I was braced for the subterfuge. Ana called at 8:20 PM with crocodile tears. "Stop playing around!" I yelled. "Were you approved or not?" Ana held up some papers, flashing that smile. "Yes! Why do you think I'm holding up this paperwork?" she asked. It's been a long two days for us, this final trip into Manila for an interview at the U.S. Embassy, preceded by a seminar mandated by the Philippine government covering the rights of employees and spouses who travel abroad. Neither of us has slept much.
Ana at Baclaran Church
Ana prayed yesterday at the Baclaran Church in Manila, a church Wikipedia says can hold up to 11,000 for masses. Ana is not a churchgoer but believes in prayer. Now, I have to get serious about tidying up my place. The kitchen and bathroom are clean, but I see dust on the ceiling fans. The outside paint needs a touchup. . .OMG, I need to make my car presentable. "Don't worry about any of that darling," reassures Ana. "I will soon be there to help you do all that!"
When new City Manager Noel Bernal arrived at the end of 2018, Brownsville was indeed a sick puppy with leadership in many key positions unqualified, uncertified or simply incompetent. It's little wonder that for the last few decades Brownsville's progress moved along at about quarter speed with even much smaller, far less charismatic Harlingen whipping its ass with regularity. Stating it bluntly, Bernal inherited an administration whose engineering director was a non-engineer, an incompetent in public works, a head of the library without a degree in library science or anything else and a transit system hemorrhaging money and a history of horribly frequent breakdowns. It's the way of compradrismo, a system in which your resume' is who you know or, better yet, WHAT you know about someone in power. It was also the way of Charlie Cabler, Bernal's predecessor, who was plucked from the ranks of cop to be first an Assistant City Manager, then City Manager, something he'd never studied or trained for, causing many to scratch their heads in wonderment about who or what he knew to be elevated to that position. Cabler's tenure seemed almost visionless, simply maintaining, not growing, only putting out fires.
Paul Calapa, former Purchasing
Director, City of Brownsville
I'm also told that compradrismo reared its ugly head when Jerry Hedgecock, without a Masters in Library Science, was elevated to leadership over the Brownsville Public Library. Hedgecock, a crony of former Purchasing Director Paul Calapa, knew where the bodies were buried, so to speak, and was rewarded with a totally undeserved appointment, elevated over three library system employees who did have the requisite Master of Library Science.
Jerry Hedgecock
Knowing Hedgecock was unqualified to be the library's director, the City of Brownsville did an end around that might not get the attention of the State of Texas, creating a new department and position altogether for Hedgecock, naming him Director of Public Information Services, then placing the Brownsville Public Library under that umbrella. Creative compadrismo! From the editor: Our next installment will deal with the perception of the City Manager by Brownsville administrators. I'm spoken with several and, surprisingly, there seems to be a consensus.
From the editor: The Community Development Corporation of Brownsville held a "Back to School Block Party" today with vendor's tables set up along E. 9th Street. Grandson Jack, who will attend BISD this year, picked up the school supplies he will need.
