Jul 30, 2024 City Council Meeting Work Session

[1. CALL TO ORDER, ESTABLISH QUORUM]

[00:01:51]

ALL RIGHT. IT IS 5:00 IN MY WATCH.

WE'RE GOING TO START THIS BUDGET WORK SESSION.

CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER.

VISIBLY, I DO SEE WE HAVE A QUORUM WITH ALL MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL PRESENT, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF COUNCIL MEMBER DAVID WHITE. I BELIEVE HE'LL BE HERE SHORTLY.

SO WE'LL START. FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS IS A PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.

PLEASE STAND SO WE CAN CITE THE PLEDGE, PLEASE.

[A. Pledge of Allegiance.]

AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS.

ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR

[2. CERTIFICATION OF PUBLIC NOTICE]

YES, SIR. MAYOR. THE MEETING WAS POSTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT ON

[3. DISCLOSURE OF CONFLICT OF INTEREST]

SIR. VERY WELL, THANK YOU.

THEN. ITEM THREE. YES, SIR.

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.

IF THERE IS A CONFLICT MEMBER CAN'T PARTICIPATE OR VOTE ON THE ITEM. ARE THERE

[4. PUBLIC COMMENTS]

ITEM FOUR IS PUBLIC COMMENTS.

YES, SIR. THE EDINBURG 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'LL BE TAKING TIME. PLEASE NOTE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS NOT INTERACTIVE.

THE COUNCIL MAY NOT RESPOND TO PUBLIC COMMENTS.

THE FIRST PUBLIC COMMENT IS FOR CLARITY REGARDING ITEM FIVE A.

GOOD AFTERNOON GENTLEMEN.

I KNOW THAT THERE IS A LOT.

AM I OUT ALREADY? I PROTEST MY GIVE ME BACK MY TIME.

GENTLEMEN, I KNOW THAT THERE IS A LOT OF SUPPORT FOR GIVING MORE TO THE COMMUNITY SERVICE AGENCIES. BUT BEFORE STARTING YOUR REELECTION CAMPAIGN, LOOK AT WHERE WE ARE. THE CITY HAS EXISTING DEBT OF $280 MILLION.

THAT MEANS FOR EVERY MAN, WOMAN AND CHILD IN EDINBURG OWES $3,000.

THE CITY HAS INCREASED ITS WATER RATES BY 67% FOR THE PURPOSE OF IMPROVING INFRASTRUCTURE, BUT THERE IS NO MORE WATER TO SUPPORT THE NEW GROWTH.

ALSO, OUR COUNTY JUDGE IS QUOTED AS TELLING THE CITY TO STAY AWAY FROM THE COURTHOUSE BECAUSE THERE WILL BE NO ROOM FOR COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT.

IT WILL ALL BE FOR LAWYERS.

THE PRICE OF GAS IS $3 OVER $3 A GALLON, AND FOOD HAS INCREASED 30% BECAUSE 99.9% OF ALL PRODUCTS COME TO THE VALLEY BY TRUCKS.

THE PRICE OF GAS IMPACTS EVERYTHING, BUT THE REAL KILLER IS.

HIDALGO COUNTY IS ONE OF THE LARGEST COUNTY IN TEXAS, ONE OF THE HIGHEST CONCENTRATION OF POVERTY.

TAKING MORE FROM THE POOR WILL INCREASE POVERTY.

THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS NOT GOING TO FIX A PROBLEM THAT OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS HAVE CREATED. ELECTED OFFICIALS CANNOT SAY NO, WE WILL NOT TAKE MORE FROM OUR PEOPLE, BUT BECAUSE IT WILL ONLY MAKE THINGS WORSE.

WE WOULD LOVE TO HEAR Y'ALL SAY THAT.

SO HOW CAN WE FIX THE PROBLEM OF BEING ONE OF THE BIGGEST,

[00:05:02]

EVERYONE HERE TONIGHT HAS THEIR HAND OUT WANTING MORE MONEY.

THE TAXPAYERS. WE DON'T PUT OUR HAND OUT.

WE ASK Y'ALL TO PLEASE STOP.

THE TAXPAYERS WANT YOU TO LOWER THE TAX RATE AND STOP SPENDING.

TONIGHT THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB WENT FROM THEY'RE GETTING $400,000 NOW.

BUT THE GOOD OLD BOYS THERE'S 525,000 IS WHAT THEY WANT TONIGHT.

THE CHAMBER 375,000. THEY NOW WANT 415,000.

MUSEUM IS 255,000. THAT'S NOT ENOUGH.

290,000. AND SOUTH TEXAS LITERACY, WHICH I'M NOT SURE WHAT IS.

THEY'RE JUST ASKING FOR THE SAME AMOUNT THEY HAD LAST YEAR.

SO MY THING IS, TONIGHT WE CAN'T AFFORD WHAT YOU'RE PAYING THEM NOW.

WE CERTAINLY CAN'T AFFORD GIVING THEM MORE AT THIS TIME.

THE TAXPAYERS ARE REALLY HURTING.

I WISH THAT Y'ALL WOULD THINK ABOUT THEM.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THERE ARE NO OTHER PUBLIC COMMENTS,

[5. PRESENTATION AND REPORT]

[A. Presentation and Discussion of Funding Requests by Non-Profit Organizations for Budgetary]

I WANT TO THANK FIRST OF ALL, CITY STAFF FOR PUTTING THIS TOGETHER.

BELIEVE IT OR NOT, I THINK THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE WE DO THIS RIGHT WHERE WE HAVE A WORK SESSION WITH THE NONPROFIT.

SO THANK YOU ALL FOR DOING THIS.

I KNOW WE REQUESTED THIS TYPICALLY WE AS A COUNCIL HEAR FROM THE DEPARTMENTS.

TONIGHT WE'LL HEAR FROM NONPROFITS THAT PROVIDE SERVICES TO OUR COMMUNITY.

SO I WANT TO START WITH THANKING ALL OF THEM FOR ALL THE WORK YOU DO IN OUR COMMUNITY.

AND I KNOW YOUR NONPROFITS, BUT YOU ARE SUPPORTED PARTLY BY THE CITY.

AND SO WHAT WE WANTED TO DO TONIGHT IS JUST TO HEAR FROM YOU.

WE JUST HAVE ANOTHER MEETING AT SIX, BUT WE WANTED TO HAVE THIS WORK SESSION TO I THINK ALL OF US HAVE THE INFORMATION THAT'S BEEN PROVIDED TO THE CITY.

YOU'RE WELCOME TO JUST SHARE.

I'M NOT SURE HOW CITY MANAGER WANTS TO PROCEED WITH THIS, BUT I THINK THERE'S THREE ENTITIES TONIGHT.

RIGHT. THAT ARE PROVIDING INFORMATION.

YES, SIR. AND SO US AS ELECTED OFFICIALS, I KNOW SOMETIMES WHEN WE GOT ELECTED, IT'S ACTUALLY RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE BUDGET YEAR.

AND WE HAVE SOMETIMES IDEAS AND ABOUT WHY DON'T WE DO THIS, WHY DON'T WE DO THAT? BUT TO BE RESPECTFUL OF EVERYBODY AND HOW WE DO THINGS AND FINANCIALLY ALSO WHAT WE HAVE IN PLACE? I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE DISCUSS THAT DURING OUR BUDGET WORK SESSION, WHICH IS KIND OF WHAT WE'RE DOING TODAY. AND SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU ALL. WE HAVE SOME NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS HERE THAT PROBABLY HAVE NEVER HEARD FROM YOU ALL SPEAK DIRECTLY ABOUT YOUR ORGANIZATION.

SO THIS IS A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO KIND OF SHARE A BRIEF BACKGROUND. AND THEN ALSO OBVIOUSLY YOUR NEEDS THAT YOU HAVE AND HOW WE CAN CONTINUE PARTNERING.

SO CITY MANAGER, YOU WANT TO PROCEED? YES, SIR. MAYOR. THANK YOU FOR THAT.

SO, AS YOU KNOW, WE ARE CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS OF OF REVIEWING AND DISCUSSING OUR PRELIMINARY BUDGETARY REQUESTS.

AND WITH THAT, WE DO HAVE A SEVERAL NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS THAT DO REQUEST FUNDING FOR THEIR OPERATIONS AND ALL OF THE EVENTS AND WHAT THEY, THE SERVICES THAT THEY PROVIDE THE COMMUNITY AT THIS TIME, WE DID RECEIVE FOUR REQUESTS FROM NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, ONE OF THEM BEING, YOU KNOW, THE EDINBURG BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB THE OTHER BEING THE EDINBURG CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, ALONG WITH THEIR CONVENTION VISITORS BUREAU.

WE ALSO RECEIVED A REQUEST FROM THE MUSEUM OF SOUTH TEXAS HISTORY AND SOUTH TEXAS LITERACY COALITION. AT THIS TIME, WE DO HAVE THREE OF THE THE NONPROFITS PRESENT. THE DOCTOR, IDA ACUNA DID SEND HER APOLOGIES.

SHE IS AT A CONFERENCE AT THIS TIME, OUT OF THE OUT OF THE VALLEY AND YOU KNOW, SO SHE DID WANT TO SEND HER APOLOGIES.

BUT IF YOU ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, YOU KNOW, FEEL FREE TO ASK. AND IF I CAN, I CAN ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS.

IF NOT, WE'LL PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION TO YOU AT A LATER DATE.

EXCUSE ME. I JUST WANT THE RECORD. REFLECT. COUNCIL MEMBER DAVID WHITE HAS JOINED THE MEETING. THANK YOU. MAYOR.

THANK YOU. SO AT THIS TIME, WE'RE GOING TO START WE'RE GOING TO JUST GO IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER.

AND AT THIS TIME, WE WILL BEGIN WITH THE EDINBURGH BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB OF THE RGV.

AND WITH THAT WE HAVE DAISY MARTINEZ HERE TO PRESENT THEIR THEIR STATS AND THEIR REQUEST AND SEE IF THERE'S ANY DIRECTION FROM COUNCIL, ANY SUGGESTIONS AND, AND HAVE THAT OPEN DIALOG WITH THE NONPROFITS.

THANK YOU MAYOR. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

YES. IT'S GOING TO PLAY ON THE.

IT WILL. OKAY. OKAY. GOOD AFTERNOON.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME HERE TODAY.

BEFORE I GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED OFF WITH MY ASK,

[00:10:03]

THANK YOU FOR THAT OPPORTUNITY. MY REQUEST FOR TODAY IS FOR $525,000.

OUT OF OUR $1.89 MILLION BUDGET, 20% COMES DIRECTLY FROM THE CITY FUNDING.

WHAT I HAVE ALSO PROVIDED YOU WITH IS IS HANDOUTS.

IF YOU REFER TO PAGE FOUR, YOU WILL SEE EXACTLY WHAT THAT BREAKDOWN IS FOR? YES, ALTHOUGH IT IS INTERESTING AND IMPORTANT TO HEAR WHAT PUBLIC COMMENT HAS TO SAY. I THINK ONE THING THAT WAS NOT MENTIONED IS THAT WE ARE PROVIDING 60,000 MEALS TO CLUB MEMBERS. A LOT OF THE MEALS COME FROM KIDS WITHIN THE SCHOOL SERVICE.

AND SO OUR OUT OF TIME SCHOOL, WHICH IS THE AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM, IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO US.

67% OF OUR CLUB MEMBERS COME FROM SINGLE FAMILY HOUSEHOLDS.

SO THEREFORE WE ARE MAKING A TREMENDOUS IMPACT BY PROVIDING AFTER SCHOOL AND YEAR ROUND SERVICES FOR A SMALL FEE OF $35 PER MEMBER.

SO IF YOU REALLY LOOK INTO STATISTICS AND INTO ALL THE MATH AND EVERYTHING THAT IT TAKES FOR US TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO ONE CLUB MEMBER, THAT'S APPROXIMATELY $385 PER CLUB MEMBER.

WE'RE SERVICING OVER 4000 CLUB MEMBERS CURRENTLY AT FIVE OF OUR CLUB SITES, AND I THINK THAT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO DO WITHOUT THE COMMUNITY SUPPORT. OUR INCREASE IS FOR AN ADDITIONAL 125,000.

