Hondo Anvil Herald (Hondo, Tex.), Vol. 127, No. 39, Ed. 1 Thursday, September 26, 2013 Page: 3 of 25
This newspaper is part of the collection entitled: Texas Digital Newspaper Program and was provided to The Portal to Texas History by the Hondo Public Library.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
Hondo Anvil Herald • Thursday, September 26, 2013 • 3A
STRTC’s future looking brighter
By William Hoover
Anvil Herald Correspondent
Mayor Jim Danner on Mon-
day gave Hondo City Council
a report on the Aug. 21 meet-
ing he and Medina County
Judge Jim Barden had with
Dr. Hector Gonzales, the new
President of Southwest Texas
Junior College.
The three leaders dis-
cussed the present status and
growing enrollment of the
South Texas Regional Train-
ing Center in classes offered
by SWTJC, as well as future
plans for providing more vo-
cational courses there.
The Uvalde-based SWTJC,
Texas State Technical College
in Harlingen, and Alamo Col-
leges are partners with the
City of Hondo in helping de-
velop the curriculum at the
continuing education facility.
“We met with Dr. Gonzales
and went over a laundry list
of things to see if we couldn’t
improve the offering of voca-
tional courses at our train-
ing center,” said Danner. “It’s
been open about three years
and pretty much all we’ve had
are academic courses.”
Danner said the good news
is that the STRTC had about
30 enrollees last year and
that number had doubled to
around 60 this year.
“Dr. Gonzales had previously
met with Dr. Cesar Maldonado,
President of Texas State Techni-
cal College and a board mem-
ber of the Alamo Colleges at a
meeting in Corpus Christi,” he
said. “They discussed our Hon-
do training center and agreed
that they need to work together
to hold more vocational cours-
es at the center.”
Danner said Gonzales re-
ported SWTJC is currently
unable to receive funding
for the offering of vocational
courses in Hondo from Ala-
mo Area Council of Govern-
ments Workforce Solutions
because SWTJC is located in
the Middle Rio Grande Work-
force Solutions area.
“We will continue to try to
work on that,” he said. “The
local office here is very eager
to help, but they are not get-
ting the support they need.”
“Dr. Gonzales said to offer
vocational courses here, they
have to have enough students
(20) to fill a course,” he add-
ed. “We talked about how we
could develop a more region-
wide marketing plan so we
put that mechanism in place.
Joe Ramos from AACOG will
meet with us to arrange and
sponsor meetings with lead-
ers from Pearsall, Bandera,
Devine and other cities with-
in the county to try to bring
forth more students.”
Another marketing meet-
ing will be with school district
superintendents who want
to be able to offer vocational
courses but lack the funding,
according to Danner.
The mayor said Devine High
School is currendy providing
a two-year welding course in
which students can earn dual
college and high school cred-
its. Devine ISD is providing
the welding equipment and
SWTJC provides the instructor.
An arrangement with other
high schools might make simi-
lar classes at STRTC possible.
“Jesse Perez, our Economic
Development Director, is look-
ing into how that is all work-
ing,” he said. “Our problem
would be providing the equip-
ment. If Devine High School
is doing it, there is a possibil-
ity other high schools could
be involved with classes held
at STRTC, not just in welding
but also for other vocational
courses we might have.”
With the recent influx of in-
dustrial companies to the Hon-
do area, there is more employ-
ment and more of a need for
customized technical training at
STRTC, according to Danner.
“A good example is Martin
Marietta, which is now es-
tablishing a new rock quarry
(northwest of) Hondo,” he said.
“They need about 10 heavy
equipment operators. If we can
get MM involved and SWTJC
involved, we might be able to
hold a training course for heavy
equipment operators. Two avi-
ation firms are looking at the
Hondo Airport as a home and
might also want customized
training. We already do some of
that type of training for Medina
Electric Coop, and law enforce-
ment people.”
Danner said he was pleased
to report that SWTJC will be
providing Certified Registered
Nurse Anesthesia clinical
training at Medina Region-
al Hospital with classroom
training at STRTC. The col-
lege may also offer radiology
and medical assistant courses
in cooperation with the hos-
pital, with accompanying
classroom work at STRTC.
“They just completed a
CRNA course and they are
working on a similar type ra-
diology class,” said Danner.