Deputy City Manager Helen Ramirez and City Manager Noel Bernal represent a dramatic shift in the City of Brownsville from compadrismo to skill set and education. How well Brownsville accepts being brought kicking and screaming into the modern era or if these kids even stay here remains to be seen. Ramirez gleefully handed a glossy folder to the mayor and commissioners essentially designed to remove a $34,000 cap on the pay of a part-time planner preparing the way for Freese and Nichols, Inc., a bigtime municipal planning firm from Fort Worth, who stand to make considerably more than $34,000 assisting the city in restructuring its planning and zoning. Commissioners Neece and Galonsky, after perusing the document for only a minute or two, had questions, as did Mayor Mendez. That may be the current brain trust of the city commission, especially with Commissioner Gowen a no-show and Commissioner Munguia desperately needing to pick up his game for the good of the city. Commissioner John Cowen did interject a question tonight, although, from my seat near the lone 4-way speaker, it was inaudible. Commissioner Jessica Tetreau's participation this evening was largely anecdotal in what must have been a sad night for her. Seeing mene, mene, tekel, upharsin written on the wall, she chose to resign from the Greater Brownsville Incentives Corporation, citing her 12 year old daughter's health issues and the need to focus more on "being a mother." Tetreau was also rebuffed in her efforts to have a District 2 resident replace her on the GBIC, finding little support for her nominees, first Carlos Guerrero, then Erasmo Castro. The commission instead went with Nick Schaefer. "It was unfortunate this item(her removal) got placed on the agenda," Tetreau stated, indicating city staff knew of her "plans to step down at the end of July." Prediction: The recent decision to rename Fronton Street "McNair Family Street" will be reversed. After hearing statements on both sides of the issue, Commissioner Neece asked that an item to rescind the name change be placed on the agenda for the next meeting. The setting up of a newly constituted audit/oversight committee was also tabled, pending the finishing of groundwork by the City Manager. Bernal indicated the current internal auditors would actually report to the new oversight/audit committee, but continue to provide briefings to the City Manager's office. If you remember our report from the Airport Advisory Board and Board Member Chris Hughston's persistent questions about change orders for the new airport terminal, Director of Aviation Bryant Walker presented a change order to the commission for approval in the amount of $218,396.11. Mayor Mendez was questioning Walker about the specifics as I walked out to answer Ana's call. BTW, a City of Brownsville Drainage Forum is scheduled for the Brownsville Event Center on August 1 from 1-5 PM.
The woman I love, Ana Adiong, leaves for Manila in 48 hours for her interview at the U.S. Embassy. First, though, there is a five hour seminar mandated by the Philippine government dealing with the rights of spouses and employees who go abroad. "Crazy Lady," Ana's neighbor in the Bugo barangay of Cagayan de Oro, bought the white blouse for the Manila trip. "Crazy Lady" and Ana first met twenty years ago, when they both worked at Gaisano, a popular supermarket for the working class. Years later, they independently bought houses in the Villa Trinitas subdivision of Bugo, and were totally shocked and overjoyed to find that they lived directly across the street from each other. During my time with Ana in November 2018, "Crazy Lady" peppered me daily with intrusive questions to which I learned to give stupid answers. The more idiotic my responses, the louder became "Crazy's" laughter, followed by even more invasive queries. Perhaps because Ana knows I would have difficulty with the names, she uses nicknames when she talks about her neighbors to me; "Red Horse Woman," "Two Story," "Prison Man" and, of course, "Crazy Lady." Without a doubt, Ana will ace her 6:15 AM interview at the embassy, given standing up at the examiner's window. The only question is whether or not my documents are complete, accurate and sufficient. In a few days, we will know the answer and my life will change dramatically. Or not.
BROWNSVILLE — The Texas Ethics Commission fined embattled former Brownsville fire chief Carlos Elizondo $1,000 for violating the Texas Election Code.
The commission met on March 21 and determined credible evidence existed that Elizondo violated three sections of the Texas Election Code by accepting contributions and authorizing political expenditures for the Brownsville Firefighters for Responsible Government political committee after he had been terminated as its treasurer.
Elizondo was suspended without pay in late 2017 after a Cameron County grand jury issued an indictment charging him with theft by a public servant and misapplication of fiduciary duty after authorities accused him of making improper ATM cash withdrawals totaling $8,000 from the political action committee while he was its president from January 2014 to 2016.
In 2018, a Cameron County grand jury indicted him on 11 counts of computer security breach over allegations that he accessed the Brownsville Fire Department’s Emergency Reporting System 11 times while suspended by the city.
Elizondo has maintained his innocence and entered not guilty pleas to all of the charges.
The TEC issued its order and agreed resolution resulting in a fine in May.
As part of the agreement, Elizondo does not admit or deny the TEC findings and waives any right to further proceedings in the matter. The TEC said in the order that it terminated Elizondo’s position as campaign treasurer with the political action committee on April 21, 2010, because he submitted the PAC’s January 2009 semiannual report late and then failed to file two subsequent semiannual reports.
