Council adopts budget, tax rate gets mask exemption · 1 day ago · By Irene Van Winkle West Kerr...
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By Kari Short West Kerr Current Kerr County Emergency Services District No. 1 com- missioners at the monthly meeting on Monday unani- mously approved the return- ing slate of officers: President Chris Hughes, James Wood, W.L. Fleming and Tim Huchton. Treasurer Manuel Benavides opted to retire, but found a company, KBS Bookkeeping and Tax Services of Kerrville, to assume the duties until a replacement treasurer can be found. Commissioners voted unanimously to retain KBS services. Benavides agreed to serve as interim treasurer to assist with the transition. Hughes said, “We can con- tract for bookkeeping, but we need to fill the treasurer posi- tion.” Precinct 4 County By Kari Short West Kerr Current Kerr County Emergency Services District No. 2 officially approved their tax rate decrease from $.038 to $.035 at its September meeting on Monday. ESD 2 commissioners also discussed their annual budget, anticipating income of approximately $60,000. A complete budget will be presented at the October meeting. Kerr County Tax Assessor Collector Bob Reeves explained to the ESD how fees are collected. “The appraisal district establishes their budget, and the fee is prorated out of the tax levy that goes to the appraisal district. All of the taxes collected in Kerr County including city, school and everybody, whatever percentage ESD 2 is of the total, then it is billed to you. ESD 2 is the smallest tax levy in the county. Based on the budget, whatever the percentage is what you pay the appraisal district. Then my (collection) fees are one percent of whatever is collected.” The commissioners unanimously approved the August meeting minutes and financial report reflecting a balance of $78,703.74. One bill for $153.25 was approved for the quarterly payment to Kerr Central Appraisal District. There were no funding requests. The commissioners also unanimously approved a contract between ESD 2 and the Mountain Home Volunteer Fire Department (MHVFD) for maintenance on the new truck. Mountain Home Volunteer Fire Department President Rex Brand pre- sented a summary of fire calls since August 13: 8-14 motor vehicle fire at I- 10 and mile marker 489; 8-16 brush fire at I-10 and mile marker 485; 8-18 assist IVFD with a structure fire in the 100 WEST KERR Serving Ingram, Hunt, Mountain Home, the Divide 50¢ Thursday September 24, 2020 VOL. XVIII NO. 9 USPS 022498 WWW.WKCURRENT.COM Current Only H O O O H Oy ive e e del e TC HCTC e e T TC in e he fast ers t r e er rs e t in l C l C l he he Hil n t l n test fiber In C h C t n t Hl e fi n b I . . nternet ountry n n n nt rn n Cal 800 o o Y l us today to con l 0.292.5457 | hctc. our world, connected ider and employer nnect. net r. . SM d. 800.292.5457 | hctc. This institution is an equal opportunity prov Lady Warriors beat Wimberley Sports, Page 9 Warriors take Center Point Sports, Page 9 Hunt Garden Club wins national awards Whispers, Page 5 Kerr County gets mask exemption Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly has reported Thursday morning, Sept. 17, that the application he submitted for an exemption from the statewide governor’s mask order has been approved. “This exemption means that anyone within the county limits is not required to wear a face covering,” Kelly said. “However, given that Covid- 19 is still out there in our community, we would still encourage everyone to social distance from each other by at least six feet, wash your hands frequently and use all other precautionary measures at your disposal to make sure we keep the virus at bay.” Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s GA-29 order, requir- ing the wearing of masks by everyone in the state who couldn’t properly socially dis- tance, became effective July 3. At that time, he set a parameter that would allow counties who had no more than 20 active Covid-19 cases HISD Superintendent Luci Harmon and Science Teacher Faith Bradberry, center, present a $15,000 check from the Bayer Fund to the HISD Board of Trustees, from left, Meredith Ragsdale, Britt Eastland, President Linda Pipkin, Tom Hackleman and Judy Couger. (Noel Putnam is on the Zoom screen and Carter Crain was absent). Courtesy photo By Kari Short West Kerr Current Despite universal opera- tional challenges presented by Covid-19, the Hunt Independent School District’s new school year is off to a positive start. At Tuesday’s monthly HISD board meeting, science teacher Faith Bradberry and Superintendent Luci Harmon presented the Board of Trustees with a $15,000 grant from the 2020 America’s Farmer’s Grow Rural Education Bayer Fund to develop a year-long curricu- lum