October 2010

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P U B L I S H E R S & M O R EPUBLISHED MONTHLY BY THE

Schertz Public Affairs Office

Brad E. Bailey Director, Public Affairs, Publisher

Chuck McCollough Editor

Alexis Souza Creative Director

Chris Matzenbacher Sales Director

Mary Spence Business Manager

MayorHal Baldwin

City CouncilJim Fowler

David ScagliolaMichael Carpenter

Cedric Edwards, Sr.George Antuna, Jr.

Executive ManagementDon Taylor, City Manager

John Bierschwale, Assistant City Manager

David J. Harris, Assistant City Manager

Send queries about articles or photographs to Schertz Tales at 1400 Schertz Parkway, Schertz, Texas 78154.

Subscriptions to Schertz Tales are free for each Schertz household. Subscriptions for residents and businesses

outside the City of Schertz are $19.95 annually. Call 210-619-1630.

For advertising information: Schertz Tales, 1400 Schertz Parkway, Schertz, Texas 78154; call 210-619-1630; Fax

210-619-1619; email [email protected].

NEWS POLICYSchertz Tales encourages submission of news and event announcement items. News and event announcements must include contact name and contact phone number. All news and event items must be for activities that occur inside the Schertz city limits. Publication cannot be guaranteed. If you would like to submit an item to Schertz Tales, email us at [email protected] or call us at 210-619-1630.

The appearance of advertising in this publication does not constitute endorsement by the City of Schertz. All products and services advertised in this publication shall be made available for purchase, use or patronage without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, marital status, physical or mental handicap, political affiliation or other non-merit factor of purchaser, user or patron.

Articles that appear in Schertz Tales do not necessarily reflect the official position of the City of Schertz and does not constitute an endorsement therein. The appearance of any advertisement in Schertz Tales does not constitute an endorsement of the goods or services advertised. Any publication of Schertz Tales, whether draft or final is sole property of the City of Schertz and cannot be reproduced or distributed in any way, whether in print or electronically, without the express permission and written consent of the City of Schertz.

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Contributing WritersKiko Martinez, Brad E. Bailey, Chuck McCollough,

Mary Spence, Carolyn Angello, Brittany Losey

PhotographersBrad E. Bailey, Chuck McCollough, Mary Spence,

Pro Photos of Texas

Schertz Tales is published monthly by the Public Affairs Department of the City of Schertz. Our

mailing address is 1400 Schertz Parkway, Schertz, Texas 78154. The official publication of the City of Schertz promotes city, community, and business

activities associated with the City. © City of Schertz, Texas.

The editorial office of Schertz Tales is at 1400 Schertz Parkway, Schertz,

Texas 78154. Call 210-619-1630. Fax 210-619-1619. Website www.schertz.com

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Regional cooperation is a piece-by-piece effort that often needs a cen-terpiece or two to com-plete the puzzle. This month’s cover shows how Schertz, in many ways, is the middle link in the San Antonio-Austin Corridor region through its leadership and example in the ar-eas of partnerships and alliances. Partnerships are so powerful, they can even pull puzzles together. Special Thanks to Schertz GIS Coordinator Tony Mc-Falls for providing the map which made this cover possible.

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“SENIOR PARTNER” AMONG CITIES

TML CALLS SCHERTZ “PARTNERSHIP MODEL”

FOR CITIES TO STUDY

Just like people, cities can have good habits and bad habits. One of Schertz’ really good habits is partnering with others.

Its four decades of “sharing costs and sharing benefits” have made Schertz a municipality others want to emulate.

WHISKEY IS FOR DRINKING AND WATER IS FOR PARTNERING OVER

WATERING PARTNERS AND MORE

Instead of moaning and wringing their hands about a water supply, Schertz and Seguin took

a bold step forward and formed an alternative water source alliance.

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A CUSTOM OF COLLABORATION

SCHERTZ EMS: FROM VOLUNTEER TO FIRST TIER

The teamwork of Schertz volunteers in creating an emergency medical response service laid the

groundwork for the practice of partnering that Schertz does so well and so often.

HOW BIG & NOT-SO-BIG WORK WELL TOGETHER

SA, BEXAR SAY SCHERTZ PARTNERSHIPS “MAKE SENSE”

When it comes to planning for parks, water, emergency services and economic development,

Schertz, San Antonio and Bexar County have found there is strength (and savings) in numbers.

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7 Staff Speakz

8 Talk of the Townz

17 Visionz: News from the Chamber of Commerce

19 Fitnezz in Schertz

20 Artz Z-Spot: Raquel Lindell

26 BVYA

28 NEP Partnerships

34 Schertz YMCA

37 Senior Center

38 Focuz: John Bierscwale and David Harris

42 Government Round-Up

47 City Calendar

48 Sweetheart Spotlight

Lower property values! Slower retails sales! More government regulation from state and federal governments! Texas cities and their budgets are under siege.

Given those circumstances, it is a good thing Schertz is “Partnership City.” And these partnerships have never been more important. And Schertz’ history of partnerships and its reputation for innovative alliances are drawing the interest of other governments.

In fact, Texas Municipal League Executive Director Bennett Sandlin pointed to Schertz and several other cities as model municipalities for other cities to study.

Schertz’ many partnerships have been encouraged and guided over the years by longtime Mayor Hal Baldwin and City Council members and senior staff past and present, including the current team of City Manager Don Taylor, Assistant City Managers John Bierschwale and David J. Harris.

In this month’s issue, we look at the many Schertz partnerships; how they developed and how they play an ever-more important role in the municipality’s premier delivery of city services and quality of life.

Schertz’ 40-year tradition of pooling resources with public and private sector partners is not only “best practices” governance by doing more with less, it represents the common sense of working for a common purpose...a better community for all.

By Chuck McCollough,

Editor

chertz:“The

Partnership City”


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Bikers Set to Roar through Schertz for Charity The Chapter “U” Goldwing Road Riders Association of the Schertz, Cibolo, and Live Oak area is sponsoring its Third Annual “HalloWings” Rally on Saturday, October 9th at Pickrell Park Pavilion in Schertz. The event is open to everyone and all types of motorcycles are welcome to

attend. There will be lots of great vendors, grand prize drawings, off bike games, silent auction, BBQ lunch and lots of contingency prizes! Registration begins at 9:00 AM with opening ceremonies at 9:45 AM, a Fun Run motorcy-cle ride from 10:00 AM –11:00

AM, and a silent auction that ends at 1:00 PM. Grand Prize drawings and closing ceremo-nies take place at 2:00 PM. Pre-registration is $12 per per-son and $15 per person at the gate. Pre-registration forms and instructions are located at www.texaschapteru.org.

This annual event is the chapter’s primary fundraiser. A portion of the money raised at this event will be donated to Boysville and other various organizations throughout the year. For more information call (361) 571-0384.

Area Square Dancers Cut a Rug at

Metrocom Taste, set sights on Schertz

Local food connoisseurs got their own taste of some Schertz Area Square Dancers at a mini show put on Sep-tember 15th at the Randolph Metro-com Chamber of Commerce Taste of the Metrocom event held at the Live Oak Civic Center. The Taste of the Metrocom, a show-case of culinary creations by area restaurants, is an annual food lovers delight and attracted around 500 peo-ple this year, said Metrocom Chamber Executive Director Cassandra Miller.

In case you missed out on the food and fun in Live Oak, don’t fret! The Belles-N-Beaus Square Dance Club with caller Les Hughes and cuer John Becker will host a special regional square dance / round dance exhibit as the centerpiece entertainment for at-tendees at a Schertz Area Artz Council reception October 21st from 6:30 to 9:30 PM at the Schertz Civic Center (1400 Schertz Pkwy, Bldg. #5). The event is free and open to all art loving and dancing enthusiasts.8 OCTOBER 2010

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Craps for Kids The 2nd annual fundraiser for the Or-thopedic Kneed Foundation – which provides free orthopedic medical care to youth in need – will be held from 7:00 PM-11:00 PM, October 16th at the Schertz Civic Center (1400 Schertz Parkway, Bldg #5). Games will include Texas Hold ‘EM, Black Jack and Roulette. Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 at the door. Tickets can be purchased online at www.kneedfoundation.org. or at the offices of Dr. Peter Holmes (Sports Occupational and Knee Surgery in Schertz on FM 3009 next to Dollar Tree or at 9150 Huebner Road, Suite 200 in San Antonio.

Classic Cars Coming out to Support Military Heroes and Families

Schertz Family YMCA ribbon cutting held

Schertz Mayor Hal Baldwin (cen-ter) cuts the ribbon at the Schertz Family YMCA on Thursday, Sep-tember 9th. Among those taking part were officials from the City of Schertz, the YMCA of Greater San Antonio and the Schertz Chamber of Commerce. Baldwin called the Schertz YMCA branch a great community effort. YMCA of Greater San Antonio Chief Executive Officer Baron Herdelin-Doherty said: “The Schertz Fam-ily YMCA is our flagship branch and the largest branch with a 38,000-square-foot building and 6,200 individual members.” The Y is located at 601 Westchester Dr. Information is available at www.ymcasatx.org or by calling (210) 619-1900.

Fall Book Sale

The Schertz Public Library Bookstore is host-ing a Fall Sale of gently used books on Friday, October 22nd and Saturday, October 23rd in Meeting Room 1 at the Schertz Public Library, 798 Schertz Pkwy. Miscellaneous items will also be for sale. Sale hours are 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM on Friday and noon to 5:00 PM on Saturday. Stop in for fantastic reading deals. All proceeds benefit the Schertz Public Library.

Buffalo Valley Lions Club donates $500 to Schertz PD

Blue Santa FundSpecial Projects Officer Officer Shawn Ceeko recently addressed the Buffalo Valley Lions Clubs on Personal Safety Guidelines. At the same meet-ing, Lions Club President Mark Williams presented Ceeko with a $500 check for the Schertz Police Department’s Blue Santa fund. The Blue Santa fund benefits local families during the Christmas Holidays.

The event, sponsored by the Alamo Area Corvette Club, will be held at the bottom of the parking lot down from Old Navy and Border’s Books. For more information call (210) 833-5193.

The Forum at Olympia Parkway will host a free charity event October 16th with the 8th Annual Vettes and Classic Car Show from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. All proceeds from the event will be donated to Military War-riors Support Foundation, Fisher House, Operation Home Front and the Animal Defense League. Proceeds are derived from car entry fees, a silent auction and donations.

