By ALBERT VILLEGAS
Special to the NEWS
San Benito Mayor Pete Galvan, with the unanimous decision of the San Benito Commissioners, reminded city staff that there’s a process for making decisions, but it can’t happen before dialogue with the boards appointed by the commissioners, especially when tax money is involved.
That monetary process came up during a regular Commission meeting on Sept. 1, when elected leaders were considering a sponsorship request between the City of San Benito and the Texas Conjunto Music Hall of Fame & Museum’s proposed November music festival.
Commissioners opted to table the item until the Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT) Advisory Board deliberates on sponsorship funds ranging from $5,000 to $20,000.
The HOT board will decide on this monetary recommendation for the commissioners at a future meeting.
A trio of festival organizers, who are also museum officials, were present at the meeting, including siblings Peter, Patricia, and Joe Avila.
Patricia said that in the past, the City of San Benito had sponsored a simular festival financially. Peter said that the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) they were required to complete paperwork for was an eye-opener for them.
“Mayor, you had asked for an MOU, and I had never put one together, but it helped us see the scope of the whole event and everything it requires,” Peter said. “From what we had as an original budget, it tripled because of the quality of the festival we are going to put together with all the participation.”
They are also funding the festival through sponsorships that began two months ago, starting with a Circle of Friends for $50. The sponsorship options are: bronze ($250), silver ($500), gold ($1,000), platinum ($5,000), diamond ($10,000), and double diamond ($20,000).
They heard Mayor Galvan ask city staff how the funding was decided. He asked, despite a memo to Commissioners that read, “Staff recommends that the city commission consider approval of either the double diamond, diamond, or platinum sponsorship, based on the anticipated scale and community impact of the event.”
Nowhere in the memo is the HOT Board mentioned. However, the memo does note that there is “potential for overnight stays at local lodging establishments” and that “funding is being proposed through a combination of hotel occupancy tax funds and the city’s general budget.”
The memo also stated, “The city may also provide an estimated $2,000 to $2,500 in-kind for parking use, park preparation, tables, trash receptacles, inspections, and other city-related coordination.”
DOING AWAY WITH THE HOT BOARD?
When asked for a motion to approve funding, Mayor Galvan asked where and how the money was chosen.
San Benito City Manager Carlos Yerena said it would come from the hotel occupancy tax funds, but the HOT board hadn’t decided on it.
“They’re not required, but we already provided that information to them,” was Yerena’s response to Mayor Galvan.
The first-term mayor told Yerena, who was just appointed to his seat by a 4-1 vote a few weeks ago, that “shouldn’t it be the other way around?”
Yerena was reminded that the State of Texas requires municipalities to have a Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT), according to the State Comptroller’s Office. The municipality can then appoint an advisory board to recommend uses for those funds.
“If the funds come from (HOT), should we present this to the (Board)?” Galvan asked.
Yerena replied: “I think they recommend to the Commission. The ideal way is for them to recommend, and then the Commission approves.”
Mayor Galvan suggested, “Let’s get rid of the advisory board. You see where I’m at again.”
“The intent is to … if we’re going to build community and we’re going to build these boards, then we ask them to serve. A lot of times, the commission is going to override what we do, so why come to us, why participate?” said Mayor Galvan, mindful of a board appointee.
Yerena said there is still time for the HOT board to meet.
But Public Information Officer Christina Garcia said it has been some time since the HOT board last met, despite new appointments in June.
Aleida Garcia, Director of the Cultural Arts Department, is supposed to chair the HOT board.
According to the City of San Benito, the HOT board reviews funding requests and makes recommendations to the City Commission on projects, and it also has initiatives that promote tourism and encourage overnight stays in local lodging establishments.
The HOT Board has five seats.
As of June, those seats included two local hotel representative members, Sam Patel and Henry Bhakta.
It also included former city manager Fred Sandoval, who resigned in June. Yerena would now fill this seat.
It also included former commissioner Thomas W. Goodman, but he lost his re-election bid to Place 1 Commissioner Ricardo Perez, Jr. Perez would now fill this seat.
The fifth seat must be filled by a citizen appointed by the commissioners.
According to the city’s website, details about the last HOT board meeting were from November 2024.
Peter Avila said that festival organizers followed protocol and did submit an application for the city to decide on funding.
Garcia told commissioners that the board is full and that a meeting date would be announced.
Place 2 Commissioner Daniel Cortez, Sr., moved to table the item so the HOT board can deliberate. He received a second from Place 3 Commissioner Victor M. Gonzalez.
MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING
The festival warranted separating items for the commissioners to consider.
Garcia said the festival directors met with her, as well as police and fire officials.
Garcia said that among the details discussed were the use of Stookey Park and the potential use of San Benito Boys and Girls Club building.
Peter Avila said that for nearly 20 years, beginning in the early 1990s, San Benito hosted a conjunto festival organized by the Narciso Martinez Cultural Arts Center, which is now in Los Fresnos. Hailing the city as the “birthplace of conjunto,” he said there is a need to bring a festival back to the Resaca City.
He cited the museum he helps operate as a reason to host it once again.
“People who visit the museum are always asking when we are going to bring conjunto music back,” Peter said. “When the city staff asked citizens in a survey what they wanted, some responded with conjunto.”
At the moment, Peter said 10 bands have committed, but he would like to reach 14 bands. There will also be a cookout.
Patricia Avila added that “friends from San Antonio” are promoting the event through word of mouth and on social media. In fact, the museum’s Facebook page has at least a dozen posts about individual and business sponsorships, with amounts varying.
“People have been stressing this event throughout the state, and some who are interested in attending,” Patricia said. “This is all about bringing economic growth to San Benito.”
Mayor Pro Tem Jose E. Navarro moved to proceed with the MOU, with Commissioner Perez seconding.