Report on the Monday, January 9th, 2023 Uvalde County Commissioners Court Meeting by Jennifer Gilliland

 Mariano Parga was absent from the first meeting of the Uvalde County Commissioner’s Court Monday November 16th after winning his reelection bid for his seat on Tuesday, November 8th.

  The following meeting of the Uvalde County Commissioner’s Court  saw a packed courtroom filled with media and family members of the Robb 21 Victims. Despite Pargas’ absence from the Commissioners Court meeting that morning, the several members of the public who spoke at the meeting delivered blistering criticism during the public comments portion of the meeting. Pargas was acting police chief of the City of Uvalde Police Department during the May 24th Robb School Massacre. Several who spoke called for Pargas to step down from his position on the Court. Upon new information about Pargas actions on May 24th, the Uvalde City Mayor Don McLaughlin vowed to terminate Lt. Pargas from the City’s police department by the end of the week. Yet before Mayor McLaughlin and the City Council could consider and act on Saturday, November 19th on Pargas’ termination, Mariano Pargas instead resigned from the Department.

  Pargas isn’t the only elected official surrounded by controversy from the Robb School Massacre. In an exclusive report by CNN on December 7th, it revealed that Nolasco had critical information about the school shooter that was not shared.  Even Prior to this news report of Nolasco, CNN Reporter  Shimon Prokupecz confronted Nolasco just before the start of last month’s November Commissioners Court meeting with a tense moment of questions where Nolasco appeared stoic as TV cameras and reporters surrounded the County Sheriff. 

  The Uvalde Hesperian has learned through social media posts, many of those critical of Pargas are likely to be present at this morning’s 10 am Uvalde County Commissioners Court meeting. Whether Pargas and Nolasco will be present at today’s meeting remains to be seen.

  After  Uvalde County Commissioner Mariano Pargas won his re-election bid and Tuesday’s CNN report revealing new details about Lt. Pargas’ actions during the May 24th Robb School Massacre, today’s Uvalde County Commissioner’s Court was packed with several of the Robb school victim’s family members, citizens and news reporters and TV cameras waiting to see if Commissioner Pargas would be present at the meeting.

  Just a few minutes before the Commissioners Court meeting was called to order, CNN Reporter Shimon Prokupecz confronted Uvalde County Sheriff Rubin Nolasco pressing him for more information about the Sheriff’s Department’s actions on May 24th with TV cameras and reporters surrounding Nolasco. Nolasco repeatedly told Prokupecz he had no comment.  The spectacle came to an end as County Judge Bill Mitchell called the meeting to order.

  According to an exclusive report by CNN, in an interview with Uvalde City Mayor Don McLaughlin, Lt. Mariano Pargas who was the acting police chief the day of the Robb School Massacre will no longer be employed by the City of Uvalde Police Department by the end of the week.

  Of those who spoke to the court during public comments included Diana Olvedo-Karau, Dr. Aide Escamilla , Jesse Rizo, Michelle Proudy,  Gladys Gonzales,  and Berlinda Arreola.

  “I’m the mother of 4th grade victim  Caitlyne Gonzales.  I’m coming to you today as a concerned parent and a citizen of Uvalde. I come to you today in hopes that y’all can reconsider the election results that keeps him (Mariano Pargas) as County Commissioner.  His poor judgment and lack thereof has caused 21 victims and countless survivors with a lifetime trauma they will have to endure. You sir, walked out on my daughter and the rest of her classmates. Mariano Pargas, you are not worthy of this title. I’m not asking, I am demanding you step down as County Commissioner. Thank you,” Gladys Gonzales said.

  Michele Prouty stated she lives next door to Robb Elementary School.  She said, “I was hoping he would be here in person so I can ask him directly, Why he felt like it is a good idea to run? Is it because he feels he can do more good in this community or is he a narcissist?”

   She went on to explain to the court that on two occasions in the weeks before election day,  her family was startled by a voice over a very loud speaker going down Geraldine. 

 “So it was very reminiscent of May 24th hearing radios and loudspeakers. We didn’t know what was happening.

  We flew out of our chairs and ran outside thinking there was another incident happening right there, You know we do have the bailouts.  But, It was a relief to find out that it wasn’t an emergency. It was either Mr. Pargas  himself or one of his representatives driving an SUV with speakers attached to the back  asking us to vote for him in the Robb Neighborhood.

That’s the kind of character this man has in my opinion, He is not considerate and he has no shame. What I’m asking him to do is look at himself in the mirror and make the right decision, to step down.,” Prouty said.

According to an exclusive report by CNN, in an interview with Uvalde City Mayor Don McLaughlin, Lt. Mariano Pargas who was the acting police chief the day of the Robb School Massacre will no longer be employed by the City of Uvalde Police Department by the end of the week.

  According to the CNN Report,

“Uvalde Mayor Don McLaughlin said he was outraged by the actions of Lt. Mariano Pargas whom a CNN report showed failing to organize help for children he knew were trapped with a gunman.

‘Lt. Pargas will not be a member of the Uvalde police department. At the very latest at the end of the week, if not sooner,’ he told CNN on Tuesday.

Mayor Don McLaughlin said that should have started the ball rolling, but it didn’t.”

 This report comes a week after Uvalde County Commissioner Mariano Pargas was reelected for his seat on the Uvalde County Commissioner’s Court.