Recently, there was a story on one of the TV news channels reporting that the median annual income of federal gov-ernment employees was $119,800 and that of the general population was in the $59 - $60,000 range. This was ac-

cording to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. My first reaction to this was disbelief, but then I started to think more indepth.

When you consider the bloated bureaucracies associated with ev-ery facet of the government, it quickly becomes more plausible. For as long as I can remember, the image of federal employees has been that they survive on wages below that of the general public, that they

Thursday, October 22, 2009 County Star-News A5

Hefley Mine -- located at Twitty, Texas

Purchase it by the ton or the pick-up load.

405.612.4756Brody @ Sales

405.366.9500Corporate Office

LOCaTed aT U.S. Hwy. 83 & COUnTy ROad VTURn weST and TRaVeL 1/2 MiLe, THen TURn SOUTH (LefT) inTO Mine

1/4”agriculture

fines

5”Surge Rock

fOR SOiL COndiTiOning

1.5”Crusher Run

&2.5”

Crusher RunBoth are great for oil

field roads and drive-way material.

just something to think about

Harry Marett

Pampered Chef Cooking ShowSpecial Invitation

Hostess: United Methodist Women Date: October 31 Time: 10:00 A.M.

Where: First United Methodist Fellowship Hall 500 N. Main - Shamrock

Cara Killingsworth, Pampered Chef consultant, will be demonstrating the wonderful products and will have some great “Fall recipes for everyone!

Come see the products and get something for yourself or for someone on your Christmas list!

All proceeds will go to mission projects!

STAR-NEWS Photo/Candy Ferris

In concert — From Southern Illinois, The Shepherdsmen paid a visit to Calvary Christian Fellowship Saturday, October 17. Members of the group are (from left) tenor Cort Jones; lead Mylon Rice, the newest member; baritone Dan Wilson, who is the group’s manager; and bass Floyd Cairns. The Shepherds-men spent over an hour ministering in song.

male. Enter your hat by 10:30 a.m. at the Town and Country In-surance Office south of the Rog-er Miller Museum to be judged. Reclaim your hat at 11:15 a.m. All entries will be modeled by the owner at the award’s ceremo-ny at 11:30, with 1st, 2nd and 3rd places ribbons awarded.

“Roger Miller: A Musical Journey” – will be presented by Don Cusic from Nashville, TN. Don is currently Professor of Music Business at Belmont University in Nashville and is one of the premier historians of country music. In addition, he is the author of seventeen pub-lished books, and although he is an expert on country music, he has also written about gospel, blues, jazz, pop and rock, and other types of music. Don’s pre-sentation will include songs and stories, and will be based on in-terviews he has done with people connected to Roger Miller and his career. Don will be located in the Town and Country Insur-ance Office and his presentations will be at 10, 12 and 2. Stop by and enjoy!

6-C Bull Riding Challenge – For the more adventurous at heart! This event will take place at 2 p.m. on Saturday at the 6-C Arena located 2 miles north of

FestivalFrom Page A4

the stoplight on Highway 30 and one mile East. 30 bulls with $60 entry fee plus $500 added money. Books open October 19th. Call in your entry to (580) 515-4363 or (580) 383-0857. After 30 en-tries all others will be placed on a waiting list. Contractors are Plummer Rodeo Co. and 6-C. Charge at the gate will be Adults $7, ages 5-12 will be $4, 4 and under – free.

Spring Creek Regulators – Old West re-enactors will stage a gunfight. Be sure and check out the lawmen, the painted ladies, and of course, the outlaws! The re-enactment will take place the block south of the museum.

Free Pony Carousel, Train and Horse-Drawn Rides – all day for the kiddos.

The festival will conclude with a concert on Saturday night, fea-turing “Whisperin’ Bill” Ander-son. Dean Miller, son of Roger Miller, will open for Bill. Tick-ets are $20 and still available.

As you can see, there is some-thing for everyone. Make plans to spend the day and take in all the festivities. You’ll have a “DANG GOOD TIME”.

For festival information call (580) 526-3505 or go to www.erickchamber.com. Please see THINK, Page A8

Dear Editor:I have so many people to

thank for the wonderful acts of kindness when my mother, Mia Robertson, passed away. It has been months, and I have not been able to write the individual thank you’s that need to be written.

I just wanted to let you know that what you did in remembrance of Mom is treasured. I have not forgotten, nor will I ever forget. I will write to you personally to thank you properly.

Landi Hart

LETTERTO THEEDITOR

Kindness is appreciated

Hospital board approves 2010spending plan

Parkview Hospital held a board meeting September 25, 2009. Chairman Helton opened the meeting at 12 noon in the Board-room at Parkview Hospital.

Present were Thomas Helton, Chairman, Sue Chandler, Vice Chairman, and James Batton, Secretary.

Also present was Ann Fagan Cook, RN, BSN, CEO. Absent was Ray Hudson and Dale Gar-ner.

Ms. Fagan Cook presented the new budget for the 2009-2010 year. There was discussion re-garding revenue projections for next year as well as what our ex-penses might actually be. James Batton made a motion to accept the budget as presented. Sue Chandler seconded the motion and the motion carried unani-mously.

Ms. Fagan Cook presented the effective tax rate given us by the Tax Assessor-Collector for the

Please see BOARD, Page A8

are serving out of some sense of duty to their country and fellow man, and that the only reason that they are able to do this is the fringe benefits associated with such employment. They are por-trayed as the ultimate patriots. In truth, they seem to be pretty well compensated for this sacrifice. However, this average is concen-trated in the people at the top of an inverted pyramid.

When I was a county com-missioner in Georgia, the cost in that county for the local govern-

ment employees was about 28 - 30% above the median income of the taxpayers who were saddled with the cost of their employment. I ranted and railed against this for the full time that I served, but to no avail. One of the generally accepted truths in the business world is that EMPLOYEES do not succeed more than the EMPLOYERS. Employers have a great deal invested in the system that provides em-ployment for others, and, therefore, should reap more benefits from the endeavor, usually in the form of profits.

Over the years, one of my observations concerning a lot of labor union leaders is that they apparently have the attitude that their em-ployers should exist solely to provide jobs and benefits for the union members. Forget about profits and shareholders, just provide for us and everything will work out alright. The auto manufacturers and the predicament that they are experiencing are testaments to the fact that this does not work indefinitely. But this is a digression.

Now, I’m not suggesting that every federal employee have their salary and benefits cut in half, but I am suggesting that there is some-thing sadly awry with the system. Some of you may think that I have a personal vendetta of some sort against the postal service, since I have used them as an example of inefficiency before. That is not the case at all. We all personally know dedicated postal service employ-ees and they are just like us - struggling to make ends meet. But the incongruity is that the Postmaster General costs this country about $850,000 a year. This is a position that has presided over an annual loss of several billion dollars for the last several years. I’ve forgotten the number, but somewhere I saw a list of federal government em-ployees whose salary exceeds that of the President, $400,000. This is astounding, and Congress and the President don’t understand the motivation of people who object to this fallacy!

When Tony Snow, former Press Secretary for President George