The Boerne Star (Boerne, Tex.), Vol. 104, No. 15, Ed. 1 Friday, February 19, 2010 Page: 4 of 28
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Page 4A
The BOERNE Star
Friday, February 19, 2010
IEVPOINTS
Letters to the Editor Policy
The Boerne Star welcomes letters on any public issue.
Letters may be mailed, faxed, e-mailed or hand-delivered but
must contain the writer’s name, address and phone number.
Addresses and telephone numbers are for verification purposes
only and will not be published. Names and city of residence
will be published. Letters should be short and concise, long
enough only to make your point. We reserve the right to edit all
letters for style and content and refuse letters that would be
objectionable to readers. We also will not publish anonymous
letters. Priority will be given to letters 300 words or less that
concern local topics and written by people who’ve not pub-
lished a letter in the last 30 days.
The Boerne Star does not accept letters to the editor urg-
ing voters to vote for or against candidates in local elections.
Endorsements should be displayed in political advertising.
In light of this policy, we reserve the right to reject or edit
letters for references to candidates and whether or not they
should be elected.
Call 830-249-2441 with questions regarding the submission
of letters to the editor for publication.
Letter to the Editor
PO Box 820 Boerne, TX 78006
news @boernestar.com
City ready for Council single member district voting
Worth Quoting
-
The City of Boerne general election process
has changed to “single member district” vot-
ing, replacing the cumulative voting process
that has been used to elect Boerne City Coun-
cil members since 1997.
Cumulative voting was implemented 13
years ago as a settlement agreement to a law-
suit brought against the City of Boerne by the
League of United Latin American Citizens
(LULAC).
In 1996, a federal civil rights lawsuit was
filed by LULAC against the City, claiming
denial of voting rights of racial minorities. Part
of the suit was based on the dearth of minor-
ity representatives elected to serve on the City
Council since incorporation of the City, and
the virtual total lack of Hispanic candidates for
elected (and appointed) city positions.
The lawsuit sought imposition of a single-
member district method of election of City
Council members or, alternatively, adoption of
a cumulative voting system.
In lieu of an expensive and perhaps pro-
tracted legal battle, the City Council at that
time determined the best course to follow was
agreement to enter a Settlement Agreement
that instituted the cumulative voting method
to elect City Council members, leaving the
Mayor’s position to be elected at large.
The Settlement Agreement was approved
by the City Council, then by Court Order of
United States District Judge Edward C. Prado
on Dec. 26, 1996.
Since the first annual officers’ election under
FROM CITY HALL
Linda Zartler
BOERNE CITY SECRETARY
the cumulative voting method in 1997, only
one minority group member has been elected
to serve on the Boerne City Council. Eva
Mitchell was elected one time but served a total
of three terms because there were no opposing
candidates in the two elections following her
initial term. Further, a cursory review of voter
lists indicated that Hispanic voter participation
has not significantly increased over time.
On Dec. 2, 2009, the current Boerne City
Council approved a Motion to Reopen the pre-
vious Voting Rights litigation and an Amended
Settlement Agreement changing from the
cumulative voting to a single member district
plan. The LULAC was supportive of this
action.
The modified Settlement Agreement was
approved by U.S. District Judge Orlando Gar-
cia on Dec. 10, 2009. This Court Order now
requires the City of Boerne to conduct the
City Council elections using single member
districts which allows for one vote for one
candidate.
The Single Member District election process
will now include five geographically distinct
voting districts in Boerne. One representative
from each district will be elected to represent
the voters residing in that specific district. The
Mayor position will continue to be elected
“at-large” by all voters and will represent all
voters in the City.
This May, voters will be electing representa-
tives for council districts 1, 3, and 5 only. This
will hold true during the even numbered years
while the Mayor and council representatives
for districts 2 and 4 will be elected in odd
numbered years.
The City of Boerne has conducted two public
education sessions to let people know which
city council district they live in. The district
map is also available on the City’s website -
www.ci.boerne.tx.us. Voters can verify which
district their address is in and if they will be
voting for their City Council representative in
May 2010.
A special hotline has also been set up at City
Hall so that people can call and speak to a
representative to determine which district they
live in. That number is 830-248-1623.
Anyone interested in running for City Council
in districts 1, 3 or 5, can pick up an application
packet at City Hall, Monday through Friday
between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.
The deadline for submitting an applica-
tion to the City Secretary is 5 p.m. Monday,
March 8.
Not registered to vote? Contact the Kendall
County elections office at 830-249-9343 for
application information.
“We should be taught not to wait
for inspiration to start a thing.
Action always generates inspiration.
Inspiration seldom generates
action.”
- Frank Tibolt
Bible Verse ...
