Lady Tigers claim fourth at Classic
Charro Ranch donor remembered
State school funding limit set
page 4
page 3
page 5
News-Dispatch Volume XXXVII No. 10
Serving Western Hays County, Texas since 1982
RICHMOND FOSTER
DRIPPING SPRINGS
51
28
Tigers fall to Falcons in State Quarterfinals
Contractors for Hays County will begin removing debris from the Blanco River left behind by the 2015 Memorial Weekend flood, according to a press release. “A considerable amount of debris – ranging from building materials to vehicles – was deposited in the
DEBRIS, 7
Contract worries
Aqua Texas v. Wimberley news@haysfreepress.com
Heated debate over Wimberley’s proposed agreement with Aqua Texas continued earlier this month as community members expressed their concerns with city leaders. But city leaders showed a sense of urgency as they pieced together a new term sheet that breaks down a potential agreement with Aqua Texas for the city’s wastewater services. Consistent concerns over the agreement include issues with pollution, utility rates and partial transference of the city’s
AQUA TEXAS, 2
Right to jury waived in child porn case PHOTO BY MOSES LEOS III
SUBMITTED REPORT
Thursday, December 8, 2016
BY JONATHAN GONZALEZ
Dripping Springs Tiger senior running back Teo Brinckmann (1) sheds a tear as he embraces senior quarterback Reese Johnson following the team’s 5128 loss to the Richmond Foster Falcons Saturday at the Alamodome in San Antonio. Dripping Springs’ finish in the state quarterfinals is the deepest by any Tiger team in school history. See the story on page 4.
Blanco debris removal begins
75¢
A Dripping Springs man arrested for multiple counts of possession of child pornography in 2015 has waived his right to be indicted by a Grand Jury. Sean Koa Kelly, 19, of Dripping Springs, signed a waiver of KELLY indictment, which will allow him to be prosecuted by information in January 2017. Kelly also signed a plea bargain where he will plead guilty to
Good to the next drop Developers look to local businesses to anchor residences
CRIME, 7
PHOTO BY SAMANTHA SMITH
Dripping Springs’ Mazama Coffee Company will open a new location in the burgeoning Caliterra development.
BY SAMANTHA SMITH
news@haysfreepress.com
Overcoming growing pains is an experience some business owners face in an area that’s expanding as rapidly as Dripping Springs. When Mazama Coffee Company owner Vikki Lewis realized her business had outgrown its flagship location on Mercer Street, she decided it was time to expand. But opportunity soon came knocking at her door when the developers of the Caliterra subdivision, a 600-home development along Ranch Road 12, asked if she would consider opening a new location within its bounds. From there, the rest is as smooth as a calming cup of espresso. Vaulted ceilings, a roaring fireplace, plush cushioned chairs and a white marble bar accentuate Mazama Coffee’s new location located along Ranch Road 12. According to Lewis, the Caliterra developers wanted a local coffee shop to join their neighborhood and wanted to help expand the Mazama brand. Lewis said the developers paid for the buildout of the structure, with Lewis’ one
According to Lewis, the Caliterra developers wanted a local coffee shop to join their neighborhood and wanted to help expand the Mazama brand. Lewis said the developers paid for the buildout of the structure, with Lewis’ one stipulation that that the new coffee shop be open to the public. stipulation that that the new coffee shop be open to the public. Lewis said that although the momentum is slow to pick up – the new shop opened in mid-November – the positive response to the expansion is unmistakable. “This is a rarity that we are this busy, but a lot of our customers from our other location have come over here because it can get crowded over there very quickly,” Lewis said. Lewis said the new coffee shop location offers almost everything the Mercer Street location does, except it won’t carry as many syrups and does not yet have a full kitchen. Pastries are brought over from the Mazama shop on Mercer Street, where they are
BY SAMANTHA SMITH
news@haysfreepress.com
baked fresh, she said. “Until we know just how busy we are going to be we are a little limited,” Lewis said. Lewis said that the flow of business will help her to decide hours of operation for the new location as well as staffing requirements. She said the business would adjust accordingly. “The ambience makes it feel like home,” a Caliterra resident who attended the shop’s grand opening on Dec. 1 said. Lewis said she expected the developer to install more retail endeavors into the massive new neighborhood, but no concrete information from the developer regarding retail possibilities for the Ranch Road 12 development has yet been released.
HOT board members quitting BY JONATHAN GONZALEZ news@haysfreepress.com
Controversy surrounding the Wimberley Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT) Committee surfaced Dec. 1 as Wimberley’s City Council addressed criticism received by committee members on the funding process. Mayor Mac McCullough brought this item to the agenda, seeking to potentially do away with the committee and create some other governing body to help determine how HOT tax proceeds are used. “This committee was approved Sept. 15, last year, 2015, and it was given three year timeline ... Since that time, you’ve had a 48% percent turnover in your volunteers, [losing three members], so there’s something not working there.” said McCullough. Members of the HOT committee addressed displeasure with criticism they’ve received,
HOT FUNDS, 2
Page 2
News-Dispatch
Opinion
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Thursday, December 8, 2016
Have you seen Harry Butz?
