Chip King Archives - Uvalde Hesperian

Video: City’s 2025 financial audit earns “gold standard” score

admin — Sat, 14 Mar 2026 18:10:20 +0000

by Michael Robinson |Uvalde Hesperian

03-14-26

CPA Stepanie Harris with Crowe LLP A third party accounting and consulting firm presented its results from an annual financial audit of the City of Uvalde’s 2025 financial books. Harris said,
First Off, clear opinion, unmodified; no findings, no material weaknesses: That’s the gold standard.”

When asked by Uvalde City Councilman Ernest “Chip” King how she would rate the city from one to ten, she said, “I’d give you a 9.” King credited the question to former Uvalde City Councilman Steve Balke.

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Lyte Fiber to bring high speed internet services to Uvalde residents

admin — Mon, 17 Feb 2025 19:36:02 +0000

by Michael Robinson | Uvalde Hesperian

Top Photo: Bill Sweeney and Debra Crawford with Lyte Fiber presents PowerPoint presentation to Uvalde City Council.

02-14-25

Debra Crawford and Bill Sweeney of Lyte Fiber spoke to the Uvalde City Council on Tuesday, February 11th the high-speed internet firm would be coming to Uvalde to offer area customers a tiered flat rate internet service option to residents and businesses.

Crawford said the company primarily serves rural, underserved communities.

Crawford spoke to the City Council first stating the company will start the permitting process soon with the goal of offering services to 5500 homes in Uvalde.

She also said that the company would be surveying then laying fiber and be utilizing drones to map the areas where the work will be done. It was also said the company has acquired all the needed licenses to fly the drones and will abide by Federal Aviation Administration requirements including filing a flight plan with the FAA.

The company hopes to start providing service in the 3rd quarter of 2025.

It was also stated Lyte Fiber just launched an ISP (Internet Services Provider) in Baytown.

The company will install services in areas of 200-400 homes working toward providing services to the entire Uvalde area. Areas that will be equipped first will be advertised by signs posted at intersections in those areas and the company homes to further advertise its availability with door hangers.

“We want to be a good communicator with the city and the community as a whole,” Crawford said.

Uvalde City Councilman Chip King said, “So you are an internet service provider

According to information found on the Lyte Fiber’s website, it states:

“Fiber internet is a high-speed broadband technology that uses pulses of light to transmit data over ultra-thin strands of glass, also known as fiber-optic cables. Amazingly, fiber strands are as thin as human hairs! Fiber technology ensures a faster and more reliable internet connection compared to traditional services like cable, DSL, satellite or fixed wireless. This enables seamless video streaming, lag-free gaming, and quick downloads—all without interruptions!”

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Newly Elected City Council Members Mims and McLaughlin to be sworn-in at tonight’s meeting

admin — Tue, 10 Dec 2024 21:40:33 +0000

by Michael Robinson | Uvalde Hesperian

12-10-24

Constantine “Con” Mims, City Council District 4 and Donald “Mac” McLaughlin III District 2 will be sworn in to serve at tonight’s Uvalde City Council meeting at 6PM at City Hall.

Councilman Ernest “Chip” King was elected at the last City Council meeting to serve as Mayor Pro-Tempore.

A livestream video link will be posted on the City of Uvalde Facebook Page.

Tonight’s agenda is posted below:

Please use controls below the .pdf to view all pages:

uvalde city 12-10-24

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City Council approves renewing hangar contract after claims SWTC’s aviation education program could risk $5.2 million grant for Garner Field

admin — Thu, 12 Sep 2024 03:16:09 +0000

SWTC President Hector Gonzales makes the case for council to approve renewing the city’s hangar lease to the college.

by Michael Robinson | Uvalde Hesperian

September 11th, 2024

After a sometimes tense discussions regarding the decision to renew the lease with Southwest Texas College’s for a city owned hangar located at Garner Field, the Uvalde City Council voted to approve renewing the 10 year contract with Southwest Texas College as long as specific wording in the contract be contingent on the Federal Aviation Administration approves the school’s aviation program as acceptable per stipulations for the multi-million dollar grant the federal agency provides to the City of Uvalde for Garner Field.

