OLDER WORKERS’ WEEK — Experienced Works, a program aimed at senior citizens, is observing “Older Workers’ Week” beginning tomorrow through Sept. 26. A group of seniors citizens joined Mayor Sam Fugate and City Manager Carlos Yerena Wednesday afternoon for a traditional proclamation ceremony. Pictured are, left to right, front row, Mayor Fugate, Graciela Silguero, Ilse Galvan, Susie Stepping, Guadalupe Gonzalez and Eduardo Perez; back row, City Manager Yerena, Solia Obregon, Guadalupe Munoz and Jose Mendoza. Not pictured are Laura Chavez, Rachel Utley and Olga Garza. Texas joins the nation in recognizing National Employ Older Workers Week this week as a reminder from the U.S. Department of Labor of the valuable skills that workers aged 55 and older provide employers. The most recent Texas State Data Center statistics suggest that the number of Texans aged 55 and older is projected to triple between 2000 and 2040 to more than 10.4 million citizens. The Texas Workforce Commission uses DOL funds to administer the state’s portion of the Senior Community Service Employment Program, which provides paid on-thejob training and employment services for older workers who have limited financial resources. The demand for single family homes in Kingsville has been answered following action by the Kingsville City Commission and the Kleberg County Commissioners Court during their respective meetings last Monday.

South Texas builder Mark Dizdar of McAllen, through his South Texas Benevolent Society, plans to construct 63 homes in Phase III of Paulson Falls subdivision east of U.S. Highway 77 Bypass off General Cavazos Boulevard.

The city will allocated more than $450,000 towards infrastructure improvements for Phase III, and Kleberg County will reimburse the city $200,000 as its share of the cost of the improvements in annual installments of $50,000.

The city-county partnership came about only after the Kingsville Area Industrial Development Foundation board of directors approved an irrevocable letter of credit to the city guaranteeing responsibility for repayment of the infrastructure funds in the event the developer fails to building the homes.

“The developer says the infrastructure improvements should be completed by the end of the current calendar year, about the same time he runs out of lots for development in Phases I and II,” Dick Messbarger, secretary of the KAIDF said.

“The Irrevocable Standby Letter of Credit provided by the Kingsville Area Industrial Development Foundation was a critical factor in securing the residential development agreement from both the city and country,” Messbarger said.

Kleberg Bank is providing financing for the residential development and was praised by KAIDF board members for “stepping up to the plate” to bring more single family homes to Kingsville at a time when many financial institutions are shying away from residential development during these economic hard times.

The devloper has three years to complete the homes, which will be no less than 1,350 square feet but most will be about 1,600 square feet.

City and county officias note that once the homes are sold and put on the tax rolls, both the city and county should easily recover their infrastructure investment.

Paulson Falls is within the boundaries of the Kingsville Independent School district.