-
haps the city of Bryan can be invited
to participate to help provide badly
needed fire and ambulance service to
its west side, which often is cut off
from existing city stations by trains
running through the heart of the
city. Indeed, one of the possibilities
for funding operation of a new
Easterwood station is to use the
$100,000 each that Bryan, College Sta-
tion and Brazos County have con-
tributed to the airport operations for
the past several years. If Bryan's go-
ing to pay for part of the service,
shouldn't it get the benefits of it? Col-
lege Station and Bryan fire depart-
ments have an agreement to assist
each other when needed but a more
formal participation by Bryan in an
Easterwood station would better
serve Bryan residents west of Pin-
feather Road.
Several options for funding a new
station were presented to College
Station Council members last week,
ranging from full payment by city
taxpayers to full payment by A &M.
In fairness to both entities, some
middle ground should be chosen
from different options presented.
Under new Federal Aviation Ad-
ministration regulations, Easter-
wood must have crash /fire rescue
equipment available on site with
Personnel trained to operate it in
case of emergency. The airport cur-
rently has an old rescue truck, which million fire budget goes to covering
is manned by student workers and the university.
part-time off duty firefighters. To It seems only right for A &M to pay
receive required airport rescue certi- much of the cost of the new station,
fication, firefighters must undergo since it will serve primarily the uni-
some 100 hours of specialized train - versity. Texas universities generally
ing; 14 College Station firefighters don't pay host cities for emergency
already are certified. But it is diffi- service, but unlike A &M most of
cult to expect student workers to go them provide other forms of re-
through the same training, so most of muneration. It's time for A &M to pay
them will never be certified. It just its fair share of running the city of
makes sense to put a new College Sta- College Station.
tion station there. There are often arguments that
But how will it be paid for. Cost of without A &M, College Station
building the station is estimated at wouldn't exist. The discussions have
$765,000, while another $530,000 will to move beyond that provincial atti-
be needed to equip it -- the city can tude. The city and the university
transfer much of the current equip- both exist and each benefits from the
ment at the existing Station 2 to a other.
new station at Easterwood. A &M College Station Council members
would give the $40,000 land site for are moving toward a cost of services
the new station. A new station at the budget in which much of the city's
airport would allow the city not only operation is funded by those who use
to cover Easterwood, but also give its services most. A &M should be in-
better coverage to the A &M campus. cluded in those who pay for what
Since 1971, when A &M disband4theyreceive.
its volunteer fire department, the
city has provided fire and ambulance
service to the university. During that
time, the city has received no money
in return from A &M, which, as a
state facility, doesn't pay city prop-
erty taxes. City officials estimate
some $2.2 million of its annual $3.7
CSISD �eceiig
for nutrition program
The College Station school district
was one of five Texas school districts
to receive a Participation Award for
increased participation in the child
nutrition program.
The award was presented at the an-
nual Texas School Food Service Asso-
ciation's Convention in San Antonio
last month. The award represents a 10
percent or more increase over last
year in meals served during March
that met the nutritional requirements
set by the Texas Education Agency
School Lunch Program.
The College Station Child Nutrition
Service had a 21 percent increase.
B -CS honored at luncheon
for efforts at beautification
Bryan - College Station recently
received an award for its efforts to
"Keep Texas Beautiful."
The community was among 50 oth-
ers to receive honors at an awards
luncheon earlier this month celebrat-
ing the Keep Texas Beautiful 1993
Governor's Community Achievement
competition.
In the category of cities with a popu-
lation between 100,001 and 300,000,
Bryan- College Station shared this
award with Laredo.
Officials said the citation awarded
to the community is a symbol of the
hard work and dedication that Bryan -
College Station has shown in the past
year.
Keep Texas Beautiful encourages
communities to protect and preserve
the land.
rnUrS S�tl !rj , ( cjq
FIE
Hickson � s
CS cam ai
p
ost co stl
BY TANYA SASSER
Eagle staff writer
College Station Council
Hickson dished out a man David
cent cam a' lmost $8,300 for re-
him t P ign expenditures, making
he b
him t biggest spender for the latest re-
g period.
City council candidates in Bryan and
College Station filed financial reports on
Thursday for the period April 22 through
June 30, which included payments and
contributions for the May 1 general elec-
tion and the June 5 runoff.
The bulk ofHickson's
was spent on advertising with h Mat-
thews Group. Hickson reported receiving
$824 from nine different contributors.
fund
Bryan Mayor Marvin Tate was the top
tions. raiser, accumulating$� 1, in dona-
He was the third biggest spender,
reporting $1,975 in expenditures.
The only candidate coming close to
Hickson in expenditures was Bryan City
Councilman William Thornton, who
spent $2,775 and received $700 in'Contri-
butions. Thornton spent almost $2,000 of
that with The Matthews Group. =beat
out Darrell Grear for Place 3.
Tate's opponent, Rudy Schultz, wasn't
far behind Tate, spending about $1,850
and receiving $1,314 in contributions.
Daniel Galvin, former Bryan city
council candidate, received $1,450 in con -
tributions. Galvin loaned his campaign
$1,200 and reported expenditures of
$1,634. Galvin lost to Lonnie Stabler in a
r runoff for Place 5.
C. Patrick Meese, who competed with
Galvin and Stabler for Place 5 in the gen-
eral election, spent $1,062 and racked up
about $1,600 in contributions.
Bryan City Councilman Kenny Mal-
lard, who ran unopposed, spent about
$850 and raised $225 in contributions.
Bryan City Councilman Lonnie Stabler
spent $714 and received about $14 in con-
tributions during the period.
Jim Gardner, former College Station
city councilman, reported expenditures
of $44 and contributions of $175. He lost to
Hickson.
College Station City Councilwoman
Lynn McIlhaney, who beat Vidal Jones,
was the low- spender of the group, report-
ing about $9 in expenditures and contri-
butions of $170.
1
In
To Uexa
. Try a�
CS residents�a a
chance to air views
College Station residents will have
one last chance to make suggestions
concerning the direction of the city's
$1.11 million 1993 -94 Community D{
a -
velopment Block Grant during y
council meeting Wednesday.
The public hearing will be part of
the regular city council meeting at 4
p.m. During the hearing, the council
W ill listen to citizen's comments on
the proposed final statement that de-
tails the proposed spending of the
grant funds. will be the
Wednesday's hearing
third and final public heard ends, t ine
matter. It tops a lengthy g
cluding:
■Council members will discuss
amending an ordinance regarding
special hazard intersections con-
trolled by stop signs, and specifically
Street at
adding a stop sign on
College Main Street.
■ Council members will consider
awarding a contract to Southern
States Equipment Corp. for construc-
tion of clay walls and liners at the
Rocks Prairie Landfill. They came in
with the low bid of $378,811.50. The
funds were for the construction were
budgeted in the fiscal year 1993 landfill
operations budget.
The regularly scheduled Thursday
city council meeting was canceled for
lack of a quorum.
Wednesday's meeting will be at City
Hall, 1101 Texas Ave. S.
THANK YOU
FIREFIG
The College Station Fire Department acknowledges a job well
done to both College Station and Bryan FireFighters who
promoted and successfully administered the 11th Annual Texas
FireFighter Olympics.
College Station Fire Chief Bill Kennedy would like his entire
fire department to know that he is extremely proud of them and
their efforts in making the Olympics a great success.
A special thank you goes to Lieutenant Terry Thigpin, who
served as the local over -all coordinator.
The College Station Fire Department would like to thank the
College Station Parks & Recreation Department, the College
Station Police Department, and all other agencies who gave of
their time and efforts to ensure the Olympics' success.
71
• t
hi n o t e
.ip
10 n u et r a at
' WY �i IlaC3 www
By JIM HINEY
Eagle staff writer
The first draft of Bryan's 1993 -94 budget
won't include a tax increase, though the
city will receive $312,000 less in property
taxes than city staffers projected in their
six-year financial forecast, City Manager
Mike Conduff said Tuesday night.
City staffers thought assessed property
values would rise by up to $60 million
this year, but the values rose by only $32
million after the Brazos County Appra-
isal District Board of Review finished
granting property appraisal appeals,
Conduff said.
Council members spent the hourlong
workshop questioning Conduff and city
department heads about the six -year
plan, which forecasts revenues and ex-
penditures through 1999.
Before the workshop, Conduff said
changes council members made in the
plan would be the basis for the first draft
of the next budget.
During the workshop, council mem-
bers questioned the amount of money
projected for road maintenance, the $2.5
million price tag for building a new cen-
tral fire station and the need for a war-
rant officer to serve municipal court
warrants.
Councilwoman Kandy Rose asked
Conduff to include the cost of a warrant
officer in the budget draft. Council mem-
bers didn't request changes in the road
maintenance or fire station construction
budgets.
After the workshop, Conduff
said he perceived that the council
was in general agreement with
the assumptions about revenues
and expenditures city staffers
made in the plan, so the budget's
first draft will closely follow the
plan.
According to the plan, Bryan
won't have a tax increase next
year but city service fees, like
utility rates, will rise sufficiently
to cover the expenses seen in the
next six years.
The fees would increase enough
so another fee increase isn't
needed until 1999.
rk
Under the plan, the tax rate crease taxes the next year instead
would increase by about 3 percent of increasing fees and taxes at the
in fisca11995. same time.
Conduff' told council members Council members will see the
he felt the city would be wise to next budget for the first time dur-
increase fees one year and in- ing their Aug. 3 meeting.
College Station's
SORT ims not like
/V,6 & gU , 5
TV counterparts
By CHUCK SOUATRIGLIA
E agle staff writer
Television and movies tend to glam-
orize SWAT teams, showing officers in
body armor kicking down doors and
rushing headlong, guns blazing, into
harm's way to arrest the bad guys.
In reality, police tactical teams such as
College Station's Special Operations Re-
sponse Team are much more sedate than
their counterparts on Miami Vice or Ro-
boCop.
Since SORT's inception Jan. 1, 1988, no
one — including officers, suspects or by-
standers — has ever been injured and
SORT ofI"icer has ever fired his weapon.
"Everybody thinks of SWAT teams as
Bung -ho, go in and bust heads," said Dan
Severn, 37, leader of the College Station
police Special Operations Response
Team. "That's the last thing we want to
do.
"We consider a successful operation
one where no one gets hurt — good guy,
bad guy or otherwise."
Police organized SORT after seeing a
need for a specialized unit trained to
handle large emergencies.
That point was driven home on Oct. 22,
19M, when three men took three people
hostage during an armed robbery at a
cr:* )venience store on Southwest Park -
Vay. Police injured two robbers and
Ifed the third.
"I knew that, with the town growing, so
too would crime and we wouldn't want to
get caught without a response team that
could respond to any emergency," said
Det. John Orozco, 37, a team member who
in November 1986 wrote a proposal for
the unit.
The six team members train together at
least eight hours monthly and can handle
most any emergency — hostages, snipers,
riots and the like.
"It is a high -risk job," Severn, a 14 -year
veteran, said. "We're expected to take a
few more chances.
"The most common thing we've done
are high -risk arrests and search war-
rants."
Just 10 officers have served with the
unit* such )
theirs,
)b
theirs, he said.
"It's a tight unit," Orozco, a 15 -year
veteran said.
Each team member knows what the
others will do in any given situation; a
nod or a wink can speak volumes.
"Sometimes we can just look at each
other and know what to do," he said.
"There's less verbal communication be-
cause we know what the other guy is go-
ing to do. It's like running a play in bas-
ketball or football."
Team members are hesitant to discuss
specific operations and do not talk much
about their training. SORT works closely
with local narcotics agents, sheriffs de-
puties and Bryan police, whom they
helped to arrest several drug suspects in
March.
The team was on hand but not needed
in May 1992 when a Navasota man killed
his wife and mother -in -law and kept his
sons hostage while holding authorities at
bay for four hours.
They also helped provide security at a
recent Ku Klux Klan rally.
The six men are trained in such di-
verse fields as rappelling, surveillance
and counterintelligence work and explo-
sive entries — using exploding charges to
open doors or clear obstructions. Most
officers also have specialties; Orozco, for
example is a weaponless combat expert,
skilled in self-defense and martial arts.
Applicants must have two years expe-
rience with the department and must
pass several physical tests, a psychologi-
cal examination and a background check
before being interviewed by a board of
their peers, Severn said. The chief de-
cides which applicants join the team.
The six team members, all "family
men," have an average of 9.25 years expe-
rience in policework and are an average
of 32 years old, Severn said.
Each team member also holds other
jobs within the department; Severn, for
example, is in charge of research and
planning, Orozco is a detective. Each
volunteers for SORT and receives no ad-
ditional pay or other rewards, but the
officers don't mind the extra work.
s ity has allowed the offi- "Someone's got to do it," Orozco said.
cers to refine their skills, Severn said. "I feel that, by being part of the team, I'm
Each man knows his task and knows he giving my best to the city and the de-
can depend upon his teammates to do partment."
119, No. 116, 3 sections
2 A &M officials say job changes
not part of shake -up
By KARA BOUNDS
Eagle staff writer
Two Texas A &M University System
administrators said their recently an-
nounced job changes are unrelated to a
shake -up involving the top positions at
both the system and the university.
Ed Davis left his post as deputy chan-
cellor on Monday to head the University
Development Foundation. James B.
Bond, vice chancellor and general coun-
sel, will drop his general counsel respon-
sibilities to focus on state and public af-
fairs for the system in Austin on Sept. 1.
System officials announced Monday
that system Chancellor Herbert H. Rich-
ardson will step down to resume faculty
duties at A &M and that A &M President
William H. Mobley will assume the chan-
cellor position, pending an Aug. 27 vote
by the system's Board of Regents.
Reports of the position changes have
included speculation that Bond's and
Davis' moves are part of a system shake-
up.
But regents Chairman Ross D. Mar-
graves Jr. on Monday said regents were
considering these changes long before
Richardson decided to leave.
The Development Foundation is the
private fund - raising and investment
management arm of A &M. As president,
Davis will manage private funds received
ago. He said he told the system board a
week before its July meeting that he
might take the job.
Davis, a 1967 graduate of A &M, has
served in the system for more than 20
years and has been deputy chancellor
since 1991. The same year, he was one of
four finalists considered for the system
chancellor position.
Bond, A &M Class of '58, was appointed
system attorney in 1976. He worked his
way up to vice chancellor for legal and
public affairs before returning to private
practice in 1984.
In 1986, Bond returned to the system as
vice chancellor and general counsel. He
has also served as a College Station coun-
DAVIS
BOND
to support A &M, he said.
The foundation has about $250 million
in assets, Davis said. But he said he ex-
pects that amount to grow drastically
over the next few years through man-
agement of the gifts in A &M's multi -year
capital campaign.
"That's one of the attractions for me to
come here," he said.
Davis succeeds Robert M. Rutledge III,
who will become vice president for insti-
tutional advancement at Western Ken-
tucky University on Sept. 1. Rutledge has
been foundation president since 1982 and
has been with A &M for almost 20 years.
Davis said Monday that foundation
officials approached him two months
cilman and as a trustee of Humana Hos-
pital- Brazos Valley.
Please see CHANGES, page A6
Bond was not available for
comment Tuesday. A prepared
statement released Friday said
Bond "will elevate the system's
presence in Austin as he assists
in developing strategies at the
highest level of state govern-
ment."
Margraves said Monday that
Bond will be vice chancellor for
state affairs. That position was
previously held by Bill C. Presnal,
who is now director of public pol-
icy.
Like Davis, Bond wasn't asked
to make a move, Margraves said,
but had been talking since
November about the possibility of
serving the system in Austin.
i
Stabbing suspect shot after
threatening CS police officer
By HUC SQUATRIt3LIA
Mathews said investigators had
Eagle staff writer
few details about what led up to
A crime suspect survived being
shot as many as five times by
the stabbing.
"There are several different
a
College Station police officer Sat-
stories, but there was an argu-
ment and the victim was
urday after he threatened to kill
stab -
bed," he said.
officers and refused to drop his
knife, police and witnesses said.
The victim escaped to a friend's
The 22- year -old man was in sta-
trailer and called 911 at about 3:39
ble condition Saturday night at
Brazos Valley Medical Center.
a.m.
Police found the suspect in No.
Police suspect he stabbed a
19- year -old man several times
89 armed with a knife. Officers
told him to come out; he respon-
ear-
lier Saturday morning.
ded with obscenities and threats,
Doctors released the stabbing
victim Saturday; the officer was
Mathews said.
Moments later, the armed man
not injured. Police Lt. Mike
Mathews
left his trailer and approached an
officer, threatening several times
refused to identify
anyone involved, including the
to kill him, Mathews said.
The officer ordered him
officer.
No arrests had been made Sat-
to stop
and drop his knife; when he re-
urday night. Police are preparing
fused, an officer fired his depart -
to file attempted capital murder
ment -issue Glock .40- caliber Se-
and aggravated assault charges
against the man.
miautomatic pistol, Mathews
said. A .40- caliber bullet is about
The shooting occurred just be-
four- tenths of an inch in
diameter.
fore 4 a.m. outside trailer No. 89 at
Oak Forest Mobile Home Park,
Three park residents said the
301 Krenek Tap Road — just one
block north of the College Station
suspect landed face up under a
large pine tree in the front yard of
Police Department.
