TERLINGUA MOON
Vol. 26 No. 24 June 16, 2015 By Mae Western
Carlton Leatherwood has written a most insightful article regarding the Glenn Felts murder trial. You can read it here:
http://bigbendgazette.com/2015/06/03/district-attorney-rod-ponton-holds-open-meeting-in-terlingua-to-discuss-not-guilty-verdict-in-flint-trial/
Letter to the MOON:
Hello, Here at Texas A&M, we are running a citizen submission project to get submission of kissing bugs (aka cone-nose bugs) from across Texas in order to study Chagas disease. We’re in contact with a few folks in the Big Bend/Terlingua area, and we would like to get the word out that we test kissing bugs that are sent to us. Although we have plenty of bugs from central Texas, we have a mighty big gap in our knowledge, because we have no bugs from your area. If it would be possible to include a notice on your website, we would appreciate it.
The most information we have can be found at http://kissingbug.tamu.edu
My email is kissingbug@cvm.tamu.edu
Please let me know what steps I should take to get the word out to folks in your area.
Best, Rachel Curtis-Robles, PhD student, Hamer Lab
Santiago de Compostela
Lisa Ivey and Cynta walked 71 miles in 6 days through northwest Spain and made it, on schedule, to the cathedral in Santiago. They cruised through fields of grapevines, eucalyptus trees, kale and corn, past hydrangea flowers so big they could be shower caps, and wild calla lilies four feet high, while eating seafood and pastries, on a roman road from 910 AD. Their feet will never be the same. These women (and their feet/feat) are amazing!
BBNP Backcountry Use Limits:
Big Bend National Park managers are reaching out to visitors who backpack overnight into the park’s vast undeveloped back country in order to clarify applicable use limits. Effective July 1, 2015, Big Bend National Park will be requiring adherence to the published Backcountry Management Plan use limits: - No overnight backcountry camping group or party will be larger than 15 persons except for river parties and users of backcountry road group sites. - Overnight off-road backcountry camping groups larger than 15 will divide into two parties. These parties will not be permitted in the same use area nor in adjacent use areas for a given night. For purposes of this requirement, adjacent use areas do not include those separated by paved or unpaved roads. Most park backcountry, outside of the Chisos Mountains, provides open-zone camping for groups up to 15 persons. However, the popular High Chisos zone requires use of designated campsites, each with group size limits. The High Chisos zone includes two campsites that accommodate up to 15 persons each and numerous campsites with smaller capacities. This clarifies that no more than 15 members of a single group may occupy High Chisos designated campsites at one time. Larger groups can be accommodated in available High-Chisos campsites under the 15-person limit, but will be required to split up with the remainder in a different, non-adjacent use zone outside of the High Chisos. Backcountry use limits have been established to protect the park’s cultural and natural resources and provide high-quality visitor experiences. Park Superintendent Cindy Ott-Jones said “We thank park visitors for their assistance in protecting the resources and visitor enjoyment of Big Bend backcountry by observing the group size limits.” www.nps.gov
Artist Molly Finnerty
Earth and Fire Gallery is pleased to announce a Reception for our latest Guest Artist, Molly Finnerty, on Saturday, June 20 from 7 to 9 pm. She is a painter from Upstate New York. In 2012 she graduated from Alfred University with a BFA and a minor in Business. In 2012 she won the Gene and Pamela Bernstein Development grant to attend Art Basel in Miami. Her work has been included in shows at The Museum of Art and Craft, as well as, The Global Center both in Manhattan, NY. The Guggenheim Museum featured one of her drawings on Gugenheim.org as part of the Gutai: Please Draw Freely project. In 2013 AWA Gallery in Amsterdam hosted her for her first international solo exhibition. She went on to show in a group show at Takt Gallery in Friedrichshain and with The Studio Visit in Mitte, Berlin. She is currently based out of Austin, TX.
