Mar 25, 2025 EEDC Meeting

NOT RICH, BUT I'M A MILLIONAIRE WITH MY FAMILY.

[00:00:02]

AND HE PROUDLY JOINS THE EDINBURGH P.D..

FAMILY AND COMMUNITY. JUAN RAMIREZ.

RAMIRO RAMIREZ. RAMIRO WAS BORN AND RAISED IN MCALLEN, TEXAS, AND IS A 2015 GRADUATE OF NIKKI ROWE HIGH SCHOOL.

WITH A PASSION FOR SERVING OTHERS, HE PURSUED STUDIES IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE BEFORE STEPPING INTO THE WORLD OF LAW ENFORCEMENT.

HIS JOURNEY BEGAN IN JULY 2023, WHEN HE STARTED WORKING AT JUVENILE DETENTION CENTER AS A JUVENILE CORRECTION OFFICER.

DETERMINED TO FURTHER HIS CAREER, HE ATTENDED THE LOWER RIO GRANDE VALLEY DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL'S 227 BPOC ACADEMY.

[00:08:03]

GOOD EVENING EVERYONE.

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY.

IT IS. WHAT TIME IS IT? 534 5:34 P.M.. I'D LIKE TO GET STARTED BY ASKING TO DO ROLL CALL.

PRESENT. PRESENT. OKAY.

PRESENT. PRESENT. PRESENT.

[1. CALL TO ORDER, ESTABLISH A QUORUM]

[A. Pledge of Allegiance.]

[00:10:05]

CERTIFICATION OF PUBLIC NOTICE.

ITEM TWO CERTIFICATION. PUBLIC NOTICE. THERE WAS A MEETING POSTED PROPERLY.

YES, SIR. THE MEETING WAS POSTED ON MARCH 22ND BY 10 A.M., IN ACCORDANCE WITH OPEN MEETINGS.

THANK YOU. NOW LET'S MOVE TO ITEM THREE.

DISCLOSURE OF CONFLICT OF INTEREST.

[2. CERTIFICATION OF PUBLIC NOTICE]

[3. DISCLOSURE OF CONFLICT OF INTEREST]

I HAVE A CONFLICT ON IN EXECUTIVE SESSION AND I WILL TELL YOU WHICH ONE THAT IS.

THERE'S A DISCUSSION WITH THE.

LEGAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH THE POWER LAW GROUP AND OUR LEGAL GROUP.

THANK YOU. OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

LET ME SEE. ALL RIGHT.

SAMANTHA. ITEM FOUR. DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS? NO. OKAY. GREAT. ITEM FIVE.

[4. PUBLIC COMMENTS]

THE MINUTES ARE IN THE BOARD PACKET AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN READ. ARE THERE ANY CHANGES TO THESE MINUTES? MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.

[A specific portion of the meeting shall be dedicated to allowing Public Comments which will be limited to three (3)]

ALL OPPOSED. MOTION PASSES.

CONSIDER APPROVAL FOR BOARD.

SPECIAL BOARD MEETING HELD MARCH 23RD.

ITEM B. ALL RIGHT. MOVING ON TO NEXT.

ITEM FIVE B CONSIDER APPROVAL OF PROFESSIONAL SERVICE AGREEMENT FOR STRATEGIC MEDIA.

YES, SIR. SO LAST TIME WE MET WITH JEFFREY SALCIDO HE MADE A PRESENTATION ON HIS PLAN TO

[B. Consider approval of Professional Services Agreement for Strategic Media.]

AND HE HAD PRESENTED A PROPOSAL AND WHAT WAS DIRECTED TO STAFF WAS FOR A COUNCIL TO DRAFT UP A CONSULTING AGREEMENT, WHICH THEY HAVE.

AND THEN WE WERE ALSO ABLE TO RENEGOTIATE THE FEE FOR THAT CONSULTANT AGREEMENT AND BRING IT DOWN TO $85,000 FOR THE ANNUAL TO BE PAID ON A MONTHLY BASIS.

I'M GOING TO ASK OMAR TO JUST KIND OF GO OVER SOME OF THE CHANGES FROM THE AGREEMENT.

SURE. SO FROM THE BASELINE AGREEMENT THAT WAS PROPOSED, CAN I ASK FOR A FAVOR? BEING THAT OUR DIRECTOR DAVID, HAS JUST JOINED US.

CAN YOU JUST START OVER WITH THAT, PLEASE? SURE. WITH THAT BRIEFING.

SURE. I HAD JUST MENTIONED THAT JEFFREY SALCIDO HAD MADE A PRESENTATION ON MARKETING AT AN INTERNATIONAL LEVEL TO US AT A PREVIOUS MEETING, AND THAT WE HAD ASKED HIM TO PROVIDE THAT PROPOSAL AND DIRECTED STAFF TO GENERATE A CONSULTING SERVICES AGREEMENT, WHICH OUR LEGAL COUNSEL HAS DONE.

AND THERE WAS SOME COMMENTS BACK AND FORTH FROM JEFFREY THAT HE'LL GO OVER WITH IN JUST A SECOND. SURE. SO YES, THERE WERE SOME EDITS THAT WERE PROPOSED IN THE AGREEMENT THAT WAS INITIALLY SUBMITTED TO THE CONSULTANT MOST OF THEM ARE NON-SUBSTANTIVE EDITS.

BUT THERE WERE AT LEAST ONE SUBSTANTIVE EDIT.

AND SO I WOULD JUST ASK THE BOARD AT THIS TIME, IF YOU'D LIKE TO DISCUSS IT HERE IN THE OPEN, WE CAN IF SOMEBODY WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO DISCUSS IT IN EXECUTIVE SESSION, WE CAN DO THAT AS WELL. IT'S THE BOARD'S PREROGATIVE HOW YOU WANT TO ADDRESS IT. I THINK MY RECOMMENDATION IS THAT WE DISCUSS IT HERE IN AN OPEN SESSION, AND THAT WAY WE CAN ASK FOR A VOTE AND GET EVERYBODY'S OPINION.

SURE. OKAY. THE ONE OF THE INITIAL REQUESTS THE MOST SUBSTANTIVE KIND OF CHANGE WAS RATHER THAN A 30 DAY TERMINATION CLAUSE.

THE CONSULTANT HAS REQUESTED A 60 DAY TERMINATION CLAUSE.

ASIDE FROM THAT, THERE WERE SOME STRAIGHTFORWARD REQUESTS INCLUDING MUTUAL INDEMNIFICATION PROVISIONS WHICH IS NOT UNUSUAL.

AND A THERE WAS A PROPOSED CONFIDENTIALITY PROVISION IN THE AGREEMENT GIVEN TO THE CONSULTANT AND HE ASKED TO PUT THAT AS A TWO YEAR CONFIDENTIALITY PROVISION POST ANY TERMINATION OF THE CONTRACT, WHICH, AGAIN, IS ALSO NOT UNUSUAL.

SO THE ONLY THE ONLY REALLY SUBSTANTIVE ITEM, I BELIEVE, FOR THE BOARD TO DECIDE OR ASK ANY QUESTION IS THE TERMINATION PROVISION EXTENDING THAT FROM A 30 DAY OUT ESSENTIALLY TO A 60 DAY OUT?

[00:15:02]

IF WE DECIDE WE WANT TO TERMINATE HIM, WE GIVE HIM 60 DAYS OR OR IS IT JUST REALLY I GUESS PRACTICALITY WOULD PROBABLY BE ONE SIDED IN THAT WE WOULD SAY, MAYBE THIS ISN'T WORKING OUT AT SOME POINT.

AND SO WE HAVE TO GIVE 60 DAYS NOTICE.

THAT'S CORRECT. IT'S IT'S DRAFTED AS ONE SIDED.

IF THE BOARD WOULD LIKE FOR IT TO BE TWO SIDED WE CAN PUT THAT IN AND HAVE THE BOARD'S APPROVAL, AND IT'LL BE UP TO THE CONSULTANT TO ACCEPT IT. I MEAN, I, I THINK WHAT, YOU KNOW, IT SHOULD ALWAYS BE TWO SIDED IN THE SENSE THAT LET'S SAY THAT THE GUY HAS SOME KIND OF FAMILY EMERGENCY OR SOMETHING, AND HE WANTS TO WHEN HE'S GOT TO LEAVE AND HE WANTS TO GIVE HIS NOTICE, I CAN NO LONGER I CAN NO LONGER COMPLETE MY CONTRACT.

AND SO HE GIVES A 60 DAYS NOTICE OR VICE VERSA.

BUT I DON'T WANT TO BE WHERE, YOU KNOW, LET'S SAY THAT SOMETHING HAPPENED AND HE WASN'T ABLE TO PERFORM AND HE JUST DIDN'T PERFORM.

WE CONTINUE TO PAY. AND THEN WE FINALLY SAID, OH, WAIT A MINUTE, WE NEED TO GIVE 60 DAYS NOTICE TO HIM.

SO THAT'S WHY I'M SAYING BOTH WAYS.

OH I'M SORRY. I CAN ACTUALLY SPECIFICALLY ADDRESS THAT BECAUSE THERE IS AN IMMEDIATE TERMINATION PROVISION FOR BREACH OF THE CONTRACT.

OKAY. SO IF THERE IS A BREACH THEN THE 60 DAYS DOESN'T APPLY TO THAT.

SO WHAT CONSTITUTES A BREACH? WELL, ANY BREACH OF THE PROVISIONS THE SERVICES THAT ARE SUPPOSED TO BE PROVIDED, THE MANNER OF INVOICING, THE AMOUNT ASKED ON THE INVOICE.

I MEAN, THERE'S DIFFERENT WAYS THAT THEY CAN BREACH THE CONTRACT, BUT IF THE BOARD DETERMINES THAT THERE IS A BREACH, IT CAN BE AN IMMEDIATE TERMINATION.

AND SO. I GUESS I'M TRYING IN MY HEAD.

I'M TRYING TO DETERMINE WHEN WOULD YOU DO A 60 DAY VERSUS THAT WOULD BE AN IMMEDIATE IF YOU IF YOU BELIEVE THE PERSON IS NOT PERFORMING AND IT CONSTITUTES A BREACH, YOU'RE SAYING YOU CAN DO IT IMMEDIATELY, BUT THEN WHEN WOULD WE DO IT WITH A 60 DAY NOTICE? THAT'S RIGHT. ONE IS MORE OF A MATTER OF CONVENIENCE, RIGHT? IT'S THIS IT'S NOT THAT.

