B. Presentation of Quarterly Investment report ending on June 30, 2024. C. Consider approval of sponsorships for the:

[D. Discuss and consider approval of the funding request submitted by Valley Initiative for Development and Advancement (VIDA) for workforce development.]

MOTION IS APPROVED. ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU FOR THAT. ITEM D DISCUSS AND CONSIDER APPROVAL OF THE FUNDING REQUEST SUBMITTED BY VIDA FOR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.

I THINK WE HAVE SOMEONE HERE FROM VIDA.

SID RAMOS. STEP UP TO THE PODIUM.

WE'RE SO USED TO SEEING. SO GOOD TO SEE YOU.

HELLO. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU FOR THE NICE.

WE HAD A LOT OF GOOD INFORMATION THAT WAS PROVIDED TO US WITH RESPECT TO THE SPONSORSHIP. THANK YOU FOR THAT. THANK YOU.

GOOD AFTERNOON. GOOD AFTERNOON.

SO MY NAME IS SID. I AM IN PLACE OF OUR PRESIDENT AND CEO, KHALIDA, AND I AM THE DIRECTOR OF WORKFORCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

AND WITH ME ALSO IS OUR DIRECTOR OF FINANCE, VERONICA.

AND I'M GOING TO HAVE ALSO IN THE PROGRAM TWO A PARTICIPANT AND A GRADUATE WITH ME, WHICH I WILL INTRODUCE A LITTLE BIT LATER.

SO THANK YOU, FIRST OF ALL, FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.

BOARD MEMBERS, MADAM PRESIDENT. I AM HERE TO REQUEST A PROPOSAL FOR CONTINUED FUNDING OF OUR PROGRAM. AND AS I BEGIN, I CERTAINLY WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO THANK THE EDC FOR ITS CONTINUED SUPPORT OF OUR PROGRAM AND ME, AND BEING ABLE TO TO SUPPORT EDUCATION AND CAREER TRAINING HERE IN THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY. AS YOU ALL MAY, OR SOME OF YOU MAY NOT BE FAMILIAR WITH OUR PROGRAM, FOR THE PAST 30 YEARS, VIDA HAS BEEN PROVIDING TUITION ASSISTANCE FOR VALLEY RESIDENTS ACROSS THE VALLEY.

THIS, OF COURSE, INCLUDES RESIDENTS FROM THE CITY OF EDINBURG.

OUR SERVICES CORE SERVICES INCLUDE THE CASE MANAGEMENT THAT WE PROVIDE OUR STUDENTS ON A WEEKLY BASIS FOR THE DURATION OF THEIR PROGRAM.

THESE ARE THE SERVICES THAT REALLY KEEP OUR STUDENTS MOTIVATED AND FOCUSED ON COMPLETING THEIR PROGRAM WITHIN THE DURATION OF OF OF THE PROGRAM ITSELF.

VIDA COUNSELORS MEET WITH OUR STUDENTS ON A WEEKLY BASIS TO BE ABLE TO HELP THEM OVERCOME ANY FAMILY CHALLENGES OR SCHOOL CHALLENGES THAT THEY MAY BE FACING ALONG THE WAY.

IT IS THROUGH THESE SERVICES THAT STUDENTS ARE ABLE TO MAINTAIN A 96% 96% PERSISTENCE RATE. THAT MEANS AS THEY TRANSITION FROM SEMESTER TO SEMESTER, WE'RE ABLE TO MAINTAIN THEM WITHIN THEIR PROGRAM.

WITH THE CONTRIBUTION THAT THE CITY PROVIDES.

WE ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE TOOLS, TUITION ASSISTANCE, CHILD CARE, TRANSPORTATION ASSISTANCE, AND SOME EMERGENCY FUNDS FOR ANY OTHER CHALLENGE THAT THEY MAY BE FACING.

AS OF JUNE 20TH OF THIS YEAR, THE AVERAGE SALARY REPORTED BY EDINBURGH GRADUATES RECEIVING THE SERVICES, THEY REPORTED EARNINGS OF $52,686.

[00:25:09]

THESE ARE FOR THE FOR THE PARTICIPANTS FROM EDINBURGH THAT HAVE YOU ALL HAVE HELPED TO DATE? YES. OKAY. THAT'S THE AVERAGE THE 52,000, 52,618 OF THOSE PARTICIPANTS AND WHERE THEY'RE WORKING.

YES. WELL, THE IN PARTICULAR WE HAVE GRADUATES THAT GO THE MAJORITY OF HOSPITALS.

DR.. YEAH, BUT BUT SPECIFIC, YOU KNOW, THE SPECIFIC EDINBURGH RESIDENTS THAT YOU THAT YOU JUST ALLUDED TO.

OKAY. SO WE PROVIDE SO YOU CAN GIVE IT TO US LATER.

BUT I MEAN JUST THAT WE CAN HAVE THAT INFORMATION.

YEAH, EXACTLY. YEAH, I WOULDN'T SAY THAT.

I KNOW THAT WE PROVIDE A REPORT TO THE BOARD AND THAT REPORT IS VERY SPECIFIC TO THE NAMES OF THE INDIVIDUALS AND THE THE, THE HOW MUCH THEY'RE EARNING, WHERE THEY'RE WORKING. I DON'T RECALL SEEING THAT IN THE MATERIALS THAT WERE PROVIDED TO US. I SAW EMPLOYERS WHO'VE HIRED THE GRADUATES, AND BUT I DIDN'T SEE THE NAMES.

AND WE SAW SOME TESTIMONIALS, I GUESS, FROM GRADUATES, BUT I DIDN'T SEE ANY LIST OF THE ONES THAT WERE FROM EDINBURGH IN PARTICULAR.

I THINK WE CAN. I'M TRYING TO REMEMBER, BUT BUT I WAS EXPECTING TO HAVE THAT LIST.

LAST TIME WE VISITED WAS IT? IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE PRESENTED TO US WITHIN ABOUT 60 DAYS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

I DON'T KNOW IF WE EVER RECEIVED THAT INFORMATION, THAT DETAILED INFORMATION THAT MR. SANDERS IS ASKING FOR.

IF WE COULD GET THAT LIST.

SURE, ABSOLUTELY. THAT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL.

SO WE COULD SEE WHERE THEY ENDED UP.

AND THEN AND WHAT THEY'RE DOING TODAY.

YEAH. I'D LIKE TO POINT OUT ON YOUR, IN YOUR REPORT, YOU HAVE A ONE PAGER, RIGHT? WHICH IS THIS ONE HERE, WHICH SHOWS OUR BENCHMARK FOR LAST YEAR, WE WERE SET TO SERVE 15 EDINBURG EDINBURGH RESIDENTS.

AND WITH YOUR FUNDING AND WITH THE LEVERAGE FUNDS, THROUGH ADDITIONAL GRANTS AND FOUNDATION DONATIONS, WE'RE ABLE TO SERVE 57 EDINBURGH RESIDENTS.

SO WE MORE THAN DOUBLED THROUGH THESE LEVERAGED FUNDS AND WE'RE ABLE TO ASSIST THAT MANY MORE RESIDENTS FROM CITY OF EDINBURGH.

THIS YEAR, WE'RE ALSO MAINTAINED EXCUSE ME JUST SO ANY QUESTIONS ON. YEAH.

REAL QUICKLY YOU MENTIONED THAT.

OKAY, SO THE BENCHMARK IS 15 STUDENTS.

AND IT REALLY COMES DOWN TO IF WE DO 50 AND Y'ALL DO 25, IT'S ABOUT 5000 PER STUDENT IS ON AVERAGE, RIGHT? HOW DID Y'ALL GET TO 57 STUDENTS? IS THAT BECAUSE THAT WAS MORE THAN ONE COHORT, OR IS THAT SO? THAT IS THROUGH THE NEED APPLICANTS THAT COME IN TO OUR SERVICES, AND WE'RE ABLE TO DO THAT THROUGH THE LEVERAGE FUNDS THAT WE ARE ABLE TO BRING IN AND MATCH THE EDINBURGH INVESTMENT.

SO HOW MUCH DID YOU ALL GET IN LEVERAGE FUNDS? I MEAN, DID YOU HAVE MORE THAN 25,000 BEING MATCHING? OKAY. SO SO BASICALLY IF WE'RE LOOKING AT THE TARGET OF 15, RIGHT AT 75,000. SO WE ARE LOOKING EASILY OVER 200,000 150,000, IN ADDITION TO, TO THE TO THE INVESTMENT AND LEVERAGE FUNDS.

OKAY. SO YOU HAD OTHER FUNDS FROM OTHER ENTITIES THAT YOU WERE ABLE TO USE TO FOR THE EDINBURGH RESIDENTS, RIGHT.

SO AGAIN, WE ARE OUR METRIC WAS 15 EDINBURGH RESIDENTS WITH 75,000.

SO 50,000 FROM EDINBURGH AND THEN 25 THAT WE PROMISED TO LEVERAGE.

SO IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE WERE ABLE TO SERVE DOING THE MATH VERY QUICKLY. WHAT? 30, 27 ADDITIONAL PARTICIPANTS FROM CITY OF EDINBURG THROUGH THOSE LEVERAGE FUNDS. SO WHAT WE'RE SAYING HERE IS THAT WE'VE MORE THAN DOUBLED THROUGH OUR LEVERAGE FUNDS, THE INVESTMENT BY THE CITY OF EDINBURGH.

OKAY. WHICH I THINK IS A AND THERE'S NO GUARANTEE, OF COURSE, THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T GUARANTEE THAT THIS NEXT TIME AROUND, IT WOULD JUST BE THAT IT'S THE SAME AMOUNT THAT'S BEING REQUESTED, THE 50 FROM THE EDC. YOU GUYS WOULD FOR SURE GIVE 25, BUT THERE MAY BE ADDITIONAL FUNDS THAT YOU CAN LEVERAGE TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT CAN BE ASSISTED. IS THAT RIGHT? RIGHT.

NO GUARANTEES, BUT I CAN PRETTY MUCH PROMISE THAT WE WILL DEFINITELY BE ABLE TO SERVE MORE THAN THE 15. THAT'S HISTORICALLY BEEN THE CASE ACROSS THE VALLEY,

[00:30:01]

RIGHT THROUGH THROUGH THE ADDITIONAL FUNDS THAT WE'RE ABLE TO GET. WE JUST RECENTLY RECEIVED A GRANT FROM THE FHI360, WHICH IS A GROUP OF DEPARTMENT OF LABOR GROUP THAT IS TARGETING INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE BEEN IMPACTED BY THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. SO THAT WAS A A RECENT GRANT 650,000 THAT WE WERE ABLE TO RECEIVE TO TRAIN 100 INDIVIDUALS FROM ACROSS THE VALLEY THAT HAVE BEEN IMPACTED BY THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.

SO THERE'S A PROGRAM HERE ON ORGANIZATION CALLED GEO GROUP IN EDINBURG.

THAT'S A HALFWAY HOUSE.

WE HELP INDIVIDUALS FROM THAT ORGANIZATION TO BE ABLE TO COME OUT AND THROUGH OUR SERVICES, FIND A CAREER PATHWAY TO BETTER THEMSELVES.

OKAY. YEAH. AND I THINK THAT'S WHY IT WOULD HELP US TO KNOW WHO THE STUDENTS ARE.

WELL, WHAT WHAT WHERE THEY'RE WORKING NOW, AND I GUESS HOW MUCH THEY'RE MAKING, BECAUSE THEN WE CAN SEE.

I MEAN, IT'D BE GREAT IF WE KNEW, LIKE.

WHAT THEY WERE DOING OR WHAT THEIR INCOME LEVEL WAS, IF ANY AT ALL.

AND THEN POST VIDA. ABSOLUTELY.

AND ONCE OUR STUDENTS GRADUATE, WE FOLLOW OUR STUDENTS UP TO THREE YEARS AFTER GRADUATION TO TRACK WHERE THEY'RE WORKING, HOW MUCH THEY'RE EARNING. AND FOR THOSE THAT MAY, MAY BE HAVING TROUBLE, YOU KNOW, TRANSITIONING FROM ONE JOB TO ANOTHER, WE PROVIDE THAT EMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE TO BE ABLE TO KEEP THEM FOCUSED ON EMPLOYMENT. AND THIS AND, OF COURSE, PUTTING TO WORK THE SKILLS THAT THEY'VE LEARNED IN THEIR PROGRAM.

SO THAT'S AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT NO OTHER SOCIAL HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES PROGRAM DOES. THE THREE YEAR FOLLOW UP OF THE BENCHMARK CONTRACTUAL BENCHMARK HOW MANY OF THOSE ARE EMPLOYED? I DON'T HAVE THE SPECIFIC, BUT I CAN DEFINITELY REPORT BACK TO YOU.

SO SO IN TERMS OF SPECIFICS, WHERE ARE WE GETTING THE 52,600 AVERAGE PAY? WHERE IS THAT COMING FROM? THAT'S THAT'S GOING TO BE ON AVERAGE.

