Wednesday, November 20, 2024

AT THE PORT OF BROWNSVILLE, ARE CHAIRMAN GUERRA AND DIETRICH USING POSITIONS TO PUNISH POLITICAL FOES?

Special to El RrunRrun

After 23 years of leasing and operating warehouses at the Port of Brownsville, Beto Torres's nightmare began when he ran for a seat on the board of the Brownsville Navigation District against the wishes of current board chairman Esteban Guerra.

Torres, who had announced for Place 1, thought he had the blessing and support of Guerra untilthe board chairman announced his support – and campaigned for  Ernesto "Ernie" Gutierrez – a partner in  Brownsville Gulfside Warehouse Inc., which also leases land from the port and subleases warehouse space there. 

In items that have come before the board, the commissioners have approved purpose clause amendments for them and other lessees, in contrast to denying Torres's requests to even get an item for consideration on the board's agenda. In fact, Gutierrez's Gulfside has a lease amendment agenda item also for the board's consideration today.

Torres's problems came even after Port Director William Dietrich assured him – before witnesses –  that his B & L Freight Service LLC could rent his warehouse space to anyone he wished. After the election results came in, Dietrich, in a meeting called with port staff and Torres, denied that he had ever told Torres any such thing and stormed out of a meeting he called to iron out his stand on the requests. 

"Dietrich called me after the election and told me that he wanted me to be happy," Torres recalled. "He said he wanted me to make a million dollars. He said that as long as I didn't use the word sublease, I could rent to anyone I wanted and that the port wouldn't care. Then he denied he ever told me anything. and I was told that Guerra was doing this because I needed to be punished for going against his candidate. Se tiene que castigar."

Dietrich's actions against Torres has raised eyebrows at the port given that the port director's personal
romantic relationship with one of Guerra's female relatives. Dietrich – a retired Brownsville Police Department commander – was picked by Guerra to be interim port director after Eddie Campirano retired, and after a pro-forma national search, was appointed permanent port director by the board. 

Despite the fact that he came in third in the four-man race for Place 1 on the board, and behind eventual winner – and current incumbent Gutierrez who was supported by Guerra – his efforts to amend his purpose clause on his lease to allow him to sublease or rent to tenants has been removed from the port's agenda time after time since he first submitted it last February. In fact, Torres said that  Gutierrez called him and offered to pay his campaign expenses if he would withdraw from the Place 1 race.

The authority to place or remove items on the BND 's board agenda is delegated to the chairman and the port director. 

And even after the BND's Leasing Committee then chaired by commissioner Tito Lopez reviewed Torres'  proposed lease and sublease amendments and determined that he had complied with with the BND's leasing policies, the board's counsel determined that it is up to Guerra to ultimately decide the timing and placement of items on the agenda. So far, Guerra had refused to place the item on the agenda. It was only after Torres procured legal counsel that the item was placed on today's port commissioners' agenda. 

In frustration that the recommendations that his leasing committee made to allow the B & L Freight Service to amend his lease and sublease on his two warehouses had been ignored by the director and board chairman, Lopez resigned as its chair. Lopez's frustrations with Guerra and the port's director came to a head during a September 18th meeting, when Lopez openly questioned the motives behind the negative consideration of Torres's request  

Since then, the officers of Bureau Veritas – the company who has been trying to sublease from Torres to expand its business –  have had to wait for the item to be placed on the agenda and get the approval of the sublease before the commission. 

The animosity by Guerra and port director Dietrich toward Torres has been increasing as time went on. One of the issues that the port has raised is the use of B&L Freight Service – a trucking company – to allow third-party parking of trucks awaiting to load their cargoes before departing to Matamoros. The port director – Dietrich – determined that allowing trucks to park in his yard constituted "unauthorized use of third-party truck parking and staging" alleging that such use posed a "grave safety and security risk."

That "risk," the port said, required he get a $3 million liability policy, which he did.

Yet, after he was prevented from using his yard to park third-party trucks, video footage taken by Torres as late as November 8 showed that the trucks were allowed to use ROBCO LLC, in which Guerra has an interest, and at commissioner Gutierrez's lease, and in the lease of former port commissioner Ralph Cowen. At first it was just third-party tanker trucks, but soon even flatbeds were prohibited in Torres's yard, but are now welcome at Guerra's and Gutierrez's companies, putting $1,000s in their pockets at $20 a day. Do they have the $3 million liability policy that was required from Torres? Somehow, he seriously doubts it.

"And supposedly they don't want any third-party parking," Torres said. "Those trucks used to be in my yard." 

In fact, there were repeated letters warning Torres about using his yard or subleasing (or renting) to tenants without the board's approval, and even threatening possible termination of his leases. 

