How the UT Regents Sullied Their School's Reputation with Lincoln Park Deal

From the editor: Shortly after the October 30, 2014 town hall meeting on Lincoln Park, the UT regents convened in El Paso.  A transcript of the minutes of their meeting included a giddy description of obtaining the Lincoln Park tract at a "bargain price."

That was not exactly accurate.  They were gifted Lincoln Park by the City Commission.  The $6.5 million to "convey" the park was meant to merely duplicate the amenities of the park at the smelly new site next to a waste treatment plant in Southmost. Lest we forget, Union Pacific, in its participation in the original relocation the park from under the expressway, included a condition requiring $1.5 million reimbursement should the land be used for something other than a park down the line.  That proviso, if enforced, leaves the city with a mere $5 million in exchange for a tract worth likely four times that.  

Piss poor asset management by Tony Martinez and the City Commission to be sure!

But, the real loser in all this is the University of Texas and its reputation as a community partner. Every family that tries to barbecue in the new, smellier park will be reminded of how UT "hoodwinked" the dumbass Brownsville mayor out of the Lincoln Park tract.  Every Little Leaguer, rounding third base, heading for home, will wrinkle his or her nose at the smell.  Later, the ballplayer's parents will explain the odor, referencing the University of Texas.  "Cacagate," as some city comics refer to the Lincoln Park fiasco, will become a touchstone in perpetuity, talked about again and again by the children and grandchildren of Southmost.  Not effective public relations by the University of Texas.

As the mayor himself pointed out, it was UT who requested the nearly 50 acre Lincoln Park tract, after being offered two other pieces of land by the city.  

With this blog's reduced production of late, the following archived story, first published October 5, 2014, received a number of pageviews recently:

Ancient Biblical Prophet Rebukes, Shames University of Texas System

Jerry McHale's description of me as an atheist is inaccurate. I'm a backsliding agnostic, who knows nothing for sure about the origin of the universe, but sees enough design elements to NOT rule out a First Cause, Creator or General Contractor even though he, she or it may now be dead, disinterested or limited.

I actually read one of the holy books from cover to cover in 1970, with its 39 "books" of the Old Testament and 27 in the New, something that may still be on the bucket list for Pastor Brad and Bishop Daniel Flores. It was a tedious experience that acquaints one with the biblical god's sense of justice, killing the men, women and children not his chosen people and having juvenile delinquents stoned outside the city gates.

One biblical story I can't erase from my memory fits the University of Texas System like the proverbial glove.

It was a story the old prophet Nathan told King David as recorded in 2 Samuel, Chapter 12. Nathan spoke of a very rich man, with thousands of sheep and cattle, who stole the pet lamb of a poor family to be butchered for a meal served to a house guest. King David got so angry when hearing the fictitious account that he said: “As the LORD lives, the man who has done this shall surely die!"


The ultrarich University of Texas System, like the rich man in the prophet Nathan's story, does not need Brownsville's little lamb, Lincoln Park, to butcher in satisfaction of its own carnivorous appetite. UT has many properties or can simply write a check as needs develop without TAKING from the poorest segment of the poorest community in the United States.

It is said that UT officials will be present October 30, when a public hearing is scheduled at Tony Gonzalez Park to discuss the "conveyance of 47.56 acres of Lincoln Park to the UT System." Commissioner Deborah "Little Debbie" Portillo has been telling those who will listen that the transfer is a "done deal." If young Debbie is correct, the hearing is a farce, once again demonstrating that the City Commission acts with or without consultation with the electorate. The hearing will simply be a dog and pony show to placate the taxpayers with hollow promises and lies.

What we can assure the University of Texas System, should they accept the transfer of this irreplaceable community asset, is that the shame will stink well beyond Brownsville or even Austin. It will be a recurring theme on this blog for years to come how the big, bad University of Texas couldn't function without butchering Brownsville's precious little lamb, Lincoln Park.

4 comments:

1. 
   AnonymousOctober 5, 2014 at 6:02 AM

   The irony is that they will never really use the land. UT-RGV's Brownsville satellite campus will not grow. No students from outside Brownsville will attend the school. Why would they? All the resources are up the Valley. It would be like saying I attend UT-Austin but take my classes at the Giddings satellite campus. The logistics are insurmountable. They should have left Brownsville out in its entirety. Just a waste of money to placate clueless people who think they are getting a "University" in their hovel.

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2. 
   Pat AhumadaOctober 5, 2014 at 8:21 AM

   Juliet Garcia was a master of taking and if you protested, then they went all out to create a perception that you were against education. This is how she did it when I refused to give them the R.E. Smith 90 acres, but they still got with the help of Henry Gonzalez, Jackie Lockette, and Ernie Hernandez. They took the Jacob Brown, which cost us to issue millions in debt to replace and a higher tax rate. They also suckered us into buying the Cueto Building and were allowed to occupy it in exchange for a few pebbles of gravel. Brownsville never learns, because the select few in the elite crowd dictate to those who are so eager to be accepted and hungry for recognition, but once they have used you, they spit you out like garbage. They threw Akinson under the bus and replaced him with a write in candidate, Tetreau after they used him to fund Imagine Brownsville. They used Rick and Leo, look at them now. They will never be accepted and they will dispose of Tetreau and Portillo in the same way after they are thru with them.

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3. 
   AnonymousOctober 5, 2014 at 4:25 PM

   The UTRGV hasn't gotten its "ducks" in order in the RGV and I think it premature to give anything or consider giving anything to this ultra-rich system until the "kinks" get worked out in terms of location, management and system configuration. UTRGV is now in a fight about the school mascot. Upper valley wants to keep "Broncos"...a mascot since 1927. So. now our disorganized city commission is going to jump in the fray to save the "Ocelot".....mascot for what one year. This leads us to believe there is a split in the organization and we should save our Lincoln Park until the systemic debate is over and the division of labor between the upper valley and Brownsville produces an organization that will encourage us to give up anything. We know Tony Martinez will move in the direction that Julieta Garcia points to him. In the end, she is still trying to identify her own future in the UT System. Supporting higher education is one thing; supporting Julieta Garcia's self-serving goals is not in our best interests. Tony Martinez is a DICK.....

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4. 
   AnonymousOctober 6, 2014 at 4:59 AM

   I got an idea! How about showing up with clipboards with recall petitions and let the real opinions of the people be heard. Think of it as a referendum on ALL their performances. Everyone, every commissioner. I think the people's voice will really be heard that way.

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