Weslaco’s legal bills and much more
By G. Romero Wendorf
Quick, I need a clone machine. Clone fiveof me, maybe six, and maybe I can meet deadline.
As I write this, it’s 1:30, and I’ve been at it since 5:30. And I don’t even have Trump’s money to show for it. And let’s see, what are the stories I still have left to still write. No way I’m going to make my 4 o’clock deadline:
• There’s the interview I did with Hidalgo County Precinct 2 County Commissioner “Eddie” Cantu about road improvements overall, and more specificall, who’s right about the work he’s going to do on Cesar Chavez Road: Alamo Mayor Diana Martinez or her opponent for mayor this November, City Commissioner Trino Medina?
• Political Science Professor Dr. Samuel Freeman is finally retiring from UT-Pan Am, now UT-RGV, and he says the place is a mess in more ways than one. The president feels differently.
• Ammo sales are going well, says Gun Store Owner Bob Glick. So are gun sales.
• Donna ISD has budget problems. Who or what’s to blame? Board Trustee Ernesto Lugo says one thing; Board President Albert Sandoval says another.
• Hillary Clinton and Jeb Bush were in the Valley.
• Two law firmsare battling each other for more than a few tax-collection jobs: Linebarger Goggan Blair & Sampson, LLP vs. Perdue Brandon Fielder Collins & Mott, LLP.
• Donna Superintendent Jesus Reyna and Board Trustee Ernesto Lugo were no-billed by the grand jury recently on bribery allegations. Lugo’s attorney has something to say about the way his client was treated.
• Texas State Board of Education Member Ruben Cortez Jr. never did return my phone call from last week seeking comment as to whether or not he ever served as a paid consultant for Texas Descon L.P., lobbying certain school board members for construction work on Descon’s behalf, as some social media posts have claimed. Trouble is, too many social sites are run by anonymous hacks these days making bogus claims. But if the elected officials don’t respond to legitimate media requests for comment, who’s to say if the anonymous hack writer is accurate or not? Refusing an interview may not be the best course of action to pursue. Did Cortez do work for Descon, or did he not?
• IDEA Public Schools finallycalled after several weeks seeking an interview with its CEO Tom Torkelson. Date’s set for this Wednesday.
• There’s the Hidalgo County courthouse story to write about. Will it really get built without spending taxpayer dollars?
• Is it true that Texas Descon L.P. is still at work on a school job north of here? Edinburg just kicked the company off its water plant job this week, adding to the company’s woes.
• And finall, the story I really wanted to write about this week – the termination of the city of Weslaco’s city attorney, Frank Garza. But still a few puzzle pieces missing. So far, I’ve interviewed two commissioners, Greg Kerr and David Fox, both of whom voted last Tuesday to fir Garza by issuing him a 60-day termination notice. And I’ve interviewed Mayor Pro Tem Olga Noriega, who along with the mayor, David Suarez, and Commissioner Fidel Peña III, voted against the measure. Typically, when the 7-member vote is split 3 to 3, Kerr sides with the mayor, giving him the majority. But not this time. What I’m lacking is an interview with the mayor and the city attorney and copies of the legal bills, from Garza as well as seven other “outside” attorneys, all of whom have billed the city to date, approximately $787,000 collectively vs. a budgeted amount of $389,000, according to Kerr. Currently, Garza is getting a $15,000 monthly retainer (he originally wanted $30k) and an hourly rate of $175. Big question: how could Garza bill the city 21 or 22 hours of legal work over the course of only one 24-hour day?
If I don’t manage to keel over between now and next week, all of these stories should appear in next week’s Advance.