Tyler County News - Breakout

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By Chris Edwards
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WOODVILLE – The Woodville ISD Board of Trustees unanimously voted to accept the District Facility Task Force Committee’s recommendation for a bond package.

The bond package, for the amount of $47,850,000 will be up for a vote this May. The findings of the Task Force, comprised of local citizens, businesspeople, parents as well as school staff, recommended new facilities for WISD, as the costliest part of its recommended upgrades. The Task Force also recommended increased safety and technology across the district.

The Task Force met throughout a nine-month period to assess and prioritize key areas of focus for the district, according to WISD superintendent Lisa Meysembourg.

Trey Allison, on behalf of the Task Force, gave a report of the committee’s findings at the WISD regular monthly board meeting last November.

Allison reported the projected amount of cost and emphasized a need for quality facilities for future generations of WISD students. He said the committee looked at every possible option on the district’s facilities, from renovations to starting over, and ultimately the facilities used for the Pre-Kindergarten through fifth grade students “exhibit many challenges,” he said.

According to Meysembourg, if the bond is approved by voters, it will be used to finance the construction of a new Pre-Kindergarten through fifth grade building to replace the 

existing buildings that currently house the Woodville Elementary and Intermediate campuses. 

Bond money will also be used to finance renovations to the current WISD Vocations-Agriculture building at Woodville High School, which will include an addition to expand space for more career and technical education programs.

“Any bond proceeds used for capital items will be amortized over a short period of time and for a period less than the useful life of these capital items as required by law,” Meysembourg said.

With the projected bond amount, according to the report given before the WISD Board in November, a projected tax increase of around $0.45 per $100 of assessed tax levies could be expected, if passed. 

Allison noted that although the figure “sounds big,” WISD taxpayers would still be on “the very bottom rung” of tax rates in the county.

WISD is welcoming questions from the public regarding the bond program. Anyone with questions may either visit the district’s website, at www.woodvilleeagles.org or can call the WISD administration office at 409-283-3752 or can email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. 

FIRST Ratings presented

At its regular board meeting on Monday, the WISD FIRST (Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas) ratings were shared.

The district passed with an “A” (Superior Achievement) rating, based on data from the 2019-20 school year. The district’s overall score was a 98, and a passing score is 70. 

Among the metrics used to arrive at the FIRST ratings, the Texas Education Agency looks at such factors as changes in the fund balances and the administrative costs for a school district.

FIRST, according to the TEA website, “ensures that Texas public schools are held accountable for the quality of their financial management practices and that they improve these practices,” toward having school districts manage their financial resources the best way they can.

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Floyd PetriBy Chris Edwards
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CHESTER – Long-serving Chester mayor Floyd Petri resigned on Monday, according to city secretary Annette Hickman.

She said Petri stepped down as mayor due to health reasons. Petri was serving his third term as Chester’s mayor. Chester City Council member Robert Poynter, who was appointed mayor pro-tem, will step in to serve as mayor.

Petri, who had a long career in law enforcement prior to heading the City of Chester, was first sworn into office in 2016.

During his tenure as mayor, Petri passed a resolution making Chester a Second Amendment Sanctuary in 2019. Chester was the first municipality in the state to pass such an ordinance, which was done in response to Red Flag laws.

Poynter said he is saddened that Petri has had to step down for health reasons. He called Petri a “super guy,” and said the former mayor’s gutsiness and his willingness and dedication to look out for Chester’s citizens were big reasons for him moving to Chester.

Poynter said he plans to look at some economic development opportunities for the city. “I’m going to work really hard with the city council,” he said. 

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By Chris Edwards
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WOODVILLE – On a three-item agenda, the Woodville City Council heard reports of some activities coming up for the public to enjoy and approved a couple of items of city business at its Monday night meeting.

The council began with the approval of a new clerk for the city’s municipal court. Mayor Paula Jones appointed Rebecca Chastain to serve in that capacity for the city.

Municipal Judge Judith Haney spoke about the process of recommending Chastain for the role. She said that both she and Jones have observed Chastain in interviews and shadowing for court tasks and agreed that she fits the dynamic of the court. Haney added that given Chastain’s experience, which includes 30 years working in the medical field, in municipal courts and in law enforcement, she will bring “a deep depth” to the city’s court. 

Chastain currently lives in Galveston and has a weekend home in Warren. With the appointment, Chastain will move to Tyler County. 

Councilmember Herb Branch motioned to approve Chastain’s appointment and new councilmember Cliff Wright seconded Branch’s motion.

Next on the agenda was an item dealing with an unbudgeted expenditure for the city. City Administrator Mandy Risinger said that the city’s animal shelter is needing a new, taller fence, as some of the dogs held in the facility have gotten away.

Risinger presented one quote for the project from Ronnie Hensarling of Twin Fencing in Woodville for $7,800. 

Councilmember Tony Greer suggested, in the name of fairness, to go out for competitive bids on the fence. Risinger agreed and asked for council’s approval to go ahead and proceed if a bid is the same or lower than the one quote received.