Dealer NameAddressAddressPhone Number

$55AMO.**

home + on-the-go

internetTHE

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$55AMO.**

home + on-the-go

internetTHE

GET TWOPLAN

CLEAR @ The Forum (Across from Starbucks)8251 Agora Parkway #103Selma, TX 78154210-692-5327

*Performance claim based on average download speeds during tests by CLEAR on the CLEAR network. Other carriers’ performance based on their recently advertised claims. Actual network performance may vary and is not guaranteed. **Taxes, equipment and other charges apply. On most plans, a two-year service agreement is required, and an Early Termination Fee, of up to $170/device, applies (See your Order Confirmation and www.clear.com for details); on all other plans, an activation fee of $35/device applies. Coverage areas limited. Service levels, features and prices may vary by rate plan and availability in the coverage area and are subject to change without notice. Additional restrictions apply. See www.clear.com for details. CLEAR, the CLEAR logo, and ‘super fast mobile internet’ are trademarks of Clearwire Legacy LLC. ©2010 Clear Wireless LLC. All Rights Reserved.*Performance claim based on average download speeds during tests by CLEAR on the CLEAR network. Other carriers’ performance based on their recently advertised claims. Actual network performance may vary and is not guaranteed. **Taxes, equipment and or promotions. On most plans, a two-year service agreement is required, and an Early Termination Fee, of up to $170/device, applies (See your Order Confirmation and www.clear.com for details); on all other plans, an activation fee of $35/device applies. Coverage areas limited. Service levels, features and prices may vary by rate plan and availability in the coverage area and are subject to change without notice. Additional restrictions apply. See www.clear.com for details. CLEAR, the CLEAR logo, and ‘super fast mobile internet’ are trademarks of Clearwire Legacy LLC. ©2010 Clear Wireless LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Curious about your mys-terious Great Uncle Jerry? Do you know which ship your great-great grand-mother’s family took to America? Now you can search for the answers to your genealogy ques-tions at the Schertz Public Library by using the library’s newest electronic resource, Ancestry® Li-brary Edition. Distributed exclusively by ProQuest and powered by Ancestry.com, it delivers billions of records including census data, vital records, directo-ries, photos, and provides a glimpse into the lives of an unprecedented number of individuals from North America, the UK, Europe, Australia, and other coun-tries all over the world.

Check Out the Greatest Story in the Library—The Story of YOU!

Answers await everyone—whether professional or hobbyist, expert or novice, genealogist, or historian—inside the more than 7,000 available databases. Here, you can unlock the story of you with sources like censuses, vital records, immigration re-cords, family histories, military records, court and legal docu-ments, directories, photos, maps, and more.

Ancestry Library Edition includes:

*U.S. collections that deliver hundreds of millions of names from sources such as fed-eral and U.S. censuses; birth, death, and marriage records including the Social Security Death Index; and U.S. border crossing and trans-ocean ship records.

*Canadian collections that provide nearly 60 million records from the Census of Canada.

*U.K. collections that offer censuses for England, Wales, Isle of Man, Channel Islands, and Scotland, with nearly 200 million records.*International collections that include more than 46 million records from German censuses; Chinese surnames in the large and growing Jiapu Collection of Chinese lineage books; Jewish family history records from Eastern Europe and Russia; and more.

*Military collections that de-liver over 150 million records containing information often not found elsewhere including records from the colonial to the Vietnam era.

*Multimedia collections that deliver millions of files ranging from family and gravestone photos to postcards and newsreels.

All this, plus an intuitive search interface, detailed search indexes, and helpful Learning Center tools, makes Ancestry Library Edition an indispens-able resource for genealo-gists and historians. Ancestry Library Edition also includes access to additional research databases including Heritage-Quest Online, Historic Map Works, and ProQuest African American Heritage.

Ancestry Library Edition can only be used in the Schertz Public Library. If you have questions, contact Melissa Uhlhorn, Library Manager, at [email protected] or at (210) 619-1700.

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Bird Watching The Schertz WayLocal amateur photogra-pher and area resident C. A. Mallard unveiled her latest project-Crescent Bend Nature Park~Birds & their Habitat-at Wildbirds Unlimited, 3820 FM 3009, Ste. 152, Schertz. Residents and visitors got a first look at the beautiful photography and abundant life of Crescent Bend Nature Park. A book-signing was held August 29th and copies of the book are available for purchase at the shop. The 108-page publication shares the flora and fauna of the City’s newest parkland, lo-cated at 11820 Schaefer Rd, off of FM 1518 S. The park is open daily, dawn to dusk.

Soccertots and Hoopstertots News

Soccertots and Hoopstertots are child physical development pro-grams for kids 18-months to 6-years that use a variety of fun games to motivate and engage kids in physical activity. The curriculum is profession-ally designed to develop motor skills, promote physical fitness, and create self-confidence in kids and younger children through the sports of soccer and basketball (and baseball start-ing in February 2011). The program stresses a non-competitive environ-ment and promotes fun above all else! The classes are for 8 weeks and meet once a week. Find out more at www.alamototsports.com.

Fill Your Stomachs and

Minds Our Schertz Wendy’s, located at 5550 FM 3009, is partner-ing with Schertz-Cibolo-Uni-versal City ISD to raise funds for school programs. ‘BURG-ER BASH’ will be held Friday, October 8th, 5:00 - 8:00 PM and Wendy’s will donate 15% of sales from guests tickets to SCUCISD. Satisfy that burger urge or that unstoppable Frosty craving and help our schools! Just tell the family it’s for a good cause, head over to our local Wendy’s in Schertz and eat it up for bet-ter schools.

Photographer C.A. Mallard auto-graphs a copy of Crescent Bend Nature Park~Birds & their Habitat for Cibolo resident William Skinner.

Pink ‘n’ Pumpedand Zumbathon

Schertz Civic CenterFriday, October 15, 2010

4:00pm-9:00pm

Feels So Good Fitness presents~

Get ready for the PARTY of they year. Come celebrate women’s achievements

through fitness.

www.feelssogoodfitness.com 830-221-8818

Dear friend, I want to give credit where credit is due. So, perhaps a confession can help clear the air so there’s no misunderstanding, Before I talk about my confession, though, let me say a few other things first. Let me start by explaining the photo in this letter. You know, when I meet people in town they usually say, “Oh, yeah, I know you, you’re Dr. Martin. I’ve seen your ad with that picture of you and the two cute kids.” Well, I’m the guy in the middle. Years ago I was a college baseball player, but I developed a painful neck, shoulder and arm condition. In my case it came on suddenly. The pain in my hands was so intense that I couldn’t raise my arm above my head or even throw a baseball. I was afraid that I would lose my scholarship if it continued. I went to my trainer and medical doctor and was given anti-inflammatories. The problem with those medications is that they just mask the symptoms and in my case did not help. Finally, after steroid injections I decided against it. But, there’s more…A family member of mine convinces me to give their doctor a try. This new doctor did an exam, took some films, and then “adjusted” my spine. The adjustment didn’t hurt, it actually felt good. I got relief, and I could use my arm again. Oh, did I mention that this doctor is a chiropractor. It worked so well that I went to chiropractic school myself. Now for McKenna and Cooper, who are the cute kids in the picture. They get adjusted regularly and are some of

the healthiest kids you will know. Their mom is

also problem-free even with all

the bending and lifting a busy mom of two does. It might seem

“A DOCTOR’S CONFESSION TO THE CITY OF SCHERTZ…”like a small thing, but it makes a big difference to her. It’s strange how life is, because now people come to see me with their neck, arm and shoulder problems. Also they come to me with their headaches, migraines, chronic pain, carpal tunnel, whiplash from car accidents, backaches, ear infections, asthma, allergies, numbness in limbs, athletic injuries, just to name a few. Here’s what some of my patients had to say: “I have not had a headache in months”- (Mary J.) “Mood and attitude have improved” – (Lisa A.) Several times a day patients thank me for helping them with their health problems. But I can’t really take the credit. My confession is that I’ve never healed anyone of anything. What I do is perform a specific spinal adjustment to remove nerve pressure, and the body responds by healing itself. We get tremendous results. It’s a simple as that! Forty-eight million Americans no longer have health insurance, and those who do have found that their benefits are reduced. That’s where my I come in. I have a significantly lower fee plan so that more people are able to afford the care they need. A whole week of care in my office costs what you could pay for one visit elsewhere. Studies show that people actually pay less for their long-term overall health care expenses if they are seeing a chiropractor. You Benefit from an Amazing Offer- Look, you are going to write a check to someone for your health care expenses, you may as well write one for a lesser amount for chiropractic. When you bring in this article, you will receive my entire new patient exam for $17. That’s with an evaluation and X-Rays….the whole ball of wax. But, please call right away because this offer expires on October 31, 2010, and I don’t want you to miss out.

By the way, further care is very affordable and you’ll be happy to know that I have affordable plans. You see I’m not trying to seduce you to come see me with this low start up fee, then to only make it up with high fees after that. Further care is very important to consider when making your choice of doctor. High costs can add up very quickly. Great care at a great fee…Please, I hope that there’s no misunderstanding about quality of care just because I have a lower fee. You’ll get great care at a great fee. My qualifications…I’m a Magna cum Laude graduate of Cleveland Chiropractic College and a Strength and Conditioning Specialist. I’ve been entrusted to take care of tiny babies to pro athletes that you may know. After practicing for four years in San Antonio I moved my practice to Schertz. I just have a low exam fee to help more people who need care. My Associate, Dr. Kyle Stringer, brings over five years of experience to our practice with the latest in pain-free techniques. My assistant is Melissa, and she is really a great person. Our office is both friendly and warm and we try our best to make you feel at home. We have a wonderful service, at an exceptional fee. Our office is called Schertz Chiropractic and it is at 17323 IH 35 North Ste 106, (we are between 3009 and Schertz Parkway on the 35 South Access Road). Our phone number is 210-646-6000. Call Melissa or me today for an appointment. We can help you. Thank you. -Patrick W. Martin, D.C.P.S. When accompanied by the first, I am also offering the second family member this same examination for only $10.P.S.S. Your time is just as valuable as ours, that’s why we will be with you promptly at your appointment.

Not applicable to Medicare Beneficiaries due to regulations.

It’s the Great Pumpkin Party,

SchertzSchertz area residents are invited to a Fall Festival “Great Pumpkin Party” at the Schertz Family YMCA (621 Westchester) on October 29th from 5:00-8:00 PM. Admission will be one non-perishable food item.

Events will include games, prizes and a pumpkin deco-rating contest. No Halloween costumes please. The event is sponsored by the YMCA and the Schertz Public Library. For more information call the library at (210) 619-1700 or the YMCA at (210) 619-1900.

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Schertz Emergency Services Plan for Ghoulishly Good

TimeBe a part of the City of Schertz’ “Trunk or Treat” from 6:00 PM 8:00 PM, October 31st at Pickrell Park, 701 Oak St. Schertz Fire, Police, and EMS personnel, plus area churches and businesses will host this annual safe Halloween experi-ence. Candy and other treats will be shared for all participants. For more information contact John Perry at (210) 619-1300.

