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From the Office of District 37 U.S. Rep. Filemon Vela

The Aransas Pass Police confirmed that six people were killed during the landfall of Hurricane Harvey when they were crushed by the collapse of the building where they had been taking shelter.

That raised to seven the number of known fatalities attributed to the Category 4 storm.

Aransas Pass residents had been urged to evacuate after it became clear that Harvey was headed directly toward Rockford and neighboring Aransas Pass.

Federal Emergency Management Administration officials had warned against taking the slow-moving storm lightly and said that the elements working on the storm had not been seen before.

"I's a very dynamic storm," said FEMA administrator Brock Long. "I've been doing for decades and have never seen hurricane develop so rapidly. (The forecast is for) a torrential rain event for next 72 hours and it will be difficult for state and federal resources to get into some of affected areas. This will be very long and frustrating event."

Long said that all the time that responders have been preparing for the current threat, they have to prepare for the even larger mission than was necessary with Ike. FEMA has already deployed people to begin working on providing manufactured housing, etc.

Mike Coyne of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration also expressed concern about the aftermath of the hurricane having made landfall.

"I don't have good news to pass along," he said. "Harvey weakened to a tropical storm located 45 miles north of Victoria. It will weaken over the next two days. But heavy and persistent rainfall makes this storm extra dangerous in central and mid Texas coast. It's just sticking around and not moving too much. Short term risk is in Houston and Beaumont, and we continue watching for isolated tornadoes."

Chief Nim Kidd, of the Texas Division of Emergency Management said the situation remains serious.

"We're facing another week or two weeks of inclement weather," Kidd said. "We have lots of state and federal assets on ground and right now our focus is on life safety and our personnel is just starting to go in to rescue. It's hard to say what unmet needs are."

Like Long, Kidd thinks that housing will be a longg term housing issue.

Meanwhile, U.S. Coast Guard Admiral Karl Schultz updated search and rescue coordinators reporting that his crews had effected 27 rescues by helicopter in last 24 hours. Schultz said it had been difficult for helicopter pilots s to navigate by air as the storm is moving very slowly.

(Ed.'s Note: Well, it seem Harvey isn't leaving anytime soon. The photo above was sent by one of our seven readers attending the University of Houston and took the photo from the sixth story of his apartment building when he emerged from his cyber cocoon of video games and peeked outside his window. The storm has worked its way back to the Gulf of Mexico and the center is now located near Palacios, Texas spewing record amounts of rain along the coast all the way to Louisiana. The end, apparently, is not near.)

By Juan Montoya
With Brownsville Independent School District Superintendent Esperanza Zendejas having to make do with only a $285,000 salary until 2019 when it increases to $305,000, she has increasingly championed her Centennial Corporation Foundation to reward deserving students and teachers.

Teachers need to apply for grants up to $3,000 if they can prove to Zendejas they have good enough reason, and students must demonstrate they are worthy recipients of her largess.

After all, given her 266 working days, she will average $1,071.43 a day for her labors. (Click on graphics to enlarge.)

And were does the super get her dough? No, we're not talking about her salary. The board of trustees took care of her just as it did the BISD's attorney Baltazar Salazar with his own $288,000 after the $24,000 raise this year. We're talking about the foundation's cash.

Would you believe the staff of the BISD?

The Zendejas shakedown has been honed to an art with the appeal to BISD personnel to fork over some of their hard-earned cash either through a continuous payroll deduction for the entire 2017-2018 school year or a one-time donation of $10 to $100 or "other."

It's probably easy for Zendejas to strike a charitable pose since the board has been so generous to her. After all, a $10,000 raise per year is no small potatoes. During the meeting where Salazar was making his pitch for a mere 2.9 percent raise from $264,000 to increase his take, he cited the fact that he had waited patiently until after the board gave Zendejas her raise.

Now, he told the board, it was his turn at the BISD trough. It's all about the kids, of course.

With the board's meeting now limited to once a month with the occasional special meeting to pay the bills and vendors, he will average $24,000 per meeting. Not bad for a hometown boy with connections.

We wonder how much Salazar gave to Zendejas' foundation or if he gave anything at all. But teachers who receive this form in their mail box surely must feel a certain degree of pressure to fork out the cash since the super will know who gave and how much.

Will those who give an arm and a leg to Zendejas so she can announce that her foundation has dispensed awards to her chosen recipients be treated favorably and those who can't afford to be charitable be treated differently?

By Juan Montoya

For the last 10 years, the city of Brownsville had been chafing under and looking for a way to do away with the "me too" clause that was negotiated into the contracts with both the police and firefighter unions.

The city had been soundly beaten in the courts when one union and then the other filed lawsuits after – as a result of labor negotiations – it gave raises to one only to be sued under the clause by the other. When the city appealed everywhere and then lost at the U.S. Supreme Court in 2015, there seemed no way out but to bite the bullet and pay. How to remove the pesky clause that stated that:"Section 1. If the City voluntary negotiates an across-the-board wage increase or new fringe benefit to all members of any FLSA nonexempt group which exceed that granted to the fire department personnel for the fiscal year in question, the fire bargaining unit shall be granted the same improvement."

It was evident that the neither the police or firefighters would negotiate themselves out of that clause. So the city's legal department – headed by former city attorney Mark Sossi – found a way.

Why not entice one of the union presidents to do away with it in return for a cushy salary and promotion?

The police union honchos didn't bite. But when the shiny red apple was held before Firefighter Association #970 president Carlos Elizondo, his eyes lit up and the city knew they had a live one. He would play, and they would pay. After all, they had seen that he was not above cheating on a civil service exam for captain and when the scam was discovered, caused the resignation of Carlos Ayala Jr. as civil service director claiming that he was a victim of job stress.

As president of the union, Elizondo was able to manipulate the officers of the union and hand-picked his replacements through the elections. None of the association's veteran firefighters could be induced to voluntarily surrender the benefits that had been defended throughout the time from 2007 to 2016. But the young guys didn't know any better. Before he left for his new position, he placed them as the negotiating committee for the new contract.

Just as he had promised his masters at the city, the firefighters' negotiating committee signed on the dotted line and voluntarily gave up the "me too" clause that the Supreme Court had upheld.

They also agreed to give up salary parity with the police, and to circumvent the Civil Service statutes to allow the chief to pick two deputy chiefs. One of those deputy chiefs he could appoint, they agreed, "need not to have a personnel classification in at least an officer level."

Elizondo's stooges then rammed the agreement and convinced a majority of the union members to approve the contract on Sept. 29, 2016 over the objections of old timers who knew that the new deal would take the hard-fought gains previous firefighters had won for future firefighters.

After the details of the contract were made known, Elizondo's hand-picked union officers – including union chief Eugenio Cardenas resigned en masse and the union had to hold elections to pick new ones.

But the die had been cast and the union now had to live with the existing contract that would cover the relations with the city from 2016 through 2022. And Elizondo had sold his brother firefighters down the river for his 30 pieces of silver, in this case, the fire chief badge and his white bell cap. Where he had criticized former chief Lenny Perez for wearing that traditional cap, Elizondo now sports it almost constantly.

