The largest expense in the improvements package would be $170,000 for the construction of concrete cart paths for the John C. Beasley Municipal Golf Course.
The EIC board heard the request when it met on Thursday, March 5, at City Hall.
City Manager Ford Patton had asked that the request be placed on the board’s agenda after City Council members directed him to ask for the funds at a meeting last month.
The city wants $360,400 in 4B sales tax funds for the project.
In addition to the cart paths for the golf course, the council asked Patton to request $10,400 for the construction of a second septic system at the park, $120,000 for the purchase of two prefabricated restrooms, one at the Little League park complex and another for the area near the Lore Cantu baseball field and the football fields. The council also is asking for $60,000 for the purchase and installation of a large playscape across the street from the Little League complex.
Patton said the new drain field for septic system near the football field will be the same as the one city crews recently finished for the Little League complex at the park. However, the city has not had the money to install a $60,000 prefabricated restroom facility there.
Board member Jessy T. Garza questioned the request, saying he thought the city should develop a master plan for parks improvements before requesting approval of 4B sales tax money for the parks.
“We potentially have a great gem,” Garza said of the park. But he cautioned that improvements there need to be done right.
City Finance Director Robert Aguilar said the city has a master plan for parks that was prepared about 10 years ago. He told Garza that, if necessary, the prefabricated restrooms could be moved to another location.
“I’m not against these things but I’d like to see them done in an efficient manner so we get the most bang for our buck,” Garza said. He then asked if the city staff had looked into the possibility of obtaining state grant funds for the projects.
Patton defended the improvements, saying they are items that would improve the park and attract more people to the facilities there.
Patton said the playscape would be installed at a location where a wooden playscape had been years earlier. He said that playscape had to be removed years ago because its condition had deteriorated.
When the wooden playscape was there, Patton said the area was well used by people bringing their children to the park. He said the area is one of the nicest in the park because it is surrounded by large live oak trees and is centrally located.
Patton said people have asked him for years when the city planned to replace the playscape there.
“The restrooms, that’s just a basic need,” Patton said. “I would be reluctant to say we need a master plan to say we need them there.”
“We’re not going to find a grant that will help pay for that,” Patton said of the cart trails at the golf course. “We’ve sought grants in the past. It is a facility that people pay to use and that makes it ineligible for grants.”
When Garza asked about the possibility of getting grants to help pay for playscapes, Patton explained that the request would have to include other park facilities. He said the state would not provide grants for playscapes only.
EIC Board President Jim Crumrine then asked Jody Alaniz, John Fulghum and Carlos Salazar if they would serve on a subcommittee to study the request.
Fulghum is the council’s mayor pro tem and he is expected to support the request.
“This is something the council requested,” Salazar said. He reminded fellow board members that the City Council has the final say on how 4B sales tax funds are spent.
“As far as I’m concerned, it’s a done deal,” Salazar said.
Salazar, a former city councilman and mayor, urged the City Council to consider what is “needed” by the city, instead of what is “wanted.” He suggested governments should be more prudent during the current economy.
Fulghum reminded fellow EIC board members that the city has tried to fund the same improvements in the past but has not had the funds to go ahead with the projects.
“I think those items are pretty much essential and would bring more people to Beeville,” Fulghum said. He said that hotel-motel tax revenues could be increased by bringing more people to the city.
“I agree with you about the cart paths but do you think the same way about restrooms?” Garza asked.
Fulghum said he thought the restrooms would bring more people to the city and that they would be worth the investment.
Patton then asked that the EIC agenda for the next meeting include a public hearing for the request.
The subcommittee is expected to deliver its report then as well.
Before adjourning the session, Garza asked that a committee be formed to draw up new bylaws for the corporation. He said the current bylaws are outdated.
Salazar and Beeville Main Street Manager Molly Young both agreed to work with Garza on the new bylaws.
The board also set aside $2,500 to pay legal expenses incurred by the corporation and heard a financial report from Aguilar, who said the EIC will have a little more than $1 million in the bank after giving the Bee Development Authority a requested $175,000 this year. That is part of a $325,000 request from the BDA for the expansion of a warehouse facility at the Chase Field Industrial Park and Airport Complex.
That request was approved at last Thursday’s meeting.
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