A Message from the Mayor

City Commision of the Year

The Texas City Management Association recognized the McAllen City Commission for its work over the past year. The TCMA named the commission the 2021 Council of the year. The group said the commission kept its focus on completing projects that benefited the community even while dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, being hit by a hurricane and dealing with the death of two police officers who were killed while doing their jobs.

CENSUS 2020

In coordination with the Census, the City of McAllen promoted the importance of participating in the Census and the impact it has on the region. The goal of the 2020 Census was to ensure that every resident in the United States was counted. The City of McAllen coordinated events with Commissioners and Mayor Jim Darling to conduct outreaches regarding the census. The Census relocated in McAllen to further their goal to have everyone be counted. The City of McAllen had several public service announcement for residents to complete the Census via telethon for their community. City Leaders, front line workers, and volunteers assisted with the telethon to complete the census.

Fallen Soldier Mural

“We recognize that the entire community is in mourning for our fallen McAllen police officers…” said McAllen Mayor Jim Darling. In the midst of an already difficult year, the strength and resolve of the McAllen Police Department was tested when the lives of two police officers were abruptly taken. To honor Officers Ismael Z. Chavez and Edelmiro Garza Jr, the City of McAllen held in-person and virtual viewing services. We are beholden to those who grieved alongside the McAllen community. Their dedication to public service will never be forgotten. Click Here to view the service.

Tunnel2Tower

Tunnel2Tower announced a mortage payoff for McAllen Police Officer Edelmiro Garza Jr.’s family. The Foundation’s goal is to ensure stability & security to families facing sudden, tragic loss. Officer Garza was killed in the line of duty in 2020.

2020 McAllen Police Department Crime Report

McAllen International Airport hosting “Somos” and “Día de Muertos” Exhibits

McAllen International Airport (MFE) in partnership with the Consulate of Mexico in McAllen, collaborated to present the photography exhibit “Somos” by Mexican artist Mauricio Silerio. “Somos” is a collection of 18 photographs that depict places, traditions, people, historic landmarks, and Mexico's rich culture. Additionally, the Día de Muertos Altar exhibit, is a featured installation from the Mexican Consulate honoring passed loved ones.

McAllen To Monterrey

Traveling to Monterrey just got faster with a new nonstop flight the McAllen International Airport unveiled Thursday. Officials from Aeromar, a Mexican airline, joined officials from the city and the airport to announce the new route to Monterrey, which will begin in April. "This is an amazing day," City Manager Roel "Roy" Rodriguez said. "I've been with the city of McAllen for 17 years and I can't remember the first time that I heard 'We need a route to Monterrey from McAllen' and so this is literally something that we had been working on with several airlines for that long." Rodriguez stressed that direct flights from Monterrey were a great opportunity for the Rio Grande Valley because of the fact that the region depends on Mexican nationals to come and shop here.

McAllen Fire Department Video Teaches Kitchen Fire Safety

Every October sees the McAllen Fire Department visiting local elementary schools during National Fire Safety Week, teaching fire safety and other helpful hints, with Sparky and other fire suppression tools and vehicles. However, because of the global COVID-19 pandemic, the usual visits did not take place. To revamp, the McAllen Fire Department created a video that would help teach fire safety. Thanks to Sparky and Fire Lt. Garcia, McAllen Mayor Darling, in a tongue-in-cheek role, learned an important lesson on kitchen fire safety. McAllen Mayor Jim Darling stopped by the McAllen Fire Station #3 to visit some firefighters and had breakfast. Left to his own devices, he cooked up bacon and possibly trouble in the kitchen. Fortunately, Sparky and McAllen Fire Lt. Lucas Garcia are on hand to teach Mayor Darling all about kitchen fire safety. Click Here to view the video.

Starr County Rescue

In a true display of teamwork several fire dept’s including McAllen Firefighters responded to near Garceño in Starr County to help rescue a 4 year old boy who had fallen down a well. Crews worked for almost six hours lodged several feet below the ground in the shaft of a rural Starr County well. The boy was met by applause and cheering as first responders finally carried him to the surface. Crews in hard hats and dusty vests and harnesses carefully passed the boy off to one another, up the edge of the well that they'd spent hours widening and tapering off.

Suarez Park

Suarez Park continues to offer multiple recreation opportunities. In order to improve the site, both the West and East playgrounds received playground part improvements. The East playground provides a ramp system for deck access. The existing restrooms received a remodel to mirror the developments at Airport, Cascade and La Vista. The concession stand was converted into a Family Restroom. These improvements were funded by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program.

Uvalde Soccer Field

Through CDBG funds, the City of McAllen Parks and Recreation Department will complete the Uvalde Soccer Field Project. A former landfill site, and repurposed to provide green space for the community, the Uvalde Soccer Field will offer lighted fields for a longer playing time.

