It is my honor to present the Brownsville Public Utilities Board's 2026–2030 Strategic Business Plan, a first-of-its-kind roadmap that establishes a unified direction for our organization and reflects the aspirations of the community we serve. A strategic plan defines an organization's long-term direction by setting clear goals, priorities, and actions that guide decision-making and align resources toward a shared vision. At BPUB, we are more than a utility — we are stewards of vital electricity, water, and wastewater services for our community. This plan outlines where BPUB is headed and how we will strengthen the reliability and affordability of our utility systems over the next five years.
This plan was deliberately shaped and collaboratively developed. From the beginning, we engaged our regional partners—including the City of Brownsville, Cameron County, the Brownsville Navigation District, the Greater Brownsville Incentives Corporation, and the Brownsville Community Improvement Corporation—as well as our customers through the Public Utilities Board Consumer Advisory Panel (PUBCAP). Equally important, BPUB’s employees played a central role, ensuring that the plan is grounded in operational reality and informed by the people who serve our customers every day.
Through stakeholder feedback, we refined our mission and vision to reflect a renewed commitment to service and community leadership. Our vision—Empowering greater Brownsville’s future through exceptional utility services, community leadership, and operational excellence—captures the role we strive to play in the region’s growth and resilience. It acknowledges that our work goes beyond delivering power and water. We empower lives, support progress, and lead with purpose. Our mission--to deliver safe, reliable, and affordable utility services that empower our community, champion growth, and operate with financial strength, transparency, and strong leadership—reaffirms the essential role BPUB plays in the lives of our customers.
The plan identifies ten strategic focus areas that prioritize and guide our work ahead: Employee Engagement & Development, Optimizing Water Supply, Community Engagement, Customer Experience, Power Supply Optimization, Enterprise Risk Management, Technology Modernization, Resiliency & Reliability, Affordability, and Interorganizational Effectiveness. These focus areas strengthen our ability to meet customer needs, increase the return on the community’s investment in our water and electric systems, support a vibrant local economy, and improve transparency across our operations, finances, and governance. We will also adopt new technologies to modernize our systems and explore innovative ways to connect with and serve our customers.
I want to extend my most profound appreciation to our Board of Directors. Their commitment, guidance, and invaluable insights throughout this process demonstrate the trust they place in the professionals at BPUB and empower us to implement this plan with accountability and excellence.
As we move forward, we invite the community to follow our progress and engage with the work ahead by visiting www.brownsville-pub.com. Together with our partners, customers, and employees, we are building a stronger, more resilient BPUB— one that will continue to serve Brownsville with pride for generations to come.
Very Respectfully,
Marilyn D. Gilbert
General Manager & CEO
Brownsville Public Utilities Board
