[00:00:05]
[Item 1 - Call to Order]
EVERYONE, AND WELCOME TO THE HARLINGEN CITY COMMISSION MEETING.THE TIME IS NOW 5:35 PM WE'LL CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER.
IT HAS BEEN POSTED AS REQUIRED BY STATE LAW.
WE HAVE A FULL QUORUM AS ALL OF THE COMMISSION IS PRESENT.
I'LL ASK FOR EVERYONE TO PLEASE RISE AS COMMISSIONER MORALES LEADS US IN OUR INVOCATION, FATHER, SON, AND HOLY SPIRIT.
ETERNAL FATHER, WE HUMBLY OFFER THE OUR POOR PRESENCE AND THAT OF THE WHOLE OF HUMANITY FROM THE BEGINNING TO THE END OF THE WORLD.
AT ALL THE MASSES THAT EVER HAVE OR EVER WILL BE PRAYED, WE OFFER THE ALL THE PAINS, SUFFERING, PRAYERS, SACRIFICES, JOYS, AND RELAXATIONS OF OUR LIVES.
IN UNION WITH THOSE OF OUR DEAR LORD JESUS, HERE ON EARTH, MAY THE MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD OF CHRIST, ALL HIS BLOOD AND WOUNDS AND AGONY, SAVE US THROUGH THE SORROWFUL AND IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY.
NOW, THE PLEDGE PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH STANDS, ONE NATION, NATION, UNDER GOD IN THE DIVISION, LIBERTY.
[Item 2 - Conflict of Interest]
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 THREE ANNOUNCEMENTS WITH RESPECT TO ITEMS NOT LISTED ELSEWHERE ON THIS AGENDA, THE CITY COMMISSION MAY REPORT ON ITEMS OF COMMUNITY INTEREST, INCLUDING ANNOUNCING COMMUNITY EVENTS, ANNOUNCING EMPLOYEE OR COMMUNITY RECOGNITIONS.
[Item 3a - Mayor's Announcements ]
THREE, A MAYOR'S ANNOUNCEMENTS.MAYOR, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ANNOUNCE? I DO.
WE HAVE A PET OF THE WEEK, AND SO I'LL ASK IF STAFF CAN COME AND INTRODUCE US TO OUR PET OF THE WEEK.
IS IT PET OF THE WEEK OR PET OF THE PET OF THE MONTH? PET OF THE MONTH OF THE MONTH.
UM, SO WE HAVE BEETHOVEN WITH US TONIGHT.
BEETHOVEN IS A FIVE MONTH OLD.
UM, WE REALLY THINK HE'S JUST A HEINZ 57 MIX.
HE IS STILL CURRENTLY LEARNING HOW TO WALK ON A LEASH.
AS WITH MOST PUPPIES, TRAINING IS INVOLVED, SO HE'S STILL IN THAT LEARNING PROCESS, BUT HE IS A SNUGGLE BUG.
HE GETS ALONG WITH OTHER ANIMALS.
HE'S JUST AN AMAZING LITTLE DOG.
WE DO EXPECT HIM TO BE AT LEAST A MEDIUM TO A LARGE DOG.
UM, SO ANYBODY WITH A FENCED IN YARD OR THAT IS VERY ACTIVE.
WE, YOU KNOW WHO'S INTERESTED IN HIM.
WELCOME THEM TO THE HARTON ANIMAL SHELTER.
WE ARE OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK FROM ONE TO SIX, BUT THIS
UM, BUT IT, IT'S A LITTLE BEETHOVEN.
AND SO IF, UM, YOU GAVE US THE HOURS, WHAT IS THE LOCATION FOR THOSE THAT ARE WATCHING AT HOME? UH, THE LOCATION IS AT 1106 MARKOWSKI.
AND IF ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO CALL, THEY DO HAVE A LARGE NUMBER OF, OF ANIMALS THERE.
SO IF ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO CALL AND ASK ANY QUESTIONS, THEY'RE WELCOME TO CALL AT (956) 216-5250.
AND IT LOOKS LIKE BEETHOVEN REALLY LIKES SNUGGLES
SO HE'S A SUPER SWEET LITTLE PUPPY.
SO ANYBODY INTERESTED IN HIM OR ANY OF THE OTHER ANIMALS IS WELCOME TO STOP BY THE SHELTER OR CALL AND ASK QUESTIONS.
ALRIGHT, ALEXIS, YOU NEED ANOTHER ADDITION TO THE FAMILY? THANK YOU LADIES.
AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE, MS. MELINDA.
[Item 3b - City Manager's Announcements]
ITEM THREE B, CITY MANAGER'S ANNOUNCEMENTS.MR. GONZALEZ, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ANNOUNCE? UH, YES.
THE ONLY THING I HAVE IS AT CITY HALL, UH, AND ALL THE CITY DEPARTMENTS WHERE WE CLOSED ON, UH, LABOR DAY MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 2ND.
[Item 3c - City Commission Member Announcements]
C, CITY COMMISSION MEMBER ANNOUNCEMENTS.COMMISSIONERS, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ANNOUNCE? I HAVE NOTHING.
UH, I WANNA CONGRATULATE, UH, HARLAN'S PARK AND REC, UH, THROUGH SALUD AND, UH, JOSIAH MURANO MORENO, UH, FOR HOSTING THE FIRST ANNUAL OR THE INAUGURAL, UH, PICKLEBALL PADDLE BATTLE.
UH, I, I HOPE YOU GUYS WERE, HAD A CHANCE TO MAKE IT OUT THERE.
[00:05:01]
FROM THROUGHOUT THE, UH, THEY'RE OUT THE REGION.SAW CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY.
IF SOMEONE DIES AND WE GOT SOMEONE HERE,
AND PARKS AND REC, YOU GUYS DID A PHENOMENAL JOB.
UH, AND THEN THE OTHER ORGANIZATION IS THE HARLEEN YOUTH SPORTS FOOTBALL LEAGUE.
I KNOW IN THE PAST WE'VE TALKED ABOUT WANTING TO MAKE HARLINGEN A TOURNAMENT CITY AGAIN, JUST LIKE WHEN WE WERE KIDS WITH, I REMEMBER GOING TO A ROYAL SOCCER AT VICTOR PARK.
UM, J YOU'VE BEEN DOING A FANTASTIC JOB.
THEY HAD THREE DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS OUT THERE.
UH, HARTON TEAM DID VERY WELL, AND THE PARK LOOKED FANTASTIC.
SO J THANK YOU SO MUCH, AND, UH, CONGRATULATIONS TO THE HARTON YOUTH SPORTS FOOTBALL, UH, LEAGUE.
I DIDN'T MAKE IT TO THE PICKLEBALL BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT TO MAKE EVERYBODY LOOK BAD.
UH, JAMIE GARCIA, ARE YOU HERE? PLEASE COME TO THE PODIUM.
UH, JAMIE AND I HAD A, AN EVENTFUL MONDAY.
UH, HE'S AN AN ANIMAL CONTROL PERSON, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, YEAH, THEY, THEY GO PICK UP DOGS.
THEY GO PICK UP CATS, RACCOONS, POSSUMS WITH EVERYTHING.
UH, MONDAY, I'M, I'M GLAD MY WIFE WAS NOT ATTACKED.
UH, BUT TWO PIT BULLS RIPPED UP ONE OF MY CATS IN THE FRONT YARD, AND IT TURNS OUT THEY KILLED SEVEN CATS ACROSS THE STREET.
ME AND MY WIFE WAS TRYING TO SAVE THE CAT, AND I KICKED THE PIT BULL IN THE RIBS.
UH, AND I LIVED TO TELL ABOUT IT TOO.
UM, JAIME CAME AND THE DOGS WERE GONE, AND THE BIT, THE DOGS CAME BACK LOOKING FOR THE HOLE IN THE FENCE THAT THEY CAME THROUGH.
HE HAS A, A HOOK AND A NOOSE, AND HE CAPTURED THE THOROUGHBRED, THE PURE, UH, PIT BULL THREW IT IN THE CAGE IN THE BACK OF THE TRUCK.
AND THEN THE TAN ONE, THAT'S PARTIAL PIT BULL, HE GOT THAT ONE, PUT IT IN THE TRUCK.
UM, BUT BEFORE DOING THAT, HE HAD TO CALL FOR POLICE BACKUP.
THE DOGS WERE IN PEOPLE'S FRONT YARDS AND HE CAN'T GO INTO PEOPLE'S FRONT YARDS.
AND I JUST, UH, I, I'M EMOTIONALLY, UH, INVOLVED HERE.
WE HAD A ROUGH NIGHT'S SLEEP MONDAY.
UH, BUT I JUST WANT TO SAY, UH, UH, SINCERE THANK YOU AND GREAT APPRECIATION.
AND I HAVE SOME SORT OF PROCLAMATION.
IF YOU CAN COME UP HERE, WE'LL TAKE A PICTURE.
AND IF THE COMMISSION CAN JOIN, UM, COMMISSIONER MIKE.
AND SO THIS IS, UH, A PROPER MOTION OF RECOGNITION THAT JAMIE GARCIA, THIS IS IN RECOGNITION OF YOUR OUTSTANDING EMBROIDERY, HARD WORK, AND UNWAVERING DEDICATION.
AS YOUR ROLE AS AN ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICER, YOUR EXCEPTIONAL RESPONSE TO A CALL INVOLVING YOUR VICIOUS ANIMAL DEMONSTRATED NOT ONLY YOUR COURAGE, BUT YOUR COMMITMENT TO THE SAFETY AND WELLBEING OF OUR COMMUNITY.
YOUR ACTIONS SERVE AS AN INSPIRING EXAMPLE OF WHY WORK DONE BY ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICERS AND DEEPLY ARE GRATEFUL FOR YOU, FOR YOUR CONTINUED SERVICE.
YOUR DEDICATION AND BRAVERY ARE TRULY COMMENDABLE, THE MAYOR.
AND, AND SO FOR THOSE THAT ARE WONDERING, MIKE, UH, THIS ANIMAL GOT OUT OF SOMEONE'S YARD, IS THAT, ISN'T THAT CORRECT? THE TWO PIT BULLS? YEAH.
THEY RIPPED THROUGH SOMEBODY'S FENCE AND THREW ANOTHER FENCE AND YEAH.
THANK YOU TO THE WHOLE, UM, DEPARTMENT AND FOR HPD FOR HAVING THE SUPPORT IN THE BACKUP COMMISSIONER.
MOVING ON TO ITEM FOUR, PROCLAMATION,
[00:10:01]
PRESENTATION OF AWARDS ITEM FOUR,[Item 4a - Presentation of Recognition - "RGV Roller"]
A PRESENTATION OF RECOGNITION TO THE RGV ROLLERS.THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.
OUR FIRST AWARD AND RECOGNITION IS GOING TO RGV ROLLER AND IT IS TO RECOGNIZE THEIR OUTSTANDING ORGANIZATION, AND THEY'VE MADE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON OUR COMMUNITY THIS SUMMER.
THEY VOLUNTEERED THEIR TIME AND RESOURCES TO BRING UNIQUE AND ENGAGING EXPERIENCE TO HARLINGEN PARKS AND RECREATION SUMMER PLAYGROUND PROGRAM.
AND WE ARE HONORED TO RECOGNIZE THEM, NOT JUST FOR THEIR VOLUNTEER SERVICES, BUT FOR THEIR PASSION FOR PROMOTING HEALTH AND WELLNESS AMONG OUR YOUTH.
SO AT THIS POINT IN TIME, I WOULD LOVE TO INVITE, UM, A MEMBER OF THE RGB ROLLER TO COME AND TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THEIR ORGANIZATION.
I'M A BOARD MEMBER OF RGD ROLLER.
UM, RT V ROLLER IS A NONPROFIT THAT TRIES TO PROVIDE KIDS AND ADULTS WITH AN ADDITIONAL OPTION FOR PHYSICAL ENGAGEMENT, UM, ACTIVITY THROUGH THE SPORT OF HOCKEY.
UM, WE WANT TO THANK YOU FOR INVITING US, OF COURSE.
UH, VERY MUCH APPRECIATE THE RECOGNITION.
UM, THANK YOU ALSO TO HARLINGEN IN GENERAL FOR BEING WELCOMING OF OUR PROGRAMMING.
UM, WE'VE BEEN HAVING EVENTS HERE ACTUALLY FOR OVER A YEAR, INCLUDING THE SUMMER LONG PROGRAM, UM, WITH PARTS AND RECS.
SO THANK YOU FOR THAT OPPORTUNITY.
THAT SAID, THERE IS SO MUCH MORE THAT WE CAN DO AND THERE'S SO MUCH MORE GROWTH, UM, TO BE HAD.
SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO GROWING OUR FOOTPRINT IN HARLINGEN.
UM, AND WE'RE EXPLORING OPTIONS FOR A PERMANENT AND A CONSISTENT PLACE TO PLAY.
YOU MIGHT NOT THINK, UM, OF HOCKEY WHEN YOU THINK OF THE VALLEY, UM, BUT HARLINGEN SPECIFICALLY HAS A LONG HISTORY OF ROLLER HOCKEY, AND WE JUST WANNA BRING SOME OF THAT BACK.
UM, PLEASE DON'T HESITATE TO REACH OUT WITH ANY IDEAS, SUGGESTIONS, ANYTHING AT ALL.
UM, ANY ONE OF US WOULD LOVE TO TALK TO YOU INDIVIDUALLY, COLLECTIVELY, TELL YOU ALL ABOUT US.
UM, SEE IF THERE'S WHAT WE CAN DO TO, TO, TO GROW THE SPORT HERE.
SO, IS JESSICA WAGNER HERE TODAY OR NO? OKAY.
WELL, SHE HAD REACHED OUT INITIALLY WANTING TO, TO RECOGNIZE YOU AND GIVING US THE BACKGROUND AND ALL OF THE WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITIES THAT YOU'RE PROVIDING TO THE COMMUNITY.
SO, YOU KNOW, TELL HER THANK, THANK, YOU KNOW, THANK HER ALSO FOR JUST PUTTING US AND CONNECTING US TOGETHER TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS.
I NOTICED THAT LOTS OF PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY DON'T KNOW WHAT'S WHAT'S OUT THERE AND WHAT'S AVAILABLE.
AND SO THIS IS A GREAT WAY TO SHOWCASE THAT.
UM, IF I CAN GET THE COMMISSION TO JOIN, WE'D LIKE TO TAKE A PHOTO WITH Y'ALL.
SO WE HAVE HERE FOR THIS WONDERFUL ORGANIZATION, A RECOGNITION AWARD, THE CITY OF CONGRATULATE, AND PROUDLY PRESENTED AWARD TO THE R BOARD MEMBER, NATHAN, JUAN LOPEZ, LAYLA CORD, AND
AND WE'RE TRULY GRATEFUL FOR AND YOUR TIME FOR OUR, AND THIS PRESENTED ON THIS DAY 20.
[Item 4b - Mayor's Business of the Month- Bicycle World]
[00:15:01]
OKAY, ITEM FOUR B, MAYOR'S BUSINESS OF THE MONTH.SO, AS YOU KNOW, MAYOR'S BUSINESS OF THE MONTH HAS BEEN HAPPENING SINCE SEPTEMBER OF 23 LAST YEAR, AND WE LOVE BEING ABLE TO TELL YOU ABOUT LOCAL BUSINESSES EVERY MONTH.
SO BEFORE I INVITE THE OWNER UP HERE TO SHARE MORE ABOUT HIS BUSINESS, WE HAVE PREPARED A VIDEO FOR YOU.
SO, BICYCLE WORLD IS A FOUR STORE LOCATION, UH, BROWNSVILLE, HARLING AND MCALLEN.
AND JUST RECENTLY IN CORPUS CHRISTI, ABOUT SIX, SEVEN YEARS AGO AT THIS POINT, WE SPECIALIZE IN QUITE A FEW THINGS HERE.
OBVIOUSLY SELLING BIKES, WE HAVE ALL KINDS OF RANGE OF BIKES FOR ALL THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF SPORTS.
SO YOU'D WANT TO DO, WHETHER IT'S ROAD CYCLING, MOUNTAIN BIKING, UH, WE SELL TRIKES, YOU KNOW, FOR, FOR THOSE THAT MAY NOT BE ABLE TO RIDE A TWO WHEELED BIKE, KIDS' BIKES.
WE ALSO SPECIALIZE IN SERVICING THESE BIKES AS WELL.
SO YOU CAN COME IN, YOU DON'T NEED TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT, JUST COME IN, YOU DROP THE BIKE OFF, WRITE YOU UP A TICKET, AND DEPENDING ON LIKE, YOU KNOW WHAT THE ISSUE IS, WE'LL CALL YOU WHAT THE ESTIMATE WILL DO, SOME OF THE REPAIRS AND THE BIKE FOR YOU.
WE ALSO SPECIALIZE IN PUTTING ON EVENTS.
WE'RE EXTREMELY ACTIVE IN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, ALL PROCEEDS FROM ANY EVENT WE GO TO GO BACK INTO THE COMMUNITY, UH, WE'RE ALWAYS TRYING TO GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY.
'CAUSE YOU KNOW, THE CITY OF HARLAN GENERAL AND JUST THE VALLEY GENERAL'S BEEN EXTREMELY GOOD TO US.
I WOULD RECOMMEND ABSOLUTELY COMING IN.
DON'T NEED TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT FOR THAT EITHER.
OUR STAFF ARE SUPER KNOWLEDGEABLE, THEY'RE SUPER FRIENDLY AND WARM AND WELCOMING.
WE'LL GO AND ASK YOU A BUNCH OF QUESTIONS, SEE WHAT ARE YOU WANTING TO DO WITH IT? UH, I MEAN LIKE, IS THIS SOMETHING YOU WANNA DO MAYBE ONCE A WEEK FOR AN HOUR? ARE YOU LOOKING TO BE AN ENTHUSIAST? AND SO KIND OF FROM THERE THEN WE'LL GO AND LOOK AROUND.
LIKE, NOW LET'S GO LOOK AT BUDGET OR THE STYLE OF THE BIKE.
AND SO WE'LL LET YOU ACTUALLY TEST RIDE THE BIKES IN THE PARKING LOT SO YOU CAN KIND OF GET AN IDEA, YOU KNOW, IF THAT'S SOMETHING YOU LIKE.
AND THEN WE EVEN HAVE, UM, TEST BIKES SO WE CAN GO AND LOAN YOU SOME SOMETHING THAT'S A LITTLE SPORTIER IF YOU'RE LIKE, HEY, I DON'T KNOW IF I WANNA JUMP INTO SOMETHING LIKE THIS, BUT I DON'T KNOW HOW TO TELL.
I DON'T WANT TO GO AND MAKE A LARGE INVESTMENT ON SOMETHING AND NOT LIKE IT.
WELL, HEY, GO TAKE THIS MOUNTAIN BIKE OUT, YOU KNOW, GO AND TAKE IT TO OUR TRAIL SYSTEM.
YOU CAN JOIN US IN ONE OF OUR SATURDAY GROUP RIDES, AND WE'LL JUST ALWAYS HAVE A WAY TO ACCOMMODATE YOU.
IF, IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING SPECIFIC.
UH, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK THE CITY OF HARLINGEN.
YEAH, THANK YOU GUYS FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO, FOR THIS, THIS IS REALLY SPECIAL FOR, UH, YOU KNOW, ME AND MY FAMILY, YOU KNOW, LIKE I KNOW MY DAD, HE PASSED AWAY A FEW YEARS AGO.
HE WOULD TOTALLY BE, YOU KNOW, ABSOLUTELY STOKED FOR, YOU KNOW, TO BE ABLE TO HAVE HAD THIS HONOR TO BE, YOU KNOW, A BUSINESS OF THE MONTH.
AND LIKE CITY OF HARLINGEN, IT'S BEEN REALLY GREAT TO US.
IF YOU'D LIKE TO COME UP AND SAY A FEW WORDS, SORRY, A LITTLE EMOTIONAL EVERY TIME, UH, I BRING UP MY DAD SOMETHING LIKE THIS, IT GETS KIND OF HARD.
UH, MAYOR SEPULVEDA, CITY COMMISSIONERS, GABE JAVIER.
UM, THANK Y'ALL SO MUCH FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
UM, THIS IS ABSOLUTELY A BIG BLESSING FOR US.
UH, NEVER WOULD'VE THOUGHT SOMETHING LIKE THIS COULD, UH, HAPPEN.
SO WE'RE BETWEEN, YOU KNOW, THE BI WORLD FAMILY, MY MOM, MY BROTHER, UH, WERE ABSOLUTELY OVER THE MOON FOR, FOR BEING AWARDED, YOU KNOW, SUCH A, A PRESTIGIOUS HONOR.
UH, 47 YEARS AGO, MY DAD, AN IMMIGRANT FROM THE BAHAMAS, AND MY MOM A HARLINGEN NATIVE, UM, FORMED BICYCLE WORLD ABOUT TWO BLOCKS, UH, DOWN THE STREET FROM HERE.
AND FOR 47 YEARS, WE'VE BEEN SUPER ACTIVE IN THE COMMUNITY.
UH, WE LOVE THE CITY OF HARLINGEN, WE LOVE THE VALLEY.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT GOING ANYWHERE.
WE'RE, WE'RE ABSOLUTELY ENTHRALLED TO, TO DO THIS.
AND, UM, WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO PUT BACK INTO THE COMMUNITY HERE AND SERVE HARLINGEN THE VALLEY AS BEST WE CAN.
SO THANK Y'ALL FOR SUCH A PRESTIGIOUS HONOR, UM, AND LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH Y'ALL FOR PUTTING OUT MORE EVENTS AND JUST MAKING THE CITY OF HARTON A BETTER PLACE.
TRACY, I JUST WANNA SAY THAT YOU ARE DEFINITELY LIKE THE AMERICAN DREAM AND, AND BEING ABLE TO EXPAND INTO OTHER PARTS OF THE VALLEY.
I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW YOU WERE IN CORPUS, SO THAT'S, THAT'S FANTASTIC.
ANYTIME YOU WALK IN, EVERYBODY IS NICE AND FRIENDLY.