LIKE I HAD MENTIONED, IF YOU REFER TO PAGE FOUR PORTION OF IT IS FOR SALARIES, FUNDS, TRAVEL TRAINING, UTILITIES, ADVERTISING. BUT IF I CAN JUST FIND IT WITHIN YOU ALL TO JUST GIVE US AN INCREASE, EVEN IF IT'S JUST FOR TRANSPORTATION, I CONSIDER THAT A WIN.

AND I SAY THE FOCUS IS ON TRANSPORTATION ONLY BECAUSE I WOULD HATE FOR ANY MEMBER OF OUR ALL AMERICAN CITY TO NOT BE ABLE TO BE PROVIDED WITH AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMING JUST BECAUSE OF TRANSPORTATION.

CURRENTLY, ONE OF OUR TRANSPORTATION UNITS IS IS UNAVAILABLE AND THAT IS A SCHOOL BUS.

AND SO WE LITERALLY JUST FINISHED OFF OF THE FIVE K THAT WE FOUND WAS VERY, VERY SUCCESSFUL IN REGARDS TO ADDITIONAL FUNDING.

AS YOU ALL KNOW, SOME OF YOU HAVE ATTENDED ALSO OUR STEAK EVENT.

WE ARE IN THE PROCESS AND HAVE BEEN PUTTING IN MONEY INTO OUR FACILITY.

AS MUCH AS YOU ALL KNOW, WAS IN GREAT NEED OF SOME TLC.

WE'VE TAKEN CARE OF THAT.

BUT AGAIN, TRANSPORTATION IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE REALLY, REALLY STRUGGLING WITH. WE, THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB, ARE NOT JUST SOLELY RELYING ON THE CITY ASSISTANCE. I'VE BEEN IN COMMUNICATION WITH ECISD TO SEE IF THEY COULD ASSIST WITH TRANSPORTATION AS WELL. AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL GRANTS THAT HAVE ALSO BEEN SOUGHT FOR TO EITHER COVER PERSONNEL OR PROGRAM EXPENSES. AND ALL IN ALL, THOSE GOOD THINGS FOR ME AS AN EDITOR, DIVERSIFIED FUNDING STREAM IS SOMETHING THAT I TAKE TREMENDOUS PRIDE IN.

AND SO THEREFORE, YOU KNOW, 42% OF OUR FUNDING COMES FROM FROM GRANTS, 20% COMES FROM CITY FUNDING, AND EVERYTHING ELSE COMES EITHER FROM

[00:15:03]

DAISY, COULD YOU SAY I'M WRITING THAT DOWN? COULD YOU SAY THAT PART AGAIN, PLEASE? ON YOUR FUNDING? 42%. YES, 42% COMES FROM GRANT ALLOCATIONS.

THAT'S FEDERAL STATE COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS.

THE MAJORITY DOES COME FROM FEDERAL.

AND SO AGAIN, OLIVIA LEE, WHO'S OUR RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT MARKETING, ALONG WITH MYSELF, WE HAVE BEEN THE ONES TO BE DOING ALL THE GRANT WRITING OURSELVES, AND WE HAVE FOUND TREMENDOUS SUCCESS.

CURRENTLY, AS WE SPEAK, LIKE I MENTIONED, 20% DOES COME FROM CITY FUNDING OUT OF THE 1.89, AND THEN EVERYTHING ELSE DOES COME FROM EITHER FUNDRAISING OR DONATIONS, OR TO THAT EXTENT, OUT OF ALL THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUBS IN THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY, OUR SUMMER CAMP FEE IS ONLY $185. THERE ARE SOME CLUBS THAT DO CHARGE ANYWHERE FROM 200 TO 2, 50, EVEN $300. AND THAT IS BECAUSE WE DO SCHOLARSHIP THOSE WITH FUNDS THAT ARE FUNDRAISED FROM OUR STAKE AND FROM OUR FIVE K TO WHERE THE FAMILIES ONLY HAVE TO PAY $35 FEE. AND SO WE FOLLOW THE HUD REGULATION GUIDELINES TO WHERE WE ENSURE THAT WE PROVIDE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO TO ANYONE THAT IS RECEIVING GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE, EVEN IF FAMILIES DO NOT RECEIVE GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE, WE STILL PROVIDE SCHOLARSHIPS IF THEY HAVE MORE THAN TWO, THREE, 4 OR 5 CHILDREN THAT WANT TO PARTAKE INTO OUR, OUR OUR BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB PROGRAMING.

I DO WANT TO ADD TO THAT.

IT'S PROVEN STATISTICS.

AFTER SCHOOL CRIME IS EXTREMELY HIGH WITHIN THE TEENS AND THE YOUTH IN OUR COMMUNITY.

AND SO BY FUNDING US AND BY US HAVING OUR DOORS OPEN, WE'RE LITERALLY SAVING 4000 LIVES.

AND SO I THINK THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT IS EXTRA, EXTRA CRUCIAL. I COULD GO ON AND ON FROM THE 60,000 MEALS OVER THE 4000 CLUB MEMBERS, BUT YOU ALL WERE WITNESS TO IT FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER.

WE'RE DOING THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, SABRINA WALKER HAD HAD DONE, AND I FEEL LIKE WE'RE BRINGING OUR CLUB BACK TO THAT, TO THE NOTORIETY, TO WHERE WE EVEN HAD KIDS WHO'VE NEVER FLOWN A PLANE, ATTEND CONFERENCES TO WHERE THEY WERE ABLE TO PRESENT AT THE HILL UP IN WASHINGTON, DC. THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB IS NOT JUST A SAFE HAVEN FOR KIDS.

WE'RE HERE TO PROVIDE OUR YOUTH WITH A VOICE.

WE'RE HERE TO PROVIDE OUR YOUTH WITH A POSITIVE ENVIRONMENT, TAGGED ALONG WITH MENTORS, AND WE'RE REALLY HERE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

SO ON BEHALF OF MY BOARD OF DIRECTORS, MYSELF AND OUR OVER 4000 YOUTH I REALLY HOPE THAT YOU REALLY DO TAKE IT INTO CONSIDERATION TO GIVE US THAT INCREASE THAT I'M ASKING FOR.

AND IF IT'S NOT, THEN TO ASK FOR ASSISTANCE IN HELPING ME WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND PROVIDING THE TRANSPORTATION NEEDS TO OUR CLUB MEMBERS.

I DID PROVIDE SOME PICTURES ON PAGE FIVE.

SOME OF OUR VEHICLE FLEETS.

YOU CAN SEE WE'VE HAD THESE VEHICLES IN OUR POSSESSION FROM 2006, 2008 AND 2012. SAFETY IS A PRIMARY GOAL OF MINE.

AND SO FOR US, THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE'VE ACTUALLY HALTED OUR TRANSPORTATION IS ONLY BECAUSE I WOULD HATE FOR SOMETHING TO HAPPEN WHILE WE'RE TRANSFERRING KIDS TO AND FROM, AND THEN THAT WOULD LEAD US INTO A BIGGER PROBLEM. I WENT AHEAD.

AND Y'ALL CAN KEEP THESE WITH YOU WHENEVER YOU ALL HAVE TIME TO READ.

I'M MORE THAN SURE YOU ALL HAVE AMPLE TIME TO HAVE READ THE APPLICATION PROCESS, BUT REALLY, IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT THE COUNCIL OR GRANTS OR FEDERAL RECEIVING ANY FUNDS.

THE ONE THING THAT REALLY SETS US APART IS THAT WE DO PRETESTS.

WE DO POST-TEST. WE'RE SO MUCH MORE THAN JUST A SWIM AND GYM.

AND THAT'S ONE THING THAT I REALLY, REALLY PRIDE MYSELF IN.

WE TAKE FAMILY SURVEYS, WE TAKE COMMUNITY SURVEYS.

AND BECAUSE OF THAT, WE'RE ABLE TO DO AND PROVIDE 22 COMMUNITY OUTREACH SERVICES TO THE COMMUNITY HERE IN EDINBURG.

SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.

AND I'M OPEN TO ANY QUESTIONS IF Y'ALL HAVE ANY.

GREAT. COUNCIL. DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.

I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR FOR EVERYTHING YOU GUYS DO THERE.

BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT.

THE 60,000. HOW MANY VANS WOULD THAT PROVIDE FOR? SO RIGHT NOW COMMISSIONER JESS, IF YOU REALLY LOOK AT THE VANS RIGHT NOW, WE CURRENTLY HAVE THREE VANS IN OUR POSSESSION, BUT YOU CAN SEE. RIGHT.

THE SEATING AND ALL THAT JUST ISN'T ISN'T THE BEST.

THE 60,000. JUST LIKE I HAD EXPLAINED TO MISS AYALA WHAT THAT WOULD BE GOING TO IS TO AN ALTERNATOR AND REALLY TO AN ENGINE FOR OUR BUS.

THAT BUS FOR ME IS MORE VALUABLE THAN GETTING ANY NEW VAN.

ONLY BECAUSE YOU CAN LITERALLY FIT ANYWHERE BETWEEN 45 AND 50 STUDENTS.

SO WE DO HAVE ONE PARTICULAR ROUTE WITH THAT BUS THAT DOES MAKE STOPS AT THREE CAMPUSES.

AND SO THEREFORE THAT TO ME IS A LOT MORE BENEFICIAL THAN GETTING ONE, 2 OR 3 BANDS, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU.

SO THAT MONEY WILL JUST FIX THE BUS.

THE BUS? YES, SIR. DO YOU HAVE ANY FIGURES ON VANS? YES. SO THE WE DID RECEIVE THREE PRICE QUOTES AND THE CHEAPEST THAT WE GOT WAS FOR 65,000.

AND THAT WAS FROM A A LOCAL COMPANY HERE.

65,000. PREVENT. YES. YES, SIR.

AND RIGHT NOW YOU HAVE THREE.

YOU HAVE THREE EVENTS.

YES. RIGHT NOW WE DO HAVE THREE.

[00:20:01]

WHAT'S THE CAPACITY OF EACH VAN? IT'S 16. 16. ONE OF THEM IS 12.

TWO ARE 16. YES, SIR. OH, OKAY.

GOT IT. BUT I GUESS WITH THE BUS, YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT HAVING TWO MORE EMPLOYEES. IT'S JUST THAT ONE HAS A CDL.

YES. SO WE WOULD ALSO BE SAVING MONEY THAT WAY.

YES, SIR. THAT'S PROBABLY THE BIGGEST EXPENSE.

THE BIGGEST EXPENSE? YES.

THE PERSONNEL. AND I WANT TO COMMEND YOU ON, ON THE BREAKDOWN OF YOUR BUDGET.

42% GRANTS, 20% CITY FUNDING.

38% FUNDRAISING AND DONATIONS.

THAT'S AWESOME. I JUST WANT TO COMMEND YOU FOR THAT.

THANK YOU. HAVE THEY GIVEN YOU MORE FINANCING FOR THE GRANTS? HAVE THEY AS THE GOVERNMENT? YES. HOW MUCH MORE DID THEY INCREASE? THEY DID INCREASE THIS THIS YEAR ABOUT 19%.

AND SO ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS ABOUT THAT IS WHEN COMING ON BOARD, I MADE SURE THAT WE HAD A BRAND NEW GRANTS AND COMPLIANCE PROGRAM.

WE ALSO HAVE A VP OF FINANCE AND COMPLIANCE, ALONG WITH A FULL TIME RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT AND MARKETING PERSON. AND SO WE ALL WORK TOGETHER.

WE HAVE A CLOSE KNIT RELATIONSHIP TO WHERE WE ARE, AGAIN, JUST IN GRANT WRITING, BUT THEN ALSO THE FACE OF THE ORGANIZATION TO ENSURE THE SUCCESS. HOW MANY EMPLOYEES DO YOU, AS THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB CURRENTLY EMPLOY? CURRENTLY WE HAVE 34 EMPLOYEES AND OUR RATIO IS 20 STUDENTS TO ONE EMPLOYEE.

HOW MUCH WAS IT FROM THIS YEAR TO LAST YEAR? I GUESS THIS YEAR? OUR SALARIES ARE ABOUT 943,000.

AND THEN NOW I WANT TO SAY IT'S CLOSE TO LIKE 1.1.