“If the Lord had not been on our
side when men attacked us, when
their anger flared against us, they
would have swallowed us alive; the
flood would have engulfed us, the
torrent would have swept over us,
the raging waters would have swept
us away.”
- Psalm 124:2-5 (NIV)
/ancouver 2010
NN R ITE *EMI
KENDALL COUNTY
JUDGE GAYLAN SCHROEDER
204 E. San Antonio
Boerne, Texas 78006
830-249-9343
Commissioners
ANN REISSIG
GENE MIERTSCHIN
DARRELL LUX
KENNETH RUSCH
204 E. San Antonio
830-249-9343
STATE BOARD
OF EDUCATION
. District 5 - 205 W. Travis
Fredericksburg, TX, 78624
830-997-9759
STATE SENATOR, DIST 25
JEFF WENTWORTH
1250 NE Loop 410 St. 925
San Antonio, Tx 78209
210-826-7800
CITY OF BOERNE
MAYOR DAN HECKLER
402 E. Blanco
830-249-9511
STATE RER, DIST 73
DOUG MILLER
Room E1.216, Capitol Ext.
Austin, TX 78701
512-463-0325
RER LAMAR SMITH
Congressman Lamar Smith
2409 Rayburn House Office Bldg.
IWashington, D.C. 20510
202-225-4236
San Antonio Office
Guaranty Bank Building
1100 NE Loop 410, Ste. 640
San Antonio, TX 78209
210-821-5024
lamarsmith.house.gov
MEETING TIMES
BOERNE CITY COUNCIL
7:30 p.m. second and fourth
Tuesdays, City Hall, 402 E.
Blanco, Boerne.
MARGULIES
01010 Jim Mar@aol.com
the Editor
BOERNE ISD
Superintendent
JOHN KELLY
123 W. Johns Rd.
Boerne, Texas 78006
830-357-2000
FEDERAL LEVEL
PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA
White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave.
Washington, DC 20000
COMFORT ISD
Superintendent
JOHN CHAPMAN
232 High St., Comfort
830-995-3664
STATE LEVEL
GOVERNOR RICK PERRY
State Capital, Room 200
Austin, Texas 78701
512-463-2000
KAY BAILEY HUTCHISON
703 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
(202) 224-5922
145 Duncan Dr., ,Suite 120
San Antonio, TX 78226
210-340-2885
KENDALL COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS
9 a.m. second and fourth
Monday, Kendall County
Courthouse, 204 E. San Antonio,
Boerne
BOERNE ISD TRUSTEES
6:30 p.m. third Monday, BISD
boardroom
U.S. SENATOR
JOHN CORNYN
Russell Bldg. Rm. 179
Washington, D.C. 20510
(202) 224-2934
COMFORT ISD TRUSTEES
7 p.m. second Monday in the
board offices
COW CREEK GROUNDWATER
CONSERVATION DISTRICT
second Monday at the District
Office. 216 Market Ave., Ste. 105
Boerne
The BOERNE Star
www.boernestar.com
PUBLISHER & EDITOR
Brian Cartwright
Represent all, not
just your own back yard
Does Boerne need a City Council made of single member district
council members? I am not quite sure yet but there is a fact or two that
really bothers me.
Considering the size of Boerne, who should a Council person repre-
sent? Should he or she consider first and foremost the needs of Boerne
as a whole or should they look to the needs of their district over and
above that of the city?
I think I know what the answer ought to be but I think I know the way
politics works. Reading the newspapers and watching television gives
the impression that elected politicians lean heavily towards representing
first the people that voted for them. Human nature wouldn’t you say.
Boerne needs all elected officials to look after Boerne instead of their
own back yard.
I wonder also if the push for single member districts isn’t an attempt
to establish a “special” power base that is not necessarily in the best
interest for the city as a whole.
While on this subject who should a State Representative and a State
Senator be representing first? How about the US Congress, who should
they represent first, the US or their district?
This is certainly a critical issue for the city of Boerne.
- Guy Chipman Jr.,
Boerne
EDITORIAL
Managing Editoi
Sports Editor
Copy Editor
Staff Writers
Graphic Design
PRODUCTION
Candace E. Velvin
Kerry Barboza
Kit Brenner
Dave Pasley
Elena Tucker
BOOKKEEPING
Office Manager
Sandra Pfeiffer
CIRCULATION
Subscriptions Dana Smith
ADVERTISING
Rebecca Kirsch
Kristyn Bergman
Marketing Director
Sales
Sales
Frank Shubert
Kolleen Roe
JT Maroney
DISTRIBUTION
Circulation Manager Stephen Bartell
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Chris Woerner, Chris Tilton, Anya Maltsberger
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS AND COLUMNISTS
Mary Alice Yelverton, Dr. John Kelly, Natalie Morgan, Jan Wrede, Ed Davis,
Anita Porterfield, Sharon Benedict, Paula White, Mary Alice Dell,
Ken Nietenhoefer, Dr. James Dobson, Ellen Damstra.