SO THIS IS THIS RIGHT HERE IS EDINBURG RESIDENTS RIGHT.

SO WAS IT ONE ONE THAT WAS EMPLOYED AT 52 600.

OR WAS IT TWO ONE AT 100,001 AT 28.

SO SO HOW MANY OF THE 15 WERE WERE ON IN THIS AVERAGE OF 52,600.

SO THAT WOULD BE ON AVERAGE OF THE 57 THAT WERE ASSISTED, THAT WOULD BE AN AVERAGE OF THE TOTAL EDINBURG RESIDENTS, ABOUT 30, ABOUT 30, ABOUT 27 WERE MAKING OVER 100 GRAND.

THAT I KNOW, THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING. I KNOW THAT'S AN AVERAGE, BUT OR MAYBE MORE.

RIGHT. WELL, YOU COULD SAY, YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S WHY.

I GUESS THAT'S WHY THOSE 60.

YEAH. I MEAN, WE'RE GOING TO BE HIRING. SOME ARE GOING TO BE VERY IMPORTANT FOR US TO BE ABLE TO GAUGE. WE KNOW YOU DO GREAT WORK, BY THE WAY.

YEAH. BUT NO, WE CAN DEFINITELY WE HAVE WE HAVE ASKED THIS SEVERAL TIMES TO GET US THIS INFORMATION. IT'S ON RECORD.

AND DOES SHE NOT PROVIDE IT TO US? I DON'T RECALL WHETHER SHE HAD ACTUALLY PROVIDED ON A QUARTERLY BASIS, BUT I DO REMEMBER SEEING ONE REPORT THAT HAD THE LIST OF STUDENTS.

YEAH, BUT THERE ARE SOME INFORMATION OUT THERE THAT THEY CAN PROVIDE US.

SO IT WOULD BE THE LIST THAT THAT WE'VE REQUESTED WOULD BE THE 57 STUDENTS THAT Y'ALL ASSISTED THE WITH IT, THE AVERAGE, I GUESS, THEIR SALARY FOR EACH OF THOSE 57, WHERE THEY'RE AT, WHERE THEY'RE WORKING.

YEAH, THAT WOULD BE AND WHERE THEY'RE WORKING. LET ME TELL YOU WHY THAT'S IMPORTANT AS AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BOARD.

IT'S GOOD TO KNOW WHO'S HIRING SO WE CAN THEN PROMOTE THAT INDUSTRY WHILE WE'RE OUT THERE.

A FEW OF OUR MEMBERS JUST IN MONTERREY TALKING TO THESE COMPANIES.

AND SO THAT THAT ALIGNS US WITH WHAT'S HAPPENING ON THE ACADEMIC SIDE.

NO. COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND.

AND YEAH, WE CAN DEFINITELY PROVIDE THAT.

OKAY. YEAH. AND FOR MY PART, MR. THOMAS, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR COMING TODAY. I DON'T WANT IT TO SEEM LIKE WE'RE WE'RE WE'RE DRILLING YOU TOO HARD, BUT I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE HAD THAT INFORMATION IN OUR PACKET BEFORE IT WAS PRESENTED TO US. SO WE WOULDN'T BE ASKING SO MANY QUESTIONS, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THAT JUST TO JUSTIFY OUR VOTE.

RIGHT. AND LAST YEAR, I KNOW WE WE DID APPROVE IT.

AND I REMEMBER BRINGING ANOTHER NURSE ALSO.

AND THESE FUNDS ARE GREAT.

IS THERE A TIMELINE? WHEN DOES IT RUN OUT OR DOES IT HAVE TO BE VOTED ON TODAY, OR CAN WE BE PROVIDED THE INFORMATION SO THAT WE CAN? YOU DON'T HAVE TO COME AGAIN, BUT THAT WAY WE CAN EVALUATE THE INFORMATION AND BE BE BETTER INFORMED.

FORMED. I KNOW THE FIRST PARAGRAPH IS 939 30TH SEPTEMBER 30TH.

WELL, WE HAVE A MEETING BEFORE THEN. YES.

YEAH. SO I THINK IN THE, IN THE JUST TO SAVE TIME AND WE ALL HAVE A

[00:35:03]

MILLION QUESTIONS. I THINK WE JUST NEED TO, NEED TO GET BETTER INFORMED SO WE CAN MAKE OUR DECISIONS. JUST BASICALLY THE FOUR POINTS THAT YOU TOUCHED ON IS THAT NOT TOO MUCH BUT BUT THAT WE WILL HAVE BETTER INFORMATION AND BETTER TRACKING OF WHERE THIS IS GOING.

AND MAYBE WE CAN, YOU KNOW, CONSIDER SOMETIMES I DO RECALL JUST FOR THE NEW THE NEW BOARD MEMBERS, WE HAD ALL THESE QUESTIONS INITIALLY.

A LOT OF PEOPLE AREN'T FAMILIAR WITH VIDA. I KNOW THAT VIDA HAS BEEN AROUND A LONG TIME, AND OTHER CITIES CONTRIBUTE MUCH LARGER NUMBERS.

AND ONE OF THE REASONS THAT THAT WE AGREED WAS BECAUSE IT WAS GOING TO BE CENTERED TO EDINBURG RESIDENTS. AND IT'S A REALLY, REALLY GREAT PROGRAM.

WE WANT TO THANK YOU FOR APPROACHING US, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THERE WAS NO INVOLVEMENT FROM THE EDC FOR MANY YEARS, AND WE STARTED AGAIN LAST YEAR, LAST YEAR OR TWO YEARS, THEN TWO YEARS.

TWO YEARS? TWO YEARS? YEARS? YEAH. AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THAT.

I WOULD LIKE TO, IF YOU ALL DON'T MIND, GIVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ONE OF OUR STUDENTS, SINCE THEY MADE THE TRIP TO ITALY TO SHARE HER STORY AND HOW SHE CAME IN CONTACT WITH VIDA. HI, THERE. HI. GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE.

MY NAME IS ARACELI PELAYO.

I AM A CURRENT RESIDENT, BORN AND RAISED IN EDINBURG.

I AM A FULL TIME STUDENT AT SOUTH TEXAS COLLEGE.

I AM PURSUING MY NURSING DEGREE FULL TIME.

I AM A MOTHER OF TWO. I'M A SINGLE MOTHER.

I HAVE A SEVEN YEAR OLD, AND I HAVE AN 18 MONTH OLD.

I DID WORK FOR FIVE YEARS AT THE URGENT CARE.

I DID HAVE TO LEAVE MY JOB TO PURSUE FULL TIME STUDENT, YOU KNOW AT THE SOUTH TEXAS COLLEGE.

HOW I CAME ABOUT WITH VIDA WAS I HEARD THROUGH, YOU KNOW, THROUGH ORIENTATION, THROUGH SCHOOL, AND I HEARD HOW MANY SO MANY BENEFITS THAT VIDA CAN HELP ME, YOU KNOW, NOT TO DISTRACT ME FROM WORK.

YOU KNOW, LIKE, DO I HAVE TO FIND ANOTHER JOB, OR DO I HAVE TO? WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO TO TO RECEIVE THIS DEGREE? BECAUSE I WAS A FULL TIME MOM.

YOU KNOW, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT, ESPECIALLY SINGLE.

SO ESPECIALLY HOW THIS ECONOMY IS COMING UP.

SO I HEARD ABOUT VIDA AND THE PROGRAM.

VIDA HELPED ME OUT AND HAS BEEN HELPING ME OUT WITH UNIFORM.

BOOK ALLOWANCE HAS BEEN EXPENSIVE.

I HAD TO PAY ACTUALLY TODAY.

SO THANKFULLY I DON'T HAVE TO GET A SECOND.

I DON'T HAVE TO LOOK FOR A JOB.

SO MY FULL TIME IS JUST FOCUS ON MY SCHOOL FOR SCHOOL, FOR SURE. AND MY KIDS I'M VERY GRATEFUL AND THANKFUL THAT I HAVE A VERY GREAT SUPPORT SYSTEM AT HOME AS WELL AS WITH VIDA.

HAVE AN AMAZING COUNSELOR WHO IS JUANITA SANCHEZ.

SHE'S BEEN A VERY GREAT MENTOR TO ME.

ESPECIALLY WHEN TIMES GET ROUGH.

YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE YOUR GOOD DAYS AND YOU HAVE YOUR BAD DAYS. BUT I'M VERY GRATEFUL.

FOR WHAT? TABITHA PROGRAM.

TO BE PART OF THE VIDA PROGRAM.

AND, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY YOU GUYS GET TO SUPPORT EDINBURG FOR VIDA.

SO VERY THANKFUL. CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU.

SO HOW ARE YOU GETTING YOUR LVN OR YOUR RN? WELL, I'M GETTING MY RN.

YOUR RN. HOW FAR ALONG ARE YOU IN THE PROGRAM? I STARTED IN JANUARY. SO THIS IS MY SECOND SEMESTER.

SO GREAT. CONGRATULATIONS.

THANK YOU. AND I WILL TELL YOU, I WENT THROUGH THE SAME PROGRAM.

I WENT THROUGH THE ADN, STC.

IT'S A VERY, VERY TOUGH PROGRAM.

STICK. STICK THROUGH IT AND YOU'LL GET YOU'LL GET BY.

JUST CANCEL EVERYTHING.

CHRISTMAS, BIRTHDAYS. OH THAT'S JUST PART OF IT.

YEAH IT IS. BUT THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.

THANK YOU MA'AM. THANK YOU SO MUCH AND THANK YOU FOR PRESENTING.

WE'LL AWAIT THAT INFORMATION AND HOPEFULLY WE HAVE THIS WE'LL TAKE IT UP AT THE NEXT BOARD MEETING AND MAKE SURE THAT WE GET A VOTE ON IT SO YOU CAN HAVE AN ANSWER.

SO JUST TO MAKE SURE I DON'T FORGET.

SO WE HAVE A LIST OF THE GRADUATES WHERE THEY'RE WORKING EARNINGS.

YES. YES. ANYTHING ELSE.

IF YOU HAVE IT WHAT THEY WERE MAKING PRIOR TO VIDA AND WHAT THEY'RE MAKING NOW.

THAT WAY WE CAN SEE THE IMPACT.

GREAT. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH.

APPRECIATE IT. ALL RIGHT.

[E. Discuss and consider approval of the interest buydown program funding request submitted by LiftFund.]

NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS DISCUSS AND CONSIDER APPROVAL OF THE INTEREST.

BUYDOWN PROGRAM FUNDING REQUEST SUBMITTED BY LIFT FUND.

DO YOU WANT TO GIVE US A QUICK SUMMARY ON THAT ONE? YEAH. WE HAVE MARLENE IS HERE WITH LIFT FUND TO MAKE A PRESENTATION.

BUT IN THE PREVIOUS YEARS THE CITY AND THE EDC BOTH CONTRIBUTED $50,000 EACH TO START THE LIFT FUND PROGRAM.

IT'S BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL, AND I THINK MARLENE WILL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT. THANK YOU.

HELLO. GOOD EVENING. OR GOOD? GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS MARLENE RODRIGUEZ AND I'M WITH LIVE FUND, AND WE ARE RESPECTFULLY REQUESTING 100,000 FROM THE EDC SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE THE PROGRAM AS FAR AS THE INTEREST BUYDOWN PROGRAM.

[00:40:02]

SO WHAT IT IS, IS WE OFFER SMALL BUSINESS LOANS TO SMALL BUSINESSES WITHIN THE COMMUNITY EITHER FOR THEM TO START THEIR BUSINESS OR EXPAND THEIR BUSINESS.

AND THESE ARE FOR SMALL BUSINESSES THAT DO NOT HAVE THE ACCESS AND ACQUIRING LOANS TO COMMERCIAL LENDING. AS TIMES HAVE BEEN, I KNOW THAT FOR THIS THIS YEAR HAS BEEN VERY TOUGH. I'VE SEEN INDIVIDUALS, SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS THAT ARE SUFFERING RIGHT NOW DUE TO THE INFLATION COST, DUE TO PRICING.

I'VE SEEN SOME BUSINESSES CLOSING DOWN AND THEY WALK INTO MY OFFICE AND NOT ONLY DO WE PROVIDE THE ACCESS TO CAPITAL, BUT WE ALSO PROVIDE THEM WITH THE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND FINANCIAL REVIEW.

WE HELP THEM REVIEW THEIR CREDIT, UNDERSTAND WHERE THEIR BUSINESS IS AT.

SO THIS BUYDOWN PROGRAM IS TO BUY DOWN THE INTEREST RATE DOWN AND BE ABLE TO OFFER IT AT A 2.5% TO THE BUSINESSES HERE LOCALLY IN EDINBURG.

LAST YEAR WE FUNDED 15 SMALL BUSINESSES.

WE PUT OUT OVER 400,000, I BELIEVE IT WAS $480,000 INTO THE STREETS HELPING THE SMALL BUSINESS COMMUNITY HERE IN EDINBURG.

