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A publication of the Fredericksburg Standard Radio Post
Welcome Home By Jennifer Schandua Hospitality Hostess
Welcome, especially to those making Fredericksburg their new home. Fredericksburg is proud of its charming appeal and wants to celebrate the people who have discovered our great little town. My position as the Fredericksburg Hospitality Hostess was started by Virginia Prehn in the early 1960s. When Mrs. Prehn moved away in 1971, she asked her friend, LaVerne Ottmers, to carry it on. Mrs. Ottmers welcomed newcomers to Fredericksburg for over 40 years. I took over in October 2010, and had the incredible pleasure of welcoming Virginia back to Fredericksburg after decades of living away. So, what do I do? I get in touch with as many newcomers as I can and extend a hearty welcome. I also try to set up a brief appointment and present a complementary goodie bag on behalf of many businesses in town. At the very least, I will visit over the phone and make arrangements to get this housewarming gift dropped off some other way. People are genuinely surprised with all it includes – gift certificates, free products, discounts, information on healthcare, insurance, veterinarians,
churches, financial information and a variety of other services. I am happy to distribute this helpful information and it is my pleasure to answer any additional questions about Fredericksburg. One question I am commonly asked is, “Who are you with?” This is not surprising, since being personally welcomed to a new community is very uncommon. My answers are that I am the Fredericksburg Hospitality Hostess and although I am not employed by the City of Fredericksburg or the Chamber of Commerce, I do have business relationships with both, and they help me to accomplish my job. If you have lived here two years or less and have not been officially welcomed – you still qualify! People say all the time that this must be so much fun. It is! If you are either a newcomer who has not been visited or a business that would like to be a part of this unique Fredericksburg service, I would love to hear from you. Please email me at jenniferschandua@gmail.com or call me at 830-997-4597 and leave a message. Welcome to Fredericksburg. THE CITY
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A Town That’s Active, Engaged People move here for a variety of reasons, and we have a lot of attractions. Beyond visiting the incredible museums, wineries, art galleries, shopping stops and natural spots, there is also a desire by many newcomers to stay active and get involved. Even retired folks want to socialize with groups and help get things accomplished for their new place of residence. Our town certainly encourages that. As a smaller place, the leaders of various organizations welcome your volunteerism and engagement. Our City Source Book — complete with our new logo — is a good place to start with quick-reference information about where to find things and who to call for certain information. Want to know who to call to pick up limbs? We’ve got you covered. Want to talk to your county commissioner about something? His contact information is included in this booklet. Recycling options? Ditto. Our local governments run tight ships, while looking ahead to provide services for all of our new residents who know Fredericksburg and Gillespie County are special.
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We’ve got the beauty of the Hill Country, and we have a resilient local population whose ancestors braved many a challenge to establish their lives here. There is a keen interest in preserving the unique history and German heritage of this part of Texas. And our numerous churches strengthen the faith of those who worship. Another thing to keep locals active is a variety of volunteer opportunities to help our local organizations making this a better and stronger place for everyone. Whether you want to serve with a civic group, a charity, or help those who need a hand up, you’ll find a variety of ways to pitch in. And those organizations thrive on the energy brought from newcomers. We look forward to seeing you around town, whether having a sip on a Main Street patio, or working sideby-side in a community organization. Welcome. Ken Esten Cooke Publisher
Article Index
Appraisal District, Tax Rates City of Fredericksburg Emergency services Gillespie County Utilities and services Public Schools Private Schools
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Higher education Community Education Parks, Recreational Facilities Golden Hub Pioneer Memorial Library Newspaper 6
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Gillespie Central Central Appraisal District The Gillespie Central Appraisal District (GCAD) determines the values placed on every piece of real estate in Gillespie County according to the Texas Property Tax Code and the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practices. Each May, property owners will receive, in the mail, the appraised values of their properties. They then have 30 days to file a formal protest if they disagree with the numbers. The appraisal district office welcomes taxpayers to visit them for discussions about any property values they may find questionable.
Oftentimes, having a quick visit offers both the appraisers and the property owners some insight into the situation. Because of that open line of communication, resolutions often occur at that point. In July 2015, GCAD began collection of property taxes, taking over from the Gillespie County Tax AssessorCollector’s Office. The GCAD building is located at 1159 South Milam Street. More information is available online at www.gillespiecad.org or 997-9807.
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Current Tax Rates (per $100 valuation)
. City of Fredericksburg: $0.195823 . Gillespie County: $0.3577 . Hill Country Underground Water Conservation District (HUW): $0.0057
. Gillespie County Water Control
and Improvement District (WCD): $0.000191
. Stonewall Water Control and Improvement District (WDS): $0.3500
. Fredericksburg ISD (SFB): $0.9782 . Harper ISD (SHP): $0.8720 . Doss CCSD (SD): $0.8720
Debt Rates (remainder is for maintenance and operations):
. City of Fredericksburg: $0.0277794 . County of Gillespie: $0.0160 . FISD: $0.1062
Combination of Rates, based on what entities a taxpayer lives in:
. City, County, FISD, HUW, WCD: $1.537614
. County, FISD, HUW, WCD: $1.341791 . County, FISD, HUW, WCD, WDS: $1.691791
. County, HISD, HUW, WCD: $1.235591 . County, Doss CCSD, HUW, WCD: $1.235591
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City of Fredericksburg Fredericksburg’s municipality changed in 1991, when its citizens adopted the Home Rule Charter.