IT'S, IT'S ALMOST LIKE A LITTLE PARTY.
EVERYBODY'S HAVING A GOOD TIME.
AND WHAT OTHER PEOPLE MIGHT NOT KNOW IS ALL THE VOLUNTEER WORK THAT YOU DO ON YOUR OWN TIME ORGANIZING AND HELPING ON THE TRAILS AND CLEANING UP AND ACTUALLY HELPING OUR PARKS DEPARTMENT.
AND THERE'S A WHOLE COMMUNITY THAT TAKES ADVANTAGE OF OUR TRAILS.
AND YOU PROVIDE JUST THAT, UH, SENSE OF COMMUNITY WITHIN THAT GROUP TO GET TOGETHER AND MAYBE BARBECUE OR, YOU KNOW, GET TOGETHER AND, AND JUST HANG OUT AND CLEAN OUR AND, AND CLEAN UP OUR TRAILS, WHICH IS AMAZING.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO, UH, BUT IT MAKES IT A, A, A, AN OPPORTUNITY JUST TO GET TOGETHER AND HAVE A GOOD TIME AND GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY AND TO HELP SUPPORT THE TRAILS THAT YOU GUYS JUST, I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU DO IT.
UM, I, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S NOT FOR EVERYONE.
[00:20:01]
TRAILS HAVE GOTTEN REALLY, UH, CHALLENGING AND THANKS TO JAVIER AND, AND HIS STAFF AND TO ALL OF THE VOLUNTEERS, AND I THINK IT'S BORBA AND ALL OF THOSE GROUPS AND ALL OF THE, YOU KNOW, JUST HANGING OUT AND PUTTING THOSE RIDES OUT FOR, FOR FOLKS TO ENJOY ON THE WEEKENDS ALSO.IT JUST DOES, IT JUST MEANS A LOT.
AND FROM THE COMMISSION, WE JUST WANNA THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE FUTURE OF BICYCLE WORLD.
I'M SURE THERE'S GONNA BE EVEN MORE EXPANSIONS, SO IF THE COMMISSION WILL JOIN ME, WE'D LOVE TO GIVE YOU YOUR AWARD.
YOU TWO, ONE, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
[Item 4c - Recognition of the Harlingen Charter Rev iew Committee Members]
ALL RIGHT, NEXT WE HAVE ITEM FOUR C, RECOGNITION OF THE HARLINGEN CHARTER REVIEW COMMITTEE MEMBERS.SO OUR NEXT RECOGNITION IS GOING TO THE CHARTER REVIEW, UH, MEMBERS AND THEIR DEDICATION AND SERVICE TO OUR CITY.
AND SO TO TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHAT THEY DO, I WILL INVITE A MEMBER UP HERE TO SAY A FEW WORDS.
I DON'T KNOW, DAN, AND WHICH MEMBER WILL THAT BE? I THINK THAT'S YOU DON
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE HERE TODAY FROM THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMITTEE? I THINK I'M THE ONLY ONE.
WELL LET US, UM, I GET ALL THE GLORY AND ALL THE BLAME.
I SAW LIZ AT A MEETING THIS MORNING AND SHE SAID SHE WAS GONNA BE HERE.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO HER.
SO WHAT DID WE SPEND SIX WEEKS? SEVEN.
WE HAD A TOTAL OF EIGHT MEETINGS.
SO EIGHT MEETINGS, PROBABLY ABOUT EIGHT WEEKS.
AND WE WENT FROM A TO Z ON THE CHARTER.
YES, WE LOOKED AT EVERYTHING, EVERY AMENDMENT AND, UM, DISCUSSED ALL THE AMENDMENTS AND IT WAS VERY INTENSIVE.
AND, UH, LOTS OF GOOD DISCUSSIONS AND I LEARNED A LOT.
I THINK EVERYBODY LEARNED A LOT IN THIS EXERCISE, SO I, UM, I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE A PART OF IT AND I KNOW EVERYONE ON THE COMMITTEE DOES.
AND I HOPE OUR AMENDMENTS PASS AND WE DO GET THIS DURING THE ELECTION.
WELL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND TO EVERYONE THAT YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY COULD, COULDN'T BE HERE TODAY AND THAT MAY BE WATCHING FROM HOME.
WE DO APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE TIME OUT.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY HAS, UM, THEIR LIVES AND TO BE ABLE TO DEDICATE, I THINK IT WAS ONCE A WEEK OR WHATEVER IT IS, SOMETIMES TWICE, RIGHT? AND SO THAT, THAT MEANS A LOT.
AND, AND GETTING DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES FROM DIFFERENT FOLKS ON, ON THE COMMITTEE.
I HAVE A LOT OF RESPECT FOR OTHER WORK THAT Y'ALL DID.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR, FOR YOUR SERVICE.
I KNOW WE HAVE A, UM, A CERTIFICATE FOR YOU AND I GUESS THE OTHERS WILL BE MAILED.
WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA TAKE A PHOTO WITH YOU.
BUT, UM, CALISTA, WILL YOU RECOGNIZE, UM, STATE THE OTHER NAMES AND, BUT WE CAN, WE CAN.
BUT JUST DON'T GO ANYWHERE, DON.
SO OUR MEMBERS ARE DELIA AVIA, UM, CARLY BURNS, THOMAS, MELINDA WEAVER, DON RAY LEONARD, LIZ CHAVEZ, VICTOR AL, AND MICHAEL GARZA.
AND WE HAVE A CERTIFICATE FOR EACH ONE OF YOU.
[00:25:05]
ONE, TWO.[Item 5 - Citizen Communication]
TO ITEM FIVE, CITIZEN 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.
MAYOR, WE DID HAVE FOUR CITIZENS SIGN UP FOR CITIZEN COMMUNICATION.
UH, FIRST UP IS MR. MANUEL AL.
AND, UH, AND GOOD EVENING TO EVERYONE.
UM, THIS IS MY FIRST TIME, UH, WITNESSING ONE OF THESE, UH, MEETINGS AND IT'S ACTUALLY FANTASTIC.
UH, I REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYONE'S INVOLVEMENT AND RECOGNITION OF, OF THE COMMUNITY.
SO, UM, I'LL, I'LL BE BRIEF, UH, MAYOR VEDA AND, UH, COMMISSIONERS.
I, UM, I HAVE BEEN A RESIDENT OF ARLINGTON FOR EIGHT YEARS.
UM, I, UH, I I USED TO BE A SALES DIRECTOR FOR A COMPANY NAMED HEALTHCARE, LARGE INSURANCE COMPANY IN THIS, IN THIS AREA.
UH, I RECENTLY OPENED UP MY OWN, UH, INSURANCE AGENCY, GULF COAST ASSURANCE.
UH, WE, WE RESIDE HERE OUT OF, UH, THE HARLINGEN AREA.
AND, UH, REALLY WHAT, UH, THE REASON I'M HERE IS BECAUSE I WENT DOWNSTAIRS, UH, LOOKING FOR SOME DIRECTION AND THEY SAID THAT'S, THAT'S A LOT OF QUESTIONS, AND THEY'RE PRETTY LOADED.
SO YOU PROBABLY SHOULD GO TO THIS COMMISSION MEETING.
UM, ULTIMATELY WHAT, WHAT I WANT TO GO AHEAD AND BRING TO THE COMMISSIONERS AND, AND TO YOURSELF, MAYOR, IS, UM, I I FOCUS ON A CERTAIN, UH, LINE OF, OF BUSINESS THAT, UH, THAT DEALS WITH A LOT OF OUR COMMUNITY THAT IS VERY, UM, VULNERABLE.
I DEAL WITH SENIORS, UH, PRIMARILY.
AND, UH, WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO PROPOSE, AND, AND, AND AGAIN, THIS CAN BE SOMETHING THAT SOMEONE CAN GUIDE ME LATER, BUT WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO PROPOSE ARE, ARE SEVERAL THINGS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR THAT ARE GONNA HELP OUR SENIORS BE ABLE TO NOT ONLY MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS ON THE TYPES OF INSURANCES THAT ARE PRESENTED TO THEM, BUT ALSO EDUCATE THEIR LOVED ONES ON HOW THEY CAN BETTER, UM, ASSIST THEIR, THEIR PARENTS WITH REGARDS TO, UH, THE, THE, THE DIFFERENT SERVICES THAT ARE AVAILABLE THAT ARE, ARE LEGITIMATE FIRST AND FOREMOST, BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF CONCERN OF FRAUD, UM, AND SECONDLY THAT ARE, UH, EXTREMELY BENEFICIAL.
AND, UM, AT, AT, IN, IN MANY INSTANCES, AT ZERO COST TO THE MEMBER.
IT DOESN'T MEAN IT'S FREE, JUST MEANS IT'S NOT NO COST TO THE MEMBER.
AND SO, UM, I'D LIKE TO PROPOSE, UH, A COUPLE OF, OF, OF THINGS THAT WE CAN GO AHEAD AND SPEAK AT A LATER TIME.
UH, FIRST AND FOREMOST, UM, PLACES, FORUMS WHERE THE PUBLIC CAN COME AND SPEAK TO LICENSED AGENTS.
UM, AND HAVE Q AND A QUESTIONS WITH REGARDS TO THE TYPES OF PRODUCTS THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO THEM, THE TYPES OF SERVICES, WHO ARE THE COMPANIES THAT PROVIDE THEM.
UM, AND SECONDLY, UM, PROVIDE, UH, OPPORTUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR WHERE AGAIN, UM, SAID, COMMUNITY CAN GO AHEAD AND BE, UM, ENGAGED WITH THE VARIOUS DIFFERENT TYPES OF ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE IN THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY.
UM, NOT ONLY INSURANCE AGENCIES THAT ARE HERE, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER, UM, ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE IN THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY THAT ARE TIED TO, UM, TO INSURANCE, UM, CLINIC SYSTEMS, HOSPITALS, UM, UH, DIFFERENT TYPES OF ORGANIZATIONS IN, IN THE GOVERNMENT, UH, LOCAL GOVERNMENT THAT, THAT UTILIZE CERTAIN BENEFITS THAT IN TURN, UM, ARE ACCESSIBLE TO PEOPLE WITH CERTAIN INSURANCES.
AND SO, UM, THAT IS THE PURPOSE FOR, FOR ME BEING HERE.
I WANT, I WOULD LIKE TO, LIKE I SAID, THANK YOU ALL AGAIN FOR THESE PHENOMENAL, UH, FOR THIS PHENOMENAL ENGAGEMENT.
I REALLY THINK THAT, UM, THIS ACTUALLY MAKES ME WANT TO COME BACK AND JUST BE MORE OF A PART OF, OF, UH, WHAT HARLINGEN IS BRINGING TO, TO THE CITIZENSHIP.
AND I, ANYONE THAT'S WATCHING IT, YOU GUYS SHOULD REALLY COME OUT HERE.
IF YOU CAN GIVE YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION TO, TO OSCAR, AND WE'LL SEE IF WE CAN, WE CAN GET IN CONTACT WITH YOU.
I WAS LOOKING ON YOUR, ON YOUR SHEET AND IT, IT DOESN'T, IT ONLY HAS YOUR ADDRESS.
NEXT WE HAVE MR. RAYMOND REYES.
MR. RE WE'LL COME BACK TO HIM AT THE END.
MOVING ON TO MR. HERMAN MONTE.
WE'VE TALKED TO THE PAST MEETING.
I HAD ONE QUESTION THAT HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION ON THE, THE CITY,
[00:30:01]
UH, MANAGER.UH, IS IT POSSIBLE THAT THE PLOT CAN BE OVERTURNED AT A LATER TIME AFTER IT'S BEEN APPROVED BY THE COMMISSIONS? MR. I CAN'T RESPOND TO YOUR COMMENT, BUT IF YOU WANNA MEET AFTER THE MEETING OR IF JAVIER ANTES IS HERE, HE CAN TALK TO YOU ABOUT THAT.
WOULD YOU RAISE YOUR HAND, JAVIER? SO HE CAN, HE'S THAT GENTLEMAN THAT'S RAISING HIS HAND RIGHT NOW.
RIGHT? IF YOU COULD TALK TO HIM, HE CAN ANSWER YOUR QUESTION.
'CAUSE I CAN'T ANSWER IT RIGHT NOW.
IT, IT'S ONLY BECAUSE WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO, THE RULES ARE JUST REALLY, UM, THEY DON'T, THE PUBLIC COMMENT DOESN'T ALLOW FOR US TO ENGAGE IN A BACK AND FORTH.
UM, BUT JAVIER CAN DEFINITELY OKAY.
AND IF YOU, IF YOU WANNA STICK AROUND, I'M HAPPY TO CHAT WITH YOU TOO.
BUT IT, I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG OUR, OUR MEETING IS GOING TO.
WELL, I'LL, I'LL, I'LL GET BACK TO YOU.
THIS A QUESTION THAT, THAT WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION TO ASK THE CITY MANAGER.
YOU WANNA MAKE A DISTINCTION BETWEEN A PUBLIC COMMENT AND A PUBLIC HEARING BECAUSE HE YES.
AND SO FOR THOSE, AND I KNOW WE HAVE A COUPLE OF NEWCOMERS, SO MR. AL, AND, AND ALSO YOU'RE ALWAYS WELCOME MR. MONTERO.
I UNDERSTAND YOUR QUESTION AND I WANNA ANSWER, WE JUST CAN'T.
BUT, UM, COMMISSIONER LOPEZ MADE A A GOOD POINT.
WE HAVE, UM, THE LAST TIME YOU WERE HERE, YOU SPOKE IN PUBLIC HEARING, IN A PUBLIC HEARING ON A SPECIFIC AGENDA ITEM HAS BEEN POSTED.
AND SO IT'S GIVEN NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC THAT THAT PUBLIC, UM, HEARING IS GOING TO TO BE, UM, ON THE AGENDA.
AND THAT'S THE PURPOSE FOR THE ENGAGEMENT.
BUT IN PUBLIC COMMENT, THOSE ARE JUST GEN, YOU KNOW, QUESTIONS THAT ARE DIRECTED TO THE DAIS.
AND THEN, UM, WE CAN, UH, WE CAN HAVE CITY STAFF FOLLOW UP.
AND THAT'S KIND OF THE, THE DIFFERENCE, SINCE IT'S NOT ON THE AGENDA, IS WHY WE CAN'T RESPOND.
BUT WE CAN DEFINITELY ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS, JUST NOT COLLECTIVELY, BUT I KNOW HAVE YET CAN, AND MAYBE WE CAN TAKE A MOMENT AND IF YOU WANNA TALK, IF YOU'RE GONNA STICK AROUND FOR A LITTLE WHILE, MAYBE WE CAN TAKE A LITTLE BREAK.
ROBERT LEWI, UH, DISTRICT THREE.
I JUST WANTED TO TALK ABOUT THE, UH, NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON TAX INCREASE THAT YOU GUYS ARE GONNA VOTE TO POST.
I'D LIKE TO REMIND Y'ALL THAT WHEN IT SAYS ON TAX INCREASE, THAT'S BECAUSE THE STATE LAW SAYS IF YOU RAISE THE LEVY AMOUNT A DOLLAR OVER THE PREVIOUS YEAR, IT'S A TAX INCREASE.
I KNOW YOU GUYS HAVE A HABIT OF SAYING, WELL, THE HEADLINE IS, WE LOWERED THE RATE.
WELL, YOU CAN'T MAKE THIS STUFF UP, BUT I'M LOOKING AT THIS PROPOSED TAX INCREASE THAT YOU GUYS HAVE, AND NOW IT'S A 10% PROPERTY TAX INCREASE, $2,536,279.
THAT'S THE LARGEST TAX INCREASE IN THE HISTORY OF HARLINGEN.
AND IF YOU GO BACK FROM WHEN THE MAJORITY OF THIS MAYOR AND COMMISSION HAVE GOTTEN ON FOR PHYSICAL YEAR 2023, THE BUDGET COVER SHEET SAYS THAT THERE, THAT TAXES WERE INCREASED, 4.57%, 1 MILLION, 32,000.
I BROUGHT THIS UP, THEN IT SAYS, FOR PHYSICAL YEAR, 20 24, 1 0.8 MILLION.
AND ALL WE HEAR IS, WELL, WE'RE LOWING THE RATES.
THAT'S THE LOWEST RATE WE'VE HAD IN 20 YEARS.
NOW, WHEN YOU ADD THESE UP AND THEY COMPOUND, YOU'RE AT $8 MILLION OF, OF TAX PROPERTY TAX INCREASES BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT A MILLION DOLLARS THAT'S GONE ON FOR GONNA GONNA BE ON ITS THIRD YEAR, AND NOW YOU'VE GOT SECOND YEAR OF A $1.8 MILLION INCREASE, NOW YOU WANT ANOTHER $2.5 MILLION FOR THIS NEXT YEAR, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE SEEN $8 MILLION IN, IN TAXES, PROPERTY TAXES.
AND ALL Y'ALL CAN SAY IS, WHOA, THIS IS THE LOWEST RATE WE'VE HAD.
MESMER, RENEE, I'VE HEARD Y'ALL SAY THAT Y'ALL ARE UP FOR REELECTION.
THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS, I THINK VOTERS ARE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA, THEY'RE GONNA FILL THIS $8 MILLION THAT THEY'VE HAD TO ENDURE THE LAST THREE YEARS.
AND, AND MI MR. MEER, I KNOW YOU, YOU'VE VOTED ON THE LAST 16 YEARS YOU VOTED TO INCREASE TAXES.
MR. LEWI, IF YOU COULD JUST ADDRESS THE COMMISSION.
I'M GOING, I'M ADDRESSING THE COMMISSION, NOT THE COMMISSION.
I'M ADDRESSING THE COMMISSION AND I APPRECIATE IT IF YOU WOULDN'T INTERRUPT ME.
THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS THAT YOU'RE, ONCE AGAIN, THE BUDGET IS, IS FUNDING ONE TIME PURCHASES.
YOU'RE, YOU'RE GIVING, YOU'RE GIVING TAXPAYERS A PERPETUAL TAX TO COVER ONE TIME PURCHASES, FIRETRUCK OR PAVING EQUIPMENT.
YOU'RE GONNA HAVE, YOU'VE GOT $8 MILLION IN, IN OUTLAYS, BUT YOU'VE GOT 4 MILLION.
YOU WANT ANOTHER $2.5 MILLION IN, IN, IN PROPERTY TAXES.
WE ALREADY HEARD FROM THE FINANCE DIRECTOR ABOUT THE, THE FINANCE REPORT ON THE INTEREST INCOME.
NOW IT'S AN INTEREST INCOME OF A MILLION DOLLARS A QUARTER.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'VE NEVER HAD IN THE CITY BECAUSE THE INTEREST RATES ARE 5%.
[00:35:01]
ARE UP.RIGHT? WE TALKED ABOUT THE 266 DAYS IN THE FUND BALANCE WHEN THE, WHEN THE AUDITOR SAYS YOU ONLY NEED 90, 90 DAYS, TIME IS UP.
DO YOU WANT ME TO CALL ON MR. RE AGAIN? RAYMOND REYES.
MR. REYES IS, IS HE OUTSIDE? MR. ALRIGHT.
AND SO FOR THOSE THAT ARE ALSO VISITING US FOR THE FIRST TIME AND LEARNING HOW PUBLIC COMMENT WORKS, UM, AS YOU SAW, WE ARE NOT ABLE TO ENGAGE, BUT IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT NECESSARILY EVERYTHING THAT IS COMING FROM THE PODIUM IS ACCURATE OR TRUE OR FACT.
IT IS JUST PUBLIC COMMENT AND WE'RE UNABLE TO ENGAGE IN A BACK AND FORTH.
[Item 6 - Approval of Minutes]
TO ITEM SIX, APPROVAL OF MINUTES.ITEM SIX, A SPECIAL MEETING OF JULY 18TH, 2024, AND SIX B, SPECIAL MEETING OF AUGUST 12TH, 2024.
IS THERE ANY AMENDMENTS TO THE MINUTES? I SEND MY AMENDMENTS TO, UM, THE SECRETARY EARLIER TODAY, SO I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THEM BOTH MINUTES.
UH, SUBJECT TO THOSE AMENDMENTS.
[Item 7 - Consent Agenda]
SEVEN, CONSENT AGENDA.NO DISCUSSION IS ANTICIPATED ON ANY OF THE ITEMS IN THIS SECTION BECAUSE THEY ARE ROUTINE BUSINESS OR INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET ADOPTION PROCESS OR HAPPY AND PREVIOUSLY DISCUSSED AS A STAFF REPORT OR DISCUSSION ITEM.
THIS ITEMS WILL BE CONSIDERED COLLECTIVELY BY A SINGLE VOTE UNLESS A COMMISSION MEMBER REQUESTS AN ITEM BE REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA.
IS THERE ANYTHING TO BE REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA? IF NOT, IS THERE A MOTION TO PROVE, UM, ITEM SEVEN A THROUGH F.
NEXT WE HAVE ITEM EIGHT, STAFF REPORTS AND OTHER DISCUSSION ITEMS. ITEMS IN THIS SECTION ARE NOT EXPECTED TO REQUIRE ACTION BY THE CITY COMMISSION AND ARE GENERALLY FOR INFORMATION ONLY.
HOWEVER, ANY ITEM LISTED IN THIS SECTION MAY BECOME AN ACTION ITEM WITH THE REQUEST OF THE MAYOR OR AFTER THE REQUEST OF ANY TWO COMMISSION MEMBERS OR THE CITY MANAGER.
[Item 8a - City Manager's Report]
ITEM EIGHT, A CITY MANAGER'S REPORT.I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO REPORT TODAY.
OKAY, MOVING ON TO ITEM B STAFF REPORTS.
WHY DON'T YOU TELL 'EM THE GOOD NEWS ABOUT THE, UM, DOWNTOWN AND THE PARKS? OH, OKAY.
UM, AT THE, UH, MEETING PRIOR, WE HAD, UH, THE COMMISSION APPROVE A, UH, UH, SELECTION OF FREEZE AND NICHOLS FOR THE COMPILATION OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
AND THEY ADDED THE, THE PARKING, UH, STUDY DOWNTOWN, UH, THE, UH, DOWNTOWN IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT OR RENOVATION PROJECT AND THE PARKS PLANS.
