by Legislative Media | Jan 20, 2017 | Politics
Featured: Dr. Havidán Rodríguez, Provost and Executive Vice President, The University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley, on Monday, December 12, 2016, speaks with Valley journalists about the 26 articulation agreements signed between UTRGV and South Texas College at a ceremony held at STC in McAllen. The partnership will provide a seamless pathway allowing STC students to move from an associate degree at STC to a bachelor’s degree in those programs at UTRGV.
Photograph By PAUL CHOUY
Almost $210 million in construction, not including value of building activities at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley and School of Medicine, took place in Edinburg in 2016, the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation has announced. New single-family homes and multi-family residences (duplexes to apartments) led the way in 2016, with building permits issued for a combined total of $128,328,117 in the value of their construction. That figure is more than double the $62,284,040 combined value of single-family homes and multi-family residences approved for construction in 2015. In 2016, building permits were issued for 478 single-family residences, valued at $62,768,702 compared with 340 single family residences, valued at $47,969,918 in 2015. Also in 2016, building permits were issued for 267 multi-family residences, representing 1,o21 units, valued at $65,559,415, compared with 63 multi-family residences, representing 197 units, valued at $14,314,122 in 2015. For the month of December 2016, according to the city’s Code Enforcement Department, 41 single-family residences, valued at $6,182,305 were approved for construction, compared with 33 single-family residences, valued at $4,317,674, during the same month in 2015. Combined, building permits in 2016 were issued for work valued at $209,189,249, compared with $139,559,411 in 2015. The top construction projects in Edinburg for December 2016, not including the value of the land, are: $800,000 – Dr. Jerry Alvarado, 2823 Puente De Paz St., Villa Las Fuentes Ph. 1 Subdivision; $750,000 – R&N Properties, 1814 E. Iowa Rd., Poco Bueno Subdivision; $425,000 – Chris Ryan Homes & Investments, LLC, 2508 Hampton, Bentley Estates Subdivision; and $400,000 – Provecho LP, 2111 W. University Dr., Wendy’s University Subdivision. The Edinburg EDC, whose Executive Director is Agustín García, Jr., is the jobs-creation arm of the Edinburg Mayor and Edinburg City Council. The Edinburg EDC Board of Directors is comprised of Mayor Richard García as President, Harvey Rodríguez, Jr. as Vice President, Elías Longoria, Jr., as Secretary/Treasurer, and Richard Ruppert and Dr. Peter Dabrowski as Members.
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by Legislative Media | Jan 6, 2017 | Politics
Featured: The Edinburg Mayor and Edinburg City Council, on Tuesday, January 3, 2016, continued to build on the city’s growing transportation system by moving forward with another cutting-edge trend in mobility – a Community Bike Share Program. In general, a bike sharing program is defined as an innovative transportation program, ideal for short distance point-to-point trips providing users the ability to pick up a bicycle at any self-serve bike-station and return it to any other bike station located within the system’s service area. The station shown here is on the Edinburg Campus of the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.
Photograph By DAVID PIKE
With their full support, the mayor and city council members authorized the city manager to enter into an Interlocal Cooperation Contract between the city and university that will allow UTRGV to manage the Community Bike Share Program. “The City of Edinburg and UTRGV have been working on a Community Bike Share Program that will serve both the university community and the residents and visitors of Edinburg,” said Assistant City Manager Sonia Marroquín. “A bike share system can provide improved, safer bicycle and pedestrian commuting and recreational opportunities. This program will have a positive impact on community wellness by encouraging exercise and replacing some automobile trips with bicycle trips.” The Edinburg Economic Development Corporation is scheduled to pay for half of the total, two-year contract, which will not exceed $68,400, effective January 3, 2017 and ending on January 2, 2019. Agustín García, Jr. is Executive Director for the Edinburg EDC, which is the jobs-creation arm of the Edinburg Mayor and Edinburg City Council. “Among our many assets, Edinburg already features Interstate Highway 69, the South Texas International Airport at Edinburg, and a planned transit facility between City Hall and the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, and the mayor, city council, and Edinburg EDC and its board of directors, in conjunction with our legislative teams in Austin and Washington, D.C., continue to seek state and federal funds for these and other important infrastructure to serve our community, improve the quality of life, promote economic growth, and create more jobs,” said Agustín García, Jr. The Edinburg EDC Board of Directors is comprised of Mayor Richard García as President, Harvey Rodríguez, Jr. as Vice President, Elías Longoria, Jr. as Secretary/Treasurer, and Richard Rupert and Dr. Peter Dabrowski as Members. Agustín García, Jr. and Mayor Richard García are not related.
