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Fort Bend’s most in-depth news coverage • Check our website FortBendStar.com
Volume XXXVI • No. 19
Wednesday, January 1, 2014
Happy New Year 2014!
Report reveals $449M in FBISD facility needs By Betsy Dolan
In its preliminary findings, Jacobs Engineering Group revealed $449 million worth of facility needs during a Board of Trustees workshop December 16. Since January, Jacobs has been conducting a five-year facilities needs assessment at all 92 of the district's locations. While the December 16 board workshop was a discussion of the preliminary findings, the final
report will be the foundation of a future district facilities master plan. The Jacobs study addressed three different areas: the life-cycle of its systems, educational adequacy, and facility assessment. "If educational adequacy is identifying what may be missing from a school, facility assessment teams identify what is broken", said Casey Morris, Manager of Projects for Jacobs Engineering. The life-cycle team looked at
how well mechanical systems are functioning and predicted which items, from roofs to HVAC systems, will need to be repaired or replaced within five years. "We have 30,000 records of deficient conditions within your buildings. That's a sizeable amount of data but no big red flags for how things are going in Fort Bend. It's typical findings for a district of your size", Morris told the Board. REPORT, continued on page 8
Stafford Police reorganization brings “fervent” discussions to council meeting By Karen Daniels
The last final regular Stafford City Council meeting for 2013 ended well past midnight. The agenda was jam-packed with important issues, but the item for police reclassification and salary increases was greatly debated. Chief Bonny Krahn presented the new proposal to Council and Mayor Leonard Scarcella, a plan designed to help retain and attract skilled officers. At the present time, the City of Stafford has the lowest starting salary for a police officer compared to neighboring cities. The following
starting salaries were listed at the meeting: • Stafford – $37,400 • Richmond – $39,000 • Meadows Place – $40,000 • Rosenberg – $46,000 • Missouri City – $48,000 • Sugar Land – $49,000 • Pearland – $50,000 The proposed starting salary for Stafford Police Department is $43,000. Officers with five years of Texas law experience will receive a pay increase as well. According to Chief Krahn and the Salary Committee, the restructuring of job titles will eliminate overlapping
Demetrius Stalling at large Sheriff's detectives looking for last murder suspect By LeaAnne Klentzman
Twenty two year old Demetrius “Meach” Levale Stalling, remains a wanted man. He is the last of six suspects wanted in connection with the murder of Antonio Cesar Hinojosa. Hinojosa was found murdered in his Townewest home in the 14200 block of Bay Gardens on December 4. Hinojosa’s murder was discovered by his brother after the family had not had any contact with him since December 1. His brother went to his home in Townewest, located in northeast Fort Bend County and discovered the murder. At the time of the discovery, investigators said the home had been ransacked and within days 5
duties and compression issues. Two lieutenants will become captains; five sergeants will become lieutenants; and twelve corporals will be divided – six to sergeants and six to detectives. The corporal position will be completely eliminated. (Currently the only nearby city that still has this position is the City of Bellaire.) “By doing this we have found it is gong to give us, on a per shift basis, more supervision,” noted Chief Krahn. The increase to the City’s bottom line will be approximately $110K. Originally this agenda item was to be voted on two weeks earlier, but Council did not receive the documents until the start of the meeting, so a motion was made to postpone the presentation until this week. Additionally the Mayor acknowledged that the City’s annual budget is “to be adopted no later than September 30th addressing expenditures for the year.” STAFFORD, continued on page 8
Two burglars busted in home invasion - third suspect in hiding Wanted - Demetrius Stalling
By LeaAnne Klentzman
of the 6 suspects were arrested. Stalling is the last suspect to elude law enforcement. Already in custody and charged with murder are Martin Ferrel, 20, Cynthia Sandoval, 38, Shakur Briggs, 18, Robert McClure, 22, DEMETRIUS, continued on page 8
The Big Guns were out many who had been there all day and all night; it is their job One of the strangest things and that’s what they do. happened Christmas They are public evening … It was a servants and they miracle of sorts. seamlessly keep the Yep, on Christmas wolf from our door evening as we were all as we go about our CRIMINAL wrapping up our family OF THE WEEK everyday lives but this celebrations or dashing year, on this Christmas to our last destination there was evening with no fanfare (or a man out working the streets. He was not alone, there are BIG GUNS, continued on page 8 By LeaAnne Klentzman
DUMB
Founders Ball benefits historic Sugar Land Auditorium
Supporters for the January 18 Sugar Land Cultural Arts Foundation’s 12th Annual Founders’ Ball gathered to toast the upcoming event benefiting the historic Sugar Land Auditorium. Shown l. to r. are Kirk Feldman, Ace Theatrical Group; Tim Stubenrouch, SLCAF Board President; David Anderson, ACE Theatrical Group; Kevin Matocha, Stonehenge Companies LLC; Don Kerstetter, Classic Chevrolet; Gary Becker, ACE Theatrical Group; and Craig Fredrickson, Linbeck Group LLC. For tickets and more information, go to www.slcaf.org.
