Tyler County News - Breakout

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Tyler County Judge candidate Neil Alderman spoke to a crowd last Tuesday as he made public his intention to run for office. CHRIS EDWARDS | TCB

By Chris Edwards
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WOODVILLE – Warren resident businessman Neil Alderman hosted a dinner party last Tuesday at Venue on the Square to officially announce his candidacy for Tyler County Judge.

Alderman, who did not file in the party primary, is running as a Republican write-in candidate. Before a room-filling crowd, he spoke on a variety of topics, and opened up about himself and his impetus to run for office.

Alderman spoke of his longtime friendship with current County Judge Jacques Blanchette, whom he said he has known for 35 years.

He said Blanchette, who announced last year that he was not seeking re-election, was “one of the reasons” why he decided to run.

Alderman spoke about the process of voting for a write-in candidate, and distributed a flyer showing a mock-up of a ballot and how voters can input a write-in candidate. Alderman said there has never been a successful write-in candidate in a countywide race before.

Alongside his work as a consultant with his business, the Synergy Group, Alderman has also been involved in activism as it pertains to local issues, primarily with the Facebook platform “Concerned Citizens of Tyler County,” which he co-managed with Sal Baldovinos.

Alderman said at Tuesday’s event that he has bowed out of administrative duties with CCTC, due to ethical considerations involving his bid for the judge’s office.

“I would never want to harm that page’s credibility by making it a political platform,” he said. “I stepped down because I made the decision to do something for Tyler County,” he added.

One attendee was Melissa Riley, who ran in the Republican primary for the office, and lost in the run-off to Milton Powers by 36 votes.

Riley said she wanted to publicly endorse Alderman for the office. “While we may not have always seen eye to eye on certain issues, Neil is a savvy businessman who is respected throughout his industry.  I believe he will bring integrity, growth and transparency back to Tyler County. He will work tirelessly to bring industry into our county that will be for the betterment of our citizens,” she said. 

In the lone competitive countywide race, voters have the option between Powers, who is running as a Republican; Democrat Wesley Whitman or Alderman. Election Day is Nov. 8.

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Mayor Robert Poynter swore in new councilman Chris Cocco at the Chester City Council meeting, Monday evening, Aug. 29 in place of the first Monday. PHOTO BY MICHAEL G. MANESS

By Michael G. Maness

CHESTER – Chester Mayor Robert Poynter swore in new councilman Chris Cocco at their regular meeting Monday evening, which was moved to Aug. 29 in place of the first Monday in September because of Labor Day. 

Poynter appointed Cocco to fill the position vacated by Kevin Hicks who recently resigned.

The lively meeting perused several items, including scrupulously analyzing the budget. With gas prices and other items burdening, the council decided to cash in one of its CDs. They raised the minimum gas payment to $40 and will be looking at other ways to keep the budget balanced.

Poynter has been in regular contact with the Railroad Commission regarding some gas issues. The city has new persons certified, and negotiations and openness with the Commission seems to have worked out well in the city’s favor. A gas leak that might have cost the city a pit appears to have been by a vandal, and the Commission looking at exempting Chester from that loss.

City Secretary Balela Mahaffey brought up issues on workload and her lengthy conversations with GrantWorks on a few of their grants. More clarification on that will come. She explained some the effects and portents given the recession and near certain continuance of inflation. 

The city park will be worked, and removal of all the equipment will be forthcoming in preparation for new equipment construction once all the grant details are worked out. Some of the equipment may be returned after construction of the new is complete.

Minutes from the previous council meeting and the special session called on July 18 were approved. At the special session, they approved a modification in the policy on compensation time for employees that have to be called out for extra work. 

Tommy Hubert of Discount Computer Systems was secured to work on the city computers. The council voted to not to approve a rate change from Entergy. 

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By Mollie LaSalle
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SPURGER – The board of trustees held their monthly meeting last Thursday in the John Mooney Hicks Administration Building, and after a quorum was established, quickly began addressing agenda items.

On the consent agenda, the minutes, list of T-TESS appraisers, ARD administrative designees, review committees, and instructional materials committees for the 2022-23 school year for the elementary and junior high/high school were all approved in short order.

Moving on to the regular agenda, the first item was the approval of the final budget amendment(s) for 2021-2022. The next item was the approval of stipends and staffing. The third item was the approval of the 2022-2023 budget, and next the board approved an ordinance adopting the tax rate for 2022-23. The next two items were not discussed; number five was the tax appraisal district representative report to the board (appraiser was not in attendance), number six was the approval of purchases over $25K (this was tabled). The SHAC wellness plan (student health and activities) was approved; this centers mainly around the nutrition requirements that the district must adhere to per USDA guidelines. Nutrition, physical activity and other plans are in place throughout the school year to keep the students engaged and healthy and ready to learn. The board also approved the shared service agreement with SETX Regional Day School program for the deaf and approved the innovative and college course transition program. 

