Every so often, County Progress asks our distinguished Judges and Commissioners to allow us a glimpse into their public lives giving us a fresh appreciation for the myriad of roles and responsibilities they shoulder every day. Our thanks to Hidalgo County Commissioner David Fuentes for taking the time to visit with us.
YOUR HISTORY:
I was born to migrant parents in 1972 and raised in Weslaco, Hidalgo County. I am the third child of migrant parents to attend and graduate from the University of Notre Dame (1994).
My parents earned four master’s degrees and worked in education. As lifelong educators, they always instilled the importance of education and never taking opportunities for granted. Their hard work in the fields of Arkansas, Texas, and Midwest states set the example and laid the foundation for earning your opportunities.
I graduated with an accounting degree and was also a walk-on member of the Notre Dame football team back in the early 1990s. I was blessed to be around amazing athletes and coaches. I earned the privilege of traveling with the team to many road games. Surrounded by hall of fame players and coaches, I learned from and played with the best of the best. I take the same approach to my daily work and responsibilities as I represent my county residents.
I earned my CPA license in Texas back in 1997, the same year I married my wife of 27 years, Yvonne. We are blessed with three great kids who keep us active with practices, games, recitals, and competitions.
My professional career started in San Antonio with KPMG Peat Marwick and continued with various accounting positions within the health care and educational industries.
We moved to Denver and Austin via controller work with Allied Waste (formerly BFI and currently Republic Waste Services). Eventually, we moved back to Weslaco to start our family. I parked my CPA license to follow my dreams of coaching football. I worked for six years with Weslaco ISD where I coached two-time state qualifiers in the 4×400 relay and a two-time bronze medal 400 meter runner at the state meet in track.
I coached football and ended my coaching career as defensive coordinator for the 5A Weslaco Panthers in 2009. Since then, I started working with my uncle and cousin who own a variety of businesses including development, construction, barbecue restaurants, a golf course, and a partnership in a hotel. I oversee the financial and managerial operations for the businesses.
In 2010, I ran for the school board of our local school district and served for six years. I wanted to make a difference in quality-of-life issues for my area and decided to run for County Commissioner. I was successful in my campaign and began serving in my current capacity in 2017.
Since becoming Commissioner, I have served in a variety of positions and have sought to broaden my relationships and experiences. Currently, I proudly serve as president of the South Texas County Judges and Commissioners Association. I also participate in a couple of Texas Association of Counties subcommittees. I graduated from the TAC Leadership 254 course a couple of years ago and look back at my relationships with my fellow alumni fondly. I also just completed a three-year board position with the Rio Grande Valley Metropolitan Planning Organization (RGVMPO), which is the fifth-largest metropolitan planning organization in the State of Texas.
I just completed a one-year chairmanship position with the RGVMPO. I am an active member of the Texas Water Development (TWDB) Region M Board and also the TWDB Region 15 Drainage Committee where I participated in creating the state’s first-ever flood plan. I have also served on local boards and committees including the Rio Grande Valley Council of Governments, the South Texas Border Alliance, and the Lower Rio Grande Valley Development Council Regional Water Resource Advisory Committee.
In addition to the daily work of road maintenance, parks, and sanitation, we have some very exciting and innovative projects that are in the works. In 2018, 2019, and 2020, our region experienced devastating rain events that caused widespread flooding in many of the areas I represent. Through two series of bonds, we have engaged in over $380 million of drainage work in Hidalgo County. In addition, we received a TWDB Flood Infrastructure Fund award of over $30 million. We also received almost $20 million from the Texas General Land Office for 7 miles of ditch expansions and regional detention facilities to assist with mitigation. Precinct 1 has over $100 million in RGVMPO, state, and federal transportation dollars for miles of road expansions.
Through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), I have a few projects that are currently in construction. The first is a 16-mile regional hike and bike trail. It is the first connective trail that uses drainage and irrigation right of way to connect communities in my precinct. This trail provides alternative mobility and gives our constituents a place to be active and have a healthier lifestyle. Once complete, this trail will connect to an existing trail in neighboring Precinct 2 and will be one of the longer trail systems in Texas.