Pumpkin Patch Sprouts in Bracken

For the seventh year in a row, the Bracken United Methodist Church will operate a Pumpkin Patch from 9:00 AM to dusk, seven days a week now through Halloween at 22377 FM 2252, about ½ mile north of the intersection at FM 3009.. During October more than 50 school groups from four counties are expected to visit the patch, which includes displays of cos-tumed scarecrows and fantasy characters. Church officials said they expect more than 20,000 visitors this Halloween period. For more information call (803) 606-6717.

Schertz Cools off with Smooth Sounds Area musicians played as hundreds mellowed to the soothing sounds of live jazz at the 2nd Annual Schertz Absolute Jazz Festi-val held September 11th in Pickrell Park. Event sponsors included the City of Schertz and the Community Fine Arts Network (CFAN); entertainment was provided by Ron Wilkins with the Hardbop Project, Northern Lights and the Jazz Protagonists. Don’t miss the next event, it’s coming soon. Visit thecfan.org for information.


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Fall Festival at First Baptist

Church of Schertz is Oct. 30

On October 30th, First Baptist Church of Schertz will hold its Fall Festival from 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM at 600 Aero Ave. in Schertz. The annu-al event is free of charge and open to the public. Enjoy food, games, candy, prizes, cake walk, chili cook-off, face painting, a dunking booth, fellowship & fun! Overflow parking is available with shuttle from Samuel Clemens High School, 1001 Elbel Rd. According to organizers, the event is an opportunity for the members of the church to lavish on you the love lavished on us by the Father, as children of God.

Cibolo Congregation Celebrates Fall with

Festive FairCibolo Valley Baptist Church will hold its Fall Festival October 31st, from 5:30 PM – 8:00 PM. The church is located at 5500 FM 1103 in Cibolo. Games, Prizes, Food, Face-Painting, a Dunking Booth and Duck Pond are among the activities of the evening. Questions can be directed to Sandra Phillips at (210) 722-6262.

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Author June Fitzsimmons-Esparza will hold a book signing/storytelling event at the Schertz Public Library on Saturday, October 30th, at 2:30 PM. Her new book “Tiny Seedlings…their journey” is the first book in the wonder-ful and adventurous fantasy trilogy entitled The Trees of Etainia. Book I will introduce

Tiny Seedlings Author holds Book Signing at Schertz

Library

you to five tiny tree seed-lings that are seeking their identity and purpose in life. Book II is projected to be available before Christmas 2010. Through the art of storytell-ing, you will enjoy listening as June weaves characters from her book into the

“now” moments of our lives. She will also sign books and display some of her other creative work including photo art, word scrolls and greeting cards, all of which will be avail-able for purchase.

Prize: A Gift Certificate for

Locate the fish pictured above in one AD somewhere in this

issue of Schertz Magazine. Visit www.schertzmagazine.com and complete the entry form to be

entered into this month’s draw-ing. A winner will be chosen

October 20, 2010.

Win a Gift Certificate for a two-night stay at Plantation Suites

& Conference Center in Port Aransas.

12: LifeLine Screening 9:00 AM

15: Zumbathon 6:00 PM

16: Kneed Foundation Casino Night 7:00 PM

19: Schertz Chamber Luncheon 11:30 AM

21: Artz, Square Dance Reception 6:30 PM

23/24: Alamo Pet Expo 10:00 AM

OCTOBER EVENTS

1400 Schertz Pkwy, Bldg. #5 (210) 619-1600

Locate the puzzle pictured above in one AD somewhere in this issue of Schertz Magazine. Visit www.schertzmagazine.com and complete the entry form to be entered into this month’s drawing. A winner will be chosen October 20, 2010.


Come On In!We invite you to stop by our Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Center located at 1730

Schertz Parkway in Schertz. Our office is currently open Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 5:00PM. Keep us posted on what’s happening with your business by sending us a message to Nancy at [email protected] or calling 210-566-9000. Visit our website at www.

schertzchamber.org for daily updates, calendar announcements, job openings, and any business-related news.


October 2010VisionzWhat’s Happening at Your Chamber...

Schertz Chamber LuncheonTuesday, October 21st

11:30 AM – 1:00 PMSchertz Civic Center

1400 Schertz Parkway, Bldg #5, SchertzGuest Speaker: Robert Treacy. Topic: “How the New Healthcare Bill Affects Your Business”. All area busi-nesses are welcome to attend. You MUST RSVP by

Tuesday, October 12th. Cost is $15 Schertz Chamber Members / $20 Non-members.

Biz Ed Breakfast SeriesOctober 27th is our next session of Biz Ed titled “How to Market Your Business”. Registration is limited to the first 10 persons. Session is from 7:00 AM - 9:00 AM. Breakfast will be provided by RBFCU. Free to SCOC Members and only $10 for non-members. Please call (210) 566-9000 to reserve your spot TODAY!

Why should my business become a Chamber Member?

The Chamber is the first point of contact for marketing to visitors and residents within the community. You will be able to promote your business 24/7 through our Chamber website, monthly luncheons, mixers and more! Stop by our office to pick up an application and find out other ways your business will benefit by being a Chamber Member. The NEW 2011 Business Directory

& Visitor’s Guide is coming! To place your ad, please call (210) 566-9000 or email us at

[email protected].

FORE! Tee up for the 1st Annual Schertz Chamber Golf Classic October 15th and help the Distributive Education Clubs of America

Programs at Samuel Clemens and Byron Steele High Schools.

Spend a beautiful day playing golf at Northcliffe Golf Course, eat a four course lunch, and bid on great silent auc-

tion items. Longest Drive, Closest To The Tee and Hole in One games. Prizes, include golf vacation packages as well as a 2010 Ford Mustang courtesy of Jordan Ford. Individual or Team registrations being accepted NOW! Company or

Individual sponsorships are available. Call (210) 566-9000 or download the registration forms at

www.schertzchamber.org.


Carolyn Angello began teaching Zumba, an aerobic fitness program using Latin Rhythms and easy-to-follow moves, to simply add some calorie burning cardio to her existing cli-ents’ programs. Her first class had two participants; today more than fifty take part in classes three times a week.

Many women have seen dramatic improvements in their appearance as well as their self confidence. “She made me believe I could change. After only a few months of working with Carolyn, I lost 28 lbs. Her energy and enthusiasm is contagious,” said Lisa Randolph. Debra Aparicio was diagnosed with Idiopathic Pulmo-nary Fibrosis in July 2002. In 2004, she received a lung transplant. With limited lung capacity, fitness seemed unattainable. She began training and doing Zumba with Carolyn. Since then, her health and energy has improved tremendously and she has lost about 15 pounds. “Words cannot express how grateful we are for someone’s decision to donate life (so she could get a lung transplant) and for being able to breathe again; see my grandchildren; tell my husband and my family how much I love them; to see life in a different way - to help people - to be able to exercise and to Praise God for His miracles,” Debra Aparicio said. Shannell Laskowski met Carolyn three years ago. With Car-olyn’s help and encouragement, Shannell has a new outlook on exercise. She loves working out again and has learned the benefits of eating healthy and taking supplements. She started going to Zumba several times a week and now, with Carolyn’s support, she has become a Zumba Instructor. “I feel great and have more energy. By sharing my knowledge with other women, I can help them love exercise as well,” Shannell said. To learn more about Carolyn and what ‘Feels So Good Fitness’ can do for you, join us for Pink “N” Pumped, a cel-ebration of women and their achievements through nutrition and fitness. It will be held Friday, October 15th from 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM at the Schertz Civic Center (1400 Schertz Pkwy., Bldg.#5). For more information visit www.feelssogoodfitness.com.

Pink ‘N Pumped Event Oct. 15 at Schertz Civic Center

Pictured above and to right:Lisa Randolph

Pictured above: Carolyn Angell,

Pictured to right: Shannel Laskowski

Born and in raised in Cheyenne, Wyoming, Raquel Ramierz-Lindell didn’t have the opportunity to grow up with all that Schertz has to offer, but the aspiring artist and mother of two said that from the minute she and her husband settled down in the area, she knew she was home.

Her parents are descendants of Aztec Indians, which Raquel as-sumes is where her artistic talents stem from because the Aztec culture was filled with creativity and beauty. Among the craftsman-ship valued by the Aztec Indians was art, music, poetry and tattoos. Their art functioned as an expres-sion of religion and warfare and many examples of this aspect of the Aztec culture can be found in the form of paintings on the walls of temples, masks and pottery. “I have been painting, drawing and doing pottery since I can remem-ber,” Raquel said. “And most of what inspires me to paint comes

Raquel Ramierz-Lindellfrom my personal experiences and travels.” Her husband is active-duty military, and with her kids D. Jay and Ashley by her side, they have traveled just about everywhere. And while art has become a fun and ex-citing hobby and outlet for Raquel, the part-time artist (and sometimes college student) still considers her kids and family the main focus of her life.

Raquel and other artists will have their works and wares on display beginning with a reception at the upcoming Third Thursday art show entitled “Spirits and Demons” at the Schertz Civic Center (1400 Schertz Parkway, Bldg. #5) on October 21st from 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM. Or stop by through November 25th between 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM and stroll through the exhibit. Learn more about other local art displays at www.schertzareaartzcouncil.org ~ and be sure to stop by on opening night for a special square dance and round dance demonstration.


Native Dreams:


T h i r d T h u r s d a y A r t S h o w

“Spirits and Demons” Schertz Civic Center

(1400 Schertz Parkway, Bldg. #5)

Opening Free to PublicOctober 21st from 6:30 PM to 9:30 PMShow extends th rough November 25th


As Texas cities strug-gle to do more with less, they are looking more at partner-ships and looking to Schertz to show the way. Schertz has numerous partnerships with other jurisdictions and private groups and 40-plus years experience pooling resources. These partnerships have helped Schertz get the most bang for taxpayer bucks, encouraged economic development and improved the quality of life so much that Money Magazine rated Schertz one the best places to live in Texas and the United States. “I would name Schertz, Frisco and Trophy Club as cities that are models for other Texas cities to watch

TML: Schertz is

“partnering model” for cities

Alan Cockerell, general manager of the the Schert-Seguin Local Government Corp., explains the water partnership during a regional water symposium in Schertz.

for how to do partnerships,” said Bennett Sandlin, Executive Director of the Texas Municipal League, which provides servic-es to 1,100 of the state’s 1,200 cities, including workshops and seminars and tracking bills in the state legislature. Frisco and Trophy Club are in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. What is the best way to provide the highest standard of city services and quality of life at the lowest price? For Schertz, partnerships again and again are the answer. The city saves about $1.2 million annu-ally on just three partnerships -- two for use of municipal ball fields by sports groups and another by using the YMCA to operate the city’s recreation center.


TML: Schertz is

“partnering model” for cities

Schertz Partnership

Timeline1970’s • Schertz EMS starts as volun-

tary ambulance service.

• Schertz partners with BVYA (Buffalo Valley Youth Assn.)

