Connally names Holt superintendent

Inside
• Business & Residence
of the Month
• Lacy Lakeview animal
ordinance
• Chamber joins alliance
• Art student wins $500
• Gaither signs to
Austin College
Next Meeting
March 18
Lacy Lakeview
Civic Center
@CityofLacyLakeview
Connally names Holt superintendent
Highlights:
Business &
Residence
of the Month
5
School News
3, 6-8, 11
Chamber Info 9, 11
City Info
4
Community
Calendar
12
Wesley Holt
Connally ISD Superintendent
Seven months after being named the Connally ISD Interim
Superintendent, Wesley Holt lost the “interim” tag when the
Board of Trustees named him lone finalist on Feb. 12. The
Connally ISD Board of Trustees approved the motion at a
special Connally ISD board meeting.
State guidelines mandate that the Board gives public notice
of the lone finalist 21 days before the decision can be finalized
when hiring a superintendent.
Holt was named interim superintendent after former Connally ISD Superintendent Frances Penland told the district of
her plans to retire.
Holt has worked in Connally ISD since 1990. He started
teaching and coaching during this time frame. He also served
as a student teacher and completed his teaching observational
hours through Baylor for two years prior. Holt has worked in
the following capacity at Connally ISD: middle school teacher/
HOLT, Page 3
2
Lacy Lakeview Community Newsletter
American Legion Riders to host car and bike show
American Legion Post 121
722 Leroy Parkway
Elm Mott TX
Car and Bike Show
8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Annual BBQ Cook-Off, Car &
Bike Show
11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
March 29
• Silent Auction
• Food
• Music
• Winner in
every category
For more information,
call Marty Aguirre
(254) 881-5791
Leah Williams
(254) 498-2639
Ana “Panchita” Martinez
(254) 349-4313
FEMA Training for
Community Preparedness
The City of Lacy Lakeview is offering this FREE
training to citizens of Lacy Lakeview. CERT is an
organized and trained group of citizens willing to
help out their neighbors in the event of a natural
disaster or terrorism incident.
Lacy Lakeview
Community Newsletter
is a publication of:
• Lacy Lakeview
Chamber of
Commerce
• Connally ISD
• City of Lacy Lakeview
For more information,
advertising rates or to
submit information:
(254) 749-7073
lesly@
acceleratedpowermarketing.
com
For more information, contact
Patty Faulkner, Fire Marshal
(254) 799-2479
Lacy Lakeview Community Newsletter
3
Connally forms career tech program
In a partnership with Texas State Technical College
Waco, Connally ISD will form
a Career Technical Education
(CTE) school that will give
students an opportunity to earn
an Associate of Applied Science degree by the time they
graduate from high school at
absolutely no cost to students
or their families.
Connally ISD applied for
and received approval to form
a state-designated Early College High School (ECHS). The
ECHS campus will be known
as Connally Career Tech. This
will be the first CTE ECHS in
Texas.
Connally High School hosted a ECHS Bash Feb. 13 to
introduce the community to
the new program. The application process is now open to
students in the Greater Waco
area, including students from
districts other than Connally
ISD. Applications are due by
March 7.
Students who enter the
ECHS path as freshmen or
sophomores will have the opportunity to pursue any career
certification offered by TSTC
Waco or
earn an
Associate of
Applied
Science
degree.
Overall, stud e n t s
in the
E C H S
program
will work
with a
m o r e
rigorous
curriculum than
what is
used in regular high school.
Students will begin the program
by taking their high school core
classes on the high school
campus with designated ECHS
teachers. They will be allowed
to participate in all extracurricular activities such as athletics,
theater and UIL academics. By
their sophomore year, students
will be able to attend TSTC
Waco for electives in their
career path or college degree
plan.
Photos by Hope Wagner
A principal and a counselor
will be hired this year to work
closely with the current CHS
administration in scheduling,
staffing and budgeting. ECHS
instructors will serve as mentors that will help bridge the
gap between high school and
college life.
For more information about
ECHS, contact June Burrow at
(254) 296-6700 or jburrow@
connally.org. Applications and
a FAQ sheet may be picked
up in the counseling center or
downloaded from Connally.org.
HOLT
From Page 1
coach, middle school assistant
principal, high school assistant
principal and most recently
as the Connally ISD Human
Resource Director.
Holt’s wife is a long-time
Connally educator and both of
his children matriculated and
graduated from Connally ISD.
