The Brownsville City Commission took no action last Tuesday on hiring a city attorney because two of the four candidates have yet to be interviewed, officials say.
The commission will finish interviewing candidates Tuesday and hire an attorney, as well as approve and sign a contract on Oct. 2, District 4 Commissioner Ben Neece told The Rider in a phone interview Thursday afternoon.
Once hired, the city attorney will begin working as soon as possible since the new fiscal year starts Oct. 1., Neece said. The attorney’s tenure will be determined by the contract.
“The term of this contract shall be for blank years commencing on the start date subject to any extension that the party may mutually agree,” Neece said.
In a unanimous vote, the commission approved an ordinance levying an ad valorem tax rate of 0.700613 per $100 valuation for Fiscal Year 2019.
The commission also approved encumbering $206,888 from FY 2018 and carrying it over to FY 2019 for beautification projects. The projects are overseen by the Brownsville Beautification Committee.
In a 5-2 vote, the commission accepted a donation of 43.97 acres located on South Palm Boulevard in the Amigo Land Section II Subdivision from University Park Development LTD.
Commissioners also accepted a Blue Star Memorial Marker donation from the West Brownsville Garden Club, a nonprofit volunteer organization. It will be installed at the Veterans Park, located at 2500 Central Boulevard.
“The Blue Star Memorial Program honors all men and women that serve in the United States Armed Services,” according to the National Garden Clubs’ website, gardenclub.org.
The markers will join a “registry of more than 3,000 markers planted nationwide,” according to a news release from the West Brownsville Garden Club.
The organization would like to coordinate the dedication on Veterans Day, Nov. 11, or the day following Pearl Harbor Day, Dec. 8.
Commissioners authorized the Police Department to apply for the FY 2018 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant in the amount of $53,452.
They also authorized an interlocal agreement between the Police Department and Cameron County, in which the city and county have agreed to divide the grant, with $37,986 going to the city and $15,466 to the county.
The city will use the money to purchase computers, computer adapters and a dry-safe forensic drying cabinet.
The county will use its portion of the funds to purchase equipment as requested by constable precincts 1-5 and the Emergency Management Department. The equipment consists of one desktop computer, one laptop computer and 27 body cameras.
In other business, the commission acknowledged the retirement letter from Police Chief Orlando Rodriguez, who retired on Sept.14. Rodriguez had worked for the department for 36 years. He became police chief in December 2011.
On Sept. 17, Interim City Manager Michael Lopez announced that James Paschall, who joined the Police Department in 1989, will serve as interim police chief. The city is accepting internal applications for the police chief post.
