SHPC 8-26-26 Minutes
SCHERTZ HISTORICAL PRESERVATION COMMITTEE
1400 SCHERTZ PARKWAY, BUILDING 1
BOB ANDREWS CONFERENCE ROOM
SCHERTZ, TEXAS 78154
MINUTES
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2026 AT 6:00 PM
Called to Order 6:07PM
Board/Committee
Present Not Present
Chair - Maggie Titterington Becki Babcock
Rose Arispe Roz Wise
Sophie Rodriguez
Caleb Hofmann
Jim Burdett
Kathleen Samsey
City Representatives
Zii Reed
Brian James
Council Liaison
Robert Westbrook
Ben Guerrero
Guests Association
Dr. Miguel Vazquez Schertz-Cibolo Cemetery
Introduction of Guests
The meeting commenced at 6:07 PM, initiated by Chairperson Titterington.
The Chair introduced guest, Dr. Miguel Vazquez, who chose to attend the meeting purely as an observer, opting
to just observe for this portion of the meeting.
Discussion and/or Action Items
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Minutes
The minutes from the meeting held on June 24th were reviewed and approved. The motion for approval was made
by Kathleen Samsey and seconded by Caleb Hoffman.
Motion passed unanimously (5-0)
SHPC Membership Updates (Seats: 8/14 occupied | Non-Resident Seats: 2/3 occupied)
A significant update had been provided regarding committee membership. A member had resigned from their
position due to a new coaching role, reducing active members to 7 out of 14. This change had prompted a
discussion about filling the vacant vice chair-elect position. The role was pivotal as it involved stepping in for the
chair when necessary and preparing to lead the committee in the future. At that time, the committee had had 8 out
of the 14 seats filled. The member had informed the group via email in July about accepting a coaching position,
which required stepping down. Although disappointed to leave, they had been enthusiastic about the new role, and
the committee had wished them well. Since this member had been the chair-elect, a discussion about the vacant
vice chair-elect position had been necessary. The chair-elect had been expected to become the chair.
The chairperson had emphasized that the chair-elect role was crucial, as this person would lead the committee if
the current chair was unavailable for a meeting. The committee had been open to thoughts on the chair-elect
position and welcomed discussions.
The chairperson had requested anyone interested in the position to inform them, so the topic could be added to the
agenda for the next meeting. It was also noted that nominations typically occurred in November and were
finalized in January.
For the time being, it would have been beneficial to have someone temporarily fill in until a nomination and
election occurred in January. It was also suggested that if the current chair could not fulfill obligations, it would
have been helpful for a committee member to step in temporarily. Those considering the position had been
encouraged to email the chair, to be discussed at the next meeting.
Regarding membership updates, there had been currently 8 confirmed members: Rose Arispe, Caleb Hoffman, Jim
Burdett, Kathleen Samsey, Roz Wise, Sophie Rodriguez, and Becky Babcock. Becky Babcock might have
stepped down as she had missed three meetings due to her husband's coaching duties and her own commitments.
She hadn't yet confirmed her status, but the committee might soon have been reduced to 7 members. For the time
being, they had proceeded with the current 8.
Review of Financial Statement
There was a detailed discussion to clarify terms like “remaining balance” versus “available balance.” A motion
that was made by Kathleen Samsey and seconded by Rose Arispe, with an update to the inventory date now
correctly reflecting May 31st.
Motion passed unanimously (5-0)
SHPC Strategic Plan 2026
The Chair moved forward to review the committee's strategic plan for 2026, especially in light of Angie's
departure and the potential of Becky stepping down. Despite nearing the year's end, projects like mural redesigns
and landmark property initiatives remained on their agenda. Typically, they gathered for a final year-end meeting
to discuss strategy, create a rough plan, and then formally approve it in January.
