Polk County News - Breakout

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From Enterprise Staff

You may soon receive an appraisal notice from Polk Central Appraisal District. The appraisal district will mail about 20,000 appraisal notices on April 16. Your city, county, school district and other local taxing units will use the appraisal district’s value to set your 2024 property taxes.

Under Texas law, local appraisal districts must notify property owners about changes in their property’s value. The notice contains important information about the property’s location, ownership and property tax exemptions that apply to the property. It must also include a web address where tax information for the property can be found.

Property owners who disagree with their property’s appraised value, the exemptions or any other action by the appraisal district have the right to appeal to the Polk Central Appraisal Review Board (ARB). The ARB is an independent panel of citizens responsible for hearing and settling property owner protests. The notice of appraised value includes instructions on how and when to file a protest, a protest form, a statement about the availability of an informal conference prior to attending a protest hearing and a copy of the comptroller’s Taxpayer Assistance Pamphlet. The deadline for filing an ARB protest is May 15 or 30 days after your notice of appraised value was delivered to you.

The comptroller’s publication, Taxpayer Assistance Pamphlet, explains in detail how to protest your property appraisal, what issues the ARB can consider and what to expect during a protest hearing. It will give you the option to request limited binding arbitration or to compel the ARB or chief appraiser to comply with a procedural requirement and the options of taking your case to district court, the State Office of Administrative Hearings or regular binding arbitration if you are dissatisfied with the outcome of your ARB hearing.

The Taxpayer Assistance Pamphlet is available from Polk Central Appraisal District at 114 Matthews St. in Livingston. It is also available on the CAD’s website at www.polkcad.org. The publication is also available on the comptroller’s property tax assistance division’s website at comptroller.texas.gov/taxes/property-tax/.

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Guy Bratton, vice president of operations for Camp Cho-Yeh, leads members of the Rotary Club of Livingston on a field trip Thursday to view the various improvements and expansion projects that are underway at the Christian camp and retreat center. (l-r) Mark Waters, Barbara Waters, Ron Boyce, Mindy Ellis, Richard Gilbert, Blake Thornton, Rick Oliver, Ray Gearing, Kole Puckett, Cho-Yeh Vice President of Operations Guy Bratton, Andrew Boyce, Brandon Wigent, Bev Reed, Pam DeBlasio, Steve Fowlkes, Trina Fowlkes, Judy Cochran, Heidi Barnes and Judson Pritchard. Not pictured: Guylene Robertson, Cho-Yeh Vice President of Advancement Joy Lester, Pat Pritchard and Cho-Yeh Executive Assistant Beth Bratton. Photo by Emily Banks Woote

By Emily Banks Wooten
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Guy Bratton, vice president of operations for Camp Cho-Yeh, along with Vice President of Advancement Joy Lester and Executive Assistant Beth Bratton, treated the Rotary Club of Livingston to a firsthand view of the tremendous expansion that is currently underway at Camp Cho-Yeh, the local Christian camp and retreat center.

The word “Cho-Yeh” comes from the local Alabama-Coushatta language and means “land of tall pines.”

Comprising 650-700 acres in Livingston with 950 beds, Cho-Yeh also has Boxwoods, the shipping container camp on Lake Livingston with 300 beds, and embarked on a massive expansion the last couple of years in which 250 beds will be added to the property in town.

Founded in 1947, Cho-Yeh hosts 4,750 campers each summer. However, its retreat ministry is what happens the remainder of the year and brings in numbers just shy of 27,000, Bratton said.

“We want to increase the number of campers, so we have about 15 cabins in some form of construction right now. Ultimately, we’ll be building 16 treehouse cabins,” he said, adding that the expansion will open the summer of 2025.

“This is Phase one, a $22 million project. Once it’s completed, we’ll slow down the pace for a few years and build two cabins a year and then ramp back up,” Bratton said.

Cho-Yeh has about 45 year-round staffers. They were at 52 before COVID, got down to 22 during COVID and are building back now, he said.

“Our mission is to be a place where Jesus Christ transforms lives through meaningful relationships and outdoor adventures. We want forward motion, also known as challenge by choice. Outdoor adventures help overcome fears and build confidence,” Bratton said, adding that the camp has a one to five ratio of counselors to kids.

“Cho-Yeh is profoundly blessed with a supportive community, and we give several hundred thousand dollars of scholarships every year. Financial assistance is available, and we offer a cut rate for Polk County kids,” Bratton said.

For additional information, go to cho-yeh.org.

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Pastors Chris and Tina Borden prepare to cut the cake at a recent celebration in which they were feted for their 30 years of service as senior pastors of the Livingston First Assembly of God Church. Courtesy photo

From Enterprise Staff

Livingston First Assembly of God Church recently celebrated the 30th anniversary of Pastors Chris and Tina Borden as its senior pastors. The Bordens became senior pastors of Livingston First Assembly of God church on April 10, 1994, and have continuously served as pastors for the 30 years since that time.

During the celebration, Jimmy Walker, the only remaining original board member who voted to call the Bordens to pastor Livingston First Assembly of God, described for the congregation the circumstances of the church and the times 30 years ago under which the Bordens were chosen as pastors.

The Board of Deacons and their wives spoke of the personal impact of the Bordens and their work for the people of Livingston First Assembly of God, the Polk County community, and the Borden’s international ministry at different places all over the world, particularly Central America and Africa.

Pastors Chris and Tina were presented with a plaque and bouquet of flowers honoring their 30 years of ministry at Livingston First Assembly of God church. The celebration included playing a version of the “Family Feud” game, with a custom designed and built set for the stage, featuring trivia questions about the Bordens derived from a survey of the church membership.

The Borden men competed against the Borden women, with the game ending in a sudden death playoff where the men ultimately won the game. The celebration concluded with a catered meal for the entire congregation followed by dessert.

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From Enterprise Staff

Several resolutions related to grant activity will be reviewed and considered for action by the Onalaska City Council during a special called meeting at noon on Wednesday.

Resolution 2024-010 regarding the civil rights policies for the General Land Office (GLO) Community Development Block Grant-Mitigation Method of Distribution Program, Contract #24-065-049-E541 including Citizen Participation Plan Resolution 22-017 (Reaffirm), Excessive Force Policy, Section 504 Grievance Policy, Section 3 Policy and (Reaffirm) Fair Housing Policy Resolution2022-021 will be reviewed and considered for approval.

Resolution 2024-011 designating authorized signatories for contractual and financial documents pertaining to the GLO Community Development Block Grant-Mitigation Method of Distribution Program, Contract #24-065-049-E541 will be reviewed and considered for approval.

Proclamation 2024-001 “Reaffirming Fair Housing Month Proclamation 22-001, Proclamation of April as Fair Housing Month” will be reviewed and considered for approval.

Resolution 2024-012-Amendment No. 1 for the grant administration and environmental services contract for the Community Development Block Grant-Mitigation Method of Distribution Program Contract #24-065-049-E541 will be reviewed and considered for approval.

Resolution 2024-013-Amendment No. 1 for the engineering services contract for the Community Development Block Grant-Mitigation Method of Distribution Program Contract #24-065-049-E541 will be reviewed and considered for approval.