The Boerne Star (Boerne, Tex.), Vol. 105, No. 10, Ed. 1 Friday, February 4, 2011 Page: 4 of 24
This newspaper is part of the collection entitled: The Boerne Star and was provided to The Portal to Texas History by the Patrick Heath Public Library.
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PAGE 4A
The Boerne Star
Friday, February 4, 2011
VIEWPOINTS
The Boerne Star Online Poll
If Boerne City Council meetings were taped and tele-
vised would you watch?
■ Yes, I might occasionally if there was an
Public’s right to know being threatened in Austin
issue on the agenda I was interested in but
could not attend the meeting.
■ Probably not - but I would appreciate
having the option.
■ Yes, it would be a great way for voters to
be informed and a teaching tool
for civics classes.
• Only if there’s nothing else on
television to watch.
■ No. Can’t imagine anything more boring.
Results of 148 votes cast as of Thursday noon.
Visit www.boernestar.com and cast your vote today
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telephone numbers are for verification purposes only and will not be
published.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 published
a letter in the last 30 days.
The Boerne Star does not accept letters to the editor urging vot-
ers 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 can-
didates and whether or not they should be elected.
Call 830-249-2441 with questions regarding the submission of let-
ters to the editor for publication.
Letter to the Editor
PO Box 820 Boerne, TX 78006
news @boernestar. com
36%
11%
30%
1%
22%
It is no surprise that a number of bills filed in
this legislative session would adversely affect
the public’s right to know.
The professional associations that are funded
by taxpayer dollars - Texas Municipal League,
Texas Association of School Boards and the
Texas Association of Counties - have long
pushed for loopholes in the law that let in less
sunshine on government. This session is no
exception.
The biggest threat comes from House Bill
507, sponsored by state Rep. Angie Chen
Button, R-Richardson. That bill would allow
cities, schools and counties to publish legal
notices on their own websites rather than in
newspapers and on newspaper websites.
This has been pushed several times as a way
to save taxpayer money. We maintain that tak-
ing legals away from newspapers and allowing
cities, counties and school districts to bury
them online could end up costing taxpayers far
more what would allegedly be saved by ending
the long-standing practice of publishing them
in newspapers.
It could cost more because the public will
simply not go to the trouble of going to sepa-
rate websites of each government entity to look
at legals that are now conveniently found in the
classified pages of this state’s newspapers.
GUEST COMMENTARY
Gary Borders
That could mean the bidding process becomes
essentially hidden from public view, and gov-
ernment officials have much less scrutiny
when awarding bids, giving out contracts or
even taking property by eminent domain.
Here’s an actual example from Conroe,
where a legal notice a few years ago about a
proposed landfill sparked a citizen protest that
sparked more than 800 Montgomery County
citizens to protest to the state environmental
commission. Their opposition ultimately was
unsuccessful, but odds are good if the legal
notice had been placed only online, citizens
would not have known in time that this was an
issue that affected them.
Newspapers, especially in small towns such
as those served by most of the state’s news-
papers, which are small community weeklies,
usually have the dominant website in those
towns. Many small towns and school districts
will have to spend money to upgrade their
sites, ensure that the statutory requirements
are being met, and that the legal is posted for
the proper amount of time. Newspapers now
perform that function.
Newspapers, including this one, routinely
grapple with government bodies that withhold
public information, violate the open meetings
law either knowingly or unknowingly, and
attempt to keep their actions and records out
of public view.
Leaving public notices solely in the hands of
government to post will result in more abuse of
sunshine law requirements.
Button’s bill does a disservice to the public,
which now knows where to find legals - in §
the classified pages and websites of the state’s
newspapers. She has also filed a bill (HB 679)
doubling the amount of money government
employees can adjust the cost of an already
approved purchase - to $50,000 - without get-
ting permission from elected officials or the
public knowing about it.
We have to question her motivation in filing
these pieces of legislation, both of which do a
disservice to the public.
Gary Borders is publisher of the Hill Coun-
try News in Cedar Park
Worth Quoting ...
“Acceptance is not submission;
it is acknowledgment of the facts
of a situation. Then deciding what
you’re going to do about it.”
- Kathleen Casey Theisen
Bible Verse...
“What good will it be for a man if
he gains the whole world, yet
forfeits his soul? Or what can a man
give in exchange for his soul?”
- Matthew 16:26 (NIV)
WRITE ’EM!
doff WK .com
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
REP. 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
Letters to the Editor
CITY OF BOERNE
MAYOR DAN HECKLER
402 E. Blanco
830-249-9511
STATE REP., DIST 73
DOUG MILLER
Room E1.216, Capitol Ext.