AND THE ORIGINAL QUOTE THAT CAME BACK FROM THE CONSULTANT WAS ABOUT $620,000.
UH, THROUGH A SERIES OF NEGOTIATIONS, WE WERE ABLE TO BRING THAT DOWN TO ABOUT 420,000.
SO THEY SHOULD BE STARTING PRETTY SOON.
UM, THE COMP PLAN'S GONNA BE ON HOLD UNTIL WE CAN GET THE RELEASE FROM GLO TO GO FORWARD.
BUT THE PARKS PLAN, THE DID UH, RENOVATION AND THE DID PARKING STUDY WILL GO, WILL GO AHEAD AND PROCEED.
YEAH, THE DOWNTOWN, YEAH, THE, THE DOWNTOWN IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT.
[Item 8b - Staff Reports]
B STAFF REPORTS, WE HAVE NO REPORTS TO DISCLOSE OF DISTRICT.[Item 8c - Presentation of the South Texas Emergency Care (STEC) Quarterly Report]
ON TO ITEM C, PRESENTATION OF THE SOUTH TEXAS EMERGENCY CARE QUARTERLY REPORT BY MACKENZIE CURL AND ABEL, ER, MAYOR AND COMMISSION.I HAVE BROUGHT WITH ME A COUPLE OF FOLKS.
WE'VE WANTED TO MAKE THIS PRESENTATION TO THE COMMISSION FOR SOME TIME, ACTUALLY BEFORE COVID, BUT THE WHEELS FELL OFF THE WAGON, AS WE KNOW DURING COVID AND, UH, UH, THINGS ARE FINALLY COMING BACK TOGETHER.
ALTHOUGH I WILL TELL YOU THE NUMBER OF COVID PATIENTS WE'RE SEEING IS GOING UP, UH, EVEN THIS PAST WEEK HERE IN HARLINGEN.
THE PRESENTATION THIS EVENING IS ON A VERY IMPORTANT COMMUNITY PROJECT CALLED THE COMMUNITY PARAMEDICINE PROGRAM.
AND THIS IS A PROGRAM EMS HAS EVOLVED OVER THE YEARS, UH, AS WE COULD ALL IMAGINE.
A LOT OF THAT'S BECAUSE OF TECHNOLOGY THAT ALLOWS US TO CARRY EQUIPMENT THE SIZE OF A, OF A, UH, DECK OF CARDS THAT CAN RUN BLOOD TESTS AND TRANSMIT IT BY BLUETOOTH TO A DOCTOR, WHEREVER, UH, EVEN A WINTER TEXAN, WE COULD TRANSMIT IT BACK HOME TO WHATEVER, WHEREVER THEIR HOME IS.
[00:40:01]
THIS EVENING, WHERE ARE WE? MCKENZIE, CURL MCKENZIE, WE STOLE MCKENZIE FROM THE U-T-R-G-V.SHE HAS A MASTER'S IN PUBLIC HEALTH.
SHE'S THE COORDINATOR OF THE COMMUNITY HEALTHCARE, UH, COMMUNITY PARAMEDICINE PROGRAM.
AND ABEL VIAL IS A NATION NATIONALLY CERTIFIED COMMUNITY HEALTH PARAMEDIC.
AND YOU'VE GOT TWO OR THREE, FOUR ON YOUR STAFF, UH, TO, TO, ACTUALLY, I THOUGHT PETE WAS OH YEAH, PETE.
SO THREE OR FOUR ON THE STAFF AND IT, IT, IT, IT'S JUST AMAZES ME THE THINGS THAT WE'RE FINDING IN PEOPLE'S HOMES AND THINGS THEY'RE ABLE TO DO FOR OUR CITIZENS NOW.
MOSTLY FOR THE ELDERLY AND THE SICK.
WELL, GOOD EVENING MAYOR COMMISSION AND, UM, CITY STAFF.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING US TODAY.
UM, SO WE'RE JUST HERE, UM, TO PROVIDE THE QUARTERLY REPORT ON BEHALF OF THE SOUTH TEXAS EMERGENCY CARE FOUNDATION.
UM, AND LIKE MR. ASIN SAID, WE'LL BE FOCUSING ON THE COMMUNITY HEALTH PROGRAM.
UM, SO CHP, UM, IS WHAT WE REFER TO IT AS.
UM, IT'S A NON-EMERGENT DIVISION OF STUCK EMS. AND CURRENTLY WE'RE ADDRESSING TWO MAIN, UM, COMMUNITY ISSUES.
UM, THE FIRST IS FREQUENT EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT USE.
UM, THESE ARE MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY THAT USE THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT THREE OR MORE TIMES IN A 12 MONTH PERIOD.
UM, WE ALSO ADDRESS, UM, MEMBERS AND CITIZENS IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT USE EMS AT A HIGHER FREQUENT, FREQUENT, UH, AT A HIGHER RATE THAN USUAL.
AND, UM, OUR BENCHMARK FOR THAT IS FOUR OR MORE TIMES IN A 12 MONTH PERIOD.
UM, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THESE HIGH UTILIZERS, UM, OUR BENCHMARK FOR THAT IS THREE OR FOUR USES WITHIN A 12 MONTH PERIOD.
BUT MANY OF THESE MEMBERS ARE USING THESE EMERGENCY SERVICES AS THEIR PRIMARY HEALTHCARE.
UM, WE ACTUALLY HAD A GENTLEMAN THE OTHER DAY THAT HAS USED, UM, THE AMBULANCE SERVICE SEVEN TIMES IN A 24 HOUR PERIOD.
SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE THAT ARE MISUSING, UM, THE RESOURCES IN FRONT OF THEM, UM, WHETHER IT'S THEIR FAULT OR NOT.
UM, OUR PRIMARY FOCUS IN THIS PROGRAM IS, OF COURSE, TO ADDRESS MEDICAL NEEDS, UM, AS WE ARE A HEALTHCARE PROVIDER.
UM, WE DO IT IN THE PATIENT'S HOMES, BUT WE ALSO ADDRESS NON-MEDICAL DRIVERS OF HEALTH.
UM, AND LONG STORY SHORT, ESSENTIALLY, UH, WE DO LOOK AT SOCIAL NEEDS BECAUSE IF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS CAN'T PAY THEIR LIGHT BILL OR THEIR RENT, THEY'RE NOT GONNA AFFORD THEIR MEDICATION.
AND THE VICIOUS CYCLE HAPPENS OVER AGAIN, AND THEY'RE GONNA GO BACK TO THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT.
SO THIS IS A, A PROGRAM WE'VE HAD FOR, UM, IT'S BEEN LIVE FOR ABOUT FOUR YEARS NOW.
SO, UM, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO US BECAUSE WE ARE A MEDICALLY UNDERSERVED REGION, UM, CAMERON COUNTY IS.
AND SO USING OUR RESOURCES THAT WE DO HAVE IS CRUCIAL.
SO OUR OVERALL GOAL IS TO ALLEVIATE SOME OF THAT STRESS THAT HIGH UTILIZERS CAN PUT ON THE EMS SYSTEM, BUT ALSO OUR LOCAL HEALTHCARE SYSTEM.
UM, SUPER UTILIZATION CAN INCREASE OUR AMBULANCE WAIT TIMES, OUR ER WAIT TIMES, AND IT CAN CAUSE HOSPITAL OVERCROWDING.
SO THOSE ARE THE, THE BIG OVERARCHING PROBLEMS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO SLOWLY CHIP AWAY AT WITH THIS PROGRAM.
UM, SO WITH OUR PROGRAM SPECIFICALLY, WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR PATIENTS THAT WE'VE ENROLLED AND WE'VE GRADUATED, UM, AFTER WE SEE THEM, UM, OUR PATIENTS HAVE HAD A REDUCTION IN EMERGENCY DEPART USE DEPARTMENT USE OF 36%.
SO WE'RE VERY HAPPY ABOUT THAT.
AND OUR GRADUATED PATIENTS HAVE ALSO HAD A REDUCTION IN EMS USE, UM, BY 52%.
SO THAT MEANS THEIR USE BEFORE US, UM, AND THEN AFTER OUR PROGRAM.
SO WE LOOK AT BEFORE AND AFTER.
SO WE'VE HAD SOME GREAT SUCCESS.
UM, IT'S A VERY TIME INTENSIVE PROGRAM.
WE'RE IN THESE PEOPLE'S HOMES.
UM, AND, AND WE'RE ADDRESSING DYNAMIC NEEDS.
UM, BUT WE MAKE SIGNIFICANT, UM, IMPACTS IN THEIR PERSONAL LIVES.
UM, WE'RE NOT, YOU KNOW, SOLVING, UH, WORLD ISSUES OR FINDING THE CURE TO CANCER, BUT TO THESE PEOPLE, THOSE CHANGES ARE, UM, LIFE CHANGING.
SO, UH, WE DO HOPE TO CONTINUE EXPANDING THIS PROGRAM AND SERVING MORE CITIZENS ACROSS HARLINGEN AND CAMERON COUNTY.
UM, I ALSO WANTED TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE OTHER PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE, UM, WITH STACK, UM, THAT KIND OF ALSO FALL INTO CHP OF COURSE.
UM, THE PROGRAM ITSELF IS OUR MAIN, UM, UH, WORK.
BUT, UH, WE DID GET A GRANT RECENTLY TO ESTABLISH A CHILD SAFETY SEAT PROGRAM.
UM, WE ESTABLISHED THIS INITIATIVE BECAUSE, UM, OUR MEDICS ON THE STREET ARE OFTEN WITNESS, UM, TO THE, YOU KNOW, HORRIFIC RESULTS OF CHILDREN NOT BEING, UM, RESTRAINED IN CAR SEATS PROPERLY, OR, YOU KNOW, NOT
[00:45:01]
EVEN HAVING CAR SEATS.UM, THEY SEE THAT, UM, DAY IN, DAY OUT.
SO WE REALLY WANTED TO STEP IN AND KIND OF MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
UM, SO WE HAVE TWO STAFF MEMBERS THAT ARE CERTIFIED.
UM, CHILD PASSENGER SAFETY SEAT TECHNICIANS.
UM, SO FAR WE'VE INSPECTED 25 SEATS, SO THAT'S 25 KIDS THAT ARE SAFER ON THE ROAD, UM, WHICH IS A BIG DEAL FOR US.
AND 16 OF THOSE INSPECTIONS ACTUALLY RESULTED IN US PROVIDING A FREE CAR SEAT TO THOSE FAMILIES.
WE'VE ESTABLISHED OUR PROGRAM ALSO AS A RESOURCE FOR THE HOSPITALS.
UM, SO WHEN THERE'S A BABY BORN AT HARLAND OF MEDICAL OR VALLEY BAPTIST AND THEY DON'T HAVE A CAR SEAT TO GO HOME IN, THEY GIVE US A CALL AND WE'LL GO MEET THEM AT THE HOSPITAL.
WE'LL TEACH THE PARENT HOW TO INSTALL THE SEAT AND WE WILL, UM, PROVIDE THAT FOR THEM TO, TO TAKE THEIR CHILD HOME SAFELY.
WE'VE ALSO HOSTED, UM, TWO COMMUNITY EVENTS.
UM, I KNOW CHIEF KESTER WAS HERE EARLIER.
UM, WE WORKED WITH HARLINGEN POLICE DEPARTMENT BACK IN MAY, AND THAT WAS A GREAT EVENT.
WE HAD ANOTHER ONE IN SAN BENITO, UM, IN JULY THAT WE, UM, HAD SOME GOOD SUCCESS WITH.
AND, UM, I WANNA THANK HARLINGEN POLICE DEPARTMENT, UM, FOR THEIR PARTNERSHIP.
WE HAVE, UH, WE'RE EXPECTING TO DO ANOTHER EVENT WITH THEM IN SEPTEMBER.
UM, SO THAT'S BEEN REALLY GREAT TO KIND OF COME TOGETHER, COMPILE OUR RESOURCES AND, AND MAKE AN IMPACT ON OUR COMMUNITY WHERE WE CAN.
SO, UM, WE'RE VERY THANKFUL FOR THEM AND SERGEANT CARMONA, UM, WHO WE WORK CLOSELY WITH.
AND THEN LASTLY, UM, WE HAVE REINTRODUCED OUR PARAMEDIC PROGRAM, UM, WHICH IS JUST A, A FUN PROGRAM.
IT, UM, ESSENTIALLY WHAT WE'VE DONE IS WE'VE PUT PLUSH ANIMALS IN OUR AMBULANCES.
UM, IT'S NOT THE MOST ESSENTIAL ITEM ON THE AMBULANCE, BUT IT SURE DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
UM, THIS PROGRAM ACTUALLY DATES BACK TO THE 1980S FOR STUCK.
UM, WE USED TO DO IT BACK IN THE DAY AND WE BROUGHT IT BACK.
UM, BONHAM ELEMENTARY HAD A BUNCH OF KIDDOS THAT BANDED TOGETHER AND GOT SOME DONATIONS OF PLUSH TOYS THAT THEY DONATED TO US.
UM, SO WE GIVE THOSE OUT TO OUR PEDIATRIC PATIENTS.
IT JUST KIND OF HELPS TO ALLEVIATE SOME OF THE STRESS AND ANXIETY OF A 9 1 1 CALL.
SO THAT'S BEEN REALLY GREAT AS WELL.
UM, IT'S BEEN REALLY GOOD FOR OUR CHILDREN AND OUR FAMILIES.
AND ACTUALLY, UM, ONE OF OUR MEDICS CAME BY THE OTHER DAY AND SAID, UM, THAT THEY WERE TRANSPORTING A DEMENTIA PATIENT AND THAT THEY GAVE THE STUFFED ANIMAL TO THE DEMENTIA PATIENT AND SHE HELD IT THE WHOLE TIME.
SO IT'S EVEN HELPING SOME OF OUR, UM, SENIOR CITIZENS.
UM, THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR TODAY.
DO Y'ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? I THINK THAT STUFF'S FANTASTIC.
I JUST SAW A VIDEO, UNFORTUNATELY, LIKE ON FACEBOOK OR INSTAGRAM.
IT WAS A JEEP AND TWO KIDS, LIKE THE VIDEO STARTS AND THE TWO KIDS ARE IN THE ROAD, RIGHT? LIKE, THEY'RE GETTING UP, THEY LOOK DAZED.
I HAVE A 2-YEAR-OLD AND A 1-YEAR-OLD.
AND YOU, YOU MENTIONED GOING TO THE HOSPITAL.
I REMEMBER TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THE CAR SEAT THE FIRST TIME AND
UH, AND SO YOU GUYS ARE DOING GOD'S WORK.
YEAH, I WAS JUST HAVING A CONVERSATION RECENTLY ABOUT OH, STUCK.
UNFORTUNATELY, YOU GUYS COME TO SOME PRETTY GNARLY SCENES.
AND SO THE PLUSH ANIMALS, EVERYTHING YOU GUYS ARE DOING, JUST YES, KEEP IT UP.
I JUST ECHO WHAT COMMISSIONER LOPEZ SAID Y'ALL ARE DOING.
I THINK I TELL, I I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY TIMES I TALK TO BILL AND I TELL HIM ALL THE TIME HOW GREAT
UM, I KNOW THAT THE PARAMEDICS HAVE TAKEN HIM TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM.
I, I, I'M JUST INTIMATELY INVOLVED IN WHAT, HOW, HOW OUR LIFE CHANGES ONCE WE HAVE ELDERLY PARENTS AND HOW IMPORTANT HEALTHCARE IS AND HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO HAVE QUALITY, UH, CARE AND WHAT YOU DO TO ENSURE THAT ELDERLY PATIENTS ARE NOT GOING INTO THE EMERGENCY ROOM.
I'M SURE YOU WILL KNOW THIS, BUT PEOPLE PROBABLY ARE NOT AWARE THAT YOU'RE ALSO SAVING LIVES, BECAUSE THEY, MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, THEY'RE GO, THEY, THEY GO IN WITH NOTHING WRONG WITH THEM BECAUSE THEY JUST DON'T KNOW.
AND SO, TO YOUR POINT OF NOT HAVING SUFFICIENT HEALTHCARE OR JUST MAYBE THE RIGHT GUARDIAN AND THEN THEY GET INTO THE EMERGENCY ROOM AND THEN THEY COME OUT, THEY HAVE COVID OR THEY HAVE SOME OTHER TYPE OF, OF INFECTION OR DISEASE, AND THEN THAT JUST ESCALATES.
AND, AND, AND REALLY I THINK THAT WHAT YOU'RE DOING IS, IS HELPING OUR COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY THOSE THAT ARE THE MOST VULNERABLE.
I HAD NO IDEA ABOUT THE PLUSH ANIMALS.
WE ARE JUST SO LUCKY HERE IN CAMERON COUNTY AND HAREN TO KNOW THAT WE HAVE THE BEST EMS. SO
[00:50:01]
THANK YOU SO MUCH.'CAUSE I HAVE, I GET TO GO TO THEIR MEETING ONCE A MONTH AS THE CITY'S REP, SO I GET TO HEAR ABOUT THESE PROGRAMS FAR MORE OFTEN THAN YOU DO.
AND I MEAN, YOU TALK ABOUT A GROUP OF SUPERHEROES THAT STICK, WE'VE GOT 'EM SO WELL DONE.
[Item 9 - Public Hearings]
ITEM NINE, 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 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.
MAYOR, WE HAVE NO PUBLIC HEARINGS TO DISCLOSE FOR THIS MEETING.
OKAY, LEMME JUST RUN THROUGH THIS REALLY QUICK FOR THE RECORD.
ITEM NINE, A PUBLIC HEARING FOR REZONING REQUESTS FROM NON NOT DESIGNATED DISTRICT TO RESIDENTIAL SINGLE FAMILY DISTRICT FOR 3.79 ACRES OF LAND OUT OF THE BRIGGS COLEMAN SURVEY 28, LOCATED ALONG THE NORTH SIDE OF TOVAR ROAD, APPROXIMATELY 3000 FEET WEST OF FM 5 0 7.
THIS TIME WE'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING, HAVING NO ONE HERE TO SPEAK FOR OR AGAINST OR HAVING SIGNED UP, WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
MOVING ON TO NINE B PUBLIC HEARING FOR A REZONING REQUEST FROM RESIDENTIAL SINGLE FAMILY DISTRICT TO RESIDENTIAL DUPLEX DISTRICT FOR A PROPERTY LOCATED AT 1112 WEST FILLMORE AVENUE, BEARING A LEGAL DESCRIPTION OF LOT B BLOCKS.
BLOCK TWO SOUTHWEST HARLINGEN SUBDIVISION.
WE'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AT THIS TIME, HAVING NO ONE HERE TO SPEAK FOR OR AGAINST THIS ITEM AND NO ONE SIGNED UP.
WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING ITEM C PUBLIC HEARING, AMENDING THE CITY HARLINGEN CODE OF ORDINANCES, CHAPTER 1 0 9 SUBDIVISIONS ARTICLE ONE, SECTION 1 0 9 DASH ONE DEFINITIONS BY AMENDING THE DEFINITION OF A MAJOR SUBDIVISION AND REMOVING THE DEFINITION OF A MINOR PLAT ARTICLE TWO, SECTION 1 0 9 DASH 27 VARIANCES BY ADDING A PROVISION WHICH RESTRICTS VARIANCES TO SUBDIVISIONS THAT ARE SUBJECT TO THE MODEL SUBDIVISION RULES IN ARTICLE FOUR, SECTION 1 0 9 DASH 87, GENERAL PROCESS FOR A MAJOR PLAT BY REMOVING A REFERENCE TO A MINOR PLAT AND SECTION 1 0 9 DASH 88 MINOR PLAT APPROVAL DELEGATION BY REMOVING THIS SECTION IN ITS ENTIRETY FOR THE SUBDIVISION CHAPTER OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES.
THIS TIME WILL OPEN THIS PUBLIC HEARING, HAVING NO ONE HERE TO SPEAK FOR OR AGAINST, OR HAVING ANYONE TO SIGN UP.
WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
OKAY, ITEM 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 rezoning request from Not Designated ("N") District to Residential , Single-Family ("R-1 ") District for 3.79 acres of land out of the Briggs-Coleman Survey 28, located along the north side of Tovar Road, approximate ly 3,000 feet west of FM 507. Applicant: Terry- Robert Cortez ]
ITEM 10, A CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO APPROVE AN ORDINANCE ON FIRST READING FOR A REZONING REQUEST FROM NOT DESIGNATED DISTRICT TO RESIDENTIAL SINGLE FAMILY DISTRICT FOR 3.79 ACRES OF LAND OUT OF THE BRIGGS COLEMAN SURVEY 28, LOCATED ALONG THE NORTH SIDE OF TOVA ROAD, APPROXIMATELY 3000 FEET WEST OF FARM ROAD 5 0 7 APPLICANT TERRY AND ROBERT CORTEZ PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT.OKAY, MARK, DO YOU WANT TO READ THAT ORDINANCE? SURE.
IN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF HARLINGEN REZONING FROM NOT DESIGNATED IN DISTRICT TO RESIDENTIAL SINGLE FAMILY R ONE DISTRICT FOR 3.79 ACRES OF LAND UNDER THE BRIGGS COLEMAN SURVEY 28, LOCATED ALONG THE NORTH SIDE OF TOBAR ROAD, APPROXIMATELY 3000 FEET WEST OF FM 5 0 7.
APPLICANT TERRY ROBERTS CORTEZ MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE SECOND ITEM 10 B.
ALL THOSE IN FA ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
IMPOSSIBLE ACTION TO ADOPT, NOR, OH, SORRY SIR.
COULD WE GET IG TO COME IN AND GET THIS THING GOING? WHAT'S THAT? HUH? HIS SCREEN ISN'T WORKING.
OH, YOUR SCREEN'S NOT WORKING.
OH, YOU WANNA SWAP SEATS? IT'S RIGHT UP THERE TOO.
