City & County Politics – The Devine News

SPECIAL DATA CENTER MEETING COMING UP-Lytle

At this week’s meeting, Lytle City Council took action to approve a special meeting on Oct. 19 at 6:30 p.m. at the Lytle Community Center to address data center development in the community.
On a motion by Emery, seconded by District 2 Alderman Richard Hughes, the council approved the meeting by a 4-0 vote.
Lytle currently has two data center developments pending. Work is underway by Rowan Digital Infrastructure on a 440-acre data center campus known as “Project Cinco” just north of Interstate 35 inside Lytle’s extra territorial jurisdiction. Also, Denver-based developer Tract has announced a proposed 344.5 acre combined data center and business park to be located in the Bexar County portion of the city.
Rodriguez asked Meadows if the meeting would address a particular project or data centers in general. Meadows replied that it would concern “a particular project and the special request they have made relating to that project.”

You can get instant access to our full E-edition, and begin getting the newspaper delivered to your home next week for $42 a year in Medina County. Support important local city, county, and school news like this! Click the link to sign up today! www.devinenewsmembers.com

Lytle utility customers to see 25-35% increase to water, sewer rates on December 1 bill

The City of Lytle will increase their utility rates effective 30 days from the published notice of October 7, which will reflect on customer’s December 1st bill. The City Council voted to increase these rates at the September 28, 2026, City Council meeting. See page 17 for rate comparisons.
The new rates also include the removal of small business commercial as an overall category and placing those customers that were listed as such under the commercial category.
See public notice in this week’s Devine News on page 17 for complete chart of rates for both residential and commercial rates for water and charts for sewer also. Rates vary for those who reside inside city limits and those who reside outside city limits.

Also noted is the old rate fee(current rate) and the new rate fee.
Rates include a base rate plus the volumetric charges for how much water is used that month. The rates for over 10,000 gallons are about four times…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 $42 a year in Medina County. Support important local city, county, and school news like this!

Lytle council approves 4.5% tax hike for 2026

By Anton Riecher
By a 4-0 vote, the Lytle City Council voted at its Sept. 28 meeting to approve a 2026 ad valorem tax rate of $.0485 per $100 valuation, an increase of 4.578 percent from the previous year. Municipal taxes on the average Lytle homestead now stands at $1,029, an increase of 31.9 percent.
Mayor Ruben Gonzalez said the increase represents less than half a cent per $100 valuation.
“It’s going from $.483 to $.485,” Gonzalez said. “So that’s how much of an increase it is.”
The increase supports a fiscal year 2026-2027 city budget of $8.976 million, also approved by a 4-0 council vote. Among the increase is a three percent cost-of-living adjustment for city employees.
A public hearing on the proposed tax rate was opened and closed with no additional public comment.
The $.0485 rate represents a debt service tax rate of $.41139 per $100 valuation combined with a tax rate of $.41139 per $100 valuation cover maintenance and operations.
District 4 Alderman Michael Rodriguez put forward the separate motions on the budget and tax rate. District 1 Alderwoman Anna Carrillo seconded the budget motion and District 3 Alderman David Emery seconded the motion on the rate increase.
District 5 Alderman Matthew Martinez was absent from the meeting. District 2 Alderman Richard Hughes had earlier voted against…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 $42 a year in Medina County. Support important local city, county, and school news like this!

Zoning of 284 acres to “I” Industrial Zoning District topic of 2 public hearings

Notice Is Hereby Given To All Interested Persons, the City Council of the City of Lytle, Texas will hold a public hearing on the following:
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LYTLE, TEXAS, APPROVING THE ZONING OF 284.04 ACRES TO “I” INDUSTRIAL ZONING DISTRICT ON LAND CONSISTING OF THE FOLLOWING PROPERTIES:

A 129.21 ACRE-TRACT OF LAND LYING IN THE H. RANSING SURVEY 517, ABSTRACT 0817, MEDINA COUNTY, TEXAS, DESCRIBED IN DEED NUMBER 2026001392, OFFICIAL PUBLIC RECORDS OF MEDINA COUNTY, TEXAS; AND…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 $42 a year in Medina County. Support important local city, county, and school news like this!

City of Lytle…Rowan data center in Lytle applies for Tax Reinvestment Zone #2 for property tax abatements, city public hearing Oct.19

The City Council of the City of Lytle will conduct a public hearing at City Hall, 14916 Main Street, Lytle, Texas on Monday, October 19, 2026 at 6:30 PM, during an open meeting to consider the application by Rowan Lytle LLC to designate certain property located in the City of Lytle’s extra territorial jurisdiction as a Reinvestment Zone that will be eligible for property tax abatement under Chapter 312 of the Texas Tax Code, if and when the area is annexed into the City of Lytle, and the reinvestment zone is to be named the “Reinvestment Zone Number Two – City of Lytle” (the “Zone”).
The property in the Zone is approximately 284.25 acres in Medina County primarily in the Lytle ISD and is included in Medina County Appraisal District property tax parcels: 7865, 7868, 7809, 83866, and 516178.
The property is intended for use as a…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 $42 a year in Medina County. Support important local city, county, and school news like this!

