COB COMMISSION LAUDS CCEI FOR GRADUATING FIRST CLASS

By Juan Montoya

On it's face, it seemed like a reasonable enough endeavor.

City of Brownsville Commissioners Cesar de Leon and Jessica Tetreau-Kalifa thought that recognizing Brownsville native Mike Hernandez for his establishment of the Cameron County Education Initiative to provide low-cost (or free) vocational and technical training to local needy students was a great idea.

You remember Hernandez. He is the local boy who attended St. Joe's and made good when he went to Dallas and established a car leasing company that has blossomed into a multi-million dollar enterprise. Now retired, Hernandez despaired when he read in the national media that Brownsville, his hometown, ranked at the top of the poorest communities in the United States. He gave himself 20 years to change that.

Education, he figured, could make a difference. But not, he thought,  just the basic reading, writing, and arithmetic. No, the residents of this poor city needed a customized education approach that would put money in their pockets and uplift them and their families. The tide (education), would lift all boats. It was just one year ago, in 2017, when he established the CCEI.

Now, The first class of that initiative will graduate in June with 20 students trained in a variety of fields from health care to the construction trades. Another 20 students are in the chute and more classes are being recruited.

Toward that end De Leon and Tetrteau had the city commission issue a proclamation in recognition of Hernandez and the CCEI for uplifting local students.

But there were storm cloud along the way. At first the two commissioners met resistance from Mayor Tony Martinez who was reluctant to place it on the Tuesday's city agenda and they overcame that. Then they found out that fellow city commissioner Ben Neece did not agree with them. If you notice the proclamation above, it does not bear his signature.

We know that Neece, a formidable and passionate legal counsel, represented local blogger Jerry McHale in a defamation/freedom of speech dispute with Hernandez which has since been resolved. But apparently, their differences are not over.

Both of these men are our friends and both are working for the better good of the city and its residents as far as we can tell. Both, in their own ways, are contributing to the betterment of our community. We can only hope that it has just been a "mal entendimiento entre dos hombres" and that sometime in the future they may be able to put aside their differences and collaborate toward the greater good. We'll leave that up to them. Hablando se entiendes la gente.

Meanwhile, we congratulate the 20 graduates who – armed with the certification in their respective trades – are better prepared to provide a better life for themselves and their families. Congrats to them, CCEI and Hernandez!