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Votes at a glance: Weslaco commission approves permits, plats, emergency repair and equipment purchases
Summary
The Weslaco City Commission on April 16 approved a conditional-use permit for a daycare, two final plats, a three-year EMS dashcam contract, ratified emergency repairs to Lift Station 13, approved a library change order and accepted the city’s annual financial report.
At its April 16 regular meeting the Weslaco City Commission approved a series of items on the consent and new-business agendas, including a conditional-use permit for a daycare, two final plats, purchase of dash-camera and GPS equipment for EMS vehicles, ratification of emergency repairs to Lift Station 13, a construction change order on the Mayor Joe V. Sanchez public library project, and acceptance of the city’s comprehensive annual financial report for the year ended Sept. 30, 2024.
Summary of actions and key details
- Conditional-use permit (Item A): The commission approved a conditional-use permit allowing a daycare at 114 Adelita Street (Lot 28, Colonia San Francisco). Notice was published and staff reported no petitions within a 200-foot notification radius. Staff indicated the site previously operated as a daycare; approval was moved and seconded by commissioners and carried.
- Final plat — Leon Ranch (Item C): The commission approved the two-lot final plat for Leon Ranch, a 3.03-acre tract outside Weslaco city limits. The plat will be served by North Alamo water (16-inch main) and on-site septic (OSSF); staff recommended approval and granted a variance to allow OSSF for the property.
- Final plat — (Item D): The commission approved a 44-lot, 15-acre final plat inside the city limits (north of E. 18th Street). The developer requested a variance for off-site drainage. The site includes an AH flood zone designation; parcels will be elevated about 4 feet and some material will be moved to create on-site detention and raise finished-floor elevation as required. Staff and PNC recommended approval.
- EMS dash cameras and GPS (Item E): The commission approved a three-year purchasing contract with Samsara for dash-mounted video cameras and GPS tracking for ambulance units. Staff said the units provide forward-facing video and live GPS tracking monitored at dispatch. Staff stated the first-year cost will not exceed $5,576.40; the contract term is three years and vendor pricing was procured through an approved cooperative.
- Ratification of emergency repair — Lift Station 13 (Item F): The commission ratified an emergency procurement and repair to Lift Station 13 (Leisure World) by Southern Trenchless in the amount of $175,380. Staff reported the lift station’s wet well suffered structural damage after recent rains; crews removed soil and temporary measures were taken to maintain service before the vendor performed the repair. Two commissioners announced abstentions from discussion/consideration on the item; staff said procurement complied with purchasing rules and the purchase was executed through a cooperative to expedite work.
- Library project change order (Item G): The commission approved Change Order No. 2 for the Mayor Joe V. Sanchez public library project, extending the construction contract by 26 days and authorizing contingency expenditure No. 2 not to exceed $28,518.27 to remove an unidentified old foundation discovered during excavation. Staff said removing the old foundation was necessary where it interfered with new structural beams; the work will be paid from the project contingency.
- Acceptance of Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (Item H): The commission accepted and filed the city’s FY 2024 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (ACFR). Auditor Carr, Riggs & Ingram issued an unmodified (clean) opinion on the financial statements and an unmodified opinion on compliance for federal awards (ARPA program). Auditors reported one significant deficiency related to internal controls and additional advisory comments; management provided corrective-action responses. The general fund closed the year with a fund balance of roughly $17.1 million and an unassigned fund balance equal to about 47.8% of general fund expenditures.
Executive-session outcomes and property actions
In executive session the commission received legal advice on the rezoning item (Item B) and on collective-bargaining and legal matters. On return to open session the commission directed the mayor and city manager to finalize the resolution discussed in closed session (item referenced by staff) and authorized the city manager to obtain appraisals for a list of city-owned properties (except one property) and to solicit requests for qualifications for a real-estate agent/broker to assist with sales or dispositions.
Procedural notes
- Several items required no additional public-notice posting because staff recommended carrying items to the next meeting or used cooperative purchasing. Where emergency repairs were required, staff used cooperative purchasing and later sought commission ratification.
- For development approvals, staff reiterated that site-specific construction, drainage, buffering and minimum parking must be addressed at the building/platting stage; changes in business type that require conditional-use permits (for example, alcohol sales or sexually oriented businesses) were described as triggers to return to the commission for review.
