By Juan Montoya
In a move that took most observers by surprise, a 3-1 majority of the Cameron County commissioners voted to fire the county's Chief Legal Counsel Francisco J. Martinez, and then was escorted out to the parking lot to his car.
The item was the very last on on the court's agenda in executive session and since it was deliberated in the court's chambers, the public did not hear the reasons for the firing, only that he was ordered out of the court and escorted to his car in the parking lot.
Court sources are being tight-lipped about this one and requests for comments to the commissioners have drawn a blank.
However, after a motion by Pct. 4 commissioner Gus Ruiz and a second by Sofia Benavides, the majority of the court voted to terminate him. Pct. 3 commissioner David Garza cast the only "nay" vote. Pct. 2 commissioner Alex Dominguez participated in the executive session but left to attend a meeting before the vote was taken.
"I assumed it was just for an evaluation," Dominguez said later.
"Legal counsel is asking a question," Benavides said after the vote as Treviño moved on to another item.
"When is this effective?," Martinez asked.
"Immediately," Cameron County Judge Eddie Treviño responded.
Participants saw a bailiff escort Martinez outside the building. He was not allowed to go to his office to retrieve any personal effects.
It is no secret that Martinez has not seen eye to eye with Treviño, but few observers predicted that this would happen. During a previous meeting an item was introduced to "adopt" the City of Brownsville's Active Trail plan which Treviño claimed would not cost the county any money.
However, Martinez countered that the plan indicated that substantial financial support was included in the contract language.
"Tell me where it says it's going to cost us money," Treviño shot back.
At a later meeting, the court voted to "support" rather than adopt the plan, a move that did not contemplate contributing financially to its implementation. In the photo below, Treviño can be seen telling Martinez that his termination was effective immediately.
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However, after a motion by Pct. 4 commissioner Gus Ruiz and a second by Sofia Benavides, the majority of the court voted to terminate him. Pct. 3 commissioner David Garza cast the only "nay" vote. Pct. 2 commissioner Alex Dominguez participated in the executive session but left to attend a meeting before the vote was taken.
"I assumed it was just for an evaluation," Dominguez said later.
"Legal counsel is asking a question," Benavides said after the vote as Treviño moved on to another item.
"When is this effective?," Martinez asked.
"Immediately," Cameron County Judge Eddie Treviño responded.
Participants saw a bailiff escort Martinez outside the building. He was not allowed to go to his office to retrieve any personal effects.
It is no secret that Martinez has not seen eye to eye with Treviño, but few observers predicted that this would happen. During a previous meeting an item was introduced to "adopt" the City of Brownsville's Active Trail plan which Treviño claimed would not cost the county any money.
However, Martinez countered that the plan indicated that substantial financial support was included in the contract language.
"Tell me where it says it's going to cost us money," Treviño shot back.
At a later meeting, the court voted to "support" rather than adopt the plan, a move that did not contemplate contributing financially to its implementation. In the photo below, Treviño can be seen telling Martinez that his termination was effective immediately.
