County fairgrounds tenant and horsewoman Brenda Castillo speaks to county commissioners court about its earlier decision to remove horses from the facility. (Photo by Karen Gleason)
NEWS — Citizens to court: Stop horsing around
By Karen Gleason
The 830 Times
Val Verde County Commissioners Court members April 26 heard from a number of citizens, most of them horse owners, unhappy with the court’s decision earlier this month to remove horses and other livestock from the county fairgrounds.
Horse owners and trainers concerned about the removal order the court passed two weeks ago filled the room at the start of the court’s recent session.
An unwelcome spotlight was focused on the fairgrounds April 4 when a woman filmed an Eagle Pass horse owner whipping a tied horse outside one of the shed rows on the fairgrounds property.
During the court’s April 12 session, County Commissioner Pct. 3 Beau Nettleton cited the incident, as well as chronic problems with alcohol, drugs and fighting on the fairgrounds before making a motion to remove all animals from the property.
The court heard comments from citizens in regards to the fairgrounds, the court’s decision to order the removal of livestock from the grounds, and what it meant to the public, especially horse owners who house their animals at the fairgounds.
Jimmy Murdoch, a local businessman who is a member of a citizen’s advisory committee on the fairgrounds, told the court, “With all the back-and-forth votes this court has made recently, I’m just here to make some observations. First and foremost, your vote to remove horses from the fairgrounds is wrong. You’re punishing a group of county taxpayers and individuals that have done nothing wrong because of one individual, and you all have addressed that individual and that’s been taken care of.
Del Rioan Jimmy Murdoch, a member of the county’s fairgrounds advisory committee, speaks to county commissioners court about their decision earlier this month to order all horses and other livestock removed from the facility’s grounds. (Photo by Karen Gleason)
“Our community needs a sports complex, but the fairgrounds will not satisfy all the needs for sports that we have, period . . . SE Ranch has the space, but because of its proximity to the base is not a good option, and it will be an uphill battle you’ll lose, because people will come out against that one,” he added.
Murdoch said the county has a plan for the fairgrounds, drafted and submitted by the all-volunteer fairgrounds committee.
“We submitted that plan to you all, and I suggest you go back and revisit it. We worked with a group of architects that you all hired, and I believe we spent about $85,000 to $125,000 for that plan. Go back and look at it. It has a good framework to make the fairgrounds a more functional space for the whole community, as well as maintaining the heritage of the track and the horses,” Murdoch said.
He added the community “desperately needs” a sports complex, but said the court’s recent “yes-no, yes-no votes are not acceptable.”
“That’s not what you all were elected to do. You’re better than that, and I know you are. You’ve been through two damn years of COVID, and we’ve gotten siderailed on this. Let’s find (a sports complex option) we can all move forward with,” Murdoch said.
Horse owner Brenda Castillo also spoke to the court, noting she was representing herself “and the tenants from the fairgrounds.”
“There are a few matters that I’d like to address with the court. First of all, the livestock removal. They would like for you to reconsider your decision of removing all livestock from the fairgrounds. These animals you want us to remove are our animals. They are part of our families, and we treat them as such,” Castillo told the court.
“We do not believe it is fair that for one person’s mistakes, we all have to pay the price. This person was not even from Del Rio, and as was mentioned in the last court meeting, he did not even have a lease or contract at the fairgrounds. We believe you need to make an example out of this situation and make sure it doesn’t happen again. Punish the guilty person at hand . . . Please do not punish the innocent, which is the community,” she added.
Castillo said she and others consider their animals as part of their families and love and care for them as such. She pointed out the fairgrounds is the only place in Del Rio to safely house horses and practice equine activities.
She said the reasons given by commissioners court members for wanting livestock removed from the fairgrounds “are unfounded and the timing appears to be in parallel with the sports complex matter.”
She also said it is the county’s job to “oversee and enforce” the fairgrounds rules.
“At the end of the day, all of this is being paid by tax money. (The) facility should be available and safe to use by county inhabitants. If there are any other issues out there, I implore the county to address them and make the fairgrounds a safe place for equine activity, which was (the) original intent of this facility,” she said.
Castillo quoted Nettleton’s concerns about the fairgrounds tenants paying “little to no money” and running businesses.
“Please explain to us, your constituents, as to how your alleged concerns have been addressed historically? What measures have been taken to ensure compliance with fairgrounds rules? It is expected that a portion of specific county employees’ salaries is allocated to the fairgrounds budget. Why do we not have more support from the county sheriff’s deputies patrolling to enforce county rules?” Castillo asked.
She charged that sheriff’s deputies are “rarely seen” at the fairgrounds, and “if they are, they’re either parked in the front or parked in the back.”
Castillo also charged that she believes the effort to move the horses from the fairgrounds is a form of retaliation by County Judge Lewis G. Owens Jr. because of other court members’ abrupt decision in January to move a proposed county sports complex from the fairgrounds to the SE Ranch property.
“The isolated incident of the abused horse was used as another conduit against the tenants of the fairgrounds. You all should stop trying to fulfill your own personal agendas and start working for the community. Remember, you’re sitting in those chairs because of us,” Castillo said.
Castillo also said the county has long neglected the fairgrounds.
She said 13 cameras were purchased for the fairgrounds but have never been installed, a fence promised along 15th Street has never been erected, and restrooms on the premises “are always dirty.”
Castillo called on the court to provide a budget breakdown of the money allocated to operation and maintenance of the fairgrounds and how “the tenants and the community benefit from it.”
“The facility is currently deteriorating because it hasn’t been kept up by the county,” she said.
“We respectfully request the court to overturn the last order, which mandated all livestock to be removed from the fairgrounds and not impose any unnecessary insurance requirements. We implore the court to work with the community, to work together for the community, not against us,” Castillo said.
