DOWNTOWN BUSINESS OWNER: BCIC GANG STILL DOLING OUT CASH TO THE USUAL SUSPECTS, THEIR BODS AND CRONIES

Special to El Rrun-Rrun

Just a comment that I would like to share:

I had the chance to see the last Brownsville Community Improvement Corporation board meeting on September 30 and I noted that they are keeping doing the same, giving money to the same people, Michael and Fabian Limas, of the Ramblas Hospitality Group and Benito Garcia, of the Solaris Management Solutions.

I don’t see how they pretend to be an organization for the community when they give all the funds to their friends.

I am a business owner and they always have excuses, they are never at the office and they just say “send an email to schedule appointment” when as a public organization they have to be there, and I’m sure they have stratospheric salaries…

Don’t know how they pretend to promote programs, but are never there and always the same people get the benefit… anyway… just wanted to share this, hope someday the city do something about this.

Thank you for all you do by sharing info with the community!

(Ed.'s Note: In the past we have pointed out that the BCIC board and its director Cory Peña had been doling out "free" grant money to a select number of recipients, often their lifelong school chums and friends closely linked to certain socioeconomic circles.

The Limas brothers (Michael and Fabian) have gone to that well often, as has Garcia, and both have used public money to speculate in downtown real estate and commercial ventures. In fact, the Limas have received the cash when Michael Limas was the board chair.

Others followed suit. The Fruias, former mayor Trey Mendez and his partner Ramiro Gonzalez have also gone often to that well, and the businesses associated with then-BCIC board member Arturo Treviño (Los Trevi's Drive-Thrus), and to his pal Pedro Cardenas (EL Pueblito)  before he was elected commissioner also got handed a few thousands to give them a handou...ahem, we mean hand up for their enterprises.

In one case involving grant request from Mendez ($200,000) and the Limas brothers (a few thousands), the requests were withdrawn when Cameron County District Attorney Luis V. Saenz and his assistant prosecutors showed up at the meeting. The grant requests from a sitting mayor and its board members would have gone through if not for their presence. Mendez explained that the request was made "prematurely." Limas revealed that a grant request made by an applicant was actually renting from him for her business.

In any other town, this would have resulted in criminal indictments. But we're in Brownsville, and things here are a little different. 

And just recently, the BCIC awarded a $200,000 grant to Emanuel Hernandez and  wife Maren Fruia to "maintain and enhance the Cameron Hotel’s historical character."

It is interesting to note that a former city auditor who exposed the dismal performance of then-Greater Brownsville Incentives Corporation (BCIC) CEO Helen Ramirez – now city manager – which resulted in losses of more than $750,000 to space-related companies that resulted in zero jobs for local residents, was also more than halfway through a similar audit of the BCIC before she left the city.

What happened with the work product of that audit? We suspect that it has been swept under the rug by Ramirez and BCIC's Peña and put someplace away from the public eye. What mismanagement and sweetheart deals among friends were in that audit? We'll dig a little more to secure the work product of the audit which the current city auditor promised to finish when he took over. Let's look under that rug.)