City Commission Approves Budgets at Special Meeting

by Martha E. Ibarra/LFN

The La Feria City Commission held a special meeting on Wednesday, Sep. 7 at 6:30 PM in the city commission meeting room at 115 E. Commercial Ave. in La Feria.

Mayor Olga H. Maldonado called the meeting to order after following the usual protocol of a city meeting (invocation, pledge of allegiance and determining quorum present).

The first item on the agenda was a discussion with the city commission regarding the budget for fiscal year 2016/2017.

Interim City Manager, Esmeralda Sanchez, presented the commission with four possible scenarios for the budget and explained each option carefully to the commission. After explaining all four options, Sanchez recommended that the commission consider the final option, scenario D- a tax rate of .79 with a five percent increase in salary for all city employees with the exception of department heads. “…that allows us to operate in the black at $67,965.00 revenues over expenditures. So that seems like a fair option for all of the employees and puts us in a better position,” Sanchez said about scenario D.

After finalizing their discussion on the proposed budget, the commission went forth to approve it. However, before a motion could be made, Commissioner Victor Gonzalez Jr. questioned the increase in the proposed tax rate and expressed concern regarding the increase, “This is 2 years in a row that we have raised this tax… I have an objection on the proposed tax rate.”

Interim City Manager, Esmeralda Sanchez, explained to Commissioner Gonzalez that there were other options when it came to the tax rate. “We did discuss the options available… we looked at the various options at .76 to .810… You have the option to go back to the .76 tax rate and you would still be operating in black at $14,813.00,” Sanchez said to Gonzalez.

Mayor Maldonado recommended keeping the tax rate at .76 and operating with a little over $14,000 in revenues over expenditures; the rest of the commission agreed. Commissioner Eric Hoff motioned to approve the City of La Feria budget for fiscal year 2016/2017 with a tax rate of .76 and a five percent increase to all city employees with the exception of department heads. The motion passed.

Next, the commission approved the budgets for La Feria Utilities Board, La Feria Industrial Development Corporation, La Feria Economic Development Corporation, Bailey H. Dunlap Memorial Public Library, Summer Youth Program, La Feria Recreation Center/Wellness Center and promotion of La Feria for fiscal year 2016/2017.

The commission also approved an ordinance establishing ad valorem tax rate for tax year 2016 including Maintenance and Operation and Interest and Sinking Rates.

The commission went on to consider an order for release of excess funds and authorize release of lien in connection with Cameron County, City of La Feria and the known and unknown heirs of Elionzo Cantu Jr. This item was tabled.

Shortly after 7:30 pm the city commission went into closed executive session to discuss the two final items on the agenda regarding the hiring of a city manager and related legal issues. The commission returned from closed session at 9pm. The official application period for the city manager position was closed on Wednesday, September 7, 2016, and the Commission must now conduct a thorough review of the applications to determine the most qualified candidate then contact the chosen applicant to conduct an interview.

A special city meeting is scheduled for Sep. 19 at 6:30 PM in the city commission meeting room at 115 E. Commercial Ave. in La Feria.