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The Cowboy Capital publishers Dakota Wortman and Roy Dugosh address Bandera City Council members.
Photo by Jessica Nohealapa’ahi
November 21, 2023
Bandera City Council Notes
By Jessica Nohealapa’ahi
The Bandera Prophet
Bandera City Council members are looking forward to a private viewing of The Cowboy Capital, a documentary film produced by Cowboy Capital Productions. Assistant Film Director Roy Dugosh said the full-length film featuring Bandera has already premiered in Chicago, Warsaw, Poland and Strzelce Opolskie, Poland.
Asked to contribute to the marketing effort with funds from Hotel Occupancy Taxes (HOT), council members said they support the film, however they would like to see it first before making a monetary commitment.
“Rebeca [Gibson] and I are the only ones who have seen the film. Jeff [Flowers], Tony [Battle], Debbie [Breen], and Manny [Longoria] have not seen it,” Council Member Lynn Palmer said. “I’d like to help you. I thought it was well presented. I would have liked to have seen more of the City of Bandera highlighted…historic buildings such as the OST, the Bandera General Store, and Hyo Silver. But, certainly the message that I got, is that you can still come to Bandera and be a cowboy.”
The HOT fund currently has $130,000, with $60,000 set aside for the total solar eclipse in April 2024. HOT money is generally used to help fund events that promote tourism in Bandera and encourage overnight stays.
“We have many events coming up that we know put heads in beds. I would like to save that money to reimburse for Mardi Gras, Labor Day and Memorial Day weekend,” Palmer said.
Dugosh said they are waiting for approval to show at 36 international film festivals. Thus far, corporate sponsors include Holiday Inn, Best Western, the American Polish Council and several Polish companies.
“We understand that you cannot finance the whole thing. Little nips and pieces help us,” Dugosh said. “When y’all support it, it shows that you’re behind us. Any type of validation helps.”
~ In other business, council members approved Ram Utilities for a sanitary sewer line replacement project. Their bid came in under budget at $147,540.
~ City Administrator Stan Farmer said he would research details for a grant that could help the Bandera Marshal’s Office with equipment and animal control expenses.
“A lot of the equipment at the Marshal’s Office is vintage. We are in need of replacement equipment, and equipment is expensive,” Marshal Nancy De Foster said. “We are spending a lot of money trying to keep things running.”
Further, De Foster said animals taken into the city animal control facility will need to be vaccinated and spayed or neutered before being returned to their owners or adopted.
“We can’t in good conscience release animals that are not provided for in that way,” De Foster said, adding the creation of a non-profit charitable organization could facilitate donated funds and grant eligibility.
~ The final votes from the Nov. 7 election were canvassed, with Battle totaling 111 votes; Vic Vrazel totalling 57 votes; Breen totalling 100 votes; Brett Hicks totalling 130 votes; Cindy Coffey totalling 39 votes; and Longoria voting 77 votes. Breen, Battle and Hicks will be sworn in during the next regular council meeting.
Asked to contribute to the marketing effort with funds from Hotel Occupancy Taxes (HOT), council members said they support the film, however they would like to see it first before making a monetary commitment.
“Rebeca [Gibson] and I are the only ones who have seen the film. Jeff [Flowers], Tony [Battle], Debbie [Breen], and Manny [Longoria] have not seen it,” Council Member Lynn Palmer said. “I’d like to help you. I thought it was well presented. I would have liked to have seen more of the City of Bandera highlighted…historic buildings such as the OST, the Bandera General Store, and Hyo Silver. But, certainly the message that I got, is that you can still come to Bandera and be a cowboy.”
The HOT fund currently has $130,000, with $60,000 set aside for the total solar eclipse in April 2024. HOT money is generally used to help fund events that promote tourism in Bandera and encourage overnight stays.
“We have many events coming up that we know put heads in beds. I would like to save that money to reimburse for Mardi Gras, Labor Day and Memorial Day weekend,” Palmer said.
Dugosh said they are waiting for approval to show at 36 international film festivals. Thus far, corporate sponsors include Holiday Inn, Best Western, the American Polish Council and several Polish companies.
“We understand that you cannot finance the whole thing. Little nips and pieces help us,” Dugosh said. “When y’all support it, it shows that you’re behind us. Any type of validation helps.”
~ In other business, council members approved Ram Utilities for a sanitary sewer line replacement project. Their bid came in under budget at $147,540.
~ City Administrator Stan Farmer said he would research details for a grant that could help the Bandera Marshal’s Office with equipment and animal control expenses.
“A lot of the equipment at the Marshal’s Office is vintage. We are in need of replacement equipment, and equipment is expensive,” Marshal Nancy De Foster said. “We are spending a lot of money trying to keep things running.”
Further, De Foster said animals taken into the city animal control facility will need to be vaccinated and spayed or neutered before being returned to their owners or adopted.
“We can’t in good conscience release animals that are not provided for in that way,” De Foster said, adding the creation of a non-profit charitable organization could facilitate donated funds and grant eligibility.
~ The final votes from the Nov. 7 election were canvassed, with Battle totaling 111 votes; Vic Vrazel totalling 57 votes; Breen totalling 100 votes; Brett Hicks totalling 130 votes; Cindy Coffey totalling 39 votes; and Longoria voting 77 votes. Breen, Battle and Hicks will be sworn in during the next regular council meeting.