I
recently saw the list of the most popular names for babies born in 2016. I like to check out this list every year to see if Clint ever makes it to the Top Ten. I don’t understand why my name isn’t more common since Clint Eastwood is still very popular. Maybe next year, with numerous heart-broken Democratic women having babies, more baby boys will be named Clinton, and I will finally see my name in the Top Ten. This past year, the top name for boys was Noah. I’m not sure why this name has become so popular. Sure, it’s a wonderful name, but how did it become such a hot name? There was that Russell Crowe movie a few years ago about Noah’s Ark, but it wasn’t seen by enough pregnant women to get Noah to the number 1 position. There was Noah Webster
From the Crow’s Nest by Clint Younts
a while back, but from the grammar and spelling I see in posts on Facebook, most millennials can’t spell worth a lick and apparently don’t own a Webster’s Dictionary. No sir, I don’t think 2016 babies were named after this Noah. Coming in second place is Liam. Were the “Taken” movies really that popular to name your kid after the British actor? Again, Liam is a great name, but how did it get to number 2? The third most common boy’s name was Mason. It’s been 30 years since Perry Mason practiced law, so I doubt he was the cause of the popularity of this name. I suspect Donald Trump was the catalyst for
the mounting population of boys named Mason. You know, with all that chatter about building a brick wall and all. That’s gotta be it. If y’all are wondering about William, James and Michael, they’re still hanging in the Top 10, unlike Baylor and the Aggies. We’ll have to wait until next year to see if they make a comeback. As for girls’ names, Emma, Olivia and Sophia are the top three. All are beautiful names, but I don’t know how these made the cut while Mary, Jane, and Susan dropped out of the Top 10. Nor did the names of any females in my immediate family, including Bessie make the list. I suspect the folks who did the research and compiled this list of names were from up north. Nowhere on the list of boys’ names was Bubba Joe, Billy Bob or Hoss. And on
the girls’ side, there’s not a single listing for girls with multiple names like Betty Jo, Thelma Lou or Bubba Sue. I’m with you, Donald; this thing is rigged! Now, I understand some names may not be appropriate any longer in this era of political correctness. I don’t think Adolf will ever make the list. Neither will Idi or Attila. And there are some nice first names that shouldn’t be paired with the last name. Mr. & Mrs. Pitts shouldn’t name their baby boy Harry. Same goes for the Butz family who should also scratch Ophelia off their list of girl names. I like the name Lancelot, but my Irish friends, the O’Boyles shouldn’t name their boy this. Great name for a dermatologist, but not a little boy. Ben is a good name and even made the top 10, but not for the Dover or Lawden families. I can’t figure out to this day
why my great-grandparents of the Fly clan named my grandmother Marietta. True story. As for 2017, I wonder if there will be a lot of girls named Hillary. Probably a lot of Michelles, too. I suspect by next March, there won’t be many boys named Donald. I bet at the end of 2017, Donald will drop down the list somewhere between Aristotle and Kanye. I do expect that here in Texas, two new names will break into the top 10: Dak and Zeke. And if the Cowboys win the Super Bowl, I bet there will be some precious little girls born in November who get christened Dakota. And maybe even Ezekial Sue. Clint Younts just keeps hoping the name Clinton will make it into the top 10. Maybe, just maybe ... crowsnest78610 @yahoo.com
Aqua Texas: City worries about control Continued from pg. 1
Certificate of Convenience and Necessity (CNN) that grants Wimberley the right to control the city’s sewage utilities, and potential debt for the city. Per the proposed agreement, Wimberley would commission Aqua Texas to provide wastewater services for the city and to construct a wastewater treatment facility in the downtown area. Community member Christine Middleton said that, “in [her] experience working for a regulated utility [company],” the city would be beholden to the whims of the company, if it was to solely rely on Aqua for services. “Today’s sewer system is what we used to call then a ‘natural monopoly,’” Middleton stated, alluding to Aqua Texas’ established
presence in sixteen other counties. Many believe that entering an agreement with Aqua Texas would leave Wimberley with a tremendous amount of debt that it would have no control over, and also risk a rise in rate prices, which are only guaranteed for five years with Aqua Texas. However, not all citizens present at the meeting were against the agreement. “The methods by which wastewater rates are set through the [Public Utilities Commission of Texas] ensured citizens were protected,” Tom Keyser said. As concerns from residents mount, city leaders said negotiations with Aqua Texas have continued to be fruitful. Councilmembers Sally
Concerning the collection system, Barchfeld said the city would need to begin construction as soon as possible to counter any seepage of effluent into Cypress Creek. This construction would begin
prior to the transfer of the CCN, which the city would be responsible for paying. Barchfeld said there will be two phases of the project, which begins when the city constructs a sewer line across Cypress Creek along with a collection system to serve properties on Wimberley Square, Old Kyle Road, RR 12, Oak Dr., and Henson Rd. Within the second phase, Aqua Texas would construct a collection system within the rest of the service area within three years. That phase would follow the transfer of the CCN to Aqua Texas. The city will continue to negotiate with Aqua as the two parties close in on a final proposal that will include a bid number that’s currently being finalized by an engineer from Aqua.
