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AHEAD[00:15:12]
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READ A CONFLICT OF INTEREST STATEMENT BEFORE WE GET STARTED.UNDER STATE LAW, CONFLICT OF INTEREST EXISTS IF A COUNCIL 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 THAT AGENDA ITEM.
ARE THERE ANY KNOWN CONFLICT OF INTERESTS TO DISCLOSE AT THIS TIME FROM ANYBODY? NONE.
UH, FIRST ITEM OF BUSINESS CITIZEN COMMUNICATIONS.
DO WE HAVE ANY TONIGHT? WE HAVE ONE, WHICH IS DEI MARTINEZ, BUT HE, UM, HE WASN'T GONNA BE ABLE TO BE PRESENT.
SO HE JUST WANTED FOR ME TO PASS OVER, SHARE HIS COMMENTS WITH ALL OF YOU.
AND THEN WE SHOULD BE, DO YOU WANT ME TO READ IT? I CAN READ IT OUT LOUD FOR YOU.
NO, WE DON'T, WE DON'T READ IT? NO.
UH, FIRST OFFICIAL ITEM ON THE AGENDA TODAY IS THE APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM JULY 17TH, 2025.
UM, EVERYBODY, HOPEFULLY EVERYBODY TOOK A LOOK AT 'EM ALREADY.
THERE WAS A BOARD MEETING ON THE 17TH OF JULY.
TIMEWISE, IT'S ABOUT WHAT, FOUR PAGES, FIVE PAGES INCLUDED A BUNCH OF PROJECTS.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE? MOTION TO APPROVE.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? A SECOND.
NEXT UP, NUMBER TWO, WE HAVE CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO ADOPT THE HARLEEN COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT BOARD.
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS ENDING JANUARY 30TH, 2025.
AND WE GOT FINANCE DEPARTMENT, ROBERT, HERE TO TALK.
GOOD EVENING, CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
UH, MY NAME IS ROBERT RODRIGUEZ.
I'M THE FINANCE DIRECTOR, UH, FOR THE CITY.
FOR THE RECORD, UH, I'LL BRIEFLY GO OVER THE, UH, JANUARY 31ST, 2026, UH, FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
AND THIS IS CUMULATIVE FOR THE FISCAL YEAR OF, OF 2026.
ON THE FIRST, ON THE FIRST PAGE, WE HAVE OUR BALANCE SHEET.
SO WE HAVE TOTAL ASSETS OF 8 MILLION 167, 523.
THE MAJORITY OF THAT IS COMPOSED OF INVESTMENTS.
YOU HAVE $7.9 MILLION IN INVESTMENTS AND, UH, 244, UH, THOUSAND 250 IN AN AR.
AND THAT AR REPRESENTS THE PORTION OF THE, UH, UH, SALES TAX THAT HAS BEEN RECEIVED, BUT, UH, OR HAS NOT BEEN RECEIVED, BUT IS OWED FOR JANUARY 31ST.
UH, WE DO HAVE ONE LIABILITY FOR 146,018.
UH, SO THE NET OF THE, UH, ASSETS AND THE LIABILITIES, UH, LEAVES YOU WITH A FUND BALANCE OF 8,021,505.
AND THIS IS AT THE END OF JANUARY 31ST, 2026.
IF YOU TURN THE PAGE, WE CAN GO TO THE STATEMENT OF REVENUES, EXPENDITURES, AND CHANGES IN FUND BALANCE.
FOR THE MONTH OF, OF JANUARY, WE HAVE ACCRUED $220,000 IN SALES TAX.
THAT'S AN ESTIMATE FOR, FOR OUR SALES TAX FOR JANUARY.
UM, AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE, UM, INTEREST EARNINGS OF 24,250.
AND THAT'S FOR THE MONTH OF JANUARY FOR CUMULATIVE, UH, FOUR MONTHS, UH, ENDING JANUARY 31ST, WE HAVE EARNED $804,109 IN SALES TAX.
AND WE HAVE EARNED 98,847,000 IN, IN INVESTMENT EARNINGS.
SO, UM, OUR NET REVENUES OVER EXPENDITURES, 'CAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY EXPENDITURES, SO TO DATE IS 902,956, BRINGING OUR FUND BALANCE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR OF 7,018,549, UM, TO 8 MILLION 21 500 HUNDRED FIVE.
AND THAT'S A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE JANUARY FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
SO TWO 20 A MONTH, THAT'S PRETTY GOOD FOR JANUARY.
JANUARY WAS, WAS A GOOD MONTH.
AND I BELIEVE, YEAH, JANUARY WAS ABOUT 12%, I THINK.
ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, CONCERNS, COMMENTS? PRETTY GOOD.
WE'VE SEEN THE LAST, IT'S PRETTY GOOD.
LAST 10 YEARS OR SO, SO, AND GOOD REVENUE.
IT, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S MADE A, A COMEBACK AFTER THE, AFTER THE, UH, THE GOLF COURSE INVESTMENTS.
IT'S, IT'S REALLY BOUNCED BACK.
TO ANY BOARD MEMBERS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, CONCERNS, POSSIBLE ACTIONS? SO WE ARE LOOKING FOR AN ACTION, GABE, TO APPROVE YES.
THIS IS, UH, DO WE HAVE AN ACTION TO APPROVE THE STATEMENTS? COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT BOARD FINANCIAL STATEMENTS ENDING JANUARY 30, 31ST, 2025.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION? I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND.
UH, NUMBER THREE, WE'RE GONNA HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING TODAY IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION ACT 5 0 5 1 60
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A OF THE TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE TO HEAR COMMENTS FOR OR AGAINST FUNDING THE FOLLOWING PROJECTS.I'M GONNA HAND IT OFF TO GABE TO TALK SOME OF THOSE.
UH, CITY MANAGER, CITY OF HARLINGEN.
UM, THE, UH, THE PROJECTS THAT WE'VE, LET ME JUST, UH, GO BACK A LITTLE AND TELL YOU WHAT WE'VE DONE.
UH, WE'VE ALREADY PUBLISHED THE 60 DAY NOTICE REQUIRED BY THE, UH, TEXAS DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION ACT.
WE LISTED ALL PROJECTS ONE THROUGH NINE AND THE DOLLAR AMOUNTED THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE FUNDED AT.
UH, WE RECEIVE NO COMMENTS FROM ANY, ANYBODY.
UH, AND THEN, SO THE FINAL STEP IS TO HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING HERE WITH THE DEVELOPMENT COUNT, THE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, UM, AND, UH, WAIT FOR ANY COMMENTS.
BUT I DON'T SEE ANYBODY, UH, EXCEPT STAFF AND BOARD MEMBERS.
SO, AND LET ME, LET ME, LET'S JUST REMIND THE BOARD.
THESE ARE, THE PROCESS WAS THE CITY CAME TO OUR BOARD, PRESENTED A BUNCH OF PROJECTS, WE APPROVED THEM, AS YOU CAN SEE IN THE MINUTES.
AND THIS IS THEN A REFLECTION OF THOSE YES.
THEN BEING PUBLISHED FOR THE PUBLIC, FOR THEIR OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE COMMENTS OR CONCERNS.
AND THEN THEY COME BACK TO THE BOARD, WE LISTEN IF THERE'S ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS, AND THEN WE WOULD GO AHEAD AND APPROVE.
THAT'S KIND OF THE, JUST FOR THE NEWER MEMBERS SITTING NEXT TO ME.
UM, ONCE, ONCE, IF THIS BOARD APPROVES THEM, THEN IT WOULD GO TO THE CITY COMMISSION FOR THEIR APPROVAL AND FINAL ALLOWANCE FOR THE CITY MANAGER TO GO AHEAD AND EXECUTE.
SO DO YOU HAVE ANY MORE COMMENTS? I DON'T KNOW.
UH, A COPY OF THE, UH, PRESENTATION THAT WE MADE AT THE JULY 17TH MEETING WITHIN YOUR PACKET.
THE ONLY, THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IS THE CASA THAT SOLD.
WE, WE ASKED FOR $2 MILLION AND ONLY 500,000 WAS FUNDED.
SO, UH, THIS IS JUST A COPY OF THE PRESENTATION THAT WE DID.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE, UH, ITEM NUMBER EIGHT IN THREE A EIGHT, IT'S, UH, SHOWS THE CASA YEP.
ANY CHANGES, GABE, WITH ANYTHING SINCE WE NO.
AND WE DON'T ANTICIPATE ANY CHANGES.
