Commissioner Precinct 4

El Paso County Commissioner Pct. 4
Daniel R. Haggerty

Precinct Four: on the Move Newsletter
Recent floods were call for action from County
August has been a difficult month for many El Pasoans, not least for families who live in Westway, Canutillo and along Chicken Farm Road, my area of responsibility. Storm 2006 wreaked havoc in those areas, flooding homes, destroying roads and leaving some residents destitute. Robert Rivera, the County's Road and Bridge director, and I have been out there talking to people, taking school supplies to children who lost everything in the floods and making donations. Rivera has been in charge of pumping the floodwaters from Canutillo and Westway. He and his crews are now working on reconstructing the roads that were completely washed away.
Water and Sewer Services in the works
The storms regrettably hit the hardest those parts of West El Paso still struggling to catch up with needs. While most families in the colonias surrounding Canutillo and Westway, have been provided with potable water, a few others are still in the works. Grants from the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs have been approved to design the water distribution plans for the few other colonias that still need the service. Most of the water lines through those areas, including residential hookups, have been funded through grants from the state and federal governments. Some of those families also have sewer services, with more in the planning stages. It's going to take time and money, but we'll get the roads and other infrastructure working again. Fortunately President George W. Bush has declared El Paso County a disaster area as a result of the storm and is sending assistance not only to government entities but also to families through FEMA. The state also has done its part, along with many non-profit organization and volunteer agencies that deserve our gratitude
Many streets will have to be reconstructed
Until the storms, most of the streets in the colonias were already paved, including those in Canutillo and Westway, thanks to a $75 million bond issue by the Texas Department of Transportation approved by voters in 2001 to pave colonia roads along the border. El Paso received an estimated $9.5 million in 2002 to pave those roads. Some of those roads may need to be reconstructed again.
Canutillo drainage ditch now under construction
The Canutillo drainage ditch was a headache every time it rained for decades. Floodwaters would invade the cemetery and damage homes in the area. But no more. Construction has started on a $2 million project to convert the ditch into a channel that would divert floodwaters onto a safer more natural route. The project took 10 years to get started, including the purchase of land needed. But it's done now. During Storms 2006, the floodwaters on the ditch were not a major problem. The rain had a slight impact on the setting concrete, but that was all. The channel is scheduled to be finished this December.
Gallegos Park gets $250,000 makeover
In the last two years Gallegos was converted from a field for public use into a full-fledged park. With a $250,000 grant from the federal government, Gallegos now has a renovated pavilion, where the elderly and the young can enjoy recreational activities. The restrooms also were renovated. The picnic tables and shelters were upgraded and lights added to the basketball courts. A skateboard park was built that attracts young people, keeping them away from the streets. Gallegos is now a park families in Canutillo and the surrounding areas can enjoy. It is their park.
Oversight of expenses has created balanced budget
When I first was elected as County Commissioner for Precinct #4, 12 years ago, I made a pledge to exercise strong oversight of expenses and the County budget to help El Paso taxpayers. I have kept my promise. These past two years have seen the County with a nearly balanced budget. I haven't done it alone, of course, but I think my efforts have been instrumental in bringing under control a budget that had a huge gap between revenues and expenses. Some non-mandated programs that had been costing the county quite a bit were eliminated. Others were reduced. A hiring freeze was instituted that resulted in a saving of nearly $3 million annually. More work still needs to be done. The advantage, however, is that balancing the budget has been achieved without eliminating or cutting any of the mandated or necessary services to the community.
Other accomplishments:
Other accomplishments that I can point to with pride and where my vote counted are: Construction of the new County parking garage, the Animal Shelter, Veteran's Home, reorganization of the Medical Examiner's Office and others. The second phase of the Rio Grande Riverpark Trail, which runs from Canutillo to the Country Club area is now finished. The 30-mile trail will run along the Rio Grande from one end of the County to another, touching on several of the areas' historical markers. Although the $30 million project is a joint effort between the City of El Paso and El Paso County, most of the project's funding has come from grants through the National Park Service, Texas Parks and Wildlife, the Texas Department of Transportation, the Paso del Norte Health Foundation, the city and county.
Goals:
I would like to see a County Annex on the West Side, similar to the one in the Northeast. The search for a six-acre location to build such an annex is already being conducted. Simply by owning the property, the County will be saving quite a bit in rent alone. A new West Side Annex could house the J.P. offices, County Clerk, the Tax Office and other services. It would also be a perfect place to warehouse Road and Bridge equipment. With the cooperation of Commissioners Court, I would like to see the Landmark property sold, the Sportspark privatized and the Ascarate Park and Golf Course operated by the city.