BUT DO YOU HAVE MORE EMPLOYEES OR DO YOU HAVE LESS? WE HAVE MORE EMPLOYEES. YES, SIR. YES, AND ESPECIALLY WITH BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB, THEY ARE REQUIRING JUST FOR SAFETY MEASURES FOR US TO HAVE THE 20 TO 1 RATIO.

SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'VE REALLY BEEN IMPLEMENTING. AGAIN IT'S JUST FOR SAFETY PURPOSES. AND DAISY, ANOTHER QUESTION I HAVE.

DO YOU YOU GET A LOT OF OVERFLOW FROM THE PARKS AND REC.

WHAT THEY CAN'T DO OR DO YOU IS IT IS IT A DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT GOAL OR DIFFERENT CROWD? WE ARE SIMILAR IN THE FACT, LIKE OUR PROGRAM HOURS ARE THE SAME.

RIGHT? AND SO WE HAVE A GYM AS WELL.

BUT ONE THING THAT REALLY SETS US APART IS OUR PROGRAMING.

IF YOU REFER BACK TO THE PAGES THAT WE HAVE FROM PAGES TWO ALL THE WAY TO THREE AND FOUR, YOU'LL SEE THAT WE PROVIDE THE HEALTH AND LIFE SKILLS, CHARACTER AND LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES SUCH AS MENTORING.

WE DO OFFER SCHOLARSHIPS TO OUR YOUTH.

THIS PAST YEAR, WE AWARDED A LITTLE OVER $12,000 TO TO HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AGES 13 TO 18. AND WHEN I HAD MENTIONED THE DIFFERENCE COMMISSIONER DIAZ WITH US IS THAT WE HAVE PROTESTS, WE HAVE PROTESTS, WE HAVE NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED PROGRAMS WHERE WITHIN OUR MONTHLY REQUESTS AND OUR FORUMS, YOU WILL BE SEEING A LITTLE MORE OF THAT IN REGARDS TO STATISTICS.

AND YOU ALL CAN REALLY SEE THE DIFFERENCE AND THE IMPACT THAT THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB IS MAKING WITHIN THE AMERICAN CITY.

THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS BY ANYONE? I JUST HAD A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS. ONE ON THE BUILDING. I KNOW Y'ALL WERE MAKING SOME IMPROVEMENTS. IS THAT ACCOUNTED FOR IN YOUR BUDGET OR HOW DOES THAT PLAY INTO YOUR BUDGET? IT'S SEPARATE WITHIN OUR BUDGET ONLY BECAUSE WE DID RECEIVE $450,000 IN ARPA FUNDING. AND SO I'M HAPPY TO SAY OUR ROOF IS FINALLY SOLVED.

OUR INTERIOR RIGHT NOW IS DEMOLISHED.

AND SO BY SEPTEMBER 3RD, OUR LEGACY CENTER SHOULD BE OPEN.

WE DID HAVE A REMEDIATION PROBLEM, WHICH WE'VE TAKEN CARE OF.

AND RIGHT NOW WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF DOING THE TAPE AND FLOAT, THE PAINT, THE FLOORING AND ALL THAT GOOD STUFF. AND SO OUR FACILITY WILL BE 110% TO GO. GOOD. YES. GREAT. AND THEN THE OTHER QUESTION WAS JUST, I KNOW WE HAVE A PARTNERSHIP WHERE WE HANDLE A LOT OF LIKE THE FINANCES AND HR AND ALL THAT. IS THIS NEXT YEAR PROPOSED TO BE THE SAME WAY FOR, YOU KNOW, US TO WORK TOGETHER ON THAT? I'M JUST CURIOUS HOW THAT ALL.

AND I HAVE GREAT NEWS. YEAH, ACTUALLY, ACTUALLY, MAYOR, WE'VE BEEN MEETING WITH MISS DAISY AND HER TEAM, AND LIKE SHE MENTIONED, SHE HAS INCREASED HER CAPACITY AND PERSONNEL.

SO THEREFORE WE'VE BEEN HAVING DISCUSSIONS ON A POSSIBLE SERVICE AGREEMENT.

AND SO WE'VE COME TO A TO A CONCLUSION OF HOW WE WANT THAT STRUCTURED.

WE'RE IN DRAFT FORMAT RIGHT NOW, WHICH SHE WILL PRESENT TO HER BOARD, AND THEN I WILL PRESENT TO COUNCIL.

SO WE WILL BE CONTINUING WITH SOME OF THE SERVICES, BUT LIKE MISS DAISY MENTIONED, SHE DOES HAVE A GREAT TEAM THAT SHE'S BUILDING NOW TO HANDLE THE FINANCES, THE ONBOARDING.

THERE ARE SOME OPPORTUNITIES THAT SHE HAS SOUGHT AFTER THAT WITH THE CITY'S I GUESS, RESTRICTIONS AND THE CONDITIONS AND THE THAT WE HAVE TO FOLLOW THEY'RE LIMITED TO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THEY CAN DO. SO WE'VE HAD THOSE DISCUSSIONS AND, AND THEY'VE ACTUALLY ONBOARDED SOME STAFF THAT WILL HELP WITH THOSE SERVICES THAT THE CITY MAY NO LONGER BE PARTICIPATING IN. BUT WE STILL WILL HAVE A PARTNERSHIP, AND WE WILL DEFINITELY BE SUPPORTIVE OF ALL OF THEIR EFFORTS AND WHAT THEY NEED TO ACCOMPLISH TO CONTINUE PROVIDING SERVICES TO THE COMMUNITY.

THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION. THANK YOU, SIR. AND THEN JUST TO CONFIRM,

[00:25:01]

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

I APPRECIATE IT. AND THANKS AGAIN FOR ALL THAT YOU ALL DO. AND I YOU HAVE A BOARD MEMBER THERE, EDDIE. THANK YOU ALL. THANK YOU FOR ALL. YOU ALL DO APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR THAT, MISS DAISY.

NEXT, WE DO HAVE THE EDINBURGH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

MR. RONNIE IS HERE TO PRESENT HIS REQUEST.

HOW YOU DOING? THANK YOU.

IF I CAN. GOOD. GOOD EVENING.

RONNIE LARRALDE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE EDINBURGH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND THE EDINBURGH CVB. YOU ALSO SEE EXPLORE EDINBURGH UP THERE.

SO THAT'S, YOU KNOW, OUR PRIMARY FOR THE DIVISION OF THE CVB.

I DID WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR GIVING US THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT TODAY TO TELL OUR STORY. WE DO SEE YOU ALL A LOT.

WE WE APPRECIATE ALL THE SUPPORT ON BEHALF OF THE CHAMBER, ON OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS.

BUT, YES, YOU KNOW, WE WE ALSO NEED HELP FUNDING TO COMPLETE OUR MISSION.

OUR ORGANIZATION HAS BEEN AROUND ALMOST 100 YEARS.

AND SO WE'RE PROUD TO HAVE BEEN HERE FROM THE BEGINNING TO HELP, YOU KNOW, WITH THIS CITY GROW THROUGH BUSINESS AND THROUGH SERVICES.

WITH THAT SAID, I'LL JUST KIND OF, YOU KNOW, I KNOW I HAVE A SHORT TIME FRAME HERE, BUT I DID WANT TO TAKE A COUPLE MINUTES TO TALK THROUGH THIS POWERPOINT.

OBVIOUSLY OUR CHARGE IS TO LEAD THE EFFORT IN ADVANCING COMMERCE AND THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN EDINBURG. AND, YOU KNOW, WE DO THIS A LOT THROUGH OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND THROUGH VOLUNTEERISM.

AND, OF COURSE, WE DO.

WE TOUCH MANY ASPECTS AS FAR AS ONGOING CONTINUING EDUCATION FOR OUR BUSINESS BUSINESSES. WE DO LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT AND OF COURSE, WE WE IMPACT ON QUALITY OF LIFE.

SO THE ROLE OF THE CHAMBER YOU CAN SEE THAT THERE, YOU KNOW, KIND OF BRIEFLY TALKED ABOUT IT DOING CONTINUING ED TRAINING AND EDUCATION LEADERSHIP, EDINBURG BUSINESS, EDUCATION AND RESOURCES THROUGH OUR SEMINARS.

OF COURSE, THAT COMES IN A LOT OF COLLABORATIONS WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS, RIO GRANDE SBA OFFICE.

AND WE WE USE A LOT OF OUR BUSINESS PROFESSIONALS THAT ARE PART OF OUR MEMBERSHIP TO COME AND SPREAD THE GOOD NEWS, WHETHER IT'S THROUGH TAX SEMINARS, WHETHER IT'S THROUGH CUSTOMER SERVICE SEMINARS, OR WHETHER IT'S THROUGH NONPROFIT OR OR BOARD SEMINARS.

WE ALSO DO A LOT OF OBVIOUSLY BUSINESS ADVOCACY SUPPORTING ALL OUR BUSINESSES.

YOU KNOW, WE STAY IN TAP WITH LOCAL AND STATE AND LEGISLATIVE ISSUES.

AND MANY OF YOU ALL HAVE BEEN IN ATTENDANCE WITH OUR PUBLIC AFFAIRS LUNCHEONS WHERE WE DRIVE THAT. AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WE PLAY A VOICE OF, OF BUSINESS, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A LOT OF ENTREPRENEURS, A LOT OF NEW BUSINESSES.

YOU KNOW, THE FIRST BUILDING THEY STEP IN IN OUR CITY IS IS THE CHAMBER YOU KNOW, WE ARE A VISITOR VISITOR CENTER AS WELL.

BUT WE'RE THE PLACE FOR BUSINESS TO GO AND AND TALK AND SOMETIMES HELP THROUGH THE PERMITTING PROCESS, SOMETIMES HELP THROUGH THE EDC AND CONNECTING THEM THROUGH THROUGH THROUGH OUR NETWORK. AND OBVIOUSLY A LOT OF COLLABORATION.

YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T DO THIS ALONE.

I THINK THERE'S AN EQUAL PARTNERSHIP WITH, WITH THE CITY AND THE EDC AND OF COURSE, ALL THE CITY SERVICES THAT COME WITH, YOU KNOW, SOME OF OUR LARGER EVENTS THAT HELP WITH THIS. SO AND IN OUR VISITOR CENTER, YOU KNOW WE'RE HOME OF A BEAUTIFUL HISTORICAL DEPOT.

WE PLAY A ROLE OF, OF ONE OF THE MAJOR VISITOR CENTERS IN THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY US AND HARLINGEN. SO OBVIOUSLY WE FEATURE A LOT OF WHAT THE CITY OF EDINBURGH DOES.

BUT WE ALSO, YOU KNOW, FEATURE SOME OF OUR LOCAL SISTER CITIES AND OTHER CITIES THROUGHOUT THE STATE.

SO WE'RE PROUD OF THAT TO WELCOME ANY VISITORS TO EDINBURG, OF COURSE, AND THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY.

[00:30:01]

YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY, WE HAVE A LOT OF MAIN ISSUES WITH THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND LOCAL COMMUNITY. AND AS YOU CAN SEE, WE TRY TO STRIVE TO, TO DO FOR A YEAR WE HAVE GREAT ATTENDANCE.

YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A LOT OF HOT, YOU KNOW, TOPICS THAT ARE, THAT ARE TAKING PLACE WHETHER LOCALLY OR STATE.

SO WE HAVE A LOT OF PARTNERSHIPS WITH OUR NATIONAL AND STATE AND CITY OFFICIALS.

AS YOU CAN SEE, SOME OF THE KEYS THAT WE DID THIS YEAR, WE HAD A SMALL BUSINESS EXPO WITH OUR TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF BUSINESS AND THE EDC.

WE HAD A PROSPERITY OUTLOOK FOR OUR HIDALGO COUNTY JUDGE.

AND, YOU KNOW, WE ALSO HAD A PROSPERITY KICKOFF TO UTRGV IN FOOTBALL AND ALL THE GOOD THINGS THAT'S COMING WITH THE UNIVERSITY AND HOW IT'S GOING TO IMPACT OUR BUSINESSES.

AND OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, JUST RECENTLY WE HAD OUR LAW UPDATE A LAW DAY THAT DID FOCUS ON THE LEGAL ASPECT OF OUR LEGAL COMMUNITY.

YOU KNOW, WE DO SEE A LOT OF ACTIVITY IN OUR DOWNTOWN AREA BECAUSE OF OF COUNTY OF COUNTY BUSINESS WITH THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WE TALKED ABOUT BUSINESS, EDUCATION, YOU KNOW, EXPLORING YOUR MARKET.

