Saturday, September 23, 2017

State of the City: Two Usurpers Position Themselves to Replace City Manager Charlie Cabler. Will Brownsville Do A National Search?


Like a loosely organized tropical storm, Brownsville, a growing city of 200,000+, is headed somewhere.  Forecasters factor in the city leaders' heavy-handed steering toward seldom used bike trails and phony, paid-for national "honors," while sidewalks, street lights, and bus shelters are hit-and-miss and stinky sewer lines continue to stink. The so-called historic downtown awaits ideas, strategy and funding, while 200 hundred year old brick, mortar, pillars and roofing disintegrate.


City Manager Charlie Cabler
City administration under current City Manager Charlie Cabler has been a joke. Able Assistant City Managers have moved on to McAllen and elsewhere. Permitting approval under Permitting Director Evaristo Gamez has been slower than molasses for decades.(Many say a hand-placed mordida will speed things up.)  Similar noises are made about Robert C. Luna heading the city's purchasing department.

But, those city abuses and frustrations are decades old, begrudgingly tolerated as just the way Brownsville operates.  

The eye of the current city storm centers around the promotion,  coddling, protection of former Fire Chief Carlos Elizondo by City Manager Cabler. Cabler became the "enabler" as Elizondo allegedly cheated on his test, then, once in "office," involved himself in the creation of an unlicensed, alternative, ambulance-for-profit scheme.

If Charlie Cabler, the ex-cop, is on the way out, surely a nationwide search for a superbly qualified, educated manager will commence soon.

"No, gringocito!"  That is not Brownsville's way. Our city has two recognized religions; Catholicism and compadrismo.  We hire from within.  It worked with Charlie.  Just think.  If we hadn't promoted Cabler from the BPD, we would might have been stuck with some lily white, know-it-all, college educated bureaucrat from outside Tejas, who would have turned our city into Palm Springs or something.

Anyway, forget a national search for a new city manager.  Brownsville already has two finalists for city manager.  Both are strutting victory laps as we type and read, looking at desk chairs and curtain cloth.


Assistant City Manager Michael Lopez
From the secretarial pool emerges Michael Lopez, originally signing on as City Secretary,  for whom Cabler has already ordered anointing oil, allowing 
the kid to run city meetings as Ol' Charlie stands in a corner like an off-duty policeman, waiting for intruders to run through the door.

Lopez is said to have orchestrated a mini-coup attempt last year, along with Mexican National City Administrator Roberto Baez, pulling municipal court employees out from under the supervision of the court into a new city department, named "Court Services."  That overthrow attempt might have worked, except for the fact that on-vacation Municipal Judge Ben Neece had not left town and squashed the coup.


Ramiro Gonzalez
In the other corner is Ramiro Gonzalez, longtime city planner, but largely a dutiful fetchit boy for Mayor Tony Martinez and Commissioner Rose Gowen. Gonzalez has signed his name to huge exaggerations to procure funding for bike trail projects, taken heat for expounding fibs about the "need" to increase parking meter rates and, quite possibly, kept Commissioner Gowen's hybrid car and Tony's sneakers relatively clean.

We hope the City Commission, seemingly and possibly rightfully, hellbent on firing Cabler, will take a DEEP BREATH and do a national search for an actual, professional city manager.   

41 comments:

  1. I don't know why we're in such a hurry to name a replacement for Cabler. Why can't we do what TSC did and hire a recruiter to comb through the bulk of candidates and give us the top three to select from?

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  2. Jews or niggers will not replace us.

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  3. Ramiro Gonzales would sink Brownsville, to an even lower level

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  4. Listen to Cesar's five hour marathon confession. He wouldn't support Michael Lopez for city manager.

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  5. Ramiro is very qualified. He knows Brownsville through and through. He kissed the right ass for years. Michael has no shot.

    T

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  6. There you go, gringos always thinking they're better than us. In a previous post, you criticized Cesar De Leon for "his attitude and worldview " and even compared him to nazi's and white supremacist. While you're not being as explicit as Cesar, you're doing it in a passive aggressive way gringos love to do.

    If you haven't noticed we're not in the 50's anymore; Mexican-Americans actually go to college, get degrees and have high level government positions

    There's several highly qualified Mexican-American city managers through out the country, whether or not COB will choose or recruit one of them, well that's up to commission and the citizens of Brownsville.

    El Nuevo Director

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    1. Of course, gringos have no claim on intellectual or educational superiority and yes, there are qualified Mexican-American city managers, but why limit your choices to Mexican-Americans. Would you not be open to a qualified black man or woman to serve as city manager?

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    2. lol so gringo of you to say that. Let's not play dumb here, you know exactly what were you trying to say.

