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By JERRY MORGAN, Reporter

COMANCHE -- The restricted burn ban that the county has long maintained when not in a total burn ban, was lifted by action of the Commissioners Court on Monday.

The Commissioners also agreed to support the efforts of the Comanche County Water Supply Corporation to seek new grants to fund additional system expansion to provide treated water for rural residents.

On Monday, April 14, the Commissioners Court met in regular session with Judge James Arthur conducting the meeting. Commissioners Garry Steele, Kenneth Feist, Bobby Schuman and Jimmy Dale Johnson were all present.

Other county officials and employees present and participating at various times during the meeting included County Clerk Ruby Lesley, County Auditor Joey Boswell, County Treasurer Billy Ruth Rust, Sheriff Jeff Lambert, County Attorney Craig Willingham, Chief Deputy Chris Pounds, Emergency Services Coordinator Ray Helberg and his assistant, Trish Grimshaw, Constable Mark McDonald and Central Dispatch administrator Tammy Poteet.

Others attending included Commissioner, Precinct 3 elect Sherman Sides and Commissioner, Precinct 1 candidates Corky Underwood and David Rogers.

Water Supply Corporation Request

The first order of business involved a request by the Comanche County Water Supply Corporation, a non-profit entity that purchases and distributes treated water to residents in some rural areas of the county.

Norman Williams, board president of CCWSC, and Randy Beyer, an engineer with Jacob & Martin Consulting Engineers in Abilene addressed the Commissioners.

Williams described his mission as, "to bring a bucket full of money into this county to develop water resources."

Williams then reviewed the history of CCWSC, which was originally formed to provide water to the Sipe Springs and Sidney areas, and since then has greatly expanded its service area with the assistance of loans and grants from Rural Development.

The first expansion covered rural areas generally between DeLeon and Comanche. The second expansion, which is currently being constructed, has included areas along Highway 36 between Comanche and Gustine, and between Comanche and the county line.

Williams pointed out that the second phase expansion had not covered as much area as originally intended due to rising costs and being hemmed in by a fixed amount of funds available from the loan and grant. As a result, there are numerous rural residents who desire treated water service, but could not be reached because of budget cutbacks.

Williams explained that he had been seeking additional funding to provide water service to additional area.

One grant possibility is through the state's Office of Rural Community Affairs where $250,000 water system expansion grants are available.

The grant can only be available to either county or city governmental entities, however, and thus the county would be required to be responsible for the receipt and appropriate disbursement of the grant funds.

A second funding prospect is a STEP grant for $350,000. It would provide considerably more net funds for pipe in the ground, since all labor involved in the water system expansion must be volunteered labor, not paid. It also has less associated origination and administration costs, but the grant funds would also have to be handled through the county.

There were questions from the Commissioners regarding the system's service area, costs and work commitments that would be required of the county.

They were advised that any expenses would be borne by CCWSC and that the associated paperwork should be minimal.

The history of how and why some areas are served and others are not was explained.

County Auditor Joey Boswell recalled how the county had assisted in administering the grant funds when CCWSC was originally founded in the early 1990's and agreed that the county's administrative load would be light.

Boswell was concerned, however, that administering the grant funds might cause the county to incur additional audit costs. His concerns were eased when being assured that the FEMA grants would cause the additional audit costs to be incurred anyway.

Bobby Schuman was also concerned that CCWSC's service area did not extend into his precinct.

Again, the logistics and limitations of the system's expansion and service areas were explained.

Garry Steele commented that he understood the need for the water system since he had poor water resources where he lived near Sidney.

He stated, "I certainly think wherever the water lines are going to run, the county should support an expansion, or a grant program for you guys." Steele added, "I think it's going to be a continual thing until every road we've got has water lines on it."

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By JERRY MORGAN, Reporter

The DeLeon City Council met in a regularly scheduled meeting on Thursday evening, April 10, with a relatively light agenda awaiting.

The most controversial topic of the meeting was conducted largely in Spanish. Twice the meeting was closed for sessions with the city's attorney.

Mayor Danny Owen conducted the meeting with Council members Howard Gifford, Avery Carlisle, Roy Dale Freeman and Gayle Stroud in attendance. Norma Locke was not present.

Marilyn Harbor acted as meeting secretary in the absence of City Secretary Karen Wilkerson, who was out of town at a conference. City attorney Lois Rockefeller also sat at the Council table, which sported dressy new white cloth skirting.

