LIMITED ANNEXATION REFORM NEEDED

VoN oRMY—The City of San Antonio has set its eyes on South Bexar County.  Despite the economic boom of the region and state, San Antonio ended last year with an unprecedented budget shortfall that was balanced by cutting public safety:  firefighters, police, and animal control.  The reason?  Generations of bond issuances, public debt and unchecked legacy liabilities, such as pensions, that according to its city manager will consume all of the city’s general fund by 2025.  

   So what is a debt laden city to do?  Restructure its debt?  Curb its big spending habits?  Stop pouring millions of dollars into street cars and linear parks?  No. The City of San Antonio has decided to annex.

    Annexation is a legal process designed to allow cities to grow.  When applied as intended, cities expand as the areas around it mature, develop and require city services.  Good city planning results in this growth benefiting both the city and the newly annexed areas.

   Unfortunately, this is not the case with San Antonio’s recently announced plans for limited purpose annexation in South Bexar County.    

    Divided into 4 areas, San Antonio’s land grab encompass nearly all of the commercial and industrial areas in South Bexar County and those with industrial potential.  It has intentionally avoided areas with dense or even modest residential communities because these areas require services that tax the city budget.

    San Antonio is cherry picking the assets of South Bexar County, siphoning away our tax base to fill the hole in its city budget and leaving the residents without services or the means to provide them. 

    When full annexation comes, these areas will be removed from our Emergency Services Districts (ESDs) eroding the tax base that supports our Fire and EMS services.

    This robber baron approach to city planning is being fast tracked during the holiday season in the hope of going unchallenged.  Residents and County, State and Local officials should demand a balanced approach to annexation that provides services to the residents of South Bexar County in exchange for taking their community assets, and ensure that the residents who will not be annexed are not left without the means of funding emergency services.

   A prime example of this asset taking policy can be seen in the example of Sandy oaks, which was given permission to incorporate in Southeast Bexar County last month.  Sandy oaks was not included in San Antonio’s annexation plan because it is a dense residential area.  In the 2.3 square miles of Sandy oaks that was given permission to incorporate there are 3,600 residents.  In the 36 square miles of land San Antonio is seeking to annex there are only 3,000 residents.  Sandy oaks was denied its request for an additional 1.6 square miles that included 1 gas station, 1 fast food restaurant, 1 fireworks stand and the rest agricultural lands on the grounds that these were “essential” to the future growth and sustainability of San Antonio.

   San Antonio City Council was unmoved by the pleas of this Southside community to share the assets immediately adjoining them to ensure funding for the deliverability of municipal services in Sandy oaks.  The sharing of natural resources and community assets is a fundamental principle of regional planning that is being ignored by San Antonio at this time in its desperate need to find additional tax base.   The residents of South Bexar County and Northern Atascosa County should take note of how their neighbors are being treated. 

     San Antonio is currently abusing its annexation authority by adopting a one-sided approach to city planning.  While San Antonio is holding the required public hearings, it is not required by law to consider the effect of its involuntary annexation on the residents of South Bexar County. 

   Legislative action is needed to ensure that annexation powers are no longer abused by city planners to strip other communities of their assets without providing services to residents or leaving them without the means to provide services.  

   Under current law only large cities can involuntarily annex.  Small cities, like Von ormy, Somerset and Lytle can only grow by voluntarily annexation, which requires the landowner to request annexation. 

   Voluntary annexation requires cities to convince residents of its ETJ that it is in their best interest to join the city.  This is possible.  Von ormy has grown nearly 20% in area since it originally incorporated, entirely through voluntary incorporation.

   Large cities claim voluntary annexation is not feasible for them due to the large areas they annex.  This may be so, but residents within the extra-territorial jurisdiction (ETJ) of a large city should therefore be guaranteed the right to vote on involuntary annexation.  Cities who involuntarily annex would then face the voters in the areas being annexed and by necessity convince a majority that they are being given a good deal under the annexation plan.

  

  

CITY NAMES NEW ROADS

Von ormy—Two new private roads have been constructed by Union Pacific Railroad as part of their efforts to close private crossings in the Von ormy.

    The new roads will provide safer access to residents living along the Union Pacific rail line.   Rather than crossing the tracks, the new roads direct traffic to the Benton City Road/Quintana Road intersection.

