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Mission AR 2013

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OFFICE OF THE MAYORDear Citizens of Mission,

I am pleased to submit this Annual Report for 2012-2013. This report provides our residents with a clear record of our achievements over the past year and demonstrates how we are providing the best value for our tax dollars. This past year we continued to take a look at how we do business in the City and the value we provide for taxpayers. This report is for you and I encourage you to review it and see what we have accomplished. As in every year, we have been extremely busy as we continue our commitment to provide the best possible commu-

nity for our residents. As with every other community, we had our share of changes this past year. This year we saw the appointment of a new City Manager, Martin Garza, Jr. Mr. Garza has been with the City of Mission for the last 21 years within the Police Department. His hard work and commitment to excellence earned him his previous position as Police Chief and now oversees the City’s operations. The Council and I are confident that Mr. Garza will ensure the continued growth and timely projects as directed that will be beneficial to the City of Mission. Even with these changes, we continue to focus on many economic and infrastructure improvements while fulfilling

the responsibility of providing the level of services that contribute to Mission’s quality of life. With all our departments working together, Mission continues to be a strong and vibrant city.Included in this report is a comprehensive overview of Mission’s financial performance for the fiscal year ending

September 30, 2013, as well as a review of departmental ac-tivities and program highlights for the year. The City of Mission continues to improve its operations and improve the services we provide, and the performance indicators throughout this report measure our progress and the results of our efforts.I invite you to read through the updates and to reflect on how

we can all continue to work towards ensuring that Mission is a prosperous and sustainable community today and tomorrow. I especially want to thank our employees for their efforts in making the necessary financial sacrifices to help balance the budget, serve the community and maintain our outstanding quality of life. We are proud of what we have accomplished and I welcome

your feedback to this Council. As a business owner, Mayor, and a long-time resident of Mission, it is an honor and a privi-lege for me to serve this city and I look forward to years of success ahead.

Respectfully,

Norberto ‘Beto’ SalinasMayor of Mission

Dear Members of our Community,

The year 2013 in Mission was a time of transition for the City as we appointed qualified and professional individuals as di-rectors in different departments. Robert Dominguez, a 26 year veteran with the Mission Police Department who served as Assistant Chief for the past 17 years, was appointed as Chief of Police. Ludivico Martinez was appointed as Mission Boys and Girls Director. Mr. Martinez has over 30 years in working with the youth as a coach and character development. George Myers also was selected as the CEO for the Greater Mission Chamber of Commerce. Myers was Director of Sales and Mar-keting for Hunt Valley Development, one of the largest master-planned developments on the Texas-Mexico border. Our staff is our most important asset and we strive to attract

and retain employees that are passionate and dedicated about the work we do for our community.The City continued its commitment to provide high qual-

ity services by completing facilities that impact the quality of life. The addition of two new gyms and an indoor natatorium has given both our local school districts the opportunity to practice in the hometown facilities. The improvements at the Mission Historical Museum not only added connectivity to its annex building but also increased exhibit area. The entire grounds were transformed with landscaping which now af-fords a beautiful open area for community events. Public Safety continues to be a high priority for the City of

Mission. We continue to invest in the necessary equipment to maintain a safe community. This year, we added five (5) patrol Chevy Tahoes to the fleet as well as a new surveillance tower to be utilized throughout the City. We have highly trained offic-ers patrolling the community and fostering stronger relations through neighborhood watch programs. Our successes in Mission can be attributed to the partner-

ships that the Mayor and City Council have embraced with the Mission EDC, Mission Reinvestment Authority, the Chamber, and members of our advisory boards. Together, we’re making government more efficient, effective and customer-service oriented which is the ground work plan to transform Mission into a community that is innovative and intentional, particularly with re-gard to jobs, families and safety.For 2014, we pledge to continue our

efforts in being operationally efficient, fiscally transparent and responsible. We will place emphasis on growth, infrastructure and economic develop-ment.

GUILLERMO SEGUINDEPUTY CITY MANAGER

AIDA LERMADEPUTY CITY MANAGER

OFFICE OF THECITY MANAGER

C O N T E N T01 Office of the Mayor

02 Office of the City Manager

03 Board of Commissioners

04 City Secretary

05 Risk Management

06 Purchasing Department

07 Civil Service

08 Public Works Department

09 Human Resources

10 Parks and Recreation

12 Shary Golf Course

13 Boys and Girls Club

14 Speer Memorial Library

15 IT Department

16 Mission Historical Museum

18 Police Department

20 Municipal Court

21 Finance & Grants Administration

22 Utility Billing

24 Fire Department

26 Fire Prevention Bureau

27 Planning Department

28 Mission EDC

30 Community Development

31 Mission Chamber of Commerce

32 Anzalduas Bridge

MARTIN GARZA, JR.CITY MANAGER

02

NORIE GONZALEZ GARZAMAYOR PRO-TEM PLACE 3

MARIA ELENA RAMIREZPLACE 1

RUBEN PLATAPLACE 2

DR. ARMANDO O’CAÑAPLACE 4

MISSION CITY COUNCIL

CITY OF MISSION FUTURE PROJECTS-Continue applying for federal and state grants that would enable the City to pro-vide additional positions for the Police and Fire Departments. -Enhance the Media Relations Depart-ment to further promote Mission’s projects and activities.-Continuation of street and drainage infrastructure improvements.-Continue water and sewer line improve-ments to upgrade the City’s utility infra-structure.-Continue the alley paving program as funds become available.-Continue to support residential and commercial growth throughout the City in the hope that it will spur economic growth and opportunities for the com-munity.-Initiate the in-house solid waste collec-tion system.-Issue bonds for a new water tower on

Lucksinger and demolish the existing one.-Commenced the construction of the Streetscape Project along Conway Av-enue.-Commence the plans and specs for the Taylor Road Expansion Project.-Complete the Keralum Drainage Project. -Complete the renovation of the CWV Community Center, which will be used for a food pantry, on Mayberry Road.-Enter into a lease/purchase agreement for a fire truck.-Commence the Bentsen Palm Park Re-stroom Facility Project.-Commence the Anzalduas Highway Wastewater Project, which will be funded by the Mission Redevelopment Author-ity. -Complete the 15” sewer line on Moore-field Road and Griffin Parkway (495).

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CITY SECRETARYThe City Secretary Department consists of seven employ-ees: City Secretary, Assistant City Secretary, Adminis-trative Assistant/Vital Statistic Deputy, 2 Vital Statistics Deputies, 1 Receptionist, 1 Records/File Clerk.The office of the City Secretary is at the forefront of the

Legislative and Administrative process in local govern-ment. The City Secretary serves as a liaison between the city and the public. Many of the functions that are performed by the City Secretary are governed by vari-ous statutes, ordinances or charter provisions. The City Secretary serves as the Elections Administrator, Records Manager, Local Registrar for Vital Statistics, and Open Records Officer.

The City Secretary’s Office is divided into twodivisions:

• ViTal STaTiSTiCS DiViSiOnThe Vital Statistics Division is responsible for registering all births and deaths occurring in the City. The depart-ment issues birth records to qualified persons born in Mission and within the state by searching a state-wide database. The department also issues death records for those records which are filed in our office. Last year a total of 5862 birth records and 568 death records were is-sued. The entire division staff is certified through the Attorney General’s Office to issue Acknowledgement of Paternity (AOP) forms to unwed parents in order for the child to be legally recognized by the father. The AOP process is a critical step to ensure the child is eligible for benefits associated with healthcare, social security, veteran’s benefits and child sup-port. The Vital Statistics Division also oversees the funeral arrangements for three city owned cemeteries: Laurel Hill Cemetery, San Jose Cemetery and Catholic Cemetery. During this past year, a newly created baby section was established at the Catholic Cemetery.

• aDminiSTraTiVe DiViSiOnThe Administrative Division is responsible for the preparation and posting of city council agendas, agenda packets, taping and transcribing city council minutes, typing and record-ing mowing liens, indexing of council minutes, ordinances and resolutions, receiving and processing open records

requests, central filing system of essential city records such as contracts, deeds and all other permanent records, receive incoming phone calls via the switchboard, greet and direct all customers to their place of destination.All agendas and minutes are posted on the city’s website at

www.missiontexas.us as a convenience to our citizens and the business community. As the Records Manager, the City Secretary is the custo-

dian of all official records of the City and administers the City’s records management program. The City Secretary has custodial authority for all City records and provides support to all departments in records management procedures. All requests for public information are received in the Office of the City Secretary. The City Secretary serves as the Elections Administrator for

all City elections and is responsible for the preparation and publication of all official notices and orders, preparation for election officials and polling places, and the receipt and filing of all candidate forms and reports. The City Secretary also serves as the Early Voting Clerk.

FISCAL YEAR 2013-2014 GOALS:• Continue Selling lots at Catholic Cemetery.• Continue with scanning of birth and death records into a centralized database.• Update Code of Ordinance Manual.• Receive the 5 Star Award for Vital Statistics. • Continue with the implementation of TER Death as requested by State of Texas.• Continue with scanning all documents into Laser fiche System.• Continue to provide assistance and excellent customer service to all the citizens of Mission.ANNA CARRILLO

CITY SECRETARY

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PurPOSeThe City of Mission Risk Management Department is respon-sible for ensuring a safe workplace for all of its employees. It accomplishes this by developing and implementing safety programs that comply with the rules, regulations, and laws of both the state and federal government. This is carried out through the enforcement of the City Safety Program, and adequate employee and supervisory safety & health training. The department also oversees and administers the Workers’ Compensation Program.

