TECHNOLOGY-CHALLENGED BLOGGER FAILS HIS LIMITED READERSHIP!

City Manager Candidate Juan Guerra in front of a small
group at the Brownsville Event Center

Had my brain been functioning like a 21st century resident of planet Earth, instead of a Neanderthal from pre-historic times, I might have come away with three recorded conversations, one from each of the City Manager candidates holding court in a corner of the Brownsville Event Center meeting room.

Instead, like an old fart, I complained about the format of having each candidate hold an intimate service with one small group at a time, instead of an old-fashioned public forum.

"Didn't you have an Iphone in your pocket?  You could have asked your question of each of them, recorded it and moved on, " a modern-thinking person later told me.

Duh!

The question that I wanted to ask publicly, but could have simply made public through the wonders of a modern recording device, was theoretical:  "What if, during your tenure as City Manager, the mayor or a city commissioner tries to circumvent the city code and unilaterally spend tax dollars or an insurance refund, without consulting the rest of the commission?  How would you handle that?"

Anyway, just walking around, I picked up some stuff I wouldn't have gleaned at home in front of the laptop.

Former police chief, Carlos Garcia, doesn't want it out yet that he may run for something.  His wife is on board for whatever.

Art Rodriguez is still acting health director, despite serving as assistant city manager, etc.  He's proud of his department's work combating the Zika virus, also West Nile, along with the Center for Disease Control.  He gave me some tips on getting rid of the no-see-ums at my son's West Brownsville abode.  

Larry Jokl has run the Brownsville Realty Association's campaign forum for the last time, it's 20th.  "No," they didn't "collude" with the B.E.S.T. teacher's union to have nonconflicting event times.  He was about to explain why he locked the Democrats out of their downtown office a couple years back when his cellphone rang.

Joe Lee Rubio, playing with his cellphone on a bench near the wall, would have preferred a similar format to "the college." but had his say anyway with the candidates.

Ben Neece greeted me on his way out, then yelled back:  "Call me next time you're going to write about the City Commission meeting.  I'll give you the lowdown."

On the way to my car I ran into Jessica Tetreau-Kalifa, in a hurry after picking her daughter up from ballet practice.  We talked about the City Manager search, our conversation ending with a "don't quote me!"

Earlier, Matamoros lawyer, Jerry Canache, told me he saw no need to go "outside" the city to find a city manager or a city attorney.

"We have enough talent here in the city," stated the lawyer.  

With respect to the one of the openings, Canache said:  "Rene DeCoss would make a great City Attorney."

An anonymous person explained that, while my comparison of credentials, favoring Lysia H. Bowling for City Attorney was not inaccurate, she's not that impressive an interview over the phone.

Anyway, I did pick up a printout on the three candidates, published by Ralph Andersen & Associates, the recruitment team paid handsomely by Brownsville taxpayers to find us another city manager.  

The brochure contains brief bios of Noel Bernal, Juan Guerra and Jesus A. Garza that I will use in making observations about all three men before the City Commission meeting Tuesday night.