By JOE BOCANEGRA
Special to the NEWS
During Tuesday’s regular city meeting, San Benito City Commissioners approved unanimously to table City Manager Manuel Lara and Mayor Joe Hernandez’s trip to China on city business pending further information.
An invitation was extended to Hernandez and Lara to attend an economic development conference in Shenzhen, a major port city that is north of Hong Kong, according to the invitation obtained by the News.
The conference in question is a two day trip – Feb. 23 and 24 – designed to help the Chinese city and San Benito to become “sister cities.”
“Currently, the world is overwhelmed by globalization,” the invitation reads. “It is realistic to discuss urban issues under this background.”
During the meeting, it was discovered that the Chinese delegation was to be paying for a round trip to China as well as the hotel stay. Also included was the opportunity to stay an additional five days; however, those days were to come at a cost of $1,000 per day, plus meals and transportation. It remained unclear if the mayor and city manager would have to cover said costs.
In fact, what needed to be disclosed was the dollar amount of the trip before commissioners made a decision, according to at least one official.
“I am wondering just what the exact figure for the trip is,” Commissioner Rene Villafranco told the mayor during the meeting.
Commissioner Bill Elliot also discussed airfare costs, saying that the delegation might only pay for a portion of the trip.
Commissioner Celeste Sanchez said, “I don’t mind you going, Mayor, and I give you my blessing, but I don’t think that the city manager needs to be going. I think he is needed here for the city more.”
She made mention that Lara has been unavailable since New Year’s, more recently due to an illness, and that another absence from city operations may not be beneficial to workflow.
Commissioners are scheduled to resume these discussions at the next scheduled meeting.
Check back at sbnewspaper.com for developments.
8 comments
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I swear San bene is so full of crap. Ya a trip to china,fix the dam streets!
“Currently, the world is overwhelmed by globalization,” the invitation reads. “It is realistic to discuss urban issues under this background.”
Consider these facts:
According to Business Week magazine, although China is very elusive with giving exact labor numbers, the estimated cost of Chinese factory labor is a paltry 64 cents an hour. In comparison, hourly factory compensation in the U.S. in 2002 was $21.11.
How is any trip to China going to benefit anyone except those making the trip? Sister cities? Anyone that believes that this trip is going to generate anything positive for the City is an idiot! Of course, SB has PLENTY of those!
Problem may be in getting passport by the date set for trip. If the Mayor was not born in a hospital, the government requires additional evidence other than the BC.
How is this helping san benito? Taxpayers are paying for the mayor to take a trip to China is beyond ridiculous. I suggest he takes a trip to the literacy center and learn how to read and write.
Wow…lets take a look at the article together.
Paragraph 5:
“During the meeting, it was discovered that the Chinese delegation was to be paying for a round trip to China as well as the hotel stay.”
Maybe theres room for one more at this literacy center…
TOUCHÉ and Thank You!
However, the correct spelling is ” there’s ” not theres.
HA. Yeah, you’re right. I just got antsy to post the reply to the first comment. Didn’t check my punctuation.
Try Spell-Check, it works for me and keeps me out of the literacy center!