Jul 15, 2026 City Commission Regular Meeting 07-15-2026

[Item 1 - Call to Order]

[Item 2 - Conflict of Interest]

[Item 3a - Mayor's Announcement]

[Item 3b - City Manager's Announcements]

[Item 3c - City Commission Member Announcements]

[Item 4a - Harlingen Animal Shelter "Pet of the Week" ]

[Item 4c - Mayor's Business of the Month - "Gracie's Goodies"]

[00:08:04]

I DID NOT. KNOW IT'S BEEN THERE. VIOLENCE AND STUFF. THAT'S WRONG. GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE,

[00:08:22]

HEAVENLY FATHER, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY. GRANT US WISDOM IN OUR DECISIONS, HUMILITY IN OUR DISCUSSIONS, AND THE COURAGE TO ALWAYS DO WHAT IS RIGHT. HELP US WORK TOGETHER WITH RESPECT AND KEEP THE BEST INTERESTS OF OUR RESIDENTS AT THE CENTER OF EVERYTHING WE DO. WE ASK FOR YOUR BLESSING ON OUR CITY, ITS PEOPLE, AND ALL WHO SERVE IT.

AMEN. AMEN. NOW THE PLEDGE. 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. MARK, IF YOU'D READ THE CONFLICT OF INTEREST, PLEASE. 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 OR VOTE ON THE AGENDA ITEM. ARE THERE ANY KNOWN CONFLICTS OF INTEREST TO DISCLOSE AT THIS TIME? NONE. NONE. NONE. NOT THAT I KNOW OF.

BUT I'LL ASK YOU LATER, MARK. NONE. NONE. ALL RIGHT. MOVING RIGHT ALONG TO ANNOUNCEMENTS.

WE'VE GOT MAYOR'S ANNOUNCEMENTS. I JUST WANT TO SHARE HOW INCREDIBLY PROUD I AM OF THE

[00:10:02]

YES. LAST SATURDAY, I HAD AN IMPROMPTU COMMUNITY CLEANUP IN MY DISTRICT. IT WAS A LAST MINUTE THING THAT I DECIDED TO PUT TOGETHER, AND I HAD SEVERAL VOLUNTEERS THAT CAME OUT SATURDAY THAT GAVE UP A PART OF THEIR SATURDAY MORNING TO PICK UP TRASH ALONG THE EXPRESSWAY AND HELP KEEP HARLINGEN BEAUTIFUL. SO I JUST WANT TO GIVE THEM A SHOUT OUT AND A THANK YOU FOR COMING OUT THERE AND MAKING A DIFFERENCE. ALL RIGHT. AND THAT WRAPS UP OUR ANNOUNCEMENTS. MOVING ON TO PROCLAMATIONS AND PRESENTATIONS. WE HAVE THE HARLINGEN ANIMAL SHELTER PET OF THE WEEK. YOU GOT THERE SHANNON. TONIGHT, BRANDY HAS BROUGHT DIVA, WHO IS A FIVE YEAR OLD SHEPHERD MIX. DIVA IS VERY LOVING, VERY FRIENDLY. SHE WAS TRYING TO GET ATTENTION A WHILE BACK OVER THERE WHILE Y'ALL WERE GOING THROUGH YOUR ANNOUNCEMENTS. SHE DOES LIKE BEING THE CENTER OF ATTENTION. SHE DOES HAVE A FEW TRICKS UP HER PAW. SHE CAN SIT, SHE CAN SHAKE, AND SHE'LL LAY DOWN. SHE'S VERY WELL BEHAVED, AND SHE'S JUST WAITING FOR HER SECOND CHANCE AT A HOME. SO ANYBODY WHO'S INTERESTED IN DIVA IS WELCOME TO GO VISIT HER OR ANY OF HER FRIENDS. THE HARLINGEN ANIMAL SHELTER AT 1106 MARKOWSKI, OR GIVE THEM A CALL AT (956) 216-5250. ALSO THROUGH THE 23RD, THAT TAIL THROUGH JULY 23RD, THE HARLINGEN ANIMAL SHELTER IS PARTICIPATING WITH THE BISSELL FOUNDATION AND DOING HALF OFF ON ADOPTIONS, SO THEY WILL NOT BE HAVING ANY OFF SITE ADOPTIONS THIS SATURDAY. BUT EVERY DAY NOW THROUGH THE 23RD, THEY WILL BE ALL ANIMALS THERE AT THE SHELTER WILL BE HALF OFF

[Item 5 - Citizen Communication]

WONDERFUL. WELL, THERE YOU HAVE IT. GO FIND DIVA AND ALL HER DIVA BUDDIES AT THE SHELTER.

AND THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. WE'RE GOING TO BE PASSING ON ITEM B AND PRESENTING THAT AT AN EVENT AND THAT CELEBRATION. MOVING ON TO ITEM C, MAYOR'S BUSINESS OF THE MONTH. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS. BEFORE WE INVITE OUR BUSINESS OWNER UP, WE HAVE A VIDEO TO SHOW TO ANNOUNCE OUR BUSINESS OF THE MONTH. HI, MY NAME IS GRISELDA NUNEZ. I AM THE OWNER OF GRACIOUS. GOODNESS GRACIOUS GOODNESS IS ONE OF THE SMALL LOCAL BUSINESSES HERE IN HARLINGEN, TEXAS. WE ARE LOCATED IN DOWNTOWN HARLINGEN AND 220 B IS JACKSON STREET, VERY CLOSE TO TORY STREET. WE STARTED GRACIE'S GOODIES IN 2010, CREATED GOURMET APPLES, CHOCOLATE SPRINKLES, CHOCOLATE STRAWBERRIES AND SOME SWEET MEXICAN GOODIES. HERE IN THE STORE WE SELL IN THE RASPADOS THE FRUIT CUPS MORE LIKE MEXICAN MENU. BUT FOR THE ORDERS THAT ARE WE WORKING HARD? AND THAT'S OUR GOAL TO INCREASE IN THAT KIND OF ORDERS. THE NUMBER ONE I CAN SAY IS THAT ROCKY ROAD. IT'S A GOURMET APPLE, GRANNY SMITH. IT'S DEEP IN CARAMEL, THE FIRST DEEP. AND THEN WE COVER IT WITH 250G. THAT BECOMES MARSHMELLOWS DOUBLE DRIZZLES ON TOP AND WHITE, AND ALSO LA CASITA. LA CASITA IS A HARD SHELL,

[00:15:04]

AND THE COMMISSION WOULD LOVE TO TAKE A PHOTO WITH YOU.

IT WAS ON. OH, SORRY.

I. YOU WANT TO YOU WANT TO COME OVER HERE. AND THEN IF YOU WANT TO STAND

[00:20:03]

TWO ONE AND 321. OKAY. GOT A YEAR AND THEN THE CAMERA. REMOVE YOUR HAND IN THREE, TWO, 132, ONE. ONE MORE AND THREE, TWO. YEAH. I'M SORRY. SORRY. JUST KIDDING. NO NO NO. I'M TAKING YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

OKAY. FIRST, YOU'RE NOT BREATHING. GRAVITY ATTACK. ALL RIGHT.

THERE YOU GO. OKAY. ONE MORE ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR GRACIE'S GOODIES. ALL RIGHT, MOVING ON TO CITIZEN COMMUNICATION. THIS TIME, WE WILL CALL DON RAY LEONARD. DON RAY LEONARD, DISTRICT THREE. YOU SEEK TO ENSURE THE CITY COMMISSION MEETINGS ARE CONDUCTED IN A WAY THAT ALLOWS THE BUSINESS OF THE CITY TO BE TAKEN EFFECTIVELY AND EFFICIENTLY. YOU ARE SO RIGHT. THIS IS A BUSINESS MEETING. I PROPOSE SOME CHANGES. FIRST, NORMA, IF YOU WOULD STOP YOUR INCESSANT RAMBLING ON, THESE MEETINGS WOULD GO MUCH FASTER. NEXT, ALL THIS CHEERLEADING AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETINGS IS UNNECESSARY. YOUR MEDIA DEPARTMENT. YOU CAN USE IT TO FEATURE THE PET OF THE WEEK IN THE BUSINESS OF THE MONTH ONLINE. AGAIN, THIS IS A BUSINESS MEETING. SAME WITH EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION. RECOGNIZE AND THANK THEM DURING WORKING HOURS. DON'T TROT THEM UP HERE AFTER THEY'VE BEEN WORKING ALL DAY FOR A PHOTO OP. MAYBE SHOW YOUR APPRECIATION WITH A NICE PAY RAISE. STUDENT RECOGNITION SHOULD TAKE PLACE AT SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS. HOWEVER, WHEN INVITED TO CITY HALL, STUDENTS SHOULD GATHER IN THE LOBBY UNTIL THEY ARE CALLED UPSTAIRS, LEAVING THE SEATING FOR ADULTS WHO ARE HERE TO DO BUSINESS.

THE MAXIMUM OCCUPANCY FOR THIS ROOM IS 123. AT THE LAST MEETING, WE MAY HAVE EXCEEDED CAPACITY. THIS ROOM IS TOO SMALL FOR LARGE MEETINGS AND POSES A SAFETY RISK FOR OUR CITIZENS. KEEP THIS ROOM FOR BOARD MEETINGS, WORKSHOPS AND ELECTIONS. CONSIDER MOVING THE COMMISSION MEETINGS TO A LARGER LOCATION. NOW. THE ONLY DECORUM PROBLEMS I SEE STEM FROM THE MAYOR. I RECALL YOUR PETTY ATTEMPT TO REMOVE MISS DAHLIA FROM THE MEETING FOR STANDING AGAINST THE WALL. HOW ABOUT THAT RIDICULOUS, UNSOLICITED TEN MINUTE RANT OVER MR. LEFTWICH AND HIS FREE SPEECH? THAT'S DISRUPTION. YOU HAVE REPEATEDLY ATTEMPTED TO DIMINISH CITIZEN SPEECH BY ANNOUNCING TO THE CITIZENS THAT OUR SPEECH IS NOT NECESSARILY THE TRUTH AND SHOULD BE DISREGARDED. THAT'S PROVOCATION. YOU HAVE POLICE OFFICERS POSTED ON EACH SIDE OF THE PODIUM. IF A CITIZEN GOES ONE SECOND OVER THE TIME LIMIT, THE PD MOVES ON THEM. THAT'S INTIMIDATION. YOU CONTINUOUSLY TARGET THOSE OF US WHO SPEAK UP REGULARLY, EVEN GOING AFTER CITIZENS WHO SPEAK HERE FOR THE FIRST TIME. THAT'S UNWELCOMING. YOU, NORMA, ARE THE PROBLEM, NOT THE CITIZENS. AS CITIZENS, WE DON'T STAND AT THIS PODIUM TO TELL TALES. WE STAND HERE TO CHALLENGE YOU. WE ASK THE HARD QUESTIONS. WE BRING TRANSPARENCY. IT'S YOUR DUTY TO DO THE SAME. REMEMBER, YOU WORK FOR US. MODEL YOUR BEHAVIOR AFTER WHAT YOU EXPECT AND LET THE PEOPLE SPEAK FREELY. THANK YOU, MISS LEONARD. MISS ANGELA VALDESPINO. FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS ON THE ALL-AMERICA CITY. I WASN'T HERE A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, SO GOOD JOB. ANGELA VALDESPINO, DISTRICT THREE. NOW THAT YOU HAVE HAD A CHANCE TO READ THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN WATERWORKS AND RGV PROPERTY GROUP, AKA ENNIS ENERGY, LET'S

[00:25:01]

THE MAYOR POSTED THAT THERE IS NO AGREEMENT, THERE IS NO COMMITMENT, THERE IS NO PROJECT, AND THERE IS NOTHING BEFORE THE CITY COMMISSION. HOWEVER, OUR MAYOR AND THE CITY MANAGER HAVE KNOWN ABOUT PLANS FOR THIS PROJECT SINCE AT LEAST JULY OF 2025. IN FACT, THE EDC ARRANGED FOR THEM TO MEET WITH ENNIS ENERGY REPS ON THE AFTERNOON OF JULY 22ND, 2025, ACCORDING TO EMAILS. THE MAYOR HAS POSTED THAT SHE DOES NOT QUOTE RUBBER STAMP GROWTH. SO I WAS VERY DISAPPOINTED WHEN I LEARNED THAT ENNIS ENERGY DRAFTED A LETTER OF SUPPORT FOR THE MAYOR TO SIGN, AND SHE DID, WITHOUT ANY CHANGES. THIS LETTER OF SUPPORT WAS SIGNED IN SEPTEMBER OF 2025 AND SENT TO AEP TEXAS. IF, AS SHE PREVIOUSLY POSTED, THIS DATA CENTER HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE CITY OF HARLINGEN, WHY SEND A LETTER OF SUPPORT? DESPITE WHAT WAS WRITTEN IN THE LETTER OF SUPPORT ON FEBRUARY 12TH, OUR MAYOR POSTED THAT SHE DOES NOT SEE A CLEAR BENEFIT TO OUR CITY. WHICH LEADS TO ONE MORE QUESTION HAS THE MAYOR RETRACTED THIS LETTER OF SUPPORT THAT WAS SENT TO AEP? IF NOT, IS THERE A PLAN TO DO SO? BY THE WAY, MY WIFE AND I

[00:30:03]

LINED WITH AC SYSTEMS THE SIZE OF 18 WHEELERS. THEY ARE GOING NONSTOP. THE CONSTANT BUZZING WAS UNMISTAKABLE DURING THE DAYTIME, EVEN WITH TRAFFIC NEARBY. LAST. YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED MY EMAIL ON THE VISUAL ARTISTS RIGHTS ACT OF 1990 AND REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD NOT SUPPORT THE REMOVAL OF THE CURRENT LOZANO PLAZA MURAL THAT WAS DONE BY LOCAL ARTISTS BY THE NAME OF ANGEL HERNANDEZ. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, MR. ESPINO. NEXT. RAYMOND REYES.