288 acres proposed for voluntary annexation to Lytle

The City Council of the City of Lytle, Texas will hold a Public Hearing for the Proposed Extension of the Lytle municipal boundaries by Voluntary Annexation of the territory located West of Hwy. 132 and North of CR 683 , Lytle, Texas 78052, and described as:
A combined total of 288.10 acres, as described in Deed Number 2026001392 of the Deed Records of Medina County, Texas, and consisting of a 129.21 acre tract of land, legally described as H. RANSING SURVEY 517, a 127.47 acre tract of land, legally described as M. DENSON SURVEY 449, a 25 acre tract of land legally described as G. RISSMAN SURVEY 450 1/2, and a 2.36 acre tract of land, legally described as G. RISSMAN SURVEY 450 1/2.
The Public Hearing will be held at …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 $42 a year in Medina County. Support important local city, county, and school news like this!

School opts for exemption to Chapter 37 armed security guard requirements due to funding/ staffing constraints

DMS Principal Kandi Darnell speaks about the campus C accountability rating among other campus news. Enrollment figures were shared to show the school’s size and grade distribution. With an enrollment of 445 students, 151 students are sixth graders and 158 are seventh graders, making the seventh grade the largest of the three middle school grades.

Board approves a final payment of $85,456 for the new tennis courts

By Anton Riecher
At this week’s Devine ISD school board meeting, the board voted 5-0 to approve a final payment of $85,456 to Austin-based Hellas Construction for the new tennis courts at the athletic facilities outside Warhorse Stadium. Completion is scheduled for mid-November.
The motion to approve final payment was made by board member Chris Davis and seconded by Ali Buvinghausen. Board members Candace Esparza and Carl Brown were absent for the Monday meeting.
Exemption to armed security guard requirement
By a 5-0 vote, the Devine School board approved a resolution for an exemption to the new state requirement, which required public school districts to place at least one armed security officer at every district campus during regular school hours (Texas Education Code Section 37.0814).

Because of funding and staffing constraints, the board determined the district qualifies for a good-cause exemption and will use an alternative safety plan.
With the exemption, our district’s alternative plan includes…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 $42 a year in Medina County. Support important local city, county, and school news like this!

Devine council approves tax decrease

By Anton Riecher
Without further public debate, the Devine City Council unanimously approved a zero increase tax rate of $.5900 per $100 valuation to support a previously approved fiscal year 2026-2027 budget of $5.865 million.
While average homestead values within the city have increased by about 4.25% , the council voted for a rate even lower than the no-new revenue rate which will decrease the total tax levy from $1.57 million to $1.54 million. (Editior’s Note: While you will often see boards vote for a “tax rate decrease” it generally still generates more total revenue than the previous year. However, Devine City Council opted for a true tax decrease).

Due to the increasing home values, tax on the average homestead will still see a slight increase from $1,093 to $1,140 (about $46) on the average homestead.
On a motion by District 3 Council Member Jeff Miller, seconded by District 1 Council Member Ray Gonzales, the council approved the combined maintenance and operations tax rate of $.48640 together with the debt service tax rate of $.10360. Separate votes on the M&O and debt service rates preceding the combined vote were also unanimous.
Mayor Butch Cook noted that the new tax rate was consistent with the preliminary figure discussed during the approval of …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 $42 a year in Medina County. Support important local city, county, and school news like this!

ESD4 board approves 4.79 percent tax rate hike for 2026

Battalion Chief David Powers delivers reports to local emergency service district board members.

By Anton Riecher
The Medina County Emergency Services District No. 4 board of commissioners voted Sept. 16 to approve a fiscal year 2026-2027 budget of $927,821 supported by a 2026 ad valorem tax rate of $0.0548 per $100 valuation, the maximum rate allowed under state law without the risk of a repeal election.
According to Medina County Appraisal District calculations, the new tax rate represents a 5.18 percent increase over the previous year. The average homestead taxable value is calculated at $201,873, an increase of 4.79 percent over the previous year.
No comment against the increase was raised during a public hearing preceding the 4-0 vote of the board on both the budget and the tax rate. Board treasurer Debbie Randall was absent for the meeting.
Board vice president Patrick Bourcier made the motion supporting the new budget and seconded the motion favoring the rate hike.

“Because we have so much going on I’m a little concerned not so much about what we know as what we don’t know and could pop up and bite us,” he said. “I know that we have the legal right to go to the voter approved rate. And if we get through next year and come out in great shape and decide we…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 $42 a year in Medina County. Support important local city, county, and school news like this!

Engineering work on railroad improvements near Lytle data center approved by county

In action taken Monday, the Medina County Commissioners Court approved the cost of engineering services by Union Pacific Railroad for improvements near the Project Cinco data center construction with the cost to be reimbursed by the project developer, Rowan Lytle LLC.
Both approved unanimously, the two motions required were made by Precinct 3 Commissioner David Lynch and seconded by Precinct 4 Commissioner Danny Lawler.

The action by the county was necessary because Union Pacific refused to contract directly with anyone other than a government entity, County Judge Keith Lutz said. The work discussed centered on preliminary engineering services for improvements to railroad tracks and roadway in the area of the construction site near County Road 683 and State Highway 132.
That engineering phase would determine the extent of any further construction necessary related to the railroad tracks and right-of-way…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 $42 a year in Medina County. Support important local city, county, and school news like this!