[Item 10n - Consideration and possible action to approve an Inter-local Cooperation Agreement for drainage maintenance and flood control with Cameron County.]

SCRUTINY. NOW, REGARDING ITEM TEN N, IT IS LISTED AS AN INTRO LOCAL DRAINAGE AGREEMENT WITH CAMERON COUNTY. YET YOU DELIBERATELY OMITTED THE NAME FLUTE STACK. EVEN THOUGH THIS AGREEMENT DIRECTLY BENEFITS THEIR PROJECT, THAT OMISSION IS INTENTIONAL. IT HIDES THE TRUTH FROM RESIDENTS AND AVOIDS PUBLIC PROTEST. WHY IS HARLINGEN BEING ASKED TO APPROVE FLUID STACK DRAINAGE NEEDS WITHOUT ANY ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES? WHERE IS THE MORATORIUM FINDINGS REPORT REQUESTED MORE THAN FOUR MONTHS AGO? FLUID STACK SHOULD MANAGE THEIR OWN DRAINAGE DITCH. HARLINGEN ALREADY FACES FLOOD, FLOODING, DRAINAGE FAILURES AND RAISING UTILITY BILLS. WHY SHOULD HARLINGEN RESIDENTS BE FORCED TO SHOULDER THE DRAINAGE BURDENS OF A PRIVATE SECTOR? WE ACKNOWLEDGE IMPROVEMENTS IN OUR STREETS, PARKS AND DRAINAGE, BUT NONE OF THAT WILL GIVE US CLEAN AIR, CLEAN WATER OR SAFE ENVIRONMENT. NEW ROADS AND PARKS MEAN NOTHING IF WE ARE FOR IF WE ARE FACING DROUGHT RAISING UTILITY COSTS AND COMMUNITY. GETTING SICK FROM POLLUTION, HEAT AND STRAIN, THAT MAY BE A RESULT IF DATA CENTERS PROCEED AS PLANNED. COMMISSIONER DANIEL LOPEZ, YOU MUST NOT VOTE ON ITEM TEN N DUE TO CONFLICT OF INTEREST. MAYOR, YOU RECENTLY POSTED ABOUT A BIBLE CHARACTER NAMED JOSEPH, HOW HE DREAMED BIG. BUT JOSEPH DIDN'T JUST DREAM. HE PROTECTED THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL FROM FAMINE AND. SECOND TIMOTHY 316 IT SAYS ALL SCRIPTURE IS GOD BREATHED AND IS USEFUL FOR TEACHING, REBUKING, AND CORRECTING AND TRAINING IN RIGHTEOUSNESS. SO THE SERVANT OF GOD MAY BE THOROUGHLY EQUIPPED FOR EVERY GOOD WORK. HARLINGEN RESIDENTS NEED THAT SAME PROTECTION. NOW I AM. I AM REQUESTING THAT THE MAYOR AND COMMISSIONER SAFEGUARD THIS COMMUNITY FROM WATER CONTAMINATION, ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS AND FUTURE RATE HIKES.

SAY NO TO CAMERON COUNTY FLUID DRAINAGE AGREEMENT. THIS IS YOUR CHANCE TO SHOW REAL LEADERSHIP THROUGH ACTION AND ACCOUNTABILITY. THANK YOU. YES, THANK YOU, MISS GOMEZ. NEXT WE HAVE RICK RODRIGUEZ. HELLO, MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO SPEAK.

THIS IS IN REFERENCE TO TEN K, THE SUBDIVISION GOLD GOLD DOME. FOR YEARS WE'VE BEEN STRUGGLING WITH THE ROAD. AND I KNOW THAT CITY TRUCKS COME IN AND THEY RUIN THE TRUCKS. BUT JUST TO GIVE YOU A HISTORY IN 1984, SUBDIVISION WAS DEVELOPED AND IT WAS DEDICATED RIGHT OF WAY AND EASEMENTS WERE SHOWN ON THE PLOT FOR PUBLIC USE. OKAY. IN 1988, THE GOLD DOME SUBDIVISION WAS ESTABLISHED BY SAN BENITO BANK AND TRUST, AND THOSE DOCUMENTS ARE ON FILE. AGAIN, IT GIVES US A PRIVATE. IT DOES NOT GIVE US A PRIVATE ROAD. OKAY. THE COMMISSIONERS THERE ACCEPTED WHAT WAS GIVEN TO THEM, AS IS IN 2008. IT WAS ANNEXED BY CHRIS BOSWELL. AGAIN, THE.

THE. WE DIDN'T HAVE A CHOICE. THE SUBDIVISION WAS ANNEXED. WE HAVE EMERGENCY SERVICES AS POLICE. WE HAVE. BUT THEY HARDLY COME AROUND. AND THEN WE HAVE FIRE. BUT IT'S GOING TO BE VERY HARD TO GET THE FIRE TRUCKS TO GO THROUGH BECAUSE THERE'S THE THE ROAD IS RUINED.

OKAY. WE JUST ASKED THE RESIDENTS RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT THE CITY RENEW REVIEW THE RECORDED PLATS, ANNEXED DOCUMENTS, ACCESS EASEMENTS DESIGNED AND APPROVED APPLICATION ORDINANCES, PERMITS IMPLICATIONS, EMERGENCY ACCESS, DRAINAGE CONDITIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES. THIS SUBDIVISION FLOODS OKAY AND INCLUDING STEWART PLACE ROAD.

OKAY. THE. PROPERTY OWNERS INVESTED IN THIS LAND, BUT THEY CANNOT BUILD BECAUSE WE FOLLOW CITY ORDINANCE AND CITY ORDINANCES. WE CANNOT BUILD BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE FIRE HYDRANTS, WE HAVE SEPTIC AND WE HAVE WATER WELLS. OKAY. AND SO WE'RE JUST ASKING FOR THE CITY TO HELP US FIX THIS ROAD THAT FOR YEARS WE HAVE ALSO FIXED. OKAY. BUT EVERY TIME THE TRASH

[01:55:01]

TRUCKS COME IN OR THE THE BRUSH TRUCKS, IT ERODES ERODES THE ROADS. AND SO WE WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO RECONSIDER, OKAY, IN HELPING THE CITIZENS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. RODRIGUEZ. NEXT, MISS CINDY RODRIGUEZ. CINDY RODRIGUEZ REGARDING ITEM TEN K. GOOD EVENING. TONIGHT, I COME TO SPEAK AS A RESIDENT AND HOMEOWNER OF HARLINGEN. MORE SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE STREET.

WE LIVE ON LOS RANCHITOS ROAD. MY HUSBAND AND I HAVE RESIDED AT THIS ADDRESS FOR ALMOST 30 YEARS, AND IN ALL THAT TIME, OUR ROAD HAS NEVER BEEN TENDED TO IN ANY WAY BY THE CITY. LOS RANCHITOS IS OFFICIALLY LOCATED WITHIN DISTRICT FIVE OF THE CITY LIMITS OF HARLINGEN. IT IS A ROAD. IT IS TRAVELED BY ALL OF US IN THIS SUBDIVISION ON A DAILY BASIS. THE DURABILITY OF THIS TYPE OF ROAD IS VERY POOR AND OVER TIME, EVEN STANDARD EVERYDAY TRAFFIC HAS DETERIORATED THE ROAD SIGNIFICANTLY. WE HAVE CITY TRASH TRUCKS PICK UP TWICE A WEEK, CITY BRUSH TRUCK ONCE A MONTH. THESE HEAVY TRUCKS HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE DECAY OF OUR ROAD. WE NOT ONLY HAVE TREMENDOUS AMOUNTS OF POTHOLES, BUT THESE POTHOLES HAVE TURNED INTO VERY LARGE CRATER LIKE HOLES, WHICH OF COURSE CONTRIBUTES EVEN MORE TO THE WEAR AND TEAR OF OF OUR OWN VEHICLES AND CREATING HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS THAT COULD BLOCK OR DELAY EMERGENCY VEHICLES WHEN WE NEED THEM MOST. OVER THE YEARS, WE, THE RESIDENTS OF LOS RANCHITOS, HAVE GOTTEN TOGETHER AND HAVE PAID TO GET OUR ROAD FIXED. AND BY FIXED, I DON'T MEAN PAVED. I MEAN FILL IN THE POTHOLES WITH MORE CALICHE AND SMOOTH OUT AREAS THAT CAN BE DONE. IT HAS BEEN VERY COSTLY FOR US AND THIS IS AN EXPENSE WE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO ENDURE.

OVER THE COURSE OF YEARS IN WHICH WE HAVE RESIDED IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD, WE HAVE ASKED THE CITY FOR HELP WITH OUR ROAD, BUT NOTHING HAS EVER BEEN DONE. THIS SUMMER, WE DECIDED TO APPROACH OUR CITY COMMISSIONER WITH OUR ROAD SITUATION. HE LISTENED TO OUR CONCERNS AND SAID HE WOULD BRING IT UP AT HIS MEETING. WE WERE ELATED WHEN WE WERE TOLD OUR ROAD IMPROVEMENTS HAD BEEN PROPOSED. AT THE CITY COMMISSIONERS MEETING, VOTED ON AND APPROVED.

WE WOULD BE GETTING OUR ROAD PAVED. FAST FORWARD TO THIS WEEK. WE WERE INFORMED THAT AN INDIVIDUAL WAS ASKING FOR THE APPROVED DECISION TO PAVE OUR ROAD. BE REVOKED. HOW FAIR IS THAT TO US? WE ARE TAXPAYING CITIZENS OF HARLINGEN. THIS ISN'T RIGHT. IT IS COMPLETELY UNJUST. WE ASK OUR MAYOR, OUR COMMISSIONERS TO PLEASE LISTEN TO US. AND AS LEADERS OF OUR CITY, THE ALL-AMERICA CITY, STAND BY YOUR DECISION AND OUR E FORWARD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS RODRIGUEZ. NEXT WE HAVE MISS ROSIE PEREZ. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS ROSIE PEREZ. I ALSO LIVE IN RANCHITOS ROAD. AS CINDY SAID, WE WERE VERY HAPPY WHEN WE WERE TOLD THAT OUR ROAD WAS GOING TO BE PAVED. I'M NOT SURE WHY THIS ISSUE IS BEING RETRACTED. WE HAVE LIVED THERE SINCE 1998. WE BUILT OUR HOUSE THERE. WE HAVE NEVER HAD THIS ISSUE BEFORE. THE COUNTY'S WAS IN CHARGE. THEY MAINTAINED OUR ROAD. THEN WE WERE ANNEXED IN 2008 BY THE CITY. WE HAVEN'T GOT ANY SERVICES. WE DON'T HAVE A LIGHT. WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING. WE ONLY HAVE THE TRASH AND BRUSH PICKUP. SO WE ARE ASKING YOU, PLEASE, PLEASE HELP US TO FIX THIS ROAD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS PEREZ. NEXT WE HAVE MR. CRAIG HAYNES. HAYNES. HELLO, MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS. THIS IS ALL VERY NEW TO ME, BUT I LIVE ON THAT SAME ROAD AND I BOUGHT MY LOT THERE IN 1990 AND

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I BUILT MY HOUSE IN 91. I'M A HOME BUILDER AND AT ANY RATE, WE WERE OUT IN THE CITY, IN THE COUNTY FOR, FOR A WHILE THERE. AND THEN THE CITY CAME IN AND ANNEXED US. AND, YOU KNOW, LIKE, LIKE CINDY WAS SAYING, THE COUNTY TOOK CARE OF THE ROAD A LITTLE BIT. NOW, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST IT'S GOTTEN REALLY BAD. AND, YOU KNOW, THIS ROAD IS NOT THAT LONG. I DON'T I DON'T UNDERSTAND THE PROBLEM. I MEAN, IT'S PROBABLY I MEAN, IF IT'S, IF IT'S 100 YARDS LONG, THAT'S, YOU KNOW, AND ALL WE'RE ASKING FOR IS TO IMPROVE THE THING ENOUGH TO WHERE VEHICLES CAN GET IN AND OUT. YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, I'VE BEEN THERE, YOU KNOW, SINCE 1991. AND WE HAD A GOOD ROAD THERE FOR A WHILE, BUT IT PRETTY WELL CRATERED. AND THE COUNTY HELPED US OUT SOME. BUT, YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE IF WE'RE CITIZENS OF THE CITY OF HARLINGEN, WE DESERVE THE SAME SERVICES THAT THE REST OF THE CITIZENS GET. I MEAN, WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR THE MOON. WE'RE JUST ASKING FOR A DECENT ROAD TO GET IN AND OUT OF THERE WITH SOMEDAY IT'D BE NICE TO HAVE CITY WATER LINE PUT IN THERE, AND MAYBE I COULD DO THAT AT THE SAME TIME, I DON'T KNOW, BUT I KNOW YOU FOLKS ARE HONEST AND I KNOW Y'ALL ARE WONDERFUL PEOPLE. AND YOU, YOU KNOW, AND YOU'VE GOT A DIFFICULT JOB AND A BUDGET TO MEET AND ALL LIKE THAT. BUT YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT A HUGE, A FREEWAY, JUST A, JUST A LITTLE TWO LANE THAT CIRCLES AROUND AT THE END AND COMES IN AND OUT. YOU KNOW, AND AS, AS, AS TAXPAYERS, WE'VE BEEN PAYING OUR TAXES ALL ALONG AND WE'VE BEEN GOOD FOLKS. WE'VE AND WE JUST NEED THAT ROAD FIXED. I MEAN, IF ANY OF Y'ALL'S MOTHERS LIVED ON THAT ROAD, YOU'D HAVE HAD IT DONE BY NOW. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, MR. HAYNES. NEXT WE HAVE TERRY CARMONA. MISS TERRY CARMONA. HI, MAYOR.

