Reprint from the Progress Times - October 17, 2008
©Progress Times 2008 - All Rights Reserved

 

County approves $2 million for debris removal

 

By Ricky Reynoso

While they wait on further reimbursement from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Hidalgo County Commissioners’ Court approved a payment of $2 million to Ashbritt Environmental Services on Tuesday, October 14.

According to budget division representative Raul Silguero the payment is for debris removal that was caused by Hurricane Dolly. Silguero said the estimated cost to the county for all Dolly debris removal and roadway is $20 million, but expects FEMA to cover at least 75 percent.

“The reimbursement will come from FEMA,” Silguero said. “At minimum, we should get around $15 million of reimbursements once all of these projects are done. The total cost to the county after all is said and done is estimated at $5 or $6 million. Right now we’re using monies from our fund balance.”

George Lowell of Beck Disaster Recovery said the total money allocated for repair projects is $6.4 million. When asked if the county could receive interest on expected funds, Lowell said no.

“FEMA doesn’t pay interest,” Lowell said. “They pay for the damages that were incurred. It could take a couple of weeks or a month to process the paperwork on their end.”

County Judge J.D. Salinas said there still needed to be repairs done for the county roads and asked how they could facilitate a faster response from FEMA.

“I spoke to a FEMA representative yesterday and they said you could go ahead with the repairs, but you just need to document everything you do,” Lowell said. “We have pictures of the damage, but just make sure you document the work, materials and all of that.”

Related to the payment was a request to appropriate $515,039.07 from the general fund. Also requested was authorization to receive a $1,545,117.19 reimbursement from FEMA. Both requests were approved.

On the agenda was a request to create nine permanent full-time positions for the Precinct 4 drainage improvement project. Altogether, the annual salaries total $255,500.

This, along with a previously approved $45,000 salary increase for planning administrator Raul Sesin, is part of Precinct 4 Commissioner Oscar Garza’s plan to address immediate drainage issues in the precinct.

“We went straight to the drainage district and asked Godfrey how much he paid for a backhoe operator, or excavator,” Garza said. “We basically copied their specs as far as their job description. We want people with experience.”

Precinct 1 Commissioner Sylvia Handy said in the future she plans a similar project for her precinct and wants to model it after Commissioner Garza’s.

“I’ll have my staff keep in contact with your office so we can work something out,” Handy said. “We’re going to be needing to do a lot of work in Precinct 1, so maybe in a year or so from now we can get going on this. Everybody knows what hits Precinct 4 flows down to Precinct 1.” The request was approved.

The commissioners’ court also approved an order authorizing the issuance, sale and delivery of $225,000 tax notes which are payable from the levy of an annual ad valorem tax. According to budget and management officer Valde Guerra, it is basically a loan that was part of a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) project.

“This is a loan that the County of Hidalgo went out for,” Guerra said. “It’s a match grant from USDA and it was to acquire certain vehicles for the county.”

Emergency Services Division Director Tony Peña presented an item requesting approval for a transfer of funds to Alamo, Alton, Donna, Edcouch, Edinburg, Elsa, La Joya and Linn-San Miguel Fire Departments of $78,856.

Peña said the funds were for rural fire protection services. He said his office is closely monitoring fund requests from the various departments in order to ensure they are accurate.

“As you all know we had a lot of fires a few months ago,” Peña said. “This is related to that. We are doing our reports and we are rejecting some of them and telling the departments what’s acceptable and what’s not.”

The court took time to honor Cpl. Eugene Gutierrez, a World War II veteran and McAllen resident, for his faithful service to the country.

The fourth of seven children, Gutierrez enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1941 in order to receive money for college. In 1942 he served in combat in the North Pacific and Europe, among other places. On October 8, Senator John Cornyn awarded Gutierrez with the Bronze Star Medal, which honors WW II veterans for their efforts.

“I just want to thank the county for giving me this honor,” Gutierrez said. “Throughout my tours of combat, I must’ve worn out about nine rosaries. It’s true when they say that there are no atheists in foxholes. I just thank God for giving me this opportunity.”

After receiving a standing ovation, Judge Salinas thanked Gutierrez for his service.

“We are all in your debt Mr. Gutierrez,” Salinas said. “It’s people like you that keep our country safe. We want to make sure that we honor you as a true American hero.”