Rio Grande Herald (Rio Grande City, Tex.), Vol. 32, No. 30, Ed. 1 Thursday, May 16, 1974 Page: 11 of 28
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COURT from page 11
weeks and have been unable to
secure the loan. Gonzalez told
the court that they had then
gone to the Premont Bank and
the Mission Bank and were
unable to secure the loan
because the county was not a
depositor at those banks.
"Even even offered to sign
the notes ourselves (Gonzalez
and Ramirez) but were turned
down," Gonzalez told the court.
"The fact is that we have
over-spent and over-spent and it
has been that we could go to the
local bank and borrow the
money we needed but this time
we can't borrow any money and
it has caught up with us,"
Ramirez told the court.
"The county is in very serious
financial condition and we have
been unable to meet the
$54,000.00 needed to pay the
contractor out there building
the hospital," Ramirez told the
court. "And the truth is that we
committed ourselves to $125,000
to meet these expenses and now
we don't have the money," he
added.
Ramirez told the court that
the county must meet a $54,000
payment to the contractor or
the contractor would call for a
breach of contract and would
quit working. This would be
very disadvantageous to the
county, because the county
would have to re-negotiate the
contract and would get the short
in of the deal because of the
higher prices in materials. (See
interview with Dr. Mario E.
Ramirez.)
The judge told the court that
the assistant auditor and
himself had checked with HUD
in Washington and had been
given the go ahead to use
revenue sharing money and
make the payment necessary at
the hospital.
Commissioner Pena said that
he wanted an attorney general's
opinion on the matter and
wanted it in writing before the
money was used.
Ramirez reminded the
Commissioner from Precinct
Two that the contractor needed
to be paid and the county had
obligated itself to make the
pa;, men..
I still want it in writing, the
contractor can wait a couple of
days, can't he?" Pena an-
swered.
All Commissioners expressed
a desire to have the opinion in
writing and then asked County
Attorney Alex Gabert about the
matter.
Gabert told the court that an
attorney general's opinion was
not necessary because the
money was federal money and
the state had little to do with it.
However, Gabert did say that
his office would get a con-
firmation on the go ahead
Ramirez was talking about and
asked for a written opinion on
the matter.
The matter was left pending
awaiting Gabert's telephone
call to Washington, on the use of
revenue sharing funds. The
Herald learned late Tuesday
afternoon that Gabert has
gotten the go ahead on using
revenue sharing money to
prevent the hospital con-
struction from coming to a
stand still.
In other action the court
approved a subdivision sub-
mitted by Basilio Villarreal and
rejected a pas hike for the only
county employee recommended
by the newly established Starr
County Grivance Committee.
Under state law the county
must have such a committee
formed of local citizens and this
minmittee hears complaints
from county employees and
recommends to the court such
raises.
The court took no formal
action on a request from the
Sheriff who asked for several
items from uniforms to repairs
for sheriff's department cars.
The court stated that the
sheriff's department has been
given a budget and should be
working from that budget
without having to come to the
court with all the petty
operational expenses the
department incurs. A reminder
in the letter from the sheriff
that his salary be raised met
with a quick reminder that the
Starr County Grivance Com-
mittee had not recommended
the sheriff for a raise.
Commissioner Reynaldo
Alaniz then asked when the
county could raise salaries for
his workers and was quickly
told that the county couldn't
even meet its present needs and
obligations much less raise
salaries.
The court then passed an
order to purchase a right of way
for $(>00. The right of way is 27.2
feet wide and 2220 feet long. It
will enable the county to build a
passage way for several local
residents that are unable to
reach their properties at the
present time.
Gene Hobart presented plans
for the remolding of the cour-
thouse and also presented
secondary stage planning. He
was asked how much the county
owed him thusfar and he told
the court that he had a bill
pending for $5000 and the county
would have another bill for
about the same amount for the
secondary plans which he
presented Monday.
One of the commissioners
asked if there were any federal
funds available for planning
and was told that the federal
government was presently
trying to collect from the county
money it loaned the county for
plans prepared for a new
courthouse which Dr. Mario
Ramirez told the court was
done under former County
Judge F R. Nye.
Hobart told the court that the
government will not participate
in any planning money for such
a venture until the other project
is terminated with the federal
government.
In other heated action the
court fought over who has the
right to represent the county in
the Council of Governments in
Ixiredo. The Judge informed
the court that the by-laws of the
COG plainly state that the
County Judge has to be the
representative on the COG
board and that he has the option
to appoint or allow the com-
missioners to appoint two
representatives to the board.
However, since you com-
missioners have questioned and
tried to strip me of my
representative duties on the
COG I am taking the option
clearly given to me by the COG
by-laws and appointing Mr.
