Edwards, Perez, and De La Cerda Sworn-In as Maverick County Water Control and Improvement No. 1 Board of Directors, Election of Officers Postponed Due to Bond Flap
By: Miguel Munoz, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2020
After a marathon meeting of almost four hours where most Agenda items were either tabled or no action taken by the outgoing Board of Directors at the Maverick County Water Control and Improvement District No. 1 on Tuesday, November 10, 2020, the newly-elected Board members Randy Edwards, Juan Perez, Jr., and Gabriel De La Cerda were finally sworn-in at the end of the public meeting after canvassing of the November 3, 2020 Election results and an Order adopting the November 3 election results were approved.
Newly-elected MCWCID No. 1 Board members Edwards, Perez, and De La Cerda were administered their Oath of Office and sworn-in by Texas Notary Public Brigit Junfin at the November 10 Board meeting.
Following their Oath of Office and being sworn-in, the Board meeting Agenda called for Item No. 22 regarding the “Election of Officers of the Board for 2020-2022” but the newly installed Board of Randy Edwards, Juan Perez, Jr., Gabriel De La Cerda, Javier Mancha, and Beyer Junfin were precluded from proceeding forward with the election of the new Board Officers because the District failed to obtain the required Bonds of the three new Board members prior to or at the meeting.
MCWCID No. 1 General Counsel Robert “Woody” Wilson of San Antonio, Texas advised the Board that they could not take action on Agenda Item No. 22 regarding the Election of Officers of the Board for 2020-2022 until the three newly elected Board members of Edwards, Perez, and De La Cerda signed for and obtained a Bond as Board members.
Wilson advised the three newly-elected Board members that they needed to visit MCWCID No. 1 Interim General Manager Brenda Gonzalez the following day to fill-out their applications for Bond at the District Office and obtain the Bond before being eligible to vote at any Board meeting according to state law, postponing the Election of Board Officers Agenda item to a future special or regular meeting.
The postponement of the Election of Board Officers caused an awkward and embarrassing moment for the new Board members and established a new precedent among Maverick County governmental entities for not being prepared to hold the election of the new board officers after the newly-elected Board members having been administered the oath of office and sworn-in. This bond flap is believed to be the first time the MCWCID No. 1 Board has been unable to elect its Board Officers at the scheduled meeting.
Board members Edwards, Perez, and De La Cerda were allowed to take a seat on the Board dais and briefly introduce themselves and give thanks to all MCWCID No. 1 members who elected them to the Board.
Outgoing Board members Gabriel Garcia and Juan Manuel Garcia, Jr. also made farewell remarks and thanked the District members for allowing them to serve on the board the past four years.
The MCWCID No. 1 outgoing board was composed of President Beyer Junfin, Vice-President Gabriel Garcia, Secretary Juan Manuel Garcia, Jr. and Board members Javier Mancha and Juan Perez, Jr.
The new Board is composed of Randy Edwards, Gabriel De La Cerda, Juan Perez, Jr., Javier Mancha, and Beyer Junfin. Junfin remains Board President until the new Board Officers are elected at the next special or regular Board meeting.
