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4A WISE COUNTY MESSENGER, Decatur, Texas, Saturday, November 24, 2012OPINIONOUR VIEWSSmiling for the cameraBy BOB BUCKELIt’s not every day you seeseventh grader dunk aasketball.I’m sure that was part ofhe thought process for theeople who took the kid’sicture and emailed it to theewspaper where I used toork.(Sorry, coaches. This didot happen around here.)They were excited to havehis athletic prodigy in theiridst, so they sent the phooto our sports editor. But itas not a great photo. It wasoo far away, low-resolution,nd the kid’s face was notvisible. On top of that, theinformation they gave usjust said a seventh graderat that particular school recentlydunked a basketball.It didn’t tell us his name.Being a good sports editor,and sports having sloweddown since football season,he calledand suggestedhe comeout, take abetter photoand do a littlestory.BUCKEL“Out of thequestion,” the school replied.“Why?” we asked.“We can’t give you hisname,” they said.Again, “Why?”They couldn’t, wouldn’ttell us. We assumed the kid’sfamily was having some sortof custody battle, or was inthe witness protection program,or dad was in jail, ormom was a secret agent, orhe was really an experimentalgovernment robot kid.All we could do was assume,since no one could/would tellus anything.So we tossed the photo.If you’re going to tell yourreaders a seventh gradercan dunk a basketball,the least you can do is tellthem the kid’s name.It was all moot by spring,when he won virtually everyevent at the junior hightrack meet. Each time thepublic address announcergave the results, he loudlyproclaimed the kid’s namefor all to hear.Sadly, he moved awaybefore he could star for thehigh school team.But it raises a pointabout how much the worldhas changed.I know that sounds likesomething an old geezerwould say (and I qualify)but even the 30-somethingsin the office shaketheir heads at how differentit is, nowadays, goingto schools to shoot pictures.Some districts are stillfairly relaxed, wavingour photographers ontothe campus for field days,Christmas programs or themultitude of award-presentationswe’re invited tocover. At the big districts,those days are gone. We entera campus only if accompaniedby an administratoror a PR staff member.But even the most laidbackschool districts nowwant to know whose photoyou’re going to print — becausethey all have a “notto-be-photographed”list.Sometimes, the way theform is worded at the startof school, parents have theoption to have absolutelyno information releasedabout their child.Most likely think aboutunwanted mail, phone callsor emails, or even worse,identity theft, without realizingthat if they checkthat box, their kid can’tget his picture in the paperwhen he drops a Mentointo a two-liter jug of dietcola for science class.Our photographers arekeenly aware that no matterhow great a photo theymight get, we might not beable to use it if one of the“do-not-photograph” kidshappens to be in it, grinningat the camera. (Forsome reason, those areusually the little ForrestGumps whose faces are inevery frame.)It’s also ironic that someof the parents who checkthat box and keep theirkids’ faces out of the Messengeralso post all kindsof photos and personal informationon social websites.Those sites, by theway, are a much richersource of information forpredators than the newspaper.It’s a sign of the times,but a sad one.One of the best complimentsI ever got was from amom whose son was graduatingfrom high school.She told me they had athick scrapbook on him,starting with his birth announcement,pictures fromLittle League, the schoolplay, honor roll clippings,community service projects,all the way throughhigh school basketball andthe graduation section.“I know that if we livedin the big city, none of thatwould have been in the paper,”she said. “I’m just sothankful we live in a smalltown. We have the story ofour son’s life, all clippedfrom the newspaper.”He was a fiesty littlepoint guard who playedgood defense. As far as Iknow, he never dunked.But we knew his name.Bob Buckel is the Messenger’sexecutive editor. Emailhim at bbuckel@wcmessenger.com.OTHER VIEWSBoard proposesbudget for nextbienniumBy ED STERLINGTo pass a budget bill ishe Texas Legislature’sain job, but it is the0-member Legislativeudget Board’s job toropose how much moneyhe state may spend.At a Nov. 15 publicearing, the Board oferedup a 2014-2015 twoearstate budget cappedt $78 billion per year, obervingthe constitutionalpending limit. ComprollerSusan Combs hasnother couple of monthso share her revenueorecast with the budgetritingHouse AppropriaionsCommittee and theenate Finance Commitee.The 83rd Texas Legislatureis scheduled to conveneon Jan. 8. Among amultitude of budget considerationsare: (1) a statepopulation projected tobe greater than 27 