SHPC Minutes 07-23-2025SCHERTZ HISTORICAL PRESERVATION COMMITTEE
1400 SCHERTZ PARKWAY, BUILDING 1
BOB ANDREWS CONFERENCE ROOM
SCHERTZ, TEXAS 78154
MINUTES
WEDNESDAY, JULY 23, 2025 AT 6:00 PM
Call to Order 6:01pm
Board/Committee
Maggie Titterington
Angie Fain - Vice Chair
Roz Wise
Becki Babcock
Laren Dalton
Rose Arispe
Jim Burdett
City Representatives
Brian James
Council Liaisons
Ben Guererro
Robert Westbrook
Introduction of Guests & Hearing of Resident
Dr. Miguel Vazquez President of the Schertz-Cibolo Cemetery Association
Maggie introduced Dr. Vazquez, who was there only to observe and listen, without any
information to share at this stage of the meeting. Angie noted that Roz would need to obtain
Dr. Vazquez's signed release form for the photographs taken of the cemetery, which are
intended for the calendar, allowing SHPC to use the images for publication.
Discussion and/or Action Items
1. Minutes - Consideration and/or action regarding the minutes of the regular meeting of June 25, 2025
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1. Minutes - Consideration and/or action regarding the minutes of the regular meeting of June 25, 2025
Roz Wise pointed out that the minutes needed to be amended from “civil war” to “Cibolo,”
rather than changing "Civil" to Cibolo." Roz Wise motioned to accept the minutes with this
correction, Maggie Titterington seconded.
Motion passed unanimously (5-0)
2. SHPC Membership Updates (9 of 14 seats currently occupied, 3 of current hold non-resident status)
Currently, 9 out of 14 seats are filled, and all three non-resident statuses are occupied. The
committee welcomed Jim as a new member. Chris Hormel submitted his resignation letter,
and Maggie Titterington extended their best wishes to him via email. Chris is dealing with
significant personal responsibilities and he mentioned the possibility of returning when his
circumstances have settled.
3. Financial Matters
For May, the reported revenue included 6 books sold during the Good Shepherd Cemetery
Association Shared History event; however, Zii Reed overlooked this and therefore the
details were not included in the May financial report. Based on the inventory tracker and
sales receipts, it has been verified that the reported revenue accurately reflects the books
sold, amounting to a total of $138.57. With this clarification, Angie Fain motioned to approve
the financial report for May, Roz Wise seconded.
Motion passed unanimously (5-0)
Brian James pointed out the necessity of having a standardized format for our financial
statements going forward. This format will include revenue, expenditures, total cash in the
bank, sales details with event specifics when relevant, and inventory tracking for books and
shirts.
Roz Wise sought to clarify how storage fees were represented in terms of expenditures v.s.
encumbered storage fees itemized on the financial report. Brian James explained that the
storage fees for the current fiscal year are not encumbered, as they are expensed monthly
from the committee's budget; however, they can be encumbered in any agreed upcoming
fiscal year. Following this clarification, Roz Wise made a motion to approve the minutes
from June, Lauren Dalton seconded.
Motion passed unanimously (5-0)
Attachments:
SHPC MAY25 Financial Report
SHPC JUN25 Financial Report
4. Updates
Outlook 365:Champion, Brian James
The order for the Office 365 subscription has been placed. New email addresses are expected to be
received within the next week. The delay was due to Chris Hormel's resignation and Jim Burdett's
recent appointment as a new member. Brian James decided to wait until Jim Burdett was onboard
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recent appointment as a new member. Brian James decided to wait until Jim Burdett was onboard
before finalizing the order. Brian James assured once new emails for Outlook 365 have been
obtained by the Committee member, if any issues arise, assistance is available. Angie Fain
explained she is already set up on Outlook with the school district and wanted to clarify she will be
using a different email address specifically for SHPC matters to access the committee's Sharepoint
site. Brian James explained that each committee member will receive a Schertz email address to
access the Committee’s SharePoint site. He further elaborated, the city generally restricts the use
of city work emails to city-related business only. Therefore, city staff are typically issued a
city/work phone for added convenience. The goal is to ensure everyone has access to our
SHPC/Office 365 Sharepoint site, avoiding using personal or work email accounts, which can
possibly lead to confusion. Additionally, one challenge faced by the city—unlike what may be
experienced in the school district—is that anyone can request copies of emails sent through city
accounts under open records laws.
SHPC Policies and Procedures & By-Laws:Champion, Maggie Titterington /
Support, Brian James
Brian James started the discussion by highlighting where Chris left off before his departure
from the committee, noting he was hesitant about merging the By-Laws with the Policies and
Procedures. He appreciated the idea of having everything in one place, but understood the different
approval processes for each could lead to confusion. A plan was made to discuss the issues in
detail with Maggie Titterington and Brian James during a meeting, but Chris eventually stepped
away from the committee. In deference to Chris Hormel, Brian James made minimal changes to
the Policies and Procedures, aiming to streamline and clarify to a concise document, to help board
members locate and focus on vital information.