COMMISSIONERS, I'M JUST HERE TO REPRESENT RICK AND CINDY. THERE WERE NEPHEWS, SO I GET EMOTIONAL. I SIGNED THEIR PLAN, THEIR PLAT. I WAS A PLANNING AND ZONING CHAIRMAN. I SIGNED THEIR PLAT. IT HAS GONE BACK AND FORTH, BACK AND FORTH. THERE'S MINUTES OUT THERE WHERE MAYOR CART OR MAYOR BOSWELL SIGNED THE ACCEPTANCE THAT IT WOULD BE A PUBLIC ROAD. THEY SAY IT'S A PRIVATE ROAD. IF IT'S A PRIVATE ROAD, HOW COME THEY HAVE TRASH, TRASH TRUCKS GOING THROUGH THERE AND RUINING THEIR THEIR STREET? SO BEFORE YOU TAKE A VOTE, INVESTIGATE AND GO BACK TO THE MINUTES AND GO BACK TO THE RECORDS BEFORE YOU. YOU JUST BLINDLY VOTE AGAINST NOT PAVING THE ROAD. AND IT'S LIKE 100 YARDS. IT'S NOT A VERY BIG ROAD. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU, MISS CARMONA. NEXT WE HAVE ANGEL AND WENDY VELASQUEZ. WENDY, ARE YOU GOING TO LET HIM COME? YEAH. OKAY. HE'S MY MORAL SUPPORT. GOOD EVENING, MADAM MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS. WE ARE ANGELA WENDY VELASQUEZ FROM 1643 A LOS RANCHITOS DISTRICT FIVE. WE'VE LIVED IN LOS RANCHITOS SINCE 2017. WE'RE THE BABIES OF THE GROUP HERE. WE'RE VERY ACTIVE MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY. WE LOVE OUR COMMUNITY. I'M HERE TODAY NOT AS THE PUBLIC SERVANT THAT I AM FOR THE CITY OF HARLINGEN, BUT AS A CITIZEN OF HARLINGEN. IN OPPOSITION OF ITEM TEN ON THE AGENDA, WHICH IS THE RETRACTION OF LOS RANCHITOS ROAD REPAIRS APPROVAL, THE PROPOSED REVERSAL DIRECTLY AFFECTS OUR STREET, OUR SAFETY AND OUR QUALITY OF LIFE. WE RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT THE CITY COMMISSION WOULD UPHOLD THE ORIGINAL UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED PROPOSAL ON SEPTEMBER 2ND. SO THERE ARE SOME KEY POINTS THAT I WANT TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION. NUMBER ONE, THE ROAD REPAIRS WAS UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED. ALL COMMISSIONERS I WENT TO TO THE MINUTES AND ALL COMMISSIONERS VOTED IN FAVOR OF THE REPAIRS. AFTER HAVING AMPLE TIME FOR DISCUSSION, REVIEW AND CONSIDERATION, THE DECISION WAS NOT RUSHED. IT WAS REFLECTED THOUGHTFULLY AND AN EVALUATION OF FACTS WAS MADE RIGHT. AND

[02:05:02]

WHY DO WE HAVE TO REVERSE THIS NOW? NUMBER TWO, THERE'S DOCUMENTED DAMAGES THAT ARE TO OUR ROAD, AND THE CITY'S OWN SANITATION TEAM WAS THE ONE THAT CALLED OUT TO YOUR ATTENTION THAT THE THE DETERIORATION OF THE ROAD IS NOT DISPUTED. THE CITY SANITATION TEAM DIRECTLY REPORTED THE DAMAGE CAUSED BY REPEATEDLY HEAVY VEHICLES THAT GO THROUGH OUR ROAD. THE PROFESSIONAL OBSERVATION FORMED THE JUSTIFICATION FOR THESE REPAIRS. THESE ARE ACTUAL DOCUMENTED DAMAGES TO THE ROAD. NUMBER THREE, THERE WAS NO ADDITIONAL FUNDING THAT WAS REQUESTED FOR THESE REPAIRS. I READ THE MINUTES. THE APPROVED REPAIRS WERE TO BE COMPLETED WITHIN THE EXISTING PUBLIC WORKS STREET REPAIRS ALLOCATIONS. NO NEW SUPPLEMENTAL FUNDING WAS REQUESTED. THE PROJECT WAS FISCALLY, FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE AND ALIGNED WITH THE PREVIOUSLY APPROVED BUDGETARY PARAMETERS.

LOS RANCHITOS RESIDENTS WERE ANNEXED TO THE CITY OF HARLINGEN. AGAIN, I DON'T KNOW.

WE DON'T KNOW THE HISTORY BECAUSE WE WE ARE THE BABIES OF OF THE TOWN. WE HAVE SPENT THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS MAINTAINING THAT ROAD REPAVING AND SOME OTHERS OF OUR NEIGHBORS. AS YOU HAVE HEARD, ADDING CALICHE ROCKS ONLY TO BE DAMAGED BY THIS POSSIBLE 18 TON WEIGHT CITY VEHICLES, DELIVERY TRUCKS, ETC. ALTHOUGH LOS RANCHITOS PROPERTY OWNERS. WE PAY TAXES, WE DON'T BENEFIT WITH A LOT OF THE MUNICIPAL SERVICES SUCH AS CITY WATER, CITY SEWER, PROPER DRAINING DRAINAGE INFRASTRUCTURE. WE FLOODED TWICE. 2019 2025, SO GIVEN THE LIMITED ACCESS, WE ARE ONLY ASKING THAT SOME FEW TANGIBLE BENEFITS TO BE RECEIVED FOR WHAT WE PAY FOR TAXES. SO IN CLOSING, WE RESPECTFULLY URGE THE COMMISSIONERS TO MAINTAIN THE ORIGINAL, YOU KNOW, APPROVED FROM SEPTEMBER 2ND AND AFFIRM THE CITY'S COMMITMENT TO EQUITABLE TREATMENT TO ALL NEIGHBORHOODS, INCLUDING THOSE THAT ARE ALREADY RECEIVED. FEW MUNICIPAL SERVICES. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR ATTENTION AND FOR YOUR SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY. WE REALLY DO APPRECIATE WHAT YOU DO. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS VELASQUEZ. NEXT, WE HAVE ISAAC NEWMAN. ISAAC NEWMAN FROM DISTRICT THREE. BASICALLY BACK IN THE SPRING OF THIS YEAR, 2026, HARLINGEN BECAME RECOGNIZED PRETTY MUCH ACROSS TEXAS FOR BECOMING ONE OF THE FIRST CITIES TO APPROVE A DATA CENTER MORATORIUM. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WAS COVERED BY PBS. TEXAS TRIBUNE EVEN WROTE ABOUT IT. I ALSO BELIEVE A COUPLE NEW STATIONS, REALLY ENOUGH IN MEXICO PICKED IT UP. HARLINGEN IS A TOWN THAT I'VE BEEN LIVING IN MOST OF MY LIFE. AND RECENTLY, YEAH, WE'VE BEEN RECOGNIZED FOR QUITE A FEW AMAZING THINGS THE MORATORIUM, THE ALL-AMERICAN CITY. THERE'S QUITE A FEW THINGS TO BE PROUD OF LIVING HERE. THE TIMELINE OF WHAT LED UP TO THAT DECISION HAS BEEN PRETTY CONVOLUTED. I DO BELIEVE THAT IT DID RELY HEAVILY ON THE PEOPLE OF HARLINGEN TO DEMAND A LOT OF PROGRESS AND CHANGE. IT STARTED OFF WITH WHAT SEEMED TO BE A FEW MEMBERS ON THIS COMMISSION, DENYING OR SEEMING LIKE THEY WEREN'T AWARE OF ANY DATA CENTER DEVELOPMENT, AND THEN LOOKING BACK THROUGH EMAILS AND JUST A LOT OF PUBLIC INFORMATION REQUESTS, WE FOUND THAT, WELL, FOR ONE, NORMA, THE MAYOR WAS TAKING TOURS TO THESE DATA CENTERS WITHOUT THE INVOLVEMENT OR SOMETIMES THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE REST OF THE COMMISSION. SO THERE'S SOME THINGS THAT WERE CONCERNING. WE, YOU KNOW, CAN BRING UP THE LETTER AND THINGS LIKE THAT. A LOT OF PEOPLE STILL SEEM UNAWARE ABOUT WHY PEOPLE ARE STILL SPEAKING ABOUT THIS ISSUE. IT'S REALLY, FOR ONE, WE'RE NOT JUST A BUNCH OF HIPPIES. YOU KNOW, THERE'S AREAS IN THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY ACTIVELY EXPERIENCING DROUGHTS. CORPUS CHRISTI, FOR EXAMPLE. THERE'S A REASON WHY CITIES LIKE RIO HONDO AND MCALLEN ARE LOOKING INTO INVESTMENTS OF UPWARDS OF THE TENS, ALMOST HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TRYING TO PREVENT AN UPCOMING WATER CRISIS. AND THESE DATA CENTERS SEEM LIKE IT'S GOING TO ACCELERATE US INTO THAT STATE. THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT STUFF, ESPECIALLY IF YOU WANT TO LIVE IN THIS TOWN FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF DECADES. THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO KNOW AND WE NEED TO SOLVE THIS ISSUE. AND ANOTHER THING IS, RIGHT, THE LAST FOUR OR SO MONTHS, YOU KNOW, WE HAD A MORATORIUM THAT YOU GUYS VOTED TO EXTEND IT. THE PURPOSE OF THAT MORATORIUM, WHAT WE WERE TOLD IS THAT YOU GUYS WOULD BE LOOKING INTO THE ECOLOGICAL IMPACT, ZONING REQUIREMENTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, AND IT HAS BEEN QUITE A FEW MONTHS OF THIS TIME. I AM REQUESTING, YOU KNOW, THAT WE CONTINUE TO KEEP THE PUBLIC IN THE KNOW, BE TRANSPARENT WITH

[02:10:02]

US. WHAT HAVE WE FOUND SO FAR? IF ANYTHING, I'M SURE IF THE STUDY IS NOT COMPLETE, THERE HAS TO BE AT LEAST SOMETHING THAT YOU FOUND THUS FAR. CERTAINLY. SO BEFORE YOU AT LEAST DISCUSS THE COOPERATION BETWEEN YOU AND CAMERON COUNTY REGARDING THE FLUID STACK AGREEMENT GOING ON RIGHT NOW, WHAT HAVE WE UNCOVERED DURING THIS THIS ECOLOGICAL STUDY? THAT'S SOMETHING THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO KNOW. LASTLY, I JUST WANT TO TOUCH ON TEN OH, REALLY QUICKLY WITH THE RAISE. I'M NOT AGAINST THE RAISE. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I HIGHLIGHT OUR CITY DISPATCHERS. I REALLY SUGGEST THAT I WANT TO ENSURE THAT THIS RAISE DOES GO TO OUR DISPATCHERS, OUR FIRST RESPONDERS. AND I HIGHLY ENCOURAGE YOU GUYS GET WITH, YOU KNOW, CHIEF AVERY, HE'S A VERY GREAT CHIEF. SEE IF YOU GUYS CAN COME OUT AND CHECK OUT A DISPATCH CENTER. THERE'S ONE OFF OF THE LOOP FIRE STATION 30. THANK YOU, MR. NEWMAN. NEXT WE HAVE MR. DESI MARTINEZ. THANK YOU. BEFORE I START, I JUST HAVE A QUESTION. ANOTHER QUESTION THAT I WANT TO THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER LOPEZ, FOR THE TOWN HALL MEETING WHERE YOU ALLOWED ME TO TALK TO THE FINANCE DIRECTOR AND THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR ON SEEKING ADDITIONAL FUNDS FOR RAISES. IT'S ON THE AGENDA ITEM. THANK YOU. IT'S A POSITIVE THING THAT IT HAPPENED. I'D LIKE TO. DESI MARTINEZ 1806. HAVERFORD. I'D LIKE TO ADD SO MANY THINGS GOING ON HERE ON THE ETJ 15 YEARS AGO WE ANNEXED IT AND YOU DID THE YOU DID THE ANNEXATION PLAN ALL THE WAY OUT TO 800. AND ONE OF THE THINGS YOU TOLD THESE PEOPLE WERE GOING TO DO TO THE STREET WHERE YOU FORGOT TO DO IS YOU FORGOT TO DO THE ETJ PLANNING WHERE THERE'S A COUNTY CITY ROAD, HALF OF THE PEOPLE ARE INSIDE THE CITY LIMITS. HALF OF THE PEOPLE AND OTHER PEOPLE DON'T HAVE SEWER. AND WE TOLD THEM WE'RE GOING TO GIVE THEM WATER, SEWER, DRAINAGE. YOU'RE GOING TO PAY TAXES NOW HOW? WHY IS IT TAKE SO LONG FOR PEOPLE? ALL THIS TURN AROUND THE STAFF, THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO ETJ PLANNING AND DELIVER THESE SERVICES TO PEOPLE. THAT'S ONE TWO. I WANT TO THANK. THE PEOPLE WHO ARE COMING HERE BECAUSE THIS IS THIS IS NOT NECESSARY. YOU SHOULD HAVE DONE CORRECTIVE ACTION 14 YEARS AGO.

YOU WEREN'T HERE. THAT'S ALL IT TAKES. I LIKE TO TALK ABOUT IT HERE. RISK AND RISK AND LIABILITY. THEY'VE GOT A COUPLE OF ITEMS AND THERE'S ANOTHER ONE ABOUT RISK AND LIABILITY IN THE AGREEMENT THAT THE COUNTY JUDGE AND THE INVOICE. BUT I AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER. MY COMMISSIONER RUIZ IN OUR DISTRICT THAT THERE'S NOT SUFFICIENT DOCUMENTATION ON THAT AGREEMENT THAT YOU PUT HERE. AND I'M SURPRISED YOU DIDN'T EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT MORE WHY YOU'RE PUTTING IT HERE. A LITTLE MORE INFORMATION. IT'S JUST A REAL SIMPLE ONE SENTENCE.

COME ON. EVEN I DIDN'T CATCH IT. I CAUGHT IT BECAUSE I WENT TO THE AIRPORT MEETING. AND THERE'S A RISK THERE BECAUSE WE DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DUMP INTO THE DRAINAGES. AND ALL THIS INFORMATION GOT FROM THESE FOLKS. DITTO. IT'S CORRECT. WE CAN ALSO GET WE DON'T NEED THEM. LET THEM GO BUILD THEIR OWN DRAIN. DARN DITCH. WE CAN GET FAA GRANTS. WE CAN GET A TEXAS WATER QUALITY BOARD GRANTS. WE CAN GO ALSO TO TEXAS AIRPORT COMMISSION OR THE GLOW. COME ON PEOPLE, WE DON'T NEED THE ETJ COUNTY CLOUT OVER US. THEY'RE BILLIONAIRES. THEY CAN TAKE CARE OF THEIR PROBLEM. AND THERE IS A DOWNSTREAM PROBLEM WITH THAT. I APPRECIATE THAT HEAD AND THEIR DEVELOPMENT OUT THERE. I'LL TAKE IT UP IN THE NEXT AND AT THE NEXT MEETING, THE QUESTION I HAVE IS, IS THIS APPROVAL THAT YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE TONIGHT? A CONSENT IS AND I HAVE, BY THE WAY, I'M IN THE PUBLIC HEARING, MAYOR ALSO. AND CONSENT. IS THAT JUST TO PUT THE PROJECT BECAUSE I WANT TO COMPETE TO GET THE WHOLE HELL DRIVE DEVELOPED AS WAS ORIGINALLY PLANNED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. MARTINEZ. OKAY.

