16. Consideration and ACTION on Resolution Number 2018-043, accepting a donation for public purposes of 43.97 acres of real property from University Park Development, LTD, located approximately on South Palm Boulevard in the Amigo Land Section II Subdivision; an dealing with related matters. (Parks and Recreation Department)
By Juan Montoya
Next Tuesday, the members of the City of Brownsville Commission will consider whether they will accept the 44 acres mentioned in the agenda item above from University park Development.
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As far as anyone can tell, the land is to be at no cost to the city except for one detail. But as they say, the devil is in the details. The caveat is that the developer will require the city to use it as a park.
The city commission packet does not specifically mention this, but administration sources indicate that it a requirement of the "gift" and Parks and Recreation Director Damaris McGlone placed it on the agenda.
The resolution accepting the land states that it recognizes that the "valuable open space suitable for general public purposes of the city... and shares the donor’s commitment to provide a high-quality civic environment for the citizens of Brownsville."
The land is located on South Palm Boulevard in the Amigo Land Section II Subdivision;
On its face, the gift of 44 acres by a local developer (University Park Development, LTD.) is a generous action by University Park Development LTD. The packet also doesn't name the developers behind University Park, but we have learned that it includes Abraham Glonsky. That's right, the same Galonsky, who is now on the City's Planning and Zoning Commission and whose daughter Nurith is a member of the Brownsville Public Utility Board and the Greater Brownsville Incentives Corporation.
Yes, and it's the same Galonsky who sold the city the Casa de Nylon property for $2.3 million on the assumption that they could in turn resell it to the University of Texas at Brownsville. Alas, that didn't occur and now the shell of a building sits unoccupied and off the city tax rolls. It has also become a magnet for some of the numerous homeless people in the city's downtown.
Will the city have to extend city services out to the isolated spot within a AK 47 shot from the Rio Grande? Park goers could get a great view of the Border Wall lining the banks of the Rio Grande as they walk their pit bulls and along the trail.
And if the developer wants the park there, they must also have plans to bring in residential development in the heels of the city accepting the "donation." Will the city commissioners take the bait?
There is another item on the Tuesday agenda, this one having to do with the choice of a city attorney. Since the commissioners terminated the employment of former city attorney Mark Sossi, the slot has been shared by various lawyers, including Timothy Sampeck and Allison Bannister. The position was posted on the Texas Municipal League website, and has since been removed.
14. Consideration and possible ACTION to approve the employment contract of City Attorney. The item was placed on the agenda by commissioners Cesar de Leon and Ricardo Longoria over the objections of Mayor Martinez, who for some reason did not want the commission to hire one yet.
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A 10-member search committee was tasked with making recommendation in May and was comprised of:
>> Felix Recio, retired federal magistrate judge
>> Ben R. Neece, Precinct 4 commissioner and retired municipal court judge
>> Jessica Tetreau-Kalifa, Precinct 2 commissioner and Greater Brownsville Incentives Corporation member
>> Katy Youker, attorney at Texas Rural Legal Aid Brownsville
>> Jaime Diez, attorney at Jones and Crane PLLC
>> Aaron Rendon, assistant prosecutor at the Cameron County District Attorneys Office
>> Phil Bellamy, municipal court judge and attorney
>> Erin Gamez, attorney at Gamez and Gamez PC
>> Guy Huddleston, corporate ambassador at Edwards Abstract
By Juan Montoya
Next Tuesday, the members of the City of Brownsville Commission will consider whether they will accept the 44 acres mentioned in the agenda item above from University park Development.
The city commission packet does not specifically mention this, but administration sources indicate that it a requirement of the "gift" and Parks and Recreation Director Damaris McGlone placed it on the agenda.
The resolution accepting the land states that it recognizes that the "valuable open space suitable for general public purposes of the city... and shares the donor’s commitment to provide a high-quality civic environment for the citizens of Brownsville."
The land is located on South Palm Boulevard in the Amigo Land Section II Subdivision;
On its face, the gift of 44 acres by a local developer (University Park Development, LTD.) is a generous action by University Park Development LTD. The packet also doesn't name the developers behind University Park, but we have learned that it includes Abraham Glonsky. That's right, the same Galonsky, who is now on the City's Planning and Zoning Commission and whose daughter Nurith is a member of the Brownsville Public Utility Board and the Greater Brownsville Incentives Corporation.
Yes, and it's the same Galonsky who sold the city the Casa de Nylon property for $2.3 million on the assumption that they could in turn resell it to the University of Texas at Brownsville. Alas, that didn't occur and now the shell of a building sits unoccupied and off the city tax rolls. It has also become a magnet for some of the numerous homeless people in the city's downtown.
Will the city have to extend city services out to the isolated spot within a AK 47 shot from the Rio Grande? Park goers could get a great view of the Border Wall lining the banks of the Rio Grande as they walk their pit bulls and along the trail.
And if the developer wants the park there, they must also have plans to bring in residential development in the heels of the city accepting the "donation." Will the city commissioners take the bait?
There is another item on the Tuesday agenda, this one having to do with the choice of a city attorney. Since the commissioners terminated the employment of former city attorney Mark Sossi, the slot has been shared by various lawyers, including Timothy Sampeck and Allison Bannister. The position was posted on the Texas Municipal League website, and has since been removed.
14. Consideration and possible ACTION to approve the employment contract of City Attorney. The item was placed on the agenda by commissioners Cesar de Leon and Ricardo Longoria over the objections of Mayor Martinez, who for some reason did not want the commission to hire one yet.
A 10-member search committee was tasked with making recommendation in May and was comprised of:
>> Felix Recio, retired federal magistrate judge
>> Ben R. Neece, Precinct 4 commissioner and retired municipal court judge
>> Jessica Tetreau-Kalifa, Precinct 2 commissioner and Greater Brownsville Incentives Corporation member
>> Katy Youker, attorney at Texas Rural Legal Aid Brownsville
>> Jaime Diez, attorney at Jones and Crane PLLC
>> Aaron Rendon, assistant prosecutor at the Cameron County District Attorneys Office
>> Phil Bellamy, municipal court judge and attorney
>> Erin Gamez, attorney at Gamez and Gamez PC
>> Guy Huddleston, corporate ambassador at Edwards Abstract
Among the four top candidates vetted by the committee are:
Lysia H. Bowling, a city attorney from Temple
Rene E. De Coss, a current Brownsville municipal court judge
Gerry Linan, a Brownsville attorney
Aaron Leal, a city attorney from Denton
Lysia H. Bowling, a city attorney from Temple
Rene E. De Coss, a current Brownsville municipal court judge
Gerry Linan, a Brownsville attorney
Aaron Leal, a city attorney from Denton