1980’s • Fire department mutual aid

between cities

1990’s • Northeast Partnership for

Economic Development (NEP) formed

• Schertz Seguin Local Govt. Corp. (SSLGC) formed

2000’s• Schertz Youth Soccer Alli-

ance created

• Partnership with YMCA

• Partnerships with San An-tonio

• Partnerships with Bexar County

• Schertz EDC Partners with New Braunfels and Seguin

Schertz has alliances on services including water, public safety (police, fire and EMS), economic development, parks and recreation, health and fitness, library services, senior citizen services, youth sports, fine arts groups, flood control, land management and regional marketing. Cities have used part-nerships for many years, but often they were few in number and small in scale such as an annual agreement with the local Little League for use of a mu-nicipal ball field. Schertz fit into that category years ago, but the city eventually developed a tradition of partnerships for the simple reason that they work. One of the first and most significant partnerships

led to the birth of the Schertz EMS. It started in the mid-1970s as the effort of local residents to form a volunteer ambulance service. Over the years that service grew to be-come the modern Schertz EMS that covers an area between San Antonio, Seguin and New Braunfels and includes eight cities and parts of three coun-ties. About that same time (1970s), Schertz worked up a private-public partnership with the Buffalo Valley Youth Association (BVYA) for use of city ball fields for youth sports. The partnership has been so successful it saves the city about $557,000 a year, said Schertz Parks and Recreation Director George Logan. And

the Schertz-BVYA model was used again over the next three decades. One of the next most significant partnerships was born in the mid-1990s when the Northeast Partnership for Economic Development was formed. Schertz officials, and their counterparts in other Metrocom cities, created the partnership after an economic development study showed they would enjoy greater clout working together. Today, NEP has nine suburban cities and various businesses and groups

as members and has the atten-tion of elected leaders and the business community because the partnership represents between 100,000 and 150,000 people in one area. Schertz officials say the premier partnership -- and also best known and most studied -- is the Schertz-Se-guin Local Govt. Corp., a water partnership between Seguin and Schertz. The visionary action of the two neighboring cities developed an alterna-tive water source that today is a wholesale provider to more

B Y C h u c k M cC o l l o u g h

(continued on page 50)


EMS is the contracted provider for EMS across the entire county. Schertz Mayor Hal Bald-win was one of the Schertz resi-dents who volunteered to start an ambulance organization when the existing ambulance service was discontinued circa 1972-73. “We had to rely on private ambulance services in nearby cities and they just took too long,” he said. The mayor said the Schertz city manager at that time was look-ing into formation of a voluntary ambulance service and encour-aged residents like Baldwin and his neighbors who were moving


Schertz EMS units respond to more than 7,000 calls for help annually in a three-county, eight-city region that includes Schertz.

in that direction. Their effort became a reality with formation of the Schertz Area Facility for Emergency Services or SAFES on April 1, 1974. “At one point we were named the premier volunteer ambulance service in Texas and we were all very proud of that,” Mayor Baldwin said. SAFES provided ambulance service to Schertz and the surrounding area and continued to expand its area and quality of care for more than 25 years, eventually becoming a city department of paid professionals. It was renamed Schertz EMS on

October 1, 2000. Schertz EMS cur-rently operates four Mobile Intensive Care Unit (MICU) ambulances 24-hours a day, 7-days a week. It has 24 full-time paramedics, 15 part-time paramedics and five part-time EMT-Intermediates who respond to more than 7,000 re-quests for emergency services annually. Schertz EMS has units in four locations -- two in Schertz and one each in Universal City and Marion. Recently, Schertz EMS expanded its partner-ship with Northeast Methodist Hospital. The two entities have

Schertz EMS is one of the oldest and most successful partnerships the City of Schertz has undertaken. Started almost 40 years ago with a group of volunteers, today it serves thousands of people in a cover-age area of more than 220 square miles. Schertz EMS operates in eight cities (Schertz, Univer-sal City, Cibolo, Live Oak, Sel-ma, Garden Ridge, Marion, and Santa Clara) and unincorpo-rated portions of three counties: Bexar, Guadalupe and Comal. In Guadalupe County, Schertz

Schertz EMS:


From Volunteer to Top Tier

a “Cardiac Care Quality Improvement Committee” where they challenge each other to improve emergency care. From that commit-tee came a new partner-ship where the hospital gave Schertz EMS $90,000 to pur-chase automatic CPR devices as part of an agreement where EMS also would buy some of the automatic devices. According to Schertz EMS Director Dudley Wait: “This is an incredible offer to partner our department and Northeast Methodist for the citizens that both organizations are charged with protecting and serving.”

And Wait added: “Schertz EMS has exhibited the power of partnering for its entire 36-year history. Since its inception, EMS has served not just the City of Schertz but mul-tiple other cities surrounding

Schertz. This has allowed true economies of scale to benefit all the residents on the north-east side of San Antonio. Cur-rently, Schertz EMS operates four paramedic level ambu-lances. There is no community

that could afford this level of protection on their own, how-ever partnering together each city has this level of protection while paying a relatively small share of the overall cost.”

EMS Director Dudley Wait (R) with

some of his EMS team.


BVYA


On any given spring or summer Saturday morning, a drive along Cibolo Creek via FM 1518 may yield the sound of a ball cracking off a bat; the whump of the ball hitting a glove; and the excited cheers of parents from H.P. Thulemey-er Park. This year marks the 36th anniversary the Buffalo Valley Youth Association -- BVYA to the locals -- has been in partnership with the City of Schertz to offer organized sports activities to area youth. The year was 1974, and at that time organized youth sports were not available beyond athletic programs of-fered through the schools. So, a group of residents and parent volunteers decided to rectify the situation and petitioned the Schertz City Council for use of Thulemeyer Park for a youth sports program. The plan called for creating an all-volunteer, non-profit group to organize a baseball and softball program, and for the management/care of the fields. With the blessing of the City, the BVYA was born.

Answering a need

The fledgling BVYA did not have the resources to build athletic fields, but be-lieved through its relationship with the City of Schertz, the partnership could be expanded to include the construction of new fields. By taking owner-ship of the program, the group relied on its parents to dress the fields for games, man the gates during tournaments and offered a great facility for youth activities. The City, in turn, would have a dedicated group to help maintain the fields,

B Y M a r y S p e n c e

the surrounding property and would not have to hire addition-al staff to maintain the grounds. A win-win for both groups and area children reaped the rewards. Baseball and softball were the first sports offered. Over the years, requests from parents included Basketball; Fall Ball: A recreational league held in early fall that allows players moving up in an age group to get a feel for the new level of play; Volleyball; Foot-ball; Cheerleading and today, even a swim program. Seventy percent of the participants in BVYA’s programs serve children in 6th grade and below.

Volunteers are the glue

BVYA has proven to be a template for success-ful volunteer organizations. Without parent volunteers - board members, coaches, team moms, snack bar help-ers - the program could falter. Zero coaches = zero teams. A volunteer mom or dad as a coach means another group of youngsters has the opportunity to learn and play. The program is really only limited by the number of volunteers available. Knowing how much the organization depends on parent volunteers, the Buf-falo Bucks program was established in 2008. The post-season (or all-star season) is typically July and August. With summer vacations, many families are away from the area, leaving a handful of volunteers to continue the work of the group. Instead of petitioning the City for assistance, parents are offered a one dollar credit for each man-hour they volun-teer during the post-season.

Credits may be used toward the next season’s registration fees. BVYA President Joh-nie McDow and his family came to Schertz in 1990. Like other families, they were looking for activities for their two young sons. Johnie volunteered as a coach first, joined the board in 1994 and was selected president of the organization in 1996. The longest serving president in the group’s history, Johnie says “ Everyone has a recreational hobby; I’ve tried other activities, I like this one best!” The dedication Johnie, past and present families and the City have shown in this partnership is testament to the success of the program. Working hand-in-hand with BVYA has been the Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City Independant School District. “Without the support of the dis-trict,” says McDow, “we would have a much smaller program. The relationship BVYA and SCUCISD have is key to the success of the program.” School athletic facilities are often used for practices and games. Without the resource of the districts gyms, basketball would be impossible. Imagine: 800 participants (97 teams), 9 gyms and 90 days to hold a complete basketball season. Within those 90 days, teams practice once a week, have two games per week and will par-ticipate in a 10-week season. And scheduling must take into account the regular activities of the individual campuses.

Continued success

Children ages 3 to 19 are eligible to participate. Little Tykes and Little Sluggers offer

instructional play for younger athletes. Age groups for the various sports are determined by the respective sporting group. Today’s BVYA offers instructional programs at all levels and strives to provide all participants with the best sports experience. In 1996, an estimated 250 children participated in baseball and softball. This 2010 season, BVYA will serve 1,011 boys and girls in the baseball/softball program; 800 in basketball, 450 in football/cheer, 400 in volley-ball, and 156 in swimming. All completed by the hands of the parent volunteers and one part-time administrative assistant. The City estimates this 2010 season of volunteer man-hours will save $250,000 through their partnership with BVYA. The youth sports organization strives to be self-sufficient, doing as much as they can with the funds they raise each year, McDow and other BVYA officials stress. Fundraisers and donations are an integral part of the opera-tion. The addition of Schertz BallPark, behind the Municipal Complex, was a big boost to the program. As the city and the area grow, so does the need for additional services. McDow says their greatest need is infrastructure: addition-al practice and playing fields. The vision hasn’t changed since 1974, and the program is living proof a public/private partnership is a great tool. Information about the program is available at www.bvya.com. The office is located at 401 Oak St., they can be reached at (210) 659-1610. Vol-unteers are always welcomed!

Early Partners, Substantial Progress


BVYA


Creation of the North-east Partnership for Economic Development was a defining moment for Schertz and other Metrocom cities, Schertz Mayor Hal Baldwin said. “It was a re-alization that there is economic strength in numbers.” “Live Oak asked Schertz to participate in the cost of an economic study on the benefits of area cities work-ing closer together. It showed great potential,” the mayor said, adding that the study helped rejuvenate interest in a partner-ship group - an idea tried earlier but which had lost steam over time. Baldwin said the new partnership idea caught the attention of Metrocom mayors and city managers, and the timing was right in the 1990s as the area economy began to heat up. “NEP first met in Schertz, then Live Oak and now

in Universal City. It took years to build, but today the North-east Partnership is a vital tool for all our cities,” the mayor emphasized. The partnership united Metrocom cities in a way they had never been and has lead to more partnerships, said NEP Chairman and Universal City Mayor John Williams. The NEP chairman has seen the organization grow in stature and influence and said the partnership has funda-mentally changed the way the member cities act toward each other and has helped them think more regionally. “Each city has its own uniqueness, and that actually has been as asset for the partnership. We all have a different set of needs, but collectively, we real-ize that our relationship as cit-ies has become more enriched as we work toward common

Schertz Mayor Hal Baldwin (from left) Texas Speaker of the House Joe Straus III and State Rep. Joe Farias visit during a meeting of the Northeast Partner-ship where Straus gave a Legislative update.