But what about the deputy chiefs? One of them had to have worked his way up the firefighter ranks from driver to firefighter, through the officer grades as required by the civil service. The other, however, was Elizondo's personal choice and did not have to have the qualifications, a sort of administrative assistant, Elizondos' personal secretary. Beforehand, it had been agreed that the apple would go to one of city manager Charlie Cabler's pals, a paella-cooking crony named Ernie Estrada. Estrada, who had scant knowledge of firefighting, managing personnel, and none as an incident commander in charge of directing firefighters on the scene. (He is the character at right wearing a straw hat between Cabler and Elizondo). No one thought that Estrada would be placed above experienced veteran firefighters and put in charge of experienced firefighters and officers and bearing the responsibility for their personal safety. Neither Elizondo nor Cabler can make such a claim. But that hasn't stopped Estrada from translating his friendship with Cabler and Elizondo into a position of authority over other experienced firefighters and officers with many decades of experience fighting fires.

According to department sources, fire crews were sent to a grass fire outside Olmito Saturday., May 13 and were battling the wind-assisted blaze when Estrada showed up and ran directly to Capt. Margarito Gracia, a veteran firefighter who's seen his share of grass and structure fires in his long career. Estrada, on the other hand, had less than a year's experience as a firefighter.

A handful of witnesses say Estrada confronted Gracia and demanded to know why he had allowed the fire to spread. But not only did he ask what he was doing to combat the flames, but he also confronted Gracia to the point where he was said to be interfering with the captain's abilities – as incident commander – to direct his men to fight the fire. Gracia was said to have told Estrada to get away from him and let him do his job.

It got to the point where Garcia thought Estrada was interfering with his duties as commander and called the Brownsville Police Dept. to keep Estrada at bay.

One another occasion where that occurred was when firefighters were fighting a grass fire along the river. Putting out grass fires is not an easy task because just when you think that you've got it beat, a sudden breeze will rekindle a burning ember and the fire will take off again, endangering both the men and equipment in the middle of the blaze.

On this particular occasion, a veteran fire crew had the blaze under control and were setting about the task to put out any embers still smoldering along the banks of the river. Suddenly, Estrada's voice came over the radio ordering the crews to stop what they were doing and emerge from the scene. Firefighters protested that they had the fire under control and were just mopping up.

Angered that his orders were being questioned, Estrada ordered the men again to get out. Thinking that – as procedure calls for – another crew would go in and replace them to finish the job, the men followed their water hoses back and came out. But Estrada did not have a replacement crew to relieve them. As they were coming out, a sudden breeze sprang up and the firefighters turned back to see that the breeze had rekindled the fire and that it was heading for their vehicles and equipment.

In a mad dash, they managed to save their gear and then put out the fire. Had but one man lagged behind, he would have been in grave danger of getting caught in the rekindled blaze.

"We thought that Estrada had been hired as a personal assistant to the chief," said a firefighter who was on the scene. "He has no experience as an incident commander and his orders might have resulted in someone getting seriously hurt. This is what happens when someone without experience is put in charge of firefighters who know better, This is political promotion at its worst."

How long will it be before the haughty Estrada – with the blessing of Elizondo and Cabler – issues an order which will result in injury to his fellow firefighters or to the public? Was the public's safety one of the bargaining chips that Elizondo handed over to his masters at City Hall, too?

(Ed.'s Note: If you happen to be driving down Adams and have a hankering for a nice caldo from Las Casuelitas, arguably the best in town, make sure you don't park in the lot next to their building.

If you do, chances are that the landlord of the apartments across the lot from the restaurant will call the wrecker on you and the tow-truck operators will try to take your vehicle to their impound lot where you will be charged an arm and a leg to get it back.

What usually happens, as was the case at lunch time today, is that a tow truck will hook up your car and wait until you emerge and tell you that you're in violation of private property. There is a parking-metered city lot across Adams if the spaces along the street are full. But for the uninitiated, it will take a $50 fee for the driver to unhook his cable and allow you to leave with your vehicle.

There are signs in the restaurant that warn about this, but many customers just want to east and leave and don't pay no mind to the sign on the wall. That lot, by the way, is almost always empty except for a few tenants of the apartments. The woman above just came to Las Casuelitas to enjoy a caldo only to pay an additional $50 on top of the $7 she was charged for the food. Le salio caro el caldo a la pobre señora!)

(Ed.'s Note: The City of Brownsville would do well to emulate the recycling efforts of the gentleman in the photo above. One of our readers saw him pedaling down Central Blvd. with his cache of aluminum cans, mostly beer cans, after scavenging from dumpsters of the various nightspots and apartment complexes around town.

We have no talent for estimating the weight of the cans he is carrying on his trike, but it's a considerable amount because the cans under the plastic bans appear to have been crushed and we are told he was laboring to pedal down the street.

Wilkinson's Metals say they are paying 50 cents a pound for aluminum cans, so if he has, say 50 pounds, it will mean $25 dollars in his pocket. To some of us that would mean a lot of work for a few bucks, but wealth is relative if that's all you have. You've got to respect this man's efforts to make a buck at this humble task.)

(Ed.'s Note: Despite state officials' denials that there is a gas shortage and that hikes in gasoline prices will soar to $5 a gallon because of the impact of Hurricane Harvey on Houston refineries, rumors in social media fueled a panic all across the city and many outlets, such as the Sunoco station at the intersection of Price and Old Port Isabel roads, ran out of gasoline and turned away drivers.

The reports from across the city indicate that gasoline stocks were also depleted at most gas stations by desperate motorists who feared that there would be no gas – or only available at inflated prices – after midnight tonight.

Motorists who had been in line for the better part of an hour in lines stretching out into the street from the stations were turned away by station employees when the pumps stopped functioning. In some cases, the Brownsville Police Department was called to handle disputes between irate drivers.

Motorists in Brownsville might expect to find gas unavailable Tuesday morning until the stations restock from their suppliers in Corpus Christi. In the photo at right, yellow plastic bags give notice that there is no fuel available of any grade.

The McAllen Monitor reported that Christi Craddick, the head of the Texas Railroad Commission which regulates the oil and gas industry in Texas, said Valley residents should expect a spike in gasoline prices of 5 to 10 cents over the next couple of days and as high as 25 cents over the next few weeks because of limits on current gasoline production. But that should level out in the long run, she said.

Craddick told the newspaper that industry representatives are reporting to her agency that areas such as Corpus Christi and other cities in the Coastal Bend region are experiencing gasoline shortages, but that has more to do with access to pumps than with a shortage of fuel.

She emphasized that there are no reports of shortages in the Rio Grande Valley and does not expect any shortages as long as roadways in this region remain dry and passable – unlike many areas in east Texas.)

(Ed.'s Note: This morning, many motorists woke up to find that there was no gas shortage as had been claimed in various social media outlets Monday night causing a panic that resulted in long lines and traffic congestion in many gasoline stations and convenience stores.

However, some of those gas stations that were particularly affected such as the one pictured above, remained without gasoline of any grade as a result of the crush. Within half a mile of this Valero store on Old Port Isabel and Price Road is a Walmart to the south that had gasoline this morning, and another Valero store on Coffeeport and OPI. Another half mile on FM 802 and OPI, the Valero store also had gasoline available.

Local authorities were unable to counter the social media rumors of impending gas shortages and prices that were wildly exaggerated climbing toward $5 per gallon. That fueled the panic that led to the traffic snarls and frayed nerves as motorists waited in line to top off their tanks in anticipation of the imagined shortages. Apparently, social media spread the rumor all up and down the Rio Grande Valley. In Hidalgo County, the Sheriff's Dept. issued an announcement late Monday night dispelling the gas shortage rumor to little avail.

There was no such announcement by the sheriff's department or the the City of Brownsville.

