Commentary by Michael Robinson | Uvalde Hesperian
Image by Alex Schuler from Pixabay
02-26-26

Near the end of Tuesday night’s City of Uvalde City Council meeting, Mayor Hector R. Luevano announced that the City has been communicating with Amazon officials on the sale of 12.62 acres of land located in the industrial park near Garner Field for the online retail giant to build a new distribution center.
The news was announced after city officials reconvened into open session from its executive session. As city councilmen proceeded to return to their seats, officials were seen and heard laughing. Perhaps because the news that was about to break was good news.
That said, it may not be the city or the citizens of Uvalde that get the last laugh.
According to a New York Times article, Amazon has said internally, they’ll automate seventy-five percent of ops by twenty twenty-seven, cutting hundreds of thousands of warehouse gigs company-wide.
In a New York Times article published October 25th, 2025, it reads,
“Now, interviews and a cache of internal strategy documents viewed by The New York Times reveal that Amazon executives believe the company is on the cusp of its next big workplace shift: replacing more than half a million jobs with robots.
Amazon’s U.S. work force has more than tripled since 2018 to almost 1.2 million. But Amazon’s automation team expects the company can avoid hiring more than 160,000 people in the United States it would otherwise need by 2027.”
Uvalde might get a boost—entry-level work, maybe seasonal spikes—but it’s not “thousands of jobs” like some big fulfillment centers. More like a pit stop that runs lean.
And dig deeper: warehouses mean truck traffic, diesel fumes, noise. The jobs are often part-time, high turnover, no benefits until you’re full-time. Not glamorous.
How much water will this new Amazon warehouse use? While this facility is not being called a data center, the AI, robots and digital components used at this center will likely be substantial and may draw heavily on Uvalde’s water supply.
What about the environmental impact? Remember the “clean”: solar energy farm located east of Uvalde that burned untold acres of brush emitting plumes of smoke into the air for the people of Uvalde to breathe?
The Uvalde Hesperian has reached out to Amazon’s public relations department via email with several detailed questions about automation and estimated jobs it will likely bring as well as other questions, and did get a general response, but nothing specific. (See previous article for that statement)
Amazon’s tight-lipped, so that’s your first red flag: expect maybe fifty to a hundred roles at best for a small delivery station—loading trucks, sorting, maybe some tech maintenance. But here’s the twist.
These locations are basically last-mile hubs: packages get dropped off, scanned, loaded onto vans. And Amazon’s already rolling out heavy automation—robots like these guys hauling bins, arms picking boxes, AI routing everything so fewer humans touch it.
Similar to a new neighbor moving next door, how will the situation be overall? I don’t think anyone knows at this point.

by Michael Robinson |Uvalde Hesperian

Top picture by Robinson

November 1st, 2025

The city of Uvalde is looking for a buyer for a house located at 415 Apolonio on the city’s west side. The house is currently boarded up and tax due notices from 2024 are stapled to the frame of the front door.

Uvalde County Appraisal District Attorney Carlos Arce with Purdue Brandon said, “This property went through the whole collection process, and through the whole litigation process, went up for sale on the courthouse steps. (It) didn’t sell. (It) didn’t find the right buyer.”

The city currently owns the house and has previously tried to sell the house at two previous courthouse auctions.

On Tuesday, October 28 Uvalde City Council discussed the next steps it will take to get the house sold and back on the municipal tax rolls.

Susan Anderson the City of Uvalde Director of Planning said, “It has gone out for bids twice already, but has not sold. The opening bids are based on the value of the property. Previously, council voted to lower the opening bid amount to slightly above what was owed on the property. It still didn’t sell.

  Last night the attorneys were again asking about the amount for the opening bid. Council voted to lower it to the amount that someone had previously offered. This amount will not be enough to cover the tax liens on the property.