millionpeople; (2) the businessclimate; (3) publichealth; (4) public education;(5) public safety, lawenforcement and prisons;(6) roads, highways andbridges; (7) local governmentalinstitutions andmore.Members of the LegislativeBudget Board,to whom much is entrusted,are joint chairsLt. Gov. Dewhurst andHouse Speaker JoeStraus, House AppropriationsCommittee ChairContinued on page 9AOUR VIEWSIt’s personal, no matter how large the causeBy ERIKA PEDROZAAs a community newsaper,we aim to bring oureaders stories that impacthem most directly. That inludescoverage of accidentsnd fires in the county (orhat involve people from ourounty) and the accomplishentsand not-so-wise deciionsof our neighbors.We find the “local connecion”in every news item weun — even in the obituaresand press releases sentrom out of state.At times we work to put aace to a larger issue, as weid in the recent, two-weekeature series on the War onrugs. The series includedcouple of harder news stoies,filled with staggeringtatistics and the perspeciveof law enforcement ofcersand prosecutors.PEDROZAThe seriesalso ran thestories of formerusers —one payingthe price, otherswho gothelp in timeto withdraw and recover.As informative as the otherarticles were, the personalstories — the ones that puta face to the statistics — aremore stirring and relatable.Those are the stories of ourneighbors, people we workwith, attend school with andare served by at local restaurants— neighbors whostomp the same ground wedo.That concept seems applicablewhen choosingour charities, too — likethe “Look Local” campaignimplemented a couple ofyears ago. We are floodedwith requests for donationsfor a multitude of greatcauses, all local — cannedfood drives for our local foodbanks, diaper drives for thepregnancy resource center,catalogue fundraisers flungin our face by family membersto benefit their schoolor sports team. The listof causes that benefit ourneighbors and friends goeson and on.While I’d love to go grab apound cake from every bakesale at the local banks, orbuy a raffle ticket from everynon-profit for my shot ata new toy, I just can’t.I am, however, more proneto contribute to a cause ifI know the specific beneficiary.As a matter of fact, asyou’re reading this I’m probablyface-planting and gaspingfor air as a participant ina benefit soccer tournament(presuming it’s Saturday).And although I may regretit Sunday when I can’t prymyself out of bed, I didn’tthink twice about participating,despite my lack ofathleticism.I do this not only because Iknow the family and specificcause (offsetting the medicalexpenses of the fatherin-lawof two of my secondcousins,who is battlingkidney cancer), but becauseI couldn’t imagine not beingat my dad’s side if he werefighting a life-threateningdisease, like one cousin’shusband and another’s wife,who aren’t able to be withtheir dad in Mexico.However small, my contributionmight pay a sliverof a round of treatment or acouple of items in the grocerybasket.I also recognize the importanceof contributing toa larger cause where I don’tknow the directly impacted— causes like the AmericanCancer Society’s Relay forLife. Money raised at thisevent — somewhere, howeverlong ago — funded theresearch that developed thepill that is treating my familyfriend’s ailment.I became involved in thefundraiser in memory ofmy grandmother. Althoughshe lost her battle with lungcancer, she had her gooddays. Yes, I believe that waslargely due to a higher power,but I also think the treatmentshe received played arole.If it weren’t for the moneycollected at fundraiserslike Relay for Life, therewouldn’t be such options.In addition, an increasingnumber of my family membersand friends who live inthe area are fighting or supportinga loved one fightingthe disease. Each familiarface is another reason tosupport the research for acure.Amidst your younger relatives’petitions to buy cookiedough or donate to benefitaccident victims, considerbecoming involved in a Relay.The local event is heldannually in May, but aninformational meeting forthose interested is 6 to 8p.m. Monday, Dec. 3, at theHampton Inn in Decatur.Although perhaps not directly,your efforts will aidfamiliar faces — an alarminglyincreasing number ofthem.Erika Pedroza is a Messengerreporter. Email her atepedroza@wcmessenger.com.