for K-5th grade students to increase STEM exposure for young children in rural schools. Harmon commended Bradberry’s initiative, stating, “Faith has been working with a professor from Texas A&M University-Kingsville since April who not only wrote the grant, but also will serve com- pletely free of charge as a mentor for the initiative.” Bradberry explained, “We are trying to get the students to Hunt ISD receives grants Wearing them still encouraged By Clint Schroeder West Kerr Current Ingram City Council adopted the 2020-21 budget and approved the tax rate at its Sept. 15 regular council meeting. The proposed budget is based on a tax rate of $.4963 per $100 of assessed valua- tion, compared to this year’s tax rate of $.5290. The rate was lowered because of high- er property appraisals. Total 2020 revenues are budgeted at $1.127 million with expenditures of $1.4 million; $273,000 of fund balance will be used to bal- ance the budget. The proposed rate will raise more property tax revenue than last year’s by $33,284, which is a .93 percent increase. Of that amount, $6,190 is tax revenue from new property added to the tax role this year. The total taxable value of property in the city went from $85.65 million this year to $98 million. Council adopts budget, tax rate By Irene Van Winkle West Kerr Current A brief agenda at Monday’s Kerr County Commissioners meeting had at least one important deci- sion that affected West Kerr County. After the tail-end execu- tive session, the court announced that a new deal was made on the county annex offices in Ingram. Pct. 4 Commissioner Don Harris told the West Kerr Current that he and Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly were appointed to finalize a contract with the owner of the annex to renew the lease, which was due at the end of September. The monthly rate is going from $1,500 to $1,800. “We will need to rent for at least another couple of years, no matter what. Nobody liked it, but we had to bite the bul- let,” Harris said “The coun- County to stay at West Kerr annex By Irene Van Winkle West Kerr Current Events are starting to return and one of the area favorites is the 37th Annual Roundup Exhibition and Sale on display at the Museum of Western Art Sept. 26- Oct. 31. Kicking off the show is the opening night gala this Saturday, Sept. 26 from 6- 9 p.m. The gala includes heavy hors d’'oeuvres, open bar libations, and pre- mier viewing of the art. Social distancing will be practiced. Art will be sold on a box-draw format. Roundup includes 56 artists showing 134 works of art. Each artist will show up to three works. The entire collection of works is valued at more than $500,000. Seven members of the Cowboy Artists of America are included in the exhibition. Eleven woman artists have their works in the exhibition. These include Edith Maskey, Carol Arnold and Mary Rose Buchholtz. Maskey, who lives in Comfort, is known for her bright portraits of villages and everyday people. She and her hus- band, John, who is also an artist and exhibiting his own paintings, derive much of their material from their fre- quent travels to Mexico. The scenes are picturesque, almost frozen in time, and have a feeling of that particular moment. The vibrant colors mix with the tranquility of village life and create a snapshot. An pale old style villa constrasts with a hot pink flower Museum of Western Art Roundup gala this Saturday One of the art works by Edith Maskey that will be seen at Roundup is this painting titled the Price of Pork. By Clint Schroeder West Kerr Current The Ingram school board Monday gave special recogni- tion to the housekeeping staff, approved the purchase of mannequins for health sci- ence courses and OK’d a budget amendment for a College and Career Course Center grant. Ingram Superintendent Dr. Robert Templeton said it’s been a long time since he’s seen anyone pull a “yeoman’s effort” the way the district housekeeping services have. “Back in March everybody went home and they worked hard — teachers worked hard, no doubt about it. The people who didn’t get to go home and were here all the time were our housekeepers, our custodians,” Templeton said. “They showed up on Saturday, they worked extra making sure everything was clean. They’ve worked so hard, it’s just been unbeliev- able.” He added that if house- keeping services didn’t show Ingram ISD board lauds housekeeping staff, OKs mannequin purchases Mountain Home ESD approves lower tax rate ESD 1 seeks treasurer See Council, Page 12 See Masks, Page 6 See Hunt ISD, Page 12 See County, Page 11 See Roundup, Page 7 See Ingram ISD, Page 10 See ESD 2, Page 10 See ESD 1, Page 5
Transcript of Council adopts budget, tax rate gets mask exemption · 1 day ago · By Irene Van Winkle West Kerr...
