[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6559544,"mediaKeyId","3200541-a2752f20dec1c7587c2876a5dcc200f1","parentId",3200541,"title","Votes at a glance: Cameron County Commissioners Court actions, May 6, 2025","audioSeconds",70,"startMs",4770000,"endMs",4840000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3200541-a2752f20dec1c7587c2876a5dcc200f1&start=4770&end=4840","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3200541-a2752f20dec1c7587c2876a5dcc200f1/thumbnail_4770000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6559544/Cameron-County/Texas/Votes-at-a-glance-Cameron-County-Commissioners-Court-actions-May-6-2025","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6559544-6ab5d2736aa961e06037d2454d3dd71e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771083526&Signature=FWiBGyDdSH9cdYfC7~y4m0Q9vYuPkakypyKAaYm9cBFcEQ-E4YfeafeDd6E~NvOUTE9ZSObV23Zj1GiL6-ucqfPZ9fulRcz420W-QMC2LIh4UQ4r9BbNwuDJ-4E4kPJxJJcp1jzas~UX9DWmBk9QnoVg~pWs2JKMRhZK6FSlz5FZYNW1bIBEm2nDAzkB9J64mtZnp2SGkGe~mg-v2dq94wilwUeTgpRaxVOor9wmoFge-JDQdNrg5hF64ECIkUv2NqMTSftOzR2-ssWCKMOaXHL3oPjOmNziSZIOJ1bbBWzUQBs2M9CqBiYoSLjxGhkuVDM4O9NaH15C3x6RsfA9yw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Cameron","date","2025-05-06T00:00:00Z","article","The Cameron County Commissioners Court on May 6, 2025 approved routine consent items, voted to award a consulting services contract, accepted an alley closure, rejected a donated parcel and moved several items to future meetings after additional review.

Highlights include: approval to add evaluation committee members for Beach Access No. 3 RFP, a unanimous award of consulting services for the county’s self-funded employee health plan to Valley Risk Consulting, approval to submit an intent-to-apply to the Texas Water Development Board for a regional master drainage plan, and the court’s rejection of an offered 8.87-acre donation in Brownsville. The court also tabled three items for more information: a contract for arts-and-crafts therapy at the juvenile detention center, a proposed personnel-policy amendment regarding background checks, and the one-year renewal of an interlocal agreement to provide school law enforcement for Harlingen CISD.

Votes at a glance

- Consent agenda: Remaining consent items approved (motion: Commissioner Reese; second: Commissioner Benavides). Outcome: approved.

- Travel items A–N: Approved (motion: Commissioner Benavides). Outcome: approved.

- RFP 250501 (Cameron County Beach Access No. 3, Improvement Phase 2): Added committee members Joshua Schall (assistant parks director), Rowan Gomez (GMS Architects), Joe Vega (parks director liaison) and Danny Villareal (construction manager). Motion to approve by Commissioner Lopez; second Commissioner Reese. Outcome: approved.

- Resolution honoring UTRGV Vaquero chess team: Court presented and adopted a congratulatory resolution; presentation by coach Bartek Maseja and program manager Colt Smith Muñoz. Outcome: adopted.

- Proclamation honoring Deputy Reynaldo Gonzalez on his retirement after 29 years: Adopted and signed by the court. Outcome: adopted.

- Budget amendments (Veterans Court grant; Beach Access No. 3 Accessibility Grant): Approved (motion noted in packet; second by Commissioner Benavides). Outcome: approved.

- Approval of claims: General claims totaling $10,146,596.60 (as presented), medical claims $675,877.88, debt claims $75,521.79, payroll estimated gross pay $5,282,993, net pay $2,792,592. Auditor recommended approval; motion by Commissioner Benavides; second by Commissioner Reese. Commissioner Benavides recorded an abstention on warrant number 578035. Outcome: approved.

- Alley closure — 20-foot alley in Olmito original townsite (Precinct 2): Public hearing opened and closed; court adopted order accepting closure. Motion to accept closure by Commissioner Lopez; second by Commissioner Reese. Outcome: approved (order adopted).

- Evaluation committee tabulation acknowledgment (RFP 1459A — consulting services for self-funded employee health plan): Acknowledged. Motion to acknowledge by Commissioner Lopez; second Commissioner Garza. Outcome: acknowledged.

- Award — RFP 1459A: County awarded consulting services for preparation and administration of the self-funded employee health care plan to Valley Risk Consulting (subject to contract negotiations). Motion by Commissioner Lopez; second Commissioner Reese. Outcome: approved. County discussion noted that Valley Risk scored third on technical but was lowest cost and has many local Valley clients.

- Texas General Land Office presentation (state veterans cemeteries and veterans home options): Presentation acknowledged by motion of Commissioner Benavides; second Commissioner Reese. Outcome: acknowledged; GLO agreed to send timeline and legislative bill numbers referenced.

- Executive session: Court recessed into executive session under Texas Government Code sections cited by the court and returned to open session; court then moved to acknowledge and proceed per executive-session discussions (motion by Commissioner Reese; second Commissioner Lopez). Outcome: acknowledged.