RAYMOND REYES, 706 NANTUCKET DRIVE, HARLINGEN. SO. WELL, THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS GOING ON, LIKE ALWAYS. SO ONE THING ON THIS. BEEN COMING TO THE MEETINGS FOR I SAY OVER OVER 30 YEARS, I'VE NEVER SEEN A LOT OF DISRUPTION OTHER THAN SOME COMMISSIONERS IN THE PAST ARGUING AMONGST THEMSELVES, YOU KNOW, BUT AS FAR AS CITIZENS, NO, I WOULD SUGGEST MAYBE, POSSIBLY SOME TYPE OF CODE OF CONDUCT PLACED ON OUR WEBSITE. SO WHEN PEOPLE ARE SIGNING UP, YOU KNOW, I DON'T I DON'T THINK IT'S NECESSARY BECAUSE WE SHOULD ALWAYS ACT CORRECTLY REGARDLESS IF YOU WERE BROUGHT UP CORRECTLY, WHICH MOST OF US HAVE BEEN, IN MY OPINION. SO, YOU KNOW, I'M A VETERAN, JUST LIKE SOME OF THE PEOPLE ON THE COMMISSION. AND I VALUE MY FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS ALONG LIKE ALL THE RIGHTS WE HAVE, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE FOUGHT FOR. AND I DON'T LIKE, YOU KNOW, WHEN THINGS ARE MESSED WITH, WHEN, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE HAVE SACRIFICED MANY DIFFERENT THINGS TO ENSURE WE HAVE THOSE RIGHTS. ON ANOTHER NOTE, I'D LIKE TO THANK ORLANDO FROM EDC. I HAD A QUESTION ABOUT SOME CERTAIN THINGS AND HE RESPONDED RIGHT AWAY. I WAS VERY PLEASED WITH THAT, YOU KNOW, ANSWERED ALL MY QUESTIONS. I LIKE THAT A LOT. THERE'S NO TRANSPARENCY WAS RIGHT THERE. EVEN THOUGH HE WAS OUT FOR A WEEK ON VACATION.

I'D ALSO LIKE TO THANK THE THE FIRE CHIEF FOR HE WAS ON VACATION. I HAD AN INQUIRY ON ANOTHER ISSUE AND HE RESPONDED RIGHT AWAY ON VACATION. I LOVE THAT STUFF BECAUSE, AS YOU KNOW, BEING RESPONSIBLE FOR DEPARTMENTS LIKE I AM RESPONSIBLE FOR MY BUSINESSES, THIS IS MY THIRD LUNG. IT'S ALWAYS WITH ME. AND I'M SURE SOME OF YOU CAN RELATE. ON ANOTHER NOTE, SOME DEPARTMENT HEADS, I THINK IN MY OPINION, AS FAR AS WHEN IT COMES TO SMALL BUSINESSES, MIGHT NOT BE FULLY INFORMED ON HOW TO PROPERLY GO ABOUT DOING THINGS OR NOT UP TO SPEED, BECAUSE THEY ACTUALLY CAN HINDER STUFF. WHEN SMALL BUSINESSES ARE TRYING TO OPEN UP AND OPERATE THAT I DO NOT LIKE BECAUSE OF SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS, WE SPEND A LOT OF MONEY AND TIME TRYING TO PUT THINGS TOGETHER, GETTING IT GOING, AND THEN TO RUN INTO, WELL, IT'S NOT THIS DEPARTMENT, IT'S THAT DEPARTMENT. IT'S NOT THIS WAY. IT'S THAT WAY. WELL, THERE SHOULD BE POLICIES IN PLACE. MAYBE THEY NEED TO BE RELOOKED AT REFRESHED. SO THESE BUSINESSES ARE NOT DELAYED ANY LONGER THAN THEY SHOULD BE AND STUFF. I MEAN, IT'S ALWAYS A WORK IN PROGRESS. I'VE SAID THAT MANY TIMES. I JUST LIKE TO POINT THAT OUT TO AVOID FUTURE ISSUES. AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR TODAY. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. COMMISSION, MAYOR. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE VICTOR LEAL. GOOD EVENING. I DO HAVE A POINT OF ORDER QUESTION THAT ONLY PROBABLY THE MAYOR CAN ANSWER. I UNDERSTAND IN THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT UNDER 551007, I SHOULD BE ABLE TO SPEAK BEFORE ANY AGENDA ITEM THAT IS NOT THAT IS LISTED ON THE AGENDA BESIDES PUBLIC COMMENT. IS THAT CORRECT OR IS THAT NOT CORRECT? CORRECT. SO I THINK WE CAN ANSWER THIS QUESTION SINCE IT'S A QUESTION OF FACT. IT'S JUST IT'S JUST A POINT OF ORDER. I KNOW YOU YOU WERE COMMISSIONER. I KNOW YOU KNOW THE RULES IN TERMS OF WE ARE NOT ABLE TO RESPOND. BUT GIVEN THAT THIS IS A QUESTION OF FACT, I BELIEVE THE RULES INDICATE THAT YOU ARE ABLE TO SPEAK. I DON'T KNOW IF WHAT YOU'RE. IF THE QUESTION YOU'RE ASKING IS WHEN. BUT YOU ARE WELCOME TO SPEAK ON ANY AGENDA ITEM BECAUSE I HAD SIGNED UP FOR TWO. AND THEN I WAS TOLD IT WAS NOT A PUBLIC COMMENT, SO I

[00:35:02]

UNDER THIS STRUCTURE, THE CITY FACES A GUARANTEED LOSS OF $800 FOR EVERY 100 ROUNDS OF PLAY BY THOSE WHO WILL RECEIVE THIS DISCOUNT. NORMALLY 100 ROUNDS GENERATES $4,000 IN REVENUE.

WITH THIS DISCOUNT, THAT NET DROPS TO $3,200 TO SIMPLY BREAK EVEN AND MATCH THE ORIGINAL REVENUE, THE COURSE MUST NOW HAVE 125 ROUNDS OF PLAY INSTEAD OF 100 AT THIS DISCOUNTED RATE.

THAT'S A 25% INCREASE IN TRAFFIC JUST TO KEEP IN PLACE. MORE TRAFFIC MEANS MORE WEAR AND TEAR ON THE GREENS ON THE COURSE, AND THEN THE HIGHER LABOR COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THOSE ADDITIONAL PLAYS. SO LET'S TALK ABOUT THE FAIRNESS. FURTHERMORE, THIS POLICY CREATES AN UNFAIR DOUBLE STANDARD. TAXPAYER FUNDED DISCOUNTS SHOULD STRICTLY BENEFIT CITY EMPLOYEES AND CITY RESIDENTS. INSTEAD, THIS PROPOSAL SELECTIVELY EXTENDS COURTESY TO SPECIFIC EXTERNAL GROUPS LIKE SCHOOL TEACHERS. WHILE LEAVING OUR HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS OUT AND SENIOR CITIZENS. THIS APPEARS BIASED AND POORLY PLANNED ON CLOSING.

OUR GOLF COURSE IS FUNDED BY CITY TAX DOLLARS, AND WE MUST EXPECT TO PROPERLY RECOVER THOSE EXPENSES THROUGH FAIR USE FEES. I STRONGLY URGE THIS COMMISSION TO TABLE OR COMPLETELY REMOVE THIS PROPOSAL. PLEASE HOLD OFF UNTIL A PROPER FINANCIAL ANALYSIS IS COMPLETED AND MORE EQUITABLE APPROACH CAN BE DEVELOPED. WITH THAT, THANK YOU. AND FOR THE TIME. THANK YOU. MR. NEXT WE HAVE MR. RON LOZANO. LET'S SEE HERE. GOOD AFTERNOON. AS THE PRIOR COMMISSIONER JUST NOTED, I'M IN THE SAME BIND AS WAS HARD ENOUGH TO SIGN UP FOR THIS MEETING, BUT I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO HAVE SOME BREVITY REGARDING ITEM TEN E AND YOUR NAME. AND MY NAME IS RON LOZANO. STILL, IT'S LASTS FOR ABOUT A MINUTE BECAUSE MR. FETNER IS THERE.

YOU KNOW, IT'S ALREADY BEEN REFERRED TO AND I'M IN DISTRICT THREE WITH MR. MESMER. HE STARTS OUT WITH THE LAND OF THE FREE. AND I DO HOPE MR. MESMER IS A VETERAN, APPRECIATES WHAT HE'S BOUTS AND I WAS GOING TO START OUT LIKE THIS. SO I GOT DIVERTED. YOU ALL KNOW AN INTERNATIONAL MAN OF MYSTERY, AUSTIN POWERS AND HIS CELEBRATED SIDEKICK MINI ME.

THE PITCH THIS WEEK WAS A 20% FEE FOR BEING ON THE HIGH SEAS NEXT DAY. IT WASN'T A CONCEPT HE COULD ACCEPT, SO THAT THE BUSINESS AT HAND PURPORTEDLY IS NOT A COMPLETE ABDICATION OF

[00:40:04]

[Item 6 - Approval of Minutes]

[Item 7 - Consent Agenda]

AND TO GIVE AN EXEMPLAR, EXPEDIENT, EXPEDIENT TO ALL MEANS WHAT IT MEANS TO EVERYBODY. IT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT'S QUICK AND EASY. WELL, NOT GIVING US NOTICE IS NOT SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE QUICK AND EASY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. LOZANO. MISS SANDRA

[Item 8 - Reports and Other Discussion Items]

WHEN COMPLAINTS ARE IGNORED, IT ERODES PUBLIC TRUST AND SENDS THE MESSAGE THAT ACCOUNTABILITY IS IGNORED AND IS OPTIONAL. I URGE THIS BODY TO ENSURE THAT ALL COMPLAINTS I HAVE FILED ARE INVESTIGATED PROMPTLY AND TRANSPARENTLY. GIVEN THESE CONCERNS, I AM FORMALLY REQUESTING THAT THE COMMISSION AUTHORIZE AN AUDIT ON OPEN RECORDS DEPARTMENT. AN AUDIT IS NOT AN ACCUSATION. IT IS A TOOL TO RESTORE CONFIDENCE, TO IDENTIFY INEFFICIENCIES AND TO ENSURE TAXPAYER DOLLARS ARE USED RESPONSIBLY. FINALLY, I WANT TO REMIND THIS BODY THAT THE FIRST AMENDMENT PROTECTS THE RIGHTS OF CITIZENS TO ADDRESS THE GOVERNMENT WITHOUT

[00:45:03]

THANK YOU, MISS GONZALEZ. ROBERT LEFTWICH. ROBERT LEFKOWITZ, DISTRICT THREE.

FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR STEPPING OUT HERE AND EXPRESSING YOUR CONCERNS OVER THE DEGRADING OF OUR FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS. THE FIRST AMENDMENT STOPS THE GOVERNMENT FROM CENSORING, PUNISHING, OR RESTRICTING YOUR SPEECH. AND I WOULD APPRECIATE IF COMMISSIONER MESMER WOULD NOT INTERRUPT ME. THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS THAT THIS MAYOR AND THE COMMISSION THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW HAS ALLOWED THE DEGRADING OF OUR FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS. THE FACT THAT I HAVE TO FACE THE CAMERA IS BECAUSE OUR MAYOR CEASED TO VIDEOTAPE CITIZEN COMMENTS FROM THE FRONT. SHE DISRESPECTFULLY VIDEOS EVERYBODY FROM BEHIND.

IF YOU GO ON TO THE CITY VIDEO AND YOU CHECK, YOU WILL SEE THAT THAT'S THE FIRST DEGRADATION. THE SECOND. WE JUST HAD IT. NOW, IF YOU USED TO UNDER THE OLD MAYOR, YOU COULD SIGN UP IN PERSON BY 530 AND THEY WOULD TAKE YOUR NAME AND YOU COULD SPEAK. NOW THEY HAVE REDUCED THE SIGN UP TIME. YOU HAVE TO DO IT ONLINE BY NOON. THAT IS ANOTHER FORM OF CENSORSHIP AND OPPRESSION FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS. THE OTHER THING IS, IF YOU READ THE DETAILS OF THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE, THEY'RE GOING TO ONLY PROHIBIT THOSE DURING PUBLIC COMMENTS FROM TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS AND VIDEOING. UNLIKE WE JUST WITNESSED WHEN THE BUSINESS OF THE MONTH WAS PROPOSED WAS ENJOYED, THOSE PEOPLE WERE ALLOWED TO GET IN THE AISLE, VIDEOTAPE, TAKE GROUP PICTURES, AND THAT UNDER THE ORDINANCE IS SUPPOSED TO BE A SAFETY HAZARD UNDER CITIZEN'S COMMENTS. BUT IN NO OTHER PLACE OF THE MEETING IS IT IS IT A CONSIDERATION FOR SAFETY? LET'S TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE OTHER CREDIBILITY ISSUES OUR MAYOR HAS. MAYOR DENIES INVOLVEMENT IN CAMPAIGN MAILER. QUESTIONS ARISE. SO THERE'S A LAWSUIT GOING ON. THERE'S THERE'S SOMEBODY STILL LOOKING INTO THIS, THAT PERSON, THAT LAW, THAT ATTORNEY REPRESENTING THAT PERSON. POLICE DEPARTMENT DESTROYED RECORDS WITHOUT AUTHORITY. THIS IS AN ONGOING SITUATION. THIS IS A CREDIBILITY ISSUE FOR THE CITY OF HARLINGEN. THIS IS A LIABILITY FOR THE CITY OF HARLINGEN. LET'S TALK ABOUT HARLINGEN WATERWORKS. SHE SOMEBODY MENTIONED THAT I BROUGHT UP NEPOTISM. I DID THE MAYOR SAID HE'S ROY RODRIGUEZ WHO'S MAKING $240,000 A YEAR, $20,000 A MONTH. HE STILL LIVES IN MCALLEN AFTER 18 MONTHS, GOING ON TWO YEARS. HE ONLY WORKS THREE DAYS, THREE DAYS A WEEK, FROM WHAT I'M TOLD, 240,000. NOW WE'VE GOT A LADY OR AN INDIVIDUAL COMING FROM BROWNSVILLE, FROM A UTILITY THAT HAD FRAUD AND OVERCHARGING IN THEIR PUBLIC UTILITY BROWNSVILLE PUB THE TENASKA ISSUE. NOW IT'S A MID-LEVEL MANAGER, TEN YEARS AS A MUNICIPAL MANAGER WITH NO LEADERSHIP. THANK YOU, MR. LEFTWICH. ALL RIGHT, MOVING ON.

