Maverick County Commissioners Court had a regular meeting on June 13, 2022 to discuss nearly 40 items on the Agenda. The meeting started with the establishment of quorum followed by the County Judge David Saucedo (D)[1] calling for the recognition of visitors to commissioners court asking the public if they wish to address the court to limit themselves to three minutes.[2]
The Democratic Nominee for Maverick County Judge in the 2022 General Election walked urgently to the podium in the courthouse designated for individuals addressing the commissioner court. Ramsey English Cantu submitted his name for the record and began addressing commissioners court about agenda item number 20.
Discussion and possible action to advertise for Special Services or extend/renew contract with Shepherd Government Affairs for August 1, 2022 to July 31, 2023.[3]
Cantu explained that the concern comes from the community, continuing that the concern was about the extension of the contract with Shepherd Government Affairs. Shepherd Government Affairs was launched in 2018 by Oberlyn “Obie” Salinas and Agustin “Gus” Garcia.[4]
This firm has been with Maverick County for well over five years, the concern from the people of Maverick County is what have they accomplished both as lobbyist and grant writers for the county, how much have they brought in grants for community needs? Is this firm deserving of such a renewal, such a lucrative contract of well over $96,000 per year? I’m hopeful that the administration and court will explain to the general public it’s justification for the action taken here today and of course I appreciate the court’s time and willingness to listen to one of concerns here today.
Ramsey English Cantu, Democratic Nominee
The county judge read for the record agenda item number 20, the discussion and possible action to advertise for Special Services or extend/renew contract with Shepherd Government Affairs for August 1, 2022 to July 31, 2023. The county judge proceeded to ask commissioners court if they had any motions? Almost simultaneously County Commissioner Pct. 2 and County Commissioner Pct. 1 responded “So moved, Judge”.
The county judge immediately recognized the County Commissioner of Pct. 1 by asking “What is your motion, sir”. The Commissioner read his motion out loud “My motion is to renew contract with Shepherd Government Affairs for August 1, 2022 to July 31, 2023.”
There was no discussion as the county judge called for the voting almost immediately after the motion was read, ultimately announcing that the motion was approved by the Commissioner of Pct. 2, the Commissioner of Pct. 1 and the county judge. Against the motion was Commissioner of Pct. 3 Olga Ramos. Roberto Ruiz, Commissioner Pct. 4 was not present at the meeting. The motion from County Commissioner Pct. 1 to renew the contract with Shepherd Government Affairs was approved. Shepherd Government Affairs has been under contract with Maverick County past five years. In July 2023 the partnership will have collected $480,000 at the cost Maverick County Tax Payers.
Background information on the partnership of Shepherd Government Affairs that includes Oberlyn “Obie” Salinas and Agustin “Gus” Garcia. According to the website Titans of Texas Legislature the article “Trustee Carmen González praises passage of $112M bond issue, ethical reforms, high academic honors” Carmen Gonzalez, an Edinburg CISD Trustee is quoted saying “I hope this will be a clean race, like it was when I ran (in 2005) against Obie Salinas, who was a gentleman with me all the way.”
According to the Arnold Public Affairs, Salinas was the Chief of Staff in 2012 for State Representative Poncho Nevarez where he was later replaced by his now wife Amy Rister Salinas. In April 2013, according to an Eagle Pass News Gram article Representative opened an office in Maverick County, Obie Salinas his Chief of Staff was with him during the opening of the office in Eagle Pass, Texas. According to an Arnold Public Affairs article in February 2018, Amy Rister got promoted from Deputy Chief of Staff into the position of Chief of Staff for State Rep. Nevarez, replacing Obie Salinas.