Influences of street culture, fashion, graffiti, foliage and tropical climates can be seen throughout Molly’s work. Her most recent series of 2’ x 2’ ft. paintings on panel use the square, a basic but limiting shape, to highlight different methods of defining space. Even though the paintings have traces of things familiar, clouds and leaves for example, the finial image has a sense of inventiveness. The final image is also inspiring, because of this, one painting often leads to another. What are these paintings about? The paintings can at first seem vague. They are play explorations of color, balance, proportion, atmosphere and shape. The meditative quality of the paintings alongside the visual activation of the final image encourages one to look at the paintings with a sense of wonder.
Cycletek
Cycletek is your local source for automatic backup/standby generator systems for your house or business. Installations and generator start as little as $3,000. We can install automatic systems that can handle your critical needs when the power is out, such as refrigerators, freezers, lighting, and critical electronics. We also have in stock at special prices Generac inverter IX800 watt $290.00 total price; Generac GP1800 $340.00 total price, GP3250 $395.00 total price, IX 2000 $540.00. All new and in the box. You cannot beat these prices on the internet, and you have home town service and warranty on all Generac products. Note: We are the only factory trained, certified Generac sales, service, warranty & installation facility in Brewster County. All installation work is performed by certified/licensed technicians. 371-2569.
One Day at a Time in Terlingua
AA is not affiliated with any religious organization but is grateful to the Big Bend Church (north of the post office) for allowing us to meet there. Thursdays, at 7:30 p.m. (Closed Discussion). Anyone who has a desire to stop drinking or remain sober is welcome. Literature is available in our local library. Carpooling may be available to Alpine AA (Wednesdays) and Al-Anon (Thursdays) meetings. Contact phone numbers are posted on the church doors.
This week at The Boathouse!
The summer is upon us but it’s still cool at The Boathouse! Come join us for dinner and drinks on our beautiful patio, not to mention the great music. Summer hours are 5 - Midnight (1 a.m. on Saturday) and the Grille is open 5 - 9:30 Tuesday - Saturday.
This Wednesday it’s Open Mic with Jeffro Greasewood (7 - 10) and everyone is welcome. Have musician friends visiting from out of town? Be sure to bring them down! All musicians’ tips continue to be donated to The Big Bend Conservation Alliance in their efforts to stop the TransPecos Pipeline.
On Saturday, the amazing Paul Sprawl returns and he’ll be on from 8 - 11.
Stay tuned for our Friday night dinner special! Hope to see you soon (and don’t forget Sunday is Father’s Day! Stay tuned for a possible special then, too!)
All Energies
Stop throwing away food because of power outages! Get a backup system, with or without solar panels. Run your whole house, or just a few important appliances. A 4kW system starts at $3400. Email casey@allenergies.net or call 371-2950 for more info!
Espresso Y Poco Mas has new summer hours !!!
We will be open 7:30a.m.- 2:00p.m. 7 days a week, with the exception of the three weeks of June 23-July 12, when we will be closing each Tues. and Wed.
Come in to enjoy an iced coffee and afternoon dessert, cool fresh fruit cup, fruit smoothie, or creamy milk shake.
Check out our daily specials, too. : )
Lots of shade and the WiFi is available 24/7.
Summer Solstice Ceremony
The Big Bend Conservation Alliance and Chief William Hoff of the Tsalagyi Nydagi Tribe of Valentine, TX welcome everyone to an earth honoring Summer Solstice Ceremony followed by a Community Potluck Sunday, June 21, 2015 beginning at 6 pm. Hotel Ritchey, 102 Murphy Street, Alpine, Texas. Please bring a dish or drink to share and a chair or blanket. Donations for Chief Hoff and the BBCA gratefully accepted. Together we can stop the Trans Pecos Pipeline!
Viva Terlingua Music Festival Update
The Viva Terlingua Music Festival is coming up fast - Aug 20-23. 40+ bands, 3 Stages (Starlight, Boathouse, La Kiva), 4 days of music. You must have a wrist band to get in.
The last day to get your “early bird” discounted wristbands for $25 is this Friday, 6/19/15. They’ll be $75 at the door. You know you’re going. Go to http://viva-terlingua.com and grab your wristband now.
