Hondo Anvil Herald (Hondo, Tex.), Vol. 128, No. 11, Ed. 1 Thursday, March 13, 2014 Page: 3 of 25
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Hondo Anvil Herald • Thursday, March 13, 2014 • 3A
PHOTO BY JEROMY KUSCH
The Commissioners Court recently approved restorations for 21 volumes of Medina County’s oldest records, some dating
back to 1848.
Restoration begins for aging county records
By Jeromy Kusch
Anvil Herald Reporter
The Medina County
Clerk’s office, after complet-
ing years of work to digitize
all of the counties docu-
ments, will give the oldest
documents a much needed
face-lift. After seeking ap-
proval from the county
commissioners, the clerk’s
office is set to move forward
with restoring thousands of
county records dating as far
back as 1848.
Medina County Clerk Lisa
Wernette presented her plan
to the commissioners court
on March 10, and was ap-
proved to move forward with
the restoration of 21 vol-
umes. The plan is to clean,
encapsulate and bind hun-
LA LOMITA
dreds of books and records
the county has saved from
its inception, and could take
several years to complete.
Many companies re-
quired that the documents
be sent away for the resto-
ration, but the clerk’s office
made it a priority to find a
company that could do the
work locally. “I’m excited
the project will be complet-
ed in Hondo, the records
will never have to leave the
county,” Wernette said.
The renovations will not
be cheap, but county resi-
dents have no reason to
worry about the cost, said
Wernette. “When someone
files documents with the
county clerk’s office a por-
tion of that cost goes to the
Preservation and Restora-
tion fund,” she explained.
Restoring the volumes will
cost nearly $1,100 per book,
but neither the county nor
the city will have to foot the
bill for the restorations. The
project will continue as long
as funds are available to do
so, Wernette said.
Many of the county’s
oldest documents and re-
cords were stored off-site,
but have been moved back
to the vault in the county
clerk’s office. The move al-
lows the county to better
care for the aging docu-
ments in a climate con-
trolled environment.
The restoration project is
part of an on-going task to
properly maintain county
records for the public, while
managing rapidly shrinking
storage space in the county
vaults. Wernette said they
are working on a plan to
find adequate storage for all
the county’s records.
“The documents must
be stored in a tempera-
ture controlled, fire-proof
and secure location,” Wer-
nette said. These stringent
requirements put a short
leash on county officials
as they continue to discuss
possible options for storing
the county’s aging records.
Even the oldest county
records can now be viewed
online at www.medinac-
ountytx.org or countygov-
records.com. Wernette said
despite the move to digitize
records, the office still enjoys
helping people who want to
see the original copies.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1A
of thing,” Mayor Jim Danner
told council. “That means the
net income to the city will be
about $135,000.
“I’m very pleased to be able
to make this transaction af-
ter some years of having this
property on-hand and having
had to reimburse the state for
ALAMO 1
grant funds,” he added.
Danner told Hardt to in-
form Rendon that the city
looks forward to working with
him as he builds new private
market homes in Hondo.
In Other Business
• Council declared unop-
posed city council candidates
Eric Torres and Ann-Michelle
Long elected to their respec-
tive offices and cancelled the
May 10 General Elections.
“Congratulations to our
two incumbents,” said Mayor
Danner. “We are glad you are
back with us come May.”
• Council approved a re-
quest from applicant Jim
Hood for a Specific Use Per-
mit to operate a Bail Bond Of-
fice at 2904 Highway 90.
• The next regular meeting
of the Hondo City Council
will be on Mon., March 24, at
6 p.m. in city hall. The meet-
ing is open to the public.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1A
“Council and staff will tell
you every time we have been
called we have stepped up
to the plate in the last seven
years,” he added.
“I don’t think I’ve ever had
a phone call complaining
about service,” said outgo-
ing Place 5 Councilman Keith
Lutz. “That part is fantastic.”
“I think we are all very satis-
fied with the service of Alamo
1,” concurred Mayor Danner.
“Do we want a shorter exten-
sion period than four years?”
“We can stay at three years
and reword the contract to
where every year we come
back and review the contract
and add that additional year
on, so it’s not automatic,” said
Litchfield.