In Brownsville, the local daily reported that people were lined up to fill up with gas at several stores two hours ahead of opening time Tuesday morning expecting to fight battle crowds to acquire fuel.

Hidalgo County Sheriff's Office

10 hrs

* ADVISORY *

NO IMPENDING GAS SHORTAGE ANTICIPATED IN RGV

The Hidalgo County Sheriff's Office has received several calls for service with concerns of a possible gas shortage in the Rio Grande Valley as rumored by the media. Despite what the media outlets have reported, we do not anticipate a gas shortage. We do; however, anticipate a spike in gasoline prices.

Valley residents should expect a spike in gasoline prices of 5 to 10 cents over the next couple of days and as high as 25 cents over the next few weeks because of the limits on current gasoline production, according to the chairman of the Railroad Commission, which regulates the oil and gas industry in Texas.

We are asking the community to not be alarmed but to remain calm and collected. Thank you and God bless you.

(Ed.'s Note: Ok. We give up. What in blazes is going on here? This morning employees and visitors to the Cameron County Courthouse on Harrison Street woke up to find that the previous two-way street has now been turned into a one way heading east from 7th Street all the way up to 9th.

Also, that if you are driving on the one way (as the SUV in the top photo) and want to park to do business, you will have to back up in reverse to do it. The white SUV in the graphic did it right. The car on the left just parked in the usual way and will have to back up and go forward into 9th street at right. The reverse, angle parking into the road effectively limits the space available to traffic.

And the parallel parking on the north side of Harrison in front of the lawyers' offices has been removed and bike and hike trail signage has replaced it. It may be poetic justice because the building at the corner belongs to City of Brownsville Mayor Tony Martinez. But law enforcement – who have preferred parking across from Da Mayor's building to discuss their cases with the Cameron County District Attorney – are now confused or ignore the new reverse parking as the car above has done. Will someone give that cop a ticket?

County officials say there was absolutely no coordination between the city and county staff before the changes were made overnight Monday. Couple these changes with the construction now going on at the courthouse and mass confusion reigns among employees. To kindly assist the motorists in their confusion, a bevy of motorcycle cops are stationed at 8th and Harrison and another contingent and Tyler and 8th a block away.

That means that if you get on Harrison off 7th Street, you will have to go all the way to 9th before you get a chance to turn left and reach Tyler Street. The, to add insult to injury, since the angled- reverse parking and the bike-and-hike signage limit the space for vehicles, traffic will be limited to a one-way single lane where before there were two lanes and parking on both sides of the street.

We smell city commissioner Rose Gowen behind this. There is already a hike-and-bike trail down the street in the Linear Park. Is the city once again solving a problem that no one knew existed?

And did anyone ask the county officials whether they wanted this "solution" implemented without giving them notice? Wait until one Monday morning when hundreds of people report for jury duty. If there was ever a programmed cluster f--k, that will be it.

But wait, aun hay mas. Gowen's brain must be working on overtime. They say rutabaga improves creativity and we think that it is kicking in to the feverish gray matter of her noble pate. City planning officials also solved another problem that no one knew existed: being able to sit after a bike ride to look at the back of the Brownsville Herald building behind the county parking lot just across from the Ruben Torres Detention Building.

Not only will the bike riders be able to enjoy an unobstructed view of the county calaboose, they will also be able to partake the panorama composed of the Herald warehouse and the county parking lot in all its splendor. Sunsets framed by concertina wire, an old warehouse, and a parking lot couldn't get better than this.

But if you are going to sit and take a break cycling in the torrid South Texas sun, don't expect to find any shade to shelter you from the rayos del rey asrtal. The benches were placed exactly where there are no trees for protection. Fifteen minutes after a sweaty ride and we'll guarantee that you'll roast like a hot dog on the unprotected benches. Who the heck wants to bike-and-hike to sit between a parking lot and a county jail? Thank you, Rose!)

By Juan Montoya
It's hardly been a day since the volunteer effort of the City of Brownsville on behalf of the victims of Hurricane Harvey in Houston and the Coastal Bend started and already, two maquiladora-sized trailer are on their way to being filled with donated foodstuffs and survival needs.

The city's efforts are part of at least three or four different groups in town who have undertaken efforts to get water, canned goods and other necessities like baby diapers, etc., to the people stricken by the effects of the flooding and destruction caused by the storm that has lingered off the Texas coast.

The city's efforts have been concentrated at the city's Main Library Branch on Central Blvd. Others have been collecting at different sites like Marcelo Blvd, and the First Baptist Church om Boca Chica.

"There's a lot of good people in the city," said city manager Charlie Cabler as he reviewed the efforts of the city volunteers at the library. "There are three or more sites where goods are being collected."

Ezequiel Silva, owner of S&M Transport, LCC in Brownsville, said that the donations had already filled on trailer and that another was on its way. The destinations will be Houston, Rockport or Corpus Christi for distribution there or in neighboring communities affected by the high winds and flooding.

Silva said commissioner Ricardo Longoria asked him whether he could help out with one of his trailers to collect the donations and he readily agreed.

"We've filled one already and sent for another one," he said. "I think we're taking the first one to Houston."

The city started taking donations at Monday from 010 a.m. to 8 p.m. and will continue through Friday, September 1, 2017, at the Main Library Branch, 2600 Central Boulevard in Brownsville.

Residents are encouraged to donate bottled water, non-perishable food items, diapers and toiletries.

“All City of Brownsville departments are coming together to accept donations for communities across Texas affected by the devastating effects of Hurricane Harvey,” said Cabler. “We encourage residents to support their fellow Texas communities by donating items, including water, non-perishable foods and toiletries.”

For more information, please contact (956) 546-HELP (4357) or email 546help@cob.us.

By Juan Montoya
The case of U.S. citizens – most recently Border Patrol agents – shooting across the Rio Grande and killing Mexican citizens is a troubling issue that has caused friction between both countries for almost two centuries.

In one case that reached the U.S. Supreme Court, the justices ruled that the family of El Paso resident Adrián Hernández Güereca killed by U.S. Border Patrol agent Jesus Mesa who shot across the river killing 15-year-old instantly in 2010 may have recourse.

The justices ruled this June that the family deserved another day in court and asked a federal appeals court to decide on other issues.

"The facts alleged in the complaint depict a disturbing incident resulting in a heartbreaking loss of life," the court said in an unsigned opinion. "Whether petitioners may recover damages for that loss in this suit depends on questions that are best answered by the Court of Appeals."

In short, the justices ruled that the Border Patrol officer may not qualify for immunity. The decision was a setback for the government, which had won a lower court decision that barred the family from seeking damages in court.

Instances of this nature have occurred all along the border from El Paso to Brownsville in the two nation's often conflictive relationship since the border was established in 19848. Since then, instances where Americans have shot across the border and killed Mexican citizens have been numerous, but until the ruling by the Supreme Court this June, the agents have been immune from lawsuits.

USA Today reported that the family's lawyer, Robert Hilliard, told the justices that six Mexican citizens have died as a result of 10 cross-border shootings, only to be left without any legal remedy because the Constitution "turns off at the border." No such constitutional claim for damages against a federal official has been allowed for almost 30 years.

The family's lawyers said Hernández was playing with three friends in the 33-foot-wide concrete culvert separating El Paso and Ciudad Juárez, Mexico. Mesa's lawyers say he responded to a group of suspected illegal aliens throwing rocks at Border Patrol agents. Cellphone videos appeared to show that Hernández was hiding beneath a train trestle when he was shot in the head.