WE DID, WE DID GET A COMMISSIONER THAT ASKED IF THIS ALLOCATION COULD BE CHANGED AND THE CITY ATTORNEY PROVIDED A, UM, IT'S REALLY OPINION SAYING THAT NO, BECAUSE WE'VE ALREADY PUBLISHED THE DOLLAR AMOUNTS FOR EACH PROJECT.
IF YOU WANT TO CHANGE ANYTHING, YOU HAVE TO REPUBLISH.
YOU CAN'T ADD, SEE, I WANT ANOTHER MILLION DOLLARS.
YOU CAN'T, NO, YOU CAN'T DO THAT.
WE'D HAVE TO GO BACK AND, AND RE UH, GO THROUGH THE, GO THROUGH THE PROCESS.
SO LET'S ASK THE BOARD MEMBERS, UM, ANY QUESTIONS, CONCERNS, UM, ON ITEM THREE, THREE A ONE THROUGH NINE, WHICH ARE THINGS THAT WE DID PREVIOUSLY GET A PRESENTATION FOR, UH, ACCORDING TO GABE.
MR. CHAIRMAN, IF I COULD JUST FOR, UH, PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE, IF YOU COULD JUST OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING FIRST.
THERE'S NOBODY HERE BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO FILL OUT A FORM OKAY.
UH, TO SPEAK, AND THEN YOU JUST CLOSE IT.
LET ME OPEN IT UP TO THE PUBLIC IF THERE'S ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC ON, UH, OUR, OUR MEETING TODAY.
ITEM THREE, A ONE THROUGH NINE, ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS.
AND WE HAD NOBODY'S, UM, SUBMIT A FORM TO SPEAK.
KNOWING THAT THAT'S THE CASE, WE DON'T HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS AT THIS TIME.
UM, I'LL, I'LL OPEN IT UP TO THE BOARD IF THEY WANTED ANY OTHER CONVERSATIONS BEFORE WE GO AHEAD AND VOTE.
YOU, YOU HAVE TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
UH, WITH NOTHING BEING SUBMITTED, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING PART OF ITEM THREE A ONE THROUGH NINE.
SO NOW I'LL LOOK TO OUR BOARD IF ANYBODY HAD ANY COMMENTS, CONCERNS, UH, IF THEY NEEDED ANYTHING DISCUSSED BEFORE WE GO AHEAD AND APPROVE.
UH, THERE'S NO ACTION ON THIS ITEM.
UH, NO, NOT, NOT, NOT RIGHT NOW.
THIS IS JUST A PUBLIC HEARING TO GET, UH, THE ACTION COMES ON ITEM NUMBER FOUR.
THAT'S WHERE YOU WOULD PROVE, UH, PROJECTS LISTED IN 3 8 1 THROUGH NINE.
THANK YOU FOR THE CLARIFICATION ON THAT.
SO, SO THIS IS JUST A PUBLIC HEARING.
JUST TO YOUR COMMENTS, CAN I JUST, UH, ASK A QUESTION ON THE CASA DE.
SO LENO THE, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, WE'RE SUPPOSED TO GO BACK AND GET SOME INFORMATION AND COME BACK AND YOU EXPAND.
SO YOU PROBABLY WANNA JUST MOVE, UM, MR. CHAIRMAN, SINCE YOU CLOSED THE PUBLIC HEARING, AND THEN GO INTO ITEM, OPEN UP FOUR AND THEN HAVE YOUR DISCUSSION.
SO ITEM NUMBER THREE, WE CLOSED THE PUBLIC HEARING PART OF IT.
LET'S MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER FOUR, WHICH IS CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO APPROVE THE ABOVE PROJECTS THAT WE JUST TALKED ABOUT, UM, LISTED UNDER ITEM THREE AND AUTHORIZED THE EXPENDITURE FROM TYPE B SALES TAX FUNDS FOR SUCH PROJECTS.
SO, UH, JUST WANTED TO SOME CLARIFICATION.
'CAUSE I KNOW WE HAD ASKED SOME
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QUESTIONS AND THERE WAS SOME POTENTIAL TAX REBATES ON THAT.I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANTED TO EXPAND A LITTLE BIT ON, UH, YES.
WE, WE HIRED A, A CONSULTANT TO HELP US WITH THE APPLICATION PROCESS, AND THEY SUBMITTED THE APPLICATION TO DESIGNATE CAOL AS OUR HISTORIC STRUCTURE.
THE INITIAL DESIGNATION WAS DENIED.
AND SO WE'RE GOING BACK AND LOOKING AT WHAT CHANGES WE CAN MAKE TO THE APPLICATION TO RESUBMIT, UM, BECAUSE WE CAN'T, THIS CAN'T MOVE FORWARD WITHOUT THAT DESIGNATION.
SO, UM, WE, WE, UH, THIS CAME THAT THE REJECTION CAME ABOUT TWO TO THREE WEEKS AGO, SO IT'S RELATIVELY NEW.
SO WE'RE GONNA RESUBMIT THE APPLICATION, BUT THE CONSULTANT HAS TO GO BACK AND MODIFY SOME CHANGES.
I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH EVERYTHING THAT HAS TO BE DONE, BUT I KNOW THAT THEY'RE GOING TO, UH, TO, TO RESUBMIT TO GET THAT CLARIFIED.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? SO DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO, UM, APPROVE THE ITEMS LISTED UNDER ITEM THREE AND AUTHORIZE THE EXPENDITURE? MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE? DO WE HAVE A SECOND? I MAKE A STATE.
UM, WE JUST HAVE TO GO BEFORE THE CITY COMMISSION NOW TO HAVE THEM, UH, APPROVE, UH, THE BUDGET, UH, AMENDMENT FOR THE CITY TO ACTUALLY START SPENDING THESE FUNDS.
UM, BUT WITH YOUR APPROVAL, WE CAN, WE CAN ASK THAT TO ACTUALLY START WORKING ON SOME OF THE PROCESSES ALREADY.
UH, THIS IS GONNA MAKE LIFE A LOT EASIER FOR A LOT OF KIDS.
BETTER PROVIDE MORE ACTIVITIES FOR HIM TO DO.
AND IT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT WE COULD NOT HAVE DONE WITHOUT YOUR SUPPORT.
I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, GABE, THANK YOU FOR YOUR ENTIRE STAFF'S EFFORT ON THIS.
UM, YOU KNOW, I'M PRETTY ACTIVE IN THE LOCAL COMMUNITY AND I KNOW EVERY ONE OF THESE THINGS.
YOU KNOW, SO WELL, UH, OSCAR AND AND CHRIS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT DEPARTMENT.
AND, UH, DANNY, THANK YOU GUYS.
THANK YOU GUYS FOR THE SUPPORT.
AND MANOLA ARE ALSO ASSISTANT? YEAH, THEY'RE, THEY'RE BOTH, THOSE ARE THE ONES WITH THE PARKS THAT ACTUALLY DO THE, THE REAL WORK.
WELL, YOU KNOW, MY SON'S A LIFEGUARD OVER AT PENDLETON IN THE SUMMERTIME, SO HE'LL BE VERY HAPPY TO HEAR THERE'S SOME IMPROVEMENTS BEING MADE.
HE'S OFF IN COLLEGE RIGHT NOW.
HE'S COMING BACK, BUT I'LL LET HIM KNOW.
SO HE'S, SO NEXT UP ON OUR AGENDA, ITEM NUMBER FIVE, CONSIDERATION IMPOSSIBLE ACTION.
TO APPROVE THE HARLINGEN COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT BOARD BUDGET FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2025.
ONCE AGAIN, I'LL HAND OVER TO ROBERT.
SO, UH, UH, BECAUSE WE HADN'T GONE THROUGH THIS WHOLE PROCESS, WE HADN'T ADOPTED THE, THE BUDGET.
SO NOW IT'S TIME THAT WE, UH, BRING THIS TO THE BOARD AS A RECOMMENDATION, UH, TO TAKE IT TO THE CITY COMMISSION FOR A RESOLUTION TO ADOPT THE BUDGET.
UH, SO FOR THE RE TOTAL REVENUES, UH, BUDGETED FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026, UH, WE HAVE 2,455,000.
UH, THE TOTAL EXPENDITURE EXPENDITURES, WHICH INCLUDE THE PROPOSED, UH, PARKS IMPROVEMENTS AND ALL OF THE IMPROVEMENTS, UH, THAT WERE JUST TALKED ABOUT, UM, ARE 5,453,000 OH 63.
IF WE TURN TO THE, TO THE EXHIBIT A.
UH, SO WE, OF COURSE, WE BEGIN OUR, OUR BEGINNING FUND BALANCE AT 7,118,000.