Many park residents said they
the trailer.
Mathews refused to say how
slept through the gunfire; others
had not heard the news at all. Res-
many shots were fired or where
the suspect was hit. Three park
idents of trailer No. 89 declined to
residents reported hearing multi -
comment.
Please see SUSPECT, page A4
Suspect
From Al
ple shots.
"That's all I heard — pow, pow,
Pow, pow, pow," said a 20- year -old
A &M student. "At least five."
The officer who fired the shots
Will remain on administrative
leave with pay pending the re-
sults of criminal and administra-
tive investigations into the shoot-
ing, Mathews said.
It is the first time since 1986 a
College Station officer has fired a
weapon in the line of duty.
Two officers shot and killed one
suspect and injured two others
during a robbery at a convenience
store on Southwest Parkway on
Oct. 22, 1986.
Police say CS officer
acted in self- defense
1AIEMEbDow
Auclust it Igf
By KATY HALL
the 5- foot -6, 240 -pound suspect.
Eagle staff writer
The suspect continued threaten-
ing the officers during the strug-
A College Station police officer
gle, police reported.
was acting in self-defense when
Although the preliminary in-
he fired five shots at a crime sus-
vestigation into the shooting in-
pect earlier this week, police said
dicated Denham shot the suspect
Tuesday.
in self-defense, the officer was
Officer Mike Denham, with the
placed on administrative leave
city for less than nine months,
with pay until the internal in-
was one of several officers re-
vestigation is complete, Onstott
sponding to a report of a stabbing
said.
in the Oak Forest Mobile Home
The shift is department policy,
Park, 301 Krenek Tap Road, just
he said.
after 3:30 a.m. Saturday. The sus-
The shooting victim, a 22 -year-
pect, armed with a knife, charged
old resident of the mobile home
the officer, police said.
park, was taken to Brazos Valley
"The guy (crime suspect) was
Medical Center, were he under -
running at him (Denham) with a
went surgery. He remained in
knife trying to kill him," College
stable condition in the hospital
Station police Lt. Wayne Onstott
Tuesday.
said. "What else could he do ?"
Spokeswoman Kathy Jinkins
Denham fired five times in
said he will probably stay in the
rapid succession as the suspect,
hospital for several more days be-
ignoring the officer's order to stop
fore being handed over to police.
and drop the knife, continued
Police on Monday obtained
toward him.
warrants charging him with ag-
Despite several gunshot
gravated assault and attempted
wounds to his right arm and back,
capital murder of a police officer,
it took several officers to restrain
Onstott said.
( 01,
Building code group honors
College Station's Coy Perry
City of College Station building offi-
cial Coy Perry was honored by the
Southern Building Code Congress
International at an Aug. 11 barbecue
for his more than 20 years of service in
the field of building codes.
Perry will retire from the city in
January.
The barbecue was part of the Muni-
cipal Inspectors Training School, con-
ducted annually by the Texas Engi-
neering Extension Service. About 175
building officials, building inspectors,
code enforcement personnel, real es-
tate inspectors, architect, engineers
and contractors from Texas and other
states participated in the school.
Frontage roads get dates for change
By JOE TOLAND
Eagle staff writer
The Texas Department of Transporta-
tion has established three dates in Sep-
tember to start converting East Bypass
frontage roads from two -way to one -way
traffic.
■The northern section, from FM 2818
in Bryan to Martin Luther King Jr.
Street, will make the changeover Sept. 7.
■The middle section, from Martin
Luther King Jr. Street to FM 60 (Uni-
versity Drive), changes Sept. 13.
■The southern section, from FM 60 to
Rock Prairie Road, makes the conversion
Sept. 20.
On these dates, the roads will get new
pavement markings, signs, signals and
turn -lane changes. Each project will take
three to four days.
The state wanted to start the project
earlier in the month, but changed its
plans so as to not create any confusion
during the Labor Day holiday, which is
Sept. 6.
Police in Bryan and College Station
will step up patrols during the three -
week switch -over. Local law enforcement
agencies are concerned about drivers be-
coming confused, driving the wrong
direction and consequently getting into
head -on collisions.
Drivers of some emergency vehicles
are already preparing for the change by
travelling one -way on the Texas 6 fron-
tage roads, which are well traveled.
Traffic at its peak reaches about 16,000
vehicles a day along portions of the
14 -mile frontage roads along Texas 6,
from FM 2818 in north Bryan to Rock
Prairie Road in south College Station.
In the long run, the conversion to one -
way frontage roads will mean about 27
fewer accidents per year, reports the
Texas Transportation Institute.
There have been an average of 138 ac-
cidents with 96 injuries on the frontage
roads in each of the last three years, ac-
Please see ROADS, page A3
m(vao
From Al
cording to the Department of
Transportation. During the con-
version, motorists will also see
the opening of newly constructed
exit and entrance ramps. A new
interchange at Emerald Parkway
and Southwest Parkway also will
be opened.
The frontage roads have han-
dled two -way traffic since their
completion in 1972.
The conversion to one -way
frontage roads is being done
under a $665,059 contract by Dal.
las -based Durable Specialties.
Airline l oses round in
`bullet tra battle .
►hw qCl�juS�
The Associated Press chase to
AUSTIN — Southwest Airlines
on Wednesday lost another round
in its legal challenge of the Texas
High Speed Rail Authority and a
group given the franchise to build
a "bullet train" linking the state's
largest cities.
The Austin -based 3rd Court of
Appeals upheld a lower court rul-
ing against Southwest, which had
raised questions about the rail
authority's 1991 hearings that ul-
timately awarded the franchise to
Texas TGV Corp.
TGV proposes to build a 200
mph train, utilizing French tech-
nology, that would link Dallas -
Fort Worth, Houston, San An-
tonio and Austin.
Wednesday's decision by a
three -judge appeals court panel
was the second in lawsuits
brought by Southwest over the
$6.8 billion high -speed train
project.
Southwest had challenged the
constitutionality of the High
Speed Rail Authority board and
some of the authority's proce-
dures used in holding the 1991
hearings that awarded the fran-
A district court last year dis-
missed that lawsuit for want of
jurisdiction, and the Austin -based
appeals court agreed.
"By continuing to seek trial -
court relief in that regard ...
Southwest was merely attempting
to obtain a different judgment, in
the same controversy," the
court's opinion said. "This is pre-
cisely the kind of piecemeal liti-
gation in which ... relief is not
available under our decisions."
Southwest has been vocal in
opposing the train project, con-
tending that it can't be built with-
out public help, would cost more
than air travel and would take
Passengers from it in the state's
most lucrative markets.
Southwest Chairman Herb Kel-
leher said that the Wednesday de-
cision was purely procedural,
with the judges saying that since
Southwest already has another
appeal there's no need for two.
"We will be filing a motion for
rehearing before the court," Kel-
leher said. "Ultimately, we think
that some of the issues compre-
hended in these cases can be
solved only by the Supreme
Court."
College Station council picks over proposed budget
By JIM HINEY
Eagle staff writer
College Station City Council members
spent 41h hours during a workshop ses-
sion Wednesday night picking through a
proposed $66.4 million operating budget
and another $2.37 million in "wish list"
items from city departments.
A public hearing on the budget is
scheduled during the council's regular
meeting at 7 p.m. today in the city council
room, located in College Station City
Hall.
"current services" budget, meaning city
staffers estimate the city must spend
$66.4 million to maintain its current level
of services to residents. That's a 3.1 per-
cent increase over the current $64.4 mil-
lion budget.
The majority of the increase, about $1.1
million, is for increased salaries and
benefits, said Charles Cryan, the city's
assistant finance director.
The budget also proposes increases in
water, sewer and sanitation fees this
year, and a five -year forecast predicts fee
hikes in most city utilities.
Council members won't vote on adopt- City staffers recommend that water
ing a budget until their Sept. 9 meeting. fees rise by 5 percent, sewer rates rise by
The proposed operating budget is a 7 percent and sanitation rates rise by $1
per month per residence next year � krlsdo
Utility revenues account for about 55
percent of the city's total revenues.
City staffers also gave council mem-
bers "decision packages" in addition to
the proposed budget. Those packages
listed about $2.37 million in additional
manpower, equipment or services that
the city would like to have to expand cur-
rent services.
City spokeswoman Peggy Calliham
said the council is "not even about to go
for all" of the wish list items.
She said the council is "still shuffling
the deck" as far as what the new tax rate
will be. The council could decide as early
as tomorrow, and they would then have
mil/ G � iS � . �� ' �clearing within
f
to c %mother pu tw�
weeks.
City staffers are recommending than
the city's property tax rate remain the
same as the current rate, 41.25 cents per
$100 property valuation. That rate is 1.9
percent above the effective tax rate df
40.49 cents per $100 valuation, Cryan
said.
The effective tax rate is the rate that,
using current property values, will gen-
erate the same tax revenue as the pre-
vious tax rate. The effective rate in Col-
lege Station dropped in part because
property values in the city increased by
about $100 million, to $1.27 billion this
year, according to the Brazos County Ap-
praisal District's certified tax roles.
CS council will study budget in workshop session
' ft9" JI4HINEY
Eagle staff writer
College Station city council members
will go through the city's proposed $66.4
million budget during a workshop ses-
sion today and try to complete a spending
plan before Thursday's scheduled public
hearing.
The workshop will begin at 4 p.m. in
the city council chamber at College Sta-
tion City Hall. The public hearing will be
part of the council's regular meeting at 7
p.m. Thursday, also in the council cham-
ber.
The proposed budget is about $1.99 mil-
lion, or 3.1 percent, larger than the cur-
rent $64.43 million budget, said Charles
Cryan, the city's assistant finance direc-
tor.
"Most of the increase is going to be in
salaries, merit -based increases," Cryan
said.
The city budgeted $19.31 million for sa-
laries and benefits this year and city staf-
fers propose budgeting $20.4 million for
the next fiscal year.
To fund the budget, city staffers are
proposing that the property tax rate re-
main at 41.25 cents per $100 property va-
luation, Cryan said. That rate is 1.9 per-
cent above the effective tax rate of 40.49
cents per $100 valuation, Cryan said.
The effective tax rate is the rate that,
using current property values, will gen-
erate the same tax revenue as the pre-
vious tax rate. The effective rate in Col-
lege Station dropped in part because
property values in the city increased by
about $100 million, to $1.27 billion this
year, according to the Brazos County Ap-
praisal District's certified tax roles.
v&Y Atq ust a5: Iqq3
54 months running:
B -CS has state's
best jobless rate
Bryan- College Station kept its streak
alive in July for having the state's
lowest unemployment rate.
`,.. Brazos County reported a 3.9 percent
rate for the month to lead the state in
low unemployment for the 54th
straight month. Austin was a distant
second at 4.7 percent.
The area's low unemployment is at-
tributed chiefly to a large number of
government jobs in the county, thanks
in part to Texas A &M University and
the 40,000 -plus students who attend the
school.
The county has experienced a large
increase in population in recent years.
The number of employed workers has
grown from 53,776 in 1985 to its cur-
rent level of 64.200.
Firefighters raise 3 000
bL'F�dt ^ SClq Rit fist Z. ,1 qS
oege �Stati�n firefighters : aised
$3,000 for charity during the recent
Firefighter Olympics and will hand
out checks today.
Firefighters sold T- shirts and other
promotional items during the July
18.23 games, in which firefighters
from across the state competed in
different events.
Additional funds came from adver-
tising in event programs and other
promotional materials.
College Station fire department Lt.
Terry Thigpin, who spearheaded the
games, will give checks to rep-
resentatives of Phoebe's Home, Shel-
tering Arms, Stillcreek Boys Ranch,
Brazos Valley Rehabilitation Center
and Brazos Valley React.
The presentation will be at 10:30 a.m.
today at the Bryan- College Station
Chamber of Commerce, 4001 E. 29th St.
in Bryan.
Brazos' jump in property values
raises some taxing questions
By JIM HINEY
Eagle staff writer
County, city and school officials were
thrilled to learn that Brazos County
property values rose $197 million this
year, but few of them know how the lar-
ger tax base will affect their proposed
budgets or tax rates.
Gerald L. "Buddy" Winn, chief ap-
praiser for the Brazos County Appraisal
District, said county property values rose
to $3.08 billion this year, due in large part
to new home and business construction.
Lower interest rates spurred increased
sales of older homes, raising the values of
Taxing
From Al
those homes, and new oil drilling also
added to the property value increase.
Property values in the College Station
school district rose $100 million, to $1.43
billion, Winn said. The Bryan school dis-
trict saw property values rise by $78.4
million to $1.67 billion.
The city of College Station had the sec-
ond largest increase of the county's five
taxing entities. Property values there
rose by $100 million to $1.27 billion.
The city of Bryan's property values
rose to $1.28 billion, a $32.3 million in-
crease.
Please see TAXING, page A3
Bryan's increase came as good
and bad news to City Manager
Mike Conduff. The increase was
part of the reason city staffers are
recommending no tax rate in-
crease for the next fiscal year.
That would leave the tax rate at
60.92 cents per $100 property va-
luation.
But staffers put together the
proposed budget using prelimin-
ary figures that predicted prop-
erty values would rise by $64 mil-
lion, Conduff said.
That means the budget's projec-
ted revenues are less than expect-
ed, he said.
County Judge R.J. "Dick"
Holmgreen said he hasn't com-
pleted a proposed budget and
doesn't know what the effective
tax rate will be, so he can't tell
what effect increased property
values will have on county resi-
dents.
Commissioners are scheduled
to end budget hearings with
county departments on Friday.
The effective tax rate is the rate
that, using current property
values, will generate the same
revenues as last year's tax rate. In
general, the effective tax rate
drops as property values increase.
�h,urs�a�
Rising property values benefit
property owners in part by les-
sening tax increases. For in-
stance, a 1 -cent tax increase in
College Station last year gener-
ated $115,000, but a 1 -cent increase
this year will raise $123,000, said
Charles Cryan, College Station's
assistant finance director.
Like Holmgreen, Cryan said it's
too early to tell how higher prop-
erty values will affect the city's
budget and tax rate.
Both school districts are in the
same position.
"This is certainly good for the
overall economy because the
higher the taxable value, the more
money a penny is going to bring
in, but it doesn't necessarily
make a lot of difference as far as
our finances go," said David Neal,
College Station's assistant super-
intendent for business. "The way
the formula for figuring our
effective tax rate is now, those
gains in taxable value don't mean
nearly what they used to."
Neal said the state's new effect-
ive tax rate formula only allows a
school district to raise as much
revenue as the previous year.
Amy Drozd, the Bryan school
district's comptroller and auditor,
said any increase in taxable value
benefits the school district.
"That means there's just that
much larger a tax base from
which we can raise local re-
venue," Drozd said.
College Station should reject
Wal- Mart's rezoning request
I wish we all had the guts to boycott
'Val -Mart. I am so angry at the way it is
jerking the strings of our community.
There already three stores here, counting
Sam's. When Wal -Mart puts the indepen-
dent shop owners out of business, it
might be content, but I doubt it. Bryan
has already sold its "soul to the company
store." I hope College Station council
members have enough faith and confi-
dence in their city to know it will con-
tinue to prosper without another mega -
monster discount store.
PAT DILLON
-9 IUG�1�, Bryan
C
•
Rezoning request leaves
many lessons to learn
Now that Wal -Mart has with-
drawn its request to have 40 acres
on FM 2818 rezoned, we e d to re-
examine several questions
the issue raised.
Are College Station residents an
ti- Wal-Mart? No. Most individuals
on both sides of this discussion
support Wal-M!.Art with their dol-
lars. Most citizens on both sides
also would encourage Wal-Mart's
expansion (ct;ntrary to what
petitions would have people
lieve.) A strong retail environ-
ment benefits retailers by
expanding their customer base,
i
consumers by providing compet
tion in pricing and quality, and
taxpayers by ensuring a broad t
base. It is unfortunate that muc
Of the public debate framed Wal
Mart as an opponent of ally, wh
in fact, Wal -Mart was merely tr
ing to do what is
would. its bus
ness, as any
Are College Station residents ai
ti-business? No - We should open to responsible businesses,
F���It r lay P}p(J$ 0g93
large and small, locating within
the city. Growth of our communi
ty is inevitable, and the jobs and
taxes generated by business are
vital to maintaining the quality of
life we enjoy. It is in all of our in-
terests to help College Station be-
come an even better place to live,
and business expansion is a cor-
nerstone in that effort.
Has the land use plan successfully
withstood a challenge? The an-
swer is unclear. We have no way
of knowing whether the plan
would have been changed. We
may simply have delayed a final
decision, but if city council mem-
bers are wise, they will clarify
their own position on the area
now, while the have some time.
