by Michael Robinson |Uvalde Hesperian

Top Photo: File Photo from the Uvalde County Commissioners Court

04-14-25

Texas PACE Authority President Charlene Heydinger presented an overview of the Texas PACE Program to the Uvalde County Commissioner’s Court this morning on Monday, April 14th, 2025.

“There are no taxpayer dollars involved. It’s completely voluntary,” Heydinger said.

The problem we are trying to solve is the equipment that makes property more energy efficient or more importantly saves water, is very expensive and has a long return on investment.   So, if you are going to put a new roof on a building and it’s not going to break even in 10 years and the bank wants it paid back in 5… There is a cash flow problem,” she said.

 According to Heydinger, the program applied to business, commercial property and residential property for multi-family use.

 Texas PACE Authority Wins Approval to Provide Financing for HUD and FHA Multi-Family Projects in Texas – Texas PACE Authority

The article states: “Approved by the state legislature in 2015, and established by 83 local governments, the Texas PACE Authority’s programs enable building owners to lower their operating costs and use the savings to pay for eligible water conservation, energy efficiency, resiliency, and distributed generation projects. Owners gain access to private, affordable, long-term (typically 10-20 years) financing that is not available through traditional funding avenues.

Since 2013, the Texas PACE Authority helped mobilize more than $362 million of PACE financing for energy and water efficiency projects across Texas. More than a third of that amount, over $125 million, was used for multifamily properties. Many of these projects also received historic tax credits and other incentives.

With additional energy efficiency tax deductions offered under the Inflation Reduction Act and other federal incentives also on the table, Heydinger said the addition of PACE for HUD and FHA multifamily properties “will be a much-needed game changer for scaling efficiency efforts in affordable housing in Texas.”

Heydinger’s delivered an informational overview of the Texas PACE Program and no vote was taken at today’s Uvalde County Commissioners Court.

STEPS for Local governments to establish a PACE Program:

from How-to Create a TX-PACE Region:
A Guide for Local Government see full .pdf below:

Within those three steps, referenced in Figure 5, there are four items in the Adoption step that
the PACE Act requires a local government to complete in prescribed order to establish a PACE
program:

1. Initiation
2. Preliminary region development including concept socialization and recruitment of key program
   participants
3. Adoption (requirements)
4. Publish a report and make it available for public inspection
   3. Adopt a Resolution of Intent to create a program
   4. Hold a public hearing
   5. Adopt a resolution establishing the program
5. Implementation
6. Establish program administration

pace-guide

By Michael Robinson | Uvalde Hesperian

  On Monday, March 25th,the Uvalde County Commissioners approved the archival of County Records as recommended by Uvalde County Clerk Donna Williams. 

The request pertains to Uvalde County Clerk probate records from 1868 through the 1990’s involving taking each page of records from the archived record books and preserving the paper using an acid neutralization process. The records preservation project proposed by Williams would be contracted with the Kofile Company.

According to the Kofile company website, it states, “Billions of records exist in various paper sizes and types, thicknesses, ages, fragility, and conditions. Our preservation solutions and services address the unique requirements of every document to create a defined treatment and care plan that stops the aging process, brings the record back to life, and protects it from water, fire, and mold for hundreds of years.”

According to Kofile representative Catheen Drolet who also spoke to the Commissioners, she explained that because the paper used in the 1800’s was treated with acid to make the paper whiter, and the ink on the paper contained acid as well as the glue used on the book binding, she said, “We are losing our history.”

Lance Gonzalez with the Kofile company presented to the commissioners holding up a probate records book from 1868 containing handwritten records. Gonxales stated that during the proposed preservation process the pages would be removed from the original binding and treated for acidity. Once completed, the pages of each book would be placed in special sleeves in waterproof and fireproof binders. 

 The physical probate records would be transported to Kofile’s company location in Dallas to be processed and the process would be completed in September 2024. 

