Tiger softball bids for playoff run
Tiger baseball on 6-win streak
page 3
Tiger thespians awarded
page 3
page 4
News-Dispatch Volume XXXVIII No. 29
Serving Western Hays County, Texas since 1982
75¢ Thursday, April 26, 2018
Development over recharge zone draws concern BY CARLIE PORTERFIELD
Anxieties over the impact a proposed masterplanned development along FM 967 near Buda could have on neighbors and the Edwards Aquifer is steadily rising.
According to community organizers, the development, located in Dripping Springs’ extraterritorial jurisdiction, calls for 1,200 homes to be built out on almost 800 acres of land. The development is located
over the Edwards Aquifer recharge zone. However, variance requests outlined in the proposed development agreement with Dripping Springs have left neighbors concerned about what the growth
could mean for them. Jannine Inbody, who lives downhill from the proposed development site, organized a town hall meeting April 19 at Southern Hills Church of Christ in Buda, where about 60 of her fellow
neighbors discussed their concerns and the actions they can take. Among those issues is the question of where their potential residents would be drawing their water from. Large community wells can have a
negative impact on the aquifer, and all of the homes in the existing subdivision are on individual wells which draw from the Edwards and Trinity aquifers.
WATER CONCERNS, 6
SHATTERED DREAMS
PHOTO BY MARY GILROY
Maria Garcia talks with reporters following her release from ICE detention on April 3.
Activists step in to assist area resident in federal custody BY KATERINA BARTON An undocumented Wimberley woman detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) following a misdemeanor arrest was released from custody April 3. The release of Maria Garcia, of Wimberley, was due in part to the work of local groups that have helped a handful of area residents temporarily avoid deportation. Karen Muñoz, co-founder of Mano Amiga, an immigrant advocacy group in San Marcos, started the organization in 2017 after she felt like there was a lack of resources for immigrants in the community. So far, the group has helped four individuals with deportation defense proceedings, including Victor Avendano-Ramirez, who was arrested after a traffic stop in Kyle, when officers saw he had active warrants for other traffic violations. Both Garcia and
ICE RELEASE, 2
PHOTOS BY MOSES LEOS III
Bloody, bewildered and desperate for help was Dripping Springs High junior Ross Lincecum (right) who cradled a classmate while playing the role of a drunk driver in the school’s annual “Shattered Dreams” program held on campus April 20. The program, which involved a score of Dripping Springs High students and staff members, simulates a fatal drunk driving accident and the ramifications it has on those who are affected. A full story on Shattered Dreams and how one Dripping Springs High senior looks to ensure its impact can be found online at haysnewsdispatch.com.
Last Dance
Mercer Street to turn out the lights in May BY MOSES LEOS III
An iconic downtown Dripping Springs dance and music venue will bring down its curtains for good next month. On Monday, owners of the Mercer Street Dance Hall announced via a gofundme crowdfunding page plans to close the location, citing a lost battle against “exorbitant rent increases” by landlords who own the property. But owners of the
venue are now setting their sights on possibly starting a new dance hall on a parcel of property they own between Dripping Springs and Wimberley. Nick Dotin, co-owner of Mercer Street Dance Hall, said he and his wife, Shelby, who is also co-owner, have fought “for years” against rent increases, but felt it was “time to let this battle go.” The landlord notified the Dotins they had 30 days, or until
May 10, to vacate. Nick Dotin said his family realized closing the venue could happen, but they didn’t expect it to happen “so fast.” “We have stood and fought against the potential exorbitant rent increases that each new landlord (we are on our third) have felt compelled to thrust upon us,” according to a post on a gofundme page created by Shelby Dotin. But Dean Erickson, broker and owner of Erickson and Associ-
ates, an Austin area brokerage firm, said Dotin’s plans and those of the landlords “couldn’t match up.” Following probate of the will of former property owner, H.C. Carter, Carter’s family is taking possession of the property. Erickson said his brokerage firm took over the property in late December 2017 and Clark’s family gave Dotin “a significant amount of time” to renew the lease.