Northeast Partnership Unites Schertz & Other Cities

goals. We know that individual city economic development efforts actually benefit all of us. All members cities think more regionally,” Williams said. Today, NEP has nine suburban cities -- Schertz, Cibolo, Converse, Garden Ridge, Kirby, Live Oak, Selma, Universal City and Windcrest. It also has various businesses and groups as members and greater political, as well as economic, clout because the partnership represents between 100,000 and 150,000 people. County and state elected officials routinely at-tend the partnership’s monthly meetings because of that large constituency, and NEP has successfully lobbied for state and national legislation ben-efiting its member cities. “When we make our trip to Austin to visit our (Texas Legislature) delegation, people are amazed

that we are united in our efforts and that we speak with one voice,” Williams said.

The chairman said NEP’s main goals are:

* Capitalize on the region’s strategic location (IH-35, Loop 1604, IH-10).

* Broaden job opportuni-ties.

* Diversify commercial activities.

* Promote existing busi-ness.

* Promote and enhance lo-cal civilian/military partner-ship with Randolph AFB.

* Identify private and public sources of capital invest-ment.

Learn more about the NEP on their website at www.satx-northeastpartnership.com

Members of the Randolph Air Power Council (RAPCO), a part of the Northeast Partnership, meet before an NEP monthly meet-ing. RAPCO serves as liaison between the local community and Randolph AFB.




Once upon a time, the idea of big jurisdictions such as Bexar County and San Antonio considering major partnerships with smaller entities was far fetched...

San Antonio and Bexar County say Schertz partnerships

“make sense”


San Antonio City Councilman John Clamp and Bexar County Commissioner Tommy Adkisson are glad their governments partner with Schertz. In fact, they say, the alliances -- which cover such things as water and emergency services -- make more sense every day. Once upon a time, the idea of big jurisdictions such as Bexar County and San Antonio considering major partnerships with smaller entities was far fetched. Not any more. With counties and cities across Tex-as and the nation scrambling to deliver even basic resources, partnerships are seen as one of the smartest moves possible. For Schertz, partner-ships have become a common way of doing business. Part of that is geography and part is history. Schertz is located next to world-class Randolph Air Force Base, is on two major In-terstates (10 and 35), is spread over three counties (Bexar, Comal and Guadalupe) and it is in a cluster of suburban cities. Schertz’s modern history of partnerships began in the 1970s with ambulance service and youth sports and has spread to many major and minor partnerships including a recent one with New Braunfels and Seguin for regional eco-nomic development marketing. Clamp represents District 10 on the Northeast side, the closest council district to Schertz and most of the other northeast suburban cit-ies. “San Antonio and Schertz have worked closer and closer through the years and that is a good thing. Borders don’t mean anything and we have got to be good partners today because we are going to need more partners tomorrow,” Clamp said. He said partnerships help cities and counties create synergy and economies of scale because different part-ners bring different strengths to an equation. “The partnership I am most familiar with is San Antonio’s release of land to Schertz along IH-10 East. We (San Antonio) had no long-term annexation plans for that area and releasing it to Schertz makes sense because Schertz

will make sure it is developed in the best way, the way we would like to see it. And San Antonio still has the south side of IH-10 out there so quality develop-ment in the future benefits our city as well,” the councilman said. Clamp was present several months ago at the San Antonio Water System headquarters where officials from SAWS, San Antonio and Bexar County praised Schertz and Seguin for creation of the Schertz-Seguin Local Govern-ment Corp. which developed a $58 million alternative water source from the Carrizo aquifer. SAWS recently obtained a per-mit to drill a well in the Carrizo Aquifer and hopes to use an SSLGC pipeline to move water to San Antonio. “That would be another good example of San Antonio partnering with Schertz and also Seguin,” Clamp said. “It would be foolish for any government, big or small, not to partner where it makes sense. And partnerships will become more and more com-mon place,” he said pointing to other S.A.-Schertz partner-ships like the $14.7 million CAD (Computer-Aided Dispatch) system. Adkisson said Bexar County has participated in at least four partnerships with Schertz in just the past two or three years. “The most recent example was in the Hillbrook subdivision which will eventual-ly receive Schertz water service under an agreement approved between Bexar County and the City of Schertz,” said Adkisson, whose Pct. 4 includes North-east Bexar County and part of Schertz. The partnership involves a $220,000 water main extension to Hillbrook funded with federal Commu-nity Development Block Grant funds overseen by the Bexar County Department of Commu-nity Resources. The Hillbrook area, located in unincorporated Bexar County and just out-side the Schertz City Limits, was without water during last summer’s record drought when the neighborhood’s water well dried up.

Schertz and Bexar County earlier partnered on a high-water detection system along Cibolo Creek to help give advance notice of potential flooding on this creek. This area has flooded twice in the last 12 years. One of those areas flooded, Lakewood Acres, turned out to be one of the more popular partnerships between the two jurisdictions. Schertz and Bexar County joined forces to turn the area into Crescent Bend Nature Park and a local tragedy-to-triumph story. “Crescent Bend Nature Park is the result of Bexar County and Schertz coming together -- with enlightened leadership on both sides -- to acquire the flooded property with local and federal funds. It

San Antonio City Councilman John Clamp

Crescent Bend Nature Park

Asst. City Manage David Harris at CAD Demo

Bexar County Commissioner Tommy Adkisson

“It would be foolish for any government,

big or small, not to partner

where it makes sense.”

took a while to get the property, but Schertz and Bexar County made it happen,” Adkisson said. “Schertz and Bexar County are helping build a culture of cooperation between jurisdictions that sets an ex-ample and fosters a greater well being for the public,” Adkisson said. Bexar County (as well as San Antonio and Bexar Metro 911) are partnering on the CAD System that officials believe will make regional emergency re-sponse and coordination much better. “Partnerships like those between Bexar County and Schertz save money and deliver better services and show that big and smaller governments can work together smart,” the commissioner added.

The SSLGC partnership produces millions of gallons of good, clean water annually for

Schertz, Seguin and other customers.

Water partners

A Schertz-Seguin Local Government Corp. water storage tank holds millions of gallons of water produced for Schertz, Seguin and other custom-ers by the SSLGC partnership.


It has been nearly 12 years since Schertz and Se-guin developed the Schertz-Seguin Local Government Corporation (SSLGC), a water supply project that provides water from the Carrizo Aquifer to the citizens of both cities. With both Schertz and Seguin having an inter-est in tapping into the same water resource, the cost of the $58-million project was split between the cities and the SSLGC was formed in Decem-ber 1998. “The creation of SSLGC has been one of the most significant events in our city’s history,” said Schertz Mayor Hal Baldwin. “It’s one of the most important partner-ships that Schertz has.” Today, the partner-ship between Schertz and Seguin is expanding to benefit other entities eager to become part of the unique collabora-tion. One of the first in line is the San Antonio Water System (SAWS), which will save $128 million by using a SSLGC pipeline to transport water from Gonzalez County to citizens of San Antonio. According to SAWS, this will be “one of the larg-est non-Edwards [Aquifer] supplies in its history” and will provide water for approxi-mately 40,000 San Antonio

B Y K I K O M A R T I N E Z

Water partners ...and morehouseholds starting in 2013. By entering an agree-ment with SAWS, which ob-tained the necessary permits in July from the Gonzalez County Underground Water Conserva-tion District, SSLGC will earn revenue from the San Antonio public utility for the use of the excess capacity available in the Schertz-Seguin infrastructure. “The negotiations are underway now about the agreement that will be made between the SSLGC and SAWS,” said Seguin Mayor Betty Ann Matthies at press time in early September. “De-tails about charges and pro-cedures are still being worked out.” Alan Cockerell, gen-eral manager of the SSLGC, says it could take months to reach a final negotiation, but assures everyone involved that the initial concept to produce, treat, and transport water from the Carrizo Aquifer to San An-tonio is still the focus. “It is a pretty com-plicated arrangement,” said Cockerell, “but we’re hoping to get things done as soon as possible.” Along with gaining a new partner in SAWS, Matthies also says the extra revenue earned through the SSLGC pipeline will ultimately benefit the residence and business

owners of Schertz and Seguin. “In the long run this will really help our customers because the cost of operation is always passed to them,” says Matthies. “By trying to operate even more efficiently and by using the extra space we have in our pipeline we will be able to hold down the cost of water for our citizens. I think it’s a win-win situation for everyone.” The project is already getting attention from other cities interested in creating something similar to what the SSLGC has been able to ac-complish in the last decade. At a press conference held by SAWS recently, the utility lauded Schertz and Seguin for promoting cooperation between different communities who share like goals. Schertz Mayor Bald-win reflected on the SAWS salute to Schertz and Seguin. “The message I would like everyone to get from that press conference is the strong spirit of cooperation among Schertz, Seguin, San Antonio and SAWS. By combining the money and talents of our different communities we can build a water program to serve South Texas and get water for everyone.”


Among its many partnerships, the agreement Schertz has with YMCA of Greater San Antonio is proving to be the best of both worlds. The City opened the new Schertz Recreation Center at 621 Westchester Dr. earlier this year and now it houses the Schertz Family YMCA. “Schertz selected the YMCA as a partner after we looked at their record of successful partnerships,” said Schertz Mayor Hal Baldwin. “They are the best at things like these,” he added. YMCA officials said the Schertz partnership is unique, and they hope to use it as a blueprint for other branches in the region. YMCA of Greater San Antonio Chief Executive Officer Baron Herdelin-Doherty said: “the Schertz Fam-ily YMCA is our flagship branch and the largest branch with a 38,000-square-foot

Schertz & YMCA: Pros at Partneringbuilding and 6,200 individual mem-bers.” As part of the 2006 voter-ap-proved $20 million bond issue, the city constructed the gleaming, $7.5 million; state-of-the-art Schertz Recreation Cen-ter. That building is used by the venerable Y organization in an alliance others seek to emulate. “We get a lot of visitors from other cities and communities who want to see how this partnership works and if the idea might work in their area. This branch is a true template for possible partner-ships in other places,” said Fredy De-gollado, Executive Director of the Schertz Family YMCA. “We opened on March 29 (2010) with a goal of having 1,100 units (mem-berships) signed up by the end of the year. We how have 1,900 units and 84

percent of those are families. That is a very, very fast growth for a new Y branch. We may hit 7,000 individuals members year’s end,” said Degollado. The membership growth and enthusiastic reception from the commu-nity are especially significant to Degollado because he is a Schertz native. “I went to local schools for grades K-12 and gradu-ated from Clemens in 1985. After getting bachelor’s and master’s degrees, I went to work for the YMCA and was very for-tunate to get this position and come back home,” he said. The executive director has worked in Y branches in different parts of San Antonio and New Braunfels, and at the Y’s Camp Flaming Arrow in the Hill Country. The dream of building a Metro-com area Y branch goes back at least 15

Schertz native Fredy Degollado is Executive Director of the Schertz Family YMCA and said he is thrilled to welcome old friends and new visitors to the “flagship” Y branch.


