The Brownsville City Commission at its June 20, 2023, regular Commission meeting approved a resolution authorizing the Greater Brownsville Incentives Corporation (GBIC) to sell Lot 5 of the North Brownsville Industrial Park.

The selling of Lot 5 will allow for the construction of an industrial building at the location of a manufacturing company. The company is expected to create 50 jobs.

The initial investment will be $3.5 million.

The Commission also approved the 2023 Drainage Policy and Construction Details for the City of Brownsville. The new policy changes the city’s drainage requirement from a five-year storm drainage design to a 50-year drainage design.

This will put the city in line so it will be ready for all the drainage improvements it has coming up with the Texas Water Development Board.

The Commission also approved a grant application for Safe Streets for All, a Federal Highway Administration Program whose funds are used for safe streets. The application requests $256,245 in federal funds with a local match of $64,061.

The monies will be used to add paint and delineators to enhance the safety of bike lanes in the city in the most critical areas as determined by referencing the Texas Department of Transportation’s Crash Records Information System data.  Funds will also be used to provide push-activated, solar-powered flashing traffic signals at four high-need trail crossings and access point crosswalks. The poles of these signs will also be equipped with push-activated beam lights that will light up the crosswalks when in use.

In other business, the Commission read and presented two proclamations. This first recognized Elder Abuse Awareness Month and the second recognized Las Ramblas at Market Square.

Las Ramblas was named one of the semifinalists for a 2023 James Beard Foundation award in the Outstanding Bar category.

The nominees were judged on "consistent excellence in curating selection or in the preparation of drinks" along with the atmosphere and other factors, including contributions to the broader community.

The meeting can be viewed on the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_XSB9H3xNg