[00:06:35] WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO MAKE THIS AS QUICK AS WE CAN, [00:06:37] BECAUSE THERE'S A MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL GAME GOING ON. I'M JUST KIDDING. I'M KIDDING. BUT BUT IT IS NOW 5:35 P.M., AND I'D LIKE TO GET STARTED BY ASKING YOU TO DO A ROLL CALL. YES, SIR. AARON RIVERA. PRESENT. PRESENT. DAN DIAZ. PRESENT. MARK MORAN PRESENT. RICHARD GONZALEZ IS NOT HERE. VERONICA GONZALEZ IS NOT HERE. SANDRA ALANIZ PRESENT. WE HAVE A QUORUM, SIR. OKAY. SEEING THAT WE HAVE A QUORUM, I CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER AND ASK THAT WE [1. CALL TO ORDER, ESTABLISH A QUORUM] [A. Pledge of Allegiance.] DO THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. PLEASE ALL STAND. 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. NEXT WE HAVE CERTIFICATION OF PUBLIC NOTICE. WAS THE MEETING POSTED PROPERLY? [2. CERTIFICATION OF PUBLIC NOTICE] YES, SIR. IT WAS POSTED ON OCTOBER 25TH AT 05:00. [3. DISCLOSURE OF CONFLICT OF INTEREST] THANK YOU. NOW WE MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER THREE. DISCLOSURE OF CONFLICT OF INTEREST. OMAR. YES, SIR. UNDER STATE LAW, A CONFLICT OF INTEREST EXISTS IF A BOARD MEMBER OR CERTAIN MEMBERS OF THAT PERSON'S FAMILY HAS A QUALIFYING FINANCIAL INTEREST IN AN AGENDA ITEM. IF THERE IS A CONFLICT, THE BOARD MEMBER CAN'T PARTICIPATE OR VOTE ON THE ITEM. ARE THERE ANY CONFLICTS TO DISCLOSE? NO, SIR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU OMAR. MOVING ON TO ITEM FOUR PUBLIC COMMENTS. [4. PUBLIC COMMENTS] DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS? SAMANTHA? NO. OKAY. [5. AGENDA ITEMS] [A. Consider approval of Minutes for the Joint Meeting held on July 30, 2024 and Annual Board] ITEM FIVE A CONSIDER APPROVAL OF MINUTES FOR JOINT MEETING HELD ON JULY 30TH, 2020 FOR AN ANNUAL BOARD MEETING HELD ON SEPTEMBER 24TH, 2024. THE MINUTES ARE IN THE BOARD PACKET AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN READ. ARE THERE ANY CHANGES TO THE MINUTES? NO. NO, SIR. OKAY. CAN I GET A MOTION TO APPROVE? SO MOVED. SECOND. WE HAVE FIRST AND SECOND. ALL SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. ALL OPPOSED. MOTION PASSES. NUMBER FIVE. AGENDA ITEMS. CONSIDER APPROVAL OF MINUTES FOR THE JOINT MEETING HELD ON JULY 30TH, 2020 FOR AN ANNUAL BOARD MEETING HELD ON SEPTEMBER 24TH, 2020 FOR ITEM FIVE. B PRESENTATION OF THE YEAR TO DATE FINANCIAL REPORT ENDING [B. Presentation of year-to-date Financial Report ending on September 30, 2024] SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2024. ARE THERE? YES, SIR. IN Y'ALL'S PACKET YOU HAVE THE FIRST PAGE OF THE FINANCIAL REPORT IS A BALANCE SHEET FOR THE PERIOD ENDING SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2024. ON THE ASSET SIDE, THERE'S A TOTAL OF $39,819,013 IN TOTAL ASSETS. THE CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS IS 14.878 MILLION. SALES TAX RECEIVABLES OF THOUSAND $4.5 MILLION IN RECEIVABLES. NET RECEIVABLES FROM SANTA ANA IS 9.67. RESTRICTED ASSETS. THE CASH EQUIVALENTS 787,000. AND OUR INVESTMENTS, WHICH ARE REALLY OUR BOND MONIES OF ALMOST $9.3 MILLION. THE LIABILITIES CURRENT LIABILITIES ARE $315,462. [00:10:04] AND THEN OUR FUND BALANCE FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS IS 6.8 MILLION. DEBT SERVICE 2.3 MILLION. NOTES RECEIVABLES 9.6 MILLION. PROPERTY ACQUISITION SET ASIDE IS 4.6 MILLION. AND OUR UNRESTRICTED BALANCE IS ABOUT $16 MILLION. ON THE NEXT PAGE, YOU HAVE YOUR ACTIVITY REPORT FOR THE MONTH AND IT'S OUR YEAR TO DATE. YEAR TO DATE NUMBERS WITHOUT THE ADJUSTING PERIOD. SO THIS IS ALMOST FINAL NUMBERS FOR LAST YEAR'S FISCAL YEAR. OUR SALES TAX WAS $8.667 MILLION, WHICH IS SLIGHTLY UNDER BUDGET THAN WE HAD PROJECTED 9.5. OUR INTEREST EARNED IN THE DIFFERENT INVESTMENTS WAS ACTUALLY WAY ABOVE WHAT WE HAD PROJECTED. OUR TOTAL REVENUES WERE $8.8 MILLION, NOT INCLUDING THE 1.75 FROM PROPERTY ACQUISITIONS THAT WE SOLD SOME PROPERTIES. OUR TOTAL ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENDITURES WAS UNDER BUDGET AT 1.28. OUR PROGRAMS, WE HAD $735,000 IN PROGRAMS. WE HAD $329,000 SPENT IN PROPERTY MAINTENANCE AND OTHER EXPENDITURES UNDER PROPERTIES. OUR INCENTIVE AGREEMENTS, WE SPENT $7.6 MILLION TOWARDS INCENTIVES. ON OUR BONDS, WE SPENT $2.679 MILLION WORTH OF DEBT PAYMENTS FOR TOTAL EXPENDITURES OF $12.6 MILLION. AND AGAIN, WE HAD $8 MILLION ALSO IN BOND PROJECTS. THAT'S REALLY KIND OF OUR SUMMARY OF OUR FISCAL YEAR LAST YEAR. THERE'S A CASH BALANCE SUMMARY ALSO IN THE NEXT PAGE, AND THEN YOU GOT A SALES TAX REPORT THAT SHOWS THAT WE HAD AN INCREASE THIS FISCAL YEAR OVER THE LAST OF ABOUT 4%. SO PRETTY GOOD PERFORMANCE LAST FISCAL YEAR. LOOKS GOOD. DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NO. OKAY. WELL, THIS IS NOT AN ACTION ITEM, SO NO VOTE IS NECESSARY. [C. Consider Approval of the Fiscal Year 2024-2025 Staffing services Agreement between the] WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM FIVE. C CONSIDER APPROVAL OF FISCAL YEAR 2024 2025 STAFFING SERVICES AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF EDINBURGH AND THE EDINBURGH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION. AS YOU PARDON ME, CITY STAFF AND EDC STAFF HAVE BEEN DISCUSSING THE AGREEMENT AND WHAT WE CAME TO AN AGREEMENT WITH. SUBJECT TO APPROVAL BY BOTH GOVERNING BODIES, IS THAT SINCE WE ARE TAKING ON. THE LEGAL SERVICES OURSELVES, WE WILL AGREE TO THE HALF MILLION DOLLARS FOR THE ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES THAT WE'VE BEEN PROVIDED. SAME AS LAST YEAR. LESS THE COST, THE ACTUAL COST OF LEGAL FEES. SO ON A QUARTERLY BASIS, WE'LL BE LOOKING AT WHAT OUR LEGAL FEES ARE AND THEN SUBTRACTING THAT FROM THE PAYMENT TO THE CITY. OTHER THAN THAT, THERE'S NO CHANGES IN THE AGREEMENT FROM THIS YEAR TO TO LAST YEAR. AND THERE'S NO THERE'S NO LIMIT ON THE LEGAL FEES. CORRECT. IN TERMS OF BASED ON WHAT WE HAD GOING ON. WE HAVEN'T TALKED ABOUT THAT AS, AS A, AS A CAP, IF YOU WILL. OBVIOUSLY, THEY PROBABLY WOULD BALK AT ANYTHING THAT'S UNREASONABLE. BUT OUR JOB IS TO TRY TO MINIMIZE THOSE FEES AND OTHER EXPENSES EXPENSES AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. WELL, WHEN IT COMES TO LEGAL FEES, IT'S NOT NECESSARILY THAT WE'RE GOING TO, YOU KNOW, INQUIRE ABOUT THE LEGALITY OF WHAT WE'RE DOING. SO IT'S WHENEVER WE NEED TO AN ATTORNEY TO GIVE US GUIDANCE. YEAH. NO, I THINK THAT OUR LEGAL FEES ARE GOING TO RANGE FROM PROBABLY 100,000 TO $150,000 A YEAR. THAT'S KIND OF AN AVERAGE THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT AS FAR AS A PROJECTION. ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? CAN I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE? SO MOVED. SECOND. MOTION TO APPROVE. AND A SECOND. MOTION PASSES. NEXT ITEM IS FIVE VOTE. PARDON ME. OKAY. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING YAY! RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. MOTION PASSES. NEXT ITEM IS FIVE D. [D. Consider approval of Sponsorship for the “29th Annual Blue Santa” Event by the City] CONSIDER APPROVAL OF SPONSORSHIP FOR THE 29TH ANNUAL BLUE SANTA EVENT BY THE CITY OF EDINBURG POLICE DEPARTMENT. WE HAVE SEVERAL OF OUR BLUE FUNNEL FINEST HERE WITH US. IF THEY'D LIKE TO STEP UP AND TALK ABOUT THE BLUE SANTA. THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON. I'M LIEUTENANT GABRIEL DE LA REINA WITH EDINBURG PD. JUST ASKING FOR YOUR SUPPORT IN THIS ANNUAL EVENT. [00:15:02] IT'S A GREAT EVENT. THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ATTEND. IT'S VERY SPECIAL. WE'RE ABLE TO HELP A LOT OF CHILDREN, ESPECIALLY THOSE IN NEED JUST TO MAKE THEIR CHRISTMAS A LITTLE BIT MORE SPECIAL. AND THE OTHER THING THAT IT REALLY HELPS IS THAT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT THAT OUR DEPARTMENT IS ALWAYS LOOKING, YOU KNOW, TO TO OUR COMMUNITY FOR, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T WANT TO BE MEETING PEOPLE UNDER NEGATIVE CIRCUMSTANCES. AND SOMETHING LIKE THIS IS SOMETHING VERY POSITIVE. SO I APPRECIATE ALL THE SUPPORT AND EVERYTHING THAT YOU GUYS CAN DO FOR US. I APPRECIATE IT. JUST JUST FOR THE BOARD THAT MIGHT MAYBE DOESN'T KNOW. SO THIS EVENT IS HUGE. IT IT HAPPENS HERE RIGHT AFTER THE TREE LIGHTING AND EVERYTHING. RIGHT GUYS. AND SO THERE'S A BIG, BIG EVENT. THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE SHOW UP. HOW MANY TOYS DID WE GIVE OUT LAST YEAR? IT WAS A LITTLE OVER 4000 TOYS THAT WE WERE ABLE TO. YEAH. SO HOLIDAY. GREAT GREAT GREAT EVENT. SOME OF THE KIDS THAT SHOW UP, IT'S THE BEST GIFTS THEY'RE GOING TO GET. SO I THINK IT'S A VERY WORTHWHILE CAUSE. AND THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU GUYS DO. I'D ALSO LIKE TO THANK YOU, LIEUTENANT, FOR WHAT YOU GUYS DO. I KNOW YOU GUYS DO A LOT, AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE. SO I KNOW THE KIDS HAVE A LOT OF FUN WITH THOSE EVENTS. YES, SIR. THANK YOU. REALLY APPRECIATE IT. GOD BLESS YOU. OKAY. THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS REQUESTING THE SPONSORSHIP OF 5000 FOR THIS EVENT. IS THAT CORRECT? THEY HAD REQUESTED 5000. LAST YEAR WE GAVE 1000. SO MY RECOMMENDATION FOR THIS YEAR WAS 2500. OKAY. I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION. I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO GIVE 5000 TO THE. AS REQUESTED BY PD. SECOND. WE HAVE A FIRST AND A SECOND MOTION PASSES. PARDON ME. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? NO. YEAH. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING YAY OR RAISING YOUR RIGHT HAND. MOTION PASSES. OKAY. GOOD DEAL. THANK YOU GUYS. THANK YOU GUYS. NEXT ITEM IS EXECUTIVE SESSION. WE HAVE SEVERAL PROJECTS. CONSULTATION WITH ATTORNEY AND EVALUATION OF OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND EXECUTIVE SESSION. SO I'D LIKE TO HAVE A MOTION TO ENTER INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION. SO MOVED. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY MOTION PASSES. WE'RE IN EXECUTIVE SESSION AT 5:46 P.M.. THANK YOU GUYS. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU ALL. [6. EXECUTIVE SESSION] [00:21:20] YEAH, IT'S COUNCIL MEMBER WHITE. HE'S GONNA COME. HE'S SUPPOSED TO. AND HE DOESN'T KNOW. YEAH. YEAH. OKAY. 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 TO 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 EDINBURG 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. [00:25:01] 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? IT. WE WOKE UP THINKING IT WAS GOING TO BE RAINY AND IT WAS GOING TO BE. AND LOOK AT THIS BEAUTIFUL DAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE TODAY TO CELEBRATE THIS GROUNDBREAKING THAT I THINK A LOT OF RESIDENTS, I WALKED UP, I WOKE UP THIS MORNING AND TRIED TO FIND OUT WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME WE BUILT THE WATER TOWER HERE IN OUR CITY OF EDINBURGH? SO I GOT SOME DIFFERENT DATES. ALL I'M GOING TO SAY, IT'S OVER 25 YEARS. OKAY. ALMOST THREE DECADES THAT THAT'S THE LAST TIME THAT A WATER TOWER WAS BUILT. AND IT'S NOT BECAUSE IT WASN'T NEEDED. 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 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. YEAH, IT'S COUNCIL MEMBER WHITE. HE'S GONNA COME. HE'S SUPPOSED TO. AND HE DOESN'T EVEN. YEAH, YEAH. YEAH. GO GO GO GO GO. ALRIGHTY. GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY. [00:30:01] 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 DE LEON 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 IN 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. I PLEDGE 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. ROBERT KISTNER, THE MATERIALS TESTING LAB ON THIS PROJECT. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US. AND OF COURSE, LANDMARK STRUCTURES, OUR CONTRACTORS. THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO. NOW TO OFFICIALLY KICK US OFF, PLEASE HELP ME WELCOME UP MAYOR RAMIRO GARZA JUNIOR FOR A FEW REMARKS. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. WHAT A BEAUTIFUL MORNING, ISN'T IT? WE WOKE UP THINKING IT WAS GOING TO BE RAINING. IT WAS GOING TO BE. AND LOOK AT THIS BEAUTIFUL DAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE TODAY TO CELEBRATE THIS GROUNDBREAKING THAT I THINK A LOT OF RESIDENTS, I WALKED UP, I WOKE UP THIS MORNING AND TRIED TO FIND OUT WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME WE BUILT THE WATER TOWER HERE IN OUR CITY OF EDINBURGH? SO I GOT SOME DIFFERENT DATES. ALL I'M GOING TO SAY, IT'S OVER 25 YEARS. OKAY. ALMOST THREE DECADES THAT THAT'S THE LAST TIME THAT A WATER TOWER WAS BUILT. AND IT'S NOT BECAUSE IT WASN'T NEEDED. 