Are College Station residents
e concerned about their communl
ty? Most definitely. In my view
this is the most positive outcome
of the past two months. Noater
which side people supp
has become clear to us and our
city council that even if our ideas
ax differ, we all have the best inter -
h ests of the city at heart. Hopefully
such concern will also be visible
en when less dramatic but just as
Y necessary programs need our
i s upport.
JOHN P. WALTER
College Station
C7
Wednesday, June 9,1993
BMCS is rich with city parks
By CHUCK SQUATRIGLIA
Eagle staff writer
No matter where you live in Bryan or College Sta-
tion, it's a safe bet you're no more than a minute or
two from a city park.
Fifty -five parks dot the two cities. Some, such as
Heritage Park in Bryan's historic district, occupy
little more than a city block. A few, like College Sta-
tion's Lick Creek Park, encompass hundreds of
acres.
College Station's 29 parks cover about 900 acres of
land. Bryan has 26 parks covering about 1,524 acres,
including the 764 acres of water that make up Lake
Bryan.
City officials spend tens of thousands of dollars
keeping the parks in tip -top shape for the thousands
who visit them each year.
The College Station parks department's fiscal 1992
budget was just over $2.4 million; of that, about
Parks
From Al
ceptacles, repairing vandalism,
and cleaning restrooms and pavi-
lions at least every other day. Pest
control is high on the list of prior-
ities as well.
"We have a very aggressive fire
ant control program," Cisneros
said. "We are constantly putting
out control chemicals."
Local officials find it much eas-
ier to maintain the parks year -
round than to try to catch up each
spring, but preparing for winter
requires a few special tasks.
Water supplies to restrooms, pa-
vilions and pools must be drained
and the pipes filled with anti-
freeze.
Winter is also when parks offi-
cials plan their major repairs at
each park, Beachy said.
Crews also sow grass seeds on
athletic fields and plant flowers.
Each city has three pools, staf-
fed mostly by part-time em-
ployees. The pools are among the
cities' busiest attractions each
year, drawing as many as 73,000
bathers annually.
Two parks seem to be most
popular. In Bryan, Sue Haswell
Park on William J. Bryan Park-
way draws the most visitors, Cis-
neros said.
The long, narrow park features
$139,500 was spent on maintenance. Bryan's budget
was about $1.4 million, about $353,000 of which was
spent on maintenance and utilities for the facilities,
said Joe Brown, city spokesman.
Two dozen full -time employees maintain Bryan
facilities; 22 people maintain College Station parks.
The crews are augmented each summer by as many
as a dozen part-time employees.
Part- timers play a large role in the maintenance
program, especially in College Station, where just 54
of the as many as 271 employees work full -time.
Each city divide their maintenance crews into
three teams, each responsible for one district in
each city. Ensuring that the parks are safe and clean
is their biggest responsibility, said Tony Cisneros,
director of parks and recreation in Bryan.
Routine maintenance includes mowing every sev-
en to 10 days, clearing litter and emptying trash re-
Please see PARKS, page
_4
basketball and tennis courts, soc-
cer fields, softball diamonds and a
swimming pool, many trees and a
huge patch of wildflowers.
Haswell Park is another popu-
lar one and is the area's oldest
park, dating to 1925.
Tyler Haswell donated 9.5 acres
to the city for a park in memory of
his mother, Sue Haswell.
Tyler Haswell, a Bryan busi-
nessman and civic leader, was
mayor of Bryan from 1921 until
1923 and again from 1925 until
1927.
Dexter Park, at Dexter Street
and George Bush Drive, is College
Station's oldest park. Council
members founded the park, now
known as Brison Park, in 1947
after purchasing land from F.B.
Clark and Hershel Burgess.
College Station's Central Park,
East Bypass at Krenek Tap Road,
is that city's most popular park,
said Steve Beachy, director of
parks and recreation.
The 47 -acre park, opened in
1978, includes a nature trail
through dense woods, four soft-
ball diamonds and other athletic
fields and a pond teeming with
fish and ducks.
Although parks crews will take
sick and injured animals to
A &M's vet school or the Brazos
Animal Shelter for treatment, the
animals are, for the most part, left
to fend for themselves.
"Our wildlife is just that — wild
life," Cisneros said.
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Race pits veteran against newcomer
McIIhaney, Jones in campaign for Place 3 on
l- 1,1Qclyi�usu'u� �a-
Eagle staff writer
Lynn McIlhaney calls it commitment.
Vidal Jones calls it being an old- timer.
The race for Place 3 on the College Sta-
tion City Council features McIlhaney, a
homemaker who has served the city as a
council member for 10 of the last 11 years,
and Jones, a 24- year -old insurance agent
who says it is time for some new blood.
Jones, who has lived in College Station
since 1986, admits that he originally in-
tended to serve on one of the city's ad-
visory committees, until he noticed that
McIIhaney was unopposed.
"She's been there a decade," Jones
said. "I think it's time for new blood and
new ideas. The council has gotten a little
complacent."
The two newest members on the coun-
cil, Nancy Crouch and Hubbard Ken -
nady, won their seats in uncontested
elections, Jones said. It doesn't serve the
College Station Council
said she was the leader in establishing an
application process for city committees,
instead of just having council members
appoint friends and neighbors.
McIlhaney has become active in state
and national organizations, including the
Texas Municipal League, and is one of
the first members of the Texas Leader-
ship Institute, which helps teach leader-
ship skills to municipal officials
throughout Texas.
Jones said that he doesn't want to see
another property tax increase in College
Station. The city council approved a
1Y4 -cent tax increase in September 1992,
raising the rate from 40 cents per $100 of
evaluation to 41 Y4 cents.
Jones said that the city needs to stop
making it so hard on businesses that
want to locate in College Station. Jones
mentioned the recent squabble over Wal-
Mart.
"That area is the best place for com-
city to have uncontested races, he said.
McIlhaney was on the council from
1982 -86. She sat out a year after losing the
mayor's race to Larry Ringer, and has
been on the council since 1987.
McIlhaney is one of the main council
proponents of a "vision" for the city. She
would like to involve both cities, both
school districts, the county and Texas
A &M in developing a vision process for
the community.
The process of developing a vision,
with the participation of many people
from all areas of the community, is as
important as the final project, she said.
McIlhaney's vision is of a family -
oriented city that is planned for beauty. It
should be a place where business, neigh-
borhoods and nature are in harmony, she
said:
She wrote the outline for the city's eth-
ics policy, she said, which is being used
as a model for other cities. McIlhaney
P
McILHANEY JONES
mercial growth, right now," Jones said.
"If Wal -Mart doesn't go there, that area
will be underdeveloped for some time."
Jones said that while the wishes of
nearby property owners were important,
the council should do what is best for the
city.
"I don't mind stepping on some toes,"
he said.
McIlhaney and Councilman Jim Gard-
ner have done great service to the coun-
cil, he said, and have been a stabilizing
factor. But the pair seem to want to have
things "stay as they are," he said.
G
College Station must
face school realities
In your article "Stopping Vio-
lence" (Eagle, April 4), you wrote
about the many efforts that the
Bryan schools are taking to help
kids with behavioral and emo-
tional problems. In contrast to the
extraordinary steps that Bryan is
taking, College Station's ap-
proach was summed up by Assis-
tant Superintendent John Rouse's
comment: "If they took that
money (for the alternate SOS
campus) and put it into additional
counseling staff and additional
teaching staff in the early grade
levels, they would have elim-
inated some of those problems be-
fore they occur."
This condescending statement
seems all the more naive in light
of the recent murder - suicide of
f two College Station students, ap-
parently under the influence of
drugs and alcohol.
How many of our students must
we lose before College Station
recognizes that we are not im-
mune to the problems our young
people are facing today?
I'm not suggesting an alternate
campus. What I am suggesting is
simply the recognition, especially
on the part of our school admin-
istrators, that we do have trou-
bled students; that, in fact, there
are pregnant teenagers in College
N Station; that drug abuse exists in
y- College Station schools; that ra-
cial tension is not a myth in our
schools; that many of our Stu-
dents live in violent and abusive
family situations.
As Bill Birdwell so eloquently
�- said about the death of Billy Wil-
liams: "Response ability. Our
ability to respond. It may never be
more critical than right nova.,... .
A child has given his life — not to
drive us away, not to tear us
apart, but maybe to bring us
together. What a high price he
paid if we fail to respond."
Michael Alen Giroux and
James Monroe Greer deserve no
less a response. Let us hope that
their tragic deaths will send a
wake -up call, not only to school
administrators, but to all of us.
Where a child lives is irrelevant.
How that child lives, and how
much we value his or her life, is
what counts.
Council hopefuls address
wide range of civic i ssues y� : g
Eagle staff writer 1:(A b
inside
Candidates for two seats on the
College Station City Council gave [A9 College Station school board
opinions on taxes, growth plan- ndidates speak out at forum. /
ning and term limits Tuesday at a
forum sponsored by the League of
Women Voters.
Place 3 challenger Vidal Jones David Hickson, the challenger
said in his opening remarks that for Place 5 on the council, said the
he was running to halt any future city needs to take a proactive
tax increases. The recent 1.25 -cent stance in bringing new industry
increase in city property taxes to town, rather than a reactive
has not brought an increase in stance. State budget cuts may
services, Jones said. mean the end of some A &M jobs
Jones also said he favored term and the community must be ready
limitations, noting that the in- to provide new jobs, he said.
cumbent, Lynn McIlhaney has Change is inevitable, Hickson
served 10 years on the council. said, and if voters want change,
Jones said he felt uncomforta- they should elect him.
ble when he attended city council Hickson also touted his service
meetings and that the council to the Bryan - College Station
should do more to involve the cit- Chamber of Commerce.
izens in government. The incumbent, Jim Gardner,
McIlhaney pointed to improv- said that Hickson was the busi-
ing relations between the city and nessman in the race while Gard -
school district and her commit- ner is the planner. The communi-
ment to bringing strategic plan- ty can have natural growth.
ning to the community, the Gardner said, without taxpayers
process for which she said will paying for infrastructure and tax
involve all citizens.
McIlhaney said she has been abatements.
the leader in establishing he a _ Gardner said he hasn't been ac-
g
plications process that is now active in the pl nni ng of Wolf Pen
used to fill slots on the city's Creek. He said he was active even
boards and commissions. She when he wasn't on the council,
said she is constantly adding to asking tough questions about an-
her knowledge and the council's nexations and the purchase of
knowledge by attending conven- land for an industrial park that is
tions and meetings, still empty.
What is happening to increase
in the city, county revenues?
In the last few months I have noted a
marked upsurge in traffic in this area,
especially in College Station. At the same
time there is a marked increase in hous-
ing construction and oil well drilling
continues to be quite active. All of these
trends lead me to believe that substantial
amounts of new revenue must be coming
into the city and county.
Yet when I look for any indication of
increased revenue expenditures, I do not
see them. County roads damaged by
heavy trucks are in terrible shape. Noth-
ing visible is apparent in city expendi-
tures. What is going on?
It would seem to me that your paper
has a responsibility to report to us what
may be happening with such revenues.
Yet I have not seen anything in your
paper. That negligence almost seems like
a dereliction of community responsibili-
ties.
Perhaps if you published fewer car-
toons on your editorial page, you might
have the space to print such articles.
THOMAS J. CROWLEY
Bryan
E�r'gtf)
A &M, CS officials meet
to discuss power plant
By PHILLIP SULAK
Eagle staff writer
Two representatives of Texas
A &M spent 90 minutes Tuesday
night trying to explain to skepti-
cal College Station officials the
necessity of a bill that the uni-
versity wants the Texas Legisla-
ture to pass.
The purpose of the legislation,
said Eddie Joe Davis, deputy
chancellor of the A &M System, is
to provide a new power plant at
the greatest savings to Texas
A &M and to the citizens of Texas.
College Station City Manager
Ron Ragland has complained that
the effect of the legislation would
be to undercut the competitive
advantage of College Station,
Bryan and the Texas Municipal
Power Agency, which together
compose one of three groups mak-
ing proposals to A &M to build the
plant.
Please see POWER, page A3
a'J Rpr'� 4 1 �43 6a#
- Power
From Al
Seven College Station city offi-
cials met Tuesday at the universi-
ty system headquarters building
with Davis and Rick Porter of
,McCall, Parkhurst and Horton,
,the A &M System's bond counsel.
Other officials at the meeting
..include two representatives from
the city of Bryan, three rep-
resentatives from the city's bond
.counsel, three representatives
from TMPA, two representatives
from Tenneco, one from CSW
Energy, a lawyer that helped the
city draft its proposal and James
B. Bond, the systems general
counsel and his assistant.
The 90- minute meeting was
openly contentious, with partici-
pants interrupting each other and
an occasional raised voice.
Davis arranged the meeting
Monday to explain the rationale
for the bill, introduced at the uni-
versity's request by Sen. Jim
Turner, D- Crockett.
The bill would allow A &M re-
gents to form a non - profit corpor-
ation that could issue tax- exempt
bonds so a private company could
build a new power plant for
A &M.
The College Sta -
tion/Bryan/TMPA group, with
College Station acting as the lead
agency, already has tax- exempt
status.
Turner, who has said he was
surprised by Ragland's comments
on the bill, said Monday that he
will not move the legislation for-
ward until the dispute between
the city and the university has
been cleared up.
Davis said the bill does two
things:
■Allows A &M regents to create
a non - profit corporation that
could pay off bonds before the
bonds come due.
■Allows the university to enter
into a long -term contract with
that corporation.
Both parts are designed to get a
better bond rating in the market
place and thus save the state
money, Davis said.
Regents can already form a non-
profit organization, Davis said,
but the legislation is needed in
case that corporation decides to
pay off the debt early.
Davis said the system's finan-
cial advisors had estimated that
the bill could save taxpayers be-
tween $8 million and $10 million.
'sake no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech or of the
Congress shall r press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the govern ent /or a redress of grievances.
— Article I of the Bill of Rights Ay am-e 1, 1 q(4 64 1
"C ounci m l mad a wise,
maple Editorial Board minik are unhappy with the de-
College Station City Council mem-
-fibers acted wisely when they voted to
; -ban left turns from and to Dominik
drive at its intersection with Texas
w iAvenue. It's a move that won't be
� opuiar with everyone, but they real -
y didn't have much choice.
• But the decision should be con-
" sidered only a stop -gap measure until
a better, more permanent solution to
I the traffic problems along Texas
Avenue can be reached. One possible
solution would be linking George
Bush Drive with Dominik directly,
which probably would require re-
moving one of two gas stations in the
area. That solution no doubt would
be expensive, but, as Mayor Larry
Ringer said, "We may have to bite
the bullet."
�,. Such a solution would remove a lot
of the traffic along Kyle Avenue,
4- now has 8,100 cars a day and
V= likely will add another 2,000
rwhen left turns onto Dominik are
prohibited. That's a lot of traffic for a
residential street, even one that was
widened several years ago to handle
:additional vehicles. The residents
. Kyle have every right to be un-
appy with the action taken by the
Zbouncil last week.
The business owners along Do-
cision, too, although their businesses
probably won't suffer as much as
they might think. Realistically, few
cars were able to turn left off of Texas
Avenue onto Dominik during the
busy hours of the day, which, as one
person noted, are from 7:30 a.m. to
7:30 p.m. With the expansion of Texas
Avenue to six lanes — three in each
direction — it would be even more
difficult to turn left at that intersec-
tion.
A traffic light at Dominik and
Texas simply isn't an option. The in-
tersection is too close to the intersec-
tion of Texas and George Bush and a
second light would tie up traffic un-
believably.
That left the only real alternative
open to the council the ban on left
turns to and from Dominik. By mak-
ing the decision now, the city won't
have to pay for the median that will
be built at the intersection. It will be
paid for by the state as part of the
Texas Avenue widening project,
scheduled to begin in December.
The decision is a matter of safety.
The Texas - Dominik intersection is
one of the five most dangerous in the
city. Thank goodness the council
isn't waiting until a fatality at that
inter--pction before responding.
decision to ban left turns at Dominik
Eagle Editorial
Opinions expressed in this place are those of
the Editorial Board. The board is made up of:
Terry L. Hall David Moneypenny
Publisher Managing editor
Rod Armstrong Gwynne Allen Elledge
Finance director News editor
Robert C. Borden Margaret Ann Zlpp
Opinions editor Columnist
The council needs to look at the
full stretch of Texas Avenue from
George Bush Drive to Harvey Road.
A decision like the one made Thurs-
day night shouldn't be made in a
vacuum. Other problems will be
created by blocking left turns at Do-
minik Drive. The council should
study the entire corridor and take
appropriate actions to ensure the
safety and the convenience of every-
one.
Justice Rehnquist overreacts
to release of Marshall's papers
Eagle Editorial Board
Chief Justice William Rehnquist is
upset that Thurgood Marshall's pri-
vate papers have been released. Per-
haps he doesn't want the American
public to know just how human and
how political the Supreme Court is.
