The Rio Grande Herald (Rio Grande City, Tex.), Vol. 39, No. 46, Ed. 1 Thursday, September 19, 1985 Page: 1 of 10
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Sports News,
Page 6
THE RIO GRANDE HERftli
Serving Starr CourjXy For Five Decades
H.E.B.
Specials,
Page 5
Published in Rio Grande City, Texas, Every Thursday, By The Rio Grande Publishing Co.
No. 46 Thursday, September-19,1985
FIFTEEN CENTS
I District Judge Okays
Note, Bond Issue
Starr County was officially sanctioned Monday to fully participate in the Texas
Sesquicentennial observance. County Judge Bias Chapa, second from left, is
presented the official plaque by Jeanine Hicks, center, of the Sesquicentennial
Commission.
A Herald
Editorial
By KENNETH ROBERTS
Managing Editor
State District Judge Ricardo
Garcia ruled Monday in favor of
the county's plan to solve its day to
day financial problems through a
$1.94 million bank note and the
issuance of bonds.
Garcia said he would approve the
county's plan, drafted by Texas
Capital Markets, an Austin finan-
cial advisory firm, with some
restrictions-- the most important
being that the district court will
retain jurisdiction over the coun-
ty's finances until the indebtedness
is fulfilled.
Also, the county commissioners
must live within their budget, and
must not approve another bond
issue without a vote of the people
during the 20-year life of the bonds.
Also, the bond interest cannot
exceed 11 4 percent.
When the hearing started, sever-
al members of the Starr County
Taxpayers League, represented by
attorney Roger Reed, were on hand
to express opposition to the note
and bond issuance. But in his
closing statement, Reed said the
League had decided to abandon its
opposition to the plan, calling the
best available in "these unfortu-
nate circumstances."
After the testimony concluded,
and Judge Garcia recessed to
make his decision, George
Edgerton of the League said that
organization had been reassured by
the restrictions that are to be
placed on the county He said, "We
got their agreement that they will
follow the budget...They will not
even issue certificates of indebted-
ness during the term of repayment,
which is 20 years."
When the hearing began, Judge
Garcia said the proceeding was a
public one to notify people in Starr
County of the planned bank note
and bond issue, and give them a
chance to contest the procedure if
they wished. Secretary of State
Most county officials say
they believe the $1.94 mil-
lion bank loan and the
issuing of refunding bonds
will finally start, the county
on the road to a stable
financial picture. One can
only hope that is the case.
A more stable financial
picture should mean a bet-
ter chance for economic
growth and real hope of
private-sector employment
for the people of Starr
County. County officials say
it will mean lower costs in
purchases of fuel and
equipment if adequate cash
is on hand.
In order for the situation
to really improve in a
lasting way, the county
commissioners need to stick
to the District Judge's order
to the letter. Sound busi-
ness-based budgeting is the
most important aspect of
all In other words, the
county must live within its
means.
Auditor Jose Guadalupe
Villarreal has warned
numerous times that
"overoptimistic budgeting"
has caused the big "holes"
in the budget Realistic, not
wishful budgeting, needs to
be carried out by any public
entity, whether it be the
U.S. Congress or the Starr
County Commissioners
Court.
Judge Bias Chapa said the
commissioners court has
learned from their past
mistakes with budgeting.
Taxpayers in Starr County
should keep a watchful eye
on budgeting procedures to
guarantee that sound
practices will be followed in
the future.
One recent discussion in
commissioner's court merits
consideration and debate
concerning budgeting. On
Friday, local DPS troopers
came before the commis-
Commissioners Okay New
Fay Reporting Period
sioners asking funding for
their 1986 budget. In
particular, they asked that
money be budgeted for new
radar equipment and
walkie-talkies.
The auditor properly
pointed out that since the
county's 1985 budget had
already been prepared, the
DPS was late in presenting
its budget request. Constant
amendments of the budget
such as that requested by
DPS Friday have only
worsened the budgetary sit-
uation of the county over the
years.
The court wound up the
discussion with an indica-
tion, and DPS agreement,
that the new equipment may
well be paid for from the
revenue sharing budget.
The last revenue sharing
budget needs to be the same
type of document as the
District Judge requires the
county budget to be: a
sound budget where money
is spent only after it has
been appropariated from
adequate revenue. The DPS
request for $23,600 should
receive the sharpest
scrutiny from the commis-
sioners.
