Katy Promotes New Fire Chief, Adopts Sex Offender Ordinance
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Panthers win NEW LOCATION! rst district wrestling titles 738 Highway 6 S. Suite 180 Houston, TX 77079 281-347-3247 SPORTS, B3 Helping injured individuals since 1994 VOLUME 109, ISSUE 15 THE GREATER KATY AREA'S NEWS SOURCE SINCE 1912 katytimes.com THURSDAY, APRIL 15, 2021 Pattison partners with Katy promotes new fire chief, water district, eyes grants at adopts sex offender ordinance April meeting BY R. HANS MILLER chief since former Fire Chief Rusty our families and citizens. After be- NEWS EDITOR Wilson left the department last ing approached by several residents, BY R. HANS MILLER October. Mayor Bill Hastings, the Police Chief NEWS EDITOR Katy City Council approved an e sex o ender ordinance, (Noe Diaz), the City Attorney (Art ordinance that tightens restrictions which passed unanimously, restricts Pertile III) and I worked to craft this Pattison City Council on where registered sex o enders registered sex o enders by not legislation that will create a bu er discussed seeking multiple may live or go within city limits allowing them to live within 2,500 zone around places children gather, grants to help the city pre- during its Monday evening meeting. feet of any child area, according to including a potential new (Katy) ISD pare for upcoming growth e city also heard updates regard- a copy of the ordinance provided by school in Cane Island and new city during its April meeting. ing permitting and animal control the city. A child area, as de ned by parks,” said Mayor Pro Tem Chris Council also moved forward and promoted Interim Fire Chief the new city law, includes schools, Harris. with an agreement with Kenneth Parker to head up Katy Fire playgrounds, school bus stops, Sex o enders who are minors or Pattison Water Supply, the Department permanently. youth centers, video arcades, public already reside within 2,500 feet of public agency that provides “ is is a wonderful moment – parks, private recreational facilities, a child area are excepted from the water services to city resi- not only in (Parker’s) life but in my pools, playgrounds skate parks and ordinance’s provisions, though they dents. e two issues may life also,” said Mayor Bill Hastings. youth athletic elds. Registered sex may not move out of the city then pair nicely, city o cials said. “I’m honored to be able to appoint o enders also may not enter these back into a restricted area of the city. “Basically, we’d work him the re chief. He has done facilities. Violations of the ordinance More than a dozen sex o enders KATY FIRE DEPARTMENT with the Pattison Water an excellent job so far. He has the are punishable by up to a $500 ne live within Katy’s city limits and Supply in submitting a block utmost respect from everybody in per o ense and each day of violation more than 100 reside in the Katy Kenneth Parker was appointed by Mayor Bill grant application,” said the department, and I know we’ve is considered a separate o ense, area outside of city limits. Hastings as re chief during Monday’s meeting. Mayor Joe Garcia. “One of got a great bunch of happy remen according to the ordinance. e ordinance also prevents Parker was an assistant chief and more recently the things that we’ve looked this night.” “Today, I am pleased to bring as interim chief following former chief Rusty at, as far as this (Community Parker had served as interim re forward this ordinance, to protect See ORDINANCE, page A3 Wilson’s move to the Mesquite Fire Department. Development Block Grant) project goes, is to try and improve the availability of our public water supply within our community.” Early voting on bonds rough ‘bumpy road,’ leadership e agreement, which will also need to be ap- proved by the Pattison Water Supply Board of Directors begins next week paves way for Tigers’ district title this week, would set up a partnership between the city BY R. HANS MILLER BY DENNIS SILVA II that could involve some cost NEWS EDITOR SPORTS EDITOR sharing on any matching Early voting for the spring elections begins April 19 and Katy High’s softball team won its sixth funds required under the runs through April 27. Locally, not only are the city of Katy consecutive outright district title with a 9-0 CDBG program, Garcia said. and Katy ISD have options on the ballot for their govern- Additionally, the agreement win over Taylor on Saturday, April 10, but it ing boards – they are also both putting forward bonds to could lead to increased wa- did not come smoothly. fund city and district improvements. Katy’s bond package ter pressure for city residents Junior catcher Kailey Wycko called it a includes two propositions worth $6 million