4
Lacy Lakeview Community Newsletter
City on the
move!
Proud to be a member of the
Lacy Lakeview
Chamber of Commerce
P.O. Box 154549
Lacy Lakeview TX 76715
501 E. Craven Ave.
Lacy Lakeview TX 76705
(254) 799-2458
LacyLakeview.org
City Manager
Keith Bond
City Secretary
Michelle Hicks
Chief of Police
John Truehitt
Chief of
Fire Services
Patty Faulkner
City Engineer
Jed Walker
City Attorney
David Deaconson
Municipal Court Judge
Pat Millar
Planning & Zoning
Members
Greg Copeland
Barbara Seitz
Sandra Muegge
Richard Lednicky
Denise Rodriguez
Anthony White
Board of Adjustments
Randy Kissinger
Jane Lanier
Anthony McRae
Albert Nichols
Mayor
Calvin Hodde
Mayor Pro-Tem
Sharon Clark
Council members
Patrick Bell Bruce Bundrant
Denise Cogliati
Amy Hall
Steven Moore (filling
unexpired term)
Lacy Lakeview City Council amends animal ordinance
The Lacy Lakeview City
Council amended its animal ordinance at its Feb. 11
meeting.
“We’re just coming into
compliance with what other
cities are doing,” said Lacy
Lakeview Police Chief John
Truehitt. “The ordinance will
really only be an issue if we
get a complaint. We’re just
applying common sense
to it.”
The ordinance requires
dog owners to spay or neuter their pets and have them
microchipped for easier
identification if they were to
get lost.
“Our primary goal is to try
to reunite any animal with its
owner,” said Truehitt.
These two changes to
the ordinance are required
in order for the City of Lacy
Lakeview to utilize the City
of Waco’s shelter when an
animal’s owner cannot be
found.
City Manager Keith Bond
said it makes sense to use
the shelter that is already
established to handle stray
dogs.
“It’s quite costly to run a
shelter. You have to meet
certain standards, and those
standards cost money,” he
said.
The ordinance allows
Lacy Lakeview to use the
City of Waco shelter for a
nominal fee, which is much
more cost-effective than
operating their own shelter.
The ordinance also should
decrease the number of
stray animals by requiring
spaying and neutering.
In addition, the microchipping measure will be a costsaver since more animals
can be reunited with their
owner instead of taken to
the shelter, said Bond.
“Microchipping is a wonderful tool to reunite an
owner with their animal and
avoid taking the animal to
the shelter where we must
pay a $75 fee per dog,” he
said.
“In the end, we’re hoping
we can save money on the
number of animals that we
have to take in and lessen
the number of animals that
are eunthanized.
When the Lacy Lakeview
Animal Control Officer Guy
Thornley finds a lost animal,
he is usually able to identify
the owner, said Bond.
“It’s usually not that the
owner was negligent. Many
times the dog was able to
get out of a fence,” he said.
The city is working to
organize a low-cost animal
clinic this spring with local
veterinarians and the Animal
Birth Control Clinic.
The city animal ordinance
also limits the number of
dogs that residents may own
to five. This was not required
to meet the requirements to
use the shelter but is a common practice for many area
cities, said Bond.
“This is not something we
do as a punishment. If we
work together, we can limit
the number of animals that
are put to death,” he said.
No opponents to run in Lacy Lakeview elections
Three Lacy Lakeview
City Council seats were up
for election this year: Pat
Bell, Amy Hall and Denise
Cogliati.
In addition, Steven Moore
is filling an unexpired term.
Since no one filed to run
against the incumbents, the
ballot will only include Steven Moore’s name for the
unexpired term, according
to Lacy Lakeview City Secretary Michelle Hicks.
Free tax preparation offered for area residents
During tax season 2013,
NeighborWorks Waco is
working with AARP, A.J.
Moore Academy and University High to provide free
tax preparation sites in the
Waco area.
More than $4.6 million
was refunded to the nearly
4,000 taxpayers who used
these sites in the 2012 tax
season.
For the upcoming tax season, NeighborWorks Waco’s
goal is to serve 4,200 taxpayers through paid advertising, returning customers
and in-kind promotion from
local community organizations.
University High School
will prepare tax returns from
5 to 8 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays through
April 15 at 3201 S. New
Road. UHS also will prepare
tax returns at the Heart of
Texas Workforce April 9.