“The respondent paid a civil penalty for failing to file the semiannual reports,” the order states. “The failure to file the two semiannual reports also prompted the Commission to terminate his campaign treasurer appointment.”
The termination took place at a public meeting for which Elizondo was provided notice.
“The respondent claims not to have received the notices, but they were sent to his address where previous notices of late reports were sent and responded to by him,” the order states.
With a judge reducing the award to terminated former TSC President Lily Tercero from $13 million to $1 and a proposed Memorandum of Understanding with the Port of Brownsville that initially excluded TSC, now tabled, our city needs information. Who better than TSC Trustee Dr. Tony Zavaleta-Reid to discuss those and other issues on this Sunday's edition of Whine with Cheez? Simply link with the Erasmo Castro or Jim Barton Facebook page to hear the July 28 podcast live streamed from Angelita's Casa de Café at 1:30 PM.
Director of Aviation Bryant Walker teased the Airport Advisory Board Tuesday, dropping hints of a departmental restructuring in the City of Brownsville. Walker introduced a young woman from a new city department, the pretentiously-named Office of Strategic Initiatives, then told us that old Brownsville Metro is no more. "I think it's going to be called Multimodal Transportation and the hike and bike trails, now monitored by the Planning Department and the trails in our park system now move there. "What is all this costing us?" one of the airport board members asked. "I think it's more in the nature of restructuring, reorganizing, improving efficiency," Walker explained. We've extended an invitation to City Manager Noel Bernal for this Sunday's Whine with Cheez podcast. Reshuffling, restructuring city departments is an eye-catching move to be sure.
Work continues on the new terminal at BRO, the aeronautic acronym for the Brownsville, South Padre Island International Airport, with even concrete being poured today amidst a rainstorm. Away from the rain, inside the confines of the airport's board room, the Airport Advisory Board listened as Airport Director Bryant Walker detailed the progress on the terminal. "Haven't we had already a number of change orders for the project?" asked board member Chris Hughston. "Four change orders so far," responded Walker, "actually about 15 different things bundled into four."
Airport Board Chairman Manuel Alcocer on the left,
Board Member Chris Hughston on the right
"I guess what I'm asking," continued Hughston, "is are we staying on budget?" "Well, one change order saved us $199,000," answered the director, "and, even with the others, we're still staying within the original estimate, nothing outside the scope, soft soil stabilization, for example." "These are the approved change orders. Are their any change orders pending, any surprises?" asked Hughston. "Only some things directed by city management. We initially left out some items to save on cost, but our City Manager feels if we're building a terminal once every fifty years, let's do it right," continued Bryant Walker. "And how much will those changes cost?" asked Hughston. "About two million," answered Walker.
Airport Advisory Board
As I told Walker after the meeting, "many in Brownsville still remember the sports park fiasco, a project bid at $10 million, ballooning to three or four times that because of cost overruns, change orders." Hughston also asked about figures showing a decline in labor costs. "We have five current vacancies," answered Walker. 2019 passenger numbers are up at BRO, well over 2018, but, also, rising faster than the McAllen and Harlingen airports. Cost per enplanement, CPE, one of the indicators of how efficiently an airport is run, has BRO spending $4.09 per enplanement. Nationally, Newark, NJ spends the most, $28.05 per enplanement, while Atlanta, GA, the least at $2.38. McAllen's Miller Airport has a CPE of $5.96, while Harlingen's Valley International is at $5.39. This doesn't mean Brownsville's airport is necessarily the cheapest. "We're not a bargain airport," stated Director Walker. "We're a premium, elite airport." Realistically, Walker sees the final cost of the terminal project, more than just the terminal building itself, costing between $40 and $50 million. Lafayette, Louisana, a city of 129,000, just spent $90 million to upgrade its terminal, Walker stated.