DECATURWISE COUNTY MESSENGER, Decatur, Texas, Saturday, November 24, 20125ACompany to move national HQ to DecaturBy BOB BUCKELThe Decatur Economicevelopment Corp. (EDC)on Tuesday approved a$200,000 incentive grantto bring the national headquartersof H2X to Decatur.The company, which operatesa fleet of specializedtrucks that excavatewith high-pressure waterinstead of mechanical diggingequipment, will builda 12,000-square-foot shopand office building on WalnutStreet in the northeastpart of Decatur. It is currentlybased in Bayfield,Colo.The EDC grant also includes$80,000 to paveabout 445 feet of StrattonStreet, which extends intothe property. The streetmust be paved so thatthe plat can get approvalfrom the Planning & ZoningCommission and citycouncil, according to PublicWorks Director Earl Smith.“Platting brings it underthe purview of the subdivisionordinance, and thatordinance requires that thestreet be paved,” he said.The street will extend fromWalnut, past Mill to theend of the property — butit can’t go through becauseit dead-ends into propertyowned by the Wise CountyAppraisal District.With the EDC board’sapproval, the budget itemwill go on the Decatur CityCouncil’s Dec. 10 agenda.Once the budget item is approved,the actual contractwill be signed and shouldget on the council’s Januaryagenda.EDC Director Jody Adamssaid he has been workingon the project — underthe code-name “ProjectDenver” — for about a year.“It’s gone well, just slow,”he told his board Tuesdaymorning. “This allows meto go to them and say thisis approved. This is committed.”Hydro-excavation is aclean, safe and precise excavationaccording to H2XPresident Mike Clark, whosaid he believes the technologyrepresents “the futureof safe excavation.”“We’ve been on site sinceJanuary, in and out with asmall presence, but nothinglike we’re about tohave,” Clark said Tuesday.“I don’t have a crystal ball,but I’d say we’ll have between15 and 40 employeesthere. Compliance, customersafety programs, DoT —all that’s going to be in thisoffice.”Clark said his companyis ready to move.“We’re hoping for approvalas quickly as possible,”he said. “We plan to breakground soon after that Januarycity council meetingand be in that building bythe end of February.”Clark said hydro-excavationis applicable forhighway, utility construction,oilfield and other applications— even digginga swimming pool on a tightlot where conventionalequipment won’t fit.H2X started in 2000 withtwo hydrovac trucks andhas since added two dozenmore trucks. Water used inthe process doesn’t haveto be potable, Clark noted,but it does need to be clean,since sediment would clogthe equipment’s high-pressurenozzles. The waterand dirt from the excavationis vaccuumed up as aslurry and typically stayson the site.Clark said his crews actuallylocated all the waterlines on the property wherethey are planning to build.“We spent about four orfive days locating thoselines so they would knowwhere the utilities are,” hesaid. “That’s just our contribution.”It’s not unusual for acity to not know exactlywhere some of its older waterlines are buried, Clarksaid.“If everybody knewRANDYWILLIAMSBUICK • CHEVY •CADILLACGMC •HYUNDAI•PRE-OWNED940-627-2177where all their lines were,we’d be out of business.”Email Bob at bbuckel@wcmessenger.com.Let RANDY SAVE YOU MONEY onYour Next NEW or PRE-OWNED Vehicle!YOUR PREMIER DESIGNS JEWELER(Independent Consultant)Gift shop with Me & I’ll deliver forFREE IN WISE COUNTYCity council votes to fix floorBy ERIKA PEDROZATo avoid a dangerous situation,the Runaway BayCity Council Tuesday approveda $12,576.85 bid torepair damages to the floorin the city council chamber.The damages, it is believed,are a result of a front flowerbed that allows water to comeunderneath the building andkeep it saturated.“Folks, y’all have got amess,” said Larry Settlewith Basic IDIQ, a generalcontractor that worksthrough purchasing cooperatives.“We brought inthree different contractorsto crawl under and look atthis facility ... You’ve gotsome very bad wood underhere. I’m very concernedthat, someday, someone isgoing to fall through andhurt themselves.”An original contractoroutlined an extensive planthat included demolishingthe flower bed and changingthat front area, implementingventilation (more thanwhat has already been added)and adding a completelynew floor — ripping out theflooring, replacing the joists,carpet, and even some of thedrywall where mold has begunto grow.The pricetag for that fix— up to $60,000 — did notappeal to the council.“Our opinion was to completelytear this thing allthe way down and replaceeverything — fix the ventilation,use marine boardand make this thing a councilroom that will last forever,a lot longer,” Settle said.“But then the price wasquite a bit more.”So the company presenteda more economical optionthat limited the scopeof work to about one-thirdof the room’s area, towardthe back where most of thedamage is located. Workerswill pull back the carpetand padding to allow accessto the wood floor, then removethe plywood flooringto expose the rotted joists.After tearing out thosejoists, treated 4x6 supportbeams and joists would beinstalled to support the newplywood flooring. Then theexisting padding and carpetingwould be reattached.