Fredericksburg City Council
This type of government is the legislative and governing body of the city, and consists of a mayor and four council members. They are elected from the city at large.
Jerry Luckenbach (May 2022)
(Term expiration in parentheses)
The term for the mayor and council members is two years. No mayor or council member may serve more than four consecutive two-year terms in the same office. The terms of the council members are staggered so that two members are elected to a regular term each year.
Mayor Charlie Kiehne (May 2022) Tom Musselman (May 2022) Kathy Sanford-O’Neill (May 2023) Bobby Watson (May 2023) Generally, the city council’s regular meetings are held on the first and third Mondays of each month, beginning at 6 p.m., in the meeting room of the Gillespie County Law Enforcement Center, 1601 East Main Street. Fredericksburg’s City Hall building is located at 126 West Main Street. The phone number is 830-997-7521.
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City Staff
Director of Development Services: Jason Lutz
City Manager: Kent Myers Asst. City Manager: Clinton Bailey Public Information Officer: Lea Feuge
Historic Preservation Officer: Anna Hudson
City Secretary: Shelley Goodwin
Building Inspectors: Michael Erwin, Kyle Staudt
Municipal Judge: Shelley Becker
Associate Planner: Shelby Collier
Associate Judge: James Heupel Court Clerk: Rebecca Hogue
City Code Enforcement Officers: Ray Ortegon, Ted Boyer
City Attorney: Daniel Jones
Permit Technician: Karen Hilje
Director of Human Resources: Tammie Loth
Director of Finance: Laura Hollenbeak
Fire Dept. Chief: Lynn Bizzell
City Accountant: Krista Wareham
Emergency Management Coordinator: Justin Calhoun
Accounting Administrative Assistant: Nicole Moellering
Fire Marshal: Reagan Rabke
Accounting Clerk: Mary Gonzalez
Police Dept. Chief: Steve Wetz
Director of Public Works and Utilities: Clinton Bailey
Senior City Accountant: David Kellam
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Asst. Director of Public Works: Kris Kneese
Gillespie County Health Division 997-7521
Asst. City Engineer: Garret Bonn
Sanitarian: Kelli Olfers, R.S.
Staff Engineer: Evan Williamson
Food Safety Inspector: Rebekah Cathey, R.S., M.S.
Public Works Construction Inspector: Brian Peters
Parks and Recreation – 997-4202 Director: Andrea Schmidt Park Maintenance Superintendent: Trevor Dupuis Special Events Coordinator: Jennifer Krupa Recreation Superintendent: Katelyn Brazell
Lady Bird Johnson Municipal Golf Course Pro Shop – 997-4010
City Boards Zoning Board of Adjustment Appointed by the city council, the Zoning Board of Adjustment has the power to grant variances from zoning property development regulations and certain provisions of the sign ordinance. The Zoning Board of Adjustment meetings are only scheduled when an application is submitted.
Board Members
(Term expiration in parentheses)
General Manager: Chris Meade Superintendent: Dale Hough
Cynthia Scroggins, chairwoman (July 2023)
Street Department – 997-7521
Jim McAfee (July 2023)
Superintendent: Garrett Durst
Marcus Vidrine (July 2023)
Assistant Superintendent: Chris Lancaster
Ashley Hunter (July 2022)
Electric Department – 997-7521
Travis Neal (July 2023)
Superintendent: Lee Stubblefield
Alternates (Vacant)
Devin Mullen (July 2022)
Line Foreman: Jeff Wanek
2022 Scheduled Meetings
Sanitation Department 997-3459
Feb. 7 (Deadline Jan. 27) March 24 (Deadline Feb. 24)
Superintendent: Kerry Schmidt Assistant Superintendent: Josh Treiber
April. 21 (Deadline Mar 31) May 19 (Deadline April 26)
Water Department – 997-7521
June 23 (Deadline May 26)
Superintendent: Jeff Rich
July 21 (Deadline June 30) Aug. 18 (Deadline July 28) Sep. 22 (Deadline Aug. 25)
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Oct. 20 (Deadline Sep. 29)
Michael McCrea (July 2021)
Nov. 23 (Deadline Oct. 20)
Jessica Mittel (July 2021)
Dec. 29 (Deadline Nov.23)
Barry Kaiser (July 2021) Joe Salinas Jr. (July 2023)
Historic Review Board The Historic Review Board looks over all applications proposing alterations, changes, construction, demolition or relocation within the Historic District and Historic Landmarks.
