By Karen Gleason
The 830 Times
A trio of county commissioners Tuesday appointed a retired Customs agent as the new constable for Precinct 3, snubbing the candidate proffered by the commissioner of that precinct.
The three-member majority of Val Verde County Commissioners Court – County Commissioner Pct. 1 Martin Wardlaw, County Commissioner Pct. 2 Juan Carlos Vazquez and County Commissioner Pct. 4 Gustavo “Gus” Flores – voted against Andrew Michael Wancho, the candidate offered for the constable position by County Commissioner Pct. 3 Beau Nettleton.
Instead, the three commissioners appointed retired U.S. Customs agent and former Del Rio Police Department officer Donald Fernandez.
Appointment of a new Precinct 3 constable was necessitated by the death of Pct. 3 Constable Steve Berg Feb. 24.
Nettleton initially offered Wancho, a deputy for the Val Verde County Sheriff’s Office, as the new constable during the court’s March 14 meeting. Wancho has for several years worked as a deputy assigned to the area of the courthouse annex housing the offices of the county’s four justices of the peace. Wancho reportedly also took on some of Berg’s duties over the past two years while Berg struggled with debilitating medical issues.
During the March 14 meeting, Wardlaw, Vazquez and Flores voted down Nettleton’s motion to appoint Wancho, voting instead to receive applications from other prospective candidates for the position until March 24.
During the March 14 meeting, several Precinct 3 residents, including former County Judge Laura Allen and Justice of the Peace Pct. 3 Pat Cole, spoke in favor of appointing Wancho. One of those residents, Ken Herrera, spoke again during Tuesday’s meeting.
Before taking up the agenda item, County Judge Lewis G. Owens Jr. said he wanted to correct several statements made by Herrera.
After the judge made his comments, Nettleton said, “I make a motion to appoint Andrew Michael Wancho as constable, Precinct 3, to fill out the remainder of the term until the next election.”
Owens asked for a second to the motion, and when none of the other commissioners gave one, he gave the second.
When Owens called for the vote, he and Nettleton voted in favor of the motion, with Wardlaw, Vazquez and Flores voting against.
“Motion fails,” Owens announced after the vote, adding, “Do I have any other discussion or another motion on (this item)?”
“I’d like to make a motion, judge; appoint Donald Fernandez,” Wardlaw said.
Vazquez gave the second.
Wardlaw, Vazquez and Flores voted for Fernandez’s appointment, with Nettleton and Owens voting against Wardlaw’s motion.
After the vote, Owens said the county’s human resources department “will reach out to him (Fernandez) to get his documents and everything put in place.”
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