Schertz & YMCA: Pros at Partneringyears, Degollado said, and likely would have taken longer if not for the part-nership with Schertz. “If we had had to construct our own building it would have taken longer to open a branch in this area. By being able to use this building instead of constructing one, the Y has been able to use resources to get the best equipment and to have extra amenities like a rock climbing wall, splash pad and Movies in Motion (a cardio theater room that features movies for members to watch while they work out),” he said. Echoing the words of Mayor Baldwin, Schertz City Manager Don Taylor said that after just six months of operation the Schertz Family YMCA is a huge success. “Many members of the Schertz community, and beyond, use

this Y branch - and that includes a good number of city employees. The Y is an integral part of the health and wellness of our community,” Taylor added. The YMCA of Greater San Antonio looked at a number of locations in the Metrocom and Northeast San Antonio area, but gravitated to Schertz for several reasons. “Schertz and the Y have a his-tory of partnerships and they both know how to do things right. The city and the Y each knew what they wanted and used the experience of earlier partnerships to form a new one. We are called Schertz Fam-ily YMCA for a reason...the branch serves the needs of all members of a family and just about every group. Programs go from youngsters to seniors,”Degollado said. The executive director said the Y is the hub of the community with students

coming in after school and many adults coming in the evening. And there are early birds showing up at 5:00 AM when the branch opens. The YMCA has managed Schertz city swimming pools for the past three years and, if local voters this November approve the aquatic center envisioned next to the Schertz Recreation Center, the YMCA would be excited about managing such a facility, Degollado said. Learn more about the Schertz YMCA at www.ymcasatx.org.




The City of Schertz is partnering with the Comal County Senior Citizens Foundation (CCSCF) to provide better services to Schertz-area seniors. These services include providing meals to seniors 60 years old and over for free. Donations are always welcomed. The program currently feeds approximately 30-40 people per meal three times per week (Monday, Wednesday and Friday) at the Schertz Community Center. When the pro-gram moves to its permanent location at 608 Schertz Parkway (the old library building), meals will be served five days a week, and participation is expected to double. The new location is expected to open by late 2010 and will be called the Schertz Area Senior Center. The partnership became effective on May 18, 2010 with goals that include CCSCF operating a senior citizens center and provid-ing nutritional and social services to Schertz area residents including adult day care, health services, minor home repairs and personal attendant services. “This agreement is yet another example of how the City of Schertz uses partnerships with groups and other jurisdictions to pro-vide improved service at a reduced cost,” said Mayor Hal Baldwin. “This partnership with CCSCF will enhance nutrition and other services and ac-tivities to Schertz area seniors.” CCSCF’s obligations include working with Schertz to identify quali-fying seniors, recruiting volunteers for programs, and renovating the (former library) facility to provide meals and other services. The agreement calls for Schertz to pay CCSCF $3,500 per month ($42,000 per year) for two years. Additional funds will be pro-vided by CCSCF to cover the costs of meals, staffing, renovations and other expenses. Schertz City Manager Don Taylor said the partnership with CC-SCF will not only offer more services and help for Schertz area seniors but will also be a model senior center that other communities and cities can look to for ideas. “The senior center at the old library will be able to offer programs and services that Schertz has wanted to offer but couldn’t before. I see a large, extended service program that will get more seniors involved and able to do things like participate in educational programs, social oppor-tunities and wellness programs. This will be a model senior center,” Taylor said. Schertz resident Ida Hardy has been hired as the Center Manager and will be a regular presence at the community center.

Schertz Area Senior Center Models

Community Alliance

B Y B r i t t a n y L o s e y

With the space available, another potential partnership awaits - one which provides medical services in one convenient location. Free services would include basic health screenings such as diabetes and blood pressure testing. Full health services would also be accessible through this program. “I think this is going to work great for the City of Schertz,” said Bob Cantu, Assistant to the City Manager. “This is a great partnership.”

To better meet the needs of adults fifty (50) and over in the Schertz area, the city would like to know what programs, classes and activities to offer at your Schertz Area Senior Center. The survey is available online at schertz.com or a paper copy can be picked up at the Schertz Public Library Information Desk, 798 Schertz Parkway.

Senior citizens enjoy a hot meal at the Schertz Community Center. A Schertz Area Senior Center with hot meals five days a week and other amenities is slated to open in the coming months in the old library building.

F o c u zF o c u zF o c u z


a n d B r a d E . B a i l e y

John Bierschwale’s “hands on” experience is unique for a city adminis-trator; he’s been a volunteer firefighter, reserve police officer, and worked in city departments dealing with everything from drainage, streets and parks to water and wastewater. Today, Bierschwale is a Schertz Assistant City Manager oversee-ing many of the departments he once reported to. And because he has been in the game so long and has the experience of being a “line” worker, Bierschwale’s also got the memory of an elephant, which is useful for avoiding past miscues. In the 1970s, it was not uncom-mon for small town teenagers and high schoolers to split their time between football and fighting fires. So, at 14, Bier-schwale joined the Schertz Volunteer Fire Department. “We were living on the South Side of San Antonio when my dad bought property in Schertz,” Bierschwale said. He worked in his family’s funeral and ambulance business for a number of years, but eventually left for a job with a heating and air conditioning company. He then got a job with the City of Schertz

Bierschwale:Home-grown

Visionary

Best of

mowing grass and picking up trash in city parks: he was probably one of the city’s first park workers. In April 1978, Bierschwale became a Schertz reserve police officer and continued working as a volunteer firefighter until 1988. In 1979, he went to work for the water department and began to move through the ranks with promotions to Water and Wastewater Foreman in February 1980, Water and Wastewater Supervisor the next year and eventually became the Public Works Director in July 1993. As the 1990’s progressed, Bier-schwale did more and more city admin-istration work with ordinances and such, first with City Manager Kerry Sweatt and then his replacement, City Manager Mark Marquez. Marquez turned to Bierschwale for help and promoted him to Assistant City Manager in October 2002. When Marquez departed in 2004, Bierschwale was called on by Mayor Hal Baldwin and the Schertz City Council to fill the void and take the reins as Interim City Manager. During that year, Bierschwale oversaw a number of city construction

projects including the new City Council Chambers and Schertz Civic Center. In 2005, Bierschwale re-sumed his duties as Assistant City Manager with the naming of the new City Manager, Don E. Taylor. Bierschwale has been involved in a number of important projects in the last 20 years that have helped propel Schertz to its premier municipality sta-tus. Those projects include: creation of the Schertz-Seguin Local Government Corp.; completion of Schertz Park-way to IH-35 and construction of the Schertz Public Library and the Schertz Recreation Center that houses the Schertz Family YMCA. Away from the office, John Bierschwale likes to spend time with his family: wife, Donna; son, Robert Bierschwale and wife Kim; son, John Robert Bierschwale; daughter, Amy Pruitt and husband Justin; and grand-daughters, Gwenn Bierschwale and Addison Ray Pruitt.


Harris: Rooted in

Experience

Best of Both Worlds

Before taking his position as Schertz Assistant City Manager in October 2006, David J. Harris had the opportunity to cut his teeth on two public service jobs in the region; City Administrator of Hill Country Village and being the Bexar County Grants Manager and Budget/Management Analyst. And, lessons learned at those jobs are being used today in Schertz. Harris and his family moved from Fort Worth to Alamo Heights in 1972 when he was three years old. “I mostly grew up in Alamo Heights and Terrell Hills and graduated from Alamo Heights High School where I participat-ed in soccer and was managing editor of the school newspaper,” Harris said. After High School, Harris completed his Bachelors in Arts at Whitworth College in Spokane, Washington in 1991 and six years later, his Masters in Urban Admin-istration at Trinity University. After college, Harris gained private sector tourism and business experience with Holland America/West Tours in Alaska when he served as their Operations Manager in Juneau and also

worked as a Driver/Guide Instructor and Station Manager in Valdez, Alaska. Cus-tomer service is a cornerstone of tourism, Harris learned. “Working for a larger entity like Bexar County and a small suburban gov-ernment like Hill Country Village helped prepare me for a lot of the issues we deal with in Schertz. I have met a lot of people and established relationships that help me when working with the surrounding areas and state and federal officials,” Harris said. In 2006, Harris went to work for Schertz and set goals to improve city services, customer service, and help city employees do the best job possible. “The City of Schertz knows that residents are our customers and want to give them the best possible service. Creation of a 311 system is an example of working to improve customer service because it helps residents get the infor-mation they need faster and better and with a personal touch,” the Assistant City Manager said, adding that that personal touch is what helps give Schertz a high quality of life.

And Harris enjoys that quality of life. In his free time, Harris likes to workout and run or walk his dog along the City of Schertz trail system. Outside of Schertz, Harris has served on numerous boards and commissions, including the Professional Development Commit-tee of the Texas City Management Association and the Texas Munici-pal League (TML) Legislative Policy Committee on Utilities and Trans-portation. He was named “Hidalgo de San Antonio de Bejar” by Bexar County Commissioners Court, is a former member of El Rey Feo LII Court and former President, Trea-surer, Board Member and Commit-tee Member of the Miss Fiesta San Antonio Scholarship Pageant. Har-ris currently serves as TML Region 7 Secretary.

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The City of Schertz has called a bond election to allow voters to consider several projects recommended for financing. The city urges all registered voters to participate in the November 2010 election. However, the City cannot and does not encourage anyone to support or oppose any particular proposition on the ballot.

What follows are general facts about each bond proposition and estimated taxes for homes or properties valued at $100,000. Property taxes are based on the value of your property.

Proposition 1 ~ $6.625 million to design, con-struct, and equip a new enclosed Community Swimming Pool and Aquatic Facility and to relocate and improve the existing Schertz Play-scape. Proposition 1~$22.31 annually ($1.86 a month).

Proposition 2 ~ $6 million to design,construct and equip new Athletic/Recreational Sports Fields and related Parking, Restrooms and Concession Facilities. Proposition 2~ $20.21 annually ($1.68 a month).

Proposition 3 ~ $2.25 million to design, con-struct, renovate and equip the existing Animal Services Facility and new Adoption Space, Vaccination Facility and Dog Park. Proposi-tion 3~ $7.58 annually ($0.63 a month).

Proposition 4 ~ $1 million to design, construct, and equip revitalization and beautification im-provements to Downtown Schertz. Proposition 4~ $3.37 annually ($0.28 a month).

Proposition 5 ~ $1.45 million to design, construct, and equip a new Community Fine Arts and His-tory Center. Proposition 5~ $4.88 annually ($0.41 a month).