WE'VE GOT APPROVAL OF MINUTES ITEM SIX, A REGULAR MEETING OF MAY 6TH, 2026. ARE THERE ANY AMENDMENTS TO THE MINUTES? IF THERE IS NO AMENDMENTS, IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE AS PRESENTED? MOTION. MOTION BY COMMISSIONER GOMEZ. IS THERE A SECOND, SECOND, SECOND BY MORALES? YES. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.

ITEM SIX B REGULAR MEETING MEETING OF JUNE 3RD, 2026. ANY AMENDMENTS TO THESE MINUTES? HEARING NONE, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION. MOTION MOTION BY COMMISSIONER PEREZ. IS THERE A SECOND, SECOND, SECOND BY COMMISSIONER GOMEZ FOR THE REGULAR MEETING OF JUNE 3RD, 2026? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR INDICATE BY SAYING AYE, AYE. OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. FOR THE RECORD, COMMISSIONER MESMER HAS STEPPED OFF THE DAIS FOR A MOMENT.

WE'LL RETURN SHORTLY. ITEM SEVEN, CONSENT AGENDA SEVEN, A AND B, IS THERE ANY ITEM THAT

[00:50:06]

[Item 10a - Consideration and possible action to approve an Ordinance of first reading amending The Harlingen Code of Ordinances Chapter 18 Master Fee Schedule to provide a twenty percent (20%) discount on green fees and Golf Cart Fees at the Tony Butler Golf Course for City employees, Veterans, Active-Duty Military Personnel, First Responders, and Harlingen Resident Teachers.]

AND HAVING VOLUNTEERS COME OUT IS FANTASTIC. AND WE CAN CONTINUE THOSE CLEANUPS, BUT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE VOICING OUR CONCERNS WITH TXDOT. SO CAN YOU PROVIDE THAT TO TO THE COMMISSION AND THEN OBVIOUSLY DEFER TO YOU ON ON HOW YOU WANT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE WITH THE TEAM TO GET THAT TO GET THAT DONE? YES. I'LL DEFINITELY GIVE YOU WE DO HAVE AREAS THAT WE HAVE BEEN CONTRACTED BY TXDOT TO, TO MOW AND TO LANDSCAPE. YES, BUT THESE AREAS ARE OUTSIDE OF THAT OF THAT AREA. SO THE ONE THING WE COULD PROBABLY DO IS ASK THEM TO INCLUDE THOSE AREAS AND JUST CONSIDER REIMBURSING THE CITY FOR SOME OF THE EXPENSES THAT WE INCURRED, ALL OF THE EXPENSES. YEAH, YEAH. AND I WOULD SAY, YEAH, DEFINITELY DO, DEFINITELY DO THAT AND JUST SEE WHAT WE CAN GET, WE CAN GET DONE. AND THEN LET ME KNOW IF YOU NEED ANY HELP FROM, FROM ME OR FROM COMMISSIONER LOPEZ. OKAY. IS THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM? YEAH, I WOULD LIKE STAFF TO DO SOME RESEARCH ON ANYTHING. WE AS AN ORGANIZATION, ANYTHING ELSE WE CAN DO, I KNOW BACK ABOUT 2009 TO 2011, BROWNSVILLE TRIED A BAN ON LIKE PLASTIC BAGS. OBVIOUSLY THAT DIDN'T GO ANYWHERE. BUT WHAT PROGRAMS, OTHER PROGRAMS OR ORDINANCES CAN WE LOOK AT TO STOP THE LITTERING? I KNOW COMMISSIONER PEREZ, ABOUT A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, YOU PASSED THE ORDINANCE OR YOU SPEARHEADED THE ORDINANCE TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL WHENEVER WE THROW TRASH AWAY IN OUR TRASH CONTAINERS, WE HAD TO HAVE IT IN A BAG, WHICH I THINK WAS A GOOD START. I THINK THE THE CLEANUPS THAT YOU AND KEEP AND BEAUTIFUL ARE DOING ARE FANTASTIC, RIGHT? BUT TO THE MAYOR'S POINT, I WANT TO ATTACK THIS AT THE SOURCE IN A WAY THAT IS VIABLE AND HAS PROVEN TO BE SUCCESSFUL. AND SO I ASK YOU ALL JUST TO DO A LITTLE RESEARCH, SEE HOW OTHER CITIES ARE TACKLING THIS SO THAT WE

[00:55:01]

WE CAN LOOK AT OPTIONS AVAILABLE TO THE CITY. I KNOW ONE OF THE ONES THAT MOST CITIES DO IS THEY HAVE A CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS ADOPT A SECTION OF THE HIGHWAY TO HELP WITH THE CLEANUP. THAT'S NOT PREVENTION. THAT'S ACTUALLY JUST REMEDIATION. AND SO THE HARD PART IS GOING TO BE REMEDIATION. HOW DO YOU STOP IT IN THE FIRST PLACE? THAT'S GOING TO BE DIFFICULT BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE YOU ACTUALLY CAN HIT IT AT THE SORT. BUT A LOT OF THAT COMES FROM DRIVERS DRIVING THROUGH THE AREA AND JUST TOSSING IT OUT. AND I AGREE WITH DO SOME RESEARCH AS WELL, AND I CAN SHARE WITH YOU WHAT I FIND. BUT YEAH, WE CAN, WE CAN PUT OUR HEADS TOGETHER. WE CAN, WE CAN CERTAINLY LOOK AT IT AND COME UP WITH BEST PRACTICES THAT MAYBE OTHER CITIES MAY BE DOING. WE CAN EVEN MAYBE BRING BACK LIKE THE CAMP, YOU KNOW, BACK IN THE DAY, THEY USED TO HAVE DON'T MESS WITH TEXAS CAMPAIGN FOR LITTERING. LET'S DO LIKE A DON'T MESS WITH HARLINGEN CAMPAIGN. DON'T MESS WITH D5. YEAH, DON'T MESS WITH D5 AND D1 AND D1. THERE WE GO. ANYWAY, SO THE OTHER THING I WAS GOING TO SAY IS THAT MAYBE WE CAN. I KNOW PARKS AND REC HAVE BEEN HAVE BEEN KIND OF, YOU KNOW, PICKING UP AND DOING THINGS KIND OF OUTSIDE THE SCOPE AND TRYING TO ASSIST WITH THIS, BUT ALSO CODE ENFORCEMENT. MAYBE WE CAN WORK WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT TO START HAVING KIND OF LIKE AN EDUCATIONAL CAMPAIGN FOR THE LITTLE, BECAUSE IT STARTS WHEN YOU'RE YOUNG AND JUST EMBEDDING THAT MESSAGE THAT WE NEED TO LOVE OUR COMMUNITY, KEEP OUR COMMUNITY CLEAN. AND IT STARTS, IT STARTS THERE. SO THAT WAY, YOU KNOW, YOU'LL HAVE THE KIDS TELLING THE PARENTS, HEY, YOU KNOW, MAYBE DON'T LITTER. THOSE KINDS OF THINGS. I THINK THAT WOULD BE A WAY TO LOOK TOWARDS THE FUTURE AND, AND GETTING TO THE SOURCE OF THE PROBLEM, LIKE YOU MENTIONED, BECAUSE IT'S REALLY, YOU KNOW, TRASH GETS THERE BECAUSE PEOPLE THROW IT OUT. AND REALLY, I DON'T, I'M NOT SURE WHY, BUT THAT'S HAPPENING. SO THERE'S TWO THINGS EDUCATING OUR FOLKS NOT TO DO THAT. AND THEN SECOND IS MAKING SURE THAT TXDOT IS DOING WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING. AND, AND THEN WE CAN FILL IN THE GAP. YEAH, IT'S A BIG GAP BECAUSE I THINK THEY ONLY DO CLEANUP ONCE A YEAR. THEY ONLY MOW FOUR TIMES A YEAR. BUT SOMETIMES IT'S NOT EVEN THAT. SO, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY THAT HAS EVER HELD A POSITION IN AN OFFICE WHERE YOU HAVE TO DO ADMINISTRATIVE WORK, YOU KNOW THAT WHEN YOU DO REALLY GOOD WORK, THEY KEEP GIVING YOU MORE WORK AND THEN MORE WORK AND MORE WORK. AND IT'S BECAUSE THAT PERSON DOES A GREAT JOB.

SO WE DON'T WANT THE CITY HAVING TO KIND OF CAN DO MORE AND MORE FOR TXDOT BECAUSE THEY'RE LIKE, YOU KNOW WHAT? DON'T WORRY ABOUT HARLINGEN. THEY'LL CLEAN IT THEMSELVES. OH, THAT'S ALREADY HAPPENED. YEAH. SO SO THE DITCH OVER BY VICTOR VICTOR PARK, THEY WANT US TO MAINTAIN IT NOW FOR THEM. SO YEAH. AND THAT'S FINE IF THEY'RE GOING TO, TO, TO PAY FOR IT. NO THEY WON'T. THEY WON'T GIVE US WHAT IT'S WORTH TO MAINTAIN. WELL WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING OUR PART TO ENSURE THAT THEY ARE DOING WHAT'S REQUIRED OF THEM.

THAT'S OKAY. ANY ANY OTHER REPORTS FROM STAFF? NO, MA'AM. OKAY, IF I MAY. YES, SIR. AS ONE OF THE OPTIONS, WE NEED TO START CONSIDERING REDFISH RECYCLING. SO THAT'S SOMETHING WE SHOULD REALLY CONSIDER MOVING FORWARD AS FAR AS THIS THIS LITTERING. SO PLEASE KEEP THAT IN MIND. LET'S WORK ON THAT. SO SO I THINK THAT'S A GOOD IDEA. ONE OF THE THINGS. I DID HAVE QUITE A BIT OF PEOPLE REACH OUT TO ME WHEN THIS WAS PASSED FOR IN BROWNSVILLE, AND IT WAS INTERESTING TO TO SEE PEOPLE NOT WANTING TO BE, NOT TO NOT HAVE A MANDATE AND NOT IN TERMS OF HAVING TO PAY FOR IT AND SEEING IF WE CAN OPT IN INSTEAD, BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE SUPPORT THE CAUSE, OTHERS DON'T AND DON'T WANT TO BE REQUIRED TO PARTICIPATE. SO THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING TO LOOK INTO WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT THAT. WELL, THE LADY THAT'S WITH REDFISH WAS AT THE TOWN HALL FOR COMMISSION, AND I DID ASK HER IF PARTICIPATION WAS MANDATORY FOR EVERYBODY. AND SHE SAID, YES, IT IS IN BROWNSVILLE AND THEY HAVE TO PAY FOR IT. AND RESIDENTS ARE NOT $5 A MONTH. I THINK IT'S GREAT. I MEAN, I WOULD PAY $5 FOR RECYCLING, BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT WE WOULD NEED SOME PUBLIC INPUT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE COMMUNITY, THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE COMMUNITY WANT THAT. I DID ASK HER TO SEND ME SOME INFORMATION. I'M STILL WAITING FOR IT. OKAY. SOUNDS GOOD. ALL RIGHT. ANYTHING ELSE, COMMISSIONER MORALES? NO. NOT YET. OKAY, MOVING ON TO ITEM TEN. A CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO APPROVE AN ORDINANCE ON FIRST READING. AMENDING THE HARLINGEN CODE OF ORDINANCES. CHAPTER EIGHT MASTER FEE SCHEDULE TO PROVIDE A 20% DISCOUNT ON GREEN FEES AND GOLF CART FEES AT THE TONY BUTLER GOLF COURSE FOR CITY EMPLOYEES, VETERANS, ACTIVE DUTY MILITARY PERSONNEL, FIRST RESPONDERS, AND HARLINGEN RESIDENT TEACHERS. MARK, IF YOU COULD READ THE CAPTION. AN

[01:00:03]

WE DID HAVE THEIR FUND BALANCE INCREASE A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE THEY HAD THE CONTRIBUTIONS FOR THE FOR THE GOLF RENOVATIONS THAT WE HAD. BUT BUT THEY STILL THEY STILL LOSE MONEY. OKAY. SO WE STILL LOSE MONEY ANNUALLY. IT'S NOT AS BIG OF A LOSS, BUT. RIGHT. BUT A LOSS IS A LOSS.

I'M JUST A BUSINESS GUY, RIGHT? AND THE GOLF COURSE IS NOT SUPPOSED TO BE A PROFIT GENERATOR FOR HARLINGEN. BUT IT SHOULD COME CLOSE TO BREAKING EVEN. YEAH. NOW, I DO HAVE A QUESTION THEN TO MISS OUR ATTORNEY, MR. MARK. WE HAVE A TEACHER HERE. IS THIS A VIOLATION OF OF. WHAT'S THE WORD I'M LOOKING FOR? I'M ALSO A VETERAN. SO HANG ON. I'M GETTING THERE. THANK YOU FOR INTERRUPTING ME. SO HAVING A TEACHER HERE, VOTING FOR TEACHERS, IS THAT A VIOLATION? WELL, IT'S A IT'S A LOT OF PLACE. IT'S A VERY GENERAL.

OKAY, SO HE'S A VETERAN AND I'M A VETERAN. WE BEING HERE IS OUT OF VIOLATION. NO IT'S NOT. OKAY,

[Item 10b - Consideration and possible action to approve an ordinance on first reading to adopt regulations that ensure that meetings of the City Commission are conducted in a way that allows the business of the Clty to be undertaken effectively and efficiently; providing savings, repealing and severability clauses and providing an effective date.]

WE'RE NOT MAKING MONEY, BUT WE'RE NOT BREAKING EVEN EITHER. AND SO WE ARE, WE ARE $800 IS $800. AND THAT'S GOING TO TAKE A TOLL. EVENTUALLY WE WILL BE LOSING MORE AND MORE. AND SO I'M NOT I'M NOT OKAY WITH THIS. I'M NOT. I'M PROBABLY OKAY WITH CITY EMPLOYEES AND VETERANS.

