From Our Mayor
Jay F. Feibelman
For the city, 2008 was a very progressive and rewarding year. Hopefully those reading this newsletter also had a good year although I realize in some instances this may not be the case.
To any who experienced a downturn during the year, my deepest sympathies and wish for a great 2009.
I thank all again for the tremendous support given to me and the city staff during 2008. I wish all a very prosperous and Happy New Year!

Welcome to Garden Ridge
New Residents:
Those listed and families:

Daniel & Scarlett Bielke
Christopher Cormier &
Juanita Cormier
Jerry & Jan Geiger
Douglas Heilmann
Judith Juguilon
Michael & Stella Militana
David & Tracy Sherman
Nicolas & Juanita Torres
Donald & Patricia Wright

Note: Newcomers are identified by water service records. Consequently, not all names in the household will appear. Those not appearing are also welcomed! The City of Garden Ridge requires that all dogs and cats be registered. Call 651-6831 for information.

SPECIAL SCAM ALERTS
The following scam alerts are provided courtesy of the GRPD and the SAPD. If you are contacted in a suspicious manner regarding financial matters, credit cards, etc., do not give out information and get as much information as you can and contact the GRPD

NEW :
TOLL FRAUD SCAM
In this scam an individual calls the victim and identifies himself as an AT&T (or other phone company) Service Technician who is conducting a test on the telephone lines. (These calls have been made to both businesses/government offices and residences.) The "Technician" states that to complete the test on the lines you should press a series of numbers on the phone key pad, and then hang up. According to the phone company, by pressing those numbers you give the requesting individual full access to your telephone line, which allows them to place long distance calls billed to your system. This scam has been originating from many local jails and prisons.

NEW
CREDIT CARD SCAM
Recently in the San Antonio area, a number of residents have received telephone calls with lucrative offers to switch credit card companies. Once the caller gains the information from the account holder to switch, he makes a number of charges with that person's personal/credit card information. This has caused large losses to businesses and credit card companies.

WARNING : Do not give your personal account information over the telephone unless you know the caller.

QUICK NOTES

City Offices Closed
City offices will be closed New Year's Day and January 2nd. Also on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Monday January 19th.

Oak Wilt Prevention this Winter
News from the Texas Forest Service
Prevention is the key to preventing Oak Wilt spread.

Select Well seasoned firewood
Safely store unknown sources of firewood
Destroy diseased Red Oaks
Avoid wounding oaks during vulnerable seasons (Feb—June)
Paint all oak wounds including pruning cuts

Oak firewood is an important commodity to Texans, whether it is used for firing up the barbecue pit or for warming up the home on a cold winter day. By selecting well-seasoned, disease free firewood and following other disease prevention guidelines, homeowners are taking the correct steps to prevent a new oak wilt disease outbreak in their neighborhood. Please visit www.texasoakwilt.org for more information on this devastating tree disease.

Provided by: Jim Houser
Coordinator for Oak Wilt and Invasive Species, Texas Forest Service
Office: 512-339-4589
Cell: 979-229-7461
jhouser@tfs.tamu.edu

Garden Ridge Women’s Club
Annual Garage Sale

The GRWC citywide Garage Sale will be Saturday, March 21, 2009 from 8 am to Noon at the Garden Ridge Community Center. It’s not too early to start planning now. Rent a table to sell your under-loved items or plan to shop for someone else’s amazing treasures, or both!
Member reservations for tables will be accepted beginning Wednesday, January 7th.
Non-member reservations will be accepted beginning Saturday February 7th.
Member Cost: (Inside table $25; outside table $30)
Non-member Cost: (Inside table $35; outside table $40)
THERE IS NO ADMISSION FEE

For information or questions, call
Catherine O’Neal (683-8864) or
Diana Scott (651-3320.

Cowboy Casino Night
Saturday, February 7, 2009
6:00 to 10:30 pm

Dust off your cowboy boots and hat again.It’s our 4th Cowboy Casino Night, this time with a touch of Valentine’s Day. Bring your sweetheart, your family and your friends and enjoy casino games, barbecue dinner, cash bar, live music, prizes and our NEW silent auction!
This fundraising community event is open to everyone. All proceeds will benefit charities and civic activities in the Garden Ridge area.
Tickets go on sale January 7th. Price includes dinner, dancing, and $1000 in faux chips for a chance to win great prizes, all right in our own backyard!
Only 200 tickets will be sold; reserve yours now!

