Special to El Rrun-Rrun
Under the glare of public scrutiny, the board of directors of the Brownsville Community Improvement Corporation denied key changes in its BIG 2.0 Relaunch to reopen grant funding with deobligated funds.
A proposal to change the rules for applicants and allow "immediate family members" of elected officials, City of Brownsville employees, BCIC board members and staff and member of all City of Brownsville immediate family members was voted down with only board member Cesar Lopez and President and CEO Cori Peña, and BCIC Community Development Manager Miriam Suarez making a pitch to adopt the change.
Item #7 item on the agenda read:
Discussion, Consideration, and Action to reopen the Business Improvement and Growth (BIG) 2.0 Grant Program with updated program guidelines.
The approved changes for the BIG 2.0 Relaunch states completion dates of the projects will change from Dec. 31, 2023, and added one year until Dec. 31, 2024.
As far as reimbursements, they approved a change for the application that allowed an additional $125,000 to Felicia Fruia-Edge to plow into her 409 E. 13th Street 409 Curio facility which had previously received $75,000 by changing the rule that participants must wait two years to reapply for the same parcel and and changed it to allow her to apply again for the see$125,000. Under the new rules, Fruia-Edge was granted the additional funds, but as a consequence the wife of city commissioner Pedro Cardenas cannot get funding to establish her business in Mayor Trey Mendez's old Coca Cola building.
Fruia-Edge has two properties and applied the initial $75,000 in 2021 listing the property address as 409 Levee, a non-existing address. The address of the property is actually 1257 E. Levee. The money instead was used to fix the building of the 409 Gallery once used by Mark Clark since 2005 and vacated it in 2018 when he moved to Corpus Christi.
Lopez and Suarez tried to back up CEO Peña by stating that the City of Brownsville Ethics Committee had tabled the item on the eligibility of city officials and their immediate families and its employees, members of the boards, commissions, etc., and felt that if the BCIC had a vote on it maybe the City of Brownsville would decide to. It didn't pass the smell test.
As a result, part 2 of the 7th agenda item was not approved and the rules reverted to the original Big 2.0 Guidelines where no immediate family members are allowed to apply and qualify.
Imagine every city employee, elected official, all the board members of BCIC, and all of the families of members of the City of Brownsville boards who waned money would just simply ask their wives, husbands, sons, and daughters to apply and guarantee themselves the key to the taxpayer's ATM machine with no resistance. After all, they are the ones that approve the projects and know exactly how much they have, what the guidelines are, and they appoint the board members who will never say no when it comes time to reap the profits.
But the BCIC board also voted not to make the grants available to tenants of downtown buildings and excluded everyone except property owners from qualifying for the grants. The Rich get richer.
Partly as a result of the city's performance in distributing the Elon Musk $2 million donation for downtown restoration and the awarding of the $200,000 under these curious circumstances to Fruia-Edge, a source at SpaceX said immediately after the meting that the Musk Foundation would no longer fund money for the City of Brownsville or BCIC.
Fruia-Edge got her cash as becomes one of the city's St. Joseph Academy's socioeconomic elite but keeping money away from elected officials and their relatives and cronies is a small, but important, victory that came out of this meeting.
51 comments:
Next…is to seriously look at the nonprofits the commissioners are giving HOT funds to. Too many conflicts.
This whole BCIC Mexican goulash is a shitshow now. Disband it today. the concept has been bastardized. Makes Brownsville look like home to greedy, starving Mojados.
Someone should run on a promise to get rid of it.
BCIC: Bienvenido, Cojeme Infeliz Cojeme
Clusterfuck.
Fruia should be run out of town.
Good job Juanito
New rule change to get a pidiches grant (grants are for the rich and famous only) you must make 275,000 dollars a year so all the rich and famous RATAS can apply and be approved. FACT
NO TIENE VERGUENZA PINCHE GRINGOS MAMONES Y COCOS PIDICHGES. NO SHAME WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER CAR FROM ESTA FAMILA DE RATAS NEVER.
The thing is they can adopt all sorts of "commandments," but I say you have to birddog these people. They start feeling like no one is watching and everything goes back to the way it used to be - CORRUPT.
BCIC should be decertified.
Have "elected" officials deal with and dispense these funds. They are (somewhat) accountable to the citizenry.
