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EDC approves $170,000 workforce training proposal; commits roughly $84,000 match for Rio Grande City ISD programs
Summary
The EDC approved applying for a Texas Workforce Commission high-demand job training grant and agreed to provide an estimated $84,000 local match for a Rio Grande City ISD training package totaling about $170,000.
The Rio Grande City EDC voted May 30 to approve applying for a Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) high-demand job training grant and to provide a local match for a multi-campus training package with Rio Grande City ISD.
Paloma Castro, who presented the proposal, said the total project cost is about $170,000 and that the EDC's contribution would be approximately $84,000. "The total project cost to around $170,000 with the total program city EDC contribution going around $84,000," Castro told the board.
Castro described the program's major elements: training to provide 80 students with the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VIDA) certification, professional development by sending 10 educators to a Region 1 conference for CTE courses, AWS welding workshops for four welding educators, and equipment purchases for carpentry, welding, automotive/collision repair (for one high school) and culinary arts (for the other high school).
A significant addition during recent coordination with the district was a proposed dental-assistant program for La Gruya High School. Castro said the dental-equipment allocation for that new program is about $49,000 and was the primary reason the EDC's match increased compared with earlier versions of the proposal.
Board members asked about equipment already in schools and about oversight. Castro said equipment allocations were discussed with the CTE director, that carpentry and welding equipment would be split between the two high schools, and that automotive/collision equipment is intended for Rio Grande High School because La Gruya does not have the classroom space. She said implementation is expected to begin in August and that invoice timing depends on TWC and the involved fiscal departments.
A motion to approve the TWC high-demand job training application and local grant match was made, seconded and approved by voice vote. Board members asked the grantee to report back on program progress periodically. The EDC added the estimated match to the 2024–25 work plan in a later agenda item.
