[Item 1 - Call to Order]
[Item 2- Conflict of Interest]
[Item 3a - Mayor's Announcements]
[Item 3b - City Manager's Announcements]
[Item 3c - City Commission Member Announcements]
[Item 4a - Harlingen Animal Shelt er- "Pet of the Week"]
[Item 4b - Recognition Award- Mariana Donnelly]
[00:06:02]
THAT'S RIGHT. GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE, AND WELCOME TO THE HARLINGEN CITY COMMISSION
[00:06:09]
MEETING. THE TIME IS NOW 5:31 P.M. WE'LL CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER. IT HAS BEEN POSTED AS REQUIRED BY STATE LAW, AND WE HAVE A QUORUM OF THE COMMISSION. WE DO HAVE COMMISSIONER LOPEZ NOT HERE, BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT HE WILL BE JOINING US SHORTLY. BUT NONETHELESS, WE STILL DO HAVE A QUORUM AT THIS TIME. I'LL ASK EVERYONE TO PLEASE RISE. AS COMMISSIONER KINSLEY LEADS US IN OUR INVOCATION. AS WE GATHER HERE TODAY TO DISCUSS MATTERS OF IMPORTANCE TO OUR COMMUNITY, WE ASK FOR YOUR GUIDANCE AND WISDOM. GRANT US THE STRENGTH TO MAKE DECISIONS THAT BENEFIT ALL RESIDENTS, AND UPHOLD THE VALUES THAT BIND US TOGETHER. MAY OUR DECISIONS BE THOUGHTFUL, OUR ACTIONS BE JUST, AND OUR COMMITMENT TO THE WELL-BEING OF THE CITY BE UNWAVERING. AMEN.AMEN. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. UNDER STATE LAW, 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 CONFLICTS OF INTEREST TO DISCLOSE AT THIS TIME? NONE.
NONE NONE. NONE. 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 THREE A MAYOR'S ANNOUNCEMENTS. MAYOR. DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ANNOUNCE? I JUST WANT TO CONGRATULATE THE HARLINGEN LIBRARY FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO. THEY DID THEIR GRAND OPENING OF THE CHILDREN'S CENTER IN IN COLLABORATION WITH THE JUNIOR LEAGUE OF HARLINGEN. THEY DID A FANTASTIC JOB. I KNOW CITY STAFF WAS OUT THERE, MEDIA WAS OUT THERE AND TOOK A LOT OF COVERAGE OF THE EVENT. IT WAS A FULL HOUSE. LOTS OF LITTLE KIDS RUNNING AROUND AND HAVING AN AMAZING TIME, SO IT WAS NICE TO SEE THIS COME TO FRUITION. I KNOW THERE WAS YEARS IN THE MAKING AND SO IT WAS A WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL RENOVATION.
I ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO GO OUT THERE, TAKE THE KIDS, SO MANY EVENTS. I THINK THERE'S DAILY EVENTS AT THE AT THE LIBRARY AND JUST WANTED TO LET YOU ALL KNOW THAT IF ANYBODY HADN'T REALLY SEEN THAT THAT WAS HAPPENING. AND I THINK THAT'S I THINK THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THANK YOU.
OKAY. ITEM THREE B CITY MANAGER'S ANNOUNCEMENTS. MR. GONZALEZ, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ANNOUNCE? YES I DO. I WOULD LIKE TO CONGRATULATE THE HARLINGEN POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR A WONDERFUL BARBECUE THEY HAD THIS WEEKEND. IT WAS WELL ATTENDED. IT WAS VERY HOT. SO I COMMEND EVERYONE THAT WAS OUT THERE, ESPECIALLY ALL THE PEOPLE THAT ENTERED THE BARBECUE. WELL DONE. AND I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO INTRODUCE OUR NEW CITY SECRETARY, MAYRA HERRERA. THIS IS HER FIRST DAY ON THE JOB, SO WELCOME. AND THAT'S THAT'S ALL I HAD. OKAY. ITEM THREE CITY COMMISSION MEMBER ANNOUNCEMENTS. COMMISSIONERS, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ANNOUNCE? I JUST WANT TO SAY IT'S OBVIOUS IT'S HOT OUT THERE. SO MAKE SURE YOU'RE DRINKING A LOT OF WATER.
AND BE CAREFUL IF YOU'RE OUTSIDE WORKING. THANK YOU. NONE. I'M GOOD. ALRIGHTY. OKAY. MOVING ON
[Item 4c - Mayor's Business of the Month - Chyann's Specialty Cafe]
TO ITEM FOUR. PROCLAMATION. PRESENTATION OF AWARDS WILL BEGIN WITH ITEM FOUR, A HARLINGEN ANIMAL SHELTER PET OF THE WEEK. I ALREADY SAW HIM OUTSIDE. HE'S SO ADORABLE. GOOD[00:10:03]
EVENING. MAYOR. CITY COMMISSION TONIGHT. ANGELA HAS BROUGHT CORNELIUS FROM THE HARLINGEN ANIMAL SHELTER. CORNELIUS IS ABOUT SIX MONTHS OLD. HE'S A LAB MIX WITH HIM BEING SIX MONTHS.HE'S VERY ENERGETIC. HE DOES WELL WITH KIDS. SO ANY FAMILY WHO'S LOOKING TO MAKE AN ADDITION TO THEIR FAMILY. CORNELIUS WILL BE WAITING FOR THEM AT THE HARLINGEN ANIMAL SHELTER, WHICH IS LOCATED AT 1106 MAKOWSKI OR ANYBODY INTERESTED IN CORNELIUS OR ANY OF HIS OTHER FRIENDS THAT ARE THERE AT THE SHELTER. THEY'RE ALSO WELCOME TO CALL (956) 216-5250. AND THEN JUST TO LET YOU ALL KNOW THAT THE SHELTER WILL BE OUT AT PETCO THIS COMING SATURDAY FROM 12 TO 3. SO ANYBODY WHO MAY BE IN THE WESLACO AREA IS WELCOME TO STOP BY THERE FOR ADOPTABLE ANIMALS FROM HARLINGEN ANIMAL SHELTER AS WELL. AND CORNELIUS HAS BEEN WITH US FOR ABOUT 60 DAYS. SO DID YOU SAY HE WAS NEUTERED ALREADY? I DIDN'T CATCH THAT. HE IS NEUTERED. YES. FANTASTIC. AND THEN YOU'LL BE ANGELA. OR SOMEONE FROM THE SHELTER WILL BE AT DOWNTOWN AT SUNDOWN THIS SATURDAY AS WELL. RIGHT? IT'S A SATURDAY. YES, YES. FANTASTIC.
SO TWO OPPORTUNITIES FOR THIS FELLOW TO GET ADOPTED. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. OH. ITEM FOUR, B CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION AWARD TO MISS MARIANNA DONNELLY. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. SO OUR CERTIFICATE CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION IS PRESENTED TO MARIANNA DONNELLY IN RECOGNITION OF OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT AND INSPIRATION. THE CITY OF HARLINGEN PROUDLY RECOGNIZES MARIANNA DONNELLY FOR A REMARKABLE 12 YEAR OLD WHOSE PASSION, DETERMINATION AND CREATIVITY ARE SHAPING THE FUTURE OF ENTERTAINMENT AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP. KNOWN PROFESSIONALLY AS THAT'SO MARIANNA, SHE EXEMPLIFIES THE POWER OF VISION, RESILIENCE AND YOUTHFUL AMBITION. BORN IN MINNESOTA AND NOW PROUD RESIDENT OF HARLINGEN, TEXAS, MARIANNA IS AN AWARD WINNING ACTRESS, SINGER, ENTREPRENEUR AND TRENDSETTER. IN MAY 2025, SHE WAS HONORED WITH BEST PERFORMANCE AT THE LA WEB FEST FOR HER ROLE IN WHITE AND BLACK CANVAS, A FILM ALSO CELEBRATED AT THE HOUSTON FILM FESTIVAL. MARIANNA IS GRACED NATIONAL STAGES, INCLUDING THE MALL OF AMERICA, OPENED FOR TOP ARTISTS AND COLLABORATED WITH NOTABLE FIGURES SUCH AS LIL NAS X, TIFFANY HADDISH, LOUIS LOUIS VUITTON, NETFLIX, HBO AND HALLMARK. A FOUNDER OF RAINBOW DRIP, A VEGAN MAKEUP LINE, THE CREATOR OF A FRAGRANCE, RAYNE, AND THE VISIONARY BEHIND THATSO Q MAGAZINE. MARIANNA UPLIFTS AND EMPOWERS YOUNG VOICES ACROSS THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY AND BEYOND IN RECOGNITION OF HER ARTISTIC EXCELLENCE, ENTREPRENEURIAL DRIVE, AND POSITIVE REPRESENTATION OF HARLINGEN YOUTH. WE HONOR MARIANNA DONNELLY FOR BEING A TRAILBLAZER AND AN INSPIRATION TO HER PEERS AND COMMUNITY. SO, MARIANNA AND HER MOM, IF YOU'D LIKE TO COME UP. I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU. I REALLY NEVER HAD ANY OF THIS, ANY OF THIS BEFORE. AND YEAH, JUST THANK YOU. I'M REALLY HONORED BECAUSE, LIKE, I NEVER LIVED DOWN HERE BEFORE. THIS IS MY SECOND YEAR LIVING HERE AND JUST SEEING ALL THIS. YOU GUYS ARE SUPER GREAT. I'M SO THANKFUL FOR HAVING THIS CERTIFICATE. WELL, WELL, DON'T GO ANYWHERE.
DON'T GO ANYWHERE. MISS MARIANNA, WE'D LOVE TO TAKE A PHOTO WITH YOU. I JUST WANT TO TELL YOU HOW INCREDIBLY PROUD WE ARE OF YOU. WELCOME TO HARLINGEN. IT TOOK US A LITTLE WHILE, TOOK US TWO YEARS. BUT WE'RE SO GLAD THAT NOW WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE A SUPERSTAR LIVING IN THE CITY OF HARLINGEN. A CELEBRITY, OUR VERY OWN CELEBRITY. SO CAN WE GIVE MARIANNA ANOTHER BIG ROUND OF APPLAUSE? AND I SAW THAT YOU HAD SAID YOU WERE 12.5 YEARS OLD.
[Item 4d - Proclamation - Proclaiming the Week of June 15-21, 2025 as "National Mosquito Control Awareness Week"]
AND I KNOW WHEN YOU'RE 12 THAT HALF REALLY, REALLY MATTERS. AND SO YOU, MY DEAR, ARE BEAUTIFUL INSIDE AND OUT. AND WE'RE SO INCREDIBLY PROUD OF YOU. WE'D LOVE TO TAKE A PHOTO WITH YOU.SO. CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU. CONGRATULATIONS. YOU HAVE A PHONE FIRST? YEAH, YEAH, YEAH.
GO AHEAD, GO AHEAD. SISTER AND SISTER. SHE'S SO AMAZING. IT IS. OH, WHERE ARE WE GOING NEXT? FOR
[00:15:02]
YOU? OKAY. READY? THE PHONE FIRST. 123123 AND 123. OKAY. AND NOW THE CAMERA. AND ONE, TWO THREE AND 123123. OKAY. CONGRATULATIONS. CAREFUL. UP. WE HAVE MAYOR'S BUSINESS OF THE MONTH, CHEYENNE SPECIALTY CAFE. OKAY, SO OUR MAYOR'S BUSINESS OF THE MONTH IS AN INITIATIVE THAT'S BEEN HAPPENING SINCE SEPTEMBER OF 2023 AND STILL GOING STRONG. AND WE KEEP FINDING EVEN MORE GREAT BUSINESSES AS EXPECTED HERE IN HARLINGEN TO RECOGNIZE. SO WE'VE PREPARED A VIDEO FOR YOU BEFORE WE INVITE OUR OWNERS TO COME UP. HI, I'M JOSE OLIVARES. I AM THE OWNER, CHEYENNE SPECIALTY HERE IN DOWNTOWN HARLINGEN. CHEYENNE SPECIALTY CAFE IS A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING WE DO CATERING. WE HAVE A FULL BLOWN CAFE GOING WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY. WE ALSO DO RENTALS, PARTY RENTALS, WHICH WE CATER AND ALSO HOST EVENTS IN OUR LOCATION. WE'RE MORE OF A AMERICANIZED RESTAURANT. WE HAVE BRUNCH, WHICH IS JUST YOUR BREAKFAST AND LUNCH. A LOT OF OUR FAVORITES IS OUR TURKEY, WHICH IS ON I'M SORRY ON THURSDAYS, AND THEN OUR CHICKEN FRIED CHICKEN, WHICH IS EVERY DAY. ALSO OUR ICED COFFEES. MY 15 YEAR OLD HAD A BRIGHT IDEA, WHICH IS WE STARTED DOING OUR LITTLE HUSTLE FROM THE HOUSE AND WE CARRIED ON AND SIX WEEKS LATER WE GOT OUR FIRST LOCATION, WHICH WAS ON HARRISON, AND NOW INTO A BIGGER LOCATION WHICH IS DOWNTOWN HARLINGEN. TAKE THAT LEAP OF FAITH. THERE'S NEVER NO WRONG TURN. GIVE IT A TRY AND DON'T GIVE UP. OUR CITY HAS DONE A LOT. OUR MAYOR, SHE'S TRYING TO HELP SMALL BUSINESSES GROW GIVING THIS AWARD. WE APPRECIATE IT. WE LIKE TO GIVE OUR CUSTOMERS A BIG SHOUT OUT.APPRECIATION. YOU KNOW, WITHOUT Y'ALL, WE COULDN'T HAVE CHEYENNE'S, YOU KNOW, KEEPING SUPPORTING LOCAL BUSINESSES. IT'S BEAUTIFUL. COME AND ENJOY HARLINGEN DOWNTOWN. COME OUT AND SEE US AND WE HOPE TO SEE YOU SOON. SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, MISS JOSIE, IF YOU'D LIKE TO COME UP AND SAY A FEW WORDS. OKAY. I WAS LOOKING AT YOU. I WAS LIKE. OH,
[Item 5 - Citizen Communication ]
WE JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR EVERYBODY. OUR CUSTOMERS, OUR STAFF. WITHOUT YOU GUYS SUPPORTING LOCAL, IT HELPS OTHER LOCAL BUSINESSES GROW AS WELL AS HARLINGEN. AND WE CAN'T THANK YOU ENOUGH. IGNORE THE CAMERAS. I KNOW I'M REALLY SHY. WELL, JOSIE, YOU'RE DOING AN AMAZING JOB AND YOU HAVE BEEN. AND YOU KNOW THE STORY BEHIND HOW YOU OPENED YOUR BUSINESS. I THINK IT RESONATES WITH SO MANY IN OUR COMMUNITY. HARLINGEN IS DEFINITELY SUPPORTIVE OF SMALL BUSINESSES. DOWNTOWN IS DOING AMAZING, AND IT'S BECAUSE OF BUSINESSES LIKE YOURS THAT ARE OPEN TO THE COMMUNITY AND KNOW EVERYBODY'S NAME RIGHT WHEN THEY WALK IN THE DOOR AND PROVIDING OPPORTUNITY. AND I KNOW YOU ALSO HAVE PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR INDIVIDUALS SOMETIME LOOKING FOR WORK THAT MAYBE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE HARD ON THEIR LUCK. AND I'VE SEEN SOME OF YOUR STORIES ARE REALLY AMAZING. SO I THINK THAT YOU'RE DOING AN INCREDIBLE JOB. SO THANK YOU FOR ADDING A LITTLE MAGIC TO HARLINGEN. AND WE'D LOVE TO TAKE A PICTURE WITH YOU. THANK YOU. SHE'S IN HER.OKAY. YOU READY? AND THREE. TWO ONE AND CLOSE. 321 OKAY. AND HERE. AND 321 AND ONE MORE. 321 GO. 321. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. MR. OKAY. UP NEXT WE HAVE BOARD ITEM 4D
[00:20:19]
PROCLAMATION PROCLAIMING THE WEEK OF JUNE 15TH THROUGH THE 21ST THROUGH THE 21ST, 2025 AS NATIONAL MOSQUITO CONTROL AWARENESS WEEK. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, COMMISSION AND CITY RESIDENTS. WE HAVE ONE PROCLAMATION FOR THE EVENING AND IT READS AS FOLLOWS. WHEREAS THE AMERICAN MOSQUITO CONTROL ASSOCIATION HAS DESIGNATED THE THIRD WEEK OF JUNE AS NATIONAL MOSQUITO CONTROL AWARENESS WEEK, AND WHEREAS MOSQUITO PREVENTION AND PROTECTION, WE SHOULD ALWAYS REMEMBER THE THREE DS OF PROTECTION FROM MOSQUITOES, WHICH CONSIST OF DRAIN, DRESS AND DEFEND. AND WHEREAS MOSQUITO PROBLEMS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS ARE OFTEN DUE TO WATER FILLED CONTAINERS FOUND AROUND HOMES, WHICH RESIDENTS CAN HELP ELIMINATE, ALL MOSQUITOES REQUIRE WATER TO BREED, MAKING IT VITAL TO DRAIN STANDING WATER AND WEAR LIGHT COLORED, LOOSE FITTING CLOTHES, AND CHOOSE A MOSQUITO REPELLENT THAT HAS BEEN REGISTERED BY THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY. AND WHEREAS DURING THE 2024 VECTOR SEASON, THE CITY OF HARLINGEN HEALTH DEPARTMENT SPRAYED 341 HOURS. THIS YEAR ALONE, WE ARE AT 202 HOURS SPRAYED THROUGHOUT THE CITY, AND WHEREAS THE CITY OF HARLINGEN RECOGNIZES AND COMMENDS THE DEDICATION, HARD WORK AND LONG HOURS OF THE HEALTH INSPECTORS WHO SERVE RESIDENTS OF OUR COMMUNITY AND WORK TIRELESSLY TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL RESIDENTS DURING VECTOR SEASON.NOW, THEREFORE, I. NORMA SEPULVEDA, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF HARLINGEN, TEXAS, AND ON BEHALF OF THE CITY COMMISSION, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM JUNE 15TH THROUGH 21ST, 2025 AS NATIONAL MOSQUITO CONTROL AWARENESS WEEK AND CALL UPON ALL RESIDENTS OF HARLINGEN TO JOIN US IN RAISING AWARENESS AND WORK WITH EACH OTHER ON NOT LEAVING WATER AROUND YOUR PROPERTY STANDING. I NOW ASK OUR HEALTH DIRECTOR, SHANNON, TO COME ACCEPT THE PROCLAMATION. GOOD EVENING AGAIN. WE JUST WANTED TO TAKE A QUICK MINUTE TO RECOGNIZE OUR HEALTH INSPECTORS WHO KIND OF PULLED DOUBLE DUTY. THEY DO RESTAURANT INSPECTIONS WHEN THERE'S MOSQUITO ACTIVITY, WHICH DOWN HERE IN THE VALLEY, IT'S JUST ABOUT YEAR ROUND. THEY PULLED DOUBLE DUTY AND THEY COME BACK IN THE EVENING AND THEY SPRAY FOR MOSQUITOES. SO WE ACTUALLY HAVE THREE HEALTH INSPECTORS. ONLY TWO COULD BE WITH US HERE TONIGHT. BUT WE DID WANT TO RECOGNIZE THEM FOR ALL OF THEIR HARD WORK AND DEDICATION IN SPENDING THOSE LONG HOURS SPRAYING AND TRYING TO GET THE MOSQUITO POPULATION UNDER CONTROL AS QUICKLY AS THEY POSSIBLY CAN. SO THANK YOU.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. DEFINITELY AN ESSENTIAL SERVICE HERE IN IN HARLINGEN THROUGHOUT THE REGION.
THANK YOU LADIES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. OVER HERE. READY. AND IN 321.
ONE MORE. 321. PERFECT. YEAH. SO MUCH.
RIGHT. MOVING RIGHT ALONG OKAY. 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 ON TOPICS ADDRESSED. WE HAD TWO SUBMISSIONS FOR CITIZEN COMMUNICATION HERE. WE WILL BEGIN WITH MR. ROBERT LEFTWICH.
ROBERT LEFTWICH, 909 EAST PARKWOOD. I JUST WANTED TO COME BECAUSE I I'VE BEEN SEEING A LOT OF STUFF ON FACEBOOK AND FROM THE CITY. AGAIN, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS. MAYOR. YOU BROUGHT IT UP AT THE STATE OF THE CITY ADDRESS IN FRONT OF MANY PEOPLE THAT ARE IN THIS ROOM TONIGHT.
THE FACT IS, IS THAT YOU YOU DECLARE THAT THE CITY OF HARLINGEN IS AT AN HISTORIC LOW ON THE PROPERTY TAXES. BUT THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS, IT'S AN HISTORIC HIGH. AND I USED TO GIVE YOU THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT. AND I WOULD SAY, WELL, THAT'S JUST MISLEADING. WHEN YOU
[00:25:03]
USE THE RATE 25, 25 YEARS LOW. BUT THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE CITY'S TAX[Item 6 - Approval of Minutes]
NOTICES, WHICH ARE REQUIRED DOCUMENTS BY THE STATE AND BY AND BY LAW, IT SAYS NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON TAX INCREASE. SO I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT TRANSLATES INTO AN HISTORIC LOW.SO LIKE I SAID, YOU KNOW, BEING MISLEADING IS ONE THING. BEING DISINGENUOUS IS ANOTHER THING.
[Item 7 - Consent Agenda]
BUT BEING DISHONEST, WE DON'T NEED A DISHONEST MAYOR. YOU SAT HERE AND YOU TOLD EVERYBODY AT THE STATE OF THE CITY ADDRESS MANY PEOPLE, LIKE I SAID, IN THIS ROOM, HERE'S THE 2022 2023 TAX INCREASE. NOTICE. IT SAYS RIGHT HERE, INCREASE $904,000. THE NEXT YEAR, 1.8 MILLION. THE NEXT YEAR, $2.5 MILLION. THAT MEANS THAT IT'S GONE UP $5 MILLION UNDER YOUR WATCH. THAT SOUNDS LIKE AN INCREASE, NOT AN HISTORIC LOW. AND YOU CAN SAY, WELL, IT'S NEW PROPERTY. BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE NARRATIVE FROM THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE AND YOU SAY, WELL, IT'S THE NEW DEVELOPMENT, WELL, IT SAYS THIS PROPERTY TAX REVENUE TO BE BASED FROM NEW PROPERTY, ADDED ONLY $361,000 OF NEW TAXES OUT OF $2.5 MILLION. THAT MEANS THAT THE EXISTING TAXPAYERS HAD TO COME UP WITH $2.2 MILLION. THAT MEANS EVERYBODY, ALL YOUR SMALL BUSINESSES, THAT YOU'RE GIVING LITTLE INCENTIVES TO. THAT MEANS THEY ALL HAD TO PITCH IN AND GIVE THAT BACK. NOW, I'VE[Item 8a - City Manager's Report]
BROUGHT THIS UP BEFORE. STILL TODAY, OUR MALL HAS NOT PAID THEIR $400,000 PROPERTY TAX BILL. SIX MONTHS AFTER IT WAS DUE. PENALTIES UP OVER $40,000. THERE'S TWO TIER TOP TIER TAXPAYERS IN THE CITY OF HARLINGEN AND THE TOP 10% THAT ARE DELINQUENT ON THEIR PROPERTY TAXES. SO WE NEED TO GET REAL AND QUIT TRYING TO TELL EVERYBODY THAT Y'ALL ARE LOWERING TAXES. IF THE LOWER RATE IS HELPING PEOPLE, THEN WHY ARE THESE ENTITIES, IF THE TOP TEN, TWO OF THE TOP TEN TAXPAYERS CAN'T MAKE THEIR PROPERTY TAX PAYMENTS, HOW MANY OTHER PEOPLE, HOW MANY OTHER SMALL BUSINESSES AND WORKING FAMILIES IN THE CITY CAN'T PAY THEIR TAXES? IT'S GONE UP $6 MILLION UNDER YOUR TENURE. THANK YOU, MR. LEFTWICH. OKAY, NEXT UP, WE HAVE MR. RAYMOND REYES. THANK YOU, MR. REYES. AND THOSE THAT ARE JOINING US FOR THE FIRST TIME. AND JUST A LITTLE REMINDER THAT CITIZEN COMMUNICATION, AS MENTIONED BY THE CITY SECRETARY, THERE'S NO BACK AND FORTH AND ALSO COMMENTARY OR OPINIONS AND SOMETIMES NOT FACTUALLY BASED, BUT IT IS HERE FOR ANY TYPE OF COMMENTARY FROM THE COMMUNITY.[Item 8b - Staff Reports]
MR. RAYMOND, EXCUSE ME. RAYMOND REYES, 706 NANTUCKET DRIVE. WELL, I MEAN, THERE'S GOOD[Item 8c - Presentation by South Texas Emergency Care Foundation (STEC)]
THINGS GOING ON IN HARLINGEN. OF COURSE, LIKE ALWAYS, THERE'S SOME BAD MIXED IN THERE. I HAVE SOME PERSONAL CONCERNS THAT I'M WORKING. YOU KNOW, YOU NEVER SAY RETIRED. I'M ALWAYS DOING SOMETHING. SO WE'RE IN THE PROCESS. SOME PARTNERS OF MINE, OF DOING SOME DEVELOPMENTS, PROVIDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND ACTUALLY GOING INTO THE PROCESS OF PUTTING CHARTER SCHOOLS ON SOME OF THESE PROPERTIES, BASICALLY IN NORTH TEXAS. BUT I CALLED OUT TO PLANNING AND ZONING TODAY TO TRY TO FIND OUT ABOUT WHAT WE USED TO HAVE, AND HOPEFULLY WE STILL HAVE IT. THE TIFF TAX INCREMENT FUNDING I KNOW WAS AVAILABLE WHEN I WAS A PARTNER AT COTTONWOOD COUNTRY CLUB. WE WERE TRYING TO GET SOME MONEY TO EXPAND THE COUNTRY CLUB AT THAT PARTICULAR TIME, BUT THE MONEY WENT TO ANOTHER PROJECT, LET'S PUT IT THAT WAY. AND, YOU KNOW, SO I WILL REACH OUT TO STAFF, EITHER THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER TO FIND OUT WHERE WE'RE AT WITH THE TIF AND SEE IF POSSIBLY, YOU KNOW, WE CAN DO A PROJECT HERE IN HARLINGEN BECAUSE I THINK AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR, YOU KNOW, KEYWORD AFFORDABLE HOUSING. AND THERE'S KID HOUSES.SO THERE WERE RESISTANT UP TO 150 MILES AN HOUR, YOU KNOW, THREE BEDROOM, TWO BATH FOR ABOUT 150,000, WHICH IS UNHEARD OF. BUT, YOU KNOW, WE MAKE IT HAPPEN. ANOTHER THING THAT BECAUSE I HAVE PETS, YOU KNOW, I LOVE THE THINGS THAT DOGS CAN DO. AND THEN ESPECIALLY WITH MY PTSD SYNDROME THAT I HAVE AS WELL, THEY THEY'RE THEY'RE ALWAYS VERY GOOD ABOUT TAKING CARE OF ME. I WAS TRYING TO FIND OUT ABOUT RABIES AND SOME OTHER VACCINATIONS, AND I WAS TOLD
[00:30:04]
THAT WE DON'T HAVE A VET ON STAFF, SO I WAS KIND OF HOPING THAT MAYBE WE COULD SOLUTIONIZE THAT. AND, YOU KNOW, WITH THESE BUDGET THINGS COMING UP IN JULY, SEE IF WE CAN GET THAT ADDRESSED AND TAKEN CARE OF. AND, YOU KNOW, WE GOT A SMALL LITTLE DELUGE, MOTHER NATURE AGAIN REMINDING US WHO'S ACTUALLY IN CHARGE. AND IT'S CERTAINLY NOT US. AND SOME AREAS DURING THAT 15 20 MINUTE SPURT STARTED FLOODING. SO I HOPE THAT WE'RE TAKING THIS SERIOUSLY AND, YOU KNOW, ADDRESS IT BECAUSE THE TIME IS GOING TO COME WHEN SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, MOTHER NATURE IS GOING TO REALLY HIT US BECAUSE WE'RE OVERDUE AND THAT'S NOT GOING TO GO GOOD IF WE HAVEN'T ADDRESSED THE PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE. SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE. I THINK I BEAT THE BUZZER.SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. AND Y'ALL HAVE A GOOD AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. REYES. THAT CONCLUDES OUR CITIZEN COMMUNICATION THERE. SO WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM SIX. APPROVAL OF MINUTES. REGULAR MEETING OF MARCH 19TH 2025. IS THERE ANY AMENDMENTS TO THE MINUTES MOTION TO APPROVE. SECOND, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. OPPOSED.
MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. ITEM SEVEN CONSENT AGENDA. NO DISCUSSION IS ANTICIPATED ON ANY OF THE ITEMS IN THIS SECTION BECAUSE THEY ARE ROUTINE. BUSINESS WERE INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET ADOPTION PROCESS, OR HAVE BEEN PREVIOUSLY DISCUSSED AS A STAFF REPORT OR DISCUSSION ITEM.
THIS ITEM WILL BE CONSIDERED COLLECTIVELY BY A SINGLE VOTE, UNLESS A COMMISSION MEMBER REQUEST AN ITEM BE REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA. IS THERE ANYTHING TO REMOVE OUT OF CONSENT, GENTLEMEN? IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE? MOTION SECOND, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. I WANT TO THANK BRIAN FOR BEING HERE FROM THE AIRPORT AND THE CONSENT AGENDA. THERE ARE TWO FAA GRANTS, ONE FOR 2,250,000, ANOTHER ONE FOR 1,289,000. THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR HARD WORK. WE APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT YOU'RE DOING OUT THERE. MOVING ON. 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 AT A FUTURE MEETING WITH THE REQUEST OF THE MAYOR, OR AFTER THE REQUEST OF ANY TWO COMMISSION MEMBERS OR THE CITY MANAGER. ITEM EIGHT A CITY MANAGER'S REPORT. MR. GONZALEZ, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO REPORT? YES, I DO, IF THE COMMISSION COULD CHECK THEIR CALENDARS FOR JUNE 30TH, I'D LIKE THAT TO BE THE FIRST BUDGET WORKSHOP THAT WE HAVE. I KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT DOING THE BUDGET WORKSHOPS IN JULY, BUT THAT'S THE LAST MONDAY IN JUNE. SO IF WE COULD HAVE THAT FIRST ONE ON JUNE 30TH HERE AT TOWN HALL AT 530, EVERYBODY OKAY? I'M GOOD. GOOD, GOOD OKAY.
LOOKS GOOD. OKAY, GOOD. SO THAT'LL BE THE FIRST BUDGET WORKSHOP. FINANCE WILL PROBABLY HAVE THE BUDGET BOOKS TO YOU NEXT WEEK SOMETIME. ALSO MYSELF AND BOTH WILL BE OUT OF THE OFFICE THURSDAY AND FRIDAY. WILL BE ATTENDING TEXAS CITY MANAGER'S ASSOCIATION ANNUAL CONFERENCE IN SAN ANTONIO. SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE. I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT GABE IS GOING TO BE RECEIVING AN AWARD. YES. AND SO WE APPRECIATE YOU, GABE. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. AND IT WAS THE MEMBERSHIP THAT VOTED FOR ME. SO I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE THAT'S VOTING MEMBER OF TEXAS CITY MANAGER ASSOCIATION. THANK YOU. OKAY. ITEM B STAFF REPORTS. WE HAVE NONE TO REPORT MAYOR. SO WE WILL GO AHEAD AND MOVE ON TO ITEM EIGHT C PRESENTATION BY SOUTH TEXAS EMERGENCY CARE FOUNDATION. GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE. RENE PEREZ WITH SOUTH TEXAS EMERGENCY CARE. I JUST A QUICK REPORT ON SOME OF THE THINGS WE'RE WORKING ON, AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE SUMMER. SO AS COMMISSIONER KINSLEY TALKED ABOUT THE HEAT, I THINK THAT'S ONE THING WE NEED TO KEEP IN MIND. ANYBODY WORKING OUTSIDE OR EVEN KIDS BEING OUTSIDE CAN CAN POSE AN EMERGENCY AT ANY POINT IN TIME. AND WE DEFINITELY SEE THOSE CALL VOLUMES INCREASE WITH THOSE TYPE OF EMERGENCIES. QUICK REPORT ON THE COMMUNITY PARAMEDICINE PROGRAM. WE ARE CURRENTLY, YOU KNOW, WE RECEIVED THE GRANT FOR CAR SEATS. OUR TEAM IS CERTIFIED IN CHECKING CAR SEATS. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I FOUND, I FOUND REALLY INTERESTING WAS 1 IN 4, 1 IN 5 VEHICLES THAT HAVE A CAR
[00:35:04]
SEAT PROBABLY HAS EITHER AN EXPIRED CAR SEAT OR A CAR SEAT. THAT'S NOT VALID. AND SO WE PUT OUR KIDS IN THE CAR SEAT. SO IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE CHECK CAR SEATS AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE ONE PUT ON CORRECTLY AND TWO, THAT THEY'RE COMPLIANT. SOMETIMES YOU'LL FIND CAR SEATS FOR SALE ON FACEBOOK OR, OR MAYBE IN FLEA MARKET AND GET PEOPLE THAT ARE BUYING THESE CAR SEATS. AND A LOT OF THEM MAY HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN ACCIDENTS OR ANYTHING, SOMETHING OF THAT NATURE. RIGHT. AND SO ANYTIME A CAR SEAT IS INVOLVED IN ANY TYPE OF ACCIDENT, THAT CAR SEAT IS NO LONGER GOOD. SO YOU HAVE TO REPLACE THAT CAR SEAT. SO WE DO THE INSPECTIONS AND WE WORK CLOSELY WITH HARDEN'S POLICE DEPARTMENT ON THE INSPECTIONS AS WELL. AND WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER TO DO THAT. PARTICULARLY YOU HAVE MORE KIDS OUT ON CARS AND STUFF LIKE THAT. SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR, OUR, OUR, OUR TEAM IS OUT AND ADDRESSING THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY FROM THE STANDPOINT OF THE CAR SEATS WE HAVE COMPLETED AS OF 2024, WE'VE ALREADY DONE 86 CAR SEAT INSPECTIONS, AND WE HAVE TEAMS THAT GO TO THE STATION OR FOLKS THAT GO TO THE STATION, AND WE'LL PROVIDE THE INSPECTIONS, OR WE GO TO THE EVENTS THEMSELVES. AND THEN ALSO THE CHP TEAMS HAVE ALSO HAVE DONATED 77 CAR SEATS TO PEOPLE THAT COULD NOT AFFORD A CAR SEAT OR JUST NEEDED A CAR SEAT FOR THEIR, FOR THEIR, FOR THEIR CHILD. SO PROGRAM WORKS REALLY WELL AND WE TAKE, WE TAKE REALLY GOOD PRIDE IN THE FACT THAT KNOWING THAT WE WANT TO KEEP OUR KIDS IN THE, IN OUR IN A SAFE CAR SEAT, A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR VALLEY AND OUR CRITICAL TRANSPORT TEAM WE HAVE SEEN, UNFORTUNATELY, WE LIVE IN AN AREA THAT HAS A GREAT NUMBER OF HYPERTENSION AND CORONARY ARTERIAL DISEASE, BASICALLY, AND WE'RE SEEING MORE AND MORE PATIENTS THAT ARE REQUIRING HEART TRANSPLANTS OR JUST MAJOR CARDIAC SURGERY. AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE BEEN WORKING CLOSELY WITH DIFFERENT VENDORS IS THE TYPE OF TRAINING THAT WE RECEIVE. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SOME REALLY CRITICAL PATIENTS. TWO DAYS AGO, WE FLEW A PATIENT THAT WAS ON AN IMPELLA DEVICE, SUCH AS THE TRAINING THAT WE'RE RECEIVING HERE. SOME OF OUR, OUR, OUR FLIGHT CREWS ARE ALREADY TRAINED IN IMPELLA DEVICES, BUT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY IS AWARE OF IT. AND SO IN THE TYPE OF[Item 8d - Presentation by Cesar Merla , Director of Public Safety, regarding the LRGVDC LISTO Annual Conference.]
TRAINING THAT WE'RE SEEING HERE, WE'RE SEEING THESE TYPE OF PATIENTS THAT REQUIRE A MACHINE TO KEEP THEM ALIVE SO THEY CAN GET TO HOUSTON OR SAN ANTONIO FOR HEART TRANSPLANT OR JUST MAJOR CARDIOVASCULAR SURGERY. AND SO THE IMPELLA IS ONE OF THE VERY SMALL HEART PUMP. WE USE IT IN THE HOSPITALS TO STABILIZE THE PATIENT AND THEN GET THEM TO WHERE THEY NEED TO GO FOR THAT, FOR THAT NEXT PROCEDURE. THE GENTLEMAN WE TRANSPORTED TWO DAYS AGO ENDED UP GOING TO HOUSTON AND I UNDERSTAND IS DOING REALLY WELL RIGHT NOW, BUT WAS VERY SICK HERE. ONE OF THE ONE OF OUR DIFFICULT AIR FLIGHTS THAT WE THAT WE DO ARE THESE TYPE OF PATIENTS BECAUSE OF THEIR INSTABILITY. AND SO WE MOVE THESE PATIENTS UNFORTUNATELY ON THE FREQUENT SIDE. AND WE ALSO JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR COMMUNITY IS AWARE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF OURSELVES. CORONARY VASCULAR DISEASE IS ONE OF OUR BIG ISSUES HERE IN THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY. AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT WE TAKE CARE OF OURSELVES AND, AND GET THE CARE THAT WE NEED. AND OF COURSE, FOLLOW UP WITH PHYSICIANS AND WHAT HAVE YOU.BUT BUT DEFINITELY, WE'RE SEEING THIS TYPE OF PATIENTS BEING MOVED MORE FREQUENTLY OUT OF THE VALLEY. AND UNFORTUNATELY, WE DON'T HAVE A MAJOR CARDIAC CENTER IN THE AREA. SO WE HAVE TO EITHER GO TO SAINT LUKE'S OR ONE OF THE BIG FACILITIES IN SAN ANTONIO. LIKE I WAS TELLING YOU WITH THE COMMISSIONER, KINSLEY COMMENTS ABOUT THE HEAT. WE ALSO WORK WITH OUR DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS HERE WITH THE KIDS PARTICULARLY. WE HAVE SEEN A COUPLE OF DROWNINGS ALREADY NEAR DROWNINGS, OR THEY CALL NEAR DROWNINGS SOMEBODY THAT ACTUALLY DIDN'T DROWN, BUT IN THE PROCESS OF DROWNING. AND THOSE CAN BE REALLY CRITICAL FOR SOME OF THESE KIDS. SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GO OUT AND CONTINUE TO EDUCATE OUR COMMUNITY ON THE TYPE OF EMERGENCIES THAT WE'RE SEEING. AND DEFINITELY POOL SAFETY IS ONE OF THE BIG ONES, AND WE DEFINITELY SEE AN INCREASE DURING THE SUMMER OF THESE TYPE OF INJURIES. WE ALSO SEE MORE BIKES IN THE STREET, MORE KIDS OUT RIDING BIKES AND WHAT HAVE YOU. SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE KIDS ARE WEARING ONE GONE THROUGH BICYCLE TYPE OF TRAINING. AND ALSO THE BICYCLE HELMETS ARE REALLY IMPORTANT TO KEEP OUR OUR, OUR KIDS SAFE WHEN THEY'RE OUT RIDING THE BIKES, THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB AND ALL THE DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE HAVE IN THE CITY DO A GREAT JOB OF TAKING CARE OF OUR KIDS, AND I THINK THAT WE JUST NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB IN MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE WEARING THE SAFETY EQUIPMENT AND EVERYTHING THAT THEY THAT ARE REQUIRED TO STAY SAFE AND, AND A FUN SUMMER VERSUS BEING SPENT IN THE HOSPITAL. ONE THING I'D LIKE TO REPORT IS ONE OF THE ADVANCES THAT WE'RE DOING AT STECK IS WE'RE DIVING INTO THE WHOLE
[00:40:03]
BLOOD PROGRAM. SO WE WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE TRACK OFFICE AND ACTUALLY WITH THE STATE OF TEXAS ON, ON THE WHOLE BLOOD PROJECT. SO PRE-HOSPITAL BLOOD SAVES LIVES. SO IF YOU THINK ABOUT CPR, CPR SAVES LIVES, BLOOD SAVES LIVES. AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WHOLE BLOOD, IT CAN DECREASE THE MORTALITY BY 60% AND THEN DEFINITELY HAVE BETTER OUTCOMES WITH SOME OF OUR PATIENTS. THE GOAL YOU KNOW WE APPROACH OUR AND YOU GUYS, SOME OF YOU GUYS SAW ME IN AUSTIN AT AT STATE MEETINGS OVER THERE. AND I ATTEND QUARTERLY MEETINGS IN AUSTIN. AND SO MEETING WITH OUR LEGISLATIVE FOLKS OVER THERE AND TALKING ABOUT THE REQUEST FOR FUNDS TO HAVE WHOLE BLOOD THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF TEXAS. INITIALLY, OUR GROUP, THE STATE OF TEXAS WHOLE BLOOD PROJECT, BASICALLY, WE APPROACHED THE LEGISLATIVE FOLKS, ASKED THEM IF WE COULD HAVE SOME FUNDING FOR THIS PROJECT. OUR REQUEST INITIALLY WAS 2.5 MILLION, AND THEY SAID, NO, WE'RE NOT GOING TO GIVE YOU 2.5 MILLION. WE'RE GOING TO GIVE YOU 10 MILLION. AND SO KIND OF ODD, RIGHT? YOU GET MORE THAN WHAT YOU ASK FOR. BUT WE'LL TAKE IT BECAUSE I THINK IT'S AN IMPORTANT PART. I THINK WE DID A GREAT JOB OF THE PRESENTATION OF THE LIVES THAT WE'RE SAVING BY THE USE OF WHOLE BLOOD. SO IT'S A IT'S A PROCESS. IT'S NOT JUST PUTTING THEM ON AN AMBULANCE AND GOING, THERE'S REFRIGERATORS AND FREEZERS AND ALL THIS OTHER STUFF THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE. AND THEN OF COURSE, THE COMPLIANCE WITH THE BLOOD. SO THERE'S PROTOCOLS AND WHAT HAVE YOU THAT WE HAVE TO FOLLOW. SO IT'LL BE A TEDIOUS PROCESS. WE'LL REPORT A LITTLE BIT MORE AS WE GET. NEXT SESSION WE'LL GIVE YOU A REPORT ON HOW THAT THAT PROCESS IS COMING ALONG. NOT EVERY AMBULANCE WILL CARRY WHOLE BLOOD IS JUST ON THE SUPERVISED VEHICLE. AND AS THAT SUPERVISOR RESPONDS TO THE CALL, THEN AT THAT POINT IN TIME, IF WE FEEL THAT A TRAUMA PATIENT OR MAYBE JUST A MEDICAL PATIENT[Item 9 - Public Hearings]
THAT WE FEEL REQUIRES BLOOD, WE CAN START TRANSFUSION OF BLOOD IN THE IN THE SETTING. AND WE FOUND IT TO BE VERY SUCCESSFUL A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO. SOUTH PADRE ISLAND, A GENTLEMAN WITH A CHAINSAW DECIDED TO PARTIALLY AMPUTATE HIS ARM. THE ISLAND JUST STARTED CARRYING WHOLE BLOOD. I THINK IT WAS THE SAME WEEK THAT THAT ACCIDENT HAPPENED AND THEY WERE ABLE TO INFUSE BLOOD. GENTLEMAN RECOVERED VERY WELL. OUR GOAL REALLY FROM THE TRAUMA REGIONAL ADVISORY COUNCIL WAS REALLY TO OUTFIT OUR OUR OUTLYING AREAS FIRST. SO WILLACY COUNTY, STARK COUNTY, SOUTH PADRE SPACE ALSO CARRIES WHOLE BLOOD AS WELL. AND CITY OF BROWNSVILLE. SO AS WE MOVE IN NOW, IT'S OUR TURN TO START MOVING BLOOD INTO THE PRE-HOSPITAL SETTING. SO BUT OTHER THAN THAT, THAT'S WE'RE REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS PROJECT. OUR MEDICAL DIRECTOR IS REALLY ARE BEHIND THE PROJECT. AND I THINK WE FEEL THAT IT'S GOING TO SAVE LIVES, PARTICULARLY HERE IN, IN CITY OF HARLINGEN. AND THAT IS MY REPORT. I KNOW YOU GUYS HAVE OTHER THINGS TO DO. SO ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER. JUST LIKE ALWAYS, YOU'RE DOING A PHENOMENAL JOB. THANK YOU TO ALL THE MEN AND WOMEN OF STEC AND EVERYTHING THAT YOU'RE DOING TO SAVE LIVES IN OUR COMMUNITY AND ALL THE OUTREACH. WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT. AND I KNOW THAT IT'S MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN PREVENTING THOSE ER VISITS TO OUR ER AND THAT'S WHAT THAT'S WHAT MATTERS. SO WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOU. VERY GOOD. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. OKAY. NEXT UP WE HAVE ITEM EIGHT B. PRESENTATION BY DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC SAFETY REGARDING THE LRAD EDC LISTO ANNUAL CONFERENCE. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION. MY NAME IS MALA. I'M ASSISTANT DIRECTOR ACTUALLY. SO THANK YOU FOR THE FOR THE PROMOTION. NOT THERE YET, BUT OUR REPORT BACK SOON. SOON, SOON, SOON. SO JUST SOME BRIEF INSIGHT ON THIS CONFERENCE. AND, MAYOR, YOU WERE AT THAT CONFERENCE LAST YEAR. SO IN MAY OF 2024, OUR DEPARTMENT HELD THE READY RGV CONFERENCE. AND THAT WAS A PREPAREDNESS CONFERENCE FOR THE MOST PART AT THE ISLAND. MAY 9TH AND TEN. THIS YEAR WE MADE SOME CHANGES. IT IS NOW KNOWN AS THE RGV CONFERENCE. IT'S A MORE OF A956 TOUCH AS AS I LIKE TO SAY, AND WE'LL BE TAKING PLACE AT THE SAME LOCATION OF THE MARGARITAVILLE. THE BIGGEST THING, THOUGH, THAT I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT IS, IS TWO POINTS. FIRST POINT IS THIS CONFERENCE NOW IS GEARED TOWARDS A RECOVERY ASPECT, RIGHT? IF WE TAKE ANY LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE MOST RECENT FLOODING THAT TOOK PLACE IN MARCH, THE RESPONDING IS GREAT. THE GETTING THROUGH THE INCIDENT IS GREAT.THE RECOVERY IS WHAT TAKES THE LONGEST TIME. IT IS NOW JUNE, A COUPLE OF MONTHS AFTER MARCH, OBVIOUSLY, AND WE ARE STILL RECOVERING THROUGH THAT. WE SEE THE DISASTER RECOVERY CENTERS OPEN UP. THE INFORMATION RESOURCE CENTERS ARE OPEN HERE IN HARLINGEN AND SO ON AND SO FORTH. AND IT'S AN ENTIRE REGIONAL RECOVERY EFFORT THAT'S TAKING TIME. SO THIS CONFERENCE
[00:45:01]
NOW IS GEARED TOWARDS THE RECOVERY OF THAT INCIDENT, WHETHER IT'S AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS OR TO A VERY LARGE GEOGRAPHICAL AREA, IS NOW A TWO AND A HALF DAYS WITH A PREVIEW DAY ON THAT WEDNESDAY THE 24TH AND A FULL DAY ON THURSDAY, AND A PARTIAL DAY ON FRIDAY. AND MY SECOND POINT HERE IS I MY ASK, I GUESS YOU CAN SAY, IS TO HELP ME MAKE THIS CONFERENCE FREE FOR THE NEXT YEAR. TO HAVE MORE OF AN OUTREACH TO THAT IS TO MAKE THIS CONFERENCE FREE. SO RIGHT NOW, THE CONFERENCE ITSELF IS $100 PER REGISTRATION, AND IT'S IF A CITY WANTS OR A NONPROFIT OR A GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATION WANTS TO HAVE A TABLE, IT'S FREE TO SET UP THERE AND TO NETWORK WITH IT WITH ALL THE INDIVIDUALS. ADDITIONALLY, IF ALL ARE WELCOME, NOT JUST CITY EMPLOYEES, NOT JUST COUNTY EMPLOYEES, BUT ALSO YOUR VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATIONS, THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT YOU KNOW DURING A DISASTER, THEY GET ACTIVATED OR THEY SELF IN THE EMERGENCY RESPONSE REALM SELF-DEPLOY TO HELP. RIGHT? THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT YOU WANT TO, YOU KNOW, KNOW MORE OF OR NEW ORGANIZATIONS THAT COME OUT. AND HEY, WE'RE HERE TO HELP, RIGHT? THERE'S A LOT OF LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS JUST WHERE THEY GO DURING A DISASTER. SO THIS IS WHERE IT'S AT THIS YEAR. IT'S $100. NEXT YEAR I WANT TO MAKE IT FREE. SO THE ONLY WAY I CAN DO THAT IS BY HAVING MORE ATTENDANCE. RIGHT? SO THAT IS MY, MY SHORT SPILL ON THAT. THIS THIS CONFERENCE DOES OFFER TCL CREDIT. AND THAT'S ALL FOR THOSE THAT DO QUALIFY FOR TCL AS WELL AS BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CREDIT AS WELL. SO IF YOU KNOW ANYONE OR YOU YOURSELVES NEED THAT KIND OF CREDIT, YOU CAN BY ALL MEANS SIGN ON AND, YOU KNOW, COME INTO THE CONFERENCE. AND THIS YEAR, OUR MIXER WILL NOT BE TAKING PLACE AT THE MARGARITAVILLE. IT'LL BE TAKING PLACE AT BREAKAWAY CRUISES. SO WE'LL BE A LITTLE BIT OF A DIFFERENCE ON ON THE MIXER SIDE OF THINGS. SO I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO ATTEND BECAUSE IT SHOULD BE GREAT PENDING. ANY QUESTIONS? YES, SIR. WHAT IS LEAST THOUGH. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? READY? JUST IN SPANISH IT JUST MEANS READY, BUT IN SPANISH. HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN HERE, MIKE? I KNEW THE SPANISH WORD. I'M TRYING TO THINK OUT THIS IS. WHAT DOES THIS MEAN IN ENGLISH? YEAH. IT'S JUST. AND THE REASON? JUST FOR AWARENESS, THERE'S ANOTHER ORGANIZATION THAT HAS A VERY SIMILAR NAME. SO I WAS LIKE, OKAY, WE GOT TO FIGURE OUT A DIFFERENT NAME ON THIS ONE. SO WE DID AND THAT'S WHERE IT CAME OUT TO. SO ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? WE ALL DID A GREAT JOB LAST YEAR AND I'M SURE THIS YEAR IS GOING TO BE EVEN BETTER. SO I THINK THAT I'M GLAD THAT YOU'RE HERE AND INVITING MORE PEOPLE BECAUSE IT SEEMED MORE OF THE EMERGENCY. AND, YOU KNOW, FIRE AND THOSE TYPES OF FOLKS THAT WERE THAT WERE OUT THERE. BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT AND IT'S A GREAT LEARNING EXPERIENCE AND LOTS OF USEFUL INFORMATION VENDORS ARE GREAT. AND SO IT'S A IT'S A GREAT IT'S A GOOD TIME. AND IT HELPS THAT IT'S AT MARGARITAVILLE. OF COURSE. YES. THAT'S WHY WE KEEP HAVING IT THERE. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU ALL. MOVING ON TO 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 THE 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. WE HAD NINE SUBMISSIONS FOR PUBLIC HEARINGS PERTAINING TO ITEM NINE A OKAY, I'LL GO AHEAD AND TAKE THIS. AND I DO SEE MR. AND MISS BLANCA BACK THERE. DO YOU WANT TO SPEAK AT THE END OR IN? OKAY.THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT. OKAY. OF THE HEARINGS. THAT IS. ALL RIGHT. WE'LL START WITH ITEM NINE, A PUBLIC HEARING FOR A REZONING REQUEST FROM RESIDENTIAL SINGLE FAMILY DISTRICT TO NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES DISTRICT FOR 1.73 ACRES OF LAND OUT OF BLOCK SIX, SECTION TWO, 97 STEWART PLACE SUBDIVISION, LOCATED ON THE SOUTHEAST CORNER OF STEWART PLACE IN BRENHAM ROADS. THE APPLICANT IS MORE LAND SURVEYING AT THIS TIME WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS ITEM, AND WE WILL CALL UP TO THE MIC FOR. THREE MINUTES. MR. ROBERT MCGEE.
