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Yahoo
a day ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Lubbock County budget talks end in drama, an accusation of departments misleading public
While most people enjoy the summer months, several governing entities around the city are kicking it into high gear for their budget processes. That includes the Lubbock County Commissioners Court, which will have multiple hearings from county department heads on their needs and wants as the court sets the budget for the next fiscal cycle. Others are reading: NWS confirms 8 tornadoes struck in Lubbock County, around West Texas in early June 2025 That included hearing from the Lubbock County Sheriff's Office, the county clerk, facilities, and many more to create a budget framework within the county's proposed no-new-revenue tax rate. But just like any budget, it faces challenges with differing opinions and priorities. Through the next two weeks, check back here to find out what is being said and what is or isn't on the chopping block, as the commissioners hammer out what will be in the FY 2026 budget. The day started off rough as Lubbock County Auditor Kathy Williams scolded the court first thing in the morning, requesting that all future budget meetings concerning her input be held in her office. This stems from the very heated fight on Thursday afternoon between Williams, Commissioner Jason Corley and Precinct 2 Justice of the Peace Susan Hanson. 'I find that some of the budget hearings are unprofessional, unproductive and disrespectful to both me and the department and their staff,' Williams said. 'Meetings are not intended to criticize or make digs at other departments.' Commissioner Corley point-blank asked Williams if she thinks her manner during the budget hearing proceedings was professional. Williams responded no, it has not been professional but also pointed a finger at Corley and the court. 'You intentionally orchestrated that yesterday and allowed it to happen,' Williams said toward Corley. 'And the court showed silence and allowed it to continue.' Williams also made the accusation that the court has been allowing the department heads to mislead the public during the proceedings, and the court 'just sits there and takes it.' When asked by the Avalanche-Journal after the meeting about the accusation and for elaboration on it, Williams replied with "no comment." Following the incident, the commissioner heard from the final two departments. Here's what was said. Elections Office: Asking for a slight decrease this year, but warns in 2027 of a major increase due to recent legislation and redistricting requirements. General Assistance: Asking for a flat budget with minimal increases. While budget talks may be concluded, the behind-the-scenes work continues as Williams — the state-mandated budget official — crafts the budget with the departments before presenting the final framework to the commissioners for approval in the next few months. What was only expected to come to fruition has now occurred, as county commissioners and staff have been hosting four days of public hearings in addition to their regularly scheduled meetings. Tensions were running high as brief but fiery kerfuffles erupted from the fifth floor of the Lubbock County Courthouse; however, it didn't distract either party from persevering and getting the work done. Again, a recurring topic of merit-based pay raises and COLAs was discussed with heads of departments advocating for their staff. This is helping the commissioners court — which seemingly agrees on a COLA raise for all county employees — to determine whether to reinstate a process for merit-based pay increases. Here are the departments that presented today and what they are requesting, if anything: County commissioners' individual park budgets: Precinct 1 — Flat budget for the clubhouse (has no parks). Precinct 2 — Needing to update some facilities and looking at accommodating community wants. Precinct 3 — $7,000 increase to help with odds and ends at clubhouses and parks. Precinct 4 — $30,000 decrease in budget due to the sprinkler installation being completed. County worker composition: County HR is requesting several increases to specific programs due to medical and pharmacy inflation. County Court Administration: Slight increase in departmental budgets and a $230,000 increase request for the judicial budget — $100,000 for the investigator line item and $75,000 for the expert witness line item. Precinct 2 Justice of the Peace: An increase in department personnel pay, as well as a pay raise of her own due to an increase in workload volume, requesting new furniture and will not ask for a part-time staffer due to a lack of office space. South Plains Auto Theft Task Force: Asks for nothing and is decreasing its budget request