Health coverage sign up deadline, but open enrollment thru March 31 5 insurance companies ok’d for Fort Bend By Elsa Maxey
There’s a certain degree of misunderstanding about deadlines and what’s in store relating to the new health care law, the Affordable Care Act. Here’s an important deadline there is a requirement to have health insurance in 2014 or face a fine. Arrangements must be made for coverage with an employer or with private companies for purchasing health insurance. This includes buying it by signing up on a federal website. Critics have said that the deadlines in the ObamaCare enrollment process have been a moving target and that has partly been the cause of the confusion. What affects us locally is that Texas is serviced by the federal enrollment website, HealthCare.gov. By going on this website, a
health insurance policy may be selected and purchased for coverage in 2014. But in order to have coverage begin, this needs to be done by the end of the day on Monday, January 1 followed by a payment. As is the case with any insurance plan, enrollees have to pay the first month's premium to begin coverage. Take note, however, that potential enrollees still have until the end of March to get insurance. After that time, the federal government will fine those without coverage. So putting it simply, Monday is the deadline for residents to sign up for ObamaCare if they want coverage starting January 1. The deadline to enroll in coverage to avoid a fine is March 31. That's the date that the program's open enrollment period officially ends. Another reported deadline, October 15th,
is when enrollment will reopen. In Fort Bend, according to Carolyn Edwards, CEO of Access Health in Richmond, there are only five health insurance companies with approved plans offering the essential benefits of the national health law. They are Humana, Aetna, Signa, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and Community Health Choice. Plans that do not have the essential benefits set forth by the Affordable Health Act cannot participate in the health marketplace. Edwards said people can continue to keep employer plans but the plans have to meet the essential benefits. Those reportedly loosing the plans are doing so because the health plans not have the benefits required by the federal health law. HEALTH, continued on page 8
Team approach used to construct Sugar Land's Performing Arts Center By Betsy Dolan
Leonard Mayberry Jr.
Alfonzo Armstead
Two Needville men are charged with burglary of a residence, and one remains on the loose. Wednesday, Jarcquez Williams Dec. 18, about 9 a.m., at a home in the 8900 block of Janda Road near rural Fairchilds, Texas, a babysitter heard a loud crashing sound from the back of the house where she was babysitting. She went to HOME INVASION, continued on page 8
Sugar Land's estimated $84 million Performing Arts Center will use a team approach, called a Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) agreement to ensure that the building process is finished on time and on budget. On December 17, the Sugar Land City Council approved the plan which includes preconstruction services for $98,500 with Linbeck Group, LLC. The company's past projects include the Verizon Theater in Grand Prairie, the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts in San Antonio and the Winspear Opera House in Dallas. The City of Sugar Land previously worked with Linbeck, along with Barton Malow, in the construction of Constellation Field.
The approximate 6,500-seat performing arts venue will be located on a portion of 38.5 acres of city-owned property in the Telfair commercial district, southeast of U.S. Highway 59 and University Boulevard. The CMAR process will enable Sugar Land, the design team and Linbeck to work together to ensure design
decisions can be efficiently implemented into the construction project within an established budget and project timeline. "This is a complex project with a budget ceiling", said Chris Steubing, City Engineer. "Interaction between the owner, PERFORMING ARTS, continued on page 8