By Juan Montoya
The photo of the article was displayed prominently by Adolph Crixell on the door of this bathroom and when he and his mate had a party or get together, visitors could read it.
The developer was none other than Renato Cardenas, whose family still develops subdivisions and now run successful car dealerships here and up the valley. Renato passed away last year.
At the time Cadenas was just starting his push to become one of the most important subdivision developers in town and had paved his way by having a son-in-law as a city commissioner (Harry McNair) and his many political acquaintances.
Crixell, a pharmacist whose family dates back in the area to the early 1900s, was a member of the P and Z board when Cardenas presented his proposal.
In those days (the mid-1970s), there was a push in Brownsville to do away with outside privies and septic tank use within the City of Brownsville. A citywide program was implemented to get rid of the potential contamination of the ground water with outhouses and overflowing septic tanks.
So when Cardenas presented the proposal to build his California Estates trailer park subdivision and asked the he be allowed to install septic tanks, red flags went up at the P and Z.
Would the city's plan to do away with septic tank use within the city limits and the ETJ (extra-territorial jurisdiction) be adhered to? Or would Cardenas' political influence override the ban?
Leading the charge against the granting of the septic tank permits was Crixell, who as a P and Z member came out against the proposal. Cardenas argued that the use of septic tanks would allow poor people to have a home since the Public Utility Board did not have sewer lines to service the development. California Estates is just south of the Brownsville airport on California Road. Running alongside the trailer park is a city resaca used by the irrigation district to supply water to area farms.
At the time Bill Salter was the city editor and he thought it might be an important public-issue story to have both sides give their arguments for and against the granting of the septic tank permits. He sent me to interview both Crixell and Cardenas.
At first, Cardenas did not want to speak with a newspaper reporter since the paper had been running articles about city landlords renting substandard homes and he was among those named in a few of them. We called them slumlords and listed their names.
At the time Cadenas was just starting his push to become one of the most important subdivision developers in town and had paved his way by having a son-in-law as a city commissioner (Harry McNair) and his many political acquaintances.
Crixell, a pharmacist whose family dates back in the area to the early 1900s, was a member of the P and Z board when Cardenas presented his proposal.
In those days (the mid-1970s), there was a push in Brownsville to do away with outside privies and septic tank use within the City of Brownsville. A citywide program was implemented to get rid of the potential contamination of the ground water with outhouses and overflowing septic tanks.
So when Cardenas presented the proposal to build his California Estates trailer park subdivision and asked the he be allowed to install septic tanks, red flags went up at the P and Z.
Would the city's plan to do away with septic tank use within the city limits and the ETJ (extra-territorial jurisdiction) be adhered to? Or would Cardenas' political influence override the ban?
Leading the charge against the granting of the septic tank permits was Crixell, who as a P and Z member came out against the proposal. Cardenas argued that the use of septic tanks would allow poor people to have a home since the Public Utility Board did not have sewer lines to service the development. California Estates is just south of the Brownsville airport on California Road. Running alongside the trailer park is a city resaca used by the irrigation district to supply water to area farms.
At the time Bill Salter was the city editor and he thought it might be an important public-issue story to have both sides give their arguments for and against the granting of the septic tank permits. He sent me to interview both Crixell and Cardenas.
At first, Cardenas did not want to speak with a newspaper reporter since the paper had been running articles about city landlords renting substandard homes and he was among those named in a few of them. We called them slumlords and listed their names.
He was understandably reluctant to sit with me, but it just so happened that his wife Mary Rose was in the office at the car dealership when I arrived. She urged him to grant the interview and reminded him that Reba, their daughter, was also attending college to get a journalism degree. Renato relented and he got to make his argument for the granting of the septic tank permits.
Crixell was more forthcoming. He had gone to the research on potential contaminants in human waste that could potentially spill over into the resaca and expose the people there, specially children, to all sorts of contagious disease.
Crixell's arguments carried the day and the P and Z denied Cardenas the permits to install septics at the trailer park. Planners at the city cheered the decision. In those days Flo Peña ruled the roost, but among the staff were Graciela Salinas, Richard Waldman, and Frank Bejarano, among others.
It must have been around 2:30 p.m. or so a few days following the publishing of the point-counterpoint article when Renato came storming into editorial at the Herald. He was livid because they had turned down his proposal and blamed me personally for losing money on the deal.
City planners, on the other hand, saw the denial of the permits as a victory and a turning point for the city's efforts to clean up its image and bring it into the 20th Century.
From that day forward, local developers knew that any new subdivision within the city or in its ETJ would not pass muster if it included septic tanks for its sewer services. And it took Adolph Crixell on the P and Z to lead the city on that road to progress.
Crixell was more forthcoming. He had gone to the research on potential contaminants in human waste that could potentially spill over into the resaca and expose the people there, specially children, to all sorts of contagious disease.
Crixell's arguments carried the day and the P and Z denied Cardenas the permits to install septics at the trailer park. Planners at the city cheered the decision. In those days Flo Peña ruled the roost, but among the staff were Graciela Salinas, Richard Waldman, and Frank Bejarano, among others.
It must have been around 2:30 p.m. or so a few days following the publishing of the point-counterpoint article when Renato came storming into editorial at the Herald. He was livid because they had turned down his proposal and blamed me personally for losing money on the deal.
City planners, on the other hand, saw the denial of the permits as a victory and a turning point for the city's efforts to clean up its image and bring it into the 20th Century.
From that day forward, local developers knew that any new subdivision within the city or in its ETJ would not pass muster if it included septic tanks for its sewer services. And it took Adolph Crixell on the P and Z to lead the city on that road to progress.
7 comments:
Interessante Geschichte und guter Journalismus. Unser Beileid an die Familie. [maybe Bobby can translate it if not (Interesting story and good journalism. Our condolences to the family)]
ADOLPH CRIXELL, was a very good friend of mine and his uncle, EMILIO CRIXELL, was my father figure. I remember talking world issues with ADOLPH at Starbucks and at the City Library. My Condolences to the family, I lost my friend, When Emilio Crixell died, i lost my father. I am Joe Barguiarena and proud of the Crixell Family.
Sad to hear about Adolph, may he RIP, my condolences to his family, Great man, he was a friend of my amigo Fernando Ruiz, and would get into heated discussions about Brownsville politics etc. may both of them rest in peace.
Adolph, a great human being, wonderful person. RIP..
Friends who are gone from you can make you feel better than people next to you.
Asi es Adolfo Crixell.
My condolences
Wonderful MAN, we miss you at STARBUCK's, thank's for your friendship. Thank you for the Global Conversations. RIP
What a wonderful human being from a very good family. RIP my friend.
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