ARGELIA TO MARTINEZ: WATCH SOSSI THE FOX IN THE BROWNSVILLE TAXPAYER HENHOUSE

By Juan Montoya

One week into his mayoral term, Tony Martinez has been made aware of the questionable doings of contract lawyer Mark Sossi providing Hizzoner with numbers indicating he is being overpaid and doling out city money to his debtors.

In a letter dated May 26, Argelia Miller welcomed Martinez to his new position and informs him that last August she had written city manager Charlie Cabler concerning the amounts being paid "part-time" city attorney Sossi. At the time, Miller quoted the Aug. 28, 2010 issue of the Brownsville Herald where Cabler stated that Sossi's fees would total $120,00 a year.

"The year of 2010 is now over and he got paid over $144,000," Miler wrote Martinez.

Miller also reiterated her concern that Sossi had let out city-paid contracts to Willette and Guerra LLP, "a firm that had sued him and won a judgement of $167,00. He took money that belonged to the firm...and was sued and lost...

At the time I wrote the letter," Miller continues, "he had given Willetee and Guerra city contracts in excess of $37,000. Now in 2011, records indicate he has given them contracts for over $75,000 from January to March 2011."

Miller wrote Martinez that it was hard for her and others to understand how Sossi "could favor a firm that sued him and that he owed $167,929 to as of 8-09-2009. It is also hard to understand how the city of Brownsville allows this arrangement.

"Is the fox guarding the hen house on legal contracts?" Miller asks.

Miller claims that she knows of indications that some of the cases being handled by Sossi might never close due to the continued delay in petitions for summary judgements and continuances asked for by the law firm in question.

"There are indications that some of the cases will never be closed because they are being paid by the hour and multiple motions or requests for summary judgements can be filed to continue the cases," she wrote Martinez. "The fox is surely guarding the hen house."

In fact, some local attorneys with cases against the city have said that they can't understand why some of their cases have not been dispensed with by a simple motion for summary judgement.

"I guess they want to keep them going for as long as they can," said a lawyer for an opposing firm."

Miller goes on to say that she had received no response from Cabler on her letter and tells Martinez she wrote him again Sept. 10, 2010 and again got no reply.

"I did hear that Mr. Sossi was handling a case (City of Brownsville vs. Zimmerman Construction) and therefore got paid more because of this case. Research indicated this case was in bankruptcy and had been inactive since 2006," she wrote.

"As an attorney, I am sure that you will find this interesting and I BELIEVE you will do what is right for Brownsville," Miller closes.

The ball is now in Martinez's court. Will he do, as any righteous person would, throw the fox out of the hen house. Or will he allow Sossi to close his debt to Willete and Guerra (he only needs another $60,000 or so to pay off the judgement)?