from last year. Precinct 1 Constable: Requesting a deputy position and a merit-based pay increase for his clerk. The commissioners are set to hear from the elections office in its final departmental budget meeting before they embark on hammering out what should and shouldn't be funded. The day featured a curveball that IT was made aware of just earlier in the day, which will cost the county $300,000 upfront. The issue, as presented by IT director Isaac Badu and representatives from the county's DA, is an unfunded 2024 mandate for the Department of Justice that requires county governments to update their websites to be ADA-friendly. The deadline to be in compliance — April 2026. "The scope of this project is going to be quite enormous," Badu said. "Not only are we going to redesign the entire website — which would require resources from every department within the county to commit the time to get it done properly — we would also have to train our entire population on how to feed these websites with data, and how do we think about it from the accessibility standpoint." Badu also testified for his department, stating a budget increase is needed with software maintenance and hardware costs increasing, and advocated for adding two new staff members. He, along with other department heads, advocated for merit-based raises for their staff. Here's what other departments testified about and their budget requests: County Treasurer: Presented a flat budget with a request for one additional staff member. Roads: Commissioners presented with possible plans on how to fix the county's RAP road issues discussed earlier in the week. Medical Examiners: A flat budget as staff is tentatively set to move into the ME's building next spring. County Commissioners Court: A decreased budget was presented. County Judge: Presented a decreased budget. Each individual commissioner was not able to present their budgets today as scheduled due to the ADA compliance deadline taking up a majority of the discussion, but they are set to speak about it first thing in the morning. A full day of budget hearings is broken up into morning and afternoon sessions. Here's what was talked about and what each department is requesting, with more flat budgets being presented. Human Resources HR Director Melanie Hall advocated for two more positions on the staff so that it would be similar to what other comparable county governments have around the state. However, the biggest takeaway is that Hall is advocating for a 3% COLA to all county government staff — something that the commissioners leaned toward granting — and an up to 3% merit-based pay increase. While numerous department heads are willing to put in the needed work to provide performance evaluations on employees, the county commissioners have shown some hesitancy since day one of budget talks, with some still showing their hesitancy today. Emergency Management Clinton Thefort presented three items to the court: A $41,000 increase for contract services. Funding for the critical needs budget to help aid volunteer fire department equipment purchases. $50,000 for maintenance for the county's fire radio system: $10,000 for routine maintenance and $40,000 for emergency repairs. Precinct 2 Constable Constable Jody Barnes said he will be coming under budget with the current fiscal cycle, but is requesting an $81,000 increase to various items on his budget to help hire a deputy to assist him. Precinct 3 Constable Constable Jose Sanchez is requesting more funds for a clerk who could be shared between him and another constable. Sanchez is also asking for a pay raise for his deputy, and needs a brand new pickup — costing around $70,000 plus a $4,600 for a radio installation — for the deputy. Ransom Canyon Children's Library While not the head of a county department, the head of the City of Ransom Canyon's Children Library requested to speak to the commissioners, and she was requesting an increase in the allocated funds. The library is requesting $10,000 in funds to help support the children's library. In addition, the heads of the county's audit, judicial compliance, county purchasing, Texas A&M AgriLife County Extension, district clerk and law library offices all presented flat budgets with minimal increases or requests. What people can look forward to tomorrow is that the commissioners and the county judge will present their individual budgets and the commissioners' court budget as a whole. The first day of five conscutive days of budget hearings was filled with what one would expect budget hearings to be like moving forward as the commissioners craft the preliminary framework of the 2026 budget. However, that is until a very lively debate broke out amongst the commissioners about where the hold up is on restoring the public's access to certain records