I CAN, IT'S GONNA TAKE CARE OF THERE.
AND IT'S UP THERE TOO, COMMISSIONER.
UM, BUT YES, IF WE CAN GET THAT WORKING.
[Item 10b - Consideration and possible action to adopt 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 1112 W. Filmore Avenue, bearing a legal description of Lot B, Block 2, Southwest Harlingen Subdivision. Applicant: Greg Mar.]
CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO ADOPT AN ORDINANCE ON FIRST READING FOR A REZONING REQUEST FROM RESIDENTIAL SINGLE FAMILY DISTRICT TO RESIDENTIAL DUPLEX DISTRICT FOR A PROPERTY LOCATED AT 1112 WEST FILLMORE AVENUE, BEARING A LEGAL DESCRIPTION ON LOT B BLOCK TWO.SOUTHWEST HARLINGEN SUBDIVISION APPLICANT GREG MAR PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT.
MARK IN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF HARLINGEN REZONING FROM RESIDENTIAL SINGLE FAMILY R ONE
[00:55:01]
DISTRICT TO RESIDENTIAL DUPLEX R TWO DISTRICT FOR A PROPERTY LOCATED AT ONE ONE, UH, A HUNDRED, 111 12 WEST FILLMORE AVENUE BEARING A LEGAL DESCRIPTION OF LOT B BLOCK TWO.SOUTHWEST HARLINGEN SUBDIVISION APPLICANT GREG MAR.
[Item 10c - Consideration and possib le action to adopt an ordinance on first reading amending the City of Harlingen Code of Ordinances Chapter 109, Subdivisions, Article I, Section 109-1 , Definitions, by amending the definition of a major subdivision, and removing the definition of a minor plat; Article II , Section 109-27, Variances, by adding a provision which restricts variances to subdivisions that are subject to the model subdivision rules; and Article IV, Section 109-87, General Process for a Major Plat, by removing a reference to a minor plat, and Section 109- 88 , Min or Plat Approval Delegation, by removing this sect ion in its entirety from the Subdivision Chapter of the Code of Ordinances . Applicant: City of Harlingen.]
ITEM C, CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO ADOPT AN ORDINANCE ON FIRST READING, AMENDING THE CITY OF HARINGTON, CODE OF ORDINANCES, CHAPTER 1 0 9 SUBDIVISIONS ARTICLE ONE, SECTION 1 0 9 DASH ONE DEFINITIONS BY AMENDING THE DEFINITION OF A MAJOR SUBDIVISION AND REMOVING THE DEFINITION OF A MINOR PLAT ARTICLE TWO, SECTION 1 0 9 DASH 27 VARIANCES BY ADDING A PROVISION WHICH RESTRICTS VARIANCES TO SUBDIVISIONS THAT ARE SUBJECT TO THE MODEL SUBDIVISION RULES.AND ARTICLE FOUR, SECTION 1 0 9 DASH 87 GENERAL PROCESS FOR A MAJOR PLAT BY REMOVING A REFERENCE TO A MINOR PLAT AND SECTION 1 0 9 DASH 88 MINOR PLAT APPROVAL DELEGATION BY REMOVING THIS SECTION IN ITS ENTIRELY FROM THE SUBDIVISION CHAPTER OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES APPLICANT CITY OF HARINGTON PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT.
READ THE CAPTION IN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE CITY OF HARLINGEN, CODE OF ORDINANCES, CHAPTER 1 0 9 SUBDIVISIONS ARTICLE ONE, SECTION 1 0 9 1 DEFINITIONS BY AMENDING THE DEFINITION OF A MAJOR, MAJOR SUBDIVISION AND REMOVING THE DEFINITION OF A MINOR PLAT ARTICLE TWO, SECTION 1 0 9 27 VARIANCES BY ADDING A PROVISION WHICH RESTRICTS VARIANCES TO SUBDIVISIONS THAT ARE SUB TO THE MODEL SUBDIVISION RULES IN ARTICLE FOUR, SECTION 1 0 9 87, GENERAL PROCESSES FOR A MAJOR PLAT BY REMOVING ANY REFERENCE TO A MINOR PLAT AND SECTION 1 0 9 88 MINOR PLAT APPROVAL DELEGATION BY REMOVING THIS SECTION IN ITS ENTIRETY FROM THE SUBDIVISION CHAPTER OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES PROVIDING FOR PUBLICATION AND ORDAINING OTHER MATTERS RELATED TO THE FOREGOING.
ANY MOTION TO APPROVE? SECOND.
YOU DID A PHENOMENAL JOB, UH, IN THIS SUMMARY.
I LITERALLY HAD TO DO A LEGAL BRIEF ON THIS AND I WAS LIKE, I SHOULD HAVE HAD JED WRITTEN, WRITTEN THE BACKGROUND.
[Item 10d - Consideration and possible action to approve an ordinance on first reading amending the City of Harlingen's Budget for Fiscal Year 2024.]
D CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO APPROVE AN ORDINANCE ON FIRST READING, AMENDING THE CITY OF HARING'S BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024.GOOD EVENING MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSIONERS AND STAFF.
UH, THIS IS A FIRST READING ON, UH, OUR SECOND AND FINAL BUDGET AMENDMENT.
UM, I HAVE SUMMARIZED THE ITEMS ON THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.
UM, ALL OF THE REVENUES, SO, SO WE'RE AMENDING AN INCREASE IN REVENUE OF 1 MILLION 2 83 7 97.
I HAVE LISTED OUT ALL THE DETAIL.
OUR SALES TAX OF COURSE WAS WE'VE DONE BETTER IN, IN SALES TAX.
SO WE WERE INCREASING THAT, UH, LICENSES AND PERMITS FOR BUILDING PERMITS, MECHANICAL PERMITS.
UH, WE DID HAVE TO REDUCE SOME OF THE, UH, FRANCHISE TAXES THAT HAVE NOT, UM, MATERIALIZED.
WE'RE INCREASING FINES AND FORFEITURES IN, UH, COLLECT COLLECTION AGENCY FEES, WHICH HAS AN OFFSETTING EXPENDITURE.
UM, TRAFFIC FINES AND FORFEITURES HAVE GONE DOWN.
UM, BUILDING PERMITS ARE UP 150,000.
EXPENDITURES HAVE ALSO INCREASED BY 1 MILLION 297 0 63.
SO THAT'S, UH, KIND OF AN OFFSET WITH THE INCREASED REVENUE.
UM, THERE IS A DETAIL OF ALL THE EXPENDITURES FROM THE GENERAL FUND.
UH, SOME OF THE NOTABLE ONES ARE THE LARGER, UH, DIXIE LAND ROAD AND LINCOLN AVENUE TRAFFIC SIGNALS.
UM, THE, THE, UH, THE COST TO WORK ON THE SHUFFLE BOARDS FOR THE COMMUNITY CENTER IS IN HERE FOR 266,000.
UM, WORK ON THE SOCCER COMPLEX IS IN HERE FOR 285,000.
AND THEN THE ONLY EXPENSE THAT WILL NOT BE UNDERTAKEN THIS FISCAL YEAR IS THE, UH, THE GROUNDS FOR THE, UM, THE CITY COMMISSION AUTHORIZED HIRING THREE PARKS, UH, EMPLOYEES.
BUT, UM, THE, THE EQUIPMENT THAT THEY NEEDED WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THAT.
SO WE INCLUDED IN THIS BUDGET AMENDMENT FOR 1 63.
SO THAT'LL BE SOMETHING THAT WE'LL GET READY TO PURCHASE TO USE FOR NEXT BUDGET YEAR WHENEVER WE HIRE THOSE EMPLOYEES.
THANK YOU FOR THE PARKS DEPARTMENT.
WHAT'S THAT? ON THE 2 66 AND 2 85, IS THAT GONNA BE ON THIS BUDGET? ON THIS UPCOMING BUDGET? YEAH, IT'S ON THIS BUDGET.
SO THOSE ARE THE PICKLEBALL COURTS THAT, UH, THE COMMUNITY CENTER? YES.
AND THEN, UH, THE OTHER ONE WAS, I YOU SAID IT.
YOU'RE RIGHT FOR THE, UH, AND WHAT IS IT AT THE SOCCER COMPLEX? UH, REPLACING THE IRRIGATION SYSTEM.
THE SPRINKLER SYSTEM'S REAL BAD.
'CAUSE THEY'RE PUMPING OUT THE POND.
[01:00:02]
RIGHT.WE'RE USING EFFLUENT AND ALL THE, UH, THE BUILDUP GOT JUST, UH, TOO MUCH SO THAT WE COULDN'T CLEAN IT.
SO WE HAVE TO REPLACE EVERYTHING AND WE'RE GONNA USE CLEAN WATER.
SO WE'RE NOT GONNA HAVE THE STATION POTABLE WATER.
AND THEN THE OTHER IS THE, UH, THE, THE GROUND EQUIPMENT FOR THE, UH, THE GROUND CREW FOR THE PARKS THAT'S IN, IN NEXT YEAR'S A BUDGET.
SO THAT 1 63 IS FOR NEXT YEAR? YES.
WELL, NO, IT'S FOR THE, UH, FOR THE CREW THAT'S GONNA BE COMING ON BOARD NEXT FISCAL YEAR, BUT WE DIDN'T INCLUDE THE, UH, EQUIPMENT IN NEXT YEAR'S PROPOSED BUDGET THAT WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT LATER.
THAT'S THE ONLY EXPENDITURE THAT, THAT WE LEFT OUT OF, OF, UH, THE APPROVED EXPENSES FOR NEXT FISCAL YEAR THAT WE HAVE TO INCLUDE HERE TO, OTHERWISE THEY'RE NOT GONNA HAVE A TRUCK AND, AND EQUIPMENT.
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE REVENUE AND EXPENDITURE BUDGET FOR THE CITY OF HARLING IN TEXAS FOR FISCAL YEAR OCTOBER FOR ONE, 2023 THROUGH, THROUGH SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2024, PROVIDING FOR PUBLICATION OF THE CAPTION OF THIS ORDINANCE AND ORDAINING OTHER MATTERS RELATED TO THE FOREGOING.
AND THERE'S A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER LOPEZ.
[Item 10e - Consideration and possible action to approve an ordinance on first reading amending Chapter 18, Master Fee Schedule of the Ha rlingen Code of Ordinances by establishing fees for certain Licenses, Permits, and other services provided by the City of Harlingen as they relate to Chapter 36, Article V, Division 2 (Tony Butler Golf Course); providing for publication and ordaining other matters pertaining to the foregoing .]
ITEM E CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO APPROVE AN ORDINANCE ON FIRST READING AMENDING CHAPTER 18, MASTER FEE SCHEDULE OF THE HARLINGEN CODE OF ORDINANCES BY ESTABLISHING FEES FOR CERTAIN LICENSES, PERMITS, AND OTHER SERVICES PROVIDED BY THE CITY OF HARLINGEN AS THEY RELATE TO CHAPTER 36, ARTICLE FIVE, DIVISION TWO, PROVIDING FOR PUBLICATION AND ORDAINING OTHER MATTERS PERTAINING TO THE FOREGOING GOLF.YOU WANNA JUST GO OVER WHAT, WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO, JEFF, WITH THE FEE STRUCTURE, THE CONFERENCE CENTER ROOM IS, WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS WE'RE TRYING TO INCREASE THE RATE FROM $40 AN HOUR TO $50 AN HOUR FOR A RESIDENT, FOR A NON-RESIDENT, IT WOULD GO TO $60 AN HOUR, WHICH IS CURRENTLY 40 AND 50.
SO WE'RE RAISING A $10 INCREASE IN THE RATE TO, AND THIS IS DONE BASED ON WHAT THE OTHER CITY, UH, STRUCTURES ARE THAT RENT OUT THAT WE'RE TRYING TO GET MORE IN THE SAME PRICE RANGE AS OTHER BUILDINGS OF EQUAL SIZE.
IS THAT THE ONLY I DIDN'T HAVE IT IN MY, YES.
IS THERE A MOTION? MOTION APPROVE.
CAN YOU RECAPTION CAPTION IN ORDER TO THE CITY OF HARLINGEN AMENDING CHAPTER 18, MASTER FEE SCHEDULE OF THE HARLINGEN CODE OF ORDINANCES BY ESTABLISHING FEES FOR CERTAIN LICENSES, PERMITS, AND OTHER SERVICES PROVIDING PROVIDED BY THE CITY OF HARLINGEN AS THEY RELATE TO CHAPTERS 36.
ARTICLE FIVE, DIVISION TWO, TONY BUTLER GOLF COURSE PROVIDING FOR PUBLICATION IN ORDAINING.
OTHER MATTERS RELATED TO THE FOREGOING.
I JUST WANNA SAY FOR ALL THOSE THAT ARE RUNNING FOR OFFICE, I RENTED THAT SPACE AND IT WAS OBVIOUSLY GAVE ME GOOD LUCK.
SO,
THAT'S IN YOUR, IN YOUR DISTRICT.
[Item 10f - Discussion and possible action to approve an ordinance on second and final reading of the City of Harlingen, Texas, ordering a Special Election on proposed amendments to the Home Rule City Charter of the City of Harlingen to be held on November 5, 2024, providing for the publication and posting of notice; proposing amendments to the Home Rule City Charter of the City of Harlingen.]
ITEM F, DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO APPROVE AN ORDINANCE ON SECOND AND FINAL READING OF THE CITY OF HARING, TEXAS, ORDERING A SPECIAL ELECTION ON PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE HOME RULE CITY CHARTER OF THE CITY OF HARLINGEN TO BE HELD ON NOVEMBER 5TH, 2024, PROVIDING FOR THE PUBLICATION AND POSTING OF NOTICE, PROPOSING AMENDMENTS TO THE HOME RULE.CITY CHARTER OF THE CITY OF HARLINGEN, CITY MANAGER.
THERE WAS, UM, TWO SUBSEQUENT ORDINANCES THAT WERE SENT OUT BY EMAIL TO THE MERIT COMMISSION.
UM, SO YOU SHOULD HAVE THAT IN YOUR EMAIL.
UM, IF YOU DON'T, WE CAN GET COPIES MADE FOR YOU.
MONDAY MORNING WAS THE FIRST AND MONDAY AF UH, MONDAY EVENING, LATE EVENING WAS THE SECOND.
SO, MARK, THERE WAS SOME, YOU WANNA JUST, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO GO ONE BY ONE AND JUST VERY QUICKLY.
UM, I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT'S NECESSARILY NECESSARY.
DID EVERYBODY READ? EVERYBODY READ.
BA BASICALLY, THE, WHAT WERE EVERYBODY READ THE, THERE'S NO CHANGE TO THE SUBSTANCE, RIGHT? RIGHT.
UH, WE, WE MADE JUST A COUPLE CHANGES IN TERMS OF THE ORDER OF THE ORDINANCES TO IMPROVE FLOW, UM, AND, AND BASICALLY CONSISTENCY OF THE LANGUAGE.
BUT I, I THINK THE, UH, THE, THE, THE PROPOSITIONS ARE ESSENTIALLY THE, THE SAME.
AND, UM, ORDER NOTHING SUBSTITUTE.
SO, IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE? UH, YOU, YOU WANNA READ CAPTION? YES,
[01:05:01]
YES.I'LL READ AND I'LL READ THE CAPTION OF THE ORDINANCE THAT'S AMENDED, NOT THE ONE THAT'S IN THE BOOK.
IN ORDER OF THE CITY OF HARLINGEN, TEXAS, ORDERING A SPECIAL ELECTION ON PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE HOME RULE CITY CHARTER OF THE CITY OF HARLINGEN TO BE HELD ON NOVEMBER 5TH, 2024, PROVIDING FOR THE PUBLICATION AND POSTING OF NOTICE, PROPOSING AMENDMENT TO THE HOME RULE, CITY CHARTER OF THE CITY OF HARLINGEN, PROVIDING FOR DATES FOR EARLY VOTING BY PERSONAL APPEARANCE, PROVIDING FOR DEADLINES, FOR APPLICATION FOR ABSENTEE BALLOT, AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
DO YOU HAVE A MOTION? MOTION? SECOND.
[Item 10g - Consideration and possible action to approve an ordinance on first reading amending the Harlingen Code of Ordinances, Article Ill , Vehicle Tow ing ; modifying the fee schedule and to appeal all ordinances in conflict therewith; providing for publication and for an effective date.]
G, CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO APPROVE AN ORDINANCE ON FIRST READING, AMENDING THE HARLINGEN CODE OF ORDINANCES, ARTICLE THREE, VEHICLE TOWING, MODIFYING THE FEE SCHEDULE, AND TO APPEAL ALL ORDINANCES IN CONFLICT, THEREWITH PROVIDING FOR PUBLICATION AND FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS, UH, THIS IS JUST AN UPDATE TO THE RECORD ORDINANCE, CLEANING UP SOME LANGUAGE.
UH, YEARS AGO, WE HAD LANGUAGE IN THERE THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO HOLD A VEHICLE THAT, UH, DIDN'T HAVE INSURANCE AND REQUIRE THE OWNER TO GET SIX MONTHS WORTH OF INSURANCE.
WE DON'T NO LONGER ENFORCE THAT IN, UH, REMOVING THAT OUTTA THE ORDINANCE, UPDATING THE FEES A LITTLE BIT, UH, ESPECIALLY WITH THE INCREASE IN TAX RATE, THINGS LIKE THAT, UH, FROM NATIONWIDE, BUT JUST TO MAKE IT, UH, VIABLE, UH, AND ADDING SOME ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE IN HERE.
JUST TO MAKE IT EASIER, UH, JUST TO GET MAYOR, MAYOR, I, I REVIEWED THIS AND IT'S A BA BASICALLY CITY CODE.
I REVIEWED THE CHANGES TO THE CITY CODE AND IT'S FINE, BUT IT NEEDS TO BE IN ORDINANCE FORM BECAUSE IT'S NOT.
SO, I, I SUGGEST WE MAYBE BRING IT BACK AT THE NEXT MEETING AND, AND VOTE ON AT THAT, AT THAT TIME.
IT'S NOT IN THE BOOK, BUT IT'S NOT IN AN ORDINANCE.
BUT IT'S NOT WHAT, WHAT YOU HAVE IN YOUR PACKET IS CITY CODE THAT'S EDITED.
I THINK, YEAH, THAT, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S, WE MADE A MOTION TO TABLE.
BUT WE'LL JUST BRING IT BACK AT THE NEXT MEETING AND TAKE IT UP.
JUST REAL QUICK, IF YOU DON'T MIND, JUST A QUICK COMMENT.
UH, CHIEF, I KNOW, JUST FOR THE COMMISSION FOR Y'ALL TO KNOW, I HAD A MEETING, WE HAD A MEETING, THE MAYOR AND I ABOUT A FEW MONTHS AGO WITH THE TOW TRUCK OWNERS.
UH, THEY BROUGHT FORTH TO US A FEW OF THEIR CONCERNS.
UH, I'M HAPPY THAT WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO TABLE THIS.
THANK YOU, MARK, FOR BRINGING THIS TO OUR ATTENTION.
I WOULD JUST LIKE, UH, CHIEF, IF WE CAN SHARE THE DRAFT WITH THE TOW TRUCK DRIVERS SO WE CAN GET THEIR INPUT.
UH, THEY'RE THE ONES THAT, YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANT TO HAVE ANY UNNECESSARY FRICTION.
OR THEY SAY, HEY, WE MESSED UP HERE, AND WE COULD HAVE JUST ALL FIXED IT AT ONE TIME.
SO IF WE CAN KINDA SHARE THAT.
ONE QUESTION I DID HAVE, UM, IS IF YOU LOOK AT PAGE FIVE AT ONE POINT, IT'S NOT THAT IMPORTANT.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO LOOK, BUT IT'S ON PAGE FIVE.
IT TALKS ABOUT HOW THERE'S NOW GONNA BE A MAXIMUM OF EIGHT TOW TRUCK DRIVERS.
I KNOW IT SEEMED THAT WHEN I WENT AND JUST FROM, I, I IMAGINE I DIDN'T GET EVERY TOW TRUCK COMPANY IN THERE THAT WE HAD MORE THAN EIGHT EIGHT TOW TRUCK COMPANIES.
IS THERE A REASON? WELL, OUR UNDERSTANDING IS WE HAVE EIGHT TOW TRUCK COMPANIES BASICALLY HERE, BUT SEVERAL OF THEM BOUGHT OTHER WRECKERS AND USE THEM UNDER DIFFERENT NAMES.
IF YOU CAN, I REMEMBER THAT BEING A CONCERN.
RIGHT? SO THERE'S LIKE ONE, ONE PERSON, BUT HE HAS, OR SHE HAS LIKE EIGHT TOW TRUCK COMPANIES ALL UNDER, RIGHT.
UNDER HER, BUT ALL DIFFERENT NAMES SO THAT THEY CAN ALL GET LIKE EIGHT PICKS ON THE, WHAT'S IT CALLED? ROTATION.
AGAIN, IF WE CAN JUST MAKE SURE THAT THE TOW TRUCK COMPANY OWNERS LOOK AT IT AND IF THEY HAVE ANY CHANGES THAT THEY WANNA MAKE TO IT, PROPOSALS, AND THEN WE CAN BRING IT BACK.
AND IF WE, IT'S GONNA BE A PUBLIC HEARING ANYWAYS.
THEN WE CAN HEAR FROM THEM AT THAT TIME.
IT, IT DOESN'T NEED A PUBLIC HEARING TO CHANGE THE UH, NO, THE FEE STRUCTURE.
BUT IF WE'RE GONNA CHANGE IT FROM A POLICY TO AN ORDINANCE OR WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO HAVE TWO HEARINGS, CORRECT? IT'S ALREADY NO, NO, IT'S ALREADY, IT'S ALREADY IN THE CODE.
SO WE'RE JUST, WE'RE WE'RE MAKING, YOU'D THE ORDINANCE AMENDING CITY CODE.
YOU HAVE TO HAVE TWO READINGS, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING.
WELL LET'S HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING THEN.
IT'S AN AMEND, IT'S AMENDING THE ORDINANCE.
