PJC regents to decide Friday whether to continue Lady Dragons basketball program

The future of women’s basketball at Paris Junior College will be decided in a special meeting of the PJC board of regents at 11 a.m. Friday.

On the agenda of a meeting of PJC regents’ Monday night was Item No. 8: “Discussion and possible action on discontinuing women’s basketball and beginning women’s golf.”

No news media was in attendance, and the college made no release, but by Tuesday, reports were circulating among coaches from other Texas junior colleges that PJC had abolished women’s basketball.

“Whoever is reporting that is way out of line,” PJC president Pam Anglin said Tuesday afternoon in response to the reports.

“There was a 6-3 vote of the board to discontinue. But after everybody left, they asked to revisit it, and so they asked me to put together an agenda for a special meeting on Friday,” Anglin said.

“It’s a big decision, and I think everybody just – after it was over, they said, well, did we think of everything? This is a serious discussion, and everybody wants to make sure this is the right thing to do.”

PJC president Pam Anglin

PJC president Pam Anglin

The vote to discontinue basketball has not officially been rescinded, Anglin said, but neither is it final. It’s on hold, she said.

“What I think is going to happen Friday, they’re going to rescind the motion and open it up for more discussion,” the PJC president said.

“In the meantime, I’m going to pull together information on all our athletic programs and also work on the budget for next year in athletics to see where we are financial-wise,” she said.

She made no recommendation, just gave facts and figures, Anglin said.

“Between now and Friday, what I’m working on now is putting rosters together one very team we have, how many kids are on each roster, where they’re from. And look at how many scholarships we have, what kind, in each program and what our total budget is. I’m going to pull every bit of information I can think of that might help the board in making a decision.”

Asked if there is a possibility the vote will swing around and Lady Dragons basketball might continue, Anglin said: “I think so. If it does, I’ve just got to go out and find a really good coach. If you do anything, you do it to be competitive. If we’re not even trying to be competitive, we’re throwing money away.”

Anglin herself played basketball, at Grayson College, and grieved when that school cut its basketball program three years ago.

“But I see what the financial situation is, not only here but for all the colleges. We’re looking at a half million to $700,000 cut from the state. We’re not going to get any additional tax money, so we’re having to look at everything. I have to look at support for programs, and people don’t support women’s basketball around here,” she said.

Men’s basketball at PJC gets more support than all other sports combined.

PJC cannot use tax money to support athletics. Neither can money from the state be used. Gate receipts bring in only
$1,200 a year. The only sports where there’s a fee to get in are volleyball and men’s and women’s basketball.

“Our auxiliary — which is profits from the cafeteria and the bookstore — that’s what we have to use to pay for athletics. The last few years, when we started our booster club, we used that to buy our uniforms, and so, over a period of three years, everybody gets new uniforms. We alternate years in different sports. We have not reduced our athletic budget, but as costs have gone up we have had to look outside for revenue.”

Asked if uncertainty over the program was a factor in Sean LeBeauf’s decision to resign several weeks ago to become an assistant coach at the University of Arizona, Anglin said it was just the opposite.

“Sean has been wonderful for us. When Sean agreed to come back (to take over the women’s program four years ago), we needed someone to build our program to the point it would be competitive. So this never even came up while he was here,” she said.

Former PJC women's coach Sean LeBeauf

Former PJC women’s coach Sean LeBeauf

“But with him leaving, it was just automatic with us, because of the money situation with the state. Everytime somebody leaves a position, we look at ‘Do we refill it?’ We do that with every position. Just like when Mickey Flippen retired from men’s golf several years ago. I told the board this is a time when you reevaluate and decide if you want to continue men’s golf, or do you want to discontinue it. And the same thing has been done now with women’s basketball.”

Anglin hasn’t advertised for a new women’s basketball coach yet.

“Last month, in closed session, when I presented Sean’s resignation, I said before I advertise this position I need to know what you want to do. Now is the time if we want to reconsider. So they asked me to put it on the public agenda for May. We’ve not opened it up, waiting for the board’s decision,” she said.

LeBeauf had offered scholarships to eight players, and if the program should be shut down, those offers would be honored, Anglin said. The players also would be allowed to transfer to other schools, she said.

One reason it’s important to make a quick decision is because the school would want the scholarship players to remain at PJC, Anglin said.

She said she received an email and two phone calls from coaches interested in the position.

If a women’s sport is dropped, it either has to be replaced with another women’s sport, or a men’s sport has to be dropped. Under Title IX, the number of men’s and women’s programs has to be the same.

If women’s golf were added and basketball dropped, there would be no increase in revenue, but fewer scholarships.

