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THE TIME IS NOW 5:30 PM IF WE CAN ALL TAKE OUR SEATS IF THERE IS A SEAT, AND WE ARE GOING
[Item 1 - Call to Order]
TO GET STARTED CALLING THIS MEETING TO ORDER.IT HAS BEEN DULY POSTED AS REQUIRED BY STATE LAW.
UH, WE DO HAVE A COMMISSION, UH, I'M SORRY, A QUORUM OF THE COMMISSION.
AS ALL COMMISSIONERS ARE PRESENT AT
[Item 1a - Invocation]
THIS TIME, I'LL ASK FOR AS ALL TO PLEASE RISE AS COMMISSIONER KINSLEY LEADS US IN THE INVOCATION.THE BREAK FROM TRADITION IN HONOR OF CHILD PER CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION MONTH.
I'D LIKE TO INVITE MS. JANET MCGEE UP TO THE PODIUM TO LEAD US IN THE INVOCATION THIS EVENING.
I'D LIKE TO START WITH A PRAYER FOR CHILD.
IT'S, I HAVE A PEBBLE IN MY SHOE.
I DON'T KNOW WHY IT'S THERE, BUT EVERY STEP I TAKE IT HURTS AND IT'S MORE THAN I CAN BEAR.
IT CAME THE DAY MY PARENTS LEFT.
I MUST BE BAD TO HAVE SUCH LUCK.
I WONDER IF MY FAMILY KNOWS I'M CRIPPLED IN, IN PAIN.
I HEARD THAT THEY'RE NOT COMING BACK.
I LOOK FOR HELP TO HEAL MY PAIN THAT HOLDS ME BACK EACH DAY AND MANY WORK TO KEEP ME SAFE.
BUT STILL, THE PEBBLES STAYED.
THEN ONE DAY I PRAYED TO GOD, ARE YOU REAL AND TRUE? CAN YOU SEND SOMEONE TO HELP? I THINK, I THINK HE SENT YOU.
THANK YOU THAT WE LIVE IN A CITY THAT LOVES ITS CHILDREN.
AND LORD, WE THANK YOU THAT YOU CARE WHAT HAPPENS.
YOU CARE ABOUT THE THOUSAND CHILDREN WHO ARE RECEIVING SERVICES IN OUR COUNTY.
YOU, YOU HAVE BUILT A TEAM HERE OF PEOPLE WHO WANT TO GO FORWARD AND ACKNOWLEDGE THESE YOUTH IN THEIR PAIN AND, AND TAKE WHATEVER STEPS IT TAKES, WHATEVER FINANCIAL NEEDS THESE KIDS HAVE, WHATEVER EMOTIONAL AND SPIRITUAL NEEDS, THE CITY COMES TOGETHER FOR THESE CHILDREN.
I ASK YOU TO BLESS THE CHILDREN, LORD, AND BLESS THOSE WHO RESCUE THEM.
[Item 1b - Pledge of Allegiance]
[Item 1c - Welcome Citizens]
NOW THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH STANDS TO A NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH VICTORY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.[Item 2 - Conflict of Interest]
MARK, IF YOU, UM, A CONFLICT OF INTEREST, PLEASE.UNDER STATE LAW, A CONFLICT OF INTEREST EXISTS IF A COMMISSION MEMBER OR CERTAIN MEMBERS OF THAT PERSON'S FAMILY HAS A QUALIFYING FINANCIAL INTEREST IN AN AGENDA ITEM.
MEMBERS WITH A CONFLICT OF INTEREST CANNOT PARTICIPATE IN THE DISCUSSION NOR VOTE ON THE AGENDA ITEM.
ARE THERE ANY KNOWN CONFLICTS OF INTEREST TO DISCLOSE AT THIS TIME? NONE.
[Item 3 - Announcements]
ANNOUNCEMENTS WITH RESPECT TO ITEMS NOT LISTED ELSEWHERE ON THIS AGENDA.CITY COMMISSION MAY REPORT ON ITEMS OF COMMUNITY INTEREST, INCLUDING ANNOUNCING COMMUNITY EVENTS, ANNOUNCING EMPLOYER COMMUNITY RECOGNITION.
[Item 3a - Mayor's Announcements]
A MAYOR'S ANNOUNCEMENTS.MAYOR, DO YOU HAVE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS? I HAVE A BRIEF ANNOUNCEMENT.
I'D LIKE TO INVITE STAFF FROM THE ANIMAL SHELTER TO INTRODUCE TO US THE PET OF THE WEEK.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR CITY COMMISSION.
NO, WE ALREADY TOOK CARE OF THAT.
SHE HAS BEEN WITH US SINCE MARCH 1ST.
SO SHE'S BEEN WITH US JUST A LITTLE OVER A MONTH.
SHE GETS ALONG WITH OTHER DOGS.
SHE'S A LITTLE NERVOUS WITH THIS MANY PEOPLE, BUT SHE'S STILL DOING AMAZING.
UM, SHE'S LOOKING FOR HER FOREVER HOME AND SHE WILL BE AT THE SHELTER.
ANYBODY WHO MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN MS. TINKLES OR ANY OF THE OTHER ANIMALS AT THE SHELTER ARE WELCOME TO GO BY AND VISIT THEM BETWEEN ONE AND SIX.
THEY'RE OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK AT 1106 MARKOWSKI.
AND FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE IN ATTENDANCE, WE DO HAVE A FULL HOUSE IF YOU WANT AN EXTENDED, UH, AN INVITATION TO, YOU'VE BEEN GIVEN AN INVITATION TO THE SHELTER, BUT I KNOW THAT YOU CAN DO ADOPTIONS EVERYWHERE.
SO I KNOW THAT THEY'RE AVAILABLE IF YOU'D LIKE TO MEET.
[Item 3b - City Manager's Announcements]
ITEM THREE B, CITY MANAGER'S ANNOUNCEMENTS.UH, JUST A REMINDER THAT I'LL BE OUT OF TOWN ON APRIL 7TH THROUGH THE 10TH, ATTENDING A TEXT FIRST CONFERENCE IN DALLAS,
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BUT I'LL BE AVAILABLE BY CELL PHONE.SO FEEL FREE TO CALL ITEM THREE C
[Item 3c -City Commission Member Announcements]
CITY COMMISSION MEMBERS ANNOUNCEMENTS.UH, I JUST HAVE ONE I WANT TO CONGRATULATE, UH, JAVIER AND THE PARKS PEOPLE FOR THE GREAT JOB IN SCATTERING 45,000 EGGS OUT AT THE SOCCER COMPLEX ON SUN SATURDAY FOR THE EASTER EGG.
UH, EXTRAVAGANT OF 45,000 EGGS.
AND I DOUBT IF THERE WERE ANY LEFT
SHE REALLY LIKE VACUUM CLEANERS DID.
I JUST WANNA WISH THE HARING AND CARDINALS BOYS AND GIRLS SOCCER TEAMS ARE PLAYING TONIGHT IN THE ROUND THREE OF THE PLAYOFFS.
I WISH 'EM GOOD LUCK ON BEHALF OF THE CITY AND HOPEFULLY WE GET THE WIN.
[Item 4 - Presentation of Awards]
FOUR, PRESENTATION OF AWARDS A PROCLAIMING[Item 4a - Proclaiming the Week of April 14-20, 2024 as "National Animal Control Officer Appreciation Week" ]
THE WEEK OF APRIL 14TH THROUGH THE 20TH 2024 AS NATIONAL ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICER APPRECIATION WEEK.IT LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE A FULL HOUSE TODAY, SO IT'S REALLY NICE THAT ALL OF YOU GUYS HAVE COME OUT TO JOIN US.
WE HAVE QUITE A FEW AWARDS AND RECOGNITION, SO WE'LL JUST GET STARTED.
FIRSTLY, WE ARE PROCLAIMING NATIONAL ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICER APPRECIATION WEEK AND HERE TO ACCEPT THIS PROCLAMATION AND BE RECOGNIZED.
AND IF YOU COULD PLEASE STAND WHEN I CALL.
YOUR NAME IS HEALTH DIRECTOR SHANNON HARVILLE, ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICERS, GABRIEL HERNANDEZ, JAY GARZA, AND JAMIE GARCIA.
AND BEFORE I HAVE THEM COME UP TO SHARE A FEW WORDS AND TAKE A PHOTO, I'D LIKE TO READ THE PROCLAMATION AND IT READS AS FOLLOWS, WHEREAS THE NATIONAL ANIMAL CONTROL ASSOCIATION HAS DESIGNATED THE SECOND FULL WEEK OF APRIL EACH YEAR AS NATIONAL ANIMAL CONTROL APPRECIATION WEEK, WHEREAS VARIOUS FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY TAKE THIS TIME TO RECOGNIZE THANK AND COMMEND ALL ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICERS AND ANIMAL SERVICE STAFF FOR THE DEDICATED SERVICE THEY PROVIDE TO CITIZENS, VARIOUS PUBLIC SAFETY AND PUBLIC SERVICE AGENCIES AND THE DEPARTMENTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
AND WHEREAS IN 2023, THE CITY OF HARLINGEN ANIMAL CONTROL RECEIVED 10,656 CALLS HANDLED 1,997 STRAYS PICKED UP 1,919 ANIMALS AND TRAPS AND ADDRESSED 178 BIKE CASES.
AND WHEREAS THE CITY OF HARLINGEN RECOGNIZES THE ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICERS FOR THE MANY DEDICATED AND LONG HOURS OF SERVICE, THEY PERFORM IN SERVING RESIDENTS OF OUR COMMUNITY AND FULFILLING CITY OF HARLINGEN ANIMAL CONTROL'S COMMITMENT TO PROVIDING THE HIGHEST AND MOST EFFICIENT LEVEL OF CUSTOMER SERVICE.
AND NOW, THEREFORE, I NORMA MAYOR OF HARLINGIN ON BEHALF OF THE CITY COMMISSION DO HEREBY PROCLAIM APRIL 14TH THROUGH THE 20TH 2024 AS NATIONAL ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICER APPRECIATION WEEK.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO COME TO THE FRONT TO SHARE A FEW WORDS.
THESE THREE GENTLEMEN WORK VERY HARD DAY IN, DAY OUT ADDRESSING ALL THE CALLS THAT COME IN.
UM, THEY'RE HERE TO SERVE THE CITIZENS OF HARLINGEN, AND THEY DO THAT PROUDLY EACH AND EVERY DAY, FIVE DAYS A WEEK FOR SURE.
A LOT OF TIMES IT TURNS INTO SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.
THEY WANT THE BEST FOR THE ANIMALS WHILE KEEPING THE PUBLIC SAFE.
AND THEY ARE JUST VERY DEDICATED, HARDWORKING PEOPLE, AND WE ARE GRATEFUL TO HAVE THEM ON STAFF.
THANK YOU, SHANNON, FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND FOR YOUR ENTIRE TEAM.
WE APPRECIATE ALL THE HARD WORK AND ALL YOUR EFFORTS IN KEEPING OUR COMMUNITY SAFE.
UM, IF YOU CAN PLEASE JOIN US UP IN THE FRONT SO YOU CAN TAKE A PICTURE WITH MYSELF AND THE COMMISSION.
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NO.WE'RE MISSING ONE PROCLAMATION.
PROBABLY IT'S DOWNSTAIRS, MAN.
SO CAN YOU, UM, MELINDA, WILL YOU DEVELOPMENT? YES.
OKAY, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND PASS ON THAT ONE FOR NOW.
MELINDA, WILL YOU GRAB THAT FOR US AND JUST WE CAN MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ONE, CALISTA.
[Item 4c - Proclaiming the Month of April 2024 as "National Healthy Homes Month" ]
FOUR C PROCLAIMING THE MONTH OF APRIL, 2024 AS NATIONAL HEALTHY HOME MONTH.OKAY, SO NEXT WE ARE PROCLAIMING NATIONAL HEALTHY HOMES MONTH.
AND HERE JOINING US TODAY TO ACCEPT IS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR SANDY ALVAREZ.
AND I'LL READ THE PROCLAMATION BEFORE SHE JOINS US UP HERE.
WHEREAS THE MONTH OF APRIL IS NATIONAL HEALTHY HOMES MONTH.
AND THE THEME IS MAKING AN IMPACT HEALTHY, SAFE AND RESILIENT HOMES.
AND WHEREAS SINCE 2014, THE DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT OFFICE OF LEAD HAZARD CONTROL AND HEALTHY HOMES THROUGH NATIONAL HEALTHY HOMES MONTH HAS EDUCATED THE PUBLIC POLICY MAKERS, PUBLIC HEALTH AND HOUSING PROFESSOR, PROFESSIONALS AND CAREGIVERS ABOUT THE ISSUES IMPORTANT TO HEALTHY HOMES.
AND WHEREAS HEALTHY HOMES AND SAFETY HAZARDS, INCLUDING, INCLUDING PHYSICAL SAFETY HAZARDS, LEAD-BASED PAINT, RADON, MOLD, PESTS AND ALLERGENS CAUSE OR CONTRIBUTE TO A WIDE RANGE OF ILLNESSES AND DISEASES, INCLUDING LEAD POISONING, ASTHMA, CANCER, AND INJURIES.
AND WHEREAS LEAD POISONING AFFECTS THOUSANDS OF TEXAS CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF SIX.
AND WHEREAS ACCIDENTS IN THE HOME HURT THOUSANDS OF TEXAS PEOPLE EACH YEAR, AND WHEREAS HUNDREDS OF TEXAS PEOPLE ARE HARMED BY IMPROPERLY STORED CHEMICALS IN THE HOME.
AND WHEREAS DOZENS OF TEXAS PEOPLE ARE HARMED BY CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING EACH YEAR.
AND WHEREAS MANY TEXAS FAMILIES AND HOUSEHOLDS ARE UNAWARE THAT THEIR HOMES CAN HAVE SERIOUS HEALTH HAZARDS, AND NOW IT BE RESOLVED THAT I
AND SANDY, IF YOU'D LIKE TO COME TO THE FRONT.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR COMMISSIONERS.
UM, THIS YEAR IS THE FIRST YEAR THAT, UH, THE CITY OF HARLINGEN DOES RECEIVE A GRANT FOR, UH, HEALTHY HOMES.
WE RECEIVED A MILLION DOLLARS.
WE'RE CURRENTLY JUST GETTING OFF THE, GETTING IT OFF THE GROUND.
SO, UH, WE HAVEN'T STARTED WITH THE APPLICATION PROCESS, BUT WE ARE GETTING ALL OF THAT GOING.
SO WE ARE HERE TODAY, UM, IN ADDITION TO MYSELF, I HAVE MY STAFF HERE, WHICH IS VERONICA SANCHEZ, NICOLE RIOS, NANCY GARCIA.
AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE ALSO HAVE OUR BOARD MEMBERS.
UM, NOT EVERYONE COULD MAKE IT, BUT WE HAVE MR. CESAR MORALES, MR. JIM YOUNG, MS. SONYA CASAS, AND MS. LORRAINE GZA.
AND, UH, WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO GET THIS PROGRAM GOING.
UH, WE ARE ACTUALLY ALREADY HAVE OVER 70 PEOPLE, UM, ON THE LIST THAT ARE WAITING TO, TO GET, UH, SERVICES THAT WE WE'RE GONNA OFFER.
WELL, THANK YOU SANDY, FOR ALL OF YOUR HARD WORK.
AND SANDY, IF YOU'D LIKE TO INVITE YOUR STAFF AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD TO, UM, APPEAR IN FRONT WITH THE COMMISSION SO WE CAN GET A PHOTO SHE LIKES FOR US TO GET PICTURES OF THEM SPEAKING WHEN THE NEXT PERSON DEVELOPMENT.
HI, HOW ARE YOU? HEY, HOW YOU DOING? GOOD TO SEE YOU TOO.
I THINK I SAW THE OTHER DAY, BUT I THINK WE WERE BOTH, WAS THAT YOU? I SAW I I THINK IT WAS THEY DO IT OUTTA TROUBLE.
[00:15:09]
PROBABLY.ON THIS SIDE WE HAVE, THERE WE GO.
THREE, TWO, I'LL CALL YOU BACK.
[Item 4d - Proclaiming the Month of April 2024 as "Child Abuse Prevention Month"]
ITEM FOUR D PROCLAIMING THE MONTH OF APRIL, 2024 AS CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION MONTH.TODAY WE ARE ALSO PROCLAIMING CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION MONTH.
AND JOINING US HERE TODAY IS HEATHER SMITH.
AND BEFORE I INVITE HER UP HERE, I WILL READ THE NEXT PROCLAMATION.
WHEREAS IT IS NECESSARY TO BUILD A ROBUST FAMILY WELLBEING SYSTEM THAT NOT ONLY SUPPORTS FAMILIES WHEN THEY ARE IN CRISIS, BUT IT IS INTENTIONAL IN SUPPORTING FAMILIES BEFORE THEY ARE IN CRISIS.
IN TEXAS, WE BELIEVE THAT CHILDREN THRIVE IN SAFE, STABLE, NURTURING FAMILIES WITHIN THEIR OWN COMMUNITIES.
THROUGH ESTABLISHING PARTNERSHIPS WITH FAMILIES THAT CAPITALIZE ON THE COLLECTIVE STRENGTH OF PARENTS AND THEIR CHILDREN.
WE CAN BUILD STRONG, HEALTHY FAMILIES AND RESILIENT COMMUNITIES WHERE CHILDREN CAN THRIVE.
WHEREAS SADLY, CHILD MALTREATMENT IS STILL A SIGNIFICANT PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE.
COMMUNITIES THAT LACK ACCESSIBLE SUPPORTS AND RESOURCES CAN EXPERIENCE INCREASED RISK FACTORS THAT LEAD TO CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT.
DESPITE THE COMPLEX FACTORS THAT CAN LEAD TO CHILD MALTREATMENT, IT CAN BE PREVENTED.
WHEREAS EACH YEAR, THE MONTH OF APRIL IS DEDICATED TO RECOGNIZING THE CRITICAL WORK BEING DONE ACROSS OUR GREAT STATE TO SUPPORT FAMILIES BEFORE A CRISIS OCCURS AND OFFER THEM ACCESSIBLE LIFELINES THAT MITIGATE THE CHALLENGES THAT THEY FACE.
CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION OCCURS EVERY DAY.
CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION OCCURS EVERY DAY THROUGH THE DILIGENT WORK, TIRELESSLY, ADVOC TIRE, SORRY, TIRELESS ADVOCACY AND SIMPLE ACTS OF KINDNESS UNDERTAKEN BY TEXAS FAMILIES, FRIENDS, NEIGHBORS, HOUSES OF FAITH, ADVOCACY GROUPS, NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, SCHOOLS, HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS, SOCIAL WORKERS AND GOVERNMENT AGENCIES TO SUPPORT CHILDREN AND FAMILIES IN EVERY COMMUNITY ACROSS THE LONE STAR STATE.
WHEREAS CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION CANNOT BE TASKED TO ONE COMMUNITY AGENCY OR SYSTEM BEHIND FAMILIES THAT SUCCEED ON THEIR OWN IS A STRONG COMMUNITY THAT PROVIDED A WAY FOR THE FAMILY TO MEET THEIR NEEDS.
ALL TEXANS MUST WORK TOGETHER TO STRENGTHEN OUR COMMUNITIES AND BUILD LOCALIZED SUPPORTS THAT ARE ACCESSIBLE, CONTRIBUTE TO THE WELLBEING OF AN ENTIRE COMMUNITY, AND KEEP CHILDREN AND FAMILIES SAFE AND TOGETHER.
I ENCOURAGE ALL TEXANS TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE MANY ASPECTS OF OUR GREAT COMMUNITIES WORKING HARD TO CREATE POSITIVE, HEALTHY ENVIRONMENTS FOR FUTURE LEADERS OF OUR GREAT STATE AND NATION.
TOGETHER WE CAN CREATE A BRIGHTER FUTURE FOR CHILDREN, FAMILIES, AND COMMUNITIES IN TEXAS, AND ENSURE FUTURE LEADERS HAVE THE SUPPORT THEY NEED TO THRIVE AND REACH THEIR POTENTIAL.
THEREFORE, I NORMA SABU MAYOR OF HARLAN AND DO HEREBY PROCLAIM APRIL, 2024 TO BE CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION MONTH IN TEXAS AND URGE THE APPROPRIATE RECOGNITION, WHEREOF AND HEATHER, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO JOIN ME AT THE PODIUM TO SAY A FEW WORDS.
MAYOR SEPULVEDA ASKED THAT I SHARE A SPEECH THAT I ATTENDED LAST WEEK WITH HER.
UM, I HAD NEVER INTENDED ON BEING A FOSTER PARENT.
WE HAD NEVER PLANNED ON ADOPTING CHILDREN.
WE WERE THE TYPICAL AMERICAN FAMILY IN A TWO INCOME HOUSEHOLD, LIVING IN A NICE HOUSE IN A NICE NEIGHBORHOOD WITH MY TWO KIDS, MY SON ANDREW, AND MY DAUGHTER LAUREN.
MY HUSBAND DOLE IS WITH ME TODAY.
HE'S A FIREFIGHTER FOR THE CITY OF HARLINGEN AND I AM A NURSE PRACTITIONER AT VALLEY BAPTIST ORTHOPEDICS AND SPORTS MEDICINE.
I DRIVE AN SUV, LITERALLY THE TYPICAL AMERICAN FAMILY.
I NOW VIVIDLY REMEMBER WHEN MY JOURNEY BEGAN.
IT WAS A LITTLE OVER TWO YEARS AGO.
I WAS COOKING DINNER AND TALKING WITH MY DAUGHTER LAUREN, ABOUT SCHOOL AND FRIENDS.
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SHE WOULD ASK ME QUESTIONS LIKE, IF MY FRIENDS, MY FRIENDS RAN AWAY FROM HOME AND CAME TO OUR HOUSE, WHAT WOULD YOU DO? I WOULD TELL HER THAT I WOULD LOVE THEM, HUG THEM, FEED THEM, AND THEN CALL THEIR PARENTS BECAUSE THEY WOULD NOT BE MY CHILDREN TO KEEP.SHE WAS PERSISTENT WITH MORE QUESTIONS.
LIKE, WHAT IF THEY WERE BEING ABUSED? LIKE REALLY ABUSED? THIS IS WHERE I ADMIT THAT I WAS NAIVE TO THE EVILS OF CHILD ABUSE IN MY COMMUNITY.
SURELY IT'S JUST TEENAGERS FIGHTING WITH THEIR PARENTS.
SURELY NO PARENT WOULD DO SUCH THINGS TO THEIR CHILD.
I REPEATEDLY TOLD LAUREN THAT SHE SHOULD TELL HER FRIENDS TO TELL AN ADULT, A TEACHER, THE SCHOOL COUNSELOR, ANYONE.
AND THAT IS WHAT MY GIRLS HAD THE COURAGE TO DO.
THEY SPOKE UP, THEY TOLD THEIR SCHOOL COUNSELOR.
AND OVER THE NEXT TWO MONTHS, THEY LEARNED ABOUT THINGS NO CHILD SHOULD BE EXPOSED TO.
THEY LEARNED ABOUT CART EXAMS, POLICE INVESTIGATIONS, CPS, INVESTIGATORS, CASEWORKERS, CRIMINAL CHARGES, BOND AGREEMENTS, AND CHILD ADVOCACY CENTERS.
ALL OF THIS RESULTED IN THE ONE PERSON THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO PROTECT THEM THE MOST, SURRENDERING THEM TO THE CARE OF THE STATE.
ON DECEMBER 6TH, 2 20 21, 2 BRAVE GIRLS FOUND THEMSELVES AT VALLEY HAVEN, AN EMERGENCY SHELTER FOR UM, CHILDREN IN, IN CPS CUSTODY.
MY DAUGHTER'S FRIENDS WERE AT VALLEY HAVEN, BUT ONLY FOR NINE DAYS.
THAT IS WHEN MY LEARNING BEGAN AND I BECAME NAIVE.
NO MORE I LEARNED ABOUT FICTIVE KINSHIP, CPS, CASE WORKERS, CASA VOLUNTEERS, ATTORNEYS, ATTORNEYS, AD LITEM, COURT HEARINGS, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, THE EFFECTS OF TRAUMA ON A YOUNG PERSON.
FROM KINSHIP PLACEMENT TO FOSTER CARE DETERMINATION OF PARENTAL RIGHTS, I KEPT LEARNING MORE AND MORE ABOUT HURTING CHILDREN IN MY COMMUNITY.
DID YOU KNOW THAT ONLY 3% OF GIRLS IN THE FOSTER CARE SYSTEM EVER GRADUATE FROM COLLEGE? DID YOU KNOW THAT ONLY 80 TO NINE, SOMEWHERE AROUND 80 TO 90% OF KIDS THAT AGE OUT OF FOSTER CARE, END UP HOMELESS, INCARCERATED, OR DEAD WITHIN TWO YEARS? WHY DIDN'T I KNOW THIS? MORE PEOPLE SHOULD KNOW THIS.
ONCE IN OUR HOME, THESE GIRLS LOVING THEM CAME EASY TO ME.
THEY WERE GRATEFUL, RESPECTFUL AND HELPFUL.
MY HOUSE TURNED INTO A TEEN GIRL SLUMBER PARTY THAT NEVER ENDED.
MY HUSBAND AND I MADE EVERY EFFORT TO GIVE THEM SPACE.
LOTS OF DIFFERENT KIND OF SPACE.
FREE OF ABUSE, A QUIET SPACE TO THINK, A SOFT PLACE TO FALL ON A ROUGH DAY.
A SPACE WHERE THEY COULD LAUGH AND RELAX.
A GENTLE SPACE WHERE THEY COULD LEARN TO TRUST AGAIN, A COMFORTABLE SPACE WHERE THEY COULD SAY WHAT'S ON THEIR MIND, A SPACE THAT WOULD NURTURE GROWTH, A SPACE THAT WOULD ENCOURAGE DREAMS. THE OLDER SISTER TURNED 18 WITHIN A YEAR OF BEING WITH US, SHE CHOSE INDEPENDENCE AND MOVED OUT.
SHE TOOK ADVANTAGE OF PROGRAMS LIKE PREPARATION OF ADULT LIVING SKILLS, THE PALS PROGRAM, SUPERVISED INDEPENDENT LIVING, AND THE TUITION WAIVER.
WE STILL HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH HER TODAY AND CONTINUE TO MENTOR HER AS SHE NAVIGATES ADULTHOOD.
ALTHOUGH CHALLENGING, TO BE HONEST, THESE GIRLS WERE GOING TO BE A PART OF MY LIFE LEGALLY OR BY CHOICE.
THEY WERE MEMBERS OF MY FAMILY.
WE WERE CONSISTENTLY AND FREQUENTLY ENCOURAGED TO ADOPT MAYA, THE YOUNGER SISTER.
MY RESERVATIONS AT THE BEGINNING WERE MOSTLY FINANCIAL.
I HAD NEVER PLANNED ON HAVING THREE CHILDREN.
WHAT ABOUT COLLEGE? WHAT ABOUT WEDDINGS? BUT MAYA DESERVED EVERY BENEFIT, POSSIBLE, EVERYTHING TO MAXIMIZE HER BENEFITS.
