Maverick County Solid Waste Authority approves Auditor engagement letters
By: Jose G. Landa, Copyright 2014, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc.
The Maverick County Solid Waste Authority (MCSWA) approved the engagement letters for the audit of financial statements for the years ended September 30, 2012, 2013, and 2014 with the Independent Auditing firm of Martinez , Rosario Company LLC of San Antonio, Texas at their regular meeting on Thursday, July 17, 2014 at the Maverick County Courthouse in Eagle Pass, Texas.
Listed on the Agenda as the review and approval of the engagement letters for the audit of financial statements for the year ended September 30,2012, discussion was opened on the proposed agenda item.
MCSWA Board of Directors President Rolando Jasso stated that these letters of engagement were in regards to the auditing services of Martinez, Rosario Company LLC and stemmed from a meeting that MCSWA General Counsel Earl Herring had with Milo Martinez on terms of agreement. “This letter includes the audits for the remaining years including 2012, 2013, 2014, they have already been executed by Mr. Martinez,” said President Jasso.
Maverick County Auditor Fidencio C. Ortiz advised the MCSWA Board that they had been presented with all three letters of engagement through MCSWA General Manager Mike Castillo and that it was up to the Board of Directors to approve them one by one or approve them all as a whole. “It’s up to the board if you want to do all three,” said County Auditor Ortiz.
Board President Jasso stated that “yes,” they wanted to approve them as a whole since they had all been reviewed. “If you want to approve them all today that’s fine,” added Ortiz.
Jasso then asked the Board members if they had any questions, which they replied “No.”
MCSWA Board President Rolando Jasso made the motion to approve the engagement letters to hire Martinez, Rosario Company LLC to start working on the MCSWA’s 2012, 2013, and 2014 audits. Board member Enrique Montalvo seconded the motion and the motion was approved unanimously.
Another Agenda item that was discussed in Executive Session pursuant to Section 551.071 consultation with Attorney, Texas Open Meetings Act Texas Government Code Chapter 551, regarding the outstanding water use debt owed to the Maverick County Water Control and Improvement District No. 1 (MCWCID).
Upon returning into Open Session, Board President Jasso moved to table item due to the fact that they had been notified that the MCWCID Board had recently voted in favor of negotiating with the MCSWA an amicable resolution of the matter.
Jasso further stated that they would be instructing MCSWA General Counsel Earl Herring to meet with the MCWCID General Counsel to negotiate a reasonable, amicable settlement agreement to be approved by both Boards. MCSWA General Counsel Earl Herring was not present at the July 16, 2014 meeting due to personal reasons.
Maverick County Landfill General Manager Mike Castillo also presented the MCSWA Board his monthly report on the landfill operations.
Castillo discussed certain presentations that had taken place by the MCSWA to show integral key components of the MCSWA operations to the Eagle Pass Rotary Club.
Board members concurred that these presentations were important to educate the community on the inner workings of the community’s trash collection and storage .
Castillo also reported he had recently met with Maverick County Commissioner of Precinct 4 Roberto Ruiz and Maverick County Road and Bridge Department Director Ernesto Guevara regarding the possible storage of the County’s excess tires issue at the County landfill.
“They want to see what we can do about these tires. We explained to them that first we would need a permit to store tires and then you would need another permit to shred the tires. You would also need financial assurance. There are a lot of steps that need to be taken,” said Castillo.
Castillo also noted that the MCSWA had assisted in debris pickup in the affected areas of the recent June 19-20, 2014 floods and that they had picked up over nine (9) tons of trash and debris from the areas affected, including Quemado, Normandy, and Elm Creek Subdivision and surrounding areas.