Donald R. Clupper, one of Sunrise Mall's most dedicated mall walkers, strictly keeping himself to the piazza's hard right edge, burst onto the city's blogging scene this week, delivering a swift initial uppercut to blogger Jerry McHale. Prefacing his commentary with a byline, the Don Clupper report(leaving the "r" uncapitalized), Clupper delivered this blow: "The Don Clupper report,
THE NEW QUESTION IS WHO IS PAYING JERRY MCHALE TO SMEAR MARIO LOZOYA OF GBIC AND NOW ME?
As if SMEARING Mario Lozoya wasn’t enough for Jerry McHale now he is SMEARING me for FACT CHECKING my stories and not printing a lot of reckless allegations like he does. Jerry’s new post is of my fb profile picture calling me a HACK HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
If BROWNSVILLE ever had a hack, it is Jerry McHale that calls our city the 3rd world capital of the world! His inability to reconcile the truth to his crazy bed time stories he runs is beyond comprehension. Entertaining? Yes, if you enjoy perverted stories about drinking too much, using drugs, chasing women and his broken personal life, but when it comes to accuracy of his political posts it all depends on who is paying him. I started my reports because I have been disturbed by his and other local bloggersAAAA misleading political posts that have lead our city into a stagnant economy with no growth in tax base that is running our young people out of town to find decent jobs and killing our local educational system.
SO AGAIN JERRY WHO IS PAYING YOU TO SMEAR MARIO LOZOYA AND NOW ME?"
Clupper, not satisfied winning that round on points, subtly went back after McHale in Round 2:
"The Don Clupper report,
Today Matio Lozoya of GBIC joined Christina Keller, president of CK Technologies during a ribbon cutting ceremony as they celebrated 8 years in Brownsville and also became Chamber Members. GBIC helped them expand recently and added about 100 new kids in 2019!"
Had the city indeed birthed a new blog, filling the vacuum left by the Brownsville Observer's preoccupation with immigration paperwork?
The Don Clupper report? The name wreaks of forthrightness, not exactly a strong suit of the local blogosphere. Could The Don Clupper report make Brownsville Great Again?
One last excerpt from the DCr:
"The Don Clupper report,
Will Brownsville become the industrial hot spot of the USA?
Whether you are a Drmocrat or a Republican, the new USMCA Trade bill drawn up by the Trump administration will have a positive impact on your life if ratified. The USMCA will bring more business to the USA, Mexico, and Canada and pull large amounts of business away from China and Vietnam. ..."
Dammit, Big Don, you're on a roll! A Trump trade bill will energize the local economy??? Glory, hallelujah! #MAGA #Drmocrat
Admittedly, my life is on hold, waiting for yet another reinvention. Blogging holds no interest as I'm focused on only one thing; fiancée Ana Adiong. Ana woke me up with a videocall this morning, jubilantly announcing "I'm home!"
Before I could figure out whether it was day or night, she was gone, so I posted something on her FB page: "I'm so happy Ana you're back home after that strenuous medical exam in Manila. . . It was a nervous, tense time for you, but you passed wonderfully. In your videocall this morning, you were the woman I fell in love with, joking, rattling off your tale of "peeing in the cup three times" before getting it right, laughing, talking rapidfire. .What a storyteller you are!! I remember almost every detail of November 2018, how you made something ordinary, like going to the supermarket, seem like an adventure, your playfulness and thoughtfulness, but, most of all, your laugh. I'm totally in love with you baby!" Ana ran into Judy Ann, the young woman in the picture above, at the Saint Luke's Hospital Extension Clinic in Manila, both going through an extensive medical check in anticipation of traveling to the United States. Like Ana, Judy is from the province of Bukidnon, a picturesque area of rolling hills and fields of corn, rice and horses. "You think I'm a city girl," Ana once told me. "I'm not. I can plant and harvest a crop or work on a farm all day. I can ride a horse to full gallop in three or four seconds."
