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EAGLE LAKE — Residents spoke at a Town Hall meeting held by the Eagle Lake City Council to express their opposition towards Endeavors opening a facility that would house migrant children.
On Jan. 17, Endeavors President and Chief Operating Officer Chip Fulghum and Chief Communications Officer Kim Solis presented about the organization and the plans are for the facility, which is the former Heritage House Nursing Home building near Heritage Lane.
The facility is now expected to start accepting male children, ages 13-17, in summer 2023. The Citizen reported in January 2021, the all-inclusive, migrant youth facility will provide temporary housing, healthcare, youth counseling and mentorship, holistic support services, education and more. Fulghum said the average stay for the children will be 30-35 days and that the children would then be reunited with their families.
At the town hall meeting, residents said they do not believe the facility is safe enough to harbor the migrant children due to security concerns. Residents believed the fence does not provide adequate security. Fulghum said the idea of a wall was not liked when they first started the process of acquiring the facility, so the current fence was put in place.
Rice Medical Associates CEO Kurt Sunderman called the fence a “running joke.” He said he talked to his staff about how they are feeling about the facility and security was a concern. Sunderman inquired what medical services the facility would use. He said the medical center would not be able to hold the anticipated amount of migrants.
Fulghum said that the federal government has insurance for the children in the facility.
Regarding children that may need to seek medical treatment at the Rice Medical Center, Sunderman said “we treat everyone the same who comes to the door.”
In December 2022, the Citizen reported that Fulghum said, “every square inch of the facility is being designed with the child in mind. Education, recreation, and basic medical care all on site. There will be very little movement from the facility by the children, other than when they come and when they are reunified with families.”
On June 1, 2021, Texas Governor Greg Abbott ordered state child-care regulators to stop licenses from facilities that house minors who crossed the state’s southern border without papers and were detained.
The Citizen also reported that 52 state-licensed general residential operations and child placing agencies in Texas have contracts with the federal Office of Refugee Resettlement to care for undocumented immigrant children. Endeavors, a San Antonio based company, is one such company.
Residents expressed that Endeavors appeared to be going against Abbott’s orders, but Fulghum said that Endeavors received a federal funding and an exemption from the state for licensure to house unaccompanied migrant children.
Sheena Rodriguez referenced cases in the U.S. in which migrants were transferred and committed murders. She said her concern was related to sex trafficking and child labor rings.
“We do care, we are not heartless people,” Rodriguez said. “We just wanted Americans first. It is not racist at all.”
A resident also ment ioned that appraisal neighborhood codes would be affected. Fulghum said that resident property value for land has gone up with the facility being in place.
Another resident expressed that it money is the reason why Endeavors is bringing the facility to Eagle Lake and said that the costs to renovate the building is more expensive than the costs it would take to build a hotel. He referenced the Best Western in Columbus was cheaper to build.
When asked how much the organization was receiving for this project, Fulghum said $8.5 million a year for three years.
A resident named, Mark York, asked about education. Fulghum said that the education is funded through a grant and is inhouse.
Residents were also concerned if the organization would hire locally, including using services such as landscaping in the area, and how the facility would show evidence of the money being used in the community.
“We will prioritize the hiring of local residents for positions at the group home and local vendors for products and services,” said Fulghum. “We will hold a local job fair in order to facilitate hiring in the near future.
Alderman, Michael Cooper said jobs were the main reason he supported the facility opening in Eagle Lake.
The Citizen reported in December 2022 that the facility is expected to bring almost 90 jobs, including care workers, clinicians, case managers, cooks, teachers, to fill. An estimated $7.9 million annual investment in salaries and operational costs and an estimated $1 million in building renovations.
Residents expressed a need for services catered to veterans. The Citizen previously reported that the company said it looks to become active in the community by offering mental health and veteran services.
Residents inquired why Eagle Lake was chosen for the facility instead of leaving them at the center in Pecos, Texas. Fulghum said the government made the decision.
At the end of the town hall, Renea Tice expressed her favor of the facility saying that her position at the Challenge Academy is about helping at-risk youth.
