Where is the Budget?

 The Windcrest leadership must believe the Citizens of Windcrest do NOT need to see the budget.  The FY2013-14 budget was approved back in September.  Tomorrow is Nov 1 and the new adopted budget is still not available.  One has to assume the numbers do not match or something else is amiss.  The proposed budget had WEDC some $102,000 over budget.  The City Manager is responsible for presenting a Balanced budget to council.  Did Rafael Castillo, City Manager, even look at the numbers?  Why did Mr. Castillo forward to council a budget with one department projected to spend $102,000 more than expected revenue?
  Recently in another blog the author suggested 'Fuzzy Math", well, maybe he hit on something.

  During Oct  21st council meeting Mayor Alan Baxter told citizens there was only one employee with a severance package.  Folks, there are TWO with Severance packages.  Rafael Castillo has a severance package worth 4 Months salary and benefits plus $5,000 for mortgage "Closing Costs" if he purchases a home in Windcrest.   Then Robert Colunga has a severance package worth 4 months salary.  These severance packages are included in their Professional Service Agreements on file at city hall.

  You gotta wonder, if there are two severance packages and Mayor Baxter says there is only one, what else is he not revealing?  Sounds a bit like "I'll tell you what you NEED to know."

  Together these packages approach $100,000 but don't worry, these numbers are NOT included in the budget.  The $100,000 is surely a liability and previous budgets have had severance dollars listed in the budget.  Look at the budget line item for Termination Payout.  

Windcrest Fire Chief Resigns!!!

 Dan Reese, Windcrest Fire Chief, resigned as the Windcrest Fire Chief.  Several citizens recently addressed City Council asking they consider a pay increase for the Fire Chief, saying the Fire Chief deserved better than minimum wage.  The mayor and council ignored the citizens' comments and approved a final 2013-14 budget with the Fire Chief position funded at minimum wage.
  The FY 2013-14 proposed budget shows the title as Volunteer Fire Chief.  In all previous budget years, the title has been Fire Chief, NOT Volunteer Fire Chief.

  Meanwhile the City is on schedule to spend over $300,000 on pond upgrades.  That pond, by the way, receives its main source of water from run-off from Crestway Drive. You gotta ask!  Where are their Priorities?

   Chief Reese is a well respected, exceptionally capable professional Fire fighter and EMT.  The loss of Chief Reese is a great loss to the Citizens of Windcrest.

 The title of this Blog" "Windcrest Needs New Leadership" says it ALL.  Refusing to pay the Windcrest Fire Chief above minimum wage should put all doubts to rest, Windcrest Definitely Needs New Leadership.  

WEDC Budget Shameful!

 The WEDC has their proposed FY 2013-14 budget posted with the two public hearings on the Proposed Budget.  During that time the WEDC proposed $86,000 for the WEDC Director via a Contract Employee line item.  The budget evidently balanced at that time.

  AFTER the second public hearing on Sept 9, some three days later on Sept 12 the WEDC Board of Directors passed a $96,000 salary package for the WEDC Director.  The professional services agreement also includes a 4 months salary Severance package.  Now the budget could not possibly balance.  They have not posted the approved budget yet so there is no telling how they managed get the extra 10K for that pay increase during the final few days of this FY.
 This really speaks to being Transparent.  AFTER the public hearings the budget is changed without citizen input.  Is this being Transparent?  Being the WEDC presented the agreement only three days after the final public hearing tells me they knew all along the $86,000 proposed budget line item was bogus, nothing but "Window Dressing."   This is the same WEDC that Councilman John Gretz performed Executive Directors' duties for nearly a year, no pay, no problem.  Now they are paying some $96,000 for a contract employee with a 4 months severance package.  Racker Road is now complete so what is the Executive Director to do with his time?  OH, and he now has a 20-30 assistant to do exactly what I have no idea.
  Update!! Oct 1, 2013  The Sept 12 agenda contract was for $96,000, however, today I received a copy of the contract and it says $90,000 per calendar year effective Oct 1, 2013.  The point still remains, why show us one figure during the public hearings when there is already a new contract brewing in the back room.

