Tyler County News - Breakout

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By Chris Edwards
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WOODVILLE – In a workshop last Monday, Tyler County Commissioners and County Judge Jacques Blanchette discussed the future of the county’s senior nutritional program.

Recently, it was announced in commissioners court that the program, which is part of a regional effort, operated by East Texas Support Services, is in need of new direction. East Texas Support Services announced in June that it no longer wants to provide the service, and will cease its support on Sept. 30, when the current fiscal year ends.

Hunt asked if the county would wish to step in to operate the program, or if a non-profit would be interested in doing so.

He said that whoever steps up to operate it would have to have at least 90 days of operating capital. “They’re going to have to have some financial stability going forward,” said Hunt.

Woodville businessman Kendall Coleman has expressed interest in taking on the program, Hunt said.
The service is responsible for approximately 1,000 meals delivered each month to seniors in the county.

The responsibility of DETCOG would be to ensure that the quality of the meals were up to standard, as well as tracking the number of meals served and delivered.

Hunt said that whatever decision the county comes to is “critical” in the program’s success.
He said that if the county did not wish to step in to operate the program, a non-profit organization would be the next best scenario.

“The meal service is important, nutrition is important,” Hunt said, and added that many people in the region are in danger of not having adequate nutrition. He also spoke to the importance of the Nutrition Center, from the standpoint of the interaction seniors get with one another.

He said that for those who have meals delivered, the interaction between the recipient and the delivery driver is also the only interaction they may have with someone outside their home. Ultimately, with the nutrition programs, Hunt said, it was a way to help seniors maintain a degree of independence, and not to enter nursing homes or assisted living facilities.

Hunt said if the county took no action on the program, it would signal that DETCOG “need[s] to get busy to find someone to fill the void that’s coming,” Hunt said.

Blacksher mentioned a quarterly bill that he had signed-off on for $3,400, and asked if that was the money the county contributed toward the program.

Hunt said the amount Blacksher mentioned might be the amount the county pays the current provider.
In a previous regular commissioners court meeting, where Hunt spoke about the program, he said that whoever, or whatever organizatio took over the program, needs to have at least 90 days’ worth of operating capital.

One person who did express interest in leading the program was Woodville businessman Kendall Coleman.

He said part of the funding for such programs also comes from the Texas Department of Agriculture, under a grant-funding program titled “Texans Feeding Texans.” That grant funding program, he said, comes with a stipulation that counties contribute a certain amount of funding toward nutritional programs.

Blanchette weighed some options, and said that if the county does nothing, and DETCOG finds a provider, the county would continue to support it, and both the congregate meals at the Nutrition Center and the delivery service would continue.

Blanchette emphasized that the purpose of the workshop was to receive information and generate ideas, but not to make any final decisions.

Hunt gave some options for senior meals, based on experience he had as Houston County Judge. Suggestions ranging from churches stepping in to having potluck-style meals were mentioned.

Getting a church involved, Hunt said, can bring different people into the mix; people who can possibly get more seniors into the center through outreach.

Pct. 2 Commissioner Buck Hudson spoke to the idea of getting a church involved, and said his church has a ministry where people take turns cooking, and make it competitive.

Blanchette said there will be another workshop for proposal requests for the program to come, prior to September.

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SHSU announces Dean’s List

HUNTSVILLE – The students listed on the Dean’s List of Academic Honors at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas, are undergraduates who have achieved a grade point average of at least 3.5 out of a perfect 4.0 in all work attempted while enrolled in not less than 12 semester hours. The university would like to recognize the following Tyler County students for earning the honor for the Spring 2022 semester.

From Chester: Jayde Bettes and Brooke Lacox. From Colmesneil: Morgan Belt; Tanner Rhodes; Meg Standley and Leah White.

From Hillister: Juliann Dooley. From Woodville: Karleigh Amburn; Jaydee Borel; Payton Flannery and Hallee Hughes.

 

SHSU names Tyler Countians to President’s Honor Roll

HUNTSVILLE – The students listed on the President’s Honor Roll at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas, are undergraduates who have achieved a perfect 4.0 grade point average in all work attempted while enrolled in not less than 12 semester hours. The university would like to recognize the following students for earning the honor for the Spring 2022 semester.
From Chester: Jayde Bettes. From Hillister: Juliann Dooley. From Woodville: Karleigh Amburn; Jaydee Borel and Hallee Hughes.

