In A Public Webb County Commissioners Court Meeting, Tano Tijerina Praised Neal Hill’s Work When A County Commissioner Pushed Back On His Motion To Change The Contract Order

Tijerina Encountered Pushback From A Fellow County Commissioner Warning Monarch’s Bid Could Result In Higher Fees

VIDEO: Tijerina Instantly Motioned To Grant The GPS Tracking Devices Contract To Monarch Tracking, Despite Not Being The Highest Ranked Proposal, And Mispronounced The Name Of The Leading Company. “Item 22, discussing the possible action to accept the rankings and award… Webb County GPS Tracking Devices and high ranking respondent ‘Aca-ding’ Total Security LLC. Look, I’m going to go ahead and move a motion. I’ve already gone into this extensively. The only one that is from Laredo is Monarch Trucking – Monarch Tracking, I’m sorry – they’re the only ones here locally. If we’re going to do this in house, I think there needs to be somewhere we can just take them in and out… It actually comes out a little cheaper, like about 51 cents cheaper, is that correct, Joe, than the highest one.” [Webb County Commissioners Court Meeting, 1:31:00, 10/27/25] (VIDEO)

VIDEO: Commissioner John Galo Pushed Back On Tijerina, Saying Monarch Could End Up Costing The County Up To $100,000 More Annually Depending On Their Reoccurring Fee. “Judge, and I was just looking at this and I was re-ranking, looking at [cross-talk] I usually like to give the locals a chance, but what I’m concerned about is the reoccurring subscription, because the one-time fee is not the problem, it’s what you’re going to pay annually. You have them ranked here, but we don’t have access to those annual fees, and it could be fifty cents, could be twenty-five cents, could be a dollar. But I noticed you have ‘Forward Thinking Systems’ is ranked – or no, ‘Calamp Wireless Network’ is 19, you got 19 out of 20 points. Forward Thinking Systems got 18. Then ATT Mobility, and Acadian Total. So I just want to know, if you have the documents there, what’s the total difference in the reoccurring fee? Because that’s what we’re going to pay every year, and if it’s $20,000, $30,000 or $100,000 difference.” [Webb County Commissioners Court Meeting, 1:32:15, 10/27/25] (VIDEO)

Commissioner Galo Said The Lack Of Accounting For Recurring Fees In The Purchasing Agent’s Rankind Made Him “Suspicious.” “Commissioner John Galo interjected, citing concerns he had about the recurring fees Monarch Tracking could charge, which could cost the county tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars a year, in his estimate. Galo also said that the fact these recurring fees were not accounted for in the purchasing agent’s ranking ‘makes me suspicious.’” [Salon, 6/11/26]

Tijerina Said This Was Perhaps Only The Third Time He’d Ever Re-Ranked A Contract Order In His Eleven Years As County Judge

VIDEO: Tijerina Said This Was Perhaps The Third Time He Had Ever Re-Ranked A Contract Order In His Tenure As Webb County Judge. “For the public, in my eleven years that I’ve been County Judge, this is perhaps my third time that I’ve ever re-ranked the proposals. I just, I just, I know this –” GALO: “Individual.” TIJERINA: “Well, it’s not only the individual, it’s what he’s done, it’s the company, it’s what he’s done, he’s putting commercials out. I mean, it’s really, really impressive.” [Webb County Commissioners Court Meeting, 1:37:59, 10/27/25] (VIDEO)

• VIDEO: Tijerina: “For The Public, In My Eleven Years That I’ve Been County Judge, This Is Perhaps My Third Time That I’ve Ever Re-Ranked The Proposals.” “For the public, in my eleven years that I’ve been County Judge, this is perhaps my third time that I’ve ever re-ranked the proposals. I just, I just, I know this –” GALO: “Individual.” TIJERINA: “Well, it’s not only the individual, it’s what he’s done, it’s the company, it’s what he’s done, he’s putting commercials out. I mean, it’s really, really impressive.” [Webb County Commissioners Court Meeting, 1:37:59, 10/27/25] (VIDEO)

Tijerina Even Said He Knew CEO Neal Hill And Praised His Company’s Work As “Really, Really Impressive” And “Incredible”

VIDEO: Tijerina Acknowledged That He Knew The Individual Who Owned Monarch Tracking And Admired His Commercials And Company. “For the public, in my eleven years that I’ve been County Judge, this is perhaps my third time that I’ve ever re-ranked the proposals. I just, I just, I know this –” GALO: “The individual.” TIJERINA: “Well, it’s not just the individual, it’s what he’s done, it’s the company, it’s what he’s done, he’s putting commercials out. I mean, it’s really, really impressive.” [Webb County Commissioners Court Meeting, 1:37:59, 10/27/25] (VIDEO)