  In the meantime, the City is paying to keep the property boarded up and mowed. Since we are currently getting no tax money and we are spending money to maintain, city staff is of the opinion that a decrease in the opening bid might get the property sold and back on the tax rolls. It would also end our obligation to maintain the property and provide an opportunity for much needed housing.”

  “You can see how the values have dropped and some of the tax payment history on UCAD’s website,” Anderson said.

  “It’s around $37,000 on its value on CAD right now,” Arce said.

After a discussion about the house, the city council voted to hold another public resale of property with a starting bid of $16,000.

The date of the auction was not mentioned.

by Michael Robinson |Uvalde Hesperian

08-21-25

Last week, City of Uvalde Finance Director Sasha Ricks gave a presentation on the proposed Fiscal Year 2025-2026 budget to the Uvalde City Council at the August 12th meeting.

During the budget presentation, it was revealed that the City of Uvalde Recycling Center is operating in the red. Income for the Center is budgeted at $10.000 while expenses are listed at $163,044.

According to discussion among city council members, the center is no longer accepting plastic items for recycling or glass.

The city’s recycling center is budgeted under the City’s Sanitation budget.

“The recycling center: it’s not a money-making deal. The primary value to us is removing stuff from the waste stream so it doesn’t end up on in the landfill. It is still a valuable service to provide,” City Manager Vince DiPiazza said.

The City’s recycling center accepts aluminum, cardboard, tin cans and newspaper.

“We do sell recyclables when we can, but a lot of stuff eventually ends up in the landfill,’ he said.

City Manager Vice DiPiazza said the majority of the cost of the recycling center is for personnel citing there are two people that work at the center.

It (recycling) hasn’t lived up to the promise we learned when we were kids.” Piazza said.

“Recycling is expensive,” Councilman Ernest “Chip” King said.

Piazza said that brush collection is also a service the city provides that costs more than the revenue it receives.

The city has budgeted $90,000 revenue for brush collection with expense listed at $311,847.

by Michael Robinson | Uvalde Hesperian

Top photo is a screenshot from the City of Uvalde video feed

  08-12-25

  During the citizens comments portion of the Tuesday, August 12th Uvalde City Council Meeting, R. Patrick Williams leveled harsh criticism against Uvalde Mayor Hector Luevano for calling into question the legitimacy of the Emergency Services District 3 Petition brought before the Uvalde County Commissioners Court Meeting on August 11th.

  “Yesterday,  Mayor Hector Luevano appeared before the Uvalde County Commissioners making a serious allegation against the Uvalde Volunteer Fire Department. He accused the department for submitting a flawed petition that, in his view, did not meet the requirements necessary to place the ESD before the voters, ” Williams said.

R. Patrick Williams is a longtime member of the Uvalde Volunteer Fire Department.

  Williams claimed that Luevano stated he was speaking not as Mayor but as a citizen, pointing out Uvalde County Judge Bill Mitchell introduced Luevano as mayor.

“Furthermore, it is noteworthy that the County Commissioners remain responsible for ensuring the petition meets all necessary standards.” Williams said.

A video of Patrick Williams speaking before Tuesday night’s city council meeting can be found here with Williams comments at the 26:37 time mark.

 “You are mayor 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.” Williams said speaking directly to Mayor Luevano.

by Michael Robinson | Uvalde Hesperian

07-25-25

Richard Williams, Heath Sutherland and two others meet outside the Civic Center where this week’s City Council Meeting was held.

  City of Uvalde Volunteer Fire Department heads Richard Williams and Gilbert Ayala are the two signatory petitioners obligating themselves to pay the costs for the formation of a new Emergency Services District presented to Uvalde County Judge Bill Mitchell and to the Uvalde City Council along with signatures of 100 registered voters residing in the County.

  At last week’s Monday, July 14th Uvalde County Commissioners Court and at the Tuesday, July 22nd, Uvalde City Council meetings the next steps for approving the measure were discussed which if approved by both the County and the City, the proposed ESD would go before the voters to decide yes or no on the measure. 

