2021 – A Look Back
Grants Flowed in During 2021
By ANGELA HAHN Fayette County Grants Specialist
Fayette County received the first of two tranches of money allocated to it through the American Rescue Plan in May of 2021. The County planned to use the initial $2.4 million to fill gaps identified county-wide. With that in mind, funds were earmarked for a new EMS station in Schulenburg, the renovation of the station in Flatonia and the addition of a crew’s quarter in Round Top. A new EMS ambulance was purchased and outfitted and $500,000 was contributed to St. Mark’s Hospital’s capital improvement project.
It is anticipated the remaining $2.5 million allocated to the County will come in May of 2022.
Other grant opportunities sought by the County include two separate grants submitted to the Texas Division of Emergency Management’s Hazard Mitigation Grant program. One was for the development of a multi-jurisdictional hazard mitigation plan and one for the purchase of four generators for Fayette Water Supply Cooperative. Both applications include a 25% match; the County submitted an application to the General Land Office for the match for the plan development and Fayette Water Supply Cooperative pledged to meet the match for the generators.
The County assisted Schulenburg Volunteer Fire Department submit an application to the Assistance to Firefighters grant program for the purchase of portable and mobile radios. Six of the county’s volunteer fire departments and Fayette County EMS participated in the application.
The County applied for, and received reimbursement from FEMA for overtime costs for EMS crews associated with the winter storm and salaries incurred from the initial response to the Covid pandemic.
The County continues to work GLO on the buyout of the homes damaged by Hurricane Harvey. It was anticipated that lengthy process should be concluded by the end of the year.
2021 by the Numbers
• During 2021, Fayette County 9-1-1 Addressing assigned 390 new addresses and the Fayette County 9-1-1 Call Center handled an average of fifty-three (53) 9-1-1 calls-per-day.
– Dawn Moore, 9-1-1 Addressing/Mapping Coordinator
• During 2021, Fayette County Floodplain Manager approved 160 Residential and 19 Oil and Gas Development Permit Applications for a total of $21,100.00.
– Amber Hielscher, Floodplain Manager
During 2021, there were 128 divisions of property. Of those 128, 36 were exempted over 10 acres, 23 were exempted adjoining land owners, 29 were family exemptions, one was a financial exemption, 36 were variances (under 10 acres), and three were formal divisions.
During 2021, there were 285 septic permits totaling $80,900.00.
– Clint Sternadel, County Inspector
During 2021, Fayette County Juvenile Probation Department received 49 referrals from law enforcement for criminal offenses committed by juveniles, with 71% of the population being males and 29% being females. Of the 49 referrals, 22 were Felony offenses and 27 were Class A or B offenses. The majority of these youth were between the ages of 14-16 years of age.
– Chief Juvenile Probation Officer Cindy Stueber
2021 Was a Year of Big Headlines Locally
By LOUANN ADCOX
The Fayette County Record
Headlines pulled from The Fayette County Record this past year:
January 2021
215 vaccinated for COVID in Fayette County so far
Tx Dot releases preliminary plan for intersection in downtown La Grange
Just in time for the New Year, the historic clock on the courthouse square is repaired
After 41 years Tommy Taylor is retiring from LGISD
New Year, new building at La Grange Elementary
More county records will soon be searchable online
County gives $5,000 to CJ Lehmann before he officially comes off payroll
Three pistols stolen from vehicles in Lynnwood
$20 bills go flying after Brinks truck mishap
Fayette County Vet Clinic’s Dr. Tiemann retires
Judge Weber talks about national unrest
La Grange’s Dobbins helps Baltimore advance in the playoffs
Porras named new administrator of Care Inn in La Grange
Texas Czech Heritage and Cultural Center honors Sodek, Ellinger Combo
104 ice related 911 calls in less than nine hours
Best Little Quilt Show to become a quilt walk downtown this year
Geyser erupts in downtown La Grange
Part of MS 150 will start from La Grange
St. Mark’s will be able to stay open for elective procedures
No more first dose vaccines seem headed here any time soon
Feed the need program coming to La Grange Jan. 25 Free hamburgers every Monday
Home near Plum burns to ground
Farewell to a legend-Husmann’s Memorial brings huge crowd to stadium that will be named after him
Pin Oak Cemetery upgrades continue
Tapley promoted to Colonel Regional vaccination sub hub is coming
Septic permits up 43 percent indicating lots of new development in Fayette County
Up to 30 vehicles burned in fire near Flatonia
Regional vaccine Hub gets 600 calls in first few hours
Round Top Family Library annual chili cook off cancelled
