b'B arBaraC anales An agenda this ambitious and extensive will onlyQuintanilla, [Port of Corpus Christi CEO] Sean find life in government through bold, active, tirelessStrawbridge, Barbara Canales, Peter Zanoni, B arbara Canales is the first woman toand relentless leadership that is dictated only by ad- and [Del Mar College President] Mark Esca-dressing realityas sweet or as harsh as it may beandmillawe all have the same frame of mind and be elected County Judge since Nuecesby doing only what is good for the health and prosper- philosophy, and not one of us is content with Countywasincorporatedin1846,ity of the 360,000 or so citizens of Nueces County. Ifthe status quo. Every single one of us wants to 173 years agoand some would say,we aspire to achieve any level of what has been ac- build things, and its not just brick and mortar.Just in time! In addition to the longcomplished in San Antonio or Austin over the last threeIts exciting because for the first time the torch listofmanagementshortcomingsdecadeshere and now when our prospects have nevergot passed. Finally, across the board, simulta-and systemic upgrades that requirebeen betterthen we must be open and welcoming toneously, so theres no frustration that theres action now, in order to stop the ad- each other, and to those who aspire to contribute to ourone lone ranger over here.This is a game-ministrative bleeding of County coffers, Judge Canalessuccess. Judge Canales has found Generation-X cama- changer for the Coastal Bend.and her staff have identified additional priorities thatraderie with a new guard of Coastal Bend leadership.will require planning and funding. BC: I want to be a regional leader, and I alsoDuring one of our three interview sessions, Barba-Acountyofoursize,withhundredsofsquarewanttobuildconsensusandnotactlikeIra Canalesthe Momreceived a call from one her five miles of unincorporated, rural communities, needs aknow it all. So, if one judge has an excellentadult children who was on a trip to cooler environs, es-fire marshal. The 2020 national census, which is a co- idea, it can be more excellent if we regionalizecaping the scorching South Texas heat. After returning operative federal, state, county and city effort, was notthe plan, because the way its structured now,to Corpus Christi he will soon head back to the major addressed before Canales took office, and was left un- its not going to create the energy we need itTexas university he attends hundreds of miles away. funded and unstaffed. She points out that the commu- to, at the State level, to be funded. Another of Canales children was in town for a short nity loses millions in federal and state funding, espe- time before going back to school in New York, where cially for schools, hospitals, and police, for every oneIm looking at, instead of a $10 million grant,she has a couple of years left, at least. While genera-percent of the countys population that goes uncount- I want us to do a $150 million grant for thetions of hard work and discipline have earned the Ca-ed.JudgeCanalesstartedhertenurebyaddressingwhole area. We all submit our projects, we allnales kids opportunities unavailable to most Coastal County employees, inviting them to communicate theirgo to Austin in-force, we are a consortium ofBenders, Barbara the Mom shares the same worry with problems and ideas to her office, and by expressing herfive coastal countieslets move forward onthousands of local familiesWill my adult children find personal concern for their wellbeing and happiness this. We can, at that point, afford to hire a con- enough opportunity here, such that they will want to and acknowledging that half of County employees livesultant to navigate the waters.And it wontreturn home to live and build their lives?below the poverty level. cost us an arm and a leg, so we wont be con- San Antonio took a dirty ditch and created one of We all know about the overpopulation problemssulted to death. the top tourist attractions in the United States. In 1970, at the county jail, which will not entirely be solvedthe population of Austin was 50,000 more than Corpus with the opening of the jail annex expansion. CanalesFor the firstChristitoday it is 600,000 more, not counting hun-is working with District Attorney Mark Gonzalez anddreds of thousands in the suburbs. As new hands take the criminal courts to reduce the number of suspectsthe reins of power and leadership in the Coastal Bend, who are arrested, as well as the number of defendantstime the torch their unbiased perspective is revealing, first, what des-sentenced to time in the county jail, by funding moreperately needs to be fixed and updated, at least at the diversionary programs for non-violent offenders. She got passed County and the Cityand action is at hand. These are says that more than 20% of jail inmates are there forthe problems that have held us back.mental health issues, and even more have long-termAs solutions are found and victories are won, con-addiction problems, which considered with the grow- across the board, fidence will buildfirst among the staff of civil ser-ing homeless population in Corpus Christi, emphasizesvants who make them happen, then among our elected the urgent need for a properly sized and funded men-simultaneously. leaders, followed by the public, including those who as-tal health and addiction treatment centerand the oldpire to invest in the Coastal Bend. Big companies want Memorial Hospital, a county property, could not be bet- to work with entities that have their act togetherits a ter suited. Judge Canales has put her very overworkedbig reason why the Port of Corpus Christi, where Judge grant writer on the case, and they are in the process[Corpus Christi City Manager] Zanoni and ICanales most recently served as a commissioner, has of finding federal, state and NGO (non-governmentalhave had an opportunity to really spend someattracted billions of dollars in domestic and interna-organization) funding for the facility. time together, but right from the start I have ational investment in recent years.The impact of Hurricane Harvey on the Coastaltremendous good faith that he and I are goingWithsomanyA-studentsfinallyinplaceat Bend, first in Nueces County (Port Aransas/Mustangto create the efficiencies that are long overdue.virtually every key leadership position in our region, Island), then in San Patricio County (Aransas Pass/In- Why? Because hes not from here. He comesincluding that of Nueces County Judge, our prospects gleside), then in Aransas County (Rockport), and final- in with clean eyes and a new perspective andfor success have never been betterand the possibili-ly in Refugio County, illustrated the need for a regionalIthinkwantstobasicallysay,ofcourseIties are boundless. The top visitor destination on the emergency operation command center, and while thewould work to consolidate! Why wouldnt weTexas Gulf Coast at North Beach? The number one pet-county judge is only responsible for emergency man- do that? And thats the attitudeI think itsrochemical exporter in the Western Hemisphere? The agementinhercounty,themulti-countyapproachgenerational, number oneand if I were do- home for a new, major medical school?provesmoreeffectiveandlessexpensivewherevering a constellation that represented Corpitos,Togetthere,weneedcompetent,hardworking its implemented. Establishing a 12-county emergencythats cute, Corpitos ConstellationI wouldmanagement, and especially a new kind of leader like management center in a top priority for Judge Canales. say[TexasA&MCorpusChristiCEO]KellyJudge Canales, The Mayor of the Coastal Bend.42 THE COASTAL BEND MAGAZINEFall 2019 TheCoastalBend.com'