As part of that effort, Rodriguez is digging into the project's fine print.

Among the peculiarities, he said, is that Chace Management apparently makes additional money the longer the project lasts, receiving about $34,000 every month on top of its 4.9 percent of construction costs.

“It appears to be the opposite of a normal compensation arrangement. Normally you pay people for adhering to a timely schedule. And if the project goes off schedule, normally there are adverse consequences,” said Rodriguez, who is expected to outline his concerns to the county commissioners Monday night.

Not everyone is certain there is anything amiss.

“The way I see things, I think it's being run the way it should,” said Commissioner David Saucedo, who represents Precinct 3.

“I know Mr. Chavez as nothing but a professional and a hard worker. He's worked well with the county before,” he said.

Both Chavez and Precinct 2 Commissioner Rudy Heredia, the county commission's point man on the project, say the county is getting a good deal.

“There's nobody who can top Hector Chavez in Texas. I think $1 million for all the hard work he's done is OK,” Heredia said.

Chavez said his compensation is outlined in the contract he signed in late 2006, which was then modified in a supplemental agreement two months later. He said the project is behind schedule because of financing problems and public hearings, and he makes no apologies for his paycheck.

“My only answer is they will get their landfill they have been waiting for, for 12 years. I wasn't responsible for the delays, and I've wanted the project done as quickly as possible since the beginning,” he said.

In an interview with The Gram a few weeks ago, Chavez estimated his total compensation for the landfill project might reach $1.5 million when all is said and done. Now he says it will probably top out at about $1.1 million.

At either figure, he will have been richly rewarded, as contract managers normally make a small slice of a project's construction costs. And part of the reason is the way he was hired.

While Texas law requires municipalities to seek competitive bids on most projects or purchases costing more than $25,000, hiring a construction manager is an exception.

By John MacCormack - Express-News
EAGLE PASS — On weekdays, Hector Chavez still wears the hat of city public works director, supervising about 90 employees and a budget of $2.5 million, while drawing an annual salary of around $71,000.

On nights and weekends, Chavez, 60, says his time is spent overseeing the county's new $6 million landfill project. Since 2006, his consulting company, Chace Management, has received close to $1 million from the county, and months of work remain.

“There's no conflict between what I'm be doing over there and what I'm doing here,” Chavez said during a lunchtime visit to the landfill site about 10 miles south of Eagle Pass, noting that city officials signed off on the unusual moonlighting deal years ago.

Outside the unfurnished landfill office, a pack of huge yellow earthmovers last week was busy removing more than 300,000 cubic yards of earth. When finished, the long-awaited landfill is projected to handle local waste for most of the century.

Since the old county dump closed in 1994, all municipal waste generated in Maverick County has been hauled to San Antonio, 150 miles away. That expensive practice is expected to end this fall, when the landfill if finally finished after numerous delays.

As construction manager, Chavez serves as the county's eyes and ears on the project. He is charged with making sure the work is done correctly, at a reasonable cost and on time. And by law, his fiduciary duty is to the county.

But questions are being raised, first in the local News Gram and also by a county financial adviser, about whether Chavez's agreement with the county was a sweetheart deal that is turning out to be far more costly than expected.

“There are concerns about the large amount of dollars that have been paid to the construction manager. It doesn't appear to conform to normal compensation based on the percentage of the job completed,” said Robert Rodriguez of Southwestern Capital Markets, who was hired by the county to obtain long-term financing for the landfill project.

I think the saying guilt by association applys here. Yes that means you too buddy!

It's not one persons fault the county is in trouble, it's the whole group. The elected officials are not business men they are politicians, there's a difference. There's no respect for the money they are spending because it is NOT there's. The business ethics and morals in this town are poor to begin with and the elected guys take it to a whole other level. I really wish each commisioner didn't have the ability to control so much money. County govt is set up in a poor manner that allows for corruption, the suit fits.

You dorks bashing each other below are fighting for your candidate and at the same time looking like typical low lifes that we have come to expect in this town around the political seasons. Try something else for a change, I do not know what, but just something different. Maybe ... Stand on your head and hold your signs up at Bibb and Main,compete with the Little Caesars guys, that would earn my respect.

