CITY& COUNTY
News from Comal County & New Braunfels
COMPILED BY LAUREN CANTERBERRY
QUOTEOFNOTE “THE NO. 1 CRITERIA
City selects Ruy Lozano as its newest fire chief NEWBRAUNFELS The city of New Braunfels on March 18 announced that Ruy Lozano has been selected as the next New Braunfels Fire Department chief.
IS SERVICES TO UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS,
experience of both candidates, but after careful review, Lozano was selected as the best person to lead the New Braunfels Fire Department,” New Braunfels City Manager Robert Camareno said in a press release. Lozano has a bachelor’s degree in communication, a Master of Business Administration and is a veteran of the U.S. Army Reserves and is also a Texas Commission on Fire Protection Master Fireghter and Fire Instructor.
INCLUDINGOUTREACH ANDPROGRAMMING. AND THAT’S SOMETHING THAT WE AT THE LIBRARY DOREALLYWELL.” GRETCHEN PRUETT, DIRECTOR OF THE NEW BRAUNFELS PUBLIC LIBRARY, AFTER THE LIBRARY RECEIVED THE ACHIEVEMENT OF EXCELLENCE IN LIBRARIES AWARD FOR THE SEVENTH CONSECUTIVE YEAR NUMBER TOKNOW hiring bonuses are being oered by the city of New Braunfels as the parks and recreation department looks to ll more than 150 seasonal positions. Starting pay is $12-$17 per hour for positions including lifeguard, park ranger, camp counselor and more. $250 HIGHLIGHTS COMAL COUNTY The county commissioners on March 24 approved a modied burn ban for unincorporated areas of the county. The new ban went into eect at 6 a.m. on March 25 and will remain in eect for 90 days. Unlike a traditional ban, county residents will be permitted to burn material on days with more than 25% humidity or when wind speeds are below 15 mph. NEWBRAUNFELS Throughout April, vehicles operated by Roadway Asset Services LLC will drive all roads within New Braunfels to New Braunfels City Council Meets April 11 and 25 at 6 p.m. at 550 Landa St., New Braunfels 830-221-4000 • www.nbtexas.org Comal County Commissioners Court Meets April 7, 14, 21 and 28 at 8:30 a.m. at 100 Main Plaza, New Braunfels • 830-221-1100 www.co.comal.tx.us MEETINGSWE COVER collect data about road conditions, according to a city press release. The vehicles are equipped with digital cameras that will collect images of pavement and transportation- related infrastructure that will be used to create a digital image inventory the city can use to prioritize street repairs.
Ocials began a nationwide search after former city Fire Chief Patrick O’Connell retired in September. O’Connell worked in public service for 28 years. After more than ve months of searching conducted in partnership with Strategic Government Resources, an executive recruitment rm, two candidates were named as nalists for the position and visited New Braunfels for in-person interviews and community tours in March. Lozano, a 25-year veteran of the Houston Fire Department where he was an assistant re chief, and Gregory Rodgers, current assistant re chief for the city of Schertz who has served in the re service for 39 years, were the nalists. “We were impressed with the qualications and
Ruy Lozano
The NBFD is expected to open two new re stations this year, Camareno said, and has plans to continue growing as the population grows. “I am excited to be a part of the city’s prospering future, while protecting New Braunfels as a national treasure,” Lozano said in the release.
Animal advisory board postpones pet sales ordinance NEWBRAUNFELS During a March 3 board meeting, members of the New Braunfels Animal Services Advisory Board postponed a recom- mendation to City Council regarding a proposed ordinance that would regulate the commercial sale of dogs and cats within city limits. The decision was made following more than an hour of discussion conducted in closed session in which board members and city sta eval- uated four potential options for the ordinance, said Christopher Looney, planning and development services director for the city. “The board decided that they wanted to take a little more time to examine any other options that might be out there at a subsequent meeting,” Looney said. “Just to make sure that whatever they recommend is legally sound.” Residents have shared concerns about animals sourced from com- mercial breeders at recent council and animal services advisory board meetings, specically regarding the recently opened Puppyland store, and the potential eects of not regulating animal sales locally. Ultimately, any city ordinance that is adopted must be enforceable, understandable to residents and legal, Looney said.
FUNDING THE PURCHASE The New Braunfels Economic Development Corp. will provide approximately $2.18 million in sales tax revenue to the city of New Braunfels to purchase the Union Pacic property.
Total size: 3.62 acres
Approximately $409,000 for design work
Approximately $250,000 in legal expenses
Approximately $1.5million to purchase property
SOURCE: CITY OF NEW BRAUNFELSCOMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
Commissioners approve proposedNBEDC expenditure related toUnionPacic site
COMAL COUNTY During a March 17 Commissioners Court meeting, commissioners approved a project expenditure by the New Braunfels Economic Development Corp. to fund the creation of a new Union Pacic rail yard. Union Pacic operates a rail yard between South Castell Avenue and Hill Avenue in downtown New Braunfels, said Je Jewell, director of economic and community development for New Braunfels. The city has been working to acquire the property and relocate the rail yard ahead of the planned South Castell Avenue redevelop- ment project, Jewell said. “As part of this negotiation that’s been really going on for a few years, Union Pacic needs to have a new site,” Jewell said.
“They own property in Comal County that they have identied that they would like to relocate their yard facilities to.” Ahead of relocating, Union Pacic would need to conduct design work for the new property. Should the rail yard be moved to the new location, the NBEDC is considering an expenditure of no more than $2.18 million to acquire the downtown site and to construct the new rail yard. Union Pacic has identied a property on Bunker Street in Comal County as a potential new location for its facility, Jewell said. County approval is required because the project is outside of the NBEDC jurisdiction, Jewell said, and the court voted unani- mously in favor.
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NEW BRAUNFELS EDITION • APRIL 2022
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