New Lady Cats Basketball Coach Erica Delley Excited For Opportunity to Coach in Sulphur Springs
The Lady Cats basketball team did not have to wait long for their new head coach.
After news released to KSST in late-June that Brittney Tisdell left Sulphur Springs to return home to coach her alma mater at North Lamar, Coach Greg Owens, athletic director of SSISD, was forced to find a new coach for the Lady Cats as the women’s basketball program was already deep into their summer work-out program, the Edge.
Luckily, Coach Owens found Coach Tisdell’s replacement in nearby Greenville, as Coach Erica Delley was announced as new Lady Cats coach shortly thereafter and made official after the mid-July SSISD board meeting.
Coach Delley graduated from Dallas Kimball High School, and after playing at Texas College in Texarkana, she graduated from Texas Women’s University in Denton after receiving a master’s degree in kinesiology.
After spending some time working for the Parks and Recreations department for Dallas, she was offered the position of assistant coach at Greenville High School.
She served as assistant for the Lady Lions for three years, from 2015-2018, before accepting the head coaching position for Greenville, a job she also helmed for the previous three seasons.
In one of those three seasons as head coach, Coach Delley and her staff had the chance to play Sulphur Springs in the same district before re-alignment changed that.
While she enjoyed her time in Greenville, she called the position a rebuilding project, having at one point to start completely fresh with a new squad of players, so to come to Sulphur Springs, and continue to build on the strong foundation that Coach Tisdell left, was an offer too good to pass up.
When she was an assistant coach for Greenville, she coached against a Coach Chapman-led squad, so she said she has always admired the Lady Cats and their program from afar.
Coach Delley said she admired the way Coach Chapman lead his program and his work ethic, and said Coach Tisdell did a great job as well during her tenure as Lady Cats coach. She said coaching in Sulphur Springs and helming this program makes it “a great place to work.”
With the announcement of the coaching change late in to the off-season, it has caused Coach Delley to play catch-up, as she is still trying to get to know the whole team and their tendencies.
Coach Delley mentioned junior Kenzie Willis, who she said is a great player, but wishes the stand-out player could return to the team this season. It will not be so, the new Lady Cats basketball coach said, as she expects Willis will be out this fall season rehabbing her injury.
Even with the injury to the junior, Coach Delley likes what she has seen from a number of players, like Addison Wall, and is excited to be working with the talented nucleus of players.
She is grateful to have a number of players who have been showing up and showing out during the off-season workouts, and is excited to implement her new system with those players.
Coach Delley says Lady Cats fans can expect a disciplined, hard-nosed team that likes to get-after it. The new women’s basketball coach is a defense-oriented coach, like new Wildcats coach Brandon Shaver, but still wishes to keep the offense fast-paced.
The loss of Kenzie Willis is a big blow to this team, but to compensate for the lack of scoring, Coach Delley says, this Lady Cats team will have to be aggressive of the defensive side of the ball.
“It should be exciting basketball,” Coach Delley said.
The women’s basketball schedule is expected to be released here in the coming weeks after a few more opponents have been firmed up.
KSST is proud to be the official Wildcat and Lady Cat Station. We broadcast Sulphur Springs ISD games year round live on radio. When allowed, we also broadcast games via our YouTube channel.
Tira News – Aug. 5, 2021: Catch Up On Community Birthdays, Donations
By Jan Vaughn
Joyce Dodd met with several of her ex-coworkers at Tejano’s Mexican Restaurant in Cooper for lunch on Thursday, July 29. Joyce reports, “We celebrated one of their birthdays. It was good to visit and catch up on everyone’s life since my retirement.”
We’ve received several generous contributions for the Tira Food Pantry over the last few weeks. We want to express our appreciation to everyone who helps with the cause.
Grace Vaughn had lunch with John and Linda Vaughn on Sunday and visited with their family that afternoon.
Chip and I met our son, Delayne Vaughn, at BJ’s Restaurant in Waco for lunch on Sunday in celebration of Delayne’s birthday.
