One of our readers sent us thi aerial view of the Quonset hut that the Brownsville Wellness Coalition is trying to restore with at least $1.4 million from the public and grants from other "donors."
The BWC applied for the first $360,000 from the Brownsville Community Improvement Corporation, an entity which has been more than generous to fund the hike-and-bike trials for commissioner Rose Gowen. This is basically an appendage to the Palo Alto Trail and the Museum of Fine Arts, both of which have been funded by the city's sales tax revenues which go to the BCIC.
If you look at this picture closely, you will notice the overflow of parking at bottom right of patrons of the Gladys Porter Zoo. The administrators at the zoo have long needed extra parking to handle the overload of visitors to the zoo, the city's largest draw. As a result, the Museum of Fine arts has found a new way to generate revenue charging zoo visitors $5 to park there. The MFA is already getting a $50,000 yearly stipend from the city and another $45,000 in free utilities. The $5 smacks of an extra tax. Just more gravy for the freeloaders on the backs of the public. Why not tear down the quonset hut and provide the obviously needed parking for a proven money maker like the zoo?
But if the BWC's application (starting with a pared down $79,000 at tonight's meeting of the city commission) is approved, you can bet your 4B sales tax revenue that it will come back begging for more in the next funding cycle. The dynamics at tonight's city meeting are interesting. Neither Gowen nor new commissioner Ben Neece will be attending. Gowen is out of town (more of that in the next post) as is Neece.
The application from the BWC – the folks who want to wean the local population from gorditas, barbacoa, tamales and other delicious lard-laden antojitos – states that the corrugated metal building has historical and cultural significance. C'mon, it was an old canner and warehouse. Brownville quit being an agricultural community decades ago. In fact, the farmers market is a fantasy. There hasn't been a family produce farm within a mule's ride from downtown.On the other hand, someone sent us a photo of a television sitcom featuring Gomer Pyle and Sgt. Carter with a quonset building that faintly resembles the one in question. Does remembering that series qualify quonset huts as being cultural, historical buildings, even if it's just in our distsant memory? Yes, folks, it is a reach.
Gomer Pyle: Shame, shame, shame!