LRGVDC remembers City of Raymondville legend Yogi Garcia

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WESLACO, Texas – The late Eleazar “Yogi” Garcia, longtime city manager for the City of Raymondville, has been honored by the Lower Rio Grande Valley Development Council.

Garcia passed away in November 2024 aged 64.

Garcia was remembered by LRGVDC Executive Director Manuel “Manny” Cruz during the Regional Recognition Service & Legacy Awards section of the group’s recent State of the COG event.

Cruz said: “Next is my solemn privilege to present the award, this next award to a gentleman by the name of Mr. Yogi Garcia. I think most of you should know who this gentleman is. City Manager for the City of Raymondville. City Manager Garcia served on the LRGVDC board of directors as a Member-at-Large from 2020 to 2023 and was an unwavering advocate for Willacy County and its residents. His passion for public service and his commitment to improving his community were evident in everything he did. This plaque is a small token of our gratitude and respect for Yogi’s contribution. His wisdom and dedication left an indelible mark on our organization and our region.”

Cruz continued: “We will now present this plaque in his honor to another representative from Willacy County, ensuring his legacy and services is remembered and celebrated. And as you know, obviously he’s no longer with us. He did pass. I knew Yogi for a long time, since I joined the COG. He was always a 100% supporter of the Lower Rio Grande Valley Development Council and everything we did, not just at the board of director level, but also with the programs, with the various programs that we had. So it was an honor to have known him. And unfortunately, he did pass away, but we do have an award, and we have (Raymondville City) Commissioner (Edward) Gonzales to accept this honor on his behalf and deliver the award.”

Other recipients

Here are a list of other leaders recognized by LRGVDC during the Regional Recognition Service & Legacy Awards section of the group’s recent State of the COG event. The section was emceed by Javier Guerra, Channel 5 News morning co-anchor.

Ana Hernandez

Special projects director for the City of Harlingen

“As the mobility and special projects director of the city of Harlingen, Ana has demonstrated exceptional leadership on wavering commitment in an unparalleled ability to drive success through collaborative efforts,” Guerra said.

Steven Valdez

Executive director, Economic Development Corporation of Weslaco

“Mr. Steven Valdez is a native of Weslaco with roots in the community dating back to the 1940s and after graduating high school 1982 he started what ended up being a 10 year career. Some of his achievements since becoming executive director in 2021: he is a self-proclaimed industrial developer. He and his team have navigated the roads and processes of developing 122 buildable acre industrial park where 70 percent of the lots have been sold and/or have a Letter of Intent,” Guerra said.

Christine Martinez

Community health supervisor, City of Los Fresnos

“For all the work she has done over the years for bringing our community together to improve its health, and they have won first place for five years straight in the Texas Community Challenge,” Guerra said.

Velinda Reyes

Chief administrator for external affairs for Hidalgo County Precinct Four

“Ms. Reyes has made remarkable strides in streamlining projects and initiatives within Precinct Four, while also fostering increased regional collaboration across the Rio Grande Valley. Her expertise and willingness to assist others have made her a trusted subject matter expert, someone that anybody can turn to for guidance and support,” Guerra said.

Dr. Rose Gowen

City commissioner at-large for the City of Brownsville. Gowen could not be present and joined the group virtually.

“Dr. Rose Gowen is an active advocate for transportation across the region with a 15-year service award from the City of Brownsville. A milestone anniversary for Dr. Gowen for her dedicated service to the City of Brownsville.”

Further Awards

LRGVDC Executive Director Cruz then came back to the stage to honor two further individuals.

He said: “Thank you once again, and for those awardees, the award doesn’t come free. Surprise. So, your task would be to spread the message, spread the word, spread LRGVDC at your locations, at your jurisdictions. Let people know what you do because the services that we provide are also available to your community. And so that’s that’s the task. That comes with the awards.”

Cruz continued:

“So thank you for being here today to celebrate the incredible individuals who make our region stronger, more collaborative and better prepared for the future. We have just recognized these outstanding individuals for their contributions. I would now like to take a moment to honor a few, just a few more remarkable leaders who have deeply impacted the Lower Rio Grande Valley Development Council and our region.”

David Garza

Cameron County Commissioner Precinct Three

Garza could be present to receive his award.

Cruz said of Garza:

“I would like to recognize Commissioner David Garzafrom Cameron County. Precinct Three. Commissioner Garza has been an exceptional representative for the Lower Rio Grande Valley, and especially the Lower Rio Grande Valley Development Council at the state level through his work and attendance at the Texas Association of Regional Councils. His dedication to the growth and collaboration of our region has has been nothing short of inspiring.”

“Commissioner Garza’s steadfast commitment in representing the Regional Planning Commission at the state level has amplified our voice and ensured that the needs of the Lower Rio Grande Valley are heard. The partnerships you built and the work you’ve accomplished have brought great value to our region. It is it has been a true honor to have you serve in this capacity. As you step down from your role, I am pleased to share that the Lower Rio Grande Valley (Development Council) board of directors has nominated Mr. Jim Darling to represent us moving forward, with our president, (Harlingen) Mayor Norma Sepulveda as his alternate. Commissioner Garza thank you for your exemplary work and dedication. Your legacy of leadership will continue to guide us as we move forward.”

Debby Morales

Former LRGVDC staff member

Cruz said of Morales:

“Finally, I would like to recognize a former staff of the LRGVDC, Ms. Debby Morales, who dedicated 21 years of her life to the Lower Rio Grande Valley Development Council in a variety of roles. Debby’s work has been instrumental, not only in the success of the organization, but also in connecting the dots across various initiatives, including her passionate involvement with the Region M Water Planning Group. Debby was the glue that held so many projects and efforts together and her impact will be felt for many years to come.

“As she recently retired, we could not let this moment pass without acknowledging her countless contributions and the legacy and dedication she leaves behind. Thank you for everything you’ve done for the Lower Rio Grande Valley Development Council and the communities we serve.

“And if I can… Debby, obviously, was here for 21 years. I think it was about a year ago she had an unfortunate medical condition that forced her into retirement. We’ve been trying to get a hold of her, but we couldn’t. But before Christmas, we were reached out by her son, and so she was back in the hospital on life support. And so we have not heard (regarding) back her status. But Debby was here just as long as I was, almost the same time frame. And so she grew up, obviously went through the ranks, started, I think, in transit, I believe, looking over her tenure here at the COG at transit as a temp assistant, and then obviously went to admin, to HR, and obviously landed when Mr. Ken Jones was here as executive secretary. So she dedicated many years to the organization. And so hopefully we wish her the best. We pray to God that she survives her unfortunate condition. So, we do have an award for her.”