By Tony Cantú
Contributing Writer

Plans for a new Olmos Park City Hall have given rise to near palpable excitement among municipal workers. But as blueprints take form, one city function – the streets and sanitation department already removed from ground zero with their makeshift base apart from city quarters – have appeared to have been left out of the fun.

Until now, that is.

City officials have tentatively approved major improvements to the five-man department located at 100 Clarence St. – a modest, 15-by-15-foot structure behind the Valero convenience store fronting the McCullough roundabout, several yards removed from city quarters. The city has set aside $100,000 to enlarge the space to about 25 feet by 50 feet, install a break room and lockers and plug in central air conditioning to replace a window unit.

“Our streets and sanitation workers have for many years been outstanding employees doing an incredible job with the community,” said Mayor Ron Tefteller, who has led the charge in calling for the enhancements. “Last year, they took over the recycling program, and it’s never worked as well as it’s working now.”

City Manager Amy Buckert concurred, noting the current space is not only cramped but its walls haven’t even been finished out. And when nature calls, streets and sanitation workers have had to make the trek to city quarters at 119 W. El Prado Drive, since the tiny building lacks toilet facilities, she added.

“We’re really excited to give these guys the space they deserve,” Buckert said. “It’s a little project in the grand scheme of things, but a very important one.”

The construction job is actually Buckert’s brainchild, hatched during an impromptu visit to the crew.

“I had gone down there to visit with the guys one day during lunch and saw the conditions they were in,” Buckert said. The mayor and I discussed it, and Mayor Tefteller has been very passionate about getting it done.”

Last year, the streets and sanitation crew took on added responsibilities when the city opted to take its recycling efforts in-house rather than extending its contract with waste collector BFI, who alerted the city of an imminent price increase upon service renewal.

As a city-run operation, the recycling program was hailed an immediate success. The city’s share of recycling proceeds grew from about $45 a month to $300 in the first month of operation last July and doubled in total by August, earning streets and sanitation workers a $1,000 pay raise for their efforts.

Far from toiling behind the scenes, crew members are direct representatives for the city given daily contact with residents, Buckert noted: “They are the face of customer service, and deserve a nice place to take a break for all the hard work they do.”

The spruced-up streets and sanitation department would complement a spiffy new City Hall complex planned for construction beginning this fall. In recent action, city council members approved negotiating with Guido Brothers Construction Co. for the $1.8 million construction project, which involves erecting a new fire department and municipal building housed within two separate structures facing each other along El Prado Drive.

The city’s streets and sanitation department is composed of supervisor Javier Villafuerte, drivers Robert Lopez and Venancio Garcia and loaders Gilbert Deleon and Sergio Pina. City Council members are expected to vote on enhancing their workspace at their Sept. 28 meeting, Buckert said. The turnkey project would cost about $86,000 and be completed in about 90 days, she added.

By Courtney Burkholder 

Kids, I have some bad news (and some good news!) for you.

Once again, summer has come to an end. Don’t let the 100-degree weather and 150 percent humidity fool you … summer has gone and a new school year is on the horizon.

Yes, I know it seems like only yesterday you finished studying for finals or completing those end-of-year projects. We moms are feeling it, too! Summer camp sped by much too quickly, and the break from all things structured and organized was a blast.

But as they say, all good things must come to an end. Your days of sleeping in and arising for casual breakfasts around 9 a.m. (or later) are no more.

There will be no more evenings at the pool with friends or late-night trips to Baskin-Robbins. No more lazy afternoons of boredom, no more days (or even weeks!) of skipped showers, no more lemonade stands, water balloon fights, or sleepovers during the week. Sad realities, to be sure, but realities nonetheless.

Alarm clocks must be set, nails clipped, hair trimmed, and shoes put on your feet. Brains must be returned to the “on” position, and eyes will remain open for a minimum of eight to 10 hours per day. Bedtimes will, once again, be enforced, and afternoon TV-time replaced with …well …homework!