ROBERT MCGEE. MY NAME IS ROBERT MCGEE. I LIVE ON SOUTH STEWART PLACE ROAD. THE AREA THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS NOW DESIGNATED AS RESIDENTIAL, AND EVERYONE IN THAT AREA IS VERY COMFORTABLE
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WITH WITH THAT DESIGNATION. MY CONCERN IS OPENING IT UP FOR REZONING. WILL. LEAD TO OTHER REZONINGS IN THAT AREA, AND WE ARE. LIKE I SAID, VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THAT AND WANT TO KEEP IT AS A RESIDENTIAL ZONING AREA. THERE ARE OTHER ISSUES THAT. ARE KIND OF PERIPHERAL TO THIS AND INCLUDING TRAFFIC. INFRASTRUCTURE AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS. AND I'M GOING TO LET SOME OF MY OTHER NEIGHBORS TALK ABOUT THAT. BUT AGAIN, WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE IS THAT REMAIN AS RESIDENTIAL AND NOT REZONE TO NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH, SIR. AND NOW WE'LL HAVE MR. JACK CHAPMAN. GOOD EVENING, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. I LIVE AT 905 STEWART PLACE ROAD. MY PROPERTY ABUTS THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE PROPOSED SITE. THE WHOLE LENGTH OF IT.I'VE BEEN THERE 25 YEARS. WHEN I REASON I MOVED THERE. IT WAS PRESENTED BY THE CITY AS A RESIDENTIAL AREA, SPECIFICALLY R-1 MOST LIMITED TO OUTSIDE TRAFFIC. PEOPLE, TRUCKS.
COMMERCIALISM WAS THE MAIN THING. I WAS INTERESTED IN NOT BEING NEXT TO, AND I BELIEVE THAT'S THE REST OF THE NEIGHBORS I'M SURE MR. IS GOING TO HAVE SHOW HIS GRADE OVERHEAD VIEW OF ALL THE AREA SHOWING ALL THE FREEWAY AND OTHER BUSINESSES ACROSS THE FREEWAY TO PROMOTE WHAT HE'S TRYING TO DO. AND ALL HE'S REALLY SHOWN IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ARE TREE TOPS AND A FEW VACANT LOTS. AND THIS IS A RESIDENTIAL AREA AS IT EVEN THE DEVELOPMENT THERE ACROSS FROM BRENNAMAN AND MR. PLACE THAT CORNER THERE IS STILL RESIDENTIAL. IT'S BEEN REZONED FOR MULTIFAMILY OR WHATEVER, BUT STILL RESIDENTIAL IN THIS LOT. HE'S TRYING TO INPUT A COMMERCIAL ENTITY THAT IS SURROUNDED BY RESIDENTIAL, AND I HAVE NO MEANS OF SHOWING ON YOUR VIDEO THE HOUSES AND STUFF. I HAVE PHOTOS, I DON'T KNOW IF THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION SHARED THOSE FROM OUR MEETING THERE, BUT I'D LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT THE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION HAS DENIED MR. ZARATE TWICE NOW, ALL THE RESIDENTS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD HAVE REQUESTED HIS REZONING BE DENIED AS THEY WISH. THE NEIGHBORHOOD, AND WE DON'T WANT TO SEE IT ADULTERATED WITH ANY TYPE OF COMMERCIAL BUSINESSES. I WOULDN'T MOVE NEXT TO A COMMERCIAL ENTITY, AND I DON'T EXPECT THEM TO MOVE IN NEXT TO MY RESIDENTIAL HOME, AND I CAN REITERATE ALL THE POINTS. I THINK YOU HAVE IT IN YOUR OWN MINUTES FROM THE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION THAT THERE'S NOTHING ABOUT CHANGING, CHANGING THE ZONING THAT IS BENEFICIAL, THAT WE CAN SEE. THERE'S PLENTY OF PLACES UP STEWART PLACE ROAD THAT HAVE VACANCIES ALL ALONG. ALL THOSE STRIP BUSINESS OFFICES, THERE ARE NUMEROUS VACANCIES, EVEN AT THE WHERE ALL THE BANK IS AND THE NEW RESTAURANTS COMING IN AND ALL THAT BEING, WELL, THERE'S A LOT OF VACANCIES THERE. SO I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THEY WOULD WANT TO DISRUPT A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD, TO INJECT MORE COMMERCIALISM WHERE IT'S REALLY NOT WANTED. IT'S NOT NEEDED. AND I WILL YIELD TO THE NEXT PERSON THAT WISHES TO SPEAK. BUT I SAY IT'S A HARD NO.
THANK YOU, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. THANK YOU, MR. CHAPMAN. I HAVE MR. JOHN BUERKLE. SORRY IF I'M JOHN. PUPIL. PUPIL. MR. PUPIL. ANYONE OUTSIDE? NO. OKAY. WE'LL CALL HIM BACK AT THE END. DAVID.
WEAVER. MR. WEAVER. DOCTOR WEAVER AND MR. YOUNG, WHO WERE BOTH UNABLE TO ATTEND DUE TO HEALTH REASONS. THANK YOU MA'AM. SO JUST FOR THE RECORD, THEY ARE NOT IN ATTENDANCE FOR HEALTH ISSUES. OKAY. I GO OVER TO DUSTIN MOORE. OKAY. THANK YOU. CHAIR. DUSTIN MOORE 1030
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FERGUSON. WE'RE THE DESIGN ENGINEER FOR THIS PROJECT AND THE ONE ON THE NORTH SIDE OF IT.AND SO WE YOU KNOW, WE IT HAS BEEN PRESENTED TO PNC TWICE. THE FIRST TIME IT WAS DENIED AND MR. YOU KNOW WILLINGLY PULLED IT INSTEAD OF TRYING TO MOVE IT FORWARD TO KIND OF REVAMP WHAT HIS PROPOSAL WAS FOR THE SITE TO KIND OF ADDRESS SOME OF THE CONCERNS THAT HE HAD HEARD AT THAT MEETING. AND, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHY IT WAS RESUBMITTED AFTER THAT SORT OF REVAMPING AND NARROWING THE SCOPE OF WHAT HE WAS LOOKING TO PUT ON THAT SITE. HE HE HAS DONE THAT HAS BEEN RESUBMITTED. AND, YOU KNOW, IT IT IS A MAJOR CORRIDOR NOW. IT'S I THINK IT'S A FOUR LANE ROAD THERE ON STEWART PLACE DOWN TO BUSINESS 83. AND, YOU KNOW, WE FEEL THE AREA IS APPROPRIATE AND HAS THE INFRASTRUCTURE. BUT YOU KNOW WE'LL STAND BY AND MAKE ANY CHANGES THAT ARE RECOMMENDED.
THANK YOU ALL. THANK YOU. MR. MOORE. I HAVE AN ALAN CROCKETT, MR. CROCKETT. THANKS FOR HAVING ME. OF COURSE I'M ON THE OPPOSING SIDE, BUT I HAVE A FEW REASONS. WE'VE HAD SINCE 2008.
FOUR DIFFERENT 15 INCH PLUS RAIN. AND WHEN THEY EXPANDED STEWART PLACE TO ITS CURRENT FOUR LANE, WHICH GOES DOWN TO BUSINESS 83, AND THEN THAT'S WHERE IT TERMINATES, BECAUSE STEWART PLACE ALL THE WAY TO GARRETT RUNS INTO A HOME. SO I DON'T SEE THAT EXPANDING ANYTIME SOON. SO ANYWAY, THIS LAST RAIN WE HAD, IT KIND OF SHOWCASED THE DRAINAGE ISSUES WHEN THEY BUILT STEWART PLACE TO WHAT IT IS TODAY, BRENNAMAN, WHICH CROSSES RIGHT THERE AT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IN THIS PROPOSED PROPERTY OF MR. ZARATE'S. THEY DISCONNECTED THE DRAINAGE THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN CONNECTED TO THE STORM SYSTEM THAT GOES TO THE DRAIN DITCH TO THE NORTH, UP BY THE CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP, AND THAT'S NOT ADDRESSED. AND ALSO, BRENNAMAN IS A VERY NARROW ROAD.
WE'RE HAVING THAT NEW 144 UNIT SUBDIVISION RIGHT THERE, AND IT'S GOING TO CAUSE A LOT OF CONGESTION. THE FOUR LANE IS VERY NICE, BUT THERE'S NO TURN LANE AND THERE'S NO SHOULDERS ON STEWART PLACE. AND JUST A LITTLE HISTORY. IF YOU LOOK AT HARLINGEN FROM LEWIS LANE ALL THE WAY OUT TO BASE BOULEVARD, MOSTLY EVERYTHING BETWEEN THE EXPRESSWAY AND BUSINESS 83 IS RESIDENTIAL, EXCEPT THERE'S A CANAL THAT RUNS EAST WEST. THAT'S SOUTH OF THE CHEVY DEALER, AND EVERYTHING NORTH OF THAT IS COMMERCIAL, OF COURSE. AND THEN YOU'VE GOT BUSINESS 83 WITH LOTS OF COMMERCIAL BUSINESSES. BUT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF VACANT COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES ALL OVER THE CITY, AND CERTAINLY OUT ALONG OLD 83 ON OUR SIDE OF TOWN. AND WITH ALL DUE RESPECT TO MR. ZARATE AND MR. GALVAN AND MR. MOORE, I JUST QUESTIONING WHETHER WE WANT TO COMMERCIAL ENTITY RIGHT THERE ON THAT CORNER, GIVEN THAT THE CONSTRAINTS OF THE STREET AND SECOND. IT IS A DYNAMIC PART OF TOWN AND THERE'S LOTS OF OPPORTUNITY. AND I APPRECIATE MR. ZARATE SPENDING HIS HARD EARNED MONEY AND IMPROVING OUR CITY. IT'S JUST THAT IN OH 7 OR 8, I TRIED TO DEVELOP A PIECE OF PROPERTY ON BAKER POTS BETWEEN EXPRESSWAY AND THE HIGHWAY, AND I WAS DENIED BY THE ZONING BECAUSE THEY SAID IT WAS IN Y'ALL'S PLAN FOR THE CITY'S PLAN TO BE RESIDENTIAL AREA. AND HE EXPLAINED TO ME AT THE TIME, I FORGOT THE MAN'S NAME, THAT IT WAS RESIDENTIAL ALL THE WAY UP TO LEWIS LANE AND CERTAINLY TO DILWORTH. AND I JUST WOULD LIKE YOU ALL TO RECONSIDER THE ZONING AND PLANNING. SHOT THIS DOWN TWICE, AND I THINK IT WOULD BE BETTER SERVED, AT LEAST IN THE NEAR TERM, TO REALLY LOOK AT THE ISSUES SURROUNDING THIS AREA AND SEE IF IT'S THE WISE MOVE, BECAUSE THERE'S PLENTY OF COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES AROUND THIS CITY THAT COULD USE SOME INVESTMENT AND TURN IT AROUND AND, AND MAKE THEM VIABLE INSTEAD OF WHAT WE'RE SEEING TODAY ALL OVER OUR CITY AND ESPECIALLY OUT ON OUR WEST SIDE. THE MINISTER UP, MR. CROCKETT, THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE APPRECIATE YOU COMING. I THINK THAT'S THAT'S IT. RIGHT. OKAY. AND MR. ZARATE. OR MISS BLANCA. GOOD EVENING, COMMISSIONER. CITY OFFICIALS AND NEIGHBORS. MY NAME IS BLANCA SARITA, AND I AM THE OWNER OF PROPERTY AT THE CORNER OF STUART ROAD AND BRENHAM. SORRY, I'M SUPER NERVOUS.
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DIRECTLY ACROSS FROM THE FIRE STATION NUMBER TWO. AND LESS THAN A QUARTER MILE FROM THE EXPRESSWAY. I'M HERE TODAY TO RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND RECONSIDERING OUR REZONING REQUEST, AS OUTLINED IN OUR WRITTEN APPEAL. AND I WANT TO MAKE THIS VERY CLEAR. THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR MULTIFAMILY CONSTRUCTION PROJECT. OUR REQUEST IS STRICTLY TO REZONE THE CORNER LOT TO NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES, WHICH WOULD ALLOW FOR LOW IMPACT COMMERCIAL USE SIMILAR TO OUR CURRENT PROPERTY, STEWARD SUITES, LOCATED ON STUART PLACE ROAD IN HARLINGEN.AT HOME AND DESIGNS. WE ARE BUILDERS AND DEVELOPERS. WE KNOW FROM EXPERIENCE THAT LOCATIONS LIKE THIS DIRECTLY NEXT TO A FIRE STATION AND ALONG A MAJOR CORRIDOR, ARE NOT IDEAL FOR SINGLE FAMILY HOMES. THE TRAFFIC, NOISE AND VISIBILITY MAKE IT A POOR FIT FOR RESIDENTIAL USE. HOWEVER, IT'S A STRATEGIC LOCATION FOR PROFESSIONALS, PROFESSIONAL OFFICES, AND SMALL COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS THAT SERVE THE COMMUNITY WITHOUT ADDING HEAVY TRAFFIC OR CONGESTION. WE UNDERSTAND THE CONCERNS OF NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTS, AND WE RECOGNIZE THAT YEARS AGO, THIS AREA MAY BEEN IN HIGHER DEMAND FOR RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT WHEN TRAFFIC VOLUMES WERE LOWER. BUT AS HARLINGEN CONTINUES TO GROW, SO DO ITS QUARTERS. AND WITH THAT GROWTH, WE MUST ALSO RECONSIDER THE BEST AND MOST APPROPRIATE USES FOR KEY INTERSECTION INTERSECTIONS LIKE THIS ONE. WE'RE NOT TRYING TO DISRUPT THE NEIGHBORHOOD. IN FACT, OUR GOAL IS TO IS THE OPPOSITE TO BRING VALUE, WE WANT TO MOVE OUR BUSINESS OFFICES AND OUR PROFESSIONAL TENANTS TO THIS LOCATION AND BUILD SOMETHING SIMILAR TO STUART SUITES AND ATTRACTIVE, WELL MAINTAINED OFFICE SPACE THAT SUPPORTS THE AREA'S MOMENTUM WITHOUT OVERWHELMING IT. OTHER NEARBY DEVELOPMENTS OFFER BETTER OPPORTUNITIES FOR FUTURE RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS, WHERE PRIVACY, SAFETY AND QUIETER ENVIRONMENTS CAN TRULY ENHANCE HOME VALUE. THIS CORNER LOT, IN CONTRAST, IS BETTER SUITED TO SERVE THE CITY THROUGH LIGHT COMMERCIAL USE. WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME, YOUR SERVICE TO OUR CITY, AND YOUR THOUGHTFUL CONSIDERATION OF OUR REQUEST. THANK YOU SIR, I HAVE A QUESTION. I KNOW BECAUSE THE STEWARD SUITES IS DOWN THE STREET FROM MY HOUSE, AND SO I'M FAMILIAR WITH THE DESIGN. IS THAT WHAT IS INTENDED IN THAT SPACE? A SIMILAR BIGGER, BIGGER? SO HOW MANY HOW MANY OFFICE SPACES WOULD YOU HAVE? WE HAVEN'T CAME WITH A PLAN YET. OF HOW MANY OFFICE SPACES, BUT EVERYTHING IS REAL ESTATE. AND IF YOU SEE OUR TRAFFIC, YOU COULD PASS BY THERE THREE, THREE, FOUR TIMES A DAY ANYTIME. AND THE, THE PARKING, IT'S LIKE FOR CARS ONLY, YOU KNOW, IT'S TECHNOLOGY NOW. EVERYBODY WORKS FROM EVERYWHERE. WE DON'T HAVE PEOPLE KNOCKING AT OUR OFFICE SAYING, OH, WE WANT TO BUILD A HOUSE. YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING COMES THROUGH PHONE CALLS. YES, WE DO HAVE MEETINGS THERE. THE REALTORS DO AS WELL, BUT NOBODY GOES IN AND OUT WITH, WITH WITH SO MUCH TRAFFIC, YOU KNOW, THAT IT'S GOING TO INTERRUPT THEIR PEACE. I UNDERSTAND THIS IS THEIR HOME, THEIR PEACE. YOU KNOW, WE PURCHASE HOMES TO HAVE PEACE AT OUR OWN HOME, IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. BUT THIS IS NOT A BAR. IT'S NOT A CLUB. YOU KNOW, THE HOURS ARE GOING TO BE FROM 8 TO 5, MAYBE 8 TO 6. YOU KNOW, THAT'S IT. AND IT'S NOT GOING TO I DON'T THINK THAT WE'RE BRINGING A LOT OF TRAFFIC IN BECAUSE WE'RE ALREADY SEEING IT. THE STEWARD SUITES, EXCEPT THAT DAY OF THE RIBBON CUTTING THAT IT WAS YOU KNOW, THERE WAS BUT I MEAN, THAT WAS JUST THE ONLY DAY THAT WE'VE HAD THAT MUCH TRAFFIC IN OUR SUITES. AND WILL THEY BE DID I UNDERSTAND CORRECTLY THAT THE PEOPLE THAT ARE IN THE STEWARD SUITES WOULD MOVE TO THAT LOCATION? YES, MA'AM. OKAY.
AND SO I THINK POTENTIALLY THE COMMUNITY OR THE SURROUNDING HOME OWNERS MIGHT HAVE A CONCERN BECAUSE THE NEIGHBORHOOD, YOU KNOW, REZONING IT TO NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES COULD OPEN IT UP TO POTENTIALLY OTHER TYPE OF BUSINESSES, FOR EXAMPLE, A DRY CLEANERS. I MEAN, THERE'S VERY SPECIFIC TYPE OF BUSINESSES. YOU CAN'T HAVE AN H-E-B, BUT YOU CAN HAVE SMALL BUSINESSES LIKE A NAIL SALON OR THINGS THAT THAT THAT WOULD PROVIDE OPPORTUNITY FOR A NEIGHBORHOOD. RIGHT? THAT'S THE PURPOSE OF THE ZONING. SO THAT IS NOT YOUR. NO, THAT'S NOT MY
[01:05:01]
INTENTION AT ALL. AND IT'S NOT FOR OUR BENEFIT EITHER, BECAUSE OUR SONS ARE ATTENDING STEWART ELEMENTARY. WE'RE BUILDING OUR DREAM HOME ON GARRETT. I DON'T WANT TO BE I UNDERSTAND THE TRAFFIC. YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANT TO BE STUCK IN TRAFFIC TO TRY TO GET TO MY HOUSE OR TO MY SON'S SCHOOL. SO THERE WOULD BE PROFESSIONAL OFFICE SPACE ONLY SIMILAR TO WHAT YOU HAVE. YES, MA'AM. AND YOU CONSTRUCTION AND I KNOW LAST NOT THE LAST TIME. THE FIRST TIME WHEN I CAME WITH MY HUSBAND, THERE WERE CONCERNS ABOUT THE LEASING. THERE WAS A LOT OF LEASING OFFICES, YOU KNOW, RIGHT DOWN THE ROAD FROM OUR OURS ON THE NORTH SIDE OF STUART. AND THERE IS BUT AND WITH THIS FLOOD, YOU KNOW. A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE REACHED OUT TO US AND THEY'RE LIKE, WE NEED TO GET OUT OF THIS OFFICE. LIKE IT ALWAYS FLOODS HERE. AND THEY WERE CALLING TO SEE IF WE HAD SPACE. AND THESE ARE ALL PROFESSIONAL PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT GOING TO BRING CHAOS TO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD OR ANYTHING. IT'S JUST INSURANCE. MAYBE YOU NEVER KNOW. MAYBE THEIR GRANDCHILDREN'S ARE GOING TO BE BROKERS ONE DAY AND THEY'RE GOING TO LEASE FROM US, YOU KNOW, BUT I, I WANTED IN THAT AREA FOR THAT, MAINLY FOR US FOR TO DO A BIGGER STORAGE SUITES AND FOR OUR BENEFIT FOR OUR CHILD, THE SCHOOLS THERE, WE'RE GOING TO LIVE RIGHT DOWN THE ROAD. SO OKAY. THAT'S WHAT IT'S MAINLY FOR. IT'S NOT MULTIFAMILY. THOSE ARE MY QUESTIONS. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MISS. NO OKAY. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. WERE YOU WERE YOU GOING TO SPEAK, MR. GALVAN? YES. COME ON UP. OH, YOU ARE HERE. OKAY. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSIONERS. I'LL KIND OF TRY TO STAY BRIEF. MY NAME IS GILBERT GALVAN. I'M A REAL ESTATE AGENT. I'M A DEVELOPER. I'M A BUILDER. I SERVE AS A DIRECTOR ON CAMERON COUNTY DRAINAGE DISTRICT NUMBER SIX. AND I'M HERE JUST TO SHED LIGHT, OBVIOUSLY, ON THIS PROJECT. BUT AS BEING FROM HARLINGEN, BORN IN HARLINGEN, JUST LIKE PROBABLY MOST OF THESE PEOPLE ARE ATTENDED STEWART PLAY SCHOOL A LONG TIME AGO. SO I GET IT. EVERYBODY'S POINT IS VALID.I DON'T THINK ANYBODY CAN ARGUE THE POINT. HERE'S THE PROBLEM, ESPECIALLY LOOKING AT IT FROM MY POINT OF VIEW. NOBODY'S ASKING ANYBODY TO GIVE UP THEIR PROPERTY, RIGHT? BUT AS THE CITY GROWS, IF WE WERE TO USE THIS SAME MINDSET ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE EXPRESSWAY ON SURPLUS ROAD TO WILSON, THEN IT WOULD ALL STILL BE FARMLAND AND HOMES. I ACTUALLY LOOKED AT AT THE GOOGLE IMAGE OF 1985. IT'S WHAT IT IS. THERE WAS A I THINK MAYBE, MAYBE A COUPLE OF GAS STATIONS WERE THERE. NOTHING ELSE WAS THERE. SO IF WE OR WHOEVER WAS HERE, THEN I'M SURE
[Item 10a - Consideration of possible action to approve an ordinance on first reading authorizing the issuance and delivery of the City of Harlingen, Texas Waterworks and Sewer System Revenue Bonds, Series 2025 (LS L); authorizing the execution of a paying agent/registrar agreement and an escrow agreement relating to such bonds; and pledging the revenues of the city's waterworks and sewer system to the payment of the principal and interest on said bonds; and ordaining other matters relating thereto]
THOSE PEOPLE DIDN'T LIKE IT. NOBODY LIKES CHANGE, INCLUDING MY MYSELF AND I DO CHANGE. IT DOESN'T MATTER. IT'S ALWAYS A RESISTANCE. YOU DON'T WANT IT. BUT THEN IF YOU SAY, OKAY, I WANT THIS TO STAY RESIDENTIAL TILL THE DAY I DIE, WELL, THAT'S A LONG TIME. NOBODY KNOWS THAT, RIGHT? AND NOBODY WANTS TO MAKE THINGS WORSE. WE WANT TO MAKE THINGS BETTER. AND WHEN PEOPLE AGAIN, I'M TRYING TO BE VERY OBJECTIVE. STAY IN THE MIDDLE. ALSO WENT BACK TO 1965. THE EXPRESSWAY WASN'T THERE. THERE WAS HOUSES THERE. WHETHER WHETHER EXPRESSWAY IS NOW THERE WAS HOUSES. GUESS WHAT? SOME PEOPLE HAD TO LOSE. THEY PAID THEM FOR THEM. YOU KNOW, THAT'S EMINENT DOMAIN. YOU'VE WE HAVE TO MOVE FORWARD. WE CANNOT STAND STILL. I GET IT, I, I'M JUST TRYING TO SHED LIGHT ON BOTH SIDES THAT WE HAVE TO GROW. STIR PLACE ROAD IS A MAJOR ROAD. AND FROM THE EXPRESSWAY TO BUSINESS SOONER THAN LATER. WHETHER I LIKE IT OR ANYBODY ELSE HERE, IT'S GOING TO CHANGE. WHY THE. THE NEXT MAJOR ROAD IS BOULEVARD. SO SURPLUS ROAD IS WHERE WE HAVE MORE INFRASTRUCTURE. WE HAVE GOOD DRAINAGE, EVEN THOUGH MAYBE THE WEST SIDE OF SURPLUS, IT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. POSSIBLY, BUT THERE'S A BIG DRAIN DITCH ON THE EAST SIDE. SO ALL I'M ASKING IS I, I GET VERY FRUSTRATED WHEN I, WHEN I SEE SOMETHING LIKE THE CITY COMMISSION OR PLANNING AND ZONING TURNING A PROJECT AWAY BECAUSE. BECAUSE GILBERT SAID[01:10:04]
SO. WELL, GILBERT'S ONE PERSON AND GILBERT DOESN'T LIKE IT BECAUSE IT'S NOT WHAT I WANT.WHAT ABOUT EVERYBODY ELSE? AND SO I JUST THINK, AGAIN, NOBODY LIKES IT. BUT AS FAR AS SAYING, LET'S NOT DO THIS BECAUSE WE WANT IT TO REMAIN RESIDENTIAL, THAT'S A DIFFICULT PILL TO SWALLOW. THAT'S NOT A SUBDIVISION. AND EVEN IF IT WAS, AGAIN, I'M NOT WHAT THEY'RE SAYING. THEY'RE CORRECT. AS FAR AS THEY DON'T. THEY CAN SPEAK AND THEY DON'T LIKE IT. BUT YET THE POINT IS, HOW DO YOU TELL ANOTHER LANDOWNER THAT HAS A PROPERTY ON A CORNER THAT WANTS TO BUILD AN OFFICE SPACE? IT'S PROBABLY 8 TO 5, 8 TO 7. WHAT'S WRONG WITH THAT? YOUR TWO
[Item 10b - Consideration and possible action to approve an ordinance on first reading for a rezoning request from Residential Single Family (R-1) District to Neighborhood Services (NS) District for 1. 73 acres of land out of Block 6, Section 297, Stuart Place Resubdivision , located on the Southeast corner of Stuart Place and Brennaman Roads. Applicant: Moore Land Surveying, LLC c/o Zarate Home Designs, LLC .]
MINUTES ARE UP. MR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. GALVAN. AND DOES EDC HAVE A POSITION THEY WANT TO SHARE ON THIS OR. NO. WE HAVEN'T REALLY TAKEN ONE. OKAY, OKAY. AT THIS TIME, WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS ITEM. WE PHOTOS OF THE AREA. EXCUSE ABOUT THE MR. YOU YOU DEFERRED TO MRS. ZARATE, IS THAT CORRECT OR DID YOU WANT TO SPEAK? NO, NO, NO. WE'RE OKAY. THANK YOU. YES.SORRY. YOU WERE JUST CHECKING THE NOTES ON EVERYONE. AND MR. GALVAN, YOU WERE HERE, I GUESS I IT WAS STUCK. THE PAGE WAS STUCK. OKAY. MY APOLOGIES, SIR. I COULD NOT HEAR WHAT YOU SAID.
