This Is What Is Killing Our Trees
The two most common trees in the area of Sandy Oaks (both the city and the community named Sandy Oaks 3 miles away) are hickories and Black Jack Oaks. Anyone who has lived in the area for a few years would have noticed that a large number of the oak trees are dying on a […]
SAWS Boil Water Notice
SAWS has announced a boil water notice for the area just south of the southern part of 1604. The area effected spans as far West as Elchman Road past State Highway 16 S, and as far East as FM2579, and includes the City of Sandy Oaks. The cause for the boil notice is because a […]
Tax Exemptions for Vets, Elderly, and Disabled
On May 14, 2015, the Sandy Oaks City Council created property tax exemptions for senior citizens and those disabled. The Council had previously discussed these tax exemptions on March 21, 2015. At that meeting the City Attorney, Art Martinez de Vara, suggested to the Council that they hold a workshop with a representative from Bexar […]
City Council Violates Texas Open Meetings Law, Again
The Sandy Oaks City Council violated the Texas Open Meetings Act again at its regularly scheduled meeting May 14, 2015. The Council discussed a topic that was not posted on the meeting’s agenda, a requirement by state law to give citizens the opportunity to know in advance what is to be discussed. The violation occurred […]
New Community Group Forming
A meeting was held on May 6, 2015 at the WPPOA clubhouse for the purpose of starting a new community centered organization inside Sandy Oaks. The event was organized by BJ Gillespie and Catherine Rendahl. The 2 obtained access to the WPPOA clubhouse from Jim Clement, who claims to be the WPPOA president and has […]
Tax Hearing Planned
Mayor Jim Clement has scheduled a Tax Hearing for May 11, 2015. He announced the Tax Hearing on May 8th by posting the meeting agenda at the WPPOA park gate. Included on the agenda is the presence of Bexar County Tax Assessor Collector Albert Uresti as well as a Carlos Gutierrez. The agenda states they […]
How I Re-plumbed My Entire House In 2 Days
The majority of the houses in and around the City of Sandy Oaks (and the community of Sandy Oaks 3 miles away) are mobile homes. These homes vary in manufacturing quality, but all older mobile homes have something in common: Polybutylene pipes. Polybutylene Polybutylene is a type of plastic resin. It was used from the […]
City Council Decides on New Attorney
On April 27, 2015, the City Council held a meeting at the WPPOA clubhouse. The only item on the agenda was to discuss and consider the Mayor’s nominee for the position of City Attorney. Related: SOPAC Protects Martinez de Vara Clement stated that if his nominee wasn’t chosen then the Council would move on to […]
First Hail Storm of Sandy Oaks
In the early hours of April 25, 2016, Sandy Oaks and surrounding areas were hit by a hail storm that lasted for a few hours. The average size of the hail was 1.25″ in diameter, but some reached up to 2″. This is the first major hail storm to hit the new City of Sandy […]
Art Martinez de Vara: The King Behind The Pawns
When it comes to politics and government in Sandy Oaks, look at who benefits the most to learn who the king is. On the chess board, the king lines up behind the pawns. A smart player makes sure the first few moves of the game ensures that the king remains behind the scenes as much […]
City Council Accepts Contract With WPPOA
On April 9, 2015, the Sandy Oaks City Council accepted an agreement with the Waterwood Park Property Owner’s Association for use of the WPPOA clubhouse for City Council meetings. The city has never had an approved contract with either the WPPOA or with Waterwood Development Corporation for use of the park or clubhouse. Instead, the […]
SOPAC Protects Art Martinez de Vara
At its April 9, 2015 meeting, the City Council discussed the Mayor’s nomination for City Attorney. At the start of the conversation, Mayor Jim Clement pointed out, for the first time in the meeting, that because Alderman Joel Ortega was absent there might be a tie on a vote and that he would be the […]
Trifecta of Corruption
A trifecta is a series of 3 ultimate achievements that are related to one another. For example, if a horse wins 3 different championships then that would constitute a trifecta because each singular event was difficult and nearly impossible. The fact the horse could win just 1 event is impressive, but a trifecta takes the […]
No Fireworks Over Fireworks
Mayor Jim Clement has been ignoring the issue of fireworks now for 4 months. In November of 2014, Aldermen David Tremblay and Micki Ball had an agenda item about adopting a required permit for the sell of fireworks. City Attorney Art Martinez de Vara told them the permit wouldn’t be enforceable because the city didn’t […]
Poor Turnout at Animal Control Hearing
On March 28, 2015 the City Council held an Animal Control Hearing at the WPPOA clubhouse. The meeting had originally been planned at a prior City Council meeting to be be an Animal Control Workshop. At that same meeting, Mayor Clement was tasked to hold a public hearing on fireworks. Clement has not yet planned […]
WPPOA Board Members Say They Never Met to Vote on Asset Transfer