   Wright Lane is the shorter of the two roads and is located south of the tracks.  It was named after resident Beatrice Write who lives at the end of the new road.

   Medina Station Road is the longer road and lies north of the rail track from Quintana Road towards the Medina River and crossing in front of the old Von ormy Post office and historic location of the Von ormy School and Rail Station.  The road was named “Medina Station” because this was the original name of the rail stop of the International and Great Northern Railroad at Von ormy, which was located near the new road. 

   Speed limits on the new roads were set at 10mph and the city is in negotiations with Union Pacific on further improvements to the new roads.

SACRED HEART CHURCH CELEBRATES THE FEAST OF OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE

By Raymond Vara, Jr.

VON ORMY— On December 12, 2013, Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church, in Von Ormy celebrated the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe.  The event conceded of a play and a mass.

     Our Lady of Guadalupe (Spanish: Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe), also known as the Virgin of Guadalupe (Spanish: Virgen de Guadalupe), is a title of the Virgin Mary associated with a celebrated pictorial image housed in the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City.

     Official Catholic accounts state that on the morning of December 9, 1531, Juan Diego saw an apparition of a young girl at the Hill of Tepeyac, near Mexico City.  Speaking to him in Nahuatl, the girl asked that a church be built at that site in her honor; from her words, Juan Diego recognized the girl as the Virgin Mary.  Diego told his story to the Spanish Archbishop of Mexico City, Fray Juan de Zumarraga, who instructed him to return to Tepeyac Hill, and ask the “lady” for a miraculous sign to prove her identity.  The first sign was the Virgin healing Juan’s uncle.  The Virgin told Juan Diego to gather flowers from the top of Tepeyac Hill.  Although December was very late in the growing season for flowers to bloom, Juan Diego found Castilian roses, not native to Mexico, on the normally barren hilltop.  The Virgin arranged these in his peasant cloak or tilma.  When Juan Diego opened his cloak before Bishop Zumarraga on December 12, the flowers fell on the floor, and on the fabric was the image of the Virgin of Guadalupe.

      Our Lady of Guadalupe  is the patron saint of North America and is celebrated by Catholics across the United States, Mexico, Canada and the Caribbean.

     The actors consisted of (from left to right) Armando Rojas (Priest); Dulce Carrasco (Our Lady of Guadalupe); Carlos Rodriguez (Juan Diego); and Margarito Nino (Bishop Zumarraga).

CITY COUNCIL NOTES - DECEMBER 2013

Regular Meeting oct. 2, 2013

—Added 3 new Deputy City Marshals to force

—Placed the office of Code Compliance under the office of City Marshal.

—Appointed Rayne Guajardo as City Code Compliance officer

—Approved establishment of mobile home installation permit with zero cost to residents to ensure proper septic installations and flood plane compliance

—Established the office of City Architect, appointed Marcello Martinez as City Architect

Special Meeting oct. 16, 2013

—Passed a resolution in favor of Atascosa Rural Water Supply being the sole water supply in the city

—Set Holiday meeting schedule

—Set plans for citywide garage sale

Special Meeting oct. 30, 2013

—Approved City Architect’s updated Park Master Plan

—Discussed and approved bids for walking trails and retention pond in park

—Instructed City Architect on plans and bids for park playground, benches, lighting, landscaping, gazebo and monumental entryway.

Regular Meeting Nov 6, 2013

—Approved $7,500 in matching funds to County’s grant of $300,000 for walking trails and retention pond.

—Voted not to renew contract for animal control services with Hope for Dogs at request of Hope for Dogs

—Appointed Lillie Mae Goede as Animal Control officer, under the office of the City Marshal

Regular Meeting Dec 4, 2013

—Added 4 new Deputy City Marshals

—Appointed Deputy Marshal Chris Zelinsky as City Fire Marshal

—Approved plan by Presiding Judge to change Municipal Court to a Court of Record.

—Approved contract with Municipay Credit Card Services to provide credit card payment services for city and municipal court

—Received report by City Engineer on new road projects and construction time line for walking trails and retention pond projects

—Approved plan by Code Compliance to conduct public health and safety survey of city to identify issues that need addressing by the city

—Named the new private road south of the rail tracks near the intersection of Benton City Road north and Quintana Road "Wright Lane" and placed a yield sign and street name signs at its intersection with Benton City Road north

—Named the new private road north of the rail tracks near the intersection of Benton City Road north and Quintana Road " Medina Station Road" and placed a stop sign and street sign at its intersection with Quintana Road

—Passed a resolution in opposition to changes in the Von ormy zip code (78073) in response to resident feedback

—Approved amendment to CPS Energy that increases the city’s franchise fee paid by CPS Energy by 25%, and does not increase rates paid by residents.