required under state law. It was finally settled that the discussion should be taken up at a later time and date to better address the issues at hand. Other than the brief diversion, here are the five department heads from today's meeting and their budget requests. Lubbock County's District Attorney's Office While coming in with a flat budget request, there are a few items Lubbock District Attorney Sunshine Stanek did request the commissioner to consider granting: Three new positions requested: a legal assistant, an investigator and an appellate attorney. A 6.5% pay raise for all attorneys to help with retention rates, which would take the starting pay from $80,000 to $85,000 to be more consistent around the state. COLA request. Others are reading: Lubbock-Cooper ISD school board OKs $129 million 2026 budget, welcomes new trustee Lubbock County Tax Office Also coming in with a flat budget, the tax office is requesting funding for four more positions within the office as the workload has increased. The office also told the commissioners they are on the waiting list to receive another retired vehicle from another county department to help replace the current vehicle it has. Justice of the Peace for Precinct 1 Justice of the Peace Betty Dills also presented a flat budget with the following requested items: COLA request for staff and merit raise request for two clerks. $550 for law books to replace outdated ones. A $700 decrease for association membership dues/fees. Dills received praise from the commissioners for making do with a small budget and requesting things she thought were necessary. "If we don't need it, why have it," Dills replied to their praise. Juvenile Justice Center The requested budget is just over $8.6 million, with the food budget seeing an increase due to rising costs. County Clerk County Clerk Kelly Pinion also requested a flat budget with no additional requests. Pinion is also on board with bringing back merit-based raises, saying she likes to pay hard workers a little extra over those who just do the bare minimum. In contrast to Monday's discussion-packed session, this day was lighter, but the topics were just as important. Others are reading: When will 19th Street, Loop 88 be done in Lubbock? Here's what TxDOT has to say The commissioners heard from Public Works and Roads and Bridges departments with the key requests: The county's Public Works department is requesting a $50,000 budget increase for contract services, which covers jobs the county is not equipped to handle. When it comes to the Roads and Bridges department, some aspects are decreasing while others remain flat or at a slight increase. However, staff is requesting a 26% increase in operating budget with an overall $3.9 million increase to the department budget. Commissioners must also decide which county roads will be included in the 2026 budget and which ones will be delayed. On that same note, the commissioners are interested in addressing the county's Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP) roads in each precinct. After the discussion, they came to an understanding that each one will need to be addressed individually to fit the needs of the precinct. After the discussion, the commissioners convened for an executive session. The commissioners are set to meet again next week for further talks after canceling Wednesday's meeting due to conflicting schedules. Day one was jam-packed with discussion and the commissioners hearing a Lubbock County Sheriff's Office request for more deputies and facilities staff for its aging buildings. Here's a quick breakdown of their requests: Sheriff's Office Comprises around 40% of the county's budget. Requesting four deputies to be stationed full-time at University Medical Center, where inmates are taken for medical treatment. This is to offset the thousands of overtime hours billed each year, which is how those positions are currently being funded/staffed. Create two compliance deputy positions to help enforce the game room ordinance and other regulatory measures currently enforced by patrol deputies. Requested additional funds to help prevent wage compression in the department to retain current personnel and offer incentives for promotions within the department. For Subscribers: Future of Lubbock County Expo Center uncertain as leaders eye Plan B in downtown Lubbock County Facilities Big takeaway — a push not to put off maintenance on county infrastructure. Lubbock County is facing millions of dollars in needed facilities maintenance. Staff is requesting around a $1.1 million increase to its general operating budget. Currently, staff classify two buildings — the Courthouse Annex Parking Garage and the Facilities Maintenance Parking Garages — as being in very poor condition, so much so that there are talks about building a