The importance of aligning current work with their mission was emphasized, and the committee's commitment to
achieving these goals was assessed. The mural redesign faced setbacks due to a lack of response from the Masons,
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leading to its deprioritization. There was evident excitement for the calendar project and city event support, but it
was necessary to evaluate if these remained priorities and identify committee champions, especially without a
chair-elect to provide oversight.
The chair drew focus on the original mission of the committee which is preserving Schertz history including
historical artifacts and stories, with secondary projects like city events or calendars. The committee sought
foundational tasks for them, starting with Kathleen, who emphasized the urgency of the oral history project to
capture stories.
Feedback from committee members highlighted the need for partnerships, especially with the library, and a
system for cataloging information. The committee agreed on prioritizing oral histories and integrating them into
the magazine. They aimed to compile interviews and photographs, with Caleb Hoffman assisting in writing, to
prepare for publication before the new year.
Updates
Historic Street Signs
Brian James highlighted the strong support from local residents and city staff for the event. Photos taken by PA
were uploaded to SharePoint for the committee's review.
He also mentioned that the Public Works department was ready to move forward with future sign projects. Once
preparations for the school year were complete, the sign installation schedules would be established soon after. It
was suggested that a grand celebration wasn't necessary; instead, an article on the sign project was proposed,
which the committee supported. It was confirmed that everyone could join a photo opportunity.
Updates on Outlook 365
Brian James confirmed that the Outlook 365 design was finalized, and everyone was set up on their accounts. It
was confirmed that the shared drive should be accessible, and any difficulties in using it should be reported. There
was a reminder to use work emails for correspondence to ensure the ability to retrieve those emails if an open
records request was received.
City Event Support
Discussions continued on strategic adjustments for upcoming city events. The team focused on event support,
noting reduced number of committee members/attendance, raising concerns about how this might affect future
events. Participation in the farmers market on September 6th was specifically mentioned, with registration
completed and member participation confirmed.
Other events needing support were highlighted, such as the Schertz-Cibolo Cemetery Landmark Designation
event, and the Holidazzle event. Volunteers were especially needed for Holidazzle.
The cemetery event date was clarified by Dr. Vazquez to be scheduled for October 24th. Kathleen Samsey
informed a newcomer of the checklists used for event support procedures. Kathleen Samsey informed new event
participant, Caleb Hofmann, of the logistics checklists used for event support procedures.
Calendar Project
After careful consideration, the committee decided to discontinue the 2028 calendar project. Instead, they would
focus on publishing historical stories by converting the oral history project into articles for the Schertz city
magazine. This strategy takes advantage of the magazine’s wider distribution to reach a broader audience with the
committee’s work. In the next meeting, the committee would select topics for each month of 2027. The deadline
for articles covering the first six months was set for the end of 2026, while the remaining six months would have a
deadline of February 2027.
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Policy and Procedures Updates
The committee reviewed and approved updates to the policies and procedures, which included adjusting financial
thresholds for expenditures and adding the audio portion to the release permissions form. The changes were
motioned Sophie Rodriguez for approval and seconded by Jim Burdett.
Landmark Properties
Brian James confirmed progress on the correction for the Schertz-Cibolo Cemetery landmark designation plaque,
with assurances that it would be ready for the upcoming October 24th event.
Photo Sorting Completion
It was mentioned that the photo sorting project should be considered complete, but still pending final confirmation
from Mark Thorton. Completing this project would assist in organizing historical visual records for future
accessibility and use.
Requests and Announcements
Dr. Miguel Vazquez, a guest from the Schertz-Cibolo Cemetery Association, requested a donation to help offset
expenses for the upcoming October event, estimated to be around $800. He is asking for a contribution of $100 to
$200 from the committee. Dr. Vazquez provided event details, including a presentation of colors by the
Davenport Junior ROTC, speakers, and an art presentation by local schoolchildren. The chair requested a formal
request letter for the committee to consider the donation as an agenda item at the next meeting.
Adjournment/Next Meeting Date
The meeting concluded with the scheduling of the next meeting for September 23, 2026. The meeting adjourned
at 7:00 PM.
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