For more information, visit
UHSTaxes.com or call (254)
756-1843.
Tax returns also will be
prepared:
• 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Tuesday through Friday
through April 15 at NeighborWorks Waco at 922
Franklin Ave. For more
information, call (254)
752-1647.
• 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays at
Providence Hospital, FM
& Gloria Young Tower,
6901 Medical Parkway.
For more information, call
(254) 751-4731.
• 4 to 8 p.m. Mondays and
11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
March 22 and 29 and
April 4 at Waco Library
Central, 1717 Austin Ave.
For more information, call
(254) 750-5990.
• Noon to 4 p.m. Mondays
and Wednesdays through
March 11 at South Waco
Community Center, 2815
Speight Ave. For more
information, call (254)
750-8650.
Lacy Lakeview Community Newsletter
Business of the month
Residence of the month
5
Freightliner
805 Ave. G
The business was chosen by the City of Lacy Lakeview Parks and
Recreation Department and the Lacy Lakeview Chamber of Commerce.
The residence was chosen by the City of Lacy Lakeview Parks and
Recreation Department and the Lacy Lakeview Chamber of Commerce.
6
Lacy Lakeview Community Newsletter
Students of the Month • Connally Elementary School Third Grade
Lilly Allard
Lilly is in Ms. Laine’s
class. She exhibits “Cadet
Pride” by being a
responsible and trusting
student. She portrays
excellent academic success
in all subjects. She is an
outstanding leader and is
willing to help other students
in and out of the classroom.
Lilly always has a smile on
her face and a positive
outlook on life. Lilly’s
teachers can always expect
her to do her best. Connally High School junior Michayla
Binette’s painting depicts the Mardi
Gras theme by using the five senses.
The painting was donated and sold to
raise money for the Autism Network.
Jayro Balderas
Jayro is hard-working
student. He has shown
outstanding moral character
this year. Jayro is always
willing to help others and
puts forth extra effort. He
is making great progress in
all subjects. His teachers
always know if they need
a smile or a hug they can
count on him. All of these
qualities together make
Jayro a fine example of
“Cadet Pride.”
Connally High School
student wins $500
in art contest
Connally High School junior Michayla Binette
won $500 in the student art show sponsored by
the Heart of Texas Autism Network. Michayla’s
painting, depicting a Mardi Gras theme, was on
display during the Art Show Event party from 6 to
9 p.m. Feb. 27 at the Palladium on Austin Avenue.
In the “Mardi Gras Celebration of Art” contest,
student artists were asked to bring out the theme
that illustrates the emotions and look of Mardi
Gras. Party goers were able to vote for their favorite piece for the People’s Choice Award.
Connally High School art teacher Judy Lewis,
who mentored Michayla’s work and assisted with
suggestions, said the painting shows the Mardi
Gras theme by using the five senses. She said the
painting is sight, the hearing is a CD with Mardi
Gras music, the touch is a decorated hand prop
holding Mardi Gras beads, the smell is a vanilla
candle and the taste is wrapped mint candies in
shiney paper.
Her painting was donated and sold to raise
money for the Autism Network.
Michayla is a member of the Connally High
School Gifted and Talented Art program.
Spring at the Texas
Ranger Museum
and Hall of Fame
& Museum offers
programs for guests:
Spring Break Round Up
10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
March 15
Activities and programs
children and adults,
including a camp and
chuck wagon cooking
demonstration by Texas
Top Guns.
Military Appreciation
Weekend May 24-26
Active-duty personnel,
retirees and veterans will
receive free admission
to the museum while
thier family will receive
discounted admission.
TexasRanger.org
Lacy Lakeview Community Newsletter
7
Connally Elementary School Watch D.O.G.S. recognized
Steven Carter and son Isaiah Boyd
Rev. Morales and grandson
Ralph Morales III
Keith Bilbrey and grandson
Jacob Gipson
The Connally Elementary School Watch
D.O.G.S. were on campus Feb. 13. The Father Figures were recognized for participating in the Watch D.O.G.S. program and
supporting the Connally Elementary.
Anyone interested in becoming a Watch
DOG can contact Stephanie Gober at (254)
750-7134 or sgober@connally.org or William Davis at (254) 750-7129 or wdavis@
connally.org
Join the
Lacy
Lakeview
Chamber
Meetings at noon
third Tuesdays.
