City Springs for the Lease, Remodeling of Tony's New Office~Invoice for $8K Monitor Screen Unpaid

We received today the results of our Public Information Request to the City of Brownsville via City Secretary Estela Von Hatten regarding the costs associated with Mayor Martinez new office.

Despite the availability of unused offices at City Plaza, an empty second floor at Market Square and empty Casa del Nylon building, recently purchased with tax dollars for $2,300,000, Tony had his heart set on the empty space at 1101-A E. Washington St.


The City of Brownsville picked up the $500 per month lease on the property commencing October 8, 2013 until October 7, 2014, certainly a modest amount, but totally unnecessary in view of the empty office space noted above owned by the city.  A huge television monitor costing $7,247 has also been procured by the city, but, according to the report, that invoice has not been paid.

City Trucks Outside the New Office
During Remodel

$3,505.91 was given as the cost of remodeling the space to suit Mayor Martinez, but that is likely a materials only number with as many as four City of Brownsville trucks with workers and equipment being busy at the sight, sometimes after hours.

Perhaps, downtown visitors strolling down E. 11th St. or citizens with a question for the mayor will appreciate seeing him through the commercial glass busy on city projects.

The taxpayers may also take advantage of the new unisex bathroom installed in the new office, considering the shortage of such facilities downtown.

PS:  Something I forgot to mention that was included in the report from the city's finance department:  "The mayor furnished the office except for some stackable chairs that the city had available."  

The three mismatched tables are each positioned over an area rug.  At one point each table had a large fern on top, but those have been removed.  I doubted one of the workers when he told me they were leaving the worn tile floor "as-is," but that proved correct.