Software that allows the city of Dripping Springs to archive posts on its own social media pages was given the green light April 17. Archive Social, a program that allows entities to archive social media posts, even if those posts have been deleted, will allow Dripping Springs to monitor its six city Facebook pages and two Twitter pages. However, the program will not collect data from pages that are not managed or owned by the city. This will allow the city to not only ar-
duty to be transparent for our citizens.” But in light of security concerns stemming from data breaches, a national disconnect between elected officials and social media corporations still looms. At the council meeting, Mayor Pro Tem Bill Foulds asked city staff if this program
CITY’S SOCIAL MEDIA, 6
CHARGES DROPPED, 6
DANCE HALL CLOSES, 2
Archive Social, a program that allows entities to archive social media posts, even if those posts have been deleted, will allow Dripping Springs to monitor its six city Facebook pages and two Twitter pages.
chive posts for open records, but to archive any citizen comments or concerns, according to city staff. By state law, cities are required to provide its citizens access to public records and information, and the laws are enforced by the Attorney General’s office. This includes physical and digital copies of any legislation, meetings, citizen
comments, development plans and other city records. “This year alone we have had around four people ask, through an open records request, for social media posts on the city’s pages,” said Andrea Cunningham, city secretary for the city of Dripping Springs. “This allows us to archive that information and stay on top of our
BY EXSAR ARGUELLO A former Dripping Springs Water Supply Corporation (DSWSC) general manager accused of stealing company property, vehicles and money was acquitted of criminal charges earlier this year. The decision, rendered by 428th District Judge Bill Henry, nearly ends seven years of vitriolic sparring between Doug Cones and the company he once worked for. “My reputation was ruined,” Cones said. “They accused me of stealing company vehicles and other property, all which had no merit. Try finding a job with criminal charges to your name. For 25 years, this was my trade. I knew nothing else. And they took that away from me.” On the September 18, 2011, the DSWSC board of directors voted 3-2 to fire Cones, which negated his retirement contract. In addition, the DSWSC turned over its investigation to the Hays County District Attorney’s office, which later brought two felony counts against Cones. In response, Cones filed a counter-suit in 2014 for unpaid wages and attorney fees, cit-
Dripping Springs OKs software to archive social media posts BY EXSAR ARGUELLO
Former general manager cleared of theft charges
Page 2
News-Dispatch
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News-Dispatch (USPS 011 - 401) is published weekly except for the weeks following July 4 and Christmas by Barton Publications, Inc., 113 W. Center St., Kyle, TX 78640. Subscription price: $42 local, $59 county, $62 out of state. Periodicals Postage paid at Driftwood, TX. Email paper@ haysnewsdispatch. com for subscriptions and address changes. POSTMASTER: send address changes to News-Dispatch, PO Box 339, Buda, TX 78610 LETTERS GUIDELINES We welcome locally written letters to the editor on timely topics of community interest. We ask that you keep them to about 350 words in length and that you not indulge in personal attacks on private individuals. Letters may be edited for brevity and clarity. All letters should be signed by the author and include a daytime phone number where the author can be contacted for verification. Letter writers are limited to one letter per month. Letters can be emailed to csb@ haysfreepress.com.
Opinion
A
Continued from pg. 1
From the Crow’s Nest
think running is a good option. Especially if you are faster than the guy next to you. 3. Do Not Crouch Down. I’m not sure why they advise against this. If I get scared, there’d be no need to squat. I’ll just throw my soiled drawers away when I get home. 4. Try to Appear Larger. Hmm? If being bigger means not getting eaten by a mountain lion, then that’s a fine reason to stop this stupid diet I’m on. 5. Fight Back if Attacked. Oh, this is a no-brainer. I’ll fight like crazy but only if I can’t resolve the conflict by imposing economic sanctions first. 6. Be Aware When Walking Your Pet. I’m guessing they mean tasty little lap dogs and not a German Shepherd. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to take a small, crippled goat with you the next time you go strolling along the banks of the Blanco River. The next time someone offers you some advice or you see a warning label on a new product, pay attention and consider following it. The life you save might be your own.