CAN YOU TAKE A BREAK? DO YOU WANT A BREAK? WELL, I'M NOT ASKING BECAUSE THE COMMUNITY DOES NOT WANT YOU TO HAVE A BREAK. SIR, I DON'T CARE IF YOU'RE A VETERAN. NO BREAKS FOR YOU. ALL RIGHT, I'M JOKING. THIS IS. THE END OF OUR CITIZEN COMMUNICATION, CORRECT? OKAY.

WE ARE GOING TO TAKE A QUICK FIVE MINUTE COMFORT BREAK SO OUR COMMISSION CAN. YES, WE'RE

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TAKING A BREAK, AND WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK IN FIVE MINUTES.

[02:27:52]

TIME IS NOW 7:33 P.M. AND WE ARE BACK IN OPEN SESSION. MOVING ON. WE ARE ON ITEM SIX

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APPROVAL OF MINUTES. THE REGULAR MEETING OF SEPTEMBER 2ND, 2026. ARE THERE ANY AMENDMENTS TO THE MINUTES AS PRESENTED? I NOW MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE AS PRESENTED. SECOND.

OKAY. MOTION BY LOPEZ, SECOND BY PEREZ. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE.

OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES. ITEM SEVEN. CONSENT AGENDA. WE HAVE ITEMS A THROUGH E. IS THERE ANYTHING THAT NEEDS TO BE REMOVED FROM CONSENT? HEARING NONE, IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS A THROUGH E MOTION SECOND. OKAY. MOTION BY PEREZ. SECOND BY LOPEZ. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE, I OPPOSED MOTION CARRIES. MOVING ON. WE. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT WE DO NOT HAVE ANY STAFF REPORTS. WE'RE GOING TO PASS.

YES. CORRECT. YES, MA'AM. THAT'S CORRECT. OKAY. WE DO WANT TO TAKE OUT OF ORDER. I KNOW THAT THE COUNTY IS HERE AND HAVE BEEN WAITING PATIENTLY. I PROMISE YOU, WE DON'T GENERALLY HAVE THAT MANY PROCLAMATIONS, BUT IT WAS A SPECIAL DAY TODAY. SO WE ARE GOING TO MOVE ITEM TEN N CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO APPROVE AN INTERLOCAL COOPERATION AGREEMENT FOR DRAINAGE, MAINTENANCE AND FLOOD CONTROL WITH CAMERON COUNTY.

LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT MAYOR PRO TEM LOPEZ WILL BE ABSTAINING FROM THIS ITEM.

MAYOR. COMMISSIONERS. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS PETE SEPULVEDA. I'M THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR FOR CAMERON COUNTY. AND WITH ME IS COMMISSIONER DAVID GARZA FROM PRECINCT THREE IN CAMERON COUNTY. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO BE HERE TONIGHT. THIS PROPOSED INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WOULD ALLOW THE CITY AND THE COUNTY TO WORK TOGETHER AND LOOK AT A DETENTION WATER FLOW IMPROVEMENT PROJECT FROM THE CITY'S JURISDICTIONAL LIMITS TO THE ARROYO COLORADO. THIS AGREEMENT WOULD ALLOW THE CITY AND THE COUNTY, AS I MENTIONED,

[02:30:03]

TO WORK TOGETHER, DEVELOP A DETAILED ENGINEERING DETAILS, ENVIRONMENTAL DETAILS AND FUNDING DETAILS THAT WOULD THEN NEED TO BE APPROVED BOTH BY THE TWO GOVERNMENTAL BODIES, THE COUNTY AND THE CITY OF HARLINGEN. SO THIS INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WOULD NOT INCLUDE THOSE DETAILS, BUT IT WOULD ALLOW US TO WORK AND PUT THOSE DETAILS TOGETHER AND THEN BRING THEM BACK TO EACH RESPECTIVE GOVERNMENTAL BODY. WE DO HAVE A BRIEF POWERPOINT PRESENTATION THAT WE'D LIKE TO PRESENT, AND I'LL TURN IT OVER TO COMMISSIONER GARZA, WHO WILL GO OVER THAT PRESENTATION. THANK YOU SO MUCH, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING SO ENGAGED WITH COMMUNITY. YOU KNOW, WE DON'T GET THAT MANY FOLKS AT OUR MEETINGS. AND, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES THERE'S ISSUES THAT COME UP THAT WE DO, BUT IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO LISTEN TO OUR CONSTITUENTS, LISTEN TO THEIR CONCERNS, AND SOMETIMES HELP. AS SOME OF THE INDIVIDUALS THAT WERE HERE TONIGHT SAY, YOU KNOW, THEY LEARN ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT SOMETIMES REFERRING TO SOCIAL MEDIA AND OTHER OUTLETS, THEY GET, YOU KNOW, MISREPRESENTED, YOU KNOW, AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S IT HAPPENS IN MY CASE THAT I READ IN OTHER CASES. SO BUT ANYWAY, WE HAVE A SHORT PRESENTATION HERE AND IT'S A LOT OF PICTURES THAT WERE PUT TOGETHER FROM THE EVENT THAT HAPPENED IN MARCH 26TH THROUGH THE 28TH OF 2025. AND THOSE ARE SOME PICTURES THAT ARE AFFECTED, OUR SUBDIVISIONS AND OUR AREAS. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. THERE'S OUR REMOTE. OH HEY. AND YOU'RE MORE ADVANCED THAN THE COUNTY IN THIS REGARD. THESE ARE PICTURES OF THE RUNWAYS IN AT THE AIRPORT. THAT'S WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE AFTER THAT RAIN EVENT. THE AIRPORT WAS SHUT DOWN FOR THREE DAYS. YOU KNOW, THERE WERE DEBRIS ON THE RUNWAYS. AND WE DID VISIT AND OFFER HELP ALWAYS MUTUALLY TO THE CITY OF HARLINGEN ON ANY DISASTER THAT OCCURS. THAT'S JUST COMMON COURTESIES THAT ARE EXTENDED BETWEEN THE DIFFERENT ENTITIES. IT WAS A VERY UNUSUAL EVENT BECAUSE WE HAD WELL OVER 20IN OF RAIN IN THOSE DAYS, WHICH IS UP TO 21 IN 1 AREA. IT BROKE ALL THE DAILY AND MULTI-DAY AND MONTHLY RECORDS FOR THE MONTH OF MARCH. MOST NOTABLE DAMAGE, OF COURSE, OCCURRED AROUND THE AIRPORT AREA AND EASTWARD OF THAT AT THE COUNTY. LET'S SEE.

I THINK THERE WAS ONE SLIDE THAT SKIPPED THERE. OKAY. YOU KNOW, THE DRAINAGE IMPACT THAT OCCURRED WAS AS A RESULT OF A FLASH DROUGHT CONDITION THAT HAD EXISTED PRIOR TO THIS RAIN EVENT. AND, YOU KNOW, THE THE LESSON LEARNED AFTER SEEING THIS OCCUR IS THAT THERE HAS TO BE CONTROLLED CONVEYANCE OF WATER DISCHARGE TO THE ARROYO, COLORADO AFTER RAIN EVENTS.

THIS PARTICULAR DRAINAGE SOLUTION. AND WE'RE HERE NOT AS SPOKESPEOPLE FOR DATA CENTERS FOR OR AGAINST. WE'RE HERE ON SIMPLE PROJECT TO ALLEVIATE A DRAINAGE ISSUE THAT OCCURS.

THAT'S THE HARLINGEN AIRPORT. AS YOU CAN SEE, THE PROJECT SITE, YOU KNOW, THE CITY REVIEWS EVERYTHING THAT OCCURS. IT'S OUTSIDE OF THE CITY LIMITS. SO SOME OF THE PERMITTING PROCESSES OCCUR AT THE COUNTY LEVEL, AS LONG AS THEY COMPLY WITH THE RESOLUTION THAT THE COUNTY PASSED BACK IN APRIL, AND ALL OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR CONSTRUCTION, THEY'RE ISSUED PERMITS TO CONTINUE THE CONSTRUCTION PROCESS. THE OUTFALLS, THE WATER DISCHARGES ARE ALL REVIEWED BY YOUR DEPARTMENT WITHIN THE CITY FOR MAKING SURE THAT THERE ARE NO NEGATIVE IMPACTS ASSOCIATED WITH ANY POTENTIAL DISCHARGES. THIS IS A SITE PLAN THAT THEY HAVE OUT THERE. I'VE BEEN A COMMISSIONER FOR 26 YEARS IN CAMERON COUNTY. I HAVE NEVER SEEN A SITE DEVELOPED IN CAMERON COUNTY THAT IS BUILT TO A 500 YEAR STANDARD. OUR STANDARDS ARE USUALLY IN OUR RULES AND REGULATIONS, IN OUR SUBDIVISION PLANNING AND ANY OTHER THING IS 50 YEAR STANDARDS. THIS PARTICULAR PLAN IS A 500 YEAR STANDARD DEVELOPMENT. WHAT THAT MEANS IS VERY SIMPLE. CURRENTLY, AS FARMLAND OUT THERE, THIS ACREAGE PRODUCES 789,000 CUBIC FEET PER SECOND. WHEN WATER IS DISCHARGED INTO THE DRAINAGE DITCH. THAT OCCURS. NOW, BECAUSE WE HAVE SHEET FLOW, WATER RUNS OFF THE FIELDS, GOES

[02:35:02]

INTO THE DITCH. OKAY. WITH THIS PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT, THAT OUTFLOW WILL BE REDUCED BY 78% TO 175,000 CUBIC FEET PER SECOND, VERSUS 789,000 CUBIC FEET PER SECOND BEING DISCHARGED INTO THAT DITCH. SO THERE'S A SUBSTANTIAL REDUCTION. YOU KNOW, YOUR OWN MASTER DRAINAGE PLAN IS WHAT WE USE TO LOOK AT WHAT COULD BE DONE. AND YOUR OWN PLAN BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION THE FACT THAT THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT WERE NEEDED FOR A SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM.

AND, YOU KNOW, THERE'S BOX CULVERTS ON 509 BOX CULVERTS AT 106. AND THOSE BOX CULVERTS WOULD BE EXISTING. YOU HAVE 310 BY TENS, YOU KNOW, AND THE PROPOSED DRAINAGE PLAN THAT YOU HAVE HAS A OF LIKE A DITCH DEEPENING PROJECT THAT WOULD ALLOW A LITTLE MORE FLOW TO OCCUR. THE NEXT SLIDE SHOWS YOU AN EXISTING THREE, TEN BY TEN CULVERTS ON 509. YOUR FLOW IS 1000 1,098,000 CUBIC FEET PER SECOND. THE PROPOSED IS TO DEVELOP IT INTO 510 BY TEN BOX CULVERTS UNDER THAT ROAD, WHICH WOULD NOT QUITE DOUBLE, BUT INCREASE VERY SUBSTANTIALLY.

THE OUTFLOW. ALSO ON THE DITCH ITSELF, THE CAPACITY WOULD BE INCREASED FROM 1,344,000 CUBIC FEET PER SECOND TO THE PROPOSED WIDENING. THAT WOULD INCREASE THAT CAPACITY TO 4,250,000 CUBIC FEET PER SECOND, A SUBSTANTIAL OUTFLOW INCREASE. AND THEN AT THE OTHER END, CURRENTLY THERE'S 310 BY TEN BOX CULVERTS. THE PROPOSAL IS TO PUT 510 BY TEN BUCKS CULVERTS, WHICH WOULD ALMOST ALSO DOUBLE THE OUTFLOW. SO THAT IS THE PROPOSED PROM.

MELVIN HUNT THAT IS WORKING WITH FLUID STACK ON THIS PROJECT. THOSE ARE THE DITCHES THAT CURRENTLY EXIST ON THE TOP, WHICH IS A 9490 FOOT DITCH WITH AN EXISTING CAPACITY OF 1344 CUBIC FEET PER SECOND. THE PROPOSED WOULD MORE THAN DOUBLE, ALMOST TRIPLE, YOU KNOW, THE OUTFLOW. AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, YOU KNOW, NOT ONLY TRIPLE THE OUTFLOW, BUT HAVE A CONTROLLED DISCHARGE TO AVOID EROSION ISSUES ALONG THE ARROYO. THIS IS THE PATH FORWARD APPROVAL DISCHARGE OUTFALL ONLY. AND AFTER COMPLETION OF ONSITE AND OFFSITE DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS IDENTIFIED IN THE CURRENT REPORTS AND PLANS WITH YOUR DEPARTMENT REQUIRE VERIFICATION OF RESTRICTED PEAK DISCHARGES AND NO ADVERSE IMPACTS IN THOSE RELEASES. AND THREE PRESERVE ACCESS AND MAINTENANCE RESPONSIBILITIES FOR THE DRAINAGE DITCH AND OUTFALL, AND FOR COMMUNICATE TO THE PUBLIC THAT THE ACTION IS A DRAINAGE SOLUTION. REVIEW, NOT A BLANKET PROJECT APPROVAL. TWO VERY DIFFERENT THINGS. WE'RE TRYING TO ENGAGE IN A PROJECT REVIEW SO THAT WE CAN MOVE FORWARD. THERE WERE NO DOCUMENTS ATTACHED BECAUSE NO DOCUMENTS HAVE BEEN ADDED. ALL WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS ALLOW US TO PARTNER WITH THE CITY SO THAT WE CAN WORK ON A SOLUTION FOR YOU. YOU KNOW, THAT'S IT. AND, YOU KNOW, I LOOKED UP SOME INFORMATION. IT'S A LITTLE OLD, BUT THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF THE AIRPORT IS IN HARLINGEN ABOUT PER DAY, $1.185 MILLION PER DAY. YOU KNOW, THIS IS 2018, WHICH IS THE LATEST STUDY THAT WAS DONE BY TEX DOT AVIATION GROUP. YOU KNOW, IT'S VERY SUBSTANTIAL WHEN YOU LOOK IN TOTALITY TO WHAT A MAJOR EVENT CAN LEAD TO. THIS IS A MAP, A SYSTEM MAP OF PROJECTS THAT THE COUNTY IS CURRENTLY UNDER WORKING AND UNDERTAKING. WE HAVE THE ON THE LEFT SIDE IS THE I-69 C TO I-69 E CONNECTOR, WHICH WILL CONNECT THE OUTER PARKWAY TO THE MONTE CRISTO ROAD AREA ON I-69 C, WHICH IS B, BASICALLY AN ALTERNATIVE ROUTE TO THE EXPRESSWAY FROM I-69 E TO SOUTH PADRE ISLAND. WE ARE WORKING ON THE OUTER PARKWAY THAT LEADS TO GENERAL BRANT ROAD AND THEN TO THE SECOND ACCESS THAT IS CURRENTLY BEING WORKED ON. YOU KNOW, THIS PROJECT AND I PUT THAT SLIDE UP BECAUSE IT'S CRITICALLY IMPORTANT, IN MY OPINION, FOR THE FUTURE OF THE CITY OF HARLINGEN. AND I'M HERE AGAIN AS THE COMMISSIONER FOR THAT AREA THAT IS REPRESENTED,

[02:40:06]

BECAUSE I THINK DELIA. COMMISSIONER, I MEAN, IT'S WE YOU HAVE YOUR DISTRICT OVERLAPS.