North Hopkins students will return to classes on Wednesday, August 18. Be sure to watch for school buses as they transport the kids to and from school.
I always need and appreciate input from my friends to help keep me informed of news in our community. If you have any news pertaining to Tira residents, past or present, please contact me, Jan Vaughn, at 903-438-6688 or [email protected].
2 Sulphur Springs Men Arrested On Felony Warrants
Two men were arrested in Sulphur Springs on felony warrants Tuesday, Aug. 3, 2021, according to arrest reports.
Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Nick Marney and Sgt. Tanner Steward reported seeing Jon Michael Hopper traveling on Connally Street in a 1998 Chevrolet Silverado at 6:47 p.m. Aug. 3, 2021. They contacted him. A records check confirmed a warrant for the 47-year-old Sulphur Springs man’s arrest. Hopper was taken into custody and jailed on the a violation of parole warrant was well as four other warrants. The warrants included sale and distribution of material to a minor and unlawful disclosure or promotion of intimate materials charges. His bond on the warrants totaled $20,000 – $5,000 on two charges involving minors and $10,000 on the charge involving intimate materials. He was held on the parole warrant.
A 37-year-old Sulphur Springs man was also arrested by Sulphur Springs Police Sgt. Josh Shufeldt at 7:20 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 3, 2021, on an injury to a child, elderly or disabled person warrant. The officer was made aware of the active warrant and knew the man from previous calls. He contacted him and took him into custody on Woodside Lane on the warrant, reportedly stemming from a 2019 incident. Sulphur Springs police filed the case with the district attorney’s office two years ago. Medical and government records supported the charge. The charge was presented to the grand jury. The warrant has since been obtained for the man’s arrest. He was released from the county jail Wednesday, Aug. 4, 2021, on a $15,000 bond on the charge.
KSSTRadio.com publishes Sulphur Springs Police Department reports and news. The Police Department is located at 125 Davis St., Sulphur Springs, Texas. Non-emergency calls can be made to (903) 885-7602.
If you have an emergency dial 9-1-1.
The Sulphur Springs Police Department continues to serve its citizens with pride in its overall mission and will strive to provide the best possible police force in the 21st century.
If you have an emergency, dial 9-1-1
The Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office is located at 298 Rosemont Sulphur Springs, TX 75482. You can reach them for non-emergency matters at (903) 438-4040.
If you have an emergency, dial 9-1-1
The Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office is located at 298 Rosemont Sulphur Springs, TX 75482. You can reach them for non-emergency matters at (903) 438-4040.
5 Felony Controlled Substance and Marijuana Arrests July 31-Aug. 3, 2021
Local authorities made five felony controlled substance and marijuana arrests from Aug. 1-4, 2021, according to arrest and jail reports.
Tacka Dashell Gotcher was involved in a Sulphur Springs Police Department Special Crimes Unit investigation in which an undercover purchase of methamphetamine took place the previous day, SCU Lt. Mark Estes alleged in arrest reports. The SCU officers secured a felony warrant for her arrest, served it at a South Broadway Street address where she had been staying and took her into custody at 10:50 a.m. Aug. 3, 2021. Gotcher remained in Hopkins County jail Wednesday, Aug. 4, 2021 on the manufacture or delivery of 1 gram or more but less than 4 grams of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance. Bond was set at $50,000 on the second-degree felony charge.
Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Todd Evans and Deputy Alvin Jordan located Jame Jo Evans at a Van Sickle Street residence, served her with a warrant and took her into custody at 10:45 a.m. Aug. 3, 2021. The 35-year-old Sulphur Springs woman was transported to jail, where she remained Wednesday, Aug. 4, 2021, on a possession of 1 gram or more but less than 4 grams of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance; bond was set at 15,000 on the charge. Her probation officer was contacted by the deputies. She was later charged on a warrant for violation of probation on for possession of less than 1 gram of a Penalty Group 1 controlled substance.