WE'VE HAD CUSTOMER SERVICE SEMINARS ELEVATE YOUR BUSINESS.

A LOT OF THESE SEMINARS THAT ARE FREE OF CHARGE TO OUR MEMBERS, AND LOW COST TO OUR LOCAL BUSINESS COMMUNITY, THAT CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THESE RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO THEM AND TO HELP MAKE THEIR BUSINESS BETTER.

OUR NEXT PROGRAM, LEADERSHIP EDINBURGH, YOU KNOW, IT'S ON OUR 35TH YEAR IN RUNNING.

WE'RE PROUD TO SAY THAT THIS YEAR WE'RE ABLE TO GRADUATE 28 INDIVIDUALS FROM DIFFERENT BUSINESSES. YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THEM GO BACK AND HELP JOIN OUR COMMITTEES AT THE LIKE, 20, 40 COMMITTEES, A LOT OF CITY COMMITTEES, A LOT OF BOARDS EVEN RUN FOR ELECTION, YOU KNOW, DOWN, DOWN THE PIPELINE.

SO THE WHOLE GOAL OF THIS PROGRAM IS TO LEARN ABOUT OUR CITY, ALL THE GOOD THINGS ABOUT EDINBURGH AND ALL THE DIFFERENT INDUSTRIES.

BUT IN RETURN, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY DO A BIG COMMUNITY PROJECT.

AND I'VE BEEN PROUD TO SAY THAT ABOUT 30 OF THE 35 COMMUNITY PROJECTS HAVE ACTUALLY GONE TO CITY OR TO YEAR TO COMMUNITY OR TO DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF OF THE CITY.

THE CHAMBER HAS BEEN FORTUNATE TO TO BENEFIT FROM A FEW OF THOSE, AND THIS YEAR HAS BEEN ONE OF THEM.

WE'VE HAD THE LEADERSHIP PROGRAM DO A REVITALIZED ALLEYWAY.

AND THAT'S JUST A PORTION OF THEIR, THEIR, THEIR PROJECT TO BRING AWARENESS TO DOWNTOWN EDINBURG AND TO HELP WITH THE QUALITY OF LIFE.

ON TOP OF THAT WE'RE ABLE TO BENEFIT FROM SOME OF THIS FUNDRAISING TO UPGRADE OUR TECHNOLOGY IN THE CHAMBER, WHICH IS HAPPENING CURRENTLY, YOU KNOW, FROM AUDIO OR VISUAL FROM FROM OUTSIDE, YOU KNOW, THE BUILDING THAT DOES GET USED BY A LOT OF BUSINESSES, A LOT OF NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS A LOT OF THEM HERE IN THIS ROOM THAT, YOU KNOW, COME OUT AND AND UTILIZE OUR BUILDING FOR ANY TYPE OF MEETINGS THAT WE'RE OPEN FOR. AS YOU ALL KNOW, OUR AMBASSADOR PROGRAM IS PRETTY STRONG.

YOU KNOW, WE HAVE ABOUT 50 AMBASSADORS, VERY ACTIVE AMBASSADORS THAT GO OUT AND TELL THE STORY. THEY GO OUT AND GREET THE NEW BUSINESS.

THEY GO OUT AND SHOP OUR, OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES AND, AND INJECT MONEY INTO THIS LOCAL ECONOMY.

BUT, YOU KNOW, FOR THE MOST PART, THEY SEE THE NEW BUSINESSES, THEY SEE THE CONCERNS, THEY HEAR THE CONCERNS, AND THEY COME BACK AND TALK TO US.

A LOT OF THEM ARE ARE MEMBERS OF YOUR ALL'S BUSINESSES THAT COME OUT AND, AND, AND GREET SOME OF THESE NEW BUSINESSES AND, YOU KNOW, MILESTONES THAT COME ALONG THAT GIVES THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO, TO DO SO MANY THINGS FOR THEIR BUSINESS.

BUT ALSO, YOU KNOW, FOR THE MOST PART, TO DO GOOD FOR OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND BE AN ADVOCATE, YOU KNOW, AND THEY GET A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES TO BE AT SOME OF THESE EVENTS. THEY GET FEATURED IN THEIR BUSINESS THROUGH THEIR AMBASSADOR OF THE MONTH PROGRAM. SO THESE ARE JUST SOME RECOGNITIONS THAT WE HELP BUSINESSES OUT ON THE FOREFRONT. AND A LOT OF YOU ALL KNOW ABOUT OUR SIGNATURE EVENTS THAT WE'VE WE WE DO ANNUALLY. WE TRY TO STICK TO WHAT WE HAVE, AND WE DON'T WANT TO PUT ANY MORE BURDENS ON.

BUT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE PROUD TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE WE'VE HOST SIX MAJOR EVENTS IN OUR CITY, INCLUDING THE NIGHT OF LIGHTS PARADE FIESTA EDINBURG, TEXAS, COOK UNIVERSITY DRAFTHOUSE BEERFEST, OUR CHAMBER BANQUET, WHERE WE GET TO RECOGNIZE SOME OF THESE WONDERFUL PEOPLE IN OUR CITY AND OUR WINTER TEXAN APPRECIATION. WHAT ELSE DOES THE CHAMBER BRING TO THE TABLE? AND THE CVB IS A BRAND AWARENESS AND MEDIA PARTNERSHIPS.

YOU KNOW THROUGH OUR PARTNERSHIPS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ABLE TO DO SO MANY THINGS THROUGH OUR SOCIAL MEDIA THROUGH OUR CONNECTIONS WITH OUR NETWORKS AND LOCAL BRANDING.

YOU KNOW, YOU CAN KIND OF SEE SOME OF THESE CAMPAIGNS THAT ARE BEING VIEWED HERE ON

[00:35:02]

AND OF COURSE, OUR MEMBER SPOTLIGHTS WHERE WE SPOTLIGHT OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES TO BRING AWARENESS TO TO THE BUSINESS.

OF COURSE, WE HAVE OUR COMMUNITY GUIDE THAT WE'RE LAUNCHING AGAIN.

WE PRINTED OUT 5000 OF THOSE COMMUNITY GUIDES THAT THAT GO IN PACKETS AND WELCOME PACKETS WHEN THERE'S DOCTORS BEING COURTED, PROFESSORS, ATHLETES, STUDENTS AT THE MEDICAL SCHOOL.

WE REACH OUT, THEY REACH OUT TO US.

WE PROVIDE THESE COMMUNITY GUIDES TO LET THEM KNOW WHAT OUR FOUR TIME ALL-AMERICA CITY HAS TO OFFER. OBVIOUSLY, WE'LL HAVE TO UPDATE THAT THIS YEAR, BUT WE'RE PROUD TO SAY WE'RE GOING TO INCREASE FROM 5 TO 15,000.

AND OUR WEBSITE SERVICES, WE DO GET A LOT OF TRAFFIC THROUGH OUR WEBSITE SERVICES. EDINBURGH.

COM IS A REALLY WELL BRANDED WEBSITE.

WE HAVE OUR BUSINESS DIRECTORY LISTING.

YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY COMES TO THE CHAMBER WEBSITE JUST TO, TO FIND ARE THEY A MEMBER OF THE CHAMBER IF THEY'RE LOOKING FOR A CERTAIN TYPE OF BUSINESS. AND OF COURSE ON OUR CVB SIDE WE DO HAVE EXPLORE EXPLORE EDINBURGH.

YOU CAN LOG ON TO THAT WEBSITE.

YOU CAN SEE ALL THE DIFFERENT EVENTS THAT ARE HAPPENING THERE.

FEATURE DESTINATIONS. YOU CAN SEE OUR HOTELS.

WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO HOTEL VIDEOS ATTACHED TO THAT WHERE THEY CAN BOOK DIRECTLY FROM THERE. SO THESE ARE DEFINITELY SOME WEBSITE SERVICES THAT ARE CRUCIAL TO OUR CITY AND SOME SOME OF OUR CURRENT FISCAL YEAR INITIATIVES THAT WEREN'T BUDGETED IN LAST YEAR'S BUDGET. WE TOOK ON, YOU KNOW, WE WE WE WENT AHEAD AND AND DID A NEW CAMPAIGN CALLED SHOP SMALL THIS HOLIDAY SEASON.

WE DID IT ALL DIGITAL FORMAT.

AND I'M PROUD TO SAY WE WERE AWARDED FIRST PLACE IN THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE STATE FOR SOCIAL MEDIA AND MARKETING CAMPAIGN FOR, FOR THE MONTH OF DECEMBER.

JUST TO PRESS TO PRESS OUR COMMUNITY, TO SHOP LOCAL AND, AND INJECT DOLLARS INTO OUR COMMUNITY INSTEAD OF ELSEWHERE.

YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THESE INITIATIVES ARE FAMILIAR WITH YOU ALL.

THE CHALLENGE RGV THE MAYOR'S PRAYER BREAKFAST WE TOOK ON THE EDINBURG SMALL BUSINESS EXPO. WE INVITED OUR OUR PAST PRESIDENTS AND WE WERE LUCKY TO HAVE 25 PAST PRESIDENTS COME IN AND REENGAGE WITH OUR COMMUNITY AND TRY TO GET THEM INVOLVED IN THIS CHAMBER AND OUR CITY AGAIN, AS WE APPROACH 100 YEAR MARK.

FOR THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WERE ABLE TO BRING SB 250 EVENT FROM ANOTHER SISTER CITY TO OUR CITY. WE WERE ABLE TO GENERATE 40 ROOMS FROM THAT EVENT.

WE WERE ABLE TO HELP BRING IN THE SOUTH TEXAS THE AMATEUR BOXING JUNIOR OLYMPICS THROUGH WITH THE HELP OF PARKS AND REC.

YOU KNOW, WE'RE ABLE TO CAPTURE THAT BID AND WELCOME ALMOST 500 FIGHTERS, YOU KNOW, PUTTING EDINBURG ON THE MAP.

NOT ONLY THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ABLE TO PARTNER UP WITH A DISABILITY CHAMBER TO HOST A STATE TEXAS HIGHER ABILITY EMPLOYER FORUM, THE LEX FRIEDEN AWARDS THAT TOOK PLACE HERE AT THE CONFERENCE CENTER IN EDINBURG.

SO A LOT OF EVENTS A LOT OF PROGRAMS THAT THE I OBVIOUSLY I SHOULD HAVE BROUGHT A WATER BOTTLE. BUT BUT, YOU KNOW, IT ALL COMES DOWN TO FUNDING, YOU KNOW AND WE APPRECIATE ALL THE SUPPORT THAT YOU GUYS HAVE GIVEN US.

AS YOU CAN SEE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S SNAPSHOTS OF THE LEFT AND RIGHT.

IT'S A SMALL INCREASE.

YOU KNOW, I JUST WANT TO I KNOW THERE'S, YOU KNOW, SOME SOME NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS ON HERE.

KIND OF WANT TO CLARIFY THE FUNDING FROM THREE DIFFERENT BUDGETS.

I DON'T HAVE THE THIRD BUDGET ON HERE.

I DON'T KNOW IF I DID SUBMIT IT.

BUT THAT'S OUR CHAMBER.

OUR CHAMBER BUDGET. BUT I CAN TALK ABOUT THAT.

THIS IS WHAT'S BEING REQUESTED.

WE DO HAVE IT IN THE PACKET, ACTUALLY. OKAY. YEAH. THANK YOU. I THINK AND SO? SO ON YOUR LEFT YOU SEE OUR CVB WHICH IS HOTEL TAX DOLLARS 215,000 AND INCREASING TO 240. THAT WOULD BE YOU KNOW OBVIOUSLY EXPENSES THROUGH TEXAS COOKHAM THAT WE PERCEIVE HAPPENING IN THE FUTURE.

OBVIOUSLY THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN.

AND WE'RE STILL INTENDING TO TO HAVE THIS EVENT FOR OUR COMMUNITY.

AND THE OTHER PORTION OF THAT IS, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE ANOTHER CHANCE TO GRAB THIS EVENT THAT BRINGS AND DRAWS PEOPLE FROM OUT OF THE REGION.

SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE REQUESTING THOSE ADDITIONAL FUNDS IN THE HIGHLIGHTED AREA.

