Reprint from the Progress Times - August 17, 2007
©Progress Times 2007 - All Rights Reserved

Road improvements planned for city

By Kathy Olivarez

Several major road improvement projects are planned for Mission in the coming year. Mayor Beto Salinas told the council in their Monday, August 14, meeting the widening of Shary Road from FM 495 to the Mile 3 Road would begin September 3rd. Work on the southbound lane will be done first.

Jacinto Garza told the council that environmental work and right-of-way acquisition on Mile 2 Road from Conway Avenue to Taylor Road would start in September. Widening of the road will begin in about one year. The road will have four lanes except in front of Veterans Memorial High School where it will have five lanes.

Garza said it would take 12 to 18 months to complete construction once it begins. When complete, the Mile 2 Road will be another excellent east-west artery for traffic.

The council approved a bid to EMMSA for waterline materials in the amount of $84,921.88. The project will extend a 12-inch waterline from Scheurbach Road to Expressway 83. The project includes relocation and replacement of water infrastructure related to the Texas Department of Transportation’s plans to widen Business 83.

A bid for boring services to extend the existing 12-inch waterline from Schuerbach Road to Expressway 83 was awarded to the 5125 Company in the amount of $105,555.55. Concern was raised over the $65,000 difference in the estimated cost of the project. However, Interim Purchasing Agent Aida Lerma said the planned 16-inch pipe had to be upsized to a 20-inch pipe and that accounted for the extra cost.

The Utility Fund will fund both costs associated with the project.

In a related action the council approved Resolution #1185 supporting Senate Bill 1888 by State Senator Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa and House Bill 3437 by State Representative Ismael "Kino" Flores. The bills will impose an additional $10 of vehicle registration fees in Hidalgo County to address the county’s mobility needs. Currently there is a $1 billion shortfall for the county’s transportation needs.

If approved, this legislation will allow the Hidalgo County Metropolitan Planning Organization, the Hidalgo County Regional Mobility Authority and local officials to work together to address the county’s transportation needs.

Under zoning issues preliminary plat approval was granted to Santa Fe Commercial Pointe Subdivision, a re-subdivision of 15.551 acres of lot "A" Golden Angel Subdivision and 10.564 out of Share 16 Agreed Partition of Porcion 49 in Mission’s rural extraterritorial jurisdiction. The site is the northeast corner of Doffing Road and Mile 3 Road.

The subdivision shows 20 lots to be used for commercial purposes. Septic tanks will be used as the nearest sewer line is approximately one mile away.

Concern was raised over the size of the residential lots shown on the plat. When there is no sewer line the lots must be one-half acre. The council was told that the design shown was for future development and only the commercial area was to be developed at this time.

Final plat approval of the 19-lot Sharyland Village-Sevilla Subdivision, Phase III was granted. It will be built on a 9.29 acres tract of land situated in Porcion 58. It is out of Lots 92, 93, and 83, John H. Shary Subdivision. It is 675 feet west of Glasscock road along the south side of Los Indios Parkway.

The council approved Ordinance 327, which abandoned a portion of Cummings Avenue between Tom Landry and West 12th Street as requested by adjoining landowners. The site once had a railroad spur that has long been abandoned.

Concern was expressed that lots owned by Herb Jeffries would not have access to any public street if the site were abandoned. When it was pointed out that Jeffries had signed the petition requesting the abandonment, the council approved it.

Attorney David Guerra said that the city did not allocate the abandoned land but normally one-half of the abandoned land would go to each adjacent landowner.

A public hearing for Arturo Garcia to appeal a denied conditional use permit for a home occupation sale of office and residential furniture at 2008 N. Shary Road was set for Tuesday, August 28.

Authorization to solicit bids for a one million gallon elevated water tank to be located on Shary Road and Mile 2 North Road was approved.

The Council approved a logo to be used on the Northeast side water tower to be located at Shary Road and Mile 2 Road. Staff recommended that a "sense of consistency" be established by using the same logo on the water tower located at Conway Avenue and Mile 2 Road. The logo selected had a picture of La Lomita Mission, Mission’s icon with the word Mission in large letters.

David Gonzalez, who resides at 2109 Giselle, was named to the new AGUA board, the entity replacing the Receivership of La Joya Water Supply Corporation. He will represent Mission on the seven member boards.

Tax collections from June 2007 amounted to $12,111,212.59, which amounted to 92.20 percent of the adjusted $13,244,269.08 tax levy.

The council approved Mission Police Department’s acceptance of a $5,000 Tobacco Compliance Grant from the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. It will be used for education of tobacco retailers and court personnel concerning tobacco laws.

The council also approved purchase of five Ford Crown Victoria police cars through the Buy Board at $125,000. Authorization for equipment for the five vehicles such as lights, laptops, and cameras will also be solicited at an estimated cost of $75,000.

The council approved a request for security services at the Hayes-Sammons Building during the planned demolition of the building. Security will assure that the public does not trespass on the premises during the demolition process. The cost of security is $40,000.

The next council meeting will be held Tuesday, August 28 because the mayor is scheduled to be out of town on Monday, August 27.

An additional five vehicles will be purchased with funds from the State Sharing Fund. Included are sedans for Criminal Investigations Division (CID), motorcycles for patrol and an SUV for CID. Estimated cost is $300,000.

Mission Police Department was authorized to re-enter into a contract with Mission Consolidated Independent School District for the Education Resource Officer Program. Nine police officers will be assigned to the district for the school year while one will be assigned to the summer school program. The cost of the program is $254,324.

The council approved an Interlocal Cooperation Agreement with the Lower Rio Grande Development Council for seven self-contained breathing apparatuses to be used by the Mission Fire Department Hazard Material response team. A grant through the Metropolitan Medical Response System of the Federal Emergency Management Agency will pay for the items.

The date for the special election to replace Councilwoman Gen Long, who resigned due to ill health in the family, is set for October 20. Early voting will begin Wednesday, October 3 and run weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. until Tuesday, October 16.

The council approved Resolution #1186 suspending the August 30, 2007 effective date of Texas Gas Service’s Proposal to Implement interim GRIP rate adjustments. The cost of participation in this legal action is $2870 to be paid to the Lower Rio Grande Valley Development Council.

Purchase of a John Deere ProGator Sprayer Vehicle with a HD200 sprayer mounted through the Buy Board was approved at a cost of $29,181.30 for the Shary Golf Course.

There was no public input on the proposed budget for the 2007-2008 fiscal year during the public hearing. The budget is to be voted on at the next meeting.

Paul Schaefer, Shary Golf Course manager, thanked the council for their support of the Summer Youth Golf Program. He said 138 children participated. Several winners of golf competitions were introduced to the council.

Matt Kendon asked the council when work would begin on the odor problem at the South Bryan Road lift station.

Engineer Fred Kurth said that the city was currently working on upgrades on the other side of the expressway near the hospital. When those improvements were complete work would start on the north side of the expressway.

Following executive session the council approved a lease of the Davis Building through December 31, 2007.

The council agreed to settle litigation with Lamar Sign for $20,000 subject to settlement and lease language agreement.