BusinessLink July 2020

BUSINESS LINK THE HILL COUNTRY’S PREMIER BUSINESS PUBLICATION

Vol. 8, Issue 7 • July 2020

COVER STORY

MASKING DEBATE Businesses speak out against having to enforce a mask order

BACK ON THE

LINKS

The Chamber’s annual golf tournament is a big success

Business Link KERRVILLE AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 1700 Sidney Baker St., Suite 100, Kerrville, TX 78028 PHONE: 830-896-1155 | FAX: 830-896-1175 | kerrvilletx.com

Participation in leadership program helps provide greater insight into Kerr

CHAMBER LEADERSHIP CHAMBER STAFF Tim Rye | Chair Peterson Medical Associates Lisa Winters | Past Board Chair Peterson Health Allison Bueche | Leadership Kerr County Kerrville Public Utility Board Tricia Byrom | Secretary Guadalupe Bank Mike Wittler | Chair Elect, Policy & Governance Kerrville Public Utility Board Justin Foster | Treasurer Community First National Bank Brian Bowers | 1st Vice Chair Government Affairs Centennial Bank Michael Anglin | Communications ARTIFEX42 Kerry Sutton | Membership HCTC Shawna Fahrenthold | Education Alamo Colleges Sue Tiemann Brinkman Preferred Properties David Reast Schreiner University Rose Bradshaw So Fast Printing Clint Fiore Texas Business Buyers, LLC Colby Johle Brookdale Guadalupe River Plaza

Kristan Weaver|Interim-President and CEO Angela North | Director of Membership angela@kerrvilletx.com Jennifer Lord | Receptionist info@kerrvilletx.com

BUSINESS LINK STAFF Carlina Villalpando, Publisher Louis Amestoy, Managing Editor Jeanette Nash, Asst. Managing Editor Tom Holden, Photographer John Doran, Advertising Director Advertising: Brandon Baldwin, Valerie Tucker and Luly Bliss Composing: Manager Dean Heep and Johanna Rangel

A PUBLICATION IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

IN MEMORIAM ➤ Builder Granger MacDonald turned his family business into a powerful company that constructed family housing all over the country, especially here in Texas. He died last month, but his legacy is not forgotten.

PAGE 18

2 BusinessLink • June 2020

Toby Appleton

Schreiner University I was excited to have the opportunity to take part in Leadership Kerr County (LKC) class 35. While LKC focuses on important community topics such as economic development, social services, education, government, health care, environment, tourism, travel & leisure and others, it is so much more than just an instructional and sight-seeing experience. LKC instills leadership through team building, problem solving and networking. I had heard, as I think all of us did, the stories of friendships fostered and networks strengthened, with peers in the class and LKC alumni. While what I had heard was certainly true, I can honestly say it was understated. I made lifelong friends in this class, the networking reach is invaluable, and the knowledge gained regarding the workings of the city and county were astounding.

Many of us did not know each other prior to LKC. Each of us brought our own strengths to the team, and we were taught how to better use our own strengths while also understanding and empowering our peers to use theirs.

Through our own strengths — and weaknesses — every one of us made the team better. We set out from the beginning to achieve more than any class that had come before us in our execution of our class project — EasterFest — and, more importantly, the goal of raising money for our local nonprofit – Kids’ Advocacy Place. From day one, that was our goal, and we set out to achieve it. Little did we know of the tumultuous events we would be confronted with on our path.

We were on track to achieve the goal of surpassing previous classes in donations and sponsorships when COVID-19 reared its ugly head.

Our class could have given up being faced with an insurmountable obstacle. However, this class persevered and continued to push forward.

Despite not being able to hold EasterFest, LKC class 35 was still able to make a substantial donation to Kids’ Advocacy Place.

Martin Luther King Jr. once said “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’” LKC is for servant leaders who want to give to their community. I am honored and proud to be a part of this great group of servant leaders giving their time and talents to make our community stronger – through volunteering, serving on nonprofit boards of directors, and participating in city and county government to affect change. This class not only improved me personally and professionally, but even more it improved me as a citizen and leader within my community. It was truly one of the best personal and professional investments in myself I have made.

To my classmates — and friends — of LKC class 35: thank you for allowing me to walk along side of you, and I am excited to see what we each do in the future for our community!

