Maverick Countians Non-Participation to Convert to 911 Address costing local entities and businesses money

By: Jose G. Landa, Copyright 2014, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc.

The lack of participation by Maverick County residents to change their old route and lot number residential addresses or HCR addresses to the new required 911 Management Address System is costing local governmental entities and businesses money in increased notice costs and the decrease of ad valorem taxes and fees collection due to returned, undeliverable United States Mail.

Maverick Countians have a poor participation rate in changing their old mailing or residential addresses to the new 911 Management System is manifesting itself in the form of non-delivery of important U.S. Mail, official notification documents by local governmental entities and businesses, and the non-recognition of addresses by the 911 system pertaining to emergency calls.

Although the problem is greatest among out-of-city (Eagle Pass) or county residences, there are several city addresses which require to be changed, too.

The most important danger and consequence of a local resident failing to change their addresses to the 911 Management System is that the Eagle Pass Fire Department and the Maverick County Sheriff’s Department officers are unable to respond and find one’s residence on a timely basis in an emergency telephone call to 911 in the County. Local residents are risking theirs and their loved ones lives by not changing their residential addresses to the new 911 Management System.

Another problem which has arisen is the non-delivery of important official documents such as the new 2014 ad valorem tax notifications from the County of Maverick, Eagle Pass Independent School District, and the City of Eagle Pass. This has increased significantly the costs of delivery of official notifications to local governmental entities who receive hundreds of returned U.S. Mail stamped as undeliverable as addressed or unable to deliver. Further, there are important legal rights and consequences which local county residents may lose or waive for failing to answer these notices.

For instance, Maverick County Tax-Assessor Collector Isamari Sanchez-Villarreal mailed out thousands of 2014 ad valorem tax notices to Maverick County residents only to be surprised to receive hundreds of them returned as undeliverable. Sanchez-Villarreal expressed concern that if taxpayers do not receive their tax notices the County will not collect its 2014 ad valorem property taxes which are critical in the operation of Maverick County’s operating budget for 2014-2015 and rendering of services to County residents.

The many taxing entities are in a troubling predicament as they will not be able to collect tax monies that are used for daily operations of each entity and also used to provide the many different services to the community through such funding.

Similarly, the Maverick County Water Control and Improvement District No. 1, the Eagle Pass Independent School District, and the City of Eagle Pass are experiencing the same problems as Maverick County.

Maverick County Elections Administrator Roy Schmerber also advised Commissioners Court of his office receiving close to one thousand voter registration cards returned as undeliverable due to county residents not participating in the 911 Management System Addresses.

Sanchez-Villarreal stated that almost 1,000 tax notification letters have been returned as undeliverable and will not be able to be delivered until these county residents participate and change their current addresses to the new 911 Management System addresses at the Middle Rio Grande Development Council’s 911 Office at 1200 Ferry Street with Eddie Guerra at (830) 773-1191.

Local businesses also are experiencing problems in delivering mail and official notifications to county residents, causing financial losses, costs and expenses for them and residents.

All Eagle Pass and Maverick County residents are encouraged to immediately go to the Maverick County 911 Management System Address Office at 1200 Ferry Street with Eddie Guerra, (830) 773-1191, to change their addresses.