“This is being accomplished
with the assistance of hospi-
tal Administrator Janice Sim-
mons and hospital Economic
Development Director Ashley
Lowe. In the past, we had a
hard time getting SWTJC and
the hospital together.
“The last and the biggest
thing is that Dr. Gonzales has
reviewed the one-year old
proposed partnership agree-
ment between TSTC and
SWTJC to allow TSTC to pro-
vide training courses at the
STRTC,” added Danner.
Dr. Gonzales said the gen-
eral framework of the agree-
ment was acceptable and just
needed to be more specific
regarding instructor pay and
the division of responsibili-
ties between the two colleges,
according to Danner.
“He said he would get hold
of the agreement author, Dr.
Stella Garcia, at TSTC to see
about the specifics,” said
the mayor, who noted the
two colleges have trouble
contacting each other on
their own. “TSTC has state-
wide courses they can offer
here that SWTJC can’t offer.
(TSTC) has the curriculum
and teachers — they just need
permission to come here and
offer the courses.”
“Hopefully that will get un-
derway pretty soon,” he said.
“That is where we are and we
will continue to bird dog this
thing and try to improve what
we have. We started the center
to provide vocational training
and have not yet been able to
get those courses offered.”
“More people are taking
advantage of the academic
courses at STRTC all the
time,” said Place 5 Council-
man Keith Lutz. “I know at
least a couple of people who
have taken all their first year
college courses out there.”
As Hondo’s mayor, Danner
said he becomes aggravated
when he reads news reports
of Alamo Colleges offering
different types of vocational
courses in Kerrville, Flores-
ville and elsewhere.
“And here we are and can’t
get our marriage together,” he
said of coordinating the three
colleges sitting on the STRTC
Advisory Board of Directors.
“It just seems a little silly to me.
We have a lot of money invest-
ed out there. We have a beau-
tiful center and everything we
need to be successful. It is just
a matter of getting it done.”
91st ANNUAL
BBQ
Chicken Supper
& Country Store
EMMANUEL LUTHERAN
CHURCH
250 FM1049 S., KNIPPAJX
SAT., SEPT. 28
Country Store Opens at 5pm
Serving from S:30-7:30pm
Dine In Or Take Out
$7 Plate includes: Half Chicken,
Pinto Beans, Potato Salad, Pickles,
Onions, Bread, Pie & Tea and/or Coffee
A portion of the proceeds is donated
back to the community!
mCRf) Annual fall County 6
All-Area Team Roping
I SATURDAY OCTOBER 5
: BOOKS OPEN 2:00 PM ROPING STARTS 3:00 PM
For Roping Details:
Albert 5antos (830) 426 -1509
Ted Tschirhart (210) 82 7 - 7949
tncra-rodeo.com
PHOTO/ MISSY ZINSMEYER
HELPING SUPPORT ABUSED AND NEGLECTED CHILDREN... Larry Muennink of Hondo City Lodge presented a
$250 check to Bluebonnet Children’s Advocacy Center Executive Director Rodger Clark and UTSA intern Bonita Bolado
as lodge members (far left) Mike Beard, (far right) Frank Fournier and Kerry Copeland offer their support. Clark gave the
group a tour of the facility explaining what the organization does. He said he hopes to some day build a larger office to
better assist the children. Clark enthusiastically accepted the donation which he plans to use to recruit CASAs (Court Ap-
pointed Special Volunteers) to represent the best interests of the children in court.
\Votv
free
flotd°9s
Ao Volunteer Fire Cb
Movje
&
Dt'tnfc
Invites Everyone to
wfto/ic
Tues., Oct. 1st- 6pm
16th Street between the Courthouse
& the Hondo Police Deptartment
County approves $26 mil budget
By Missy Zinsmeyer
Anvil Herald Reporter
Monday morning Com-
missioners Court met and
unanimously approved the
FY 2013/2014 budget, elected
officials salaries and 2013 tax
rate. The total budget is just
over $26 million.
The judge detailed the
budget saying, “Of that ($26
million), $15,750,823 is for
general fund expenditures,
road and bridge fund is
$4,568,834 and the other
funds which are principally
grant supported funds are
$5,845,000. We expect total
revenue of $22,790,325 or we
have budgeted for that. The
balance of $3,374,386 is from
reserves in order to have the
budget balance.”