IT'S NOT MEETING EXPECTATIONS OR PERFORMING UNDER THE CONTRACT.

IT'S JUST A PROGRAM THAT THE BOARD HAS DECIDED THEY DON'T WANT TO CONTINUE FOR SOME REASON. OKAY. VERSUS, YOU KNOW, YOU ARE NOT PERFORMING AS CONTRACTED FOR, AND THAT IS A BREACH OF CONTRACT.

LET ME ASK YOU A QUESTION. ARE YOU RECOMMENDING APPROVAL BASED ON THE LEGAL REVIEW OF IT. RIGHT. SO I WILL SAY FROM THE FROM THE BASELINE CONTRACT THAT WE GAVE HIM IT WAS A VERY STRAIGHTFORWARD CONTRACT.

THE CHANGES THAT HE'S ASKING FOR ARE NOT, NOT SUBSTANTIVE WITH THE EXCEPTION RIGHT OF THE TERMINATION PERIOD.

IF THE BOARD IS OKAY WITH THAT, THEN THE REST OF THE LANGUAGE IS PRETTY COMMON, PRETTY COMFORTABLE WITH THE LEGAL REVIEW OF IT.

THAT'S CORRECT. STAFF IS RECOMMENDING APPROVAL. STAFF IS VERY COMFORTABLE.

STAFF IS VERY COMFORTABLE WITH THE WITH THE CHANGES AS OUTLINED BY LEGAL COUNSEL.

OKAY. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? I MAKE A MOTION. I MAKE A MOTION TO MOVE TO APPROVE.

GS MOTION TO APPROVE. SECOND.

WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.

ALL IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

AYE. ALL OPPOSED? NONE.

MOTION PASSES. NEXT ITEM IS FIVE C.

CONSIDER APPROVAL OF AMENDMENTS TO THE FY 25 ORGANIZATIONAL CHART AND FY 25 BUDGET.

AT THIS TIME, I WANT TO ASK IF HE CAN REVIEW THE REQUEST AND MAKE A RECOMMENDATION.

SO IN YOUR PACKET ON ITEM D IT'S THERE IS A CHARTER OF AN ORGANIZATION CHART THAT IS A

[C. Consider approval of amendments to the FY25 Organizational Chart and FY25 Budget.]

BASED ON THE DISCUSSIONS WE'VE HAD IN THE PAST ABOUT PERSONNEL AND THE NEED FOR ADDITIONAL HELP, MY RECOMMENDATION IS THAT WE WHEN I HIRE THAT ASSISTANT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, THEY'RE BASICALLY GOING TO BE A COO.

THEY'LL BE IN CHARGE OF HANDLING THE OPERATIONAL SIDE OF THE ORGANIZATION, WHEREAS I'M STILL LOOKING OVER EVERYTHING.

WE'RE STILL RESPONSIVE TO YOU AND MAKING SURE THAT THE PROJECT MANAGERS, WHICH IS MY SALES TEAM, I WOULD BE BASICALLY THEIR SALES MANAGER IN THE WAY THIS IS LAID OUT.

AND STILL EVERYTHING STILL FLOWS UP TO THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND THEN ULTIMATELY TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS. ANY QUESTIONS ON HOW THAT IS LAID OUT? THE ONLY THE OTHER OPTION WOULD BE TO JUST HAVE A VERY LINEAR HIERARCHY WHERE IT'S BOARD DIRECTOR, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, AND THEN EVERYBODY ELSE IS ON A FLAT LINE.

AND THAT'S THE OTHER OPTION.

WERE THE PROJECT MANAGERS BE MORE CLEARLY DEFINED? FOR INSTANCE, ONE IS RETAIL, 1ST MAY BE DOWNTOWN,

[00:20:06]

THOSE ARE WITHIN THE THE JOB DESCRIPTIONS.

PERFECT. BUT AS WITH ALL JOB DESCRIPTIONS, THEY'RE FLEXIBLE ENOUGH TO WHERE WE CAN ASSIGN THEM AND CROSS TRAIN THEM AND AND ASSIGN THEM TO OTHER DUTIES AS ASSIGNED.

BASICALLY IS THE VERBIAGE THAT'S IN THE JOB DESCRIPTIONS.

BUT YEAH, THE PERSON THAT I'M LOOKING FOR RIGHT NOW, AS FAR AS PROJECT MANAGERS, THE ONE THAT WILL BE FOCUSING ON RETAIL ENTERTAINMENT AND HOSPITALITY.

THANK YOU. OKAY. ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? WE'RE GOOD. AND AS FAR AS THE BUDGET WE DON'T NEED TO APPROVE A BUDGET AMENDMENT BECAUSE THERE'S NO NEED TO AMEND THE BUDGET BECAUSE THERE WAS OTHER POSITIONS THAT WERE NOT FILLED, BECAUSE NOW THEY'RE ON A CONTRACT BASIS.

SO THERE'S ENOUGH MONEY IN OUR BUDGET THROUGHOUT THE YEAR BASED ON MY PROJECTIONS OF HIRING THESE FOLKS AT THE COMP PLAN AS LAID OUT IN THIS COMP PLAN.

BUT WE DO NEED TO APPROVE THE COMP PLAN SO THAT OUR HR PEOPLE CAN FOLLOW THROUGH THEIR POLICIES AS WELL. SO LET ME ASK YOU A QUESTION IN OUR BUDGET.

OKAY. I GUESS MAYBE A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO WE HAD ALREADY ALLOCATED FOR THESE POSITIONS.

IS THAT CORRECT OR NOT NECESSARILY FOR THE POSITIONS SPECIFICALLY STATED HERE, BUT FOR POSITIONS THAT THAT GIVE US ROOM NOT TO HAVE TO MAKE ANY AMENDMENTS TO OUR BUDGET, IS THAT CORRECT? WE GAVE THEM A TOTAL NUMBER OF DOLLARS.

RIGHT. YEAH. AND ARE THE THE MINIMUM MIDPOINT AND MAXIMUM, ARE THEY BASED ON CURRENT MARKET TRENDS ON WHAT THESE INDIVIDUALS ARE MAKING.

AND THIS IS IN LINE WITH WHAT OTHER I GUESS WE HAVE DONE SOME SALARY SURVEYS WITH OUR COMPETITION, IF YOU WILL, AND SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES THAT ALIGN WITH, WITH THESE WITH THESE NUMBERS.

YEAH. SO I GUESS WHEN YOU'RE DECIDING MIDPOINT MINIMUM OR MAXIMUM, YOU'RE GOING TO JUST LOOK AT YEARS OF EXPERIENCE AND OKAY, IT'S BASED ON ON YOUR JOB DESCRIPTION, QUALITY OF THE OF THE CANDIDATE, WHETHER THEY HAVE EXTRA CERTIFICATIONS, EXTRA EDUCATION EXPERIENCE, ALL OF THAT. THAT ALL COMES INTO PLAY.

AND, AND ALSO WITH THE WAY HR WORKS, IF YOU GO BEYOND A, THE MIDPOINT, YOU HAVE TO HAVE AN AUTHORIZATION, HIGHER PAY AUTHORIZATION THAT ACTUALLY HAS TO GO INTO MORE DETAIL AS TO WHY YOU'RE CHOOSING TO PROVIDE SOMEBODY WITH A HIGHER SALARY THAN, THAN THE MIDPOINT. THAT WOULD BE IN THIS CASE.

IN THE EVENT THAT WE HAVE TO GO PAST THE MIDPOINT, YOU MENTIONED THAT SOMEBODY ELSE WOULD HAVE TO MAKE THAT THAT APPROVAL OR LOOK AT IT.

WHO WOULD THAT BE? WELL, THE HR DIRECTOR AND THE HR DIRECTOR.

YEAH, THEY NEED TO TO SIGN OFF ON BASICALLY MY, MY MY JUSTIFICATION OF THAT, OF THAT HIGHER PAY AUTHORIZATION REQUEST.

GOT IT. SO THANK YOU. OKAY.

ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? CAN I ENTERTAIN A MOTION, PLEASE? SO MOVED. WE HAVE A MOTION.

SECOND. SECOND. MOTION.

AND A SECOND. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED? SAME SIGN. MOTION PASSES.

NEXT ITEM IS FIVE D. DISCUSS AND CONSIDER AMENDMENT OF THE BYLAWS.

SO THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION IN PREVIOUS MEETINGS ABOUT HAVING ADDITIONAL MEETINGS AND

[D. Discuss and consider Amendments to the Bylaws.]

I'M RECOMMENDING THAT WE DON'T WE DON'T AMEND THE BYLAWS TO CALL EXTRA MEETINGS.

THE CHAIR HAS THE AUTHORITY TO CALL EXTRA MEETINGS AND WITH EVERYBODY ELSE'S INPUT.

I THINK THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES THAT MOST PEOPLE WANT THAT EXTRA MEETING, RIGHT. SO IT'S JUST A MATTER OF ACTUALLY SITTING DOWN AND PICKING THE DATES.

BUT THAT'S UP TO YOU ALL IN TERMS OF DISCUSSION WHETHER OR NOT YOU WANT TO TRY TO AMEND THE BYLAWS OR ACTUALLY.

YES, JUST LEAVE IT UP TO MORE INFORMATION FROM FROM OUR COUNCIL ON THE PROCESS FOR AMENDING THE BYLAWS. SURE.

SO TO AMEND THE BYLAWS THE BOARD WOULD JUST HAVE TO APPROVE ANY ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE CHANGES. BUT ONCE THAT'S APPROVED BY THE BOARD, IT NEEDS TO GO TO CITY COUNCIL FOR FINAL APPROVAL.

OKAY. BUT WE CAN WE CAN CONTINUE TO HOLD ADDITIONAL MEETINGS OR WHATEVER WE WANT

[00:25:08]

RIGHT. IF WE AMEND THE BYLAWS, THOUGH, TO SAY THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TWO MEETINGS A MONTH, AND NOW WE'RE STUCK TO THE BYLAWS, AND WE HAVE TO DO WHAT WE SAY IN THE BYLAWS. THAT WOULD BE CORRECT.

WE WOULD NEED TO FOLLOW WHATEVER THE BYLAW CHANGES WOULD BE. AND CURRENTLY SECTIONS 510 AND 511 DO ALLOW THE CHAIR TO CALL MEETINGS REALLY AT ANY TIME.

