City & County Politics – Page 6

County approves flood control study negotiations

The Medina County Commissioners Court voted to proclaim June Elder Abuse Awareness Month. County Judge Keith Lutz said that such abuse affected more than 125,850 older adults and people with disabilities in Texas in 2024. On hand for the presentation were members of the local APS office. (Photo by Anton Riecher)

By Anton Riecher
On two important fronts – flood control and drinking water – the Uvalde-based Nueces River Authority is gaining greater significance to residents of Medina County.
On June 2, the Medina County Commissioners Court voted 3-0 allow County Judge Keith Lutz to negotiate terms for a future interlocal agreement with NRA governing the county’s participation in a Nueces River basin study to update floodplain maps, to be conducted by the Texas Water Development Board.
According to Travis Pruski, NRA chief operating officer, one of the biggest issues with state floodplain planning is the lack of maps and outdated data.
“We applied for a grant through the TWDB flood infrastructure funds to help update county maps throughout (Nueces Flood Planning Region 13),” Pruski told commissioners. The grant would also cover studying early warning systems, high hazard dam assessment and low water crossings.
NRA did receive…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!

Executive session…Lytle secures deal for future water needs for city

By Anton Riecher
Following a executive session, the Lytle City Council approved an agreement with the Nueces River Authority for the purchase of future water needs for the city. Travis Pruski, chief operating officer with NRA, said the sale is part of a project to provide nearly 40 million gallons to small water districts south of San Antonio.
“This is extremely important to us and to the region,” Pruski said. “We call it internally our South Texas moonshot.”
Other communities expected to be included in the project include Castroville, Hondo and Jourdanton, he said…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 approves development agreement for hyperscaler project

By Anton Riecher
At a May 28 special meeting, the Lytle City Council voted unanimously to approve a development agreement with Rowan Digital Infrastructure as the latest step in the planned construction of a $500 million large scale build-to-suit data center slated to bring nearly 600 construction jobs to the community this summer.
“Obviously we’ve been working really closely for the last few months on multiple phases of the development that’s going to occur for the data center,” said City Administrator Zachary Meadows. “This is the next step, an actual development agreement laying out certain terms.”
The agreement lays out a schedule for annexation of the 440-acre project site located in the city’s extra territorial jurisdiction near the Coal Mine neighborhood. ETJ refers to an area surrounding the city’s corporate limits where it has powers related to land development and annexation, but not full municipal services.
According to Meadows, the agreement would impose a “carbon copy” of Lytle’s zoning regulations for industrial districts on the project. The agreement 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!

Governor signs bill aiding local aquifer storage project

Gov. Greg Abbott Saturday signed Senate Bill 616 that local officials expect to help make the proposed Medina County aquifer storage and recovery project a future reality.
The proposed project calls for creating a 50,000 acre-foot freshwater ASR project in the brackish Trinity Aquifer beneath the Edwards Aquifer. SB 616 amends the state water code to address aquifer storage and recovery projects that intersect the Edwards Aquifer, specifically in Williamson County east of Interstate 35.
“The bill clarifies that the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) may authorize injection wells that transect the Edwards Aquifer under certain conditions,” Fast Democracy reports. “These conditions include the injection of groundwater withdrawn from the Edwards Aquifer, stormwater, floodwater, or groundwater through improved sinkholes or caves, and specifically, the inclusion of ASR injection wells that inject water into a geologic formation underlying the Edwards Aquifer.”
The bill was sponsored by state senators Charles Schwertner and Sarah Eckhardt and state representative Caroline Harris Davila.
Medina County Judge Keith Lutz, addressing a meeting of the Medina County Regional Water Alliance earlier this month, reported that an amendment in support of the local ASR project had been successfully attached to SB 616.
That amendment will put the Medina County project “on the fast track” in Austin, Lutz said.
The bill was passed by the 89th Texas Legislature on May 12.

Emergency repair to aging Edwards water well

By Anton Riecher
Taking emergency action, the Devine City Council authorized the possible replacement of the wellhead and pipe for the city’s number two Edwards Aquifer water well after damage from a major break in a 12-inch water main reported April 27.

City Administrator David Jordan asked for an emergency authorization during the council’s regular session May 20, stating that if the city’s sole remaining Edward Aquifer well goes down “we’re in trouble.”

A preliminary inspection of the 2,000 feet of pipe beneath the wellhead revealed major corrosion at the 300 foot level, City Public Works Director Pete Sanchez told the council. The pipe and wellhead have been in place since 1990.
“We’re thinking that if it’s like that upstairs it’s going to be like that downstairs,” Sanchez said.

On a motion by District 3 Alderman Jeff Miller, seconded by District 1 Alderman Ray Gonzales, the council voted 4-0 to approved pulling the well to inspect the pipe and, if necessary, replacing the pipe and wellhead at a cost of $127,000.
District 2 Alderman Michael Hernandez was absent for the council meeting.
Sanchez told the council that he suspects an air pocket in the water main damaged the pipe at the bottom of the well.

