Conjecture as to the Recent Rate Lowering

In an earlier post I speculated that PUB was up to something when they lowered the monthly account fee. After thinking about it, I realized that the options open to them for something to do that might be a bit of a hard sell to the citizens of Brownsville were limited. I may have it figured out, as I am not privy to all the meetings at PUB. This time I am going to grossly speculate that they are trying to buy out the remaing partners in the Okla-Union coal fired plant. If this is so, how come they aren't telling us? The power produced at that plant produces electricity at a fraction what it costs to fire up the natural gas Silas Ray plant which I think is a pretty good thing, but isn't the extention cord just a bit long?
It would nice if Brownsville were a net producer of electrical power, but with the main power plant located a full state away any grid damage between here and there could still problems with power delivery to Brownsville in the event of some natural disaster that otherwise did no damage to the city.


"Of course I know. It is my business to know" -The Merovingian

Oh, Lowe's Where Are You?

Has anyone other than I noticed the glaring lack of a single Lowe's in Brownsville? Why, even the sprawling metropolis of San Benito has one. Could it be that makes it no economic sense to put at least one Lowe's in the largest city in the Valley? Help me out here. Ok, we have three Walmart Supercenters, two Home Depots, scads of Radio Shacks; you can practicly push the same shopping cart through three HEB stores and where is Lowe's? Did they use a map that showed the "Border Wall" passing north of Brownsville?

Sadly, this is not the case. Now before I have Lowe's weigh in on this, and they will, I want the Brownsville government people responsible to step forward, admit that what you did was stupid and wrong and say you're sorry. It only hurts for a second, but people will think better of you in the long run. After you have done so, and fix what you did wrong, then maybe, just maybe, Lowe's will come back and build the three stores that they wanted so desperately to build in Brownsville.

"Of course I know. It is my business to know." The Merovingian

A Bed Time Story

“…and once he had finished involving his partners and supporters so deep in the plan that they could never squeal on him, he bought houses and cars and women on the side and lived happily ever after. The End.”, said dad as he closed the dusty leather bound version of The Valley Political Reader.
“But papa, what about The Merovingian?”, asked the child.
“He is just a myth. He is something that people whisper about when they are jealous of your successes. Why does it bother you, mi hijo?”, the concerned dad replied.
“Well, some of the kids were thinking about closing down on the lunch money business. I didn’t want to, because it is doing so good, but some of the other guys were getting nervous.”, confided the child.
“Did you remind them that they were in it up their eyeballs, like I taught you?”, sternly queried the dad.
“Yes papa, and it calmed them down, just like you said it would.”
“So what is the problem?”, asked the dad with real concern.
“There was a substitute in school last week and the other guys thought that maybe it was him.”
“Him, who?”
“The Merovingian!”, said the child as he pulled the sheet up a touch higher.
“Son, I told you he isn’t real, and even if he was, I don’t think that your little business would catch his attention.”
“The kids said that he is real and their daddies were coming home from work in bad moods and talking on the phone about him.”
“Don’t worry son, he won’t find out about you”
“I thought you said he wasn’t real?”
“He isn’t, now go to sleep!”, said the dad with a little more snap than he intended.
“Can you check the closet?”
“Check it for what?”
“Him.”, nervously said the child with a shudder as the sheet inched up a bit higher.
“He is not in the closet, there is no such thing. But if it makes you feel better, I’ll check anyway.”
Dad crossed the room, opened the closet, turned on the light and made an effort to search the closet.
“See, there is nothing in the closet. You are just being silly, now go to sleep!”
Dad returned to his son, kissed him on the forehead and patted his cheek, “Good night, mi hijo.”
“Good night, Papa.”
Dad left the room, turning off the lights as he went and retreated to his bedroom. He prepared for bed, turning on the reading lamp before extinguishing the other lights in the room and propping up the pillows for a read before sleeping, he made himself comfortable. He carefully read the contracts and agenda items that were stacked beside him, making sure that every name and company in them were people he could trust. Half way through the stack, he dozed off. He had not been sleeping too well lately and these bouts of drowsiness were becoming more common. He woke with a bit of a start as the stack of papers slid off his lap to land on the floor with a slap. “Crap!”, he exclaimed. Forced to crawl out of bed, he got on his knees to gather the papers. While on the floor he had an irresistible urge to peek under the bed which he gave into. Satisfied that there was nothing there, he rose with the pile of papers neatly restacked and glanced toward the closet. “What the hell.”, he thought as he walked to the closet, opening it with mild trepidation. After he had done so he felt just a little sheepish. Closing the door and turning toward his bed, the fact that the window was open just a crack caught his eye. He walked briskly to the window and pushed it down a miniscule amount and turned the latch on it. He crouched a bit and cupping his hands to his eyebrows he peered out the window. He saw nothing, as he expected and returned to his bed, placing the stack of papers on the night stand. He repositioned the pillows for sleeping, rolled over and turned out the light. Blissful sleep was quickly overtaking him when again, he was startled into wakefulness by the sound of a car starting just down the street. “Kind of late, but….Naw.”, he thought. He sought to return to that soothing state that he had been startled out of but now sleep would not come as had been far too common these last two months. He rolled back over, turned on the lamp and returned to pouring over the papers, looking for anything that might give something away.