Mayor Trey Mendez
OK, so, with this immigration thing on my mind, I will stumble into Angelita's Casa de Café on Sunday for the Whine with Cheez podcast at 1:30 PM featuring Mayor Trey Mendez. Yes, I will seem distracted, preoccupied, my mind obviously elsewhere.
It was just two hundred thirty nine days ago, on a rainy evening last November, when I took that fateful cab ride outside Cagayan de Oro to the bedroom and port community of Bugo, the barangay as filipinos refer to it. While Ana had told me her home was "not far," the older, gruff driver said the opposite, "very far," but, it was really an accident on the Batuan-Cagayan de Oro-Iligan Highway that made the trip through the pineapple and papaya fields of the Del Monte Corporation take 45 minutes, not 15.
Del Monte Plant at Bugo, CDO
My driver stopped twice on that dark, damp night to ask tricycle drivers for directions, the last one giving us a free escort right to Ana's house. Ana ran outside, wearing a dark navy house dress, picking one of my two bags out of the trunk.(Lugging two heavy bags around the Philippines was one of my dumber ideas.) When I've tried to confess to Ana my recollection of noticing first thing a shapely silhouette in that moonlit night, my fiancée simply says "Stop that!"
Ana has her documents neatly organized; videocall logs showing conversations daily, some lasting four hours or more, boarding passes, itineraries, terminal fees, hotel receipts and pictures, all providing "Proof of Relationship." Next on her agenda is a medical checkup at Saint Luke's Hospital Medical Extension in Manila, the same hospital where Ana did her nurse's training a decade ago. While in the city, Ana will also attend a five hour seminar mandated by the Philippine government detailing the rights of filipino citizens who venture abroad to meet future spouses or employers.
Grandson Jack with Friend
I may pick up Grandson Jack today so he can do some swimming, then, if he spends the night, he can watch the Whine with Cheez podcast featuring Commissioners Tetreau and Galonsky. I'm having some difficulty concentrating on podcasts, blogging and local politics right now.
After my week-long hiatus poring over immigration documents, I ventured out today to observe the Main Street Advisory Board, posted at City Hall for a 5:30 PM meeting July 9 at Terra's Bar and Grill, 915 E. Elizabeth Street. It would be my first trek back into the world of City of Brownsville advisory boards since June 21 when not a single member of the Greater Brownsville Incentives Corporation, save the chairman, Steve Guerra, bothered to show up. Easily, $1,000,000 of annually taxpayer-salaried people were there, but not a single damn board member. Sometimes, I think I'm the only person in town who gives a shit about these advisory boards. Anyway, back to the Main Street Advisory Board, obviously not at Terra's at 5:30, as posted since "July 3" in a document signed by City Secretary Griselda Rosas, but Terra's manager redirected me to the City Commission Chambers.
Assistant City Manager
Michael Lopez
It was in the hallway on my way to the chambers that I ran into City Manager Noel Bernal and Assistant City Manager Michael Lopez, who both started fumbling with their phones to find out what happened to the scheduled Main Street Advisory Board meeting. "It was held at noon as a lunch meeting," Lopez offered, then changed that to "3:30 to 5," until I showed him my screen shot of the agenda posting "5:30 PM July 9 at Terra's." "I think it's at the Blue Room at City Plaza," the Assistant City Manager guessed. Lopez made another call. "I think it may have been cancelled," he explained, likely knowing that a cancellation has to be also posted. A few minutes later, Lopez met me at the small entrance cubicle where city board meetings are posted. I showed him the posting. "Thanks for bringing this to our attention," Lopez told me. Driving home, I told fiancée Ana: "Sometimes I feel like the only adult in this town."
