1. LULING
City of Luling
509 E. Crockett PRSRTD STD
Luling, Texas 78648 U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
LULING, TEXAS
PERMIT NO. 187
 c i t y j o u r n a l 
V oLume 2 n umber 2 n ews from the C ity of L uLing J une • 2009
Letter from the m ay o r Watermelon Thump

It’s with a mixture of gratitude and
sadness that I announce that City Police
Chief John Cochran is retiring.
40,000 visitors expected for 56th annual festival
Chief Cochran has been a great
addition to our city police force,
leading the department since January
1996, more than 14 years. In that time,
F rom the bejeweled
Watermelon Queens
to the world-famous
Cochran has set the bar high with his seed spitting contest,
extreme dedication and service to the the Thump returns for
City.
In 2001, Cochran received the Medal its 56th year on June
of Valor. While serving a search warrant 25-28.
on a Luling resident, Cochran, in Luling’s watermelon
conjunction with a task force officers celebration began
from Gonzales County, exchanged in 1954 when the
gunfire with the resident of the house.
A Gonzales
principal of the Luling
County Elementary School
sheriff’s deputy proposed the idea to honor local growers. Today, the four-day festival, known as
was mortally The Thump, draws 40,000 visitors to Luling, a town of 5,000 residents.
 CaLendar  i nside this issue :
MAY
 wounded.
Cochran’s
quick thinking
caused the
The Thump has been a huge economic boost to the city, comparable with the
Christmas shopping season, said Jamie Nickells, the festival’s organizer. “We don’t
know how the slow-down in the economy might affect our vendors or our ticket
25 Memorial Day – Offices Closed Chief Cochran Retires sales.” he said. “The trend is that more people are traveling locally, so we don’t
suspect to lose
JUNE his tactical expect to see a big decrease in the number of people who attend. The only concern
Thump Festival advantage, is they might spend fewer dollars while they are here.”
11 City Council Meeting – 7 p.m. which allowed Visitors to The Thump will see improvements this year, including permanent
13 Texas Water Safari Mystery Building Contest Chief Cochran Retires officers the
restrooms, which were constructed near the railroad tracks, directly opposite the
chance to move
21 Father’s Day main pavilion.
the stricken deputy to safety. Because
Texas Water Safari Cochran put himself in danger by For more information and to purchase a combo Friday and Saturday night
25-28 Watermelon Thump
returning the suspect’s fire, the suspect dance ticket for $35, go online to www.watermelonthump.com.
JULY Energy Tip was arrested without further injury to
3 Independence Holiday – Offices Closed officers.
City Council Approves New Sidewalks Before serving as Luling’s police
4 Independence Day chief, Cochran spent 24 years with the
9 City Council Meeting – 7 p.m. Austin Police Department, first as a
Luling Pictorial History patrol officer, then as a detective in the
AUGUST department’s assault, homicide, and
13 City Council Meeting – 7p.m. Facts About Your Electricity forgery divisions. Photos from the
I hope you will join me in thanking 2008 Watermelon
21-23 Texas Tax Free Weekend Chief Cochran for his years of service to
Thump Festival.
24 First day of School our community and our citizens. The
Photo above of
City’s search for a new police chief has
begun, and we hope to have someone kids from the
Cert no. BV-COC-080317
in place in the fall. In the meantime, watermelon eating
Alfred Moore will serve as the interim contest. Photo at
chief. right of the 2008
City Hall Police Department Fire Department Electric Service Municipal Court Regards, Royal Court and
(830) 875-2481 (830) 875-2411 (830) 875-2412 (830) 875-5424 (830) 875-2115
Mike Hendricks, Mayor of Luling Watermelon Queen.

2. LULING
 c i t y j o u r n a l 
For more information contact us at:
Ci t y B r i ef s
Mystery Building Contest and Previous Contest Winner
Texas Water Safari