The border has been anything but peaceful, on both sides of the river. A 2013 investigation by the Arizona Republic found that Border Patrol agents and Customs and Border Protection officers killed at least 42 people – including at least 13 Americans – in an eight-year period.

At the time, none of the agents or officers responsible were publicly known to have faced consequences. This type of activity has a long historical precedent.

In 1872, Mexican President Sebastian Lerdo de Tejada formed a commission to investigate the border problems such as horse and cattle rustling, the kidnapping of runaway slaves by U.. bounty hunters in Mexican territory, and the shooting of Mexican citizens by shooters from the United States side of the river.

The commission found that these shooting occurred frequently and involved not only law enforcement and military personnel from the U.S. side, but also private citizens. These attacks were not limited to aggression against Mexican military but against civilians as well. They found that since 1848, at least 10 cases of this nature had been documented. Some of the most notable were cited in their report.

1. On April 1851, the Mexican military commander at Mier prohibited the crossing of the river after 7 p.m. through a ford in an arroyo. Sometime after that hour, four residents of Roma, in Starr County, tried to use that passage to enter Mexico and were denied entry. In response, the four started shooting at Mexican military personnel. The commission could not determine who was responsible for the shootout. They din note that the commander of the military garrison sought the assistance of the commander of the Ringgold Barracks at Camp Davis who promised to make inquiries in the matter.

2. On September 14, 1855, at about 9 p.m., three U.S citizens approached the for at Piedras Negras, Coahuila, and asked that a skiff be sent to them. Mexican authorities had prohibited the entrance into Mexican territory at that hour citing filibustering expeditions by groups of armed men from the U.S. side. After the sentries informed the three men of the prohibition, resulting in the Americans shooting at the sentries and nearby homes on the Mexican side for at least an hour and a half.

When Captain S. Burbank, the commander of U.S. forces in Ft. Duncan, was contacted by Mexican authorities to address the issue, he told them that the gunmen were civilians and therefore not under his command or responsibility. The fact that the shooting lasted more than an hour an a half within earshot of both U.S. Government and civilian law enforcement indicated an indifference by U.S. authorities to enforce the law.

3. On April 2, 1862, several Americans crossed from Texas into Mexico through Piedras Negras and got into an argument with some Mexican citizens. Then they rode back to the banks of the Rio Grande and started shooting at the custom guards which were returned by the guards.

4. On August 1863, an American soldier near the Paredes river ford, emerged from his tent in the camp along the river and – deliberately raising his pistol and taking aim – shot a boy named Nicanor Gongora. He died the next day and the commission noted that the soldier was jailed for a short time and then released.

5. On December 1868, U.S. soldiers said to be in persecution of thieves, reached the river near the Rancho de la Burrita, in the municipality of Matamoros, saw a skiff that was nearing the Mexican side, and shot twice. There were two elderly Mexican woman and some children in the boat and one of the women, Francisca Hinojosa, was seriously wounded.

Up until the recent decision by the U.S. Supreme Court, this festering problem between both nations has remained a sore point for residents on both sides of the border. After 169 years of uncertainty on whether victims can look to the courts for justice, the recent case involving BP agent Mesa may finally provide us with an answer.

By Juan Montoya
In one fell swoop, the trustees of the Texas Southmost College hope to decide how to fill the vacancy on the community college board left by the late Ramon Champion Hinojosa and – if a majority so decides – appoint someone serve the remaining eight or so months left on his unexpired term.

The meeting will be held Thursday, at 5:30 p.m. at the Gorgas Board Room at TSC at 80 Ft. Brown.

Hinojosa passed away Aug. 22, eight days ago.

In the first item dealing with filling the vacancy, trustees will decide whether to fill the vacancy through a resolution or special election. Since the TSC election – held in conjunction with the Brownsville Navigation District elections – is in early May, it would seem senseless to call for an election and make the district and the candidates go through that expense.

The other trustee whose term is expiring in May 2018 is Dr. Reynaldo Garcia.

Filling the vacancy through resolution would seem to be the logic of the agenda, since the next item calls for nominations an a vote an the following one is the administering of the oath of office followed by a reception to meet the nominee.

There have been several names tossed around in local circles to fill the vacancy left by Hinojosa including that former Brownsville Independent School District trustees Hugh Emerson and Pat Lehman. Emerson is apublic realtions consultant with San Antonio-based GRE Creative Communications, has been a bank administrator and was elected president of the BISD's District-wide Educational Improvement Council (DEIC) 2014-2015.

Lehman is a private businessman who has served as City of Brownsville commissioner, and as a member of the Brownsville Housing Authority. While a district trustee, BISD was the recipient of the Broad and CUBE national awards for most improved district and best school functioning board.

Another name that has been tossed around has been that of Dr. Ruben Gallegos, a past TSC Distinguished Alumni Award winner, longtime educator, principal and now owner of International Education Services who has a school named after him in the BISD.

(The Harlingen Professional Firefighters Association Local 3404 recently conducted a survey of its members. Out of 96 union members, 68 participated in this survey. Three members refused to take the survey for fear of reprisal. Twenty one declined to participate. Four junior personnel where not included in this survey. Non union member where also not included in this survey. Non union member where also not included in the survey. Julio Zetina, the president of the local association, presented a copy of this survey to the Harlingen City Manager and the City commissioners. Excerpts of the survey results are posted below. We will publish comments to other seven questions at a later date.)

1) How would you rate the Fire Administration on safety regarding manpower on the fire ground as it is recommended/required under NFPA 1710?

Total 68: Excellent: 3 Good: 10 Fair: 16 Poor: 39

Comments:

*I believe was a bad idea and dangerous to cut the personnel from station 1. It leaves the city and our Department vulnerable losing the extra Engine we had at #1.

*Until it was pointed out to our administration, they did not know the current 2016 NFPA 1710 criteria. They showed up to a shift meeting and LIED to the personnel about the correct number of FF that should be on a fire ground for a city our size.

* The current Man power and staffing levels are inadequate to protect the city of Harlingen, county, and contract city’s. The run card fails to address issues with responses to the county and contract city’s. This Fire Chief has no understanding
of the layout of the city of Harlingen or the contract city’s we have to respond to. The removal of staff from central station and the removal of the “Rescue Truck” will result in unnecessary injuries and or deaths with in the department and general public.

2.) With the current “Run Card” and the removal of personnel and gear from central station, how confident are you that the Harlingen Fire Department would be able to safely work two structure fires in our response territory?

Total 68: Excellent: 3 Good: 6 Fair: 15 Poor: 44

Comments

*It is not possible to safely and effectively extinguish 2 structure fires.

*We have been stretched very thin, and ultimately need to be fully staffed to avoid injuries or worse.

*We are not providing protection to the rest of the city, and we have no mutual aid. They rely on us.

*Not enough man power, we would definitely need mutual aid.

3.) How would you rate the quality of our apparatus and the condition they're in?

Total 68: Excellent: 2 Good:10 Fair: 37 Poor: 19

Comments
*When engine-2 came into service, after that station 2 opened the truck was empty, so we didn’t have medical bags and had to make scraps. This station was planned to open since October and when it finally opened up the truck wasn’t ready. Shouldn’t this be avoided with proper planning?

*From what I have seen for a new truck E-1 (Ferrara) seems to have a lot of maintenance issues. This should be considered before purchasing more of this brand.

