The decision to cease operations at the center and to advise all those stakeholders in the project, the bondholders who are the owners of the building itself, the US Marshals Service who provide the jail with its federal inmates and essentially the nearly eighty, we now know, employees of the detention center that the facility would be closing in thirty days.

But why?  What exactly was the proposal which was unanimously rejected by Commissioner's Court?  Or was there a proposal at all?

We attempted to get to the bottom of this matter by reaching out to the commissioners present, Maverick County Judge and Chief Budget Officer David Saucedo, Financial Advisor Raul Villaseñor and Sheriff Schmerber.

Up to this point this is what we know.  Commissioner Robert Ruiz was asked this question and he was very frank in allowing us to get some insight into the situation. 

"They never made an effort to give us our money," states Ruiz, "We had been asking for some time, but we never came to terms."

Ruiz added that the bondholders had said they needed to hire an advisor to handle the negotiations and that the funds would be Maverick County's to use as it wished in order to pay themselves back for losses while running the facility.

"We presented a figure of what we felt they owed us and they didn't even acknowledge us," Commissioner Ruiz added explaining that in fact, any direct contact with them portrayed them as "very arrogant" in these negotiations. 

"As far as I know, we never received any of those funds," stated Schmerber who for eighteen months kept the facility running despite the lack of cooperation from both the bondholders and the trustee of the facility, "We never touched it."

Schmerber seems to think that the bondholders may have begun to back off, essentially taking the money and running, after a request was made by the FA to provide payment to the county for administrative services rendered by the sheriff and members of his staff over the past year and a half.

"I met with two or three investors myself on a conference call and of the three only one seemed to be very positive that we could continue working to keep the facility open, but then we didn't hear from them again."

As of Wednesday morning, The News Gram was advised that there would be no further comments in reference to the closing of the Maverick County Detention Center as county officials feel it may adversely affect any future litigation which may be sought by either party in this situation.

What Ruiz did say is that this was not an easy decision to be made and that the effects of the pressure of making said decision affected him physiologically.  He also added that a decision however hard it may be, had to be made. 

The hardest part of this process is telling the employees of the facility that they have thirty days to ride out the transition of this facility and/or they can seek employment elsewhere and don't even have to give a two week's notice.

We reached out to Human Resources Director Jesus Sanchez who explained to us how the process is coming along.

“We're working on it now.  Our attorneys are looking into the matter to make sure we follow all procedures," said Sanchez, "We even have the Middle Rio Grande Workforce Commission assisting them in finding employment as we speak."

Mr. Sanchez also informed The News Gram that all employees in the county are what is termed 'at-will' employees which can be relieved of their employment at any given moment.

"They can be told 'Your services are no longer needed' and they can leave immediately as well.  They do not have to turn in a two-week's notice.  That's their right as an 'at-will' employee according to the Fair Labor Standards Act."

"My commitment is to the taxpayer of this county before anything else and we're not going to get a commitment that is going to lighten the burden, then we can't go forward," stated Judge Saucedo.

Several attempts were made to get a statement to the effect by County Commissioner Rosy Cantú and Financial Advisor Raul Villaseñor in order to explain the details of this proposal or lack thereof, but they were not immediately returned.