City & County Politics – The Devine News

Lytle council approves two-year contract for city administrator Meadows

By Anton Riecher
The Lytle City Council voted unanimously to approve a two-year contract for City Administrator Zachary Meadows at a starting salary of $105,000 a year during the council’s July 8 regular session.
Mayor Ruben Gonzalez congratulated Meadows who started as city administrator in mid-December.
“We appreciate and look forward to working with you as a part of our leadership team,” he said.
Meadows previously served as interim city administrator of Spring Valley Village near Houston. Holding a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Texas at San Antonio, he previously worked as a management assistant to the city administrator in Dickenson, Texas.

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Medina commissioners accept federal grant to develop flood plan, approve more subdivisions

By Anton Riecher
Medina County commissioners voted Monday to accept a $542,000 Federal Emergency Management Agency grant for flood mitigation assistance administered through the Texas Water Development Board.
On a motion by Precinct 3 Commissioner David Lynch, seconded by Precinct 4 Commissioner Danny Lawler, the commissioners voted unanimously to accept the funding for development of a county wide flood mitigation plan.

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Local blood drive helps 51 people!

The City of Natalia and Municipal Development District would like to thank everyone who participated in the Blood Drive held on June 29th, 2024.
“With your generous donations, we exceeded the goal of units needed and fifty one people were helped with donations. God’s Blessings to you all!” said NMDD Chair Ruby Vera.
Look for information on the next blood drive soon, and be part of something big!

Long-standing Lytle zoning ordinance called into question

By Anton Riecher
A controversial mobile home park proposed in Lytle faces potential legal obstruction following a city council executive session May 30 to review an opinion by City Attorney Molly Solis that a 27-year-old zoning ordinance favoring the park may not be technically enforceable.
Other than to read the agenda item prior to the closed session, neither Mayor Ruben Gonzalez nor the five council members present made any public comment on the matter.
The agenda stated as follows:
“Consider and Possible Action Concerning Resolution Number #24-21, a Resolution of the City of Lytle, Texas, Recognizing Possible Procedural Defects in the Adoption of Ordinance No. 217 Amending Zoning of Real Property from R-1 Single Family Dwelling District Zoning to B-2 Secondary Business District Zoning and Resolving that as a Result of Concerns of its…

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Devine may close Oak Hill Drive to big rig parking

By Anton Riecher
A proposal to close Oak Hill Drive near Wal-Mart to overnight truck traffic is under consideration by the Devine City Council in view of ongoing street damage and concerns about traffic safety.
Council newcomer Jeff Miller, representing district three, said that trying to exit the Wal-Mart parking lot “makes for a very tricky left hand turn when you have those trucks jockeying over there,” referring to 18-wheelers traffic.
The heavy vehicles are also blamed for extensive…

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Lytle officials question taxable value decrease posted

by Atascosa appraisal district

By Anton Riecher
City of Lytle finance officials expect an estimated $1.86 million in property tax revenue based on more than $279.8 million in preliminary taxable value anticipated to support the 2024-2025 city budget, City Administrator Zachary Meadows told the city council during a May 20 special session.
Meadows told the council that the $279.8 million is a conservative “low-end estimate” based on advance figures received from the Atascosa…

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Medina County seeks fire inspection arrangement with Microsoft; county cash balance at $34.2 million

By Anton Riecher
Medina County commissioners have approved an agreement with Microsoft under the Texas Local Government Code to provide fire inspection services at the company’ new 106,012-square-foot data center near Castroville.
The action was taken May 13 during the commissioners regular session.
“This is a culmination of something started several years ago when Judge (Chris) Schuchart was still here,” County Judge Keith Lutz explained. Starting with the new Microsoft campus the objective was to position the county government to conduct commercial code inspection countywide.
The three-year agreement with Microsoft will bring the county $100,000 a year to perform fire inspection services at the new $230 million data center on FM 1957. Under chapter 381 of the Texas Local Government Code counties are allowed to provide incentives encouraging developers to build in their jurisdictions.
In other development news, a public hearing on levying assessments on property located within the Haby Farms Public Improvement Distrtict improvement area number one drew no comment.
Commissioners passed an order accepting and approving a service and…

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Congressman Gonzales working to deliver $4.5 Million Emergency Operations & Training Center in Devine

Congressman Gonzales is working in Congress to deliver a $4.5 million community project to build a new emergency operations and training facility in Devine. This building would serve as an emergency operations center, emergency services training facility, warming center, voting center, and provide educational services. This project would improve emergency services, bolster economic development, as well as provide educational and occupational opportunities.
“This project will help everyone in the region from age 1 to 100 and would not have been possible without the diligent efforts of Congressman Gonzales and his staff. Two years of planning and hard work to…

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Lytle to host townhall meeting to discuss establishing Drainage or Stormwater Utility and fees

The City of Lytle will be hosting a townhall style meeting soon to ask citizens their opinion on the establishment of a Drainage or Stormwater Utility, and if taxes or a fee should be used as the funding source.
It is a viable strategy for local governments to respond to the challenge of generating reliable revenue to support stormwater management activities. Setting up a drainage utility allows a community to establish a user fee based on the demands property owners place on the drainage system. Fees
The council voted to go to the public to ask their opinion on how to proceed at their April 22 council meeting.

Devine council approves preliminary deal to lease airport hangar in return for capital improvements

By Anton Riecher
By a vote of 4 to1 the Devine City Council approved drafting a contract to lease Hangar 10 at the city-owned airport to a construction contractor offering to supplement a modest monthly rent of $500 with an estimated $120,000 in capital improvements within two years.
“My purpose is to beautify the facility and make it look like we know what we’re doing because we are going to try to sell services to the aviation community,” Devine resident Dallas Collins told the council at its April 16th regular session.
City Administrator David Jordan agreed to work with City Attorney Thomas Cate to draft a five-year lease agreement for presentation to the council for final approval.
District 5 Council Member Debbie Randall was alone in opposing…