I WISH TO REBUT AND ALSO PRESENT THE PHOTOS OF THE HOMES IN THE EXACT AREA THAT HE'S PLANNING TO BUILD. A VERY NICE HOMES. I'D LIKE YOU TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ACTUALLY SEE WHAT'S THERE.
OKAY. YOU DIDN'T SHOW VERY WELL. SO I. STARTS WITH THE FOUR HOUSES. FOR YESTERDAY. YOU CAN GIVE THEM TO THE OFFICER AND GIVE THEM UP TO US. AND IT SHOWS HOUSES ALONG WITH. THE PROPERTY.
OKAY. SO I DON'T MEAN TO CUT YOU OFF, BUT NO ONE'S GOING TO BE ABLE TO HEAR YOU BECAUSE OF WHERE YOU'RE WHERE YOU'RE SITUATED. BUT THAT'S FINE. YOU MAY JUST GO AHEAD AND KEEP YOUR SEAT, AND I'LL ASK MR. DELUCIA TO GRAB THE PICTURES. WE'LL TAKE THOSE FROM YOU SO THEY CAN BE CONSIDERED. BUT WE DO HAVE THE PACKET FROM PLANNING AND ZONING AND ALL OF THE NOTES FROM EVERYBODY'S CONVERSATION, PHOTOS AND OTHERS THAT ARE NOT HERE TODAY. ALSO, WE'RE TAKING THOSE INTO CONSIDERATION AS WELL, SINCE WE HAVE THOSE NOTES VERY DETAILED FROM THE PNC MEETING.
AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, I INVITE EVERYBODY TO STAY. THIS IS THE PUBLIC HEARING PORTION.
ONCE WE CONCLUDE THE PUBLIC HEARINGS, THEN WE'LL MOVE OVER TO THE ACTION ITEM, WHICH ARE THE ORDINANCES, AND THEN THERE WILL BE A PRESENTATION FROM THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT, AND THEN THEY'LL BE ITEMS THAT CAN BE THAT CAN BE VISUALLY SEEN AS THEY WERE IN THE PLANNING AND ZONING. SO THIS IS JUST THE PUBLIC HEARING STAGE. BUT I INVITE YOU ALL TO STAY TO SEE THE, THE ITEM BEING PRESENTED BY THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT AS WELL. SO AT THIS TIME, WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING. HAVING NO ONE ELSE TO SPEAK FOR OR AGAINST THE ITEM AND MOVE ON TO ITEM NINE. B PUBLIC HEARING FOR A SPECIAL USE PERMIT REQUEST TO ALLOW AN ASSISTED LIVING FACILITY IN A RESIDENTIAL SINGLE FAMILY DISTRICT LOCATED AT 1901 EAST MESQUITE DRIVE. BURYING A LEGAL DESCRIPTION OF LOT 20, BLOCK TWO, IN PARKWOOD SUBDIVISION. AT THIS TIME, WE'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS ITEM. HAVING NO ONE HERE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK FOR OR AGAINST THE ITEM, WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AT THIS TIME. ITEM NINE C PUBLIC HEARING FOR REZONING REQUEST FROM NOT DESIGNATED DISTRICT TO GENERAL RETAIL DISTRICT FOR 4.5 ACRES OF LAND OUT OF LOTS ONE THROUGH NINE. BLOCK FOUR MIDWAY SUBDIVISION LOCATED AT THE SOUTHEAST CORNER OF GRACE AND GAIL AVENUES. AT THIS TIME, WE'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS ITEM. HAVING NO ONE HERE TO SPEAK FOR OR AGAINST OR SIGNED UP, WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AT THIS TIME, AND NOW WE WILL MOVE ON. MISS MELINDA, TO ACTION ITEMS, PLEASE. 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 TEN A CONSIDERATION OF POSSIBLE ACTION TO APPROVE AN ORDINANCE ON FIRST READING AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE AND DELIVERY OF THE CITY OF HARLINGEN, TEXAS WATERWORKS AND SEWER SYSTEM REVENUE BONDS SERIES 2025 AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF A PAYING AGENT REGISTRAR AGREEMENT, AND AN ESCROW AGREEMENT RELATING TO SUCH BONDS, AND PLEDGING THE REVENUES OF THE CITY'S WATERWORKS AND SEWER SYSTEM TO THE PAYMENT OF THE PRINCIPAL AND INTEREST ON SAID BONDS, AND ORDAINING OTHER MATTERS RELATED THERETO. HARLINGEN WATERWORKS ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE AND DELIVERY OF THE
[01:15:02]
CITY OF HARLINGEN, TEXAS WATERWORKS AND SEWER SYSTEM REVENUE BONDS TAXABLE SERIES 2025 AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF A PAYMENT AGENT, REGISTRAR AGREEMENT, AND AN ESCROW AGREEMENT RELATING TO SUCH BONDS, AND PLEDGING THE REVENUES OF THE CITY'S WATERWORKS AND SEWER SYSTEM TO THE PAYMENT OF THE PRINCIPAL AND INTEREST ON SAID BONDS, AND ORDAINING OTHER MATTERS RELATED THERETO. IS THERE A DISCUSSION NEEDED OR IS THERE A MOTION? YEAH. QUESTION.OKAY. IN THEORY, WHAT INTEREST RATE ARE WE LOOKING AT AND FOR HOW LONG OF A MATURITY. AND THE FEDERAL RESERVE DID NOT LOWER INTEREST RATES TODAY. AND I'M BETTING MY MONEY THAT THEY DON'T FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR. PROBABLY GOOD MONEY. MAYOR. MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION. I'M ROY RODRIGUEZ. I'M THE INTERIM GENERAL MANAGER FOR THE HARLINGEN WATERWORKS. AND THE INTEREST RATE ON THIS BOND IS 0%. EXPLAIN TO EVERYBODY HOW IS IT 0%? WE'RE REALLY, REALLY GOOD AT IT. IT'S A PROGRAM THAT THE STATE OF TEXAS, THROUGH THE WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARD HAS PUT TOGETHER. IT'S AN IMPORTANT TOPIC. IT'S A REPLACEMENT OF LEAD PIPES THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF TEXAS, IN OUR CASE, THE CITY OF HARLINGEN. AND SO NOT ONLY ARE WE GETTING A 0% LOAN, BUT WE'RE ALSO GETTING HALF OF $1.5 MILLION AS A GRANT. SO IT'S REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT FOR THE STATE 0% INTEREST RATE. CORRECT. IT'S A GREAT INTEREST RATE I LOVE IT. ARE YOU OKAY WITH THAT? I'M FINE. ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSION? ALL RIGHT. I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION. MOTION. SECOND, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. OPPOSED? THANK YOU.
MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU, MR. RODRIGUEZ. ITEM TEN B CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO APPROVE AN ORDINANCE ON FIRST READING FOR A REZONING REQUEST FROM RESIDENTIAL SINGLE FAMILY DISTRICT TO NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES DISTRICT FOR 1.73 ACRES OF LAND OUT OF BLOCK SIX, SECTION TWO, 97 STEWART PLACE, RESUBDIVISION. LOCATED ON THE SOUTHEAST CORNER OF STEWART PLACE AND BRENNAMAN ROAD. APPLICANT. MORE LAND SURVEYING, PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF HARLINGEN. REZONING FROM RESIDENTIAL SINGLE FAMILY R-1 DISTRICT TO NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES DISTRICT FOR 1.73 ACRES AT A BLOCK SIX, SECTION TWO, 97 STEWART PLACE, RESUBDIVISION, LOCATED ON THE SOUTHEAST CORNER OF BRENNAMAN AND STEWART PLACE ROADS. YOU HAVE A QUESTION? YES, SIR. I HAVE GOOGLE MAPS HERE.
THAT'S EITHER A REALLY THIN SLICE OF PROPERTY OR GOOGLE MAPS. I CAN'T SEE IT, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE HOUSES WITH A CIRCULAR DRIVEWAY. SO HERE'S AN AERIAL VIEW. THE SUBJECT PROPERTY IS HIGHLIGHTED IN RED. IT IS 1.73 ACRES, SO CURRENTLY THE PROPERTY IS BEING SUBDIVIDED INTO SEVEN LOTS. THEY'RE PROPOSING THIS LOT BE REZONED FROM RESIDENTIAL TO NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES. OKAY, SO THE HOUSE I'M SEEING ON GOOGLE MAPS HERE. SO THAT ISN'T ON THIS HOUSE ISN'T ON THIS MAP YOU'RE SHOWING THE HOUSE WAS DEMOLISHED. ARE THERE USED TO BE A HOME THERE? YES, BUT IT WAS DEMOLISHED WITHIN THE YEAR LAST YEAR. GO AHEAD. OKAY. SO THE REQUEST IS TO REZONE FROM SINGLE FAMILY TO NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES TO ALLOW FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A COMMERCIAL OFFICE. AS MENTIONED, THIS IS A SUBJECT PROPERTY. HERE IS THE FIRE STATION NUMBER TWO ACROSS THE STREET. A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY ON THAT FIRE STATION. IT HAS A SPECIAL USE PERMIT. SO WHEN THE FIRE ENGINES COME OUT OF THAT STATION, THEY HAVE TO COME OUT WITH THEIR SIRENS OFF.
THEY CANNOT TURN ON THEIR SIRENS UNTIL THEY HIT THE EXPRESSWAY. THE PROPERTY UP HERE IS WAS REZONED TO RESIDENTIAL MULTIFAMILY IN 2022. IT IS CURRENTLY BEING DEVELOPED INTO 72 DUPLEX LOTS AND THEN EVERYTHING ELSE AROUND IS SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL. BRENNAMAN ROAD IS A 20 FOOT WIDE PAVED ROAD, SO IT IS FAIRLY NARROW. HERE IS A VIEW OF THE PROPERTY FROM BRENNAMAN ROAD. AND A VIEW FROM STEWART PLACE ROAD. SO THE FUTURE LAND USE PLAN COMPONENT OF THE ONE VISION, ONE HARLINGEN COMPREHENSIVE PLAN SHOWS THE AREA IS LOW DENSITY RESIDENTIAL.
WHILE THE REZONING REQUEST DOES NOT ALIGN WITH THE FUTURE LAND USE PLAN, STAFF DOES BELIEVE THAT STEWART PLACE IS IN A PERIOD OF TRANSITION. AS MENTIONED, TO THE NORTH OF STEWART PLACE IS COMMERCIAL, RIGHT ALONG THE EXPRESSWAY'S COMMERCIAL, AND THEN TO THE SOUTH ON OLD 83 IS ALSO COMMERCIAL. IN THIS DEVELOPED PLAN DEVELOPMENT, WILL THERE BE ENTRANCES AND EXITS ON BRENNAMAN ROAD OR STEWART PLACE ROAD ONLY? SO AT THIS POINT IN TIME WE
[01:20:05]
DON'T FULLY KNOW WHAT THEY ARE PROPOSING IN TERMS OF ENTRANCES AND EXITS. THE REZONING REQUEST IS JUST TO REZONE THE PROPERTY. IT DOESN'T COME ATTACHED WITH A SITE PLAN OR ANY KIND OF FORMAL SUBMITTAL. AS FAR AS CONSTRUCTION PLANS GO. YOU KNOW, STEWART PLACE ROAD, FOUR LANES WIDE, CAN HANDLE COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT, BUT A 20 FOOT WIDE ROAD, CORRECT. SO THEY WILL BE REQUIRED THROUGH THE SUBDIVISION PORTION OF THIS PROPERTY TO DO AN ADDITIONAL TEN FEET OF PAVEMENT ALONG THEIR PORTION OF THE SEVEN LOTS. NOW, THAT WILL PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT OF RELIEF FOR BRENNAMAN ROAD, BUT YES, IT IS FAIRLY NARROW. THE STANDARD IS 24FT FOR TWO CARS TO PASS COMFORTABLY. HOW MANY? HOW MANY? GIVEN THIS THE SPACE OR WHAT DID YOU SAY 1.7 1.73 HOW MANY OFFICE SPACES DO YOU THINK COULD FIT THERE? SO IT JUST COMES DOWN TO DIFFERENT REQUIREMENTS SET FORTH BY THE INTERNATIONAL BUILDING CODE. AND BASED OFF HOW MANY OFFICES ARE PROPOSING, THAT'S ALSO GOING TO DETERMINE HOW MUCH PARKING THEY'RE GOING TO NEED. SO FOR PARKING IT'S GOING TO BE 400, I'M SORRY, ONE FOR EVERY 400 SQUARE FOOT OF FLOOR SPACE. SO IT JUST DEPENDS ON HOW LARGE THEIR OFFICES ARE. THAT WILL DETERMINE THEIR PARKING. THAT'S WHAT I WAS THINKING, THAT IT'S PROBABLY GOING TO BE LESS SPACE OFFICE SPACE, BECAUSE THERE'S NOT A LOT OF SPACE FOR PARKING.SO YOU HAVE TO MAKE THAT DETERMINATION. SO I LIVE OFF STEWART PLACE ROAD AND RIGHT IN FRONT OF MY NEIGHBORHOOD, LIKE LITERALLY IN FRONT OF MY NEIGHBORHOOD. IS THAT PECAN PLAZA? CORRECT. AND SO THERE, PROFESSIONAL OFFICE SPACES. I THINK LEGACY FOUNDATION IS THERE. THERE'S LIKE A BANK, BUT NOBODY LIKE I THINK IT'S TEXAS REGIONAL, I DON'T KNOW. YEAH, BUT NOBODY'S EVER THERE. BUT THEY HAVE AN OFFICE THERE, BUT IT'S MORE LIKE EXECUTIVES AND SO VERY PROFESSIONAL AND THEY HAVE A LIMITED PARKING. AND SO I WAS THINKING THAT IT WOULD BE SOMETHING OF THAT TYPE BECAUSE OF THE SPACE. AND OUR NEIGHBORHOOD IS LIKE, THERE'S A HOUSE BEHIND THE, THE, THERE'S AN ALLEY AND THEN THERE'S, THERE'S A HOUSE AND OUR, OUR I MEAN, OUR STREET ISN'T THAT NARROW, BUT IT'S A REGULAR NEIGHBOR NEIGHBORHOOD STREET.
AND IT SEEMS TO ME THAT WE DON'T GET ANY. THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN US IS THAT ONLY THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE THERE GO THROUGH THERE. SO ARE THEY GOING TO BE ABLE TO. AND YOU MAY HAVE ANSWERED THIS ALREADY HAVE AN ENTRANCE THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOOD, BECAUSE I THINK THAT COULD POTENTIALLY BE AN ISSUE FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD TO HAVE AN ENTRANCE INTO THE BRENNAMAN. YEAH. SO IT JUST DEPENDS ON WHAT IS PROPOSED FOR THE DEVELOPMENTS. SOME DEVELOPMENTS THAT ARE IN CORNERS HAVE DOUBLE FRONTAGE, MEANING THEY HAVE ENTRANCES ON BOTH SIDES. WE DON'T KNOW. THEY DID PROVIDE A VIDEO. I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE GOING TO STICK TO WHAT THEY PROVIDED IN THAT VIDEO. BUT YES, ADDING THAT MUCH TRAFFIC ONTO BRENNAMAN ROAD COULD BECOME AN ISSUE. BUT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'LL HAVE TO TAKE A LOOK AT. AND I KNOW THERE WAS TALK ABOUT IT GOING BEFORE THE PNC AND IT WAS DENIED, BUT THIS TIME IT'S RECOMMENDED FOR APPROVAL. IS THAT RIGHT? SO PLANNING AND ZONING RECOMMENDED DENIAL. THERE IS A PROVISION IN THE ORDINANCE THAT ALLOWS THE APPLICANT TO APPEAL, WHICH IS WHAT MR. SERRATO DID. I THOUGHT I READ THAT IT WAS RECOMMENDED FOR APPROVAL THIS SECOND TIME. STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL, BUT STAFF PLANNING AND ZONING DENIED IT.
OKAY. GOT IT. SO LOOKING AT ALL THAT LAND RIGHT THERE BETWEEN FRONTAGE, BRENNAMAN. AND THEN WHAT IS THAT OLD BUSINESS? 83. MOST OF IT'S ALL FARMLAND ANYWAYS. CORRECT. SO EVENTUALLY WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SUBDIVISIONS IN THERE ANYWAYS, CORRECT? MEANING THAT REGARDLESS WHETHER WE DO IT NOW OR DO IT LATER, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO WIDEN BRENNAMAN BECAUSE IF YOU BUILD SUBDIVISIONS, THEY'RE GOING TO BE USING THAT ROAD. SO THIS DEVELOPMENT RIGHT HERE IS GOING TO INCREASE TRAFFIC SIGNIFICANTLY. THE DUPLEXES. CORRECT. RIGHT. SO YES, BRENNAMAN ROAD WILL HAVE TO BE WIDENED EVENTUALLY. SO THIS PORTION OF THE CITY GOT ANNEXED WAY BACK WHEN WE ANNEXED IT AS A RURAL ROAD. DO WE HAVE THE RIGHT OF WAY WIDTH TO EXPAND IT TO THE 24FT LIKE YOU AT THIS POINT IN TIME? NO, UNLESS WE PURCHASE PROPERTY FROM THE PROPERTY OWNERS ALONG BRENNAMAN, WE'D HAVE TO BUILD IT AT 32FT BACK TO BACK, RIGHT? OR AT LEAST 32FT.
WE'LL CROSS SECTION. SO THAT'S FOR MOST SUBDIVISIONS. THERE IS A PROVISION FOR 24FT RURAL ROAD.
[01:25:05]
HOWEVER, THERE'S NO PARKING ALLOWED ON EITHER SIDE OF THE STREET. RIGHT. I DON'T I DON'T KNOW THAT THE PROFESSIONAL OFFICE SPACES WILL ACTUALLY BRING LOTS OF TRAFFIC. HAVING LOOKED AT THE ONES ON STEWART PLACE SUITES, I DRIVE THROUGH THERE EVERY SINGLE DAY AND THERE'S PROBABLY 3 OR 4 CARS. I DRIVE THERE IN THE MORNING. IN THE AFTERNOON IT'S DOWN THE STREET FROM MY HOUSE. WHICH ONE IS THAT ONE? IS THAT WHERE THEY HAVE THE COFFEE SHOP? NO, IT'S AS SOON AS YOU GET OUT OF MY NEIGHBORHOOD, IT IS, YOU KNOW, YOU PASS THE. IT'S LIKE A TITLE COMPANY OR SOMETHING. PAST THAT. PAST THAT. IT'S NORTH OF THAT. YEAH. AND IT'S ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE. IT'S CALLED STEWART SUITES. IT'S A NICE LITTLE OFFICE SPACE. AND THEY HAVE JUST A SIMPLE PARKING LOT. AND IT IS NEVER, NEVER FULL. AS A MATTER OF FACT, I THOUGHT THEY WERE STILL LEASING. BUT THEN I, YOU KNOW, BUT THEN I SAW THE, YOU KNOW, THE GOT THE SIGN WITH ALL THE NAMES. WHAT THEY DO IN THERE IS THEY HAVE A TITLE COMPANY, THEY HAVE BROKERS. SO THEY'RE REALLY WORKING COLLECTIVELY FOR THE HOME BUILDER THAT SOMEBODY'S WANTING TO BUILD THEIR HOME. SO YOU GO IN THERE AND YOU HAVE ALL THE SERVICES AVAILABLE. SO REALLY ONE PERSON MIGHT BE GOING TO ALL OF THE DIFFERENT OFFICES. SO THERE'S REALLY NO ONE THERE. AND THEN IN PECAN PLAZA IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE, IT'S KIND OF THE SAME THING. THERE'S THE ONLY DIFFERENCE, WHICH I THINK THAT THAT MUST BE A NEIGHBORHOOD. I DON'T KNOW, BECAUSE THAT THAT WAS BUILT, THAT WASN'T BUILT. I MEAN, I WAS ALREADY PROBABLY, MAYBE FIVE YEARS AGO. I DON'T KNOW WHEN THEY BUILT THAT ONE. I THINK IT WENT UP DURING COVID. AND THE ONLY THING THAT GETS A LOT OF TRAFFIC THERE IS THAT OMNI REHAB PLACE. AND SO WHICH IS WHAT THE CONCERN MAY BE WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES, THAT IT OPENS IT UP TO THAT. BUT I WONDER IF WE COULD DO SOMETHING SIMILAR IF THIS WOULD BE OKAY WITH THAT. WE DID WITH CARRANZA'S DEVELOPMENT, WHERE HE PUT ON THE PLAT LIKE, WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO A CONVENIENCE STORE DEVELOPMENT. IT'S ONLY GOOD. YEAH, THEY WERE CONCERNED WITH MULTIFAMILY. IT SEEMS LIKE HERE THEY'RE MORE CONCERNED WITH JUST A LOT OF TRAFFIC, WHICH IS UNDERSTANDABLE. YOU WANT TO HAVE PEACE AND QUIET AT YOUR HOME, BUT IF YOU HAVE JUST, YOU KNOW, I'M DESIGNATING ON THIS PLOT THAT IT'S GOING TO BE PROFESSIONAL OFFICE SPACE ONLY, NOT A REHAB CLINIC OR NOT A DRY CLEANER AND ALL THOSE OTHER THINGS. AND YOU REALLY CONTROL THE AMOUNT OF TRAFFIC THAT'S COMING IN AND OUT OF THAT SPACE. AND YOU'RE SAYING THIS MEANS YES. OKAY. SO I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WAS A COMPROMISE BETWEEN AND THAT WAS YOUR DISTRICT TOO. YEAH. YEAH. SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT Y'ALL WOULD BE WILLING TO. THE ONLY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THOSE TWO IS THIS PLOT WAS PREVIOUSLY APPROVED IN 2023. I DON'T KNOW IF IT WOULD HAVE TO GO FOR APPROVAL AGAIN WITH THE ADDITIONAL PLOT NOTE, OR HAVE SOME KIND OF A ADDENDUM OR SOMETHING TO HAVE IN WRITING THAT THIS IS WHAT IS WHAT THE INTENT IS FOR IT. WE DON'T WANT TO RECREATE MORE EXPENSE EITHER. I JUST, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT THAT SEEMS TO BE THE, THE, THE, THE CONCERN. AND I'LL TELL YOU, WHEN I WAS, WHEN THEY WERE BUILDING THAT PLAZA IN FRONT OF MY NEIGHBORHOOD TOO, I WASN'T SITTING HERE. I WAS I WAS JUST A RESIDENT. AND I THOUGHT, WHAT ARE THEY GOING TO DO THERE? IT'S GOING TO BRING A LOT OF TRAFFIC.I HAD THOSE SAME THOUGHTS AND THEN THEY BUILT IT IN A REALLY INTERESTING WAY. THEY LOOK LIKE LITTLE LEGO BLOCKS. I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT WAS. I THOUGHT, SO I WOULD, YOU KNOW, DURING COVID THERE WAS NOTHING TO DO EXCEPT RUN AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD. SO I WOULD SEE IT AND THINK, GOD, WHAT'S GOING TO BE THERE? AND IT TURNED OUT TO BE REALLY, REALLY NICE. IT ACTUALLY MAKES OUR NEIGHBORHOOD LOOK LIKE WE HAVE SOME KIND OF, I DON'T KNOW, HOA OFFICE OR SOMETHING, BUT IT'S NOT CONNECTED TO IT AT ALL. AND WE'RE NUECES AND THAT'S PECAN LIKE, THEY, THEY, THEY REALLY CONSIDERED, I THINK, THE NEIGHBORHOOD TOO. SO MY QUESTION WOULD BE TO THE FOLKS HERE, LIKE, HOW WOULD YOU FEEL ABOUT THAT COMPROMISE? THAT'S A WEIRD WHY DON'T YOU INVITE ONE PERSON? OH, I'M SORRY, MR. CROCKETT OR MISS CROCKETT, OR WOULD YOU GUYS LIKE TO COME UP TO THE PODIUM? I JUST WE'RE TRYING TO DO THAT. I'M SORRY. SO THIS IS GOING TO REQUIRE A SUPERMAJORITY, RIGHT? YES. YES, SIR. IT'S OVER THE 20% THRESHOLD. PLEASE. I'D LIKE TO MAKE A POINT OF ORDER. SURE.
THANKS FOR HAVING ME UP. GILBERT GALVAN HAD SOME GOOD POINTS, AND YOU'VE MADE SOME GOOD POINTS.
