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Child recovers
following collision
Monitor Staff Reports
MABANK–Little 5-year-old Dandre Thompson is at home and doing fine after
being released from the hospital recently.
While at play April 6, he didn’t see the white 1996 Oldsmobile, and
neither did its driver see him.
Steven L. Snyder of Terrell was hunting for an address in the Northpark
neighborhood, located on State Highway 198 north of U.S. Highway 175.
He was heading into the sun, when Thompson started to cross the roadway
from a driveway at 417 Kaci Jo Street.
Snyder told police the sun was in his eyes at around 6:30 p.m. and he
didn’t see the boy.
Emergency medical services called for helicopter transport to a Dallas
hospital. Thompson reportedly received head injuries.
The driver was traveling slowly, well under the 30 mph speed limit,
Chief Kyle McAfee told The Monitor.
No charges had been filed at this time.
Go-cart racing on the way
Monitor Photo/Pearl Cantrell
A snorkle arm is nearly fully extended for a concrete
pour at Whatz-Up Family Entertainment Center on
State Highway 334 in Seven Points Monday.
Management plans to admit its first go-kart customer
on the Grand Prix-style track by June 14.
HC starts facility review process
By Pearl Cantrell
Monitor Staff Writer
ATHENS–Henderson County Commissioners began the search for an
architectural firm to update the county’s 2003 facilities master plan
Tuesday.
Commissioners want to plan for future expansion of county services and
facilities to keep up with the county’s growth.
The request for proposal (RFP) follows a generous $100,000 gift from the
Ginger Murchison Foundation to fund a facilities study, which would
include consideration for the economic welfare of downtown Athens, as
well as the possible use of available buildings bordering the square.
In late February, the Murchison Foundation offered the funding, plus the
Foundation’s land on the southwest corner of the courthouse square, as
an alternative to the county purchasing land for future expansion on
Loop 7.
After hearing the Foundation’s offer – one of five proposed alternatives
for properties on or near the courthouse square – the commissioners
agreed to drop a purchase option on the Loop 7 property Feb. 26.
Commissioners agreed to advertise for RFPs in area newspapers, and on
state and county websites, for at least 14 days.
A pre-bid conference to tour the Foundation’s building and other
surrounding properties offered for consideration is set for May 10, and
the deadline for proposals is May 15.
The bid is expected to be awarded in June, with a completed study and
recommendations ready by Sept. 30.
“I’ve spoken with about 12 firms interested in doing the study,” County
Judge David Holstein said.
In other business, commissioners:
• declared an emergency in order to reallocate $88,000 from the Road &
Bridge Reserve to purchase a new backhoe at the request of Precinct 1
Commissioner Joe Hall.
The sum is to be reimbursed to the reserve fund over a period of five
years (until 2012) in equal $17,600 payments.
• accepted the 9-1-1 District Budget for fiscal year 2009, which begins
May 1.
Highlights include a growing capital reserve in anticipation of
upgrading to the next generation of communications technology, to
include text messaging and pictures/videos from cell phones, district
executive director Kim Ward explained.
• renewed contracts with the state attorney general and with APPRISS, a
reporting vendor, to continue services relating to The Victim
Information and Notification Everyday Grant.
• allocated road number 3426 to a road located in Rockwood Mountain
Estates subdivision, once it completes its two-year maintenance program
and is accepted into the county.
• authorized the use of county labor and equipment to assist the City of
Poynor with patching and repairing streets, and Shady Oaks Volunteer
Fire Department with its parking lot and driveway.
• authorized the tax office to refund four accounts for tax
overpayments.
• accepted budget revision amendments for fiscal year 2007.
• paid bills totaling $618,235.40, of which $411,000 was for jail
expansion project expenses.
• approved a settlement in the case of Dennis vs. Henderson County.
Special Olympians sit tall in
the saddle
Monitor Photo/Kerry Yancey
Mabank Special Olympian Mary Lewis gets some help to mount her steed
during
the equestrian events at Mabank’s Andrew Gibbs Arena during the eighth
annual
Special Olympics Spring Games Saturday. More than 200 special athletes
from
around the region converged on Mabank to compete in track and field,
cycling
and equestrian events.
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