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 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. [00:35:03] 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 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 ON 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, IN OUR REGION. I WAS JUST SHARING HOW THEIR FAMILY HAS JUST BEEN SUCH A VITAL PART OF OUR COMMUNITY FOR MANY, MANY, MANY YEARS. AND I SEE RONNIE FROM OUR CHAMBER HERE THEIR FAMILY. LLOYD BEN SENIOR ACTUALLY STARTED THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY PARTNERSHIP. IF YOU LOOK AT THE INCORPORATION PAPERS THEY'RE THE ONES THAT STARTED THE PARTNERSHIP OF WHICH, TO ME WAS THE START OF BRINGING THE REGION TOGETHER AND ADVOCATING TO HAVE ONE REGION FOR THE FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR, OUR AREA. AND HERE TODAY, YOU ALL CONTINUE, YOU KNOW, TO PROVIDE AND SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITY. AND WE SO VERY APPRECIATE YOUR DONATION, YOUR GENEROUS OFFER. BECAUSE WITHOUT THAT, THIS WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE. SO THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH AGAIN. THANK YOU. I ALSO WANT TO THANK OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION. WE HAVE SOME OF THE BOARD MEMBERS HERE. WE HAVE MISS VERONICA GONZALEZ. SHE'S THE CHAIR I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THEM THAT ARE HERE. WE HAVE ALSO HERE IN FRONT EDDIE GARZA, OUR BOARD MEMBER AS WELL. WE HAVE RONNIE RIVERA AS WELL THAT'S HERE REPRESENTING THE BOARD. AND I DON'T SEE ANY OTHER BOARD MEMBERS. THERE'S SEVEN. AND OUR COUNCIL MEMBER, DAN DIAZ, IS OUT OF TOWN, BUT HE'S ALSO ON THE BOARD, AND WE HAVE OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ADELE GARZA, THAT'S HERE ALSO. THIS IS A PROJECT THAT'S OVER $5 MILLION. SO THE CITY IS PUTTING UP A LITTLE OVER 3 MILLION, AND THE EDC IS PUTTING IN THE OTHER 2 MILLION. SO MY THANK YOU TO THE BOARD AND THE EDC FOR CONTRIBUTING TO THIS PROJECT. 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 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, 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. [00:40:08] GOOD MORNING. IT'S KIND OF HARD AFTER THE MAYOR SAYING WHAT HE SAID AND JASON KIND OF FILLING 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 RIVERA AND MISTER EDDIE GARZA. WE ALSO HAVE JOINING US MR. RANDALL GARZA, 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 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 EDINBURGH, 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 THE CVS, YOU'VE GOT A BLUE WAVE. AND WE'RE CONTINUING TO SEE MORE AND MORE GROWTH HAPPENING IN THIS DIRECTION. SO WE KNOW THAT THIS CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT IS GOING TO ONLY HELP US TO CONTINUE WITH THAT SUCCESS. MAYOR, WE WANT TO THANK YOU, AND WE WANT TO THANK THE COUNCIL AND YOUR WONDERFUL STAFF FOR INVITING THE EDC TO PARTNER ON THIS PROJECT. WE WANT TO ALSO THANK AGAIN THE BENSON FAMILY FOR BEING SUCH WONDERFUL LEADERS AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS WITH US HERE IN EDINBURG AND REALLY THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE RIO GRANDE VALLEY. I NOTICED WE HAD OUR COMMISSIONER COME IN. SHE'S IN THE BACK. SHE SHOULD COME ON UP FRONT. MISS ELLIE TORRES, WHO IS ALSO SUPPORTING US ALWAYS IN HIDALGO COUNTY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CONTINUE WITH OUR GROWTH. YOU KNOW, AS EDINBURG CONTINUES TO GROW, WE HAVE TO PLAN AHEAD, AND WE HAVE TO BE READY. AND THIS PROJECT IS AN EXAMPLE OF THE STEPS THAT ARE BEING TAKEN TO WELCOME THE GROWTH AND TO POSITION EDINBURG FOR FUTURE SUCCESS. THANK YOU. GOD BLESS YOU ALL AND HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY. THANK YOU, MISS GONZALEZ, AND THANK YOU AGAIN. YES. 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. APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE. AND SO DOES HE. THANK YOU. WE APPRECIATE YOU BOTH BEING HERE WITH US TODAY. [00:45:03] 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 EDINBURG. AFTER THIS PROJECT IS COMPLETED, THE CITY OF EDINBURG WILL HAVE OVER 4 MILLION GALLONS OF ELEVATED WATER STORAGE CAPACITY. THIS WATER TOWER WILL BECOME AN IMPORTANT AND MAJOR ASSET FOR THE CITY, AND WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL. THE EDINBURG ECONOMIC ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION CITY MANAGER, CITY MANAGEMENT, THE BENSON FAMILY FOR DONATING THE PROPERTY, AND MY STAFF, THE CONSULTANTS MELVIN HUNT AND ROBERT KISTNER 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. IS THERE ENOUGH? OKAY. GOOD, GOOD. WOW. GOOD JOB. DO KARAOKE. BABY, BABY, BABY. ALL RIGHT. THERE YOU GO. SORRY. ARE YOU GOOD? YEAH. I JUST NEED, LIKE, A LITTLE. OH, YEAH. NO, I GOT IT. YEAH. CAN YOU DO IT? WHERE DID THE MIC GO? BUT IT'S LIKE, DO ONE, LIKE HOLDING COMING IN. AND WHEN THEY WERE COUNTING DOWN, YOU WANT THEM TO TURN TO THE LEFT? YEAH. YOU 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 ONTO 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, 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. VERY NICE. THANK YOU. NO, I WAS TALKING TO MYSELF. [00:51:09] AND THEN OVER THE COMMISSIONERS. YES. AND WHO'S SPEAKING? YES. YOU YEAH. YES. MAYBE JUST SIT IN THE FRONT SEAT RIGHT HERE. SIT IN THE FRONT. RIGHT HERE. YES. I THINK MY MOTHER WANTED TO HEAR THIS. 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. 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, I AWESOME. SO PLEASE HELP ME NOW IN WELCOMING UP OUR MAYOR, RAMIRO GARZA JUNIOR, FOR THE OFFICIAL REMARKS. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. I DO WANT TO TAKE THIS TIME TO RECOGNIZE OUR OUR COUNCIL THAT IS HERE BECAUSE IT IS A TEAM EFFORT. ALSO, WE HAVE OUR MAYOR PRO TEM DAN DIAZ. I KNOW HE ALREADY CAME UP, BUT I WANT TO GIVE HIM A HAND AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. COUNCIL MEMBER JASON DE LEON AND WE HAVE TWO OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS. TWO DAVIDS, DAVID WHITE AND DAVID SALAZAR ARE NOT ABLE TO BE HERE WITH US TODAY, BUT I DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THEM AS WELL. AND I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE I SEE FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER JOHNNY GARCIA, WHO'S HERE WITH US TODAY, AND SOME OF THESE PROJECTS THE THE PLANNING STARTS AS THE COMMISSIONER KNOWS, [00:55:01] 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 DOOLITTLE 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 Y'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 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 PATIENCE, 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. 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, OUR ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR, MR. MARCO HINOJOSA. GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING. IT'S NICE TO BE HERE. ONE MORE PROJECT FOR THE CITY OF EDINBURGH. ONE MORE DRAINAGE PROJECT BENEFITING OUR RESIDENTS. IT IS A 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. [01:00:02] 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 FREDDIE. 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 WATERS 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 ELY IS WORKING ON WITH THE TEX-DOT, 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 WITH THE PRODUCT. THE PROGRESS OF EACH PROJECT IS IF ANY MORE QUESTIONS ARE COMING. YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO COME TO THE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT AND WE'LL BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO HELP WITH THAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. YES, SIR. FOR THOSE THAT AREN'T FAMILIAR WITH DETENTION PONDS OR THOSE NEW TO THE CITY, CAN YOU TELL HIM WHAT HE ACTUALLY DOES AND HOW IT AFFECTS YOU? OKAY, SO WHAT ARE 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 ALL CONNECTED. BUT YOU WERE ACTUALLY THERE. HOW YOU DOING? HOW ARE YOU? GOOD TO SEE YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE? YES. GOOD WEATHER. SO WE'RE EXPANDING IT OUTSIDE. SO WE'RE GROWING. INSTEAD OF JUST FOCUSING ON THE BABY IN THAT CORNER WAS ONE. RIGHT NOW. THAT'S RIGHT. THAT'S RIGHT. IT ALLOWS THE WATER TO FLOW OUT. OR IT'LL HAVE A BLOW OUT. THAT WAY. SO NOW WHAT WE'RE DOING IS 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 THE HIDALGO COUNTY. OH, I KNOW THAT ONE. I CAN'T SAY FOR CERTAIN ON THE TOP, [01:05:03] BUT WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? IT SHOULDN'T HAVE ANY. IT SHOULD BE DRY AT ALL TIMES. SO THE DRY LAND, YOU KNOW. WHENEVER YOU BUILD UPON. THAT'S THAT'S SUPPOSED TO BE. YOU WANT IT TO BE. BUT IN SOME CASES, THEY TURN IT OVER INTO, LIKE, SOCCER FIELDS. BASEBALL FIELDS. SO THE THE IRRIGATION CANAL THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT AREA. SO YOU HAVE HOMES ON THIS SIDE. ONCE WE'RE ALL READY TO GO, YOU'LL LOOK OVER AT CAMERON LIKE I MENTIONED. PUT YOUR SHOVEL DOWN. JASON. JASON. JASON. WOW. OKAY, ON THE COUNT OF THREE. EVERYBODY OVER HERE! OKAY. 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. TO OUR RIGHT. TO THAT SIDE. YEAH. READY? EVERYBODY HAS A SHOVEL UP. AND THEN ON THE COUNT OF THREE. ONE, TWO. THREE. TURN. 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. EVERYONE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR SAFE PASSAGE THROUGH A WORK ZONE. THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, ALSO KNOWN AS TXDOT, ALONG WITH CONTRACTORS THAT WORK WITH THE AGENCY, HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF MAINTAINING A ROADWAY SYSTEM THAT CONNECTS TEXAS COMMUNITIES AND MOVES PEOPLE AND GOODS SAFELY AND EFFICIENTLY. IT'S YOUR JOB TO REMAIN ALERT AND PAY ATTENTION WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAYS, ESPECIALLY WHILE DRIVING THROUGH WORK ZONES. THERE ARE TWO SIDES OF THE LINE HERE AND WE HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF EACH OTHER. IT TAKES US AS CONTRACTORS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GUIDE THE PUBLIC THROUGH OUR WORK ZONE. AT THE SAME TIME, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PUBLIC IS WATCHING OUT FOR US. WE'RE WORKERS. WE HAVE FAMILY. WE WANT TO GO HOME JUST LIKE YOU WANT TO GO HOME. EACH YEAR IN TEXAS, THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY 15,000 CRASHES AND MORE THAN 100 PEOPLE KILLED IN HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE WORK ZONES. IF YOU WERE NOT EXPECTING TO DRIVE THROUGH A WORK ZONE TODAY, CONSIDER THIS ROAD BUILDING IN TEXAS IS YEAR ROUND, AND THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION MAINTAINS ABOUT 200,000 LANE MILES OF ROADWAY. OVER 1000 PROJECTS ARE UNDERWAY AT ANY TIME. TRAFFIC FINDS DOUBLE WHEN WORKERS ARE IN SITE, AND ON ANY GIVEN DAY, OVER 36,000 WORKERS ARE ON OR NEAR A TEXAS ROADWAY. AND IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE AS DRIVERS ARE FULLY PAYING ATTENTION. THINGS CHANGE IN A WORK ZONE. 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. [01:10:02] 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 SEE LESS OF YOU AND YOU MAY SEE LESS OF THEM, AND A DRIVER'S EYESIGHT CAN BE TEMPORARILY BLINDED BY BRIGHT WORK ZONE LIGHTS OR BY ONCOMING TRAFFIC. REMEMBER AS CONSTRUCTION PROGRESSES, THE WORK ZONE PATH MAY CHANGE. WORKERS MUST BE ATTENTIVE, BUT DAY OR NIGHT, ENEMY NUMBER ONE IN A WORK ZONE IS A DISTRACTED DRIVER. I'LL MAKE IT HAPPEN WHEN YOU'RE IN A WORK ZONE. DON'T ZONE OUT. SILENCE THE CELL. TEXT LATER AND KEEP YOUR MIND ON THE ROAD. THIS IS NOT TIME FOR CHECKING THE GPS. EATING. GROOMING. CHANGING THE RADIO STATION MP3 OR CD. DAYDREAMING OR WORRYING ABOUT PERSONAL ISSUES IS ALSO A DISTRACTION. IF YOU ALLOW YOURSELF TO BE DISTRACTED WHILE DRIVING THROUGH THAT, THROUGH THAT WORK ZONE AND ANSWER THAT CELL PHONE, THAT MAY BE ALL IT TAKES TO CROSS THE BARREL. AND UNFORTUNATELY, STRIKE A WORKER WHO'S STANDING ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT BARREL WORKING FOR YOU TO TRY TO CREATE A SAFE HIGHWAY SYSTEM WHEN BEHIND THE WHEEL. DRIVING IS YOUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY. AND KEEP IN MIND, TEENAGERS MODEL THEIR PARENTS BEHAVIOR. IF YOU TEXT, YOUR TEENAGERS MAY TEXT EVEN AFTER TELLING THEM IT'S DANGEROUS. ACCORDING TO DISTRACTION GOV, A TEXTING DRIVER IS 23 TIMES MORE LIKELY TO CRASH. SENDING OR READING A TEXT CAN DIVERT YOUR EYES FROM THE ROAD FOR ABOUT 4.6 SECONDS AT 55MPH. THAT'S SIMILAR TO DRIVING BLINDFOLDED THE DISTANCE OF A FOOTBALL FIELD. 