NEW CITY MANAGER NOEL BERNAL'S HONEYMOON TOUR GOES TO THE BCIC

City Manager Noel Bernal at BCIC

Newly appointed City Manager Noel Bernal took his master class in city management to the Brownsville Community Improvement Corporation Thursday morning as the city board enjoyed a holiday meal at Celia Galindo's Gourmet Central 515 W. 4th Street.

In contrast to former City Manager Charlie Cabler, who, when he did attend city events or board meetings, typically took a "police stance" in the corner, facing the front door, Bernal throws out current civic jargon to wow his audience.

Bernal, just as he's done in private conversations, keeps telling any who will listen that he's not ready to "share his vision" right now, just focus on the "culture."  He speaks of "economic gardening," "investing within," not simply chasing the few "800 lb gorrillas" out there.

Our area, Bernal states, needs an "economic M.R. I.," has "lots of land," but needs "not to just grow," but "grow right the first time."

"Redevelopment is more expensive than development," Bernal continues.  Bernal uses examples in Coppell, Georgetown and Austin to make his points, not exactly areas matching Brownsville's demographics or limitations.

Mr. Bernal deals headon with his youth:  "Yes, I've been very fortunate, being a city manager at 25, now with 10 years experience."

Ironically, while young Mr. Bernal was honing his skills as City Manager of Coppell, Texas, Mike Hernandez III was just 12.8 miles away at Colleyville, becoming a car leasing icon.  

Now, Bernal may occasionally find himself in a tussle for control of Brownsville's steering wheel as Hernandez III tries to take control.  

Someone, perhaps Carlos Marin, has shown Bernal a dusty copy of the Imagine Brownsville Comprehensive Plan, adopted by the City of Brownsville in 2009, but never implemented.  

If Bernal ventures outside the inner circle of Brownsville governance, he may get an earful about Imagine Brownsville, the high-sounding concept butterfly that morphed backwards into an ugly caterpillar shadow government renamed United Brownsville, now rightly dissolved into nothingness.

Oh, the "one stop shop" concept for starting new businesses in Brownsville has been resuscitated, this time possibly in a refurbished Casa del Nylon building.  Wouldn't that "kill two birds with one stone?"

One of the small cubicles on the 14th Street side of the former CDN may soon facilitate Mexican Nationals getting the card needed to pass the Sarita checkpoint.  

From the editor:  Unfortunately, I was unable to accomplish my principal goal in attending today's BCIC meeting, that is, to get specifics on the B.I.G. program, detailed by BCIC Director Rebeca Castillo recently.  

Rebeca says to expect more detail by March.  So far, 50% rental subsidies for six months for those starting new businesses, 30% for the next six months, 50-50 matching for facade and sign refurbishment has been mentioned.

This program is limited to a designated "downtown" area.