HARLINGEN — City Commissioner Richard Uribe has started selling food to the city jail, making about $3,781 in his first six weeks, city records show.
At City Hall, City Manager Gabriel Gonzalez said Uribe offered the lowest bid among three proposals in August.
“It’s not a contract,” he said Tuesday. “It’s a bid made on a per-meal basis.”
Two years ago, then-City Manager Dan Serna requested then-City Attorney Ricardo Navarro for a legal opinion stating Uribe, as a commissioner, could sell food to the jail, Gonzalez said, adding the city doesn’t have a policy barring Uribe, as an elected official, from doing business with the city.
In August, Uribe, who owns Richard’s Mexican-American Restaurant, presented officials with the lowest bid to sell food deliveries to the city jail.
On Aug. 13, he offered to deliver breakfast, lunch and dinner meals at a cost of $2.75 per meal.
Meanwhile, Frankie Flav’z Craft Burger House offered to deliver breakfast, lunch and dinner at $5 per meal while Las Cazuelas restaurant presented an offer to deliver breakfast tacos for $2.25 each and lunch and dinner tacos for $3.99 each.
‘Good service’
In October, Uribe started selling food deliveries to the jail, which it serves to prisoners, records obtained through the Texas Public Information Act show.
“So far, it’s good,” Sgt. Israel Dominguez said at the jail, referring to Uribe’s service. “He delivers on time.”
Regarding the food’s quality, he said, “I’m sure it’s good.”
Records show six weeks’ sales
The Valley Morning Star obtained city records showing Uribe sold deliveries of breakfast, lunch and dinner tacos from October to Dec. 10.
Meanwhile, Uribe’s food deliveries continue.
On Oct. 29, Gonzalez signed a city check for $1,320 to cover Oct. 27 invoices for taco sales of $178.75, $577.50 and $563.75, records show.
On Nov. 5, Gonzalez signed a city check for $737 to cover Nov. 4 invoices for taco sales of $332.75 and $404.25.
From Oct. 18 to 24, Uribe sold 57 breakfast meals at a cost of $156.75, 26 lunch meals at $77 and 36 dinner meals at $99.
On Nov. 12, Gonzalez signed a city check for $451 to cover food deliveries from Nov. 1 to 7, paying $209 for 76 breakfast tacos, $151.25 for 55 lunch tacos and $90.75 for 33 dinner tacos.
On Nov. 19, Gonzalez signed a city check for $258.50 to cover food deliveries from Nov. 8 to Nov. 14, paying $129 for 47 breakfast tacos, $82.50 for 30 lunch tacos and $46.75 for 17 dinner tacos.
On Nov. 23, Gonzalez signed a city check for $368.50 to cover food deliveries from Nov. 15 to 21, paying $156.76 for 57 breakfast tacos, $134.75 for 49 lunch tacos and $77 for 28 dinner tacos.
On Dec. 3, Gonzalez signed a city check for $349.25 to cover food deliveries from Nov. 22 to Nov. 28, paying $154 for 56 breakfast tacos, $104.50 for 38 lunch tacos and $90.75 for 33 dinner tacos.
On Dec. 10, Gonzalez signed a city check for $297 to cover food deliveries from Nov. 29 to Dec. 5, paying $143 for 52 breakfast tacos, $99 for 36 lunch tacos and $55 for 20 dinner tacos.
On Tuesday, Uribe did not respond to several phone calls, a text message and messages left at his restaurant.
In 2016, Uribe first won election to the city commission’s District 1 seat after serving on the Harlingen WaterWorks System’s board of directors.
Last year, the commission’s new majority appointed him mayor pro tem.
