City Commission Holds Last Meeting of 2020

Updated: January 14, 2021

By CAYETANO GARZA JR.
LFN

The La Feria city commission held its second regularly scheduled meeting for the month of December and its last meeting for the calendar year last Wednesday, December 30, at 6:30 pm at the La Feria City Commission Meeting Room at 115 E. Commercial Ave. in La Feria. The meeting was originally slated for December 22 right before the Christmas holiday but had to be rescheduled when a quorum was not present to conduct the meeting.

This was the second meeting since March that the commission held in person, this time opting to also broadcast the meeting via ZOOM as well as hold it in person so as to limit the number of people in attendance in accordance with an order by the office of the Texas governor to help 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.

Only Mayor Olga Maldonado, Commissioner Donato Garcia, City Manager Jaime Sandoval, City Secretary Amanda Morales and a representative from the office of State Representative Oscar Longoria were present in the city commission meeting room while the rest of the commission as well as the city attorney attended virtually via ZOOM.

After observing the usual protocols of a regular meeting (invocation, pledge, determining quorum present), the mayor called the meeting to order. There were no public comments. The commission approved minutes for the meeting held December 8, 2020

The commission again voted to further extend the local disaster declaration pertaining to the public health emergency presented by the global COVID-19 pandemic.

The commission then voted to renew an agreement between the city and the Cameron County Emergency Services District No. 1. This is a standard agreement between local municipalities and the county governmental entity providing additional services to the fire department. The agreement needed to be renewed for the coming fiscal year. The commission voted unanimously to approve.

Next the commission voted to continue a partnership between the city and the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston’s Tu Salud Si Cuenta program. The program began in Brownsville in 2003 as a way to address alarmingly high rates of obesity and diabetes in the Rio Grande Valley. Since then the program has gained momentum and spread to neighboring cities across Cameron County and beyond, resulting in healthier individuals, families and communities through various campaigns and programs geared at promoting healthy living, exercise and food education. The commission approved the agenda item.

The commission then approved unanimously to continue to donate office space to Representative Oscar Longoria, State Representative for District 35. The vote was a formality. A representative from the Representative’s office was present in the commission meeting room to address the commission and extend Longoria’s thanks for the city’s generosity over the course of Longoria’s term in office.

The following agenda item up for consideration was an agreement authorizing the City Manager Jaime Sandoval the potential use of the La Feria job order BuyBoard contract No. JOC 581-19 for renovations and improvements to the Scott Sloane Memorial Park ane Veterans Memorial Park and Sports Complex. Sandoval explained to the commission that the agreeement basically allowed them to “explore any favorable options available to the city through the BuyBoard” for improvements to the city parks. The commission voted unanimously to approve the measure.

Finally the commission voted to table the final agenda item, the support of the election of Richard Cortez to represent the Southern Region of the Texas Coalition of Affordable Power Board of Directors, at the request of the city manager. The item was tabled and having no other items on the agenda for the evening the commission voted to adjourn.

The next meeting of the La Feria city commission is scheduled for January 12, 2020 at 6:30 pm.

To view the meeting via internet live streaming, 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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