2022 Scheduled Meetings
HRB Members
June 14 (Deadline May 31)
Feb. 15 (Deadline Feb 1) March 15 (Deadline March 1) April 12 (Deadline March 29) May 10 (Deadline April 26)
Sharon Joseph, chairman (July 2021)
July 12 (Deadline June 28)
Larry Jackson, vice chairman (July 2021)
Aug. 9 (Deadline July 26)
Richard Laughlin (July 2023)
Oct. 11 (Deadline Sept. 27)
David Bullion (July 2023)
Nov. 15 (Deadline Nov 1)
Mike Penick (July 2023)
Dec. 13 (Deadline Nov 29)
Sept. 13 (Deadline Aug 30)
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Planning and Zoning
Emily Kirchner (July 2023)
In its capacity as zoning commission, the Planning and Zoning Commission has the power and has as its duty to hold public hearings and make recommendations to the city council on all requests or proposals for amending, changing or adding to the zoning ordinance.
Jeff Lawrence (July 2022)
P&Z Board Members
May 4 (Deadline March 28)
Janice Menking, chairwoman (July 2023)
June 8 (Deadline April 25) July 6 (Deadline May 27)
Vacant (July 2021)
Aug. 3 (Deadline June 27)
Jim Jarreau (July 2022)
Sept. 7 (Deadline July 25
Daryl Whitworth (July 2023)
Oct. 5 (Deadline Aug. 29)
Steve Thomas (July 2023)
Nov. 9 (Deadline Sept. 26)
Tim Dooley (July 2023)
Dec. 7 (Deadline Oct. 31)
Polly Rickert (July 2023)
2022 Scheduled Meetings Feb. 9 (Deadline Jan. 4) March 9 (Deadline Jan. 31) April 6 (Deadline Feb. 28)
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Emergency Services Emergency Numbers The most important telephone number to call in case of emergency is 9-1-1.
Tierra Linda Volunteer Fire Department – 830-792-3533 Willow City Volunteer Fire & Rescue, Inc. – 830-685-3376 or 817-395-3881
However, there are times when people just need information of a non-emergency nature from the Gillespie County Sheriff’s Office, the Fredericksburg Police Department, other law enforcement agencies or any of the volunteer fire departments.
Non-emergency numbers for the various departments include the following:
Listed below are the non-emergency phone numbers for the various agencies in the county.
Gillespie County Sheriff’s Office 830-997-7585
Volunteer Fire Departments/EMS Doss – 830-669-2220
Law Enforcement
Fredericksburg Police Department 830-997-7585
Gillespie County Constables 830-997-7585 Texas Cattle Rangers – 830-997-7585
Fredericksburg Fire/EMS Central Station – 830-997-5603
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Game Warden Office – 830-997-7585
Fredericksburg Fire/EMS South Station 830-997-8495
Hospital
Harper Volunteer Fire Department 830-864-4253 Stonewall – 830-644-5571
Hill Country Memorial — 830-997-4353 (Note: When requiring emergency ambulance service, dial 9-1-1 rather than the business number.)
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Gillespie County Gillespie County’s 1,061 square miles are home to just over 25,000 residents, with many concentrated in and just outside of the county seat of Fredericksburg.
facility with a 5,002-foot runway and full-length taxiway and fuel services.
County Facilities
Commissioner, Pct. 1 – Charles Olfers
Commissioners Court County Judge – Mark Stroeher
County services are provided through the Gillespie County Courthouse in the heart of downtown Fredericksburg at 101 West Main Street.
Commissioner, Pct. 2 – Keith Kramer
Situated on “Courthouse Square,” the courthouse is joined there by Pioneer Memorial Library, and the Gillespie County Annex 1 building (located in the former U.S. Post Office building.)
The Commissioners Court conducts the general business of the county and consists of the county judge and four commissioners.
Commissioner, Pct. 3 – Dennis Neffendorf Commissioner, Pct. 4 – Donald (Donnie) Schuch
It holds meetings open to the public every second and fourth Monday of Annex 1 houses the driver’s license the month, at 9 a.m., in the county office, the justices of the peace offices, courtroom of the courthouse. the county attorney’s office and the hot check department. Court’s Duties
Gillespie County Annex 2, another auxiliary building, is located across the street from the courthouse at 102 East San Antonio Street (the corner of South Adams and East San Antonio streets). Annex 3, located at 95 Frederick Road, is home to the elections department and the Veterans Service Office.
Law enforcement agencies, including the Gillespie County Sheriff’s Office, are located in the Gillespie County Law Enforcement Center, 1601 East Main Street. And, three miles southwest of downtown Fredericksburg off Texas Highway 16, the county also operates the Gillespie County Airport, an around-the-clock general aviation
- Adopts the county’s budget and ad valorem tax rate; - Approves all budgeted purchases of the county; - Fills vacancies in elective and appointive offices; - Sets staff salaries and benefits; - Has exclusive authority to authorize county contracts; - Provides and maintains all county buildings and facilities.
County Judge - Presiding officer of the Commissioners Court; - Represents the county in many administrative functions; - Serves as the budget officer;
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- Position includes broad judicial duties, such as presiding over misdemeanor criminal and small civil cases, probate matters, and appeals from the justice of the peace courts; - Serves as head of county emergency management.
County Commissioners - Each commissioner, as a member of the Commissioners Court, exercises broad policy-making authority; - Represents one of the four precincts within the county; - Typically, responsible for building and maintaining county roads and bridges within their precinct.
