Celebrating 126 Years of Serving the communities of Devine, Natalia, Lytle, Bigfoot, and Moore in Medina, Frio, and Atascosa Counties
Category: City & County Politics
Information you need to know about the City of Devine, Medina County Commissioner’s Court, City of Natalia, City of Lytle, and our local Emergency Service Districts.
By Anton Riecher Retiring East Medina County Special Utility District superintendent Bruce Alexander bid farewell Monday to the Medina County Commissioners Court by introducing his replacements to the court. “December 31 is my last day and I can’t thank y’all or any of the previous commissioners and judges enough for all the work we’ve done in securing safe, potable drinking water for all the properties in Medina County,” Alexander said. A licensed water operator for more than 43 years, Alexander is also a past president of the Texas Rural Water Association, a statewide educational and trade association that represents the state’s rural water community. He also serves as the current mayor of Castroville. Alexander introduced EMCSUD business manager Lauren Evans and field manager Ronnie Lemmons. The EMCSUD board of directors has chosen to dissolve the superintendent position and split the duties between Evans and Lemmons. As for the future, Alexander said he plans to spend more time with family, friends and as Castroville mayor. County Judge Keith Lutz said he detected signs of emotion as Alexander addressed the commissioners. “It doesn’t surprise me because he’s a really, really good guy and has really worked hard for our citizens,” Lutz said. Bruce Alexander, retiring this month as superintendent of East Medina County Special Utility District, bid farewell to the Medina County Commissioners Court Monday. (Photo by Anton Riecher)
CUTLINE – LEMMONS-EVANS-ALEXANDER From left, East Medina County Special Utility District field manager Ronnie Lemmons and business manager Lauren Evans joined with retiring superintendent Bruce Alexander who bid farewell to the Medina County Commissioners Court Monday. (Photo by Anton Riecher)
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.
The City of Lytle holds its election for city council and Mayor on the first Saturday in May of each year. The election for Districts 4, 5, and the mayor are held in even numbered years. Michael Rodriguez is the Alderman of District 4, and Matthew Martinez is the Alderman of District 5. Ruben Gonzalez is the Mayor. All of these positions expire in May 2026. Filing period for a place on the ballot starts January 14, 2026 and ends February 13, 2026.
Assistant criminal district attorney Daphne Previti delivers a biennial report by the Sexual Assault Response Team to the Medina County Commissioners Court Monday. (Photo by Anton Riecher)
By Anton Riecher and Kayleen Holder Medina County 911 received around 30 calls in 2025 reporting sexual assault, reported Assistant criminal district attorney Daphne Previti to the Medina County Commissioner’s. “Of those 20, four cases have made it to the district attorney’s office for prosecution, while the others are still pending investigations by local law enforcement offices,” said First Assistant Criminal District Attorney Julie Solis in a short interview after the meeting. Of the cases that have been presented to the DA’s office, two are being pursued by the Medina County Sheriff’s Office and two by the Hondo Police Department, Previti said. Assistant criminal district attorney Daphne Previti explained to county commissioners on Monday that the others, “are still in the process of being worked up so none have been presented yet to the (district attorney’s) office for presentation to the grant jury for indictment,” Previti said. As to the gap between the…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!
By Anton Riecher Questions as to whether Natalia residents will accept a prefabricated modular building as the new ambulance station over more traditional construction were still under debate during the Medina County Emergency Services District No. 4 board of commissioners meeting Nov. 25. Board president Steve Smith noted that representatives of Natalia expressed their opinion quite clearly at a February 2025 meeting shortly after he took charge of the board. “According to them previously, in February, when we told them we were considering all options, they were not at all happy that we were considering this for their property,” Smith said. “They were not happy that we were even considering putting in a modular building.” Board treasurer Patrick DuBose noted that double-wide mobile homes are commonly used by San Antonio to house ambulance crews in outlying areas. Regardless of the construction type, Natalia residents would “really be happy to have a station over there.” With only a three-member quorum present…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!
Lytle Mayor Ruben Gonzalez, foreground, and District 3 Alderman David Emery listen to a presentation by the Kimley-Horn engineering firm on the city’s master drainage plan. (Photo by Anton Riecher)
By Anton Riecher An update on the Lytle master drainage plan project and what is to come in the future was presented to the Lytle City Council Monday by the engineering firm Kimley-Horn. The primary goal of the project is to analyze the existing floodplain within the city limits and use that information to update the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s flood insurance rate maps used for flood plain management, said Deanna Mikulik, a civil engineer with Kimley-Horn. The engineering firm will then analyze areas that experience heavy flooding and propose solutions to alleviate those issues, she said. Phase 1 of the drainage plan project involved the creation of hydrologic models reflecting existing conditions to qualify how much runoff from the regional watershed drains into…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!
By Anton Riecher Medina County commissioners took action Monday to update public improvement districts agreements governing infrastructure improvements for various housing subdivisions across the region. Clay Binford with McCall, Parkhurst and Horton, representing the county as special counsel, took the opportunity to bring the commissioners up to speed on the infrastructure projects involved. Chapter 312 of the state’s local government code requires that the commissioners “affirm the plan or change the plan that we adopted at the time we put these public improvement districts in place,” Binford said. A public improvement…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!
