Karen Gleason
The 830 Times
Several residents of the county’s Precinct 3 on Tuesday urged members of commissioners court to approve the appointment of Andrew Michael Wancho as the precinct’s new constable.
Appointment of a new constable for the precinct became necessary when the elected constable, Steve Berg, died recently.
The residents spoke to Val Verde County Commissioners Court members during the citizen comments section of the court’s agenda.
Justice of the Peace Pct. 3 Pat Cole was the first to speak.
“Commissioner Nettleton has an item on the agenda, ‘discussion and possible action on appointing a constable for Precinct 3, as authorized by Chapter 73.041, Texas Local Government Code.’ I would ask you all to take into consideration what JP3 has been through over the last year-and-a-half, beginning almost two years ago. We’ve had a very hard time, and we lost our constable, and during the time that he was suffering from a lot of illness, Deputy Wancho filled in with a lot of professionalism,” Cole told the court. “He’s very good, very willing and highly qualified, and he has everything that this court needs, and he’s been giving it to this court, and, with the sheriff’s permission, he has stepped in many, many times. I feel that he is certainly the best-qualified candidate for that, and I would ask for your vote today for this, because it’s not about politics, although it somehow has become about politics,” Cole added.
“This is about doing the right thing, and the right thing is to put someone in that position that is qualified, has given their heart and soul to help in the situations where we really needed him at the last minute. When we had people who were difficult to deal with, he stepped up immediately and helped us. . . I do ask you again, please set politics aside and please do what you know is the right thing,” Cole finished.
Val Verde County resident Ronda Hargrove also urged the court to appoint Wancho.
“I’m here because in the last meeting I was here, one of you gentlemen spoke about what seems to be three of you against two of you at all votes. Every vote. Absolutely every vote. It’s in the minutes. We can look it up, and it’s been going on for a really long time. And like Pat said, this is not about what you guys have going on amongst yourselves. It’s not about who’s dabbing in whose business in whose precinct,” Hargrove said.
“You were elected by the people of this community. Every one of you, and every one of you should have the best interests in every precinct in this county. I don’t care if it’s in the middle of nowhere or right here in the middle of Del Rio, Texas. If you got voted in, you’re sitting back there because we put you there, because we thought you were honorable, we thought you had morals and integrity, and I’ve been to a lot of these meetings, and you guys know I’m probably a pain in the rear end, but somebody’s got to hold you guys accountable,” she added.
Hargrove also chastised the court for its infighting.
“This has gone on long enough. I don’t care who’s at fault. I don’t care who’s in an uproar about all this or who doesn’t like who back here. But this is like a bunch of teenage girls fighting about some guy or something, and you guys are on each other’s sides or something, swaying one another to vote. This is about doing the right thing, and Mikey Wancho has been in law enforcement long enough.
“He ran for the position and lost by a few votes, and if you vote any other way than to put him in as constable, it is all about something you
guys have going on and not the best interests of this county. There are a lot of us that feel that way and are afraid to get up here and speak to you, but I am not that person,” Hargrove said.
“I think you need to do the right thing, and I think you need to appoint Michael Wancho for this position,” Hargrove added.
County resident Ken Herrera also spoke on Wancho’s behalf.
“Most of you know who I am and where I work. I’m not here representing my employer or the media. I’m here as a resident of Precinct 3, represented by Commissioner Nettleton, and I’m here to voice my concern on agenda item #32, the appointment of someone to fill in the constable position for Precinct 3,” Herrera said.
“I will try to be as eloquent as I can without cursing like a drunken sailor on leave or a sober and irritated judge presiding over court. No names mentioned. Let’s look at all of you as a whole. As elected officials, you’re here to mainly oversee the budgetary and policymaking functions of county government and to come up with solutions that benefit county residents.
“Now I know you all can’t get along at times, and that’s fine. That’s democracy in action. There’s always going to be disagreement, with issues from the sports complex location to one of the most recent dust-ups, referencing the immigration concerns out at the Foster Ranch and the addition of prayer to the commissioners court meetings. Again, disagreement,” he added.
Herrera urged the court for a unanimous vote to appoint Wancho.
“For the past two to three years, the county residents of Precinct 3 have not had a constable capable of fulfilling his duties, and all of you, every single one of you knew it, and yet you did nothing. Judge, you and I had a conversation about two years ago on this, and you just shrugged your shoulders. You all now have the opportunity to right the wrong, to atone for your deficiencies while overseeing this court,” Herrera said.
“Don’t let your petty attitudes and your overinflated egos of yourselves cloud your decision. This isn’t about you, it’s about the residents of Precinct 3 in Val Verde County. Commissioner Nettleton, I hope you put forth the name of Mikey Wancho to fill the vacant position of Precinct 3 Constable, and if any of you are thinking about advertising this, there’s no need to. Mikey Wancho is ready, willing, able and capable to fill the duties of constable.
“If anyone wants to run for the position, they can do it next year when the position comes up for election. The rest of you, sitting on this court, remember: Elections have consequences. Your vote on this issue, as well as many others to come, will be remembered and will last for a long time,” Herrera said.
Val Verde County resident Miguel Zuniga also spoke on Wancho’s behalf, but his comments were heard after the agenda item on the constable appointment had already been taken up by the court.
The writer can be reached at delriomagnoliafan@gmail.com .