County Attorney County Attorney – Steven Wadsworth The county attorney is responsible for representing the State of Texas in all adult misdemeanor and juvenile felony criminal cases under examination or prosecution in Gillespie County. His office also attempts to collect restitution for merchants and persons who have received hot checks (at no cost to the recipients of hot checks). Office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Mondays through Fridays, with a closing for lunch from noon to 1 p.m. Contact Wadsworth’s office at 830-990-0675.
Contact a Commissioners Court member by phoning 830-997-7503 or faxing 830-992-2608.
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Tax Assessor-Collector
county criminal, civil, juvenile and probate courts, record births, deaths and marriages and keep record on registered livestock marks and brands.
County Tax Assessor-Collector – Vicki Schmidt Services provided: - Motor vehicle titles, registration and sales tax; - Boat titles, registration and sales tax. Contact the TAC Office at 830-9976519 or fax 830-990-2756.
Justices of the Peace Gillespie County has four justices of the peace. Justice of the Peace, Pct. 1 – J.D. Hickman
Justice of the Peace, Pct. 3 – Linda McCann
They hear all Class C misdemeanors, handle civil disputes involving amounts in controversy up to $10,000 in value and do inquests, mental commitments and evictions. They also magistrate individuals who have been arrested, hear traffic cases, issue warrants and sometimes are asked to grant emergency protective orders. Contact a justice of the peace office at 830-307-3737 ext. 1 for JP No. 1, 830-307-3737 ext. 2 for JP No. 2, 830-307-3737 ext. 3 for JP No. 3 and 830-307-3737 ext. 4 for JP No. 4.
She and her staff record public land records, serve as clerk for
County Treasurer – Kelly Eckhardt Eckhardt’s office invests available county funds, receives and accounts for all monies belonging to the county and pays, applies and disburses monies belonging to the county as per the Commissioners Court’s directions.
Contact the county treasurer’s office at 830-997-6521 or email countytreasurer@gillespiecounty.org.
Justice of the Peace, Pct. 4 – Carl Schoessow
County Clerk – Mary Lynn Rusche
County Treasurer
Collections office for the county’s Hotel Occupancy Tax is also located here.
Justice of the Peace, Pct. 2 – Catherine Kuhlmann
County Clerk
Contact the county clerk’s office at 830-997-6515 or also by fax at 830-997-9958.
Human Resources Human Resources Director – Dana Smith The Human Resources Department ensures the efficient use of county resources, including recruiting qualified individuals, retaining employees, training employees, administrating and monitoring employee benefits and providing education on county policies and procedures. Contact Smith at 830-307-3772 or hr@gillespiecounty.org.
District Clerk District Clerk – Jan Davis Her office handles all felony criminal cases, divorces and parent/child relationship matters, plus works with
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all civil cases over $10,000, processes passport applications and handles naturalization and citizenship records. Contact the district clerk’s office at 830-997-6517 or fax 830-992-2613.
Sheriff Gillespie County Sheriff – Buddy Mills GCSO Chief Deputy – James Segner The Gillespie County Sheriff’s Office is a constitutionally created office with responsibilities prescribed by legislature (Tex. Constr. Art V section 23). The Sherriff is the chief law enforcement officer for the county. They are responsible for operating the county jail, accepting bail for prisoners, investigating crimes, making arrests, the enforcement
of state laws, serving writs, seizing property after judgement, maintaining communications with other law enforcement organizations, security of both county and district courts, and protection of those that live in and visit Gillespie County. The chief deputy, who is the highestranking appointed officer in the department, supervises the division commanders and serves as the operations manager for the agency. The Gillespie County Sherriff’s Office is located in the Law Enforcement Center, at 1601 East Main Street. Information on the 10 Most Wanted, crime prevention, Crime Stoppers, emergency system notifications and much more is available on the sheriff’s office website, accessible
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through the county’s general website www.gillespiecounty.org and on the department headings. Contact the Sheriff’s Office by calling (830) 997-7585, (800) 735-0362 or email sherriff.info@ gillespiecounty.org.
assist other law enforcement agencies at traffic accidents, among other duties.
County Court at Law Judge County Court at Law Judge – Chris Nevins
County Constables Gillespie County has four constables. Constable, Pct. 1 – Ken Moore
Statutorily created in some counties, the county court at law judge provides some judicial relief to both the county and district courts’ caseloads. Jurisdiction includes misdemeanor criminal cases, a variety of civil cases and appeals from the justice of the peace and municipal courts.
Constable, Pct. 2 – Kenny Bode Constable, Pct. 3 – Hilario Villa Sr. Constable, Pct. 4 – Marshall Akin They serve as bailiffs for justice of the peace courts, collect money owed on judgments, serve the civil process of all courts, enforce traffic laws and
Contact the county court at law office at 830-307-3766 or by email at courtatlaw@gillespiecounty.org.
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Elections Administrator
Other offices
Elections Administrator – Anissa Herrera
Residents are also served by a host of other county offices, among them the county extension office, county auditor’s office, communications center, and others.
