By JOE BOCANEGRA
Special to the NEWS
Dolly Vinsant Memorial Hospital
Tuesday, during the San Benito regular city meeting, commissioners agreed to accept a bid for the potential sale of the former Dolly Vinsant Memorial Hospital.
The bid, offered at approximately $286,000, was agreed to unanimously with San Benito City Commissioner Joe D. Gonzalez making the first motion and seconded by Commissioner Rene Villafranco. It was one out of two offers set forth by bidders and agreed to after a half-hour meeting in executive session.
During the meeting, Lionel Betancourt, founder of the Save Dolly group, met with the bidding representatives and spoke favorably about them.
“I enjoyed meeting them,” Betancourt said, “although I didn’t know anything about them until during the meeting. If first impressions are an indicator, I would say that they will do well.”
City Manager Manuel Lara said officials could not reveal the name of the bidders, however.
“[The tax attorney] wouldn’t give us any information directly,” Lara said, adding, “Two bids were shared with us on a one page letter. One is an association and we don’t really know who they are, and another is a group we’re familiar with. That’s about all we really know.”
Lara further noted that there were no specifics mentioned as to what type of business the bidders planned to house at Dolly Vinsant. The city manager did, though, confirm that the bidders were private businesses that provided similar services.
“We went with the one group that we were familiar with and had brought business to San Benito in the past; the other – like I said – we don’t know who they are.”
Betancourt has recently worked together with dozens of volunteers that make up the Save Dolly group to restore the hospital, which has fallen into decay since its 2007 closure. There’s no word yet on how Save Dolly’s efforts will continue should the potential buyers go through with purchasing the hospital.
In the meantime, Lara said that officials with Cameron County and San Benito CISD, two of the three taxing entities – along with the city – that are considered the current owners of the property, must also meet to consider the bids.
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This is interesting! Per the Cameron County Commissioners Court agenda for the Regular Public Meeting for October 11, 2012, the Commissioners Court will be discussing the possible sale of the former Dolly Vinsant Hospital in an “Open Session” and not in “Executive Session”.
Check out the section ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION AND ACTION: number 3. Action Item letter O. DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON THE RESOLUTION APPROVING THE PRIVATE OFFER RECEIVED FOR THE FOLLOWING PROPERTY: LEGAL DESCRIPTION:…….
http://www.co.cameron.tx.us/judge/docs/Agenda_for_10_11_12___Regular_Meeting.pdf
Maybe the lower bid was accepted because they are going to use Dolly for a more favorable use than the one with the higher one. Nonetheless, it should be made public since it is the public’s money they are dealing with. Hopefully we will find out,. But forgiving the taxes owed is not good. How about the ISD and county? what is their input?
Mayor Joe Hernandez is being quoted by a certain media as saying “San Benito city commissioners picked the investors who offered the low bid because they were the first to submit their proposal.”
So that is how the process works!
Silly me! I always believed that if I made the highest bid I would win the item on the auction block. Next time I am involved in a bidding process, I will be the first one to bid so I can win.
SOLD to the lowest bidder!
I attended this meeting and I would like to know “Why was this agenda item even discussed in Executive Session?”
All previous discussions and/or actions of previous tax delinquent sales have been in an open City Commission session before the public. The only difference with this transaction was the existence of two bidders which, in my opinion, would not dictate or qualify it to be discussed in Executive Session.
And then the City Commission opted to go with the low bidder. Without privy with what was discussed in Executive Session, this just raises more questions.
Accepting the “lower bid” does not seem to be in the best interest of the tax-payer who is also losing out on the $799,00 in delinquent taxes being waived or forgiven.
Outstanding