Dilley revisits civic center policy after disturbances

By Breyana Segura - Chief Staff Writer | July 3, 2024

Dilley city councilors have directed the administration to revisit a building use policy regarding rental of the Civic Center following a recent brawl at the facility.
According to City Secretary Natasha Prado, the current agreement is unclear, leaving grey areas with regard to security.
“It is already there, it says, city reserves the right,” the secretary said in reference to the agreement wording regarding security requirements during a Tuesday, June 11, meeting. “Renters feel if it is under one hundred [people at an event] they do not need security, but I feel that we need to update it whether it is a large event or small event. There needs to be one security.”
Prado said the city has recently learned of altercations that have occurred at two- and three-hour events such as baby showers.
Dilley Police Chief Stephen Hernandez agreed with Prado and said his officers have responded to a number of events at the public facility after what he believes have been alcohol-induced altercations.
“It is very difficult because I have seen one-year-old birthday parties where people are drunk and this tio does not like this tio, then they fight,” the police chief said. “To me, it is the safety of the people first, the safety of my officers, the safety of the citizens of Dilley. If there is going to be alcohol, security should be a must.”
The current agreement requires renters to pay $30 per hour for private security; a fee Prado said should be increased.
“We need to update the security fee right now; it is at thirty dollars an hour,” Prado said. “The minimum is forty-five to fifty dollars an hour and due to recent rentals where there has been fighting here, I suggest we get security whether it is a small event or big event.”
According to Hernandez, Prado is correct in the average rate of private security. The chief said most licensed peace officers who accept private jobs require a minimum of four hours.
Councilor Rudy Alvarez said he believes residents have recently become upset due to the city secretary requiring additional security.
“The problem is the last time you wanted more security and they did not want to pay for it,” the councilor said. “I think there should be language in here that says at our discretion. Make it clear that we decide.”
“We cannot just pick and choose who we are going to target,” Councilor Ray Aranda said. “It is either all or none at all.”
Molly Solis, legal counsel for the city, said the current rental agreement between the city and renters has separated the security agreement.
“The security part is separate from it; it needs to be clear that security is going to be at any event that has alcohol, from legal standpoint, insurance standpoint, liability standpoint, you need to have at least one security personnel if there is going to be alcohol on the premises,” the attorney said. “Whether it is BYOB or served by a licensed professional, if there are over one hundred people then there needs to be two [security guards]. They [renters] have to pay for them; it is not the city’s duty to provide them.”
Solis reiterated that the security required at private events, although on city property, is not city security.
“They are going to have to pay for it,” Solis said. “If they do not want to do these things, they are not entitled to rent this public building. It is still the city’s decision to rent it to them.”
According to Solis, the recent incident at the Civic Center occurred after a renter went to the mayor’s home questioning the rental agreement. The attorney said the renter did not meet the rental agreement requirements prior to the city allowing the individual to rent the facility.
“The person did not pay their deposit in a timely manner and did not complete the rental paperwork in a timely manner,” Solis said. “You do not have to cater to that type of behavior. I would recommend that individual not be allowed to rent this facility again. If you want to use this facility you are not trying to make it unreasonable, you are just trying to make it safe. The cost of doing business is the cost of doing business.”
Aranda said he believes the agreement should be drafted to include one fee for all events and have a structured time frame.
“I think that requiring two police officers, which would add four hundred dollars to expenses, will be prohibitive,” Alvarez said. “Yeah, we want to safeguard people and the facility, but we also want it to be used.”