This office is in charge of conducting elections and voter registration. Contact the elections administration office at 830-997-6518 or email elections@gillespiecounty.org.
County Surveyor
Information on these individual departments is also available on the county’s webpage at: www.gillespiecounty.org.
County Surveyor – Carey Bonn Duties include verifying and clarifying property boundaries under original land grants.
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Utilities & Services The City of Fredericksburg public works department provides utility services. These include electricity, water, sewer and garbage collection. In addition, the city provides leaf and brush pick up service to its residential garbage customers. Clinton Bailey, director of public works, manages over $42 million worth of assets and operates with an annual budget in excess of $20 million with 52 employees. Additional information about services is available online at www.fbgtx.org
To establish service or to ask questions related to billing, contact the Utility Billing Department at 830-997-7521. Additional information is available on the web site regarding establishing service and rates. To report a water main break, sewer backup, fire hydrant leak, or for other service issues during normal business hours, contact the Water Department at 830-997-7521. Outside of normal business hours, people may also report a water main break or fire hydrant issue by calling 830-997-8080.
Water Restrictions
Electricity The city provides electrical service to most city residential and commercial customers. To establish service or to ask questions related to billing, contact the Utility Billing Department at 830-997-7521.
Currently, the City of Fredericksburg is under Stage 3 restrictions, which regulates that outdoor irrigation may occur by hose end sprinklers, automatic sprinklers, soaker hoses or drip irrigation on designated days between 5-9 a.m. and between 7-11 p.m.
For outages during normal business hours, or service issues, contact the Electric Department at 830-997-7521. Outside of normal business hours, call 830-997-8080.
Watering will be permitted on:
Residents should take note that if they live in a location that is not within the City of Fredericksburg Electric Territory, then they will obtain electricity from Central Texas Electric Cooperative.
. Wednesday for addresses ending in
Water, Sewer The city provides fresh water service and sewer/wastewater service to all city residents and commercial customers.
. Monday for addresses ending in a 1 or 2
. Tuesday for addresses ending in a 3 or 4
a 5 or 6
. Thursday for addresses ending in a 7 or 8, and
. Friday for addresses ending in a 9 or 0
No watering is allowed either on Saturdays or Sundays.
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Watering of plants with a bucket or other handheld container, handheld hose, or drip irrigation shall be permitted through Stage 4 of watering restrictions without limitation as to the day of the week; however, it can only be done from 5-9 a.m. and 7-11 p.m.
Sanitation The City of Fredericksburg offers garbage collection for residential customers only. Commercial garbage collection is provided by private, for-profit companies. Customers should have their can(s) at the curb, with the arrow pointing to the street (wheels to the curb), before 7 a.m. on their designated pick-up day. No rocks, broken concrete or asphalt, earth, roofing materials or trash generated by contractors or private businesses on the premises should be placed in the city’s collection carts. To contact the sanitation department, call 830-997-3459. The city also operates a landfill, which is located two miles east on RR 1631. The hours of operation are: 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday through Friday; 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday; closed Sundays and holidays.
Recycling The City of Fredericksburg has a drive-thru Recycling Center at 302 E. Ufer St., with hours of operation from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Mondays through Wednesdays; closed Thursdays; from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Fridays; from 8 a.m. to noon Saturdays and closed Sundays. Accepted items include corrugated cardboard, pressed chipboard (cereal boxes, legal pad backings, etc.); aluminum cans and tin cans. The city requests items be sorted in advance to expedite the procedure. To contact the recycling center, call 830-997-3459.
Natural Gas Natural gas service is available to all city residents through Atmos Energy, headquartered in Dallas. For new service or changes, contact them at 888-286-6700. For emergency calls 24-hours a day, call 866-322-8667. More information is available at www.fbgtx.org.
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Public Schools The largest school district in Gillespie County — Fredericksburg Independent School District — has a current enrollment of 3,123 students attending its different campuses.
High School: (830) 997-7551
Fredericksburg Primary School has 541 students in early childhood, prekindergarten, kindergarten and first grade.
Primary School: (830) 997-7421
Fredericksburg Elementary School serves 760 students in second through fifth grades.
Asst. Superintendent-Business and Finance: Jill Minshew
Stonewall Elementary School has 107 students in eastern Gillespie County. Fredericksburg Middle School has 679 sixth- through eighth-grade students. Fredericksburg High School’s ninth through 12th grades have 1,009 students. Also, FISD’s Gillespie County High School, which serves the educational needs of young adults for whom the traditional setting is not appropriate, has an enrollment of 27 students. Its name was changed in 2016 from Gillespie County Learning Center. Harper Independent School District has 561 students enrolled in prekindergarten through 12th grade. More information about Harper ISD is available by calling (830) 864-4044.