new courthouse garage because it would cost more to repair the existing structure. Staff is also raising notice that the Sheriff's Office Garage is also on the same trajectory as being labeled very poor by 2032 if repairs are not made. County staff is asking the commissioners to approve several proposed projects in 2026 to prevent the current infrastructure challenges it faces. On a better note, staff is saying that the new Texas Anti-Gang Unit Center and the new Medical Examiner's Office should be operational in the next few months. The latter is forecast to be ahead of schedule and under budget. Precinct 4 Constable The constable for precinct four is requesting the commissioners to fund a deputy constable position. Constable Joe Pinson told the commissioners that while having a deputy would help double his office's productivity, the request for the new position is mainly for safety and security reasons. Pinson recounted several recent events where he was personally attacked when serving writs to individuals and said the deputy would help cover his back in those situations. Other Notes Notably, what was not on the agenda today was candid discussions between the commissioners and County Judge Curtis Parrish with county staff to start determining the cost of giving a 3% Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) to all staff. There was also a brief discussion on revamping the merit-based raises that the commissioners froze this past year. While most of them liked the ideas, each in their own way said they had issues with how the raises would be given equally, prompting an agreement to further discuss the matter later. Others are reading: Lubbock County unveils Texas Historical Markers for deadly 1970 tornado, Dr. Ted Fujita Finally, there are differing opinions on how much of a COLA should be given to elected officials. Commissioner Cary Shaw refused to consider it at first. However, other commissioners clarified that the increase would include other elected officials besides the court, such as the tax assessor, justices of the peace, constables, and more. Shaw warmed up to the idea and sided with the other commissioners on a proposed 2% COLA increase for elected officials, noting he could elect to forego the raise, like some do. But not everyone was on the same page. County Judge Parrish proposed a 3% COLA increase, with commissioners evaluating every elected official's pay to see if a higher percentage is needed to ensure it has been adjusted to the current economic climate. The Lubbock County budget workshops are open to the public. Individuals can attend them on the 5th floor of the Lubbock County Courthouse or online. Commissioners are set to meet again at the following start times this week: 8:30 a.m. on June 24. 1:30 p.m. on June 25. 8:30 a.m. on June 26. 8:30 a.m. on June 27. Mateo Rosiles is the Government & Public Policy reporter for the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. Got a news tip for him? Email him: mrosiles@ This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Lubbock County hosts budget talks for 2026 tax, revenue and expense
BBC News
09-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Medieval Gloucester building reopened after £300k restoration
A medieval building that was once on the national "at risk" register has been restored and will now be open to the Grade I listed building at 26 Westgate Street in Gloucester is the largest surviving historic timber-framed townhouse in the England supported the restoration with a grant of more than £300, Malone, owner of 26 Westgate, said: "The building is looking fantastic and the door to Maverdine Lane is now open to the public to enjoy the amazing Tudor facade." Mr Malone added that the repair work had been "a long time coming," but was "well worth the wait".The director of Gloucester Antiques Centre, Kathy Williams, said the "medieval gem" now has the ability to "grow and offer more space to antique dealers".As part of the restoration, Historic England's team carried out research on the history of the found that the building had a front section which was built around 1620 and a rear section dating back to around 1590. They also found the rear part of the townhouse was built by John Browne Senior a mercer or cloth son, John Browne Junior, who added the front section, was a brewer and three-time mayor of the medieval period, the building would have fronted the main market area on Westgate Street and was known as 'the mercery' due to it being widely used by various cloth Simmonds, South West regional director at Historic England, said: "The restoration of the Gloucester Antiques Centre is another vital step in the ongoing regeneration of Gloucester, breathing life back into a much-loved building and securing its place in the community for years to come."
