Three fire departments spent more than two hours Aug. 15 taking on a Windcrest house fire that was caused by vehicle sparks hitting spilled gasoline.

According to reports, resident Maria Schweikert started her 1976 Mercedes and began pulling out of her garage in the 300 block of Zephyr Drive.

Schweikert said she heard a small explosion. She went into her home to call police, but found the phone line not working. A few minutes later she found her garage being engulfed by smoke and flames.

Firefighters from Windcrest, Kirby and Live Oak responded to the blaze, which destroyed 70 percent of the house, authorities said. Damage was estimated at $100,000.

Green Valley school capped

Officials with the Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City School Districts announced Monday they are capping enrollment at Green Valley Elementary School for 2007-2008. The overflow campus for this attendance area is Wiederstein Elementary School, 200 Schlather Road in Cibolo. For more, call 945-6300.

Guadalupe eyes possible higher taxes

While proposing a slight drop in the property tax rate, Guadalupe County officials said they believe the continuing trend of rising property values will mark higher taxes in the next fiscal year.

Guadalupe Commissioners Court hosted an initial public hearing Tuesday on setting a new rate of 38.95 cents per $100 valuation. If it were to gain approval after the second hearing Aug. 28, the rate would likely mean an increase of more than $29 per year for the average property owner.

The current tax rate is 40 cents. Total taxable value of all property in Guadalupe County has breached the $6.8-billion mark. The median home appraisal for FY 2008 is $137,948.

Significant expenses in the proposed budget include $425,000 to further the expansion of the Schertz county annex, $325,000 for a new animal control building, and $500,000 for renovation of the county jail.

Comal officials review $46 mil budget

Comal County Commissioners Aug. 2 received a $46.5 million proposed budget that would earmark most spending increases toward roads and law enforcement in fiscal year 2008. The draft budget contains $9.4 million that would help the sheriff’s office fund nine additional employees, including three new deputies, vehicles and equipment.

County Judge Danny Scheel proposed allocated 17 percent of the draft budget for road improvements and new construction. Elected county officials are expected to receive a 5 percent pay hike, a reverse from the current budget that involved no salary hikes for elected officials. Public hearings on the budget are set for 9 a.m. today and 5:30 p.m. Monday.

GVEC’s Schauer tapped for TEC board

Darren Schauer, general manager and CEO of Guadalupe Valley Electric Cooperative, has been elected secretary-treasurer of the board of directors of Texas Electric Cooperatives.

The statewide organization serves 74 electric cooperatives in Texas. TEC members voted to elect Schauer Aug. 1 during TEC’s 67th annual membership meeting in Austin.

“I am honored to have been chosen to serve our association [TEC] in this role,” Schauer said. “I look forward to working with other electric cooperatives in Texas to do all we can to continue to provide reliable and affordable power to our member-consumers.”

Schauer has worked for GVEC for 15 years, serving as general manager and chief executive officer since 2003. He is a past president and former board member of the Gonzales Learning and Career Center and past president of the Gonzales Chamber of Commerce and Noon Lions Club.

Schauer and his wife, Melissa, live in Gonzales with their two children.

GVEC serves 65,000 members in portions of Bexar, Caldwell, Comal, DeWitt, Fayette, Goliad, Gonzales, Guadalupe, Jackson, Karnes, Lavaca, Victoria and Wilson counties.

Comal ISD could see lower tax rate

Comal School District taxpayers could see a sharp decline in their school property tax rates this coming academic year when the school board meets Aug. 30 to consider a proposed $1.31 per $100 valuation rate. The current rate is $1.64.

A public hearing on the proposed rate and 2007-08 budget starts at 6 p.m. at the CISD support services board room, 1404 Interstate 35 in New Braunfels. More details on the draft budget are available online at www.comalisd.org/About_Us/Budget_Information.asp.