By JOE BOCANEGRA
Special to the NEWS
San Benito City Commissioners approved the purchase of the Henry Thomae Funeral Home by the San Benito Economic Development Corporation (EDC) as well as grant assistance for said business.
The decisions came after 45 minutes of executive session. Commissioner Joe D. Gonzalez made two motions: one to accept the assistance and for the grant allocation not to exceed $5,000; the other was to approve the purchase of the building. Both were seconded by Commissioner Rene Villafranco and carried by unanimous vote.
Business owner Henry Thomae said he and city officials have long worked to finalize the deal.
“The city has been after me, for lack of a better word, to purchase that property,” Thomae said. “It’s been ongoing for three years that they’ve been wanting to purchase that property, but they’ve offered me low numbers. They’ve finally offered me good money and an option to lease it back for a year, which gives me the opportunity to find another location and build another funeral home and get going.”
The funeral home director said the city had initially offered upwards of $100,000 to $200,000 while Thomae was seeking to sell at half a million.
“It’s been a tough battle closing this,” Thomae said before confirming the final sale price for his property being $385,000. “It’s been years in the making, this deal. And when they fund me, I don’t have to move out of the funeral home in a week. I’m going to stay and just rent the place from them until I can put in a different facility.”
After the meeting, Commissioner JD Penny spoke at length of possible uses for the property.
“We have the option of using the property for anything the city could want to put on there,” Penny said. “Also, with all the parking in the back, we can use it to accommodate anyone for any special events, instead of them parking on the highway.”
The Henry Thomae Funeral Home has been located at 701 N. Bowie St., in the vicinity of the Heaven Resaca Trail, since 1998.
“It could be a site for the Conjunto Music museum, for example,” Penny said. “Right now, we are still looking into what the building could be (used for in the future).”
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Hope none of these commissioners intend on accepting campaign contributions from Mr. Thomae. Hmmm…wonder if they already have.
Thomae is laughing all the way to the bank!
Mr. Crane,
You are absolutely correct in your statement,… EDC and Mayor/commissioners “dig into your own pockets”!!
Amen to that….
UPDATE/CORRECTION…….
I have been alerted that the property search of the CAD database I quoted is “incomplete”. The valuation quoted was for only the “property contents” of the business.
The Assessed Value of the land and improvements was $377,743 in Year 2012. I apologize and stand corrected for the incomplete posting!
I remain firm in my opinion that the city should NOT be in the “property investment business” when no identified need for it exists. Investing on the property just because of the parking lot and its location in the vicinity of the Resaca is just plain silly when it comes to taxpayer dollars.
It seems to me that Mr. Torres from the EDC envisions businesses along the Resaca. However, it is the businesses themselves who should be investing in the property and not taxpayers and then leasing it to businesses.
I further predict that the EDC and the city will be investing in more property along the vicinity of the Resaca. If you want to spend taxpayer dollars at this level, “dig into your own pockets”!
Worthless politicians they have a museum that no one goes to and want to waste tax dollars on an old building when they cannot even help the Boys and Girls Club stay open. Just remember the waste during election time, in all good conscious how can they waste money like this, sad sad sad.
How in the world can these commissioners do this with a clear conscience? You’re right.. It’s not there money. We will remember in 2014. The city and the school district “leaders” all must have gone to the same meeting. Spend, spend, and more spending. Good grief!
Well put,Pepe Roni,the Thomae Group stands to receive a great IROR,if only old Dolph were here to enjoy it.
The “Art of Deal Negotiation” is not the value of your property (THOMAE); it is taking full advantage of the “desperation” of the buyer (EDC) and how much money you can squeeze out of the buyer (EDC aka the Taxpayer)
According to the Cameron County Appraisal District, (Search Type: [Doing Business As (DBA)]; Doing Business As: [Thomae Funeral Home] the total market/appraised/assessed Value of the total property at 701 N. Bowie Street is $24,743 for Year 2012. It was $31,329 in Year 2011.
So $390,000 (including $5,000 grant) of taxpayer dollars for property with an appraisal value of $24,743.00 is a heck of a deal for Mr. Thomae.
I guess “buying property” is what the EDC meant about providing support and assistance to create sustainable economic growth.
Buying property without knowing what you need it for is like buying a truck for the city administration when there is no real need for it. Trucks for code inspectors I agree with but city administration, NO WAY! My source informs me that assistant city manager’s Art Rodriguez justification for the truck is the need for traveling to training classes. Haven’t they heard of rental cars? When I need to go on a road trip, I rent a car; I don’t go buy a new vehicle. But now we, the tax payers, will have a truck payment for the city administration, courtesy of Mr. Art Rodriguez and the city commission.
Yes, the EDC and city commission are on a spending spree. Up next will be the Stonewall Jackson Hotel. After all, it is very easy to spend money when it is not all coming out of your pocket!! (snark) If we get no sufficient measureable rainfall in the next six months, look for a water rate increase! The media has reported that the irrigation district has already stated that they may not be able to provide water to the cities of San Benito and Rio Hondo.
Penny said, “Right now, we are still looking into what the building could be (used for in the future).” This type of future planning is called “winging it”. This gentleman has no idea what he is talking about. I’ve got news for him, people will still park on business hwy 77 because it is more convenient.
Hey EDC and city commission, I will call you! I am aware of two vacant lots available for sale. They will make great parking lots and I am sure you will make me a very generous offer.
Wow,another payback to the Thomae bunch.
Does the city really need to consider another museum for Freddy Fender,when it can’t even furnish basic services to it’s citizens ?
Wow city on a spending spree? How about the spending some money on holding back errosion along the resaca trail if not the resaca ‘s water will soon it will reach the trail. Did’nt the kids that where cleaning up the trash along the resaca’s banks teach us anything?
Did the commissioner basically say they do not have a plan for this building? Wow!
That’s the same way I read it! smh