AND AGAIN, WE ARE PRESENTING THIS PROGRAM AGAIN TO SEE IF WE CAN CONTINUE THIS SECOND YEAR, SUPPORTING THE SMALL BUSINESS COMMUNITY HERE IN EDINBURG.

AND SO THE LOANS ARE ABOUT UP TO 25,000 OR UP TO 50,000.

50,000. OKAY. BUT THE AVERAGE, I GUESS, IS ABOUT 25 OR SO, I THINK I SAW IT. YEAH.

30. YEAH. OKAY. SAY ABOUT 30,000.

AND ARE THESE MOSTLY COMPANIES THAT WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO ACCESS A REGULAR LENDER? I MEAN, OR A TYPICAL, I GUESS, LENDER COMMERCIAL LOAN.

COMMERCIAL LOAN. YES. OKAY.

THAT IS CORRECT. OKAY.

HOW IS THAT BASED ON THE DECISION THAT YOU ALL MAKE, THAT THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO TO GET A LOAN AT A BANK BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN DENIED? OR HOW DO YOU COME TO THAT CONCLUSION? YES. SO IF IT'S A STARTUP NORMALLY TYPICALLY BANKS WANT TO SEE THAT THE BUSINESS HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED FOR TWO YEARS OR MORE.

THEY WANT TO SEE HISTORICAL FINANCIALS, PROFIT AND LOSS BALANCE SHEETS.

SO TYPICALLY BUSINESSES THAT ARE LESS THAN TWO YEARS OF OPERATIONS ARE CONSIDERED A RISK TO THE BANK. IF IT'S AN EXISTING BUSINESS AND THE BUSINESS HAS ALREADY BEEN ESTABLISHED FOR MORE THAN TWO YEARS, TYPICALLY, SOMETIMES THE CUSTOMER FAILS TO HAVE THE PROPER FINANCIAL DOCUMENTS AS FAR AS A PROFIT AND LOSS AND BALANCE SHEET.

SO THIS IS WHERE WE COME INTO PLAY AND START EDUCATING THE CLIENT IN ORDER FOR THEM TO START GETTING READY. IN ORDER FOR THEM TO CONTINUE BUILDING THESE FINANCIALS.

THEN THAT WAY THEY CAN GO BACK TO THE BANK AND BE ABLE TO ACCESS THAT CAPITAL THEY NEED WITH TRADITIONAL SOURCES THAT ARE MORE FLEXIBLE THAN A REGULAR BANK. RIGHT? CORRECT.

OKAY. AND SOMETIMES BANKS WANT TO SEE THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE AS FAR AS FIXED ASSETS, EITHER REAL ESTATE AS COLLATERAL, SOME TANGIBLE ASSETS WERE WILLING TO TAKE THE BUSINESS EQUIPMENT, FURNITURE AND FIXTURES AS COLLATERAL TO SECURE THAT BUSINESS LOAN.

SO DO YOU ALL REQUIRE THAT THEY FIRST BRING YOU, LIKE A DENIAL FROM A TRADITIONAL LENDER BEFORE YOU WOULD DO IT, OR IF IT'S AN EXISTING BUSINESS? YES, WE DO REQUIRE FOR THEM TO APPROACH THEIR BANK INSTITUTION FOR THEM TO TRY THEIR FIRST IF THE BANK IS UNWILLING TO.

SOMETIMES THE CUSTOMER DOES HAVE A BANK DENIAL LETTER.

HOWEVER, IF IT'S A STARTUP BUSINESS, WE DO NOT REQUIRE THE DENIAL LETTER BECAUSE IT'S CONSIDERED A RISK.

OKAY. YES. OF THE 15 THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, HOW MANY WERE ACTUAL STARTUPS? WELL, THAT'S. I HAVE THAT HERE.

GIVE ME ONE SECOND.

OH, I THOUGHT IT WAS. SORRY. I DON'T HAVE THAT. I THOUGHT IT WAS ON MY STAT SHEET, BUT IT'S NOT ON MY STACK.

I CAN GET YOU THAT INFORMATION.

YEAH, BECAUSE LOOKING AT THE SHEET THAT WE WERE GIVEN, A LOT OF THEM WERE JOBS RETAINED.

SO I'M ASSUMING THEY WERE ALREADY BUSINESSES THAT WERE IN EXISTENCE.

WELL, WE CONSIDER AN EXISTING BUSINESS SIX MONTHS OR MORE.

OKAY. SO WE DON'T REALLY KNOW.

I GUESS I GUESS IT WOULD HELP US TO KNOW, LIKE, HOW LONG THE BUSINESS HAD BEEN IN OPERATION.

I CAN GIVE YOU THAT INFORMATION. AND FOR ME, I REMEMBER WHEN WE APPROVED THIS IT WAS SPECIFICALLY HOPING TO AIM AT THE DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES THAT MIGHT BE AFFECTED WITH THE CONSTRUCTION. SO I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THE WHO BENEFITED AND, YOU KNOW, WHERE THE TARGET AREA WAS AND WHERE WE'RE AT WITH THAT INFORMATION.

OKAY. SOME OF THEM ARE FROM DOWNTOWN AND THE KIND OF SPREAD OUT THROUGHOUT THE CITY.

[00:45:02]

YEAH, BUT I'M LOOKING AT OUR PACKET. I'M LOOKING ONLINE EITHER. AND SO I DON'T HAVE ANY OF THAT INFORMATION.

IS THAT ON HERE? I THINK HE EMAILED THIS TO US.

IT WAS EMAILED TO YOU. OH THAT EMAIL.

YOU'RE RIGHT. THANK YOU. LET ME LOOK AT THAT REAL QUICK BECAUSE IT IDENTIFIES THE BUSINESSES BY NAME. WE DO HAVE A LIST OF THE BUSINESS NAMES.

YES. OKAY. NO, I MEAN, I THINK IT'S BEEN A IT'S BEEN A GREAT PROGRAM. AND GETTING 2.5% IS REALLY GREAT FOR ANY BUSINESS.

SO I MEAN, NO DOUBT I WOULD THINK THAT PEOPLE WOULD BE CLIMBING OVER EACH OTHER TO TRY TO GET ONE OF THESE LOANS.

YEAH, IF WE COULD, IF THAT PACKET, IF WE COULD ADD IT TO OUR AGENDA.

SO, SO THE PUBLIC CAN SEE IT AS WELL.

I KNOW I SEE IT NOW IN MY EMAIL.

OKAY. AND YOU SAID AND IN THE I WAS LOOKING IN THE DOCUMENTS THAT Y'ALL PROVIDE US, YOU SAID 96% REPAYMENT RATE ON LOANS.

THAT IS CORRECT. WE HAVE A 96% REPAYMENT RATE.

OKAY. GREAT. AND ALSO IF YOU HAVE A LIST OF THOSE THAT APPLIED COMPARED TO THE ONES THAT WERE APPROVED, I'D LIKE TO KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE ACTUALLY APPLIED FOR THE PROGRAM. AND WE CAN GET YOU THE, THE NUMBER LIKE THE NUMBER OR THE APPLICANTS, THE LIST OF APPLICANTS THAT DID APPLY AND THAT WERE MAYBE DECLINED OR THAT WE'RE STILL WORKING WITH. YES, I CAN GET YOU THAT.

WE DID HAVE SOME APPLICANTS THAT DID APPLY.

HOWEVER, WHEN WE DID THE DUE DILIGENCE AS FAR AS CHECKING TO SEE IF THEY WERE INSIDE CITY LIMITS, THEY UNFORTUNATELY THEY WERE NOT.

THEY WERE EITHER COUNTY.

OKAY. THANK YOU. OKAY.

SO NUMBER APPLIED I GUESS INFORMATION REQUESTED, NUMBER APPLIED. AND THEN FOR THOSE THAT WERE GRANTED A LOAN WHERE THE BUSINESS IS LOCATED AND WHAT WAS THE LAST ONE, THE THE AMOUNT OF THE LOAN, I THINK. ALL RIGHT THEN.

THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL. AND IF IF IF YOU WANT TO ALSO PROVIDE US THAT, YOU KNOW, AS SOON AS YOU CAN. THAT WAY WHEN WE HAVE OUR NEXT BOARD MEETING, WE CAN VOTE ON THIS AS WELL. SO BUSINESS LOCATION, THE NUMBER OF APPLICANTS THAT APPLIED AND WERE DECLINED AND THEN WERE THE THE AMOUNT OF THE LOAN ALONE IN THE DECLINATION AS TO WHY WAS IT AN EARLY BUSINESS, OR WAS IT THEY ACTUALLY COULD QUALIFY FOR A REGULAR LOAN OR. OH YES.

SO WE ACTUALLY HAVE LIKE WHEN WE DO WHEN WE PRESENT OUR PACKET TO THE UNDERWRITER, OUR DECISION, WE HAVE LIKE A DESCRIPTION OF THE REASONS WHY THEY WERE LIKE A CHARACTER WORKSHEET BY. OH GREAT.

YEAH. EXISTING BUSINESS OR NEW BUSINESS AND THEN AN EXISTING BUSINESS.

IT WAS LACK OF CAPITAL OR LACK OF PROFIT LOSS OR THINGS LIKE THAT.

OKAY. PERFECT. ALL RIGHT.

WELL, THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. OKAY.

SO WE'LL TAKE THAT ONE UP AT THE NEXT MEETING AS WELL.

OKAY THEN. NOW ITEM F IS CONSIDER APPROVAL OF EDC'S 2324 AUDIT PROPOSAL WITH COSTCO'S AND

[F. Consider approval of the EDC's FY23-24 Audit Proposal with Cascos & Associates, PC]

ASSOCIATES PC. AS YOU ALL REMEMBER COSTCOS WERE THE ONES THAT DID THE AUDIT FOR US THIS LAST YEAR. THEY WORKED AND THEY'RE THE CITY'S AUDITORS AS WELL.

MAY CARLOS CASCOS REST IN PEACE? BETWEEN THEN AND NOW, HE PASSED AWAY.

REALLY SAD. HE WAS VERY YOUNG, BUT HIS FIRM IS CONTINUING TO DO BUSINESS WITH THE CITY OF EDINBURG. IS THAT CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT.

THEY ARE DOING THEY WILL BE DOING THE THIS FISCAL YEAR'S AUDIT FOR THE CITY.

AND AS WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST, BECAUSE IT REALLY DOES HELP WHEN IT'S THE SAME AUDITOR FOR THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT.

WE'RE RECOMMENDING THAT WE CONTINUE THAT RELATIONSHIP AS WELL.

THEIR FEE HAS NOT CHANGED FROM ONE YEAR TO THE NEXT DEPENDING ON WHETHER OR NOT THERE'S COMPLICATIONS, AND THERE PROBABLY ISN'T IN PREPARATION OF THE FEDERAL TAX RETURN, THAT'S ABOUT ANYWHERE BETWEEN 1500 AND $2000, IN ADDITION TO THE 18,900.

THAT'S WHAT WE PAID LAST YEAR, 1809.

CORRECT. OKAY. AND THEY HAVEN'T BILLED US FOR THE 990 BECAUSE IT WAS JUST FILED THIS PAST MONTH. AND OF COURSE, THE 18 NINE IS JUST FOR THE AUDIT.

THEY DON'T CHARGE LIKE ONE FEE FOR THE CITY AND THE EDC, RIGHT. THEY SEPARATE THEM OUT. SEPARATE. OKAY.

IT'S A SEPARATE ENGAGEMENT FOR THE FOR THE CITY.

AND WERE THEY EASY TO WORK WITH? I MEAN, ACTUALLY, YEAH, THEY WERE REALLY EASY TO WORK WITH COMPARED TO THE PREVIOUS YEAR. YEAH.

OKAY. YEAH. SO LET ME ASK YOU A QUESTION.

THESE ARE THE SAME PEOPLE THAT WE TALKED TO.

[00:50:02]

WAS IT LAST YEAR THAT WE DIDN'T GET SOME REPORTS ON TIME? ONLY BECAUSE THERE WAS SOME SOME WRINKLE THERE OR SOME LITTLE BUMPS ON THE ROAD WITH WITH THE CITY'S FINANCE DEPARTMENT. NO, THIS WAS THE ONE THAT AFTER THE FACT, THAT WAS THE ONE FROM THE YEAR BEFORE.

THAT'S TWO YEARS AGO. OKAY. YEAH. OKAY.

YEAH. THIS LAST YEAR, I REMEMBER WHEN THEY PRESENT IT VERY SMOOTH.

YEA, EVERYTHING WAS FINE.

I MEAN I'M ACTUALLY GETTING THEM ENGAGED PRIOR TO THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR.

YEAH. OKAY. ANY CONCERNS WITH RETAINING THE FIRM OF COSTCOS AND ASSOCIATES TO DO THE AUDIT WORK? IF NOT, THEN I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THEM AS THE AUDITORS MOTION. OKAY, MOTION. AND SECOND.

ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. OKAY.

[G. Consider adoption of EEDC FY2025-2027 Strategic Plan.]

