The Boomtown Partnership: Eagle Pass Mayor Chad Foster
By Bill Sontag
Feature Writer Block-upon-block of stately, once-elegant homes line Ceylon Street, the tree-shaded business route of U.S. 277 that wends into downtown Eagle Pass. Colonnaded porches of weathered taupe, tan and grey brick mansions announce the affluence on which rested the beginnings of this now-thriving border city.
Though restoration of historic homes, government buildings and commercial centers is evident everywhere, Eagle Pass leaders are looking ahead with the same robust energy they have devoted to honoring their past. Thanks to the North American Free Trade Agreement, flourishing immigration, and soaring demands for infrastructure to control both, riverside cities from Brownsville to El Paso jockey for attention to embellish their position in international trade and borderland growth.
Maverick County, with its seat of government in Eagle Pass, is 95 percent Hispanic and only 3.5 percent Anglo, causing many leaders to view factionalizing by race or ethnic origin as both pointless and counterproductive. Among them is Eagle Pass Mayor Chad Foster.
Foster, 57, is a native of Canyon, Texas, but moved to the border early enough to grow up with a generous mix of Anglo and Mexican-American friends that are still his companions today. He’s fluent in Spanish, and as comfortable anywhere in the city as he is in his own skin.
His Foster & Associates, Inc. real estate office is decorated with photos of visiting dignitaries, and a generous collection of vivid western scene paintings by his companion since childhood, Eagle Pass artist Bob Butler. “Yeah, his family and mine all grew up together,” Foster chuckled Wednesday, Oct. 25.
In Foster’s private office are testimonials to his community involvement: “Citizen of the Year,” awarded in 2000 by the Eagle Pass Chamber of Commerce, a 2002 plaque commending his support for the Maverick County Junior Livestock Show, and his 2003 reign as “Mr. Friendship,” bestowed by the International Good Neighbor Council of Piedras Negras, Coah., and Eagle Pass, Texas.Over Foster’s desk hangs a large, colorful sign that displays the warmth and humor its owner practices in his role as mayor, civic cheerleader, Rotarian, real estate tycoon, and champion of progress: “Welcome To Paradise.”
Optimism and growth seem to walk hand-in-hand in Eagle Pass these days, and Foster sees those inseparable ingredients marked by outward symptoms of cooperation and collaboration among nearly all business, government, and civic leaders in the city.
He and Maverick County Judge Jose “Pepe” Aranda are neighbors in a settled, fashionable subdivision on the city’s northwest side, a stone’s throw from the Rio Grande that flows from north to south here. And Foster and Aranda are good friends who nourish the relationship aggressively.
To Foster, high-profile symbols of a robust Eagle Pass include growth of the Eagle Pass Independent School District. District Bond 2006 publicity claims that U.S. census data show Maverick County as the “37th fastest growing of the 254 counties in Texas.” This year, students moved into a new high school, taking Eagle Pass out of the single high school paradigm for the first time.
The burgeoning population of Piedras Negras, the sister city across the Rio Grande, now estimated at 250,000, dwarfs Eagle Pass. “We’re pushing 30,000,” said Foster, adding that the larger city’s residents love to shop on the U.S. side of the river. Ninety percent of retail trade in downtown Eagle Pass is credited to Mexican buyers, Foster said, adding that 47 percent of the city’s sprawling Mall De Las Aguilas purchases are attributed to border-crossing shoppers.Even the name of the shopping Mecca, Mall of the Eagles, is a nod to the bi-national and bi-cultural complexion of the region, referring to the twin eagle motifs of the U.S. and Mexico, respectively the American Bald Eagle and the Golden Eagle, both revered in legend and lore of the two nations. Mall de Las Aguilas was built in 1980, Foster said, and despite a scattering of store vacancies now, “It’ll be completely leased out before Christmas.”
But retail shopping and most other “economic engines” fueled by modern-day Eagle Pass investments are significant, if predictable results of the city’s historic prominence on the U.S.-Mexico border. Foster takes the creation of a frontier military post, Fort Duncan, as the chronological origin of his city.
With the divisive, but calming 1848 Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, marking the end of the ferocious U.S.-Mexico War, ground rules for separating the land, water and commerce of the two bristling nations were established. A U.S. Army camp, later dubbed Fort Duncan, was constructed as a regional peace-keeping measure in 1849. But the nearby city that sprang up was not incorporated until 40 years later.
