From the desk of: the Laguna Vista City Manager

Special to the PRESS

LV Residents and Friends,

This is to provide you a brief update on the recently-adopted budget and on upcoming community events and to share information that may be of interest to you.

The Town Council adopted the new budget and tax rate at its regular meeting of September 8.  Please read below for more information on this new budget.  We are happy to inform you that the Town Council adopted the same tax rate (meaning no new tax increase) and funded new equipment for the police and fire departments while raising the salaries of the police officers and creating a new code enforcement officer/patrol officer position.  The current part time position in Public Works was upgraded to full time.

We are preparing for the upcoming community events.   A list of these events is noted below.   We hope you mark your calendars and join us.   Please let us know if you are interested in volunteering or if you are interested in getting your community, school or church club to participate in any of these community events.

Stay tuned for the upcoming Laguna Vista CARES initiative… NO COMMUNITY in the Valley has done this before. It will show why Laguna Vista CARES…

On behalf of the Town Council and the Staff, we truly appreciate your interest in YOUR community.

Please let me know if you have any questions.  I can be contacted at 943-1793 or at cm@lvtexas.us.

Serving you, I remain

Rolando Vela

City Manager

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FY 2015-16  Town Budget

At the September 8 regular meeting, the Town Council adopted the new budget of $1,537,248 for the fiscal year that takes effect on October 1.  The current tax rate of .337290 will remain the same.

The following have been included in this new budget:

1. Police and Fire
2. Salary increases for the police officers
3. Created a new patrol officer/code enforcement position
4. New patrol unit
5. New Polaris to be used by police and public works departments
6. New bunker gear for fire fighters
7. SCBA (4 air packs) for the fire fighters
8.  Public Works
9. Upgraded the part-time public works position to a full time status
10. New mowing tractor for the public work department

• The salaries of the officers were raised to make their pay more competitive.  A new position was created in the police department.  The new position will be largely responsible for code enforcement while also filling in for patrol support.
• A new patrol unit has been included to replace the oldest one the police department currently has.  A new Polaris, which is an off-road utility vehicle, has also been included to assist the police department in expanding its patrol areas to include alleys and undeveloped areas within the Town.  This Polaris will also shared by the public works department.
• New bunker gear and air packs were also included in the new budget for the fire department.  The bunker gear is the protective clothing our firefighters use when they fight fire and respond to emergencies.  The air packs are the self-contained breathing apparatus our fire fighters carry with them when they fires.
• In public works, a part-time position will be upgraded to a full-time status.  The Town will now have three full time public works employees.  A new mowing tractor has been included in the new public works budget.
• The Public Works and Library employees received a 5% salary increase.

The Town remains committed to providing its citizens the best services and to becoming the best community in the Valley.  We will continue to work hard towards these ends.

FaceBook pages

Please search the FaceBook pages of the Town of Laguna Vista, the Laguna Vista Police Department, and the Laguna Vista Volunteer Fire Department to stay up to date on the latest news and information being posted.

Street Improvements Update

This is a brief date on the streets the Town is working on:

1. Ebony Lane:  The improvements on this street have been completed. The Town secured grant funds for these improvements.
2. Orange Lane:  The Town has applied for grant funds for improvements to this street.  We anticipate later this year to receive formal notification of this grant award so we can initiate the process to reconstruct this street in the first quarter of the new calendar year.
3. Beach Blvd:  At the September 8 regular meeting, the Town adopted a resolution to set aside funds from cash in bank to make improvements to this street.  What this resolution essentially means is that the Town Council has this street in its radar and once adequate funds are available, possibly later during the new fiscal year, it will approve Town funds to resurface this street.

Update on CDC Board Meeting

At its September 14 meeting, the City Manager, who also serves as the General Manager, presented a list of projects to the Community Development Corporation (CDC) Board for it to consider funding.

After discussing each project, the Board directed the General Manager to come up with cost estimates for the following projects so it can review them at its October meeting and possibly make recommendations:

1. Pre-engineered commercial carport for patrol units
2. Electronic message board(s) at Town Hall (to replace existing marquee) and at the corner of Highway 100 and FM 510
3. Irrigation system and sodding for the library

The Town Staff will be working on these projects.

Upcoming Community Events

Below is a list of upcoming community event.

• National Night Out is scheduled for Tuesday, October 6 from at Roloff Park from 6 to 9pm at Roloff Park.   The Town will be having its children’s activities and free hot dogs for the community.  This event is to celebrate National Night Out and to promote involvement in crime prevention, to foster partnerships between the police department and the community, and to send a message to the criminals that the police department and the Laguna Vista neighborhoods are organized and fighting back.
•  Movie Night by the Bay is scheduled for 8pm on Saturday, October 24 at Roloff Park.  We will be setting up a 16 foot projector and airing a family-oriented movie for the public to view at no charge.  We will be providing free popcorn.  We encourage the community to bring their blankets and lawn or folding chairs and attend this event and view this movie.
•  Veterans Day ceremony is scheduled for Wednesday, November 11 at 5:30pm at the Veterans Memorial Park on FM 510.  We are inviting school and church groups, interested in performing at this event, to contact us.
•  Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony is scheduled for Monday, November 30 at 5:30pm at Roloff Park.  We are inviting school and church groups, interested in performing at this event, to contact us.

Please mark your calendar and make plans to join us at these community events.

 New Nuisance Abatement Ordinance

At the September 8 regular meeting, the Town Council reviewed the first reading of a new ordinance establishing new nuisance abatement procedures for property maintenance.  These procedures will address high grass and weeds, debris, and standing water.  This ordinance, if adopted at the October 13 meeting, will simplify the enforcement process.

Laguna Vista CARES

During the month of December, the Town and the police department will be launching a Christmas initiative aimed at continuing to foster relations between our officers and local residents.  It’s a “feel good” initiative.  No community in the Valley has done something like this.  We want the community to get involved in this initiative.

If you want to get involved, please contact the Town for more details.

Main Sewer Line Improvements

The Laguna Madre Water District (LMWD) has hired a contractor to make main sewer line improvements to some of the areas on FM 510.  The Town is working closely with the LMWD Staff and the contractor to ensure that these improvements do not affect the drainage system in this area.

We appreciate your patience and support on this matter.

Upcoming Meetings and Community Events

• Tuesday, October 6 from 6 to 9pm:  National Night Out
• Tuesday, October 13 at 5:00pm:  Special Town Council meeting to interview applicants for Municipal Court judge
• Tuesday, October 13 at 6:00pm:  Regular Town Council meeting
• Saturday, October 24 at 8pm:  Movie Night by the Park at Roloff Park
• Monday, October 26:  Joint Workshop between Town Council and the Laguna Vista Recreation Association (LVRA) – location to be determined.
• Wednesday, November 11 at 5:30pm:  Veterans Day ceremony at Roloff Park
• Monday, November 30 at 5:30pm:  Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony at Roloff Park

Rolando Vela

City Manager

Town of Laguna Vista

122 Fernandez Street

Laguna Vista, Texas 78578

 Phone:  (956) 943-1793

Fax:        (956) 943-3111

Email:    cm@lvtexas.us

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