OUR PROPOSED REVENUES ARE 202,455,000.
OUR REQUESTED, UH, EXPENDITURES ARE 5 MILLION 4 53 0 63.
SO ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE, YOU CAN SEE THE, UH, THE REVENUE BREAKDOWN.
UH, WE GOT 2,275,000 IN SALES TAX, AND WE HAVE, UH, PROJECTED 180,000 IN INTEREST.
ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE, YOU WILL SEE, UH, THE FIRST FOUR ITEMS ARE, UH, THE ITEMS THAT WE USUALLY INCLUDE.
WE INCLUDE 500,000, UH, MISCELLANEOUS PROJECTS.
UH, IN CASE SOMETHING COMES UP THAT HAS NOT BEEN BUDGETED, YOU CAN USE THAT 500,000 TO, TO TAKE CARE OF THAT PROJECT.
UH, WE ALSO, JUST REAL QUICK ON THAT NOTE, UH, IF IT'S A PROJECT THAT WE HAVEN'T FUNDED BEFORE, WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE 60 DAY COMMENTARY, PUT A NOTES IN PAPER, AND THEN COME BACK AND GET THE GROUP
SO THE ONLY TIME YOU CAN ACTUALLY TAKE THAT MONEY AND SPEND IT IS IF IT'S ALREADY BEEN APPROVED, LIKE WE JUST DID WITH THOSE OTHER PROJECTS.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE THE ANNUAL DEBT SERVICE OF 604,907.
THE FIRST TWO ITEMS ON THE PROJECTS, UH, THE 1 MILLION 1 0 4, THAT WAS THE REMAINDER OF, UM, THE BUDGET THAT WE HAD PUT IN FOR THE DESTINATION PARK.
UH, WE DID THE TRAILS AND ALL THAT, AND THAT WAS WHAT, WHAT WAS LEFT OVER.
UM, WE ALSO HAD $26,000 LEFT OVER AFTER ALL THE TONY, BUT, UH, LET ME INTERRUPT YOU.
IT'S COMMITTED, NOT SPENT, IT HASN'T BEEN AWARDED, BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T STILL WORK ON THERE.
WELL, I BELIEVE THAT WAS FOR THE PARK, RIGHT? THE ALL INCLUSIVE PARK.
IT'S FOR THE ALL INCLUSIVE BASEBALL.
SO IT'S COMMITTED MONEY TO THE PARK.
IT'S JUST HAS, IT JUST HAS NOT BEEN SPENT.
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UM, WE, WE, AT THE LAST TIME, UM, THAT WE TALKED ABOUT THIS, WE HAD, WE HAD ABOUT A MILLION DOLLARS MM-HMMAND WE COULD ONLY DO ONE, EITHER THE ADAPTIVE BALL FIELD OR THE, UH, TRAIL THAT WE DID, THE TRAIL PART OF THE FIELD MM-HMM
SO WE OPTED TO DO THE TRAIL AND THE LIGHTS, AND SO WE HAD TO PUT THIS BACK.
WE PROBABLY WOULDN'T HAVE ANOTHER CONVERSATION WITH TO SEE, AND THE COMMISSION AS WELL, TO SEE WHAT WE WANNA DO WITH THAT.
WE WANNA CONTINUE WITH THAT ADAPTIVE BALL FIELD.
I JUST DON'T KNOW WHERE THE BRIDGE ARE GONNA COME IN BECAUSE WE'VE DELAYED IT FOR A WHILE, BUT WE DELAYED IT BECAUSE THE COST WE DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY ON.
AND JUST TO, AND JUST TO, UH, REFRESH THE VOICE MEMORY, UH, WE DID REMOVE THE AMPHITHEATER, UH, FROM THIS PROJECT BECAUSE THE STAGE WASN'T BIG ENOUGH TO ACCOMMODATE, UM, VAN THAT WE WOULD HIRE.
AND IT WAS GONNA BE TAKING AWAY MOST OF THE PARKING LOT THAT'S ON THE SOUTHWEST SIDE OF, OKAY.
UH, SO THE 26,000 IS WHAT WAS REMAINDER, THE REMAINING IN THE TONY BUTLER GOLF COURSE AND EVERYTHING AFTER THE TONY BUT BUTLER GOLF COURSE ARE THE PROJECTS THAT WERE JUST DISCUSSED, UM, UH, IN, UH, JUST A BIT AGO.
SO THE TOTAL EXPENDITURES ARE 5 MILLION 4 53 0 63.
SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE TOP, UH, WE WENT DOWN THE BEGINNING FUND BALANCE, THE PROJECTED REVENUES, THE EXPENDITURES.
SO AFTER THE PROJECTED REVENUES AND THE EXPENDITURES OF THIS YEAR HAVE BEEN COMPLETED, AT THE END OF THE YEAR, YOU'RE STILL PROJECTED TO HAVE APPROXIMATELY 4 MILLION 120,000 IN REMAINING FUND BALANCE.
THAT IS A, A VERY GOOD, THAT'S A BIG BALANCE.
THAT'S, THAT'S GOOD NEWS FOR THE COMMUNITY ONCE WE KEEP GOING.
SO THAT'S A, THAT'S A BRIEF OVERVIEW AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE, WE'RE, UH, PROPOSING AS THE BUDGET.
UH, SO THIS IS ITEM NUMBER FIVE, BOARD MEMBERS.
ANY QUESTIONS, CONCERNS, COMMENTS? ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR THE EFFORT THERE.
AND, UH, SO, UM, I'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD FOR A LITTLE WHILE, GUYS.
IT'S A PRETTY GOOD FUN BALANCE.
SO IT'S, IT'S A GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR, UH, THE CITY TO REALLY TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT ELSE NEEDS TO BE DONE.
UM, LET'S GO AHEAD AND DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE HARLO AND COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT BOARD BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025 TO 2026? MAKE A MOTION.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? I SECOND.
ITEM NUMBER SIX, DISCUSS REGARDING THE SUCCESS OF THE SPRAY AND NEUTER PROGRAM AND DISCUSS FUTURE POTENTIAL FUNDING.
GOOD EVENING CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
MY NAME IS SHANNON HARL, AND I AM THE HEALTH DIRECTOR FOR THE CITY OF HARTON.
AND THE SPAY NEUTER, THE ANIMAL SHELTER FALLS UNDER THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
UM, WE WERE, AND ARE EXTREMELY THANKFUL FOR THE ALLOTMENT OF THE 2000 DO $200,000 TO SPAY OR NEUTER ALL THE ANIMALS THAT ARE ADOPTED FROM THE ANIMAL SHELTER.
UM, REAL QUICKLY, WE HAVE TO TAKE EVERY OPPORTUNITY WE CAN TO TRY TO PLUG AND PUBLISH THE ANIMALS AT THE ANIMAL SHELTER.
SO, ON JUST ABOUT EVERY PAGE, THERE IS A DOG THAT IS CURRENTLY AT THE ANIMAL SHELTER.
I SAW THEM ALL WAITING FOR ADOPTION, AND THEIR NAMES ARE THERE.
SO IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN ANY ONE OF THEM, THE NAME IS LISTED THERE, YOU'RE WELCOME TO CALL THEM OR GO BY AND, AND VISIT PICTURE LIKE
BUT I HAVE TO TAKE EVERY CHANCE I CAN.
UM, SO ON THE SECOND PAGE, THE GREATNESS OF A COMMUNITY IS MEASURED BY HOW IT CARES FOR ITS MOST VULNERABLE, UM, INCLUDING OUR PETS.
SO SINCE THOUGH THE MONEY WAS AWARDED, UM, IN OCTOBER OF 24 THROUGH FEBRUARY OF 26, UM, THERE HAVE BEEN 260 SURGERIES PERFORMED.
UM, THAT DOES INCLUDE BOTH SPAY OR NEUTER, JUST IN, JUST IN CASE.
UM, SPAS ARE GENERALLY REFERRED TO FOR FEMALES, NEUTER ARE REFERRED TO FOR MALES.
UM, SO THAT TWO 60 IS INCLUSIVE AND DOES INCLUDE BOTH.
UM, THERE'S 154,986 LEFT FROM THAT 200,000.
REALLY A CHALLENGE FOR US RIGHT NOW IS VET PARTICIPATION.
UM, ON THE NEXT PAGE, IT LISTS THE DIFFERENT VETS WITHIN HARLINGEN.
UM, THE ONLY ONE THAT IS CURRENTLY WORKING WITH US RIGHT NOW IS A ROYAL VET VETERINARY HOSPITAL.
