Special to the PRESS
This is in response to the advertisement that former City Commissioner David Woolverton placed in last week’s edition under “Concerned Citizens & Tax Payers.” In this ad, he made false claims against me. I have nothing to hide, and I am willing to address every single one of his false and slanderous accusations. This is what is true: When David Woolverton was a commissioner he brought nothing but conflict and division to the City of Port Isabel. The voters kicked him out the front door and now he’s trying to come in through the back door by stating lies and spreading rumors. If he feels so strongly about his claims, he should have signed his name to it, like am I doing now. It’s cowardly to hide behind a self-created organization.
Regarding the City’s budget, David Woolverton claims that the City’s budget has been in a deficit. Once again, the City has never been in a $1 million deficit. He claims the budget was only recently balanced. If the City was in a deficit, we could not have given raises, employee bonuses, approved travel for Commissioners and Administration, give a 20 percent homestead exemption and kept the same tax rate. A deficit would have forced us to reduce the workforce drastically and/or raise taxes. Again, these claims published via the stated advertisement in the Press are unsubstantiated. Since 2013, all the members of the City Commission have voted unanimously to approve the budget including JJ Zamora and Martin Cantu.
The Event Center has been one of the best investments in Port Isabel. In the ad, David Woolverton mentioned money that was spent on the development of the Event Center. We invested money in property for the benefit of the Citizens. I’m not surprised that he describes the Event Center as a bad deal considering his lack of vision and leadership. The truth is: The Event Center has brought many economic opportunities to the Community while keeping events such as wedding, and quinceañeras local. Bottom line: This was an investment for the future of Port Isabel. The architects handled the management on this project, not the contractor. Therefore, once again, his statements are untruthful.
David Woolverton mentioned the dredging of the Fingers. This was an issue back he was in office. Why didn’t he do anything about it then? I’m proud that I took action when the opportunity presented itself. I worked closely with Congressman Filemon Vela and the US Army Corps of Engineers. Thanks to our efforts, it was possible to dredge the entrance of the Fingers at no cost to our taxpayers. Something that David Woolverton failed to facilitate while he was in office.
While in office David Woolverton, time and time again went against economic development projects such as the development of our Treasures of the Gulf Museum which now is a great source of educational opportunities and tourism.
I’m proud to say that I was able to secure over $1 million in state funds from the Texas General Land Office and $160,000 from the Cameron County CIAP for the development of the first phase of the Arturo Galvan Coastal park which was the living shoreline. This is one of a few shorelines in the Texas Gulf Coast. Yes, the City had to provide a match of $100,000 to the Texas General Land Office. This match was approved the City Commission. Clearly, David Woolverton is not informed enough to know that grants require a match in order to obtain funds. He claims that the property has eroded approximately nine feet. The fact is that David Woolverton is not coastal engineer or a coastal surveyor. The Coastal Engineer that worked and designed this structure has repeatedly reassured us that there is no erosion. I think I’ll go with the opinion of the expert and not David Woolverton’s. My vision was to develop one of the most beautiful coastal parks on the Texas Gulf Coast that will promote ecotourism and provide educational opportunities to our community. It’s obvious that David Woolverton opposes the Arturo Galvan Project and for the record, the minutes reflect that JJ Zamora opposed the development of this project.
Furthermore, I was successful in obtaining grant funds of $250,000 from the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department for construction of a hike and bike trail that connects the Arturo Galvan Park and the Bejarano-McFarland. Again, the City needed to commit $50,000 in order to obtain these funds. This project is currently being bided out.
I supported the Yacht Club Culinary School project because it meant bringing progress to our City. I had the vision of bringing a higher educational institution to the City of Port Isabel and restoring one of the most historic Hotel & Restaurant building in the Rio Grande Valley. This project would have brought educational opportunities for children and citizens who have an interest in obtaining a degree in culinary arts and would have created job opportunities. We worked tirelessly to secure $1.2 million from the EDA, $300,000 from the USDA, $2.5 million from the Texas Leverage funds to make this project a reality. From one day to the next, this project was scraped and the money was returned to the federal government. MJ Garza and I were the only votes against returning the funds. It’s a shame that the Commissioners who voted in favor of scrapping this project shared the same vision of David Woolverton of not advancing the City.
Finally, David Woolverton mentions the $1 million lawsuit by City Secretary that is pending, but fails to state that the lawsuit documents mentions JJ Zamora, Martin Cantu, and Jeffery Martinez.
Like I have said before, I am proud of the decisions I made and the projects I supported. I stand behind my actions while Mayor. I have talked to many, many people of the community who have applauded me for the many improvements that occurred during my tenure. My goal was to make my family, friends and most importantly my constituents proud and I have accomplished that. I leave with my head held high knowing that I served selflessly to help my community. I never did business with the City nor gained financially. What I did gain is the satisfaction of knowing that I did the best I could for the citizens of Port Isabel, like I promised I would. I took an oath to do so and I took that oath seriously.
Joe Eliseo Vega
Mayor, City of Port Isabel
Editor’s Note:
In July 2015, then-interim City Manager Jared Hockema reported to the City Commission that the City was operating at $739,000 loss and faced a budget deficit in excess of $1 million. Hockema further explained that a deficit had been reported in the previous four fiscal years.
In response to the budget crisis, the Commission approved a number of motions aimed at reducing the projected deficit. The City did undergo a reduction of its workforce by instituting a hiring freeze and eliminating the positions of those employees who resigned from the City. Furthermore, in January of this year the Commission approved a $7,500 retirement incentive, and just last week approved a similar “separation incentive” for employees who wish to resign but are not eligible for retirement. In all, approximately a dozen positions have been shuttered through these efforts so far.
