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

July 16th, 2024

 The Uvalde County Appraisal District met earlier this evening at the District’s Office.

According to Chief Appraiser Roberto Valdez, he told the board the office’s primary focus is Certifying the reappraisal plan due at the end of this month on July 25th,  According to Valdez, 254 cases are currently outstanding which translates to 2% of the tax rolls.

Valdez also informed the board that after reviewing the limited resources available to appraisal districts. he told the board, “I went outside the box.” 

He explained that he is following a project management approaches that are very similar to what the appraisal district wants to accomplish. 

“Certification of the roll and tax levy that is my goal.” Valdez said. 

Later in the meeting, Valdez said he wants to provide project management training for the District’s staff.

Job openings at the Appraisal District

Valdez informed the board that a one board member recently resigned to accept a job offer with the Texas Comptroller’s Office. 

Valdez continued by saying the District has two positions it is trying to fill.

The Uvalde County Appraisal District will be holding a Tax Sale on the steps of the Uvalde County Courthouse Steps Tuesday, August 6th.

Several properties will be up for bid.

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by Michael Robinson| Uvalde Hesperian
Photo by Robinson 

Uvalde CISD board members voted at tonight’s Monday, September 18th Regular Board meeting to vote to approve Board president Luis Fernandez as their candidate for the vacant Uvalde County Appraisal District  (UCAD) seat once held by Javier Flores, who also sits on the Uvalde CISD School Board.

  Last week, the Uvalde County Commissioner’s Court voted to nominate Rosemberg Risa for that body’s choice for the vacant seat. Risa was in attendance sitting in the audience of tonight’s school board meeting. When this agenda item came up, Risa spoke briefly introducing himself to the school board members and asked that he be considered as the District’s nominee for the vacant UCAD Seat. 

 After Risa spoke,  Board Member Anabel White nominated School Board President Luis Fernandez for theUCAD seat. The School Board voted to approve Fernandez as their nominee for the vacant seat,

 At the August Uvalde CISD Board meeting, the board members  voted not to remove Flores from the UCAD board seat despite Flores not residing in Uvalde County. 

 Uvalde CISD includes Batesville schools as part of their District, but Batesville is located in Zavala County. At last month’s school board meeting, Flores spoke arguing his removal would mean Batesville would lose  its voice on the UCAD Board. Also at last month’s board meeting, White was a vocal supporter of keeping Flores on the UCAD board citing LULAC discrimination lawsuit with the District. 

 Diana Olvado-Karau spoke during tonight’s citizen comments on the agenda item admonishing the board for not following the law as it is written and failing to vote to remove Florez from the UCAD board seat he occupied.  Olvedo Karau started  unless the State of Texas changes the statute to allow for a non-resident to serve on the board, then the District should follow the law referring to the Board’s previous vote to not recall Javier Flores from the UCAD board.

  Uvalde CISD Board President Luis Fernandez seat on the School Board is up for re-election in 2024. 

by Michael Robinson | Uvalde Hesperian

 Uvalde County Commissioner Ronnie Garza recommended the Uvalde County Commissioners Court vote to approve the nomination of Rosemberg Risa for the vacant seat on the Uvalde County Appraisal District Board at the Monday, September 11th meeting. Javier Florez was recently recalled from his seat on the UCAD Board through a series of votes by tax entities boards within Uvalde County.

Risa who is an United States Navy veteran deployed overseas and currently serves on the City of Uvalde Planning and Zoning Committee and a member of the American Legion Post 479.

Risa spoke prior to the vote. “I want to make sure everything is done correctly and nobody feels they are being left out. I want to make that clear,” he said.

   by Michael Robinson| Uvalde Hesperian 

Top photo by Robinson 

  Uvalde CISD voted to approve a “No” vote on recalling Uvalde County Appraisal District Board Member Javier Flores, The district holds 212 votes and all of those votes  go towards keeping  Flores on the UCAD board. 

  While the Uvalde School District’s controls 212 votes as one of the larger property taxing entities in the county, the Uvalde CISD School Board’s vote to not remove Javier Valdez from the UCASD board is not sufficient to keep Flores from being ousted from his seat on the UCAD board.

  Flores also happens to be an elected member of the Uvalde CISD School Board.

Diana Olvedo-Karau addressed the school board during the public comments portion of the district’s meeting. “Javier Flores has been on the UCAD appraisal district for 11 years snd he doesn’t live in the County. It is your responsibility to take a vote to remove Mr. Flores from this board,” she said.

  Flores spoke on the issue and said as a Batesville resident, his removal would mean Batesville would be taxed without having representation. 

 He also said he has been serving on the UCAD board for years and he said “Nobody has had a problem with it until now. “

   Flores stated that he contacted the Texas State Comptroller’s office and asked if any Uvalde County UCAD entities  had contacted them requesting  guidance on the matter? Flores indicated he was told none had  contacted them. 

  He did mention he spoke to a person named “April “ and he claimed upon explaining the UCAD recall issue. “She agrees with me,” Flores said.

   Uvalde CISD school board president Luis Fernandez recommended not voting to remove Flores as it would go against the MALDEF resolution.

    UCISD board member Anabel White said It seems like “Batesville always gets the shaft. “

    Flores abstained from the vote.

Roberto Valdez, the Chief Appraiser – Tax Assessor/Collector said, “The recall process was initiated by SWTJC on or about July 2th, when they passed a resolution calling for Mr. Javier Flores recall.
Although Mr. Flores is an elected official to UCISD, he doesn’t comply with the residency requirements of the Texas Property Tax Code to serve on the UCAD Board.
Mr. Flores is a resident of Zavala County and not Uvalde County, therefore he is not in compliance with TPTC.

  Southwest Texas Junior College President Dr. Hector Gonzales provided the following to the Uvalde Hesperian: “Here is an overview of the recall.

Vote Tally on the Recall of UCAD Board Member Javier Flores

For the Recall                                                             Against the Recall

Uvalde CISD                                                                                                                                          212

Uvalde County                                         331

SWTJC                                                         48

Knippa ISD                                                50

Nueces Canyon                                     No action                                                                   No action

(Nueces Canyon as part of the North Western part of Uvalde County has 28 UCAD Votes, The entity took no action. )

Total votes in for the removal of Javier Flores from the UCAD board:  429 votes 

Total votes against the removal of Javier Flores from the UCAD board:  212 votes