News Bulletin (Castroville, Tex.), Vol. 42, No. 50, Ed. 1 Thursday, December 14, 2000 Page: 1 of 14
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Volume 41
Fiftieth Issue
Castroville - La Coste
Mixed TX Zips Binding
BAZE Book
514 W. 7th St.
. TX 79101
Amarillo 1
Ft. Worth
99
Thursday December 14,2000
Castroville, Texas
Agenda
County Commission - Dec. 18
School Board - Dec. 20
La Coste City Council - Dec. 20
City Council - Jan. 9
750
Council accuses employees of abusing cellular telephones
Adelina Gonzales
.STAFF WRITER'
Police Chief Lee McVay and
Director of Public Works Bruce
Alexander came under fire
Tschirhart asked if they were changed plans to Voicestream,
reprimanded for doing so. It is much more economical for
“They’re told not to. They police to be covered under a
have the phone 24 hours a day plan which includes 5,000 min-
and sometimes they do use
TUesday night over their depart- them. I’ll be honest with you,
ments’ possible misuse of cell but they reimburse [the city],”
* phones. Alexander said.
Councilman Michael Masters He said if he observed some
requested the item be placed on employees using cell phones
the agenda and delved rightinto more than others, they would
the issue, asking just who had
the cell phones and what was
the actual need for them.
Alexander was at the podium
within seconds to respond.
“Are you asking who has
phones? I have a phone as the
be dealt with.
Tschirhart also wanted to
know how many minutes were
used on the standbys.
Alexander responded over
utes for $250 on all eight depart-
ment phones.
“Each officer has one phone
and I monitor them like Bruce
does,” McVay said.
His funding does hot come
out of the General Fund but
from the department’s forfeiture
fund.
“In my opinion, I think it’s just
a total waste,” Masters said, and
believed pagers would handle
200, but the bulk of time spent the job just as well. He pro-
was talking between the two
Director of Public Works and phones. He recently modified
Electrical Foreman Mr. Bradley plans so such calls are not
has one,” he said, adding that charged.
there were two more standby
phones rotated between his per-
% sonnel and an additional phone
used by City Administrator
Donna Schueling.
Masters said he had a hard
time believing all these minutes
were used for city business.
posed employees could go to a
pay phone if they received a
page on the job, and advocated
the possible use of a calling card
or department 800 phone num-
ber. Masters said pagers are
alpha-numeric and therefore no
“Even if they’re reimbursing one required cell phones since
the city for this time, that’s time
Of those five phones, three they should be working,” he
cost $35 a month, one costs $50, said.
and another costs $75. Alexander explained the
Councilman Leon F. phones are used 24 hours a
Tschirhart Sr. asked if they ever day, seven days a week, and
misused their minutes, personal use of the phones was
Alexander said they do some- taking place after hours.
times, but he obtains an item-
Police Chief Lee McVay
ized bill and any charges for reported that his department
personal .calls are paid by the
% employees.
once had five phones through
all communication could be
conducted through the pagers.
“In my opinion nobody but a
department head should have a
cell phone, and everyone else
have alpha-numeric pagers. It’s
my opinion we just get rid of the
phones,” he said.
Councilman Robert Hancock
did not agree with Masters.
“My opinion is that you ought
Southwestern Bell, but recently to have the phones and monitor
• Police Chief Lee McVay (left) and Director of skeptical city council Tuesday night. (Photo by
Public Works Bruce Alexander defended their Adelina Gonzales)
departments' use of cell phones to a somewhat
them closely and reprimand he chose the one with the fewer the phones to be kept as is, with
anyone who overuses it,” he sad.
Masters asked McVay why he
didn’t get a plan for less min-
utes, since he only allowed each
of the eight officers 100 minutes
minutes as it was.
the supervisors to continue
Citizen Lou McCasland point- monitoring their use and also
ed out the two departments look for the best value for the
were very different
city’s money when choosing
“The police definitely need plans. It passed, with only
a month. He responded that the telephone,” he said.
there were only two plans, and
Hancock made a motion for
Masters voting against.
Excess Castroville water rights headed to Comal County
Adelina Gonzales
Staff WRITER
Since the city will have a
surplus of water this year, offi-
cials plan to make a few extra
dollars off reserve amounts at
the airport by leasing some of
their water rights. Now they
just need to determine where
to put the extra cash.
Director of Public Works
Bruce Alexander said, at an
meeting Nov. 22, he and Comal County. to year basis.
Councilman Leon F. Tschirhart TOak Grove Estates would Alexander said the city has
Sr. were approached by 3-G need the water because they 236 acre feet of water that
Water Company, Inc. and - simply don’t have enough per- could be sold.
asked if they would be inter- mitted to finish out the year, “It’s a clean $1,760. We
ested in leasing 22 acre feet of and would be interested in set- don’t need the water,” he said,
water. ting up future plans for leasing Councilman James Bell
3-G Water proposed paying from the city as well. asked if 3-G would be picking
tack on the $18.50 fee to the
amount charged per acre-foot.
Councilman
Michael
Masters recommended round-
ing the amount to $100 per
acre foot of water, including
the fee, and Bell agreed.
Once it was decided to
$80 per acre foot for the water,
which would amount to a total
of $1,760.