By Kari ShortWest Kerr Current
Kerr County EmergencyServices District No. 1 com-missioners at the monthlymeeting on Monday unani-mously approved the return-ing slate of officers: PresidentChris Hughes, James Wood,W.L. Fleming and TimHuchton.
Treasurer ManuelBenavides opted to retire, butfound a company, KBSBookkeeping and Tax
Services of Kerrville, toassume the duties until areplacement treasurer can befound.
Commissioners votedunanimously to retain KBSservices. Benavides agreed toserve as interim treasurer toassist with the transition.
Hughes said, “We can con-tract for bookkeeping, but weneed to fill the treasurer posi-tion.”
Precinct 4 County
By Kari ShortWest Kerr Current
Kerr County Emergency ServicesDistrict No. 2 officially approved theirtax rate decrease from $.038 to $.035 atits September meeting on Monday.
ESD 2 commissioners also discussedtheir annual budget, anticipating incomeof approximately $60,000. A completebudget will be presented at the Octobermeeting.
Kerr County Tax Assessor CollectorBob Reeves explained to the ESD howfees are collected.
“The appraisal district establishes their
budget, and the fee is prorated out of thetax levy that goes to the appraisal district.All of the taxes collected in Kerr Countyincluding city, school and everybody,whatever percentage ESD 2 is of thetotal, then it is billed to you. ESD 2 is thesmallest tax levy in the county. Based onthe budget, whatever the percentage iswhat you pay the appraisal district. Thenmy (collection) fees are one percent ofwhatever is collected.”
The commissioners unanimouslyapproved the August meeting minutesand financial report reflecting a balanceof $78,703.74. One bill for $153.25 wasapproved for the quarterly payment to
Kerr Central Appraisal District. Therewere no funding requests.
The commissioners also unanimouslyapproved a contract between ESD 2 andthe Mountain Home Volunteer FireDepartment (MHVFD) for maintenanceon the new truck.
Mountain Home Volunteer FireDepartment President Rex Brand pre-sented a summary of fire calls sinceAugust 13: 8-14 motor vehicle fire at I-10 and mile marker 489; 8-16 brush fireat I-10 and mile marker 485; 8-18 assistIVFD with a structure fire in the 100
WEST KERR Serving Ingram, Hunt, Mountain Home, the Divide
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September 24, 2020
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This institution is an equal opportunity prov
Lady Warriorsbeat WimberleySports, Page 9
Warriors takeCenter Point
Sports, Page 9
Hunt Garden Clubwins national awardsWhispers, Page 5
KerrCountygets maskexemption
Kerr County Judge RobKelly has reported Thursdaymorning, Sept. 17, that theapplication he submitted foran exemption from thestatewide governor’s maskorder has been approved.
“This exemption meansthat anyone within the countylimits is not required to wear aface covering,” Kelly said.“However, given that Covid-19 is still out there in ourcommunity, we would stillencourage everyone to socialdistance from each other by atleast six feet, wash yourhands frequently and use allother precautionary measuresat your disposal to make surewe keep the virus at bay.”
Texas Governor GregAbbott’s GA-29 order, requir-ing the wearing of masks byeveryone in the state whocouldn’t properly socially dis-tance, became effective July3. At that time, he set aparameter that would allowcounties who had no morethan 20 active Covid-19 cases
HISD Superintendent Luci Harmon and Science Teacher Faith Bradberry, center,present a $15,000 check from the Bayer Fund to the HISD Board of Trustees, fromleft, Meredith Ragsdale, Britt Eastland, President Linda Pipkin, Tom Hackleman andJudy Couger. (Noel Putnam is on the Zoom screen and Carter Crain was absent).
Courtesy photo
By Kari ShortWest Kerr Current
Despite universal opera-tional challenges presented byCovid-19, the HuntIndependent School District’snew school year is off to apositive start.
At Tuesday’s monthlyHISD board meeting, scienceteacher Faith Bradberry and
Superintendent Luci Harmonpresented the Board ofTrustees with a $15,000 grantfrom the 2020 America’sFarmer’s Grow RuralEducation Bayer Fund todevelop a year-long curricu-lum for K-5th grade studentsto increase STEM exposurefor young children in ruralschools.