“The whole column lifted and broke the wellhead,” he said.
In answer to a question by Mayor Butch Cook, Sanchez said he thought the price quoted for the entire project, including replacement of the wellhead, was reasonable given the age of the well. Pulling the entire length of pipe for inspection will cost $13,000 alone, Sanchez said.

“It’s been a while since we pulled it,” he said.
Miller asked if the expense would come from the water utility since it is not included in the city budget. Jordan replied that would come from the water fund since “in preparation to rehabilitate the groundwater storage tank (near Warhorse Stadium) we have found many situations like this.”
When Miller offered his motion, City Attorney Thomas Cate interjected that unless the council declared the situation an emergency any such project costing more than $50,000 would need to go out for bids.

“If we are going with these people tonight we need to have the finding of an emergency,” Cate said.
Miller amended his motion to include an emergency declaration.

4 leaving City… Devine is looking for new Secretary, PD Chief, Treasurer and Clerk

The City of Devine now has four positions open in the city office and is hiring a firm to handle the application process called Clear Career Professionals after learning of four position retirements or resignations.

City Secretary Dora Rodriguez just turned in her retirement on Wednesday, May 21 after 41 years. She will continue until the end of July 2025. Rodriguez has held many positions in the past 41 years serving Devine since graduating from Devine High School in 1984 to even include the Interim City Administrator position on several occasions to keep things going.

Police Chief Kandy Benavidez first announced her retirement a few weeks ago after 40 years of service. She will continue until the end of June 2025.
Next, in the finance department Denise Duffy turned in her resignation in May, working until the end of May. She has worked in the Treasurer/Accounting department in Devine for 13 years and 20 overall career. Her husband recently retired as well.

Court Administrator/ Utility Clerk Supervisor Alma has been working at the City of Devine for the past 16 years, she gave her two weeks notice for another job opportunity, her last day was May 17.

“At the beginning of the month I had one position to fill. By the end of the month I now have four, “ said City Administrator David Jordan. “It’s going to be a busy summer and we have a lot of projects going on too.”
First review deadline for applications is June 13, 2025 as listed on clearcareerpro.com.

Medina burn ban extended another 90 days

By Anton Riecher

Due to extensive drought conditions a burn ban originally approved by the Medina County Commissioners Court in February has been extended an additional 90 days effective Monday.

On a motion by Precinct 3 Commissioner David Lynch, seconded by Precinct 1 Commissioner Jessica Castiglioni, the commissioners voted unanimously to approve the extension requested by county emergency management coordinator Mark Chadwick.

“If you know anybody who does rain dancing or anything else I would entertain talking to somebody at this point,” Chadwick said.

Out of 254 Texas counties, Medina County is one of 84 counties currently under a burn ban. Nearby Zavala, Frio and Atascosa counties are also under current bun bans.

A check of the local fire risk as determined by the Keetch-Bryan drought index Sunday morning showed Medina County at a high of 646 out of a possible 800, he said. The index balances precipitation against soil moisture to calculate potential fire risk.

The county median stands at 552 and the low was measured at 450, Chadwick said.

“Right now our drought index is jumping anywhere from five to 10 points a day,” he said. “As the heat increases for the next few weeks and you have days like tomorrow (Tuesday) we are already looking at a relative humidity that is going to drop to 12 percent.”

As the summer heat increases, the drought index is expected to jump as many as 15 points a day, he said.

Instead of brief, periodic rains that quickly run off, the county needs three to four days of slow, soaking rainfall to break the drought, Chadwick said. Short of a tropical storm moving in from the Gulf, such heavy rains are unlikely.

County Judge Keith Lutz, who formerly served as the county’s emergency management coordinator, noted that while short steady rains are insufficient to break the drought, resulting conditions may be safe enough for Chadwick or the sheriff’s office to issue temporary exemptions to the burn ban.

Last year the county issued 472 such permits, Chadwick said. Since October, the county has issued 610 temporary permits to allow burning under safe conditions, he said.

“We process them as fast as we can get them,” Chadwick said.

In other business, the commissioners took no action on the appointment of Cynthia Sultenfuss to replace Juan Zamora on the Medina County Emergency Services District No. 4 board of commissioners due to an error in posting the item to the official court agenda, Lutz said.

Whereas the item was added to the court’s on-line agenda, it was mistakenly left off the agenda posted for the public outside the courthouse annex in Hondo.

Commissioners did take action to make 40 mph the official speed limit for County Road 6612 after a public hearing on the issue. Precinct 4 Commissioners Danny Lawler explained that while 40 mph is the posted speed limit, the commissioners court had failed set that speed as the official limit, making it unenforceable.

No comment was offered during the public hearing. On a motion by Lawler, seconded by Lynch, the commissioners voted unanimously to set the speed limit at 40 mph.

Commissioners also voted unanimously to approve a road use agreement with Rowan Land Resources for construction and maintenance on portions of county roads 683 and 6712 bordering the “Project Cinco” hyperscaler data center project near Lytle. Rowan Land Resources is the property acquisition arm of Rowan Digital Infrastructure, developer of the data center project.

The motion was made by Lynch and seconded by Castiglioni.

