UNITED BROWNSVILLE TARGETING CAMERON COUNTY

By Juan Montoya
Word has reached out editorial offices that a group of schemers met over the Thankgsgiving weekend to figure out a way to include Cameron County among those entities paying homage to Fred Rusteberg and Carlos Marin's United Brownsville.
The poltical component, we understand, is to run Cameron County Precinct 4 Commissioner Dan Sanchez for county judge after Carlos Cascos' term expires in two years and extend the shadow government's mantle over the entire county.
Those in attendance at the meeting reportedly held at the home of Carlos Marin were said to be Conrad Bodden, Dan Sanchez, and Eddie Treviño.
It is reported that when someone said that Cameron County Treasurer David Betancourt was himself planning to run for county judge, Marin reassured those present that he would "talk" to David and persuade him to reconsider and let Sanchez run alone.
Why the concern over these men plotting a takeover of Cameron County?
For those unversed in the United Brownsville scam, the self-appointed board answers to no one and includes members from every entity of local government and economic development. Treviño, as mayor, convinced the city commissioners then to pay Marin $1 million to foist this shadow government on the population. His work product? Rehashed U.S. Census studies and a voluminous "wish list" from gullible participants in their "town-hall meetings.
Riding herd over all of them are two bankers, Rusteberg of IBC, and co-chair Irv Downing, a former banker now with the UTB. John Villarreal, the Do-Nothing city commissioner is another Co-chair.
Mayor Tony Martinez and City Manager Charlie Cabler represent the city of Brownsville. Representing the Greater Brownsville Incentives Corporation is Sandra Langley. The Madman with a Credit Card Jason Hilts represents the Brownsville Economic Development Council. Carlos Hernandez represents the Brownsville Community Improvement Corporation, Delina Barrera, formerly with the GBIC, herslef. Martin Arambula represents the Brownsville Navigation District, as does the Port's CEO Eddie Campirano. The Brownsville Independent School District is represented by Enrique Escobedo and Superintendent Dr. Carl Montoya. Juliet Garcia, of course, represents the  University of Texas at Brownsville and the Greater Kingdon of God, as does Probost Dr. Alan Artibise. Texas Southmost College is represented by chairman Francisco Rendon and by college president Dr. Lily Trecero.
The Brownsville Public Utilities Board is represented by the pliant chairman Emmanuel Vasquez and CEO John Bruciak.
The At-Large members include attorney Michele Sanchez, Rolando Gonzalez Barron, Dr. Carlos Marin (Machiavelli himself), City Commissioner Rose Gowen, accountant Gregg McCumber, Jorge De La Garza, former mayor Eddie Trevino, and Chamber of Commerce front person Angela Burton.
The brainchild of Rusteberg, United Brownsville is  a non-profit corporation that has no funds of its own. Rather, it survives and pays its staff by extracting a $25,000 "goodwill" tribute from the City of Brownsville, Greater Brownsville Incentive Corporation, Brownsville Community Improvement Corporation, Brownsville Independent School District, Brownsville Public Utilities Board, University of Texas at Brownsville, Texas Southmost College, and the Port of Brownsville.
In this way, the non-profit can pay its director Mike Gonzalez, the former mayor of Kyle and a conservative Republican who was handpicked by Rusteberg as the United Brownsville's director, a tidy $78,000 a year.
It has claimed in the past that – even if it was the recipient of public funds – it was not required to follow the requirements of the Open Meetings Act.
One of the only employees it can claim is "board facilitator and communications director" Brian Godinez, who will be paid some $34,000 to coordinate, whatever the hell that means. Godinez did not make a good name for himself in McAllen, where he hails from.

Rusteberg, when questioned when he made his pitch before PUB for the 25K, said Godinez had a good track record in Baghdad, Iraq. Well, when you're a contractor there, you basically have a monopoly on whatever service you provide from the U.S. Government. How can you fail?

And the lobbying firm of Patton Boggs LLP was paid $75,000 of your for three months of work. Last we checked, this firm is from Dallas, by way of Washington D.C.
Who are these people and why should the entire county fund them?
That's the question that Cameron County asked when the UB operatives came before them and – getting no satisfactory answer – sent them packing.
We even hear that the cash-strapped BISD board is now questioning president Escobedo, a UB member, on why the district should give that entity money the district could use itself.
"Enrique wants to fit in with them and he wants the board to continue giving Rusteberg's group the cash," said a source close to Escobedo. "He's having a hard time convincing the others."
According to sources close to the meeting, Sanchez guaranteed the group that he could bring the county into the fold if he could count on their support.
So, is the public ready to continue forking over $100,000s to an entity who is accountable to no one, claims its meetings can be held away from the public eye, and which to date can point to noting that has benefitted us? Even their "Better Block" charade was nothing more than a photocopy of Melissa Castro's Mercadito concept.
Ask yourself this: Can you fire UB's CEO Gonzalez? Can you fire Rusteberg of Martinez or Juliet Garcia? You pay them.
Now with the suave Sanchez pushing for this group and savoring occupying the seat of county judge at the whim of Marin and Rusteberg, hold on to your wallet.