I AGREE THAT WE SHOULD HAVE THE PUBLIC INPUT.
I DON'T KNOW NECESSARILY WE NEED TO HAVE IT LISTED AS OF PUBLIC HEARING, BUT I THINK THAT WE SHOULD HAVE THE IN WHEN THE AGENDA ITEM COMES UP.
EVERY, I SEE A LOT OF Y'ALL HERE AND JUST INVITE Y'ALL TO COME BACK TO PARTICIPATE IN THE CONVERSATION.
SO EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT NECESSARY, WE SHOULD STILL HAVE THAT PARTICIPATION.
UM, AND, AND I'M, I'M GLAD YOU YOU BROUGHT THAT UP.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT I MEANT TO TELL THE CHIEF, BUT I, FOR FORGOT, BUT I FORGOT.
UM, CAN WE MAKE SURE THAT WHATEVER THE NUMBER IS IS NOT GOING TO KICK ANYBODY OFF THAT IS CURRENTLY SERVICING HARLINGEN.
SO IF IT'S GONNA BE A NUMBER, THEN THAT NUMBER THAT AND I UNDER AND
[01:10:01]
I AGREE THAT THERE SHOULD BE A CAP.SINCE YOU'RE RAISING THE RATES, YOU MIGHT HAVE MORE PEOPLE COMING INTO HARLINGEN.
AND WE DON'T WANT TO, TO, TO REALLY HAVE WHERE IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, INUNDATED WITH, WITH MORE, UM, COMPANIES COMING INTO HARLINGEN.
BUT THE ONES THAT CAME TO THE MEETING AND THAT ARE ALREADY SERVICING HARLINGEN, UM, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF THOSE FOLKS ARE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO, TO, UH, PROVIDE THE SERVICE.
WE DIDN'T INTEND TO KICK ANYBODY.
AND THAT WAS WHEN YOU, WE TALKED AND, AND WE, AND WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY, IT WASN'T INCLUDED.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT NUMBER IS, BUT LET'S JUST MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY'S INCLUDED.
UM, THE OTHER THING I WAS GONNA SUGGEST, I WAS LOOKING, UH, BEFORE COMING OVER HERE, I WAS LOOKING AT ANOTHER CITY'S, UM, ROTATION LIST.
AND IT LOOKED LIKE, AND IT'S SOMETHING, AND I CAN SEND IT TO YOU LATER, I JUST WAS LOOKING AT IT BEFORE COMING.
THEY HAD TWO SEPARATE, IT WAS CITY OF BROWNSVILLE AND THEY HAVE TWO DIFFERENT LISTS.
AND ONE IS FOR I THINK, UM, LIKE A LIGHT DUTY AND ONE'S FOR HEAVY DUTY.
AND SO THE HEAVY DUTY REQUIRES A SPECIFIC EQUIPMENT FOR YOU TO HAVE.
UM, 'CAUSE I THINK THE GOAL IS TO MAKE SURE THAT IF THERE'S A WRECK OR THERE'S SOME, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING GOING ON THAT WE CAN CLEAR THE STREETS.
AND SO THAT SECOND LIST, OR THE HEAVY TOW LIST WOULD MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY THAT'S ON THAT ROTATION HAS THE PROPER EQUIPMENT TO SERVICE THESE BIG, UM, TYPES OF ACCIDENTS.
SO MAYBE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE COULD DO TO KIND OF JUST FOR EFFICIENCY.
SO IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S A SIMPLE TOW AND EVERYONE, THEY MIGHT BE ON BOTH LISTS.
BUT MAYBE IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN TALK TO BROWNSVILLE, SEE, SEE HOW THEY'RE, HOW IT WORKS FOR THEM.
UM, I KNOW THAT, OR AT LEAST I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT OVER THERE IT'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT BECAUSE IT'S LIKE ONE PROVIDER PER DAY.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW ABOUT THAT, BUT LIKE, IF THEY HAVE ONE COMPANY, THEN THEY'RE ON FOR 24 HOURS.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, THAT HARLINGEN WANTS TO DO.
UM, BUT SURELY THE DIFFERENT LIST, I THINK MIGHT BE EASIER FOR, FOR, FOR THE DEPARTMENT TO SAY, OKAY, IT'S THIS KIND OF ACCIDENT.
WE GO TO THIS LIST AND IF IT'S THIS TYPE, YOU KNOW, OR IF IT'S JUST A, NOBODY HAS INSURANCE OR SOMETHING, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
CURRENTLY THAT'S NOT AN ISSUE FOR US.
WE ONLY HAVE ONE THAT HAS HEAVY RECORDS.
SO THEN YOU'RE, YOU'RE ABLE TO, YOU DISTINGUISH RIGHT.
WITHIN THE SAME ROTATION LIST.
I THOUGHT WE AGREED TO INCLUDE THAT PARTICULAR TYPE OF TOW IN THE, IN THE, UH, THE RIGHT STRUCTURE.
AND THAT'S MY LAST POINT IS IN THE RATE STRUCTURE IT SAYS MAXIMUM RATES FOR WRECKER SERVICE IN THERE IT SAYS, UH, THE SECTION SET OUT ON CHAPTER 18 FEE SCHEDULE.
IS THAT AN ATTACHMENT HERE OR WHERE DO I FIND THAT? IT'S THE LAST SHEET ON THAT.
I DIDN'T SEE IT THEN, BUT I DID GO OVER THAT WITH THE CHIEF.
IT DOESN'T MIRROR WHAT'S ONLINE.
SO THERE'S SOME, IT'S NOT ACCURATE.
SO YEAH, IF WE CAN UPDATE THAT THEN, BUT YEAH.
IF WE CAN GET IT TO THE COMPANIES, THEY CAN LOOK AT IT.
CHIEF, I REALLY, REALLY WANNA THANK YOU GUYS FOR THIS.
I KNOW THAT THE POLICY WORK IS NEVER THE FUNNEST WORK UNLESS YOU'RE ME.
UM, BUT UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALL FOR YOU.
AND, UH, WHAT, WHAT'S HIS NAME? I ALWAYS S ARMONA.
JUST AS AN FYI WAS AT THAT MEETING TOO, THAT YOU ALL
AND ONE OTHER THING, CHIEF, JUST, UM, I DIDN'T TELL YOU IS JUST LET'S MAKE SURE THAT, AND, AND THIS IS SOMETHING MAYBE MARK CAN HELP, THAT WE ARE NOT, UM, OVERSTEPPING AND I, IF THE STATE HAS CERTAIN, UM, FEES THAT WE'RE NOT UNDER, UNDER, I MEAN, I DON'T THINK WE CAN TO SAY, WELL YOU HAVE TO CHARGE THIS IF, IF THE, THE STATE HAS A A SPECIFIC FEE AND YOU CAN HELP.
WE WENT TO THE MAX, RIGHT? IS THAT WHAT WE DID? WELL, WHAT I WAS LOOKING AT WAS THE STORAGE FEES ON AND IT, SO TDLR HAS SPECIFIC STORAGE, UM, FEES THAT YOU CHARGE PER DAY.
AND SO I THINK HOURS ARE LESS OR SOMETHING.
AND SO JUST TO, WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE OUR, OUR, OUR ORDINANCE CONFLICT WITH WHAT THEIRS IS.
UM, AND IT'S NOT, IT'S, IT'S LIKE A MINOR DIFFERENCE.
UM, IT WAS $20 STORAGE PER DAY, BUT THEY HAVE IT LISTED AT $22 AND 85 CENTS.
SO I THINK IT NEEDS TO MIRROR, UM, WHAT THEY HAVE THERE.
OR SOMETHING JUST TO, TO, TO COLLABORATE WITH MARK ON.
SO THERE WAS A MOTION TO TABLE AND WE CAN BRING IT TO THE NEXT MEETING.
I HAVE MARK, CAN WE JUST PASS 'CAUSE WE CAN PASS THROUGH FIRST READING AND THEN JUST PUT IT AN ORDINANCE FORM FOR THE YEAH.
'CAUSE IT'S GONNA BE BROUGHT BACK AS A, AS A, UM, AS AN ORDINANCE FORM, CORRECT.
WE WE'RE DOING, EXCHANGING THE CAPTION, THE SUBSTANCE OF THE CODE IS, SO WE'LL STILL NEED THE TWO READINGS.
WE HAD A FIRST, BUT I DON'T HAVE A SECOND.
[01:15:01]
ALL OF THE, UH, FOLKS COMING OUT.UM, WE APPRECIATE YOU COMING OUT, UH, TO HEAR WHAT WE WERE GONNA DO, BUT WE WILL BE BRINGING IT BACK MOST LIKELY AT THE NEXT MEETING.
AND SO I'M SURE THAT, UH, THE DEPARTMENT WILL LET Y'ALL KNOW SO THAT YOU CAN COME BACK AND GIVE YOUR INPUT.
AND DEFINITELY FEEL FREE TO, TO SEND ANY, UH, COMMENTS TO GABE, I GUESS.
OR WHERE DO YOU WANT THOSE? GABE? NO, NO, THE CHIEF TO THE CHIEF.
AND THEN HE'LL MAKE IT OUR WAY.
[Item 10h - Consideration and possible action to approve and ordinance on first reading amending the Harlingen Code of Ordinances, Chapter 48, Division 4, Sections 48-144 and 48-145, Contingency & Emergency Water Management Plan, establishing an effective date, and providing for publication and ordaining other matters related to the foregoing . ]
ITEM H, CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO APPROVE AN ORDINANCE ON FIRST READING, AMENDING THE HARLINGEN CODE OF ORDINANCES CHAPTER 48, DIVISION FOUR, SECTIONS 48 THROUGH 1 44 AND 48 THROUGH 1 45 CONTINGENCY AND EMERGENCY WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN, ESTABLISHING AN EFFECTIVE DATE AND PROVIDING FOR PUBLICATION AND ORDAINING.OTHER MATTERS RELATED TO THE FOREGOING HARLING AND WATER WORKS.
MARK, DO YOU WANNA READ IT? IN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF HARLINGEN, TEXAS, AMENDING CHAPTER EIGHT, DIVISION FOUR, SECTIONS 48, 1 44 AND 48, 1 45 OF THE HARLINGEN CITY CODE IS AMENDED TO AMEND DROUGHT CONTINGENCY AND EMERGENCY WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN, ESTABLISHING AN EFFECTIVE DATE AND PROVIDING FOR PUBLICATION AND ORDER IN ORDAINING OTHER MATTERS RELATED TO THE FOREGOING MOTION TO APPROVE.
AND AT THIS TIME, FOLKS AT 6:51 PM WE'RE GONNA TAKE JUST A TWO MINUTE BREAK AND WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK.
THE REST, HOPEFULLY IT'S MORE THAN OKAY.
CAN, CAN SOMEONE TALK TO MR. YEAH.
THE TIME IS NOW 7:04 PM AND WE ARE BACK IN OPEN SESSION.
[Item 10i - Consideration and possible action to approve an ordinance on first reading to promote Community Engagement and Accessibility through the requirement of Annual Comprehensive Town Halls, District-Specific Town Halls, and the Publication of contact information for the Mayor and City Commissioners.]
ON TO ITEM 10 I CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO APPROVE AN ORDINANCE ON FIRST READING TO PROMOTE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND ACCESSIBILITY THROUGH THE REQUIREMENT OF AN ANNUAL COMPREHENSIVE, UM, TOWN HALLS DISTRICT SPECIFIC TOWN HALLS, AND THE PUBLICATION OF CONTACT INFORMATION FOR THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSIONERS.I KNOW WE'LL PROBABLY HAVE SOME DISCUSSION, BUT CAN YOU READ THE CAPTION IN ORDINANCE TO PROMOTE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND ACCESSIBILITY THROUGH THE REQUIREMENT OF ANNUAL COMPREHENSIVE TOWN HALLS, DISTRICT SPECIFIC TOWN HALLS AND THE PUBLICATION OF CONTACT INFORMATION FOR THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSIONERS? SO, UM, ON THIS ORDINANCE, UM, I, I GOT WITH MARK BECAUSE OVER THE COURSE OF, UM, THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMITTEE MEETINGS, THERE WAS A LOTS OF, UM, A LOTS OF REQUESTS FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND TOWN HALLS AND JUST BEING MORE INVOLVED WITH THE COMMUNITY.
AND I KNOW THAT THEY HAD MENTIONED WANTING TO HAVE THIS IN, IN THE CHARTER, BUT THEN, UH, LEGAL KIND OF, AND, AND I THINK IT WAS MAYBE CITY MANAGEMENT TOO, SAID THIS IS MORE FOR, UH, POLICY MORE TO BE IN TERMS OF AN ORDINANCE INSTEAD OF IN THE CHARTER.
AND SO TO KIND OF HONOR THOSE REQUESTS, I PUT, I PUT THIS TOGETHER, UM, WITH MARK, BUT I AM OPEN TO, TO ANY KIND OF DISCUSSION OR QUESTIONS, UH, OR TRYING TO IMPROVE IT.
UH, IF SO, I'LL, I'LL OPEN IT NOW IF ANYONE HAS ANY QUESTIONS.
I SAID, LET'S GO FORWARD AND LET'S GO AND IMPROVE IT.
I THINK THIS IS A GREAT THING.
UM, THIS IS GONNA HOLD US ACCOUNTABLE TO, UH, THE, TO THE RESIDENTS OF OUR DISTRICT.
AND I'M ALWAYS IN FAVOR WHEN WE GET TO TALK TO THE PEOPLE ONE-ON-ONE.
YEAH, I I'M IN FAVOR OF IT AS WELL.
UH, THERE'S JUST A COUPLE OF, AS IT IS WITH ME, UH, JUST, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, I'M SORRY BRO.
IMPLEMENTATION QUESTIONS I HAD, UH, AS IS WRITTEN RIGHT NOW, IT'S GONNA BE PASSED IMMEDIATELY.
I WOULD ASK THAT IT GO INTO EFFECT AND THAT IT'S CALENDAR BE BASED ON THE FISCAL YEAR.
AND THAT WHAT WE WOULD DO, THE WAY WE WOULD DO IT IS WHEN WE DO, LET'S SAY OUR FIRST MEETING IN OCTOBER, WE WOULD SET THE DATES THEN FOR THE TOWN HALLS FOR THE WHOLE YEAR.
BECAUSE RIGHT NOW IT HAS LIKE 30 DAYS.
I THINK IT'S BETTER IF WE JUST HAVE IT SET IT UP AT THE BEGINNING.
UH, LOOKING AT 1.01, I THINK FOR YOU GUYS TO CONSIDER MAYBE A LITTLE TIGHTER LANGUAGE, BECAUSE I READ IT AND I WAS LIKE, ISN'T THAT WHAT WE DO AT CITY, UH, COMMISSION MEETINGS ANYWAYS, AT 1 0 1 0.01? I DON'T, I KNOW THAT WHEN THE MAYOR FIRST INTRODUCED THIS IDEA, SHE CALLED THEM LISTENING SESSIONS.
AND MAYBE WE TWEAK 1.01 TO BE MORE GEARED TOWARDS THAT.
UM, AND THEN IF YOU LOOK AT 4.02, THAT'S WHEN IT TALKS ABOUT INTERPRETERS.
UH, I REMEMBER WHEN WE DID OUR WATERWORKS MEETING THERE AT THE CONVENTION CENTER.
UH, I HAD A CONSTITUENT THAT, YOU KNOW, UH, DIDN'T REALLY UNDERSTAND.
THEY WOULD LIKE AN INTERPRETER THERE.
AND IT SAYS UPON REQUEST, UH, MY
[01:20:01]
QUESTION IS, WHEN DOES THE REQUEST HAVE TO BE MADE BY? ARE WE GONNA ALWAYS KEEP AN INTERPRETER ON HAND? DOES THE INTERPRETER, DOES THIS COMMISSION WANT AN INTERPRETER THAT'S LIKE CERTIFIED? OR DOES ANYONE WHO KNOWS SPANISH, LIKE, UM, MY SPANISH IS TERRIBLE, SO I COULD NOT BE THE INTERPRETER AT ALL.BUT, UH, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN TO PEOPLE? WHAT DOES THAT MEAN TO YOU GUYS AND HOW DO YOU GUYS WANNA IMPLEMENT IT? THEN THE NEXT ONE, 5.01, JUST IN THE SPIRIT OF CUTTING OUT RED TAPE, IT SAYS, FOLLOWING EACH TOWN HALL MEETING, THE CITY COMMISSION SHALL DIRECT CITY STAFF TO COMPILE.
I'M JUST SAYING CITY STAFF SHOULD JUST DO IT.
WE SHOULDN'T, THERE SHOULDN'T BE ANY ACTION ON US TO ASK CITY STAFF TO DO IT.
ANYWAYS, 5.02, IF YOU GUYS HAVE A CHANCE TO READ THAT SENTENCE.
IT SAYS, THE CITY COMMISSION SHALL ENSURE THAT RESIDENT FEEDBACK IS INCORPORATED INTO DECISION MAKING PROCESSES.
AND THIS IS WHERE I HAVE MY QUESTION AND COMMUNICATED TRANSPARENTLY TO THE PUBLIC.
I, UM, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE INTENT THERE IS THAT, I DON'T KNOW.
THAT MIGHT GO BACK TO OPEN SPACES WHAT, OR PUBLIC SPACES.
WHAT THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT IS PUTTING MORE OF OUR INFORMATION ON THE WEB FACEBOOK.
I CAN SEND MARK, I CAN SEND YOU MY NOTES.
I, I, UH, RED LINED IT, JUST MY QUESTIONS.
BUT I THINK THE SPIRIT OF THIS, THE INTENT OF THIS IS FANTASTIC.
I THINK I CAN ADDRESS SOME OF THE, JUST SO THAT WAY WE CAN KIND OF CLEAN IT UP A LITTLE BIT.
I THINK THAT'S A GOOD IDEA AFTER YOUR, UH, I THINK AND TALKING ABOUT THE ABILITY TO EVEN COMPLETE IT BY THE END OF THIS YEAR.
AND, AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'LL BE READY TO, UM, DESIGNATE THOSE DATES ON ON OCTOBER.
UM, SO MAYBE NOT HAVE THAT ON HERE.
BUT THAT CAN BE THE, THE GOAL STRIVE TO, TO, TO DO THAT.
UM, BUT I DO THINK THAT THE FISCAL YEAR WORKS, WORKS WELL.
UM, THE TOWN HALL, I THINK WHEN DURING THOSE MEETINGS, AND AGAIN, UM, I THINK I ATTENDED TWO, SO I'M NOT SURE IF THERE WAS CONTINUOUS DISCUSSION, BUT IT WAS TOWN HALLS.
AND I THINK MOST PEOPLE THINK OF TOWN HALLS AS, UM, AN ELECTED OFFICIAL HOLDING, UH, A A TOWN HALL WHERE THEY'RE SPEAKING AND THEN FOLKS CAN COME AND, AND, AND ENGAGE AND ASK QUESTIONS.
SO I THINK IT'S, IT'S CLEAR, BUT IF WE WANT TO KIND OF DEFINE A WHAT A TOWN HALL IS, I THINK WE CAN DO THAT.
OR THINK OF ANOTHER, ANOTHER TERM.
MY CONCERN OF JUST DOING ONLY LISTENING SESSIONS IS THEN, UM, I KNOW THAT THIS COMMISSION RIGHT WILL, WILL ENSURE THAT IT IS, UM, A TOWN HALL WHERE YOU'RE GIVING UPDATES TO MM-HMM.
'CAUSE EVERYBODY HAS DONE THAT IN THEIR DISTRICTS AND DONE IT WONDERFULLY.
BUT, UM, IN THE FUTURE, A LISTENING SESSION, YOU KNOW, COULD MEAN I'M JUST GONNA SIT HERE AND LISTEN TO YOU THE, THE ENTIRE TIME.
AND SO I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S ACTIVE ENGAGEMENT WITH THE, THE COMMISSION MOVING ON, UM, IN THE FUTURE, RIGHT? MM-HMM.
AND SO EVERYTHING, I THINK THAT WHAT'S WHAT I PUT HERE IS SOMETHING THAT THIS COMMISSION IS ALREADY DOING.
UM, BUT WE WOULD LIKE FOR THIS TO, TO LIVE ON WHEN, WHEN WE ALL MOVE ON TO, TO DIFFERENT, UM, TIMES.
AND OUR, OUR KIDS ARE, ARE GROWN AND, AND MAYBE THEY SIT ON THE, ON THE COMMISSION, WHO KNOWS? UM, MOOSE WOULD DO REALLY WELL AS
SO, SO ANYHOW, SO THAT'S, THAT'S THE IDEA BEHIND THAT.
SO HOWEVER YOU WANNA CLEAN THAT UP TO GIVE A, A DEFINITION OR IF YOU WANNA CHANGE THE NAME, BUT JUST SO LONG I THINK EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS TOWN HALL AND JUST LEAVE IT ALONE.
AND, SORRY, LET ME JUST GIMME ONE MORE.
AND WE CAN STRIKE THE CITY COMMISSION AND JUST SAY THAT, UM, FOLLOWING EACH TOWN HALL, THE CITY STAFF WILL, WILL PUT THAT SUMMARY TOGETHER BECAUSE IT'S JUST A SUMMARY.
IT'S NOT ANY, ANY DIRECTION FROM US.
UM, AND THEN THE INTERPRETER, I DON'T KNOW, BUT I, I I WOULD ENCOURAGE, UM, MAYBE CITY STAFF TO GIVE US SOME SUGGESTIONS ON HOW WE CAN GET THAT DONE.
AND, AND WHAT'S THE BEST WAY I KNOW THAT I WAS THINK I WAS, I WAS TELLING YOU THAT IN, IN ALGO COUNTY, THE BAILIFF JUST DOES THE INTER IN CAMERON COUNTY, THEY, THEY, THEY'VE GOT IT, UM, DOWN RIGHT THERE.
THE PE YOU KNOW, YOU JUST HAVE TO WAIT SOMETIMES.
UM, BUT IN HIDALGO IT'S, IT'S, YOU KNOW, THE BAILIFF JUST SITS, STANDS NEXT TO THE DEFENDANT AND SAYS, YOU KNOW, AND DOES THE INTERPRETATION.
