[00:04:08]
COMING UP NEXT ON ECN, A REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETING OF THE EDINBURG CITY COUNCIL. ON THE COUNCIL.
MAYOR PRO TEM DANIEL DAN DIAZ, COUNCIL MEMBER JASON DE LEON, COUNCIL MEMBER DAVID SALAZAR JR.
AND COUNCIL MEMBER DAVID WHITE.
[1. CALL TO ORDER, ESTABLISH QUORUM]
SITTING IN HIS ADVISORS, CITY MANAGER MAYRA AYALA AND CITY ATTORNEY OMAR OCHOA. AND NOW LIVE FROM EDINBURG CITY HALL, THE EDINBURGH CITY COUNCIL.ALL RIGHT. I'M GOING TO CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER. IT IS 607.
ON MY WATCH. AND I DO SEE THAT VISIBLY THAT WE DO HAVE A QUORUM,
[A. Prayer.]
WITH THE EXCEPTION OF COUNCIL MEMBER DAVID.HE DID CALL ME. HE'S NOT ABLE TO MAKE IT THIS EVENING, BUT WE DO HAVE QUORUM.
[00:05:02]
WE'RE GOING TO GET STARTED WITH ITEM A WITH PRAYER.AND THIS EVENING WE HAVE DOCTOR DAVID ALEXANDER FROM FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH HERE IN EDINBURG TO LEAD US IN PRAYER.
WOULD YOU PLEASE RISE FOR THE PRAYER AT THIS TIME? MISTER MAYOR, COUNCIL, FELLOW RESIDENTS.
HEAVENLY FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR TODAY.
WE THANK YOU FOR THE RAIN THAT YOU HAVE BEEN GIVEN US.
LORD, WE THANK YOU FOR ENTRUSTING US WITH THE AFFAIRS OF THE CITY.
WE PRAY, LORD, THAT YOU CONTINUE TO GRANT WISDOM TO OUR COUNCIL AND THOSE THAT ARE PRESENTING THINGS THIS EVENING.
WE THANK YOU, LORD. WE CELEBRATE WITH THOSE WHO ARE CELEBRATING THIS EVENING AND WITH ALL THINGS. FATHER, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO SERVE YOU IN THIS WAY,
[B. Pledge of Allegiance.]
HAVING ENTRUSTED WITH US THE STEWARDSHIP OF THIS AREA OF EDINBURGH.AND LORD, WE PRAY THAT WE BE FOUND FAITHFUL.
THANK YOU. PLEASE JOIN US FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS.
[2. CERTIFICATION OF PUBLIC NOTICE]
ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. ALL RIGHT. WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO ITEM TWO,[3. DISCLOSURE OF CONFLICT OF INTEREST]
SIR. YES, SIR. MAYOR. THE MEETING WAS POSTED IN ACCORDANCE TO THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT ON MAY 24TH, 2024 AT 8:30 P.M..WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO ITEM THREE, CERTIFICATION OF PUBLIC. EXCUSE ME, DISCLOSURE OF CONFLICT OF INTEREST.
UNDER STATE LAW, A CONFLICT OF INTEREST EXISTS IF A COUNCIL MEMBER OR CERTAIN MEMBERS OF THAT PERSON'S FAMILY HAS A QUALIFYING FINANCIAL INTEREST IN AN AGENDA ITEM.
[4. PROCLAMATIONS/RECOGNITIONS]
IF THERE IS A CONFLICT OF THE COUNCIL MEMBER CAN'T PARTICIPATE OR VOTE ON THE ITEM.ARE THERE ANY CONFLICTS TO DISCLOSE?
[A. Presentation of Certificates of Recognition to the 2024 Girl Scouts of Greater South Texas Graduating Senior Ambassadors Troop No. 059, Troop No. 62, Troop No. 65, Troop No. 1008, and Troop Juliette]
NO, SIR. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.THAT BEING THE CASE, WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO ITEM FOUR. WE HAVE SEVERAL PROCLAMATIONS THIS EVENING. AND WE'RE GOING TO START OFF WITH ITEM A.
WE HAVE SOME CERTIFICATES OF RECOGNITION FOR THE 2024 GIRL SCOUTS OF GREATER SOUTH TEXAS.
THE SENIOR GRADUATES, AMBASSADOR TROOPS.
WE HAVE SEVERAL TROOPS. TROOP 5962.
TROOP 65 1008 TROOP JULIET, AS REQUESTED BY DELIA.
THE COUNCIL WOULD LIKE TO COME DOWN, AND I'LL GO AHEAD AND SAY THE NAMES.
OKAY. 2024 GIRL SCOUTS OF GREATER SOUTH TEXAS, GRADUATING SENIOR AMBASSADOR TROOP 59 GIA PENA.
CONGRATULATIONS. GABRIELA MARTINEZ.
ROBERT VELA. HIGH SCHOOL, 13 YEARS.
LILIANA LOPEZ, ROBERT VELA, HIGH SCHOOL, 13 YEARS.
CIERRA MENDEZ RAUL SCHOLARS HIGH SCHOOL, 13 YEARS.
2024 GIRL SCOUTS OF GREATER SOUTH TEXAS, GRADUATING SENIOR AMBASSADOR TROOP 62 DANIELLE LUNA, EDINBURG HIGH SCHOOL, 11 YEARS.
2020 FOR GIRL SCOUTS OF GREATER SOUTH TEXAS, GRADUATING SENIOR AMBASSADOR TROOP NUMBER 65 SOPHIA TREVINO MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE ACADEMY AT UTRGV FIVE YEARS.
ANNIKA VAQUERA, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE ACADEMY AT UTRGV FOUR YEARS.
2020 FOR GIRL SCOUTS OF GREATER SOUTH TEXAS, GRADUATING SENIOR AMBASSADOR TROOP NUMBER 1008 ANDREA PEREZ ROBERT VELA HIGH SCHOOL 12 YEARS.
AND VICTORIA CASILLAS, EDINBURG HIGH SCHOOL, NINE YEARS.
[00:10:08]
AND. LONELY BOY IN THAT.[B. Presentation of Proclamation Recognizing May 2024 as National Stroke Awareness Month as Requested by Doctor's Hospital at Renaissance Health. [Clarice Y. Balderas, City Secretary]]
I JUST WANT TO CONGRATULATE ALL OF YOU.YOU KNOW, HAVING A DAUGHTER THAT ALSO IS IN GIRL SCOUTS, I KNOW FIRSTHAND THE COMMITMENT THAT IT TAKES TO NOT ONLY BE INVOLVED WITH WHAT YOU DO WITH YOUR SCHOOL, WITH EVERYTHING YOU HAVE TO DO.
BUT ON TOP OF THAT, YOU KNOW, SERVING THE COMMUNITY BY BEING A GIRL SCOUT.
I KNOW YOU ALL ARE SET UP TO TO DO SO MANY THINGS.
THE ONLY THING I'M GOING TO ASK, LIKE I TELL EVERYBODY, GO AND DO WHATEVER YOU LIKE TO DO AS FAR AS GETTING YOUR EDUCATION. BUT PLEASE COME BACK TO OUR CITY AND AND WE YOU ALL ARE OUR FUTURE LEADERS, AND WE NEED ALL OF YOU TO COME BACK AND AND HELP LEAD THIS CITY IN WHATEVER WAY THAT YOU LIKE.
SO CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF YOU AND TO ALL THE PARENTS.
WE HAVE ANOTHER PROCLAMATION AT THIS TIME.
PRESENTATION OF PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING MAY 2024 AS NATIONAL STROKE AWARENESS MONTH, AS REQUESTED BY DOCTORS HOSPITAL AT RENAISSANCE HEALTH. IF YOU'RE HERE TO RECEIVE THE PROCLAMATION. IF YOU COULD COME UP TO THE PODIUM. NATIONAL STROKE AWARENESS MONTH, MAY 2024. WHEREAS STROKES ARE THE LEADING CAUSE OF LONG TERM DISABILITY AND THE THIRD LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, AND WHEREAS IN THE UNITED STATES, ABOUT 795,000 PEOPLE SUFFER A STROKE EACH YEAR. EVERY 40S SOMEONE HAS A STROKE, AND EVERY FOUR MINUTES SOMEONE DIES FROM A STROKE. AND WHEREAS IN THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY, APPROXIMATELY 3600 PEOPLE ARE HOSPITALIZED ANNUALLY DUE TO A STROKE.
IN 2023, THERE WERE AT LEAST 196 DEATHS.
AND WHEREAS DOCTORS HOSPITAL AT RENAISSANCE HEALTH IS CERTIFIED BY THE CENTERS FOR MEDICARE AND MEDICAID SERVICES AND THE JOINT COMMISSION AS A COMPREHENSIVE STROKE CENTER PROVIDING THE MOST ADVANCED AND ADVANCED STROKE CARE AVAILABLE.
AND WHEREAS STROKE WARNING SIGNS CAN BE RECOGNIZED USING THE ACRONYM BE FAST, BALANCE, EYES, FACE, ARMS, SPEECH, AND TIME, WHICH INCLUDE SUDDEN NUMBNESS OR WEAKNESS OF THE FACE, ARM, OR LEG, ESPECIALLY ON ONE SIDE OF THE BODY.
SUDDEN CONFUSION, TROUBLE SPEAKING OR UNDERSTANDING.
SUDDEN TROUBLE SEEING IN ONE OR BOTH EYES, SUDDEN TROUBLE WALKING, DIZZINESS, LOSS OF BALANCE OR COORDINATION, AND SUDDEN SEVERE HEADACHES WITH NO KNOWN CAUSE. AND WHEREAS THERE ARE LIFE SAVING TREATMENTS THAT MUST BE ADMINISTERED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, AND IN THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY, ONLY ABOUT 17% OF PATIENTS SUFFERING FROM A STROKE ARRIVE AT THE HOSPITAL WITHIN ONE HOUR OF THEIR STROKE ONSET.
BECAUSE THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS DO NOT RECOGNIZE A STROKE OR UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF CALLING 911 IMMEDIATELY.
AND WHEREAS INCREASING PUBLIC AWARENESS ABOUT STROKE PREVENTION AND THE WARNING SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF STROKE. THE IMPORTANCE OF CALLING 911 AND SEEKING MEDICAL CARE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE IF STROKE SYMPTOMS ARE PRESENT, AND THE AVAILABILITY OF ADVANCED STROKE CARE SERVICES IN THE COMMUNITY CAN SAVE LIVES AND REDUCE DISABILITY COSTS BY STROKE.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF EDINBURG, TEXAS, BY THE POWER VESTED IN THEM BY LAW, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM THE MONTH OF MAY 2024 AS NATIONAL STROKE AWARENESS MONTH AND ENCOURAGE THE PUBLIC TO FAMILIARIZE THEMSELVES AND SHARE THE SIGNS, SYMPTOMS AND IMMEDIATE RESPONSE OF CALLING 911 FOR STROKE.
THANK YOU TO THE CITY OF EDINBURG.
WE'D LIKE TO APPRECIATE YOUR EFFORTS IN BRINGING AWARENESS ABOUT STROKE AND THE IMPACT THAT IT HAS ON OUR COMMUNITY.
ON BEHALF OF DOCTORS HOSPITAL AT RENAISSANCE, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I HAVE DOCTOR FERNANDEZ HERE WHO IS A NEURO INTERVENTIONALIST THAT WORKS AT DHR WITH OUR STROKE PATIENTS, AND SHE HAS A FEW WORDS TO SAY.
WELL, I JUST WANT TO AGAIN TO APPRECIATE YOUR, YOUR RECOGNITION AND TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF CREATING AWARENESS ABOUT THE STROKE, BECAUSE IT IS A BAD PROBLEM, AND WE KNOW IT'S A LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH AND DISABILITY IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
APPROXIMATELY 2 MILLION NEURONS DIE FOR EVERY MINUTE THAT A PERSON IS HAVING A STROKE.
SO IF WE ARE ABLE TO RECOGNIZE THE SYMPTOMS AND ACT FAST,
[00:15:02]
WE CAN HELP A LOT OF PEOPLE BECAUSE THERE ARE, IN MANY CASES, VERY, VERY EFFICIENT TREATMENTS TO HELP THESE PATIENTS.SO PLEASE, LET'S JOIN FORCES TO SPREAD THIS MESSAGE AND SHARE THIS MESSAGE WITH OUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS AND EVERYBODY WHO WE CAN REACH.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BRINGING THIS TO OUR ATTENTION. I URGE EVERYONE TO LOOK UP AND THIS INFORMATION AND BE AWARE OF STROKE SYMPTOMS AND THOSE THINGS.
SO AND I KNOW WE HAVE A LOT OF OUR EMPLOYEES.
[C. Presentation of Proclamation Recognizing May 19-25, 2024 as Public Works Week. [Vincent Romero, Director of Public Works]]
SO WE CAN HAVE THOSE FOR OUR EMPLOYEES IN THE COMMUNITY.THAT WOULD BE GREAT. THE MORE AWARENESS, THE BETTER. SO THANK YOU. WE HAVE ANOTHER PROCLAMATION. THIS IS FOR PUBLIC WORKS WEEK, AND WE HAVE SEVERAL OF OUR PUBLIC WORKS EMPLOYEES HERE. AND WE'RE GOING TO READ THE PROCLAMATION AT THIS TIME, PUBLIC WORKS WEEK, MAY 19TH THROUGH THE 25TH, 2024.
WHEREAS PUBLIC WORKS PROFESSIONALS FOCUS ON INFRASTRUCTURE, FACILITIES AND SERVICES THAT ARE OF VITAL IMPORTANCE TO SUSTAINABLE AND RESILIENT COMMUNITIES AND TO THE PUBLIC HEALTH, HIGH QUALITY OF LIFE AND WELL-BEING OF THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY OF EDINBURGH.
AND WHEREAS THESE INFRASTRUCTURES, FACILITIES AND SERVICES COULD NOT BE PROVIDED WITHOUT THE DEDICATED EFFORTS OF PUBLIC WORKS PROFESSIONALS WHO ARE WHERE ENGINEERS, MANAGERS AND EMPLOYEES AT ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR REBUILDING, IMPROVING AND PROTECTING OUR NATION'S TRANSPORTATION, WATER SUPPLY, WATER TREATMENT AND SOLID WASTE SYSTEMS, PUBLIC BUILDINGS AND OTHER STRUCTURES AND FACILITIES ESSENTIAL FOR OUR CITIZENS.
AND WHEREAS IT IS IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST FOR THE CITIZENS, CIVIC LEADERS AND CHILDREN IN THE CITY OF EDINBURGH TO GAIN KNOWLEDGE OF AND MAINTAIN AN ONGOING INTEREST AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE IMPORTANCE OF PUBLIC WORKS AND PUBLIC WORKS PROGRAMS IN THEIR RESPECTIVE COMMUNITIES.
AND WHEREAS THE CITY OF EDINBURGH RECOGNIZES THE CONTRIBUTIONS PUBLIC WORKS OFFICIALS MAKE EVERY DAY TO OUR HEALTH, SAFETY, COMFORT AND QUALITY OF LIFE.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF EDINBURGH, TEXAS, BY THE POWER OF AUTHORITY VESTED IN THEM BY LAW, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM THE WEEK OF MAY 19TH THROUGH 25, 2024, AS PUBLIC WORKS WEEK AND URGE EVERYONE TO JOIN WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF THE AMERICAN PUBLIC WORKS ASSOCIATION AND GOVERNMENT AGENCIES AND ACTIVITIES, EVENTS AND CEREMONIES DESIGNED TO PAY TRIBUTE TO OUR PUBLIC WORKS PROFESSIONALS, ENGINEERS, MANAGERS AND EMPLOYEES, AND TO RECOGNIZE THE SUBSTANTIAL CONTRIBUTIONS THEY MAKE TO PROTECT OUR HEALTH, SAFETY AND QUALITY OF LIFE.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR COUNCIL VINCENT OLMEDO, DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS.
TODAY WE GATHER TO HONOR THE AND TO HONOR AND CELEBRATE THE INCREDIBLE CONTRIBUTIONS OF OUR PUBLIC WORKS STAFF. THESE DEDICATED MEN AND WOMEN WORK TIRELESSLY BEHIND THE SCENES TO ENSURE OUR COMMUNITY RUNS SMOOTHLY AND SAFELY.
THIS YEAR'S THEME IS ADVANCING QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL.
IT PERFECTLY CAPTURES THE ESSENCE OF WHAT THEY DO EVERY DAY, FROM MAINTAINING OUR ROADS AND BRIDGES, OUR DRAINAGE SYSTEM, OUR NETWORK OF TRAFFIC SIGNS AND SIGNALS TO THE NEVER ENDING MAINTENANCE OF OUR RIGHT OF WAYS AND GREEN SPACES.
THEIR EFFORTS ARE ESSENTIAL TO OUR DAILY LIVES.
THEY ARE OFTEN THE FIRST TO RESPOND DURING EMERGENCIES AND WEATHER EVENTS, MITIGATING ROAD CLOSURES, CLEARING STREETS, REMOVING DOWNED TREES, AND DEWATERING. THEY ARE ALWAYS PRESENT DURING WEATHER EVENTS, ENSURING THAT OUR INFRASTRUCTURE REMAINS RESILIENT AND RELIABLE.
THEIR DEDICATED, THEIR DEDICATION AND HARD WORK OFTEN GO UNNOTICED, BUT THEY ARE THE BACKBONE OF OUR DAILY LIVES.
IT'S THEIR COMMITMENT THAT KEEPS OUR CITIES RUNNING SMOOTHLY AND SAFELY.
AND FOR THAT WE ARE PROFOUNDLY GRATEFUL.
TODAY, WE WANT TO SAY THAT YOUR DEDICATION AND HARD WORK DO NOT GO UNNOTICED.
TO ALL OUR PUBLIC WORKS STAFF, WE EXTEND OUR DEEPEST GRATITUDE.
YOUR COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE AND SERVICE TRULY MAKES THE CITY OF EDINBURG A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE. THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO.
LET'S GIVE THEM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE, PLEASE. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. I JUST WANTED TO STATE THAT ON BEHALF OF MYSELF AND THE COUNCIL, WE REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT YOU ALL DO EACH DAY AND DAY OUT.
