By Gilda Morales
The Van Horn Economic Development Corporation Board met last Wednesday to adopt their annual budget and hear a financial report from board treasurer, Fran Malafronte. According to Malafronte, the EDC is close to retiring the yearly $40,000 to the Town of Van Horn to pay off improvements to the water system, which began in 1998 when the EDC was incorporated. With that debt being retired, Malafronte reported that sales tax revenues were excessive each month and that the EDC bank balance was healthy, nearing $400,000. The board turned their attention to doing a feasibility study on possibly building a water park in conjunction with improvements to the City Pool and pool house. The board will meet again in a month to report on similar water parks built with EDC funds in other small towns in Texas.
The Board also approved more improvement to the new Mercado including a concrete patio in the back with a canopy, an irrigation system for the landscaping and concrete curbing around the building to prevent problems with the foundation. Board members also discussed getting information on heating and cooling for increased usage of the Mercado. New Board members Marcial Gonzalez and David Rivera were briefed on previous EDC projects and the scope of involvement that the board can have in developing new enterprises in the community.