shop and the Wimberley Alive Music Festival. “Since the time this board formed of seven volunteers, we have worked many hours to create the guidelines that not only follow the laws of Texas, but also fit into the city master plan, maintaining the quaint, small town aura,” Burseil said. However, committee members said the proposals coming to the committee haven’t been projects they believe bring in overnight tourists to the community. Committee members said bringing overnight tourists is the whole purpose of creating the HOT tax in the first place.
“We’ve collected $254,000 and we’ve spent about $10,000… We’ve incurred the cost and pain of collecting this money, but we haven’t put any of it to work,” one committee member said. “[Looking at these proposals] we’ve figured out that there’s not that many events in Wimberley that would justify HOT funds to come anywhere close to $254,000.” With a three-year commitment to the group, the council agreed to further meet with committee members to review its funding process. The reasoning was to guide committee members in future decision-making regarding projects.
What are the expectations for the Wimberley-Aqua Texas agreement? 1. Aqua Texas would assume responsibility for the costs of filing all necessary documents for the transference of the CCN with PUC.
2. The city will comply with Aqua Texas to ensure the transference goes smoothly. 3. Both parties will assume responsibility for their own legal fees involving any deliberations/potential protest about the agreement. 4. Aqua Texas will remove Blue Hole Regional Park and Deer Creek from the boundaries of the agreement.
Trapp and Gary Barchfeld brought forth, “[a] term sheet put together in good faith and through negotiations” with Aqua Texas representatives that listed both parties’ expectations entering into an agreement.
HOT Funds: Board members quit, events sought Continued from pg. 1
despite their best efforts to handle the task using the tools given to them by the city. Committee members who addressed council said the process has been draining and several members have stepped down. Most recently, Tomas Palm, who was the HOT Committee chairperson, stepped down from his position. “We’re the most attacked and oppressed board this city has. We’ve been talked about and called names, publicly put down, belittled and berated by city officials as well as public representatives,” said Mark Burseil, member of the HOT committee.
“[Looking at these proposals] we’ve figured out that there’s not that many events in Wimberley that would justify HOT funds to come anywhere close to $254,000.” –Mark Burseil, member of the HOT committee.
Over the past 18 months, the HOT committee received its first rounds of proposals for HOT funding. Those include projects for the 3rd and 4th quarters, which have yielded a 63% approval rate from the committee on proposals. In order to receive funding, businesses and orga-
nizations were required to apply while following criteria set forth by the committee. That includes the committee deciding if the application brings “heads in beds,” along with an applicant’s return on investment. Several of the projects they have green lighted were Photography Work-
JOIN US FM150 CHARACTER PLAN
PUBLIC MEETING Tuesday, December 13, 2016 from 6 - 8 p.m. Presentation at 6:15 p.m. Dripping Springs High School - Cafeteria 940 US-290, Dripping Springs, TX 78620 Hays County is moving forward with the next phase of the FM 150 West Character Plan. Please join us at a public meeting to review the concepts from the first phase, Features and Themes; learn about the next phase, the Character and Master Plan; share your input on different roadway and aesthetic features. If you are unable to attend all materials will be posted online and you may share input via email.
www.improvefm150.com — (512) 533-9100 ext 17
Thursday, December 8, 2016
www.HaysNewsDispatch.com
Charro Park donor dies STAFF REPORT
An adventurous woman who donated more than 60 acres of open, undeveloped land which later became Charro Ranch Park in Dripping Springs passed away last month. Lucy Hibberd, 75, of Austin, passed away at her home in Aspen, Colo., on Nov. 21, according to her obituary. Hibberd attended high school in Dallas and eventually graduated from the University of Texas at Austin. Her joys, according to her obituary, were her Charro Ranches in Gardner, Colo., and in Dripping Springs. She is known for donating her land to the city of Dripping Springs in 2008 for use as a “non-lighted park and personal reflection or
Rainy cheer at annual Christmas on Mercer
quiet area,” according to her obituary. The land, which later became known as Charro Ranch Park, had trails that were upgraded and improved to her HIBBERD “standard of ‘done right.’” Hibberd led an “adventurous life” which consisted of climbing all 52 Colorado Mountains over 14,000 feet, along with her enjoyment of skiing the Colorado Rockies, Swiss Alps and Canadian Bugaboos, according to her obituary. Along with planning and leading expeditions, Hibberd also piloted her own plane for a few years.