BUT THIS ABSOLUTELY CAME AT A COST.
EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE FANTASTIC CASEWORKERS, IT FELT LIKE A REVOLVING DOOR OF PEOPLE IN OUR HOME REMINDING ME OF HER TRAUMA.
IMAGINE EVERY 90 DAYS, EVERY DOCTOR'S VISIT, YOU ATTEND EVERY MEDICATION YOU TAKE EVERY LIFE SKILLS YOU LEARN, EVERY GRADE YOU MAKE, EVERY WRONGDOING, EVERYTHING DISCUSSED IN A COURTROOM IN FRONT OF STRANGERS, AND EVEN AIRED ON YOUTUBE.
SO AT THE EARLY PART OF 2023, WE STARTED TO ASK OURSELVES, WHY AREN'T WE ADOPTING? THE DECISION WAS ULTIMATELY UP TO MAYA.
SHE WAS 17 YEARS OLD AND I SAID YES AND SO DID SHE.
ADOPTION REALLY DIDN'T TAKE LONG.
IT WAS ABOUT A MONTH AND A THOUSAND DOLLARS OUT OF POCKET.
AND ON APRIL 10TH, 2023, WE BECAME A FAMILY OF FIVE.
AND THIS IS WHEN MAYA TOOK OWNERSHIP OF HER OWN LIFE.
SHE HAS NOW GRADUATED EARLY FROM TRIUMPH PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOLS.
SHE IS NOW WORKING FOR A LOCAL INSURANCE OFFICE.
IN PREPARING TO ATTEND U-T-R-G-V IN THE FALL WITH PLANS TO MAJOR IN BUSINESS, SHE HAS EVEN ALREADY STARTED SAVING FOR RETIREMENT
WE ARE STILL NAVIGATING THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM AND AWAITING THE TRIAL OF OUR ABUSER.
OUR JOURNEY IS NOT OVER, IT'S JUST BEGUN.
BUT I ASSURE YOU, WE COULD NEVER HAVE SURVIVED THIS PROCESS WITHOUT DEVOTED CHILD ADVOCACY WORKERS AND AGENCIES THAT MENTORED US ALONG THE WAY.
AND JUST TWO SHORT YEARS, NUMEROUS AGENCIES AND PEOPLE HAVE PROVIDED SERVICES TO MY FAMILY.
SO IF ANYBODY, AS I CALL OUT THE NAMES, IF ANYBODY IS INVOLVED WITH THESE AGENCIES, EITHER WAVE OR STAND UP.
HARLINGEN POLICE DEPARTMENT, COOMBS POLICE DEPARTMENT, VALLEY BAPTIST EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT, CART TEAM, VALLEY HAVEN EMERGENCY SHELTER, VALLEY CHILDREN'S CLINIC, CHILD ADVOCACY CENTER OF HARLINGEN, CAMERON COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, AND THE CRIME VICTIMS ADVOCATES.
HONORABLE JAMES BELTON, FAMILY COURT ATTORNEY STAR JONES.
ATTORNEY AD LITEM ELIZABETH VALDEZ, ADOPTION ATTORNEY ALEX GALLAGA CASA, ESPECIALLY
[00:25:01]
LACEY AND THE FOREST, THE EMOTIONAL SUPPORT DOG.WHO DOESN'T KNOW FOREST UPBRINGING, FOSTER CARE AGENCY.
FOSTER ANGELS OF SOUTH TEXAS, MS. MAGGIE PEREZ, SCHOOL COUNSELOR AND ALL THE ADMINISTRATORS OF HARTON SCHOOL OF HEALTH PROFESSIONS.
JEFFREY MOEN, TRAUMA COUNSELOR IN BLUE SUNDAY.
CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION, SORRY.
UM, MULTIPLE PROGRAMS THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY AND PROTECTIVE SERVICES SUCH AS FICTIVE KINSHIP PROGRAM, FOSTER CARE SUPPORT INVESTIGATORS, CASEWORKERS IN THE ADOPTION UNIT, OUR CASEWORKER WITH SAN SAN MONTE TO CORTEZ.
I ASSURE YOU THIS IS AN ALL HANDS ON DECK APPROACH TO SUPPORT CHILDREN THAT HAVE BEEN ABUSED.
APRIL IS CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION AND AWARENESS MONTH.
ALTHOUGH THE NUMBERS VARY SLIGHTLY EACH DAY, THE CURRENT NUMBERS AS OF FEBRUARY, 2023 FOR CAMERON COUNTY INCLUDE 249 CALLS TO THE ABUSE HOTLINE.
THIS RESULTED IN 160 INVESTIGATIONS.
13 CHILDREN WERE REMOVED FROM THE HOME.
THE CURRENT CENSUS OF FOSTER CARE IN CAMERON COUNTY IS 267, WITH 120 OF THOSE RESIDING WITH FAMILY MEMBERS.
THERE ARE 84 CHILDREN CURRENTLY FREE AND CLEAR AND READY FOR ADOPTION IN CAMERON COUNTY.
AND IN FISCAL YEAR 2023, THERE WAS ONE CHILD ABUSE RELATED DEATH IN CAMERON COUNTY.
CHILD ABUSE CONTINUES TO BE AN ISSUE FOR SO MANY IN OUR COMMUNITY.
I KNOW THAT MY STORY IS NOT UNIQUE.
I ENCOURAGE YOU TO ENGAGE IN THE PEOPLE REPRESENTED HERE TODAY.
THEY CAN SHARE YOU WITH YOU ENDLESS STORIES OF FAMILY REUNIFICATION, HEALING ADOPTIONS AND MORE.
AND WITH ME TODAY IS ALSO JANET MCGEE, FOUNDER OF BLUE SUNDAY.
THIS YEAR IS THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF BLUE SUNDAY CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION.
IT IS A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION WITH TWO GOALS TO MEET THE NEEDS OF ABUSED CHILDREN IN THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY AND RAISE AWARENESS, AWARENESS OF CHILD ABUSE AMONG THE FAITH COMMUNITY.
THE LAST SUNDAY IN APRIL IS DESIGNATED AS BLUE SUNDAY, A NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED DAY OF PRAYER FOR ABUSED CHILDREN.
BLUE SUNDAY ALSO OFFERS POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS FOR ENDING CHILD ABUSE THROUGH PRAYER AND ADDICTION TREATMENTS, WHILE ALSO ADDRESSING ISSUES LIKE CYCLE OF ABUSE AND POVERTY.
IF YOU KNOW OF ANY SPIRITUAL LEADERS NATIONWIDE THAT WOULD BE INTERESTED IN LEARNING ABOUT BECOMING A BLUE RIBBON CHURCH, JANET OFFERS FREE MATERIALS.
I AM AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF FAITH CHRISTIAN CHURCH AND WE ARE PROUDLY A BREW, A BLUE RIBBON CHURCH HERE IN HARLINGEN.
JANET HAS MORE INFORMATION WITH HER HERE TODAY.
PINWHEELS ARE THE NATIONAL SYMBOL OF CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION BECAUSE BY ITS VERY NATURE, THE PINWHEEL PROMOTES PLAYFULNESS, JOY, AND CHILDHOOD.
I AM GRATEFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE THIS INFORMATION WITH YOU TODAY.
CHILD ABUSE IS USUALLY NOT A TOPIC THAT'S ENJOYABLE TO DISCUSS, BUT I BELIEVE THAT OUR COMMUNITY IS FULL OF GOOD PEOPLE DOING GREAT THINGS FOR THE VULNERABLE.
I, ALONG WITH NUMEROUS CHILD ADVOCACY WORKERS WITH ME TODAY, AM ENCOURAGED THAT YOU HAVE CHOSEN TO JOIN US IN PROMOTING APRIL AS CHILD ABUSE AWARENESS AND PREVENTION MONTH.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, HEATHER, THERE.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY TIMES I'VE TOLD YOU THAT YOU'RE AN AMAZING HUMAN BEING, BUT I THINK I'M JUST GONNA KEEP REPEATING THAT.
AND GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR FAMILY FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE DONE FOR THOSE TWO GIRLS AND EVERYTHING THAT YOU CONTINUE TO DO TO BE ADVOCATES FOR THOSE THAT DON'T HAVE A VOICE OF THEIR OWN.
AND SO WE APPRECIATE ALL OF YOU, ALL OF THOSE THAT ARE IN THE AUDIENCE THAT WAVED YOUR HANDS AND WERE TOOK PART IN, EVEN IF IT'S A SMALL PART, IT ALL TAKES, LIKE YOU MENTIONED, IT TAKES A VILLAGE.
AND SO IF ALL OF US CAN CONTRIBUTE IN WHATEVER WAY THAT WE CAN, THEN WE CAN AT LEAST MOVE THE NEEDLE.
AND I THINK THAT IS THE MESSAGE HERE, THAT WE CAN DO SOMETHING.
WE MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO DO EVERYTHING, BUT WE CAN DO SOMETHING.
UM, WE DO HAVE A PROCLAMATION I'D LIKE TO INVITE.
UM, I THINK YOU, YOU BROUGHT A FEW CHILD PROTECT ATTORNEY.
ANY, ANYBODY FROM THE DEPARTMENT? I KNOW THERE'S ELLA AND WE'VE GOT A FEW MORE.
AND IF THE COMMISSION CAN JOIN ME, PLEASE.
[00:30:04]
WE HAVE ONE.MAYOR, WHY DON'T WE, ITEM B, WHY DON'T YOU GO AHEAD AND GET THE KIDS? LET'S DO THE KIDS AND THEN WE'LL GO BACK.
[Item 4e - Recognition of Award - Harlingen Collegiate High Robotics Teams ]
UH, FOUR E, UH, RECOGNITION OF AWARD HARLINGEN COLLEGIATE HIGH ROBOTICS TEAMS. SO OUR RECOGNITION AWARD IS GOING TO THE HARLINGEN COLLEGIATE HIGH ROBOTICS TEAMS TEAM 1 11 58 AND TEAM 13 1 0 8.AND HERE, JOINING US TODAY IS HEAD COACH MEES ESPINOZA AND COACH JOSE ELLO.
AND I BELIEVE THE TEAMS ARE HERE AS WELL, IF YOU GUYS WANNA STAND.
SO THEY'RE RECEIVING THIS RECOGNITION AWARD FOR LAND.
UH, TEAM 13 1 0 8 LANDED A FIRST PLACE INSPIRE AWARD AT LEAGUE TOURNAMENT AND SECOND PLACE INSPIRE AWARD AT AREA TOURNAMENT.
AND TEAM 1 11 58 LANDED FIRST PLACE CONNECT AWARD AT LEAGUE AND AREA TOURNAMENT.
SO IF WE COULD GIVE THEM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
AND COACH ESPINOZA, IF YOU'D LIKE TO TELL.
THANK YOU MAYOR AND COMMISSIONER.
UH, THANK YOU FOR THIS WONDERFUL AWARD.
AND I'D LIKE TO, UH, BRING UP OUR FOUR OFFICERS, NATALIE FLORES, ADON G**O, I CAN'T SAY THAT.
UH, JOEY GUERRERO AND JACOB BIRD.
AND THEY JUST HAVE A FEW COMMENTS TO MAKE WITH NATALIE.
SO ON BEHALF OF THE HCH, UH, ROBOTICS OFFICERS, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS AMAZING RECOGNITION.
AND THEN ALSO A CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OUR MEMBERS AND OUR COACHES FOR SUCH A TREMENDOUS, UH, SEASON WITH ALL OUR HARD WORK AND OUR DEDICATION.
AND OF COURSE, IF I WANT ADD ONE MORE THING, THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO ALL THE PARENTS FOR BRINGING THEM AND HELPING US OUT WITH EVERYTHING, ESPECIALLY FOR OUR TRIP UP TO STATE AND EVERYTHING ELSE, AND ALL THOSE THAT SHOWED UP TO SUPPORT US AND OUR PRINCIPAL.
FLOTIS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT.
WELL, WE ARE SO INCREDIBLY PROUD OF EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU.
WE KNOW HOW MUCH WORK IT GOES INTO, INTO THESE COMPETITIONS.
SO WE, WE COMMEND YOU FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK AND CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN.
IF I CAN GET, UM, READY FOR THE, UH, PICTURE WITH THE COMMISSION, PLEASE.
VERY MUCH APPRECIATE YOU THE ROBOTICS SHIFT THIS WAY.
[00:35:13]
UM, LET'S SEE.ANY I GET ONE, SORRY, SORRY, SORRY, SORRY.
[Item 4f - Recognition of Award - Memorial Middle School "Raiders" Chess Teams ]
ITEM FOUR F, RECOGNITION OF AWARD, MEMORIAL MIDDLE SCHOOL, RAIDERS, CHESS TEAMS. YEAH.SO OUR NEXT RECOGNITION AWARD GOES TO THE MEMORIAL MIDDLE SCHOOL, MIGHTY RAIDERS CHESS TEAM.
UH, I BELIEVE JOINING US HERE TODAY IS, UH, MICHAEL SALINAS, COACH SALINAS AND COACH MANUEL GONZALEZ.
AND THEY ARE RECEIVING THIS RECOGNITION FOR AN EXCEPTIONAL SEASON AND OUTSTANDING ACCOMPLISHMENT IN THEIR MAIN TEAM, PLACED THIRD AT STATE LEVEL AND WILL COMPETE AT NATIONAL LEVEL IN ATLANTA, GEORGIA ON MAY 10TH THROUGH THE 12TH OF 2024.
AND THEIR ALL GIRLS TEAM SECURED TEXAS STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS ON SEPTEMBER 29TH, 2023 IN BROWNSVILLE, TEXAS, AND WILL BE ATTENDING NATIONALS IN CHICAGO, ILLINOIS ON APRIL 12TH THROUGH THE 14TH OF 2024.
SO IF YOU WANNA GIVE THEM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE AND IF, UH, COACH SELINAS IS HERE, IF YOU WANT TO APPROACH, EXCUSE ME.
UH, SO FIRST AND AND FOREMOST, I WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR RECOGNIZING US AND, UH, GIVING US THIS OPPORTUNITY TO BE SHOWCASED IN FRONT OF OUR PEERS AND OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, I JUST WANNA SAY, TAKE THIS TIME TO SAY THANK YOU, UH, TO MY PARENTS, TO MY STUDENTS.
UH, MEMORIAL HASN'T HAD A CHESS TEAM IN FOREVER.
UH, AND SO LAST YEAR, YOU KNOW, I WAS JUST SOME DUMB TEACHER LOOKING TO, UH,
I MEAN, THAT'S THE BEST WAY I COULD SAY IT.
JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO, HOW TO START UP A CHESS TEAM.
I LITERALLY PULLED, UH, JAYLEN, MARCO, GABBY, THEY WERE MY STUDENTS.
I SAID, HEY, YOU WANNA JOIN CHESS? THEY SAID, WE DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT.
UH, SHE'S GONNA GET EMBARRASSED.
BUT I ALWAYS TELL THE STORY, UH, GABRIELA, GO AHEAD AND STAND UP.
SHE, UH, SHE ASKED ME, IS IT ANYTHING LIKE CHECKERS,
UM, BUT FIRST AND FOREMOST, THESE GUYS HAVE PUT IN SO MUCH WORK, SO MUCH EFFORT, SO MUCH TIME.
UM, I CAN ONLY BEGIN TO LIST THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS THEY'VE DONE.
UM, WE WENT FROM, MY PRINCIPAL SAID IT BEST.
WE WENT FROM ZERO TO TO NATIONALS.
AND OUR FIRST YEAR WE COMPETED AGAINST SOME OF THE BEST IN THE STATE.
AND WE ACTUALLY QUALIFIED LAST YEAR, OUR FIRST YEAR, AND WE CONTINUED TO SET THAT TRADITION AT MEMORIAL.
THIS IS THE FIRST YEAR THAT MY GIRLS ACTUALLY MAKE IT.
THIS IS OUR FIRST YEAR COMPETING.
WE WE'RE GONNA BE REPRESENTING THE GREAT CITY OF HARLINGEN IN, IN CHICAGO.
SO WE'RE SUPER EXCITED FOR THAT.
UH, SO AGAIN, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SHOWCASE US, SHOWCASE OUR TEAM.
UH, MY FRIENDS WOULD KILL ME IF I DIDN'T.
UH, JUST SHARE WHAT POWERHOUSE WE HAVE HERE IN HARLINGEN.
THE HEALTH PROFESSIONS IS ALSO STATE CHAMPIONS.
THEY WON FOUR STATE CHAMPIONS THIS YEAR, THIS YEAR, UH, DISHMAN THIS PAST WEEK, UH, A COUPLE WEEKENDS AGO AT STATE, WON FIRST PLACE IN THE ELEMENTARY SECTION, UH, BONHAM DID IT LAST YEAR.
SO WE, CHESS IS DEFINITELY, UH, UP AND COMING.
BROWNSVILLE HAS BEEN DEDICATED THE CITY FOR, UH, THE CAPITAL OF CHESS IN TEXAS, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO SWITCH IT TO HARLINGEN.
BUT, UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY, GUYS.
[00:40:01]
WOW, WHAT AN ACCOMPLISHMENT.UH, YOU KNOW, KUDOS TO YOU FOR STARTING FROM, FROM THE GROUND UP AND, AND MAKING IT ALL THE WAY.
AND WE WISH YOU THE BEST OF LUCK IN CHICAGO, AND WE HOPE YOU BRING HOME THE, THE WIN.
BUT YOU ARE ALREADY ALL WINNERS IN, IN OUR BOOK, SUCH AN ACCOMPLISHMENT WITH REALLY NO EXPERIENCE AND, AND JUST HAVING YOU TO ENCOURAGE THEM.
AND I, I THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO APPRECIATE.
IF I CAN GET THE COMMISSION TO JOIN US FOR A PHOTO.
AND 3, 2, 1, 3, 2 THAT I WAS HIS MENTOR TEACHER
I THOUGHT HE WAS TALKING ABOUT YOU ACTUALLY.
HUH? THOUGHT HE WAS TALKING ABOUT YOU WHEN HE WAS TALKING ABOUT
[Item 4b - Proclaiming the Week of April 1-5, 2024 as "Community Development Block Grant Week and 50th Year Celebration" ]
ITEM NUMBER FOUR B PROCLAIMING THE WEEK OF APRIL 1ST THROUGH THE FIFTH 2024 AS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT WEEK AND 50TH YEAR CELEBRATION.TO ACCEPT THIS PROCLAMATION WILL BE SANDY AGAIN.
UM, BEFORE I INVITE HER UP, I'LL READ THE PROCLAMATION.
WHEREAS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM HAS EXISTED SINCE 1974 TO PROVIDE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS WITH THE RESOURCES REQUIRED TO PRIMARILY MEET THE NEEDS OF LOW AND MODERATE INCOME PERSONS.
AND WHEREAS THE CITY OF HARLINGEN RECEIVES A DIRECT ALLOCATION FROM THE US DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT ANNUALLY TO PROVIDE RESOURCES FOR A WIDE VARIETY OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES THAT PRINCIPALLY BENEFIT LOW AND MODERATE INCOME PERSONS, INCLUDING THE ELDERLY AND CHILDREN.
AND WHEREAS THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK PROGRAM HAS PROVIDED THE CITY OF HARLINGEN WITH IMPORTANT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO MEET THE NEEDS OF LOW AND MODERATE INCOME RESIDENTS BY FUNDING SEWER, WATER, AND STREET IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS, PUBLIC FACILITY PROJECTS, HOUSING PROJECTS, AND OTHER PUBLIC SERVICE PROJECTS.
AND WHEREAS IN OUR COMMUNITY AND IN COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE NATION, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM FUNDING HAS DEVELOPED A STRONG NETWORK OF RELATIONSHIPS AMONG LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, RESIDENTS, BUSINESSES, AND NON-PROFIT NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS.
AND WHEREAS THE WEEK OF APRIL, FIRST THROUGH THE FIFTH, 2024, HAS BEEN DESIGNATED AS NATIONAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT WEEK BY THE NATIONAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION TO CELEBRATE, RECOGNIZE, AND APPRECIATE THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, NORMA VELA, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF HARLINGEN DUE, HEREBY PROCLAIM THE WEEK OF APRIL 1ST, 2024 THROUGH APRIL 5TH, 2024, AS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT WEEK IN SUPPORT OF THIS VALUED PROGRAM THAT HAS MADE A TREMENDOUS CONTRIBUTION TO THE VIABILITY OF THE HOUSING, STOCK INFRASTRUCTURE, PUBLIC SERVICES, AND ECONOMIC VITALITY OF OUR COMMUNITY.
SANDY, IF YOU'D LIKE TO COME UP TO THE PODIUM.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS AGAIN.
UM, SO THIS IS OUR 50TH ANNIVERSARY.
I AM VERY HAPPY TO SAY, UM, I'M ACTUALLY VERY, UH, PLEASED TO BE WORKING IN THIS DEPARTMENT.
UH, WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE AND BLESSED THAT WE'RE ABLE TO HELP THE LESS FORTUNATE.
UM, IN FACT, WE FUND, UH, ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS CASA MAGGIE'S, MAGGIE'S HOUSE, BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB, UH, LOAVES AND FISHES FAMILY CRISIS CENTER, SUNSHINE HAVEN.
THERE'S A NUMBER OF AGENCIES THAT HAVE BEEN FUNDED THROUGH OUR DEPARTMENT.
[00:45:01]
THE CITY OF HARLEEN IS AN ENTITLEMENT COMMUNITY FOR THESE FUNDS.AND, UH, WE ARE VERY LUCKY TO HAVE, UM, THIS, UH, THESE FUNDS THAT WE CAN, UH, SHARE WITH THE COMMUNITY WITH THE LESS FORTUNATE.
WE ALSO FUND, UH, PROGRAMS, UM, PARKS, LIGHTING STREETS, STREET IMPROVEMENTS, OWNER OCCUPIED REHABILITATION, RECONSTRUCTION, UH, DEMOLITION OF UNSAFE STRUCTURES, AND SO ON AND SO ON.
SO, UM, IN HONOR OF, UM, CDBG WEEK, WE ARE, WE, OUR STAFF DID PUT TOGETHER, UM, SOME FRAMES, UH, WITH ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
AND I INVITE YOU ALL TO COME BY OUR DEPARTMENT AND SEE ALL THE LOVELY PICTURES THAT OUR SUB RECIPIENTS HAVE, UM, SENT TO US, UH, TO SHOWCASE.
UM, ON FRIDAY, WE ARE GONNA HAVE PROBABLY BETWEEN TWO AND THREE, UM, SOME REFRESHMENTS, UH, AND SUITES AND WHATNOT.
IF Y'ALL WOULD LIKE TO COME BY, UM, YOU'RE WELCOME TO AS WELL AS THE COMMUNITY.
I'M VERY BLESSED TO HAVE THIS POSITION AND TO BE, UH, WITH THE CITY OF HARLINGEN DOING THIS.
AND WE ARE VERY BLESSED TO HAVE YOU LEADING AT THE HELM, SO THANK YOU AND YOUR STAFF.
AND WE CAN GET ONE MORE, UH, PHOTOGRAPH WITH ALL THE ROCK STARS
I USED TO HAVE A CONTEXT AND A BIG THANK YOU TO CALISTA AND BRANDON.
[Item 5 - Citizen Communication]
ITEM NUMBER FIVE, CITIZENS COMMUNICATION.AT THIS TIME, THE PUBLIC IS INVITED TO ADDRESS THE CITY COMMISSION AND SPEAK ON ANY MATTER NOT SPECIFICALLY LISTED FOR PUBLIC HEARING ELSEWHERE IN THIS AGENDA.
PLEASE NOTE THAT THE CITY COMMISSION MEMBERS MAY NOT RESPOND TO COMMENTS OR DELIBERATE ON TOPICS ADDRESSED.
UM, WE HAVE ONE MAYOR FOR CITIZENS' COMMUNICATION AND IT'S MR. RAYMOND REYES.
MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS, UH, RAYMOND REYES, 7 0 6 NANTUCKET.
UM, WHAT CAN I SAY? THERE'S, UM, A LOT OF THINGS THAT, THAT HAVE BEEN, UH, COMING TO LIGHT.
UM, OF COURSE, UM, THE BIGGEST THING, I GUESS WOULD BE THE, THE WATER THING.
UH, ANOTHER BIG THING THAT I'M STILL SURPRISED THAT SOMETHING HASN'T BEEN COME UP, COME UP WITH IS I HAVE A LOT OF FRIENDS THAT HAVE BUSINESSES AT THE MALL.
THE MALL CONTINUES TO, UH, STRUGGLE.
APPARENTLY THEY OWN PROPERTY TAXES AND THERE'S ALL KINDS OF OTHER THINGS GOING ON.
UH, I WOULD THINK THAT MAYBE SOME KIND OF PLAN OR SOMETHING CAN BE FORMULATED TO, UH, ENSURE THAT THESE BUSINESSES THAT IN GENERAL ARE, ARE STRUGGLING AS IT IS.
UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S JUST, UH, STILL ONGOING TOUGH TIMES.
I SEE THAT OUR, OUR WEBSITE WAS, UH, REVAMPED.
THERE'S A LOT OF ASPECTS OF THE WEBSITE THAT ARE, UH, NOT WORKING CORRECTLY.
UM, UH, I MENTIONED IT TO, TO SOME INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE ON, ON THE COMMISSION AND STUFF.
UH, I KNOW THAT THE STAFF DOES THE BEST THEY CAN WITH WHAT THEY GOT.
UM, BUT BEING IN IT, I KNOW THAT IT SHOULD BE CHECKED AND RECHECKED AND MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING'S WORKING THE WAY IT SHOULD.
I KNOW THERE WAS A COUPLE OF POSTS TODAY ABOUT SOME DOGS, AGGRESSIVE DOGS THAT WERE LOOSE IN CERTAIN ASPECT OF THE
[00:50:01]
CITY.AND, UH, RIGHT OFF THE BAT, WHEN YOU GO TO GET THE PHONE NUMBER OF WHO TO NOTIFY, THERE WAS LIKE SEVEN DIFFERENT NUMBERS.
AND, UM, I WENT THROUGH A COUPLE OF 'EM, THEN I HAD SOME INDIVIDUALS THAT DO THINGS FOR ME, GO THROUGH 'EM.
SO I WAS, I WAS ABLE TO GET THROUGH FINALLY AND LET THEM KNOW AND STUFF.
SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE CORRECT INFORMATION, UH, SO OUR CITIZENS CAN NOTIFY THE CERTAIN DEPARTMENTS, UM, ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON AND STUFF TO MAKE SURE THEY GET HOLD OF, OF THE RIGHT PEOPLE THAT OVERSEE THAT.
I KNOW THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WAS CONTACTED, BUT THEY REALLY DON'T HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THAT STUFF.
SO, AGAIN, AS I'VE STATED BEFORE, I THINK IT'S VERY CRITICAL TO HAVE CORRECT OVERSIGHT.
AND, UH, I MYSELF SIGNED UP FOR THE CITIZEN COMMENTS, BUT, UM, I'VE BEEN AWARE OF THE ONGOING ISSUE WITH THE WATER IN THE CITY FOR A WHILE AND, UM, I DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO SIGN UP FOR THAT.
