City & County Politics – The Devine News

Lytle pressures AT&T for credit due; goes into executive session to discuss water billing and acquisition/condemnation proceeding

By Anton Riecher
An ongoing struggle with AT&T regarding credit due following the cancellation of internet communication services with the city of Lytle may require legal intervention in the future, the Lytle City Council learned Monday.

Frontera Concepts president John Garza told the council that AT&T has not been forthcoming with billing credit due after the city opted to move internet communication to Rise Broadband last July. Frontera handles IT support for the city.
“We’ve made no progress up to this point other than we have submitted every piece of documentation we can possibility submit to them,” Garza said.…

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Lytle council approves Project Cinco 80% tax incentive

By Anton Riecher
An 80 percent tax abatement on real and personal property associated with the proposed Project Cinco hyperscaler data center located in the city of Lytle’s extra territorial jurisdiction was unanimously approved by the Lytle City Council Monday.
J.P. Newmann, representing Rowan Digital Infrastructure, issued the following statement after the vote.
“Rowan’s Cinco Project represents a transformational investment in the Lytle community, and we are thrilled by the city council’s vote of confidence in our project,” said Martin Romo, senior director of economic development and external affairs. “With this approved agreement, Rowan looks forward to continuing our work with local leaders to redefine digital infrastructure development and unlock tens of millions of dollars in direct economic benefit to this community.”
On a motion by District 3 Alderman David Emery, seconded by District 4 Alderman Michael Rodriguez, the council voted 5-0 to approve the abatement agreement.
However, Emery asked that the city’s legal staff review the abatement agreement before final action to make certain any reference to an original request for a 100 percent tax abatement on personal property be removed from the final document.
The abatement agreement covers the first 10 year of operation…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!

Public Hearing on reducing SPEED LIMIT TO 40 on CR 6612

Speak now or forever hold your speed…..Medina County will conduct a Public Hearing to receive public comment and to vote regarding ESTABLISHMENT OF A SPEED LIMIT of 40 MPH on County Road 6612 in Precinct 4. The Hearing will be May 5th in Hondo at 9AM.

Pursuant to Texas Transportation Code section 251.152, notice is hereby given that the Commissioners Court of Medina County will conduct a Public Hearing for the purpose of receiving public comment and voting regarding the following ESTABLISHMENT OF SPEED LIMIT of 40 miles per hour on County Road 6612 in Precinct 4.

The Public Hearing will be conducted during the regular meeting of the Medina County Commissioners Court on Monday May 5, 2025, at 9:00 a.m., at the Medina County Courthouse Annex, 1300 Avenue M, Room 165, Hondo, TX. The hearing concerns adopting traffic regulations under Texas Transportation Code Section 251.154; Maximum Reasonable and Prudent Speeds on County Roads.

New Devine Fire office manager struggles to correct past bookkeeping

Sophia Benavides (center) has been tasked with cleaning up the past accounting practices for the Devine Volunteer Fire and Rescue.

By Anton Riecher
A new office manager/bookkeeper for Devine Volunteer Fire & Rescue is diligently working to correct and reconcile the agency’s ledgers in the wake of a scandal involving $76,000 in missing funds, DVF&R membership association president Robert Pequerno reported April 15 to the Medina County Emergency Services District No. 2 board of commissioners.
“Right now, with the whole new system, we’re just trying to clean it up and have it user friendly and presentable,” Pequerno told the commissioners.
Sophia Benavides, the new DVF&R bookkeeper, described some of the difficulties involved in cleaning up past accounting practices.
“I do feel that as I’ve been looking through a lot of our accounts that the funds haven’t been put in the right buckets,” she said…LOGIN TO CONTINUE READING AT www.devinenewsmembers.com. You will get INSTANT online 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!

County commissioners hear concerns about old mines as they approve replat of ‘Project Cinco’ hyperscaler site

Medina County Auditor Eduardo Lopez is stepping down effective May 3 to pursue other career interests. Former assistant auditor Rubi Gaucin, currently serving as county human resources director, is taking Lopez’ place. The county is recruiting a new HR director.

By Anton Riecher
Medina County commissioners approved an application by Rowan Digital Infrastructure to consolidate the 440-acre site for a proposed hyperscaler data center near Lytle into a single parcel as the basis for future subdivision.
On a motion by Precinct 3 Commissioner David Lynch, seconded by Precinct 4 Commissioner Danny Lawler, the commissioners voted 4-0 to create Rowan Cinco subdivision on Texas 132 and County Road 6712.
Also on a motion by Lynch, seconded by Lawler, the court voted 4-0 to approve a preliminary commercial development site plan creating Rowan Project Cinco.
According to Rowan representative Dave Trevor, the lot consolidation is the first step in the preliminary development plan needed to move forward with the project. Subsequent subdivision of the property included an eight-acre parcel deeded to Texas AEP as the site of an electrical substation.
The site development plan includes preliminary drawings for the data center structure and an accompanying office building.
Trevor made reference to a recent open house conducted at Lytle High School to familiarize the community with the project.
“One of the reasons we wanted to do that is to show that, one, we are listening to the community and that we want to take in feedback and incorporate that into our development but also demonstrate that we have the pulse of what is important to the community. Our design incorporates that feedback.”
During the public comments portion that opened the Monday agenda, Lytle resident Cliff Garrison posed a question about Project Cinco.
“My visit today is to simply ask whether or not Rowan is aware of the lignite coal mining operations that occurred during the late 1880s through 1920s?” Garrision said. “If so, can Rowan produce or share its certified geotechnical survey?”
Garrison said he was concerned that vibration from the hyperscaler project might collapse the long abandoned underground tunnels from mining. He made reference to recent problems in New Jersey from similar projects.
“Unfortunately, maps of the area are almost impossible to find,” he said. “However, a 1913 Medina Valley irrigation map filed in Hondo in 1914 does show the general areas where Coal Mine of Lytle conducted operations for a number of companies.”
Commissioner Lynch passed a printed copy of Garrison’s presentation to the Rowan representatives…LOGIN TO CONTINUE READING AT www.devinenewsmembers.com. You will get INSTANT online 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!

