Tuesday, August 28, 2018

THE TONY MARTINEZ COSTLY DOUBLE STANDARD FOR CRONIES

By Juan Montoya
The architect for the city of Brownsville hired to build the new terminal at the Brownsville South Padre Island International Airport is now estimating that instead of the original $27.5 million, changes brought about by federal agencies and City of Brownsville Mayor Tony Martinez will now see the price head toward $50 million.

CH2MHILL engineer James Kirshbaum said the changes were not in the original engineering specs provided to the company when it submitted its response to the city's Request for Proposals (RFP).

As a result, he said, not only the cost of the engineering services, but the changes in the original design will balloon the original construction cost estimate from $27.5 million to $38 million.

(The city has already issued $25 million in Certificates Of Obligation that didn't require voter approval to pay for part of the airport improvements, but they need more.)

Some of the new additions were the result of requirements by the federal government for the new facility. The Custom and Border Protection asked that the original 14,000 square feet be increased by 9,000 square feet for Federal Inspection Service (FIS) areas to 23,000 square feet.

The new additions to the passenger terminal area were added by the city and its local architect, Origo Works, increasing the original size from 65,000 square feet to 85,000 square feet.

The hiring of Origo Works, an architectural firm associated with Mayor Tony Martinez, were all done at his urging and were done outside the city's procurement process.

"The other item that has caused additional design and management effort is the coordination with our local architect, Origo Works," wrote  Kirshbaum.

These facts were first revealed in a letter from CH2MHILL to Airport Director Bryant Walker in a letter dated Sept. 21 that as a result of the changes, its fees will increase from the original $1,650,000 to $2,500,925, an additional $850,925.

Kirshbaum, the engineer for CH2MHILL, wrote:"
"As requested by the mayor, we engaged Origo Works to help incorporate 'local' architectural features and elements into the original design. This effort extended the conceptual design phase of the project by approximately five months, resulting in significant additional efforts by CH2M, Corgan and Origo Works."

(An interesting note is the fact that the offending paragraphs outlining Origo Works and Da Mayor collusion that resulted in the cost increase was omitted from the letter presented to the city commission with the change order. That paragraph had been erased. Is it possible that Kirshbaum wrote two letters?)

It is worth noting that Javier Huerta, one of the principals of Origo Works, graduated from St. Joseph Academy before graduating from the University of Texas at Austin. He and his firm also list work done on the mayor's businesses, including Spanky's Burgers and Rincon de la Paz off Palm Boulevard. Both businesses list their principal as Martinez, and list his law firm's address at 1206 E. Van Buren Street as their mailing address.

Commenters to this blog have noted that Huerta and one of Martinez's sons were classmates at St. Joe's before both graduated and parted ways.

The mayor and the city's financial adviser Estrada Hinojosa have been after the Greater Brownsville Incentives Corporation (GBIC) to pay off $25 million in loans over five years to the airport terminal construction. They also want the Brownsville Community Improvement Corporation (BCIC) to shoulder part of the deal.

Whether the GBIC board – with its new executive director Mario Losoya – will go along with that is to be seen. There is no explanation in the financial advisers' presentation that specifies the number of jobs that will be created as a result of the capital outlay.

When you're a pal of the mayor or not makes a difference in the implementation of city policy. For instance, take the example of two properties located along the frontage road within two block of Boca Chica Blvd.

On the south, Fifteen years ago Jimmy and Janie Perez bought a commercially-zoned lot adjacent to the frontage road along us 77 and bound on the other side by Paredes Line Road. It seemed like a good investment.

The land – Lot 2, Block 14 of Colonia Mexico Subdivision – seemed like the ideal location, location, location. The Colonia Mexico was bisected when the expressway was built and parts of the roads – named after some of the first Mexican presidents like Victoria, Allende, Iturbide, Lerdo, etc. – lay on either side of the new thoroughfare. Nonetheless, they remained city-owned rights-of-way.

Then a couple of things got in the way. The city – in its hike-and-bike building frenzy – took over the abandoned Southern Pacific easement and built the trial on the easement, effectively closing access to the freeway.

Additionally, when the freeway was originally built, the city did not, as in the case of Iturbide Street south of the property, pave the Allende Street right-of-way but allowed it to lie fallow, as it were. No one, unless you were a property owner and read the deed, knew that a city street existed there. (Click on graphic at right to enlarge.)

As hard as they tried, the Perezes have been unable to get the city to open up access to the frontage road and are effectively closed in. There is an ingress-egress right-of-way, but the encroaching business owned by Noelia Martinez (Chic Jewelry and Things) makes it looks landlocked. That has prevented the Perez from selling or even building on their lot.

Yet, Origo Works, right down the frontage road, had the same bike and hike trail behind their refurbished warehouse but lacked parking space to open.

What to do? How about asking the city to move the trial on the abandoned railroad right-of way even though it would cause a huge inconvenience to the business owners across the trail and fronting on Paredes Line Road?