Park Land Zone Projects

The Parks and Recreation Department has upgraded restroom facilities at Airport Park, Cascade Park, and La Vista Park. All three parks had existing infrastructure with restrooms. The new builds were coordinated by the building maintenance division with multiple layers of work being completed in-house by city trades helpers and electricians. Park improvements continued with additional picnic tables, sidewalk and trail connections, and playground improvements all coordinated by Parks Maintenance. Pavilion Renovations also include La Vista Rental Pavilion, which received several improvements such as fencing, pavilion painting, and a completely renovated kitchenette. The playground is scheduled for part replacements starting June 1, 2021.

Morris Trail

On October 2020, McAllen held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for Phase 1 of the Morris Park Trail. Mayor Jim Darling, City Commissioner Javier Villalobos, City Commissioner Veronica Whitacre and McAllen school board Trustee Debbie Crane Aliseda, among others, participated in the ceremony Friday morning. The trail, which cost nearly $164,000, links Dr. Pablo Perez Elementary School and Homer J. Morris Middle School. It's part of Morris Park, a 24.2-acre park in northeast McAllen that doubles as a regional detention facility for rainwater.

Safe Water

“The quality of water from McAllen Public Utility remains superior,” said Mark Vega, General Manager for MPU. “Our system has remained online and functioning without a dip in any of the monitoring, chemicals or processes required to make the water clean and safe for drinking. Residents can rest comfortably knowing that their water is clean and safe to drink and to use for cooking, cleaning and other uses.”

Truck Giveaway

McAllen Public Utility Department and Trustees donate Vacuum Truck to Sister City of Reynosa, rather than sending to auction. Truck cleans up wastewater, debris, unplugs sewer lines and can vacuum approximately 2k gallons of water.

Officers Take Oath

25 of McAllen’s environmental health specialists (food inspectors), state-licensed sanitarian and code enforcement officers took the official oath for their Badge. These committed individuals help keep our community safe and healthy on a daily basis. The City of McAllen Environmental Health & Code Enforcement Department has conducted over 26,900+ inspections in Fiscal Year 2019-2020. These are a combination of COVID-19 compliance cases, Food Inspections, Weedy Lots, Illegal Dumping complaints, and Mosquito Control Cases to name a few. “The ceremony and the sworn oath brings professionalism and respect to their positions and is another step in modernizing the McAllen Environmental Health & Code Enforcement Department,” said Steven Kotsatos, R.S. director of the department.

ILLUMINA Fest

ILLUMINA Fest 2020 was an outdoor exhibit that celebrated Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and the Chinese New Year. It also featured a Native American tipi village, the Wild West, nature’s natural sculptures, winter solstice, and wildlife. Along with holiday music and entertainment, this 45-minute walk experience through the woods was lined with thousands of candle luminaries to celebrate the winter holidays around the world!

Sticks and Bones

McAllen’s own Quinta Mazatlan added a Halloween themed trail. The Sticks & Bones Trail was an educational trail created to teach children about their own bones. The trail opened to the public in November and featured socially distant activities.

New Leadership

$ Matters

At a Glance:

$3.3 Billion – Total Taxable Sales; highest in the region
$207 Million – Construction Permit Totals for 2020
$66.3 Million – Sales Tax Revenue; highest in the region
$33.1 Million to General Fund
$16.6 Million to Property Tax Reduction
$16.6 Million to Economic Development
$728,418– Mixed Beverage Tax Revenue

Overview

The City is pleased to report that the year ended with the General Fund exceeding budgetary expectations by $18.5 million. Sales tax revenue exceeded the adjusted budget by $3.4m; while property tax revenue exceeded budget by $175K. The City received Cares Act Funding to reimburse the cost of public safety expenditures in the amount of $18.9m. The City achieved expenditure savings in compensation and benefits of $2.3m by implementing a hiring freeze.

General Fund

The General Fund accounts for most of the City’s activity and finances operations from taxes; the unrestricted fund balance at the fiscal year-end of 2020 was $75.2 million. This figure represents 212 days of operations or 72 days in excess of the City’s minimum 140 days policy for FY 2021.

Maintenance

This past year, $3.3 million was expended on the City’s annual maintenance repaving program to keep City streets in tiptop shape. In addition, construction valuations totaled $207 Million in 2020. New construction projects included residential homes, multifamily buildings, and commercial buildings.

Fiscal Position

As a result of this year’s operations, the City’s is prepared to successfully meet financial challenges facing most cities. As a whole and individually, current year revenue line items demonstrate McAllen’s strong fiscal position. Lastly, it must be noted that the City affirmed its AA+ issuer credit rating from Standard & Poors, as well as Fitch Ratings.