UM, THEY ACTUALLY GIVE THE SHELTER A 15% DISCOUNT AND THEIR COSTS FOR SPAY OR NEUTER LISTED THERE.
WE HAVE CONTACTED THE OTHER VET CLINICS IN HARLINGEN AND
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BASICALLY LISTED THE INFORMATION THAT THEY'VE GIVEN US.SOME GAVE US ACTUAL PRICES, SOME HAVE REQUIREMENTS BEFORE THEY'LL GIVE AN ESTIMATE FOR THE COST OF A SURGERY.
UM, AT FOUR 30 THIS AFTERNOON, UM, WE WERE NOTIFIED THAT THE BROWNSVILLE LOW COST SPAY, NEUTER CLINIC IS INTERESTED IN WORKING WITH US.
UM, BUT WE WOULD STILL NEED TO LOOK INTO THAT FURTHER.
UM, WHETHER IT'S FOR ADOPTED ANIMALS OR LOW COST SPAY NEUTER, THEY ARE INTERESTED IN WORKING WITH US, BUT WE JUST NEED TO SIT DOWN AND HAVE CONVERSATIONS AND, AND SEE WHAT THAT WORKS OUT TO.
UM, BUT VETERINARY PARTICIPATION IS, IS KIND OF A HANGUP FOR US RIGHT NOW, OR A CHALLENGE FOR US.
AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO, TO WORK WITH AND WORK THROUGH AND, AND BUILD MORE RELATIONSHIPS AND HAVE MORE VET CLINICS THAT WE'RE ABLE TO UTILIZE AND GET ANIMALS SPAYED OR NEUTERED QUICKER.
UM, SO THE ADOPTED ANIMALS, UH, THE BREAKDOWN FOR THE SPAY OR NEUTER, UM, YOU CAN SEE THERE, IT, IT'S THE CATS.
WE BROKE DOWN MALES AND FEMALES, UM, THE DOGS, MALES AND FEMALES.
UM, SO IT'S, IT'S A PRETTY GOOD MIX OF EVERYTHING ALTOGETHER.
AND THAT, THAT'S PRETTY MUCH WHAT I HAVE AT THIS TIME.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER THOSE.
I, I, I REMEMBER WE APPROVED IT.
YOU SAID OC WHEN DID YOU START SPENDING THE 200,000? OCTOBER OF 24.
SO WHAT DO YOU ANTICIPATE YEARLY THE COST WOULD BE IF IT WAS OCTO? IS IT, IS IT, I GUESS WHEN WE GAVE THE MONEY, WE DIDN'T KNOW.
IS IT GONNA BE, WOULD YOU ESTIMATE 50,000 A YEAR OR DO YOU I WOULD SAY 50 TO 75.
I MEAN, WE'RE WORKING WITH ONE VET CLINIC RIGHT NOW.
SO IF YOU HAD MORE PEOPLE THAT MONEY, YOU WOULD YES, WE WOULD BE ABLE TO GET MORE SURGERIES DONE.
UM, SHE, DR. MITCHELL IS THE ONE WHO'S WORKING WITH US.
AND I MEAN, SHE HAS A CLINIC AND A PRACTICE OF HER OWN, SO SHE'S WILLING TO HELP US AND SHE'S WILLING TO DO THESE SURGERIES FOR US, BUT SHE'S NOT DEDICATED TO US.
AND SO SHE FITS A, SHE GIVES US ONE DAY A MONTH, UM, WHERE SHE DOES JUST SPAY NEUTER SURGERIES FOR THE ANIMAL SHELTER.
UM, BUT MOST VETS WILL ONLY DO SURGERIES IN THE MORNING BECAUSE THEY GET DROPPED OFF EARLY.
UM, THEY DO THE SURGERY IN THE MORNING AND THEN THEY HOLD ONTO THEM.
THE VET CLINIC HOLDS ONTO 'EM UNTIL THEY COME OUT OF ANESTHESIA AND THEY'RE UP FOR A WHILE.
AND JUST FOR OBSERVATION PERIOD.
SO IT'S NOT TRULY LIKE A FULL DAY OF SURGERY.
IT'S REALLY ABOUT A HALF DAY OF SURGERY.
SO THE NUMBER TWO 60, IF YOU HAD MORE PROVIDERS WOULD BE QUITE A YES.
SO IF WE CAN LOOK AT WORKING OUT A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE BROWNSVILLE CLINIC, WE MAY BE ABLE TO INCREASE THOSE NUMBERS.
UM, BUT I MEAN, THE COST THAT THE OTHER VETS ARE CHARGING IS, IS DRASTICALLY DIFFERENT YEAH.
THAN EVEN WHAT DR. MITCHELL IS CHARGING.
SO FOR US TO WORK WITH THEM, I'M NOT SURE THAT THEY WOULD BRING THEIR COSTS DOWN.
UM, AND SO FAR WHEN WE'VE CONTACTED 'EM, IT'S, IT'S QUITE DIFFICULT TO GET THEM ON THE PHONE, SEND EMAILS, THEY GO UNANSWERED.
WE GO IN PERSON AND THEY'RE GENERALLY BUSY.
UM, BUT THAT, THAT'S, THAT'S REALLY OUR CHALLENGE RIGHT NOW.
AND SO IF WE CAN GET SOMETHING WORKED OUT, WHETHER IT'S BROWNSVILLE, WHETHER IT'S OTHER VETS IN HARLINGEN, THOSE NUMBERS WOULD GO UP.
SO WHAT IS, WHAT IS, UM, WHAT IS YOUR ASK FOR OUR BOARD TODAY? I WAS JUST PRESENTING
SO I, I LOOK AT THIS AS WONDERFUL.
SO I, BUT I'M JUST, I THINK THAT THEY DON'T, AT THIS TIME, THERE'S NO ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR THIS NECESSARY BECAUSE THEY'RE STILL EXTENDING THE FUNDS.
THAT'S BEEN ALLOCATED, WHICH IS GREAT.
BUT I WANTED THEM TO TALK TO YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE SUCCESS OF OUR LOW COST, UM, THE SPAY AND NEUTER GRANTS THAT YOU RECEIVED FOR THE LOW INCOME, UH, HOUSEHOLDS IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND HOW FAST THOSE SPOTS BUILD UP.
UM, SO THAT WAY THEY HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE NEED FIRST IN THE DEMOGRAPHIC OF LOW INCOME AND THEN GENERAL POPULATION.
CAN YOU SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT? SURE.
UM, WE RECEIVED OUR FIRST GRANT FROM ZOONOSIS, UH, CONTROL, WHICH IS A, A STATE, WHICH IS YOUR PET FRIENDLY LICENSE PLATES.
UM, WHEN PEOPLE PURCHASE PET FRIENDLY LICENSE PLATES, PART OF THOSE FUNDS GO INTO A SPECIAL ACCOUNT THAT IS STRICTLY USED FOR SPAY NEUTER.
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TEAM DID THAT APPLICATION AND WE WERE AWARDED $9,029 FOR LOW COSTS SPAY NEUTER.SO IF SOMEBODY HAS A DOG THAT'S NOT SPAY OR NEU, THEY CAN BRING THEM TO YOU.
IS THAT KIND OF IN, THAT'S KIND OF, SO HERE AGAIN, OKAY.
WE, WE CONTRACT WITH DR. MITCHELL.
SO DR. MITCHELL DOES THE SURGERIES FOR OUR ANIMAL SHELTER ANIMALS.
AND SHE DOES THE SURGERIES FOR OUR GRANT, OUR, OUR LOW COST GRANT, UM, ANIMALS, UM, SAME PRICE.
SHE'S A ONE MAN SHOW, SO SHE'S REALLY, REALLY BENDING OVER BACKWARDS AND, AND HELPING US AS MUCH AS SHE CAN.
UM, BUT WE WERE AWARDED $9,029.
UM, THE FIRST POINT THAT WE COULD USE IT WAS AUGUST 31ST.
UM, WE GOT OUR DUCKS IN A ROW, GOT EVERYTHING ORGANIZED.
WE STARTED USING THAT OCTOBER 1ST, UM, STRICTLY FOR OWNED ANIMALS.
UM, IN OUR CONVERSATIONS WITH DR. MITCHELL, SHE FELT LIKE IT SHOULD NOT BE A FREE SPAY NEUTER, THAT CITIZENS SHOULD HAVE SOME SKIN IN THE GAME AND HAVE SOME TYPE OF PAYMENT COPAY, PER SE.
UM, SO IT WAS AGREED THAT FOR CATS IT'D BE $40 FOR DOGS, IT'D BE $50.