STaff• Risk Management Director• Insurance Claims Specialist

The risk management Director is responsible forthe following:• Investigate claims against and by the city• Provide direction and assistance to the planning, develop-ment and coordination of safety & health programs• Promote a safe and healthy work environment• Reduce costs related to accidents and injuries through

education and remediation,• Maintain database information regarding accidents involv-ing motor vehicles, city equipment, and city property and inventory• Processing of workers’ compensation, property and li-ability claims

GOalSThe Risk Management Department will continue to reduce workers’ compensation, liability, and property claims. Continue to educate city departments to protect employees from injury and promote accident preven-tion. Formulate and implement an entirely new City wide Safety Plan as well as institute an online safety training program for our employees. Finally, we will select prudent and cost effective solu-tions to minimize the financial impact of losses to the City.

RISK MANAGEMENT

ROBERT HINOJOSARM DIRECTOR

ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

• A decrease of 16% in Workers Compensation claims from the previous year.• A decrease of 45% in Auto Liability Claims from the previous year.• An increase of only 7% in General Liability Claims from the previous year.• Provided various trainings for employees including: Vehicle Op-erations for Maintenance Personnel, Following the Rules, Safety Essentials for Field Operations and Maintenance Person-nel, Vehicle Operations for Public Entities, Pipe-line Safety Training, Risk Management Essentials for Supervisors, Fire Safety, and Effective Su-pervisory Skill Building.

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PURCHASING DEPARTMENT

PurPOSe anD SCOPeThe Purchasing Department is committed to providing ex-ceptional service through effective collaboration and com-munication with internal/external customers and vendors alike, in order to fulfill the purchasing needs of the City in a professional, responsive and timely manner while in compli-ance with all City policies and applicable federal, state, and local purchasing laws. The Purchasing Department seeks to foster as much competition as possible in order to obtain the most value for the tax dollar in a fair, efficient and equi-table manner. By doing so, we have adopted the goal of fair and equal competition in order for all bidders to stand on an equal footing and to protect the integrity of the competitive bidding system.

furThermOre Our GOalS are TO:1. Foster full and open competition;2. Promote public confidence in the integrity, fairness and ac-countability of the city’s purchasing/procurement system;3. Meet the City’s needs in terms of cost, quality and timeli-ness of the delivered product or service;4. Solicit supplier suggestions in the determination of clear and adequate specifications and standards;5. Handle confidential information or proprietary information with proper consideration of the ethical and legal ramifica-tions of disclosure;6. Provide increased efficiency and effectiveness in the City’s purchasing activities, thereby exercising good stewardship of public funds and maximizing, to the fullest extent possible, the purchasing value of those public funds;

7. Cooperate with suppliers and consider possible difficulties they may encounter in order to provide for fair and impartial resolution of controversies in an expeditious and cost-efficient manner; and8. Observe and hold to the outmost strict truth-fulness and highest ethics in all transactions and correspondence.

ObjeCTiVeSThe City of Mission Purchasing Department is committed to being open and fair in all aspects of the procurement process and is responsible for ensuring that City departments comply with federal, state and local statutes regulating com-petitive sealed bids, competitive sealed proposals, professional services, high technology purchases, cooperative purchases, and emergency and sole-source purchases.

fiSCal Year 2012-2013 aCCOmPliShmenTS-Developed clear and unambiguous solicitations in accordance with policies and procedures adopted by the Purchasing Department, allowing for the city to successfully establish forty (40) con-tractual agreements via the competitive bidding process, which also exposed the purchasing staff to in house training for a variety of commodities, services and construction procurement projects

from cradle to grave. -Developed a historical database of responsive and respon-sible bidders/proposers in order to acquire the highest quality merchandise at the lowest price or at best value, and ensure prompt deliveries and uninterrupted flow of materi-als, supplies, and services through networking, workshops, conferences, and one-on-one vendor meetings in order to increase and receive sufficient competition on all solicita-tions. The Purchasing Department participated in four (4) outreach events with Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC), met with over 130 interested vendors, and 229 vendor applications were entered into the vendor da-tabase. -Implemented an aggressive procurement due diligence process in order to accurately investigate and analyze price, market conditions, new products, market research, supplier research and assessment in or-der to reveal any and all potential risks associated with vendors and/or contractors.-Consolidated many of the decen-tralized agreements for goods, commodities, and services for the intention of establishing contracts that were directly administered to ensure and acquire fair and rea-sonable pricing, performance and responsive/responsible bidders.-Transitioned from live auction

COMPLIANCE

DELIVERY

QUALITY

COST PROCUREMENT

EDUARDO BELMAREZPURCHASING DIRECTOR

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CIVIL SERVICEThe Civil Service Department consists of Director Jesse Ler-ma, Jr., Chairman Ruben Femat, Commissioner Jerry Saenz, Commissioner Rosalinda Gonzalez, and Attorney Mark Sossi.The Department conducted entry level exams for the Police

Department with over 60 applicants and the Fire Department with over 40 applicants to fill entry positions that were opened during 2013. The Fire Department is fully staffed and the Police Department is filling extra positions that were added through the budget process. The Department conducted one (1) promotional examina-

tion for the Fire Department to complete their staffing that consists of four (4) Deputy Chiefs, six (6) Captains, seventeen (17) Lieutenants, fifteen (15) Engineers, twenty four (24) Fire-fighters, and Chief Ricardo Saldana for a total of sixty seven (67) personnel members. Additionally, we conducted two (2) promotional examina-

tions for the Police Department to complete their staffing that consists of four (4) Lieutenants, seven (7) Sergeants, eight (8) Corporals, one hundred and twenty four (124) Patrolmen, two (2) Assistant Chiefs and one (1) Chief for a total of one hundred and forty six (146) staff members. The Mission Police Department

began the 2013 fiscal year under the leadership of Chief Martin

Garza, Jr. whom was appointed to Interim City Manager in late February at which time Roberto Dominguez was named Interim Chief of Police for the remainder of the fiscal year. The Civil Service Department works very closely with the Human Resources Department to keep the City in compliance with Chapter 143 (Civil Service) of the Texas Local Government Code.

to online generating approximately 50% more revenue and reducing the cost of storage and increased the value of surplus items.

fiSCal Year 2013-2014 GOalS-Efficiently enhance the online auctioneer services for the purpose of increasing revenue through their online application. The online auction system would facilitate the means to monitor, manage and track surplus inventory and dollar amounts. -Decrease the number of contractual defaults and cancellation of solicitations and take a proactive approach in the planning phase of future procure-ments. -Increased cost savings through proper nego-tiations, contracts management and competitive bidding.-Implement Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contracts and partnerships to take advan-tage of Economies of Scale. -Establish a more user friendly vendor database through a variety of procurement system up-grades. -Formulate a macro system for universal approved specifications or statement of work in order to reduce the RFB, RFP, or RFQ process.

JESSE LERMA, JRCIVIL SERVICE DIRECTOR

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PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT

The City of Mission Public Works Department is responsi-ble for the maintenance and operations of the City’s water distribution and sewer collection systems, the operation of two water treatment and one sewer treatment plants, as well as the maintenance and repair of the City’s streets and drainage system, as well as the City’s system of traffic and street lights.The Department also manages the City’s Health Department

which is responsible for inspections of food establishments and providing training for food handlers. In addition the Health Department also handles animal control as well as the mosquito eradication program.The Water Distribution/Sewer Collection Department is

tasked with the maintenance of the City’s network of 458 miles of water lines, 354 miles of sewer lines and 41 sewer lift sta-tions. This department handles line breaks, water tap and water meter installations, and the exten-sion of these services throughout the City. During the 2012-2013 fis-cal year, we installed and replaced over 5,516 linear feet of water and sewer lines. The department also reviews commercial and residential construction plans for proper utility installation.The Water Treatment Plant De-

partment operates two plants which produce an average of 13 million gallons of treated water per day, (mgd). The total treatment capacity of these two plants is 25.5 (mgd). Each year the City is required to produce and provide to

the community an Annual Water Quality Report indicating that the City is in compliance with the State’s water quality requirements and it can be found on the City’s website: www.missiontexas.us.The Wastewater Treatment Plant operates one treatment

plant located on South Conway. This plant, which is capable of treating 9 million gallons of sewer per day, is currently treating an average of 7 million gallons per day.The Streets and Drainage Departments provide routine

maintenance and upkeep of the City’s 340 miles of streets and alleys. Repairs and maintenance run the gamut from simple patchwork to overlays to complete reconstruction of streets. The Drainage Department maintains over 187 miles of storm drainage lines, ditches and culverts throughout the City. Traffic Signal Light Operations maintain and control hun-

dreds of traffic and street lights throughout the City. One of the department’s main activities is to keep traffic lights synchronized to allow for smooth traffic flow and in the process reduce travel time around the City as well as reduce accidents.The Health Department handles the inspection of food es-

tablishments, the issuance of food handler permits, respond-ing to calls regarding loose animals as well as spraying for mosquitoes as needed.

