Blueberry
Hill Water Works Case |
| by Gary
Kent,
www.mysoutex.com The owner of
Blueberry Hill Water Works and Abeja
Properties said she decided to file the suit
after more than five years of trying
unsuccessfully to reach an agreement with
the city and county. “I grew up in
Beeville and I’m just trying to get safe,
sustainable drinking water and to provide
much-needed, affordable housing for the
area,” Unger said. The plaintiff in
the suit said that in September 2009,
Beeville and Bee County were awarded a
$500,000 grant from the state to help
finance water improvements to the city’s
water system and to help improve Blueberry
Hill’s water distribution system. The
city also was to provide wholesale water to
Blueberry Hill’s customers.
“However,
neither the city nor the county has used the
grant funds to make the necessary
improvements to the water system,” Unger
said. The suit also contends that in
March 2011 the city began discussions
regarding an annexation plan for areas
adjacent to the city limits. Unger
said that plan would include “all of the
land within the Blueberry Hill’s certified
water service area and all of the land owned
by Abeja Properties on the western edge of
Beeville’s corporate limits.”
She said annexation of that land would
allow Beeville to control the proposed new
developments by Abeja and the annexation
would allow Beeville to control the
provision of water utility service by
Blueberry Hill in its certificated water
service area. When contacted on the
morning of May 12, City Attorney Frank
Warner said he had no comment on the suit
itself. However, Warner said any talk
by the City Council on the subject of
annexation came during a “general discussion
during a workshop session.” Warner
said the city has never discussed any
specific plans to annex the Blueberry Hill
area.
Gary Kent is a reporter at the
Bee-Picayune and can be reached at 358-2550,
ext. 120, or at
reporter@mySouTex.com. |
| |
Hollis
Henley II joins Ronnie Jones Law
Ronnie Jones welcomes Hollis Henley II, a
May 2008 graduate of University of Texas
School of Law in Austin, TX. Hollis interned
at the Texas Commission on Environmental
Quality (TCEQ), Public Interest Counsel and
performed as a Judicial Intern for the The
Honorable William Wayne Justice, U.S.
District Court, Western District of Texas.
With his already immense experience, Hollis
is a great addition to the firm. |
| |
Ronnie
Jones participates in Principal for a Day
Program
Ronnie Jones participated in Round Rock
ISD's Principal for a Day program at Purple
Sage Elementary. After spending the morning
at the school, Ronnie and the principal were
invited to lunch with Superintendent Jesús
Chávez at the RRISD Performing Arts Center. |
| |
Kim Johnson
joins Ronnie Jones Law
Ronnie Jones welcomes Kim Johnson as a
paralegal in the firm. Kim has worked as a
Legal Assistant for Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. at
the home offices in Bentonville, AK. Her
experience includes providing excellence
customer service, working closely with
counsel, preparing budgets, planning
international travel, and performing a wide
array of administrative duties. |
| |
NEWS
ARCHIVES |
This Week
at Your Urban League
The weekly publication, This Week at Your
Urban League, sent from the President &
CEO's office, congratulated Ronnie Jones on
his Board Chair for the Austin Area Urban
League's 2008 Board of Officers.
Click here to see the publication. (PDF) |
| |
National
Urban League’s 2007 Annual Conference: “You,
Your Money, Your Future
The National Urban League’s 2007 Annual
Conference, this year originating from the “
Gateway City,” located inside the “Show Me
State”, St. Louis, Missouri. This year’s
theme, “You, Your Money, Your Future,”
brings the Urban League’s mission front and
center. Bringing the conference to Missouri
shows the civil service’s organization’s
commitment to inform, enlighten and be
engaged in every aspect of economic
empowerment.On July 26, 2007, Ronnie
attended the NUL Conference, as the
Chair-Elect of the Austin Area Urban League.
Also in attendance were Senator Hillary
Clinton, former Senator John Edwards,
Senator Barack Obama, U.S. Representative
Dennis Kucinich, and the Mayor of New York,
the Honorable Michael Bloomberg. The
organization sent out a special thanks to
the AAUL's Board Chairperson Larry Davis,
Chair-elect Ronnie Jones, and AAUL Young
Professionals Member Shelia Patrick of
Applied Materials for "spending their time
and resources to participate in St. Louis."
The Urban League is the nation's oldest and
largest community- based movement devoted to
empowering African Americans to enter the
economic and social mainstream.
Click here for details on the
conference and more info on NUL.
 |
| |
 Bill
and Melinda Gates Foundation Visit, Seattle,
WA
AAUL’s President and CEO, Jeffrey Richard,
was invited to Seattle, Washington to meet
with Bill Gates, Sr., head of the Bill and
Melinda Gates Foundation. The Foundation is
the world's largest private foundation and
it is enthusiastic about making a difference
in the world. Foundation co-chair Bill
Gates, Sr. shared the core value of the
Foundation to Jeffrey, namely that "Every
human being is of equal value." He also said
that "our battle is against ignorance, and
our side is winning!"The meeting was the
site for a conference, All Kids College
Ready -- and the following Central Texas
leaders also participated: AISD
Superintendent Pat Forgione, Hispanic
Chamber President Andy Martinez, Austin
Voices for Education and Youth Executive
Director Amy Averett, and Dr. Ken Ewing,
Director of AISD's redesign office.
 Jeffrey
was also able to engage the Foundation
co-chair in conversation and asked, "How did
you raise a kid like Bill Gates, Jr. (the
founder of Microsoft)?" Mr. Gates, Sr.
replied: "I have no idea!" He then added,
"you give a lot of love, emotion, and
support, and you hope for the best."
