Hondo Anvil Herald (Hondo, Tex.), Vol. 128, No. 49, Ed. 1 Thursday, December 7, 2000 Page: 1 of 52
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Volume 128, Number 49
Thursday, December 7, 2000
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Published in Hondo, Texas
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Medina'County’s Leading Newspaper
tions, 40 Pages
50 Cents
—■ -i----
MCH administrator resigns
Downtown merchants
offer invitation
to holiday savings
Downtown Hondo merchants en-
courage area residents to consider be-
ginning their Christmas shopping in
Hondo before they go to the big city.
Think about it: in Hondo there’s
less hassle, less traffic, less chance
that your vehicle will be broken into
while yo’ shop, you’ll use le|s gas to
do your shopping, and, in niany in-
stances, you’ll be dealing with folks
you know.
.. A group of merchants have an-
nounced a special Christmas shop-
ping event, “Downtown Hondo, A
Wonderful Place to Shop."
Participating in the special shop-
ping incentive program (and date spe-
cials end, if applicable) are Peden
Rexall Drug Store (23rd), Cross Con-
nections (24th, yes, they’ll be open
Christmas Eve), Grandma’s Antiques
Community Justice
meeting set today
There will be a Criminal Justice
Divison Community Planning Meet-
ing on Thursday, Dec. 7, (today) at
10 a.m. at the Hondo Conupun^y
Center on 18th Street.
If you have any questions, contact
Edna D. Cuellar, executive director,
Southwest Family Life Centers,
(830) 426-5972.
30th St. gets school
zone speed limit
The City of Hondo has created a
school zone along FM 1250 (30th
Street). The zone extends from Av-
enue Pto about 1000 feet west of Av-
enue U. The new speed limit during
school hours will be 30 mph. The re-
mainder of the street will continue
to have a 40 mph speed limit.
HISD tax bills mailed
All 2000 ad valorem tax bills for
the Hondo Independent School Dis-
trict have been mailed. If anyone has
not received their bill, please check
with the Hondo Independent School
District Tax Office at 802 27th Street,
Hondo (all mail should be addressed
to HISD Tax Office, P. O. Box 308,
Hondo TX 78861) or call 830-426-
3904. All bills are now due and will
have 7% penalty and interest added
on Feb. 1, 2001. •
Owls'Nest included
in this issue
Don't miss this week's Owls'Nest,
written and prepared by Hondo High
School students, printed and insetted
in the Hondo Anvil Herald as a pub-
lic service of this newspaper.
Anvil Herald Weather report
Date
Wed., Nov. 29
Thurs., Nov. 30
Fri., Dec. 1
Sat., Dec. 2
Sun., Dec. 3
Mon., Dec. 4
Tbes., Dec. 5
High
Low
Rata'
69
57
.00
65
50
.00
68
57
.00
56
44
.00
41
38
.20
51
40
.00
52
44
.00
\ i
Total rain for the past week: 0.20 in.
Total rain for November 4.10 in.
Total rain for December: 0.20 in.
Total rain for 2000:28.00 in.
Avg. high temp, for the week: 57.4°
Avg. low temp, for the week: 47.1°
High temp, for 2000:108* on Sept. 5
Low temp, for 2000: 27° on Jan. 5 * 30
Rain in 1999, thru Dec. 5: 20.10 in.
Rain in 1998, thru Dec. 5:42.50 in.
I'-T'.v • • • *■ '
and Collectibles inside Vance Tomey
Realty, City Auto Supply (22nd),
Pepe’s Pizza (31 st), Harp and Sham-
rock Cruises and Tours, Ulbrich’s
True Value Hardware (23rd), The
Ranch Store (31st), Honeyglow Hill
Frame Shop (22nd), Don’t Ya Love
It, Charles Johnson Finance, and
Gary’s Antiques (31st).
Check the ad inserts and specials
on pages 4 and 5 of this section of
the Anvil Herald. Then stop by the
stores for additional savings and see
the variety of items they offer.