by Clint Younts
reads “Do not hold the wrong end of a chainsaw”. Or on a baby stroller, the label that reads “Remove child before folding”. On a bottle of critter repellant that contains bobcat urine, a label reads “Not for human consumption”. I have used this product to keep varmints out of our garden, and it smells so bad, I don’t need any label advising me not to eat it. I suppose folks who don’t use their nose for breathing might enjoy snacking on this, but I will follow the manufacturer’s advice. Recently, a local news station posted on its webpage a story about several sightings of a mountain lion here in Hays County. So, as a service to the community, they offered advice to us if we happen to encounter a cougar. No, Bubba, not that old broad sitting at the end of the bar but a mountain lion. And since I am such a caring soul who enjoys dishing out advice, I will share these life-saving tips with all y’all along with my own warning labels attached. 1. Do Not Approach. OK, I don’t know about most folks, but when I see an animal that would love to devour my innards, I tend to shift my butt in reverse and not approach the critter. 2. Do Not Run. I’m sorry, but when it come to Fight or Flight, and I’m not carrying enough guns to equip a SEAL team, I
Our advice to readers of the Crow’s Nest is to sit down, have a beer and wonder what kind of brain comes up with these columns. Columnist Clint Younts recently was awarded second place by the South Texas Press Association in the small weekly division for his humorous columns. The judges really did think he was humorous. We promise. crowsnest78610@gmail. com
ing that he had been wrongfully terminated. In December 2017, Cones won a civil suit against the DSWSC for $1,438,454.20, which did not include attorney’s fees. The felony charges were later dismissed in March of 2018. Henry, who presided over both the civil and criminal cases, awarded Cones $1,115,846.40 as part of his final judgment, which was less than what the jury awarded. Henry has not signed the final judgment of the court ruling at this time, but Joe Pool, attorney for Cones, said he anticipates the District Judge will do so.
If signed, Cones would receive less money than what was outlined in his contract with DSWSC. Cones is currently awaiting the settlement for the retirement promised in his contract with DSWSC. His contract included an annual salary of $46,761.16 for 20 years for his retirement. “At this point my goal is to retire with the money I was promised in my contract,” Cones said. “I missed out on a lot of things in my life these past seven years. I couldn’t support the people I loved because of the money I did not have. At my age, I want to retire and support my loved ones.”
Dance Hall Closes Continued from pg. 1
However, Erickson said negotiations abruptly stalled and Dotin was not willing to talk. Since then, the property at 332 Mercer Street has been put up for lease. Erickson said Carter’s family intends to be the same “good stewards of downtown Dripping Springs as H.C. was.” Erickson added the family is “like-minded in doing things for the community as well as good for businesses.” Erickson said the family’s intention is to “entertain and have folks” in the space that are in concert with the retail component nearby. Chris Harkness, promotions manager for Mercer Street, said closure of the venue is a “sad thing” for Dripping Springs, which he said was losing its only dance hall. Harkness added the
dance hall was “enhancing the appeal” of downtown Dripping Springs. While the dance hall was the “new kid on the block,” Harkness said the venue was accepted by the community that frequents historic dance halls. The Dotins are now focusing on opening what they’re calling Little Mercer, a dirt bar and taco trailer. They ultimately hope to build a new and improved dance hall on their own land. The Dotins are also looking to the community for support. A crowd sourcing effort has helped them raise approximately $4,000 of their $250,000 goal. “With the taco truck, the new dance hall, and a set of vacation rental cabins, we’re creating a little slice of heaven right here in Dripping Springs,” according to the gofundme page.
ICE Release: Activists form group to help locals Continued from pg. 1
Avendano-Ramirez were placed in ICE custody before they were released. “We saw a vacuum of resources in our community and we felt that these communities were being attacked. SB4 (Senate Bill 4) is the most anti-immigrant bill that this country has seen, besides maybe SB 1070 in Arizona, and Texas is ground zero. We saw this and said, ‘We need to help’,” Muñoz said. Mary Gilroy, a volunteer from Wimberley Indivis-
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Charges Dropped
Take my advice dvice is like a White Elephant gift. You can give it away and you can receive it, but it may not always be appreciated. Sometimes it’s just thrown out like that package of green bologna you bought back in February. But occasionally, you hear good, sound advice. What you do with it is up to you. Like when a flight attendant advises you how to properly use the oxygen mask if there’s a loss of cabin pressure. The recent incident with a Southwest Airlines jet revealed via social media that many passengers apparently did not listen to the flight attendant. Instead of placing the mask over their nose and mouth, a few folks had their masks just over their mouths. Did these people forget that the nose is for something besides hanging jewelry from? I doubt any of these mouth-breathers had ever crawled under a house to retrieve a decomposing skunk or they’d have known to cover both their mouth and nose. Y’all have all seen warning labels on a product advising you what not to do with it. Some labels are helpful, like the one on a certain prescription bottle that advised me to “not to drink alcohol while taking this medication”. Unless you enjoy having vertigo, seeing pink dragons and falling asleep on the toilet, you might want to follow this advice. Then there are warning labels that you read and say, “What idiot would try to do this?” Well, there must’ve been at least one doofus who did or there wouldn’t be a label advising us not to. Like the label on a chainsaw that
