Election Day is Saturday for HISD bond, Hondo council seat

Posts up for grabs in City of Castroville, MV, Devine ISDs

Election day for Medina County school districts and cities is Saturday, May 2.

Among the items on the ballot are the Hondo ISD bond propositions, one city council race in Hondo, board races in the Medina Valley and Devine ISDs, along with seats on the Castroville City Council.

Six days of early voting concluded on Tuesday, with the following totals in each of the various entities:

Hondo ISD: 403

City of Hondo: 245

Medina Valley ISD: 223

City of Castroville: 75

Devine ISD: 75

The total number of voters during the early period within Medina County is 701. The totals from each entity add up to more than 701, because there are overlaps with City of Hondo/HISD and with City of Castroville/MVISD. In addition, a good portion of the MVISD lies within Bexar County, just as a small fraction of the HISD lies within Frio County. Any of those out-of-county totals are not reflected here.

The HISD bond, which is divided into three proposals, will total $30 million. 

Prop A is for the issuance of bonds in the amount of $25 million for school facilities, including districtwide renovations at all campuses.

This will include upgrading HVAC systems, street and parking lot paving throughout the district, restroom renovations at all campuses, security vestibules at Hondo HS and Woolls Intermediate, renovation of culinary arts classrooms at HHS, locker room renovations at McDowell MS, cafeteria expansion at Meyer Elementary, a districtwide intercom system, and renovation of the former TxDOT garage for the HHS CTE programs.

Prop B is a $3 million bond for school recreational facilities, including renovation of existing baseball and softball facilities.

Prop C is a $2 million bond for existing Barry Field facilities, which will include replacement of visitor side restrooms and renovations of home side restrooms.

The proposals, if passed, will include a property tax increase of 2¢ per $100 valuation, estimated at $1.25 per month for an average valued home in the Hondo ISD. Residents with an over-65 exemption have their HISD tax bill frozen and will not be impacted by the increase.

In the Hondo City Council Place 3 race, incumbent Jose Ytuarte is being challenged by Melissa Claire. All registered voters in Hondo may vote in the race, as the city does not have single-member districts.

Hondo Place 4 council member Rachel Ramirez is unopposed in her bid for a second term of office.

The Medina Valley ISD is electing two at-large trustees, with four on the ballot vying for two spots. Incumbents Nathan Fillinger and Blane Nash are on the ballot, along with challengers, Andrew Carawan and Toby Castillo Walters. The top two vote-getters will be elected.

There are two single-member district races for the Castroville City Council.

In District 4, candidates are Tobin Shipp and David J. Ortega.

In District 5, Brittany Fowler and Valarie Solis are seeking election.

Voting in the Devine ISD includes two candidates for single member district 3, Britny Stricker and Kristi Gentry.

In Devine ISD’s SMD 4, the candidates for trustee are Nancy Pepper and Matthew Balderrama.

Election Day

polling places:

Medina County Courthouse Annex, 1300 Ave. M, Hondo;

Medina County Pct. 2 Annex, 8366 FM 471 South, Castroville; and

Medina County Pct. 4 Annex, 317 SH 132 North, Devine.

Polls are open Saturday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.