The council approved the expenditure for the shelter fence rebuild, with the competitive bids made.

Under items of community interest, several upcoming activities were reported.

Haney filled in the councilmembers on a series of shows booked for the Emporium Stage in the coming months. Haney said she and Sam Haney are working with the Texas Country Music Association to book acts into the venue, and the first show will be a duo act, Amy N’ Me, scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 22.

Risinger spoke about next week’s citywide Martin Luther King, Jr., Day parade, which will begin on Monday, Jan. 17 at 10 a.m. at the city park and conclude at the Kirby Gym.

Dorian Maloy will be the guest speaker at the event, with the program beginning at 11 a.m. at the gym, and refreshments to follow. This year’s theme is “It Starts with Me.”

Councilmember Wright reported on a couple of things to get the community members involved. 

One event coming up is the second city park clean-up day, which will begin at 8 a.m. and last until 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 29. Anyone can volunteer, Wright said.

Wright also spoke about a co-ed softball team he is looking to get together for Sunday afternoons, which he said will allow community members some fun and fellowship. 

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By Chris Edwards
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WOODVILLE – The Tyler County Commissioners Court tackled an agenda full of reports and appointments for various positions on various governing boards at its Monday morning meeting.

Prior to the regular agenda, the commissioners heard from two citizens during the public comments portion of the meeting.

First up, Tracy Johnston spoke about a proposed halfway house in the Dam B community. Johnston expressed concern about the issue, and about the safety of her child possibly being at risk due to such a facility. 

The halfway house, which was to operate under the name RJMFSC (Restorative Justice Ministry Family Service Center) and utilize a faith-based program to help ex-offenders had its application withdrawn by TDCJ two weeks ago.

Next on the public comments portion was Allen Fitts, the general manager of internet radio station KZXL. Fitts asked the commissioners for permission to use the county’s electricity and the courthouse lawn to broadcast during the Western Weekend and Queen’s Weekend parades during the Dogwood Festival. Fitts’ request was on the agenda and approved unanimously.

The commissioners approved the reappointments for board members to several of the Emergency Service District boards in the county. 

The reappointments of the following ESD directors were passed in a series of separate agenda items:

ESD #1 – Richard Coker, Lana Cox and Jill Dinger

ESD #2 – Jack Walston, Karl Hammond and Raymond Wooten

ESD #3 – Yvonne Goss and Tamberly McCullough

ESD #4 – David Norton and Randy Gibson

ESD #5 – Ronald Willmon

ESD #6 – James Alfaro, Kenneth Lewis and Raymond Holland

ESD #7 – Lance Seamans and Wade Skinner

ESD #8 – Bob Fisher and Mike McDonald

The commissioners also approved a vacancy to be filled with the county’s AgriLife extension service by Shannon Benton. Extension Agent Jacob Spivey and administrator Sheila Harris introduced Benton, who will begin in the position on March 1, to the court.

Spivey said that Benton will be a good fit for the program and noted that the position had been vacant since December of 2019.

Another agenda item during 3 Monday morning’s meeting, brought to the court by Pct. 2 Commissioner Stevan Sturrock, approved the county to hire Charles Kimbrough, an attorney, for guidance on how to regulate sexually oriented businesses within the county.

Sturrock said that while the county cannot stop such businesses from operating, it can, by statute, regulate them, with enforcement through the Tyler County Sheriff’s Office.

The court also approved the hiring of another attorney for another topic of counsel. Bob Bass, of Allison, Bass and Magee, was approved to provide guidance and documentation that will allow the county to create tax abatement plans and guidelines.

Transportation infrastructure info shared

Under the regular agenda item allowing for comments by court members pertaining to matters of county government, Sturrock informed the court of a meeting he recently attended.

The meeting was for the Deep East Texas Rural Transportation Planning Organization, on which he serves. He shared a map and information from the meeting about the Interstate 14 project.

He said the TxDOT district in which Tyler County resides has no remaining funding set aside for the project.

Another project he spoke about pertaining to the county regarded to a stretch of US 69 on the south end of the county, which would be affected by the I-69 project. Sturrock reported that by the request of the public, the trees along the stretch will be left in place.

Redistricting supplemental and final order approved

In a special-called meeting held two weeks ago, the commissioners approved a supplemental and final order that adopted revised boundaries for the county’s redistricting purposes.

The redistricting, which was adopted on Nov. 12, 2021, for the voting precincts, needed changes to be made, due to “various changes in the underlying election precincts,” which were required to conform election precinct boundaries to the new county commissioners court precincts, according to the order.

The affected voting precincts, according to County Clerk Donece Gregory, were Pcts. 1, 2, 16, 17 and 18. Election precinct 1 is in the commissioners’ court precinct 1. Election precincts 2 and 18 are within Pct. 2. Election precinct 17 is in Pt. 3 and 16 resides in Pct. 4.