MY MY DISTRICT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHERE WE'RE COMING FROM WITH THIS. BUT IF YOU IF YOU GO FROM I-69 E ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE VALLEY, WHICH LEADS TO EDINBURGH AND GO ALL THE WAY ACROSS TO SOUTH PADRE ISLAND, IT'S ABOUT 60 MILES. GUESS WHERE VALLEY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT SITS? IT SITS 30 MILES FROM THE ISLAND AND 30 MILES FROM EDINBURGH. IN THE FUTURE, AS THIS CORRIDOR DEVELOPS, IT WILL BE EASIER TO TRAVEL TO VALLEY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT FROM ANYWHERE IN THE VALLEY AND GET TO IT QUICKER, FASTER AND SAFER THAN ANY OTHER WAY. WHAT IS THE VALUE TO TO THE AIRPORT? THE VALUE TO THE AIRPORT, AS I SHOWED YOU IN THE 2018, WAS WORTH $1.2 MILLION A DAY. IF YOU CAN INCREASE THOSE BOARDINGS AND CAPACITY FOR THE AIRPORT, IT WOULD BE TRANSFORMATIONAL AND IT WOULD BE THE REGIONAL AIRPORT FOR THE VALLEY INSTEAD OF A LOT OF ALTERNATIVES THAT ARE BEING DISCUSSED VALLEY WIDE. FOR POTENTIALS TO BUILD A REGIONAL AIRPORT, YOU ARE THE REGIONAL AIRPORT. THIS PROTECTS THIS PROJECT, PROTECTS THE AIRPORT. PROBABLY ONE OF THE LARGER ECONOMIC ENGINES IN THE CITY OF HARLINGEN. WE ARE HERE, I AM HERE, AND I YOU KNOW, I'M HERE PERSONALLY AS THE COMMISSIONER FOR THIS AREA, AND I DID NOT KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT FLOWS OR WHAT WAS GOING ON WITH ANY OF THIS UNTIL THE DAY AFTER YOU ALL HAD A MEETING WITH THEM IN THIS ROOM. I GOT A CALL AND THE CALL WAS, YOU KNOW, THERE'S COMMUNITY BENEFIT OPPORTUNITIES. AND I SAID, WELL, THE COMMUNITY BENEFIT OPPORTUNITY I WANT FIRST AND FOREMOST IS FIXING OUR PROBLEMS WITH DRAINAGE AT THE AIRPORT. WELL, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, THE CITY DIDN'T WANT I SAID, LOOK, GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO AT LEAST STAND BEFORE YOU ALL AND TELL YOU THAT WE FEEL FROM THE COUNTY

[Item 9 - Public Hearing]

PERSPECTIVE THAT THIS IS ONE PIECE OF A MAJOR MASTER PLAN THAT YOU ALL HAVE PAID AND DEVELOPED. THAT IS FANTASTIC. AND THIS IS ONE PIECE OF THAT PLAN THAT COULD BE TAKEN CARE OF WITH ZERO LOCAL TAX DOLLARS. IF THE AGREEMENTS TO PROCEED CAN BE DEVELOPED AND EVERYBODY'S IN AGREEMENT. IF FAA IS IN AGREEMENT WITH THIS DOCUMENT, ESPECIALLY WITH TEXDOT IS IN AGREEMENT WITH THIS DOCUMENT BECAUSE WE CROSS TEXDOT CROSSINGS. AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST THAT OPPORTUNITY. IT'S UP TO YOU ALL. IT'S NOT UP TO US. IT'S NO SKIN OFF OUR BACK, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, AT ALL. OUR ROADWAYS ARE GOING TO BE BUILT REGARDLESS. YOU KNOW, WE DON'T WE DON'T HAVE FLOODING IN THE AREA THAT WE'RE BUILDING THOSE ROADS. BUT THE BENEFIT TO THE AIRPORT AND THE CITY OF HARLINGEN COULD BE EXTREMELY SUBSTANTIAL IN THE FUTURE. WE GOT TO THINK BEYOND THESE FOLKS ARE HERE, WHETHER WE LIKE THEM OR DON'T LIKE THEM, WHETHER WE AGREE WITH THEM OR DON'T AGREE WITH THEM, WE DON'T HAVE A CHOICE. JUST LIKE YOU ALL DON'T HAVE A CHOICE AS TO APPROVE THEM OR NOT. WE CAN PASS ALL THE MORATORIUMS IN THE WORLD, AND THAT DOESN'T MEAN ANYTHING BECAUSE STATUTORILY, WE DON'T HAVE TEETH IN ANY OF THE LAWS THAT WE ARE GOVERNED BY TO CONTROL THIS DEVELOPMENTS SO WE CAN ASK FOR DON'T USE OUR POWER, DON'T USE OUR WATER, FIND ALTERNATIVE, ALTERNATIVE WAYS TO THAT REDUCE YOUR NOISE, MAKE YOUR PLACE ESTHETICALLY PLEASING SOMEHOW CREATE SOME ENVIRONMENTAL BARRIERS AROUND WHAT YOU'RE DOING. DOING ALL THE. THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE CAN ASK FOR. AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT IN THE DISCUSSIONS THAT WE'VE HAD, THEY'VE BEEN EXTREMELY WILLING TO LISTEN AND UNDERSTAND THAT, YOU KNOW, YES, YOU KNOW, WE KNOW WE CAN'T MAKE THEM DO THINGS, BUT YES, THEY CAN HELP US BE PART OF A COMMUNITY JUST LIKE ANY OTHER, ANY OTHER INDUSTRY THAT COMES INTO OUR AREA, BEING RESPONSIBLE TO THE CITIZENRY THEY SERVE. SOMETIMES IT'S, IT'S AN INCONVENIENT FOR US, BUT THAT'S THE REALITY WE LIVE IN. WE'RE AT THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG OF THINGS HEADED OUR WAY, WHETHER WE LIKE THEM OR NOT. I MEAN, SPACEX WANTS TO LAUNCH 450 ROCKETS A YEAR. YOU KNOW, I MEAN, WE WERE OUT THERE, MAYOR AND ENJOYED THE FIRST ONE, AND IT WAS NICE, BUT ABOUT 450, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, BUT BUT ANYWAY, THIS THIS KIND OF GIVES YOU AN IDEA OF WHERE WE'RE COMING FROM. WE ARE NOT AND HAVE NOT BEEN PROMISED ANYTHING

[02:45:02]

FROM FLUID STACK. THE ONLY PROMISE THAT I MAKE TO YOU IS THAT WE'RE COMING HERE TO HELP YOU MAKE A DECISION, AND WE ABIDE AND RESPECT WHATEVER DECISION YOU MAKE IN TRYING TO SOLVE AND TRYING TO HELP WITH ONE COG OF A LARGE MASTER DRAINAGE PLAN THAT YOU HAVE, LOOKING INTO THE FUTURE THAT YOU WOULD NOT HAVE TO FUND FROM YOUR LOCAL DOLLARS. THANK YOU.

COMMISSIONER GARZA OPENED IT UP TO THE COMMISSION. IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. SEPULVEDA, COMMISSIONER GARZA, LET ME START WITH YOU. COMMISSIONER GOMEZ. YES, I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS. COMMISSIONER GARZA, YOU MENTIONED JUST NOW THAT YOU DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT FLUID STACK UNTIL THE DAY AFTER WE MET WITH THEM. THE WEDNESDAY MEETING YOU HAD HERE, THE WEDNESDAY MEETING WE HAD HERE. YOU WERE AWARE THAT FLUID STACK AT THE TIME THEY WERE HERE, AGREED TO A TOWN HALL MEETING WITH US WHEN THEY WERE HERE. WERE YOU AWARE OF THAT? NO. YOU WEREN'T AWARE THAT? NO, NO, NO, I JUST KNOW THEY WERE HERE AND THEN, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS OVER.

DID THEY EVER MENTION IT TO THE COUNTY WHEN THEY WENT TO THE COUNTY? WE DIDN'T TALK ABOUT TOWN HALL MEETINGS. OKAY. OKAY. OKAY. JUST TO TELL YOU. WE WE WERE I WAS JUST HANDED THE THE AGREEMENT JUST NOW. RECEIVED IT AT 7 P.M. AND MAY I ASK WHY, COMMISSIONER, THAT WAS MY FAULT.

I DIDN'T MAKE SURE IT WAS ATTACHED TO THE AGENDA PACKET AND WE DIDN'T CATCH IT. WE SENT OUT THE PACKET, AND THE MAYOR POINTED OUT TO ME THAT IT WASN'T ON. SO I WENT DOWNSTAIRS REAL QUICK AND MADE A COPY OF IT FOR EVERYBODY. SO JUST SO THAT OUR ATTORNEY HAS REVIEWED IT AND IF IT'S APPROVED, HE WE WOULD NEED HIM TO MAKE A FEW CHANGES TO IT JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT HE'S COMFORTABLE WITH IT. OKAY. SO JUST TO CLARIFY, COMMISSIONER, WE HAVE JUST RECEIVED I JUST RECEIVED THIS AT 7 P.M. WHILE THE MEETING WAS HAPPENING, SO I HAVEN'T COMPLETELY READ IT. AND EVEN THOUGH YOU MENTIONED THAT MARK, OUR ATTORNEY WOULD HAS ALREADY REVIEWED IT, IS THAT CORRECT? AND YOU PROBABLY HAVE SOME CHANGES. I HAVE NOT HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO COMPLETELY READ IT. IN FAIRNESS TO MYSELF AND TO OUR CONSTITUENTS, I WOULD NEED AN OPPORTUNITY TO READ THAT. I ALSO, YOU ARE NOT HERE. YOU'RE REPRESENTING THE COUNTY LIKE YOU MENTIONED AND NOT FLUIDS DECK. I KNOW, I DO KNOW THAT THERE WAS THERE WAS A MEETING, THERE WAS THE THE VOTING AT THE COUNTY LEVEL WAS 3 TO 1. SO THERE WAS A COMMISSIONER MISSING. IS THAT CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT. AND YOU THERE WAS NO ATTACHMENTS.

YOU JUST MENTIONED TO AT THE TIME THAT YOU MADE THESE DECISIONS KIND OF LIKE YOU. YES.

WELL, WE HAD AN AGREEMENT WAS ATTACHED. WE HAD AN AGREEMENT AGREEMENT ITSELF, BUT ANY ATTACHMENTS FROM FLUID STACK EXHIBITS? NO. BUT THE AGREEMENT DOES NOT CALL FOR ANY EXHIBITS.

WHAT YOU HAVE IS WHAT WE HAVE IS WHAT YOU HAD. AND YOU FELT COMFORTABLE MAKING THE DECISION.

YES, BECAUSE IT WAS A NON-BINDING AGREEMENT THAT ALL OF THE DETAILS WOULD BE

[Item 10a - Consideration and possible action to adopt an ordinance on first reading authorizing, for the Victoria Commons Phase II Subdivision only, a cash escrow with progress disbursements as the financial guarantee of performance for required public improvements; approving the Subdivision Improvement and Escrow Agreement between the City of Harlingen and the Development Corporation of Harlingen, Inc. for the Victoria Commons Phase II Subdivision; accepting the escrow established thereunder as an appropriate financial guarantee of performance pursuant to Section 109-91 (a)(2)b of the Code of Ordinances; approving the Corporation's expenditure under Section 501.073 of the Texas Local Government Code; authorizing execution and administration of the agreement; providing for severability and repeal of conflicting ordinances; and providing an effective date]

DETERMINED AND AGREED UPON BY BOTH GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES AND THEIR RESPECTIVE ENGINEERS OR DESIGNEES. SO MOVING INTO THE FUTURE, YOU KNOW, IT WAS AN AGREEMENT TO START A DISCUSSION, A PLANNING PROCESS, NOT AN AGREEMENT TO GO DO A DRAINAGE DITCH. IT'S AN AGREEMENT. JUST AS I VISITED WITH COMMISSIONER MORALES EARLIER, IT'S FAA LOOK. IF THERE'S A FATAL FLAW IN ANY OF THIS, WHERE THE FAA SAYS, HEY, THOSE ARE FEDERAL DITCHES AND YOU CAN'T TOUCH THEM, THAT'LL BE IT. BUT THAT WOULD BE FOUND OUT IN THE PROCESS OF DEVELOPING THE BETWEEN THE ENTITIES THAT INFORMATION. WE DON'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION TODAY WAS THE REASON WHY. AND I, LIKE I MENTIONED, THERE'S I KNOW THERE WAS A 3 TO 1. I READ THE ARTICLE YESTERDAY AND IT WAS A 3 TO 1. AND IT DID MENTION THAT ONE OF THE PERSON THAT DID DID NOT VOTE FOR THE IT WAS AN A DIDN'T FEEL COMFORTABLE VOTING FOR BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THEY WERE VOTING ON BECAUSE THERE WAS NOTHING ELSE ATTACHED. THERE WAS ANOTHER INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT. OKAY. SO THEY JUST HE, HE JUST DIDN'T FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH WHAT HE WAS VOTING ON. OKAY. AND. THE SLIDE THAT YOU JUST I DON'T SPEAK FOR HIM. YOU KNOW, HE MADE THE DECISION. I'M NOT, I'M NOT, I'M NOT, I'M NOT. AND THAT'S GOOD THAT YOU MENTIONED THAT BECAUSE I'M NOT SAYING THAT YOU DID. I READ IT MYSELF. AND I'M PARAPHRASING HERE. HE MENTIONED THAT HE DID NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH VOTING A, A, A YES BECAUSE OF HE DID NOT HAVE ANY. HE DID NOT KNOW WHAT HE WAS VOTING FOR WITHOUT ANY DOCUMENTATION. AND THERE WAS A