I KNOW WE GET YOU GUYS ARE THE ONES THAT GET THE, YOU KNOW, FIRST COMPLAINTS, LET'S SAY, FROM ROADWAYS OR THINGS THAT NEED TO BE DONE, BUT YOU DON'T GET THANK YOUS ENOUGH.
AS MANY PEOPLE CALL ABOUT THINGS THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED IN OUR CITY, THEY ALSO CALL TO THANK US.
AND SO I'M JUST HERE TO TELL YOU, THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT Y'ALL DO.
A LOT OF RESIDENTS IN THE COMMUNITY APPRECIATE WHAT IS DONE EACH AND EVERY DAY.
IT'S A TOUGH TASK. OUR CITY IS GROWING AND GROWING, AS YOU ALL KNOW, ADDING MORE AREAS TO MAINTAIN AND TO TAKE CARE OF AND YOU ALL DO AN EXCELLENT JOB.
[00:20:03]
AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THAT YOU ALL DO.THANK YOU. HE'LL BE DONUTS AND WATER OUTSIDE IF ANYBODY WANTS.
YEAH. AND MAYOR, IF I MAY PUBLIC WORKS ARE NOT NORMALLY RECOGNIZED, BUT THEY ARE FIRST RESPONDERS AND ALL EMERGENCIES.
THEY'RE THE FIRST ONES TO GO OUT THERE IN THE RAIN AND THE HIGH WINDS AND THE FLOODING WITHOUT THEM BEING OUT THERE, NO ONE CAN MOVE AROUND.
SO THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO ITEM FIVE.
[5. PUBLIC COMMENTS]
PUBLIC COMMENTS. YES, SIR.MAYOR. THE EDINBURGH CITY COUNCIL ALLOWS FOR A SPECIFIC PORTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING TO BE DEDICATED TO PUBLIC COMMENTS.
PUBLIC COMMENTS ARE LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES. I WILL BE TAKING TIME.
PLEASE NOTE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS NOT INTERACTIVE. THE COUNCIL MAY NOT RESPOND TO PUBLIC COMMENTS AT THIS TIME. COUNCIL.
THERE ARE SEVEN PUBLIC COMMENTS.
THE FIRST PUBLIC COMMENT IS REGARDING CONCEPTOS WINNERS.
GOOD EVENING MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
WITH OUR GROUP OF CITY OF EDINBURGH GROUP CONCEPTS DANCE ENSEMBLE THAT REPRESENTS THE CITY OF EDINBURGH. I MENTIONED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE CONCEPT.
THE CONCEPT OF DANCE ENSEMBLE WAS A DANCE GROUP ABSORBED INTO THE CITY OF EDINBURGH, WHERE WE HAVE DANCE CLASSES FREE TO THE STUDENTS.
COSTUMES ARE PROVIDED AND THIS TIME THEY WENT TO COMPETITION FOR THE FIRST TIME IN SAN ANTONIO, THERE IS A COMPETITION OF OVER 800 DIFFERENT TEAMS THAT CAME ALL OVER THE THE NATION FROM CALIFORNIA TO GEORGIA.
AND FOR THE FIRST TIME COMPETING.
THEY NOT ONLY WANT, WHAT, 14 TROPHIES, BUT THEY WERE ALSO CROWNED GRAND CHAMPIONS NATIONWIDE. WOW.
CONGRATULATIONS. AND SEVERAL BEST OF THE BEST AWARDS.
TWO OF THE PERFORMERS WHO ARE HERE IN COSTUME THEY ALSO WANT 300 POINTS OUT OF THE 300 POINTS IN THEIR DUETS.
WOW. CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF YOU.
A LOT OF THEM ARE THANKFUL TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A SPACE HERE IN THE CITY OF EDINBURGH WHERE THEY CAN SHOWCASE THEIR TALENT, PRACTICE THEIR TALENT.
SOME OF THEM ARE SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS. SOME OF THEM ARE STUDENTS. THE AGES RANGE FROM HIGH SCHOOL TO ADULTS, AND THERE ARE SOME OF THEM WOULD LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS. DON'T BE SHY.
I'M VERY PROUD OF CONCEPTOS, AND I'M VERY ALSO PROUD THAT WE REPRESENT NOT ONLY DANCE OUR CULTURE, BUT WE ALSO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO REPRESENT THE CITY OF EDINBURG. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE HELP.
THAT'S THE GRAND CHAMPIONSHIP TROPHY.
MY NAME IS EDUARDO. I'M ONE OF THE INSTRUCTORS AND TODAY I FEEL VERY PROUD OF ALL OF THEM. IT WAS A CHALLENGE PRACTICING LONG HOURS.
BUT WE ACCOMPLISH OUR GOALS AND AND WE ARE VERY THANKFUL FOR FOR THE SUPPORT AND EVERYTHING. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. WELL, WE'LL TAKE A QUICK BREAK.
WE COULD JUST STAND. JUST STAND HERE.
ALL RIGHT, LET'S GIVE HIM A HAND AGAIN. THANK YOU.
CONGRATULATIONS. CONGRATULATIONS.
THE NEXT PUBLIC COMMENT IS JAVIER SOLIS REGARDING EXTENDING AN INVITATION TO THE CITY COUNCIL. ELK GROVE POLICE CANINE COMPETITION.
GOOD AFTERNOON ONCE AGAIN, MAYOR GARCIA. I SEE IT'S BEEN A LONG DAY FOR YOU, SIR. I SAW YOU THIS AFTERNOON IN WESLACO AT THE LGBTQI.
THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO FOR YOUR CITIZENS AND THE CITY OF EDINBURGH. WE'RE
[00:25:01]
JUST HERE. MY NAME IS JAVIER SOLIS.I REPRESENT THE LOWER RIO GRANDE VALLEY DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL.
I AM THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC SAFETY, AND I'M ALSO THE LRGB ACADEMY TRAINING COORDINATOR.
I'M HERE TODAY WITH MR. RAUL RAMOS FROM THE HIDALGO COUNTY CONSTABLE PRECINCT FOUR OFFICE.
HE'S REPRESENTING CONSTABLE GAITAN.
THE REASON THAT WE'RE HERE THIS EVENING, WE JUST WANT TO PUT IT OUT TO THE PUBLIC AND TO YOUR CITY AND ALL YOUR CITIZENS.
WE'RE EXTENDING A PERSONAL INVITATION. WE WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT ONCE AGAIN, WE'VE SELECTED THE CITY OF EDINBURGH TO HOST THE 2024 ANNUAL SOUTH TEXAS RIO GRANDE VALLEY POLICE CANINE COMPETITION.
WE'VE BEEN HOLDING THIS EVENT FOR SEVERAL YEARS. I KNOW THAT A LOT OF YOU WERE THERE LAST YEAR AT THE BERT OGDEN ARENA.
IT WAS A SUCCESSFUL EVENT AND WE WANT TO REPEAT.
SO WE'RE HERE AGAIN TO SAY THANK YOU FOR ALL THE SUPPORT THAT THE CITY OF EDINBURG ALWAYS PROVIDES. THIS YEAR, IT'S GOING TO BE AT THE EDINBURG PARKS AND REC CENTER.
WE'RE WORKING WITH THE EDINBURGH AND EDINBURGH PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
THEY'RE BEING VERY SUPPORTIVE.
AND WE WANT ALL OF YOU, IF POSSIBLE, TO ATTEND.
THIS EVENT HIGHLIGHTS AND FEATURES THE TALENTS OF THE FOUR LEGGED HEROES THAT SOMETIMES GET FORGOTTEN ABOUT IN LAW ENFORCEMENT.
OVER THE YEARS, IT HAS ALSO SERVED AS A PLATFORM TO PROVIDE CITIZENS INFORMATION ON THE MANY SOCIAL AND PUBLIC PROGRAMS THAT ARE OUT THERE.
AND SO, ONCE AGAIN, WE WANT TO EXTEND THE INVITATION.
WE THANK YOU FOR HOSTING US ONCE AGAIN.
WE ALREADY HAVE TEAMS FROM ARKANSAS, AND THIS YEAR, ONCE AGAIN, IT'S GOING TO BE AN INTERNATIONAL EVENT.
WE'VE ALREADY GOTTEN CONFIRMATION FROM THE KANSAS CITY RAILROAD IN MEXICO.
WE GOT POLICE CANINE TEAMS COMING ALL THE WAY FROM MONTERREY AND SAN LUIS POTOSI.
THEY'RE GOING TO BE HERE AGAIN. THEY LOVED IT SO MUCH LAST YEAR THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE HERE AGAIN. SO ONCE AGAIN, IT'S GOING TO BE AN INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION. AGAIN. I CAN'T THANK YOU ENOUGH.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU ALL AS WE PLAN THIS EVENT.
WE ALSO ASK THAT IF YOU CAN PLEASE HELP US IN PROMOTING THE EVENT TO THE PUBLIC.
WHATEVER YOU CAN DO IS JUST GET THE INFORMATION OUT THERE.
WE WANT AS MANY PEOPLE OUT THERE, AND IF THERE'S ANY PROGRAMS WITHIN YOUR CITY THAT YOU WANT TO FEATURE AND HIGHLIGHT AT THE EVENT, BY ALL MEANS REACH OUT TO US AND WE'RE GLAD TO GIVE YOU A TABLE OF BOOTHS AND JUST HAVE YOU GUYS OUT THERE. SO ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU. AND WE EXTEND THE INVITATION.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU. HAVE A NICE EVENING. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
THE NEXT PUBLIC COMMENT IS FOR CLARITY REGARDING TAXPAYERS MONEY AND ITEM EIGHT, A EXECUTIVE SESSION. COUNCIL MEMBERS, MY OBJECT TODAY IS TO TELL YOU EXACTLY WHAT THE PEOPLE WANT FROM THEIR ELECTED OFFICIALS.
WE WANT A CITY THAT PROVIDES BASIC SERVICES LIKE WATER, SEWER, STREETS AND PUBLIC SAFETY AT THE LOWEST COST POSSIBLE.
I SAY THE LOWEST COST POSSIBLE, RECOGNIZING THAT EACH COMMUNITY IS FINANCIALLY DIFFERENT.
I THINK THAT IS WHERE THE COUNCIL IS HAVING A PROBLEM.
THE SERVICES PROVIDE MUST BE WITHIN THE ABILITY OF THE PEOPLE TO PAY.
TO MY KNOWLEDGE, THIS CITY HAS NEVER CONDUCTED A SURVEY TO ESTABLISH THE PEOPLE'S ABILITY TO PAY. BUT WHAT WE DO KNOW IS THAT HIDALGO COUNTY IS ONE OF THE LARGEST COUNTIES WITH ONE OF THE LARGEST CONCENTRATION OF POVERTY IN THE CITY OF EDINBURGH IS RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE. THIS IS WHAT I WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT, BECAUSE ELECTED OFFICIALS ARE DOING THINGS THAT ARE INCREASING POVERTY AND THAT PEOPLE DO NOT WANT. INCREASING TAXES WILL NOT REDUCE POVERTY, IT WILL INCREASE IT. PEOPLE WITH THE WILL BE UNABLE TO KEEP UP WITH YOUR SPENDING.
EVERY MEMBER OF THIS COUNCIL VOTED TO SUPPORT THE EXISTING MEMBERS OF THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT BOARD. THEY HAVE INCREASED OUR PROPERTY VALUES AT LEAST 20 YEARS.
FOR YOUR INFORMATION, THE AVERAGE VALUE INCREASE FOR THE PEOPLE WE HELP PROTEST IS 40%. THAT IS THE RESULT OF YOUR SPENDING.
NOW WE FIND OUT THAT WATER RATES WILL BE INCREASED BY JUST OVER 67%, BUT THE INCREASE WILL SPREAD OVER SEVERAL YEARS.
AS I RECALL, THIS WAS ONE OF THE COMPLAINTS LEVELED AGAINST THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION.
THEY WOULD TAX PEOPLE FOR STUFF THEY WERE GOING TO DO IN THE FUTURE.
THIS 67% INCREASE IS DESCRIBED AS A MODEST RATE ADJUSTMENT.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, YOU LOWERED OUR TAX RATE BY $0.01 AND INCREASE THE WATER RATES BY 67%.
THAT IS WHY I'M REMINDING YOU ALL OF A PRIMARY OBJECT.
NORMALLY I WOULD LEAVE THE SUBJECT AND MOVE ON.
BUT 2025 THERE ARE TWO COUNCIL MEMBERS AND A MAYOR ARE UP FOR REELECTION.
AND I'M WAITING TO HEAR YOUR REELECTION SPEECHES.
AND TONIGHT, ALSO, I WANTED TO SAY WE ARE I BELIEVE YOU ALL ARE IN CLOSED SESSION LOOKING AT FOR ATTORNEYS. AND I CERTAINLY HOPE THAT ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT YOU ASKED THE
[00:30:02]
ATTORNEYS, WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE PUBLIC AND WHAT IS YOUR OPINION ON THE CITY AND THE PUBLIC? I KNOW PERSONALLY, ONE, IT'S THE YOUNG WOMAN THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT. SHE WAS IN THE CITY OF PHARR.SHE ESCORTED OR HAD THE ESCORTED OUT THE OWLS OF THE CITY MEETING OVER THERE AND THE PUBLIC. WE HAPPEN TO BE SITTING WITH THE PUBLIC, AND WE WERE ESCORTED TO THE FRONT DOOR.
AND MY THING IS, UNLESS I'M DOING SOMETHING I SHOULDN'T BE DOING IN THIS ROOM OR ANYWHERE.
AND THAT'S WHY I ALWAYS SAY WHEN I COME BACK HERE FOR OPEN FORUM, I'M SO GLAD TO BE HOME BECAUSE Y'ALL ARE FRIENDLY TO THE PUBLIC.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO ASK EVERYONE TO PLEASE PRAY FOR ISRAEL.
THEY'RE IN A WAR, IN A BATTLE TO HELP THEM GET THE DEAD AND THE ALIVE HOSTAGES HOME.
PLEASE KEEP ISRAEL IN YOUR PRAYERS.
THANK YOU MA'AM. THANK YOU. THE NEXT PUBLIC COMMENT IS MIGDALE CASTLE.
REGARDING THE PUNK CONCERT AND PHOTOGRAPHY CONTEST.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. MY ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF CULTURAL ARTS.
FOR THE RECORD, I'M HERE TO INVITE THE PUBLIC TO A PART CONCERT, PART OF OUR SPRING CONCERT SERIES, WHICH IS PART OF THE MUSIC FRIENDLY COMMUNITY. THIS SPRING, WE'VE BEEN HAVING CONCERTS IN DIFFERENT GENRES FROM DIFFERENT YOUNG ARTISTS AND HERE IN THE VALLEY AND HERE IN EDINBURGH.
OUR NEXT CONCERT IS THIS FRIDAY. IT'S THE PUNK CONCERT.
I'M SORRY, NOT THIS FRIDAY, THIS SATURDAY AT 7 P.M.
FROM 7 TO 11, AND WE ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO ATTEND.
ADDITIONALLY, WE'RE ALSO RUNNING OUR PHOTO CONTEST.
THIS YEAR WE NOTICED YOU ALL NOTICE THE PUBLIC NOTICE THAT WE HAD A CALENDAR WITH PICTURES OF EDINBURGH.
THE PICTURE, THE PHOTO CONTEST WILL HAVE THE WINNERS ON THAT CALENDAR, AND WE REALLY ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO SUBMIT AT EDINBURGH.COM/CONTEST.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THE NEXT PUBLIC COMMENT IS VIVIANA CABALLERO REGARDING LIBRARY SUMMER READING PROGRAM. GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL AND COMMUNITY.
I WANT TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO INVITE OUR COMMUNITY TO REGISTER FOR OUR SUMMER READING PROGRAM. THIS YEAR, THE THEME IS ADVENTURES AT YOUR LIBRARY AND WE WILL BEGIN ON JUNE THE 10TH. WE ARE GOING TO INCLUDE LITERACY PROGRAMS WITH ART SESSIONS, STORYTIMES, AND SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS.
NOW I WANT TO MENTION THIS PROGRAM IS FOR EVERYONE IN THE COMMUNITY CHILDREN, TEENS AND TWEENS AND ADULTS.
SO WE HAVE SESSIONS FOR EVERY AGE.
OUR SUMMER READING PROGRAM WILL BE HOSTED FOR SIX WEEKS WITH DAILY SESSIONS THROUGHOUT THE WEEK MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY.
THE CLASSES ARE FREE AND ALL THE MATERIALS ARE INCLUDED AND PROVIDED FOR THE ATTENDEES.
AND TO GET EVERYONE EXCITED, WE ARE HOSTING A SUMMER READING PROGRAM KICKOFF PARTY, NEXT FRIDAY, JUNE 7TH AT 6 P.M.
AT OUR LIBRARY SO EVERYONE IS INVITED.
WE ARE GOING TO BE HOSTING A PRESENTATION BY JURASSIC RGV, SO WE'LL BE DINOSAURS FOR THE CHILDREN.
REGISTRATIONS ARE OPEN ALREADY SO ANYBODY CAN GO VISIT THE LIBRARY AND REGISTER ALREADY FOR OUR SUMMER READING PROGRAM.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MAYOR, MR. EDUARDO IS HERE FROM SACRED HEART CHURCH.
HE JUST LIKE TO LET YOU KNOW THAT HE'S HERE FOR THEIR ITEM.
[6. PUBLIC HEARING]
OKAY. THANK YOU. OKAY.THE NEXT ITEM IS A PUBLIC HEARINGS.
[A. Hold Public Hearing and Consider the Variance Request to the City’s Unified Development Code Article 4, Section 4.303, Permanent Signs, Being Lot 1, Freedom Bank at La Sienna Subdivision, Located at 4120 North I-69C, as Requested by A1 Skylite Signs. [Jaime, Acevedo, Director of Planning & Zoning]]
MAYOR, YOU'RE WELCOME TO MAKE COMMENTS NOW.OR WHEN THE ITEM COMES UP, YOU'RE WELCOME TO MAKE COMMENTS THEN.
THANK YOU. THERE ARE NO FURTHER PUBLIC COMMENTS.
ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT. THAT BEING THE CASE, WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO THE BUSINESS AT HAND. WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO ITEM SIX COUNCIL.
AND SO AT THIS TIME, I WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
ARE YOU GOING TO READ THE ITEM? DO YOU WANT ME TO READ THE ITEM? I CAN READ THE ITEM.
OKAY. PLEASE. SORRY. HOLD PUBLIC HEARING.
CONSIDER THE VARIANCE REQUEST TO THE CITY'S UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE, ARTICLE FOUR, SECTION 4.303. PERMANENT SIGNS BEING LOT ONE.
FREEDOM BANK AND SIENNA SUBDIVISION LOCATED 4120 NORTH I-69C AS REQUESTED BY A-1 SKYLIGHT SIGNS. SO THE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING THAT WE THAT I AM NOW OPENING. THIS IS FOR ANY COMMENTS REGARDING THIS REQUEST FOR A VARIANCE REGARDING SIGNAGE AT THIS LOCATION.
ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE IS WELCOME TO MAKE ANY COMMENTS AT THIS TIME.
[7. ORDINANCES]
IF THERE ARE NO PUBLIC COMMENTS, I WILL CLOSE THE HEARING.[A. Consider Ordinance Providing for a Temporary Special Use Permit for “Sacred Heart Catholic Church Corpus Christi Solemn Procession” to be Held Sunday, June 2, 2024, Being Edinburg Original Townsite, Block 319, Lots 1-5, Located at 216 N. 16th Avenue at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, as Requested by Sacred Heart Catholic Church [Jaime Acevedo, Director of Planning and Zoning]]
COUNCIL. MOTION TO APPROVE.[00:35:01]
SECOND. MOTION AND A SECOND.ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. MOTION PASSES.
WE HAVE ITEM EIGHT. CONSIDER ORDINANCE PROVIDING FOR A TEMPORARY SPECIAL USE PERMIT FOR SACRED HEART CATHOLIC CHURCH, CORPUS CHRISTI.
SOLEMN PROCESSION TO BE HELD SUNDAY, JUNE 2ND, 2024. BEING EDINBURG ORIGINAL TOWN SITE BLOCK 319 LOTS ONE THROUGH FIVE.
LOCATED AT 260 NORTH 16TH AVENUE AT SACRED HEART CATHOLIC CHURCH, AS REQUESTED BY SACRED HEART CATHOLIC CHURCH.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
[B. Consider Ordinance Amending the Code of Ordinances of the City of Edinburg, Texas at Title XI. Business Regulations, by Adding Chapter 121 Funeral Escorts. [Omar Ochoa, City Attorney]]
I'LL JUST OFFER, IN CASE YOU WANTED TO MAKE COMMENTS, BUT NO. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THE MOTIONS ARE TO APPROVE.SO WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. ALL RIGHT.
MOTION PASSES. THIS. THANK YOU.
ITEM B. CONSIDER ORDINANCE AMENDING THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF EDINBURG, TEXAS AT TITLE 11 BUSINESS REGULATIONS BY ADDING CHAPTER 121 FUNERAL ESCORTS.
[8. AWARDING OF BIDS]
[A. Consider Awarding RFP No. 2024-010, Animal Care Facility to Renoworks, LLC in an Amount Not to Exceed $600,000.00 and Authorize the City Manager to Execute Any Documents Related Thereto. [Mardoqueo Hinojosa, P.E., CFM, City Engineer]]
MOVE TO APPROVE. SECOND.MOTION TO SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION, IF NOT.
ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. MOTION CARRIES.
ITEM EIGHT AWARDING. AWARDING OF BIDS.
ITEM EIGHT. CONSIDER AWARDING RFP NUMBER 2024 010.
ANIMAL CARE FACILITY TO RENDER WORKS, LLC IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 600,000, AND AUTHORIZE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE ANY DOCUMENTS RELATED THERETO.
MOTION TO SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? I JUST WANTED TO BRING UP THE CITY MANAGER REAL QUICKLY.
ON THIS ITEM COUNCIL. OF COURSE, I'M ALL IN SUPPORT OF STAFF RECOMMENDATION AND THE MOTION THAT'S BEEN MADE, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US HAVE A MEETING WITH PALM VALLEY, BECAUSE I KNOW WE'RE DOING THIS TO HELP WITH THE ANIMAL CARE SITUATION THROUGHOUT OUR AREA. SO I WOULD LIKE US TO AT LEAST EXPLORE VISITING WITH THEM.
AGAIN, I'M ALL FOR THIS ITEM. WE NEED TO DO THIS.
BUT I DO THINK THAT ONCE THIS IS BUILT, IT'S STILL NOT GOING TO SOLVE THE CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVE. IT'S GOING TO BE UP TO CAPACITY.
SO WE'RE STILL GOING TO BE IN THE SAME SITUATION.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO JUST SEE IF WE CAN MEET WITH PALM VALLEY.
I UNDERSTAND THEM AND THE CITY OF MCALLEN ARE DOING A PARTNERSHIP.
BUT I WOULD LIKE TO AT LEAST VISIT WITH THEM BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT I THINK WE NEED TO INSTITUTE. AND I KNOW WE'VE ALREADY STARTED TO HELP ADDRESS THIS CHALLENGE THAT WE HAVE. SO THAT'S THE ONLY COMMENT I HAVE.
WE CAN MAYBE SCHEDULE SOMETHING IN THE FUTURE. I THINK THAT'D BE GREAT. OKAY.
THANK YOU. WILL DO. ALL RIGHT.
ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND.
OH, I'M SO SORRY YOU HAD A COMMENT.
THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO FIND OUT. WE'RE TALKING NOT TO EXCEED $600,000, AND WE WONDERED IF WE WERE OPENING OUR OWN, BECAUSE I THOUGHT ONE TIME YOU ALL THOUGHT ABOUT IT, AND THEN YOU DECIDED TO GO WITH THE ONE OVER THERE.
AND WE WANTED TO BE SURE THAT IT IS.
OR, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE IS NO KILL, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT WE HAVE.
AND I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THEY'RE NOT PRESENTING GETTING THE ANIMALS OUT.
BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THEY ADOPT ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES, AND THAT THE MONEY THAT THE COUNTY PAYS TO FOR THOSE ANIMALS AND THEN EACH CITY.
SO IF YOU'RE ANOTHER REASON AS TO WATCHING THE MONEY, BECAUSE I THINK MORE OF THE PEOPLE EATING THAN THE ANIMALS, AND WE NEED TO FIND OUT FROM VETERINARIANS IF THEY WILL DONATE SOME TIME TO HELP SPAY AND NEUTER ANIMALS, BECAUSE THE PEOPLE CAN'T AFFORD IT.
BUT WE'VE GOT TO STOP THE THE PUPPIES THAT ARE CONSTANTLY POPPING UP.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR THOSE COMMENTS.
AND ACTUALLY, THAT'S EXACTLY THE REASON WHY I ASKED OUR CITY MANAGER SET UP A FOLLOW UP MEETING. BUT THIS IS JUST TO EXPAND OUR CAPACITY AT OUR.
WE'RE STILL OBVIOUSLY GOING TO WORK WITH PALM VALLEY, BUT THIS IS TO EXPAND OUR CAPACITY.
[B. Consider Awarding RFP No. 2024-016, Park Restrooms (Frontier, Bicentennial and Memorial) to 8/A Builders, LLC in the Amount Not to Exceed $1,027,630.91 and Authorize the City Manager to Execute Any Documents Related Thereto. [Mardoqueo Hinojosa, P.E., CFM, City Engineer]]
THE NUMBER OF KENNELS. SO.ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. ALL THOSE OPPOSED. SAME SIGN. MOTION CARRIES.
ITEM B CONSIDER AWARDING RFP NUMBER 2024 016.
PARK RESTROOMS. FRONTIER, BICENTENNIAL AND MEMORIAL TO EIGHT A BUILDERS LLC IN THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 1,027,630 AND $0.91 AND AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE ANY DOCUMENTS RELATED THERETO.
SO MOVED. SECOND. MOTION AND SECOND.
ANY DISCUSSION. I KNOW I MENTIONED THIS DURING THE WORK SESSION, BUT CAN WE DO IT FAST? HOWEVER, WE CAN EXPEDITE THIS.
WE WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE IT. I KNOW WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS. WE HAVE TO SIGN THE CONTRACT. RIGHT. AND ALL THAT. BUT THERE'S ANY MEASURES WE CAN INSTITUTE TO HELP
[C. Consider Authorizing the Purchase of 60”X 47’-9” and 84.16” X 64’-11.25” Exhibit Glass Cases for the Edinburg ACE Building from G&S Glass, LLC Through Texas Interlocal Purchasing Contract (TIPS) Contract No. 21101, in the Amount of $125,000.00. [Leticia Leija, Director of Library & Cultural Arts]]
EXPEDITE THIS WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.ALL RIGHT. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. ALL OPPOSED? SAME SIGN. MOTION CARRIES.
ITEM C, CONSIDER AUTHORIZING THE PURCHASE OF A 60 INCH BY 47 FOOT, NINE INCH, AND 84.16IN BY 64 FOOT, 11.25IN EXHIBIT GLASS CASES FOR THE EDINBURG ACE BUILDING FROM NS GLASS, LLC THROUGH TEXAS INTERLOCAL PURCHASING
[00:40:04]
CONTRACT TIPS. CONTRACT NUMBER 21101, IN THE AMOUNT OF 125,000.[D. Consider Authorizing the Purchase of Network Equipment for the Edinburg ACE Building from Netsync through Department of Information Resources (DIR) Contracts, DIR-TSO-4167 for Hardware and DIR-CPO-4430 for the Installation and Configuration, in the Amount of $92,098.98. [Daniel Vera, Director of Information Technology]]
SO MOVED. SECOND. MOTION AND SECOND.ANY DISCUSSION, IF NOT ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND.
MOTION CARRIES ITEM D CONSIDER AUTHORIZING THE PURCHASE OF NETWORK EQUIPMENT FOR THE EDINBURG ACE BUILDING FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION RESOURCES.
CONTRACTS DIRZO 4167 FOR HARDWARE AND DER KPO 4430 FOR THE INSTALLATION CONFIGURATION IN THE AMOUNT OF $8.98. SO MOVE.
[E. Consider Authorizing the Purchase of One (1) 2024 Chevy Tahoe Through the Texas Interlocal Purchasing Contract, TIPS-Contract No. 210907 and Accessories, Equipment and Installation Through Various Cooperative Agreements Through the FY 2023 Operation Stonegarden Grant No. 3172509 Funds, in the Amount of $89,281.90. [Jaime Ayala, Chief of Police]]
WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. WE HAVE A SECOND.ANY DISCUSSION? IF NOT, ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND.
ALL RIGHT. MOTION CARRIES ITEM E.
CONSIDER AUTHORIZING THE PURCHASE OF ONE 2024 CHEVY TAHOE THROUGH THE TEXAS INTERLOCAL PURCHASING CONTRACT TIPS CONTRACT NUMBER 210907 AND ACCESSORIES, EQUIPMENT AND INSTALLATION THROUGH VARIOUS COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS THROUGH THE FISCAL YEAR 2023. OPERATION STONE GARDEN GRANT NUMBER 23172509.
FUNDS IN THE AMOUNT OF 89,281 AND $0.90.
[9. CONTRACTUAL]
[A. Consider Authorizing the City Manager to Enter Into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) Between the City of Edinburg Police Department and the South Texas Independent School District to Establish Responsibility Between Entities for On-Campus Events. [Jaime Ayala, Chief of Police]]
SO MOVED. SECOND. ALL RIGHT.WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
ANY DISCUSSION? IF NOT, ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND.
MOTION CARRIES. ITEM NINE A CONSIDER AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO ENTER INTO A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN THE CITY OF EDINBURG POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE SOUTH TEXAS INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT TO ESTABLISH RESPONSIBILITY BETWEEN ENTITIES FOR ON CAMPUS EVENTS. ALL RIGHT.
COUNCIL. SO MOVED. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
ANY DISCUSSION? I HAD A QUESTION, CHIEF.
SOUTH TEXAS ICE IS LOOKING TO FORMULATE THEIR OWN POLICE DEPARTMENT.
AND AS PART OF THIS I GUESS MOU THEY'RE LOOKING TO HIRE ONE OF OUR OFF DUTY OFFICERS.
IS THAT GOING TO AFFECT OUR FORCE AT ALL? AND IS THERE FUNDING THAT? BECAUSE I DIDN'T SEE ANY DOLLARS TIED TO THIS MOU.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. JAIME OLIVER, POLICE CHIEF. THE MOU.
YES. THEY ARE ESTABLISHING THEIR OWN POLICE DEPARTMENT, BUT WE'VE ALREADY BEEN PROVIDING OFF DUTY OFFICERS PAID BY SOUTH TEXAS ISD THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE YEAR.
ONE AT EACH OF THE TWO CAMPUSES THAT ARE NEXT TO EACH OTHER HERE IN EDINBURG.
SO THERE'S NO FUNDING ISSUE ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.
A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES, AND IS SOMETHING THAT THEY NEED TO PURSUE THEIR TICO LICENSE TO BECOME A POLICE DEPARTMENT. THEY'RE CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS OF HIRING A POLICE CHIEF.
SO AND I'M ALL FOR THIS BY I'M NOT ASKING QUESTIONS.
I'M AGAINST THIS, BUT I'M JUST FOR MY SAKE.
I GUESS IF WHEN OUR OFF DUTY OFFICERS THERE, ARE THEY THERE AS A CITY OF EDINBURG OR ARE THEY THERE? WHEN YOU SAY OFF DUTY, LIKE, WHAT IF SOMETHING HAPPENS TO THAT OFFICER, ARE THEY COVERED UNDER OUR MRS HTML OR SO WE HAVE OFF DUTY POLICY THAT ALLOWS OUR OFFICERS TO WORK OFF DUTY JOBS IN ESTABLISHMENTS OR CHURCHES THAT AREN'T 51% ALCOHOL SALES OR ABOVE.
SO AS LONG AS IT'S BELOW THAT, CORRECT? IF THEY'RE WORKING IN OFF DUTY JOB AND THEY SLIP AND FALL AND HURT THEMSELVES, THEY'RE NOT COVERED BY OUR WORKER'S COMPENSATION.
IF THEY'RE WORKING IN OFF DUTY JOB AND THEY TAKE LAW ENFORCEMENT ACTION, MAKING AN ARREST, PURSUING A SUSPECT, THEN THEY DO IMMEDIATELY GO ON THE CLOCK AND THEY ARE AN EDINBURG POLICE OFFICER ON DUTY AND THEY ARE COVERED BY WORKERS COMPENSATION.
YOU ALL THE MAYOR COUNCIL RECENTLY APPROVED US TO TO GET INTO A RELATIONSHIP WITH OFF DUTY MANAGEMENT. AND OFF DUTY MANAGEMENT IS A A SCHEDULING COMPANY THAT OUR OUR VENDORS OR OUR BUSINESSES THAT WANT OFF DUTY OFFICERS THERE WOULD GO THROUGH.
AND THEN THEY DIRECTLY PAY OUR OFFICERS AND THERE'S A LIABILITY POLICY IN THERE.
THEY ARE COVERED BY WORKER'S COMPENSATION THROUGH ODM.
IT'S JUST AN ADDED PROTECTION FOR OFFICERS THAT ARE WORKING IN AN OFF DUTY CAPACITY THAT IS IN ADDITION TO THEIR REGULAR WORK DUTY.
AND WE HAVE POLICY THAT REGULATES HOW MANY HOURS OF OFF DUTY EMPLOYMENT THEY CAN HAVE TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE FRESH TO COME AND WORK THEIR NORMAL DUTY.
ALL RIGHT, ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.
I JUST HAD THOSE QUESTIONS ON THAT.
I REMEMBER WHEN EDINBURG CISD ALSO GOT STARTED IN THIS.
NOW THEY HAVE A WHOLE POLICE FORCE.
BUT THOSE QUESTIONS THAT I REMEMBER COME UP BACK THEN.
SO, SO WE HAVE HAD THREE SCHOOLS THAT ARE PRIVATE IDEA, VANGUARD, SOUTH TEXAS ISD THAT HAVE WANTED US TO PROVIDE A SCHOOL RESOURCES RESOURCE OFFICERS. SO THEY HAVE THE SAME OFFICERS THERE EVERY DAY, ALL DAY.
WE'VE NOW BEEN ABLE TO MAKE THAT COMMITMENT BECAUSE OF THE STRENGTH, OUR STRENGTH OF FORCE, AND WE'RE IN THE PROCESS NOW OF FILLING OUR NEXT ACADEMY THAT STARTS IN JULY, THAT WE OUGHT TO BE ABLE TO GET CLOSE TO
[10. RESOLUTIONS]
[A. Consider Resolution to Ratify the City Manager’s Submission of a Grant Application to the Office of U.S. Senator John Cornyn for the Fiscal Year 2025 Appropriations Request Program to Fund the Utilities Capital Improvement Project for Water Infrastructure Rehabilitation and Execute Documents Related Thereto. [Gerardo Carmona Jr., P.E, Director of Utilities]]
BEING AT FULL CAPACITY.THANK YOU CHIEF. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.
[00:45:02]
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. ALL RIGHT.MOTION CARRIES. WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM TEN.
RESOLUTIONS. ITEM A CONSIDER RESOLUTION TO RATIFY THE CITY MANAGER'S SUBMISSION OF A GRANT APPLICATION TO THE OFFICE OF US SENATOR JOHN CORNYN FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2025.
APPROPRIATIONS REQUEST PROGRAM TO FUND THE UTILITIES CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT FOR WATER INFRASTRUCTURE REHABILITATION AND EXECUTE DOCUMENTS RELATED THERETO.
COUNCIL. SECOND, WE HAVE A MOTION TO SECOND ANY DISCUSSION.
MOLLY COMMENT CITY MANAGER WOULD BE I KNOW THERE'S A 20% MATCH REQUIRED ON THIS GRANT.
IS THAT FOR NEXT FISCAL YEAR? HOW DOES THAT. THAT IS CORRECT.