Cumby Police Officer J. Talley stopped a 2014 BMW 528i at 4:30 p.m. Aug. 1, 2021, on Interstate 30 west at mile marker 109 for not having a front license plate. The driver was identified as 28-year-old De-Andre Xavier Scott of Lancaster and the passenger as 37-year-old Jovan Martell Brandon of DeSoto.
When Scott opened the glove box to retrieve proof of insurance as requested by Talley, the Cumby officer alleged seeing a bag with burned hand-rolled cigarillos containing marijuana. A probable cause search of the car revealed marijuana and two firearms in a duffel bag.
Talley requested CPD Lt. Paul Robertson to respond at the location. Robertson brought his K-9 partner “Amigo” to assist. While assisting with the search, additional contraband was found. Among the cache of illegal another firearm in the vehicle. After the roadside investigation, the officers counted 2 pounds, 7 ounces of marijuana, several xanax pills, three handguns, body armor, and several boxes of ammo were discovered in the vehicle.
The pair was taken into custody at 4:57 p.m. Aug. 1, 2021, and jailed for possession of 4 ounces or more but less than 5 pounds of marijuana and unlawful carrying of a weapon.
Both Brandon and Scott were both released from Hopkins County jail on Monday, Aug. 2, 2021. Bond for each was set at $5,000 on the marijuana charge and $2,000 on the weapon charge.
HCSO Deputy Aaron Chaney stopped a Honda SUV at 10:27 p.m. July 31, 2021, on FM 275 south at County Road 1140 for defective license plate lights. Upon contact with the occupants, Chaney noted they appeared excessively nervous. The driver’s hands were shaking and he had a slight quiver in his voice while initially talking with the deputy. The passenger, Chaney alleged, appeared to be avoiding making eye contact with him. He obtained permission to search the SUV and had both occupants exit the vehicle.
After patting each down, the Element was then searched. Chaney found two pink clear squares he suspected to be acid or LSD units that were wrapped in foil in Gregory Blackwell’s wallet on the passenger’s seat. When the 20-year-old Greenville man admitted it was indeed acid, he was arrested on a possession of less than 20 units of the Penalty Group 1A controlled substance. Blackwell was jailed on the charge at 11:30 p.m. July 31. He was released from Hopkins County jail Sunday, Aug. 1, 2021, on a $5,000 bond on the felony charge.
KSSTRadio.com publishes Sulphur Springs Police Department reports and news. The Police Department is located at 125 Davis St., Sulphur Springs, Texas. Non-emergency calls can be made to (903) 885-7602.
If you have an emergency dial 9-1-1.
The Sulphur Springs Police Department continues to serve its citizens with pride in its overall mission and will strive to provide the best possible police force in the 21st century.
If you have an emergency, dial 9-1-1
The Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office is located at 298 Rosemont Sulphur Springs, TX 75482. You can reach them for non-emergency matters at (903) 438-4040.
If you have an emergency, dial 9-1-1
The Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office is located at 298 Rosemont Sulphur Springs, TX 75482. You can reach them for non-emergency matters at (903) 438-4040.
Sulphur Springs City Manager’s Report – August 2021
Marc Maxwell presented the following monthly city manager’s report to Sulphur Springs City Council during their regular meeting Tuesday, Aug. 3, 2021:
COVID-19 RESPONSE
The number of active cases in Hopkins County increased dramatically since our last meeting with 117 active cases as of August 2nd. There are 17 patients in the covid unit at the hospital, up from 0 last month.
GRAYS BUILDING
The building is sufficiently completed to rent out for events. Landscaping is in-process, and the 3 large roll-up doors are temporarily fitted with aluminum panels rather that the glass panels that will eventually be installed.
CLAIMS
We did not have any workers compensation claims or liability claims in July.
SENIOR CITIZENS BUILDING
We received a single bid for the engineered metal frame for the building. We will discuss that in another agenda item.