School is back in session.

But let’s not focus on the negative! Think of all the good things that come with this Back-to-School time of year: cute new fall fashions, football season, new teachers and classes, and cooler weather. New pencils, pens, backpacks and binders. Who doesn’t love a brand-spanking-new box of crayons or markers? You’re a year older and wiser! You’ve earned more privileges along with responsibilities. You’re reconnecting with old friends you didn’t see over the summer and making new ones.

This is a new year and a chance for you to do things differently, a little better, than you did last year. Your slate is clean and free of mishaps and mistakes. Your shoes actually fit and your pants aren’t “high-waters.” No bad grades holding you back; no old grudges or misunderstandings to bring you down.

It’s all new, so start the year out strong! Set goals for yourself to keep you moving in the right direction. What do you want to do? Study more? Make new friends? Join the chess club or improve your basketball skills?

Remember, these are your goals and no one can make them (or meet them!) for you. This year will be better than the last.

It’s all up to you!

Thieves nick mower

July 14, 8 a.m., 10 block of Auburn Place: A contractor working at the location noticed a gas-powered lawnmower was missing from the property he was working at. The mower had been covered with a tarp and left in the garden area.

Birdbath burglars

July 17, 11:39 a.m., 1000 block of Ivy Lane: A patrol officer was stopped by a resident who said a 2-foot-tall concrete birdbath was stolen from her front yard.

License plate theft

July 22, 7:01 p.m., 400 block of Sheraton: A homeowner reported that the rear license plate of his vehicle had been stolen from his vehicle while it was parked in front of his house. The missing plate was entered into the Texas Crime Information Center database as stolen.

Flat tires mean foul play

July 25, 10 p.m., 2100 block of Harry Wurzbach Parkway: A car owner reported that when he left a bar in the area, he noticed his car wasn’t handling well. When he stopped to check, he saw all four tires were deflated. When a wrecker was called, it was found the tires had all been cut or slashed. The car owner wasn’t aware of any problems while he was in the bar for an hour. Replacement for the tires was estimated at $1,600.

Traffic stop bags open beers

July 27, 1:55 a.m., 800 block of Austin Highway: An officer was running radar and clocked a vehicle doing 47 mph in a 35-mph zone. Pulling the car over, the driver said she didn’t have a valid driver’s license and couldn’t locate her proof of financial responsibility. While the driver was looking for the paperwork, the officer noticed two open bottled of beer on the back floorboard. Upon investigation, the bottles were cold to the touch and still had a small amount of beer in them. The driver was arrested for having an open container of alcohol and also cited for speeding, no license and no insurance.

ALAMO HEIGHTS

Biker near bank busted for pot

July 22, 9:42 a.m., 6000 block of Broadway: An officer observed a man riding his bicycle along Broadway, when the biker suddenly jumped off and leapt into some bushes near a bank. Due to recent bank robberies in the area, the officer found this to be suspicious behavior and went to investigate, and saw the biker riding again. The officer stopped the man and asked for ID and could smell a strong odor of marijuana coming from the biker. When asked, the man said he did have a bag of pot on his person, along with rolling papers. He was arrested and taken to the Alamo Heights Police Department for processing.

Burglar nabs handbag, credit cards

July 22, 3:15 p.m., 10 block of St. Luke’s Lane: While parked in a church parking lot, a woman reported someone had broken out her window and stolen her handbag from the front passenger seat. She told police that when she arrived at work earlier that day, she had dumped out the contents of her bag on the seat and she thinks she knows the person who saw her do that. The woman said she called her credit card companies and found some of the cards had already been used in San Antonio.

Shoplifters get away with beer

July 23, 8:24 p.m., 500 block of Austin Highway: An officer responded to a convenience store, where the clerk said an unknown male had taken an 18-pack of beer and then ran out to a waiting vehicle without paying.