Caesar said Alamo 1 would
be hard to replace because
the company provides ser-
vice to Hondo residents for
$4 to $5 less than San Antonio
residents pay for similar ser-
vices and Alamo 1 hauls Hon-
do’s trash 50 miles to dump it.
“I think our price is very
competitive for the service
we provide,” he said.
“Those of us on council
back when we first engaged
you received a lot of compli-
ments,” agreed Danner.
In related business, council
adopted an ordinance lower-
ing the city’s monthly rental
rates for residential waste con-
tainers used by city solid waste
customers served by Alamo 1.
The ordinance also pro-rates
the monthly rates charged to
customers for waste wheelers.
“ACI offered to adjust rates
charged to the city by reduc-
ing the monthly rates for resi-
dential one-wheelers, two-
wheelers and three-wheelers
to achieve a cost reduction
of approximately 11%,” said
City Manager Jeff Litchfield.
“We will keep the commercial
and other rates at the fiscal
year 2012-13 level.”
Litchfield said Caesar is able
to offer the cost reduction be-
cause Alamo l’s operations
have expanded to several
other cities since contracting
with Hondo and the company
would pass on those opera-
tional cost savings to the city.
“Even with recent rate ad-
justments to our customers,
our sanitation fund has con-
tinued a downward slide,” he
said. “For the four months
ending Jan. 31, 2014, our ex-
penses exceeded our revenues
by $6,393. The January 31,2014
cash and cash equivalent bal-
ance was a negative $122,451.”
“The rate adjustments
mentioned above should have
a positive impact of $3,300 to
$4,000 a month, which means
we can achieve a positive cash
flow to start reducing the defi-
cit,” added Litchfield.
In the past, the city charged
customers the full monthly
rate for waste wheeler service
regardless how many days
the service was used, noted
Litchfield.
“We corrected this in the
city’s billing process by pro-
rating the charges to the cus-
tomer,” he said. “For the ACI
billing, my recommendation is
we add a section that provides
a payment of Vi of the monthly
fee for any service less than 60
days in the billing period.”
Council unanimously ap-
proved the Alamo 1/ ACI
franchise contract and the re-
lated rate-change ordinance
proposed by Litchfield.
BACKLOG
six-month employment term.
“On the infrastructure side,
I recommend we move for-
ward to complete a compre-
hensive Internet technology
and telecommunications in-
ventory and assessment, and
we come back to you with
our long-term recommen-
dations,” he said. “This is to
bring our hardware and soft-
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1A
ware up to current versions so
everything is compatible. As
part of that short-term solu-
tion, we can buy tablets for
officers to use in the field to
search the warrant data base.”
“If agreeable, we can come
back with a budget amend-
ment at the March 24 council
meeting,” he added.
Arbor effort underway by Parks Dept.
The City of Hondo Parks
Department will begin a tree
planting effort to help beautify
the city’s parks throughout the
month of March at selected
parks. The planting of the trees
will not only enhance the aes-
thetics, but it will help with
air quality, according to Parks
Department Supervisor John
Benavides.
“We hope to plant at least
three trees at each park. We
have provided a list of trees
which have adapted and thrive
in our area,” he said. The choic-
es include Chinquapin Oak, Ce-
dar Elm, Chinese Pistache, Lace
Bark Elm, Red Bud and Moun-
tain Laurel.
“If you wish to donate a tree
from the list above, please con-
tact (me) for more information
at 830-426-4900 or by e-mail at
ibenavides@hondo-tx.org.” he
added.
FOREVER GREEN
Horticulture Service
We do
SPRINKLER
SYSTEMS
Call us for a free estimate.
Brian Bohlen
Li 20084
830.426.4494
Happy St. Patrick's Pay
EMINENCE - ALL NATURAL GREEN GOODNESS
Vegetables • Herbs • Fruits • Spices
For The Health Of Your Skin
Natural Effects Skin Care Salon
330-444-9104*1712A Ave. K • Hondo “
Toni Ferranti, Aesthetician & Reiki Practitioner
If you have not signed up for the 5K there is still time!! Don’t
miss a great opportunity for an even better cause!!