[02:50:01]

SLIDE YOU PUT ON RIGHT NOW. YOU MIGHT WANT TO GO BACK TO IT ON THE OFF SITE IMPROVEMENT SLIDE THAT YOU JUST SHOWED. THAT ONE RIGHT THERE. YES, MA'AM. YOU ON THE BOTTOM, IT SAYS FLUID STACK

[Item 10b - Consideration and possible action to approve an Ordinance on First Reading for a request for a Special Use Permit (SUP) to allow a restaurant in an Office ("O") District, located at 1717 N. Ed Carey Drive, bearing a legal description of Lots 15 & 16, Block 2, Arroyo Estates Subdivision. Applicant: Akram Boulos]

PROPOSED DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS. AND WITH THE CITY OF HARLINGEN. THERE'S COSTS THERE THAT WE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. THERE WAS NO DISCUSSION OF ANY PRICE WITH THE FLUID STACK. WHEN YOU ALL DISCUSSED THIS, THEY SAID THIS PROJECT WOULD PROBABLY RUN ABOUT $7 MILLION TO DO. AND I GUESS IF YOU ADD THOSE NUMBERS UP, THAT'S PROBABLY IN THAT VICINITY, YOU KNOW. OKAY, OKAY, 600 PLUS 5.1 PLUS NINE, 750, WHATEVER THAT AMOUNTS TO, YOU KNOW, OKAY. AND THOSE ARE ESTIMATES THAT THE COMPANY THAT IS DEVELOPING THE DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS FOR THAT FLUID STACK GROUP CAME UP WITH, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE, THEY'RE GUESSTIMATES AT BEST. OKAY, I UNDERSTAND, OKAY, THAT'S IT FOR NOW, UNLESS I WANT TO RETRACT. I MEAN, NOT THAT I WANT TO I WANT TO COME BACK TO MORE QUESTIONS. OKAY. MORALES. YEAH, I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THAT'S THAT'S A CONCERN IS BACK IN 1975 WAS THE LAST TIME FEMA AND ANOTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCY THAT DID THE FLOOD RISK, FLOOD RISK MAPS. THEY HAVEN'T BEEN UPDATED SINCE. WHERE'S THE COUNTY? THAT'S 51 YEARS AGO. THAT, IN MY OPINION, WOULD NOT ONLY BENEFIT THE AIRPORT, BUT A LOT OF FLOODING AREAS THAT WE HAVE HAD HERE IN HARLINGEN, ESPECIALLY IN THE PAST TEN YEARS. I SEE THAT MORE BENEFICIAL NOT ONLY TO THE AIRPORT BUT TO EVERYBODY WITHIN CAMERON COUNTY, ESPECIALLY. AND WE HEARD PEOPLE. THAT. AND THEN

[Item 10c - Consideration and possible action to approve an Ordinance on First Reading for a request to rezone from Residential, Multi-Family ("M-2") District to General Retail ("GR") District for Lot 1, Block 1, New Hampshire Commercial Subdivision, located south of New Hampshire Street, approximately 1,614 feet north of Hale Avenue.]

I LOOK AT RIDGEVILLE ROAD AND. WHITE OAK BOULEVARD AND WEST WESTGATE, AND WE HAVE A SECLUDED ACRE IN SPANISH ACRES. WE'VE HAD SOME MAJOR ISSUES. I SEE UPDATING OUR FLOOD RISK MAPS MORE VITAL TO THIS AREA. AND IT WOULD INCREASE OUR ECONOMY AND OUR REAL ESTATE PROPERTY VALUES MORE SO THAN THIS DITCH, BECAUSE THIS ONE IS TIGHT IN WITH DATA CENTER

[Item 10d - Consideration and possible action to approve an Ordinance on First Reading for a request to rezone from Not Designated ("N") District to Residential, Single Family ("R-1 ") District for 18. 7879 acres of the south 20 acres of Block 33, David & Stephenson Subdivision, located east of Crossett Road, approximately 2,606 feet north of West Loop 499. Applicant: VG Vanguard Engineering, LLC c/o River Creek Management, LLC.]

NUMBER TWO. AND I KNOW DATA CENTER NUMBER ONE IS GOING TO USE IT IS GOING TO USE IT AS WELL. THEN THERE'S ALWAYS THE POSSIBILITY, NOT THE POSSIBILITY. THERE WILL ALWAYS BE THE DUMPING OF CHEMICALS INADVERTENTLY INTO THAT DITCH. AND WHO'S GOING TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT. SO I HAVE THOSE QUESTIONS THAT THE FLOOD RISK MAPS TO ME, IS MORE VITAL FOR THIS AREA THAN PROVIDING THE THIS DITCH. AND I WISH WE COULD GET THEM UPDATED, BUT THAT'S A FEMA UNDERFUNDED BUNCH UP THERE IN D.C. THAT IS BEING CUT MORE FUNDING ON A YEARLY BASIS THAT ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THOSE UPDATES. WE KEEP WAITING TO EVEN GET OUR LEVEES CERTIFIED IN CAMERON COUNTY, AND THAT IS NOT OCCURRING. I, BWC, OF COURSE, IS IN CHARGE OF THE LEVEES, AND IT BECOMES QUITE CHALLENGING WHEN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THAT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THOSE INTERNATIONAL BOUNDARY ISSUES OR FLOOD MAPS IN OUR AREA DON'T GET UPDATED. I KNOW THAT IN HIDALGO, THEY WERE ABLE TO DO SOME LEVEE CERTIFICATION BECAUSE THEY HAD THE WALL BUILT, AND THE WALL ITSELF WAS BUILT ON SOME LEVEES THAT ALLOWED THEM TO UPDATE SOME FLOOD MAPS. BUT THAT HAS NOT OCCURRED IN CAMERON COUNTY YET. IT'S STILL.

YEAH. IT'S CONCERNING COUNTY. YES, SIR. THAT'S. THANK YOU. YEAH. GABE QUICK QUESTION. THIS IS WHAT THEY'RE ASKING FOR. THIS IS THIS PRETTY MUCH WHAT WHAT THEY WHEN FLUID STAT CAME

[Item 10f - Consideration and possible action to approve an Ordinance on second and final reading for a rezoning request from General Retail ("GR") District to Planned Development ("PD") District to allow for a Residential, Single-Family development with smaller lot sizes, for a 37.803-acres out of Lots 1, 2, 7, and 8, Block 145, San Benito Land and Water Company Subdivision in Concepcion de Carricitos Grant, located on the north side of East Treasure Hills Boulevard, approximately 872.41 feet west of FM 509. Applicant: Melden & Hunt, Inc. c/o Noblemen Investments, LLC.]

INITIALLY, IS THIS PRETTY MUCH WHAT THEY WANTED TO BEGIN WITH. IT'S THE SAME DRAIN DITCH. OKAY.

SO THEY CAME TO US INITIALLY AND THEY OFFERED US $20 MILLION. AND ALL WE ASKED IN RETURN WAS, WE'LL CONSIDER IT. BUT WE ASKED FOR TOWN HALL AND THEY BAILED ON US BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T WANT TO DO A TOWN HALL. SO THEN THEY WENT OVER THERE TO THE COUNTY, AND NOW THEY DID AN AGREEMENT WITH YOU. AND ARE YOU GETTING WE DON'T HAVE AN AGREEMENT, BUT THEY WENT OVER THERE TO TALK TO YOU GUYS THOUGH, RIGHT. THEY WENT OVER THERE TO TALK TO YOU GUYS THOUGH. YEAH THEY DID OKAY.

BUT THERE'S NO AGREEMENTS WITH ANYONE AT THE COUNTY. OKAY. OR ANY ENTITY. SO THEN NOW THEY'RE COMING OVER HERE AND I'M READING THIS BECAUSE LIKE DELIA SAID, I'M READING THIS AND WE BARELY GOT IT AND I'M LOOKING AT IT. AND THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE

[02:55:04]

CITY OF HARLINGEN AND THE COUNTY. BUT THEN WHEN I GET TO ARTICLE THREE, OBLIGATIONS, RESPONSIBILITIES, AND I GO TO SECTION E, ALL OF A SUDDEN IT'S NO LONGER THE COUNTY. ALL OF A SUDDEN IT GOES TO FLUID STACK WHERE IT SAYS THE CITY WILL PROMPTLY PROCESS ETJ OPT OUT PETITIONS FOR ALL PROPERTIES OWNED BY FLUID STACK AND ITS RELATED ENTITIES. AND THEN ON F, IT SAYS WASTEWATER SERVICES. THE CITY WILL SUPPORT AND FACILITATE HARLINGEN WATERWORKS SYSTEM'S PROMPT CONSIDERATION OF FLUID STACK REQUESTS FOR LETTERS FOR WASTEWATER SERVICES TO ALL FLUID STACK RELATED PROPERTIES. SO AS I'M READING THIS AND IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE ABOUT DRAINAGE, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN IT GOES INTO THE ETJ AND IT GOES INTO THE WATERWORKS.

AND IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THE COUNTY IS KIND OF LIKE A PROXY, OR MAYBE EVEN, I WOULD SAY A PROXY. I DON'T WANT TO SAY THE OTHER WORD FOR FLUID STACK. SO THEY'RE COMING OVER HERE AND SAYING, HEY, WELL, WE WANT THE SAME EXACT THING, BUT NOW WE'RE NOT OFFERING YOU $20 MILLION.

NOW WE'LL JUST DO YOUR DITCH AND JUST SAY YES BECAUSE THE COUNTY IS BACKING US. THAT'S HOW I SEE IT. IS IT ANY DIFFERENT? AND THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A VALID WAY TO LOOK AT

[Item 10e - Consideration and possible action to approve an Ordinance on First Reading for a variance to Chapter 109, Section 109-124(b )(3) of the City of Harlingen Code of Ordinances, with regards to the lot depth for townhome lots for the proposed Venecia Subdivision, bearing a legal description of a 1.121-acre tract of land out of Block 24, of the F.Z. Bishop Subdivision of the Rice and Taylor Lands, located west of New Hampshire Street, approximately 1,410 feet north of South Expressway 83. Applicant: S2 Engineering, PLLC c/o Raffa Construction, Inc.]

IT. IF THAT'S THE WAY YOU WANT TO LOOK AT IT. WE ARE NOT HERE AGAIN FOR OR AGAINST. WE ARE HERE. AND YOU KNOW, I PUSHED COMMISSIONER'S COURT TO DO THIS BECAUSE I FELT IT WAS MY FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITY TO PROTECT AN AREA OF THE COUNTY THAT I REPRESENT THAT I FELT VERY STRONGLY ABOUT. THEY DIDN'T COME TO ME AND SAY, HEY, YOU WANT TO DO A DITCH? ABSOLUTELY NOT. THEY CAME AND SAID, THERE'S A COMMUNITY BENEFIT PACKAGE THAT WE WANT TO VISIT WITH YOU ON. AS A RESULT OF THAT, I SAID, LOOK, THE MOST IMPORTANT THING FOR ME IS THE AIRPORT LATERAL DITCH THAT WILL PROTECT THE AIRPORT AS AN ECONOMIC ENGINE FOR THIS PART OF OUR COUNTY. AND THAT LED TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY. IF THERE'S ANYONE TO BLAME FOR ANYTHING, YOU CAN BLAME ME BECAUSE OTHERWISE I COULD HAVE JUST SAID, GIVE ME THE 20 MILLION

[Item 10g - Consideration and possible action to approve an Ordinance on second and final reading for a request to amend the previously approved Planned Development ("PD") District to allow a mixed-use development (commercial and multi-family) for properties bearing a legal description of 30.52-acre tract of land, more or less, out of Block 182, San Benito Land and Water Company Subdivision, Concepcion De Carricitos Grant, located north-east of Camelot Drive and Victoria Lane. Applicant: Berenice Chapa (Half Associates), c/o Development Corporation of Harlingen, Inc]

AND I'LL GO DO WHATEVER I WANT IN COMMUNITY PROJECTS. BUT MY BELIEF WAS THAT I HAD A DUTY TO YOU ALL AS MY CONSTITUENCY, TO COME AND APPROACH YOU AFTER THEY HAD LEFT, FOR YOU TO LOOK AT IT AND SEE IF THERE WAS A WAY TO POSSIBLY COME UP WITH SOME KIND OF AGREEMENT THAT WOULD SATISFY ALL OF THE PARTIES, ALL OF THE ENTITIES, AND BE ABLE TO SALVAGE A PROJECT THAT IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT IN YOUR MASTER DRAINAGE PLAN THAT YOU HAVE PROPOSED. YOU KNOW, THAT'S IT, I AGREE, I AGREE WITH YOU THAT THAT THAT PROJECT IS VERY IMPORTANT. I AGREE WITH YOU 100%. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I DON'T SEE THIS IS LIKE FOR ME, AGAIN, THIS IS JUST ME IN MY WAY OF SEEING THINGS IS THE WAY I SEE FLUID STACK IS JUST TRYING TO GET THE EASY WAY OUT. THEY NEED A DITCH AND THEY WANT THE DITCH, BUT THEY DON'T WANT TO DO A TOWN HALL. THEY DON'T WANT TO PAY UP. THEY DON'T WANT TO DO ANYTHING. AND I WAS AGAINST IT TO BEGIN WITH. BUT I WAS WILLING TO, YOU KNOW, I TALKED TO SOMEBODY AND I WAS

[Item 10h - Consideration and possible action to approve the preliminary construction plans and final plat with conditions, of the proposed Garret Crossing Subdivision Replat, consisting of a resubdivision of 15.54 acres of land out of the Garrett Acres Subdivision, located on the northeast corner of the intersection of Doan and Garrett Roads. Applicant: Moore Land Surveying, LLC c/o Zarate Home Designs, LLC.]

WILLING TO AT LEAST LISTEN TO THEM. AND I APPRECIATE THAT, COMMISSIONER FLORES. THANK YOU.

