MAY 4, 2022 GOV. ABBOTT REDIRECTS FUNDS
END OF AN ERA
Gov. Greg Abbott redirects $500 million from other agencies to fund border security mission through end of fiscal year.
Longtime HCISD trustee Merideth Keller’s term comes to an end.
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© Barton Publications, Inc.
Hays Free Press
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Vol. 128 • No. 8
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MISSING
TIP HOTLINE
If you have any information on the whereabouts of Davion Lewis, please contact:
Ongoing search for 16-year-old boy STAFF REPORT HAYS COUNTY — A 16-year-old boy from the city of Kyle has been missing for over a week. Hays County Sheriff’s deputies are asking the
public’s help in locating Davion Lewis who left his Kyle home on Tuesday, April 19, and has not returned home since. Lewis is described as being 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighing about 130 pounds — it is unknown
what he was wearing when he left home. It is believed that Lewis is in South Austin with friends. If you have information regarding his whereabouts, please contact Detective Brian Wahlert at brian.
wahlert@co.hays.tx.us, or dispatch at (512) 393-7896. You can also contact Crime Stoppers anonymously by calling 1-800-324-8477 or you can submit your information online to P3tips.com.
Detective Brian Wahlert Email: brian.wahlert@ co.hays.tx.us Phone: (512) 393-7986 DAVION LEWIS
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Murder trial Johnson Track & Field heads to State begins for Kyle woman BUDA — The Johnson High School (JHS) Jaguars will soon watch one of their dreams come true — heading to Austin for the UIL State Track and Field meet. With a team score of 71 points, the JHS Women’s Track and Field team captured the 5A Regional IV Championship in San Antonio on April 30. A handful of team and individual performances qualified the team for the state tournament and some even broke records. The Jaguar Women’s 4x200 meter relay team consisting of Sidney Kinnison, Sydney Silas, Sophia Olivarez and Elektra Sanchez won
the gold in their event while also setting the 5A Regional record with a time of 1:40.10. This group was on its way to state two years ago before COVID-19 shut down the season and the team missed out last
meet is the Jaguar 4x100 meter relay team of Jade Selmon, Sydney Silas, Sophia Olivarez, and Elektra Sanchez, who
qualified with a second place finish and a time of 47.74. Junior Sidney Kinnison also set a
season by one spot. Another group also qualifying for the state
regional record in the 300 meter hurdles and is the regional champion in 5A with a time of 42.36. Zaniah Hoskins punched her ticket by winning gold in the high jump with a leap of 5 feet, 6 inches. On the men's side, Jaguar 300 meter hurdle runner Josh Blalock qualified for state with a silver medal finish in his event. The 5A State meet will be held on Friday, May 13 at Mike A Myers Stadium at the University of Texas at Austin.
Kyle council examines spending BY BRITTANY ANDERSON
KYLE — Accountability and transparency are key to the success of every government — and Kyle City Council members are trying to ensure that they are upholding their end when it comes to spending and documenting expenses. On April 19, the council unanimously approved adding monthly reports of expenses incurred on their city council issued credit cards (Purchasing Card), including travel expenses, to their council
page on the city of Kyle website. Council member Daniela Parsley brought the item forward after reviewing documents prior to voting on the city manager’s contract renewal and noticed a significant increase in spending, prompting the request of other credit card expense and reimbursement documents. The request revealed a larger problem during the meeting. While there is a policy in place that outlines how the council can use their cards, Kyle’s Director of Finance, Perwez Moheet, said that the council is essentially out of his chain of command when it comes to ensuring they are held accountable for their spending. During discussion on the item, Moheet explained that documentation of council’s expenses — including receipts — is prepared and compiled by the city secretary and city manager’s office, then forwarded to finance for processing. If everything adds up, the city’s accounts payable team process-
es it for payment. Moheet asked the council to clarify the policy to include who will review and ensure council members’ compliance and accountability, saying he reports to the city manager and “that is the end of my chain of command.” “With council members, how do I reject the claim [if something doesn’t add up]?” Moheet said. “The policy doesn’t give me that authority. That’s what I’m asking council for. If it’s not me, give it to the city manager or city attorney … [the policy] needs to be updated and modernized to fit today’s needs of council. It needs to have consequences or some direction to staff to follow up if an elected official does not comply with the policy … It puts us in a very awkward position if one of you says, “I refuse to give you receipts,” and that has happened.” Per the city council purchasing card policy, updated in June 2019, a receipt is needed for all purchases and must be turned in with the monthly card statement. Purchases such as alcoholic beverages/tobacco products, personal items,
MAY 7 ELECTION Early voting for the Texas May 7 elections is underway.
