****OFFICIAL ELECTION RESULTS****
Brownsville Navigation District General Election November 3rd, 2020
Early Voting results, mail-in ballots, provisional ballots, plus 59 of 59 precincts reported.
Commissioner, Place 1
- Ralph Cowen 46,381
Commissioner, Place 3
- Julio Graña 26,363
- John Reed 26,568
Commissioner, Place 5
- Sergio Tito Lopez 38,898
- Bill Berg 13,269
Unofficial results were canvassed during the Brownsville Navigation District’s regular board meeting held Nov. 17, 2020. For more information visit the Cameron County Elections and Voter Registration Department website Read More
Port of Brownsville Chief of Police Carlos Garcia has been appointed by Governor Greg Abbott to serve on the Task Force on Disaster Issues Affecting Persons who are Elderly and Persons with Disabilities. Garcia will act as chair of the task force that will study methods to more effectively accommodate persons who are elderly and persons with disabilities before, during, and after a disaster or emergency evacuation. His term is set to expire on February 1 , 2023. The Port of Brownsville Police and Security Department, led by Garcia, is comprised of 13 sworn police officers, eight security guards, and one administrative assistant. Prior to joining the port, Garcia served as Chief of Police for the City of Brownsville from 2001 until 2011. He is a member of the Texas Police Chiefs Association and the Texas Police Association. He received a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from Expansion to Grow Agriculture Opportunities and Support Farming Families Throughout the Region BROWNSVILLE, Texas – Wednesday, October 14, 2020 – The Port of Brownsville is reclaiming its status as a major exporter of agricultural products after receiving a $14.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation to improve efficiency and safety of its grain storage and loading facilities. The grant, deriving from the DOT Maritime Administration (MARAD) Port Infrastructure Development Program, supports the development, expansion and upgrade of the port’s three-million-bushel grain elevator operated by WestPlains, LLC. The project consists of fixed landside, rail, and road improvements, as well as related planning and other development activities. Once completed, the improvements will create a new cost-efficient option for all grain p The month of August marked an impressive milestone in the Brownsville & Rio Grande International Railway’s (BRG) 34-year history, with a record 5,045 loaded railcars handled at the Port of Brownsville. The short-line railroad, managed and operated by OmniTRAX, has experienced a record-breaking number of car volumes for 2020 and according to Norma Torres, BRG president & COO, if the trend continues, BRG will see a 15% increase from the 41,207 loaded cars moved in 2019. Like other companies, BRG has faced unprecedented challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the company has persevered as carload volumes continue to increase thanks to an uptick in activity by port tenants. “The growth at the Port of Brownsville has directly impacted our carloads which continue Keppel AmFELS announced in September its contract to build the largest high-specification Trailing Suction Hopper Dredge (TSHD) in the U.S. for Manson Construction Co. This will be the first dredge built at Keppel AmFELS’ yard at the Port of Brownsville, adding to the growing number of shipbuilding projects and job opportunities in the South Texas region. “We are pleased to be selected by Manson Construction Co. to build the largest U.S hopper dredge. It is a testament to the capabilities of our shipyard to build a wide variety of vessels for the Jones Act market,” said Mohamed Sahlan Bin Salleh, president of Keppel AmFELS. “This project will be supported by our highly-skilled local workforce and suppliers across the U.S. This is our first newbuild project with Manson and we look forward to supporting them as they grow their fleet of vessels.” Once complete, the self-p Brownsville, Texas – September 22, 2020 – The Brownsville Navigation District Board of Commissioners approved lowering the overall tax rate for property owners living within the district with an effective date of October 1, 2020. The measure, approved unanimously at a regular board meeting held September 9, sets the 2020 property tax rate for the BND at $.029778 per $100 valuation, a 17 percent decrease from the previous year’s adopted tax rate which was set at $.035920. The 2020 property tax rate is comprised of a debt rate of $.004864 per $100 valuation and a maintenance and operations rate of $.024914 per $100 valuation. “The Brownsville Navigation District commissioners and port staff are focused on advocating for the best interest of the district’s taxpayers,” said John Reed, BND chairman. “This decision reinforces our commitment to the residents By John Reed, Chairman of the Brownsville Navigation District The Port of Brownsville is proud to support the U.S. trucking industry by celebrating National Truck Driver Appreciation Week (Sept. 13-19). While we always owe our nation’s truckers a debt of gratitude, it feels especially poignant right now as they continue to bravely and relentlessly carry out their responsibilities to keep our world and our economies moving forward amid a global pandemic. At the port, everything we do revolves around helping businesses provide seamless logistics and transportation of products and supplies on both sides of the border. Cargo moving to and from the port gets there by water, rail or road. It’s a relationship dependent upon well-coordinated cooperation between each