By ALBERT VILLEGAS
Special to the NEWS
In response to the recent Kerr County flooding that resulted in hundreds of deaths, San Benito commissioners are contemplating allocating a portion of the proceeds from the San Benito Soul of South Texas Summer Concert Series, which is still ongoing.
The Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country will administer the funding. The decision still has to go through a vote from the Economic Development Corporation Board, and will go to the Kerr County Flood Relief Fund once the local concert series concludes in August.
At a July 15 Commissioners meeting, elected leaders tabled the item, but it will be brought back once a “concrete” number is established.
Commissioner Deborah A. Morales motioned to table the item, with a second from Pedro A. Galvan.
Commissioner Thomas W. Goodman II voted not to table.
“I think (Kerr County) will entertain us giving monies at any time during this process because they’re going to need it anyway,” Morales said. “I just don’t see us doing it prematurely. I’m all for doing this, but I want to see where our Concert Summer Series takes us and any proceeds coming from this event.”
Contributions to the Central Texas natural disaster that occurred on July 4 will directly benefit the communities of Kerrville, Ingram, Comfort, Hunt, and Center Point, according to a commissioners’ meeting summary.
“We stand behind these communities. Considering the timing, city staff thought this would be ideal to present this, and we don’t know how much at this point,” San Benito City Manager Fred Sandoval said.
“We’ve had some interest from some artists and contractors who want to donate and be a part of this.”
Sandoval said that if the commission had approved the portion allocation now, the event and anyone associated with it would have been given a “flood relief designation” that would have been a positive public relations move for the city.
The next regular commission meeting is Aug. 24.
In other meeting action, the commission unanimously approved $8,000 to sponsor the Boys and Girls Club of San Benito’s inaugural Roots and Boots Gala. Other funding commitments have come from banks and law firms so far, Club Chief Executive Officer Liz Chavez said.
The commission also heard there would be an update to name a city liaison to the San Benito Animal Control Advisory Committee at the next budget meeting. It is a matter Commissioner Galvan has raised and would like to see come to fruition once a city ordinance is updated.
The liaison’s role would support communication and coordination between the committee and city departments. Sandoval told the commission the city is in the process of hiring an animal control supervisor, who would be the “perfect” liaison once the budget process is concluded in September.
The commission also unanimously approved a final annual membership payment of $8,750 to the San Benito Chamber of Commerce and unanimously approved to ratify the performance stage and generator rental for the ResacaFest 2025 event from SRS Advertising for $20,000.
According to a commissioners’ meeting summary, due to “unforeseen weather conditions,” the festival’s original venue at the San Benito Fairgrounds had flooding before the event. As a result, arrangements were made to avoid the festival’s cancellation.
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