NEWS – Pharr City Report for 3/7/2022

by media | Mar 11, 2022 | Featured News, Information, Media Releases, My Pharr, News, News

The Board of Commissioners of the City of Pharr met for a regular meeting on Monday, March 7, 2022, and considered an agenda that included the following highlights:

City Commission Proclaims March 2022 as Women’s History Month

The Pharr City Commission approved a proclamation declaring March 2022 as Women’s History Month. Celebrated every March, Women’s History Month provides an opportunity to honor the generations of trailblazing women and girls who have built our Nation, shaped our progress, and strengthened our character as a people The City of Pharr is proud to acknowledge the hard work, dedication, and contributions of the outstanding women who work for the City of Pharr. Assistant City Manager Annie Reeves was joined by fellow women employees to accept the proclamation. “We are thankful to the city for recognizing the struggles and issues that women have had to overcome so that we can have positions like the ones we now have,” said Reeves. “Thank you for continuing to open the doors for women and girls in our city and our community,” added Reeves.

City Commission Receives Update on RGV Angel Flight Services

City of Pharr EMS Chief Danny Ramirez gave the city commission an update on services offered by  Pharr EMS’ RGV Angel Flight. Chief Ramirez proudly announced that Pharr is the only city in the state of Texas that currently runs both fixed-wing (airplane) and rotor-wing (helicopter) air ambulance services. Additionally, RGV Angel Flight’s fixed-wing services offer the capability to transport patients regionally, throughout the state and nation and if needed, can bring U.S. citizens from Mexico to the U.S. Over 20 staff members are ready to go at a moment’s notice. Each air ambulance service is equipped with a team of paramedics and nurses, capable of handling any type of transport in and out of the valley. RGV Angel Flight is committed to delivering the highest level of care and service to patients, hospitals, and emergency services partners. “We are working to develop public service announcements (PSA’s) and commercials so we can let the hospitals and cities in our region know the capabilities that we have at Pharr EMS,” said Chief Ramirez

City Commission Approves Pharr Municipal Court Amnesty Program from March 15th – April 30th

The Pharr City Commission approved authorization for the Municipal Court of the City of Pharr to hold an amnesty period from March 15, 2022, through April 30, 2022, during which time any failure to appear and warrant charges will be waived for any unadjudicated fines paid in full.

City Commission Approves Agreement with Battalion 3 Technologies to Updated Fire Department Roster System

The Pharr City Commission approved an agreement with Battalion 3 Technologies for a subscription to a web-based fire rostering system for use by the Fire Department at a cost of approximately $4,500 annually. The fire department currently utilizes a manual process to schedule firefighters to work in the event an employee is out on sick, annual, bereavement, deployment, or other applicable leave. The process requires a status board to be kept up to date and notification of firefighters via a physical phone call.  Battalion 3 Technologies offers a web-based rostering system that is subscription-based and the cost scales up or down with the number of firefighters in the system. The Fire Roster system will notify firefighters via a phone application and/or by text/email of the need for a vacancy on a work shift to be filled. The fire roster system can also generate daily timesheets that can be imported into the current time and attendance system utilized by the City for payroll submittals.

Featured Event: Pharr Hub Phestival – Saturday, April 9, 2022, from 5 pm to Midnight

Commissioners Proclaim February 2022 as Black History Month

by media | Mar 11, 2022 | Featured News, Information, Media Releases, My Pharr, News, News

The Board of Commissioners of the City of Pharr met for a regular meeting on Monday, February 21, 2022, and considered an agenda that included the following highlights:

Commissioners Proclaim February 2022 as Black History Month

Pharr Mayor Ambrosio Hernandez, M.D., and the Pharr City Commission approved a proclamation declaring February 2022 as Black History Month. February is designated as Black History Month to remember and reflect on the tribulations faced by the Black community while learning from the vibrant culture and history and celebrating its many invaluable contributions. The 2022 Black History Month’s theme is Black Health and Wellness. This focus will celebrate the contributions and breakthroughs of Black professionals as well as speak to the cultural richness of those “non-traditional” health and wellness practitioners. Accepting the proclamation were Alfonso Gatling and Dr. Teresa Gatling from Village in the Valley, a local nonprofit whose mission is to elevate and unite the Black community while connecting cultures in the Rio Grande Valley. “We look forward to working with you and experiencing our values and our cultures together,” said the representative while accepting the proclamation.

City Announces February 2022 Sales Tax Report

City Manager Ed Wylie announced that the sales tax activity for the city of Pharr as of the month of February 2022 continues to show a positive upward trend, demonstrating a steady increase in sales activity. The report showed an overall positive trend in the amount of 13.37% Month-to-Month compared to last year, 2021, and overall 17% true growth compared to last year’s collections.

City Announces Property Tax Collection Report for January 2022

City Manager Ed Wylie announced that the Delinquent Tax Collections as of January 2022 are $335,351, which is 12.50% collected out of the previous year’s tax rolls. This is an increase of 1.54% compared to last year.

Commission Approves Resolution Authorizing Notice of Intention to Issue Certificates of Obligation for construction of the UTRGV Nursing School

The Pharr City Commission approved a Resolution authorizing the publication of Notice of Intention to issue Certificates of Obligation, Series 2022, for the design, acquisition, and construction of the UTRGV Nursing School. As approved by the City Commission during the Budget Process, the City is now ready to issue debt for an estimated amount of $8 million for the construction of the UTRGV Nursing School.

City Commission Approves Donation of Police Service K9 Gemma to Officer Daniel Calvillo

The Pharr City Commission approved the donation of Police Service K9 Gemma to Officer Daniel Calvillo. The City of Pharr Police Department has a K9 Program that assigns a Police Service Animal to a handler. Daniel Calvillo was assigned K9 Gemma as his service animal. K9 Gemma sustained an injury, which resulted in a medical retirement recommendation by the Veterinarian. Daniel Calvillo was Gemma’s handler and he agreed to care for Gemma after her retirement. Gemma is going to a loving home and will be cared for by her handler.

Commission Approves MOU with Department of Veterans Affairs

The Pharr City Commission approved a Memorandum of Understanding between The Department of Veterans Affairs and the Pharr Police Department for mutual assistance. The MOU will establish a working relationship between the VA Texas Valley Coastal Bend Healthcare System (VATVCBHCS), Police Service, and Pharr Police Department as a means of reinforcing interagency coordination and responsibility concerning law enforcement, emergency response, requests for assistance, and physical security and access at VA Texas Valley Coastal Bend Healthcare System in McAllen.

City Commission Approves Participation Agreement with the City of San Antonio and CPS Energy to Receive Training at their CyberSecurity Center

The Pharr City Commission approved a Participation Agreement with the Cityof San Antonio and CPS Energy to Receive Training at their CyberSecurity Center – Alamo Regional Security Operations Center (ARSOC). The new cyber operations center stands as an example for other communities as part of efforts to fight hackers who threaten utilities, municipalities, and other local governments. The ARSOC facility is set up for security monitoring and offers training to local entities who are interested to partner in the program. There is no cost to participate in the partnership. The City of Pharr IT Department reached out to the City of San Antonio to learn more about the center and looks forward to the partnership and joining other organizations for cross-training and information sharing.

Featured Event: 16th Annual St. Patricks Day 5k Run/Walk – Saturday, March 19, 2022

Get ready for the BIGGEST 5K in the RGV!
The 16th Annual St. Patricks Day 5k Run/Walk presented by the City of PharrParks and Recreation is happening on Saturday, March 19th! Participant packets include finisher medals, shirts, and cash prizes for winners. Sign up today at  https://tinyurl.com/[5y48cmjh].