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Commissioner who owns adjacent land offers 15‑foot drainage easement; court seeks city coordination on Senegas Road project
Summary
The court debated acquiring a 75‑foot drainage easement on Senegas Road that would cross land owned by Commissioner Gustavo Flores; Flores said he would not sell but could dedicate a narrower (10–15 ft) easement and asked to preserve development rights while coordinating with the city and Union Pacific.
The Val Verde County Commissioners on Jan. 4 discussed land acquisition and easement needs for a Senegas Road drainage project that would traverse a 75‑foot railway‑adjacent easement and cross property owned by Commissioner Gustavo Flores.
Why it matters: The easement is part of a multi‑phase drainage and road project financed in part by a 2023 tax note and tied to broader capital projects (gun range, sports complex). Because a sitting commissioner is the affected landowner, the court addressed conflict‑of‑interest and transparency concerns and discussed options that avoid a taking while allowing the drainage work to proceed.
What was said: Commissioner Flores said he would not sell his land to the county but was willing to dedicate a narrower instrument to the county (he described 10–15 feet for drainage and 15 feet for a city shoreline) so the county would not have to purchase the land or pay taxpayer funds. He asked that the dedication be made in his private capacity and not as a commissioner, and emphasized he did not want county funds but wanted clarity on location and timing.
County staff and the judge discussed engineering constraints, the need to coordinate crossing points with the City of Del Rio, and potential negotiations with Union Pacific for a separate under‑rail access. The court proposed pursuing a plan that keeps the county’s work largely within a 15‑foot easement parallel to the road and asked Flores and city engineers to meet and report back.
Outcome: No acquisition or condemnation was approved at the meeting. Commissioners agreed to meet with the city and engineers to explore realignment that would reduce the county’s land take and to keep the county informed; Flores reiterated he would offer a dedication (not a sale) if it met his conditions.
Quote: Commissioner Gustavo Flores: "I do not wanna sell the land. I do not wanna take taxpayer money. I wanna dedicate an easement to the county... but I don't want them to tie me down because that easement will not allow me to build anything on that property."
What’s next: County staff will coordinate an engineers’ meeting with the city and include legal review to ensure proper separation of Flores’ private landowner role and his duties as commissioner; no formal vote or purchase authorization occurred.
Provenance: Discussion and exchange on the Senegas Road drainage easement ran from the Item 12 introduction through the commissioners’ agreement to pursue a narrower easement and city coordination.