Rainy conditions didn’t stop a handful of die-hards from making their way to Mercer Street Saturday for the annual Christmas on Mercer holiday celebration. The event featured arts and crafts booths and various other activities. PHOTO BY LINCOLN RAMIREZ
Keep an eye out for bird sightings Texas BY JERRY HALL
News-Dispatch Contributor
I
have seen very few new birds at my backyard feeders lately, mostly just the regular Carolina chickadees and tufted titmice. But other folks have been reporting some most interesting sightings. A common merganser was seen at Camp Tejas in Williamson County and a ferruginous hawk at Hornsby Bend near Austin. Two whooping cranes were photographed on private property in Bastrop County east of Buescher State Park and two black phoebes were identified
at Palmetto State Park in Gonzales County. And while hummingbirds have been long gone from my home, they are still hanging around in the area. A male broad-tailed hummer was spotted in southwest Austin and a male calliope hummer was seen at a residence in New Braunfels. Perhaps the champ in recent sightings is Tom Toporowski. On a recent morning walk, he spotted nine sandhill cranes flying high over the old golf course in Woodcreek North near Wimberley. He also identified an American kestrel on the same walk. “It was a nice way to start a morning,” he noted.
Page 3
Crossword
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Wimberley: 512-847-5549 or 512-847-9325 Dripping Springs: 512-858-4608
LAGNIAPPE Homespun Holiday
It’s free fun for the whole family at this annual Pound House event! On Saturday, Dec. 12 from 12-2 p.m., join the Dr. Pound Historical Farmstead for photos with Santa, Christmas book readings, crafts, holiday refreshments and more. For more information, call 512-858-2030 or visit www.DrPoundHistrocialFarmstead.org.
Wimberley Winter’s Eve
On Dec. 10, enjoy live entertainment in the big tent and throughout Wimberely’s downtown shopping district, plus food, refreshments, live music and shopping. Santa arrives at the Wimberley Cafe at 6 p.m.
Family Hike at Charro Ranch Park
Gather up the whole family to get outside and enjoy nature at its best with a community hike at Charro Ranch Park set for Saturday, Dec. 10 from 10 a.m. to noon. Come and explore the trails on your own or join Sarah Maxwell with “Hike It Baby” as she leads a hike around the park (1.5 miles) at 10:15 a.m. The trails are considered stroller friendly (jogging type strollers)
so bring the little ones. A free shuttle will be available fromTwisted X Brewery from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Starlight Symphony Orchestra
Celebrate the holidays with the Starlight Symphony Orchestra’s performance of “All I Really Need to Know I Learned from the Symphony - Warm Cookies & Cold Milk.” The orchestra will perform 7 p.m. Dec. 16 and 17 at the Hays PAC and Dec. 18 at the Wimberley First Baptist Church.
EmilyAnn Trail of Lights
Enjoy more than 100 lighted exhibits created by Wimberley businesses and organizations at this annual trail Nov. 26-Dec. 29. Roast a marshmallow at the Yule Log, listen to live music and meet Santa. Get details at emilyann.org.
Tiger Shack Sale
The student-run Tiger Shack store at Dripping Springs High School will hold its annual Holiday Sale this Friday, Dec. 9, from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Discounts up to 75 percent off! Campus visitors should check in at the front office.
See Solution, pg. 7
Worship in a church of your choice
Call 512-268-7862 to join the church directory today.
Sunset Canyon Baptist Church 8:45 AM
Sunday Morning
11:00 AM
Sunday Worship
5:45 PM
Wednesday Meal
6:30 PM
Wed TouchPoint
A Family of Faith...
SCBC Preschool Children Ministries Youth Ministries Family Ministries
www.sunsetcanyonchurch.org
(512) 894-0480
4000 E. HWY 290
St. Martin de Porres Catholic Church Mass Schedule
Rev. Charlie
Spanish Mass Sunday: 1:30 p.m.
corner of RR 12 & Post Oak in Dripping Springs
Garza, pastor Saturday: 5 p.m. Located at the Sunday: 8:15 a.m., 11 a.m., 5 p.m.
512-858-5667
www.stmartindp.org
Page 4
News-Dispatch
Thursday, December 8, 2016
Sports
PHOTOS BY WAYLAND D. CLARK, WFOTOS.COM
Above: Dripping Springs’ Noah Orr (28) grabs the jersey of Foster running back Quinton Oliver to stop the Falcon’s drive on fourth down midway through the third quarter. Beau Collins and McKenly O’Neal (11) are also in on the play for the Tigers. Below: Dripping Springs’ seniors Cullen Young (16) and McKenly O’Neal hug after a bitter 51-28 loss to Richmond Foster in the Class 5A Division I quarterfinal at the Alamodome last Saturday. The Tigers’ 12-2 record is the best in school history.
PHOTO BY LINCOLN RAMIREZ
Dripping Springs Tiger guard Cassie Louthan dribbles past Victoria East Titan defenders during a Hays CISD Classic Tournament game in the Lobo Den at Lehman High last week.