THANK YOU. ON THE HIGHLIGHTED AREA FOR CVB AS FAR AS THE GENERAL FUND SIDE.

AND JUST TO CLARIFY ON THE CVB, SORRY THAT IS ALL ENTAILED TO HELP WITH EXPLORE EDINBURGH OUT OF THAT BUDGET.

THERE'S ONE SALARY FROM THERE YOU CAN SEE.

AND THEN ON THE GENERAL FUND SIDE IS TO HELP WHICH IS 160 GOING UP TO 175 IS TO HELP WITH

[00:40:07]

YOU KNOW, THIS HELPS US OPERATE THE CHAMBER.

AND SO THEY INCREASE IN THERE WOULD BE TO THE MAYOR'S PRAYER BREAKFAST THAT WE, WE HELD THIS YEAR AND THAT WE FORESEE GROWING FOR OUR COMMUNITY WITH A WELL ATTENDED EVENT.

AND JUST TO JUST TO BE CLEAR, THE CHAMBER'S TOTAL BUDGET IS $1.1 MILLION.

AND SO FROM THE MEMBERSHIP AND FROM THE FUNDRAISING PAYS FOR THE OTHER THREE ADDITIONAL STAFF MEMBERS.

SO THAT DOESN'T COME OUT OF ANY OF THESE FUNDS.

SO THAT ENTAILS THE WHOLE TOTAL IS ABOUT 34% OF THE BUDGET.

WITH THIS REQUEST AND, YOU KNOW, THE CVB SIDE AND THE GENERAL FUND SIDE THE CVB PORTION IS ALSO TO HELP WITH TEXAS COOKHAM AND THE GENERAL FUND PORTION, AS YOU CAN SEE, IS ALSO TO HELP WITH FIESTA EDINBURGH, WHICH ARE THESE COMMUNITY EVENTS.

AND OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE WE'RE LED BY WE COULDN'T BE BE ABLE TO DO SOME OF THE GREAT THINGS THAT WE DO WITHOUT OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF 11 THAT REPRESENT A LOT OF OUR BUSINESSES IN THE EDINBURGH AREA.

AND THEY DO A TERRIFIC JOB.

AND I WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE GIVE CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE AS THEY HELP LEAD US INTO THE NEXT YEAR. OF COURSE, OUR STAFF.

YOU'RE WELL AWARE OF OUR MEN MANPOWER WE HAVE FOR THROUGH THIS MAJOR OPERATION.

AND I'M PROUD TO SAY THAT THEY DO A TREMENDOUS JOB FOR OUR CITY.

AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO ANOTHER GREAT YEAR.

WITH THAT SAID, I'M OPEN TO QUESTIONS.

I DID WANT TO POINT OUT I GAVE YOU A FOLDER WITH SOME OF THE THE MARKETING THAT DOES HAPPEN. SOME OF THE BROCHURES THAT WE'VE WE'VE TAKEN OUT ADS FOR AND THERE'S A FEW NUMBERS IN THERE THAT DO TALK ABOUT THE GREAT THINGS WE DO AT THE CHAMBER.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION, MR. RONNIE. AND COUNCIL.

IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS? THE CHAMBER. ANY QUESTIONS? HEY, RONNIE. REAL FAST. YES, SIR. WHAT IS THE PERCENTAGE OF Y'ALL'S BUDGET THAT COMES FROM THE CITY ITSELF? I DID ALLUDE TO THAT. 34%.

34. YES. OKAY. IS THAT CURRENTLY OR IS THAT WITH THE THE REQUESTS FOR NEXT YEAR THAT'S CURRENTLY CURRENTLY? OKAY.

CURRENTLY. BUT THE ADDITIONAL.

I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T MEAN TO. NO, I WAS JUST TRYING TO SEE. SO THAT'S CURRENTLY RIGHT. 34. BUT IF THERE'S AN ADDITIONAL HOW MUCH BEING REQUESTED COMPARED TO THIS YEAR, THOSE 375 AND NOT 415.

SO IT'S 37%. IT'LL GO UP 3%.

OH, OKAY. GOT IT, GOT IT.

GO AHEAD. YES, SIR. YES, SIR.

RONNIE, FROM THE EMPLOYEE STANDPOINT, HOW MANY EMPLOYEES DO YOU HAVE THIS YEAR COMPARED TO LAST YEAR? IT SEEMS LIKE I SEE FOUR, BUT IN RECENT YEARS YOU'VE HAD MORE EMPLOYEES, CORRECT? YEAH, THE MOST WE'VE HAD DURING WE'RE TRYING TO REPLACE ONE OTHER INDIVIDUAL WOULD BE AN EVENTS DIRECTOR.

OBVIOUSLY WE DIDN'T HAVE EVENTS FOR A GOOD PORTION FROM 2020 TO 22.

AND WE'VE, WE'VE REACHED OUT TO, TO HIRE ONE ADDITIONAL UNFORTUNATELY, WE DIDN'T FEEL LIKE, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE CANDIDATES WERE THERE, BUT WE DO WANT TO EMPLOY ANOTHER INDIVIDUAL FOR THE CHAMBER STAFF.

SO AS FAR AS SALARY WISE I GUESS SOME OF THE EMPLOYEES ARE HAVING TO MAYBE WORK TWICE AS HARD NOW. OR ARE THEY GETTING COMPENSATED FOR THAT BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE THE OTHER. YEAH.

NO, THE BOARD, THE BOARD THE BOARD, A LOT OF THAT FALLS ON ME.

BUT THE BOARD DOES NOTE THAT AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT ADDING, YOU KNOW, THAT POSITION, OF COURSE, AND AN ADDITIONAL POSITION.

AND OF COURSE, THIS COMES OUT OF OUR CHAMBER BUDGET, WHICH IS FUNDRAISING AND MEMBERSHIP.

AS FAR AS MEMBERSHIPS, HOW MANY MORE MEMBERSHIPS HAVE WE RECEIVED THIS YEAR COMPARED TO LAST YEAR? I WOULD HAVE TO GO THROUGH THAT. I WILL TELL YOU WE'RE AT ABOUT 650 MEMBERS.

SO IT HAS BEEN AN INCREASE.

I'M GOING TO SAY CLOSE TO 100 MEMBERS.

AND ARE WE MAINTAINING ALL MEMBERSHIPS FOR A MONTHLY RETENTION IS PRETTY GOOD.

BUT YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY WE DO HAVE BUSINESSES THAT CLOSE DOWN AND, YOU KNOW, OR RELOCATE.

SO THE NUMBER FLUCTUATES, BUT THIS IS A BALANCE OF, OF, OF RETENTION AND INCREASE OF MEMBERS.

SOME OF THE BUSINESSES THAT ARE CLOSING DOWN, HAVE WE REACHED OUT TO THEM AT ALL ON YOUR END TO MAYBE DO SOME TYPE OF EVENT THERE TO GET THEM FOR MORE? WE HAVE, YOU KNOW WE DO, YOU KNOW, WE DO OUR BEST TO TRY TO ENGAGE WITH THEM, GIVE THEM EVERY OPPORTUNITIES, LIKE I SAID. YOU KNOW, WE WE'RE A DRIVER ON MEMBERS.

[00:45:02]

BUT YES, WE'VE HAD SOME INSTANCES OF SOME MEMBERS OR NONMEMBERS REACH OUT FOR HELP.

BUT WE NEVER DO NOT HELP WHETHER IT'S A NONMEMBER OR NOT, YOU KNOW. SO YES, WE DO.

RONNIE. COUPLE QUESTIONS.

I NOTICED THAT EXPLORER EDINBURGH.

I, I WISH I COULD SEE A LOT MORE OF THAT.

I SOMETIMES SEE CITY HAVING EVENTS AND I DON'T SEE IT ADVERTISED OR PUSHED THROUGH THE CHAMBER EXPLORER EDINBURGH WEBSITE.

I'D LIKE TO SEE A LOT MORE COLLABORATION WITH THAT WITH THE CITY EVENTS, BUT MORE SO WITH THE CITY SPORTING EVENTS LIKE WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE FUTURE OF TURF AND WHAT IT'S GOING TO BRING. AND AND WE KEEP TELLING EVERYONE, YOU'VE GOT TO GO THROUGH THE CHAMBERS SO THAT THEY STAY IN THE CITY.

BUT I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT MENTALITY ADDED TO THE 10-K, TO ALL THE OTHER EVENTS WE HAVE THERE TO PROMOTE THE CITY, HAVE THEM STAY WITH IT WITHIN OUR HOST HOTELS AND HOST RESTAURANTS, AND JUST KIND OF KEEP THE ECONOMIC IMPACT HERE, NOT SO THAT THEY CAN GO EVERYWHERE ELSE.

CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT WE CAN DO TO MAKE THAT BETTER AND ALSO COLLABORATE MUCH MORE WITH OUR CULTURAL ARTS? I KNOW THAT SOMETIMES I FEEL LIKE THEY'RE HAVING THEIR EVENT AND CHAMBER HAS THEIR OWN EVENTS, AND I FEEL LIKE THERE ISN'T, YOU KNOW, THE WHERE WHERE EACH ONE PUSHES EACH OTHER'S EVENTS.

NO, NO, DEFINITELY WE DO WE DO SHARE.

YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A LOT OF EVENTS.

THE CITY PUTS ON A LOT OF EVENTS. AND THAT'S WHY IT'S CALLED THE CITY OF FESTIVALS. SO WE DO, YOU KNOW, SHARE WHATEVER WE CAN WITH THE KNOWLEDGE OF WE CAN.

EVERYTHING ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES, EVERYTHING THROUGH OUR NEWSLETTERS THAT WE SEND ON A WEEKLY RATE.

I'M PROUD TO SAY THAT WE'RE WE WERE APPROACHING 55% OF OPEN RATE FOR THAT.

THAT GOES OUT TO ALMOST 2000 INDIVIDUALS THAT DO SEE THAT.

SO WE DO OUR BEST TO, TO PROMOTE ALL CITY EVENTS.

YOU KNOW, ALL OF OUR MEMBER EVENTS ALL THE COMMUNITY EVENTS THAT ARE HAPPENING HERE.

I KNOW WE DID SPEAK A COUPLE OF TIMES WITH SOFTBALL TOURNAMENTS.

WE WERE ABLE TO SPEAK TO THOSE SOFTBALL MANAGERS THAT WERE BRINGING IN, GET THEM HOTEL RATES FOR CERTAIN HOTELS.

NOT ALL HOTELS WILL PARTICIPATE.

AND THEN WE'VE WE'VE NOTICED THAT THERE'S BEEN A STRUGGLE WITH EMPLOYEES ON THEIR SIDE WHERE WE RECOGNIZE THAT ONE INDIVIDUAL WAS THERE, AGREED TO AN EVENT, AND IS NO LONGER THERE WITH THEM.

SO WE DO HAVE MARKETING MEETINGS WITH OUR ASSETS, YOU KNOW, BEING THE HOTELIERS.

BERT OGDEN ARENA REGION ONE, THE CONFERENCE CENTER, CULTURAL ARTS IS INVITED TO THOSE.

AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE OUR MARKETING MEETINGS THAT WE HAVE EVERY FRIDAY WITH THE CITY AND THE COUNTY. AND SO I KNOW WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT OFFHAND THAT, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO MOVE IN THE SAME DIRECTION.

SO AS YOU CAN SEE, YOU KNOW, WE DO WANT TO TALK ABOUT MAYBE COLLABORATING MORE. SO AND THROUGH A BIG CAMPAIGN FOR EDINBURGH THROUGH PROMOTIONAL ITEMS, THROUGH WELCOME KITS. BUT, YOU KNOW, MARKETING DOLLARS IS, IS VERY HARD TO COME BY.

THERE'S A FEW DOCUMENTS IN THE, IN THAT THAT I LEFT IN YOUR FOLDER THAT SHOWED A COUPLE OF PLANS THAT WE WERE LOOKING AT DOING, WHETHER IT'S THROUGH BILLBOARD ADVERTISING OR THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA.

BUT WE HAVE A PLAN A AND A PLAN B AND JUST THREE OF THOSE ITEMS TAKE UP OUR WHOLE BUDGET, YOU KNOW, SO THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN, YOU KNOW, HAVING A MARKETING BUDGET, BUT HAVING A MARKETING CAMPAIGN WHERE IT'S CONSISTENT ALL THE WAY THROUGH.

