City of Eagle Pass Admits Missing Important Documents in Response to Maverick Times Appeal
Eagle Pass Lacks Key Records in $2.35 Million Festival Deal
The City of Eagle Pass has admitted it does not have important documents related to hiring Just 1 Management LLC. This information came out in a letter dated July 29, 2024, sent to the Office of the Attorney General’s Open Records Division in Austin, Texas.
The letter was written by Ita A. Cortinas, the Assistant City Secretary of Eagle Pass, in response to a request from the Maverick Times. The newspaper wanted to see documents about the city’s decision to hire Just 1 Management LLC for the 57 South Music Festival. The Maverick Times specifically asked for scoring sheets, which are used to help make fair decisions when choosing companies.
Cortinas explained in the letter that the only information hidden was private email addresses, as required by Texas law. She included a redaction letter that showed what was hidden. She made it clear that the city did not hide or withhold any scoring sheets because they did not exist. “The redaction letter provided to the Maverick Times only mentions the redaction of private email addresses, not scoring sheets,” wrote Cortinas. She also explained that the confusion might have come from a misunderstanding by the Maverick Times, saying, “The City is unable to produce documents it does not have.”
This is a big problem because scoring sheets or tabulation sheets are usually very important. They help make sure that decisions about which companies to hire are fair and based on facts. The City of Eagle Pass normally includes these scoring sheets when they ask the City Council to approve contracts.
But for Just 1 Management LLC, these documents do not exist.
There are more concerns because Just 1 Management LLC, a company created in 2023 and owned by Jesse Minton, was hired even though they had very little experience managing big events like the 57 South Music Festival. The city’s choice to hire this company, despite their lack of experience, raises serious questions.
Additionally, it was discovered that the City of Eagle Pass paid over $1 million to Just 1 Management LLC before signing a contract. This early payment raises concerns about how carefully the city looked into this company before spending so much money.
The city also decided not to release the contracts between the artists and Just 1 Management LLC, making it harder to understand how the event was organized. Without these contracts, it’s unclear what the terms and obligations were.
The 57 South Music Festival ended up costing the City of Eagle Pass a lot of money. The city reported a loss of $2.35 million. Despite this, Just 1 Management received a lot of money for organizing the festival, while ticket sales were very low, adding to the overall loss.
For the citizens of Eagle Pass, this situation might lead to more questions and demands for better practices in the future. Making sure that all decisions are backed up by clear, accessible documents will be important for maintaining public trust.
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