Alex W Gabert and John Pope
III to the COG board to serve
with me," Ramirez said.
The appointments infuriated
the court and accusations of the
COG being a Kangaroo Court
were blasted at Ramirez.
Ramirez responded by reading
the COG by-laws to the court.
I want to change those by-
laws and I want to change them
now." Commissioner Pena
said.
How can you change them,
they don't belong to this court
and you have no authority to
change them," Ramirez an-
s\\ ered
Gabert was again consulted
about the matter and he quickly
THE RIO GRANDE HERALD PAGE 11 THURSDAY, MAY 16, 1974
Beef
Syndicate
to meet
The Roma Beef Syndicate
will hold their annual Couple's
Supper Saturday May 18 at 8: '.'i0
p.m. at the school cafeteria.
All members are urged to
attend with their wives.
told the court that the by-laws
belonged to another
organization outside the realm
of the commissioners'
jurisdiction and that they had
no authority to change them.
They were told that if they
wanted to protest the actions of
the county judge they could
attend the Council of Govern-
ments meetings in I^aredo and
do so.
Commissioner Reynaldo
i Moreno) Alaniz threaten to
take Ramirez to court on the
appoints because he told the
judge that he (the judge) was
denying him his civil rights.
Ramirez advised him to take it
to court if he so desired.
In still another scrape with
the Commissioners, Judge
Ramirez fought the motion
made by Commissioner Hector
Lozano to purchase on a lease-
purchase basis a road grader
costing some $47,500. The
yearly payment would be
$12,000.00 per year. The lease-
purchase had already been
handled by the Plains Equip-
ment Company whose local
representative is former
County Commissioner Efrain
Duran.
Ramirez asked County
Auditor E.G. Gonzalez if the
county could afford such a piece
of equipment.
"Certainly not, we have many
past due bills we have to pay
and I will not approve the
Lease-Purchase agreement
even if the Commissioners
Court passes on this motion,
because I know we cannot af-
ford it," Gonzalez said. "I have
already reported the bad
financial condition of the county
and 1 just will not approve such
a purchase," he added.
Ramirez explained that it did
not matter if the motion passed
if the County Auditor did not
approve the purchase it could
and would not be done.
I have a motion before the
court," Ixizano interjected.
The court took a vote and
Pena-Alaniz-Lozano voted in
favor of the lease-purchase and
Ramirez and Roque Guerra
voted against.
The court again argued about
the lease-purchase and Alaniz
asked Heberto Barrera to give
his opinion on the matter.
Gonzalez interjected that he
was the auditor and Barrera
was the assistant and that he as
the county auditor had and
would not sign for the lease-
purchase and that it would not
ix' done. We don't have any
loney to operate and you have
plenty of new equipment, I will
not approve the purchase and
that's the end of the story,"
Gonzalez said in Spanish.
The court then recessed until
Thursday today i to discuss the
hospital matter, unless no
ruling has been reached on the
use of revenue sharing money.
DEMOS from page 2
failing to post their minutes in
the prescribed time was the San
Isidro precinct. However, the
delegation did attend the
convention, but was not seated.
In view of the San Isidro in-
terest in the convention, it was
decided by the delegates of the
convention that they would be
given one state delegate to the
Democratic Convention in
Austin.
Chairman Villarreal went on
to appoint Romeo Lopez
chairman of the Credentials
Committee. Lopez and the
committee reported after their
session that all members had
been certified members of the
Democratic Convention and
that all delegate-alternates
were now voting delegates of
the Convention. It was also
reported by the Credentials
Committee that 111 delegates
constituted the convention.
After the delegate cer-
tification, Chairman Villarreal
appointed the Mayor of Roma,
J C. Guerra, Rules and
Resolutions Committee
Chairman. That committee
went into session and after a
brief period submitted to the
convention, two resolutions.
One of the resolutions com-
mended Governor Briscoe's
efforts to enhance and expand
educations programs The
resolutions passed
unanimously. The second
resolution complimented the
Governor for his leadership in
the Democratic Party and
asked the State Democratic
Convention to work in harmony
and not cause any serious deep
rifts within the party. This
resolution also passed
unanimously.
Recognition was then given to
IJoyd A. Van Nest, Precinct
Chairman-elect, and lie offered
a resolution from the floor of the
convention. He moved that Mrs.
Gilberto A. Garza be suggested
as a possible member of the
State Democratic Committee to
replace the present member,
Mrs. Frank Randall Nye. The
motion was quickly seconded
and overwhelmingly passed
with no opposition.