mode of transportation, with truck drivers playing a vital role in our success. WestPlains LLC loaded 34,000 metric tons of sorghum for export to China in August. A port community with all these exceptional benefits and active projects requires skilled and abundant labor. Local universities, colleges, technical schools, school districts and workforce development leaders are partnering with the port to meet growing demands. Fortunately, Brownsville is home to one of the nation’s most youthful populations, where the average age is 29. Educated, technically savvy, adaptable and motivated to succeed, these young people understand the meaning of hard work. Many of those work for the port’s three skilled stevedoring operations, who collaborated on the movement of 11.3 million short tons of cargo last year: Dix Shipping Company, Schaefer Stevedoring and Gulf Stream Marine are the backbone and muscle of the port that works. Each has distinguished themselves with records of safety and efficiency, serving the focused needs of their clients, resulting Community-wide survey kicks off campaign to help identify connectivity needs August 26, 2020 (Brownsville, TX) –The City of Brownsville, in partnership with seven strategic local stakeholders including the Port of Brownsville, Brownsville Public Utilities Board, Texas Southmost College, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Greater Brownsville Incentives Cooperation, Brownsville Community Improvement Corporation and the Brownsville Independent School District announces a new campaign to help bring faster internet and better internet access to online Brownsville citizens. Read More
This notice concerns the 2020 property tax rates for the Brownsville Navigation District. This notice provides information about two tax rates used in adopting the current tax year’s tax rate. The no-new-revenue tax rate would Impose the same amount of taxes as last year if you compare properties taxed in both years. In most cases, the voter-approval tax rate is the highest tax rate a taxing unit can adopt without holding an election. In each case, these rates are calculated by dividing the total amount of taxes by the current taxable value with adjustments as required by state law. The rates are given per $100 of property value. Brownsville, Texas – August 10, 2020 – Construction for the South Port Connector Road began today, August 10, 2020, a critical project aimed at improving urban traffic and access to the Port of Brownsville. The $25.6 million project is made possible by a partnership of the Brownsville Navigation District (BND), Cameron County, the Cameron County Regional Mobility Authority (CCRMA), the Rio Grande Valley Metropolitan Planning Organization (RGVMPO) and the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT). The port connector is the first phase of CCRMA’s larger East Loop Corridor construction project. “The Port of Brownsville’s steady growth in cargo movement and overall activity makes the south port connector road critical to the region’s future success in domestic and international trade,” said John Reed, BND Chairman. “The excellent partnership forged wit Brownsville, Texas – August 7, 2020 – On Aug. 5th, a state district court dismissed a lawsuit against the Port of Brownsville by the City of Port Isabel related to land leases to three proposed LNG facilities at the port. “The Port of Brownsville remains dedicated to creating a safe, secure and sustainable center for international trade that supports our growing communities and safeguards the local environment,” said Port of Brownsville Port Director and CEO Eduardo A. Campirano. “The court’s decision allows us to strengthen our focus on driving new job opportunities and significant economic progress for the Rio Grande Valley.” The proposed projects by Annova LNG Brownsville, Rio Grande LNG LLC, and Texas LNG Brownsville LLC, represent a combined investment of more than $30 billion in Cameron County. Each of the projects successfully comple The Port of Brownsville’s proximity to Mexico, Latin America’s second-largest economy, uniquely positions the port as the nation’s key transshipment gateway delivering goods and commodities to nearby multinational manufacturing centers on both sides of the border. Ranking among the top U.S. steel ports, the Port of Brownsville moves more steel into Mexico than any other domestic competitor. In 2019, the port moved 3.2 million short tons of steel across the southern border. Nearby Monterrey is a major industrial center in northern Mexico with a metropolitan population of nearly five million and home to dozens of commonly recognized international corporations. Monterrey is located 200 miles due west from the Port of Brownsville, where steel makers have come to rely upon the logistical efficiencies providedPort of Brownsville- Driving Growth and Economic Prosperity
Read More
Port PD Chief Garcia Appointed to State Task Force
Port of Brownsville Receives $14.5 Million Grant to Further Expand Agricultural Export Opportunities
Brownsville & Rio Grande International Railway’s Momentum on Track
Keppel AmFELS to Build the Largest U.S. Hopper Dredge at the Port
Brownsville Navigation District Reduces Tax Rate
Honoring America’s Truck Drivers
A Taste of Texas Sails to China
Labor Meets The Port That Works
Strategic Partnership Seeks to Close the Digital Divide in Brownsville
2020 Notice of Tax Rates in Brownsville Navigation District
Construction Begins for South Port Connector Road
Court Dismisses Lawsuit by City of Port Isabel Against Port of Brownsville Over LNG Leases
Port Directory Feature: Trade with Mexico