Thursday, April 26, 2018
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ible, an area advocacy group, said the group organized after the 2016 election as a “group of progressive minded people who want to take action on issues.” The group does not normally work with immigration issues, but they wanted to help the two members in their community who were detained and, Gilroy said, because suddenly people have a “phobia of immigrants.” Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed SB4 on May 7, 2017, which bans sanctuary cities in the state and requires local law enforcement officials to cooperate with federal immigration agents. Although a federal judge in San Antonio temporarily blocked the bill in August, the Fifth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals ruled in March that the bill could remain in effect while the case is pending. Muñoz says her group has seen an increase in undocumented immigrant detainments in San Marcos and the surrounding area and Mano Amiga has had an increase in calls from people asking for help. “But this isn’t completely new. Our sheriff’s office says they’ve been turning people over to ICE since the 90s,” Muñoz said. The Hays Free Press reached out to the Sheriff’s office prior to publication
PHOTO BY MARY GILROY
Maria Garcia’s prayer Group at St. Mary’s Catholic Parish in Wimberley came together after she was detained to continue a project she had been working on – putting together food packages for homeless in Austin
“These people have lived in this country for 10, 15, sometimes 20 years. They are a critical part of our community – at least the people I know in Wimberley welcome them here, we appreciate the diversity. The concept that they are ‘criminals’ because they crossed into this country 10 or 20 years ago without legal status, that doesn’t color my thinking.” –Mary Gilroy, a volunteer from Wimberley Indivisible
but was not able to receive a comment. Mano Amiga, along with Wimberley Indivisible and the national group DreamActivist, were key in
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helping Garcia and Avendano-Ramirez get released on bond from the ICE detention center. The groups organized protests, helped raise money for bonds and lawyer fees, and helped find an immigration lawyer from the Migrant Center for Human Rights in San Antonio. Avendano-Ramirez was released from the detainment facility on Feb. 19 with a bond of $1,500, while Garcia was released on April 3 with a bond of $7,000. At some point in the future each of them will receive letters instructing
them on when to appear for their immigration hearings. This could be anywhere from three months to three years from now. “What’s important is they get to fight their case at home, be with their families, and get support from their communities. And it’s easier to talk to their lawyers when they’re not in detention,” Muñoz said. “They still have a lot of paperwork to go through for their cases. They’re not done yet and they know that.” Both Garcia and Avendano-Ramirez are active members of their local and church communities in Wimberley. “These people have lived in this country for 10, 15, sometimes 20 years. They are a critical part of our community – at least the people I know in Wimberley welcome them here, we appreciate the diversity. The concept that they are ‘criminals’ because they crossed into this country 10 or 20 years ago without legal status, that doesn’t color my thinking,” Gilroy said. “I think we have room in this country and in our community.”
Thursday, April 26, 2018
www.HaysNewsDispatch.com
Page 3
Sports
Experience key in Tigers’ bid for a deep playoff run BY SHANE SCHOLWINSKI
The Dripping Springs Tiger softball team (24-7) closed the 2018 regular season with a 16-1 victory over Marble Falls last Tuesday to secure second place in 26-5A. The Lady Tigers will host their first round playoff matchup versus LBJ Austin Thursday April 26, at 7 p.m. After a heartbreaking 5-0 loss to Willis in the 2017 state semifinals, Dripping Springs head coach Wade Womack hopes that the deep run in the playoffs last season will provide the invaluable experience his team needs to take the next step. “We have a good core of those kids back,” Womack said. “We lost some key positions, and we have multiple kids step up and fill those roles this season. So the girls have been there, and they know what it’s like. They’ve tasted it, and
“You know great teams that make deep runs in the playoffs are selfless. I don’t really believe in luck, I believe that you create it by your team culture. And if you have a great team culture things can happen.” –Wade Womack, Dripping Springs head softball coach
hopefully they are as hungry as I am to get back. I’ve been blessed to be a part of three of them, one state championship, and I want those girls to experience it.” Womack wants his team members to stay focused and to stay ready for whenever their number is called, whether that is with a starting spot or coming off the bench for a pinch hit opportunity. That starts with the team’s one-game series with LBJ, which
Womack said he isn’t taking for granted. “It’s that team attitude, great team culture and being selfless,” Womack said about what he wants to see out of his team. “Accepting your role whatever that is, whether it’s starting or coming off the bench or getting a bunt down ... asked to do something maybe you’re not comfortable with, but it’s something that we need to get done.”