THAT'S APPROVED. OKAY.

ALL RIGHT. MEMBERS. I'D LIKE TO TAKE UP ITEM G, AND THEN BECAUSE THE BUDGET AND PROGRAM OF WORK CONSIDERING WHAT WE HAVE TO DISCUSS IN EXECUTIVE SESSION, I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT ITEM OVER TO EXECUTIVE SESSION H.

BUT LET'S TAKE UP G FIRST TO CONSIDER ADOPTION OF THESE 25 TO 27 STRATEGIC PLAN.

AND I HOPE EVERYBODY'S HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT THAT. WE'VE GONE OVER THIS A COUPLE OF TIMES ALREADY. I KNOW THERE WAS SOME ADDITIONS THAT HAD BEEN MADE BASED ON WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO DO IN MEXICO.

SOME OF THE WORK THAT WE WANTED TO DO IN MEXICO, AND I THINK THAT'S ALL BEEN ADDED IN AS WELL. CORRECT. THAT'S CORRECT.

I REMEMBER SEEING IT IN THE DOCUMENTS.

THE SECOND PAGE OF THE ACTUAL GOAL NUMBER ONE, WHICH WOULD BE 1.4 REFINED FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT PROGRAM TO FOCUS ON DEVELOPING RELATIONSHIPS IN MEXICO.

OBVIOUSLY, WE'RE GOING TO BE TRACKING WILL BE THE NUMBER OF VISITS FROM INVESTORS, FROM INVESTORS, AND ALSO OUR VISITS INTO MEXICO FOR EACH YEAR.

OKAY. WAS THAT WAS THAT THE ONLY ADDITION THAT WAS MADE SINCE THE LAST TIME WE TOOK A LOOK AT THE PLAN? I THINK THERE WAS A CLARIFICATION ON A COUPLE OF THE OTHER ITEMS, BUT THAT HAD TO DO WITH MAKING SURE WE HAD THE METRICS CORRECT.

AND THAT WAS ON. I THINK NUMBER FOUR.

4.1 WAS THE NUMBER OF HOTEL ROOMS PER YEAR.

AND ALSO IN 4.2, WE MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE TRACKING THE NUMBER OF FULL SERVICE RESTAURANTS PER YEAR. BUT PRETTY MUCH THAT WAS THE MAIN THING THAT WAS MISSING BASED ON THE FEEDBACK THAT WE GOT FROM THE BOARD.

OKAY. AND I KNOW WE NEED TO GET THIS BACK TO THE LADY WHO HELPED US WITH THE STRATEGIC PLAN. SO THEN SHE COULD FINALIZE IT, RIGHT? THIS IS ALMOST THE FINAL FORM.

THIS IS THE FINAL FORM.

I MEAN, THERE'S THERE'S REALLY NOTHING MORE TO TO ADD.

THIS WOULD BE THE THREE YEAR PLAN.

OKAY. AND AGAIN, IT CAN BE AMENDED.

IT IS A LIVING DOCUMENT.

IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A LOOK AT ON A REGULAR BASIS.

MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE FOLLOWING THROUGH WITH THE THINGS THAT NEED TO BE FOLLOWED THROUGH EACH QUARTER. SO YEAH, IT'S GOING TO BE ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO BE VERY VERSED IN IN THE NEXT THREE YEARS.

AND OUR PROGRAM OF WORK IS BASED ON THIS SAME STRATEGIC PLAN, BUT IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE REFINED TO LOOK AT JUST THE SHORT TERM THE NEXT YEAR VERSUS THE THREE YEAR PERIOD. SURE.

NO, IT'S GOOD THAT IT'S A LIVING DOCUMENT BECAUSE THINGS CHANGE.

PRIORITIES CHANGE SOMETIMES.

AND WE DID WE DID PROVIDE THIS TO THE FOLKS WHO ARE DOING THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN FOR THE CITY AS WELL, SO THAT THEY UNDERSTOOD WHAT OUR STRATEGIC, STRATEGIC, SHORT TERM STRATEGIC PLAN IS.

AND THEN INCORPORATE THAT INTO THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.

COMPREHENSIVE PLAN IS A MUCH LARGER, BROADER VIEW OF WHAT THE FUTURE'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE. BUT THIS IS THE SHORT TERM PLAN, OKAY? AND SINCE THIS IS FISCAL YEAR 25 TO 27, IT WOULD BEGIN THOUGH IN WOULD IT BEGIN IN JANUARY OF 25TH OCTOBER, OCTOBER OF 25.

SO IT WOULD START AT THE OCTOBER OF 24.

OCTOBER 24TH. OKAY, GREAT.

SO WE REALLY DO NEED TO APPROVE THIS SO WE CAN GET STARTED ON THE OKAY, ON THE METRICS. I'M GLAD YOU SAID BECAUSE I WAS GOING TO SAY I DO NOT WANT TO WAIT TILL 25 TO DO ANY OF THIS. WE GOT TO KNOW WE GOT TO START ASAP.

THERE'S NO WE'RE BEHIND ON SO MANY THINGS.

WE GOT TO IMPLEMENT THEM.

SO OCTOBER OF THIS YEAR.

SO NEXT ALMOST NEXT MONTH I GUESS WE'RE ALREADY ALMOST IN SEPTEMBER.

OKAY. ANY ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? IF NOT, I'D BE HAPPY TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO FINALLY APPROVE THE STRATEGIC PLAN FOR 25 TO

[00:55:05]

27. SO MOVED. OKAY. MOVED BY COUNCILMAN DIAZ.

SECOND BY RONNIE RIVERA.

ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.

RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. OKAY.

STRATEGIC PLAN IS APPROVED.

THANK YOU. OKAY. AS MENTIONED, I'D LIKE TO HAVE A MOTION TO MOVE ITEM H INTO

[EXECUTIVE SESSION]

THE EXECUTIVE SESSION.

CAN WE GET A MOTION? SO MOVED.

SO MOVED BY DAN DIAZ AND BY RAUL.

OKAY, ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE OR RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. OKAY.

THAT IS APPROVED. AND SO NOW I'D LIKE TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO MOVE US INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION. SO MOVED. OKAY.

WE'VE GOT A MOTION AND A SECOND BY MORAN.

OKAY. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. OKAY.

IT IS NOW 622, AND WE WILL MOVE INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.

THANK YOU.

[01:06:43]

ANY VEHICLE HAS THE POTENTIAL OF BECOMING A DEADLY WEAPON AT A DISTRACTED DRIVER.

[01:06:48]

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 HAD 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 TXDOT 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.

ABOUT 14 OF THESE ARE FATAL.

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 AND IT WORKS.

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.

[01:10:01]

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.

EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED.

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, 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.

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.

[01:19:26]

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.

WHAT HE'S SAYING IS, WHILE 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.

[01:29:20]

TOM CAN'T BECAUSE HE'S GOING TO SPEAK. OH, YEAH,

[01:29:26]

I'M GOING TO GO THERE, TOO. 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 EDINBURG.

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.

[01:30:05]

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.

SO CONGRATULATIONS GUYS.

I WOULD LIKE TO START THIS MORNING BY INTRODUCING SOME OF OUR EDINBURG CITY COUNCIL. THIS IS A HUGE PROJECT FOR THEM.

LONG AWAITED PROJECT, OF COURSE, OUR MAYOR, RAMIRO GARZA JUNIOR.

COUNCILMAN JASON DE LEON.

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, ISD BOARD MEMBER WITH US.

AND SEVERAL REPS FROM PRECINCT FOR ALWAYS SUPPORTING US.

THANK YOU GUYS. WE APPRECIATE YOU 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.

WE HAVE MELDON AND HUNT.

SHANNON ENGINEERING. DBR.

AND B2Z ENGINEERING. LOTS AND LOTS OF PARTNERS HELPING US OUT WITH THIS.

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, 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

[01:35:01]

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 IT'S 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 Y'ALL HAVE A PLACE THAT YOU CAN BE PROUD OF AND ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DO OUT IN OUR 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 A 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 OF 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 WITH 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.

IT'S THERE'S LONG OVERDUE.

[01:40:01]

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.

I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANKS, TOM.

YOU HEARD IT. PAN DULCE 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.

VINCE.

JERRY AND VINCE. AND WE CAN INVITE YOUR CREWS TO TO JOIN IN THE PICTURES.

THAT WOULD BE AMAZING.

TOM, YOU GOTTA GET IN THERE.

I KNOW.

I KNOW. IT'S LIKE BUILDING THINGS.

REALLY? REALLY FAST. OKAY. IS EVERYBODY READY? SECOND ONE. GUYS DON'T LEAVE.

YOU ALL ARE GOING TO ALL BE IN THE PICTURE.

SECOND ROUND PLEASE. OKAY, CAN WE GRAB A LITTLE SCOOP? YOU WANT TO TAKE A COUPLE PICTURES BEFOREHAND, KIM? GO FOR IT.

GO FOR IT. LET THEM DOWN FIRST.

THERE YOU GO. OKAY, GRAB A SCOOP.

HERE. WE'RE BACK. I FEEL LIKE WE SHOULD HAVE DONE A COUNTDOWN.

CAN WE DO ONE MORE? READY? GRAB ANOTHER LITTLE SCOOP JUST SO THAT WE CAN GET A GOOD SHOT FOR THE CAMERAS.

READY IN THREE, TWO, ONE.

LET'S TURN THE DIRT. YAY! OKAY. SEE THAT? THAT FELT UP, BROTHER? 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.

CARLOS.

[01:45:54]

YEAH, IT'S COUNCIL MEMBER WHITE.

HE'S GONNA COME. HE'S SUPPOSED TO.

AND HE DOESN'T. YEAH. YEAH.

WHY? ARE YOU CALLING? ALRIGHTY. GOOD MORNING EVERYONE.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY.

WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

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 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.

IN THE NAME WE PRAY. AMEN.

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 MELDON AND HUNT, OUR ENGINEERS ON THE PROJECT.

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

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.

[01:50:02]

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.

WE'VE HAD SO MUCH GROWTH.

THERE'S A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, AND WE'RE JUST NOW AT A TIME WHERE WE'RE 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.

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 IS 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 SPECIAL FAMILY THAT'S HERE WITH US TODAY.

BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE BUILD THIS WATER TOWER, WE CAN'T JUST BUILD IT IN ANY PROPERTY.

IT'S GOT TO BE EITHER 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 THEM 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 AND 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 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.

[01:55:04]

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH.

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 DE LEON. 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.

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 AND WHAT A BEAUTIFUL DAY.

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 DE VERA AND MR. EDDIE GARCIA. WE ALSO HAVE JOINING US MR. RAFAEL GARCIA, WHO IS OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, AND WE HAVE WITH US OUR STAFF MEMBERS WHO DO A LOT OF WORK BEHIND THE SCENES.

WE'VE GOT LADY PANTOJAS HERE.

CARLOS GARZA IS HERE AS WELL.

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 THE 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 EDINBURG, WHICH IS WHY WE AT THE EDC ARE SO EXCITED.

IN FACT, WE'RE ALREADY SEEING BUSINESSES LOCATING 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 GET THE CVS.

YOU'VE GOT A BLUE WAVE, AND WE'RE CONTINUING TO SEE MORE AND MORE

[02:00:01]

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.

YES. I WOULD LIKE TO SAY SOMETHING.

YES. FEEL FREE. JOIN US UP HERE AT THE FRONT.

ARE YOU SURE? I 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 PANTS.

PANTS? THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTION.

IT IS. IT IS MUCH APPRECIATED.

APPRECIATE YOU BE HERE.

AND SO DOES HE. THANK YOU.

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, 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 WILL 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 NOLAN HUNT AND ROBERT KISNER, 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.

YES.

I'LL MAKE SURE WE WATCH. THIS DOWN HERE? FAIR THERE ENOUGH? GOOD, GOOD. WOW. GOOD JOB.

GOOD. KARAOKE. BABY BABY BABY.

ALRIGHT. THERE YOU GO.

SORRY. ARE YOU GOOD? YEAH.

A LITTLE BIT. I JUST NEED, LIKE, A LITTLE.

OH, YEAH. NO, I GOT IT.

YEAH.

SARAH. BETTER. CAN YOU DO IT? WHERE'S THE MIC? JUST.

DO ONE. LIKE HOLDING IT.

AND THEN WHEN THEY DO, YOU WANT THEM TO TURN TO THE LEFT.

[02:05:02]

TEACH ME HOW TO DO. 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, WE'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 ONE MORE.

ONE MORE PHOTO. ONE MORE.

RIGHT HERE. READY? ONE.

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.

AND THEN WE'LL TAKE A PHOTO DOING THAT TO THE LEFT.

YES. I'LL COUNT YOU DOWN FROM THREE.

SO THREE. TWO. ONE. YOU'RE BACK.

YOU'RE BACK. VERY NICE.

THANK YOU. NO, I WAS TALKING TO MYSELF.

