Villalobos: We’re going to miss Nedra Kinerk at our city budget meetings

MCALLEN, Texas – McAllen Mayor Javier Villalobos says that out of the 150,000-plus people that reside in his city, there was always one citizen that could be relied upon to show up when the budget was being crafted.

That person was Nedra Kinerk. 

“We’re starting this year’s budget. We have 150,000 to 160,000 people here in McAllen. And guess who would be there, year after year, sitting on the left side, by the wall, every day, making sure we did the right thing?” Villalobos asked. “Nedra Kinerk.”

Villalobos was speaking at a celebration of Kinerk’s life at the McAllen Heritage Center, which Kinerk co-founded. It was held on what would have been the community leader’s 93rd birthday. Kinerk passed away a couple of weeks ago after a short battle with cancer.

McAllen Mayor Javier Villalobos speaks at a celebration of life event for Dr. Nedra S. Kinerk.

Villalobos said Kinerk would tell city leaders when they were not getting it right. But, he said, they mostly did the right thing because they have had good people at the helm.

“If she thought it was a good budget, she would go to City Hall, sign up, and thank the commission. That was awesome, because, as elected officials, we all know we don’t do anything right, do we? Every now and then, to have somebody tell you, you got it right, that was awesome.”

Villalobos said Kinerk was an amazing and intelligent community leader. “She was my good friend. My Dancing Queen,” he said. 

State Sen. Juan Hinojosa presented a state Senate resolution honoring Dr. Nedra S. Kinerk to her family.

Another leader at the celebration of life was state Sen. Juan Hinojosa. He read aloud a resolution that had been passed in her honor by the state Senate.

Hinojosa described Kinerk as a friendly, positive, and loving person. 

“I will never forget her kindness. She had what I call a Corazón de Mantequilla,” Hinojosa said. “We’re going to miss her. She made such a difference.”

Hidalgo County Judge Richard Cortez speaks at a celebration of life event for Dr. Nedra S. Kinerk.

Also speaking at the celebration of life event, Hidalgo County Judge Richard Cortez said Kinerk was a “very special person.” He said she understood that leadership was not about pitting one segment of society against another. “She understood that leadership is about bringing people together,” Cortez said. 

Cortez decried the division that exists in society today. He said Kinerk understood that the country “needs all of us to come together, to find common ground.”

He added: “I have a very special place in my heart for her, and I learned a lot from her. I want to thank her family for giving us the opportunity to have her for so many years.”

A state Senate resolution honoring Dr. Nedra S. Kinerk.

At the conclusion of the event the Rio Grande Guardian interviewed the co-founder of McAllen Heritage Center, Elva M. Cerda about Kinerk and the future of the center. Here is the interview:

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