The Boerne Star (Boerne, Tex.), Vol. 93, No. 65, Ed. 1 Friday, August 15, 1997 Page: 1 of 18
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Published Since 1906
Friday • August 15,1997
• Boerne, Kendall County, Texas
•50C
T -• T
Design changes
Layout of
newest
plan...
1923 Church
lead to approval
of church plan
See page 7A
90 degree alignment
with new structure that
saves about 80 percent
of old church..
New plan has proposed building set back 14 feet more
The following is a partial listing of
requirements in a memorandum of
understanding between the City of
Boerne and St. Peter’s Catholic
Church.
Memorandum of
Understanding
Elements:
restored, including the original stone,
windows, and other features. The
necessary architectural steps will be
nection therewith, is an appropriate
accommodation to restore the origi-
nal East entrance treatment, and to
relocate handicapped facilities to a
new location, which is less predomi-
nantly situated, and will not effect
the historic primary elevation pre-
sented to Main Street.
i. The original structure preserved taken to assure the continuing viabil-
to the extent that it is reasonably vis- ity of this important historical
ible to the public from public streets resource.
of the City.
ii. The original structure will be
iii. An entrance on south wall and
the right to construct a nave in con-
iv. The original East entrance and
steps shall be restored and main-
tained as a functional entryway.
■ See AGREEMENT, page 7A
Additionally, the church agreed to make :
repairs to the current structure, tear down ;
and relocate part of the parish hall to make :
Design changes and a commitment to room for the new building, and add fea-
retaining the historical elements of the cur- tures to the eastern wall of the new building ■
rent St. Peter’s Catholic Church led to a that would add to its aesthetics. The
resolution of the parish’s lengthy legal bat- parish s new building will accommodate
tle with the City of Boerne Tuesday, after 850 people. The city agreed to close
the City Council agreed to a plan for a new Kronkosky Street, which will help parish- .
building that would save about 80 percent ioners access more parking.
of the current structure. Heath said both sides got something out
“The proposal is a good resolution of the of the deal. The church can expect to start
issue for both sides of the case,” said building its expansion soon, while the city
Mayor Patrick Heath Wednesday. protected the concerns of a lot of people
Church officials have also publicly sup- for historical preservation, he said.
ported the plan. “I consider the The church filed the lawsuit after the
Memorandum of Agreement a wonderful City Council denied its permit to destroy
opportunity for both the city and ourselves portions of the current church, which was
to work together,” said Father Tony built in 1923. The city maintained that it
Cummins, the parish pastor. “We have was protected by its historical preservation
spent years trying to negotiate a settle- ordinance. St. Peter s lawyers intended to
ment...now we have found a solution that use the Religious Freedom Restoration Act
both sides can embrace.” Cummins added (RFRA) which prohibits government
that partial demolition of the Parish Hall from interfering in worship without a corn-
will put strain on parish activities, but that pelling public interests—as the cornerstone
he is confident the congregation can handle of their suit.,
the challenge In June the U.S. Supreme Court reversed ;
Attorneys for both sides will meet to the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of
draft a settlement agreement to halt the 1993 and remanded arguments in the,
Sept. 16 trial date set in district court. church s lawsuit back to U.S. District Court ,
Key in the council’s decision to agree to in San Antonio. :
the plan were design changes that set the Since the original lawsuit was filed in;
new building back an additional 14 feet, May of 19 9 4, the city has spent $265,000 ,
and requirements for the height of the on the case, while St. Peter s parish costs
structures roofline. have not been disclosed.
By Edward Block
Boerne Star
Council mulls details of community center purchase
City develops budget
proposal—8.3 percent
tax increase
By Edward Block
Boerne Star
The City Council Tuesday showed sup-
port for the purchase of the Boerne Area
Community Center (BACC), but asked for
changes in a proposed contract that would
not limit the center’s use.
Previously, the BACC’s Board of
Directors had requested that the city
“assume control and operation of the cen-
ter...and take over its maintenance, opera-
tion, and indebtedness.”
The financially troubled center is approx-
imately $70,000 in debt and has not made a
payment on its note since October of 1996.