In the opinion of The Rio
Grande Herald, it is proper
to ask why county funds
should be used to pay for
equipment and salaries for
a state agency One should
ask: Why doesn't the state
of Texas take all responsi-
bility for funding and
equipment of one of its
agencies?
The local DPS's request
for funding of the new
equipment needs to receive
sharp attention from the
cdunty commissioners, who
have vowed to follow sound
budgetary procedures in the
future. It is essential that
they keep that promise.
Friday's continued regular meet-
ing of the County Commissioners
was notable for the approval of a
change in the pay reporting period
for county employees.
Upon a motion offered by Pre-
cinct Two Commissioner Aniando
Pena, and seconded by Precinct
Four Commissioner Reyna.l.flo
Alaniz, the pay reporting period
was changed from the first to the
24th of each month to from the 26th
of the month to the 25th of the
following month.
Until now, the reporting period
ended on the 24th of the month, but
employees were paid for the entire
month on the assumption they
worked all remaining days of that
month.
Of that arrangement, Auditor
Jose Guadalupe Villarreal said at
Monday's meeting, "I'm paying
people for work they haven't
done." When employees have not
worked in the latter days of the
month, their paychecks have been
docked the following month.
Vijlarreal said on Monday, "That's
what we've been doing, but we are
told that is illegal."
Villarreal said the new ar-
rangement will not affect the
quantity of the paycheck for county
employees.
The two commissioners present
at t'rrt- meeting. Pena'and Alani?.,
also voted to approve policies for
county employees as prepared by
Villarreal and County Attorney
Heriberto Silva. The policies deal
with job classifications and salary,
pay periods, leave, holildays, re-
tirement, Social Security, in-
surance, grievances, political
activities, and personal conduct.
The commissioners then pre-
pared for a decision on the two bids
offered for Phase Two of the EDA
Courthouse Renovation, and the
renovation of the current county
jail facilities Federal Program
Coordinator "Jake" Margo said,
"The bids were very favorable "
Margo said the first action that
needed to be taken was approval of
the low bids, both offered by D & F
Industries of Pharr The low bid
was $303,878 for the courthouse
renovation, and $39,995 for the jail
renovation. The commissioners
quickly voted to approve the bids
submitted by D & F
Margo added, "The attorneys
(Frank Randall Nye, Jr., and
Isbael Trevino) checked the bond,
and everything is accordingly."
The motion by Pena calling for
approval of the D & F bids requires
concurrent approval by the EDA
and the Criminal Justice Division
of the Governor's Office.
,ev REl'ORTI^f'. f{>
John Fainter was on hand, and he
argued on behalf of the county's
plan. Susan Moss of the Texas
Attorney General's office was also
on hand.
Domingo Arredondo, a citizen
present at the hearing, said he
would try to seek an appeal of the
judge's declaratory julgment in
favor of the county government.
Earlier, when pressed by Judge
Garcia, he said he wanted 90 to 180
days to determine the position he
would take on the issue Garcia
insisted, "You're eiti.er for it or
against it." Arredondo insisted, "I
haven't talked to them (the Tax-
payers League)."
The hearing began when Fainter
questioned County Judge Bias
Chapa He introduced a number of
bank notes into the record, and
Chapa said all of them went to pay
for day to day county operations
He said the purpose of the
commissioners' Aug. 20 approval of
Texas Capital Markets' plan was
"to consolidate all notes and get
operating funds for the county,
until refunding bonds are issued."
Chapa replied to Fainter that the
main problem was, "We needed the
funds to operate the county." He
said the county has already taken
actions to start getting its fiscal
house in order; among them
changing the fiscal year to begin on
Oct. 1, hiring an independent
auditor to examine county books
once a year, and more "diligent"
collection of delinquent taxes
(Sre JI Dl.h Pugr H)
County Budget
Hearing Friday
The hearing for consideration of
the 1986 budget, originally sched-
uled for this past Monday, has been
changed
The commissioners will meet to
discuss and probably vote on the
new budget at 10 a.m. Friday at
the County Courtroom.
Gonzalez Case
A wa iti ng A rra ign m ent
County Sanctioned
For Sesquicentenn ial
Starr County was officially sanc-
tioned by a state commission to
participate in the observance of
Texas' 150th birthday in a brief
ceremony Monday night at the
Brass Bull Steakhouse in Rio
Grande City.
