Category: School News

By Anton Riecher
The Devine school board voted unanimously Monday to approve the construction of district tennis courts and renovation of the softball field.
On a motion by Carl Brown, seconded by Henry Moreno, the board voted 7-0 to contract with Cuerro-based Weaver and Jacobs Construction for the $542,507 softball field renovation. The project includes a $100,000 contingency fund.
The project includes new fencing and enlarging the backstop from 16 feet to 20 feet high.
On the tennis court project, the board voted 7-0 to contract with Austin-based Hellis Construction, previously responsible for the district’s track renovation. The motion by Brown was seconded by Chris Davis.
District Superintendent Todd Grandjean said the tennis court project will begin August 4 with completion scheduled for mid-November. The contingency allowance for the project is $200,000.
Grandjean said the two bids under consideration were so close in price that scheduling became the prime factor in his recommendation.
The board also voted to approve the purchase of a new 77 passenger school bus utilizing a Texas Commission on Environmental Quality grant authorizing the replacement of a pre-2007 diesel fuel school bus. Cost of the purchase is not to exceed $155,000.
“One of the things this has helped us do is put our kids in safer, more reliable transportation for about half the cost,” Grandjean said.
On a motion by Brown, seconded by Moreno, the purchase was approved on a 7-0 board vote. The bus will be the last purchased on the TCEQ grant.
In his administrative report, Grandjean said the district principals are back at work in preparation for the new school year.
“As leaders, they are spending these early day reviewing data from previous years and finalizing master schedules, coordinating professional development and insuring that the facilities are ready for the kids and the teachers,” Grandjean said.
Construction crews are busy jackhammering the approaches to the high school in preparation for traffic control improvements, he said. Permits were signed Monday with the Texas Department of Transportation for the installation of new culverts.
Unfortunately, cosmetology labs will not be completed in time for the new school year, Grandjean said.
“We were hoping that they would be open the first day of school, but the mill work on the cabinets and storage areas will not be delivered until Sept. 10,” he said. Cosmetology classrooms will be ready for use.
At the middle school, new wall have gone up along the rear of the building. However, new dressing rooms for the campus are behind schedule.
For at least the first seven days of the new school year girls will have to dress in the science labs while boys will use the teaching suite, Grandjean said.
At the elementary campus, a new concrete slab is scheduled to be poured Wednesday with structural steel slated to arrive next week, he said.

By Anton Riecher
With a single candle burning, lights were lowered in the Medina County Commissioners Court chambers for 106 seconds Monday to commemorate the lives lost in the devastating July 4 flooding that swept the Texas Hill Country.
County Judge Keith Lutz led those gathered for the commissioners’ court session in prayer.
“Dear Lord, we come here with heavy hearts this morning following the last ten days of sadness for our neighbors and our fellow Texans,” Lutz said. “We pray that you will comfort those who have experienced unimaginable loss and grief.”
He also asked that the light of the burning candle “remind us that you are the light and that you will lead us through darkness.”
Lutz also thanked the many Medina County citizens who assisted in the search and rescue operations following the flood.
“We’re just very thankful to have a county, a group of citizens, that step up and help our neighbors in times like these,” he said.
As of Tuesday morning, the toll of those still missing in Kerr County stands at 97.
Action taken by commissioners during the Monday hearing included approval of an interlocal agreement with Lytle ISD to provide campus security for the 2025-2026 school year by assigning two Medina County Sheriff’s Office deputies to serve as school resource officers on Lytle campuses.
“As discussed in the budget workshop, Lytle ISD has requested a second school resource officer,” Lutz said. “This agreement will supersede the agreement currently in place.”
On a motion by Precinct 2 Commissioner Larry Sittre, seconded by Precinct 3 Commissioner David Lynch, the commissioners voted 3-0 to approve the agreement. Precinct 4 Commissioner Danny Lawler was absent from the Monday meeting.
Assistant Criminal District Attorney Margaret Swyers said the Lytle school board is scheduled to take up the matter at their May 28 meeting.
In financial matters, First Assistant County Auditor Jennifer Konegni reported that cash on hand stands at $29.07 million as of July 1. County Treasurer Debra Graff reported accounts payable totaling $407,474 with commissioners approving payment.
Graff also reported disbursement of funds totaling $79,261 since the last commissioners’ court meeting to cover fuel, utilities and dental claims.
In the monthly report for May, Graff reported an ending cash balance of $32.611 million against a debt total of $20.845 million.
Commissioners also approved a final plat establishing units one, two and three of the Talley Ho subdivision in Precinct 1 on Highway 211 on a motion by Precinct 1 Commissioner Jessica Castiglione.
Following nearly an hour in closed executive session, commissioners voted 3-0 on a motion by Castiglione to allow Judge Lutz to enter into negotiations regarding economic development with an undisclosed group identified only as Cyrus.