• VIDEO: Tijerina: “Well, It’s Not Just The Individual, It’s What He’s Done, It’s The Company, It’s What He’s Done, He’s Putting Commercials Out. I Mean, It’s Really, Really Impressive.” “For the public, in my eleven years that I’ve been County Judge, this is perhaps my third time that I’ve ever re-ranked the proposals. I just, I just, I know this –” GALO: “The individual.” TIJERINA: “Well, it’s not just the individual, it’s what he’s done, it’s the company, it’s what he’s done, he’s putting commercials out. I mean, it’s really, really impressive.” [Webb County Commissioners Court Meeting, 1:37:59, 10/27/25] (VIDEO)

Tijerina Stressed That Monarch Tracking’s GPS Technology Would Go On All 772 Webb County Vehicles, No Exceptions, When The County Originally Only Sought GPS Trackers For 50 Sheriff’s Patrol Cars

Tijerina “Made It Clear That He Intended To Put Trackers In Every Vehicle The County Owned.” “Tijerina later made it clear that he intended to put trackers in every vehicle the county owned. ‘Anything that’s under the insurance of the county, this will be for every vehicle, there’s not going to be any exceptions,’ Tijerina said. ‘This is going to cover our bases all the way through.’” [Salon, 6/11/26]

VIDEO: Tijerina Stressed That All 772 Vehicles Webb County Owned Would Be Required To Use Monarch Tracking’s GPS Technology. GALO: “I know Commissioner Jaime came up with a list and 772 vehicles or something in Webb County, which, to me, seems crazy because that’s one for every two people we have under employment.” TIJERINA: “And I will say that if we do, when we bring this back and finalize the contract, I will be stipulating, and this is for everybody to know, this is for every vehicle that the County owns. Anything that’s under the insurance of the County, this will be for every vehicle, there’s not going to be any exceptions, because I’m already hearing that oh, I don’t want this vehicle, no, no, no this is for every vehicle. This is going to cover our bases all the way through. We’re going to make an expense like this, we’re going to cover every vehicle.” [Webb County Commissioners Court Meeting, 1:38:45] (VIDEO)

• VIDEO: Tijerina: “And I Will Say That If We Do, When We Bring This Back And Finalize The Contract, I Will Be Stipulating, And This Is For Everybody To Know, This Is For Every Vehicle That The County Owns. Anything That’s Under The Insurance Of The County, This Will Be For Every Vehicle, There’s Not Going To Be Any Exceptions.” GALO: “I know Commissioner Jaime came up with a list and 772 vehicles or something in Webb County, which, to me, seems crazy because that’s one for every two people we have under employment.” TIJERINA: “And I will say that if we do, when we bring this back and finalize the contract, I will be stipulating, and this is for everybody to know, this is for every vehicle that the County owns. Anything that’s under the insurance of the County, this will be for every vehicle, there’s not going to be any exceptions, because I’m already hearing that oh, I don’t want this vehicle, no, no, no this is for every vehicle. This is going to cover our bases all the way through. We’re going to make an expense like this, we’re going to cover every vehicle.” [Webb County Commissioners Court Meeting, 1:38:45] (VIDEO)
• The County’s Original RFP Sought GPS Trackers For Just 50 Webb County Sheriff’s Office Patrol Units. “On July 28, 2025, item #21, the Commissioners Court authorized the Purchasing Agent to solicit formal requests for proposals for a thirteen (13) month service agreement for GPS trackers for fifty (90) Webb County Sheriff’s Office patrol units to include but not limited to ten (10) GPS tracking devices, dual facing cameras, monthly services and other related hardware pursuant to the Local Government Code; §262.030 Alternative Competitive Proposal Procedure for Certain Goods and Services.” [Webb County Commissioners Court Meeting Minutes, 10/27/25]

Monarch Tracking Ultimately Secured The Contract With Webb County

Webb County Awarded Monarch Tracking The Contract In November 2025. “The impressive individual that Tijerina was referring to appears to be Monarch Tracking CEO Neal Hill, who has donated $3,364 to Tijerina’s congressional campaign across two donations, according to FEC filings. The first donation occurred in July of 2025, around the time the county began soliciting proposals for a new tracking system, and the second came in October 2025, less than a week before the meeting where Tijerina expressed his strong support for contracting with Hill’s company. As of November 17, 2025, Monarch Tracking was awarded the contract with Webb County, according to government records..” [Salon, 6/11/26]