Selflessness is an attribute Womack hopes the Tigers can exemplify during the postseason. Womack said he wants to see his players form a family bond. “You know great teams that make deep runs in the playoffs are selfless,” said Womack. “I don’t really believe in luck, I believe that you create it by your team culture. And if you have a great team culture things can happen.” However, Womack said the Tigers have not hit their stride just yet and the team is eager to see improvement. “We still haven’t played our best ball,” Womack said. “There are times that we are really, really good, and there are times that we look like an average ball club. Hopefully as we head into this third season, the playoff season, we get our minds right and our team culture continues to come together and have fun.”
PHOTO BY WAYLAND CLARK, WFOTOS.COM
Paige Leschber pitched 4 innings in the circle for the Lady Tigers on senior night April 17, against the visiting Mustangs. The senior allowed one hit while striking out 6 Marble Falls batters in a run-rule 16-1 win for Dripping Springs.
PHOTO BY MOSES LEOS III
Dripping Sprngs Tiger Justin Wright competes at the 2018 Texas Relays in Austin. Wright is one of 14 tigers heading to the regional meet. PHOTO BY WAYLAND CLARK, WFOTOS.COM
Dripping Springs senior Reed Beverly slides safely into third base before Alamo Heights’ Walter Evans can make the tag in the bottom of the sixth inning. Beverly went 3 for 4 at the plate against the visiting Mules en route to a 7-1 win for the Tigers. Nathan Koch was also 3 for 4 at the plate in the win. Below, Dripping Springs pitcher Grant Gaspard struck out five batters in last week’s win.
Tiger baseball pushes win streak to six games BY MOSES LEOS III
Two wins in four days helped the Dripping Springs Tigers baseball team extend its win streak to six games as the district slate comes to a close. Dripping Springs’ win streak has also boosted the Tigers into a tie with the Boerne Champion Chargers for second place in 26-5A with one district game left to play. Dripping Springs hosted Marble Falls Tuesday to close its final district game as a member of the current 26-5A. Dripping Springs began its week with a 7-1 win over the Alamo Heights Mules April 17. Guiding the Tigers was junior Nathan Koch and senior Reed Beverly, who both went 3 for 4 on the night with a combined
four RBIs in the contest. Dripping Springs also flashed its speed on the base paths by swiping eight bases on the night. Beverly finished with a game high four stolen bases, while junior Chris Tyree had two. Pitcher Grant Gaspard earned the win by going 6.1 innings and giving up only two hits and one run, while striking out five Mule batters. But the Tigers relied on their offense April 20 when they out-slugged the Medina Valley Panthers in a wild 12-8 road win. Both Dripping Springs and Medina Valley combined for 26 total hits and 78 total at-bats in the game. Five Tiger batters had five plate appearances in the game, led by Koch’s 3 for 5 effort with three RBIs.
Tigers to compete at region track Fourteen Dripping Springs Tiger track and field athletes look to punch their tickets to the UIL state meet at the Region IV, 5A championships this week. The event, held April 27-28, takes place at Alamo Stadium in San Antonio. The top four qualifiers in each event advance to the UIL state track and field meet, which will be held May 11-12 at Mike A. Myers Stadium in Austin.
Tigers competing at the Region IV, 5A Championships GIRLS Hannah Biggs – 100m hurdles Avery Kalsu – 400m dash, 4x400m relay Izzie Guerrero – 800m run Lightsey Puryear – 300m hurdles, 4x400m relay Audrey Williamson – 4x400m relay Kyndall Womack – 4x400m relay
Senior Brittan Howeth finished with three RBIs, while senior Johnny Hoyle had a pair of RBIs as well. Conversely, both teams were unable to find consistency on the mound as eight total pitchers toed the rubber in the contest.
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Tiger junior Aidan Seligman earned the win by going 4.1 innings and allowing only one earned run on three hits and striking out five batters. Tiger senior AG Yowell earned the save by closing the final 1.1 innings with four strikeouts.
