Brownsville City Commission

City discusses the weather response

The Brownsville City Commission discussed Tuesday the city’s response due to the inclement weather in January and updates on board appointments for Downtown Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone No. 3 project.

City manager’s update on inclement weather response

City Manager Helen Ramirez brought up the city response due to inclement weather on Jan. 20 and 21. Ramirez thanked the departments that worked collaboratively to assist Brownsville residents during the inclement weather.

Rene Tabarez Jr., emergency management administrator, said the city’s directors, assistant directors and the city manager’s office met with Director of Emergency Management Odee Leal on Jan. 21 in preparation for the inclement weather that was expected to move through Brownsville.

Tabarez said the team met on Jan. 16, 20 and 21 to speak with the National Weather Service of Brownsville for the anticipated weather and periodic updates.

“To continue providing services for the community, all city offices remained open for normal business hours during the weather event,” he said.

Tabarez said during the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, the team discussed opening facilities as warming centers on an as needed basis.

Locations were made available to the community members, including the Good Neighbor Settlement House, activated from Jan. 20 through 22; the Brownsville Sports Park and West Iglesia Bautista, both activated on Jan. 21.

“A total of 133 individuals utilized the warning shelters between Jan. 20 through 21,’’ Tabarez said. ‘’The Office of Emergency Management team continuously monitored the weather while providing weather updates as they were available.”

Mayor John Cowen thanked city staff and all the departments that were involved to prepare for the inclement weather.

“It is clear that there was a need and you guys came through and helped those 133 individuals, so thank you so much,” Cowen said. 

Downtown Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone #3 

Allan Garces, downtown revitalization manager, brought up updates and board appointments for the reactivated Downtown TIRZ #3 projects.

Garces said the TIRZ project will now have seven appointments by the city commission and the mayor. Cameron County will join them when they sign through their interlocal agreement, so at this time the mayor and the commission can make appointments. 

He provided previous board appointments that were under the old TIRZ agreement and stipulations and who they were appointed by.

“As I mentioned earlier this is for the mayor and the commission to all make appointments if they can and if they want to at this time,” Garces said.

City Commissioner District 3 Roy De los Santos said he was going to hold his appointment because he wants to speak to the old board appointments that Garces presents and confirm if they would like to be reappointed before he brings in somebody new.

Pedro Cardenas, city commissioner District 4, asked Garces if there is any conflict if they own multiple buildings downtown.

“No, there’s no conflict,” Garces replied.

The city commission decided to hold their appointments to be carried for upcoming city meetings.

City’s manager update: Inclement Weather response

Helen Ramirez, Brownsville city manager 

I would like to thank our departments working together collaboratively to assist our residents during the inclement weather response.

We work with our partners such as West Iglesia Bautista and I want Rene to please give us an update on how many people we assisted, and how we really respond to those types of weather events.

Rene Tabarez Jr. slide readed

John Cowen, I just wanna thank the city staff and all the departments that came together to prepare for the inclement weather and it’s clear that there was a need and you guys came through and helped those 133 individuals, so thank you so much.

Helen Ramirez

Gonzales park was not open because we were tracking if it was necessary but we still had multiple centers available and really thank our external partners One City for their support, they’re always very supportive with the city and without them we could not be successful.

Allan Garces

 Before you all today we have board appointments for the reactivated downtown TIRZ #3, as approved earlier in today’s agenda, this is a new boundary that we were looking at earlier, as you are familiar with this, the new expanded TIRZ now will have seven appointments by city commission and the mayor. The county will be joining us when they sign through our local interlocal agreement, so at this time the mayor and the commission can make appointments. Here we have previous board appointments that were under the old TIRZ agreement and stipulations and who they were appointed by and as I mentioned earlier this is for the mayor and the commission to all make appointments if they can and if they want to at this time

Roy de los Santos

Allan do we know if any of these are interested in being reappointed

Allan Garces

No application were submitted so I personally don’t know if any of the applicants are interested in being reappointed

Roy De Los Santos

I’m going to hold mine because I’d like to speak to a couple of these to confirm if they’d like to be reappointed before I bring in somebody new

Pedro Cardenas

Is there any conflict if they own multiple buildings downtown?

Allan Garces

If they own multiple buildings? No there’s no conflict 

Helen

I would say unless the TIRZ project is specific to that building then they would probably have to refuse themselves for a vote when you get into projects and invoices, but I think as a board in itself it’s 400 acres includes the county, but that’s the only caveat I would see only if there was something benefited that property owner

Board members agreed for a second motion and hold the appointment to be carried for upcomings city meetings