Accolades

• Was selected to host the UIL Region IV 6A Boys Regional Golf Tournament
• Was selected to host the UIL Region IV 6A Girls Regional Golf Tournament
• Was selected by the RGV Hispanic Chamber of Commerce to host its 1st RGV Amateur Golf Championship
• Was selected as the Home Course for the UTRGV Men’s and Women’s Golf Programs
• Recorded the highest number of Golf Rounds Played of the last 14 years
• Recorded the highest number of Golf Cart Rentals of the last 14 years
• Recorded the highest number of Driving Range Ball Rentals of the last 14 years

McAllen Metro

The McAllen Metro was recognized as the 2020 Outstanding Urban Transit System.

McAllen Public Library

McAllen Public Library’s South Texas Book Festival won 22 awards in 2020! Among those was the prestigious Zenith Award, TFEA’s highest overall award category in the Kaliff Marketing Awards Competition! MPL was awarded 16 Gold Awards, 3 Silver, and 3 Bronze. Awards included Best Organization Website, Best Event Program, Best Volunteer Program, and Children’s Programming. Way to go McAllen Public Library!

Public Communications

The Office of Communications added five new regular programs to its original schedule of five regular programs. This feature would help and promote the City of McAllen, its events, facilities, projects, and employees so that the community and media is more aware of the work and workers that serve the community every day. Additionally, the City of McAllen reached over 75,000 followers on its official Facebook page; one of the highest number of followers in the state of Texas.

South Texas Book Festival

McAllen Public Library won 11 Texas Festivals and Events Association awards for the South Texas Book Festival, including Best Event Program and Best Social Media Campaign, and three International Festivals and Events Association awards for the event, as well.

Top 5 Places to Live

U.S. News & World Report Ranks McAllen as #3 for Best Places to Live for Quality of Life in the U.S. McAllen has been rated tops again by U.S. News & World Report, this time ranking #3 for Best Places to Live. By measuring how satisfied residents are with their daily lives, U.S. News analyzed 150 US metro areas to find the best places based on quality of life, job market, and people's desire to live in those communities. “This ranking is no surprise to anyone who lives in our great city of McAllen,” said McAllen Mayor Jim Darling. “Our City of McAllen administration and staff are some of the most creative, innovative and dedicated employees who daily work to provide the best programs, projects, events, infrastructure and services to ensure that all who live in McAllen are safe, healthy and enjoy all that our city has to offer. By working closely with the private sector, educational institutes and medical services, McAllen becomes an attractive place to work, learn and get healthy. Throw in all the fun things to do here.

McAllen Public Utility

McAllen Public Utilities Bond Rating

The McAllen Public Utility recently went before Fitch Ratings for review on its bond series, affirming the system’s rating of ‘AA+,’ viewing “the outlook for this rating as stable.” The bonds, set for $27.1 million, are for outstanding waterworks and sewer system revenue bonds series 2015 and 2016. In addition, Fitch has assessed the Stand-alone Credit Profile (SCP) of the city at ‘AA+.’ “This rating reflects the strength and diversity of our economy here in McAllen, which the analysis highlighted, ” said Charles Amos, Chairman, MPU Board of Trustees. “The report stated that the ‘commercial trade with Mexico, healthcare, government and retail provides a well-diversified economic base that complements the traditional government, tourism and agricultural sectors rounding out the local economy.’”

Blue Legacy and Water Conservation & Reuse Award

For more than 20 years, McAllen Public Utility has invested in using reclaimed water to conserve potable water. In 2019, MPU’s North Waste Water Treatment Plant began producing Type I reclaimed water. In 2020, the City of McAllen saved 145,693,200 gallons of potable water through commercial and residential reuse. Each year, the Texas Section AWWA Conservation and Reuse Division recognizes those who have demonstrated excellence in Water Conservation and Reuse Practices. McAllen Public Utility received the Small Utility Direct Water Conservation & Reuse Award. Additionally, the Save Texas Water Council awarded McAllen Public Utility the Blue Legacy Award. Recognition is given to water suppliers that have demonstrated outstanding and innovative commitment to the state's mission of promoting responsible management of water resources as well as conservation of Texas' water resources. Both awards were presented at the 2021 Texas Water Virtual Conference Awards Ceremony March 18, 2021.

Working through Hanna

Tropical Storm Hanna brought flooding rains, strong winds, and a large amount of damage across the Rio Grande Valley. Declarations of Emergency were declared for Hidalgo County as this storm made it way. When Hurricane Hanna made its way to landfall Hidalgo County reported more than 169,000 power outages across the county. The City of McAllen saw major flooding and damages throughout the city. McAllen Public Utilities Water and Wastewater System staff persevered through Hurricane Hanna to ensure that the city continued to function. It is through these trying times the City of McAllen Public Utilities overcomes any obstacles for the community.