Jeanine Hicks of the Texas
Sesquicentennial Commission pres-
ented Judge Bias Chapa with a
plaque signifying that Starr County
would be a "Texas Independence
County."
The communities of La Grulla
and San Isidro were also sanc-
tioned Hicks presented the plaques
signifying the sanctioning of Grulla
to Narciso Guerra, and presented a
similar plaque to Rene Montalvo of
San Isidro.
Hicks said the sanctioning means
that Starr County and the two
communities can use the Ses-
quicentennial Logo, sell Ses-
quicentennial promotional products
for profit, and have their events
listed in the calendar of statewide
events She said the Sesquicenten
nial calendar will be distributed
throughout the world
Hicks said in informal remarks,
"The history here is something
else. I've learned what a historic
area the Valley is. This is a
grassroots celebration. This is the
people of Texas throwing their
birthday party. The heart and soul
of it is in towns like Rio Grande
City, Roma, and La Grulla."
During an informal discussion,
Hicks discussed the possibility of
the Main Street project of the
Texas Historical Commission being
(See SANCTIONED. Puge 8)
A charge of DWI against Rio
Grande City CISD trustee Abel N.
Gonzalez, Jr., is awaiting arraign-
ment and disposition in the Starr
County Court-At Law.
County Court-At Law Judge Alex
W Gabert said, "I haven't had any
arraignments in the past few
days."
Gonzalez was charged with DWI,
driving on the wrong side of the
road and being involved in a traffic
accident about five miles north of
Rio Grande City on FM 755 Sunday,
Sept. 1 at 2:42 p.m.
According to the DPS, Gonzalez
was driving a blue Buick LeSabre
northbound, and his vehicle
allegedly crossed into the south-
bound lane, in which a red Toyota
pickup driven by Jose Santos de la
Garza, Jr., was traveling
When the pickup took evasive
action, moving into the northbound
lane, Gonzalez's vehicle alleffdly
veered back into the southbound
lane, striking the pickup, occupied
by de la Garza and one passenger
Both drivers and the passenger
suffered minor injuries According
to the DPS. both drivers were
wearing seat belts
Gonzalez has declined to com-
ment on the incident
The Rio Grande Herald noted
Gonzalez's arrest in the Sheriff's
Report that ran in the Sept. 5 issue.
Until this week, The Herald was
unable to obtain full information
about the incident from the DPS
and from oUier officials
Jaime Garza Indicted In Ramirez Murder
The Starr County grand jury has
returned a sealed two-count in
dictment for murder against Jaime
Garza, for the murder of Sergio
Osiel Ramirez near Rio Grande
City on June 22.
A "capice" order has been issued
by the grand jury and district
judge for the arrest of Garza. 24, of
Los Morenos
^ Assistant District Attorney Allan
^ Ramirez said that investigation
into the case is continuing He
added. ' We definitelv believe there
were other people involved " The
bond on the indictment, said
Ramirez, is $50,000
On June 22, Sergio Osiel Ramirez
of Mission was shot to death while
driving a Ford LTD just west of the
intersection of U.S. 83 and the
Hospital Road A passenger in the
car escaped death from the shoot
ing spree, and later fled into some
nearby brush
At the time. Sheriff Gene Falcon
said the car had been hit by gunfire
10 times
A
I
Garza surrendered to the
Sheriff's Department on June 28,
but was released on bond on July 1
The complaint against him was
released a week later after an
examining hearing before Justice
of the Peace Hector Perez.
In addition to action on the
Ramirez murder, grand jurors also
heard testimony concerning the
killing of Martin Martinez Padilla
near Escobares on Aug 22
Ramirez said that investigation is
continuing into that case.
Starr County citizens active in planning next year's Sesquicentennial observance
display the flag just presented to them by Jeanine Hicks, second from left in front
row of the state commission. Rene Montalvo of San Isidro and Narciso Guerra of La
Grulla, whose communities were also sanctioned Monda> night, arc standing in the
hack row.
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Roberts, Kenneth. The Rio Grande Herald (Rio Grande City, Tex.), Vol. 39, No. 46, Ed. 1 Thursday, September 19, 1985, newspaper, September 19, 1985; Edinburg, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth194994/m1/1/: accessed May 5, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Rio Grande City Public Library.