Rowell takes helm of Friends of Llano Red Top Jail

November 13, 2012, 9:00 pm by Frank L. Graham

Photo by Dale Fry Friends of the Llano Red Top Jail Board of Directors and members for 2013 are (front row, from left) Frank Rowell, president; Martha Rowlett, member; Inell Franks, member; Kim Webb, secretary; and Dave Frank, member; (back row, from left) Sarah Franklin, historian; Sheri Zoch, vice president; and Ovetra Hartman, treasurer.

 The announcement came during a meeting of the group at the Railyard Depot, compliments of the Llano Chamber of Commerce, which currently calls the colorful structure home. The annual meeting, held to elect new FLRTJ officers for 2013,  was open to the public and included a table laden with hot tamales, chili, and a wide assortment of finger foods, dips and drinks.

 The new officers for 2013 include President, Frank Rowell; Vice President,  Sheri Zoch; Historian, Sarah Franklin; Treasurer,  Ovetra Hartma; Secretary,  Kim Webb, and Members Gene Hall, Dave Franks, Inell Franks; and Martha Rowlett.

 President Rowell said all of the officers and members are in full agreement concerning the restoration of the old jail, which the group considers one of Llano’s most colorful structures, as well as one that will draw even more tourists into town once it is fully restored.

 When the FLRTJ members recently removed all of the jail’s original wood flooring to allow workers to install concrete piers to stabilize the walls of the structure which had started to lean forward, they found that they also needed  to re-point the crumbling mortar on the walls throughout the building.

 For more of this story, see Wednesday's Llano County Journal.