The movie Reservoir Dogs had a classic line " Are you gonna bark all day little doggie or are you gonna bite? "

I have visited the website you provided a link to and found that your statements were a bit misleading. You mistakenly laid the blame on Commissioners Court, the last time I checked, The County Judge is the CEO of this County and the blame should be placed squarely on his shoulders. It is clear what you are trying to do by laying blame elsewhere but here are the facts.


1. The current budget is not published.

THERE ARE 254 COUNTIES IN TEXAS AND A MERE 123 COUNTIES PUBLISH THEIR BUDGETS ONLINE.

2.County commissioner meeting agendas and minutes are not published.

OUT 254 COUNTIES, ONLY 45 COUNTIES INCLUDE INFORMATION ON THEIR WEBSITES ABOUT PUBLIC GOVERNMENT MEETINGS.


3.There is no information on building permits and zoning, audits, taxes, contracts, public records, administrative officials.

OUT OF 254 COUNTIES, ONLY 6 PROVIDED INFORMATION ON BUILDING PERMITS AND ZONING, AUDITS, TAXES, CONTRACTS, PUBLIC RECORDS, ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICIALS.


You neglected to include in your summary that Maverick County scored points for having contact numbers for our public officials and despite the bleak picture that you are trying to paint, no where on this website did it grade COMMISSIONERS COURT as receiving an "F". So given these new facts brought to light, a good 75% of the Counties scored failing grades. Although this is not a good thing, I find it amusing how you tried to somehow fix this to match your agenda. If these smoke and mirror tactics are what we can expect from this so called new blood I respectfully say "no thanks".

Not only are you unable to tell the truth but now you cant read either. Saucedo has run his precinct well and has demonstrated the toughness and discipline it takes to run for this office. You call me Mr debate with all the answers but it is you who have thrown out accusations without proof, so this entitles you to what? Continue with the cowardly posts, I think the voters can see what is going on here...again, do you have a PLATFORM or do you plan to go in and point fingers if elected. Its easy to come in here and cite numbers and make false accusations but why dont you do something that will really impress the voters, grow something down there and ask Saucedo all your questions in a public forum like a debate. I keep asking for a debate because I would like to see you try to go up and defend your lies.

Are you admitting we have Saucedo's mom and lupita, rex, and tom among many other recent board members to thank for our school taxes being dramatically reduced and our school district's academic ratings going up? Sounds like you are related to the current school board. Can we expect to see what's happening now at EPISD brought over to the County? Is this the platform? Good luck!

Ok tell us what has Money bags Saucedo done that you have him on a pedestal?And yet you fail to answer about the 12 million change order, CABALLO DORADO,and the last contract he gave his foremans cousin for $49,000.00. So tell me Mr. Debate with all the answers.But you allow money bags Saucedo to operate like that cuz either you don't pay taxes or he is your partner in crime!

If Alfaro build up a 19 million dollar surplus when he was president of the school board that should tell voters he was taxing way more than was necessary to operate the school district and so he was robbing from the people. Can you please have your family's candidate produce proof of this claim or is he going to run away from this position of excessive taxation?

Saucedo has made it a point to challenge Aranda on everything under the sun including the GEO project because Saucedo knows how to run government. Saucedos Precinct has never been in the red and he has managed his monies well. When the rest of the County was broke because of Pepes mis-management, he had funds to continue projects for the people of his precinct and he will show the same fiscal responsibility for the people of Maverick County if elected. You wanted Saucedo to shout from the rooftops but Saucedo was one vote against Aranda and 3 other votes, simple as that.

Here's a sobering website that shows just how badly we've got it down here. The Sunshine Review, a respected website which grades the performance of national and local governments throughout the USA, gave the Maverick County Commissioner's court the lowest grade possible in both performance and transparency=a big fat F. The bad marks which led to this infamous grade include:
1. The current budget is not published.
2.County commissioner meeting agendas and minutes are not published.
3.There is no information on building permits and zoning, audits, taxes, contracts, public records, administrative officials.
So if you're fine with having "F" style candidates leading us the next four years, then by all means be my guess and choose Saucedo/Heredia. If you want something better than an F, then give someone else a shot and vote in new blood. If they keep the same grade, then vote in another new guy we get great candidates.
http://sunshinereview.org/index.php/Maverick_County,_Texas

You have yet to write anything truthful on this webpage. What you have done is lie, manipulate, and twist the truth. Again, is this what the people of this County can expect from you? How about what you stand for? What is your agenda? WHAT IS YOUR PLATFORM? Do you have anything in your arsenal that calls for truthfulness? Debate my friend, a debate will make you face your opponent and not make cowardly accusations that you can not back up.