A tribute to Jerry McHale and others who like a good piece of fiction (or is it?)

How Low Can You Go?

I seem to recall that PUB sends out 19,000 bills per month. If I am way off the mark would someone please correct me? While I will do the polite clap in response to the recent (if paltry) fee cuts at the utility, lets all do a little game of what if !

Q: What if 6 Million had not already been spent on the invisible weir dam (or dam weir) ?
A: Across the board $26.32 bill reduction for everyone
in Brownsville, for every month, for a year.

(Insert vomiting sequence from The Exorcist here)

I have seen first hand, and more than most, the day to day work the front line employees do. For the most part it is cost effective and professional. The days of being paid to lean on shovels seem to be gone along with the times of the company picnic and family reunion being one and the same. Equipment and plant maintainence are all within what I consider to be prudent, cost effective levels. This makes me pretty happy, because money bleed from those areas is much harder to fix.

Ok now that eliminates the vast majority of the people at one of the largest companies in Brownsville, so the message to you remaining few, CUT IT OUT! Just stop it, already.

"Of course I know. It is my business to know" -The Merovingian

Out and about

It was a busy couple of days for the ol' M. I did not spend my days refilling my bag of rocks that, unfortunately, would have been far too easy. I was in need of a moral recharge so I went out into the community to try to make some good things happen. (I can’t be nasty and bitter all the time.) There are some truly great people in the area that think beyond their needs and are concerned and, most importantly, active in helping their fellow man and the community at large. They probably don’t even know what esteem I hold them in because what they do is a core part of their nature. These people do not see their outlook and attitude as somehow different. It is who they are. They expect no recognition and are embarrassed when someone wishes to honor them for their efforts. Each of you out there knows at least one person like that. If you are truly blessed, you know many. I felt as if I walked in the shadows of really great people and somehow felt as if I was not fitting company. That feeling did not last long because their presence made all the discomfort of the weary journey and up-hill fight of the daily grind melt away as they looked me in the eye and asked, “How can I help?” instead of the usual, “What do you want?” and they meant it. This made me want to help them in their endeavors as much as they wished to help me in mine. The funniest thing to me is that in the unlikely event that any of them read this, they will be sure that I was talking about someone else. Don’t be embarrassed, I talked to a lot of people today, so if it makes you feel more comfortable, it was someone else. I know different.

We now return to our regularly scheduled program of vitriol and verbal violence.

Free Exchange of Ideas - I was mistaken

Please read the note at bottom of post.

A University is the bastion of free expression as long as you think exactly like they do, speak exactly like they do, and dare not speak a word against socialism as the savior of all mankind. Oh, when they partner up with a "Freedom" newspaper it is doubly so.

Is the wit of The Merovingian such a dangerous thing that a two line comment must not be posted on Brownsville2020? Oh my God! Angels and ministers of grace defend us! Such a comment could squelch all academic freedom and bring back serfdom and slavery. It could cause economic failure and bring back the dark ages!

In response to:

Prioritize: Community Groups Can Improve Area by Reducing Demands on Government
http://bro2020.blogspot.com/2007/09/prioritize-community-groups-can-improve.html

I simply replied:

I would like to see this headline:
Government Can Improve Area by Reducing Demands on Community

Other analytical posts from The Merovingian pop right on through. What nerve did I gouge with a hot poker? What is so wrong with downsized efficient government? What is so dangerous that the mere suggestion not be entertained?

These are the same people who want to integrate, department by department with our city government. Well, I just made up my mind. No Town-Clown partnership for this cat. In short, I am outraged and you should be, too. They have NO journalistic integrity. To the U. and the Herald: A pox on both your houses!

"Of course I know. It is my business to know." -The Merovingian


The above posting was the result of a misunderstanding. I try not to be wrong, but this time I was. I am only leaving it because the comments are very good reading and a good example of dispute resolution.