SO IT'S FOR NEXT FISCAL YEAR. SO I JUST WOULD LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE DEPARTMENT BUDGETS
[B. Consider Resolution to Ratifying the City Manager’s Submission of a Grant Application to the Office of U.S. Senator John Cornyn for the Fiscal Year 2025 Appropriations Request Program to Fund the Airport Master Plan Airport Airfield Taxiways Reconstruction Project and Execute Documents Related Thereto. [Eddie Velarde, Director of Aviation]]
FOR THIS 20% IF WE DO GET AWARDED.ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION, PLEASE RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. MOTION CARRIES.
ITEM B, CONSIDER RESOLUTION TO RATIFY THE CITY MANAGER'S SUBMISSION OF A GRANT.
APPLICATION TO THE OFFICER OFFICE OF U.S.
SENATOR CORNYN FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2020.
APPROPRIATIONS REQUEST PROGRAM TO FUND THE AIRPORT MASTER PLAN, AIRPORT, AIRFIELD,
[C. Consider Amendment No. 1 to Resolution No. 2610 Authorizing the Edinburg City Council to Designate Authorized Signatories for Contractual and Financial Documents for Requesting Funds Pertaining to the Texas General Land Office (GLO) Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery Program Infrastructure Project Through the Community Development & Revitalization Division Awarded as Contract No. 23-152-007-E179, 2018 South Texas Floods Funding, and Execute Grant Documents Relating Thereto. [Claudia L. Farias, Director of Grants Administration]]
TAXIWAYS, RECONSTRUCTION PROJECT AND EXECUTE DOCUMENTS RELATED THERETO.WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. MOTION CARRIES ITEM C CONSIDER AMENDMENT NUMBER ONE TO RESOLUTION NUMBER 2610, AUTHORIZING THE EDINBURG CITY COUNCIL TO DESIGNATE AUTHORIZED SIGNATORIES FOR CONTRACTUAL AND FINANCIAL DOCUMENTS FOR REQUESTING FUNDS PERTAINING TO THE TEXAS GENERAL LAND OFFICE, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT, DISASTER RECOVERY PROGRAM INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT THROUGH THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND REVITALIZATION DIVISION, AWARDED AS CONTRACT NUMBER 23.
DASH 152007E179 2018 SOUTH TEXAS FLOODS FUNDING AND EXECUTE GRANT DOCUMENTS RELATING THERETO. ALL RIGHT. ARE THERE ANY MOTIONS THIS AMENDMENT? IT'S A MOTION TO APPROVE.
[D. Consider Resolution Finding that AEP Texas Inc.'s Requested Increase to its Electric Transmission and Distribution Rates and Charges Within the City Should Be Denied. [Omar Ochoa, City Attorney]]
WE HAVE A MOTION. WE HAVE A SECOND.ANY DISCUSSION? IF NOT, ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND.
MOTION CARRIES. ITEM D CONSIDER RESOLUTION FINDING THAT AEP TEXAS REQUESTED INCREASE TO ITS ELECTRIC TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION RATES AND CHARGES WITHIN THE CITY SHOULD BE DENIED. SO MOVE WHERE MOTION IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND? WE HAVE A SECOND.
ANY DISCUSSION? THIS IS DENYING THE INCREASE CORRECT.
I KNOW JUST WANTED WANT IT TO BE TOO WORDY.
WE'RE APPROVING DENYING THE INCREASE.
AND SO MY QUESTION IS SO WE'RE DENYING IT.
SO THIS GOES TO THE STATE OR HOW DOES THIS WORK.
I MEAN THIS IS OUR ACTION, RIGHT.
TO PREVENT THEM FROM RAISING THE RATES.
BUT WHAT HAPPENS NOW? DO WE SEND THIS TO THE STATE? YES. ESSENTIALLY WE WOULD HAVE TO SUBMIT THAT.
OKAY. AND THEY'LL TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION.
BUT WE DON'T HAVE THE FINAL SAY.
THE NO, THE CITY DOES NOT HAVE THE FINAL AUTHORITY ON THAT.
OKAY. AND DOES IT AFFECT OUR FRANCHISE AGREEMENT IN ANY WAY IF I MEAN.
NO IT DOESN'T ACTUALLY, THIS IS ALL GOING THROUGH A REGULATORY PROCEEDING. AND SO THE CITY IS BEING REPRESENTED BY COUNSEL AND THAT SPECIFIC PROCEEDING. AND THIS IS JUST ANOTHER MECHANISM TO CONTINUE ON IN THAT DISPUTE.
GOT IT. OMAR, DO YOU KNOW IF THEY HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING OR FORUM LIKE LIKE TEX DOT ANYTHING LIKE THAT WE COULD PUT OUT TO THE TO THE PUBLIC? GENERALLY THEY DO.
I DON'T KNOW IF ONE IS SCHEDULED NOW.
BUT YES, GENERALLY A PUBLIC HEARING OF SORTS WILL BE WILL BE SCHEDULED.
OKAY, GREAT. IF WE COULD FIND OUT TO PUT IT OUT. BECAUSE AS WE KNOW, SOMETIMES TEX DOT HAS THEIRS VERY INCONVENIENT TIMES, AND PEOPLE DON'T EVEN KNOW ABOUT IT.
SO THIS RESOLUTION, IF APPROVED RIGHT NOW, WILL WILL BE SUBMITTED AS PART OF THEIR
[11. BUDGET]
[A. Consider Approving Fiscal Year 2023-2024 Budget Transfers for the Following: [Ascencion Alonzo,]
CONSIDERATION. THAT'S CORRECT. YES. OKAY.GOT IT. ALL RIGHT. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND.
ALL OPPOSED? SAME SIGN. MOTION CARRIES ITEM 11.
UNDER BUDGET, WE HAVE ITEM A, BUT IT COVERS SERIES OF ITEMS. YES. CONSIDER FISCAL YEAR 2023 2024 BUDGET TRANSFERS AS LISTED.
ALL RIGHT. COUNCIL MOVE TO APPROVE.
I JUST WANTED TO CONFIRM THIS IS NOT INCREASING OUR OR AFFECTING OUR FUND BALANCE IN ANY WAY. RIGHT. THAT IS CORRECT.
MAYOR AND COUNCIL. DIRECTOR OF FINANCE DOES NOT INCREASE THE APPROPRIATIONS OF THE BUDGET AT THIS TIME. WELL, I APPRECIATE THAT BECAUSE SOMETIMES THOSE COME BEFORE US AND IT CALLS FOR ADDITIONAL APPROPRIATIONS.
ALL RIGHT. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. ALL OPPOSED? SAME SIGN. MOTION CARRIES.
[12. CONSENT AGENDA]
ITEM 12. CONSENT COUNCIL.[13. OTHER BUSINESS]
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE?[A. Future Items Requested by City Council. [Myra L. Ayala, City Manager]]
SO MOVED. SECOND. WE HAVE MOTION.AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND.
OTHER BUSINESS COUNCIL. IS THERE ANY FUTURE ITEMS YOU'D LIKE TO REQUEST AT THIS TIME?
[00:50:08]
I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SEE ON THE EDINBURGH 2040.I KNOW THEY HAVEN'T MET AND I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO REQUEST AN UPDATE ON THE EDINBURGH 2040 COMMITTEES, PLEASE.
ANYTHING ELSE? COUNCIL. AND ALSO, WE HAD SOME RESIDENTS HERE AT THE LAST MEETING ON OWASA ROAD, AND WE HAD TALKED ABOUT ADDING AN ITEM TO GIVE EVERYBODY AN UPDATE. I KNOW WE MEET NEXT WEEK.
IS THERE STILL TIME TO ADD TO THAT AGENDA? YEAH, AND WE NEED TO NOTIFY THE RESIDENTS SO WE COULD PROVIDE JUST AN UPDATE.
I KNOW STAFF HAS THAT INFORMATION, BUT JUST SO EVERYBODY CAN BE AWARE, THEY BROUGHT IT UP UNDER PUBLIC COMMENTS. WE CAN'T INTERACT IN PUBLIC COMMENTS, BUT IT'D BE GREAT IF WE CAN LET THEM KNOW AND WE CAN GIVE THEM AN UPDATE THE NEXT MEETING.
[14. EXECUTIVE SESSION]
SO. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THAT BEING THE CASE, COUNCIL, IF THERE'S NOTHING ELSE, WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO ITEM 14 EXECUTIVE SESSION. IS THERE A MOTION TO CONVENE INTO EXECUTIVE.SO MOVED. SECOND. MOTION AND SECOND.
ALL IN FAVOR PLEASE RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND.
IT IS 654 AND WE'RE NOW GOING TO CLOSED SESSION ITEM EIGHT.
MAY. BE DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING THE PURCHASE, EXCHANGE, LEASE OR VALUE OF REAL PROPERTY.
ITEM C CONSULTATION WITH CITY ATTORNEY REGARDING CITY ORDINANCES AND CITY CHARTER.
ITEM D DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT WITH BURNS BROTHERS LIMITED.
ITEM E DISCUSSION OF DUTIES, RESPONSIBILITIES, REMUNERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING APPOINTMENT OF A CITY ATTORNEY.
ITEM F CONSULTATION WITH CITY ATTORNEY REGARDING CONSTRUCTION AGREEMENTS.
[01:24:56]
ANY VEHICLE HAS THE POTENTIAL OF BECOMING A DEADLY WEAPON AT A DISTRACTED DRIVER.[01:25:01]
ANSWERING THE PHONE OR TEXTING WHILE DRIVING.[01:25:03]
HELLO? HEY, HOW'S IT GOING, MAN?[01:25:05]
AND THE CHANCES OF A FATAL INCIDENT INCREASE DRAMATICALLY.[01:25:09]
OKAY, WELL, I THOUGHT WE WERE MEETING UP AT FIVE.[01:25:12]
AND WHEN THAT DISTRACTED DRIVER ENTERS A WORK ZONE,[01:25:14]
THE LIKELIHOOD OF A FATALITY IS EVEN GREATER.I BETTER TEXT JODY. DRIVERS WHOSE SPEED OR BECOME DISTRACTED CAUSE FATAL INCIDENTS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE WORK ZONE.
GOT ONE COMING THROUGH. ONE COMING THROUGH.
MAYBE TODAY YOU WILL FLY THROUGH THE WORK ZONE UNHARMED.
BUT HOW ABOUT TOMORROW? THE NEXT WORKER YOU DON'T PAY ATTENTION TO MAY NOT MAKE IT HOME TODAY.
WILL YOU EVEN REACH YOUR DESTINATION? MANY WORKERS AND MOTORISTS HAVE NOT.
AT A HIGH SCHOOL FRIEND THAT I GREW UP WITH THAT DID NOT GET TO SEE HIS CHILDREN GROW UP.
A DISTRACTED MOTORIST PULLED INTO HIS LANE AND STRUCK HIM HEAD ON, TAKING HIS LIFE. AND TO THIS DAY, I LIVE WITH THAT MOMENT AND IT CAUSES ME ALSO TO REFLECT BACK ON OUR 11 TEXT TEAMMATES AND OTHER CONTRACTOR EMPLOYEES WHO LOST THEIR LIFE AND WERE UNABLE TO SEE THEIR CHILDREN GROW UP, AND IT ALL CAME DOWN TO A DISTRACTED DRIVER.
TEXAS AVERAGES OVER 3000 DISTRACTED DRIVER CRASHES IN WORK ZONES EVERY YEAR.
EVERYONE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR SAFE PASSAGE THROUGH A WORK ZONE.
THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, ALSO KNOWN AS TXDOT, ALONG WITH CONTRACTORS THAT WORK WITH THE AGENCY, HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF MAINTAINING A ROADWAY SYSTEM THAT CONNECTS TEXAS COMMUNITIES AND MOVES PEOPLE AND GOODS SAFELY AND EFFICIENTLY.
IT'S YOUR JOB TO REMAIN ALERT AND PAY ATTENTION WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAYS, ESPECIALLY WHILE DRIVING THROUGH WORK ZONES.
THERE ARE TWO SIDES OF THE LINE HERE, AND WE HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF EACH OTHER.
IT TAKES US AS CONTRACTORS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GUIDE THE PUBLIC THROUGH OUR WORK ZONE AT THE SAME TIME, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PUBLIC IS WATCHING OUT FOR US.
WE'RE WORKERS. WE HAVE FAMILY.
WE WANT TO GO HOME JUST LIKE YOU WANT TO GO HOME.
EACH YEAR IN TEXAS, THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY 15,000 CRASHES AND MORE THAN 100 PEOPLE KILLED IN HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE WORK ZONES.
IF YOU WERE NOT EXPECTING TO DRIVE THROUGH A WORK ZONE TODAY, CONSIDER THIS ROAD BUILDING IN TEXAS IS YEAR ROUND, AND THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION MAINTAINS ABOUT 200,000 LANE MILES OF ROADWAY. OVER 1000 PROJECTS ARE UNDERWAY AT ANY TIME.
TRAFFIC FINDS DOUBLE WHEN WORKERS ARE IN SITE, AND ON ANY GIVEN DAY, OVER 36,000 WORKERS ARE ON OR NEAR A TEXAS ROADWAY. AND IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE AS DRIVERS ARE FULLY PAYING ATTENTION.
THINGS CHANGE IN A WORK ZONE, AND THEY'RE NOT THE SAME AS JUST A BASIC OPEN ROAD. AND IT ONLY TAKES A SECOND THAT ONE TIME THAT YOU'RE NOT PAYING ATTENTION, YOU COULD VERY WELL LOSE YOUR LIFE COMING THROUGH THE WORK ZONE.
WHEN APPROACHING A WORK ZONE, PAY ATTENTION TO ENTRANCE SIGNS AND TRAVEL THE POSTED SPEED LIMIT FOR THE AREA.
BE AWARE OF YOUR SURROUNDINGS.
YOUR UNDIVIDED ATTENTION IS ESSENTIAL, ESPECIALLY SINCE YOUR VISIBILITY MAY BE LIMITED AND YOUR PATH MAY BE ALTERED FOR YOUR SAFETY AND THE SAFETY OF WORKERS.
PAY ATTENTION TO FLAGGERS, CHANNELIZING DEVICES, BARRIERS, WARNING SIGNS, AND PAVEMENT MARKINGS.
THEY ARE THERE TO PROVIDE SAFE AND CLEAR GUIDANCE THROUGH THE WORK ZONE, AND ALERT YOU TO POTENTIAL DANGER.
HEAVY CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT AND LARGE EARTHMOVERS MAY BE NEAR THE ROADWAY OR CROSSING YOUR PATH, DEPENDING ON THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC.
STOPS AND WORK ZONES CAN BE SUDDEN AND UNEXPECTED, SO DO NOT TAILGATE. CREATE A SPACE CUSHION BY KEEPING A FOUR SECOND OR GREATER DISTANCE BETWEEN YOU AND THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF YOU AND LOOK AHEAD.
A TRAVEL DISTANCE OF 15 SECONDS OR GREATER TO HELP SPOT HAZARDS BEFORE THEY BECOME AN INCIDENT. AT NIGHT, WORK ZONES LOOK DIFFERENTLY THAN BY DAY.
OVERNIGHT WORK LOWERS THE IMPACT ON PEAK TIME TRAFFIC, BUT VISIBILITY IS FURTHER REDUCED AT NIGHT OR IN LOW LIGHT CONDITIONS.
WORKERS SEE LESS OF YOU AND YOU MAY SEE LESS OF THEM, AND A DRIVER'S EYESIGHT CAN BE TEMPORARILY BLINDED BY BRIGHT WORK ZONE LIGHTS OR BY ONCOMING TRAFFIC. REMEMBER, AS CONSTRUCTION PROGRESSES, THE WORK ZONE PATH MAY CHANGE.
WORKERS MUST BE ATTENTIVE, BUT DAY OR NIGHT, ENEMY NUMBER ONE IN A WORK ZONE IS A DISTRACTED DRIVER.
WHEN YOU'RE IN A WORK ZONE, DON'T ZONE OUT.
SILENCE THE CELL. TEXT LATER AND KEEP YOUR MIND ON THE ROAD.
THIS IS NOT TIME FOR CHECKING THE GPS, EATING, GROOMING, CHANGING THE RADIO STATION, MP3 OR CD,
[01:30:02]
DAYDREAMING OR WORRYING ABOUT PERSONAL ISSUES IS ALSO A DISTRACTION.IF YOU ALLOW YOURSELF TO BE DISTRACTED WHILE DRIVING THROUGH THAT, THROUGH THAT WORK ZONE AND ANSWER THAT CELL PHONE.
THAT MAY BE ALL IT TAKES TO CROSS THE BARREL AND UNFORTUNATELY, STRIKE A WORKER WHO IS STANDING ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT BARREL WORKING FOR YOU TO TRY TO CREATE A SAFE HIGHWAY SYSTEM WHEN BEHIND THE WHEEL.
DRIVING IS YOUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY.
AND KEEP IN MIND, TEENAGERS MODEL THEIR PARENTS BEHAVIOR.
IF YOU TEXT, YOUR TEENAGERS MAY TEXT EVEN AFTER TELLING THEM IT'S DANGEROUS ACCORDING TO DISTRACTION. GOV, A TEXTING DRIVER IS 23 TIMES MORE LIKELY TO CRASH.
SENDING OR READING A TEXT CAN DIVERT YOUR EYES FROM THE ROAD FOR ABOUT 4.6 SECONDS AT 55MPH. THAT'S SIMILAR TO DRIVING BLINDFOLDED THE DISTANCE OF A FOOTBALL FIELD.
MANY TEENS DRIVE WITH QUICK ACCESS TO A PHONE, AND CONTRIBUTING TO THIS HABIT IS THE QUICK RESPONSE EXPECTED FROM FRIENDS.
TEENS AND PARENTS CAN SET A GOOD EXAMPLE BY PLACING THEIR PHONE OUT OF REACH WHILE DRIVING. GLANCING AWAY FROM THE ROAD TO CHECK A MESSAGE OR TO TAKE A CALL COULD COST YOU YOUR LIFE OR THE LIFE OF ANOTHER PERSON.
NOW THAT YOU KNOW THE DANGERS, WHAT MEASURES WILL YOU TAKE? YOUR KEEN AWARENESS OF THE ROAD AND TO CHANGING CONDITIONS IS YOUR BEST DEFENSE? WHEN DRIVERS SLOW DOWN, ARE AWARE OF THE DANGERS AND ARE PATIENT, THEY REMAIN CALM AND IN CONTROL.