AND SO, I DON'T KNOW, DUA WANTS TO SERVE AS OUR
MAYBE WE CAN HAVE HER COME AND, AND, AND, UM, BUY PER REQUEST.
WE, WE CAN PUT A NOTICE AS ONE OF THE SUGGESTIONS, ALL THE ACTUAL TOWN HALL THAT WE PUT OUT THERE.
THAT SOUNDS, THAT SOUNDS GOOD.
SO THAT WAY WE ARE PUT ON NOTICE
[01:25:01]
THAT WE'RE GONNA NEED AN INTERPRETER.JUST KIND OF LIKE WHEN I GO TO COURT, THEY SAY, WELL, DO YOU NEED AN INTERPRETER FOR THIS HEARING? YES OR NO? YES.
THEN THEY SCHEDULE IT, AND IF NOT, THEN AT LEAST YOU'VE PROVIDED IT IN A NOTICE.
AND THEN, UM, TO 5.02, THE CITY COMMISSION SHALL ENSURE THAT RESIDENT FEEDBACK IS INCORPORATED INTO THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS AND COMMUNICATED TRANSPARENTLY TO THE PUBLIC.
WHEN I WROTE THIS, I WAS THINKING THAT, UM, I THINK IT WOULD, IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WHEN WE ARE MAKING ANY TYPE OF CHANGES AND INTRODUCING AN ORDINANCE OR A POLICY THAT WE SAY, THIS CAME FROM, YOU KNOW, FROM, UM, OUR TOWN HALL MEETING AND JUST, WE'VE ALREADY DONE THAT.
AGAIN, IT'S SOMETHING THAT I THINK FORD DID WHEN YOU, WE DID OUR VERY FIRST, UH, TOWN HALL HALL MEETING.
YOU SAID, WELL, WE LEARNED THAT THERE WAS SPEEDING AND THERE WAS SOME ISSUES, AND SO WE ARE PUTTING THIS ON THE AGENDA BECAUSE OF THIS, SO THAT PEOPLE KNOW THAT YOU ARE LISTENING AND YOU'RE ACTING ON THOSE REQUESTS.
SO THAT WAS WHAT REALLY THE PURPOSE OF THAT.
AND IF I MAY SAY YOU WANNA START THIS IN OCTOBER TO START OF THE FISCAL YEAR, UH, THREE OF US ARE UP, UH, IN NOVEMBER.
SO IT WOULD BE UNFAIR FOR ANY OF US TO HAVE A TOWN HALL, UH, PRIOR TO AN ELECTION.
AND, YOU KNOW, JUST REMOVING POLITICS FROM THE EQUATION.
AND IT WOULD BE BETTER THAN OCTOBER, NOVEMBER, DECEMBER, JANUARY, YOU THREE HOLD YOUR TOWN HALL.
WELL, SO IT'S NOT CLOSE TO ELECTION, SO IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE THE CITY IS SUPPORTING CERTAIN CANDIDATES.
UM, BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO SAY THAT ON AN ELECTION YEAR, WE DON'T WANT THE, UM, 'CAUSE YOU KNOW, THE THREE OF US WILL BE IN 2025 AND I WOULD RIGHT, RIGHT, RIGHT, RIGHT.
WHICH IS LATER THIS YEAR THEN, OR LIKE IN JANUARY, FEBRUARY, WAY BEFORE ANY ELECTION, SO THAT NOBODY USES THIS AS, AS A CITY CERTIFIED ELECTION, UH, CAMPAIGN EVENT.
SO YOU THINK WE SHOULD JUST DO A CALENDAR YEAR STARTING IN JANUARY AND NOW, NOW WE COULD DO IT FISCAL YEAR, BUT THE THREE OF US RUNNING IN NOVEMBER, WE SHOULD NOT HAVE OUR TOWN HALL MEETING TILL AFTER THE ELECTION.
YOU DECIDE THE DATE, YOU GUYS DECIDE WHATEVER DAY YOU WANT.
SO I THINK THAT THAT'S EXACTLY IT.
AND BECAUSE THERE'LL BE ONE YEAR WHERE NO ONE'S RUNNING, AND THEN EVERY OTHER, EVERY OTHER YEAR SOMEONE WILL BE RUNNING.
SO WHAT DANIEL'S PROPOSING, WE HAVE OUR FIRST MEETING IN OCTOBER, AND THEN YOUR ELECTION IS NOVEMBER 5TH.
RIGHT? NOVEMBER 5TH DIDN'T RUN WELL.
SO REALLY THERE'S NOT ENOUGH TIME, BECAUSE BASED ON WHAT WE HAVE STATED HERE, IS THAT YOU NEED TO GIVE AT LEAST 30 DAY NOTICE.
SO TECHNICALLY WE HAVE OUR FIRST MEETING IN OCTOBER.
YOU CAN'T NECESSARILY HAVE YOUR TOWN HALL UNTIL AFTER THE ELECTION ANYWAY.
SO I THINK IT, IT IT, IF CHANGING IT TO WHAT YOU HAVE PROPOSED ENSURES THAT THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN.
I JUST DON'T WANT ANY POLITICS IN THIS.
I JUST DON'T THINK WE SHOULD HAVE ANYTHING IN DECEMBER.
WELL, THAT'S MY, NO ONE'S GONNA COME.
I DON'T THINK THAT THAT'S GONNA HAPPEN BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT NOVEMBER, YOU HAVE THANKSGIVING, AND I JUST DON'T WANNA MICRO MICROMANAGE AND, AND SAY, OKAY, WELL COMMISSION DISTRICT ONE HAS TO HAVE IT ON THIS, THIS MONTH.
DISTRICT TWO, I THINK, UM, EVERY, YOU KNOW, WE ALL ARE PROFESSIONALS AND HAVE FAMILIES AND JOBS AND ALL THAT STUFF, AND YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO KIND OF FIGURE IT OUT WHEN IT'S BEST FOR, FOR EACH OF YOU TO, TO HOLD IT.
AND THEN THE TOWN HALL, OBVIOUSLY CITY STAFF DOES A A, A GREAT JOB IN POLLING EVERYBODY TO SEE THAT WE CAN GET IT DONE, UM, COLLECTIVELY, BUT IT THAT SHOULD KIND OF EASE THOSE CONCERNS SINCE IT WON'T YOU, THERE'S NOT PO THERE'S NO POSSIBILITY.
'CAUSE WE HAVE OUR FIRST MEETING, OCTOBER, WHATEVER IT IS, SOMETHING YEAH, OCTOBER 3RD, FOURTH, FIFTH, OR WHATEVER THAT DATE FALLS ON.
ANY OTHER, UM, SUGGESTIONS FOR MARK FOR THE SECOND READING? NOPE.
IS THERE A MOTION? MOTION? SECOND.
JUST SO YOU KNOW, FOR OUT OF ALL THE ATTORNEYS, I'M ACTUALLY THE, LIKE, THE EASIEST GOING ON, LIKE CLEANING UP LANGUAGE,
FOR FORWARD BEING LIKE, YOU KNOW, THINGS ARE SIMPLER, WHATEVER.
I'M NOT EVEN LISTENING TO THAT.
ARE YOU SAYING OUT OF ALL THE ATTORNEYS LIKE ME OR
SWEET IS BETTER, BUT HERE FOR SOME REASON, I ALWAYS GO LONGER.
UM, OKAY, I'M GONNA READ THE CAPTION.
HE, HE DID, HE READ THE CAPTION INITIALLY AND SO IT'S PASSED.
[Item 10j - Consideration and possible action to approve the preliminary construction plans and final plat with conditions of the proposed Stonebriar Estates Phase II Subdivision , bearing a legal description of 2.71 acres of land out of Survey 299, located south of Stonebriar Estates Phase I, approximately 650.82 feet south of Wilson Road . App li cant: Moore Land Surveying , LLC c/o Marin-Zarate Development. ]
CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO APPROVE THE PRELIMINARY CONSTRUCTION PLANS AND FINAL PLAT WITH CONDITIONS OF THE PROPOSED STONE BRIER ESTATE.PHASE TWO SUBDIVISION BEARING A LEGAL DESCRIPTION OF 2.71 ACRES OF
[01:30:01]
LAND OUT OF SURVEY 2 99 LOCATED SOUTH OF STONEBRIAR IN STATES PHASE ONE, APPROXIMATELY 650.82 FEET SOUTH OF WILSON ROAD.APPLICANT MOORE LAND SURVEYING, UH, PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT.
CAN YOU PROVIDE ME WITH A MAP OF, OF FEMA MAP AND MAKE SURE THAT'S LEGIT? SO THERE'S A, THERE'S A DRAINAGE REPORT THAT IS PREPARED FOR EACH SUBDIVISION.
SO IN THIS DRAINAGE REPORT, THE SUBDIVISION ENGINEER HAS TO SHOW HOW, HOW HE'S PROVIDING, UM, STORM DRAINAGE FOR A 50 YEAR STORM.
THERE'S DIFFERENT WAYS TO DO THIS, RIGHT? UH, SO THERE'S, THERE'S A, UH, AN ENGINEERING REPORT THAT IT GETS TO SUBMITTED TO THE CITY ENGINEER FOR REVIEW AND APPROVAL.
SO THE, THESE ARE DIVISIONS THAT ARE ON, ON YOUR PACKET.
NOW THEY'RE, THEY'RE IN YOUR PACKET FOR APPROVAL BECAUSE THE, THAT REPORT HAS BEEN APPROVED BY ENGINEERING.
I DO REALIZE THAT THE QUESTION WAS BROUGHT UP A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO.
ALRIGHT, IS THERE A, IS IT LEGIT? IS THERE A LEGITIMATE 50 YEAR STORM THAT'S BEING MEASURED? SO IF THAT'S THE CASE, NO PROBLEM.
IF THERE ISN'T, THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING FOR A FEMA BANK, UH, MAP.
THE COMMISSIONER, JUST TO CLARIFY, THE FEMA MAP WILL NOT SHOW YOU WHETHER IT'S A 50 YEAR STORY, BUT IT'S GONNA SHOW YOU WHETHER THE AREA IS PRONE TO FLOODING AND THEN IT'S UP TO THE ENGINEER, BOTH THE ENGINEER OF RECORD, UH, AND IN THIS CASE DUSTIN, AND THEN OUR ENGINEER TO GET TOGETHER TO AGREE ON HOW TO PROPERLY DRAIN IT.
BUT THAT'S NOT IN THE FEMA MAP, SO THAT'S NOT GONNA SHOW YOU THAT HE'S RIGHT THERE.
UM, DUSTIN, I, I, GO AHEAD, SIR.
SO WHEN WE MESS WITH THE SUBDIVISION AND DRAINAGE, THERE'S REALLY TWO PARTS.
ONE OF IT IS HOW MUCH RAIN'S FALLING, RUNNING OFF, GOING TO THE DITCHES.
THAT'S WHAT WE SIZE OUR STORM SEWERS AND DETENTION OFF OF.
AND THAT'S BASED OFF OF CHARTS, GRAPHS, TABLES THAT ARE PUBLISHED BY NOAH.
AND SO THAT'S WHERE YOU HEAR THE STORM SEWERS DESIGNED FOR THE 25.
THE DETENTION IS THE 50 YEAR VERSUS THE PRE-DEVELOPED 10.
SO THAT'S ALL CALCULATIONS BASED OFF OF NOAH PUBLISHED DATA.
THEN THE SECOND PART IS WE SET THE FINISHED FLOOR OF THE HOUSE BASED OFF OF A HUNDRED YEAR STORM DATA, SO THAT THAT DATA IS PUBLISHED BY FEMA.
WHAT IS, SO FEMA'S BASICALLY GONNA SAY THIS IS YOUR A HUNDRED YEAR STORM.
EVERYTHING ELSE IS, AND THAT'LL BE, YOU KNOW, ZONE A-A-H-A-O AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS WITHIN THE A HUNDRED YEAR STORM.
AND IF YOU HAVE A MORTGAGE IN THERE, YOUR MORTGAGE COMPANY'S GONNA REQUIRE, YOU KNOW, FLOOD INSURANCE ON IT.
YOU HAVE ZONE X SHADED, WHICH IS YOU'RE OUTSIDE THE A HUNDRED, BUT YOU'RE WITHIN THE 500.
SO THAT'S ABOUT THE SECOND BEST OPTION.
AND THEN YOU'LL HAVE ZONE X, WHICH IS YOU SHOULD BE GOOD THEORETICALLY.
THAT BEING SAID, RICHMOND HILLS ON WILSON ROAD ON FEMA'S MAPS, IT'S ZONE X, IT SHOULDN'T FLOOD, BUT EVERYONE KNOWS RICHMOND HILLS FLOODS HAS FOR 20 YEARS.
SO WHAT FEMA DID TO KIND OF COUNTERACT THAT, THEY HAVE A SECOND WEBSITE CALLED, UH, BASE LEVEL ENGINEERING, WHICH IS BASE, IT'S CALLED THE FEMA BASE LEVEL ENGINEERING.
AND IT'S ANOTHER VIEWER, WHICH IS A LITTLE MORE GROUND TRUTH ACCURATE AS FAR AS THIS AREA TRULY FLOODS, EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT IN A FLOOD ZONE.
I THINK THEY AMENDED THEIR FLOOD PLANE DEVELOPMENT ORDINANCE SO THAT WE BASE IT OFF OF THAT IF THAT'S MORE STRICT THAN THE PUBLISHED FIRMS. SO THAT IS PUBLISHED, IT'S A WEBSITE YOU CAN GO ZOOM INTO, INTO YOUR AREA AND YOU CAN SEE EXACTLY WHAT IT IS.
SO, AND THEN IN ADDITION TO THAT, THIS AREA, ESPECIALLY DRAINAGE DISTRICT FIVE HAS MODELS THAT HAVE MAPS THAT ARE PRODUCED THAT ARE PROBABLY TO AN EVEN MORE DETAILED LEVEL THAN THAT, THAT WE CAN LOOK AT.
AND WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, HIGH WATER MARKS THAT WE SURVEYED IN DURING THE 2019 FLOOD.
SO WE HAVE FOUR TO FIVE PROBABLY DIFFERENT AREAS WE CAN GO LOOK THEN THAT'S TO SEE, OKAY, OUR STORM SEWERS ARE DESIGNED TO CARRY THE 25 YEAR.
OUR DITCHES ARE DESIGNED TO CARRY A 50 YEAR, BUT WE SET OUR HOUSES SO THAT THEY'RE SAFE IN A HUNDRED YEAR AND ABOVE.
SO IF 2019 HAPPENS AGAIN, THERE MAY BE SOME ROAD WATER IN YOUR ROAD, BUT YOUR HOUSE SHOULD BE SAFE.
AND SO THAT'S KIND OF, WE USE MULTIPLE SOURCES TO FIND THAT SOME ARE PUBLISHED LIKE THE FIRMS, BUT WE KNOW THAT THEY'RE NOT FULLY ACCURATE.
THEN WE GO TO THE OTHER THINGS THAT ARE PUBLISHED ONLINE THAT YOU CAN, YOU CAN LOOK THOSE UP ON.
[01:35:02]
OKAY.SO THERE WAS A, UM, MOTION SECOND, A MOTION AND A SECOND.
IS THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
[Item 10k - Consideration and possible action to approve the preliminary construction plans and final plat with conditions of the proposed Stonebriar Estates Phase Il l Subdivision, and consideration of a reduction to the required park fees due to park amenities being provided in the development, bearing a legal description of 27.44 acres of land out of Survey 299, located south of Stonebriar Estates Phase I, approximately 689. 78 feet south of Wilson Road . Applicant: Moore Land Surveying, LLC c/o Marin-Zarate Development.]
ITEM K CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO APPROVE THE PRELIMINARY CONSTRUCTION PLANS AND FINAL PLAT WITH CONDITIONS OF THE PROPOSED STONE BRIAR STATES PHASE THREE SUBDIVISION AND CONSIDERATION OF A REDUCTION TO THE REQUIRED PARK FEES DUE TO PARK AMENITIES BEING PROVIDED IN THE DEVELOPMENT BEARING A LEGAL DESCRIPTION OF 27.44 ACRES OF LAND OUT OF SURVEY 2 99 LOCATED SOUTH OF STONEBRIAR STATES PHASE ONE, APPROXIMATELY 689 POINT 78 FEET SOUTH OF WILSON ROAD.APPLICANT MOORE LAND SURVEYING LLC PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT.
DO WE DO THE READING? THERE'S NO SECOND WITH THE DISCOUNT? YES, BECAUSE THEY'RE GONNA PROVIDE THOSE AMENITIES.
SO THEY'RE GONNA DO THEIR OWN LITTLE PARK AND STUFF? YES, THEY'RE PROPOSING A PRIVATE PARK IN THE SOUTHEAST PORTION OF THE SUBDIVISION.
THERE'S A SITE PLAN OF WHAT THEY'RE PROPOSING TO DO.
A PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT DOG PARK, A PICNIC AREA.
OVER A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS INVESTMENT.
[Item 10l - Consideration and possible action to approve the preliminary construction plans and final plat for the proposed Ramos Acres Subdivision, bearing a legal description of 0.863 gross acretract of land, more or less, consisting of all of the west 110.0 feet of Lot 1, M. Garza Subdivision (unrecorded), being a 1.27 acre tract of land out of Block 32, Pomelo Subdivision , located along the north side of SH 107, approximately 280 feet east of Pomelo Road . Applicant: Salinas Engineering & Associates c/o Melissa Ramos and Pedro Ramos, Jr]
I CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO APPROVE THE PRELIMINARY CONSTRUCTION PLANS AND VINYL PLAT WITH A PROPOSED RAMOS ACRE SUBDIVISION BEARING A LEGAL DESCRIPTION OF 0.863 GROSS ACRE TRACK OF LAND, MORE OR LESS CONSISTING OF ALL OF THE WEST 110.0 FEET OF LOT ONE M GARZA SUBDIVISION BEING, BEING A 1.27 ACRE TRACK OF LAND OUT OF BLOCK 32 PALMETTO SUBDIVISION LOCATED ALONG THE NORTH SIDE OF SOUTH SH 1 0 7, APPROXIMATELY 280 FEET EAST OF PLO ROAD APPLICANT, SALINAS ENGINEERING ASSOCIATES, UM, PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT.ONE QUESTION,
SO THERE'S A HOUSE IN THE PROPERTY.
SO THE COUNTY ISSUED A PERMIT, UH, FOR THE HOUSE.
UH, BUT THE HOUSE IS ON A WATER WELL.
SO THEY'RE TRYING TO CONNECT TO THE, TO A WATER LINE THAT BELONGS TO NORTH ALAMO WATER SUPPLY CORPORATION.
AND THAT'S WHY THEY'RE GOING THE, THE CORPORATION IS REQUIRING THE SUBDIVISION FLAT SO THAT THEY CAN CONNECT TO THE WATER.
IS THERE A MOTION AND WE'RE GONNA GET $450 IN PARK FEES.
CAN WE TAKE UP M AND N TOGETHER PLEASE? SURE.
[Item 10m - 10n - Consideration and possible action to authorize the City Manager to award a construction contract with Saenz Utility Contractors for the Storm Sewer Improvements- Systems 204 and 252, (Sun Chase Drive, Sabel Palm St. , and Lazy Palm Dr.) designed by SAMES, INC. under RFQ 2021-14 for the City of Harlingen American Rescue Plan Act (ARP A) . Consideration and possible action to authorize the City Manager to award a Construction Contract with Saenz Utility Contractors for the Storm Sewer Improvements - System 122 (Jacaranda Dr), designed by Guzman & Munoz Engineering & Surveying , Inc. under RFQ2021-14 for the City of Harlingen American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).]
M CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER TO AWARD A CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT WITH SCIENCE UTILITY CONTRACTORS FOR THE STORM SEWER IMPROVEMENTS SYSTEMS 2 0 4 AND 2 52 SUN CHASE DRIVE, SABLE PALM STREET AND NASAL PALM DRIVE, DESIGNED BY SAINTS INC.UNDER RFQ 2021 DASH 14, WHERE THE CITY OF HAREN, AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT, ENGINEERING, AND THEN ITEM N CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER TO ORDER A CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT WITH SCIENCE UTILITY CONTRACTORS FOR THE STORM SEWER IMPROVEMENT SYSTEM.
1 22 NDA DRIVE DESIGNED BY GUZMAN AND MUNOZ ENGINEERING AND SURVEYING IN UNDER, UNDER RFQ 2021 DASH 14 FOR THE CITY OF HARINGTON, AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT, ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT.
UH, LUIS VARGA, CITY ENGINEER FOR THE RECORD.
UM, SO THESE ARE, ARE TWO DRAINAGE PROJECTS, UH, FOR THREE DIFFERENT AREAS.
UM, I'LL START WITH THE, UH, LACY PALM SUBDIVISION AND SUN COUNTRY SUBDIVISION.
UM, WE'RE REPLACING APPROXIMATELY 1000 LITER FEET OF STORMWATER PIPES.
UH, WE'LL ALSO REPLACE, UH, STORMWATER INLETS, UH, FOR THAT PROJECT.
UH, AS I SAID, THERE'S TWO AREAS, TWO SUBDIVISIONS FOR THAT.
UH, WE ARE RECOMMENDING THE AWARD FOR SCIENCE UTILITY CONTRACTORS.
UH, THEY'RE THE SECOND LOWEST BIDDER.
UM, WE HAVE GOOD REFERENCES, UH, FROM THEM.
UM, WE HAVE THE OPPOSITE FROM THE FIRST FOR, FROM THE LOWEST BIDDER.
UH, SO THAT'S THE REASON WE'RE GOING WITH THE, UH, SECOND LOWEST BIDDER.
WHAT WERE THE RECOMMENDATIONS ON SIGNS? UM, ARE THEY, HAVE THEY DONE THIS TYPE OF PROJECT BEFORE? YES.
ARE THEY USUALLY ON TIME? UH, THEY NOT GONNA BE CHANGE, ORDERING US, THINGS LIKE THAT? MM-HMM.
