"Baxter is that he is a foul-mouthed bully"end Quote

¡PURO SAN ANTONIO!

Things are nasty in Windcrest; time to vote

GILBERT GARCIA OPINION COLUMNIST

If you think the presidential campaign has become too ugly to bear, you might want to stay away from Windcrest over the next few days.

A nasty feud between forces aligned with and against Mayor Alan Baxter has escalated over the past three weeks, with police being called in to settle political scores and the rhetoric getting uglier by the day.

The most recent incident happened Saturday afternoon. Karl Amrhein, a 70-year-old Democratic activist, was arrested at Takas Park for “assault by contact,” after Councilman Gerd Jacobi called police to say Amrhein grabbed Jacobi’s wife, Edith, around the neck and tried to jerk her campaign pamphlets out of her hand. Edith Jacobi has been wearing a neck brace since Saturday.

Amrhein was handcuffed and held in a police Tahoe for more than 20 minutes, before being handed a citation. (Assault by contact is a Class C misdemeanor and carries a maximum fine of $500, according to the Texas Penal Code.)

Amrhein acknowledges that he got in the middle of a crowd of pro-Baxter people trying to sway a voter with whom he’d been conversing. He said he’s not sure if Edith Jacobi was part of that crowd.

“I may have touched her during that incident, but I don’t have any memory of that,” Amrhein said. “If I touched her, there wasn’t any energy involved.”

Two weeks before the Takas fracas, Bel McFall, the wife of Baxter ally (and council candidate) James McFall, drove kids around Windcrest neighborhoods in a golf cart, so they could place fliers — consisting of harsh attacks against the anti-Baxter slate — on residents’ doors. When a resident started videotaping the kids, Bel McFall called the police.

The knock on Baxter is that he is a foul-mouthed bully who rewards his friends and punishes anyone who fails to meet his loyalty test. Exhibit A is the recording of his 2015 phone conversation with Erick Vargas, then the head of the Windcrest Volunteer Fire Department.  On the recording, Baxter launched into a profanity-laced tirade and warned Vargas, “You decide who you’re going to be loyal to.” When Vargas resigned last year, he said Baxter pressured him to purge the department of firefighters who backed Baxter’s opponents.

Timothy Wilson, the mayor of Kirby, ran against Baxter in a 2014 Republican primary for Bexar County Commissioner. Wilson said Bel McFall yelled at his wife at a Windcrest polling site, and Baxter supporters hurled so much abuse at his volunteers that Wilson had to hire a polling worker to protect them.

The pro-Baxter faction on the council consists of Gerd Jacobi and Jim Shelton, with Pamela Dodson and Kim Wright in opposition.

Part of Baxter’s effort to consolidate his control over the council has been a recall effort against Wright, a first-term council member who knocked off James McFall for the Place 4 seat last November.

Wright has some strange notions. In a 2015 application for a place on the Windcrest ballot, she crossed out “United States” and declared herself a “citizen of Texas.” In a March 16, 2016 tax filing, obtained by the Express-News, she replaced the line stating “U.S. Citizen” with “Texas resident.”

Wright also showed a lack of sensitivity when she blamed the academic challenges at Windcrest Elementary on an influx of kids “from undesirable neighborhoods outside of our city.”

But the recall-election attacks against her have been excessive. An anti-Wright flier distributed to Windcrest voters has described her as “against education & children” and “against equal rights.” It drives home its points with a bizarre image of a turkey vulture picking at a dead armadillo, with a nearly subliminal backdrop of a confederate battle flag.

The worst thing about this effort is that it has exploited Wright’s situation to lump the rest of the anti-Baxter slate — Dodson, Frank Archuleta and Joan Pedrotti — in with her controversies.

Pedrotti, a former Bexar County court administrator, has been astounded by suggestions that she doesn’t support the police.

“My husband is a homicide detective,” she said. “So I’m pretty much pro-police.”

Pedrotti, who is running against James McFall for Place 2, added, “I worked in the courthouse for 20 years. I’ve put up with a lot of stuff. I have never dealt with anything like this.”

On that point, at least, she and James McFall can agree.

“It’s crazy,” he said. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Hopefully, Windcrest won’t see anything like it again. ggarcia@express-news.net Twitter: @gilgamesh470

Jacobi only worked to improve the parks close to his house & his daughters' homes ..Autumn Sunset & Brook Falls. Voted for the park lights because he likes to walk his dog after dark in those parks.