3-G Water provides water
Edwards Aquifer Authority for the Oak Grove Estates in
City Administrator Donna up the costs of the permitting allow the lease of the water,
Schueling and Alexander said fee. Although that wasn’t fully discussion quickly turned to
they weren’t interested in long discussed, Alexander believed where the money would go.
term contracts, but could con- the company would. It was Masters felt it should go into
duct the transactions on a year agreed it might be easier to the utilities fund. A motion to
allow the water rights to be
leased and authorizing the
mayor to execute the lease
was passed unanimously.
The city council apparently
was comfortable with the
amount of water they have
been allowed to pump. Later
that evening, after a very brief
closed session, it was decided
the city would not contest the
pumping permit handed down
to them by the EAA.
Door to door lighting contest judging will decide prettiest display
Adelina Gonzales people sign up first so the
Staff Writer time spent checking the hous-
The deadline for the Annual es would be shorter. City
Christmas Lighting Contest in Administrator Donna
Castroville will be Dec. 18 at Schueling disagreed with the
6:30 p.m. No application is practice and felt going door to
required. Aldermen decided door, as has been done the
TUesday to judge the contest past two years, would ensure
by going door to door. everyone is judged.
to house and business to busi- prize money, why not puttheir “As a person who has won a list of needy people in
ness. Councilman Leon F. names in the paper and first place in the past, I can say Castroville. The city could then
Tschirhart Sr. noted that the donate the money to the that the $50 doesn’t mean any- draw a name and ask the win-
task wasn’t all that difficult needy,” she said. Payne noted thing,” he said. ner of the contest if they would
Councilman
• Masters advocated
Michael
Councilman
Hancock
because you could see the
houses lit up all down the
street.
Citizen Amelia Payne asked
council to reconsider the prize
for the contest.
that someone who could afford
to win the lighting contest good idea, but pointed out the
Schueling thought it was a like to donate their prize
having agreed they should go house
“Instead of giving them suggestion.
probably didn’t need the
money, so it could be donated
to charity in their name.
Tschirhart agreed with the
city itself could not donate
money to that person.
Payne agreed and said she
money. Payne said that’s why would enlist the help of Police
it would be donated in their Chief Lee McVay in compiling
name. that list.
Bell suggested that she get
Castroville loses Foxworthy, a ‘lady of all trades'
Beatrice “Bea” Foxworthy, moved into town. She recalled the Keep Castroville Beautiful
78, passed away Tuesday, Dec. how Foxworthy was the first
5, at her home in Castroville, woman who spoke to her.
and will be greatly missed by
the many friends she made
throughout her years working
for the community.
Since her husband, Jerald R.
Foxworthy, was in the service,
the couple moved around for a
period of time, but were deter-
mined to keep Castroville as
their home.
“They lived all over the U.S.,
but this was home, and they
always came back here,"
Norma Green said of the
Foxworthys.
1 Green knew Foxworthy
“We lived in Bea’s mother’s
house for five years when we
first moved here in the fall of it right,”
‘51,” she said. Suehs said.
Former Castroville Mayor Foxworthy
Virginia “Mutzie” Suehs also was a colum-
recalled Foxworthy’s commit- nist for the
ment to the community fondly. Castroville
“Through the years she's News
been ajewel to the city, a lady Bulletin.
of all trades,” she said. “I think
She worked for the Chamber everyone
of Commerce for many years, enjoyed her
and was President of the columns so
Castro Garden Club, and much, espe-
President of the Ladies cially the
Committee and Alsatian House
Committee.
“Whenever she tackled any-
thing she did
old times,” Suehs said.
More importantly,
ribly missed,” “Mutzie” Suehs Foxworthy’s column as an
she said.
important staple of entertain-
noted, Foxworthy was a good
friend.
“I moved
out here in
“She was a loyal and great ment for Castroville residents.
friend,” Dorothy Suehs said; she
also recalled Foxworthy’s out-
standing contributions to the
1945, right city through the years.
after the war,
and for all
those many
years we
have been
“She absolutely was dedi-
cated to the city of Castroville
“Many people said they read
her column before anything
else in the Bulletin. Her little
stories of long ago were always
so interesting,” she said.
Poetry was another of
and she was the first secretary Foxworthy’s talents, Dorothy
of the Castroville Chamber of
Commerce. She did a wonderful
good friends, job, and they didn’t have every-
She was thing they have now,” she said.
Suehs said. Her grandson read
one of her poems entitled
“Memories” at the service,
which Suehs felt was beautiful-
since 1951, when she and her Auxiliary. In addition to these reminiscing
.husband, Charles Green, services, Foxworthy co-chaired of the good
Beatrice "Bea" Foxworthy
truly a lady.
I never heard
her say an
unkind word
about any-
body. She
will be ter-
Foxworthy was very profl- ly written.
cient on the computer, and was
Foxworthy is survived by her
always willing to help people husband, sons and daughter-
who needed to complete work in-law, grandsons, sister, and
on it, Dorothy Suehs said.
“She loved that computer.”
She also recalled
several nieces and nephews.
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Barnes, Thomas. News Bulletin (Castroville, Tex.), Vol. 42, No. 50, Ed. 1 Thursday, December 14, 2000, newspaper, December 14, 2000; Castroville, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1689383/m1/1/: accessed July 11, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Castroville Public Library.