Devine City Council Meetings

ESD4 purchases two ambulances to supplement aging fleet

ESD4 board treasurer Patrick DuBose addresses the layout of the new Natalia ambulance substation during the board’s Oct. 14 meeting. (Photo by Anton Riecher)

By Anton Riecher
A $230,000 sealed bid submitted by Medina County Emergency Services District No. 4 to purchase two low-mileage used ambulances has been accepted by the North Texas community of Gunter, board president Steve Smith announced following the ESD board’s Oct. 14 regular meeting.
“We approved in the budget to purchase replacement vehicles,” Smith said. “The mileage is creeping up on the units we have here.”
At a brief special meeting held by a three-member quorum on Oct. 10, the board acted on a recommendation by Castroville-based ESD1 Chief Clint Cooke to submit the bid to Gunter officials. That city is curtailing its ambulance service in favor of a contact with a third-party provider.
The special meeting was called on short notice to meet an Oct. 13 deadline for the bids, Smith said. Board secretary Brenda Butler presided over the meeting in the absence of Smith who was unavailable due to a business obligation.
“Personally, I would have approved the purchase as well,” Smith said.
Buying used ambulances offers a less expensive advantage over new units estimated at $500,000 apiece and taking 18 months to two years to deliver, battalion chief David Powers said.
The purchase brings the ESD4 ambulance fleet to five units. Similar to a used ambulance purchased last year, the latest units consists of Ford F-450 chassis equipped with a custom, all-aluminum modular ambulance body manufactured by Texas-based Frazer-Bilt.
Each ambulance has less than 50,000 miles on the road, Smith said.
The latest purchase will allow ESD4 to standardize the fleet in future through the same ambulance body manufacturer and similar equipment layouts, simplifying maintenance through a matching inventory of parts, he said.
The two oldest vehicles in the ESD4 fleet operate on Ford F350 chassis and have 105,000 miles and 67,000 miles on the odometer, respectively, board treasurer Patrick DuBose said. The units were purchased new by ESD4 in 2024 as part of a scheme since abandoned to transition from third-party contractor Allegiance Mobile Health to providing EMS service directly with its own equipment and personnel.
Both units have had reoccurring maintenance issues linked 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 $42 a year in Medina County. Support important local city, county, and school news like this!

Devine school board approves final $678K payment on 2023 bond project

By Anton Riecher
By unanimous action, the Devine school board voted Monday to approve final payment of $678,497 to Cuero-based construction company Weaver and Jacobs for the district’s 2023 bond project.
The motion was put forward by board member Alixana Buvinghausen and seconded by Carl Brown.
The Devine ISD 2023 bond project was an $11.255 million district-wide capital improvement and safety initiative approved by voters in November 2023. It involved district-wide safety, security and facility additions or renovations across all four district campuses.
In other action, the board voted unanimously to adopt amendments to the District of Innovation plan with the addition of capping the class size for intermediate classrooms 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!

Devine council approves preliminary plat for new coffee shop

The matter of the dog attack this past May will be discussed again at a future meeting council said in response to a Devine resident who presented new information and questions to the council during the public comment’s portion of Tuesday’s meeting.

By Anton Riecher
Land-use decisions, infrastructure funding and long-term action on code enforcement occupied the Devine City Council during a regular meeting held July 21.
City Permits Director Juanita Romero noted the wide ranging variety of land-use decisions facing the council.
“Today we have a little potpourri of what planning and zoning actually does,” she told council members.
Leading the agenda on land use, the council voted to approve a preliminary plat for a new coffee shop at 635 East Hondo Ave. The brick-and-mortar drive-through coffee location extends a brand established in nearby Lytle.
A public notice was mailed to 23 properties within a 200-foot buffer of the shop site, together with an ad published July 1st and 8th in The Devine News, Romero said. Of those properties only two owners replied, both in favor of the new business.
With the plat meeting all city design requirements, the council voted to approve the plat on the recommendation of the city staff.
Zoning Issues
The council also approved a rezoning at 105 Anderson St. that changed two acres of a 16-acre tract from Class A residential to Class B residential to allow placement of a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development financed manufactured home.
Class A zoning allows only a standard single-family home while Class B allows manufactured homes. Notice was mailed to 16 properties within a 200-foot buffer and advertising notifying the public of the zoning request published in The Devine News.
Two responses to the mailed notices were received by the city, both positive. The owners of the property, on hand for the council meeting, explained that the land had belonged to the same family for many years.
The council discussed…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!

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.

ESD board appointments

By Anton Riecher
Patrick Bourcier, long associated with EMS in Devine, and former Devine City Council member Debbie Randall were named to two-year terms on the Medina County Emergency Services District 4 board of commissioners Monday.
Also, Medina County commissioners reappointed Ken Nighwander, Jerry Stevens and Abigail Beadle to two-year terms on the Devine-based ESD2 (Fire) beginning in January.
Bourcier, a resident of Natalia, serves as district chief with Allegiance Mobile Health which was replaced as the third-party provider for ESD4 (EMS) in October by Castroville-based ESD1. His history in local EMS goes back to the late 1970s when he joined the first ambulance services established in Devine.
Until last year, Randall served as the district 4 representative on the Devine City Council.
Bourcier and Randall replace former board president Anthony Martin, who stepped down in December after serving as board vice president his final year, and Juan Zamora, who stepped down as assistant treasurer earlier this year.
The ESD4 (EMS) replacements were appointed by a 3-0 vote on a motion by Precinct 3 Commissioner David Lynch, seconded by Precinct 1 Commissioner Jessica Castiglioni. Precinct 4 Commissioner Danny Lawler abstained from voting due to an application submitted by a relative.
Brenda Butler, named as a temporary member earlier this year, was reappointed to a full two-year term.
In Castroville-based ESD1, board president Marvin Dziuk and assistant treasurer Leroy Haby were reappointed to new terms. Rodney Hitzfelder, who chose not to apply for a new term, will be replaced by David Foster.