Commented one of our readers:

"The free give-away of city land to Origo Works for parking spaces with no consideration for the existing six business entities affected by this license agreement shows no mercy. These six businesses will no longer be able to access the rear of their buildings including the garbage collections via the alleyway which will be replaced by the relocated hike & bike trail. 

No notice to the owners no due diligence by the planning & zoning or building permits department including the engineering department. WHAT IS GOING ON?"

Yes, what is going on, indeed?

From this jaundiced viewpoint, it seems pretty simple. Martinez is doing as he wants, handing out benefits he doesn't own, and favoring his cronies at the expense of the city and its residents like priest handing out the host on Sundays.

"The Body of Christ." 
"Amen."

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

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Anonymous said...

Tony Martinez is stealing from the the SPIA just like Larry Brown did, his old saying "one for you, one for me" worked for years, now Tony the Tiger Martinez has changed it to "one for you and Two for me". He is now willing to give the Columbian Black Magic a miss, and go after the SPIA cash, fuck the bike and hike trail, and the industry building, just give me the money, I am fed up with the bloody Black Magic.

Anonymous said...

Tony Martinez is a disaster for Brownsville. He is an arrogant elitist who believes that he is all knowing and smarter than most of the rest of us. Tony will surely be ranked as the worst mayor in Brownsville history. This city, with his poor management, continues to swirl down the toilet while other cities in the Valley progress.

Anonymous said...

Why hasn't this idiot pencil pushing nerd of a mayor with sticky fingers been indicted yet smh.this guy is the worst mayor brownsville has had in its 170yr history.

Anonymous said...

Anda saludando con sombrero ajeno! Abusador sin vergüenza! Vótenlo fuera!

Anonymous said...

I wonder if his late son, the priest does his confessions from yonder? He certainly is turning in his grave knowing what his Daddy is doing to the city of Brownsville and it's citizens. If all this data is true, why has nobody in charge done something about it. Is he related to the Donald cause they both think the are the greatest and the smartest and could care less of who thinks what. When is he up for reelection. I will vote for Erasmo Castro or Robert Uresti before I vote for Martinez if he has the audacity to go for re=election. I do hope there is a 2 term limitation for that is all that will save us from the hambon, carbon!

Anonymous said...

More information on Eduardo Paz Martinez:

The old lady looking old fart is a turn off to the community. He writes to shame people. He is the biggest joke on the blogosphere. He looks like a cadaver. Thank you for your time citizens.

Anonymous said...

@August 28, 2018 at 8:50 PM

The fact that you'd think Erasmo Castro or Robert Uresti would do any better than this disgrace shows how ill-informed you are. Please stay home on election day. Why you'd want a narcissistic megalomaniac or a mentally unstable, senile man to replace this thief is beyond me.

Anonymous said...

At 9:27 I would vote for them cause they are not smart enough to know how to steal like Tony does and get away with it. They'd announce their own stealing attempt, at least. It is the lessor of two evils and that is why many people stay home from voting and people like you who discourage those who are trying to be stable.

Che vato said...

If El Marrano would never let this happen.

Anonymous said...

(The old lady looking old fart is a turn off to the community. He writes to shame people. He is the biggest joke on the blogosphere. He looks like a cadaver. Thank you for your time citizens.)

He stinks like a cadaver. I can smell him from here.
Elchuko.

Anonymous said...

Juan, last year the city had a groundbreaking ceremony for the new airport, that was done without proper funding and blueprints. It just shows how screwed up the city is when it comes to proper planning. Groundbreaking means that you are ready to begin construction. What a shame for city leaders.

Anonymous said...

Ground breaking in Brownsville means get ready for some new transfers into your bank account. They want a double dip in the piggy bank,

Anonymous said...

And where was the purchasing office in all of this? Oh right, Crooked Robert Luna probably got a cut too...

Anonymous said...

Pura pinche rata de dos patas en city hall. Empezando con la compra de la casa nylon. Estan peor que en Mexico de corruptos. Bien dicen que Los abogados van a la escuela de derecho para trabajar chueco y Aqui no es ninguna excepcion. Deberian de estar en el bote todos.

Anonymous said...

To August 29, 2018 at 5:05 PM its how they do thing in the COB, after la mordida!!! Its a european custom.

Anonymous said...

What ever happened to the bank guarantee that Larry Brown signed for the the aircraft company at the airport, that went bust.

Anonymous said...

Wow that is a relief said Tony The Tiger Martinez, I didn't think we would find a way to get rid of Gilbert Salinas, he could not consult my arse, he was to good for the Jackass Hilts and had him by the balls, but now we are all free, and he is head of his own consulting firm. Now we have to get rid the Jackass and the scumbag.

Anonymous said...

Now that pope pancho is in trouble they can vote for pope martinez. Naa no improvement there. He'll sell the vatican to some carpetbagger from the med. Pope martinez looks ok in a white cassock and zucchetto (skull cap). He should wear that to every city meetings and the commissioners scarlet garments include the cassock, mozzetta, and biretta (over the usual scarlet zucchetto) and the audience dress to kill.

Anonymous said...

WELCOME TO CRAZYTOWN!

rita