Teal Magnolia’s 5K Walk/Run, Raffle & BBQ
benefiting the Friends for Michelle Fund
Saturday, March 15th
BBQ Plates - $7/ea.
(Homemade Brisket, sausage, rice, beans, & all the trimmings)
Drawing - Tickets $5/ea. or 5 for $20
| We also have plenty of BBQ and Raffle Tickets available for purchase!! TICKETS MAY ALSO BE
’ PURCHASED DAY OF!! BE SURE and get your tickets for these GREAT prizes and yummy BBQ!! i
Prizes
^Dallas Cowboys autographed helmet by Roger Staubach ^Handmade Wooden & Leather tooled cross
*45 qt. Yeti Cooler *iPadAir
*$100 James Avery Gift Card *Liquor basket
*Handmade Horseshoe Cross *BBQ pit
*Scentsy Warmer and Wax scents *2 tickets to Cowboys Dance Hall (show TBD)
*Handmade Afghan (3 available) *2 tickets to Floores Country Store (show TBD)
*4 Spurs Tickets (and parking pass) for 4/2/14 *2 tickets to White Water Amphitheater (show TBD)
^Handmade Wooden Cross *Charcoal Grill
*Teeth Whitening Kit courtesy of Dr. Tom Tompkins. DDS *Bacardi Beach Umbrella and Ice chest on stand
*Handmade Rock Cross
You may contact Kim Heyen, Kristy Boss, Tina Upchurch,
Selina Contreras, Melissa Lutz or Molly Daniel
for more information on the 5K or tickets!!
All donations to help Michelle and her family through this trying time
with the cost of her cancer treatments. Thank you and God Bless!!
City employee earns code
enforcement certification
By William Hoover
Anvil Herald Correspondent
City Manager Jeff Litchfield
on Monday recognized city
employee Martha Garza for
obtaining her certification as
a Registered Code Enforce-
ment Officer. Garza works in
the city’s Code Compliance
and Building Inspection De-
partment.
“Martha has been em-
ployed by City of Hondo’s
Code Compliance Building
Inspection Department since
August 2011,” said Litch-
field. “As part of her employ-
ment, she has continued to
enhance her education as a
code compliance specialist.
“She has acquired one year
of code enforcement experi-
ence, successfully completed
the Texas Engineering Exten-
sion Service’s 36-hour basic
code enforcement court and
has passed the Texas Depart-
ment of State Health Services
Code Enforcement Officers
Examination,” he added.
Litchfield said Garza’s
training will now include, but
is not limited to, the imple-
mentation of the codes, such
as zoning, home occupa-
tion, signage, high weeds and
trash, abandoned vehicles,
housing standards and dan-
gerous building abatement.
“She will be active in the
process of inspecting, repair-
ing and rehabilitating struc-
tures to protect the health,
safety and general welfare of
this city’s citizens,” he said.
“So, congratulations.”
Litchfield then presented
Garza with a certificate of
achievement as the audience
responded with a round of
applause.
In other business, Mayor Jim
Danner read a resolution de-
claring March to be National
Meals-on-Wheels month in
Hondo and noted the city
would be participating in local
celebration events. The theme
of this year’s celebration is
Community Champions, fo-
cusing on local elected officials
and community volunteers.
“Here in Hondo the local
nutrition center and Meals-
on-Wheels is celebrating the
month,” said Danner. “Next
week, they are planning ac-
tivities and they invited the
elected officials and city man-
agement to ride with them
when they deliver meals.”
Jnced Stroke Treatment
I Technology in Action!
^fflesday, March 25th, 9 a.m.
EI
Call 830-426-7886 soon to
reserve a place for the
demonstration as
Managed by
Methodist Healthcare
rIgiSA space is limited.
HOSPITAL .
3100 Avenue E
Hondo, TX
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Hondo Anvil Herald (Hondo, Tex.), Vol. 128, No. 11, Ed. 1 Thursday, March 13, 2014, newspaper, March 13, 2014; Hondo, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth739768/m1/3/: accessed July 3, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Hondo Public Library.