Justice Marshall, who retired two
years ago and died in January, in-
structed the Library of Congress to
make his papers public after his
death. The Library did so and the
public has been treated to a wealth of
information on how the Supreme
Court works. The papers include se-
cret memos written by various jus-
tices, as well as unpublished draft
opinions written to try and convince
other justices to vote a certain way.
For instance — and this is probably
what upset Rehnquist the most —
there is a draft of an opinion written
by the chief justice when he was sure
that the Roe vs. Wade abortion ruling
would be overturned. At the last
minute, Justice Sandra Day
O'Connor changed her vote and Roe
vs. Wade remains the law of the land.
The Marshall papers show that the
justices are human, full of the same
strengths and weakness that inhabit
all humans. They do not make their
decisions in a vacuum, nor are they
immune to the political pressures
placed upon them from all sides.
In a letter to James H. Billington,
the librarian of Congress, Rehnquist
said, "Most members of the court
recognize that after the passage of a
certain amount of time, our papers
should be available for historical
research. But to release Justice Mar-
shall's papers dealing with delibera-
tions which occurred as recently as
two terms ago is something quite
different."
We fail to see a distinction between
releasing such information now or
decades in the future. Are the jus-
tices so afraid of the public that they
want to wait until they are long gone
before their secrets are told?
Rehnquist ended his letter with an
unbecoming threat: "Unless there is
some. presently unknown basis for
the library's action, we think it is
such that future donors of judicial
papers will be inclined to look else-
where for a repository."
So the chief justice doesn't think
the papers of the people's court be-
long in the people's library? Maybe
that says more about the court than
anything in Marshall's papers ever
could.
�khbff 6, Iq 3
CS gives high - powered assistance
City utility employees show
people how to save money
By YVONNE SALCE
Eagle staff writer
Wrapping water heaters might perplex
Tim "The Toolman" Taylor on the popu-
lar sitcom "Home Improvement," but it
didn't stop a crew of city volunteers.
College Station utility employees
visited 20 homes to install thermal jack -
"s on water heaters as part of Public
wer Week. The week recognizes com
unity -owned utilities —those in which
ofits go back into operations and nut to
non -local stockholders.
Michael Young, with College Station
utility maintenance, said the extra insu-
lation of aluminum helps reduce heating
and cooling costs.
"If you put your hand on the water
heater, and it's warm, you know you're
losing heat," Young said.
Idella Manthei, 80, said her husband
died four years ago, and she now depends
on her children to perform house repairs.
Most of the homes chosen by the city for
repairs are homes with elderly or disa-
bled residents.
The new blanket on her gas heater will
save Manthei a few dollars a month, said
Cindy Mixon, head of College Station's
meter services. Typically, 10 to 20 percent
of a monthly utility bill is spent on hot
water. Costs vary with the heater's age,
whether it's gas or electric and how often
it's used.
When city officials told College Station
resident Peggy Brannon that they were
coming out to save her money, she asked,
"What's the catch ?"
But she soon found out there wasn't
one.
Brannon's water heater was crammed
in a corner and difficult to maneuver
around.
But the home - improvement team,
Joyce Duda and Patsy Wiley, had every-
thing under control, although one of
them muttered, "It's easier to wrap
Christmas presents."
Once complete, Duda stood back and
said, "We didn't do too bad for the first
one. I ought to go home and do my own."
tapie pnoto/ uave RVAMWK
As part of College Station's Public Power Week, Joyce Duda (right) and Patsy Brannon's house while Brannon watches. City employees visited 20 homes to
Wiley, city utility employees, put insulation around the water heater in Peggy install the thermal jackets, which should save people a few dollars a month.
October 21, 1993
The F431e.
0 Bike
From Al
the plan. Owners advertised in
the Texas A &M student news-
paper to inform students on the
benefits of bicycling and the
Burrito Master Plan.
er Pierre Dube, co -owner and gen-
al manager of Freebird's,
agreed to hang a bike from the
leads
for
ceiling and allow an informa-
tional table in the restaurant be-
way
cause he's giving the plan full
support.
CS bike trail
"Businesses should seta good
example by being responsible,"
said Dube.
By YVONNE SALCE
The Freebird chain started at
the University of Santa Barbara
Eagle staff writer
in Isla Vista, Calif., where Dube
Freebird's World Burrito isn't just
attended school.
"Eight out of 10 students in
pushing bean and beef burritos — it's in
Santa Barbara cycle," he said.
the business of biking, tco.
"They have a bike path. With all
The Northgate restaurant and the
the parking problems here, I was
Texas Bicycle Coalition teamed up two
surprised College Station didn't."
weeks ago to promote community sup-
Local bike shops have joined
port for College Station's proposed Bike-
the cause as well.
way Master Plan.
The Bikeway Master Plan
If the College Station City Council ap-
would provide a safe loop around
proves the plan Oct. 28, the city would
College Station connecting resi-
apply for more than $1 million in federal
dential areas, Post Oak Mall and
funding for the enhancement project.
eight city parks. It also includes
Ed Hard, transportation planner for
three additional bike routes.
College Station, said community support
Hard said the City of Bryan
is a vital factor in securing the Bikeway
may integrate itself with the plan
Master Plan.
eventually. Dallas and Austin
"We need community support in order
already have bike paths. If ap-
to get the master plan adopted," Hard
proved by the College Station City
said. "If the council sees that, they will
Council, the application to the
more than likely approve it."
Texas Department of Transporta-
Freebird's started a bikeway campaign
tion could take six months before
Oct. 8. The restaurant, famous for its
a check is cut.
Super Monster Burrito, has attained
Danise Hauser, local spokes -
more than 3,000 signatures in support of
woman for the Texas Bicycle Co-
alition — an organization advo-
Please see BIKE, page A6
cating better bicycling access,
!
safety and education, said public
response to the proposed bike
path has been phenomenal.
"It's an issue that a lot of people
support," said Hauser. "We've
been overjoyed with the success
of this project."
Freebird's and the bicycle co-
alition exceeded their goal of 2,000
signatures within the first week.
®
Mike Moses, a spokesman for
Freebird's and graduate student
at A &M, said the bike path would
create a . more amiable atmos-
phere between drivers and cy-
clists.
I�6 HUI; 3 1 1993
There's no reason for
KBTX to charge anyone
I would like to express my concern and
support for TCA in its dispute with
KBTX -TV. I was in radio repair when TV
first came to this area and had the first
TV set east of Main Street — a six-inch
Motorola that would pick up Houston
KLEE from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. and that was
it. The rest of the day was just a test pat-
tern for the servicemen to repair sets anu
k stall outside antennas. So I've seen an
dustry be born and raised and tarnish
the air waves with foul video and the ser-
vice industry die.
KBTX has a captive audience since no
other CBS stations can be carried on
TCA. Most people who want KBTX to re-
main on the cable so that they can watch
the local news, which is about 20 percent
local and 80 percent "canned" informa-
tion from the network. The same way
with sports in the fall and spring. There
are other high schools in the Brazos Val- .
ley besides the Vikings and Tigers.
I believe, as TCA believes, that since
KBTX is a local station and the franchise
states that TCA has to carry the local sta-
tion, KBTX has no right to demand pay-
ment for carrying its programs.
The only thing I would like to see TCA
do is not charge for channels that the cus-
tomer doesn't want to receive such as 19,
36, 37 and 38. To me, these channels are a
total waste of channel space.
I just hope the "good of boys" at City
Hall don't fall in with KBTX and force
TCA to pay the outrageous ransom be-
cause we, as customers, will have to pick
up the tab.
LEE PIRAINO
Bryan
0
I
SCPl - I q1 3 VntP_ of rnnf1donnn
College Station mayor Larry Ringer (right) smiles, while teammate Genny Wood
celebrates a point during Tuesday night's Meet the Lady Aggies festivities at G.
Rollie White Coliseum. Local celebrities joined with A &M players in the volleyball
competition, and the players on the A &M women's teams were introduced.
'ACA Cable, KBTX
� continue feud over
price, p iple
•
c
By Meredith Harrison
Managing Editor
The days of feuding between the
Hatfields and McCoys may seem
long gone, but a similar confron-
tation could be brewing between a
pair of across - the - street neighbors
on the bend of East Street in
Bryan.
KBTX -TV Channel 3 and TCA
Cable TV are fighting a battle that
seems to have no clear winner,
although the television viewing
public could end up being the big
loser.
Under terms of the new federal
Cable Act of 1992, KBTX is
asking TCA to pay them 30 cents
per subscriber each month to allow
the cable company to continue to
air programming from the CBS
affiliate.
TCA Cable is saying, "No way,"
and a high stakes game of "chicken"
is developing. Both sides insist
they will not be the one to budge
first, and only have until October 6
to find a common ground.
TCA Cable General Manager
Randy Rogers said that when the
final day comes, TCA will not be
the one to give in.
"We will not pay KBTX -TV,"
Rogers said. "We feel that we have
a mutually beneficial situation right
now with KBTX, and we will not
pay them."
Rogers said KBTX is trying to
make the B -CS community think
the cable company is the bad guy,
and that TCA is choosing not to
run KBTX and thereby forcing them
off the air.
Rogers said that is completely
false.
"We want to keep KBTX -TV," he
said. "We're not trying to get rid of
them or force them off the air."
A Federal Communication
Commision law prohibits the cable
company from airing a station
without its written consent. As of
October 6, if KBTX has not given
it's consent, the cable company will
have no choice but to drop KBTX -
TV from its lineup. If that happens,
cable subscribers — which make up
70 percent of Bryan- College Station
television viewers — will not
receive CBS programming.
"KBTX is in charge of their own
destiny," Rogers said.
KBTX understands the dilemma
that's been created because of their
request, but general manager, Jim
Baronet believes the issue is more
than just a matter of money.
"The word monopoly keeps
coming up," Baronet said. "That's
really not a bad word. But when
you have something that you are
providing and someone else is
making money from it, it's time to
make some changes."
Baronet said KBTX is willing to
negotiate with TCA Cable TV, but
TCA won't discuss money.
"We have talked with (TCA) on
two different occasions," Baronet
said. "The first time they just
offered us things we already had,
such as the prime channel
placement and a few other things."
"At the second meeting, before
we started negotiations, (TCA) said
they would discuss anything, but
they were not paying cash. How
can we negotiate with that ?"
Baronet said.
Because KBTX said TCA would
not negotiate with them, the TV
station looks at it as if the cable
company is indeed taking them off
the air.
Despite the problems through the
negotiations, both parties have been
able to remain friendly and share
their end of East 29th Street. But as
far as who is going to budge first,
that is a hard outcome to predict.
"We would not be making such
an uproar if we didn't believe what
we were doing was right," Baronet
said. "We are ready for whatever
happens on October 6 and we will
not back down."
The two sides must settle their differ-
ences before Oct. 6. If not, TCA must drop
KBTX. An agreement between CBS and
KBTX prevents the cable company from
carrying other CBS affiliates.
Viewers could still receive KBTX
through an antenna.
Mary Kaye Moore, director of support
services in Bryan, said the cities have
had discussions with both parties and
encouraged them to settle the dispute.
"The whole community relies on this
station," said Piwonka. "But again, we
can't take a stand."
Cities taking
neutral stance
in cable battle
ThurSda(( "'d ""3 fa�t3
By YVONNE SAN
Eagle staff writer
Vivian Preston doesn't know what all
the to -do is about between TCA Cable and
KBTX, but she knows she doesn't want
her local television station pulled.
"That's my hometown news and I want
to know what's going on," said the
65- year -old Bryan resident and cable sub-
scriber. "I depend on it."
Joe Cotten, a junior at Texas A &M, de-
pends on Channel 3 even more — not only
for news, but also for "The Late Show
with David Letterman" and "M.A.S.H."
Like Preston, he's unclear on the dispute.
"We're hearing two different stories on
both sides," said Cotten. "No one really
knows what's going on."
The lack of knowledge has caused some
residents of Bryan- College Station to call
upon the two cities for answers. But
under federal law, the cities of Bryan and
College Station have no authority in the
matter.
Linda Piwonka, College Station's exe-
cutive director for management services,
said the root of the problem is a new law
regulating the industry — the Cable Act
of 1992.
The act says cable companies must
have written permission froth a broad-
caster to carry its signal. KBTX has re-
fused to give TCA Cable permission un-
less compensated 30 cents per subscriber
per month.
"The law's intent is to set up a free -
enterprise system," said Piwonka. "Prior
to the change, there was no way for the
broadcaster to charge for the rebroadcast
consent."
The two sides must settle their differ-
ences before Oct. 6. If not, TCA must drop
KBTX. An agreement between CBS and
KBTX prevents the cable company from
carrying other CBS affiliates.
Viewers could still receive KBTX
through an antenna.
Mary Kaye Moore, director of support
services in Bryan, said the cities have
had discussions with both parties and
encouraged them to settle the dispute.
"The whole community relies on this
station," said Piwonka. "But again, we
can't take a stand."
In Town &Texas
EAR Wn d c� W Attitude impressed
electric division manager
College Station's new electric divi-
sion manager Bob Pohl says he's im-
pressed with the city's attitude toward
customer service.
His new position,
created recently by
the College Station's
Public Utilities De-
partment, consoli-
dates the electrical
and technical divi-
sions of the utility
operation.
Pohl former di-
POHL
rector of electrical engineering for
Gulf States in Beaumont, recalled an
incident last week where a College
Station dispatcher went out of his way
to assist a customer.
"One of the dispatchers was work-
ing with a man in Oklahoma, whose
daughter was here in College Station
and having problems getting her elec-
tricity on," said Pohl who started his
work with the city Aug. 19.
The 1970 Texas A &M graduate said
the young woman called from a pay
phone, still without any electricity, to
find out what was going on. He said
the dispatcher, sensing her frustra-
tion, offered to come fix the problem
immediately, despite the fact that his
shift was over.
"College Station is very into provid-
ing customer service," said Pohl, who
has been in the utility business for 23
years. "I'm looking forward to work-
ing in such an environment."
I J
TCA,KBTX
•
reach accord
By CHUCK SQUATRIGLIA
Eagle staff writer
The feud between KBTX -TV and TCA
Cable is over, and the consumers won.
The companies reached an agreement
Wednesday to allow TCA to continue car-
rying KBTX without paying the cash
compensation the television station had
been seeking.
The agreement, reached at about 3:30
p.m. and finalized at about 6 p.m., lets
TCA carry the CBS affiliate with no
change in service and at no additional
cost to consumers, said Randy Rogers,
TCA general manager.
KBTX wanted the cable company to
pay them 30 cents per subscriber month-
ly — $356,400 over three years — saying
they deserved compensation for their
work.
Rogers refused, saying TCA would not
charge customers for programming they
could receive free.
Without an agreement, TCA would
have been forced to drop KBTX on Oct. 6
because the Cable Act of 1992 prohibits
cable companies from carrying signals
without the broadcaster's permission.
Jim Baronet, general manager of
KBTX, said negotiations began "in
earnest" late last week and continued
over the weekend and through Wednes-
day. Rogers declined to say who sought
the negotiations; Baronet said both sides
decided to compromise.
"It was kind of mutual," he said. "I
can't really remember who called first. I
think it was time. It came at a time when
both of us would have gotten busy signals
because we were calling one another."
Neither side would comment on the
terms of the agreement, citing a confi-
dentiality clause both sides agreed to in-
clude in the contract. Baronet said the
agreement provides "non- cash" compen-
sation to KBTX but refused to elaborate.
Much of the feud was played out in
public, as the two companies ran tele-
vision and newspaper ads in an attempt
to sway public opinion.
Public opinion was divided. In the
i Eagle, letters to the editor ran over-
whelmingly in favor of TCA; both sides
said on television newscasts that they
were receiving hundreds of calls in their
favor.
Baronet said public reaction played a
role in seeking a compromise.
Both sides said they are relieved the
ordeal is over.
CS Council gives
p reliminary OK
to tax incre
Ur Y�ONNE SALCE
Eagle staff writer
A car dealer generally marks the price
of a car up, knowing a buyer's intention
of haggling the price down.
The same concept prevailed Wednes-
day night at the College Station City
Council's workshop meeting, where the
council gave preliminary approval to a
3Y4 -cent property tax rate increase that
would bring the ad valorem tax rate to
44.50 cents per $100 property value.
The council is expected to pass the pro -
posal and the city's next budget at to-
"...We have to ask our-
selves if the voters are willing
to go for a tax increase."
LARRY RINGER
College Station mayor
night's council meeting at 7 p.m. in the
council room chambers at City Hall, 1101
S. Texas Ave.
The new rate would cost the owner of a
$50,000 home an extra $16.50 a year in
taxes.
The city must advertise the proposed
rate and hold a public hearing. On an as-
yet- undetermined date later this month,
College Station residents will get that op-
portunity.
Mayor Larry Ringer said the final rate
won't be higher than 44.50 cents, though
it could be brought down.
C
Ringer said the city neeas the increase
to fund a new fire station as well as pro-
vide protection for what is becoming a
rapidly growing area.