COUNTY RIGHT THERE AND THEN THE COMMISSIONERS THERE? YES. AND WHO'S SPEAKING? YES. OKAY. YEAH.

YES. JUST SIT IN THE FRONT SEAT RIGHT HERE.

SIT IN THE FRONT. RIGHT HERE.

YES. BUT MY MOTHER LIVES HERE.

I DON'T WANT TO. YEAH.

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.

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.

[02:10:01]

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 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 CLOSNER, ALL THE WAY RAUL LONGORIA NORTH TO 107.

BUT IT CAN'T HAPPEN ALONE.

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 TEXT 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 MY HOUSE 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 IS 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 ONES 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 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.

AS YOU CAN SEE, 76 ACRES.

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.

[02:15:03]

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 EDINBURG.

ONE MORE DRAINAGE PROJECT BENEFITING OUR RESIDENTS.

IT IS A VERY COMPLEX PROJECT.

IT IS A 540 CALENDAR DAY PROJECT.

IT DOESN'T HAPPEN OVERNIGHT.

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.

WE'RE GOING TO ADD VOLUME.

WE'RE GOING TO IMPROVE IT.

THE INTENT IS FOR THIS POND TO ALWAYS BE DRY.

WE'RE ADDING A PILOT CHANNEL.

BUT IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE'RE ALSO STARTING AT THE SAME TIME WITH BAKER STREET. WE'RE RUNNING STORM LINES.

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.

WE'RE ADDING 68 INLETS.

SO BESIDES THE OVER 8500 LINEAR FEET OF PIPE RANGING BETWEEN 18IN TO 48IN.

WE'RE ALSO PUTTING 68 INLETS.

THE WATER'S GETTING OUT AND THAT'S THE MAIN THING.

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 TXDOT, WHICH IS THE SH 107 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 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 WILL 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 POND 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 IT.

YES. YES, MA'AM. CORRECT.

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.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

RIGHT. WELL, IT'S. THEY'RE ALL INTERCONNECTED.

BUT YOU WERE ACTUALLY 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 LADY IN THAT CORNER WAS ONE.

[02:20:31]

20 MILES A DAY.

RIGHT NOW. YOU GOT IT.

THAT'S RIGHT. THAT'S RIGHT.

IT ALLOWS THE WATER TO FLOW OUT THROUGH.

A LOT OF WATER. OR IT'LL BLOW RIGHT OUT.

THAT WAY. BUT FOR THOSE.

THAT DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING.

WE'RE GOING TO MAKE IT BIGGER. WE'RE GOING TO 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 TO GET INTO THE HIDALGO COUNTY.

SO WHAT IS IT? OH, I KNOW THAT ONE RIGHT THERE.

WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? IT SHOULDN'T HAVE. IT SHOULD BE DRY AT ALL TIMES EXCEPT.

DRY LAND. YOU KNOW. WHENEVER YOU GO TO.

THAT'S. THAT'S SUPPOSED TO BE LIKE YOU WANT IT TO BE LIKE IN SOME CASES, THEY TURN IT OVER INTO, LIKE, SOCCER FIELDS.

RIGHT. SO THE THE IRRIGATION CANAL THAT WE'RE WORKING ON, THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT AREA THAT THEY HAVE ON THIS SIDE.

ONCE WE'RE ALL READY TO GO, YOU'LL LOOK OVER AT CAMERON LIKE I MENTIONED.

PUT THE SHOVEL DOWN. JASON.

JASON. JASON. ALL RIGHT.

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 OVER THERE.

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. 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! ALL RIGHT.

OH, YEAH.

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, 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.

TEXAS AVERAGES OVER 3000 DISTRACTED DRIVER CRASHES IN WORK ZONES EVERY YEAR.

ABOUT 14 OF THESE ARE FATAL.

[02:25:01]

EVERYONE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR SAFE PASSAGE THROUGH A WORK ZONE.

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.

EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED.

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 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.

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 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.

GOOD MORNING EVERYONE.

GOOD MORNING AND WELCOME.

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

[02:30:04]

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. JANIE 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 JONAS.

THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE. OF COURSE, THE MAYOR OF THE CITY OF EDINBURGH, WE HAVE MAYOR GARZA. RAMIRO.

THANK YOU. WE HAVE OUR CITY MANAGER, MYRA AYALA.

MYRA. ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER NELDA.

RAMIREZ. NELDA. 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, RAUDEL 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.

PHARR EDC VICTOR PEREZ.

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 WITH THE BEST LEADERSHIP TEAM THAT WE HAVE TRULY PUT US AGAINST ANYBODY IN THE COUNTRY. AND THAT'S A TESTAMENT TO OUR PRESIDENT, DOCTOR GUY BAILEY. DOCTOR BAILEY.

EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT FOR FINANCE MICHAEL MUELLER.

EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT FOR INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT KELLY NASSAU, SENIOR VP FOR GOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS VERONICA GONZALES.

SENIOR VP, SOME DAYS. AD EMERITUS, INTERIM ATHLETIC DIRECTOR.

WE'VE GOT DOCTOR MAGGIE HINOJOSA.

WE HAVE THE DEAN OF OUR MEDICAL SCHOOL, DOCTOR MICHAEL HAWKER.

SENIOR VP FOR RESEARCH.

IN OUR GRADUATE COLLEGE, WE HAVE DOCTOR JOHN SAGAN.

PROVOST AT UTRGV, WE HAVE DOCTOR LUIS ZAYAS.

PATRICK GONZALEZ, OUR VP FOR COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING, PATRICK. AND THEN THE CHIEF OF STAFF, SAMANTHA ALLEN.

SAMANTHA. ALSO AT THIS TIME, IF I COULD HAVE ALL OF OUR FOOTBALL FOUNDERS SOCIETY MEMBERS, IF OUR FOOTBALL FOUNDER SOCIETY MEMBERS WOULD PLEASE STAND TO BE RECOGNIZED. THIS GROUP HERE AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT HOW ALL THIS HAS COME TOGETHER.

BUT THIS GROUP HERE HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN SUPPORTING THIS ENDEAVOR, REALLY BUYING IN FROM THE BEGINNING. AND SO I APPRECIATE YOU SAW SEVERAL OF THEM FROM THE LEADERSHIP AT UTRGV. THESE 34 INDIVIDUALS MEAN A LOT TO US AND ARE A BIG PART OF WHY WE ARE HERE TODAY. I THINK WE ALL KNOW WHY WE'RE HERE TODAY, RIGHT? IT'S NO NO SECRET.

WE'RE HERE ON THE STEPS OF THIS BEAUTIFUL STADIUM.

BUT AT THIS MOMENT WE WANT TO DECLARE THAT UTRGV NOW OWNS THIS BEAUTIFUL STADIUM.

[02:35:01]

AND FROM THIS DAY MOVING FORWARD, IT WILL BE THE PRIMARY HOME FOR VAQUEROS FOOTBALL. I THINK WE SHOULD START EVERY DAY OFF WITH A PEP BAND.

I THINK THAT JUST. THAT JUST MAKES IT THAT MUCH BETTER.

HOW ABOUT A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR OUR STUDENTS AND THE PEP BAND? WHAT A DAY AND WHAT A JOURNEY THIS HAS BEEN TO GET TO THIS MOMENT.

WE ALL KNOW THIS STADIUM.

WE KNOW IT WELL. AND IT'S TRULY THE CROWN JEWEL OF STADIUMS THROUGHOUT THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY. IT'S BEEN IN EXISTENCE SINCE 2017.

AND WE'VE SEEN WHAT IT'S CAPABLE OF.

WE'VE SEEN THE MEMORIES THAT IT'S BROUGHT OUR COMMUNITY.

IT'S TRULY BEEN PART OF THE FABRIC OF THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY.

BUT NOW AT UTRGV, WE EMBRACE TAKING THE BATON GOING FORWARD NOW WITH THIS UNBELIEVABLE FACILITY AND TAKING IT TO NEW HEIGHTS AS WE BRING DIVISION ONE FOOTBALL RIGHT HERE TO THE CITY OF EDINBURGH. THIS STADIUM LEGITIMIZES US.

THIS ANNOUNCEMENT WILL CARRY NOT JUST THROUGHOUT THE VALLEY OR THE STATE OF TEXAS.

IT WILL CARRY THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.

JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO, WE BROKE GROUND ON THE VAQUEROS PERFORMANCE CENTER, JUST A FEW MILES AWAY.

YOU COUPLE THAT WITH THIS FACILITY TODAY AND THIS ANNOUNCEMENT, IT SENDS A STRONG MESSAGE THAT WE ARE COMMITTED TO NOT ONLY DOING IT RIGHT, BUT WE'RE COMMITTED TO BUILDING A FIRST CLASS, DIVISION ONE COLLEGE FOOTBALL PROGRAM.

IT SENDS A MESSAGE TO OUR STUDENTS, TO OUR FACULTY AND STAFF, TO OUR COMMUNITY, OUR SUPPORTERS.

WE TAKE YOUR GAME DAY EXPERIENCE SERIOUS.

RIGHT. WE WANT YOU TO ENGAGE WITH US AS OFTEN AS YOU CAN.

AND BY THAT, BY ANNOUNCING THIS TODAY, YOU CAN TELL THAT WE ARE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE A GREAT EXPERIENCE WHEN YOU COME TO A COLLEGE FOOTBALL GAME. THIS ALSO SPEAKS TO THE FUTURE OF VAQUEROS. THIS SPEAKS TO THE PROSPECTIVE STUDENT ATHLETES, THE YOUNG MEN THAT COACH BUSH HAS ALREADY RECRUITED.

THEY'RE GOING TO PLAY IN ONE OF THE BEST FACILITIES IN ALL OF DIVISION ONE FCS, AND THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE A CHANCE TO WIN CHAMPIONSHIPS.

RIGHT, COACH? CHAMPIONSHIPS RIGHT HERE IN THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY.

WE'RE MOST GRATEFUL TO THE CITY OF EDINBURGH MAYOR GARZA.

WHAT AN UNBELIEVABLE PARTNER YOU'VE BEEN PERSONALLY AND TO ALL OF US AT UTRGV.

YOUR CITY COUNCIL, CITY MANAGER, CITY HALL, THE OFFICES THAT HAVE ALL BEEN SUPPORTIVE TO BE ABLE TO GET TO TODAY.

I KNOW IT WASN'T EASY, BUT WE APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE DONE. RYDELL, THE EDC HERE IN THE CITY OF EDINBURG, WE APPRECIATE YOU GUYS.

THIS TRULY TAKES A VILLAGE.

AND AND I THINK WHAT'S BEAUTIFUL ABOUT TODAY IS WE'RE CELEBRATING ALL THE KEY ASPECTS THAT IT TAKES TO HAVE A FIRST CLASS, NOT JUST FOOTBALL PROGRAM, BUT ATHLETICS DEPARTMENT FOR THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY.

AND SO WE'RE MOST GRATEFUL FOR ALL OF YOU.

IN ABOUT 18 MONTHS, WE'RE GOING TO BRING THE STADIUM TO LIFE.

WE HAVE A LITTLE WORK TO DO.

IT'S A BEAUTIFUL STADIUM, BUT WE'VE GOT TO GET IT READY FOR COLLEGE FOOTBALL. BUT JUST THINK ABOUT WHERE WE'RE GOING TO BE 17, 18 MONTHS FROM NOW. THIS IS MY SHAMELESS PLUG TO GET YOUR SEASON TICKETS NOW.

PUT YOUR DEPOSIT DOWN NOW.

BUT IT'S REALLY AMAZING TO SEE THE SUPPORT THAT WE'VE ALREADY GARNERED.

BUT HERE IN ABOUT 17, 18 MONTHS, THINK ABOUT THAT WEEK LEADING UP TO THAT FIRST COLLEGE FOOTBALL GAME.

THINK ABOUT THE BUZZ AROUND TOWN.

THINK ABOUT PEOPLE TRYING TO GET THEIR TICKETS.

IT WILL BE A TOUGH TICKET.

BUT THINK ABOUT THAT DAY AND WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO BE. THINK ABOUT LEAVING YOUR HOUSE.

THINK ABOUT DRIVING, EXITING OFF THE HIGHWAY, COMING UP THIS BOULEVARD SEEING ORANGE FOR DAYS.

YOU GET OUT OF YOUR CAR, YOU SMELL THE TAILGATE.

YOU SMELL THAT GOOD SOUTH TEXAS BARBECUE COOKING ON ALL THE TAILGATING GROUNDS THAT WE HAVE AROUND THIS STADIUM.

YOU MEET UP WITH FRIENDS, AND IF YOU'RE AN ALUM, YOU'RE GOING TO JOIN OUR ALUMNI TAILGATES, YOU'RE GOING TO GET TO INTERACT WITH PEOPLE MAYBE YOU HAVEN'T SEEN IN YEARS.

AND THEN ABOUT 90 MINUTES BEFORE KICKOFF, THE VAQUEROS ARE GOING TO SHOW UP HERE AT THE STADIUM. COACH BUSH IS GOING TO GET OFF THAT BUS.