The Democratic Convention
then went onto other business of
electing delegates to the State
Democratic Convention to be
held in Austin, September 17.
The Democratic leadership
of the Convention decided State
delegates would be allotted by
more Democratic methods than
the methods used in previous
years.
The chairman announced
each precinct would be given
one delegate, except precincts I!
and !> which would be given
three delegates apiece because
those precincts were the largest
in the county. It was also
decided the San Isidro precinct
would be given one state
delegate although their
delegation was not seated at the
convention. There would also be
one delegate to be elected as a
delegate-at-large. The con-
vention agreed wholeheartedly
to the new method of selecting
state delegates.
The state delegates elected
were: Precinct 1, Mrs Ester P.
Gonzalez, Delegation Vice-
Chairwoman; I*recinct 2, Juan
Erasmo Saenz; Precinct .'i. Jose
Guadalupe Villarreal,
Delegation Chairman; Mrs. A.
Garza, and J I) Villarreal Jr .
Precinct 4; Neil Alvarado,
Precinct 5, no delegation sent;
Precinct (>, Mr. J.C Guerra,
Roel Saenz and Emma Vera
From Precinct 7 there was not a
delegate sent; Precinct 8, Mrs.
Erika K Rodriguez and Miguel
Ruelas was the state delegate
selected from Precinct 9. The
Delegate-at-Large was Richard
Gutierrez who resides in
Precinct 1.
Alternates to the state con-
vention .vere nominated and
appr ed by the convention.
Those selected were: Mrs.
Arnoldo F. Gonzalez, Precinct
1; Jose Adan Garcia, Precinct
.; Cornelio Alvarez, Romeo
Ixipez and Eliseo Smith Jr., and
Dr. Gilberto A. iNenei Garza
from Precinct :i. From
Precincts 4, (>, 8, and !), the
following were elected: Rodolfo
T. Garza, Emma Galloway,
[<iuro Munoz, Celia R. Saenz,
Pedro Diaz Jr., and I .amber to
Solis.
Chairman Villarreal called
upon Jose Guadalupe
Villarreal. the newly-elected
Starr County Democratic
Chairman, to address the
Convention of Democrats. After
a resounding standing evation,
Villarreal thanked the
delegates for their support and
then pledged himself to help
Starr County progress and
prosper. He also said "Greater
things were in store for the
people of Starr County. The
time to act is now!" The people
spoke May 4th and we have
heard their cries and we shall
help them,' Villarreal said and
again thanked the convention.
The delegates applauded wildly
and again gave the Democratic
Chairman-elect a standing
ovation.
J.C. Guerra was recognized
by the Chair. Guerra praised
Villarreal for his great
leadership and unrelenting
efforts to bring progress to
Starr County and the
Democratic. "Lupe Villarreal,"
stated Guerra, "has been called
many things during his cam-
paign, but there is one more
name that should be added to
the list - Lupe Villarreal's new
name should be "dragonkiller."
Guerra was referring to Lupe
Villarreal's victory over F.R.
Nye, a longtime but now
deposed political boss.
Pledging unit and harmony
among all Democrats the
county convention adjourned.
( l KHRA from I
ground with two votes after the
recount asked for by Eleazar
Gil for precinct chairman for
precinct 9.
Fernando Salinas still lost in
the recount held for the District
Clerk's office which he lost to
United Groups Candidate Juan
Erasmo Saenz by 4:i votes.
An attempt to get a recount
for Horatio Vela, defeated for
justice of the peace for precinct
two failed when the Starr
County Democratic Executive
Committee [jointed out that
Vela did not loose within the
five per cent required for a
recount. Vela lost to incumbent
IP Minerva Pena by some 84
votes
86 EVENTS SET
FOR SPOLETO
SPOLETO, Italy -The
17th annual Spoleto Festival
next summer will include
"Lulu," staged by film director
Roman Polanski. It will be his
first directing of an opera
Also, the latest opera by Gian
Carlo Menotti, founder of the
festival, "Tamu-Tamu," will be
given its European debut.
The festival has been extend-
ed from 18 to 23 days and will
open June 14 with Moliere's
"The Hypochondriac." This
will be presented by Com-
pagnia Associata di Prosa, the
theatrical company of the festi-
val's artistic director, Romolo
Vallt Musical directors are
conductor! Thomas Schippers.
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Trejo, Raul. Rio Grande Herald (Rio Grande City, Tex.), Vol. 32, No. 30, Ed. 1 Thursday, May 16, 1974, newspaper, May 16, 1974; Rio Grande City, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth194459/m1/11/?q=heraclio%20perez: accessed April 26, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Rio Grande City Public Library.