Reprint from the Progress Times - May 16, 2008
©Progress Times 2008 - All Rights Reserved

Alton elects new commissioners

 

By Kathy Olivarez

In what appeared to be a narrow vote of confidence, City of Alton voters, last weekend, elected a slate of candidates supported by long-time Mayor Salvador Vela.

In the Saturday, May 10 election, the two incumbent city commissioners who have clashed with the ctiy’s mayor–Oscar Tovar and Jose C. Picasso–were defeated.

A slate aligned with Mayor Vela, including incumbent Ricardo Garza and newcomers Richard Arevalo and Emilio Cantu Jr., was elected with about 55 percent of the votes.

In place two, incumbent Garza kept his seat with 530 votes over opponent Yoli Sandoval, who received 408 votes.

Place three incumbent, Jose C. Picasso, was defeated by Arevalo, who received 503 votes to Picasso’s 415. The third contestant for place three, Rigo Martinez received 36 votes.

Cantu defeated incumbent Oscar Tovar 514 to 416 votes, to win place four.

Garza, who has served on the Alton city commission for 15 years, said he is looking forward to continuing to serve the citizens of Alton. He said his goal is to improve the quality of life for the residents.

Garza, who also serves as president of the Alton Economic Development Corporation board, said he will work to promote more economic growth for the city.

“Alton is booming,” he said. “We’ve had quite a bit of growth in both residential and commercial.”

Cantu is employed as a case worker for Buckner Family Services, a job he said he finds rewarding. The 33-year old said he has lived in Alton all his life. He is currently president of the Alton Boys and Girls Club, and he is sensitive to the needs of the youth in the Alton area.

“My focus is more in the youth program,” he said. Speaking of the need for the services provided by the Boys and Girls Club, he said in the first week the Alton program registered over 300 children.

He said he has also listened to the concerns of the citizens as he walked the streets during his campaign. Some of the issues he plans to investigate are installing more street lights and finding a solution to cars speeding through residential areas.

Arevalo, who is a field auditor/administrative assistant with Texas Department of Transportation, said he feels good about winning his first campaign for elected office.

“My vision is to make the city stronger and bigger,” he said. He wants to bring more retail businesses to Alton “so the community can do their shopping in Alton instead of other neighboring cities.”

In other action, the council approved a resolution that allowed the city to apply for the Intermediary Relending Program (IRP) sponsored by the United States Department of Agriculture. The purpose of IRP is to alleviate poverty and increase economic activity and employment in rural communities, which include areas with populations of 20,000 or less. Loans are provided to local organizations (intermediaries) for the establishment of revolving loan funds; the loans are used to assist with financing business and economic development activity to create or retain jobs in disadvantaged and remote communities.

John Milford, consultant for the City of Alton, said that the city was going to apply for $750,000 in loans for its development corporation. If the EDC grants were received, the board would act as a bank, scrutinizing businesses that apply for the funds from the city.

But before any businesses could be considered, the plan had to receive a blanket approval for funding. If funded, requests for business loans that would create jobs in the city could be considered on an individual basis.

Milford said Hidalgo, La Joya and Palmview had each received $750,000 during the 2007 fiscal year. A total of $33.8 million is available for lending through the program.

If Alton is approved, the city could make up to $750,000 in loans at an interest rate of one percent. Initial principal payments could be deferred for the first and second year of the loan. Loans can be made for up to a period of 30 years. Terms of individual loans will be negotiated between the Alton Economic Development Corporation and the individual receiving the loan.

Loans can be made to United States citizens or to those who were legally admitted to the United States, who are able to incur debt, give security and repay the loan. Loans can also be made to corporations, partnerships, LLC, non-profit corporations or public bodies.

Loans can be made for acquisition, construction, conversion, enlargement or repair of a business or business facility when jobs will be created or retained.

They can be used for purchase or development of land, purchase of equipment, and start up and working capital. They can be used for pollution control and abatement, transportation services, feasibility studies, and for hotels, motels, bed and breakfasts, and convention centers.

After the meeting was adjourned, a celebration was held to honor the new and re-elected councilmen.