From Our Mayor
Jay F. Feibelman
Thanks to all for a wonderful, prosperous and eventful year for our city.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all!

Welcome to Garden Ridge
New Residents:

Ki Ok Choe
Curtis & Mary Eiserer
Brandon Friemel
Sam Lock
Dean Meyer
Brad & Tresha Richerson
James & Amy Voeller

Note: Newcomers are identified by water service records. Consequently, not all names in the household will appear. Those not appearing are also welcomed!

Triumphant Lutheran Church
The community is invited to Christmas events at Triumphant Lutheran Church, 21315 Bat Cave Road. Go to the website for complete information.

Bracken Village Christmas
Bracken Village invites you to its 5th annual Charles Dickens Christmas on November 30, December 1 and 2. Our normal shop hours will be extended from 6 pm to 10 pm for those 3 nights so come and enjoy the beautiful, restored turn of the century Village of shops and restaurants located at 18771 FM 2252 (Nacogdoches Rd.). Step back in time and enjoy holiday shopping the old fashioned way among strolling musicians, choristers, horse drawn carriages, actors and a host of Village shopkeepers at their Dickens’ best!
For your shopping entertainment, we have in the Village — the Fiesta City Chorus of the Sweet Adelines, the Arcade Quartet of the Chordsmen, Bradley Bohn — violinist, Pierre the Painter — puppeteer, Cornucopia — Mandolin-Fiddler-Guitar trio, Damian Gillen — actor in “Bah Humbug”, Father Christmas, the Village Juggler, the San Antonio Bagpipes & Drum Association, and horse drawn carriage rides through the Village and the Village forest! Join us each evening at 9:00 pm for caroling around the Great Christmas Tree in the Village Green. Gate admission is $5 for adults, $3 for children 5 -12, and children 4 and under are free.
On Saturday, December 2nd at 1 pm Bracken Village and local area dignitaries will welcome The Pony Express as it makes a stop on its way to Ft. Sam Houston in celebration of Christmas along the Camino Real de Los Tejas Corridor. Santa Claus will join the celebration at 1:10 pm. Bring your cameras and your Christmas cards so they can be postmarked with the special one day only Bracken Village Stop Station cancellation stamp.
For additional information, contact Bracken Village at 651-6935.
7th Annual HOLIDAY HAPPENING
December 2, 2006 at Bracken Village
SCHEDULE
12:45 pm — Santa arrives at Grumpy’s Mexican Cafe
1:00 pm — Pony Express arrives at Bracken Village Christmas Event (See article)
1:10 pm — Santa arrives at Bracken village for pictures and children’s visits.

Public Hearings
There will be a public hearing conducted at the Comal County Commissioners’ Court at 8:15 am, Dec. 7, 2006 for the purpose of receiving public input regarding placement of stop signage at Blazing Star Trail and Bat Cave Road. For further information contact Commissioner Jay Millikin at his office (830) 620-5501 or home (210) 651-9672.
The City of Garden Ridge will hold a public hearing on Dec 6, 2006 at 7 pm to allow public input regarding the possible lease of the old library facility at 9357 Schoenthal Road to the Garden Ridge — Bracken Lions Club.

Significant Dates from Past
7 December 1941 — Pearl Harbor attacked by Japan
11 December 1941 — Germany and Italy declare war on the United States
29 December 1845 — Texas admitted to the Union as the 28th state

Coats and Jackets
A clothing drive for the homeless.
All of us probably have a coat or jacket that hasn’t been worn in ages. Make good use of these items and donate for the homeless. Items will be accepted at Grumpy’s Mexican Café, 651-3444, Tuesday through Saturday from 8 am until 1 pm until the 21st of December.
Please help!

New Business in the Area
Helen Nowland of Helen’s Hair Designs is now open and would like to thank Garden Ridge for the warm and friendly welcome at their new location next door to Grumpy’s Mexican Café. Late appointments are welcome. Call 659-9311

Library Footnotes
By Nancy Feibelman
Due to the preparation and move to the new library facility this year’s Christmas Children’s Story Telling Hour has been cancelled. The library will be closed on Monday, Dec 4 through Saturday, Dec 9 to make the move to our new facility. We will reopen in our new facility next to the Community Center on Monday, Dec 11. Thank you for your patience, and when you see the new facility you will know it is all worth it! Merry Christmas to all from your volunteer library staff.

Pet Adoptions
Micro-Chipping
Bake Sale
The Schertz Humane Society will be at the Walgreens Drugstore on FM 3009 in Schertz on Saturday, December 2nd from 11 am to 3 pm. They will have wonderful pets for adoption, offer pet micro-chipping, and have a bake sale. Please support this organization as they support Garden Ridge in the placement of animals picked up by the city.

Wurstfest 2006 Thanks
The Bracken VFD thanks everyone who helped make this year’s Wurstfest successful! With your help, we had a wonderful year and raised a considerable amount of money to operate your fire department. Chief Don Zipp and our kitchen chairpersons, Mary Lou Henschel and Peggy Campbell, add their thanks to all that made this year so successful.

City Commissions
Positions on various City Commissions periodically need to be filled. We currently have an opening on the Quarry Commission. If you are interested or need information, contact Nancy Cain, City Administrator at 651-6632.

Comal County Appraisal Review Board Opening
Interested in being on the Comal County Appraisal Review Board? The Review Board, a paid position, hears and resolves citizen protests on appraised values, exemptions, etc., and will meet 3 or 4 days a week starting June 1 and ending approximately July 31.
Board members will be appointed at the December 18th meeting of the Appraisal District Board of Directors. If you are interested, submit a resume prior to that date to:
Chairman, Board of Directors
Comal Appraisal District
PO Box 311222
New Braunfels, TX 78131-1222

Record Setting Voting!
I congratulate all the voters in our precinct, 205, who voted in the General Election last November 7. On Election Day, some 1338 people voted in Garden Ridge. That was the most people that ever voted in Garden Ridge on any election day. More people voted in Garden Ridge on election day than in any other precinct in the county. On behalf of all the election workers, I want to thank everyone who took the time to vote and waited patiently in the long lines that developed on November 7. When we include the early voters, a total of 2038 voted from our precinct, which was 53% of all our registered voters. This was by far the best in the county. For those who did not vote last month, I hope to see you at the next election! Thanks again.
Charlie Flink, Election Judge.

Garden Ridge Women's Club
The Garden Ridge Women’s Club HEB Central Market cooking class will be January 25, 2007 from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm. Members are $30, nonmembers are $35. Send checks to Diana Schonhoff at 13014 Tonne Drive East, New Braunfels, TX 78132 to reserve your place. First come, first reservation. This fills up quickly and there is a limit, so please respond quickly! See you there!

It’s not too early to begin planning for the City Wide Garage Sale coming up on March 16, 2007. Plan to spend the day shopping, or better yet, cleaning out your under-loved treasures and selling them to appreciative buyers! More details in the upcoming Grapevine. Put it on your calendar now so you won’t forget.
For more information call Juli Betz at
651-3406.

Special Thanks to the Garden Ridge Women’s Club for decorating the Community Center for Christmas.

Coming Events (see the calendar)

Significant City Council
Actions in November