AND, AND BASED ON THE PRICES IN HERE, THAT THAT IS DEFINITELY LOW COST.
SO WHAT CITIZENS DO IS THEY, THEY COME TO OUR OFFICE, THEY GET A VOUCHER.
UH, WE VERIFY THEIR INCOME, WE VERIFY THERE'S HARLINGEN CITIZENS, UH, OR HARLINGEN RESIDENTS.
AND THEN WE GIVE THEM A VOUCHER THAT THEY TAKE TO ARROYO.
AND THEY PAY THEIR $50 TO ARROYO.
UM, ARROYO SETS THEIR APPOINTMENT WHEN THEY HAVE AVAILABILITY, AND THEN THOSE SURGERIES ARE DONE.
UM, SO AS OF LAST WEEK, WE'VE ACTUALLY EXPENDED THAT $9,029.
UM, WE DO HAVE ANOTHER GRANT, UH, FOR PETCO LOVE.
AND SO WE'RE STARTING TO EXPEND THOSE, THAT MONEY.
UM, BUT IT'S STILL A CHALLENGE 'CAUSE SHE'S, SHE'S THE ONLY ONE.
BUT, BUT WE HAVE HIGH HOPES NOW.
I MEAN, THIS BARELY CAME IN AT FOUR 30, SO, UM, FOR BROWNSVILLE.
BUT THERE, THERE'S A HUGE NEED.
EVERY TIME WE OPEN THE PORTAL FOR PEOPLE TO SUBMIT APPLICATIONS, UM, WE USUALLY DO, DR. MITCHELL ONLY WANTS ABOUT 50 VOUCHERS AT A TIME.
UM, BECAUSE SHE SAYS BY THE TIME SHE, SHE KNOCKS THOSE OUT, SHE DOESN'T WANNA BE SETTING SURGERY SIX MONTHS OUT.
SO WE'RE, THIS GRANT ISN'T TAKING MONEY FROM HER BUSINESS AT ALL.
SHE'S GETTING, UH, BUT IT IS TAKING TIME AWAY FROM HER BECAUSE, UM, SHE COULD COMMAND A HIGHER FEE FOR THE WORK THAT SHE'S DOING.
SO THAT ONE DAY THAT SHE'S WORKING ON CARLING, SHE'S, SHE'S, SO IF WE HAD OTHER, OTHER, THERE'S A COST OF IT FOR HER.
SO LET, LET ME ASK YOU ONE MORE QUESTION.
THE 200,000 THAT WE APPROVED FOR YOU GUYS, DID YOU STILL HAVE A DECENT AMOUNT? WE DIDN'T, DID WE PUT ANY RESTRICTIONS ON THAT OTHER THAN SPAY AND NEUTER? MY UNDERSTANDING WAS IT WAS STRICTLY FOR SPAY NEUTER FOR ADOPTED ANIMALS.
IT WAS, IT WAS, SO THIS WOULD BE SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT, I GUESS, RIGHT? SO, RIGHT.
THAT WAS JUST FOR THAT BECAUSE WE WANTED TO ENCOURAGE, UM, OBVIOUSLY ADOPTION MM-HMM
AND I'LL JUST SAY THEY PROBABLY WON'T TELL YOU, BUT THEY HAVE BEEN DOING SUCH A, A GREAT JOB.
SO WHEN THEY TOOK OVER THE HARLAN AND ANIMAL SHELTER, I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, IT WAS, IT WAS CHALLENGING.
UM, BUT NOW THEY'VE GOT A GREAT TEAM.
UM, THEY'RE DOING ADOPTION EVENTS EVERY WEEKEND.
THEY'RE AT DOWNTOWN, AT SUNDOWN, THEY'RE AT DOWNTOWN MARKET DAYS.
THEY'RE, UM, IN OTHER PARTS OF THE VALLEY AND, AND JUST DOING A REALLY GREAT JOB.
SO I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, THESE NUMBERS ARE GONNA CONTINUE TO CLIMB, BUT WHAT WE'VE BEEN HEARING IN THE, IN THE COMMUNITY IS THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY'S KIND OF LIVING PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK RIGHT NOW.
AND THE SPAY AND NEUTER SERVICES, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE COST, THEY'RE REALLY HIGH.
AND SO EVERY TIME, YOU KNOW, THIS GRANT THAT THEY ARE, THAT, THAT THEY GET, THEY, THAT THEY OBTAIN, UM, AND THEY'LL SHARE THAT AND, AND OPEN UP THE APPLICATIONS.
THE COMMUNITY KIND OF IS NOT HAPPY ABOUT, WELL, IF I'M, I'M NOT LOW INCOME, BUT I DON'T HAVE A, A HIGH INCOME.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, WHAT ABOUT US? AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE BEEN, UM, ENTERTAINING AND, AND THINKING ABOUT, AND ESPECIALLY NOW THAT WE HAVE A VERY HEALTHY BALANCE, IS QUALITY OF LIFE IS IMPORTANT.
QUALITY, QUALITY OF LIFE, UM, AND PUBLIC HEALTH.
AND SO WE HAVE AN ISSUE WITH, UM, HOMELESS POPULATION PETS, AND, AND WE'RE DOING THE BEST THAT WE CAN, BUT A LOT OF IT ALSO IS OWNED PETS IN DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS THAT THEY JUST KIND OF LET 'EM ROAM AROUND AND, UM, CONTINUE TO ADD TO
[00:45:01]
THOSE NUMBERS.AND SO I WANTED TO SEE IF THE BOARD WOULD BE WILLING TO KIND OF WORK WITH THE CITY IN THAT REGARD TO BE ABLE TO TRY TO, UM, PROVIDE LOW COST SPAY AND NEUTER, KIND OF LIKE THOSE PRICES, BUT FOR THE GENERAL POPULATION.
AND THEY COULD STILL OPEN IT UP, OPEN UP, HAVE, UM, SOME TYPE OF PARAMETERS OF, OF INCOME.
BECAUSE IF SOMEBODY'S MAKING, YOU KNOW, TWO AND THREE, FOUR, $500,000 A YEAR, THEY DON'T NEED, THEY DON'T NEED ASSISTANCE.
BUT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE CAN KIND OF, YOU KNOW, THE BOARD CAN LOOK AT AND THEN OBVIOUSLY THE SHELTER STAFF TO, TO DECIDE WHAT, WHAT THAT NUMBER LOOK LIKE, UM, FOR A FAMILY OF FOUR OR A FAMILY OF TWO.
UM, AND IF THERE IS THAT POSSIBILITY OF, YES, WE CAN ALLOCATE A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS OR SO TO THIS INITIATIVE FOR HARLING AND RESIDENTS, THEN THEY CAN GO AND REALLY TALK TO THE VETS AND SAY, OH, WE HAVE A COMMITMENT FROM THE BOARD.
THEY'RE INTERESTED, BUT BEFORE YOU ALLOCATE THE FUNDS, IT'S JUST GONNA SIT THERE.
DO THEY HAVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE IN PLACE TO BE ABLE TO, UM, PERFORM THE SPAY AND NEUTER SURGERIES? SHOULD THAT BE AVAILABLE? I THINK THAT THE COMMUNITY WOULD REALLY EMBRACE THAT IDEA.
UM, IT'S BEEN AN ON ONGOING ISSUE, AND I THINK IT WILL HELP SOLVE, UH, THE PROBLEM THAT WE, THAT WE HAVE, UH, HERE IN HARLINGEN.
AND IF IT WORKS, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THERE TO BE, UM, REVENUE, UH, GENERATING, IF YOU HAVE ENOUGH VETS THAT COULD MAYBE HELP THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES, RIGHT.
HARLINGEN COULD BE AT A LOW COST.
AND THEN IF YOU HAVE A GROUP OF VETS THAT ARE WILLING TO PARTICIPATE, MAYBE YOU DO HELP PUTTING THAT ON YOU IN COMBS AND THOSE OTHER AREAS.
UM, OBVIOUSLY NOT WITH THESE FUNDS, BUT PUTTING, SETTING THAT UP TO WHERE WE CAN ALSO HELP OTHERS IN THE REGION.
BECAUSE THOSE BOUNDARY LINES ARE, ARE, ARE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE, THEY'RE STILL IMPACTING OUR, OUR COMMUNITY.
BUT THAT'S WHAT I WANTED THEM TO, TO, TO SHARE TO SEE IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU WOULD BE INTERESTED AS A BOARD.
AND IF SO, THEN THEY CAN GO WORK ON GETTING, UH, I KNOW YOU WERE GONNA REACH OUT TO ONE OF THOSE.