- Intent to apply to Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) — project 16159: Court authorized submission of an intent-to-apply form for a regional master drainage plan for Cameron and Hidalgo counties. Motion by Commissioner Reese; second Commissioner Lopez. Outcome: approved.

- Personnel policy amendment regarding background checks (prospective and existing employees): Motion to table by Commissioner Reyes (second Commissioner Benavides). Outcome: tabled.

- Donation of 8.87 acres (Lot 26, Barreta Gardens, Brownsville): Staff recommended rejection; court rejected the donation (motion to reject by Commissioner Benavides; second by Commissioner Lopez). Outcome: rejected.

- Renewal of interlocal with Harlingen Consolidated ISD to provide law enforcement for schools (one-year renewal): Motion to table by Commissioner Reese; second Commissioner Benavides. Outcome: tabled.

- Adjournment: Motion to adjourn by Commissioner Benavides; second Commissioner Lopez. Outcome: approved. Court adjourned at 1:44 p.m.

Where recorded votes or tallies were not specified in the transcript, the article reports the motion, mover and seconder as stated during the meeting. Several items were tabled for additional documentation and legal review.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Cameron - Commissioner's Court - May 06, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The court approved routine consent items, awarded a consulting contract, accepted and rejected several items, and tabled three contested items, including a requested counseling contract for detained youth.","taxTitle","Cameron County, Texas","taxId",2694,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6559549,"Cameron County commissioners table contract request for arts-and-crafts counseling at juvenile detention center",1078,117000,1195000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3200541-a2752f20dec1c7587c2876a5dcc200f1&start=117&end=1195","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3200541-a2752f20dec1c7587c2876a5dcc200f1/thumbnail_117000.jpg","/articles/6559549/Cameron-County/Texas/Cameron-County-commissioners-table-contract-request-for-arts-and-crafts-counseling-at-juvenile-detention-center","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6559549-fb8c06df4c62ed19f6f78795b7b4fbdb/orig.mp4?Expires=1771083526&Signature=alxAP1XIsrZ7Eoq~ieMohLj5gCZ-2-5XOFV7C4vLynKEKf008EztMDGgamuOF-qF~DuO5-qD~2fLMJxxSKGQMANojBgQGz2orR~pvjcQGiLZ4BG4lYvuDgvMXEZlaTmbK9xcHURqiyyUsQCLXtOziG0l8U-mow7z2USBzNwUXN-lAetqUPqQzp8VfSKa3mkR1MTW4I3569gUItKiMglVSMUHn0VQ1NsZKmQKvXEGvbt3yfr82OMkVZjHN9WVi5JGBHFD4Ot5~prgXigOmtqbpj66YLvxNfGyf1Z7nTPtWD17WNVTbElK3O4taZZDFFI0cUe-8GSbu8EfzzKJbkCDxA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","County commissioners on Tuesday tabled consideration of a proposed fee-for-service contract to provide arts-and-crafts therapy for children detained at the Darryl Hester Juvenile Detention Center.

Judge Kowalski Garza, the district court judge who asked the commissioners to renew a contract for counselor Sandra Tovar, said detained children sometimes remain in custody beyond the law's 10-day standard while awaiting placement and that counseling can help “lessen the trauma of being incarcerated.” The judge asked the court for interim authority to continue paying the provider from the court’s professional-services budget until a grant the judge expects in October is available.

The request drew questions from county officials about whether the services would duplicate work the juvenile probation department already provides and whether the provider is a licensed counselor. Chief Gomez of the juvenile probation department told the court the department already contracts for mental-health and triage services and urged caution to avoid supplanting or duplicating grant-funded services. Commissioners said more information was needed and voted to table the item.

Judge Kowalski Garza said the counselor’s work focuses on arts-and-crafts therapy, Spanish-language support and crisis response for detained youth, and argued the approach reduces suicidality and in-custody violence. “There’s times when children are detained for maybe even a month, maybe even more. And that’s why it’s imperative that while they are there waiting in detention that they have some kind of counseling services that will lessen the trauma of being incarcerated,” Garza said.

Chief Gomez, speaking for juvenile probation, said the department has licensed counselors and existing contracts for psychological evaluations and offender treatment. “I just wanna be leery of duplication of services,” Chief Gomez told the court. Probation staff noted the department contracts with providers for psychological evaluations and offender treatment and that some services the judge described—comfort dogs and art or music-based supports—are already part of local programming.

Garza said Tovar had previously been paid from a grant that was not renewed because it was mistakenly withdrawn, and that he had $54,000 in a professional-services budget he could use while seeking new grant funding. He described the proposed contract as fee-for-service—“you provide a service, you get paid”—and said he sought transparency rather than permission.

Commissioner Lopez moved to table the item for additional information; Commissioner Benavides seconded. The court approved the tabling motion without recorded opposition. The motion leaves the matter open for future action after staff and the court provide the additional documentation requested.

Next steps: commissioners asked staff to return with clarifying information on (1) whether services proposed would duplicate juvenile probation’s contracted services, (2) the provider’s credentials and licensing status, and (3) how the proposed contract would interact with existing or pending grants and the court’s professional-services budget.

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Votes at a glance: Cameron County Commissioners Court actions, May 6, 2025

Cameron County commissioners table contract request for arts-and-crafts counseling at juvenile detention center