PUBLIC NOTICE
Brewster County Commissioners Court, Thursday, June 18 at 9 am, Brewster County Courthouse, Alpine TX
AGENDA
1. Invocation, Pledge of Allegiance
2. Public Comment
3. Treasurer’s Office A. Executive Session pursuant to Section § 551.071, Government Code, to confer with legal Counsel about pending or contemplated litigation, a settlement offer, or on a matter in which the duty of the attorney to the governmental body under the Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct of the State Bar of Texas clearly conflicts with this chapter concerning the County Treasurer B. Executive Session pursuant to Section § 551.074, Government Code, to discuss the appointment, employment, evaluation, reassignment, duties, compensation, or employment-related issues pertaining to the County Treasurer C. Reconvene in Open Session and discussion and appropriate action following Executive Session concerning the County Treasurer
4. Adjourn
High Sierra
This Week at High Sierra Bar &Grill
Saturday June 20 8:00pm - Jeff Haislip
Need a furry forever friend?
Striking TARA is an Australian Shepherd/Cattle dog mix. She is 1-year old, healthy, friendly, energetic, healthy and going to be a real treat for her special someone. Tara is good with other dogs, walks well on a leash, takes treats nicely, loves to play, and is hoping for an active owner to keep her busy. True to her genetics, she is clearly intelligent, ready to learn and looking for guidance from her owner. She weighs about 30 pounds and has a beautiful natural tail. She loves to snuggle and is quick to offer her belly for rubs. She has been at the Alpine Animal Shelter since June 2, 2015 and already it has been too long! AAS is open M-F from 10am to 6pm (closed 1-2pm), located on the east side of Alpine on Old Marathon Road. All AAS animals are on Petfinder at: https://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/32354026/ and you can see Tara’s picture on the Post Office bulletin board. For more info, email heatherthemule@gmail.com
Press Release from Judge Cano
Treasurer’s Office Update
In light of recent developments and publicized comments, I feel it necessary to share with you, our constituents, the following facts leading to the decision which we, as a Commissioners Court, took into account when drafting the order provided to our District Judge, Roy Ferguson. In the order, the Brewster County Commissioners Court unanimously voted to request the appointment of a County Auditor. After careful review of the facts provided within the order, Judge Ferguson reached the decision to accept the Commissioners Court request and has proceeded to create the position of County Auditor. The position is currently being advertised, applications are being accepted and reviewed and interviews will be forthcoming. The auditor will provide leadership, guidance and overall management within the Treasurer’s Office, as well as serve in an internal control capacity. The following facts are intended to substantiate and establish the rationale of the order presented to Judge Ferguson by Commissioners Court that ultimately lead to the creation of the Auditor position.
County departmental bills are not being paid in a timely manner
Every elected official has brought financial concerns to the attention of the County Judge and / or the County Commissioners. An extraordinary amount of time and effort has been spent by the Judge to attempt to build a healthy working relationship between the Treasurer and other elected officials. Unfortunately, the foundation of the relationship between the elected officials and the Treasurer’s Office is based on finances. Elected officials have informed the Judge’s office that bills are not being paid, vendors are calling and service providers are threatening to cut off services due to non-payment. It has become painfully obvious that the Treasurer’s Office is affecting the relationship between Brewster County elected officials and their community partners. On May 26th, 2015, Brewster County Commissioners Court formalized the county- wide belief of “no confidence” in our Treasurer to arrive at a resolution to the issues facing Brewster County elected officials. As mentioned above, the County Commissioners Court unanimously voted to request the appointment of a County Auditor to ensure that the Treasurer’s office carry out its duties and thus salvage the relationship between the Treasurer’s Office, elected officials and community service providers / vendors.
County departmental funds are not properly accounted for
It has come to the attention of the County Judge and / or members of the Commissioners Court that the Treasurer has been unable to locate numerous accounts and / or properly reconcile said accounts. Our County Attorney, Steve Houston, Sheriff, Ronny Dodson and County Clerk, Bertha Rios-Martinez, have provided verbal and written information to the Judge’s Office of such discrepancies. These elected officials, and others, are prepared to testify and attest, in writing, to their specific issues related to this matter.
