From the desk of the Port Isabel Mayor

JOE E. VEGA

PORT ISABEL MAYOR

Special to the PRESS

On February 5th I gave the State of the City at the Annual Breakfast with the Mayor. The Port Isabel Chamber of Commerce and Scott Friedman and his family were kind enough to host this event for the 8th year. There were many people in attendance including my family and several public officials.

I states at the Breakfast event that the State of the City is thriving given that we were able to adopt a balanced budget. Along with balancing the budget we were able to:

Give raises to employees
Give bonuses during Christmas and Thanksgiving
Authorize travel for administration and commissioners
Re-hire a former employee
Give early retirement bonuses
Budget to purchase equipment
Continue providing a 20 percent Homestead Exemption

All this was accomplished without having to raise taxes. Since my eight years in office as a mayor we have never raised the property tax rate.

The citizens of this great city probably read week after week about the City of Port Isabel being $1 million in debt. The truth is that we have never been and are currently not $1 million in debt.

The fact is that the City was able to have a balanced budget, provide raises, bonuses, travel opportunities and retirement bonuses. This would not have been possible if we were in debt by $1 million unless we raised taxes or lay off half the workforce, which did not happen.

Yes, the City did accrue debt due to the development of the Event Center. The debt was due in part to the following:

The project experienced many delays. Originally, the project was scheduled to be completed in one year however it took two and a half years. The project was finalized in July 2014 rather than December 2013 as planned.
During the adoption of the 2013-2014 budgets the City approved to fully staff the event center anticipating completion in December. The budget was approved unanimously by all the City Commission. Shortly after this the contractor was let go, forcing the City to take on the responsibilities to complete the event center.
The City had to use fund balance monies to complete the event center causing a shortfall to the fund balance from approximately $1 million to $500,000. This was approved by all Commissioners.
The past administration managed to freeze and consolidate positions and it carried on to the present administration.

Since the eight years of my term as mayor, all the budgets have been unanimously approved by the City Commission. I’m proud that the Port Isabel Event and Cultural Center is now completed and is very well used by our local citizens bringing performance arts, concerts, art shows, weddings, quinceañeras to our beautiful city thus promoting tourism and economic development. I see it as an investment for the future of the citizens and the debt will be well worth it.

The long anticipated dredging of the Fingers finally was completed at no cost to the citizens of Port Isabel. Ed Meza, former city manager, and I worked closely with Congressman Filemon (Vela) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to get this project done. This was a cost savings to the City of $300,000. Thanks to Congressman Filemon Vela, Col. Richard Pannell, (County) Commissioner David Garza for their support and (assistance) in making this project possible since they met with the Corps numerous times in support of this project and Jared Hockema, city manager who saw the project through.

I am pleased to say that the construction of the Living Shoreline at the Arturo Galvan Park was completed. This was the first phase of the development of this project. This project was funded through a $1 million grant that was awarded in 2014 by the Texas General Land Office. The Living Shoreline allows for a nature based solution structure to stabilize the shoreline with vegetation and rock revetment allowing for the enhancement of habitat and marine life. This is one of a few Living Shoreline Projects on the Texas Gulf Coast.

Just recently we advertised for bids on the construction o a hike and bike trail that will connect the Arturo Galvan Coastal Park to the Bejarano-McFarland Memorial Park. This trail will allow for our citizens to have a safe place for biking and walking. This trail connects a city park to a county park giving the opportunities for citizens and visitors to enjoy our recreational amenities. The funding from this trail was made possible from a grant received from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department in 2014.