 

Woodville resident named to UT Tyler President’s Honor Roll

TYLER – The University of Texas at Tyler announced students who were named to the spring 2022 President’s Honor Roll.

To qualify for the President’s Honor Roll, a student must have completed, in one semester, 12 or more semester hours of undergraduate college-level credit with an “A” in all courses. To be considered for this recognition, a student must qualify as a matriculated student pursuing a first bachelor’s degree. This recognition is made in fall and spring semesters.

Woodville’s Carmen Guhse was named to the list.

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The Cade and Whittie Scholarship Committee would like to congratulate Katie Ronaghan for being the recipient of The Cade and Whittie 2021-2022 Academic/Athletic Scholarship.

Ronaghan is a graduate of Woodville High School with a 4.0 GPA in Dual-Credit courses, and a 5.4 overall high school GPA. Katie is definitely an outstanding young lady.

Katie was a member of the National Honor Society, Spanish Honor Society and all A Honor Roll 2018-2022. Katie also excelled in Athletics, she was an Athletic Trainer for 3 years and played Varsity Softball for 4 years. Katie will attend Texas A&M University this fall to pursue a degree in Business.

The Cade and Whittie Scholarship Committee stated “It has definitely been a great joy and pleasure giving back to the students in the Warren, Hillister, Woodville and Doucette area.”

The Cade and Whittie Scholarship Committee would like to thank Pastor Grant of the Seed of Faith Baptist Church and the entire congregation for giving them the opportunity to present their scholarship at their church on June 12.

Finally the Cade and Whittie Scholarship Committee would also like to thank WHS counselor Ms. Allen for posting their scholarship on the school website.

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By Chris Edwards
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WOODVILLE – A suit challenging the results of the Woodville ISD May bond election was dismissed on Friday morning.

During a hearing in Tyler County’s District Courtoom, visiting judge Robert Trapp, who represents the state’s Second Administrative Judicial District, heard arguments from counsel for the plaintiff, Charles G. Rawls and for the listed defendants Lisa Meysembourg and County Clerk Donece Gregory.

Rawls’ suit alleged that voters within the WISD balloting area were given incorrect ballots for the May 7 special election. The outcome of the election was that the $47.8 million bond passed by a slim 51.2% majority. When canvassed at the regular May meeting of the WISD Board of Trustees, the tally was 621 voting “for” and 592 “against.”

Gregory was named as co-defendant, in her official capacity, because, according to the suit, she “intentionally, recklessly, or negligently made inaccurate or false statements regarding the length of time to contest [the] election.”

The counsel for Meysembourg/WISD explained, in an opening statement, that the suit must be filed against the president of the WISD Board, Jimmy Tucker, and not the district itself.

Bruce Partain, who represented Rawls, argued that as the ordering authority, the suit was properly directed at Meysembourg, in her capacity as WISD Superintendent.

David Iglesias, who represented Gregory, asked Trapp for his client to be granted qualified immunity, for in spite of the agreement between Tyler County and WISD to hold the joint election for the bond, the school district was responsible for conducting and canvassing the election as a political subdivision itself.

Iglesias said that “in this particular case, it’s very clear that Donece Gregory is not one of those people” responsible for the election.

According to the suit, Gregory falsely stated that a constituent who wishes to contest an election’s outcome must go to the county clerk’s office, along with an attorney, for the contest to be brought.

Rawls’s suit claims that he “identified at least [30] votes in question,” which did not include 60-80 votes on private roads shown on maps obtained through the Appraisal District.

Partain said that there were at least 45 people willing to sign a declaration stating their ballots were improperly printed.
The bond covers a district-wide series of improvements, including the construction of a new elementary school campus, which is to be located under one roof and near the Woodville High School campus.

After the election results were announced, Rawls spoke to the WISD board about his concerns regarding improper balloting, but also possible safety issues with the new elementary campus being located so close to the high school.

Another issue addressed following the election, but not covered in the suit, was allegations of voter intimidation. Woodville businessman Phil McClure spoke to that issue before the board in May, particularly to Tucker whom he said “should not serve on the board.”

After giving his final word on the suit, Trapp concluded with “good luck to everyone.”