Category: City & County Politics

Information you need to know about the City of Devine, Medina County Commissioner’s Court, City of Natalia, City of Lytle, and our local Emergency Service Districts.

ELECTION NEWS

Devine ISD has two seats up, Feb. 13 deadline to sign up

District 3 held by Henry Moreno and District 4 Board President held by Nancy Pepper are up for election.  The deadline to file application for place on the ballot is 5:00 p.m. on February 13, 2026.
As of Tuesday, January 27, Incumbant Nancy Pepper has signed up for re-election to District 4.
Britny Stricker filed for the District 3 position.
Both are district seats but open to any qualified resident of Devine ISD.
Any qualified candidate can run for either district seat, but only the voters that live within district 3 or district 4 can vote in their district’s race.

City of Devine

The 2026 General Election for the City of Devine will be held on Saturday, May 2, 2026.
Seats that will be on the ballot include those held by Ray Gonzales ( District 1 councilman), Jeff Miller (District 3 councilman), and Josh Ritchey (District 4 councilman–who recently resigned). These positions expire in May 2026. The filing period to be placed on the ballot starts January 14, 2026 and ends February 13, 2026.

Mayor and 3 council seats up election, deadline to file is February 13

The Mayor and three council seats, District 1, 4 and 5 are up for election on Saturday, May 2, 2026. Only one application has been filed so far to be on the ballot, that of Michael Vasquez for the District 1 position.
The filing period for a place on the ballot ends February, 13, 2026. Applications are available at city hall.
Currently representing the City of Lytle are Ruben Gonzalez as the Mayor, Michael Rodriguez as the Alderman for District 4 and Matthew Martinez as District 5.
The District 1 position is on the ballot also because of a vacancy, but it will be for only a one year term. The others are normal two year terms.

Lytle ISD

Lytle ISD school board elections are conducted in May each year. During this election cycle, two Single Member Districts are up for election:
Single Member District 3 – Incumbent: Bobby Sollock 
Single Member District 4 – Incumbent: Eva Burley
The deadline to file an application for a place on the ballot is February 13th at 5:00 p.m.  The deadline to declare write-in candidacy is February 17th at 5:00 p.m. 

Construction delays on Lytle’s elevated water storage facility and changes in Saddle Ridge easement

By Anton Riecher
The Lytle city administrator Zachary Meadows reported to the council that construction on a new elevated water storage facility remains on hold until August. The contractor for the storage tank, Phoenix Tanks, cited labor shortages and massive increase in demand for tank construction for the delay in the original January completion date.
Meadows said he is conferring with the city attorney on the ongoing delays. Phoenix faces a $175,000 penalty on the final bill if the city chooses to go forward with the existing contract despite the delay.
Working is on schedule for a 12-inch water line loop that would supply the completed storage facility, Meadows said.
Despite the slowdown in subdivision projects, Meadows reported that the Rosewood subdivision has completed 81 homes in its phase one project with 15 still under construction.
Adjustment in easement
In other business, the council voted unanimously to…LOGIN TO CONTINUE READING at www.devinenewsmembers.com. You will get instant access to our full E-edition, and begin getting the newspaper delivered to your home next week for $36 a year in Medina County. Support important local city, county, and school news like this!

ELECTION NEWS

Devine ISD has two seats up, Feb. 13 deadline to sign up

District 3 held by Henry Moreno and District 4 held by Nancy Pepper are up for election.  The deadline to file application for place on the ballot is 5:00 p.m. on February 13, 2026.
As of Tuesday, January 20, Nancy Pepper has signed up for re-election. You must reside in those districts to file or vote.

City of Devine

The 2026 General Election for the City of Devine will be held on Saturday, May 2, 2026.
Seats that will be on the ballot include those held by Ray Gonzales ( District 1 councilman), Jeff Miller (District 3 councilman), and Josh Ritchey (District 4 councilman–who recently resigned). These positions expire in May 2026. The filing period to be placed on the ballot starts January 14, 2026 and ends February 13, 2026.

City of Lytle

The City of Lytle holds its election for city council and Mayor on the first Saturday in May of each year. The election for Districts 4, 5, and the mayor are held in even numbered years. Michael Rodriguez is the Alderman of District 4, and Matthew Martinez is the Alderman of District 5. Ruben Gonzalez is the Mayor. All of these positions expire in May 2026. Filing period for a place on the ballot starts January 14, 2026 and ends February 13, 2026.

$4.2 M for Medina County Law Enforcement Radio Upgrades

Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives passed all remaining annual funding bills, keeping the federal government fully operational through the remainder of Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26). Through his seat on the House Appropriations Committee, Congressman Tony Gonzales (TX-23) secured over $42 million in direct funding for communities across South and West Texas.
$4.2 M for Medina County law enforcement radio upgrades is one of the community investments secured by Congressman Gonzales.
“There are several major highways and two major rail lines that run through Medina County—as a result, the county has seen an increase in calls to help assist other agencies with border crisis issues. Further, there are schools along the county line, making communication between surrounding agencies imperative to ensure a quick response time to emergencies at those schools. This project would upgrade the communications system to improve interoperability throughout the county,” a representative with Gonzales’ office added.