Lady Tigers claim fourth at Hays Classic BY LOGAN MCCULLOUGH
news@haysfreepress.com
The Dripping Springs Lady Tigers basketball team claimed fourth place honors and a 3-2 finish at the Hays CISD Classic Tournament last weekend. In a pool with San Marcos and Victoria East High, Lady Tigers head coach Laura Joiner said her team had expectations of winning both pool games. In its first game against San Marcos, Dripping Springs (11-4) exemplified the concept of sharing the ball on offense with five different players scoring more than five points in the game. However dominant the offense appears on the stat sheet, Joiner believes that the Tigers defense is the “engine of the offense.” “All year our defense has been a lot of our offense,” said Joiner. “They just really work hard; Sometimes it’s in a zone [defense], sometimes it’s in (man-to-man), but we cause deflections or get a steal and we’re just off to the races. It’s probably
“All year our defense has been a lot of our offense ... It’s probably where twothirds of our points come from.” –Laura Joiner, Lady Tigers head coach
where two-thirds of our points come from.” In their second game against the Victoria East Lady Titans, sophomore guard Julia Graham, who was selected to the All-Tournament Team, finished the game with 21 points. Graham averaged 13 points on 51 percent shooting, five deflections, and over two steals per game for the duration of the Classic. While Graham was leading the scoring, junior forward Danielle Northrup was leading the effort on the boards.
LADY TIGERS, 7
Is your business scoring with customers? We can help with the game plan. Reach thousands of potential customers in the News-Dispatch sports section every week. Call (512) 268-7862 or email ads@haysnewsdispatch.com for more information.
A journey’s end
Tigers bow out to Falcons in state quarterfinal BY MOSES LEOS III
news@haysfreepress.com
It didn’t take long for the Dripping Springs Tigers to find themselves between a rock and a hard place Saturday at the Alamodome. An aerial barrage levied by the Richmond Foster Falcons placed the Tigers in a steep 34-0 first half hole. But for senior quarterback Reese Johnson and his Tiger teammates, throwing in the towel wasn’t an option. Even as Dripping Springs’ historic season ended in a 51-28 loss, a resilient attitude helped Dripping Springs stay in the game. “We kind of looked at each other and said this isn’t how it’s going to go down,” Johnson said. “Whether this was our last time, or we’re moving on to next week, we’re not going to be the team that gets beat 70-0 in the regional final. We were going to make them earn it.” Foster (14-0) was guided by a balanced attack on offense that racked up over 400 yards on the day. Leading the charge was the combination of quarterback Alex Ramart and wide receiver Cedarian Lamb. The two accounted for five touchdowns through the air, four of those in the first half. “We weren’t ready for their pass game,” Dripping Springs senior defensive end McKenly O’Neal said. “We shut down their run game well, but we weren’t ready. They’ve got a good wide receiver. He’s going to go somewhere and play great.” Tiger head coach Galen Zimmerman said the Tigers also struggled to match Richmond Foster’s intensity. Self-inflicted wounds also played a factor as Dripping Springs committed six turnovers in the game, which led to 24 Falcon points. “We can’t turn the ball over (six) times in the ball game. You don’t come out on top too often,” Zimmerman said. On offense, Dripping Springs’
Etching a mark in history After completing its season in the state quarterfinals Saturday, Dripping Springs becomes the first Hays County varsity high school football team to reach the quarterfinals since 2011. Here’s a look at how Dripping Springs’ historic season compares to other teams who have reached the quarterfinals or beyond in the last 20 years.
STATE CHAMPIONS Wimberley – 2011 Wimberley – 2005
STATE FINALIST Hays – 1996
STATE SEMIFINALIST Wimberley – 2010
run game was stymied by Foster’s sizeable defensive front. Zimmerman said Foster forced the Tigers to rely on the pass, but also become one-dimensional. “We’ve been living on being able to be balanced and taking what they give us,” Zimmerman said. “We did well throwing the football,
STATE QUARTERFINALISTS Dripping Springs – 2016 Wimberley – 2009 Hays – 2006 San Marcos – 2006 Hays – 1999
but we got one dimensional and that makes it tough.” Led by Ramart and Lamb, Foster built a 34-0 advantage. Dripping Springs, however, fought right back. Led by Johnson, Dripping
TIGER FOOTBALL, 8
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Thursday, December 8, 2016
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Page 5
Education
Tigers take Thespian Fest
COURTESY PHOTO
Natalie Schmidt, Brynn Brewer, Ellie Kuykendall, Olivia Fletcher work on the Tech Challenge at the Texas State Thespian Festival. Several DSHS theatre students became national qualifiers based on their performances at the Texas State Thespian Festival held in Dallas Dec. 1, 2016. Every DSHS student who attended competed in either a National Individual Events category or the Texas Thespians Challenge. Nathan Dahill and Logan Dundon were finalists and national qualifiers with a Superior rating in Duet Acting. Natalie L’Amoreaux was a national qualifier who earned a Superior rating in Monologue, and Brynn Bewer was a national qualifier who received a Superior rating in Scenic Design. Cameron Adkins, Connor Bailey, Abrianne Jones, Logan Dundon, Nathan Dahill and alternates Rob Thomas and Dylan Kunz were members of the fourth-round advancing team in Improvisation Challenge.
