City Commission Holds First Meeting of 2017

Commission Recognizes State Champions TYFA, Approves New LFIDC Board Members, Appoints New Engineering Firm for City

Photos and story by Martha E. Ibarra/LFN

The La Feria city commission held a regular meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 10, in the packed city commission meeting room located at 115 E. Commercial Avenue in La Feria.

Present at the meeting was the La Feria Texas Youth Football Association (TYFA) football team and cheerleaders. The city commission was recognizing the team and cheerleaders for winning the state championship in their division.

“We’re so excited that you guys are here, we are so excited that you represented your coaches, your community, all of us,” said Mayor Pro-Tem, Esmeralda Lozano.

The commission congratulated the team, their coaches and parents on the huge victory while head coach, Moises Rivera, took pride in his team, “I’m super proud to be the head coach of the rookie team and the director for the cheer team. We didn’t just beat them- we whooped them!”

Following the usual protocol of a regular city meeting (invocation, pledge, and determination of quorum) the commission opened the floor for public comments.

Brad Shields, president of the La Feria Industrial Development Corporation (LFIDC) went before the commission and expressed his concern regarding replacement officers in the LFIDC. The commission then went on to approve the minutes of the previous city meeting (December, 27).

The commission then approved an ordinance to temporarily close certain and specified streets during the 2017 Fiesta de La Feria, which will be held on Saturday, Feb. 25.

Next, the commission went on to approve an interlocal agreement between the city of La Feria and the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) for representative appointment to the regional task force headed by UTRGV to respond and aid compliance with the Texas commission on environmental quality phase II storm water rules. Furthermore, the commission appointed Planning and Community Development Director, Paula Rodriguez as the representative.

Following the approval of a resolution appointing three new members to the LFIDC board, the commission held a discussion regarding the 2017-2018 community development funds project needs.

Before going into closed executive session, the commission approved Sam Engineering and Surveying Inc. (SAMES Inc.) as the professional engineering firm for the city of La Feria. Humberto Garza, director of business and government affairs was present at the meeting to answer questions the commission had regarding SAMES Inc.

When the commission emerged from closed executive session, where they remained for an hour and a half, Commissioner Lozano made a motion to award J and A Coatings, a company based in Hughes Springs, TX, the Parker Road elevated storage tank rehabilitation project. The motion passed and the meeting was then adjourned.

The next city meeting will be held on Tuesday, Jan. 24, in the city commission meeting room located at 115 E. Commercial Avenue in La Feria.

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