WE HAVE A RESCUE, A COUPLE OF RESCUES THAT DO SPAY A NEUTER TOO, AND JUST, YOU KNOW, FIND HOW THEY CAN PARTNER WITH OTHERS TO REALLY, UM, SOLVE THIS, THIS ISSUE OF LACK OF VET CARE.
LET ME ASK, LET ME KIND OF ASK A, A LEGAL QUESTION.
ARE WE ALLOWED TO FUND RECURRING THINGS? YEAH.
AS LONG AS IT'S, UH, MEET CRITERIA.
CRITERIA, I, I, I DON'T THINK WE, WE'VE NEVER BEEN AT REALLY.
I WASN'T SURE IF THERE WAS A LIMIT ON RECURRING, LIKE YEAH.
FUND THIS YEAR, BUT YOU CAN'T DO IT NEXT YEAR.
AND, AND JUST LIKE FUNDING OUR PARKS, IT'S NOT NECESSARILY, UM, ANOTHER OR THE SAME BASKETBALL COURT, BUT IT'S MULTIPLE BASKETBALL COURTS THROUGHOUT THE CITY, SO OKAY.
WE'RE KIND OF DOING THAT ALREADY, BUT IN DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT LOCATIONS.
LET'S, LET'S OPEN IT UP FOR CONVERSATIONS.
UH, IT SOUNDS LIKE A GOOD IDEA.
AND I MEAN, IT'S, IT SEEMS LIKE BOTH PROGRAMS ARE TAKING A, A DENT IN THE, THE STRAY, I'M SORRY, THE, THE STRAY PET POPULATION WE HAVE HERE.
SO JUST A QUESTION ON THE, THE FEES.
IS THERE A CAP ON WHAT YOU PAY THE VETS? UM, THESE ARE THEIR PRICES.
SO DO YOU REIMBURSE 'EM LIKE A HUNDRED PERCENT AT THIS POINT IN TIME? YES, WE ARE.
BUT IN THE CONVERSATIONS THOUGH, THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE WITH THE VETS IS WE'D LIKE TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
IF YOU'RE CHARGING $800 FOR A GENERAL PAY, WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO ASSIST US IN DOING IT AT A LOWER COST? UM, BUT RIGHT NOW WE'RE HAVING, WE'RE HAVING TROUBLE GETTING OUR FOOT IN THE DOOR.
UM, BUT IT, IT'S ACTUALLY GETTING IN CONTACT WITH THAT VET OR THAT OFFICE MANAGER, DEPENDING ON WHICH CLINIC IT IS TO SEE IF THEY WOULD BE WILLING TO REDUCE THEIR PRICES.
MITCHELL'S PRICES ARE, ARE PRETTY REASONABLE IN, IN THE SCOPE OF THINGS.
UM, BUT SO TO ME IT SOUNDS OTHERS ARE HIGHER.
TO ME, IT SOUNDS LIKE THEY'RE NOT WILLING TO COME DOWN AT A, AT A DISCOUNT.
THEY'RE PROBABLY GONNA LOSE MONEY.
SO IF YOU WERE TO FUND THEM AT A HUNDRED PERCENT, MAYBE THERE WOULD BE MORE PARTICIPATION, BUT THEN THAT, THAT WOULD EAT YOUR, YOUR BUDGET PRETTY QUICKLY.
AND I, I'M NOT SURE, LIKE IF WE PAID ONE VET $800 FOR A SPAY, BUT WE PAID ANOTHER VET $400 FOR A SPAY, EVEN THOUGH THAT'S THEIR COST, ARE THEY STILL GOING TO WANT TO DO THAT? YEAH, IT GETS TRICKY.
[00:50:01]
KIND OF ANOTHER CONCERN IF WE'RE NOT PAYING THE HUNDRED RIGHT NOW.SO THEY'RE ONLY, THEY'RE ONLY WORKING WITH DR. MITCHELL.
AND SO THE PRICES ARE SET AND, AND, AND, AND THE, THE SET PRICE IS, UM, NON-NEGOTIABLE.
SO THAT, THAT IS, UM, A CONSISTENT RATE.
ALL THE OTHERS, I THINK SHANNON'S JUST PROVIDING, UM, WHAT THEIR COSTS ARE TO THE, YOU KNOW, YOU CALL, THIS IS THE PRICE THAT THEY'RE GONNA GIVE YOU.
UM, BUT NONE OF THEM ARE PARTICIPATING, NONE OF THEM ARE GETTING PAID ANYTHING.
BUT THE IDEA WOULD BE THAT IF THERE IS INTEREST THAT THEY COULD SAY, OKAY, YOU KNOW WHAT? THE CITY OF HARLEEN IS ALLOCATED A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS.
INSTEAD OF SAYING, UM, POTENTIALLY WE WILL.
'CAUSE RIGHT NOW THESE ARE SHELTER PETS.
I FEEL ALSO SOMETIMES THAT THE VETS MAY THINK, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT FROM SHELTER PETS VERSUS COMMUNITY PETS, RIGHT? MM-HMM
BECAUSE SHELTER PETS ARE BRINGING THE PETS THAT ARE KIND OF OFF THE STREET.
YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT, WHAT THEY'VE GOT AND THEY'VE GOT, YOU KNOW, THESE CONCERNS.
BUT MAYBE SOME OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE PATIENTS OF THESE VETS ALREADY COULD PARTICIPATE IN A LOW COST, A SPAY AND NEUTER.
YOU KNOW, SO I THINK THERE'S, THERE'S OPPORTUNITY TO POTENTIALLY OPEN IT UP.
AND, AND I'VE TOLD THEM THAT IF WE DON'T HAVE PARTIC, I KNOW IT'S HARD, BUT WE DON'T HAVE PARTICIPATION FROM HARLINGEN VETS, THEN WE NEED TO START LOOKING OUTSIDE OF HARLINGEN TO OTHER VETS.
AND THAT'S KIND OF WHY WE REACHED OUT.
'CAUSE BROWNSVILLE HAS A LOW COST CLINIC, OR A LOW COST SPAY NEUTER CLINIC.
AND SO THAT'S KIND OF WHY WE, EVEN THOUGH IT'S FURTHER THAN SAN BENITO, BECAUSE IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE LOW COST, WE, WE DID REACH OUT TO THEM AS WELL JUST TO SEE WHAT THEIR PRICES ARE.
WERE THEY WILLING, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT IS THAT SITUATION HAVE, HAVE WE, 'CAUSE I KNOW WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS BEFORE, BUT THE, WHERE'S THE CLOSEST VET SCHOOL? UM, I, A AND M AND I BELIEVE TEXAS TECH.
'CAUSE TO MY KNOWLEDGE, NO, BUT I, I COULDN'T SWEAR TO YOU.
'CAUSE I REMEMBER, BECAUSE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S VERY MUCH IN DEMAND.
UH, EVERY TIME I'M, I, I EVEN BRING UP THE SUBJECT OF PETS OR, OR THE, THE ANIMAL SHELTER ON, ON SOCIAL MEDIA, WHETHER IT'S FACEBOOK OR WHETHER IT'S NEXT, NEXT DOOR ESPECIALLY.
UM, RIGHT AWAY I GET LIKE, WHY AREN'T YOU DOING SPAY NEUTER, SPAY NEUTER, SPAY NEUTER? AND THEN I TELL 'EM, I, I TRY TO EXPLAIN TO 'EM, IT'S NOT THAT EASY YET.
WE CAN'T JUST GO GET EVENTS, SAY, HEY, COME DO THIS.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO HAVE THESE PARTNERSHIPS.
AND THAT'S ONE THING THAT, UM, THEY'VE MENTIONED A LOT.
WELL, HAVE YOU REACHED OUT TO THE VET SCHOOLS? I KNOW WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT IT, BUT I DUNNO IF WE'VE ACTUALLY GONE OUT THERE AND DONE THAT, BECAUSE I THINK THAT MIGHT HELP.
WE HAVEN'T REACHED OUT TO A AND M RECENTLY, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU.
WE HAVE REACHED OUT TO A AND M IN THE PAST.
UM, AND THEIR SITUATION IS, IF WE CAN TAKE THE ANIMALS TO THEM, THEY WOULD BE HAPPY TO HELP.
I THINK ONE OF THE BEANS CAME DOWN TO HARLINGEN ABOUT FIVE YEARS AGO, AND THEY LOOKED AT THE POSSIBILITY OF HAVING THEIR STUDENTS COME DOWN YES.