THAT'S MY DISCUSSION FOR IT. COMMISSIONER. WELL, I'LL DISAGREE WITH COMMISSIONER MISS MARS. MARX'S REMARKS. THE MORE I THINK ABOUT IT, I HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THE $800 THAT THAT

[01:05:06]

COMMISSIONER. YES. SO YOU'D BE OKAY WITH IT WITH JUST TAKING OUT THE TEACHERS? I'D BE OKAY WITH JUST CITY EMPLOYEES AND VETERANS. I'M FINE. I MEAN, I BELIEVE EACH AND EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THESE GROUPS DESERVE A LITTLE BIT OF, OF APPRECIATION. AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE. BUT I UNDERSTAND YOUR POINT. I UNDERSTAND YOUR POINT ABOUT THAT. I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE $800 NUMBER BECAUSE WE'RE JUST ASSUMING THAT IS CORRECT. THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT ROBERT OR OUR CITY STAFF GAVE US. CORRECT. BUT I CAN TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION AS LONG AS WE CAN GIVE SOME SOME KIND OF APPRECIATION TO THE CITY EMPLOYEES, THEY DESERVE IT.

ABSOLUTELY. VETERANS AS WELL, LIKE I BELIEVE THE OTHER ONES ARE TOO. BUT IF WE'RE GOOD WITH JUST EMPLOYEES AND VETERANS, I'M FINE WITH THAT AS WELL. CORRECT? CORRECT. WITH THAT, BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE A FINANCIAL FEASIBILITY STUDY, I'M GOING TO GO WITH JUST THAT ROUND. THAT MIGHT POSSIBLY $800. BUT YES, IF I HAVE TO, I MEAN, I IF WE'RE GOING TO GO NOW, IS JUST CITY EMPLOYEES AND THE VETERANS. FINE WITH THAT. SO I'LL JUST ADD, I THINK THAT WE NEED TO KEEP IN MIND THAT NONE OF THE OPERATIONS THAT WE HAVE ARE GOING TO BE REVENUE GENERATING. THEY ARE QUALITY OF LIFE PROJECTS. SO WHEN YOU GO TO THE SWIMMING POOL, IT TAKES A LOT TO MAINTAIN. AS WE KNOW, ESPECIALLY IN PENDLETON, I THINK WE CHARGE A DOLLAR AND WE DO THAT BECAUSE IT'S QUALITY OF LIFE. WE WANT TO MAKE IT ACCESSIBLE FOR OUR COMMUNITY.

WE'RE NEVER GOING TO MAKE. I MEAN, EVEN IF EVERYBODY IN HARLINGEN GOES TO SWIM, WE'RE NOT GOING TO MAKE ENOUGH TO BREAK EVEN ON, ON THOSE. AND SO WE NEED TO BE WE NEED TO BE COGNIZANT OF THAT. I THINK SOME SHOWING APPRECIATION, ESPECIALLY TO VETERANS, HAS BEEN SOMETHING THAT HARLINGEN HAS BEEN PROUD OF. ABSOLUTELY. I KNOW THAT I WAS JUST AT THE VETERANS ADVISORY BOARD MEETING THIS LAST MEETING AND MY APPOINTMENT AS ROLLING OFF, AND WE'RE GONNA MAKE ANOTHER APPOINTMENT TONIGHT. BUT HE WAS A PURPLE HEART MARINE, AND HIS SERVICE TO THAT BOARD WAS VOLUNTARY. AND HIS INITIATIVE WAS TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE WERE SIGNS ALL OVER TOWN AND ALL THE MUNICIPAL BUILDINGS TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE PARKING. I THINK THAT'S A GOOD THING. WE WANT OUR VETERANS TO FEEL APPRECIATED. AND SO IF THAT MEANS THAT I DON'T GET TO PARK THERE, THEN I'M OKAY WITH THAT. I DON'T THINK THAT WE'RE TREATING OTHERS DIFFERENTLY. WE'RE JUST SHOWING APPRECIATION FOR SERVICE. THAT'S DIFFERENT.

I DO THINK AFTER LISTENING TO MR. LEAL'S COMMENTS, I AM IN AGREEMENT IN THAT WE SHOULD MAKE SURE THAT IF THIS IS A MUNICIPAL GOLF COURSE, THAT IT IS FUNDED WITH TAX DOLLARS, THAT IS NOT GOING TO EVER BREAK EVEN POTENTIALLY, AND IS A QUALITY OF LIFE PROJECT. BUT WE SHOULD ENSURE THAT WE'RE ALLOWING FOR THOSE CONCESSIONS FOR CITIZENS OF HARLINGEN. SO BEFORE I HAD SAID ALL TEACHERS, I THINK I WAS FINE. NOT ALL TEACHERS, BUT TEACHERS THAT TEACH IN THE DISTRICT, FIRST RESPONDERS THAT SERVE OUR PEOPLE. I STILL THINK THAT ALL OF THOSE ARE GREAT, BUT I THINK THAT MAYBE AMENDING IT TO INCLUDE JUST THE PEOPLE THAT RESIDE IN HARLINGEN THAT FILL THOSE SPOTS. AND I WOULD SAY IN ORDER TO BE A TEACHER, AS MUCH AS I THINK WE'RE ALL TEACHERS, ALL MOMS OR TEACHERS, BUT IT WOULD BE EASILY IDENTIFIED WITH SOME TYPE OF ID, WHETHER YOU WORK FOR IDEA OR HCISD OR JUBILEE OR CALVARY OR SAINT ANTHONY'S OR WHEREVER IN YOUR SCHOOL TEACHER. IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU ALL WANT TO PUT FORWARD, I THINK THERE'S AN EASY REMEDY TO DO THAT. IT'S SHOWING APPRECIATION. YOU KNOW, AT THE END OF THE DAY, THAT'S NOT GOING TO MAKE A A, IT'S NOT GOING TO, IT'S NOT GOING TO MAKE IT OR BREAK IT FOR THE GOLF COURSE. BUT IT IS IMPORTANT TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE WE ARE GOING TO PROVIDE SOME KIND OF APPRECIATION. IT IS FOR HARLINGEN RESIDENTS. SO I AGREE WITH THAT. HAVING SAID THAT, IS THERE. HOW IS THERE A MOTION? I DON'T KNOW WHAT KIND OF MOTION YOU WANT TO PUT FORWARD. I THINK THIS WAS YOUR ITEM, COMMISSIONER PEREZ. OKAY. I MAKE A MOTION TO AMEND THE ORDINANCE TO INCLUDE CITY EMPLOYEES AND VETERANS ONLY.

[01:10:09]

AYE. OPPOSED. OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES. MOVING ON TO ITEM TEN. B CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO APPROVE AN ORDINANCE ON FIRST READING. TO ADOPT REGULATIONS THAT ENSURE THAT MEETINGS OF THE CITY COMMISSION ARE CONDUCTED IN A WAY THAT ALLOWS THE BUSINESS OF THE CITY TO BE UNDERTAKEN EFFECTIVELY AND EFFICIENTLY. AND EFFICIENTLY, PROVIDING. YOU MADE ME LOSE MY SORRY. PROVIDING SAVINGS, REPEALING AND SEVERABILITY CLAUSES, AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. SO, MARK, CAN YOU READ THIS CAPTION? SURE. AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF HARLINGEN, TEXAS, AMENDING PART TWO, SUBPART A CHAPTER TWO ADMINISTRATIONS. ARTICLE TWO CITY COMMISSION OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES, CITY OF HARLINGEN, TEXAS BY ADDING A NEW SECTION 2.2 FOR MEETINGS, AGENDAS, AND PUBLIC PARTICIPATION TO ADOPT REGULATIONS THAT ENSURE THAT MEETINGS OF THE CITY COMMISSION ARE CONDUCTED IN A WAY THAT ALLOWS BUSINESSES OF THE CITY TO BE UNDERTAKEN EFFECTIVELY AND EFFICIENTLY, WHILE PROTECTING THE PUBLIC'S RIGHT TO ADDRESS THE CITY COMMISSION PROVIDING SAVINGS, REPEALING AND SEVERABILITY CLAUSES, AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. SO, MR. LEAL, I THINK YOU WERE CONFUSED WITH WITH THE PROCESS. AND SO WHAT I MENTIONED WAS THAT YOU HAD THE THREE MINUTES TO ADDRESS THE COMMISSION ON ANY ITEMS ON THE AGENDA, NOT TO SEPARATE THREE MINUTES TO A ADDRESS, THE COMMISSION, HOWEVER, I, I APPRECIATE YOU COMING OUT HERE AND BECAUSE I KNOW YOU HAD SOME DISCUSSIONS WITH MYRA AND YOU HAD TRIED TO CLARIFY HERE, I'LL GO AHEAD AND ALLOW YOU. WE CAN YOU CAN SPEAK AT THE AT THE ITEM OR IN PUBLIC COMMENT. THIS IS A NOT OUR USUAL PROCEDURE. WE WELCOME YOU TO COME AND VISIT US MORE OFTEN, BUT PLEASE, IF IF THE CITY SECRETARY CAN GIVE HIM THREE MINUTES. I DON'T NEED THREE MINUTES, MAYOR. OKAY. EVEN BETTER. OKAY, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK. AND I DO PARTICIPATE. I WATCH ONLINE, I'M ONE OF THE ONLINE VIEWERS. THE ONLY THING, THE ONLY THING I WANT TO SAY.

OH, I'M SORRY. VICTOR LEAL 22, 25 WEST ARBOR STREET, HARLINGEN, TEXAS. THE ONLY THING I WANTED TO POINT OUT IS THAT THIS ITEM WAS POSTED ON FRIDAY, AND I BELIEVE MONDAY YOU MADE THE PUBLIC WHERE WE COULD DOWNLOAD THE AGENDA OR THE ACTUAL DOCUMENTATION. AND AS A CITIZEN, WE WERE NEVER AFFORDED THE OPPORTUNITY TO READ WHAT Y'ALL HAVE FOR PROPOSAL. AND SO I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU HAVE AND WHAT WE GOT FROM TWO WEEKS AGO IS DIFFERENT. SO ALL I WOULD ASK IS THAT WE NEVER HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO READ IT, TO BE ABLE TO DISCUSS IT WITH ANY OF THE COMMISSIONERS HERE FORM AN OPINION. OUR OPINIONS ARE FORMED OFF OF WHAT'S FLOATING AROUND ON FACEBOOK. AND, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING ON FACEBOOK IS TRUE. SO WITH THAT, ALL I'M GOING TO REMIND EVERYBODY IS THAT US AS THE PUBLIC, HAVE NEVER HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT. I UNDERSTAND THERE'S A 14 PAGE DOCUMENT THAT Y'ALL HAVE FOR THIS ORDINANCE, AND WE'VE NEVER BEEN GIVEN THAT OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW IT. SO WITH THAT, THANK YOU FOR THE TIME. THANK YOU, MR. LEAL. SO, MARK, I DO HAVE A QUESTION IN REGARDS TO THAT, BECAUSE THIS WOULD NOT BE THE FIRST TIME THAT WE POSTED A PACKET. AND STAFF IS PUTTING THINGS TOGETHER AND THEN PROVIDES IT TO US. UNDER THE RULES IS CAN WE MOVE FORWARD ON THIS ITEM IF IT HAS, IF THE ATTACHMENT HAS, AND I ASSUME WE CAN, BECAUSE IT'S SUFFICIENT NOTICE IS ON THE AGENDA ITEM, WHICH IS THE WAY THAT I READ THE RULES. BUT YOU'RE THE EXPERT, SO KNOW THAT YOU'RE CORRECT. THE AGENDA ITEM HAS BEEN POSTED AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE TODAY. EVERYBODY KNOWS IT'S A. SO RIGHT NOW, HOW THE COMMISSION WANTS TO PROCEED. THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S IN IN THE DISCRETION OF THE COMMISSION. OKAY. BUT JUST TO BE CLEAR, SO ABUNDANTLY CLEAR, THE ATTACHMENT DID NOT GO OUT WHEN WE POSTED THE AGENDA. AND WE KNOW BECAUSE WE RECEIVED IT LATER. BUT THE AGENDA WAS POSTED ON TUESDAY WITH THE HEADING CORRECT. AND SO IS DOES TOMA REQUIRE US TO HAVE A COMPLETE PACKET WITH ALL OF THE ATTACHMENTS BEFORE WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH AN AGENDA ITEM? NO, IT'S THE ITEM IN THE AGENDA. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.

UNDERSTAND. THEN WE'LL GO AHEAD AND MOVE FORWARD. WE DO HAVE TWO READINGS ON EVERY ORDINANCE.