  If approved, the new ESD would add a new property taxing entity which could levy a tax of up to ten cents per $100 property valuation and provide direct funding to pay for fire and emergency services to Uvalde County. 

 At Tuesday’s City Council meeting, Councilman Ernest “Chip” King spoke on the agenda item saying this petition would cover Uvalde County but exclude the City of Uvalde. 

 After the council members heard from the City’s Attorney, it was decided the measure must be approved by the County before the city can act.

  According to King, while the City of Uvalde is not part of the proposed ESD petition, Uvalde’s Volunteer Fire Department will continue to respond and help with emergencies within the County. 

 Proponents for creating the new ESD argue that volunteer fire departments serve Knippa. Sabinal and Reagan Wells need the additional funding for needed equipment and other costs. 

  Those opposing the creation of the ESD argue that the County has money available in the budget it can allocate to pay for the services including monies paid annually to Uvalde Memorial Hospital. Diana Olvedo-Karau has been an outspoken opponent creating a new ESD and has criticized the measure several times during citizens comments at Uvalde County Commissioners Court meetings chiding the Court for its perceived unwillingness to alter the budget.

Kaura states that the taxpayers cannot afford to pay additional property taxes. So far, the Court has not officially responded to Karau’s budget cut recommendations.

By Michael Robinson | Uvalde Hesperian

07-23-25

  Ronnie Garza, who serves as a Uvalde County Commissioner, spoke at Tuesday night’s Uvalde City Council meeting expressing a need for additional signage or speed bumps along Grove Street running north and south and Fort Clark Road running east and west. Both streets are long, straight and wide; the type of streets that entice some drivers to exceed the posted 30 mile per hour speed limit. Both are located on the west side of town.

  Council members and City officials discussed the possibility of adding advisory signs like. “Drive Slowly: Children” which can be done without City Council approval.  Signs that carry lawful ordinance significance and adding stop signs would require City Council approval according to a city official speaking to the council.

By Michael Robinson | Uvalde Hesperian

Top Picture by Robinson

07-09-25

The Uvalde City Council approved a resolution authorizing a grant application to Texas Parks and Wildlife
for a trail from Uvalde Memorial Hospital to Memorial Park.

According to the resolution’s background information it states the following:

‘The trail is proposed to be on property entirely owned by the hospital until it gets to Memorial Park and links up with the existing park trail on the Leona River. The hospital will provide the matching share for the grant in the form of money and property.”

A citizen, Roy Mata, spoke during the discussion portion of the item asking if the City would be responsible for maintaining the new path which according to UMH Chief Executive Officer Adam Apolinar. half of the one-mile trail would be concrete, and the other half would be gravel. Mata also brought up potential liability and if the city would be responsible for any accidents or injuries on the trail. Mata went on to say the hospital should compensate the city in some way and that the money the City would spend to maintain the path would be better used in paving a portion of a particular street on the north side of town.

by Michael Robinson | Uvalde Hesperian

05-28-25

   City Council members voted to accept a termination agreement with the VF Corporation which occupies the old Williamson Dickies manufacturing facility owned by the City of Uvalde. According to Assistant City Manager Joe Cardenas and information from the May 27th City Council meeting packet, it states,” On April 29, 2025, Cole Hackert and Julie Sutton were in town to officially notify their VF Corporation (formerly Williamson – Dickies) employees (approximately 70) of their intention to shut down the Uvalde Plant, as of the end of August 2025.)

According to Assistant City Manager Joe Cardenas, the company said the decision for the move was the economy and that a move to Colorado to be closed to its Manufacturing plant. Cardenas went on to say the VF Corporation was willing to help find another 3rd party vendor company to lease the facility. 

“We need to be the ones to do that. They don’t care. They’re closing. They are going to walk away,” Councilman Ernest “Chip” King said.

  I totally agree with Councilman King. We need to start yesterday,” Mayor Hector R. Luevano said. “We need to start looking,” Mayor Luevano said.