AND DO THEIR, THEIR INTERN OR WHATEVER.
BUT, UM, THAT, THAT DIDN'T GO OVER HERE.
AND, AND SEE, FOR US EVEN TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT, I FEEL LIKE WE WOULD NEED A FACILITY WITH THE EQUIPMENT.
SO, I MEAN, SO THAT'S ANOTHER THING.
WE JUST GOT SO MANY FROM CONGRESSMAN GONZALEZ.
WE'VE GOT A MILLION DOLLARS SECURED FINALLY.
IT'S BEEN, YOU KNOW, KIND OF DIFFICULT WITH, UH, SHUTDOWNS AND ALL THE STUFF THAT'S BEEN HAPPENING.
AND SO THIS WILL GO TOWARDS THE CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW, UH, FACILITY.
AND I THINK IT, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO HAVE A SPAY AND NEUTER KIND OF SUITE IN, IN, IN THE FACILITY.
THAT MIGHT BE, UH, A WAY FOR US TO GET OTHERS.
I KNOW THERE'S LIKE RELIEF VETS, MAYBE THEY CAN COME IN AND, AND, AND DO THAT KIND OF STUFF.
SO, I MEAN, THERE'S, THERE'S IDEAS FOR THE FUTURE.
BUT, UM, JUST LOOKING TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO IN THE, IN THE INTERIM, BECAUSE THAT DOES SEEM TO BE A PRIORITY FOR COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW, RESIDENTS ON BEHALF OF THE FOUR B BOARD, THANK YOU FOR THIS.
IT'S REALLY NICE TO SEE HONESTY, YOU KNOW, AND, UH, AND TO KNOW THAT IT'S BEING MANAGED.
SO I'M ABSOLUTELY SAYING THAT THAT MAKES IT A LOT EASIER FOR ME TO HAVE AN OPINION, TO SAY I HAVE NO ISSUE WITH, WITH KNOWING THAT IT'S GONNA BE MANAGED THE WAY THIS HAS BEEN MANAGED.
YOU KNOW, AND, AND SO JUST TO PUT OUT MY OPINION, THAT WOULD KIND OF BE MY OPINION.
NOW, THE ACTUAL DOLLAR AMOUNT MAYBE WOULD, COULD BE WORKED OUT BETWEEN THE CITY AND, AND WHAT WHAT YOU GUYS THINK WOULD BE FAIR AND EQUITABLE TO START.
BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, SOMEWHERE IN THE SAME FIGURE AS THIS TO ME WOULDN'T SEEM FAIR.
YOU KNOW? 'CAUSE YOU GOT 200,000, YOU'RE WORKING WITH IT.
[00:55:01]
IF WE GRANTED ANOTHER 200,000 FOR A DIFFERENT BUCKET AND IT GOES FASTER OR SLOWER, THAT'S SOMETHING, YOU KNOW.SO, I MEAN, I, I SUPPORT THAT TOO, AS FAR AS OPENING IT UP FOR NOT JUST THE SHELTER PETS, BUT FOR HOME, HOME PETS.
UH, THE QUESTION I HAD, LIKE IF IT SOUNDS LIKE WE'RE IN AGREEMENT WITH THAT, YOU KNOW, IS THERE ANY WAY WE COULD OPEN THE CURRENT FUNDING? OR IS THAT LOCKED IN? UH, NO, WE COULD OPEN IT UP.
UH, BECAUSE THAT WAS A, A DECISION THAT WE MADE HERE LOCALLY FOR THE, UH, FOR THE SHELTER ONLY.
I, I THINK WE CAN, UM, BECAUSE IT'S FOR THE SAME USE, JUST DIFFERENT DOG
EVERYBODY'S, EVERYBODY'S LOOKING AT MARIO.
I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE PROPOSING.
SO, SO, SO 200,000 AND IT'S, UM, THEY'VE GOT 154,000 REMAINING.
HYPOTHETICALLY, IF THEY WOULD SAY WE'RE GONNA MOVE OVER A HUNDRED THOUSAND FOR NON SHELTER PETS, UM, COULD, COULD THEY, COULD THEY DO THAT? UM, BECAUSE THEY'RE STILL, THEY HAVEN'T EXPENDED ALL THE FUNDS.
BUT THE PUBLIC HEARING, I DON'T THINK YOU COULD.
BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, THE PUBLIC HEARING, SO, SO THE, RIGHT, SO WE HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING FOR THAT.
SO TO AMEND IT, YOU, YOU REALLY CAN'T DO THAT, RIGHT? NO, NOT NONE OF IT'S PART, NONE OF IT WAS PART OF THE PUBLIC HEARING.
SO THAT'S WHAT I THINK YOU WOULD HAVE TO CHECK.
I MEAN, UNLESS THERE IS A WAY, BUT 'CAUSE THEN YOU'RE WILLING TO GIVE, IT'S YEAH.
IF THIS ATTORNEY'S SAYING, NO, WE CAN'T DO IT, THEN IT'S, YEAH.
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? I WASN'T SURE IT'S 'CAUSE PART OF THE ORIGINAL COMMITMENT WAS THAT THEY HAD TO BE FROM THE SHELTER.
AND THAT'S HOW YOU DID THE NOTICE.
I MEAN, EVEN THOUGH WE DIDN'T HAVE YEAH, YOU'RE, I MEAN, YOU'RE BOUND BY THAT.
SO IF YOU WANTED TO AMEND IT, I DON'T THINK THAT WAS A NOTICE, BUT I THINK THAT WAS OUR POLICY, THAT THEY'D BE ONLY FROM THE, FROM THE ANIMAL SHELTER.
SO WE ESTABLISHED THAT POLICY INTERNALLY.
THAT'S WHY I COULDN'T REMEMBER IF THERE WERE RESTRICTIONS.
BUT THERE, THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN.
BUT I, I THINK WHEN WE PRESENTED IT TO YOU, YOU SAID, WE SAID THAT FOR ADOPTIONS THAT IT WOULD ONLY BE FOUR ADOPTIONS FROM I DO REMEMBER, I DO REMEMBER THAT.
SO I THINK IF HE'S SAYING NO, THEN WE CAN'T DO IT.
IF IT WAS PART OF THE PUBLIC HEARING PROCESS AND THAT'S WHAT WAS DISCUSSED IN THE PUBLIC HEARING, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE SOME OTHER FUNDS.
WELL WE, WE WANTED IT FOR SHELTER PET.
SO IF THE NOTICE WAS FOR JUST THE FUNDING AND THE INTERNAL POLICY WAS FOR SHELTER PETS, THEN IS THAT A POSSIBILITY? LIKE SOMETHING YOU COULD LOOK AT? I, I CAN LOOK AT IT, BUT I'D HAVE TO GO BACK AND STUDY WHAT WAS ACTUALLY DONE.
BECAUSE I'M, I'M A LITTLE UNCLEAR ON THE HISTORY OF HOW WE GOT HERE.
I THINK IT, IT SPAY AND NEUTERED.
SO IN ORDER TO AMEND THAT BUDGET AMOUNT TO, WHAT WOULD WE HAVE TO DO, WOULD TO EXPEDITE THIS, YOU KNOW, WOULD WE HAVE TO JUST, COULD WE JUST HAVE ANOTHER PUBLIC HEARING AND HAVE A MEETING JUST, WELL, I WOULD LIKE TO LET GO BACK AND LOOK AT WHAT WAS ACTUALLY DONE.
THAT'S WHAT I REALLY NEED TO, I NEED THAT INFORMATION TO MAKE THAT ACCURATE DETERMINATION.
LET ME, LET ME JUST SUGGEST THAT.
AND, AND, AND JUST MY OPINION, UH, WE'VE HAD GOOD SUCCESS WITH THIS.
I WOULD JUST SUCC BASED ON THE BUN FUND BALANCE THAT WE HAVE, WHICH WE JUST TALKED ABOUT, UM, INSTEAD OF HAVING TO DO ALL THAT, IT'S JUST, WE'RE NOT VOTING ON ANYTHING TONIGHT.
WE'RE JUST DISCUSSING IT AS A BOARD.
AND MY SUGGESTION IS WE JUST, WE, WE TELL THE CITY, WE THINK THAT WE CAN APPROPRIATE ANOTHER X AMOUNT TO GO TAKE A LOOK AT.
AND THEN IT WOULD BE SEPARATE FROM THIS.
THEY, THEY WOULD HAVE TO MANAGE IT.
YOU KNOW, THEY WOULD MANAGE IT.
HEY, THIS IS, HEY, WE'RE RUNNING LOW ON THIS FUNDS.
