KAUZ-TV: NewsChannel 6 Now | Wichita Falls, TXIssues Facing Your Town: Scotland

Texoma is built on a networks of small communities.
We are continuing our special series, finding out the Issues Facing Your Town.
Newschannel Six hit the road to visit a quaint little town that has survived for 104 years.
Like many, Scotland relies on the land and a nearby lake to keep it going and right now that's not easy.

If you've driven through the small town of Scotland on Highway 281 you might have passed through without even knowing it. It's a small town, with few amenities. 11 dairies are run in the Scotland area.
The people who work and live there help drive the North Texas economy, and right now like many, they're facing some big time issues.
The drought is one of their biggest problems right now. The city pumped 6.5 million gallons of water in May. That's a record for the community.
There is also the high price of diesel. The costs to run a farm is just overwhelming.
Like farmers and ranchers all over Texoma, this small community of just over 500 is dealing with their problems as best they can.
Judge Wayne Lindemann, an Archer County Justice of the Peace in Precinct 4 said things could be worse.
"We're still being able to turn on a tap to feed our cattle, but if we got a rain the tanks would be filled back up the cattle would be cooler crops would grow. It would take a lot of the burden off of the grass and hay and situations like that," said Judge Lindemann.
The drought is drying up Scotland's economy. Dry weather leads to a lack of crops, that leads to a lack of dairy production because it gets more expensive to feed and water livestock. That hurts cash flow.
Scotland Mayor Brian Veith said, "There is not a lot of sales tax here, and you've gotta make the town run. The drought right now is putting a burden on all the farmers even the people that own houses."
Lake Arrowhead can help Scotland through tough times, and it has more than once in the last 40 years. A few decades ago farmers had to truck water in to keep their cattle and livelihood from dying. But, in true Scotland, Texas spirit, they made it fun.
"When we hauled water for cows back 40 years ago almost to the day. In July 40 years ago we made a party out of it for 6 months," said dairy farmer Kenneth Teichman. "Like an old boy was telling me the other day there was 6 or 7 of us that were hauling water. We'd just meet out there everyday and fill each others tanks up and just visit. It's a good thing that there were 5 or 6 or 7 of you out there. If it would have just been one hauling water every day he would have gone crazy. But, we made a party out of it. It's the comradery."
Lake Arrowhead really is a blessing now. The City shares revenue from the Water Corporation which helps keeps some money in Scotland's city coffers.
"We have money saved up, but we're you know one little devastation can take care of that in a heartbeat," said Mayor Veith. "You hope it never comes, but we do have money set aside."
Despite the issues, the Scotland community prides itself on being good neighbors and helping one another.
They look forward to the future, and while they hope for change, they just don't want too much of it.
"It's a small community atmosphere that you want out here and not the city life. If you want that, this is a good place to get it. If it's not, we just don't need ya," said Kenneth Teichman as he laughed.
All joking aside leaders in Scotland would love to grow. Their biggest problem is that they are "land locked" by farm land. There is just not a lot of room to get much bigger. If you would like to see this town in action, this year their church is celebrating it's 100th anniversary. That event will take place in November.