PLUS TAX
Board sets state funding limit for next 2-year budget STAFF REPORT
A recent survey of district trends in superintendents’ salaries and benefits was released by the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB Link opens in a new window) and Texas Association of School Administrators (TASA Link opens in a new window). The TASB/ TASA survey conducted annually by the TASB HR Services division is the first of a series of three surveys that is the most definitive study of school district compensation and benefits practices in Texas. The information is used by policymakers at both the local and state levels to make decisions about educators’ pay. Of particular note are the following: Thirty-three percent of returning superintendents (200) did not receive a pay increase. Eighty-six percent of respondents (620) had a returning superintendent for
HAYS COUNTY SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT SALARIES AND DISTRICT ENROLLMENT (2015-16 BASE PAY) 1. Bruce Gearing, Dripping Springs $211,500 5,619 students 2. Michel McKie, Hays $210,000 18,654 students 3. Mark Eads, San Marcos $201,165 7,875 students 4. Dwain York, Wimberley $154,056 2,189 students
2016–17. The average superintendent pay increase was 3.2 percent, up from last year’s average of 2.9 percent. The average superintendent salary for 2016–17 is $142,154, a 1.9 percent increase from 2015–16. Average superintendent salaries range from $94,920 in districts with fewer than 500 students to $308,184 in districts with more than 50,000 students. Half of reported salaries are less
a superintendent with no previous experience in the position. TASB is a nonprofit association established in 1949 to serve local public school boards. School board members are the largest group of publicly elected officials in the state. The districts they represent serve more than 5.3 million public school students.
than $123,015. The 2016–17 survey also reveals that superintendents have been in their current position for an average of four years and report an average of seven years of total experience as a superintendent in any district. Most superintendents (62 percent) have served in only one school district. Of the 102 districts (14 percent) with a new superintendent for 2016–17, 63 percent hired
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News-Dispatch
Thursday, December 8, 2016
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Page 7
PEC to decide fate of board member after Facebook post BY LOGAN MCCULLOUGH
news@haysfreepress.com
Pedernales Electric Cooperative officials will decide the fate of a co-op board member who posted violent and racist comments on his personal OAKLEY Facebook account late last month. According to reports, James Oakley, vice president of the Pedernales Electric Co-op board, posted a comment on an article on Facebook in reference to a man accused of killing San Antonio police detective Benjamin Marconi last month. Oakley commented on the article that it was “time for a tree and a rope.” In a co-op board meeting Nov. 30, the board discussed Oakley’s recent misconduct and consid-
ered whether to take any action against him. “PEC has received and considered the complaint regarding Director Oakley’s social media comment. A committee of board members has been formed to consider all allowable action, per the cooperative’s bylaws,” according to a statement issued by the co-op. “PEC does not condone any type of offensive language. Consistent with our cooperative values, we proudly welcome and serve all members.” Oakley was in attendance at the meeting and issued his own apology for his “curt and rash” comments. “This is difficult, we are here because of me and I get that,” Oakley said. “In a moment of frustration, I posted a comment,” Oakley said. “I did not mean a call for instant, vigilante justice. I want to be very clear, I am all about due process. I apologized then and I apologize now. I humbly apologize for my word choice. I am asking for your humble forgive-
Lady Tigers
Continued from pg. 4 Standing at only 5-feet, points in the entire third 9-inches, Northrup, who quarter. is two-sport athlete who’s The Lady Tigers recommitted to play softball gained composure in the at Campbell University in fourth quarter. While shots North Carolina, was the began to fall again, the leading rebounder for the hole they had dug themLady Tigers securing 13 selves proved too deep to rebounds in the Victoria overcome. East game. In the fifth and final “She’s so strong,” said game of the tournaJoiner.“Physically strong, ment, the Tigers lost the mentally strong; just tough bronze-medal game to as nails.” the Madison FollowMavericks, ing the 43-33. two wins, Although Dripping they “couldn’t District play begins Springs buy a bucket” Friday for Dripping earned on offense, Springs as the a spot in Joiner said Tigers travel to play the “Gold she was at Kerrville-Tivy. Bracket” proud of how for the first her team time in competed tournament history. on the defensive side of In the Gold Bracket the ball. Morrison led quarterfinal game, the the Tigers offense with Lady Tigers upset the state nine points in the Madiranked College Station son game. Louthan also Lady Cougars 43-36. contributed eight points Graham scored 18 and three steals, while points, while Northrup Northrup again had a secured 11 rebounds. game-high nine rebounds. Senior point guard Kaylen Joiner was pleased with Morrison also contributed her team’s performance with 11 points, six reand believes finishing bounds and three assists. fourth out of 24 teams will Junior point guard Cassie ignite confidence in her Louthan also had three players as the Tigers begin assists. district play. Dripping Springs, how“I just think our kids ever, came up short and understand if we play well fell to Killeen-Shoemaker and get after it on defense, in its semi-final matchup. the scoring will come, and Although the Tigers every game that we’re in were able to take a 23-21 we have a chance to win,” halftime lead, they only said Joiner. “I’ll take that managed to score four any day.”
