Boswell: Perry sends letter in support of I-69 signs

HARLINGEN — Mayor Chris Boswell announced Thursday that Gov. Rick Perry has sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Transportation in support of signs officially designating U.S. 77 in Cameron County as part of Interstate 69.

Boswell talked about this and other projects happening throughout the city with a group of more than 50 people during a “Five O’Clock Forum with the Mayor” held at the Cultural Arts Center.

Boswell read part of Perry’s letter that stated, “I respectfully request that the portion of U.S. 77 in Cameron County, from the border with Mexico to the county line, be signed as an interstate highway.”

“The Cameron County segment of U.S. 77 has been built to interstate standards, connects to an international border crossing, and is an important trade route for our state and nation.”

Police Chief Danny Castillo also spoke about the decision to change the site where the new police station and municipal court will be built.

The original plan was to build the new station on a 20-acre lot at the corner of Palm Court and Lincoln Avenue. But last week city commissioners decided to build the station on a lot at Fair Park Boulevard and Wichita Street.

“(The intersection of Palm Court and Lincoln Avenue) lends itself to have a greater potential for retail development,” Castillo said.

Castillo also said construction at the Fair Park site would start soon after a two- to four-week site preparation period.

The 48,000-square-foot complex will be completed by May 2009.

Assistant City Manager Gabriel Gonzalez said the city is taking steps to improve the collection of unpaid fines, which has amounted to $4.5 million.

Some of the measures include publishing in the newspaper the names of people who have outstanding warrants and working with the state to deny renewal of licenses to those offenders.

Gonzalez also announced that the city will be launching a six-day a week bus system on Monday.

There will be two routes, one retail and the other a medical district route. One-way fares will be $3 and $1.50 for the elderly, disabled, veterans and students.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the bus system will be held Monday at 10 a.m. at City Hall, 118 E. Tyler.

Gonzalez also said the Harlingen Soccer Complex is 60 percent complete and should be “substantially complete” by May 5.

More than 120 teams from across the country will play at the complex during Labor Day weekend for the PONY League National Championships, Gonzalez said.

Dan Serna, public works director, talked about the many capital improvement projects completed throughout the city in 2007, which included $6.7 million in drainage repair, street overlaying, sidewalk building and repair and roofing of public buildings. Serna said it was a busy year for capital improvements.

Dr. Daniel Hale, professor of pediatrics at the Regional Academic Health Center, said the RAHC will provide new research opportunities to residents and trainees at the medical school through the U.S. Hispanic Nutrition Research Center.

Hale said there has been a $500,000 investment in federal money into the center. He also said the RAHC will receive about $10 million in federal funds over the next five years and will create 20 more jobs.

Hale also said that at least one doctor from Valley Baptist Medical Center will participate in a national children’s health study that will start next year and will continue for 21 years.

Larry Alva, administrative officer for the South Texas Veterans Health Care Center, said the new center is growing successfully and is attending to about 200 patients per day.