Who do they represent?

December 9, 2016

The recent attempt to hijack our local Metropolitan Planning Organization was led by local politicians that deserve some publicity.

State representative Joe Moody started the assault with his report from an “ad hoc” committee that was recommending that the Transportation Policy Board be reconstituted in order to strip the city of it’s dominance on the board.

The fact that the city represents over 80% of the population that the organization works for was evidently not of importance to the “ad hoc” committee.

State senator Jose Rodriquez climbed on board and spoke of the unfairness of majority rule.

County judge Veronica Escobar agreed that giving control to the minority was the right thing to do.

If they had succeeded the New Mexico members would hold one third of the voting seats.

Representing El Paso

State representative Joe Pickett spoke strongly against the effort.

Mayor Oscar Lesser agreed and spoke negatively about the cabal and the way it was sprung on the city.

The remainder of the city representatives on the board supported keeping the make up of the board as it was.

County commissioner Vincent Perez was the surprise in the group and expressed his opinion that the coup attempt was not legal.  He went further to suggest that the board’s attorney should be fired.

We deserve better

Brutus

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Bathroom hypocrites

December 8, 2016

Our city is considering ordinances to control mobile food purveyors.

One grouping that they are defining they have named “food courts”.  These are areas where multiple food trucks congregate.

This chart shows some of the rules that they are considering:

mobilefoodcourts

Note the area in yellow.  They want restrooms.

I guess that requiring small business people to build restrooms in a transient area somehow makes more sense than requiring the city to build them in a permanent public park like San Jacinto.

We deserve better

Brutus

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Not their kind of sports

December 7, 2016

Once again our city has found a way to run off a good thing.

The El Paso Border Youth Athletic Association (EPBYA) is an established non-profit organization that has been creating educational and developmental opportunities for children through athletics for a number of years.

They have been trying to negotiate with the city to locate some of their programs at Cohen stadium for years–back to the time of our former city manager.

The group is not asking for handouts.  They are willing to pay the bills.

The Cohen stadium plan included setting up a national youth world series baseball facility that would have brought talent from all over the country to play at Cohen stadium.

After years of trying to work with the city EPBYA has decided to move on.  They are now working with our county government to use improve Gallegos park in Canutillo.

Take a few moments to examine the association’s web page.  Their program called “The Base” is a 14,000 square foot indoor facility of batting cages and pitching tunnels right here in El Paso.  The facility does not cost the taxpayers a dime.

I guess the city thinks that they only have room for tax payer supported, for profit, sports.

We deserve better

Brutus

7 Comments | Ball park, City government, County Government | Permalink
Posted by Brutus

Naming names

December 5, 2016

Weeks after the story about the $2.9 million payment made on behalf of the Camino Real Regional Mobility Authority (CRRMA) came to light the El Paso Times has finally printed the name of the CRRMA employee involved.

It would not have been hard to do that earlier since the authority only has one employee.  Word around town is that the Times did not want to tarnish the reputation of one of its protected ones.

Now we know that the employee in question is Raymond L. Telles.

The board of the CRRMA consists of these members:

Susan A. Melendez

Joseph D. Wardy

Les Parker

Joe R. Fernandez

David C. Nemir

Yolanda Giner

Martha Y. Reyes

If you know any of these individuals you might want to tell them what you think about the loss of $2.9 million.

We deserve better

Brutus

3 Comments | City government | Permalink
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No time for transparency

December 4, 2016

We wrote Checking your work two weeks ago and pointed out that the Sun Metro web site was not showing their Mass Transit Board’s agendas or minutes.

The Mass Transit Board is composed entirely of city council members.

As of today the problem still has not been fixed.

We know as a fact that members of city council read this blog.  Have they ignored the problem or are they trying to hide something?

Would someone be kind enough to call Sun Metro?  They list 915/212-3333 as their phone number.

We deserve better

Brutus

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