STATE OF THE CITY: Annual address highlights successes

By ALBERT VILLEGAS
Special to the NEWS

With San Benito’s State of the City theme being “Our Past is Always Present,” the urgent topics of water needs and growth, along with a Freddy Fender remembrance summer concert and museum, seemed appropriate to introduce and discuss with hundreds of people in attendance last week.

The annual event, held at the San Benito Cultural Heritage Museum on April 9, put elected officials in the literal spotlight. When they spoke, standing tall on stage above a sold-out audience, they each reinforced their belief that San Benito is a hub for entertainment, with the understanding that growth is here now.

Veronique Medrano, representing the Freddy Fender Estate, was the final speaker to discuss the anticipated Freddy Fender event and the reopening of his namesake museum as hinted by a highway billboard that for months alerted passing motorists to a San Benito event.

The Freddy Fender Tribute Concert will feature Los Texmaniacs and special guest Rick Treviño on Saturday, June 13, from 4 to 10 p.m. In conjunction with this concert, Medrano announced that the Freddy Fender Museum at 210 East Heywood Street would hold a grand reopening on the same day.

She told the audience there would be hundreds of artifacts, including guitars he used, outfits he wore, photos, and other personal items.

At the concert, there will also be a $1,000 Freddy Fender Look-Alike Contest, a ride-and-bike show, and a songwriter showcase.

Medrano said that additional entertainers would be announced in the coming months.

The State of the City event was opened by Mayor Ricardo Guerra, who spoke about the city’s rich history and how it remains connected to the present.

Admittedly, he brought up a May election that has him and commissioners, Mayor Pro Tem Thomas W. Goodman, and Commissioner Deborah A. Morales, also vying for reelection against their respective challengers.

He and Commissioner Pedro A. Galvan are vying for the mayoral seat.

“We might have our disagreements, but it is a big deal,” Guerra said. “Our hearts do not stray from San Benito and the people.”

Each San Benito elected leader delivered a video message to audience members on various topics. These videos are available on the city’s social media platforms.

Among some of the highlights were those from the following leaders.

Morales said San Benito Fire Department’s 537 fire calls since October 2025 included grass fires, power line hazards, medical assists, and animal rescues; more than 200 smoke detectors were distributed to the community, 94 were installed; 2,000 people attended SBFD’s Halloween event; the ongoing citizen academy SBFD program; SBFD secured $216,000 in grant funding to support operations; an SBPD officer completed the FBI-LEEDA leadership, ethical decision-making, and management program; SBPD secured $416,516 in grant funding for public safety and enforcement; 250 animals were served in the spay and neuter initiative; a round-the-clock 311 non-emergency program (begins this summer).

Guerra said the City of San Benito closed out the year with a balanced budget, an excellent financial rating, and strong reserves; secured $9.927 million in grant funding for water infrastructure, public safety, park enhancements, community program expansion, lighting improvements, and pickle ball court creation; secured a $750,000 Texas Parks and Wildlife grant for wetlands; introduced the RGV Public Utility Agency alongside Mercedes, Weslaco, and Raymondville to secure reliable, cost-effective water service for the future; collaborated with the Texas Department of Transportation on projects on Stenger Road and the Business 77 bridge; and collaborated with San Benito CISD.

Commissioner Joe Navarro said there was a lower property tax rate, from 0.728 to 0.708; grants secured for Operation Stonegarden, Operation Lone Star, and EPA SCADA; and grants secured from entities including Texas Parks and Wildlife, Texas Water Development Board, Dollar General Literacy Foundation, Meaningful Community Foundation, and Ladd & Katherine Hancher Library Foundation.

Goodman told the audience that San Benito’s current budget is $19 million, up from $4 million.

He would like to see the budget climb into the mid-20s, but to achieve that growth, city leaders and city administrators need to continue working together to meet it head-on.

The opening of 35 new businesses in the last six months is just a glimpse of what is happening in a town he’s lived in for more than 40 years.

He gets the sense that many have called San Benito home because of its lower cost of living compared with neighboring Harlingen ($96 million budget) and westward McAllen ($700 million budget).

Mayor Guerra said that in the past, the City of San Benito lost land through annexation.

He said that 20 acres near the Los Indios International Bridge are under consideration for the city to expand into.

Galvan said he applauds the efforts that have been made to improve city streets and drainage projects through local and federal funding, saying the older parts of the city are not being forgotten and are being funded, in part, by outside sources.

“I’m proud of what we have accomplished on the streets. This commission has continually abdicated responsibility for (effective) staffing and equipment,” Galvan said. “We’re stretching our dollars as far as we can.”