SAN BENITO — After weeks of debate, city commissioners are considering earmarking federal funds to local nonprofit agencies.
Last night, commissioners proposed allocating money from its Community Development Block Grant to six nonprofit organizations.
The money remains from the 2018-2019 fiscal year.
Earlier this month, City Manager Manuel De La Rosa proposed using the money to build restrooms at Landrum Park, arguing more residents could use the services there.
But the nonprofit agencies, which had each received $6,000 in CDBG funding last year, complained the city was cutting them out while using the money to fund city services.
Last night, De La Rosa proposed earmarking $7,000 to each agency.
“It’s important to reach out to the nonprofits and assist them however we can because they help the community,” Commissioner Rene Villafranco said.
Villafranco proposed earmarking $15,000 for the San Benito Boys and Girls Club while allocating $5,000 to agencies including Court Appointed Special Advocates of Cameron & Willacy Counties, Maggie’s House, Amigos Del Valle and the San Benito Housing Authority.
Villafranco said he proposed allocating more money to the Boys and Girls Club because it serves more local children.
“It services more of our San Benito kids on a daily basis,” Villafranco said.
Liz Chavez, the agency’s president, has said the club serves about 4,500 children year on its annual $157,000 budget.
Mayor Ben Gomez said the Boys and Girls Club operates on a smaller budget than many of the other nonprofit agencies.
“All of these are very important but a lot of their budgets are big budgets and the Boys and Girls Club is very small,” Gomez said.
Last night, Chavez and Dora Martinez, executive director of Court Appointed Child Advocates of Cameron & Willacy Counties, or CASA, sat in the small audience.
During the current fiscal year, CASA, which helps foster children, has been using its $6,000 in local CDBG funding to help pay a San Benito worker and help 36 San Benito children, Martinez has said, adding the agency operates on a $428,000 annual budget.
Overall, the CDBG program is expected to provide the city with a total of $406,237 during the upcoming fiscal year, which is $50,000 more than this year.
For the upcoming fiscal year, the city’s proposed allocation includes spending $22,000 for public facility improvement (old library), $215,571 on street projects, $60,000 on the water and sewer system, $20,000 on park improvements, $39,996 to help pay off the Resaca Trail land purchase and $73,670 to help fund the CDBG administration.
Historically, the city has earmarked much of its annual CDBG allocation to help fund local non-profit agencies.
However, this year the city proposed using the money to fund public services in low-income areas, arguing that would allow more residents to use those services.