Most meetings
are held at the
Lacy Lakeview
Community
Center.
Lunch is served,
and members and
guests are
updated on the
Chamber’s efforts
in the community.
8
Lacy Lakeview Community Newsletter
Cadet Baseball
March 3
March 6-7
March 6-8
March 11
March 18
March 21
March 25
March 28
April 4
April 8
April 11
April 14
April 17
April 22
Waco High
Waco High JV Tournament
Connally Tournament
Navasota
China Spring
La Vega
West
Lorena
Robinson
China Spring
La Vega
West
Lorena
Robinson
Home
Away
Home
Home
Away
Home
Away
Away
Away
Home
Away
Home
Home
Home
March 4 March 6-8 March 11 March 14 March 18 March 21 March 25 March 28 April 4 April 8 April 11 April 14 Fairfield JV/V Home Gatesville Tournament (Varsity) V TBA Lorena JV/V Home Robinson JV/V Home China Spring JV/V Away La Vega JV/V Home West JV/V Away Lorena JV/V Away Robinson JV/V Away China Spring JV/V Home La Vega JV/V Away West JV/V Home Lady Cadet Softball
4:30/7 pm
TBA
TBA
3 pm
4:30/7 pm
4:30/7 pm
4:30/7 pm
4:30/7 pm
4:30/7 pm
4:30/7 pm
4:30/7 pm
4:30/7 pm
4:30/7 pm
4:30/7 pm
5/7 pm TBA
5/7 pm 5/7 pm 5/7 pm 5/7 pm 5/7 pm 5/7 pm 5/7 pm 5/7 pm 5/7 pm 5/7 pm
Connally Primary School accepts Rachel’s Challenge
Gaither signs with Austin College
Connally High School senior Kierra Gaither signed with Austin College Feb. 5 to play softball. Family, coaches and friends were present to celebrate this special event in the Connally High
School gym.
Connally Calendar
March 10-14 Spring Break
April 18 Holiday/Bad Weather Day
May 26 Holiday/Bad Weather Day
More events at Connally.org
Follow us on
Facebook for
the latest
Connally news.
@ConnallyISD
Connally Primary celebrates
100 Days of School
Lacy Lakeview Community Newsletter
Businesses
A&H Refrigeration
Advantage Press
American Bank
Ash Auto Sales
Ash Bail Bonds
Atmos Energy
Atwoods
Barbara Seitz/
Strategic
Wealth Solutions
BTC Trucking/
Land Air Express
Belfor Property
Restoration
Bellmead
Chamber
of Commerce
Bellmead Lions
Club
Ben’s Short Stop/
Mama Lena’s
Better Business
Bureau
Beverly Social
Services
Blue Cross Blue
Shield of Texas
Boggs, John &
Marsha
Brazos Children’s
Center
Built Wright
Construction
Bush’s Chicken
Cargill Value Added
Meats
Carter, Steven
Castiglia, Tim &
Denise
Central Texas
Urgent Care
Chuck’s (Ard’s)
Automotive
Cogliati, D.J. Jr.,
Rentals
Connally ISD
Contractor
Environmental
Serv.
Cracker Barrel
Old Country Store
Dave’s Burger Barn
Frank Dicorte’s
Emporium
Eastside Animal
Hospital
Eddie Ray’s
Smokehouse
Educator’s Credit
Union
Edward Jones/
Matthew Dollar
Equalizer
Extraco Banks
Extraco Event
Center
Fairfield Inn &
Suites
Family Health
Center
First Title Company
of Waco
Genco Federal
Credit Union
Gordon, Robert G.
Greater Waco
Chamber
Hampton Inn Waco
North
Hodde Properties
Holiday Inn &
Suites
Home Depot
Italian Granite, LLC
Jack of All Trades
Personnel
Services
JMJ Wrecking &
Used Cars
Johnson,
Judge Matt
Lacy Auto, Inc.
Lacy Lakeview, City
Lacy Lakeview Fire
Assn.
Laine Advertising
Company
Lakeview Baptist
Church
Lakeview United
Methodist Church
Lone Star Bail
Bonds
Marstaller, Dorothy
Menard,
Judge Vicki
J&C Morin dba
McDonald’s
Member’s Choice
Federal Credit
Union
Michael
Refrigeration
NeighborWorks
Waco
Oak Farms
R Ash Properties
Real Estate
Company
Robinson Chamber
of Commerce
Sam’s Club
Sandy’s Get Away
Support your local
community through the
Chamber of Commerce.