Harmon commended
Bradberry’s initiative, stating,“Faith has been working witha professor from Texas A&MUniversity-Kingsville sinceApril who not only wrote thegrant, but also will serve com-pletely free of charge as amentor for the initiative.”
Bradberry explained, “Weare trying to get the students to
Hunt ISD receives grants
Wearing themstill encouraged
By Clint SchroederWest Kerr Current
Ingram City Counciladopted the 2020-21 budgetand approved the tax rate atits Sept. 15 regular councilmeeting.
The proposed budget isbased on a tax rate of $.4963per $100 of assessed valua-tion, compared to this year’stax rate of $.5290. The ratewas lowered because of high-er property appraisals.
Total 2020 revenues arebudgeted at $1.127 million
with expenditures of $1.4million; $273,000 of fundbalance will be used to bal-ance the budget.
The proposed rate will raisemore property tax revenuethan last year’s by $33,284,which is a .93 percent increase.Of that amount, $6,190 is taxrevenue from new propertyadded to the tax role this year.
The total taxable value ofproperty in the city went from$85.65 million this year to$98 million.
Council adoptsbudget, tax rate
By Irene Van WinkleWest Kerr Current
A brief agenda atMonday’s Kerr CountyCommissioners meeting hadat least one important deci-sion that affected West KerrCounty.
After the tail-end execu-tive session, the courtannounced that a new dealwas made on the countyannex offices in Ingram.
Pct. 4 Commissioner DonHarris told the West Kerr
Current that he and KerrCounty Judge Rob Kellywere appointed to finalize acontract with the owner of theannex to renew the lease,which was due at the end ofSeptember.
The monthly rate is goingfrom $1,500 to $1,800.
“We will need to rent for atleast another couple of years,no matter what. Nobody likedit, but we had to bite the bul-let,” Harris said “The coun-
County to stay atWest Kerr annex
By Irene Van WinkleWest Kerr Current
Events are starting to return and one ofthe area favorites is the 37th AnnualRoundup Exhibition and Sale on displayat the Museum of Western Art Sept. 26-Oct. 31.
Kicking off the show is the openingnight gala this Saturday, Sept. 26 from 6-9 p.m. The gala includes heavy horsd’'oeuvres, open bar libations, and pre-mier viewing of the art. Social distancingwill be practiced. Art will be sold on abox-draw format.
Roundup includes 56 artists showing134 works of art. Each artist will show upto three works. The entire collection ofworks is valued at more than $500,000.
Seven members of the Cowboy Artists
of America are included in the exhibition.Eleven woman artists have their works
in the exhibition. These include EdithMaskey, Carol Arnold and Mary RoseBuchholtz.
Maskey, who lives in Comfort, isknown for her bright portraits of villagesand everyday people. She and her hus-band, John, who is also an artist andexhibiting his own paintings, derivemuch of their material from their fre-quent travels to Mexico.
The scenes are picturesque, almostfrozen in time, and have a feeling of thatparticular moment. The vibrant colorsmix with the tranquility of village lifeand create a snapshot. An pale old stylevilla constrasts with a hot pink flower
Museum of Western ArtRoundup gala this Saturday
One of the art works by EdithMaskey that will be seen atRoundup is this painting titled thePrice of Pork.
By Clint SchroederWest Kerr Current
The Ingram school boardMonday gave special recogni-tion to the housekeeping staff,approved the purchase ofmannequins for health sci-ence courses and OK’d abudget amendment for aCollege and Career CourseCenter grant.
Ingram Superintendent Dr.Robert Templeton said it’sbeen a long time since he’sseen anyone pull a “yeoman’seffort” the way the districthousekeeping services have.
“Back in March everybodywent home and they workedhard — teachers worked hard,no doubt about it. The peoplewho didn’t get to go homeand were here all the timewere our housekeepers, ourcustodians,” Templeton said.
“They showed up onSaturday, they worked extramaking sure everything wasclean. They’ve worked sohard, it’s just been unbeliev-able.”
He added that if house-keeping services didn’t show
Ingram ISD board laudshousekeeping staff, OKsmannequin purchases
Mountain Home ESD approves lower tax rateESD 1 seeks treasurer
See Council, Page 12
See Masks, Page 6See Hunt ISD, Page 12 See County, Page 11
See Roundup, Page 7 See Ingram ISD, Page 10
See ESD 2, Page 10See ESD 1, Page 5