Tom Harris, Tom Lanier, Lynn Pendley, Kathy Senkbeil. Ron Warden.
Krysta McDaniel, Bill Ward and Oscar Garcia.
MEMBER OF Texas Press Association, National Newspaper Association,
South Texas Press Association, Texas Gulf Coast Press Association
941 N. School Street • Boerne, TX (UPS 059-740)
830-249-2441 FAX 830-249-4607
THE BOERNE STAR is published twice weekly for S49 per year in Kendall County, $57
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Dude., check out
this new ,
Olympic event.
Texting while
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TOYOTA!...
Answer the Census
The Founding Fathers placed the requirement for a decennial census
near the top of the Constitution, in Article I, Section 2. It was their
belief that the census is one of the most important functions of govern-
ment, since it determines how many representatives we get in Congress.
Kendall County is one of the fastest growing counties in Texas, and an
accurate census count will insure that we acquire the political muscle
we deserve both in Washington and in Austin.
Kendall County residents can make this happen. When your census
form arrives in the mail, fill it out and send it in.
- Brian Neuenschwander,
Boerne
Know before writing
To Jean Robitalle, the speech by Obama is long gone. Get over it!
Also, your letters would be more productive if you got the correct infor-
mation before using your poison pen.
- Mona Workman,
Boerne
Senate committee to study homeowner associations
In previous regular legislative
sessions, bills have been intro-
duced in the Texas Legislature
addressing the issue of home-
owners’ rights versus the rights
of homeowners’ associations
(HOAs), but none has passed.
Property owners’ rights,
especially as they relate to fore-
closure, continue to be a source
of controversy.
Texans belonging to HOAs
may gain more protection against
future foreclosures as the result
of a study being done by the
Senate Intergovernmental Rela-
tions (IGR) Committee during
the time between regular legisla-
tive sessions.
As a member of the IGR
Committee, I am particularly
interested in Lt. Governor David
Dewhurst’s interim charge to the
committee that directs it to study
current law governing HOAs
to ensure that homeowners are
given adequate protection against
unfair foreclosures.
In 2005,1 filed a bill to prohibit
HOAs from foreclosing on homes
in cases where the owner owes
only fines and attorney fees. The
Texas Senate passed my bill, but
it died in the House of Represen-
tatives. The substance of this bill
was added to omnibus homeown-
ers’ association bills in 2007 and
2009. Neither bill passed.
Hopefully, many of the issues
surrounding the regulation
and authority of HOAs can be
resolved during the time between
regular legislative sessions, and
bills will be filed that would limit
the foreclosure power of HOAs
when the Legislature convenes in
January 2011.
In addition to the mandate to
study foreclosures by HOAs, the
IGR Committee also will review
state and local policies related
to development and growth in
unincorporated regions and how
annexation and zoning authority
IN THE TEXAS SENATE
Jeff
Wentworth
TEXAS STATE
SENATOR
in. these regions impact private
property rights.
I believe that counties do not
have enough authority in their
jurisdictions. This lack of author-
ity has resulted in incompatible
land uses next to residential areas,
schools, hospitals, and churches.
During last year’s regular legis-
lative session, I filed Senate Bill
2451, which would have allowed
counties experiencing a rapid
population growth to establish
buffer zones and land use plan-
ning regulations to ensure the
safety, health, and property val-
ues of Texans. Neither SB 2451
nor its companion bill, House
Bill 1446, passed.
The IGR Committee will hear
an overview of this issue at its
first hearing on Tuesday, Febru-
ary 23, at 11 a.m. in Room 2E.20
at the Texas State Capitol. Only
invited testimony will be taken
at this time, but the meeting is
open to the public. Testimony
from the public will be taken at
a future hearing, and you may
either testify before the commit-
tee or submit written testimony
at that time.
You may follow the committee
hearings on the Internet at
www. senate, state, tx. us/75r/sen-
ate/commit/c520/c520.htm, or
you may log on to the site at any-
time after the hearing and listen
to the recorded testimony.
Dates and times of future com-
mittee hearings will be posted on
the Senate Web site: www.senate.
state.tx.us. Click on “committees”
and then on the Intergovernmen-
tal Relations Committee.
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Cartwright, Brian & Velvin, Candace E. The Boerne Star (Boerne, Tex.), Vol. 104, No. 15, Ed. 1 Friday, February 19, 2010, newspaper, February 19, 2010; Boerne, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1667484/m1/4/: accessed May 24, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Patrick Heath Public Library.