Art Martinez de Vara is the Mayor of Von Ormy, Texas. He led the incorporation process in Von Ormy, a community that has existed since the 1880’s. He was approached by the Committee to Incorporate Sandy Oaks (CISO) around 2012 to help with the incorporation process in the Waterwood area.
Art Martinez de Vara was the legal guide for CISO through the incorporation process. After the City of San Antonio denied CISO’s 9 mile and 4 mile requests, they offered CISO 2.4 square miles. Martinez de Vara told Texas Public Radio that to incorporate at that size would make taxes “astronomically high.” He later helped CISO apply for the vote to incorporate.
Art Martinez de Vara was the primary speaker at a meeting CISO hosted on April 24, 2014 that was to inform the community about the upcoming vote to incorporate where early voting began on the 28th of April. AT The same meeting CISO told the community that it would announce the deadline for people to apply to run for office. CISO never did, however.
On May 27, 2014, it was said by Jim Clement, the President of the Waterwood Park Property Owner’s Association, that Art Martinez de Vara was on retainer for the WPPOA, although he had been so for some time.
Not only is Art Martinez de Vara on retainer for the POA and the adviser to CISO, but he is also the legal adviser to the Sandy Oaks Political Action Committee (SOPAC), which is located in Von Ormy. His PAC, the Von Ormy Political Action Committee, contributed $1,500 to SOPAC during the 2014 city council election making it the largest contributor.
During the 2014 election Art Martinez de Vara created a newspaper called the “Sandy Oaks Chronicle.” It featured a 2 page “voters guide” that started off with saying “All candidates were invited to participate in this voter’s guide, those who submitted content are listed below.” However, only SOPAC candidates were listed. Cathleen Recio, David Tremblay, and Micki Ball were never contacted by anyone regarding the Sandy Oaks Chronicle until they were asked why they were not included. Of the 5 SOPAC candidates running for alderman, 3 won.
August 16, 2014 – At the first City Council meeting, Art Martinez de Vara is given the position of city attorney before the meeting ever started. Not only does he join the Council members at table, but he is also given an official paper placard with his name and job title. Cathleen Recio, who ran for alderman but lost, demands that Martinez de Vara step down and join the audience, which he does.
The City Council appoints Martinez de Vara as city attorney on the condition that his contract last for 60 days and that 2 other candidates for the position be considered. As of mid-February 2015, Art Martinez de Vara is still acting attorney of the City of Sandy Oaks. And Mayor of Von Ormy. And adviser to SOPAC. And the attorney to the WPPOA.
August 16, 2014 – As City Attorney, Martinez de Vara allows the Sandy Oaks City Council to create an election for an illegal amount of sales taxes.
August, 2014 – Martinez de Vara files paperwork with the Bexar County Elections Department for the November ballot. However, 1 of the propositions is changed and is not what the City Council had originally approved.
September 18, 2014 – In the city’s first budget hearing, Mayor Clement admits that Martinez de Vara created the budget. The budget taxes the community retroactively and allocates $36,000 to Martinez de Vara. As Mayor of Von Ormy, Martinez de Vara only allocates $12,000 to his own city attorney.
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