Val Verde County commissioners tackle road lights, honors, and pet microchip event

Val Verde County commissioners ended their June 18 meeting with two concrete moves that will affect residents soon: a free pet microchipping event at the county annex on July 4 and $5,000 in contingency funds for a regional transportation conference in Del Rio and Acuña. The bigger road question, Cienegas Road lighting, stayed in dispute as residents pressed for upgrades and county officials kept weighing whether the work is a safety fix or a development cost.

Four of the five commissioners were present, with Commissioner Pct. 3 Fernando Garcia away at a training seminar. The road lights issue drew some of the strongest public attention after three residents and property owners urged the court to back Commissioner Pct. 4 Gustavo “Gus” Flores’ request for more streetlights and improvements along Cienegas Road, a corridor that has become the focus of months of argument.

County Attorney David Martinez added more context to that debate by telling commissioners that his office and the sheriff’s office reviewed reported crashes on Cienegas Road between Dec. 24, 2021, and Jan. 6, 2026. He said none of the accidents in that stretch were caused by poor visibility. That history matters because the court previously said developers should pay for streetlights in new subdivisions outside Del Rio city limits, but the question is less clear when development reaches along an existing road such as Cienegas Road.

The meeting also turned to county recognition. Commissioners honored the late Francisco Javier Gonzalez, who worked for the county for many years, and Commissioner Pct. 1 Kerr Wardlaw presented a plaque to Gonzalez’s widow, Maria Gonzalez, before co-workers and relatives. Wardlaw said Gonzalez was part of the Precinct 1 family, underscoring how closely county government and longtime employees remain tied in Val Verde County.

Youth achievement got the same treatment. County agent Tommy Yeater told commissioners the Val Verde County 4-H Wool and Mohair Judging Team took 15 young people to state competitions, where the local team finished third overall in wool judging and first in mohair judging. Coaches Bill Zuberbueler and Adriana Acosta were recognized as the team was told it will compete nationally in October.

Commissioners also voted 4-0 to let Border Animal Mission use the Judge Antonio “Tony” Faz III County Annex on July 4 for a free pet microchipping event from 8 a.m. to noon. The court backed the group’s plan to place temporary kennels at the Val Verde County animal control facility to hold rescued animals before they are sent out for adoption.

The final financial action carried a broader regional weight. Commissioners approved $5,000 from contingency funds so county representatives can attend the Ports-to-Plains Alliance annual conference Sept. 8-10 in Del Rio and Acuña, where the agenda will center on Future Interstate funding, I-27 implementation, North American trade connectivity and binational discussions.