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loans or cash advances are not allowed, unless granted an exception by the city manager. The travel policy outlines what council members can use their cards on for transportation, lodging and meals when traveling for city business, such as meetings, conferences and conventions. Parsley cited her reasoning for bringing the item forward as seeing big discrepancies in what council members spend, which oftentimes don’t have any explanation in the expense statement other than something as general as ‘meals’ or ‘travel.’ “Up until December 16 when I got appointed, I was a normal resident paying taxes. I know my taxes are paying for some of these expenses,” Parsley said. “To me, seeing that some council members seem to spend responsibly, and others do not, was a big red flag … I believe it’s excessive … As a resident, I want to know where my tax money is going and how our elected officials are spending this money.” Purchases made using the Purchasing Card are to be for official city business
related expenditures only. According to documents provided to council during the meeting, which can also be found at www. cityofkyle.com/finance/ city-council-expenses, council members spent the following amounts on their Purchasing Cards from 2020 (excluding Parsley, who was elected in December 2021) until February 2022: Mayor Travis Mitchell: $4,167.73 Former Mayor Pro Tem Rick Koch: $10,111.40 (through January 2022) Current Mayor Pro Tem Robert Rizo: $971.49 Ashlee Bradshaw: $2,677.20 Dex Ellison: N/A Yvonne Flores-Cale: $1,580.30 Daniela C. Parsley: $84.82 Michael Tobias: N/A The estimated total amount spent by council members over the last five years using the Purchasing Card is as follows: Mitchell: $9,676.08 Former MPT Koch: $15,731.63 Rizo: $2,558.71 Bradshaw: $3,301.45 Ellison: $1,932.52 Flores-Cale: $1,829.09 Parsley: $112.37
BY BRITTANY ANDERSON
KYLE — The trial for a Kyle woman who allegedly killed her nearly two-year-old son in 2018, alongside her husband, is underway in Hays County. On July 4, 2018, Kyle PD officers and first responders dispatched to a call from Dazrine Chagoya-Williams, then 20, and her husband Stevie Dwayne Williams, then 24, for a medical issue at their home, and found their 21-month-old son unresponsive. He was declared deceased at the home. The child had visible injuries, including bruising, and further investigation found other injuries including a skull and multiple rib fractures. He had previously been taken away by CPS (Child Protective Services) for nearly a year after he had sustained other injuries, and was placed back into the home after Dazrine and Stevie completed parenting classes. He was monitored by CPS for another three months before the monitoring stopped in March 2018. On July 5, 2018, Dazrine and Stevie’s 8-month-old daughter was also brought to a hospital and then removed from the home by CPS due to having similar injuries to her brother. Dazrine and Stevie were charged with capital murder, and Stevie was found guilty in October 2021 and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. He claimed that “demons” or “something evil” killed his son and that he nor Dazrine were responsible. Dazrine’s trial began on April 25 when the jury was selected, who will decide if she is also guilty for the death of her son. Hays County Criminal District Attorney Wes Mau said that it is difficult to say how long the trial will last as they cannot state with certainty how the cross-examination will go or whether the defense will call witnesses, or how many. Mau was unable to comment further or go into detail about the evidence in the case until the trial has concluded. More details will be made available as the trial ends.
The Hays Free Press Barton Publications, Inc. The Hays Free Press (USPS 361-430) published weekly by Barton Publications, Inc., P.O. Box 339, Buda, TX 78610. Periodicals postage paid at Buda, TX 78610 and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Barton Publications, Inc., P.O. Box 339, Buda, TX 78610. ISSN#1087-9323