*A side from E-8, 6, 3, 4, E-1 which are our newer units, the rest are falling apart, I don’t even consider them “reserve status”.

*We manage with what we have.

*A relatively new fire apparatus that is a front line unit has over 15 discrepancies, a few of which should have been immediately addressed.

4.) How would you rate the quality of Tools and Gear that we use?

Total 68: Excellent: 7 Good:15 Fair: 39 Poor: 7

Comments
*The hydraulic pump at station 4 really doesn’t work. In an event of life and death on a citizen those tools will not be able to perform its duty and believe a citizen will die. Most SCBA equipment needs repairing.

*New e-tools are very nice and a lot of effort is being made to keep bunker gear in good condition.

*Lately with inspections and cleaning it has gotten better bunker wise. Boots we could use something lighter and more comfortable, don’t expect top of the line stuff but its nice to have something higher that “LOWEST BIDDER”.

* While we have new Edraulic tools, we have 30 year old hydraulic tools that are in need of replacing, Fire fighting tools are purchased without the thought of how it will be used and if it is the best tool for the job.

*Mostly good, some of the hydraulics need work (Ladder 4).

*A lot of upgrades need to be done and we have new equipment that actually works.

*We don’t have enough extrication tools department wide. Additionally our medical supplies are inadequate.

5.) When units are taken out of service for repair/maintenance, do you feel that we have

adequate Reserve units available to safely respond and work an emergency effectively?

Total 68: Yes: 5 No: 44 Somewhat: 18 I Don’t Know: 1

Comments

*Have you seen our reserve units, they are not equipped.

*The reserve units are limited in equipment. Mechanical issues on RE-3, Re-1, and Tanker 8 are an issue.

*"Reserves" should be fully stocked ready to go, not half run down and having to move over equipment needed.

*Reserve units could be better maintained.

*Our reserve apparatus are a joke!!!

*Hell no there are no reserves.

*Reserve units need to be refurbished.

*Every time we use a reserve engine I expect the brakes to give out and pump not
to function.

6.) Do you feel that the fire department/City has an interest in you (the employee)?

Total 68: Yes: 8 No: 37 Somewhat: 20 Don’t know: 3

Comments

* only interest is the bottom line and personal agendas

*We’re just an employee number to the city and easily replaced. In the past we’ve been
ignored, looked down on, and not acknowledged by our city mayor.

*Fire department tries, city no, they are more concerned with their building project. They want to bring in more tourists, but feel when it comes to the safety of citizens and tourists, we will not be able to perform our task due to equipment and staffing problems.

*We are always last since our department does not bring in revenue to the city.

*Fire –yes , city- not so sure.

*The fire chief has his own agenda. He is a PUPPET for the city. The city wanted Deputy Chief XXXX fired and Fire Chief Rinaldi wouldn’t do it. They hire chief XXXXX to get rid of XXXX. The city does not have any employee’s best interest at heart. They consistently have positive revenue streams each month but can never afford anything.

7.) How would you describe the overall morale of our fire department?

Total 68: Excellent: 0 Good: 7 Fair: 23 Poor: 38

Comments

*A lot of division, no direction

* Aside from the compadre suck ups; the overall moral is low. I am thankful to the strong individual that keep there chin up and stay a positive truthful course

* Most of the individuals like/love coming to work here at HFD. However, each person is entitled to their own opinion and some are offended easily and take things a little too personal.

*We come to work and what we do despite knowing they does not have our backs.

* Could be way better if we had a leader willing to lead.

* I personally have no confidence in the fire chief. He has been fired from other cities for doing what he is doing to our department. He shows favoritism towards a certain shift and a certain station.

By Juan Montoya

In their "Brief History of Education in Brownsville and Matamoros," Milo Kearney, Alfonso G.Arguelles and Yolanda Z. Gonzalez, outlined the efforts of both cities to bring education to their children.

The work was published in 1989 as a one-year commemoration of the merger between Pan American University and the University of Texas System in 1988 by the U of Pan Am Press.

The authors painstakingly traced the humble beginnings of the first settlers to Matamoros who came from Camargo and Monterrey in 1774 as they tried to provide a basic education to their children by paying for tutors their children as far back as 1793. This work was then performed by the Apostolic Colleges of Zacatecas in 1796.

In 1814, 34 years before there was a Brownsville, the settlers in Matamoros established the first primary school (elementary) with a paid teacher. Domesticated Indian workers were hired to do the ranching chores of boys who were sent to school. In 1833, the new Mexican government brought on by independence, established the Dept. of Public Instruction, a overly optimistic effort that produced little or no financial support for local schools. In the void, Matamoros residents took up the slack. The schools lacked everything, including books and had to rely on what the parents sent with their children. But in 1837, the schools there were opened up for girls, too.

Through the years, it was the Catholic (Oblates and other monastic orders on both sides), including Presbyterian missionaries, who provided the instruction. In 1853, Matamoros established the first secondary school. On the American side, it wasn't until 1855 that Cameron County established the first country school housed on the Methodist Church and later in the first federal building. That effort fizzled due to lack of state funds and for 17 years, Cameron County lacked public instruction.

The Catholic Church – through the Villa Maria school for girls run by the Order of the Sisters of the Incarnate Word in 1853 and the St. Joseph Academy for boys run by the Oblates in 1862 – was the only educational force. If families could afford it, boys and girls from both sides of the border could get a religious-based education.

It wasn't until 1875 that the Brownsville Public School System was established, but again, like their neighbors across the Rio Grande, their efforts were not funded by their state governments. One-third of the children in Brownsville were enrolled for school, but only one-fourth attended, the authors say.

In 1889, the first grammar school was established in Brownsville at the site of the present-day Annie S. Putegnat Elementary next to Washington Park. It wasn't until 1916 that Brownsville had a high school, 63 years after there was one in Matamoros. It was located at the corner of Palm Blvd. and Elizabeth Street.

By 1926, the Junior College of the Rio Grande, later named Brownsville Junior College and renamed Texas Southmost College in 1941, came into existence. Matamoros had three colegios already in existence and Pan American University rented space to establish an extension and provide upper-level classes in Brownsville in 1973. Four years later, the University of Pan American-Brownsville was established.

Then, in November 1988, Pan American merged with the UT System, and Brownsville residents complained that the result would be that state resources would be funneled to Hidalgo County to the detriment of the Brownsville campus.

Among some of their fears was that without autonomy from Edinburg the Brownsville campus would be ineligible to seek federal funding and would be at the mercy of Edinburg for funds. Also, they could not solicit private or foundation funds without the approval from Edinburg. Autonomy, they said, would help attract industry to Brownsville and help of recruitment and retention of superior faculty, and help it gain accreditation.

Efforts to get an independent free-standing university were rebuffed – as had the initial establishment of a public school system – by the legislature in Austin. This despite offers from the city to the UT System of 200 acres adjacent to the TSC campus. In the face of continued denials by the legislature, a half-baked answer was concocted to appease Brownsville.

Sen. Eddie Lucio and State Rep. Rene Oliveira bought into the disastrous "partnership" between TSC and the UT System that required the college district to foot the bill for UT to "partner" with TSC. The taxpayers of the poorest community in the state and nation would pay for hte oil-and-gas wealthy UT System to be here. Over the next 21 years, the community college district – under the "leadership" of President Julieta Garcia – "transferred" more than $1 billion to the UT System, indebted its taxpayers with $120 million construction bonds, and produced dismal graduation and retention rates in return. Tuition was charged at university level even for vocational classes and the community college mission abandoned.