As it stands, any appointed BCIC board member with half a brain can buffalo all the other halfwits.
****************************************************************************
"Chief" Chapo Sauceda and the rest of the Brownsville Police Department could have used the money to build a gold plated/hate reflecting uniform for el Chapo.
The "chief" is sick and tired of officers talking about him behind his back. El Chapo himself would make fun of Chief Orlando Rodriguez, but now most officers realize that el Chapo is a worse off than Rodriguez.
The only thing this guy is good at is posing constantly for Facebook pictures. "Look at me, look at me"
On a side note, the Supreme Court of Texas has ruled that el Chapo is not obligated to pay any child support to all those women he fathered children out of wedlock with him.
Good for Linda voting No to this BS. Like anyone believes Trey, Pedro 'Matamoros' Cardenas or the board won't be directly benefitting from this.
Donde se puede jambar, alli van a ir los jambones.
Great job Murad, Macias, Dominguez, and Wickett for not allowing the rule change, great job in seeing the conflict of interest they are tying to instill at BCIC, my question is who is putting this on the agenda? Great job gate-keeping guys!
Juan Montoya: the defender of the poor, the law of the barrios and the historian of Brownsville.
Juan Montoya: is the real thing.
Local activists want an investigation against Mayor Trey Mendez
its juan, juan, he's not a gringo pendejo news company. de a donde saca trey idiota coco mamon.
Who voted how
Anyone know
I was denied from the state GLO home repair program because I make tooooo much money I make 30k a year. Estas RATAS make millions and will get approved for more funds they make over 300k a year.
THIS IS INSANE FOLLOW THE STATE GUIDELINE TO BORROW MONEY. Y ESTAS RATAS DON'T HAVE TO PAY IT BACK
UNBELIEVABLE
Pura pinche rata de dos patas en Brownsville FACT
Iran airs video of commandos descending from helicopter to seize oil tanker bound for Texas
Now watch all the gas station jack their gas and diesel prices 50% puros pinches mamones.
DO SOMETHING PINCHE RACIST REPUBLICAN LAPDOG
WALK DOWN RINGGOLD STREET MOST ALL THE HOMES THERE ARE FALLING DOWN AND YOU FINANCE A RICH FAMILY THAT SELLS CADILLACS TO BUILT A BUSINESS?
WHAT THE SHIT IS GOING ON HERE? FINANCE THE RICH TO BUILT A BUSINESS REALLY?
SOMETHING IS TERRIBLY WRONG HERE!!!
GIVE THE GRANTS TO WHO REALLY NEEDS THEM FOR HOME IMPROVEMENTS OR OTHER NECESSITIES NOT TO THE RICH AND FAMOUS THEY HAVE MONEY IDIOTAS...
HOW CAN THEY DO THAT GIVE MONEY TO THE RICH THIS IS A POOR TOWN FULL OF LOW INCOME SALARIES AND COMPETION WITH MOJADOS THEY COME HERE AND WORK FOR PESETAS.
CAN YOU IDIOTAS UNDERSTAND THAT???
I guess THE RAPE of Brownsville continues.
Car wash plus should get a grant so they can pay the employees they are owed from that federal labor lawsuit
They might have not allowed immediate family members to apply, but they should have also denied the extra money for Fruia. Why is she getting more when she has not met the requirements of the first grant? By them allowing her access to these funds they contributed to the problem and now the Musk foundation will be pulling the plug on any additional resources. Great job BCIC.
At 12:18 I agree who is putting it in the agenda ? What they should do is list the person or persons that requested it be put on the agenda. Where is the transparency? It all smells the same just some is stronger that others.
Thank you for all this info . A list of recipients that have received funds for at least the past 5 years would be good .
Wow
One person got 10% of Musk's donation at once! Not including the previous $75k
That's not gonna make much of. Diffrence to the landscape of dilapidated down town.
In the end Musk said " bye Felisha" to the whole city
What a surprise on Lopez's vote
But not really
What business does Lopez have?
Asking for a friend
Oh that's right they have all been opportunistic pop up and pack up after getting paid businesses
I.e. printing political signs, insurance salesman, covid tests and barbacoa gate
After last night's storm Jessica has posted no comments. Nothing about the storm. The neighborhood I share with her was without power for 6 1/2 hours. 4 Corners and Boca Chica westbound is closed due to a down/cracked pole. trees and fences down in many places.