The Historical Port Isabel Yacht Club Restoration and Culinary School project is no longer in existence. Certain commissioners voted to do away with the project from one day to the next. Commissioner Maria de Jesus “MJ” Garza and I voted in favor of the project. It took us approximately one and a half years in working together with Congressman Filemon Vela’s office and the Economic Development Administration to secure $1.2 million is federal funds to acquire the Historic Yacht Club for a culinary school. Additionally, we had secured $300,000 from the USDA for the purchase of kitchen equipment, $2.5 million in the Texas Leverage Funds, we were working on obtaining tax credits, we were working with Sen. Eddie Lucio and Sen. Chuy Hinojosa to secure a $1 million rider from the Texas Historical Commission for the restoration efforts and we were looking into applying for the BP RESTORE Act dollars. It was disappointing that the rest of the Commission did not share the vision and therefore several of the commissioners voted to send the monies back to the federal government. As a result our City will not be benefitting from a project that was going to bring educational programs, promote tourism and bring economic development. My vision was to have a much needed higher educational institution on our city. The culinary school would give our kids and adults alike from our community the opportunity to seek a degree in the culinary arts and hospitality. This would have been a tremendous help to those that aren’t able to drive to Texas Southmost College or UTGRV in Brownsville. This educational institution would also attract students from all over the United States to study in this city. The Yacht Club Hotel has been a part of Port Isabel’s history since the 1920s. Many famous and notable people such as Al Capone, Amelia Earhart, governors and senators once visited the Yacht Club. It’s a shame that it is now lost because of the lack of vision of a few members of the Commission.

In 2014, we were able to acquire property for the future of the City of Port Isabel. One of the properties that we acquired was the lot that sits on the corner of Maxan and Longoria. This piece of property is adjacent to the historic fire hall and two blocks from the Port Isabel Lighthouse. The purpose of acquiring this land was to provide additional parking to our patrons that were holding events at the fire hall and for overflow parking of the Lighthouse Square District. I’m sad to announce on a 3-2 vote with Commissioner MJ Garza and I voting against it, this property is now for sale. Again, the vision was not there by certain commissioners to protect the future of the City. This property will continue increasing in values that the City will never have the opportunity again to purchase property such as this one.

During this time I also announced that after much consideration I have decided not to seek re-election to the mayor’s office. I’m not retiring from public service. I am simply taking a break to concentrate on my family, my job and my health. I have two young children, my beautiful daughter Isabella who is 10 and my little boy Jude who is five. They are both involved in many extracurricular activities and I would like to spend more time being involved with them. I would like to thank my beautiful wife Lucila Vega who has been by my side and my strongest supporter during my years of public service. I want to thank my other Olga Vega who has been the backbone to all my victories as well as my siblings and family members who stood by my side. But most importantly, I want to thank all my supporters who gave the opportunity to represent them in the 16 years of public office with the City of Port Isabel. I served eight years as a city commissioner and 8 years as mayor.

I have served this community with the utmost integrity. I am proud of the accomplishments that were made during my tenure as mayor:

Constructed Veterans Memorial Monument.
Never raised taxes
Provide a 20 percent Homestead Exemption
Dredge the entrance to the Fingers at no cost to the City
Secured approximately $5 million in grant
Upgraded the Pompano Park Boat Ramp
Made improvements to our parks which included a new pavilion, new playgrounds, improvements to baseball fields
Renovated the existing Community Center
Made improvements to the fire hall
Acquired property for public use
Constructed the Port Isabel Event and Cultural Center
Established the Revolving Loan Program to assist our small businesses
Continued supporting the WAVE
Established community events such as: Pachanga in the Park, Christmas Tree Lighting and Hooked for Life Kids Gone Fishing
Constructed new sidewalks along Highway 100, school perimeters and neighborhoods to ensure safety for our children and pedestrians
Developed the First Phase of the Arturo Galvan Park
Upgrades to the Champion Museum
Upgrades to the Animal Shelter
Partner with Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to restore the Lighthouse and lighthouse cottage
Created a TIRZ that could possibly generate up to $6 million for the City in the next 12 years.

Looking ahead to the future of Port Isabel, I am hoping that the next administration continues with the vision of moving the City forward with projects such as the Arturo Galvan Coastal Park so that the City continues to thrive.

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