THE THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENT IS SIX MEETINGS A YEAR BY THIS GROUP.

AND OBVIOUSLY CURRENTLY YOU'RE MEETING ONCE A MONTH.

SO YOU'RE ALREADY HAVING MORE MEETINGS THAN WHAT THE BYLAWS REQUIRE.

BUT AT THIS POINT, THIS IS NOT AN ACTIONABLE ITEM.

IT ACTUALLY IS AN ACTION ITEM.

YES, SIR. CORRECT. AS WRITTEN, THE BOARD COULD TAKE ACTION TONIGHT IF THEY WANTED TO. SO I'M DISCUSSION HERE.

I DO BELIEVE THIS IS A SOUGHT OUT BOARD.

I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S VERY CRUCIAL TO OUR CITY THAT WORKS ALONG WITH OUR CITY COUNCIL. SO I DO BELIEVE THAT WE NEED TO HAVE TWO MEETINGS A MONTH SO THAT WE COULD GROW WITH THE PACE OF WHAT OUR CITY IS DEMANDING.

SO I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO TO MOVE THE BYLAWS TO FIRST AND THIRD MONDAY OF EVERY MONTH. THE FIRST WEEK, THE MONDAY OF THE FIRST WEEK, AND THE THIRD WEEK OF EVERY MONTH.

AND THEY'LL BE MOVING FORWARD. YES, SIR. THAT'S THE IDEA. SO THAT IT ALLOWS THINGS TO GO SMOOTHLY AND AND ALSO IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE CITY COUNCIL IS DOING SO THAT WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH SOME OF THE PROJECTS. SO THERE'S NO DELAYS AND WE CAN MOVE. AND THE SPEED THAT WE'RE NEEDING HAPPEN BECAUSE I THINK THERE'S SOMETIMES THERE'S A DELAY WHEN WE COME DOWN TO OUR MEETINGS WHERE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A FEW WEEKS AND WE'RE MEETING TWICE A MONTH, SO THERE'S A LOT OF BUSINESS THAT NEEDS TO BE DISCUSSED AND DISCUSSED.

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS? WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT MAYBE STARTING IT WITHOUT THE AMENDMENT, BUT MAYBE JUST TAKE THE APPROACH OF SINCE WE DON'T HAVE TO AMEND THE IN THIS CASE, THE BYLAWS, WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT MOVING FORWARD AND ADD IT INTO OUR.

WELL, I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, BUT IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS WHERE I BELIEVE IS THAT YOU SET THE TONE.

THE TONE SET. SO YOU PUT IT OUT THERE AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT GOES ON AND IT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS. BECAUSE IF WE'RE JUST GOING TO LEAVE IT ONCE A MONTH, TO ME THAT'S KIND OF LEAVING IT OPEN.

AND I LIKE TO KEEP THE STANDARD. RIGHT, RIGHT.

AND I THINK THAT JUST FOLLOWS THE PACE OF WHAT THE CITY IS DEMANDING, WHERE WE'RE AT A 106,000 PEOPLE POPULATION, WE'RE DEMANDING MORE STUFF.

AS FAR AS OUR COMMUNITY, OUR RESIDENTS, YOU KNOW, OUR CONSTITUENTS. AND I THINK WITH WHAT WE'RE DEMANDING, I THINK IT'S IT THE CITY NEEDS MORE MEETINGS TO HAPPEN SO THAT WE COULD MOVE FASTER IN A LOT OF OUR PROJECTS. SO WE ARE TAKING OR WE ARE DISCUSSING AND WE'RE GOING TO CONSIDER IT. WE'VE WE HAVE A MOTION.

SO I'M GOING TO ASK FOR A VOTE ON THAT MOTION.

AND IF IT IS PASSED OKAY.

THEN WHAT WHAT WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS? CAN WE DO WE DISCUSS THE PARTICULAR AMENDMENTS AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE, THEN WE COME BACK OR. SURE.

WELL, JUST BEFORE THE BOARD CAN MOVE INTO THE VOTE, I BELIEVE WE NEED A SECOND ON THE MOTION.

RIGHT, RIGHT. SO I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT OKAY.

OKAY. SO SO I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND WE HAVE A MOTION TO AMEND THE BYLAWS AS DISCUSSED.

LET ME ASK YOU THIS QUESTION.

WITH THAT CHANGE, THE MEETINGS THAT WE, FOR EXAMPLE, THE ZOOM MEETING THAT THAT WE HAD WITH THAT CHANGE, THAT WOULD THAT BE IN ADDITION TO.

NO, IT WOULD REPLACE IT.

THAT'S WHAT I'M MAKING A MOTION FOR.

OKAY. INSTEAD OF THAT THIRD WEEK OKAY.

SO IT'D BE THE FIRST AND THIRD WEEK TO GO ON MONDAY UNLESS THE COMMITTEE FEELS OKAY, THAT WE STILL NEED TO HAVE IT BECAUSE THERE WAS A THERE WAS A ANOTHER PURPOSE FOR THOSE MEETINGS. RIGHT. OTHER THAN TO BE ABLE TO GO THROUGH A FULL BOARD MEETING BECAUSE WE DON'T GO THROUGH THE COMMITTEE DOESN'T GO THROUGH A FULL BOARD MEETING. THAT'S CORRECT. THEY MEET FOR ONE HOUR AND THEY DISCUSS A CERTAIN TOPICS THAT ARE THAT ARE ACTIONABLE ITEMS THAT THAT WE WANT TO GET INFORMATION, SPECIAL MEETINGS OR SPECIAL. YEAH, THAT'S A DIFFERENT STORY. THAT'S A DIFFERENT THING. SO. YEAH. NO IT WOULDN'T. THAT WOULD BE SEPARATE TO THE THE MOTION OF THE AMENDMENT TO MEETINGS MANDATORY PLUS ANYTHING.

AND THAT THAT PARTICULAR MEETING WITH WHAT WE CALL LIKE AN OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE OKAY CAN BE TERMINATED AT ANY POINT WITHOUT OF COURSE.

OKAY. OKAY. YEAH. I DON'T DOUBT THAT WE HAVE THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME MONTHS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE VERY, VERY BUSY.

AND I THINK THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME MONTHS THAT ARE NOT AS MUCH. I JUST DON'T LIKE TO TIE US DOWN TO HAVING IT WRITTEN IN THE BYLAWS.

SO THAT'S JUST MY OPINION. BUT I GET IT.

I MEAN, I THINK WE CAN HAVE AS MANY MEETINGS AS WE WANT RIGHT NOW WITH THE BYLAWS AS THEY STAND LOCKING IT IN TO REQUIRING MAKING IT MANDATORY THAT YOU HAVE A CERTAIN NUMBER OF MEETINGS A MONTH, I THINK IS GOING TO IT'S A BOARD OF, OF VOLUNTEERS, AND I THINK IT'S GOING TO MAKE IT DIFFICULT ON NOT NECESSARILY JUST CURRENT MEMBERS, BUT FUTURE BOARD MEMBERS. SO I'M, I'M AND I DON'T ACTUALLY I DON'T ACTUALLY

[00:30:02]

WHAT I DO HAVE, AND I WANT TO CONSIDER, IS THE DATES THAT AS LONG AS WE HAVE TWO.

AND I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE SAYING BECAUSE OF THE MEETINGS THAT YOU'RE HAVING AND BUT CAN IT BE FLEXIBLE? OKAY. SO IT MAY NOT BE THE FIRST OR THE SECOND.

SO IF YOU HAVE FLEXIBILITY, THERE'S NO STRUCTURE TO IT. WELL THAT'S MY OPINION. OKAY. SO NEW YEARS.

OH YEAH. WELL YOU CAN MAKE, YOU CAN, YOU CAN MAKE INTO THE LANGUAGE.

AND I'M SURE OUR COUNCIL COULD TELL US THAT WE THERE'S TIMES WE ADJUST BECAUSE SOMETHING HAPPENS OR WE'RE OUT OF TOWN.

THAT'S MY PREFERENCE. ABSOLUTELY.

THOSE ARE THINGS THAT I BELIEVE IN. OKAY.

SO WE HAVE A MOTION. I'LL SECOND.

OKAY. WE HAVE A FIRST AND A SECOND.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

ALL THOSE OPPOSED? OKAY.

WE HAVE VOTES. MOTION PASSES.

CONSIDER APPROVAL OF PRESENTATION OF EDC AUDIT REPORT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2023 2024.

[E. Consider approval of Presentation of EEDC Audit Report for fiscal year 2023-2024.]

GOOD EVENING, MR. PRESIDENT.

MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. MY NAME IS ALFRED VERA AND I AM THE MANAGING CPA WITH COSTCOS AND ASSOCIATES. WITH ME THIS EVENING IS MR. LOWELL CANTU. HE IS OUR AUDIT SUPERVISOR.

AND HE WAS THE AUDIT IN CHARGE THAT WAS WORKING ON YOUR AUDIT THIS YEAR.

HE WILL GO AHEAD AND PRESENT A COUPLE OF ITEMS FROM THE FROM THE REPORT.

TOUCH, TOUCH ON A FEW POINTS.

AND THEN IF YOU ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, WE'LL BE HERE TO ANSWER THEM.

SO I'LL TURN IT OVER TO ROYAL.

HERE WE GO. GOOD EVENING, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN OF THE BOARD.

AS ALFRED JUST MENTIONED, MY NAME IS ROEL CANTU, AND I'M GOING TO BE PRESENTING THE EDINBURG ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION'S ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2024. BEFORE I BEGIN, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE BOARD FOR GIVING US THE OPPORTUNITY OF BEING Y'ALL'S INDEPENDENT AUDITORS.

ALSO, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK MR. GARZA, MISS MARTINEZ, MISS PANTOJA, MISS PANTOJA, FINANCE AND EVERYONE THAT CONTRIBUTED TO COMPLETING THIS AUDIT REPORT.

IF IT WASN'T FOR THEM PROVIDING ME WITH ALL THE INFORMATION I HAD BEEN REQUESTING IN SUCH A TIMELY MANNER, I WOULDN'T BE HERE PRESENTING TODAY.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

ALL RIGHT. IN FRONT OF YOU, YOU SHOULD HAVE A COPY OF THE ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORT, AS WELL AS A SUMMARY SHEET THAT LOOKS LIKE THIS.

GOOD. YES. YOU GOT IT.

YOU HAVE IT. IT'S IN THE.

IT'S IN. IT'S IN HERE.

