Ellinger Sewer and Water Corp. Hires Firm for Billing Services
The Ellinger Sewer and Water Supply Corporation has been undergoing some changes recently. Carissa Karisch has resigned as the office manager/ bookkeeper effective May 31.
Karisch not only did the billing for the Corporation, but kept the financial records/payment of bills, and recording of the minutes, received new applications for water and sewer, maintained records for the yearly audits, attended meetings and conference calls and coordinated the applications for the three water well projects. She maintained the EWS website and worked closely with the engineer, manager, and Board to keep the system running effectively.
Who will do this now? The Board voted to hire Inframark to do the billing at a cost of $5 per customer at the May 10 meeting. Additionally, Randy Robertson, vice president, resigned at the May 10 meeting.
Members are urged to attend the regular monthly meetings to get first hand information about the corporation. Currently there are 161 water connections but only a handful of members have been voting for board members, attending EWS meetings, and attending City Council meetings.
Conflicts have arisen since the Incorporation of Ellinger. The EWS Corporation and City are two entirely different entities; the City of Ellinger has no control over the EWS Corporation. City officials maintain that their chief goal is to help get good drinking water and lower the water rates. They are currently seeking a grant to help defray some of the cost of a new filtration system ($350,000) and will be using corporation funds to pay the 5% grant matching funds totaling $17,500. The City won’t be collecting sale tax monies until October of 2021. Let our community work together for the betterment of Ellinger.
Dedication Ceremony
The Ellinger Fire Department will be holding a dedication ceremony for the new fire station meeting room on Saturday, June 5 at 2 p.m. Additionally there will be a presentation of a monument in honor of fallen firefighter Larry Marusik. Clergyman J Paul Bruhn will be there to assist with this special memorial dedication.
Fayetteville Brethren Church
Fayetteville Brethren Church has services the second and fourth Saturdays of each month at 10 a.m. COVID-19 protocols will be followed. Other services are at Industry Brethren on the second, third and fourth Saturdays at 5 p.m., Wesley Brethren on Sundays at 9 a.m. and Nelsonville Brethren on Sundays at 10:15 a.m. Rev. Mike Groseclose leads all the services. The Nelsonville service is live streamed on Nelsonville Brethren’s Facebook page.
84th Annual Tomato Festival
The Ellinger Chamber of Commerce 84th Annual Tomato Festival is scheduled for Sunday, May 30 at the Ellinger Communtiy Center. There will be a drive-thru only fried chicken and sausage meal with buttered potatoes, green beans and all the trimmings. Plates may be picked up starting at 10:30 a.m. for $12 per plate. Zack Novak will provide polka music during the drive thru. Bake sale items will also be available.
On Friday, May 28 there will be a chef’s choice entrée, dessert, salsa and chips competition. A barbecue cook off has also been scheduled for Saturday, May 29, and contestants will be competing for cash prizes for best brisket, pork ribs, pork butts, chicken, and pinto beans. Cook off sponsors include Bluebonnet Electric, Hruska’s Store and Deli, Round Top State Bank, and 4V Valenta Cattle Co. There will be live music, raffles, and an auction.
Additionally there will be a Chopped Challenge – secret ingredients, local celebrity judges, a live final showdown and margarita contest. Sponsors for the challenge are Fayetteville Propane and Fayetteville Bank. Preregistration is required.
For more information and forms go to www.ellingertexas.com/cookoff.
City of Ellinger Meeting
City of Ellinger officials will be holding a meeting on Thursday, May 27 at 7 p.m. at the Ellinger Community Center Dining Hall.
Birthdays
Birthday wishes are extended to the following May celebrants: Phyllis Fritsch and Liz Ripple-May 21; Shelby Dennis-24; Ann Heintschell-25.
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