Austin, TX 78701
512-463-0325
MEETING TIMES
BOERNE CITY COUNCIL
7:30 p.m. second and fourth
Tuesdays, City Hall, 402 E.
Blanco, Boerne.
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
KENDALL COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS
9 a.m. second and fourth
Monday, Kendall County
Courthouse, 204 E. San Antonio,
Boerne
COMFORT ISD
Superintendent
JOHN CHAPMAN
232 High St., Comfort
830-995-3664
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
BOERNE ISD TRUSTEES
6:30 p.m. third Monday, BISD
board room
Save the Dienger for Boerne
Some very good friends of the Dienger Building, across from the
Main Square where the library is now, are proposing to operate The
Dienger Cultural and Heritage Center for our community. The Center
can provide cultural and heritage program design and implementation,
staffing, activity coordination / management, and day-to-day upkeep
of the Dienger building. The City of Boerne hopefully will commit to
provide the Dienger Building as a home for this effort allowing time to
raise the funds needed to implement their programs.
The Friends realize that this is a substantial investment and it is also a
mutually beneficial partnership that will provide returns on this invest-
ment, in terms of increased and high quality tourism-visitation, and
resident quality-of-life that will be many fold the investment. Help the
friends of the Dienger and get involved in protecting the cultural heri-
tage of Boerne. If not you, who?
Watch the City Council agenda for this Tuesday’s meeting, and ask
them not to sell the Dienger.
- Mike Morton, Friend of the Dienger
Cyclists are of sound mind
Regarding the letter, Feb. 1, from Henry E Caylor III, CPA, I feel
compelled to answer.
Mr. Caylor, writing on the Herff Road project, is of the mindset that
we bicyclists who utilize the road are “out of our minds.” He lumps us
in with trees and telephone poles - we are part of the “rural charm.”
I assure you, sir, I and my cycling brethren are of sound mind - and
body - to boot. It is motorists like you (and, yes, I drive a motorized
vehicle, also) who are responsible for the harassment and impatience
we endure as we attempt to obey traffic laws and simply ride our bikes.
Hopefully, the six-foot shoulder we will one day ride on will - at least
on this road - protect us from drivers like you.
I can only hope your conduct is more professional as a
businessperson.
- Mary Himlin, Boerne
STATE LEVEL
GOVERNOR RICK PERRY
State Capital, Room 200
Austin, Texas 78701
512-463-2000
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
FAR ANTE EXE CANNEE...
The BOERNE Star
www.boernestar.com
PUBLISHER & EDITOR
Brian Cartwright
EDITORIAL
Managing Editor
Sports Editor
Copy Editor
Staff Writers
BOOKKEEPING
Candace E. Velvin
Kerry Barboza
Kit Brenner
Dave Pasley
Elena Tucker
David Hinkle
Office Manager
Sandra Pfeiffer
CIRCULATION
Subscriptions Dana Smith
ADVERTISING
PRODUCTION
Marketing Director
Sales
Sales
Frank Shubert
Kolleen Roe
Nichole Andrade
Graphic Design
Stephanie Locke
DISTRIBUTION
Circulation Manager
Stephen Bartell
Mitch Shubert
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Chris Woerner, Chris Tilton, Anya Maltsberger
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS AND COLUMNISTS
Mary Alice Yelverton, Dr. John Kelly, Natalie Morgan, Ed Davis, Anita Porterfield,
Sharon Benedict, Mary Alice Dell, Ken Nietenhoefer, Dr. James Dobson, Ellen
Damstra, Tom Harris, Tom Lanier, Kathy Senkbeil, Ron Warden, Krysta McDaniel,
Paul Barwick, Paula Horner, Bill Ward, Tamara Oesterling, DVM. 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 $49 per year in Kendall County, $57
elsewhere in Texas and $65 per year outside of Texas by The Boerne Star, 941 N. School St.,
Boerne, Kendall County, TX. 78006. Periodical postage paid at Boerne, TX. POSTMASTER:
Send address changes to THE BOERNE STAR, 941 N. School St, Boerne, TX 78006-0820.
U.S.P.S.059-740
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Cartwright, Brian & Velvin, Candace E. The Boerne Star (Boerne, Tex.), Vol. 105, No. 10, Ed. 1 Friday, February 4, 2011, newspaper, February 4, 2011; Boerne, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1667529/m1/4/?q=Lamar+University: accessed June 19, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Patrick Heath Public Library.