  Total cost of the lights for those two parks, $453,910 Dollars!!!   Plus the lights are LEASED not Purchased, so how is Windcrest Debt Free, when the Lease is 60 months? 

Jacobi Tries to take credit for Fire Department equipment,  but Jacobi voted along with the rest of council to allocate $72,000 for fire equipment for the 2016-17 fiscal year.  That's his Job, so how is this a Highlight?

Jacobi, Shelton and McFall  voted against transparency last year when council threw out 3 of the Charter Review Commission's recommended amendments which would have allowed more transparency. One was for requiring crime stats be made public as they had been in the past.

Jacobi and Shelton both voted AGAINST allocating $75,000 to Repair the wooden beams on the front of city hall.
  Dodson made the motion to fix the beams, Shelton argues against it because he doesn't want to take anymore money away from the parks. 3-2 it fails. Jacobi, Shelton & Matt against.  Dodson made another motion for $50,000 to repair the beams, it passes 3-2 with Jacobi and Shelton Voting Against.

 Jacobi is on the Street committee and you know the conditions of the Streets!  Each year Jacobi and Shelton say they will wait until after Light-up then start Street Repairs.  Same story every year, but we have Park Lighting to the tune of well over $500,000.  

  Vote these guys off council.  Vote Archuleta, Pedrotti and Dodson, plus Vote NO to the recall of Wright.

Windcrest needs Change!

Windcrest and Snakes?

The local San Antonio Herald published a piece back in Aug 2013.  In that article Mayor Baxter speaks about Snakes in the MailBox.  (review quote from Jeff Flinn article below)

 Seems the snakes have migrated from the mailboxes straight into City Hall.  Recent emails surfaced that indicate Mayor Baxter and the City Attorney collaborated to have a council person removed via petition.  The actual petition filed has no indication that anyone except the three citizens that submitted the affidavit were involved.

However,  Bexar County Court documents have surfaced that paint an entirely different picture. Mayor Baxter and the City Attorney colluded on the petition's wording, right down to having key words underlined and bold typed for emphasis.  This is FACT, not Rumor.  The emails were submitted to the courts by the City Attorney himself.  No doubt, Mayor Baxter did not know the emails were submitted to the courts until after the fact.

Why is the City Attorney reviewing a private citizens petition at ALL?  Citizens do not pay his salary to perform those duties, so Why?  If this happened in the private sector, the attorney would have immediately been fired!

Why is the Mayor involved in the wording or correct terminology for a petition in the first place? The Mayor is mixing his personal matters with city business and using the taxpayer funded city attorney in the process.  That alone is justification for removal from office.

You now know the Snakes location, and it's NOT in a mail box!!  Any Questions?

By Jeff B. Flinn, Staff Writer

 

Published 6:02 pm, Tuesday, August 20, 2013...... B

ut Baxter and Castillo vehemently defended the city's staff from Perry's accusations.

“I can deal with snakes in the mailbox, I can deal with dead animals thrown into my yard, I can deal with the lies that are thrown at me. I'm a big boy,” Baxter said. 

 This last email indicates from a Committee person. Dbgic.aol.com, aks, Alan Baxter's company name.

Do Not Vote the Dark Side

    A resident recently expressed his definition of the "Dark Side."  I.e. the Mayor gets caught cursing and threatening an employee, yet Shelton, McFall and Jacobi find him Not Guilty.  Many say that's the Dark Side or 'Shady' to say the least.

Do NOT vote for the "Dark Side" these short clips should help you decide.  View the videos below while thinking about this:

  Then a u-Tube video showing these three along with the Mayor having a little private pre-council, get the vote straight meeting in the trailer behind city hall.   Next they erect those Black political signs in violation of the sign Ordinance.    Yet another 'Shady' maneuver so they have earned the title of operating on the Dark Side.

 Gerd Jacobi tells the world that the three new council people are trying to dismantle their current procedures and we will never be able to work together.  What procedures would that be you ask.  The procedures where the Mayor floats an  idea, we ALL approve, much like Bobble Heads.

