City Commission - August 26, 2008

City Commission Meeting - August 26, 2008
Agenda.

BISD Candidates for November 4th Election

Position 3	Position 4	Position 5	Position 6 (Open)	Position 7
Otis Powers	Pat Lehman	Rolando Aguilar	Joe Cadriel	Joe Colunga
Catalina Presas-Garcia	Rick Zayas		Minerva Pena
			Moises Gonzalez

Yesterday, August 26th, was the filing deadline for candidacy in the November 4th BISD Board Trustee elections. When the elections were held in May, the filing deadline was 62 days prior. Now that they're held on the General Election day, it's 70 days out. I never knew that until today, FWIW.

A few notes:

• Obvious kudos go out to Colunga and Aguilar for avoiding opponents.
• There's a fresh face or two (at least to me) in Moises Gonzalez and Minerva Pena, both vying for the vacated spot against veteran trustee Joe Cadriel.
• Presas-Garcia is back and I guess either of her claimed residences should qualify for District eligibility this time around in her race against Otis.
• Rick Zayas, while ably chairing the BISD Bond Oversight Committee, presents a more-than-welcome challenge to Lehman.
• It should be noted that due to the movement of the elections to November and in an effort to more equally stagger the various terms, Position 4 (the one Zayas would occupy) is a 2-year term.

BND - August 20, 2008

Brownsville Navigation District Board Meeting - August 20, 2008
Agenda.

Cameron County - August 19, 2008

Cameron County Commissioners' Court - August 19, 2008
Agenda.

Cameron County - August 12, 2008

Cameron County Commissioners' Court - August 12, 2008
Agenda.

No valid agenda link because the County Judge's Agenda page and the main Agenda page kept by the County Clerk are utterly disorganized with an outdated (Feb. '08?) archive. I can't understand why the County Clerk's office (responsible for agendas) and their resident webmaster (responsible for website upkeep) don't consider their information portal a priority.

It bears repeating: Transparency helps inform the public, BUT IT ALSO INCREASES GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY. The more info we can obtain for ourselves, the less precious time these bureaucrats departments can spend helping us get it.

BISD BOC - August 7, 2008

BISD Bond Oversight Committee Meeting - August 7, 2008

Brownsville PUB - August 11, 2008

Brownsville PUB Board Meeting - August 11, 2008
Agenda.

City Commission - August 19, 2008

City Commission Meeting - August 19, 2008
Agenda.

Cameron County - August 5, 2008

Cameron County Commissioners' Court - August 5, 2008
Agenda.

No valid agenda link because the County Judge's Agenda page and the main Agenda page kept by the County Clerk are utterly disorganized with an outdated (Feb. '08?) archive. I can't understand why the County Clerk's office (responsible for agendas) and their resident webmaster (responsible for website upkeep) don't consider their information portal a priority.

It bears repeating: Transparency helps inform the public, BUT IT ALSO INCREASES GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY. The more info we can obtain for ourselves, the less precious time these bureaucrats departments can spend helping us get it.

District 2. Represent'in.

Got a friendly note from a pal, today. Thought I'd share:

Chris, You and your family benefit from AD Joe Rod being in charge at Sam's stadium. You are not charged at the gate. You enjoy free refreshments and eat all the food you want paid by the district. No conflict? Your piss poor announcements of high school games is reason why maybe change is needed. Joe Rod has to wonder if your constant one-sided view of politics trickled down to his demise. I for one hope Joe Rod remains in BISD because it is not his fault he has a son-in-law that draws criticism of the Rodriguez family. Chris, you blew it. Maybe next time you will rethink the way you attack people. Your constant attacks has come back to hurt someone who doesn't deserve what he has to go through. You need to let Joe Rod read this message so he can know that you and only you sought out haters who would retaliate against your love ones. I won't throw it in your face but you and your website thought you were invincible and when you come across arrogant like you do, there are people out there that will bring you back down to earth. You are such a dumb ass. You fucked your father-in-law because of your stupid arrogance. The district will suffer with the loss of Joe Rod. You stupid asshole!!!!

Charlie Atkinson
08.13.08 - 3:00 am

And a follow-up:

Where is my comment faggot? Post it! For someone who comes across like a know it all, you sure lack balls boy. Its alright, I saved it and I'll show it to Joe Rod. He has to feel somehow your blog has caused damage to his legacy. Dumbass!!!! If I were your wife, I would leave your ass!!!!!

charles atkinson
08.13.08 - 12:05 pm

Guess I hit a nerve. Huh. Who knew?

City Commission - August 12, 2008

City Commission Meeting - August 12, 2008
Agenda.

BISD Board - August 5, 2008

BISD Board of Trustees Meeting - August 5, 2008
Agenda.

How 'bout dat Lezak?

Wow.

Just wow.

City Commission - August 5, 2008

City Commission Meeting - August 5, 2008
Agenda.

BISD Board - July 31, 2008

BISD Board of Trustees Meeting - July 31, 2008
Agenda.

BND - August 6, 2008

Brownsville Navigation District Board Meeting - August 6, 2008
Agenda.

CIAC: 10-Year Capital Improvement Plan Draft Released

Just in time for the planned August 14th CIAC meeting (Agenda), a final draft of the proposed 10-Year Capital Improvement Plan has been released.

Here's the hard data:

Capacity Only Projects spreadsheet (totaling $110 million).

Combined Renewal/Replacement & Capacity Projects spreadsheet (totaling $218 million).

And here's the project-by-project breakdown

The meeting will take place next Thursday at 5:30PM in the Main Conference Room at the PUB Building on 1425 Robinhood Dr. The public in encouraged to attend and ask questions.

BISD Board - July 15, 2008 (Incomplete)

BISD Board of Trustees Meeting - July 15, 2008 (Incomplete)
Agenda.

Cameron County - July 29, 2008

Cameron County Commissioners' Court - July 29, 2008
Agenda.

Brownsville PUB - July 14, 2008

Brownsville PUB Board Meeting - July 14, 2008
Agenda.

City Charter Review Committee - July 29, 2008

City Charter Review Committee - July 29, 2008
Agenda

Present Members:
Carlos Ayala, Jr. (Garza appt.)
Hilario Diaz (Ahumada appt.)
Elizabeth Dierlam (Camarillo appt.)
Edward Moore (Ahumada appt.)
Dr. David Morales (Atkinson appt.)
Francisco Rendon (Garza appt.)
Eddie Sikes (Cisneros appt.)
Mark Sossi (Troiani appt.)
John Villarreal (Camarillo appt.)
Melissa Zamora (Longoria appt.)

Absent Members:
Richard Atkinson (Atkinson appt.)*
Norma Castellano (Longoria appt.)
David Fisher (Cisneros appt.)
Henri Nicolas (Troiani appt.)

*Perhaps Richard Atkinson is aware that his appointment violates the City Charter's Nepotism Clause:

Article V, Section 30. Nepotism.

No person related within the second degree by affinity, or within the third degree by consanguinity, to the mayor or any of the commissioners, shall be appointed by the city commission, nor a person thus related to the city manager shall ever be appointed by him to any office, position, clerkship or service to the city.

Next scheduled meeting is on Wednesday, August 13th on 4th floor conference room at City Hall.