  Remember, this is the same crew that tried to Dissolve our Water District and failed.  That failure may only be temporary as this administration is still working to change the boundaries so the next attempt can succeed.
Check out the WEDC agenda, the last several months the Directors report mentions working "Boundary issues with San Antonio that are hindering Economic Development."

 Some 600 residents signed a petition asking our City Council to not Dissolve the Water District.  The council ignored that petition as it was a non binding petition, but it did express the desires of some 600+ Windcrest residents.  This council passed the first reading of the ordinance to Dissolve the Water District.

Mark Perry is running for Mayor and Dennis Allen for City Council Place 5.  Both have declared they support keeping our Bexar County WCID #10 free from city control.

The WEDC is working with the Mayor to enable the take over of the Water District in the future, I'm positive.  Don't listen to the rhetoric, check out their actions.

   

Construction Activity around Windcrest

   Lots of construction activity at the Walmart location on Walzem, getting larger every day.  There is a new home being constructed on Hidden Hollow, looks like a really nice home.  The crews are doing a face lift on the landscaping at the civic center.  When they finish you will not recognize it.  Hats off to the Parks and Rec committee!
  The project at the old Frost Bank drive in facility is coming along nicely.
  Takas pond area is also undergoing some re-construction.  Now add all the street maintenance/repair going on and we have a construction boom going on.
  Racker Road is nearly complete too.  The traffic light is not connected yet and a couple of crews are painting street markings but nearly everything else is about complete it appears.
 

Back Room Deal??

 Council Persons John Gretz, Pam Dodson, Jake Jacobi, and Jim Shelton, voted in favor of approving a severance package for Police Chief Pabon during SCCM on Sept 29th, 2011. (Rita Davis was absent)
  This agreement in the severance package was drafted by the Windcrest City Attorney and I find this extract appalling: 

   (Chief Pabon is the Employee) 

“… Employee understands that this agreement not to disclose applies to everyone to whom Employee may so disclose, specifically including, but not limited to all citizens of the City, present and former employees of the City, applicants for any position with the City, and any persons or entities with actual or proposed business dealings with the City.”….(emphasis added)

  What is going on when the City Attorney includes wording in an agreement that even the existence of this agreement can NOT be disclosed to any persons, Specifically Citizens of Windcrest. 

  The same City Attorney denied an open records request for a copy of the Severance Agreement. However, the Texas Attorney General issued an opinion the city had to release the Severance Agreement.

The total cost to the City of Windcrest for this Severance Package was $49,360.27. 

 Now Consider this:

1. The Motion was approved Sept 29th during the 3pm council meeting.
2. The Check was signed and Dated Sept 28th!!!  The day before Council Met!!

Yes!! Check  was cut BEFORE council voted to approve Chief Pabon’s Severance Package!!!

Is this not proof positive of a back room deal?  Seems the council meeting and vote was for SHOW folks, the decision had already been made.  

  Do you think signing a check prior to Council approval violated city finance policies and procedures?  

  Windcrest needs NEW leadership!  

