Does Filemon Vela's Attendance At United Brownsville Conclave Give the Organization Credibility?

Justin Bieber

If Justin Beiber attended a local quincenera, the visit of the guest celebrity would likely overshadow the event itself.  We suspect the next day's Brownsville Herald headline would not read Local Family Holds Quincenera, but instead Troubled Superstar Attends Local Party. 

Juan Montoya's El Rrun Rrun blog reported that U.S. Representative Filemon Vela, who represents Texas 34th Congressional District, which includes Gonzales, Dewitt, Goliad, Bee, San Patricio, Jim Wells, Kleberg, Kenedy, Willacy, Cameron, and Hidalgo counties attended a non-advertised meeting in a private home whose attendees included IBC Bank President Fred Rusteberg, Ambiotec CEO Carlos Marin, the mayors of Brownsville, Texas, Matamoros and Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas as well as Matamoros Alderman-Elect Luis Biasi of Matamoros and Congressman-Elect Enrique Rivas of Nuevo Laredo.

Congressman Vela

Before Montoya's report one might have thought it more likely that Bieber would attend a Brownsville girl's 15th birthday party than a U.S. congressman would respond to an invitation from the prime movers of a shadowy, unelected entity that claims its meetings are not subject to the Open Meetings Act, that leaches without accountability funds from eight taxpayer-supported entities, but its officers can't articulate a single thing the group does for the city.(BISD Superintendent Dr. Carl Montoya was once put on the spot at a BISD board meeting to explain what United Brownsville does.  After about 90 seconds of clearing his throat and word whiskers, he mumbled something about coordinating, organizing, facilitating and then just sort of gave up.  IBC President Fred Rusteberg did much the same at a Downtown Revitalization meeting about three years ago, featuring plastic models and artist's conceptions of the future of downtown Brownsville.  Old Fred rambled on for several minutes with platitudes that left most of us scratching our heads, thinking:  "What did he just say?")

United Brownsville, once called Imagine Brownsville, was first promoted by former Brownsville Mayor

Eddie Trevino

Eddie Trevino, although the publication of the 470 page paperback plan was put together by Matamoros millionaire Carlos Marin's engineering firm Ambiotec.  The plan, that looks something like a large comic book, would likely not summon even a dollar at a yard sale, originally cost Brownsville taxpayers $900,000(Former Mayor Pat Ahumada claims $800,000 should be added to that original cost for city services and staff time used in its compilation.).  Since 2009 eight taxpayer entities have been contributing $175,000 annually($25,000 each) to fund the continuing existence of the do-nothing board.  One of the tricks of the unelected board is to flatter newly elected officials by bringing them into the fold.  Thus, Estela Chavez-Vasquez and John Villarreal,  after their election as City Commissioners, were asked to join as were Mayor Tony Martinez and Rose Gowen.  BISD Board President Enrique Escobedo is on the board as is Superintendent Carl Montoya. Juliet Garcia, Fred Rusteberg and Carlos Marin, of course, were original members along with Eddie Trevino.  A total of 27 civic leaders are included as board members.

Mike Gonzales(on the right)

No agenda is made available for United Brownsville meetings as no ordinary citizens are allowed to attend, despite the fact that they pay for the board's existence and operation.  It is actually taxation without representation.  No one knows what United Brownsville Director Mike Gonzalez does during the course of an 8 hour work day or if he even shows up for work.  We only see him during those times of the year when he shines his shoes, coming before the City Commission, the BISD board, the Brownsville Navigation District, the Greater Brownsville Incentives Corporation, UTB, TSC, the Brownsville Community Improvement Corporation and the Brownsville Public Utilities Board to beg for funds.  For all we know, that may be Mike's only actual work.

With this backdrop, it is indeed surprising that Congressman Vela would attend a function featuring the nucleus of an anti-democratic board that wants to make decisions about the future of Brownsville outside of the view of Brownsville citizens.  The group has an almost mafioso-like secrecy and arrogance.  Why would a U.S. Congressman lend credibilty to such an elitist group or risk losing his own credibility by conferring with such a group?  The newly elected Mexican officials likely don't know what's going on, but Congressman Vela should know better.