Greater Brownsville Incentives Corporation Will Discuss Hiring Executive Director at Meeting Wednesday

City Commissioner, GBIC Board Member
Cesar de Leon

In a special meeting scheduled for 5:30 PM Wednesday, the GBIC Board will begin the process of naming an executive director of the GBIC.

Since the meeting will start with an executive session, there is no specific start time for the public part of the meeting to discuss the item brought up in executive session.  

The GBIC Board meeting will be the first to be held in the City Commission chambers on the second floor of the downtown post office building. Remember that the by-laws were changed at the last City Commission meeting calling for moving GBIC meetings to the commission chambers to make it easier for the public to attend, as well as clearly hear the meeting.(The chambers have a public address system that is used in city commission meetings.)

The GBIC oversees the annual dispersal of 4A taxpayer dollars to be used for "economic development."  Their money comes from 1/4 cent of every taxable dollar spent in the City of Brownsville and amounts to something over $5,000,000 annually.  

A sister board, the Brownsville Community Improvement Corporation or BCIC is allotted an equal amount of taxpayer dollars, designated 4B funds for "quality of life" projects.

City Commissioner Cesar de Leon proposed that both the GBIC and the BCIC's meetings be transferred to the City Commission chambers.

Interestingly, the BCIC already has an executive director.  They've also leased a building, spending $87,000 in tax dollars for the lease, utilities, furniture, etc. in the first year at 2424 Village Drive, just off Price Road.

That squandering of tax dollars is inexcusable, given the space available at the City Commission building, City Plaza, Market Square, not to mention the 13 buildings purchased by the city commission in 2012 for $3,500,000 now sitting idle, off the tax rolls, decaying.

Below is Wednesday's GBIC agenda:

1. Call to order. 

2. Executive Session - "Consultation with legal counsel pursuant to Texas Government Code 5 51. 071, on a matter in which the duty of the attorney to the governmental body under the Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct of the State Bar of Texas clearly conflicts with the statutory requirements of the Texas Open Meetings Act, Texas Government Code 551 et seq." 

3. General Session - "Discussion and Possible Action to solicit statements of professional qualifications or proposals for the purpose of hiring an executive director of the GBIC."