Middle School: (830) 997-7657 Elementary School: (830) 997-9595 Stonewall: (830) 990-4599
FISD Staff Superintendent: Dr. Joe Rodriguez
Asst. Superintendent-Curriculum and Instruction: Robyn Derington Director of Human Resources: Stacy Rush School board members: Natalie Bowman, Judge Edwards, Mark Cornett, Kelly C. DiCuffa, Kerinne M. Herber, C. Brian Lehne, Dave Campbell (interim) FHS Principal: Joe Gonzalez FMS Principal: Sheryl Jacks FES Principal: Erin Nance FPS Principal: Wendy Dietrich Stonewall Elementary Principal: Amie Chalberg Gillespie County High School Principal: Dalen Kirchner
Doss Consolidated Common School District had an enrollment of 25 students in grades Pre-Kindergarten through eight at the beginning of the spring semester. Doss CCSD can be reached by calling 830-669-2411.
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Private Schools St. Mary’s Catholic School
Ambleside has 124 students enrolled in grades ranging from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade.
This private parochial school is also open to non-Catholics. Classes are offered for 3-K to eighth grade. St. Mary’s currently has 335 students enrolled.
For more information, call 990-9059 or go online to www. amblesidefredericksburg.com.
The school is at 202 South Orange St., and the number is 997-3914. Visit online at school.stmarysfbg.com.
Heritage School
Ambleside School A non-denominational Christian school, Ambleside opened in September 2000. Grades 4K through 12 study at the new campus, located at 406 Post Oak Road.
Heritage School, grades Pre-K-12, has been offering a Christ-centered education for over 25 years. The school boasts an enrollment of 147 students, with class sizes ranging from 12-18 students. The school is at 310 Smokehouse Rd. For more information, call 997-6597 or go to www.heritageschool.org.
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Higher Education Hill Country University Center (HCUC) offers affordable higher
where students take the first two years of core coursework with CTC, then transfer to TTU to complete the upper-division coursework toward their bachelor’s degrees.
The center provides a technologydriven classroom setting, allowing Texas Tech University (TTU) and Central Texas College (CTC) to offer face-to-face, online and hybrid classes toward completion of a variety of associate’s, bachelor’s and graduate degrees, as well as certifications and continuing education credits.
The site also houses TTU’s Department of Plant and Soil Science’s continuing education programs offering professional certificates in Viticulture and Winemaking. A third program in Small-Scale Farming is under development and anticipated for 2022.
education to Fredericksburg and Gillespie County residents as well as individuals from surrounding counties.
The facility, built in 2010 by the Hill Country University Center Foundation, is located on a 68-acre site east of Fredericksburg. The 24,000 square foot facility includes seven classrooms, 10 offices, a science laboratory, student lounge, computer lab and H-E-B Community Events Center.
Texas Tech University The TTU Regional Teaching Site at Fredericksburg offers upper-level courses toward bachelor’s degrees in a variety of disciplines. TTU in Fredericksburg provides personalized advising and small student-faculty ratios. Bachelor’s degrees in General Studies, Human Sciences and University Studies allow students a flexible, affordable, attainable and prestigious education without having to leave home. The interdisciplinary degree plan is designed to meet the needs of the local economy and allows students to choose their own distinct minors that best fit their career goals. TTU partners with Central Texas College to offer a unique 2+2 program,
With state-of-the-art facilities, including a teaching vineyard and winery lab at HCUC, students have hands-on learning experiences to prepare for a career in the wine industry through TTU. The Texas Viticulture and Winemaking Certificate Programs are designed for wine industry entrepreneurs, vineyard managers, winemakers, cellar workers, and prospective winery employees seeking comprehensive knowledge of grape growing and the winemaking process. The Small-Scale Farming program will be focused on sustainable production of food and ornamental crops, and livestock for local markets. TTU’s “TechTeach” is also housed in Fredericksburg. It is a teacher education program that combines student teaching experience at Fredericksburg Elementary School with education courses offered at HCUC and online.
Central Texas College (CTC) Central Texas College is a twoyear, open admissions institution that provides educational opportunities
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focused on making its students employable.
exploring exciting topics and pursuing new interests.
The college offers a wide range of associate degrees and certificates through both online and face-to-face day and evening classes at HCUC.
For the latest catalog of OLLI classes in the Hill Country, see olli.ttu.edu.
In addition, CTC offers area students core curriculum courses, which are transferable to Texas public colleges and universities. The college works with local school districts to offer and expand certificates, trade programs and associate degrees for students who wish to enter the workforce or pursue a four-year degree. The mission of CTC is to provide a high value post-secondary education, with one of the most affordable tuition rates in Texas.
Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) OLLI is designed for adults age 50+ who are still working, semi-retired or fully retired. Administered by TTU, the program offers non-credit courses taught by current and retired faculty and local professionals during convenient afternoon or evening hours.
Community Events and Conferences HCUC offers meeting and function space for community events, club meetings, private social functions, and corporate conferences and workshops. Its 4,000-square-foot H-E-B Community Events Center includes a catering kitchen, accommodations for up to 200 guests, ample parking and state-of-the-art audio/visual system. Contact Mary Little, executive director of the HCUC at Mary.Little@ hcucenter.org or phone her at 361-445-6840 for more information. HCUC 2818 U.S. 290 East Fredericksburg, TX 78624 830-990-2717 https://hcucenter.org/
With no tests, no grades and no papers, OLLI classes are focused on
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Community Education
Want to learn more about financial planning, real estate, fly fishing or backpacking? What about joining an exercise or dance class? How about an organized trip?