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 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 JONES. 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, MAYRA AYALA. [01:15:04] MAYRA. 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 MISTER DAN DIAZ. DAVID SALAZAR. JASON DE LEON. I DON'T KNOW IF JASON WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT, BUT. JASON. THANK YOU. COUNCIL MEMBER DAVID WHITE. AND THEN REPRESENTING THE EDC EDINBURG EDC BOARD WE HAVE PRESIDENT VERONICA GONZALEZ. WE HAVE OUR EDC DIRECTOR, RODEL GARZA. ADELE. WE ALSO HAVE WITH US RAUL RESENDEZ FROM THE EDC BOARD AS WELL, AND RONNIE RIVERA FROM THE EDC BOARD. RONNIE. FROM THE CITY OF MCALLEN, WE HAVE COMMISSIONER TONY ARGUETA. 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 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 HOCKER. SENIOR VP FOR RESEARCH. AND 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 FOUNDER 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 AND FROM THIS DAY MOVING FORWARD, IT WILL BE THE PRIMARY HOME FOR VAQUEROS FOOTBALL. I THINK WE SHOULD START EVERY DAY OFF WITH THE 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. [01:20:03] 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 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 THIS 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 1718 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. WE 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 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. [01:25:01] I WANT YOU TO THINK ABOUT SOMETHING. AUGUST 30TH, 2015. 15 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 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, YOU KNOW, THE TOPIC YOU CAN ALWAYS TALK ABOUT AND THE TOPIC THAT GARNERS INTEREST FROM EVERYBODY. YOU KNOW WHAT THAT IS? IT'S 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. 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. GOVERNOR. 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 WE CELEBRATE THIS MILESTONE HERE FOR OUR CITY. [01:30:05] THE ARRIVAL OF DIVISION ONE FOOTBALL HERE TO OUR CITY OF EDINBURGH. IT 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 EDINBURG, 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'S 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, 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, 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 YOU KNOW, 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 A 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. [01:35:02] 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 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 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, WE 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, ALL THE DIFFERENT UNITS THAT MAKE UP A TEAM AND ALL THOSE UNITS CAME TOGETHER THROUGH THIS PROCESS, AND WE KEPT FIGHTING AND 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. CHASED DOCTOR BAILEY. THE CITY OF EDINBURGH MAYOR. I MEAN, IT'S TRULY A TRULY A BLESSING TO BE TO BE OFFICIALLY STANDING HERE AT AT, AT THIS STADIUM. AND YOU KNOW, CHASE MENTIONED THE, THE ENVIRONMENT AS YOU KNOW, AS A, 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 TO FREDDIE 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, OR 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 WE TALKED ABOUT THIS A LITTLE BIT. WE MIGHT HAVE KIND OF IN, 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. [01:40:02] 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 AWAY 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 STAND. IT'S EVERYBODY IN THOSE SEATS. THE SEATS FULL FILL WITH ARMS. 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 TO. 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 YOU. WELL, MAYOR DOCTOR BAILEY, IF Y'ALL COULD COME UP, LET'S MAKE MAKE THIS OFFICIAL HERE. MAYOR 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. ON BEHALF OF THE ENTIRE UNIVERSITY. OUR GRATITUDE EXPRESSED THROUGH THIS HELMET. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I ACCEPT THIS ON BEHALF OF THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY OF EDINBURGH AS WE SHARE THIS ALL TOGETHER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COACH. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU ALL. THANK YOU. 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. [01:45:02] 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. V'S UP. THANK YOU. YEAH, HE WAS MY CLOSEST FRIEND. HE WAS LIKE MY BROTHER TO ME. NOW. ONE, ONE. WHAT 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. AND HE WAS ALWAYS LAUGHING, ALWAYS PLAYING JOKES ON SOMEBODY. THAT I MISSED THAT A LOT ABOUT HIM. HE'S BLEEDING PRETTY BAD. YEAH, IT'S COUNCIL MEMBER REMEMBER, WHITE IS GOING TO COME. HE'S SUPPOSED TO AND HE DOESN'T. YEAH. WHY? ARE YOU CALLING? FOR THAT. ALL RIGHTY. 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 DE LEON 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 [01:50:03] 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 TO 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 EDINBURG 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. 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 GARCIA JR 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 RAINY AND IT WAS GOING TO BE. AND LOOK AT THIS BEAUTIFUL DAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE TODAY TO CELEBRATE THIS GROUNDBREAKING THAT I THINK A LOT OF RESIDENTS, I WALKED UP, I WOKE UP THIS MORNING AND TRIED TO FIND OUT WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME WE BUILT THE WATER TOWER HERE IN OUR CITY OF EDINBURGH? SO I GOT SOME DIFFERENT DATES. ALL I'M GOING TO SAY IT'S OVER 25 YEARS. OKAY. ALMOST THREE DECADES THAT THAT'S THE LAST TIME THAT A WATER TOWER WAS BUILT. AND IT'S NOT BECAUSE IT WASN'T NEEDED. 