County financial responsibilities for grants are inefficiently managed.
Brewster County is the recipient of various federal and state grants. While most of these grants involve significant red tape, the fiscal impact of such grants is vital to the solvency and daily operation of the County. One would be hard pressed to find any elected officials’ department that does not either directly or indirectly benefit from grant funding. The Sheriff’s office payroll is supplemented by federal and state dollars. The DA’s office also receives state monies which funds personnel and travel expenses. The County Judge’s office is currently in the process of gathering information to formulate the 2016 budget. It is projected that without grant funding, the County would be hard pressed to arrive at a balanced budget. Various grant funding ancillary personnel have notified the Judge’s office of issues related to gathering and obtaining reports, receipts and required documentation necessary for ensuring grant compliance. As mentioned above, documentation and appropriate record keeping is what is necessary for the County to be in compliance or the County will lose funding and / or no longer be eligible for grants in the future.
County 2015 budget with appropriate amendments due to tax rollback and other Commissioners Court actions cannot be provided.
In January, 2015, Brewster County voters went to the polls and approved a reduction in the county tax rate for 2015. During a Commissioners’ Court meeting held on March 3rd, 2015, a summary of the recommended adjustments in the sum of $176,000 which needed to be made resulting from the outcome of the Roll Back Election was distributed to the Commissioners Court and the Treasurer. Needless to say, the intent was for the Treasurer to make necessary adjustments in a timely manner to the budget. As of June 15, 2015, those adjustments have yet to be made.
Required documentation for the 2014 Brewster County audit has not been provided to our audit firm in a timely manner.
In February, the County Judge proceeded to arrange a meeting between the Treasurer and GRP (our external auditors). The Treasurer, along with two of her staff members, accompanied the Judge to El Paso to consult with GRP auditor Vanessa Alarcon, CPA. During this visit, the Treasurer and her two staff members attended the meeting while I proceeded to attend the COG meeting. As an aside, the two staff members that accompanied the Treasurer are no longer employed by the Treasurer. One was terminated and the other chose to leave the Treasurer’s office for another position within the county. Subsequent to this meeting in February, the auditors followed up with numerous emails requesting information from the Treasurer’s Office, eventually leading up to a conference call in mid-May. The Treasurer, her staff and myself were present for this call. It was at this meeting that it became clear that the Treasurer had not looked at, much less completed, the worksheets that had been emailed to her. The initial emails dated back to the latter part of February. Deadlines for the submission of items requested were clearly scheduled for dates in March, April and May. At the time of the conference call, none of the deadlines had been met. At this point, I felt it imperative that proceedings for requesting the appointment of a county auditor be initiated, as the financial well-being of the County appeared to be in jeopardy. At this time, all of the individuals mentioned above, in addition to most other Brewster County Officials, are willing to testify and attest to the facts mentioned herein. As Brewster County Judge, I am committed to being a good steward of our resources and take responsibility for the fiscal health of our County. It is further my obligation to protect and be accountable for tax payer money and Page 4 of 4County assets. As such, I will do everything within my power to hold Treasurer Staton accountable for her lack of competency while remaining true to my commitment of transparency throughout Brewster County government.
Eleazar R. Cano, Brewster County Judge
(Editor’s note: Bold type was in the original press release, not added by this editor.)
Texas-to-Mexico Pipeline Files For Border-Crossing Facilities
http://www.naturalgasintel.com/articles/102602-texas-to-mexico-pipeline-files-for-border-crossing-facilities#
“July 4th is just around the corner. Are you ready for the Parade! Our Parade Master, Kathy Wisdom, will be the organizer this year. Cash Prizes for the best entries whether it is a bike, vehicle, motorcycle, horse, or even on foot. Time to pull out the Red, White, and Blue and celebrate our Independence as a Nation.”
