Featured, from left: City Councilmember David Torres; Raúl Castillo of McAllen, who is an American stage and film actor and playwright known for his roles in Amexicano, Cold Weather, and for his role as Richie Donado Ventura in the HBO series Looking; and Ellie Torres, Secretary/Treasurer for the Board of Directors of the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation. The image was taken during the South Texas International Film Festival on Saturday, August 22, 2015 at the Edinburg Conference Center at Renaissance. On Monday, February 15, 2016, Ellie Torres and the EEDC Board of Directors will hold a public meeting beginning at noon in the Council Chamber at Edinburg City Hall. Also on Monday, February 16, 2016, David Torres, along with the mayor and Edinburg City Council, will have their public meeting, beginning at 6 p.m. in the Council Chamber of Edinburg City Hall. David and Ellie Torres are husband and wife. Ellie Torres is also a member of the Board of Trustees for the Edinburg school district. David Torres was formerly a member of the Board of Trustees for the Edinburg school district.

Photograph By MARK MONTEMAYOR

The Edinburg Economic Development Corporation Board of Directors and the Edinburg City Council will have their regular public meetings on Monday, February 15, with each governing body scheduled to review and take possible action on pending and potential business-growth projects, the EEDC has announced. The EEDC, of which Agustín García, Jr. is Executive Director, is the jobs-creation arm of the Edinburg Mayor and Edinburg City Council. The EEDC Board of Directors is comprised of Mark Iglesias as President, Harvey Rodríguez as Vice President, Ellie M. Torres as Secretary/Treasurer, and Mayor Richard García and Richard Ruppert as Members. Richard García and Agustín García, Jr. are not related. The EEDC will begin its meeting at noon in the Council Chamber of Edinburg City Hall, while the Mayor and City Council are set to begin their public session at 6 p.m., also in the Council Chamber. Usually, the Mayor and City Council hold their regular meetings on Tuesdays beginning at 6 p.m. Both meetings are broadcast live by the Edinburg Cable Network through Time Warner Cable, and are also available through the city’s website at CityofEdinburg.com On the EEDC’s agenda are key economic development strategies, which are scheduled to be held in executive session (behind closed doors), as allowed by state law. Those executive session items include: Deliberate authorizing the executive director to execute a development agreement with Project Domain; Deliberate authorizing the executive director to amend the development agreement with Burns Brothers, Ltd.; Deliberate authorizing the executive director to enter into an interlocal agreement with the City of Edinburg regarding the city’s soccer park; Deliberate authorizing the executive director to amend the construction agreement with Cantú Construction regarding the city’s soccer park; Deliberate authorizing the executive director to enter into a development agreement with Qube Hotel Group; and Deliberate authorizing the executive director to execute into a drainage easement to Edinburg Plaza, L.L.C. Several of the City Council’s agenda items will deal with potential or ongoing projects that will also lead to economic development and jobs-creation in the city. Those items, which will be considered in executive session, are: Discussion and possible action regarding proposed interlocal agreement between the City of Edinburg and Edinburg Economic Development Corporation for participation in the construction of soccer fields; Discussion and possible action regarding approval of a sales tax reimbursement agreement between the city and Vipers Arena, L.L.C., relating to granting certain sales tax revenues to reimburse Vipers Arena, L.L.C. for certain additional improvements relating to the Bert Ogden Arena Project; and Discussion and possible action regarding legal issues concerning proposed support agreements concerning La Sienna Apartments.

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Edinburg Economic Development Corporation Board of Directors, Edinburg City Council set for separate public meetings on Monday, February 15

By DAVID A. DÍAZ
[email protected]

The EEDC, of which Agustín García, Jr. is Executive Director, is the jobs-creation arm of the Edinburg Mayor and Edinburg City Council.

The EEDC Board of Directors is comprised of Mark Iglesias as President, Harvey Rodríguez as Vice President, Ellie M. Torres as Secretary/Treasurer, and Mayor Richard García and Richard Ruppert as Members.

Richard García and Agustín García, Jr. are not related.

The EEDC will begin its meeting at noon in the Council Chamber of Edinburg City Hall, while the Mayor and City Council are set to begin their public session at 6 p.m., also in the Council Chamber. Usually, the Mayor and City Council hold their regular meetings on Tuesdays beginning at 6 p.m.

Both meetings are broadcast live by the Edinburg Cable Network through Time Warner Cable, and are also available through the city’s website at CityofEdinburg.com

On the EEDC’s agenda are key economic development strategies, which are scheduled to be held in executive session (behind closed doors), as allowed by state law.