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NEW MEMBERS AND RENEWALS New Members Bronze Stevens Wealth Management 830.496.3625 Sante Clinical Research 830.890.5171 T.E.X.A.S In The W.I.L.D. 325.812.7861 Williamson Roofing 210.860.9982 Diversied Payments 830.256.0668 ZenBusiness 844.493.6249 Vivere Catering 830.998.8656 Silver Berkshire Hathaway Home Services 361.442.4811 Key Hill Country Real Estate 830.238.7539 Poynter Bungalow Cottages 210.560.1848 Gold Embrace Hospice 830.895.0433 Gold Cup Pawn 830.895.3113 Renewals Bronze Acapulco Mexican Restaurant Alltex Nursery and Landscapes Alpha Granite American Red Cross - Hill Country Chapter Arms of Hope BCI Custom Homes Buck Valley Ranch Bumdoodlers Lunch Company Camp Eagle Clint Orms Engravers & Silversmiths Cruise Planners D W Electric Co. Delayne Sigerman Edward Jones - Grant Mein Fredericksburg Publishing Co. Frost Wealth Advisors Greater Hope Church Hill Country Community Journal Hill Country Crisis Council Hill Country Limousine Service, Inc. Hill Country Pools & Spas Hill Country Smiles Homes & Land of the Texas Hill Country Keely Herod, CPA Kerr Country Pump Kerr-Konnect Kerrville Host Lions Club Kinetico San Antonio Klemme's River Run Lodge Midway Wrecker Service Muehlstein, Scott A. Insurance Agency Natives of Texas Nitro Cheer Company Our Lady of the Hills Catholic High School Peak Fitness Rails Raising Cane's Ranch Radio Group

4 BusinessLink • July 2020

After being on the cover of last month’s Business Link magazine, Gold Cup Pawn joined the Kerrville Area Chamber of Commerce for the first time in years. Intersted in joining the chamber and seeing all of the benefits? Give them a call.

Realty Executives-Toni Caldwell Republican Women of Kerr County Risinger, Brad A., D.D.S., M.S.D. River Oaks Framing Co., LLC River Oaks Shopping Center Rotary Club of Kerrville, Texas Society of St Vincent de Paul Spears Mobile Homes, Inc. Stouffer & Associates, LLP - Boerne Branch Stuff Safe Secure Storage Taylor Properties The Science Mill Tri County Home Health Vordenbaum Engineering Water Tree Wilson Asset Managment, Inc. Gold Waste Connections Silver Bark Avenue Pet Spa BK Cosmo College of Cosmetology Chicken Express Dean Mitchell Masonry Equitech-Bio, Inc. Heritage Oaks Apartments Hill Country Dental Associates Mamacita's River Trail Cottages

CHAMBER NEWS

Chamber to offer a virtual seminar on small business lending and how to establish credit Staff report

news@dailytimes.com As the coronavirus pandemic swept across the country many small businesses found that they were going to have to navigate how to shore up their ability to obtain loans or credit.

On July 22, the Kerrville Area Chamber of Commerce will host a virtual class on just that — Small Business Lending and Establishing Credit for your Business.

The free class will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. and is sponsored by BBVA. The class will be taught by BBVA’s Katie Hill and Jose Santos.

Those interested in attending should contact Hill at (830) 2581002 or via email at katie.hill@bbva.com POSTPONED The annual Kerrville Area Chamber of Commerce Business Expo, which was scheduled for Aug. 7-8, has been postponed as a response to the coronavirus pandemic.

The event was scheduled to be at the Hill Country Youth Event Center.

The Kerrville Area Chamber of Commerce Business Expo for 2020 has been postponed to later in the year. The annual event has attracted hundreds of visitors to the Hill Country Youth Event Center.

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COVER STORY

Debbie LaFour, who owns the landmark LaFour Restaurant in Kerrville, speaks against an order to require businesses to enforce masks to be worn by customers at businesses across Kerr County. In this screen shot, the Kerr County Commissioner’s Court listens intently to her testimony during a public comment section of the June 29 Commissioner’s Court.

NO MASKING THIS DEBATE

Sean Batura

sean.batura@dailytimes.com

J

ust managing all of the regulatory requirements to run her restaurant, Kerrville’s Debbie LaFour was troubled by the notion that she would have another layer to deal with if the Kerr County Commissioners Court decided to impose an order that would make businesses require masks to be worn by employees and customers.