SO I JUST SIGNED UP FOR THE COMMENTS SECTION AGAIN, 'CAUSE I'D LIKE TO SPEAK ON, ON, ON THAT BEHALF BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, I THINK, UH, SHOULD HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED PRIOR TO GETTING TO WHERE WE'RE AT AND STUFF.
IT'S NOT LIKE IT WAS AN ISSUE THAT WAS HIDING.
I KNOW MOST OF THE COMMISSION WAS NOT, UH, IN PLACE AT THE TIME WHEN ALL THESE THINGS WERE UP, BUT IN MY OPINION, IF, UH, CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS KNEW THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM, THEN IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN BROUGHT TO THE COMMISSION'S ATTENTION SO IT COULD HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED EARLIER.
SO I'LL JUST WAIT UNTIL WE GO THROUGH THE CYCLE AGAIN.
AT THIS TIME WE ARE GOING TO TAKE, UM, ITEMS A LITTLE OUT OF ORDER.
AND SO I'D LIKE TO MOVE ON TO THE EXECUTIVE SESSION BECAUSE WE DO HAVE, UM, OUR CEO HERE THAT NEEDS TO BE IN ANOTHER LOCATION AND CONTINUE TO WORKING.
SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE TO GET HIM OUT HERE
[Item 12 - Executive Session ]
QUICKLY.SO AT THIS TIME, WE MOVING ON TO ITEM 12, EXECUTIVE SESSION.
ALL ITEMS LISTED TO SECTION, UM, WE HAVE ITEM 12 A PURSUANT TO GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 5, 1 0.071.
ATTORNEY CONSULTATION AND CONTEMPLATED LITIGATION SECTION 5 5 1 0.072 DELIBERATION REGARDING REAL ESTATE AND SECTION 5 5 1 0.087.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT RELATING TO PROJECT BLACKTOP.
ITEM B PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE 5 5 1 0.07 REGARDING SETTING GOALS FOR THE CITY MANAGER.
AND ITEM C PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE 5 5 1 0.071 TO CONSULT WITH LEGAL COUNSEL REGARDING PENDING COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT WITH THE FIRE UNION.
AT THIS TIME, IS THERE A MOTION TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION MOTION? SECOND.
THE TIME IS NOW 6:23 PM AND WE WILL RETIRE TO EXECUTIVE SESSION AND BE OUT SHORTLY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE, RIGHT.
THE TIME IS NOW 7:06 PM AND WE ARE OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION AND BACK IN OPEN SESSION.
AND IS THERE A MOTION? MOTION SECOND.
MOTION TO, UM, TO PROCEED OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION.
[Item 13 - Action on Executive Session Items ]
IS TO PROCEED AS DISCUSSED AND EXECUTIVE SESSION.IS THERE A MO THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND.
AND NOW AMANDA, WE NEED AN ITEM FOR 12.
THE AGREEMENT FOR COLLECTIVE BARGAINING.
IS THERE ANOTHER MOTION? MOTION TO PROCEED AS DISCUSSED IN EXECUTIVE SESSION ITEM 12 C.
[Item 6 - Approval of Minutes]
WITH ITEM NUMBER SIX.APPROVAL OF MINUTES, REGULAR MEETING OF FEBRUARY 7TH, 2024.
IS THERE ANY AMENDMENTS? MOTION TO APPROVE? THERE WERE TWO MINOR PEN CHANGES THAT I ALREADY GAVE TO AMANDA.
SO WE MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE, UH, SUBJECT TO THE, UH, TYPOGRAPHICAL AMENDMENTS.
AND I MADE ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.
[Item 7 - Consent Agenda]
SEVEN, CONSENT AGENDA.NO DISCUSSION IS ANTICIPATED ON ANY OF THE ITEMS IN THIS SECTION BECAUSE THEY ARE ROUTINE BUSINESS.
WERE INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET ADOPTION PROCESS OR HAVE BEEN PREVIOUSLY DISCUSSED AS A STAFF REPORT OR DISCUSSION ITEM.
[00:55:01]
ITEMS WILL BE CONSIDERED COLLECTIVELY BY A SINGLE VOTE UNLESS A COMMISSIONER ME MEMBER REQUESTS AN ITEM TO BE REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA.I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE, UH, ALL CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS DO YOU NEED TO REMOVE? SECOND.
[Item 8 - Staff Reports and Other Discussion Items: ]
OKAY.ITEM NUMBER EIGHT, STAFF REPORTS AND OTHER DISCUSSION ITEMS IN THIS SECTION ARE NOT EXPECTED TO REQUIRE ACTION BY THE CITY COMMISSION ARE GENERALLY FOR INFORMATION ONLY.
HOWEVER, ANY ITEM LISTED IN THIS SECTION MAY BECOME AN ACTION ITEM WITH THE RE WITH THE REQUEST OF THE MAYOR OR AFTER THE REQUEST OF ANY TWO COMMISSIONER MEMBERS OR THE CITY MANAGER.
[Item 8a - City Manager's Reports ]
CITY MANAGER'S REPORT.CAMERON COUNTY APPRAISAL DISTRICT IS GOING TO BEGIN HAVING, UH, SESSIONS IN HARDING, IN HARLINGEN FOR RESIDENTS TO RE UH, REVIEW THEIR PROPERTY VALUES.
THEY WANT TO HAVE 'EM APRIL 11TH, 12TH, AND 17TH THROUGH THE 19TH.
AND THEY'VE ASKED US TO PROVIDE A FACILITY.
UH, WE'RE LOOKING AT CASA DI AMISTAD FOR THAT.
SO THAT'LL BE COMING UP LATER THIS MONTH.
[Item 8b -Staff Reports - Presentation by Texas Municipal League Intergovernmental Risk Pool]
ITEM A B STEP.UM, AT THE LAST MEETING WE DID, THERE WAS A MOTION TO TABLE THE CREATION OF THE NONPROFIT FOR THE ANIMAL SHELTER.
AND IT WAS SUPPOSED TO COME BACK TO THIS MEETING AND I I JUST REALIZED THAT IT, IT'S NOT ON THE AGENDA.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE ARE WORKING ON? I THINK I ASKED MARK TO, TO, TO LOOK AT THE LIBRARY.
WE'RE WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING AT IT AND WE'LL PRESENT IT AT THE NEXT MEETING.
ITEM A B UH, STAFF REPORTS PRESENTATION BY TEXAS MUNICIPAL LEAGUE, INTERGOVERNMENTAL RISK RISK POOL, TML, UH, HUMAN RESOURCES.
I AM YOUR SAFETY AND LOSS CONTROL CONSULTANT WITH THE RISK POOL.
UH, MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION AND CITY MANAGEMENT.
MY NAME IS CLAUDIA PONO AND I AM YOUR RISK MANAGEMENT ADVISOR WITH THE TEXAS MUNICIPAL LEAGUE, AL.
SO, LIKE I SAID, IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE HERE, UH, ESPECIALLY THIS YEAR.
UH, WE'RE CELEBRATING OUR 50TH ANNIVERSARY WORKING WITH LOCAL GOVERNMENT, UH, IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS I DO WANNA SHARE AGAIN, UH, IS THAT WE ARE PRIVILEGED THAT CARNAGEN IS A MEMBER FOR 34 YEARS, HAVE BEEN A MEMBER OF THE RISK POOL.
AND OVER THOSE 34 YEARS, IT'S ALWAYS BEEN A HOSPITALITY FOR US TO COME HERE.
AND WARMTH, UH, IN THOSE 34 YEARS, YOU GUYS HAVE HOSTED OVER 200 TRAINING SESSIONS TO THE CITY, BUT SURROUNDING MEMBERS, UM, IT, IT PROBABLY TOTALS UP TO MORE THAN 2,400 EMPLOYEES GETTING TRAINED IN THE RESPECTIVE FIELDS.
SO I'M GONNA GO OVER A COUPLE OF SLIDES WITH YOU JUST TO AGAIN, REITERATE WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE DO FOR THE CITY.
AND, AND THE, THE, THE OTHER MEMBERS, LIKE I SAID BEFORE, IT'S A PARTNERSHIP.
UM, EVEN THOUGH PROBABLY MOST OF US SEE US AS AN INSURANCE COMPANY, OR THEY'RE THE GUYS THAT PROVIDE OUR WORKERS' COMP OR OUT LIABILITY, WE ARE NOT A TRADITIONAL, UM, INSURANCE COMPANY.
WE DON'T, WE DON'T ACT LIKE AN INSURANCE COMPANY.
WE DON'T WORK LIKE AN INSURANCE COMPANY, AND WE SURE DON'T TREAT MEMBERS AS AN INSURANCE, UH, COMPANY WOULD.
UH, WHAT I MEAN THAT IS THAT IT'S TRULY A PARTNERSHIP WHERE WE, WE SHARE THE RISK AND WE PARTNER WITH EVERYBODY TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR MAIN GOAL IS TO REDUCE THE CLAIMS OUT THERE AND SAVE THE CITY OR THE MEMBERS MONEY BY MAKING SURE THAT THE CONTRIBUTIONS ARE LOW.
DON'T DO ACTUAL APPRAISAL TO THOSE.
SO, BY THE NUMBERS, AGAIN, JUST TO, JUST TO, UH, SHARE HOW BIG THE PARTNERSHIP, UH, IS.
WE SERVE ABOUT ALMOST OVER 98% OF LOCAL GOVERNMENTS IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
96% OF THE CITIES IN THE STATE OF TEXAS ARE PART OF THE RISK POOL.
UH, THAT INCLUDES APPRAISAL DISTRICTS, UH, HOUSING AUTHORITIES, DRAINAGE DISTRICTS, UH, ANYBODY THAT'S IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
WE DO SHARE PARTNERSHIPS WITH THEM.
AND AGAIN, OUR TRADITIONAL COVERAGES ARE WORKERS' COMP, LIABILITY, PROPERTY, CYBER, AND SPECIAL RISK.
BUT AGAIN, I DO WANT TO REITERATE, AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I DO WHEN I DO TRAINING SESSIONS FOR YOU GUYS, YOUR STAFF, IS THAT WE ARE NOT AN INSURANCE COMPANY.
WE, WE, WE DON'T WORK LIKE THAT.
WE, WE REALLY TRY TO PARTNER WITH EVERYBODY AND MAKE SURE THAT, ONE, WE CREATE AWARENESS, WE EDUCATE, UH, THE EMPLOYEE AND REALLY TRY TO PREPARE 'EM FOR, FOR THE WORK AHEAD.
UM, HOW DO YOU DETERMINE THE VALUE OF THE PROPERTY THAT YOU PROVIDED COVERAGE FOR?
[01:00:01]
YES.SO WHEN YOU AS A CITY FIRST ADD A PROPERTY, YOU PROVIDE US WITH THE VALUE THAT YOU WISH TO COVER.
SO THAT WOULD BE THE VALUE FOR THE REAL PROPERTY, THAT'S YOUR BUILDING, YOUR STRUCTURE, AND THEN THE VALUE FOR ITS CONTENTS, IF THERE ARE ANY.
SO THAT WOULD BE YOUR PERSONAL PROPERTY.
SO YOU, YOU PROVIDE US WITH THAT VALUE, AND THAT'S WHAT GETS ADDED TO YOUR SCHEDULE.
THEN THERE MAY BE TIMES WHERE WE APPLY AN INFLATIONARY FACTOR.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, GIVEN INFLATION, WE MAY APPLY A 10% INCREASE TO YOUR VALUES ACROSS THE BOARD.
SO THERE MAY BE TIMES THAT THERE ARE ADJUSTMENTS MADE LIKE THAT, BUT ULTIMATELY IT COMES DOWN TO THE VALUE THAT THE CITY GIVES US WHEN ADDING AS A NEW, UH, PROPERTY.
SO, UM, SOME OF HAREN OR ALL OF, UH, HARLINGEN COVERAGES ARE ON THE NEXT SLIDE.
SO WE HAVE YOUR WORKERS' COMPENSATION, YOUR LIABILITY COVERAGES, WHICH INCLUDE GENERAL LIABILITY, LAW ENFORCEMENT, ERRORS AND OMISSIONS, AUTO LIABILITY, AUTO PHYSICAL DAMAGE, AND AUTO CATASTROPHE FOR PROPERTY COVERAGES.
YOU HAVE YOUR REAL AND PERSONAL PROPERTY, FLOOD AND EARTHQUAKE, BOILER MACHINERY, MOBILE EQUIPMENT, CRIME.
AND, UH, I'VE INCLUDED WHAT THE CRIME COVERAGES ARE THAT YOU'VE ELECTED.
AND THEN CYBER LIABILITY WOULD BE THE OTHER COVERAGE THAT YOU HAVE WITH THE RISK POOL.
AND AS FAR AS HOW WE COME UP WITH THE CONTRIBUTION THAT THE CITY WOULD CONTRIBUTE TO THE POOL, EVERY YEAR WE TAKE YOUR EXPERIENCE, WHICH IS ANOTHER WORD FOR YOUR LOSSES, YOUR, THEN WE APPLY THE RATE.
SO THERE'S A DIFFERENT RATE PER COVERAGE, UH, AND THEN THE EXPOSURE.
SO AS AN EXAMPLE, WORKERS' COMPENSATION, THE EXPERIENCE WOULD BE, WE WOULD LOOK AT THE LAST THREE YEARS OF LOSSES.
SO THAT MEANS THAT CLAIMS OLDER THAN THREE YEARS WOULD NO LONGER BE CONSIDERED AS PART OF THAT EQUATION.
SO IT WOULD BE THREE YEARS OF CLAIMS PLUS THE RATES FOR WORKERS' COMPENSATION, AS AN EXAMPLE.
THERE'S A DIFFERENT RATE PER CLASSIFICATION CODE OF EMPLOYEE, AND THEN THE EXPOSURE WOULD BE YOUR PAYROLL.
SO LOOKING AT THOSE THREE, AT THOSE THREE COMPONENTS IS HOW WE COME UP WITH THE CONTRIBUTION TO THE POOL FOR, LIKE I SAID, EACH OF THOSE COVERAGES.
GOING BACK TO THE LOSS PREVENTION AND, UH, THE ROLE THAT I PLAY WITH THE POOL, WE OFFER MEMBER CONTACT AND RISK ASSESSMENTS WITH, THAT'S ONE OF THE BENEFITS THAT BEING PART OF THE, THE RISK POLICE AND RISK ASSESSMENTS IS SOMETHING THAT WE, WE, UH, WE DRIVE WITH EVERY MEMBER, MAKING SURE THAT WE LOOK AT THE LOSSES, WE ANALYZE THEM, AND THEN OF COURSE WE COME BACK WITH RECOMMENDATIONS AND, AND TRAINING NEEDED FOR, TO, TO, TO ADDRESS THOSE TRENDS THAT WE'RE SEEING ON THOSE RISK ASSESSMENTS.
UH, WE ALSO OFFER RISK ASSESSMENTS NOT ONLY FOR ENTIRE CITY, FOR THE ENTIRE LOSS ACTIVITY, BUT ALSO DEPART DEPARTMENT, UH, SECTION.
FOR EXAMPLE, WE CAN GO INTO THE POLICE OR THE PUBLIC WORKS AND, AND LOOK AT THEIR LOSSES AND, AND MAKE A DETERMINATION OF, OKAY, THIS IS PROBABLY THE TRAINING THAT'S NEEDED OR DEVELOPMENT THAT'S NEEDED.
THE, THESE ARE MY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR YOU GUYS TO, UH, INFLUENCE THAT TRAIN AND LOWER THE, THE, THE, THE TREND.
AND AGAIN, THE WHOLE THING IS MAKING SURE THAT WE, IF I GO BACK TO A SLIDE, MAKING SURE THAT WE HELP YOU REDUCE THE CONTRIBUTIONS.
WE, ON THE CONTRARY, WE TRY TO COLLECT LESS FROM YOU EVERY YEAR.
I WOULD RATHER US COME BACK AND SAY, OKAY, THIS YEAR YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO CONTRIBUTE LESS THAN NEXT YEAR.
UH, AND THAT HAPPENS AGAIN BY WORKING TOGETHER AS A PARTNER, UM, ANALYZING THE, THE, THE LOSSES AND THEN WORKING ON THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE PUT FORTH ON IT.
UM, EVEN THOUGH WE'RE NOT IN A TRAINED ORGANIZATION PER SE, WE DO HAVE THREE CONSULTANTS THAT ARE, UH, EXPERTS AT THAT FIELD.
AND WE TRY TO COVER ALL THE, THE VITAL POINTS OF THE CITY OR, OR LOCAL GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS.
UH, IF IT'S HEAVY EQUIPMENT, WE HAVE A HEAVY EQUIPMENT CONSULTANT THAT SPECIALIZES IN SKILL DEVELOPMENT AND TRAINING FOR HEAVY EQUIPMENT, HUMAN RESOURCES, AND OF COURSE LAW ENFORCEMENT.
UM, SPEAKING OF TRAINING THOUGH, UH, AGAIN, TWO, 200 TRAINING EVENTS YOU GUYS HAVE HOSTED OVER THE LAST 34 YEARS, THAT'S REMARKABLE AND I, I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
UH, ASIDE FROM TRAINING, WE ALSO OFFER RESOURCES AND PUBLICATIONS, UH, SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED TO ENHANCE THE, THE, THE SAFETY AWARENESS OF THE CITY OR THE MEMBER AND CONTINUE THAT EDUCATION.
UH, ASIDE FROM THE IN-PERSON TRAININGS THAT WE HAVE.
SO WE HAVE ONLINE LEARNING, THAT'S A COMPUTER BASED LEARNING THAT, UH, IS OFFERED TO THE CITY AT NO CHARGE FOR BEING, AGAIN, A MEMBER OF THE RISK POOL.
WE HAVE PUBLICATIONS AS IT'S TIPS, AND THAT'S ACTUALLY AN ACRONYM THAT SAYS, TOGETHER IMPROVING PROCESSES AND SAFETY.
THAT IS A MONTHLY PUBLICATION THAT WE RE
[01:05:01]
RE RELEASE.UM, AND IT'S STATISTIC, UH, IT'S EITHER GONNA BE BASED ON THE SEASON THAT WE'RE IN, NOW THAT WE'RE APPROACHING THE, THE HURRICANE SEASON, WE'RE GONNA START WORKING ON HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS, HEAT EXHAUSTION, AND SO ON.
UM, ROAD READY IS ANOTHER GREAT INITIATIVE THAT WE JUST DEVELOPED A FEW YEARS AGO.
AND I WILL SAY THIS GUYS, IF YOU GUYS HAVE NOT ALREADY BEEN, UM, TOLD BY PUBLIC WORKS, PUBLIC WORKS HAS REALLY GRAVITATED TO, TO YOUR ROAD READY.
THAT'S AN INITIATIVE THAT WE HIGHLIGHT MEMBERS THAT ARE PARTICIPATING IN THAT INITIATIVE.
AND IT'S STRICTLY DESIGNED FOR PEOPLE THAT WORK ON OR NEAR THE ROADWAY.
AND WE COVER EVERYTHING FROM TRAINING TO, UH, SELF-DRIVEN TRAINING FOR THE MEMBER.
THEY DON'T HAVE TO WAIT FOR US TO COME IN AND CLOSE DOWN OPERATIONS FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS TO TRAIN THE GUYS.
WE HAVE PUBLICATIONS IN THE SITE THAT YOU COULD DOWNLOAD AND THEN GO AT YOUR OWN PACE AND MAKING SURE THAT OPERATIONS STILL, UH, WORK, WORK ORDERS ARE BEING DONE, BUT WE'RE TRAINING OUR FOLKS OUT THERE AND KEEPING 'EM SAFE.
AND OF COURSE, THE, THE, THE WHOLE GOAL IS THAT EVERYBODY GOES HOME AT THE END OF THE DAY.
SO WE, UM, TRY TO RECOGNIZE EVERY MEMBER THAT'S, THAT'S USING THE ROAD ROADY PROGRAM, UH, THAT ARE FIVE DIGITAL BADGES THAT WE AWARDED EVERY MILESTONE.
RATHER IT BE, YOU MET WITH ME AND WE DID A CONSULTATION AND I GAVE YOU, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS OR SUGGESTED SOME PRACTICES TO PUT IN PLACE.
UH, YOU'VE HOLDED YOU'VE HOSTED TRAINING, UM, FOR SURROUNDING MEMBERS AND YOURSELVES, OR YOU'VE HAD, UH, MEMBER ONLY TRAINING, WHICH PUBLIC WORKS DOES.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, WE'VE, WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON A MONTHLY BASIS WHERE I COME IN AND I TRAIN THE GUYS OR HELP CREATE AWARENESS ON A SPECIFIC TERM.
UM, AND THEN THERE'S THE SAFETY RODEO, WHICH AGAIN, I THINK THE PUBLIC WORKS IS HOSTING ONE IN MAY, UH, MAY 17TH IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN.
UM, AND THEN THERE'S A HAZARD ASSESSMENT, WHICH AGAIN, IF THE MEMBER CAN WORK WITH US AND WE, WE COMPLETE A HAZARD ASSESSMENT SO THEY CAN DO IT ON THEIR OWN.
AGAIN, THE WHOLE PROGRAM IS, IS DESIGNED TO BE SELF-DRIVEN.
UM, ONCE YOU ACHIEVE THOSE, THOSE FIVE BADGES, WE DO AWARD THE MEMBER WITH A CERTIFICATE AND A PLAQUE ON IT.
SO HOPEFULLY YOU'LL SEE ME AGAIN IN A COUPLE MONTHS WHERE I CAN COME BACK AND PRESENT THAT TO YOU BECAUSE CHRIS AND HIS TEAM HAVE, HAVE WORKED DILIGENTLY TO GET TO THOSE FIVE FACTORS.
UM, SAFETY AT YOUR FINGERTIPS, THAT'S ANOTHER INITIATIVE WE JUST KICKED OFF IN NOVEMBER.
THAT'S A TEXT MESSAGE, UH, SERVICE WHERE, UM, WE UNDERSTAND THAT SUPERVISORS, DIRECTORS, AND EVERYBODY AT THE CITY, THEY WEAR MULTIPLE HATS AND THEY HAVE A LOT OF THINGS TO DO.
UH, AND SOMETIMES IT'S HARD FOR THEM TO GO TO THE COMPUTER, PULL SOMETHING OUT, PULL A SAFETY PROGRAM OUT AND DELIVER IT.
SO WHAT WE'VE UH, DESIGNED IS A MASS TEXT PROGRAM WHERE WE TEXT OUT SUBSCRIBERS, UH, SAFETY TIPS ON A MONTHLY BASIS.
WE SEND OUT TWO TEXTS PER MONTH, UH, FIRST AND THIRD WEEK OF THE MONTH.
AND AGAIN, IT'S BASED EITHER ON THE SEASON OR THE TRENDS THAT WE'RE SEEING THROUGHOUT THE STATE.
UH, WE'RE ALSO GONNA BE USING IT FOR EMERGENCIES.
HEAVEN FORBID THERE'S A HURRICANE COMING.
WE'LL SEND OUT DOS AND DON'TS, UH, FOR PRE, DURING, AND AFTER THE STORM.
UM, SO IT'S A VERY GOOD, UM, VERY GOOD INITIATIVE.
WE, RIGHT NOW, AGAIN, WE KICKED IT OFF IN NOVEMBER.
WE HAVE JUST OVER JUST SHY OF 500 SUBSCRIBERS ALREADY STATEWIDE THAT ARE USING IT.
AND THE FEEDBACK THAT WE'RE GETTING HAS JUST BEEN SUPERB.
SO WE'RE DEVELOPING IT AS WE GO.
UH, MEDIA LIBRARY, WE HAVE, YOU GUYS REMEMBER BLOCKBUSTER WELL, WE HAVE MEDIA LIBRARY JUST LIKE THAT WHERE THE CDS CAN CHECK OUT DVDS, UM, AND WE'LL SEND YOU UP TO THREE COPIES PER MONTH.
YOU GUYS CAN KEEP 'EM ALL MONTH, USE 'EM AS YOU NEED IT, SEND IT BACK, EVERYTHING'S INCLUDED.
UM, DO PEOPLE STILL HAVE DVD PLAYERS?
AND AS A MATTER OF FACT, SOME MEMBERS PREFER IT BECAUSE THEY CAN PAUSE IT, DISCUSS WHAT THEY JUST SAW WITH THE TEAM AND SAY, HEY, COULD THAT WORK FOR US? OR, YOU KNOW, IS IT NOT SOMETHING WE CAN USE? BUT TO YOUR QUESTION, YES, THEY DO HAVE SOME, BUT WE ALSO THOUGHT ABOUT THAT, ESPECIALLY WITH THE NEW GENERATION IN OUR WORKFORCE, RIGHT? UH, WE'RE IN THE INITIAL STEPS OF, UH, ROLLING OUT A STREAMING SERVICE JUST LIKE NETFLIX.
SO WHERE THE CITY'S GONNA GO IN THERE AND JUST CHECK OUT, WATCH A SAFETY VIDEO ON IT.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO COVER EVERYTHING.
WE CAN BE THERE FOR YOU GUYS AS MUCH AS WE CAN.
AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE, THE CITY'S EXTREMELY BUSY.
I USED TO WORK FOR A CITY,
SO ALL OUR RECOMMENDATIONS AND OUR AND OUR RESOURCES ARE BEHIND THAT THOUGHT PROCESS.
WE, WE'VE BEEN THERE, WE KNOW WHAT YOU GUYS GO THROUGH.
SO EVERY RESOURCE THAT WE OFFER TO YOU GUYS, ONE'S FREE OF CHARGE OBVIOUSLY.
AND THEN TWO, IT'S REALLY NOW DESIGNED TO BE MORE EFFICIENT AND REALLY GET THAT, THAT TOPIC, THAT SAFETY TOPIC TO YOUR TEAM OUT THERE IN THE FIELD SO THEY CAN BE BETTER OUT THERE AS THEY'RE WORKING.
AND AGAIN, THE WHOLE OBJECTIVE IS EVERYBODY GOES HOME AND WE CAN START REDUCING THOSE, THOSE CLAIM RATES.
HOPEFULLY WE CAN COME BACK NEXT YEAR AND SAY, OKAY, YOU'RE GONNA CONTRIBUTE A LITTLE BIT LESS.
'CAUSE YOU GUYS DID AWESOME LAST YEAR.
HOW MANY, UH, HANDS ON TRAINING SESSIONS HAVE YOU BEEN DONE IN HARTON THE PAST YEAR? IN THE PAST YEAR? UM,
[01:10:01]
WE'VE HAD SEVERAL.I KNOW JUST LIKE I SAID, WITH PUBLIC WORKS ALONE EVERY MONTH THIS YEAR I'VE BEEN GOING THERE WITH THEM FOR ABOUT AN HOUR COVERING TOPICS.
UH, LAST YEAR I THINK YOU HOSTED THREE HEAVY EQUIPMENT SESSIONS, UM, NOT ONLY FOR YOURSELF BUT FOR SURROUNDING MEMBERS, WHICH IS GREAT.
UH, WE HAD TWO SESSIONS OF HR TRAINING HERE, AS A MATTER OF FACT, IN THIS SPECIFIC ROOM LAST YEAR AS WELL.