Proposition 6 ~ $5.1 million to design, construct and equip a new Community Open Air Event Facility. Proposition 6~ $17.18 annually ($1.43 a month).

Early voting begins October 18th and continues through October 29th. Locally, a Schertz voter may cast an early ballot at the Guadalupe County Elections Office ~ Schertz Branch at 1101 Elbel Road, Schertz, TX 78154.

Applications for Ballot by Mail shall be mailed to: Sue Basham, Elections Administrator, P. O. Box 1346, Seguin, TX 78156-1346Applications for Ballots by Mail must be received no later than the close of business on October 26, 2010.

For a complete list of early voting times and locations, visit the Gua-dalupe County Elections Office online at www.guadalupe-elections.com.

Schertz Residents to Consider 6 Bond Proposals


By Precinct, Schertz Election Day Voting Locations, include: Precincts and Polling Locations for Schertz Residents Living in Guadalupe County

301 Knights of Columbus Hall, 509 Schertz Pkwy., Schertz, TX 78154302 Cibolo City Hall, 200 S. Main St., Cibolo, TX 78108303 Schertz Elections Office, 1101 Elbel Rd., Schertz, TX 78155304 Schertz Community Center, 1400 Schertz Parkway, Schertz, TX 78154305 Schertz Baptist Church, 600 Aero, Schertz, TX 78154306 Elaine S. Schlather Intermediate School, 230 Elaine S. Schlather Pkwy., Cibolo, TX307 Schertz Community Center North (formerly Northcliffe Fire Station), 3501 Morning Dr., Schertz, TX308 Schertz United Methodist Church, 3460 Roy Richard Dr., Schertz, TX 78154401 Santa Clara City Hall, 1653 N. Santa Clara Rd., Santa Clara, TX 78124

Precincts and Polling Locations for Schertz Residents Living in Bexar County

4087, 4183, 4126 Judson Middle School, 9695 Schaefer, San Antonio, TX 78109

4127Converse Economic Dev. Center, 601 S. Seguin, Converse, TX

Precincts and Polling Locations for Schertz Residents Living in Comal County

202 John Paul II Catholic High School, 6720 FM 482, New Braunfels, TX205 Jay F. Feibelman Garden Ridge Community Center, 21340 FM 3009, Garden Ridge, TX

City of Schertz Special Election Polling Locations

Election Day, November 2, 2010

For a complete list of Election Day, (November 2, 2010) voting locations, visit the Guadalupe County Elections Office online at www.guadalupe-elections.com

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ACHOO! SCHERTZ EMS READY WITH FLU SHOT CLINICS

Schertz EMS will be providing its annual flu shot clinics in two differ-ent formats this year. First, normal clinics will open by mid-October based upon the availability of vaccine. The department antici-pates the cost of the vac-cine will be approximately $20 and it will accept Medicare. The clinics will be open throughout the week to accommodate as many people as possible. EMS is also interested in operating flu shot clinics in businesses and com-munities in the City. If you

would like to hold a shot clinic in your location, call (210) 619-1400. EMS also has pneumonia vaccines available.

Saturday, October 23rd from 8:00 AM to noon, EMS will be conducting an exercise of the Guadalupe County Emergency Management Points of Distribution plan by conducting a “Drive Through” flu shot clinic at Steele High School. This will be an opportunity for those who need a flu shot and would like to help evalu-ate this “drive through” plan

to participate in the exer-cise. During this time, peo-ple will drive onto the Steele campus, fill out paperwork, receive their immunization and will depart without ever leaving the vehicle. Dur-ing the test, EMS hopes to administer 1,000 vaccines in under four hours. Steele High School is located at 1300 FM 1103, Cibolo. The vaccines will be given out on a first come/first served basis so be sure to get there early. For more information, visit www.schertz.com or call (210) 619-1400.

Pictured: State Reps. Doug Miller, left, and Edmund Kuempel discuss water and other legislative issues during the “Solutions for Our Regional Water Needs” Symposium held in Schertz.

SCHERTZ WATER SYMPOSIUM DRAWS CITIES,COUNTIES, AREA AGENCIES

Participants from around Texas took part in a regional water symposium at the Schertz Civic Center September 8th. Schertz, a leader in regional water issues, hosted the event. As Schertz Mayor Hal Baldwin said: “By combining the money and talents of our different communities we can build a water program to serve South Texas and get water for everyone.”

Among those taking part in the “Solutions for Our Regional Water Needs” symposium were: State Reps. Edmund Kuempel and Doug Miller; Texas Municipal League- Region 7 President Art Reyna (a Leon Valley council-man); the cities of Schertz, Live Oak, Selma and Seguin; the counties of Comal, Guadalupe

and Wilson; the Schertz-Seguin Lo-cal Govt. Corp.; San Antonio Water System; San Antonio River Authority; El Paso Utilities and the Texas Water Development Board.


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PROPOSED VETERANS PLAZA TO BE LOCATED NEXT TO OLD LIBRARY

SCHERTZ THANKS HEB FOR DONATION TOWARD

JUBILEE FIREWORKS

Pictured: Schertz Mayor Hal Baldwin (right) presents HEB representative Kel Goolsby a plaque in recognition of HEB’s $10,000 contribution to the 2010 Schertz Jubilee fireworks display.

Drop off Site Open Oct 9-24, 2010. (See below for hazardous items drop off times.)Drop offs may be made at Bexar Waste’s temporary col-lection point, 2221 FM 3009 (Near Live Oak Road) between 8 AM and 6 PM daily. Please Remember During the two-week clean up, Bexar Waste will pick up household waste (for a fee, prices determined by Bexar Waste) not covered under their normal collection service, such as lumber and general trash as well as major appliances and furniture. If you have questions regarding the details, please call Bexar Waste (210-566-5454). Schertz Public Works provides year-round curbside chip-ping service of brush and tree limbs on Fridays for a fee of $25 per half hour. To make an appointment for brush and tree limb chipping service, call Public Works (210-619-1800). Chipping will be scheduled as first come, first served. Again, you must call and make an appointment. Please note: Bexar Waste picks up small bundles of brush and tree limbs (maximum length of 4 feet and maximum total weight of 50 pounds) with normal trash pick-up without any additional charges.

What you need to know:The Fall Clean Up is restricted to Schertz residents only. Waste delivered must be

Annual Fall Clean Up Oct. 9-24Drop off at Bexar Waste Site. Items dropped off here will be free of charge.

separated by type of mate-rial by the resident. Fall Clean Up activities do not apply to commercial property clean up, large property clean up, lot or acreage clean up, or lot and property land clearing. Com-mercial tree trimmers are not eligible for this service. A current water bill or tax state-ment and proper identification are required when making a drop-off. Commercial waste will not be accepted. 1. Couches, Refrigera-tors, Stoves, Computer/Moni-tors, anything and everything that IS NOT HAZARDOUS OR TIRES can be dropped off, free of charge, during the clean up, Monday through Sunday, 8:00 am to 6:00 pm.2. Materials WILL BE sorted by customer, NOT BY Bexar Waste employees.3. Appliances will be ACCEPTED FREE ONLY IF Freon tank is removed; if Freon tank is still attached there will be a $25.00 fee at time of drop off. Any questions concerning

the Freon tank removal, please contact Bexar Waste.

Hazardous Items/Tires and Drop off Times1. HAZARDOUS ITEMS and TIRES may be dropped off ONLY on the weekends of Oc-tober 16-17 and 23-24, 2010.2. Hazardous waste includes but is not limited to:a. Insecticides, pesti-cides, herbicides, fertilizers, chemicals, cleaning and bleach products, swimming pool cleaners and chemicals, enamel and latex paints in cans and aerosol dispensers, varnish and stains, paint thinners and removers, acetone, etc.b. TIRES are considered hazardous. Tires are limited to eight (8) per household.c. Tires on rims, or wheels, commercial vehicle tires, tractor tires, and heavy equipment tires WILL NOT be accepted.d. Automotive hazardous waste such as used oil, filters

and batteries.e. Empty propane tanks up to seven (7) gallons – VALVE MUST BE ENTIRE-LY REMOVED.f. Mercury WILL NOT be accepted.

Questions?For more information about the Fall Clean Up and what will and will not be accepted, please call Bexar Waste (210-566-5454) or Schertz Public Works (210-619-1800). You may also dial 311 within the City of Schertz.The City of Schertz and Bexar Waste are not respon-sible for damage to vehicles or injury to citizens during this event.The City of Schertz and Bexar Waste reserve the right to refuse service to anyone for not following the rules of the clean up.

Veterans Plaza

THE CITY OF SCHERTZ NEEDS YOU!

The City of Schertz offers a number of ways for citizens to become actively involved in government business through its boards and commissions. All members of these active groups are volunteers whose charge it is to make recom-mendations and advise the city council on issues from expen-diture of public funds to zoning questions. The city charter and ordinances authenticate the ex-istence of each board or com-mission and establishes them as legal arms of city govern-ment. All board or commission members are residents who,

after completing an application form, are appointed by council and/or the mayor. Most boards or commissions meet on a monthly basis and members are expected to attend all meetings unless specific circumstances arise. BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS

Qualifications for Appointment

The City of Schertz City Code of Or-dinances establishes that persons who have resided in the City for at least twelve (12) months shall be considered for appointment to City boards and commissions unless otherwise provided in the Code.

A location for the proposed Veterans Plaza was put forth at the City Council meeting September 14th. The location would be next

to the old Library building (608 Schertz Parkway) across from the Knights of Columbus Hall. More to come.


Looking for a New Church?We’re right here.

Join us for Worship, Sunday’s at 10:30

Connecting People to Christ, Community, and His Calling.

Next to Grumpy’s Restaurant

call 210.501.2345 or visit us at lifebridgecctx.com

DOES CRIME PAY IN GUADALUPE COUNTY?

The new Guadalupe County Crime Stoppers program made its debut in the western part of the county September 29th with an open house reception at the Schertz Civic Center. Among those attending the Crime Stoppers event were Schertz Mayor Hal Baldwin, Guadalupe County County Judge Mike Wig-gins, and Guadalupe County District Attorney Heather Hollub. Also attending from Schertz were Assistant City Manager David J. Harris, Police Chief Steve Starr, Assistant Chief Mike Harris and Special Projects Officer Shawn Ceeko. Law enforcement officials from, Cibolo, Marion and the Guadalupe County Sheriff’s Depart-ment were also on hand. Schertz Chamber of Commerce Chair Jewell Davenport and President Maggie Titterington presented welcome gifts to the Crime Stoppers program as the newest chamber member.

Guadalupe County Crime Stoppers Chairman Ken Kiel said the reception was held in Schertz (and a similar one the next night in Seguin) to show the new program is encouraging participation from all of Guadalupe County. Kiel said in its first month, Guada-lupe County Crime Stoppers got about 40 tips compared to just two a month under the previous program called Secret Witness. Crime Stoppers pays money for tips that lead to the arrest of criminals and people giving the tips do not have to give their names.

