Category: Medina County Commissioner’s Court News

By Anton Riecher

Medina County Judge Keith Lutz cast a rare deciding vote on commissioners’ court action August 17, joining with two other members to approve a measure amending how funds for road construction and maintenance are apportioned to the precincts.

The vote followed Precinct 2 Commissioner Larry Sittre abrupt departure after several terse exchanges with Precinct 3 Commissioner David Lynch on the proposed amendment.

Continue reading “County judge casts deciding vote on measure to change apportionment of road funds”

By Anton Riecher
Two-term Medina County Precinct 1 Commissioner Timothy Neuman submitted his resignation July 10 effective immediately. Several days later, the Medina County Criminal District Attorney confirmed that a criminal investigation involving Neuman is being conducted by the Texas Rangers.
Margaret Swyers, assistant criminal district attorney, confirmed the investigation, referring all further comment to the Texas Rangers, the investigating agency.
“What we can say is that we are aware of an investigation and to my knowledge there has not been an arrest made,” Swyers said. “Because it is a pending investigation it is not something that we could elaborate on besides that.”
Nothing official has been filed with the Medina County Criminal District Attorney at this point, Swyers said.
The Texas Rangers is the investigation arm of the Texas Department of Public Safety. DPS media representative Erika Miller stated, “Thank you for your patience. The Texas Rangers are investigating. As this is an active and ongoing investigation, no additional information is available.”
The letter of resignation from Neuman was read aloud by County Judge Keith Lutz during the July 13 Commissioners Court meeting in Hondo.
“I am in receipt of a resignation letter from him from July 10 and it says ‘I, Timothy Neuman, resign as commissioner of precinct 1 for personal reasons, effective 7-10-23,” Lutz read.
On a motion by Precinct 3 Commissioner David Lynch, seconded by Precinct 4 Commissioner Danny Lawler, the commissioners voted to accept the resignation by a 3-0 vote.
Lutz then designated Precinct 2 Commissioner Larry Sittre to handle “anything to do with subdivision information” in precinct 1.
“Sittre has agreed to take those responsibilities to help us continue through that process,” Lutz said.
All other precinct 1 matters (not involving subdivisions) were delegated to Lynch, he said.
“Commissioner Lynch has been gracious enough to watch over the day-to-day operation and he will be doing that,” Lutz said. “Commissioner Lawler, down on that end of the county, said if there is anything he can take care of, he said he would like to help as well.”
During the court members announcement segment of the agenda, Sittre elaborated on the importance of county processing subdivision applications, referring to earlier court action involving the San Antonio Trust subdivision, Hunter’s Ranch subdivision and Megan’s Landing subdivision.
“You all just witnessed probably about $850 million worth of subdivisions, okay,” Sittre said. “The subdivisions we are building over there, some of them had 20-year build-out – they built out in 10. Some of them have 15, they built out in five.”
“All I want to say is the work going on in precinct 2, the majority of it, this is what this (indicating the new county courthouse annex) came from. That’s where the new jail came from.”
As much as 80 percent of the funds coming into the county originated with projects in precincts 1 and 2, Sittre said. He noted that Neuman “was probably on two-thirds of stuff with me,” referring to subdivision approvals.
“Every subdivision I put through, he wanted to learn how to do the job,” Sittre said.
Judge Lutz outlined the procedure by which a replacement for Neuman will be appointed. The cutoff date for applications will be August 11.
“Qualifications for the position are the same qualifications it would take to run for that position which is, first, they have to live in the precinct,” Lutz said. “They have to have been in the precinct for at least six months and that they have to have lived in the county for a year.”
Lutz said that information about where those interested in the opening can go to apply would be posted to the county website within several days.
“My intention is not to do anything or talk to anybody about a job for the next couple of weeks,” he said.
Precinct 1, extending from the county seat in Hondo north to the Medina-Bandera county line, represented the largest of the four Medina County precincts by far.
Neuman’s resignation came one day before passage of a Texas Senate resolution proposed by State Sen. Pete Flores congratulating Neuman on graduation from the state’s Commissioner Court Leadership Academy.
Neuman was absent from both the July 6 and 13 commissioners court meetings.

