Commissioners Court Replaces Gandara On Important Project

El Paso County Commissioners Court held its regularly scheduled meeting Monday, less than one week since Commissioner Willie Gandara, Jr. was arrested on federal drug charges.

The arrest has now resulted in his removal from a big county project, at least on an interim basis.

With Gandara still locked up in the county jail, the commissioners court discussed how to handle the business at hand — including building a new port of entry — without him.

“I think the absence of the chair is of concern,” said Commissioner Anna Perez, who was appointed the new interim point-of-contact for the $100-million Tornillo-Guadalupe port of entry project, which Gandara had been overseeing. “A prolonged or uncertain absence of a commissioner is something that needs to be considered and talked about.”

ABC-7 asked County Judge Veronica Escobar whether she would let Gandara’s spot stay empty until the end of his term, which is in another 10 months.

“No, there’s too much work to be done,” said Escobar, who hasn’t heard from Gandara and isn’t sure what will happen if Gandara is not released on bond Tuesday. “It could complicate matters, and we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.”

Commissioner Dan Haggerty stopped short of saying that Gandara should resign.

“Gee, that’s a tough one,” Haggerty said. “That’s an individual thing that you decide for yourself.”

ABC-7 also asked Commissioner Sergio Lewis that question.

“I have no idea,” Lewis said. “That’s really not something I have control over.”

Dora Oaxaca, Gandara’s senior assistant, who has been running the Precinct No. 3 office in his absence, said she hasn’t heard from him.

“At this time, I am not privy to any personal decision that he has made,” she said.

Gandara’s attorney, Joe Spencer, said he anticipates that the judge will allow Gandara to post bond on Tuesday.

“I have had discussions with (Gandara),” Spencer said. “He’s just very anxious to get this case behind him.”

Gandara will remain behind bars, pending Tuesday’s scheduled detention hearing. Spencer says the government has made it clear to him that they’re going to challenge bond for Gandara based on two things: that he is a potential flight risk and could be a danger to society.

Spencer says given Gandara’s deep ties to the community, he is not a flight risk. He added that the fact Gandara has never been arrested before makes him no danger to the public.