AND THAT TAKES A GOOD AMOUNT, WHICH WE'RE WELCOME TO DO.

AND WE TRIED OUR BEST TO DO TO.

TO DO WHAT? TO DO GOOD WITH WHAT WE HAVE.

YEAH, RIGHT. AND NOT TRYING TO KNOCK ANYONE.

JUST. THIS IS THE TIME TO TALK ABOUT WHAT WE'D LIKE TO SEE AND HOW WE'D LIKE TO SEE THE CHAMBER HELP OUT. AND IF THERE'S A BUDGET ITEM WE NEED TO CONSIDER, THIS IS WHERE WE BRING IT UP.

THE ONLY OTHER ISSUE OR CALL I'VE EVER GOTTEN IS IF IF A BUSINESS IS NOT PART OF THE CHAMBER, WILL YOU HOLD A RIBBON CUTTING OR A GRAND OPENING FOR THEM? SO NO WE HAVEN'T YOU KNOW, IT ALL DEPENDS.

ALSO, WE HAVE OUR OUR COPARTNERS WITH THE EDC.

I KNOW THEY'VE, YOU KNOW, HELPED OUT WITH SOME, SOME MAJOR EMPLOYERS THAT WE DO WITH THE CITY AS WELL THROUGH GROUNDBREAKINGS AND RIBBON CUTTINGS. WE TRY TO GO OUT THERE AND TALK TO THEM.

AND, YOU KNOW, THE INVESTMENT STARTS AT $250.

AND THAT'S FOR THE YEAR.

SO THAT IS A HUGE INVESTMENT.

THAT'S VERY MINIMAL, YOU KNOW, AND WE WANT TO HELP ALL OUR BUSINESSES.

SO WITH THAT SAID, WE'LL GO OUT THERE, AND TRY TO TO SELL OUR SERVICES.

BUT UNFORTUNATELY, YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T DO THAT.

AS FAR AS THAT, WE'RE OPEN TO ANY IDEAS, YOU KNOW, POSSIBLE. WE'VE SEEN OTHER IDEAS IN OTHER CITIES WHERE THERE'S A BUSINESS FEE AT A CITY

[00:50:04]

AND, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF IT, YOU KNOW, COMES WITH, YOU KNOW, THE, THE VALUE OF OUR NETWORK, RIGHT? A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T PUT THAT DOLLAR AMOUNT ON THAT.

BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S GOOD TO SEE COVERAGE FROM THE CITY OR FROM THE CHAMBER.

AND LIKE I SAID, YOU KNOW, THIS ALL GOES BACK TO TO SALARY.

YOU KNOW, SO IF THAT HAPPENS, THEN WE'LL PROBABLY START LOSING MEMBERS BECAUSE WE'RE GIVING FREE RIBBON CUTTINGS AND THOSE ARE SALARY PERFORM PERFORMANCES THAT WE USE TO HELP, YOU KNOW, CONTINUE WITH OUR MISSION AND IMPACT ALL THESE THINGS WE DO. THAT MAKES SENSE.

ANYBODY ELSE? I JUST HAD A COUPLE MORE QUESTIONS. I KNOW WE'RE WE'RE WE WANT TO GIVE THE MUSEUM ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY.

AND SO. BUT I WOULD JUST PUSH YOU ON THE BUDGET.

RONNIE, JUST I KNOW THERE'S IS THERE A CONSOLIDATED BUDGET BECAUSE THERE'S THREE BUDGETS, RIGHT? THAT YOU HAVE YOU HAVE THE CHAMBER, YOU HAVE THE CVB, AND THEN YOU HAVE A BUDGET FOR THE CITY'S GENERAL FUND.

CORRECT. BUT DO YOU HAVE A CONSOLIDATED BUDGET THAT ALIGNS ALL THREE OR BECAUSE RIGHT NOW THEY'RE SEPARATE, RIGHT. YES.

WE KEEP THEM SEPARATE BECAUSE WE KEEP THE FUNDS SEPARATE BECAUSE THEY'RE ONLY UTILIZED FOR CERTAIN THINGS. BUT WE HAVE WE CAN SEND YOU A TOTAL A WHOLE BALANCE SHEET SHOWING ALL THAT. WE CAN PROVIDE THAT FOR YOU. YEAH, THAT'D BE GOOD.

AND THAT WOULD SHOW THAT 1.1 THAT I JUST DISCUSSED.

THAT'S ALL I WAS TRYING TO GET AT BECAUSE IT SHOWED 790,000.

BUT THAT'S JUST THE CHAMBER PORTION I THINK. AND I THINK THAT WAS BASED OFF OF I'M NOT TOO SURE WHAT NUMBER YOU'RE LOOKING AT, BUT I'M LOOKING AT THE WHAT WAS SUBMITTED TO US HERE. THE PAGE 11 THE THE CURRENT YEAR IS 780,500 AS THE TOTAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE BUDGET. IT'S HIS PROPOSED BUDGET, BUT IT'S HIS 2324.

SO IS THIS 2425 OR AM I LOOKING AT THIS WRONG OR.

I JUST WANT TO KNOW WHAT I'M WHAT I'M LOOKING AT.

IT'S PAGE 11 IN OUR PACKET.

I DON'T KNOW IF. I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S THE SAME HERE.

YEAH. IT SAYS 23, 24 PROPOSED BUDGET.

IT HAS 780,500. AND THAT'S A CHAMBER BUDGET.

AND THEN THEN IT HAS ANOTHER COLUMN 2324 781,500.

SO I WAS TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THAT'S WHY IF YOU COULD, IF YOU COULD PRESENT TO US A CONSOLIDATED BUDGET, THAT'D BE GREAT. AND THEN ALSO ON THESE FUNDS, ON THE CITY FUNDS 160,000 IS THE CURRENT BUDGET FOR THEIR GENERAL FUND.

I ALSO LIKE TO SEE JUST THE BREAKDOWN, HOW MUCH THAT HAS BEEN USED.

WE DO THAT WITH OUR CITY DEPARTMENTS, RIGHT? WE GO THROUGH ALL LINE ITEMS AND SEE WHAT I MEAN. IF IF THERE'S ITEMS THAT HAVE BEEN USED, COULD THOSE BE USED TO CARRY ON TO THE FOLLOWING YEAR? RIGHT. BASED ON THE REQUEST THAT'S BEEN MADE? OKAY. SO IF YOU CAN GET US THAT, THAT'D BE GOOD.

ALSO, JUST TO KNOW YOU KNOW, WHAT IS AVAILABLE, RIGHT TO USE. SO AND YEAH, THAT WAS IT.

I THINK COUNCIL ASKED ALL THE QUESTIONS AGAIN. THANK YOU RONNIE, FOR ALL Y'ALL DO. I APPRECIATE THERE'S A LOT OF WORK THAT GOES BEYOND BEHIND PROMOTING OUR CITY, AND THAT'S NOT A OBVIOUSLY JUST AN EFFORT BY ONE ENTITY.

IT'S JUST YOU ALL TAKE THE LEAD WITH EDC, WITH THE CITY, WITH EVERYONE. SO WE APPRECIATE ALL Y'ALL DO.

THERE'S A LOT TO DO BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT HAPPENING IN OUR CITY. SO BUT THANK YOU ALL.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK YOU DO. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, RONNIE, FOR THAT PRESENTATION.

MAYOR, WE NOW HAVE DOCTOR FRANCISCO FROM THE MUSEUM OF SOUTH TEXAS HISTORY THAT WILL NOW CONDUCT HIS PRESENTATION.

OKAY. SO. OKAY. THANK YOU, MAYOR.

AND THANK YOU TO TO ALL OF YOU FOR FOR THE INVITATION TO PRESENT, I WOULD LIKE TO MAYOR, SHARE A FEW STORIES HERE.

YES, SIR. AND YOU'LL HAVE THE SAME AMOUNT OF TIME, DOCTOR. OKAY, JUST TO BE FAIR TO EVERYBODY, WE DO THAT WITH OUR DEPARTMENTS TOO.

SO THANK YOU. SO I THINK YOU HAVE THE PRESENTATION THERE ON YOUR ON YOUR SCREEN.

SO I WOULD LIKE TO, TO DO KIND OF A SNAPSHOTS OF HISTORY BECAUSE THE, THE MUSEUM OF THE CITY HAVE HAD, I THINK, A VERY STRONG RELATIONSHIP THROUGH THE YEARS IN A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT WAYS.

[00:55:02]

IN FACT, IT WAS WITH SOME STARTUP THAT THE CITY PROVIDED THAT THE MUSEUM WAS ABLE TO BE FUNDED BACK IN 1970. BUT I'D LIKE TO TO BEGIN BY POINTING OUT.

SO THIS IS A LITTLE BIT OF, YOU KNOW, AS A HISTORIAN AND SOMEBODY WHO COMES FROM THE MUSEUM, I'D LIKE TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY WITH, WITH, WITH EVERYBODY HERE TODAY AND POINT YOU TO 1909, WHEN THE JAIL WAS BEING BUILT.

SO THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE TODAY AS THE THE OLD HIDALGO COUNTY JAIL THAT WAS BUILT IN 1909, NINE, 1910, WHICH IS THE ORIGINAL BUILDING OF THE MUSEUM WHEN IT WAS COMPLETED IN 1910.

IT LOOKED LIKE THIS. IT WAS A JAIL.

HIDALGO COUNTY JAIL FROM 1910 TO 1922.

ONLY 12 YEARS. IT WAS ACTUALLY A FLEETING MOMENT.

THE POPULATION GREW TOO MUCH FOR THE COUNTY, SO THE COUNTY DECIDED TO BUILD ANOTHER JAIL OVER IN THE NEXT BLOCK.

SO REALLY, THE OLD HIDALGO COUNTY JAIL WAS A JAIL ONLY FOR 12 YEARS.

WHAT HAPPENED AFTER 1922 IS THAT THE CITY WOULD MOVE INTO IT.

SO CITY HALL WAS ESTABLISHED THERE.

AND REALLY, FOR CLOSE TO A HALF CENTURY, CITY HALL WAS AT THE OLD JAIL.

THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS RIGHT NEXT TO IT.

SO THIS IS ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, THIS, THIS, THIS KIND OF INTERCONNECTEDNESS THAT'S, YOU KNOW, IN THE DNA OF THE CITY AND OF THE MUSEUM AS WELL.

SO SOME IMAGES HERE. THIS IS FROM THE LATE 1950S.

AND WE LOOK AT AN IMAGE HERE OF THE LATE 50S AS WELL, WHERE CITY HALL FROM ANOTHER ANGLE AND THE POLICE STATION THERE.

AN IMAGE HERE OF VERY EARLY 1960S WHERE WE HAVE THE HEB FOOD STORES.

THE HEB CAME IN IN 1948 WHEN IT BOUGHT OUT PIGGLY WIGGLY, WHICH IS BUILT IN 1938, PIGGLY WIGGLY MOVED TO ANOTHER PART OF TOWN.

SO HEB WAS THERE WHEN CITY HALL WHEN THE CITY OF EDINBURGH DECIDED TO MOVE OUT OF THE JAIL, BECAUSE IN THE MID 1960S THEY BUILT A NEW BUILDING HERE, WHICH IS A BUILDING WHERE YOU GUYS WERE BEFORE YOU CAME IN HERE. SO WHEN WHEN THE CITY DECIDED TO MOVE OUT OF THE JAIL, HEB WAS IN THE PROCESS OF EXPANDING.

SO HEB SAID, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GROWING TOO MUCH.

THIS IS A THRIVING COMMUNITY.

IT'S A BURGEONING COMMUNITY.

WE'RE GOING TO BUY THE JAIL.

WE'RE GOING TO KNOCK IT DOWN.

WE'RE GOING TO EXPAND HEB.

BUT SOMETHING HAPPENED.

THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED. WHAT HAPPENED? BEULAH HAPPENED IN SEPTEMBER 67TH.

SO WHILE H-E-B WAS AND SO YOU SEE H-E-B THERE AT THE EDGE OF H-E-B WAS ABOUT TO BUY THE THE THE OLD JAIL H-E-B. THEY SAID NOT SO FAST BECAUSE THE FLOODING HAD NEVER BEEN AS PRONOUNCED IN THE OLD DOWNTOWN H-E-B BACKED OUT.

