Imagine you have a 10-acre spread out in Laureles (north of Los Fresnos) where the county has a park, the Laureles Community Park.
You've been holding on to the acres for a while and paying your taxes in the hope that the land will increase in value and you might make a few bucks off your investment. The coming of the park would seem to be a godsend.
Then one day you drive past your land and lo and behold! someone has decided to convert your land into a landfill. And God only knows how long this has been going on. In fact, the Cameron County crews have even go so far as to fence off your property to keep park goers away from the trash and debris.
That's exactly what happened to Scott Campbell's acreage next to Laureles Park.
No one is saying how it was that county crews mistook Campbell's land for a potential landfill or if they cleared the dumping of construction debris, refuse and other trash there with any of their superiors or even the Cameron County administration.On election day, Asst. Administrator David Garcia said neither he nor Administrator Pete Sepulveda had been made aware of the clandestine landfill until the property owner complained and the issue has now gone legal.
With the commissioner's court now in litigation, it will be left in the hands of the attorneys to see what the hit on the county's budget will be.
We now understand that an emergency meeting had been held by county administrators and legal staff to determine what course of action to take to mitigate the Public Works actions on the private land.
Laureles is an unincorporated community which has long been identified as a high priority area for a potential park site. The park is located in commissioner David Garza's Precinct 3, but apparently even he didn't know or authorize the illegal dumping by his crews.
The county's website states that "In the spring of 2008, the Cameron County Commissioners' Court directed staff to search for land that would appropriately fit the current and the future needs of this community. The park site is centralized between two elementary schools and many low-income neighborhoods or colonias.
On May 14, 2009, commissioners executed a contract with Clean Air Solutions for the construction of (the) park. As commonly performed, the Cameron County's Department of Transportation contributed county workforce labor and equipment towards the construction.
It was this same force which mistook Campbells' land for a landfill.
The park site consists of 24.173 acres on FM 2893 (Bingley Road) in Precinct 3 and it features two-lighted baseball fields and one soccer field, a basketball court, age appropriate playgrounds, walking trails, a pavilion and a concession/restroom facility.
The total construction cost of the park was approximately 2.5 million dollars; of which $400,000 came from the State of Texas, Texas Parks & Wildlife Department, $10,000 from American Electric Power of Texas and $2,500 from the Improved Order of Redman Black crow Tribe #16.
Jennifer Herrera, the Cameron County Extension Horticulture Educator, wrote that a group of volunteers called the Cameron County Master Gardener volunteers contributed to the landscape design of a butterfly garden there after it was built. "A group of Master Gardener volunteers Taffy Herridge, Dr. Bob Hatcher, Pauline Baryiski and Juan Olivarez provided instruction to Las Yescas Junior Master Gardeners in the establishment of a butterfly garden at the park.
The purpose of the garden was to expand the knowledge of local natural resource as it pertains to home gardening in the landscape. A variety of plant species were planted in an engineered design by the Junior Master Gardeners to attract local and migrating butterflies.
The county website does not mention if certain species of butterflies thrive in refuse and debris.
We don't know where the fallout from this snafu will end or whether heads will roll. But what this issue points to is a dismal lack of supervision and direction for the county employees in Public Works. As is usually the case in matters like these, a general round of finger pointing will begin and the least politically-connected individuals will bear the brunt of the blame. But it will be the county taxpayers who will shell out the dough to Campbell.
The purpose of the garden was to expand the knowledge of local natural resource as it pertains to home gardening in the landscape. A variety of plant species were planted in an engineered design by the Junior Master Gardeners to attract local and migrating butterflies.
The county website does not mention if certain species of butterflies thrive in refuse and debris.
We don't know where the fallout from this snafu will end or whether heads will roll. But what this issue points to is a dismal lack of supervision and direction for the county employees in Public Works. As is usually the case in matters like these, a general round of finger pointing will begin and the least politically-connected individuals will bear the brunt of the blame. But it will be the county taxpayers who will shell out the dough to Campbell.
10 comments:
Just proves that there is a lack of communications between the county and property owners and lack of communications withing the county. Of course we know that "ignorance" is no excuse, but when there is ignorance on both sides.....we need to take special efforts. Who is the county commissioner for that area and why is he ignorant of the situration (as if we expect any county commissioner to be smart or pay attention). When the county "dumps" without proper sites, then the county is to blame. Of course the workers are doing what they are told...its the commissioners and the supervisors who love to exercise their "power" over the people.
