Karen Gleason
The 830 Times
A county commissioner who spoke against using large numbers of law enforcers in sparsely populated areas of the county two weeks ago apologized Tuesday, saying he meant no offense to any county residents.
County Commissioner Pct. 4 Gustavo “Gus” Flores during the court’s Feb. 14 meeting spoke disparagingly about sending large numbers of law enforcers to western parts of the county, where ranchers have reportedly been complaining about undocumented persons illegally crossing their properties.
Flores made his comments on Feb. 14 after County Commissioner Pct. 3 Beau Nettleton gave the court a report about a meeting between ranchers and law enforcers and criminal justice system officials regarding the ranchers’ concerns about illegal immigration. The meeting was held in Flores’ Precinct 4, but he said he was not invited to attend.
On Tuesday, Flores told the court, “This is concerning an item brought by Beau Nettleton at the previous meeting concerning a meeting at the Foster Ranch on immigration. This meeting was organized in an area that is part of Precinct 4, and I was not notified about it, so I was really upset. I was bent out of shape. I care about all my constituents: Pumpville, anywhere, as long as they are Precinct 4. I care for all the constituents of Val Verde County, period, but my priority is Precinct 4.
“So, this meeting was organized, and that’s fine. It was done, and I’m not going to go into details, but by the comments that I made (about the meeting during the Feb. 14 commissioners court) if I offended anybody, any rancher, any resident from the Pumpville area, I would like for them to accept my apologies,” Flores added.
“My intentions were never to offend anybody, but sometimes we just lose it, right? So, short and simple, my most humble apologies,” Flores finished.
Owens then recognized Sheriff Joe Frank Martinez, who walked up to the podium.
“So just to bring to light how this came about,” Martinez began.
County Attorney David Martinez pointed out there was no item on the court’s agenda to discuss the previous immigration meeting, and Owens asked if the sheriff could speak under the citizens comment item on the agenda.
The county attorney agreed, and the county judge invited the sheriff to go on.
“Just so the court is fully aware. . . we had some people, some ranchers from throughout the county, we met at my office concerning some of the immigration issues. I listened to them, and I decided to have a meeting out west, because I wanted to physically see what the problems were and listen to them, so, in my opinion, Commissioner Nettleton was not there as a commissioner. He was there as a landowner,” Martinez told the court.
“At the end of the day, all those are my citizens also and I want to know what’s going on with them. . . I wanted to see what the issues were out in that area, so we could figure out a way on how to address them, but it was not intended to cause all this great concern and in my opinion, Commissioner Nettleton was not there representing as a commissioner, but as a landowner,” Martinez added.
“But, sheriff, if I may, he (Beau Nettleton) still is a commissioner, period. I own property in Langtry, and I wasn’t there. But anyhow, I don’t know if this was at a private level, or public level, the meeting, because I didn’t know about it. If I had known about it, I would have been there,” Flores said.
“I’m a rancher. I own cattle. I know what these people go through because I witness it every day, every day,” Flores added.
“I addressed an individual to get some people together. I wasn’t in charge of getting the people together. I was just there to listen to their concerns so we could address the issues at that meeting,” Martinez said.
After the sheriff had finished speaking, County Commissioner Pct. 1 Martin Wardlaw asked Owens if he could accept Flores’ apology.
“Under commissioners’ comments, of course,” Owens said.
“Well, I accept your apology,” Wardlaw said.
Owens asked if any of the other commissioners wanted to speak under commissioners’ comments.
Nettleton said, “You don’t want me to comment” and added nothing further.
“Commissioner Flores, it takes a lot to say what you said, and I appreciate it. For whatever that’s worth, I appreciate it,” Owens said.
“There’s more that I wanted to say, but,” Flores said.
“No, no, I appreciate what you said,” Owens said.
County Commissioner Pct. 2 Juan Carlos Vazquez added, “Gus, Commissioner Flores, I appreciate it.”
The writer can be reached at delriomagnoliafan@gmail.com.