It has only been since 2011 that an independent TSC board of trustees opted to separate itself from the UT System and gain operational independence two years alter in 2013. But before that happened, the trustees went to Lucio and Oliveira and asked them to support the separation and allow the college to return to its original mission of providing affordable, accessible opportunity to local students.

Oliveira had submitted a bill ( HB 3689) backed by then-UTB-TSC president Julieta Garcia to turn over all the assets of the community college to the UT System diametrically opposed to the wishes of college trustees and residents. It took the testimony before the committee of TSC trustee Adela Garza and Erasmo Castro to convince Oliveira to amend the bill to make TSC an independent institution.

If not for the resistance to the bill by the TSC trustees and district residents, Oliveira and Lucio were content to have TSC and all the assets nurtured by the district's taxpayers since 1926 to be gobbled up by the UT System, except for the $128 million in bond debt. As it was, Oliveira submitted a bill that in effect erased the $10 million in rent owed TSC by the UT System.

Now the worse fears of those back in 1988 that the new entity – in this case the UT Rio Grande Valley – would relegate Brownsville to a satellite campus without say so in its operations or academic decisions, have come full circle and a self-fulfilling prophesy.

These turns of events for the worse in the educational opportunities for students in the Matamoros-Brownsville are were made possible by our state legislators despite the fact that Oliveira's uncle – the late Arnulfo "Nuco" Oliveira – served as president of TSC and Pan Am Brownsville before his death. Additionally, trustee David Oliveira – Nuco's son and Rene's cousin, both Texas Exes – showed his loyalty was to the UT System and not to the people of the district by voting for Garcia's plan to turn over TSC's assets to UTB and to continue to let the community taxpayers subsidize it.

But even worse than that, both Oliveiras and Lucio were willing to turn their backs on the 224 years of the labor of love of Matamoros and Brownsville residents to provide an education to their children.

By Juan Montoya
A unanimous board of trustees of Texas Southmost voted Thursday to appoint Dr. Ruben Gallegos, a Texas Southmost College graduate and Distinguished Alumni, to finish the unexpired term of the late Ramon Champion Hinojosa.

With family members standing next to him, Gallegos took the oath of office from 103rd District Court judge Janet Leal, who told the audience that not only was she acquainted with his successful lifetime career in education, but that they were also cousins through marriage.

"We're family," she said, remembering that Gallegos and his late wife Norma Martinez Gallegos had given has a bedroom set when she had left home for college. She also said that his resume indicated that Gallegos had gone from working with his family as agricultural migrants in Colorado and other northern states and had risen through his educational achievements to give advice presidents on education.
"No one gave him anything," she said.

Before the presentation, a video tribute was played on the board room screen showing Hinojosa when he was trustee with chair Adela Garza and interim TSC President Mike Shannon remembering his dedication to make the community college succeed.

Each of the trustees spoke lauding the accomplishments of Gallegos, a past TSC Distinguished Alumni Award winner, longtime educator, principal and now owner of International Education Services who has a school named after him in the BISD.

Trustee Dr. Tony Zavaleta spoke of how his University of Texas professor Americo Paredes had told him there were less than 100 Latino Ph.Ds in Texas, and that Gallegos was one of them.

Ruben Herrera, before the vote was taken, said he was ready to welcome Gallegos to the board "if he could muster the six votes."

Mendez said that since he was younger than the rest, he could not share any anecdotes but that "anybody who has shaken the hand of the Pope" was alright with him, "unless it was Photoshopped."

Trustee Art Rendon spoke of how his late father in law Antonio A. Benavides, the principal of Cromack Elementary spoke highly of Gallegos when he was alive an welcomed him to the board.

Dr. Ray Garcia called him "a true professional."

A reception followed the installation of the new TSC trustee. Hinojosa's term expires May 2018 and Gallegos did not say whether he would seek election then.

Special to El Rrun-Rrun
Santiago Jimenez Jr., to perform at the 7th Annual Freddie Gomez Memorial Conjunto Concert during Labor Day weekend.

The 7th Annual Freddie Gomez Memorial Conjunto Concert, which is sponsored by local South Texas Conjunto Association, the Brownsville Society of the Performing Arts, City of Brownsville's Main Street District and Charlie Clark Valley Nissan, is scheduled from 4 to 11 p.m. on Saturday, September 2, 2017, at the corner of 11th and E. Levee Streets in Brownsville.

Santiago Jimenez Jr. will showcase the "Sons of Conjunto Legends" themed annual concert at 7:30 pm, and will be followed by RGV musicians, Ricardo Guzman Jr. and Gilbert Perez Jr.

Santiago Jiménez, Jr. was born on April 8, 1944, he is a folk musician who has won a National Heritage Fellowship in 2000 for lifetime achievement in traditional Tex-Mex/folk music. His father, Santiago Jiménez Sr. was a pioneer of conjunto music.

His older brother Leonardo "Flaco" Jiménez is considered by many the greatest Tejano accordionist ever, certainly the most famous. Santiago's style is more traditional than that of his brother Flaco, who is noted for mixing his music with many styles outside the Tejano mainstream. Santiago has performed at the 2006 National Folk Festival in Richmond, Virginia.

In 2011 he performed at the 50th Anniversary Concert for Arhoolie Records, held in Berkeley, California. Portions of that performance appeared in the July-4th-Weekend, 2011 edition of the public radio program American Routes. President Obama awarded Santiago a 2015 National Medal of Arts on September 22, 2016 for his contribution to American music. Contact Info: 210-875-1230

Ricardo Guzman Jr. follows his father's traditional conjunto footsteps that were started in the 1950's and has kept his signature conjunto name of "Sus Tres Aces". He started playing the drums with his dad professionally at the age of 8 and toured with his father and uncles.

He was recently honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the STCA at its 19th Annual Conjunto of the Year Award ceremony on July 16, 2017 and was also awarded Conjunto of the Year in 2008 and Male Vocalist of the Year in 2011. His son, Ricky III, is the group's accordionist. Contact Info: 956-961-7474 / 956-569-7665

Gilberto Perez Jr. has also been playing the bajo-sexto with his legendary father, Gilberto Perez Sr. for over 40 years. While he occasionally still plays with his father, he has formed his own Conjunto, Gilberto "Chore" Perez Jr. y Sus Compadres with 2016 South Texas Conjunto Hall of Fame accordionist inductee, Juan Antonio Tapia, and has released a couple of CD's.

He has been an integral member of his father's conjunto and has had a major hand in the more than 50 musical releases. An just as importantly, "Chore" is also a major figure in his father's recording studio and therefore is responsible for recording and preserving the unique conjunto style of Gilberto Perez. Contact Info: 956-367-5726

The free and public event includes an In Memoriam ceremony for Departed Musicians, a presentation of Lifetime Conjunto Honor Certificates, Accordion Students Ensembles, Youth Musical Performance Showcase and a Conjunto Music Dance Competition with cash prizes.

Chair and table seating is available and food and beverages will be on sale. For additional Information contact STCA President Lupe Saenz at 956-463-6909.

By Juan Montoya
At the last meeting of the Brownsville economic Development Council, members were told that the organization contracted by the Greater Brownsville Incentives Corporation at more than $5 million per three-year period had decided they no longer needed their services as of Sept. 30.

Reports indicate that the receipt of the termination letter made BEDC executive committee member Keith N. Uhles, an attorney with the firm of Royston and Razor, vowed to keep the BEDC operating despite the fact that the GBIC is its only customer.