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by Legislative Media | Jan 2, 2017 | Politics
Featured: Congressman Vicente González, D-McAllen, poses with constituents Matthew and Claudia Martínez, also of McAllen, during González’ election night victory event on Tuesday, November 8, 2016 at the Embassy Suites by Hilton McAllen Convention Center.
Photograph By MARK MONTEMAYOR
Ongoing strategies to remain a center of legislative influence on behalf of its constituents will be considered on Tuesday, January 3, 2017 by the Edinburg Mayor and Edinburg City Council, which is scheduled to take action on two cost-sharing measures designed to keep the House District 15 congressional office in the city and to continue with the services of a federal liaison team in Washington, D.C., the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation has announced. Among the items set on the City Council agenda for its first regular meeting of 2017 are efforts to cover half of the lease for the district office of Congressman Vicente González, D-McAllen, and for the city and the Edinburg EDC to split the costs for Holland & Knight, LLP, located in Washington, D.C, which is serving as the legislative liaison for the two local government entities. The Edinburg EDC, of which Agustín García, Jr. is Executive Director, is the jobs-creation arm of the Edinburg Mayor and Edinburg City Council. The Edinburg EDC Board of Directors is comprised of Mayor Richard García as President, Harvey Rodríguez, Jr. as Vice President, Elías Longoria, Jr. as Secretary/Treasurer, and Richard Rupert, and Dr. Peter Dabrowski as Members.
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by Legislative Media | Dec 30, 2016 | Politics
Featured: Top images – Two perspectives of the $35.6 million Interdisciplinary Engineering and Academic Studies Building (IEASB), designed by Overland Partners Architects of San Antonio, and to be constructed by Vaughn Construction of San Antonio. Bottom image – the southern portion of the Edinburg Campus of The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, with the location of the IEASB highlighted in burnt orange for easy reference. With about 53,400 gross square feet of space, the facility will be located in the heart of the campus, west of the Library and just north of the Student Union.
Artist Renderings Courtesy of OVERLAND PARTNERS ARCHITECTS
The availability of $20 million in state funds to significantly improve the drainage of heavy rains in downtown Edinburg will benefit many residences, businesses, government facilities, residences, and the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, including its School of Medicine, the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation has announced. The $20 million windfall, part of $400 million in state money budgeted for numerous Texas roadway projects in Hidalgo County, has been made possible as a result of ongoing efforts by the City of Edinburg, Hidalgo County, and the Edinburg EDC to build up the infrastructure for the proposed $150 million Hidalgo County Courthouse, which will built downtown, on the county-owned Courthouse Square. “We are very excited and very happy that along with this great new project ($150 million Hidalgo County Courthouse) that is happening in our city, we have $20 million that is basically being spent in the city of Edinburg for drainage,” said Mayor García. “This money for the drainage will help alleviate decades of flooding in the downtown area, not just on the Courthouse Square, but in areas surrounding the square that have flooded in the past.” Precinct 4 Hidalgo County Commissioner Joseph Palacios, who represents Edinburg, said the state money is being funneled through the Weslaco-based Hidalgo County Metropolitan Planning Organization, which is a federally-funded program that addresses the mobility goals of the cities in Hidalgo County. “We were very fortunate to secure $20 million for downtown Edinburg. This project will focus on road and drainage improvements right at the Courthouse Square, westbound all the way to the main outfall at Jackson Road and State Highway 107,” said Palacios. “Beneficiaries of this project are the commercial interests, the city, the university and the Courthouse Square.” According to Hidalgo County Judge Ramón García, the estimated value of the commercial and residential properties that will benefit from the drainage improvements – not including UTRGV or county or city facilities in the area – is estimated at $150 million. The engineering work is already underway, the county judge added. The Edinburg EDC Board of Directors is comprised of Mayor Richard García as President, Harvey Rodríguez, Jr. as Vice President, Elías Longoria, Jr. as Secretary/Treasurer, and Richard Rupert and Dr. Peter Dabrowski as Members. Agustín García, Jr. is Executive Director for the Edinburg EDC, which is the jobs-creation arm of the Edinburg Mayor and Edinburg City Council. Agustín García, Jr., Mayor Richard García and Hidalgo County Judge Ramón García are not related.
