By Karen Gleason
The 830 Times
All five members of commissioners court were present.
Here’s what happened at the meeting:
County judge will ask for discussion of bridge referendum
• In the “County Judge’s Comments” portion of the agenda, County Judge Lewis G.
Owens Jr. said he will place an item on the agenda of the court’s next meeting to discuss
the results of the three Val Verde County referenda on Tuesday’s election ballot. Owens
said the outcome of the election seemed to indicate county voters were in favor of the city
of Del Rio’s plans to construct a second international bridge, but pointed out those same
voters cast ballots against the location of a proposed second bridge both north and south
of the existing bridge.
•
Court approves amendment to services contract with The Geo Group
• Commissioners court members voted 5-0 to give County Judge Lewis G. Owens Jr. the
authority to sign the first amendment to the services contract between Val Verde County
and The Geo Group Inc. The amendment deals with inmates housed in the facility under
the state’s Operation Lone Star (OLS) program. Under the amendment, the county agrees
to pay Geo a fixed monthly rate of $75,281.25 to house inmates under the classification
“Operation Lone Star Warrant Project Grant.” The amendment also reads that the
maximum number of OLS inmates will not exceed 30.
•
Court approves use of fairgrounds for food distribution
• Commissioners court members voted 5-0 to allow the use of the Val Verde County
Fairgrounds as a site for food distribution. County Judge Lewis G. Owens Jr. told the
court representatives of a coalition of faith-based charities had approached the county to
request permission to distribute food at the fairgrounds. The measure was approved with
the caveats that the food distribution not interfere with previously scheduled events at the
facility and that organizers clean up any debris or trash left at the site once the food
distribution is completed.
•
Hill Country MHDD approved for part of county annex building
• Commissioners court members voted 5-0 to allow Hill Country Mental Health and
Development Disabilities (MHDD) Center to use a portion of the Judge Antonio “Tony”
Faz County Annex, 315 E. Chapoy St., to provide services to the community. Rachel
Cedillo, of Hill Country MHDD, told the court the location would allow her staff to work
more closely with clients from the neighborhood.
•
Court approves use of county annex for Thanksgiving event
• Commissioners court voted 5-0 to allow the staff of the Mexican Consulate of Del Rio
to host a Thanksgiving lotería at the Judge Antonio “Tony” Faz County Annex at 9 a.m.
on Thursday, Nov. 20. In a related action, the court voted 5-0 to receive “three large gift donations” from Ronald Rocha of Linebarger Goggan Blair & Samson to be used as
prizes for the Thanksgiving lotería event. Commissioner Pct. 2 Juan Carlos Vazquez
described the donations as gift baskets.
•
Court accepts donations to Val Verde County Library
• Commissioners court members voted 5-0 to allow the Val Verde County Library to
accept a donation of $40 from Mr. and Mrs. Reynaldo M. Sanchez in memory of the
Honorable Enrique “Henry” Fernandez to purchase material pertaining to U.S.
Constitutional law. The court also voted 5-0 to allow the county library to accept a
donation of $50 each from the Cactus Thorn Garden Club in memory of Mr. Joe Ricks
and Mr. Jeffrey Lee Vogt to purchase library materials.
•
Court approves election procedure manual
• Commissioners court members voted 5-0 to accept the election procedures manual
presented by County Tax Assessor Collector Elodia “Loly” Garcia. The court had tabled
action on the manual during its last meeting at the request of County Judge Lewis G.
Owens Jr., who said during that meeting he wanted more time to read the document.
Owens today told the court he had read the manual and noted it was “a living and
breathing document” to which later changes could be made. None of the other members
of the court had any questions about the manual, which Garcia had written following a
finding in an audit by the Texas Secretary of State’s office earlier this year.
•
Court allows use of county stage for college event
• Commissioners court members voted 5-0 to allow Southwest Texas College to use the
county stage for an event Dec. 4. Commissioner Pct. 1 Kerr Wardlaw commented that
setting up and dismantling the stage takes the fairgrounds staff away from their regular
duties. County Judge Lewis G. Owens Jr. said the stage “is used by everybody and their
grandmother” and has been for years. Commissioner Pct. 4 Gustavo “Gus” Flores said
perhaps the county can look at a means of possibly having groups using the stage
compensate the county in some way. Commissioner Pct. 4 Fernando Garcia said
approving use of the stage has never been a problem before, adding he didn’t know why
it is a problem today. Commissioner Pct. 2 Juan Carlos Vazquez agreed with Garcia’s
comment.
•
Court approves slate of purchasing office measures
• Commissioners court members voted 5-0 to approve six items on the agenda presented
by County Purchasing Agent Melissa Vasquez, including a five-year renewal agreement
with Neumo Government Records for the county clerk’s land records management
system, ratifying a change order from Jess Contracting to build an extra wall at the adult
probation office, part of work to expand that office; adding the self-help building in
Precinct 2 to the county’s existing janitorial services contract; accepting a full scholarship
from the National Association of State Procurement Officials (NASPO) for the
purchasing agent and a member of her staff to attend the 2026 NASPO conference in
Orlando, Fla., in March 2026 and declaring a number of items as surplus property and
designating them for proper disposition, which could include being auctioned,
transferred, recycled or destroyed.
The writer can be reached at delriomagnoliafan@gmail.com