Witnesses say that Uhles exploded and said he would try to sell memberships in the BEDC to continue operating using the organization's saved funds totalling near $360,000 paid them by the GBIC.

Some observers say that one reason that Uhles may have gone ballistic is because his firm is reported to be doing work for SATA, an Italian manufacturer that was vetted by the BEDC and received a $1.8 million award from the Texas Enterprise Fund with a $1.8 match from the GBIC on the BEDC board's recommendation.

SATA has committed to invest $114 million and create 300 jobs in Brownsville.

The termination notice came in the form of a letter from the GBIC's chair and city commissioner Jessica Tetreau-Kalifa (Click on graphic at left to enlarge) and complied with the terms of the contract which paid the BEDC to search for potential firms who would bring their operations to Brownsville in exchange for tax abatements and incentives from the city. Under the terms of the contract, the BEDC would vet the companies and recommend the levels of incentives that the GBIC would offer.

Under a three-year contract with the GBIC, they get paid $1,672,400 each year, for a total of $5,017,200. That contract ends this September.

The contract can be terminated prior to the term by mutual agreement of both parties, by either party for cause or without cause, for any reason and upon 120 days with written notice, or should either party default in conforming with or adhering to any requirement and the default is not corrected within 15 days.

In the event of termination, BEDC would be entitled to all compensation earned by it to the date of the termination computed pro rata through the date, but shall not be entitled to any further compensation under any circumstances.

After a series of embarrassing disclosures on the activities of the past executive director (Jason Hilts) and diminishing returns from the BEDC, the current GBIC board of directors sent the BEDC its termination notice effective Sept. 30.

Some of these disclosures indicate that the BEDC made a $5,000 cash advance to Hilts and sent it to Colombia and only after the "loan" was discovered, he was allowed to repay it in cash and no more was said about it.

Former BEDC vice-president Gilbert Salinas is now the interim Executive Director for the GBIC as the board searches for a permanent director. Under the new scheme, the GBIC will vet its own companies and recruit potential firms to relocate in the Brownsville area using its own staff.

Sources say that there are more disclosures in the horizon as the budget and expenditures of the BEDC are scrutinized.

By Juan Montoya

Push has come to shove.

As rumors swirl about a possible lawsuit being brought against the City of Brownsville by the Brownsville Independent School District over the hike in utilities to pay for the $500 million Tenaska power plant that has never been built, the role of Brownsville Fire Chief Carlos Elizondo as a school district trustee and city administrator is being called into question.

In 2013, the Brownsville Public Utility Board got approval from the city commission to raise electric, water and wastewater rates to pay for the bonds necessary to pay for the city's $325 million share of th cost in exchange for $200 MW of the projected 800 MWs to be generated by the plant.

Starting January of 2013, PUB increased electric rates by 36 percent from 2013 to 2016, water rates 20 percent from 2013 to 2016, and waste-water services 6 percent over the first two years and have stayed there indefinitely.

However, a glut on the electric grid has delayed the construction of the plant indefinitely while the rates remain at the increased levels. The plant was to have been finished by 2017. However, a clause in the agreement allows Tenaska to delay the construction of the plant if it cannot sell its 600 MW share of the electricity to be produced.

The increased rates have played havoc with the energy conservation efforts of the BISD and the meager savings using insulation, energy-saving light bulbs, shades, etc., have proved minuscule to offset the PUB increases.

Historically, the BISD has been the PUB's largest electric and waste-water customer, with the district paying the utility $8,074,400 –or 6.34 of PUB's annual sales revenue for electricity – and another $635,835 in waste-water services in 2016. Only El Jardin Water Supply Corp. buys more water than the BISD because it resells its customers water treated at PUB plants.

Now, as the possibility that the BISD will file suit to recover or to get credit commensurate with the rate hikes for the years it has collected the rates and has not built the plant is a very real issue.

We understand that City Manager Charlie Cabler is under the gun to make a decision on the Elizondo question quickly, or face an agenda item in an upcoming city commission meeting where his own future with the city may be decided.

Add this new wrinkle to the growing controversy surrounding the police complaint filed by the Firefighters Association Local # 970 against Elizondo charging him with Theft by a Public Official of more than $8,000 in cash from their Political Action Committee, and the pressure on Cabler is growing untenable.

That and the added potential conflicts of interest as a result of Elizondo also holding an elected position as a BISD trustee and issues arising from the district's dealing with the city on a number of issues, have some city commissioners concluding that a clear demarcation of duties has to be made.

Should Cabler – as city manager in charge of hiring and firing department heads – require Elizondo to decide what he wants to do: stay on as chief and possibly face a grand jury indictment over the PAC's missing money? Or should Cabler demote him or make him take a lower position? Or should he give him an ultimatum to decide between job and his seat as a trustee on the BISD board?

The city's personnel policy manual's Section 702: Political Activity states that:
"B. Specifically, City Employees may not engage in the following activities:

4. Hold an elective City office or hold an elective or appointive office in any other jurisdiction where service would constitute a direct conflict of interest with City employment, with or without remuneration. Upon assuming such office, an Employee shall resign or shall be dismissed for cause upon failure to do so."

The recent firing of city attorney Mark Sossi after he became a source of controversy and the commissioners found themselves dealing with his personal problems instead of discussing city business set a precedent for a gelling majority on the commission comprised of Cesar de Leon, Jessica Tetreau, Rose Gowen and Ben Neece. This majority chose to cut its ties with the growingly embarrassing situations which embroiled Sossi's personal life and spilled over to his municipal duties.

Only commissioners Ricardo Longoria and new commissioner Joel Munguia sided with Sossi to allow him to remain on the job.

But those commissioners who voted to make Sossi a city employee in January after he promised that he would seek no outside work and continue to receive a $10,000 monthly salary plus another $5,000 monthly stipend from the Greater Brownsville Incentives Corporation, were outraged that a month after they granted him full-time city employee status, Sossi secretly signed a $2,500 monthly retainer with the City of Mission.

We understand that the Mission contract played a large role in some commissioners making their decision to fire the beleaguered former city attorney.

Similarly, Elizondo's continued tenure on the BISD board despite city personnel policies to the contrary were laid at Sossi's desk when he was still city attorney and the issue now rests squarely in Cabler's lap.

Sossi's inaction on the matter played a role in his termination, in a way protecting Eizondo. Increasingly, the lawyer's actions were deemed obstructionist by city commissioners who conducted an audit of the fire department but were miffed by Sossi's stalling tactics.

What will the city manager decide? Is he willing to put his feet to the fire for his fire chief? Or will he finally make a decision and follow the city's own personnel policies?

With a majority of the city commission looking at Cabler to see what he does, his decision (or failure to act) may well place his own position in jeopardy.

On Tuesday, Quebec's Minister of International Relations, Christine St. Pierre, offered to donate blankets, pillows, beds, hygienic products and manpower to the survivors of Hurricane Harvey.

She spoke with Texas Secretary of State Rolando Pablos, who was touched that she called him, but he turned down the offer. He preferred that she send him prayers.

With Hurricane Harvey being the one of the biggest storm disasters in recent U.S. history, perhaps prayers AND supplies would be a better decision.

Or, as commentator Paul Begala tweeted, "This moron doesn't understand that those blankets and other donations are the answers to prayers."

