Rio Grande Herald (Rio Grande City, Tex.), Vol. 31, No. 30, Ed. 1 Thursday, August 23, 1973 Page: 1 of 20
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RIO GRANDE
Serving over 5000 readers over 55 years
TPA Award Winning Newspaper
Ten Cents
Vol. XXXI
No. 30
Thursday August 23, 1973
Rio Grande City, Texas
tell it
it
IS
HAUL Tltfjo
HERA L.I) MANAGING
EDITOR
Where does the sand- castle builder fit in?
During the Commissioners Court meeting held last Fri-
day morning Commissioner Hector Lozano asked that any
further reports from the housing authority, especially
those made by Joel Guerrero Jr., be put in writing.
"I would like to see everything on this matter in black
and white, why should we take the word of one man?" Lo-
zano asked.
"I fully agree with you, and this is why we hope to have
a joint meeting with the Starr County Housing Authority,"
County Judge Ramirez said.
The problem is this folks ... the county has been given
some one million bucks with which to build 64 houses
ranging from two to three bedrooms. These houses would
then be rented to low-income families at a fraction of the
cost and the government would pay the county approxi-
mately $100. monthly to subsidize the rent. The money
would be used to pay expenses and pay back the govern-
ment's one-million bucks. At the end of twenty years
the county would become the sole owner of the project.
The other problem is that little old Joel Guerrero Jr.
hasn't been filling in the court with all the information.
Example: Since the county really started working on the
project they were led to believe that the government had
set a ceiling of $2000. per acre for land purchased for
the housing project. Suddenly the judge finds out that the
government did not sell the ceiling on anything and that
the contractor in making up the project has after deter-
mining his profit allowed only $2000. per acre for the
project.
Guerrero and Smith once approached the court and said
that the county would have to subsidize the project to the
tune of $4000. per acre because the land chosen for the
project was for sale at $6000. per acre and the "govern-
ment will not pay this much for land," we were told.
The county fathers after trying to deal a price with the
land owner Mr. Lalo Carrera decided that if the need
arose they would pay the additional $4000.
We believe the county fathers should take care of this
project if the project is to survive the many federal cut-
offs that have been happening in recent months.
We disagree with unwritten, off-the-cuff reports that
contradict each other everytime the county fathers ask
for a report.
All we ever hear is "Mr. Smith said this," "Mr. Galindo
said that," "but Mr. John said this." Nobody on the
court with the possible exception of the judge knows who
these people are or what connection any of them have with
the project.
We suggest that the County not only have a joint meeting
with the Starr County Housing Authority but also take over
the project, rid yourself of Guerrero and all the other
"middle men" and demand that all future reports from
anyone be in writing.
Remember what happens to sand-castles.
* * * ♦
The Rio Grande City Board of trustees are to be com-
plimented for getting rid of much of dead weight the dis-
trict had been carrying for some time.
The new look at the school should mean something by
way of efficiency ... at least.
All those non-professionals and even some professionals
that thought they were too valuable to be replaced know
that It can be done . . . and will be done if the need arises
again.
* ♦ * *
Ray Rochester, one of our community pillars, has been
struck with a heart attack while on a trip to Las Vegas.
Ray and his wife Bonnie, were on a hard earned vacation
when he was struck.
He was flown into Houston's St. Luke's Hospital this
last Monday where he will be staying until this weekend.
Our dear friend is just going to have to sit on the side
Une and take it a little easier for a while!
Court holds regular session
1
l)) RAUL TRLJO
The Starr County Commis-
sioners Court went through a
ten item agenda early Friday
morning after the meeting had
l>een postponed last Monday
due to lack of quorum.
The meeting opened with a re-
port from Count) Auditor F. G.
Gonzalez who told the court
that the county presently has
$500,324.25 before the present
bills were approved. County
Judge Marin I-,. Ramirez told
the court that there are $57,-
OOO.Od due in bills.
The court then approved a
request from the county audi-
tor's office to transfer some
$1",000.00 from the Starr
Bridge Fund to the general fund.
The court also authorized tile
judge to borrow some $75,-
000.00 of the original $17",-
000.00 loan made by the county
from the First State Bank here,
in earl) part of 1973. The rea-
son for borrowing the money
is so August and September
payrolls can be made.
The loan will l>e paid at the
end of the year.
I'lie court then approved Uie
purchase of office material
from various county offices
from the Steck Company who
requests that Starr County pay
cash for their purchases from
their company.
The commissioners then heard
a report from the county road
superintendent and one from
the county bridge manager.
An item on the agenda deal-
ing With a water well ■>< o...
airport was tabled pending the
possibility of getting water
from a well presently owned
by Yannie Cook. Commission-
er Reynaldo Alaniz will check
into the matter and report to
the court next meeting.
The court then went into a
heated discussion dealing with
a request from the Starr Coun-
ty Soil and Conservation Dis-
trict that the county provide
the service with $25,000 in
January and another ^25,000.00
in July for planning for the se-
ven water sheds that are to be
built on Los Olmos and Sandia
Water Shed projects.
County Judge Mario Ramirez
urged that he had lieen assured
repeatedly that although the
county had voted bonds for this
purpose the money would not
really be needed. Ramirez also
argued that all of a sudden the
money is needed right away.