EVERYONE PLAYS A PART IN WORK ZONE SAFETY.
GIVING YOUR UNDIVIDED ATTENTION IN A WORK ZONE SAVES LIVES AND HELPS YOU REACH YOUR MOST IMPORTANT DESTINATION HOME.
[01:37:39]
EXPLAIN THIS TO ME AGAIN.OKAY. WE GOT HAMMERED TODAY, RIGHT? YEAH, WELL, SO DID A LOT OF OUR FANS.
THEY GO TO EACH OTHER'S HOMES AND HAVE GAME WATCHING PARTIES.
BOB WAS OUT THERE GETTING BLITZED. SORRY, BOB.
IT'S OKAY. OUR FANS ARE GETTING BLITZED.
WHAT DO YOU THINK? WE'RE STILL IN THESE PADS. THEY'RE OUT THERE DRIVING HOME NOW TO GAME WATCHING. PARTIES CAN MAKE DRUNK DRIVERS PASS UP THAT DRINK OR PASS OFF YOUR KEYS.
[01:47:33]
TOM CAN'T BECAUSE HE'S GOING TO SPEAK. I KNOW RIGHT?[01:47:40]
OKAY. I THINK WE ARE READY TO GET THIS STARTED.GOOD MORNING EVERYONE, AND THANK YOU SO, SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.
ANOTHER WONDERFUL DAY FOR OUR THREE TIME ALL-AMERICA CITY OF EDINBURGH.
I'M ROXANNE LERMA, THE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA FOR THE CITY.
YES. AND LET'S MAKE IT A FOUR TIME ALL-AMERICA CITY.
RIGHT. NO PRESSURE. IT'S CERTAINLY A PLEASURE TO BE HERE THIS MORNING, AS WE OFFICIALLY BREAK GROUND ON YET MORE PROGRESS IN OUR CITY.
THE OLD SERVICE CENTER REALLY SERVED US SO WELL FOR FIVE DECADES, BUT I THINK NOW IT'S TIME TO TO MOVE FORWARD WITH A BRAND NEW BUILDING.
AND I'M SURE THAT OUR CREWS ARE EXCITED FOR THE TRANSITION.
I WOULD LIKE TO START THIS MORNING BY INTRODUCING SOME OF OUR EDINBURGH CITY COUNCIL. THIS IS A HUGE PROJECT FOR THEM.
LONG AWAITED PROJECT OF COURSE, OUR MAYOR, RAMIRO GARZA JUNIOR.
COUNCILMAN DAVID SALAZAR AND OUR CITY MANAGER, MISS MAYRA AYALA. WE ALSO HAVE SOME FOLKS IN THE HOUSE THAT WE WANT TO RECOGNIZE.
LETTY GARCIA, BOARD MEMBER WITH US.
AND SEVERAL REPS FROM PRECINCT FOR ALWAYS SUPPORTING US.
THANK YOU GUYS. WE APPRECIATE Y'ALL.
WE ALSO COULD NOT GET THIS BUILDING OFF THE GROUND WITHOUT SOME AMAZING PARTNERS.
SO BIG THANKS TO OUR CONTRACTOR, GERLACH BUILDERS.
THE ARCHITECT OF RECORD JINEK ARCHITECTS.
OUR ENGINEERING FIRMS. EVERYTHING FROM CIVIL AND STRUCTURAL TO MECHANICAL AND PLUMBING AND A LOT OF OTHER THINGS THAT I DON'T KNOW ABOUT.
AND B2Z ENGINEERING. LOTS AND LOTS OF PARTNERS HELPING US OUT WITH THIS.
[01:50:02]
NOW LET US BEGIN OUR PROGRAM TODAY AS WE SHOULD IN PRAYER.IF YOU CAN, PLEASE STAND FOR THAT.
PLEASE WELCOME OUR ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, TOM REINA, TO LEAD US IN THE INVOCATION, FOLLOWED BY COUNCIL MEMBER DELEON TO LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
GOOD MORNING. THE NAME OF FATHER, SON AND THE HOLY SPIRIT.
AS WE GATHER TODAY HERE, WE GIVE THANKS FOR AN END OF AN ERA AND A DAWN OF A NEW CHAPTER IN THE LIFE OF OUR BELOVED CITY OF EDINBURGH.
WITH HEARTS FILLED WITH GRATITUDE, WE COME TOGETHER TO MARK THIS GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY FOR THE NEW EDINBURGH SERVICE CENTER.
FOR NEARLY HALF A CENTURY, THIS OLD BUILDING STOOD AS A SYMBOL OF DEDICATION AND SERVICE, HOSTING PUBLIC WORKS AND THE UTILITIES DEPARTMENT AS IT GIVES WAY TO PROGRESS AND INNOVATION.
WE HONOR THE MEMORIES AND MILESTONES THAT HAVE SHAPED OUR COMMUNITY.
BLESS THE NEW ENDEAVOR AS CONSTRUCTION BEGINS ON THIS MODERN FACILITY.
MAY IT BE A BEACON OF EFFICIENCY AND EXCELLENCE, SYMBOLIZING OUR COMMITMENT TO SERVE THE NEEDS OF OUR CITIZENS WITH INTEGRITY AND COMPASSION. GUIDE THOSE WHO LABOR IN THE CREATION.
THAT EVERY WALL THAT IS LAID AND EVERY BEAM THAT IS RAISED MAY BE A TESTAMENT TO OUR SHARED VISION FOR A BRIGHT FUTURE.
LET THIS CENTER STAND AS A TESTAMENT TO OUR RESILIENCE IN THE FACE OF CHANGE.
GRANT US THE WISDOM TO EMBRACE THE NEW BEGINNING WITH OPEN HEARTS AND MINDS, KNOWING IT HOLDS THE PROMISE OF GROWTH AND PROSPERITY FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.
AS WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE COMPLETION OF THIS PROJECT, MAY IT BE A SYMBOL OF UNITY AND COMMUNITY SPIRIT FOR ALL WHO ENTER.
FIND SUPPORT, INSPIRATION AND HOPE IN YOUR NAME.
WE PRAY AND ALWAYS AND EVERYONE SAY AMEN.
AMEN. 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. THANK YOU. YOU MAY BE SEATED.
AND NOW, CONTINUING WITH OUR PROGRAM, I'D LIKE TO WELCOME THE LEADER OF OUR ALL-AMERICA CITY, OUR MAYOR RAMIRO GARZA JUNIOR.
THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING EVERYONE.
WELCOME THIS BEAUTIFUL MORNING. THIS IS OUR SECOND WELCOME. WE WELCOME OUR SPECIAL OLYMPICS TEXAS RGV THIS MORNING.
IT'S A BEAUTIFUL DAY TODAY TO CELEBRATE THIS.
AND AND YOU KNOW I'M SO HAPPY FOR ALL OUR EMPLOYEES THAT I SEE HERE OUR PUBLIC WORKS UTILITIES. AS I DROVE IN YOU COULD SEE ALL THEIR SMILE ON THEIR FACES.
THEY'RE JUST LOOKING AT ME LIKE, ALRIGHT, WE NEED TO GET THIS DONE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. BUT CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF YOU BECAUSE I KNOW THIS IS LONG COMING TO HAVE THIS HAPPEN. AND THANK YOU TO PRECINCT FOUR FOR BEING HERE.
PLEASE TELL COMMISSIONER THAT YOU GUYS ARE PARTLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS, BECAUSE WE HAVE TO LOOK THAT WAY AND SEE ALL THE NEW FACILITIES AND AND EVERYTHING YOU GUYS ARE DOING. SO YOU GUYS ARE A LITTLE BIT TO DO WITH WITH COMING HERE TODAY.
BUT I WANT TO THANK THE CITY COUNCIL BECAUSE THESE ARE FUNDS BEING USED THAT WE COULD ABUSE FOR JUST A NUMBER OF THINGS HERE IN OUR CITY.
BUT WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WHAT IS HAPPENING TODAY AND BUILDING THIS NEW FACILITY CELEBRATING THE GROUNDBREAKING TOOK PLACE.
IT'S BEEN, AS ROXANNE MENTIONED, ABOUT 50 YEARS.
I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT WAS THAT LONG, BUT ABOUT 50 YEARS THAT THIS BUILDING WHICH CAME DOWN IN, I THINK, 2 TO 3 DAYS.
IS THAT CORRECT? I THINK YES CAME DOWN REAL QUICK.
THAT SHOWS HOW MUCH YOU KNOW, WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO BUILDING A NEW FACILITY. YOU KNOW, IT IT HAS IT SERVED US VERY WELL.
BUT IT'S TIME TO AS OUR CITY GROWS, AS OUR COMMUNITY CONTINUES TO PROSPER.
IT'S IT'S TIME, YOU KNOW, FOR US TO HAVE A NEW FACILITY.
THIS IS FOR OUR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
OUR UTILITIES DEPARTMENT. I WAS MENTIONED IT'S $5.3 MILLION.
THIS PROJECT THAT IS GOING TO CONSTRUCT THIS NEW BUILDING, AND IT'S GOING TO FEATURE ALL OUR STATE OF THE ART ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES, CONFERENCE AND TRAINING FACILITIES AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE CENTER, AND A MODERN UTILITIES DEPARTMENT WAREHOUSE.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS NOT ONLY GOING TO ENHANCE THE EFFICIENCY OF OUR OPERATIONS, BUT ALSO CONTINUE TO HELP US TO PROVIDE, I'LL CALL IT, TOP NOTCH SERVICES TO OUR OUR RESIDENTS HERE IN OUR CITY.
YOU KNOW, I'M SO PROUD AGAIN TO DESPITE THE CONSTRUCTION THIS WORK THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN BEHIND YOU, I JUST WANT TO LET EVERYBODY KNOW, ALL THE RESIDENTS, THAT IT IS NOT GOING TO INTERRUPT WITH THE SERVICES THAT ARE PROVIDED TO OUR RESIDENTS FROM STREETS DEPARTMENT, FROM PUBLIC WORKS, THROUGH UTILITIES.
THIS IS JUST CONSTRUCTION IS GOING TO TAKE PLACE TO HOUSE THEM FOR THE FUTURE, TO JUST PROVIDE SERVICES.
AND AS I MENTIONED, I WANT TO MENTION TO ALL THE EMPLOYEES, THIS IS A TESTAMENT BY THE COUNCIL OF OUR COMMITMENT TO SERVE ALL OUR RESIDENTS IN EDINBURG TO TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ALL HAVE A PLACE THAT YOU CAN BE PROUD OF AND ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DO OUT IN OUR
[01:55:03]
COMMUNITY AS WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE COMPLETION OF THIS PROJECT IN APRIL OF NEXT YEAR. WHERE'S THE CONTRACTOR? GERLACH. OH, THEY'RE RIGHT THERE.ALRIGHT. IN APRIL OF 2025 OF NEXT YEAR.
LET'S REMEMBER THAT THIS IS NOT JUST ABOUT BRICKS AND MORTAR.
IT'S ABOUT THE PEOPLE WE SERVE IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT WE STRIVE TO BUILD.
LET'S EMBRACE THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT LIE AHEAD AND CONTINUE TO WORK TOWARDS MAKING EDINBURG A VIBRANT, THRIVING PLACE AND A FOUR TIME ALL-AMERICAN CITY BECAUSE WE ARE IN THE RUNNING. SO WE IF YOU DON'T SAY IT OR BELIEVE IT, IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. SO WE'RE EXCITED TO TO EMBARK ON THAT IN JUNE.
BUT CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN TO ALL OUR UTILITIES AND PUBLIC WORKS EMPLOYEES.
ON THE FUTURE OF OF YOUR HOME.
AND TOGETHER, LET'S EMBARK IN A JOURNEY TOWARDS MAKING EDINBURG BETTER FOR THE FUTURE. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THANK YOU. MAYOR. MARK WAS EVENTUALLY GOING TO MOVE SO YOU CAN SIT DOWN.
NEXT UP TO THE PODIUM TO GIVE US A LITTLE BIT MORE INSIGHT INTO THIS PROJECT.
AND DEFINITELY SOMEBODY THAT'S BEEN WORKING SUPER HARD ON IT. OUR ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER ONCE AGAIN, TOM REYNA.
GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. THANK YOU FOR EVERYBODY COMING OUT FOR THIS GREAT CELEBRATION. I WANT TO THANK CITY COUNCIL, MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL FOR ALL THE SUPPORT THEY'VE GIVEN US ON THIS FRONT AND THE GREAT TEAM AND MY BOSS, MISS MYRA. SHE'S BEEN A STRONG BELIEVER IN THIS PROJECT, AND SHE HELPED US PUSH THAT ALONG.
AND WE DO WANT TO APPRECIATE, AS YOU KNOW, THE SERVICE CENTER HAS BEEN HERE FOR 50 YEARS. DEVELOPMENT STARTED IN RECENTLY, ABOUT 1947 WHEN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE WHOLE AREA STARTED HERE.
WE'VE MOVED SLOWLY. WE STARTED SOLID WASTE.
AND THEN I HAD THE PLEASURE TO WORK HERE FOR ALMOST TEN YEARS.
IT WAS A GREAT. SO I WISH I COULD SAY THAT I DIDN'T CRY DURING THE DEMOLITION, BUT I DID. IT WAS, GREAT.
WE SPENT MANY HURRICANES HERE.
ONE OF MY FAVORITE ONES WHEN IT SNOWED IN DECEMBER.
I HAVE VIDEO OF US TAKING PICTURES OF THE SNOW ALL IN THE BACK IN THE YARD AND SO FORTH. IT WAS QUITE. THIS IS A GREAT IMPROVEMENT.
FOR THIS FACILITY WE'RE GOING TO BE HOSTING 20 ABOUT 200 STAFF MEMBERS THAT ARE HERE, WHICH CONSISTS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS, WHICH HAS ADMINISTRATION, STREETS DIVISION, TRAFFIC DIVISION STORMWATER DIVISION, AND RIGHT OF WAY DIVISION.
ALSO, WE'RE GOING TO HOST THE UTILITIES DEPARTMENT, WHICH WILL ENCOMPASS THE ADMINISTRATION SYSTEMS AND THEIR WAREHOUSE AREA.
SO THIS IS ABOUT FIRST, THIS IS GOING TO HOLD A NEW STATE OF THE ART LOUNGE FOR THEM SO THEY CAN BREAK NEW RESTROOMS. WHEN PD AND EVERYBODY COMES TO FUEL, WE'LL HAVE ACCESS TO THE OUTSIDE.
WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A TRAINING FACILITY.
THAT'S PROBABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT ONE.
WE DID NOT HAVE ONE, SO ALL OUR STAFF HAD TO LEAVE OUT IN THE AREA, OUT OF THE AREA JUST FOR THE TRAINING.
AND IF IT WASN'T FOR THE ARPA FUNDING AND MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL, WE WON'T GET TO BE HERE WHERE WE'RE AT NOW.
WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO OCCUPYING THE BUILDING.
AND WE WANT TO THANK Y'ALL FOR EVERYBODY COMING OUT.
OUR NEIGHBORS. THANK YOU FOR COMING, Y'ALL.
I KNOW YOU'RE ALWAYS WELCOME FOR PAN DULCE AND COFFEY.
SO WHEN WE'RE OUT SO WE WANT TO SAY THANK YOU AND EVERYBODY FOR COMING OUT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANKS, TOM.
YOU HEARD IT. AND COFFEY, YOU ALREADY INVITED YOU GUYS.
OKAY, LET US MOVE ON TO THE ACTION.
IF WE CAN GET OUR MEDIA CREWS READY AND WE CAN GET THE PUBLIC WORKS GUYS, OUR UTILITIES GUYS TO LINE UP WITH OUR CITY LEADERS AS WE OFFICIALLY BREAK GROUND ON OUR NEW SERVICE CENTER.
WHERE'S VINCE? WHERE'S MY VINCE.
BECAUSE HE'S HE'S GOING TO LINE UP EVERYBODY.
HE'S THE COORDINATOR TODAY OR I NOMINATED YOU TO BE THE COORDINATOR.
JERRY AND VINCE. AND WE CAN INVITE YOUR CREWS TO TO JOIN IN THE PICTURES.
[02:00:03]
NOT RIGHT NOW.WHAT DO YOU THINK? I KNOW IT'S LIKE A BUILDING THING.
REALLY? OKAY. IS EVERYBODY READY? SECOND ONE. GUYS! DON'T LEAVE.
YOU ALL ARE GOING TO ALL BE IN THE PICTURE.
CAN WE GRAB A LITTLE SCOOP? YOU WANT TO TAKE A COUPLE PICTURES BEFOREHAND, KIM? GO FOR IT.
GO FOR IT. PLANT THEM DOWN FIRST.
THERE YOU GO. OKAY, GRAB A SCOOP.
I FEEL LIKE WE SHOULD HAVE DONE A COUNTDOWN.
CAN WE DO ONE MORE? READY? GRAB ANOTHER SCOOP JUST SO THAT WE CAN GET A GOOD SHOT FOR THE CAMERAS.
LET'S TURN THE DIRT. YAY! OKAY. SEE THAT? THAT FELT BETTER.
OKAY, CREWS, CAN WE GET YOU GUYS OVER HERE SO WE CAN GET YOU IN THE PHOTOS, PLEASE? EVERYBODY WEARING THE VEST.
I KNOW YOU GUYS ARE LOOKING AT EACH OTHER. COME ON, LET'S DO IT.
YEAH, IT'S COUNCIL MEMBER WHITE.
HE'S GONNA COME. HE'S SUPPOSED TO.
WHY? ARE YOU CALLING? FOR THAT? ALL RIGHTY. GOOD MORNING EVERYONE.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY.
WE'RE HERE TO UNVEIL THE CONSTRUCTION OF OUR NEW WATER TOWER, A PROJECT THAT WE KNOW WILL CERTAINLY BENEFIT OUR RESIDENTS FOR YEARS TO COME.
