News Bulletin (Castroville, Tex.), Vol. 43, No. 48, Ed. 1 Thursday, November 27, 2003 Page: 2 of 14
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Page 2 November 27, 2003, News-Bulletin
Castroville to enter
into mediation with
Louis McCasland
BOBBIE NANCE
Staff Writer
CASTROVILLE— During executive session at the Monday
city council meeting, members authorized city attorney
Susan Rocha to proceed as soon as possible with mediation
proceedings with Lou McCasland, former fixed based opera-
tor (FBO) of Castroville Municipal Airport. The city alleges
McCasland is in violation of terms set forth in the May 1,
2000 mitigation agreement.
Alleged violations include McCasland not removing his
planes from the airport, hazardous practices prohibited by
building codes; and hiring employees against the original
agreement.
The city acknowledges it too is in violation of the agree-
ment by not separating a septic tank shared by the airport
and McCasland.
According to Jack Yates, city administrator, separating
the tank would cost taxpayers between three and five
thousand dollars and since it has not caused problems the
city could not justify spending the money. The city will
separate the tanks before mediation proceedings.
If either the city or McCasland feels violations remain or
exist they can call for mediation. Yates said the city “just
wants McCasland to live up to his end of the agreement."
Tourism costs, finances
topics at city meeting
BOBBIE NANCE
Staff Writer
CASTROVILLE-
is in line with revenue over
expenditure.
At A nine-month extension
Monday night’s city council was requested from FEMA
meeting, council members to keep alive a grant pos-
addressed a variety of sub- sibility. The grant would pur-
jects, from staffing the chase new playground equip-
Steinbach House to the need ment and tennis courts at the
to pay off some $400,000 in park. The city requires more
questionable loans. time to come up with its share
During the citizens com- of the matching grant.
ments phase of the meeting, Bruce Alexander, director
Hondo Mayor Ed Fisher of public works, was granted
introduced himself as the approval to move forward on
Medina County representa- a grant to fund construction
tive for the Alamo Area on River Road and Young’s
Council of Governments Crossing. Work on 'River
(AACOG). Fisher welcomed Road' would include shoring
questions from council mem- up the wall along the river,
bers. He also serves on the widening it and placing tubes
board of directors for under the bridge. 'River Road'
AACOG. is eroded due to natural
In related tourism action, causes and work along the
local activist Amelia Payne road is an ongoing process,
questioned the wisdom of It was decided by council
trading free RV space at the that $ 400,000 in loans need
park in exchange for vol- to be paid off swiftly. The bank
unteerism at the Steinbach notes are legally question-
House. “I want to know what able because the city exceed-
happened to all the volun- ed its established borrowing
teers?” she asked. “I heard limits at the time the loans
it wasn’t going to cost the were obtained.
taxpayers any money.” In a special action, council
Mayor Robert Hancock convened into an executive
responded, “we need to keep session to discuss initiating
that house open, it’s a tourist mediation proceedings with
attraction and volunteers Lou McCasland, former fixed
aren’t working.” base operator of Castroville
Council agreed that hiring Municipal Airport. The city
someone permanently was a attorney was given approval
viable option and discussed to initiate proceedings with
money from the hotel/motel McCasland.
tax money as possibly being Council reconvened into
used to pay for staffing the open session, and the meeting
house. was adjourned. The Dec. 22
The financial report for the council meeting is canceled
city was presented. The bud- due to the Christmas holi-
get for the first of the month days.
FOR FUTURE REFERENCE: One of the designs introduced to Medina Valley Independent School District
trustees during a Nov. 17 meeting is placed on a stand for residents to view inside the MVISD Adminstration
Building. This design illustrates how the new elementary school will look. It also illustrates future classroome
in anticipation of growth. Residents are encouraged to view the design. (Photo by Albert Villegas)
MVISD Display new elementary school plans at administration building
Continued from pg. 1
look a future athletic complex to the left as students
provide adequate drainage and water flow. Oppelt added
that site excavation and earth transferal will add ths
the school’s elevation, further contributing to the positive
arrive for classes. Students will exit the buses in front of drainage.
the gymnasium with a separate entrance. Motorists drop The highest ceiling will be 24 feet inside the gym The
off their student passengers at a dedicated drop-off zone library and cafeteria will each have 19-foot ceilings.
further down the same drive and in front of the main All other areas, including the classroom and wings,
administration building, The administration building is will have 11-foot ceilings. The corridors will all be at
conveniently located near the cafeteria with an adjacent least eight feet wide, contributing to the spacious, wide
stage. open feeling.
