H Published For Orange Countians By Orange Countians H
County Record TheRecordLive.com
Vol. 58 No. 69
Week of Wednesday, August 23, 2017
The Community Newspaper of Orange, Texas
Public mute on Orange’s proposed tax hike
Dave Rogers
For The Record
Orange City Council held its first public hearing on its first proposed tax hike in four years Tuesday and no one stepped forward to comment for or against. The council has set a proposed tax rate of 71.774 cents per $100 valuation, which is up nearly a penny from 70.940 cents per $100 valuation and an effective tax hike of 6.23 percent. But the average home in the city of Orange has gone up in
value 6 percent since 2016 and the effective tax rate – the tax rate that would bring in the same Oubre amount of money this year as last, is 67.566 cents per $100 valuation. Last year, 70.940 was the effective tax rate. With Shawn Oubre, Orange’s city manager, having cited a 28 percent increase in
employee health insurance premiums over 2016-17 and a desire to award city employees a 2 percent cost of living raise, the city is seeking a tax hike to help offset the difference.
A second and final public hearing on the tax rate is set for 9 a.m. Sept. 12. The city council is scheduled to vote up or down on the tax increase at its 5:30 p.m. Sept. 26 meeting, the final one before
the start of the new 2017-18 budget year. Because the proposed tax rate is higher than the effective tax rate, council members were required to conduct a roll call vote.
Actually, they voted unanimously for the 71.774 cents per $100 raise in a roll call vote Aug. 8, but they were forced to repeat the action PROPOSED TAX HIKE Page 3A
‘Pirate’ teacher makes great ‘Arrgh’-ument
Harvey spinning toward Texas The remnants of Harvey are likely to regenerate into a tropical cyclone over the southwestern Gulf of Mexico on Wednesday or Thursday, move northwestward, and possibly make landfall along the Texas coast by Friday. This system could produce storm surge flooding along portions of the Texas coast and flooding rainfall across portions of southern and eastern Texas and western Louisiana. Tropical storm or even hurricane force winds are also possible along portions of the Texas coast, although it is too early to determine which areas could see these direct impacts. Residents of Orange County should monitor the progress of this system and follow any instructions provided by their local officials.
OC offers $135K for inmate abuse Dave Rogers
For The Record
Orange County commissioners’ court voted to offer a $135,000 settlement to a lawsuit brought by a former jail inmate Tuesday. With County Judge Stephen Brint Carlton and Commissioner Barry Burton absent, the remaining three commissioners, Johnny Trahan, John Gothia and Jody Crump, voted unanimously to OK the offer in the Jerry Carthel vs. Orange County
“Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” 1 Corinthians 15:58
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lawsuit. County Judge Pro Tem Crump, who ran Tuesday’s meeting, said commissioners could not Lee comment until final disposition was made in court. Carthel alleges in the suit that in January 2015 former Orange County jailer Brian David Lee slammed him into the concrete floor of the jail, breaking ribs and teeth. Lee was fired by the county and found guilty of misdemeanor assault in February 2016. Carthel, who was in custody on suspicion of public intoxication, seeks payment for medical bills associated with the incident in his suit. The vote was preceded by a short closed meeting involving the commissioners, Sheriff Keith Merritt and Assistant County Attorney Doug Manning. It followed a short 25-minute open meeting full of 3-0 votes involving mostly lineitem budget transfers designed to help various county departments get through the month of September, the end of the 2016-17 fiscal year. The county paid just over $1 million worth of bills Tuesday, including a $815,000 payment to Way Services, the fifth of six installments for heating and air conditioning efficiency improvements. The $5 million Way Services deal, designed to save the county more than it costs through increased energy efficiencies, was done through bonds, which the county will pay over time.
Award-winning teacher and educator trainer Dave Burgess spoke to more than 1,300 Orange County teachers Tuesday at the Lutcher Theater. RECORD PHOTO: Dave Rogers
Dave Rogers
For The Record
Teachers got their “Pirate” on Tuesday morning, and not just those from Vidor. Approximately 1,300 educators from West OrangeCove, Little Cypress-Mauriceville, Orangefield and Vidor kicked off the school year at the Orange County Teachers Convocation at Lutcher Theater. Dave Burgess, a New York Times best-selling author of “Teach Like A Pirate” and other books for educators, was the primary presenter. The highly sought speak-
er from San Diego specializes in transforming education through a highly energetic and creative style. An award-winning teacher for over 17 years, he was named Secondary School Teacher of the Year in 2014. Monday, Aug. 28, is the first day of school in those districts. Bridge City, which earned District of Innovation distinction last year, began its classes Aug. 16 and did not participate Tuesday. “Each school district does its own convocation, but all the schools in the county have teamed up for this one for the last three years,” ex-
plained Stephen Patterson, superintendent for the Orangefield schools. “It’s an appropriate use of the districts’ resources, because we split the cost and are able to bring in a speaker. It also allows our educators to collaborate and learn from each other.” PIRATE is an acronym for Burgess’ teaching philosophy: Passion, Immersion, Rapport, Ask & analyze, Transformation and Enthusiasm. “It was super energetic,” Vidor teacher Joann Singleton said. “He had some interesting things to say.” “I like the fact he was an
actual teacher,” said Vidor’s Roni Brown. Burgess, wearing a pirate costume, took the stage after a performance of the National Anthem by an ensemble of band students from LCM, WOS, Orangefield and Vidor high schools. He talked for nearly three hours. “Professional development is a full cardio experience,” he said afterward. His August schedule, he said, has him talking to teachers in a different city Monday through Friday. EDUCATOR’S Page 3A
Stagner couple returns from Eclipse epicenter Staff Report
For The Record
Hershel Stagner, Jr., Orange County’s Justice of the Peace Precinct 1, and wife Debra traveled to Hopkinsville, Kentucky on Saturday to be at the “epicenter” for the viewing of the 2017 Eclipse. The town, with a population of approximately 33,000, was declared by NASA to be the point of greatest eclipse. The town was expecting 500,000 people and hotels were booked and sold out within a 75-mile radius. The Festival encompassed all of downtown with booths, food and concerts. Local farms had viewing areas set up for the viewing the event. Judge Stagner took this pic-
Hershel Stagner Jr. of Orange took this photo of the rare total solar eclipse on Monday from Hopkinsville, Kentucky, consider by NASA to be the epicenter for viewing.
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ture at the moment of totality, and witnessed the “Total Eclipse” at the point of longest duration. He stated that the “2:41 minutes of totality was an awesome and inspirational lifetime event!” and added “as the sunlight faded you felt the drop in temperature and could hear the sounds of crickets and see birds going to roost, stars shining in the darkening sky and the beauty of the sun’s corona!” He is planning for the 2024 eclipse, as it is expected on April 8, 2024. Totality will first touch Mexico, enters the United States at Texas, moving across central Texas and then cuts a diagonal to Maine, and visit the maritime provinces of Canada.
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