UH, OR WAS IT IN JANUARY? I'M NOT TOO SURE, BUT YOU GUYS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN, UH, VERY, VERY GRACIOUS IN HOSTING US AND CALLING US UP AND SAY, HEY, I'M HAVING THIS ISSUE.
I DO HAVE DEPARTMENTS THAT CALL ME AND SAY, HEY, I'M HAVING THIS ISSUE.
DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING ON IT? IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT WE DON'T HAVE THAT WE DO, UH, WE'LL RECOMMEND IT TO YOU.
ONE OF THOSE RESOURCES OR AN EXTERNAL RESOURCE THAT'S FREE.
AGAIN, I NEVER WANT TO RECOMMEND SOMETHING THAT YOU HAVE TO PAY OUT OF POCKET FOR OUR STAFF RAVES ABOUT YOU GUYS.
AND WE'VE GONE TO A NUMBER OF Y'ALL'S, UM, UH, CONFERENCES.
AND SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR EVERYTHING YOU GUYS DO.
IT'S, IT'S REALLY A PARTNERSHIP.
AND THE MEMBER JUST LIKE YOURSELF, ARE VERY ENGAGED AGAIN, UH, OVER THE 34 YEARS WITH, UH, 200 SESSIONS, OVER 200 SESSIONS.
UH, THAT JUST SPEAKS VOLUMES FOR US.
WELL, THANK YOU FOR BEING FANTASTIC PARTNERS.
UH, THE LAST RESOURCE, UM, I CAN GO ON AND ON BECAUSE WE DO HAVE A LOT OF RESOURCES FOR EVERYBODY.
BUT WE DO HAVE A PODCAST NOW, UH, IT'S CALLED, UH, STRONGER TOGETHER PODCAST, THAT'S A 15 MINUTE PODCAST OR LESS DESIGNED FOR, UH, ROLES LIKE YOURSELVES AND CITY MANAGEMENT TO BETTER UNDERSTAND WHAT THE CODE DOES OR BETTER UNDERSTAND THE LEGAL AND THE FINANCIAL SIDE OF RUNNING, UH, UH, MUNICIPALITY.
SO I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU COULD, YOU COULD FIND ALL THOSE TOOLS ON OUR WEBSITE@TMLIRP.ORG.
UM, OR IF YOU WANT, YOU CAN GIMME A HOLLER.
I'D BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO COME BACK AND HELP YOU NAVIGATE ALL THOSE RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE THERE.
[Item 8c -Presentation by Texas Historical Independence Celebration Association regarding Texas Fest]
EIGHT C, UH, PRESENTATION BY TEXAS HISTORICAL INDEPENDENT CELEBRATION ASSOCIATION REGARDING TEXAS FEST.GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGERS, UH, SECRETARIES, ATTORNEYS, EVERYBODY HERE.
WE'RE HAPPY TO BE IN HARLINGEN.
WE WERE HERE A FEW MONTHS AGO AND Y'ALL OPENED DOORS FOR US.
AND, UH, WE'VE BEEN WORKING HARD BEHIND THE SCENES.
I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE A GREAT EVENT.
UM, WE'RE CALLED THIKA SHORT FOR TEXAS HISTORICAL INDEPENDENCE CELEBRATION ASSOCIATION.
AND WE PUT TOGETHER A TEXAS FEST WHERE WE REENACT THE TEXAS FIGHT FOR INDEPENDENCE.
AND IT'S AN EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE FOR EVERYONE, STUDENTS, TEACHERS, UH, ADULTS, KIDS, EVERYBODY.
WHY WOULD WE EVER WANNA LEAVE HARLINGEN?
WE'RE HOPING THAT IT'LL BE GREAT AND HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE.
I'VE MET A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT I WOULD'VE NEVER HAD A CHANCE TO MEET.
HE'S FROM HARLINGEN, HARLINGEN.
BUT WE HAVE SANTO PEOPLE AND PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE AREA, SO THANK YOU.
AND THE DATES FOR THE EVENT, AGAIN? THE DATES ARE APRIL 12TH THROUGH 14, AND ON THE 12TH IS THE RIBBON CUTTING THAT WE WANNA INVITE EVERYONE OF YOU HERE TO, TO BE PART OF IT.
WE'LL HAVE COOKIES AND, UM, TEA, ICE, COLD TEA.
PROBABLY NOT COFFEE 'CAUSE IT'S TOO HOT.
SO, UM, I WANNA KNOW IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS OTHER THAN WHEN'S THE DATE? 12TH TO 14? IT'S REAL CLOSE.
IT'S COMING UP PRETTY CLOSE, BUT, UH, WE'RE BUSY, BUSY, BUSY.
AND THAT'S WHY WE ALMOST GOT HERE LATE.
AND, UM, EVERYONE HAS BEEN GREAT.
I DON'T THINK WE'LL LEAVE HERE,
I, WE, I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THE HARD WORK THAT YOU'RE PUTTING INTO THIS EVENT AND BRINGING IT TO OUR COMMUNITY.
AND I KNOW LOTS OF PEOPLE ARE, ARE TALKING ABOUT IT.
AND WE HOPE TO, YOU DON'T WANNA LEAVE AND WE DON'T WANT YOU TO LEAVE.
I JUST WANT TO COMPLIMENT MY GOOD FRIEND JULIO, ON HOW GOOD HE LOOKS.
[01:15:02]
AND YOU CAN LOOK JUST LIKE THAT.YOU JUST NEED TO GIVE ME TIME TO MAKE YOUR UNIFORM AND I WILL BUY IT FOR YOU.
I, I WAS GONNA MENTION, I, I, I'M PARTICIPATING.
HI, DANIEL, GABE, NORMA, ALL OF YOU GUYS.
AND, AND ACTUALLY, UH, YOU KNOW, I I BEEN DOING THIS FOR, FOR AN ETERNITY, I THINK, BUT I REALLY ENJOY IT.
AND I LEARNED A LOT ABOUT TEXAS, UM, WHICH I DIDN'T LEARN IN SCHOOL, BUT IT'S, IT'S JUST, IT REALLY IS VERY NEAR AND DEAR TO OUR HEARTS.
AND WE ALWAYS LOOK FOR VOLUNTEERS AND, YOU KNOW, THE FEMALES, ALL WE GOTTA DO IS CRY OVER OUR MEN AND THEN WE WALK OUT
AND THEN, AND THEN THE GUYS, YOU KNOW, IF YOU HEAR A SHOT, JUST FALL ON THE GROUND AND THAT'S, THAT'S YOUR ROLE.
BUT, UH, WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF, YOU KNOW, GETTING SOME NEW UNIFORMS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
BUT WE NEED TO KNOW, LIKE BY THIS WEEKEND, IF YOU'RE WILLING TO, TO PARTICIPATE, ANYBODY, YOU KNOW, UH, WE JUST NEED TO GET A HOLD OF US.
AND, UH, WE GAVE OUT SOME FLYERS AND, AND SCHEDULES.
UH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE READY FOR YOU GUYS AND YOU'LL HAVE A TIME OF YOUR LIFE.
CAN YOU TELL US WHERE IT'S GONNA BE AT? IT IS GOING TO BE AT THE FAIR PARK BOULEVARD, THE WHITE, UH, WHITE WINGS, UH, CAR FIELD.
ARE YOU GONNA HAVE THE CANNONS? YES.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE AT LEAST ONE CANNON.
WE'RE HOPING FOR THREE, BUT WE'LL SETTLE FOR ONE.
AND, AND, AND THAT'S WHY I'M STILL HERE BECAUSE, UM, YOU KNOW, I JUST CAME IN FOR FUN AND, UH, AND WE'RE STILL HERE BECAUSE WE WANT TO MAKE IT GREAT.
AND, AND AGAIN, THANK YOU HARLINGEN.
I WILL AWAIT COMMISSIONER PEREZ TO LET ME TELL ME WHERE AND WHEN TO BE.
THIS THURSDAY AT SIX O'CLOCK AT THE FIELD.
WE'LL BE, UH, PRACTICING DRILLS.
SIX O'CLOCK THURSDAY FOR DRILLS WITH REUBEN.
[Item 9 - Public Hearings]
NUMBER NINE, UH, PUBLIC HEARINGS.AT THIS TIME, THE MAYOR WILL INVITE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO HAVE FILLED OUT THE PUBLIC HEARING AND THE CITIZEN COMMUNICATION FORM.
TO ADDRESS EACH ITEM LISTED IN THIS SECTION, PLEASE LIMIT YOUR COMMENTS TO THE TOPIC OF THAT PUBLIC HEARING.
IF MORE THAN ONE PUBLIC HEARING IS BEING HELD, YOU WILL BE ALLOWED TO SPEAK DURING EACH TOPIC, PROVIDED YOU HAVE FILLED OUT THE PUBLIC HEARING AND CITIZEN'S COMMUNICATION FORM FOR THE APPROPRIATE TOPIC.
IF YOU ARE SIGNED UP FOR TWO OR MORE PUBLIC HEARINGS, YOU WILL BE LIMITED TO FIVE MINUTES FOR ALL TOPICS.
AND THAT IS, UM, RAYMOND REYES.
LET'S, LET'S HOLD ON REAL QUICK.
UM, SO THE PUBLIC HEARING, MR. REYES, YOU ARE HERE FOR.
SO FOR WHAT WORKS, WE NEED TO START INIT WITH THE ITEM
[Item 9a - Public Hearing for a Special Use Permit (SUP) request to allow the sale of alcoholic beverages for on-premise consumption in a General Retail ("GR") District located at the Stripes Convenience Store located at 1610 S. "F" Street, bearing a legal description of Block 1, Williams Subdivision. Applicant: Tim llaoa c/o ?-Eleven Inc.]
NINE A, AMANDA.SO THEN, UM, A PUBLIC HEARING FOR A SPECIAL USE SUP REQUEST TO ALLOW THE SALE OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES FOR ON-PREMISES CONSUMP CONSUMPTION IN A GENERAL RETAIL GR DISTRICT.
LOCATED THAT AT THE STRIPES CONVENIENCE STORE LOCATED AT 1610 SOUTH F STREET BEARING A LEGAL DESCRIPTION OF BLOCK ONE WILLIAMSON SUBDIVISION APPLICANT TIM ALO IS, IS THAT CORRECT? OKAY.
AT THE, AT THIS TIME, UM, HAVING NO ONE HERE TO SPEAK FOR OR AGAINST AT THIS PUBLIC HEARING, WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
[Item 9b - Public Hearing for a Special Use Permit (SUP) request to allow an adult business (microblading studio) in a General Retail ("GR") District located at 2222 S. Expressway 83, Suite 508, bearing a legal description of 1.956 acres of 3.30 acres part west 10.34, Lot AN-1, Block 24, Lon C. Hill Subdivision. Applicant: Daisy Nieto.]
PUBLIC HEARING FOR A SPECIAL USE PERMIT, SUP REQUEST TO ALLOW AN ADULT BUSINESS MICROBLADING STUDIO IN A GENERAL RE RETAIL GR DISTRICT LOCATED AT 2222 SOUTH EXPRESSWAY 83 SUITE 5 0 8, BEARING THE LEGAL DESCRIPTION OF 1.956 ACRES OF 3.3 ACRES, PART OF WEST 10 POINT 34 LOT A DASH ONE BLOCK 24 LON HILL SUBDIVISION APPLICANT DETO.AT THIS TIME, WE'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND HAVING NO ONE HERE TO SPEAK FOR OR AGAINST, WE'LL CLOSE A PUBLIC HEARING ITEM
[Item 9c - Public Hearing for a rezoning request from Residential, Single Family ("R-1 ") District to Residential, Duplex ("R-2") District for a property located at 102 N. 2?'h Street, bearing a legal description of Lot 8, Block C, Hunter Subdivision No. 1. Applicant: Mark Hallett.]
C PUBLIC HEARING FOR A REZONING REQUEST FROM RESIDENTIAL SINGLE FAMILY R ONE DISTRICT TO RESIDENTIAL DUPLEX, R TWO DISTRICT FOR A PROPERTY LOCATED AT 1 0 2 NORTH 27TH STREET, BEARING ILLEGAL DESCRIPTION OF LOT EIGHT BLOCK C HUNTER SUBDIVISION NUMBER ONE APPLICANT MARK[01:20:01]
THIS TIME, WE WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND HAVE A NO ONE HERE TO SPEAK FOR OR AGAINST THIS ITEM.WE WILL NOW CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING ITEM
[Item 9d - Public Hearing for a rezoning request from Residential, Single-Family ("R-1 ") District to Planned Development District ("PD") to allow 32 ft. wide streets with 50 ft. of right-of-way, one cul-de-sac to serve 28 lots, and smaller lot sizes for Lots 1, 15-19, 21-33, and 36-48, for a proposed 80-lot single-family development on a property bearing a legal description of 15.76 acres tract of land, being all of Block 4, and a part or portion of Blocks 3, 5, and 17, Stuart Place Subdivision, located along the west side of South Palm Boulevard, approximately 480 feet south of Business Highway 83. Applicant: Javier Hinojosa c/o Jason E. Garza.]
D PUBLIC HEARING FOR A REZONING REQUEST FROM RESIDENTIAL SINGLE FAMILY R ONE DISTRICT TO PLAN DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT PD TO ALLOW 32 FEET WIDE STREETS WITH 50 FEET OF RIGHT AWAY.ONE CULDESAC TO SERVE 28 LOTS AND SMALLER LOT SIZES FOR LOTS.
ONE 15 THROUGH 1921 THROUGH 33 AND 36 THROUGH 48 FOR A PROPOSED 80 LOT SINGLE FAMILY DEVELOPMENT ON A PROPERTY BEARING A LINGUAL DESCRIPTION OF 15 POINT 76 ACRES, UH, TRACK OF LAND BEING ALL OF BLOCK FOUR AND A PART OR PORTIONS OF BLOCKS THREE, FIVE AND 17 STEWART PLATE SUBDIVISION.
LOCATED ALONG THE WEST SIDE OF SOUTH PALM BOULEVARD, APPROXIMATELY 480 FEET SOUTH OF BUSINESS HIGHWAY 83, APPLICANT JAVIER NOOSA IN CARE OF JASON E. GARZA.
THIS TIME WE WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND HAVING NO ONE HERE TO SPEAK FOR OR AGAINST THIS ITEM.
WE'LL NOW CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING, E
[Item 9e - Public Hearing for necessary water and sewer rate adjustments to provide for forecaster operating expenses, capital asset costs, and funding of Harlingen Waterworks System's Five - Year Capital Improvement Plan.]
PUBLIC HEARING FOR NECESSARY WATER AND SEWER RATE ADJUSTMENTS TO PROVIDE FOR FORECASTERS OPERATING EXPENSES, CAPITAL ASSET COSTS, AND FUNDING OF HARLING AND WATER WORK SYSTEMS. FIVE YEAR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN.AT THIS TIME, WE WILL OPEN UP THE PUBLIC HEARING.
AND MR. DE, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PATIENCE.
RAYMOND REYES, 7 0 6 NANTUCKET.
SO, UM, YEAH, SO HERE WE ARE, UM, WITH THIS WATER THING.
UH, ACTUALLY I USUALLY TRY TO STAY ON TOP OF THINGS, BUT, UM, FORTUNATELY I HAVE GOOD PEOPLE THAT DO THINGS FOR ME AND THEY BROUGHT ME UP TO SPEED RATHER QUICKLY OF EVERYTHING THAT WAS GOING ON.
AND WE KIND OF LIKE, UM, WENT TO THAT THING ON FRIDAY, UH, HAD SOMEBODY ELSE REVIEW IT 'CAUSE I WAS DEALING WITH OTHER THINGS AND THEY BROUGHT ME UP TO SPEED.
THE WHOLE THING, UH, THAT I JUST DON'T GET IS THAT, THAT SOMEBODY PUT IT, IT WAS KIND OF KICKED DOWN THE STREET FOR APPARENTLY DECADES.
UM, THEY KNEW IT, IT HAD TO BE DONE.
UM, OF COURSE THIS WOULD'VE BEEN THE RESPONSIBILITY OF PREVIOUS COMMISSIONERS, PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIVE, UM, YOU KNOW, PREVIOUS MAYOR, HOWEVER YOU WANNA WORD IT.
BUT THE THING THAT I DON'T GET IS THAT THERE ARE CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE BEEN IN EMPLOYMENT OF THE CITY FOR AN EXTENSIVE PERIOD OF TIME IN KEY POSITIONS THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, SHOULD HAVE BROUGHT EVERYBODY UP TO SPEED AS THEY'RE COMING INTO OFFICE FOR THE TERM, BECAUSE POLITICIANS SOMETIMES GET REELECTED OR DON'T GET REELECTED AND STUFF.
SO NOW WE'RE AT A POINT WHERE, AND I KNOW IT'S GONNA GO THROUGH EITHER WAY AND STUFF, OTHER BUSINESS OWNERS, UH, ARE CONCERNED.
I HAD ONE INDIVIDUAL TOLD ME THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE ALREADY PAYING LIKE TWO 80 SOMETHING AND 50% INCREASE IS GONNA PUT 'EM RIGHT, A LITTLE BIT OVER 400 AND CHANGE AND STUFF, WHICH IS GONNA GO UP.
SO YOU IMAGINE THE BUSINESSES THAT ARE BARELY STILL STRUGGLING AND NOT MAKING IT, BECAUSE WE'VE ACTUALLY HAD SOME BUSINESSES THAT DO THE SAME THING I DO VENUES AND STUFF, UH, THAT ARE GOING UNDER AND STUFF.
UM, AND THIS MIGHT ACTUALLY TILT IT OVER.
MY THING IS, UM, YOU KNOW, PRIOR TO THIS COMING, UH, AND SHOWING IT'S UGLY FACE WITHIN FIVE YEARS, I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY, YOU KNOW, I'M SURE, SURE THE CITY HAS GRANT WRITERS AND THINGS.
WHY WOULD, WHY WASN'T THIS ADDRESSED INITIALLY THAT, YOU KNOW WHAT, WE HAVE THIS INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.
WE HAVEN'T DONE IT IN OVER 30 YEARS OR WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE.
AND, UH, NOW WE'RE AT THE POINT WHERE IT HAS TO BE DONE.
IT'S GONNA, IT'S COMING WHETHER WE, WE CAN'T TURN OUR BACK TO IT, WHETHER IT'S IN TECHNOLOGY OR INFRASTRUCTURE, WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE.
SO, UM, SOME CITIZENS AREN'T GONNA FEEL THE SAME WAY I DO ABOUT IT.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT, THAT, UH, WE'LL HAVE TO ADJUST TO.
BUT SOME PEOPLE DON'T GET THAT.
I THINK WHEN THEY DID THAT THING ON FRIDAY, IT WOULD'VE BEEN NICE.
LIKE THEY STATED ONE INDIVIDUAL IF IT WOULD'VE BEEN ALSO HAD A TRANSLATOR, UH, IN SPANISH.
'CAUSE BELIEVE IT OR NOT, WE HAVE A LOT OF SPANISH SPEAKING PEOPLE IN HARINGTON.
SO THEY GOT KIND OF FELT LEFT OUT.
BUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME AND, UH, YOU ALL HAVE A GOOD EVENING.
KEEP WORKING AND DOING THE BEST YOU CAN WITH WHAT YOU GOT.
[01:25:01]
TIME WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.[Item 10 - Action Items ]
10, ACTION ITEMS CITY COMMISSION WILL DISCUSS, CONSIDER, AND TAKE ANY ACTION DEEMED NECESSARY ON ITEMS LISTED IN THIS SECTION, INCLUDING THE ADOPTION OF A RESOLUTION OR AN ORDINANCE[Item 10a - Consideration and possible action to approve an ordinance on first reading for a Special Use Permit (SUP) request to allow the sale of alcoholic beverages for on-premise consumption in a General Retail ("GR") District located at the Stripes Convenience Store located at 1610 S. "F" Street, bearing a legal description of Block 1, Williams Subdivision. Applicant: Tim llaoa c/o 7- Eleven Inc.]
10, A CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO APPROVE AN ORDINANCE ON FIRST READING FOR A SPECIAL USE PERMIT.SUP REQUEST TO ALLOW THE SALE OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES FOR A FOUR ON-PREMISES CONSUMPTION IN A GENERAL GR DISTRICT LOCATED AT THE STRIPES CONVENIENCE STORE LOCATED AT 1610 SOUTH F STREET BEARING A LEGAL DESCRIPTION OF BLOCK ONE WILLIAMSON SUBDIVISION APPLICANT TIM VIOLA OR SOME, IT'S CLOSE ENOUGH.
UH, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE, UH, BEFORE WE, UH, BEFORE WE ASK.
YEAH, I, I'D LIKE TO HEAR THE PRESENTATION.
SO WE, THIS IS THE BRAND NEW, UM, STRIPES STORE LOCATED ON AT THE CORNER OF F IN THE EXPRESSWAY, 83 77.
THIS STORE HAS BEEN OPEN FOR A FEW MONTHS NOW, AND THEY'RE PROPOSING TO SELL, UH, ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES FOR ON-PREMISE CONSUMPTION.
THEY'RE ALREADY DOING THIS IN OTHER STORES IN THE VALLEY, UH, TO, IN FAR ONE IN EDINBURGH, ONE IN MISSION AND ONE IN SOUTH BATTERY ISLAND.
SO THIS IS A PROPOSED, THEIR, THEIR FIRST ATTEMPT TO DO THIS IN A STORE HERE IN, IN HARLINGEN.
AND THESE ARE THE DRINKS THAT THEY'RE PROPOSING TO, TO SELL FOR ON-PREMISE CONSUMPTION, UH, AT THE STORE.
SO WHEN YOU'RE HAVING YOUR LUNCH, YOU COULD HAVE THIS DRINK IF, IF DESIRED, OR YOU CAN TAKE IT TO GO.
UM, DO THEY ALREADY SELL BEER? YES.
SO IT WOULD ONLY BE LIMITED TO THESE THREE DRINKS.
TO SELL THESE MARGARITA PRODUCTS, UH, FOR ONSITE IF DESIRED WITH YOUR LUNCH OR TO TAKE IT TO GO, UH, TO DRINK AT YOUR HOUSE.
AND SO IS THERE A LIMIT ON HOW MANY, UM, DRINKS THAT CAN BE PURCHASED AND CONSUMED AT THE STORE? SO THE SERVERS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE, UH, LICENSED BY T TRAIN, TRAINED AND LICENSED BY BY TABC.
THEY DO CARD YOU IF YOU WANNA, UH, PURCHASE THIS, UH, DRINKS.
THEY, THEY DO, UH, REQUIRE YOU TO SHOW YOUR YOUR ID.
SO THEY, THEY HAVE TO GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS AS REQUIRED BY TAPC.
SO WILL THERE BE A LIMIT IN CONSUMPTION? CAN I GO TO THE STRIPES OR THE, I'M SORRY, THE SEVEN 11 AND HAVE TWO MARGARITAS, THREE MARGARITAS.
I I BELIEVE THAT THEY'RE TRAINED THAT IF YOU'RE INTOXICATED, THAT THEY'RE NOT, YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO SELL ANYMORE.
SO THE SAME AS LIKE AT A, AT A A RESTAURANT OR AT A BAR? CORRECT.
AND WHEN YOU SAY THAT, UM, THAT THEY'LL HAVE THESE WITH THEIR LUNCH, THEY CAN STILL HAVE THEM WITHOUT FOOD AND JUST BE AT THE LOCATION AND CONSUME THE ALCOHOL THERE, JUST POTENTIALLY, YES.
AND, UM, IS THERE A REASON WHY THEY HAVE TO HAVE THE, THE CONSUMPTION ON PREMISE AND IT CAN'T JUST BE A TO GO? THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT THE COMPANY IS, IS, UH, DESIRING, I GUESS, TO MAKE THIS PRO THIS PRODUCT PRO PROFITABLE.
SO THE MACHINE IS NOT WHERE YOUR OTHER FOUNTAIN DRINK MACHINES ARE.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE SECLUDED FROM THE PUBLIC.
UH, SO THEN YOU HAVE TO PLACE AN ORDER FOR THE, FOR THE MARGARITA AND THE THE SERVER THEN CART, CART YOU, AND THEN SELLS YOU THE, THE DRINK.
SO THERE'S GONNA BE MORE EMPLOYEES ASIDE FROM THE PERSON THAT GENERALLY RINGS YOU UP, THAT WON'T BE THE SAME PERSON? NO, IT JUST, IT IS THE SAME EMPLOYEES THAT WORK FOR THE STORE.
SO THEY'RE TRAINED AND LICENSED TO, TO DO THIS SALE.
SO I'M CONCERNED, AND I KNOW THE COMMISSION WE'RE INCLINED TO, TO MOVE FORWARD WITH IT.
BUT COMMISSIONER MORALES, THIS IS IN YOUR, IN YOUR DISTRICT? YEP.
AND MY CONCERN IS THAT THERE, THERE IS A LOT OF FOLKS, THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THAT AREA OF TOWN.
THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT WALK THROUGH THERE, UM, AND HANG OUT AT THE STORE SOMETIMES.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS GOING TO TURN INTO A HANGOUT AT SEVEN 11 WHERE IT'S BEING, UM, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE THERE THE SAME WAY THAT THEY WOULD BE AT A RESTAURANT OR AT A BAR.
AND WHAT IS THAT GOING TO DO FOR
[01:30:01]
THE NEIGHBORHOOD.AND THE OTHER ISSUE I HAVE, AND I DID, I REACHED OUT TO THE, TO HPD TODAY AND I LEARNED THAT, UM, A COUPLE YEARS PAST, THERE WAS A FATALITY THERE.
DWI, SOMEONE GOT HIT WALKING TO THAT SAME WHEN THE STORE WAS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STREET.
UM, SO THESE OTHER STORES THAT HAVE OPENED, IS THIS RECENT OR IS IT, HAS IT BEEN A WHILE THAT THEY'VE BEEN OPENING THE, IN THE REST OF THE REGION? I THINK A, A YEAR OR TWO, YES.
AND HAVE THERE BEEN ANY STUDIES TO SEE IF THAT INCREASES THE DWI RATES WITHIN THE COMMUNITY AT ALL? NO.
NO, BUT I, I DO BELIEVE THAT THE ASSISTANT POLICE CHIEF, UH, REACHED OUT TO THE POLICE CHIEFS IN THESE OTHER COMMUNITIES.
AND AFTER, AFTER THAT, UH, HE REPORTED NO OBJECTIONS ARE MM-HMM.
OUR, OUR ASSISTANT POLICE CHIEF MM-HMM.
AND AFTER THAT, THEY RE THEY REPORTED TO THE PAT AND SONY COMMISSION THAT THEY HAD NO OBJECTIONS, NO OBJECTIONS, MEANING THAT, THAT, IS THERE ANY DATA TO SEE IF THAT HAS INCREASED THE NUMBER OF FOLKS DRIVING WHILE INTOXICATED OR THAT WE JUST DON'T HAVE ANY INFORMATION YET? OR WHAT DID THEY WHAT I, I REALLY DON'T KNOW.
THEY JUST, ALL I KNOW IS THAT HE REACHED OUT TO THE, TO THOSE CHIEFS.