Several hundred thousand dollars were also saved by suspending capital expenditures — a measure that was approved by the Commission last summer. Raises for the City’s lowest wage earners — primarily those who were earning minimum wage — were funded by the cost savings garnered by the aforementioned budget-tightening measures.
Finally, the City overcame a dilemma in regards to the dredging of The Fingers. The questions of how to pay for the dredging and where to deposit the spoils were ones wrangled over during the final months of 2015. Arturo Galvan Park was created on the site of the City’s sole permitted spoil site. Though the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers ultimately agreed to add dredging of the Fingers to the tail end of their existing project to dredge the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, as well as to use one of their designated spoil sites, the City still faces the question of where to deposit the dredge spoils from future dredging projects. Three potential sites were proposed during a meeting last month: the existing location of Arturo Galvan Park and two locations located in the Laguna Madre.
The Importance of the Bahia Grande Restoration Project
The Open House at Bahia Grande Unit on Feb. 13 was exceptional due to the number of people who turned out (250 cars) as well as to better understand the importance of coalitions to preserve our natural resources through projects such as the Bahia Grande Restoration Project.
We are residents of Laguna Vista and pass the entrance and exit of the Bahia Grande Unit numerous times during the week; however, it was not until this visit that we were able to fully understand the importance of our native habitat for our region. When we first moved to Laguna Vista in 2002, our condo was blasted by sand and dirt every day the wind blew south/southeasterly from the Unit. After the restoration project was completed, the blowing dust/dirt has ceased and instead there is a thriving habitat.
From the Bahia Grande Unit entrance on Hwy 48 as we looked east from the entry gate, we could see the Sapphire Towers and SPI. The surrounding green field area is also an ocelot corridor which is essential for the survival of this endangered species. So, here is the incongruity: Annova LNG is proposing to build an LNG export terminal on this same land that looks toward SPI and will block the ocelot corridor as well as block the view from the Bahia Grande Unit across to SPI. Instead of native plants, it could soon be a skyline of petrochemical gas refineries with export terminals, flare stacks, and storage tanks along with LNG tanker loading docks.
To give some perspective, the Sapphire Towers on SPI are 30 stories tall, with the connected lower shoulder being 15 stories tall. The tallest building in the rest of the RGV is in McAllen, the Chase Texas Tower at 17 stories tall.
LNG storage tanks are projected to be “only” 15 stories tall, but this is built upon a 20-foot earth platform to protect them from flooding. So, these huge, white, monstrous sized tanks will not only be as tall as the tallest building outside of SPI in McAllen, but will be as tall as the half-way shoulder of the Sapphire on SPI. These holding tanks will sprawl for miles down Hwy 48, completely blocking the views and access we have fought so hard to protect and restore in the Bahia Grande.
Our natural ecosystems of the Laguna Madre are the very resources that currently provide us with clean air to breathe and clean water to drink and to fish/swim. Our refuges surround the Brownsville Ship Channel and these refuges and native species of plants, animals and birds are a unique part of our RGV home. They make us one of the few tourist coastal areas in Texas that do not have petrochemical refineries.
In the whole of the RGV, there remains less than 5 percent of the native habitat as it once was. The rest has been destroyed to become farmland, ranchland, and suburbia. Fully 50 percent of the remaining native habitat is right here in the Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge, of which the Bahia Grande is a vital element. We have just restored the Bahia Grande unit to its former native-like condition, after being a “Dust Bowl” for over 50 years after the Port of Brownsville cut off tidal water-flow access from the ship channel to the Bahia Grande.
Our natural resources of the Laguna Madre are surrounded and protected by wildlife refuges, and they are part of the restored native habitat we have in the Bahia Grande. We should preserve our area for our future generations who desire to know what healthy Laguna Madre ecosystems with wildlife, fish and birds are.
LNG storage tanks lining Hwy 48 are not part of the Laguna Madre ecosystem.
Diane & Rick Teter
Laguna Vista
Taxation Soon for PISBND?
Will our area soon be taxed by the Port Isabel San Benito Navigation District (PISBND)? Currently those of us who live in this district pay no taxes, but this may soon end. Presently, a request for an opinion by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is pending on a number of issues raised by the PISBND General Manager. The questions posed for opinion pertain to financing of dredging in and near the district, upgrading docks and roads, maintenance and operation of the Port, and possibly constructing different buildings or facilities at the Port.
The tax estimate could be as high as 20 cents per $100 valuation or as low as 6 cents per $100 valuation. This amount would be small for the average homeowner, but where and what would our tax money fund? In the opinion request, numerous times dredging is mentioned. It is stated that the tax funds could be used for “new” (virgin land) dredging of a Port Channel and providing for “maintenance” dredging for existing waterways in PISBND.
Does this mean that PISBND has plans for more dredging? If so, for what industrial purposes? What is the prime motivation at this time? LNG? Other fossil fuel exports?
With the dredging occurring for beach nourishment, the BND (Brownsville Navigation District) deep water port, and the proposed dredging for the three LNG Export Terminals now being reviewed for an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), dredging may become a way of life to our area. Extensive and continuous dredging in our area to support heavy industry may eventually diminish the clarity of the water in the Laguna Madre leading to ecosystem collapse due to seagrass destruction.
Remember that up to 70 percent of the coastal sea grasses are found in our area. With the destruction of the seagrasses, the destruction of the ecosystem follows, and so goes the destruction of our local refuges and wildlife areas. Our area has limited natural resources and is a unique, fragile ecosystem which should be preserved.
Diane Teter, Laguna Vista
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