Maintenance of the City’s network of 458 miles of water lines, 354 miles of sewer lines and 41 sewer lift stations.

ROBERTO SALINAS P.E.PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR

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HUMAN RESOURCES

PurPOSe Of The human reSOurCeS DeParTmenTThe Human Resources Department works with and for City departments by developing and administering all activities associated with the recruitment and retention of employees. Among these functions are: Compensation, Employee Status Changes, Personnel Records Administration, Performance Evaluations, Disciplinary Action, Employee Relations, Policy and Procedures, Training and Development, State and Fed-eral Labor Law Compliance, Family and Medical Leave, and Employee Benefits. The Human Resources Department also assists the Civil Service Department with Entry-Level and Promotional Testing for the Police and Fire Department. The Human Resources Department promotes health awareness and encourages healthy lifestyles.

fiSCal Year 2012-2013 aCCOmPliShmenTS1. Provided training seminars to employees and supervi-sors on the following topics: Vacation Hours Accrual and Usage, Wage and Hour requirements, Family and Medical Leave, Health Care Reform, HIPAA, An Attitude for Service, Sexual Harassment, Reasonable Suspicion, Excel Basics, Professional Telephone and Email Etiquette, Handling Difficult Customers, Power Point Training.

2. Implemented a Wellness Committee to assist in planning and promoting health awareness and encouraging healthy lifestyles. The Wellness Committee is comprised of employees from various departments.3. Maintained Wellness Program - hosted monthly Health and Wellness Seminars, created and distributed monthly Health and Wellness Newsletters, Tips of the Week, Share the Well-ness Weekly Tips, and held Annual Employee Health Fair.

fiSCal Year 2013-2014 GOalS1. Create an Employee Handbook.2. Implement an Employee Recog-nition Program.3. Continue to maintain a beneficial health plan for employees while securing a cost-effective plan for the City through the RFP process.4. Develop an internal network (Intranet) for employees to receive and have access to City wide events and employee related com-munications. NOEMI MUNGIA

HR DIRECTOR

PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT

JULIAN GONZALEZPARKS AND REC. DIRECTOR

The City of Mission Parks & Recreation Department man-ages the City’s Parks Systems, the Facility Maintenance Division, the Sports Adult League activities, the maintenance of City right-of-ways, and the Aquatics Facilities. In addition, the Parks Department also coordinates the summer youth programs with the Boys & Girls Club. During the summer, the Parks Department sponsors the TAAF program where students from the community compete in various sports such as tennis, swimming, and track and field.

ParKSThe Parks & Recreation Department is currently working on improvements at the newly developed Beto Salinas Park at Madero. The improvements consist of a 40 X 60 pavilion that includes a kitchen area. bathroom facilities, and a con-

cession stand. The pavilion will also feature an outdoor B.B.Q. pit which will also be available for group gatherings and family picnics. The pavilion will be made available to the public and will be opened for reservations by calling the Parks and Recreation Depart-ment at 580-8760. This park is located on Conway, approximately 4 miles south of Expressway 83.The Parks Department will be

adding additional bathroom fa-

cilities at the Bentsen Palm Regional Park located at South Inspiration Road. This is a multi-purpose use park featuring: 4 baseball fields, a 2 mile walking trail, several tennis and basketball courts, and picnic areas.The Parks and Recreation Department is also working in

partnership with the City’s Conway Streetscape Project. Plans include the development of a section along 1st street which will eventually be known as 1st Street Park. The im-provements include a 3 block section of walking trails, an irrigation system, the planting trees along the trail, 2 open air basketball courts, benches, and a monument sign with landscaping at the corner of Conway and 1st Street.The Mission Hike & Bike Trails now have an additional paved

trail along the old levy system, and intersects with the existing paved trail at the western end of the trail. The project also includes the extension of the parking area, a wooden pavilion, and 2 stretching stations along the paved trail.

new Parks facilitiesThe Parks Department is currently remodeling the neighbor-hood center located at the CWV Park on South Mayberry Road. This facility will now have a reception area, meeting room, and kitchen area. It is scheduled for completion in March 2014 and it will be available to the public for family and other group functions. With the completion of this project, the CWV Park will be a full service park featuring a new gymna-sium for Boys & Girls Club, a newly upgraded swimming pool, baseball fields, a walking trail, and a concrete skate park.

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Shary Golf Course is a recreational golf facility that caters to the player who wants to have fun. The majority of play comes from our Winter Texas population. Shary Golf Course is host to 25-9 hole leagues and 19-18 hole leagues. The course is also host to 3 High Schools (Mission, Veteran’s Memorial and Sharyland), 7 Junior Highs (Alton Memorial, Ralph Cantu, K. White, Mission Junior High, B.L Gray, Shary North and Valley View).The Junior golf program was very successful with 80 junior

golfers taking lessons over the summer, 20 junior golfers traveled to Corpus Christi, Texas for the TAAF games in July

with 10 coming back with medals.The Monday Night League was

again a very successful venue. League participation ranged from 75 to 105 players every Monday night from April through August. With 5 flights of different ability/handicaps, players are playing with other players of similar skills. They have increased their skill level and are enjoying competi-tive golf. Golf rounds were down this year due to weather. Extreme

heat during the summer months with temperatures in the 100’s during the afternoons kept players from enjoying their rounds. Tournament play this year was up. Shary Golf Course hosted

25 tournaments during the year. Organizations such as Lion’s Club, Rotary Club and others are finding that Shary Golf Course can offer a quality venue at a very economical cost.Golf Course memberships and green fees were increased

in July. The increase in these fees was to provide additional funds for the golf course. It is anticipated that these addi-tional funds will allow the golf course to acquire equipment for replacement as needed.The 2012-2013 fiscal year was earmarked for upgrades

and beautification of the course. Maintenance equipment and golf carts were added to both fleets and the course added one new soil reliever/aerifier to its maintenance fleet. Its use has made a tremendous difference in the fairways, as root systems can now grow stronger and healthier. In addi-tion, twenty four (24) new crepe myrtle trees were planted throughout the course. We also added thirty four (34) 2014 model E Z Go golf carts increasing the golf cart fleet to sev-enty eight (78). Shary Golf Course was the first course in Texas to receive this new model.

SHARY MUNICIPAL GOLF COURSEFISCAL YEAR 2013-2014 GOALS

• Adding a new rough mower to maintenance fleet.• Completing new junior tees on holes 19 thru 27.• Renovation and upgrading of sand traps on holes 1 thru 18.• Increase local play to build up year round revenues.• Add 20 new golf carts to fleet.

roundsindicators2012-2013

9 hole play20,47918 hole play32,286

PAUL SCHAEFERDIRECTOR & GOLF PRO

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BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB

abOuT uSThe Boys & Girls Club is a youth development program that provides services to over 4,000 members in the community, offering after-school, summer & athletic programs. The Boys & Girls Club of Mission consists of 5 Units: Main Unit, Jessie Jensen Elementary Unit, Leal Elementary Unit, Bannworth Unit,

& C.W.V Unit. The Club’s mission is “to enable all young people to reach their full potential as productive, caring, and responsible citizens.” This is accomplished by providing a safe en-vironment to learn and grow; developing rela-tionships with caring adult professionals that will provide life-enhanc-

ing programs and character development experiences as well as providing hope and opportunities for Mission’s youth to shape their future.The Boys & Girls Club of Mission’s Athletic Department had 131 teams participate throughout the year in its different sports programs.

PrOGramS & SerViCeS Power hour: Staff assists children with any questions they may have regarding their homework or any other questions they may have pertaining to their studies in order to prepare them to become self-directed learners.

Triple Play: Is a program that increases knowledge of nutri-tion, hand eye coordination, endurance, motor development, total fitness and self esteem.

Smart moves: Is a creative fun learning experience that provides boys & girls the knowledge and skills they need to grow into confident, healthy teenagers. Smart Moves provides members the accurate information, resistance training, and other critical skills for avoiding alcohol, tobacco, drugs, as well as peer pressure. The program features engaging, interactive small group activities designed to increase participants’ peer support, enhance their life skills, build their character and also develop and enhance their leadership skills. arts & Crafts: This program helps develop the youth’s artistic skills and enhance their creative talent. It has built culture awareness through knowledge and appreciation of visual arts and crafts and by performing arts and creative writing.Computer lab: This computer skills program helps develop our members’ proficiency with technology through different software programs such as Microsoft Word, Excel, and Power Point.

SPOrTS leaGueS / CamPSSports & recreation: #TeamsFootball 20Volleyball 15Basketball 33Baseball 48 Softball 15

Sport Summer Camps:Volleyball 40Basketball 100Softball 65Soccer 60Special Needs Baseball 20Special Needs Blind Tennis 15Strength & Conditioning 30Cross Country 350

STem educational Programs: 110 Participants

The Boys and Girls Club of Mission has initiated a New STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math) Education Program that seamlessly integrates these four disciplines through fun, innovative, and hands on activities for students within the ages of 5-12 years, in an effort to motivate students at an early age and provide them with great opportunities to spark their interest.