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“This is difficult, we are here because of me and I get that ... In a moment of frustration, I posted a comment ... I want to be very clear, I am all about due process.” – James Oakley, Vice President of the Pedernales Electric Co-op Board
ness. I did not intend to offend anyone.” Oakley removed the post, saying that as soon as he was made aware it was offensive he deleted it. Many of the co-op board members and fellow Pedernales employees who were also in attendance at Wednesday’s meeting were calling for Oakley’s resignation. The board has accepted the complaint brought forward against Oakley by fellow board member Cristi Clement and a meeting has been set for December 7. In this meeting a committee consisting of board president Emily Pataki, board secretary/treasurer Paul Graf and director Kathryn
Scanlon will present their findings and make recommendations to the board. If the board decides on disciplinary recommendations, those can be mandated on the December court date. If there is a recommendation for removal, that request will involve a 30-day process, and the earliest a decision could be made will be Jan. 17. Oakley, who has served on the PEC board since 2013, is a Burnet County judge, presiding over Burnet County’s five-member commissioner’s court. Oakley is also on the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization’s executive committee and the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement’s board.
Crime
Continued from pg. 1 a child endangerment charge. Kelly was arrested in September 2015 for allegedly having and uploading 93 pornographic images to Dropbox of three specific nude female children between the ages of 13 and 17 years old. Kelly’s plea bargain calls for deferred adjudication, community supervision for five years, as well as a fine of $1,500 not including court costs. Kelly must also pay a monthly $60 community supervision fee, psychological/
drug/alcohol abuse evaluation and 150 hours of community service. In November, a Hays County judge reduced his bond amount from $122,188 to $100,000 for the child pornography charges, which is in addition to a $100,000 bond for the endangerment of a child charge. He currently is being held in the Hays County Jail for promotion of child pornography, which is a third degree felony, and endangerment of a child, which is a state jail felony.
Texas Crossword Solution, from pg. 3
HaysNewsDispatch.com
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Page 8
News-Dispatch
Thursday, December 8, 2016
Tiger Football Continued from pg. 4
Springs rallied for a pair of touchdowns before halftime to cut Foster’s lead to 37-14. The Tigers hit the ground running in the second half by tallying 14 unanswered points, highlighted by a 39-yard touchdown pass from Johnson to Hoyle. Dripping Springs, which cut Foster’s lead to 37-28 in the third quarter, regained momentum and composure. Helping the Tigers was shutting down the Ramart-to-Lamb connection. “We tried to change coverage and do something that changed their looks,” Zimmerman said. “He’s an explosive player, so you have to commit one and sometimes two places, and that’s what’s hard.” But the Tigers couldn’t keep pace. Foster recovered to tally 14 points down the stretch to stay out of reach. Amid the emotions of seeing the season end, Tiger players and coaches reflected on the impact their run had on the community. Zimmermain cited the numerous fans who followed the Tigers through the run. “All you can do is look at all of the people that are here,” he said. “We’re still
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“All you can do is look at all of the people that are here ... We’re still a small town, and there’s a ton of people (in the stands).” –Galen Zimmerman, Tiger football coach
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be the first team to come this far, but … this isn’t the best we can do,” Johnosn said. “We’re going to tell (the underclassmen) to one up us. We want them to do better than us. We want them to get that ring.” O’Neal said the Tigers’ success wasn’t a surprise. “We set a standard for the next team to get farther than this,” he said. “I want (underclassmen) to come back and win state and win the ring we didn’t.”
a small town, and there’s a ton of people (in the stands).” Zimmerman lauded the Tigers’ ability to battle amid adversity. “That’s what they’ve done all year long. Those guys are a bunch of champions not because of the score, but because they compete,” Zimmerman said. Johnson said Dripping Springs’ run “set a standard” for younger players to adhere to in the future. “It means the world to
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Debris: Contractors will remove debris Continued from pg. 1
Saturday December 10, 2016 • 12-2pm
river,” Clint Garza, Director of Development and Community Services for Hays County and project manager for the removal program, said. “We’ve partnered with the Guadalupe Blanco River Authority (GBRA) to use emergency watershed protection funds to remove what shouldn’t naturally be there. The entire length of the river,
from county line to county line, was impacted.” Hays County Pct. 3 Commissioner Will Conley said the debris removal project is a “major partnership” of the county’s plan for long-term recovery from the flood. “We look forward to doing everything we can to continue to protect our river and improve life for our Hays County
citizens affected by the 2015 Memorial Weekend and All Saints floods and storms,” Conley said. Most of the debris removal is expected to be handled from the banks, but there may be occasions when equipment has to physically be placed in the water. The debris removal is expected to take about 90 days.