At the City Council meeting on March 21, 2015, the City Council discussed the transfer of assets of the Waterwood Park Property Owner’s Association to the City of Sandy Oaks. Jim Clement, who claims to be the president of the WPPOA, was giving over land, assets, and anything that belonged to the WPPOA. To discuss […]
City Council Convenes In Illegal Executive Session
March 21, 2015 the City Council met for a special meeting after having cancelled the meeting it had planned for Thursday, March 19th. The 12th item on the agenda was to “Discuss and consider a proposal from the WPPOA on the transfer of assets of the WPPOA to the City Of Sandy Oaks, Texas.” The […]
WPPOA Ignores Open Records Request
A home owner in Waterwood sent the Waterwood Park Propert Owner’s Association an official request to view POA records on March 4, 2014. She sent the request individually to Pedro Orduno, Jim Clement, and Charlotte Rabe by certified mail. Each WPPOA board member had to sign to receive the letter, which provided a date in […]
Art Martinez de Vara Announces His Pay
On March 14, 2015, City Attorney Art Martinez de Vara announced what the City of Sandy Oaks was paying him as City Attorney. Martinez de Vara was hired as the City Attorney back in August of 2014, but his pay had never been released to the public. Because payment comes from public funds, the Texas […]
City Council Gives Road Money to Attorney
On March 14, 2015, the Sandy Oaks City Council used money intended for roads to pay off city debt. The debt included approximately $8,140 to Bexar County Elections Division, $1,100 to the La Prensa newspaper, and nearly $7,000 to Art Martinez de Vara for City Attorney fees. The money being used came from revenue generated […]
Waterwood Residents Receive Postcard
Residents in Waterwood started receiving postcards in mid March from Jim Clement, who claims to be the president of the Waterwood Park Property Owner’s Association (WPPOA). The postcard has a paragraph on the front that Clement wrote explaining that he is the president of the WPPOA and also the Mayor of the City of Sandy […]
Alderman Micki Ball Hides Public Information
On March 7, 2015, Alderman Micki Ball met with citizens at the WPPOA clubhouse in a City Council sponsored meeting. Alderman Ball was directly asked what the City Attorney, Art Martinez de Vara, was being paid. Her reply was That was discussed in executive session and by law I can’t reveal that. According to Section […]
The Required Need For Recording
Sandy Oaks News began taking detailed records and recordings for the community directly after incorporation and before there was even a city government. The desire to keep solid records came after the Committee to Incorporate promised the community that it would announce the deadline for people to apply for office, but instead kept the deadline […]
Who Owns the Roads?
On February 26, 2014 the City Council met to fix the tax debacle they created when they created an illegal amount of sales taxes. The issue was that the city could only create up to 1.5% in sales taxes and instead created 1.75%. The only reason it was 1.75% and not 2% is because someone […]
3 Men Suspected of Tampering with Government Document
We live in a democratic republic, a special form of government that allows citizens to democratically elect representatives to represent. When these representatives make decisions in government, they do so not just for themselves, but for the people who placed them into office. Secretly changing a decision that a democratically elected group changes i the […]
Op Ed: Ignoring voters is patently beyond the authority of any City Council
The following was written and submitted by Don Hormachea. On August 16th, 2014, the City of Sandy Oaks held it’s first City Council meeting. Among various things discussed and decided, Arturo Martinez DeVara, Mayor of Von Ormy, was appointed as City Attorney for 60 days, to allow for advertising the position and accepting applications. Also […]
City Council Ignores Open Records Request, Violates Public Information Act
At the City Council meeting on February 12, 2015, the City Council was handed an Open Records Request from Don Hormachea. He handed the Request to each of the 5 Alderman, the Mayor, the City Clerk, and the City Attorney. The Public Information Act gives people the ability to access information that the government has. […]
City Council’s Sales Tax Woes
The Sandy Oaks City Council held a special meeting on February 26, 2015 to discuss the illegal amount of sales taxes they created last fall. In their first official meeting, the Council created an election for 3 new sales taxes that, if approved, would equal more than the amount allowed by Texas law. The voters […]
Keep The $180
People should at least consider the keeping of the $180 POA maintenance fee/assessment fee. I know this is an unpopular point of view, but please consider some reasons why: The Fee Now Goes to The WPPOA The primary argument people use against the Fee is that it has never gone into the community and has […]
Mayor Clement Wants VIA Back On Ballot
At the City Council meeting on February 12, 2015, Mayor Jim Clement wanted to discuss and consider placing the removal of the VIA sales tax up for election on the May 2015 ballot. The City Council had placed the 1/2% VIA sales tax on the November 2014 ballot last year and voters decided to keep […]