By Karen Gleason
The 830 Times
Three residents and property owners from the Cienegas Road area in southern Val Verde County on Wednesday exhorted county commissioners court to support Commissioner Pct. 4 Gustavo “Gus” Flores’ request for new and upgraded streetlights along the busy thoroughfare.
The court heard from Maria Cordoba, Daniel Miller and Ismael “Izzy” Ortega during the citizens comments portion of its June regular term meeting. All three had addressed the court on the same issue two weeks ago.
Cordoba, who spoke to the court in Spanish, urged members to support Flores’ request to install several new streetlights along a section of Cienegas Road between the Duck Pond and the Del Rio Industrial Park. Flores has also asked the court
for permission to upgrade several existing lights in the area.
Cordoba asked the commissioners who have repeatedly blocked Flores’ request for the lights why they continue to vote against the project, saying the lights would benefit the entire community.
Another county resident, Daniel Miller, told the court, “I’m here in support of the Cienegas Road lights. I do drive the road at nighttime, when it’s dark, and we do need those lights in those places that Commissioner Flores is asking for.”
Miller said he has seen the accident study on the area conducted by the county attorney’s office, which found that low visibility did not play a role in any of the traffic accidents reported on the road in the past four years, adding, “The (report) says (lighting) is not an issue, but it is an issue for those of us living out in that area, and I’m just asking that you all work with Commissioner Flores to get these lights installed.”
Miller said he also wanted to address a comment to Commissioner Pct. 1 Kerr Wardlaw, who during the court’s last meeting had expressed concerns that the new lights would contribute to light pollution in the county and might negatively affect ecotourism in the area.
Miller said, “Have you been out on Vega Verde Road where the (border) wall is? There are floodlights every 60 feet, for miles, and you’re worried about six little security lights?”
He also spoke to Commissioner Pct. 2 Juan Carlos Vazquez and asked him to vote in favor of the lights.
The final speaker to address the court was Ismael “Izzy” Ortega.
Ortega again spoke to the court about his experiences overseas, explaining how a military unit would select and strike a “high-value target.”
Ortega said, “That’s what I’m asking you all to do today, to come up with a course of action, come up with the best course of action, present it to the judge, and he makes the final decision. That’s all we ask. (The lights) are only $4,000. It’s not like the money is coming out of your pocket or the judge’s pocket.
“That’s all we’re asking, come up with the best course of action, present it to the judge and get this thing over with, because this thing keeps coming up month after month after month. How long is this going to go on? This is an embarrassment to your community.
“I’ve been overseas, watching millions of your taxpayer dollars get stolen, stolen by the Afghans, stolen by the Iraqis, stolen by the Pakistanis, even in Ukraine. I’ve been in some bad places where your taxpayer money has gone. Now you’re only asking for $4,000.
“So what’s the issue here? Is it professional jealousy? You guys don’t want to work with each other? Work with each other. You’re all Americans here. It’s not the bad guys against the good guys. We’re all Americans. Some of us have been here for a long time. I’m a descendant of early Tejanos. My family has been in Texas since the 1740s.
“Let’s work with each other, and you guys work with each other. You’re here for the benefit of the citizens. You work for us. We don’t work for you. You work for us. Just remember that. Who are you working for? In conclusion, come up with a course of action, present it to Judge Owens and get it over with, so we don’t have to come up here every month, arguing about $4,000,” Ortega finished.
The court again took up Flores’ request later in the meeting. (See separate story.)
The writer can be reached at delriomagnoliafan@gmail.com.