MCESD#2 waiting on audits, learn insurance paid because Schulz was an auxiliary member

By Anton Riecher
Regarding the forensic audit authorized by the board, Summers said the district’s auditing firm is still working to complete basic audits for fiscal years 2022-2023, 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 before work can commence on the forensic audit. That basic work will determine the definitive cost of the forensic investigation.
“Doing the actual audits is going to lead them down the path to how much more work is going to have to be done to do a forensic audit,” Summers said.
ESD2 Bookkeeper Nancy Pepper estimated that work on FY 2022-2023 will be completed by the end of May, allowing auditors to proceed to FY 2023-2024.
Delivering her report on the ESD2 finances, Pepper said the district has collected $270,266 in sales tax for the fiscal year to date with $50,736 in tax revenue collected in May. Total income for the district as of April 30 is $723,621. Total expenditure for the year to date is $260,000, leaving a budgeted balance of $462,597.
A recent letter from the Medina Central Appraisal District indicates that the preliminary appraised value for ESD2 is being estimated at $857.3 million, up slightly from the final appraisal of $856.9 million last year, Pepper said. Exemptions for homestead and over 65 exemptions are expected to total about $55 million, she said.
In Texas, a mechanism known as “compression” is applied to appraisal value to help mitigate the increase in property value on taxpayers. Pepper said…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!

City of Devine looks to hire Police Chief, Finance Director and Court Admin./Utility Clerk Supervisor

The City of Devine has three positions open and is hiring a firm to handle the application process called Clear Career Professionals after learning of three position retirements or resignations.
Police Chief Kandy Benavidez announced her retirement a few weeks ago after 40 years of service. She will continue until the end of June 2025.
In the finance department Denise Duffy turned in her resignation, she has worked in the Treasurer/Accounting department in Devine for 13 years and 20 overall. Her husband recently retired as well.
Court Administrator/ Utility Clerk Supervisor Alma has been working at the City of Devine for the past 16 years, she recently announced her resignation.

New law may impact purchase of appraisal district HQ

By Anton Riecher
A proposed change in legislation that restricts appraisal districts from financing the purchase of property required a closed executive session by the Medina County Appraisal District Board of Directors May 14 to confer by telephone with its attorney.
In question was whether a “conduit organization” would be required as an intermediary or fiscal agent in MCAD’s purchase of a 4,900 square-foot building in Hondo to serve as replacement for the present MCAD office space leased from Medina County.
Devine ISD school board cast the deciding vote on a new home for MCAD April 29 when it sanctioned a resolution approving the purchase. The board became the thirteenth of 15 eligible taxing entities to vote in favor of the purchase, the required supermajority needed to authorize acquisition.
According to MCAD Chief Appraiser Johnette Dixon, the Texas tax code states that the board of directors “may purchase or lease property and may construct improvements as necessary to establish and operate the appraisal office or a branch appraisal office.”
An amendment under consideration by the 89th Texas Legislature would add the word “finance” to the phrase “may purchase or lease property,” giving appraisal districts the direct authority to negotiate financing for property acquisition, Dixon said.
Without that amendment, MCAD will be required to go through a conduit organization such as Government Capital Corp., specialists in public finance, to negotiate financing to purchase the Hondo office complex known as “The Ridge” to be the district’s future home. Located at 728 18th Street, the property was the former home of the Hill Country Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Center.
The board conducted the telephone conference with attorney Matthew Tepper with McCreary Veselka Bragg & Allen.
In other business related to the purchase, the board approved hiring an engineering firm to conduct an asbestos inspection of the property prior to closing on the purchase, expected to happen before the end of the month.
“The city of Hondo is going to require us to have this ready to go,” said appraisal board chair Cynthia Malone.
Dixon said even though the inspection is required, asbestos is not expected to be a problem since the building underwent a complete renovation in 2009. Cost of the new inspection will be $4,128.
“If there was anything they would have found it at that point,” she said.
The board also reaffirmed its hiring of Hondo-based Paddle Creek Design as architect on the remodeling of a 4,620 square foot portion of the property to accommodate appraisal district operations, including 13 offices and a hearing room for property value protests that will go into immediate use in June.
Leases on the remaining portion of the property purchases will not expire until July 2026.
Malone said that other than the purchase of furniture, remodeling of the hearing room will likely be postponed until after the expected summer wave of protest hearing subsides.
The approved price tag for architect Thomas Oppelt’s work on the project is $35,000. Although the board approved the hiring of Oppelt and the quoted bid, board member Harold Galm said he would have preferred to see bids from two or more competing firms.
Several firms discussed the project with MCAD, but Paddle Creek Design was the only one to submit a bid for the project.
With regard to appraisal district business, Dixon reported that MCAD has posted 28,000 appraisal notices this month for real property, with another 1,000 covering personal property to be posted soon. Of those notices, 180 protests have already been filed by property owners, thanks largely to a new on-line internet portal provided by MCAD.
Property tax protest hearings are expected to start June 23, Dixon said.
To date, MCAD has collected 56.9 percent of its expected income from the taxing entities it represents, she said. Of that amount, MCAD’s total expenses to date make up 39.1 percent of its budgeted income.
Among those budgeted expenses is the purchase of five new computers to replace aging equipment that cannot be updated from the present Windows 10 system, Dixon said.