SAPUTO SEWER MAIN
This project is nearing completion. The Capital Construction Division has completed its work on the project. All that remains is for the contractor to bore under Interstate 30 and to connect to the existing system. This $750,000 sewer project is funded entirely by a grant from the Texas Department of Agriculture. The new main will supplement an older undersized main. The path of the new main begins at Saputo and continues under the interstate. It then continues South for 3,500 feet before connecting to an existing trunk line. The new main has a 15-inch inch diameter. This grant is made possible because of a $50 million plant upgrade at Saputo and their cooperation with the Texas Department of Agriculture. Without their cooperation this project would not have been possible.
COLLEGE STREET
This will be the next reconstruction project after the Saputo Sewer Line Project.
REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES
Finance Director Lesa Smith will present a report of revenues and expenditures.
RUNWAY/TAXIWAY REHAB
This $1.9 milproject will begin August 09. 90% of the project cost is covered by a TxDOT grant. All the concrete and asphalt surfaces on the operations side will be completely rehabilitated and the ramp will be significantly enlarged. We expect the runway to be closed for a total of 9 days over three different times.
STREET IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM
Progress stalled in July. To date, the only street on the program to be paved is Duckworth Street. The contractor, Texana Land and Asphalt, plans to be completed by September 30.
MISCKELLANEOUS
Elsewhere around the city, employees:
- Repaired 199 potholes.
- Installed 469 feet of 15-inch sewer main.
- Replaced “No Truck” signs on 7th street.
- Demolished and removed houses on Beckham Street and Texas Street.
- Repaired a storm drain on College Street.
- Made 22 extensive street repairs following utility repairs.
- Coordinate warning siren warranty repairs throughout the city.
- Treated wastewater effluent to a daily average suspended solids reading of .29 mg/L.
- Repaired 14 water main ruptures.
- Replaced 9 water meters.
- Unstopped 22 sewer mains.
- Repaired 11 sewer mains.
- Flushed 36 dead-end water mains.
- Produced 164 million gallons of potable water.
- Processed 585 tickets through municipal court.
- Trimmed trees and cleaned shoreline at Coleman Lake.
- Fertilized sports fields and Celebration Plaza.
- Conducted 27 building inspections, 10 electrical inspections, 9 plumbing inspections, 1 mechanical inspection and issued 19 building permits.
- Responded to 190 animal control calls while achieving a 72% adoption rate.
- Made 3 felony arrests in the Special Crimes Unit.
- Responded to 37 accidents, wrote 585 citations, recorded 54 offenses, and made 60 arrests in the Patrol division.
- Responded to 202 calls for fire/rescue including 2 structure fires and 2 vehicle fires.
- Conducted 50 fire inspections.
- Performed preventative maintenance and testing on 82 fire hydrants.
- Checked out 3,610 materials from the library.
- Accommodated 1,621 operations at the airport.
- Sold 1,967 gallons of AvGas and 12,151 gallons of JetA fuel.
Cow-A-Bunga: Cowhide Care in Sulphur Springs
The Southwest Dairy Museum in Sulphur Springs has finally given their much loved cow mascots a needed face lift. Crews were out refreshing the giant cows with a new coat of paint on August 3rd and 4th.
Be sure to stop by the museum to check out and take a photo with the cows and help them show off their beautiful new looks!
Cumby ISD Meet The Teacher And Title I Parent Meetings Set
Cumby Independent School District administrators have announced the 2021-22 school day schedule and dates for parents to visit the school. The Cumby ISD Meet the Teacher and Title I Parent Meetings will be held on two different days based on grade level.
On Thursday, Aug. 5, parents of pre-kindergarten students are to meet in the cafeteria at 5:30 p.m. to go over brief information, then will have the opportunity from 5:45 to 7 p.m. to meet the pre-k students’ teachers.
Then, on Monday, Aug. 9, parents of all other CISD students from kindergarten through 12th grade will meet in the gym at 5:30 p.m. for a parent meeting. Meet the teacher activities will follow from 5:45 to 7 p.m. Monday.
While all staff have been back at work steadily since Tuesday, with new-to-the-district staff reporting one day earlier, students won’t report for classes for the fall semester until Aug. 12.
This school year, the doors at the school will open starting at 7:20 a.m. for all students and grade levels to begin arriving.