As a notorious single-tasker, possessing what we used to call a one-track-mind, I'm limited to dealing with one thing at a time. That used to be extremely annoying to my overbearing dad, who hated to see me eat my mashed potatoes first, then peas, finally moving to the meat. "Normal people don't eat like that!" he would say loudly. But, I did, and still do. At a critical stage in the immigration process with my fiancée, Ana Adiong, I'm focusing on nothing else right now, with her medical exam scheduled for Saint Luke's Hospital Extension Clinic in Manila July 15, followed by another trip to Manila for her embassy interview on August 1. Nothing is guaranteed, of course, and even the slightest error or omission can delay or bring denial. So, for the person who sent me info linking certain BISD board members to very large campaign donations from insurance entities after approving a spike in the insurance consulting fee from $25,000 to $62,000 and entering into contract with a certain firm without RFP, just know that I will try to verify those assertions in a couple days. Meanwhile, I'm in sort of a nervous, distracted state with certain songs playing over and over in my head for days. . . . two days ago, it was Suddenly by Billy Ocean. Today it's Neil Young's Harvest Moon. Hopefully, the Whine with Cheez podcast will be populated with the mayor and various city commissioners the next two Sundays, 1/13 and 1/20, no more than three at a time so as not to constitute a quorum.
With the WiFi at my RV park abysmally slow, I told Ana I was heading to Mickey D's with my laptop. Guilting myself for using the free internet, I ordered something I don't even like, the Wednesday Big Mac Special. "No special sauce, please!" I told the young man at the register. Within a minute of my order arriving, Abraham Galonsky, the dad of newly elected District 1 City Commissioner, took a seat directly across, carrying a tray topped with the Big Mac Special. Two old men eating the junkiest of junk food. "I know Galonsky can do better than this," I thought to myself. "I hadn't seen you in years and now we see each other two days in a row," Mr. Galonsky commented as he came over to shake hands. "Congratulations on your daughter's victory," I sort of shouted over to him. Then, almost in unison, we both said: "I think she'll do great!" LOL! Gathering his thoughts, Galonsky added: "You know I helped Rick get elected the first time." "Yeah, it's been a rough time for him, losing his mother," I added, trying to anticipate the direction the man was taking the conversation. "He's cocky!" replied Mr. Galonsky. "True," I added. "You never know how young people will respond to influence and power. Look at Cesar de Leon." Galonsky just shook his head, then finishing, picked up his tray and wished me a good day.
Looking leaner, if not meaner, former Mayor Pat Ahumada introduced himself to the City Commission Tuesday night as a builder,yes Pat the Builder. Pat's beef was that, although he could have avoided fees by hiring weekend contractors, he'd tried to do right, but had been hit by the city's new June 10 fee structure, charging him $1,800 for the privilege of replacing a roof in Brownsville, that is 46% of the total cost. Mayor Trey Mendez looked perplexed at Ahumada's plight, not exactly demonstrating a pro-business stance by the city. A vivacious city staffer took the podium to explain that, not only was the city going back to something corresponding to the old fee system, but that people like Ahumada, who in good faith had paid the exorbitant rates, would get a refund.(She said something to Ahumada as he went back to his seat, prompting Pat to smile broadly.) Ahumada passed right by me on his way out, extending his hand. "What are you running for next time?" I joked. "If I ever run for anything again, shoot me!" Ahumada shouted.
A man of mature age pointed at my feet as I entered the City Commission chambers last night. "Flip flops, really?" asked the gentleman rhetorically, shaking his head. There was no time or opportunity to explain that I've worn flip flops every day at all kinds of events during my 15-1/2 years of retirement. We called them thongs as kids growing up southeast of Seattle when the craze of so-called jap crap hit the coast in the late 50's. Back then, the 88 Cents Store sold merchandise imported from Japan, all for .88 USD or less; cameras, radios, even baseballs. I bought one of the radios, actually a crystal set that had clips that had to be attached to the kitchen faucet for grounding. I could get only KOMO and KJR, the two most powerful stations in Seattle, listening with headphones. The thongs took some getting use to with that annoying strap between your toes, but what other footwear could you get for 50 cents or so? I'm pretty sure I wore thongs or flip flops every summer after that and brought a pair with me to Brownsville in 1966.