Eagle Pass became an incorporated town in 1889. But Maverick County was created in 1856, carved out of Kinney County, as was part of Val Verde County 32 years later. The fledgling city of Eagle Pass was allowed to use a corner of the Maverick County Courthouse for tax assessor functions, arguably the first manifestation of the current atmosphere of city/county cooperation.
Such cooperation is now seen in important growth of business, entrepreneurial investment, and city services keeping pace with population and service industries alike. Chief among these is the current construction of a $103 million water/wastewater treatment plant. The plant will support both current growth and anticipated needs for several years, according to Foster.
Another symbol of growth is the Fort Duncan Medical Center, completed in 2005. With licensing to operate with 104 beds, the center is poised for growth from the 69 private patient beds now in use. The facility’s high-ceilinged corridors, abundant, colorful décor and wall art give the center a spacious, comfortable feel. Moreover, Fort Duncan Medical Center strives to add new technologies to the entire facility including its Level IV trauma center.Adjacent to the medical center, the Maverick County Hospital District is constructing a 40,000-square-foot, two-story medical office building. Sited near the intersection of U.S. Highways 277 and 57, it will house physicians, laboratories and office workers, supporting and supported by the nearby Fort Duncan Medical Center.
In that same vicinity of east side growth, is C.C. Winn High School, yet another manifestation of community development. This is the first year of the addition of another high school campus in the Eagle Pass Independent School District.
Texas Department of Public Safety also selected an east side site for construction of new offices, and the city also positioned a major new convention center just across the street, after securing public approval of $6.7 million in issued bonds and grant financing.
Stacie Talbert, City of Eagle Pass parks and recreation director, touted the new convention center to the Eagle Pass Rotary Club Tuesday (Oct. 25). The imposing International Trade Center, perched on a high overlook above the city, includes a 14,000-square-foot ballroom capable of seating an audience of 2,000, as well as several smaller rooms for more intimate events.
In addition to school, hospital and civic buildings, new neighborhoods are springing up in growth areas around the city’s perimeter. Foster has two developing subdivisions on the city’s north end, and sales there are promising. “But never so good that it couldn’t be better,” Foster says with a contagious grin. Hopedale Estates unit 1 will contain 44 hew homes, and unit 2, outside the city limits will boast another 46 homes.Prices of the Foster-built homes range from $150,000 to $200,000, and are only an indicator of what he sees as an encouraging trend. “In 2006, we’ve seen 250 new homes built within the city limits, and another 100 outside the city,” Foster said. He credits attractive U.S. Department of Agriculture loan guarantees as the fire in the belly of many home buyers now.
Homes outside the city limits may hook up to the city’s improving water/wastewater system, but must prove to the Eagle Pass zoning and compliance officials that they meet all city code requirements, first.
Foster is no fan of government-sponsored development projects such as tax increment reinvestment zones. The Eagle Pass City Council was approached by San Antonio developers with tax increment financing in mind, and were spurned in their efforts to launch such projects there.
“We have seven or eight developers in Eagle Pass, and we feel the private sector should take care of building things, not to involve the government,” said Foster.
Foster is not unmindful of the environmental consequences of his city’s growth. Abandoned tires are one of the city’s biggest headaches, legendary in both number and health threat. Only a few years ago, city officials were hand-wringing over the mountains of these useless road relics, but began contracting with a San Antonio firm to accept the surplus.
“We send 1,000 tires a month over there,” said Foster, with charges of $1 per passenger vehicle tire and $2 for each commercial truck tire. And the cleanup will continue awhile. Behind a new subdivision, along Elm Creek, is a pile of about 3,500 tires that will come out soon. The health impact comes from the tires’ propensity to hold rain water in their hollows, breeding mosquitoes capable of carrying encephalitis and dengue fever.Now the city is also sending tires to Cemex (Cementos Mexicanos), with headquarters in Houston to be ground into a key ingredient for low impact paving material called llancreto (a contraction of Spanish words for “tire” and “concrete”). Still, city officials in Eagle Pass fret knowing there is probably a stockpile of more that 200,000 tires in Piedras Negras.