AND THEN WHEN WE HAD THE MEETING LAST WEEK, THE DEPUTY CHIEFS JUST SAID THAT THE, THE DEPARTMENT HAS NO OBJECTIONS, BUT NO, NO FIGURES, NO DATA, NO NOTHING LIKE THAT.
SO I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS FOR THE CHIEF.
I DID HAVE SOME CONSTITUENTS THAT REACHED OUT AND HAD SOME CONCERNS, UM, OF DR.
UM, AND THE CONCERN IS THE CONSUMPTION AT THE STORE AND THAT IT COULD POTENTIALLY INCREASE IN THAT AREA OF TOWN, UM, WHERE THERE, ACCORDING TO SOME RESIDENTS, THERE'S ALREADY A PROBLEM.
SO IS THERE, DO WE HAVE ANY, DO WE HAVE ANY DATA TO SUPPORT THOSE CONCERNS THAT THERE'S AN ISSUE IN THAT SECTION OF TOWN WITH DRIVING WHILE INTOXICATED ARRESTS? NO, I HAVEN'T GOT ANY DATA TO SHOW THAT.
AND I KNOW THE INCIDENT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT WHERE THERE WAS A FATALITY THERE, AN AUTO PEDESTRIAN FATALITY, IT WAS JUST UP THE STREET FROM THERE.
BUT, UH, SO IN THAT SPECIFIC AREA, I DON'T HAVE ANY DATA THOUGH TO SHOW IT WOULD INCREASE OR CAUSE ANY OTHER ISSUES THAN SAY ANY OTHER BAR THAT OPENED UP.
DO YOU SHARE ANY CONCERNS THAT THERE WOULD BE CONSUMPTION AT THE CONVENIENCE STORE? AND NOT THAT I KNOW OF.
I KNOW WHEN, UH, I THINK IT WAS THE DEPUTY CHIEF THAT REACHED OUT TO THE OTHER CITIES THAT ALREADY HAVE THESE MM-HMM.
AND I THINK THE REASON, GOING BACK TO THE WHY, THERE HAS TO BE AN ON-PREMISE CONSUMPTION IS THE WAY IT'S SERVED.
SO I THINK THAT'S THE REASON FOR THE, ON-PREMISE CONCEPTION.
BUT THIS WOULD ALSO CAUSE US TO HAVE REGULAR CHECKS OF THE STORE, ESPECIALLY DURING THE EVENING HOURS, TO SEE IF WE DO HAVE PEOPLE HANGING OUT THERE JUST TO DRINK.
SO IF WE DO IT AT THIS STORE AND THEN OTHER STORES IN OUR COMMUNITY, WE WOULD HAVE TO AFFORD THEM THE SAME OPPORTUNITY.
AND SO IF YOU HAVE ALL OF THE SEVEN ELEVENS OR STRIPES OR ALL THE CONVENIENCE STORES IN TOWN WITH ONSITE CONSUMPTION, DO YOU THINK THAT WOULD BE AN ISSUE FOR OUR COMMUNITY? I DON'T THINK IT'D BE REALLY ANY DIFFERENT THAN WHAT'S HAPPENED SINCE COVID, BECAUSE IT WAS DURING COVID WHEN, UH, YOU, THE RESTAURANTS WERE CLOSED AND YOU COULD ORDER AND ACTUALLY ORDER MM-HMM.
SO THAT'S BASICALLY THE, WHAT THEY'RE USING IS THAT SAME LAW.
AND I THINK THAT'S A GREAT IDEA, UM, BECAUSE THOSE ARE SEALED AND THEY'RE TAKING THEM, TAKING THEM HOME.
I, MY ISSUE I THINK WITH THIS IS THE ONSITE CONSUMPTION AT THE CONVENIENCE STORES.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOT ON TYLER AND HARRISON EVERY TIME I I I DRIVE HOME THERE'S, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE CONGREGATING OUTSIDE OF THE CONVENIENCE STORE.
AND SO HOW, HOW ARE YOU GOING TO DETERMINE WHO IS ALLOWED TO, YOU KNOW, CONTINUE TO BE SERVED? I JUST, I, I DON'T, I DON'T, THERE'S NO LIMITATION.
YOU CAN GO IN THERE AND HAVE THREE MARGARITAS IF THAT'S YOUR TOLERANCE OR IF YOU DON'T LOOK INTOXICATED.
UM, AND THEN THE OPEN CARRY, IF SOMEONE IS SERVED, THERE'S GONNA BE SOMEONE THERE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY DON'T LEAVE WITH HALF OF THEIR DRINK.
IS THAT, IS THAT PART OF MY UNDERSTANDING IS THEY COULD WALK OUT WITH HALF A DRINK.
[01:35:01]
SO, AND THEN GET IN THEIR CAR AND DRIVE DOWN THE STREET AND POTENTIALLY HIT SOMEONE OR KILL SOMEONE.UM, I JUST, I THINK THAT THE COMMISSION SHOULD REALLY CONSIDER THE, THE LONG TERM EFFECTS ON, ON OUR COMMUNITY IF OTHER CONVENIENCE STORES ALSO HAVE THE SAME, UH, BUSINESS, BUSINESS PLAN.
UM, BUT WE DON'T HAVE ANY, DO WE HAVE ANY, UM, DATA FROM DWIS IF THEY WENT UP OR DOWN DURING COVID WHILE THERE WAS THE DRIVE THROUGH? I COULD GET THOSE NUMBERS.
I KNOW, AND I DIDN'T GIVE YOU A HEADS UP, SO I'M MY APOLOGIES.
DID YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, COMMISSIONER? YEAH.
ONE, UM, WHAT TIME ARE THEY GONNA BE SELLING THESE, THESE MARGARITAS? FIVE TO AM ON THE HOURS OF OPERATION.
THEY PUT 5:00 AM TO 5:00 PM EVERY DAY.
THEY'RE NOT GONNA BE SELLING THIS AT SIX O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING, ARE THEY? NO, IT'S, IT IS THE HOURS OF OPERATION FOR THE FOOD, THE FOOD COMPONENT OF THE OKAY.
SO THAT'S WHAT THEY PUT THE LAREDO TACO COMPANY.
THAT'S, THAT'S WHEN THEY'RE OPEN.
SO BASICALLY THIS WOULD SHUT DOWN AT EIGHT? YES.
THE TACO LAREDO TACO'S GOING IS OPEN FROM 5:00 AM TO 8:00 PM CORRECT.
WHAT TIME ARE THEY GONNA STOP SERVING THE MARGARITAS? AT EIGHT.
8:00 PM SO BASICALLY IF ALL GOES WELL, THEY'LL START HAVING THESE DURING LUNCH, GO GO THERE FOR LUNCH, GRAB A TACO OR WHATEVER, DRINK ONE TAKE OFF, AND MAYBE AFTER WORK PICK UP ANOTHER ONE.
BUT, BUT IT'LL BE OVER WITH BY 8:00 PM OF COURSE.
SO IT'S NOT GONNA BE OPEN TILL 10 AND MIDNIGHT.
SO I, WITH THE FACT THAT WHAT I'M LISTENING, I, WHAT I READ AND I PICKED UP ON THE OTHER POLICE CHIEFS DON'T HAVE AN ISSUE.
NOW THE BIGGEST QUESTION THAT I HAVE, WELL, THIS OPEN THE DOOR FOR OTHER LAREDO TACOS TO HAVE THE SAME SITUATION FOR SURE.
NOW I'M ASKING, I'M ANSWERING THAT MYSELF IN THIS REGARD.
THIS IS WHERE THE CHIEF, THE MAYOR, AND EVERYBODY ELSE CAN ASK THE SAME QUESTION.
MAYBE I'M RIGHT AND MAYBE I'M WRONG.
I DO REALIZE THIS IS A NEW LOCATION AND IT'S NOT GONNA HAVE SO MUCH FOOT TRAFFIC AS PEOPLE DRIVING TO AND FROM.
IN OTHER WORDS, THERE'S OTHER LOCATIONS OF EROS THAT HAVE THE TACO, UH, THE RERO TACO, AND I KNOW THERE'S PLENTY OF ISSUES.
SO I, I WOULD IMAGINE IF THERE'S ISSUES AT THOSE LOCATIONS, THEY'RE NOT GONNA OPEN IT UP TO HAVE, UH, A SPECIAL USE PERMIT TO SELL MARGARITAS.
THEY'RE LOOKING FOR THE SALE, OTHERWISE THEY WOULD'VE OPENED THIS UP FOR EVERYBODY IN TOWN.
SO I'M, I'M THINKING I'M GOING TO GIVE THIS GENTLEMAN THE, UH, OR, OR, UH, THE, THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT THAT THEY'LL BE ABLE TO, TO MAKE IT WORK TO WHERE IT'S NOT GOING TO BE A, A NUISANCE TO EVERYBODY.
I WOULD JUST SAY AS A COMMISSION, IF YOU DO FOR ONE, YOU GOTTA DO FOR ALL.
AND SO I THINK ANY POTENTIAL CONVENIENCE STORE THAT HAS THIS COMPONENT, OR REALLY ANY STORE THAT SELLS TACOS AND HAS ITS OWN LITTLE RESTAURANT WOULD BE ABLE TO GET THIS TYPE OF, THEY COULD COME TO THE CITY REQUEST AN SUP, AND THEN IF YOU DENY IT, THEN THEY WOULD SAY, WELL WHY, WHY IS IT OKAY OVER THERE? AND WHY NOT OVER HERE THAT PLANNING AND ZONING, THEY'RE GONNA FOLLOW THE PRESIDENT THAT THIS COMMISSION PROVIDES THEM.
IS THAT ACCURATE? AND I THINK PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S DRINKING AND DRIVING ACCIDENTS THAT HAPPEN AT ALL TIMES OF THE DAY.
THERE'S A LOT OF THEM THAT HAPPEN AT FIVE IN THE MORNING AS WELL.
SO I DON'T, I DON'T THINK THAT THAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE.
BUT THOSE ARE JUST, JUST MY CONCERNS.
BUT IS THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION YOU ANY? NO.
DO, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU, JAVIER.
IS THERE A MOTION? I MADE IT HEARING MADE ONE.
ITEM 10 B CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO APPROVE AN NOR MAYOR WE NEED TO READ THE CAPTION.
[01:40:01]
CAPTION, RIGHT? NO, IT'S AN ORDINANCE.AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF HARLINGEN, A SPECIAL USE PERMIT ISSUED TO SE SEVEN 11 INC.
TO ALLOW THE SALE OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES FOR ONSITE CONSUMPTION IN A GENERAL RETAIL DISTRICT LOCATED AT 1610 SOUTH F STREET BEARING A LEGAL DESCRIPTION OF BLOCK ONE WILLIAM SUBDIVISION PROVIDING FOR PUBLICATION AND ORDAINING.
OTHER MATTERS RELATED TO THE FOREGOING MAKE MOTION TO APPROVE.
[Item 10b - Consideration and possible action to approve an ordinance on first reading for a Special Use Permit (SUP) request to allow an adult business (microblading studio) in a General Retail ("GR") District located at 2222 S. Expressway 83, Suite 508, bearing a legal description of 1.956 acres of 3.30 acres part west 10.34, Lot AN-1, Block 24, Lon C. Hill Subdivision. Applicant: Daisy Nieto.]
B CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO APPROVE AN ORDINANCE ON FIRST READING FOR A SPECIAL USE PERMIT.SUP REQUEST TO ALLOW AN ADULT BUSINESS MICROING STUDIO IN A GENERAL RETAIL GR DISTRICT LOCATED AT 2222 SOUTH EXPRESS.
180 3 SUITE 5 0 8 BEARING A LEGAL DESCRIPTION OF 1.956 ACRES OF 3.30, UH, ACRES, UH, PART WEST OF 10 10 10 34.
LOT A DASH ONE BLOCK 24 LON HILL SUBDIVISION, APPLICANT DA NIETO.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? YEAH, JUST I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A QUICK AMENDMENT.
I'M GONNA MAKE A MOTION OR YOU WANNA READ IT FIRST AND THEN I'LL MAKE MY QUICK A MOTION.
IN ORDER TO AMENDING THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF HARLINGEN, A SPECIAL USE PERMIT ISSUED TO DAISY NIETO TO ALLOW AN ADULT BUSINESS MICROBLADING STUDIO IN A GENERAL RETAIL GR DISTRICT.
LOCATED AT 2222 SOUTH 83 SUITE 5 0 8 AND BEARING A LEGAL DESCRIPTION OF 1956 1.956 ACRES OF A 3.3 ACRE PART WEST 10.34 LA 10.34 LA N DASH ONE BLOCK 24 LON SEA HILL SUBDIVISION.
UH, I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE WITH AN AMENDMENT.
UH, I KNOW THAT START TIME'S AT 8:00 AM RIGHT.
JUST MOVE IT UP TO 6:00 AM THAT'S IT.
[Item 10c - Consideration and possible action to approve an ordinance on first reading for a rezoning request from Residential, Single Family ("R-1"} District to Residential, Duplex ("R-2"} District for a property located at 102 N. 2ih Street, bearing a legal description of Lot 8, Block C, Hunter Subdivision No. 1. Applicant: Mark Hallett.]
C CONSIDERATION OF POSSIBLE ACTION TO APPROVE AN ORDINANCE OF POLICE READING FOR A REZONING REQUEST FROM THIS RESIDENTIAL SINGLE FAMILY R ONE DISTRICT TO RESIDENTIAL DUPLEX R TWO DISTRICT FOR A PROPERTY LOCATED AT 1 0 2 NORTH 27TH STREET BEARING THE LEGAL DESCRIPTION OF LOT EIGHT BLOCK C HUNTER SUBDIVISION NUMBER ONE APPLICANT MARKMARK IN ORDINANCE OF AMENDING THE CODE SUBORDINATES TO THE CITY OF HARLINGEN REZONING FROM RESIDENTIAL SINGLE FAMILY R ONE DISTRICT TO RESIDENTIAL DUPLEX R TWO DISTRICT FOR A PROPERTY LOCATED AT 1 0 2 NORTH 27TH STREET BEARING A LEGAL DESCRIPTION OF LOT EIGHT BLOCK C HUNTER SUBDIVISION NUMBER ONE APPLICANT MARK HALLETT MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE.
[Item 10d - Consideration and possible action to approve an ordinance on first reading for a rezoning request from Residential, Single-Family ("R-1 ") District to Planned Development District ("PD") to allow 32 ft. wide streets with 50 ft. of right-of-way, one cul-de-sac to serve 28 lots, and smaller lot sizes for Lots 1, 15-19, 21-33, and 36-48, for a proposed 80-lot single-family development on a property bearing a legal description of 15. 76 acres tract of land, being all of Block 4, and a part or portion of Blocks 3, 5, and Block 17, Stuart Place Subdivision, located along the west side of South Palm Boulevard, approximately 480 feet south of Business Highway 83. Applicant: Javier Hinojosa c/o Jason E. Garza.]
D, CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ELECTION TO APPROVE AN ORDINANCE ON FIRST READING FOR A REZONING REQUEST FROM RESIDENTIAL SINGLE FAMILY R ONE DISTRICT TO PLAN DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT PD TO ALLOW 32 FEET WHITE STREETS WITH 50 FEET OF RIGHT OF WAY.ONE CULDESAC TO SERVE 28 LOTS AND SMALLER LOT SIZES FOR LOTS.
ONE 15 THROUGH 1921 THROUGH 33 AND 36 TO 48 FOR A PROPOSED 80 LOT SINGLE FAMILY DEVELOPMENT ON A PROPERTY BEARING A LEGAL DESCRIPTION OF 15.76 ACRES TRACK OUT OF LAND BEING ALL OF BLOCK FOUR AND A PART OR, OR PORTION OF BLOCK THREE FIVE AND BLOCK 17 STEWART PLATE SUBDIVISION LOCATED ALONG THE WEST SIDE OF SOUTH PALM BOULEVARD, APPROXIMATELY 480 FEET SOUTH OF BUSINESS 83.
APPLICANT JAVIER OSA AND CARE OF JASON E.
UM, IS THIS GONNA AFFECT ANY ISSUES WITH THE, UM, WASTEWATER AND, AND, AND WATER CONSUMPTION AND USE IN THAT AREA? HARING WATERWORKS APPROVED, UH, THE SUBDIVISION, THEY HAVE, UH, SOME CONDITIONS, UH, BUT THEY, THEY HAVE FULL APPROVAL FROM HARING WATERWORKS FOR WATER AND SEW.
UH, IT'S BEEN APPROVED FOR DRAINAGE BY THE CITY ENGINEER AND THE DRAINAGE DISTRICT.
UH, THEY GOT ALL THE APPROVALS AND THEY'RE VERY ALREADY VERY EAGER TO START THE SUBDIVISION.
IN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF HARLINGEN REZONING FROM RESIDENTIAL SINGLE FAMILY R ONE TO PLAN DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT TO ALLOW 32 FEET WIDE STREETS WITH 50 FEET RIGHT OF WAY, ONE CUL-DE-SAC TO SERVE 28 LOTS AND SMALLER LOT SIZES FOR LOT.
1 15, 19, 21, 33, AND 36 48 FOR AN 80 LOT SINGLE FAMILY DEVELOPMENT ON A, ON A PROPERTY BEARING A LEGAL DESCRIPTION OF 15.76 ACRES, TRACT
[01:45:01]
OF LAND BEING ALL OF BLOCK FOUR AND A PART OF OR PORTION OF BLOCKS THREE FIVE AND BLOCK 17 STEWART PLACE SUBDIVISION LOCATED ON THE WEST SIDE OF SOUTH PALM BOULEVARD, APPROXIMATELY 480 FEET SOUTH OF BUSINESS HIGHWAY 83, PROVIDING FOR PUBLICATION AND ORDAINING.OTHER MATTERS RELATED TO THE FOREGOING MOTION TO APPROVE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNED? AYE.
AND THERE GO YOUR DREAMS. RE
AND I'M THE ONE THAT TOLD HIM ABOUT THE PROPERTY.
ONE DAY THERE WAS SOMETHING TO WISH UPON A STAR.
[Item 10e - Consideration and possible action to approve an ordinance on first reading to abandon and vacate a 20-foot drainage easement being a 0.115 acre tract of land out of Lot 1, Block 1, Capps Addition, located along the west side of Loop 499 approximately 725 feet north of Harrison Avenue. Applicant: Santiago Espinoza.]
CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO APPROVE AN ORDINANCE OF FIRST READING TO ABANDON AND VACATE A 20 FOOT DRAINAGE.EASTMAN BEING A 0.115 ACRE TRACK OF LAND OUT OF LOT ONE BLOCK, ONE CAPS, UM, ADDITION LOCATED ALONG THE WEST SIDE OF LUKE 4 89, APPROXIMATELY 725 FEET NORTH OF HARRISON AVENUE, APPLICANT SANTIAGO ESP.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? MARK, WILL YOU READ THE CAPTION IN ORDINANCE OF BENDING THE 20 FOOT DRAINAGE EASEMENT BEING A 0.115 ACRE OF LOT ONE BLOCK ONE CAPS SEDITION LOCATED ON THE WEST SIDE OF LOOP 4 99, APPROXIMATELY 725 FEET NORTH OF HARRISON AVENUE.
[Item 10f - Consideration and possible action to approve an ordinance on first reading regarding necessary water and sewer rate adjustments to provide for forecaster operating expenses, capital asset costs, and funding of Harlingen Waterworks System's Five-Year Capital Improvement Plan.]
F CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ELECTION TO APPROVE AN ORDINANCE ON FIRST READING REGARDING WATER AND SEWER RATE ADJUSTMENTS TO PROVIDE FOR FORECASTER OPERATING EXPENSES, CAPITAL ASSET COST, AND FUNDING OF HARLINGEN WATERWORKS SYSTEM FIVE YEAR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN.UH, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT OUR PROPOSED RATE PLAN.
UH, ON MARCH 27TH, THE UTILITY BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF HARLINGEN WATERWORKS SYSTEM APPROVED A RATE PLAN CORRESPONDING TO THE ON TIME INVERTED BLOCK, HIGHER BASE RATE SCENARIO THAT WAS LAST DISCUSSED AT THE FEBRUARY 26TH JOINT MEETING BETWEEN THE BOARD AND THE CITY COMMISSION.
UH, THIS IS THE ONE PAGE THAT WAS PRESENTED, UH, TO THE UTILITY BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
UH, THE, THERE IS ONE CLARIFICATION THAT REALLY SHOULD BE MADE HERE AND IT PERTAINS TO THE NOTE HERE AT THE BOTTOM.
WHAT IS PRESENTED ARE INSIDE CITY LIMIT RATES.
ON THIS PAGE, THE FOOTNOTE TALKS ABOUT OUTSIDE CITY LIMIT RATES BEING AT 150% OF THE INSIDE CITY LIMITS.
THERE IS A CLARIFICATION THAT I WOULD MAKE.
UH, WE ALSO DID SUBMIT AN ORDINANCE THAT I DID NOT, I GUESS GET INTO THE PACKET, JUST FOUND OUT ABOUT THAT.
UM, ON THE LAST PAGE, WE DO HAVE SOME RATES, UH, ON THE BASE RATE SIDE FOR SEWER OUTSIDE CITY LIMITS THAT ARE CURRENTLY HIGHER THAN THE 150%.
AND SO THE RECOMMENDATION HAS BEEN, RATHER THAN REDUCING THE RATES FOR OUTSIDE CITY LIMIT CUSTOMERS, WE WOULD LIKE TO FREEZE THOSE RATES.
SO FOR THE FIRST THREE YEARS, THE SMALL FIVE EIGHT INCH METER ON SEWER BASE CHARGE WOULD REMAIN AT $20 AND 50 CENTS.
THE ONE INCH METER, UH, CURRENTLY ALSO AT $20 AND 50 CENTS WOULD REMAIN FROZEN FOR THAT FIRST YEAR.
THE GOAL IS THAT BY THE END OF THE PHASE END OF THE RATE PLAN, ACTUALLY STARTING IN 2027, ALL OF THE OUTSIDE CITY LIMIT RATES WOULD BE PURELY AND EXACTLY 150% OF WHAT THE INSIDE CITY, CITY LIMIT RATES WOULD BE.
THAT IS A VERY DEFENSIBLE POSITION WHEN IT, WHEN IT COMES TO THE PUBLIC UTILITY COMMISSION.
UH, THERE ARE PRINCIPLES IN A WWA THAT ESTABLISH THAT THAT IS, UH, A VERY JUSTIFIABLE COST.
THERE ARE CASES THAT GO BEFORE THE PC, UH, ADOPTING THIS TYPE OF PLAN AT THAT 150% LEVEL ENSURES THAT WE DO HAVE A VERY DEFENSIBLE PLAN.
UH, WE DO HAVE OUR RATE CONSULTANT WITH US TODAY IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT THAT COME UP.
SO THAT IS THE ONLY CLARIFICATION THAT WE WOULD MAKE IN THE ORDINANCE THAT WE SUBMITTED.
UH, IT'S NOT PRECISELY STATED ON THIS SHEET HERE, BUT IT DOES PERTAIN TO THE BASE RATES FOR OUTSIDE CITY LIMIT RATE FOR SMALL METERS AND THE ONE INCH METER.
THAT'S A CLARIFICATION THAT'S IMPORTANT TO MAKE.
UM, IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THIS PLAN DOES NOT INCLUDE ANY DISCOUNTS FOR ANY SUBCLASSES OF RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS.
THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT DISCUSSION HELD AT THE BOARD MEETING TALKING ABOUT DIFFERENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO LOW INCOME CUSTOMERS.
THE KCO S PROGRAM THAT WE'VE BEEN PARTICIPATING IN, UM, TO THE TUNE OF OVER, I, I BELIEVE A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS SINCE WE STARTED THAT PROGRAM IN 2022.
[01:50:01]
HOW, UH, HOUSING AUTHORITY ACTUALLY DOES HELP, UH, PAY DEPOSITS FOR THEIR QUALIFYING CUSTOMERS.UH, LOAVES AND FISHES, UM, HAS ASSISTANCE THAT THEY ALSO HELP CUSTOMERS WITH.
UH, QUEEN OF, UH, PEACE CHURCH WILL ALSO, UM, HELP THEIR, THEIR, UM, I GET PEOPLE WITHIN THEIR DISTRICT OR WITHIN THEIR, THEIR, THEIR AREA, UH, WITH BILLS AND ALSO THE COMPREHENSIVE ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, WHICH HELPS WITH POWER BILLS.
SO THERE WE DISCUSSED A NUMBER OF PROGRAMS THAT ARE ALREADY AVAILABLE.
IT WAS THE BOARD'S DECISION TO APPROVE A PLAN WITHOUT THE, UH, DISCOUNTS FOR ANY OF THE SUBCLASSES OF RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS.
SO THAT IS THE RATE PLAN THAT IS PRESENTED HERE AND WAS SUBMITTED IN THE ORDINANCE.
I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THOSE.
UH, I KNOW THERE WERE SOME QUESTIONS THAT HAD COME UP ABOUT OTHER ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS, UM, BUT THIS IS WHAT OUR BOARD HAS GIVEN US TO PRESENT TO THE COMMISSION FOR CONSIDERATION AND APPROVAL.
DID YOU DISCUSS WITH YOUR BOARD JUST TO DO THE INITIAL LIFELINE UM, RATE FOR THE HOUSING AUTHORITY FOLKS ONLY? I KNOW THAT THERE WAS CONCERN THAT I, I READ WHAT YOU, WHAT YOU SENT THAT, THAT THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE POPULATION WOULD HAVE SOME KIND OF DISCOUNT.
WHAT, WHAT WAS PRESENTED TO YOU OR WHAT THE GUIDANCE THAT YOU WERE GIVEN BY THE COMMISSION.
BUT THE INITIAL REQUEST FOR JUST THE HOUSING AUTHORITY RECIPIENTS WAS THAT, UM, PRESENTED.
SO THAT COULD BE PUT TO A VOTE TO YOUR BOARD.
SO THIS IS NOT THE EXACT VERSION OF WHAT WE PRESENTED.
WE DID PRESENT THE ONE THAT INCLUDED A $25 DISCOUNT FOR HOUSING AUTHORITY, APPROXIMATELY A THOUSAND CUSTOMERS.
UH, AND AFTER THE DISCUSSION THAT WAS HELD, THE BOARD FELT THAT THEY WANTED TO PROCEED WITH WITHOUT THAT DISCOUNT.
AND SO THAT'S PURELY WHAT I'M HERE TO PRESENT TODAY.
IF THE COMMISSION WISHES TO TAKE A DIFFERENT DIRECTION ON THAT, UM, I UNDERSTAND THAT COMMISSION HAS LATITUDE TO DO THAT.
AND SO, SO YOU GUYS, ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT LIKE THE TEXAS UTILITY HELP PROGRAM AND THE HELP FOR TEXAS PROGRAM, WHICH IS BOTH STATEWIDE AND LOCAL PROGRAMS THAT HELP PEOPLE PAY FOR THEIR WATER BILLS, CORRECT.
AND THERE'S, I DID A QUICK GOOGLE SEARCH.
I FOUND A BUNCH OF PROGRAMS THERE TO HELP YOU PAY YOUR WATER BILL.
