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Eustace ISD honors employees
Monitor Staff Reports
EUSTACE–Nearing the end of school, Eustace Independent School District
employees cheered and applauded news of air conditioning being added to
the gymnasiums at the Intermediate and Primary campuses, during the
annual employee appreciation banquet.
During the next few months, more than $7 million in renovations will be
started, EISD Superintendent Coy Holcombe told more than 260 employees
and guests gathered May 4.
The high school will gain classrooms and a science lab, and will gain a
whole new look, Holcombe said.
“Its going to become bright and cheery,” he said.
“There are some good things going on,” Holcombe said, “but it’s the
people inside (the buildings) that count.”
Holcombe handed out service pins to 26 employees – and got one himself,
marking five years with the district.
Employees getting five-year pins were Lisa Ashton, Michelle Bass, Betty
Bee, Phyllis Bice, Russell Budai, Audrey Hernandez and Holcombe.
Also, Greg Master, Mandy Rolison, Carolyn Simpson, Lynda Slay, Cheri
Spivey, Kim Temple, Zulema Umana and Judy Versace.
Veronica Gunderson, Debbie Murphy and Karen Thompson received 10-year
service pins, while Beth Costlow, Dorothy Paris and Sandi Thompson got
15-year pins.
Pins marking 20 years of service were presented to Brenda Powell and
Robert Reeve, while Gary Bentley, Diane Chambers and Jody Horton all
received 25-year pins.
The banquet committee, Faye Barnett and Mary Bell were also honored, and
helped Holcombe distribute numerous prizes to the employees gathered at
the Eustace First Baptist Church’s family living center.
KC law enforcement center practices
fiscal responsibility
Special to The Monitor
KAUFMAN–In September, 2003, under the leadership of Sheriff David
Byrnes, the Kaufman County Sheriff’s Office signed a contract with Texas
Commission on Law Enforcement Standards and Education (TCLEOSE) which
would allow them to conduct on-site training for corrections and peace
officers.
The contract required the development of a Training Advisory Board.
Seated on the KCLEC board are Byrnes, Chief Alan Richman, Training
Coordinator Lt. Troy Graham, Precinct 4 County Commissioner Jim Deller,
and Robert Dobbs of the Farm Bureau.
The purpose of the board is to establish the training needs of both
corrections and peace officers as dictated by TCLEOSE and the Texas
Commission on Jail Standards (TCJS).
Once the needs are established, the training can be provided at a much
lower cost to county taxpayers.
With the opening of the new Kaufman County Law Enforcement Center in
July, 2004, including a 22-person training room, the board was able to
implement on-site training and testing programs.
One such program is the “jail academy,” a three week course required by
the Texas Commission on Jail Standards for all corrections officers.
When the new law enforcement center opened, 69 additional officers were
needed immediately.
At an average cost of about $120 per officer for training and testing,
the initial savings to the county was approximately $8,280 (not
including associated travel expenses).
Upon completion of the course, officers are required to take a state
examination.
Prior to having on-site testing, officers had two choices by which to
obtain their license – traveling to one of the community colleges to
take the exam at a cost of between $20 and $40 per student, depending on
the campus, or traveling to Austin and taking the exam for free.
Although the exam is free of charge in Austin, the students are
reimbursed traveling expenses at a per mile rate (which is currently at
44.5 cents per mile).
With an average of 50 officers per year taking the exam and driving an
average of 100 miles round trip, the expense could be in the
neighborhood of $1,000 to $2,000 for testing and up to $2,225 for travel
expenses.
Our current testing cost on-site is $100 per 100 students or $1 per
student, and the training is conducted here, avoiding any travel
expenses.
The bottom line results in an annual savings of between $10,000 and
$12,000 per year for the taxpayers of Kaufman County.
“I am very impressed with the fact Sheriff Byrnes is successfully saving
this county a substantial amount of money and the public should be
informed of it,” Agency Manager for the Kaufman County Farm Bureau
Robert Dobbs said.
New facilities available at
Tri-County Library
Special to The Monitor
MABANK–The Tri-County Library is located at 123 Market Street in
downtown Mabank across from City Hall where you pay your water bill
perhaps.
We are here for you!
Need to send a fax? We have a new fax machine. We have public access
computers on the Internet, a copy machine, copier, and books and movies
on DVD and VHS, plus several books on tape.
Do you need to sign up for the Talking Book Program? We can help.
Need a book we don’t have? We can apply to Interlibrary Loan for you.
Do you need a TexShare card? We can provide that also. Just come in and
let us help you.
We congratulate Tiffany Hunter on her poetry writing talent, and thank
our staff person Marsha Hodges for organizing the “Poetry Slam.” We are
thinking of making this an annual event.
Thanks to the Tri-County Friends group for the delicious refreshments,
and to the two judges, Claudia Cunningham and David Little.
Some of the new books made possible by the Pinnacle Women’s Group are
ready to be checked out.
There are several additions to our Young Adult Collection recommended by
the American Library Association.
They are “Airborn” by Kenneth Oppel, “Race to Save the Yardbird,” by
Phillip House and “So Be It,” by Sarah Weeks to name a few. We have Gary
Paulsen’s new book, “Time Hackers.”
We have “Lasting Valor,” the story of Vernon Baker, the only living
black World War II veteran to earn America’s highest distinction for
valor, the Medal of Honor. Tom Brokaw interviewed him during the
Olympics.
Stuart Wood’s “Dark Harbor,” is here, and a new copy of “Angels and
Demons,” by Dan Brown.
We have replaced some missing favorites, “Where the Red Fern Grows,” by
Wilson Rawls, and “Chicken Soup for Cat and Dog or Animal Lovers.”
Librarian Marsha Hodges is working on the Summer Reading Program, with
some favorite entertainers coming back and some new. Plan on spending
time at Tri-County Library in the month of June.
Be on the watch for new computer classes with our talented teacher Carol
Halliday in June.
Classes will be limited to eight members, so when you come in, watch for
the sign up sheet. It is first come, first served to be fair to all.
We finally have a book, “Miniature Horses,” given in memory of Sue
Madera by the Friends of Tri-County Library.
This is a very interesting book for owners or learning about miniature
horses.
Thanks to our many patrons who donate such wonderful books to the
library for selling or to add to our collection.
Four volumes on the Trans-Texas Corridor-35, Oklahoma-Mexico/Gulf Coast
Element are available for public viewing anytime during our regular
hours.
This is the Tier One Draft Environmental Impact Statement U.S.
Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, These were
sent to us by the Texas Department of Transportation.
For additional information about the Tri-County Library, call Library
Director Claire Stout at
(903) 887-9622.
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