THE CITY, LIKE I SAID EARLIER, I TRIED TO DEVELOP SOME PROPERTY ON BAKER POTS BETWEEN PRESLEY AND OLD 83, AND I WAS SHOT DOWN BY BY THE CITY BECAUSE THEY TOLD ME ADAMANTLY IT WAS INSTEAD OF COMMERCIAL, THEY WANTED RESIDENTIAL ONE. AND MY CONCERN IS I KNOW THIS MAN BUILDS NICE PROPERTIES. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN HE SELLS IT AND NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES IS KIND OF SKETCHY TO ME. WHY ISN'T IT BEING REQUESTED TO BE GENERAL RETAIL? AND IF HE DID BUILD THE EIGHT UNIT OFFICE
[01:30:11]
SPACE, THAT'S GREAT. BUT WHAT ABOUT THE LIGHTING IN THE PARKING LOT AND THE LIGHT MITIGATION? IT'S GOING TO SHINE IN THIS MAN'S HOUSE. AND LIKE YOU SAID, YOU LIVE IN THE OASIS PARK, BUT THAT PORTION IS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE DRAINAGE DITCH. AND THERE'S A WALL BETWEEN THE RESTAURANT AND OASIS PARK AND THE COMMERCIAL PART. AND I'M NOT AGAINST PROGRESS FOR THE CITY, THAT'S FOR SURE. AND I OWN A BIG PORTION OF PROPERTY ON THE WEST SIDE OF STUART, AND I HAVE YET TO FIGURE OUT WHAT I CAN DO WITH IT. AND I, YOU KNOW, HAVE THAT IN THE BACK OF MY MIND. IT'S JUST THAT MY BIGGEST CONCERN IS THAT WE GOT FLOODED AND WE NEVER FLOODED BEFORE. AND A LOT OF THAT WATER AND I HAVE IT ON AERIAL VIDEO CAME OUT OF THAT NEW MULTIFAMILY AND FLOODED STUART AND THE DITCHES ALONG BRENHAM AND USED TO TIE INTO A BAR DITCH AND THEN GO UP NORTH TOWARDS THE CHEVROLET DEALER AND GO INTO THAT DRAIN DITCH. AND WHEN THEY REDID STUART AND BUILT IT FOR LANE, THEY DIDN'T RECONNECT THAT. AND SO WE HAVE THIS DRAINAGE ISSUE THERE. AND I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT RESOLVED REGARDLESS OF WHETHER HE BUILDS THERE OR IT STAYS R-1. AND THAT'S SOMETHING WE'RE ALREADY WORKING ON. LIKE WHEN I CALLED YOU THAT TIME, WE'RE DOING THE DRIVE THROUGH OSCAR. HE'S OSCAR, THE ONE I KEPT ON MENTIONING. THAT'S OSCAR, AND WE'RE ALREADY LOOKING INTO THAT. AND I HAVE A MORE DETAILED VIDEO THAN WHAT I SENT YOU A LOT LONGER. ANYWAY, STUART PLACED NORTH OF THE EXPRESSWAY IS FOUR LANES, A TURN LANE AND TWO SHOULDERS. AND WE DON'T HAVE THE SHOULDERS OR A TURN LANE. YEAH, AND THE 144 NEW MULTIFAMILY DWELLINGS THAT ARE ARE GOING TO BE BUILT IS GOING TO CREATE HAVOC. AND NOT THAT THE COMMERCIAL EIGHT UNIT PROPOSAL THAT HE'S PROPOSING WOULD WOULD EXACERBATE THAT. IT'S GOING TO BE TERRIBLE MATTER. IT'S JUST THAT IF YOU LOOK AT THE MAP FROM LEWIS LANE ALL THE WAY TO BASSETT BOULEVARD AND ALMOST ALL THE WAY INTO TO WHITE RANCH IS RESIDENTIAL, EXCEPT NORTH OF THAT, THE DRAIN DITCH THAT RUNS EAST WEST AND ALONG OLD 83. SO WE HAVE SO MANY COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES IN THIS CITY THAT ARE ABANDONED AND NOT USED AND VACANT. I JUST I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY BUILDING A NEW SMALL UNIT RIGHT THERE IS GOING TO BENEFIT THE CITY. WHEN WE COULD TAKE OLD, OLD PROPERTIES AND REHAB THEM AND MAKE MAYBE MAKE INCENTIVES, MAKE INCENTIVES OR TAX ABATEMENTS TO HELP MEN LIKE MR. ZARATI THAT WANT TO INVEST A LOT OF MONEY IN OUR CITY. BUT ANYWAY, SO LET ME ASK YOU, I UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM IN TERMS OF ADDITIONAL ADDITIONAL TRAFFIC, BUT IS THERE A WAY FOR SOME KIND OF COMPROMISE, I GUESS IS WHAT I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IF HE TRULY IS? YOU KNOW, THE BIGGEST CONCERN WE ALL HAD WAS WHEN THE MULTIFAMILY GOT REDESIGNATED. THAT'S THEIR THAT'S HIS. I OWN SIX ACRES DIRECTLY ACROSS THE STREET. I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED. NO ONE TOLD ME THAT THAT THERE WAS GOING TO BE A PLANNING ZONING COMMITTEE MEETING. AND MERLIN COOKE, WHO OWNS NINE ACRES ON THE NORTH SIDE, HE TOLD ME HIMSELF THAT HE HE GOT NOTICED, BUT HE WAS TOO ILL TO EVEN COME AND SPEAK AND DIDN'T WRITE ANY, ANY REBUTTAL TO IT. AND HE WAS ADAMANTLY AGAINST IT. AND SO IT IS WHAT IT IS. IT'S THERE. AND I'M JUST LOOKING AT THE VISION OF THE CITY WHEN I, LIKE I SAID, WHEN I TRIED TO DEVELOP DOWN ON BASS BOULEVARD NORTH OF THE RAILROAD TRACK, I WAS SHOT DOWN BY THE CITY ITSELF AND SAID, NO, THIS IS ALL R-1. YOU CAN'T PUT ANY COMMERCIAL IN. AND WHEN WAS THAT? THAT WAS IN OH 7 OR 0 EIGHT. AND I WAS USING THE ENGINEERING FIRM OF HENRY WILLIAMS AT THE TIME. HE'S NO LONGER IN BUSINESS HERE, AND I FEEL LIKE WE'VE HAD THIS CONVERSATION BEFORE, PROBABLY.RIGHT. I JUST ONE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING AS A CITY IS WE'RE UNDERGOING A NEW COMPREHENSIVE PLAN RIGHT NOW, AND WE'RE REALLY LOOKING AT THE ZONING AND THE FUTURE OF OUR COMMUNITY AS WELL. AND SO A LOT OF THINGS ARE CHANGING RIGHT NOW FROM BACK IN 2007 TO NOW. AND WE WANT TO BE THE COMMISSION THAT THAT SITS DOWN WITH INDIVIDUALS LIKE YOURSELF THAT HAS PROPERTY.
AND IT'S KIND OF JUST SITTING THERE AND YOU WANT TO DO SOMETHING. BUT THE COMMISSION OR THE CITY WASN'T REALLY WILLING TO SAY, THIS IS WHAT WE CAN DO TO WORK TOGETHER TO REALLY DEVELOP THIS SPACE, BECAUSE THE REALITY IS THAT THE CITY OF HARLINGEN IS GROWING. PEOPLE ARE COMING INTO THIS COMMUNITY, AND THIS IS THE COMMISSION, IF I'M BEING HONEST, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE
[01:35:02]
I'M NOT GOING TO ALWAYS BE HERE, BUT THIS IS THE COMMISSION THAT YOU WANT, I THINK. AND I ONLY SAY THIS BECAUSE I HAVE CONFIDENCE IN EVERYBODY THAT SITS HERE. THAT'S GOING TO ENSURE THAT THE DEVELOPMENT MOVING FORWARD IS GOING TO BE RESPONSIBLE, THAT WE'RE GOING TO FOLLOW THROUGH, THAT WE'RE GOING TO HOLD THESE GUYS ACCOUNTABLE. YOU KNOW, JUST TODAY ALL OF THE DRAINAGE DISTRICTS WERE WERE WERE MEETING WITH CITY STAFF LIKE WE ARE ON THEM CONSTANTLY.THAT MIGHT NOT BE THE CASE. YOU KNOW, DOWN IN THE FUTURE WASN'T THE CASE. IT WAS LIKE, WE CANNOT HELP YOU. I'M SORRY THAT YOU HAVE YOUR LAND AND I'M SURE THAT THAT MADE YOU REALLY FRUSTRATED, LIKE I HAVE THIS PROPERTY. WHY IS THIS CITY NOT LETTING ME DO WHAT I WANT WITH THIS PROPERTY, WHICH IS WHAT WE DON'T WANT. WE DON'T WANT TO, YOU KNOW, DISCOURAGE PEOPLE FROM DEVELOPING THEIR PROPERTY, BUT WE WANT TO STRIKE A HEALTHY BALANCE BETWEEN THE INDIVIDUALS THAT LIVE IN THE SURROUNDING AREA AND THE DEVELOPERS. AND SO THIS PROFESSIONAL OFFICE SPACE IS MUCH BETTER THAN A DOLLAR TREE OR A, WELL, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING LIKE WHEN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT SHOWED UP. VICTOR PICKED THAT PROPERTY OUT. HE WAS THE FORMER CITY COMMISSIONER, AND AT FIRST WE WERE APPREHENSIVE. BUT IT'S TURNED OUT TO BE A GREAT NEIGHBOR. AND Y'ALL SAID THEY HAVE A SPECIAL PERMIT WHERE THEY CAN'T TURN THEIR SIREN. THEY IGNORE IT. DO THEY TURN THOSE SIRENS ON THE MINUTE THEY HIT THE GAS AND LOCK THAT DOWN? GABE NO, WE'VE ALREADY HAD THAT CONVERSATION WITH THE TEAM. SO THEY JUST THEY JUST DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT IT. AND THERE'S ALMOST ZERO POLICE PRESENCE POLICING THE 30 MILE AN HOUR SPEED LIMIT ON STUART. IT'S LIKE A RACETRACK MOST OF THE TIME. WELL WE'VE GOT WE'VE GOT THE RIGHT RIGHT FOLKS IN THE ROOM TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU KNOW THAT THEY TAKE THAT TAKE CARE OF THAT. BUT REALLY YOU KNOW I KNOW YOU SAID THERE'S SOME VACANT PLACES, BUT THE THERE ARE A FEW, BUT THEY'RE FILLING UP SO QUICKLY. AND STUART PLACE LIKE ALL OF THOSE, THE PLAZA, THOSE ARE FULL. THE ONES THAT ARE IN THE FORTUNATELY STUART PLACE GOING SOUTH GOES NOWHERE OTHER THAN THE OLD 83, BECAUSE WHEN YOU GO SOUTH OF THE SCHOOL, IT DEAD ENDS INTO GARRETT. AND THERE'S A HOME AT THE END, RIGHT? UNLESS Y'ALL USE EMINENT DOMAIN TO TAKE THAT HOUSE AND BUILD ALL THE WAY TO MAYFIELD OR WHATEVER, IT'S KIND OF A MOOT POINT AT THIS DEAL. BUT MY CONCERNS ARE THE WIDTH OF BRENNAMAN. DILWORTH IS IN DISARRAY. IT LOOKS LIKE THE WATER DISTRICT DOING SOME WORK ON THE EAST SIDE OF DILWORTH, UP BY THE EXPRESSWAY. AND JUST FOR HISTORY, THE LOT THAT MR. OWNS THERE BACK IN THE 60S BELONGED TO MY UNCLE, MY GRANDPARENTS BUILT ON THE ROAD I LIVE ON IN THE EARLY 20S. AND I'VE BEEN, YOU KNOW, OUR FAMILY'S BEEN AROUND FOR OVER 100 AND SOMETHING YEARS RIGHT IN THIS AREA. DOCTOR WILL WEAVER LIVES ON THE EAST SIDE OF STUART ON THE RAILROAD TRACKS. HE OWNS THE PROPERTY ON THE WEST SIDE ON THE RAILROAD TRACKS. AND THEN THERE'S MR. MAGEE'S HOUSE AND FIRE DEPARTMENT, THEN MY PROPERTY. AND THEN I LIVE ON THE ROAD TO THE WEST, AND I'M CERTAINLY NOT AGAINST DEVELOPMENT AND CHANGE. AND I GREW UP WITH MR. GALVAN, AND I WANT FOR THE BEST FOR THE CITY, JUST LIKE HE DOES. AND I DON'T THINK MR. ZARATE HAS ANY ILL WILL TOWARD THE CITY. IN FACT, HE'S VERY POSITIVE AND HE'S DONE SOME GOOD THINGS. IT'S JUST THAT WE NEED TO REALLY, REALLY THINK THIS THROUGH AND SEE IF WE WANT TO PUT IN COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES SPACE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD. AND IF THIS DOES OCCUR, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME TYPE OF LIGHT MITIGATION FOR MR. CHAPMAN, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I OWNED A HOUSE IN HOUSTON FOR A WHILE, AND THEY BUILT A BIG COMMERCIAL BUILDING IN THE BACK, AND THE MAN THAT OWNED IT WAS VERY NICE. HE HE PUT AWNINGS OVER HIS LIGHTS SO THEY DIDN'T SHINE INTO THE BACKYARD AND DID A LOT OF THINGS LIKE THAT AND BUILT A NICE WALL FOR US. AND IF, IF WHATEVER YOU ALL DO, I JUST WOULD LIKE SOME, SOME MITIGATION DONE TO, TO MINIMIZE THE IMPACT. I THINK THAT'S A FAIR ASK, ESPECIALLY SINCE IT'S FOLKS THAT HAVE BEEN LIVING IN THE AREA FOR SUCH A LONG TIME. AND I'LL TELL YOU, YOU HAVE A, YOU KNOW, AN INCREDIBLE COMMISSIONER. AND I KNOW THAT WIDENING OF THE ROAD IS A PRIORITY AS WELL. BUT OF COURSE, THAT TAKES, YOU KNOW, SITTING DOWN WITH OTHER FOLKS AND SAYING, HEY, CAN WE HAVE SOME OF YOUR LAND? RIGHT. AND SO RECENTLY CHANGED THE WAY THAT THE WATER DEPARTMENT IS GOVERNED OR OVERSEEN, YOU KNOW, JUST TO BRING WE ANNEXED WHERE WE LIVE NOW IN 2002, AND WE HAVE YET TO BE PROVIDED A CITY SEWER. AND THAT'S TRUE. THERE'S A CITY SEWER LINE RUNNING DOWN STUART, BUT IT WAS PUT THERE BY A DEVELOPER WHO DEVELOPED SOMETHING DOWN ON GARRETT ROAD.
AND I THINK BIGGER POTS OR TAMLANE. ANYWAY, WE HAVE YET TO RUN SEWERS TO ALL THESE RESIDENTS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. AND THAT'S TRUE ALL THE WAY TOWARDS BASS BOULEVARD. AND THERE'S I KNOW THAT THERE'S CITY SEWER ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE EXPRESSWAY AND ALSO TO THE BERT
[01:40:03]
OGDEN DEALERSHIPS. BUT EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN IS WITHOUT YOU'RE IN GOOD COMPANY BECAUSE I DON'T I DON'T HAVE I'M ON SEPTICS TOO. SO I, I FEEL I FEEL YOU'RE YOU LIVE IN THE. YES.YES. AND SO YEAH. AND THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG THE WEST PARK HAS BEEN IN THE CITY LIMITS, BUT I'VE CERTAINLY BEEN ANNEXED 2000, EIGHT, 2008 YEARS AND HAVE SEEN NO HELP, ALTHOUGH THE CITY DID PAVE OUR ROADS. VERY NICE. WELL, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMISSIONER? COMMISSIONERS? NO. OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. DID YOU WANT TO SPEAK, SIR? YES, SIR. I HAVE A POINT OF ORDER. SO PROMISES MADE, PROMISES NOT KEPT. FIRE STATION. EXACT EXAMPLE. EVEN AS I UNDERSTAND THE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION. THEN WHEN WE WERE AT THAT PUT IN REQUIREMENTS, THERE WOULD BE NO SIRENS. THERE WOULD BE NO AIR HORNS UNTIL THEY WERE OFF AND AWAY FROM THE AREA. THAT IS NOT WHAT HAPPENS. I'VE GOT THREE PAGES OF LINE ITEM ISSUES WHERE DATES AND TIMES WHERE THEY WERE JUST OPEN THE BAY DOORS AND TEST THE AIR HORN STRAIGHT AT MY HOUSE. THEY'LL DO THE SIRENS, THEY'RE GOING TO TAKE A RUN.
THEY'LL BLIP THE SIRENS THREE TIMES BEFORE THEY EVEN COME UP OUT OF THEIR DRIVEWAY. AND THEY'LL BE POINTING RIGHT AT MY HOUSE. RARE IN THE SIRENS? NO. I LOOKED AT MY OFFICE, FACES RIGHT ACROSS, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT THEM. I CAN JUST OPEN THE CURTAIN. I'VE GOT NUMEROUS RECORDINGS OF THEM TESTING LADDER TRUCKS FOR HOURS AT A TIME, RACING THE ENGINES. THEY STILL DO THAT SOMETIMES. JUST SIT THERE AND PULL OUT ON THE TARMAC, REV UP THE DIESEL ENGINES FOR MAYBE AN HOUR, NOT DOING NOTHING, JUST SCREAMING ENGINE SITTING THERE. THEY'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO DO THAT. I'VE WRITTEN TO Y'ALL A COUPLE OF TIMES ABOUT THAT AND NOTIFIED THE CAMERA COUNTY ATTORNEY ABOUT IT, TEXAS RANGERS. MY NEXT COMPLAINT IS GOING TO BE TO KEN PAXTON. IT'S A VIOLATION OF CITY OR STATE LAW TO BE DOING THAT, GOING AGAINST THE REQUIREMENTS THAT ARE IN PLACE FOR THAT FIRE STATION. SO LIKE I SAID, PROMISES MADE, PROMISES NOT KEPT. THEY CAN PROMISE WHATEVER THEY WANT. BUT LIKE IT'S BEEN BROUGHT UP, THAT DOESN'T MEAN
[Item 10e - Consideration and possible action on a presentation by McGriff on the City of Harlingen's Analysis for Employee Health Insurance and Ancillary Policies for FY 2026 ]
THAT A YEAR LATER THEY MAY DECIDE, WELL, WE DON'T WANT OFFICES, WE'RE GOING TO DO SOMETHING ELSE. AND IT'S ALREADY ZONED. AND SO THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO DO THAT. SO I'M JUST DEAD SET AGAINST THIS HAPPENING AND ABOUT, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAY, PROMISES MADE. THAT DOESN'T MEAN THEY'RE GOING TO BE KEPT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SIR. MAYOR, CAN I SAY SOMETHING REAL QUICK? THIS IS AND JUST THIS AND THAT'S IT BECAUSE WE NEED TO MOVE ON. BUT OVER HERE AT THE MIC, MR. GODWIN. ALL RIGHT, I GOT TO JUST BECAUSE I'M GOING TO MAKE A POINT. HIS POINT IS WELL TAKEN.I HEAR THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU MAKE A DEAL. IT SOUNDS I WAS A VOLUNTEER FIREMAN FOR CAMERON COUNTY 25 YEARS AGO WHEN THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE CITY, AND SO I'VE BEEN THERE AND DONE IT.
AND I'M THINKING IN MY HEAD, WHY ARE YOU NOT ALLOWING LOOK, IF I LIVED THERE, I PROBABLY WOULDN'T LIKE IT. BUT IF A FIRE TRUCK OR AN AMBULANCE OR A OR A POLICE OFFICER OR TROOPER, ANYBODY IS RUNNING HOT GOING DOWN THAT STREET, I PROMISE YOU THEIR SIREN IS ON. IT BETTER BE ON. IT HAS TO BE ON. I DON'T GET IT. WE'RE RESTRICTING THESE PEOPLE FROM DOING THESE THINGS. THE MINUTE I NEED SOMEBODY. THAT'S WHY THOSE STATIONS ARE THERE. SO THEY'RE CLOSER TO OUR PROPERTY.
THEY DON'T HAVE TO TRAVEL 15, 20 MINUTES. SO ALL I'M SAYING IS I GET IT. WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, EVERY TIME WE CUT SOMEBODY'S WINGS, WE CREATE MORE PROBLEMS. I PROMISE YOU, LET PEOPLE DO THEIR THEIR, THEIR JOBS. AND I GET IT. NOBODY LIKES IT. BUT YET WHEN YOU NEED THEM, THEY. WE WANT THEM THERE IN A HURRY. JUST, JUST, YOU KNOW, I WANTED TO. POINT POINT POINT TAKEN. I KNOW IT'S AN INCONVENIENCE OF THE BECAUSE OF THE, THE HOMEOWNERS, BUT I DO I WAS THINKING OF THAT BECAUSE I KNOW I'VE SPOKEN WITH CHIEF MAKING SURE THAT WHEN THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY'RE RACING TO GET TO A CALL, THOSE SIRENS NEED TO BE ON FOR THE SAFETY OF OTHERS.
BUT I DO ALSO UNDERSTAND THE TESTING AND ALL OF THAT WHILE THEY'RE IN THE IN THE STATION MIGHT BE DISRUPTIVE, BUT OKAY. DO WE HAVE ANY ARE WE COMPLETE WITH OUR PRESENTATION. SO IT IS A 27 POINT. HERE'S A VIDEO THAT THE APPLICANT DID SUBMIT I SEE NO. OF WHAT EXACTLY THEY'RE PROPOSING. THERE'S A OF WHAT THEY'RE PROPOSING. THERE WE GO. CAN WE GO TO.