Click here for link to video

 Jim Shelton and James McFall address the subject of Guilty until Proven Innocent

 Jim Shelton is on the Street committee and paints a rosy picture of our streets.  The Mayor even states the streets are Not bad.  For the last three years they float the same theme:  Road Repairs will commence AFTER lightup.  Check it out, every year the same, kick the can down the road.  San Antonio kicked the can down the road for a number of years, meanwhile gave their city manager huge pay increases, now this year they have a 50 million bond package to repair their streets and alleys.  This administration has Windcrest headed in the same direction.  Lower taxes, delay street/alley repairs, let the next administration float the Bond to fix things.
Not that bad

 

Shelton says this about TRANSPARENCY, Citizens will never know!!

Gerd "Jake" Jacobi Insults San Antonio and those on the South Side!

 Jim Shelton Shirks the duties of Mayor Pro- Tem.  Says the idea is Childish.

Mayor Says Alleys Good,  Windcrest needs Soccer Fields, T Ball Field Lights,  After installing nearly $400,000 worth of park lighting what does he have in mind for the little league fields.?

Jacobi and Shelton plus McFall voted off last election, were part of the Three-Some that approved everything and anything mentioned by the Mayor, without question.

  Windcrest Should replace Jacobi, Shelton and McFall.  Recommend you Vote

  Vote Dodson   Vote Pedrotti    Vote Archuleta

Vote NO to the Recall Proposition and KEEP KIM

Reasons to Vote Pam Dodson, Archuleta and Pedrotti

Not that you can't find enough reason to NOT vote for the "Dark Side" these short clips should help you decide.  View the videos below while thinking about this:

  Vote Dodson   Vote Pedrotti    Vote Archuleta

  A resident recently expressed his definition of the "Dark Side."  I.e. the Mayor gets caught cursing and threatening an employee, yet Shelton, McFall and Jacobi find him Not Guilty.  Many say that was 'Shady' to say the least.
  Then a u-Tube video showing these three along with the Mayor having a little private pre-council, get the vote straight meeting in the trailer behind city hall.   Next they erect those Black political signs in violation of the sign Ordinance.    Yet another 'Shady' maneuver so they have earned the title of operating on the Dark Side.

 Gerd Jacobi tells the world that the three new council people are trying to dismantle their current procedures and we will never be able to work together.  What procedures would that be you ask.  The procedures where the Mayor floats an  idea, we ALL approve, much like Bobble Heads.

 Jim Shelton and James McFall address the subject of Guilty until Proven Innocent

 Jim Shelton is on the Street committee and paints a rosy picture of our streets.  The Mayor even states the streets are Not bad.  For the last three years they float the same theme:  Road Repairs will commence AFTER lightup.  Check it out, every year the same, kick the can down the road.  San Antonio kicked the can down the road for a number of years, meanwhile gave their city manager huge pay increases, now this year they have a 50 million bond package to repair their streets and alleys.  This administration has Windcrest headed in the same direction.  Lower taxes, delay street/alley repairs, let the next administration float the Bond to fix things.

Not that bad

Shelton says this about TRANSPARENCY, Citizens will never know!!

Gerd "Jake" Jacobi Insults San Antonio and those on the South Side!

 Jim Shelton Sherks the duties of Mayor Pro- Tem.  Says the idea is Childish.

Mayor Says Alleys Good,  Windcrest needs Soccer Fields, T Ball Field Lights,  After installing nearly $400,000 worth of park lighting what does he have in mind for the little league fields.?

  Windcrest Should replace Jacobi, Shelton   Recommend you Vote

  Vote Dodson   Vote Pedrotti    Vote Archuleta

Vote NO to the Recall Proposition and KEEP KIM

Rules NOT for Incumbents

The Chief of Police recently briefed council on the Political Sign ordinance. The Mayor even asked the Chief to elaborate on the new language about Signs Not Allowed in  back yards.  The Chief explained that signs were allowed on the city right of way private property in the front yard and the side yards, but NOT the back yard. 

  Seems the current Incumbents are above the law.  Does the fine print of the Ordinance exempt the Incumbents and previous council persons?  

 Take a drive down Windrock dr, there are at least three sets of Political signs located in the BACK YARD at multiple locations and that's only one street.  

Maybe incumbents have their own definition of  what constitutes a back yard, side yards and a front yard.

Where is Code Compliance?  

Pedrotti For Council Place 2

Elect Joan Pedrotti to Windcrest City Council Place 2.  

Joan Pedrotti would be a welcome addition to the Windcrest City Council.  These are the quotes from her campaign literature.

