Texas Border Business
EDINBURG – Maribel Navarro-Saenz, longtime executive director of the County of Hidalgo Community Service Agency announced her plans to retire effective Friday, March 13.2015
Navarro-Saenz had headed the agency – which is charged with assisting the County’s low income population with an array of emergency services including utility assistance, referrals and links with a network of social service organizations – for nearly 32 years.
She announced her plans to retire to Executive Officer Valde Guerra in two-sentence letter dated March 9.
The letter states: “I wish to inform you of my plan for retirement, my health and family require my immediate attention. Therefore, my last day on the job is Friday, March 13, 2015.”
Navarro-Saenz was questioned by Commissioners Court about the agency’s failure to administer nearly $3 million in federal grant funds to Hidalgo County’s indigent population during the March 3 meeting and had been tasked with submitting a proposal to ensure that all grant funds are dispersed.
Hidalgo County Judge Ramon Garcia, who questioned why funds were returned when 35 percent of county residents live below the poverty line, said Tuesday that as the agency moves forward there will be checks and balances in place to ensure residents receive benefits to which they are entitled.
“The county has a team in place that includes representatives from my office, the Executive Office, budget and others that will oversee the program during the transition,” said Garcia. “Services to the community will not be interrupted and the team will proceed with a plan to ensure that all funds are properly dispersed.”
The CSA is funded through grants from the Corporation for National and Community Service and the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs. Grants awarded to Hidalgo County are administered by the CSA for the benefit of low income residents.