BOYS Justin Wright – 110m hurdles, 300m hurdles Bryce Kalsu – 800m run, 400m dash, 4x400m relay Ty Kaatz – 400m dash, 4x400m relay Trevor Greenman – 4x400m relay Zyle Nance – 4x400m relay Bobby Holt – 800m run Dane Schmok – Shotput
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News-Dispatch
Thursday, April 26, 2018
Education They’re creepy and they’re kooky, mysterious and spooky STAFF REPORT At the annual Greater Austin High School Musical Theatre Awards Ceremony April 18, the Dripping Springs High School production of “The Addams Family” was honored with four awards, including Best Production. DSHS also walked away with awards for Best Direction, Katie Haberman as Best Actress in a Leading Role (Wednesday Addams) and Cassie Martin as Best Featured Performer (Grandma). The show received 12 nominations in all, more than any Austin-area school. The Awards Ceremony celebrates the outstand-
ing achievements of high school teachers and students with a combination of school performances, multi-school student performances and awards. A total of 38 schools competed in the awards program, representing more than 2,500 students. The DSHS Theatre program is directed by Rachael Koske. Other nominations were: Best Musical Direction Best Choreography Best Ensemble Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Emily Warkentin) Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Preston Willis) Best Lighting Design Best Costume Design Best Technical Execution
School Briefs DSHS choirs successful at UIL contest
Three choirs from Dripping Springs High School participated in the UIL Concert and Sightreading event at the Hays Performing Arts Center April 17. All three choirs – the Treble Choir, Chamber Choir and Concert Choir – received straight First Division ratings for their stage performances. The Chamber Choir and Treble Choir also received First Division ratings in the Sightreading portion of the event and earned the Sweepstakes trophy.
DSHS sophomore wins writing contest
Advanced Creative Writing student Madeline Tredway was a winner in the Texas Authors Institute’s 2018 Texas Student Short Story contest. Her work, titled “The Woman and the Alien,” won first in the
10th Grade division. It will be featured in a published collection of short stories by students from around the state who were honored in the contest. Her teacher is Travis Crain.
DSMS oneact play recognized in UIL contest
The Dripping Springs Middle School Theater Department competed in the UIL One-Act Play Festival in Elgin April 14 and placed second with the performance of “Stroke Static.” DSMS also received Excellent ratings for a second performance, “After Hours.” Students who received individual honors were Owen Racis as Best Actor and Kloe Miller as Best Stage Manager. Additionally, Hanna Tindol, Emma Satine and Taylor Barnett captured All-Star Acting Awards and Hannah Olsen, Santiago Rendon-Salazar and A.J. Bergeron received honorable mention.
COURTESY PHOTO
Walnut Springs students include are Aspan Scott, Yajaira Pinon, Madi Gmur, Harper Teague, Stefi Bjeletich, Payton Richards and Levi Houston.
Walnut Springs students honored in state contest STAFF REPORT
Seven Walnut Springs Elementary students had pieces of art recognized at the TEAM (Texas Elementary Art Meet), a statewide contest.The Texas Art
Education Association sponsors the annual competition; that is the same organization that hosts the VASE (Visual Arts Scholastic Event) for high school students. Third-grader Yajaira
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Pinon received the highest level of recognition, receiving a “Top of TEAM” medal. Only 10 percent of entries received this honor. Earning “Exemplary” Medals were Stefi Bjele-
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Public Notices
Estate Sale, Saturday, May 28th, Sunday May 29th, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. 303 Daisy Lane, Dripping Springs. Antiques, rustic oddities, bedding, pottery, small kitchen appliances, old furniture, and much more.
NOTICE OF APPLICATION TO FILE FINAL PLAT & SITE DEVELOPMENT PERMIT FOR DISCOVERY PHASE ONE/ DRIFTWOOD GOLF COURSE PHASE 1 SITE GRADING
final plat and Driftwood Golf Course Phase 1 Site Grading is being filed with Hays County. Discovery Phase One proposes a 25 acre commercial lot and a 489 acre golf course lot totaling 514.43 acres. The subdivision is located just east of the corner of RM
An application for the Discovery Phase One
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1826 and FM 967 and will be accessed from FM 967. Construction is anticipated to begin in summer 2018. Water and wastewater service will be provided by the City of Dripping Springs. North Hays County Fire Rescue will provide EMS services. Pedernales Electric Cooperative Inc. will provide electric service. Verizon will provide telephone service. A public meeting is scheduled for May 8, 2018 at 17900 FM 1826, Driftwood, TX 78619 at 6:30pm. A presentation will be given on the proposed development. A copy of the location map, final plat, and site grading drawing are available for review at Murfee Engineering Company, Inc., 1101 Capital of TX Hwy. S., Bldg. D, Austin, TX 78746.
