FOUNDING OF LAKE CITY
On Thursday, August 23, 1979, Joe and Doris Veit heard from Murray Pittman, a Lake
Side resident, that a meeting was to be held in the meeting room at the bank in Mathis to
discuss incorporating an area around Point Loma. The Veits attended this meeting on
Saturday, August 29, 1979. After the meeting, there were discussions about Mathis
changing their form of government, which would allow them to annex larger areas. Joe
and Doris Veit decided to alert all residents of Sleepy Hollow, Mesquite Acres, Mesquite
Island, Lake Terrace Estates, and Lakeview that we would be subject to annexation soon.
The Veits printed and handed out notices to all residents to attend a meeting on
Thursday afternoon, August 30, 1979.
The meeting took place in a vacant lot on Mesquite Island. About 175 residents brought
their lawn chairs and attended. Mr. Veit explained to them all he had heard and
information he had gathered from Judge Hartman on incorporation. James Witten, a
Sinton attorney told Mr. Veit he would handle the incorporation for $2,500.00. He decided
each property owner would contribute $25.00 each, covering the cost of incorporating.
Those attending the meeting agreed to this and started donating money that day.
Questions were then arising. How should receipts be made out? How should checks be
made out? Mrs. Lynda Hoskins said she had researched some Texas reference books
and had not seen the name
"LAKE CITY" was used. So, we quickly decided that our city would be named "LAKE
CITY."
When Mr. Whitten's office was contacted the next day, his secretary told Mr. Veit he
could not get an appointment for a week. This was too long to wait as the incorporation
papers had to be filed before Mathis changed their form of government. So, Mr. and Mrs.
Joe Veit, Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Lamb, Mr. Bill Crow, and Mr. Chester Vines went to Sinton
to talk to attorney John Flynn. He agreed to handle the incorporation for $750.00, with the
Veits doing most of the leg work. During the next three months, residents donated
$4,500.00 to the Lake City idea.
Gunter Engineering Company was hired to draw up the plat to submit to the
Commissioners Court. Some of the residents of the subdivision of Clear Water Cove
asked to be included in Lake City. To have this subdivision, a 300-foot-wide strip of land
from the Clarence Maedgen farm was needed to tie the subdivision to the proposed city.
Mr. Veit contacted Mr. Maedgen in Houston. He gave his o.k. So, Gunter Engineering
surveyed this piece and included it in the plat of Lake City for no extra cost. Mr. and Mrs.
Veit made many trips back and forth to the surveyor, lawyer, county clerk, and county
judge, trying to get everything accomplished before the October deadline. When the
Commissioner's Court approved everything, and an election was to be called, attorney
John Flinn discovered that the election could not occur until the general election in
November. The election was set up for this date with Joe Veit to serve as an election
judge. Bob Atkins and Ted Capps were assistant judges.
Bernice Skidmore and Lorayne Vines were election clerks. The election was held in Joe
and Doris Veit's garage. Mrs. Veit provided the election workers with coffee, tea,
sandwiches, stew, and cookies.
The election results were ten against incorporation and 131 in favor. Mr. Veit contacted
Judge Hartman and Dottie Malley, the County Clerk. The municipal officers' election
could not occur until January 19, 1980. A group of interested people who helped Mr. &
Mrs. Veit in some of the incorporation work met at the Veit's home to devise a slate of
officers. Many people were contacted but had numerous and varied excuses for why they
could not run for office. Finally, Joe Veit agreed to run for Mayor, O.W. Skidmore as
marshal, and Mrs. Ima Lange, Chester Vines, Ernest Lamb, Oatice Buffington, and Mrs.
Vivian Smith decided to run as an alderman. Mr. Neuman also filed to run for marshal but
later withdrew his filing.
City officers were elected in the Veit's garage on January 19, 1980. Ted Capps was the
election judge, and Howard Fish was the alternate judge. The clerks were Mrs. Lynda
Hoskins, Mrs. Dorothy Cordy, Mrs. Mary Vaughan, and Mrs. Mary Ann Nolen. The state of
officers was elected. County Judge Hartman swore in Joe Veit as Mayor. Mayor Veit gave
the Oath of Office to the other officials elected. Lake City had become established.
After meeting in the home of the Veits for several months, the Mayor and council realized
the need for a city building of some kind. Chester and Lorayne Vines donated Lot 9,
Block 2, Lakeview II, to Lake City. A few men worked several days in the hot summer
heat, clearing off the heavily wooded lot.
