Update: Texas Border Business placed 2 calls on Sunday April 12, 2015 to City Manager Fred Sandoval to answer some of the comments by Dr. Ambrosio “Amos” Hernandez and did not answered the phone. The call was intended for him to tell his side of the story. On April 13, 2015 two more phone calls were placed and left one message to return the call and he didn’t return the call either. The same morning of April 13, 2015 two phone calls were place to Mayor Pro-Tem and candidate for Pharr mayor Adan Farias and did not answered or retuned calls. The calls were intended for him to tell his side of the story.
Texas Border Business
PHARR, TEXAS – Dr. Ambrosio Hernandez, a mayoral candidate accuses Pharr City Council and City manager Fred Sandoval of spending half a million dollars on another festival that has created a chaos and possible losses for the city.
In a press release sent to Texas Border Business he said, “Another example of ineffective leadership and poor planning by Pharr City Council and City Manager Fred Sandoval”
In addition he noted that for the seventh year in a row, the City of Pharr planned a free festival for Pharr city residents, at a cost this year of more than $500,000. “Unfortunately for those eager to participate in the festivities, ineffective leadership, poor planning, and inclement weather has turned the Pharr HubPhest into a “Mud Mess,” a massive failure after the event’s first night. Torrential downpours, a poor parking plan, and a lack of a backup plan for rain led to the cancellation of the evening’s opening concert with country star Easton Corbin.”
According to Dr. Hernandez that today Saturday, over 20 vehicles remained stuck in the mud at the event parking site and slowly continue to be rescued, attendance remains sparse, traffic control is chaotic, and numerous food and beverage vendors expressed disappointed in the outcome of the festival that they thought would be a lucrative opportunity. He said, “And rain is forecast to continue today on its second and last day. The event’s headliner act, “El Tigres del Norte,” should perform this evening; the performance cost the city greater than $110,000.”
He also pointed out that up until two weeks ago, the city, under the misguided direction of City Manager Fred Sandoval, had not even settled on a location for the event, which was already being advertised as occurring on the “Pharr Fairgrounds,” acres of land sitting in the flood zone. He said, “After heavy rains inundated the area, event organizers decided to relocate the event. However, upon deciding on a new location – 22 acres of vacant land on Sioux Road and I-69 – City Manager Fred Sandoval failed to secure a written contract with the property landowner, thus leaving the city in vulnerable position.”
The city of Pharr is currently under the direction of incumbent candidates who are running for re-election in the May 2015 general election. Their challengers are a group of professional businessmen and physicians who feel Pharr could do so much better than the current people in power.
In a very decisive manner, Pharr Forward candidate for Mayor, Dr. Hernandez, is exposing the vulnerabilities resulting from incompetent leadership on the part of the city leaders and City Manager Fred Sandoval, to demonstrate the consequences that result from poor planning.
“Who gambles half-a-million dollars for an event without securing the location in writing and when the odds are against you?” asked Dr. Hernandez. “Based on prior history, such as the nearly $300,000 lost in another concert last year, Fred Sandoval obviously lacks the leadership qualities and proper management skills required to make sound financial decisions for the City,” Dr. Hernandez continued.
As per the press release, it says that earlier this week, Dr. Hernandez secured exclusive rights to “display and/or distribute political material, signage and/or propaganda” on the owner’s property; the contract also stipulated that the owner refused “any other political material, signage, and/or propaganda to be possessed, displayed and/or distributed on Owner’s Property other than by Dr. Ambrosio “Amos” Hernandez and/or Pharr Forward Candidates.” Dr. Hernandez assures that this exclusivity agreement, valid and binding, was signed by the property owner, Mr. Jay Patel of Pharr1 Investments, who affirmed that there existed no written contract between the city and the owner.
Dr. Hernandez reaffirmed to Texas Border Business that he presented the exclusivity agreement to city officials who agreed that Dr. Hernandez had permission to display political signage on the property. The following morning, Pharr Forward campaign workers were confronted by Pharr Assistant City Manager David Garza, Pharr City Public Information Officer Gary Rodriguez, and other city employees, blocked from accessing the premises, and were unable to erect their signage. The basis of their refusal was an email sent by City Attorney Michael Pruneda informing the owner that the city would not allow any signage or campaign material at the festival, even if the property owner agreed. Dr. Hernandez stated, “Pharr Forward campaign workers, intimidated and threatened by city staff, were refused their rightful and lawful access to the property.” Dr. Hernandez’s attorneys prepared a temporary restraining order to prevent the city from interfering with the exclusivity agreement contract obligations; however, Dr. Hernandez denied filing the order.
“I did not want to escalate the situation and engage in a ‘sign war’ with city officials, so I decided to take the higher road,” said Dr. Hernandez. “It was more to prove a point. This is just another example of the ineffective leadership under the current administration and City Manager Fred Sandoval,” he added.
The inclement weather demonstrated another level of incompetence, as officials had not properly planned to accommodate a back-up plan in case of rain. The rain-soaked land quickly turned into mud and sludge, parking was located far away from the fairgrounds, and attendees were seen wading through calf-high puddles and heavy rain to find shelter in their cars. Many were left stranded, unable to drive away, their cars stuck in the mud.
“For a city to invest over half a million dollars in an event like HubPhest with no written contract, poor parking options, no alternate plan for rain, chaotic traffic control, and with city leaders intimidating my staff and preventing rightful access to the property, all demonstrate the ineffective management of Pharr’s current administration,” said Dr. Hernandez. “Pharr residents deserve better,” he added.
Update: Texas Border Business placed 2 calls on Sunday April 12, 2015 to City Manager Fred Sandoval to answer some of the comments by Dr. Ambrosio “Amos” Hernandez and did not answered the phone. The call was intended for him to tell his side of the story. On April 13, 2015 two more phone calls were placed and left one message to return the call and he didn’t return the call either. The same morning of April 13, 2015 two phone calls were place to Mayor Pro-Tem and candidate for Pharr mayor Adan Farias and did not answered or retuned calls. The calls were intended for him to tell his side of the story.
