Letters – 4Her thanks community, readers rally for Lilly’s

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State winner thanks sponsors

To the Editor:

I thank all of those who have supported the 4-H program and have helped the youth of Caldwell County and me, to achieve our goals. Competing at the 2017 State 4-H Roundup at Texas A&M, College Station, was an amazing experience and something that I will never forget. I especially thank God

for giving me the gift of music, this way of life, and these opportunities to share them with others.

A special thank you goes to Mrs. Elsie Lacy, one of our Caldwell County Extension Agents, for her counsel and coaching. I wouldn’t have been able to do it without you!

To view my competitions, look up my YouTube Channel at Michael Norris Music.

Sincerely,

Michael Norris

Lockhart

 

Reader speaks out about zoning

Open Letter to the Lockhart City Council:

When I first moved to Lockhart in 1998 I fell in love with this town and with its citizens. I have so many wonderful stories about the people who have touched my life since I have moved here. But recently I have to admit I am not so proud to say that I am from Lockhart. I find that the City’s continued objections and blatant road blocking that is occurring concerning Lilly’s is shameful.

I feel that the persecution and harassment is due to the influence of a few individuals who feel they are superior in religion and race. Well I have a few stories and statements for the council on this matter. First of all there was not a more superior woman than Miss Lilly, and her daughter Lydia is following in the footsteps of her beautiful mother. Lilly didn’t just have a bar she had a home and she welcomed everyone into her home. It did not matter to her what color you were, what your religion was or how important your so-called social status was. You were a person to her and that’s all that mattered.

When I moved to Lockhart I was warned to stay away from Lilly’s bar. I was a young white woman and was told I wouldn’t be safe. How sad that I believed the gossip and nastiness at first. However, my opinion changed when my dad (who is very white) wandered into Lilly’s one day while visiting me from out of town and guess what he was not attacked or harmed. He was offered a beer and acceptance. My dad loved Lilly and loved her place. He came home and insisted that my mom and I go have lunch with him at Lilly’s and it was then I met Lilly and got to know some of the most wonderful people in Lockhart. We were always greeted with a smile, a hug and love. The perception that Lilly’s bar is full of unruly, unworthy citizens is just not true or fair. Lilly’s is a place full of love and acceptance. It is more a home to the people who patronize it and shame on you for trying to destroy that home.

The Christmas after my mom died my brother and I were across the street working on opening our own business and decided to take a break and go have a beer. It started out as the saddest Christmas of my life. I was depressed and numb. We walked into Lilly’s and were met by other people who were alone on Christmas day. We all started to wish each other a Merry Christmas and then began sharing stories and laughs. Soon I started to feel lighter and not being alone but surrounded by awesome people made Christmas at Lilly’s the perfect place to find peace and love.

I have so many more beautiful stories about Lilly, Lydia, Lilly’s bar and the patrons who have touched my life but I have a feeling you really don’t care. So I will leave you with these closing statements. For those of you who are trying to stop Lilly’s from being successful because “you don’t want that kind” in this town. SHAME on you! We need “that kind” in this town because for all the churches that grace our streets I find the lack of love and acceptance deplorable. “That kind” takes care of our children every year at Christmas, supports our community and loves and accepts everyone. I don’t know if you have noticed but most people would have called the Media or a lawyer by now, but the one person who you are persecuting and tormenting has taken the high road. She has not spread nasty rumors about anyone. As a matter of fact when I talked to her about it, her comment was that she was just going to keep praying about the situation and for all the people involved.

Yes City Council, this horrible Mexican lady who wants to carry on her mother’s memory and legacy, the woman who is trying to make a living for her family, she is praying for you. So I am going to add my prayers to Lydia’s and I am going to ask God to spare you the grief, the sadness, the disappointment and the heartache you have inflicted on others.

Sincerely,

Bernadette Bowen

Lockhart

 

Resident concerned over zoning fairness

To the Editor:

I have a great deal of respect for the members of the Lockhart City Council. They have all sworn to take on a job that neither you nor I have stepped up to do. I realize that it takes a great deal of their time, and can include having to make some difficult decisions.

With that being said, I also have some issues with decisions they have made recently. I am not asking you to believe me, I am asking you to do what we all should be doing as citizens of not only this City and Country. Do your own due diligence. Don’t just believe what you are told is true, make up your own minds.

Many zoning changes have been made in the last two years to accommodate outside business interests that want to either relocate here, or sell a property they own here to someone with a particular purpose in mind that didn’t meet the current zoning ordinances. But they found a way to make it work.

They have also blocked zoning changes for a local business that wanted to expand its services to the community.

My issue here is consistency. Where is it?

I am speaking of the zoning change requested June 6 for Lilly’s at 109 W. Walnut St.

Despite the City Planning and Zoning Commission voting unanimously in favor of this zoning change on May 24th, based on the City Planning Department’s recommendation, the Lockhart City Council voted against it.

This zoning change is part of the 2020 comprehensive land use projection (approved by city council) and will inevitably be instituted at some point.

The vote was four in favor, and three against, but due to the issue requiring a “super majority” vote, the zoning change failed to pass.  Democracy in action?

The restaurant located there currently allows BYOB per Texas law. They want a zoning change so that they can apply for a TABC license to sell beer as a restaurant, which would then allow TABC regulations to come into play.

The three members of the council who voted against it voiced “safety concerns” about alcohol being sold at this restaurant, when in simple fact it would obviously be “safer” for the community to have TABC regulations in effect.

There were two letters in opposition, 113 letters in support. Several spoke in favor of the zoning change, no one spoke in opposition.

This same council has, over the last two years, amended and in fact rewritten zoning ordinances to accommodate outside business interests (all regarding alcohol issues) since Ms. Serna began requesting this simple zoning change in 2015 when she relocated to this address.

Why would a local business owner be denied something that outside business interests are allowed?

Watch the hearing and the vote for yourself. Items 4A and 4B on the agenda online at http://lockharttx.swagit.com/play/06062017-1287.

If this issue bothers you, let the city council know. All of their contact information can be found on the City of Lockhart website.

Chuck Keplar

Lockhart

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