IN BROWNTOWN IT'S ALWAYS BEEN A MATTER OF PRIORITIES

By Juan Montoya
A few years back I was assigned to be an alternate to an elected official during a meeting of the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) as it was considering how to spent federal bucks funneled through the Lower Rio Grande Development Council.
When MPO staffers learned that I would be at the table to decide where the  bucks went, one of them took me aside and told me that there was a chunk of money available but that two proposals were vying for the cash. One of them was the construction of a state-of-the-art shelter for an old cast iron locomotive that had been weathering the elements for decades behind the Ft. Brown Civic Center. The other proposal was for the construction of permanent shelters for bus riders along Military Highway leading to the West End (Las Prietas.)

I voted (as an alternate) for the bus shelters. But the Brownsville Historical Society had lined up the votes and the glass casing for the locomotive won.
Today, hardly anyone stops to see the old locomotive in its impeccable shelter behind Plexiglas next to the Brownsville Historical Museum on Madison Street. And if you read the continual flow of press releases from the Brownsville Urban System, it has been forever on the verge of acquiring money to build bus shelters along the Las Prietas route. Meanwhile, about two decades later, one can still see the elderly and entire families under the merciless sun and the elements as they wait for the bus.
But the locomotive is doing just fine, thank you.
Something similar is happening at this very moment.
The City of Brownsville is submitting a "Substantial Amendment to the 2012-2013 Annual Action Plan" for funds the projects it is proposing for funds it receives from the state under its Community Development Block Grant. The changes should make everyone take notice. Our priorities haven't changed one bit, b'Gawd!
The city has originally announced that it would allot $750,000 for the construction of a Sports Park Community Center on city-owned land in the Southmost area, most likely Gonzalez Park. As you have probably heard, this is a dome-shaped building that doubles as a hurricane shelter and as a sports gymnasium and center when no hurricanes threaten the coast.
It had also allots $107,692 for improvements for the Portway Acres Community Park on Austin Road in front of Perkins Middle School, a worthy project. That park is already in use by a community soccer league and the people in the general area.
Another $150,000 were allotted for the construction of a skate park on Oliveira Park, across the street from Pace High School.
Well, once the initial public hearings were held, city planners found out that there wasn't enough money to fund all the projects and decided to move some of the cash around. Guess what they decided to do?
They decided that – with hurricane season upon us – they would gut the Southmost area hurricane shelter project and dole out $300,000 of those buck to build a newer, better, and improved skate park for the "skating community."
They promised to make the $535,000 they took from Southmost from next year's CDBG budget in October 1. By then, of course, if a hurricane strikes Brownsville, Southmost residents can drive to the dome at Charlie Atkinson's Sports Park off Stillman Road for shelter.
And they moved another $235,308 to make more improvements on the Portway Acres park.
Apparently, the hearing that the planners held in April that included contractors who would ultimately build the facility convinced them that the $150,000 planned for the skating ramps were "dangerous for skaters, as the sub-layers of the ramps can rot and/or become brittle in the heat. Concrete ramps are much stronger and safer. In addition, concrete ramps allow increased "skateable" features that what is offered in pre-fabricated designs" and if built, would end up costing the city more than it was spending.
With the additional $300,000 they took from the Southmost Dome project, the Skate Park will cost $450,000, $107,000 more than the entire budget  for the Portway Acres Park even with the $235,000 infusion from the Southmost project.
Parks and Recreation Director Chris Patterson submitted a letter of support for the "substantial amendment."
The city's planner also justified the "substantial amendment" by stating that part of the reason for the proposed changes in funding was because there had been a "delay in procuring architectural services" for the Southmost Community Service (Dome)."
That is somewhat disingenuous on their part because as we have learned, the state makes prototype architectural designs for these domes available online.
http://intellihub.com/2012/10/16/strange-domes-to-line-the-texas-coast-in-preparation-for-something-to-come/
In fact, there is one being designed as we speak for the Sports Park after the hoity-doity neighbors on Boca Chica objected to such a dome being erected on the First Brownsville Baptist Church property because it would draw "undesirables" to their Rio Viejo neighborhood seeking shelter from the storm in case of a hurricane. Despite the church congregation's willingness to have it built there, planners listened to the silk-stocking crowd and opted to move it miles north to the Sports Park.
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2012/10/new-hurricane-domes-provide-shelter-across-the-globe/
And you dontt have to have all the amenities built into a dome. Without the frills, they cost considerably less than the deluxe models.
But all is not over. There is a 30-day public comment period from Monday, May 26 ending June 26, 2013.
Any instersted party may submit their written comments to Ms. Stephanie Reyes, Director of Grant Management and Community Development Department, Re: Substantial Amendment Public Input, 1034 E. Levee Street, Second Floor, Brownsville, TX 78520. Phone: (956) 548-6167; e-mail: stephanie.reyes@cob.us; fax: (956) 548-6161.
There are also at least two public hearings left where you can attend and make your wishes known, pro or con: The first one was held June 5 at the Brownsville City Commission Meeting held at City Hall; the second one will be held June 18 at 6 p.m. at the Brownsville City Commission Meeting, City Hall, Second Floor, 1001 Elizabeth Street (the old federal courthouse), in commission chambers.
The third, and final one where an action vote will be taken is also in commission chambers at 6 p.m. July 2.
Will history repeat itself?
Will the recreational needs of kids with $250 skateboards (and the contractors) who didn't want a run-of-the-mill skate park worth a measly $150,000 take priority over the lives and safety of poor families – some without transportation – from the Southmost area who need a place close to home to get protection from a hurricane?
Where is City Commissioner Ricardo Longoria when Southmost needs him?
You have a chance to make your voice heard. What will it be?