Upon further explanation by
Conservationist Gonzalez the
court was told that although
such promises had been made
they had been made by an a-
gency that has no control ovet
the federal service l>eing pro-
vided by his agency.
The outlay of the money was
approved after the explanation.
Commissioner Reynaldo Ala-
niz made a motion that budget
hearing notices l>e posted. The
motion carried. The hearing
was set for September 10.
Ramirez told the court that he
would like to set an equal a-
mount in the budget for each
precinct considering that the
redisricting will be made e-
qual. However, each commis-
sioner w ill also be alloted a cer-
tain amount for the amount of
mileage in count) roads that he
must maintain.
The budget is filed with the
county clerk and is open for pub-
lic inspection at anytime dur-
ing office hours.
The court then approved the
appointment for election offi-
cials for the November 1073
electh ill. Those appointed were
Roberto Juan Garza, Jose
Saenz, Raymond Martinez,
I.eonel Garza, Fredico Guerra,
Denigno i- scobar, RamiroGar-
/,a, Haul Silva, Raul Ylllarreal,
Fliseo Mirelez, presiding
judge, Joe Sanchez, alternate
jud ;e.
Count) Attorney Alex Gabert
speaking for the Housing Au-
thorit\ told the court that all
the sites inspected b) the
federal inspectors had been
termed "unsatisfactory" for
Uie project but that they had
chosen the Carrera site over
reservations because it is not
within the mainstream of busi-
ness and community activity.
Gabert explained that Terry
Smith was in charge of con-
struction and that Joel Guerrero
was his representative.
Guerrero then reported on the
different sites that had been in-
spected and repeated Gaberts
report on the unsatisfactory lo-
cations.
"1 have a question Mr. Guer-
rero . . ." County Judge Mario
Ramirez said. "How much
money were we told the govern-
ment would authorize for land?
"Up to $2000. an acre," Guer-
rero answered.
"1 was under that understand-
ing but when we met with the
people from HUIJ (Housing and
Urban Development) a couple
of weeks ago to discuss another
project we were told they had
not set the $2000. ceiling for
property," Ramirez said.
"That the contractor, Mr.
Smith out of the entire money
lie had for the project he could
only afford $2000. for the land."
"lint the government has not
and will not set Uie ceiling on
what is to l>e paid for land un-
der the project," Ramirez said.
"Hobart Construction has been
interested in this project and
mavbe he can do it within the
Urgent
meeting
for parents
Rio Grande City High School
Band Director Nicolas Gonzalez
has called a general meeting of
all band member parents for
next Tuesday at 8 p.m. at the Rio
Grande City High School Band
Hall.
"I wish to express that this is
an urgent general meeting espe-
cially for all band member par-
ents and for all band boosters".
Gonzalez said.
confines of the money and still
pay for the land without the
county having to pay $-1000.
per acre and subsidize this
project," Ramirez added.
"But HUD would have to ap-
prove the amotii t of money
paid for the land," Guerrero
said.
"Yes, but what Mr. Smith is
See COURT page 3
Food stamps
to be
explained
Grocers and other food retail-
ers in Starr County will discuss
the U. S. Department of Agri-
culture's Food Stamp Program
at a meeting scheduled for
Thursday, August 30th.
The meeting will be held at
7:00 p.m., at the Multi Purpose
Center at Fort Ringgold.
Eugene A. Rowell, of the US-
PA'S Food and Nutrition Ser-
vice (F&NS) at Harlingen, re-
ports that Food Stamp issuance
is due to start in Starr County
on October 1st, and should be in
operation in the entire state by
November 1st. Because of the
workload caused by this expan-
sion, Mr. Rowell advises that
grocers desiring to be autho-
rized by opening date should at-
tend this meeting.
The Food Stamp Program will
be operated jointly by the Texas
Department of Public Welfare,
the U. S. Post Office, and F &
NS.
Under this program, families
certified as eligible by the Wel-
fare Department can use USDA
food coupons like cash to buy
food. They must buy coupons
equal to the money they nor-
mally spend for food. Then
they receive additional cou-
pons without cost. The value
of "bonus" coupons is deter-
mined by the size of the family,
its income, resources and other
factors.
Catholic
school
registration
THE IMMACULATE CONCEP-
TION SCHOOL registration will
take place Friday, August 24,
1973 from 8:00 a.m. till 3:30
p.m. All children registering
for the first time must bring
with them their Birth Certifi-
cate and Immunization Papers.
The tuition fee for the school
year has been $25.00 a month
for 10 months - a total of $250.-
00 for the year. The total a-
mount is the same for this year,
but to make it easier for most
parents we will collect $28.00
a month for 8 months (Sept-
ember thru April ) and $26.0C
in May. The first month's tui-
tion ($28.00), a Registration Fee
of $5.00 and an Insurance Fee
of $2.00 is to be paid Friday, Au-
gust 24. The first teaching day
will be Monday, August 27, 1973.
We are looking forward to see-
ing all of you once again. The
Sisters of Mercy.
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Trejo, Raul. Rio Grande Herald (Rio Grande City, Tex.), Vol. 31, No. 30, Ed. 1 Thursday, August 23, 1973, newspaper, August 23, 1973; Rio Grande City, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth194421/m1/1/: accessed April 23, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Rio Grande City Public Library.