GBIC DIRECTOR SURVIVES EVALUTION, WILL BE RE-EVALUATED IN TWO MONTHS

GBIC CEO Mario Lozoya

GBIC Director Mario Lozoya returned to the City Commission chambers from the Executive Session of the GBIC Board of Directors meeting relaxed, with a big smile on his face.

He'd obviously just dodged a bullet in the private meeting where Item D of the Executive Session involved "Discussion pursuant to Texas Government Code 551.074 to deliberate the evaluation of Executive Director."

When the GBIC Board returned, board member Ricardo Longoria, Jr., obviously the initiator of the evaluation, said the item would be "tabled for now," with another evaluation on the "first anniversary" of Lozoya's hiring.

Since the Tamaulipas native was hired in July 2018, perhaps he has another two months to demonstrate the economic development skills necessary to earn his $220,000 annual salary.

Lozoya did take the podium to announce that the remaining portion of a $1,700,000 stipend to UT-RGV, $973,000, would be returned to the general fund of the GBIC, because UT-RGV had not met the requirements of the agreement.

The director also gave the board an update on his request for a GBIC vehicle to drive "prospects to the port," or to "contact legislators' in Austin about important legislation, stating that two Requests for Proposal had received responses for unsuitable vehicles, both pickup trucks.(We learned that the director prefers an SUV and that the allocation has been capped at $55,000.)

Lozoya had one more request, asking that the sick leave and holiday schedule for GBIC employees match the same for the BCIC and the City of Brownsville.  That request, put into the form of a motion, was granted.

We asked Board Chairman Esteban Guerra after the meeting about a $1,000,000 item he'd referred to legal.

Guerra explained:  

"What happened is that in 2012 the City of Brownsville borrowed the million dollars from GBIC, to be paid back without interest, provided the city waive their 2% service fees on GBIC transactions.  Well, seven years later, the city has not paid back the money, but they've been taking the 2% service off the balance.  So, we're simply asking the city to honor the agreement or return the funds to GBIC."