GOalS fOr fiSCal Year 2013-2014:-Increase membership and partici-pation.-Develop more programs to assist with leadership and the life building skills for our members.-Partnering up with other agencies for additional programming oppor-tunities that will provide educational and career development. LUDIVICO MARTINEZ

B&GC DIRECTOR

Year rOunD PrOGramSSummer Programs # of KidsMain Unit 400Bannworth Unit 100C.W.V Unit 100After-SchoolPrograms Main Unit 100Jessie Jensen Unit 110Leal Unit 110Total: 920

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SPEER MEMORIAL LIBRARY

Accomplishments for the 2012-2013 fiscal year for the Speer Memorial Library include going live with OverDrive which makes e-books available for download for our library card holders. E-books, audiobooks, and a couple of videos and music

audio files can be downloaded from OverDrive onto personal e-readers, mobile phones, or computers free of charge. Our OverDrive site can be accessed directly through http://mis-sion.lib.overdrive.com or via a link on our homepage www.mission.lib.tx.us. The Library already checks out books, music CDs, and DVDs,

but this year we began circulating magazines as well. We have all the popular magazines available for checkout includ-ing People, TV y Novelas, Good Housekeeping, and many more. Another service we introduced this year was faxing. We send and receive faxes for our public (domestic only) for a charge of $1 the first page and $0.50 for each additional page.Another big achievement this year was the Computer class-

es we initiated. We started offering Basic Computers, Begin-ner’s Internet, Email, and Microsoft classes in both English and Spanish free to our patrons. These classes have been

very popular and well received by our library users.One major accomplishment was

making more bandwidth avail-able to our Internet users. We went from offering 20 MBPS of fiber to offering 60 MBPS. We also purchased new equipment to upgrade and replace our server room to better handle the added bandwidth. New computers for the Children’s Department were purchased as well along with new

children’s software games. These new programs will include early literacy and learning how to type. We also purchased some Office 2013 and Windows 7 licenses to upgrade some of our computers and made this available to our patrons. For the second year in a row we were able to participate

in our City’s Citrus Parade with a float entry. The theme of our float was Madagascar Island to go along with this year’s parade theme.This year we did a huge push for advertising our social me-

dia outlets and increasing our followers. We have a Facebook page, Google +, and YouTube channel so please follow us in any or all of our social pages found via our homepage.Our Summer Reading Program was a big success. This

year’s theme was “Dig into Reading”. We continued to work along with the Mission Consolidated Independent School Dis-trict and they provided Free Lunch to our participants during the summer. South Texas Chemistry Club, Tim Smith, Ronald McDonald, McGruff, Llano Grande State Park, and Butterfly Center were some of our guest speakers during our summer program. We also had the Science Rocks Trailblazer which was a traveling, hands on science exhibit trailer, stop by to educate and entertain our young participants.We will continue to increase our library programming to

our community via Book talks, Movies, Little Tykes toddler program, Yoga, Arts & Crafts, and various Guest Speakers. We will also continue our special events such as the Hal-loween Costume Contest, Pictures with Santa, Easter Bunny Pictures, Easter Egg Hunt, Dr. Seuss birthday celebration, Mother’s Day and Father’s Day pictures.

GOalS fOr nexT fiSCal Year:We received official notification that two of our grant ap-plications for 2014 have been approved for funding by the Texas State Library and Archives Commission! Next year we

MAYRA ROCHALIBRARY DIRECTOR

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IT DEPARTMENTiT Department Statement: The IT Department is always looking for ways to utilize the city’s equipment more efficiently and pro-ductively. The IT department ensures that all city-owned comput-ers, hardware, software and network infrastructure systems are working properly, serving as the support team to resolve IT issues for city employees who encounter problems. The IT De-partment keeps computer users updated with the best hardware and software available.IT staff is continuously cross training its staff across all the City

Department: The Speer Memorial Library has a permanent IT em-ployee assigned to it, who with the help from IT staff, supports all computers, printers, cameras, servers, etc. located in that building.The IT Staff updates and maintains

the City’s Website (www.missiontexas.us) as needed and provides training and support to departments who need to make updates and modifications to their own departmental area of the website. During this past fiscal year the IT Department improved the network infrastructure between

City Hall and Municipal Court by installing a fiber optic line which increased the City’s internet speed to 10 Gbs. In addition, the network backbone inside the Speer Library was also upgraded to fiber optic. Servers and wireless access points were replaced with faster and more up to date equipment.

All these improvements and others are continuously being addressed to better serve the library patrons, the people living or visiting our community, and City of Mission employees.

will move forward with these grants for books and tablets and continue to search out new grants as well.We will also continue to build relationships with outside partners like AARP

who provide free income tax preparation, AVANCE who provide free civics and English classes, and AgriLife Extension who provide a variety of free classes to our patrons such as Nutrition classes.We will continue to maintain our library and our collection and we will

review and revise our services to better meet our patron’s needs. New services we are planning on are the checkout of electronic materials such as comic books, graphic novels and magazines.We will continue to provide new and innovative programming that will en-

gage the public and strive to make the Library the hub of the community.

STATS

74,634Library materials check

outs (books, CDs, and DVDs)

229,053Library visits

7,396Volunteer hours

20,125Library program

attendance

4,921Library card registration

186,529Internet Sessions

ROLANDO RODRIGUEZIT DIRECTOR

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The Mission Historical Museum is dedicated to preserving the rich history and cultural heritage of Mission and western Hidalgo County. The museum complex consists of two his-

toric buildings in downtown Mission. The Shary Building, completed in 1939, once housed the offices of Valley land developer John H. Shary. Later, this building served as Mission’s City Hall. Immediately to the north of the Shary Building is the old Mission Post Office. This structure was built in 1940, and later served as offices for Mission CISD, and the Police Department before being con-verted to museum use. The museum maintains an extensive collec-

tion of artifacts and archives relating to the history of Mission and surrounding areas. Community members have been generous with their donations, and the collection now numbers upwards of 12,000 items. Collection highlights include items relating to the Texas

Citrus Fiesta, Valley land development, local and early businesses and entrepreneurs, the movie She Came to the Valley, local military heroes, and the everyday life of Mission’s pioneer residents. The archives house many important historical records, photographs, original land deeds, and family history in-formation.The museum reached an audience of 8,627

people during FY 2012-13. The mu-seum’s audience includes regular walk-in visitors; researchers; at-tendees at special events, programs and exhibits; and promotional out-reach.The museum of-

fers many servic-

MISSION HISTORICAL MUSEUM

The Mission Historical

Museum is dedicated

to preserv-ing the rich history and

cultural heritage

of Mission and west-

ern Hidalgo County. LUIS CONTRERAS

MUSEUM DIRECTOR

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ACCOMPLISHMENTS FOR PRIOR FISCAL YEAR:1. Realized the site improvement and land-scape and irrigation project.2. Increased amount of special programming from 6 to 9 programs with arts and film. This provided insight to a new demographic for the museum.3. Began designs to create new museum conference room to offer the city, members, business partners, outside organizations, etc. rental space for private meetings.4. Secured grant support from Hidalgo County Heritage Foundation to upgrade supplies for the Museum collection.5. Expanded the museum store to sell titles that would highlight culture, art, and regional history

GOALS FOR NEXT FISCAL YEAR:1. Work with board to identify new opportuni-ties and apply for grants to support up-coming projects and programs.2. Work with board, staff, and community to design and implement an interpretive plan3. Work with board to design and execute a 3 – 5 year strategic plan4. Devise a bi-annual financial strategic plan to care and maintain the new landscape grounds5. Apply innovative ideas to promote heritage tourism and community outreach via outdoor exhibits6. Finalize and realize MHM exhibit reconfigu-ration project

es as a benefit and enhancement to the quality of life of the commu-nity. Long-term and changing exhibits provide an entertaining and educational glimpse of local history and culture. A wide range of lectures, demonstrations, and concerts offer something for every age group. Special tours are offered to groups from schools and other organizations. Several meeting spaces are used by community or-ganizations on a regular basis. The archives are always made avail-able and convenient to researchers seeking historical information.As the museum looks toward the future, we foresee continued de-

velopment in all areas. Plans for a landscape site improvement of the museum complex are underway. This project promises to make the museum a unique destination and a complimenting improvement to the downtown area. A comprehensive program of long-term exhibits is also in the works. These initiatives, along with other projects, con-tinue a tradition of excellence in serving the community of Mission and our many visitors.

