La Feria News

Phinney Appointed Interim Fire Chief, Commission Vote to Pass on Texas Park & Wildlife Grant

La Feria City Finance Director Frank Rios presents the monthly finance report to the La Feria City Commission at last week’s meeting on Tuesday night, May 23rd. Photo: Martha E. Ibarra/LFN

by Martha E. Ibarra/LFN

David Phinney was appointed by city manager, Jaime Sandoval, to take on the roles and responsibilities as interim fire chief after Sandoval received a letter of resignation from Chief Greg Hernandez.

“[Phinney] has done already a lot of things there at the fire department that were lacking. I want to thank Mr. Hernandez for his years of service. He retired just as the chief, not as a volunteer,” said Sandoval at the city commission meeting held on Tuesday, May 23.

Following the usual protocol of a city meeting (invocation, pledge of allegiance and determination of quorum), Mayor Pro-tem, Esmeralda Lozano, called the meeting to order in the absence of Mayor Olga Maldonado.

After the approval of the quarterly investment report and the minutes for the previous city meeting (May 9), the commission discussed a grant awarded to the City from Texas Parks and Wildlife.

In March of 2016 the city of La Feria was awarded a grant of $500,000 from Texas Parks and Wildlife. However, there is a requirement that the city match dollar for dollar the amount awarded.

“The city has to come up with $500,000 for a total project amount of one million dollars. With the budgetary constraints that we have, we don’t have $500,000 that we can just pull from somewhere,” said Sandoval. While the commission is grateful, they are not currently in a position to meet the requirements to utilize the grant.

After City Finance Director Frank Rios presented a financial report for the month of April, the meeting was adjourned. The next city meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, June 6, at 6:30 PM in the city commission meeting room located at 115 E. Commercial Avenue.

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