First, for the good news.
As of this past Tuesday, former Brownsville Fire Department Chief Carlos Elizondo – who was under suspension – was officially terminated.
Now, for the bad news.Due to an "oversight" by the City of Brownsville Human Resources Department director Oscar Salinas, former City Manager Charlie Cabler, Elizondo, and current Interim Fire Chief Jarrett V. Sheldon, the suspended former Asst. Fire Chief Ernie Estrada will be back on the force as a basic firefighter.
But the silver lining is that Elizondo, who was also on suspension, will not be able to return to the force because even if the initial 180-day period under civil service had expired, an indcitment issued by a Cameron County grand jury triggered an additional 180 day period.
Both men were suspended when an audit by the city commisison and an internal city audit charged that both had rerouted patient transfers from the city's EMS to a private firm with links to Elizondo, Intercity Ambulance Service, and deprived the city of more than $62,000.
Both Elizondo and Estrade were found by the audits to have personally called the city dispatchers to route the calls to Intercity.
And even after the two audits pointed to Elizondo and Estrada, no criminal process was ever initiated by the Cameron County District Attorney's Office on the matter.
A grand jury did indict Elizondo on two charges alleging Theft by a Public Servant and Misapplication of Fiduciary Property, and later two more counts of two counts of computer security breach for allegedly entering computers and trying to alter reports to blame others for the theft charges.
It was the later indictments that triggered action from Interim City Manager Michael Lopez to terminate Elizondo.
The case of Estrada is something peculiar to the city of Brownsville under the Cabler regime. At that time, the city was able to wrest a concession from a puppet firefighters union board that allowed the fire chief to appoint one of two assistant fire chiefs of his choosing even if they had not been officers of had progressed up the ladder.Elizondo appointed Estrada, a Cabler favorite, depite the fact that he was just a starting firefighter and promoted him over seasoned veterans with vastly more experience. The city audit found that it resulted in creating a dangerous and hazardous situation in the department.
Although the 180day period for termination has eneded for Estrada, the finding of the audit that he helped to divert funds from the city's EMS to a private company still leaves him open for prosecution by the county prosecutor, but it doesn't appear likeley that DA Luis V. Saenz will take any action.
Under the Texas Local Government Code, Sect. 143.052 (h), it states that :
(h) In the original written statement and charges and in any hearing conducted under this chapter, the department head may not complain of an act that occurred earlier than the 180th day preceding the date the department head suspends the fire fighter or police officer. If the act is allegedly related to criminal activity including the violation of a federal, state, or local law for which the fire fighter or police officer is subject to a criminal penalty, the department head may not complain of an act that is discovered earlier than the 180th day preceding the date the department head suspends the fire fighter or police officer. The department head must allege that the act complained of is related to criminal activity.
For now, it appears city firefighters will have to take Estrada back into their ranks because of the city administrators' ineptness despite his very checkered past. Is there a Code Red in the fire deparment?
27 comments:
FUCK JESSE WEENES!!
Start scrubbing boy!! Old school style.
Viva los 49ers!!!
It’s gonna suck ass having that dude back. He's gonna walk around with a smug look on his oddly proportioned face just waiting for somebody to look at him with anything less than pure gratitude for everything that he did for his beloved fire department so he can cry about a hostile work environment. Man, what a let down.
It seems that someone is really out to destroy Mr. Elizondo! Why is everything coming out in a piece-meal manner. Where were all the charges at the time when he was first accused of improper actions. They keep adding and adding on and finding more things to add on. It just makes a person wonder why such hatred towards one person. Mr. Elizondo will have his day in court, but if I were him, I would ask for a change of venue cause his case has been tainted by all the gossip spread in this column. He needs to get a lawyer that will provide a proper defense for him because up to now, the one he has had done nothing that shows he is defending him. Everything that has been brought up for actions that are/were questionable have been denied and public opinion plays a big part in this. Why else would they not throw out the search warrant issued by a suppose-to-be judge who has a personal vendetta with the district where he volunteers and was elected as a board member. That is indeed, a conflict of interest. Who is push someone or pulling some else to get back at Mr. Elizondo? I ask that question and wish I would have a chance to listen to that famous tape-recorded conversation that started with Cesar De Leon? Why did Cesar resign and later resented his resignation from the city? Who put him up to it? Maybe that phone call will implicate all the other cronies who are involved in this whole fiasco. Mr. Elizondo is innocent until proven guilty and one must respect that notion, but I am afraid that in this corrupt town, his head is under the ax with no chance to survive. He has his trial on June 25th right? Why did they set a special-called board meeting for June 26th? Will he be able to attend? Why the 26th and not before. I can't wait for the BISD agenda to try to figure out what item is on it that requires that Mr. Elizondo not be present? So many questions and no satisfactory answers. Leave it to Bronbil!
The truth is no one wanted to mess with them, but they became greedy and assholes and in America you can be Greedy or an Asshole but you cant be a Greedy Asshole.