OKAY. WE NEED. YEAH, WE NEED A PACKET FOR.

I'M SORRY I TOOK YOURS. I'M SORRY.

OKAY, YOU CAN HAVE MINE.

SO FOR THE PURPOSE OF THIS PRESENTATION, EVERYTHING THAT I'M GOING TO BE SPEAKING ABOUT IS, IS PRESENTED IN THIS SUMMARY SHEET.

I'VE ALSO INCLUDED PAGE NUMBERS SO YOU CAN CROSS-REFERENCE EVERYTHING THAT I SPEAK ABOUT. SO IF I COULD PLEASE DIRECT YOUR ATTENTION TO PAGE ONE OF THE AUDIT REPORT.

HERE YOU WILL SEE THE INDEPENDENT AUDITOR'S REPORT.

THIS YEAR, EDINBURGH EDC EARNED AN UNMODIFIED OPINION.

WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS ARE PRESENTED FAIRLY IN ALL MATERIAL RESPECTS, FOR GOVERNMENTAL ACTIVITIES AND THE GENERAL FUND.

THIS IS THE CLEANEST AND MOST FAVORABLE OPINION AN ENTITY CAN RECEIVE, AND IT IS EARNED THROUGH ALL THE HARD WORK THAT YOU ALL DO THROUGHOUT THE FISCAL YEAR.

SO CONGRATULATIONS ON THAT.

NEXT ON PAGE 54 OF THE AUDIT REPORT.

PAGE 54. 54. OKAY, SIR, LET ME GO TO PAGE FOUR.

KEEP GOING. HERE YOU WILL SEE THE REPORT ON INTERNAL CONTROLS.

WITH THIS REPORT STATES IS THAT DURING OUR TESTING OF INTERNAL CONTROLS, WE DID NOT FIND ANY SIGNIFICANT DEFICIENCIES OR MATERIAL WEAKNESSES.

HOWEVER, DUE TO OUR LIMITED SCOPE OF TESTING, SIGNIFICANT DEFICIENCIES AND MATERIAL WEAKNESSES STILL MAY EXIST.

AND ALL THAT REALLY MEANS IS IN A NUTSHELL. WE CAN'T TEST EVERYTHING.

WE CAN ONLY TEST A SAMPLE.

AND BASED ON THAT SAMPLE, WE DID NOT FIND ANYTHING THAT'S WORTH ANY CONCERN. AGAIN, THIS IS THE MOST FAVORABLE OPINION OR MOST FAVORABLE OUTCOME AN ENTITY CAN RECEIVE. SO CONGRATULATIONS ON THAT AS WELL.

THANK YOU. NOW NEXT ON PAGE 13 OF THE REPORT.

HERE YOU WILL SEE THE BALANCE SHEET. HERE YOU WILL SEE ALL THE ASSETS, LIABILITIES, DEFERRED INFLOWS AND OUTFLOWS IN ANY.

IF ANY AND FUND BALANCES AS OF 930 2024, THE NUMBER THAT I REALLY WANT TO FOCUS ON IS

[00:35:08]

IT SAYS UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE.

THIS YEAR, THE EDC HAD AN UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE OF 11,689,003 49.

THINK OF THAT AS A RAINY DAY FUND, RIGHT? THAT WOULD THAT BE THE SAME THING AS UNRESTRICTED? YES. OKAY. SO RESTRICTED YOU HAVE UP HERE THAT WE'VE GOT WHERE DID I SEE IT.

OKAY. 10 MILLION IN RESTRICTED AND THEN UNRESTRICTED IS 11 MILLION.

IS THAT RIGHT. YOU'RE LOOKING AT PAGE 13.

CORRECT. SO IS IT. YES.

SO YEAH. SO RESTRICTED.

YOU HAVE 13 MILLION. THAT'S RESTRICTED FOR CAPITAL ACQUISITIONS.

I SEE OKAY. YOU HAVE 1.5 MILLION RESTRICTED FOR DEBT? YES. AND THEN 780,000 RESTRICTED FOR OTHER PURPOSES.

AND THEN UNDERNEATH THAT, THAT'S UNRESTRICTED UNASSIGNED.

THERE'S NO IT'S NOT TIED TO ANYTHING.

OKAY. SO SO AGAIN SO I CAN UNDERSTAND THE RESTRICTED IS JUST MONEY THAT WE CAN'T TOUCH.

THAT IT'S RESTRICTED FOR FOR INVESTMENT PURPOSES.

OTHER. YES, SIR. THOSE NUMBERS THEY WERE PROVIDED BY THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.

AND BASICALLY WHAT THEY ARE IS THEY'RE RESTRICTED FOR UPCOMING PROJECTS THAT YOU ALL HAVE IN MIND FOR THE 25 FISCAL YEAR.

OKAY. IT COULD BE. AND THEN THAT'S FOR CAPITAL ACQUISITIONS FOR FOR DEBT.

IT'S FOR DEBT PURPOSES ETC..

WOULD THAT BE THE LIKE THE 9 MILLION OR 7 MILLION FOR UTRGV OR WOULD THAT BE HERE.

THAT WOULD BE IN EXPENSES.

SO WOULD IT BE HERE? I DON'T SEE THE.

YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE STADIUM ACQUISITION.

YEAH. WELL, THAT THAT ALREADY GOT PAID THE LOAN THAT WE GAVE THE CITY.

YES. IT SHOULD BE IN THEIR ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE.

RIGHT? YES. IT'S UNDER THE NOTES RECEIVABLE PORTION.

IF YOU SEE THE NOTES RECEIVABLE OF 20 MILLION, YOU SEE THAT AT THE VERY TOP OF THE PAGE? YES, SIR. THE 20,000,006 24.

YEAH. WITHIN THERE IS THE NOTES OR NOTES RECEIVABLE FROM THE CITY OF EDINBURGH FOR 7.2 MILLION, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN.

IT'S WITHIN THERE. YES, SIR. HOW MUCH DO WE HAVE FOR NEW PURCHASES AVAILABLE AT THIS MOMENT OR NEW INVESTMENTS? YES, SIR. WE BUDGETED $8.2 MILLION APPROXIMATELY TO ACQUIRE PROPERTIES FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR. OKAY. WE ALSO HAVE SOME MONEY SET ASIDE FOR THE FROM THE BOND MONIES FOR THE WORKFORCE RESOURCE CENTER AND THE PARKING GARAGE. OKAY. AND SO THOSE NUMBERS IS WHERE THE 13.495 IS COMING FROM.

SO BEING THAT WE DON'T HAVE CONTRACTS ON THESE ON THESE INVESTMENTS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT. THAT'S WHY IT'S NOT IN THE RESTRICTIVE AREA.

WOULD IT BE IN THE RESTRICTIVE IF.

NO. DO YOU FOLLOW. OKAY.

SO WE HAVE 8 MILLION AVAILABLE.

IS THAT WHAT WE'RE SAYING? NO, THAT'S THE BUDGET 11.6.

THAT'S IN THE BUDGET. THAT'S IN THE BUDGET. OKAY. OKAY.

ALL RIGHT. JUST WASN'T CLEAR ON THAT.

OKAY. OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

SO? SO, YEAH. SO THINK OF THE UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE.

THAT 11.6 MILLION IS A RAINY DAY FUND.

GENERALLY, WE DON'T RECOMMEND Y'ALL TO HIT THIS FUND, BUT IF YOU ALL HAVE ANY ONE TIME PROJECTS IN MIND, FOR EXAMPLE, THE PURCHASE OF VEHICLES OR DESKS, THIS IS THE FUND THAT WOULD BE AFFECTED.

SO IT'S 11 MILLION OKAY.

YES, SIR. NOW, I WANT YOU TO KEEP THIS NUMBER IN MIND BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO SEE HOW IMPORTANT IT IS IN A MINUTE OR SO.

NOW ON PAGE 15 OF THE REPORT.

IS EVERYBODY CLEAR ON THAT LAST PAGE? YES. PAGE 15 OF THE REPORT.

HERE YOU WILL SEE THE STATEMENT OF REVENUES, EXPENDITURES AND CHANGES IN FUND BALANCE.

THIS SHOWS ALL THE REVENUE INFLOWS AND EXPENDITURE OUTFLOWS THAT OCCURRED DURING THE FISCAL YEAR, AS WELL AS ANY OTHER OTHER FINANCING SOURCES AND USES.

TOWARDS THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE.

NOW, THE NUMBER THAT I REALLY WANT TO FOCUS ON IS THE EXPENDITURES THIS YEAR.

THE EDC HAD 8.2 MILLION WORTH OF OPERATING EXPENDITURES.

NOW, IF WE WERE TO GET THIS NUMBER AND DIVIDE IT BY 365, WE'RE GOING TO GET AN AVERAGE COST.

AND THAT'S GOING TO BE 30,020.

WHAT THAT TELLS ME IS THAT ON AVERAGE, IT COSTS THE EDC TO OPEN THEIR DOORS EVERY SINGLE DAY, 30,020. NOW, IF WE WERE TO GET THAT UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE OF 11 MILLION AND DIVIDED BY THIS 30,020, WE'RE GOING TO GET DAYS OF OPERATION.

SO THE 11,000,000.6 DIVIDED BY THE 30,020, YOU GET 389 389 DAYS OF OPERATION.

[00:40:01]

YES. IF REVENUES WERE TO STOP COMING IN FOR SOME REASON, YOU WOULD HAVE 389 DAYS TO OPERATE IF YOU WERE TO GO FULLY LIQUID.

NOW, TO PUT THAT IN PERSPECTIVE, WE GENERALLY RECOMMEND ANYWHERE BETWEEN 70 TO 90 DAYS. SO AS YOU CAN SEE, YOU ALL ARE VERY FINANCIALLY HEALTHY.

YOU ARE ALMOST SIX TIMES OVER WHAT WE RECOMMEND, WHICH IS REALLY, REALLY GOOD.

OTHER THAN THAT, THAT PRETTY MUCH CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, FEEL FREE TO SEND THEM MY WAY.

THANK YOU. OKAY. BUT DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? I WILL SAY THAT I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYBODY PRESENT AN AUDIT IN SUCH A PLEASANT TONE AND MANNER. I MEAN, HE MADE IT SEEM LIKE LOVELY.

I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYBODY DO THAT.

SO CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU GUYS FOR NICE WORK.