The Commissioners were informed that if certain records were needed while the preservation process was occurring, through email those records would be available in about 45 minutes.

  The court voted to approve the $277,405.03 amount to cover the preservation process. Williams told the Court that money is available in records monies accrued by the County Clerk.

by Michael Robinson | Uvalde Hesperian ; Photos by Robinson

Monday, January 22nd, 2023

 Robb School victim’s family members packed the Uvalde County Commissioners Courtroom this morning along with several television news stations and news outlets with video cameras lined up near the back of the third floor courtroom at the Uvalde County Courthouse. Several family members quoted Commissioner Mariano Pargas’ earlier words to the families where he asked they wait until the investigation and the final report on the Robb School Tragedy is released. 

  Pargas, who was the focus for many who spoke out demanding the County stop paying him to serve as a County Commissioner, was absent from today’s proceedings. Jessie Rizo and other blasted other elected Uvalde County law enforcement officials for seeking re-election in the upcoming primary elections. 

 A video news report will be published soon by the Uvalde Hesperian.

The proceedings can be viewed on the Uvalde County Judge’s Livestream on YouTube.

by Michael Robinson | Uvalde Hesperian

  County Auditor Alice Chapman presented the highlights of the proposed 2023-2024 Uvalde County budget this morning at the Uvalde County Commissioner’s Court meeting, Monday September 11th, 2023.

  She stated that the Uvalde County Judge is required by law to meet with department heads and according to Chapman Judge Mitchell meets that requirement.
$46,431,242.05. is the total budget amount which was approved at this morning’s meeting.

3% COLA is included: Chapman stated that employees elected, appointed or hired,  If you worked for 5 years, you are eligible for $16 longevity compensation which was passed 15 years ago as part of Texas Law.

Chapman also referred to  the County’s incarceration inmate expenses. Paying for inmate Medical care is an unfunded mandate. Chapman recommended a $100,000 increase in that fund in the new budget.

Moving on to the County’s Nutrition Program, Chapman stated that it continues to be a difficult program to fund. According to Chapman costs are high, food costs are high and we continue to feed citizens who qualify age wise for this program. However the law does not require we ( the county ) feed those over 65.$15K was  budgeted.

The Uvalde County Appraisal District or UCAD budget has gone up considerably and requires the county, city and schools to pay more to function.

Overtime was brought up.

Inmate food costs have increased. According to Chapman we use a vendor that meets the state’s requirements.

“Jailers, especially those working overnight, are hard to keep,” Chapman said .

Education and increase in certification of existing Law Enforcement officers referring to the certification fee the County covers.

“Another unfunded state mandate indigent defense is an unfunded mandate by the state,” said Chapman.

The movement of the Uvalde County Emergency Management Center or UCEMC moved from Airport Road to South Getty, Chapman said.

-795, 095 less money or 5.7% decrease from last year $200, 095 projected to be resided from new property.

Diana Olvedo-Karau addressed the court as part of citizen comments: “What items chosen fund and not to fund should be up for discussion. How you choose to spend the money it’s a matter of priorities. I implore you to table the budget.”

In the end, County Commissioners unanimously voted to approve the proposed tax rate for 2023- 2024 year.

.5872 proposed tax rate for 2023-2023 and proposed a public hearing in September.
County Commissioners vote to approve the proposed tax rate unanimously approved

 Article by Michael Robinson ; Picture Credit: Robinson ; Maps: Uvalde County Judge’s Office

At Monday’s June 12th Uvalde County Commissioner’s Court meeting, three citizens spoke about concerns of various Uvalde County roadways. One citizen who spoke mentioned she had looked for a Uvalde County road map and counld not find one. Uvalde County Judge Bill Mitchell said the map she was looking for would be made available. The Uvalde Hesperian reached out to the UC Judge’s Office shortly after the meeting requesting a copy of the map.

The following maps were recieved by the Uvalde Hesperian:

 Uvalde County Maps showing County Roads

 Uvalde County Redistricting Maps