By City Commissioner Cesar de Leon
To City Editor, Brownsville Herald
Dear Sir,

Please allow me to respond to the article written by Steve Clark on Tuesday July 18, 2017 concerning the SATA matter.

From my perspective as a Brownsville City Commissioner and a member of the Greater Brownsville Incentives Corporation (GBIC) board, I feel that the article failed to provide a balanced perspective of our ongoing economic development efforts.

First, let’s talk about economic development and why it is important to the City of Brownsville. The City’s general fund budget is approximately $100 million dollars in round numbers. The general fund balance is approximately 107 million for fiscal year 2017. If we divide that number by the approximately 200,000 residents of the City of Brownsville, we are left with around $500 dollars per person to meet the basic services for our community.

This level of service is considered very low. It is even more concerning when you consider that public
safety (police and fire) take up over 50 percent of the $500 level of service, which leaves the City less than $250 per person to provide for all other of the basic services including planning for our future public safety needs as we continue to grow. (Click on graphic to enlarge)

Additionally, it is desirable to have a majority of the level of service be paid for by our property tax base, rather than sales taxes and other fees, because property taxes represent a more stable and higher quality source of income. In our case, our tax base is relatively low and contributes only about 20 percent of the level of service revenue.

Bottom line is that the tax base and per capita incomes are low because we are largely a pass-through non-traded economy. Public sector, rather than private sector jobs, dominate our economy. Our largest employers are the U.S Government – Homeland Security, Border Patrol and Custom Officers and the Brownsville Independent School District and the and goods produced elsewhere pass through our city without us transforming or adding significant value.

Clearly, transforming our economy to a private sector, investment-driven one that will increase our tax base through industry and increase our per capita incomes is critical to better meeting the needs of our community.

The City’s and GBIC’s mission is to catalyze that transformation by creating a competitive community to attract private sector investment to recruit value added outside firms, expand the capacity of existing local firms who are the backbone of our local economy, and create an entrepreneurial ecosystem conducive to the creation of new local firms.

We continue to work at the City to make our permitting process a one day process. The article raised the issue of workforce development, one of the key competitive elements in a community. However, it should be noted that workforce development gaps are not an issue that is exclusive to Brownsville. It is a concern throughout the U.S. and the developed world.

As manufacturing jobs moved overseas in the past, there's been a loss of manufacturing talent as aging workers have retired and have not been replaced. Those gaps have now become glaring as manufacturing is re-shoring back to North America from Asia and the demand for skilled labor has
increased, as with SATA.

But we have not let the existence of this constraint be an excuse. We are proactively addressing the workforce development gaps in a number of ways. One way we are addressing this is the development of an integrated approach to workforce development in manufacturing that includes a chain of transitions that begins with high school level trainees in our independent school district (BISD), to technical college technicians at Texas Southmost College (TSC) and Texas State Technical College (TSTC), to university engineers and through to postgraduate research and development programs. Image result for tech training

At each transition the student/apprentice can enter the workforce with a workforce ready certificate or
can continue their education to the next level. While workforce development is a critical focus for our effort, it is just one of the competitive measures that we are targeting. Our strategic focus is also targeted at other critically important competitive elements including technology, infrastructure (water, energy and transportation), capital availability, leadership, downtown revitalization and quality of life.

Toward the technology and talent end of the spectrum, we just signed a memorandum of understanding with UTRGV to create a manufacturing innovation hub that will incentivize innovation for local manufacturers by providing a ready supply of apprentices from the technician to the doctoral level, as well as product testing and development support.

With respect to capital availability, we are proposing expanding incentives beyond traditional job creation and tax deferments to also include credit enhancements, creating tax re-investment zone and angel investor networks in order to support not only the recruitment of outside firms, but also increase the capacity of local firms and help our local entrepreneurs with the creation of new
startups.

And relative to infrastructure we are working to expand our focus beyond just transportation, to also include; providing value-priced and sustainable supplies of both water and energy resources. We are working towards adding a research center with our local University so Brownsville Public Utilities can be on the forefront on water and energy conservation and management.

We continue to explore renewable energy options to make our cost of services cheaper and more efficient for all our citizens.

Finally, in terms of leadership, we are working with UTRGV to establish a leadership institute to provide training to elected officials and public sector executives on basic public policy and management skills, as well as creating a pipeline of trained future leaders. We also recognize the importance of working closely with our sister city of H. Matamoros to leverage our joint resources toward common goals.

Recently, we completed an Economic development study that has highlighted the opportunities that exist for Brownsville and Matamoros to integrate the NAFTA supply chains into our local manufacturing economy.

Image result for us-mexico manufacturing

And just a few weeks ago, I hosted a meeting in Brownsville with the economic development agencies of the State of Tamaulipas and H. Matamoros to leverage our resources to address our shared competitive gaps including workforce skills.

We believe that the border provides the opportunity to bring together under one roof the best of what Mexico and the U.S. have to offer, all in the best geographic location to meet the needs of the North American market.

We are committed to executing an economic development strategy that will move our region to an investment-driven advanced manufacturing economy that creates a stronger tax base and creates better paying job opportunities for our residents.

And in terms of SATA, we look forward to continue working closely with them not only to meet their workforce development needs, but also to help them capture the incentives and credit enhancement opportunities we've offered in return for them to locate their operations in our industrial park next to the future site of the UTRGV Manufacturing Innovation Hub.

It's a win-win- win situation for our City, our citizens and SATA.

For comments, suggestions or ideas please email me at cesar.deleon@cob.us

SIX FOUND DEAD IN ARANSAS WHEN BUILDING COLLAPSES: RAISES DEATH COUNT TO SEVEN AS SEARCH CONTINUES

WATER, WATER EVERYWHERE, AND STILL MORE TO COME

ZENDEJAS, SALAZAR AND HER GIMME! GIMME! FOUNDATION

ANATOMY OF A SELL OUT: HOW CARLOS MADE FIRE CHIEF

CONSUMER ALERT: TOW-TRUCK TRAP AT EL CALDO JOINT

A NICE WEEKEND HAUL OF ALUMINUM: YES WE CAN CAN

RUMORS FUELED BY SOCIAL MEDIA OF PRICE HIKES CREATE RUN ON GASOLINE IN BROWNSVILLE; THE MADNESS OF CROWDS

MORNING-AFTER HANGOVER FROM GAS SHORTAGE RUMORS

Hidalgo County Sheriff's Office

WTF? WHO ON GOD'S GREEN EARTH DREAMED UP THESE IDEAS?

COB'S HURRICANE HARVEY AID EFFORT CHUGS AT FULL STEAM

US-MEX CROSS-RIVER SHOOTINGS NOT A RECENT PHENOMENON

TSC MOVES TO FILL THE LATE RAMON HINOJOSA VACANCY

HARLINGEN FIREFIGHTERS COMMENTS FLESH OUT SURVEY

OLIVEIRA WAS READY TO ABANDON TSC, THE PEOPLES' SCHOOL

TSC TAPS DR. RUBEN GALLEGOS TO FINISH HINOJOSA'S TERM

7TH ANNUAL FREDDY GOMEZ CONJUNTO FESTIVAL SATURDAY

UHLES EXPLODES AS BEDC GETS PINK NOTICE SLIP FROM GBIC

OTHER SHOE DROPPING IN ELIZONDO COB-BISD CONFLICT?

TEXAS S.O.S. TURN DOWN CANADIAN ANSWER TO PRAYERS

AFTER B.E.D.C., A CITY BLUEPRINT FOR ECO DEVELOPMENT