A 4% cost of living adjust-
ment for all non-elected
employees and some re-
alignments for a few elected
officials are included. Those
employees whose salaries
are grant supported only
receive the cost of living in-
crease if the grant was simi-
larly adjusted.
Capital improvements in
the amount of $ 1.6 million are
marked for completing the
courthouse foundation work,
the construction of a building
for juvenile and adult proba-
tion and pre-trial servies, and
security upgrades to existing
buildings including the jail.
Elected officials salaries
were unanimously adopted
as advertised.
The tax rate for 20J4 was
unanimously approved at
$ .525 per $100 valuation,
a decrease of .004 cents
from the current rate. Judge
Barden said, “The tax rate
will raise more taxes than
it did last year for mainte-
nance and operations. The
rate will effectively be raised
by 6% and will raise taxes
for maintenance and opera-
tions on a $ J00,000 home by
approvimately $26.80. It is
below the roll back rate.”
At a previous court
session the judge said,
“Compared to last year, $24
million plus a little on the ex-
pense side and $20.9 million
on the revenue side. So far
this year, with 5 weeks to go
on the budget, our expenses
are $16.08 million with reve-
nues of $20.11 million show-
ing, I think, that our practice
of conservative budgeting
plus some good financial
management by our depart-
ment heads and elected offi-
cials is working. Our reserves
should be healthy going into
next year”.
New equipment
Two bids were accepted for
the purchase of a pad foot
roller for Precinct 4; a 2008
model from Holt Caterpillar
for $47,103 and a 2007 model
from ROMCO Equipment for
$42,990. Pet. 4 Commissioner
Jerry Beck preferred the pur-
chase of the model from Holt
as it is a full year newer, has a
longer warranty and comes
with an extra tool. The court
unanimously approved of
this purchase.
In other court news...
• Following a public hearing
with no one offering com-
ment, the court unanimously
adopted the County Clerk re-
cords and archive plan for FY
2013-2014.
• Roads in Red Bird Ranch
Subdivision Units 4D and 5A
were accepted.
• CourtdatesforFY2013/2014
were set as the second, fourth,
and fifth Monday monthly.
• Pet. 1 Commissioner Rich-
ard Saathoff will continue to
chair the court in the judge’s
absence as needed.
• Official bond and oath of
Homer E. Delgado, County
Attorney’s Office investigator
was approved.
A burn ban remains in ef-
fect in the unincorporated
areas of the county. The next
meeting of the Commission-
ers Court is scheduled for
Monday, Sept. 30 at 9 a.m.
in the county courthouse.
Agendas are posted on the
county’s website at www.me-
dinacountytexas.org.
Sunday Sept. 29
3:00 P.M.
East Side of Medina
County Fair Hall
beautiful mndmaefe i
Items (Plus Much More!
* Antique Cross
a Rosary made by Fr. Alberto
" Pool Table With Pool Queue Stand & Balls
a Dinner For 4 With Fr. Gerardo
" Wall Clock
a 2 Piece Wooden Hutch
■ Large Wok
a Socket Tool Set With 3 Piece Plier Set
" Nail Cross
a Leather Cross
" Lawn Chairs
* Ice Chest
a Old Fire Hydrant
11 Antique Grain Planter
a Large Framed Picture of Roses
" UT bird house & UT lap quilt
a 2 Antique Porcelain Dolls
" Plumeria, Pencil, &Sego Palm Plants
a Original Jeff Gordan Racing Jersey
" Religious Items From Paris, France
a Tree Brand Classic Broker Knife
■ Piglet
a 8 Place Setting of Chalfonte Porzellan
a Antique Fire Hydrant
Bavaria Germany China, Rose Pattern
a Arieal Framed Print of St. John's Church
a T-fal Signature 3 qt. Sauce Pan
a Afghan & Cake by Rosie Aelvoet
a 1969 World Series Baseball Signed by Jerry Grote
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Matching Search Results
View eight places within this issue that match your search.Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Newspaper.
Hondo Anvil Herald (Hondo, Tex.), Vol. 127, No. 39, Ed. 1 Thursday, September 26, 2013, newspaper, September 26, 2013; Hondo, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth740941/m1/3/?q=Lamar+University: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Hondo Public Library.