I KNOW IT WAS HARD WORK AND A LOT OF STUFF, BUT YOU MAKE IT SEEM LIKE IF YOU DID IT IN A DAY. YES, SIR. VERY GOOD.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

WELL, IF THAT'S IT, MAY WE BE EXCUSED? NO MORE QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION.

NICE JOB. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU GUYS. HAVE A GREAT DAY EVERYONE. THANK YOU. OKAY.

THAT BEING SAID CAN I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE? CAN I HAVE A MOTION? CAN I HEAR A MOTION? A MOTION? WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.

SECOND. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED? SAME SIGN. MOTION PASSES.

NOW LET'S GO ON TO STAFF REPORT.

SO CAN YOU REVIEW ITEM SIX ON THE AGENDA PLEASE.

SO IF YOU ALL WOULD CARE TO LISTEN TO OUR STAFF TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT THEY'VE BEEN DOING. LETTY WILL START WITH YOU.

[6. STAFF REPORTS]

[1. Commercial Development Report 3. Marketing Report]

LETTY PANTOJA, PROJECT MANAGER WITH EDINBURG EDC.

SO IN YOUR PACKET, YOU HAVE MY STAFF REPORT.

I'LL BE BRIEF, BECAUSE I KNOW WE HAVE LOTS TO DISCUSS.

SO MAINLY I WANT TO GO OVER PHILIP.

SO, AS YOU KNOW, WE STARTED PHILIP 2.0 THIS WEEK APPLICATIONS OPENED MARCH 17TH, AND THEY CLOSED APRIL 18TH.

SO WE'VE BEEN PROMOTING THAT ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

WE'VE JACK AND I HAVE BLOCK WALKED FROM THE COURTHOUSE TO I 69, ALL OF EAST UNIVERSITY.

SO WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO PROMOTE THAT IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH.

WE PASSED OUT FLIERS. SO AS OF RIGHT NOW, AS OF TODAY, WE HAVE SEVEN APPLICATIONS THAT HAVE COME IN, BUT WE HAVE RECEIVED A LOT OF CALLS.

ACTUALLY, WE GET A LOT OF CALLS FROM BUSINESSES THAT ARE WORKING ON THEIR APPLICATION. ONE THING WE ARE DOING DIFFERENT IS THAT SOME OF THE BUSINESSES ARE NOT AS TECH SAVVY, OR THEY DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCE.

I'M HAVING THEM COME IN AND THEN I'LL GIVE A GIVE THEM A PAPER APPLICATION.

AND THAT WILL KIND OF HELP SPEED UP THE PROCESS.

OTHER PHILIP FIRST ROUND OF FLIP.

I DO WANT TO MENTION THAT WE DO HAVE THREE BUSINESSES THAT HAVEN'T COMPLETED THEIR PROJECT. ONE IS LA CABANA AND THIS IS THEIR FOURTH LOCATION.

SO THEY'RE ACTUALLY IN CONSTRUCTION RIGHT NOW.

THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO FINISH IN ABOUT TWO WEEKS, SO THAT ONE WILL BE COMPLETED PRETTY QUICK. BEVERLY'S HARDWARE, WHO ALSO OWNS VASQUEZ BRIDAL.

THEY'RE IN THEY'RE WORKING THROUGH THEIR PROJECT.

AND BECAUSE THEY'RE ON EAST UNIVERSITY, AND I KNOW THE BOARD HAS WANTS TO FOCUS ON THAT CORRIDOR, WE'RE ALLOWING THEM TO FINISH THEIR PROJECT. SO JUST SO YOU KNOW, THAT THERE'S FLIP ONE STILL IN PROGRESS, JUST THOSE THE FINAL THREE AND THEN FLIP TO THAT'S THAT'S ONGOING AS WELL.

WHAT KIND OF RESPONSE HAVE WE BEEN GETTING SO FAR FOR FLIP TWO? REALLY GOOD. WE WE WALKED WE WALKED EAST UNIVERSITY.

WE WERE TALKING TO A LOT OF THE BUSINESS OWNERS AND THEY WERE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT IT.

WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE THE PROCESS AS EASIER, AS EASIER THIS TIME.

SO WE'VE HAD SOME COUPLE OF WALK INS AND I JUST WALKED THEM THROUGH THE THROUGH THE APPLICATION. IT'S WORKED OUT AND I KNOW, I KNOW, WE JUST HAVE SEVEN APPLICATIONS FIRST WEEK, BUT I EXPECT MORE TO COME IN WITHIN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS. SO. ARE YOU SEEING MORE PARTICIPATION BEING THAT YOUR THAT YOUR BLOCK WALKING. YES. YES. BECAUSE ACTUALLY SOME OF THE CALLS THAT WE'VE GOTTEN ARE BECAUSE THEY RECEIVED A FLIER THAT EITHER MYSELF OR JACKIE DROPPED OFF.

SO YEAH. SO FOR SURE I DO EXPECT TO SEE A LOT MORE APPLICATIONS FROM EAST UNIVERSITY BUSINESSES. SO THOSE BUSINESSES CAN WE SUPPORT THIS TIME AROUND? WHAT'S OUR BUDGET? 40 400,000.

SO WE CAN SUPPORT 40 ASSUMING EVERYBODY GETS $10,000, RIGHT? THESE SEVEN APPLICATIONS, DO THEY ALREADY HAVE THE QUOTES WITH THEM AS WELL? WOW. THAT'S IMPRESSIVE IN A WEEK.

YEAH. NICE. WHAT'S BEEN THE TARGET ON THERE.

JUST THE SEVEN IS FOR WHAT, AWNINGS OR.

YEAH. SO SOME OF THEM ARE PARKING.

WHAT I'VE SEEN PARKING AND PAINTING AND AWNINGS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

MAINLY THAT'S WHAT I'VE SEEN WITH REGARDS TO OUR TO OUR WEBSITE SIGNAGE, ACTUALLY. I KNOW IT'S AVAILABLE ON THE WEBSITE AS WELL.

INFORMATION AND THINGS.

[00:45:03]

SO THAT'S WHY WE PRINTED OUT APPLICATIONS IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH.

SO I, I'M ASSUMING SOME BUSINESSES ARE GOING TO SUBMIT THEIR APPLICATIONS IN PAPER, BUT THAT'S FINE. WE'LL JUST SUBMIT IT ONLINE FOR THEM, BECAUSE I THINK THAT THE LAST TIME THAT WE DID IT, THAT WAS KIND OF SOME THINGS THAT WERE WORRYING US WITH REGARDS TO PEOPLE HAVING ACCESS TO THE LANGUAGE BARRIER, THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT THEY WEREN'T PARTICIPATING. SO I'M GLAD THAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING A BETTER JOB, WHICH IS OUR INTENT IS TO ALWAYS GET BETTER AT THINGS WE DO.

SO YEAH, I'M GLAD BECAUSE OF THAT.

AND THEN HOPEFULLY SO APPLICATIONS DO CLOSE APRIL 18TH.

IF ALL GOES WELL BY THE NEXT BOARD MEETING, WE'LL HAVE, YOU KNOW, ALL THE APPLICANTS.

SO MOVING ON TO JUST A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT ARE COMING UP REGARDING WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT. I DO WANT TO TALK ABOUT MAYBE 3 OR 2, TWO EVENTS THAT ARE COMING UP.

ONE IS A MOVING FORWARD COLLEGE SIGNING DAY.

SO THAT HAS BEEN IN MY REPORT IN THE PAST, BUT NOW WE HAVE A FINAL DATE.

SO THAT'S THURSDAY, MAY 1ST.

THIS IS THE SECOND TIME WE'RE DOING WE'RE PARTNERING WITH WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS FOR THAT.

BASICALLY WHAT THAT IS COLLEGE SIGNING DAY FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES.

LAST YEAR WE HAD ABOUT 82 STUDENTS THAT PARTICIPATED IN THIS YEAR.

WE'RE HAVING IT AT THE ACE CENTER.

SO MORE DETAILS TO COME.

I'LL SEND A CALENDAR INVITE. AND OF COURSE THE BOARD IS INVITED TO ATTEND IF THEY'D LIKE TO ATTEND THAT. AND THEN ALSO IN PARTNERSHIP WITH WORKFORCE, WE HAVE THE LAW ENFORCEMENT JOB FAIR.

THIS IS THE SECOND ANNUAL ONE THAT WE DO IN EDINBURG.

LAST YEAR WE HAD A REALLY GOOD TURNOUT. WE HAD ABOUT WAS 43 EMPLOYERS AND OVER 300 PEOPLE THAT ATTENDED. I KNOW SOME OF YOU ATTENDED THAT LAST YEAR, SO WE'RE HAVING THAT AGAIN.

THAT ONE IS ON MAY 7TH, AND IT'S ALSO GOING TO BE AT THE EDINBURGH ACTIVITY CENTER. AND I DID ATTACH THE FLIER JUST FOR REFERENCE IN MY PACKET IN YOUR PACKET OF WHAT WE'RE DROPPING OFF WHEN WE BLOCK WALK GOING CIRCLING BACK TO PHILIP, IT'S AN ENGLISH AND SPANISH. AND THEN I ATTACH THE SAVE THE DATE FOR THE LAW ENFORCEMENT JOB FAIR. AWESOME.

THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.

GOOD JOB. GOOD JOB TO STAFF.

YES. YOU GUYS ARE DOING A GREAT JOB.

THANK YOU. NEXT ITEM IS EXECUTIVE SESSION.

WE HAVE SEVERAL PROJECTS AND.

PARDON ME. OH, WE STILL HAVE MORE.

OKAY. I THOUGHT WE WERE DONE. YEAH. GOOD EVENING, MR. CHAIRMAN AND BOARD.

I THINK YOU GUYS WERE ALREADY TIRED.

[2. Industrial Development Report 4. Executive Director’s Report]

I JUST WANT TO LET YOU ALL KNOW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING IN THE INDUSTRIAL PART. AND ALSO ON OUR DEVELOPMENT AND PROJECTS ATTACHED TO YOUR BOARD PACKET, YOU WILL SEE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE STUFF THAT WE'RE DOING.

WE HAVE OUR CURRENT PROJECTS THAT ARE IN THE INDUSTRIAL PARK THAT ARE IN VARIOUS STAGES.

WE HAVE THE BUILDING PERMIT STAGES AND THEN SOME OF THEM WHICH HAVE NOT STARTED.