Consumers confront Devine council on 48.2 percent rate hike

Public response to a 48.2 percent hike in water and sewer rates partially implemented beginning in January ranged from challenging the Devine City Council for past management errors to congratulating it for its current transparency.
Without appropriate water/sewer rate increases the city could find itself struggling with growing debt, said City Administrator David Jordan during an April 15 public hearing. He presented an in-depth analysis of service rates over the last two decades cited as the foundation for the proposed rate increases.
“Without appropriate water/sewer rate increases, the city of Devine could find itself nearly…LOGIN TO CONTINUE READING AT www.devinenewsmembers.com. You will get INSTANT online 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!

Planning requirements for proposed Natalia ambulance substation may postpone project

By Anton Riecher
Legal requirements governing the construction of government buildings in Texas may delay work on a Medina County Emergency Services District No. 4 ambulance substation slated to be built in Natalia later this year.
By a vote of 4-0, the ESD4 board of commissioners voted April 9 to contact their attorney, Ken Campbell, for clarification on architecture requirements to assemble a pre-engineered metal building that would serve as the new sub-station.
EMS Director Jason Miller warned the board that hiring an architect or engineer to draw plans and specifications for the new structure could mean a considerable push back in the project timeline…LOGIN TO CONTINUE READING at www.devinenewsmembers.com. You will get INSTANT online 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!

Lytle votes to update water, sewer mapping

By Anton Riecher
An agreement with an engineering consultant to update mapping of the water and sewer system in Lytle was approved by the city council Monday during its regular monthly meeting.
On a motion by District 3 Alderman David Emery, seconded by District 4 Alderman Michael Rodriguez, the council approved an agreement with San Antonio-based Cobb, Fendley & Associates for phase one of a two-phase project to update the city’s capital improvement plan.
City Administrator Zachary Meadows said the first phase will cover general mapping of the city’s water and sewer…LOGIN TO CONTINUE READING at www.devinenewsmembers.com. You will get INSTANT online 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!

Lytle council authorizes eminent domain in town citing “public necessity” in 3-0 vote

By Anton Riecher
This Monday, the Lytle City Council declared a “public necessity” to acquire right-of-way property along Railroad and McDonald streets for a new 12-inch water main. The action authorizes the city staff to move forward with eminent domain proceedings if the property cannot be acquired through purchase negotiations.
“We have sent initial offers for some easements that we need to acquire along that route because of the amount of utilities that are in this particular project,” City Administrator Zachary Meadows said…LOGIN TO CONTINUE READING at www.devinenewsmembers.com. You will get INSTANT online 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!

Devine “Water & sewer rate increases to be discussed”, another increase to hit in the fall

The Devine City Council will host a Public Hearing to discuss “Water & Sewer Rate Increases” next Tuesday, April 15, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. at the Dr. George S. Woods Community Center, 200 E. Hondo Avenue in Devine.
City leaders want to hear from the citizens and update the citizens on their options and plans.
“At a public hearing people are able to talk and the council and I too. We can have conversations,” said David Jordan, City of Devine Administrator.
“They will not be limited to 3 minutes per topic like a regular meeting. This will be a public hearing; it is called to hear from the citizens. They can ask questions of any of us and we can talk to them,” said Jordan.
“It’s a time to listen to the public and a time for us to explain how we got to this point, where we are trying to get to, why, the lack of small incremental raises in last 7 years that could have elevated the need for these bigger increases, and our deteriorating infrastructure. I was able to get a grant to cover the cost of a rate study from an outside professional source, Community Underling, instead of using our office staff so it would be unbiased and not look like we were just doing this because we wanted to,” said Jordan.
“The results of the study suggested we needed to do a onetime jump in rates, but the council voted to spread it out over two increases to help make it a easier on the customers. This was just to break even, not to gain momentum,” he said.
All interested parties, groups, or individuals are encouraged to attend this public hearing and participate in the discussion.
For more information, please contact the City of Devine at (830) 663-2804.
This Notice of Public Hearing comes after an outcry by citizens on the high rate increases that took effect in February and are set to increase again in the fall or October 1 of this year.
“We can take as long as we need for the public hearing. The regular meeting will begin immediately afterwards since it’s in the same location since it is the third Tuesday of the month,” said Jordan. More info in notice on page 5.