“Many people think they’ll get a
better deal in San Antonio,” said one
merchant, and others agreed “That is
usually not the case. Not only are
prices here equal to San Antonio
prices, but many local merchants of-
fer service after the sale.”
Accepts CEO post
in Port Lavaca
Medina Community Hospital Ad-
ministrator Buzz Currier announced
his resignation last Thursday at a
special department managers meet-
ing. Currier has accepted the posi-
tion of CEO at Memorial Medical
Center in Port Lavaca.
“I have enjoyed my two years at Me-
dina Community Hospital and 1 am es-
pecially proud of the strides made in
strategic planning to ensure this
facility’s viability into the future,” he
said. “I am confident that the Board of
Managers and the hospital employees
will do what is necessary to keep MCH
in Medina County for many years to
come. While I was disappointed with
the results of the election to create a
hospital district, it is not the reason for
my departure. I was the CEO at Port
Lavaca in 1993 and I have been given
the opportunity to return.
“MCH is fortunate to have such
strong working relationships be-
tween the physicians and staff. The
community as a whole benefits when
health care workers put the patients
well-being first. I will miss the
friendships made during my two
years with MCH, but I feel that my
departure may be better for the sys-
tem Overall. I still feel that there is
so much unrealized potential in
terms of providing services at
MCH. I encourage the employees
and medical staff to contin ie mov-
ing forward," said Currier.
Employees greeted the news with
disappointment.
*1 think we are losing an outstand-
ing administrator,” said Ryan Proc-
tor, laboratory director. “He had the
foresight to look at the future of this
hospital. He was a good friend and a
wonderful man to work for. 1 am very
disappointed that it happened this
way. but 1 understand his reasons. It
will be hard to find a replacement
administrator of his quality.”
“I am sad to see him leave because
he really raised the morale among the
Hospital employees,” said Delma Ar-
cus, Patient Financial Services
coordinator. “He made an effort to
recognize the employees, listen to
our concerns and was very down to
earth. He was also very funny and we
enjoyed his sense of humor. Mr. Cur-
rier was good for this facility and the
employees will truly miss him.”
“He’s a good man and I enjoyed
working with him,” said Denise
McWilliams, RN
“1 think Mr. Currier did a lot for
this hospital. He brought a lot of
good ideas, and I, for one, think we
are better off for having had him
here While 1 will miss him, I think
he is putting the interest of the hos-
pital first, and that I admire. I wish
him well,” said GenaChemak, RN.
Dr. John Meyer, chief of staff said
“I feel that we are losing the best ad-
ministrator we have ever had at this
hospital. He had a vision about what
the hospital could be, because he
could see the potential for growth in
our community, and he will be hard,
indeed, to replace.”
Currier has agreed to stay on until
Jan. 15 to allow the board time to
make the transition to an interim ad-
ministrator and begin the search for
his replacement.
Chavez defends job
performance, vows
better communication
By William Hoover
Anvil Herald Correspondent
Responding to criticisms of his
management style and allegations of
sexual harassment euphemistically
referred to on the Monday Hondo City
Council meeting agenda as a job per-
formance evaluation, City Manager
David Chavez defended his profes-
sional abilities and suggested council
was responsible for many of the fail-
ings for which they blamed him.
In an interview the day after the
controversial session, Chavez said
Councilwoman Judy Winkler’s com-
ment about his supposed policy of
paying females who work inside less
than men who work outside is a per-
fect example of the confusion among
some council members. “I presented
council with an employee pay plan
and suggested a pay-scale for each
department. City council, not David
Chavez, passed those policies.”
Sexual harassment laws have
evolved because of legitimate abuses
where promotions or other bonuses
were promised in return for sexual
favors with an implicit threat of ter-
mination if the man or woman did not
comply, according to Chavez. Those,
he said, are behaviors he was taught
to avoid from a very young age.
Because his father died when he
was just six years old, Chavez and his
five siblings were reared by his
mother. “We were raised to be respect-
ful of women. To suggest I would
knowingly, in any way, say something
offensive to females is ludicrous.”
