$8.5 Million Certificates of Obligation Election tops February 17th Maverick County Commissioners Court Special Meeting

By: Miguel Munoz, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2017

Maverick County Commissioners Court will hold a special meeting on Friday, February 17, 2017, at 5 P.M. at Commissioners Courtroom to discuss several important agenda items, including the consideration and approval of an Order of the Commissioners Court of Maverick County, Texas calling a Certificates of Obligation Election to be held on May 6, 2017 within the County and making provisions for the conduct of the election.

Concerned Maverick County Taxpayers raised sufficient valid signatures on a petition to call an election on whether to approve up to $8.5 Million in Certificates of Obligation (Bonds) for infrastructure improvements and vehicle and equipment purchases previously approved by Maverick County Commissioners Court in late-2016.

At the February 13th regular meeting of Maverick County Commissioners Court, Maverick County Elections Administrator Roy Schmerber announced that a total of 1,488 valid signatures of registered Maverick County voters had been verified out of a total of 2,040 signatures presented, thus qualifying for a special election on the $8.5 Million Bonds.  Schmerber stated that a minimum of 1,411 valid signatures of registered Maverick County voters were necessary to call a special election based on Maverick County’s Registered Voters Roll of over 29,000.

As a result of there being sufficient signatures to cause a special election on the $8.5 Million Bonds, County Commissioner Precinct 1 Jerry Morales made a motion to schedule a special meeting on February 17th to decide whether to call the special meeting or to withdraw the request for the issuance of the $8.5 Million Bonds and cancelling the necessity for a special election.  Commissioners Court unanimously approved Morales’ motion.  Commissioners Court members welcome the special election in order to allow the entire community of Maverick County to have a voice and vote on whether to approve these $8.5 Million Bonds for improvements within the County.

On the other hand, concerned taxpayers contend that the issuance of up to $8.5 Million Bonds were approved by Commissioners Court as a financial back-up to operate Maverick County’s fiscal budget in case that the taxpayers’ petition to roll back Maverick County’s 2016 Tax Rate of $.0542309 per $100 valuation of ad valorem taxes had been validated and defeated by taxpayers.  However, the tax rate rollback petition was denied by Maverick County Elections Administrator Roy Schmerber on grounds of allegedly having insufficient valid Maverick County registered voters despite having 2,067 valid signatures.  Taxpayers contend that their tax rollback petition was unlawfully denied by Maverick County because the Elections Administrator Roy Schmerber incorrectly counted registered voters marked with an “S” (Suspense) on the County’s registered voters rolls contrary to state election law.  Taxpayers have requested relief from state agencies to correct Maverick County’s unlawful denial of their tax rate rollback petition.  Taxpayers oppose taxation without representation.

In the event that Maverick County Commissioners Court approves to hold the special election on the $8.5 Million Bonds, the special election will feature a clash of two political forces between taxpayers and Commissioners Court.  Commissioners Court members stated at the February 13th meeting that they welcome the challenge of a special election.

Other agenda items on the February 17th special meeting include the continuing saga of Maverick County’s battle with the Bondholders of the closed $42.2 Million Maverick County Detention Center and their Trustee, UMB Bank, N.A. in consultation with legal counsel Robert W. Wilson to discuss any proposals related to the legal dispute concerning the closed detention center.  The Bondholders are suing the Maverick County Public Facility Corporation, a related governmental entity of Maverick County, for $1,019,939.67 due to breach of contract allegations.

Another agenda item is the discussion and possible action for Maverick County to adopt a policy on the waiver of fees for the use of Maverick County Parks and other recreational and cultural resources.  At the February 13th meeting, Commissioners Court had a lengthy discussion on when and who qualifies on receiving a waiver of fees for use of County parks, recreational and cultural resources.

The February 17th special meeting will cover salient issues affecting Maverick County and is open to the public.