Abelardo “Lalo” Arcaute, one of Hidalgo County’s finest public servants, dies at 89

A week ago this past Sunday, Dec. 28, one of Hidalgo County’s finest public servants, Abelardo “Lalo” Arcaute, worthy of so much respect, passed away at the age of 89.

The City of San Juan’s first Hispanic mayor (1971 to ’73, and ’75 to ‘77) and four-term Hidalgo County Precinct 2 commissioner (1983 to 1999), Arcaute was on the cutting edge of major changes that improved the quality of life for many who were still lacking the basics, like running water, sewer lines, sidewalks, and lights.

During his first term as SJ mayor, Arcaute led the way in getting a million-dollar bond passed, the first in several decades, which helped pay for the infrastructure improvements on the north side of town, which had suffered from decades of neglect under previous administrations.

Since the Valley was first developed in the early part of the 20th century, discrimination was part of the package. Even though there were a few anomalies (Pharr had two Hispanics on the five-seat city commission in 1954, and some rich Hispanics owned some big ranches in the county going back centuries), for the working Americans of Mexican descent, fair and equal treatment was nothing short of a dream.

The city swimming pool on the south of San Juan, for example, where most of the Anglos lived, was off limits to those with brown skin.

That all started to change when the Civil Rights Act was passed in 1968, which included the Fair Housing Act, which put an end to discriminating in the sale, rental, and financing of housing based on race, ethnicity, religion, and national origin.

After that, guys like Arcaute got involved in local politics, along with professionals younger than him by approximately 10 years – Arturo Guajardo, Juan Maldonado, “Chuy” Ramirez, Bobby Contreras, to name but a few.

Under Lalo Arcaute’s leadership during his first term as San Juan mayor, the city annexed three major colonias – Palm Vista, El Cajon and Palm Addition – which brought those residents into the present day, providing them with needed access to city services.

During his second term as mayor, Arcaute spearheaded the city’s move to a city manager form of government and oversaw the development of a new municipal swimming pool and park.

In his later years, well into his 80s, you could most often find him during the week working as a volunteer at the old San Juan Cemetery on Moore Rd., just east of Veterans Blvd. (I Rd.). He helped care for the cemetery after retiring from public life, and if Arcaute hadn’t helped out, the cemetery would be worse for the wear.

“There’s a lot of San Juan history here, that’s for sure,” Arcaute used to like to say. “A lot of family.”

Lalo Had More Paint

There’s a story one of his sons, Jorge, likes to tell about his dad. It was one of many anecdotes he heard at the recent funeral service, but it touched him, he says, because it helps show his dad’s tenacity toward enriching the public good.

“I like (the) story for a couple of reasons, aside from the humor in the face of adversity.

“Dad’s recognition of protecting the investment in what had been a neglected area stands out. And it shows his consistency and persistence to accomplish the long-term improvement in that area. It was part of his outlook to help the less fortunate among us. Today, you can see how that has paid off with that area’s development.”

The area at the forefront of the story is really old Las Milpas, long ago rebranded as “South Pharr.”

Well into the late 1980s, early 1990s, the area on both sides of south 281 was mostly devoid of paved roads, running water, sidewalks, streetlights, sewer lines. When it rained very hard, cars risked disappearing into potholes. Not literally, but almost.

Until NAFTA (trade treaty) came along in 1994, politicians in both Austin and D.C. largely ignored this area of Texas. The money went to Dallas, Houston, but seldom did it reach the RGV.

Still, as Hidalgo County Commissioner, Precinct 2, from 1983 to 1999, Lalo Arcaute did all he could to improve this county long before the Pharr/Reynosa International Bridge really helped transform the area into what it is today – a nice place to live, open a business.

According to his son, Jorge, when his dad was county commissioner he started investing in some projects in the Las Milpas area.

“That area had some gang activity and lots of graffiti problems, said Jorge Arcaute.

“When Precinct 2 built a park/pool down there, it was constantly being targeted with graffiti and vandalism.”

But that didn’t stop “Lalo” from trying to keep the family area “nice.”

“The sheriff’s deputy working the area would be called for reports of the vandalism,” said Jorge. “The Precinct response was to repair and re-paint immediately.”

No matter, the gangbangers kept defacing what was supposed to be a fun place for families to hang out.

“At some point after many such incidents, dad told the deputy to file the report, then he directed his (Precinct 2) crews to start repairs.”

Then the deputy told Lalo, the county commissioner:

“You know they’re just going to graffiti it again, right?”

Lalo Arcaute’s response was classic Lalo:

“Yeah, but I have more paint than they do.”

Here is to a great guy who will be missed by all who knew him.

RIP, Lalo. A job well done. We could use more like you, amigo.