SO TO GET US STARTED, I'D LIKE TO CALL UP COUNCILMAN JASON DELEON
[02:05:01]
FOR THE INVOCATION. PLEASE RISE.PLEASE BOW YOUR HEADS AS WE STAND ON THE THRESHOLD OF A NEW CHAPTER IN OUR CITY'S HISTORY. WE GATHER HERE TODAY WITH HEARTS FULL OF HOPE FOR THE GROUNDBREAKING OF EDINBURGHS NEW WATER TOWER.
IN THIS MOMENT, WE INVOKE THE SPIRIT OF UNITY AND PROGRESS.
LET US JOIN TOGETHER IN GRATITUDE FOR THE THE LEADERS WHO HAVE WORKED TO MAKE THIS DAY POSSIBLE. MAY THIS NEW WATER TOWER STAND AS A SYMBOL OF COMMITMENT TO THE WELL-BEING AND PROSPERITY OF OUR COMMUNITY, AS WE BREAK GROUND ON THIS VITAL PROJECT.
LET US INVOKE THE BLESSING OF SUSTAINABLE ABUNDANCE AND ENSURING THAT THE WATER WILL FLOW FROM THIS TOWER, NURTURES OUR CITY, SUSTAINS OUR HOMES, AND FOSTER THE GROWTH OF THE FLOURISHING OF FLOURISHING EDINBURGH.
WE ASK FOR THE STRENGTH OF COLLABORATION AND POWER OF COMMUNITY SPIRIT.
MAY THE CONSTRUCTION OF THIS WATER TOWER BE A BEACON OF PROGRESS.
LET US MOVE FORWARD WITH UNITED PURPOSE, KNOWING THAT THIS ENDEAVOR WILL CONTRIBUTE TO A MORE SUSTAINABLE AND PROSPEROUS FUTURE FOR ALL.
PLEASE REMAIN STANDING FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, LED BY COUNCILMAN DAVID SALAZAR.
WE ALL TURN A PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS.
ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. THANK YOU. YOU MAY BE SEATED.
SO FIRST AND FOREMOST, I WANT TO RECOGNIZE OUR PARTNERS WHO HAVE TAKEN THE TIME TO BE WITH US HERE TODAY.
AND THE KEY ROLES THEY'VE ALL HAD IN GETTING US TO THIS POINT.
NOW, I'D LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE FIRST THE EDINBURGH EDC FOR THEIR PARTICIPATION IN FUNDING THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE WATER TOWER.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND OF COURSE, ON THAT NOTE, WE WANT TO RECOGNIZE OUR AMAZING CITY MANAGEMENT TEAM FOR ALL THAT THEY DO, ESPECIALLY OUR CITY MANAGER, MISS MYRA AYALA.
AND OF COURSE, JOINING US TODAY IS THE BENSON FAMILY.
WE WANT TO RECOGNIZE THEM FOR THEIR GENEROUS DONATION OF THE PROPERTY THE WATER TOWER IS LOCATED ON. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTION.
AS WELL AS MELVIN AND HUNT, OUR ENGINEERS ON THE PROJECT.
ROBERT KISTNER, THE MATERIALS TESTING LAB ON THIS PROJECT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.
AND OF COURSE, LANDMARK STRUCTURES, OUR CONTRACTORS.
THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO.
NOW TO OFFICIALLY KICK US OFF, PLEASE HELP ME WELCOME UP MAYOR RAMIRO GARZA JUNIOR FOR A FEW REMARKS.
THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING EVERYONE.
WHAT A BEAUTIFUL MORNING, ISN'T IT? WE WOKE UP THINKING IT WAS GOING TO BE RAINING. IT WAS GOING TO BE.
AND LOOK AT THIS BEAUTIFUL DAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE TODAY TO CELEBRATE THIS GROUNDBREAKING THAT I THINK A LOT OF RESIDENTS, I WALKED UP, I WOKE UP THIS MORNING AND TRIED TO FIND OUT WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME WE BUILT THE WATER TOWER HERE IN OUR CITY OF EDINBURGH? SO I GOT SOME DIFFERENT DATES. ALL I'M GOING TO SAY, IT'S OVER 25 YEARS.
OKAY. ALMOST THREE DECADES THAT THAT'S THE LAST TIME THAT A WATER TOWER WAS BUILT, AND IT'S NOT BECAUSE IT WASN'T NEEDED.
THERE'S A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, AND WE'RE JUST NOW AT A TIME WHERE WE'LL BE ABLE TO DO THIS. IT GIVES ME GREAT PRIDE, LIKE I MENTIONED, TO ANNOUNCE THIS CONSTRUCTION OF THIS 1 MILLION GALLON WATER TOWER THAT IS LOCATED RIGHT HERE, NORTH OF OUR CITY.
THIS PROJECT IS NOT ABOUT JUST CONCRETE AND STEEL.
IT'S ABOUT SECURING A BETTER, MORE RELIABLE FUTURE FOR EACH AND EVERY ONE OF OUR RESIDENTS. WE NEED TO ADDRESS OUR GROWING NEEDS.
WE TALK ABOUT THAT ALL THE TIME HERE IN OUR CITY.
YOU KNOW, WATER PRESSURE IS IMPORTANT, AND I'M PLEASED TO SHARE THAT THIS ADDITIONAL WATER STORAGE BY THIS TOWER WILL BE A GAME CHANGER.
AND I KNOW GAME CHANGER MEANS DIFFERENT THINGS TO PEOPLE FOR US.
AND AND YOU SEE ALL OUR EMPLOYEES THAT WORK ON THE UTILITIES DEPARTMENT, THEY WILL AGREE THAT THIS IS A GAME CHANGER, BECAUSE THE GROWTH THAT WE'RE EXPERIENCING HERE IN OUR CITY IS UNPRECEDENTED.
IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVEN'T SEEN BEFORE.
AND WE NEED THIS WHAT WE'RE HERE TODAY TO BUILD THIS WATER TOWER.
SO IT'S NOT MERELY JUST A STRUCTURE.
IT'S A SOLUTION TO ENHANCE AND MAINTAIN WATER PRESSURE AND ENSURING THAT EVERY TAP IN EDINBURGH FLOWS. THE RELIABILITY.
YOU DESERVE TO SUPPORT THIS NEW WATER TOWER.
THERE'S GOING TO BE 1800 LINEAR FEET OF NEW WATER LINE INSTALLED IN HERE TO THIS WATER TOWER. THIS IS A TESTAMENT TO OUR APPROACH FOR INFRASTRUCTURE EXPANSION.
[02:10:02]
THIS ADDITIONAL WATER LINE FEED WILL SUPPORT AND CONTRIBUTE TO A MORE EFFICIENT WATER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM FOR ALL OUR RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES IN OUR AREA.I WANT TO EXPRESS MY THANKS TO THE COMMUNITY, OUR DEDICATED CITY LEADERS, MY FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS, ALL THE ENGINEERS THAT WERE MENTIONED, OUR UTILITY DEPARTMENT THAT WORK EACH AND EVERY DAY TO ENSURE THAT OUR RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES GET CLEAN AND SAFE WATER.
LET'S GIVE THEM A HAND AT THIS TIME FOR ALL THE UTILITIES DEPARTMENT. YOU SEE HERE TODAY.
YOU KNOW, YOUR SUPPORT MATTERS. AND IT'S BECAUSE OF THIS UNITY THAT WE STAND HERE TODAY AND READY TO BUILD A BETTER FUTURE FOR OUR CITY.
AND I KNOW THEY WERE ALREADY MENTIONED, BUT I DO WANT TO TAKE THIS TIME TO THANK OUR SPECIAL FAMILY THAT'S HERE WITH US TODAY.
BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE BUILD THIS WATER TOWER, WE CAN'T JUST BUILD IT ON ANY PROPERTY.
IT'S GOT TO BE THERE, CITY OWNED OR PROPERTY THAT WE CONTROL.
AND IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, THE PROPERTY WE'RE BUILDING ON WAS NOT OWNED BY THE CITY. IT'S OWNED BY THE BENSON FAMILY.
AND THEY HAVE OWNED THIS PIECE OF PROPERTY FOR A VERY LONG TIME.
AND IN WORKING WITH US TOGETHER THEY AGREED TO DONATE THIS PIECE OF PROPERTY THAT WHERE WE SIT HERE TODAY TO ENSURE THAT WE CAN BUILD THIS WATER TOWER.
AND WITH US HERE TODAY, REPRESENTING THE FAMILY, WE HAVE MARGE BENSON AND HER DAUGHTER, PAM.
I DO WANT US TO GIVE THEM SPECIAL RECOGNITION TODAY.
IF WE CAN GIVE HIM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR FOR THEIR CONTRIBUTION HERE TODAY, I, I, WE WERE JUST TALKING A LITTLE WHILE AGO AND YOU KNOW, THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS JUST CONTINUE HERE IN OUR CITY, IN OUR REGION. I WAS JUST SHARING HOW THEIR FAMILY HAS JUST BEEN SUCH A VITAL PART OF OUR COMMUNITY FOR MANY, MANY, MANY YEARS.
AND I SEE RONNIE FROM OUR CHAMBER HERE THEIR FAMILY.
LLOYD BEN SENIOR ACTUALLY STARTED THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY PARTNERSHIP.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE INCORPORATION PAPERS THEY'RE THE ONES THAT STARTED THE PARTNERSHIP OF WHICH, TO ME WAS THE START OF BRINGING THE REGION TOGETHER AND ADVOCATING TO HAVE ONE REGION FOR THE FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR, OUR AREA.
AND HERE TODAY, YOU ALL CONTINUE, YOU KNOW, TO PROVIDE AND SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITY. AND WE SO VERY APPRECIATE YOUR DONATION, YOUR GENEROUS OFFER. BECAUSE WITHOUT THAT, THIS WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE.
SO THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH. AGAIN.
THANK YOU. I ALSO WANT TO THANK OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
WE HAVE SOME OF THE BOARD MEMBERS HERE.
WE HAVE MISS VERONICA GONZALEZ.
SHE'S THE CHAIR. I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THEM THAT ARE HERE. WE HAVE ALSO HERE IN FRONT EDDIE GARZA, OUR BOARD MEMBER AS WELL.
WE HAVE RONNIE RIVERA AS WELL THAT'S HERE REPRESENTING THE BOARD.
AND I DON'T SEE ANY OTHER BOARD MEMBERS.
THERE'S SEVEN. AND OUR COUNCIL MEMBER, DAN DIAZ, IS OUT OF TOWN, BUT HE'S ALSO ON THE BOARD. AND WE HAVE OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ADELE GARZA, THAT'S HERE ALSO. THIS IS A PROJECT THAT'S OVER $5 MILLION.
SO THE CITY IS PUTTING UP A LITTLE OVER 3 MILLION, AND THE EDC IS PUTTING IN THE OTHER 2 MILLION.
SO MY THANK YOU TO THE BOARD AND THE EDC FOR CONTRIBUTING TO THIS PROJECT.
SO AS WE BREAK GROUND TODAY, LET US NOT LET US NOT ONLY SEE THE CONSTRUCTION BEFORE US TO ENVISION THE POSITIVE IMPACT IT WILL HAVE ON THE LIVES OF OUR FAMILY, FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS.
THIS WATER TOWER SYMBOLIZES OUR COMMITMENT TO PROGRESS, RELIABILITY AND A FUTURE WHERE EDINBURGH CONTINUES TO THRIVE.
THANK YOU AND LET'S LOOK FORWARD TO THE DAY WHEN WE'RE HOSTING THE ACTUAL RIBBON CUTTING OF THIS GREAT PROJECT.
THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE TODAY. THANK YOU MAYOR.
NOW, I'D LIKE TO CALL UP COUNCILMAN JASON DELEON FOR A FEW WORDS OF HIS OWN.
WELL, WHAT DO YOU SAY AFTER THE MAYOR SPEAKS? WELL, SINCE COUNCIL MEMBER DIAZ IS NOT HERE, I'M JUST GOING TO GO AHEAD AND SAY BUENOS DIAS. I WOULD JUST LIKE TO START OFF BY THANKING THE THE BENSON FAMILY FOR YOUR KIND DONATION. THE MAYOR ALWAYS SAYS YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE A LEADER.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE ELECTED TO BECOME A LEADER.
AND BY YOU ALL, BEING ABLE TO DONATE SHOWS YOUR TRUE LEADERSHIP.
AND IT SHOWS THAT EDINBURGH CAN CONTINUE GROWING. SO I THANK YOU ALL AND WE CAN GIVE THEM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE. I'D ALSO LIKE TO ONCE AGAIN THANK THE EDC BOARD AND ALL THE STAFF FOR ALL THEIR HELP ON MAKING THIS HAPPEN.
WITHOUT YOU, NONE OF THIS WOULD BE POSSIBLE. SO WE CAN GIVE YOU ALL A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
AND EDINBURGH IS GOING TO CONTINUE BEING THE FASTEST GROWING CITY IN THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY. THANK YOU ALL AND GOD BLESS. THANK YOU.
COUNCILMAN DELEON. NOW, I'D LIKE TO CALL UP COUNCILMAN DAVID SALAZAR.
GOOD MORNING. IT'S KIND OF HARD AFTER THE MAYOR SAYING WHAT HE SAID AND JASON KIND OF FILLING EVERYTHING IN THE GAPS.
[02:15:01]
BUT I DO WANT TO THANK THE BENSON FAMILY FOR YOUR KIND DONATION.AND LIKE JASON WAS SAYING, BEING LEADERS IN THIS COMMUNITY IS IMPORTANT.
AGAIN, COMMUNITIES, EVERYTHING IN EDINBURG.
AND AS WE'RE GROWING AND IN THE FUTURE HERE AND THE GROWTH THAT'S HAPPENING, I DO BELIEVE THAT THIS WATER TOWER IS AN IMPORTANT FACTOR IN THIS COMMUNITY TO GO FORWARD. AND AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR EVERYBODY INVOLVED, ALL THE FIRMS, EDC AND ALL THE OTHER PARTNERS IN THIS, YOU KNOW, IN THIS WATER TOWER COMING TOGETHER AND PROVIDING THIS SOURCE FOR THE COMMUNITY ITSELF. THANK YOU AND HAVE A GREAT DAY.
THANK YOU. NOW, PLEASE HELP ME IN WELCOMING OUR EDINBURG EDC BOARD PRESIDENT, VERONICA GONZALEZ. WELL GOOD MORNING.
LAST NIGHT I, I STEPPED OUTSIDE AND IT STARTED TO RAIN A LITTLE BIT AND I THOUGHT, OH GOSH, TOMORROW MORNING IS GOING TO BE SOMETHING ELSE.
BUT GOD HAS BLESSED US WITH A BEAUTIFUL DAY AND AND AND ACTUALLY DRY WEATHER THIS MORNING. SO IT'S SO GOOD TO BE AMONG ALL OF YOU THIS MORNING TO CELEBRATE THIS AS WAS MENTIONED, MY NAME IS VERONICA GONZALEZ AND I'M PRESIDENT OF THE EDINBURG EDC BOARD.
AND JOINING ME TODAY ARE OUR BOARD MEMBERS.
I KNOW THEY'VE BEEN INTRODUCED, BUT I'M GOING TO ASK THEM TO STAND ANYWAY.
MISTER RONNIE RIVERA AND MISTER EDDIE GARZA.
WE ALSO HAVE JOINING US MISTER RAFAEL GARCIA, GARZA, WHO IS OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, AND WE HAVE WITH US OUR STAFF MEMBERS WHO DO A LOT OF WORK BEHIND THE SCENES.
AND JACKIE GUERRA, THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO.
THE EDINBURG ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION IS EXCITED ABOUT THIS PROJECT AND HAS MADE A SUBSTANTIAL INVESTMENT, AS WAS MENTIONED BY THE MAYOR OF $2.1 MILLION TOWARDS THE INSTALLATION OF THIS WATER TOWER.
NOW, YOU MAY WONDER, WHY IS THERE EXCITEMENT OVER A WATER TOWER? AND WHAT DOES IT HAVE TO DO WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT? WELL, WATER IS ONE OF OUR MOST PRECIOUS RESOURCES.
AS WE ALL KNOW. WE HEAR ALL THE TIME THAT WATER IS GOLD, BECAUSE WHERE THERE IS WATER, THERE IS LIFE.
AND WHERE THERE IS WATER, THERE IS GROWTH.
GROWTH IN BUSINESSES, GROWTH IN RESIDENTS, GROWTH IN PROSPERITY.
AND WE SEE THAT GROWTH HAPPENING HERE IN EDINBURG.
DAY AFTER DAY. AND WE'RE GOING TO SEE IT HERE IN NORTH EDINBURG.
THIS TOWER IS DESIGNED TO STORE AN IMPRESSIVE 1 MILLION GALLONS OF WATER, ENSURING A RELIABLE AND AMPLE WATER SUPPLY FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
IT WILL ENHANCE WATER PRESSURE AND PROVIDE IMPROVED SERVICES TO HOMES, TO BUSINESSES AND TO EMERGENCY SERVICES.
IT WILL INCLUDE A LIGHTING FEATURE, I'M TOLD, AND I'M WAITING HERE FROM LANDMARK WHAT THAT'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE. BUT THAT LIGHTING FEATURE WILL ALSO SERVE THE PRACTICAL PURPOSE AND SOME BEAUTIFUL ESTHETIC PURPOSES.
BUSINESSES WILL BENEFIT FROM ENHANCED WATER PRESSURE, FACILITATING SMOOTHER OPERATIONS AND ENCOURAGING FURTHER INVESTMENT INTO NORTH EDINBURGH, WHICH IS WHY WE AT THE EDC ARE SO EXCITED.
IN FACT, WE'RE ALREADY SEEING BUSINESSES LOCATED HERE.
IF YOU LOOK UP THE STREET A BIT, YOU SEE ALL OF THE, OF COURSE, THE FAST FOOD RESTAURANTS. YOU'VE GOT THE WHATABURGER, THE MCDONALD'S GOT THE CVS, YOU'VE GOT A BLUE WAVE.
AND WE'RE CONTINUING TO SEE MORE AND MORE GROWTH HAPPENING IN THIS DIRECTION.
SO WE KNOW THAT THIS CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT IS GOING TO ONLY HELP US TO CONTINUE WITH THAT SUCCESS.