BUT NOW, WHEN THEY'RE TO ME, IT'S THEY'RE TRYING TO CIRCUMVENT EVERYTHING. AND I'M STILL WAITING FOR THE TOWN HALL BECAUSE I KNOW THE PEOPLE OF CITY OF HARLINGEN, THEY WANT A TOWN HALL. THEY HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS. THEY WANT TO BE ASKING FLUID STACK. AND HERE THEY WANT US TO GO AND SIGN OFF ON THIS, THEN BACK THEM UP FOR THE WATERWORKS STUFF AND OTHER STUFF. BUT YET THEY DON'T EVEN WANT TO GIVE US THE BASIC THING THAT WE WANT, WHICH IS A TOWN HALL. AND NOW THEY DON'T EVEN OFFER US A 20 MILLION. NOW THEY'RE JUST SAYING, OH, WE'LL JUST HELP YOU WITH THE DITCH. THAT'S IT. SO I DON'T THINK THIS IS THIS IS, AGAIN, MY OPINION. I DON'T SPEAK FOR ANYBODY ELSE, BUT I DON'T THINK THAT THIS AGREEMENT, AS IT'S WRITTEN RIGHT HERE, I DO NOT THINK THIS IS A GOOD DEAL FOR HARLINGEN. AND I DON'T THINK THIS IS A GOOD THING AT ALL FOR US. WELL, IF IT MAKES ANY DIFFERENCE TO YOU, YOU KNOW, COMMISSIONERS COURT PASSED THIS AGREEMENT SUBJECT TO LEGAL. OKAY, BECAUSE THAT'S THE WAY THE MOTION WAS MADE. AND THAT'S THE WAY MOST IN THESE KIND OF AGREEMENTS WHERE ALL THE ATTACHMENTS ARE NOT PART OF THE DOCUMENT. YOU DO IT. AND THEN LEGAL HAS THEIR REVIEW PROCESS ENGINEERING. ALL OF YOUR PLANNING DEPARTMENTS HAVE THEIR PROCESS. AND THEN THEY BROUGHT TO US FOR FINAL APPROVAL ONCE THEY'RE DONE. SO THIS YOU'RE NOT APPROVING A FINAL DOCUMENT.

[Item 10i - Consideration and possible action to approve an expenditure in the amount of $109,450.00 by the Development Corporation of Harlingen, Inc. for marketing services to be provided by Golden Shovel Agency.]

YOU'RE APPROVING AGREEING TO WORK TOGETHER TO DO THIS. AND AGAIN, IF YOU DON'T AGREE, THANK YOU. GOD BLESS. NO HURT FEELINGS. I'LL COME BACK HERE AT ANY TIME. I FEEL THAT IT IS MY OBLIGATION AS YOUR COMMISSIONER THAT REPRESENTS A LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN HARLINGEN ON ANY PROJECT, AND WE HAVE AND CONTINUE TO WORK WITH OTHER PROJECTS. GABRIEL AND COMMISSIONER, I MEAN, MAYOR SEPULVEDA, THERE'S A NUMBER OF PROJECTS THAT WE WORK TOGETHER ON. WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO THAT. THAT'S OUR ROLE. YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT HERE TO MAKE DECISIONS. WE'RE HERE TO OFFER A SOLUTION. WE WANT IT FINE. IF NOT, WE MOVE ON. UNFORTUNATELY OR FORTUNATELY, THE WAY YOU WANT TO LOOK AT IT, THIS COMPANY SAYS THAT THEY HAVE AVAILABLE OPTIONS OTHER THAN THIS DITCH, YOU KNOW, TO DISCHARGE THEIR THEIR WATER. SO.

WELL, IF IF THAT WERE TRUE, I DON'T KNOW WHY THEY KEEP ON COMING FORWARD. WELL, THEY DIDN'T KEEP ON COMING. OKAY. REMEMBER I SAID I BROUGHT IT TO THE ATTENTION OF COMMISSIONERS COURT AND I'M HERE TODAY BECAUSE I FEEL MORALLY OBLIGATED TO AT LEAST GIVE YOU

[03:00:04]

AN OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT AN OPTION IN TRYING TO SOLVE A PIECE OF YOUR MASTER DRAINAGE PLAN THAT YOU HAVE ADOPTED. THAT'S IT. APPRECIATE IT. AND IT'S NOT GOING TO HURT MY FEELINGS, COMMISSIONER. YOU KNOW, I MEAN, MY ROLE IS TO BRING TO YOU THE INFORMATION THE BEST I CAN GET PRESENTED TO YOU, GIVE YOU THE OPTIONS TO MAKE A CHOICE AS TO WHAT YOU WANT TO DO. AND WE MOVE FORWARD. AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THE NEXT PROJECT IF THIS ONE DOESN'T GET DONE. LIKE I SAID, I APPRECIATE YOU COMING OVER HERE AND BRINGING THIS TO US, BUT I DON'T WANT YOU TO BLAME THEM BECAUSE THEY IT WAS MY IDEA, NOT THEIR IDEA. OKAY, WELL, WELL, TO BE HERE. OKAY. BUT LIKE I STILL SAID, IF I'M, I'M ASSUMING THAT SOMEONE FROM FLUTE STACK IS PROBABLY WATCHING THIS ON LIVE OR THEY'LL WATCH IT EVENTUALLY, THEN I WOULD ENCOURAGE THEM THAT IF THEY WANT, YOU KNOW, THEY NEED TO TALK TO US, THEY NEED TO TALK TO US AND NEGOTIATE WITH US, AND THEY NEED TO HAVE THE TOWN HALL. THE PEOPLE WANT ANSWERS. THAT'S WHAT THEY WANT. AND I'LL RELAY THAT MESSAGE MYSELF WITH THE GROUP. OKAY. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER, DID YOU HAVE SOME FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS? YES. I HAD NOT GOTTEN TO THE PART THAT COMMISSIONER PEREZ HAD GOTTEN TO BECAUSE I. I GO FIRST, BUT YEAH, THE ETJ THAT THE CITY PROMPTLY THAT HE READ THERE. I AGREE WITH THAT AS WELL.

COMMISSIONER GARCIA, THE ARTICLE THREE LETTER E AND THE F AS WELL. AND THEN I GO ON TO THE OUTFALLS AS WELL. AND THEN ON ARTICLE FIVE, WHERE LETTER B AUTOMATIC RENEWAL INITIAL. THE WHAT I'VE READ SO FAR ON THIS ON THIS AGREEMENT IS I. AND I'M JUST LOOKING AT IT ON DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF IT BECAUSE I HAVEN'T READ IT COMPLETELY. I, I'M NOT, I'M NOT, I'M NOT FOR IT. I'M NOT FOR IT. AND I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS. AND WHEN I MEAN NUMEROUS AND I MEAN NUMEROUS BY MESSAGE TEXT, PHONE CALLS AND PEOPLE ACTUALLY STOPPING ME AT DIFFERENT PLACES WHERE I'M AT, OF WHAT THEY'VE SEEN AND WHAT THEY'VE HEARD, AND WHETHER IT BE YOU YOURSELF. AND I APPRECIATE YOU MAKING THAT VERY CLEAR THAT IT'S YOU WHO BROUGHT IT TO OUR ATTENTION AND NOT FLUID STACK. BUT LIKE COMMISSIONER PEREZ SAID HIMSELF, THEY'RE THEY'RE WATCHING. AND IF THEY'RE NOT WATCHING, THAT'S ON THEM. BUT IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT THEY NEED TO COME TALK TO US. IT'S IT'S RESPECTFUL. IT'S BUSINESS. AND THEY NEED TO COME TALK TO US. THE CONSTITUENTS OF HARLINGEN, THE RESIDENTS OF HARLINGEN DESERVE THAT. SO I'M NOT FOR THAT EITHER. ABSOLUTELY.

BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BRINGING THAT TO OUR ATTENTION. YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU. OKAY.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU BOTH, COMMISSIONER, FOR COMING. AND, MR. SEPULVEDA. SO AND I DON'T HAVE ANY I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. NO. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR THE THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU FOR. AND THAT POWERPOINT IS ATTRIBUTED TO A LOT OF DIFFERENT SOURCES. IT'S NOT MY WORK PRODUCT. IT'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE'S WORK PRODUCT. WE JUST IT KIND OF MADE SENSE, YOU KNOW, WHEN MY STAFF PUT IT TOGETHER AND SAID, LOOK, YOU KNOW, THIS IS WHAT CAN HAPPEN IF WE WORK TOGETHER. AND I SAYS, FINE, IF, IF I FELT VERY COMPELLED THAT I NEEDED TO BE BEFORE YOU. AND JUST LIKE YOU GET THE COMMENTS AT THE GROCERY STORE AT WHATABURGER AT EVERYWHERE, YOU KNOW, I GET THEM AND MY WIFE SAYS, WHY DO YOU PUT UP WITH THIS? AND I SAYS, BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO DO WHAT? I CAN GO HOME TONIGHT AND SLEEP WELL, BECAUSE I DID WHAT

[Item 10j - Consideration and possible action to approve an expenditure of $20,000 by the Development Corporation of Harlingen, Inc to Binational Media LLC, Texas for the sponsorship of the Mexico Manufacturing Ecosystem Forum 2027.]

I THOUGHT WAS RIGHT AND GO TO CHURCH ON SUNDAY AND THANK GOD FOR GIVING ME, GIVING ME THE WEEK OF OPPORTUNITIES TO DO WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE THAT I FEEL IMPORTANT IN OUR IN OUR COMMUNITY. THAT SIMPLE. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME AND GOD BLESS EACH ONE OF YOU.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU COMMISSIONER. LIKEWISE. SO. LOOKING AT AND HAVING THE DISCUSSION AND LISTENING TO EVERYONE'S COMMENTS, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF, OF LOPEZ HERE,

[Item 10k - Consideration and possible action to retract the approval of Los Ranchitos Road Repairs Project utilizing the Public Works Street Repairs approved at the Regular City Commission Meeting of September 2, 2026.]

COMMISSIONER PEREZ, YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU INITIALLY HAD OPPOSITION OR STRONG OPPOSITION, BUT YOU WERE WILLING TO LISTEN. I'M ALWAYS WILLING TO LISTEN. YOU'RE WILLING TO LISTEN? I DON'T KNOW. DON'T ASK MY WIFE, THOUGH. SO YOU WERE WILLING TO LISTEN. I THINK WHEN WE LOOK AT THIS, THIS ISSUE, I THINK THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF CONCERN, VALID CONCERN REGARDING DATA CENTERS. RIGHT. AND I THINK THAT IS IS A CONTROVERSIAL ISSUE. IT'S BEEN A TOPIC OF DISCUSSION NOT JUST HERE, BUT ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY, AND ESPECIALLY RIGHT NOW IN THIS POLITICAL SEASON. BUT I THINK THIS AS A AS A COMMISSION, WE NEED TO LOOK AT THIS PROJECT AND LOOK AT THESE CONCERNS AND UNDERSTAND THAT, AS I MENTIONED AT THE LAST THE LAST TIME THIS WAS BEFORE US, THAT THIS IS A DRAINAGE AND AN INFRASTRUCTURE ISSUE. THERE'S

[03:05:01]

BEEN A LOT OF A LOT OF COMMENTARY REGARDING OUR AIRPORT, THE POWERPOINT THAT WE SAW TODAY IN THE RUNWAY. ALL OF US HAVE SEEN THESE PICTURES ALREADY. THIS IS, YOU KNOW, IN YOUR DISTRICT. YOU TALK TO THE PEOPLE IN YOUR COMMUNITY. AND THE REALITY IS THAT WHEN YOU LOOK AT IF YOU TAKE IF YOU SEPARATE THE EMOTIONAL PART OF IT AND YOU SEPARATE, YOU KNOW, JUST THE, THE COMMENTARY FROM ALL DIFFERENT SIDES. AND YOU JUST LOOK AT THE ISSUE AT OUR AIRPORT AND YOU LOOK AT MARCH 2025, AND YOU THINK OF THIS DEVELOPMENT, THAT THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR A $7 MILLION PROJECT TO BE COMPLETED AT NO EXPENSE TO THE TAXPAYER WHATSOEVER, NOT CONVEYING ANY LAND, NOT SELLING PROPERTY, NOT GIVING UP ANYTHING. IN REALITY, THEY'RE SAYING, WE'RE GOING TO COME IN HERE, WE'RE GOING TO MAKE THESE IMPROVEMENTS, AND YOU'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE TO PAY FOR IT. AND SO IF IT'D BE ANY OTHER INDUSTRY ASIDE FROM THE DATA CENTER, I THINK ALL OF US WOULD BE SAYING, OF COURSE WE WANT TO DO THAT. I THINK THE CONCERNS THAT COMMISSIONER GOMEZ BROUGHT UP REGARDING THEY NEED TO TALK TO US. THAT'S HOW I'VE BEEN FEELING, RIGHT? THAT THEY NEED TO TALK TO US. AND I THINK THAT YOU SAID THE SAME THING. THEY NEED TO TALK TO US BECAUSE WE REPRESENT THE CITIZENS OF HARLINGEN. I THINK THE COUNTY HAS, YOU KNOW, STEPPED UP TO SAY, WELL, WE'RE GOING TO KIND OF BE A MEDIATOR OF SORTS. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, OUR COMMUNITY LOOKS TO US FOR ANSWERS. THEY LOOK TO US FOR OUR LEADERSHIP. AND SO I HAD A LOT OF THE SIMILAR CONCERNS THAT YOU HAD, SO I DID, I CONTACTED THEM DIRECTLY MYSELF AND I SAID, WHAT HAPPENED TO THE TOWN HALL? RIGHT? BECAUSE WE HAVE A TOWN HALL. THEY HAVE TOLD ME THAT THEY ARE WILLING TO WORK WITH THE CITY OF HARLINGEN AND TO CONTINUE A CONVERSATION WITH HARLINGEN, TO WORK DIRECTLY WITH HARLINGEN TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF OF HOW THINGS ARE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD. THEY'VE COMMITTED TO A TOWN HALL TO BE COMPLETED BEFORE THE END OF NOVEMBER.

THEY'VE IDENTIFIED THEY'RE GOING FORWARD. JUST TO BE FAIR, THEY'RE GOING TO DO THIS TOWN HALL WITH OR WITHOUT US BECAUSE THEY BELIEVE THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THEY SHOULD DO, WHICH I THOUGHT WAS GREAT, BUT IT WAS ONE OF OUR CONDITIONS. I THINK IT WAS CONDITIONED UPON.