[01:15:08]

BUT AT THIS TIME I'LL GO AHEAD AND OPEN UP THE. I DO WANT TO SAY A FEW THINGS. I KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT OF INTEREST IN THIS ITEM. I KNOW I DID A I DID A INTERVIEW THE OTHER DAY ON THE NEWS AND THEY ASKED ABOUT RULES, AND I SAID THAT, YOU KNOW, WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY RULES HERE IN THE CITY OF HARLINGEN AND THAT IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR US TO HAVE RULES. SO THAT WAY WE CAN CONDUCT OUR MEETINGS. YOU KNOW, UNFORTUNATELY, WHAT HAPPENED WAS THAT INTERVIEW SOMEHOW MADE IT TO FACEBOOK WITH SOME THINGS THAT WERE NOT TRUE. YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A, A, YOU KNOW, A VIDEO OF SOMEONE GETTING ARRESTED IN ANOTHER CITY AND SPLICING THINGS TOGETHER. AND THAT'S WHAT SOMETIMES YOU GET ON SOCIAL MEDIA THAT HAS NOT HAPPENED IN THIS TOWN HALL AS LONG AS I'VE BEEN HERE. SO IT'S UNFORTUNATE YOU TRY TO GIVE INFORMATION AND THEN THAT KIND OF GETS TWISTED. BUT I DID FURTHER INVESTIGATE IN TERMS OF RULES, AND I FOUND THAT WE DO, IN FACT, HAVE RULES ESTABLISHED BY THE CITY COMMISSION. SO I SAID, FANTASTIC. LET'S LOOK AT THOSE RULES AND ENSURE THAT WE ENFORCE THOSE RULES. BUT FORTUNATELY, THIS COMMISSION HAS NOT BEEN ENFORCING THESE RULES BECAUSE THESE RULES WOULD NOT BE PROPER. NOT TO SAY THAT WHEN THEY ADOPTED THEM IN 1999, THAT IT THEY WEREN'T PROPER, BUT THEY THEY WERE AT THE TIME. BUT WE ARE 2026. THE LAW HAS CHANGED SUBSTANTIALLY. BUT JUST SO THE PUBLIC CAN KNOW THE RULES ON THE BOOKS, WHEN THERE WERE PREVIOUS COMMISSIONERS AND PREVIOUS. ADMINISTRATIONS, ONE OF THESE RULES SAID NO COMMISSION MEMBER, STAFF MEMBER OR MEMBER OF THE AUDIENCE SHALL BERATE, EMBARRASS, ACCUSE OR SHOW ANY PERSONAL DISRESPECT FOR ANY MEMBER OF THE STAFF COMMISSION MEMBER OR THE PUBLIC AT ANY COMMISSION MEETING, AND THAT IS WILD. WE DEFINITELY DON'T WANT THAT. AND I THINK THAT WHAT YOU WILL SEE IN THIS DISCUSSION AND WHAT YOU WILL SEE IN ANY RULES THAT ARE ADOPTED BY THIS COMMISSION, WILL ENSURE THAT YOU CAN DO THOSE THINGS SHOULD YOU CHOOSE TO. I THINK THERE WAS A COMMENT SAYING WE WERE RAISED A CERTAIN WAY. THAT'S HOW WE CONDUCT OURSELVES. EVERYONE HAS THE RIGHT TO SPEAK THE WAY THAT THEY WISH TO SPEAK. THERE WILL BE NO NO ONE HERE IS, IS, IS GOING TO INFRINGE ON THOSE ON THOSE RIGHTS. SO THERE ARE THOSE RULES. THEY WERE ADOPTED BY A MAYOR THAT IS, YOU KNOW, BELOVED IN THIS COMMUNITY. CONNIE DELAGARZA SO I SAID, I THINK I'M GOING TO CALL THESE THE CONNIE RULES. AND THEY HAVE THINGS LIKE, YOU CAN'T SMOKE, NO SMOKING OR PIPES OR CIGARS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. SO IT WAS DEFINITELY ANOTHER TIME, BUT IT WOULD BE IMPROPER FOR US TO KEEP THESE RULES IN PLACE EVEN IF THEY ARE NOT ENFORCED. WE NEED TO REPEAL THEM, AND WE NEED TO HAVE RULES THAT RESPECT THE COMMUNITY THAT COMES BEFORE THIS BODY AND ENSURES THAT THERE'S ORDER. SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT FOR THOSE THAT WERE CONCERNED, IN NO WAY WILL THERE BE ANY RULES ADOPTED THAT DON'T ALLOW YOU TO COME UP TO THIS PODIUM AND VOICE YOUR CONCERNS, BECAUSE THAT'S THAT IS THAT IS YOUR RIGHT. SO I DO HAVE SOME SUGGESTIONS AND THINGS, BUT I'M GOING TO OPEN IT UP TO THE COMMISSION FIRST. AND WE'LL START WITH COMMISSIONER. I HAVE A QUESTION FOR MARK. SO AS I WALKED INTO TODAY'S MEETING, I HAVE THE CORRECTED DRAFT. AND OF COURSE, CONSIDERATION. ORDINANCE FOR TODAY. WERE THERE, I HAVE NOT HAD AN OPPORTUNITY. I'VE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO READ THE DRAFT, BUT NOT WHAT WAS PUT IN MY BOX. WAS IT TODAY? OH, THIS WAS TODAY. TODAY. THIS AFTERNOON. THIS AFTERNOON. WERE THERE MANY CHANGES TO THAT? THERE WAS ONE. THERE WAS ONLY ONE CHANGE. YEAH. AND THAT WAS AND I APOLOGIZE, THAT WAS A SECTION THAT WAS INTRODUCED. BASICALLY WHAT WE HAVE IS WE HAVE WE HAD CONCERN OVER THE PREVIOUS ORDINANCE BECAUSE THE PREVIOUS NOT. YEAH, THE PREVIOUS ORDINANCE FROM BACK OR THE PREVIOUS RESOLUTION FROM 1999 ACTUALLY ADDRESSED CONTENT.

[01:20:07]

SO THIS IS THE CORPORATION OF HARLINGEN. IT'S A MUNICIPAL CORPORATION, AND WE HAVE MEETINGS. AND GABE GONZALES IS OUR CEO OF THE CORPORATION. ROBERT BACK THERE IS THE CFO, CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER. WE HAVE THREE ASSISTANT CEOS, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICERS, AND WE UP HERE ARE THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS. AND TWICE A MONTH, SOMETIMES MORE THAN THAT, WE CONDUCT A BUSINESS MEETING. AND SHAREHOLDERS ARE INVITED TO BE A SHAREHOLDER. YOU LIVE IN HARLINGEN AND YOU'RE INVITED AND YOU'RE INVITED TO SPEAK AND TELL US WHATEVER YOU WISH FOR OR AGAINST. OFFENSIVE, NON-OFFENSIVE. THEY. IF YOU OWN STOCK IN A COMPANY, THEY HAVE ANNUAL MEETINGS, SEMIANNUAL MEETINGS, AND SOMETIMES QUARTERLY MEETINGS. AND IF YOU'RE A SHAREHOLDER, YOU CAN GO TO THAT CORPORATE MEETING AND YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO SPEAK ALSO. BUT IT'S NOT A CIRCUS. IT'S A BUSINESS MEETING. AND ADULTS ARE EXPECTED TO ACT AS ADULTS AND SPEAK PROPERLY AND GET TO THE POINT IN THIS BUSINESS MEETING, BECAUSE THE CORPORATION, WHETHER IT BE IBM OR APPLE OR YOU NAME YOUR FAVORITE COMPANY WHOSE STOCK YOU OWN, THEY HAVE A RIGHT TO CONDUCT A BUSINESS MEETING AND GET IT OVER PROMPTLY AND DEAL WITH THE BUSINESS AT HAND. AND SO WHAT IS AT HAND HERE IS, OF COURSE, OUR SHAREHOLDERS, PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN HARLINGEN AND PEOPLE WHO LIVE OUTSIDE OF HARLINGEN ARE WELCOME TO COME SPEAK, EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE NOT SHAREHOLDERS. AND SO FROM WHAT I'VE READ, I FIND TOOTH COMB THIS THING A FEW TIMES. THIS DOES NOT INHIBIT ANYBODY'S FREE SPEECH. WHEN IT'S ASKING IS, IS FOR PEOPLE TO BE ADULTS RESPONSIBLE AND SPEAK AS SUCH AND TO VOICE THEIR COMPLAINTS OR THEIR PRAISES OR ANYTHING IN BETWEEN. IT'S A FORUM FOR THE SHAREHOLDERS TO SPEAK. AND WHAT MARCUS DRAWN UP BASED ON BROWNSVILLE'S LAWS, WHICH ARE CONSTITUTIONAL, DOES NOT

[01:25:08]

AND AS LAWYERS, WE ALWAYS ASK, WHAT'S THE DEFINITION OF ABUSIVE LANGUAGE? RIGHT? WHAT'S ABUSIVE TO YOU MAY BE DIFFERENT THAN WHAT'S ABUSIVE TO YOU. SO WE DEFINITELY DON'T WANT TO BE MAKING THOSE DECISIONS. THESE OLD RULES FROM 1999 HAD THE COMMISSION DECIDE, OH, THAT'S BAD, LET'S NOT HEAR THAT. WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO THAT HERE BECAUSE IT WOULDN'T BE APPROPRIATE. SO IT'S LESS RESTRICTIVE THAN THE THE GUIDE THAT YOU HAD. WOULD YOU SAY THAT THAT'S CORRECT. ALL ALL PROVISIONS THAT DEAL WITH CONTENT AT ALL HAVE BEEN REMOVED. THE ONLY RESTRICTION IS CONDUCT THAT'S ACTUALLY DISRUPTIVE, DISRUPTIVE, YOU KNOW, AND AND I ENCOURAGE THE COMMUNITY WHEN, WHEN YOU ARE HERE AND YOU COME BEFORE THIS MEETING, IT IS. SO THAT WAY WE CAN HEAR WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY. WE'RE LISTENING TO WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY. THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE. BUT IF IF YOU'RE NOT HERE TO SPEAK TO THE CITY COMMISSION, THERE ARE OTHER PLACES WHERE YOU CAN SPEAK IF YOU'D LIKE TO SPEAK TO. I KNOW THE CHIEF OF POLICE IS HAVING HIS COFFEE WITH THE CHIEF. I KNOW THAT I DO COFFEE WITH THE MAYOR. I KNOW RENEE GOES OUT AND PICKS UP TRASH ON THE SIDE OF THE STREET. I KNOW YOU KNOW. DELIA GOES INTO THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND TALKS TO TO FOLKS THAT ARE HAVING ISSUES WITHIN WITH

[01:30:05]

COMMISSIONER, DID YOU HAVE SOME SOME COMMENTS? YES, I FOR ONE, WELL, I WILL USE OTHER CITIES AS A GUIDE. I'M NOT HERE TO FOLLOW. HARLINGEN HAS TO STAND ON ITS OWN. SECONDLY, AND THE

[Item 10e - Consideration and possible action to approve the appointment of Marie Leal as the General Manager of the Harlingen Waterworks System.]

SO FOR THAT, I'M ASKING THAT IF I COULD GET A SECOND TO TABLE THIS SO THE PUBLIC CAN SEE, MAKE SURE IT'S PUT OUT ON THE WEBSITE SO THEY CAN SEE WHAT WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT. COULD I GET A SECOND? WE'RE STILL STILL DEBATING. LET'S HAVE SOME RESPECT FOR THE ENTIRE COMMISSION. MYRA, WHEN DID YOU POST IT? THE AGENDA PACKET WENT OUT ON MONDAY TO THE KNOW YOU POSTED ON THURSDAY. THURSDAY GOT THE AGENDA ITSELF. GOT POSTED THURSDAY, THURSDAY AFTERNOON, AND THEN THE ATTACHMENT. THE ATTACHMENTS WERE SENT OUT ON MONDAY AND MONDAY. MONDAY. OKAY, BUT THERE WAS ONE CHANGE. THERE WAS A CHANGE. OKAY. AND THAT CHANGE IS ITEM TWO, ITEM TEN. BE THE CHANGE TO THE ORDINANCE WAS CHANGED TODAY AND WAS GIVEN OUT FOR THE COMMISSION TODAY. OKAY. UNDERSTOOD. DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? OKAY. SO GIVEN THAT THERE IS A A CHANGE THAT CAME BEFORE US TODAY, I WILL SECOND YOUR MOTION TO TABLE THIS ITEM, AND LET'S MAKE SURE THAT I WILL SAY THIS BEFORE I DO THIS. THE TAKE TAKE THE VOTE ON THIS.

COMMISSIONER MORALES, DID YOU PROVIDE ANY FEEDBACK? I KNOW I GAVE A DEADLINE OF LAST FRIDAY FOR THE PREVIOUS FRIDAY TO MARK. SO THAT WAY YOU COULD HAVE SOME INPUT ON THESE RULES. NO, I DID NOT. OKAY. I ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO SO. IF THERE ARE THINGS THAT YOU FEEL ARE NOT PROPER, THAT'S SOLUTION IS TO OFFER YOUR OWN SUGGESTIONS AND SEND THOSE OVER TO MARK PROMPTLY. SO WE'VE GOT A MOTION AND A SECOND TO TABLE THE ITEM. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING I, I, I OPPOSED MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. OKAY. AND MAYOR. YES. WOULD THIS BE IS IT

[01:35:01]

CAN WE MOVE IT UP IF WE ALREADY KNOW THAT IT'S GOING TO BE PUT ON FOR THE NEXT MEETING, CAN WE JUST PUT IT ONLINE ALREADY? I THINK THAT THERE MAY BE SOME CHANGES OR. WELL, I, I HAVE LIKE A BUNCH OF CHANGES TO WHAT WAS PROPOSED. RIGHT. AND SO I'M JUST GOING TO SEND IT TO YOU, MARK. I PROPOSED CHANGES, BUT FOR THE PUBLIC TO BE AWARE, I THINK WE SHOULD JUST POST IT ONLINE. WHAT THE NEW ONE WE RECEIVED THIS MORNING SHOULD BE POSTED ONLINE AND THEN I'LL SEND YOU MY CHANGES. BUT SO SO LET'S, LET'S DO THAT. OKAY, MYRA, MAKE SURE THAT IT GETS POSTED. BUT I DO ENCOURAGE THE COMMISSION. EVERYBODY ON THIS BODY, IF YOU HAVE SOME SUGGESTIONS AFTER YOU READ IT, SEND THEM TO MARK. SO THAT WAY AT LEAST HE HAS EVERYTHING AND THEN WE CAN HAVE SOMETHING IN PLACE. I OKAY, I DO HAVE ONE QUESTION THOUGH. ARE THE RULES SUPPOSED TO REFLECT THE WAY WE HAVE DONE THINGS, OR ARE WE ADDING NEW THINGS? BECAUSE WHEN I READ IT, THERE WAS THINGS THAT JUST AS LONG AS I'VE BEEN HERE, THIS COMMISSION HAS NEVER DONE RIGHT. AND SO WHICH IS FINE, THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT TYPE OF CHANGE. BUT YOU ALL SHOULD KNOW AND MAKE SURE YOU READ IT BECAUSE EXACTLY, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE YEAH, I, I AGREE WHOLEHEARTEDLY. SO AGAIN, I THINK WHAT WAS DONE IS THE OTHER ORDINANCE FROM THE

[Item 10c - Consideration and possible action to authorize the filing of an application for financial assistance with the Texas Water Development Board for funding the construction of priority water capital improvements projects and the appointing of the HWWS authorized representative.]

WE TOOK OUT PROVISIONS THAT WE DIDN'T FEEL COMFORTABLE. FRANKLY, I HAD INTENDED TO TAKE OUT A PARAGRAPH THAT DIDN'T GET REMOVED. THAT'S FINE. AND THAT WAS THE THAT WAS THE REASON FOR THE OKAY, THE LATEST CHANGE. AND THAT MIGHT BE WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT. THAT WAS NEVER INTENDED TO BE SUBMITTED. AND THEN THE OTHER THING IS THIS THE ORGANIZATION OF THIS. RIGHT.