Chavez said the behaviors he is ac-
cused of have supposedly been oc-
curring for over a year, yet the only
infraction the councilwoman can
identify happened this past month.
“This was supposed to be going
on a long time and the first I heard
of it was last week,” he said. “1 heard
I was engaging in innuendo or being
sexually suggestive. Even if it had
only been six months, nobody
brought it to my attention that I was
saying anything offensive."
Chavez is familiar with the innu-
etrttorfte Is ’accused of makiiig, and
promises there will be no more on
the job banter from him.
“In (the Nov. 28) managers meet-
ing, we were talking about our new
council member, Doug Rivers. Some-
one said something about problems
with the motorcycle club coming
back. I asked, ‘What problems? Na-
ked people on motorcycles?’ Ronnie
Rand said he would like to try it. I
said he wouldn’t look good. Rand
said, ‘How would you know?’ And,
the banter stopped there. There were
no four-letter words or lewd descrip-
tions which could be considered of-
fensive,” explained the city manager.
Another dilemma faces the city
manager. Library Director Margie
Ibarra did not attend Tuesday ’s (Dec
5) managers meeting as required and
she failed to call in sick or report her
absence. “If 1 send her a letter tell-
ing her the meetings are mandatory,
will she call that retaliation when t
is actually an across the board
policy?” questioned Chavez.
‘They said I spoke to the newspa-
per improperly, but (councilman Bob)
Heyen bad-mouthed the hospital
more than I did,” said Chavez defend-
ing his right to express his opinions.
There are other areas where coun-
cil blames the city manager for its
own failures, says Chavez. “They
criticized me for Knight Aerospace’s
lease being behind, then they give
V b7*ss #!■***•-
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'• '• ■. , PHOTO BY DEBBIE SANDERS
TRASH STILL PILED UP... Many Hondo streets are lined with huge piles of bulky trash, some, like this one,
over eight feet tall. The City of Hondo began the semi-annual clean-up campaign Oct. 23 and trash pick-up
began on Oct. 30, however, according to Hondo City Manager David Chavez, "The job turned out to be
bigger than Hondo Disposal first thought it would be. The south side of town has been picked up already
and north side of town is almost finished. We are fixing to wrap this up, unless a resident can show us they
were missed." Many trash piles this time seem to be larger than those of previous clean-up campaigns.
City manager asked to resign during evaluation
By William Hoover
Anvil Herald Correspondent
See CHAVEZ, Page 5
Hondo City Manager David
Chavez faced a nightmare employ-
ment scenario Monday, when coun-
cilwoman Judy Winkler accused him
of sexually harassing Library Direc-
tor Margie Ibarra. Winkler alleged
Chavez had made Ibarra uncomfort-
able to the point of her filing a law-
suit against the city. She said he had
regularly made sexual innuendoes in
her presence during his Tuesday
managers meeting.
Chavez had been slated to receive
a job performance evaluation in ex-
ecutive session but he asked that the
review be conducted in public.
Chavez has worked for the city
nearly one and a half years and has
yet to receive an evaluation from
council, said Mayor Jim Barden be-
ginning the evaluation.
Councilman Bob Heyen began his
interrogation politely, saying he liked
David Chavez and that he had never
done anything wrong to him person-
ally, but that would not affect the
opinion he held of Chavez as a city
manager.
Heyen handed the other council
members a list of eight points he
wanted to review with Chavez. “If I
didn’t have num! er seven, there may
not be one through six," explained
the councilman.
The first weakness noted by Heyen
was, "Number seven, failure to sub-
mit monthly reports to city council.
We have never received one have we7"
The council members each receive
a council packet three to four days,
before their twice-monthly Monday
meetings. The packets contain reports
about items on the agenda for council
members to review, but Chavez ac-
knowledged they have never received
reports on all of the city’s management
problems on a monthly basis.
Heyen continued down his list.
“Number six. making legal decisions
without approval " As examples, Heyen
cited the leasing of equipment at the
city golf course and promising to lower
tap fees without council approval.
