Plastic bag ban on city's agenda

HARLINGEN — Harlingen could become the second Rio Grande Valley city to ban plastic bags.
The city commission will discuss a ban on plastic bags, proposed by District 4 City Commissioner Jerry Prepejchal and District 3 City Commissioner Kori Marra, at its meeting Wednesday night.
Other agenda items include terminating the city’s lease of Harlingen Field to the Rio Grande Valley WhiteWings and a ban on texting while driving.
Prepejchal said Monday he is tired of seeing plastic bags all over the street.
“This is a way to try and clean up the city,” Prepejchal said of the proposed ban. “Paper bags deteriorate in a landfill; plastic bags are there for life.”
Prepejchal said Wednesday’s discussion will most likely direct the Planning and Zoning Commission to review Brownsville’s plastic bag ordinance, and move forward with writing Harlingen’s version of it.
Three agenda items concern the WhiteWings lease, beginning with consulting with the city attorney in executive session.
In public session, the commission will “consider and take action to immediately terminate the lease agreement…because WhiteWings failed to comply with the contract,” according to the commission’s agenda.
Assistant City Manager Gabriel Gonzalez said that the WhiteWings has not paid rent, maintenance and utilities. The team owners are disputing the charges.
Gonzalez did not provide the exact amount that the team owes to the city, but called it “a large amount.”
He said the team was notified in writing 40 days ago that payment was expected within 30 days.
A texting-while-driving ban also on the commission’s agenda for Wednesday, will be directed at drivers reading, writing, or sending a text message, instant message or email while driving in Harlingen.
District 1 City Commissioner Gustavo Ruiz, who sponsored this agenda item, called texting while driving “a serious public safety concern.”
“We’re seeing more accidents coming forward because of this issue,” Ruiz said.
Ruiz said his proposal is for discussion with the intention of putting a question on the May 2012 city ballot, after obtaining  community comments.
Ruiz said he is hoping for a good amount of feedback from the community. He said the most difficult part of the ban is enforcing it.
“We would need to find out what other cities are doing to enforce it and get feedback,” Ruiz said. “I think it will cut down on accidents.”