According to Gail Stakes, BACC director,
the note payment of $1,000 per month is
owed to Col. Milton H. Hawkins, who in
August of 1993 loaned the BACC $150,000
to pay off an FDIC construction loan. Col.
Hawkins subsequently gifted $25,000 to the
center in 1996.
In considering a “memorandum of under-
standing” between the city and the commu-
nity center, Councilmember R.L. Bien for “any limitation at all.” In other business the council received the
objected to wording that would contractual- Mayor Patrick Heath suggested that the effective tax rate calculations and the 1997-
ly obligate the city to operate the center in operational time restraints were a show of 1998 budget for the city. Under the proposed
its current capacity, as a community center, “good faith” to the individuals who had built plan city residents will face a new tax rate of
for a period of 10 years. “I’ve got a real the structure and in the past donated a sig- 41.52 cents per $100 of property valuation,
problem of being limited to the use of that nificant amount of money to the BACC for The average home value in Boerne this year
center for a period of 10 years,” he said. the purpose of supporting a community cen- is $80,021 and would generate a tax bill of
Bien added that while he would like to see ter. $332.25 under proposed tax rate. This repre-
the structure continue in its present use, “if The City Council ultimately agreed to sents an increase of 8.3 percent over last
it becomes very evident in a short time peri- change the wording of the memorandum of year.
od that it is not going to succeed that way I understanding to indicate that the BACC The 1998 budget is proposed at $14.9 mil-
don’t see the city in the business of operat- would be operated as a community center lion. According to City Manager Ron
ing something at a loss.” for three years or until it is no longer “eco- Bowman, the tax increase is needed to pay
Bien then suggested reducing the city’s nomically feasible” as determined by the off debt incurred earlier this year to repair
obligation to three years while council board. The alternative wording will be on roads, expand the sewer plant, purchase
member Eva Mitchell questioned the need the council’s August 26 agenda. water and renovate City Hall.
KC sets public hearing on taxes
Kendall County commissioners
set a public hearing for Monday at 9
a.m. in the courthouse to hear com-
ments on a proposed $12.8 million
budget and 13.8' percent tax
increase.
The proposed tax rate is 37.7
cents, up from 33.2 cents last year.
Debt service on the new courthouse
under construction accounts for 4.1
cents of the budget, which also pro-
vides for several salary increases.
In other county news, commis-
sioners Monday agreed to support a
plan that allows flood victims to
have their damaged property
reassessed by the Kendall County
Appraisal District. The new asses-
ment would take into account that
the properties were not worth their
appraised value for the time period
after the flood. Early estimates show
that the new assessments could take
about $3,000 from the tax rolls.
Piece
by
piece
Star Index
Brites
• Volume 93, Number 65
Bible Verse
4A
Birthdays
Community Calendar
Classifieds
5A
3A
3B
Lifestyle
Mary Alice
5A
6A
Opinion
Service Directory
4A
4-5 B
Harvesting rain
Rain Harvesting Made Easy is the subject of an introduc-
tory lecture at the Cibolo Nature Center Aug. 23 from 9 a.m.
to 10:30 a.m. The lecture will explain how to get started with
your own rainwater cathment system for lawn or garden use.
Included in the lecture will be how to avoid common mis-
takes, basic design, and an overview of rainwater collection.
The Cibolo Nature Center itself is in the planning and
design stages of creating a rainwater collection system
which will make use of the rain that falls on the 2,500-
square-foot center roof. Grants and donations to complete
the collection system are being sought from individuals and
groups in the area. For more information, call Brent Evans,
at 210-699-9290 or 537-4141.
Trucks with concrete
bridge spans lined
School Street Tuesday
as workers began final
construction of a new
bridge over Frederick
Creek. Eight concrete
sections, each weighing
about 55,000 pounds,
were laid into the creek
and fitted onto a con-
crete foundation.
The crossing is due to
be finished by Sept. 3.
However, contractors
have incentives to finish
the project earlier and
worked until about 11
p.m. Tuesday under
huge spotlights.
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Aldridge, Leon. The Boerne Star (Boerne, Tex.), Vol. 93, No. 65, Ed. 1 Friday, August 15, 1997, newspaper, August 15, 1997; Boerne, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1626280/m1/1/: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Patrick Heath Public Library.