New fire protection management conducts emergency pre-planning at 31 Devine businesses

Medina County Emergency Services District No. 2 board of commissioners president Todd Summers, left, presides during the board’s Jan. 20 meeting with board vice president Jeff Howard seen at right. (Photo by Anton Riecher)

By Anton Riecher
Since assuming management responsibility for Medina County Emergency Services District No. 2 in October, Castroville-based ESD1 has visited 31 businesses in Devine to establish pre-fire planning for any local emergencies, ESD1 battalion chief David Powers reported during the Jan. 20 ESD2 board meeting.
“We got out with the public, visiting to see where everybody is at,” Powers said.
A fire pre-plan is a detailed mapping of a building’s layout, fire protection systems and special hazards to assist emergency responders with rapid, safe and effective decision making upon arrival.
For example, Powers noted that it was determined that an interior hydrant at one major retailer was not providing adequate pressure for fire protection. The emergency pre-plan directs firefighters to another hydrant instead.
Under the heading…LOGIN TO CONTINUE READING at www.devinenewsmembers.com. You will get instant access to our full E-edition, and begin getting the newspaper delivered to your home next week for $36 a year in Medina County. Support important local city, county, and school news like this!

3 City of Devine seats up for election soon

The 2026 General Election for the City of Devine will be held on Saturday, May 2, 2026.
Seats that will be on the ballot include those held by Ray Gonzales ( District 1 councilman), Jeff Miller (District 3 councilman), and Josh Ritchey (District 4 councilman–who recently resigned). These positions expire in May 2026. The filing period to be placed on the ballot starts January 14, 2026 and ends February 13, 2026.

Devine council unenthusiastic about suggested change in water/wastewater rate measure

Richard Gibbons with Texas Rebuild makes a presentation to the Devine City Council on a proposed change in the basic measure for water and wastewater rates. (Photo by Anton Riecher)

By Anton Riecher
Response from Devine County Council members seemed largely negative toward a proposal to move from charging for water and wastewater by the gallon, using instead a standardized measure taking peak usage and varying flow rates into consideration.
A presentation by a municipal consulting firm known as Texas Rebuild suggested substituting a living unit equivalent (LUE) as the measure for average water consumption in Devine.
“The number one challenge that I hear from city leadership, councils, city managers, public works, is we have infrastructure challenges in our waters and wastewater system and we don’t have the money to pay for it,” said Texas Rebuild spokesman Richard Gibbons.
City Administrator David Jordan told the council at its Dec. 16 meeting that the consulting firm had been retained by the city to do an analysis of needed improvements to city water infrastructure, including the recent project to rehabilitate the long dormant L.C. Martin water well.
“Other infrastructure in the city is still lacking and needs repair, such as the lift stations,” Jordan said. “We currently have three lift stations that are aged and we need ways to fund those.”
Gibbons said that his…LOGIN TO CONTINUE READING at www.devinenewsmembers.com. You will get instant access to our full E-edition, and begin getting the newspaper delivered to your home next week for $36 a year in Medina County. Support important local city, county, and school news like this!

Ritchey to resign as Devine alderman

RITCHEY RESIGNS…..Devine District 4 Alderman Josh Ritchey, left, submitted his resignation effective Jan. 31 during the Devine Council meeting Dec. 16. Photo by Anton Riecher.

By Anton Riecher
District 4 Alderman Josh Ritchey announced his intention to resign his council seat in January during the Dec. 16 regular session of the Devine City Council.
“It’s been a profound honor and, at times, a humbling challenge to serve the city,” Ritchey said, reading his letter of resignation aloud.
Ritchey, who has served four years on the council, is moving away from the city, Mayor Butch Cook said.
Still reading from his resignation letter, Ritchey said he “embarked on this journey driven by a genuine desire to serve my community and, indeed, by determination to advance policies that would better reflect our shared values and aspirations for progress, while most importantly, limiting government growth and reducing overreach.”
“We have deliberately and conscientiously moved our city toward a future grounded in equality and a forward looking vision rather than remaining tethered to the constraints of our past,” Ritchey said.
Aside from his formal resignation, Ritchey took time to complement someone who at times stood as his most fierce political adversary on the council – former District 3 Alderwoman Debbie Randall.
“Oddly enough, my greatest appreciation working on this council and learning a lot about politics was working with Debbie Randall,” he said.
“We fought like cats and dogs and disagreed on just about everything, but she really taught me the value of having someone you just cannot see eye-to-eye with, no matter how hard you try, but really appreciating the perspective and the intensity that person brings to the betterment of the community.”
Although Ritchey intended to resign effective Jan. 31, city attorney Tom Cate informed the council that under state law Ritchey would continue to hold the seat until formally replaced by either council action or the next election.
This triggered a lengthy discussion on establishing a policy on temporarily filling vacant council seats until the next election or leaving them vacant while encouraging potential candidates to seek the office. The council elected to leave the seat vacant until the next election.

ESD2 purchases medical, firefighting equipment

ESD2 board secretary Abigail Beadle and board assistant treasurer Jerry Stevens were on hand for the Dec. 17 board meeting. (Photo by Anton Riecher) 

By Anton Riecher
Acquisition of new fire equipment and the disposal of outdated or unused items dominated the agenda at the Medina County Emergency Services District No. 2 board of commissioners meeting Dec. 17.
Under the heading of equipment acquired, the board voted to purchase a four-bank air compressor system for rapidly refilling air bottles for self-contained breathing apparatus.
On a motion by board assistant treasurer Jerry Stevens, seconded by treasurer Ken Nighswander, the board unanimously approved the purchase from Arlington-based Morton Morrow for…LOGIN TO CONTINUE READING at www.devinenewsmembers.com. You will get instant access to our full E-edition, and begin getting the newspaper delivered to your home next week for $36 a year in Medina County. Support important local city, county, and school news like this!