The City of Eagle Pass also boasts an aggressive recycling program for all residents. “Curbside recycling” affords homeowners, renters and business interests an opportunity to sort their trash by glass, newspaper, cardboard, plastics and metals. “It’s not a money-maker for us. It’s city-subsidized, but it’s the right thing to do,” said Foster.
Foster’s pride in his city is nearly overwhelming, but seemingly justified and supportable, all augmented by a colloquial blandishment of humor, common sense and incontrovertible evidence of growth in Eagle Pass. Certainly his favorite catch-phrase, targeting outsider interest, tumbles from Foster’s lips with amazing regularity. “This ain’t no bad city, and there’s always room for one more.”
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Very good whirlwind I have
Very good whirlwind I have your attention. Lets have some constructive dialogue. Drug dealers and terrorists do not just walk accross the borders at will. As I said earlier we know who and where they are. However, the governments of the world will never shut down a half trillion dollar a year global business. Demand forces supply.
The British set the precedent on government sponsored drug dealing. Research "OPIUM WARS." Governments set up pawns and then take them down when they fall out of fashion. Read CIA Report, "Global Trends 2015" on the web and pay special attention to the section that reads, "Crime Does Pay."
Drug flow? Afghanistan to Pakistan to Turkey to Amsterdam to Latin America to North America. Oh did I forget China to Vietnam to Thailand to Korea to India or is that in reverse? Watch the true story, "American Ganster" about Bumpy Johnson, Frank Lucas, Nicky Barnes, Dirty Cops, and the Mob.
Understand what Bernie Mac calls, "the goins on." Nationals in thier countries grow and sell drug crops to buyers. Once paid they are done, no smuggling, no corner dealing. Law enforcement is paid off and they come to the USA rich and well respected as investors ready buy everything in sight. This is the legal, illegal immigration.
Where the sam-hill does Ali Abu Karmangi get $1.5 million to purchase a business and/or real estate in the USA coming from a per capita city of less than $500 per year? Is it just me folks? Am I stupid or just ignorant. Why doesn't this compute? If it was just a few of them I would not notice but it is all over our nation from coast to coast.
The Dominican's have taken over the Puerto Rican corner stores (bodegas) and restaurants. The Pakistani's and Indian's have taken over the Hotels, Dunkin Donuts and Domino's Pizza, and KFC. The Arabs have created thier own version of KFC (Crown Fried Chicken), Pizza shops, Gas stations, and Halal (Arab version of Kosher) restaurants. All with cash of course. Koreans have the cleaners and thier restaurants, Chinese restaurants are everywhere and are not afraid of bad neighborhoods.
The African's are in China Town wholesaleing everything in sight and "Little Italy" is now only a two block strip. They moved to New Jersey the "Soprano State" where a kid gets 10 years for stealing $10 from a 7-11 but no one is prosecuted, just fired for stealing $1,000,000,000.00 (ONE BILLION!) from the state treasury. Recent true story and side note. Americans? Getting laid off, under paid, over worked, losing homes, shrinking middle class and struggling! Am I hitting home?
We are going to wake up one day and America will no longer be in the hands of Americans. When I say a wall will not do us any good this is what I mean. People in trouble on the other hand will still come in illegally wall or no wall and they need help and the international community needs to thelp them. This is the long term solution. I do not remember making racism an issue of this because it is not. The Texain note is history and an effective example of the American resolve.
I am a Texan, yahoo! I am also part Indian of the Cherokee Nation and a direct descendant of Princess Pocahantas but I am an American and wore a military unifrom in my youth to defend the constitution. Forget about giving back the land to Mexico or Native Americans I am concerned about the 27 US states that are now discussing (for the moment) the peaceful cessesion from the union. Hello is anyone paying attention here!
What would we do if we were not afraid? Scripture: God is not a God of Fear, but of Power and of Love and of a SOUND MIND. No Weapon formed against us shall prosper! God will cause us to triumph! As the President said, "Our cause is just, our resolve is firm." We can not allow fears to be a basis of our actions or the creation of our laws. We fell for this same nonsense with Communism.