At least, the abusive County commission bumped into their she size, Scott Campbell owns a few thousand acres and sub divisions, they are going to pay or else
Again the donkey to the corn;If you check,80% of the Public Works workers are "Carded"/Green Card;even the Foreman@Pct.3The blind leading the blind;To start, the Park is a losing deal;When built, the County didn't allow for the Extra expenses of Light;Water;Up-Keep of the grounds;they put the Cart before the Horse;Who is Paying for this;Again the Poor Public Works workers;No Raises;No New Equipment; So;to cover their mistakes You got to take into count; that Land was given to the County;From Campell;so He could sell his Lots @ a higher Price;(El Ranchito;La Paloma;Laureles)When are We going to Demote(I love you too David;Pistol Pete;El What Happen)for Not doing their Jobs;Another 4 Years of "Grief"in Pct. 4(Just because He's got over 30 years in the same JOB;Has No Idea of the Way the Legal Systems Works What makes "them" Think that He would make a good County Judge We Need A Person With Plan and A Fresh Way Of Thinking And New and Fresh People Around Him;Not The OLD Soldiers in the Court House;to get a Clean Start;
Hello! I am from the Government. I am here to help you.
Ass Holes like watch dog are so stupid, that post comments without knowledge of the cause, first "carded/green card" are good workers, second if the land was given to the county a wealthy individual as Campbell with strong team of legal help wouldn't be suing (wasting money)the County, first he refers to the public works workers as trash and then as poor workers not making enough money, get your ass straight asshole!!!
David Garcia is a worthless administrator. He oversees the Public Works Dept. yet he knows nothing and points fingers everywhere but to himself...and David Garza protects him like a lover.
Hey!!! Cameron works.
To 1:39,That's why the rest of us can not get a fair change to move up the ladder;cause of those workers that collect food stamps;take the moneies back to their be-loveded land;yet they want better pay and less work;It's not the hard work you do; but who you know! and they know how to kiss up the foremans; So,if you have not Worked in this Department(Public Works)I did/Retire;Your talking Out Your ASS;
To Who it my concern? To the people of cameron county you all should know what is happening here in pct. 1 First Ms. Benavidez is not doing her job specially when it comes to her workers . She protect the ones that help her with her campaign like Ovidio Cisneros he has 13 years with the county and does not know shit about the job he is doing. First he does not have a class B Licence to operate machinery. he is the laziest worker ever to work for cameron county. oh and he wants to be a supervisor . Second two brothers can't work in the same precint one being a supervisor and the other a worker, that's conflict of interest. please people don't do the same thing and listen to them when the tell you to vote for Joe Rivera that's what they want another protection for them. people they gave the county caliche from the street that the border parol use. have the used the caliche for drive ways that need it no right then how is Sofia helping the people from pct. 1. she's not. Third Hector Garza is the worst supervisor there he does not know how to read a project plan. the only thing he know what to do is sell new and used pipes,dirt and caliche to the people instead of helping the people he takes there money away. you all should see at his house how many thing he has from the county. thing that are missing from county inventory. Going back to ms sofia what does her assistant Gavino do all day. He is never around to check on their workers what they are doing oh they have there snitch Ovidio to tell them what is happening there. I don't think it is fair to the people that really work hard and do want to learn be treated bad . Thats the kind of people ms sofia has to protect the ones that makes her look good when the job gets done right. when we have problems with the ones she defends we get to work on shit duty. the only time they are around is when election time is getting close . pleas don't get fooled by their sweet talk. Im just telling you all this because we are tired by the way they treat us
MR. JOE RIVER OUR NEXT COUNTY JUDGE WE THINK MR. CASCOS SHOULD STAY WE DONT WANT THE SAME THING HAPPEN AGAIN THATS WHAT THE CISNEROS BROTHER AND HECTOR GARZA WANT. DONT LET IT HAPPEN. US AS WORKERS FROM CAMERON COUNTY DO NOT WANT THAT WE WANT PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO BE FAIR NOT HAVE FAVORTIZM. WORKERS THAT ARE QUALIFED ARE NOT GETTING THE CHANCE AND PAY THEY DESERVE . THE ONES GETTING THAT ARE THE ONES THAT SUCK UP TO MRS. BENAVIDES OR THE SUPERVISOR HETOR GARZA BUNCH OF BALL LIKERS
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