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Yahoo
Decatur group handing out doorbell cameras for community safety
DECATUR, Ill. (WCIA) — It was a violent weekend in Macon County after a man was fatally shot Saturday and a woman was found dead inside a barn that had caught fire. One local group is working to give community members peace of mind and help them feel safe in their homes amid the deaths. The Coalition of Neighborhood Organizations (CONO) has handed out about 100 Blink doorbell cameras for free throughout Decatur. Sentencing rescheduled for Decatur couple convicted of child porn Leadership said it's one way to try and catch crime or stop it before it happens. 'I hope that if someone has a Blink doorbell camera and they can capture any violent activities outside, that that will deter people from creating those types of violent activities,' CONO President Kathy Williams said. 'They won't do it, they don't want to get caught.' In order to get a camera, people need to apply, have internet access and register it with the Decatur Police Department so officers can get the video if needed. People interested can call 217-791-1385 for more information. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
13-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Detroit artist Rashaun Rucker receives career award, rediscovers purpose as educator
'The joy is in the work,' said Detroit-based artist Rashaun Rucker. On Sunday, Feb. 16, Rucker will receive the Alain Locke Recognition Award at the Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA), alongside fellow artist (and Michigan native) Titus Kaphar, who will receive the Alain Locke International Award. 'It's funny,' Rucker said. 'I had this award on a vision board 17 years ago. When I moved here, it was one of the things I wanted to accomplish. And I saw people I knew getting it, like Hugh Grannum and Tylonn Sawyer — friends and family and peers. It was something I always had on my bucket list. 'I got a little emotional when I found out because it's like a career award. You win the Alain Locke because of sustained excellence in art in our area; you don't normally see people get it who haven't been at it for a long time. This feels like validation of my sustained discipline.' See also: 23-year-old saxophonist Houston Patton becomes youngest resident artist at Cliff Bell's Widely read: Popular Ann Arbor artisan shop 16 Hands to close this spring after 50 years Along with his art practice, Rucker, a former Detroit Free Press photographer, now teaches art to grades kindergarten through eight at Charles Wright Academy of Arts and Science. It is this work he says that has been the most rewarding for him. 'I never thought about any of the big things, getting work in the Smithsonian and other museums,' he said. 'I never thought about winning an Emmy at the Freep. All I ever wanted to do was be a middle school art teacher. My middle school art teacher in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Kathy Williams, was the first person that made me believe I could be an artist, and told my parents I could be an artist. She would stay after school with me and work with me all through middle school, and I grew wanting to be Kathy Williams for the next person. 'This is my first year working in a public school as an art teacher. After being in journalism for 20 years, and doing visiting lectures at colleges and different things, it's kind of serendipity to get this award when I'm back to my original career goal from when I was a kid.' He said finds he's learning as much as the students are. 'Sometimes, you go to school and get a lot of education, and then you only follow those rules,' he said. 'What's great is the ability to break rules and create freedom. Kids have this artistic freedom that you eventually lose once you learn too many rules. Part of my education from them is being able to see that and find out for myself, because I can be very rigid in my own practice. 'Being a public schoolteacher, the kids look at you like a big brother. But you're also a second parent, you are a social worker, you are a caterer, you are a party store. You're everything. I had a big moment last week — it's Black History Month, and the kids in the third grade dress up as somebody that had a profound effect on Black history. One of the students wants to be me. That lets me know I'm making a difference, I'm hitting that mark that I need to hit with these kids.' Rucker said students run up in the halls and excitedly show him sketchbooks full of work they've created at home. 'And now,' he said, 'when I'm on lunch duty, I see kids drawing in the cafeteria and I know I'm having an impact.' He said his biggest surprise in this role has been how much children need. 'How much more love is needed,' he said, 'how much more exposure, how much more education is needed. I don't think you can understand that unless you've been a teacher. Even if you give 100%, our kids need so much more. Sometimes, I'll go home and I'm exhausted, but my parents are both teachers. If you give 100% to this job and you care about it, it's going to exhaust you, but you know you're doing the right thing, and I can say that about all the teachers I work with in this building.' Last year's Alain Locke Recognition Award recipients were David and Linda Whitaker, art collectors, philanthropists, and major guiding forces in Detroit's art community. Linda also spent her career in education, including many years as a principal in Detroit. 'We have breakfast in the same place a couple times a week,' Rucker said. 