To Fred Drew : Thanks for Reading

I was a bit shocked yet gratified to see someone else has an eye on that potential money pit. I do agree that a proper desal facility would be to our benefit, but like you I must wonder at what cost? PUB has a L-O-N-G history of going off half-cocked on things with an engineering study in one hand and a waving checkbook in the other, followed by armies of consultants and politicians with hands in each others pockets like some weird Twilight Zone Conga Line. They have never been open to a new idea or the concept of putting a project on hold to take a breather and evaluate exactly where they are. By taking a breather, I do not mean contracting another outside study. Ask the people. Explain where you are and ask for help and ideas. There is an incredible number of talented people walking the streets of Brownsville. Did Alexander the Great send out for a study? He confered with advisors and acted. He did have one advantage that we don't, he could execute people who failed instead of shuffling them off to another department or agency.

"Of course I know. It is my business to know." -The Merovingian

Area Fascination with $21 Million figure

It seems every time I turn around this place has an obsession with the 21 Million figure. I feel like I am taking crazy pills here !

Everyone knows about the Port 21 Million, the Dam Weir(d) is also going to need....... 21 Million. "Of which we have already spent 6 Million." ON WHAT? There is no agreement with Mexico, some high paid consultants, press and push on like construction will start tomorrow. I know that radio statons don't play the same song back-to-back, so why do these morons keep trying to PLAY US THE SAME SONG AGAIN ! What is this obsession with crossing the river for $21 Million. Oh, maybe it is like the Texas Lottery where there is a minimum jackpot....... with the same odds of winning. Well, I never asked to buy a ticket.

Be afraid. Be very afraid.


http://www.brownsvilleherald.com/news/board_80385___article.html/project_pub.html

"Of course I know. It is my business to know." The Merovingian

Contact me

There has been some talk on the street and around the cooler and breakroom about how people can get info to the Merovingian. You might not have noticed, but I was there and listened.

My good sockpuppet, err friend, the Right Reverand Tally Whacker has agreed to accept mail on my behalf. Anon source is ok. If you think you are being anonymous, and aren't good at it, don't worry. I will happily show you how to make it more secure.

I am not real interested in who is doing who's domestic partner. If it ain't spending my money or trampling someone's rights, I don't really care. Funny stuff, like catching an assistant DA with his/her finger stuck in a soda bottle is ok, though. (a long ago story, not really funny anymore)

As you may know by now, I am pretty darn good at digging stuff up, but if you have some backup or can fill out a story, please do. There is only so far I can go in certain areas without being shut out. If you need to maintain the same, I will happily send you back articles for publication prior to doing so if you are paranoid that you will get burned. There is a word for reporters that get their sources burned. Unemployed. Although I do this for free, I do wish to remain effective.

So forgoing further foppery; here is the mail address:


revtallywhacker@yahoo.com


Thank you for reading and I hope you got a smile or two worked in there while screaming outrage at your screen.

"Of course I know. It is my business to know" - The Merovingian

Ahumada Shoots Foot in Tragic Taxing Accident

Mayor Ahumada and the other commissioners present formed a circular firing squad at the last City Council meeting, lowered their guns and shot themselves repeatedly in the foot. Pausing only briefly to reload, they raised the tax rate slighly on a property tax base that received an across-the-board 10% increase in appraised value. The appraisals affected all properties that were not reappraised within the last two years. I don't have the exact figures, but my calculations using BG squared (by gosh and by golly) come to about 1/3 of the properties. (I am probably being too kind) That would mean there was at minimum 3% increase in tax revenues on existing property plus the free money they receive from unimproved property annexed this past year. When did LBJ rise from the dead and reincarnate multiple times on our City Commission? Who needs a border wall? We got a city government bent on drying up all the jobs and affordable places to live. No one will want to live here. Good job guys, good job.

A Vacuum is Not as Cold and Empty as Claimed

Here is a thought.
If Ortiz and Lucio get indicted, would that make their respective sons one-termers?
Exactly what would South Texas do to fill the void?
Could the machinery be smashed once and for all, or would a possibly new one arise, or maybe Hinojosa would attempt to rise from the dead?
It is a curious thought..............

Exactly when did the Golden Handoff occur?

