Tuesday, February 11, 2014

United Brownsville, The Open Records Act and Gradual Usurpation of Control

City Attorney Mark Sossi
A couple years back City Attorney Mark Sossi gave his legal take on the United Brownsville board to the effect that the committee was "informal" and not subject to the Texas Open Meetings Act or to the Texas Public Information Act, which are state statutes aimed at providing transparency, accountability and safeguarding the public’s right to know.

"It is not a governing board. It has no governmental power," Sossi said.

No one really disagreed.  The board could have met at Sossi's bachelor pad, behind closed shades, and no one would have cared. After all, the group had merely morphed out of a study group associated with the Imagine Brownsville Comprehensive Plan, a coffee table sized paperback with illustrations showing what Brownsville could be, accompanied by generic engineering lingo.  None of the plan was enforceable or ever implemented, although the easily duped City Commission spent $900,000 for the study.  The book, now a paperback relic, gathers dust on a few city shelves. 

But, lo and behold!  The "informal" rinky dink, little board has evolved into near beer, suds and hops, with no bite. Cleverly, the board asked actual elected officials to "serve," even naming newbie commissioner John Villarreal a tri-chair.  Eight local entities including the Port of Brownsville, P.U.B., UTB, TSC, BISD, BCIC, GBIC and the COB all were asked to kick in $25,000 as membership dues to keep the "informal" group afloat.  

Mike Gonzalez, Executive Director
of United Brownsville
Mike Gonzalez, a real estate agent/mayor from tiny Kyle, Texas, was recruited as Executive Director, and the newly elected mayor, Tony Martinez, eager to please mentors Juliet Garcia and Fred Rusteberg, provided office space at the neat residential property adjacent to El Cueto Building. 

Now, the United Brownsville Coordinating Board, acts like the shadow government it was feared it might become. It is a mirror image of the City Commission, the County Commission rolled into one, without any accountability to the Cameron County voters who actually vote.  UB plans for and speaks for Brownsville because no one says they can't.

But does United Brownsville have any control or influence over taxpayer dollars?  Well, have you heard of the Greater Brownsville Infrastructure and Development Plan for the Port of Brownsville and the Industrial Corridor?  I didn't think so.  It was a study for which the Greater Brownsville Incentives Corporation recently gave $451,260 of taxpayer dollars to Needham-McCaffrey & Associates.  It never came up before the City Commission, but it was well incorporated into the BiNED 2013 Forum held at UTB, sponsored by United Brownsville.  This is how a shadow government works without voter or taxpayer accountability.

Martin Arambula
Probably quite innocently, a UB board member, Martin Arambula, had a suggestion for the Curbside Recycling Pilot Program.  He proposed signage for neighborhoods included in the pilot program:  "This Neighborhood Recycles."  Consider this.  Arambula is not a City Commissioner.  He is not speaking before the City Commission during public comment as a citizen.  He is addressing a supposedly powerless, informal board not connected legally to the city about a city issue.  Don't you find that incredible?

As United Brownsville has flexed its muscles, it has also began gradual compliance with the Texas Open Records Act, incumbent on government entities.  It's monthly meetings are now posted 72 hours in advance on its website and at the City Commission building, signed by Estela Von Hatten, the City Secretary.  

The group, not only posts meeting agendas, but shows some hospitality to citizen visitors.  Tri-Chair Fred Rusteberg warmly greets visitors as does Francisco Rendon, when there.  

Getting a copy of the meeting's agenda is also possible.  At today's meeting, after we were stiffed by
Laura Matamoros
Laura Matamoros, we approached Executive Director Mike Gonzalez, about getting a copy of the meeting agenda.  When he offered to send us one via email, Nena explained that we needed one right then to follow the meeting.  He graciously offered his personal copy, while he viewed the agenda online with his laptop during the meeting. 

Nearing adjournment, Rusteberg suggested 3/10 as next months meeting time.  Mike Gonzalez followed by saying all members would be notified via email.  Oh, BTW, Gonzalez, known as Mike since his Kyle days, now is listed as Miguel Gonzalez on the newly released United Brownsville pamphlet,  "Shared Agenda 2014."  Perhaps, Brownsville is growing on him just as United Brownsville is growing on us.




8 comments:

  1. This smells like the legendary "Good Olé Boys" club designed for self enrichment and power. BROWNSVILLE citizens are so gullible it us an easy scam trying to create imaginary justification.