“This was brought to my attention by
a possible developer,” said Heyen.
Chavez told Heyen he recalled no
negotiation where he promised a de-
veloper tap fee discounts, and that
the action would require council ap-
proval if he did.
“Number five," continued Heyen,
"failure to report police department
actions and possible lawsuits.”
“I read the letter from the attorney
saying a police officer reported com-
plaints but there was no indication
of a lawsuit," responded Chavez.
“Number three.” said Heyen, skip-
ping randomly through his list of
complaints. “Failure to report late
See CITY MANAGER. Page 4
Medina Valley vandals
will face no criminal charges
Council protests
EAA reductions
By William Hoover
Anvil HeraldIlorrespondeNt
■7%
No criminal charges will be
sought for the Medina Valley stu-
dents who vandalized Hondo High
School’s athletic complex and bus
bam in September. The incident hap-
pened the night before Hondo hosted
Medina Valley in football. y
Orange and black spray paint had
been used to vandalize the Frank
Holden Field House, the score board,
the old school bell, the goal posts,
stands and press box at Barry Field,
as well as several school buses. Die-
sel fuel was also poured on the foot-
ball field, spelling out “Panthers”
and “MV”
Medina Valley High School Prin-
cipal Matilda Moore and three mem-
bers of the MVHS student council
paid a visit to HHS to apologize and
offer a $500 rewind for information
about those responsible.
Four Medina Valley students later
confessed to the crime. After further
investigation, the case was turned
over to the district attorney’s office.
According to state law, the offense
of graffiti on school property with
damage over $ 1,500 is a felony, with
state jail time of six months to two
years and a $10,000 fine.
District Attorney Tony Hackebeil
declined to seek indictments from
the Medina County Grand Jury.
“Official charges were never filed
and we’re trying to get this re-
solved,” he said. “These students
have already received punishment
from the school, I don’t think they
should have their futures damaged
by their mistake.”
"Negotiations are underway for
them to make restitution for the dam-
ages,” he said. “The estimate to re-
pair the damage I was given was be-
tween $3,000 and $3,500. It’s in a state
of confusion because no one knows
the exact amount repairs will cost.”
The honor-studies students were
temporarily placed in an alternative
school, making them ineligible to par-
ticipate in extracurricular activities,
advanced studies, the prom or gradu-
ation. One of the students transferred
out of the district to avoid punishment.
“When they (the students) return
to their regular classes Jan. 8, they
still face 90 hours of school commu-
nity service and they will be on pro-
bation,” Moore said. “All of their
other privileges will be returned, as
they would with any other student.”
According to HISD Superinten-
dent Doug Coleman, the students
who committed the offense have yet
to apologize or make any restitution
to the school.
“HISD spent around $2,200 remov-
ing the paint,” he said. “And it will
cost about $4,500 to resod the turf.”
The turf damage was a combina-
tion of two incidents. The previous
week, prior to the Uvalde game, a
“U” had been burned into the middle
of the playing field with some type
of herbicide.
Hondo City Council voted unani-
mously Monday to protest the Edwards
Aquifer Authority’s reduction of the
city’s pumping permit from 2,135
acre-feet to 1,580 acre-feet in 2001.
“We have added 221 acre-feet
through two purchases, but that still
leaves us 400 acre-feet short (at 1,801
acre-feet),” said City Engineer Bob
DeOtte. “We did order 304 acre-feet
from the EAA if the catfish farm sells.”
DeOtte told council there were two
points Hondo could argue in protest-
ing its permit. “Wc don’t think the his-
toric maximum is accurate. Our per-
mit was reduced 20% because not all
of our use was deemed beneficial be-
cause of our unmetered water. Other
cities were only reduceo 10%. We
will protest on those two grounds at
See EAA. Page 4
......
'A
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Hondo Anvil Herald (Hondo, Tex.), Vol. 128, No. 49, Ed. 1 Thursday, December 7, 2000, newspaper, December 7, 2000; Hondo, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth818999/m1/1/: accessed June 19, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Hondo Public Library.