By Karen Gleason
The 830 Times
Texas Community Bank has donated $5,000 to Val Verde County for appliances,
furniture and home goods for the county women’s shelter.
Val Verde County Commissioners Court members ratified the bank’s donation during
their first regular meeting of the year on Thursday.
After County Judge Lewis G. Owens Jr. read the heading of the agenda item, County
Auditor Matthew Weingardt walked to the podium and told the court it would certify the
donation “to be used exclusively for the battered women’s shelter.”
“I believe it’s to be (used) for appliances?” Weingardt asked.
Owens said the staff from the Wintergarden group that now operates the women’s shelter
“has turned in a list (of items needed) including bunk beds, sheets, even a refrigerator and
a couple of other items.”
Owens said he had already gone through the process of approving the purchase of some
linens and other items for the shelter through the county purchasing department.
“That was before we knew we were going to get a check. At that point we stopped, and I
visited with (the county purchasing agent); we got the $5,000. Now we’re going to use
the $5,000 and hopefully by then, it (the shelter) will be Wintergarden’s,” Owens added.
Melissa Vasquez, the county purchasing agent, told the judge she had not yet purchased
the linens and comforters for the shelter.
County Commissioner Pct. 2 Juan Carlos Vazquez made the motion to ratify the
donation, with County Commissioner Pct. 4 Gustavo “Gus” Flores giving the second.
Owens asked if there were any other questions, and hearing none, turned in his seat to
speak to the new commissioners, County Commissioner Pct. 1 Kerr Wardlaw and County
Commissioner Pct. 3 Fernando Garcia, about the women’s shelter.
Owens said the county had been working with Esperanza First, a local church, for several
years to operate the women’s shelter.
“Then we decided, both of us, by mutual agreement, that they wouldn’t running it
anymore, and we went out for bids, and we did receive a bid from Wintergarden, and
we’ve been working with them, trying to come up with a contract and an MOU
(memorandum of understanding) on how to run it,” Owens said.
He added, “The services that this group is going to provide is more, I think, than we’ve
ever had. So I signed (the contract) last week. I already had permission from the court,
authorization from the court, and now we’re waiting on Wintergarden to sign it.
“There was a bunch of stuff, appliances and furniture that needed to be replaced, and this
is what the $5,000 is for,” the county judge said.
County Attorney David Martinez added Wintergarden has signed the contract and
returned it to the county.
“So we’re good?” Owens asked.
“We’re good as of Jan. 1,” Martinez replied.
Owens called for a vote on Vazquez’s motion, and the court voted unanimously to
approve it.
Sylvia Owens, Texas Community Bank regional president for Del Rio, and Beverly
Rosas, Texas Community Bank assistant vice and manager of the bank’s Pecan Street
branch, then presented the $5,000 check to the court.
The writer can be reached at delriomagnoliafan@gmail.com