“The difference is $36,000 for women’s golf scholarships compared to $90,000 for women’s basketball. The savings in coaches’ salaries and benefits would be another $80,000, so that would save us $134,000,” Anglin said. The men’s golf coach would also coach the women.

But she said she doesn’t see PJC adding women’s golf even if the women’s basketball program should be dropped.

There is no consideration at all of dropping women’s volleyball or softball, Anglin said.

“In both volleyball and softball, we have local kids. Looking at women’s golf, how do we get more opportunities for local kids, which is important to us. For men’s and women’s basketball, it’s rare we get local kids that can compete.”

In recent years, there have been only two local high school players — Justin Collard of North Lamar High School and Shanice Hill of Paris High School — who have played basketball for PJC.

Members of the PJC board of regents are: Curtis Fendley, president; Louise Taylor, vice president; Berdie Gibson, secretary; Daigone Garner; Carlton Grant; Frankie Norwood; Roma Street; Ginna Walker Bowman; and Ann Wyche.

By CHARLES RICHARDS

eParisExtra.com

Resolving Paris’ drainage issues — a full-time job for city’s public works department

Each month, the Paris City Council is given a ditch maintenance report.

eParisExtra logoMany issues are being addressed not only by the public works department but by KSA engineers as they study the City of Paris’ longtime infrastructure situation.

Drainage is the focus of a Wednesday joint meeting between KSA and a citizens’ advisory committee that will help prioritize major infrastructure projects that will be undertaken in coming years.

For the most part, drainage issues will have to be funded through the city’s normal budgeting process. A $45 million bond issue approved by citizens in a May 11 election are primarily for replacement of bad water and sewer lines. Construction of streets and drainage repair is included only as affected by the water and sewer line replacements.

Monday night, the council received (in the consent agenda) a 12-page report detailing routine checks on routine maintenance of ditches, culverts, inlets, etc. – mostly resolved day-to-day by city personnel by excavating or cleaning out ditches, etc.

Following are the 24 unresolved major drainage cases being worked by the city’s Public Works Department:

  • Wanda Montgomery, 1135 20th NE: Ditch behind this residence erodes, making access to the rest of the lot difficult and leaves standing water. Action: “Evaluating the possibility of extending the current concrete flume to eliminate this problem. We are in the process of obtaining an easement for the missing section in order tomake necessary repairs. Insufficient funds.”
  • Mrs. Binnion, 500 E. Austin and 506 E. Sherman: Ditch is very overgrown. May be private property; yard flooding. Action: “Researching deeds, property lines and easement in order to find defined easement.”
  • Kathy Johnson, 2315 W. Sherman: Erosion of ditch. Action: “Minor erosion; we continue to monitor this erosion and will repair if needed.”
  • Roger Stripland, 3420 Clement Road: Water will not drain. Action: “The roadside ditch is poorly graded and there is no outfall for the ditch. The engineering department is evaluating the possibility of regarding this ditch to allow it to drain. Grading will be performed this summer by the street division.”
  • Gary Nash, 645 Johnson Woods Drive: Creek is undermining adjacent deck. Action: “The surveying work is complete. The channel must now be designed and money budgeted to build a concrete lined channel section.”
  • Center Street from Loop to NE 34th Street: Center Street floods because the channel has been filled in on the north side of Center Street. Action: “There is no drainage system to take off-site water draining to this street. Correction of this problem will require engineering analysis and design.”
  • Barbara Doyle, 210 SE 17th St.:  The ditch in front and on the side of her house collects water from Margaret, Hubbard, 16th, Cleveland and Clarksville. The residence sits low. During heavy rains, water rises from the ditch and floods the house. Action: The street division will continue to clean and monitor this ditch, but this problem will require engineering analysis and design to properly address it. Part of a larger system that extends from Lamar Avenue to past Clarksville Street.”
  • Lamar Avenue and SE 24th St.: Intersection floods; inadequate drainage. Action: “Storm sewer system may be undersized; will require engineering analysis and design to address it. Part of the system described just previously.”
  • Clarksville Street and SE 17th Street: Severe erosion, silting and flooding. Action: “System is undersized and deteriorating and will require engineering analysis. Part of the system described just previously.”
  • Mrs. Vandever, 2720 Culbertson and 2740 Hubbard: Garage and patio floods during heavy rains. Action: “Ditch needs to be widened; engineering design needs to be developed to improve this section of the old ditch.”
  • SE Sixth Street, SE Eighth Street and Southeast 12th Street, from Sycamore to Old Jefferson Road: Area is flat and streets flood. Action: “Drainage system is undersized and undeveloped; will require engineering analysis and design to address it.”
  • 700 Pine Bluff: Road flooding. Action: “Collapsed storm drain. Needs televised, needs larger pipe. Will require engineering analysis.”
  • Charles Taylor, NE Eighth St. and Price: Road flooding. Action: “Will require engineering analysis.”
  • Sherman St. and SW Seventh Street: Road flooding. “Storm sewer system is undersized; will require engineering analysis and design to address it.”
  • Sherman Street and SE Sixth Street: Pipe contains debris and is collapsed in sections. Action: “Needs further investigation.”
  • Washington Street and SE Sixth Street: Full of silt and bottle necking. Action: “Needs further investigation.”
  • 3061 E. Houston: Yard flooding. Action: “Under investigation by our consultant.”
  • 1750 Cedar: Ditch overgrown. Action: “No obstructions to water flow; scheduled for cutting later this summer.”
  • 825 E. Oak: Yard flooding. Action: “No easement; investigate pipe size under road.”
  • 2599 Clark Lane: Water in house. Action: “Need design.”
  • Henderson Street and NW 16th Street: Street flooding. Action: “Need design.”
  • Joe McCarthy, Smith Creek at NW 10th Street (south of Center Street): Water standing in ditch; creek has eroded under both the up and down stream ends at the culvert. Action: “Staff has located an abandoned sewer line that appears to be draining to this area. We will cap this line and observe what impact this has on the problem.”
  • Ray Banks, South Church and Hearn: Storm sewer outfall does not drain. Action: “Drainage project and possible acquisition of easements.”
  • Virginia Allen, NE 22nd Street, Ballard, Briarwood and Durango: Concrete has washed up with the force of the water and is preventing the drainage ditch from draining. Action: “Currently receiving bids from contractors to replace the missing section of concrete; insufficient funding.”