Your involvement makes
our projects successful.
9
Travel
Skate Country
Stop N Smoke
(Jesse Hancock)
Sykora Family
Ford
TDC Properties
Texas Beverage
Texas State
Technical
College Waco
The Atrium of
Bellmead
Thornley, Guy C.
Triad Associates
Tymco Inc.
Village Square
Apts
Walker Partners
Waco Federal
Credit Union
Wal-Mart
Supercenter
#1254
West Chamber of
Commerce
Woody Butler
Homes
Business $75
Individual $25
Registration information at
LacyLakeview.org
President
Jim Lambert
1st Vice President
Terry Williams
2nd Vice President
Barbara Seitz
3rd Vice President
Sandy Sigler
Treasurer
Carolyn Stevens
Board of Directors
Keith Bond
Michelle Hicks
Dorothy Marstaller
Donna Holdbrook
10
Lacy Lakeview Community Newsletter
Connally Cadet Hoops Camp
Incoming 4th-9th Grade (Boys)
8:30 am to Noon | June 16-19, 2014
Doors open at 8 a.m.
Connally High School Gym
Introduce athletes to the fundamentals of
basketball while having fun!
$35 (Checks payable to Connally Athletics)
Wear T-shirt, Shorts, and basketball shoes.
Quinton Snell (254) 296-6700 qsnell@connally.org
Registration and waiver forms must be completed
on or before first day of camp prior to any activity.
Forms can be picked up at the high school front
office or at ConnallyAthletics.com.
Lacy Lakeview Community Newsletter
11
Photo by Cecilia Pena
Cen-Tex Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
The Lacy Lakeview Chamber of Commerce was one of 10 Chambers to join the McLennan County Chamber Alliance Feb. 18.
Lacy Lakeview Chamber joins McLennan County Chamber Alliance
The Lacy Lakeview Chamber
of Commerice joined nine other
Chambers of Commerce Feb.
18 to form the McLennan County
Chamber Alliance by way of a
formal Memorandum of Understanding signing ceremony at
the Cen-Tex Hispanic Chamber
of Commerce. Representatives of the participating Chambers of Commerce will strengthen lines of
communication between the
chambers and facilitate stronger
regional collaboration on matters
of common interest and concern,
including public policy, economic
development, education and
workforce development. McLennan County Chamber
Alliance partners will also explore
cooperative use of their existing
communications tools to build
awareness and support of the Alliance, its initiatives and impacts.
Discussions between the
chambers began one year ago.
Representatives of the partnering
chambers became determined to
work in a collaborative manner to
strengthen the quality of life and
economic vitality of their shared
economic region.
The signing ceremony is the
formalized agreement of the
group’s growing working relationships and their efforts to improve
McLennan County’s economic
competitive position
Third Annual Art on Elm
What is stormwater runoff?
Stormwater runoff occurs when precipitation from rain or snowmelt
flows over the ground. Impervious surfaces like driveways, sidewalks,
and streets prevent stormwater from naturally soaking into the ground.
Stormwater can pick up debris, chemicals, dirt and other pollutants and
flow into a storm sewer system or directly to a lake, stream, river, wetland
or coastal water. Anything that enters a storm sewer system is discharged
untreated into the waterbodies we use for swimming, fishing and providing drinking water. Information provided by the City of Lacy Lakeview and
the EPA.
The Third Annual Art on Elm
Avenue event will be Saturday,
April 12, 2014!
The event will feature the
return of the pop up art exhibition, musical performances and
local food as well as other fun
surprises.
For more information, visit
ArtOnElmAvenue.
com or call (254)
752-1647.
A community collaboration
event brought to
you by:
Lacy Lakeview Chamber of Commerce
P.O. Box 155512
Waco TX 76715
• Lacy Lakeview City Council meets at 6 p.m. beginning with a workshop second
Tuesdays at City Hall.
• Greater Northeast Optimist Club Bellmead/Lacy Lakeview meets at noon
second Tuesdays at Heitmiller’s Steakhouse.
• The Lacy Lakeview Chamber of Commerce will meet from noon to 1 p.m.
March 18 at the Lacy Lakeview Civic Center.
• Bellmead Lions Club meets every Thursday from noon to 1 p.m. at the
Bellmead Civic Center.