Mayor Cody Smith praises local church and community for Warming Shelter

By Michael Robinson | Uvalde Hesperian

Top photo is from a prior Uvalde City Council Meeting

 The City of Uvalde City Council meeting met close to 2-hours on Tuesday, February 13th, 2024 with the majority of the Council’s time was spent convening in executive session behind closed doors to discuss pending litigation pertaining to the Robb School May 24th incident and also discuss specific personnel matters, 

After returning to the council chambers, the Council listen to former Mayor George Garza address his concerns about certain streets and alleyways in the West Uvalde area. Garza asked the City to repair some streets and pave alleyways near where Garza owns rental property,

Two agenda items were tabled due to Uvalde Chamber of Commerce Director of Tourism Operations John Yeakle’s absence from the Council meeting. 

The two agenda items which the Council voted to table:

Item 8A.Consider approving a marketing media plan presented by John Yeackle, Uvalde Area Chamber of Commerce Director of Tourism Operations; 

Item. 8B. Consider request from John Yeackle, Uvalde Area Chamber of Commerce Director of Tourism Operations to approve a sponsorship to the 2nd Annual Makenna Elrod Seiler Foundation Scholarship event. 

Uvalde Police Chief Daniel Rodriguez presented an annual report he is required to submit on an annual basis to the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement and also to local governing body., According to Chief Rodriquez, the Uvalde Police Department has 7759 traffic stops.

On the report, is the number of complaints of racial profiling submitted to the Uvalde Police Department of which there were none,

Felix Castillo presented a report on the Helping Hand Fund which is designed to help senior citizens to cover utility bills and also those facing financial crises’, Total funds we collected were $37,000 which includes a $25,000 donation from the City to the Helping Hand Fund in 2022, 

$31,000 were given to 186 senior citizens and 96 families. Castro went on to say the city is trying to partner with the newspaper (the Uvalde Leader-News) so she can help get the people to donate referencing the ULN reporter at the meeting,

Mayor Cody Smith spoke addressing the need in the community, “We really found that out during the cold spell about a month or so ago. Thank Goodness Pastor Limones’ Church they stood up freaking big time to help… the community and the community stood up for them with donations and other items,” Smith said.