She was one of several small business owners who gathered the courage to speak out against the suggestion

6 BusinessLink • July 2020

of wearing masks during a June 29 meeting at the Kerr County Courthouse. The debate about wearing masks as a way of preventing coronavirus has been one of the most intensely debated issues in a year that has been defined by intense debates.

“I don’t feel that it is my job to police anyone. I’ve had calls just like y’all have had calls at my restaurant, over and over and over,” LaFour told the commissioners and Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly. “What are you going to do? We’re going to be damned if we do and damned if we don’t at this point. But I feel like that is a person’s choice to wear a mask, I don’t feel like it’s my job to tell them they have to wear a mask to come into my business.

If someone comes into my business and they have an underlying condition that they cannot wear a mask, I feel like it is not my job to ask them, what is your underlying condition that you can’t wear a mask? So that puts us in a bad situation. We are in a bad spot right now.”

In the end of that meeting it was determined that businesses will not be required to mandate the wearing of face masks for their employees and customers — at least not at this time. Kerr County Commissioners Court decided unanimously from supporting such a face-mask order, but instead left up to the individuals and the business owners to decide for themselves.

Many businesses in Kerr County already require masks to be worn by their employees, but business owners were also concerned about a potential decision that would make them the enforcers of the law. Those owners, however, found that they had the backing of a powerful ally in Kerr County Sheriff W.R. “Rusty” Hierholzer, who sounded off against the idea.

“I have not seen yet where … making businesses have every patron or every employee wear a mask is constitutional,” Hierholzer said at the meeting. “When our country lets people go out and protest and tear up stuff and kill cops and injure cops and all that, and none of them go to jail for it, I’ll be damned if I’m going to put somebody in our jail for violating that.”

Hierholzer’s statement was met with significant applause in the first-floor courtroom, and also in the second-floor courtroom where people had gathered to watch the meeting as it was piped in on a large TV screen.

Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly had placed the matter on that morning’s agenda, he said, to solicit public comment.

County commissioners received written, verbal and telephonic comments from the public on the issue both before and during the meeting. One person who called in said there might have been more public input in support of the order if they had felt safer leaving home amidst the pandemic.

Mask orders have recently been implemented in Travis, Harris, Bexar and Hidalgo counties, among elsewhere.

These measures come amid a surge of hospitalizations statewide for coronavirus infections, and when local infections also are surging in Kerr County since Memorial Day weekend.

On July 1, grocery store chain H-E-B announced that it was instituting a mask requirement for all of its stores — including those where a mask order is not mandated by the county or a city. H-E-B said 85% of its existing stores are already under a mask order, and the move was to make a company-wide policy for the time being.

The debate about masking requirements is one that’s not just being heard in the Hill Country, but across the country. A study done by investment bank Goldman Sachs found that wearing masks could actually help save the economy, which has been devastated by the coronavirus pandemic.

Others have argued that the best decision is to Kerrville Print Ad 5-20.pdf 1 5/19/20 3:19 PM let it rest in the hands of the consumer and businesses,

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COVER STORY and keep the government out of it. A report by the Minneapolis branch of the Federal Reserve found that small businesses have suffered the most from the pandemic.

“The main takeaway is that COVID effects have been very wide and very deep and negative, but there’s also variation across those groups,” Ron Wirtz, regional outreach director, said during a webinar Tuesday on the impact of the pandemic on the economy.

He noted that many of the traditional measures of the economy, such as gross domestic product and monthly unemployment numbers, have a lag to them of anywhere from a month to six months and have not been able to keep up with the fastchanging nature of the COVID economy.

“During this time of really volatile labor markets, we’re in a spot where we are trying to feel in the dark a little bit for what’s happening,” he said.

To help fill in the gaps, the Minneapolis Fed has been ramping up its surveying and outreach to businesses across the Upper Midwest to get a better pulse on the situation.

While the surveys are not a scientific sample, they provide a good snapshot of the economy.

The May survey showed, for example, that larger firms

8 BusinessLink • July 2020

The Kerr County Commissioner’s Court discusses if the county needs an order that would require masks to be worn at local businssesses during its June 29 meeting. have fared better than smaller ones. About 70% of sole proprietor businesses had their revenue cut in half, or worse, compared to 25% of larger firms.

“Now 25% is still a dramatic number,” Wirtz said.

“If you don’t know anything else, that’s a catastrophic number for the economy. But unfortunately, the smaller firms have seen even more negative impacts.”

Women and minority-owned businesses, which tend to be smaller and in harder-hit sectors such as food and retail, also saw steeper revenue declines compared to their counterparts.