Sincere apologies from this week’s MOON editor for the lateness of this week’s edition! Yikes!
http://bigbendgazette.com/2015/06/03/district-attorney-rod-ponton-holds-open-meeting-in-terlingua-to-discuss-not-guilty-verdict-in-flint-trial/
Letter to the MOON:
Hello, Here at Texas A&M, we are running a citizen submission project to get submission of kissing bugs (aka cone-nose bugs) from across Texas in order to study Chagas disease. We’re in contact with a few folks in the Big Bend/Terlingua area, and we would like to get the word out that we test kissing bugs that are sent to us. Although we have plenty of bugs from central Texas, we have a mighty big gap in our knowledge, because we have no bugs from your area. If it would be possible to include a notice on your website, we would appreciate it.
The most information we have can be found at http://kissingbug.tamu.edu
My email is kissingbug@cvm.tamu.edu
Please let me know what steps I should take to get the word out to folks in your area.
Best, Rachel Curtis-Robles, PhD student, Hamer Lab
Santiago de Compostela
Lisa Ivey and Cynta walked 71 miles in 6 days through northwest Spain and made it, on schedule, to the cathedral in Santiago. They cruised through fields of grapevines, eucalyptus trees, kale and corn, past hydrangea flowers so big they could be shower caps, and wild calla lilies four feet high, while eating seafood and pastries, on a roman road from 910 AD. Their feet will never be the same. These women (and their feet/feat) are amazing!
BBNP Backcountry Use Limits:
Big Bend National Park managers are reaching out to visitors who backpack overnight into the park’s vast undeveloped back country in order to clarify applicable use limits. Effective July 1, 2015, Big Bend National Park will be requiring adherence to the published Backcountry Management Plan use limits: - No overnight backcountry camping group or party will be larger than 15 persons except for river parties and users of backcountry road group sites. - Overnight off-road backcountry camping groups larger than 15 will divide into two parties. These parties will not be permitted in the same use area nor in adjacent use areas for a given night. For purposes of this requirement, adjacent use areas do not include those separated by paved or unpaved roads. Most park backcountry, outside of the Chisos Mountains, provides open-zone camping for groups up to 15 persons. However, the popular High Chisos zone requires use of designated campsites, each with group size limits. The High Chisos zone includes two campsites that accommodate up to 15 persons each and numerous campsites with smaller capacities. This clarifies that no more than 15 members of a single group may occupy High Chisos designated campsites at one time. Larger groups can be accommodated in available High-Chisos campsites under the 15-person limit, but will be required to split up with the remainder in a different, non-adjacent use zone outside of the High Chisos. Backcountry use limits have been established to protect the park’s cultural and natural resources and provide high-quality visitor experiences. Park Superintendent Cindy Ott-Jones said “We thank park visitors for their assistance in protecting the resources and visitor enjoyment of Big Bend backcountry by observing the group size limits.” www.nps.gov
Artist Molly Finnerty
Earth and Fire Gallery is pleased to announce a Reception for our latest Guest Artist, Molly Finnerty, on Saturday, June 20 from 7 to 9 pm. She is a painter from Upstate New York. In 2012 she graduated from Alfred University with a BFA and a minor in Business. In 2012 she won the Gene and Pamela Bernstein Development grant to attend Art Basel in Miami. Her work has been included in shows at The Museum of Art and Craft, as well as, The Global Center both in Manhattan, NY. The Guggenheim Museum featured one of her drawings on Gugenheim.org as part of the Gutai: Please Draw Freely project. In 2013 AWA Gallery in Amsterdam hosted her for her first international solo exhibition. She went on to show in a group show at Takt Gallery in Friedrichshain and with The Studio Visit in Mitte, Berlin. She is currently based out of Austin, TX.