SO I JUST I DO WANT TO LET YOU ALL KNOW THAT WE ARE DOING DUE DILIGENCE BECAUSE THERE ARE TWO PROPERTIES THAT ARE GOING TO BE REACHING COMPLIANCE IN MAY, AND THOSE TWO PROPERTIES NEED TO BE STARTING THEIR PROJECT ALREADY.

SO THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING PUSHING THOSE PROJECTS SO THEY CAN BEGIN, AND WE CAN HAVE A GROUNDBREAKING AND DO RIBBON CUTTING AND AND HAVE THAT READY.

THE THE OTHER PROJECTS ARE ABOUT OUR AIRPORT AND THE LGBTQI TRANSIT.

SO MAY 9TH. MARCH 19TH.

EXCUSE ME. WE HAD A PRE-BID MEETING AND WE TALKED TO ABOUT 20 DIFFERENT CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES THAT ARE INTERESTED IN BIDDING INTO THE FIRST FLOOR TRANSIT CENTER PROJECT, AND TOMORROW IS THE LAST DAY FOR THEM TO SUBMIT QUESTIONS.

AND APRIL 1ST WILL BE THE DAY THAT THEY WILL SUBMIT THEIR BID.

SO HOPEFULLY WE'RE MOVING THIS PROJECT ALONG AND WE CAN SEE A NEW A NEW AREA FOR US TO BE ON SOON. WE ARE ALSO WORKING WITH WORKFORCE AND WE'RE LOOKING TO SUBMIT SOMETHING VERY, VERY CLOSE TO YOU GUYS SOON.

STC IS WORKING TO DO A PROJECT WITH US THAT WILL HELP DEVELOP AND TRAIN A LOT OF THE MANUFACTURING AND PRODUCE THAT'S HERE IN THE EDINBURG AREA.

SO VERY SOON WE WILL BRING THAT UP TO THE BOARD.

PROBABLY IN THE NEXT MONTH.

ON TOP OF THAT AND THE DEALS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON, WE'RE WORKING ABOUT 39 DEALS THAT ARE CURRENTLY BUSINESS EXPANSION PROJECTS THAT ARE BEING DEVELOPED THAT ARE NEW AND ATTRACTION AS WELL.

THAT'S APART FROM THE DEALS THAT WE HAVE THAT ARE PROPERTY SEARCHES, GENERAL INQUIRIES AND BUSINESS RETENTION AND EXPANSION.

SO WE ARE ALSO WORKING WITH LOCAL BUSINESSES HERE TO CREATE A PROGRAM SO WE CAN HELP THEM EXPAND. LAST YEAR WE SAW A LOT OF THAT IN 2024, 2023 AND 2024. AND THIS YEAR WE'RE SEEING A LOT OF COMPANIES COME IN FROM OUTSIDE

[00:50:06]

AND WE SUBMIT THE PROPERTIES THAT WE HAVE, BOTH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PROPERTIES THAT WE OWN OR SORRY, THAT THE THAT ARE IN EDINBURGH.

AND ON TOP OF THAT, WE'VE ALSO BEEN A PART OF EXPOS AND CONFERENCES.

SO JUST RECENTLY WE WENT TO ORLANDO TO PARTICIPATE IN SITE SELECTORS GUILD, WHERE I VISITED WITH OVER 40 DIFFERENT SITE SELECTORS.

AND THOSE SITE SELECTORS HAVE PROJECTS RANGING FROM BIOSCIENCE MANUFACTURING PRODUCE FROM THE FROM SMALL TO LARGE.

SO WE'RE THEY'RE PROMOTING EDINBURGH AND TALKING TO THEM ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING AND HOPEFULLY TRYING TO ATTRACT ONE OF THOSE BUSINESSES.

THEY COME FROM ALL OVER.

THEY'RE FROM GERMANY, AREAS IN EUROPE, LATIN AMERICA AND EVEN THE UNITED STATES. AND YESTERDAY, I WANT TO LET YOU ALL KNOW THAT YESTERDAY I ACTUALLY WENT TO THE MEXICAN CONSULATE TO VISIT WITH WITH A COMPANY CALLED COPPER MAX.

THEY'RE FROM COLIMA, MEXICO.

WE GOT THE GDC, GOT INVITED TO PRESENT AND TO TELL THEM ABOUT WHAT WE HAVE HERE IN EDINBURGH. SO IT WAS A DELEGATION OF ABOUT TEN DIFFERENT PEOPLE FROM COLIMA THAT ARE INTERESTED IN INVESTING, NOT JUST IN PRODUCE, BUT IN ANYTHING ELSE THAT, THAT EDINBURGH GDC IS DEMANDING.

IT WAS ONE COMPANY. ONE COMPANY.

IT WAS ONE COMPANY. THEY WERE CALLED COPPER MAX.

OKAY. YES. AND WITH THAT, I CONCLUDE MY PRESENTATION.

IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU SO MUCH. YOU SAID. POSTED ON LINKEDIN BY FRANCISCO PENA.

IS HE THE ATTORNEY FOR THEM? YES. OKAY. YEAH. HE DOES A LOT OF WORK IN MEXICO.

YES. FRANCISCO PENA IS WITH AN ORGANIZATION CALLED AEM, AND THEY DO A LOT OF PROMOTING OF INTERNATIONAL.

GREAT. THANK YOU. GOOD.

AND BY WHEN ARE THEY LOOKING INTO INTO MAKING A SELECTION OR BY WHEN ARE THEY? WHAT DATE TIMELINE DID THEY GET IF THEY'RE INTERESTED IN.

VERY GOOD QUESTION. I THINK THIS INITIAL INTRODUCTION WAS TO PRESENT THEM WHAT IDOS AND WHAT SOUTH TEXAS DOES AND HOW THEY, THEIR PROCESS GOES.

AND IT'S OUR JOB TO FOLLOW UP WITH THEM TO SEE WHERE THEY ARE IN THEIR PROCESS AND HOW FAST THEY CAN INVEST WHAT OTHER CITIES PRESENTED.

THAT WAS MY QUESTION. GOOD QUESTION, GOOD QUESTION.

MCALLEN MISSION, PHARR AND THE PHARR BRIDGE WERE THERE.

AWESOME. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. SO I GUESS NOW I WILL GIVE TIME TO OUR MARKETING REPORT AND OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR REPORT.

OKAY. I'LL GO TO THE EXHIBIT.

GOOD EVENING. JACKIE. JACKIE.

FOR THE RECORD. SO IN YOUR IN YOUR MARKETING REPORT, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THE EDC ENGAGEMENTS.

SO I'LL BE BRIEF BECAUSE I KNOW YOU GUYS HAVE TO GET TO OTHER THINGS.

THE EVENTS IS THE FIRST PART OF PAST EVENTS THAT WE'VE HOSTED THAT THE EDC HAS ACTUALLY HOSTED, EITHER AT OUR OFFICES OR AT OTHER PLACES.

WE'VE HAD SEVERAL WITHIN JANUARY, FEBRUARY AND MARCH.

OTHER ENGAGEMENTS ARE OTHER TYPE OF ENGAGEMENTS THAT EDC STAFF OR BOARD PARTICIPATE AT. OTHER SIDE, I MEAN, OTHER THAN WORK DURING WORKING HOURS OR AFTER WORKING HOURS.

I DO WANT TO POINT OUT THAT WE DO HAVE INTERNATIONAL BILLBOARD SIGNS IN MEXICO.

WE HAVE ONE IN THE AUTOPISTA FROM MONTERREY TO REYNOSA AND ANOTHER ONE IN AT THE ANZALDUAS INTERNATIONAL BRIDGE.

I SAW THE ONE COMING IN FROM MONTERREY TO REYNOSA, AND I TOLD RAUL WHEN I SAW IT, THERE'S A SIGN THERE.

HE GOES, YES, IT'S BEEN THERE FOR A FEW MONTHS.

I COULDN'T STOP, I WANTED TO TAKE A PICTURE TO SHARE IT WITH THE BOARD, BUT I WILL DO IT THIS WEEKEND. I'M GOING BACK TO MONTERREY, SO I WILL.

OH THAT'S NICE. NO, YOU GOT TO TO SEE THAT.

I DO ALSO HAVE PICTURES OF IT INCLUDED IN OUR NEWSLETTER SO I CAN PUT SOME AGAIN, BECAUSE I THINK I PUT THOSE IN THE FEBRUARY NEWSLETTER OR THE JANUARY NEWSLETTER, I'M NOT SURE. ALSO TALKING ABOUT THE NEWSLETTER WE DID TALK ABOUT WE DID START OUR NEWSLETTER IN JANUARY, SO I'VE BEEN DOING THOSE ONCE A MONTH.

SO THAT'S A NEW THING THAT I'VE BEEN DOING.

[00:55:02]

WE DO HAVE A TEAM TEXAS EMERALD AMERICAS IN ATLANTA.

THAT'S GOING TO BE IN APRIL.

AND THEN THE NEXT CONFERENCE IS IN LAS VEGAS.

SO I DO WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT.

THE PARTNERSHIP IS NOT GOING TO HOST A BOOTH AT VEGAS THIS YEAR.

SO WE ARE GOING TO HAVE OUR OWN BOOTH.

SO IT'S GOING TO BE A TEN BY 20.

THOSE OF YOU THAT HAVE BEEN TO VEGAS BEFORE ALREADY KNOW HOW BIG THAT BOOTH IS.

WE ARE IN PREPARATION.

SO BUYING FURNITURE AND EVERYTHING.

THAT NICE SETUP THAT WE DID FOR DALLAS, I'M GOING TO TRY TO DO THE SAME BECAUSE I THINK IT WAS A GOOD THEY GIVE A REASON WHY THEY'RE NOT GOING TO DO IT THIS YEAR.

THEY SAID THAT THEY'RE NOT HAVING THEY DIDN'T SAY WHY.

THEY JUST SAID THAT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO DO IT.

AND I DON'T THINK THEY'RE GOING TO DO A RECEPTION EITHER.

WHO'S THAT? JACKIE. OH, WELL, THEY'RE IN TRANSITION ALSO BECAUSE DANIEL'S LEAVING AND SO THEY'RE LOOKING FOR A NEW DIRECTOR.

YEAH. REALLY? IT WAS REALLY BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT SURE THAT THEY WERE GOING TO GET ENOUGH PARTICIPANTS TO PAY FOR THE LARGER BOOTH, AND SO THEY DECIDED TO NOT DO IT.