      Honestly, I would be open for someone from any color, race, or gender to serve as the city manager as long as they get the job done.

      El Nuevo Director

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    3. You mentioned ONLY "qualified Mexican-Americans" in your earlier comment.

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  7. Give Ramiro a shot. He's put up with miles of shit from people for doing what he was ordered to do without ever complaining. That kind of humility is totally lacking in Lopez.

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    1. I agree, what has Lopez done for us?

      Ramiro is irreplaceable to our great mayor and commissioner cow-en. He has been instrumental in helping the mayor sell off properties to his friends and hand over other city properties to the university.

      I am sure that after many "working lunches" at Lola's, C ow-en can vouch for Ramiro. She can tell you how he is an asset to the city and and bring in great ideas on bike lanes and living a healthy life style.

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  8. Cabler isn't going anywhere. Michael and Ramiro are going to be called to the principal's office for their bull shit.

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  9. What the hell has Michael done for Brownsville?

    Ramiro is an advocate for downtown. He has my support.

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  10. Nope!! None of them from within!! Been around bad habits too long!! Need new fresh outside individuals with ideas to make our city and community prosper. I don't give a don't what color, race or religion. I just want a competent individual that cares more about serving the community than themselves or their Compadres!!

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  11. I agree what has Michael done for Brownsville? What kind of ego driven jerk thinks he would be more qualified to run our city than Ramiro? It's vital that a visionary is in charge to administer the changes to make Brownsville great.

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  12. None from within!!
    Unless you want more of the same ol SHIT!!

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  13. Michael just got to Brownsville. That's why he would be the right choice. Who gives a fuck if Cesar likes him? Cesar doesn't like black people either.

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  14. If Ramiro wasn't hired as planning director, why would commission hire him for city manager?

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  15. "I agree what has Michael done for Brownsville? What kind of ego driven jerk thinks he would be more qualified to run our city than Ramiro? It's vital that a visionary is in charge to administer the changes to make Brownsville great."

    You forgot to sign your name, Ramiro.

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  16. Some people just have a hard on for Ramiro. What did he ever do to you?

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  17. Michael isn't from Brownsville.

    Ramiro is a product of Brownsville.

    Case closed.

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  18. Case closed my ass.

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  19. Oh hell no. Anyone but that kiss ass Ramiro. That guy has never "worked" a full day for the city. He would be an awful choice. That man...no, boy, has never done anything but apply his lips to anyone willing to let him!

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  20. If a nigger hater Cesar doesn't like Michael, then Michael is the one I want as my city manager.

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  21. My city manager? Who the fuck talks like that.

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  22. Ramiro's only ability is as a professional ass kisser, that ball of lard with a tiny mind
    has never had an Idea of his own, always copying ideas from other Big Cities, and trying to
    force them into Brownsville.

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  23. If this wasn't common knowledge for city staff before this weekend........

    Uuuuyyyy to be fly on the wall at city hall.

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  24. "My city manager? Who the fuck talks like that."

    Rick says MY all the time.

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  25. The commission needs to have a nation "fucking nigger" search for city manager, so the country knows Brownsville isn't racist. Right, racist commissioner Cesar De Leon?

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  26. Just because you use the "N" word doesn't make you a RACIST! Fucking ignorant ass people
    No wonder we are on the state that we are in with all this CORRUPTION!!

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  27. "Just because you use the "N" word doesn't make you a RACIST! Fucking ignorant ass people
    No wonder we are on the state that we are in with all this CORRUPTION!!"

    Yes it does Jessica.

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  28. "Just because you use the "N" word doesn't make you a RACIST! Fucking ignorant ass people
    No wonder we are on the state that we are in with all this CORRUPTION!!"

    Shut up Cesar. The only ignorant person is you. RESIGN!

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  29. The race card is being played to deflect from the issue at hand. That is how deals are done in the dark. So which faction has more to gain by deflecting discussion on the merits? I think we all know.

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  30. Isn’t Michael Lopez dating Roxanna Rosas (Public relations officer)?

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  31. Charlie should be gone already, but he's going to stick around now with this controversy. Thanks Cesar.

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  32. This is BULLSHIT!! The majority of the people in this town are followers and frankly only want to BITCH about the CORRUPTION!! They do NOT want to do anything to try and STOP IT! Leave Cesar where he is at so he can try and make a difference in all of the shit he finally let out of the bag.

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  33. Ewwwwww.... Michael Lopez....is the bitch hard up. Because the only way Michael is hard is with Viagra.....He gots to Go!!

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  34. If you don't want your city to be turned into Palm Springs....what do you want? More graffiti, drug addicts and infrastructure rot? Just curious....

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