Brian James specified that communications such as mail, be sent to the city secretary. Meeting
times were clarified, with regular meetings at 6 PM in the Bob Andrews conference room and
adjustments for November due to Thanksgiving. Though initially done in March, elections for the
committee were moved to June to align with Council changes on appointments, allowing members
to familiarize themselves with each other before voting.
Membership terms now extend to June, simplifying the election process and aligning with Council
appointments. This approach ensures continuity and familiarity among members before elections.
Brian James emphasized that committee publications require review and approval to prevent
unauthorized editorial appearances in publication outlets. When it comes to property and artifacts,
tentative acceptance by a committee member is allowed, but final approval must come from the
Committee. For significant items, such as cars or large donations, Committee consent is required
before acceptance. The budgeting policy requires committee approval for expenditures over $100,
with items under this amount being bought at the member’s risk, as it can still be subject to
Committee approval. Purchases over $1,000 need pre-approval and coordination with the City
Manager.
Brian James also streamlined the heritage neighborhood and landmark property process,
emphasizing it will be categorized as recognition rather than designation. Recommendations from
the committee go to the Council, with the property owner's consent prioritized for publication. The
Schertz Main Street Preservation Incentive grant process remains unchanged, going through
Committee recommendation and Council approval.
Chris's initial draft required a two-thirds vote for publication approval, but Brian James changed it
to a simple majority vote for consistency and ease of remembrance. The focus was on simplifying
processes to prevent confusion and ensure the Committee operates smoothly. Brian James noted
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processes to prevent confusion and ensure the Committee operates smoothly. Brian James noted
only two significant changes were made: the election date and the voting requirement for
publications. These adjustments create a cleaner, more efficient document that separates By-Laws
from Policies and Procedures, allowing the Committee to adapt policies as needed while By-Laws
require Council approval. Maggie Titterington made a motion to approve the Policies &
Procedures as amended and presented, Roz Wise seconded.
Motion passed unanimously (5-0)
SHPC - Then & Now Calendar:Champion, Roz Wise
Roz Wize has collaborated with Miguel to obtain brighter and more vibrant selection of
photographs of the Cemetery for the calendar. She is currently in the process of choosing
additional images and has shared her selections with the Committee, indicating which photos will
correspond to their assigned months. For January, she has chosen to feature the Cemetery. It was
also suggested by Brian James to organize and manage documents and photos via the SharePoint
site to streamline the process.
Roz Wise has also proposed plans to provide ample content for the write-up intended for the person
assembling the calendar, allowing them the freedom to arrange the content, the layout and photo
selection. The vision is to create a calendar showcasing various landmarks, which could also
potentially include a map to indicate their locations. However, concerns about privacy when
sharing home addresses were raised.
Brian James suggested obtaining signatures for photo permissions, especially when highlighting
private property landmarks locations on the map. He emphasized the need to be mindful of privacy
issues related to marking personal residences on the calendar and recommended seeking consent
from homeowners before moving forward. To avoid complications, the Committee proposed
excluding the map for this year.
Regarding distribution, plans involve producing 300 to 400 calendars for sale at local events such
as farmer's markets and holiday gatherings. Roz Wise also recommends each member be tasked to
sell 20 calendars each. The team is currently deciding pricing, which is tentatively set at $5 per
calendar. Brian noted final production costs should inform the calendar sales price. Regarding
advertising the historical calendar, suggestions included partnering with local businesses or selling
the calendars at popular community events and locations like the library.
In conclusion, the Committee is tasked to acquire the remaining releases required, additional
photos and making the final photo selections. This will ensure progress to the next stage of the
production process, in alignment with the committee's intended schedule and deadline.
City Event Support:Champion, Kathleen Samsey / Support, Roz Wise,
Zii Reed
The Committee discussed whether to wait for Kathleen's feedback, as she was unable to attend this
month's meeting. Roz Wise chose to present one option for the lightweight screens that had been
researched, intended to be furnished/used to display historic content at our upcoming city events.
The discussion also highlighted the need for a cost-effective solution, possibly utilizing resources
from the school district through Angie Fain's network. In the end, the committee unanimously
agreed to allocate up to $500 for the purchase of a screen and related materials. Maggie
Titterington motioned to approve, Angie Fain seconded.
Motion passed unanimously (5-0)
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Historic Street Signs - Champion, Brian James / Roz Wise
Brian James initiated the discussion by revisiting the details from our previous meeting. He
mentioned that Devan Christensen presented several sign prototypes and styles, leading the
Committee to collectively agree on the street sign with toppers and scripted font. This design was
the most favored, although some concerns were raised regarding the font's readability. The
Committee agreed that the chosen design should avoid being overly ornate, prioritizing clarity. Roz
Wise suggested increasing letter spacing to improve readability while maintaining the elegance of
the script.