SO IF COMMISSIONER GOMEZ SENDS CHANGES, I SEND CHANGES. WE ALL SEND CHANGES. ARE WE GOING TO BE REVIEWING SIX DIFFERENT COPIES WITHIN, YOU KNOW, 72 BUSINESS HOURS? WELL, IF YOU GUYS CAN GET ME THE CHANGES AND I DON'T KNOW THAT THEY'LL NECESSARILY CONFLICT. SO SO LET ME TRY TO SEE WHAT I WE CAN GO AHEAD AND POST WHAT WE HAVE AS OF THE ONE THAT WAS SUBMITTED TODAY. GET ME GET ME ALL YOUR CHANGES. I'LL GET THEM BACK TO EVERYBODY PROMPTLY. AND THEN IF THERE'S A DISPUTE, I MEAN, I CAN OFFER, YOU KNOW, THERE'S TWO DIFFERENT PARAGRAPHS, BUT WHAT WHAT CAN BE DONE IS MARK CAN COMPLETE HIS ASSESSMENT. I MEAN, HE'S GOING TO DRAFT THE LANGUAGE. WE SEND HIM WHAT IT IS THAT WE ARE SUGGESTING, AND THEN HE WILL COMPILE AND PRESENT SOMETHING, AND HE MAY NOT INCLUDE SOMETHING THAT YOU HAVE OR MIGHT NOT INCLUDE SOMETHING THAT YOU HAVE OR THAT I HAVE. BUT AT LEAST AT THAT TIME, WE CAN ALL SEE WHAT THOSE CHANGES ARE, AND THEY CAN BE DISTRIBUTED TO THE COMMISSION. AND THEN WE CAN I MEAN, A LOT OF TIMES WE CHANGE THINGS AND ADOPT IT. AND IF THERE'S POINTS OF DISAGREEMENT, YOU KNOW, WE CAN POINT THAT OUT. I MEAN, WE CAN HAVE ALTERNATE PARAGRAPHS IF THERE'S ACTUALLY CONTENT, I'LL TRY TO I'LL DO MY BEST TO TRY TO MAKE EVERYTHING TOGETHER, YOU KNOW, BUT IF THERE'S ACTUAL POINTS OF DISAGREEMENT, I'LL BECAUSE THAT MIGHT MAKE IT DIFFICULT. YOU KNOW, SAY, COMMISSIONER GOMEZ WANTS SOMETHING THAT'S COMPLETELY OPPOSITE OF WHAT YOU. THEN WHAT DOES HE CHOOSE? YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT HE NEEDS TO MAKE SURE NOT TO NOT TO DO THAT, JUST KIND OF KEEP IT THE WAY THAT IT IS IN TERMS OF MAKING SURE THAT IT DOESN'T VIOLATE

[Item 10d - Consideration and possible action to approve an ordinance authorizing the amendment Chapter 48 Division 4: Industrial Water Subdivision 1 sections 48-255 thru 48-270 to amend Technically Based Local Limits (TBLLs) as part of the approved pretreatment program; and ordaining other matters relating thereto.]

[01:40:04]

GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION. MY NAME IS CASSANDRA MATA AND I'M HERE REPRESENTING HARLINGEN WATERWORKS SYSTEM. AND ON BEHALF OF OUR BOARD OF TRUSTEES IN REQUESTING CONSIDERATION FOR THE APPOINTMENT OF MARIE LEAL AS GENERAL MANAGER FOR HARLINGEN WATERWORKS SYSTEM. WONDERFUL. IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSION?

[Item 10f - Consideration and possible action to approve the removal of the existing mural at Downtown Lozano Plaza and authorize the installation of a new mural, as recommended by the Keep Harlingen Beautiful Board, with all project cost funded by the Keep Harlingen Beautiful Board.]

AND AGAIN, I'M VERY THANKFUL AND I'M READY TO GET TO WORK. SO THANK YOU. DID YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS? MY ONLY COMMENT IS I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE. OKAY. SO BEFORE BEFORE THAT, MISS LEAL, I ECHO THE SENTIMENTS ALREADY SPOKEN HERE ON THE COMMISSION. LOOKED OVER YOUR RESUME. YOU I MEAN, IT SPEAKS FOR ITSELF. AND YOU'RE AN ENGINEER. YOU HAVE A WEALTH OF EXPERIENCE. AND I'D BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T SAY THAT. I'M VERY EXCITED TO SEE THAT HARLINGEN WATERWORKS WILL HAVE ITS FIRST LATINA EVER TO RUN THAT ORGANIZATION. AND SO REALLY, REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU. THANK YOU FOR CHOOSING HARLINGEN. I BELIEVE YOU WILL BE COMING ON BOARD SEPTEMBER, IS THAT RIGHT? YES, ABOUT THE THIRD WEEK OF SEPTEMBER. OKAY, FANTASTIC. SO AGAIN, WELCOME TO HARLINGEN, I THINK, BUT WE'RE GOING TO WE NEED TO MAKE THE FORMAL APPOINTMENT. DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? YOU WORKED FOR JACK BROWN, UNDERSTAND? HOW LONG DID YOU WORK FOR JACK BROWN? I BEGAN WORKING WITH MARTIN BROWN AND MARTIN AND BROWN ENGINEERING. I REPLACED TOM MARTIN AFTER LEAVING TECH STAFF FOR TEN YEARS, AND THEN WE BECAME MARTIN BROWN AND PEREZ. PEREZ WAS MY MARRIED NAME AT THE TIME, AND THEN WE BECAME BROWN LEE ALLEN ASSOCIATES TOGETHER. IT WAS A COUPLE OF MONTHS, RIGHT UNDER 20 YEARS. I STARTED AS VICE PRESIDENT, AND THEN ULTIMATELY THE LATTER HALF OF THE BUSINESS, I WAS THE CEO. THAT IS. ALL RIGHT. SO WE'VE GOT A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER.

WE HAVE. YOU'RE OUT OF ORDER, SIR. PLEASE HAVE A SEAT. MR. LEE GOT US ALL TRYING TO DO. I SAID THAT WAS ONE. I'LL SPEAK LESS THAN THE COMMISSIONER. YOU'RE OUT OF ORDER. PLEASE HAVE A SEAT, COMMISSIONER. THANK YOU. WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER MESMER. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND, SECOND BY LOPEZ? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE.

OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. WELCOME TO HARLINGEN. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. MOVING ON TO ITEM TEN. C CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO AUTHORIZE THE FILING OF AN APPLICATION FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE WITH THE TEXAS WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARD FOR FUNDING THE CONSTRUCTION OF PRIORITY WATER CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT

[01:45:03]

HE'S GOT A QUESTION. I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU. BUT THE QUESTION THAT I HAVE IS NOT FOR YOU, IT'S FOR THE OTHER. GABRIEL. DID WE APPLY FOR SOMETHING LIKE THIS OURSELVES? THIS IS ONLY FOR WATER AND SEWER PROJECTS. SO WE DO IT THROUGH WATERWORKS. SO WE LET THEM. THERE WAS NO DRAINAGE COMPONENT TO THIS. NOT NOT UNDER THIS PARTICULAR PROPOSAL ARE YOU. YEAH. LET ME CHIME IN ON THAT. SO THIS PARTICULAR PROGRAM IS THE WATER SUPPLY AND INFRASTRUCTURE GRANT.

SO THE ONLY PROJECTS THAT WERE ELIGIBLE FOR APPLICATION WERE WATER AND WATER SUPPLY PROJECTS, MOSTLY FOCUSED ON WATER CONSERVATION AND WATER LOSS. I DO RECALL THERE WERE PEOPLE WHO DID ASK QUESTIONS IF WHETHER OR NOT A DRAINAGE PROJECT QUALIFIED, AND THE WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARD DID SAY NO. THERE ARE OTHER PROGRAMS WITH WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARD THAT DO ADDRESS DRAINAGE PROJECTS. I DO RECOMMEND THE CITY TAKE TAKE A LOOK AT IT. I'M MORE THAN WELCOME, YOU KNOW, TO WORK WITH ROBERT AND KIND OF POINT HIM IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION FOR THOSE.

BUT YEAH, FOR THIS PARTICULAR PROGRAM, IT WAS ONLY WATER AND WATER SUPPLY PROJECTS. I BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE APPLIED FOR WATER FOR FOR DRAINAGE PROJECTS FROM THE WATER DEVELOPMENT BOARD BEFORE. YEAH, MOST LIKELY UNDER THE CLEAN, CLEAN WATER STATE REVOLVING FUND. YOU SATISFIED COMMISSIONER MORALES? YES. ALL RIGHT. WE GOT A MOTION AND A SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. ITEM D CONSIDERATION. POSSIBLE ACTION TO APPROVE AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE AMENDMENT. CHAPTER 48. DIVISION FOUR INDUSTRIAL WATER SUBDIVISION ONE, SECTIONS 48-255 THROUGH 48-270 TO AMEND TECHNICALLY BASED LOCAL LIMITS AS PART OF THE APPROVED PRETREATMENT PROGRAM AND ORDAINING OTHER MATTERS RELATING THERETO.

MOTION TO APPROVE. SECOND, MAY I ASK, IS THIS OKAY? YES, SIR. WHAT DOES THIS REALLY MEAN IN ENGLISH? GOOD EVENING. THE POLLUTANTS BEING DISCUSSED ARE POLLUTANTS THAT THE EPA AND THE TEXAS COMMISSION ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACKNOWLEDGED COULD POSE AN IMPACT TO THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANTS BIOLOGICAL PROCESS. SO EVERY SO OFTEN, WHEN A CITY'S WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT RECEIVES MORE THAN 5 MILLION GALLONS OF WASTEWATER PER DAY, THAT CITY IS REQUIRED TO CONDUCT A STUDY TO CONTINUE PROTECTING THE BIOLOGICAL PROCESS OF WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT. IN THIS CASE, A STUDY WAS CONDUCTED AND THE NUMBERS ACTUALLY FOR THOSE POLLUTANTS, THE LIMITS BECAME MUCH MORE FLEXIBLE FOR SEVERAL REASONS. SO THIS LESSENS THE IMPACT ON ON OUR INDUSTRIAL USERS, THUS BEING MORE FLEXIBLE. THEY DON'T HAVE TO SPEND AS MUCH MONEY TO TREAT THEIR WASTEWATER BECAUSE THE NUMBERS, OF COURSE, ARE NOT MORE FLEXIBLE. OKAY. THANK YOU. YES. THANK YOU. EXCUSE ME IF YOU ALLOW ME. THIS IS MR. JOE SANCHEZ. HE'S BEEN HE'S BEEN WITH US 35 YEARS. THIS FRIDAY, 17 IS HIS LAST DAY. AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT HE'S BEEN WORKING ON FOR THE PAST, WHAT, 20 YEARS, JOE? SO I JUST WANTED TO, YOU KNOW, MAKE THAT RECOGNITION FOR HIM. I APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORK. DID WE VOTE ON THIS? NO.

WE DID, WE DID. NO WE DIDN'T. IT SAYS AN ORDINANCE READING MARK. YEAH. AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF HARLINGEN, TEXAS, AMENDING CHAPTER 48, DIVISION FOUR INDUSTRIAL WASTE SUBDIVISION ONE INDUSTRIAL PRETREATMENT SECTIONS 48, TWO, 55 THROUGH 48, 270 OF THE HARLINGEN CITY CODE, AS AMENDED, TO AMEND TECHNICALLY BASE LOCAL LIMITS AS PART OF THE APPROVED PRETREATMENT PROGRAM. ESTABLISHING AN EFFECTIVE DATE AND PROVIDING FOR PUBLICATION AND ORDAINING OTHER MATTERS RELATED TO THE FOREGOING. ALL RIGHT, NOW, CAN I GET A MOTION MOTION MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER PEREZ? WHICH ITEM ARE WE ON? SECOND? SECOND D AND SECOND BY COMMISSIONER LOPEZ. WE'RE ON ITEM D, THE ONE THAT YOU ASKED FOR CLARIFICATION. YES, YES, YES. OKAY. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. ITEM F CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO APPROVE THE REMOVAL OF THE EXISTING MURAL OF AT DOWNTOWN LOZANO PLAZA AND AUTHORIZE THE INSTALLATION OF A NEW MURAL AS RECOMMENDED BY THE KEEP HARLINGEN BEAUTIFUL BOARD WITH ALL PROJECT COSTS FUNDED BY THE KEEP HARLINGEN BEAUTIFUL BOARD. I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO DEFEAT THIS. AND MAY I SAY WHY YOU MAY WANT TO LISTEN. FIRST, IT'S GOING TO CLARIFY YOUR CONCERN. OKAY. HI. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR. CITY COMMISSIONERS. SO THIS ITEM IS PROPOSED TO YOU TONIGHT WITH THE PROPOSED NEW

[01:50:04]

IT SHOWS PREVIOUS MURAL LOCATION OR IT SHOULD SAY CURRENT MURAL LOCATION WHERE IT'S AT, AND THEN THE PROPOSED NEW MURAL LOCATION, WHICH IS THE ONE THAT YOU HAVE IN YOUR PACKET WITH THE NEW. SO THIS IS WHAT I'M LOOKING AT. JUST SO WE'RE ON THE SAME PAGE RIGHT HERE. OKAY, IS THAT WE'RE MOVING IT. SO WE ARE REPLACING REPLACING THAT WITH THE NEW MURAL. OKAY. CAN I ASK. YES. MR. GONZALEZ, IS IT POSSIBLE TO DO WHAT THE COMMISSIONER IS ASKING TO HAVE IN THE RED DOTTED AREA, THE NEW MURAL THERE, AND LEAVE THE OTHER ONE INTACT? I THINK THAT WAS YOUR QUESTION, RIGHT? CORRECT. THAT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING FROM THE CONVERSATION I THOUGHT WE'D HAD EARLIER. BUT MAYBE I MISUNDERSTOOD. YOU KNOW, MY UNDERSTANDING FROM LOOKING AT THE PACKET WAS I DIDN'T REALIZE WE WERE REMOVING A PIECE OF ART.