A third man, Artemio Cruz, a trainer at the fairgrounds, addressed the court in Spanish.
NEWS — Citizens to court: Stop horsing around
By Karen Gleason
The 830 Times
Val Verde County Commissioners Court members April 26 heard from a number of citizens, most of them horse owners, unhappy with the court’s decision earlier this month to remove horses and other livestock from the county fairgrounds.
Horse owners and trainers concerned about the removal order the court passed two weeks ago filled the room at the start of the court’s recent session.
An unwelcome spotlight was focused on the fairgrounds April 4 when a woman filmed an Eagle Pass horse owner whipping a tied horse outside one of the shed rows on the fairgrounds property.
During the court’s April 12 session, County Commissioner Pct. 3 Beau Nettleton cited the incident, as well as chronic problems with alcohol, drugs and fighting on the fairgrounds before making a motion to remove all animals from the property.
The court heard comments from citizens in regards to the fairgrounds, the court’s decision to order the removal of livestock from the grounds, and what it meant to the public, especially horse owners who house their animals at the fairgounds.
Jimmy Murdoch, a local businessman who is a member of a citizen’s advisory committee on the fairgrounds, told the court, “With all the back-and-forth votes this court has made recently, I’m just here to make some observations. First and foremost, your vote to remove horses from the fairgrounds is wrong. You’re punishing a group of county taxpayers and individuals that have done nothing wrong because of one individual, and you all have addressed that individual and that’s been taken care of.
“Our community needs a sports complex, but the fairgrounds will not satisfy all the needs for sports that we have, period . . . SE Ranch has the space, but because of its proximity to the base is not a good option, and it will be an uphill battle you’ll lose, because people will come out against that one,” he added.
Murdoch said the county has a plan for the fairgrounds, drafted and submitted by the all-volunteer fairgrounds committee.
“We submitted that plan to you all, and I suggest you go back and revisit it. We worked with a group of architects that you all hired, and I believe we spent about $85,000 to $125,000 for that plan. Go back and look at it. It has a good framework to make the fairgrounds a more functional space for the whole community, as well as maintaining the heritage of the track and the horses,” Murdoch said.
He added the community “desperately needs” a sports complex, but said the court’s recent “yes-no, yes-no votes are not acceptable.”
“That’s not what you all were elected to do. You’re better than that, and I know you are. You’ve been through two damn years of COVID, and we’ve gotten siderailed on this. Let’s find (a sports complex option) we can all move forward with,” Murdoch said.
Horse owner Brenda Castillo also spoke to the court, noting she was representing herself “and the tenants from the fairgrounds.”
“There are a few matters that I’d like to address with the court. First of all, the livestock removal. They would like for you to reconsider your decision of removing all livestock from the fairgrounds. These animals you want us to remove are our animals. They are part of our families, and we treat them as such,” Castillo told the court.
“We do not believe it is fair that for one person’s mistakes, we all have to pay the price. This person was not even from Del Rio, and as was mentioned in the last court meeting, he did not even have a lease or contract at the fairgrounds. We believe you need to make an example out of this situation and make sure it doesn’t happen again. Punish the guilty person at hand . . . Please do not punish the innocent, which is the community,” she added.
Castillo said she and others consider their animals as part of their families and love and care for them as such. She pointed out the fairgrounds is the only place in Del Rio to safely house horses and practice equine activities.
She said the reasons given by commissioners court members for wanting livestock removed from the fairgrounds “are unfounded and the timing appears to be in parallel with the sports complex matter.”
She also said it is the county’s job to “oversee and enforce” the fairgrounds rules.
“At the end of the day, all of this is being paid by tax money. (The) facility should be available and safe to use by county inhabitants. If there are any other issues out there, I implore the county to address them and make the fairgrounds a safe place for equine activity, which was (the) original intent of this facility,” she said.
Castillo quoted Nettleton’s concerns about the fairgrounds tenants paying “little to no money” and running businesses.
“Please explain to us, your constituents, as to how your alleged concerns have been addressed historically? What measures have been taken to ensure compliance with fairgrounds rules? It is expected that a portion of specific county employees’ salaries is allocated to the fairgrounds budget. Why do we not have more support from the county sheriff’s deputies patrolling to enforce county rules?” Castillo asked.
She charged that sheriff’s deputies are “rarely seen” at the fairgrounds, and “if they are, they’re either parked in the front or parked in the back.”
Castillo also charged that she believes the effort to move the horses from the fairgrounds is a form of retaliation by County Judge Lewis G. Owens Jr. because of other court members’ abrupt decision in January to move a proposed county sports complex from the fairgrounds to the SE Ranch property.
“The isolated incident of the abused horse was used as another conduit against the tenants of the fairgrounds. You all should stop trying to fulfill your own personal agendas and start working for the community. Remember, you’re sitting in those chairs because of us,” Castillo said.
Castillo also said the county has long neglected the fairgrounds.
She said 13 cameras were purchased for the fairgrounds but have never been installed, a fence promised along 15th Street has never been erected, and restrooms on the premises “are always dirty.”
Castillo called on the court to provide a budget breakdown of the money allocated to operation and maintenance of the fairgrounds and how “the tenants and the community benefit from it.”
“The facility is currently deteriorating because it hasn’t been kept up by the county,” she said.
“We respectfully request the court to overturn the last order, which mandated all livestock to be removed from the fairgrounds and not impose any unnecessary insurance requirements. We implore the court to work with the community, to work together for the community, not against us,” Castillo said.
A third man, Artemio Cruz, a trainer at the fairgrounds, addressed the court in Spanish.
—
Contact the author at delriomagnoliafan@gmail.com
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