The World’s Toughest Canoe Race
Energy conservation matters. Start at
home with this no cost, low cost tip to
save energy and money:
(830) 875-2481 or visit our Web site at Delores Williams, pictured left in the
www.CityofLuling.net
photo, won the last Mystery Building
City Council Members
Mike Hendricks, Mayor
contest and was awarded a $25 gift
certificate by Sharolynn Boyd, O n June 13, competitors in the Texas Water Safari will
paddle the San Marcos River through Luling in a 262-
Curb your Temperature. Set the
thermostat at 78 degrees or higher.
Jackie Campbell, Ward 1 Main Street Board president. mile race from San Marcos to Seadrift. Racers must bring the For each degree you raise your thermostat you
John Wells, Mayor Pro-Tem, Ward 2
Edgar Chambers, Ward 3
food and equipment they’ll need but they’ll receive water and can save about 5 percent on the cooling portion
James Nickells, Ward 4 Luling Main Street continues its ice along the way. of your energy bill.
Lisa Gaspard, Ward 5 contest to discover local buildings. Official checkpoints for the race will be at Zedler’s Mill,
To enter, use the three photo clues Highway 90, and a third at Palmetto Park near Luling. Many
Administration in this newsletter to correctly identify
the building then include your
canoes are lost in the upper part of the river due to rapids and City Council Approves Sidewalks
T
Bobby Berger dams. Last year, 95 boats started the race, but only 53 of them
City Manager answer in the entry form. finished. he Luling City Council voted Thursday, May 14, in favor
The winner of the drawing will The cut-off time to finish the race is 100 hours. Many teams of a new infrastructure project that will replace four blocks
Martha Velasquez
City Secretary receive a $25 gift certificate from
go without sleep and meals to be the first at the finish line. of sidewalks in downtown Luling. The project is expected to
Luling Main Street, which can be cost $350,000 with construction to begin late fall.
Sonny Rougeou Visit www.texaswatersafari.org for more information.
Finance Director redeemed at participating merchants. “We need to do something,” said Bobby Berger, Luling city
Entries can be mailed or dropped by the Central Texas Oil Patch Museum/Visitors manager. “The sidewalks are broken, cracked and present a
Trey Bailey Center at 21 E. Davis Street by Aug. 7.
Director of Economic Development safety hazard for our residents and visitors.”
Misty Pendley You Could Be the Next Winner! Name that Building Contest To pay for a portion of this project, the City will apply for
Main Street Manager capital improvements grants from the federal government.
Name:_________________________________________________________________________ Funding the remainder of this project and future
Randy Engelke
Parks Director infrastructure needs will come from a .002 cent increase
Address: ______________________________________________________________________
Chris Powell in utility rates approved by the Council. Berger said the
Director of Community Utilities Phone : _______________________________________________________________________ average electric customer will pay an additional $4 a month.
Jessica Tucker Customers should have seen this increase in their May utility
Revenue Collections Name of Building: ______________________________________________________________ bill, which was mailed at the end of the month.
John Cochran
Police Chief
Lembo Allen
City Attorney
Luling FaCTs aBOUT YOUr ElECTriCiTY:
City Council Meetings Pictorial History
Second Thursday @ 7 p.m. By Chuck Parsons
Council Chambers,
City Hall, 509 E. Crockett
T he first pictorial history
of Luling will be on sale
during the Watermelon
Clue 1 Clue 2 Clue 3
Thump, June 25-28. The
book was published by
Zedler’s Mill Update Arcadia Publishing as part
Construction of a 4,300 square foot pavilion near Zedler’s Mill on the banks of the of its “Images of America”
San Marcos River is now complete. The pavilion has a large event space, along with a series.
Titled simply, Luling, the WE ONLY RUN WHEN YOU NE
kitchen and restroom facilities, and is available for rental from the City of Luling. ED US —
The pavilion was built with a grant from the Steve and Mary Birch Foundation, which book is authored by Chuck With anticipated completion
Parsons and the Luling Main this summer,
has pledged $1 million to the project. Allen Guisinger, president of the Zedler’s Mill LCRA’s Winchester Power Pla
Foundation, said $450,000 was Street program. The book will nt in Fayette
spent constructing the pavilion, have nearly 200 photographs, many of which have not been published County will bring an additional
200 megawatts
with the remaining funds going before. The chapters focus on Luling’s history, from the advent of the
of power to LCRA’s customers
to the preservation of the historic railroad, schools, and churches to the construction of Zedler’s Mill. when they need
Topics like oil, watermelons, and Thump queens are featured, along it most — during times of hig
mill and outlying buildings. h demand such as
The City of Luling has owned with heroes of the city’s past and what lies ahead for the area’s future. hot summer days. LCRA has pro
The book has an introduction by Luling Mayor Mike Hendricks. vided power to
the property since 2001.  the City of Luling for more tha
The cost is $21.99 and the book will be available in many downtown n 68 years.
businesses.
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