Data from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development shows that job losses during the pandemic have disproportionately impacted women and people of color. These kinds of disparities, unfortunately, are not unusual, Wirtz said.

The Kerr County decision could create some conflict between the city and county if Kerrville Mayor Bill Blackburn chose to enact a more restrictive order on masks. During an emergency declaration like the one Kerr County is under currently, Kelly would be the ultimate decision maker and could both enact his own order without the approval of the court, or overrule Blackburn on a decision he could make about masks.

Blackburn said that he’s been hearing from people all weekend about the need for a mask order.

“My decision on masks is really independent of what the county commissioners have done,” Blackburn said Monday. “It is a real dilemma. I am getting emails, letters, calls every day. People who say please issue a mandate for all the businesses to have masks. And what they say is, ‘I’ve got an underlying condition’ or ‘my child does.’

And one woman wrote to me about her two-year-old Down Syndrome child who has a compromised respiratory system. And I am hearing from people who are very concerned and very scared because they don’t’ want to walk into places where people don’t have masks.”

But Blackburn said a mask order would be effectively unenforceable, as the governor banned civil or criminal penalties for noncompliant business. Blackburn added that regulatory agencies would be unlikely to take action against noncompliant businesses.

“I think wearing a face mask should be a personal choice,” said business owner Debbie Barron. “If you don’t feel safe being around people that don’t have their masks on, then don’t be around them. Studies have shown that wearing a face mask reduces your oxygen intake from 21 percent down to around 17%. Over a period of time, this will create health problems. Me personally having almost died 11 years ago in a hospital due to a lack of oxygen, my doctor has already told me do not under any circumstances wear a face mask, that is going to reduce your oxygen level...so as you can see for me that’s going to be a health hazard. I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one in Kerr County who has this problem. When people are forced by a county to wear a face mask and this happens, what do you think your lawsuits are going to be?”

In response to criticism over a Facebook post where Blackburn called on people to avoid patronizing businesses that don’t require face masks — some of this criticism was heard at the commissioners court meeting — Blackburn said his intention only was to emphasize the freedom people have in choosing where to go.

“If somebody comes to the door of a business and sees nobody is wearing a mask, they have the freedom to go elsewhere,” Blackburn said.

Precinct 2 Commissioner Tom Moser, who represents retirement communities in Comanche Trace and Riverhill, said probably 95% of the comments he received were in favor of a mask order.

However, Moser ultimately voted along with the other members of the commissioners court to oppose a mandatory face mask order. He even said that before the public comments, he’d been poised to make a motion in support of a face mask order.

“But after listening today — which I thought was very, very informative — I think that there is — the use of masks present false security, listening to scientific data people presented,” Moser said. “I think there are ways for elderly people to protect themselves. And speaking as an 80-year-old-plus person, I’m careful about what I do. So

therefore, I’ve changed my position after listening.”

Those who supported the proposal included a consortium of downtown Kerrville businesses, a former county judge, and at least one senior citizen who said she felt unsafe traveling from her home unless people were required to wear masks.

Those who opposed the proposal included a surgeon, several business owners, and a mother who said eight of her 10 children have asthma and can’t wear masks.

Gov. Greg Abbott, who recently issued an order closing bars, along with implementing other infection-control measures, has given local jurisdictions some latitude. He empowered county judges and mayors to authorize, on a case-by-case basis, outdoor gatherings of more than 100 people. Abbott’s order, issued Friday, prohibits such gatherings without local approval. But both Blackburn and Kelly have said they don’t intend to authorize any such gatherings.

Abbott also empowered mayors and county judges to issue face-masks orders of the sort under consideration.

Therefore, Kelly has the authority to unilaterally issue a face mask order, but he said he didn’t want to contradict the collective will of the commissioners court or his colleagues’ constituents.

The issue of face masks has proved to be a divisive issue nationally and locally, Blackburn and Kelly observed.

(The Associated Press and the Minneapolis Star-Tribune contributed to this report)

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2020 GOLF TOURNAMENT

Peterson Health President and CEO Cory Edmondson delicately drops a putt into the hole during the annual Kerrville Area Chamber of Commerce golf tournament at Schreiner Golf Course.