Elect Joan Pedrotti

City Council Place 2

·       I support our Windcrest Volunteer Fire Department 100% and I will do anything in my power to make sure they are allowed to continue their excellent mission.

·       I support a realistic and viable plan to repair and maintain our roads and alleyways.  The voters deserve a clear and concise 20 – 30-year plan concerning the infrastructure of our city.   I will actively support and pursue the preparation of such a plan.

·       I believe that the people elected to represent the citizens of Windcrest should present themselves in a professional, civil and respectful manner.  

Violation of Ordinance concerning Political Signs

  Below is the Ordinance concerning Political Signs.  The Ordinance clearly states :  "within the city and may not be erected, used or installed more than 20 days preceding the commencement of early voting for the election or 20 days "  So why are those Black Signs already out?  Because two sitting council persons and the other voted off council last year continue to "Strut their Stuff," "Thumb their Noses," and "Do what they Darn Well Please."  The Mayor supports their Antics so they are a protected class. 
 
Sec. 109-19. - Political signs and temporary signs for church and nonprofit organization events.

(a)

Temporary signs for church and nonprofit organization events. Permits for temporary signs not exceeding 32 square feet which comply with the requirements of this chapter shall be issued without charge for church and nonprofit organization events.

(b)

Political signs defined. Political signs are signs which advocate or support one or more candidates for elective office, or causes, positions, beliefs or views.

(c)

Mobile signs for political campaigns are prohibited. Mobile, portable or vehicular political signs, except bumper stickers, are prohibited. Political signs that are transported from one location to another must be covered during transport so the message cannot be seen.

(d)

Placement of political signs and church and nonprofit organization signs on public property.

(1)

Political signs and temporary church and nonprofit organization event signs may not be placed on public property owned or controlled by the city, except in the following locations:

a.

Median of Windway.

b.

Medians of Eaglecrest.

c.

Median of Windrock.

d.

Median of Windsor Hill between Fourwinds and Windsor-Cross.

e.

Two small islands in Crestway.

f.

Drainage ditch between Crestwind and Crosswind.

g.

With the express consent of the adjacent private real property owner, the front yard extension over the public right-of-way between the front property line of private real property and the curb of the street in front of such private real property.

h.

With the express consent of the adjacent private real property owner, the side yard extension over the public right-of-way between the side property line of corner private real property and the curb of the street on the side of such private real property.

i.

Takas Park on the grassy area a distance of ten feet from the curb south of the community center and the two curbed planting islands east of the community center.

(2)

Such signs must relate to scheduled elections or an event held by a church or nonprofit organization located within the city and may not be erected, used or installed more than 20 days preceding the commencement of early voting for the election or 20 days preceding the church or nonprofit organization event to which the sign pertains and shall be removed no later than 48 hours after the conclusion of the election or the event to which the sign pertains. Such signs may not exceed four square feet in area. Such signs may not be illuminated or have any moving elements, or extend over sidewalks or driveways.

(e)

Consent of private property owner required for placement of political signs and church and nonprofit organization signs. Political signs and church or nonprofit organization signs may not be located on private real property without the consent of the occupant. Such signs must be freestanding. Such signs on private real property may not be larger than 36 square feet, no higher than eight feet, have no moving elements or be illuminated.

Salute for the Pledge?

 Since Jim Shelton and Gerd  "Jake" blasted a fellow council member for not reciting the Pledge of Allegiance during council meetings, these two have taken to Saluting while reciting the Pledge!

  Rules for Saluting the US Flag

  Law Now Allows Retirees and Vets to Salute Flag

Traditionally, members of the nation's veterans service organizations have rendered the hand-salute during the national anthem and at events involving the national flag only while wearing their organization’s official head-gear. 

The National Defense Authorization Act of 2008 contained an amendment to allow un-uniformed service members, military retirees, and veterans to render a hand salute during the hoisting, lowering, or passing of the U.S. flag.

A later amendment further authorized hand-salutes during the national anthem by veterans and out-of-uniform military personnel. This was included in the Defense Authorization Act of 2009, which President Bush signed on Oct. 14, 2008.

  The Pledge of Allegiance was left out of the above law.
 