—City council approved the creation of a full time assistant city clerk position and posting for applicants

—Approved applications of 2 commercial establishments for I-35 locations

— Approved a voluntary annexation drive for residents of  the city’s ETJ

NEWS AROUND TOWN...

—The new Jarret Fire Station is making progress.  The resident inspector J.D. Brady has put up a Facebook page for residents to follow its process.  It can be found by searching for “Jarret Fire Station in Von Ormy, Texas” on Facebook.

— Deputy Marshal Chris Zelinsky was named “Deputy Marshal of the Year” for his consistent level of performance in 2013.  Deputy Zelinsky was also recently appointed City Fire Marshal and is currently an officer with Jarret VFD.

— Southwest ISD was named one of the 15 Best Places to Work by the ExpressNews for the 2nd year in a row.

 — AACOG and Get Covered America held a heathcare.org healthcare exchange signup event at Sacred Heart Church in Von Ormy.  None of those in attendance were able to signup because the website crashed.  No future events are currently planned.

CHARLIE BROWN FILES FOR JUSTICE OF THE PEACE

VON ORMY— Von Ormy resident Charlie Brown has filed for a place on the ballot for the newly created Justice of the Peace, Precinct 1, Place 2.  Bexar County Commissioners created the new position as part of their restructuring of the Counties Justices of the Peace.

     Former Precinct 1 Justice of  the Peace Monica Caballero was transferred to Precinct 2 and the downtown court was closed.

   A new part-time position was created that will hold court at the Precinct 1  Country Facility on Pleasanton Road.  Charlie Brown is running for this position and will face former Congressman Ciro Rodriguez in the general election.

   Brown told the Star, ‘I am running because I believe the residents of Precinct 1 want a fair and impartial judge.  I have no higher ambitions, nor will I use my judgeship as a platform to run for any other office.’

    Brown is also running on a platform of support for a more convenient location of the Court.  ‘Precinct 1 is the largest precinct by geography. The County just closed our downtown court.  We need to look a new second location in the western side of this large Precinct.  Historically, the Court was once in Von Ormy.  Both Judge Ella Fischer and Judge Rafael Quintana held their Justice Courts here.  It is definitely something to consider’

10 QUESTIONS WITH: THE TEXAS NATIONALIST MOVEMENT

Von ormy—While enjoying our weekly Wednesday morning caldo de res at Benjamin's Kitchen last month, the staff  of The Von Ormy Star encountered a curious fellow gathering signatures for a petition outside. To each passerby he asked, “Do you support Texas Independence?”

    Most people we observed agreed and many signed the petition, so the Star decided to ask the Texas Nationalist Movement—the group circulating the petition—the following  10 questions.  Von Ormy was a hot bed of revolution in 1836, but tell us what you think of the contemporary movement by email us at vonormystar@gmail.com.

1. Why was the Texas NationalistMovement in Von Ormy collecting signatures?

Members of the Texas Nationalist Movement are in Von Ormy seeking signatures from Texas registered voters, to place a referendum on the 2014 general primary ballot for the Republican Party that states:  “the State of Texas should reassert its status as an independent nation.  FOR OR AGAINST”.

2. What is Texas Nationalism?

From the book: Line in the Sand by Daniel Miller Pages 113-114:

-Texas is a nation with a distinct cultural, economy, and government.

-Texas should always be politically, culturally, and economically independent.

-The basic political building block of Texas is the individual.

-The basic economic building block of Texas is the entrepreneur.

-The basic cultural building block of Texas is the family.

-Texians are defenders of natural rights.

-Texas adheres to the values of fortitude, loyalty, righteousness, prudence, and broadmindedness.

-Texas Nationalism is the primary secular cause of all Texians and is distinct and superior to all other secular causes.

-The interests of Texas supersede the interests of all other nations and states.

