By Juan Montoya
As the City of Brownsville starts to implement its new Code of Ethics (Section 38 Municipal Ordinances), the requirement for members of appointed boards to file a disclosure report laying out their personal financial interests in detail has prompted at least four members of the Planning and Zoning Commission to resign.
The resignation of four of the six-member board - Derek Benavides, Frank Orozco, Michael Reyes, and Myles Garza - effectively leaves the PZ without a quorum. Their resignations were handed in Wednesday, one day before today's scheduled meeting where the members were to consider at least 10 items related to subdivisions and rezoning requests. Now those items will have to be put on hold until potential members willing to adhere to the new code of ethics can be appointed.
The lengthy personal finance statement is required of all city commission members, candidates for the commission, members of appointed and advisory boards, the city manager, city attorney, finance director, city secretary and their assistants.
The city administration or commissioners have not indicated whether a special meeting will be held to expedite a resolution of the matter.