[01:40:01]
UH, WE ALSO HAVE, UH, STAFF THAT, THAT HAS GOOD REFERENCES FROM THEM.
DON'T BELIEVE THERE WAS CHANGE ORDERS IN THE PROJECTS THAT THEY, UH, SUBMITTED AS, AS IN THE REFERENCES.
UH, AND SO WE, WE BELIEVE THAT THEY'RE, THEY'LL, UM, DO A GOOD JOB FOR US.
LOOKING AT THE MAP, UH, ON, IT'S ON THE BOTTOM OF IT, IT'S A, AS IN APPLE 84, IT LOOKS LIKE.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE TOP PART, IT SAYS 15 OF THE, THE YELLOW LINE.
IT SAYS 15 24, 36, 18 AND ALL THAT.
IT LOOKS LIKE THEY'RE GONNA BE GOING THROUGH PEOPLE'S YARDS.
UH, IS THAT ACCURATE OR AM I MISUNDERSTANDING? SO THIS MAP WAS A CONCEPTUAL DESIGN FROM THE 2008 DRAINAGE MASTER PLAN.
UM, IT DOESN'T REFLECT, UH, THE LOCA THE EXACT LOCATIONS OF WHERE THE UNDERGROUND PIPES WILL BE.
UH, THERE WILL BE ONE, UH, EASEMENT THAT WE ACTUALLY ACQUIRED ON THE WEST SIDE.
UH, UM, AND, AND WE, UH, I GUESS, YOU KNOW, IN ANY INSTANCE THAT WE ARE GONNA GO THROUGH A EASEMENT BETWEEN PROPERTIES.
WE MAKE SURE THAT, UH, THE, UH, RESIDENTS KNOW ABOUT THAT.
UM, BUT AS I SAY, UM, THERE'S A DESIGN PLAN FOR THIS.
IT, IT RESEMBLES THE LOCATION MAP FROM 2008, BUT IT'S NOT EXACTLY THE SAME.
UH, WE'RE NOT GONNA GO THROUGH PEOPLE'S YARDS, IN OTHER WORDS.
UH, AND THEN OF COURSE, NO, NOT IN PRIVATE PROPERTY.
WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE PERMISSION TO BE IN THAT EASEMENT.
AND HOW LONG WILL THIS PROJECT TAKE? MORE OR LESS? UM, APPROXIMATELY FOUR MONTHS.
UM, YEAH, I MEAN, WE'LL DO IT IN PHASES, RIGHT? UM, AND WE, YOU KNOW, IF WE HAVE STREET CLOSURES, WE'LL LET, UH, THE RESIDENTS KNOW.
UH, WE TYPICALLY LIKE TO HAVE A WEEK OF ANTICIPATION FOR THE NOTICES FOR THE FLYERS THAT WE PUT ON THE, UH, RESIDENT STORES.
UH, AND SO, UH, YEAH, THESE, THESE ARE TIMED, YOU KNOW, UH, ACCURATELY.
RIGHT? UH, WE DON'T WANT TO BE IN CONSTRUCTION FOR A LONG TIME.
COULD YOU SEND ME THAT MAP WHENEVER YOU HAVE A CHANCE? YEAH, SURE.
THERE WAS A BIG, UM, DIFFERENCE IN THE, IN THE, IN THE, IN THE AMOUNTS FROM THE JIMMY KLAUSNER AND SONS AND ON BOTH OF 'EM.
AND SO THAT WAS JUST MY ONLY CONCERN.
AND I THINK YOU TOUCHED ON IT ABOUT CHANGE ORDERS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
LIKE THESE ARE ACCURATE NUMBERS.
UM, SO THERE'S A DIFFERENCE OF 16,000 BETWEEN THE SECOND LOWEST BIDDER AND THE LOWEST BIDDER.
THERE'S A LARGER DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE FOURTH, UH, BIDDER, WHICH IS JIMMY KLAUSNER.
UH, THEY'RE TYPICALLY MORE EXPENSIVE.
UH, AND YEAH, I THINK WE ALSO HAVE A, A BID FROM THEM ON THE OTHER PROJECT THAT, UM, AGAIN, THEY'RE THE HIGHEST BID, WHICH WAS YEAH, THAT, THAT WAS MY CONCERN.
I MEAN, THEY WERE ALMOST DOUBLE, UM, ON THE OTHER, ON THE OTHER.
AND SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, WE AREN'T GOING TO BE REACHING TOWARDS THAT FIGURE WITH THE LOWER, THE LOWER BID.
DOES THAT MAKE ANY SENSE? LIKE ANY KIND OF LIKE, IF IT, IF GIVEN THAT YOU SAID, UH, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE CONCERNS WERE WITH THE G AND G CONTRACTORS, BUT THEY'RE KIND OF CLOSE IN, IN, IN THEIR NUMBERS, AND SO I DIDN'T, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH THEM IN TERMS OF THAT WASN'T REALLY THE, THE COST OF THE PROJECT AND THAT'S WHY THOSE ORGANIZATIONS DIDN'T FARE WELL.
SO WE, WE HAD AN INSURANCE ESTIMATE, UM, AND IT'S 653,000, SO IT'S CLOSER TO OKAY.
UH, SO WE'RE, YOU KNOW, IN THAT RANGE OF 600 TO 700,000.
UM, AND SO YEAH, I THINK 1 MILLION IS, IS A LITTLE HIGH.
UH, AND OF COURSE, AS WITH ANY PROJECT, WE'RE NOT LOOKING TO DO ANY CHANGE ORDERS.
SO TRY TO PUT EVERYTHING IN DESIGN TO AVOID THAT.
I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY, YOU SAID THAT THE LOWEST BIDDER, YOU, YOU HAD SOME BAD REFERENCES.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT.
WHEN DO ON, UH, WHEN DO YOU ANTICIPATE TO START, UH, PROJECTS AT 0 2 4? WE, UM, ONCE WE GET AN AWARD, UM, UH, OR AN APPROVAL, UH, FROM COMMISSION, WE, WE SEND THE AWARD, UH, LETTER, UH, WITHIN A WEEK, UH, WE CAN ISSUE A NOTICE TO PROCEED.
UH, CONTRACTOR HAS SOME DAYS TO PREPARE TO ORDER MATERIALS AND ALL OF THAT.
UH, THEY ALSO HAVE TO GET US A BID BONDS TOO, CORRECT? YES.
IT TAKES ABOUT TWO WEEKS FOR THAT.
SO WE HAVE TO HAVE A, AN EXECUTED
[01:45:01]
CONTRACT BEFORE TO YEAH.SO LIKE OCTOBER, NOVEMBER THEY'LL BE STARTING ON THIS PROJECT.
MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE TWO M OR M AND N ON SECOND.
[Item 10o - Consideration and possible action to approve a resolution adopting the Harlingen Downtown Improvement District Fund Budget Fiscal Year 2024-2025]
O CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO APPROVE A RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE HARLINGEN DOWNTOWN IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT FUND BUDGET FISCAL YEAR 2024.GOOD EVENING MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSIONERS.
THIS ITEM IS FOR THE, UH, DOWNTOWN.
IT'S A RESOLUTION, UM, ADOPTING THE HARLINGEN DOWNTOWN IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT BUDGET FOR THE 2024 2025 FISCAL YEAR.
UM, THE DISTRICT BOARD DID MEET ON TUESDAY, AUGUST 6TH, 2024 TO REVIEW AND RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF, UH, THIS, UH, BUDGET.
THE REVENUES ARE PROJECTED AT 359,000, UH, $10, AND THE EXPENDITURES ARE PROJECTED AT 428,768.
THERE IS A DETAILED SCHEDULE OF THE BREAKDOWN OF THE REVENUES AND THE EXPENDITURES.
THIS WAS THE SAME BUDGET THAT WE PUT IN THEIR PACKETS.
AND IT DIDN'T CHANGE, RIGHT? CORRECT.
IS THIS SPECIAL ASSESSMENT THAT'S THE, THE TAX THEY PAY? YES.
AND SO THAT'S WHAT IT IS ANNUALLY FOR THE, THOSE BUSINESSES.
CARRIE, JUST WANNA, BEFORE WE MOVE ON, I WANNA WELCOME OUR NEW MAMA, UM, BACK.
WE ARE SO HAPPY THAT YOU'RE HERE AND WE HOPE THAT YOU ENJOYED YOUR TIME.
YOUR BABY IS BEAUTIFUL AND YOU WERE MISSED GREATLY.
SO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE WITH US.
[Item 10p - Consideration and possible action to propose a desired tax rate for Fisc al Year 2024-2025]
P, CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO PROPOSE A DESIRED TAX RATE FOR FISCAL YEAR 20 24, 20 25 FINANCE DEPARTMENT.SO THIS IS, UH, TO SET THE DESIRED, UH, PROPERTY TAX RATE FOR 20 24, 20 25.
UH, WE, I DID PREPARE A COMPARISON.
SO, UM, WE HAD PREPARED OUR CALCULATION AS OF, UH, FOR, FOR THE YEAR.
AND THEN ON FRIDAY THE COUNTY CALLS US AND SAID THEY HAD, UM, A, A CHANGE.
SO THEN WE HAD TO REWORK THE NUMBERS TO, TO REFLECT THAT CHANGE IN OUR BUDGET.
THIS WAS FRIDAY OF LAST WEEK WHEN WE WERE CALLED, UH, BY THE COUNTY AFTER WE HAD ALREADY SET THE RATE ON WHAT IS BEING SHOWN HERE ON THIS PARTICULAR SLIDE, THIRD COLUMN FROM THE RIGHT, RIGHT HERE.
SO, SO WAS, UM, 0.5 2 0 9 3 5 WAS THE, UH, VOTER APPROVAL RATE.
IT, IT DIDN'T AFFECT THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE, BUT IT DID AFFECT THE, UH, VOTER APPROVAL RATE.
SO, UH, FROM THIS SLIDE WE REDID OUR CALCULATION AND SO IT ENDED UP BEING, UH, OUR VOTER APPROVAL RATE IS 0.5 2 7 5 2 4, WHICH IS THE, THE RATE THAT WE ARE RECOMMENDING, UH, TO GO WITH, UH, AS IT IS REFLECTED IN THE BUDGET.
UM, WE, WE HAVE A HISTORICAL TAX RATE ANALYSIS THAT, SO, SO JUST TO CAN YOU GO BACK? OH, SURE.
JUST TO, UH, MENTION REAL QUICK, IT DID GO UP SLIGHTLY, WHICH ENDED UP IN ABOUT $320,000 IN ADDITIONAL REVENUE FROM ABOUT THREE 30.
AND JUST SO YOU GUYS KNOW, WHEN GABE TOLD ME THAT I TRIED TO CALL DIBS ON THAT MONEY, I KNEW IT, BUT HE DEFENDED Y'ALL'S HONOR WHEN YOU GUYS WEREN'T EVEN IN THE ROOM AND SAID I COULDN'T DO IT.
SO NO, I SAID THAT'S THAT WE WAS DONE, COMMISSIONER.
WE HAVE, WE HAVE TO HAVE A MEETING WITH THE COMMISSION TO ACTUALLY DESIGN THAT.
AND THEN WHEN I HEARD ABOUT THE ADDITIONAL MONEY, I SAID, WHO'S GONNA BE ASKING FOR THAT MONEY? OH, I'M ALWAYS HAD REDONE THAT.
CAN WE GO TO THE 2004 THROUGH THIS YEAR? SURE.
SO, UM, I'M GONNA POINT OUT THE TRAGEDY OF THIS TO SOME PEOPLE.
UH, THIS IS THE LOWEST TAX RATE IN 23 YEARS AND WE JUST FINISHED A WHOLE BUNCH OF APPROVALS FOR HOUSES AND NEW PLOTS OF LAND FOR HOUSES.
AND SOME PEOPLE IN THE CITY VIEWED THAT AS, AS A TRAGEDY.
'CAUSE THAT'S GONNA BRING IN MORE PROPERTY TAXES SO THAT NEXT YEAR WHEN THIS COMES UP AGAIN, WE COULD FURTHER REDUCE THE TAX RATE.
AND WE HAVEN'T INCREASED TAXES.
IT'S, THERE'S MORE PROPERTIES TO BE TAXED, SUCH AS WALK-ONS RESTAURANT, WHICH I CUT A RIBBON LAST WEEK.
THEY'RE GONNA GENERATE PROPERTY TAXES TOO.
I KNOW SOME PEOPLE VIEW IT AS A TRAGEDY, BUT WE THINK IT'S A GREAT THING.
AND, AND TO JUST TO, UH, UH, RECERTIFY, WOULD YOU JUST
[01:50:01]
SAID THIS IS THE LOWEST TAX RATE SINCE 2004 THAT WE'VE HAD? WE HAVE ANY RECORDS LIKE BEFORE THEM.SO I WAS GONNA SAY MAYBE IT'S EVER, BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHAT, WHAT IT WAS IN 2003.
DO WE KNOW, UH, I CAN GO BACK AND RESEARCH AND I THINK THIS IS JUST AS WHAT WE HAVE SEEN IN THE LAST 24.
WOULD, WOULD YOU SEND THAT INFORMATION TO THE ENTIRE COMMISSION? SURE.
GIVE US LIKE FIVE YEARS BEYOND THAT.
EXCUSE ME, ROBERT, COULD YOU ALSO ADD TO THAT INFORMATION, THE TAX LEVY THAT WE RECEIVED ON ALL PROPERTIES FOR THAT PARTICULAR YEAR? 'CAUSE THIS COMING YEAR, LIKE ROBERT SAID, IT'S GONNA BE AT TWO 2,536,279.
THAT'S AN INCREASE OF 10.1% OVER LAST YEAR.
SO EVEN THOUGH WE REDUCED IT, THE TAX RATE, WE'RE STILL GETTING MORE.
BECAUSE YOU HAVE, UH, YOU HAVE NEW CONSTRUCTION THAT COMES INTO, INTO THE CITY.
BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, SOME OF OUR, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, UM, LINEBERGER ENDED UP WITH A 40 SOME ODD PROPERTIES THAT THEY SOLD OUT.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE HAVING SOME PEOPLE THAT, THAT ARE LOSING THEIR HOMES.
SO WE NEED TO BE A LITTLE COGNIZANT OF WHAT WE'RE DOING.
SO JUST KEEP THAT, MY OPINION, KEEP IN MIND IS THAT AS WE WENT THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS, WE, WE DID INCREASE POLICE SALARIES, FIRE SALARIES, OTHER STUFF.
ALSO, COMMISSIONER, JUST TO POINT OUT, THE HOMES THAT WERE SOLD BY LINEBERGER WE'RE ALL VACANT.
NONE OF 'EM WERE OCCUPIED BY ANYBODY.
SO NOBODY WAS KICKED OUTTA THE HOUSE WHEN THEY SOLD THOSE PROPERTIES.
AND HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE ON THE VERGE OF, BECAUSE THEY, THEY'VE HAD PLENTY OF, UH, LETTERS AND REQUESTS TO PAY BECAUSE THEY CANNOT AFFORD THEIR TAX RATE.
I, I DON'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION.
YOU DON'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION.
THE THING IS, I'M SORRY, GO AHEAD.
NO, I'LL JUST SAY THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT PUTTING OUT THERE ANY MISINFORMATION AND THAT WE'RE CLEAR.
UM, OUR COLLECTIONS FOR TAXES IS, IS REMARKABLY HIGH.
I THINK IT'S LIKE 98% PERCENT, 88%, 98% IS, IS.
AND SO THOSE TWO, THOSE, THAT'S THERE IS A A 2%.
BUT LIKE GABE MENTIONED, UM, THAT THOSE, THOSE HOMES THAT WERE SOLD WERE VACANT.
AND I KNOW THAT LINEBARGER GIVES AMPLE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE PAYMENT ARRANGEMENTS, UM, TO, TO, TO REALLY, I MEAN, IF THE HOMEOWNER IS WILLING TO MAKE ANY TYPE OF PAYMENT, THEY WORK WITH THEM.
AND SO I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT'S WHAT'S GREAT ABOUT HAVING THEM AS, UM, A PARTNER IN THIS, RIGHT.
TO MAKE SURE THAT FOLKS CAN STAY IN THEIR HOMES.
UM, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT FIGURES AND NEW CONSTRUCTION AND, UM, HOW MUCH THE, THE TAX LEVY IS GOING UP AND, AND PEOPLE GET CONFUSED, BUT THE LAW SAYS THAT THE CITY, ALL CITIES ACROSS THE STATE CAN ONLY HAVE AN ADDITIONAL 3.5% PER YEAR FROM THE PREVIOUS.
SO WHEN WE START SAYING 10% AND ALL THESE OTHER NUMBERS, THAT'S JUST INACCURATE BECAUSE IT'S IMPOSSIBLE.
UH, THE WAY THAT THE, THE LEGISLATURE HAS, UM, MUNICIPALITIES PUBLISH THIS INFORMATION IS CONFUSING ENOUGH.
AND SO WE NEED TO DO OUR PART TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE NOT ADDING TO THAT CONFUSION.
SO THERE IS NO AMOUNT HIGHER THAN WHAT IS REQUIRED THAT IS ALLOWABLE BY LAW.
AND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THIS 3.5%, UH, AND YOU THINK ABOUT COST OF LIVING, RIGHT? UH, COLAS, THAT, THAT GO TO THE EMPLOYEES, THE MONIES THAT WE HAVE PROVIDED, UH, IN THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING TO, TO SUPPORT OUR FIRST RESPONDERS, UH, ALL OF THE, UH, THE ADDITIONAL PAVING, YOU KNOW, CREW THAT WE'VE GOT BEING ABLE TO BRING ON, UH, ADDITIONAL PARKS.
IF YOU KEEP, IF YOU KEEP THE RATE THE SAME, WHICH IS WHAT MAY BE, YOU KNOW, SOME FOLKS MIGHT WANT, I'M A TAXPAYER TOO.
I, I, I LIVE HERE, YOU LIVE HERE.
YOU, YOU, YOU LIVE HERE, WE ALL, WE ALL PAY TAXES.
UM, IF YOU KEEP THE, IF YOU KEEP IT THE SAME, THEN YOU CAN'T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE.
SO IT, IT'S, IF WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO BE ABLE TO, TO PROVIDE THESE, UH, ADDITIONAL, UM, INCENTIVES TO RETAIN POLICE OFFICERS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE THE EQUIPMENT THAT THEY NEED TO RETAIN OUR EMPLOYEES TO HAVE THE BEST EQUIPMENT SO THAT WAY THEY DON'T GET HURT.
UH, THOSE THINGS ARE IMPORTANT.
AND IN ORDER FOR US TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL SERVICES TO OUR COMMUNITY, WE ALSO HAVE TO, SO CITIES ARE NOT IMMUNE TO INFLATION.
SO THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO, I MEAN, WE'VE SEEN HERE THAT, THAT THE THINGS THAT COST, YOU KNOW, WHAT COST ONE PRICE TODAY MAY BE, YOU KNOW, MORE TOMORROW AND DOWN
[01:55:01]
AND FURTHER DOWN THE LINE.SO WE HAVE TO BE AWARE OF WHAT IS REQUIRED.
AND I THINK THAT ADOPTING THE VOTER APPROVAL RATE, THAT IS WHAT IS INTENDED.
WHEN, WHEN THE LEGISLATURE CAPPED IT AT 3.5%, IT WAS WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT MOST MUNICIPALITIES ARE GOING TO BE COLLECTING 3.5% IN ADDITION.
SO THAT WAY THEY CAN KEEP UP WITH THE ADDITIONAL, UH, EXPENSES THAT ARE INCURRED BY A CITY, JUST LIKE AN INDIVIDUAL WOULD HAVE.
YOU KNOW, IT COSTS MORE TO GO TO THE GROCERY STORE AND TO BUY GROCERIES.
IT COSTS MORE TO BUY THE THINGS THAT ARE NEEDED FOR THE, FOR THE CITY STAFF AND TO PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES.
AND I, I DON'T KNOW, DID ANY OF YOU UP HERE KNOW THE RULE OF 72? THE WHAT? THE RULE OF 72, WE JUST INCREASED OUR, UM, INSURANCE PREMIUM 5%.
IF WE KEEP INCREASING OUR INSURANCE PREMIUM AT 5% IN 14 YEARS, THE INSURANCE PREMIUM, THE COST TO THE CITY HAS DOUBLED IN 14 YEARS.
THE RULE OF 72 TAKE ANY NUMBER INTO 72, AND YOU GET THE YEARS IT TAKES TO DOUBLE SO THAT YOU SPEAK OF INFLATION.
INFLATION ISN'T THE COST OF ANYTHING GOING UP, IT'S THE LOSS OF YOUR PURCHASING POWER WITH YOUR DOLLAR.
AND SO WE THINK THINGS GET MORE EXPENSIVE, BUT OUR MONEY IS WORTH LESS AND LESS AND LESS BECAUSE OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT BORROWING THREE AND A HALF TRILLION DOLLARS A YEAR THIS YEAR.
JUST, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING TO POINT OUT, I I REALLY LIKED HOW YOU DID A, I THINK IT WAS LIKE A YEAR OR TWO AGO, BUT IT KINDA SHOWED US A COMPARISON, RIGHT? IT'S WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT IN A VACUUM, THE 0.52, IT LOOKS DAUNTING, RIGHT? AND SO I JUST GETTING YOU PULLED THE OTHER CITIES LAST TIME.
AND SO I WENT, I GOOGLED IT AND IT CAME UP CAMERON COUNTY'S WEBSITE.
IT'S THROUGH TONY ZITA AND YOU'RE LOOKING AT, UH, CITY OF BROWNSVILLE FOR 2024.
UH, THE VOTER PROOF TAX 0.60, WHICH IS WHAT, 8 CENTS? ABOUT 8 CENTS MORE THAN OURS.
HARLINGEN 0.52, THAT'S WHAT IT HAS HERE.
LAIA DOESN'T HAVE THEIRS FOR 2024, BUT LAST YEAR 0.85, YOU LOOK AT LOS RENOS 1.08, RIGHT? UH, LOS 0.50.