County raises cost of blue trash bags
Lady Leps win and clinch district basketball crown
More than $30,000 in stolen items found inside crates at truck stop
It’s a two-way riverfront construction zone in La Grange
LHS swimmers make a big splash at the district meet
New CEO of St. Mark’s says must build relationships
Courthouse evacuated after gas smell fills downtown La Grange
La Grange man arrested after pouring gas on home
House a total loss after fire caused by fallen candle
Quiet zone along railroad probably not possible in La Grange
The Remnant Pastor Dennis and Jan Hill ready to retire
February 2021
Second Chance passes $3 million mark in donations
County has bank building under contract for expansion plans
Navidad Valley Community Connections Center in Schulenburg to re-open
Sheriff Keith Korenek seriously injured in one vehicle accident
After 20 years as La Grange Mayor Moerbe not running for re election
City of Fayetteville gets out of the ballpark business
Fayette Public Library to lend Wi-Fi hot spots
Sarah Mabry announces candidacy for mayor
Torchy’s taco truck was in La Grange
One of the worlds rarest mushrooms found in Fayette County
Local LCRA workers save a man pinned in flipped skid steer
Sheltering plan for large animals being developed
$60,000 in cash is found stuffed inside crock-pot
To be continued next week
EMS Nears 4,000 Calls for the Year
By JOSH VANDEVER
Fayette County EMS Director
To date, Fayette County EMS (FCEMS) has responded to over 3,979 calls for service, a record year for the department. Of those calls, 2,537 resulted in a patient being transported to the hospital. FCEMS responded to just under 1,000 calls for lift assistance or other types of calls that did not require medical treatment or transportation. The department provided stand-by assistance and medical services to police and fire at approximately 60 incidents. FCEMS also provided medical stand-by services for all of the local high school football games.
With the assistance of Fayette County’s grant specialist, Angela Hahn, FCEMS saved county taxpayers over $750,000 using federal funding to repair and improve the aging ambulance fleet and medical equipment. A new medical director who is board certified EMS physician was also retained, greatly improved the medical treatment protocols.
FCEMS added “Lucas 3” mechanical CPR devices to every ambulance in the county as well as rolling out new IV medication infusion pumps and are in the process of training all employees in the use of new and highly capable ventilators.
Lt. Doady Rogers promoted to the rank of Captain while Conner Zeller promoted to the rank of Lieutenant. The first of December saw FCEMS transition to a new billing company which assisted in the continued efforts to offset the cost of operations to the county taxpayers.
Working with Pct. 4 Commissioner, Drew Brossmann, FCEMS made progress towards getting land donated to the county for the construction of a new EMS station in Schulenburg. Under County Judge Joe Weber’s leadership, headway is also being made to add a medical unit to the Round Top Warrenton Volunteer Fire Station. Both projects are expected to be completed in 2022.
Airport was a Busy Place in 2021
By DEBRA MADDOX
Fayette Regional Air Center Manager
All county hangars have been continuously occupied this year and lease agreements have been updated to allow rate increases to occur simultaneously for all county hangars. Rates were increased to $.21 per square foot per month ($212 for a T-hangar and $525 for a box hangar). There are 42 entries on the waiting list for a hangar.
Approval has been given for the replacement of the weather reporting equipment originally installed in 1998. A new, state of the art system will be installed in 2022. Multiple grants totaling $234,000 have been made available and are being pursued. All funds from the grants will go toward upgrades and pavement maintenance.
Equipment for sealing pavement cracks was purchased and utilized to help maintain the asphalt surfaces. Thanks go out to the Precinct 2 crew that has manned the equipment!
The local flying club has remained active and one of the members was recently hired by the airlines.
The courtesy car has been checked out 80+ times this year. Weikels has been a favorite destination for visiting pilots.
There have been accidents/ incidents and no runway/airport closures except during the winter storm in February when even the major airports were severely affected.
2021 Was a Very Wet Year Here
Barring any rainfall in the last couple of days of the year, we’ll end with 53.79 inches of rainfall in La Grange for 2021.
That’s almost double the rainfall we had in 2020 (when we had 27.09 inches) and just over 13 inches above the annual average yearly rainfall.
All that rain we had in 2021 still doesn’t match up to 2015 which still stands as the wettest year on record in La Grange, when we got 60.08 inches. – Jeff Wick