Okay so Saucedo didn't vote for GEO, but can you tell me why the county being so badly in debt is not partly Saucedo's fault? Shouldn't he have been screaming from the rooftops when these shady financial deals appeared before the county court? And haven't these guys been in power too long already? Shouldn't they let a fellow citizen get the priviledge of governing our county? At least Aranda finally gave up his throne and gave someone else a shot. Enacting term limits would help greatly reduce bad financial deals and perhaps bring about a budget that is not deeply in the red.

To i guess this answered that....
you want the truth You can't handle the truth..
since you know so much can you tell us where the 12 milllion dlls. went. Saucedo knows.or better yet tell us why he voted to purchase a property worth 153,000 for 421,000.00 dlls. Right before he left office was it to get a nice kick back or political contribution?

All that Saucedo wants is the power to control the city ,county,and eventually the EPISD. First off he lost his mom's election and his side kicks lupita,rex ,and cary's election.They were voted out and so should he.Here is a guy Saucedo who gives a contract to his foreman's cousin for sidewalks and still no sidewalks just before he leaves office and what is the amount of the contract $49,000.00 WOW!So answer this is he part of the problem or the solution?

Judging by the quick response, this answers the question about who is doing the mudslinging and trashing of Saucedo on this webpage. Such a sad thing when a candidate has to resort to this tactic when he/she has no platform or ideas. You are embarassing yourselves by continuing to claim Saucedo voted for the GEO project when in fact he did not (public record people), does Mr. Alfaro not know what is going on in a County he wants to hold office in? Maybe just maybe you can learn to run a civil campaign and rely on facts rather than slander. Now that we know who is behind the trash talk you can adress my challenge and ask Saucedo for a debate...again, I doubt that will happen because this format seems to suit you better MY DEAR FRIEND.

I think we need new blood across the board when we vote this upcoming election. We need change at the county desperately. This current makeup of county commissioners has had one of the most disasterous tenures in county government history, and thats saying something, espcially since we live in the Free State of Maverick, where anything goes.

Its very embarrassing how badly the jokers at the county have screwed up our tax monies and dug us deeply in debt and in the red. Why should we trust the people who got us in this mess to help get us out of bankruptcy and back into the black?

Another thing, why don't we have term limits? Isn't anyone getting sick of these career politicians who care more about their own power than about the people?

to answer last post on "Money Bags Saucedo"....
Of Course it is Mr. Frank Alfaro who our entire family supports. His common sense approach has always been in tune with our community. He has always worked hard for a living beginning with his humbled beginnigs as a migrant worker right on up to his years serving our great nation. All this is evident in his years of service to our community. For example, while serving as the school board president he controlled spending and was able to help create a 19 million dollar surplus. While on the other hand, "money Bags Saucedo" gives away our hard earned taxpayer money to the GEO Project and that my dear friend is also public record. I Can Produce these minutes as well. Saucedo's "white Gloved", Mr. Clean approach fools some of the people some of the time but not this time!!!!!!!!!! Go Alfaro!!!!

The school-board should visit the schools and check out the ISS room at Memorial Jr. High its the PITS having a teacher-aide in there this poor man already got cut by a student with a pencil whats next a stabbing with a pen. Also I hear one of the Assit. Principals has pizza for the kids in there and has them in and out as they want Its terrible there. Schoolboard please I know you have been asked before please come check this JOKE out before someone gets hurt.

So I see it took you all day to look for a response to the last post...You repeated your message and managed to add a "money bags Saucedo" to your reply twice. You still did not provide anything of substance or credibility or proof, you just repeated your lie and took the opportunity to trash your opponent. Is this what the community can expect from you if you are elected? Cowardly hit and run statements with no basis of fact and trash talk to avoid the fact that you have NO PLATFORM? The voters can see through your mudslinging agenda and can decide if this is the kind of person they want in office. Why dont you be a man and stop hiding behind your computer screen? Challenge Saucedo to a debate...or are you afraid that you cant hit and run in that type of environment?