I HAD TALKED TO SOME OF THE OTHER ADA THAT HAD PARTICIPATED LAST YEAR, AND THEY WERE ACTUALLY EAGER TO TO TRY TO DO IT ON A REGIONAL BASIS.

BUT THEY JUST COULDN'T PUT IT TOGETHER.

SO YOU THINKING THAT THEY'RE KIND OF GOING TO DO AWAY WITH IT AT THIS POINT, OR IS IT SOMETHING THAT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO DO JUST FOR THIS YEAR? WHAT DO YOU THINK? I MEAN, AND THE REASON I'M ASKING IS BECAUSE IF WE'RE NOT GOING TO PARTICIPATE WITH THEM, THEN IT IS, I THINK, RECOMMENDED THAT WE DO THE INVESTMENT AND BUY WHAT WE NEED TO BUY FOR OUR BOOTH. I THINK IT'S AT LEAST THIS YEAR.

I DON'T KNOW ABOUT NEXT YEAR FOR THEM.

BUT WE HAVE STARTED. JACKIE HAS ALREADY RESERVED A BOOTH FOR US FOR THIS YEAR.

LIKE WE DID TWO YEARS AGO.

AND SO WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO, TO MARKET, AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO USE THE FURNITURE AND SIGNS THAT WE GET AT OTHER AT OTHER EVENTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. VERY SIMILAR TO THE BOOTH THAT WE HAD IN DALLAS IS WHAT OUR SETUP WILL BE. IT'S A TEN BY 20.

ALL OF THAT IS LEASED, RIGHT? YOU DON'T ACTUALLY BUY IT AND TRAVEL WITH IT, RIGHT? BECAUSE EVERY TIME I GO TO A CONFERENCE, YOU JUST LEASE THE WHOLE THING OUT, CARPET AND ALL. IT'S ONLY THE BACKGROUND THAT THEY TRAVEL WITH.

YEAH. CORRECT. OKAY, PERFECT.

WHEN YOU ASKED OTHER EDC BOARDS FROM OTHER CITIES, WHO ELSE DO WE REACH OUT TO? I KNOW THERE WAS SOME THAT WAS NOT ATTENDANCE AND HAVE HAD A LOT OF CITIES COME UP TO US SAYING, HEY, WE WANT TO JOIN NEXT YEAR.

I MEAN, IT MIGHT BE SOMETHING WE WANT TO LOOK AT EITHER AS A REGION, BECAUSE I THINK WE STILL NEED TO PUSH FOR THAT.

THE REGIONAL IS ONE THING BECAUSE THERE'S THINGS THAT FIT FOR US AND THERE'S THINGS THAT FIT FOR OTHER CITIES. BUT AS A REGION COLLABORATING TOGETHER, WE STAND OUT MORE. WE STAND OUT.

AND TO ME, THAT'S A PRESENCE.

YEAH. BECAUSE I'VE GOT PEOPLE FROM STARK COUNTY, EVEN THOSE, NOT HIDALGO COUNTY, BUT IT'S STILL THE REGION AND IT'S ALONG WITH UTRGV THERE HAVE, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE CAMPUSES OUT THERE.

THEY HAVE NOW A NEW RESIDENTIAL PROGRAM COMING OUT, WHICH I'M NOT MISTAKEN, IS TRUE.

THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE TALKING TO ME YESTERDAY ABOUT. I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO DO, REACH OUT BECAUSE THEY HAD NO IDEA.

ESPECIALLY THERE'S NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS, A NEW MAYOR IN RIO GRANDE CITY, ROMA EVEN IN THE LAREDO AREA, AND ALONG GOING TO BROWNSVILLE, PORT ISABEL, EVERYWHERE ELSE THAT I DO THINK WE MAY NEED TO JUST REACH OUT AND SEE IF WE COULD DO SOMETHING IN THE REGIONAL WISE. THAT'S A GOOD IDEA. THERE'S THERE'S A TIMING ISSUE BECAUSE THERE'S NOT A WHOLE LOT OF BOOTH SPACE LEFT FOR THIS YEAR, FOR THIS YEAR, BUT FOR NEXT YEAR.

YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. WE CAN DO THAT.

OKAY. AND WHAT WAS THE WHAT WAS THE CUT OFF FOR THAT? WELL IT'S A FIRST COME FIRST SERVE AS FAR AS THE BOOTH SPACE GOES.

SO I MEAN THERE'S STILL SOME BOOTH SPACE AVAILABLE, BUT REGARDING YOU KNOW, WHO CAN ACTUALLY COME IN AND PARTICIPATE AND DESIGNING THE BOOTH AND THAT TYPE OF THING.

THAT WOULD BE PRETTY TOUGH TO TO DO BETWEEN NOW AND MAY.

I WOULD RECOMMEND AT LEAST TO LOOK INTO IT. YEAH.

WE'LL REACH OUT TO, A FEW OTHER PEOPLE AND AND SEE.

I KNOW THAT MISSION'S NOT DOING IT. WE TALKED TO TO I TALKED TO TECLO, AND TECLO SAID THAT THEY'RE GOING TO SEND MAYBE TWO PEOPLE TO CSC TO WALK THE FLOOR, BUT THEY'RE NOT DOING A BOOTH.

TYPICALLY, MCALLEN HAS A BOOTH.

WESLACO HAS A BOOTH, AND MERCEDES HAS A BOOTH.

SOMETIMES HARLINGEN DOES, SOMETIMES THEY DON'T.

THE LAST FEW YEARS, HARLINGEN AND BROWNSVILLE HAVE BEEN PARTICIPATING IN THE PARTNERSHIP'S BOOTHS AS WELL. OKAY. SO I JUST I JUST WOULD ENCOURAGE THAT JUST TO SEE JUST TO REACH OUT BECAUSE I THINK IT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING TO GO AFTER AS REGIONAL PARTNERSHIP ENCOMPASSES FROM WHERE TO WHERE THEY GO FROM WHERE TO WHERE ALL THREE COUNTIES THEY DO CAMERON AND HIDALGO AND STARR AND STARR.

YEAH, THEY GO ALL THE WAY. THE CHANCE TO PARTICIPATE.

I MEAN, IN THE PAST, RIGHT? THEY JUST OPTED NOT TO. WELL, I THINK FROM WHAT I UNDERSTANDING, THERE WAS A DIFFERENT LEADERSHIP AND THEY WERE GOT IT REVERSED IN A DIFFERENT WAY. BUT THEY DO THEY DID REPRESENT.

[01:00:02]

I MEAN, THAT'S OUTSIDE OF IT. NO, NO, I UNDERSTAND THAT. BUT I LIKE THE IDEA OF REACHING OUT TO THEY WEREN'T SHUNNED AND GETTING TO PARTICIPATE.

I MEAN, THAT'S WHAT THE REGIONAL MOBILITY WAS ABOUT.

BUT THEY'RE NOT DOING IT NO MORE. SO, YEAH, I THINK EVERYBODY THAT PARTICIPATED LAST YEAR, WE ALL SPONSORED A GOOD AMOUNT AND MAYBE THAT MIGHT BE A FACTOR WHY SOME CITIES DIDN'T WERE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE.

THEY PROBABLY WEREN'T ABLE TO. WELL, AGAIN, OUT OF SIGHT, OUT OF MIND. SOMETIMES IF THEY'RE NOT CONNECTED WITH THOSE CITIES OR THOSE ORGANIZATIONS. I MEAN, I WOULD AGREE THAT IF WE WORK AS A REGION, YOU KNOW, EVEN ON THE UTRGV SIDE, THERE'S SO MANY PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING OVER THERE TO SCHOOL DURING THE RESIDENCY, AND THEY COULD BENEFIT OF SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, MAYBE IT DOESN'T FIT FOR THE CITY OF EDINBURGH BUT COULD HELP THE REGION AND DIRECTLY. BUT BUT KUDOS TO YOU ALL FOR JUMPING ON IT.

AND IT'S STILL EDINBURGH FIRST YOU KNOW.

SO THANK YOU ALL FOR GETTING THE BOOT SPACE AND STILL REPRESENTING EDINBURGH.

YEAH, WELL AS SOON AS I FOUND YOU FOUND OUT THEY COULD, THEY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO DO IT. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.

YES, SIR. AND THEN OH.

SO THEN I WILL BE REACHING OUT TO YOU GUYS TO SEE ABOUT REGISTRATIONS, ABOUT WHO'S GOING TO BE ATTENDING TO THE CONFERENCE.

ALSO ATTACHED TO YOUR MARKETING REPORT IS A TRAVEL CALENDAR, AND THAT BASICALLY HAS INCLUDED ALL OF THE UPCOMING WORK TRIPS, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, IF YOU'RE INTERESTED, AND OTHER EDC EVENTS. AND THAT CONCLUDES MY REPORT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. JACKIE.

YES. MY REPORT WILL BE VERY BRIEF.

ALL OF THE ABOVE, PLEASE.

EVERYTHING THAT YOU HEARD FROM THEM, I'M TOUCHING IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.

AND THEN. AND THEN SOME WHEN WE TALK ABOUT STUFF IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.

SO WE'RE DONE. OKAY. SO NEXT NEXT UP, DO YOU NEED TO REMIND ME? EXECUTIVE SESSION. OKAY.

COME ON. CAN I HAVE A MOTION TO ENTER INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION AT 626?

[7. EXECUTIVE SESSION]

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY RAISING YOUR HAND, SAYING AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED? SAME SIGN. MOTION PASSES.

06:26 P.M.. WE'RE ENTERING INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.

[02:02:14]

[02:02:56]

[02:03:00]

[02:03:12]

[8. OPEN SESSION]

[02:03:38]

[02:03:46]

[02:03:50]

[02:03:52]

[02:03:54]

[02:03:56]

[02:04:02]

[02:04:07]

WITH TERMS THAT ARE DISCUSSED IN EXECUTIVE SESSION.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? I'M SORRY.

IF WE CAN. YEAH. IF WE CAN GET A MOTION IN A SECOND, WE GET A MOTION.

A MOTION. SECOND. SECOND.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? ALL THOSE AGAINST.

MOTION PASSES. OKAY. THERE'S NOTHING ELSE.

BEING THAT THERE WAS NO OTHER ACTION TAKEN IN EXECUTIVE.

I'M GOING TO ASK FOR A MOTION TO ADJOURN.

SO MOVED. FIRST AND SECOND.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

ALL THOSE OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES.

WE ARE CLOSED. THANK YOU.