THE CITY STAYED WITH THE BUILDING.

AND SO POST 1967, BEULAH.

THE MUSEUM WAS FOUNDED AT THIS TIME IN 1968, THE MUSEUM WOULD ACTUALLY GET THE CHARTER FROM THE STATE OF TEXAS TO ESTABLISH THE HIDALGO COUNTY HISTORICAL MUSEUM.

SO WHEN WHEN THAT HAPPENED, THEN THE CITY COMPETED TO BE THE HOME OF THE MUSEUM. THE CHARTER IN 68 ALLOWED THE MUSEUM TO OPEN UP A COMPETITION, SO THE CITY OF MERCEDES APPLIED, FA APPLIED.

THE CITY OF EDINBURG APPLIED.

THE CITY OF EDINBURGH WON THE BID BECAUSE IT HAD A BUILDING, A BUILDING IT DIDN'T, DIDN'T REALLY WANT, AS YOU CAN SEE.

SO THIS IS ACTUALLY WHAT WHAT THE MUSEUM GOT.

SO IN 1968, 1969 THE BUILDING WAS IN DISREPAIR.

AND SO THE MUSEUM THEN HAD THE RESPONSIBILITY OF.

REHABBING THIS PLACE IF IT WAS TO MOVE IN.

SO IN 1970, THE MUSEUM OPENED ITS DOORS.

IN APRIL OF 1970, THE MUSEUM OPENED ITS DOORS TO THE PUBLIC AND AND THE CITY OWNED THE BUILDING. THE CITY OWNS THE BUILDING.

IN FACT, WE RENT IT FOR A DOLLAR A YEAR, I THINK FOR LIKE 99 YEARS OR SOMETHING.

SO IT'S AN IMPORTANT AN IMPORTANT DETAIL.

THE REASON THAT I POINT OUT THIS BUILDING IS NOT ONLY TO POINT OUT THE INTERCONNECTEDNESS BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE MUSEUM, BUT ALSO TO SAY THAT IT IS IN THIS BUILDING WHICH LOOKS LIKE THIS THIS MORNING.

ACTUALLY, YESTERDAY, I THINK IT LOOKED LIKE THIS. HAS IT CHANGED? I WILL, I WILL POINT TO, YOU KNOW, BUT YOU'RE YOU'RE RIGHT, YOU'RE RIGHT. YOU'RE BEING SARCASTIC.

IT HASN'T CHANGED. IT'S IT IS THE ONLY BUILDING IN THE ENTIRE CITY OF EDINBURGH THAT'S ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES.

THE BUILDING RIGHT ACROSS THE WAY HERE IS ON THE TEXAS STATE REGISTER.

[01:00:01]

IT WAS BUILT IN 1909 1910 AND IT'S QUITE VULNERABLE.

YOU HAVE TO KNOW. I MEAN, YOU KNOW THIS BECAUSE IT'S FOUR FEET ABOVE THE WATER TABLE AND SO THERE'S RISING DAMP THAT HAPPENS.

SO WE INVEST A LOT OF MONEY EVERY SINGLE YEAR JUST TO PRESERVE THE OLD BUILDING.

BUT IT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT BUILDING WE HAVE IN THE MUSEUM. AND IT'S OUR MOST IMPORTANT ARTIFACT AS WELL. THE REASON I'M TELLING YOU THE STORY OF THIS IS BECAUSE.

AND THIS IS HOW I LOOKED THIS MORNING.

THE REASON I'M TELLING YOU THIS STORY IS NOT ONLY BECAUSE IT'S A PRECIOUS BUILDING, BUT IT IS A BUILDING THAT ALLOWS US TO DO WHAT IT IS THAT THAT THE CITY CONTRIBUTES TO THE MUSEUM. AMONG OTHER THINGS.

SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT, WHAT DOES THE MUSEUM GET? AND SO IT'S PUBLIC, OF COURSE.

AND SO LAST YEAR WE RECEIVED A CONTRIBUTION OF $255,000 FROM THE HOTEL OCCUPANCY TAX AND ALSO FROM THE GENERAL FUND. SO WHAT DO WE DO WITH THAT? WELL, WE DO EXHIBIT DEVELOPMENT.

WHAT DO WE DO WITH THAT? WE DO PROGRAMING FOR WHAT? WHAT TO ENHANCE THE QUALITY OF EXPERIENCES THAT TOURISTS HAVE, MOST IMPORTANTLY, TO ENRICH THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF PEOPLE FROM EDINBURGH AND FROM SOUTH TEXAS. THE GREATEST VALUE IN MY MIND, AND I THINK THIS IS A PHILOSOPHY OF THE MUSEUM, IS THAT IT IS ABOUT PRESERVING WHO WE ARE, OUR HISTORY, OUR HERITAGE, OUR IDENTITY, SO WE CAN KNOW WHO WE ARE.

WE NEED TO LOOK AT OURSELVES IN THE MIRROR. AND OFTENTIMES, YOU KNOW, WE DO THAT BY GOING TO THE MUSEUM.

SO THIS IS WHAT THE JAIL LOOKS LIKE TODAY.

THE FEATURED ATTRACTION IS THE HANGING ROOM, THE GALLOWS. SO IF ALL OF YOU OR SOME OF YOU WENT TO WENT ON A TOUR WHEN YOU WERE IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, YOU MAY REMEMBER, YOU KNOW, FREAKING OUT BECAUSE THE WORD IN THE COMMUNITY IS THAT THEY USED TO HANG PEOPLE THERE. IT WAS ONE HANGING THERE IN 1913.

BUT IT'S BECOME LIKE HYPERBOLE, RIGHT? THAT THEY USED TO HANG PEOPLE THERE.

ONE HANGING IN 1913. THIS IS WHAT WE DO WITH WITH CITY MONEY.

WE BUILD EXHIBITS. WE BUILD EXHIBITS.

EVERY YEAR WE BUILD A BRAND NEW EXHIBIT.

SO THE THE EXHIBIT THAT WE HAVE UP THAT WE JUST BROUGHT DOWN YESTERDAY IS THE EXHIBIT OF DOCTOR GARCIA'S GOLD. THIS MAN WHO, DURING THE GREAT DEPRESSION BURIED GOLD UNDER HIS HOUSE IN SAN DIEGO, TEXAS.

AND SO WE HAVE THIS GOLD AT THE MUSEUM, 400 GOLD COINS THAT WE WERE ABLE TO ACQUIRE FROM A FAMILY. AND SO DOCTOR GARCIA'S SEARS.

GOLD WAS VISITED BY PEOPLE ALL OVER THE STATE, DIFFERENT PARTS OF MEXICO, AND PEOPLE WOULD COME IN.

THEY'D STAY IN HOTELS HERE IN EDINBURG.

THEY SPEND MONEY IN THE COMMUNITY, WHICH IS REALLY, OF COURSE, THE REASON THAT YOU CONTRIBUTE TO THE MUSEUM, BECAUSE THE MUSEUM HELPS TO GENERATE THIS KIND OF INTEREST IN ECONOMIC CATALYSTS AS WELL.

THIS IS A GOAL THAT WE FEATURED UP TO THIS WEEKEND.

OKAY. WE TOOK IT DOWN BECAUSE WE'RE WE'RE ABOUT TO EXHIBIT THE METEORITE THAT HIT SOUTH TEXAS BACK IN IN FEBRUARY OF 2023.

A METEORITE LANDED IN STARK COUNTY. YOU REMEMBER YOU MAY REMEMBER IT WAS ON CNN INTERNATIONAL NEWS. SO WE HAVE THE METEORITES, WE'RE GETTING METEORITES, AND WE'RE GOING TO SHOWCASE THEM SO THAT 15,000 CHILDREN WILL BE ABLE TO SEE THEM DURING THE COURSE OF THE YEAR.

AND OF COURSE, ANYBODY ELSE WILL COME. SO WE HAVE OVER 40,000 PEOPLE WHO COME TO THE MUSEUM ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.

AND SO THIS IS PART OF ENHANCING THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR PEOPLE FROM EDINBURG, BUT ALSO FOR ANYBODY WHO COMES INTO THIS COMMUNITY AND MIGHT HAVE MONEY TO SPEND.

OTHER THINGS THAT WE DO IS THAT WE OFFER TOURS.

AND SO DURING THIS PAST YEAR, WE'VE HAD THE CITY, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT FROM THE CITY OF EDINBURGH COME TO THE MUSEUM.

SO WE'VE HAD PROBABLY 60 OR 70 POLICE OFFICERS WHO HAVE COME TO THE MUSEUM, AND WE GIVE THEM A MULTI-HOUR TOUR.

AND IT'S ALWAYS BEEN A LOT OF FUN BECAUSE POLICEMEN, INTERESTINGLY AND IRONICALLY, OFTEN COMMENT THAT THEY'VE NEVER BEEN INSIDE THE MUSEUM. SO THEY, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF US ACTUALLY A LOT OF PEOPLE FROM THIS COMMUNITY DO NOT GO TO THE MUSEUM, WHICH IS A REAL SHAME BECAUSE IT'S QUITE A GEM. IT'S A WORLD CLASS KIND OF SET OF GALLERIES, QUITE BEAUTIFUL. WHEN PEOPLE GO, THEY WANT TO COME BACK.

SO SOME MORE IMAGES. JUST THIS MORNING WE, WE TOURED WITH I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT WAS, MAYBE ABOUT 30 PEOPLE FROM FROM FROM THE CITY.

CITY EMPLOYEES. AND THIS AFTERNOON WE HAD ANOTHER 30.

AND IT WAS A LOT OF FUN. I WAS I WAS SUPER INTRIGUED TO SEE I GAVE THE TOUR THIS MORNING. WHAT CITY EMPLOYEES WOULD MAKE OF THE MUSEUM.

MOST OF THEM HAD NEVER BEEN INSIDE THE MUSEUM, AND MOST OF THESE PEOPLE WERE ACTUALLY BORN AND RAISED IN EDINBURGH, HAD NEVER BEEN INSIDE THE MUSEUM. I THINK I THINK WE WE WE ENCOURAGE THEM TO COME BACK, TO COME BACK WITH THEIR FAMILIES. YOU KNOW, CITY EMPLOYEES CAN GET IN FOR FREE.

AND SO IT'S I, I TOLD THEM, LOOK, YOU GUYS PROTECT THIS PLACE.

YOU GUYS PROTECT AND FORTIFY OUR OUR INFRASTRUCTURE, AND YOU DON'T TAKE ADVANTAGE OF COMING INTO THIS BEAUTIFUL PLACE. SO I TRIED THAT ON THEM

[01:05:02]

THE EXHIBITS GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO SHOW PEOPLE FROM OUR COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW, WHO THEY ARE AND WHAT THEIR HISTORY IS.

SO THAT'S IT. JUST A REVIEW.

HIDALGO COUNTY JAIL FROM 10 TO 22.

CITY HALL FROM 22 TO 64.

IT WAS ABANDONED FOR FOUR YEARS.

THE MUSEUM WOULD COME IN BEGINNING IN 68, BEGAN TO REHAB IT, AND THE MUSEUM CHANGED ITS NAME TO THE MUSEUM OF SOUTH TEXAS HISTORY IN 2000.

AND SO THAT IS WHAT WE ARE TODAY.

SO, MAYOR, WE HAVE WE HAVE A BUDGET THAT'S ABOUT $2.1 MILLION A YEAR.

THE THE CITY CONTRIBUTION IS A LITTLE OVER 10%.

WE'RE AT 12% FOR THIS PAST YEAR.

WHAT THE REQUEST IS, IS TO RAISE IT TO 13% OF WHAT OUR ANNUAL BUDGET IS.

HAPPY TO RESPOND TO ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE. BEFORE WE START THE QUESTIONS, THANK YOU FOR THAT. HISTORICAL I ALWAYS GET A HISTORY OVERVIEW FROM YOU AND IT'S AWESOME.

SO THANK YOU, I APPRECIATE THAT, BUT THANK YOU FOR WHAT Y'ALL DO.

AS I MENTIONED, THE CHAMBER OF THE CLUB, YOU GUYS DO A LOT OF GOOD WORK HERE IN THE COMMUNITY. AND I EVEN WENT TO A RECEPTION.