Take your photo with Santa next to the covered wagon Enjoy holiday refreshments Christmas book readings Make and Take Pioneer Ornaments Tour the Pound House and see all the Christmas Decorations Conveniently located in Founders Park, (1/3 mile north of 290 on RR 12). 512.858.2030 or poundhouse@verizon.net www.drpoundhistoricalfarmstead.org
Give the gift that keeps on giving. Tiger band hits the Alamodome
Texans take down Hondo Owls
Goodbye, Tiger stadium
page 5
page 4
page 8
News-Dispatch Volume XXXVII No. 6
Serving Western Hays County, Texas since 1982
75¢
Thursday, November 10, 2016
VICTORY
Tiger football shares district title, moves on to playoffs
Keep your family and friends informed all year long.
Mercer Street closure coming
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STAFF REPORT
PHOTO BY MOSES LEOS III
Dripping Springs Tiger senior linebacker McKenly O’Neal (11) hoists the District 26-5A championship trophy as teammates around him celebrate the Tigers’ first district title in 20 years Friday. Dripping Springs earned a share of the district title with a 41-10 win over Marble Falls in the final regular season game at Tiger Stadium. More on the Tigers’ historic win can be found on page 4. (Browse and buy photos at bartonpublications.smugmug.com.)
LAGNIAPPE
Discharge permit public hearing
The city of Dripping Springs will hold a public meeting Nov. 10 where residents can speak on the city’s draft discharge permit from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. The meeting will be held at the Dripping Springs Ranch Park Special Events Room at 7:00 p.m.
Veterans Day Tribute
The Dripping Springs Rotary Club will be hosting its 2016 Veterans Day Tribute on Nov. 11, 2016, from 5:30-10:30 p.m. at the Mercer Street Dancehall. The event is open to the community free of charge and donations to our Veterans are accepted. Food will be served, and children are also welcome. Along with the delicious food, the evening will include rec-
Nutty Brown to give final encore in 2017 BY MOSES LEOS III
news@haysfreepress.com
A beloved Dripping Springsarea live music venue will stay for one final season before making a move north in 2018. Mike Farr, owner of the Nutty Brown Café and Amphitheater, said plans to move the music venue to a new location in Round Rock have been delayed for one year. Farr said the venue, which opened in July 2000, would remain open at its current location along U.S. 290 just outside of Dripping Springs until spring 2018. “We intend for the 2017 season – our final year in our
Farr said the venue, which opened in July 2000, would remain open at its current location along U.S. 290 just outside of Dripping Springs until spring 2018.
original location of 17 years – to be a year-long celebration of the very best live music in Central Texas,” Farr said in a statement. The reasoning for delaying the move was to further develop the new site in Round Rock, Farr said. As he began to design the new Nutty Brown location, Farr said his design team expanded on what it wanted the site to look like. But as a result, he
said it has “gotten bigger and more complicated.” The new site, located on 18.4 acres at McNeil Park in Round Rock, would have more outdoor space for the venue, Farr said. In addition, the new site would increase the total capacity to roughly 6,000 people. The current site has a capacity of 3,800 people. Farr purchased the McNeil
East Mercer Street between Ranch Road 12 and U.S. 290 will temporarily be closed to through traffic Nov. 14-15, according to a city of Dripping Springs press release. The closure will allow the developer of Texas Heritage Village to install a waterline that stretches from the driveway in front of Homespun, across Mercer Street and to the Dripping Springs Water Supply Corporation Driveway that is located at the triangle. Commuters should expect possible traffic delays as well as limited access to the buildings affected in the vicinity of construction. Exercise caution when driving through this area when construction is underway.
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BY MOSES LEOS III
news@haysfreepress.com
News-Dispatch NUTTY BROWN, 3
More than 40 percent of all registered voters in Hays County cast ballots during the early voting period prior to the Nov. 8 election, according to numbers provided by county officials. The mark surpasses the 37 percent of registered voters who cast ballots
VOTING, 7
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A second wave of Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT) fund proposals hit the Wimberley City Council Nov. 3 with city leaders approving two for the second quarter 2017. But a second try for funding by the Wimberley Valley Convention and Visitors Bureau was placed in hiatus after council returned the application. Traci Calamari, who filled in for HOT Committee Chairman Tomas Palm, presented the applications, which
o Check Enclosed o Charge credit card Linda Kleman, of Dripping Springs, holds a bowl that says “Have a Nice Day” during Sunday’s Empty Bowls project event in downtown Dripping Springs. The smell of savory soup and the sweet sounds of folk music hit the Mercer Street Dance Hall Sunday as the 19th annual Empty Bowls project was held. The event, which benefits Dripping Springs Helping Hands, featured bowls that were made by Bridget and Bill Hauser and the Art Garage, along with gourmet soups from area restaurants.
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