We understand that the Mexican consulate in Brownsville and the Texas Southmost College are considering extending their contractual agreement for office space at the International Technology, Education and Commerce Center for a five or 1-year period after this year's expiration.
And being on the border and so close to the violence generated between armed gangs and rival cartels against the Mexican government, we also had concerns about having a government facility inside a college facility.
Still, that has been the peculiar character of the relationship between the Mexican consulate headed by Rodolfo Arenas Quilantan and the UTB-TSC partnership under the direction of President Juliet Garcia.
But now that the expiration of the lease with the consulate, it is said that while TSC would prefer a five-year lease, Quilantan will push for a 10-year lease on the 13,000 square feet of space rented there by the Mexican government. The consulate got a good deal from Garcia when it initially rented the space. It pays $2,500 a month for the space. By comparison, the rental on the lease on the old consulate building on Elizabeth Street cost about $10,000 per month for only 10,000 square feet.
It's little wonder, then, that Quilantan wants to lengthen the deal. TSC, like many public institutions in town, has proven to be generous to a fault with taxpayer assets. On top of that, the consulate makes free use of the ample lobby space that is available at the former Amigoland Mall building, which has gone begging for tenants since its establishment as the ITEC after its purchase by TSC in 2000.
Can the TSC, which is undergoing its separation woes from the UTB, afford to be as generous as the "partnership" before it? And will the TSC administration realize that having a foreign government installation on the same property where its pupils study brings with it a number of liabilities that most educational institutions don't need?
7 comments:
If you check closely, Mexico is likely not in the habit of buying property for their consulates...and depends on lease arrangements. You can't compare the way the U.S. State Dept. funds its consulate in Matamoros or in any country and the way Mexico supports its consulates and members of its delegation here. An issue of concern here is can TSC afford to lease such space to Mexico or anybody. Don't they have a need for educational space....and why should the public pay for space that is leased with no return on our money. The Mexican government should lease a few rubber boats and conduct business in the River...
please explain how TSC has been generous to a fault with taxpayer assets?
Interesting. It is pretty obvious your Mexican and Guatemalan Consulate source is none other than longtime Pat Ahumada sidekick, Gerardo Danache. His usual gang includes the Guatemalan Consulate, Ben Neece and Sandy Stillman but excludes Rodolfo because he hates him. Which explains the big stink you made about the Consular parking exemptions with this whole parking meter ordinance. He has an agenda and he's using you to execute it. So far it hasn't worked.
If you scratch a little deeper, you will probably find Quilantan is still chageing the $10,000.00 to the Mexican government
There is a bigger issue here. You have a public entity, TSC, renting to a private party. In other words, they are in the real estate business. This is not their mission and would guess breaches legal boundaries as well.
Mexico consulate? no son trampas, they are legit and dont make or take bribes. right?
I will always wonder how Juliet Garcia could be so benevolent to the Mexican government, but to her own her government, she leased the 12,000 sq ft facility to the Workforce Commission. She charge 250,000 for renovation and $17,500 per month for a ten year period. The total cost of the lease was $2,098,530.00. Board chairs Lee Ree and Lilian Kim approved the deal. Thank goodness for an involved board that voted to get out of that deal when board leadership changed. The rent went down to $3,500 per month for one year and then the Workforce board left the ITEC building, but not with out Julie having obtained approximately $600,000 from our state government.
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