Hispanic Chamber Director tapped for RMA post
Does anyone else see a conflict of interest in having the head of a Chamber of Commerce have voting powers to assign billions of dollars in toll projects to companies that are members of the Chamber?
Cavazos appointed to RMA
By Marissa Wagner
KTSA Radio News
July 2012
The Bexar County Commissioners Court appointed Ramiro Cavazos, who is the head of the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, to the Alamo Regional Mobility Authority Board of Directors Tuesday.
Cavazos is replacing long time board member Jim Reed, who resigned on June 18th alongside Chairman Bill Thornton after the Commissioners Court announced that they would be assuming management of the RMA's staff operations.
"I know there's a lot of work ahead, and complicated challenges. I'm honored that the court and Judge Nelson Wolff would recommend my name," said Cavazos.
At his appointment on Tuesday, each commissioner expressed their concerns to Cavazos about the difficult job ahead of him.
"This is a tough job, and as you know we are in the middle of negotiations with the board, and we feel that if they contracted with the county that we could save a significant amount of money, and we hope that moves forward and we look to your leadership in that," said Judge Wolff.
"It's also part of the task to find out what we are going to do come this next legislative session. Number one on top of my mind is that we don't want to do anything that is going to lessen or damage what little local control we have, so keep those things in the back of your mind. On the operational side, as you transition them together we don't want to do anything to slow down the current EIS (Environmental Impact Surveys) that are taking place or the projects that are being worked on. We want to make this as seemless and comfortable for all concerned as possible," said Commissioner Kevin Wolff.
Cavazos started his term with his appointment, and will serve until it expires on June 1, 2014.
"It's a team effort, and our city is a great city. We need to move very fast when it comes to transportation and generating local resources also," said Cavazos.
Texas Governor Rick Perry is responsible for filling the RMA's board chairman position, left vacant by Thornton.