The Gatesville Messenger
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Wednesday, 75¢ ESSENGE February 19, 2020 Vol. 116 No. 40M & STAR-FORUM R10 Pages ISSN No. 0894-4954 Commissioners network at annual conference Two Coryell County Commis- county better,” Matthews said. ers will have to wade through mandates, a hot topic in Texas tions. sioners spent most of last week One benefi t of the annual con- thousands of legislative items, the during the current election cycle. “That was really interesting to attending commissioners’ school in ference is getting to meet up with conference helps clarify and sim- Unfunded mandates are laws that see,” Ashby said. College Station. other commissioners from counties plify the issues that will aff ect the require a state or local government The new classification comes Precinct 1 Commissioner Kyle across the street. counties. to perform certain actions without from the population dispersion in Matthews and Precinct 4 Com- “A lot of it is networking,’ Mat- “The changes every two years are offering or providing additional the county, as more people live in missioner Ray Ashby attended the thews said. “We can learn a lot from phenomenal,” Ashby said. “This funding to meet the requirements. Gatesville and Copperas Cove than 62nd annual V.G. Young School each other.” gives us a better perspective on how Both Matthews and Ashby said in the rural areas of the county, for County Commissioners Courts Matthews said one of the primary to enforce the things our Commis- the legislative sessions were infor- Ashby explained. Feb. 11-13. functions of the conference is to sioners Court enforces.” mative and valuable. “That really shows the movement The conference, which fulfi lls the educate commissioners about new A question-and-answer panel “The classes give a lot of updates in Texas since the 1980s,” he said, commissioners’ mandated annual and future laws, regulations, rules with state legislators also helped and let us see the trends,” Matthews noting that the statewide disper- 16 hours of education, provided and legislation. commissioners learn more about said. “They open your eyes to the sion of people in urban areas of the updates on current and future state “They always go over new laws,” new legislative actions and how legislation that is coming up.” state has grown from 15 million in legislation as well as opportunities Ashby said, “That better prepares they will impact the counties. Both commissioners shared their the 1980s to 29 million currently. for networking. us for what we have to do in our “I learned a lot from them,” surprise in discovering that Coryell “We’re losing our rural areas and “It’s to make us better and for county.” Ashby said, noting that the panel County has been classifi ed as an us to learn how we can make the Considering that commission- spoke in-depth about unfunded urban county in the new classifi ca- See NETWORK P. 10 City Cemetery refl ects local Black History By David Scott Messenger News Reporter The first local cemetery des- ignated for the burial of African- Americans was the Gatesville City Cemetery. Soon after the formation of Gatesville in 1854, the courts de- cided to create a city cemetery or “graveyard” and determined that it would benefi t the residents of the city. The property for the cemetery Brooks who died in 1887 at about was obtained from R.G. Grant who the age of 37. The primary surnames would be one of the fi rst burials in in this section were Maberry (May- 1858. berry), Brooks, Snow and Barens. The property was divided into As originally plotted, two streets Photo by David Ashley six equal divisions - the southwest or alley-ways wind through the Daddy’s girls section was appropriated for bury- original cemetery. ing strangers and the southeast As years progressed and as the Local girls in kindergarten through sixth grade and their fathers dance and mingle Saturday night during the section was appropriated for bury- City Cemetery grew, the African Gatesville Education Foundation’s Father-Daughter Dance at the Gatesville Civic Center. In addition to danc- ing African-Americans. The oldest American section is now almost in ing, the event featured a jewelry raffl e, photographer and refreshments. legible marked grave in that section the middle of the older section of of the cemetery is that of Cenie the cemetery. The formation of Oak Grove Cemetery was the second African- New city planner looks toward future American cemetery in the city. It was formed in approximately 1893 and is still in use today. The land By HEATHER ASHLEY explained. The next summer, a position where Oak Grove Cemetery is lo- Messenger News Reporter Ochoa was born and raised in opened up and Gatesville City cated was transferred from the St. College Station. He is a Texas Manager Bill Parry called Ochoa Louis Southwestern Railway Co. of Roughly six months into his A&M University graduate with and invited him to apply. job as Gatesville City Planner, Texas to W.W. Hammack, trustee a degree in urban and regional “And here I am,” Ochoa said. for the cemetery, in 1896. Rene Ochoa is already looking at planning. His fi rst offi cial day on the job what the city could look like in the An internship in the summer of was August 1. coming decades. 