Announcement will be made at 7;50 a.m. for elementary students, with classes starting at 7:55 a.m. Elementary students will be dismissed for the day at 3:35 p.m.
Secondary students will begin first period classes at 7:55 a.m. Students who do not have athletics first period are expected to get breakfast before first period. Those sixth-12th grade students will be dismissed at 3:45 p.m.
Thanks to guidance issued by the United States Department of Agriculture, schools during the 2021-22 school year will be allowed to offer meals to all students at no cost. That means healthy meals are offered every school day to every CISD student at no cost, as opposed to the usual method which bases qualification for free and reduced-price meals on the student’s household income.
Cumby ISD is scheduled to be in class for 3 1/2 weeks before getting their first break. Holidays for students and staff will be Labor Day, Sept. 6; Oct. 25; Thanksgiving break, Nov. 19-26; Christmas break, Dec. 20-Jan. 3; Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Jan. 17; Feb. 25; and spring break, March 11-18.
Students will also get the day off for the following staff development days: Oct. 15, Nov. 18, Jan. 4-5, Feb. 14, March 10 and May 26. Students will be released from classes early on Dec. 17.
The first grading period will be Aug. 12-Oct. 8, the second Oct. 11-Dec. 17, the third Jan. 6-March 9, and the fourth and final grading period will be March 21-May 25. That will put the Cumby High School Graduation on May 27, 2022.
Face covering will be optional for the 2021-22 school year at Cumby ISD, per Texas Governor’s Executive Order GA-36, issued May 18, 2021, prohibiting governmental entities and officials from mandating face coverings. The district does, however, reserve the right to require face covering if the situation changes, with higher COVID-19 transmission levels, of students who exhibit symptoms on campus or governor’s orders.
To read the most up-to-date Cumby ISD Return to In-Person Instruction and Continuity of Services Plan, click here. “Back to School ’21-’22 information can also be found on the district website, https://www.cumbyisd.net/, under the District heading
How to Get the Biggest and Best Yields For Cattle, by Mario Villarino
Developed by Dr. Mario A. Villarino, County Extension Agent for Agriculture and Natural Resources Hopkins County, Texas
The beef industry in Texas is huge.
As I was reporting on this during the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Services Beef Cattle Short Course many topics presented during this event related to ranch profitability.
Profitability is defined by Dr. Dan Posey, Extension Veterinarian as net return to owner’s equity; retained earnings (or profits) increase owner’s equity.
Simply put Assets – Liabilities = Producer’s Equity. If profit is defined as a net return, several methods can be used to reach such a goal: (1) increase revenues, while maintaining the same expense level; (2) decrease expenses, while maintaining the same revenue stream; (3) do both, maximizing revenues and decreasing expenses.
But most cow-calf producers don’t generate a positive return to equity for the efforts they put forth. The cow-calf sector of the cattle industry is among the most heavily subsidized in agriculture – it is subsidized by “off-the- farm” income.
This sector has limited sources of “on the ranch” revenue: the selling of weaned offspring and the selling of culled animals (bulls, cows and replacement heifers).
However, adopting management techniques for better reproductive efficiency, increasing production and reducing production costs can significantly improve a producer’s profit margin. Reproductive efficiency is an important issue for cow-calf producers.
If expressed in economic terms, reproductive efficiency is 10 times more important than production (defined by weaning weights). Reproductive efficiency is 20 times more important economically than product (defined as carcass characteristics). A herd that produces more calves per exposed female will increase revenues by selling more calves.
The average cow-calf producer has a calving rate of 88 to 91.5 percent. The first goal of all producers should be to maximize the reproductive efficiency of their herds.
Four important management techniques that can improve reproductive efficiency are 1) Conduct breeding soundness examinations on all bulls every year 2) Palpate and remove all non-producers 3) Maintain cows in moderate body condition score at calving and 4) Appreciate the hidden values of vaccinations against reproductive diseases.