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  2. Public Information Act: Government Code Chapter 552
    § 552.003. Definitions
    In this chapter:
    (1) “Governmental body”:
    (A) means:
    (i) a board, commission, department, committee, institution, agency, or office that is
    within or is created by the executive or legislative branch of state government and
    that is directed by one or more elected or appointed members;
    (ii) a county commissioners court in the state;
    (iii) a municipal governing body in the state;
    (iv) a deliberative body that has rulemaking or quasi-judicial power and that is classified
    as a department, agency, or political subdivision of a county or municipality;
    (v) a school district board of trustees;
    (vi) a county board of school trustees;
    (vii) a county board of education;
    (viii) the governing board of a special district;
    (ix) the governing body of a nonprofit corporation organized under Chapter 67, Water
    Code, that provides a water supply or wastewater service, or both, and is exempt
    from ad valorem taxation under Section 11.30, Tax Code;
    (x) a local workforce development board created under Section 2308.253;
    (xi) a nonprofit corporation that is eligible to receive funds under the federal community
    services block grant program and that is authorized by this state to serve a geographic
    area of the state; and
    (xii) the part, section, or portion of an organization, corporation, commission, committee,
    institution, or agency that spends or that is supported in whole or in part by public
    funds; and

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  3. Jim, you obviously have it out for Villarreal. The "kid" is finally digging his heels in the dirt and stopping this out-of-control mayor and you continue to bash him. Are you still on Garzoria/BUC's payroll because if you are, newsflash: that race is over. You keep reporting that he is a tri-chair on United Brownsville when he actually resigned a while back. Was he setting up the chess pieces to call checkmate on the mayor? Is Fred Rusteberg and his group next? I hope so. You also spun his words to say he scolded the crowd at the townhall meeting. Please do not omit information to have your readers buy into your personal agenda. Anyone there knows that Villarreal was addressing a false accusation by Roberto Uresti that the public was not given a chance to voice their opinion. A simple clarification, not a scolding like you said. Give the guy some credit, or at least stop making up lies. You obviously give more credit than is deserved to Tetreau. Perhaps because she is a source? You're better than this, Jim. Stay honest and objective like you started out. Everyone likes you for that.

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    Replies
    1. GIVE THE GUY CREDIT HE'S BEEN ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL FOR MORE THAN TWO YRS. NO IT'S TIME FOR YOUNG BUCK TO TAKE A STAND FOR THE TAX PAYERS,I STILL THINK IF HE PUTS HIS HEART IN THE RIGHT PLACE HE CAN REDEEM HIMSELF

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    2. Some interesting thoughts, but you're not quite up to speed. I've always been fair to John. Recently, I wrote two articles crediting him with the agenda item to curb AEP Texas settlement spending and the followup. As for John being the tri-chair, the website still indicates he is. Rusteberg mentioned something yesterday about sickness in John's family and the press of work, but his words were nearly inaudible. Your other assertion is simply wrong. The only pay I receive is from retirement, social security and a few bucks from Google adsense. No candidate or affiliation has every paid me anything. Hope that gets you current.

      Jim

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  4. We all know that 'Da Mayor, Tony Martinez, is a fan and financial supporter of Barack Obama, but little did we know that 'Da Mayor would adopt Obama's management style....rule by executive order and by-passing the legislative process. United Brownsville works for and with Tony and that organization represents rule by administrative action; not rule according to the City Charter. The donations they receive are "public funds" because their funds come from public entities (P.U.B., BISD, BND....even United Way...all work from public funds). Their influence and actions without review by the City Commission should be illegal, or at least a violation of the City Charter....and perhaps unethical. The authoritarian rule by 'Da Mayor attempts to by-pass the city commission and its about time the commissioners decided to get into the game. We are not served well by the current mayor....he seems to be serving his own ego and promoting the interests of his friends Julieta Garcia, Freddy Rusteberg, Carlos Marin......and seems to be more interested in downtown than in the majority of the city that is paying the bills for his escapades.

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  5. WOW some good intelligent comments for a change from democrats.

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  6. I would suggest the Laura Matamoros change her name to Laura Matamoros-Brownsville and she could be the new Ms. Amigo as apparently the current nominee has run into some rough sailing according to Montoya.

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