KERRVILLE AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ANNUAL GOLF TOURNAMENT

➤ TITLE SPONSOR: Comerica and Robert Glossop Jr. MERCHANDISE SPONSOR: Century 21 The Hills Realty. FOOD SPONSOR: Centennial Bank. BEVERAGE CART SPONSOR: Embrace Hospice. GOLD SPONSOR: KPUB. GOLF BALL DROP SPONSOR: Bosworth Company. PUTTING CONTEST: Garrett Insurance and 72 Degrees CLOSEST TO THE PIN SPONSOR: SWBC Mortgage, HCTC Guadalupe Bank and Alamo Colleges GOLF HOLE SPONSOR: Mini Mart, Douville Goldman & Associates PLLC, Moore’s Home Furnishings, Brinkman Commercial PropertiesKristan Weaver, Alamo Colleges, Community 1st National Bank Wells Fargo Bank. WINER’S CUP: WB Liquor. ➤ RESULTS: 1st Gross: Community 1st National Bank with Justin Foster, Jeff Harris, Nat Turner, and Chastan McRae; 2nd Gross: Mo Ranch with Richard Bombach, DJ Owens, Joey Thomas, and Preston Hardin; 1st Net: Cross Mountain Vineyard with Kyle Park, Jason Evans, Dustin Degraw, and Brad Evans; 2nd Net: Garrett Kaiser, Steve Jones, Luke Schreiner, and Sean Stumbo; 3rd Net: Centennial Bank with Brian Bowers, Bill Renfro, Tabor McMillan, and Clay Malson

10 BusinessLink • July 2020

From left: Bob Moore, Nathan Fox, Rusty Parsons and Andrew Fox pose at the Chamber’s golf tournament.

The team from Peterson Health proved to be a formidable bunch on the links at Scott Schreiner Golf Course.

UGRA

17th Annual River Clean Up July 25, 2020

F

ation amily Fun & Educ

8am - Noon

Flat Rock Park, Kerrville

Community Involvement

Keeping Ou

r River Clea

n

The UGRA River Clean Up provides a creative solution to the litter problem by offering fun, family-oriented activities while accomplishing the dual goals of raising public awareness and removing trash from our waterways.

Free T-Shirts • Prizes • Food!

Visit www.ugra.org/major-initiatives/river-clean-up to register and read about our plan to implement a modified format to comply with recommendations for public gatherings at the time of the event.

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GOLF TOURNAMENT

The competition was fierce on the fairways at Scott Schreiner Golf Course in Kerrville on June 22.

Schreiner University’s Toby Appleton, left, and Rod Bowyer at the Chamber’s annual golf tournament.

12 BusinessLink • July 2020

Schreiner University Mike Reast, left, and Mike Graxiola.

CHAMBER LUNCHEON AT COMANCHE TRACE

Bethany Brown and Jennifer Slaughter.

Carrie Schmerbeck and Tome O’Hearn.

Greg Appel and Wayne Ueker.

"We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."

Jane Lehman, Sue Tiemann, Denise Smith and Breanna Larsen

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FOCUSED ON

AFFORDABLE A new housing development is small in scale, but has lofty ambitions to help boost Kerrville’s workforce It’s a sliver of land between Meeker Street and Burleson Boulevard, and it doesn’t look like much but it could be very meaningful to Kerrville’s tight housing inventory.

On this small lot, developer Kent Densley and builder Kenny Bledsoe are planning something small — but very big. Ask any real estate agen in Kerrville and they will tell you that anything between $200,000 to $300,000 is very difficult to find, and if you can find it you better move quickly.

In fact, there are currently 61 homes in that price range — that’s it.

With that, Densley saw an opportunity to serve a need and he brought in Bledsoe and Century 21 real estate agents Gay and Bill Renak to come up with a plan for 11 homes that could be affordably priced.

That’s when Quail Meadow was born.

“Demand and a need,” Densley said of the genesis of the project.

14 BusinessLink • July 2020

“It’s a real need. It’s not just Kerrville or Fort Myers, Florida, it’s nationwide. It’s a crying need.”

Please join us in extending a word of “Thanks!” to these businesses for sponsoring the major events being held in 2020 by the Kerrville Area Chamber of Commerce.

Because of their generosity and support, we will be able to continue to educate and serve our membership and community about shared opportunities, issues and challenges.

BUSINESS EXPO WITH FRIDAY NIGHT WINE SHARE Developer Kent Densley, left, and builder Kenny Bledsoe at the location of the Quail Meadow housing development that aims to bring quality and affordable housing for Kerrville.

