News

   Bay City school trustees reviewed the process for issuing bonds with a presentation by Lewis Wilks, U.S. Capital Advisors (USCA) during a workshop meeting, March 30.
   “We basically want to get you up to speed on where we were and where we are now,” said Bob Klepac, school board president.
   “We have changed in our funding amounts and stuff. But as far as the bond goes, we are moving forward like you all recommended in your committee.”
   Of the original dozens of Bond Steering Committee (BSC) members, about five were in attendance at the meeting.
   Interim Superintendent Mark Pool presented the current issues the district is facing in funding the bonds.
   “I presented this at the elementary campuses and even offered to do it for the Lions Club about what’s happened,” said Pool.
   “There’s a lot of confusion on the numbers that are out there and I hope to clarify some of that.”

   The city’s sports complex, LeTulle Park, future recreation-related facilities and walking trails all were mentioned at a workshop meeting on the master parks plan Wednesday, March 29, at the Service Center.
   “We’re looking at specific facilities, parks, programming, policies and activities,” said Gail Ferry, project landscape architect, with the Austin-based Halff, which was contracted for the city’s master parks plan.
   Halff specializes in architecture, engineering and environmental planning.
   Bobby Wilkinson noted that Mayor Mark Bricker has mentioned downtown projects and Ferry indicated that Halff is looking at those plans and will include them in the parks master plan.
   D.C. Dunham, executive director of the Bay City Community Development Corporation, noted the “years of problems” that have plagued the city’s sports complex near the intersection of FM 3156 and Skelly Road northeast of the city.

   There were several people recognized at Matagorda Regional Medical Center’s “Ties & Tennis Shoes” event to showcase MRMC’s Wellness & Rehabilitation Center last Thursday, March 30.
   The center is inside the new shelter dome - the Texas Safe Shelter Initiative – and MRMC CEO Steve Smith credited Wellness Matagorda with having the vision for today’s Wellness & Rehabilitation Center 17 years ago.
   He asked for the audience of about 60 people to applaud Wellness Matagorda members present, including Renee Savage, MRMC’s Director of Ancillary Services, and her Wellness Matagorda co-chairman Loy Sneary. 

To read more, please log in or subscribe to our digital edition.

   Bay City High School';s and Van Vleck High School's One Act Play casts and crews were selected  to advance to Region at Area Contest April 3rd. 
   Bay City's play "Tracks," is an original work written by BCHS Theatre Director Magda Mirelez.
   Other honors won at Area Contest include: Kaylise Irizarry, Best Actress; Derek Nemec, All-Star Cast; Erika Moreno, Honorable Mention All-Star Cast; and Branson Cobb, Best Tech.
   Directors of the show are Magda Mirelez, Todd Oncken, Timothy Rhoades and Michael Mirelez.
   Van Vleck's outstanding students were: Marcus Porretto, Best Actor; William Galbreath, All-Star Tech Crew; Caitlin Yates and Angel Hanzik, both are All-Star Cast.
   Van Vleck heads to Blinn College in Brenham April 7 for region competition while Bay City is at Texas A&M at Corpus Christi's Warren Theatre. 
   The first show begins at 2 p.m. with Bay City performing 4th at 4:30 p.m. 

   The Bay City Public Library celebrates “National Library Week” from Monday-Friday, April 10-14 with a 70s theme.
   The event kicks off at 5 p.m. Tuesday, April 11, with the Wharton County Junior College’s Pioneer Concert Band’s 70’s sing-a-long concert and the Bay City High School’s Ladycat soccer players.
   “We wanted to recognize the girls’ soccer team for all of their hard work and accomplishments this season,” said Samantha Denbow, library director.
   The event is free and open to the public with refreshments being provided by the library.
   Attendees are encouraged to dress “groovy” to fit with this year’s theme.
   The fun continues with “Toddler Tales” at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, April 12, with a visit from the Easter Bunny and guest students from E4E2.
   At 5 p.m., there will be a bilingual family story time and a “Library Love Crafternoon” to follow at 5:30 p.m.

   Bay City ISD trustees have a full plate with meetings for the next two weeks featuring topics over the search for a new superintendent and the bond issue.
   The next meeting on the $124 million bond issue approved by voters last November, is at 6 p.m. Thursday, March 30.
   Dubbed a workshop meeting, it is still open to the public and has a presentation from Lewis Wilks from U.S. Capital Advisors (USCA), on the process for reviewing bonds authorized by the voters.
   In a previous board meeting, trustees learned that the $124 million bond was an incorrect figure by the district’s long-time financial advisor Terrell Palmer of First Southwest.
   In reality, the district had access to about $111 million at the time the bond election was called.
   Palmer explained that the amount was based on one percent overall growth and a 99 percent tax collection of the 2015 net property taxes provided by the district.

Darryl Elliott is a believer that good things come out of a tragedy.
   The owner of the popular Poco Playa Restaurant in Matagorda faced such a tragedy Oct. 17.
   A cigarette dispenser in the rear of the building was the source of a smoldering fire about 2:30 a.m. Oct. 17 that created lots of smoke damage and incredible heat that melted a corner of the roof and fried all of the electronics in the restaurant. 
   “The cleanup was extensive.” 
   A little more than five months later, Elliott’s restaurant is restored and he’s talking about all of the improvements under way - not only in the building, but in his menu, his new gift store and his museum.
   “Even though the fire was a major setback, it gave us an opportunity to relook at how we could expand our reach,” Elliott said.
   “We’ve had visitors come down and see things they have never seen,” he said. 

The Matagorda Regional Medical Center will host “Ties & Tennis Shoes” from 5-7 p.m. Thursday, March 30, to showcase their new facility at 135 Medical Center Dr., Bay City.
   The facility is the MRMC Wellness & Rehabilitation Center and the Texas Safe Shelter Initiative, also known as the dome.
   The event is free and open to the public with hors d’oevres and drinks being served.
   Business attire is recommended paired with tennis shoes, sneakers, flats or other non-heeled, rubber-sole shoes to help protect and preserve the newly installed walking track.
   Construction was began Sept. 15, 2015, and was completed Dec. 31, 2016.
   The MRMC Wellness and Rehabilitation Center opened its doors for medical and employee wellness solutions and welcomed the first patient Jan. 3, 2017.