Racker Road Has Issues

1. WEDC discussed Change Orders during the WEDC board meeting on July 27^th, 2013.  There are over 110 Change Orders concerning the contract for Racker Road
2. Mr Bray, the engineer for the project explained the status of several disputed change orders.  The work has been accomplished said Mr. Bray, only the $ amount charged is being  disputed. 
3. J3 (the contractor) submitted a  Change Order for $200,000 citing delays caused by Rack Space, thru no fault of J3.  Mr. Bray indicated the contract allows for additional time for construction delays, but not additional money.  Obliviously this position is being challenged by J3.  This may become an issue during the final closing of the Racker Road Project said Mr. Bray.
4. House keeping.  The contract calls for J3 to clear the construction site of all materials.  Seems there is some $5000 worth of pipe, concrete man holes, covers etc in a fenced in area already paid for that will not be used.  The board told Mr. Bray, move it, suggesting maybe Windcrest Public Works maintenance yard.  J3 said we can do that but the charge will be $4,000.  Mr. Bray said the contract calls for J3 to remove the material from the site.  The contract does not indicate Windcrest can specify where to move excess construction materials.
5. Water valves ($14,000) were returned for $10,000 credit,  a net loss of $4,000 to WEDC.  No mention of any credit being received or cost reduction for Not having to dig trenches across the road bed for the pipes leading to those valves.  The plans for those valves were “Red Lined” by SAWS prior to Road construction.  Construction cost for digging trenches, laying pipes across the road bed was never performed.  Why no mention of a cost reduction?
6. Park Road not being constructed.  Rack Space has decided not to construct Park Road.  Rack Space did fund a portion of Racker Road, I believe they were to pay for Park Road and the Park, but never the less Park Road was part of the Racker Road Project.  I cannot determine if this is just delayed or terminated.  Makes good sense they would delay Park Road until all of those trees are transplanted into the Park area, then build the Park Road.  Otherwise the process of moving those huge tree from the tree farm might tear up a Park Road.  That’s my idea, nothing official reason for the decision not to build the Park Road.
7. During the July 27th 2013 WEDC meeting the discussion was intense at times.  One thing was clearly stated.  The Racker Road project is 100% WEDC!  We, the WEDC own the property, Rack Space is a tenant.  This (WEDC) Board gives you marching orders to follow, not Rack Space said Mr. Maloney, WEDC board president.  Mr. Maloney went on to state "If it were up to me I would fire the both of you tonight."
8. WEDC bid the project, WEDC hired an engineer to oversee the day to day progress, WEDC owns the property, WEDC is in charge of the Racker Road project (see #7) , BUT, Rack Space decides not build Park Road, a portion of Racker Road Project.    You gotta ask, who is really in charge?

Are Trailer Parks are coming to Windcrest?

On July 18, 2013, the WEDC board approved a motion for  "Termination of Restrictive Covenants" .  The original document is on file at Bexar County and details the prohibited establishments for the 111 acres of newly annexed property. These are NO longer prohibited.

A previous WEDC board had the foresight to establish a Declaration of Restrictive Covenants back in August 2007 when the property was purchased by WEDC.  This Declaration of Restrictive Covenants prohibited a laundry list of businesses.  Trailer/Mobile Home Parks, Sexually Oriented businesses, small Used Car Lots are only a few of the businesses Prohibited by this Deed Declaration.

 The Current WEDC Board members saw fit to completely undo the valuable work of past WEDC boards and approved a motion to Terminate the Declaration of Restrictive Covenants in its entirety!!    Note, this current WEDC board was hand picked by the current Mayor.  Get It?

 Are Trailer Home Parks coming to Windcrest?  Hope not!  No Longer prohibited, who knows?

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Racker Alley Changed to One Way!

Racker Road is very near completion, however, a WEDC board members indicated having two way traffic at the frontage road entrance was very dangerous and Racker Alley should be changed to One Way.

 Racker Alley in case you wondered is the drive/street off IH 35 Frontage Road that runs between Applebee's and Olive Garden.

  The changing of the signage, road markings etc were approved "verbally"  according to the engineer overseeing the Rack Road project.  Racker Alley is being changed from a Two Way Street to a One Way street right now.

  This Change Order comes in the final days of the entire Racker Road project and a road way approved by two engineer firms, RackSpace, WEDC and I assume Texdot at some point, being an entrance to their frontage road.  Who overlooked this dangerous situation at the beginning?

  The engineer hired to oversee the Racker Road project for WEDC said there were several change orders he had not approved.  The engineer indicated the work had been completed, he just had not approved the payment of the change order.

 The WEDC board president indicated he would assist the engineer in negotiating the amount being charged for these outstanding change orders.

"Change Orders" are normally approved before changes are made to the construction plans.  How do you complete the work indicated on a change order without having the cost approved?  Can a contractor charge what ever he wants for a change order?

Rackspace vrs The Cain Brothers Trial

Flash? The Gary Cain and Ronnie (Forrest) Cain vrs Rackspace Hosting trial is scheduled to start Sept 9, 2013, per District Attorney.  Stay tuned for breaking news throughout the trial.

 The Windcrest Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) is launching DevelopWindcrest.com, a new corporate web site at Rackspace Hosting Corporate Headquarters on July 25, 2013.

  This event is open to the public, everyone is welcome.  Free T-shirt to first 200 attendees.