"We're adding more personnel to the
police, more dispatchers and equip-
ment," said Ringer. "But we're aware we
have to ask ourselves if the voters are
willing to go for a tax increase."
Compared to other cities, Ringer said,
College Station has one of the lowest tax
rates in the state. But it's growing rapidly
— about 200 new households made Col-
lege Station home last year.
Members of the council intensely de-
bated the need for some of the items on
the proposed 1993 -94 budget plan, includ-
ing a mowing crew and equipment, a new
systems analyst position and a study on
expanding City Hall.
Only Hub Kennedy voted against the
tax proposal; a final vote will be taken to-
night.
Early in the evening, the council con-
sidered a 4 -cent increase. Councilwoman
Lynn McIlhaney said the council needed
to be more responsible to the taxpayer.
"I would rather not push a 4 -cent in-
crease," McIlhaney said, "but rather
keep a 3 -cent increase and get solid sup-
port from the taxpayers."
The ad valorem tax goes into the city's
general fund. City manager Ron Ragland
said the budget needs some cushion for
unanticipated requests.
"If you put some flexibility in there, it
doesn't mean you have to spend the
money," Ragland said.
The city manager's job and other city
staff positions are outlined in a new
governance policy for College Station
also up for approval tonight.
I Sr J 1
u
�
Cities have the right to
cancel TCA's franchise
Bryan's and College Station's notice to
residents appearing on page A3 of the
Bryan- College Station Eagle on Aug. 29 is
a cop -out. I question the statement that
"the cities have no authority in this mat-
ter."
Unfortunately, we, the people, have
permitted the FCC control over stations
like KBTX and cable companies like
TCA, but I do not believe the FCC can tell
our cities to whom to grant a franchise. If
TCA cannot, or will not, abide by the
terms of the franchise, then revoke the
franchise. Any excuse for not fulfilling
the terms is TCA's problem, Not the cit-
ies' and their citizens'.
Federal court has ruled that Bell Atlan-
tic can offer cable television in the Wash-
ington area; perhaps our cities can inter-
est GTE in such a franchise for our area.
JAMES TIPTON
Bryan
u
C
3
tax hike gets
nod from council
By YVONNE SALCE
Eagle staff writer �10�47
College Station residents will pay more
in property taxes if the City Council gets
its way.
All but one councilmember voted
Thursday night to approve a 3;/4-cent
property tax rate hike that would bring
the ad valorem tax rate to 44.5 cents per
$100 property value.
The new rate, a 7.9 percent increase
from last year, would cost the owner of an
$80,000 home an extra $26 a year in city
property taxes.
After unanimously approving a $66.4
million budget, councilmembers gave
their reasons for supporting the tax in-
crease.
Councilwoman Lynn McIlhaney said
that while no one likes to vote for higher
taxes, College Station citizens are willing
to pay for high - quality service.
That service would mean more fire and
Police personnel, said Mayor Larry
Ringer. He said voters are willing to pay
more for those improvements.
"I hope we'll be able to explain the
reasons and purpose for the increase,"
Ringer said.
Because the ad valorem tax is higher
than what the state sets as reasonable —
42 cents — the city must hold a public
hearing. The hearing is scheduled for
Sept. 28 at 5:30 p.m. in the council cham-
bers at City Hall.
Ringer said he does not anticipate a
rollback on the tax. State statute gives
residents 60 days to call a rollback elec-
tion.
Councilman Hub Kennady, who voted
against the increase, said the city needs
to tighten its belt.
"There are ways in the budget to make
cuts," Kennady said. "Obviously, we'll
need some increase, but let's not take the
maximum."
After the public hearing, the rate can
either stay at 44.50 or go down; it cannot
be raised.
Charles Cryan, assistant director of
finance, approached the council with sta-
tistics on how College Station ranks
among other Texas cities with popula-
tions greater than 50,000. College Station
has the third lowest tax rate, he said.
Bryan ranks 16th with a rate of 60.92
cents.
But city staffers say College Station's
growth is phenomenal, bringing in 200 to
300 new households every year.
"We have about 1,000 new people com-
ing to the area," said Councilwoman
Nancy Crouch. "Our citizens are very,
very savvy. They expect a lot more."
Councilman Vernon Schneider agreed:
"Our citizens want a first -class city and
are willing to pay for it."
After the meeting, Kennady held his
ground. He said the city's plan to finance
a $50,000 City Hall expansion study is
unnecessary.
"We could wait in making these ex-
penditures," said Kennady. "I'm just not
sure we're doing everything we can to
tighten the existing budget."
C
bounty commissioners finalizing
plans for $3 7.4 million '93 budge
By JIM HINEY
Eagle staff writer
County commissioners are expected to
adopt a new budget on Monday that will
include about $439,000 to beef up court-
house security.
Commissioners are also expected to set
,a slightly lower property tax rate to fund
the proposed $37.4 million budget.
Commissioners will hold a public hear-
ing on the budget at 2 p.m. in the com-
missioners courtroom, Suite 115 in the
county courthouse, 300 E. 26th St. in
Bryan.
They've also scheduled a special com-
missioners court meeting at 2:30 p.m.
Monday to consideration adopting a new
budget and setting a property tax rate.
- iugh the proposed budget is about
million larger than the current
et, County Judge R.J. "Dick" Holm -
green is recommending that commis
sioners reduce the tax rate from 43.99
cents to 43.42 cents per $100 property va- -
luation.
The county can lower its property tax
rate because property values in the
county rose by $197 million this year, due
mainly to new home and business con-
struction.
In addition to the county's proposed
rate, the city of College Station approved
Thursday night 44.5 cents, an increase
from 41.25 cents this year; and the city of
Bryan is proposing 60.92 cents per $100,
the same as the current rate.
The College Station school district is
proposing $1.63, down from $1.68 this
year; and the Bryan school district is
proposing $1.49 per $100 valuation, up
from $1.32 this year.
If all of the proposed rates are adopted,
the property tax on a $50,000 home in
Bryan and the Bryan school district will
rise by $81, from $1,185 to $1,267.
Tax on an $80,000 home in College Sta-
tion and the College Station school dis-
trict would drop $19, from $2,026 to $2,007.
crowding in the county's two jails
senile detention center are the ma-
jo'r--v asons the county's proposed budget
If all of the proposed tax rates are adopted, the property tax
on a $50,000 home in Bryan will rise from $1,185 to $1,267.
is about 38 percent larger than the cur-
rent spending plan.
Holmgreen included $2.5 million in the
new budget to build a new 50 -bed juvenile
detention center and $2 million for a new
wing on the minimum security jail.
Commissioners foresaw the need for
expansion of all three facilities, Holm -
green said last week, so they've saved the
money to pay for construction.
The county will pay for the construc-
tion with part of the $9.1 million balance
commissioners will carry over from the
current operations budget.
The proposed budget also includes
$439,000 for courthouse security, said
Precinct 3 Commissioner Randy Sims.
Sims said commissioners haven't de-
cided how they will spend the security
funds.
In a report to commissioners filed in
June, the county's 11- member security
committee recommended 30 security
measures for he courthouse and outly-
ing county offic
District Judge a.D. Langley, committee
chairman, said lie didn't have costs for
each proposal, but he estimated imple-
menting all of the proposals would cost
the county between $75,000 and $100,000,
excluding personnel costs.
Sims said the proposed budget also in-
cludes a 4 percent across - the -board pay
raise for county employees, which will
cost about $775,000; a $1.5 million in-
crease to the road and bridge budget; an
additional $800,000 for rising health in-
surance premiums; $144,000 to hire six
new jailers; $330,000 more for juvenile
services, primarily to cover child place-
ment costs; and a $255,000 increase to the
jails' budget.
�
C
L
(22 lqq
JP
CS planners outline expansion
By YVONNE SALCE
Eagle staff writer
College Station's city planners took a
detailed, well- thought -out plan to the City
Council Monday night outlining the ex-
pansion of Texas Avenue and College Sta-
tion.
For almost two hours, Jim Callaway,
assistant director of economic and de-
velopment services, and his staff presen-
ted slides and drafts depicting the city's
Plan to annex certain areas around Col-
lege Station and widen its main drag.
Ed Hard, transportation planner, said
widening Texas Avenue would make ac-
cess to businesses there easier.
The Texas Avenue Widening Plan in-
cludes extending a sidewalk from Live
Oak Street to University Drive, con-
structing a median along Texas Avenue
and removing right turn lanes on Walton
Drive.
"After a public hearing, we'll submit
the information to the Texas Department
of Transportation, Callaway said. He
said the Texas Department of Transpor-
tation plans to help with the cost.
Some members of the council were
concerned whether Texas A &M would
consider cost sharing.
City Manager Ron Ragland intervened
with: "City staffers have discussed the
Possibility of cost sharing with A &M.
The responses seemed favorable, but
nothing was put in writing.
A public hearing for the Texas Avenue
project is scheduled for Oct. 5 at 7 p.m. in
the College Station Conference Center.
City Planners also proposed to the
council that the city begin annexation
Proceedings C w different
said the ddit on of these
areas would make for neat, clean boun-
daries and would eliminate confusion for
the polic.) and fire personnel.
3
Broken water main closes
businesses indefinitely
A busted water main forced half a
dozen College Station businesses to
close temporarily Monday afternoon.
A backhoe operator working on the
Texas Avenue widening project ap-
parently damaged the 6-inch line on
Texas Avenue next to Culpepper
Plaza, just north of Harvey Road, at
about 1 p.m., said Bob Yancy, a
spokesman for the city of College Sta-
tion.
While a crew worked to repair the
line, the water was shut off to a num
ber of area businesses, including res-
taurants that require water to remain
open. It was uncertain when the repair
Work would be finished and the water
restored, Yancy said.
The name of the contractor was not
being released Monday afternoon.
?�Cji6 q' 01,3 Compl1*d from SWMPorb
By YVONNE SALCE
Eagle staff writer
Lt. Col. Oliver North took the words
right out of some College Station resi-
dents' mouths when he said, "Let's cut
spending, let's cut taxes, let's cut spend-
ing again."
North was talking about the federal
government when he made his statement
Wednesday night at Texas A &M. At a
public hearing Thursday night, some
College Station residents expressed the
same sentiment to the City Council. They
were talking about the council's plans to
raise the ad valorem tax to 44.5 cents per
$100 property value.
That's an increase of 3Y4 . cents, or 7.9
percent, from last year. quoted from
Resident Helen Pugh q
North's speech. She told the council there
seemed to be no attempt to cut waste from
the $66.4 million budget.
"We can get the things our city needs
by better management," Pugh said.
The proposed rate, up for council dis-
cussion again Tuesday, would cost the
owner of an $80,000 home an extra $26 a
year in city property taxes.
Phil Kelby supported the increase, say-
ing he and his family settled in College
Station because of the quality of living.
Nice parks, low crime rate and few drug
problems attracted him to the city.
"I want to see the quality of life main-
tained in College Station," Kelby said,
"even if that means an increase in taxes."
Of the six residents who addressed the
council, three said the tax hike was
reasonable because of the high quality of
service the city provides.
City Manager Ron Ragland said even
with the increase, College Station will
have one of the lowest tax rates in Texas,
with a high level of service.
If the new tax rate passes on Tuesday,
it will go in effect Oct. 1.
in other business, the council ap-
proved:
■Raising the disposal fee at the Rock
Prairie Road Landfill from $17.50 per ton
to $21.50.
■Paying Gentry Systems S41,250 for a
software package for the public utilities
and electrical division.
■Purchasing a map system board at
$19,985, also for public utility use.
The council also discussed an ordi-
nance that would crack down on tobacco
sales to minors.
CS residents address proposed tax hike
�
Paying for the crime
s
LIQ�
�
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EI
�r
NTEERS
i
Eagle photo/ Dave McDermand
"Judge" Larry Ringer, mayor of College Station, discusses the warrant to "inmate" Bill Tusing, assis-
tant manager at Randall's. Tusing attempted to raise enough bail to get out of jail" during the Brazos
Valley Jail- A -Thon on Thursday at Post Oak Mall. The fund - raising event continues today.
��fcmbc� Z� /913
I J
C
CS council raises city's tax rate
As of Friday, College Station residents
will see a 7.9 percent increase in their
property taxes.
After 40 minutes of discussion, city
councilmembers gave the nod to increas-
ing the ad valorem tax rate to 44.50 cents
per $100 property value That's a 3y, -cent
increase from last year.
The new rate will cost the owner of an
$80,000 home an extra $26 a year in city
property taxes.
During the special meeting Tuesday
night, Mayor Pro-Tem Fred Brown and
Councilman Hub Kennady asked the
:ouncil to reconsider some of the expen-
iitures in the city's $66.4 million budget.
Both Brown and Kennady voted
against the tax increase. And both said
city staffers could cut travel and training
expenses as well as delay the building of
fire station No. 3.
Kennady said the city's plan to finance
a $50,000 City Hall expansion study was
unnecessary because it could utilize the
fire station next door, given that a station
will be built.
The remaining councilmembers dis-
agreed.
is essential staffers'
growth.
"To cut travel and training," Crouch
said, "is to cut innovation."
Doto�r 6 11 n3
T/ EayI5
DOT crews complete one -way ..Bypass traffic conversinn
By KATY HALL
Eagle staff writer
The dust has settled on the project to
convert traffic to one -way on the frontage
roads along the East Bypass, an official
with the Department of Transportation
said Thursday.
"It's finished," said Denise Fischer, a
spokesman for the department.
The three -stage conversion project be-
gan in the first week of September; de-
spite rain delays, it was completed within
the month. Now the frontage roads along
Texas 6 from FM 2818 in Bryan to Rock
Prairie Road in College Station are re-
stricted to one -way traffic.
Fischer said that while the project is
complete, the contractors are still in
town doing some fine - tuning, such as re-
placing signs.
"All traffic lights, except Briarcrest,
are timed the way we want them to be
now," she said.
At Briarcrest Drive, workers widening
the overpass accidentally cut the cable
connecting the traffic lights at both fron-
tage roads. Those lights won't be
synchronized until the cable is repaired
sometime during the remaining six
weeks of the widening project, she said.
There were reports of some "near-
misses" but no major traffic problems
"We tried to make it as
simple ... as possible."
DENISE FISCHER
Transportation Department spokeswoman
since the conversion, Fischer said.
"We're getting less and less of the stor-
ies of people seeing people driving the
wrong way," she added.- -
She said the department, despite its ex-
tensive campaign to inform the public of
the switch, anticipated some motorists
would be caught unawares.
"We tried to make it as simple and
straightforward as possible," Fischer
said, "but it was a major change."
The frontage roads had been open to
two-way traffic for more than 20 years,
she said.
In a separate but related project, the
same stretch of road received many new
highway ramps. The conversion and the
new, redesigned exit ramps and on ramps
go hand -in -hand, Fischer said.
The new, slip - design ramps are de-
signed for one -way traffic. They replace
the button -hook ramps that were built for
two-way traffic.
New truck station weighs in north of Bryan
By KATY HALL
Eagle staff writer
lability basis."
One factor in the station's operation is
trooper safety, Looby said.
Truckers headed south on Tex
tween Hearne and Bryan have a
stop.
When the yellow light at the si
highway about four miles north of Old
San Antonio Road is flashing, truckers
ar e required by law to pull over at the
newly completed Department of Public
Safety weigh station for a inspection.
If a trucker doesn't stop, License and
Weight Trooper Richard Looby said, he
will soon see an officer in his rear -view
mirror.
The station, a wide spot on the highway
equipped with lights and computerized,
in- ground scales, was completed Aug. 30.
"The purpose of it is not only to weigh
trucks, but [to conduct] motor carrier
safety inspections," Looby said, noting
the inspection includes everything from
brakes to driver fatigue.
Three license and weight troopers,
covering a five - county area from the
Bryan office, will operate the station.
Looby expects they will run the station —
the only one in their area — on an "avai-
However, Jerry Gainer, area engineer
for the Texas Department of Transporta-
tion, said the barrier was a late addition
to the $260,000 project by DPS ana he has
no idea when it could be constructed.
Looby said the station was a long time
coming.
The license and weight trooper, a
12 -year veteran, said that stretch of
highway has a history of "tremendous"
traffic flow. In the past, the iflain problem
was habitually overloaded gravel trucks
heading into Bryan- College Station.
The site, situated just around a curve
in the highway and at the base of a hill,
was selected for a variety of reasons =
one being that the state already owned
the right-of-way, Looby said.
Also, "We were looking for an area
where we could apprehend them and they
couldn't avoid us," he added.
as 6 be- He said he wants to see a barrier erec-
new pit ted between the troopers, who work out
of their patrol cars, and the traffic before
de of the the station becomes fully operational.
0(+ ober (o, lqq3
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Owners contest Texas Avenue plan
By CHUCK SQUATRIGLIA
Eagle staff writer
Only a handful of the dozens of busi-
ness owners affected by a $2.5 million
plan to widen Texas Avenue showed up
Tuesday night to discuss the project.
The Texas Department of Transporta,
tion unveiled plans for the project, which
will widen from four to six lanes a 1.3
mile- stretch of Texas Avenue between
Cooner Street near University Tower and
Dominik Drive.
