Maverick County Commissioners approve Resolution for Justice Assistance Formula Grant Program Border Star

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

The Maverick County Commissioners Court held a regular monthly meeting on February 10, 2014, at the Maverick County Court House, located at  500 Quarry Street,  in Eagle Pass, Texas.

During the meeting, Maverick County Commissioners Court passed a resolution pertaining to The Justice Assistance Formula Grant Program Border Star, which the Maverick County Sheriff’s Department uses to obtain funds from the Texas Governor’s  Office.  The resolution was passed unanimously in support of the Maverick County Sheriff’s Department in its quest to obtain funding for its law enforcement and border security programs.

Maverick County Sheriff’s Department Grant Writer, Ignacio “Nacho” Saucedo was asked by County Commissioner Roberto Ruiz if Maverick County’s failure to file its 2012 Financial Statements and Audit might affect the County’s opportunity to receive this important funding.

Saucedo replied that “It may affect it Commissioner, the ones who are asking for an Audit right now is the State Administrative Agency that runs Texas Homeland Security. This program is administered by the Governor’s Office. They have not required that of us but it is possible that they will. They do ask for different requirements than the State Administrative Agency does.”  Maverick County has failed to file its 2012 Financial Statements and Audit with the State of Texas by the March 1, 2013 deadline as of today, being 12 months late already.

Commissioner Ruiz asked Saucedo: “Do we have an amount yet on possible funding?”

Saucedo stated that not yet but that two years ago the County received $250,000 from this grant and that last year it had decreased to $91,000 due to different circumstances in funding procedures as it had turned into a competitive grant and the Rio Grande area had only received $360,00, which was divided between the Counties.

Maverick County Judge David R. Saucedo then acknowledged that the Maverick County Sheriff’s Department have been allocated another $150,000 in funding from the Governor’s Office in the near future to begin a pilot law enforcement program.

Among other items discussed and approved at the February10th meeting was agenda item No. 15 authorizing the Elections Department under the direction of Roy Schmerber to generate extra compensation time hours during the March 4, 2014 election and the March 27, 2014 run-off election as well. This item was approved unanimously after a brief discussion.

Item No. 15 on the agenda pertained to the hiring of additional election workers, which was also approved unanimously. The election workers list is provided by the Maverick County  Democratic Party Chairman Victor E. Perry and goes through Commissioners Court for final approval.

Another important item on the agenda discussed and approved was an agreement between the Middle Rio Grande Development Council and the Middle Rio Grande Workforce Solutions to cooperatively implement and support Workforce Food Stamp Employment Training and Workfare or Choice Work Skill Training Program.  After a brief synopsis of the program and discussion, the item was approved unanimously by Maverick County Commissioners Court.