TOOK SOME DOING, BUT HORACIO ZAMORA IN AS CHIEF RANGER

By Juan Montoya
It took some doing by some members of the Cameron County Commissioners Court but they finally got losing Pct. 1 Democratic candidate Horacio Zamora the position of Chief Park Ranger after they opened up the department following his loss to Republican Pete Delgadillo in November.

The majority on the court wanted to appoint Zamora as interim Chief Park Ranger at a special meeting last December, but opted instead to heed legal counsel warnings and post the position. After 12 people applied, it was discovered that the job qualifications as written by commissioners court's legal counsel inadvertently asked that the winning candidate possess a bachelor's degree in law enforcement. Since Zamora lacked such a qualification, the court decided that instead of requiring the degree that the requirements be changed so that it was "preferably" better for the candidates to have one instead.
You know, instead of improving the bridge, why not lower the river?
Out of the original 12 applicants, the three finalists were notified that the job would be reposted to reflect the wishes of the majority of the commissioner.
This opened the way for Zamora and at this morning's special meeting, the job was finally given to Zamora.
Only Judge Carlos Cascos voted against it, with Pct. 4 Commissioner Dan Sanchez going to bat for the degreeless Zamora.
Sanchez was at his best making friends and influencing people as he strives to please all in his bid for the position of county judge. With the backing of commissioners Sofia Benavides, Ernie Hernandez, David Garza and Sanchez, Zamora carried the day.
The establishment of the Park Ranger Dept. means that Delgadillo will be left with only two deputies to cover the communities in the Pct. 1 constable area and that the park rangers will have a full complement of ranger deputies covering the beaches on South Padre Island and Boca Chica.