Edinburg City Council renews city manager’s contract, addresses development requests and infrastructure updates at April 7 meeting
Edinburg City Council, public comments, zoning, infrastructure, economic development, public safety
Arnoldo Mata
EDINBURG, Texas — The Edinburg City Council approved renewing the city managers contract and responded to community concerns ranging from property taxes and infrastructure needs to zoning changes during last night’s meeting.
Myra L. Ayala was hired as Edinburg’s City Manager in April 2022. Ayala has been serving as the city’s Interim City Manager since March 1, 2022. She was first hired by the city of Edinburg in August of 1998 and has served in multiple capacities including Senior Secretary, Records Supervisor, Director of Business Operations & Marketing for the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation, and City Secretary.
Her contract renewal was discussed in executive session. After the session, the Council voted to direct the city attorney to negotiate the city manager’s contract renewal. There was no public discussion of the issue.
City Council members thanked City Manager Myra Ayala for her continued leadership.
“Thank you for the opportunity to continue serving this great, amazing four-time All-America City,” Ayala said.
Proclamations and Recognitions
Council members issued a proclamation recognizing April as National Cancer Control Month, emphasizing awareness, prevention and early detection.
Representatives from DHR Health thanked the council for highlighting cancer education and community outreach programs. “Cancer does not discriminate… we must work together through research, preventative measures and awareness,” a representative stated during the presentation.
The council also honored the Harvest Christian Academy Lady Eagles varsity basketball team for winning its fourth state championship title. Coach Hyman Gonzalez highlighted the team’s national recognition, noting the program’s continued success.
“We were the only team in Texas on that list with four [state titles], and we plan on climbing on that list,” Gonzalez said.
Senior player Kat expressed appreciation for the recognition.
“These girls have worked so hard… to win four is such an honor and such an accomplishment,” she said.
Another proclamation recognized National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, honoring emergency dispatch personnel for their role in coordinating police and fire response.
Officials noted Edinburg dispatchers received statewide recognition, including awards for innovation in hostage response and drone-assisted emergency support.
“We’ve beat out every other police department in the state of Texas for these awards,” a communications manager said.
Mayor’s Report Highlights Events and Programs
The mayor announced several upcoming city events, including Culture Fest and the State of the City address, which will be livestreamed on multiple platforms.
Residents were also encouraged to participate in the Municipal Court Amnesty Program, allowing individuals to resolve outstanding fines and warrants with waived penalties.
City officials also introduced a new online utility payment system, noting reduced credit card processing costs for residents.
Public Comment Raises Concerns Over Taxes, Growth, and Infrastructure
Residents used the public comment portion to raise concerns about rising costs, development patterns and infrastructure gaps.
One speaker criticized property tax increases and city spending priorities. “Edinburg families are still having problems paying their taxes because the cost of government is increasing at a faster rate than our income,” Fern McClary said.
McClary also questioned financial decisions involving city funds and bonds. “The city currently spends about $9 million a year on interest… the result is that property values increase to a point where families cannot afford to stay in their homes,” the speaker stated.
Juan Zuniga expressed concern about urban planning and environmental impacts tied to development patterns. “There’s more concrete, less shade… trees aren’t just for appearances. They actually help manage heat and conserve water,” the Zuniga said. He added, “ A lot of what we’ve been planning here are palm trees and while they look nice, they don’t provide much shade or cooling so we can feel like we’re prioritizing appearance or function.”
Zuniga also noted concerns about infrastructure readiness amid continued growth. “ I’ve also been noticing a pattern of rezoning across the city, especially for a higher density housing like apartments and subdivisions. That raises concerns about whether infrastructure, water, resources, and planning are keeping pace with the level of growth. At the same time, there are existing infrastructure gaps. The road in front of my lot has not been paved and it’s been about eight years. Because of that, I’m not able to build my driveway even though it’s required to meet code. So, from a resident per perspective, it feels like we’re being held to a certain requirement while basic infrastructure is still incomplete.”
“The lack of transparency and prolonged delays have created frustration and concern among residents,” a speaker said.
Residents asked the city to provide a defined completion date and address roadway damage caused by construction traffic.
Zoning Requests Address Housing Density, Commercial Expansion
Council members considered multiple zoning requests affecting residential and commercial development.
One zoning request involved a change to accommodate additional parking for a multifamily development near Sprague and McColl. The developer stated the adjustment would allow compliance with landscaping and parking requirements.
“We realized we had to rezone an additional 50 feet… to accommodate the parking necessary for the units,” a representative said.
Another request involved converting an existing property into a bail bond office. The applicant noted the building had historically operated as a business prior to annexation.
“It’s going to be used for the same purpose that it was used up until 2019,” the applicant said.
Council also reviewed a proposal to rezone property on Alberta Road for a potential food truck park and community recreational space.
The applicant described a vision for a family-oriented concept.
“We’re trying to create something new… something community friendly,” the applicant said.
Discussion included concerns about traffic, operating hours and compatibility with nearby residential properties.
A council member emphasized the importance of clarity regarding development plans.
“I would love to see something that’s actually going to work for the residents… and for this area,” the mayor said.
Following discussion, council voted to table the item to allow further coordination between the developer and neighboring property owners.
Residents Request Communication on Subdivision Development
During discussion of routine zoning items, residents expressed concerns about lack of communication regarding a nearby subdivision project.
Residents Carmen and Victor Cantu spoke about a proposed subdivision on E. Rogers Road. “We haven’t heard anything from anybody… we have concerns and we have questions,” Victor Cantu said. “We don’t have sewer in our property… we would just like to see if we have access to that.”
“The were no signs up there. The only reason we found out is because we got a letter in the mail. Other than that, we wouldn’t have known that the property right smack next to us was sold,” he said.
Kelly Vela, a representative with Rio Plex Engineering, spoke on behalf of the developer. “The original planning and zoning meeting for this was actually back in January, so that might be a little bit of the confusion. Um, the notification and everything was done, that meeting was held. And then we’ve had a few changes on city council meetings and dates. So it’s been readvertised a few times.”
“We are providing sanitary sewer in our subdivision and we are connecting to the city’s sanitary sewer that’s being constructed on the east side of Rogers Road as part of the development to the east of us. This is kind of the first time, actually, that we’ve heard that someone has a question for the adjacent property since nobody’s shown up for any of the previous meetings” she added.
“But it sounds like really their only concern is the potential to be able to connect sanitary sewer, which is definitely something that we can take a look at, especially if they’re the immediate adjacent property owner, given that the city’s requirement is that we need to extend sewer to us and through us, which means we’ll have it all the way to the end of our property line. So connecting a home at the end really wouldn’t be something that would be a difficult process to do and we can certainly talk with utility department about that as well,” Vela added.
The developer said they would talk to the Cantus before they left the meeting.
Infrastructure Projects Approved
Council approved a federally funded project to reroute flows from Lift Station 19 and expand sewer service capacity.
Officials said the project will provide first-time sewer access to areas along Rogers Road.
“We’re basically rerouting the flows… and we’re going to be able to provide first-time sewer,” staff explained.
The project is funded through a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development grant.
Council also approved construction of a new disposal facility cell as part of regional waste management operations.
Executive Session Actions
Following executive session, council approved an amendment to an economic development agreement and authorized renewal of the city manager’s contract.