MAYOR, WE WANT TO THANK YOU, AND WE WANT TO THANK THE COUNCIL AND YOUR WONDERFUL STAFF FOR INVITING THE EDC TO PARTNER ON THIS PROJECT.
WE WANT TO ALSO THANK AGAIN THE BENSON FAMILY FOR BEING SUCH WONDERFUL LEADERS AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS WITH US HERE IN EDINBURG AND REALLY THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE RIO GRANDE VALLEY. I NOTICED WE HAD OUR COMMISSIONER COME IN.
SHE'S IN THE BACK. SHE SHOULD COME ON UP FRONT. MISS ELLIE TORRES, WHO IS ALSO SUPPORTING US ALWAYS IN HIDALGO COUNTY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CONTINUE WITH OUR GROWTH. YOU KNOW, AS EDINBURG CONTINUES TO GROW, WE HAVE TO PLAN AHEAD, AND WE HAVE TO BE READY.
AND THIS PROJECT IS AN EXAMPLE OF THE STEPS THAT ARE BEING TAKEN TO WELCOME THE GROWTH AND TO POSITION EDINBURG FOR FUTURE SUCCESS.
THANK YOU. GOD BLESS YOU ALL AND HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY.
THANK YOU, MISS GONZALEZ, AND THANK YOU AGAIN.
YEAH. I'D LIKE TO SAY SOMETHING.
FEEL FREE. JOIN US UP HERE AT THE FRONT.
ARE YOU SURE? I DON'T WANT YOU TO KNOW YOU'VE BEEN SO GRACIOUS TO OUR FAMILY.
BUT THIS IS FROM MY HUSBAND, CALVIN.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THIS IS ONE OF HIS PINCH HITS.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTION.
IT IS. IT IS MUCH APPRECIATED.
WE APPRECIATE YOU BOTH BEING HERE WITH US TODAY.
AND THANK YOU AGAIN FOR COMMISSIONER TORRES FOR JOINING US.
PLEASE FEEL FREE TO JOIN US HERE AT THE FRONT. COMMISSIONER, WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE. AND OF COURSE, LAST BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST,
[02:20:03]
WE'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM OUR DIRECTOR OF UTILITIES, MR. GERARDO CARMONA, FOR A FEW WORDS.ALL RIGHT. GOOD MORNING EVERYBODY.
MY NAME IS GERARDO CARMONA AND I'M THE DIRECTOR OF UTILITIES.
TODAY IS AN EXCITING DAY AS WE GATHER FOR THE GROUNDBREAKING OF THIS NEW WATER TOWER.
THIS WATER TOWER WILL PROVIDE ADDITIONAL WATER STORAGE CAPACITY AND WILL IMPROVE THE PRESSURE IN THE AREA. IN ADDITION, THIS WATER TOWER WILL BECOME THE SIXTH WATER TOWER FOR THE CITY OF EDINBURGH.
AFTER THIS PROJECT IS COMPLETED, THE CITY OF EDINBURGH WILL HAVE OVER 4 MILLION GALLONS OF ELEVATED WATER STORAGE CAPACITY.
THIS WATER TOWER WILL BECOME AN IMPORTANT AND MAJOR ASSET FOR THE CITY, AND WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL, THE EDINBURGH ECONOMIC ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION CITY MANAGER, CITY MANAGEMENT, THE BENSON FAMILY FOR DONATING THE PROPERTY AND MY STAFF, THE CONSULTANTS MELVIN HUNT AND ROBERT KISSNER AND LANDMARK, THE CONTRACTOR ON BEHALF OF THE UTILITIES DEPARTMENT AND MY STAFF.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU ALL FOR THE SUPPORT IN MAKING THIS POSSIBLE.
THANK YOU. NOW THAT CONCLUDES THIS PORTION OF OUR CEREMONY.
BUT IF I COULD HAVE OUR ESTEEMED GUESTS AND OUR EDINBURG CITY COUNCIL JUST JOIN ME BACK HERE AT THE SHOVELS, WE'LL START TURNING THE DIRT.
OVER HERE. IS THERE ENOUGH? WOW. GOOD JOB. LET'S GO DO KARAOKE.
THERE YOU GO. SORRY. ARE YOU GOOD? YEAH. I JUST NEED, LIKE, A LITTLE.
SANDRA, CAN YOU DO IT? WHERE DID THE MIC. CARLOS.
CASADO DO ONE LIKE HOLDING IT.
AND THEN WHEN THEY WERE COUNTING DOWN, YOU WANT THEM TO TURN TO THE LEFT? YEAH.
JUST GOTTA BE LOOKING UP. SO WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO FIRST IS WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A GROUP PHOTO. SO IF EVERYONE HOLDS ON TO THEIR SHOVELS AND LOOKS RIGHT HERE IN THE MIDDLE, IT'LL BE GOOD TO GO FOR THAT PHOTO. AND THEN I'LL DIRECT YOU FROM THERE.
OKAY. ALL RIGHT, GUYS, CAN YOU GET EVERYONE RIGHT HERE ON THE COUNT OF THREE. READY? ONE. TWO.
THREE. OH. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, WAIT.
TWO. THREE. PERFECT. THANK YOU.
ALL RIGHT, SO STAY WHERE YOU ARE. WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO NOW IS WE'RE GOING TO PICK UP OUR SHOVELS A LITTLE BIT OF DIRT AND TURN IT TO THE LEFT.
THEN WE'LL TAKE A PHOTO DOING THAT TO THE LEFT.
YES, I'LL COUNT YOU DOWN FROM THREE.
VERY NICE. THANK YOU. NO, I WAS TALKING TO MYSELF.
[02:28:11]
AND THEN ALL THE COMMISSIONERS HERE? YES. AND WHO'S SPEAKING AFTER? YES. OKAY. YEAH.YES. THEY JUST SIT IN THE FRONT SEAT RIGHT HERE IN THE FRONT.
RIGHT HERE? YES. I LIVE IN SAN ANTONIO, BUT MY MOTHER WANTED TO BE HERE.
I'LL SIT OVER HERE. SO, ARE Y'ALL DOING THE WOMEN ON THAT SIDE? YES. YES. ALRIGHTY, EVERYONE.
GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY FOR THE DOOLITTLE DETENTION POND GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY.
NOW, THIS IS A PROJECT THAT WILL IMPROVE DRAINAGE SYSTEMS IN THE AREA.
AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO BEGINNING CONSTRUCTION ON DOOLITTLE.
NOW, TO GET US STARTED, I'D LIKE TO CALL UP OUR MAYOR PRO TEM DAN DIAZ FOR THE INVOCATION.
PLEASE RISE. BUENOS DIAS EVERYBODY.
I ASK EVERYONE TO BOW YOUR HEADS.
GOD, WE WANT TO ASK YOU FOR A BLESSING TODAY.
FOR ALL THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE PUT THIS PLAN IN ACTION, ALL THE PARTNERS. THERE'S NO WAY WE CAN DO ANY OF THESE THINGS BY OURSELVES.
I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ALL THE CITIZENS, ALL THE RESIDENTS, ALL THE NEIGHBORS THAT ARE GOING TO BENEFIT FROM THIS PROPOSED DETENTION POND.
I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ALL OF US THAT ARE HERE REPRESENTING YOU AND REPRESENTING THE CITY. HE'S BLESSED ALL THE HANDS, ALL THE CITY AND EVERYONE INVOLVED IN THIS PROJECT. AMEN. AMEN. THANK YOU.
PLEASE REMAIN STANDING FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, LED BY COUNCILMAN JASON DELEON.
[02:30:08]
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.THANK YOU. THANK YOU. YOU MAY BE SEATED.
ALRIGHT, SO I'D LIKE TO TAKE A QUICK MOMENT TO ACKNOWLEDGE SOME OF THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE MADE THIS PROJECT POSSIBLE AND ARE HERE WITH US TODAY.
OF COURSE, WE THANK OUR CITY MANAGER, MISS MAYA AYALA AND HER TEAM FOR THEIR ONGOING SUPPORT. ALSO, WE THANK OUR ENGINEER, QUINTANILLA HEADLEY AND ASSOCIATES FOR JOINING US.
AND OF COURSE, WE ACKNOWLEDGE THE MATERIAL TESTING LAB ON THE PROJECT MILLENNIUM ENGINEERS GROUP. AND WE THANK OUR CONTRACTOR, RBM FOR BEING HERE AS WELL.
AND OF COURSE, JOINING US TODAY, AND WE'D LIKE TO THANK HER FOR BEING HERE AS OUR HIDALGO COUNTY PRECINCT FOUR COMMISSIONER, MISS ELLIE TORRES.
WILL BE AWESOME. SO PLEASE HELP ME NOW IN WELCOMING UP OUR MAYOR, RAMIRO GARZA JUNIOR, FOR THE OFFICIAL REMARKS.
THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. I DO WANT TO TAKE THIS TIME TO RECOGNIZE OUR OUR COUNCIL THAT IS HERE BECAUSE IT IS A TEAM EFFORT.
ALSO, WE HAVE OUR MAYOR PRO TEM DAN DIAZ.
I KNOW HE ALREADY CAME UP, BUT I WANT TO GIVE HIM A HAND AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER JASON DE LEON AND WE HAVE TWO OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS, TWO DAVIDS, DAVID WHITE AND DAVID SALAZAR ARE NOT ABLE TO BE HERE WITH US TODAY, BUT I DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THEM AS WELL.
AND I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE I SEE FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER JOHNNY GARCIA, WHO'S HERE WITH US TODAY, AND SOME OF THESE PROJECTS THE THE PLANNING STARTS AS THE COMMISSIONER KNOWS, YOU KNOW, FOR SOME TIME BEFORE THEY START, AND THEN THE PLANS ARE DONE.
AND THEN HERE WE ARE FOR CONSTRUCTION.
SO AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
TODAY, AS WE BREAK GROUND ON THIS NEW LITTLE DETENTION POND, IF YOU'RE ASKING YOURSELF, WHY IS IT CALLED DOOLITTLE? WE'RE HERE AT FREDDY GONZALEZ PARK, SO I'LL ANSWER THAT REAL QUICK.
FOR EVERYBODY THAT'S HERE THIS IS PART OF A BOND THAT HAD BEEN ISSUED BY THE CITY YEARS AGO. AND IT'S WHAT IS REFERRED TO DOOLITTLE DETENTION POND.
BUT IT'S SUPPOSED TO COVER A CERTAIN AREA OF OUR CITY.
AND I WANT TO THANK OUR ENGINEERING STAFF, EVERYBODY THAT'S WORKED TO PLAN THIS, BECAUSE IT SO HAPPENS THAT FREDDY GONZALEZ PARK, THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE GOING TO HAPPEN HERE ARE GOING TO HELP ALL THIS AREA FROM THE EAST SIDE FROM KLAUSNER, ALL THE WAY RAUL LONGORIA NORTH TO 107.
IT'S HAPPENING TOGETHER WITH THE DRAINAGE DISTRICT, WITH THE COUNTY. SO I DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE OUR COMMISSIONER, ELLIE TORRES. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE AGAIN. COMMISSIONER, THIS IS JUST US DOING OUR PART.
YOU KNOW, WE ALL HAVE A ROLE IN THIS TO HELP OUR RESIDENTS.
AND I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR THE CONTINUED EFFORTS YOU'RE DOING, BECAUSE THIS YEAR IS GOING TO HELP AND SUPPORT WHAT YOU ALL ARE DOING AND WHAT THE TEXAS IS GOING TO BE DOING HERE ON ON 107.
WE ALSO HAVE TWO OTHER PROJECTS.
JUNIOR AND CHAPIN DETENTION PONDS, THAT ALL OF THESE PROJECTS WILL HAVE A HUGE IMPACT HERE TO OUR CITY, I KNOW IS GOING TO COME UP.
HE'S GOING TO GO OVER SOME OF THE DETAILS ASSOCIATED WITH WITH WHAT EXACTLY IS GOING TO HAPPEN. BECAUSE WE DO WANT TO ASK ALL OUR RESIDENTS THAT LIVE HERE NEAR THIS AREA FOR YOUR PATIENTS, THIS IS GOING TO BE A PROJECT THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN FOR THE OVER THE NEXT 12 MONTHS AND IT'S GOING TO WHEN IT'S COMPLETED.
IT'S REALLY GOING TO MAKE A LASTING IMPACT FOR DRAINAGE PURPOSES HERE TO OUR CITY.
AND THIS PROJECT, THERE'S $7 MILLION THAT THE CITY OF EDINBURGH THAT YOU, THE RESIDENTS, HAVE ALLOWED US TO UTILIZE TO ADD DETENTION VOLUME.
AND LIKE I MENTIONED, INCREASE DRAINAGE CAPACITY.
THAT'S WHAT WE NEED WITHIN THE STORM SEWER SYSTEM AREA.
AND THIS PUMP WILL SERVICE OVER 76 ACRES.
THAT IS THE AREA THAT IT'S GOING TO HELP AND IMPROVE RIGHT HERE IN THE HEART OF OUR CITY, BENEFITING HUNDREDS OF FAMILIES.
THEY'RE GOING TO BE ADDING 8500 LINEAR FEET OF STORM DRAINAGE PIPES IN THE AREA, AS WELL AS AGAIN, THE CONSTRUCTION STARTING NEXT MONTH.
OUR CITY MANAGER KNOWS YOU KNOW, WITH THESE GROUNDBREAKINGS AND EVERYTHING, YOU CAN HAVE A GROUNDBREAKING ANYTIME YOU LIKE.
BUT WE LIKE TO HAVE THEM WHEN THE CONSTRUCTION IS ABOUT TO START. SO THE CONTRACTORS HERE, THEY'RE STARTING FEBRUARY 12TH.
THAT'S THE OFFICIAL STARTING DATE. SO THIS GROUNDBREAKINGS RIGHT BEFORE THAT AS WAS MENTIONED, I DO WANT TO THANK QUINTANILLA, HEADLEY AND ASSOCIATES, MILLENNIUM ENGINEERING, RBM CONTRACTORS.
THEY'RE THE ONE THEY'RE THE ONES THAT ARE GOING TO BE WORKING ON THIS PROJECT. AND ALL HIS STAFF AND ALL OUR CITY STAFF THAT HAS BEEN WORKING DILIGENTLY TO GET TO WHERE WE
[02:35:01]
ARE TODAY AND START THE CONSTRUCTION.WE ARE GOING TO BE HAVING NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS SENDING OUT FLIERS TO ALL THE RESIDENTS. THERE'S GOING TO BE DIFFERENT PHASES TO THIS PROJECT.
THAT'S A LARGE AREA, BUT WE WANT TO KEEP EVERYBODY INFORMED OF THE PROGRESS THAT'S HAPPENING. SO WE DO HAVE A DASHBOARD ON OUR CITY WEB PAGE.
I URGE ALL OUR RESIDENTS PLEASE ACCESS THAT.
IF YOU SEE CONSTRUCTION HAPPENING IN AN AREA, YOU WONDER WHAT IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING, YOU CAN ACTUALLY GO TO OUR WEBSITE.
THERE'S A GIS MAP, AND YOU'LL PROBABLY FIND WHAT THAT CONSTRUCTION PROJECT IS AND THE TIMELINE. AND YOU PROBABLY FIND PICTURES TOO, OF THE LATEST INSPECTIONS THAT ARE BEING DONE.
SO, THANK YOU, ALL OF YOU FOR BEING HERE.
I'M SO HAPPY THAT WE'RE HERE TODAY TO CELEBRATE KICKING OFF THIS CONSTRUCTION.
VERY MUCH NEEDED. AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO ITS COMPLETION.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU, MAYOR JACKSON.
NOW, OF COURSE, TO HEAR FROM THE MAN HIMSELF WHO IS WORKING ON THIS PROJECT ARE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR, MR. MARCO HINOJOSA. GOOD MORNING.
GOOD MORNING. IT'S NICE TO BE HERE.
ONE MORE PROJECT FOR THE CITY OF EDINBURGH.
ONE MORE DRAINAGE PROJECT BENEFITING OUR RESIDENTS.
IT IS A 540 CALENDAR DAY PROJECT.
IT DOES COME WITH A LOT OF PATIENCE THAT'S GOING TO BE NEEDED FROM OUR RESIDENTS, BUT WE'RE WORKING IT IN MILESTONES.
WHAT DO I MEAN BY THAT? WE'RE TRYING TO DISRUPT AS LEAST AS POSSIBLE WHILE WE'RE WORKING.
SO 540 DAYS ARE GETTING SPLIT.
WHAT ARE WE GOING TO BEGIN WITH? WE'RE GOING TO BEGIN WITH THE DETENTION POND BEHIND US.
THE INTENT IS FOR THIS POND TO ALWAYS BE DRY.
BUT IN ADDITION TO THAT WE'RE ALSO STARTING AT THE SAME TIME WITH BAKER STREET.
LAST WEEK WE ACTUALLY BEGAN WITH FLIERS ADVISING THE RESIDENTS THAT THIS IS COMING.
UNTIL WE GET DONE WITH THESE AREAS, WE DON'T BEGIN WITH THE NEXT MILESTONE, MEANING BREAKING ANOTHER STREET APART.
HOWEVER, WE DO HAVE A MAJOR CROSSING.
THE MAJOR CROSSING WILL BE THE CROSSING ON VETERANS AND FREDDY, SO THAT MEANS STREET CLOSURES.
WE'RE AIMING AT HAVING THESE DONE DURING THE SUMMER ONCE THE SCHOOL IS OUT.
THAT IS GOING TO BE ONE OF THE MAJOR COMPONENTS DISRUPTING BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO DISRUPT TRAFFIC. AFTER THAT, WE'LL BEGIN WORKING ON THE INNER STREETS.
WE'LL BEGIN WORKING ON 16TH, THAT WE'LL BEGIN WORKING ON EBONY LANE SO THAT WE GET THE FIVE MILESTONES OUT OF THE WAY. OTHER FUN FACTS ON THIS PROJECT.
SO BESIDES THE OVER 8500 LINEAR FEET OF PIPE RANGING BETWEEN 18IN TO 48IN, WE'RE ALSO PUTTING 68 INLETS.
THIS IS ACTUALLY THE THIRD PROJECT IN THIS AREA.