Now if memory and research serve me,(and they always do) the Grand and Glorious Ginormous Desal Plant was engineered by our good friends from Houston, Dannenbaum Engineering. I did see the drawings and aerial map on several State of Texas websites, didn't I? Am I going nuts? There are $18 Millon dollars in "Engineering and Support Services" built in to the price tag. We all know that Dannenbaum Engineering didn't walk away from all that money at the Port, so I have to ask : When did the Golden Handoff occur. There is a sharp shift to NRS Engineering. Are they more qualified in some way? Will they do a better job, cheaper? Some of the snafus in the pump fields for the brackish water plant on FM 511 cast doubt in my eyes on the former and the moniker of "Not Really Sure", which was not of my invention increases my doubt further. If it is for a better job, cheaper then by all means, I want to hear about it. I expect no more that silence. So once again, I must ask about the Golden Handoff. Anybody else out there got a huge contract they want to walk away from and let me have? By the way, if anyone out there knows why the hell BPUB owns a fishing boat and why they would specificly need the one formerly owned by one of their present contractors, please tell me for at present I am very confused. (A rare condition)

Here is the website that shows NRS in place of Dannenbaum as the engineering company for the desal plant.

http://www.desal.org/
"Of course I know. It is my business to know." - The Merovingian

It is happening right under your nose

The latest move by BPUB to lower rates is a PR scam to take the heat off for a short while. Did anyone notice that only fixed charges were affected, not usage based? I will grant that this will have a larger effect on the poorest ratepayers and in principle, I am not opposed to that. The poorest people in the poorest city need all the help we can give them. I do have a very big *however* to add to the mix. The "rate reduction" is a fixed monthly payback to soothe the masses. The number of bills that BPUB mails out each month was published somewhere recently, but I could not find it (anyone?). Multiply that number by the "rate reduction" and you get the fixed amount that will be paid out monthly to shut people up for a short while.

Why do they feel the need to hush-up the public at this exact moment in history? All things happen for a reason. When I see the price of gas go down, I am not so naive as to believe that the gas station lowered its price simply because it bought cheaper gas. This is caused by external pressure from other gas stations buying cheaper gas and lowering price to steal business from other stations. This is the only external force keeping gas prices pretty consistent in a market area. So why the sudden lowering? They are a statutory monopoly. It could not be from the goodness of their hearts because as a corporate entity they have none. I have heard many BPUB board members cry for lowered rates in the past and their efforts all came to naught, so now we must ask: Why? What is up? Am I just paranoid? Have I been given any reason to believe that this move is disingenuinous?

The answer to the last question is a resounding YES! Logically this makes answer to the prior question NO, I am not just paranoid. This leaves only "Why?" and "What is up?" which is the reason that you chose to read this in the first place.

They are fixing to pull the hugest smoke and mirror PR blitz you ever heard of in the name of a Regional Desalination facility that will be history making and covered in gold and glitter with silk banners flying from the ramparts and be everyone's salvation. Hallelujah brothers and sisters! We will all be saved! No one will ever be thirsty again! Can I have an AMEN?

Of course, once all the papers are signed and the suits with polished denture smiles all have finished standing for photos with an American flag in the background and have gone home a curious thing will happen. You will be reminded of that time you had a lovely meal with friends and gone home wondering why the idea that one of the things that you ate had a bit of a funny taste, but no matter. It was probably nothing. You turn in "a little early" because you feel a little funny (and there is that little nagging reminder at the edge of your consciousness of that dish you were fleetingly recalling earlier). It is difficult to get comfortable. You pull the sheet up then kick it off and then suddenly, dizzily make your way to the bathroom with an urgency that seemed humanly impossible to occur. Well you know how that story ends.

The Desal plant story ends very similarly, once you open your bill. For you see the $90 Million that BPUB has to come up with has only one place to come from. It is all quite logical, really. The castle is a glorious place. We say so. The smiling suits say so. Our full page adds will be proof that this is a good thing, so we can't understand why you are griping about paying for it. It is debt and it must be paid so why all the fuss?

Oh, I almost forgot to tell you that it is going to be built on the wrong side of the ship channel.

"Of course I know. It is my business to know." - The Merovingian

Here's the 45 Million !

The following two quotes from http://www.twdb.state.tx.us/iwt/desal/docs/2006Biennial-Final.pdf made me want to puke, only because I can read. Translating governmentese or "pubspeak", as I like to call it, is a hobby, rather like doing crossword puzzles and often just as baffling.

"The Brownsville pilot plant study was selected, in large part, because of the readiness of the Brownsville Public Utilities Board to transition from a pilot plant study to formal design and permitting during the 2008-2009 funding biennium. Brownsville Public Utilities Board would also be ready to construct a full-scale seawater desalination demonstration plant (25 million gallons per day) by 2010. Any significant time lapse between piloting and implementing the full-scale project creates the risk that the piloted technology becomes dated and less valuable as a project to demonstrate the latest technologies."


