Constitutional election approves most propositions
Monitor Staff Reports
CEDAR CREEK LAKE–Voters were asked about 10 propositions to add to the state constitution.
Voters in Henderson and Kaufman counties agreed with voters statewide on the passage of three amendments – propositions 1, 9 and 10.
Prop. 1 authorizes the legislature to provide the surviving spouse of a totally disabled veteran with an exemption form ad valorem taxation of all or part of the market value of the surviving spouse’s residence homestead as long as the surviving spouse has not remarried, the property was the residence homestead of the surviving spouse when the qualifying veteran died and the property remains the surviving spouse’s residence.
Prop. 9 authorizes the governor to grant a pardon, reprieve or commutation of sentence to a person who successfully completes a term of deferred adjudication community supervision.
Prop. 10 extends the length of the unexpired term that causes the automatic resignation of certain local elected officeholders if they announce candidacy or become candidates for another office from one year to one year and 30 days.
Statewide, voters also approved the passage of:
• Prop. 2 – Texas Water Development Board to issue additional bonds not to exceed $6 billion.
• Prop. 3 – Issue bonds to finance education loans for students.
• Prop. 5 – Allows cities and counties to enter into interlocal contracts without having to assess an ad valorem tax and set aside funds for the payment of costs under the contract.
• Prop. 6 – General Land office to distribute revenue for public education.
• Prop. 8 – Appraisal for ad valorem tax of land devoted to water stewardship on the basis of its productive capacity.
Voters statewide rejected two propositions:
• Prop. 4 – permits a county to issue bonds to finance the development of unproductive, underdeveloped or blighted areas within the county and to pledge increases in ad valorem tax revenues in said area for repayment of such bonds.
• Prop. 7 – adds El Paso County to the list of counties authorized to create conservation and reclamation districts for parks and recreational facilities financed by taxes.
Voters in Henderson County voted for propositions 1, 5, 9 and 10.
Voters in Kaufman County approved propositions 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 9 and 10.
The voters of Gun Barrel City showed their support of businesses serving food and alcohol later on weekends and holidays by upholding a city ordinance approved by the city council in June extending alcoholic beverage service until 2 a.m.
Votes for the repeal of said ordinance fell short by nearly a 2-1 ratio, as only 262 total votes were cast for the repeal while 477 voted against the action.

Local needy residents to receive free home repairs
Special to The Monitor
MABANK–As many as 70 local residents will benefit from a work project involving 400 adult and teenage volunteers at the Mabank WorkCamp, coming to the area June 17-23, 2012.
Applications are now being accepted at the First United Methodist Church (FUMC) for elderly, handicapped and lower-income residents of the lake area to receive free home repairs.
Group Cares is a nonprofit, interdenominational Christian volunteer home-repair organization headquartered in Loveland, Colo.
This coming summer, an anticipated 25,000 young people and adults will participate in 48 different WorkCamps in communities across the United States and Canada.
At each WorkCamp, teenagers and adults, all members of church youth groups, volunteer a week of their time to repair homes throughout the community.
Locally, this will represent about 12,000 hours of volunteer labor, with a total economic impact to our community of more than $300,000.
“These really are remarkable young people,” Group Cares director of group mission Jeff Thompson states. “Each one is actually paying for the privilege of working in your community. WorkCamp registration fees are used to cover the costs for food, lodging, programming, insurance and building materials.”
The WorkCamp will be housed at Mabank Senior High School, with WorkCampers sleeping on classroom floors, showering in the locker rooms, eating in the cafeteria and enjoying evening programs in the gym. Group Cares will reimburse all costs to the lodging facility.
FUMC, Mabank, is the local cosponsor of this event and will be directly responsible for the work site selections and the acquisition of materials. In addition, volunteers from the church have already met with Mabank Independent School District administrators and staff to detail their involvement as the local lodging facility.
The idea behind these WorkCamps started in Colorado in 1977, when residents suffered from the Big Thompson River flood in which hundreds of homes were damaged or destroyed and more than 140 people lost their lives.
The following summer, church youth groups of many different denominations came from across the country to offer their help.
In 1978, the program went nationwide to include other disadvantaged areas throughout the country.
The 2012 WorkCamps will take place in many different states, including but not limited to Alabama, West Virginia, Montana, North Carolina, new Jersey, Pennsylvania, Utah, Illinois, New York, Tennessee, and Minnesota.
The Mabank location is the only site offered in Texas during 2012.
Repairs offered through WorkCamps include interior and exterior painting, weatherization, porch and wheelchair ramp construction, mobile home skirting and other residential repairs.
Residents interested in applying to receive such assistance may contact Allison Partridge at the Mabank FUMC at (903) 887-3691.
Applications will be accepted through Dec. 30.

Bereavement luncheon set Dec. 6
Special to The Monitor
KAUFMAN–Visiting Nurse Association (VNA) Hospice chaplain Clayton McCord will speak on the “Holiday Bill of Rights” at the bereavement luncheon hosted by the VNA at 1 p.m. Tuesday Dec. 6.
The luncheon is free of charge and will be held in the community room of the Kaufman County Library.
VNA’s bereavement luncheons offer support and encouragement from friendly and understanding people to individuals who have suffered the loss of a loved one.
The Kaufman County Library is located at 3790 S. Houston St. in Kaufman.
For more information call Clayton McCord at (972) 962-7500 or 1-(800) 345-0576.

 

Come Adopt Us At The Humane Society of Cedar Creek Lake

We have many animals at the Humane Society of Cedar Creek Lake in Seven Points in dire need of a good home. Please call or stop by the Humane Society today and rescue one of these forgotten animals. The Humane Society of Cedar Creek Lake is located on 10220 County Road 2403 in Seven Points. For more information, please call (903) 432-3422 after 11 a.m. We are closed on Wednesday and Sunday.

For further information visit our website at petfinder.com