POLICE DEPARTMENT

The Mission Police Department is committed to the delivery of quality police services to our community. Our organiza-tion is ever evolving in an effort to better serve this rapidly growing, dynamic and diverse city. We look forward to the opportunity to create more partnerships with our citizens and visitors. Our mission it to maintain the safe community that our citizens, business owners and our visitors have come to expect. The City of Mission Police Department is a progressive,

full-service police organization comprised of 146 police of-ficers and 51 civilian support staff. Each of our employees is dedicated to making a positive difference in our community and is enthusiastic to perform their duties and to serve our community. Our conduct, appearance and demeanor shall display the highest standard of professionalism and integrity. We will protect our citizens and focus on building relationships so together we can build a better community and improve the quality of life in our community.Our organization is comprised of men and women who

serve in eleven different bureaus that work hand in hand with each other to make a difference. Each person is em-powered individually and collectively to enhance the quality of life in the community by providing our services through professionalism, innovation and partnerships. As a forefront to our efforts, it is our philosophy to serve our community

with Honor, Integrity and Service in making a positive difference to solve any form of problem or concern our community has by our dedicated staff. Training pro-grams are being put into effect and leaders are being developed, policies are being re-written and implemented aimed at delivering the best possible police services. Technology is rapidly changing and these advances allow us to expand methods and practices

we use in our delivery of police services daily.Community-Oriented Policing is a philosophy

we are dedicated to in working toward our priority of making the City of Mission safer. Community-Oriented Policing is best defined as a style of policing in which the objectives, direction and emphasis or activities are jointly determined by the community and the police. The Mission Police Department recognizes that the public plays a pivotal role in assisting with public safety concerns and by working together, we can align ourselves in developing solutions to our problems and increasing the public’s trust. By incorporating this style of policing through teamwork with our stakeholder’s aids us in reducing crime, impacting the commu-nity as a whole, in our journey to provide the best possible police service this community demands and deserves.

fY 2012 – 2013 aCCOmPliShmenTS1. Purchased five (5) new fully equipped Chevrolet Police Patrol Tahoes2. Purchased new Skywatch Tower for Commercial and Residential areas3. Purchased Speed Trailer4. Purchased new Computers for Patrol Officers – Patrol Briefing Room5. Purchased Bar Coding Device for our CSI Bureau6. Purchased new Color Guard Uniforms7. Purchased new K-9 Uniforms8. Purchased SWAT Officer Uniforms9. Purchased new Jailer Uniforms10. Purchased new Video Conferencing System11. Purchased new Intersection Camera Systems12. Purchased new Field Reporting Software from New World Systems

PrOjeCTS in PrOGreSS

1. Completion of New World Software update to Version 7 for field reporting2. Commencement of the new TxDOT Comprehensive STEP Grant3. Commencement of the SAFEE Officer Grant Program with Mission Municipal Court4. Commencement of the Crime Victim Liaison Program Grant5. Commencement of the 2012 Stonegarden Grant 6. Commencement of the 2013 Tobacco Grant

GranT awarDS fOr fY 2012 – 20131. Texas Attorney General’s OfficeVictim Coordinator Liaison Grant – Crime Victim LiaisonFunding Period: 09/01/2012 – 08/31/2013Funding Amount: $42,000.00 Funds Crime Victim Services Liaison Position

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ROBERT DOMINGUEZPOLICE CHIEF

2. Texas Department of Public Safety – Texas Rangers DivisionLocal Border Security Program – Operation Border StarFunding Period: 02/01/2013 – 08/31/2013Funding Amount: $150,000.00Funds for overtime to patrol the City of Mission and the U.S./Mexican Border.

3. Texas Department of TransportationSTEP – Selective Traffic Enforcement ProgramFunding Period: 10/01/2012 – 09/30/2013Funding Amount: $94,370.84Funds for overtime for DWI Enforcement, Seatbelt and Speed Enforcement

4. Texas Department of State Health Services – Texas De-partment of Transportation – SAFE RIDERS CHILD SAFETY SEAT DISTRIBUTION AND EDUCATION PROGRAMFunding Period: 10/01/2012 –09/30/2013Funding: 62 Child Safety Seats.Car Child Safety Seats to be distributed to low income families in Mission, Texas.

5. U.S. Department of Justice – 2012 SolicitationOffice of Justice Programs - Bureau of Justice Assist-ance Funding Period: 09/17/2012 – 08/31/2014Funding Amount: $26,680.00Funds the purchase of Bullet Proof Vests

6. U.S. Department of Homeland Security Operation Stonegarden Grant - 2011Funding Period: 10/01/2011 – 08/31/2013Funding Amount: $164,294.95Funds the purchase of police units and their equipment to include overtime funds

FY 2012- 2013 State Grant Funds Received: $286,370.84FY 2012- 2013 Federal Grant Funds Received: $190,974.95

Grand Total for FY 2012–2013 Grant Awards: $477,345.79

GOalS fOr fY 2013 – 2014Rebanding of all First Responder portable and mobile ra-dios (Police and Fire)Purchase of Three (3) Police Tahoes utilizing Stonegarden Grant FundsEstablishment of new Mission Police Department Law Enforcement Firing RangePurchase of Drivers License Scanning System for Patrol UnitsEstablishment of waiting area for Victim/Witness in Inter-view Room AreaEstablishment of the Mission Police Department Explorer ProgramPurchase of new Weight Training Equipment for Police Gym

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MUNICIPAL COURTThe Municipal Court is the local branch of the judicial system, which enforces criminal laws, traffic laws, and municipal ordinances within the court’s jurisdiction. This fiscal year 2012-2013, the Mission Municipal Court

used its Building Security Funds to promote safety for its staff and the general public. A walk-through metal detector was placed in the front lobby entrance so that everyone ap-pearing in our court has to pass through security.The municipal court utilized its Technology Fund to improve

computer integration with the Mission Police Department. As a result, the apprehension of individuals with outstand-ing warrants has increased drastically now that they have

access to the Incode Software available to them on weekends and after 5 p.m. In 2012-13, the municipal court

collected $1,571,255.00 in fines and court costs. Additionally, the court heard 1,472 indigent cases, all of which were resolved with

payment plans or community service hours ordered in lieu of payment for those individuals who were unable to pay court fines. Over 14,242 hours of community service were ordered to be performed throughout city departments and various local non-profit organizations.A total of 940 failure to attend school hearings and 414

juvenile cases were heard during the fiscal year. The most common juvenile cases are curfew violations and driving without a license. The court worked with local schools, par-ents, teachers, school counselors, probation officers, and various professional counseling and rehabilitative agencies in order to discover the underlying problems thus reducing the risk of the juvenile returning to the court system. The municipal court has seen a decline in the cases filed for curfew as a result of this team work. The court’s office hours are Monday through Friday 8am.

to 5pm. Payments are taken 8am to 4:45pm. The court re-mains open throughout the lunch hour to better serve the community. The court can be reached at (956) 584-5150, if you have any questions.

In 2012-13, the municipal court collected $1,571,255.00 in fines and court costs.JONATHAN

WEHRMEISTERMUNICIPAL JUDGE

finanCeThe Finance Department is responsible for the City’s and the Mission Economic Development Corporation’s financial opera-tions. The department has a staff of ten and it provides: payroll, accounts receivable and payables, fixed assets, grants, and general accounting services. The primary responsibility is to demonstrate accountability to Mission citizens and the best method to do so is through the City’s Comprehensive Annual Financial Report. For the last 12 years, the City has received the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Report-ing from the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA). The City has also received its second Texas Comptroller Gold Leadership Circle Award for being transparent of its finances through the City’s website.The City’s Comprehensive Financial Annual Report and the

City’s Annual Budget are available on the City’s website. http://www.missiontexas.us/fiscal-transparency 2. Financial reports for Mission Economic Development Corporation, a component unit of the City, are also available on the City’s website.

GranTSThe Grant Administrator is responsible for the coordination and administration of the City’s grants and the duties required to coordinate compliance requirement activities of the City government. Develops and coordinates grant-funded programs for the City by reviewing literature dealing with funds available through grants from governmental agencies; determines the feasibility of developing program requirements and sources of funds available with administrative personnel. Meets with personnel affected by the proposed program to develop goals and objectives which outline how funds are to be used and explains procedures necessary to obtain funding. Completes and submits grant applications to funding agencies or founda-tions; directs, coordinates the evaluation and monitoring of grant-funded programs; writes specifications for evaluation or monitoring of the program by outside agencies.

fiSCal Year 2012-2013 aCCOmPliShmenTS

highways and Streets: The City of Mission was awarded $2,485,026 from the Federal Transit Administration passed through the Lower Rio Grande Valley Development Council. The grant funds will be utilized for engineering, architectural services and construction costs for enhancements to the pe-

destrian walkway along Conway Avenue in the City’s downtown area. Several years ago, the U.S. Department of Energy awarded the City of Mission an Energy Efficiency Grant in the amount of $629,500. The City of Mission used these funds to modify and upgrade existing traffic signals, pedestrian walk signals, and street lighting with energy efficient lighting technologies. It was a comprehensive light upgrade that will increase energy efficiency, reduce energy consumption, reduce energy costs and maintenance costs and was completed this year.Public Safety: The Mission Police Department and the Mis-sion Fire Department were awarded $412,305 from several federal and state agencies including the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the Governor, Texas Department of Public Safety, Texas Department of Transportation, and the Texas Attorney General. Grant funds were used to purchase police and fire equipment and the re-imbursement of overtime compensation for special operations conducted by the Mission Police Department. recreation: The Boys and Girls Club of Mission received a combined $101,460 in grant funds from the United Way of South Texas and the Hidalgo County Urban Grant Program. The funds were utilized for salary and benefits for several employees and to purchase equipment for the Mission Boys and Girls Club. The Mission Hike and Bike Trail received a $125,000 grant in the previous year from Texas Parks and Wildlife Trails Grant for an extension of our existing trail system and for several improve-ments to the amenities offered at this park due to the increased amount of community engagement and participation. The Parks and Recreation Department also received a $30,000 grant in the previous year from the Lower Rio Grande Valley Development Council to purchase equipment such as a brush chipper and a trailer that will be utilized in the cleaning of the City’s right of ways, alleys and City parks to reduce the amount of brush go-ing to the landfill. The City has used the recycled brush chips as moisture control for landscaping bedding in our park system which consists of 25 parks with a total of approximately 255 acres. These projects were completed in this fiscal year.

fiSCal Year 2013-2014 GOal

The City of Mission will implement a grant software database to research and continue to obtain grant funding for new programs and improvement projects to enhance all of our department services that improve the quality of life for the citizens of the City of Mission.