"In order to initiate designing, permitting, and constructing the full-scale seawater desalination demonstration project the Brownsville Public Utilities Board will require financial assistance in the form of grants and zero-interest loans. On the basis of current information, the estimated capital cost of the project is $150 million plus annual operation and maintenance costs of $6.6 to $12.5 million. The Brownsville Public Utilities Board would need to cover the operation and maintenance costs and up to $38 million of the capital costs. To fill the funding gap, the Brownsville Public Utilities Board is requesting financial assistance in the form of a $70 million grant and a $45 million low-interest loan."

Let's take the first one and apply plain language translation, shall we?

We need to slap some lipstick on this pig and rush this through, because BPUB wants to drop a big chunk of change on it this coming year. If we don't do it right now, better technology will become available and we will sure look stupid if there is better technology and we are pushing the old stuff. (You just *have* to buy the 2007 car, right now. If you don't the 2008's might be better)

In my own humble way, I think that I transliterated the proper aroma that I got when I read it.

As we dung-beetle our way to the pile that I like to call paragraph 2, please be very careful where you step for it is even deeper than it looks.

Ok guys, we got our hand out here. On the basis of some crap we made up that looks really,really good, here is what we want:
We want a gimme of $70 Million dollars.
We want to spend $38 Million dollars.
We want to borrow $45 Million dollars. HERE IT IS !!!
We will eat up to $12.5 Million per year to run this pig.

Now readers, I promised you $45 million of piggie additional debt and look what we really have.
The $45 Million I promised, $38 million of additional spent money, and between 6.6 and 12.5 million annual spending. They are begging to take on the 45 Extra-large in debt. I am left to wonder where the other 38 Extra-large comes from. Could they have some long-dormant interest bearing checking account of which I am unaware? Don't think so. I've seen the balance sheets.
Ok the money is coming from...... the extra screwed ratepayer to the tune of $90 million dollars.

For those of you who are into comparative statistics, that is four bridge-to-nowhere contracts, with enough left over for some expense paid trips to China thrown in with assorted useless studies and consutants.

BUT WAIT ! The water is a sellable product cry the proponents.
Ok, who is going to use this expensive water to take 'golden showers'? You are and there are documented plans to raise the cost basis of drinking water to Brownsville residents. Yes, you did read correctly, I did say 'raise the cost basis'. I always thought that the goal of any production entity was to lower the cost basis of product.

That is the subject of another posting, as writing this one has left me feeling as if I had been groped on a smelly city bus.

We will get to the villians and evil plans and blatent stupidities a bit later
"Of course I know. It is my business to know" - The Merovingian

And the $45 Million story continues…

In my last missive on the subject you were told about low-balling costs on the proposed desal project that BPUB “in partnership with the Port of Brownsville” (but that is a very interesting tangent which we will cover latter) has been pursuing for some time. This juggernaut continues apace and will make the $21 Million dollar port fiasco look like chump change. Please refer to the following quote taken directly from http://www.twdb.state.tx.us/iwt/desal/docs/2006Biennial-Final.pdf

“After carefully reviewing proposals submitted on behalf of the Brownsville, Corpus Christi, and Freeport projects, TWDB selected Brownsville for the pilot plant study. This selection was the next logical and effective step toward implementing the large-scale seawater desalination demonstration project the Governor has envisioned and the legislature has supported by enacting House Bill 1370 in 2003 and appropriating general revenue funds in 2005. On April 17, 2006 TWDB awarded $1.3 million to the Brownsville Public Utilities Board to conduct a 12-month seawater desalination pilot plant study.”

It is there folks. Just drive out past Amfels to the last gate at the Fishing Harbor and follow the pretty green signs to the pilot project.
Hurray ! Some bright engineer flipped through some catalogs, bought two standard, off-the-shelf units and bolted them together to run in tandem to make their pilot production targets. It is quite interesting to see the ‘engineering’ bills for this masterpiece of mental gymnastics. What is most interesting about this pilot is the way the money was handled. Instead of being administered by PUB, the chunker of cash seem to have been directly transferred to NRS engineering. (Known around the place as Not Really Sure). Anything that has been bought for the project by NRS has been marked up and billed against money that they already had in their hands. Not Really Sure will come back into this picture latter (and often) !
At this point I wish to convey my condolences to Bill Noris at NRS Engineering for his brand new boat catching fire so soon after he sold his old one to PUB.

I don’t mean to tease, really. There is just so much stink backing up the drain that if I don’t handle it in small pieces I will be overwhelmed by the totality.

I’ll get to the $45 Million, the villains and other blatant stupidities real soon.
“Of course I know. It is my business to know.” - The Merovingian
More to come…….