Influences of street culture, fashion, graffiti, foliage and tropical climates can be seen throughout Molly’s work. Her most recent series of 2’ x 2’ ft. paintings on panel use the square, a basic but limiting shape, to highlight different methods of defining space. Even though the paintings have traces of things familiar, clouds and leaves for example, the finial image has a sense of inventiveness. The final image is also inspiring, because of this, one painting often leads to another. What are these paintings about? The paintings can at first seem vague. They are play explorations of color, balance, proportion, atmosphere and shape. The meditative quality of the paintings alongside the visual activation of the final image encourages one to look at the paintings with a sense of wonder.
Cycletek
Cycletek is your local source for automatic backup/standby generator systems for your house or business. Installations and generator start as little as $3,000. We can install automatic systems that can handle your critical needs when the power is out, such as refrigerators, freezers, lighting, and critical electronics. We also have in stock at special prices Generac inverter IX800 watt $290.00 total price; Generac GP1800 $340.00 total price, GP3250 $395.00 total price, IX 2000 $540.00. All new and in the box. You cannot beat these prices on the internet, and you have home town service and warranty on all Generac products. Note: We are the only factory trained, certified Generac sales, service, warranty & installation facility in Brewster County. All installation work is performed by certified/licensed technicians. 371-2569.
One Day at a Time in Terlingua
AA is not affiliated with any religious organization but is grateful to the Big Bend Church (north of the post office) for allowing us to meet there. Thursdays, at 7:30 p.m. (Closed Discussion). Anyone who has a desire to stop drinking or remain sober is welcome. Literature is available in our local library. Carpooling may be available to Alpine AA (Wednesdays) and Al-Anon (Thursdays) meetings. Contact phone numbers are posted on the church doors.
This week at The Boathouse!
The summer is upon us but it’s still cool at The Boathouse! Come join us for dinner and drinks on our beautiful patio, not to mention the great music. Summer hours are 5 - Midnight (1 a.m. on Saturday) and the Grille is open 5 - 9:30 Tuesday - Saturday.
This Wednesday it’s Open Mic with Jeffro Greasewood (7 - 10) and everyone is welcome. Have musician friends visiting from out of town? Be sure to bring them down! All musicians’ tips continue to be donated to The Big Bend Conservation Alliance in their efforts to stop the TransPecos Pipeline.
On Saturday, the amazing Paul Sprawl returns and he’ll be on from 8 - 11.
Stay tuned for our Friday night dinner special! Hope to see you soon (and don’t forget Sunday is Father’s Day! Stay tuned for a possible special then, too!)
All Energies
Stop throwing away food because of power outages! Get a backup system, with or without solar panels. Run your whole house, or just a few important appliances. A 4kW system starts at $3400. Email casey@allenergies.net or call 371-2950 for more info!
Espresso Y Poco Mas has new summer hours !!!
We will be open 7:30a.m.- 2:00p.m. 7 days a week, with the exception of the three weeks of June 23-July 12, when we will be closing each Tues. and Wed.
Come in to enjoy an iced coffee and afternoon dessert, cool fresh fruit cup, fruit smoothie, or creamy milk shake.
Check out our daily specials, too. : )
Lots of shade and the WiFi is available 24/7.
Summer Solstice Ceremony
The Big Bend Conservation Alliance and Chief William Hoff of the Tsalagyi Nydagi Tribe of Valentine, TX welcome everyone to an earth honoring Summer Solstice Ceremony followed by a Community Potluck Sunday, June 21, 2015 beginning at 6 pm. Hotel Ritchey, 102 Murphy Street, Alpine, Texas. Please bring a dish or drink to share and a chair or blanket. Donations for Chief Hoff and the BBCA gratefully accepted. Together we can stop the Trans Pecos Pipeline!
Viva Terlingua Music Festival Update
The Viva Terlingua Music Festival is coming up fast - Aug 20-23. 40+ bands, 3 Stages (Starlight, Boathouse, La Kiva), 4 days of music. You must have a wrist band to get in.
The last day to get your “early bird” discounted wristbands for $25 is this Friday, 6/19/15. They’ll be $75 at the door. You know you’re going. Go to http://viva-terlingua.com and grab your wristband now.