FINANCE AND GRANTS ADMINISTRATION

GRANTS MANAGED FISCAL YEAR 2012-2013:

Total Grants Administered:

$7,719,175Total Grant Funds Expensed:

$3,116,469 RANDY PEREZGRANTS DIRECTOR

JANIE FLORESFINANCE DIRECTOR

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UTILITY BILLING

The City of Mission Utility Billing Department strives to pro-vide the highest level of customer service at all times. The Utility Billing Department bills the City’s Utility customers for a wide variety of services, including water and sewer consumption, garbage and brush collection and related taxes. The department strives to process utility statements timely and accurately to ensure the continuous provision of services to the citizens of Mission and its visitors.Whether you need emergency assistance, or simply have a

question about your bill, we’re here to help. The department is also responsible in assisting you with your needs such as connecting/disconnecting service, transferring service, billing inquiries, meter taps, establishing sanitation services, payments, as well as with any problems dealing with your meter. Call (956) 580-8660 for more information.The department is comprised of two divisions: Cashiers and

Customer Service Clerks and although they work together, each has their own duties. The department consists of pay-ments made at City Hall; either in the lobby, drive-thru, mail, night deposit box, or at the City’s approved payment substa-tion located inside Foy’s Supermarket. The City also takes payments on-line. Customer service clerks are on the other side of the spectrum and handle services such as connects and disconnects which are provided to our citizens via phone, in our lobby, and via fax as well. The City of Mission is divided into three (3) general bill-

ing cycles. Each cycle is billed out monthly on the following scheduled:

• Cycle 1 – Billed on the 10th of the month• Cycle 2 – Billed on the 20th of the month• Cycle 3 – Billed on the 30th of the monthStaff analyzes each customer’s water usage that is out of the normal usage and further researching any inconsistencies within the account’s consumption history prior to billing.

DeParTmenT STaTiSTiCS: • In fiscal year 2012-2013, the Billing Department proc-essed a total of 310,116 utility statements, averaging 25,843 monthly. • A total of 92,705 delinquent notices were also distributed, averaging 7,725 monthly. • Total water billed during this period was of 4,844,627,000 gallons.

STaff:• 1 Utility Billing & Collections Manager • 1 Customer Service Supervisor • 1 Assistant Customer Service Supervisor • 2 Billing Clerks• 4 Cashiers• 1 Sanitation Clerk• Total Employees: 10

when TO COnTaCT Our DeParTmenT:• to inquire on your utility account • for payment & billing inquiries

22

• to connect, disconnect, or transfer services • for change of information such as: phone number, mailing address, etc. • to cancel services • to have meter tested and/or repaired • to report possible meter tampering • for status on installation of regular water meters & traveling meters • for assistance with City website and/or paying your water bill on-line

meTer reaDerS DeParTmenTThe Meter Reader Department is divided into two groups of employees which consist of the meter readers and the meter servicemen. The meter reader staff strives to read water meters over three cycles throughout the City, efficiently and accurately. The meter reader’s department uses a handheld device to record readings and any comments necessary to assist the billing staff in its review of the readings. This in-formation is electronically imported directly in to the billing system for processing. Meter servicemen provide field customer service for Mis-

sion residents in the most professional and efficient manner. Field customer service consists of connecting, disconnecting and reconnecting water service and rechecking meter read-ings. Staff is trained to survey the area to help customers

with their concerns or questions regarding the water meter and/or reading. Meter servicemen also perform requests submitted by

utility billing and customer relations department staff such as rechecking meter readings and verification of meter locations. The department also has an, on-call personnel that serves

our customers after business hours and during the week-end.

DeParTmenT STaTiSTiCS:• On average, the department read 25,843 meters per month with less than 200 accounts needing to be re-read for correc-tions. This results in a reading accuracy rate of 99.93%.• During this period the department re-read and adjusted 139 accounts due to billed but unused water. These 139 accounts received credits totaling $21,464 on 10,069,000 gallons of water.• During this period staff replaced approximately 941 dam-aged or inaccurate meters.

STaff:• 1 Meter Reader Supervisor• 2 Meter Servicemen • 7 Meter ReadersTotal of 10 Employees

The department read 25,843 me-ters per month with less than 200

accounts needing to be re-read for corrections. This results in a read-

ing accuracy rate of 99.93%.

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FIRE DEPARTMENT

The Mission Fire Department operations are vast in nature and technical in terms. The following divisions are the components of the department, Administration, Operations, Fire Prevention, Training, Emergency Management and Special Response.The Administration Division manages fire department re-

sources including procurement of goods and services, fleet services, maintenance facilities and equipment maintenance. The total fire department budget is $ 5.3 million. The Mission Fire Department operates with a staff of 76

members: one (1) Fire Chief and six (6) Administration staff members; Operations Division, with fifty seven (57) staff mem-bers; Fire Prevention Division, with six (6) staff members; Training Division with 1 Training Captain; Emergency Management Division with an Emergency Management Coordinator, and the Communica-tions Division of four (4) Communi-cations Officers.The Fire Department operates

five (5) fire stations and a fleet of twenty (20) Emergency Response

Units. The fire stations and emergency response units are strategically located throughout the city to provide the best response time possible. With the current number of stations and the City’s estimated population of over 80,000, the City of Mission ISO Rating is (4) four out of ten.

COmmuniCaTiOnS DiViSiOnThe Fire Department operates a 24 hour Communications Center that takes emergency calls and dispatches fire units to those calls.During Fiscal Year 2012-2013, the Mission Fire Department

handled 2,818 alarms of various types. Actual incidents responded to were 1,736 broken down as follows: 1,348 emergency medical calls, 54 structure fires, 40 vehicle fires, 86 grass fires, 18 mutual aid responses, 3 weather related incidents, and 187 special operation incidents.

fiSCal Year 2012-2013 aCCOmPliShmenTS• Involved in the development of the Texas Task Force Type III Urban Search Rescue Team for the Rio Grande Valley Region.• Dedication of Fire Station # 3 honoring Past City Councilman, Celestino Ramirez

RICARDO SALDAÑAFIRE CHIEF

24

• Division of Emergency Management hosted a Shelter Management Class for city staff and other local agencies.• The City’s Emergency Management staff hosted a Shelter Exercise with American Red Cross, The Texas State Guard and other Red Cross volunteers.• The City’s Emergency Management staff acquired a Shelter Response Trailer from the American Red Cross. This trailer is equipped with coats and blankets to be used during an unforeseen event.• Acquired a 5 ton military truck and converted it into a brush fire fighting truck.• Hosted its first EMT Course for fire depart-ment personnel.

emerGenCY manaGemenTAppointed by the City Council, the EMC is re-sponsible for developing, implementing and maintaining emergency management pro-grams and the City’s Emergency Operations Plan, to minimize injury, and loss of life and property, to the citizens of Mission as a result of man-made or natural disaster.The EMC works on all aspects of emergency

management programs including mitigation, planning, and preparedness. The EMC is a key figure during emergency operations ac-tivations that may include response, recovery and resources.The EMC is responsible for the professional

development and training of staff on emergen-cy management functions through the Texas Division of Emergency Management.

fiSCal Year 2012-2013 emerGenCYmanaGemenT aCCOmPliShmenTS• Participated in a federal table top exercise at The Anzalduas Bridge port of entry to de-termine our response and vulnerability in responding to a high valued target.• Creation of a 24 hour Emergency Opera-tions Center (EOC) strike team to respond to natural, manmade and terroristic threats that may arise.• Awarded a $12,000 grant from the Depart-ment of Homeland Security for our regional response dive team for new and sustained capabilities.• Awarded a $16,000 grant from The Texas Department of State Health Services for the purchase and maintenance of first responder equipment.• Recertification of the Mission Fire Depart-ment First Responder Organization with Texas Department of Health Services.• Participated in a live exercise with other agencies in a full scale active shooter for the La Joya ISD.• Coordinated several real world events to in-

clude wide area searches for missing people.