Those executive session items include:

• Deliberate authorizing the executive director to execute a development agreement with Project Domain;
• Deliberate authorizing the executive director to amend the development agreement with Burns Brothers, Ltd.;
• Deliberate authorizing the executive director to enter into an interlocal agreement with the City of Edinburg regarding the city’s soccer park;
• Deliberate authorizing the executive director to amend the construction agreement with Cantú Construction regarding the city’s soccer park;
• Deliberate authorizing the executive director to enter into a development agreement with Qube Hotel Group; and
• Deliberate authorizing the executive director to execute into a drainage easement to Edinburg Plaza, L.L.C.

Several of the City Council’s agenda items will deal with potential or ongoing projects that will also lead to economic development and jobs-creation in the city.

Those items, which will be considered in executive session, are:

• Discussion and possible action regarding proposed interlocal agreement between the City of Edinburgand Edinburg Economic Development Corporation for participation in the construction of soccer fields;
• Discussion and possible action regarding approval of a sales tax reimbursement agreement between the city and Vipers Arena, L.L.C., relating to granting certain sales tax revenues to reimburse Vipers Arena, L.L.C. for certain additional improvements relating to the Bert Ogden Arena Project; and
• Discussion and possible action regarding legal issues concerning proposed support agreements concerning La Sienna Apartments.

DISCOVER UT RIO GRANDE VALLEY TOUR KICKS OFF FEBRUARY 20

In a related development, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley on Saturday, February 20, 2016, starts its five-city Discover UTRGV Tour, to help connect with potential students interested in joining the UTRGV family, and their parents.

The EEDC Board of Directors, the Mayor and the Edinburg City Council, through their legislative lobbying and interactions with the UT System Board of Regents, are very involved in promoting the best interests of UTRGV, particularly the Edinburg campus and the School of Medicine in Edinburg.

The tour will make stops in the following Texas cities:

EDINBURG: 8 a.m. – 3 p.m. Saturday, February 20

UTRGV Edinburg Campus – Wellness and Recreational Sports Complex, 499 N. Sugar Road

BROWNSVILLE: 8 a.m. – 3 p.m. Saturday, March 5, 2016,

UTRGV Brownsville Campus – Arts Center at TSC, 80 Fort Brown St.

LAREDO: 1:30-4:30 p.m. Saturday, March 12

Ramada Plaza Laredo, 800 Garden St.

CORPUS CHRISTI: 1:30-4:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 30

Congressman Solomon P. Ortiz International Center, 402 Harbor Drive / Corpus Christi

SAN ANTONIO – 1:30-4:30 p.m. Saturday, April 9
Double Tree by Hilton Hotel San Antonio Airport, 37 NE Loop 410 (at McCullough)

Griselda C. Castilla, UTRGV Director of Recruitment and Scholarships, said the event is ideal for any student who wants to learn what it takes to become part of the university, and wants to know the ins and outs of UTRGV. In addition, Discover UTRGV will help potential students with the essential building blocks they need for a successful future at the university.

“They will experience a day filled with activities, information sessions, food, door prizes, entertainment, and a chance to meet with their future friends, student organizations and professors,” Castilla said.

Students who already have been admitted to UTRGV can attend and be the first to sign up for student orientation before anyone else. They also will have an opportunity to meet with faculty and staff, who can answer their questions about a variety of academic fields and majors.

Other Discover UTRGV events and activities include:

• Motivational speaker Aric Bostick, who will fire up the crowd (Brownsville and Edinburg only);
• A Presidential Welcome;
• University Fair with student organizations and departments;
• Mock classroom presentation led by UTRGV professors;
• Bacterial meningitis vaccinations will be available; and
• Scholarship giveaways.

Because this is the first Discover UTRGV Tour for the university, Castilla said, the selected cities are key for the university’s recruitment efforts.

“We currently attract students from (theses cities) and we want to strengthen our recruitment efforts there,” Castilla said. “This will serve as a benchmark, and we will start assessing other areas to host these events.”

Mayra Martínez, UTRGV Associate Director of Outreach, said Discover UTRGV is a great event for parents, as it will help them understand college life at UTRGV and lets them ask important questions about admissions, financial aid and academics.

“Discover UTRGV allows the parents to engage in what their son or daughter will be involved in here. Their life is about to change. Life is not only going to change for the student, but for the parent, too,” Martínez said.

Since September 2015, UTRGV has received 11,092 applications for fall 2016.

To reserve a spot or to learn more, visit http://www.utrgv.edu/discover.

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Marci Caltabiano contributed to this article. For more information on the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation and the City of Edinburg, please log on to http://edinburgedc.com or to http://www.facebook.com/edinburgedc