[01:46:03]
I THINK THAT'S ENOUGH. SO YES. ALSO IF THEY GO WITH THAT THEY WILL BE REQUIRED TO BUFFER BETWEEN THE RESIDENTIAL LOTS AND THEIR PROPERTY OF AT LEAST SIX FEET SOLID BUFFER. AND I DIDN'T SEE AN ENTRANCE ON BRENHAM ROAD. RIGHT. I THINK THEY'RE JUST PROPOSING ONE OFF STEWART PLACE IF THEY DECIDE TO STICK WITH THAT. OKAY. BUT HERE IS THE OPPOSITION MAP OF THE PROPERTIES THAT THAT DID OPPOSE. THE ONES IN RED ARE WITHIN THE 200 FOOT RADIUS, AND THE ONES IN BLUE ARE OUTSIDE. SO IT IS A 27.69% OPPOSITION WHICH TRIGGERS A SUPERMAJORITY VOTE. MISS, COULD YOU HOP UP HERE REAL QUICK? WILL THERE BE ANY INTENTION OF HAVING AN ENTRANCE ON BRENHAM ROAD? BRENNAMAN I ALWAYS SAY IT WRONG. IT'S NOT BRENHAM, IT'S BRENHAM. EVERYTHING WILL BE STORED RIGHT? RESTORED. YES. OKAY. EXACTLY LIKE THAT. LIKE THE ENTRANCES AND THEN THE PARKING, ALL THE BIG PARKING IN THE BACK. RIGHT. LIKE THE WAY THAT IT SHOWED ON HERE. AND WOULD YOU BE OPPOSED TO HAVE IT IN WRITING ABOUT THE PROFESSIONAL SPACE AND MAKING SURE THAT THERE IS NO ENTRANCE ON THE NEIGHBORHOOD, BRENHAM ROAD? YES. YES. OF COURSE. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE BECAUSE SINCE YOU WERE OVER THERE AND YOU DID THIS JUST TO CONFIRM AND HAVE IT ON THE RECORD, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MISS SADAT? OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK. IS THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM? WE ALREADY READ THE ORDINANCE. NO DISCUSSION. I'M READY TO VOTE.OKAY. IS THERE A MOTION ENTERTAIN A MOTION. MOTION APPROVED. SUBJECT TO THE TWO STIPULATIONS YOU MENTIONED, MAYOR. OKAY, CAN I GET A SECOND? I'LL SECOND THE MOTION. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. OPPOSED. OPPOSED. OPPOSED. MOTION FAILS. ALL RIGHT, MOVING ON. ITEM TEN C CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION. ONE SECOND, MISS MELINDA. OKAY. OKAY. WE ARE GOING TO HOP ON OVER TO TEN E CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON A PRESENTATION BY MCGRIFF OF THE CITY OF HARLINGEN'S ANALYSIS FOR EMPLOYEE HEALTH INSURANCE AND ANCILLARY POLICIES FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026. MAYOR SCOTT GIBBS IS HERE WITH MCGRIFF. WE HAVE GONE OUT FOR QUOTES FOR HEALTH INSURANCE, AND THE ANCILLARY SERVICES ARE PROVIDED. AND HE'S GOING TO MAKE A PRESENTATION ON ON WHAT HE FOUND. OKAY, SO, MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS, CITY MANAGER, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME HERE TODAY. SO AS THE CITY MANAGER SAID, WE DID DO AN RFP ON THE HEALTH INSURANCE. SO I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE RESULTS OF THAT TODAY. JUST GIVE YOU KIND OF A FEW SLIDES ON KIND OF HOW THE CLAIMS ARE RUNNING. AND THEN WE WILL WE WILL GO FROM THERE. THERE WE GO. SO JUST A QUICK CLAIMS UPDATE. I'LL TALK ABOUT THE TIMELINE. WE USE THE BID LIST. THE RESULTS ALSO PUT IN A PARTIALLY SELF-FUNDED ANALYSIS TALK JUST BRIEFLY ON THE ANCILLARY COVERAGE RENEWALS AND THEN RECOMMENDATIONS. SO CURRENTLY THIS IS OUR OUR CURRENT 12 MONTH CLAIM LISTING. I THINK YOU CAN SEE THAT WE'VE ACTUALLY PERFORMED PRETTY WELL RIGHT NOW. WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT, WE'VE GOT 818 ACTIVES ON THE PLAN. WE'VE GOT 34 RETIREES ON THE PLAN. AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT BOTH THOSE PLANS COMBINED, OUR LOSS RATIO, WHICH IS GOING TO BE
[01:50:07]
CLAIMS DIVIDED BY PREMIUM IS ABOUT 80, YOU KNOW, 84.78%. SO MOST CARRIERS ON A FULLY INSURED SIDE, THEY REALLY THEY KIND OF LOOK SOMEWHERE BETWEEN A 90 AND A 92% LOSS RATIO IS WHAT THEY LIKE TO SEE. SO OUR PLAN IS DEFINITELY, YOU KNOW, OUTPERFORMING THAT. AND I THINK THAT I THINK THAT THESE CLAIMS KIND OF HELPED US, YOU KNOW, HELPED US IN THE OPEN MARKETPLACE. SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT ON A FIVE YEAR, YOU KNOW, FIVE YEAR BASIS FROM ON A FISCAL YEAR, YOU CAN SEE THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN SEE THAT OUR TREND LINE IS THE IS KIND OF THE GRAY LINE. THE BLUE LINE IS WHAT WE WOULD CONSIDER INDUSTRY TREND. SO OUR PLAN HAS DEFINITELY CONTINUED TO PERFORM. YOU KNOW PRETTY WELL WE YOU KNOW WITH BLUE CROSS WE HAD A GOOD YEAR THEN MOVED OVER TO AND WE'VE CONTINUED TO BE PRETTY CONSISTENT AT ABOUT AN 85% LOSS RATIO. SO WE DID WE PUT THE RFP OUT. THERE IT GOES. SO WE PUT THE RFP OUT MARCH 31ST, APRIL 10TH. WE ASKED FOR QUESTIONS OR CLARIFICATIONS. WE RESPONDED BACK ON APRIL 14TH WITH THE INTERPRETATIONS. THE PROPOSALS WERE DUE ON APRIL 22ND. THEY WERE OPENED. WE DID GO BACK AND DO A BEST AND FINAL OFFER. WE RECEIVED THAT ON MAY 18TH. AND THAT LEADS ME HERE TONIGHT TO SHOW YOU THE RESULTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS. SO WE HAD WE HAD FIVE ENTITIES. QUOTE REALLY THE IT CAME DOWN TO BLUE CROSS. AND UNITED HEALTHCARE IS THE MOST COMPETITIVE. BUT WE HAD CURATIVE QUOTE CURATIVE IS A NEW THERE ARE NEW COMPANY THAT'S OUT THERE AND THEY KIND OF HAVE A NEW IT'S A NEW PRODUCT AND A NEW STYLE PRODUCT WHERE THEY REQUIRE ALL MEMBERS TO HAVE A OUR ASSESSMENT WITH ONE OF THEIR DOCTORS, AND THEN THEY CAN THEN THEY PUT THEM IN A NO COPAY PLAN. AND IF YOU CHOOSE NOT TO, YOU GO INTO A HIGH DEDUCTIBLE HEALTH PLAN. SO THEIR RATES WERE NOT AS COMPETITIVE AS EITHER BLUE CROSS OR UNITED HEALTHCARE. YOU KNOW, FRONTIER DIRECT CARE QUOTED, THEY QUOTED THEIR CLINIC MODEL AND THEN THEY QUOTED THEIR FULL TAKEOVER MODEL, WHICH WOULD BE APPLICABLE IN A SELF-FUNDED ENVIRONMENT. AND THEN TEXAS HEALTH BENEFIT POOL IS THE OLD HTML. ON THE BENEFIT SIDE, THEY PROVIDED A QUOTE. AGAIN, THEY WERE NOT NOT AS COMPETITIVE AS THE OTHER TWO. SO WITH BLUE CROSS, BLUE CROSS QUOTED BOTH FULLY INSURED AND SELF-FUNDED, BUT THEY, WITH THEIR FULLY INSURED QUOTE, THEY ARE OFFERING A ONE TIME TRANSITION CREDIT OF $325,000 FOR THE CITY. AND THEN THEY'RE ACTUALLY THEY'VE ACTUALLY PUT INSIDE THE RATE THE WELLNESS COORDINATOR PROGRAM, WHICH IS INCLUDED IN THE PRICING. SO IT WILL GIVE YOU IT WILL GIVE STAFF ACCESS TO ONE OF THEIR ONE OF THEIR WELLNESS COORDINATORS WITH UHC, UNITEDHEALTHCARE. THEY THEY ACTUALLY CAME IN. AND BLUE CROSS ALSO GAVE A SECOND YEAR RATE CAP OF 11%, UHC GAVE A SECOND YEAR RATE CAP, BUT BASED ON A LOSS RATIO BASIS, THEY ALSO DID INCREASE THEIR THEIR REWARD SCORE SCORECARD PROGRAM FROM 300 TO 1000. PER COVEN PER COVERED SUBSCRIBER AND SPOUSE. SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT KIND OF WHERE WE WERE, I CAN TELL YOU THE INITIAL UNITEDHEALTHCARE RENEWAL CAME IN AT ABOUT 14% AFTER THE BAFFO. THEY CAME IN, LIKE I SAID, AT NINE, THEY CAME IN AT 9%, AND THEY DID HAVE A RENEWAL GUARANTEE BASED ON LOSS RATIO.BLUE CROSS PROVIDED BLUE CROSS WAS AROUND. THEY WERE AROUND 7% ON THEIR BLUE CHOICE NETWORK WHEN THEY INITIALLY CAME OUT, AND THEY WERE AROUND CURRENT WITH THEIR ESSENTIALS NETWORK, WHICH IS THEIR HMO NETWORK. AFTER THE BAFFO, THEY CAME BACK AND GAVE US A QUOTE OF THE BLUE CHOICE NETWORK AT BASICALLY -0.1% AND THE ESSENTIALS NETWORK AT A -7.5%, WITH A RATE CAP OF
[01:55:02]
11%. EXCUSE ME, COULD YOU EXPLAIN TO EVERYBODY WHAT BAFFO IS BEST AND FINAL OFFER. SO WE THEY'RE THE TWO FINALISTS AND WENT BACK TO THEM, PROVIDED A LITTLE BIT MORE DATA THAT WE HAD SO THAT THEY COULD PRESENT THEIR, THEIR FINAL OFFERING. SO WITH BLUE CROSS. SO THE CHOICE PLUS NETWORK IS CONSIDERED THEIR LARGE NETWORK. THEIR ESSENTIALS NETWORK IS IN THE VALLEY. IT'S ABOUT A 98% MATCH. SO IT IS IT IS ON AN HMO CHASSIS. SO WITH STATE LAW WE WOULD WITH STATE LAW YOU CANNOT HAVE AN HMO WITHOUT AN OUT OF NETWORK. SO WE WOULD OFFER BOTH PLANS ALONGSIDE EACH OTHER AND WE WOULD, YOU KNOW, MY RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE THAT THE CITY WOULD FUND UP TO, YOU KNOW, FUND TO THE BLUE ESSENTIALS, WHICH WOULD GIVE YOU GUYS THE SAVINGS. AND THEN IF PEOPLE WANTED TO OPT UP INTO THE PPO, THEY COULD OPT UP INTO THE PPO. AND SO FOR SOME PEOPLE, IT'S THE HMO NETWORK. IS A TEXAS BASED NETWORK. SO THAT IS WHY WE WOULD OFFER THE PPO ALONGSIDE THAT. SO IF EXCUSE ME. YES I'M SORRY MAN I'M STILL LIKE LEARNING THIS AND GRAPPLING WITH IT. NO YOU'RE GOOD. WOULD YOU AVOID ACRONYMS AND JUST USE THE FULL TERM OKAY. WELL HMO IS A HEALTH MAINTENANCE ORGANIZATION. SO IT'S A IT'S HMOS TYPICALLY ARE THEY'RE TYPICALLY SMALLER NETWORKS. OR THEY'RE JUST TO BE CLEAR THAT PROVIDES COVERAGE FOR THE ENTIRE STATE OF TEXAS, ALL THE STATE OF TEXAS AND THE. SO ANY DOCTOR I GO TO IN THE STATE OF TEXAS IS COVERED, NOT 98%, NOT ABOUT 98% OF THE BLUE CROSS NETWORK. SO IT'S BUT ALSO ISN'T THE HMO AND THE SO THE PPO GIVES YOU THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO SEE WHATEVER HEALTHCARE PROVIDER YOU WOULD WANT TO SEE THAT IS IN NETWORK. STILL THE HMO, YOU STILL NEED THE REFERRALS. YOU DON'T, YOU DON'T. IT'S A IT'S A NON REFERRAL. YOU BASICALLY THE HMO YOU JUST YOU'RE REQUIRED TO SELECT A PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN.THAT'S IT. AND THEN IF YOU DON'T THEY'LL THEY ASSIGN ONE TO YOU. BUT YOU CAN GO TO ANY DOCTOR YOU WANT TO GO TO. SO YOU DON'T NEED THE REFERRALS FROM THE HMO TO GO SEE THE CARDIOLOGIST. OR YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE A REFERRAL. IT'S A IT'S A REFERRAL HMO. AND SO THE ONLY JUST ANOTHER POINT, THE PPO IS UNITED STATES COVERAGE JUST OUTSIDE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS. RIGHT? RIGHT. SO JUST TO BE CLEAR, YEAH. AND WITH AN HMO, IT'S YOU, YOU KNOW, IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY, YOU'RE ALWAYS GOING TO HAVE COVERAGE. BUT, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE ON THE HMO AND YOU'RE AND YOU'RE TRAVELING TO SOUTH CAROLINA AND YOU JUST WANTED TO GO SEE A DOCTOR IN SOUTH CAROLINA, YOU, YOU KNOW, YOU YOU WOULD YOU COULDN'T DO THAT. SO THE PPO IS, YOU KNOW, SO THAT IN REALLY FOR THE PEOPLE, THE MAJORITY OF YOUR PEOPLE ARE STAYING IN TEXAS AND GOING IN TEXAS. AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK THE PEOPLE THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE A CHILD AT SCHOOL SOMEWHERE, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
SO WE WOULD JUST WE WOULD MAKE SURE DURING THE ENROLLMENT PERIOD THAT WE, YOU KNOW, EDUCATE THE MEMBERS SO THAT THEY KNOW. BUT IF, FOR INSTANCE, YOU GO TO SAN ANTONIO TO GET CARE, IT'S COVERED. YOU GO TO DALLAS, IT'S COVERED. YOU KNOW, HOUSTON, IT WOULD BE COVERED. SO, YOU KNOW, AND THEN AGAIN, BECAUSE WE WOULD THEN AGAIN, WE WOULD JUST, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD OFFER BOTH THE PLANS. SO AND LIKE I SAID, THEIR THEY'RE THEIR ESSENTIALS NETWORK, ESPECIALLY THEIR SOCIAL NETWORK THROUGHOUT THE STATE IS ABOUT A 95% MATCH IN THE VALLEY. IT'S ABOUT 98%. YOU WOULD PAY FOR THIS BUT NOT FOR THIS. SO. WE DON'T DO THAT. OKAY. SO SCOTT, WHAT? AND OF COURSE YOU'RE GOING TO COVER THE SELF-FUNDED ANALYSIS IN JUST A MINUTE. BUT IF YOU WERE TO PICK A FULLY INSURED PLAN, THE CITY WOULD RECOMMEND THAT WE OFFER THE HMO HEALTH MAINTENANCE ORGANIZATION PLAN TO THE EMPLOYEES. AND THEN IF THEY WANT TO OPT UP TO A HIGHER PLAN, THEY WOULD JUST PAY THE DIFFERENCE, RIGHT? EITHER FOR THE EMPLOYEE COVERAGE OR EMPLOYEE AND FAMILY COVERAGE. SO THEY WOULD GET THE BASIC PLAN OF THE HEALTH MAINTENANCE ORGANIZATION, WHICH IS FULL COVERAGE FOR THE STATE OF TEXAS. 90% PLAN ON THEIR OF DOCTORS ON THE PLAN. AND THEN IF THEY WANTED TO HAVE COVERAGE FOR ANYBODY ELSE THAT MAY BE OUTSIDE THE STATE, THEY CAN OPT UP FOR THE PPO. NOW, THE PLAN THAT WE WOULD OFFER WOULD BE A DECREASE OF APPROXIMATELY $660,000 TO THE CITY OF THE CURRENT PRICE WE'RE PAYING RIGHT NOW FOR COVERAGE. I WAS SEEING THAT. SO THAT'S A 7.5%, WHICH IS FANTASTIC. AND MOST OF THE EMPLOYEES WOULD PROBABLY TAKE THAT PLAN. THERE
[02:00:04]
WOULD BE A FEW THAT WOULD OPT UP FOR THE PREFERRED PHYSICIAN. WHAT IS THAT PPO PREFERRED PREFERRED PROVISION. PREFERRED PHYSICIAN. OH MY GOD SOMETHING. YES. PREFER ORGANIZATION.ORGANIZATION OKAY. PHYSICIAN ORGANIZATION. SO IS THERE THAT OPTION CURRENTLY RIGHT NOW FOR THE CITY? NO. RIGHT NOW WE ONLY HAVE ONE ONE PLAN OKAY. WHEN WE SWITCH TO UHC, WE HAVE UNITED HEALTH CARE. WE HAD TO. WE HAD WE ELIMINATED ALL OF ACRONYMS. IN MY WORLD IT'S LIKE THE ALPHABET SOUP I APOLOGIZE. YOU KNOW, WHEN WE SWITCH TO UNITED HEALTH CARE, WE GOT RID OF ALL THE OPTIONAL PLANS AND JUST WENT WITH ONE. AND THAT'S BECAUSE OF THE COSTS WERE RISING. THAT WAS BECAUSE OF THE COST. YES. AND I THINK, YOU KNOW TO CITY MANAGER'S POINT ALSO I THINK THERE WAS A FIVE HE HAS A 5% HOLDER IN THE BUDGET. SO I MEAN THIS ESSENTIALLY IS WHY I DIDN'T WANT TO TELL HIM THAT. I HOWEVER. YEAH. MOVING ON THIS THIS WOULD GIVE YOU THE FLEXIBILITY. AND AGAIN, TO THE CITY MANAGER'S POINT, I THINK THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE THE ESSENTIALS WILL WORK FOR THEM VERY, VERY WELL. AND THE BENEFITS MIRROR THE BENEFITS YOU HAVE TODAY. AND BOTH PLANS WOULD HAVE THAT. SO AT THE END OF THE DAY, IF SOMEBODY DID WANT TO, YOU KNOW, IF THEY HAD A CHILD LIVING OUT OF NETWORK, YOU KNOW, THEY COULD THEY COULD JUST CHOOSE TO BUY UP TO THE PPO. SO THAT WAS WHAT WAS GOING TO BE MY NEXT, MY NEXT QUESTION. SO, SO THE CITY EMPLOYEES ARE COVERED AT 100% AND THEY'RE LIVING HERE. SO MOST LIKELY THEY'RE GOING TO WANT TO GO WITH THE TEXAS PLAN. BUT FOR INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE COLLEGE STUDENTS THAT ARE UNDER 25, AND MAYBE THEY'RE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COUNTRY, THEN THEY CAN THEY CAN OPT TO GET THE PPO FOR JUST THE CHILD. AND THEY WOULD THEY WOULD HAVE TO GET THE THEY'D HAVE THE WHOLE FAMILY WOULD TAKE THE RATE. GOT IT. ANOTHER REASON NOT TO GO TO LAS VEGAS. YES, SIR. SO AND AGAIN WITH BLUE CROSS NOT ONLY WILL YOU YOU KNOW, YOU'LL SEE THAT SAVINGS THROUGH THE ESSENTIALS NETWORK. BUT THEY DID ALSO GIVE A $325,000 TRANSITION CREDIT. SO THE CITY WILL BENEFIT, YOU KNOW, WILL BENEFIT THAT I THINK ON THEIR FIRST BILL. SO IT'S I MEAN IT'S BETWEEN THOSE TWO. IT'S ABOUT $1 MILLION. WHAT DOES THE CITY DO TO EDUCATE THE STAFF? THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE PPO AND THE HMO. BECAUSE LIKE I HAVE BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD INDEPENDENTLY AND IT'S NOT AS GREAT AS THE CITY PROVIDES FOR THE, FOR THE, FOR THE WHICH IS GREAT, BUT IT'S BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT OF EMPLOYEES AND THE ADDITIONAL BENEFITS, BUT SO THAT PEOPLE KNOW THAT THEY CAN GO SEE WHATEVER DOCTOR THAT THEY OF THEIR CHOOSING IS THERE. IS THERE A IT'S HARD TO GET TO EVERY, EVERY EMPLOYEE. SO HOW DOES THAT WE DO? WHAT HAPPENS IS EVERYONE IS REQUIRED TO ATTEND AN EMPLOYEE ENROLLMENT. AND SO WHEN THEY ATTEND, THAT'S WHEN WE COVER ALL THE HEALTH INSURANCE OPTIONS WE PROVIDE AND INCLUDING THE ANCILLARY SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE IN CASE THEY WANT TO OPT UP FOR ANY OF THOSE. THAT'S YOUR DENTAL, YOUR VISION. YES. NOW, WE DON'T PROVIDE ANY COVERAGE FOR THAT. IT'S ALL EMPLOYEE PAID. YES. BUT WE AND SALAZAR INSURANCE HELPS US WITH THAT.
THEY PROVIDE STAFF THAT. AND THEN IF YOU GET AFLAC OR COLONIAL THEY'LL HAVE PEOPLE THERE ALSO THAT PROVIDE GEICO. AND I SAID GEICO BUT I MEAN YEAH YEAH. AND THEY'LL HAVE BECAUSE BLUE CROSS BECAUSE IT IS A SWITCH TO A DIFFERENT CARRIER. BLUE CROSS WILL HAVE PEOPLE HERE DURING THE ENROLLMENT MEETINGS TO ANSWER. THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO HEAR. OKAY. SO BLUE SO BLUE CROSS WILL HAVE A PRESENCE IN IN A CONSUMABLE WAY TO COMMISSIONER LOPEZ'S POINT OF MAYBE GOING OVER PEOPLE'S HEADS WITH THE ACRONYMS AND ALL THIS OTHER STUFF. ABSOLUTELY. OKAY. SO YEAH, THEY WILL. THAT'S THE, YOU KNOW, THEIR THEIR IMPLEMENTATION TEAM AND THEIR ACCOUNT MANAGERS.
THEY'RE ACCUSTOMED TO DOING FACE TO FACE, YOU KNOW, ENROLLMENT. GREAT. SO EXCUSE ME, HOW LONG WILL THEY BE HERE? I KNOW WE'LL WE'LL USUALLY HEAR A WEEK. YEAH. WE'LL NEGOTIATE THAT WITH THEM.
SO BECAUSE ENROLLMENT IS USUALLY THE ENTIRE WEEK. YEAH. YEAH. COULD COULD YOU DESCRIBE THE WILDERNESS CONSULTANT PROGRAM. YEAH. SO THE WELLNESS CONSULTANT PROGRAM IS THEY, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW BASICALLY THEY, THEY THERE'S A CHARGE THEY USUALLY HAVE AND IT'S FOR THEY HAVE A GROUP OF WELLNESS WELLNESS PROGRAM PEOPLE. AND THEIR JOB IS REALLY TO WORK WITH THE CLIENT TO HELP THEM DESIGN A WELLNESS PROGRAM SPECIFIC TO THEM. SO THEY'LL SO STAFF WILL HAVE
[02:05:07]
ACCESS TO THIS PERSON. AND THIS PERSON, YOU KNOW, WILL HELP THEM DEVELOP A PROGRAM. OBVIOUSLY, THEY THEY KNOW THE INS AND OUTS OF BLUE CROSS. SO THEY KNOW THE PROGRAMS THAT THAT BLUE CROSS OFFERS. AND THEY'LL MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S A THERE'S A ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY TO MAKE SURE THAT THE, THE EMPLOYEES TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S COMMUNICATIONS GOING OUT TO THE EMPLOYEES SO THEY KNOW WHAT'S AVAILABLE FOR THEM FROM A WELLNESS STANDPOINT. AND SO IT IT WILL HELP. LIKE I SAID, IT'LL HELP STAFF TO HELP STAFF TO PUT STUFF, PUT A PLAN TOGETHER FOR TO INCREASE THE ENGAGEMENT. BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENS WITH WELLNESS PROGRAMS IS IT'S REALLY ALL ABOUT THE ENGAGEMENT.YOU CAN HAVE THE BEST WELLNESS PROGRAM IN THE WORLD, BUT IF EMPLOYEES AND EMPLOYEES DON'T KNOW ABOUT IT AND THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOT GETTING ENGAGED IN IT, IT REALLY DOESN'T DO ANYTHING. SO WHAT THAT PERSON WILL DO IS IT'LL HELP. IT'LL HELP GET THE MESSAGE OUT TO THE EMPLOYEES. SO AND THEY'LL DO SOMETIMES THEY'LL COME IN AND DO, YOU KNOW, DO WELLNESS SEMINARS ON SITE FOR EMPLOYEES AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. WE USUALLY DO HEALTH FAIRS WHERE WE PROVIDE CERTAIN COVERAGES LIKE TESTING FOR DIABETES. I WILL, COMMISSIONER, I'LL GET I'LL GET THEM TO I'LL GET MORE INFORMATION FROM THEM AND PROVIDE IT TO THE CITY MANAGER SO HE CAN SHARE IT WITH YOU. I'M MORE CONCERNED ABOUT THE END USER THAN MYSELF. YEP. NOPE.
WELL, ABSOLUTELY. BUT YOU KNOW, I'LL, YOU KNOW, I'LL, I'LL GET LIKE I SAID, I'LL MAKE SURE THAT THAT WE HAVE A, A THE MATERIALS THAT THEY HAVE THAT ACTUALLY EXPLAIN EVERYTHING. SO. ALL RIGHT. SO YOU KNOW, I KNOW WE'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT PARTIALLY SELF-FUNDED. ONE THING TO REMEMBER TOO IS THERE'S AN 11% RATE CAP ON THE NEXT YEAR. SO WE YOU KNOW, WE RAN THE SELF-FUNDED ANALYSIS AND WE TOOK THE INFORMATION THAT BLUE CROSS HAD GIVEN US. AND THIS AGAIN, THIS ONE ASSUMED JUST STAYING WITH THE BLUE CHOICE PPO. AND I THINK WHAT YOU SEE IS THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU LOOK, YOU KNOW, AT THE TOP, IT'S WE'VE GOT ESSENTIALLY WHAT THE CURRENT PREMIUM IS, WHERE THE RENEWAL PREMIUM COMES IN. AND THEN WE HAVE THE SELF-FUNDED ASSUMPTIONS FOR THE SPECIFIC DEDUCTIBLE, WHICH IF YOU'RE PARTIALLY SELF-FUNDED, THAT IS THE AMOUNT THE CITY WOULD PAY ON EACH CLAIMANT UP TO A CERTAIN LEVEL. SO THE CITY WOULD PAY UP TO 175,000. AND THEN THE REINSURANCE CARRIER WOULD PAY FOR ANY AMOUNTS ABOVE THAT. YOU WOULD ALSO HAVE AGGREGATE REINSURANCE. AND WHAT AN AGGREGATE CORRIDOR IS, IS IT'S BASICALLY UNDERWRITING WOULD COME UP WITH A WOULD COME UP WITH AN EXPECTED CLAIM COST ON A PER EMPLOYEE PER MONTH BASIS, AND THEN YOU WOULD HAVE A 25% CORRIDOR ON TOP OF THAT SO THAT IT PROCLAIMS ABSOLUTELY HORRIBLE. YOU WOULD, YOU KNOW, YOU WOULD HAVE PROTECTION ON CLAIMS IN THE AGGREGATE FOR ALL CLAIMS. SO WHEN WE LOOKED, WHEN WE PLUGGED IT IN TO THE MODEL AND ON THE RIGHT SIDE, YOU CAN SEE THIS SELF-FUNDED EXPENSE BREAKDOWN WHERE YOU HAVE, YOU KNOW, THE CLAIMS COST AND THEN YOU HAVE THE, YOU KNOW, THE STOP LOSS CONTRACT RISK. AND THEN YOU'VE GOT YOUR FIXED EXPENSES DOWN THERE, WHICH, YOU KNOW, ADMINISTRATION IS FOR BLUE CROSS TO PAY THE CLAIMS. YOU HAVE YOUR STOP LOSS CONTRACT, WHICH IS THE PREMIUM. AND THEY THERE ARE YOU KNOW, YOU WOULD AS A SELF-FUNDED PLAN. YOU WOULD GET THE PRESCRIPTION DRUG REBATES. SO OVERALL WITH THE YOU KNOW, WITH THE QUOTE THAT WE GOT YOU KNOW, IT GOING SELF-FUNDED ROUGHLY IS ABOUT 200,000, 200,000 WORSE THAN THAN GOING FULLY INSURED. SO YES, SIR. YOU SAID FROM THE QUOTE WE GOT FROM THE QUOTE WE GOT. YEAH. FROM WHO? FROM BLUE CROSS. OKAY. SO THAT THEY WOULD RUN THE SYSTEM. YES. YES. WHICH IS, WHICH YOU WOULD EXPECT TO BE DIFFERENT BECAUSE YOU WOULD THINK THAT IF THEY'RE NOT ON THE RISK, THEY WOULD WANT THE NUMBERS TO, YOU KNOW, TO LOOK BETTER. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, I THINK THE POSITIVE THING IS THAT IF WE GO FULLY INSURED THIS YEAR, EVEN IF THEY CAME BACK NEXT YEAR AND SAID WE'RE GOING TO TAKE THE FULL 11% ON THE CAP, WE STILL WOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO PARTIALLY SELF-FUNDED, YOU KNOW, NEXT YEAR. SO IT YOU KNOW, AND AGAIN,
[02:10:01]
THIS IS JUST BASED OFF THE HALF A PERCENT. BUT IT WOULD IT WOULD LOOK EVEN WORSE IF WE WOULD HAVE RAN IT ON THE -7.5%. SO YOUR RECOMMENDATION IS TO WAIT. MY RECOMMENDATION IS TO WAIT THE AT THE END OF THE DAY. AND I'VE SAID IT'S REALLY KIND OF HOW THE MARKET DICTATES IT. AND YOU KNOW, DOWN HERE OBVIOUSLY I THINK BLUE CROSS FEELS VERY CONFIDENT IN THEIR IN THEIR DISCOUNT STRATEGIES AND THEIR HOSPITAL CONTRACTS. AND THEY'VE ACTUALLY PUT THEIR MONEY WHERE THEIR MOUTH IS. SO YOU KNOW, I DON'T I, I THINK GOING SELF-FUNDED THIS YEAR, THE PERCENTAGE OF CHANCE THAT YOU WOULD SAVE EVEN MORE MONEY I DON'T I WOULDN'T RISK THAT. I WOULD NOT RISK THAT BECAUSE I DON'T I DON'T THINK YOU'RE YOU KNOW, I THINK WHEN WE LOOK AT IT LIKE IT SAID, LIKE LIKE HERE, WHERE ON THAT SCALE THE PERCENTAGE IS KIND OF FLOATING AT 45.2. YOU KNOW, I'D REALLY I WOULD PREFER IT TO BE KIND OF IN THE GREEN AREA, YOU KNOW, SUCH AS LIKE THE 60% TO STRONGLY CONSIDER. BUT I'D REALLY AT LEAST WANT IT TO BE OVER 50%.AND GOING BACK, YOU MENTIONED WE HAD THE FOUR, THE FOUR QUOTES THAT CAME IN, ONE OF THEM BEING THE BLUE, BLUE CROSS, BLUE SHIELD, NOT A FAN OF UNITED BECAUSE THEY ALWAYS GO UP EXTREME AMOUNT EVERY YEAR. BUT WHAT WAS THE OTHER TWO I KNOW YOU MENTIONED I APOLOGIZE. SO NOW CURATIVE IS THERE A NEW THERE, A NEW CARRIER AND NEW END OF THE MARKET. SO THEY'RE A BIOTECH COMPANY? YEAH. THEY DECIDED, WELL, WE SHOULD OFFER HEALTH INSURANCE. OKAY. I STILL I'VE MET WITH THEM AND I LIKE WHAT THEY'RE SAYING. I AS A TRAINED UNDERWRITER, I CAN'T WRAP MY BRAIN AND MAKE THE NUMBER, BUT THEY'RE NOT A PLUS. THEY'RE NOT. AND THEN WE HAD FRONTIER DIRECT WHICH FRONTIER DIRECT IS LOCAL HERE IN HARLEM. AND THEY OPERATE CLINICS, ADVANCED PRIMARY CARE CLINICS. AND THEN THEY HAVE A HEALTH PLAN THAT THEY HAVE BUILT AROUND THAT. SO IT IS, BUT IT'S BASICALLY THERE'S A SELF-FUNDED, YOU KNOW, AND AGAIN, AT THE END OF THE DAY TOO, WITH THEM IS DOWN THE ROAD. IF WE GO SELF-FUNDED, THEY ALSO HAVE A BOLT ON, THEY HAVE A BOLT ON PRODUCT, WHICH THEY'RE DOING IN, IN, AT LEANDER ISD AND IN BROWNSVILLE AND MCALLEN AND THE, YOU KNOW, AND THEY, YOU KNOW, THEY BASICALLY OFFER THEIR THEIR ADVANCED PRIMARY CARE SERVICES. AND SO THOSE CLAIMS COME OUT OF YOUR POOL AND, AND THEY MANAGE THOSE, THOSE CLAIMS AND THEY HAVE A LOT OF SUCCESS. AND SO IT WAS THOSE TWO. AND THEN THE TEXAS HEALTH BASICALLY THE OLD HTML, IT WAS THE TEXAS HEALTH RISK POOL THAT QUOTED MOST FRONTIER DONE IN BROWNSVILLE. LEANDER. THEY'VE BEEN GREAT. I MEAN, IT'S YOU KNOW, AND WE'RE ACTUALLY WE'RE TALKING TO THE DISTRICTS, A CLIENT OF MINE, AND WE'RE TALKING TO THEM ABOUT, YOU KNOW, POTENTIALLY PUTTING THEM IN. SO NO, THEY'VE DONE IT. THEY'VE THEY'VE DONE A REALLY GOOD JOB. AND WHEN IT COMES, YOU KNOW, ADVANCED PRIMARY CARE IS, IS IT'S IT IS REALLY KIND OF WHERE EVERYTHING KIND OF NEEDS TO MOVE IN MY OPINION, JUST BECAUSE IT'S, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY WHEN YOU HAVE HAVE THAT, THAT WHAT THEY'RE DOING IS THEY'RE STEERING THE CARE TO THE HIGHEST QUALITY PROVIDERS. AND ALSO WHAT THEY'RE DOING IS WHAT THEY DO, ESPECIALLY WITH THEIR TECHNOLOGY, IS THEY THEY ACTUALLY WILL NEGOTIATE WITH THE FACILITIES. AND IT'S A REAL TIME NEGOTIATION. THEY ACTUALLY HAVE A FINANCIAL COMPANY. SO THEY MAY, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE GOING TO VALLEY BAPTIST, YOU KNOW, AND I THINK THEY ACTUALLY HAVE CONTRACTS VALID. BUT THEY WOULD CALL THEM AND THEY WOULD SAY, OKAY, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE AT MEDICARE COST. YOU KNOW, YOU'RE RIGHT NOW YOU'RE AT MEDICARE PLUS 60. IF I PAID IF I WIRED YOU, YOU KNOW, IF I WIRED YOU MEDICARE PLUS 20 RIGHT NOW, YOU KNOW, WOULD YOU TAKE IT. AND MOST OF THE FACILITIES DO THAT BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE TO DEAL WITH, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, THE FILING OF CLAIMS. SO IT'S JUST A DIFFERENT WAY. BUT YEAH, THEY'RE VERY THEY'VE DONE A YOU KNOW, I THINK MCALLEN'S HAD A LOT OF GREAT SUCCESS. THE CITY OF BROWNSVILLE HAS HAD A LOT OF GREAT SUCCESS. AND LEANDER SO AND THEIR RELATIVE, I MEAN, IT'S RELATIVELY NEW, BUT THEY DON'T HAVE AN AM BEST RATING. AM BEST AM BEST RATING. YEAH. WELL NO, NO, AM BEST IS A COMPANY THAT LOOKS AT THE FINANCIALS OF ALL INSURANCE COMPANIES, AND THEY LABEL THEM FROM A+. AND THAT'S WHY. DOWN. AND THESE ARE NHRS.