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by Legislative Media | Dec 29, 2016 | Politics
Featured, from left: Councilmember David Torres; Councilmember Richard Molina; Precinct 4 Hidalgo County Commissioner Joseph Palacios; Mayor Richard García; Precinct 1 Hidalgo County Commissioner A.C. Cuellar, Jr.; Councilmember Homer Jasso, Jr.; Mayor Pro Tem J.R. Betancourt; and Precinct 3 Hidalgo County Commissioner Joe Flores. The elected leaders posed for a portrait on Monday, December 12, 2016 in the Council Chamber at Edinburg City Hall following approving an agreement between the City of Edinburg and Hidalgo County on a Memorandum of Understanding where Edinburg pledged to provide a maximum of $30 million, or 20 percent of the cost, whichever is less, towards the construction of a planned $150 million Hidalgo County Courthouse in downtown Edinburg, next to the existing courthouse.
Photograph By MARK MONTEMAYOR
As the calendar year approached its final weeks, a major step was taken by the City of Edinburg to help guarantee that a proposed $150 million Hidalgo County Courthouse will be built downtown, next to the existing courthouse, the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation has announced. The planned justice center will dramatically increase far-reaching economic growth and improve the quality-of-life for that region of the city, Edinburg and Hidalgo County elected leaders predict. With a unanimous vote by both the Edinburg City Council and the Hidalgo County Commissioners Court, the two governing entities on Monday, December 12, 2016 approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), which memorialized the commitments made by the County of Hidalgo and the City of Edinburg for the new Hidalgo County Courthouse to remain in the historic heart of the city. According to U.S. legal.com, a memorandum of understanding (MOU) may be used as a confirmation of agreed upon terms when an oral agreement has not been reduced to a formal contract. It may also be a contract used to set forth the basic principles and guidelines under which the parties will work together to accomplish their goals. “We finally have come to an agreement with Hidalgo County to build a new courthouse. It has been long in the process,” Mayor Richard García told journalists following the approval of the MOU. “As one of our councilmembers mentioned during our meeting earlier today, we started on this in 2013. Here we are, 2017 is just a few days away, and we have finally ironed out a lot of the wrinkles.” In the coming months, city and county leaders plan to finalize the language and goals of the MOU into a more formal, legally-binding document, known as an interlocal agreement. In general, an interlocal agreement is a written contract between local government agencies such as a city, a county, a school board or a constitutional office. Any time a public service involves the joint operations and budgets of two or more local government agencies, an interlocal agreement must be drawn up and approved by all sides, with each government’s governing body – a school board, a city council, a county commission – enacting the agreement by vote. Prior to the approval of the MOU, key issues included making sure Edinburg’s financial commitment was acceptable to the county, and that Edinburg would not have to pay more than $30 million towards construction of the new courthouse, which could cost $150 million to build. The city’s contribution could be less than $30 million, if the price tag for the new courthouse comes in lower than $150 million. In that case, the City of Edinburg – along with the Edinburg EDC, which will cover half of the city’s contribution for the construction of the proposed new courthouse – would only have to pay 20 percent of the final price, according to the MOU. The Edinburg EDC Board of Directors is comprised of Mayor Richard García as President, Harvey Rodríguez, Jr. as Vice President, Elías Longoria, Jr. as Secretary/Treasurer, and Richard Rupert and Dr. Peter Dabrowski as Members. Agustín García, Jr. is Executive Director for the Edinburg EDC, which is the jobs-creation arm of the Edinburg Mayor and Edinburg City Council.
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