Bill Renak said that he spends a lot of time working with first-time buyers, and that they are often faced with limited financial resources just to get into a house — let alone the ability to fix it up.

“First-time home buyers don’t have the cash to buy a fixer upper,” said Bill Renak, adding that many homes in that $200,000-plus range require a lot of work. In the case of this project, Renak said, new construction alleviates those issues.

“They get a complete appliance package,” Bill Renak said. “They also get a limited home warranty.”

Before the coronavirus pandemic struck earlier this year, the issue of affordability in Kerrville was probably one of the biggest facing the city, especially the City Council, which approved the largest housing project in the city’s history that was designed to help improve the affordability situation here.

Even with the uncertainty around the economy, Densley and his team are pressing forward. Others are also in the game of building affordable. Another builder, Travis Page is building on Meeker as well — his project just slightly more than 20 homes.

It is expected, at least by Renak and the rest of the team, that the homes will go quickly. There will be seven single-family two-story homes, which will feature three bedrooms and two and one-half bathrooms. Each home is more than 1,300 square feet. There will also be four single-story townhomes.

Several of the units are already sold, but the development is still constructing utilities and other infrastructure needs before laying in a road that will connect Meeker to Burleson. The small neighborhood will also be gated and feature a small common area with a playground.

“I would encourage anyone who is riding the fence to get in here and put down a deposit,” said Bledsoe, a veteran builder, who has been working in the Kerrville area for 25 years.

Densley initially hired Bledsoe to do work on his home and ranch in Comfort. From that partnership, Densley asked Bledsoe to scout out a location where they could do a small project. For much of Densley’s career, including a stint at Enron, small projects meant hundreds of millions of dollars when he worked in international finance.

However, Densley had been keenly aware of the issues facing Kerrville when it came to affordability. Not only is the project designed to be affordable, it’s an infill project that will take an existing and flat parcel and turn it into a neighborhood.

“What we’re trying to create here is a sense of community,” Bledsoe said. “Everybody involved here lives in Kerrville. We’re in Kerrville and for Kerrville. This is all local because we’re trying to create a community like you and I had when we grew up.”

D E N O P T S PO August 7-8, 2020

HILL COUNTRY YOUTH EVENT CENTER

98TH ANNUAL CHAMBER CHOICE AWARDS BANQUET Thursday, October 22, 2020 • Location TBA

4TH ANNUAL HILL COUNTRY ECONOMIC SUMMIT February 2020

HILL COUNTRY YOUTH EVENT CENTER

25TH ANNUAL CHAMBER GOLF CLASSIC June 2020

ROBERT GLOSSOP JR. - INDIVIDUAL SPONSOR SCOTT SCHREINER MUNICIPAL GOLF COURSE

1700 Sidney Baker St.,Suite 100 • Kerrville (830) 896-1155 • www.kerrvilletx.com

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Hurry...August Issue Deadlines on July 17, 2020

BUSINESS LINK THE HILL COUNTRY’S PREMIER BUSINESS PUBLICATION

Monthly glossy magazine featuring business development in the Hill Country.

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APPLAUSE Ad Program Celebrating a business anniversary?

We want to help you celebrate with an ad at a special rate. $325/Full $100 Quarter $175/Half $55 Eighth Anniversary/Employee of the Month/Retirement

The Kerrville Area Chamber of Commerce Call your Advertising Representative at the Kerrville Daily Times to Reserve Your Spot!

Brandon Baldwin - 257-0310 brandon.baldwin@dailytimes.com

Valerie Tucker - 257-0309 valerie.tucker@dailytimes.com

Luly Bliss - 257-0308 luly.bliss@dailytimes.com

16 BusinessLink • July 2020

U.S. Rep. Chip Roy (R-Austin) speaks to Kerrville area restaurant owners about the importance of the Paycheck Protection Program that was designed to help small businesses through the coronavirus.

Fighting for small business

Rep. Chip Roy earns a victory to help small business navigate the Paycheck Protection Program signed by Trump Louis Amestoy

news@dailytimes.com Rep. Chip Roy is riding high these days, especially after a major legislative victory, but he’s also in an unusual position as being labeled as a “conservative firebrand” but also someone to reach across the aisle to make a deal with Democrats.

The first-term Republican Congressman, who represents the expansive 21st District, which includes Kerr County, is facing a re-election fight, but he’s also focused on trying to find solutions in the wake of the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic.