. The plan call for replacing the four
11 -foot -wide lanes and 16 -foot center turn
lane with six 12 -foot lanes divided by a
14 -foot landscaped median.
"Without this project, congestion is
destined to get even worse," said Denise
Fischer, DOT spokeswoman. "Many peo-
ple would say ft's intolerable now. It's an
effort to ease congestion and increase
safety."
DOT traW% studies show that, during
peak traffic times, about 7,900 vehicles
use the intersection at Texas Avenue and
University Drive each hour. Another
6,200 or so pass through the intersection
at George Bush Drive.
Those figures are expected to rise to
about 9,900 and 8,300, respectively, by the
year 2013.
Owners of Innovations Contemporary
Furniture and B -CS Bicycles, both at
Lincoln Street and Texas Avenue, and
the Chevron service station at University
Drive and Texas Avenue said changes in
the curbs along the thoroughfare will
limit access to their businesses. The plan
eliminates two of the four entrances to
the service station — one along Texas
Avenue and another along University
Drive.
Jack Grant, who owns the land on
which the station sits, and K.D. Tim-
mons, who owns the building, said the
move would inhibit traffic flow, creating
a hazard. Larry Piper, who operates the
station, said the University Drive en-
trance to be eliminated is his busiest.
They are willing to sacrifice one en-
trance along Texas Avenue and urged
engineers to revise the plan accordingly.
The plan also would consolidate three
entrances to the furniture and bike shops
into one 40 -foot -wide driveway.
But Chris Rhett, who owns Innova-
tions, and Richard Barnes, owner of B -CS
Bicycles, said the change will limit de-
livery truck access and create congestion
as customers enter and exit the parking
area. Both urged engineers to save a sec-
ond entrance on Lincoln Street and in-
crease the "common area" they share
with a gas station next door.
Other features of the plan include a
Jogging path and bike path, wheelchair -
accessible sidewalks and a bus stop in
front of city hall.
Other additions include a two-way,
25 -foot -wide frontage road connecting
businesses and restaurants between
Chili's Grill & Bar and Walton Drive and
replacing the curving "ramps" at Walton
Drive with landscaped spaces. -
Northbound traffic will be allowed to
make left turns at intersections and into
businesses, but the design limits left -
hand turns by southbound traffic.
Southbound motorists would be unable
to turn left onto Poplar or Moss streets,
Dominik Drive and some businesses.
While the road is designed to allow U-
turns, city officials have not decided
whether to permit such maneuvers.
Federal funds will finance 80 percent of
the project; state funds will cover the
rest. The city will chip in 10 percent of
the cost of any right of way purchases,
utility relocations or landscaping.
The Department of Transportation
owns all but 0.4 acres of the right of way
needed for the project. Remaining pieces
are mostly small strips near intersec-
tions at University and George Bush
drives.
1
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The EG,t9 /P
Bikers support CS bikeway master plan
By YVONNE SALCE
Eagle staff writer
F. Texas A &M students Chris Lingan and
Orlando DeLeon said they've wrecked
their bikes one too many times on Uni-
versity Drive.
_ The two avid cyclists said it's easy to
get caught between the curb and the road
on University Drive and the bikers get
cut off because drivers have the right of
way.
Both Lingan and DeLeon agree the lim-
ited space allowed for their two -wheel
ride is not enough; they support the pro-
posed College Station Bikeway Master
Plan up for city council approval on
Thursday.
"I'm all for it, " said Lingan, a 21 - year-
old zoology major. "It would be more
convenient and safer for cyclists and
drivers."
"I'm all for it."
CHRIS LINGAN
A &M student
The Bikeway Master Plan concept in-
cludes a number of bike path projects
that could be implemented now and in
the future. One project provides a safe
loop around city. If the College Station
City Council approves the plan, the city
could apply for more than $1 million in
federal funding for the first enhancement
project.
Freebirds World Burrito, 'a Northgate
restaurant, and the Texas Bicycle Coali-
tion, an Austin -based bicycle advocacy
group, have collected more than 3,000
signatures in favor of the plan.
The two groups have been soliciting
support for the plan from Texas A &M
students and local businesses as well. Pe-
titions can be found at any of the bike
shops in College Station.
Richard Hubbard, a manager at Valley
Cyclery, said that "it's about time," Col-
lege Station accommodate cyclists.
The problem, Hubbard said, is not just
safety, but education as well.
"There has got to be education out
there about the laws," he said. " When
you don't act like a responsible bike
rider, you cause problems and annihilate
other cyclists."
College Station City Council meets to-
day at 3 p.m. for a workshop. The public
hearing for the Bikeway Master Plan will
be during the council's regular meeting
on Thursday at 7 p.m. in city hall, 1101
South Texas Avenue.
utthe broadcast stations carrieu uy
TCA Cable, only the ABC affiliate from
Waco, KXXV, chose "must carry" status.
KXXV chose to be carried on cable TCA
Cable channel 9.
All other broadcast stations chose the
"retransmission consent" option. After
months of negotiating with these broad-
cast stations, TCA Cable reached agree-
ment to continue carrying all stations ex-
cept KXAN, the NBC affiliate in Austin
(formerly carried part time on channel
11). None of the agreements include cash
payments from TCA Cable to a broadcast
station, so it will not be necessary to pass
on any additional costs associated with
retransmission consent.
In addition to the changes resulting
from the 1992 Cable Act, KXXV chose to
enforce its "network non - duplication"
rights, which give "local" broadcast sta-
tions the right to be the exclusive pro-
vider of their networks' programming in
the local markets (which is Waco -
Temple- Bryan- College station in the this
case). KBTX and KCEN had already exer-
cised their "network nonduplication"
rights on TCA Cable in Bryan- College
Station.
With the loss of KXAN from Austin and
the requirement to give network protec-
move KTRK, the Houston ABC affiliate,
to cable channel 3 and air the local cities
information bulletin board during net-
work duplication times. The switch we
use for nonduplication electronically
monitors the signals on Gable channels 9
and 3. Whenever the same program is
airing on both channels, cable channel 3
will switch over to the cities information
bulletin board. Whenev r KTRK in Hous-
ton runs programming different from
KXXV in Waco, it will air on cable chan-
nel 3. 1
Some TV sets experieptce interference
on cable channel as aesult of the
strong local broadcast & gnal. This inter-
ference can be improved by TCA techni-
cians, but not eliminate completely.
Please call us if you ham significant in-
terference on cabel cha�hnel 3.
The big positive froml l these changes
is the addition of the Sci -Fi Channel,
which has been the channel most re-
quested by our customers over the past
year. Science fiction bps are thrilled
with this addition. Look for the Sci -Fi
Channel on cable than el 31.
Negotiations with several of the sta-
tions continued up until Oct. 5 (the FCC
deadline). We did not k ntow for sure until
not carried due to these last minute nego-
tiations. We regret not being able to give
our customers more notice of what the
exact channel changes would be.
Please don't blame The Eagle for not
yet having these changes in place in its
TV listings. TCA Cable was unable to
give adequate notice of the changes to
The Eagle so that the TV listings would
be correct when the changes took place.
The Eagle buys these TV listings from a
listings service and it takes several
weeks for changes to be implemented.
These changes should be complete and in
place by Sunday. The recent channel
changes were:
Station From To
KXXV- ABC -Waco 3 9
KTVT -IND -Dallas 2 11
WGN -IND- Chicago 9 2
KTRK- ABC - Houston 13 3
Cities Info 11 3
CNN Headline News 31 13
Sci -Fi Channel New 31
If you have additional questions or
concerns about the new channel lineups,
please call TCA Cable at 846 -2229.
■ Randy Rogers is general manager of TCA Cable
in Bryan - College Station.
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Cities fighting bnfunded
Washinnton m andates
The cities of College Station and Bryan
are joining the campaign against unfun-
ded mandates from Washington.
What are unfunded federal mandates?
Government officials often tend to use
terms that the general public doesn't re-
ally understand. "Federal mandates" is
one such term. Federal mandates are re-
quirements placed on local governments
by the federal government to perform
specified tasks. They must be carried out
or the local governments will be subject
to civil or criminal penalties. Most of
these mandates from Washington are
either unfunded or seriously underfun-
ded, leaving the cities' resources stret-
ched. Cities are continually trying to find
the funds to pay for these decisions in
which they have not even had an oppor-
tunity for input. Local citizens and busi-
nesses are required to pay for federal
mandates through increased local taxes
and fees.
These regulations are a problem be-
cause they are imposed without con-
sideration for local circumstances or the
ability to implement them. They general-
ly strain already tight local budgets, forc-
ing increased taxes and fees.
Those of us in local government gen-
erally do not have a conflict with the in-
tent of most mandates because we all
To the editor
must be proactive in protecting our envi-
ronment, its resources nd the rights of
all human beings. How :ver, we believe
we should have the right to some say in
how much our own local community can
afford to pay without jeopardizing other
resources within our communities.
What do federal mantes really cost?
In 1990, the Environmental Protection
Agency predicted that by the year 2000,
cities and towns across the nation will
have to spend $12.8 billion annually just
to comply with federal' environmental
requirements in effect In 1990, let alone
any additional mandates enacted since
that time. This is the equivalent of a 32
percent increase in property taxes for
local governments.
What are we doing here locally to com-
bat this affect? Frankly, until now we
have simply accepted the mandates and
fulfilled the requirements in order to
avoid any costly legal action against our
cities. However, we are not alone in our
concern. The National League of Cities,
the Texas Municipal League and munici-
pal leagues from most of the 50 states are
leading the effort, and We are joining
together to make their citizenry more
aware of what is happ�ning and ask for
their help. Today is proclaimed as
National Unfunded Mandates Day. A
joint resolution will be adopted by both
cities and sent on to our congressmen.
We ask for your support by contacting
your congressmen and letting them know
of your concerns in this critical matter.
MAYOR LARRY RINGER
College Station
MAYOR MARVIN TATE
Bryan
Gov. Richards gutting
transportation agency
The Texas Department of Transporta-
tion has been raped by Gov. Ann Rich-
ards and her appointed transportation
commissioners by forcing out the execu-
tive director and his top five administra-
tors of the Department.
These engineers and the department
have long been recognized nationwide as
the leaders in the transportation field.
Eleven district engineers and many
other engineers in their early 50s with 30
to 35 years of service are leaving the de-
partment.
Several of those retiring have had long
(40 to 45 years) distinguished careers
with the department. What worries me is
that group with 30 to 35 years of service.
The department, in its 74 year history,
has generally been free of politics except
for the past two years when it has become
the most political of state agencies.
R.S. "BUBBA" WILLIAMSON Jr.
Austin
0
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The,
■ Craig Anderson of the College Station
Police Department was awarded the
fourth annual Enrique Camarena Award
by the Brazos Valley Council on Alcohol
and Substance Abuse on Oct. 25. The
award is presented to an outstanding law
enforcement officer in the fields of nar-
cotics prevention or narcotic trafficking
law enforcement. A drug enforcement
officer, Camarena was killed by drug
traffickers in 1985 in Guadalajara, Mex-
ico.
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The Bryan and College Station city
councils will meet in joint session Wed-
nesday to discuss the future of the Brazos
Valley Solid Waste management Agency.
The councils will meet separately after
the joint meeting. The schedule for the
three meetings is as follows:
0 4p. M. Members of the Bryan and Col-
lege Station city councils will discuss the
future of the Brazos Valley Solid Waste
Management Agency.
The agency and the agency's landfill on
Rock Prairie Road are co-owned by the
cities of College Station and Bryan.
Camp Dresser and McKee, the agency's
consultant on the landfill, will present a
long -range plan for the landfill's opera-
tion. The plan will make recom-
mendations in the areas of recycling,
composting, site development and op-
tions for garbage - to-fuel technology.
The joint meeting will be at College
Station City Hall, 1101 Texas Ave.S.
■ 5.•30 p.m. Members of the College Sta-
tion City Council will hear a presentation
on a recommendation that the city out-
law left turns at the intersection of Do-
minik Street and Texas Avenue.
— -- 10k.A1111.
joint meeting Wednesday
Development council to hold public hearing
The Brazos Valley Development
Council will conduct a public hearing
on the Regional Solid Waste Manage-
ment Plan at 1 p.m. Wednesday at the
Brazos Center.
The plan provides an overview of so-
lid waste management activities. It
was developed with the assistance of
the council, the Regional Solid Waste
Management Advisory Committee and
the consulting firm of Camp Dresser &
McKee.
A copy of the plan is available for
review at the BVDC offices, 3006 E.
29th -St. in Aryan, between 8 a.m and
noon and 1 -5 p.m.
An overview of the plan will be pro-
vided at the hearing, which will also
include a question and answer session
and public testimony.
Upon approval by the BVDC Board
of Directors, the plan will be submit-
ted to the Texas Water Commission for
adoption.
Council members will consider the
recommendation at Thursday's 7 p.m.
regular meeting.
Left turns from Dominik onto Texas
and from Texas on to Dominik must
cross three lanes of traffic. Dominik is lo-
cated about 240 feet south of one of the
city's busiest intersections — George
Bush Drive and Texas Avenue — with
traffic often qeueing up and blocking
Dominik.
Police reports show that between April .
1991 and October 1992, about 35 traffic ac-
cidents occurred on Texas within 150 feet
of the intersection.
In a letter sent to merchants on Do-
minik, Edwin Hard, College Station's
transportation planner, said that Texas
Avenue carries 50,000 cars every day at
Dominik. One percent of those cars turns
on to Dominik, he said.
"Prohibiting lefts on to Dominik from
Texas Ave. will have an impact to the
businesses along Dominik," the letter
states. "Traffic from left turns off Texas
accounts for from 20 to 50 percent of a
business' total patronage, depending on
the business."
bra expects the Texas -Bush intersec-
tion to pick up the majority of the re-
routed traffic, with Kyle Street traffic in-
creasing 10 percent.
The College Station City Council will
meet Wednesday at College Station City
Hall.
06 Members of the Bryan City
Council will hear appeals of two de-
cisions of the city's building standards
committee.
The owners of houses at 225 Lynn Dr.
and 1904 Beck St. are appealing the de-
cision of the committee to have the build-
ings torn down.
A staff report to the committee said the
properties were unsanitary and not fit for
human habitation, could cause sickness
and disease and were dangerous.
The Bryan City Council will meet in
the Bryan Municipal Building, 300 S.
Texas Ave.
-1 l -Q3
L
on prohibiting
By PHILLIP SULAK
Eagle staff writer
Dominik Drive merchants
asked the College Station City
Council on Wednesday to again
delay a decision on prohibiting
left turns to and from that street
at Texas Avenue.
But only two council members,
Fred Brown and Nancy Crouch,
said at Wednesday's workshop
that they wanted to delay the de-
cision.
The council first discussed the
idea of prohibiting the left turns
Jan. 13, but tabled the matter un-
til Wednesday to allow the mer-
chants to present a rebuttal to the
city staff s suggestion.
Charles Speer, representing
Jerry J. Moore, who owns Cul-
pepper Plaza, said that a Houston
11
CS panel to
left turns a i
traffic consultant had been hired
to study the traffic on Texas
Avenue between College Station
City Hall and Harvey Road, The
consultant will need four td five
weeks to finish their report.
Paul Clarke, owner of Bentley
House, a motel and apartment
complex on Dominik, said that a
Texas Department of Transporta-
tion official had told him the city
wouldn't need to give the depart-
ment information until mid -
April.
The state will pay fob the
changes, including adding a
median to prevent the turns if the
city makes the project part pf the
widening of Texas Avenue.
Brown said the council needed
to consider what prohibiting the
left turns would do to businesses
on Dominik and to the revenue
itersection
the city got in sales taxes and util-
ity revenues.
"It's hard to collect property
taxes when a business doesn't
exist," he said.
One man, who did not give his
name but who is known locally as
the driver of a colorful car with
"Elijah" painted on it, con-
demned the city's plan to prohibit
left turns because it would add
traffic to Kyle Striet.
He expressed his concern for
children crossing Texas at George
Bush Drive, and predicted news-
paper headlines saying, "George
Bush kills children."
He called for the city to reject
the "satanic traffic plan" and
build a pedestrian walkway at
Bush that would span Texas
Avenue.
Merchants ask
delay decision
a l
i
h opin g 1 %q
ost business
with research
By JIM HINEY
Eagle staff writer
i Bryan is looking for a few good busi-
nesses, and the Bryan Development
Foundation has enlisted a local market
and economic research company's help.
Branson Research Associates' study,
expected to last six months to a year, will
identify businesses that provide services
compatible with the needs of Bryan's
population, said Ron Schmidt, president
of the Bryan Development Foundation.
The goal is to bolster Bryan's sales tax
base, Schmidt said.
Branson's latest project builds on
- search he completed about a year ago
�zat revealed some unexpected figures,
Schmidt said.
"Dr. [Robert] Branson's initial data
showed disposable income in Bryan was
higher than any other location in the
Brazos Valley," Schmidt said.