The conversation progressed, with some members expressing that the font, although visually
appealing, might be challenging to read quickly. Brian James noted that Maggie Titterington
should have the flexibility to make final adjustments and decisions regarding the design to ensure it
keeps the committee’s aesthetic and is legible. Angie Fain motioned to approve with Maggie
Titterington's refined edits; Roz Wise seconded.
Motion passed unanimously (5-0)
SHPC will present the designs for City Council approval at the upcoming council meeting,
scheduled for Tuesday, August 19, at 6 PM. Attendees were encouraged to wear their SHPC shirts
to represent the committee, and a logistical note was made for Zii Reed to order shirts for new
members.
Roz Wise then shifted the conversation to Main Street. Brian James clarified that its development
was being managed separately by the Main Street Committee, which includes GDC and AT&T
logistics, and does not require immediate attention from SHPC. Brian James also invited the
committee to attend the upcoming Main Street Committee meeting on Tuesday, August 12, at 6
PM in the Council Chambers to discuss developments related to Main Street. The meeting
concluded with everyone noting to mark these dates/details on their calendars.
Landmark Properties - Champion Becki Babcock
Becky Babcock reiterated her last attended meeting details and opened the floor to the Committee
to fill in details for meetings in between that she missed. She recalled that they had evaluated
various sign designs presented by Zii Reed and the goal was to decide on a unified appearance for
the signs rather than having a separate designated aesthetic for residential and commercial.
The Committee had reached a consensus that they wanted 1 versatile sign, allowing a standardized
look, that could be used on both residential and commercial properties. The ideal sign would be of
moderate size—not too large or too small. There was also a notion that properties with significant
historical value, like cemeteries or high schools, might require slightly larger signs to
accommodate more information, perhaps just adding a few extra inches as needed.
As a reference, Becky Babcock observed a sign located by Saint Joseph, perhaps contained too
much text. For example, while a larger sign with more text might be suitable for a cemetery, a
typical residential sign could be more concise, perhaps just indicating it as a landmark property.
Brian James recommended the template should generally resemble Texas roadside historic
markers, but with adjustments—like using "Schertz's Landmark Property" instead of "Schertz's
Historic Site."
The signage would include the city seal at the top, a designation of the landmark property, and
possibly a brief history or construction date. For residential properties, the signs would be compact,
around 12 by 12 inches, while commercial properties or sites with more historical significance
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around 12 by 12 inches, while commercial properties or sites with more historical significance
might use the same template, just in a larger format. Becky Babcock suggested the inclusion of QR
codes for additional information, maintaining consistency in design across different types of
properties. For commercial sites or those with extensive histories, slightly larger signs, like 12 by
18 inches, could be implemented while keeping the uniformed look intact. This approach would
help establish a cohesive brand tone for the historical signage throughout the city. Brian James
agreed to develop a few sample designs to present at the next meeting.
Dr. Miguel Vazquez announced that the cemetery is set to host its Schertz historic landmark
recognition ceremony on Saturday, October 18, 2025. In preparation, the Committee plans to
develop and finalize the Schertz historical marker template by the August meeting, with the goal of
starting the production phase in September. Maggie Titterington pointed out that the written
content for the cemetery's Schertz historical landmark signage won’t require extensive details, as
the Texas Historic Commission has already designated the cemetery and provided a state historical
marker containing all necessary information.
Requests and Announcements
Maggie Titterington will not be present for the August Meeting but will be returning for the
September meeting.
Devan Christensen reached out to Maggie Titterington about a September story for Schertz
Magazine, which will commemorate the month of Schertz's incorporation. She aims to craft
a historical piece, and they have been brainstorming various ideas together. Maggie
Titterington expressed a desire to collect stories from long-time residents, to keep the focus
and messaging more personal.
Maggie Titterington, a resident of Schertz since 1973, believes that local figure Mark
Roberts, who grew up in the area during the sixties and attended the complete school system,
could provide valuable historical anecdotes. She is familiar with several locals, including the
Borgefelds and Freddy DeGuayado, whose family owns the Buffalo Country restaurant.
However, she doesn't know of any individuals still living or members who reside in the area
who may have connections to the Schertz family. In Maggie Titterington's conversation with
Devan Christensen, she suggested that Maggie reach out to see if anyone has ideas or knows
individuals associated with the Schertz family, such as Walter, Lula Mae, or any surviving
nephews. It is intended to create a rich, personal narrative that honors the community's
history.
Adjournment/Next Meeting Date
Lauren Dalton motioned to adjourn the meeting and Becki Babcock seconded. The meeting
officially adjourned 6:57 PM.
Wednesday, August 27, 2025, 6:00 PM, Bob Andrews Conference Room
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