During a recent interview on KDT Live, The Kerrville Daily Times weekday webcast on Facebook Live, Roy spoke about his legislative victory, but also the importance of finding some commonality with colleagues not of his party.

“Everyone likes to define and pigeonhole people, look I’m an unapologetic conservative, y’all know that, I’ve been out and visited with y’all,” Roy said. “But I’m less of a partisan than people think. I will fly into the sun against my own Republican colleagues as much as Democrat colleagues, I just want to advance what’s in the best interest of Texas and the district.”

As a new member of Congress, Roy found friendship with Minnesota Rep. Dean Phillips, a Democrat. The two of them teamed up last month to write a bill that would work to ease the burdens on small businesses that had accepted Payroll Protection Program loans.

“There’s a lot of stuff we agree on when it comes to balancing

Thank You to Our Diamond & Platinum Investors budgets,” Roy said of his partnership with Phillips. “In March as all of this is unfolding, we talked about our shared concern about small businesses. I represent 2,300 restaurants that employ 53,000 people. I represent hotels from resorts to boutiques to tiny hotels on the side of the road. I represent barbershops and live music venues.”

What the two saw was a need to give those businesses flexibility on the PPP loans. The Associated Press reported the new bill eases restrictions, including allowing businesses to use the loan money for 24 weeks, not eight, and expands how much of the assistance is required to be spent on payroll costs. Small businesses can now use at least 60 % of the loan on payroll costs and 40% on other costs.

In turn, the bill picked up steam in the House of Representatives and was passed 417-1. It passed in the Senate and was signed into law by President Donald Trump on June 5.

“I was happy to be in the White House, a week ago today, to have the president sign it,” Roy said.

Part of what shaped his thinking on the bill was a visit he had to Kerrville on April 28 where he met with restaurant owners, who had formed an association to help them manage through the struggles of the coronavirus shutdown. In the banquet room at Buzzie’s Bar-B-Q, Roy was peppered with questions about easing the restrictions or getting help with the PPP loans.

“There were two things I learned, predominately in that meeting: one, we need to reopen and we need to find a way to reopen soon,” Roy said.

“Item No. 2 were the issues they were having were getting loans, or more importantly, using loans. They were afraid to risk it because they didn’t know if they’d be open fast enough to stay alive and they were having trouble knowing if they could hire people back.”

With that feedback from the Kerrville area owners, Roy headed back to craft a plan that would try to help ease those burdens. Phillips proved to be a good partner and ally to get the bill passed in the Democratcontrolled House.

Now, Roy has got a legislative victory under his belt but he’s still facing a tough re-election bid against Democrat Wendy Davis, a former Texas State Senator and Fort Worth City Councilwoman, who lost a bid for governor in 2014. Davis already has a slight edge in fundraising against Roy. However, the Cook Political Report rates the district as leaning Republican when it comes to the November general election.

In 2018, Roy narrowly defeated Democrat Joseph Kosper to win the seat that was held by Lamar Smith, who was retiring after serving for 16 terms in the House. The battle with Davis is expected to be just as close.

Since his legislative win, Roy has also spoken out against a rash of social media posts by GOP chairs that either spread conspiracy theories about the death of George Floyd or racist stereotypes.

“We also need to call out the really egregious things that some people have said, and not be afraid to call it out,” Roy said. “What people will do with that we will see. I think voters can make good decisions.”

Diamond Investors • Jam Broadcasting 94.3 • Martin Marietta • Adapting Online, LLC • Mo-Ranch • Alamo Colleges • Moore’s Home Furnishings • Alara Strategic and Creative • Nationwide Insurance • Ashley HOMESTORE Joe Cook & Associates, Inc. • Brookdale Senior Living • Palate Thyme • Calvary Temple Church • Peterson Health • Centennial Bank • Precision Dentistry and • Century 21 The Hills Realty Implants of Kerrville • Comerica Bank • Ragsdale Family Camps • Community First National Bank • Randolph Brooks Federal • Cypress Roofing Credit Union • Frost Bank • Sam’s Club • Ronnie Gesell Construction • Schreiner University • Robert Glossop Jr. • Security State Bank & Trust • Gravity Check Saloon & Arena • Texas Lions Camp • HCTC • Texas State Optical • H.E.B. Foods-Drug Store • United Hunting • Hill Country MHDD Centers Heritage International • Inn of the Hills Resort & • UTSA Small Business Conference Center Development Center • James Avery Artisan Jewelry • Wal-Mart Store, Inc. #508 • Ken Stoepel Ford • Wells Fargo Bank • Kerr County Federal Credit Union • Wine-O-Bout It • Kerrville Public Utility Board