PUBLIC NOTICE
Brewster County Commissioners Court, Thursday, June 18 at 9 am, Brewster County Courthouse, Alpine TX
AGENDA
1. Invocation, Pledge of Allegiance
2. Public Comment
3. Treasurer’s Office A. Executive Session pursuant to Section § 551.071, Government Code, to confer with legal Counsel about pending or contemplated litigation, a settlement offer, or on a matter in which the duty of the attorney to the governmental body under the Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct of the State Bar of Texas clearly conflicts with this chapter concerning the County Treasurer B. Executive Session pursuant to Section § 551.074, Government Code, to discuss the appointment, employment, evaluation, reassignment, duties, compensation, or employment-related issues pertaining to the County Treasurer C. Reconvene in Open Session and discussion and appropriate action following Executive Session concerning the County Treasurer
4. Adjourn
High Sierra
This Week at High Sierra Bar &Grill
Saturday June 20 8:00pm - Jeff Haislip
Need a furry forever friend?
Striking TARA is an Australian Shepherd/Cattle dog mix. She is 1-year old, healthy, friendly, energetic, healthy and going to be a real treat for her special someone. Tara is good with other dogs, walks well on a leash, takes treats nicely, loves to play, and is hoping for an active owner to keep her busy. True to her genetics, she is clearly intelligent, ready to learn and looking for guidance from her owner. She weighs about 30 pounds and has a beautiful natural tail. She loves to snuggle and is quick to offer her belly for rubs. She has been at the Alpine Animal Shelter since June 2, 2015 and already it has been too long! AAS is open M-F from 10am to 6pm (closed 1-2pm), located on the east side of Alpine on Old Marathon Road. All AAS animals are on Petfinder at: https://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/32354026/ and you can see Tara’s picture on the Post Office bulletin board. For more info, email heatherthemule@gmail.com
Press Release from Judge Cano
Treasurer’s Office Update
In light of recent developments and publicized comments, I feel it necessary to share with you, our constituents, the following facts leading to the decision which we, as a Commissioners Court, took into account when drafting the order provided to our District Judge, Roy Ferguson. In the order, the Brewster County Commissioners Court unanimously voted to request the appointment of a County Auditor. After careful review of the facts provided within the order, Judge Ferguson reached the decision to accept the Commissioners Court request and has proceeded to create the position of County Auditor. The position is currently being advertised, applications are being accepted and reviewed and interviews will be forthcoming. The auditor will provide leadership, guidance and overall management within the Treasurer’s Office, as well as serve in an internal control capacity. The following facts are intended to substantiate and establish the rationale of the order presented to Judge Ferguson by Commissioners Court that ultimately lead to the creation of the Auditor position.
County departmental bills are not being paid in a timely manner
Every elected official has brought financial concerns to the attention of the County Judge and / or the County Commissioners. An extraordinary amount of time and effort has been spent by the Judge to attempt to build a healthy working relationship between the Treasurer and other elected officials. Unfortunately, the foundation of the relationship between the elected officials and the Treasurer’s Office is based on finances. Elected officials have informed the Judge’s office that bills are not being paid, vendors are calling and service providers are threatening to cut off services due to non-payment. It has become painfully obvious that the Treasurer’s Office is affecting the relationship between Brewster County elected officials and their community partners. On May 26th, 2015, Brewster County Commissioners Court formalized the county- wide belief of “no confidence” in our Treasurer to arrive at a resolution to the issues facing Brewster County elected officials. As mentioned above, the County Commissioners Court unanimously voted to request the appointment of a County Auditor to ensure that the Treasurer’s office carry out its duties and thus salvage the relationship between the Treasurer’s Office, elected officials and community service providers / vendors.
County departmental funds are not properly accounted for
It has come to the attention of the County Judge and / or members of the Commissioners Court that the Treasurer has been unable to locate numerous accounts and / or properly reconcile said accounts. Our County Attorney, Steve Houston, Sheriff, Ronny Dodson and County Clerk, Bertha Rios-Martinez, have provided verbal and written information to the Judge’s Office of such discrepancies. These elected officials, and others, are prepared to testify and attest, in writing, to their specific issues related to this matter.
