Maverick County Commissioners Court Feud With County Auditor Sandra Watkins Highlight of Special Meeting on Friday, October 6th
By: Miguel Munoz, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2017
Maverick County Commissioners Court feud with County Auditor Sandra Watkins is the sole agenda item for a special meeting posted to be held on Friday, October 6, 2017, at 5 P.M. at Commissioners Courtroom, 500 Quarry Street, in Eagle Pass, Texas.
According to Agenda Item No. 3, Maverick County Commissioners Court will “discuss and take possible action regarding the County Auditor and failure to perform duties as required by law and policy including but not limited to (1) approval of purchase orders; (2) making necessary budget adjustment, and (3) purchase orders pending at the end of the Budget Year 2017 and to be encumbered for the 2017 Budget Year including any legal action that may be taken to enforce the [sic] these duties and responsibilities and any other matter related thereto.”
According to the October 6, 2017, Special Meeting Agenda posted by County Judge David Saucedo on Monday, October 2, 2017 for the October 6th meeting, there are several conflicts and disagreements between Maverick County Commissioners Court and County Auditor Sandra Watkins regarding several key financial issues affecting the 2017 Fiscal Year Budget.
A review of the Agenda posted alleges that County Auditor Sandra Watkins is failing to perform her duties as required by law and policy, including but not limited to the failure to approve purchase orders, making necessary budget adjustments, and failing to encumber purchase orders pending at the end of the 2017 Budget Year.
The October 6th Special Meeting Agenda also threatens that Maverick County Commissioners Court may take legal action against County Auditor Sandra Watkins to enforce she follow her duties and responsibilities and any other matters related thereto.
The Agenda clearly demonstrates that their is a feud between Maverick County Commissioners Court and County Auditor Sandra Watkins concerning certain financial decisions in the 2017 Budget Year.
County Auditor Sandra Watkins was not hired by Maverick County Commissioners Court, but rather by a three judge panel composed of the 293rd and 365th Judicial District Judges Cynthia Muniz and Amado J. Abascal, III and Governor Greg Abbott-appointed 38th Judicial District Judge Camile Dubose. As a matter of fact, 365th Judicial District Judge Amado J. Abascal, III, did not vote to hire Sandra Watkins as County Auditor, but instead preferred keeping former County Auditor Fidencio Ortiz. Judges Cynthia Muniz and Camile Dubose, however, voted for hiring Sandra Watkins as Maverick County Auditor after a long campaign to oust Oritz as County Auditor was orchestrated by Maverick County Commissioners Court.
Maverick County Commissioners Court spent over $100,000 Dollars of hard-earned taxpayers monies to hire legal counsel and auditors to investigate and wage a campaign to oust former County Auditor Fidencio Ortiz and replacing him with Sandra Watkins via the District Judges Panel, which split 2-1 in hiring her. Commissioners Court and political allies recruited Sandra Watkins to apply for County Auditor and lobbied to have her hired.
After spending over $100,000 Dollars of Maverick County taxpayers monies in ousting former County Auditor Fidencio Oritz and hiring Sandra Watkins as the new County Auditor, Maverick County Commissioners Court are no longer satisfied and happy with Sandra Watkins as County Auditor.
The October 6th Special Meeting Agenda of Maverick County Commissioners Court suggests that Commissioners Court may decide to take legal action against County Auditor Sandra Watkins and are willing to spend additional taxpayers monies to attempt to force her to comply with her alleged duties and responsibilities.
Maverick County taxpayers will not want to miss the Friday, October 6th, Maverick County Commissioners Court Special Meeting at 5 P.M. because it is the best ticket in town. Admission is Gratis/Free.
