People, Places & Events

Indian Oaks Golf Course
plat variance requested
By Barbara Gartman
Monitor Staff Writer
KAUFMAN–To plat or not to plat – there is no question.
Kaufman County Commissioners heard a request for a variance on subdivision regulations for Ken Andrews’ Indian Oaks subdivision Monday.
The “variance” request concerned not having to submit a plat or concept plan.
Following a lengthy discussion, commissioners agreed to have attorney John Long research the project.
Speaking for Ken Andrews was his brother, E. Ray Andrews, who talked at length on the need to sell property to help pay for expenses incurred by Indian Oaks Golf Course.
“He (Ken) wants to sell the property on an ‘as needed’ basis, from one to five acres, on the meets and bounds description,” E.Ray Andrews said.
E.Ray Andrews also pointed to the many benevolent acts Ken, in conjunction with the golf course, had performed for the county.
“Indian Oaks Golf Course has brought in more tax money (than other businesses),” he added, noting the course charges only $13 for a golf cart, hamburger, chips and a bowl of beans.
“I pay $50,000 a year in taxes to the county,” Ken Andrews said.
E. Ray Andrews said Precinct 4 Commissioner Jim Deller told him Andrews had to plat the property before it could be sold.
State law requires a landowner to present a plat when he sells more than one parcel of land, County Judge Wayne Gent explained.
“I don’t believe that was the legislature’s intent, for a place like Peeltown, Texas,” E.Ray Andrews said.
He said the commissioners, Deller in particular, could grant a variance.
“As one commissioner, I only have one vote. I do not have the authority to grant a variance. It (the request) must be voted on by the whole court,” Deller explained.
“You still haven’t convinced me not to follow state law,” Gent said.
“We are not subdividing it. We don’t want to build roads. We just want to be left alone,” E.Ray Andrews declared. “We don’t want you out there and we are not going to let you sit up there and tell us not to sell.”
After stating they did not intend to subdivide the property, E. Ray Andrews added, “We intend to go back to Peeltown and if someone comes up and wants to buy an acre to build a house on, we are going to sell, and if a second person wants five acres, we will sell.
“We’re going to sell the land the way we want,” E.Ray Andrews told the commissioners. “You can hire yourselves a lawyer and come after us.”
In other business, commissioners:
• set the official holidays for the coming year.
The calendar includes 10 separate holidays, totaling 13 days off, plus one floating holiday for employees with more than six months of full time employment.
The days include Monday, Jan. 19 (Martin Luther King Jr. Day), President’s Day (Feb. 16), Good Friday (April 10), and Memorial Day (May 25), plus three days for Christmas (Wednesday through Friday, Dec. 23-25).
• approved a street signage survey of Windmill Farms for traffic control.
• tabled the reappointment of current board members for the Emergency Services District No. 2.
• approved a bond for Precinct 2 constable.
• approved John R. Sullivan Jr. as reserve deputy constable for Precinct 4.
• approved a request from Embarq to install buried communications drop wire under or across the right of way of County Road 4023, Precinct 4.
• approved budget transfers as presented by auditor Hal D. Jones.
• paid bills totaling $466,046.78.

Mabank city council supports lake
area representation before lawmakers
By Barbara Gartman
Monitor Staff Writer
MABANK–The City of Mabank agreed to support Cedar Creek Lake Day at the state Legislature, Tuesday, Feb. 3.
City council members approved a request for $200 to help offset the cost of Chamber members representing lake area concerns before policymakers in Austin Tuesday.
Jim Thompson, representing the Mabank Branch of the Greater Cedar Creek Chamber of Commerce, explained the advantages of the trip.
Requests for financial support will also be sought from other local cities, he said.
One-on-one discussions with those involved in projects pertinent to the area are planned.
“Invitations to speak at a luncheon at the Double Tree Hotel are being extended to Sen. Bob Deuell and Rep. Betty Brown,” he said. The Cedar Creek Lake contingency will also be recognized in both houses, he added.
Each person going by bus pays $75, but extra funds are needed to meet expenses.
In other business, council members:
• approved the continuance of a curfew ordinance, requiring those under 17 to be at home 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. Sunday through Thursday and from midnight through 6 a.m. Friday and Saturday.
• heard a complaint from citizen Alex Fowler.
• heard the building department collected $158,031 in fees for 2008.
• heard a commendation was awarded to Patrol Officer K. Bradshaw for his actions related to a burglary at Tri-County Ford Dec. 5.
Bradshaw’s actions resulted in warrants, subjects detained and booked and charges being filed in the incident.
• approved the demolition of unsafe buildings located at 602 N. 3rd Street.

Land-grabbing Trans-Texas
corridor plan killed
By Sam Epps
Monitor Staff Writer
AUSTIN–The Trans-Texas Corridor (TTC) as we know is no more. The Texas Department of Transportation scrapped the plan last week.
After six years of bold planning and hefty chatter, Gov. Rick Perry’s plan for 4,000 miles of highways, toll roads and rail lines has been abandoned.
Perry, speaking from Iraq, explained the decision was more in line with a name change than a complete ditching of the project.
“The name ‘Trans-Texas Corridor’ is over with. We’re going to continue to build roads in the state of Texas,” Perry said.
He explained that public-private partnerships on toll roads would continue.
Toll roads are becoming more and more common throughout the state, and that can be a benefit to the state economy.
Due to rising costs of materials and manpower in the building of infrastructure in Texas, funding for road projects are limited.
Toll roads will help offset the current burden on taxpayers and avoid any increase in the gasoline tax.
Through public-private partnerships, only those who use the road will pay for it.
Perry also explained that plans for major road construction within the TTC areas are still in place.
“We really don’t care what name they attach to building the infrastructure ... the key is that we have to go forward and build, so that the state of Texas and our economy can grow.”
Parts of the TTC project still remain, including the I-69 project in south Texas, as stand alone projects.
Impact for the immediate area, including Kaufman County, will be limited.
Those opposed to the TTC say the announcement goes well beyond a simple name change.
“It was a bad project pushed in the face of legislative and public opposition and now there is a price to pay,” David Stall of Corridor Watch was quoted as saying in The Dallas Morning News.
“The result is a major victory,” he said.