I have yet to sleep since 1 a.m. A nearly $400 backup system for my CPAP which keeps me breathing failed again. I could have run a long extension cord from my truck to my bedroom [I have a converter] but the rain and thunder was too intense.
My phone has been ringing all morning from people who have trees down which took down their powerlines. I cannot find any outreach by any candidate. I did contact one for an 89 year old couple and got a quick response.
I am telling people the BPUB is overwhelmed. Individual homes are not a priority. Down electrical polls and entire neighborhoods still without power must take priority, but I did suggest once they get to individual homes they need to prioritize for seniors and those with medical devices.
Be patient people - you are not being fair if you think your home is more important than down polls or entire communities.
Bobby WC
lost electricity last night at midnight just came back at 9:30am I guess they were all at the bank withdrawing the 150 million they stole from the citizens. Y EL D A QUE???? PINCHE MAMON O PERO LOS BORRACHOS SE LOS ECHA DE VOLADA PORQUE? PORQUE SON POBRES, THE RICH AND FAMOUS GET AWAY WITH ANY CRIME HERE PINCHE MAMON
DO NOT RE-ELECT ESTE MAMON EVER AGAIN.
Harlingen launching kayak project at McCullough Park
And they don't have resacas as here. Bike trails are more important than resacas here.
It should be the other way around meskins like to fish gringos like bike trails pinche bruja caters to the gringos y es una meskin coco. pinche mamona.
este idiota was a member or still is of that racist foundaton funded by the poorest city in the nation where 90% are hispanicsa. Believe it.
and he wants to represents el gran southmost what is this, are estos idiotas taking turns running for el southmost city seat why?
He was a member of the most racist foudation where all their funding went to enhance gringo buildings because they call them historical building so that the gringo tourist had something new to see.
PROBLEM HERE IS, ITS A BUNCH OF LIES NO TOURIST GRINGO WILL EVER GO TO A PLACE WHERE 90% OF MESKINS LIVE, NEVER, AGAIN TAKING MONEY FROM THE POOR TO ENRICH EL GRINGO ANOTHER GRANT????
WHEN IS THIS RATISMO GOING TO STOP?
Border Patrol preps for Title 42 sunset as Brownsville sees ‘massive uptick’ in crossings
THE LAPDOG GOVERNOR WITH HIS HOTROD CHAIR IS ASKING FOR B52s TO BOMB ALL THE SOUTHERN BORDER AND THE RIVER. RACIST REPUBLICANS ARE IN FAVOR OF THS INGENIUS MOVE AND THAT'S INCLUDING ALL THE COCOS IN TEXAS. FACT
All you need to know about the Mexico Series
NOTHING!!
WILL BE WIN NUMBER DOS
ONCE IN THE WORLD CLASSIC AND TONIGHT. ANY BETS????? COCOS
Cameron County woman blindsided by irrigation water bill more than $9,000
I just got one for $400. bucks, why,I dont own any lands to irrigate, and I live in a subdivision that was constructed back in the early 50's.
Que esta pasando?
all those irrigation offices and MUDs are run by puros gringo families, since the 1900's again the poor financing the rich by whatever means possible RATAS.
Come on Zeke. BCIC gave you $150,000 in cold hard cash. They gave you a $300,000 loan at a rock bottom interest rate. Now your slamming them because they wont give you another $50,000? Don't be greedy and spiteful, just take what you can get. Focus on your business.
Completely off the subject , but could not take it anymore listening to Jessica Tetreau’s tv commercials. This woman is totally deranged. Does she think the citizens of Brownsville are stupid. No ma’am thats reserved for you . You talk about the need to fix the streets, something about saying no Tenaska ( that shit is over ,the millions are gone on you alls watch) then another one that talks about her having a VISION for better Brownsville???? What is wrong with you. You have been on the city commission for 12 years and have failed miserably. All of a sudden you have all the answers/solutions (according to you) to the city’s problems. You should have worked on all these issues from the first day you were in office as a commissioner.. But NO all you did was grandstand and parade around at all the parties and official gatherings having a grand ol time. You were a “ no show” as a commissioner and now you want the Mayor position. GOD FORBID this ever happens.