Another project we recently started is our Hidalgo County Precinct 1 Wellness, Activity, and Community Center (WACC). Construction is underway with scheduled completion in 10-12 months. The WACC is a 30,000-square-foot center that will include regulation-size gyms for basketball, volleyball, pickleball, and indoor tennis. It will also have a weight room and exercise equipment that will be available to county staff and encourage health and wellness. It will be staffed with a nutrition and training coach. It will also have batting cages and a turfed area for indoor training as well as a golf simulator. All of these are to provide quality-of-life access for an area that has limited access for children and adults. The facility will also provide access for visiting winter Texans to stay engaged and active. In addition, it will have a classroom where community engagement can take place.
WACC classes will expand upon other programs at our other community resource center. At that location, we have classes that include English language learning, citizenship classes, work skills training, cooking classes, and art and computer classes. The WACC will also be used for a variety of food drive giveaways that are coordinated with our regional food bank as well as other community outreach programs.
I am currently exploring a way to create a tire recycling program. This will help with the illegal dumping of tires throughout the county.
Lastly, our water reclamation project was just approved by TCEQ. This innovative project was recently awarded the Texas Rain Catcher Award from the TWDB for its “green” characteristics. The project takes water that flows through our drainage ditch system, over 1,000 miles, and diverts it from the main system into regional detention facilities where it is pushed through a series of reverse osmosis cells/controls after which it becomes potable/end-user water. We have four plants proposed along our system. Each plant should produce approximately 5 million gallons of water per day, which is enough water for over 25,000 people in a given year, even in drought conditions. With our current water shortage, this is a much-needed project for our region and may eventually be a model of a new water resource throughout Texas and maybe even the United States. Now that the testing protocol has been approved by TCEQ, we can proceed to plant design and construction. We are currently in an application process for grants and funding sources to build our first plant. The reclamation project is a state-approved project in the TWDB Region M Water Plan.
TYPICAL DAY:
A regular day starts with meeting with executive staff and organizing the day/week. I attend any local government events in my area. I represent 11 communities and approximately 250,000 constituents in my precinct, so I usually attend multiple events throughout the week. Our court is usually held on Tuesdays, and that will take the majority of the day. I will also attend any board/committee meetings, as well. In addition, I will make whatever time necessary to meet with state or federal agencies and officials to advocate for the needs of Hidalgo County.
On a typical day, I will drive by and visit our ongoing road, drainage, and ARPA projects. I have also initiated a more aggressive outreach program to help provide information about our work through social media platforms. We have been producing “news” style videos to provide stories about our progress. So, I have to schedule time to record updates with my staff.
IS IT WHAT YOU EXPECTED?
Probably not because I never worked in city or county government before. Even my time as a school board member was limited to meetings with the superintendent and not as much with the staff who performs our work. This requires a lot of personal attention and decision-making. I love what I do, and I’m excited about the projects we have created in my area. We created a semi-annual newsletter that we mail to our residents to update them on the work we are doing and the community programs we are engaged in. It has helped inform at a macro level. We also have roughly 13,000 followers on social media, so we have Hidalgo County staff to help develop that message.
BIGGEST CHALLENGE:
The biggest challenge we have is the same as everyone else. We need funding to do everything we need. Our jail population continues to grow, and the expansion of facilities has to be addressed at a county level. We are about to complete the construction of a new county courthouse, and that will present its own unique challenges. Raising property values, increased demand for critical infrastructure, drought, and retaining talent in our office are probably some of the other larger challenges we face now and as we move forward in Hidalgo County.
FAVORITE THING ABOUT BEING A COUNTY COMMISSIONER?
I love what I do. I love being a County Commissioner in Hidalgo County. It has blessed me in so many ways, the ability to make a difference in my community. I was asked by a friend once why I chose to be a County Commissioner. I responded that I felt it was my way of giving back and that the calling to do this was my ministry. I will continue to serve with passion, and I will continue to advocate for my precinct and Hidalgo County. I am blessed to serve with a great Commissioners Court who has provided me with support, passion, and insight.