while Katy ISD’s as smaller pipes in parts of “bumpy road.” Senior in elder Olivia Mc- bond package comes out at $676 million. the city are replaced with Fadden said it was a process, one the team is larger pipes to allow more still trying to gure out. water to ow. e added District propositions e Tigers are a team of veteran upper- water pressure could assist Katy ISD Superintendent ELECTION DATES classmen and precocious freshmen. ey with the addition of re Ken Gregorski and CFO are talented, surely, as their 13-2-2 overall hydrants on Durkin Road, Christopher Smith have been EARLY VOTING: APRIL 1927 record and 11-0 district record attest, but it is mostly raw skill unproven in big games. It which would improve public making their way around to ELECTION DAY: MAY 1 safety, Garcia said. multiple venues to educate has been tedious, diligent work getting that Councilmember Je Mc- voters regarding the district’s talent and inexperience to mold into a disci- plined club of consistency and urgency. Gowan, who is also a mem- bond packages. On April 1 they SHEA DONALDSON | SPECIAL TO THE KATY TIMES ber of the Pattison Water attended a meeting with the Rotary Club of Katy and later e good news is, to achieve that, it Supply Board of Directors, attended an April 8 event to discuss school nance and starts with leadership, and that’s what coach Katy High’s softball team won its sixth straight outright supported the measure for the bonds at a forum hosted by the Katy Area Chamber of Kalum Haack’s team boasts in spades. It is district championship via 9-0 win over Taylor on Saturday, multiple reasons, including Commerce. leadership, Haack said, that led to another April 10. the possibility of increasing In both presentations, Gregorski and Smith explained district title. Katy only has six seniors: McFadden, re protection in the city. that the district is seeking approval for the bonds to address “It means more in that it was tough for “(I) love the lines put in growth in the northwestern portion of the district and to the kids that didn’t get to nish their season Ashley Woodring, Sara Orosco, Nina Sury, years ago, but they’re quite upgrade or repair aging facilities to ensure students at all last year (canceled after 12 games because Morgan Blackstock and Grace Torres. Mc- small, so we can’t do any- campuses have equal facilities. Bonds, if approved by vot- of the pandemic), the ones that are still here Fadden, Woodring and Orosco are regular thing about re protection ers, will also help the district improve technology across the and the ones that left,” said Haack, whose contributors. Otherwise, the Tigers are until we get a six-inch line district and build new facilities as needed. program has not lost a district game since young. Very young. 2014. “What it says is the ones that returned in,” McGowan said. Proposition A for the KISD bond package includes about ree freshmen are counted upon for sig- have done a really good job with leadership Some lines in the city $591.4 million for new schools, purchase of land to build ni cant production: pitching ace Cameryn may only be an inch to an those campuses on, renovation and expansion for aging and getting the others prepared, as far as this is Katy softball and this is how we do things, Harrison, hard-hitting center elder Ashtyn inch and a half in diameter, campuses, safety and security improvements, new bus- Reichardt, and in elder Paige Schulze. A es and building component replacements such as HVAC and this is what our expectations are. e Garcia said. sophomore, Peyton Watson, plays shortstop. Councilmember Seth systems. understanding that no matter how many games we got or didn’t get last year, this is a “Being a new team, a young team, we new season, and this is what we’re going to See PATTISON, page A3 See BONDS, page A3 d o.” See TIGERS, page B2 HAVE A NEWS TIP? [email protected] Commissioners honor abuse prevention workers SUBSCRIBE TODAY Katy Christian Ministries, Child 281-391-3141 BY R. HANS MILLER NEWS EDITOR Protective Services and the Waller County Child Welfare Board all April 15, 2021 e Waller County Commis- contribute to the safety of victims 12 pages | $1 sioners Court took measures to of violence and help them recover honor those that work to prevent from the trauma they endure. or help those who are victims of Duhon — along with the remain- child abuse or sexual assault at der of the commissioners court – their April 7 meeting. Commis- recognized that caseworkers with sioners joined members of the those agencies work to lift people Court Appointed Special Advo- out of horri c situations that lead cates, Child Protective Services to PTSD and similar mental and and other community leaders physical health concerns.