UM, WELL, SO THAT IS, UM, SO I JUST KIND OF, AND, AND I, AND I GET THAT, BUT I WANNA PUT THINGS IN PERSPECTIVE.
UM, THESE FOLKS GO AND THEY ASK FOR ASSISTANCE ON THEIR WATER BILL.
THEY GO MAYBE ONE TIME, TWO TIMES, MAYBE THREE TIMES.
IT'S NOT ASSISTANCE THAT'S GOING TO SUBSIDIZE THEIR BILL FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
SO THESE, THESE, UH, ORGANIZATIONS AREN'T REALLY GOING TO HELP INDIVIDUALS LONG TERM.
IT'S IF THEY ARE UNABLE TO PAY THEIR BILL BECAUSE MAYBE, YOU KNOW, THEIR ELECTRICITY BILL WAS MUCH HIGHER IN THE SUMMER OR THEY HAD, UM, I DON'T KNOW, UH, AN INJURY OR MEDICAL BILLS.
AND SO THAT'S WHAT THOSE ORGANIZATIONS ARE DESIGNED FOR.
ISN'T THAT ACCURATE? ALL THE DETAILS ON THOSE PRO PROGRAMS AND THE LEVEL OF ASSISTANCE THAT THEY HAVE, I CAN'T SPEAK DEFINITIVELY ABOUT THEM.
UH, I DO KNOW THAT THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PROGRAMS THAT WE DO CONNECT CUSTOMERS WITH WHEN THEY COME IN, UH, FOR ASSISTANCE.
SO WHETHER LO'S AND FISHES WOULD CONTINUE TO HELP SOMEONE WITH THEIR BILL FOR AN INDEFINITE PERIOD OF TIME OR NOT, I I DO NOT PRECISELY KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION AND THAT WOULD BE THE, A VERY SIMILAR RESPONSE TO SOME OF THESE OTHERS.
I I DON'T KNOW ALL THE DETAILS.
UH, I, THERE THERE ARE NO LIMITATIONS ON THAT PROGRAM FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND.
UH, BUT AS FOR THE OTHERS, WE DON'T, WE CONNECT THEM WITH THOSE ENTITIES WE DON'T MANAGE AND KEEP A LIBRARY OF ALL THOSE, ALL THE DETAILS OF THOSE ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS. SO THAT WASN'T TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION WHEN THEY VOTED ON BASED ON THESE ORGANIZATIONS HELPING, WHETHER THEY KNEW HOW THEY WERE GONNA BE ABLE TO HELP, JUST THAT THEY EXIST, WELL, THAT THEY EXIST.
WE DID NOT GET INTO A FULL DISCUSSION OF ALL THE DETAILS OF, OF ALL THE ASSISTANCE THAT THOSE DIFFERENT ENTITIES PROVIDE.
I'M JUST CONCERNED BECAUSE THE BILLS ARE GOING TO GO UP A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT.
IT'S, IT'S DIFFERENT IF IT WAS JUST A FEW DOLLARS, BUT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT NEARLY DOUBLE THE AMOUNT BY 2028.
AND IF WE CAN HELP, I THINK COMMISSIONER BETIS HAD AT THE LAST MEETING, IF WE CAN HELP SOME PEOPLE, WHY WOULDN'T WE AT LEAST DO THAT IF WE CAN'T, YOU KNOW, REACH EVERYONE THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO REACH IF WE CAN DO SOMETHING, IT'S A DROP IN THE BUCKET.
THE SAVINGS, UH, TO TO, TO THE INDIVIDUAL, UH, CUSTOMER.
[01:55:01]
IMPACT YOUR ABILITY TO MAKE THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT YOU NEED TO MAKE IF YOU HELP THESE 1000, UM, CUSTOMERS.ANOTHER THING TO, TO CONSIDER, IF IT'S NOT WANTING TO ASSIST JUST THE HOUSING AUTHORITY, WAS THERE AN OPTION TO MAYBE JUST FOLKS THAT ARE ON SOCIAL SECURITY OR, I MEAN, IF THERE'S AN ANOTHER DEMOGRAPHIC THAT, THAT YOU WOULD FEEL MOST OR THE COMMISSION WOULD FEEL MORE APPROPRIATE.
I JUST DIDN'T HEAR ANY, ANY CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT OTHER THAN, YOU KNOW, LET'S ADD EVERY DEMOGRAPHIC I THINK THAT YOU MENTIONED, MIKE, YOU KNOW, WANNA HELP EVERYBODY.
UM, BUT IF WE CAN'T, WE CAN'T, IT'S NOT FEASIBLE, BUT IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE FOR US TO SAY, WELL, SINCE WE CAN'T GIVE IT TO EVERYONE, WE'RE JUST NOT GONNA GIVE IT TO ANYBODY AT ALL.
MO MOST OF THOSE PROGRAMS THAT WERE MENTIONED, AGAIN, I'M SPEAKING FROM EXPERIENCE FROM DECADES AGO 'CAUSE I GREW UP IN HOUSING THOSE CASINOS, AND I KNOW WHEN MY MOTHER HAD TO GO GET SOME HELP FROM THESE PROGRAMS, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'D GO WALKING TO GO GET SOME HELP FROM THESE PROGRAMS AND IT WOULDN'T BE LIKE A CONTINUOUS THING.
THEY WOULD HELP HER LIKE THE ONE MONTH THEY WOULD HELP HER BECAUSE KINDA LIKE NORMA SAID, YOU KNOW, HER, THE LIGHT BILL WAS TOO HIGH, SO THEY HELPED HER WITH THE WATER BILL AND IT WAS JUST THAT ONE MONTH.
SO IT WASN'T A CONTINUOUS THING.
SO I, I WOULD LIKE, IF WE CAN HELP THESE PEOPLE IN HOUSING, UM, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, I GREW UP IN HOUSING.
I KNOW HOW THE FAMILY STRUGGLED.
I KNOW MY MOM STRUGGLED WHEN SHE, WHEN WE LIVED THERE IN ELIZABETH CASINOS.
SO IF WE CAN HELP THEM A LITTLE BIT, I I THINK WE SHOULD DO IT.
IT'S BETTER TO HELP SOME THAN NONE.
THE ISSUE IS THAT OTHER PEOPLE ARE HAVING TO PICK UP THAT TAB.
SO THE REST OF US ARE PAYING FOR THOSE 1000.
NOT ONLY ARE WE PAYING FOR THAT 1000 AND WATER, WE'RE ALSO PAYING FOR THEIR HOUSING OR THEY'RE, WE'RE SUPPLEMENTING THEIR HOUSING, WE'RE SUPPLEMENTING THEIR WIFI, WE'RE SUPPLEMENTING LIKE THEIR POWER BILLS.
SO, BUT THAT'S, I APPRECIATE, I APPRECIATE YOUR POINT.
I KNOW WE'VE HAD THE CONVERSATION.
SO THE THING IS, THIS IS THE MOST VULNERABLE POPULATION OF OUR COMMUNITY AND WE, THEY DESERVE TO HAVE, UH, A VOICE ON THIS COMMISSION AND THEY, WE WANT THEM TO BE ABLE TO TRANSITION OUT OF HOUSING.
AND THE WAY WE DO THAT IS THAT WE DON'T GIVE THEM ADDITIONAL BILLS THAT ARE GOING TO FURTHER FINANCIALLY BURDEN THEM SO THAT THEY'RE STUCK IN HOUSING.
AND YES, THE, YOU KNOW, THERE IS ASSISTANCE, BUT IT'S BASED ON, ON THEIR INCOME.
AND, AND THE IDEA RIGHT NOW IS THAT THE HOUSING AUTHORITY IS DOING AN, AN AMAZING JOB AND PEOPLE ARE TRANSITIONING NOW, THEY HAVE ON AVERAGE BETWEEN FOUR TO FIVE YEARS THAT THEY ARE IN THE SYSTEM, IF YOU WILL.
AND SO IF THEY'RE GIVEN A, UH, A DISCOUNT, IT'S NOT GOING TO BE FOREVER.
IT'S GOING TO BE WHILE THEY'RE IN THIS SITUATION WHERE THEY'RE STRUGGLING TO GET OUT OF THE SITUATION THAT THEY'RE IN.
AND SO IF WE GIVE THEM THIS INCREASE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO, I MEAN, THAT MIGHT VERY WELL MEAN THAT THERE'S NO FOOD ON THE TABLE BECAUSE THEY'VE GOT A HIGHER, A HIGHER BILL.
AND IF THAT MEANS THAT I HAVE TO PAY A LITTLE BIT MORE, THEN I'M OKAY WITH THAT.
AND I THINK THAT WE SHOULD CONSIDER IT BECAUSE AS I MENTIONED AT THE END OF THE DAY, WHAT WAS IT, HOW, HOW MUCH WAS IT GOING TO COST? I WOULD DIRECT, UH, THE, BUT THE, IF YOU WERE TO DO THE 1000, IT WAS, UM, THE ONE, THE 1000 RECIPIENTS WOULD LOSE HOW MUCH REVENUE FOR HARLING AND WAD WORKS.
YOU HAD A FIGURE, BUT THEY DON'T LOSE IT 'CAUSE THEY COLLECTED FROM THE REST OF US.
BUT THE DIRECTION GIVEN WAS $25 ON EACH BILL FLAT RATE FOR A THOUSAND CUSTOMERS.
SO THAT'S $25,000 PER MONTH SPREAD OUT OVER, LIKE HOW MUCH MORE EXACTLY IS IT IF IF MY BILL'S GONNA GO UP A QUARTER OR 50 CENTS BECAUSE THEY'RE GETTING A DISCOUNT? THAT'S WHAT I'D LIKE TO KNOW.
I WOULD DIRECT YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS SLIDE.
UM, AND THIS, THIS IS BASED OFF OF THE COMPLETE RATE PLAN.
WHAT WE PRESENTED AT THE LAST CITY COMMISSION MEETING WAS AN ESTIMATE OF WHAT THOSE WERE GOING TO BE.
THIS DOES NOT BECAUSE IT DEPENDS ON HOW MUCH CONSUMPTION YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
AND WE COULD PICK A 5,000 GALLON USE CASE, WHICH IS WHAT I DID IN THAT ANALYSIS.
THIS HERE IS POINTING OUT THAT FOR THAT $25, THERE IS A CONTRIBUTION IN TERMS OF THE WATER COMMODITY RATE.
IF YOU USE 5,000 GALLONS, THAT'S GOING TO BE A 25 CENTS ADDITION TO ALL THE OTHER RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS.
UH, JUST, JUST IN THE ZERO TO 3000 BLOCK, NOT ALL THE OTHER BLOCKS ON THE SEWER SIDE.
THAT IMPACT BECAUSE, BECAUSE OUR BASE RATES ARE A BIT LOWER ON SEWER, A DECISION WAS MADE TO REFLECT THAT CHANGE OR THE INCREASE IN TERMS OF THE BASE RATES TO OTHERS.
AND SO DEPENDING ON METER SIZE, YOU MIGHT HAVE A 15 CENT
[02:00:02]
INCREASE IF YOU'VE GOT A FIVE EIGHT INCH METER, UH, 77 CENTS BY 2028.BUT THE BIGGER THE METER SIZE, OF COURSE THE BIGGER THAT COMPONENT THAT THAT OTHER CUSTOMER IS GOING TO HAVE TO PITCH IN TO MAKE UP FOR THAT DIFFERENCE.
SO THIS IS THE MOST ACCURATE DATA THAT WE HAVE ABOUT THIS.
WE DIDN'T BUILD A SPECIFIC USE CASE TO SAY, WELL, IS IT A 5,000 GALLON CUSTOMER? WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? BUT I THINK YOU CAN APPRECIATE THIS BY MULTIPLYING THAT 5 CENTS BY A 5,000 GALLON CONSUMPTION OR A 10,000 GALLON CONSUMPTION.
UM, SO THAT THIS IS THE BEST ANALYSIS THAT WE CAN GIVE AND, UH, WE CAN CERTAINLY RUN SOME MORE SCENARIOS ON IT.
UM, MY POSITION, SO BASICALLY 5 CENTS, UM, OR WELL, IT WOULD BE, IT WOULD BE 15 CENTS ON THE WATER SIDE.
IT WOULD BE, UM, SO QUARTER, UH, 21 CENTS ON THE OUTSIDE SEA LIMITS, BUT IT'S A LITTLE BIT BIGGER ON THIS, ON THE, UH, WASTEWATER SIDE.
SO, UH, IN, ON THE ORDER OF 77 CENTS ON A BASE RATE INCREASE IN 2028, THAT'S FOR YOUR AVERAGE CUSTOMER BY ABOUT 90% OF OUR CUSTOMERS HAVE THOSE FIVE EIGHTHS INCH METERS.
SO THAT IS REALLY PROBABLY YOUR BEST INDICATOR PLUS THE, THE, THE AMOUNT THAT'S SHOWN THERE ON THE WATER SIDE, IT'S A COMBINATION OF BOTH THE WATER AND THE SEWER.
SO ROUGHLY BY 2028, ABOUT A DOLLAR, MAYBE THAT'S THE BEST WAY TO SAY IT.
SO I'M SIMPLY PRESENTING WHAT OUR BOARD APPROVED
NO, AND I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND AND I'M JUST SAYING THAT, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S GONNA COST YOU EVERY, YOU KNOW, IF IF OTHER BILL, IF THE BILLS FOR THE REST OF THE COMMUNITY AS COMMISSIONERS MENTIONED, THAT YOU KNOW, OKAY, IF IF YOU'RE NOT, THEY'RE NOT PAYING IT HERE.
SOMEONE'S PAYING IT OVER HERE.
THAT DIFFERENCE IS A QUARTER, IT'S 25 CENTS, IT'S A DOLLAR IN THE NEXT, BY THE TIME WE GET TO 2028, SHOULDN'T WE BE PROTECTING THE PEOPLE THAT WE SH THAT, THAT LOOK TO THIS COMMISSION TO ENSURE THAT THEY CAN CONTINUE TO PAY THEIR BILLS AND TO TRANSITION OUT OF THE HOUSING AUTHORITY SO THAT WAY, THAT SPACE, THAT HOUSE THAT, YOU KNOW, RESIDENT IS AVAILABLE FOR SOMEONE ELSE THAT IS IN NEED.
AND INSTEAD, WE MAY CONTINUE TO HAVE FOLKS THAT STAY IN HOUSING BECAUSE THEY'RE UNABLE TO PAY THEIR BILLS.
SO I MEAN, THAT, THAT'S, THAT'S JUST A, IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE A, A BIG COST TO BEAR TO HELP THAT POPULATION.
THOSE ARE MY CONCERNS IF I MAY.
UM, I KNOW THAT WE'RE PRETTY AGGRESSIVE ON GOING WITH THE ON TIME, UM, BUT WE SHOULD CONSIDER GOING WITH A MODERATE DELAY AND THAT WILL REDUCE HOW MUCH EVERYBODY PAYS ACROSS THE BOARD.
NOW, THE DISCOUNTS THAT THEY CAN GET, WHETHER IT'S 1000 PEOPLE OR TWO OR THREE, WE HAVE TO KEEP IN MIND THAT NOT, IT HASN'T BEEN THREE YEARS IN THIS CITY.
SOME ARE THE, THE, THE, SOME OF THE EMPLOYEES BARELY MADE THE $10,000 PER HOUR THAT THEY WERE GETTING.
SO WE ALSO HAVE TO KEEP IN MIND THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE A LARGE PORTION OF THE POPULATION THAT'S BARELY OVER 10.
AND I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT THERE'S GONNA BE PEOPLE THAT WORK FOR THE CITY THAT HAVE BEEN HERE FOR YEARS THAT HAVE ONLY GOTTEN A 25 TO A 50 CENT RAISE.
MY PROBLEM IS NOT THE THOUSAND.
MY PROBLEM, MY CONCERN IS THESE PEOPLE THAT ARE, WHETHER IT'S 10% OR 20 OR 30%, THEY'RE STRUGGLING TO MAKE IT WORK RIGHT NOW.
OKAY? AND IF YOU DOUBLE THE, THE, THE, THE RATES IN FIVE YEARS OR TRIPLE, IN SOME CASES, WE'RE GONNA PUT A MAJOR HURT ON THEM.
OKAY? SO I'M ASKING THIS COMMISSION TO THINK TWICE.
I'M NOT JUST GIVING YOU SCENARIOS.
I'M GONNA ALSO PROVIDE YOU WITH 2, 2, 2 OPTIONS.
ONE, CONSIDER THE MODERATE DELAY.
HE CAN COME BACK IN TWO WEEKS AND GIVE US THOSE NUMBERS.
THE OTHER OPTION IS TO GO WITH THIS ON TIME THAT, THAT WE'RE VERY AGGRESSIVE ON FOR THE FIVE YEARS, BUT AT YEAR THREE IN 2026, WE GO BACK AND REVIEW EVERYTHING AND SEE IF THE CONSTRUCTION IS THERE.
THAT'S BEING, THAT WE SAID WAS GONNA BE THERE.
ALRIGHT? IF THE CONSTRUCTION IS SO FAR BEHIND, THERE'S NO NEED TO CHARGE PLENTY OR, OR DOUBLE HOW MUCH WE'RE WE'RE REQUESTING FOR THE HARLING TO WATER WORKS.
OKAY? WE ALSO HAVE TO KEEP IN MIND THAT WE HAVE TO BE VERY AGGRESSIVE.
AND I'M NOT REFERRING TO YOU, I'M REFERRING TO ALL OF US AND MAKING SURE THAT YOU GET THE FUNDING BECAUSE IT'S NOT JUST YOU, IT'S THE, THE, THE,
[02:05:01]
THE STAKEHOLDERS IS THE SAME PEOPLE THAT PAY OUR TAXES.OKAY? SO WE NEED TO BE VERY COGNIZANT OF THAT AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE EXTREMELY AGGRESSIVE, OKAY? WE CANNOT LEAVE ANY STONE UNTURNED.
YES, IT'S BEEN THE, THE CAMP'S BEEN KICKED FOR DECADES, WE'RE GONNA TACKLE THIS, BUT WE CAN'T HURT OURSELVES AND SHUT OURSELVES IN THE FOOT.
AND THEN TWO YEARS LATER WE'RE DOING THE SAME THING ON THE OTHER FOOT.
WE GOTTA MAKE SURE THAT WE MAKE SOME RIGHT DECISIONS.
SO GENTLEMEN, YEAH, THE THINGS THAT COMMISSIONER MORALES ARE BRINGING UP ON THE REVIEW AND SO ON, THAT WAS ALREADY BILLED INTO THIS, WASN'T IT, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY.
AND, AND IF ADDITIONAL MONEY JUST BE FROM GRANTS AND SO ON BECAME AVAILABLE THAT AT ANY POINT IN THIS PROCESS WE COULD HIT PAUSE, REVIEW THAT, THAT'S, THAT, THAT'S CORRECT.
THE EXTENT TO WHICH WE HAVE SUCCESS WITH WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARD FINANCING BEYOND THE INITIAL ASSUMPTIONS, WHICH WERE, WHICH WERE VERY MODEST AND BUILT INTO THE RATE PLAN, THEN THOSE WILL HELP REDUCE THOSE FUTURE YEAR ADJUSTMENTS.
ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE NATURAL THINGS THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN, WE, WE COME TO THE CITY COMMISSION EVERY YEAR, AUGUST, SEPTEMBER WITH A PROPOSED BUDGET.
AND I THINK THAT'S THE PERFECT OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT THE PROGRESS, UM, WHAT THE STATUS IS WITH OUR WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARD APPLICATIONS.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEWS CAN HOLD YOU UP IF YOU'VE GOT A CERTAIN PROJECT.
UH, THERE ARE THE, THE TIMELINE, UM, IS LARGELY UNDER WATERWORKS CONTROL, BUT THERE ARE ELEMENTS OF PROJECTS, PARTICULARLY THOSE THAT WE'RE APPLYING FOR FUNDING, WHERE THE WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARD MIGHT HAVE A PROCESS THAT SAYS, WELL, WE'RE NOT GOING TO APPROVE THAT JUST YET.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO LET THINGS PLAY OUT.
AND TO THE EXTENT THAT THAT HAPPENS, I THINK WE CAN, WE CAN REPORT TO THE COMMISSION DURING OUR ANNUAL BUDGET PROCESS WHAT THE STATUS OF THOSE PROJECTS ARE.
AND IF WE ARE IN A POSITION TO CONTINUE WITH THE FIVE YEAR PLAN, THEN WE WOULD RECOMMEND THAT IF WE'RE IN A POSITION TO SAY WE SHOULD TUNE THAT BACK OR PERHAPS EVEN TAKE A YEAR OFF DEPENDING ON PROJECT SCHEDULES AND SO FORTH.
UM, THAT IS A VERY NATURAL PART, UH, AND, AND, AND POSSIBILITY.
AND I WOULD PROPOSE THAT WE WOULD DO THAT.
SO IT MAY NOT BE THAT THE FIVE YEAR PLAN IS IMPLEMENTED EXACTLY WITH THE TIMING THAT IS INDICATED, UM, BUT THERE CERTAINLY BE A REVIEW, WHETHER IT BE BECAUSE OF SOME DELAYS OUTSIDE OF OUR CONTROL OR BECAUSE OF SUCCESS.
WE'VE GOT GRANTS THAT ARE BEING APPLIED.
A 10,000, $10 MILLION GRANT TOWARD A SPECIFIC PROJECT WOULD, WOULD HAVE A NON NEGLIGIBLE EFFECT ON THE RATE ADJUSTMENT THAT WOULD, THAT WOULD BE REQUIRED FOR THAT NEXT, UH, CYCLE.
SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD PROPOSE TO DO COMING, UH, TO THE CITY COMMISSION STARTING, UH, EVEN IN 2025.
UH, WE'RE NOT GONNA HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF INFORMATION BY THE TIME WE GET TO AUGUST OF THIS YEAR, BUT BY 2025, THAT CAN BE CERTAINLY, UM, A REPORT THAT'S INCLUDED WITH OUR BUDGET PRESENTATION.
YEAH, I I I, I DO, I RE I RECALL YOU MENTIONING, MENTIONING THAT, AND I, YOU KNOW, URGE THE COMMISSION, MY CONCERNS WERE JUST ON THE, THE LIFELINE, BUT I DO THINK THAT WE MADE THE RIGHT, THE RIGHT CALL IN DOING THE ON TIME BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT WE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE SPOKEN ABOUT THIS AD NAUSEUM, THAT INFLATION AND IT'S JUST GONNA COST US MORE IN THE LONG RUN AND WE NEED TO REALLY GET THIS, GET THIS DONE.
UM, AND I WILL SAY THAT BEFORE I CAME ON BOARD, AND, AND I I'M NOT SURE ON THE, I KNOW WELL HALF OF US ARE, ARE RATHER RECENT, BUT IN MY FIRST CONVERSATIONS WITH YOU, UM, IS WHEN I LEARNED THAT FOR DECADES THERE HAD NEVER BEEN A REQUEST FROM THE TEXAS WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARD.
AND SO THIS COMMISSION HAS BEEN VERY AGGRESSIVE AND WORKING IN CONNECTION WITH TIM, UM, AND THE BOARD TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE GOING AFTER THESE, THESE MONIES.
AND THAT'S WHY WE WERE SUCCESSFUL.
THAT'S WHY THE TEXAS WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARD SAT HERE ON THIS DAIS AND, AND HELD THEIR MEETING AND GRANTED US $10 MILLION.
AND SO I THINK WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO ON, ON THOSE, THOSE EFFORTS.
UM, WE CAN'T WORRY ABOUT THE THINGS THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN IN THE PAST.
WE GOTTA FOCUS ON THE FUTURE AND, AND MOVE FORWARD AND, AND GET THIS, GET THIS DONE.
I WOULD THINK THAT POTENTIALLY, YOU KNOW, GIVEN THAT THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE, YOU MIGHT CONSIDER HAVING QUARTERLY UPDATES ON, ON WHAT IT IS THAT YOU'RE, THAT YOU'RE DOING.
WHETHER THAT'S A EMAIL TO, TO GABE WHERE HE CAN PROVIDE IT TO THE COMMISSION OR IF YOU, YOU KNOW, WANNA BE, YOU WANNA PRESENT.
BUT JUST KEEPING US UP TO DATE ON, ON WHAT IT IS THAT'S, THAT THAT'S GOING ON AND THAT WE ARE ON TRACK.
I THINK THAT THIS IS GOING TO BENEFIT THE HARLINGEN RESIDENTS FOR GENERATIONS AND GENERATIONS TO COME.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
UH, WE HAVE TO MAKE THE HARD DECISIONS.
AND SO I THINK, UM, COMMISSIONER MORALES, YOU, YOU WERE RIGHT ON TRACK ABOUT WANTING TO MAKE SURE AND BE ACCOUNTABLE AND DOING THE ON TIME.
[02:10:01]
MY ONLY SUGGESTION IS THAT WE ADOPT THE ON TIME, BUT THAT YOU MAKE AN EXCEPTION AND YOU CARVE OUT THE LIFELINE FOR THE HOUSING AUTHORITY.I'M GONNA MAKE, OH, DO WE NEED TO READ THE ORDINANCE? YES.
IN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF HARLING IN TEXAS, AMENDING CHAPTER 18 AND CHAPTER 48, SECTIONS 48, 97 AND 48, 180 5 OF THE HARINGTON CITY CODE AS AMENDED TO AMEND RATES FOR WATER AND SEWER SERVICE, ESTABLISHING AN EFFECTIVE DATE AND PROVIDING FOR PUBLICATION AND ORDAINING.
OTHER MATTERS RELATED TO THE FOREGOING, MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE ORDINANCE AS PROPOSED BY THE HARM AND WATER WORKS WITH OR WITHOUT THE LIFELINE.
WITHOUT THE LIFELINE AS OF SECOND.
IS THERE ANOTHER MOTION? I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE, UM, THE WATER RATES WITH THE LIFELINE.
WAIT, FRANK, DO YOU WISH VOTE OPPOSED? OPPOSED.
UH, I THINK THAT, LET ME JUST SOME CLARIFICATIONS HERE.
IF I HEARD YOU RIGHT, COMMISSIONER MORALE, THE, YOU SUGGESTED THAT WE DO EITHER THE MODERATE, UM, DELAY OR, UM, ADOPT THE ON TIME AND MAKE SURE THAT ALONG THE WAY THAT WE ARE HOLDING TIM AND HIS TEAM ACCOUNTABLE.
AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, GOING AFTER THE GRANTS THAT WE ARE GOING TO GO AFTER AND THEN MAKING SURE THAT WE MAKE THE ADJUSTMENTS ALONG THE WAY.
AND SO THAT IS WHAT THE COMMISSION IS TRYING TO ADOPT.
I JUST WANNA REMIND EVERYBODY THAT THREE, WITHIN THE PAST THREE YEARS, OUR CITY EMPLOYEES, SOME OF THEM WENT PAST A THRESHOLD OF $10 AN HOUR.
OKAY? AND WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE HAVE TO KEEP IN MIND THAT THOSE PEOPLE RIGHT NOW ARE STILL STRUGGLING.