Operator of the Year

Mr. Jose L. Moreno is the Manager of the North Wastewater Treatment Plant (NWWTP) in McAllen, Texas. He has worked for the McAllen Public Utility (MPU) Wastewater Systems for 32 years, was made a Working Supervisor in 2002, and has run the NWWTP since 2004. Highly regarded for both his years of experience and dedication, Jose is known as a dedicated public servant with a passion for sharing knowledge with his operators, and the residents of McAllen. For his exemplary service and outstanding dedication, Jose Moreno has been awarded the Water Environmental Association of Texas (WEAT) 2020 Operator of the Year. This award recognizes a wastewater treatment plant operator (municipal and/or industrial) in the State of Texas who has demonstrated outstanding professionalism at his/her facility and has performed his/her duties tirelessly and with dedication to the betterment of the water environment.

Utility of the Future Today

McAllen Public Utility has received national recognition as a Utility of the Future Today. MPU is one of 65 water utilities being recognized for transformational work in the categories of community engagement, watershed stewardship, and recovery of resources such as water, energy, and nutrients. MPU was selected under the category of Community Engagement for involvement in educational camps, outreach, committees, and the Annual Night Out. The Utility of the Future Today program was launched in 2016 by the National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA), the Water Environment Federation (WEF), the Water Research Foundation (WRF) and the WateReuse Association, with input from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The recognition celebrates the achievements of water utilities that transform from the traditional wastewater treatment system to a resource recovery center and leader in the overall sustainability and resilience of the communities they serve. Honorees will be recognized during a pre-recorded awards ceremony on Oct. 9 2020 at 11 a.m. ET during WEFTEC Connect.

Public Works

Street Maintenance

• Street Maintenance is responsible for maintenance of 141 miles of alleys (71 paved miles & 70 caliche miles).
• Repairs over 17,000 potholes per year.
• Performs alley rehabilitation (repair) of approximately 10,000 linear feet yearly.

Composting Facility

• All brush collected by the Brush Department is recycled to compost and mulch.
• Sold over 67,000 bags (40,000 bags of compost & 27,000 bags of mulch).
• Sold over 15,000 cubic yards of loose compost & mulch.
• Used over 2,500 tons of veggie waste to produce compost.
• Compost bags for sale for only $1.75 for a 40 pound bag.

Solid Waste Division

• Solid Waste departments collected approximately 141,000 tons in FY19-20
• There are over 37,000 residential accounts and over 4,100 commercial accounts in the City.

Fleet Operation

• Coordinate the purchase, maintenance/repair, and disposition of over 850 City vehicles and equipment.
• Purchases over 1,000,000 gallons of fuel per year and manages two fuel sites.
• Recently completed a new 5,400 sq. ft. garage expansion project.

Drainage Department

• Dredged 24 miles of City drain ditches to ensure proper channel flow.
• Completed 10 sweeping cycles through the City, sweeping over 6,600 miles of City roadways and City facilities.
• Mowed approximately 14,975 acres of City properties and drainage ditch right-of-ways.

Keep McAllen Beautiful

Did you know McAllen residents have the opportunity to help its community through art-driven programs? Yes! If you enjoy painting, Paint McAllen Beautiful is the program for you. Volunteers help beautify the city by painting low-income senior citizen’s homes as well as nontraditional media like the Irrigation Pipeline Public Arts Project. Homes are chosen through an application process and the applicant must meet income and household size requirements. If you know a low-income senior citizen who lives in McAllen, who could benefit from this program contact Keep McAllen Beautiful for an application! Groups, businesses, churches of any size are welcome to volunteer.

McAllen launches COVID-19 Updates website

To better inform the public on COVID-19 news and resources, the City of McAllen has dedicated part of its official website to a section titled “Coronavirus Updates”. This section offers information on where vaccine distributions are taking place, how to register, and locations of testing sites. This portal also provides latest pandemic-related news at the city, county, state, and national level. Covid-19 Website

It's Time Texas

Did you know McAllen won first place in the annual It’s Time Texas Challenge “Large City” category? With the help of a free, outdoor walking event to help encourage McAllen residents and employees to move and exercise, the City accumulated the most points. Way to go McAllen!

Make the Most McAllen

While the national pandemic kept many of us home for most of 2020, McAllen leaders sought ways to still make the most every day for its residents. The city of McAllen, in partnership with local businesses, provided essentials to homebound residents, offered food, free neighborhood Wi-Fi, and livestreamed news and recreation programs. REFRESH 50/50 Website

McAllen Ranks in Top 10 Safest Cities in America

Did you know the city of McAllen was ranked the ninth safest city in the U.S. by SmartAsset.com? In 2019, the city ranked the tenth position, which means we moved up a spot for 2020.