Click here for details on the
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. |
| |
2006
Findings of the Chamber of Commerce’s Task
Force of the Education Progress for Round
Rock, Bastrop and Austin ISDs
On December 8, 2006, the Chamber of
Commerce’s Task Force of the Education
Progress for Round Rock, Bastrop and Austin
ISDs presented the “2006 Education Progress
Report” at the Chamber’s December Education
Roundtable in Austin, Texas. Ronnie is a
member of the Task Force that was formed by
the Austin Chamber in 2005 to identify the
key academic performance measures most
important to business to show trends over
time and make them much more accessible to
the community. The Task Force worked in the
first year with Austin ISD to create the
state’s first Chamber-driven progress
report. Last year’s baseline report received
national attention. More information about
the “2006 Education Progress Report” can be
found at
http://www.austinchamber.com. |
| |
Ronnie
Jones selected as the 2006 Chair-elect of
the Austin Area Urban League Board of
Directors
Ronnie was selected as the Chair-elect of
the Austin Area Urban League (AAUL) Board of
Directors. The AAUL is an affiliate of the
National Urban League that has been serving
the Austin community since 1977. The mission
of AAUL is to assist African Americans and
disadvantaged citizens in the achievement of
social and economic equality.Learn more
about the
Austin Area Urban League. |
| |
Ronnie
Jones appointed to the City of Austin's
Water and Wastewater Commission
On August 10, 2006, Ronnie Jones was
appointed to the City of Austin's Water and
Wastewater Commission. He was nominated by
Council Member Cole and confirmed on a 7-0
vote of the council. |
| |
Central &
South Texas Minority Business Council
Ronnie has met all the requirements for
certification as a bona fide minority
business enterprise (MBE) as defined by the
National Minority Supplier Development
Council (NMSDC) and as adopted by the
Central and South Texas Minority Business
Council. |
| |
Ronnie
Jones - Moderator at the Bench Bar
Conference
Ronnie will be the moderator at the
administrative law and government breakout
session entitled “What’s the 411?
Administrative Law Update” at the Bench Bar
conference on April 21, 2006 at the Lakeway
Resort in Austin, Texas. The speakers for
the session are Barbara Dean, Division Chief
of the Administrative Law Division of the
Office of the Texas Attorney General, and
Justice David Puryear, Third Court of
Appeals. |
| |
Ronnie
Jones will speak at a State Bar of Texas
Minority Attorney Program
Ronnie has accepted an invitation from
the State Bar of Texas Racial Diversity in
the Profession Committee to be a speaker at
the Texas Minority Attorney Program on May
12, 2006. The topic will be “Pathways to
Success for Women and Minorities in the
Public Sector”. |
| |
Ronnie
Jones will speak at a State Bar of Texas Law
Practice Management Program
Ronnie has accepted an invitation from
the State Bar of Texas to speak at a program
entitled “Planning to Conquer the Real World
of Private Practice”. The program is geared
toward third year law students and recent
law school graduates (licensed 1-3 years).
The program will be held on January 21, 2006
in Waco, Texas from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
at Baylor law School. |
| |
SCTRCA’s
Small, Disadvantaged, and Minority Business
Enterprise Program
On January 05, 2006, our firm’s application
for certification in the South Central Texas
Regional Certification Agency’s (“SCTRCA”)
Small, Disadvantaged, and Minority Business
Enterprise Program was approved. Our firm
has met the requirements of 49 CFR Part 26
and SCTRCA standards. The benefits under
this program include certification
eligibility in the City of Austin, Texas,
City of San Antonio, Texas, and the 17
surrounding counties. SCTRCA’s certification
program also has reciprocity with 3 other
MBE entities across the State of Texas. |
| |
Ronnie
Jones Has Met the Requirements of the State
of Texas HUB Program
On December 14, 2005, the Texas Building
& Procurement Commission (TBPC) certified
that Ronnie Jones, Attorney at Law, has
successfully met the established
requirements of the State of Texas
Historically Underutilized Business (HUB)
Certification and Compliance Program to be
recognized as a HUB. This certification
allows state agencies and institutions of
higher education (universities) to be
credited for utilizing his law firm as a
HUB. |
| |
Ronnie
Jones Appointed to the Board of Directors of
the Austin Area Urban League
On November 23, 2005, the Board of Directors
of the Austin Area Urban League (“AAUL”)
extended their heartfelt congratulations to
Ronnie as a prospective member of AAUL’s
Board of Directors. The Board unanimously
approved his nomination as a prospective
board member. His recommendation as a new
board member was voted on and approved by
the general membership of the AAUL at its
Annual Business Meeting and State of the
Urban League Luncheon on December 7, 2005.
His nomination was based on his dedication
and service to the Austin community and the
Board of Directors belief that an individual
of his caliber is well suited to be one of
the policy makers of the AAUL.Learn more
about the
Austin Area Urban League. |
| |
Ronnie
Jones Featured in an Austin Business Journal
Article
Ronnie Jones was recently featured in an
Austin Business Journal article entitled
"Shades of Gray: Black business
professionals grapple with population loss,
disconnected community" as one of the
leading African American business
professionals in the city of Austin.
Click here for the entire story (PDF). |
| |
Ronnie
Jones appointed to a City of Austin
Corporate Citizens Panel
Ronnie Jones was recently appointed to the
Corporate Citizens Panel at the City of
Austin's Quality of Life Forum. The panel
was comprised of a group of corporate
professionals in Austin, Texas and was a
group discussion on actions that could be
taken to enhance the quality of life for
minority residents within the City of
Austin.
Click here for more information about the
forums. |
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