The key to ranching longevity is reducing production costs to survive cattle-market bad times and take advantage of market good times. Cost reduction can move individual producers toward profitability and ensure sustainability of the cow-calf sector. The last 5 years have seen a trend toward teaching producers how to market their cattle.
Discussions have centered around issues like carcass traits, niche-marketing, genetic selection and value-added products.
But cost reduction assumes even greater importance than marketing, because it allows producers to survive market bad times, then take advantage of good times. Because cattle markets are dynamic, producers must proactively set market strategies by determining unit cost of production (UCP).
Once unit cost of production is known, a cost reduction plan can be formalized. To determine UCP, producers should adopt standardized performance analysis (SPA), used by Texas producers for more than 10 years. The SPA process organizes production and financial information into a standard format for analysis.
For more information on this or any other agricultural topic please contact the Hopkins County Extension Office at 903-885-3443 or email me at [email protected].
Team Tennis Goes 1-1 in Matches Held Monday
On Monday, Aug. 4, Team Tennis hosted two DFW schools in their first matches of the year.
Not only that, but the aforementioned matches are the first competition of the school year for any SSISD squad.
Coach Martinez, head coach of Team Tennis, said the matches went very well.
His squad lost their first match to Sherman, as his student-athletes were only able to win five or six matches according to the Team Tennis coach.
It turned around in a big way when the second match-up came around later in the afternoon, versus Denison.
Coach Martinez said his squad turned it around in a big way, eking out the victory as the Wildcats won 10 matches to Denison’s nine.
The team tennis coach said he was very impressed with the way his team performed.
Compromised mostly of underclassmen, Coach Martinez said a lot of matches, like those held Monday, will continuously be building experiences for his team as they still have a lot to learn.
Thankfully, though, the team tennis coach said he will be relying on several upperclassmen to show leadership throughout the coarse of the season.
In times like the first match, against Sherman, Coach Martinez told his players that they have to keep their head up and keep working.
One of the keys for a successful team, according to Coach Martinez, is the ability to stay positive and continue to support teammates even in the face of defeat. He says that kind of family environment can bring a young team like the one he has to new heights.
It will be in instances like those where his upperclassmen will provide critical leadership over the course of the fall season.
Coach Martinez said he is excited about this team and the future, also saying that several freshman will be heard about here in Sulphur Springs “for years to come.”
That would not be possible without the groundwork that Coach Martinez has laid in his time in Sulphur Springs. That, and the amazing support and continuous buy-in of not only student-athletes, their parents, but also SSISD administration.
Having a state-of-the-art facility in the tennis center, combined with future plans to provide covered-courts at the SSISD athletic complex (the only of its kind between Texarkana and Dallas), has all compounded to making Sulphur Springs a destination for aspiring tennis players.
Coach Martinez and his squad are not done yet, though, as they will be playing four more schools before the fall semester begins on Aug. 18;
- at Mesquite Poteet, on Monday, Aug. 9 at 9 A.M.
- at Bullard High School, on Wednesday Aug. 11 at 9 A.M.
- versus Greenville, on Thursday, Aug. 12 at 4 P.M.
- and lastly at Tyler High, on Tuesday, Aug. 17 at 5 P.M.
The tennis schedule in its entirety can be found here.
KSST is proud to be the official Wildcat and Lady Cat Station. We broadcast Sulphur Springs ISD games year round live on radio. When allowed, we also broadcast games via our YouTube channel.
Construction Of Senior Citizens Center Building Still On Hold
Construction of a new senior citizens center is still on hold, following Sulphur Springs City Council’s rejection Tuesday of the lone bid submitted for a pre-engineered metal building. The Grays Building continues to have aluminum panels in place of roll-up doors on the portion of the building facing the park.
Senior Citizens Center
In November 2020, the construction manager advisor for the project estimated the pre-engineered metal building would cost $220,000-$235,000. More than 230 potential bidders were notified of the project, with 28 packets with the plans and specifications were downloaded. However, at the conclusion of bidding on June 29, the City of Sulphur Springs had received only one bid for $561,503 from Hawk Builders, Sulphur Springs Assistant City Manager Lesa Smith told the City Council at their regular meeting Aug. 3, 2021.