2018 led him to Gatesville. One of the large-scale projects As the Director of Planning and “As an intern, my objective was Ochoa is currently working on is Community Development for the to aid the city in the revision of its the revision of the same subdivi- City of Gatesville, Ochoa’s mis- subdivision ordinance,” Ochoa sion ordinance he helped develop sion is organizing, managing and said, adding that he enjoyed his as an intern. providing administrative direction time in Gatesville. “The Texas State Legislature and oversight for all functions and A 2106 Joint Land Use Study meets every two years and this Corner: activities related to the planning initiated by Fort Hood to deter- last legislative session brought and development of the city. mine the impacts civilian de- forward some major changes to RENE OCHOA “This is accomplished by de- velopments had on the military the way cities must address the Q: When is Gatesville veloping plans and goals related installation’s missions led to the development process,” he ex- I.S.D.’s spring break? The plan outlines the goals to growth management, commu- distribution of funds through the plained. “My fi rst few weeks as and vision for how a community nity development, redevelopment, Central Texas Council of Govern- Gatesville’s planner were spent will develop for the next 15-20 economic development, and code ments to adjoining communities researching state statutes and A: This year, Gates- years and serves as the guiding enforcement; conducting research for planning. making sure our ordinances com- ville I.S.D. will observe document that infl uences policy and analysis; preparing reports; Gatesville received some of that ply with state law.” created by the municipal govern- spring break March supervising and leading staff ; co- funding to update the city’s out- Concurrently, Ochoa is work- ment,” Ochoa said. 9-13. ordinating development projects dated 1970 Comprehensive Plan, ing with the city manager and As the Comprehensive Plan is with engineers, surveyors, devel- at no cost to the taxpayer, and Benchmark Planning, the city’s being fi nalized, Ochoa’s depart- opers, and citizens; reviewing and to initiate an internship program planning consultant from the Joint Write, call or e-mail your question to approving site plans; and assisting with the ultimate goal of hiring a Land-Use Study, to complete the The Gatesville Messenger. in drafting city ordinances,” he See FUTURE P. 10 P.O. Box 799 permanent planner,” Ochoa said. city’s Comprehensive Plan. Gatesville, TX 76528 254-865-5212 [email protected] First United Come Visit The CORYELL Trinity Methodist Church Gatesville Messenger COMMUNITY CHURCH Baptist Church Raising up disciples of Christ through Sunday Service 1506 W. Main St., Gatesville, TX What’s Where love, service & example Subscriptions Church: 865-8495 • Pre-school: 248-0041 starting at only Times: County Wide...............2,3,5 Sunday Worship 9:00am & 10:30am 8:30 & 10:30 a.m. * Forum..............................4 Sunday School 9:30 a.m. $ 27 248-0849 Obituaries/School................6 2600 E. Main, Gatesville, TX 26 *6 months in Coryell Co. Sports............................7,8 (254) 865-2520 115 North Levita Road 254-865-5212 Gatesville, TX Sunday School 9:30 am • 10:50 am Worship Classifi eds...........................9 www.fumcgatesville.org Coryell.Church Tim Crosby, Pastor “Because Every Thing Is Important To Someone” Page 2, Wednesday, February 19, 2020, The Gatesville Messenger County-wide Blood drive set at Coryell Health Coryell Health is doing its summer and during holidays. example. part to boost the local blood Schools are out and people The blood supply is im- supply by hosting a drive get busy with other things. proving in quantity, but blood from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. However, in late 2019 and donors are still needed to re- Tuesday, Feb. 25, at 1507 W. into 2020 January, Carter turn the inventory to a healthy Main Street in The Meadows BloodCare faced days when two-to-three day supply. Education Room. For more fewer than 100 bags of the Community organizations information, or to schedule most common blood type can help by booking a blood an appointment time, contact – O positive – were on the drive. Email bookablood- Lori Wolff at (254) 248-6270. shelf. A healthy number is [email protected]. Each day, as many as 700 1100.