GRWC members $30 per person,
non-members $35 per person. Questions?Call Kay Bower at 650-8881.

Make checks payable to: GRWC
Mail to: Kay Bower
8947 Garden Ridge Dr.
Garden Ridge, TX 78266

Library Footnotes
by Linda Crosland
Looking back over 2008, our library has seen many changes and improvements. Between March 1 and December 13, we have had 3564 visitors. We have added 1600 new volumes, many of them donated, and quite a few bought with money from our resale room. We now have a total of 13,363 volumes, indicating a well-rounded collection. We have bought and added about 200 movies which makes a grand total of 2,203. We are very grateful for the generosity of our Garden Ridge Community.
One hundred eighty-one new families have received library cards this year, for a total of 572 patron families. This number, of course, represents 2 to 3 times as many people. If you haven’t visited our lovely facility yet, we urge you to resolve to do so in 2009.

Books Featured this Month
The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Vol. 1 & 2, A Beautiful Life, the life of economist John Forbes Nash, The Inside Story of Six M. I. T. Students Who Took Vegas for Millions, a recent movie; The Saboteurs, a new W. E. B. Griffith book; and World Without End, Ken Follet’s long-awaited sequel to The Pillars of the Earth. If you would like to know what makes Bill O’Reilly the person he is, you can read his latest book, A Bold Fresh Piece of Humanity.

Writer a Review
Did you know that you could also write your own review of any book that we have in the library? You can do it right on our computer, and it doesn’t take long. Just ask Linda Crosland what to do. People will enjoy knowing if you think a book is worth reading or not.

Library Hours are:
Monday - Thursday 10 am to 6 pm
Fridays and Saturdays 10 am to 5 pm

Important Numbers

City Hall 210-651-6632
Lost Pet 210-651-6831
Police Department 210-651-6441

NOTICE TO PUBLIC
In accordance with and by Order of Comal County Commissioners Court, due to enhanced fire danger:
Sale and use of skyrockets with sticks and missiles with fins are PROHIBITED in Comal County, effective December 11, 2008 until further order of Commissioners Court.
(MAXIMUM FINE: $500.00)
ORDER NO. 212

SPECIAL REMINDER
Use of ANY fireworks in the City is banned by Garden Ridge City Ordinance

PET REGISTRATION
City Ordinance requires all dogs and cats be initially registered on arrival and again each January thereafter. The cost is minimal ($5.00) and provides a tag for each pet. when his tag is on the animal when lost, it literally guarantees expeditious return of your treasured pet! Please comply with the ordinance. For Info: 651-6831.
Complete the form online.

Holiday Trash/Recycle Pickup
If your trash or recycle pickup falls on one of the following holidays, you will receive only one pickup (the non-holiday day) that week.
1. Christmas Day
2. New Year’s Day
3. 4th of July
4. Thanksgiving

ART CONTEST
Texas General Land Office

The 2009 Children’s Art
Contest is underway, and the deadline for entries in Monday, March 2, 2009. The competition is open to students in grades
K-6 and focuses on encouraging young artists to learn about the natural resources found along the Texas coast and express what they treasure most about our coast in their artwork.

One grand prize winner will be chosen from 40 finalists and will receive two round-trip, coach class tickets from Continental Airlines to any Continental destination in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean and South America. The grand prize winner’s class will be treated to a party at one of three Schlitterbahn Waterparks in New Braunfels, South Padre Island, or Galveston. The grand prize winner’s teacher will also receive two round-trip coach-class tickets from Continental Airlines.

All 40 finalists will receive:
One ticket to the Texas State Aquarium in Corpus Christi
Two all day passes to Schlitterbahn Waterparks
Prizes and a certificate of recognition from the Land Commissioner
A 2010 calendar featuring the winning artwork

For additional information, please feel free to contact Isabel Gallahan, Local Government Liaison, at 512-936-4254 or at isabel.gallahan@glo.state.tx.us or
Renee Tuggle, Adopt-A-Beach Coordinator, at 512-463-5057 or at renee.tuggle@glo.state.tx.us.

Coming Events
Go to the Calendar.

Significant City Council
Go to Council Actions.

Grapevine Deadline
Grapevine Deadline. Submissions for the February GRAPEVINE need to be turned in by close of business January 15.