The board set a time for goal setting for the district for Sept. 15, at the next regular board meeting; the first goal is student performance. 

Elementary principal Jason Drake presented his report to the board and reported that the week of August 15 showed and enrollment of 189 students, the week of August 22 showed an increase of seven students, up to 196. The Back to School Bash was a big hit with students, parents and staff; everyone is excited to have a successful year. 

Jr High/High School principal Michael Hatton was equally enthusiastic about the new school year; enrollment at both campuses was at 156, and the total as of August 25 was up to 354. “We are getting the kids involved as much as we can and have already started volleyball and cross-country” Hatton added. 

Security (police) are present campus wide at all times throughout the day, and all staff are looking forward to building good community relations. All doors are shut and locked and visitors must go through a visitor check-in to enter the building(s). All staff are required to wear ID badges. 

Hatton was excited to announce new staff for the junior high and high school campuses. Cindy Alaniz is a HS Science teacher; John Carlisle is a junior high/HS coach; John Cooley will teach HS science and coach; Donna Martin is the new ag teacher; Corey Maxwell is on board as the new welding instructor and Jennifer Wyse will be the new art/web design instructor. 

Superintendent Morgan Wright gave an enthusiastic first (new school year) report to the board next. He was pleased with the district’s academic performance report(s). The new gutters have been installed around the campuses, (and are being put to good use with the recent rains). The security fencing is almost complete, and the new Special Ed bus arrived early (last week), “it wasn’t supposed to arrive until October” Wright said. Overall, Wright is pleased with the progress being made district wide already and looks forward to another successful year for Spurger ISD. 

The next regular meeting of the board of trustees of Spurger ISD is set for 7 p.m. on Sept. 15.

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By Chris Edwards
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WOODVILLE – In a special-called meeting of the Tyler County Commissioners Court on Thursday, August 18, county officials voted to set the tax rates for the coming fiscal year.

The first item on the agenda was the proposed tax rate for the county’s general fund.

County Auditor Jackie Skinner explained the numbers for the commissioners and County Judge Jacques Blanchette. She noted that there had been funds taken out of the general fund balance for the road and bridge accounts to keep from raising taxes.

She explained the proposed tax rate of $0.5619 per $100 of valuation is an increase over previous years, for which the county had adopted the no new revenue tax rate.

“We can’t keep using the same amount of fund balance we did this year. It catches up with you,” Skinner said.
Skinner added that she and tax assessor-collector Lynette Cruse refigured road and bridge budget, but the county can’t go with no new revenue. “The money won’t be there,” she said.

Pct. 3 Commissioner Mike Marshall motioned to adopt the proposed rate for the general fund.

Pct. 2 Commissioner Stevan Sturrock and Pct. 4 Commissioner Buck Hudson voted in favor of the proposed rate, while Pct. 1 Commissioner Joe Blacksher and Blanchette voted against it.

The next rate to be voted on was the county’s farm to market flood control fund, or its county special rate.

The proposed rate of $0.2178 per $100 was approved by a 3-2 vote, with Marshall, Sturrock and Hudson voting in favor and Blacksher and Blanchette voting against.

“If we try to lower that rate...we’re not going to have the money to operate on. We’re going to have to cut employees,” Marshall said.

The last proposed tax rate the commissioners tackled was the rate for the Tyler County Hospital District.

Sturrock motioned to adopt the $0.1800 rate for the Hospital District.

TCH CEO Sondra Williams answered a question posed by Blacksher about the increase in the hospital’s needs, which is due to indigent care cases, which the county pays for.

The hospital tax rate was approved by a unanimous vote of the commissioners and Blanchette.

Skinner advised the officials of a date and time, considering legal postings of the rates, of a hearing for the proposed tax rates. That date and time was approved to be 9 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 6, prior to a regularly scheduled meeting of the Commissioners Court, in the County Courtroom (Room 101) at the Tyler County Courthouse.

Allen speaks about possible public transportation project

Terry Allen, with the county’s Juvenile Probation Department, said she had spoken with a DETCOG representative who was “very positive” about helping to bring public transportation to Tyler County.

“Anyone 60 or older who would ride public transportation, DETCOG would reimburse us,” Allen said.
A transport van would have to be registered in the county. She said the investment from the county would not be a lot of money, according to the DETCOG rep.