SO THAT'S THE FIRST TOWN WE'VE SEEN THAT'S LOWER THAN OURS.
THAT ONE'S LOWER, BUT PORT ISABEL'S 0.84, RIGHT? SO AGAIN, IN A VACUUM IT LOOKS, IT LOOKS WILD, RIGHT? BUT WHEN WE START DOING THE COMPARISON, AND THEN FOR ALL THE BENEFITS THAT WE, WE GIVE LIKE THE, I FORGOT, I WAS SURPRISED THAT OTHER CITIES THAT WE GIVE, UH, WE PICK UP TRASH TWICE A WEEK.
OTHER CITIES ONLY PICK IT UP ONCE.
THOSE LITTLE THINGS, LIKE THEY START ADDING UP.
I ALWAYS POINTED THAT OUT BEFORE.
RIGHT? BUT IT'S, IT'S THOSE BENEFITS, WHICH IS WHAT THE, THE MAYOR AND COMMISSIONER SMORE AND I THINK WE'VE ALL HAVE HIT ON BEFORE I GET IT, OUR CONSTITUENTS ARE CONCERNED, RIGHT.
BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE'RE LIKE, OKAY, WELL JUST LOOK AT OTHER TOWNS IF YOU WANT TO GO LIVE IN WHATEVER TOWN.
WE'RE NOT SAYING THAT, BUT THIS IS WHAT YOU WOULD PAY THERE FOR YOUR HOUSE.
I UNDERSTAND YOU GOTTA, YOU GOTTA EXPLAIN IT TO YOUR CONSTITUENTS.
YOU GOTTA BE HONEST AND FAIR AND DIRECT WITH THEM.
I THINK THAT'S THE WAY YOU DO IT.
ANY WAY YOU COULD HAVE, FRANK, THIS IS A GOOD THING.
UM, WE'VE CONSISTENTLY, WELL WE, LIKE, I CAN SAY MYSELF, BUT ALL OF US AS, AS A MAJORITY, WE'VE CONSISTENTLY LOWERED THE TAX RATE.
AND THEY SHOWED YOU THE NUMBERS RIGHT THERE.
I KNOW YOU'RE CONCERNED ABOUT THE PEOPLE THAT ARE STRUGGLING, BUT WHAT WE CONTROL, WHAT, WHAT WE CAN CONTROL.
WE'VE BEEN DOING A GOOD JOB IN IT.
WE'VE BEEN CUTTING THE TAX RATE AND PEOPLE ARE PAYING LESS EVERY YEAR, UM, TO THE CITY OF HARLINGEN.
SO I, I WOULD NOT LISTEN TO ALL THESE OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE A, SOME TYPE OF, YOU KNOW, ULTERIOR MOTIVE, UM, FOR SPREADING ALL THESE RUMORS AND THESE LIES ABOUT TAX INCREASES, BUT THE NUMBERS DON'T LIE.
AND YOU SEE THEM RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU.
I'M GONNA, I'M GONNA READ TO YOU THE ONES THAT ARE IN THE PACKET, NOT WHAT I JUST RECEIVED OR WHEN I SAT DOWN.
WHAT'S IN THE PACKET? AVERAGE HOMESTEAD TAXABLE INCREASE, 14,743 OR 12.4% AVERAGE TAX ON AVERAGE HOMESTEAD INCREASE $56 OR 8.6% TOTAL TAX LEVY ON ALL PROPERTIES INCREASE 2.5 MILLION AND CHANGE OR 10.1%.
THAT'S WHAT I'M, BUT THAT'S NOT US
[02:00:01]
DOING THAT.THAT'S THE COUNTY, CAMERON COUNTY APPRAISAL DISTRICT WHO EVERY THREE YEARS CAN GO THROUGH AND BUMP UP YOUR VALUE OF YOUR HOUSE.
AND THAT'S BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO DO WHAT? WE'RE GOING TO USE A A, WE'RE GOING TO USE A, A TAX RATE OF 0.5275 OR WHATEVER WAS CAME IN AT THE LAST MINUTE.
THAT'S WHAT I'M BASING THIS ON, MIKE.
SO, SO, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT'S, IT IS VERY CLEAR.
OKAY, WE'RE GONNA HAVE A VOTE AND WE'LL JUST PROCEED, YOU KNOW? OKAY.
WELL, I THINK THAT, THAT, THE ISSUE THOUGH IS THAT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR ALL US THAT SIT ON THIS COMMISSION TO UNDERSTAND THE RESPONSIBILITY THAT WE HAVE AND THE RESPONSIBILITY IS TO PROVIDE ACCURATE INFORMATION.
AND I CAN'T STRESS THAT ENOUGH.
WE CANNOT, WE, WHEN, WHEN THOSE NUMBERS ARE READ IN, IN THAT FASHION, IT MISLEADS PEOPLE.
AND SO READING IT THE WAY THAT YOU DO IS JUST GOING TO CONFUSE PEOPLE.
AND I WILL JUST KIND OF PUT THIS OUT THERE.
IF, UM, YOU KNOW, IF, IF, IF WE WERE TO REDUCE THE TAX RATE RIGHT, TO WHATEVER IT IS THAT, THAT, THAT, THAT YOU WOULD PROPOSE OR ANYONE ELSE WOULD PROPOSE, THEN WE WOULD BE AT 3.5% OF THAT TAX RATE.
AND IF SOMETHING WERE TO OCCUR THAT WE NEEDED TO INCREASE, THEN WE WOULD BE STUCK WITH THAT RATE.
UM, I WAS LOOKING AT ANOTHER, ANOTHER, UM, UH, COMMUNITY LAGUNA VISTA, THAT, THAT, AND, AND THEY ARE HAVING TO GO OVER THE VOTER APPROVAL RATE.
AND FOLKS ARE NOT HAPPY ABOUT THAT.
THEY'RE, THEY'VE GOT OTHER RULES THAT APPLY TO THEM, HOWEVER, THEIRS ARE IS AT LIKE 40 SOMETHING CENTS, WHICH IS REALLY, REALLY LOW.
AND THEY'RE SAYING, HOW ARE WE GOING TO BE ABLE TO GENERATE ENOUGH REVENUE TO EVEN RUN THE CITY? SO NOW THEY'RE HAVING TO INCREASE IT BECAUSE THEY HAVE HAD IT, THEY HAVE IT SO LOW BECAUSE THEY CAN'T KEEP UP.
WHEN WE START TO REDUCE IT TO AN AMOUNT THAT WE ARE NOT ABLE TO PROVIDE THE SERVICES THAT WE NEED, THEN WE ARE STUCK AT THAT 3.5%.
YOU WANT GROWTH, YOU CAN ONLY USE THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY IF WE START REDUCING IT, WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO? I MEAN, NO ONE WANTS TO, UH, WHERE ARE WE GONNA CUT? WE CAN'T DEFUND THE POLICE.
I DON'T THINK ANYBODY WANTS THAT.
AND A LOT OF THAT MONEY WENT TO, TO PROVIDE THEM, TO PROVIDE THEM ADDITIONAL, UM, YOU KNOW, TO TO, FOR THEIR, TO HAVE COMPETITIVE SALARIES.
THERE'S JUST, THERE'S NOWHERE TO CUT.
YOU SAW HOW MUCH DID YOU CUT OFF THE BUDGET OF THE ROSE REQUEST? THE INITIAL REQUEST? MM-HMM.
SO WE NEED AN ADDITIONAL $7 MILLION AND WE DON'T HAVE IT.
AND SO THERE'S LOTS OF THINGS THAT EVERY DEPARTMENT WANTS AND WE ARE SAYING NO TO THEM.
SO THAT WAY WE CAN BE FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE.
SO THIS IS A GOOD THING AND WE SHOULD ALL SEE THAT, INTERNALIZE THAT.
AND THAT IS WHAT WE SHOULD BE PROVIDING TO OUR COMMUNITY, BECAUSE THAT IS THE TRUTH AND THAT IS WHAT ACCURATE INFORMATION IS.
AND WE, IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION.
WE SAY ANYTHING ELSE OUTSIDE OF THAT AMOUNT THAT IS, UH, PERMISSIBLE, THEN WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE NOT, WE'RE PART OF THE PROBLEM.
INSTEAD OF TRYING TO MAKE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHAT IT IS THAT, THAT WE'RE DOING HERE.
ROBERT, THAT SHEET THAT, UM, COMMISSIONER, UH, ISN'T EVERYBODY'S PACKET YEAH.
FRANK, THAT FRANK'S READING OUT OF, IS THERE A WAY THAT I THINK WE HAVE TO DO THIS TWICE, IF I RECALL CORRECTLY.
IS THERE A WAY YOU CAN JUST, NEXT TIME WE DO THIS, YOU HAVE A BREAKDOWN WHERE IT'S A FULL EXPLANATION, LIKE A DI YOU GOTTA DUMB IT DOWN FOR ME PLEASE.
JUST ARROWS AND THEN WITH FULL EXPLANATIONS OF IT SO THAT IT'S CLEAR AS DAY WHAT IS GOING ON ANIMATION IF YOU NEED IT.
KINDA LIKE THE WATER RATE HIKE, YOU KNOW? YEAH.
THIS IS A PIPE, THIS IS A BROKEN PIPE.
SO WE CAN PROVIDE THE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
IT IS JUST THIS NOTICE, UH, HAS TO BE IT ISTORY REQUIRED, RIGHT? IT'S ALL THESE LAWYERS THAT, THAT, THAT MAKE, I THOUGHT I HAD A GRASP OF HUMAN NATURE.
OBVIOUSLY I DON'T, BUT WHY WOULD PEOPLE COMPLAIN THAT WE'RE LOWERING THE TAX RATE? IT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE.
WELL, WE HAVE TO DO A RECORD VOTE, CORRECT? YES.
ALRIGHT, IS THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? IF NOT, UM, YOU, YOU NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND AND THEN, AND THEN WE CAN DO THAT RECORD VOTE? YES.
SO IS THERE A MOTION? MOTION? OKAY.
NAY YES TO THE TAX INCREASE? DID I HEAR COMMISSIONER SAY?
[02:05:01]
I SAID YES.AND THAT IS WHAT YOU NEED, RIGHT? YES.
AND THEN, SO YOU'LL COME BACK AROUND NEXT MEETING.
SO OUR, OUR OUR, WE, WE'LL PUBLISH THIS NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING OF, OF THE TAX INCREASE, AND THAT WILL BE FOR SEPTEMBER 4TH WILL BE OUR, OUR PUBLIC HEARING.
PLEASE ALSO PROVIDE A CHART WITH A BREAKDOWN LIKE WE DID LAST YEAR, JUST HOW, UM, COMMISSIONER LOPEZ MENTIONED AND WITH THE, WITH THE CITY'S, UM, SO THAT WAY WE CAN SEE A COMPARISON.
AND THEN I THINK THERE WAS A REQUEST FOR AN ADDITIONAL FIVE YEARS ON THE TAX RATE.
WE APPRECIATE ALL YOUR HARD WORK.
[Item 10q - Consideration and possible action to approve a resolution accepting the Harlingen Waterworks System's Budget for Fiscal Year 2024-2025]
Q, CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO APPROVE A RESOLUTION ACCEPTING THE HARING AND WATER WORKS SYSTEMS BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024.UH, FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THE COMMISSION AND THE CITY STAFF FOR HELPING THE WATERWORKS CLOSE ON THE WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARD FUNDING.
UH, WE DID RECEIVE THE MONEY AND UH, WE ARE DOING THE DRAWDOWNS TO REQUEST THE FUNDING OF THE PROJECTS THAT ARE ALREADY STARTED IN THE PLANNING AND DESIGN PHASE.
MINUS CLOSING COSTS AND ALL THAT STUFF.
I'LL REFER TO IT AS PAGE 15 A.
SO THAT IS THE LAST PAGE OF OUR LINE ITEM, UH, BUDGET DETAIL, WHICH INCLUDES, UH, ALL OF THE EXPENSE TOTALS AND IS BASICALLY THE, UH, BREAKDOWN OF THE INTEREST EXPENSE THAT INCLUDES THE MONEY NEEDED TO PAY THE WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARD LOAN FOR NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
NOW, UH, JUST A FEW HIGHLIGHTS.
UH, WE ARE LOOKING AT, UH, FISCAL YEAR 25 TOTAL REVENUES OF 28 MILLION 190,746 AND EXPENSES OF 27,902,989.
WE HAVE A CAPITAL OUTLAY OF 29,931,304.
WHAT, WHAT PAGE ARE YOU ON? I'M READING OFF THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.
I, YEAH, I JUST WANT TO GO THROUGH A FEW POINTS.
I'M NOT SURE EXACTLY HOW DETAILED YOU WOULD LIKE FOR ME TO BE.
THIS IS MY FIRST PRESENTATION OF THE BUDGET.
I KNOW IT'S BEEN VERY DETAILED IN THE PAST.
NO, IT HASN'T BEEN VERY DETAILED IN THE PAST.
DEBT PRINCIPAL RETIREMENT, 1,095,000.
SO GOING FORWARD, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO GO TO PAGE, PAGE NUMBER FOUR.
THIS IS OUR PRESENTATION OUTLINE.
SO NUMBER ONE, WE HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL POSITIONS WE'RE ADDING.
WE'RE ADDING A WATER MAINTENANCE TECHNICIAN FOR 39,520 A C ADMINISTRATOR IN THE IT DEPARTMENT FOR 78,000.
UH, WE HAVE OUR PERSONAL EXPENSES.
UH, FOR NUMBER TWO, WE'RE, UH, PROPOSING A COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT OF 3% FOR A TOTAL OF 238,691 MERIT PAY OF 2% PER 159,128.
UH, WE, UH, SAW A HEALTH INSURANCE INCREASE OF 5% COSTING 68,270 ON OUR OPERATING EXPENSES.
TOTAL PERSONNEL INCREASE OF SIX HUNDRED AND SIXTY THREE FORTY NINE, UH, NON-PERSONNEL, UH, COSTS $366,015 AND OUR CHEMICAL INCREASE OF 18,000 UNDER CAPITAL EXPENSES.
WE HAVE OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS AT 29 MILLION 931 3 0 4 AND OUR CAPITAL ASSET EQUIPMENT COMING IN AT 3 MILLION 600 9985.
PROPOSED ENDING BALANCE OF 7 MILLION 128 4 11.
SO ON THE FOLLOWING PAGE, YOU'LL SEE OUR, UH, PROPOSED, UH, CASH INFLOWS.
OUR REVENUES, UH, TOTAL OF 27 MILLION 248 9 16.
THIS IS A WORKING CAPITAL SCHEDULE AND CASH OUTFLOWS OF 22 MILLION 535 6 89.
YOU'LL SEE OUR DEBT SERVICE AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM THERE ALONG WITH CAPITAL ASSETS, WHICH IS REFERRED TO.
YOU'LL SEE THE, UH, INCOMING MONEY FROM THE WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARD AT NINE 9 MILLION 724 91.
LESS EXPENSES, UH, WE'RE PREDICTING, UH, FEDERAL GRANT PROCEEDS OF 3 MILLION 146 2 92 AND SOME, UH, IMPACT FEES FROM WATER AND
[02:10:01]
WASTEWATER OF ABOUT HALF A MILLION DOLLARS.UH, WE'RE SHOWING A DECREASE IN WORKING CAPITAL OF 17,000,727, ENDING BALANCE 24 MILLION 855 8 0 9 AND ENDING BALANCE SEPTEMBER 37 MILLION 1 28 4 11 ESTIMATING 115 DAYS OF WORKING CAPITAL, AS YOU CAN SEE ARE ACTUALS FROM THE END OF THE YEAR.
ON THAT FIRST COLUMN WE WERE SHOWING, UH, THAT'S AUDITED.
SO WE'RE SHOWING 590 DAYS OF WORKING CAPITAL PRESENTLY.
NOW, I WOULD LIKE TO GO OVER OUR SCHEDULE OF REVENUES ON A GAP BASIS 'CAUSE WE DID HAVE A, A PRICE INCREASE AND ALL EVERYONE WAS AWARE OF, UH, WE DO WANT TO, UH, RECOGNIZE THAT PRICE INCREASE AND SEE HOW THAT DOES FOR US FINANCIALLY AND SEE HOW WE WORK ON OUR CAPITAL PROJECTS BEFORE WE PROCEED WITH ADDITIONAL PRICE INCREASES.
UH, GOING FORWARD, UH, OUR PREDICTED AND PROPOSED REVENUES FOR WATER ARE COMING IN AT 12 MILLION 9 57 4 82.
AND FOR WASTEWATER, WE'RE SHOWING POTENTIAL REVENUES OF 12 MILLION 6 43 7 92, TOTAL OPERATING REVENUES OF 25 MILLION 6 0 1 2 7 4.
UH, WE STILL BELIEVE WE, WE WILL BE, UH, REALIZING INVESTMENT EARNINGS.
SO WE'RE PREDICTING A 1.5 MILLION IN INVESTMENT EARNINGS THERE FOR THE YEAR AND GOING DOWN EVERYTHING PRETTY MUCH REMAINING THE SAME.
TOTAL NON-OPERATING REVENUE OF 2.5 8 9 4 72 WITH TOTAL REVENUES COMING IN AT 28 MILLION 197 46.
ANY QUESTIONS? ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? NO, NOT FOR ME.
WOULD YOU LIKE FOR ME TO PROCEED? ARE THERE ANY OTHER DETAILS YOU WOULD LIKE TO NO, NO, I THINK, I THINK WE'RE GOOD.
I THINK YOU MADE HIM FEEL LIKE HE NEEDED TO GO THROUGH ALL IT
I I DIDN'T WANT HIM TO GO THROUGH THE PRESENTATION HE DID AT WATERWORKS.
IS THERE A MOTION, UH, QUICK QUESTION.
WHEN DO WE START ON THE LITTLE CREEK INTERCEPTOR THAT IS BEING DESIGNED RIGHT NOW, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, THE DESIGN PHASE, I BELIEVE THAT IS PART OF OUR WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARD PROJECTS, CORRECT.
UM, SO YES, THAT IS CURRENTLY WITH A DESIGN CONSULTANT, UH, PER THE WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARDS PROCESS.
WE'RE IN THE PLANNING PHASE FOR THAT PROJECT.
AND SO EVEN THOUGH THE ENGINEER IS WORKING ON DESIGN, WE DO HAVE TO COMPLETE SOME ASPECTS OF THE SCOPE FOR PLANNING.
AND SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE DOING, THEY'RE DOING THE ENVIRONMENTAL STUDY.
SO THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE'RE AT RIGHT NOW.
WE'RE GETTING RIGHT OF ENTRIES.
UM, THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTANT'S GONNA GO OUT, THEY'RE GONNA DO THEIR STUDY.
UM, NOT SURE ON THE TIMELINE ON THAT.
THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE WHO SAY IT COULD TAKE A FEW, UH, THAT THE STUDY ITSELF DOESN'T TAKE TOO LONG, BUT THE WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARD'S REVIEW AND APPROVAL TIME CAN VARY.
SO WHEN DO YOU THINK WE'LL HAVE DESIGN MORE OR LESS DONE DESIGN? UM, I THINK IT'S IN ABOUT 12, I THINK FROM WHEN WE AWARDED IT, ABOUT 12 MONTHS.
'CAUSE OF THE SCALE, IF YOU LIKE, I CAN, UM, BECAUSE THE ENGINEERING'S CONTRACT, THEY HAVE A TIMELINE AS WELL, THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO FOLLOW.
OBVIOUSLY IT'S, IT MIGHT FLUCTUATE WITH THE WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARD TIMELINE, BUT IF YOU WANT, I CAN, I CAN, UH, LOOK INTO THE CONTRACT FOR YOU AND GIVE YOU THE, THE ESTIMATED TIME THAT THEY GAVE US.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO ALSO KNOW A BREAK GROUND DATE.
WILL WE START THE IMPLEMENTATION OF IT? YEAH.
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? IS THERE A MOTION? MOTION? SECOND.
[Item 11 - Board Appointments]
ON TO 11, ITEM 11, BOARD APPOINTMENTS.SPECIFICALLY APPOINTMENT OR DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO INCLUDE APPOINTMENT AND OR REMOVAL OF ANY POSITION SUBJECT TO APPOINTMENT OR REMOVAL BY STATUTE, ORDINANCE OR BYLAWS.
REAPPOINT, UH, MAD DE TO HARLINGEN CHAMELEON IMPROVEMENT BOARD? NONE.
IS THERE, UH, MOTION TO PROOF.
DO YOU HAVE ANY, OH, NO, SORRY.
[Item 12 - Executive Session]
12, EXECUTIVE SESSION.ALL ITEMS LISTED IN THIS SECTION WILL BE DELIBERATED IN ENCLO SESSION.
[02:15:01]
OF THE PUBLIC ARE NOT GENERALLY PERMITTED TO ATTEND A CLOSED SESSION.EXECUTIVE SESSION ITEMS MAY BE CONSIDERED AS AN ACTION ITEM AT THE DISCRETION OF THE MAYOR, HOWEVER, CITY COMMISSION WILL NOT TAKE ANY ACTION IN CLOSED SESSION.
ITEM 12 EIGHT, PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 5, 1 0.0711 AND TWO, ATTORNEY CONSULTATION SECTION 5 5 1 0.072 REGARDING SELLER PROPERTY, CITY MANAGER, MAKE A MOTION TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
THE TIME IS NOW 8:03 PM WE'LL RETIRE EXECUTIVE SESSION.
THE, THE TIME IS NOW 8:32 PM WE ARE BACK IN OPEN SESSION.
[Item 13 - Action on Executive Items]
13, ACTION ON EXECUTIVE SESSION ITEMS, THE CITY COMMISSION WILL CON RECONVENE IN OPEN SESSION AND MAY TAKE ACTION ON ANY ITEM LISTED IN THE EXECUTIVE SESSION SECTION OF THIS AGENDA.ITEM 13, A CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON ITEM 12 A AS DISCUSSED IN EXECUTIVE SESSION, A MOTION I TAKE A MOTION TO PROCEED AS DISCUSSED.