THEY'RE NOT RATED. AND IT'S YOU HAVE TO APPLY FOR AN AM BEST RATING. AND THEY HAVE NOT. AND
[02:15:02]
THEY INVEST RATINGS GIVES YOU THE PROBABILITY IN THE EVENT OF BAD CLAIMS. CATASTROPHIC.CATASTROPHIC. YEAH. THANK YOU. I NEED A SPEECH THERAPIST THAT THEY'LL HAVE THE POCKETS TO PAY.
AND TECHNICALLY THEY'RE NOT AN INSURANCE COMPANY BECAUSE THEY ARE THEY'RE A THEY'RE A THIRD PARTY ADMINISTRATOR. SO AND BOTH THOSE CITIES ARE SELF-FUNDED. YES. MCALLEN. YEAH. YEAH. SO THEN IF WE WERE TO USE FRONTIER, WE GO TO THAT BLUE BOX YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF US WHERE WE WOULD
[Item 10c - Consideration and possible action to approve an ordinance on first reading for a Special Use Permit (SUP) request to allow an assisted living facility in a Residential Single Family (R-1) District located at 1901 E. Mesquite Drive, bearing a legal description of Lot 20, Block 2, Parkwood Subdivision. Applicant: Veronica Gutierrez.]
TAKE A $250,000 LOSS PLUS PLUS SEVEN PLUS SEVEN. NO, BUT. WELL, NO, NO. SO IF YOU WENT THAT WAY, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE THE YOU KNOW, THEIR THOUGHT PROCESS IS THAT THEY SO THEY WOULD TYPICALLY COME IN AND SAY SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 10 AND 15%. SO THE YOU KNOW, THE REALITY WOULD BE ON THE CLAIM NUMBER. YOU KNOW, THEY MIGHT IT MIGHT BE LIKE 800,000. BUT THIS NUMBER RIGHT HERE, THE THAT 200,000, THIS IS NOT BASED ON THE 7.5%. SO AT THE END OF THE DAY THAT 7.5% WOULD, YOU KNOW, PLUS THE 320,000, THAT'S $1 MILLION. SO THAT'S THAT'S WHY I SAY TODAY IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE. TOMORROW OR NEXT YEAR IT MAY MAKE SENSE. AND THE REALITY TOO IS, IS BLUE DOES A GOOD JOB ON SELF-FUNDED. SO AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU KNOW WE TAKE THE SAVINGS THIS YEAR. AND EVEN IF THEY HIT US WITH AN 11% NEXT YEAR, WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO GO SELF-FUNDED IF WE WANT TO OR GOD FORBID, AGAIN OR GO OUT FOR BIDS AGAIN. YEAH. I MEAN, SO YEAH, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S GREAT THAT WE'RE SAVING MONEY THIS YEAR INSTEAD OF THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION AND ALL THE STUFF THAT WE'VE GOT TO DO THIS YEAR, IT'S GOING TO IT'S GOING TO BE HELPFUL. I WAS AFRAID SHE WAS GOING TO SAY THAT. YEAH. SO YOU ONLY HAD THESE FOUR CARRIERS THAT THAT PUT IN QUOTES. YES, SIR. AND THAT'S NOT THAT'S IN TODAY'S MARKET. THAT'S. THAT'S NOT UNCOMMON. I MEAN IT'S STANDARD. YOU'VE STILL GOT LIKE CIGNA DOES NOT CIGNA DOESN'T HAVE A PRESENCE IN THE VALLEY.YOU KNOW. AND YOU'RE WITH UNITED. AND YOU'VE GOT YOU KNOW YOU KNOW BAYLOR. SO I MEAN YOU'VE GOT SCOTT AND BLUE CROSS. SO AND AETNA ACTUALLY AETNA IS NOT QUOTING ON FULLY INSURED BUSINESS. SO THEY DID NOT PROVIDE A QUOTE. AND THEY'RE KIND OF IN A LITTLE BIT OF A TRANSITION. SO YEAH THESE WERE THE THESE WERE THE ONES I ACTUALLY I BELIEVE IT OR NOT I WAS SURPRISED THAT I WAS SURPRISED CURATIVE QUOTED. BUT WE'VE SEEN THEM OUT THERE. THEIR NUMBERS WERE NOT WE'VE SEEN THEM IN SOME AREAS AND PUTTING OUT KIND OF LOW NUMBERS. THEIRS WAS NOT THAT WAY HERE. SO DID YOU USE ANY LOCAL BROKERS FOR THIS? NO, THIS WE STRAIGHT WE JUST WE WENT JUST TO THE CARRIER. THAT'S WHAT WE DO. AND SO WHEN IT COMES TO BROKERS WE DON'T TYPICALLY.
SO YOU'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE ANY, ANY LOCAL AGENTS. NO THAT'S NOT UP TO ME. THAT WOULD BE UP TO YOU GUYS. SO I DON'T CHOOSE. YOU CAN HAVE THEM. BUT IT'S GOING TO INCREASE THE COST OF THE INSURANCE. SO MY JOB AS THE CONSULTANT IS I JUST COME IN HERE AND FIND THE BEST DEAL FOR YOU FROM FROM THE CARRIER NOW FROM A, FROM A, YOU KNOW, A BROKER STANDPOINT. THAT'S, THAT'S UP TO THE TO THE CITY AND THE COMMISSION. AND I KNOW I THINK YOU'VE GOT A BROKER IN RIGHT NOW. AND THEN I THINK I THINK YOU'VE GOT SALAZAR AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, SHEPHERD WALTON HELPS ON THE ANCILLARY STUFF TOO. SO. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? WELL, I WAS JUST REAL QUICK. SO THE ONLY OTHER ONLY OTHER ITEM VISION IS UNDER A RATE GUARANTEE. THE LIFE AND DISABILITY THROUGH UNUM. GOT A RATE PASS OR NO INCREASE. AND THEN THE AFLAC PRODUCTS GOT NO INCREASE. SO THE AETNA IT WAS A IT'S ABOUT AN 8.1. IT'S AN 8.1% INCREASE. THAT IS AN EMPLOYEE PAID. AETNA HAS DONE DONE A GOOD JOB. SO ALL OF THESE ARE EMPLOYEE PAID. YEAH. SO AT THE END OF THE DAY I THINK WE WOULD NEED A YOU KNOW AN ACTION ITEM ON AWARDING THE AWARDING THE RFP TO BLUE CROSS AND BLUE SHIELD AND THEN JUST ACCEPTING THE AETNA RENEWAL. WE OFFER LIKE A HSAS. RIGHT. WITH THIS. WELL, YES. YEAH. WELL IT'S OPTIONAL FSA YEAH. YEAH FSA IS THAT AN
[02:20:03]
ACRONYM. YEAH. RIGHT. IT'S BECAUSE IT'S THE ONE OF THE ONES I KNOW. I JUST HAD TO THROW IT OUT TO THE THIS CONVERSATION. OKAY. PERFECT. YEAH I'LL MAKE A MOTION THEN TO APPROVE BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD SECOND. AND THIS IS THE HEALTH INSURANCE HMO, PPO INCLUDING THE ANCILLARIES THAT THESE ANCILLARIES AT THE 7.5%. I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE TO THE EIGHT BECAUSE THERE'S TWO PLANS. RIGHT. SO IT'S THE HMO. WELL YEAH. NO I THINK YEAH I THINK YOU WOULD PROBABLY, YOU KNOW, AWARD THE CONTRACT TO BLUE CROSS AND BLUE SHIELD AND OFFER BOTH THE HMO AND THE PPO, AND WE WOULD COVER UP TO THE HMO, AND THEN THE EMPLOYEE WOULD PAY THE REST IF THEY WANT TO UP. YEAH. CLARIFICATION. YEAH. ALL RIGHT. AND SO WE'VE GOT DANIEL. DID YOU MOTION FOR THAT. IS THERE A SECOND. YEAH I DID SECOND WITH COMMISSIONER MIKE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY AND WE ARE GOING TO TAKE A TWO MINUTE BREAK. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. SCOTT. VERY INSIGHTFUL. ALL RIGHT. OKAY.[Item 10d - Consideration and possible action to approve an ordinance on first reading for a request to rezone from Not designated ("N") District to General Retail (GR) Di strict for 4.5 acres of land out of Lots 1-9, Block 4, Midway Subdivision , located at the Southeast corner of Grace and Gayle Avenues. Applicant: Chris Hamby c/o LMB Properties, LTD ET A L.]
[Item 10f - Consideration and possible action to approve the preliminary construction plans and final plat with conditions of the proposed Tuscany Hill s Subdivision, bearing a legal description of a 73.69-acre tract of land, more or less, out of and forming a part of Blocks 28, 36, and 37 of the Palmetal Subdivision , located south of Grimes Avenue and west of Bob Youker Road.]
[Item 10g - Consideration and possible action to approve the One-Year Action Plan (Budget) for Fiscal Year 2025-2026 (Year 51) of the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and the Home Investment Partnership (HOME) Programs as recommended by the Community Development Advisory Board.]
[02:31:01]
LET'S JUST START HER UP. JUST START IT UP. OKAY? TWO. OH, NO. ALL RIGHT. WE THE TIME IS NOW[02:31:12]
7:56 P.M. AND WE TOOK A SHORT, BRIEF RECESS, AND WE ARE BACK IN OPEN SESSION. MISS MELINDA, ITEM TEN C CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO APPROVE AN ORDINANCE ON FIRST READING FOR A SPECIAL USE PERMIT REQUEST TO ALLOW AN ASSISTED LIVING FACILITY IN A RESIDENTIAL SINGLE FAMILY DISTRICT LOCATED AT 1901 EAST MESQUITE DRIVE. BARRING A LEGAL DESCRIPTION OF LOT 20, BLOCK TWO, PARKWOOD SUBDIVISION APPLICANT VERONICA GUTIERREZ. PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT. AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF HARLINGEN. A SPECIAL USE PERMIT ISSUED TO VERONICA GUTIERREZ TO ALLOW AN ASSISTED LIVING FACILITY IN A RESIDENTIAL, SINGLE FAMILY R-1 DISTRICT LOCATED AT 1901 EAST MESQUITE DRIVE. BURYING A LEGAL DESCRIPTION OF LOT 20, BLOCK TWO, PARKWOOD SUBDIVISION, PROVIDING FOR PUBLICATION AND ORDAINING OTHER MATTERS RELATED TO THE FOREGOING. SO DOES WE ALL HAVE IN OUR PACKET AND EVERYBODY REVIEWED IT. DOES THE COMMISSION HAVE ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS? YEAH I DO, YOU'RE PURCHASING THE PROPERTY OKAY. YEAH I SEE IT LISTED ON ZILLOW HERE. YEAH. FOR A PRINCELY SUM. AND HAS THIS ALREADY BEEN IN THE ASSISTED LIVING PROPERTY BEFORE. YOU CAN JUST APPROACH THE MIC SO I CAN ANSWER THAT ONE. THIS ONE HAS NOT. OKAY. BUT THERE'S ONE NEAR HERE. THERE'S ONE IN THE AREA.YES OKAY I BELIEVE ON CLIFFORD STREET. OKAY. AND THEN DEFINE ASSISTED LIVING. I'M A RETIRED NURSE PRACTITIONER OKAY. SO DEFINE FOR ME. MY NAME IS MICHAEL GIBBS AND I'M THE OWNER OF COMFORT CARE HOME CARE HERE IN HARLINGEN. SO I'M A REGISTERED NURSE AND A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER IN TOWN. SO VERONICA AND I, ABOUT FIVE YEARS AGO, I OPENED COMFORT CARE HOME CARE. I'VE BEEN A NURSE FOR NEARLY 20 YEARS. WE'VE BEEN CARING FOR INDIVIDUALS IN THEIR
[Item 10h - Consideration and possible action to approve the conversion of one (1) part -time position to(1) full-time position for the Tony Butler Golf Course Snack Bar]
HOMES, BUT THROUGHOUT THE LAST FIVE YEARS, WE'VE NOTICED THE TREND THAT WE NEED TO FIND MORE AFFORDABLE CARE FOR OUR LOVED ONES. SO WHEN VERONICA AND I GOT TOGETHER, VERONICA HAS BEEN WORKING WITH ME AT COMFORT CARE. SO WE DECIDED, LET'S GET TOGETHER AND SEE WHAT WE HAVE.[Item 10i - Consideration and possible action to authorize the City Manager to re-allocate the $50,000.00 in City Funds originally allocated for the Immigrant Assistance Program to the Loaves & FishesOpen Arms Emergency Shelter Program to support the continued operation of the Shelter.]
WE FOUND A RESIDENTIAL ASSISTED LIVING ACADEMY AND WE TOOK THAT. WE REALIZED THEY'RE LICENSED IN THE STATE OF TEXAS FOR 16 BEDS. SO WE CAN DO IS TAKE GRANDMA JUDY WHEN FUNDS BECOME UNAVAILABLE. BECAUSE 24 HOUR HOME CARE WITH MY CARE IS COSTING OVER $14,000 A MONTH, SO IT'S NO LONGER AFFORDABLE TO KEEP GRANDMA JUDY AT HOME. WE AND WE DON'T WANT GRANDMA JUDY TO BE IN A NURSING HOME. SO THIS IS A MORE AFFORDABLE PLACE AND A SAFE PLACE. SO COMFORT CARE HOME[Item 10j - Consideration and possible action to award a contract to Go Underground LLC., pursuant to Bid No. 2025-06 for the 5th and 7th Storm Sewer Improvements]
CARE WILL PROVIDE 24 HOUR CARE. AND NOW IT CAME TO FIND A PLACE THAT WE COULD REMODEL AND RENOVATE. AND THIS IS WHERE WE CAME, THIS PROPERTY. SO WE CAME ACROSS THIS PROPERTY. DO YOU HAVE A LICENSE FOR THIS FACILITY? YES. AS SOON AS WE WILL GET THE LICENSE, IT IS PENDING WITH THE STATE. IT'S A SMALL TYPE B FACILITY. I GET SURVEYED AFTER REMODEL. OKAY.AND OF COURSE, YOU HAVE TO PUT IN THE FIRE EXTINGUISHERS AND ALL THAT SORT OF THING. YEAH.
THEN WILL YOU BE HAVING ANY DEMENTIA PATIENTS? THIS ONE. OUR PLAN. IT'S GOING TO DEPEND. THEY WILL. I'M A REGISTERED NURSE, SO WE WILL REVIEW THEM AND I WILL DO A CARE PLAN. THIS PARTICULAR ONE IS OUR FIRST BUILD AND OUR FIRST RENOVATION. SO IT KIND OF DEPENDS ON THE ACUITY LEVEL OF THAT PARTICULAR PATIENT. AND THERE'S A LOT MORE THAT GOES INTO A HIGH ACUITY DEMENTIA CARE
[Item 10k - Consideration and possible action on Phase II of the Jefferson Street Storm Sewer Improvement Project]
[02:35:08]
UNIT. OH YEAH, I KNOW WE DO HAVE PLANS FOR THE FUTURE. TO GO AHEAD AND RENOVATE ANOTHER HOME AND DO A GROUND UP CONSTRUCTION. AS TIME GOES ON. THOSE WOULD PARTICULARLY BE MORE GEARED TOWARDS THE HIGHER ACUITY DEMENTIA CARE PATIENTS. THERE'S A LOT MORE THAT GOES INTO IT. I SEE THIS IS LIKE 3500FTā !S, INCLUDES A KITCHEN AND EVERYTHING. SO IT HAS A 700 SQUARE FOOT MOTHER IN LAW SUITE, AND WE'LL BE RENOVATING TO A LITTLE OVER 5000 SQUARE. SO HOW MANY PATIENTS, MORE OR LESS, ARE YOU LOOKING TO TAKE, OR WILL THE STATE BE LICENSED UP TO 1616? OKAY. THANK YOU. AND WHEN YOU SAY AFFORDABLE CARE IS THIS INSURANCE PAYS FOR THIS. NO. THE OUT-OF-POCKET PRIVATE PAY. AND THEN A LOT OF OUR RESIDENTS DO HAVE A LOT OF OUR HOME CARE CLIENTS ALSO HAVE LONG TERM CARE INSURANCE PLANS THAT THEY'VE PURCHASED. WE DO HAVE A CONTRACT WITH THE LOCAL VA, SO MY HOME CARE COMPANY ALSO CONTRACTS WITH THE LOCAL VA. SO THAT'S PART OF THE REASON THAT WE DECIDED TO DO THIS. WE ALREADY HAVE A QUALITY, RELIABLE, ESTABLISHED HOME CARE COMPANY THAT CURRENTLY SERVICES OVER 60 CLIENTS HERE IN CAMERON, HIDALGO AND WILLACY COUNTY, INCLUDING A CONTRACT WITH THE VA. SO THOSE CURRENT CAREGIVERS WILL ALSO STAFF THAT FACILITY AND THEY WILL BE RAN BY MY HOME CARE COMPANY. AND YOU AND SOMEONE HERE SAID THERE'S ALREADY ONE OF THESE TYPE OF FACILITIES. THEY SAID IT, BUT IT'S OVER IN SUGAR HILLS. IT'S IN THIS IS IN PARKWOOD. OKAY. SO THERE'S NOT ONE NEAR NEARBY. OUT OF CURIOSITY, JUST IN WHO MAY MONITORS LIKE WHO I'M. THIS ISN'T MY SPACE. AND SO WHO ENSURES THAT THAT EVERYTHING IS IN ORDER? IS THIS THE SAME AS IF IT WOULD BE IN YOUR FACILITY? IS IT THE SAME AGENCY THAT COMES IN AND DOES THESE INSPECTIONS TO ENSURE THAT, YOU KNOW, ELDERLY ARE BEING TAKEN CARE OF AND[Item 10l - Consideration and possible action on Phase I and Phase II of the 21st Street Storm Sewer Improvement Project.]
THOSE KINDS OF THINGS? SO EVERY OUR LICENSING FOR THE HOME CARE COMPANY IS THE SAME. THEY DO A SURVEY IN THE BEGINNING TEXAS HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMES. IT'S THE SAME LICENSING BOARD THAT OVERSEES HOME CARE ONLY. WE WILL BE GOING FOR A TYPE B FACILITY LICENSE, A SMALL TYPE, AND THAT THAT HAS TO DO WITH THE ACUITY LEVEL OF THE CLIENTS THAT LIVE THERE AND THEIR ABILITIES TO THEY CAN USE WALKERS, WHEELCHAIRS. SO WE DO ADA COMPLIANCE. VERONICA WORKS VERY CLOSELY WITH OUR TEAM, OUR CONTRACTOR. AND SO EVERYTHING HAS TO BE ADA COMPLIANT. AND YOU SAID 2 OR 3 OR IN THE POCKETS 2 OR 3 WORKERS 24 HOURS A DAY. YES. SO BY STATE EVERY I WILL ALSO BE ON SITE. YEAH. SO SHE'S THE ONSITE ADMINISTRATOR. OKAY. SO FOR EVERY SIX PATIENTS YOU WILL NEED ONE CAREGIVER. SO ONCE YOU REACH 12 IF YOU DO HAVE A 13TH PATIENT YOU WILL NEED A THIRD CAREGIVER DURING THE DAY OKAY. SO THOSE ARE BETTER STAFFING RATIOS THAN AT AN ASSISTED LIVING OR A NURSING HOME. OKAY. MOTION TO APPROVE. SECOND, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU LADIES. ITEM TEN D CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO APPROVE AN ORDINANCE ON FIRST READING FOR A REQUEST TO REZONE FROM NOT DESIGNATED DISTRICT TO GENERAL RETAIL DISTRICT FOR 4.5 ACRES OF LAND OUT OF LOTS ONE THROUGH NINE.BLOCK FOUR MIDWAY SUBDIVISION LOCATED AT THE SOUTHEAST CORNER OF GRACE AND GALE AVENUES.