OUR MARCHING BAND IS GOING TO LEAD A MARCH, AND THEY'RE GOING TO MARCH THROUGHOUT THE TAILGATE. SO YOU GET TO HIGH FIVE AND SEE OUR YOUNG MEN THAT ARE GOING TO REPRESENT YOU.

AND THEN ABOUT 45 MINUTES LATER, YOU'RE GOING TO GRAB YOUR TICKETS. YOU'RE GOING TO FIND YOUR WAY INTO THE STADIUM, YOU'RE GOING TO GRAB A POPCORN AND HOPEFULLY MAYBE A LOS VAQUEROS. I THINK THAT WOULD WORK.

AND YOU'RE GOING TO FIND YOUR SEATS, AND THEN YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THE MARCHING BAND TAKE THE FIELD FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME.

YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THEM FORM THAT V FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME, AND THEN YOU'RE GOING TO SEE COACH BUSH AND HIS COACHES AND OUR YOUNG MEN TAKE THE FIELD AND HOPEFULLY LEAD THE VAQUEROS ON TO VICTORY.

THAT'S THE PROMISE OF TODAY.

AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE BUILDING RIGHT HERE IN THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY IN THE CITY OF EDINBURGH. IN THE COMING MONTHS, YOU'LL HEAR MORE FROM OUR DEPARTMENT AND UNIVERSITY.

WE'LL BE TRANSPARENT WITH YOU ON THE RENOVATIONS AND THE THINGS THAT WE'LL HAVE PLANNED FOR THIS STADIUM.

WE'LL BE ABLE TO SHARE MORE ABOUT TICKETING. YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT 2800 SEASON TICKET DEPOSITS. WE GET A LOT OF QUESTIONS ON WHEN ARE WE GOING TO BE ABLE TO BUY OUR TICKETS.

THAT'S COMING. WE'LL SHARE THAT INFORMATION.

IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS.

WE'LL BE ABLE TO SHARE OUR TAILGATING PLAN, OUR PARKING PLAN, OUR TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR OUR STUDENTS AND FOR OUR COMMUNITY.

WE'VE GOT A LOT OF WORK IN FRONT OF US, BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT BEING HERE TODAY AND

[02:40:02]

HAVING THIS PIECE OF THE PUZZLE NOW, FINALLY WE CAN GET TO WORK.

AND WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT WORKING TOGETHER WITH YOU TO CREATE THE EXPERIENCE THAT WE ALL WANT FOR THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY AND FOR THE CITY OF EDINBURGH. AT THIS TIME, I WANT TO BRING UP THE MAN THAT'S REALLY MADE ALL THIS POSSIBLE, AND THAT'S PRESIDENT BAILEY.

HIS TIRELESS WORK AND WHAT HE DOES FOR THE UNIVERSITY IS BEYOND THE BOUNDS OF JUST OUR INSTITUTION. IT'S REALLY FOR THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY.

HE'S ABOUT CREATING OPPORTUNITIES, OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS, BUT OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL OF US.

AND I THINK HIS LEADERSHIP, WE WOULD ALL AGREE, HAS HELPED OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR REGION PROSPER IN THE YEARS THAT HE'S LED OUR INSTITUTION. HE WE TAKE HIS LEAD.

HE SETS THE TONE. HE'S BUILT AN UNBELIEVABLE TEAM THAT I GET TO WORK WITH EVERY DAY.

BUT HE TRULY IS THE REASON WHY WE ARE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH WHAT WE'RE ACCOMPLISHING AT THE UNIVERSITY. SO PLEASE HELP ME WELCOME OUR PRESIDENT, DOCTOR GUY BAILEY.

YOU KNOW WHAT? WHAT CHASE DIDN'T TELL YOU IS THAT I'VE MADE A LOT OF GOOD HIRES, I THINK. AND THEY'RE TESTAMENT TO THAT RIGHT HERE.

HE DIDN'T TELL YOU THAT? HE'S ONE OF THE BEST.

I'VE WORKED WITH A LOT OF ADS, BUT NONE BETTER THAN THIS MAN.

AND SO I TOLD HIM THAT I WOULD HAVE HIRED HIM JUST ON THE BASIS OF HIS DAUGHTERS ALONE.

THEY'RE THE CUTEST THING.

BUT. BUT HE HIMSELF IS TERRIFIC AND HAS DONE A GREAT JOB.

I WANT YOU TO THINK ABOUT SOMETHING.

AUGUST 30TH, 2015 WE OPENED UT RGV.

THINK ABOUT THAT. AUGUST 30TH, 2015 WE OPENED THE DOORS TO UTRGV.

ALMOST 30,000 STUDENTS.

SINCE THAT TIME WE'VE ADDED LORD KNOWS HOW MANY PROGRAMS A SCHOOL OF MEDICINE, THE SCHOOL OF PODIATRIC MEDICINE.

WE'LL BE ADDING PHYSICAL THERAPY.

WE'LL WE'LL BE DOING ALL KINDS.

WE HAVE PHDS IN ENGINEERING, PHDS IN SCIENCE, ALL KINDS OF THINGS. THINK ABOUT THAT.

BUT THINK FORWARD TO AUGUST 30TH, 2025, TEN YEARS TO THE DATE WE OPENED THE THE UNIVERSITY.

WHAT DO WE DO? WE PLAY OUR FIRST FOOTBALL GAME.

YEAH. THAT'S RIGHT. YOU'LL BE RIGHT HERE HAVING THE TIME OF YOUR LIFE.

YOU'LL BE RIGHT HERE WITH A GROUP OF YOUNG MEN WHO WILL REPRESENT THIS UNIVERSITY SO WELL THAT WHAT THIS WILL DO FOR OUR INSTITUTION IS ABSOLUTELY REMARKABLE.

YOU KNOW ONE OF THE THE GREAT PLEASURES OF BEING MARRIED TO VAL.

AND THERE ARE FAR MORE THAN I COULD EVER ENUMERATE.

BUT ONE OF THE GREAT PLEASURES IS I GET TO GO TO BEER CONFERENCES WITH HER SOMETIMES.

NOW, ACADEMIC CONFERENCES ARE NOT VERY INTERESTING.

BEER CONFERENCES ARE RIGHT.

YOU KNOW THE TOPIC YOU CAN ALWAYS TALK ABOUT AND THE TOPIC THAT GARNERS INTEREST FROM EVERYBODY. YOU KNOW WHAT THAT IS? FOOTBALL. YEAH. IT'S FOOTBALL.

THINK ABOUT THIS. THIS WILL TRANSFORM EVERYTHING.

IT WILL TRANSFORM HOW PEOPLE SEE THE INSTITUTION, HOW THEY TALK ABOUT THE INSTITUTION.

AND I CAN'T TELL YOU THE IMPACT THAT THIS IS GOING TO HAVE.

BUT YOU'LL KNOW SOON ENOUGH AND YOU'LL ENJOY THAT.

I WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU TODAY FOR BEING HERE.

A GOOD MANY OF YOU HAVE BEEN WITH US EVERY STEP OF THE WAY.

I LOOK OUT AND SEE PEOPLE WHO HELPED MAKE THIS INSTITUTION HAPPEN IN THE FIRST PLACE.

BUT ALMOST ALL OF YOU HAVE BEEN WITH US FROM DAY ONE.

THIS ISN'T UTRGV'S FOOTBALL TEAM.

IT'S YOURS. IT'S THE VALLEY'S.

IT'S SOMETHING WE'VE DONE TOGETHER.

IT'S ALL OF US PULLING IN THE SAME DIRECTION.

THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE WORK TOGETHER.

SO THANK YOU SO MUCH, ALL OF YOU, FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE.

AND THERE ARE A FEW PEOPLE IN THIS AUDIENCE WHO DESERVE A SPECIAL THANKS.

A THANKS BEYOND, YOU KNOW WHAT I CAN REALLY GIVE.

OUR DELEGATION AT THE STATE HAS BEEN TERRIFIC.

WE HAVE WE'VE WE'VE BENEFIT FROM PEOPLE WHO REALLY LOVE THE VALLEY, LOVE THE UNIVERSITY, AND DO GREAT THINGS FOR US.

AND THE TWO THAT REPRESENT THIS AREA ARE RIGHT HERE.

WOULD YOU ALL STAND AGAIN, SENATOR HINOJOSA? REPRESENTATIVE CANALES, THESE TWO GUYS HAVE BEEN STALWARTS.

[02:45:02]

WE THERE BE NO UTRGV WITHOUT THESE GUYS.

THEY DO A WONDERFUL JOB.

AND THE REST OF OUR DELEGATION.

THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE'VE HAD GOOD REPRESENTATION ON THE BOARD OF REGENTS.

THAT'S HELPED SO MUCH YOU TO FOR US TO MOVE FORWARD.

SO THIS IS A TEAM EFFORT.

AND, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THE MOST IMPORTANT MEMBERS OF OUR TEAM HAS BEEN THE MAYOR OF THE CITY OF EDINBURGH. YEAH.

MAYOR GARCIA, I'M GOING TO LET HIM COME UP HERE IN JUST A SECOND.

I'VE WORKED WITH A LOT OF MAYORS, A LOT OF DIFFERENT PLACES.

NO ONE BETTER THAN THIS ONE.

THIS MAN IS A GREAT PARTNER.

EVERY STEP OF THE WAY.

WHEN THINGS ARE DIFFICULT, YOU GOTTA WORK THROUGH THINGS.

IT'S NOT EASY TO GET THINGS DONE.

HE'S ALWAYS THERE, BEHIND US, ALWAYS HELPING US.

SO, MAYOR, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP AND WE'RE DELIGHTED TO BE PLAYING FOOTBALL HERE SOON. RIGHT.

NOT TOO FAR FROM YOUR OFFICE, SO WE'LL EXPECT YOU AT EVERY GAME.

MAYOR, PLEASE. PLATFORM IS YOURS.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, WELL, YOU KNOW, AS MAYOR, YOU'RE ONE PERSON, SO I GOT TO SHARE THAT WITH OUR CITY COUNCIL.

LET'S GIVE THEM A HAND. ALSO, OUR CITY COUNCIL YOU KNOW, IT TAKES A TEAM EFFORT, DOCTOR BAILEY.

AND AS CHASE MENTIONED.

SO GOOD MORNING TO ALL OF YOU.

YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST AN HONOR TO BE HERE TODAY.

SO EXCITING TO BE HERE WITH YOU ALL AS YOU CELEBRATE THIS MILESTONE HERE FOR OUR CITY.

THE ARRIVAL OF DIVISION ONE FOOTBALL HERE TO OUR CITY OF EDINBURGH.

THIS DESERVES ANOTHER HAND.

YOU KNOW, WE'RE GETTING THE THE THANKS RIGHT NOW.

DOCTOR BAILEY, BUT I DO WANT TO SHARE SOMETHING BECAUSE I SEE SOME SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS HERE. FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE NOT AWARE, YOU KNOW, IT WAS THE PEOPLE OF EDINBURGH THAT CAME TOGETHER, YOU KNOW, TO CREATE THIS JUNIOR COLLEGE HERE IN THE CITY OF EDINBURGH.

THE PEOPLE OF EDINBURGH.

AND I'M SO HAPPY TO SEE THE SCHOOL BOARD BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE AWARE OF IT.

IT WAS AT THE SCHOOL BOARD THAT THEY DECIDED, AND I SEE SOME RESIDENTS HERE, AND I WANT TO TAKE THIS TIME TO THANK THEM BECAUSE, YOU KNOW WHAT? YOU ALL HAD A VISION, RIGHT? TO MAKE SURE THAT EDINBURGH HAD HIGHER EDUCATION HERE AT THAT TIME AND LOOK AT WHAT IT'S BECOME NOW. ALL I CAN TELL YOU IS THANK YOU.

WE, AS A CURRENT MAYOR AND THE COUNCIL.

WE'RE LIVING UP TO THE PROMISE TO MAKE SURE THAT WHAT YOU ALL STARTED IS NOW BECOMING THE BEST UNIVERSITY IT CAN BE.

THANK YOU. I, YOU KNOW, DOCTOR BAILEY, YOU AND YOUR TEAM.

I KNOW YOU'RE THANKING US.

I'M GOING TO EXPRESS MY DEEPEST GRATITUDE TO ALL OF YOU.

YOU'RE RIGHT. THIS WAS NOT AN EASY PROCESS.

YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A LOT THAT HAD TO HAPPEN FOR US.

IT WAS ALL HANDS ON DECK.

I THINK WE QUICKLY SAW HOW IMPORTANT THIS WAS.

AND THERE WAS SOME CHALLENGES ALONG THE WAY.

BUT WE CAME TOGETHER. WE KEPT ON AT IT, KEPT ON AT IT, AND NOW WE'RE HERE TODAY. SO ON BEHALF OF MYSELF AND THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY OF EDINBURGH, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU TO THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS, RIO GRANDE VALLEY. WE HAVE A BOARD OF REGENTS HERE. DOCTOR PEREZ, THANK YOU SO MUCH TO THE BOARD OF REGENTS, YOU KNOW, WE ALWAYS TALK ABOUT WHY DON'T THEY INVEST MORE IN THE VALLEY? WELL, HERE IT IS.