County financial responsibilities for grants are inefficiently managed.
Brewster County is the recipient of various federal and state grants. While most of these grants involve significant red tape, the fiscal impact of such grants is vital to the solvency and daily operation of the County. One would be hard pressed to find any elected officials’ department that does not either directly or indirectly benefit from grant funding. The Sheriff’s office payroll is supplemented by federal and state dollars. The DA’s office also receives state monies which funds personnel and travel expenses. The County Judge’s office is currently in the process of gathering information to formulate the 2016 budget. It is projected that without grant funding, the County would be hard pressed to arrive at a balanced budget. Various grant funding ancillary personnel have notified the Judge’s office of issues related to gathering and obtaining reports, receipts and required documentation necessary for ensuring grant compliance. As mentioned above, documentation and appropriate record keeping is what is necessary for the County to be in compliance or the County will lose funding and / or no longer be eligible for grants in the future.
County 2015 budget with appropriate amendments due to tax rollback and other Commissioners Court actions cannot be provided.
In January, 2015, Brewster County voters went to the polls and approved a reduction in the county tax rate for 2015. During a Commissioners’ Court meeting held on March 3rd, 2015, a summary of the recommended adjustments in the sum of $176,000 which needed to be made resulting from the outcome of the Roll Back Election was distributed to the Commissioners Court and the Treasurer. Needless to say, the intent was for the Treasurer to make necessary adjustments in a timely manner to the budget. As of June 15, 2015, those adjustments have yet to be made.
Required documentation for the 2014 Brewster County audit has not been provided to our audit firm in a timely manner.
In February, the County Judge proceeded to arrange a meeting between the Treasurer and GRP (our external auditors). The Treasurer, along with two of her staff members, accompanied the Judge to El Paso to consult with GRP auditor Vanessa Alarcon, CPA. During this visit, the Treasurer and her two staff members attended the meeting while I proceeded to attend the COG meeting. As an aside, the two staff members that accompanied the Treasurer are no longer employed by the Treasurer. One was terminated and the other chose to leave the Treasurer’s office for another position within the county. Subsequent to this meeting in February, the auditors followed up with numerous emails requesting information from the Treasurer’s Office, eventually leading up to a conference call in mid-May. The Treasurer, her staff and myself were present for this call. It was at this meeting that it became clear that the Treasurer had not looked at, much less completed, the worksheets that had been emailed to her. The initial emails dated back to the latter part of February. Deadlines for the submission of items requested were clearly scheduled for dates in March, April and May. At the time of the conference call, none of the deadlines had been met. At this point, I felt it imperative that proceedings for requesting the appointment of a county auditor be initiated, as the financial well-being of the County appeared to be in jeopardy. At this time, all of the individuals mentioned above, in addition to most other Brewster County Officials, are willing to testify and attest to the facts mentioned herein. As Brewster County Judge, I am committed to being a good steward of our resources and take responsibility for the fiscal health of our County. It is further my obligation to protect and be accountable for tax payer money and Page 4 of 4County assets. As such, I will do everything within my power to hold Treasurer Staton accountable for her lack of competency while remaining true to my commitment of transparency throughout Brewster County government.
Eleazar R. Cano, Brewster County Judge
(Editor’s note: Bold type was in the original press release, not added by this editor.)
Texas-to-Mexico Pipeline Files For Border-Crossing Facilities
http://www.naturalgasintel.com/articles/102602-texas-to-mexico-pipeline-files-for-border-crossing-facilities#
“July 4th is just around the corner. Are you ready for the Parade! Our Parade Master, Kathy Wisdom, will be the organizer this year. Cash Prizes for the best entries whether it is a bike, vehicle, motorcycle, horse, or even on foot. Time to pull out the Red, White, and Blue and celebrate our Independence as a Nation.”
Sincere apologies from this week’s MOON editor for the lateness of this week’s edition! Yikes!
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