So, Tax Payer, who is the solution? Alfaro or Reyes? And what is the platform of your candidate?

To answer okay so now, on the GEO issue it started at 30 million for the project and ended at 42 million thats an extra 12 million for what So your saying MONEY BAGS SAUCEDO wasn't part of commissioners court,what were those 12 million for?maybe you don't care cuz you don't pay taxes. And how about his compadre GIL RAMOS who got a slap on the hand for stealing where he voted to keep him employed?GIL RAMOS has stolen from all our entity's but yet he gets a truck to drive around town getting you votes and a hefty check wow!and was he also the lone vote not to buy CABALLO DORADO show me the minutes where MONEY BAGS SAUCEDO didn't vote please. and that my friend is being part of the problem not the solution!!

Heard the School Board is after the Superintendent and at Tuesday's meeting will take action regarding his duties and responsibilities. Rumor is they want to reassign him and bring back a local man by the name of Mancha as Superintendent.

Hey folks. I was wondering whether the new apartment complex being built over by the Hospital/Trade Center area was already finished? Whats the latest?

The burden of proof goes to the the accuser. You are making irresponsible slanderous comments without proof. You do not have your facts straight nor do you care it seems. You indiscriminately make false statements then you want the accused to prove you wrong? How about THAT attitude. You stated that "many of you arent stupid" as though you are trying to bulk yourself with some majority when in fact it is public knowledge that Saucedo was the lone vote against the GEO project. You dont know this information and you are running for public office? Very well, I will get you those minutes and discredit your false accusations but something tells me that you will be back with another "OH WELL...YEAH BUT....UMMM...I KNOW I AM MAKING FALSE STATEMENTS BUT PROVE ME WRONG" post.

Hasn't Farias already run for county commissioner 2 or 3 times already? Doesn't he understand what the word NO means?

I always knew J.M. Farias was the luckiest administrator in the history of EPISD. I had never considered that he was also the luckiest coach in the history of the district. Farias stepped in at C.C. Winn as principal when only the juniors and seniors were there. Without the burden of the freshmen and sophomores and with a very experienced staff of teachers, a trained monkey could have run the campus at that time. The students and staff succeeded in spite of Farias’s bumbling leadership and certainly not because of it. Instead of simply being good, the school should have been aiming for excellence, however, Farias often put obstacles in the way of that by clinging to the past, resisting progress, and stubbornly wanting to do things the way they had always been done. Because he had pitiful people skills the majority of teachers were happy to see him retire. I was there and I assure you, he lucked into a great group of baseball players that any coach could have taken just as far as he did, or farther. The county employees had better get out and vote against Farias and have all their friends do the same, because he would be the worst boss they could ever have. If he should win, I would feel very sorry for anyone who works for Maverick County.

Maybe not a paragraph but clearly stating a fact that can be verified or discredited.

"Saucedo did fight vehemently against GEO and was the lone vote against this project. This is a matter of public record (read the minutes)."

My comments are directed at the person that made the last post. This has nothing to do with Saucedo or who should be the next judge. This has to do with your attitude of being the one that has all the correct information. You talk about not having the facts straight and reading the minutes and being current on County affairs. Well how about sharing that with the rest of us. Many of us are not stupid and we are productive citizens of this community. Since you have the correct knowledge then give us one paragraph of information that will clarify everything or will you insist that we seek this information out? As an insider you have all the information and being an insider seems to be your real message. Congratulations.

Ok so now your back pedalling and stumbling trying to find a way to blame Saucedo for not standing up enough? You obviously didnt do your homework and dont know about the current stance of your opponent. You have come in here and tried to discredit Saucedo and you dont even have your facts straight. Saucedo did fight vehemently against GEO and was the lone vote against this project. This is a matter of public record (read the minutes). Judging by your lack of information on current County affairs I dont think its wise of you to try and win an election by commenting on subjects you do not have any correct knowledge of. Again, you have no platform or ideas so you attack, unfortunately for you your information is WRONG.

Yeah its fair not to blame Saucedo for the GEO debacle. But he was a county commissioner and should've taken more of stand and raised more of a fuss over the deal. He is guilty for not speaking out more against this issue. We need a County Judge who is more resolute in his beliefs and will steer us away from bad financial deals.