Town Hall Meeting on West Rail Road Filled with Political Intrigue

Catching a few minutes of the Channel 12/Brownsville TV broadcast of last Thursday's town hall meeting on proposed uses for the land under the old Union Pacific tracks in West Brownsville, it became obvious this is a Brownsville vs. Cameron County issue.

It's also an Eddie Trevino vs. Dan Sanchez issue, both of whom are candidates for Cameron County Judge.

If Dan Sanchez outpoliticked Eddie Trevino at the Valley Interfaith Candidate Accountability Session last Monday, Trevino returned the favor Thursday at this town hall meeting at the Oliveira Park Gymnasium.  As we reported, Trevino seemed ill at ease at the VIF session, while Sanchez vociferously sang religious hymns while toting his 4 year old son on his belly.  At the speakers stand, Trevino questioned the inclusion of dollar amounts to several of the VIF's six proposals, while Sanchez rythmically sang "si, si, si . . . si, si, si," indicating his approval of all six unequivocally.

But, the "No Road" group at the town hall meeting seem to heavily favor Trevino.  Several speakers from the public lamented the fact than "no one from the county or the MPO" saw fit to attend the meeting, but thanked candidates Trevino and Bea Rosenbaum for their attendance.

District 4 City Commissioner John Villarreal chaired the meeting, reading out the names of those who signed up for public comment, with occasional pronunciation assistance from Commissioner Cesar de Leon, who sat to John's left.  Most commenters favored trail only use for the right of way, although some realtors and developers had evidently spoken out in favor of the road before I tuned in.

Sanchez at VIF event Monday

Dan Sanchez took several hits, not only for his nonattendance, but for comments made at other forums in support of a road or road/trail combination.  Sanchez has remained unimpressed with the fact that 5,000 have signed a petition for a trail only use.  Yesterday's Brownsville Herald provided this quote: “I understand 5,000 residents want a trail, but what about everyone else that needs access in and out of Brownsville? As county judge, you have to think globally about the entire region,” Sanchez said. “If we focus on one little area, then we’ve lost our job and focus as county leader.”

Inexplicably, after the last public commenter, meeting chairman Villarreal gave candidate Eddie Trevino an opportunity for the last word.  Trevino reiterated his support of a trail only use for the corridor.  "If we need a road 30 or 100 years from now, we can build it then," he stated.

Chairman Rose Gowen must have choked at her closing remarks to the citizens:  "We want to listen to you and know what you want.  We're trying our best to listen to you."  Many taxpayers may still remember Gowen's terse, disrespectful emails to citizen's who questioned the city's decision to reduce E. 6th Street, a primary downtown trucking artery, by one lane. 

Mayor Tony Martinez, who himself chose NOT to attend the town hall meetings on Lincoln Park and downtown parking meter raise, gave this profound quote:  “It’s important that the public understands that even though they are only one, that one counts."