Maverick County Commissioners Court To Appoint Bruce Ballou As Interim Road and Bridge Department Supervisor and Tackle Legal Cases at August 21st Meeting

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

Maverick County Commissioners Court will hold a special meeting on Monday, August 21, 2017, at 5 P.M. at the Maverick County Commissioners Courtroom in Eagle Pass, Texas with several key agenda items, including the possible appointment of Bruce Ballou as the Interim Road and Bridge Department Supervisor and several pending litigation cases involving Maverick County.  The meeting is open to the public.

Agenda Item No. 4 calls for “the discussion and possible action to assign an Interim Road and Bridge Supervisor until the position is filled with the same pay of former supervisor” and Agenda Item No. 16 calls for “the discussion and possible action to assign Bruce Ballou as Interim Road and Bridge Supervisor until the position is filled with the same pay as the former supervisor.”

Unless a majority of Maverick County Commissioners oppose the assignment (appointment) of Bruce Ballou as the Interim Road and Bridge Department Supervisor, it is almost certain Ballou will be assigned (appointed) as the new Interim Road and Bridge Department Supervisor of Maverick County at the August 21st special meeting.  County Commissioner Precint 4 Roberto Ruiz placed Agenda Item No. 16 calling for the assignment (appointment) of Bruce Ballou as Interim Road and Bridge Department Supervisor.

Ballou previously was the 293rd Judicial District Chief Juvenile Probation Officer serving Maverick County, Dimmit County, and Zavala County from April 1, 2011 through January 13, 2016.  Ballou resigned as the 293rd Judicial District Chief Juvenile Probation Officer after being investigated for allegedly exploiting juvenile probationers under his supervision instead of being terminated.  Ballou was not allegedly terminated because the Juvenile Probation Board were deadlocked on that decision. Instead, Ballou voluntarily resigned on January 13, 2016.

Former Maverick County Road and Bridge Department Supervisor Ernesto Guevara resigned to go work in the private sector.

Other agenda items on the August 21st Commissioners Court Meeting include several pending litigation cases involving Maverick County to be discussed in Executive Session in consultation with legal counsel and later with possible action in Open Session.  Among the pending litigation cases to be discussed include Dos Republicas Coal Partnership vs. David Saucedo as Flood Plain Administrator and County Judge in the 365th Judicial District Court in Maverick County, Texas; Maverick County vs. Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and Dos Republicas Coal Partnership in the 250th Judicial District Court in Travis County, Texas; EEOC Complaint against Maverrick County Auditor Sandra Watkins by Armando Gonzalez, Pablo Hernandez, Karla Jimenez, Veronica Jimenez, Luis Rodriguez, Romero Guillermina, and Maria Sarmento Lopez; Daniel Cruz vs. Maverick County in U.S. District Court, Western District of Texas, Del Rio Division; Maverick County vs. Ricardo Ramos and Counter-lawsuit in the 365th Judicial District Court; the Increase of the Assistant Auditors Salary; and a possible exchange of five acres with the City of Eagle Pass, Texas for electricity, paving, and water for the Maverick County Lake.

Also on the Agenda is Item No. 3 calling for the “discussion and possible approval to adopt a 3-2-1 Discount Program for ad valorem taxes for Maverick County 2017 (October 3%, November 2%, December 1%),” giving taxpayers a discount on payment of their County taxes if paid during the first three months of the 2017-2018 fiscal tax year.

Another Agenda Item is No. 9 calling for “discussion and possible action to hire Ms. Amanda Riojas as an Assistant District Attorney for the 293rd Judicial District Attorney’s Office effective September 5, 2017,  with a salary of of $70,000.00 plus all fringe benefits with an orientation period as requested by the District Attorney.” Riojas is from Eagle Pass.

There are other important agenda items to be discussed and possible action to be taken.

The public is invited and encouraged to attend the Maverick County Commissioners Court special meeting on Monday, August 21st, at 5 P.M.