WE DID A SMALL DETENTION POND NEXT TO SH 107.
WE HAVE DONE SPRAGUE ALREADY, AND PART OF THE DRAINAGE BASIN IS THIS PROJECT. AND THERE'S A FOURTH ONE THAT'S BIG MORE.
AND THAT'S WHAT COMMISSIONER LEE IS WORKING ON WITH THE TEX-DOT, WHICH IS THE 2007 PROJECT.
IT IS GOING TO GET BETTER, BUT IT'S GOING TO BE REQUIRING A LOT OF PATIENCE FROM THE RESIDENTS BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO AFFECT TRAFFIC AND THE WAY WE'RE USED TO DRIVING OUR AREAS.
SO THAT'S THE ONLY THING THAT WE ASK FROM THE STAFF SIDE PATIENTS AND ALSO WHAT THE MAYOR SAID, WE HAVE A DASHBOARD ON THE DASHBOARD.
WE HAVE WHAT THE PRODUCT, THE PROGRESS OF EACH PROJECT IS.
IF ANY MORE QUESTIONS ARE COMING.
YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO COME TO THE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT AND WE'LL BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO HELP WITH THAT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. SIR, FOR THOSE THAT AREN'T FAMILIAR WITH DETENTION PONDS OR THOSE NEW TO THE CITY, CAN YOU TELL THEM WHAT ONE ACTUALLY DOES AND HOW IT AFFECTS DRAINAGE? OKAY, SO WHAT THE DETENTION POND DOES.
SO THE INTENT IS TO KEEPING THE WATER AWAY FROM THE HOUSES.
SO BEFORE WE EVEN ALLOW FOR THIS WATER TO MAKE IT TO OUR MAIN DRAINAGE DITCHES, WE HOLD THE WATER HERE BEFORE WE RELEASE TO THE MAIN DITCH.
AND THAT'S ACTUALLY WHAT IT'S DOING.
WE'RE HELPING OUR AREA NOT COMPETE WITH THE REST OF THE COUNTY AND HOW THE WATER IS GETTING OUT. SO WE HOLD IT HERE BEFORE WE RELEASE.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. HINOJOSA. SO THAT CONCLUDES THIS PORTION OF TODAY'S CEREMONY.
BUT OF COURSE, WE'D LIKE OUR CITY COUNCIL AND OUR PARTNERS ON THIS PROJECT TO HEAD OVER TO THE SHOVELS RIGHT BEHIND US HERE BY THE STREET FOR THE TURNING OF THE DIRT ON THE DOOLITTLE DETENTION POND.
[02:40:05]
WELL, I THINK THE RIGHT WELL, IT'S THEY'RE ALL INTERCONNECTED.BUT YOU WERE ACTUALLY GOING TO DO THERE.
HOW YOU DOING? HOW ARE YOU? GOOD TO SEE YOU. THANK YOU. HOW ARE YOU DOING? YES. GOOD WEATHER. SO WE'RE EXPANDING IT OUT.
SO WE'RE WE'RE GROWING INSTEAD OF JUST FOCUSING ON THE.
MAYBE IN THAT CORNER WAS ONE AND ONE.
12. 20 MILES A DAY. RIGHT? THERE. RIGHT NOW. YOU GOT IT.
IT ALLOWS THE WATER TO FLOW OUT.
BUT BECAUSE. THAT WAS SO NOT WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WE'RE GOING TO MAKE IT BIGGER.
WE'RE GOING TO GIVE IT AN AVENUE TO GET OUT OF, OUT OF THE AREA. AND THEN THEY'RE GOING TO COME UP HERE.
SO WHAT IS IT? OH, I KNOW THAT ONE.
I CAN'T SAY FOR SURE. BUT WHAT IS THAT GOING TO LOOK LIKE? IT SHOULDN'T HAVE ANY.
WHENEVER YOU GO TO THAT'S SUPPOSED TO BE YOU WANT IT TO BE.
IN SOME CASES, THEY TURN OVER INTO LIKE, SOCCER FIELDS.
SO THE IRRIGATION CANAL THAT WE'RE WORKING ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT AREA, THEY HAVE HOMES ON THIS SIDE.
ONCE WE'RE ALL READY TO GO, YOU'LL LOOK OVER AT CAMERON LIKE I MENTIONED.
WOW. OKAY, ON THE COUNT OF THREE.
EVERYBODY OVER HERE! ONE, TWO AND THREE.
YOU'RE IN OUR SHOT. STILL THERE? STILL THERE. RIGHT THERE. YOU GUYS CAN TAKE A LOOK AT THIS.
OKAY, SO THEN, NOW, ON THE COUNT OF THREE, YOU'RE GOING TO LIFT YOUR SHOVEL, AND EVERYBODY TURN IT TO THE RIGHT.
MAKE SURE YOU KNOW WHAT YOUR RIGHT IS. ALL RIGHT. TO THAT SIDE.
YEAH. THAT RIGHT. READY? EVERYBODY HAS A SHOVEL UP.
ALL RIGHT. AND THEN ON THE COUNT OF THREE. ONE, TWO. THREE. TURN! ANY VEHICLE HAS THE POTENTIAL OF BECOMING A DEADLY WEAPON AT A DISTRACTED DRIVER.
ANSWERING THE PHONE OR TEXTING WHILE DRIVING. HELLO? HEY, HOW'S IT GOING, MAN? AND THE CHANCES OF A FATAL INCIDENT INCREASE DRAMATICALLY.
OKAY, WELL, I THOUGHT WE WERE MEETING UP AT FIVE.
AND WHEN THAT DISTRACTED DRIVER ENTERS A WORK ZONE, THE LIKELIHOOD OF A FATALITY IS EVEN GREATER.
I BETTER TEXT JODY. DRIVERS WHO SPEED OR BECOME DISTRACTED CAUSE FATAL INCIDENTS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE WORK ZONE.
GOT ONE COMING THROUGH, ONE COMING THROUGH.
MAYBE TODAY YOU WILL FLY THROUGH THE WORK ZONE UNHARMED.
BUT HOW ABOUT TOMORROW? THE NEXT WORKER YOU DON'T PAY ATTENTION TO MAY NOT MAKE IT HOME TODAY.
WILL YOU EVEN REACH YOUR DESTINATION? MANY WORKERS AND MOTORISTS HAVE NOT.
AT A HIGH SCHOOL FRIEND THAT I GREW UP WITH THAT DID NOT GET TO SEE HIS CHILDREN GROW UP.
A DISTRACTED MOTORIST PULLED INTO HIS LANE AND STRUCK HIM HEAD ON,
[02:45:01]
TAKING HIS LIFE. AND TO THIS DAY, I LIVE WITH THAT MOMENT AND IT CAUSES ME ALSO TO REFLECT BACK ON OUR 11 TEX-DOT TEAMMATES AND OTHER CONTRACTOR EMPLOYEES WHO LOST THEIR LIFE AND WERE UNABLE TO SEE THEIR CHILDREN GROW UP, AND IT ALL CAME DOWN TO A DISTRACTED DRIVER.DISTRACTED DRIVER CRASHES IN WORK ZONES EVERY YEAR.
EVERYONE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR SAFE PASSAGE THROUGH A WORK ZONE.
THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, ALSO KNOWN AS TXDOT, ALONG WITH CONTRACTORS THAT WORK WITH THE AGENCY, HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF MAINTAINING A ROADWAY SYSTEM THAT CONNECTS TEXAS COMMUNITIES AND MOVES PEOPLE AND GOODS SAFELY AND EFFICIENTLY.
IT'S YOUR JOB TO REMAIN ALERT AND PAY ATTENTION WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAYS, ESPECIALLY WHILE DRIVING THROUGH WORK ZONES.
THERE ARE TWO SIDES OF THE LINE HERE, AND WE HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF EACH OTHER.
IT TAKES US AS CONTRACTORS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GUIDE THE PUBLIC THROUGH OUR WORK ZONE.
AT THE SAME TIME, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PUBLIC IS WATCHING OUT FOR US.
WE'RE WORKERS. WE HAVE FAMILY.
WE WANT TO GO HOME JUST LIKE YOU WANT TO GO HOME.
EACH YEAR IN TEXAS, THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY 15,000 CRASHES AND MORE THAN 100 PEOPLE KILLED IN HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE WORK ZONES.
IF YOU WERE NOT EXPECTING TO DRIVE THROUGH A WORK ZONE TODAY, CONSIDER THIS ROAD BUILDING IN TEXAS IS YEAR ROUND, AND THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION MAINTAINS ABOUT 200,000 LANE MILES OF ROADWAY. OVER 1000 PROJECTS ARE UNDERWAY AT ANY TIME.
TRAFFIC FINDS DOUBLE WHEN WORKERS ARE IN SITE, AND ON ANY GIVEN DAY, OVER 36,000 WORKERS ARE ON OR NEAR A TEXAS ROADWAY. AND IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE AS DRIVERS ARE FULLY PAYING ATTENTION.
THINGS CHANGE IN A WORK ZONE, AND THEY'RE NOT THE SAME AS JUST A BASIC OPEN ROAD. AND IT ONLY TAKES A SECOND THAT ONE TIME THAT YOU'RE NOT PAYING ATTENTION.
YOU COULD VERY WELL LOSE YOUR LIFE COMING THROUGH THE WORK ZONE.
WHEN APPROACHING A WORK ZONE, PAY ATTENTION TO ENTRANCE SIGNS AND TRAVEL THE POSTED SPEED LIMIT FOR THE AREA.
BE AWARE OF YOUR SURROUNDINGS.
YOUR UNDIVIDED ATTENTION IS ESSENTIAL, ESPECIALLY SINCE YOUR VISIBILITY MAY BE LIMITED AND YOUR PATH MAY BE ALTERED FOR YOUR SAFETY AND THE SAFETY OF WORKERS.
PAY ATTENTION TO FLAGGERS, CHANNELIZING DEVICES, BARRIERS, WARNING SIGNS, AND PAVEMENT MARKINGS.
THEY ARE THERE TO PROVIDE SAFE AND CLEAR GUIDANCE THROUGH THE WORK ZONE, AND ALERT YOU TO POTENTIAL DANGER.
HEAVY CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT AND LARGE EARTHMOVERS MAY BE NEAR THE ROADWAY OR CROSSING YOUR PATH, DEPENDING ON THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC.
STOPS AND WORK ZONES CAN BE SUDDEN AND UNEXPECTED, SO DO NOT TAILGATE. CREATE A SPACE CUSHION BY KEEPING A FOUR SECOND OR GREATER DISTANCE BETWEEN YOU AND THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF YOU, AND LOOK AHEAD A TRAVEL DISTANCE OF 15 SECONDS OR GREATER TO HELP SPOT HAZARDS BEFORE THEY BECOME AN INCIDENT.
AT NIGHT, WORK ZONES LOOK DIFFERENTLY THAN BY DAY.
OVERNIGHT WORK LOWERS THE IMPACT ON PEAK TIME TRAFFIC, BUT VISIBILITY IS FURTHER REDUCED AT NIGHT OR IN LOW LIGHT CONDITIONS.
WORKERS SEE LESS OF YOU AND YOU MAY SEE LESS OF THEM, AND A DRIVER'S EYESIGHT CAN BE TEMPORARILY BLINDED BY BRIGHT WORK ZONE LIGHTS OR BY ONCOMING TRAFFIC. REMEMBER, AS CONSTRUCTION PROGRESSES, THE WORK ZONE PATH MAY CHANGE.
WORKERS MUST BE ATTENTIVE, BUT DAY OR NIGHT, ENEMY NUMBER ONE IN A WORK ZONE IS A DISTRACTED DRIVER.
I'LL MAKE IT HAPPEN WHEN YOU'RE IN A WORK ZONE. DON'T ZONE OUT.
SILENCE THE CELL. TEXT LATER AND KEEP YOUR MIND ON THE ROAD.
THIS IS NOT TIME FOR CHECKING THE GPS, EATING, GROOMING, CHANGING THE RADIO STATION, MP3 OR CD.
DAYDREAMING OR WORRYING ABOUT PERSONAL ISSUES IS ALSO A DISTRACTION.
IF YOU ALLOW YOURSELF TO BE DISTRACTED WHILE DRIVING THROUGH THAT THROUGH THAT WORK ZONE AND ANSWER THAT CELL PHONE.
THAT MAY BE ALL IT TAKES TO CROSS THE BARREL.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, STRIKE A WORKER WHO'S STANDING ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT BARREL WORKING FOR YOU TO TRY TO CREATE A SAFE HIGHWAY SYSTEM WHEN BEHIND THE WHEEL.
DRIVING IS YOUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY.
AND KEEP IN MIND TEENAGERS MODEL THEIR PARENTS BEHAVIOR.
IF YOU TEXT, YOUR TEENAGERS MAY TEXT EVEN AFTER TELLING THEM IT'S DANGEROUS ACCORDING TO DISTRACTION. GOV, A TEXTING DRIVER IS 23 TIMES MORE LIKELY TO CRASH.
SENDING OR READING A TEXT CAN DIVERT YOUR EYES FROM THE ROAD FOR ABOUT 4.6 SECONDS.
AT 55MPH. THAT'S SIMILAR TO DRIVING BLINDFOLDED THE DISTANCE OF A FOOTBALL FIELD.
[02:50:04]
GOOD MORNING EVERYONE.SO GLAD TO SEE SO MANY OF YOU HERE.
I THINK, IT SENDS A CLEAR MESSAGE AND REALLY ON RELATIVELY SHORT NOTICE, JUST BY THE TURNOUT AND THE ENTHUSIASM THIS MORNING, THE EXCITEMENT AND INTEREST THAT THERE'S IN OUR FOOTBALL PROGRAM AND REALLY ALL OF US, ALL OF UTRGV. FOR THOSE THAT I HAVEN'T HAD THE PRIVILEGE TO MEET JUST YET, MY NAME IS CHASE KONCZ, AND IT'S A TRUE BLESSING TO SERVE AS VICE PRESIDENT AND DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS HERE AT UTRGV.
WE HAVE SO MANY SPECIAL GUESTS WITH US THIS MORNING, AND I DO WANT TO RECOGNIZE SEVERAL OF THOSE THAT ARE WITH US.
AND SO WHEN I CALL YOUR NAME, IF YOU WOULD PLEASE STAND REPRESENTING US, SENATOR TED CRUZ'S OFFICE, WE HAVE JOSHUA RIVAS.
JOSHUA, ARE YOU HERE? AND ADRIAN GOMEZ.
THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE. WE HAVE WITH US STATE SENATOR CHUY HINOJOSA.
SENATOR HINOJOSA. WE HAVE STATE REPRESENTATIVE BY HIS OFFICE, REPRESENTED BY LAURA DEL MARIANO.
MISS MARIANO, ARE YOU HERE? FROM SERGIO MUNOZ'S OFFICE.
STATE REPRESENTATIVE JAMIE LOPEZ.
REPRESENTATIVE LOPEZ, STATE REPRESENTATIVE TERRY CANALES.
WE HAVE STATE REPRESENTATIVE BOBBY GUERRA.
OUR UT SYSTEM BOARD OF REGENTS AND ALL OF OUR BOSSES.
WE HAVE WITH US, DOCTOR NOLAN PETTIS.
HIDALGO COUNTY JUDGE, JUDGE RICHARD CORTEZ.
COMMISSIONER FROM PRECINCT FOUR, WE HAVE ELLIE TORRES.
ELLIE, REPRESENTING THE CITY OF BROWNSVILLE, MAYOR COWAN AND ROGER JONES.
THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE. OF COURSE, THE MAYOR OF THE CITY OF EDINBURG, WE HAVE MAYOR GARZA. RAMIRO.
THANK YOU. WE HAVE OUR CITY MANAGER, MAYRA ARA AYALA.
ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER THOMAS REYNA.
ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER JAY SINES.
AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL. WE HAVE WITH US MR. DAN DIAZ. DAVID SALAZAR.
JASON DE LEON. I DON'T KNOW IF JASON WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT, BUT JASON. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER DAVID WHITE.
AND THEN REPRESENTING THE EDC EDINBURG EDC BOARD, WE HAVE PRESIDENT VERONICA GONZALEZ.
WE HAVE OUR EDC DIRECTOR, RODEL GARZA.
ADELE. WE ALSO HAVE WITH US RAUL RESENDEZ FROM THE EDC BOARD AS WELL, AND RONNIE RIVERA FROM THE EDC BOARD.
RONNIE. FROM THE CITY OF MCALLEN, WE HAVE COMMISSIONER TONY AGADA.
TONY, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
AND WE ALSO HAVE WITH US FROM THE CITY OF PHARR, DANIEL CHAVEZ.
DANIEL, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
AND WE HAVE EDINBURG SCHOOL DISTRICT TRUSTEES WITH US THIS MORNING, LETTY GARCIA. LETTY, THANK YOU.
AND LETTY FLORES, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
I ALSO HAVE TO INTRODUCE OUR UTRGV LEADERSHIP.
I SAY THIS EVERY TIME I HAVE A CHANCE, I GET TO WORK AND I AM BLESSED TO WORK.
[OPEN SESSION]
ALL RIGHT. IT IS 857. CAN I GET A MOTION TO RECONVENE FROM EXECUTIVE SESSION? SO MOVED. SECOND. MOTION AND SECOND.ALL IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. MOTION PASSES.
JUST WANT THE RECORD TO REFLECT THAT THERE WAS NO ACTION TAKEN IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
[02:55:05]
I BELIEVE THERE'S AN ITEM THAT WE DO NEED ACTION ON.YES, MAYOR. BASED ON THE DISCUSSION I WOULD RECOMMEND.
AS FOR ITEM D A MOTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO ENTER INTO AN AMENDMENT OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT WITH THE BURNS BROTHERS LIMITED ON THE TERMS DISCUSSED IN EXECUTIVE SESSION. SO MOVED.
WE HAVE A MOTION. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND.
[15. ADJOURNMENT]
WE HAVE SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. MOTION PASSES.ANY OTHER ACTION? NO OTHER ACTION REQUIRED, MAYOR.
ALL RIGHT. IS THERE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? MOTION TO ADJOURN. SECOND.
MOTION SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. MOTION PASSES.
WE'RE ADJOURNED. 858.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.