Rachel Malinak serves as Community Education coordinator.
The Fredericksburg Independent School District’s Community Education program offers year-round classes for children, teens, young adults and retirees.
The office is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
There are also camps, workshops and sporting activities for children; special interest classes, as well as sessions focusing on sewing, music, dog obedience, drones, karate and much more.
The Community Ed office is at 234 Friendship Lane in the FISD Administration Building.
Online registration is available at https://www.fisd.org/communityed. Malinak can be reached at 830-997-7182 or via email at rachelm@fisd.org. Find out more information at www.facebook.com/fisdcommunityed.
Class times and locations of classes vary, and registration fees are kept as low as possible.
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Fredericksburg Independent School District Community Education Theater Arts students perform the group’s first summer production. Students in grades 9-12 performed “Into the Woods, Jr.” in 2020. Pictured from left, Florinda played by Idalia Archilla; Cinderella’s stepmother played by M’Emily Archilla; Cinderella played by Jenna Rickerhauser; Lucinda played by Mariah Boyd; Rapunzel’s Prince played by Brock Wattiez; Steward played by Seth Hughes and Baker’s Wife played by Jorja Hahn. The program is part of a variety of classes taught by Community Education. — Standard-Radio Post file photo
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Parks & Recreation Facilities Parks and Recreational Facilities A total of nine parks encompass about 323 acres of greenspace that exist within the city limits of Fredericksburg. From the prominent Cross Mountain Park to Lady Bird Johnson Municipal Park, Fredericksburg features a variety of opportunities to get outdoors and enjoy the tranquil Texas weather.
Cross Mountain Park
. 16 acre Community park. . Located off of North Milam Street. . Walking trails, scenic overlook,
Monarch Garden and picnic tables.
Elementary School Park
. Neighborhood park. . 10 acres, on North Adams Street. . Baseball/soccer practice fields,
basketball court, playground, picnic pavilion, restrooms and trail.
Frantzen Park
. Neighborhood park. . 1.8 acres, on South Orange Street. . Picnic facilities, playground and trail.
Fort Martin Scott
. Special use park. . 10 acres, on U.S. Highway 290 East. . Trails and picnic tables. . This park is now managed by the Texas Rangers Heritage Center located next to the Fort.
Lady Bird Johnson Municipal Park
. Regional park. . 260 acres, on State Hwy 16 South. . 18-hole golf course, baseball/softball fields, Olympic size swimming pool, pavilions, picnic tables, tennis/ volleyball/basketball courts, fishing at Live Oak Creek, R.V. campground and nature trails.
Marktplatz
. Special use park. . 4.5 acres, located on Main Street. . Pavilions/picnic tables, playground, gardens and history walk.
Oak Crest Park
. Community park. . 10 acres, on State Highway 16 South. . Baseball/softball/soccer fields; covered playground.
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Old Fair Park
. Community park. . 10 acres, located next to H-E-B. . Baseball fields, soccer fields, new playground, skatepark, batting cages and covered basketball pavilion.
Town Pool
. Community park. . 1 acre, located on West Travis Street.
. Swimming pool.
Plans for 2022 Lady Bird Johnson Municipal Park Infrastructure Upgrades
. Installation of a new restroom in the RV area.
Marktplatz
. Pavers to be replaced in two phases. . New restroom and meeting space to start construction.
Town Pool
. New splashpad should start construction.
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Golden Hub The Golden Hub reopened for dining and several other activities of June of 2021 after being closed for over a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
meals to seniors who are homebound or disabled. Volunteers will deliver the food in a non-contact fashion for the safety of the seniors and staff.
The dining room is opens at 11:30 a.m. with lunch being served at noon. They also continue to offer inside meal pick up from 10:45 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
For more information on the inside pickup or Meals-on-Wheels programs and in order to reserve hot meals, call the center at 997-7131. For additional information, the website is www.goldenhub.org.
Located at 1009 North Lincoln St., the meals are open to seniors of any age. A donation of $5 is requested per meal for those 60 years old and older while for those under 60, the charge is $6. The Hub also continues to offer a Meals-on-Wheels lunch program, Monday through Friday, that delivers
Meals were served at noon in the dining room at the Golden Hub and seniors of any age were welcome to be joined by family, friends or neighbors. Those wishing to dine in the center had to make reservations by no later than 9 a.m. that morning.
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The Golden Hub also offers a variety of activities, services, information and health screenings to seniors and visitors. Weekly activities include exercise, line dancing, Tai Chi, Pilates, Canasta, bridge, Mah-Jongg, music (a dulcimer group meets every week), painting classes, language classes and bingo. The Hub also normally offers monthly nutrition education programs, blood pressure clinics and every other month, defensive driving classes. A variety of community groups hold regular meetings at the facility which features a large assembly room that can be rented for meetings, receptions and parties.
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Pioneer Memorial Library Pioneer Memorial Library provides a variety of reads for Fredericksburg. The library is located at 115 West Main Street in a restored building that is also known as the McDermott Building.