AND I THINK SOMEBODY SAID THEY'RE NOT COMING BACK UNLESS THEY HAVE A TOWN HALL. AND I THOUGHT THAT WAS FAIR. SO THEY ARE WILLING TO LISTEN. BUT JUST LIKE ANY BUSINESS IN ANY INDUSTRY, THEY'RE TIRED OF DELAYS AND DELAYS AND DELAYS BECAUSE IT COSTS MONEY. THAT'S THE REALITY OF IT. IT COSTS MONEY. SO IF THIS COMMISSION IS WILLING TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS WITH FLUID STACK, UNDERSTANDING THAT THEY'RE COMING ANYWAY, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF CONVERSATION REGARDING POTENTIAL ISSUES. COMMISSIONER MORALES, YOU SAID REGARDING THE FAA, I TALKED TO OUR AVIATION DIRECTOR, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO ASK THOSE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS, AND THERE MAY BE A CONCERN REGARDING A COMMUNITY BENEFIT AGREEMENT OF IF THERE'S SOME MONEY, THAT MONEY SHOULD GO TO THE AIRPORT OR THAT MONEY SHOULD GO TO THE CITY OR WHAT HAVE YOU, ALL OF THAT THING MAY IN FACT, YOU KNOW, THE, THE PORTION THAT THAT BUTTS UP TO THE AIRPORT, THAT THAT IS A CONCERN. AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU NEED TO LOOK AT. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE FAA IS GOING TO BE HAPPY THAT YOU'RE GOING TO WIDEN A DITCH THAT IS NOT GOING TO FLOOD OUR AIRPORT. THAT IS MY UNDERSTANDING BY TALKING TO OUR, YOU KNOW, AVIATION DIRECTOR AND LEGAL AND ENSURING THAT THAT IS OKAY. THERE'S NOTHING THAT IS GOING TO PREVENT THAT FUNDS THAT PART OF A COMMUNITY BENEFIT AGREEMENT THAT THAT IS SEPARATE, RIGHT? THAT IS SEPARATE. THOSE ARE ADDITIONAL FUNDS. AND WHERE THAT MONEY WERE TO GO THAT CLEARLY, I THINK EVERYBODY ON THIS COMMISSION KNOWS HOW MUCH WORK IS NEEDED AT THE AIRPORT, BUT THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY. AND IF THIS COMMISSION IS SERIOUS AND IT'S NOT JUST I'M THIS IS WHAT I'M TELLING THE COMMUNITY. WE WANT THEM TO TALK TO US. AND IF YOU WANT TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS, THEN MY RECOMMENDATION IS TO GIVE THAT GUIDANCE TO GABE, TO GET ON THE PHONE WITH THEM TOMORROW AND SEE IF HARLINGEN CAN FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN WORK TOGETHER SO WE CAN MAKE THESE IMPROVEMENTS. AND THEY ARE NOT AT THE TAXPAYER EXPENSE, AND THAT WE ENSURE THAT EVERYTHING THAT WE DO OBVIOUSLY MEETS LEGAL REQUIREMENTS AND WE COMMUNICATE WITH THE FAA, WE COMMUNICATE WITH THE AIRPORT, WE COMMUNICATE WITH OUR AIRPORT BOARD AND, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THE STAKEHOLDERS. BUT THAT'S IF Y'ALL WANT TO DO IT, IF YOU DON'T WANT TO DO IT BECAUSE YOU WANT TO SAY NO TO DATA CENTERS, IT'S STILL COMING. BUT IF YOU WANT TO DO THAT, THAT WOULD BE MY RECOMMENDATION. IT'S CLEAR

[03:10:06]

THAT I THINK THERE'S SOME, YOU KNOW, THERE'S BEEN SOME. I THINK SOME SOME FOLKS ON, ON THE DAIS IS A LITTLE BIT, YOU KNOW, TAKEN ABACK AND DIDN'T LIKE THAT THE COUNTY IS, IS, IS PRESENTING THIS. OKAY. SO I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY IF YOU REALLY WANT TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION. AND IF YOU DO, THEN LET'S DO THAT. AND IF YOU DON'T, THEN LET'S TURN THE PAGE. RIGHT? BUT WE DO NEED TO, WE NEED TO NEED TO MAKE A DECISION TODAY ON HOW WE'RE GOING TO GO. SO OPEN UP IF THERE'S ANY COMMENTS REGARDING WHAT I'M SUGGESTING, IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT THE COMMISSION WANTS TO DO BECAUSE THEY ARE WATCHING, JUST LIKE EACH OF YOU SAID, THEY ARE WATCHING. AND THAT'S WHY WE HAVE A CITY MANAGER TO LOOK OUT FOR THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE CITY AND, YOU KNOW, EMPOWER HIM TO, TO, TO DO THAT AND BRING IT BACK TO US AND ENSURE THAT THEY'RE REACHING OUT AND HAVING THE TOWN HALL WITH THE COMMUNITY. I KNOW THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE COME OUT HERE AND THEY SPEAK AT THE PODIUM AND THEY THEY TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THEIR SPECIFIC CONCERNS. BUT I KNOW I'M NOT IN THE MINORITY HERE. I KNOW EVERY SINGLE PERSON HERE HAD PEOPLE COME OUT AND REACH OUT TO THEM IN SUPPORT OF TAKING THESE FUNDS AND WIDENING THE DITCH AND NOT MAYBE NOT WANT TO DO IT, YOU KNOW, AND BE VOCAL ABOUT IT BECAUSE OF CONCERN. BUT THERE'S ALSO ON THE OTHER SIDE WHERE PEOPLE ARE SAYING, DON'T DO IT, BUT WE HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT WE REPRESENT ALL OF THE CITIZENS OF HARLINGEN, AND WE WERE ELECTED TO DO WHAT'S BEST FOR THE CITY OF HARLINGEN. SO OPEN

[Item 10l - Consideration and possible action to award RFQ No. 2026-1 1, Professional Engineering Services for the Treasure Hills Boulevard Storm Sewer Improvements (SYS #008 & SYS #018), and authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute a Professional Services Agreement with the highest-ranked qualified firm.]

IT UP. IF ANYBODY HAS ANY, ANY WELL, SUGGESTIONS COMMENT TO START WITH, I JUST GOT THE AGREEMENT, SO I HAVEN'T READ IT. AND LIKE YOU SAID, WE NEED TO BE PREPARED BEFORE WE COME INTO OUR MEETINGS. AND I JUST GOT THE AGREEMENT, SO I NEED A FEW MINUTES TO READ IT. YOU'VE TOLD US THAT BEFORE TO COMMISSIONER MORALES. YOU NEED TO COME IN HERE, BE PREPARED. AND I JUST GAVE JUST HANDED US THE AGREEMENT. I HAVEN'T READ IT. I AGREE THAT'S BUT WHAT I'M SUGGESTING, JUST TO BE CLEAR, IS NOT THIS AGREEMENT. I MEAN, IT'S CLEAR I CAN I CAN READ THE ROOM. I KNOW YOUR CONCERNS. AND THERE'S THERE'S ONLY FOUR OF US HERE, AND THEY'RE VEHEMENTLY OPPOSED. AND YOU WANT TO READ. AND EVEN IF WE BOTH READ, WE'RE STILL I MEAN, WE CAN DO THE MATH. SO WHAT I'M SUGGESTING IS THIS IS NOTHING. THIS IS NOT PART OF THE DISCUSSION. IT IS WORKING JUST LIKE YOU MENTIONED AND WHAT YOU SUGGESTED AND WHAT YOU SUGGESTED DIRECTLY WITH FLUID STACK, AND HAVE GABE CALL THEM TOMORROW AND SAY WE, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T NEED THE COUNTY TO BE THE, YOU KNOW, HAVE AN MOU WITH THE COUNTY. WE WANT TO WORK DIRECTLY WITH FLUID STACK AND ENSURE THAT THAT AGREEMENT IS MADE WITH US DIRECTLY AND CONDITIONED UPON, OF COURSE, THAT THEY DO HAVE THAT TOWN HALL THAT THEY HAVE COMMITTED TO ME, THAT THEY ARE ALREADY DOING IT BY THE END OF THE MONTH. SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE REQUESTED, AND THEY ARE GOING TO DO IT. BUT IS THAT DOESN'T REQUIRE YOU TO READ THIS AGREEMENT UNLESS YOU WANT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH IT? NO, I NEED TO READ THE I NEED TO READ THE AGREEMENT. AND JUST BECAUSE THEY'VE COMMITTED TO YOU, WE NEED THAT IN WRITING. I UNDERSTAND THAT'S MY THAT IS MY I'M MY MY, MY SUGGESTION IS NOT LET'S APPROVE SOMETHING WE DON'T HAVE. IT'S EMPOWER GABE TO GET THOSE THINGS THAT. SO DO YOU WANT TO TABLE THIS? NO, I MEAN, I DON'T I DON'T KNOW IF WE TABLE IT HOW IT'S GOING TO COME BACK AND WE'RE GOING TO. WE'RE ONLY FOR. IF IT'S 2 TO 2, IT'S STILL GOING TO IT'LL FAIL. I WAS GOING TO MAKE A MOTION TO DENY I DON'T IT ISN'T. BUT WHAT SHE'S WHAT SHE'S WHAT SHE'S WHAT SHE'S SAYING IS THAT IF WE WANT TO ACTUALLY HAVE. BECAUSE WE BOTH WANT THE SAME THING, YOU AND I, WE BOTH WANT FLUID STACK TO TALK TO US. WE DON'T NEED THE COUNTY TO BE OUR MIDDLEMAN. THEY WANT WE WANT THEM TO TALK TO US. SO WHAT SHE'S SAYING IS SHE WANTS US TO LET GABE REACH OUT TO THEM AND SAY, HEY, COME TALK TO US. BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, WHAT I WANT, AND I'M SURE YOU WANT THE SAME THINGS. I WANT THAT TOWN HALL.

I WANT TO GIVE THE PEOPLE OF HARLINGEN AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO THEM, TO VOICE THEIR CONCERNS, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, TO FIND OUT WHAT THEIR ANSWERS TO THEIR CONCERNS ARE. SO THAT'S WHAT I WANT. SO I WOULD BE IN FAVOR OF, OF HAVING GABE TALK TO THEM AND SAY, TOWN HALL, I WANT TOWN HALL AND IT'S COMMITTED, THEN GO FOR IT. WE'LL LISTEN TO THE TOWN HALL.

I'M RESERVING EVERYTHING BECAUSE AS OF RIGHT NOW, I'M STILL AGAINST IT. BUT I WANT TO LISTEN. I WANT TO GIVE THE PEOPLE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THE TOWN HALL TO ASK THEIR QUESTIONS AND HAVE ALL THEIR CONCERNS ADDRESSED. THAT'S WHAT I WANT. AND THEN AFTER THAT, WE WILL GO AHEAD AND, YOU KNOW, DECIDE WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO. BUT FOR THIS RIGHT HERE, I'M

[Item 10m - Consideration and possible action to cancel the City Commission Meetings of November 18th, 2026 and December 16th, 2026 due to the holidays.]

AGAINST THIS. SO I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO DENY SECOND. OKAY. SO I, I GET THAT. SO AGAIN. THIS,

[03:15:03]

THIS IS FINE, BUT IN, IN, IN TERMS OF DIRECTION MOVING FORWARD, HAVE GABE REACH OUT TO THEM, HAVE GABE REACH OUT TO THEM, MAKE SURE WE'RE GETTING THE TOWN HALL, GET DEFINITE DATES AND THEN TALK. BRING BRING THEM BACK TO THE TABLE AND WE'LL TALK TO THEM. I'M RESERVING EVERYTHING, BUT I'M WILLING TO LISTEN TO WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO SAY. BUT I DO WANT THE TOWN OF TOWN HALL. THE TOWN HALL IS THE ONE THING THAT IT'S NON-NEGOTIABLE. I GOT ONE MORE. WOULD YOU WANT THE TOWN HALL BEFORE IT COMES BACK TO THE COMMISSION? YES, YES. SO.

OKAY, WE'LL GO BACK TO THAT. WHAT IS IT? SINCE BOTH OF YOU ON THE AIRPORT BOARD AS VOTING MEMBERS. CORRECT. I'D LIKE TO HAVE YOU, GABE, REACH OUT TO THE FAA. OBVIOUSLY, MISS LEONARD HAS SOMEBODY'S PHONE NUMBER AND SEE WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY. OKAY, SO LET'S NOT EXCLUDE THAT. IF YOU REALLY WANT THIS, LET'S COVER ALL THE BASES. TOWN HALL IS GREAT, BUT IF WE DON'T GET IT FROM THE FAA, THEY COME BACK LATER AND SAY, HEY, THIS IS WRONG. THEN WE'RE UP THE CREEK OR WHOEVER DECIDES IS GOING TO INVEST SOME MONEY. AND IN THE MEANTIME, I GOT TO DO SOME RESEARCH AND FIND OUT WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THIS FLOOD RISK MAPS AND MAKE SOME CALLS.

OKAY. THAT'S 51 YEARS. NOBODY'S JUMPED ON THAT. OKAY. SO. NOTED. COMMISSIONER. I THINK THAT.