DeLeon PD Chief Ralph Dickey and Sergeant Dustin Paulsen, and Public Works Manager Rob Duncan were present, along with seven other interested citizens.

Following the roll call and opening invocation given by Mayor Owen, the first order of business was citizen's presentations. There were none.

The next agenda item concerned the approval of the minutes of the prior meeting, which were adopted without changes or corrections.

The next agenda item was a request by DeLeon resident Maria Ramirez to connect a travel trailer located on her lot to city utilities. Ramirez' request had been considered and then tabled at the prior Council meeting.

Mayor Owen immediately declared that the Council would adjourn into a closed session with attorney Rockefeller.

At the conclusion of a 20 minute executive session, all standing outside the Council chambers were invited to come back inside. Mayor Owen invited Ramirez to readdress the Council concerning her request.

Ramirez, who apparently is not entirely comfortable speaking in English, spoke mainly in Spanish, although there was some portion of her remarks made in English.

Ramirez noted that the travel trailer she had recently purchased and parked on her lot was intended to be used as a residence for her family members and that she desired to be hooked up to electrical, water and sewer utilities and be legal in doing so.

Mayor Owen had two photos in hand of the subject trailer and another, both located on Ramirez' lot. He asked if anyone was living in the second, smaller trailer.

Ramirez assured him that no one lived in it, it was not connected to any utilities and that it was used only for storage of "junk". She reiterated she only wanted connections permission for the big trailer.

Both Mayor Owen and attorney Rockefeller explained that although there are some travel trailers in town that have been connected to city utilities similar to Ramirez' request, that they had been connected prior to the enactment of a city ordinance in 2004 or earlier.

The ordinance does not prohibit the parking of a travel trailer, even one being used as a temporary residence, but only the permanent utility connections.

Marilyn Harbour acted as a translator, explaining Owen's comments to Ramirez in Spanish. She and Ramirez and Ramirez' sister Macala had lengthy exchanges in Spanish during the next half hour of the meeting. Harbour would afterward attempt to summarize in English for the remainder of the meeting participants who were not fluent in Spanish.

Ramirez' neighbor, Peggy Golden, was also present at the meeting. Several times she asked questions about the effectiveness of the ordinance enforcement.

Golden stated concerns that the subject property was only a half block away from DeLeon Elementary and wondered about the enforcement of the no travel trailer residence ordinance.

In response to a Mayor Owen question, Ramirez stated that she wished to permanently keep the travel trailer at her residence and had plans to build a roof over it, even if she was denied permission for utility hookups.

Council member Gayle Stroud wondered aloud why Ramirez would want to keep the trailer permanently installed if it could not be connected to utilities and used as a residence.

Mayor Owen later noted that although the current ordinance does not prevent long term parking of travel trailers, that it may need to be looked at again to prohibit such.

Ramirez made remarks in Spanish that conveyed her belief that white people would be allowed to do what she was seeking permission for, and that she paid taxes and was trying to stay legal.

Mayor Owen expressed his belief that the Council needed to work with the city attorney to consider revisions to the existing ordinance that might prohibit the long term location of multiple trailers on a city lot.

Speaking to Ramirez, Owen added, "When we revise this, it's probably not going to make you any happier than you are right now." He added that the city ordinances applied to everyone, regardless of the color of their skin.

As Owen was preparing to place the issue before the Council for any desired action, Peggy Golden asked to say one more thing.

Golden then repeated an earlier stated belief that if the trailer was going to be left in place on Ramirez' lot, that she saw no reason why it shouldn't be allowed to be connected to utilities.

Mayor Owen restated that the ordinance does not prohibit travel trailer parking on city lots, but does prohibit them from utility connections, including extension cords and garden hoses. He then asked the Council if they had any further questions or comments. There were none.

Roy Dale Freemen said he would move to table the matter or to take no action. Gayle Stroud stated her agreement with Freeman.

Owen then told Ramirez that with the Council taking no action, that she would have to abide by the existing ordinance, not connecting the trailer to any utilities nor allowing anyone to reside in it on other than a temporary basis. He added if she knew of others who were in violation of the ordinance, she was welcome to file a complaint and it would be investigated.

For full article, subscribe to the DeLeon Free Press. E-mail edition is only $20/year.

By LAURA KESTNER, Editor

Billed as “the little place with the big taste” DeLeon’s newest business -- Villarreal’s Mini Cafe -- opened Tuesday, April 15, providing DeLeon with another dining option.