Hours Pioneer Memorial Library is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays. Friday and Saturday hours are 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The library is closed on Sundays.
Library Cards Borrowers’ cards are issued free of charge to residents of Gillespie County who can provide proof of residency
(usually with a driver’s license, lease agreement or printed checks with local address). Children six years of age and older will be issued a card when their applications are signed by a parent or guardian. All non-residents of Gillespie County are charged a $5 per-year fee for a family library membership. However, only residents of immediately surrounding counties (Kimble, Mason, Llano, Blanco, Kendall and Kerr) are eligible. Books may be checked out for two weeks, and if not requested by another customer, they may be renewed for another two weeks.
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Pioneer Memorial Library houses non-fiction, fiction and kids’ books, as well as books and large print materials for the entire family to enjoy. — Standard-Radio Post file photo
State Library and the Friends of Pioneer Memorial Library.
And More
What’s Available Pioneer Memorial Library is home to adult fiction and non-fiction books, reference materials, the Texas collection and current newspapers and magazines. DVDs for adults and children are also available at the library.
Pioneer Memorial Library also offers information about the Texas State Library’s talking book players. Also offered is a collection of large-print books and e-books.
Just for Kids
The library offers a copy machine, microfilm reader-printer and nine computers with Internet access for use by the public, along with free wireless access for visitors with their own computers.
Along with a large selection of children’s books, children can also participate in the Summer Reading Program sponsored by the Texas
For more information, call the library at 997-6513 or visit www.pmlfbg.com.
Also, the library offers downloadable audio books and e-books.
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From the newsstands to the Internet, the No. 1 source of information about Gillespie County for residents and visitors is the Fredericksburg Standard-Radio Post. The newspaper is available in the traditional print format, as well as online. Also featured are a number of special publications and magazines, including Rock and Vine and the Go Fred Visitors Guide. To help keep readers informed between issues, an e-newsletter, “Daily Update” is offered along with postings to the newspaper’s Facebook page and via Twitter.
Reporters: Madalyn Watson madalyn@fredericksburgstandard.com Brooke Nevins brooke@fredericksburgstandard.com
Circulation Manager: Sherrie Geistweidt sherrie@fredericksburgstandard.com Bookkeeper: Roberto Valencia roberto@fredericksburgstandard.com Subscriptions: Alicia Trinkle fbgpaper@fredericksburgstandard. com
Who Editor/Publisher: Ken Esten Cooke ken@fredericksburgstandard.com Managing Editor: Samuel Sutton samuel@fredericksburgstandard.com Sports Editor: Reed Graff Reed@fredericksburgstandard.com
Advertising Manager: Kim Jung kim@fredericksburgstandard.com Production Design: Barney Kane barney@fredericksburgstandard.com Special Projects: Michael Skinner mike@fredericksburgstandard.com
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Advertising: Ann Duecker ann@fredericksburgstandard.com Cindy Burdorf cindygb@fredericksburgstandard.com Stephanie Brenner steph@fredericksburgstandard.com Desine Plavidal dee@fredericksburgstandard.com
Rock and Vine: Kimberly Giles kgiles@fredericksburgstandard.com Contacts: News: fbgnews@fredericksburgstandard.com Advertising: fbgads@fredericksburgstandard.com
What? The Fredericksburg Standard-Radio Post offers both print and/or online editions of the weekly newspaper. Subscriptions are available for three months, six months, one year and three years. Also offered is a free “Daily Update” via email, Monday through Friday mornings. Funeral notices are also available via email. To subscribe to the “Daily Updates” and/or funeral notices, send name and email address to fbgnews@fredericksburgstandard. com or visit the website at www. fredericksburgstandard.com and follow the links to register.
Where? Offices of the Fredericksburg Standard-Radio Post are located at 712 West Main Street.
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The Fredericksburg StandardRadio Post can be found online at www.fredericksburgstandard.com. Facebook users can also “like” the Fredericksburg Standard-Radio Post’s page. Follow the newspaper on Twitter @fbgstandard.
When? The newspaper is published and distributed each week on Wednesday. Subscribers living inside the city limits have a choice of receiving their newspaper by home delivery on Wednesday afternoons or receiving it in the mail.
Newspapers are also available at various locations around the city and county, including grocery stores, convenience stores and more. Regular business hours are from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.
How? Don’t want to email or go through the website? Want to talk to someone? The telephone number is 830-997-2155. Need to send a fax? That number is 830-990-0036. Mailing address is Fredericksburg Standard-Radio Post, P.O. Box 1639, Fredericksburg, TX 78624.
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For over 100 years, Bierschwale-Rees Insurance has helped people and businesses in Gillespie County find the right insurance coverage to fit their needs and budgets. From our wide provider network to our top-tier customer service, Bierschwale-Rees is the name you can trust for what matters most.
Todd Willingham, President • www.bierschwale.com • Fredericksburg, TX 78624 405 W. Burbank • P.O. Box S 1549 URCE 40 THE CITY
Phone: 830-997-7693 • Fax: 830-997-8535 BOOK • Toll Free: 877-547-9591
