City Approves Use of Sports Complex for Local Team at Latest Meeting

by Martha E. Ibarra/LFN

The La Feria city commission held meeting on Tuesday, February 27, in the city commission meeting room. Following the usual protocol (invocation, pledge, determination of quorum and the approval of minutes for the previous meeting), the commission went on to discuss an agenda item involving the Texas Lady Spartans.

Members of the all-female football team were present at this meeting as the commission discussed allowing the Spartans to utilize the sports complex for their home games. Public works director, Alfonso Rodriguez, expressed his concerns regarding maintenance of the fields, and the possibility of conflicting schedules with the baseball season. “It is expensive to maintain them [the fields] and that is my worry. And baseball is around the corner -what days is this going to be used because those fields are used a lot by our youth. Who is going to maintain the fields? What is going to happen with our youth? How is it going to work?”

Team captain, Kathy Meyer, stood before the commission as she addressed the concerns stated by Rodriguez, “As far as maintaining the field, we planned on painting the lines on the field- we would take care of all of that.”

Mayor Olga Maldonado, commissioners Julian Guevara Jr. and Esmeralda Lozano all voiced concerns of their own as well. Meyer reassured them of the team’s plans for the field and that the city would not have to worry about maintenance, insurance, lighting or seating as the team was prepared to resolve any issues that may prevent the use of the sports complex.

Mayor pro-tem, Eric Hoff, then excitedly made a motion approving the Spartans use of the field for five home games pending the approval of the city’s insurance.

“I beg to have a whole bunch of folks trying to use our parks- we don’t have that right now. If it’s an action item, I’d like to make a motion to approve one year, five games with the stipulation that she [Meyer] understands we have other events going on and do her best to work around it and see how it goes,” said Hoff.

Commissioner Donato Garcia was in support of the Texas Lady Spartans utilizing the field for their games.

Commissioner Jesse Zuniga seconded Hoff’s motion allowing the agenda item to pass.

Following the commission’s discussion regarding the approval of the re-zoning of a property located at Peaceful Acres subdivision, the commission appointed Mayor Maldonado to the Regional Review Committee. Those appointed to the committee are responsible for determining regional priorities for projects funded through the Texas Department of Agriculture.

The commission went on to discuss a memorandum of understanding that the city will enter into with the school district. The agreement will allow the school district to use certain city facilities for purposes of conducting education related and extracurricular activities.

La Feria ISD superintendent, Cathy Lee Hernandez, went before the commission and expressed her enthusiasm for the agreement. “It’s our city, our community and our kids. If we could utilize the dome for a practice area for our kids, that would phenomenal. We are committed to do whatever it takes for our children. We serve one community, one team,” said Hernandez.

Following the presentation of the monthly finance report, the commission approved a resolution allowing the city to submit a grant application to the office of the Governor- Homeland Security Grants Division for funding of the South Texas Air Project.

After emerging from closed executive session, the meeting was adjourned. The next city meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, March 13, at 6:30 PM in the city commission meeting room located at 115 E. Commercial Avenue.