The Mission Fire Department Train-ing Division is responsible for devel-oping, implementing and delivering comprehensive training programs for all certified firefighters, volun-teer firefighters and organizations within our community.As we continue to grow we must

keep up with changes to deliver the best possible service to our citizens and visitors. Since September 11, 2001, the fire department has recognized the need to train as an all-hazards response organization. Firefighters must now be trained in the following:• Firefighting• Emergency Medical Services• Weapons of Mass Destruction/Hazardous Materials Handling• Specialized Responses such as confined space rescue, trench res-cue and hazardous materials.• Swift water rescue and SCUBA• Community Services and Profes-sional Development. As a first responder organization,

we provide quality pre-hospital emergency care to the community. The Training Division has set a goal to increase the levels of EMS certifi-cation to the EMT-Basic level for all firefighters of the Mission Fire De-partment within the next five years.

fiscal Year 2012-2013 Training Division accomplishments:• Hotzone (Hazardous Materials Conference) - 4 Firefighters• Texas Department of State Health Services (EMT-Basic Course) - 14 Firefighters• U.S. Fish & Wildlife (S130-S190-L180 certification) - 9 Firefighters

• Texas Fire Chiefs Association (Fire Chief’s Academy) - 3 Chiefs, 2 Captains• Rescue Training International (Swift Water Re-certifications) - 5 Firefighters• Texas Department of State Health Services (EMS-Instructor) - 2 Fire-fighters• National Safety Council (Emer-gency Medical Response Course) - 2 Firefighters• Texas Commission On Fire Protec-tion Incident Safety Officer Certifica-tion - 3 Firefighters• Texas Commission On Fire Pro-tection Wild land FireFighter Basic Certification - 3 Firefighters• Texas Commission of Fire Protec-tion (Firefighter Advanced Certifica-tion) - 7 Firefighters• Texas Commission On Fire Protec-tion (Inspector Basic Certification) - 1 Firefighter• Texas Commission On Fire Protec-tion (Fire Officer II Certification) - 2 Firefighters• Texas Commission On Fire Pro-tection (Fire Instructor III) - 1 Fire-fighter• Texas Engineering Extension Serv-ice (Courage To Be Safe) - 6 Firefight-ers• San Juan Police Training Center (Basic Swat) - 1 Firefighter• Southwest Training Fire-Rescue Conference (Leadership Conference) - 4 Firefighters• TML (Ethical Decision Making for Public Safety) - 5 chiefs, 4 Captains• American Heart Association (CPR & First Aid Certification) - 16 Boys & Girls Club Staff, 17 Firefighters and 26 Police Cadets• International Fire Conference at McAllen Convention Center - 1 Lieu-tenant, 1 Engineer• United States Border Patrol (Honor Guard Academy) - 5 Firefighters• Live Fire Training (Edinburg Train-ing Field) - 60 Firefighters• Arson Conference (Austin, Texas) - 1 Chief, 1 Captain, 1 Lieutenant• Hurricane Conference (McAllen Convention Center) - 2 Chiefs, 5 Spe-cial Ops Members• Doctors Hospital at Renaissance (Dive Emergency Symposium) - 10 Special Ops Members

TRAINING DIVISION

The objective of the Mission Fire Prevention Bureau is to direct its resources to provide effective service delivery in areas of public education, construction, planning strategy, economic development, fire protection systems installation and use, fire investigation, and code enforcement. The Mission Fire Prevention Bureau will continue to be

“Dedicated to the Community We Protect… and Serve”. The Fire Prevention Bureau is a division of the Mission Fire Department. The bureau’s main responsibilities are: the en-forcement of city ordinances; fire codes; plan reviews; fire inspections; provide fire safety education; and conducting fire investigations.

The fire Prevention bureau consists of 6 personnel:-Fire Marshal-2 Assistant Fire Marshals-2 Fire Inspectors-Administrative Secretary

The Fire Prevention Bureau’s responsibility is to protect the public and fire service personnel with coordinated ef-

forts in code enforcement, fire inspections, and public education thereby reducing the risk of loss of life and property due to fire and other emergencies in the City of Mission. The majority of daily activity is

maintaining compliance of fire codes through inspections and education. The Fire Prevention Bureau continuously educates property owners and tenants while conducting inspections.

This helps to obtain voluntary compliance, as well as limit the number of repeat violations in the future. Fire Prevention Bureau educational programs provide up-

to-date life safety messages in fire and injury prevention through direct training programs, which include presenta-tions and demonstrations. While many programs are aimed towards children audiences, safety tips and programs are also addressed to senior citizens and businesses.

fiSCal Year 2012-2013 STaTiSTiCS

2,599 Fire Inspections91 Public Education Presentations334 Plan Reviews19 Fire Investigations

fiSCal Year 2012-2013 aCCOmPliShmenTS1) Implementation of new fire inspection process to reduce the amount of follow-up inspections and increase the overall amount of fire inspections by 44% from last fiscal year.2) A reduction in fire investigations by 37% within the City of Mission which reduces the amount of fire loss through the efforts of fire safety education outreach programs and code enforcement.

fiSCal Year 2013-2014 GOalS1) Increase efforts in the number of interactions with the pub-lic to provide safety literature, materials and programs.2) Seek funding through grants to obtain new technology on fire investigation equipment and fire safety education tools.3) Continue to promote the outreach program “Smoke De-tector Program for the Elderly” to equip low income elderly residents with working smoke detectors.

FIRE PREVENTION BUREAU

GILBERT SANCHEZFIRE MARSHAL

The Planning Department oversees the Inspections and Code Enforcement Divisions for the City of Mission.

Some of the services provided are:

PlanninG Guides the orderly development of the City using several primary ordinances which include Subdivision and Zoning. Planning also utilizes the Off-Street Parking, Landscaping, and Sign Codes. Planning enforces subdivision coordina-tion, zoning issues/violations, and is the City’s liaison with the Planning & Zoning Commission, Texas Department of Transportation and The Hidalgo County Metropolitan Plan-ning Organization.

inSPeCTiOnS DiViSiOnReview building permit applications along with associated inspections using the most current International Code Coun-cil Building Codes available. Inspections also provide the enforcement of building codes violations, unsafe buildings, and educates citizens in relation to building construction.

CODe enfOrCemenT DiViSiOnIs responsible for enforcement and abatement of weedy lots, illegal dumping, junked vehicles, health & sanitation, sign violations, etc. Code Enforcement also meets with citizens to explain city ordinances.

fiSCal Year 2012-2013 aCCOmPliShmenTS:1) Worked with MRA/TIRZ, and Valley Metro to secure a $2.5 Million grant for Conway Streetscape Improvements. 2) Processed 175 applications which include Rezoning’s, Conditional Use Permits, Single Lot Variances, Subdivisions, Site Plan, Setback Violations for compliance with City’s Ordi-nances and Code Amendments.3) Processed 9,385 Permits which include: Building, Electri-cal, Plumbing, Mechanical, Garage Sales, Business Licenses, and Health Cards.4) Conducted 6,240 Inspections for Construction.5) Held 24 Planning & Zoning Commission Meetings, 11 Zoning Board of Adjustments Meetings, and 26 City Council Meetings.6) Continued GIS updates within the City.

fiSCal Year 2013-2014 GOalS:1) Continue on GIS Program to better serve our citizens, develop-ers, etc. (land use, infrastructure inventory).2) Continue substandard housing abatement and removing illegal dumping sites.3) Continue Annexation of Proper-ties via Council’s direction.4) Update Standards Manual.

PLANNING DEPARTMENT

DANIEL TIJERINAPLANNING DIRECTOR

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buSineSS reTenTiOn anD exPanSiOnIn order to continue the growth of the business environment in Mission, Texas, the Mission Economic Development Corpo-ration (Mission EDC) has taken a proactive approach in deal-ing with current and prospective businesses. Mission EDC serves as a catalyst for start-ups and existing businesses that are looking to grow their products or services, as well as, a resource for businesses that are looking to relocate to the City of Mission.In April 2013, Royal Technologies purchased 12 acres in

the Park at Trinity, an industrial park within the city, with the plans to construct a 360,000 square foot manufacturing facility. The facility is expected to be complete by the early part of 2014 and will initially consist of 100 new positions

with plans to employ up to 400 employees by 2018. The Mission EDC team has been working with Royal Technologies for the past several months as this project comes to completion, and is very excited to see all the hard work pay off. Not only will this new de-velopment bring additional jobs to the community, it will provide added revenue which will help the city provide for the residents of Mission. Royal Technologies has

roughly 900 employees throughout the U.S., not including those at the Mission plant. This project is an indication of Mission’s business friendly climate and proof that Governor Rick Perry’s message of “Texas being open for business” continues to remain strong.

enTrePreneurShiPMission EDC continues to connect entrepreneurs with nec-essary assets in order to remove barriers to growth, drive up revenue, and increase employment opportunities for all residents. High-growth technology and knowledge based businesses that generate export revenue have continued to be targeted specifically by Mission EDC. The Mission EDC Board of Directors, along with the Mission