Fiancée Ana is not exactly on #teamflipflop, preferring that I wear something more protective. I admit that Cebu City sidewalks and streets posed some danger to uncovered feet. To appease her, at our wedding, I may wear the round toe black Propét walking shoes I've used for funerals.
For most other endeavors, I will go with flip flops. If the Tarahumara of northern Mexico can run 50 kilometer races in sandals made from recycled tires, I'm not worried about my J.C. Penney footwear giving me fallen arches.
Rene DeCoss, the first City Attorney in this century to have the intestinal fortitude and work ethic to formulate a new ethics code, is getting a bit of pushback on requiring prospective and current city board members to share their financials. "I find it intrusive," stated Mayor Trey Mendez. "No money is being exchanged. These boards are simply advisory. We've lost some good people as this automatically becomes public information," stated the mayor. Commissioner Ben Neece weighed in, suggesting perhaps "a more streamlined version of this" to DeCoss. When questioned by the mayor about whether other cities in the valley were doing this, DeCoss wasn't sure, but gave San Antonio, Austin and Houston as examples. "I will start drafting something," indicated DeCoss, as he was dismissed with a nod by Mendez. The new ethics code, now signed by the City Commission, referred to as "Section 38" by DeCoss, is included in the packet of information along with the agenda for the 7/2/2019 City Commission meeting. The new code, not exactly the Mueller Report, but likely a bit cerebral for the Fox & Friends crowd, contains this statement about conflict of interest at Section 38-1, part a, point 3: "No city official or employee have any financial interest, direct or indirect, in any business, transaction, or professional activity or incur any obligation of any nature that is in conflict with proper discharge of his duties in the public interest." Financial disclosure for board members became a hot issue when several members of the Planning and Zoning Commission resigned recently over the requirement. At least two members have since rescinded their resignations.
SOUTH PADRE ISLAND, RGV – The incoming mayor of South Padre Island has praised RGV leaders for setting up a regional metropolitan planning organization, pointing out that this could hasten the arrival of a second causeway to his city.
In his first major interview since winning the SPI mayoral runoff election, Patrick McNulty said he is looking forward to millions of additional dollars becoming available for the second causeway project.
Tens of hundreds of millions of additional transportation dollars are likely to come to the Valley now that the Rio Grande Valley Metropolitan Planning Organization Transportation Policy Board has been formed.
Patrick McNulty
A second causeway for SPI is deemed a major regional project because it would include the Outer Parkway connector from the causeway to Harlingen and the expansion of FM 1925 from Harlingen to Monte Cristo Road in Edinburg.
“I think it is great that Cameron and Hidalgo counties and all the municipal entities have agreed to work together to form the one MPO,” McNulty told the Rio Grande Guardian.
“I think it is an excellent opportunity to grow our transportation infrastructure substantially quicker. There is no doubt we have been held back in the past. I look forward to South Padre Island having an opportunity to join the MPO, along with the other tri-cities.
The tri-cities McNulty was referring to are South Padre Island, Laguna Vista and Port Isabel.
“The new MPO is going to give us an excellent opportunity to push for a second causeway for South Padre Island. The second causeway will be desperately needed, if it is not already, as our tourism opportunities continue to grow. We have to focus on our tourism and let that sector grow.”
Asked if he was aware that the Valley is set to secure far more transportation dollars as a result of the merger of Hidalgo County MPO, Brownsville MPO, and Harlingen-San Benito MPO, McNulty answered affirmatively.
“Mayor (Dennis) Stahl has kept us informed. He has played a very active role in the background, encouraging the regional MPO to be created. I know Harlingen has been working on it for a long time. This has been a long time in the making and it is great that the municipalities and the counties have come together for the benefit of the whole Rio Grande Valley. The MPO will be the catalyst for incredible economic opportunities.”
Asked if he was aware that a second causeway to SPI was being touted as one of the new MPO’s top regional projects, McNulty also answered affirmatively.
McNulty handily won the SPI mayoral runoff election on Saturday.