 

66 dilapidated structures came down in past year in Paris; dozens more await demolition

The Paris City Council pulled $400,000 out of reserves last year in order to demolish all dilapidated structures in the city.

demoThat led to an aggressive program by the city’s code enforcement department, which presented 195 cases to the city’s Buildings and Standards Commission forrepair or demolition. All but 19 have been given a deadline (usually 30 days) to demolish (or in some cases to repair).

According to the monthly dilapidated structure report on Monday (contained in the consent agenda) to the Paris City Council on Monday, here are the 74 addresses where demolitions have occurred, either by the owner or by the city, in the past 12 months:

  • 1436 SE 8th
  • 1349 SE 8th
  • 510 E. Neagle
  • 1046 SE 6th
  • 1036 SE 6th
  • 840 Hearon
  • 1214 W. Kaufman
  • 1626 W. Austin
  • 1207 W. Shioh
  • 503 W. Washington
  • 501 NE 6th
  • 505 NE 16th
  • 1125 Mockingbird
  • 410 NW 3rd
  • 737 NW 14th
  • 231 Grand Ave.
  • 2670 Bonham
  • 1250 Franklin
  • 1950 Hubbard
  • 1075 E. Hearon
  • 2111 E. Jackson
  • 717 SE 8th
  • 316 SW 4th
  • 925 W. Cherry
  • 2596 W. Houston
  • 805 Graham
  • 436 W. Orange
  • 1367 W. Houston
  • 838 NW 5th
  • 257 NW 12TH
  • 915 W. Cherry
  • 592 SW 7th
  • 2319 W. Austin
  • 1429 W. Campbell
  • 1504 Grahem
  • 2075 Park
  • 1513 NE 10th
  • 540 NE 1st
  • 424 Fitzhugh
  • 1141 SE 6th
  • 420 & 426 NE 6th
  • 1004 NE 7th
  • 1810 W. Austin
  • 440 Pine Bluff
  • 506 E. Price
  • 331 NE 12th
  • 323 & 329 NE 1st
  • 661 NW 13th
  • 226 NE 12th
  • 109 NW 23rd
  • 101 NW 24th
  • 166 NW 13th
  • 540 E. Washington
  • 1358 W. Booth
  • 137 W. Cherry
  • 316 SW 25th
  • 330 NE 19th
  • 332 SW 9th
  • 1255 NW 34th
  • 1310 W. Henderson
  • 1425 W. Austin
  • 1425 W. Campbell
  • 1640 W. Shiloh
  • 1650 W. Shiloh
  • 1705 W. Campbell
  • 2660 W. Houston
  • 3205 W. Kaufman
  • 1250 Franklin
  • 1020 W. Houston
  • 1031 Graham
  • 1250 Graham
  • 1401 Graham
  • 1204 Fitzhugh
  • 1275 NE 10th

 By CHARLES RICHARDS

eParisExtra.com

 

Frierson, Grossnickle, Hashmi are sworn in for new 2-year terms

From left, District 5 councilman Matt Frierson, District 4 councilman Dr. Richard Grossnickle, and District 7 councilman Dr. AJ Hashmi raise their right hands and repeat their oath of office in response to city clerk Janice Ellis. Frierson defeated challenger Danny Booth 82-24, and Grossnickle and Hashmi were unopposed. (eParisExtra.com photo by Charles Richards)