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 1400 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 WORKED EACH AND EVERY DAY TO ENSURE THAT OUR RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES GET CLEAN AND SAFE WATER. LET'S GIVE THEM A HAND AT THIS TIME FOR ALL THE UTILITIES DEPARTMENT YOU SEE HERE TODAY. YOU KNOW YOUR SUPPORT MATTERS, AND IT'S BECAUSE OF THIS UNITY THAT WE STAND HERE TODAY AND READY TO BUILD A BETTER FUTURE FOR OUR CITY. AND I KNOW THEY WERE ALREADY MENTIONED, BUT I DO WANT TO TAKE THIS TIME TO THANK [01:55:04] 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, 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 THEY'RE FAMILY. LLOYD BENTSEN SR. 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. 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. 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 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, NONE OF THIS WOULD BE POSSIBLE. SO WE CAN GIVE YOU ALL A ROUND OF APPLAUSE. AND EDINBURG IS GOING TO CONTINUE BEING THE FASTEST GROWING CITY IN THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY. THANK YOU ALL AND GOD BLESS. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN 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 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. [02:00:01] 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. MR. RONNIE RIVERA AND MR. EDDIE GARZA, WE ALSO HAVE JOINING US, MR. GARZA, 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 EDDIE 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 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 EDINBURGH, WHICH IS WHY WE AT THE EDC ARE SO EXCITED. IN FACT, WE'RE ALREADY SEEING BUSINESSES LOCATED HERE. IF YOU LOOK UP THE STREET A BIT, YOU SEE ALL OF THE, OF COURSE, THE FAST FOOD RESTAURANTS. YOU'VE GOT THE WHATABURGER, THE MCDONALD'S GOT THE CVS, YOU'VE GOT A BLUE WAVE. AND WE'RE CONTINUING TO SEE MORE AND MORE GROWTH HAPPENING IN THIS DIRECTION. SO WE KNOW THAT THIS CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT IS GOING TO ONLY HELP US TO CONTINUE WITH THAT SUCCESS. MAYOR, WE WANT TO THANK YOU, AND WE WANT TO THANK THE COUNCIL AND YOUR WONDERFUL STAFF FOR INVITING THE EDC TO PARTNER ON THIS PROJECT. WE WANT TO ALSO THANK AGAIN THE BENSON FAMILY FOR BEING SUCH WONDERFUL LEADERS AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS WITH US HERE IN EDINBURGH AND REALLY THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE RIO GRANDE VALLEY. I NOTICED WE HAD OUR COMMISSIONER COME IN. SHE'S IN THE BACK. SHE SHOULD COME ON UP FRONT. MISS ELLIE TORRES, WHO IS ALSO SUPPORTING US ALWAYS IN HIDALGO COUNTY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CONTINUE WITH OUR GROWTH. YOU KNOW, AS EDINBURG CONTINUES TO GROW, WE HAVE TO PLAN AHEAD AND WE HAVE TO BE READY. AND THIS PROJECT IS AN EXAMPLE OF THE STEPS THAT ARE BEING TAKEN TO WELCOME THE GROWTH AND TO POSITION EDINBURG FOR FUTURE SUCCESS. THANK YOU. GOD BLESS YOU ALL AND HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY. THANK YOU, MISS GONZALEZ, AND THANK YOU AGAIN. YEAH. WE LIKE TO SAY SOMETHING. FEEL FREE. JOIN US UP HERE AT THE FRONT. ARE YOU SURE YOU 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 WISH YOU COULD 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 EDINBURG. AFTER THIS PROJECT IS COMPLETED, THE CITY OF EDINBURGH WILL HAVE OVER 4 MILLION GALLONS OF ELEVATED WATER STORAGE CAPACITY. [02:05:01] 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 EDINBURG ECONOMIC ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION CITY MANAGER, CITY MANAGEMENT, THE BENSON FAMILY FOR DONATING THE PROPERTY, AND MY STAFF, THE CONSULTANTS MELVIN HUNT AND ROBERT KISTNER 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. IS THERE A ROLE FOR YOU? IS THERE ENOUGH? GOOD, GOOD. GOOD JOB. GOOD. KARAOKE. BABY. BABY. BABY. THERE YOU GO. SORRY. ARE YOU GOOD? YEAH. I MEAN, LIKE, A LITTLE BIT OF SPACE I JUST NEED, LIKE, A LITTLE. OH, YEAH. NO, I GOT IT. YEAH. CAN YOU DO IT? WHERE DID THE MIC. CARLOS. DO ONE. LIKE HOLDING IT. AND THEN WHEN THEY DO, YOU WANT THEM TO TURN TO THE LEFT. YEAH. JUST GOTTA BE LOOKING UP. SO WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO FIRST IS WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A GROUP PHOTO. SO IF EVERYONE HOLDS ON TO THEIR SHOVELS AND LOOKS RIGHT HERE IN THE MIDDLE, IT'LL BE GOOD TO GO FOR THAT PHOTO. AND THEN I'LL DIRECT YOU FROM THERE. OKAY. ALL RIGHT, GUYS, CAN I GET EVERYONE RIGHT HERE? ON THE COUNT OF THREE. READY? ONE. TWO. THREE. OH. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, WAIT. ONE MORE, ONE MORE, 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. VERY NICE. THANK YOU. YOU. KNOW, I WAS TALKING TO MYSELF. [02:14:00] THE PROPERTY IS ACTUALLY LANDLOCKED. OKAY, I THINK WE ARE READY TO GET THIS SHOW ON THE ROAD. GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US. IT IS ANOTHER BIG MORNING FOR THE CITY OF EDINBURG. IT'S A BEAUTIFUL DAY FOR THIS. I'M ROXANNE LERMA, THE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA FOR THIS GREAT CITY. IT IS A PLEASURE TO BE HERE AS WE OFFICIALLY BREAK GROUND ON YET EVEN MORE PROGRESS FOR OUR AWESOME CITY OF EDINBURGH. THERE ARE SOME SIGNIFICANT DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE COMING. THAT IS ALWAYS GREAT NEWS FOR OUR RESIDENTS, ESPECIALLY THOSE THAT LIVE HERE IN THIS AREA FOR BRANT CEDAR. SO WE'RE EXCITED FOR THEM. WANT TO START TODAY BY INTRODUCING OUR EDINBURG CITY COUNCIL BIG, BIG PROJECT FOR THEM, OF COURSE. PLEASE WELCOME OUR MAYOR, RAMIRO GARZA, JUNIOR. MAYOR PRO TEM DAN DIAZ. COUNCILMAN DAVID SALAZAR, OUR CITY MANAGER. MISS MAYRA AYALA. ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, MISS NELDA RAMIREZ. [02:15:05] SO WE ALSO COULD NOT DO ALL OF THESE AMAZING UPGRADES AND IMPROVEMENTS WITHOUT SOME AMAZING PARTNERS. BIG THANKS TO OUR ENGINEER OF RECORD, KCI TECHNOLOGIES. