Rendon to help in the transition at NS Ingleside
U.S. Congressman Solomon Ortiz, for mug
The city of Ingleside is primed to hire Florencio "Lencho" Rendon, former chief of staff for U.S. Rep. Solomon Ortiz, as a consultant in implementing the city's Local Redevelopment Authority, which would oversee 155 acres of surplus property at Naval Station Ingleside.
The Ingleside plan drafted in Washington, D.C., includes a nine-member board -- two appointees each from Nueces and San Patricio counties, the city of Ingleside, the city of Corpus Christi and one from the Port of Corpus Christi.
That plan came about after a July 9 meeting in Ingleside that included Rendon, Ortiz and his brother, Nueces County Commissioner Oscar Ortiz, San Patricio County Commissioner Jim Price and Ingleside City Councilwoman Stella Hermann, Price said.
Ingleside council members on Tuesday tentatively scheduled an Aug. 1 meeting with Rendon, said Ingleside Councilman Willie Vaden. Rendon was out of the country Wednesday and could not be reached.
Vaden said he approached Rendon and Ortiz to help devise a Local Redevelopment Authority, a local board that would oversee about $1 million in federal funds slated for the Coastal Bend to help lessen the impact of military cutbacks.
"We were just discussing among the parties what our opinion was of the possibility, of what it would take in structure, for an (Local Redevelopment Authority) to be acceptable to all the parties," Price said of the July 9 meeting.
An 18-month dispute among local entities over the makeup of such a group has kept each from successfully forming and receiving official Local Redevelopment Authority status from the Defense Department's Office of Economic Adjustment.
Closures and realignments of military installations must occur by Sept. 15, 2011. Naval Station Ingleside is expected to close by Sept. 30, 2010.
Of the more than 1,000 acres of base property, about 912 acres will revert to the Port of Corpus Christi when the base closes. The 155 acres of surplus property, which includes about 100 acres of submerged land, will not revert to the port.
In 2006, the port established its advisory redevelopment group, which includes elected officials from Ingleside, Corpus Christi and both counties to oversee the main property.
Congressman Ortiz said he became involved because about $1 million in federal funding is in flux while a Local Redevelopment Authority is established.
"It impacted Ingleside, Corpus Christi, and it impacted South Texas because a lot of people were employed by the installation," Ortiz said. "Time is running out."
Timing could impact the types of developers a Local Redevelopment Authority could bring to the property and could impact funding from the government.
"Once we get started and some of the studies bring out the potential prospects, all the BRAC money comes through my committee" said Ortiz, who sits on the House Armed Services Committee's subcommittee for readiness and military construction.
Ingleside passed its plan last week. Nueces County Commissioners voted unanimously Wednesday to support it.
San Patricio County Judge Terry Simpson said the county will vote on Ingleside's proposal Monday.
Corpus Christi Mayor Henry Garrett said he is unsure when or if the city will vote on the proposal.
Port of Corpus Christi Chairman Ruben Bonilla said the port commissioners will consider an endorsement in August but that the port retains the reversionary rights to Naval Station Ingleside.
"The port will work with Ingleside, but we will continue to exercise all of our energy in protecting and enhancing the port's reversionary rights," he said.
What it means
The City of Ingleside voted last week to establish a Local Redevelopment Authority, which would oversee about $1 million in federal funding for the redevelopment of 155 acres of surplus property at Naval Station Ingleside, which is expected to close in 2010.
The players
Two members appointed by the Nueces County Commissioners Court
Two members appointed by the San Patricio County Commissioners Court
Two members appointed by the city of Ingleside
Two members appointed by the city of Corpus Christi
One member appointed by the Port of Corpus Christi
The next steps
All entities must be on board with the Local Redevelopment Authority for it to be approved for federal funding.
The Nueces County Commissioners Court approved the plan unanimously Wednesday.
San Patricio County Commissioners will vote on the plan Monday.
The Port of Corpus Christi will vote on the plan in August.
The city of Corpus Christi has not scheduled a vote.
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Posted by sgran77482 on July 26, 2007 at 7:19 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Check what Rendons fee will be!
Posted by intheknow on July 26, 2007 at 8:01 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I thought that willie vaden has ran against Ortiz for the last 3-4 electons for congress?
Posted by hbunce on July 26, 2007 at 8:09 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Naucrates ductor
The pilot fish is known for following large vessels and sharks, where it apparently feeds on parasites and leftovers. Its relationship with sharks is a mutualist one; the pilot fish gains protection from predators, while the shark gains freedom from parasites.
Posted by dannoynted1 on July 26, 2007 at 9:22 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Reminds me of that sham "spector/Clarkson" psyche autopsy 45k absentia spitztacular that is not provided to the poor....
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
Like a big Money tree.....a solid bunch of Grapes
Posted by petcav on July 26, 2007 at 7:18 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I'm surprised that Vaden would ask the self serving Oritz machine for anything. Have we not learned our lessons already when dealing with the Ortiz-Rendon, self-imposed, I'm a dynasty attitude. I too want to find out what Rendon's fee will be, and anxious to also find out what the Ortiz's will gain. A security contract?
Posted by stff on July 26, 2007 at 8:17 p.m. (Suggest removal)
The sooner the Ortiz machine is put out of business in Nueces County, the better things will be.
Posted by ellobo_blue on July 27, 2007 at 5:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)
stff-
The ortiz machine or some other political machine-don't be naive and think things would be better. Ortiz just happens to be holding the reins at this point in time. Far as Rendon's fee-you know it will be a pretty penny.
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