Terrell County News Leader

June 12, 2009

Center ‘not a footrace’

SANDERSON – What a difference two weeks makes – or at least so it seemed.

A large turnout was present for Commissioners Court Monday and much of it was for a discussion over a proposed Convention Center, an issue that at one point saw the threat of a fist fight at a special meeting May 21 when a group appeared asking commissioners to consider the 1927 Kerr Building as the site for a convention center.

But the acrimony that characterized the meeting last month was gone Monday.

“This should be the best project we can have but let’s all just get along,” County Judge Leo Smith said.

Smith said at the beginning he would propose a set of “rules” for public discussion at Commissioners Court meetings, saying some meetings had “gotten out of hand.” He never brought the rules up for discussion.

The county has been debating the issue of a “convention center” since Attorney General Gregg Abbott ruled in 2004 that the county’s “venue tax” could be used “only” in conjunction with a “convention center.”

Smith Monday offered a suggestion that he said would be a “win-win for everybody.”

Two weeks ago, he retorted that the Kerr Building plan was a “pipe dream” and not an option. He said the county had spent seven years studying the plan and resisted additional delays.

The upshot of the meeting last month, though, was a 60-day delay to review options, including the Kerr Building.

This week, Smith offered to have Terrell County pay an architect and an engineer to draw up plans for a new facility on land the county has acquired at Oak and Second Street for that purpose and for the same professionals to assess what it would take to convert the Kerr Building to a convention center.

“We are not in a footrace,” he said Monday. “Both sides need time and this gives everybody ample time.”

Smith said it is impossible to reach a consensus when the details of the two projects were not known.

Once it is known how much each project would cost and what it could provide, the county could schedule a referendum and let voters decide which they liked better.

“When it’s over, everybody wins,” he said.

Most seemed in favor of the plan but attorney Ken Bellah suggested the county hire different professionals for each project.

He said having the same architect and engineer for both would tend to “skew” the results toward the one that would make them the biggest commission.

Competition between two groups of professionals would give the county the greatest benefit, he said.

Smith said an architect had been recommended to him but Commissioner Kenn Norris suggested he appear before the court before he is selected.

Burn ban ends – for now

SANDERSON – Terrell County is not under a burn ban for the first time in several months.

The latest ban expired over the weekend and was not renewed Monday. But it could be reinstated as early as next month if the weather turns hot and dry as expected.

A ban on fireworks also was not re-instated so fireworks will be allowed at the Fourth of July celebration next month.

A burn ban canceled the fireworks show last year. It was canceled in the fall after heavy rains but reinstated in December when the drought continued.

There have been some rains recently but hot, dry weather is expected into the summer.

County Judge Leo Smith said he had conferred with Fire Chief Bobby Brotherton who did not request a renewal of the ban.

“But we ask people if they are going to burn trash or anything else that they notify the sheriff’s office,” Smith said. “In case someone smells smoke, we need to know what it is. We don’t want emergency responders chasing smoke.”

“We have had some rain and decided now was a good time to let people burn their weeds and trash,” he said. “But the ban may have to be reinstated as early as next month.”