About 95 parking spaces will be located around the Trustees were told the elementary school design
exterior perimeter of the school, closest to the cafeteria, allows for future MVISD expansion.
The longest walk from the parking area would be to The two architects highlighted 10 boxes on the plans
the gym. to indicate where additional classrooms could be built
Six individual buildings will be constructed and linked in the future.
via a common, U-shaped corridor. The corridor terminates While some of the $16.3 million allocated for school
at two ends of some classroom buildings. construction is for the new elementary school, part of
Oppelt and Conrad said there will be a weather the money will be available for planned additions to the
protective roof constructed where the corridor breaks middle school. MVISD Superintendent Willard Murrey
near the cafeteria building to protect students and said once the elementary school project is completed,
teachers during inclement weather. scheduled for the 2005-06 school year, the school district f
When asked if drainage would be a problem, the can make a final determination on how much funds are
architects said there are enough hills in the area to available for the middle school additions.
La Coste Joins other cities in emergency management program
Continued from pg. 1
City Manager Reggie Winters was
appointed program coordinator.
The program coordinator is pri-
marily responsible for laying out the
city’s plans during an emergency.
Winters added, “this is different
from the Emergency Response Team
which helped negotiate a hostage include such events as chemical spill-
situation in La Coste in October. age, tornadoes, flooding and train
“The emergency management pro- derailments.
gram EMP team places more empha- “We need to have a plan for every
sis on addressing natural disasters situation,” Winters said.
and less on man-made or law enforce- If any disaster exceeds the capa-
ment issues,” Winters said. bility of the city, the program also
Specific catastrophies which allows the city to reach out to the
Winters said could strike La Coste county level.
Water Issues pertinenant to La Coste city council in next few days
Continued from pg. 1
members of TxDOT to move, attach
and support the line to the bridge,”
Winters said.
The city’s current ‘temporary’ per-
mit expires on Jan. 4. La Coste offi-
MV High School student council
weatherize many Castroville homes
Medina Valley High School Student total of 10 homes where they caulked doors
Council members, 21 of them, along with and windows.
some parents arrived at 8:30 a.m. on sat- Everyone was in good spirits laughing
urday, Nov. 15 at the Castroville Regional and enjoying each others’ company as they
Park for the “Castroville Utility System worked side by side.
Weatherization Program,” headed by
They finished up around 11 a.m. and
cials needed the extension to keep to receive a definitive response or
the sewer line on the bridge until approval for hanging the sewage line
July 4,2004.
‘We want six more months,”
Winters said.
He said although weekly calls
are made to TxDOT, they have yet
under the bridge.
“The extra six months should give
us a little time. We can breathe a
little easier now,” Winters said.
4
Castroville Public Works’ Peyton Bradley met back at Castroville Regional Park to
along with three other Castroville utility find lunch awaiting them in the form of
employees. several pizzas and cold bottled water.
All the students and helpers were given The Castroville utility employees hand-
T-shirts to wear. ed out rulers, pencils and pens.
They all gathered and were assembled The MVHS Student Council members
into five groups. received their training on weatherization
Each group then went their separate on Nov. 13 at the high school cafeteria SAY CHEESE: Medina Valley High School Student Council members, Castroville utility
ways and weatherized two homes each a building. employees and some parents gather for a group photo.
Photos by
Leticia Garcia
CLEANING UP:
Jake Rogirers, below,
cleans up after a
caulking job.
ales
STEADY NOW:
Heidi Schuchart,
above, keeps busy
caulking a window at
GETTING READY: Peyton Bradley, left and Joseph a home on the weat-
Rubalcaba, center, check a weatherization address list. erization list.
TAKING A BREAK: Joseph Rubalcaba and Leah Bradley
enjoy a pizza lunch after a hard morning workout.
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News Bulletin (Castroville, Tex.), Vol. 43, No. 48, Ed. 1 Thursday, November 27, 2003, newspaper, November 27, 2003; Castroville, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1689536/m1/2/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Castroville Public Library.