The data also showed that Bryan's
population included the largest block of
people ages 24 -55, the prime purchasing
group, of any Brazos Valley area.
"Those are some of the numbers
needed by retailers when they want to
come into an area," Schmidt said.
When Bryan and College Station
formed the Bryan- College Station Eco-
nomic Development Corporation in 1989,
the BDF remained and changed its focus
from economic development to address-
ing specific needs in Bryan, Schmidt
said.
The most prominent problem was that
Bryan's sales tax and ad valorem tax
bases weren't growing very quickly,
Schmidt said. The BDF sought to in-
crease the property tax base by working
with developers on housing projects and
acting as a conduit for government funds
for affordable housing programs,
Schmidt said.
3
"But we recognized that the most im-
mediate impact we could have is on sales
tax dollars," Schmidt said.
The "Bryan Means Business" cam-
paign grew out of a desire to increase the
number of retail businesses in Bryan.
After Post Oak Mall opened in College
Station in 1982, people had the perception
that College Station residents had greater
buying power and College Station was
the place to locate retail businesses,
Branson said.
The perception continued because no
one took a look at the underlying figures
that show purchasing power is greater in
Bryan, Branson said.',
Branson's research is part of the con-
tinuing "Bryan Means Business" cam-
paign, and Schmidt stressed that the
campaign isn't a competition with Col-
lege Station and the BDF isn't trying to
steal business prospects from Bryan's
neighboring city.
Instead, Schmidt said his group wants
to attract targeted types of business to
bolster Bryan's sales tax base. Those
businesses will provide services not
already present in Bryan — so they don't
provide competition for exisiting busi-
nesses — and they will provide services
demanded by Bryan's population mix,
Schmidt said.
The Bryan and College Station popula-
tions have significantly different needs,
Branson said. Students make up a large
part of College Station's population and
Bryan's population comprises more fami-
lies, he said.
"Students have less spending power
overall, but what they do have they're
spending on a certain amount of goods,"
Branson said.
Just as College Station merchants cater
to students' needs, the BDF wants to at-
tract businesses whose products match
Bryan resident's needs, Schmidt said.
Please see BDF, page C2 I
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The businesses that locate in
Bryan won't benefit just Bryan
residents, Schmidt said. In gen-
eral, whatever benefits one city
also benefits the other city, he
said.
Branson said his study will also
i*ntifY businesses that will de-
pend on the buying power of both
cities.
The BDF also wants to have a
good retail base in place for out-of-
county visitors who travel to this
area for events such as races at
Texas World Speedway and for
the George Bush Presidential Li-
brary when it opens.
The BDF has already identified
25-30 business locations in Bryan
that are attractive to prospective
businesses because of such fac-
tors as traffic flow and proximity
to other businesses, Schmidt said.
"We're not going to sell these
pieces of property for the owners,
but we can tell [prospective
buyers] who owns the property or
who's listing it," Schmidt said.
"We want them to know we're in-
terested in their business."
The entire campaign, including
Branson's data, won't be just part
of a marketing push, it will also
be public information, Schmidt
said. The BDF plans to publicize
the work and research so Bryan
residents will know as much
about what the city has to offer
Many businessmen interested
in moving into an area talk with
citizens about the area first before
talking with government officials
or real estate brokers, Schmidt
said.
Schmidt said foundation will
judge the success of its efforts by
the number of businesses that
move to or open new stores in
Bryan. BDF officials hope to have
at least one new business here
this year, he said.
Lone Star Legend
One Tycoon in Texas
Still Is Dreaming Big,
L
t.
Even If I t's Ou t of Style
George Mitchell Can Foresee
A City of a Million Souls
Rising From a Forest Site
Dotty Doings in Galveston?
By CALEB SOLOMON and ROBERT JOHNSON
Staff Reporters of THE WALL .STRF.ET JOURNAL
THE WOODLANDS, Texas — George P.
Mitchell, baron of the oil patch, playing the
role with flair, parks a new, mint -green
Cadillac in a visionary city that only he
sees for sure on this forested land.
Behind those pine trees the. new $2.5
billion shopping mall will soar. Beyond,
a field will be transformed into a man-
made waterway, with launches to ferry
shoppers and concert -goers on their way to
hear the Houston Symphony. Not far away,
scientists will labor in a burgeoning re-
search center, says the 74- year -old ty-
coon.
Caution has no place here, in what Mr.
Mitchell promises will be a city of a million
people. Still, it
seems everyone
from his top lieuten-
ants to his 10 chil
dren questions himf.
openly. Mr. Mitch-
ell, the trim, bald
son of a Greek goat-
herd, listens pa-
tiently to all, un-
moved. "Nobody
understands," he
tells a visitor, gaz-
ing at the forest.
"This is a labor of Georg a P. Mitchell
love; I'm building 9
for a thousand years from now."
The Texas economy may be tepid.
Most of the state's once - active family
fortunes — from the Hunts to the Gettys to
T. Boone Pickens — may be silent. But
Texas still has George Mitchell, a would -be
builder of legacies, an unrepentant opti-
mist, a throwback to another era. Since
drilling his first big wildcat well on a
Chicago bookie's tip 45 years ago, Mr.
Mitchell has amassed a personal fortune of
more than $700 million. He is the 158th
richest American on the Forbes 400 list.
Even in a state famous for excess, Mr.
Mitchell turns heads.
He is chairman, president and 60%
owner of Mitchell Energy & Development
Corp., one of the nation's largest petro-
leum producers. But his obsessions have
broadened gradually from petroleum
wealth underground to empires on the
14
Vllt�. x.111
'wC�
The Woodlands, carved from forest 27
miles north of Houston, has 36,000 resi-
dents today. Mr. Mitchell envisions the
shopping-mall project as the centerpiece of
a community he predicts will reach the
million mark by the year 2020.
Bank Resistance
He dragged his public company into
The Woodlands project 20 years ago
against the advice of bankers who refused
to lend $10 million to start the project.
Today, after pumping $600 million of
Mitchell Energy's capital into The Wood-
lands, it is modestly in the black.
Though analysts say the big payoff in
his real- estate ventures will be a long time
coming, like Texans of yore Mr. Mitch-
ell is betting that the state will grow. He is
betting' ot just once, but twice. If The
Woodlands is Mr. Mitchell's future, Gal-
veston is his past. And there, he personally
owns much of the sleepy Gulf Coast town
wher0e grew up.
The sentimental tycoon longs to restore
the lost glamour of the resort island south
of Houston. With $65 million of his own
money so far, he is almost single - handedly
rebuilding Galveston's historic Strand sec-
tion, where he owns 17 hotels, restaurants
and shops.
Island residents wonder if Mr. Mi t c hell
isn't a bit dotty — though they app re c iate
his patronage. He listens politely to such
criticisms, gathering regularly with a
couplo of dozen small- business owners and
city officials for Sunday morning gabfests
at the Best Western. Call it Mr. Mitchell's
opportunity for a reality check.
`Having Fun'
At a recent gathering, he was warned
that I his Galveston tourist properties
weren't earning a dime, that almost no-
body) was riding the nostalgic Texas Lim-
ited train he helped build to lure visitors
from nearby Houston and that the rowdy
Mardi Gras gala he foste.red was scaring
off valuable family trade. "George, every
night I light a candle for you and all your
millions," said Jim Yarbrough, a trustee
on the Galveston Wharves Board. But,
meow in his tropical- flowered shirt, Mr.
Mitchell replied, "Don't worry about me.
I'm having fun."
Indeed. Mr. Mitchell throws Galves-
ton's biggest parties — including Mardi
Gras, for which he has his face playfully
painted in traditional blue cat whiskers.
This year, revelers gathered beneath his
baleony to . serenade him with a fitting
Broadway tune: "If I Were a Rich Man."
Thdt was after Mitchell employees,
dre sed as Arab sheiks, showered merry -
makers with "petrodollars" carrying his
picture.
Mr. Mitchell's fortunes suffered when
energy prices went south in the mid- 1980s,
but he had avoided the excesses of the oil
boom that sent thousands of competitors
into bankruptcy. Now, profits allow him to
keep pouring money into — and usually
Please Turn to Page A8, Column 1
F YE-
AS THE WALL STREET JOURNAL WEDNESDAY, JULY 28, 1993
Lone Star Legend: Texas Tycoon George Mitchell,
Still Thinking Big, Pours Money Into Development
Continued From First Page
wringing profits out of— chancy oil and gas
deals that help finance his even iffier
real- estate schemes.
The future is always bright around Mr.
Mitchell. He has a backlog of 1,126 well
sites ready to drill if energy prices rise.
than 50,000 residential lots, mostly at The
Woodlands. Let others worry about a real -
estate bust that has dropped home prices
by 30% and emptied half of the Houston
area's commercial space; "you r?ally need
a 30 -year supply of lots to be prepared for
the population growth around here," Mr.
Mitchell says earnestly.
Mr. Mitchell is pressing ahead to create
his model city at The Woodlands, including
a research center bankrolled largely out of
his own pocket. He is helping to support
150 scientists developing everything from
improved parts for atom-smashers to big -
ger-than -ever bluebonnet wildflowers. He
is personally directing the planting of
wildflowers along the development's 55
miles of biking and hiking paths.
Then there are the water taxis. For
those to happen, The Woodlands boasts a
500 -acre manmade lake that soon is to
connect with a Venetian -style waterway
winding to yet another new lake.
This fervent dream of a commercial
center in the middle of nowhere has per-
- suaded Sears, Roebuck & Cu., among other
major retailers, to build new stores in the
complex. Never mind that Sears is closing
113 existing stores elsewhere. "We're ex-
cited," a Sears official says. "This is a
vision."
Over the years, Mr. Mitchell's enthusi-
asm and initiative have helped wangle $59
million in federal -loan guarantees plus
grants for The Woodlands, even down to
financing an experimental surface on its
jogging track. But he also plunked down
$12 million in personal funds several years
ago to build the Cynthia Woods Mitchell
Pavilion (named for his wife), and paid $5
million to lure the Houston Symphony.
When some musicians balked at the op-
pressive heat, he installed air conditioning
on the outdoor stage.
Wall Street would like him to spin off
the real- estate arm of Mitchell Energy,
figuring the petroleum segment's stock
would soar if it were alone. Says Thomas
Lewis, a securities analyst at Duff &
Phelps /MCM Investment Research Co.,
"His whole real-estate venture has been a
drag on earnings. He's like a shade-tree
mechanic who spends too much time
on his hot rod and ignores the family
station wagon."
But Mr. Mitchell notes that the com-
pany's shares are doing well, trading
on the New York Stock Exchange at $25, up
from $14.25 last January.
To be sure, although his Galveston
hotels produce losses — he won't disclose
the amounts — they are his private en-
deavors. The publicly traded company's
real - estate enterprises, consisting of The
Woodlands and two luxury subdivisions in
Galveston, earned pretax profit of $22.8
million, or 11% of the company's total, in
the fiscal year ended Jan. 31.
Thinly Spread Attention
Nevertheless, acquaintances worry
that his attention is spread far too thin.
"He only uses a quarter of his mind to
carry on a conversation with me. It's like
time-sharing with a computer," says
Charles Strain, an energy consultant in
Houston who analyzes independent petro-
leum companies.
There is nothing too large or small
for his attention. As a geologist, Mr.
Mitchell personally analyzed engineers'
reports before approving each of the 152
wells that Mitchell Energy drilled last
year. He also took time to pick out the
� J
carpet for the 70- year -old Galvez Hotel he
bought in March and stood over the
workers installing it. He selected Texas -
made Blue Bell Creameries ice cream over
Haagen -Dazs as the brand served at his
Sa'sparilla soda fountain. He also insisted
that buffalo meat appear on the menu at
another establishment.
Through all of this, a speedy power -
walking gait forces some employees to
break into a jog to keep up with him around
the office. "It's like his body is trying to
catch up with his brain," says Tony Len -
tini, a Mitchell Energy vice _presldenL __
Mr. Mitchell writes interoffice memos
so fast that many subordinates have given
up on his indecipherable scrawl.
Trolley Marketing
Delegate? Forget it. On a recent Satur-
day morning, he is meeting with Galveston
trolley -car driver John Dundee over coffee
on a serious matter. The subject: a new
wooden sign to advertise the trolley. After
consultation, Mr. Mitchell says the sign
should include a notice that the trolley
leaves every 15 minutes. "That way people
with children won't worry that they might
have to wait an hour," Mr. Mitchell ad-
vises, as Mr. Dundee nods and hurries off
to have the sign changed.
Galveston's 4 -mile trolley system is
one thing Mr. Mitchell doesn't own, but he
got it built. He put up $350,000 of his own
money and hired a grant -savvy lawyer who
quickly obtained $12 million in federal
funds.
Mr. Mitchell recalls sentimentally the
Galveston where he grew up, a raw seaport
where bootlegging and gambling flour-
ished. The city was still recovering from
hurricane damage when his immigrant
father arrived in 1905. "He had nothing,
not even his own name," he says.
Mr. Mitchell's father, Savvas Paras-
kevopoulos, was working his way toward
Texas on an Arkansas railroad gang when
an Irish foreman threatened to fire Greeks
with long names just to simplify his paper
work. "So my father said, 'Well, what's
your nameT " says Mr. Mitchell, savoring
this family- favorite story. When the fore-
man answered, "Mike Mitchell," the
quick - thinking worker rejoined, "From
now on that's my name, too."
Waiting Tables
George Mitchell grew up in the building
that housed his father's laundry and press-
ing shop. He paid his way through Texas
A &M's petroleum engineering curriculum
by waiting tables and selling personalized
stationery to classmates.
After a World War II stint in the
Army, he formed a company to do geologi-
cal research for petroleum drillers. By the
late 1940s he was rounding up investors
for his own wells. His career record of
striking oil or gas in better than one out of
every two holes is far above the industry
average. Says Michel Halbouty, a petro-
leum engineer who has invested in many of
Mr. Mitchell's wells, "I must know a
thousand geologists around the world by
their first name, and none has his feel for
the earth — or his luck." Today, Mitchell
Energy's oil and gas leases stretch over
two million acres — an area larger than
Rhode Island.
Mr. Mitchell manages it all with an
informality rare in large companies. Em-
ployees brag they can still get away
with telling off the boss; in fact, that is
the only way many of them can get a
word in edgewise with him.
But Mr. Mitchell didn't listen to associ-
ates who warned him against buying up
then-remote parcels of land in the late
1960s for what has become The Woodlands.
Recalls Mr. Halbouty, "I told him there's
nothing out there but mosquitoes."
The mosquitoes are still there, but
so are 500 stores and offices and 11,000
workers sp rinkled among the homes a
50- Toot pines�6In Mitchell's personatzon-
ing code requires that land for office
buildings be cleared no more than four feet
from exterior walls, thus preserving trees.
To further keep the area's shaggy forest
look, he discourages homeowners, who pay
from $30,000 to more than $1 million each
for houses, from so much as mowing their
lawns. Says a spokesman for the develop-
ment, "We tell people, 'Of course it's
your lot, but why not just let the vegetation
be ?' "
His grand plan for The Woodlands
shopping area requires builders to set
aside 1% of architectural costs for public
sculptures. "We can create the great
charm of European cities," Mr. Mitchell
says. Yet, building 18 million square
feet of new retail space, more than in all of
downtown Miami, in a region where the
main traffic arteries are already riddled
with shuttered outlets strikes some as
far - fetched. Not Mr. Mitchell.
"But you understand now,'' he says
after explaining his vision to a visitor.
"You see ?"
c j d"v o ,,. ....... .
D the Valley at least six times "We know
hey'II come back next year.' the re
Not that anybody is taking
irees for granted. A decade ago, the
dcAllen Chamber of Commerce drasti-
;ally cut its budget for advertising and
.rade shows; first -time visitors immedi-
ately fell and the budget was restored.
vloreover, competition is stiff not only
from other traditional wintering spots
such as Arizona and Florida, but increas-
ingly from other Texas cities. Midland
and Odessa, for instance, claim to have
attracted more than 1,000 retiree house-
holds since 1987.
Such alternatives may be starting to
take their toll. According to the Univer-
sity of Texas survey, the number of
Winter Texans living in trailer parks,
hotels or apartments in the Rio Grande
Valley in February rose just 2.3% from
the prior year, to 89,000. That's about half
the average annual gains of 4 during
the previous seven years, and the worst
showing since 1990, when the Gulf War —
and fears of gasoline rationing — kept
many RV enthusiasts close to home.
But as this season dawns, local busi-
nesses are optimistic, relying on fore-
casts of a colder winter up north and —al-
though this is a delicate topic — the rash
of tourist murders in Florida.
"We haven't been trading on that,
because our attitude is, 'There but for the
Where They Live
The vast maiority of people who come to the
Rio Grande Valley in Texas for the winter live
in recreational vehicle /mobile-home parks.