THOSE EMPLOYEES, THAT'S OUR EMPLOYEES.
NOW YOU STOP AND THINK ABOUT THOSE EMPLOYEES AND THEN LOOK AT THE PUBLIC, THE, THE REST OF THE POPULATION, IT'S SIGNIFICANT, WHETHER IT'S 30 OR 40%.
SO THOSE PEOPLE ARE GONNA STRUGGLE WITH, WITH THE, UH, WITH THE ON TIME.
OKAY? NOT EVERYBODY'S GONNA GET A DISCOUNT, OKAY? AND IT'S GONNA HURT 'EM.
THE THING IS, IT'S GONNA BE MORE EXPENSIVE LATER ON FRANK.
AND IF WE KICK, WE REMEMBER, YOU AND I ARE REAL BIG ON NOT ON TRYING TO, UM, FIX SOME OF THE MISTAKES IN THE PAST, AND WE DON'T WANT TO KICK THE CAN.
BUT, BUT HOW, HOW BADLY DO WE WANT TO BE? HOW, HOW AGGRESSIVE DO WE WANNA BE? OKAY.
NOW WE'RE GONNA HURT A LOT OF PEOPLE, OKAY? THE CHURCHES AND ALL THESE GROUPS ARE NOT GONNA GIVE THEM HELP FOR A YEAR OR TWO YEARS, OR THREE YEARS AS FOR A FEW MONTHS.
SO WHAT OUR RESOURCES, THEIR RESOURCES WILL EXPIRE.
OKAY? SO, COMMISSIONER, I THINK WHAT OUR JOB IS AS A COMMISSION IS TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE DOING OUR PART WITH OUR DELEGATION AND TALKING WITH THE WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARD AND TRYING TO GET AS MUCH MONEY TO, TO OUR PART OF THE REGION AS POSSIBLE.
AND, AND THOSE ARE, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I TAKE VERY SERIOUS AND I KNOW EVERYBODY ELSE ON THE COMMISSION DOES.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE, WE ARE, THAT IS HOW WE DO OUR PART TO TRY TO LESSEN THE BLOW.
BUT THE REALITY IS, AS IT'S BEEN MENTIONED BEFORE, THAT IT HAS TO GET DONE.
WE DON'T HAVE MANY OPTIONS IN FRONT OF US.
IF WE WANT TO REDUCE, WE WANNA REDUCE THE COST, BUT THEN THAT COST IS JUST GOING TO BE INCREASED IN YEARS TO COME, WHICH IS GOING TO, IN THE LONG RUN, TIM'S GONNA COME BACK AND ASK FOR THESE RATES TO GO UP EVEN HIGHER BECAUSE OF INFLATION.
I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT KEEP IN MIND THAT HAS BEEN 10 TO 12 YEARS SINCE THERE'S BEEN A RATE INCREASE.
SO RIGHT NOW, WHETHER WE LIKE IT OR NOT, WE ARE TAKING A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION TO WHERE RATES ARE GOING TO INCREASE.
NOW, ARE YOU JUST BASICALLY SUGGESTING GIVING THIS 1000 PEOPLE A $25 DISCOUNT? IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR? AND MY PROPOSAL IS, 'CAUSE REMEMBER TH THESE ARE GONNA BE FROM THE HOUSING AUTHORITY AND YOU'RE DISTRICT OF DISTRICT FOUR.
YOU HAVE MY OLD NEIGHBORHOOD LOS CASINOS, I HAVE TWO.
YOU HAVE JUANITA PARK AND ROBINHOOD APARTMENTS.
THEY'RE STILL HOUSING AS WELL FOR THE ONES OFF F STREET.
[02:15:01]
DISTRICTS YOU GOT, YOU HAVE THE MOST HOUSING.SO YOU HAVE THE MOST PEOPLE THAT WILL BE BENEFITING, UM, FROM THIS, UM, LIFELINE.
AND THESE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT YOU'RE CONCERNED ABOUT THE MOST? YES, I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THEM.
BUT ALSO I'M, I'M REALLY TORN WITH THE 30, 40% THAT ARE JUST MAKING IT.
AND THEY'RE NOT GONNA FALL INTO 1000 PEOPLE.
THEY DON'T LIVE AT THOSE CASINOS.
THEY DON'T LIVE AT ROBIN HOOD.
SO THOSE PEOPLE ARE GONNA BE HURTING JUST AS BADLY.
BUT THE THING IS, I AGREE WITH YOU, BUT THE THING IS, WELL I'M, THE WAY I'M SEEING IT IS THAT THE RATES ARE GONNA HAVE TO GO UP EITHER WAY.
WE'RE GOING TO BE VOTING FOR THE RATES TO GO UP.
I, I, I THINK IT'S THE, THE CONSENSUS HERE THAT WE ARE GONNA BE INCREASING THE RATES.
SO I WOULD RATHER, WHICH I'M FINE WITH BECAUSE I KNOW THAT'S WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE FOR OUR CITY.
THAT'S, THAT'S THE BEST DECISION FOR OUR CITY.
BUT WHAT I WANNA DO IS I WANNA BE ABLE TO HELP AT LEAST SOME OF THE PEOPLE, WE CANNOT, I DON'T BELIEVE IN JUST SAYING, OH, WE'RE NOT GONNA HELP ANYBODY.
'CAUSE WE CAN'T HELP EVERYBODY.
IF WE CAN HELP, AT LEAST SOME OF THEM, LET'S HELP THOSE PEOPLE THAT WE CAN HELP.
AND THOSE PEOPLE THAT WE CAN'T HELP ARE THE PEOPLE THAT ARE IN THESE AREAS.
A LOT OF 'EM ARE IN YOUR DISTRICT AND, AND FORS DISTRICT AND OTHER DISTRICTS.
IF WE CAN HELP THEM, LET'S HELP THEM.
DON'T LET THE REASON THAT WE CAN'T HELP EVERYBODY BE THE REASON WE DON'T HELP THE FEW THAT WE CAN, BUT WE HELP THOSE TO THE DETRIMENT OF OTHERS.
BUT THAT, BUT THAT COULD GO TO ANYTHING LIKE BEL THAT'S, THAT'S REALITY OF IT.
BEL THING TO THE DETRIMENT OF THE OTHERS.
SO THOSE ONES THAT YOU ARE CONCERNED ABOUT, THE ONES THAT ARE NOT IN HOUSING, UH, THE HOUSING AUTHORITY, THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT ARE GONNA BE HEARD A LITTLE MORE.
I DON'T, I DON'T THINK THEY'RE NECESSARILY HURT.
I THINK THEY'RE JUST CONTRIBUTING TO THE SOCIETY.
IT'S LIKE WE, THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES, IT'S LIKE THE STREETS.
LIKE I HAVE SOME PEOPLE IN MY DISTRICT THAT SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT? I PAY PROPERTY TAXES AND WHY ARE YOU FIXING THOSE OTHER STREETS? WHY DON'T YOU GET TO MY STREETS? OKAY.
JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE PAYING TAXES, BUT YOU'RE NOT JUST PAYING FOR THE, FOR WHAT'S IN FRONT OF YOU.
YOU'RE PAYING FOR, FOR ALL FOR EVERYONE ELSE.
THESE PEOPLE ARE THE ONES THAT NEED IT THE MOST.
I KNOW HOW THEY STRUGGLE, THEY NEED THE HELP.
UM, DANIEL, IF IT WAS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE TACKING ON $20 TO THEIR BILL OR DOUBLE THEIR BILL OR $10, BUT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A QUARTER IN, IN YEAR ONE.
I, I DON'T SEE, I DON'T SEE HOW THAT IS REALLY, YOU KNOW, TAKEN FROM ONE TO GIVE TO THE OTHER IN THE, IN, IN THE WAY THAT IT'S BEING, BEING PRESENTED.
WELL, I, IT'S THAT A SMALL POP, IT'S A SMALL POPULATION.
AND I KNOW THAT THE COMMISSION AS A WHOLE WANTED TO DO THAT.
BUT TIM HAS TOLD US THAT THAT'S NOT POSSIBLE BECAUSE THEN IT WOULD NOT FUND THE PROJECTS THAT HE NEEDS TO FUND.
SO THEN, BECAUSE WE CANNOT HELP EVERYONE, WE'RE NOT GOING TO HELP ANYONE.
JUST DOESN'T MAKE ANY, ANY SENSE.
I THINK WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO, TO THIS, UH, TO, TO, TO HELP WHOEVER IT IS THAT WE CAN.
AND AT THIS AND IN THIS SITUATION, THIS IS WHAT WE CAN DO.
SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO MAKE COMPROMISES AND WE HAVE TO, TO PROVIDE WHERE WE CAN AND TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO DO THE WORK THAT WE NEED TO DO FOR THE GREATER COMMUNITY, WHICH IS THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT NEED TO GET DONE.
IF, IF I MAY SAY I'LL REPEAT MYSELF FROM PREVIOUS MEETINGS, YOU'RE PICKING AND CHOOSING YOUR POOR PEOPLE THAT YOU LOVE AND THE ONES YOU DON'T.
AND YOU HAVE TO TREAT EVERYBODY EQUALLY.
IF YOU'RE GOING TO ESTABLISH CLASSES OF PEOPLE, YOU HAVE TO TREAT 'EM ALL EQUALLY.
AND THEN THE PEOPLE WHO DON'T LIVE IN, I DON'T KNOW WHAT PUBLIC HOUSING, THERE'S GONNA BE LINES OF PEOPLE WAITING TO GET INTO PUBLIC HOUSING BECAUSE HEY, IT'S CHEAPER TO LIVE THERE.
MY WATER AND SUIT BILL IS CHEAPER.
AND IT'S NO INCENTIVE TO GET PEOPLE OUTTA PUBLIC HOUSING.
YOU'RE, IT'S, AND THEN THE OTHER THING IS, WE DELAY THIS MONTH AFTER MONTH AFTER MONTH.
AND DEN GROUP SAYS, WE'VE HAD ALL THESE MEETINGS WITH DEN GROUP.
THEY'RE PROFESSIONALS AND THEY SAY, THIS IS HOW YOU GOTTA DO IT.
AND HERE WE ARE DELAYING IT AGAIN FOR ANOTHER MONTH AND MONTH.
AND ALL THAT DOES IS DRIVE UP THE COSTS.
BECAUSE IN INFLATION, AS WAS FIRST PRESENTED, INFLATION IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY IN THE WATER AND SEWER INDUSTRY IS NOT TWO OR THREE OR 5%, BUT IT'S IN DOUBLE, DOUBLE DIGITS AND IT'S NOT GOING TO GET BETTER.
AND AS WE DELAY ALL THIS, YOU'RE INCREASING THE COSTS TO THE TAXPAYER.
WE'RE LOOKING, MAYOR, I APPRECIATE YOUR POSITION, BUT YOU'RE LOOKING AT 25 CENTS IN A VACUUM.
IT'S NOT 25 CENTS, IT'S 25 CENTS ON TOP OF WHAT WE'RE PAYING FOR HOUSING ON TOP OF WHAT WE'RE PAYING FOR THE WIFI ON TOP OF WHAT WE'RE PAYING FOR ALL THE OTHER THINGS.
SO FOR YOU, YOU SEE 25 CENTS, BUT I'M SAYING THE HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS, THE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS THAT WE'RE PAYING EVERY YEAR ON TOP OF THAT, THAT'S FROM MY CONCERN.
WHAT I FEEL THAT THIS IS, IS IT'S NOT A WATER ISSUE.
IT'S A LACK OF EMPLOYMENT ISSUE.
THIS IS AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ISSUE.
[02:20:01]
WHAT WE NEED TO BE DOING IS THAT THE REASON THESE PEOPLE ARE STRUGGLING WITH BILLS OR WHATNOT, IS THAT THEY DON'T HAVE THE JOBS.THEY'RE NOT BEING UPSKILLED, THEY'RE NOT BEING PUT IN THE BEST POSITION TO SUCCEED.
SO DO WE THINK THAT HELPING THEM BY GIVING THEM A DISCOUNT ON WATER IS THE BEST WAY TO HELP THEM? OR SHOULD WE BE DOING A DIFFERENT APPROACH WHERE WE TRY TO HELP THEM GET THE BETTER JOBS WHERE WE TRY TO HELP THEM GET LICENSE FREE LICENSURE THROUGH PROGRAMS OUT THERE, THREE CERTI, THREE CERTIFICATION SO THEY CAN GET BETTER JOBS SO THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TO LIVE IN HOUSING.
THAT'S WHERE, IF WE'RE GONNA DO ANYTHING, IF OUR EFFORT'S GONNA BE ANYWHERE, IT SHOULD BE THERE.
I THINK TALKING TO, TALKING TO ORLANDO, COMING IN, RIGHT? THERE'S A BUNCH OF PROGRAMS OUT THERE, FREE PROGRAMS. HOW MUCH MONEY DO WE GIVE TO VITA? RIGHT? WE GAVE MONEY TO VITA RECENTLY.
WE GAVE MONEY THE MINUTES FROM THE ONES WE JUST APPROVED.
WE GAVE MINUTES TO TSCC FOR THEIR GOAL LINE TO HELP THEM PAY FOR, UH, HELP THESE KIDS GET THEIR CERTIFICATIONS.
THOSE ARE THE PATHS WE SHOULD BE TAKING.
NOT GIVING THEM DISCOUNTS ON WATER.
I THINK WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
THERE'S A LOT OF PROGRAMS OUT THERE AND THAT'S, THAT'S A REALLY GOOD APPROACH TO GO, LIKE THE BIG PICTURE THAT WE NEED TO GET 'EM JOBS AND ALL THAT.
I TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU ON THAT.
BUT THE THING IS, TELL THAT TO THE FAMILY THAT CAN'T AFFORD THEIR WATER, BILL'S GONNA GET SHUT OFF.
OKAY? TELL THAT TO MY MOM WHO WAS WORKING THAT COULDN'T WORK BECAUSE SHE WAS A DISABLED, UM, SINGLE MOM.
AND SHE HAD A LITTLE KID THAT WAS A PAIN IN THE BUTT CALLED RAINY, AND SHE COULDN'T WORK AND SHE WAS GONNA GET HER WATER CUT OFF AND SHE NEEDED HELP.
THAT'S WHAT THESE, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO HERE.
THAT'S WHAT, HOW I'M SEEING IT.
I'M SAYING THESE $25 MAY NOT SEEM A LOT TO SOME PEOPLE, BUT TO THE, TO THE PEOPLE THERE IN THE, IN THE, IN THE HOUSING, IT MEANS A LOT.
AND NOW YOU'RE SAYING A QUARTER HERE, WIFI HERE, YOU'RE ASSUMING WE'RE PAYING FOR THEIR WIFI.
YOU'RE ASSUMING WE'RE PAYING FOR ALL THESE OTHER THINGS.
I MEAN, MIKE IS ALWAYS TELLING US ABOUT HOW JESUS DOES THIS.
AND HE'S ALWAYS GOING TO THE BIBLE, WHAT I'M SAYING RIGHT HERE, WHAT DOES JESUS SAY TO HELP THE MOST VULNERABLE PEOPLE? AND THESE ARE OTHER PEOPLE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO HELP.
WE'RE TRYING TO HELP THE MOST VULNERABLE PEOPLE IN OUR SOCIETY OR IN OUR CITY.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO.
BUT WE ARE HELPING THEM 'CAUSE THEY'RE LIVING IN HOUSING.
SO IT'S NOT SOME JUST RANDOM BELIEF THAT REFLECT.
SO JESUS SAID, JUST TO HELP 'EM A LITTLE BIT AND LET 'EM AND TURN THE OTHER CHEEK.
WE WERE HELPING THEM A LOT, I BELIEVE.
AND THE, THE ISSUE IS THIS, THIS IS THE LAND OF OPPORTUNITY, NOT THE LAND OF HANDOUTS.
IT'S NOT A HAND UP, IT'S HAND UP.
WE DON'T, AND AND, AND I, AND I CAN FULLY APPRECIATE, UM, YOUR, YOUR PERSPECTIVE ON THIS, BUT WE DON'T, YOU DON'T KNOW EVERYONE THAT IS LIVING IN HOUSING AND THEIR SPECIFIC SITUATION.
EACH PERSON HAS A DIFFERENT STORY AND NOT ALL OF THEM GET FREE, YOU KNOW, FREE RENT AND FREE WIFI.
AND I MEAN, THEY, AS THEY ARE TRANSITIONING OUT OF HOUSING, THEY'RE PAYING INCREASED AMOUNTS IN THEIR RENT.
AND SO IF YOU HAVE SOMEONE ON YEAR THREE OR YEAR FOUR, AND THEY'RE, AND WE'RE SETTING THEM UP BECAUSE THERE ARE WRAPAROUND SERVICES IN THE HOUSING AUTHORITY, THEY DO HELP THEM GO FIND JOBS.
THEY DO HAVE TO, THERE ARE CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS THAT HAVE TO BE, TO BE MET IN ORDER TO CONTINUE TO HAVE THOSE RENEWALS AND IN, IN WHERE THEY'RE HOUSED.
SO THEY ARE DOING THOSE THINGS.
SHOULD, COULD WE PROVIDE BETTER OPPORTUNITIES? ABSOLUTELY.
SHOULD WE LOOK TOWARDS DOING THAT? WE SHOULD, YES.
HOWEVER THEY ARE, WHAT THEY'RE DOING RIGHT NOW IS WORKING.
THEY ARE NOT STAYING IN HOUSING FOR 10 YEARS, 15 YEARS, 20 YEARS.
THERE IS A SEGMENT OF THE POPULATION THAT ARE DIS THAT ARE DISABLED AND ELDERLY THAT THAT POTENTIALLY MAY, BUT THAT IS A SMALL PORTION.
YOU HAVE FOLKS THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE SINGLE MOMS RECENTLY DIVORCED THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, THEY'VE GOT A COUPLE OF KIDS AND, AND IT'S HARD FOR THEM.
SO THEY'RE, THEY, THEY GET ON THIS LIST AND BY THE TIME THEY GET INTO HOUSING, THEY HAVE A GOAL OF GETTING OUT OF HOUSING.
AND, AND ALL I'M SAYING IS THAT WE SHOULD, YOU'RE, WE'RE DISRUPTING THAT PATH BY INCREASING THOSE RATES.
AND, AND THE ONLY REASON WHY WE FOCUS ON, ON THE HOUSING AUTHORITY IS BECAUSE WE'VE ALREADY ESTABLISHED THAT IT WOULD BE REALLY BURDENSOME FOR STAFF TO, YOU KNOW, GO AND DO THE WORK TO BE ABLE TO ESTABLISH WHO WOULD QUALIFY AND WHO DIDN'T.
AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THE CITY OF HARLINGEN HAS ALREADY DONE THROUGH THE HOUSING AUTHORITY.
SO WE DON'T, WE'RE NOT CONCERNED WHETHER THESE FOLKS REALLY MEET THE CRITERIA BECAUSE THAT'S ALREADY BEEN DONE.
SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE REALLY NEED TO, TO CONSIDER WHAT EVERYBODY IS GOING THROUGH INDIVIDUALLY AND NOT JUST, YOU KNOW, MAKE THESE BLANKET STATEMENTS THAT WE'RE GIVING HANDOUTS TO EVERYBODY AND THEY JUST, THEY JUST NEED TO GO GET A BETTER JOB.
'CAUSE THAT'S JUST NOT, NOT THE CASE.
BUT THAT'S THE, THOSE ARE THE THINGS WE'RE WILLING TO HELP THEM DO.
IT'S NOT LIKE SAYING GO GET A BETTER JOB SAYING WE'RE WILLING TO HELP THEM DO IT.
BUT ARE YOU GONNA BE ABLE TO PUT THEM IN A BETTER JOB TO BE ABLE TO PAY THEIR BILL BY NEXT MONTH? IT'S ABSOLUTELY IMPOSSIBLE FOR US TO DO THAT FOR EVERYONE.
AND AS MUCH AS WE'D WANT TO, EVEN IF WE WENT OVER THERE AND HELD THEIR HAND AND TOOK THEM TO DO THE TRAINING, IT'S JUST NOT, IT'S NOT
[02:25:01]
POSSIBLE.AND SO THIS IS A TEMPORARY SITUATION FOR FOLKS AND WE EVEN ENTERTAINED THE IDEA OF MAKING SURE, AND I KNOW THAT HILDA WILL BE ABLE TO, TO HELP WITH THAT, TO ENSURE THAT WHAT WE'RE SAYING IS TRUE.
THAT THEY ARE THERE FOR A SMALL PERIOD, YOU KNOW, A FEW YEARS NOT TO EXCEED THE FIVE YEARS.
AND IF THEY DO, THEN MAYBE THEY DON'T GET THESE DISCOUNTS BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE CONCERNED WITH.
AND THAT'S WHAT MIKE'S CONCERNED WITH, RIGHT? THAT PEOPLE ARE JUST GOING TO LINING UP IN HOUSING BECAUSE THEY'RE GONNA GET, WHICH IS RIDICULOUS.
NOBODY'S GONNA LINE UP IN HOUSING JUST BECAUSE THEIR WATER BILL IS, IS, IS CHEAPER.
UM, PEOPLE GO INTO HOUSING BECAUSE THEY NEED THE ASSISTANCE.
AND WE ARE ALREADY PROVIDING THAT.
PROBABLY BEING PROBABLY THE ONLY ONE THAT'S LIVED IN HOUSING ON THE COMMISSION.
I CAN TELL YOU THAT LIVING IN HOUSING IS NOT SOMETHING PEOPLE ASPIRE TO DO.
OKAY? I LIVED THERE WITH MY MOM AND I LIVED THERE, AND WHEN I GOT OUT AND I, I'M OUT.
'CAUSE YOU CAN TELL I'M NOT THERE ANYMORE.
THANKFULLY MY CHILDREN ARE NOT THERE.
SO IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT GOES, HOW SOME PEOPLE SAY FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION.
THESE PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN HOUSING NEED HELP.
THEY'RE, THEY ARE RECEIVING SOME HELP.
YES, THEY ARE, THEY'RE RECEIVING SOME HELP, BUT WHAT IS WRONG WITH HELPING THEM SOME MORE? I, I DON'T, I NEVER, I DON'T SEE THE, THE WRONG IN THAT WE'RE JUST HELPING THEM.
WELL, SO YOU HAD TWO MOTIONS AND THEY BOTH FAILED AND THE, YOU KNOW, I THINK IF I MAY, YES.
UM, LET'S, UM, HAD TO USE THE TERM COMPROMISE.
BUT IF WE CAN GO AHEAD AND HELP 'EM THROUGH 2024 AND THROUGH 2025 AND REVISIT IT AGAIN.
SEE HERE'S, HERE'S A PROGRAM THAT PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE AND I BROUGHT THIS UP TO, UM, CAN'T THINK OF HER NAME RIGHT OFF THE BAT, UH, FLO AND, UH, AND IT'S VERY DOABLE.
OKAY? ANYBODY THAT'S ELDERLY, THAT HAS MEDICARE, MEDICARE, MEDICAID, MEDICAID'S FOR KIDS, KIDS MEDICARE IS FOR OLDER MEDICAID, MEDICARE, I GET IT.
MEDICAID,
AT THE END OF THE DAY, MEDICAID CERTAIN, THERE, THERE ARE CERTAIN, UM, INSURANCES OUT THERE THAT CAN PROVIDE 'EM WITH A $25, UH, ASSISTANCE TOWARD THEIR UTILITIES, RIGHT? THESE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT NEED TO SIGN UP AND THEY CAN GET THIS.
ALRIGHT? SO IT DOESN'T MATTER IF, IF WHERE THEY LIVE, OKAY? IF THEY FALL UNDER THE MEDICARE, UH, MEDICAID A AND B OR WHATEVER IT IS, THEY'RE ELIGIBLE.
OKAY? IF THEY'RE ELIGIBLE, DOESN'T MATTER WHERE THEY LIVE, THEY CAN GET THAT $25 TOWARD, MY PREFERENCE WOULD BE TO THE HARINGTON WATERWORTH INSTEAD OF THEIR, UH, THEIR ELECTRICITY, THEIR LIGHT BILL.
YOU'RE SAYING EVERYBODY ON MEDICARE CAN GET THAT MEDICAID, MEDICARE, MEDICAID.
THERE, THERE'S, THERE'S SOMETHING THERE.
A GOOD CHUNK OF THEM CAN AND SOME PEOPLE CAN'T.
BUT THERE'S, THERE'S THAT PROGRAM OUT THERE.
OKAY? AND IT DOESN'T MATTER IF THEY HAVE UNITED HEALTH OR CIGNA OR YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE MEDICARE ADVANTAGE PLANS.
SO WHAT DO, WHAT ARE, WHAT IS THE, WHAT ARE YOU SAYING? OKAY.
I WOULD GO ALONG WITH GIVING THEM THE ASSISTANCE THROUGH 2024 AND 2025.
AND WE REVISIT THAT WHEN WE GET OUR REPORTS AND SEE WHERE WE STAND ON THE, UH, ON THE ASSESSING THE, UH, THE CONSTRUCTION AND THE, AND THE FUNDINGS THAT WE'VE GOTTEN.
THAT WOULD GIVE US TWO YEARS AND MAYBE A LITTLE BIT LESS.
BUT THAT WOULD GIVE US A, A LITTLE LEEWAY AS TO WHAT, WHERE WE STAND, ARE WE BEING SUCCESSFUL IN GETTING OUR GRANTS? IS TEXAS WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARD HELPING US OUT? IS THE SWIFT PROGRAM HELPING US OUT? IS THAT OTHER, UH, TEDOM OR, UH, HELPING US OUT? SO IF, LET ME JUST, I WANNA MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND.
UM, SO YOU WANT TO GO WITH THE ON TIME WITH THE LIFELINE AND YOU WANT TO COME BACK IN TWO YEARS TO SEE WHERE TIM IS AT AND IF YOU, IF IF THEY ARE NOT ON TRACK, THEN YOU'RE GOING TO REMOVE THE LIFELINE.
THAT'S WHAT HE'S SAYING HE WANTS, HE WANTS THE LIFELINE TO ONLY LAST TWO YEARS
[02:30:01]
AND THEN WE CAN RENEW IT AT THE END OF THOSE TWO YEARS IF IT'S NECESSARY, RIGHT? CORRECT.NOW MY PREFERENCE WOULD BE WITH, TO GO WITH, UH, THE MODERATE DELAY THAT WILL REDUCE EVERYBODY'S COST.
I DON'T THINK ANYONE ON THE COMMISSION IS GONNA DO THAT, BUT, SO I'M UP TO CREEK THERE, RIGHT? SO I'M TRYING TO JUST KIND OF NARROW THE, SO WOULD YOU SUPPORT THE, THE WATER RATES WITH THE LIFELINE FOR TWO YEARS? FOR TWO YEARS? OR A SUNSET PROVISION, LIKE DENNIS SAID, CORRECT.
AND THEN REVISIT THAT AS WE GET MORE DATA.
MAKE THAT AS A MOTION, BROTHER.
I WOULD, I WOULD MAKE ONE CLARIFICATION IS THAT THESE, THAT $25 DOES NOT START YEAR ONE THAT IS PHASED IN.