From left, District 5 councilman Matt Frierson, District 4 councilman Dr. Richard Grossnickle, and District 7 councilman Dr. AJ Hashmi raise their right hands and repeat their oath of office in response to city clerk Janice Ellis. Frierson defeated challenger Danny Booth 82-24, and Grossnickle and Hashmi were unopposed. (eParisExtra.com photo by Charles Richards)

 

The Paris City Council on Monday canvassed the results of the May 11 city election, and then the three recently elected councilmen took their oaths of office from city clerk Janice Ellis.

All three are beginning their second two-year terms on the council after first winning election in 2011.

Holdover members of the council are District 1 councilman Aaron Jenkins, District 2 councilwoman Sue Lancaster, District 3 councilman John Wright, and District 6 councilwoman Cleonne Drake.

 

 

Paris City Council honors retiring Paris Municipal Band director Thomas Neugent

Hall of Fame band director Thomas Neugent is shown with Paris mayor AJ Hashmi at the Paris City Council meeting Monday night. Neugent, who has been director of the Paris Municipal Band's free summer concerts since 2001, is stepping down. (eParisExtra.com photo by Charles Richards)

Hall of Fame band director Thomas Neugent is shown with Paris mayor AJ Hashmi at the Paris City Council meeting Monday night. Neugent, who has been director of the Paris Municipal Band’s free summer concerts since 2001, is stepping down. (eParisExtra.com photo by Charles Richards)

Thomas Neugent, 74, who is stepping down as director of the Paris Municipal Band during its free weekly summer concerts in Bywaters Park, was honored Monday night by the Paris City Council.

After a stellar 37-year career as a band director at four Texas high schools, Neugent retired in 1995 to the Paris area, where his wife, Jacquelyn, had been named principal of Parker Elementary School in Powderly. They built a white two-story house in the woods next to a lake four miles east of Powderly in the Hidden Lake Estates.

He worked part-time as an adjunct wind instruments instructor at the North Lamar High School Band, a job he continues to do, and in 2001 began directing the municipal band through six free Friday night concerts at Bywaters Park in June and July.

“Mr. Neugent has been an asset, and we have been fortunate for his service to the citizens of Paris with his time and talent,” Mayor AJ Hashmi said during a proclamation at the start of Monday’s council meeting.

The Paris Municipal Band, one of the longest-running in Texas, also plays at the Rotary Club’s annual Fourth of July  fireworks show, and wraps up its performances with the annual Paris Council of Garden Clubs’ Crape Myrtle Coronation in mid-July.

The concerts always begin with the Star-Spangled Banner and end with “I Love Paris,” but Neugent brought his own tradition to the band, the mayor noted.

Paris’ municipal band is made up of former members of high school and college bands, along with current high school band members. Members are paid $25 each performance.

“His dedication to practicing and getting musicians to attend the concerts at Bywaters Park will not be forgotten,” Hashmi said. “Mr. Neugent is well-respected by the musicians, and is appreciated by all who know him.”

Neugent was born in Deport on May 1, 1939, and attended school in the Titus County community of Talco, where he played in the high school band from the fifth grade on.

His last 24 years as a high school band director were at Euless Trinity High School, which won UIL Sweepstakes ratings every year he was there. He was inducted in 2005 into the Texas Bandmasters Hall of Fame. Throughout his career, he has served as conductor at summer band camps, adjudicator, all-region clinician and workshop facilitator.

Many of his former students are band directors, music teachers, professional musicians, or still perform at church or in community bands.

His secret to success, he said, is that he always demanded excellence from his students and refused to accept less.

“I played literature above their heads, but we’d stumble through and get it done,” Neugent said in a 2005 interview with me.

“But I wanted to expose those kids to that kind of music, so they could go off to college, or they could sit back and talk to their kids and say, ‘This is what I played when I was in high school,’ “ he said.

The Paris Municipal Band routine under Neugent was the same every time – fast and furious.

“It’s upper left-hand corner to bottom right-hand of each song. Then we go to the next song. We don’t have time to stop and clean stuff up,” Neugent said.

It’s not a place for beginners. Members of the Paris Municipal Band have to be accomplished musicians already.

“Especially the high school students, they have learned they’ve got to be good sight readers. The songs are not all in the same key, the tempo is different for each song, stuff like that,” Neugent said.

Members of the Paris Municipal Band come from as far away as Bonham and other surrounding cities to play — ranging in age from people in their 70s to high school freshmen.

By CHARLES RICHARDS

eParisExtra.com