Thank you Montoya! If not for your investigative reporting the majority of us would be lost to the truth behind all the wrong doings in Brownsville. Great job. Keep it up. If anyone is making a difference it's you.
Today I decided to address my OPINION as to this greedy, corruption, fraud, land thieves, ignorance committed by the Cameron County elected or intentionally appointed by greed political leaders. This corrupt Cameron County precedent has been in effect for centuries and still demands to rule over honesty and trust. The Brownsville Community Improvement Corporation wants to grant monies to improve the quality of life for the city of Brownsville. For centuries the gas and oil companies are the ones who decided who and what is best for not just Brownsville but many more South Texas Cities who sit on stolen land grants. The oil and gas companies pay through campaign contributions to make sure they have these corrupt sitting ducks eagerly and willingly to do as they want to enrich themselves. These recent corrupt leaders such as former mayor Trey Mendez and his compadres wanted to restore the so-called historical houses of Charles Stillman and other land thieves and give honor to these corrupt political, cowardly land thieves. Included in the list of these is no other than Francisco Yturria. However, now Mendez, because of his political position, willingly and knowingly has changed direction and now wants to steal from the poor. He knows about the $250 thousand land grant monies available to these poor homeowners before the owners, so he goes and purchases these homes and the rest is history. He WILLINGLY, KNOWINGLY, PURPOSELY, INTENTIONLY, PLANNED TO DECEIVE THE VICTIMS OF SUCH DISHONESTY AND DISQUEST. THIS IS THE SHIT THAT HAS BEEN PLANNED AND SET-UP IN THE CAMERON COUNTY JUDICIAL SYSTEM FOR CENTURIES. The fact is that now the true heirs to these land grants are recognized. Why would we as citizens of Cameron County want such a disgusting greedy rata? Wake up Cameron County. This is my opinion.
Not a single ordinary citizen of Brownsville got some of that grant money! Boycott these businesses! I wonder of the Fruias are going to donate some Cadillacs for our poor citizens that take the bus to work to make enough to barely pay their PUB Bill! These people should be ashamed of themselves! WELCOME TO BROWNSVILLE WHERE THE D.A. AND THE POLICE ARE TOO BUSY CHASING GRAFFITI ARTISTS AND POT SMOCKERS!
between 6th st and 7th st on ringgold st the city has spend millions to enhance all the delapidated gingo owned warehouses falling down. drive down ringgold st from 7th to international blvd and all you see IS HOMES FALLING DOWN y las pobres viejitas and the working citizens of that area barely making ends meet.
Ah pero el pinche gingos RATA applying for freee grant money y LAS PINCHES RATAS COCOS giving all the money to the rich and famous gringos y cocos.
Y EL D A QUE??? CHASING BORRACHOS.
what a town
Very well said
and I bought two cads from this A.H. some time back. NEVER AGAIN, WE HAVE POOR PEOPLE THAT REALLY NEED TO IMPROVE THEIR HOMES AND THE CITY GIVES IT AWAY TO THE RICH. WOW
CAN SOMEBODY SUPPLY US WITH A LIST OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN GIVEN THIS GRANT I KNOW THE MAYOR IS ONE OF THEM
I WILL NOT SHOP ON ANY ONE THAT HAS BEEN GIVE A FREE GRANT. NADIEN
Stop supporting all businesses these people own, including their extended families. Isn't Gazpachos owned by one of the commissioners families? My next vehicle, when I can afford one, will not be from a Brownsville dealership. Shameless jerks. !
Y el pinche d.a. que??? buscando borrachos!!!
Unfortunately, these Rata Society of individuals aren't capable of feeling shame. It's not in their vocabulary.
DA quiere decir district attorney. En Cameron county DA quiere decir Donde Anda porque este baboso nunca lo encuentras , nunca hace nada contra el crimen, nomas detras de los borrachitos. Que investigue al PUB, BCIC,GBIC, y todos los officiales que se están haciendo ricos ??? Ya levantate, rasurate ese pinche bigote horrible, y haz tu trabajo!!!
Damm shoulda gone to St Hoe, Oh that's right we didn't have the money to go...
they don't care they go to church every sunday and donate.
CALL THE FBI TO INVESTIGATE ALL ELECTED PUBLIC OFFICIALS HERE IN CAMERON COUNTY. NOW
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