Platinum Investors • 72 Degrees Air Conditioning & Heating • Airtech A/C & Heating • All-Plastics • Broadway Bank • Douville, Goldman & Associates, PLLC • Guadalupe Bank • Hill Country Memorial • Hill Country Youth Event Center • Home Simple Goods • Kerrville Hills Winery • Kerrville Plumbing Plus • Laity Lodge Youth Camp H E Butt Family Foundation • LeMeilleur’s RV, Truck & Equipment Repair Co. • Precision Dermatology, PA Kerrville Dermatologist

• Prime Capital Investment Advisors • Safeguard Business Systems • San Carlos Ranch • State Farm Insurance Justin Hamilton • Superior Services Tree Care • Talarico and Associates, A Wealth Management Firm • Texas Hill Country Bank - Kerrville • Turtle Creek Olive & Vines • Volunteer Services Council for Kerrville State Hospital • Windstream Communications • Y.O. Ranch Resort Hotel and Conference Center • Y.O. Ranch Headquarters

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17

IN MEMORIAM

Granger MacDonald built big for all of Texas Louis Amestoy

news@dailytimes.com

QUOTABLE ➤ “Granger MacDonald’s dedication and hard work has created a foundation that will remain strong for years to come in the housing industry. Granger never hesitated to take on any challenges and has proven an inspiration and brick layer for others who have worked with him.”

Kris Pelky, the executive director of the Hill Country Builders Association

18 BusinessLink • July 2020

For those who build, being a dreamer is a big part of the allure of developing projects and that was certainly the case for Granger MacDonald, who was working to help transform parts of Kerrville.

MacDonald died last month. He was 65.

His legacy, however, is certainly alive and well, and the family business he started with his mother in the 1990s is working to complete one of its most ambitious projects in Kerrville — The Landing, a new community and retail center along the southern bank of Nimitz Lake and the Guadalupe River.

“In our community, we all benefited without always knowing from Granger’s example for living,” said Bruce John Stracke, a commercial real estate agent who worked closely with Granger. “Through his work, and that of MacDonald Companies, he led us toward the ideals to which we aspire.”

The MacDonald Companies have constructed multifamily residences all over Texas, including here in Kerrville. Part of the company’s focus has been to make housing affordable — an issue championed by Kerrville Mayor Bill Blackburn.

“Granger was big, and he had a big heart,” Blackburn said. “He really enjoyed seeing people thrive in the units he did for lower income persons. And he was strong in his faith, which led him to give back.”

The Landing project, which is well underway and being led by MacDonald’s son, Justin, will be a mix of senior housing, luxury apartments, multi-family housing, retail and dining — all along the river. There’s also discussions about building a small marina to enhance small boat experiences on the lake.

MacDonald, however, played a much larger role as one of the leading voices in the building industry, and he was a leader in the Texas Affiliation of Affordable Housing Providers, Texas Association of Builders and National Association of Home Builders.

“Granger MacDonald’s dedication and hard work has created a foundation that will remain strong for years to come in the housing industry,” wrote Kris Pelky, the executive director of the Hill Country Builders Association. “Granger never hesitated to take on any challenges and has proven an inspiration and brick layer for others who have worked with him.”

In 2019, MacDonald was inducted into the Texas Housing Hall of Honor.

MacDonald spent his youth in the Hill Country and in northern New Mexico, where he loved to fish and hunt. Those remained lifelong passions. A graduate of the University of Texas, MacDonald spent his time between classes working in the family construction business.

He was heavily involved in Austin by serving on the planning commission and other boards.

He found his way back to his family’s homestead in Kerrville and was just as active here by serving on the board of the Upper Guadalupe River Authority, the Board of Trustees of Schreiner University, the board of Habitat for Humanity and on the Vestry of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church.

Granger is survived by his wife, Kathy, son, Justin MacDonald and wife Courtney, of Kerrville; and by two daughters he thought of as his own, Christine Parker and husband Owen; and Sarah Wistner, all of Houston. He is also survived by grandchildren, Mary Kathleen MacDonald, Brooks Parker, and Finnegan Parker.

The family said it will host a celebration of life befitting Granger’s larger-than-life character will be held at a later date when it is deemed safe to hold such a gathering again.

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