What If the City Commission Actually Listened to the People before Implementing a New Logo?

Is it possible that, for once, the City Commission would actually listen to the people?  With the purchase of 13 downtown properties for $3,500,000 in 2012, not only were the taxpayers not consulted, their queries about the wasteful purchases were ignored.  The flagship of these buildings, La Casa del Nylon, purchased at triple its value, $2,300,000, from the mayor's friend, Abraham Galonsky, in a deal unethically "negotiated" by the mayor's law partner, Horacio Barrera, sits idle, decaying, and, like the other buildings, is off the tax rolls.  The taxpayers get a double whammy, paying for unneeded buildings, then picking up the slack on lost tax revenue. What an insult to common sense, not to mention democracy!

Commissioner John Villarreal

In what seems to be a new approach, second term City Commissioner John Villarreal co-sponsors an action item for tonight's city commission meeting, that seems to endorse recognizing the will of the people.  Action Item #10 calls for a "reconsideration" of the new city logo approved 9/15/15:  

10. Reconsideration of the adoption of the City of Brownsville Logo. (Commissioners J. 
Villarreal/R. Longoria, Jr.)

New City Logo

"Logogate," as it has been designated by one local quipster, has been an exercise thus far in totally ignoring the preferences of local taxpayers.  Hahn Communications, awarded the $140,000 contract to produce a new city logo, was unresponsive to its own survey of Brownsville citizens, 80% of whom declared they either "did not like" or were "unsure" of the new city logo with its industrial emphasis.

Villarreal, according to a Brownsville Herald article by Aisha Baskette, is aware of considerable dissatisfaction with the new logo as well as a preference for the old one.  Tonight's agenda item, co-sponsored by Commissioner Rick Longoria, is also motivated by a desire to include Longoria, who missed the 9/15/15 meeting, in the process.

The Old City Logo

While any number of Texas cities, can be identified with the sight, smell and sound of industry, energy production and commerce, Brownsville's uniqueness has always been the combination of a subtropical climate, history and proximity to Mexico and the ocean.

Logo Pitchman Ron Oliveira

Ron Oliveira, a former local TV anchor, now a salesman for Hahn Communications, vociferously and melodramatically argued for the new logo 9'15/15, not revealing that the initial $140,000 outlay would be followed up with $820,000 to implement, market and promote the new city brand.  A job description, as sort of a city cheerleader, a position seemingly tailor-made for Oliveira, was on the City of Brownsville website until October 29.  We do not know if that position has been filled. 

Addendum:  The vote 9/15/15 was 3-2 for the new logo with Commissioners Gowen, Portillo and Villarreal voting "yes," and Tetreau and De Leon voting "no."  Mayor Martinez in his exuberance inappropriately voted, erroneously declaring the vote as 4-2(Under the City Charter, the mayor is authorized to vote only in the case of a tie.).

With Villarreal having a change of heart and Longoria now opposing the new logo, the new logo may likely be overturned, 4-2.  Whether or not a return to the former logo saves the city money remains to be seen.