City Council members and several citizens spoke on the matter as well as SWTC’s President Hector Gonzales before the final vote was cast by the Uvalde City Council.

The issue: SWTC’s previous 30 year lease with the City for the hangar is set to expire September 30th of this month. In a previous city council meeting on August 13th the Uvalde City Council tabled the decision which was taken up again at the Tuesday, September 10th meeting. The City of Uvalde just received a 10 million dollar grant from TXDot Aviation to go towards maintaining the City-owned Garner Field Airport.

Uvalde City Councilman Ernest “Chip” King claims that in order to remain qualified for the FAA Grant money, all hangars on Garner Field be used exclusively for aviation purposes. SWTC had used the hanger for the college’s Wildlife Education Program prior to the hanger being repurposed for its aviation mechanics program.

“I want this program to succeed. It’s very difficult. It’s a very difficult decision we’re having up here. We got TxDot Aviation, we’ve got us over here trying to decide, and regulations and grant opportunities and everything mumble jumbled over here. Do we do the right thing for the students? Do we do the right thing for the City? What is the right thing?” Mayor Pro-tem Everardo “Lalo” Zamora said.

Councilman Earnest “Chip” King said. “FAA Order 51,90.6B says you have to have an aeronautical use for the hanger. Classrooms is not an…I’m all for the college. We have a list of people that want hanger space at this airport. We have had people build hangers on this airport because there is no hanger space for them. FAA order 5190.6B in the FAA policy states that if you have anybody that wants a hangar and you have a non-aeronautical use of a hangar or facility on there, you have to move them out and you risk getting the AIP funds. AIP funds come from the federal government.”

King continued stating the city is getting ready to do a 5.2 million dollar ramp project funded by federal government funds with a 10% match. King went on to suggest the college is to get a waiver from the FAA and then rent from month to month.

Southwest Texas College President Hector Gonzales said. “I would believe if you look across to the west side of the airstrip and we’re splitting hairs as to what is aeronautical and what is not because there is several repair shops that are somehow aeronautical because there are several repair shops that are aeronautical but the training for folks that work on those airplanes is not aeronautical. He went on to say other cities in the area have A&P schools and even an airframe school located at their respective airports.”

Gonzales continued saying, “Councilman King you just said the City received 5.2 million dollars in TXDot Aviation. Our aviation maintenance program had been there and it did not jeopardize one penny of the 5.2 million dollars that came to the city. You are getting another $100 tonight that did not jeopardize you are accepting tonight.”

“The problem here is because we make it a problem.” Gonzales said.

King responded to say that if someone called and notified the FAA it could jeopardize the 5.2 million dollars the city has already received.

SWTC Board Member Rojelio Muñoz addressed the council as a former city councilman: “I remember several years back this issue coming up and I suspect that perhaps these concerns have been exaggerated.Because In the several years this was quote, an issue, it hasn’t jeopardize any funding. President Gonzales provided me with a letter sent by the college in February 2022 where they told the college all you need to do is have an FAA approved education program up and running and you’d be good. That happened. The college complied with that.”

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City of Uvalde officials have not taken any action following arrest of Municipal Court Judge Richard O. Gonzales

admin — Thu, 29 Aug 2024 17:00:43 +0000

By Michael Robinson | Uvalde Hesperian

(08-27-24)

City of Uvalde Municipal Court Judge Richard O. Gonzales has been released from custody on a public recognizance bond according to a source.

When asked what action, if any, City of Uvalde officials have taken following the arrest of Gonzales, Uvalde City Councilman Chip King stated the city officials have not taken any action concerning the employment status of Gonzales as the City’s Municipal Court Judge.

According to a news report by WOAI NEWS 4 San Antonio, A Uvalde Municipal Court Judge is proclaiming his innocence after he and his family were arrested early Tuesday morning.

The report went on to say, Gonzales says he had no idea this substance was in his home. Despite this, he’s now facing a charge of Possession of a Controlled Substance.

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Sweltering in place and no one to call: Council creates city ordinance to address landlord’s responsibility to fix air conditioning

admin — Sun, 25 Aug 2024 15:05:19 +0000

by Michael Robinson | Uvalde Hesperian

It’s May 28th in Southwest Texas and upper 90 degree temperatures have started to set in. A single mother of two teenages who will be referred to as Jill is working hard just to make ends meet and finds her rental unit’s air conditioning is not working. So she called the landlord requesting the broken air conditioner be fixed. Days go by and more calls are made but temperatures inside the home reach into the 90’s.