“We were trying to comeup with a way to spend theleast amount of money,” Settlesaid. “But this is puttinga Band-Aid on it ... It’s notgoing to last forever. Everythingneeds to be replaced.All places are showing signsof rot, some dry rot. But it’sextremely bad in a particularsection (the back of theroom where citizens sit).That’s wet rot.”City officials were reluctantto pour too much moneyinto the building, whichmay be outgrown if anticipatedgrowth materializesafter a change in the city’shousing ordinance. See relatedstory on page 6A.“If the housing we’ve approvedgoes in, we’re goingto have the need for a largerspace than this,” Mayor RobertRyan said. “ ... also keepingmind that we do have asizeable amount of repairwork pending down at thedock. We don’t need to jumpoff and spend all the moneyon a room we use once amonth.”White added: “This $12,000that we’re going to spendwould be enough to last fora period of 10 years. Thatwould be adequate enoughfor growth and see where wemight need to go from there.”Even though the price wasmore favorable, council wasnot pleased with all of thecorners cut.RUNAWAY BAY“It says here that you’ll dothe underlying with particleboard, and I know particleboard, when it gets damp,it pretty much disappears,”Councilman Neil Peters said.“It’s a very, very weak woodwhenever it gets damp.”So the council requestedthe particle board be replacedwith extra heavy-grade plywood,an estimated $330 increase.“It may be just a Band-Aid,” White said. “But we’retrying to get a better brand ofBand-Aid.”The council approved theproposal on the conditionthat the better quality materialbe added and with knowledgethat more damages maybe identified once the groundis exposed.“Maybe that’s a good timefor us to go back and look atadding an addendum to sealthe flower bed and look atguttering as well,” Ryan said.“But we need to do it.”Councilman Ticer agreedbut also advised: “I know itneeds fixing. But we need tobe prepared to spend a lotmore money to do it, expect alot more damage when theypull the floor up. Let’s do itright.Settle said that most of thecosts and labor are are alreadyaccounted for.“When we tear this up,we’re going to see if there’sanything else that desperatelyneeds to be done,” he said.“But the main part of the laborand costs is already there.Buying a few more timbers isnot that big.“But this needs to be addressedbefore it gets realwet again.”Once started, the projectshould be completed in twoto three-and-a-half weeks.In other news Mayor Ryan reportedthat repairs to bring up thewater plant to TCEQ standardswere to begin nextweek and work to patch RunawayBay Drive, the city’s“main entrance” is on thedrawing board. White requested the citylook at compensating — eitherthrough refund or crediton their bill — the ownersnot able to access docks andother facilities due to stormdamage. City staff said suchadjustments are already inthe works. The council plansto meet with an engineer “inthe not-too-distant future” totalk dock repair. The council approved theconsent agenda that includedthe minutes from the Oct. 16meeting and a contract withWise County Appraisal Districtfor property tax assessmentand collection. Council members alsoOK’d the October financials,accounts payable, activity reportsand journal entries.Email Erika at epedroza@wcmessenger.com.940-627-5987WCMESSENGER.COM/SUBSCRIBELet Me Be YourPersonal ShopperNeed Assistance Buying orJust Need Great Gift Ideas?Dee Ann Archer192 Fairview Ct. • Decatur • 940.735-0361PACK ‘N’ MAILThe Packing ProsWe take the hassle out of shipping!FED EX • UPS • US Mail • BoxesPassport Photos • Document ShreddingCopies • Packing MaterialsMailbox Rental • Fax • Notary$2.00 OFF ANY PURCHASE OF $20 OR MOREExcludes Postage Stamps Expires 12/31/121816 S. FM 51 STE. 400 • DECATURJUST SOUTH OF LEGEND BANK940-626-3777 • FAX 940-626-3778HOURS: 9 A.M. - 6 P.M. MONDAY - FRIDAY • 10 A.M. - 2 P.M. SATURDAYWedding Registry"Voted BestPlace in WiseCounty toBuy WeddingGifts"Stevie MisnerBride Elect ofMicah DavisShower: December 2Wedding: December 221650 FM 51 S, Suite 400Decatur940-627-9188Mother: Kelly BadgerFather: Matt BadgerDue Date: December 22Cassidy DaneBride Elect ofCade HodgkinsWedding: December 1Tiffany GarrettBride Elect ofJohn TuckerWedding: January 5, 2013Monday - Friday 10 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.Saturday 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.(Major Credit Cards Accepted)Baby RegistryDump Trucksfor HireTerry Vaughan Concrete• House Foundations• Driveways• Basements• Retaining Walls• All Concrete WorkTerry and Derrick Vaughan817-832-1484940-393-2544940-683-4200We Can Haul• Gravel• Topsoil• Cushion Sand• Select Fill• Brick SandCommercial and ResidentialServing all of Wise County and Surrounding AreasD&T Excavation• Land and Lot Clearing• House Pads• Driveways and Parking Lots• Roads• Demolition
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