-All political power is inherent in the Texian people, and all free governments are founded on their authority, and instituted for their benefit. The Texian people have at all times the inalienable right to alter, reform or abolish their government in such manner as they may think expedient.

Texas’ unique history serves as the foundation for our current and future greatness.

-There is no challenge that cannot be overcome by the individual initiative and collective will of Texians.

-Texas will again be free and independent.

3. What is the Texas Nationalist Movement?

The Texas Nationalist Movement is composed of liberty minded individuals that believe in peacefully restoring and protecting a constitutional Republic in Texas.  Texas Nationalism is a mindset of freedom.  As our Founding Fathers gave their resources, wealth and lives to establish free Republics; Texians have the opportunity to live these principles of freedom.

             “What We Believe:

   We believe in the complete, total and unencumbered political, cultural and economic independence of Texas.

What We Do:

   We promote, secure and protect the political, cultural and economic independence of Texas.

   We work to restore and protect a constitutional Republic in Texas.

   We defend the inherent and inalienable rights of the people of Texas.

   We promote the values of Texas Nationalism.

Who We Are:

  We are the largest organization of men and women all over Texas, from all walks of life, who work for a free and independent Texas.”

4. How do you plan on achieving Texas Independence and does the plan include armed conflict?

The plan involves three steps.

Inform and Educate: Reach all Texans with the message of Texas Nationalism.

Organize: Texas Nationalists must develop a high level of discipline and organization to share the message of Texas Independence.

Action: Texas Nationalists individually and as organized groups spreading the message of Texas Independence.

Texas Nationalists are committed to a peaceful legislative process to obtain Texas Independence; believing such a path will be the most successful.

Quote from the Texas Nationalist Frequently Asked Questions:

“First of all, there is no manual for independence. There is no set process. Even though the world has grown from 54 recognized countries at the end of World War 2 to 192 at the end of the 20th century, each took its own unique path. However, there are some guide stones that must be met. The most important is that there must be a fair vote on the issue of independence by the people of Texas. No matter what happens before or after, there must be a legitimately recognized vote of the people. In Texas, the road to that vote leads through the Legislature in Austin. There it can be obtained by a simple bill calling for the vote or an amendment to the Texas Constitution. Either way, the support of ½ or ⅔ of the Legislature and possibly the Governor will be required. That support is obtained by pressuring existing elected officials or replacing them. Pressuring or replacing them is done by the people. Which brings us full-circle. The people that pressure or replace will be the same ones voting for independence. No matter where you are in the process, the people are the ultimate deciding factor in getting it done.”

5. Would Texas Independence be legal?

From the Texas Nationalist Movement Website Frequently Asked Questions.

“It is not illegal to withdraw from membership in the Union as no law exists which makes it illegal nor could one exist and be congruent with the fundamental construction of the Union. Were secession of a State from the United States declared illegal it would so fundamentally alter the nature of the relationship of the states that the very act of doing so would serve to end the Union.”

6. How would Texans benefit from Independence?

Independence would free Texas from the unconstitutional mandates of Washington D.C.

Texas by having a limited constitutional republic as the Founding Fathers brought forth would have the opportunity as a nation to have a small Jeffersonian government. Texas would practice free enterprise, establish tax rates that would attract business; which in turn translate to more available jobs, and greater prosperity for citizens of the nation.

7. Can Texas survive as an Independent Nation?

Yes. Texas is similar in population and Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to Australia.

8. Some Texas politicians have publicly flirted with the idea of Independence, but never actually endorse it.  Why do you think Texans would embrace the idea of Independence as anything more than just a romantic idea?

Such politicians are comfortable with the status quo. As Texans see the continued implementation of socialist/communist policies by the federal government; they recognize Texas as a nation where freedom and liberty can have true expression.

9. Isn't it "anti-American" to support Texas Independence?

Texas Nationalists are not anti-American, we are Pro-Texas.  Secessionist movements continue to gain momentum as people seek sovereignty and self-determination. Similar to the United States relationship with Canada to the north; Texas relationship with the United States is a friendly southern ally.

10. Von Ormy is 90% Hispanic; would an independent Texas embrace its Hispanic heritage?

Yes. In Von Ormy there is great support for Texas Independence.  All those that love Liberty and Freedom are welcome to investigate the Texas Nationalist Movement.

The Von Ormy Star does not endorse the TNM, but presents their answers here without editing.