The United States Flag Code states:

The Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag: “I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”, should be rendered by standing at attention facing the flag with the right hand over the heart. When not in uniform men should remove any non-religious headdress with their right hand and hold it at the left shoulder, the hand being over the heart. Persons in uniform should remain silent, face the flag, and render the military salute. Members of the Armed Forces not in uniform and veterans may render the military salute in the manner provided for persons in uniform.

Note the last two sentences, i.e.  Remain Silent and Salute..  

Seems Jim Shelton and Gerd Jacobi have established their own Code, they Salute without cover AND Recite the Pledge.  

  These two are both retired military and should follow the US Flag Code!

Time to Vote Jim Shelton and Gerd Jacobi out of office.  Vote Frank Archuleta, Place 1,

Joan Pedrotti, Place 2 and Pam Dodson, Place 3.  It's time to get Windcrest back on the right path, of following the laws of the land.  

 

Open Meeting Violation!

City Council Members are prohibited from meeting with a Quorum of Council Members.  If they meet that's a violation of the Open Meetings Act.  The attached video shows three council members, Jim Shelton, James McFall and Gerd Jocobi along with the Mayor walking to and entering the old WEDC trailer behind city hall shortly before a scheduled meeting. James McFall was voted off council Place 4 shortly after this video and now has returned as a candidate for Place 2.

  Windcrest Citizens voted James McFall off council last November, now it's time for Windcrest Citizens to vote Jim Shelton and Gerd "Jake" Jacobi off City Council as well.  Citizens should not vote James McFall back onto Council.  These guys have lost their Moral Compass as they have no qualms about violating the Open Meetings Act.

  There are three candidates running for Council this November.  Pamela Dodson is running for Re-Election to Place 3, newcomer Joan Pedrotti is running for Place 2 and Frank Archuleta is runing for Place 1.
  Pamela Dodson has demonstrated on many occasions during her tenure on City Council that her Moral Compass is in Tact.
 
  Joan Pedrotti has demonstrated during her pre-retirement employment that her Moral Compass is in Tact

  Frank Archuleta, Lt. Colonel Retired, US Army demonstrated a fine Moral Compass throughout his military career.

  Vote for: Frank Archuleta, Place 1
                 Joan Pedrotti, Place 2
                   Pamela Dodson, Place 3

           

Restore Windcrest Integrity!

 Vote to Elect Frank Archuleta, Joan Pedrotti to Windcrest City Council and Re-Elect Pam Dodson to City Council to bring Integrity back to City Council.  It's time to change the leadership at Windcrest City Hall!.
Windcrest residents voted out half of the City Council last election, now it's time for the other two to move on.  Jim Shelton and Jake Jacobi should be replaced, so get out and Vote.  These two sitting Council Persons always vote as if on remote control.  They often have meetings in the trailer before council sessions to align their votes with the Mayor's wishes.
  When the Mayor was accused of  "Cursing Out"  the Fire Chief, these two voted 'Not Guilty'.  These two approved of Cursing out employees and proudly voted Not Guilty.
  Next Jim Shelton and Jake Jacobi blasted a council person for not saying the Pledge like they do. Forget one's Rights,  they just Trampled over those rights because there is no one to stop them. Your Vote will stop them, so get out and Vote.
    Those that served our nation, served to protect the 1st amendment rights, now these two want to ignore those rights because they think they are better than everyone else.  
  Vote Frank Archuleta for Place 1, Joan Pedrotti for Place 2 and Re-Elect Pam Dodson for Place 3 and get Windcrest back to normal.  It's time for to a Change in Leadership!  Vote to restore Integrity back in Windcrest City Council!

So Move,Mmmmmmm!

  You have to watch the Windcrest Economic Development Corporation Board Meeting from July 7th.  The Master of Ceremonies was none other than the Attorney. Seems the Board President was in attendance elsewhere.  The acting Board President was out of her depth.  Had no clue what to do or how to.  Now mine you, she has been on the board for over 1 1/2 years, well to be fair, the chair was occupied.  The entire meeting was orchestrated by the attorney with an occasional "So Move" muttered for the lack of knowing what the heck he just said..
  Seems the Hotel lawyers have added more to their original request.  Their original request was present a few meetings back and hence approved by the City Council.  Now it seems their lawyers want a small change.  The WEDC got into serious trouble a few years ago from small changes made after the original agreement was accepted.  The attorney stated, "These changes will better protect the WEDC and the City."  Are You So MMMMMoved?