City of Devine July departmental reports


The following City of Devine departmental reports were included in Council packets at the Devine City Council meeting held Tuesday, August 21.
Public Works
One-hundred and seventy-seven work orders were issued in July, including 100 in the water department, nine in the police department, six each at the Driscoll Public Library and street department, and three at City Hall.
Water
In July, 14,154,000 gallons of water were pumped from the Edwards Aquifer and 6,954,000 gallons were pumped from the Carrizo Aquifer for a total of 21,108,000 gallons. To date, 71,114,000 gallons have been pumped from the Edwards, or 218.24 of the City’s allotted 911.730 acre feet.
In July 2017, 16,940,000 gallons were pumped from the Edwards and 23,804,000 were pumped from the Carrizo for a total of 23,804,000 gallons.
Police
Officers worked a total of 1,686.47 hours in July, as well as 62.53 hours of overtime. Dispatch handled 562 calls. Devine PD was assisted by other agencies 23 times, and assisted other agencies 36 times, including 12.5 hours on 13 calls outside of city limits.
Of the 562 calls, 95 were for Animal Control; 80 to talk to an officer; 55 for suspicious activity; 29 each for assist Public Works and assist the public; 23 for information report; 20 each for traffic complaints and miscellaneous; 18 for alarms; 14 each for assist other agency and assist agency report; 12 for disturbances; 10 each for minor accident, civil matter, welfare concern, and theft; nine for narcotics offenses; eight each for found property, criminal trespass/info, and driving while intoxicated; six each for open door/window, assist EMS, and weapons offenses; five each for escort, warrant service, and child abuse/neglect; four each for burglary, traffic violation, family violence notice issuance, and emergency detention; three each for lost property, major accident, liquor laws, and drunkenness; two each for patrol by, natural death, assist Devine VFD, criminal mischief, and violation of a City Ordinance; and one each for animal bite, animal adoption, criminal trespass, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, fraud, assault, runaway, missing person, and suicide.
Eighty-two citations were issued, including 21 for speeding; six each for no valid driver’s license and failure to display driver’s license; five for disregarding a stop sign; four each for expired motor vehicle registration and driving while license invalid; three each for possession of alcoholic beverage in a motor vehicle, operating a vehicle without a license plate, public intoxication, and possession of drug paraphernalia; two each for expired driver’s license, failure to change address on driver’s license, defective stop lamps, driving on the wrong side of the road, failure to signal required distance, failure to signal turn, and failure to dim headlamps; and one each for disregarding a red light, operating an unregistered motor vehicle, failure to maintain financial responsibility, failure to signal lane change, failure to drive in a single lane, passing an emergency vehicle, parking in handicapped parking, defective headlamps, violation of City Ordinance – running at large, and Class C assault.
Fifty arrests were made, including 11 for possession of drugs; eight for DWI/DUI minor; five for warrant service; four each for driving while license invalid, theft, and unlawful carrying of a weapon; three each for drunkenness, possession of an alcoholic beverage in a motor vehicle, and possession of drug paraphernalia; and one each for criminal trespass, prohibited weapons, interfering with an emergency phone call, assault, and assault – family violence.
Municipal Court
A total of 524 traffic and 482 non-traffic cases were on the Municipal Court docket in July. Forty-six traffic and sixteen non-traffic cases were disposed prior to court appearance or trial. In all, 96 traffic cases were disposed and 46 put on inactive status, while 27 non-traffic cases were disposed and 51 placed on inactive status. At the end of the month, 1,253 traffic and 1,050 non-traffic cases remained pending.
Three active cases remain pending in juvenile court.
Thirty-seven arrest warrants were issued, including 32 for Class C misdemeanors, four for Class A and B misdemeanors, and 1 for a felony.
Fines and court costs collected totaled $13,755.17. Of that, $8,899.73 was kept by the City and $4,855.44 was remitted to the State.
Animal Control
In July, Animal Control officers picked up an injured sheep, picked up a baby possum and released it into the wild, picked up a snake near the kennels and released it into the wild, picked up another snake inside a house and released it into the wild, euthanized a skunk in a personal trap, and euthanized an injured deer.
Two animal bites were reported, and one ticket and one warning were issued. Nineteen dogs and 10 cats were euthanized, four animals were adopted, and two animals were returned to their owners.
Driscoll Public Library
In July, 2,496 library materials were checked out. Public access computers were used 2,380 times, 18 new library accounts were opened, and 59 additional library cards were issued. Program attendance was 388, and the door count for the month was 2,380.
The Summer Reading Challenge was the most successful the library has held, with 75 participants turning in 299 reading logs. Fifteen kids earned the first medal (15 hours of reading), 10 earned the second medal (25 hours) and 18 earned the third medal (40 hours of reading). A full list of participants and photos of those who read 40 hours ran in the August 1 edition of The Devine News.
“Several of the parents whose children participated in our reading challenge thanked us for doing this for their kids,” Head Librarian Debra DuBose wrote. “They all have seen improvement in the child’s reading and expressed that if it were not for the incentives we provide throughout the summer, they are certain it would have been much harder to keep their children reading.”
By Marly Davis
Staff Writer