If we want to curb illegals then we need to stop hiring them to do our work and pay Americans to work. We can do this right now here in Del Rio an exercize some of this patriotic sentiment instead of getting Luis Sanchez from Mexico. Here is a fact for you all to consider. Illegal Mexicans and other Latino's earn $150.00 per day to work on construction crews in the Northeast and else where. That is $54,000 per year, TAX FREE! Is their an American out there who could use that work and salary instead?
How does this happen? Here is the secret. Established Latino's in the US sponsor the illegal travel of family and friends into the US which is approximately $6,000.00 per person. Once the illegal person(s) arrives at the destination they are housed with other illegals and put to work to pay back the money.
All of this is setup before they ever arrive and it is us Americans who fund this madness in hiring them for menial, skilled, and manual labor. They will work and work hard for the money paid. Then they wire money to thier home country to sponsor the next family member. The easiest way however is to just pay an American $6,000.00 to marry and get papers legally. This too is illegal immigration.
No bleeding heart pal I dislike people who come talking crap about how wonderful thier home country is and how the US is messed up and so forth. In a hurry I tell them in thier own language to go home and get back to that tropical or desert beauty and be sure to remove the gold jewelry as they would not last a day wearing it!
God Bless America!
My, my, my, what do we have
My, my, my, what do we have here? Engaging the fingers and relaxing the mind are we? May "The Observer" shed a little light on or maybe cloud further the situation. 9-11, the big bad experiment in terror and the spreading of fear along with the weakening of our civil liberties and expansion of our government. Why? You say that Law Enforcement Agencies could not communicate? Bull! By the way has anyone out there seen what hit the pentagon? Why is the tape classified? What Ever!
So you want a wall do you? What is the problem, no longer need illegals in your operations. Too many close encounters of the "Mojado Kind." A wall serves two purposes. It keeps things out and more importantly it keeps things or people in. Can you people not see that you are being setup by your fears. We are not keeping people out, we are making it harder for AMERICANS to leave! Can you say pass port or stay inside port please?
We already know who the sponsors of terror are. We already know who the drug lords are. We already know who our home grown bad boys are. We already know who and what has caused the instability in Latin America and every where else for that matter. We say in busines to think outside the box and you guys are stuck in the box and want it closed further.
No man in his right mind will watch and do nothing when he sees his family hungry and in danger. Even the Holy Bible says, "punish not a man if he steals to feed his soul." You look up the scripture. Even God Almighty values life and liberty. There is no microwave equivalent solution to stopping or slowing down illegal immigration. Also no amount of troops or agents will stop the flow of people seeking refuge. These people need home grown opportunities and an effective rule of law in order to live. Wake up ladies and gentlemen did not the Texians invade Tejas for this same reason? Opps did I say that!
Some dangerous areas along the Rio Grande may benefit from a wall or barrier to prevent crossing deaths. What is happening here is an "Exodus" to escape oppresion and poverty. Have you all been so blessed and thus blinded by complacency that your reason now fails you? It is time more than ever for men of courage to stand up and do what is right for the future generations of America and our world. Okay, women too!
We need UN intervention in these areas where drug lords and sponsors of terror rule. Sanctions and pressure to remove corrupt rulers no matter what the titles are. Safe haven cities for Latin citizens to build thier lives. Not all of them want to leave home for the USA. For many this represents a great hardship of leaving family, friends, and everything they have come to know and love. It takes great courage for men and women to strike out into the unknown. Many end up dead, in oppresed situations, taken advantage of and of course deported.
This not an enviable situation at all and I am surprized that we who live so close to the fire can see so little. Inspite of the laws of the land there is the law of life called, "The Law of Survival" drop the piety and get real. People need help and are doing what they have to in order to find it.
God Bless America!
Well, well, another bleeding
Well, well, another bleeding heart. Open the borders. OF COURSE we MUST have those poor, poor folks come and get jobs and benefits and anything else they desire to "help" them from their poor, poor circumstances. And of course the drug-dealers and terrorists are free to come along with them to play their destructive games to destroy infidels. What have you been smoking lately?
I truly and sincerely understand the Christian nature of the situation. Help one another. Unfortunatley, the reality is something else. And the reality is with what we must contend. No one in the Bible ever said that all our choices would be black and white, between good and evil. Most of the time our choices are between bad and worse. Same way, too, with all justice/legal systems. Not all guilty get convicted; some innocents do.
