La Feria city commission holds first in person meeting since March

Updated: December 17, 2020

The La Feria city commission had been holding their meetings virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The December 8th meeting marked the first time they’d congregated at the commission meeting room since earlier this year. Archive photo

By CAYETANO GARZA JR.
LFN

The La Feria city commission held its first regularly scheduled meeting for the month of December last Tuesday, December 8, at 6:30 pm at the La Feria City Commission Meeting Room at 115 E. Commercial Ave. in La Feria.

In accordance with an order by the office of the Texas governor issued March 16, the commission had been holding its meetings online via Zoom live stream in lue of face-to-face meetings to slow the spread of COVID-19 by maintaining strict social distancing while still allowing the commission to perform the duties and functions of civic government.

This was the first meeting to be held in person since that declaration earlier this year.

The commission observed social distancing protocols by having only three commissioners on the daise at the front of the meeting room with the other commissioners in attendance seated at a folding table and the rest of the staff distanced throughout the space.

There were no community members in attendance, however the committee plans to hold it’s future meetings in a hybrid format offering a live broadcast via Zoom for the community to observe and allowing for continued safe distancing in the small commission meeting room.

After observing the usual protocols of a regular meeting (invocation, pledge, determining quorum present, and call to order), the commission approved minutes for the meeting held November 24, 2020.

With no community members in attendance and no signatures to present public comments the commission proceeded with the only two items on the agenda for the evenings meeting.

First the commission voted to appoint Michael Martinez to the La Feria Zoning Board of Adjustment. A position on the board had been vacated late last month by a member who had stepped down but the agenda item had been tabled until a suitable candidate to fill the position could be considered and approached to serve.

The next, and final, item on the agenda was a presentation and discussion regarding updates on various city projects including streets, parks, as well as police and public works facilities. However because of the COVID-19 pandemic many of these projects have been put on hold throughout the year. The city has also been awaiting USDA funding on several of the projects which has also delayed progress. No action was taken on the item. The commission then voted to adjourn.

The next meeting of the La Feria city commission is scheduled for December 22, 2020 at 6:30 pm. Although the meeting will be held in person seating is extremely limited.

The community may attend the meeting virtually via internet live streaming. To do so please visit https://www.cityoflaferia.com/boards-and-commissions/city-commission/agendas-2020/ where you will find the agenda for the next meeting. The pdf for the agenda will include a link, meeting ID and passcode for the Zoom meeting. More information is available by calling 346-248-7799.

Members of the public may sign up for public comment on an agenda item or for another item of public concern by submitting an email to [email protected] containing the name of the individual wishing to comment; and the item number or subject matter the individual wishes to comment on.

Please submit requests for public comment no later than two hours before the meeting. Join the meeting at the time and login listed above and the Mayor will call on you when it is your turn to speak. A recording of the meeting will be made and is available to the public in accordance with the Texas Open Meetings Act.

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