Commissioners assign $21.2 million in fund balance for La Mancione renovation and countywide road projects; public raised transparency concerns

Hidalgo County Commissioners on April 29 voted to assign $21,200,000 of general fund fund balance to two projects listed in an exhibit read into the record: $1,200,000 for La Mancione renovation and $20,000,000 for countywide road projects, according to the court presentation.

A member of the public raised a procedural objection before the vote, saying the exhibit had not been visible to the public in the meeting packet and asking how the court could vote on expenditures that the public could not review. County staff acknowledged the exhibit should have been attached to the online packet and read the two line items into the record during the discussion; staff said the assignment was to designate available fiscal year 2024 savings for use in fiscal year 2025 and that a subsequent agenda item would present the detailed project budgets and program numbers for formal appropriation.

Budget staff said the county began fiscal year 2025 with a healthy general‑fund balance and that the $20 million designation was consistent with previously discussed county‑wide road priorities and ARPA repurposing decisions; the county also reported a fully funded rainy‑day reserve (15 percent of the adopted budget) and an unassigned balance that remains after the set‑aside.

Commissioners approved the assignment by voice vote. The public commenter said this was not the first time backup had been omitted from the online packet and asked that future packets be posted completely. County staff apologized and said the supporting exhibit should have been uploaded.