The earthly reality is that man was given a brain. Granted, the majority of us fail to employ them correctly, thereby creating and compounding our often insurmountable problems. That leaves us with a flawed system of government. However, we have the fundamental right to critize, and I'm usually the first one to open my mouth. It is also our fundamental right, responsibility really, to ACT to make things better. In this case, I believe control of our borders is an appropriate avenue to travel. I said CONTROL, not lock in and lock out. The fence is a tool to attempt to do just that. It is in the process already, and it is helping. Good. Now that that tool is in place, let's move on to (1) modern technological devices, (2)trained personnel to operate them, (3) more manpower overall, and (4) appropriate tracking of folks while they visit here. And PLEASE don't go racial on me.
And don't sneer because I recognize dangers to my country and its citizens. As I said earlier, there is a danger. There is also no guaranteed or fool-proof way to prevent attacks. But there ARE legitimate, sensible ways to minimize that danger.
The Law of Survival is the law of the jungle, Observer. Are we ready to return to the jungle? Even on the sinking Titanic, folks were content willingly to allow women and children and others to survive, as they stood on the deck of that sinking ship and watched, knowing their own fates. Where was the clawing and scratching of the jungle then? I hardly see myself as pious, much less omniscient. But I have lived long enough and seen and done enough to understand the shortcomings of human nature.
Sorry, AP. I don't believe things are all black and white--most assuredly the blending into gray areas is exactly what gets us all into trouble. Although I never was in the military or worked for the government, I worked for lawyers, which really provided me with perspective.
If you want to bring in the Texians, Observer, we may as well give this country back to the Indians. And so on, and so on, to the dinosaurs.
Merry Christmas, y'all!
First of all Traditionally
First of all Traditionally the Rio Grande is the legal divisional boundry that separates Mexico and United States, putting a fence will ruin our tradition of pride and historic Culture between the two sides of the Border regions, the reason is because Mexico and the U.S. have to show respect to each others Independent image, and the Rio Grande separates this two prides putting a fence is like keeping off the American people of going fishing at the River or even worse, Bush does not care about our National Security because we have a war that is not going nowhere like Vietnam, and he's investing too much money from our taxes for Homeland Security against the war on Terror investing two much money on our Border Agents Over paying them every single cent from our taxes, I think that the true terrorism is in the Mexican side public unsecurity, every week Executions take place because of the black market narcotic mini stores greedy Druglords, mostly every town it's Security is in risk from Cold blooded Killers even we as tourist and there's noboby that can do nothing about this Evil Cruel situation, it's a shame that the real Terrorism is striking the inocent people and the local Autority's hide and cover the real Terrorists for the benefit of recieveing money from them, What I think is that Mexico and United States needs to be Syncronised against this TREAT that's ruining both Nations and show respect to each others Image pride on the border region, Period.
Mr. Foster, You never quite
Mr. Foster, You never quite said why you are opposed to a fence! What could it hurt? I live on a ranch 75 miles south of Eagle Pass and we could sure as heck use a fence. What we really need is a fence today, the national guard tomorrow, and 50,000 more Border Patrolmen next week. I cannot for the life of me understand why our government is not doing its job and inforcing our laws of illegal intry. We have a national emergency and we in South Texas have known this for at least 10 years.
Ms. Jones, I am all for
Ms. Jones,
I am all for securing our borders. Building a fence however, does not accomplish much. An interrupted, non-continuous fence, as is being proposed, is flawed and ineffective.
"What could it hurt?" you asked, it could burn several billion dollars of our taxes that could otherwise be used for more effective methods of security such as beefing up surveillance and resources along our border among other things.
Bottom-line, there are enough programs within our government that do not work, are ineffective, and costly to the taxpayer, we cannot keep chasing a pipe dream of believing that a fence (not a very sturdy one at that) could stop people from crossing the border illegally. And if it is terrorists we fear most, I must say that a fence will not keep them out just as a "no trespassing sign" won't keep a burglar or a thief from breaking into their target place.
Hope all is well on the ranch.