NOTICE TO BIDDERS CONSTRUCTION OF MESA VERDE PARK IMPROVEMENTS FOR HAYS COUNTY WATER CONTROL & IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT NO. 2
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SCOPE OF WORK: Hays County Water Control and Improvement District No. 2 will accept sealed bids for the construction of Mesa Verde Park Improvements. The project will include the construction of a mail kiosk, parking lot and sidewalk. The work shall also include installation, maintenance and removal of erosion and sedimentation controls in accordance with the contract documents, and all local, state, and
federal requirements. RECEIPT OF BIDS: Sealed bids in envelopes are due at the Office of the Engineer: CMA Engineering, Inc. located at 235 Ledge Stone Drive, Austin, Texas 78737, (512) 432-1000 no later than 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 10, 2018, at which time the bids for the Project Contract will be opened and read aloud. The OWNER reserves the right to waive all informalities and irregularities, and determine which Bids are most advantageous to the Project, and to award the Contract on this basis. INFORMATION AND BIDDING DOCUMENTS: Copies of Bid Documents and Plans may be inspected at and/or obtained from the Office of the Engineer, during regular business hours: 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Thursday and 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., Fridays. Bidding Documents and Plans may be purchased at fifty dollars ($50.00) per set made payable to CMA Engineering, Inc. by check, and are non-refundable. No partial sets of Bidding Documents and Plans will be issued nor accepted. CMA Engineering, Inc. 235 Ledge Stone Austin, Texas 78737 (512) 432-1000 (512) 432-1015 (fax) BONDS: Performance, payment, and warranty bonds shall each be issued in an amount equal to 100% of the Contract Amounts as security for all the CONTRACTOR’s obligations under the Contract Documents.
Insurance Requirements: Bidders shall maintain insurance in the types and amounts indicated the Contract Documents. Bid Guaranty: All Bids must be accompanied by a Bid security made payable to Owner in an amount of five percent (5%) of Bidder's maximum Bid price and in the form of a cashier’s check made payable to Hays County Water Control and Improvement District No. 2, or a Bid Bond issued by a surety. Pre-Bid Conference: A non-mandatory pre-bid conference will be held at the Office of the Engineer at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 3, 2018. Representatives of the Engineer will be present to discuss the PROJECT. BIDDER REQUIREMENTS: Bidders and subcontractors shall have completed at least three (3) similar projects in nature within the last five (5) years. All Work shall be guaranteed against defective workmanship and materials for a period of two (2) years from the date of final acceptance by the OWNER.
PUBLIC NOTICE
By order of the Hays County Commissioners Court, notice is hereby given that on Tuesday, May 1, 2018 at 9 a.m. in the Hays County Courthouse, 111 San Antonio Street, the Hays County Commissioners Court will hold a public hearing to consider: Replat of Lot 108, Rolling Oaks, Section Four, Establishing Lots 108A and 108B, Hays County, Texas
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Page 6
News-Dispatch
Thursday, April 26, 2018
Aquifer Concerns: Development over recharge zone has locals protesting Continued from pg. 1
Additional development also means more impervious cover, an idea that causes many residents to worry about flood mitigation and further water damage. “We can’t stand any more impervious cover on the top of that hill,” Inbody said. A Dripping Springs city ordinance states that development located inside the Edwards Aquifer recharge zone, such as the Rutherford Ranch North, may have a maximum impervious cover of up to 10 percent of the property. According to a proposed development agreement, the developer has requested to be permitted an increase from impervious cover from 10 percent to 25 percent. Per the proposed agreement, the request is justified because the surrounding area is
made up of mostly conservation property with no plans to be developed. According to the agreement, even with 25 percent impervious cover on this property, impervious cover in the general area will be less than 5 percent. Neighbors already living in the area are less optimistic. “We’re concerned that with any additional impervious cover, storm water runoff will only increase and significant damage will be done to our property and our neighbors’,” Inbody said. Inbody and her neighbors also took issue with several other variances outlined in the development agreement proposal, including one that would allow a reduction in lot size from the 1.5 acres normally required for development to less than .1 acre.
PHOTO BY CARLIE PORTERFIELD
Jannine Inbody, who lives downhill from the proposed development site, organized a town hall meeting April 19 at Southern Hills Church of Christ in Buda, where about 60 of her fellow neighbors discussed their concerns and the actions they can take.
Hays County Precinct 2 Commissioner Mark Jones said he has reached out to the
owner of the Rutherford tract, who is open to the idea of adhering to voluntary restrictions
based recommendations, and also agreed to meet with both the city of Buda to discuss al-
ternative water sources and to sit down with the unhappy neighbors to address their concerns.