AND THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT.

NOW LET'S TALK ABOUT THE IMPACT IT'S GOING TO HAVE. THIS IS GOING TO BE MASSIVE, FOLKS.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AN ECONOMIC BOOST TO OUR CITY AND OUR REGION.

LIKE YOU DON'T SEE EVERY DAY.

HOW MUCH ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT. OVER 100 MILLION IN ECONOMIC IMPACT HERE TO OUR CITY AND TO OUR REGION. THANK YOU.

UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS, RIO GRANDE VALLEY, THANK YOU TO THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY OF EDINBURG FOR MAKING THIS HAPPEN.

YOU KNOW, THIS IS I KNOW IT'S IT SAID A LOT, BUT, YOU KNOW, IT IS A GAME CHANGER FOR US BECAUSE YOU KNOW WHY? IT'S GOING TO PROVIDE MANY NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR DEVELOPMENT AND GROWTH.

BUT YOU KNOW WHAT ALSO IT'S GOING TO DO IT'S GOING TO PROVIDE A MAJOR BOOST TO OUR CITY FOR OUR QUALITY OF LIFE, FOR OUR REGION.

BECAUSE THIS RIGHT HERE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ONE REGION, ONE VOICE. WELL, GUESS WHAT? WITH DIVISION ONE FOOTBALL AND THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT IT COMES WITH IT.

THAT'S WHAT PUTS US AT A LEVEL THAT WE CAN COMPETE WITH JUST ABOUT ANYBODY, BECAUSE WE NEED THINGS LIKE THIS.

YOU KNOW, THIS EXCITEMENT OF DIVISION ONE FOOTBALL IS TRULY INCREDIBLE.

IT'S A TESTAMENT TO OUR PROGRESS AND TO A NOD TO OUR STATUS AS BEING A HOME OF A TOP TIER UNIVERSITY. WE'VE WORKED SO HARD TO GET TO THIS POINT, AND IT'S ONLY FITTING THAT WE'RE FINALLY HERE. I JUST ALSO JUST WANT TO TAKE THIS TIME TO RECOGNIZE ALL THE HARD WORK, ALL THE BEHIND THE SCENES THAT HAD TO HAPPEN TO FOR TODAY TO BE POSSIBLE.

I WANT TO START WITH THE CITY COUNCIL OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, THE BOARD AND THE STAFF, OUR CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE,

[02:50:01]

CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.

I'M TELLING YOU WHEN I SAY ALL HANDS ON DECK.

EVERYBODY WAS WORKING ON THIS THE ENTIRE UT RGV TEAM.

I MEAN, IT IS JUST AN UNBELIEVABLE.

I THINK I WAS GOING TO TELL OUR CITY MANAGER NOW, THERE'S NO EXCUSE THAT WE CAN'T GET ANYTHING ELSE DONE BECAUSE WE GOT THIS DONE.

OKAY. I MEAN, THIS IS JUST A GREAT WAY TO COME TOGETHER.

BUT ALSO, I KNOW THEY'VE BEEN THANKED, BUT I DO WANT TO GIVE A SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR STATE SENATOR, JUAN TREVINO ROSA AND OUR REPRESENTATIVE CHAIRMAN, TERRY CANALES. THEY DESERVE ANOTHER ROUND OF APPLAUSE. NOT ONLY IS THIS IN THEIR DISTRICT THEY WERE ALSO PART OF BEHIND THE SCENES OF MAKING THIS HAPPEN.

AND I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH ON BEHALF OF OUR COMMUNITY.

THANK YOU. I ALSO WANT TO GIVE SPECIAL THANKS TO MR. ALONZO CANTU. HE WAS THE OWNER OF THIS STADIUM FOR AGREEING TO SELL THE STADIUM TO MAKING TODAY HAPPEN. SO THANKS TO HIM AS WELL.

YOU KNOW, CHASE KIND OF TOUCHED ON THAT. I GOT A LITTLE CHILLS WHEN HE WAS TALKING ABOUT TAKING US THROUGH THE DAY OF THE FIRST DAY OF FOOTBALL. RIGHT.

YOU KNOW, IT'S WE'RE SO MUCH LOOKING FORWARD TO IT.

I COULD JUST IMAGINE THE ATMOSPHERE.

IT'S GOING TO BE HERE. I MEAN, EVEN RIGHT NOW, YOU ALREADY FEEL IT, RIGHT? YOU ALMOST FEEL LIKE THERE'S GOING TO BE A FOOTBALL GAME RIGHT NOW. BUT YOU KNOW, THE THERE'S JUST THE CAMARADERIE, THE BRINGING EVERYBODY TOGETHER AND CELEBRATING THE ARRIVAL OF DIVISION ONE FOOTBALL HERE.

WE'RE SO VERY GRATEFUL.

THANK YOU SO MUCH, UTRGV, ON BEHALF OF OUR COMMUNITY, BEHALF OF OUR ENTIRE RIO GRANDE VALLEY, FOR MAKING THIS HAPPEN.

AND WE SO MUCH LOOK FORWARD TO IT.

BES UP, EVERYBODY UP.

THANK YOU MAYOR. THANK YOU MAYOR.

AS YOU CAN TELL, WE ARE BLESSED BY A TREMENDOUS, TREMENDOUS VILLAGE HERE.

TO BE ABLE TO CELEBRATE TODAY.

I MENTIONED THIS A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO.

ACTUALLY, IT WAS LAST WEEK AS WE OPENED OUR VAQUEROS GOLF CENTER FOR OUR GOLF PROGRAMS. YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE AN ATHLETIC DIRECTOR, YOU'RE CONSTANTLY TRYING TO FIND THAT RECIPE FOR YOUR COACHES AND YOUR PROGRAMS TO HAVE SUCCESS.

AND IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE ROCKET SCIENCE, BUT IT'S NOT EASY TO DO.

AND I'LL WALK YOU THROUGH THOSE THREE THAT I THINK IT TAKES FOR A PROGRAM TO BE SUCCESSFUL. NUMBER ONE COMMUNITY.

IT TAKES COMMUNITY. AND THAT'S EVIDENT TODAY THAT WE HAVE COMMUNITY BUY IN FOR WHAT WE'RE DOING AT UTRGV AND WITH OUR FOOTBALL PROGRAM.

IT TAKES SUPPORT. WE HAVE ALMOST 3000 SEASON TICKETS ALREADY SOLD.

WE'VE GOT A NUMBER OF OUR FOOTBALL FOUNDERS SOCIETY MEMBERS HERE. WE HAVE SOME OF OUR MOST GENEROUS SPONSORS AND PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN WITH US FOR MANY YEARS.

IT TAKES THAT KIND OF SUPPORT.

IT TAKES FACILITIES. WE CAN CHECK THAT BOX.

RIGHT? WE'VE GOT FACILITIES.

RIGHT. WE'VE GOT THE VAQUEROS PERFORMANCE CENTER THAT I MENTIONED EARLIER. AND WE HAVE THIS UNBELIEVABLE STADIUM THAT'S BEHIND US.

AND THEN IT TAKES PEOPLE IT TAKES LEADERSHIP.

IT TAKES ALL THE PEOPLE, EVERY PIECE OF THE PUZZLE THAT WE MENTIONED TODAY. I TRULY THINK IF IT WASN'T, IF ONE PERSON WAS REMOVED FROM THIS PUZZLE PIECE, I DON'T KNOW IF THIS WOULD HAVE HAPPENED.

IT REALLY TOOK ALL OF US.

BUT IT ALSO TAKES PEOPLE WITHIN YOUR PROGRAM, AND IT TAKES LEADERSHIP.

AND SPEAKING OF PEOPLE, WE HAVE ONE FINE PERSON LEADING OUR FOOTBALL PROGRAM. I THINK DOCTOR BAILEY USUALLY MENTIONS THIS AS WE SAT DOWN AND WE TALKED ABOUT WHAT WE WERE LOOKING FOR IN A HEAD FOOTBALL COACH.

I THINK YOU'VE SAID IT BEST.

WE WOULD HAVE HAD TO ADD BOXES TO BE ABLE TO FIND TRAVIS BUSH.

WE DIDN'T THINK HE WAS OUT THERE, BUT WE FOUND COACH BUSH AND BROUGHT HIM TO THE VALLEY. HARD TO BELIEVE.

OVER A YEAR AGO. HE'S BEEN LEADING THIS PROGRAM.

HE'S ASSEMBLED A TREMENDOUS COACHING STAFF WITH OUR ASSISTANT COACHES.

WOULD YOU GUYS PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND? I KNOW WE'VE GOT THE WHOLE STAFF HERE. COACH BUSH IS GREAT, BUT BEFORE YOU LEAVE, GET TO KNOW THESE GENTLEMEN AS WELL.

THEY THAT'S THE FORCE THAT'S HELPING PULL THIS OFF.

AND THEY'VE NOW RECRUITED SIGNED, COMMITTED NEARLY 70 STUDENT ATHLETES THAT ARE GOING TO REPRESENT THIS SCHOOL NEXT YEAR. THEY WILL BE ON CAMPUS HERE IN AUGUST.

SO CONGRATULATIONS ON THAT, COACH.

BUT COACH BUSH HAS A PASSION FOR NOT ONLY FOOTBALL.

HE HAS A PASSION FOR YOUNG PEOPLE, WHICH IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.

AND HIS AND HIS THREADS AND HIS ROOTS RUN DEEP HERE IN THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY.

HE HAS A PASSION FOR THE RGV AND WE KNOW THAT HE'S THE PERFECT GUY TO LEAD THIS PROGRAM.

SO PLEASE HELP ME WELCOME OUR HEAD COACH, COACH TRAVIS BUSH.

FIRST GAME ON THE TEN YEAR ANNIVERSARY SO I CAN I CAN FEEL OUR STAFF'S BLOOD PRESSURE RISE ON THAT ONE. WE CAN'T GOTTA WIN ON ON THE ANNIVERSARY.

BUT AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE.

AND YOU KNOW, THROUGH THIS PROCESS, THERE WAS A LOT I DID KNOW THERE WAS A LOT I DIDN'T KNOW. BUT IT WAS GOING ON.

BUT BUT VERY SYMBOLIC TO A FOOTBALL GAME.

AND WHEN YOU GET DOWN TO IT, I MEAN, WE WERE MAKING PROGRESS.

AND THEN WE GET, WE GET PUSHED BACK A LITTLE BIT AND START MAKING LITTLE PROGRESS AND HIT SOME ADVERSITY. I THINK WE LOST HOPE AT ONE POINT.

BUT THEN WE ONLY HAD SOME SOME KEY PLAYERS STEP UP AND MAKE SOME BIG PLAYS LATE AND WE FOUND A WAY TO WIN. AND TRULY YOU KNOW, ALL THE,

[02:55:05]

ALL THE DIFFERENT UNITS THAT MAKE UP A TEAM.

AND ALL THOSE UNITS CAME TOGETHER THROUGH THIS PROCESS AND WE KEPT FIGHTING.

AND I JUST CAN'T SAY ENOUGH.

AND THERE'S PEOPLE THAT I DON'T KNOW THAT WERE INVOLVED IN THIS, BUT OBVIOUSLY OUR UNIVERSITY, OUR ADMINISTRATION, CHASE, DOCTOR BAILEY, THE CITY OF EDINBURGH MAYOR.

I MEAN, IT'S TRULY, TRULY A BLESSING TO BE TO BE OFFICIALLY STANDING HERE AT AT THIS STADIUM AND YOU KNOW, AND CHASE MENTIONED THE, THE ENVIRONMENT AS YOU KNOW, AS A COMPETITOR AND ATHLETE, YOU VISUALIZE THE FUTURE A LOT.

AND SINCE SINCE DECEMBER OF 22, ON OUR FIRST PRESS CONFERENCE IN THIS STADIUM WE VISUALIZED GAME DAY THOUSANDS OF TIMES BY NOW.

AND IT'S A BEAUTIFUL SIGHT.

AND TO SEE THAT THING PACKED WITH ORANGE.

WE'VE PULLED OFF 281 ON THE ALREADY HUNDREDS OF TIMES ON THE BUS ALREADY.

AND TO SEE THE SMOKE CLOUDS, THE TAILGATE GOING ON, AND THE FANS JUST FIRED UP WHEN THE BUS GETS HERE AND IT'S IT'S TRULY, TRULY THE THE PERFECT ENVIRONMENT FOR COLLEGE FOOTBALL, NOT JUST HERE IN THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY, BUT BUT ANYWHERE IN THE NATION.

AND WE WOULDN'T WANT TO BE ANYWHERE, ANYWHERE ELSE. AND SORRY.