SO BY 2028, THE BENEFIT BECOMES 25.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HEARD THE COMMISSION SAY WAS THAT WE DIDN'T REALLY WANT HOUSING TO PAY LESS THAN THEY'RE CURRENTLY PAYING.
SO WE PHASED THAT THROUGH THIS, THROUGH THIS PLAN.
THAT WAS GONNA BE MY, MY, SO SORRY TIM.
JUST BECAUSE THIS TWO YEAR SUNSET PROVISION IN THE FIRST TWO YEARS THERE, THERE'S NO DISCOUNT BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT IT'S NOT, THE RATE ISN'T GONNA, IF WE WERE TO GIVE THEM A $25 DISCOUNT, THEN THEY WOULD BE PAYING LESS.
SO, SO THAT, UH, THAT LIFELINE WON'T, WILL NOT KICK IN UNTIL, WELL, IT KICKS IN GRADUALLY SO IT BUILDS UNTIL IT GETS TO 25 BY THE END OF 2028.
SO BY 20, IN 20 24, 20 25, IT'S GOING TO BE SOMETHING $10 OR LESS.
I, I'M JUST THROWING OUT A NUMBER, BUT IT'S GOING TO BE, IT TAKES CARE OF THE INCREASE.
SO I DON'T REMEMBER WHAT IT WAS LIKE $5 OR SOMETHING THE FIRST MONTH, UM, AND THEN THE SECOND MONTH AND ON THE SECOND MONTH THE FIRST YEAR.
AND SO IT, WHAT IT WAS GOING TO DO IS THERE WOULD NOT BE AN INCREASE.
IS THAT RIGHT? AND THEN THE SECOND YEAR IT WENT UP A LITTLE AND SO IT WOULD COVER THAT UP UNTIL THE 2028.
SO WHAT IT DOES IS FOR THE FIRST TWO YEARS, IF YOU PUT A SUNSET ON IT, ALL IT'S IT'S GONNA DO IS THEIR BILLS WILL NOT GO UP FOR THE NEXT TWO YEARS.
YOU WOULD BE AT 109% AT ON THE FIFTH YEAR FOR THE 3000 LESS.
SO IT WOULD MORE THAN DOUBLE WITHIN FIVE YEARS THEIR RATES.
OR WHICH IS, WHICH IS WHY IT INCREASES.
AND AT THE, AT THE END WHEN ALL THE RATES ARE AT THEIR PEAK, IF YOU WILL, THAT'S WHEN THE $25, SO PERHAPS 20 26, 20 27 IS WHERE THOSE CUSTOMERS ARE STILL GOING TO BE SEEING A HIGH RATE, EVEN THOUGH THAT IS STILL BEING PHASED IN.
BY THE TIME YOU GET TO 2028, THEY'RE GETTING A $25 BENEFIT, BUT THEY'RE STILL PAYING HIGHER THAN THEY WOULD'VE PAID IN 2024.
SO THAT, AND IT'S, IT'S NOT SAYING THAT IT'S CAPPING THEIR RATE, IT'S DOING THAT INITIALLY, BUT IN THOSE LATER YEARS, THAT BENEFIT DOES NOT COVER THE TOTALITY OF THE INCREASE.
SO THE FIRST TWO, THE FIRST TWO YEARS, IT, THEY'RE NOT GONNA SEE THAT INCREASE.
BUT THEN YEAR 27 AND 28, THEY ARE ALREADY, THEIR RATES ARE GONNA BE INCREASED, BUT THEIR, THIS ASSISTANCE IS GOING TO LESSEN THAT INCREASE.
WE HAD MULTIPLE MEETINGS WITH THE WATER DEPARTMENT AND WILTON GROUP AND WE ALL GAVE OUR INPUT AND HAD THE ABILITY TO GIVE OUR INPUT.
AND SO THEY SAID, HERE'S THE WAY TO GO.
AND NOW WE'RE CHANGING THE FORMULA FOR THE SOUP.
WELL, NO, NOT NECESSARILY MIKE.
'CAUSE I'VE BEEN, WE'VE BEEN ASKING, OR AT LEAST I'VE BEEN ASKING FOR THIS SINCE WE'VE BEEN HAVING THESE, THESE MEETINGS.
BUT I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE, WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
I THINK WE'VE ESTABLISHED THE NEED.
WE'RE TRYING TO MICROMANAGE WHAT WE ALREADY COULD HAVE MICROMANAGED WELL MADE THE PRESENT PROPOSITION THE LAST TIME WE MET WITH THE $25 BREAK.
AND MY POSITION ON THAT HAS NOT CHANGED.
AND I KNOW THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU SUPPORTED TOO, DANIEL, DIDN'T YOU? THE $25 INITIALLY.
I KNOW IT WAS YOU AND FORD THAT BROUGHT THAT UP LAST TIME.
BUT THAT WAS, THAT WOULD NOT FOR EVERYONE.
IT WAS, WAS FOR THOSE PEOPLE, GROUPS OF PEOPLE THAT THE TEXAS VOTERS HAD APPROVED TO GIVE CONSTITUTIONAL BREAKS TO ON THE PROPERTY TAX.
'CAUSE YOU KNOW, FROM THE INFORMATION WE GOT FROM TIM, IT'S NOT FEASIBLE.
SO DO YOU STILL SUPPORT THE $25 OR NOT? NO, NOT FOR, NOT FOR THIS 1000 PEOPLE.
SO YOU'D RATHER JUST NOT GIVE ANYBODY I WOULD GIVE IT TO DISABLED VETERANS.
I'M WILLING TO GIVE IT TO WIDOWS OF, UH, VETERANS WHO HAVE DIED, UH, IN COMBAT AND ALSO TO ALL VETERANS.
EVEN VETERANS THAT ARE MAKING SIX FIGURES, WHICH STILL NO DISABLED SENIOR DISABLED VETERAN.
'CAUSE I THINK THAT WAS HIS DIRECTION.
[02:35:01]
AND, AND JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE A DISABLED VE VETERAN DOES NOT MEAN THAT YOU'RE LOW INCOME.YEAH, BUT WITH THE HOUSE, THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPT OR THAT EXCEPTION? NO, NO.
HE GETS MILITARY PAY, RETIRED MILITARY PAY.
YOU GET MONTHLY PAY FOR WHATEVER YOUR CLASSIFICATION AND WHATEVER YOUR DISABILITY RATING YOU DO.
YEAH, WELL THEY WOULD, IT TAKES ME BACK TO RONALD REAGAN DONE
HEY, ONE YEAR, TWO YEARS, 10 YEARS.
BUT NOT ALL VETERANS NEED MONEY AND NEED ASSISTANCE.
AND, AND, AND I, AND I WOULD AGREE WITH THAT.
UM, AND YOU CAN'T MAKE THEM A PRIVILEGED CLASS EITHER.
YOU EITHER TREAT ALL THE POOR PEOPLE EQUALLY OR NOT.
BUT I DO SEE WHAT YOU'RE, I THINK MAYBE I DIDN'T HEAR THAT RIGHT? 'CAUSE AT THE LAST MEETING I THOUGHT IT WAS ALL VETERANS, BUT I UNDERSTAND WANTING TO, TO, TO ASSIST IN, IN THOSE CLASSES.
I MEAN THAT MAKES, THAT MAKES SENSE.
AND IF WE COULD THEN I, YOU KNOW, THEN I, THEN I WOULD I AGREE.
IF IT WAS FEASIBLE, LIKE IF IT WAS ECONOMICALLY FEASIBLE, UM, TO DO, HELP EVERYBODY GO FOR IT.
I'D HELP EVERYBODY IF I COULD.
BUT SO MY WIFE SAYS EVERY TIME SHE DOES THE LOTTERY CHECK
AND IF I WIN THE LOTTERY, I'LL GO ON RECORD THAT I WILL ASSIST WITH SOME OF THE MILLIONS THAT I GET.
IT DEPENDS ON HOW MANY MILLION, HEY, THERE'S BEEN LIKE BILLION, BILLION DOLLARS.
IF THERE WAS A BILLION DOLLARS, THEN I WOULD BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO LET'S, YOU KNOW, FLIP THE BILL FOR IT.
BUT IN ALL SERIOUSNESS, UM, COMMISSIONER MORALES, HAVING, HAVING HEARD THE DISCUSSIONS ON THIS LIFELINE, WHAT IS YOUR, UH, POSITION WOULD YOU SUPPORT WITHOUT THE SUNSET APPROVAL, KNOWING THAT IT'S NOT, UM, THE $25 RIGHT OFF THE RIGHT OFF THE BAT.
AND WE WOULD STILL, I MEAN, WE'RE GONNA DO THAT REGARDLESS.
WE'RE GONNA ENSURE LIKE THERE'S GONNA BE ACCOUNTABILITY AND YOU KNOW, TIM AND I TALK, AND, AND, AND GABE IS ON TOP OF IT TOO.
AND I WOULD SUGGEST, AGAIN, TO HAVE THOSE QUARTERLY REPORTS GIVEN TO CITY CITY MANAGEMENT, YOU CAN MAKE 'EM AVAILABLE TO THE COMMISSION.
AND THAT WAY YOU DON'T HAVE TO COME ALL THE WAY OUT HERE, BUT WE'D LIKE TO KNOW, YOU KNOW, WHERE YOU'RE AT.
AND SO WHEN OUR CONSTITUENTS ARE ASKING US QUESTIONS, WE HAVE THE ANSWERS FOR THEM.
AND I JUST WANNA VERIFY, SO EVERYBODY HERE AGREES THAT WE ARE, WE ARE GONNA STAY ON THE ON TIME, CORRECT? ON TIME INVERTED PYRAMID.
CORRECT? THE, THE QUESTION IS THAT LIFELINE, THE LIFELINE, THE DISCOUNT, YOU HAVE THE NOSE, THEN YOU HAVE THE TWO YEAR SUNSET, THEN YOU HAVE THE FULL TIME.
I DON'T, I DON'T, I DON'T THINK WE COULD DO THE TWO YEAR SUNSET FROM WHAT TIM IS TELLING ME.
SO I, WITH THE BLOCK RATES CORRECT.
SO I WOULD SAY TO JUST DO THE LIFELINE AND THEN WE CAN COME BACK TO IT AT THE END OF THE FIVE YEARS AND SEE IF WE'RE GONNA EXTEND THE PROGRAM OR TO CANCEL IT.
AND THIS COMMISSION HAS THE AUTHORITY IN TWO YEARS.
IF YOU FEEL LIKE, HEY, IT'S NOT WORKING AND YOU WANNA MAKE SOME CHANGES, YOU CAN DO THAT.
BUT I THINK THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE SHOULD, WE SHOULD GET STARTED ON IT.
MARK, I HAVE A LEGAL QUESTION.
CAN WE, CAN WE KEEP VOTING ON THIS ALL NIGHT? IT'S, IT'S, IS THERE AN YOU CAN, YOU CAN VOTE AGAIN.
WELL, WELL, WE HAVE TO, WE, WE GET OUTTA HERE.
I WAS JUST ANSWERING THE QUESTION.
I MAKE A MOTION TO, TO APPROVE THIS ON TIME WITH A, WITH A LIFELINE.
UH, SHANNON'S BEEN HERE JUST LIKE, I JUST WANT A CAR, GUYS, THIS IS
I'M NOT HERE TO FIGHT ABOUT, WE'RE NOT GIVING YOU ANY DISCOUNTS.
WHAT WOULD SHE SAY IF WE ASKED THE TABLE THAT? YEAH.
WE WE'RE NOT MAKING THAT RECOMMENDATION.
UH, YOU WANNA COME ON UP SHANNON AND AMANDA? OKAY.
[Item 10g - Consideration and possible action to approve the purchase of a Ford Transit Connect Van for the Harlingen Animal Shelter to transport animals to and from the veterinarians' clinics, offsite adoption events and foster homes when needed.]
LETTER G, CONSIDERATION OF POSSIBLE ACTION TO APPROVE THE PURCHASE OF A FORD TRANSIT CONNECT.DID YOU READ THE CAPTION? WAIT.
WE, DID HE READ THE CAPTION ON, ON THAT INITIALLY? YES, HE DID.
HOW MANY YEARS AGO WAS THAT?
UM, VAN, FOR THE HARLING AND ANIMAL SHELTER TO TRANSPORT ANIMALS TO AND FROM THE VETERINARIAN CLINICS, OFFSET ADOPTION EVENTS AND FOSTER HOMES WHEN NEEDED.
[02:40:01]
A MOTION TO APPROVE.WHAT'S THAT GONNA COST? HE ASKED
I DON'T RECALL IF HAND, UM, HERE IT IS.
THEY'RE NOT GETTING THE, WHAT IS IT? THE SUPERIOR ADDITION.
PLATINUM DOGS ARE GONNA ROLL AND STUFF.
Y'ALL ARE DOING A FABULOUS JOB, AMANDA.
[Item 10h -Consideration and possible action to approve an ordinance on first reading amending the Harlingen Code of Ordinances, Chapter 6, Animals, Article 11, Administration and Enforcement. Division 1, and enacting Section 6-26, establishing a dedicated fund entitled "The Harlingen Animal Shelter Fund" in the City's Financial Management and Reporting System to account for all fines collected by the City resulting from the enforcement of certain animal control ordinances, and dedicating exclusive use of those city funds for the operation of the Harlingen Animal Shelter.]
H, CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO APPROVE AN ORDINANCE ON FIRST READING, AMENDING THE HARLING AND CODE OF ORDINANCES.ARTICLE TWO, ADMINISTRATION AND ENFORCEMENT, DIVISION ONE AND ENACTING SECTION DASH 26, ESTABLISHING A DEDICATED FUND AND TITLE, THE HARLINGEN ANIMAL SHELTER FUND IN THE CITY'S FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT AND REPORTING SYSTEM TO ACCOUNT FOR ALL FINES COLLECTED BY THE CITY, RESULTING FROM THE ENFORCEMENT OF CERTAIN ANIMAL CONTROL ORDINANCES AND DEDICATING EXCLUSIVE USE OF THOSE CITY FUNDS FOR THE OPERATION OF THE HARLING ANIMAL SHELTER.
MARK, COULD YOU READ THE ORDINANCE FOR US, PLEASE? SURE.
IN OR IN ORDINANCE, AMENDING THE HARLE AND CODE OF ORDINANCES, CHAPTER SIX, ANIMALS ARTICLE TWO, ADMINISTRATION AND ENFORCEMENT DIVISION ONE AND ENACTING SECTION SIX DASH 26, ESTABLISHING A DEDICATED FUND ENTITLED THE HARLING AND ANIMAL SHELTER FUND AND THE CITY'S FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT AND REPORTING SYSTEM TO ACCOUNT FOR ALL FINES COLLECTED BY THE CITY, RESULTING FROM THE ENFORCEMENT OF CERTAIN ANIMAL CONTROL ORDINANCES AND DEDICATING EXCLUSIVE USE OF THOSE CITY FUNDS FOR THE OPERATION OF THE HARLING AND ANIMAL SHELTER.
SHOULDN'T WE HAVE THIS, THIS ACCOUNT OPEN ALREADY FROM YEARS, YEARS BEFORE? NO, IT GOES, IT GOES TO THE GENERAL FUND.
WHAT'S THAT? IT GOES TO THE GENERAL FUND.
IT DOESN'T GO DIRECTLY TO THE ANIMAL SHELTER.
SO THE ONE THAT WE HAD 30 SOME ODD YEARS AGO BEFORE THE, UH, HUMANE SOCIETY WAS GOING STRAIGHT TO THE, UH, GENERAL FUND.
IT, IT ALWAYS HAS ALL FINES GO TO THE GENERAL FUND.
THEY HAVE SEPARATE, UH, ANIMAL CONTROL.
AND THE SHELTER I AM REFERRING TO BEFORE THE HUMANA SIDE? NO, WE'VE, WE'VE NEVER HAD ANYTHING THAT WENT SPECIFICALLY FOR THAT.
THERE ARE SOME FUNDS FROM THE COURT THAT GO TO CERTAIN, UH, PROJECTS LIKE THE, UH, DOLLAR FOR SECURITY.
UH, THERE'S ANOTHER DOLLAR THAT WE COLLECT FOR THAT, BUT THOSE ARE THE ONLY ONES THAT GO TO THOSE FUNDS THAT ARE ONLY USED BY A MUNICIPAL COURT FOR THOSE PURPOSES.
HOW MUCH HAVE WE, THIS RIGHT HERE, THIS ORDINANCE IS JUST SPECIFICALLY THE MONEY THAT IS COLLECTED FROM ANIMAL CONTROL CITATIONS.
UM, ANIMALS AT LARGE RUNNING AROUND BITES ANY KIND OF CITATION FROM ANIMAL CONTROL, THEN, UM, THE STATE TAKES ITS PORTION AND THE REMAINING PORTION GOES TO THE GENERAL FUND.
ALL THIS IS GOING TO DO IS THAT IT'S GONNA GO TO AN ACCOUNT TO GO BACK INTO THE, THE SHELTER.
AND SO THE IDEA IS THAT WE WOULD HAVE A FUND FOR SPAY AND NEUTER AND BE ABLE TO ASSIST AND LESSEN THE, THE BURDEN ON THE, ON THE TAXPAYER.
I JUST WANTED TO ASK IF IT'S POSSIBLE, HOW MUCH HAVE WE SPENT ABOVE 400,000? I DON'T HAVE THAT NUMBER COMMISSIONER OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.
DID YOU PROVIDE US THAT? I I'M SURE THERE'S GONNA BE A, ANOTHER INSTANCE TO WHERE SOMETHING ELSE IS GONNA BE ADDED TO THE, AND PLEASE INCLUDE, UH, THE LABOR SUPPLIES AND EQUIPMENT PUT IN BY, UH, PUBLIC WORKS TO BRING THAT UP TO, UP TO, UH, IN AN ESTIMATE AS TO HOW MUCH WE'RE GONNA PAY IN UTILITIES.
SO THAT'S NOT ON, THAT'S NOT ON THIS, UM, THAT'S NOT FOR THIS AGENDA ITEM.
NO, BUT IT'LL, IT'LL, IT'LL COME UP.
DID WE READ THIS CAPTION? YES.
IS THERE A MOTION? MOTION? IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND.
[Item 11 - Board Appointments]
UH, BOARD.YES, I HAVE LIZA MACIAS TO THE DOWNTOWN IMPROVEMENT BOARD.
[02:45:01]
AVILA TO THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMITTEE.AND MELINDA WEBER TO THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMITTEE.
WHAT WAS ALIA'S LAST NAME, MA'AM? AVILA.
I HAVE MINERVA SIMPSON TO THE ANIMAL SHELTER ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND TO THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMITTEE.
SO NOT TO BE THAT GUY, BUT ON THE ANIMAL SHELTER ADVISORY BOARD, WE'VE ALREADY HAD THIS CONVERSATION.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE MEET, LIKE REMEMBER MY STATUTE, WE HAVE TO HAVE CERTAIN POSITIONS AND I DON'T KNOW IF THAT ADVISORY BOARD HAS THE POSITIONS THAT WE NECESSARILY NEED TO HAVE BY STATUTE.
SO WHAT, WHAT POSITION IS MISSING WOULD I WOULD HAVE TO DOUBLE CHECK.
RIGHT? SO, UH, YEAH, I WOULD HAVE TO DOUBLE CHECK.
I THINK HE COULD TAKE THE, I'M JUST SAYING THAT I THINK RIGHT NOW THEY CANNOT BE MEETING OR MAKING RIGHT.
UH, ANY CHANGES BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T APPOINTED PEOPLE THAT MEET THE STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS.
SO LIKE YOU APPOINTED THE VET, WHICH IS ONE OF THE POSITIONS I APPOINTED A CITY OFFICIAL, WHICH WAS ANOTHER POSITION.
BUT YOU CAN EVEN SLIDE OVER SHANNON.
'CAUSE IT'S SOMEONE WHO RUNS AN ANIMAL SHELTER.
I THINK IT WAS ONE OF THE OTHER SLOTS.
SO HYPOTHETICALLY YOU COULD DO A CITY OR COUNTY OFFICIAL.
WE, YOU GUYS HAVE TO LOOK, THAT'S WHY I THINK THAT THERE IS TWO THAT ARE JUST RESIDENTS.
BUT IF THERE'S ALREADY PEOPLE ON THERE THAT, OH, OKAY.
OR JUST RESIDENTS AND DON'T MEET THE STATUTORY PROVISIONS.
SO HE ALREADY SNACKED, UH, HAS ONE OF THOSE.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT SMAR HAD, MIKE HAS, AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT FRANK HAS.
SO HYPOTHETICALLY THESE THREE HAVE ALREADY TAKEN TWO OF THOSE SPOTS AND YOU TWO NEED TO PICK UP THOSE STATUTORILY REQUIRED SPOTS.
I THINK HIS RESIGNED, RIGHT? NO, HE HASN'T.
BUT I'LL MAKE SURE TO DO THAT.
DOES THAT FIT THE, I'D HAVE TO CHECK WHAT POSITION'S OPEN.
I DON'T KNOW WHICH ONE'S OPEN.
SO, UH, FOR NOW, I STILL WANNA POINT HER, BUT THEN IF IT'S SHE DOESN'T FIT, THEN I'LL, THEN I WON'T, I'LL JUST PUT IT ON HOLD.
WELL, IT, IT DOESN'T GO THROUGH WITH THE APPOINTMENT PROCESS IF IT DOESN'T.
IS THERE, IS THERE A MOTION? MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE ALL THE RECOMMENDATIONS OR APPOINTMENTS Y'ALL HAVE MADE.
WHILE WE'RE ON THIS TOPIC, BUT STILL, BEFORE WE LEAVE, HAS STAFF MADE THE, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS TO WHICH BOARDS ARE GONNA BE STRUCK FROM THE ORDINANCES? REMEMBER WE TABLED THE, I'M THE BUS.
YOU SAID, YOU SAID YOU WANTED US TO GIVE YOU, OH, DID I SAY US, US OR, I THOUGHT IT WAS STAFF.
I, I I UNDERSTOOD YOU TO, FOR US TO GIVE YOU INPUT.
I'M WAITING FOR Y'ALL'S INPUT, GUYS.
SO I THINK I TOLD YOU LAST TIME, I GOTTA HIGHLIGHT IT HERE.
SO THESE ARE THE ONES, IF YOU DON'T MIND ME SHARING 'EM.
SO THESE ARE THE ONES FORD HAS, UH, HAS BROUGHT UP.
IF YOU GUYS WANNA WRITE THIS DOWN FOR YOUR NOTES.
IT'S HOUSING FINANCE AUTHORITY CORPORATION BOARD, WHICH I THINK YOU HAD ALREADY MENTIONED THAT ONE.
MUNICIPAL AUDITORIUM ADVISORY BOARD.
UH, LRGV, DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL.
LOW RIO GRANDE VALLEY DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL.
WE DON'T HAVE A, THAT WE THAT'RE ALL IN THAT BOOK.
I DON'T, CAN I COME MR. I THINK I MISSED.
YEAH, YOU YOU TAKE THE LIST AND THEN IF WE CAN HAVE IT, BUT WE'RE NOT VOTING ON THIS.
THE ONES THAT I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW EXISTED.
THEY SAY THEY'RE ALL LISTED IN THERE.
SO LET'S DOUBLE YOU WENT TO THE LANDMARK AND, AND WHAT HISTORY? I'VE NEVER HEARD THAT BEFORE.
WHO GAVE GIVE THE GAVEL SINCE, SINCE WE'RE STILL ON THE BOARD.
OR JOSH, HAVE THEY, HAS THE, UM, KEY CARNAGE AND BEAUTIFUL BOARD MADE IN ANOTHER ATTEMPT TO MEET? NOT YET.
UM, FORD MENTIONED EXCEPT FOR THE COG BECAUSE THAT'S AN, OR THAT, THAT'S ANOTHER ORGANIZATION.
I DON'T KNOW WHY IT'S ON THERE, BUT WE NEED TO REMOVE IT FROM WE BOARDS.
I THINK WHAT HAPPENS IS WE HAVE TO APPOINT SOMEONE TO THE, THE COMMISSION APPOINTS TO THE COG AND I THINK TO THE MPO.
I APPOINT, UM, COMMISSIONER EVERY TWO WEEKS.
[02:50:01]
SO WE HAVE, I DON'T THINK SO.YOU GUYS APPOINT THE BOARD ITSELF.
UM, UM, MAKES THOSE, UH, I MEAN THAT APPOINTMENTS, SOME OF THOSE MAY BE LIKE STACK, STACK IS NOT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO APPOINT SOMEBODY.
THAT'S, THAT'S NOT A CITY BOARD, WHICH JUST THOUGHT IS WHAT WE WERE STRIVING FOR HERE.
AND THEN WHAT WE COULD DO IS IF YOU COULD JUST REDLINE THEM RED, LIKE REDLINE THOSE STRIKES AND THEN JUST EMAIL IT BACK TO US AND THEN WE CAN ALL KEEP LOOKING AT IT.
AND ALL OF THOSE, UM, THE GRAMMAR ISSUES.
AND THOSE ARE JUST, WE ALREADY KNOW THAT, RIGHT? YEAH, NO, WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN THERE.
WE'RE JUST LOOKING BIG PICTURE AND THEN WE'LL START WEEDING 'EM OUT.
GABE AND AMANDA, THIS NEEDS TO BE ON THE, THE OMNIBUS BILL NEEDS TO BE ON THE NEXT UH, COMMISSION MEETING PLEASE.
AND THEN JUST KEEP IT ON EVERY TILL WE'RE DONE WITH IT.
THE QUESTION I HAVE IS ABOUT THE COG.
THERE'S DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT CITIES I THINK APPOINT MEMBERS TO THE COG DIFFERENT WAYS.
UH, DO YOU WANNA KEEP THE METHODS OF APPOINTMENT TO THE COG IN THE ORDINANCE? YEAH.
AND THEN WE'LL JUST BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO PROVIDE FOR IT SOMEHOW, RIGHT? CORRECT.
BUT WE CAN'T, WE CAN'T ABOLISH THAT BOARD 'CAUSE THAT'S NOT ONE OF OURS.
AND THAT'S FINE, BUT, WELL, IT'S NOT REALLY, IT'S, IT'S A, THE COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS, IT'S NOT A CITY BOARD.
THE WAY IN WHICH WE APPOINT OUR REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE CO SHOULD BE IN THERE.
I DON'T THINK THE CITIES HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY OPTION.
IT ALL, THE MAYORS OF EACH OF THE CITIES SERVE ON THAT BOARD.
SO THERE CITIES DON'T WHAT THE ONLY, THE ONLY THING THAT WE DO IS THAT I APPOINT A COMMISSION TO GO IN MY PLACE.
'CAUSE IT CANNOT BE LIKE, ON THE MPO, GABE IS MY ALTERNATE.
BUT IN ON THE COG, THE ALTERNATE HAS TO BE A COMMISSIONER, WHICH IS COMMISSIONER MORALES.
THAT'S, I MEAN MAYBE THAT'S, THAT'S THAT.
I MEAN THAT LANGUAGE IS THERE.
[Item 14 - Adjourn]
IS, THERE'S NOTHING ELSE FLAME THROW TO THE HOUSE ALREADY.