THERE IS A A LEVEL OF UNCERTAINTY STILL OF I THINK THAT IF YOU'RE OPEN TO CONSIDERING THESE IMPROVEMENTS, THEN I THINK THAT FLUID STOCK NEEDS TO KNOW THAT. IS IT BECAUSE THIS TOWN HALL IS IS GOING TO HAPPEN AND AND THAT AND I UNDERSTAND THAT. SO WE'RE GOING TO CHECK THAT OFF OF THE BOX, BUT I IT'S NOT WORTH ANYONE'S TIME FOR US TO CONTINUE GOING DOWN THIS PATH AND TO HAVE GABE CALLING THEM. IF THERE'S NO REAL INTEREST IN COMMUNICATING AND, AND GETTING THIS TO WORK. SO IS THERE IF YOU ARE IF THERE IS NO WAY, THEN I THINK THAT IT'S JUST EASIER TO SAY THAT IF THERE IS OPPORTUNITY, BECAUSE WE SEE THE BENEFIT TO THE AIRPORT AND WE SEE THE BENEFIT TO THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITY. AND I EVEN THINK SOME OF THE OPPOSITION SAID, HEY, ASK FOR, FOR, FOR, YOU KNOW, FOR, FOR MORE MONEY. RIGHT. IT'S, IT'S, WE NEED TO BE THINKING ABOUT THE WIDENING OF THE DITCH, HOW IT'S GOING TO IMPROVE. AND IF WE GET ANOTHER MARCH 2025, IT DOESN'T FLOOD THE AIRPORT. ARE WE AGREEABLE TO WANTING TO MAKE THOSE IMPROVEMENTS OR NOT? I GET THE I YOU THAT THE THE THE TOWN HALL, I UNDERSTAND 1,000%. BUT ASIDE FROM THAT, IS THIS JUST A BECAUSE WHAT WE WERE HERE LAST TIME, IT SOUNDED LIKE THIS COMMISSION, WHICH IS. WHICH I THINK WHY THEY WENT OVER TO THE COUNTY WAS GO HAVE THE TOWN HALL, AND WE'RE STILL NOT GOING TO DO IT. SO I THINK IS THERE ANY DIFFERENT TODAY? YEAH. BECAUSE LIKE I SAID, I KNOW I'M LIKE I SAID, I'M WILLING TO LISTEN BECAUSE I KNOW THE NEED FOR THIS AT THE AIRPORT. SO I'M WILLING TO LISTEN TO THEM AND TO HAVE TO WHAT TO SAY. BUT I'M NOT GOING TO SAY RIGHT NOW, YES, I'M IN FAVOR OF IT. OF COURSE, OF COURSE. OKAY. BUT WHAT I'M SAYING IS THAT THERE IS OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE AT THE LAST MEETING YOU WERE LIKE, NO, BUT I THINK THAT WE'VE LEARNED A LOT SINCE SINCE THEN. AND SO I THINK IT'S UNDERSTANDABLE TO SEE THE BENEFIT TO THE COMMUNITY. YES, THERE IS OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE IN LIKE DISTRICT ONE, THE AIRPORT IS IN DISTRICT ONE AND NOT JUST BECAUSE THE DISTRICT, BECAUSE IT'S ALL OF HARLINGEN. THERE IS OPPORTUNITY, BUT IT HAS TO GO WITH THE TOWN HALL, WHICH IS WHERE THE RESIDENTS OF HARLINGEN WILL GO. AND WE WILL GET MORE ANSWERS TO THAT. AND YES, BECAUSE OF OF INFRASTRUCTURE DRAINAGE, THAT IS SO IMPORTANT. BUT THE TOWN HALL IS GOING TO BE NEEDED FOR US TO GO THERE. BUT YES, IT IS NOT GOING TO BE WASTED TIME OR EFFORT. WE WILL HAVE TO GET THAT TO IT. BUT YES, WE'RE NOT GOING TO JUST DO IT JUST TO WASTE THEIR TIME AND EFFORT. WE HAVE TO GET THAT TOWN HALL IN IN ORDER TO BE DOING THIS. AND I MEAN, IF IT'S A NO, IT'S A NO.

BUT IF IT'S A POSSIBILITY, IT COULD BE YES. HOWEVER, WE DON'T KNOW UNLESS WE GET THE TOWN HALL. AND WE HAVE MANY PEOPLE WHO CAME IN HERE AND SAID, WHO TOOK THEIR TIME AND EFFORT TO COME AND TALK, WHO STILL ARE MESSAGING ALL OF US AND DOING THEIR THEIR DUE DILIGENCE TO SAY, THIS IS WHAT I'VE LOOKED AT, THIS IS WHAT I'M LOOKING AT. THIS IS WHAT I'VE LOOKED AT AND RESEARCHED. BUT WE HAVE NO STUDIES. AND SO WE HAVE TO LOOK INTO THIS. HOWEVER, WE'RE NOT SAYING NO, WE JUST NEED THIS TOWN HALL. OKAY, I UNDERSTAND. ALL RIGHT. AND SO I WOULD

[03:20:03]

ENCOURAGE YOU TO SPEAK WITH MR. NEVAREZ REGARDING YOUR CONCERNS. I SPOKE WITH HIM AND I FEEL COMFORTABLE AND I'D ENCOURAGE YOU TO HAVE THOSE THOSE CONVERSATIONS, I WILL. OKAY.

FANTASTIC. SO THERE WAS A MOTION TO DENY THE MOU. THERE WAS A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER GOMEZ. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE, AYE. OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU COMMISSIONER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALLOWING US A TIME TO BE HERE. AND CONGRATULATIONS TO COMMISSIONER LOPEZ, WHO AS OF THE FIRST OF NEXT MONTH, BECOMES THE DEPUTY CHIEF LEGAL COUNSEL FOR CAMERON COUNTY. CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU. SO IN OTHER WORDS, LUNCHES, DINNERS ON HIM. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. TACOS FROM TACO, TACOS FROM TACO. OKAY. SO, GABE, JUST TO BE CLEAR, I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO COMMUNICATE. CALL TOMORROW. I CALL AND COMMUNICATE WHAT WAS DISCUSSED HERE AND THEN REPORT BACK TO THE ENTIRE COMMISSION. RIGHT. AND ALSO REACH OUT TO THE FAA. OKAY. ABOUT THE OTHER ISSUE THAT COMMISSIONER MORALES BROUGHT UP. YES, SIR. THANK YOU.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT. MOVING OVER TO PUBLIC HEARINGS, THE THE RESIDENTS LEFT, CORRECT? YEAH.

OKAY. PUBLIC HEARINGS AT THIS TIME, WE WILL BEGIN WITH ITEM NINE, A PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE VICTORIA COMMONS PHASE TWO SUBDIVISION. ONLY A CASH ESCROW WITH PROGRESS DISBURSEMENTS AS THE FINANCIAL GUARANTEE OF THE PERFORMANCE FOR REQUIRED PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS. APPROVING THE SUBDIVISION IMPROVEMENT AND ESCROW AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF HARLINGEN AND THE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION OF HARLINGEN FOR THE VICTORIA COMMONS PHASE TWO SUBDIVISION.

ACCEPTING THE ESCROW ESTABLISHED THERE UNDER AS THE APPROPRIATE FINANCIAL GUARANTEE OF PERFORMANCE PURSUANT TO SECTION 100 AND 9-91A2B OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES APPROVING THE CORPORATION'S EXPENDITURE UNDER SECTION 501.07, THREE OF THE TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE AUTHORIZING EXECUTION AND ADMINISTRATION OF THE AGREEMENT, PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY AND REPEAL OF CONFLICTING ORDINANCES AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. THIS WAS AN ITEM PUT ON BY THE EDC. AT THIS TIME, WE'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING. IS THIS YOU, MR.

[Item 10o - Consideration and possible action to authorize the City Manager to initiate the Budget Amendment Process by making the necessary changes, including but limited, to transferring Reserve Funds to give city employees a 5% increase across the board with the exception of the top Executives who recently received raises retroactive to October 1, 2026.]

MARTINEZ? YES, MA'AM. OKAY. THANK YOU. YES, SIR. YOU'VE GOT THREE MINUTES. THANK YOU.

YOU'RE ALREADY SAID WHO I WAS. I PROVIDED YOU AN EXHIBIT, AND IT DIDN'T PASS IT OUT. BECAUSE THE COPY COLOR COPIES ARE TOO EXPENSIVE. AND MY COMPUTER, MY PRINTER WENT OUT. BUT I PREDICT THIS IS THE TERSE TWO. YOU HAVE A TERSE AND DISTRICT FIVE, YOU GOT 1.7 MILLION. I DON'T KNOW, MR. DELIA. YOU GOT 1.4 YEARS SINCE THE 29TH, 27TH NEXT YEAR, IF YOU DON'T USE IT, THE COUNTY GETS THEIR MONEY, YOU GET YOUR MONEY, THE PARTICIPATION. LIKEWISE, I'D LIKE TO SEE SOME PROJECTS DEVELOP IN BOTH. ALL OF YOU, BECAUSE I'M HERE FROM FOR THE CITY. YOU KNOW, I'M NOT HERE FOR A PARTICULAR DISTRICT. THAT'S WHY I AM A I'M A GENERALIST. BUT THIS IS YOU CAN SEE THE THE CONTRACT, NOT THE ORIGINAL. THE CONTRACT AGREEMENT WITH CAMERON COUNTY AND YOU FOR THE USE OF THIS PROPERTY. TAXPAYERS MONEY IS FOR THE. IT WAS FOR A LIST OF PROJECTS ALL THE WAY FROM HELL DOWN. AND THAT'S WHY I CALLED. IT'S CALLED 509 TERSE.

EVERYTHING CONNECTS TO TERSE. YOU ALREADY FUNDED. YOU ALREADY FUNDED GRIMES CONNECTED TO TOURS, RIGHT? COUNTY. CITY. SAME THING. THE IDEAS THAT WE WANTED TO CONNECT 15 YEARS AGO, WHATEVER IT WAS, AND THE MASTER PLAN CONTINUED ALL THE WAY TO SAFER INTO SAN BENITO TO RELIEVE THE TRAFFIC ALL AROUND THE THE HOSPITAL DISTRICT, THE SOUTHERN PART, AS WELL AS THE NORTHERN PART THAT USES THE TREASURY HILLS OR CAMELOT. THERE'S A RISK OF WHAT THEY'RE DOING. ALSO IN AN EDC BECAUSE THEY'VE TAKEN ALL THE MONEY. I MET WITH THEM AND THEY TOLD ME, DESI, YOU'RE STILL ON THE LIST. YEAH, BUT YOU'RE TAKING ALL THE MONEY. YOU CAN PUT ME ON THE LIST. THERE'S NO MONEY. BUT AFTER REVIEW OF THIS AND I'M COMING BACK BECAUSE EVENTUALLY I'M GOING TO COMPETE WITH THIS ORIGINAL PLAN BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT TO THE HOSPITAL DISTRICT. IT'S A REGIONAL DISTRICT. AS THE COMMISSIONER WAS DOING A POWERPOINT. I DON'T HAVE THAT ABILITY AT 30 MINUTES TO TALK BECAUSE I HAVE THREE MINUTES. AND YOU HAVE A RISK

[03:25:02]

HERE OF WHAT THEY'RE PROPOSING BECAUSE THIS WILL NEVER BE DONE, NEVER. BECAUSE THIS MONEY THEY'RE TAKING IS THE END OF TODO. IN OTHER WORDS, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO GIVE YOU THEY'RE NOT PROMISE YOU ANY MORE MONEY AS COMMISSIONER. COME HERE, COMMISSIONER GARZA, ARE YOU GOING TO GIVE US MORE MONEY SO WE CAN EXTEND THIS? NO. EDC IS TAKING ALL OF IT. ALL OF IT. 16 MILLION TO DO A PRIVATE DEAL. SUBDIVISION AND THEIR PUBLIC CORPORATION SUBDIVISION. AND THEY THEY TOLD ME. BUT WE'RE COMPLETING 30% OF THE COMMITMENT THAT WE HAVE HERE.

I'M SORRY. I'LL BE BACK. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. MARTINEZ. AND HAVING NO ONE ELSE HERE TO SPEAK FOR OR AGAINST ITEM. OKAY, A, WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING. SORRY, I LOST MY PLACE.

B PUBLIC HEARING FOR AN SCP TO ALLOW RESTAURANT IN AN OFFICE DISTRICT LOCATED AT 1717 NORTH ED CAREY DRIVE, BEARING A LEGAL DESCRIPTION OF LOTS 15 AND 16 BLOCK TWO ARROYO ESTATE SUBDIVISION. AT THIS TIME, THERE IS NO ONE HERE THAT IS SIGNED UP FOR OR AGAINST THIS ITEM, SO WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING. ITEM C PUBLIC HEARING FOR REZONING REQUEST FROM RESIDENTIAL MULTIFAMILY DISTRICT TO GENERAL RETAIL DISTRICT FOR LOT ONE, BLOCK ONE NEW HAMPSHIRE COMMERCIAL SUBDIVISION LOCATED SOUTH OF NEW HAMPSHIRE STREET, APPROXIMATELY 1614FT NORTH OF HALE AVENUE. THIS TIME, WE'LL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS ITEM. HAVING NO ONE TO SPEAK FOR OR AGAINST THIS ITEM, WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING ITEM D PUBLIC HEARING FOR REZONING REQUEST FROM NOT DESIGNATED DISTRICT TO RESIDENTIAL SINGLE FAMILY DISTRICT FOR 18.7879 ACRES OF THE SOUTH, 20 ACRES OF BLOCK 33 DAVID AND STEVENSON SUBDIVISION LOCATED EAST OF CROSSETT ROAD, APPROXIMATELY 2606FT NORTH OF WEST LOOP, 499. OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS ITEM. HAVING NO ONE HERE TO SPEAK FOR OR AGAINST, WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND MOVE ON TO OUR ACTION ITEMS. ITEM TEN A CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION TO ADOPT AN ORDINANCE ON FIRST READING AUTHORIZING FOR THE VICTORIAN VICTORIA COMMONS PHASE TWO SUBDIVISION. ONLY A CASH ESCROW WITH PROGRESS DISBURSEMENTS AS THE FINANCIAL GUARANTEE OF PERFORMANCE FOR REQUIRED PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS.

APPROVING THE SUBDIVISION IMPROVEMENT AND ESCROW AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF HARLINGEN AND THE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION OF HARLINGEN FOR THE VICTORIA COMMONS PHASE TWO SUBDIVISION. ACCEPTING THE ESCROW ESTABLISHED THEREUNDER AS AN APPROPRIATE FINANCIAL GUARANTEE OF PERFORMANCE PURSUANT TO SECTION 109-91A2B OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES APPROVING THE CORPORATION'S EXPENDITURE UNDER SECTION 501.07, THREE OF THE TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE AUTHORIZING EXECUTION AND ADMINISTRATION OF THE AGREEMENT, PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY AND REPEAL OF CONFLICTING ORDINANCES AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE MARK AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF HARLINGEN, TEXAS, AUTHORIZING FOR THE VICTORIA COMMONS PHASE TWO SUBDIVISION. ONLY A CASH ESCROW WITH PROGRESS DISBURSEMENTS DISBURSEMENTS HAS THE FINANCIAL GUARANTEE OF PERFORMANCE FOR REQUIRED PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS. APPROVING THE SUBDIVISION IMPROVEMENT AND ESCROW AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF HARLINGEN AND THE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION OF HARLINGEN, INC. FOR THE VICTORIA COMMONS PHASE TWO SUBDIVISION. ACCEPTING THE ESCROW ESTABLISHED THEREUNDER AS AN APPROPRIATE FINANCIAL GUARANTEE OF PERFORMANCE PURSUANT TO SECTION 109 91A2B APPROVING THE CORPORATION'S EXPENDITURE UNDER SECTION 51073 OF THE TEXAS LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE AUTHORIZING EXECUTION AND ADMINISTRATION OF THE AGREEMENT PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY AND REPEAL OF CONFLICTING ORDINANCES. PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE AND ORDAINING OTHERS MATTER. OTHER MATTERS RELATED THERETO. ANY QUESTIONS FOR EDDIE? SEE. IF THERE'S NO QUESTIONS. IS THERE A MOTION? I. CAN I GET A MOTION? I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE MOTION BY LOPEZ. SECOND. SECOND BY PEREZ. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE. OPPOSED.