By Karen Gleason
The 830 Times
Four of the five members of commissioners court were present at the meeting.
Commissioner Pct. 2 Juan Carlos Vazquez was absent.
Here’s what happened at the meeting:
County judge calls for FBI probe into Del Rio Hispanic Chamber
• County Judge Lewis G. Owens Jr. called for the FBI to investigate what he termed the
“misuse” of public funds – hotel occupancy tax monies – by the chamber. Owens claimed
the Hispanic chamber paid tens of thousands of dollars to an individual who did not
provide the service for which he was paid. Owens did note the county has not paid the
Hispanic chamber any HOT monies since “2020 or 2021.” Owens called for the
investigation in the “Judge’s Comments” at the end of the meeting. The 830 Times initial story is here.
Court approves actions on new county sports complex
• Commissioners court voted 4-0 to approve two documents related to the planned Val
Verde County Robert “Bob” Chavira Sports Complex to be sited near the Del Rio Middle
School off U.S. Highway 90. The first document was an affidavit that a notice posting the
“Finding of No Significant Impact” for the project had been posted on the bulletin board
at the county courthouse. The second document, titled “Notice of Intent to Request
Release of Funds,” was also posted and allows the public to make comments on the
project through June 23. The sports complex project is being built with county funds and
a $2 million federal grant.
Court approves meeting in Tony Faz Building
• Commissioners court voted 4-0 to allow Methodist Healthcare Ministries and BCFS
Health and Human Services to assist residents of Val Verde County at the Precinct 2
meeting room at the Judge Antonio “Tony” Faz Building, 315 E. Chapoy St. The meeting
will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, July 2.
Court approves ban on fireworks
• Commissioners court voted 4-0 to enact a ban on fireworks, missiles with fins and
rockets with sticks.
Court approves application for voting equipment grant
• Commissioners court voted 4-0 to allow County Clerk Teresa Esther Chapoy to apply
for a grant under the federal Help America Vote Act (HAVA) and on matching Chapter
19 funds to purchase election equipment with the signature of the county judge as the
point of contact and the authority to approve the purchases required for the election
equipment. The order also granted authority to approve payment over the grant amounts.
Court takes action purchases, requests for proposals
• Commissioners court voted 4-0 to approve each of the following items placed on the
agenda by County Purchasing Agent Melissa Vasquez:
– Approved the purchase of a 2025 Chevrolet Tahoe from Caldwell Country
Chevrolet for $61,115 to be used by the district attorney’s office and paid for
through the Border Prosecution Unit grant.
– Approved the purchase of 2025 Chevrolet Suburban from Caldwell Country
Chevrolet for $64,570 to be used by the district attorney’s office and paid for
through the Border Prosecution Unit grant.
– Approved the purchase of a Challenger auto lift from NAPA Pro Auto for
$7,000, a price that includes delivery and installation, for the Val Verde
County Sheriff’s Office. The lift will be used by the sheriff’s office mechanic
and will be paid from the sheriff’s auto expense account.
– Approved the upgrade of the sheriff’s office postage meter agreement for a
five-year term for an annual amount of $1,792.76. Funding will be through the
sheriff’s office operating expense account.
– Authorized purchasing agent to advertise for competitive sealed bids for one
custom-made mobile cascade system for the Val Verde County Fire
Department. Funding will be through the fire department’s Border Zone grant.
– Authorized purchasing agent to advertise for competitive sealed bids for one
new ¾-ton truck for Precinct 4. Funding will be through Precinct 4’s capital
outlay and operating accounts.
– Authorized the purchasing agent to advertise for competitive sealed bids for
the following commodities: road material, oil, fuel and janitorial services.
– Appointed County Judge Lewis G. Owens Jr., County Purchasing Agent
Melissa Vasquez and County Engineer Carlos Velarde as the evaluation
committee to score the request for proposals for the adult probation
department expansion project.
– Approved the purchase of used 2008 digger derrick truck for an amount
between $29,000 and $39,000 for the installation of light poles at the county
soccer fields and other projects. Funding will be through available
appropriations for capital projects.
– Approved the purchase of a 2024 Dodge Ram 2500 cargo van for $47,164 for
the county library. Funding will come from the county’s enterprise capital
fund.
– Approved the purchase of two laptops and two chairs for a total amount of
$3,019.46 for the district attorney’s office. Funding will be through available
appropriations and the county’s contingency fund.
– Rescinded a previous court order on a project to modernize the elevator at the
district courthouse. The order also included ending the contract between the
county and Vaqueros Electrical and authorizing a payment of $24,785 for
work performed on the project to date. County Judge Lewis G. Owens Jr.
noted the county now plans to build a new elevator at the facility. The $24,785
will be paid from American Rescue Plan Act (APRA) monies that had
previously been set aside for the elevator rehabilitation.
– Approved accepting a donation of round tables, office chairs, 3-foot by 5-foot
tables and wooden bookcases from the San Felipe Del Rio Consolidated
Independent School District.
– Declared as surplus a variety of items.
– Tabled rejecting or awarding a rebid for a new cab and chassis for $166,878 to
MHC Kenworth for the county fire department.
Court authorizes application for Cienegas Road sidewalk grant
• Commissioners court voted 4-0 to authorize County Judge Lewis G. Owens Jr. to sign
the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) 2025 Transportation Alternatives
detailed application for the Cienegas Road sidewalk project. Carl Esser, the county’s
grants writer and administrator, thanked Commissioner Pct. 4 Gustavo “Gus” Flores for
working to obtain letters of support from individuals and businesses along Cienegas for
the project.
Court authorizes support letter for city grant application
• Commissioners court voted 4-0 to authorize County Judge Lewis G. Owens Jr. to sign a
letter of support for the city of Del Rio for its Defense Community Infrastructure
Program (DCIP) grant application through the Office of Local Defense Community
Cooperation in support of the San Felipe Del Rio Consolidated Independent School
District’s Robert “Bobby” Barrera STEM School program.
Court supports city in seeking grants for Laughlin AFB projects
• Commissioners court voted 4-0 to approve two orders dealing with proposed projects at
Laughlin Air Force Base. The first authorized County Judge Lewis G. Owens Jr. to sign a
letter of support for the city of Del Rio for its Defense Economic Adjustment Assistance
Grant (DEAAG) application in support of the repair and upgrade of airfield lighting at the
base. The second authorized Owens to sign a letter of support for the city for its DEAAG
application in support of the proposed Human Performance Training Center at the base.
Court votes to further research allowing multiple electric meters on one property
• Commissioners court voted 4-0 to table action on allowing multiple electric meters to
be installed on a single property for residential and commercial properties. Members of
the court discussed the issue at some length, with at least one commissioner opposed, and
at least one in favor. The court consensus was to study the issue further and make a
decision at a future meeting.
Court changes hours of operation for target range
• Commissioners court voted 4-0 to amend the proposed hours of operation plan for the
planned target range facility to be built adjacent to the Precinct 3 yard off U.S. Highway
277 just north of the city limits. The amended plan sets the hours for public use of the
target range from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Court hears presentation on insurance for employees
• Commissioners court heard a presentation on health, dental and life insurance for
county employees from Ernesto Martinez and Mark Zollitsch from the Texas Association of Counties (TAC). Martinez told the court the county will need to pay more for its
county employee insurance pool in the coming fiscal year. County Judge Lewis G.
Owens Jr. noted the county will have to pay about $294,871 more for the employee
insurance next year. He said the county will continue bearing the cost of the employee
insurance as it has in years past. The court took no action following the presentation.
The writer can be reached at delriomagnoliafan@gmail.com .
