Reprint from the Progress Times - February 1, 2008
©Progress Times 2008 - All Rights Reserved

Cooperation and community stressed at Mayor's International Brunch

 

International cooperation and sense of multi-national community were the two themes that took center stage at the annual Mayor’s International Brunch Saturday, January 26 at Texas State Bank on Conway in Mission.

A new Sister City agreement was signed between the City of Mission and the Municipio de General Escobedo, Nuevo Leon. On hand to oversee the agreement was President Municipal Margarita Martinez Lopez.

After a welcome from Greater Mission Chamber of Commerce Chairman Javier Iruegas, Mission Mayor Beto Salinas gave his opening remarks which focused on cooperation between the U.S. and Mexico as well as between Mission and its surrounding cities.

"When we took office in 1998, our special guest, Oscar Lugo was Mayor of Reynosa and he was one of those mayors that came here and played golf and I got to know him very well," said Salinas. "Now he is the mayor of Reynosa. We have a great interest in Mexico. We have been working for the last 10 years in investing in Mexico. We’ve been getting ready for the growth. One of the things we’ve done here with our city council is being able to include a man who was born in Reynosa on our city council. We are getting ready to build a new police station and fire station close to the bridge. I don’t think it would have been possible for us to be part of the bridge project without the mayors of McAllen and Hidalgo."

Salinas went on to address a few very specific political issues.

"We continue to oppose the wall," said Salinas. "The wall is not the idea of friendship to Mexico. It’s embarrassing for us. I hope the County Judge and Commissioners will stop thinking about the wall and start thinking about the levees because we are going to have FEMA in our face."

Congressman Henry Cuellar and Mayor Oscar Luebbert of Reynosa, Tamaulipas both served as keynote speakers and also touched on themes of cooperation.

"The Rio Grande unites us as two countries. We understand that we would rather be building bridges than building fences," said Cuellar. "One of the things that I see here is a community really working together. From our state legislators to local and federal as a team understanding that the private sector plays an important role. Government cannot do it by itself. This is why Mission is very strong."

Other dignitaries in attendance were former Congressman Kika de la Garza, Texas State Representatives Kino Flores and Veronica Gonzalez as well as the Mayor of Hidalgo John David Franz.

Also on hand were representatives of Mission’s current sister cities such as Mayor Luis Marroquin of Allende, Nuevo Leon, Antonio Lugo of Puerto Vallarta, Mayor Helio Trevino of Salinas Victoria, Nuevo Leon and Mayor Alejandro Franklin of San Fernando, Tamaulipas.