Maverick County Water Control and Improvement District No. 1 Board Meeting on November 10, 2020 Raises Controversial Board Governance Issues
By: Miguel Munoz, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2020
The Maverick County Water Control and Improvement District No. 1 posted its Agenda for its regular Board meeting scheduled on Tuesday, November 10, 2020 at 5 P.M. at the District Office, located at 1622 Maverick Industrial Park Road, Eagle Pass, Texas with over 23 Agenda items to be discussed and possible action taken on, raising eyebrows among District members regarding some controversial Board of Governance issues.
The MCWCID No. 1 District members elected three Board members at the recently held November 3, 2020 Election with Randy Edwards receiving 93 votes, incumbent Board member Juan Perez, Jr. had 78 votes, and Gabriel De La Cerda had 69 votes. Ousted from the Board was incumbent Board member Juan Manuel Garcia, Jr. who lost to De La Cerda by one vote with 68 votes and Rodolfo Garza, Jr. had 63 votes.
Juan Manuel Garcia, Jr. has requested on November 6, 2020 an Election Vote Recount petition, which has been scheduled by the Maverick County Election Office on Monday, November 9, 2020 at 9 a.m. at the 293rd Judicial District Courtroom, 500 Quarry Street, Eagle Pass, Texas.
The normal and customary practice of governmental entities is to hold a meeting to officially canvass the election results, approve a resolution or order adopting the election results, administering the Oath of Office to the new Board members, and the election of new Board Officers. Normally, all these procedures are done immediately at the beginning of the Board meeting after establishing a quorum of the Board to allow the newly elected Board members to immediately begin the governance and management of the political entity’s business affairs and policies.
However, the outgoing MCWCID No. 1 Board of Directors have placed at the end of the November 10th Agenda meeting the items dealing with the canvassing of the Election results, approving the order of the election results, swearing-in of new Board members, and the election of new Board Officers, while the outgoing Board of Directors will seek to discuss and take possible action on over 16 or more Agenda items before the new Board is installed—effectively denying the votes of the District members who voted at the November 3 election to elect three new Board members. Some MCWCID No. 1 members have expressed concerns that the outgoing Board is disrespecting and depriving them of their voice through their ballots cast on November 3rd. These District members are requesting that the newly-elected Board be sworn-in and installed and be allowed to start immediately handling the important business and policy decisions of the MCWCID No. 1 instead of the outgoing Board, questioning the Board Governance at the District.
Another Agenda Item the outgoing Board of Directors seek to address before the swearing-in and installation of the newly-elected Board is Agenda Item No. 16-A(4) in Executive Session regarding “Personnel: Discussion regarding conduct of [Board of] Director [Javier] Mancha and remedies regarding same.” Unquestionably, the outgoing Board of Directors have a difference of opinion with longtime Board member Javier Mancha and are now seeking to either sanction, censure, or terminate him from the MCWCID No. 1 Board despite being elected to the post. One District member noted that Agenda Item No. 16-A(4) under Executive Session is unlawfully posted and does not comply with the Texas Open Meetings Act as the issue is one of Board Governance, not personnel.
It is obvious that the recently held November 3rd Board election was not to the liking of some District members while it was to others, raising many controversial issues to be discussed and possible action to be taken at the November 10th MCWCID No. 1 Board meeting. MCWCID No. 1 members and the public are invited to attend the November 10th Board meeting at 5 P.M. at the District Office.