In what District 1 Alderman Ray Gonzales referred to as a “$32,000 gamble,” the Devine City Council voted unanimously Oct. 21 to approve an attempt by Converse-based Advanced Water Well Technologies to restore the city’s long dormant L.C. Martin water well to operation. Mayor Butch Cook told the council that it had long been accepted that the well was beyond salvage. “For the longest time, especially since I’ve been elected, I was always told that the well is beyond repair,” he said. “But apparently we can make it viable again.” On a motion by District 2 Alderman Michael Hernandez, seconded by District. 4 Alderman Josh Ritchey, the council voted 5-0 to approve $31,327 for the rehabilitation project. “I make a motion that we give Advanced Water Well an opportunity to work on this well and see if we can get it back online,” Hernandez said. City Administrator David Jordan said he was introduced to the technology used by Advanced at a recent conference held in Pleasanton and asked them to assess the L.C. Martin well, out of commission nearly five years due to the poor quality of water produced. Chris Richey with Advanced said the inspection determined that the well has a significant build-up of iron bacteria. “Ultimately, we want to go in and clean that well out really good and make it a viable water source for the city again,” he said. John Wilkins, also…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!
During the Oct. 14 Lytle City Council meeting District 1 Alderwoman Anne Carrillo asked the public to recognize Oct. 14 as White Cane Safety Day, an annual observance on Oct. 15 that honors the independence of people who are blind or visually impaired. Carrillo said she still cherishes the cane used by her late brother.
By Anton Riecher Plans by a new developer to build a secondary access for emergency response traffic into Saddle Ridge subdivision was announced during the Oct. 14th Lytle City council special session. Kevin Pape, vice president with the Calara Group, said that the engineering done by Rausch Coleman, the original developer of the subdivision, “wasn’t a very good solution for secondary access.” “We’re going to be building a road that is going to be the primary road for the city’s access to get into the waste treatment plant,” Pape said. “Through that, it will also have an emergency (route) to get to that road through our neighborhood in case something happens.” The new road involved changes to plans for the third phase of the Saddle Ridge subdivision previously approved by the city council, he said. New engineering plans will be submitted for council approval. City Administrator Zachary Meadows said the need for secondary access out of the Saddle Ridge subdivision has been a topic of much concern to the council, particularly after the recent sale to Calara Group. “Ultimately, we’ve been asking to get some updates on where we’re at with that particular road construction,” Meadows said. “If you recall, it’s to come out of the back end of Saddle Ridge in, I think, phase three of that project.” The city had asked…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!
The state issued fire code violations to Medina Valley ISD, and there has also been an issue fighting over the requirement of a fire hydrant with a new development in Yancey recently. Medina County Emergency Management Coordinator Mark Chadwick addresses the county commissioners on the new county fire codes under consideration. (Photo by Anton Riecher)
By Anton Riecher Action remains pending on a proposal to adopt the latest version of the International Fire Code specifically to Medina County as an alternative to the state imposed fire code developed by the National Fire Protection Association. Medina County Emergency Management Coordinator Mark Chadwick, who also serves as the county fire marshal, updated county commissioners in September on the fire code proposal, noting several current projects where strict adherence to the state code would prove costly to the developers. In one case, fire protection for a 4,000 square foot office building nearing completion in Yancey would have required the Yancey Water Supply Corporation to install large water mains and pumps to pressurize a required fire hydrant to the appropriate pounds per square inch. “That would be the only fire hydrant in Yancey, Texas,” Chadwick said. Chadwick instead offered developers a variance on the state fire code based on the structure’s one-hour rated interior fire walls and proximity to a fire department fill point. However, the engineers for the project were still determined to fight for the hydrant. “That’s ridiculous, in my opinion, to force them to have to spend what would probably have been over $100,000 for a 4,000 square foot building,” he said. Passage of fire codes specific to Medina County can protect against that, Chadwick said. The 2021 International Fire Code (IFC) is a model code created by the International Code Council to provide minimum standards for fire prevention and protection. It covers topics such as emergency planning, fire protection systems, hazardous materials and fire service access. The IFC is updated every three years and is the basis for fire codes adopted by many states and local jurisdiction, often with specific local amendments. Likewise, the NFPA codes such as NFPA 1 and NFPA 101 are model fire and life safety documents that jurisdictions can adopt. With no county fire code in place, the state requires compliance with the NFPA standards. While IFC is a single, comprehensive code, NFPA is a collection of various standards that IFC often references. Another recent issue cited by Chadwick arising from the lack of county fire codes involved a third-party inspector dispatched by the state writing up violations on 17 buildings in the Medina Valley school district. As an alternative, Chadwick offered to do a re-inspection of the buildings if the district invited the county to serve as a consultant. The penalties involved totaled $17,000. Correcting them would require extensive internal demolition and reconstruction during the school year, he said. “To me, that’s ludicrous,” Chadwick said. “I know that’s a pretty powerful statement but to me, that’s ludicrous.” Of the 17 violations cited, he said he only regarded one as valid. Instead, he recommended the district develop a corrective action plan to address the minor issues cited during the next summer break. The aftermath of the summer flooding in Kerrville is going to result in more pressure on counties to adhere to state codes, Chadwick said. “We’re going to be held responsible for how buildings are built in this county,” he said. “We either have to build them to state codes or we have to have our own codes that we can justify that we are building to to keep our citizens and the public safe.” General requirements that the new codes are expected to address include: Address identification visible from the road fronting the property with numerals not less than four inches high. Walls with a minimum of a one-hour fire rating including interior walls with half-inch thick sheetrock on both sides. Electrical wiring installed with appropriate connections and covers on all outlet and junction boxes. Ground fault circuit interruption (GFCI) protection outlets installed in areas of higher risk electrical shock near water or moisture such as in bathrooms, kitchens, garages and laundry rooms. Breaker panels with appropriate breakers installed. Smoke detectors installed which draw primary power from the electrical system, using batteries as a backup power source.
