The Edinburg City Council has approved a resolution amending a proposed budget in the American Rescue Plan Act Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds program of 2021, which granted the city $27 million.
The April 18 city council agenda packet states that the city received the funds in two allocations of $13 million, one in September 2021 and the second in August 2022. At the April 4 city council meeting, the budget list was tabled for further review.
Marissa Garza, director of the Grants Administration department, provided a presentation explaining the two budget changes. The first was a reduction of $750,000 from the last amended budget of $1 million on improvements to City Hall, which is a current project. The $750,000 will be moved to a newly added project, the emergency ambulance service.
Improvements to City Hall include modifications to existing offices to provide more space for additional staff. The timeline for City Hall improvements is April 2024. The timeline for all ARPA projects is 2026.
Mayor Ramiro Garza Jr. asked if the projects in the budget list are flexible for allocations.
“Since we already have the funds, we do have to report on a quarterly basis,” Assistant City Manager Tom Reyna said. “We have one coming up this month that we do have to show each expenditure [to the U.S. Treasury Department] expended.”
Marissa Garza clarified that if there is a project, which the city is not able to do on time, the expenses can be reallocated to or for another project as long as it is recorded in the budget list.
“Let’s say we want to apply for a grant related to any of these projects, are we able to use some of these funds as a match?” Mayor Garza asked.
Marissa Garza replied yes.
In response to a call for greater accessibility for people with disabilities to new city buildings, Mayor Garza called for a task force at the April 4 city council meeting.
“The purpose … is to advise the city of different methods to appropriately address accessibility issues and recommend changes to provide accessibility to people with disabilities who live, work and visit the city,” City Manager Myra L. Ayala said during the last city council meeting.
City Secretary Clarice Yvette Balderas will be reaching out to local stakeholders, such as disability related organizations and self-advocates, UTRGV, Hidalgo County and school districts for recommendations on how to address the accessibility issues.
Ayala said the city has already reached out to some stakeholders.
The city will also have a task force to conduct a Utilities Rate Study in which the community will be able to provide their input in its process.
“The task force was created with the purpose of being transparent and allow the community to have input in the process of developing and implementing any proposed utility rates,” Ayala said. “The … study is to assist in all operating costs in any projected future growth and expansion to the water and sewer system of the city.”
The last rate study was conducted 10 years ago. Ayala added that the city will provide a timeline of the study to keep the city updated on any implementations.
There will be an agenda item in the May 2 city council meeting to appoint the chairs of each task force. Ayala added that the city is looking to have its first task force meeting in the first week of May.
Those interested in giving feedback or participating in any of the task forces may contact the city secretary office at 388-8204.
In other city news, Daniel Vera, director of Information Technology, said the city began providing public high-speed internet access last Wednesday in the Dustin Michael Sekula Memorial Library, Janet Vackar Park, Sergeant Jacob De La Garza North Park and South Park.
In an interview with The Rider last Thursday, Vera said the city library already provides internet; however, there will now be broader coverage extending to the parking lot so visitors can access the internet in their cars.