I HEARD A LOT ABOUT THAT H-E-B STORIES.

NORMAN HASBROUCK JUST RETIRED, AND HE HAD A RECEPTION THERE AT THE MUSEUM.

AND EVERYBODY FROM H-E-B WAS TALKING ABOUT HOW THAT WAS A, YOU KNOW, THE ORIGINAL.

IN FACT, I THINK HE WORKED THERE.

HE STARTED NORMAN STARTED HIS CAREER AT HEB ON THE MCINTYRE HEB AT THE TOWN SQUARE.

THAT ONE, THAT ONE AT THE TOWN SQUARE.

AND SO THE SUPERINTENDENT FROM CISD, MARIO SALINAS, STARTED AT THAT H-E-B.

A LOT OF PEOPLE STARTED THAT.

H-E-B. AND SOME OF YOU, IF YOU'RE FROM AROUND HERE.

YEAH, OF COURSE, IT'S A KIND OF A YOUNG DEMOGRAPHIC HERE, MAYOR. BUT YOU DON'T REMEMBER THAT HIV, DO YOU? NO. NO. HOW ABOUT YOU, JASON? DO YOU REMEMBER THAT HIV? NO I DON'T. YEAH. NO. NO.

NO. BUT ANYWAY. BUT NO THANK YOU. COUNCIL. ANY QUESTIONS FOR DOCTOR GUAJARDO? HAVE YOU SEEN THEM IN THERE, DOCTOR? YOU GOT TO INVITE THEM TO GIVE THEM A TOUR. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE SEEN ANYBODY. YOU KNOW, DAN COMES OFTEN.

AND AND NOT ONLY DOES HE COME, HE CALLS.

I JUST ENCOURAGE COUNCIL TO GO.

I. YEAH, I, I THINK I DON'T THINK YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE.

SO I, I TELL SOME PEOPLE BECAUSE I'VE HEARD ABOUT PEOPLE ASKING, IS IT TRUE THAT THEY HUNG PEOPLE THERE? THEY ONLY HUNG ONE PERSON.

I SAY, I THINK HE'S STILL ALIVE AND WELL SOMEWHERE IN THERE TOO.

SO, YOU KNOW, I'M HAPPY TO TELL YOU THAT STORY.

YOU KNOW, OF THE GHOSTS AT THE MUSEUM.

BUT I DON'T WANT TO DO THIS, YOU KNOW, FOR PUBLIC CONSUMPTION, BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO SCARE THE KIDS. THAT'S A STORY FOR ANOTHER, ANOTHER TIME. BUT I APPRECIATE YOU CALLING.

YOU CALLED ME A NUMBER OF TIMES, YOU KNOW, TO ASK A QUESTION ABOUT A HISTORY OF THIS OR A HISTORY OF THAT.

I LOVE TO GET CALLS ABOUT THAT, ESPECIALLY PEOPLE WHO WILL USE THAT INFORMATION TO ENLIGHTEN SOMEBODY.

AND SO THAT'S WHY YOU CALLED BECAUSE YOU WANTED INFORMATION FOR THIS OR FOR THAT GOOD PURPOSES. YOU GUYS ARE PUBLIC SERVANTS.

AND SO YOU HAVE US AS A RESOURCE CALL.

YEAH, YEAH. I'VE OFTEN SAID, DO YOU WANT TO KNOW WHERE YOU'RE FROM? CALL DOCTOR AND TELL HIM YOUR LAST NAME.

THAT SO? WELL, YOU KNOW THE CAMDEN EXPEDITION.

BUT YEAH, THAT'S THAT'S A STORY FOR ANOTHER DAY.

I DO WANT TO THANK YOU AND THE MUSEUM FOR PRESERVING A LOT OF WHAT YOU PRESERVE.

RIGHT. BUT TWO THINGS IN PARTICULAR THE LETTERS FROM FREDI GONZALEZ AND THE ALL THE WORK OF AL RAMIREZ SEEMS TO BE A MAYOR OF EDINBURG.

AND I THINK YOU ALL ARE HAVE THOSE THERE RIGHT PRESERVED AT THE WE DO AT THE MUSEUM.

SO THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT.

IT'S IT'S YOU KNOW, WE WE JUST LAUNCHED THIS MAYOR'S WALK BECAUSE WE WANTED TO HAVE AND RECOGNIZE EVERYBODY THAT HAS SERVED THE CITY.

AND MISS CLARICE, OUR CITY SECRETARY AND AMONG I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY OTHER PEOPLE SPENT A LOT OF TIME TRYING.

AND I THINK YOUR OFFICE HELPED TO IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO PRESERVE HISTORY.

AND BUT THOSE TWO THINGS IN PARTICULAR.

THANK YOU ALL FOR DOING THAT. WELL, THANK YOU, MAYOR. I YOU PROMPTED ME.

SO I HAVE I HAVE TO SHARE BECAUSE MAYBE SOME OF THESE FOLKS HAVEN'T HEARD THE STORY OR DON'T KNOW THE STORY, BUT I THINK THAT JUST ABOUT EVERYBODY IN EDINBURG, EDINBURGH, YOU KNOW, GETS AROUND, YOU KNOW, DOLIA GONZALEZ AND SO DOLIA GONZALEZ, YOU KNOW, WHO MANY YEARS AGO WENT TO MY WEDDING BECAUSE SHE WORKED WITH MY SWAGIT AT THE ECHO, THAT SORT OF THING. SO I'VE KNOWN DOLIA FOR MANY YEARS. SHE CALLED ME ONE DAY WHEN I BEGAN TO WORK AT THE MUSEUM, AND SHE ASKED ME TO GO TO HER HOUSE.

SO I GO TO HER HOUSE AND SHE THERE ON SAMANA ROAD.

SHE SITS ME DOWN IN A LITTLE, YOU KNOW, COUCH IN THE LIVING ROOM, AND SHE SHE GOES INTO THE BEDROOM AND SHE EMERGES FROM THE BEDROOM WITH A CARDBOARD BOX.

IT WAS ABOUT THIS BIG.

AND I IMMEDIATELY KNEW WHAT IT WAS.

IT WAS THE LETTERS THAT HER SON SENT HER FROM VIETNAM BETWEEN 1965 AND 1968.

SO SHE LOOKS AT ME AND SHE SAYS, THIS HAS BEEN MY BEDTIME READING FOR 50

[01:10:04]

SHE SAID, I'VE TAKEN THESE LETTERS TO THE MUSEUM THREE DIFFERENT TIMES IN THE LAST 2025 YEARS, ONLY TO BEGIN TO CRY IN THE LOBBY OF THE MUSEUM, TURN RIGHT AROUND AND GO HOME WITH HIS LETTERS. BUT SHE SAID TO ME, I'M 91 NOW, AND I'M ALL OUT OF TEARS.

TAKE THESE LETTERS TO THE MUSEUM, SHE SAID, AND I HAVE TO TELL YOU THAT THOSE LETTERS, IT'S LIKE THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES WOULD KILL THE SMITHSONIAN, WOULD KILL FOR THE 150 LETTERS THAT DOLIA HELD ON TO FOR 50 YEARS OF FREDDIE.

AND LIKE THE SECOND TO THE LAST LETTER THAT YOU WROTE, HE WAS KILLED ON FEBRUARY 4TH, 1968, HE WROTE. MOTHER, I WAS SHOCKED TO HEAR THAT VICTOR GOT KILLED.

VICTOR ESPINOZA, A KID HE GREW UP WITH, WENT TO LAMAR ELEMENTARY TOGETHER, WENT TO HIGH SCHOOL TOGETHER.

WE WERE IN VIETNAM AS MARINES TOGETHER. HE WAS KILLED ON JANUARY 1ST, 1968. I WAS SHOCKED TO HEAR THAT VICTOR GOT KILLED.

BUT IT'S THINGS LIKE THESE THAT WILL HAPPEN IN WAR. AND THEN HE SAID, MOM, YOU DIDN'T DIE FOR NOTHING.

HE GAVE HIS LIFE WILLINGLY.

THAT'S THE WAY I WANT YOU TO THINK.

AND THEN HE WAS KILLED JUST A FEW DAYS LATER. SO WE USE THE LETTERS TO TEACH LETTER WRITING WITH THE EDINBURG SCHOOL DISTRICT, WITH MIDDLE SCHOOL LANGUAGE ARTS TEACHERS.

AND THERE ISN'T A SINGLE PERSON WHO'S NOT MOVED BY THE LETTERS OF FREDI GONZALEZ.

AND YOU KNOW WHAT PEOPLE HAVE SAID, ACTUALLY, WHEN THE USS GONZALEZ PEOPLE CAME, YOU REMEMBER, THEY CAME ON A TOUR. SO THEY ALL SAT IN THE MUSEUM AND WE PULLED OUT THE LETTERS, AND EVERY SINGLE PERSON THERE SAID, I'VE BEEN WORKING ON THE USS GONZALEZ FOR TWO YEARS. THREE YEARS, WHATEVER. I HAD NO IDEA WHAT THIS PERSON WAS.

AND THERE WAS UNANIMITY IN, IN THAT, IN THE IDEA THAT HE BECAME HUMAN TO THEM. AND I THINK TO THE COMMUNITY AS WELL, IF YOU GUYS, YOU KNOW, KIND OF LIKE CONSUME THESE LETTERS, YOU WILL KNOW THAT THIS WASN'T JUST A WAR HERO.

IT WAS A 21 YEAR OLD KID WHO HAD DREAMS IN LIFE, LOVED HIS MOTHER. SENT MONEY BACK HOME WITH EVERY PAYCHECK THAT I THINK IS REFLECTIVE OF A LOT OF PEOPLE FROM THIS COMMUNITY.

IF YOU JUST GO AND CHECK IT OUT, YOU CAN REFLECT ON THESE KINDS OF THINGS.

THAT'S FREDDIE. THE OTHER THING, BECAUSE YOU PRODDED ME, MAYOR, ON RAMIREZ, THERE WAS SOMETHING CALLED THE BILINGUAL EDUCATION ACT OF 1968 THAT CONGRESS PASSED.

RALPH YARBOROUGH, U.S.

SENATOR, AUTHORED IT. RALPH YARBOROUGH SPENT A WHOLE NIGHT WITH RAMIREZ IN A HOTEL ROOM IN TUCSON AT A CONFERENCE, PICKING RAMIREZ BRAIN IN 1966, BECAUSE THERE WAS NO BETTER AUTHORITY ON BILINGUAL EDUCATION THAN THIS GUY FROM EDINBURG, TEXAS. RAMIREZ IS OF NATIONAL CONSEQUENCE.

FREDDIE. TAMBIÉN. BUT HE WAS YOUR MAYOR.

YES, SIR. ALL RIGHT. NO MORE STORIES, MAYOR.

THANK YOU. DOCTOR. THANK YOU.

AND THANK YOU FOR ALL. YOU ALL DO. I REALLY APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU MAYOR.

THANK YOU DOCTOR. WE APPRECIATE THAT HISTORY.

AND CERTAINLY WE WILL BE VISITING THE MUSEUM A LITTLE MORE OFTEN. THAT'S THOSE ARE ALL THE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE HAVE AT THIS TIME.

I BELIEVE THAT WE ARE GOING INTO ANOTHER MEETING.

BUT BEFORE WE DO THAT, JUST FOR MAYBE FOR INFORMATION, NOT JUST FOR FOR ME, MAYBE FOR THE PUBLIC, WHAT WHAT HAPPENS NEXT AS FAR AS THE BUDGET PROCESS SO THAT NONPROFITS KNOW THAT AND THEN WE KNOW THAT.

SO AT THIS TIME, WE'RE STILL CURRENTLY LOOKING AND DISCUSSING AND VETTING AND ASSESSING WITH THE DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS, WITH OUR DIRECTOR OF FINANCE GOING THROUGH THE PRELIMINARY PROCESS OF THE BUDGET.

WE WILL NOT BE ABLE WE WILL NOT BE SUBMITTING A CITY MANAGER'S PROPOSED BUDGET TO CITY COUNCIL UNTIL APPROXIMATELY AUGUST THE 16TH.

SO AT THIS AT THIS TIME, WE'RE STILL EVALUATING AND TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN PROVIDE YOU A BALANCED BUDGET.

OKAY. COUNCIL. ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS?

[6. ADJOURNMENT]