Columns/Opinions

By Randy Dixon

Cameron Police Chief

Last week, I spoke about the start of school and how the traffic and the issues of traffic abound around the schools. I want to address this again as it’s the first week of school for our Cameron school kids with almost a week under their belt. 

One down and only 35 to go if you are a school age kiddo. Traffic has been heavy this first week and we have had a number of traffic complaints come in on the very first day of classes. I realize that everyone has to get back into the routine of school but kids are both excited and sad summer is over and many times fail to watch what is happening around them. 

By David Barkemeyer

Milam County Judge

Each year as I review the county budget proposal with you, I tend to emphasize the things that are new or changing, but there are a number of things that we fund year after year that you may not even realize that you are paying for when you write the check to pay your county taxes each year. Let me tell you about a few of them just in case you haven’t heard.

I think I’ve talked about the fact that we contribute some $90,000 to the various volunteer fire departments around the county each year. In my opinion it’s not enough considering the service these folks provide for us, but anyway ... Last year we split our payments to them half in January and half in June, but Commissioner’s Court decided that in 2017 we would go back to paying it all in full in January.

By County Judge David Barkemeyer

In another attempt to reduce costs, at Monday’s regular meeting of Commissioner’s Court we voted to table a motion have Region 7 of the Texas Department of State Health Services take over the operation of the Milam County Health Department. If this is approved at the April 11 the region would assume responsibility for providing the clinical services for TB, immunizations, sexually transmitted diseases (STD), and HIV plus the Public Health Preparedness program. The county will them provide office and clinic space in the same locations in Cameron and Rockdale but schedules will be reduced to one or two days per week.

In the interest of helping keep our readers informed, The Cameron Herald invites candidates in the March 1 primary elections to submit statements about their candidacies for publication in The Cameron Herald free of charge.
Candidates are invited to submit their statements anytime during the month of January. We will make every effort to publish the statements in the edition closest to the date they are submitted.
Without exception, candidate statements must be submitted before 5 p.m. Monday, Feb. 1. Statements submitted on Feb. 1 will be published in the Feb. 4 edition.
Statements submitted after the deadline will not be published.
We welcome candidates to submit a statement, with a photo, outlining their background and specific reasons why they are the best choice.
Here are the guidelines:
1. Statements should focus on the candidate’s views about current issues involving the school district and the candidate’s qualifications.

On the Nov. 3 general election ballot, voters will consider seen proposed amendments to the Texas Constitution.
All statewide Texas ballot propositions are legislatively referred constitutional amendments, according to the Texas Legislative Council. They are referred to the ballot by the state legislature and, if approved by voters, become a part of the Texas State Constitution.
As a service to our readers, The Cameron Herald will publish analyses of the proposed amendments. Today’s segment is the first of a three-part series and includes the first to propositions on the ballot. The Information in the segments is from the Texas Legislative Council and the

By Alan Wood, Cameron Area Christian Services

By County Judge David Barkemeyer

In recent months almost 3,000 citizens and friends of Milam County eagerly signed petitions, wrote letters, and used other means declaring strong opposition to long secret plans for a Little River Off-Channel Reservoir. If it happens it would be somewhere in the Gause-Milano area.
The most detestable aspect of the planning is the Brazos River Authority’s power of eminent domain, BRA’s power to seize private property with payment of mere market value of the confiscated properties.
My purpose in this letter is to show you that Milam is not alone. Our nation is experiencing a creeping totalitarian tendency that all U.S. citizens must wake up and see. Explaining this may be a challenge for some readers, but here it is as reported on-line and in print.

By Milam County Judge David Barkemeyer

By Milam County Judge David Barkemeyer