Voters, not council, to fill vacant Alpine post

By MARK GLOVER

ALPINE – Representation of the people in Alpine’s Ward 3 remains vacant as the city council voted unanimously to take “no action” on an interim appointment and allow the seat to be filled by the winner in May’s special election.

“I’m reluctant to appoint somebody who might have an unfair advantage as an incumbent in the May election,” said Mayor Jerry Johnson at Tuesday night’s council meeting. “I represent the city and think I could look after their interests (Ward 3).”

But last year’s second place finisher in the Ward 3 race, Carlos Lujan, who earlier in the meeting presented 51 signatures in favor of his appointment, objected to Johnson’s offer.

“With all due respect Mayor, I don’t think Ward 3 wants you to represent them,” Lujan said at the podium, tilting his head slightly to catch the mike hanging from the ceiling. “No appointment is the wrong decision.”

Citizen Pete Smyke pointed out to the council that the city charter states that the “council shall appoint” a representative in the case of vacancy. City Attorney Rod Ponton interpreted that to mean, “shall can mean to take no action. It is a political decision.”

The Ward 3 vacancy became open after Hugh Johnson resigned last month.

Voting for Wards 1, 3 and 5 will be held in May’s general and special elections. Candidates have until March 5^th to apply.

The council also heard a presentation on nursing home construction and operation from Deborah and Phil Sims who manage nursing homes in Fort Stockton and Friona, Texas.

“When a nursing home facility closes, like Alpine Valley Care Center, the license to operate those beds with Medicaid expires,” Deborah Sims said. “The new codes, because of hall widths, room square footage minimums, ventilation, wheel chair accessibility makes re-modeling an old facility prohibitive. You’re better off building a new facility, although sometimes you can get waivers, especially in a rural setting.”

Ponton, who was tasked by the council at the last meeting to investigate possibilities of bring a nursing home to Alpine, invited the couple to speak. Ponton also reported that he met with Mike Ellis, Executive Director of Big Bend Regional Health Care and Cathy Parker regarding construction of a new nursing home on 5 acres adjacent to the hospital and owned by Parker.

“A community based non-profit, 501c-3n would be eligible for state and federal funding,” Ponton said.

“Friona floated a bond issue and built their own nursing home,” Deborah Sims said. “It’s a non-profit and has 35 to 40 residents. They’ve done well.”

Mayor Johnson commented that the city was “not interested” in building or operating a nursing home but that they would like to see a private enterprise provide nursing home services in Alpine.

In other council news, Jose Rodriguez of Naismith Engineering, design consultants for Alpine, gave an update on the various sewage improvement projects in the city, including the eastside interceptor project that might require as much as 3.4 million dollars to complete.

Following an executive session, the council also voted to extend the contract of interim Southwest Texas Municipal Gas Corporation general manager Randy Guzman for 90 days. That corporation will cease to operate on Feb 22, 2012, when Guzman will continue his duties for the City of Alpine’s gas department.