[9. ADJOURNMENT]

[02:08:34]

THEY'RE NOT LOOKING AT A FIVE YEAR PROGRAM.

AND IF THE CITY IS INVESTING AND OBVIOUSLY A FOUR TIME ALL-AMERICAN CITY HAS INVESTED IN QUALITY OF LIFE, IF WE ARE DOING THAT, THEN THAT'S GOING TO MAKE OUR JOB AND SELLING THE COMMUNITY THAT MUCH EASIER.

AND SO WE THANK YOU ALL THE COUNCIL AND THE EDC BOARD.

MARK, RICHARD AND SANDRA FOR ALL THREE OF THE OF THE SEVEN THAT THAT ARE ON MY BOARD.

BUT GONZALEZ, RAUL RESENDEZ RONNIE RIVERA AND WHO AM I MISSING? OH, DAVID SALAZAR, WHO'S OUR NEWEST BOARD MEMBER, WHO'S ALSO ON THE CITY COUNCIL.

HE TOOK DAN'S PLACE. ARE THE OTHER FOUR THAT ARE NOT HERE TODAY.

BUT THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR EVERYBODY FOR COMING OUT.

WE'RE READY TO TO REALLY TAKE A LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, HOW HOW EASY IT IS TO PLAY OUT HERE, HOW MUCH FUN IT IS GOING TO BE.

I WANTED TO MENTION A COUPLE OF THE OTHER PROJECTS THAT WE'VE DONE THAT ARE QUALITY OF LIFE PROJECTS AND RECREATION CENTER THE NORTH PARK AND BEETHOVEN PARK.

AND OF COURSE, THE ACE BUILDING IS ANOTHER ONE THAT WE MADE A LARGE INVESTMENT IN, IN QUALITY OF LIFE, QUALITY OF PLACE.

AND WE'RE JUST BLESSED TO BE PART OF IT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND WE CERTAINLY APPRECIATE THOSE QUALITY OF LIFE INVESTMENTS.

NEXT UP TO THE PODIUM HE HAS BEEN WAITING FOR THIS DAY, ALONG WITH THE KIDS WHO ARE READY TO PRACTICE AND PLAY.

[02:10:01]

THEY DO A LOT OF WORK BEHIND THE SCENES. THANKS FOR BEING HERE ALSO AS WELL.

WE GOT ALEX RIOS HERE, OUR NEW PARKS BOARD MEMBER AS WELL.

THANKS FOR BEING HERE. ALEX, I KNOW YOU DO A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY. THANK YOU. REAL QUICK TO HEAT UP ON DAN DIAZ INFORMATION ABOUT PLAYTIME.

LONG TIME ADVOCATE OF GOOD HEALTH AND RUNNING AND AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY.

I'VE BEEN I'VE BEEN COACHING FOR MANY YEARS.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I DID SEE AS TIME GOES ON.

THE PAST 30 SOME YEARS IS THE DECLINE OF THE KIDS HEALTH.

THE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY HAS GONE A LOT LOWER THAN BACK WHEN WE WERE KIDS.

SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE CITY STRIVES FOR MANAGEMENT.

MAYOR AND COUNCIL ALWAYS TRYING TO GET KIDS OR CITIZENS TO GET OUT THERE AND EXERCISE.

AND IT CAN BE WALKING OR JOGGING OR PLAYING BALL OR, YOU KNOW, ANY TYPE OF ACTIVITY.

BUT THIS IS THIS. THESE FIELDS WOULD ENHANCE THAT.

KIDS WOULD SEE THIS, THEY MIGHT WANT TO COME OUT AND PLAY, MIGHT WANT TO JOIN OUR, OUR OUR LITTLE LEAGUE TEAMS. WE HAVE CLOSE TO 1500 KIDS PLAYING THIS YEAR.

SO WE EXPECT HOPEFULLY HAVE MORE KIDS COME OUT HERE AND PLAY.

SO THIS IS ONE OF THE GOALS THAT WE HAVE IN MIND ABOUT KEEPING ACTIVE EDINBURGH AND GET THEM OUT THERE, YOU KNOW, AND EXERCISE AND AND HAVE A GREAT TIME. IT'S GOOD FOR YOUR HEALTH OF COURSE, AND ALSO FOR YOUR MENTAL HEALTH AS WELL. AS YOU GUYS KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU SEE BEHIND ME HERE IS OUR, OUR STAFF. IF YOU LOOK TO MY TO TO YOUR LEFT.

OUR PARK STAFF HERE A BIG ROUND FOR THESE GUYS.

THEY'RE BEHIND THE SCENES. THEY DON'T GET A LOT OF CREDIT FROM FROM THE CITIZENS, BUT BELIEVE ME, THEY WORK REAL HARD TO KEEP THESE AREAS, ALL THESE PARKS CLEAN, ALL THESE PARKS SAFE.

AND IF YOU DROVE IN HERE ALREADY, COMPARED TO LAST YEAR, YOU CAN SEE THE DIFFERENCE OF HOW THIS PARK LOOKS LIKE AND ALL THE OTHER PARKS AS WELL.

SO THANKS EDDIE AND JAZZ AND STAFF, OF COURSE, FOR ALL YOU DO FOR THE PARK SYSTEM AND ALL THE FIELDS.

AND THEN, OF COURSE, OVER HERE TO YOUR RIGHT, WE HAVE OUR RECREATION STAFF.

THEY ARE THE FRONTLINE WITH ALL THE, I WANT TO SAY, COMPLAINTS, BUT ALL THE ALL THE QUESTIONS THEY HAVE REGARDING ALL THE ALL THE ACTIVITIES, ALL THE ALL THE SPORTS THAT WE HAVE AND OUR OUR ASSISTANT HERE, ERIC MOLINA. THANK YOU.

HE DOES A TREMENDOUS JOB HELPING ME OUT.

WE HAVE A LOT OF ACTIVITIES GOING ON, A LOT OF DIFFERENT AREAS TO TO COVER.

HE DOES A TREMENDOUS JOB. THANKS A LOT, ERIC, FOR EVERYTHING. AND, OF COURSE, OUR SPORTS MANAGER, RONNIE RODRIGUEZ, WHO'S NOT HERE RIGHT NOW.

AND WE ALSO HAVE SUNNY RODRIGUEZ, HIS ASSISTANT AS WELL. SO THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO. AND THE STAFF I WANT TO THANK OUR, OUR OUR MAYOR AND COUNCIL AND MANAGEMENT FOR OUR NEXT REVEAL. I KNOW THE BIGGEST THING HERE IS OUR FIELDS, BUT WE ALSO ALONG WITH THE FIELDS, WE ADDED NEW SCOREBOARDS.

SO IF YOU LOOK OVER THERE ON THE CENTER FIELD, WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND UNVEIL THE NEW SCOREBOARDS. THANK YOU. MANAGEMENT CITY COUNCIL AND MAYOR FOR THIS.

HERE WE GO. THERE HE COMES.

THERE HE GOES. IT'S GOT A PITCH COUNT.

IT'S GOT EVERYTHING THAT REQUIRES.

WELL, WE'RE TRYING OUR BEST.

THERE IT IS. THERE IT IS.

ALL RIGHT, HERE WE GO.

AND AND TO INDICATE THE END OF THE GAME.

THERE YOU GO. GONNA ADD A LITTLE BASKETBALL HOME RUN.

DAN, GET UP THERE. BOOM.

ANYWAYS, I JUST WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR BEING HERE TODAY.

AND I'M EXCITED ABOUT TO START THE SEASON. WE START PRACTICE ALREADY.

THE TEAMS ARE MADE AND WE'VE GOT OUR OPENING CEREMONIES COMING UP SOON.

SO WE'LL ADVERTISE THAT FOR A WHILE AS WELL.

SO THAT I'M SORRY I THINK APRIL 3RD.

APRIL 3RD. YES. FOR THE CEREMONY IS GOING TO BE AT RICHARD FLORES STADIUM.

IT'S GOING TO BE A WONDERFUL EVENT AS WELL. SO, YOU KNOW, THANKS FOR BEING OUT HERE. AND WE HAVE SOME TIME TO GET OUT THERE.

I KNOW SOME KIDS BROUGHT THEIR GLOVES AND STUFF.

YOU GET OUT THERE AND AND AND HIT THE BALL A LITTLE BIT AND YOU KNOW, LIKE, I, LIKE I SAID BEFORE, LET'S GET OUT THERE AND STAY HEALTHY.

GOD BLESS GUYS. WE'RE HITTING A LOT OF HOME RUNS TODAY.

DAN. I ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE RONNIE AND JESSE FROM OUR CHAMBER.

FORGOT TO MENTION YOU GUYS. I'M SO, SO SORRY, BUT THEY'RE GOING TO HELP US WITH THE NEXT PART, WHICH IS THE FUN PART.

IF WE CAN GET OUR MEDIA CREWS READY AND OUR ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT TO GET OUR CITY LEADERS LINED UP AS WE GET READY FOR THE OFFICIAL RIBBON CUTTING.

FINALLY IT HAPPENED. NO MORE WEATHER DELAYS.

IT'S HAPPENING TODAY. CLOSE TO THE PITCHER'S MOUND.

IF WE CAN HAVE OUR EDC BOARD.

IF WE CAN HAVE OUR CITY OFFICIALS LINE UP OVER THERE. OF COURSE. PARKS AND THE EDINBURG

[02:15:03]

IF YOU BUILD IT, THEY WILL COME.

YES. YES. YES. WE NEED MELVIN AND HUT.

WE NEED HELLAS TO JOIN OUR LITTLE LEAGUE BOARD.

COME ON, GUYS, WE'RE CUTTING THE RIBBON.

WE'RE MAKING IT OFFICIAL. WE NEED ALL OUR KEY PLAYERS UP IN FRONT.

YES. WE'RE READY. OKAY.

YOU READY? OKAY, I'M GOING TO.

WE'RE GOING TO START FROM FIVE AND WORK OUR WAY DOWN. AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO CUT THE RIBBON. READY IN 54321.

LET'S CUT THE RIBBON. YAY.

IT IS OFFICIALLY OFFICIAL.

WE'RE RUNNING THE BASES.

I KNOW IT'S TRUE. SOMEBODY JUST SAID THIS WAS A DREAM WHEN WE WERE GROWING UP, AND NOW IT'S A REALITY FOR OUR KIDDOS.

THAT CONCLUDES TODAY'S TURF RIBBON.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.