I THOUGHT WE WERE ADDING ONE. AND I'VE GOT SOME CONCERNS IF WE'RE GOING TO BE REPLACING IT ABOUT THE ORIGINAL AGREEMENT THAT WAS MADE WITH THE ARTIST, ARTISTS RIGHTS, ETC. DO WE HAVE COPIES OF THE ANY AGREEMENT THAT WAS MADE WITH THE ORIGINAL ARTIST? SO I'VE BEEN SINCE I'VE BEEN THE DIRECTOR. THIS WAS DONE BY THE PREVIOUS DIRECTOR AND IT WAS RUN THROUGH CITY MANAGEMENT AND SO FORTH IN THAT OFFICE. SO IF ANYTHING, MR. GONZALEZ, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY ARTIST AGREEMENT. I WASN'T THE CITY MANAGER WHEN THAT WAS MADE, BUT I DO KNOW THAT WE PAID HIM TO DESIGN THAT MURAL. WE ALSO HAD TO GET PERMISSION FROM THE HERB KELLEHER FAMILY AND SOUTHWEST AIRLINES TO USE THEIR LIKENESS ON THIS MURAL, BUT THERE WERE NO AGREEMENTS WITH EITHER ONE OF THOSE TWO, EITHER THE FAMILY OR THE CORPORATION. AND THE ARTIST WAS FROM MEXICO, SO I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE WAS ANY ANY AGREEMENT WITH THEM. WE JUST PAID HIM TO ACTUALLY PAINT IT FOR US. SO I DON'T THINK THERE WAS ANYTHING WHICH IT'S NOT WHETHER THERE'S AN AGREEMENT, IT'S WHETHER THERE'S A WAIVER UNDER THE VISUAL RIGHTS ACT THAT WE NEED TO CHECK OUT. I'M SORRY, A WAIVER, YEAH, THERE'S CERTAIN THERE'S

[01:55:02]

AND SO IT'S KIND OF YOU CAN'T SEE THE THE FULL MURAL NOW BECAUSE OF IT. AND THAT IS THE REASON WHY YOU'D LIKE TO HAVE IT IN ANOTHER LOCATION. IS THAT ACCURATE? OF COURSE. I MEAN, THIS THIS MURAL THAT WE HAVE HERE AT LOZANO PLAZA WITH OUR KILLER. I MEAN, IT REPRESENTS SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, WITH THE CITY, SO I WOULD RECOMMEND REPLACING IT AND PUTTING IN LOCATING IT SOMEWHERE ELSE. IT CAN BE ANOTHER FUTURE SITE DOWNTOWN, AND IT CAN BE THE SAME REPLICA OF WHAT WE HAVE, IF THAT'S WHAT THE FAMILY AGREED TO. YOU KNOW, PRIOR TO THAT, THIS LOZANO PLAZA IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE'VE BEEN MAKING. I DON'T WANT TO COVER AN ART PIECE. AND WITH THAT STAGE, IT DOES FULLY COVER ALMOST HALF OF IT. SO THAT'S MY RECOMMENDATION IS TO RELOCATE THAT THAT MURAL SOMEWHERE ELSE. YEAH, I, I THINK THAT THERE'S SOME. LEGAL ISSUES THAT I'D LIKE MARK TO LOOK INTO JUST TO MAKE SURE, RIGHT. THAT'S NOT MY SPACE. AND I'M NOT GOING TO COMMENT ON WHETHER IT IS OR IT IS NOT. BUT IF THERE IS ANY CONCERN, I DON'T THINK MARK WAS AWARE OF OF WHAT OF WHAT WAS GOING TO BE PROPOSED. I DIDN'T BASED ON THE DIAGRAM THAT'S HERE, I KNOW MORE BECAUSE YOU HAVE BEEN PROVIDING US INFORMATION, AND I KNOW THAT THERE'S BEEN PUBLIC INPUT. IT SEEMS THAT THE PUBLIC INPUT HAS BEEN THAT THEY WANT SOMETHING DIFFERENT TO REPRESENT THE CULTURE, TO REPRESENT DOWNTOWN.

SO POTENTIALLY, COULD WE HAVE ANOTHER PUBLIC IN FORUM OR SOME KIND OF. OPPORTUNITY TO GET MORE FEEDBACK? WHILE MARK LOOKS AT THE LEGALITIES OF THIS, JUST TO ENSURE THAT WHAT YOU'RE DOING IS REPRESENTATIVE OF WHAT THE PUBLIC WANTS. HOW ABOUT THAT? YEAH, WE CAN DO ANOTHER SURVEY FOR THE COMMUNITY TO PROVIDE SOME FEEDBACK. AND CURRENTLY, RIGHT NOW WE DO HAVE A MURAL AGREEMENT WITH EVERY ARTIST NOW SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE. SO WE DO HAVE AGREEMENTS THAT MARK APPROVED ON YEARS AGO. RIGHT? OKAY. AND I BELIEVE COMMISSIONER MESNER WOULD LIKE TO BE RECOGNIZED. OKAY. CULTURAL CAPITALISM IS CULTURAL. EMPLOYMENT IS CULTURAL, SUCCESS IS CULTURAL. HARLINGEN IS CULTURAL. 50 SOME YEARS AGO, HERB KELLEHER DREW ON THE BACK OF A NAPKIN, THREE CITIES. QUICK, EASY. WELL, JUST GOING TO FLY. AND THEN HE ADDED HIS FOURTH CITY. IT WAS CALLED HARLINGEN AIRPORT. AND BECAUSE WE HAVE SOUTHWEST AIRLINES HERE, YOU WILL BE SMACKING THEM RIGHT IN THE FACE WITH YOUR SOCIALIST AGENDA THAT WE GOT TO HAVE THE ARTS DOWNTOWN AND NOT ANYTHING ABOUT CAPITALISM AND. PITTSBURGH. PITTSBURGH AIRPORT MAIDEN MADE A MISTAKE DECADES AGO. I AM BEING POLITE TO OUR STAFF. I AM BEING POLITE.

PITTSBURGH AIRPORT MADE A MISTAKE IN THE 70S WHEN SOUTHWEST AIRLINES WAS COMING UP. ALLEGHENY AIRLINES WAS A MAJOR CARRIER, AND THE PITTSBURGH AIRPORT SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT? WE'RE GOING TO JACK UP ALL YOUR RATES. IT WAS HEADQUARTERED IN PITTSBURGH, AND IT WAS THE HUB AND SPOKE IN PITTSBURGH. WE'RE GOING TO JACK UP ALL YOUR RATES BECAUSE WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT? AND THE PITTSBURGH AIRPORT BOARD UP ALL THEIR RATES. AND ALLEGHENY AIRLINES SAID ALL OF OUR PROPERTY IS MOVABLE. WE'RE FLYING TO PHILADELPHIA, AND IT

[02:00:01]

YOU DON'T WANT TO SLOP THE FOURTH LARGEST AIRLINE IN IN THE COUNTRY IN THE FACE AND YOU SLAPPED THEM IN THE FACE. THEY COULD SAY, I REMEMBER ALLEGHENY AIRLINES, AND THEY CAN GO TO BROWNSVILLE AND MCALLEN, AND THEN ALL THE OTHER AIRLINES SAY, WELL, THERE'S NO SOUTHWEST COMPETITION HOLDING US HERE. BUENO BY. DON'T DO IT. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER. MAYOR, IF I MAY. YES. I JUST I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT THIS THIS WAS NOT PROPOSED BY THESE TWO DEPARTMENT HEADS. THIS WAS ACTUALLY BROUGHT UP BY THE KEEP HARLINGEN BEAUTIFUL BOARD. AND SO THEY THEY PRESENTED THAT. AND, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE LAST MEETINGS, AND I REALLY DON'T REMEMBER WHICH ONE WAS IT? IT WAS APPROVED. AND SO, YOU KNOW, THEY'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS WITH THE KEEP HARLINGEN BEAUTIFUL BOARD AND WITH THE PUBLIC AS WELL, TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY HAS AN INPUT ON THIS. RIGHT. SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT I KNOW THAT KEEP HARLINGEN BEAUTIFUL PROPOSED THIS. BUT THEY'RE WRONG. THEY'RE DEAD WRONG. OKAY.

I'M JUST GOING I'M GOING TO ASK THE COMMISSION AS A WHOLE TO PLEASE REMEMBER THAT EARLIER WE WERE TALKING ABOUT RULES OF DECORUM, AND WE EXPECT OUR CONSTITUENTS TO APPROACH THE PODIUM AND TO ENSURE THAT WHEN THEY ARE SPEAKING TO THIS BODY, THAT THEY DO SO IN A PROFESSIONAL AND COURTEOUS WAY AND THAT WE SHOULD BE MODELING THE SAME BEHAVIOR. AND I WOULD ASK THAT THIS COMMISSION NOT ENGAGE IN POLITICS AND CALLING FOLKS SOCIALISTS THAT WORK FOR US AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. IT'S NOT A GOOD LOOK FOR US AS A COMMISSION. I RESPECT YOU, COMMISSIONER MESMER, BUT WE NEED TO ENSURE THAT, YOU KNOW THE TWO LADIES BEFORE YOU ARE JUST TRYING TO DO THEIR JOB AND THEY ARE PRESENTING HERE. DON'T KILL THE MESSENGER. RIGHT. OKAY.

SO IT JUST MAKES SURE THAT WHEN YOU ARE SPEAKING FIRST, YOU, YOU, YOU, YOU MAKE SURE TO WAIT TO WE'RE RECOGNIZED AND THAT YOU DO SO IN A WAY THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE SPOKEN TO AS WELL, IF I MAY. YES, COMMISSIONER. I DIDN'T CALL YOU SOCIALIST. I CALLED THIS CONCEPT SOCIALISM. DON'T DESTROY OUR AIRPORT. HOW DO THINGS COLLAPSE IN LIFE? WHETHER IT'S AN AVALANCHE OR A SEA CASTLE, A SAND CASTLE TO SEA OR A MARRIAGE. HOW DO THINGS COLLAPSE? SLOWLY AND THEN ALL AT ONCE? IT'S A RULE OF PHYSICS. COMMISSIONER. THANK YOU, SIR, COMMISSIONER PEREZ. WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THIS PROJECT THAT THEY KEEP HARLINGEN BOARD APPROVED, WAS KIND OF MIRRORING WHAT CHRISTOPHER SAID, THAT THIS IS BEING DRIVEN BY COMMUNITY INPUT. THIS IS WHAT THE COMMUNITY WANTED. THIS IS THAT MURAL THAT WE HAVE. DON'T GET ME WRONG, HERB KELLER IS A GREAT GUY. HE DID A LOT FOR HARLINGEN, BUT I THINK A MORE FITTING TRIBUTE TO HERB KELLER WOULD PROBABLY BE AT THE AIRPORT. MAYBE WE CAN WORK WITH THE AIRPORT TO HAVE A PROPER TRIBUTE FOR HIM INSIDE THE AIRPORT. KEEP ON BOARD, MAYBE WILL WORK WITH HIM TO GET SOMETHING THAT HE DESERVES THERE AT THE AIRPORT. LOZANO PLAZA IS A NEW PLAZA. THAT'S THAT'S THAT'S BEAUTIFUL. IT GOES TO DANIEL'S LEADERSHIP THERE IN DISTRICT TWO, WHERE HE HAS HE GOT A STAGE. NOW HE HAS A RESTROOMS. AND THAT'S

[Item 10g - Consideration and possible action to approve the proposed list of streets for the FY 2027 Street Improvement Program]

[02:05:03]

THE PEOPLE WANT SOMETHING THAT REFLECTS THE DIVERSITY THAT WE HAVE HERE IN HARLINGEN. AND I BELIEVE THAT THE MURAL SHOULD BE OVER THERE AT THE AIRPORT OR ANOTHER PROJECT. WE CAN WORK WITH THE KELLER, WITH THE KELLER FAMILY TO, TO, TO HONOR HIM AT THE AIRPORT, BUT NOT THERE AT OUR AT LOZANO PLAZA. THAT SHOULD BELONG TO THE PEOPLE OF HARLINGEN. I SEE SOME REAL QUICK. YES, COMMISSIONER, I, I NEED TO APOLOGIZE TO YOU BECAUSE THAT THAT WALL THAT THAT MURAL IS ON BELONGS TO THE CITY OF HARLINGEN. IT'S THE LAST REMNANT OF THE BUILDING. I THINK IT WAS A BUILDING THAT WAS THERE. SO THAT WALL IS ACTUALLY OURS. WE PAID FOR THE MURAL TO BE INSTALLED THERE. SO WHEN YOU ASKED ME IF WE COULD JUST REMOVE IT, I TOLD YOU YES, BECAUSE EVERYTHING IS OURS. I WASN'T AWARE OF THIS. YEAH. THERE'S A VISUAL RIGHTS ACT.

AND THE THING IS, IS THAT IF THIS WAS A RECENT MURAL, I THINK WE HAVE A NEW AGREEMENT WITH ARTISTS THAT INCORPORATES THE PROVISIONS THAT PROVIDES FOR THE WAIVER, ALLOWS US TO REMOVE IT, ETC. THE PROBLEM IS THIS IS AN OLD AGREEMENT. THIS WAS AN OLD MURAL THAT CAME A LONG TIME AGO AND IT DIDN'T INCORPORATE THOSE THOSE RIGHTS. SO WE I NEED TO GO BACK. I'D LIKE TO LOOK AT IF WE HAVE AN AGREEMENT, FIGURE OUT WHO THE ARTIST IS. I DON'T THINK WE DO.

JUST DO A LITTLE DUE DILIGENCE TO MAKE SURE IF WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO REMOVE OR PAINT OVER A MURAL THAT WE. BECAUSE WHEN YOU WHEN YOU SAY REMOVE IT, I MEAN, WE CAN'T REMOVE IT, RIGHT? IT'S ON A WALL. SO IT'S NOT IT WILL BE PAINTED OVER. IT WOULD BE PAINTED OVER AND REDONE. OKAY, SO WE'RE NOT REALLY TALKING ABOUT REMOVING A PIECE OF ART WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BECAUSE THERE'S EXCEPTIONS. IF YOU CAN RELOCATE IT, WE CAN'T. YEAH, WE'LL BE COVERING IT. OKAY.

OKAY. SO, YOU KNOW, THERE'S LOTS OF DISCUSSION, LOTS OF EMOTIONS, LOTS OF. COMMENTARY, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T EVEN KNOW IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DO. SO CAN WE JUST LET'S PUT A PAUSE ON THIS. I DO A MOTION TO TABLE THE ITEM TO GIVE MARK THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO HIS DUE DILIGENCE, REPORT BACK TO THE COMMISSION, AND THEN BRING IT BEFORE THE BEFORE US IN THE NEXT CITY COMMISSION MEETING. I HAVE A MOTION TO DEFEAT THIS. OKAY. OKAY. SO YOU'VE GOT A MOTION. IS THAT HOW YOU WANT TO. YES. JUST DEFEAT THIS. ALL RIGHT. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. OPPOSED.

