Precious Moments representative Terry Heckmaster, the TIF Commission, and the City Council met Monday evening to discuss going forward with a Development Agreement for the Tax Increment Financing Plan. The Council voted to continue negotiations, which would lead to a final agreement by the end of this year, with Precious Moments.

In 1995 the City approved a plan proposed by Precious Moments, but due to numerous time delays, the agreement necessary to implement the plan has not been finalized.

The Tax Increment Finance plan, or TIF, establishes a base valuation of property included in the plan. Any property taxes generated by the increase of valuation through development can be used to reimburse the developer for public improvements such as streets, traffic control, water main extensions, and sewer extension. The TIF plan is intended to act as an incentive for the development of property and uses the increase in state, county, local and school property taxes.

The initial plan approved by the Council in 1995 showed a total of approximately $2.7 million in public improvements that would be financed over a twenty year period. Precious Moments proposed over $30 million in private improvements.

Despite questions about the time frame qualifications of the TIF and the accuracy of the plans, Precious Moments’ Vice President of Marketing Terri Heckmaster expressed to the Council throughout the meeting that Precious Moments was still firm in its commitment to continuing the expansions.

"Please be assured that we are still deeply committed to the acceptance of a development agreement," Heckmaster said.

"Simply stated," Heckmaster continued, "it is our desire to continue our expansion into the Carthage marketplace, and we see this TIF as an important tool, which will allow the expansion to occur."

She indicated the Precious Moments has been working with an outside developer to move the project forward.

The improvements original plan included an RV park, The Fountain of Angels ‘Sound and Light Show,’ an outdoor ampitheater, relocation of three Victorian mansions to the island in the lake, a convenience store, and a century old barn to be renovated, display artists’ works, and provide space for an art workshop. According to Heckmaster, structural difficulties prevented the barn from being used as planned.

The convenience store and outdoor ampitheater were improvements included in the 1995 plan that are not completed. Future plans for the convenience store are still underway, but instead of building the ampitheater, Precious Moments chose to build the Samuel J. Butcher Convention Center, which hosts national conventions such as the Christian Motorcycle Association and American Austin Bantam Car Club.

In addition to the expansions in the 1995 development plan, additional projects are underway or completed. The Dr. Whitney House, which has already been moved to the lake, should be in use by 2001, and the Bridal Boutique, located just north of the Visitor’s Center, should be complete by 2000. Plans have been drawn for a potential entertainment and retail development, but the future plans are still unclear.

"Precious Moments has developed complete plans for a potential golf course complex," said Heckmaster, "which we plan to build in conjunction with a destination resort hotel."

"I think of everything that has been announced about Precious Moments," Heckmaster told those at the meeting, "this is the thing that local folks here seem to ask the most about, and seem to be the most excited about."

If the plans are carried through, the entrance to the golf course would be built near the Fir Road and Highway 71 interchange. An additional lake would also be added.

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"Latest technology, Old fashioned values."

Just Jake Talkin'
Mornin',

I saw they had a documentary on pigs the other day on PBS. If ya remember I wondered in an earlier column about what ta call a group of pigs.

I had one guy try to convince me that they would be called a herd. Said the Bible referenced a "herd of swine."

Now I’m not one ta argue with the good book none, but this documentary call groups of wild pigs somethin’ that sounded like "sooters." With all the interest I’ve shown in the subject, you’d a thought I’d a written it down, but I didn’t, and don’t know how it would be spelled anyway. I will no doubt have to investigate further. If you’re interested, the pigs we see in this part of the world all came from the wild boars. Supposed ta be smart and easy to train.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

by

Metcalf Auto Supply

Click and Clack Talk Cars.

Dear Tom and Ray:

I have an elderly car, a 1987 Pontiac 6000. I took it in for an oil change the other day, after I noticed a slight clicking noise. At the oil change shop, the fellow said he couldn't change my oil because the clicking sound meant that the bearings were bad, and changing the oil would wreck the engine. He said my current oil was "lighter," because it was old. He said new, thicker oil would increase the pressure and make the engine /"blow." Is he right? — Debbie

TOM: No. He must be one of those M.D./Ph.Ds they're hiring at all those quick-oil-change joints these days. He probably knows enough to know that something is wrong with your engine, and he's afraid that if it does blow (by coincidence) three weeks after he changes your oil, you'll come back and blame him...like his last eight customers have.

RAY: In reality, what you're hearing is probably noisy lifters due to low oil pressure. And thicker oil would only help the oil pressure at this point. If anything it's more likely to "blow" with lighter-weight oil in there than with heavier-weight oil. So don't go back to this guy.

TOM: But before you go dumping some 80W-250 sludge in the crankcase, you should go to a more knowledgeable mechanic and get you oil pressure tested. Hydraulic lifters are situated far away from the oil pump, and when they make noise, that's usually an early warning sign that there's not enough oil pressure.

RAY: If you test the oil pressure and it's good, then you can rule out a bad oil pump and bad bearings, and look instead into the possibility of a worn cam shaft, a bad timing chain, or even something as simple as a bad lifter or sticky valve.