Did Gowen Get Her Man Ramiro As BCIC Director At Yesterday's Meeting?

Commissioner Gowen

Nena and I were not able to attend the 8/14/14 BCIC for medical reasons and have still not heard if a new director was picked.  At the July meeting when we reached Agenda Item 8: "Discussion and possible Action to hire employee for vacant executive director position," the meeting went into a spontaneous, yet unlisted "Executive Session," with the visitors asked to leave.  So much for transparency.  That sophomoric move was likely illegal.

At June's BCIC meeting, Gowen suggested the naming of a 3 person hiring committee to find a new director, then proceeded to offer her services on the committee as "one who knew the history of the BCIC." City Commissioner Estela Chavez-Vasquez asked to be added to the committee. Eventually, Mary Elizabeth Hollmann was added as the third member.

Five candidates for the directorship of the BCIC directorship were seated together at the July meeting, all having given their resume's to the hiring committee, but were asked to leave when the meeting went into the unannounced "Executive Session."

The previous BCIC Director Rachel Flores is said to have departed because of Gowen bullying and meddling.  Gowen is said to be insisting on Ramiro Gonzalez as the new director.  Young, personable Ramiro has proven himself a perfect shill for Mayor Martinez and Rose Gowen, the undemocratic duo who actually run the city.  A little back story:

Ramiro Gonzalez

Ramiro arrived circa 2011 as a City Planner initially placed in charge of downtown revitalization. His first assignment was to push for a $70,000 study at the mayor's behest of the downtown situation.  That money, like the $900,000 Imagine Brownsville Plan, went down a rat hole, with the study never implemented.  

Ramiro was also used by Martinez to give UTB officials a guided tour of City Plaza,  letting them survey any space they might need. The secret plan, now vehemently denied, was to give UTB the City Plaza complex, moving city administrators in La Casa del Nylon or other facilities.  

Much as Ramiro is a hey boy for Martinez, the mayor has that same relationship with outgoing UTB President Julia Garcia.  Martinez will gift any Brownsville asset, acreage or building to placate, pacify Juliet up to and including Brownsville's irreplaceable Lincoln Park.  

Even the raising of parking meter rates downtown, promoted falsely by Ramiro as about "creating more parking for shoppers," was never about parking. This blog repeatedly showed, that, even on the busiest days, the metered streets of Jefferson and St. Charles were empty.  Nearly everything Ramiro said about the issue was a lie.  As we later learned a secret slush fund was being created for UTB with any "increased" parking revenue dedicated to the ultra-rich UT system.

So, Ramiro will be "perfect" as BCIC Director, demonstrating time and again his willingness to do Martinez and Gowen's bidding.  It may just depend on how the other two hiring committee members, Estela Chavez-Vasquez and Elizabeth Hollman, respond to Gowen bullying.