OPPOSED. OPPOSED. SO WHERE ARE WE AT? WE WIN. IT WAS. IT WAS THREE. THREE. WHAT WAS YOURS? NO, WAIT, I THERE WAS A MOTION TO DEFEAT. MOTION TO TO DEFEAT TO DEFEAT THIS. THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO MAKE A MOTION. BUT THAT WASN'T MY MOTION. OKAY, SO THEN WHAT IS YOUR HOW ARE YOU VOTING ON THIS PARTICULAR MOTION TO DEFEAT? WHAT IS YOUR. GIVE ME A SECOND. MOTION TO DEFEAT EITHER YES OR NO. THAT'S THE MOTION. THEN IT'S A. IN OTHER WORDS, HE DOESN'T WANT ANYTHING. NO, BECAUSE I WANTED TO WAIT FOR THE WAIVER. I WANTED TO CHECK TO SEE IF THERE WAS A WAIVER. SO IF THAT'S THE CASE, THEN I HAVE TO WAIT FOR. SO IT'S A NAY THEN IT'S CORRECT.

NO. BECAUSE IF IT. IF IT'S A YES, WE'RE JUST SO SO JUST HELP ME OUT HERE JUST A LITTLE BIT.

OKAY. SO THE MOTION IS TO DEFEAT AND NOT A MOTION I WILL SAY, BUT IT'S JUST SAYING THAT DOES NOT WANT THIS TO MOVE FORWARD AT ALL. DEFEAT DONE. LET'S MOVE ON. NOT NOT TABLE IT.

LET'S MOVE ON. SO THAT'S TO DEFEAT THE ITEM. AND WE'VE ALREADY VOTED EXCEPT YOU HAVE NOT VOTED. DID YOU VOTE RIGHT? I VOTED NAY AS WELL. RIGHT. AND SO IF YOU VOTE NO THAT MEANS YOU CAN ENTERTAIN ANOTHER MOTION. IF YOU VOTE YES, THAT MEANS THAT YOU ARE IN FAVOR OF IT DYING TODAY. IF YOU WANT TO TABLE IT, YOU WOULD HAVE TO PUT NO THEN IT'S NO. OKAY. SO CAN WE JUST GET A LITTLE POLL BECAUSE I ALREADY, YOU KNOW, AND YOU COMMISSIONER, I WENT WITH OKAY. SO. YEAH. OKAY. YES. YES. NO, NO. OKAY. SO THE MAYOR GIVE ME A SECOND HERE. I'M A I'M A LITTLE CONFUSED HERE WITH THE MOTION. IT WAS A MOTION, BY THE WAY. IT REALLY WAS BECAUSE IT THREW ME OFF HERE THE MOTION. SO I DON'T WANT THE SOUTHWEST MIRROR MURAL TO COME OFF UNLESS WE CHECK FOR THE WAIVER. AND EVEN THEN. I HAVE MY BECAUSE IT'S BEEN THERE SO LONG. OKAY.

HOW LONG HAS IT BEEN THERE? SIX YEARS. SIX. SEVEN YEARS. THAT'S IT. IT'S IT'S REALLY IT'S IT'S NOT THAT DIFFICULT. WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE IS JUST IF I GET IT NOW, IF YOU WANT, IF YOU WOULD

[02:10:03]

OKAY. I WOULD JUST ASK. YES, BUT IN ADDITION, NOT JUST WAIVERS, BUT IF YOU CAN RESEARCH TO SEE, LOOK UP BECAUSE IT MAY NOT EVEN NEED A WAIVER, IT MAY NOT EVEN NEED.

RIGHT? SO IF YOU COULD JUST FULLY RESEARCH, RESEARCH AND, AND REPORT TO US ON WHAT CAN AND CANNOT DO WHAT THIS COMMISSION CAN AND CANNOT DO, BECAUSE IF IT'S NOT LEGALLY PERMISSIBLE, THEN WE'RE JUST WASTING A LOT OF TIME HERE. I UNDERSTAND. ALL RIGHT. SO WE GOT A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER GOMEZ AND A SECOND FROM. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. OPPOSED? OPPOSED. YOU HAVE ANOTHER MOTION? YES. I WANT TO JUST GIVE YOU GUYS. I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT. I MISUNDERSTOOD YOU ALL AND I MISUNDERSTOOD THIS PACKET.

WELL DONE. DANIEL, I THINK IT PASSED. OKAY. SO. YEAH. OKAY. BUT IT'S COMING BACK ANYWAY. I WAS JUST GONNA GIVE HIM THE GREEN LIGHT JUST TO MOVE FORWARD WITH IT ONE WAY OR THE OTHER. EITHER IT STAYS UP THERE BECAUSE OF VARA AND IT JUST STAYS AND WE MOVE OVER THE THE MURAL. OR IF WE CAN WE JUST MOVE FORWARD AND PAINT OVER THE THING? WELL, I WOULD HAVE AGREED WITH YOU, BUT THERE'S ANOTHER MOTION ALREADY. ALREADY. YEAH. SO OKAY, THAT'S A LEGAL TERM, JUST SO YOU KNOW. YES. G CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO APPROVE THE PROPOSED LIST OF STREETS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2027 STREET IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM. HELLO, EVERYONE. ROBERTO HERNANDEZ, CITY ENGINEER. I'M GOING TO BE SPREADING SOME HARD COPIES ALSO. SO YOU I'LL BE SHARING THE EXHIBIT ON THE SCREEN, BUT ALSO IN CASE YOU WANT TO FOLLOW ALONG WITH THE HARD COPY. WHAT YOU'RE HANDING OUT IS THAT WHAT'S ON THE THE BACKUP? WELL, YOU DON'T HAVE TO STOP. JUST KIND OF DOES FOR THE MOST PART. THERE'S ONLY ONE REVISION I NOTICE FROM THE.

THAT WAS NOT INCLUDED, WHICH IS IN DISTRICT FIVE. IF YOU SEE ON YOUR PACKET STREET 69 AND 70 IS DIXIELAND AND LINCOLN. AND WHAT I WANTED TO PRESENT WERE RESIDENTIAL STREETS, WHICH WERE CASSIA. YES. OKAY. COMMISSIONER PEREZ, ARE YOU AWARE OF THESE CHANGES? YES. DO YOU APPROVE

[Item 11 - Board Appointments]

THERE IS MINOR CHANGE AND THE COMMISSIONER IS IS FINE WITH HIS CHANGE IN THE DISTRICT. IF THERE IS THERE ANY IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? I HAVE A QUESTION. SO THANK YOU. CURRENTLY WE'RE LOOKING AT. HELP ME OUT HERE. DISTRICT NUMBER FIVE. WE'RE LOOKING AT. AT 8.9 MILES. WE'RE

[Item 12 - Executive Session]

[Item 13 - Action on Executive Session Items]

[02:15:07]

[Item 14 - Adjournment]

LIKE IT'S I THINK IT'S A FAIR ASSESSMENT. YES. IT'S JUST FINE. YEAH, I THINK IT'S, I THINK IT'S I THINK I APPLAUD YOU AND YOUR DEPARTMENT AND ALL I KNOW IS THAT THE CITY OF HARLINGEN IS PAVING MORE STREETS THAN EVER BEFORE. AND I'M EXCITED ABOUT IT. LOOKS LIKE EVERY DISTRICT GOT A LITTLE BIT OF LOVE. SO CAN WE GET A MOTION, PLEASE? OH MY GOODNESS. I'M SORRY, BUT I WANT TO DISCUSS THE ALLEYS. YES, SIR. ON WHAT WAS GIVEN ON THE PACKET ON THE LAST PAGE OF THE ALLEYS YOU HAD ALLEY ONE, ALLEY TWO, WHICH IS THE SAME THING THAT WAS ON THE PREVIOUS PAGE. YES, SIR. AND THEN YOU HAVE IT SAYS ALLEYS BETWEEN TYLER AND POLK. BETWEEN FROM F TO D, AND ON THIS OTHER ONE YOU HAVE REMOVED THAT, IS THAT CORRECT? WE'RE KEEPING IT BETWEEN ON THE EXHIBIT. I'M SHOWING IT'S BETWEEN FOURTH STREET AND COMMERCE. BASICALLY, THE STREETS THAT ARE PRIMARILY OCCUPIED BY THE DOWNTOWN, THOSE SPECIFIC AREAS. AND THEN THE AREA RIGHT NEXT TO, I FORGET THE NAME OF THE PARK. THE PARK. YES. AND THAT NUMBER 11 BETWEEN C STREET AND D STREET, APPROXIMATELY 0.62 MILES. THERE ARE NARROWER. SO THE ESTIMATE HERE FOR THIS ALLEYS IS GOING TO BE BETWEEN 70 TO $90,000. IT'S VERY, VERY MAYBE LIKE 5% OF THE OVERALL CIP BUDGET. IF YOU LOOK AT IT AS A WHOLE, JUST BECAUSE THEY'RE NARROW ALLEYS ABOUT 20FT WIDE AND THE DISTANCE IS NOT MUCH. THE RECOMMENDATION WAS BROAD, MOSTLY BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF CITIZENS THAT USE IT SPECIFICALLY DURING OUR EVENTS AND JUST WILL IMPROVE OVERALL ACCESSIBILITY FOR CITY STAFF, SINCE WE USE IT FOR THE DUMP TRUCKS, PICKING UP GARBAGE. YES, SIR. IS THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? I JUST WANT TO MAKE A COMMENT. I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT I THINK THAT THE DECISION TO CREATE OUR OWN STREET PAVING CREW WAS ONE OF THE BEST DECISIONS THIS COMMISSION EVER MADE, BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN DOING AN OUTSTANDING JOB WITH THE STREETS. AND I KNOW I EARLIER TODAY, I WENT AND SPOKE TO AURELIO AND SOME OF THE PAVING CREW. BUT AGAIN, RUTH, I WANT YOU TO PLEASE EXTEND MY THANKS TO THEM BECAUSE NOT JUST FOR ME, BUT I KNOW FROM ALL THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS THEY'RE DOING AN AMAZING JOB. WE'VE BEEN GETTING NOTHING BUT COMPLIMENTS FROM THE THE RESIDENTS ON HOW THEY LOVE THEIR BRAND NEW STREETS. SO THANK YOU AND ROBERT TOO. I KNOW YOUR STAFF DOES ALL THE WORK AS WELL. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. YOU GUYS ARE REALLY MAKING A DIFFERENCE HERE IN THE CITY. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU SIR. ALL RIGHT. ARE WE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION MOTION TO APPROVE OR SECOND? SECOND SECOND. WHAT THINGS TO SAY. MOTION TO APPROVE. SUBJECT TO THE CHANGES PROPOSED BY ROBERT. AMEN. CAN YOU CAN YOU RESTATE YOUR MOTION? PEREZ. I MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THIS BASED ON THE CHANGES PROPOSED BY ROBERT, WHERE WE'RE TAKING OUT DIXIELAND ROAD AND LINCOLN AND ADDING WILD ORCHID, ACACIA AND KINGBIRD. YES, SIR. ALL RIGHT.

CAN I GET A SECOND, SECOND, SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER GOMEZ? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE, AYE, AYE. OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. MAYOR, MAY I GO BACK TO ANNOUNCEMENTS REAL QUICK, PLEASE? NO, SIR. YES YOU CAN. MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE OUR NEW HR DIRECTOR, CHRISTINE CASTILLO. IS SHE HERE? OH, THERE YOU ARE. YOU WANT TO COME

[02:20:05]

WELL, WHY DON'T YOU GIVE US TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS.

CITY MANAGER CHRISTINE CASTILLO. I'VE BEEN DOING HR FOR THE PAST TEN YEARS. I STARTED IN WESLACO AND I MOVED MY WAY UP. AND I COME FROM OUR NEIGHBORING CITY, SAN BENITO, FOR TWO YEARS. SO I'M HERE. I'M READY TO START. TAKE THE CHALLENGES. NOTHING IS GOING TO COME. NOTHING'S GOING TO SCARE ME. SO I'M READY. I'M USED TO IT ALL. I'VE HEARD IT ALL. I'VE. THERE'S NOTHING THAT I'M AFRAID OF. SO TODAY I HAD A CIVIL SERVICE QUESTION THAT SHE GOT ANSWERED REALLY QUICK. SO I WAS REALLY IMPRESSED. YES, THAT IS ALSO ONE OF MY MY EXPERTISE TO CIVIL SERVICE. I LOVE CIVIL SERVICE. I KNOW SOMETIMES IT'S A CHALLENGE, BUT I KNOW THAT I CAN GET IT DONE. OKAY. WELL, WELCOME MISS CHRISTINE. THANK YOU FOR JOINING HARLINGEN. THANK YOU FOR CHOOSING HARLINGEN. WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. NOW. THANK YOU.

MAYOR. YES, SIR. LET'S TAKE BOARD OF APPOINTMENTS. WE'LL START WITH YOU, COMMISSIONER LOPEZ. I DO HAVE ONE EYE. YOU SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN THIS IN YOUR PACKETS FOR ESMERALDA CANTU CASTLE. I'D LIKE TO APPOINT HER TO THE VETERANS ADVISORY BOARD. COMMISSIONER, COMMISSIONER? NO, NONE? NONE. OKAY. CAN I GET A MOTION? MOTION TO APPROVE. SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE AYE. OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. EXECUTIVE SESSION, ITEM 12. A DELIBERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING THE POTENTIAL PURCHASE OF REAL PROPERTY PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE, SECTION 551.072 AND ITEM B CONSULTATION WITH LEGAL COUNSEL PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE, SECTION 551.071 REGARDING AN UPDATE ON THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT WITH THE HARLINGEN POLICE OFFICERS, IS THERE A MOTION TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION? MOTION SECOND BY SECOND BY GOMEZ? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE, AYE. OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. THE TIME IS NOW 750 AND WE WILL RETIRE TO EXECUTIVE SESSION.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.