Black-capped vireo
Better days for birds BY JERRY HALL
I notice the blackcapped vireo was recently removed from the endangered species list by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. I am hopeful this is a sign the bird is on its way to better days. There were only 350 adult birds in the wild back in 1987, when this vireo was declared to be endangered. Today, there are some 14,000 birds, so things are looking up. One of the things
that most helped this bird was creation of the Balcones Canyonlands Reserve in western Travis County. I’ve looked for birds on this preserve and was impressed with the healthy habitat provided for birds and other wildlife. Likewise, the vireo benefitted from protective measures which included trapping brown-headed cowbirds. Cowbirds are notorious for laying their eggs in any available nest and letting an unsuspecting mother bird raise the
cowbirds along with her own brood. In fact, the larger cowbirds sometimes kick out the legitimate baby birds from the nest. The black-capped vireo is the smallest and most distinctively marked of all North American vireos. Prominent white spectacles around the eyes and an all-black head mark this distinguished songbird. It winters in Mexico and arrives in our area in March and leaves around September.
City’s Social Media Continued from pg. 1
is typical for a city with a population the size of Dripping Springs. According to city staff, the software is typically used for cities with larger populations but justified the use of Archive Social as the Dripping Springs community is active on social media. Archive Social currently works with two of the biggest cities in the state. In Austin, Archive Social is used to help the Austin Police Department manage social media to see where the risks are happening in real time, allowing the force to see and monitor social media for any potential issues that may involve law enforcement. In Dallas, the city is using the software to make most of its data available through “Dallas Data Points”, which, according to Archive Social, is a dashboard that provides visibility into the city’s progress in public safety, economic vibrancy, a clean environment, culture and e-government. Cunningham said the city will not release private information from re-
“This year alone we have had around four people ask, through an open records request, for social media posts on the city’s pages. This allows us to archive that information and stay on top of our duty to be transparent for our citizens.” –Andrea Cunningham, city secretary for the city of Dripping Springs
quests such as addresses, medical information or names. Social media pages not owned by the city, such as community forums, will not be subject to this new program. The subscription to Archive Social will cost $200 a month, which is already accounted for in this year’s budget until the fiscal year ends in September. The subscription will start on May 1 and will allow the city to archive 1,000 new records per month. The city of Dripping
Springs will budget money for Archive Social for the upcoming fiscal year. Based on the success of the program, the council will vote in favor of or against budgeting the software for the upcoming year. “Before Archive Social, we were taking pictures of posts on our pages and saving them as JPEGs and putting them in a file,” Cunningham said. “This was problematic because sometimes we miss something or people can go back and delete their comments from our pages.”
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AUCTIONS Guadalupe County/Sheriff’s Annual Surplus Auction, Sat., April 28, 10 a.m., 2605 N. Guadalupe St., Seguin, TX. View: Fri., April 27, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. 12 Chev. Tahoes, Samsung-RT-Loader, Kayak, FS-TVs, pickups and more. 10% B.P. John Sisk Auctioneers, TXS#7425, www.siskauction.com, 361-456-7771. Auction Online-Only. 50+ Master Planned lots. BID: 4/25 – 5/1, 2PM. ColemanandPatterson.com. PREVIEW: 4/22, 2-5PM. 10+ Lots sell ABSOLUTE! Waterwood Community on Lake Livingston. Coleman & Patterson Auctioneers. 888-300-0005. 10% BP. David Coleman TXLIC# 13489.
EVENTS Buda – 20th Annual Buda Lions Country Fair and Wiener Dog Races, April 28-29, Buda City Park. www. budalions.com.
EMPLOYMENT Point Comfort, TX – Electricians: up to $26/hr with $85 per diem. Helpers: up to $20/hr with $85 per diem. Schedule: 5 to 6x10’s. Call 361-987-5210. Apply at: 1303 Hwy 35 S, Point Comfort, TX 77978.
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CAREER TRAINING Airline Mechanic Training – Get FAA certification. Approved for military benefits. Financial Aid if qualified. Job placement assistance. Call Aviation Institute of Maintenance, 800-475-4102.
CHARITY Donate a boat or car today to Boat Angel. 2-Night Free Vacation. Sponsored by Boat Angel Outreach Centers to stop crimes against children. 800-700-BOAT, www. boatangel.com.
FREON R12 wanted: Certified buyer will PAY CA$H for R12 cylinders or cases of cans. 312-291-9169; www.refrigerantfinders.com.
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