She received reports that suppliers could not submit proposals because they are unable at this time to lock in prices for the materials until the day it goes into fabrication, which wouldn’t occur for 10-12 weeks at the earliest from the order. The global supply chain has become limited since COVID-19 so harshly impacted the economy. The steel market, one supplier said when declining to submit a proposal, is still too unstable and trying to guess what the cost will be and remain competitive is too much of a risk without bidding the entire project as a whole.
City Manager Marc Maxwell said the price of lumber has come down some, and the current thought is that other supplies will follow suit.
Thus, city staff recommended rejecting the lone bid and wait a few months and go out for bids again, in the hope that the steel market will stabilize enough to receive a competitive bid at that future time.
Maxwell noted the architect promised to have the final plans for the building complete by Labor Day, and recommends then going out for bids again for the pre-engineered metal building.
Smith noted that if the costs don’t come down, the city will need to make a decision to move forward. The city borrowed $1.5 million for construction of the new senior citizens activity building and has 3 years to spend the funding. Per an IRS rule, 85 percent of the bond proceeds should be spent before March 2023. City staff believes waiting a few months will allow those obligations to be met. She said even if the project is not complete, their bond advisors indicated if the city can show proof they are trying to meet that goal, that should suffice. Even if rates do go down during the waiting period, the city may have to pay more than originally projected for the project, Smith cautioned.
Sulphur Springs Mayor John Sellers and Assistant City Manager Tory Niewiadomski said they’d each had some enquiries and concerns expressed regarding what the bids were for. Sellers asked for clarification regarding what a pre-engineered metal building building is.
Maxwell said the facility will not be subpar to the Grays Building, and it won’t be trading one metal building for another. Asking for a bid for a “pre-engineered metal building” is simply asking for the the metal structure that will be erected under the exterior brick. The Grays building was not pre-engineered metal. Typically, steel is cheaper than lumber but sturdy, so that’s the direction the city planned to go for the building.
Niewiadomski said those he had spoken with regarding concerns for the Senior Citizens Center indicated they would rather wait longer for prices to come down in order to get more bang for the buck than having to downsize the building to reduce cost and match the budget.
The City Council unanimously agreed to reject the bid from Hawk Builders and put construction of the Senior Citizens Center building on hold for a short time. Place 5 Councilman Gary Spraggins recommended not only waiting and hoping but praying that the price of steel goes down in the mean time.
Grays Building/Pacific Park
The Grays Building was opened last month and is already in use. The City hosted a dedication, ribbon cutting and a presentation from Toole Design Group based on sketches made to incorporate community ideas and requests for the Downtown West project (also referred to as Town Branch project). The structure was rented at least once by the community as well.
While substantially complete, the Grays Building still does not have the glass panels for three large rollup doors facing the into Pacific Park, Maxwell reported. The supplier hired to provide the doors has been fired and another scheduled to obtain and get the doors in. The doors still aren’t in yet, but are reported to be in progress. In the meantime, where the three large roll-up doors would be has been outfitted with aluminum panels .
Landscaping is also in progress around the building Maxwell reported.
The city is planning to budget $155,000 for the city’s portion of the required grant match for the National Fitness Court court at Pacific Park. That’s not part of the $750,000 Parks and Wildlife Grant the city has been awarded for a new playground and other additional repairs and upgrades at Pacific Park. The city anticipates budgeting a separate amount in the general fund in 2021-22 budget for that.
“We are still waiting on a signed contract from Parks and Wildlife and National Parks Service, but they have approved the city, for them to get started and purchase the playground. Once the contract is signed we’ll begin the construction over at Pacific Park,” Smith told the City Council during a budget work session which preceded the regular Aug. 3 City meeting.
Among the improvements planned to the grounds of Pacific Park surrounding the HW Grays Building are: a new playground, sports pavilion, splash pad, restrooms, small pavilion and greenspace
New HW Grays Building in Pacific Park 
In front of temporary aluminum doors
