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Jacksboro ISD welcomes Wesley

As students begin the new school year, there’s a new face in Jacksboro ISD’s administration.

Wade Wesley is now serving as the assistant superintendent and curriculum director.

Wesley started with the district July 1 after serving as the superintendent at Happy ISD for three years. He has been in education for 28 years having served as a teacher, coach and principal.

He said he took the position in Jacksboro because he and his wife, Micki Wesley have lived apart for the last year and half due to their jobs.

Perrin woman killed as a result of morning crash

According to a press release from DPS Ricky Hunter, Teryia Kendell Sims, 42, of Perrin died from injuries sustained in a one-vehicle crash Thursday morning.

At approximately 9:10 a.m. Texas Department of Public Safety troopers investigated a one vehicle fatality crash in Palo Pinto County on State Highway 16 about half a mile north of Highway 337.  

A 2007 Ford Taurus driven by Sims was traveling north on Highway 16 at a speed that was unsafe for the rainy conditions, the press release read. 

Large candidate field shaping up for Perrin

The deadline to file for a place on the ballot in the Perrin-Whitt CISD and the Jack County Hospital District board elections is Monday.

As of Thursday morning, the Perrin school board seats have a field of 10 candidates who have filed.

The Perrin-Whitt CISD Board of Trustees have five positions up for election and the Jack County Hospital District Board of Directors have one for the upcoming November 8 election.

Arrest made from search

A Perrin man was arrested Thursday in connection with some recent burglaries in Jacksboro

Clarence Henry Faubion, 54, known as “C.H.”, was arrested at his residence following the execution of a search warrant by the Jack County Sheriff’s Office.

Sheriff Melvin Mayo said the search warrant came about from a tip.

More recycling now in Jacksboro

Jacksboro has begun an expanded recycling program through its trash collection service.

For years, Jacksboro has had dumpsters that allowed for the recycling of cardboard.

Waste Connections Division Manager Jeff Ash said the company no longer has trucks that are able to empty those types of dumpsters, so they switched out for one that accepts a wider range of recyclables.

The orange recycling dumpsters are located at Green Frog, Donut Palace, Kwik Stop, the City of Jacksboro maintenance barn and John R. Lindsey State Jail.

Commissioners work budget to avoid rollback

Like many entities, Jack County Commissioners are working on their new fiscal year budget right now and are having to make some tough decisions.

Because of a $206 million reduction in property tax values over last year, county officials are being forced with the possibility of raising taxes. The court must cut about $57,000 to get the tax rate below the rollback rate and about $425,000 to get it below the effective tax rate.

Expected income from last year to this year is expected to drop about $668,000 while expenditures are expected to go up just more than $1 million.

JISD 'upside down' $327,000 on debt service

Jacksboro ISD is looking at a $235,000 drop in property values for the upcoming school year. The certified tax values have decreased from $1.19 billion for the district to $950 million.

Superintendent Dwain Milam presented preliminary budget information to the school board at its regular meeting this week.

Milam said the administration has calculated the budget conservatively using an average daily attendance of 890 students or 15 less than the previous year.

Jacksboro proposes higher tax rate

Jacksboro City Council approved a proposed tax rate of $1.263505 per $100 of value, or the effective rate, which should generate approximately $1.45 million in revenue at its meeting Monday.

“The effective tax rate would bring in the same amount of revenue that was brought in last year. Property values have gone down. So the tax rate itself would come up.” said City Manager Mike Smith.

Last year’s tax rate was $1.18.

The city saw a decrease in values of about $6.13 million for the upcoming tax year.

Budget matters

Bryson city staff affected by new labor law

Two Bryson City employees will be affected by the new US Department of Labor overtime regulations.

Mayor Sheila Birdwell said during a city council meeting Thursday, the employees currently receive comp time if they exceed 40 hours a week.

“The city has never been a financial situation where we feel like we can budget and pay overtime, so we’ve always had our field guys as salaried workers,” she explained.

A regulation that will go into effect in December has changed the minimum annual salary for overtime exemption to $47,476.

Charges added for burglary suspects

Additional charges have been filed against the three suspects arrested for some recent burglaries.

In addition to the credit card or debit card abuse charge, Matthew Wayne Moore, 38, has been charged with three counts of engaging in organized criminal activity along with two violation of probation charges.

Tanya Lynn Lewis, 33 and Edgar Espericuta-Ortiz, 41, both previously charged with theft have also been charged with three counts each of engaging in organized criminal activity.