ROBSTOWN, Tx — The Nueces County Water Control and Improvement District #3 swore in new board members Wednesday evening as residents in Robstown continue to watch closely for progress on water quality issues.
New board members Myra B. Alaniz and Belinda "Shorty" Valadez, along with re-elected member Ramiro "Ram" Alejandro, were sworn in at a packed board meeting.
Alejandro was voted board president again, with board member Joey Rodriguez as vice president and Richard Villareal as secretary. Alaniz and Valadez serve as board directors.
Only two of the three members sworn in were available for interviews following the meeting.
Alejandro said he is grateful for the community’s continued support.
"It makes me feel good to know that the community still trusts me to lead the district, so that's the best thing about it," Alejandro said.
Alaniz, who has been vocal about water concerns through the group Concerned Citizens of Robstown and Calallen, said she is still learning the role.
"It's a little overwhelming right now because I don't understand everything, so I'm asking a lot of questions, but I feel good about it," Alaniz said.
Alejandro said he hopes residents feel reassured about the district’s direction and pointed to recent improvements in water quality.
“We started receiving water from the city of Corpus Christi last week, so our arsenic levels have gone down,” Alejandro said. “This week, our TDS levels also started going down because we are receiving treated water from the city.”
Alaniz said joining the board has given her a new perspective.
“It’s kind of surreal being on this side of the table,” Alaniz said. “I’m happy to be here and understand the whole process.”
Both newly elected and returning board members said they are optimistic about the district’s future and outlined priorities moving forward.
Alejandro said securing an independent water source remains a top goal.
"We wanna look into other sources of water so that we don't have to rely on the city of Corpus Christi," Alejandro said.
Alaniz said her focus will be improving transparency and public access.
"My platform was transparency, and I hope to be able to deliver on that," Alaniz said. "For me, that would mean live-streaming our meetings and having people have access to these meetings so they can view them whenever they can."
Residents who attended the meeting but declined on-camera interviews said they hope the new board brings meaningful change.
"I think we're gonna make a great team and move this district forward for the best interests of the community and the citizens here of Robstown," Alejandro said.
Alaniz encouraged residents to stay engaged.
"If you have questions, please reach out to any one of us," Alaniz said.
