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Hidalgo County court defends low-bid internet award amid protest; public critiques large budget increase
Summary
Commissioners approved a contested RFQ award for countywide internet service despite an incumbent protest, while a public commenter sharply criticized a county budget increase she said rose 36% from 2025 to 2026. Purchasing staff cited price savings as the deciding factor.
Hidalgo County commissioners voted to approve a countywide internet services contract after hearing a protest from the incumbent vendor and a defense by purchasing and IT staff.
The protest was lodged by Ruben Mesa, who asked the court to defer the award while the bid challenge was resolved. Mesa said his firm was the incumbent provider and described recent month-to-month rate changes that raised its cost.
Ignacio Amezkwa, identified in the record as a purchasing official, told the court the procurement used sealed bids and that price was the main evaluation factor. "The main factor to take in consideration at this time is the price where the recommended vendor is having the lowest price," Amezkwa said, adding that the second vendor’s proposal was "$5,300 more expensive per month" and that the difference would be "a total saving for us...$64,519 a year." Daniel Salinas of the county IT department said he was directly involved in the evaluation and reported no concerns with the recommended award.
After discussion — during which county legal staff said they had reviewed the proposed contract and found no procurement defects — the court moved and voted to approve the award.
Separately during open forum, a resident criticized what she described as a 36% increase in the county budget from 2025 to 2026, saying local families cannot absorb rising government costs and urging spending reductions. She cited figures in the record that compared a 2025 county budget of roughly $136,000,000 to a 2026 budget she read as $430,000,000 and asked how the county would address affordability concerns; the comment was public testimony rather than a formal appeal or motion.
What happened next: The procurement award stands as approved; the purchasing and IT offices will proceed with contract execution and the procurement protest record will be retained according to county procedure. The budget critique was entered into the public record during open forum; budget figures quoted by the speaker should be verified against the official adopted budget documents for precise accounting.
