Reprint from the Progress Times - March 14, 2008
©Progress Times 2008 - All Rights Reserved

Mission plans additional annexations

 

By Kathy Olivarez

Two new areas are to be annexed into the city. The council was told in their Monday, March 10, meeting of plans that include voluntary annexation of 40.07 acres of the Valley Memorial Gardens West Development (cemetery), which is located on Taylor Road approximately two and a half miles north of Business 83.

Other annexation plans include 258.78 acres of Blocks 156, 145, 135, 136, 125, 126 of John H. Shary Subdivision. This site is south of Expressway 83.

On the west side it runs south along Sharyland Road south McManus Subdivision and extends to a point just north of Riverside Estates at Sharyland. It turns east at San Miguel drive and runs along the northern edge of Riverside Estates at Sharyland and to Taylor Road where it turns north and runs to Colorado Avenue.

The first public hearing is scheduled for April 14. A second public hearing is planned for April 28. The city council will institute annexation on May 15 and officially adopt the annexation ordinance on June 6.

Preliminary plat approval was granted to San Miguel Subdivision, Phase IV, to be located of 7.862 acres of lots 121 and 122, John H. Shary Subdivision. The new phase will be located approximately one-half mile west of Shary Road along the north side of Los Milagros Road.

Preliminary plat approval for Las Dianas #2 Subdivision was approved. It will be developed on a 24.11 acres tract of land out of lots 312, 314 and 316, Bentsen Groves Subdivision add, "C" in Mission’s rural extraterritorial jurisdiction.

The proposed 41-lot residential subdivision is about three-fourths miles north of Mile 7 Road along the west side of Bentsen Palm Drive. An additional two commercial lots are also included in the subdivision for a total of 43 lots.

The council approved an easement dedication document from Hunt Development for drainage improvements for the Anzalduas Corridor (FM 396) to the City of Mission. In order for the project to be done, the property must be in the city’s name.

Joint Resolution 1199 authorized a preliminary application to the U.S. Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration for Funding under the Public Works and Economic Development Assistance Program for off-site infrastructure improvements to the Anzalduas International Crossing Border Station Facility. The amount requested is $3,789,473 or 80 percent with a local match of $947,368 (20 percent). Of the local match, Mission will provide $97,393 and the Anzalduas Bridge Board of Trustees will provide $849,975. The total cost of the program is $4,736,841.

Authorization was granted for the city to participate in an Interlocal Government Agreement with Hidalgo County HIDTA Task Force and the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement for the Domestic Highway Enforcement Program, which is designed to stop the illegal flow of narcotics. The grant funds will pay overtime for police officers up to $13,600.

The council also approved a construction and maintenance agreement for the drainage improvements at Anzalduas Corridor between the city and the Texas Department of Public Safety. The state will excavate the proposed ditch with necessary cross drainage structures and the city will acquire the necessary right-of-way and maintain the ditch after construction.

An ordinance creating a no parking zone on the east side and west side of the 1200 block of Flamingo Avenue on days that Sharyland ISD has school in session was approved. The council was told that students with cars not parking on campus were creating a traffic hazard due to the high volume of cars parked on both sides of the road.

The city approved a contract for election services with Hidalgo County for the May 10 general election. Electronic voting machines at a cost of $100 rental and $50 for programming will be charged per machine.

The council approved a request by the Mission Consolidated Independent School District to use City Hall facilities for early voting for the May 10 election.

City staff was granted permission to submit a grant to the Texas Historical Commission- The Texas Preservation Trust Fund Grant- for $40,000 to fund an archeological investigation of La Lomita, Mission. This is required before any other site/landscaping improvements can be made. The grant requires a $20,000 city match.

City staff was also authorized to file a grant application with the Lower Rio Grande Valley Development Council for a regional solid waste grants program.

One grant in the amount of $15,000 would be used for source reduction and recycling by creating a community drop-off for recycling. The second in the amount of $30,000 would be used for source reduction and recycling centers at Cimarron and Aladdin Villas. No cash match is required.

The council approved acceptance of the 2007 Homeland Security Grant from the Governor’s Division of Emergency Management in the amount of $81,500. This is divided with $19,000 going to the Mission Police Department and $62,500 going to the Mission Fire Department for the Special Operations Team and the Hazardous Material Response Team.

Authorization was granted to purchase lighting for Bentsen Palm Park from Sports Facilities Company in the amount of $298,577. This includes the equipment and installation of the lighting for the four baseball fields, basketball courts and tennis courts.

Authorization to purchase items for the Bentsen Palm Park from any state approved vendor was granted. Items to be purchased include copper conduit for light poles, light poles, light fixtures for the walking trail, material for irrigation sprinkler systems, irrigation pumps for the field and aeration and breaker box for the pond.

The bid for water meters estimated to be needed this year in the amount of $191,102 was awarded to U.S. Water and Technology.

The bid for connection supplies was awarded to HD Supply at an estimated cost of $523,867. HD Supply also received the bid of waterline maintenance supplies in the amount of $97,285.19.

A 90-day extension was granted to a property owner who had received a bid for rehabilitation of her household through the city housing assistance program. She tried to withdraw her application because she was told her taxes would go up when the rehabilitation was complete. Rather than approving the withdrawal and losing her place on the list, a 90-day waiting period before construction was granted. The current construction bid on the property was rescinded so that the builder could get his bid bond money ($42,500) back.