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. THE CONTRACTOR THREE LOGISTICS OF TEXAS. AND THEN ALSO SPECIAL THANKS TO THE US DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT, WHO HELPED TO PARTIALLY FUND THIS PROJECT. SO ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR THEM. NOW LET'S BEGIN OUR PROGRAM TODAY IN PRAYER. IF YOU CAN. PLEASE STAND FOR THAT. PLEASE WELCOME MAYOR PRO TEM DAN DIAZ TO LEAD US IN THE INVOCATION AND FOLLOWED BY COUNCIL MEMBER SALAZAR TO LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. GOOD MORNING. BUENOS DIAS EVERYBODY. WE COULD REMOVE ANY HEADGEAR. GOD WANT TO BLESS YOU FOR THIS BEAUTIFUL DAY YOU HAVE GIVEN US IN THE CITY OF EDINBURG. WANT TO THANK ALL THE PARTNERS, ALL THE PLANNERS, ALL THE VOICES THAT WERE HEARD THAT ARE GOING TO MAKE THIS A REALITY. DEAR HEAVENLY FATHER, AS WE GATHER TODAY, WE HUMBLY COME BEFORE YOU WITH HEARTS FILLED WITH GRATITUDE AND HOPE. WE THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO WITNESS THE GROUNDBREAKING OF THIS DETENTION POND IN THE CITY OF EDINBURGH, A SYMBOL OF PROGRESS AND PROTECTION FOR OUR COMMUNITY. WE ASK FOR YOUR BLESSINGS UPON THIS ENDEAVOR. MAY THIS PROJECT BE A TESTAMENT TO OUR COMMITMENT TO STEWARDING THE LAND YOU HAVE ENTRUSTED TO US, ENSURING ITS PRESERVATION AND THE WELL-BEING OF ALL WHO LIVE HERE. GRANT WISDOM AND GUIDANCE TO THOSE WHO WILL INVOLVE WILL BE INVOLVED IN THE CONSTRUCTION PROCESS. THAT THEY MAY WORK SAFELY AND DILIGENTLY TO BRING THIS VISION TO LIFE. MAY THIS DETENTION POND SERVE NOT ONLY AS A PRACTICAL SOLUTION FOR MANAGING WATER, BUT ALSO AS A REMINDER OF THE UNITY AND STRENGTH FOUND IN COMING TOGETHER FOR THE GREATER GOOD. AS WE BREAK GROUND TODAY, WE PLACE OUR TRUST IN YOU, KNOWING THAT WITH YOUR GUIDANCE, THIS UNDERTAKING WILL BE A BLESSING TO OUR CITY FOR GENERATIONS TO COME. IN YOUR HOLY NAME WE PRAY. AMEN. AMEN. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG TO 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 SO MUCH. YOU MAY BE SEATED. AND NOW, CONTINUING WITH OUR PROGRAM THIS MORNING, I'D LIKE TO WELCOME THE LEADER OF OUR ALL-AMERICA CITY, OUR MAYOR RAMIRO GARZA JUNIOR. GOOD MORNING, EVERYBODY. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US HERE TODAY. SUCH A BEAUTIFUL DAY TODAY TO CELEBRATE THE GROUNDBREAKING OF THIS MUCH NEEDED PROJECT, I WANT YOU TO JUST QUICKLY TAKE A LOOK AT THE AREA OF WHAT THIS DRAINAGE PROJECT IS. I GET ASKED SOMETIMES WE HAVE THESE EVENTS. THEY SAY, WHAT DOES THIS MEAN? WHERE'S WHERE'S THIS HELPING? SO I LIKE TO JUST TAKE A LOOK AT IT. WHERE WE'RE LOCATED, WHERE YOU CAN'T EVEN TELL WHERE WE'RE LOCATED. THERE. IT'S OUTSIDE THE PICTURE. BUT THE IMPACT OF THIS AREA, IT'S GOING TO COVER QUITE A BIT OF RESIDENTS. BUT I WANT TO START BY THANKING COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT. THEY'RE PARTIALLY FUNDED. I THINK THEY MOSTLY FUNDED THIS PROJECT. SO I THINK WE HAVE MR.. OLIVARES, YOU'RE HERE REPRESENTING THE COUNCIL. CAN YOU PLEASE STAND AND BE RECOGNIZED? WE HAVE WE HAVE OUR CLAUDIA REPRESENTS THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK. GRANT, WOULD YOU PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND AND YOUR STAFF MAN? BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE IS OBVIOUSLY DRAINAGE STREET IMPROVEMENTS, FALLS UNDER THE CITY, OUR GENERAL FUND, OUR PROPERTY TAXES. FORTUNATELY, IT'S NEVER ENOUGH, YOU KNOW, TO DO ALL THE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DO TO TAKE CARE OF OUR COMMUNITY. SO I WANT TO THANK OUR CITY MANAGEMENT, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT THE, THE COMMITTEE AND THEN ALSO THE 2040 COMMITTEE, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW WHAT? THEY'RE THE ONES THAT TOLD US DRAINAGE IS A BIG NEED HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND SO TODAY WE'RE ANSWERING THAT CALL MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE PROVIDING THESE IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE NEEDED HERE IN OUR CITY. AND AS I MENTIONED IF YOU LOOK AT THE MAP, THIS STARTED, I THINK, IN ABOUT 2022, STARTED THE DESIGN AND ACQUISITION OF THE PROPERTY. THE PROPERTY, THE PROPOSED DETENTION POND YOU SEE BEHIND ME HERE, THAT'S THE AREA THAT THE CITY HAD TO ACQUIRE TO MAKE THIS PROPOSED DETENTION POND. THAT WAS A BIG PART OF THIS. A LOT OF TIMES YOU KNOW, AS THE COUNCIL, WE'RE OFTEN GRAPPLING WITH, OKAY, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO AND THIS IS HOW WE'RE GOING TO DO IT. BUT THESE TAKE TIME. OKAY. SO I THANK OUR RESIDENTS FOR THE PATIENCE. THAT LITTLE PIECE OF PROPERTY THERE TOOK US ABOUT A YEAR TO ACQUIRE. OKAY. AND SO BUT IT'S VERY MUCH NEEDED, YOU KNOW, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE MAKE THE IMPROVEMENTS WE CAN. BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, THIS IS TO PREVENT FLOODING, AND IT'S TO KEEP WATER AWAY FROM YOUR HOMES, KEEP WATER AWAY FROM YOUR PROPERTY, [02:20:06] AND MAKING SURE THAT THE WATER MOVES ALONG WHERE IT NEEDS TO, ALONG THE DRAINAGE CANALS INTO THE LAGUNA MADRE AREA. AS I MENTIONED, THIS IS ABOUT 34 ACRES THAT IT'S GOING TO COVER. SO IT'S IT'S SUCH A BIG IMPROVEMENT. AND YOU KNOW WHAT I IF YOU LOOK AT THE AREA, THE INDIRECT AREA, SOUTH MIDDLE SCHOOL IS THERE, RIGHT. AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE DIRECT IMPACT AREA JUST WEST OF THAT, YOU SEE AREAS THERE. WE HAVE SOME MULTIFAMILY AREAS. WE HAVE SO RESIDENTS THAT UNFORTUNATELY THEY CAN'T AFFORD TO HAVE THEIR OWN HOME. SO THEY LIVE IN MULTIFAMILY IN THOSE AREAS. THIS IS GOING TO HELP THEM DIRECTLY. AND SO THAT IS WHY COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT OR AT LEAST THIS QUALIFIED FOR FUNDING BECAUSE IT AFFECTS AND IMPACTS THAT AREA. AND SO I JUST WANT TO THANK EVERYONE THAT'S INVOLVED. THERE'S SO MANY PEOPLE INVOLVED WITH THIS PROCESS FROM OUR ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT. THE GRANTS I MENTIONED, CITY MANAGEMENT. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR MAKING SURE THAT WE STAY ON TOP OF THIS PROJECT SO THAT IT COULD HAPPEN. THIS SHOULD BE COMPLETED THE LATER THIS YEAR. I THINK THE CONTRACTORS HERE. RIGHT. WE'RE GOING TO PUT THEM ON THE SPOT. I HEARD SEPTEMBER OF 24. SO THANK YOU, EVERYBODY, FOR MAKING THIS HAPPEN. WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THIS COMPLETED. AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO MAKING OTHER IMPROVEMENTS HERE IN OUR CITY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU SO MUCH, MAYOR. NEXT UP TO THE PODIUM TO GIVE US A LITTLE BIT MORE INSIGHT INTO THE PROJECT. OUR CITY ENGINEER, MARDOQUEO HINOJOSA. GOOD MORNING. JUST A LITTLE BIT OF FUN FACTS ON THIS PROJECT. IT BEGAN ACTUALLY IN 2022. WE BEGAN PLANNING FOR IT IN 2021. SO WHEN YOU PUT THINGS IN PERSPECTIVE, YES, THEY DO TAKE TIME. IT DOES TAKE MONEY AND WE CAN'T DO IT THE IN ONE SINGLE YEAR. THIS IS A THREE PHASE PROJECT. THE PHASE ONE OCCURRED IN 2022 2023. WE APPLIED FOR FUNDING FOR CONSTRUCTION, AND THIS IS WHERE WE'RE AT FOR OUR FIRST PHASE OF CONSTRUCTION. OUR SECOND PHASE OF THE PROJECT, WHICH INCLUDES THE 2700FT OF PIPE WE COULD NOT AFFORD IT ALL. SO WE'RE COMING UP NEXT YEAR, AND WE'RE APPLYING THIS YEAR FOR AN ADDITIONAL 550,000. AND WE'RE GOING TO COMPLETE THIS PROJECT WHEN IT'S ALL SAID AND DONE. WE'RE LOOKING AT A $1.6 MILLION PROJECT THAT WAS FUNDED, THAT WILL BE FUNDED 1.4 MILLION FROM CDBG FUNDING. SO THAT'S THE GREATEST THING ABOUT IT ALL. ONLY 200,000, ABOUT 200,000 GETTING SPENT FROM CITY GENERAL FUND. SO THAT'S A GREAT ACCOMPLISHMENT FOR THE CITY ITSELF. THE PROJECT ITSELF, IT IS A 2.5 ACRE PROPERTY. IT IS GOING TO BE EIGHT FEET IN DEPTH. SO WE'RE EXCAVATING ABOUT 18,000YD³ OF DIRT. SO THIS IS GOING TO IMPROVE THE 34 ACRES. BUT EVERYTHING ON THE YELLOW SIDE IS NO LONGER COMPETING FOR DRAINAGE WITH THE BLUE SIDE AND THE RED SIDE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANKS SO MUCH, GAIL. AND IF WE CAN GET TO THE ACTION PART NOW, IF WE WANT TO GET OUR CAMERA A LITTLE BIT CLOSER AND OUR ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, OF COURSE OUR CHAMBER IS GOING TO HELP US. WE CAN GET OUR CITY LEADERS UP IN FRONT. LET'S BREAK SOME GROUND. WHERE ARE WE AT, HONEY? OH, OKAY. OH, WE'RE MOVING COMPLETELY. ALRIGHT. SO. OKAY, SO IF ANYBODY'S WONDERING, IT'S OVER THERE WHERE THE SHOVELS ARE, AND THE BIG SIGN IS RIGHT OVER BY THE STREET. GAIL, GIVE ME A THUMBS UP WHEN YOU'RE READY SO THAT WE CAN DO A LITTLE COUNTDOWN. AND CAM. LET ME KNOW WHEN YOU'RE DONE WITH YOUR PHOTOS. CDBG PLEASE JOIN. YES, ALL ALL OF YOU GUYS. RIGHT NOW. SO THAT YOU CAN BE LIKE WHAT? [02:25:02] WE HAVE A FEW MORE HELMETS. YOU KNOW, YOU NEED YOUR CONSTRUCTION HATS. RIGHT HERE AND RIGHT HERE. ALL RIGHT. YEAH. ALL. RIGHT. HERE'S YOUR LEFT. HAND. YEAH. UP HERE. OKAY. I'M SURE THAT THEY NEED A FEW MORE PHOTOS. THAT CONCLUDES TODAY'S GROUNDBREAKING. PLEASE JOIN US FOR A FEW REFRESHMENTS COURTESY OF THE EDINBURGH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. WE THANK YOU FOR JOINING US AND HAVE A BEAUTIFUL DAY. ENJOY THIS WONDERFUL WEATHER. OKAY. I NEED TO BE UP THERE. I'M WAITING. SORRY. ALL RIGHT. AFTER THAT, YOU JUST POSE FOR PICTURES. YOU CAN GIVE THE ONE. OKAY? NO, NO, NO, YOU'RE RIGHT HERE. YOU'RE RIGHT HERE. ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT. WE'RE JUST IN A LOVING. YES. MONDAY. YES. YEAH. ALL RIGHT. YOU READY? YEAH, SURE. OKAY, LET'S GET THIS SHOW ON THE ROAD. GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US ON SUCH A SPECIAL NIGHT IN EDINBURG, OUR HOMETOWN OF HEROES. HALF MARATHON HAS REALLY. IT'S TAKEN ON A LIFE OF ITS OWN. ESPECIALLY SINCE WE GET TO HONOR SOME VERY SPECIAL PEOPLE ALONG THE ROUTE. WE'RE SUPER EXCITED TO REVEAL THE 13 PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN CHOSEN TO REPRESENT EACH MILE MARKER ALONG THE RACE ROUTE. AND I'M GOING TO TELL YOU THIS, THERE WAS A LOT OF PEOPLE NOMINATED, A LOT OF SUBMISSIONS THAT CAME IN FOR THIS HONOR, AND THE PEOPLE THAT WERE CHOSEN HAVE DONE SOME REALLY EXTRAORDINARY THINGS IN OUR COMMUNITY. SO A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR OUR HONOREES. WE ARE GOING TO BEGIN TONIGHT WITH OUR INVOCATION LED BY OUR MAYOR PRO TEM DAN DIAZ. PLEASE STAND FOR THAT. LET US PRAY. DEAR LORD, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO GATHER HERE TODAY. THANK YOU FOR BLESSING US WITH THIS BEAUTIFUL RAIN ON THIS BEAUTIFUL EVENING. THANK YOU FOR ALL THE FAMILIES THAT MADE THE NAMES THAT WILL BE SHARED WITH HERE TONIGHT. MADE THEM WHO THEY ARE, MADE THEM WHO WE KNOW AND HOW THEY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE ENTIRE CITY. PLEASE BLESS ALL THE PEOPLE THAT WILL BE JOINING US AT OUR HALF MARATHON. BLESS ALL THE STAFF AND EVERYONE THAT MAKES ALL THESE THINGS POSSIBLE. AND AS ALWAYS, IN YOUR NAME WE PRAY. AMEN. THANK YOU. MAYOR PRO TEM, PLEASE REMAIN STANDING. SORRY. LYDIA VASQUEZ FROM ROBERT VELA HIGH SCHOOL. ALL STATE CHOIR WILL NOW SING THE NATIONAL ANTHEM, FOLLOWED BY COUNCILMAN JASON DE LEON, WHO WILL THEN LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. O SAY, CAN YOU SEE BY THE DAWN'S EARLY LIGHT. WHAT SO PROUDLY WE HAILED AT THE TWILIGHT'S LAST GLEAMING. WHOSE BROAD STRIPES AND BRIGHT STARS THROUGH THE PERILOUS FIGHT O'ER THE [02:30:01] RAMPARTS WE WATCH'D WERE SO GALLANTLY STREAMING. AND THE ROCKETS RED GLARE, THE BOMBS BURSTING IN AIR. GAVE PROOF THROUGH THE NIGHT THAT OUR FLAG WAS STILL THERE. O SAY, DOES THAT STAR SPANGLED BANNER YET WAVE. O'ER THE LAND. OKAY. WE ARE BACK IN OPEN SESSION. THE TIME IS 8 P.M.. I NEED A MOTION TO PROCEED. AS DISCUSSED IN EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR ITEMS 6A16A5, [5. Project New Park] SIX, A 13. CAN I HAVE A MOTION? [13. Vaquero Park] SO MOVED. SECOND. FIRST AND SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SAY AYE OR RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND. MOTION PASSES. REGARDING REGARDING STAFF REPORTS, [8. STAFF REPORTS] I BELIEVE EVERYBODY HAS THEIR STAFF REPORTS IN THEIR PACKET. IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING STAFF REPORTS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS? NO. IF NOT, CAN I GET A MOTION TO ADJOURN? SO MOVED. SECOND. MOTION PASSES. [9. ADJOURNMENT] ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, RAISE YOUR HAND. SAY AYE. AYE. WE ARE ADJOURNED. THANK YOU. GREAT MEETING YOU. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.