Seismic Work Possible in Garden City
Cary Epley, a representative of Dawson Geophysical, discussed the possibility of seismic work inside Garden City with the county commissioners’ court at its regular meeting June 8. The town falls within a planned 50-square-mile 3-D seismic survey project that Dawson is doing for Laredo Petroleum. Garden City is toward the western edge of the planned project, which extends several miles north, east and south of the town.
Epley was told that he would have to contact individual landowners in Garden City, because the town is unincorporated, and the commissioners can’t authorize work on private property. The court told him it would allow the company to lay cable lines along county roads, and would provide him with plats showing where the water system lines are located in Garden City.
According to Epley, the cable lines would run north and south inside the town, with vibrator lines running east and west and spaced about 550 feet apart. He said the vibrator lines would be active only for 15 to 20 seconds at a time, and would do no damage. He said rather than deal with so many individuals for permits, the company might choose to try and use some vacant lots for the vibration sites. He said in that case only the owners of selected lots would need to sign permits.
Epley said the company is paying $15 per acre for permission to do the work. He also said they ordinarily have a 300-foot buffer zone around water wells.
Letter Addresses Employee Work Ethic
Commissioner Mark Halfmann showed the court a draft of a letter that he proposed be sent with each county employee’s next paycheck. The letter addresses problems which Halfmann says are getting progressively worse, such as workers being late getting to work, taking too much time at lunch, quitting too early, and improperly completing time sheets or not turning them in on time. The other commissioners agreed with Halfmann, and County Treasurer Alan Dierschke was to type the letter and include it with paychecks.
Commissioners voted to move the county’s risk management insurance from West Texas Rural Counties to Wells Fargo. Other bidders were USI and Texas Association of Counties. Effective Oct. 1, 2009, the move will mean the county’s annual premium will be $60,076, down from the previous $103,000. Only the county’s health insurance falls outside this coverage, and it is with the Texas Association of Counties.
Who is responsible for mowing and trimming, etc. at the Garden City Cemetery is still unclear, in spite of it being on the commissioners court agenda for the June 8 meeting. Keith Burnett has been doing the work on a contract basis, but some thought and this newsletter was told that the job would go to Larry and Brenda Bradford when they were hired by the county. But that, apparently, has not been determined. Halfmann’s county road crew did the job last week, and according to County Judge Wilburn Bednar and Commissioner Jimmy Strube, future arrangements are being “worked on.”