'On the weekend, I'll go there and we see each other. Linda and I talk about education, and she told me something last week that really touched me. She said, 'You can't be a good teacher and be afraid to lose your job. You've got to be a fearless educator.' ' Linda has great admiration for Rucker and his career work. 'Rashaun Rucker's photography, drawings, and printmaking capture the spirit of African-American life,' she told the Free Press in a written statement. 'He connects with us by creating artwork that exhibits our spirituality, sense of community, and social commentary. His works stimulate our thought processes because (they) can make you feel at home with a sense of belonging or make you take a stand for justice and equality. His works scream, 'I care.' 'Rucker also utilizes his talents to support and interact with the artistic educational process of our youth and young adults. He is a multifaceted star.' Detroit Public Schools Community District (DPSCD) superintendent Dr. Nikolai Vitti echoed the commendation of Rucker's educational work. 'We are immensely proud to have Mr. Rucker as part of our DPSCD team, where he inspires and educates our visual arts students at Charles H. Wright,' said Vitti. 'In a remarkably short period, Mr. Rucker has captivated students with the essential elements and principles of visual art, offering them fresh perspectives on the world around them. We celebrate Mr. Rucker's lifelong dedication to the arts and his well-deserved recognition with the Alain Locke Award. 'The Alain Locke Recognition Award celebrates local artists and contributors. The award highlights the transformative power of art and its role in enriching cultural heritage and community life. Mr. Rucker's contributions are a testament to the transformative power of education and the arts.' Rucker is represented in metro Detroit by Ferndale gallery M Contemporary Art. Owner Mellanie Chard spoke of him as an inspiration. 'What I find so inspiring about Rashaun,' she said, 'is his ability to convey artistic intent regardless of the material he is using. I've seen him make incredible work with just colored pencils. But whether he is drawing, printmaking, painting or reinterpreting a familiar object, you know it's him. You can tell it's his work. To me, that is what makes a true artist. It doesn't matter what medium he is working in, the intention is always clear.' Rochelle Riley, the city of Detroit's director of arts and culture, had high praise for both Rucker and Kaphar. 'The entire city should be proud of what the Friends of African and African American Art at the DIA are doing, recognizing brilliance because it is necessary and it is right,' she said. 'That this year's honors are going to MacArthur genius Titus Kaphar and Detroit genius Rashaun Rucker — who are both known, as the Friends noted, for 'dismantling classical structures' — is vitally important. 'I've known Rashaun for a quarter-century and marveled at his pivot from news photographer and editor to renowned artist whose work is in the National Museum of African American History and Culture, the 'Blacksonian.' The Locke Awards ceremony is a moment that should make all Detroiters, all Michiganders stand and cheer.' Rucker's latest solo show, 'Patron Saints of a Black Boy,' recently left the University of Texas at Austin and is headed to the University of North Carolina Charlotte this spring. It has been four years since his last big solo show in Detroit; he hopes to deliver another in the region next year. More: 'Resting in Black': Artist creates socially conscious works about Black life in America 'I think all of this is a testament to just staying with it,' Rucker said of his career achievements. 'One of my eighth graders was just telling me about what they couldn't draw something, and I said, 'Don't start with the excuses. Excuses are the tools of the incompetent. Don't specialize in excuses. They'll lead you nowhere. A lot of people I graduated college with are not working in this field, and when they see me, they always tell me, 'Man, you made it and I didn't!' The only difference between me and them is I never stopped making art. 'When I worked at the Freep, I was always making art. I never stopped. I tell my students, 'The thing between you and your dreams is work. And you can't skip the work.' I think between social media and influencers, young people think that you can skip the work now. The work is always gonna be the work. I told him, 'You can fail, just fail forward. And if you have to start over, at the end of the day, it's just a piece of paper.' Everything in life is like that: You do the work to get better. I smile when I see kids who cross some kind of barrier they reached with an art project. It makes me happy that they figured it out.' 'The joy,' he said, 'is in the work.' He said finding his calling as a public school teacher has reinvigorated him. 'As an artist, you breathe life into something,' he said. 'What I like about my job is watching students breathe life into their pieces every day when I come in here. And just like they do with their pieces, I have to breathe life into them. Belief, confidence — that's a strong thing to give somebody. 'I wish everybody gave others confidence. The world would be a better place.' The 32nd annual Alain Locke Awards will be held Sunday, Feb. 16, at the DIA, 5200 Woodward Ave., Detroit. Tickets are sold out. Contact Free Press arts and culture reporter Duante Beddingfield at dbeddingfield@ This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit artist Rashaun Rucker to receive prestigious award this weekend