APPLICANT CHRIS HAMBY, PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT IN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF HARLINGEN. REZONING FROM NOT DESIGNATED END DISTRICT TO GENERAL RETAIL GR DISTRICT FOR 4.5 ACRES OUT OF LOTS 11-9 BLOCK FOUR MIDWAY SUBDIVISION LOCATED ON THE SOUTHEAST CORNER OF US 77 FRONTAGE ROAD AND GRACE AVENUE. IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE? SO MOVED. SECOND, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. ITEM TEN F CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO APPROVE THE PRELIMINARY CONSTRUCTION PLANS AND FINAL PLAT WITH CONDITIONS OF THE PROPOSED TUSCANY HILLS SUBDIVISION. DURING A LEGAL DESCRIPTION OF A 73.69 ACRE TRACT OF LAND, MORE OR LESS OUT OF AND FORMING A PART OF BLOCKS 28, 36 AND 37 OF THE PALMETTO SUBDIVISION, LOCATED SOUTH OF GRIMES AVENUE AND WEST OF BABCOCK ROAD. PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT. IS THERE A MOTION, MOTION, MOTION BY COMMISSIONER KINSLEY? SECOND BY SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES
[02:40:01]
UNANIMOUSLY. ITEM TEN G CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO APPROVE THE ONE YEAR ACTION PLAN BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025 2026. YEAR 51 OF THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT AND THE HOME INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIP PROGRAMS, AS RECOMMENDED BY THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ADVISORY BOARD, CDBG. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS. HERE WE ARE AGAIN WITH OUR ANNUAL ALLOCATIONS THAT YOU ALL KNOW. THE CITY OF HARLINGEN IS AN ENTITLEMENT COMMUNITY FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, BLOCK GRANT FUNDS AND HOME INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM FUNDS. THIS YEAR, WE DID GET A LITTLE BIT MORE FUNDING FOR BOTH CDBG AND FOR HOME CDBG.WE GOT 49,172 MORE THAN WE DID LAST YEAR, AND FOR HOME IT WAS $1,454.79 MORE. IT HELPS. SO WE GONE THROUGH THE PROCESS OF HAVING OUR PUBLIC HEARINGS AND OUR MEETINGS WITH THE COMMUNITY
[Item 11 - Board Appointments]
DEVELOPMENT ADVISORY BOARD. WE DID HAVE WE PUT OUT A NOFA, A NOTICE OF FUNDING AVAILABILITY ACRONYMS, AND WE GOT 12 APPLICATIONS. SOMEBODY'S LISTENING. YES, WE GOT 12 APPLICATIONS FOR THE FOR NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, AND WE GOT EIGHT APPLICATIONS FROM DEPARTMENTS, CITY DEPARTMENTS AND UTILITY COMPANIES. SO THESE ARE THE ALLOCATIONS THAT AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE LEFT IT IS KIND OF SMALL, BUT THE LEFT IS OR THE AMOUNTS THAT WERE REQUESTED BY THE AGENCIES AND THE DEPARTMENTS. AND THEN ON THE RIGHT ARE THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT AS THEY WERE ESTABLISHED BY THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ADVISORY BOARD, I DO HAVE MR. JIM YOUNG HERE. HE'S OUR BOARD CHAIR. IF YOU ALL HAVE ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS OR MAYBE HE CAN. DISCUSS OR EXPLAIN WHY THE RECOMMENDATIONS WERE RECOMMENDED AS THEY ARE, WOULD YOU LIKE FOR ME TO GO AHEAD AND READ THEM OUT OR. NO, THAT'LL TAKE A LONG TIME. BUT I DO HAVE A QUESTION.AND I THINK I HAD LOOKED AT THIS LAST YEAR OR MAYBE THE YEAR BEFORE. I DON'T REMEMBER THE LITERACY CENTER OF HARLINGEN. THEY REQUESTED 68,000 AND THEY GOT ZERO. AND I REMEMBER I THINK, I DON'T THINK THAT WE'VE EVER FUNDED THEM. WHAT WHAT'S THE PURPOSE BEHIND LIKE, WHY NOT? WE HAVE NOT. THIS IS THE RECOMMENDATION BY THE BOARD. SO YES, THAT'S THAT'S I KNOW IT'S HARD. THAT'S WHERE I STEP IN. JIM YOUNG BOARD CHAIR I'LL BE YOUR MEAT SHIELD FOR THIS EVENING. LITERACY CENTER. WE DECLINED TO RECOMMEND THEIR FUNDING. THIS BODY KNOWS. BUT FOR ANYBODY WHO'S INTERESTED, WE'RE AN ADVISORY BOARD. THESE ARE RECOMMENDATIONS THIS BODY HAS AND CAN AGAIN ALTER THESE AS THEY SEE FIT. THE BOARD ON THAT PARTICULAR APPLICATION FELT THAT. WELL WE KNEW THAT THE REQUEST WAS FOR THE SALARY OF AN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND POSSIBLY ANOTHER ANOTHER COST, VERY MUCH SORT OF CORE FUNCTIONALITY, YOU KNOW, A PRIMARY OVERHEAD KIND OF STUFF. AND OUR BOARD HAS FOCUSED AND DID FOCUS THIS YEAR ON FUNDING APPLICATION REQUESTS THAT WERE TIED TO SPECIFIC PROJECTS, FUNDING APPLICATION REQUESTS THAT WERE DIRECTLY TIED TO THE ABILITY TO SERVE MORE PEOPLE. WE DON'T WANT TO GET INTO THE PRACTICE OF FUNDING THE CORE OR BASIC OVERHEAD OF THESE ENTITIES, NOT BECAUSE WE DON'T VALUE WHAT THE LITERACY CENTER
[Item 12 - Executive Session]
DOES. EVERY APPLICATION COMES FROM A DEPARTMENT OR AN ORGANIZATION THAT IS VITALLY IMPORTANT TO THIS COMMUNITY. AND AS LONG AS I'VE BEEN ON THIS BOARD, AND CERTAINLY NOW THAT I'M CHAIR, WE BASE OUR RECOMMENDATIONS ON HOW WE SQUEEZE EVERY LAST BIT OUT OF EVERY DOLLAR THAT WE GET. AND WE HAVE THE UTMOST FONDNESS AND RESPECT AND APPRECIATION FOR THE LITERACY CENTER. IF THEY COME BACK TO US WITH A PROJECT WITH, YOU KNOW, WITH A REQUEST TO FUND SOMEBODY THAT'S GOING TO ALLOW THEM TO REACH MORE PEOPLE, I THINK THAT IS AN APPLICATION THAT WOULD GARNER MORE CONSIDERATION. AND LET'S ALSO BE CLEAR, THIS IS VERY COMPETITIVE, AND MY BOARD IS TASKED WITH MAKING DISTINCTIONS, DISTINCTIONS THAT WE DON'T WANT[02:45:04]
TO MAKE. BUT WE HAD $962,807 TO ALLOCATE TO SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS AND REQUESTED WER.$1,753,853.71. AND SO WE KNOW SOME PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE DISAPPOINTED WITH THIS. AND IT HAPPENS EVERY YEAR. AND, AND, AND LAST YEAR THIS BOARD MOVED SOME THINGS AROUND AND ALTERED OUR RECOMMENDATIONS. AND WE STAND ASIDE FOR YOU ALL TO DO THAT. BUT THAT WAS THAT WAS THE REASONING ON LITERACY CENTER. THANK YOU. NO, THAT'S A THAT'S A I, I UNDERSTAND I WAS JUST
[Item 13 - Action on Executive Session Items]
BECAUSE I HAD LOOKED AT IT IN PREVIOUS YEARS AND SAW THAT I DON'T THINK THEY HAD APPLIED.AND THEN SO WHEN THEY DO APPLY AND THEN WE DON'T FUND, I DON'T WANT THEM TO FEEL DISCOURAGED AND MAYBE JUST COME BACK NEXT YEAR. AND I LIKE THE IDEA OF FUNDING PROGRAMS OR PROGRAMING OR REACHING MORE PEOPLE. THAT MAKES THAT MAKES SENSE. AND I KNOW THAT WHEN WE WERE OVER IN AUSTIN, THAT WAS THAT. THE COMMISSION FOR THE VETERANS COMMISSION WERE LOOKING AT THAT AS WELL, LIKE, HOW MUCH OF THIS IS GOING TO ADMINISTRATIVE COST? WE WANT TO HELP PEOPLE. WE WANT TO HELP VETERANS. AND NOT EVEN THOUGH THAT IS NECESSARY, ESPECIALLY LIKE SOMETIMES THEY HAVE LIKE A, LIKE THE COUNTY. THEY, THEY NEED A I THINK THEY NEED FUNDS FOR A SPECIFIC PROBATION OFFICER OR THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT THEY REALLY WANT TO HELP THE ACTUAL VETERANS, EVEN THOUGH THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE RUNNING THE ORGANIZATIONS ARE REALLY HELPING PEOPLE. SO IT'S A HARD IT'S NOT BECAUSE, YEAH, WE DIDN'T VALUE IT. AND SO YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. THAT WAS THAT WAS MY THAT WAS THE ONLY THING THAT KIND OF STUCK OUT FOR, FOR ME. AND I AM ASSUMING THE AGING BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THE COG ALSO GOT REDUCED FUNDING FOR THE AGING SERVICES THAT THEY PROVIDE. SO IT'S A IT'S A BIG REDUCTION IN, IN WHAT. BUT THAT IS ONLY JUST SO THAT YOU CAN DISTRIBUTE THE FUNDS, I'M ASSUMING. WELL, IT'S ALL GARNERED TOWARD YES, TRYING TO GET TO ALL THOSE APPLICANTS THAT WE FEEL ARE REALLY SQUARELY IN OUR WHEELHOUSE AND TO MAKE SURE
[Item 14 - Adjournment]
THAT WE CAN HIT AS MANY OF THOSE APPLICATIONS AS POSSIBLE. THE TWO LOWER RIO GRANDE VALLEY DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL APPLICATIONS WERE FROM THE AGING AND DISABILITY RESOURCE CENTER AND THE AREA AGENCY ON AGING. WE LOOK AT A LOT OF THINGS, NOT JUST THE CORPUS OF THE APPLICATION AND WHAT THEY PROPOSE TO DO WITH THE FUNDING, BUT ALSO THEIR RELATIVE FINANCIAL STRENGTH. WE DON'T WANT TO PUNISH PEOPLE THAT HAVE STRONG FINANCIALS. WE LOVE THAT THEY HAVE STRONG FINANCIALS. THAT MEANS THEY'RE BETTER ABLE TO SERVE THIS COMMUNITY. BUT 962,000 TO 1.7 MILLION, WE HAVE THIS DIFFICULT TASK. THOSE TWO ENTITIES ARE PART OF THE SAME ENTITY. AND SO WE MADE A DECISION TO CONSOLIDATE THE APPLICATIONS AND THEN FUND THEM ON A BASIS CONSISTENT WITH THE OTHER SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE DID RECOMMEND FUNDING FOR.THANK YOU. I DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS. DOES THE COMMISSION MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE? THANK YOU GUYS VERY MUCH FOR THE HARD WORK YOU DO. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE.
OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES. THAT'S IT. WOW. THAT WAS EASIER THAN I THOUGHT. I ALWAYS WANT TO THANK SANDY ALVAREZ, THE PROGRAM DIRECTOR. NICOLE RIOS AND VERONICA CABALLERO. THE BOARD MEETS EVERY SO OFTEN AS NEEDED. THEY DO THE WORK EVERY SINGLE DAY. AND SO WE'RE ALSO APPRECIATIVE OF THE BOARD FOR PUTTING TOGETHER WHAT I THINK IS A FANTASTIC BOARD. I'M PROUD OF THEM. I STAND BEHIND THEIR WORK AND I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT Y'ALL ARE DOING. YOU GUYS ARE DOING AN AMAZING JOB. THANK YOU. YOU GUYS DID ALL THE HARD WORK FOR US AND MADE IT EASY, YOU KNOW, AND SO WE THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR I KNOW THAT IT TAKES A LONG TIME. AND I SAW THE BIG OLE GINORMOUS BINDERS. SO YES KUDOS TO YOU. THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK. WE APPRECIATE ALL OF YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ITEM H CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO APPROVE THE CONVERSION OF ONE PART TIME POSITION TO ONE FULL TIME POSITION FOR THE TONY BUTLER GOLF COURSE, SNACK BAR, GOLF MOTION APPROVED. SECOND, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES. GREAT JOB JEFF. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. ITEM TEN A CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER TO REALLOCATE THE 50,000 IN CITY FUNDS ORIGINALLY ALLOCATED FOR THE IMMIGRANT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM TO THE LOAVES AND FISHES OPEN ARMS EMERGENCY SHELTER PROGRAM TO SUPPORT THE CONTINUED OPERATION OF THE SHELTER CITY MANAGER. SO MOVED SECOND. ALL RIGHT, EVERYBODY, SO EXCITED FOR LOAVES AND FISHES. WE GOT A MOTION TO APPROVE FROM MIKE MESMER. SECOND FROM LOPEZ.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES TEN J CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO AWARD A CONTRACT TO GO UNDERGROUND, LLC PURSUANT TO BID NUMBER 2020 506 FOR THE FIFTH AND SEVENTH STORM SEWER IMPROVEMENTS ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT. GOOD EVENING. MY
[02:50:03]
NAME IS LUIS VARGAS AND I'M THE CITY ENGINEER. THIS ITEM IS TO BUILD A DRAINAGE PROJECT ON FIFTH AND SEVENTH STREET. WE'RE PROPOSING TO INSTALL APPROXIMATELY 5000 LINEAR FEET OF STORMWATER UNDERGROUND PIPES IN THE STREETS, PREDOMINANTLY IN FIFTH AND SEVENTH, COVERING AREAS FROM VAN BUREN TO POLK AVENUE. WE'RE CAPTURING THE DRAINAGE OF 80 ACRES, AND WE'VE INCLUDED A LOCATION MAP MOTION TO APPROVE. SECOND, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.AYE. OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. THANK YOU. THIS IS THE ONE THAT YOU AND CONGRESSMAN VICENTE GONZALEZ WORKED ON TO GET US THE MONEY FOR. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MAYOR AND CONGRESSMAN GONZALEZ. ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU TO STAFF ITEM TEN K CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON PHASE TWO OF THE JEFFERSON STREET STORM SEWER IMPROVEMENT PROJECT, SPECIAL PROJECTS DEPARTMENT. MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS ANA HERNANDEZ, SPECIAL PROJECTS DIRECTOR. FOR THE RECORD, I AM HERE TO REQUEST DIRECTION ON HOW TO PROCEED WITH PHASE TWO OF THE JEFFERSON STREET DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT. AS YOU MAY KNOW, THE CITY RECEIVED A HAZARD MITIGATION GRANT IN 2021 TO COMPLETE PHASE ONE WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT UPON SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION AND APPROVAL OF PHASE ONE, PHASE TWO, THE CONSTRUCTION PHASE WILL BE FUNDED. THE ORIGINAL SCOPE FOR THIS PROJECT WAS DEVELOPED OVER SEVEN YEARS AGO, AND PHASE ONE FELL BEHIND, MAINLY DUE TO PERMITTING ISSUES NOW FOR CONSTRUCTION PHASE. PHASE TWO. I'M SORRY, THE PHASE TWO, WHICH IS THE CONSTRUCTION PHASE, THE CITY FACES A MAJOR CHALLENGE, WHICH IS THE UPDATED COST ESTIMATE FOR CONSTRUCTION, THAT THAT IS EXCEPTIONALLY OVER THE GRANT AMOUNT AVAILABLE. AND SO TONIGHT WE'RE ASKING FOR YOUR DIRECTION. OPTION ONE IS TO REVISE THE SCOPE OF THE PROJECT TO FIT THE CURRENT AVAILABLE FUNDING. AND THIS WILL REQUIRE DEVELOPING A PORTION OF THE PROJECT AND STILL MEET FEMA'S GUIDELINES. OPTION TWO IS TO FORMALLY WITHDRAW PHASE TWO AND FOCUS OUR EFFORTS ON PURSUING FULL FUNDING THROUGH GRANT APPLICATIONS. SO I WELCOME ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE, BUT IS YOUR RECOMMENDATION. SO MY RECOMMENDATION WILL BE TO GO WITH OPTION ONE. AND SHOULD THAT NOT BE AN OPTION FOR THE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT TO MOVE ON TO OPTION TWO? LUIS, WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS? WE ARE CAPABLE TO PROVIDE OPTION ONE. MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE OPTION ONE. SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU. ITEM TEN CONSIDERATION THAT BENEFITS THE FIRE DEPARTMENT SECTION. THEY SHOULD BE VERY HAPPY ABOUT THIS. YES. WELL HOPEFULLY THE SECTION THAT THAT'S DEVELOPED WILL BENEFIT THAT PORTION OF THE JEFFERSON AREA. SO FOR THIS ITEM AGAIN WE'RE ASKING FOR DIRECTION ON HOW TO PROCEED WITH BOTH PHASE ONE AND PHASE TWO OF THE 21ST STREET STORM SEWER IMPROVEMENT PROJECT. THIS PROJECT HAS EXPERIENCED DELAYS SIMILAR TO THE JEFFERSON PROJECT. THE ORIGINAL SCOPE WAS ALSO DEVELOPED MORE THAN SEVEN YEARS AGO. THE LATEST CONSTRUCTION ESTIMATE EXCEEDS THE GRANT FUNDING AVAILABLE UNDER THE CURRENT GRANT AWARD.
AND SO AGAIN, WE'RE ASKING FOR YOUR DIRECTION FOR PHASE ONE. WE'RE RECOMMENDING SUBMITTING AN APPEAL TO FEMA REGARDING THE DECISION TO POTENTIALLY DISALLOW PROJECT COSTS. AND FOR PHASE TWO, WE RECOMMEND WITHDRAWING FROM THE CURRENT GRANT AND FOCUSING ON PURSUING, YOU KNOW, THE FULL PROJECT FUNDING THROUGH SEPARATE APPLICATIONS. HOW ON THE APPEAL ASPECT, HOW LIKELY DO YOU THINK WE ARE TO WIN? THERE'S NO GUARANTEE THAT WE WILL GET IT. AND SO BUT AT LEAST WE NEED TO TRY I AGREE. YES. MAKE A MOTION TO MAKE THAT. I'M NOTICING THAT FINDING NUMBER THREE IS ON BOTH OF THEM. HOW ARE WE ADDRESSING THAT, GABE? BECAUSE THE DECENTRALIZED OVERSIGHT. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THAT WE'VE DONE IS ALL THE GRANTS ARE NOW FUNNELED THROUGH THE GRANT DEPARTMENT. SO THEY HAVE MORE OVERSIGHT ON REPORTING REQUIREMENTS. SCHEMATIC GUIDELINES. AND SO THERE WASN'T WE DIDN'T HAVE THAT COMPONENT BEFORE. AND NOW THAT ANA IS ON BOARD, THAT'S MORE CENTRALIZED. AND SO SHE KEEPS TABS ON WHEN SOME OF THE REPORTS ARE DUE. AND SO THAT THAT'S BEEN A BIG ASSET TO US. AND WHEN YOU PUT RIGHT HERE, ADDITIONAL OPERATIONAL IMPROVEMENTS ARE NEEDED TO ENSURE PROPER CHECKS AND BALANCES. WHAT ARE THOSE ADDITIONAL ONES THAT THAT WHAT GABE IS MENTIONING RIGHT NOW OR WE ALREADY TOOK CARE OF THOSE OR WE TOOK CARE OF SOME OF THEM. I THINK THERE'S CLARIFICATION TO BE MADE FOR FINANCE DEPARTMENT.
THEY THEY KIND OF RECEIVE THINGS KIND OF LATE IN THE GAME JUST TO FOR PROCESSING. SO I THINK THEY NEED A LITTLE MORE OVERSIGHT AS WELL. AND SO FOR NOW, LIKE LET'S SAY AS FAR AS REIMBURSEMENT REQUESTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, I THINK WITH THE CHANGES THAT WE HAVE IMPLEMENTED THAT SHOULD BE COVERED. BUT THERE'S OTHER ELEMENTS AS WELL, LIKE WHEN PEOPLE ARE SETTING UP THEIR
[02:55:01]
BUDGETS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. AND AS FAR AS LIKE PROGRAMMATIC COMPLIANCE, OUR DEPARTMENT IS NOW HANDLING THAT. SO STILL, I THINK SHOULD WE ELEVATE A CONCERN, LIKE WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE PROPER SUPPORT FROM UPPER MANAGEMENT? MR. GONZALEZ IS REALLY EXCELLENT AT, YOU KNOW, FOR THAT. BUT AS WELL AS, YOU KNOW, CQMS AS WELL, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE SUPPORT AND STAFF GETS THINGS DONE PROPERLY ON A TIMELY MANNER, PROBABLY WOULD BE BEST IS JUST TO PUT SOMETHING TOGETHER IN TERMS OF BEST PRACTICES AND JUST PUT IT BEFORE US. SO THAT WAY THAT THERE'S A BIG, FIRM BELIEVER OF PUTTING THINGS IN WRITING AND MAKING POLICY CHANGE. SO THAT WAY IT IS FOLLOWED BECAUSE IF NOT, WE DON'T HAVE SOMETHING IN PLACE TO FOLLOW, THEN THAT'S WHEN THOSE ISSUES OCCUR. I DID LOOK THROUGH ALL OF IT. THANK YOU FOR PREPARING AND ALL OF THE MEMOS AND EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE DONE TO WORK REALLY HARD TOWARDS THIS. A LOT OF THIS PREDATED BEFORE THIS COMMISSION WAS HERE. BUT, YOU KNOW, WE STILL HAVE TO PUSH FORWARD AND DO WHAT WE CAN. YES. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. SO THOSE WERE HER RECOMMENDATIONS WE NEED. THIS IS AN ACTION ITEM. IS THERE A MOTION MOTION TO APPROVE THE APPEAL OR TO MOVE FORWARD ON THE APPEAL? SECOND, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. OPPOSED. IS THAT A IS THAT OKAY YOU'RE LOOKING AT. IT'S TO THE APPEAL. AND THE SECOND ONE IS TO WITHDRAW. SO THERE'S TWO IT'S A TWO PRONG PHASE ONE. SHE'S LOOKING AT ME LIKE THAT WAS NOT OKAY. THAT WAS NOT A COMPLETE MOTION. SO YOU SAID WE HAVE TWO OPTIONS APPEAL. NO IT'S FOR IT'S PHASE ONE AND PHASE TWO. 21ST IS DIFFERENT. WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF OPTIONS FOR PHASE TWO. SO JUST WITHDRAW. WITHDRAW PHASE ONE APPEAL. THAT WOULD BE THE OPTION. SO YOU AMEND THE MOTION. AMEND THE MOTION TO APPEAL.PHASE ONE. WITHDRAW PHASE TWO. ALL RIGHT. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE AYE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE. OPPOSED. AND ALL RIGHT. MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. IT'S BEEN A LONG NIGHT. YES. ALL RIGHT. OKAY. MOVING ON. 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. ALL RIGHT. COMMISSIONER, I'M SORRY. COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ADVISORY BOARD, CARLY THOMAS, EVERYBODY SHOULD HAVE GOT A COPY OF THE APPLICATION. DID GET IT.
LOOK, COMMISSIONER. NO, I'M MARICELA ALVARADO FOR THE NONPROFIT FRIENDS OF THE ANIMAL SHELTER. HAVE A QUESTION? WELL, OKAY. DO YOU HAVE ANY APPOINTMENTS, MIKE? YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW. OKAY. YOU HAVE A QUESTION ON THE APPOINTMENT, ON HOW MANY PEOPLE, HOW MANY TIMES CAN A PERSON BE ON A BOARD? TWICE. DEPENDS ON THE DIFFERENT THEY'RE DIFFERENT BOARDS. IT DEPENDS ON THE DIFFERENT BOARDS. RIGHT. LIKE SO WATERWORKS I THINK IT'S LIKE UP TO TEN YEARS.
NO NO. HOW MANY BOARDS DIFFERENT. HOW MANY. TWO. TWO. THEY CAN BE ON UP TO TWO DIFFERENT BOARDS. UNLESS YOU'RE ON THE AIRPORT BOARD, IN WHICH YOU CAN ONLY BE ON THE AIRPORT BOARD, THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ADVISORY BOARDS AND THEN REGULAR BOARDS. I THINK IT'S A IT'S A LIMIT ON ADVISORY BOARDS, NOT ON JUST BOARDS. CORRECT. LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, LIKE THE ONE YOU HAVE. MARICELA. RIGHT. THAT'S A NONPROFIT. SO IN MY MIND THAT DOES NOT MEET THE TWO BOARD MAXIMUM OR WHATEVER. I CHECKED IT OUT. DOES SHE LIVE IN ARLINGTON OR IS THAT ONE OF THOSE THAT SCHOOL DISTRICT. SHE LIVES IN HARLINGEN. SHE'S ON THE VETERANS ADVISORY BOARD. I LOOKED IT UP. SHE'S I THINK PRIMERA WHAT DISTRICT IS SHE IN? I DON'T KNOW. WELL, SHE SHOULD HAVE PUT HER ADDRESS ON THE SHOULD BE ON THE APPLICATION. CORRECT. AND ON THE NONPROFIT BOARD DID WE DESIGNATE IT HAS TO BE HARLINGEN RESIDENTS? I DON'T THINK SO. NO, NO, BECAUSE IT'S A NONPROFIT BOARD AND WE MIGHT BRING PEOPLE THAT ARE OUTSIDE OF THE CITY. ONE WAY OR. DOES THAT SAY BLOOM? CORRECT. BLUE. YELLOW, BLUE U.S. NONETHELESS, THE NONPROFIT I DON'T THINK IT IT IT IS A REQUIREMENT TO HAVE RESIDENCY IN THE CITY OF HARLINGEN. THAT IS CORRECT, MAYOR. WE DIDN'T REQUIRE RESIDENTS FOR THAT, RIGHT? YEAH. SO. IS THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? NOPE. ALL RIGHT. MOTION TO APPROVE ALL Y'ALL'S APPOINTMENTS. OKAY. IS THERE A SECOND, SECOND, SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. MOVING ON. ITEM 12, EXECUTIVE SESSION. ALL ITEMS LISTED IN THIS SECTION WILL BE DELIBERATED IN A CLOSED SESSION. MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ARE NOT GENERALLY PERMITTED TO ATTEND A CLOSED SESSION. EXECUTIVE SESSION ITEMS MAY BE CONSIDERED AS AN ACTION ITEM AT THE
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DISCRETION OF THE MAYOR. HOWEVER, CITY COMMISSION WILL NOT TAKE ANY ACTION IN CLOSED SESSION. ITEM 12. PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 55 1.071, ATTORNEY CONSULTATION AND CONTEMPLATED LITIGATION. SECTION 55 1.072 DELIBERATION REGARDING REAL ESTATE AND SECTION 55 1.087 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT RELATING TO THE FOLLOWING PROJECTS. PROJECT FIT SMOKE SIGNALS. SANDBERG, DC TURBINE, TYLER TECH AND EMERALD GREEN. ITEM 12 B PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE 55 1.07, PARENTHESIS EIGHT TO DISCUSS THE HIRING OF PERSONNEL, CHIEF OF POLICE ATTORNEY. ALL RIGHT. IS THERE A MOTION TO GO TO EXECUTIVE SESSION? MOTION SECOND, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. IT IS NOW 8:26 P.M. AND WE WILL RETIRE TO EXECUTIVE SESSION.[04:27:49]
ALL RIGHT. THE TIME IS NOW 9:53 P.M. AND WE ARE OUT OF EXECUTIVE SESSION AND BACK IN OPEN[04:27:56]
SESSION. MISS MELINDA. OKAY. ACTION ON EXECUTIVE SESSION ITEMS. THE CITY COMMISSION WILL[04:28:01]
RECONVENE IN OPEN SESSION AND MAY TAKE ACTION ON ANY ITEM LISTED IN THE EXECUTIVE SESSION[04:28:06]
SECTION OF THIS AGENDA. ITEM 13 A CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON ITEM 12 A ONE THROUGH[04:28:14]
EIGHT, AS DISCUSSED IN EXECUTIVE SESSION. I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO PROCEED AS DISCUSSED. SECOND,[04:28:20]
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. ITEM 13 B[04:28:26]
CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON ITEM 12 B AS DISCUSSED IN EXECUTIVE SESSION. MOTION TO[04:28:32]
APPOINT DEPUTY CHIEF ALFREDO AVILA AS THE CITY'S NEWEST POLICE CHIEF, PURSUANT TO TEXAS[04:28:37]
LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 143 .013. SECOND, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. OPPOSED.[04:28:44]
MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. CHIEF, WE THINK YOU ARE AMAZING. AND I CAN SAY IT NOW, CHIEF.[04:28:51]
I'LL BE GLAD. WE ARE SO BLESSED TO HAVE YOU. AND I AM THANKFUL THAT YOU WERE PATIENT AND YOU[04:29:02]
WAITED FOR US. AND WE ARE JUST SO THRILLED AND EXCITED FOR THE FUTURE OF HARLINGEN. YOU'VE DONE[04:29:09]
AN AMAZING JOB AS INTERIM, AND I KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO CONTINUE WITH THAT SAME PASSION AND THAT[04:29:15]
SAME DRIVE, AND THE CITY OF HARLINGEN IS BETTER FOR IT. AND SO THANK YOU. WE ARE INCREDIBLY[04:29:22]
BLESSED. COME ON UP, CHIEF. AFTER THE MEETING FOR A PHOTO OP WITH THE COMMISSION. ALL RIGHT.[04:29:28]
AND THAT IS ALL WE HAVE. WE ARE ADJOURNED AND WE'LL TAKE THE PHOTO. TAKE THE PHOTO.* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.