By Karen Gleason
The 830 Times
All five members of Val Verde County Commissioners Court were present for Tuesday’s meeting.
Here’s what happened at the meeting:
Former city councilwoman addresses commissioners court
• Former Del Rio City Councilwoman Ernestina “Tina” Martinez spoke to county commissioners court during the “Citizens’ Comments” portion of the meeting. Martinez began by thanking the commissioners and county judge “for all the work they do.” Martinez said she was present to speak about an item on the agenda dealing with a request to use the county fairgrounds for the Fiesta de Amistad parade on Oct. 17. She said the parade committee has decided the fairgrounds won’t be needed and thanked the court for considering the request to use the fairgrounds.
Court presents checks to Val Verde Regional Medical Center
• Commissioners court members voted 5-0 to accept a $350,000 grant awarded to the county and to authorize the distribution of the grant funds to Val Verde Regional Medical Center (VVRMC) for the purchase of an ambulance. County Judge Lewis G. Owens Jr. and members of county commissioners court also voted unanimously to present a check for $150,000 to Val Verde Regional Medical Center (VVRMC) Hospital Board Chairwoman Robin Palmer, VVRMC Chief Executive Officer Jorge Jurado and other hospital administrators and elected officials. The $150,000 county contribution to the hospital will be used toward establishing oncology services in the area.
Court votes to give no tax incentives to possible data centers
• Commissioners court members voted 5-0 to not offer tax incentives or tax abatements to any data centers that might be developed in Val Verde County. County Judge Lewis G. Owens Jr. said he has received several phone calls from citizens concerned about the placement of data centers in Val Verde County. Owens said the county could take action on not offering tax incentives or tax abatements to companies seeking to develop a data center in the county. The county judge added that currently there are no plans to develop any data centers anywhere in the county.
Court approves back-to-school fair at county annex
• Commissioners court members voted 5-0 to allow the organization Serving Children and Adults in Need (SCAN) to host a back-to-school health mini-fair at the Judge Antonio “Tony” Faz III County Annex, 315 E. Chapoy St. The back-to-school fair will be held at the county annex on July 22.
Court again refuses to consider commissioner’s request for lights
• Commissioner Pct. 4 Gustavo “Gus” Flores once again asked commissioners court for discussion and possible action to install five LED streetlights at several points along Cienegas Road in southern Val Verde County. When the item came up on the court’s agenda on Wednesday, Flores said he was removing two lights from the list. He then made a motion to approve the request, but no second was given, so the motion died.
Court approves donations to library, fire department
• Commissioners court members voted 5-0 to accept three separate donations to the county. The court approved allowing the Val Verde County Library to accept a donation of $1,000 from Lizbeth G. Gilmore “for any library expenses.” The court approved allowing the county library to accept a donation of $1,000 from the Friends of the Val Verde County Library. The court also approved allowing the Val Verde County Fire Department to accept a donation in the amount of $100 from Justin Burk.
Court discusses updates on election audit from August 2024
• Commissioners court members took no action after hearing an update on the work that has been done by County Tax Assessor Collector Elodia “Loly” Garcia on a “preliminary election audit report” published in August 2025 by the Texas Secretary of State’s office and placing the tax assessor collector’s office under “administrative oversight” for defects in voter registration records and for not keeping up-to-date precinct boundary information. Garcia has made numerous reports about the progress her office has made and told the court she has been in frequent contact with the secretary of state’s office as well. Garcia told the court on Wednesday she expects to receive a report on the work she and her staff have done from the secretary of state’s office sometime this summer.
Court approves ‘grow your own’ program for sheriff’s office
• Commissioners court members voted 5-0 to authorize Sheriff Joe Frank Martinez to sign an interlocal cooperation agreement between the Val Verde County Sheriff’s Office, the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) and the San Felipe Del Rio Consolidated Independent School District to create a High School Criminal Justice Pipeline Program in which eligible high school students would receive basic county/corrections course training and/or basic telecommunicator licensing course training, with the goal of having those students be eligible to take the TCOLE state licensing examination for certification.
Court awards contract for Escondido Estates booster pump system
• Commissioners court members voted 5-0 to award a contract to Alvin Stock Contractor for the Escondido Estates booster pump system in response to a request for proposals as recommended by the evaluation committee after review and scoring of proposals and authorizing the county judge to execute all necessary documents upon review and approval by the county attorney. County Judge Lewis G. Owens Jr. said the proposal amount is $387,000 and noted the county has set aside $350,000 for the project.
Court votes to rebid water well system for new sports complex
• Commissioners court voted 5-0 to seek another round of proposals (RFPs) for the installation of a new water well system at the Robert “Bob” Chavira Sports Complex. County Purchasing Agent Melissa Vasquez told the court the county did not receive any proposals during the last round of requests.
The writer can be reached at delriomagnoliafan@gmail.com.
