Capacity limit becomes major issue in Progreso meeting

PROGRESO, Texas (ValleyCentral) — The City of Progreso called a special meeting Thursday evening.

Two of the biggest items on the agenda were the potential termination of City Attorney Javier Villalobos and City Manager Alfredo Espinosa. However, the biggest issue was not even on the agenda as people complained about the city’s new capacity inside city chambers.

More than 50 people attended the meeting. However, only 22 people were allowed in while more than 25 waited outside in the rain.

The fire marshal said the maximum capacity for the city council chambers in Progreso should be 38. That includes public officials like the city commission members and the residents attending the meeting.

Residents like Giovane Valdez were not having it. She says some people had special privileges to go inside.

“I never come to meetings like this, I just came for moral support and not be treated like this," Valdez said. "To be treated like that was not right and especially to the people that were already in there and got out and just because she was the mayor’s wife and was allowed to go in there isn’t fair.”

Valdez says she arrived when there was already people outside waiting. She says nobody was allowed inside as police officers guarded the door with the exception of the mayor’s wife.

Other residents like Martha Trevino say they understand the capacity limit because of safety. However, she feels many supporters of the former administration came out in large numbers early to fill in.

"The building is too small, but I also feel that some of them also got in agreement to come early and cover the capacity limit, so no more people could go inside," Trevino said. "They all do that with the malevolent advantage and that is what we the people don’t like about our local politics.”

Trevino says more people are coming out in support of the new administration who want to see if they really will make any change.

Progreso Mayor Hugo Gamboa says he understands the problem of capacity limitations. After the meeting, he said he will start asking city staff to look for a larger area to hold their council meetings.

“We just have to see as there are not many really big places here in Progreso, but I’m sure we can find one as we just need to look around and it is something I am going to bring up to the city manager for him to start looking for some places for the community," the mayor said.

As for the city attorney agenda item, it did not pass.

Three of the council members voted in favor of keeping Javier Villalobos as the city’s attorney while two council members and the mayor voted against keeping him. Council members said they discussed the future of City Manager Alfredo Espinosa in executive session, but would not comment on the issue.