The Crime Stoppers tip lines are (830) 303-TIPS (8477) and toll free at 877-403-TIPS (8477). Or log onto http://guadalupecounty-crimestoppers.org/

Officials from Schertz, Seguin, Cibolo,Marion, Santa Clara, Guadalupe County and the Schertz Chamber of Commerce gather for a informational meeting on the new Guadalupe County Crime Stoppers group at the Schertz Civic Center Sept. 29.


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POLITICAL SIGNS DOS AND DON’TS • Political signs can only be up 90 days before an elec-

tion and must be removed after 10 days.• Must be on private property, not on any public right of

way.• Permission must be granted by the landowner.• If TxDOT removes a sign the owner has 10 days to

claim it before disposal.• Political signs are exempt from permit fees.• Cannot be located or placed on any public right of way

or public property.• Cannot be attached to trees, mailboxes, utility poles,

traffic signs, etc.• With permission from landowner a sign can be placed

on private property. A sign that is erected, constructed, or otherwise located within or upon public right-of-way or on public property may be removed by City personnel and disposed of immediately. The City is not required to notify the owner of the sign of its removal and disposal.

SEWER AVERAGING (NOVEMBER – FEBRUARY) WILL AFFECT RESIDENTS’ 2011-2012 SEWER BILLS

Sewer averaging for the winter months begins November 1, 2010 and continues through March 15, 2011. Meter readings taken over this period will determine your sewer average for the next billing year, which begins April 1. The readings will be averaged, and that average will be multiplied by $2.65 for residents with an average below 12,000 gallons. For residents with averages over 12,001 gallons, the average will be multiplied by $2.84. That total will be added to the base rate of $3.75 (residential use). This average will be your sewer charge for the next twelve (12) months. Customers are encouraged to use water conservatively throughout the averag-ing months to ensure their sewer/water bills remain manageable. Households who use large amounts of water (watering the yard, bath, etc.) during the averaging months can expect higher sewer bills for the next billing year. Karen Garcia, City of Schertz Public Works Business Coordinator, advises customers to double-check all residential water systems (toilets, showers/baths, outdoor faucets, etc.) for leaks and make sure their appliances are in good working condition. Commonly, unexpectedly high water bills can be traced to leaks (toilets, automatic sprinkler systems, etc.), or “running” toi-lets. Garcia also suggests that residents limit landscape water use, be frugal when washing automobiles, and limit unnecessary water use during the sewer averaging period. The following are the averaging dates for all billing cycles: Novem-ber 1, 2010 through March 15, 2011. For more visit ww.schertz.com or call (210) 619-1100.

SCHERTZ CITY COUNCIL MEETING CHANGES

The Schertz City Council has cancelled its regular scheduled meeting on October 26th.

Beginning with the October 19, 2010 session, meeting times will change to 6:00 PM (currently 6:30 PM).

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LIVE RACINGSept. 3 – Oct. 23

2010 LIVE RACING

IT’S GONNA BE

O PEN E V ERY DAY Y E AR - R O U N D F O R SIMU LC A S T IN GI-35 North, Exit 174-A • (210) 651-7000 www.retamapark.com

• Friday & Saturday Nights• Post Time: 6:45 PM

50¢ SATURDAY NIGHTS

IMPORTANT SCHERTZPHONE NUMBERSCity of Schertz Elected Officials

Mayor: Hal Baldwin 210-658-6466

Council Members:Michael Carpenter (210) 619-1045Cedric Edwards, Sr. (210) 566-4540Jim Fowler (210) 658-1442David Scagliola (830) 606-1130George Antuna, Jr. (210) 467-7914

City Departments:City of Schertz (210) 619-1000Animal Control (210) 619-1550Business/Utilities (210) 619-1100City Manager (210) 619-1000City Secretary (210) 619-1030Civic Center (210) 619-1600Customer Care/311 (210) 619-1000Economic Development (210) 619-1070EMS (non-emergency) (210) 619-1400Fire (non-emergency) (210) 619-1300Human Resources (210) 619-1150Information Technology (210) 619-1180Inspections (210) 619-1750Marshal Services (210) 619-1666Municipal Court (210) 619-1500Parks & Recreation (210) 619-1850Planning & Zoning (210) 619-1780Police (non-emergency) (210) 619-1200Public Affairs (210) 619-1630Public Library (210) 619-1700Public Works (210) 619-1800Records (210) 619-1000Website www.schertz.com

GOVERNMENTROUND-UP

***Meeting locations may change, for up-to-date information visit www.schertz.com***

DATES TO KNOW

MONDAY, 4Library Advisory Board, 7:00 PM - Schertz Public Library

Joint meeting city councils of Cibolo, Converse, Live Oak, Schertz, Seguin and Selma on future water needs, 6:30 p.m. Schertz Civic Center.

TUESDAY, 5City Council, 6:30 PM,Council Chambers

National Night Out

THURSDAY, 7Transportation Safety Advisory Commission, 5:30 PM - Council Chambers

Citizens Police Academy Alumni, 7:00 PM,PD Training Room

MONDAY, 11City Offices Closed - Columbus Day

Buffalo Valley Youth Association, 6:00 PM,401 Oak St


WEDNESDAY, 13Planning & Zoning, 6:30 PM, Council Chambers

THURSDAY, 14Schertz Economic Development Corporation, 6:30 PM,Council Chambers


THURSDAY, 21Historical Preservation Committee, 6:30 PM,Bob Andrews Conference Rm

Third Thursday Artz, 6:30 PM, Schertz Civic Center

MONDAY, 25Parks & Recreation Advisory Board, 5:30 PM,Bob Andrews Conference Room

Board of Adjustments, 6:00 PM, Council Chambers

TUESDAY, 26City Council CANCELLED

WEDNESDAY, 27Planning & Zoning, 6:30 PM, Council Chambers



Founded in 1989, the Schertz Sweetheart Court Scholarship Program has become synonymous with the name Schertz! Each year Schertz high school students compete for one of the six coveted positions on the court and for the op-portunity to serve as ambassadors for their com-munity at events and activities throughout Texas. And each year, one young lady is crowned Miss Schertz. Seventeen (17) finalists were selected to partici-pate in the 2010- 2011 Sweetheart Coronation held September 15th at the Schertz Civic Center where each participant demonstrated to friends, family, community members, and a panel of Judges why they should be chosen to represent Schertz. The independent panel of judges for the 21st annual Sweetheart Coronation included: Dr. Richard C. Adam, Podiatry Chief at CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Hospital Medical Center; Ms. Lou Simmons, Director of Sales for the South Texas Region of AT&T mobility; and former Texas State Representative, and current member of the Leon Valley City Council, Mr. Art Reyna.

Nicole Elliot, a Senior at Samuel Clemens High School, was crowned the 21st Miss Schertz. Here Court consists of: Miss Sunshine – Danica Mathis; Miss Liberty – Lillian Miese; Miss Freedom – Sarah Corder; Miss Friendly City – Mia Lopez; and Miss Tri-County – Larissa Gruell. Congratulations to all the young ladies participating in this years coronation.



than 50,000 residents of Schertz and Seguin and also serves Selma, Universal City and others. Fu-ture customers likely will include San Antonio. Based on the BVYA model of the 1970s, Schertz partnered with local soccer groups sev-eral years ago. The agreement involved the city’s purchase of a once privately owned soccer facility and turning it into the Schertz Soccer Complex. The unique arrangement has advantages for both par-ties. The Schertz Youth Soccer Alliance takes care of most of the complex’s maintenance (saving the city money) and they get priority use of the facility And the soccer complex is such a premier facility, a two-day soccer event last February drew partici-pants from all over the nation and pumped about $90,000 into the local economy in one weekend.

TML: Schertz is

“partnering model”

for cities(continued from page 23)

Other recent Schertz partnerships include:

* Schertz EMS and Northeast Methodist Hospital for pur-chase and deployment of automatic CPR machines in ambu-lances. The hospital donated $90,000 toward the partnership.

* With Bexar County to operate Crescent Bend Nature Park on Cibolo Creek. The park was once a flood-ravaged subdi-vision that today is the home of magnificent flora and fauna and is a bird watcher’s paradise (learn more about wildlife species in related Talk of The Town article).

* With San Antonio for stewardship of IH-10 E. frontage and nearby land. San Antonio released thousands of acres from its own extraterritorial jurisdiction-the second such occur-ance (also in 1986), when the Alamo City felt that some lands on IH-10 could not be annexed in a timely manner and those lands would develop in a smart manner under Schertz’ juris-diction. * Wth the New Braunfels-based Comal County Senior Citi-zens Foundation to operate a Schertz-area Senior Citizens Center in the old Schertz library building. *A four-party partnership for development and implementa-tion of a $14.7 million Computer Assisted Dispatch (CAD) system. The regional agreement includes Schertz, Bexar County, San Antonio and Bexar Metro 911. The dispatch system can cut response time by up to three minutes and delivers a quantum leap in emergency (police, fire and EMS) service. Ultimately the CAD system could cover all of Bexar, Comal and Guadalupe counties. * Joining the partnership known as the I-10 Corridor Asso-ciation. The association includes cities in the IH-10 corridor between San Antonio and Houston and works to promote economic development and tourism.

* With New Braunfels and Seguin to form the 10/35 Economic Development Alliance. Economic development groups in each city will merge some of their activities and market their IH-10/IH-35 region.

* And many more...

Pictured: The ribbon-cutting ceremony for Crescent Bend Nature Park in Schertz, made possible through a partner-ship with Bexar County.

CITY OF SCHERTZOFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS1400 SCHERTZ PARKWAY - SCHERTZ, TEXAS 78154

1400 SCHERTZ PARKWAY.SCHERTZ.TEXAS.78154

SCHERTZPUBLIC AFFAIRS

Jordan Ford invites you to attend a special immersion experience offering the opportunity to test-drive our next generation Ford SYNC system, now featuring MyTouch technology.

Date: October 16Time: 5 PM - 8 PMLocation: Jordan Ford13010 IH-35 N, San Antonio, TX 78233

Enjoy hands-on demonstrations designed to let you personally experience everything our award-winning in-vehicle connectivity system has to off. We’ll show you how easy it is to control your music, phone, travel route and much more.

You’ll also get to preview the advanced technologies inside Ford vehicles such as the brand new Ford Fiesta, getting rave re-views for its hip styling and EPA estimated 40 highway MPG* fuel economy, Fusion Hybrid, Escape and the 2011 Edge with it s available MyFord Touch technology.

The event includes complimentary food and drinks, great giveaways, and the chance for one guest to take home a new iPod Touch!!

Space is limited, so RSVP today at: www.fortechtour.com/892346.

See Why SYNC ® Is Now Even Easier to Use!

*SFE Automatic

Hope to see you there!

Drive one.

October 2010

Documents

Transcript of October 2010