BUT I KNOW WHO THE MOST EXCITED PEOPLE ARE RIGHT NOW ARE GOING TO BE AS SOON AS WE GET ON THE PHONE. ARE THOSE 75 DUDES THAT ARE GOING TO BE MAKING HISTORY HERE ON AUGUST 30TH? AND YOU KNOW, WE'RE ABOUT TO WE'RE ABOUT TO LET THEM KNOW.

AND WE, YOU KNOW, THROUGH THIS RECRUITING PROCESS, WE WE ACTUALLY RECRUITED TECHNICALLY NOT HAVING A STADIUM.

WE TALKED ABOUT THIS A LITTLE BIT.

WE MIGHT HAVE KIND OF, YOU KNOW, ENCOURAGED IT A LITTLE BIT, BUT WE NEVER TOLD THEM THIS WAS GOING TO BE OUR FINAL HOME.

BUT FOR US, IT'S THE FINAL PIECE.

YOU KNOW, IT'S THE FINAL PIECE OF OUR FACILITY PUZZLE.

NOW TO SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT? EVERY FACILITY UTAH FOOTBALL HAS IS NOT ONLY GOING TO BE THE BEST IN THE CONFERENCE, BUT DEFINITELY ONE OF THE TOPS IN DIVISION ONE FCS.

AND THAT'S GOING TO CONTINUE TO HELP US RECRUIT TOP TALENT NOT ONLY OUT OF THE VALLEY, BUT FROM A FROM A WAY TO THE VALLEY TO GET DOWN HERE AND AND LIKE LIKE CHASE SAID, HAVE A HAD A FIRST CLASS DIVISION ONE FOOTBALL PROGRAM BUT I FORGOT WHERE I WAS GOING NEXT. BUT I DON'T KNOW WHY I WENT BLANK THERE.

YEAH, NO, THERE WAS A NOTE, BUT YOU KNOW, JUST LOOKING AHEAD TO FOR IN, IN IN REALITY, IT'S HARD TO WIN FOOTBALL GAMES NO MATTER WHAT LEVEL, WHETHER YOU'RE HOME OR AWAY, IT'S HARD TO WIN GAMES.

AND TO HAVE A WINNING FOOTBALL PROGRAM, YOU'VE GOT TO START BY WINNING AT HOME.

AND THIS TRULY HAS THIS TRULY CAN BE A HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE FOR US.

BUT IT'S NOT JUST US. IT'S NOT JUST THE TEAM.

IT'S DEFINITELY NOT THE COACH. IT'S EVERYBODY IN THE STANDS.

IT'S EVERYBODY IN THOSE SEATS.

THE SEATS FULL FILL WITH ORANGE.

THE STUDENT SECTION PACKED THE BAND'S PLAN.

YOU KNOW YOU'RE BEING LOUD WHEN WE'RE ON DEFENSE AND JUST ROARING AS LOUD AS WE CAN WHEN WE SCORE. AND THE WHOLE COUNTY SHOULD KNOW WHEN WE SCORE.

BUT THIS PLACE IS JUST SET UP TO BE AMAZING, BUT IT TRULY DOES TAKE TAKE ALL OF US.

AND I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE I KNOW THAT ARE KIND OF WAITING FOR SEASON TICKETS TILL WE KNOW EXACTLY WHERE WE'RE PLAYING, AND NOW WE KNOW WHERE WE'RE PLAYING. SO I KNOW WE'RE GOING TO GET MORE SEASON TICKETS ON THE BOARD, BUT IT TRULY HAS TO BE A HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE FOR US.

BUT IT'S GOING TO TAKE EVERYBODY AND JUST APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT HAS BEEN PHENOMENAL.

IT'S GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE GREAT AND WE APPRECIATE EVERYBODY THAT'S BEEN INVOLVED WITH OUR PROGRAM, WITH US AND 548 DAYS AWAY, AND WE'LL BE KICKING OFF IN THIS STADIUM TO MAKE HISTORY. BUT BUT THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH AND APPRECIATE Y'ALL TAKING THE TIME TO BE HERE TODAY. AND THANK Y'ALL.

WELL, MAYOR DOCTOR BAILEY, IF Y'ALL COULD COME UP, LET'S MAKE MAKE THIS OFFICIAL HERE.

MAY I WILL SAY THIS THIS MAY YOU MAY BE ABLE TO SELL THIS FOR HIGH DOLLAR AT SOME POINT.

THERE'S NOT MANY OF THESE IN CIRCULATION. BUT ON BEHALF OF UTRGV, OUR APPRECIATION, YOU DEFINE PARTNERSHIP IN A BIG WAY.

AND SO I WILL ALLOW DOCTOR BAILEY TO STEP OVER HERE AND PRESENT YOU THE HELMET.

OKAY. ON BEHALF OF THE ENTIRE UNIVERSITY, OUR GRATITUDE EXPRESSED THROUGH THIS HELMET.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THANK YOU. I ACCEPT THIS ON BEHALF OF THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY OF EDINBURG AS WE SHARE THIS ALL TOGETHER. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE HAVE A COUPLE QUICK. THANK YOU. COACH, YOU WANT TO GET IN? THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

[03:00:05]

THANK YOU. COACH. I HOPE WHEN YOU HAVE THAT THIRD AND TEN PLAY CALL AND WE GOTTA HAVE THAT FIRST DOWN THAT YOU DON'T DRAW THAT BLANK.

MAYBE YOU'LL MAYBE YOU'LL YOU'LL PULL OUT THAT THAT SCRIPT OUT OF THE POCKET THERE.

I HAVE NO DOUBT. I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT WILL NOT HAPPEN DURING DURING THE FOOTBALL SEASON.

WHAT A DAY TO CELEBRATE, YOU KNOW, AND WE CAN'T.

I MEAN, TRULY, THANK YOU. JUST SEEMS NOT ENOUGH.

BUT THIS IS THIS IS SPECIAL.

YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK IN FRONT OF US, BUT I CAN TELL YOU, AS I WAS, I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE BOULEVARD THIS MORNING AND AND GETTING TO SEE THE SETUP GETTING TO SEE THIS LOGO RIGHT HERE AT THIS FRONT ENTRANCE AND THEN TO BE ABLE TO SEE THE ENTHUSIASM FROM EVERYBODY HERE TODAY IT'S OVERWHELMING.

AND AND WE'RE BLESSED.

I CAN TELL YOU, OUR STAFF, WE HAVE A TREMENDOUS STAFF IN THE DEPARTMENT OF ATHLETICS. SO MANY OF THEM ARE ACTUALLY OVER THERE READY TO TAKE YOUR SEASON TICKET DEPOSIT. THEY LOOK THEY STAND READY.

BUT I APPRECIATE THEM.

I APPRECIATE OUR PARTNERSHIPS WITH CAMPUS.

PATRICK GONZALEZ, YOUR OFFICE HELPING PULL ALL THIS TOGETHER.

AND, OF COURSE OUR WORK OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS AND CERTAINLY DAYS WITH THE CITY OF EDINBURGH THIS IS A CREDIT TO COMMUNITY.

WE DO HAVE T SHIRTS. WE'VE GOT UTRGV FOOTBALL T SHIRTS FOR EVERYONE.

SO PLEASE STOP BY AND VISIT WITH OUR TEAM.

AND THEN WE'VE GOT SOME INFORMATION IF YOU WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT WAYS TO SUPPORT OUR PROGRAM. BUT WE CAN DO THIS.

WE ARE DOING IT. BUT WE CAN BE WHATEVER WE WANT TO BE.

AND WE'RE ALREADY STARTING TO SEE THOSE KEY INGREDIENTS COME INTO PLAY.

IF IT WASN'T FOR THE ENTHUSIASM OF OUR STUDENTS, AND THAT'S ONE GROUP THAT I SHOULD HAVE MENTIONED EARLIER, IF IT WASN'T FOR THE STUDENT VOTE BACK IN 2021, NONE OF THIS WOULD BE POSSIBLE.

AND SO I CAN TELL YOU HOW PROUD WE ARE AS ADMINISTRATORS TO BE ABLE TO SAY STUDENTS, YOU SPOKE, WE LISTENED, AND NOW WE'RE RESPONDING AND THEY'RE GETTING TO SEE THEIR STUDENT EXPERIENCE TRANSFORM RIGHT IN FRONT OF THEIR EYES AS THEY'RE ENROLLED AT OUR INSTITUTION.

BUT IT TAKES ALL OF US, AND WE'RE CERTAINLY GRATEFUL TO BE HERE TODAY. AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO RALLYING THE VALLEY WITH YOU AND SEEING YOU BACK HERE IN ABOUT 18 MONTHS. VISA.

THANK YOU.

YEAH, HE WAS MY CLOSEST FRIEND. HE WAS LIKE MY BROTHER TO ME. NOW, 111 IS YOUR EMERGENCY.

IT LOOKS LIKE A VERY BAD COLLISION.

I DIDN'T BELIEVE IT AT FIRST, BUT AFTER A COUPLE OF DAYS, I HIT ME. I THINK THERE MIGHT BE FATALITIES.

HE WAS ALWAYS LAUGHING, ALWAYS PLAYING JOKES ON SOMEBODY THAT I MISSED OUT A LOT ABOUT HIM. HE'S BLEEDING PRETTY BAD.

YEAH, IT'S COUNCIL MEMBER WHITE.

HE'S GOING TO COME. HE'S SUPPOSED TO AND HE DOESN'T.

[03:05:04]

YEAH, YEAH. THERE.

WE GO.

ALRIGHTY. GOOD MORNING EVERYONE.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY.

WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

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 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 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 MADE 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.

IN THE NAME WE PRAY. AMEN.

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.

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

RABA KISTNER, THE MATERIALS TESTING LAB ON THIS PROJECT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

AND OF COURSE, LANDMARK STRUCTURES ARE 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.

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.

WE'VE HAD SO MUCH GROWTH.

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

[03:10:01]

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.

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.

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 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 THEM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR FOR THEIR CONTRIBUTION HERE TODAY.

WE WERE JUST TALKING A LITTLE WHILE AGO, AND, YOU KNOW, THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS JUST CONTINUE HERE IN OUR CITY AND 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. 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.

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH. 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 EDINBURG 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.

[03:15:03]

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 EDINBURG 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, AND 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 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.

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.

THANK YOU. NOW PLEASE HELP ME IN WELCOMING OUR EDINBURGH EDC BOARD PRESIDENT, VERONICA GONZALEZ. WELL GOOD MORNING.

AND WHAT A BEAUTIFUL DAY.

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 GARCIA.

WE ALSO HAVE JOINING US MR. RANDALL GARCIA, WHO IS OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.

AND WE HAVE WITH US OUR STAFF MEMBERS WHO DO A LOT OF WORK BEHIND THE SCENES.

WE'VE GOT LADY PANTOJAS HERE.

CARLOS GARZA IS HERE AS WELL.

AND JACKIE GUERRA, THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO.

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 THE 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 TO HEAR 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 EDINBURG, WHICH IS WHY WE AT THE EDC ARE SO EXCITED.

IN FACT, WE'RE ALREADY SEEING BUSINESSES LOCATING 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 YOU'VE 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.

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.

[03:20:03]

THANK YOU, MISS GONZALEZ, AND THANK YOU AGAIN.

YES, WE 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 PETS.

PETS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTION.

IT IS. IT IS MUCH APPRECIATED.

I APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE.

AND SO DOES HE. THANK YOU.

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.

ALL RIGHT, EVERYONE, IT IS 848 AND WE ARE RETURNING FROM EXECUTIVE SESSION.

CAN I GET A MOTION TO ENTER BACK INTO OPEN SESSION? SO MOVED. SECOND. OKAY, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.

[A. Deliberation regarding economic development projects and possible action related to projects ($551.087 Deliberation Regarding Economic Development Negotiations; §551.071 Consultation with Atorney; §551.072 Deliberation Regarding Real Property; Closed Meeting).]

ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE OR RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. WE ARE NOW BACK IN OPEN SESSION.

[7. OPEN SESSION]

LET'S GO TO ITEM FIVE H.

CONSIDER APPROVAL OF THE EDINBURG EDC FISCAL YEAR 25 BUDGET AND PROGRAM OF WORK.

[H. Consider approval of the Edinburg EDC FY25 Budget and Program of work.]

CAN WE GET A MOTION TO APPROVE THE BUDGET AND PROGRAM OF WORK? MOTION TO APPROVE. OKAY.

MOTION SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE OR RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND.

ITEM H IS APPROVED. ALL RIGHT, NOW LET'S GO TO THE MATTERS THAT WERE IN EXECUTIVE SESSION. I THINK WE HAD DISCUSSED THAT WE WANT TO ALLOW OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO PROCEED AS DISCUSSED ON ITEMS ONE, TWO, THREE AND NINE.

CAN WE GET A MOTION TO THAT EFFECT? OKAY. SO MOVED SECOND AND SECOND.

ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE OR RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. OKAY.

THAT MOTION, THOSE THOSE ARE APPROVED.

CONSULTATION WITH ATTORNEY.