According to the AP News in a July 2017 article Oberlyn “Obie” Salinas served as a Lobbyist in the past for Edinburg EDC and the City of Edinburg as the owner of Signature Advocacy, Inc. According to the Texas Ethics Commission Lobby Registration Search since 2010, Salinas has only been a registered lobbyist in 2018, 2021 and 2022. In November 2017, an Election Complaint to the Texas Secretary of State was filed Miguel Angel Garza from Edinburg, Texas alleging that Salinas voted in the Edinburg City Elections in Hidalgo County when he did not live in the county, having purchased a new home in Georgetown, Texas according to the complaint. Provided with the complaint was an invoice from Signature Advocacy, an affidavit from Mr. Garza, copy of a voting list and a public records search. According to AP News posted an article online about Edinburg EDC approving a contract despite public concern, the EEDC Executive Director at the time was Agustin “Gus” Garcia from Shepherd Government Affairs.
The author of the article, Lopez-Puente detailed the issues the public had with renewing the contract of Signature Advocacy Inc., which is owned and operated by Oberlyn “Obie” Salinas. According to the article written by Lopez-Puente, Salinas received about $75,000 annually from the EDDC. She continued to mention that Salinas is not a stranger to controversy as the brother of Edinburg School Board President Oscar Salinas alleging that Obie Salinas made headlines when he was linked to a deal that cost the school district thousands of dollars. Lopez-Puente mentioned that there was also issues with Signature Advocacy Inc. having forfeited its existence as a corporation due to tax purposes and having registered Signature Advocacy LLC which was in good standing. You can see the confusion here.
According to the article, Salinas was not a registered lobbyist at the time under contract with Edinburg EDC and concurrently serving as the Chief of Staff for State Rep. Nevarez, Lopez-Puente wrote that this issue was a conflict of interest.
Texas Scorecard in December 2017, posted an article in which the author stated, a wave of positive change may be coming to the City of Edinburg. The article continued describing the termination of the EEDEC Executive Director Agustin “Gus” Garcia who was making $160,000 annually and the terminated the contract with Signature Advocacy, Inc. run by Oberlyn “Obie” Salinas who received over $100,000 from the Edinburg Tax Payers. According to transparencyusa.org, since 2015 to current Oberlyn “Obie” Salinas has received as an individual $107,760, $54,000 came from Pete Gallego during the same time span. Signature Advocacy received $31,000 from 2017 to 2018 according to transparencyusa.org. The transparencyusa.org website has Salinas with Maverick County listed as a client being funded by tax payers. Agustin “Gus” Garcia went on to be named the Economic Development Director in Duncanville in April 2021 according to the City of Duncanville website.
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[1] David Saucedo (D) a former Maverick County Commissioner of Precinct 3 was initially elected in 2010 to be the Maverick County Judge after Jose A. “Pepe” Aranda left office. Saucedo won the set by beating Democratic Primary opponents Frank Alfaro Jr. and Marcial Reyes. In 2014 Saucedo ran unopposed in the Democratic Primary, eventually beating the Republican challenger in the General Election Jose Reyna (65.1% to 34.9%) securing re-election. In 2018, Saucedo squeaked by Democratic Primary challenger Rudy Bowles and was unopposed in the General Election. In 2022 Saucedo lost the Democratic Nominee at the hands of former City of Eagle Pass Mayor Ramsey English Cantu decisively winning the nomination by over 2,000 votes. Saucedo will serve the remaining time as county judge but will be out of office in 2023. Sources: Ballotpedia Eagle Pass Business Journal
[2] The public can comment at public meetings are allowed by Section 551.007 Public Testimony Sources: Section 551 Texas Open Meetings Act.
[3] Maverick County Commissioner Court Meeting Agenda for June 13, 2022
[4] The partnership of Garcia and Salinas launched Shepherd Government Affairs in 2018. Eagle Pass Business Journal
Source Links:
https://ballotpedia.org/David_Saucedo_(Maverick_County,_Texas)
https://www.transparencyusa.org/tx/payee/oberlyn-salinas?cycle=2015-to-now
https://apnews.com/article/0211f8be78214e24bde7836ad09ef9b4
https://www.ethics.state.tx.us/search/lobby/LobbySimpleSearch.php
https://www.transparencyusa.org/tx/payee/signature-advocay?cycle=2015-to-now
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