Jill goes out and buys some fans to put in her home to try to mitigate the sweltering temperatures inside her home. The phone calls and emails continue to the landlord and days without air conditioning turn into weeks. Jill, already dealing with PTSD and other health issues, starts getting sick; sick enough to go to the local emergency room and be admitted due to heat related illnesses. Jill ends up with hospital bills totalling over $18,000 dollars. Her electricity bills skyrocket to $700 from the constant use of fans.

Jill calls City of Uvalde Code Enforcement but is informed there is nothing they can do. Jill’s doctor files a complaint with the Uvalde Resiliency Center.

“I want these people who own this place to bring their family, their children and their pets and I want them to live like my son and my pets and I have lived since May 28th. I mean to tell you I am calling the police. I am so hot I haven’t even slept. It’s too hot. I’ve had it,” Jill said.

Finally on the Saturday morning of July 30th. 2024 , workers sent by Jill’s landlord bring a replacement Air Conditioning Unit but do not install it. According to Jill, they say they will be back after lunch but fail to show up. A day or two later the air conditioner is installed.

While some facing this situation would just leave the apartment and likely forfeit their deposit at the current residence, some people like Jill do not have the money to move and pay another deposit at another department or rental.

The Council ultimately approves the measure but not without a discussion on the matter.

According to Uvalde City Attorney Paul J. Tarski of the Tarski Law Firm, if the City creates this new ordinance, it would not be backed up by an existing state law.

“To be clear, there is no federal and there is no state statute with the exemption that Dallas and Houston have passed it, One of them is already being challenged in court,” Tarski said.

He continued, “If someone wants to attack it, in our opinion you’re going to lose.”

King stated that he has been getting calls since I’ve gone on council. He said he’d usually tell them to call somebody. “There is nobody to call,” King said,

King stated within the last three months, he had received calls from two young ladies who didn’t have hot water and the landlord refused to fix it.

“For the health and safety of people, I think we can take that chance.” King said.

“Why are we getting involved?” Councilman Hector R. Lueveno said.

“Because there is no one to call. Literally no one to call.” King said.

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Uvalde City Councilman Chip King on volunteer fire department vs. “professional” paid fire department

admin — Tue, 06 Aug 2024 12:34:27 +0000

The following was written by Uvalde City Council Member Chip King on his personal Facebook page: Published with permission

Top Picture Credit: Uvalde Volunteer Fire Department Facebook Page

Uvalde City Council Representative Chip King

I recently saw something locally where someone thought it would be a good idea to advocate for “Professional” fire and rescue service here in our community.

Hmmm, interesting considering Uvalde has long been known to have one of the better volunteer fire departments in the area and in the state. The annual budget for the Uvalde Volunteer Fire Department from the city is in the area of $500K and the county provides a very modest, but appreciated budget for the department. There are an average of 38 volunteers (a good portion are fully certified with well over 10 years of experience) and 3 paid firefighters who work 24/48 shifts.

We have good equipment and our city insurance rating are very low. Now lets start a “Professional” paid department. Lets keep that 24/48 shift as it is most common. You will need about 4 shifts with eight to ten firefighters on each shift. so lets say 40 paid firefighters at $65,000 a year….that’s 2.6 million dollars and you can figure insurance, retirement and all of the other costs associated. Lets say its a total of 3.2 million for firefighters alone. Now lets get them in PPE at an average cost of $10,000 per firefighter because the paid rules are much different than a volunteers rules on PPE (Keeping these paid guys in PPE would equal the entire current volunteer budget).

Because the rules are different for paid departments, got to go get and maintain more trucks at a average cost of $500K to 1 million plus per truck. Let’s build, maintain and power more stations now. Research shows for a city of 15 to 20K people, you could expect a $8 to $10 million budget for a fully paid “Professional” fire department. Don’t want your taxes to go up by a huge amount???

Take care of your “Professional” Volunteer Fire Departments while you still have them and we have one of the best around when it comes to equipment, training and experience.

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