The city makes too many "oversights" that end up costing the taxpayers money. Too many personnel issues are based on "who you know or who you blow". The Fire and Police Departments have Unions....which never seem to take any action to police themselves; thus protecting their members even if they are incompetent.
HR dropped the ball as usual. You just need to see the favoritism the play for certain employees as an example, just look at the "promotion" of the two employees as HR analysts. They had no skills or experience for this job and to make matters worst, they were given salaries of 50k while we have employees who have not received a pay increase in years. As you can see, corruption continues with no end in sight and you can't blame Charlie Cabler. Commissioners, you need to really look at all this unjustice, favoritism and bad hiring practices. HR needs to start advertising new positions and let persons who are truly qualified to apply instead of playing favoritism.
HR dropped the ball as usual. You just need to see the favoritism the play for certain employees as an example, just look at the "promotion" of the two employees as HR analysts. They had no skills or experience for this job and to make matters worst, they were given salaries of 50k while we have employees who have not received a pay increase in years. As you can see, corruption continues with no end in sight and you can't blame Charlie Cabler. Commissioners, you need to really look at all this unjustice, favoritism and bad hiring practices. HR needs to start advertising new positions and let persons who are truly qualified to apply instead of playing favoritism.
The Three Bandidos! A no la cage debe ser Los Three Amigos*
That boy is a fuck up. It's in his DNA. He can't help it. He's mentally challenged, lazy, a half ass EMT and he's never fought a fire. He'll step on his pud by August.
When he goes to trial, and is convicted, two things will happen. 1/ He will either have probation and the Charlie Cabler scams will continue. Or 2/ he will go to jail and then he will sing like crazy to the Feds, then the shit will hit the fan. He is part of the Cabler click without any protection, and will sing like Villalobos, loud and clear.
Keep recommending majors and city commissioners to the voters. You people always pick the wrong ones. Live with that!
Give him some grass fires this summer and see what he's made of.
So now the firefighters have to work with this ignorant idiot that screwed them over back when he was on his knees under Cablers desk?
Ernie is protected by Eugenio Cardenas former union president of the firefighter’s Ernie insulted patronized bullied season and expirenced legitimate fire line officers, Ernie abused his power to get even with officer’s who wrote him up for showing up late to work and not showing up in uniform, he would use his connection to the former city manager to get what he wanted, when he returned to duty and was put to work to perform his duties he felt we was being “singled out and he felt he was being victimized” Ernie you might be protected by your current chain bosses, you and Eugenio might have gotten away with it but at the end of the day, you both lied to the firefighters, Eugenio for using white man’s words to sell a contract, thanks to him hardworking firefighter’s will never see a raise again and as president he did what he was told by Elizondo one thing you both will never escape the karma the awaits you both.
I did what Cabler told me to do, now I want my job back and my raise. I have given you time to get things sorted out, as this was your fuck up not mine, I was just following orders like I was told to do Charlie.
ERNESTO ESTRADA DON'T PLAY VICTIM NOW.
YOUR FRIENDS EUGENIO CARDENAS, CARLOS ELIZONDO & CHARLIE CABLER CAN'T HELP YOU NOW.
WHY THE FUCK IS JESSE WEENIES EVEN STILL EMPLOYED? HE IS A DISGRACE TO OUR DEPARTMENT AND ISN'T WORTH A SHIT.
Eugenio lied to all of the union members . 90%of the department told Eugenio that Estrada was a piece of SHIT!!!!! Estrada would brag about his connections with Cabler and that he was untouchable .I guess The city still owes favors to Cabler.
This guys are shameless assholes, but what goes around comes
around and we will be waiting. So welcome back Asshole.
When ever Juan writes a story about the fire dept I like to read the comments. I take it that most comments are written by fire department personnel, reminds me of elementary students writing about a fairy Tale.
Fuck you ERNIE.
YOU NOTICE THAT ONLY IN BROWNSVILLE THIS CRAP HAPPENS. 90% OF THE PERSONNEL WOULD NOT SURVIVE A MONTH WORKING IN OTHER REAL FIRE DEPARTMENTS INCLUDING LIEUTENANTS & CAPTAINS. MONEY IS THE ROOT OF ALL EVIL.
MAY GOD HELP THE CITY OF BROWNSVILLE.
este TRIO 'PURA CAGADA', JENTE MUGROSA, PURA BASURA, PURO ESCOMBRO deberian de estar en el bote..Cabler le hizo mucho dano a brownsville.
Well Mr. Fairy tale, I guarantee you if Ernie responds to your family's moment of need it is going to be a nightmare for them. When Ernie got promoted to deputy chief he became a nightmare for firefighters, but now that his coming back he will be in the ambulance treating our families. Firefighters who care don't want people like this serving our community.
I could say the same thing about coal miners they do a good job just like the fire fighters but writing is not one of them... and I sympathize with the situation the department personnel has to endure. Like a good friend of mine once said to me "Endeavor to Persevere".
Post a Comment