Excuse me, but building the
Excuse me, but building the fence DOES accomplish something positive. Today, agent David Garcia from the Washington Border Patrol office said that exactly in a televised interview. He said the fence is a definite help to the Border Patrol, that agents consider it a definite asset. The increase in border violence tells that the fence works and the drug-runners and illegals are getting desperate. The fence IS going up in places as I write this. It is a done deal. To say it won't do any good is irresponsible.
Additional border agents are being hired and trained. This fence is helping stem the flow until they are trained. Don't believe me, ask 'em.
You want to spend your tax dollars on Mrs. Hutchison's "study and assessment"?? That will WASTE my tax dollars and further delay the securing of our borders.
A fence isn't a program--it's a real THING. A fence or gate serves to protect a home or business; it serves the same function on a country's border.
Bottom line: NOTHING will protect us from determined terrorists. HOWEVER, there are things we can do to minimize the threat and thwart and slow down their plans. We should do what we can, now, and not argue about what we COULD do instead.
Whirlwind, you seem to like
Whirlwind, you seem to like to deal in absolutes with no middle ground. There is and always will be a happy median. You say that since I stated that the immigrant problem and the crossings are indeed very serious that my insistence on doing it right the first time makes my argument fall apart, since it will take more time. Having any problem that is labeled as really really bad or even an emergency does not in all cases mean that it has to happen immediately. Open heart surgery is an emergency situation but staples and duct tape [a quick method of patching something] will not work. And yes both situations are analogous.
The U.S. Military found out that you couldn't just throw the book at someone for small infractions of the rules and law [which is the way things originally were]. So the Uniform Code Of Military Justice was created so that a courts martial [a federal conviction by the way] would not have to happen every time a young private overslept and missed formation. The issue and the lesson here is mediation, you can kill flys with a fly swatter and you can do it with a shotgun, but the flyswatter causes much less collateral damage and accomplishes the same mission.
I know a fence will in part work. It will not completely stop anything. The Dept of Homeland Security recognized that and has stated that they are just trying to funnel the crossers. I believe that the wall will partially accomplish that. But again, the goal is to funnel them so that it will facilitate apprehension "not stop them". So again, I would point out that electronic observation would and will accomplish the same thing, without all the downsides of a wall. Yes the electronic observation might not work. But we have to try. And trying won't be a waste of money since you can bet that in the end we are going to have to have cameras along the wall anyway.
Oh and just because it's already approved doesn't mean that it's a good thing or that it should or even will happen. I spent too many years working for our Gov't to believe that just because they said it's so that its a truism or that it's going to happen.
Actually, the wall has
Actually, the wall has already proven that it will cut down the amount of people crossing substantially, whether it be drug smugglers or illegals. Just look out San Deigo California way. The fence that was going to be built( more than likely won't now with the new budget being passed) was actually going to be two fences, spaced about 100 feet or so apart.
Chris, I respect both, your
Chris,
I respect both, your opinion and Whirlwind’s, Let me make one additional point in response to both of you; I do agree that stats are showing a slow down in illegal border crossing, I however attribute it to more personnel and surveillance along the border, not due to any physical barrier.
The other point was made that a fence is not a program, if you study the fence budget closely, you will find that it is funding many programs, some of which are not even related to the fence, henceforth, it is a program. Anytime Washington allocates money for anything, it becomes a federal program and it gets filled with earmarks.
Mr. Khoury, The stats don't
Mr. Khoury,
The stats don't lie. But we need to look at them closely to find out why the numbers are down. Out in San Diego the stats are down largely in part to the wall, not exclusively. But, here we had a drop in apprenhensions partly because of the" operstion streamline" I believe it was called. So enforcement of the laws will work, I think thats been proven also, but I don't believe it will do it alone. Please don't make me out to be a racist bigoted skinhead hate every non-white KKK member because I'm not standing out with everybody lighting candles holding hands yelling "No Wall"( don't laugh, it's been done). No matter how many times I state that I would rather see more agents and troops than a wall I seem to get called names as I just stated. When it comes down to it, I'd rather see a stupid wall than no effort at all to try and slow illegal immigration.
Good for you, Chris.
Good for you, Chris.
Ann, since you say you live
Ann, since you say you live on a Ranch, I have a question for you. How much of the livestock and how many of the critters on the ranch depend on the water from the Rio Grande? And if a wall blocks off all the access to the water do you or the Ranch owner have plans to water all the aforementioned animals?