The Board of Commissioners of the City of Pharr met for a regular meeting on Monday, November 7, 2022, and considered an agenda that included the following highlights:
City Proclaims November 2022 as Lung Cancer Awareness Month
The Pharr City Commission approved a proclamation declaring November 2022 as Lung Cancer Awareness Month. Lung Cancer Awareness Month is observed annually in November and highlights the need for more research to be conducted while cultivating a better understanding of the disease. Tragically, lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in men and women worldwide. Staff from the DHR Lung Cancer Screening Center and Advance Care Center accepted the proclamation. They stressed the importance of early detection and annual screenings, especially for those who are over 50 and smoke. They also shared tips to help prevent lung cancer which included avoiding smoking, inhaling secondhand smoke, exercising, and eating healthy.
City Declares November 7, 2022, as Mayors’ Monarch Pledge Day
The Pharr City Commission approved a proclamation declaring November 7, 2022, as Mayors’ Monarch Pledge Day. The monarch butterfly is an iconic endangered North American species whose multigenerational migration and metamorphosis from caterpillar to butterfly have captured the imagination of millions of Americans and in order to continue to protect these beautiful species. Mayor Hernandez urges all Pharr citizens to join him in creating healthy habitats for these magnificent butterflies. Citizens of Pharr can make a difference for the monarch by planting native milkweed and other nectar plants to provide habitat for the monarch and pollinators in locations where people live, work, learn, play and worship. The City of Pharr has helped save the Monarch by dedicating a significant amount of park acreage to native fauna and flora. Hanna Marble, Urban Ecologist for Pharr Parks and Recreation, and Cynthia Castro, the Assistant Director for Pharr Parks and Recreation accepted the proclamation and urged all citizens to help protect the Monarch and create healthy habitats to support their conservation.
City Proclaims November 26, 2022, as Small Business Saturday
The Pharr City Commission approved a proclamation declaring November 26, 2022, as Small Business Saturday. The City of Pharr is proud to celebrate our local small businesses and the contributions they make to our local economy and community. According to the United States Small Business Administration, there are 32.5 million small businesses in the United States, small businesses represent 99.7% of firms with paid employees, small businesses are responsible for 62% of net new jobs created since 1995, and small businesses employ 46.8% of the employees in the private sector in the United States. The City of Pharr joins advocacy groups, as well as public and private organizations, across the country that have endorsed the Saturday after Thanksgiving as Small Business Saturday. Marcela Beas, President/CEO of the Greater Pharr Chamber of Commerce, and local business owners Maria Elena Guerra (The Glam Factor), Alma Cavazos (Vivant Beauty Spa), Rebecca Cruz (RERU Heavenly Crave), Lizette Espino (Espino’s Furniture & Appliances and Espino’s Tires), and Christa Gutierrez (Amor Events Center) accepted the proclamation and shared the importance of supporting local small businesses in Pharr.
City Authorizes Pharr PD to enter into a State and Local HIDTA Task Force Agreement with DEA
The Pharr City Commission authorized Pharr Police Department to enter into a State and Local HIDTA Task Force Agreement with the Drug Enforcement Agency. Entering into this agreement, the Pharr Police Department will assign a Pharr Police Officer to the task force which concentrates on disrupting illicit drug trafficking, including undercover operations. The assignment to the Drug Enforcement Agency allows increased levels of intelligence on drug trafficking in and around the City of Pharr, allows for a force multiplier when handling narcotic-related crimes, and includes drug seizures adopted by this department at our international bridge. The City of Pharr will compensate an assignment of (1) officers through city funds for salary and benefits. The D.E.A. Task Force will provide funding for overtime, office space, and training while assigned to the task force.
City Approves Service Agreement with the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Center for Sign Language Interpreting Services
The City of Pharr approved a Service Agreement with the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Center for Sign Language interpreting services. The Deaf and Hard of Hearing Center will be providing American Sign Language interpreters and Trilingual Interpreters for classes, meetings, and other interactions with residents who are deaf, hard of hearing, and low vision or deaf/blind. The Corpus Christi Area Council for the Deaf, Inc., d/b/a The Deaf and Hard of Hearing Center, is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization that has been providing quality interpreting services since 1978. Their services comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and provide and assign the most qualified interpreters available, based on the situation and the consumer’s needs and preferences. The contract is a one-calendar-year term and will expire on December 31, 2022. Services will be on an as-needed basis and will be billed accordingly.
Featured Events: Movies at the Park & Lighting of the Christmas Tree
