Kleberg County Judge Pete De La Garza was forced to adjourn a two-and-ahalf hour special workshop session of the Kleberg County Commissioners Court Friday in the Courthouse Annex at the Kleberg County Law Enforcement Center, as Precinct 2 Commissioners Norma Nelda Alvarez and Precinct 4 Commissioner Romeo Lomas engaged in a shouting matching that continued in the annex parking lot after the meeting was adjourned.

The commissioners court approved rescinding a previous decision to hire Green Wire Incorporated of San Antonio as consultants for a project at the remodeling of the old Exxon building because the proposal was not a proper agenda item during a meeting on June 14 where the hiring of Green Wire had been approved.

At the June 14 meeting commissioners apparently thought they were hiring someone who would determine data and telephone needs and then obtain and install the equipment.

Commissioners will try to discuss the matter again at a meeting at 1:30 p.m. on Monday.

After Friday’s meeting, the judge accused Lomas trying to “slip this one by” the commissioners court.

“None of us except Lomas, who took it upon himself, had asked for those bids or proposals,” De La Garza said.

“No one else on commissioners court knew anything about the bid or about the proposal with Green Wire,” the judge said.

“We had not seen the contract, as this was all handled by Lomas himself and he botched up the whole thing,” De La Garza said.

The judge gave details of the reversal at Friday’s meeting.

“The problem is, we did not ask for a consultant,” De la Garza said during the meeting. “What we awarded this for was the telephonetechnical services and data for the new courthouse annex. What you guys all bid for was incorrect so what we put on here (June 14 agenda), was not what we voted on.”

Alvarez and Lomas’ verbal confrontation was the last of many between commissioners and those who attended the meeting.

Up to two and three loud conversations would simultaneously take place at numerous instances during Friday’s meeting.

The first came between Lomas and Precinct 1 Commissioner David Rosse when the meeting reached the agenda item on rescinding the contract.

“I want the legal department to tell me I’m wrong, not you,” Lomas said to Rosse.

Rosse consistently countered that what the county had previously approved did not match with what was on the June 14 agenda.

The next exchange was among Marko Mendez, president of Green Wire Inc., Alvarez and Lomas.

“So are you then going to consult the very work that you’re doing,” Alvarez asked Mendez.

“No ma’m — that is policing and consultants do not police work,” Mendez said.

“Are you saying he can’t do it,” Lomas asked Alvarez.

“He doesn’t know our systems, Commissioner Lomas,” Alvarez responded.

Prior to receiving the contract, Green Wire was in a bidding competition with numerous companies including Birdwell Computers, owned by Brian Birdwell of Kingsville.

Birdwell currently handles IT issues for Kleberg County on a part time basis.

“Apparently now from what I hear, we offered half his (Birdwell’s) bid price, and now he is asking, as I understand, for additional money for any time over 100 hours,” Mendez said.

“My bid was for half the price and for the extent of the length of the contract not just limited to 100 hours; and he is asking for half the money up front where we are not asking for any money up front.”

Mendez’s next comments caught the attention of County Systems Operator Evelinda Avelar, prompting her to take a seat close by while he spoke at the podium.

“We have been very proactive since the day this contract was first awarded to us,” Mendez said.

“Right now the old system you have at the courthouse, which is an old ATT

Closing answering system, is over 30 years old, and the next hit you take may be your last.”

Avelar shook her head before coming up to the podium and countering that the system was brand new.

“These people have not come and talked to me about the system; nobody has,” Avelar said. “The only person who has kind of talked to me has been Brian.”

Alvarez turned to Mendez, “See how you don’t know our system.”

Avelar and Mendez continued standing and taking turns at the podium before Birdwell eventually joined the fracas.

“What are you going to do for the $10,000,” Lomas asked Birdwell.

“Just consult with us and then we are going to have to hire somebody else?”

“Mr. Lomas, you told me before, when you called me for that meeting in your office, that I was not to do any of the work because all of that was taken care of,” Birdwell said.

“You made that perfectly clear and you asked me to come advise you because you had technical issues that you could not address, which is why I went to that meeting. I didn’t seek you out, you sought me.”

Alvarez and Lomas eventually took up their verbal tussle prompting De La Garza to close the meeting. The two commissioners continued arguing all the way to the parking lot.