At tonight's meeting, the board's agenda has an item that will consider B & L Freight Service LLC's requests to amend its purpose clause as it aims to expand its operations. The current purpose is for freight transportation, storage of coils and sheet metals. The lessee wishes to amend the purpose to warehousing of non-hazardous dry bulk materials, and for a laydown area of non-hazardous dry bulk materials. 

The request clearly states that he will not be authorized to permit third-party trucks parking or staging or transloading and storage of hazardous materials on the premises. Given the chairman and port director's animosity toward Torres, it is almost a foregone conclusion that the item will probably not get their recommendation for approval.

It is interesting to note that the BND's Code of Ethics clearly prohibits such conduct from commissioners. It states that:

"No Commissioner shall: 
1. Participate in a vote or decision on a matter involving a business, contract or real property in which the Commissioner has a substantial interest if it is reasonably foreseeable that an action on the matter would confer a special economic effect, distinguishable from its effect on the public, on the business, contract or property involved."

Is the port's code of ethics merely words on paper to be ignored by the chairman and the port director and the other commissioners to retaliate and satisfy a whim for political revenge? Is this any way to run an international industrial port? 

22 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oddity: Trump came to Texas and Gov. Greg Abbott was nowhere in sight. Ha ah aha ha ha ha Talk about being ignored.

Anonymous said...

Does as I say not as I do! Guerra is just a bully. Why? because he can. He has Dietrich help to enforce HIS policy.

Anonymous said...

cmon u dont mess with Guerra. the man is a political money making beast! maga

Anonymous said...

For sure the law is being broken by all this whining men getting rich by using their political positions just like BCIC. I wonder if they report those 20 dollars a day they charge truckers for parking or is it cash only! We will never know because DA Saenz goes after graffiti artists only! They should all be kicked out no wonder no one else ever gets a chance!

Anonymous said...

Do you notice not one of these whiners mentions making the Port better it’s just about them and their money making opportunities like if they own the port!

Anonymous said...

Steve Guerra esta pesado…. Bien pesado

Anonymous said...

mamon, go to a local barrio and pick a fight see how you do!!! te dejan llorando PENDEJO...

Anonymous said...

Anyone surprised? Your time is coming Stevie G. This ain't mexico. Right, Tito?

Anonymous said...

"Is the port's code of ethics merely words on paper"? Good God, over the years we have had ample evidence that words on paper is precisely all it is.

Anonymous said...

Authorities are closing in. Investigations brewing. How many will get indicted? Tik Tok

Anonymous said...

Want to know the real Dietrich? Ask the Brownsville PD about him.

Anonymous said...

Just like all the other large entities in Brownsville. Puro ratismo dice mi cuñado. Thats why they trip over themselves come election time , to try and get a piece of the pie! Sinverguenzas .

Anonymous said...

Felix "El Mesero" Sauceda le hace los mandados a Dietrich. Y el Louie De Leon le hace todo a el mesero!

Anonymous said...

Isn't a huge conflict of interest that Dietrich is related to that port commissioner, easy to prove in court.

Anonymous said...

Valió Steve Guerra señor Verga!

Anonymous said...

Campirano DID NOT retire. Commission did not renew his contract. He was the only one who stood up to their agenda. He did not bend over backwards so they found someone that would. Pinche yes man bullie!

Anonymous said...

beto, chale, willie who cares puros mamones.

Anonymous said...

The Port Mafia!!!! Gordo Guerra control's everything. He put his puppet the wife beater Dietrich to cover his shit. We are family tu me cuidas yo te cuido. Gordo Guerra only cares about the moche with the other commissioners in favor. The clock is ticking three letter agencies are coming to the port soon!!! Everyone is tired of all the things happening in the port.

Anonymous said...

The Port Mafia!!!! Gordo Guerra control's everything. He put his puppet the wife beater Dietrich to cover his shit. We are family tu me cuidas yo te cuido. Gordo Guerra only cares about the moche with the other commissioners in favor. The clock is ticking three letter agencies are coming to the port soon!!! Everyone is tired of all the things happening in the port.

Anonymous said...

Dietrich the wife beater in charge of the Port? What next, Trump President again? I guess they're both true.

Anonymous said...

What's next? "Chief" Sauceda el mujeriego, pinche baboso claims to be a man of God but also believes HE is God himself. Did he forget how many female officers girlfriends he had? Well at least he now only get into Helen's pants,,,,, oh shit, no one knew???

Anonymous said...

WHY ARE THESE MESCANS WEARING A STUPID GRINGO SUIT? THEY LOOK SILLY WHERE ARE THEIR MESQUILLAS, SARAPE Y CHANCLAS?

rita