SMALL PLACE WITH A BIG TASTE. Pauline Villarreal, left, and Raquel Arenas inside the Villarreal’s Mini Cafe. Not pictured is cook Juana Vargas.

Gerardo (B.B.) and Pauline Villarreal, cafe owners, say that “authentic” and “traditional” are apt descriptions of the food they offer. Pauline, along with Jauna Vargas and Raquel Arenas will do the cooking, with most of B.B.’s efforts having gone into getting the prefabricated building (located near the intersection of Hwy. 16 and FM 587) ready for the opening.

“Jauna’s doing most of the cooking,” Pauline said, “but Racquel and I are doing some of it.” Pauline notes that the tortillas, both flour and corn, will be homemade.

“We will open for breakfast, Tuesday through Sunday, at 6:30 a.m.,” Pauline said. “We will be closed on Mondays, and we’ll close at 2 p.m. on Sundays, but every other day we’ll offer breakfast, lunch and dinner.”

For now, the lunch and dinner offerings will be offered buffet style (one trip). Once they see what foods are popular, the Villarreals plan to construct a menu.

“I think people are going to love Jauna’s cooking,” Pauline said. “She makes wonderful enchiladas, flautas, carne guisada, chile relleno, steak rancheros, and, of course, beans and rice -- there’ll be some of these on the menu each day. It will be different every day -- and lunch will be different from dinner.”

Although current seating is limited, the Villarreals do have room for expansion. “If it goes well, we will be able to eventually offer more seating,” Pauline said. She added that she will also offer delivery.

The Villarreals took delivery on their building more than three months ago, and with the help of several good friends and neighbors, have transformed the little building into a cozy, colorful eatery. Although there’s no sign yet, one should be installed soon. “I do have an ‘open’ sign though,” Pauline said, “so I hope everyone will stop by.”

The Villarreals are well-known, and very active, in the DeLeon community. For many years they’ve sold watermelons and other produce, and B.B. Villarreal works with the pecan harvests each year. He also works at Stockmans.

Pauline is an officer in the PTO at the elementary school, and is a member of the site-based committee. She also works with the DeLeon Theater Troupe, and, although not a member, has done volunteer work with the Peach and Melon Festival Committee and the Womens’ Division Chamber of Commerce.

Pauline, currently a candidate for the DeLeon City Council, is also the president of the local LULAC council, and has been a T-Ball coach for four years. The couple has two children, Geraline, 8, and Gerardo Villarreal III, age 6. Although she admits she’s a very busy woman, Pauline said she’s always wanted to have a restaurant.

“Ever since I learned to cook, when I first got married, I’ve wanted to do this,” Pauline said.
For more information, call 734-6536.

By LAURA KESTNER, Editor

Desdemona resident Roy Johnson was released from the Eastland County Jail Monday morning, April 14, after having been arrested twice recently for charges stemming from a series of incidents two weeks ago at Silver Star I, a windfarm located in Erath and Eastland counties. The windfarm is operated by energy producer BP America, Inc.

According to Eastland County Chief Deputy Robert Rains Johnson was first arrested April 5, 2008, and charged with one count of criminal mischief over $20,000 and under $100,000, a third degree felony, punishable by a maximum fine of $10,000 and up to 10 years in jail; and one count of criminal mischief, $1,500 to $20,000, a state jail felony, punishable by a maximum fine of $10,000 and up to two years in jail; and one count of assault causing bodily injury, a class A misdemeanor, punishable by a maximum fine of $4,000 and up to one year in jail.

The alleged incidents leading up to these charges included Johnson destroying a fence with his tractor and damaging blades of a turbine with his pickup. The assault charge resulted from the fence incident when the fencing wire made contact with a BP employee, subsequently injuring him.

Johnson’s alleged actions apparently resulted from a dispute between Johnson and a neighbor, and Johnson and wind farm officials, over the placement of the windmills.

Johnson’s second arrest, on April 8, resulted in no additional charges, and was directly related to, “Johnson’s safety and the safety of others related to the case,” according to the Eastland County Sheriff’s Department.

Johnson’s release April 14 resulted from his surrendering his guns to Eastland County authorities, after having allegedly fired a gun, on two occasions, in the direction of the Silver Star I.

“He did surrender his guns,” said Chief Deputy Robert Rains, “and he was released. Everything has now been turned over to the District Attorney.”

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