Here's a breakdown of where they stay:
� Recreational
vehicie /mobile
home park
Rent apartment,
condominium,
hotel or motel
-1 Rent or own
home 4.3%
Home of friend
or relative
2.3%
Source: University of Texas -Pan American school of
Business Administration
70
60
50
40 8 .� + 9+90 '91 '92 '93
Notes Estiriates as of Feb.
source unAwsity of Texas - n American School of
:
Business Administration
crafts classes and -most important —
square dancing. "We bill ourselves as the
square -dance capital of the world," says
Tommy Joyner, executive director of the
McAllen Chamber of Commerce. "You
can square dance in the Valley every
night, seven nights a week."
Happily for the local economy, the
visitors have more money to spend than
they did, say, 10 years ago. This year,
monthly expenditures are expected to
climb to about $L000 from $934 last
year, says Dr. Vincent, not including
average one -time purchases of $2,100 a
season for durable goods.
And one recent trend, if it takes off,
could provide a big economic boost: Some
retirees have begun trading in their RV
slots for so- called garden houses, cot-
tages of 800 square'feet and up that cost
from $40,000 to more than $100,000.
Geraldine Kaplwck, a 72- year - old for-
mer factory work ek from Racine, Wis.,
just moved into a neatly -kept subdivision
with her husband, a retired clerk. "We
tried Florida, we tried Arizona, and
we just decided we like the Valley bet-
ter," she says.
Big vs. Small: Small Texas cities are
doing better than big ones when it comes
to generating new jobs, according to the
latest Blue Chip Job Growth Update,
published by the Economic Outlook Cen-
ter at Arizona Sta a University.
Seven Texas cities were among the 20
ii.S. cities with leis than 750 000 workers
9 3. Killeen- Temple was ranKeu
fifth, with 5.12%I growth (behind Enid,
Okla., Provo -Or$m, Utah, Boise City,
Idaho, and Salt Lake City-Ogden, Utah).
McAllen -Edin, urg-Mission was sixth,
with 4.81% growth, tied with Victoria;
Br an- College Station was ninth w'
4 . re o was 12th, wit 4.19 %.
Ga veston -Texas City was 17th, will
3.55 %r; and Austin was 20th, with 3.33 %.
For metropolitan markets with mor
than 750,000 workers, Dallas ranked fifth
with 1.99% growth, behind Atlanta, Mi
ami- Hialeah, Denver and Phoenix. Hour
ton placed 14th, with 0.37 %r job growth.
grace of God...,' „ says Chuck Snyder,
director of the McAllen Convention
Visitors Bureau. Still, he says, "people
P
on the cusp" who would have to travel
about the same distance to go to Florida
or Texas "are starting to take a second
look" at Texas.
The Valley's emergence as a retiree
haven has its roots deep in history.
Around the turn of the century, a few
land speculators bought up big tracts
along the Mexican border, and sold plots
Cc-
J1 J - 3
uau, Siuewwr auu �• ...moo ,
ng up money for more police protection. In
its first term, Mr. Lanier focused on 14
leighborhoods a year.
So pick I
till the cows
The CompE
and beyon(
N01
-M Q f�d L � - � 1 , \G
i6w6lton timi tra ing ame workers
By PHILLIP SULAK
Eagle staff writer
Many of the city of College Station's employees
have special abilities. Two of the newest are sup-
posed to have disabilities, but their bosses say the
employees have proved themselves very able.
Kimberly May and Gary Robertson come to the
city through Junction 505. Junction 505 is a non-
profit agency that trains people with disabilities so
that they can lead normal lives.
Robertson is the city's FLAME officer. The Fire
Lane Access Maintenance Enforcement officer is
charged with making sure the city's fire lanes re-
main open for emergency vehicles, said Bland Ellen,
the city's fire marshal.
"Gary has had no problems," Ellen said. "Of
course, he's had to take the normal amount of
- abuse." - -
Part of Robertson's job is to write citations for
people who block fire lanes with their vehicles. El-
len said he expects Robertson to write about 1,500
tickets this year. With a $35 fine per ticket, Robert-
son will more than pay for himself, Ellen said.
Robertson has some physical difficulties, but El-
len said he knew that Robertson can do the job.
"He's doing a valuable service for the citizens of
College Station and our visitors," Ellen said.
May works as a printer's aide in the city's print -
mail division. Tomi Fry, print coordinator for the
city, said that May is a good worker for the city.
"We're very happy with her," Fry said. "She's
catching on to everything."
May has done almost everything in the print de-
partment, Fry said, from running the copying
machine to putting covers on reports. The only
thing she doesn't do is run the printing press, but
they may train May on that soon.
May says she likes her job with the city, but want
a job that will allow her to sit.
"I'm on my feet more in the print shop," she said.
"I'd like to be a secretary."
May isn't limiting herself to the print shop. She's
-already done work in the city secretary's office and
in the personnel department.
Karen Pavlinski, College Station's personnel di-
rector, said that the city is making a conscious effort
to hire Junction 505's clients.
Please see WORK, page A4
Kimberly May, who works as a printer's aide in College Station's print -mail divisi(
does about everything from running the copying machine to putting covers on reports.
would fit in."
Work mq r6,h _7) Funds were set aside so that
PA 6- C, � city departments could have a
From All new position, with the idea that
the new employee would be from
Junction 505, Pavlinski said.
"This is basically a job- creation Pavlinski said the plan is to
program," she said. "We encour- have five Junction 505 clients on
aged city staff to find jobs where the city's payroll in the 1993 -94
some of Junction 505's clients budget.
eagle pnotot uave mcuerma
CS looks to automate water operations
By ANTON RIECHER
Eagle staff writer
A $500,000 computer system designed to
automate much of College Station's water
and wastewater operations will lessen the
financial sting of increasingly stringent en-
vironmental regulations -- -
"For one thing, this system will help us
avoid large increases in personnel to meet
the new government regulations," said the
city's senior electrical technician Weldon
Wright.
From an ecological standpoint, the new
system known as Supervisory Control and
Data Acquisition [SCADA] will help detect
water main breaks sooner and allow city
employees to better monitor water quality.
"Water is becoming more and more pre-
cious," Wright said. "It would be negligent
of us to waste it through inefficiency."
To be installed over the next two years,
SCADA will allow one computer operator to
handle most of the mechanics of the water
system by remote control, including con-
stant chemical analysis.
From a different terminal connected to the
same system, a another operator will run
the wastewater facilities from sewer treat-
ment right down to the most d istant lift sta-
tion
With SCADA in operation, the city hopes
to hold the line at 20 full-time wastewater
operators. That number could increase
dramatically when more stringent state
guidelines for monitoring wastewater
treatment go into effect in 1995.
Greater efficiency becomes more impor-
tant as the city nears 75 percent of its maxi-
mum 9.4 million- gallons -a -day capacity for
wastewater treatment. At 75 percent capa-
city, the state requires that plans be made
for expansion of treatment facilities.
"At 90 percent, we must be in construc-
tion," said Lawrence Carter, wastewater
operations manager.
Only the four city water wells operated by
remote control before SCADA. City em-
ployees personally inspected the other water
and wastewater several times a day.
College Station water - wastewater super-
intendent Bill Riley said the city should re-
coup the cost for SCADA within three years
- through - improved efficiency, paiticu
reducing electricity and chemicals bills.
Instead of hiring outside consultants, city
employees are designing and installing
SCADA themselves.
"To our knowledge, we are the largest
water- wastewater utility to install a system
like this as an in -house project," Wright
said.
Only equipment to monitor and control
the drinking water system is in place now,
Wright said.
SCADA's nerve center for data storage
and communications is at the Carter Creek
K__3
F
'3- 1q_C13
Water
From Al
wastewater treatment plant o$
the East Bypass. The center also
controls wastewater operations,
with secondary controls govern-
ing the drinking water located at
the Dowling Road pump station.
By fiber optics and radio com-
munication, the new system will
tie together 23 individually pro-
grammed processing units at the
individual water pumps, pump
Stations, sewage lift stations and
water stora— and alerted crews
much sooner.
Likewise, closer computer
monitoring of water quality and
waste treatment will reduce the
lag time in making important ad-
justments from several hours to
several minutes. SCADA moni-
tors chemical analysis such as pH
levels, dissolved oxygen, chlorine
residuals and water temperature.
One example of energy savings
at the wastewater plant is in
operating the blowers that force
oxygen through the wastewater to
promote bacteria growth. Of the
$32,000 a month spent in electric-
ity at the plant, 80 percent goes to
wastegwater treatment plants.
SCADA will continuously moni-
tor 988 points throughout the
system, including taking some
measurements as often as three
times a minute.
Two computer terminals will
replace an entire wall of gauges
and warning lights in the present
control room at the Carter Creek
plant Wright said. SCADA is
simple enough to be operated
with a computer mouse rather
than complex keyboard instruc-
tions.
A backup computer armed with
redundant programs takes over in
case of a breakdown, Wright said.
powering the blowers.
Because the present system
does not provide enough informa-
tion about the oxygen content in
the wastewater, operators must
"play it safe" by running the
blow rs continuously, Wright
said. �y closer monitoring of the
oxygen content, SCADA will save
a minimum of $75,000 annually in
electrical costs.
Chemicals used in wastewater
treatment, such as chlorine and
sulphur dioxide, costs $60,000 a
year, 'Wright said. By being able
to better adjust to fluctuation in
water usage, SCADA is expect to
reduce that cost by 20 percent.
The Carter Creek nerve center
also comes equipped with a four.
hour supply of battery power and
an emergency generator for use
in electrical outages.
If SCADA's main computer and
backup were somehow destroyed,
an employee with a lap -top com-
puter and a cellular telephone
could take over operations with
no disruption of service, he said.
A water main break in the
middle of the night last year
dumped nearly 750,000 gallons of
drinking water into a creek,
Wright said. Had SCADA been on.
line, the system would have im-
mediately detected the drop in
"During spring break when the
students are out of town, water
use drops by nearly a half million
gallons a day," Wright said. "On a
weekend when there is a big ball
game in town, there is a million
gallons extra a day to treat."
SCADA might have cost 2
times more with a private con-
tractor, Wright said. Installing
the system draws on expertise as
diverse as radio maintenance and
central purchasing that was
available within the city govern.
ment.
"It's involved a lot of people do-
ing things normally far outside
their usual jobs," Wright said.
j , e A6 Bryan - College Station Eagle Tuesday, June 1, 1993
opinions
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,• or abridging the freedom of speech or of the
press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.
— Article I of the Bill of Rights
i ion to ban left turns at Dominik :Council made a wise dec s
';Eagle Editorial Board
Z: College Station City Council mem-
minik are unhappy with the de-
cision, too, although their businesses
la5le"W
ambers acted wisely when they voted to
- -ban left turns from and to Dominik
probably won't suffer as much as
they might think. Realistically, few
Eagle Editorial
drive at its intersection with Texas
It's that won't be
cars were able to turn left off of Texas
Avenue onto Dominik during the
Opinions expressed in this lace are those of
P P
A venue. a move
- opuiar with everyone, but they real-
busy hours of the day, which, as one
the Editorial Board. The board is made up of:
�y didn't have much choice.
person noted, are from 7:30 a.m. to
Terry L. Hall David Moneypenny
But the decision should be con-
7:30 p.m. With the expansion of Texas
Publisher Managing editor
= sidered only a stop -gap measure until
Avenue to six lanes — three in each
Rod Armstrong Gwynne Allen Elledge
a better, more permanent solution to
direction — it would be even more
to turn left at that interseo-
Finance director News editor
Robert C. Borden Margaret Ann Epp
thg affi problems alo Te xas
. Avenue can be reached. possible
diMcult
tton. - --
Opinions editor Columnist --
': solution would be linking George
:Bush Drive with Dominik directly,
A traffic light at Dominik and
Texas simply isn't an option. The in-
:; which probably would require re-
of two gas stations in the
tersection is too close to the intersec-
tion of Texas and George Bush and a
The council needs to look at the
full stretch of Texas Avenue from
moving one
area. That solution no doubt would
second light would tie up traffic un-
George Bush Drive to Harvey Road.
.;
be expensive, but, as Mayor Larry
Ringer "We may have to bite
believably.
That left the only real alternative
A decision like the one made Thurs-
day night shouldn't be made in a
said,
the bullet."
open to the council the ban on left
vacuum. Other problems will be
- Such a solution would remove a lot
turns to and from Dominik. By mak-
created by blocking left turns at Do-
of the traffic along Kyle Avenue,
now has 8,100 cars a day and
ing the decision now, the city won't
have to pay for the median that will
minik Drive. The council should
study the entire corridor and take
- ;which
L most likely will add another 2,000
left turns onto Dominik are
be built at the intersection. It will be
paid for by the state as part of the
appropriate actions to Ansure the
safety and the convenience of every-
-when
+ prohibited. That's a lot of traffic for a
Texas Avenue widening project,
one.
i residential street, even one that was
scheduled to begin in December.
widened several years ago to handle
The decision is a matter of safety.
additional vehicles. The residents
The Texas - Dominik intersection is
along Kyle have every right to be un-
one of the five most dangerous in the
happy with the action taken by the
city. Thank goodness the council
isn't waiting until a fatality at that
T council last week.
The business owners along Do-
intersection before responding.
•
CS ■ ■ ■
p anel decision on issue
By PHILLIP SULAK The intersection is considered one of council that their consultant had found Morris said a traffic light at the inter -
Eagle staff writer the more dangerous ones in College Sta- a solution that was as safe or safer and section, if timed right, could provide
tion. would leave Dominik open for left safety without hurting traffic flow.
It could have been the threat of clos- When the council first considered the turns. Councilman Jim Gardner said that
ing Culpepper Plaza. It could have been proposal Jan. 13, merchants on Do- He also told council members that the two traffic lights that close — there is
the threat of the wrath of God. Or it minik asked for a month to come up prohibition would mean "shuttering about 400 feet between George Bush
could have been that there is more time with an alternative. But on Feb. 10, the up" businesses on Dominik and the Drive and Dominik — would pose a se-
to make a decision than originally merchants asked for more time to have "bulldozing of buildings." rious problem.
thought. an engineer conduct a study. The change would also put more traf- Morris said it would be a challenge.
Whatever the reason, the College Sta- City Traffic Engineer Ed Hard has fic on Kyle Street, a residential street, A memo from Elrey Ash, the city's di-
tion City Council on Thursday voted said that prohibiting left turns is the and more traffic in the parking lot of rector of development services to City
unanimously to delay a decision on the only economically viable solution to the Culpepper Plaza, he said, causing auto- Manager Ron Ragland, said that Morris
fate of the intersection at Dominik traffic problem. pedestrian accidents and deaths. had earlier "unofficially" indicated to
Drive an Texas Avenue for two mo re But many of the merchants on Do- Jay Morri an engineer with Tr staff that prohib iting the left turn was
months. minik and Jerry J. Moore, the owner of Engineering andDes gii�sy ms of - fie only economiccauy viable method of
The city staff is recommending that Culpepper Plaza, disagree. Thursday Houston who was hired by the Dominik handling the intersection.
left turns at the intersection be prohib- they asked the council for two more merchants, said that building a median When asked Thursday by Council-
ited. Drivers turning east onto Dominik months to prove their point. which prohibited left turns would result man Hubbard Kennady if that was true,
from Texas and south from Dominik to Charles Spear, who has represented in U -turns on Texas, which would be
Texas must cross three lanes of traffic. Moore on the matter in the past, told the more dangerous. Please see DELAY, page A4
Morris said he did not recall say-
ing that.
Francis E. "Elijah" Savage —
who carried a crucifix in his hip
pocket and a large staff with two
flags of the nation of Israel and
one POW -MIA flag — told the
council members that the blood of
any children who died on Kyle
would be on there hands.
"This is a clear warning," he
said. "God will hold each of you
responsible."
Whi' +he council pondered
that, � J. Moore, listed by
Texa,. Mthly as one of the 100
richest men in the state, stepped
out of the audience to address the
council members.
Moore said he might not know
about traffic, but that nationally
he was considered to be "one hell
of a businessman." When he took
over Culpepper Plaza it was a
"Junk yard," he said and he had
spent a lot of money making it
nice.
If the city went through with
the prohibition he would pull his
tenants out of College Station and
send them to other shopping
centers he owns, such as one in
Brenham, he said.
"If you can't work with me, I
can't work with you," he said.
Moore also said that he was
working on another $21 million
development in the area. It's un-
known where the development is.
Paul Clarke — who owns the
Bentley House, a motel and
apartment complex on Dominik
— said that according to the
Texas Department of Transporta-
tion there was a need for an im-
mediate decision, because it
would take a while for the con-
tracts to be awarded.
But Hard said the transporta-
tion department will not award
the contracts until December.
Councilman Fred Brown made
the motion to delay considering
the proposal, adding that he
would like the staff to consider
turning Kyle into a cul- de-sac and
turning Dominik into a four -lane
street.
Moore promised that he would
provide land for the widening of
Dominik. He also promised that
this two month extension would
bo "le last.
ft turns out I'm wrong, I'll
out and apologize," Moore
saiu.