By Anton Riecher
Medina County ended the 2021-2022 fiscal year in September with equal to almost a full year of general fund expenditure held in reserve in its fund balance, the county’s official outside audit states.
Travis Rogers, certified public accountant for Pattillo Brown & Hill in Waco reported that the county is “well set up to deal with any change of circumstances that arise in the next year or two.”
The audit, presented to the Medina County Commissioners Court on April 6, shows that the county added about $1.6 million in fund balance to the general fund as the result of operations during FY 2021/2022, bringing the total fund balance to about $17.3 million, Rogers said.
“If you compare that to total expenditures for the year, even if you take out capital outlay or about $864,000, that’s still roughly about $20 million in the general fund for the year, which means in the ending fund balance you have close to a year’s worth of general fund expenditure,” Rogers said.
A general rule of thumb for local governmental entities such as counties, is to keep three to six months in reserve, he said.
“If you have nine or 10 months you’re in excellent health financially and in no danger of running out of money any time soon,” Rogers said.
As for the state of the county’s bookkeeping, Rogers said his company issued Medina County an “unmodified or clean opinion.”
“It’s the highest level of assurance we can provide meaning no issues or material departures were noted as part of our audit,” he said.
In other county financial news, the monthly treasurer’s report showed that the county ended February 2023 with a cash balance of $34.714 million, Total debt ending the same period totaled $25.025 million.
On a motion by Precinct 3 Commissioner David Lynch, seconded by Precinct 2 Commissioner Larry Sittre, the commissioners approved $2.071 million in accounts payable. The court also approved disbursement of funds since the last commissioners meeting totaling $10,780.
Commissioners approved a payroll for the period from March 18 to March 31 totaling $663,894 for its 326 employees.
The county auditor’s report showed a March beginning balance of $34.328 million and an April beginning balance of $34.880 million.
A line-item transfer of $1,959 was approved to allow Precinct 2 Constable Jim Przybylski to move funds from office supplies to auto maintenance to cover the removal of old graphics and installation of new replacement graphics on his vehicle.
The commissioners also approved the transfer of $150,000 among various funds used for emergency dispatching.
ESD No. 2
An annual financial report for the Medina County Emergency Services District No. 2 submitted to the county indicates that the district ended the 2021-2022 fiscal year with a budget deficit of $177,795.
“In the General Fund actual revenues received were less than anticipated by $15,665, expenditures more than anticipated by $162,130, resulting in a budget deficit of $177,795,” the outside audit states.
Total revenues budgeted were $432,200. However, the audit shows the actual revenues received totaled $416,535.
“In the Interest and Sinking Fund, actual revenues received were less than anticipated by $9,481, expenditures were less than anticipated by $227, resulting in a budget deficit of $9,205 for the year ending Sept. 30, 2022,” the audit states.
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
The court granted emergency management coordinator Mark Chapwick permission to train a volunteer intern.
“It’s an unpaid internship with no cost out-of-pocket for us,” Chapwick said. “The investment for us, of course, is an investment of time. What it does is take people and build them up in the skills to be able to do this kind of work.”
Chapwick, who joined the county staff last year, said he has conducted an internship program for the past 12 years with good results. One of his previous interns just took charge of emergency management for the community of Ruidoso, N.M.
“You can also use this as a platform for training some local volunteers to work specifically in emergency management,” Chapwick said. “It would be an augmentation for us.”
SUBDIVISIONS
Under subdivision development, the commissioners gave final approval to vacate and replace a lot in the Mi Tierra Subdivision on County Road 340 in Precinct 1. The action followed a brief public hearing on the topic that drew no comment.
Precinct 1 Commissioners Timothy Neuman made the motion, seconded by Sittre.
In Precinct 3, the San Antonio Trust Subdivision located on FM 463 north of Natalia and Lytle received preliminary approval to vacate and replat one lot. Commissioner Lynch recommended the court withhold final approval until further discussion with the Texas Department of Transportation about subdivision entrances.
On a motion by Sittre, the commissioners approved Unit 16B and Unit 16A in the Hunters Ranch subdivision. On a motion by Neuman, seconded by Sittre, the commissioners voted to accept a construction bond for Valley Oaks subdivision, phase 2, located in Precinct 1.
OTHER
Commissioners accepted a community-wide fair housing analysis regarding disability, race and ethnicity required by the Texas Department of Agriculture before the county can apply for grant funds. The court also approved a resolution authorizing application for the 2024 Indigent Defense Improvement Grant Program for the Hill Country Regional Public Defender’s Office.
Chief Juvenile Probation Officer Linette Dury petitioned the commissioners to approve a contract with the Cameron County Juvenile Justice Department for residential services. Likewise, a similar interlocal agreement with the El Paso County Juvenile Board was approved.
On a motion by Neuman, seconded by Sittre, the court authorized application to the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Police Service to participate in the COPS hiring program. Since 1994, COPS has provided $14 billion I assistance to state and local law enforcement agencies to help hire community policing officers.
Commissioners voted to extend the annual eDispatch system contract for the county. EDispatch automatically detects audio dispatches and delivers notifications directly member devices.
The county also approved extending an annual $3,000 lease by Keller Grain of county property in Precinct 2.
For complete video coverage of the commissioners court session visit the Devine News YouTube channel at youtu.be/Ps3a7rg52Yc.