A CHANGE IN THE (EXPENSIVE) NEW (OLD) GUARD AT COUNTY: PLUS CA CHANGE, PLUS C'EST LA MEME CHOSE

By Juan Montoya
Guess who's back in the county and who's gotten bumped up the feeding chain?
First things first.
The new replacement for Frank Bejarano at Program Development and Management is none other than Mark Yates, a former county auditor who was hauled out of his office in handcuffs after he was charged with making unauthorized purchases of an insurance contract.
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In March 2008, five charges against Yates were dismissed for violating the competitive bidding process.
Court records and newspaper accounts at the time show that visiting state District Judge Mario E. Ramirez Jr. signed the state’s order dismissing the misdemeanor charges against Yates after he voluntarily entered pre-trial diversion, a supervision program offered to first-time offenders who have not been charged with violent crimes and have no criminal record.
Under the program, the individual is placed on non-court order probation and is under supervision by a probation officer. In the state of Texas, pre-trial diversion is not to exceed 24 months.
Yates was accused of violating the competitive bidding process for renewing an insurance contract without Commissioners Court approval.
The contract in question is worth $1 million with United of Omaha Life Insurance. Yates was initially arrested on June 25, 2007 at his office and booked into the Carrizalez Rucker Detention Center. He was placed on administrative leave. The county’s state district judges decided not to reappoint him to the position.
Yates was indicted in September 2007 on charges ranging from failure to comply with the competitive bidding process to distributing confidential information.Well, he's back in the saddle to replace Bejarano, an urban planning expert and one of of a handful certified by the American Planning Association. It is unknown whether Yates has such certification.
He will make a $44,000 salary to be paid from the General Fund.
Other changes in the county pecking order has Past Assistant Administrator David Garcia who was making $103,000, now named the County Administrator at a hefty $180,000 ( a $73,000 raise) to be paid by the Road & Bridge & International Bridge System departments.
And Xavier Villarreal, who was the First Assistant Auditor now moves to Deputy County Administrator at a $85,503 salary to be paid by the General Fund,. His promotion becomes effective Sept. 18. $64,000 General Fund.
Baejarano's director of state grants Raul Garcia was serving as interim director of the department after Bejarano retired.