AND THEN I, YOU KNOW, I THINK MAYBE JUST BASED ON THE FUND BALANCE AND THE SUCCESS WE'RE HAVING AND, AND INPUT FROM THE, THE MAYOR AND THE COMMISSIONER THAT WE JUST GO AHEAD AND KIND OF SAY, HEY, LET'S DO ANOTHER A HUNDRED GRAND FOR THIS SPECIFIC ONE AND RUN THAT THROUGH THE PROCESS.
AND SO THEY HAVE KIND OF TWO BUCKETS.
BUT, UH, I THINK THAT'S A GREAT IDEA.
THAT'S A PATH OF LEAST RESISTANCE.
I, I DON'T WANT 'EM TO HAVE TO GO BACK TO, YOU KNOW, 2000, YOU KNOW, PRO CREATING NEW MONEY.
IT'S JUST A QUESTION OF WHAT PRIOR COMMITMENTS AND OBLIGATIONS WERE.
I THINK WE THINK HAVE THE MONEY, THE COMMUNITY NEEDS IT.
WE JUST HEARD FROM TWO LEADERS IN THE COMMUNITY.
I THINK WE ALL KIND OF AGREE THAT THIS IS GOING WELL.
SO THAT'S KIND OF MY SUGGESTION.
BUT ONCE AGAIN, I DON'T WANNA PUSH ANYBODY'S OPINION.
I, I HAVE A QUESTION AND I, AND I'M NEW TO THIS, SO IT MAY BE TOTALLY OFF BASE.
WOULD THERE BE A POSSIBILITY, IS IT AN OPTION TO HAVE MONEY SET ASIDE INSTEAD FOR LIKE A BUILDING AND EQUIPMENT? BECAUSE THERE ARE RELIEF VET SERVICES THAT CAN SEND VETS INTO A SPACE THAT IS FURNISHED.
[01:00:01]
I THINK THAT WOULD BE WHEN WE CONSTRUCT THE NEW FACILITY.AND THAT'S GONNA TAKE A WHILE.
SO MAYBE IF THEY STILL, AND I THINK THAT, THAT IT'S ONLY GONNA KEEP INCREASING AND, BUT I DON'T WANT THEM TO ALLOCATE FUNDS.
UM, AND THEY CAN'T BE EXPENDED, YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE MAYBE THERE'S OTHER PROJECTS THAT THEY CAN UTILIZE IT FOR AND THE MONEY CONTINUES TO INCREASE, HOPEFULLY.
AND KEEP SHOPPING CARLEEN AND THAT KIND OF THING.
BUT UNLESS YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT BUILDING A, UH, A, JUST A MOBILE, BECAUSE THAT'S SOMETHING I THINK THAT WE'VE, UM, ENTERTAINED IN THE PAST IS THEY USED TO HAVE, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU REMEMBER THEY HAD THAT MOBILE, UH, BEHIND THE SHELTER.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED OR THE HISTORY ON THAT.
'CAUSE I WASN'T KIND OF IN THIS POSITION, BUT I REMEMBER IT.
AND THAT WAS WHEN THERE WAS MUCH MORE PARTICIPATION FROM VETS.
BUT IF YOU COULD SET ONE UP LIKE THAT, UM, MAYBE THE, THEY WOULD NEED TO KNOW WHAT THE COST WOULD BE FOR, FOR THAT.
AND IF IT IS SOMETHING THAT, UM, YOU COULD DEFINITELY HAVE RELIEF VETS.
'CAUSE THEN YOU DON'T WANNA HAVE THAT AND THEN RIGHT.
WELL, I KNOW, I KNOW THERE IS A COMPANY CALLED RU MM-HMM
NOT SPECIFICALLY TO SHELTERS, BUT THEY SEND RELIEF VETS TO DIFFERENT AREAS WHERE THEY'RE NEEDED.
SO, AND SO THAT WAS JUST MY THOUGHT.
IF WE HAD A FACILITY, A, A BUILDING, A TEMPORARY BUILDING, WHATEVER THAT SITUATION MAY BE THAT HAD THE EQUIPMENT AND THEN WE COULD CONTRACT WITH THEM TO SEND US VETS, WHETHER IT BE ONCE A WEEK, ONCE A MONTH, WHATEVER WE FELT WE NEEDED, THEN THAT MAY AN OPTION AS WELL.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE COST IS WOULD BE TO THE, FOR THEM TO SEND A VET.
I JUST KNOW THAT THE COMPANY EXISTS.
UM, BUT I JUST DIDN'T KNOW IF THAT WAS AN OPTION TO DO
WELL, IT COULD BE, BUT THE DENIED FOR TODAY'S ONLY TO FUND THE SPAY NEW PROGRAM.
WE CAN'T REALLY TALK ABOUT THAT.
SO, BUT THOSE ARE THINGS I THINK JUST HAVING MORE NUMBERS TO, TO, TO TALK ABOUT, UM, AT, AT THEIR, AT THEIR NEXT MEETING.
BUT THOSE ARE ALL GOOD THINGS TO KIND TO CONSIDER.
BUT THAT, THAT'S A GREAT IDEA.
SO WE'VE HAD A PRETTY GOOD CONVERSATION.
THE ACTION IS REALLY JUST TO DISCUSS.
WE RECEIVED SOME INFORMATION FROM THE, THE STAFF, WHICH IS IS GOOD.
WHAT DIRECTION DO YOU GUYS WANT THE CITY TO TAKE? DO YOU THINK? ADDITIONAL FUNDING? IS THAT KIND OF THE WAY WE THINK OR DO YOU WANNA MODIFY, TAKE A LOOK AT MODIFYING THE CURRENT REMAINING? WHAT'S, WHAT'S THE THOUGHTS? I JUST WANTED TO BRING THAT UP, BUT TO THE MODIFICATION, BUT I'M, I'M FINE WITH JUST, UH, LOOKING AT ADDING, YOU KNOW, ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR IT.
LIKE A SEPARATE BUCKET, RIGHT.
AND THEN ALSO MAYBE WE CAN HAVE SOME OPTIONS, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, JUST SEE WHAT, WHAT THE, YOU KNOW, LIKE YOU SAID, THE MOBILE CLINIC OR IN-HOUSE OR OTHER CITIES, YOU KNOW, AND GO ABOUT THAT WAY, YOU KNOW, SEE WHAT'S OUT THERE.
WHAT ABOUT DOLLAR AMOUNT? NOW WE, WE DID SET A LITTLE BIT OF PRECEDENCE.
WE GET, WE GRANTED $200,000, WHICH THEY'RE STILL USING.
UH, WOULD, WOULD EVERYBODY FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH ANOTHER $200,000 FOR THIS BUCKET? THAT DOESN'T SEEM EXCESSIVE TO ME, BUT THERE MIGHT BE DISAGREEMENT THERE.
YEAH, IT'S A FRACTION OF THE BUDGET.
SO I THINK, I THINK GIVEN SOME VERBAL, NOW GABE CAN EXPLAIN THE PROCESS, BUT IT'LL GO THROUGH A PROCESS.
SO I THINK YOU'VE GOT VERBAL COMMITMENT FROM OUR BOARD THAT, UH, ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR THE WORK YOU'RE DOING.
AND, UH, WE APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT.
I MEAN, WITHOUT Y'ALL HAVE MADE IT A WORLD EASIER FOR THE, FOR THE ANIMALS, FOR THE PEOPLE ADOPTING THE ANIMALS, FOR THE STAFF THAT WORK THERE.
WHO, WHO GROW ATTACHED TO EACH AND EVERYONE OF THE ANIMALS IN THE PAMPHLET AND IN THE SHELTER.
UM, IT, IT'S MADE IT A WORLD EASIER AND WE DO APPRECIATE YOU.
OH, ONCE AGAIN, IT MAKES IT EASY FOR US TO DISCUSS WHEN THIS IS SITTING IN OUR HANDS.
YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A LOT EASIER.
SO, UH, WE'RE NOT TAKING A VOTE ON THIS.
WE GAVE DIRECTION, WE GAVE DIRECTION TO THE CITY.
SO THE PROCESSES GABE WILL THEN GO AHEAD AND, AND PUT IT ON AN AGENDA ITEM FOR AND ALL THAT.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? I GOT THREE DOGS ALREADY.
SO
WITHOUT ANY OFFICIAL COMMENTS OR CONCERNS.
I'M GONNA CALL, GO AHEAD AND CALL THE FOUR B BOARD MEETING ADJOURNED.
[01:05:01]
YOU GUYS WAIT FOR TWO MORE.