City Council strongly believe in this effort and have agreed to continue funding programs such as the Ruby Red Ventures. This program allows for $100,000 to be allocated for a small business fund that aims to nurture entrepreneurial spirit and promote the creation of innovative businesses in the City of Mission. In particular, Mission EDC sought to encourage entrepreneurially oriented Rio Grande Valley Residents to expand and/or launch new ventures in Mission. The goal of Ruby Red Ventures consists of two rounds of funding per year at $50,000 per round. Participants are required to attend small business workshops taught by UTPA’s Small Business Development Center team to help them prepare sound business plans. During FY 2012-2013, Mission EDC

MISSION EDC

ALEX MEADECEO OF MISSION EDC

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BOARD OF DIRECTORSPRESIDENT: S. DAVID DEANDA JR. VICE PRESIDENT: POLO DE LEON TREASURER: LINDA REqUENEz

SECRETARY: JODY A. TITTLE MEMBER: MAYOR BETO SALINAS MEMBER: RICHARD HERNANDEz

MEMBER: CATHERINE GARCIA ALTERNATE FOR MAYOR POSITION: RUBEN PLATA

successfully funded 9 businesses which ranged from star-tups to business expansions.

infraSTruCTure anD TranSPOrTaTiOnInfrastructure continues to be one of the most important aspects for the growth of Mission, Texas. Without adequate utilities and roads, economic development can come to a standstill. Mission EDC has remained focused on the regions that it designated in the Mission Corridor Funds, and has also played a vital role in the planning and execution of solutions for needed adequate infrastructure to serve the community. The widening of Taylor Rd., for example, will help facilitate traffic that wishes to access many of our desired shopping areas as well as navigate into the inner parts of the City of Mission. Work ensues on preparing for development along the An-

zalduas Highway. Infrastructure is being installed in order to properly support commercial, residential, and industrial development along the Anzalduas Highway.

reCruiTmenTThe Mission EDC strives to educate and recruit new busi-nesses to Mission with an emphasis on targeted industrial segments that would especially prosper in the local envi-ronment. The Mission area has many assets that make it an attractive location for a diverse range of businesses. Mission’s growth over the last several years; has garnered

continued interest from the retail industry. Due to the steady rise in population, Mission is continuing to see an influx of

restaurants, pharmacies, and customer oriented service providers. Assets such as Sharyland Plantation and The Club at Cimarron help Mission maintain its status as a sought out community due to its high population density, above average household income and ever increasing traffic counts. Nonetheless, Mission EDC remains focused on strength-

ening its industrial base with its proximity to Mexico and an international gateway with world-class infrastructure, Mission is perfectly situated to attract new manufacturing businesses. In addition, Mission EDC, a strong proponent for regionalism continues to serve as a member of the Rio Grande Valley Partnership which promotes the entire region and strengthens the ties of the various communities that make up the Rio Grande Valley.

QualiTY Of lifeMission EDC continues to focus on areas that make Mission, Texas an attractive place to call home. In this day in age, many of those who are looking to venture off focus first on a place that they would like to live and then look for jobs in that area. Mission EDC understands that the aesthetics of the commu-nity help attract those who are looking for a place to live, and because of this, the team is dedicated to focusing on areas such as downtown district, hike and bike trails, healthcare, and education, and the landscaping of major thoroughfares in order to increase the quality of the community. Special attention is paid to aspects that make someone feel at home in Mission, Texas and increase its status as a well-rounded community.

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

The City of Mission is a recipient of the Community Develop-ment Block Grant program funded through the U. S. Depart-ment of Housing and Urban Development. The City has re-ceived $21.9 million in Community Development Block Grant funds since 1989. These funds have been used to improve the lives of low and moderate income families and individuals. During the 2012-2013 fiscal year, the department admin-

istered $1,254,069. Of this amount, $720,466 was spent on projects providing services for eligible recipients.The CDBG Department administers the Housing Assistance

Program, a deferred loan program, which provides safe and sanitary homes to eligible low income families. Rehabilita-tion assistance provides funding to eligible homeowners to undertake major repairs in existing homes to comply with standard building codes. Reconstruction assistance involves the homeowner’s original home being demolished and hav-ing a new home constructed on their property. Family size determines the size of the home the applicant can qualify for homes range from a 2 bedroom, 1-1/2 bath to a 3 bedroom,

2 bath home, both with central air conditioning and heating. During the 2013 fiscal year,

housing assistance had been provided to 14 low and mod-erate income households whose homes were in need of repair or reconstruction. In the area of housing rehabilita-tion, $46,216 was spent providing assistance for 2 projects. Housing reconstruction projects totaled $483,356, assisting 12 low income families. An additional $47,365 was spent on oversight and other costs associated with the Housing As-sistance Program.

Four non-profit agencies were allocated $45,000 to provide services to low and moderate income residents as shown below:

-Amigos Del Valle, Inc.……………………….…..74 elderly-Children’s Advocacy Center………………...…...50 children -Dentists Who Care, Inc……………………….….46 children-LRGVDC-Area Agency on Aging………………17 elderly

Administrative expenses totaled $112,387 for monitoring of all sub-recipients during the year to ensure that activities are consistent and in compliance with their agreements and federal requirements. Staff also monitors daily operations of all on-going projects.

JO ANNE LONGORIACDBG DIRECTOR

GOALS FOR NEXT FISCAL YEAR:• Construct 12 new homes that will replace homes that are beyond repair for eligible low and moderate income families.• Rehabilitate 2 homes in need of repair for eligible low and moderate income families.• Seek additional funding for similar type activities.

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MISSION CHAMBER OF COMMERCEThe Greater Mission Chamber of Commerce proudy serves the City of Mission, Texas. The Chamber performs four primary functions in the community. Business Member promotion and service; promoting Mission as prime tourism destination and serving visitors at the Chamber’s Tourism Information Center; organizing Quality of Life improvement activities for Greater Mission Area residents and leading Legislative Advocacy ef-forts on behalf of Chamber members and the City of Mission.

new Chamber PreSiDenT & CeOIn 2013, George Myers was hired as the new President & CEO of the Greater Mission Chamber of Commerce. “I am excited about the new challenges and opportunities that this position will provide” said Myers. Our primary goal at the Chamber is to keep Mission a healthy, thriving community with an excep-tional quality of life”.

new maSCOT “The riO STar COwbOY”The Greater Mission Chamber of Commerce in conjunction with Texas Citrus Mutual, introduced its new mascot “The Rio Star Cowboy”. The Grapefruit themed cowboy represents our Texas heritage while celebrating Mission’s proud reputation as “Home of the Grapefruit”.

GO miSSiOn DiSCOunT CarDThe Chamber announced the arrival of its new Go Mission Discount card program. The free card entitles cardholders to

receive many valuable discounts from area businesses on a wide variety of products and services in Mission.

“all in fOr eDuCaTiOn POKer TOurnamenT”The 1st Annual “All-In for Education” Poker Tournament presented by Desperado Harley-Davidson and sponsored by Medina’s Custom Poker Tables raised funds for $1,000 schol-arships for local seniors graduating at the end of the 2013-14 academic year from Mission high schools. The first prize for the winner of the tournament was a 2013 Harley-Davidson Sportster® Iron 883™.

The buSineSS aDViSOr The Greater Mission Chamber of Commerce joined forces this year with one of the premiere business publications in South Texas the Business Advisor, our new monthly magazine. Each month, readers receive a new issue packed with businesss advice and news about our upcoming events, ribbon cuttings and programs. The magazine provides a great opportunity to get to know the Chamber and its members a little better.

GEORGE MYERSCHAMBER CEO

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ANZALDUAS INTERNATIONAL BRIDGE

The Anzald-uas Interna-tional Bridge c o n n e c t s t h e c i t i e s of Mission,

McAllen, Hidalgo, and Granjeno with the Mexican City of Reynosa, Tamaulipas, a city of over 2 million inhabitants and home to 250 “maquiladoras” or manu-facturing plants. In addition, the bridge lies two hours north, on a direct route from Monterrey Nuevo Leon; Mexico’s main manufacturing city, providing travelers from that community direct access to Mission’s business district, as well as Mission’s other amenities.Since its opening on December 15,

2009, the Anzalduas International Bridge has become a key international crossing on the U.S. – Mexico border in

South Texas. Northbound traffic, peo-ple coming into the U.S., has increased since its first full year of operations, FY 2010-2011, from 954,635 to 1,148,854 during the 2012-2013 fiscal year, an increase of 20.3%. Southbound traf-fic, people going into the Mexico, has also increased. During FY 2010-1011, the bridge had 848,077 cars cross

into Mexico, while in FY 2012-2013, 930,614 cars crossed into Mexico, reflecting a 9.8% increase in vehicular traffic. While the Bridge is managed and run

by the City of McAllen, the City of Mis-sion stands to benefit the most from this international crossing for years to come.

During FY 2010-1011, the bridge had 848,077 cars cross into Mexico, while in FY 2012-2013, 930,614 cars crossed into Mexico, reflecting a 9.8% increase in vehicular traffic.

RIGO VILLARREALBRIDGE SUPERINTENDENT

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ACkNOWLEDGEMENTS

CREATIVE DIRECTOR: jUAN ELISEO GONZALEZ • GRAPHIC DESIGN: VICTOR HUGO HOYOS

CONCEPT: CITY MAGAZINE CUSTOM PUBLISHING • PRINT: FAGSA USA PRINTING