Mrs. Louise Miller headed a drive to raise building funds by raffling off a rifle and a TV.
The funds made from the raffle totaled $1,151.00. In addition, city secretary Doris Veit
sent letters to residents who had not previously donated money requesting help. That
brought in an additional $1,400.00.
Mayor Veit drew up plans for the civic center building to be 28' by 48, later approved by
the city council. Mayor Veit and Doris compiled a list of materials needed to complete the
shell of the building. Then as funds were available, the work would continue to construct
the building. Next, Mayor Veit, Oatice Buffington, Felix Pospech, and Doris Veit started
building the forms for the foundation. The county hauled in many loads of caliche. The
four individuals listed above continued working countless hours shoveling, raking, and
leveling the caliche for the foundation.
Mayor Veit and Doris traveled to Corpus Christi to negotiate with a concrete company
about prices for pouring the foundation. On November 23, 1980, on a frigid and rainy day,
the cement was poured by Mayor Veit, Felix Pospech, and Oatice Buffington with the
help of Joe Mercado and two helpers.
During the first two weeks of December 1980, Mayor Veit and his wife Doris reviewed the
list of things needed to start the building. On December 8, 1980, they went shopping for
the best prices at numerous lumber yards. C.C. Brick and Lumber delivered a truckload
of lumber to the Veit's home, where it was stored safely. The Mayor hauled additional
materials himself. Utilizing Ernest Lamb's trailer, the Mayor and Doris would load the
materials that would be used for that day's work, and the building began. Mayor Veit,
Felix Pospech, and Oatice Buffington were the steady laborers, while Ernest Lamb, Frank
Votroba, Norman Leach, Bill Trotter, O.W. Skidmore, and Howard Fish helped out many
times. The Mayor and Doris made many trips to Corpus Christi to reload materials when
needed. Soon the shell of the building was complete.
On January 28, 1981, a permit was obtained for a septic system. The system was
installed by Mayor Veit, Oatice Buffington, Felix Pospech, and Joe Moravek. The city
received more donations, so it was decided to proceed with the interior of the building.
Again, the Veits started a list of materials needed. They went to Corpus Christi shopping
for the best prices and brought back a load of material to get created, except the
sheetrock and the insulation. Work began inside. The Fosters were gracious in letting the
city run hoses to their home for the city to have water in the building.
In April 1981, the first municipal election was held in the Lake City Civic Center. Howard
Fish was the election judge, with Bill Sherman as the alternate judge. Jerri Roberts, Mary
Vaughan, Donna Oates, and Anita Foster were clerks. Joe Veit was again elected Mayor.
O.W. Skidmore was the marshal. Felix Pospech, mayor pro-tem, Oatice Buffington,
Ernest Lamb, Chester Vines, and Joe Moravek were elected alderman, and Doris Veit was
appointed secretary-treasurer.
Gross receipt checks received from CP&L, a rummage sale, and a bazaar held by the
Ladies Community Club, which Winnie Lamb had organized as President, made enough
money for the city to have a water well drilled which would be the final project for the
LAKE CITY CIVIC CENTER building.
Mayor Joe Veit then started planning and purchasing materials to build a storage
building. A storage building was constructed with the help of Felix Pospech, Joe
Moravek, and Oatice Buffington.
Joe Movarek donated the pipe to make a flagpole. Next, Felix Pospech and Mayor Veit
hauled the line to his home to complete the flagpole. Then, with the help of Oatice
Buffington, Joe Moravek, and Mayor Veit, the flagpole was raised at the Civic Center.
Joe Moravek installed a floodlight on the grounds of the city building. Joe Moravek also
planted Bermuda grass seeds and carpet grass to get a lawn started. Mayor Veit and
Oatice Buffington made flower beds in the front of the building. Vivian Smith, Winnie
Lamb, Donna Oates, and Dorothy Buffington planted scrubs in memory of loved ones.
The council decided they needed more room to park cars and more space to build
additional buildings in the future; therefore, the city purchased Lot 6, Block 2, Lakeview
II.
Oatice Buffington and Mary Ann Benson were able to have an additional floodlight
installed on the new lot the city purchased.
The LAKE CITY CIVIC CENTER was finally finished. It is used for community-covered
dish suppers, ice cream socials, exercise classes, and square dancing.
The term of the present officers is up in April 1983.
It is hoped that Lake City will always be an excellent place for people to live and that
everyone will enjoy the Civic Center.
