Special to The Tribune
HARLINGEN, Texas - Hump Day here brought yet another installment of the local soap opera that is the Harlingen City Commission, only in this episode the always dramatic cast of local politicians went through the motions without their usual histrionics. In between yawns, the audience breathed sighs of relief. Gone for the moment was any fear of seeing their elected reps explode in multi-framed camera shots of insolence or childishness. For many in town, it was about time.
As with civic doings Mid-Valley style, the elected body traipsed through marshmallow-soft decisions on creating a veterans advisory board and one for local senior citizens. Both constituencies were said to have slept better following yesterday afternoon's unanimous votes.
Of more interest to a town saddled with DWI and Public Intoxication problems (see HPD statistics on jail bookings) was a proposal by City Commissioners Jerry Prepejchal and Gus Ruiz that downtown bars not be prohibited from being too close to each other. The commissioner wondered if ridding the city of the 100-foot spacing stipulation might not allow business-strapped Harlingen to follow McAllen's lead and create an entertainment district of its own, as the City of Palms has done successfully.
At present, bars in Harlingen are spaced out just enough so that dueling bartenders cannot eyeball each other. Conversely, town drunks say this spacing is exactly why they get in trouble when walking - er, stumbling - from one bar to the next one. No one from the HPD arrived to speak about the issue at last night's meeting - one characterized in local Blogs as being, well, boring and the equivalent of an overdose of Sominex...
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4 comments:
As always we have 4 city commissioners in Harlingen, that think like good working people and want businesses in town.
As for the CGBD funds, it's true why do the same old institutions get money, year after year, after year. Thank you Commissioner Ruiz for changing the status quo.
As always Ms Marra was the only dissenting vote on this issue, how sad.
By the way, I was glad to see two new memebers added to the boards, besides the same ones.
The city of hgn needs new ideas, a new make up, different people who think outside the box.
Good appointments by the commission. Thanks Commissioner Jerry Prepajchal.
Fandango:...Thanks for that. Good to know the populace cares enough about the community to stay up with the doings over at City Hall.... - Editor
No punn intended, Mr. Editor that guy from British Petroleum, is he from Harlingen???
Sounds like the old guard, keep hispanics mowing lawns, painting houses, house cleanning and keeping their mouth shut?? Oops sorry got carried away, well he doesn't look Brown to me, that's why I asked.
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